QUILCENE — The 60 people gathered to hear candidates for Jefferson County offices at a forum last week were most concerned with how the county is spending its dwindling revenue, and the candidates responded in kind.
“We face a lot of challenges. We have much less to work with than four years ago and it will get worse before it gets better,” said incumbent District Court Judge Jill Landes, who faces a challenge from Port Orchard Attorney John Wood, at a forum at the Quilcene Community Center on Thursday night.
The forum, hosted by the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce and the Jefferson County Association of Realtors, featured candidates in races for District Court judge, county commissioner District 3 and prosecuting attorney.
‘Spend sensibly’
“We need to be spending sensibly,” said Jim Boyer, a Port Ludlow builder and Republican.
Boyer and Tarboo Bay psychotherapist and Democrat Diane Johnson are challenging John Austin, a Port Ludlow Democrat for the District 3 county commissioner seat.
“We can’t be spending for the future with funds that we don’t have today,” Boyer added. “When your roof is leaking, you can’t just put a bucket underneath the leak and go out and buy a plasma TV.”
Said Austin, who is running for a second term: “My kids will tell you I am a tightwad, but I am not going to be a tightwad with social programs.”
“I am not going to be the one to tell a pregnant teenager that services are not available,” he added.
Scott Rosekrans, Jefferson County criminal prosecutor, and Port Townsend attorney Paul Richmond are running to succeed Prosecuting Attorney Juele Dalzell, who is retiring.
Of the three races, only the commissioner race will be affected by the Aug. 17 primary, where one of the candidates will be eliminated before the Nov. 2 general election.
Ballots for the primary will be mailed July 28.
Carter speaks
Also giving a statement at the forum was Larry Carter, a Port Ludlow Republican and retired Navy command master chief petty officer, who was the only candidate in attendance of the four running for the legislative seat vacated by retiring Democratic state Rep. Lynn Kessler.
The seat, the District 2 position in the 24th District, covers Jefferson and Clallam counties and part of Grays Harbor County.
Other candidates for the legislative seat are Steve Tharinger, Democratic Clallam County commissioner from Sequim; Jim McEntire, a Sequim Republican and first-term Port of Port Angeles commissioner; and Jack Dwyer, a Montesano Democrat, a chiropractor who serves on the Montesano School Board.
Repealed state tax levy
Carter advocated the repeal of the state tax levied this summer on bottled water and gum.
“I think that tax is wrong because people are going to buy those things anyway and they are getting them at 7-11 and pay high prices for them, so I call it the ‘7-11 tax,'” Carter said.
“The governor said that if the Legislature didn’t pass that tax she would cut her budget by 20 percent.
“I wish that the Legislature had called that bluff because then we would have gotten the cuts we needed,” he said.
All the candidates addressed issues specific to the Quilcene area, expressing support for the establishment of broadband service and improved water systems.
More than half of the 140-minute forum focused on the county commissioner race.
Both Johnson and Boyer said that Austin ignores the southern part of the county.
“We need to listen to all the people in all parts of the county,” Johnson said. “It is immoral to make quick decisions on issues without getting all the information.”
Boyer said that more attention should be focused on the permitting process.
Landes said the probation department needed to fund itself with penalties from offenders without drawing from the general fund.
Wood, in his challenge to Landes, said the difference between the two candidates boiled down to “judicial temperament.”
Richmond said the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office could save money by more carefully selecting cases.
Moderator Joy McFadden collected and selected written questions from the audience.
County Clerk Ruth Gordon and Treasurer Judi Morris, who are unopposed, gave short statements, as did Carter.
County Commissioner David Sullivan, who was attending the meeting in support of Austin and was leaning against a side wall, engaged in the discussion several times to clarify statements during the debate.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
