Editorials

In Our View: Expensive Listening

County should seek efficienciesin costly advisory boards system

Clark County commissioners are correct to explore consolidation and elimination of advisory boards in hopes of reducing the $1.4 million spent annually to accommodate such groups. We just wish the commissioners were more aggressive and more expeditious than to just approve a pilot program to achieve such efficiencies. Under any circumstances, a million and a half bucks is a huge amount in a county this size, and the magnitude of the money becomes even greater when you consider the county budget has been cut by $62 million in recent years and 270 positions were eliminated.As Stephanie Rice reported in a Sunday Columbian story, county employees are recommending that the commissioners consider reducing the 50-plus task forces that exist in just five departments: Environmental Services, Community Development, Community Planning, Community Services and Public Works. Although advisory board members are volunteers, the bulk of the expense to taxpayers is the number of county employees required to attend the meetings: an estimated 28,000 hours of staff time, and many of those hours are overtime. The meetings usually are attended by three staff members.

In Our View: Mixed News Downtown

Theater group closes shop;new uses emerge for Vancouver Barracks

The century-and-a-half evolution of downtown Vancouver continues, and last week’s headlines brought both disappointment and excitement.We were sad to learn that Slocum House Theatre will close its productions at the historic property on the southwest corner of Esther Short Park. The theater group announced Tuesday that it could not “remain economically viable” and will try to re-emerge later as an option for affordable local theater. But we were excited when the National Park Service announced four possible uses for the east and south areas of Vancouver Barracks. Just as Officers Row has become a beautiful and popular walk or drive, with a collection of vibrant public- and private-sector offices, the adjacent four barracks buildings that became available last year offer great hope for boosting the revitalization of the general downtown area.

In our view: Cheers & Jeers

Fee holiday may be catalyst for jobs; Boldt should’ve been more open

Cheers: To a county fee holiday for businesses. Desperate times call for extraordinary measures, and Clark County’s continuing economic malaise has prompted county commissioners to waive development fees for businesses that bring at least 15 jobs in certain fields. Most of the fields are related to trade and technology. Commercial developments that don’t fit all of the criteria may qualify for a 50 percent fee waiver. The offer expires Sept. 28.While critics may point out that the fee waiver means businesses are subsidized by the county’s general fund, it’s right for county to put the focus on creating new jobs. More good jobs will eventually result in more revenue for that same general fund.

In Our View: Landmark legislation

Gay marriage approval in Washington could boost momentum in other states

The Columbian’s support for legalizing gay marriage extends as far back as 2004, when we opined in an editorial: “We bet that in 20 years’ time, not only will all states recognize same-sex marriages, given constitutional demands for equal rights, but that people will marvel over today’s conversations and the arguments being made against such a policy.”We also addressed safeguards that must be built into any new law: “In fact, government officials and agencies and we hope neighbors and co-workers, educators and employers will respect people’s different beliefs about what this anchor relationship in society should be. … People must feel free to raise their children with their own personal views. Churches should also not be condemned for upholding their biblical interpretations on marriage if they decline to be involved in same-sex marriage ceremonies.” The law that has passed the Legislature and is headed to the governor for signature includes these safeguards. Her signature is assured, and a long legal battle likely will ensue.

In Our View: Sending Power Underground

Northwest scientists are researching ways to stabilize energy production

Emerging technologies are always exciting to forward-thinking people, and so it is with compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems. As Eric Florip reported in Monday’s Columbian, some of the most advanced scientific minds in the Northwest are researching ways to convert excess wind- and hydro-generated power into compressed air that could be stored underground, then used later when energy demands peak or when the breezes or the water aren’t so powerful.This is a solid, encouraging development that could go a long way toward stabilizing the energy industry. The potential of establishing and maintaining more reliability has led to a $790,000 study by researchers at Bonneville Power Administration and the Richland-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. If their research shows CAES to be viable, pumping compressed air (or water) into the vast, porous underground basalt formations of the Northwest could prevent power disputes such as the one that arose in our region last year.

In Our View: Protect Public Information

Misguided state senators promotingtwo bills that work against your rights

Working against the best interests of their employers (the voters), a few state senators are accelerating this year’s legislative assault on your right to know how your government spends your money. The only good things we can say about Senate Bills 6351 and 6576 is that neither is sponsored by anyone from Clark County.SB 6351 (sponsored by Democratic Sens. Margarita Prentice of Renton and Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island and Republican Dan Swecker of Rochester) would allow a government agency to limit the resources it devotes to processing public records requests. That might sound like the proper advocating of efficient government, but the sheep’s clothing attempts to hide an unprecedented weakening of the state’s cherished Public Records Act. We agree with The Herald in Everett, which strongly opposes the bill “because it would give government a tool for keeping public information hidden, a tool ripe for abuse.”

In Our View: Eight States Need Tax Fairness

Congress should make permanent the deduction of state, local sales taxes

Now that plummeting poll numbers have forced members of Congress into damage control and reputation repair (witness last week’s long-overdue efforts in the Senate to ban insider trading by federal politicians), we’d like to see another simmering pot brought to the front burner.

