Attention to government, small and large

Being a high functioning, participating citizen is so much work. Damn democracy. And yet, we are too far along in history to put up with kings; anyone hankering for the authoritarianism of fascism is certainly in the wrong century. So, it is participate or perish.

Most local: 2019 Town budget

Town Council is weeks away, as in two, from passing the 2019 Town budget. No one appeared for the Nov. 13 public hearing at that Town Council meeting. Dan O’Donnell was the lone voice at the accompanying hearing on budget sources and property tax revenues.

La Conner is blessed with competence and congeniality in its elected officials and staff. Even if they are getting everything right, do we know that? Are we, citizens and newspaper, considering their deliberate deliberations? Are we doing our duty to participate and be competent in our roles? This paper has been slow to pay attention.

The proposed ring dike to keep the Skagit River’s waters out of your homes and businesses during a catastrophic flood: does that need fast tracking to get built soon? Jacques Brunisholz wants the dike account funded. Last Council meeting members discussed building the dike now, paying for it with a bond. If Council makes a decision to pass a bond how will you respond to the higher taxes needed to pay for it?

If Council decides citizens need to make the bond decision via a referendum, will you vote higher taxes to ensure a dryer, or at least a non-flooded, future?

Pretty local: Fully funding county elections office

On Dec. 3d the county commissioners will have a public hearing on the 2019 Skagit County budget. They might pass it that day. At a preliminary hearing two weeks ago, the county auditor and elections office supervisor proposed additional funding for staff, space and equipment to prepare for probable record breaking 2020 presidential year voter turnout. Skagit County was among the last counties in the state finishing this November’s election count in the face of unusually high voter turnout.

The commissioners did not seem impressed with the request. Underfunding the elections office seems very southern, an accepting of an inadequate system. The status quo is not good enough. We, as citizens, and the elections office staff, as professionals, deserve better than that.

Share your disappointment, and perhaps outrage, with District 1 Commissioner Ron Wesen. You will be surprised what timely phone calls can sometimes accomplish. Call him at 360-416-1300. Ask to have him return your call.

The Dec. 3 hearing will be at the commissioners hearing room, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon. Find more information about the budget online at skagitcounty.net/BudgetFinance.

How essential: Growler expansion at Whidbey Island Navy base?

The Navy plans to add 36 F-18 Growler jets and increase four-fold their flights at Naval Air Station Whidbey. While the comment period to respond to the Environmental Impact Statement is over, betting against the military getting its way through internal review is a poor bet.

The court of public opinion remains open. Legal action going to the courts of law is probable. Anyone with ears hears the flights passing over and around La Conner. Noise levels that close-up can deafen are only one problem with this expansion.

Challenging the expansion on environmental grounds is important: being made safe at the cost of damage to human and environmental health is a premise needing deflating.

The military has too much money while this country does not have enough enemies to justify annual military spending that dwarfs what the next seven of the world’s nations spend. Show me the enemies that are so prevalent and scary that we are sacrificing our neighbors, our land, our oceans and our orcas.

Bluster aplenty and weapons overkill we have. A common-sense way to get this country and civilization through the 21st century remains very much in doubt.

Fulfill your citizenry duties by speaking your piece to elected officials. See “Plane Truths” Friday and consider your nation’s future and where genuine safety lies.