If there was one race that really came down to the wire, this is it. The voters are fortunate to have two extremely knowledgeable candidates running for Kitsap County Treasurer.
But even though both Barbara Stephenson and Paulette Alvarado definitely shine as model examples of what a treasurer should be, our endorsement goes to the latter. Here’s why — we simply feel Paulette is the most qualified applicant.
That’s it.
Personalities, politics and community kudos aside, we feel that when it comes to taxpayers’ dollars, the Kitsap County populace needs to have someone in office who has practical experience handing something that is very important — your hard-earned dollars.
Outgoing Kitsap County Treasurer Sharon Shrader knows this, so does State Treasurer Mike Murphy. Both realize that different rules apply to those serving the public sector and support Alvarado’s campaign.
So do we.
Paulette has been a trusted steward of money for Poulsbo residents for a quarter of a century. As a Certified Municipal Finance Administrator, she has worked well with employees and staff at city hall during that time, earning their respect and helping the city win both state and national awards.
She didn’t do it all alone — nor does she claim to have. Instead, she credits the team at the Poulsbo Finance Department. She is a team player but also a fine leader.
Paulette has been serving Poulsbo extremely well for 25 years and as Kitsap County prepares to reduce its budget by 15 percent in the next few years, we feel this hands-on experience is important.
We hope the voters feel the same way.
***
As the Democratic race for position 2 in the 23rd District gets underway, voters will see Poulsbo’s Sherry Appleton face off against Terry Ducheane of Bremerton for a chance to unseat Republican Rep. Bev Woods.
We like the fact that Appleton has practical knowledge in Olympia, knows the players and seems to have a vision for what steps should be taken to improve our state’s situation. We urge you to support Appleton in the Sept. 17 primary.
