Which candidate for county commissioner will best serve the needs of Kitsap County?

We now have Linda Streissguth, who stepped away from a six-figure job with Puget Sound Energy, bringing to public service decades of management-level experience on issues before our commissioners. Her skills are a valued component of the combined strengths our commissioners must bring to the table.

Perpetual candidate Ed Wolfe acknowledged his lack of skills, stating, “I hire people to do those things.” I’m wondering if he proposes to do so out of his salary as commissioner or if he was expecting Kitsap taxpayers to foot the bill for his deficiencies.

Mr. Wolfe campaigns on the suggestion he would bring partisan balance to county government, yet he’s been silent about which actions by the commissioners he’s seen as partisan. His comments on this matter are either disingenuous or show his lack of understanding of the role of county commissioner.

Our sitting commissioners take great effort to balance the needs and wishes of the broad spectrum of Kitsap County residents with the issues they are required by law to address. In fact, the two Democratic commissioners bucked the party stalwarts when they appointed Linda Streissguth to fill in for the retiring Josh Brown, convinced she possessed the strengths and expertise to best serve the needs of our county government.

It’s our good fortune to have Linda Streissguth in place. Why would we elect a much less qualified commissioner who proposes hiring others to do what he is elected, and paid, to do?

Robert D Brown
Poulsbo