In one of Dino Rossi’s recent campaign ads, Dino mentions that he put himself through school working as a janitor. Though I am appreciative of Dino’s pride in having been a janitor, I feel the voters need to know how he has treated janitors like me, and all other public school employees in Washington state.

In the six years since Dino Rossi, as chairman of the Washington State Senate Finance Committee, pushed through legislation overturning the voter approved I-723, the Cost of Living Allowance (or COLA) increase for teachers and other public school employees, I have personally lost more than $8,000 in cumulative wages.

Recently, when Dino was questioned about cutting the COLA for educators, Dino said, “I did it before, and I’ll do it again.”

Taking Dino at his word, one can only assume there will be no COLA for Washington state public educators under a Rossi administration.

On the other hand, Gov. Chris Gregoire has reinstated the voter-approved COLA for this year giving public school employees a long overdue raise in wages. I know I probably won’t ever get back the $8,000 Dino took away from me, though I am comforted by knowing that we have a governor like Chris Gregoire who truly values the work that janitors, teachers and other public school employees accomplish daily in our schools.

Also, that educators are deserving of a Cost of Living Allowance such as what my friends who work for the federal government at local military installations receive regularly.

I know the state budget forecast is bleak. But I disagree with Dino that we need to balance the budget on the backs of those who work in public education.

Please support public schools and school employees like plumbers, bus drivers, teachers and Pat the janitor by voting for Chris Gregoire for governor.

PATRICK NICHOLSON

Custodian, Brownsville Elementary School