Letters to the editor weigh in on Thurston County election donations, Prop. 1
Olympia Food Co-op Says YES to Prop 1
The Olympia Food Co-op Board of Directors has consented to endorse Proposition 1, the Olympia Workers Bill of Rights. A longtime Olympia organization with over 120 employees and over 18,000 members, OFC believes that workers deserve fair working conditions and decent pay, and we walk our talk as best we can!
Proposition 1’s primary focus is on large global corporate stores located in Olympia. While their CEOs and major stockholders do NOT live in our community, the people who serve us every day in these stores are our friends and neighbors who are trying to support their families with low pay and unpredictable work schedules. OFC stands with our neighbors.
Despite the misinformation around Prop 1, the truth is Prop 1 has no real impact on small employers. In fact, the 2026 wage mandated under Prop 1 would be LESS than what it will be under state law. For midsize employers, the 2026 wage under Prop 1 will be just 87 cents higher than state law — a pretty modest increase. Meanwhile, the scheduling mandates only apply to the massive corporate stores.
Prop 1 is about our neighbors working hard for massive global corporations making billions of dollars in profits. We stand with our neighbors and their families simply wanting what we all deserve — a roof over our heads and food on the table.
Dave Toler, Olympia Food Cooperative board member
Vote for Sarah Overbay for Tumwater School Board
It’s no secret that the Tumwater T-Birds and the Chehalis Bearcats share a competitive spirit when it comes to athletics. Where no rivalry exists, however, is in our shared commitment to student success. As an experienced school board member in Chehalis, I am honored and enthusiastic to endorse Sarah Overbay for the Tumwater School Board.
I first got to know Sarah during the COVID shutdowns, when we both found ourselves advocating for students. Since then, we’ve become friends, and I’ve seen firsthand her heart for community and service. She has demonstrated this through her involvement in various volunteer roles, including the district’s Equity and Budget Advisory Committees.
Sarah is a licensed foster care provider while raising six children of her own. This provides natural connection with parents and students, giving her valuable insights that will serve her well as a board director. She has a gift for connecting with others and models civility and respect, even in moments of disagreement.
Sarah has a clear mission: to refocus Tumwater schools on their core purpose — student learning and academic success. While distractions will always exist, Sarah understands that by keeping student success at the center, there is far more to unite than divide.
In conversations with Sarah, she has shown an eagerness to learn, grow, and serve as the best school board member she can be. Her vision for building stronger community partnerships, prioritizing academic achievement, and leading with integrity and compassion will be invaluable as Tumwater embarks on this critical election.
Kelsi Hamilton, Chehalis
Follow the money in this election
I follow politics; especially local politics.
The Thurston County Voters Pamphlet recently was distributed for the Nov. 4 election. In it are candidate bios and their self-promotional information, all designed to make their case for being elected. This is good.
Taking the election one step further, I always consult/study the WA State Public Disclosure Commission website and the financial information it contains. This information is invaluable if you care to “Follow the Money”. The PDC website contains the information about who is contributing money to each candidate.
I am not a fan of the way our local municipalities are being run. I believe in small government. I also believe that local governments must accurately budget for the next budget cycle, using existing revenue, and work within the confines of that budget.
Over the years, I have watched as local governments experience budget shortfalls; some small and some very large. Lately, Thurston County and the City of Olympia come to mind. This is the result of failed leadership.
The contributions to candidates is very telling. I notice many familiar contributors to candidates. Many of the contributors are past or existing members of these commissions and/or city councils, and many of them have been, or are directly responsible for the poorly run county or city.
I challenge everyone to take the time to go to the PDC website and research the candidates’ contributors, and make up your own mind before exercising your constitutional right to vote.
Remember, “Birds of a Feather Flock Together.”
Gregory Moe, Olympia