In Our View: Jobs And Senior Citizens

Boldt focuses on top prioritiesin his State of the County address

Unlike communities where power is concentrated in one or two cities, Clark County is a quilt with multi-jurisdictional patches. It might surprise many local folks to learn that fewer than 55 percent of county residents live inside the eight city limits, and fewer than 40 percent of county residents live in the largest city, Vancouver. This means the center of power is in county government, overseen by Board of County Commissioners.At his State of the County address last Thursday, Commissioner Marc Boldt focused on several goals of county government, and we commend him for placing jobs and senior citizens at or near the top of those priorities. It’s a rather ironic pairing, because when people think of growing old, they usually think of leaving the work force. But the disparate factors actually are related: improving the jobs market means improving the local economy, which means improving the local quality of life, a trend that encourages senior citizens to remain here or move here.

In our view: Let Local Voters Speak

CRC ballot measure must originate here, and not be mandated by Congress

Jaime Herrera Beutler is correct in urging a public vote on the light-rail portion of the Columbia River Crossing. We advocated a countywide vote on this project almost a year ago. But the congresswoman from Southwest Washington is wrong on how she is trying to get it done. She’s trying to game the system, trying to force a federal decision on local government, something, by the way, that Republicans usually dislike.At a Thursday meeting of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Herrera Beutler tried to insert language into a bill that would require a local public vote as a condition for federal funding of the Federal New Starts Transit (for light rail). But that’s a misguided approach, as U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., indicated at the meeting: “For us to dictate that a city hold a referendum is outrageous.”

In Our View: Cheers & Jeers

FAA bill may boost PDX service;ban smoking in county parks

Cheers: To a proposed bipartisan agreement by Congress to renew authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration. It’s rare enough that this Congress agrees to do anything, but the legislation that renews this necessary bureaucracy contains some sweeteners for air passengers. Perhaps most importantly for our area, it devotes more of the scarce landing slots at Reagan National Airport to direct flights from the West Coast. At the moment, Portland travelers cannot enjoy the convenience that flying nonstop to the airport nearest the nation’s capital provides.United Airlines provides nonstop flights to Dulles, in suburban Virginia, but it’s a time- and cash-consuming trip from there to Washington, D.C. With more slots opened up, PDX can make its case that we deserve a nonstop flight.

In Our View: Change State Pension Plan

Defined-contribution system would make budget more sustainable

Perhaps out of fiscal desperation, or perhaps a sprouting of common sense -- likely a convergence of both -- this year’s Legislature is considering several proposals that could go a long way toward making the state budget more sustainable.One in particular caught our attention this week. It’s based on a simple question: Why not convert state workers from a defined-benefit pension system to a defined-contribution retirement program? The answer, though, is far from simple, but it is worth pondering.

In our view: Health Care Turmoil

Local nonprofit deserves answersfrom state agency

About 47,000 Medicaid patients in Clark County are about to be thrust into turmoil -- as will the health care plan that has served them for 18 years -- if the state Health Care Authority has its way. The HCA has selected five health insurance plans that appear to have successfully bid to provide Medicaid services, and Columbia United Providers, a Vancouver-based nonprofit, is not among the five that were chosen.CUP is owed a full explanation for several reasons, chief among them being these two:

In Our View: STOCK Act Big Deal Now

Congress’ plummeting approval ratingsignite rush to support Baird’s crusade

Brian Baird must be chortling. Before retiring in January 2011 as a member of Congress, one of Baird’s continuing crusades -- officially banning insider trading by members of Congress -- drew scant attention from his colleagues. Now, it’s all the rage inside the Beltway.Last week, in President Obama’s State of the Union address, he proclaimed: “Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress and I will sign it tomorrow.” Bipartisan applause erupted. Then on Monday, members of the Senate almost stumbled over each other in their rush to expedite the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge, or STOCK, Act. Their 93-2 procedural vote clears the way for consideration of amendments and possible passage of the bill as soon as this week.

In our view: A Trail Meant for Royalty

Extravagant project near Battle Ground was full of costly surprises

What was perceived to be a potential jewel of Clark County has turned into the Hope Diamond for hikers, and taxpayers are justifiably outraged at having to pay for the bling. It’s called the “million-dollar mile,” that portion of the intermittent Chelatchie Prairie Railroad Trail that opened last month near Battle Ground State Park.Because state and federal grants are drying up and strained local sources are going to other priorities, no new portions of the 33-mile trail are planned in the near future, which is just as well. At $1.03 million per mile, shutting down construction is the best strategy.

In our view: Dead Battery, No Mechanic

Local economy looks good in spots, but politicians must do their part

Buyers and businesses are the big players in the campaign to improve the local economy. The first group stimulates commerce, and the second group stimulates job creation. But these two groups can only do so much to make things better. Ultimately, the state and federal governments must do their parts. Unfortunately, those distant stakeholders aren’t holding up their ends of the deal.