Letters to the editor for Oct. 8
Re-elect Scott Clifthorne
I support Scott Clifthorne for re-election to the Olympia School Board.
I served with him for two years as his colleague on the board and I was continually impressed with his leadership skills and sharp intellect. He has the experience to integrate voices from educators, parents, and students in a thoughtful process that moves from discussion into action. Time and time again he leads conversations that arrive at smart policy and outcomes incorporating science and community input.
Scott leads with real-time experience. As a parent with three students in Olympia schools, he understands the day-to-day struggles of parenting in these complex and often overwhelming times. He believes in public education as a public good and his continued commitment to the 10,000 students in this district will make our community stronger.
I encourage you to share in my gratitude and to re-elect Scott this November.
Joellen Wilhelm, former Olympia School Board director
Elect Iyall and Hansen to lead Port of Olympia
I agree with Bev Bassett’s letter to the editor a few days ago: “derail the gravy train.” Let’s elect new commissioners to stop our money from going to businesses that don’t benefit the public and direct it to those who do benefit the people of Thurston County.
About $6.7 million in our property taxes went to the Port of Olympia last year. And most of it went to investments that haven’t resulted in revenue to the Port: log loaders that benefited Weyerhaeuser’s log exports, a fuel dock that benefits the folks with big motorized yachts (it is not expected to turn a profit for 20 years), a crane that doesn’t get used very often, and more projects that have run up unsustainable debt.
One of the candidates for the Port is a real estate broker. She and her firm, Kidder-Matthews, will earn $1.57 million as a commission from the Port (i.e. us taxpayers) for brokering the Panattoni warehouse deal in Tumwater. I don’t think we need a Port Commissioner like that.
Bob Iyall is a Nisqually Tribal Elder and the Chief Executive Officer of Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation. He knows business and will help bring economic prosperity to our Port.
Joel Hansen has been developing solar energy systems and has been a consultant on regenerative agriculture for farmers and food processors. All important to our needs of the future.
Please consider joining me in voting for these two men in November.
Patricia Holm, Olympia
Talauna Reed is the change we need
I care so much about Olympia that anything that promotes severely needed change I sit and listen. My BS meter is set to extreme. As a transplant to the PNW from Boston, I consistently need to fine tune myself to get more in touch with the local psyche of this most beautiful place I love so much. In Boston, I have never missed an election. I know this election has become a benchmark for me to see just how progressive the people of Olympia truly are.
As “change is a mistress to none,” we live in an era of unprecedented change, as we have never known a planet like this and with this and in science, if an organism does not change, it dies. I don’t want to see this community die as it has so much going for it.
I have been made aware of a person who is more angry about what passes for life than am I, and with whom I could simply sit down with and have an agreeable and in-depth conversation on racism, classism and indifference. What we need is an unprecedented response that will show the country just how progressive we truly are.
The person I have been listening to is Talauna Reed of Olympia. Talauna Reed is the unprecedented response that is required to back us away from the edge of Armageddon.
Allan Hill, Olympia