I find it appalling that Bruce Lachney would run a ad in your newspaper criticizing Sen. Randi Becker for sponsoring the bill regarding the issue of having a 4 day school week.-á Mr. Lachney knows full well that Senator Becker only did this at the request of the Eatonville School District Board of Directors and Superintendent Stewart. -á This is the same Board that Mr. Lachney was elected to, but resigned before his term was up.
I'm sure had he still been on the Board he would have been very happy with Senator Becker for her cooperation.
I think if I were in the Legislature and this is the kind of a response I got for helping out one of my constituents I would think twice about doing it again.
As for all the signs around the area "No 4 Day School Week," that is no longer a issue and I'm sure many people are wondering what they are about, as I was until I saw the ad in the paper.
I for one support Sen. Becker and know she has always been a true supporter of education.
Ruth M. Nelson
Recently you may have seen signs appearing on the road that say "No 4-day School Week.GÇ¥ Let me explain that in this political season, politicians pick subjects that they think will set them apart from the other candidates. When they do this, sometimes there is collateral damage. In this case, the misunderstanding that the Eatonville School District is going back on their word and reconsidering the four-day school week is the perception. As the president of the Eatonville School Board, I want to assure you that this subject is not being considered.
We have been getting calls at the school district office concerned that the four-day school week is being considered again, and for every one person that calls others that are concerned may not call. So I felt compelled to let you know that this is not the case. These signs are a part of a campaign this political season that has nothing to do with the operation of this district.
Bob Homan
Eatonville School Board president
Our families, communities, and public schools have no greater advocate than Sen. Randi Becker. Sen. Becker has fought hard to ensure schools have the funding they need and school boards have local control. As the superintendent of the Eatonville School District (now retired), I worked side-by-side with Randi on many issues important to our schools and community.
Randi's opponent is using desperate last-minute emotional appeals criticizing her for responding to Eatonville School Board's request for legislation last year. Their four-day school week idea was defeated and rightly buried. Mr. Lachney should be ashamed and embarrassed; he was an elected board member himself until he quit and never finished the job voters elected him to do.
Believe me, when it comes to our children, families and education, it is Sen. Becker who has earned your vote for re-election.
Ray Arment
Personally, I am a fiscally conservative Republican and more tolerant on the social issues than what is being expounded by the Republican or Tea Party platforms. I vote for the person, not the party. I want the best, brightest and most qualified individual to represent me.
Unfortunately, there is a perception that if you are a Republican you stand for this and if you are a Democrat you stand for that. What both parties miss is that the majority of voters and common sense solutions are typically in the middle. I believe that the candidates that best represent the views of the majority of the voters are in the middle, as well. You can call them moderate Republicans or conservative Democrats.
Unfortunately, the stereotypes for the extreme right and left puts the moderate Republicans and conservative Democrat candidates at a disadvantage. This also puts the voters at a disadvantage because they do not get a true picture of the candidates that are in the middle that would best represent them.
I first met Bruce Lachney at the forum presented by the Tacoma News Tribune. Since then, we have had conversations off and on over the course of the campaign. Both of us being former military officers, businessmen and farmers, I found that we are more alike than different in both our personal lives and political views. We share the same concerns regarding the budget, the deficit, job creation and education.
I specifically feel a kindred spirit with Bruce in regards to being commissioned officers in the U.S. military. In that capacity, we were entrusted with the lives of the sons and daughters of our country. There is a saying that is expected of all officers, and that is you must be willing "to bet your barsGÇ¥. In other words, you must be willing to do the right thing in spite of pressure to do otherwise, even if that choice is career-ending. Bruce understands the meaning of leadership, the importance of doing the right thing, placing the citizen voters before his own personal gains. It is time that we get someone in Olympia that is willing to bet their bars for us.
In light of the Marine Corps' rule GÇô "Lead, follow or get out of the wayGÇ¥ GÇô I choose to follow Bruce, and he will get my vote in November.
Jim Vaughn
Orting
(Editor's note: Jim Vaughn was a candidate in the primary election for state senator, fnishing third behind Randi Becker and Bruce Lachney).
I believe Jim Vaughn ran in the primary to split the GOP vote, and now endorses the majority party. It has been done before and probably will be done again. One should seriously consider that the majority party has been entrenched in Olympia for too long; the last two legislative sessions were focused on pet legislation fueled by an activist group of a small percentage of Washington citizens. The past two years have required extended sessions that cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars because the majority party was busy ramrodding a same-sex marriage agenda through.
Even if one likes a candidate that has like-minded issues but is running with the majority party, that candidate will not be effective because the rest of the gang won't allow him/her to do what they want to do. I am seeing scores of anti-four-day school week signs everywhere I drive. What do people think we now have in our schools? If one added up the late arrivals and early dismissals plus the frequent no school on Friday posted on schools' readerboards, I am sure it would add up to four-day weeks. So, what will children do on Friday? They will go and do the same as they now do on late arrival/early dismissal days.
Claudia Branham
Graham
I enthusiastically support Kim Wyman for Washington secretary of state.
As your secretary of state for the past 12 years, I fully understand the qualities needed to serve successfully in that position. It's not a matter of political party preference.-á Instead, it's the ability to rise above party and oversee elections and the other office functions in a fair, non-partisan way. Kim has demonstrated that quality for 12 years as the Thurston County auditor. She is endorsed by 66 present and former county auditors, including 24 Democrats.
Kim would bring remarkable breadth and depth of knowledge and professional experience to the position. She has been administering elections and historical records for 21 years. She is the candidate with true vision for the future. She was selected by the Pew Foundation to be the local government official to serve on a task force on voter registration modernization.
Kim Wyman has received strong endorsements from every endorsing newspaper in the state. Please join me in voting for her for secretary of state.
Sam Reed
Olympia
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