Letters to the editor for Oct. 27

Hansen for Port commissioner

I don’t usually think about the port commissioner race, but a recent article in The Olympian got me thinking.

Per the article, it appears until this week that Amy Evans had a huge conflict of interest during the entire campaign dealing with her role as a real estate agent working on a deal involving port property. Her interest, if the deal closed, was for $270,000. She brushed aside the conflict until this week, when she stated she wouldn’t accept the money.

It seems like a huge conflict of interest and the fact that she just now made that decision makes me think she wouldn’t be an impartial member of the commission in the future. I say continue making money in real estate, and let’s vote for Joel Hansen for port commissioner.

Scott Howard, Tumwater

Weigand for Olympia City Council

Like so many cities, Olympia is faced with a crisis of homelessness and lack of affordable housing, and fresh thinking is needed to confront these problems. That’s why I’m voting for Spence Weigand in the upcoming council elections.

Housing the homeless will go a long way in alleviating the problem. As one of Olympia’s most successful Realtors, Spence Weigand knows housing: costs, materials, location, permitting, zoning, etc. Along with his deep concern for the homeless, he would bring his practical realty experience to bear against these problems, and would be a welcome addition to the Olympia City Council.

Jim Phegley, Olympia

Cox for Lacey City Council

During my career, I have worked with many elected officials from city council members in both Washington and Oregon. Exemplary among them is Carolyn Cox, a current member of the Lacey City Council. She is a unique, well-prepared member of a city leadership that gets things done and develops policies that benefit all the residents of Thurston County.

Important as well, she contributes to the working harmony with these other jurisdictions, delivering transportation and quality-of-life amenities like the Chehalis-Western Trail.

Her opponent is a good man, but lacks experience in municipal governance. He would better serve Lacey, and learn its workings, in a volunteer role with a city committee.

Tom Fender, Tumwater

Peguero does not belong on the Lacey City Council

Felix Peguero does not belong on the Lacey City Council. While the city council seats are legally non-partisan, we can learn a candidate’s leanings and values by the endorsements and donors he seeks and attracts. Mr. Peguero attracts endorsements and donations from developers and other organizations that lobby for altering the environment and placing profits over people, and from politicians who show disdain gun violence reduction and support para-military groups.

For example, Gary Edwards, County Commissioner and former Sheriff who supports Mr. Peguero, once warned a crowd at a gun rights rally of dire consequences if former President Trump weren’t reelected: “If we’re not lucky, we might have a revolution.”

Another one of Mr. Peguero’s backers, Republican state Rep. Andrew Barkis, voted against including in the protection order laws domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, anti-harassment, vulnerable adult, and extreme risk protection orders. Barkis also voted against including affordable housing goals in the Growth Management Act.

Last, but not least, Mr. Peguero is endorsed by Lacey Council member Ed Kunkel, who was discovered last year to be supporting on his personal Facebook page white nationalist para-military groups that were protesting civil demonstrations.

Mr. Peguero, your values are clear to me. That’s why I’m voting for Carolyn Cox for Lacey City Council.

Bill DePoto, Lacey