t Incumbent talks about Marine Science Center funding.
POULSBO — Governor Christine Gregoire has a plan to fund the Poulsbo Marine Science Center, despite nixing it from the state’s general fund budget earlier this year. She said Monday while touring Poulsbo’s downtown that she and 23rd Legislative District Rep. Sherry Appleton (D — Poulsbo) have set sights on getting the educational amenity into the capital budget, where it has a much better chance of surviving cuts and garnering its needed $100,000. Gregoire, a democrat, noted she’s already cut $1 billion in general fund spending.
“We’re going to work together to get it into the capital budget, which is much, much easier to do,” she said. “I’m a big fan. It’s exactly what we’re trying to do, promote hands-on science education.”
Gregoire stopped through Poulsbo as a part of her Fighting for Working Families tour, a statewide re-election campaign centering on her work in education, health care and job creation.
She talked with local business owners, sampled goods from Sluys Bakery and chatted with a dozen supporters who greeted her at Poulsbo’s city hall, as well as more than 30 more waiting at her last stop, Hot Shots Java on Front Street.
She was met by several offering their support, voicing “good luck,” “I really want you to win” or “I just cast my vote for you.”
A few Poulsbo council members, Mayor Kathryn Quade and U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D—Bainbridge Island) joined the tour. Appleton, also up for re-election against GOP challenger Larry Cooney, organized the visit.
Poulsbo resident Gene Bullock, representing the Kitsap Audubon Society and sporting a colorful Barack Obama T-shirt, noted the closeness of the race between Gregoire and Republican challenger Dino Rossi. The two fought for the position in 2004 in what became one of the tightest gubernatorial races in US. history. Gregoire bested Rossi by just 133 votes.
“I think it’s an extremely important race,” said Bullock, noting the environmental community’s support of Gregoire. “We’re really quite concerned because it seems to be a very tight race.”
Four North Kitsap High 11th-graders from teacher Ann Almond’s history class were out to nab a photo and signature from the governor to earn extra credit. Sixteen-year-old Anja Tripp noted the enthusiasm surrounding the race.
“People are really getting into it,” she said.
None of them old enough to cast a vote in the election, three said if they could send in a ballot it would most likely be for Gregoire’s opponent, Rossi, while one said he’d cast his in favor of Gregoire, just like his parents.
