LWV Candidates Forum Fills Orcas Senior Center

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of the San Juans sponsored the Candidates’ Forum at the Orcas Island Senior Center last night, where an audience of about 90 heard from five Sheriff’s Candidates, three candidates for U.S. Congress, four candidates for retiring State Representative Dave Quall’s position, and two surrogates for the other position from the 40^th district, and School Superintendent Barbara Kline as a proponent for the School Bond measure.

League of Women Voters Voter Services representative Jill Johnson congratulated the Orcas Island audience, noting that, of the three forums held in the past two days on Lopez, San Juan and Orcas Islands,  it was the most well-attended session and more audience members stayed past the sheriff candidates’ session.

Candidates for the Lopez Island County Council position did not attend, and thus the forum ended before the 2 hours allotted for it. At the beginning, a schedule set forth the time scheduling, limiting the speakers to three minutes, and questions to one-minute responses from each candidate to three questions from the audience

It had been arranged that a written statement in opposition to the School Bond would be available at the Orcas Candidates’ Forum; however, it was not delivered to the forum for circulation.

All the County Sheriff candidates had similar responses to questions about allowing gun permits to those without criminal records, relying on community support to fight illegal drug abuse, and refusing any federal funding that is contingent upon “takeover” of county sheriff immigration procedures.

In response to the question about apprehending Colton Harris-Moore when he was reported to be on Orcas Island,

Brent Johnson, as Lead Detective with the San Juan County Sheriff’s office, said that the one-minute limit to answer the question could not begin to cover the efforts that had gone into apprehending Harris-Moore. Asher commended the Orcas deputies who had worked “overtime” to track Harris-Moore. Felix Menjivar said that the “coulda, shoulda, woulda” mentality affected all local law enforcement, now that Colton-Moore has been caught.

Brad Fincher said  that crimes, victims and offenders will long be the work of the County Sheriff’s office even after publicity-hungry offenders like Harris-Moore have tried to “outsmart” law authorities.

Nou committed to having regularly scheduled meetings on Orcas Island, should he be elected Sheriff.

To communicate with the Sheriff Candidates further, go to the following websites:

Jeff Asher www.jeffasher.org
Brad Fincher www.Fincher4Sheriff.com
Brent Johnson www.brentjohnsonforsheriff.blogspot.com
Felix Menjivar www.felixforsheriff.com
Rob Nou www.robnou4sheriff.com

John Carmack belatedly joined the Forum just as the other candidates for the U.S. Congressional position began to speak to the gathering.

In answer to questions about globalization, Kalb spoke in support of keeping jobs in the U.S.; Larsen noted that more jobs had been created this year than in both terms of former President George W. Bush and that he was in support of tariffs protecting U.S. products; Carmack said that he was in support of free trade.

In response to a questions from the audience about the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Candidate Larry Kalb said that his platform called for peace and pledged to withhold any funding to continue war. He added that he would not vote for military action against Iran, a prospect that he said he feared.

Incumbent Rick Larsen said that the 50,000 combat troops in Iraq would be withdrawn by the end of the year and remaining US forces would be to advise and assist. He said that U.S. combat troops were in Afghanistan to confront the instigators of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, and that he was in support of President Obama’s war policies.

Carmack said that he supported the War in Iraq.

When asked how the candidates prioritize their work, Carmack said that he applies the principles of his profession –engineering —  Larsen said that he listens to his constituents in person, by email, on the phone and “in the supermarket.” He also said he consults those whose profession specializes in a subject matter.

To contact these candidates for U.S. Congress, go to

John Carmack www.carmackcongress.com
Larry Kalb www.kalbforcongress.com
Rick Larsen www.ricklarsen.org

Candidates for the State Representative Position 1 for retiring Representative Dave Quall entertained questions from the audience concerning transportation, state income taxes and education. The candidates may be contacted at:

Tom Boucher www.tomboucher.com
Kristine Lytton www.KrisLytton.com
Donna Miller www.donnamillerforrep.com
Tom Pasma www.tompasma.com

Surrogates Cathy Ferran and Tim White spoke for incumbent Jeff Morris and Green Party candidate Howard Pellett, respectively. Their websites can be accessed at:

Jeff Morris www.morriscampaign.com
Howard Pellett www.pellett.org

In speaking in favor of the Orcas Island School District Bond, Superintendent Barbara Kline mentioned the four-year history of the bond’s formulation, the growth of schools and enrollment within the district, the advances in Career and Technical Education, the downsizing of the February, 2010 bond request from $35 million to $27 million and the need to pass the bond in this August’s election.

Questions from the audience related to the cost-over-time of the 25-year bond, former costs of school bonds, sales of the bond and other financial information.

Following the meeting, many stayed to further discuss their campaigns with the audience.