Are you asking, as I am, just who is behind the slick political ads trashing State Senate candidate Matt Isenhower? To date I have found five of these flyers in my snail mailbox in the past ten days. I checked the fine print of each return address. These ads are sent by the Good Government Leadership Council from a post office box in Centralia, Wash. Centralia?
The organization picked a name that gives a favorable first impression; we certainly want good government leadership. But who’s paying for these mailbox ads? Checking the fine print again, I found: “No candidate authorized this ad. Paid for by Good Government Leadership Council (Leadership Council), Centralia. Top five contributors: The Leadership Council.” Aha! There are only five members on this council and it’s quite apparent that they have more than enough money to throw away in a blatant attempt to discredit a viable Democratic challenger to Republican State Sen. Andy Hill.
Each of the five ads offers the same negative message in a slightly varied format the tired old Republican message which implies that all Democrats want to do is “tax and spend.” Republicans should do a fact check of party history; they might be chagrined to learn that Republicans waste more taxpayers’ money than Democrats do. Think government shutdowns, filibusters to avoid votes, more than 50 futile votes to kill the successful Affordable Care Act, etc. Certainly the five contributors to this negative campaign advertising are adept at wasting money.
As to the race for the State Senate seat in the 45th Legislative District, I am well acquainted with both Andy Hill and Matt Isenhower. They are good men. Both are very well-qualified to represent us, and they both care about the future of Washingtonians, as evidenced by their shared concern for the education of the children in our state. They differ, however, in their ideas about how to pay for this education.
It’s reasonable to expect state government to live within its means and our legislature is tasked with balancing our budget. As the chief budget writer for the Senate, Andy seemed focused on making the state do that, in much the same way that families do.
Yet, since the economic recession hit in 2008, state revenue from sales taxes has declined sharply, and our state budget is largely dependent upon sales tax revenue. Legislators already have cut expenditures down to the bone, and there’s nothing left to cut that won’t have a severe impact on the most vulnerable Washingtonians. Meanwhile, the needs for services continue to grow. The state legislature has exhausted almost all its options to fund those needs. Almost.
If Matt is given the opportunity to serve us in the State Senate, I know he will collaborate with his colleagues to end corporate tax incentives that no longer benefit Washington, such as the tax break for the highly profitable oil companies doing business in our state, and direct such funds toward education, sparing even more drastic cuts to other programs.
Compare the candidates. Get to know them and their plans for us. Then please base your votes on the merits and values of each candidate. Why should we allow a handful of outsiders (who can’t seem to wisely manage their own spending) to influence our precious votes?
Doris (Jody) Wilson, Kirkland
