PSRC

Leave Kitsap

out of it

The Kitsap County Commissioners are elected to act on behalf of the citizens of this county. They have relegated their responsibilities to an unelected layer of quasi government, the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). Yes, they are elected and have the authority to govern for the people residing in Kitsap County. They should not give their power to PSRC.

They say that they won’t have enough funding; it must come through PSRC. A comparable county, Thurston, has proven that this is not true. Figures have shown that, if done properly by the elected officials and their staff, a smaller county can do very well on its own.

Kitsap County is unique. Why do the commissioners want all of the control which they now have given to PSRC? Are they not proud of our county? Do they not want us to remain unique? If we remain in PSRC, we will be forced to come under the same rules and regulations as three large counties, King, Pierce and Snohomish, and by extension, more like them.

I urge you to ask your commissioner to remove Kitsap County from PSRC as soon as possible.

DOROTHY GUICE

Poulsbo

Narrows Bridge

‘The Bob’ is a terrible idea

See what happens when you’re not watching?

The Port Orchard City Council approved a resolution to rename the Tacoma Narrows Bridge the Bob Oke Bridge, essentially requesting that the state memorialize that stately structure, our own world class icon, forevermore to be known as “The Bob.”

This is no joke. And I, for one, vote no.

I do have empathy for the city council though. How could anyone say no to the grieving widow of a recently deceased state senator when put on the spot like that?

Even the Washington State Senate, when asked this past session to approve the same request by Mrs. Oke, only approved Senate Joint Memorial 8026 out of respect for the late Sen. Oke, then quietly let the bill die in committee.

I am collecting e-mails from those opposed to this renaming effort so I can present them to Pierce County Council, which will address a similar request from Mrs. Oke next week.

Almost 500 e-mails came in this week through word of mouth, but that’s not good enough.

I need your help. If you think we should leave the name of the bridge alone, please drop me an e-mail to that effect and I’ll make sure your voice is heard — this time — at the Pierce County Council and the State Transportation Commission.

Contact me at randyboss@comcast.net

RANDY BOSS

Gig Harbor

Name it after the peninsula

Since the state Legislature failed to act on the naming of the second Tacoma Narrows Bridge after former State Sen. Bob Oke, I believe it should be named for the people who are paying the bulk of it — “The Peninsula Narrows Bridge.”

It’s no secret that the people of the 26th District voted against building a bridge payed for by tolls. They voted at the rate of more than 80 percent against it in my district.

But Bob Oke and the Department of Transportation (then led by Secretary Sid Morrison) forged ahead anyway.

It is no secret, either, that the second Narrows Bridge has won over a lot of dissenters of that vote because of the ease of crossing it provides, but that doesn’t negate the original vote.

LOIS McMAHAN

Olalla

Note: Lois McMahan is a former two-term member of the Washington State House of Representatives from the 26th District.