Spokesmanreview.com: Election 2008

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Experience counts

Published October 14, 2008

The Spokesman-Review editorial board has reached the following endorsement positions.

When business leaders from other countries visit Washington, they often head directly to the state's capital in Olympia. A visit with state government officials is an essential part of protocol for those involved in international trade and other global business.

Lieutenant Gov. Brad Owen spends about 60 percent of his time meeting with business and government leaders from places such as China, Europe, South America and Canada. It's not just cocktails and chitchat. These relationships smooth the way for business dealings between the state and foreign countries. The other 40 percent of the time, Owen works on legislative business and on programs that help the state's young people.

Owen, a Democrat, is seeking his fourth term. His opponent, Republican Marcia McCraw, a Seattle lawyer, is not overly critical of Owen for the job he's done so far. But she believes it's time for a change. She says Owen's major liability is his status as a career politician. He was a member of the state House from 1976 to 1982, and then served in the Senate until elected lieutenant governor in 1996.

McCraw has worked as a business lawyer. She's fluent in Mandarin Chinese and she also speaks some French, Spanish and Japanese. She would definitely use these skills in her role as lieutenant governor.

But Owen's connections with foreign business leaders will be needed as the state faces one of its shakiest economic times ever. Owen's long-term relationships will keep lines of communication open with trade markets, in Asia and elsewhere, that are closely tied to Washington's economic health. We recommend retaining Owen.

Eight years ago, Brian Sonntag's opponent blamed him for the Legislature's failure to give him authority for performance audits. Now, the same opponent is back with an equally misdirected argument.

This time, former Nalley's executive J.Richard McEntee is blaming Sonntag because the Legislature hasn't implemented many of the audit findings produced by Sonntag's office.

Perhaps Republican McEntee should turn his political energy to a legislative race where his arguments would be more pertinent. In the auditor's race, voters have an excellent public servant in Democrat Sonntag.

In his dozen years in office, Sonntag has compiled a laudable tax-saving record that would be even better if the Legislature were more willing to act on his recommendations. In the meantime, Sonntag's programs, including his implementation of performance audit authority, have received acclaim from the National Association of Government Accountants and Governing Magazine.

Here in Washington, he is reaching out to citizens to suggest audit targets, acting on whistleblower complaints, and regularly unveiling wastefulness and inefficiency in government. All, by the way, in a decidedly bipartisan way.

When the Legislature wouldn't come through with performance audit authority, he joined with Republican Bob Williams' Evergreen Freedom Foundation to help push it through as an initiative. More recently, he has partnered with Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna to promote open government.

In three previous elections, voters have given Sonntag solid support. He has vindicated their trust and earned another term.

When Doug Sutherland took over as commissioner of public lands eight years ago, the agency was in disarray and morale was low. His leadership has turned things around. He has a wealth of experience in leadership roles, including eight years as Pierce County executive and eight years as the mayor of Tacoma.

An often overlooked aspect of the office is that along with protecting nearly 6 million acres of public lands it is charged with raising money for rural schools through timber sales. Over two terms, Sutherland has struck a sensible balance between those two interests.

Sutherland's involvement in a sexual harassment episode showed insensitivity to the issue, but it looks to have been a one-time misjudgment. He says he has learned his lesson.

Peter Goldmark is familiar to voters statewide as a former agriculture secretary, Washington State University regent and unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in District 5. However, he left the agriculture post after a few months and was an on-again, off-again candidate when he tried to unseat U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. He does appear at times to be casting about for a government job.

He is knowledgeable about the state's land issues, but we're not confident that he's ready to lead an agency with about 1,400 workers. His charge that Sutherland was slow to respond to this year's Spokane Valley wildfire appears to be more political than factual. Goldmark has also overstated the agency's culpability in failing to head off landslide damage in Lewis County after a once-in-500-years storm.

Because of his steady leadership, Sutherland has earned four more years.

When Allan Martin, the Republican candidate for state treasurer, finished first in the primary Aug. 19, the Dow Jones industrial average was well above 11,000 – and people were worried about it. Two months later, as the world's stock markets quaked, a Dow Jones average above 9,000 points was cause for celebration Monday.

The state treasurer is the state's banker. In these roller-coaster financial times, citizens need state bankers who are long on experience, integrity and communication skills. Martin possesses all three.

He has worked for retiring state Treasurer Mike Murphy since 1998, overseeing 66 staffers. As assistant state treasurer, his responsibilities include managing state and local investments, issuing bonds and providing accounting services for state government and financial services for local governments. Before taking the state job, Martin was Chelan County's treasurer; 31 of the state's 39 country treasurers have endorsed him.

When Martin talks about the state's banking system, he explains it in a low-key style that reflects his small-town upbringing. He grew up in Wenatchee where he worked as a funeral director and later, a mortgage banker.

His opponent, Democrat Jim McIntire, has a sound understanding of economic theory and its application in the real world. The University of Washington economics professor, and former legislator, once chaired the House Finance Committee.

But Martin's day-to-day knowledge of the treasurer's office gives him the edge in these edgy financial times and garners him our endorsement.