10/15/2005: "Letters In Support Of Steve Ludwig"

Green Party Is For Real

Editor:

Why vote for Steve Ludwig? He's Green. He's not aligned with runaway growth Democrats, Repulicrats, Democans, and the "bait and switch" neo(s) and liberals.

Are the San Juan County Greens a real party? Hey, they got 700signatures plus to put Steve on the ballot. In the last five years they've gotten the ferry advisory committee to keep minutes, hold meetings on the ferry served islands, increase public comment time, and slow down the boats from top speed to save fuel.

The Greens have questioned Commissioners on, the legality and economies of the Waste management Contract; barge offloading at the old gravel pit; the crazy use of vote tracking software, provided by a company whose officers are defense industry wonks, that may compromise the privacy of each ballot by having an individual barcode; and have manned the Public Access video recording and playing of the BOCC meetings.

.So exercise your franchise and CHOOSE a candidate that will be supported by an active party instead of the same old status quo, asleep at the switch Dems and Pubs... VOTE FOR STEVE LUDWIG.

Tom Odegard
San Juan Island

Green Party Is Serving The County

Dear Editor:

This letter is in support of Steve Ludwig's candidacy for District 3 County Commissioner. Steve's platform and position vis-à-vis the county are well known. Anyone who wants to know where Steve is coming from can go to www.votesteveludwig.org. Rather than dwell on these, I want to emphasize that, with Steve, voters are not just getting an individual personality; they're getting the Green Party. We are an activist group that have recently performed a number of services for the county that have not been covered in the media:

• We called the State Elections' Office to ask about LuLu Johnson's apparent violation of filing regulations. One brief call was all that was necessary. Other entities could have (should have?) done it. The Green Party did it.
•
• The Green Party on October 11 presented the BOCC their analysis of the September 20 primary election. Among its findings was an almost certain violation of voter privacy and possible loss of ballot secrecy, and an apparent discrepancy between the figures for actual voter turnout and the figures used to certify the election.
•
• The Green Party on October 4 presented a resolution to the BOCC requesting more thorough study of current disaster plans using experience gained from Hurricane Katrina as a guide. One recommendation was to increase the recommended food stock for families from the currently recommended (in the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan) three day supply. At the October 11 BOCC meeting, the Emergency Manager, just back from Louisiana, stated that a seven day supply was more likely to be a minimum requirement.
•
These are a few of the recent actions of the Green Party. Go to www.sanjuangreens.org for a comprehensive look at the local Greens.

To see Steve, go to the League of Women Voters Candidates' Forums. Here is their schedule:

LWVSJ SAN JUAN ISLAND CANDIDATES FORUM
Tuesday, October 18
7:00 p.m.
Friday Harbor High School Commons in Friday Harbor
Candidates for County Commissioner Pos. 3
San Juan Hospital Commissioner Pos. 1
Friday Harbor Town Council Pos. 4
And representatives pro and con on the Home Rule Charter issue

LWVSJ ORCAS ISLAND CANDIDATES FORUM
Wednesday, October 19
7:00 p.m.
Senior Center in Eastsound
Candidates for Orcas School Board Director, Pos. 1
Eastsound Sewer and Water District Commissioner, Pos. 2
County Commissioner, Pos. 3
And representatives pro and con on the Home Rule Charter issue

LWVSJ LOPEZ ISLAND CANDIDATES FORUM
Thursday, October 20
6:30 p.m.
Lopez Center for Community & the Arts, Lopez Village
Candidates for County Commissioner, Pos. 3
And representatives pro and con on the Home Rule Charter issue

Those who cannot attend can call me at 378-5196 for a free DVD of the San Juan Island Forum. This is one of the few chances to see Steve in a public debate. In the August "primary" debates, the Journal conglomerate, sponsors of the forums, risked a possible first amendment violation charge by refusing to allow Steve in the forum. Their argument was that Steve would be allowed to participate in the Journal's general election forums. What Journal forums? Steve and the Greens have yet to be contacted about any Journal forums.

This letter is being sent to the two print papers in the county (the Journal and the Sounder) and the two on-line papers (San Juan Islander and Island Guardian). Readers who are curious about how letters (and news) are edited could compare this letter in the above-mentioned media for differences and omissions. Total absence of this letter would also be significant.

Sincerely yours,

Tom Munsey
Friday Harbor

Steve Promises Open Government

Editor:

Steve Ludwig should have your vote for county commissioner. Steve advocates open, ethical government and public involvement. He promises to make sure that citizens and neighbors will know what the county is planning to do that might impact them before decisions are made, not after the fact. He advocates researching options and finding common ground rather than defending lawsuits with your tax dollars. He offers a Moral Compass that will guide his actions. He promises representation in an open forum and not the "We were elected to make the though decisions" line used by a former commissioner. He favors putting controversial issues on the ballot.

Steve advocates conservation of San Juan's resources and life style and of your tax dollars. There is an abundance of talent on these islands that deserves a forum and representation, not three person rule. Check him out at www.votesteveludwig.org and read his flyers. All of Steve's advertising printing was done locally.

James Alfred Smith
Lopez Island

Greens Delight Voters

Editor:

Everywhere that Greens have been elected to public office, voters have been delighted with their honesty, their world-view and their environmental thoughtfulness.

Now we have our chance. We can elect Steve Ludwig to be a county commissioner - our own GREEN county commissioner.

Let's do it!

Edie de Chadenedes
San Juan Island

Steve Ludwig is Talking About Issues

Editor:

San Juan County faces a number of legal battles: those guest houses the GMA Hearing Board won't let us have; the barge landing at the gravel pits; the urban growth centers that have no infrastructure and now the Lampard Road acreage looms on the horizon?

The Green Candidate, Steve Ludwig is talking about County issues: let Eastsound and Lopez Village residents decide yea or nay on Urban Growth; really assess our aquifers and take steps to preserve them; $250,000 homes are not affordable to workers making $8 to $20 an hour; encourage business other than tourism; and get the County to start obeying state law including codes, and infrastructure.

This time around we do have a choice. Vote for Steve Ludwig for Commissioner.

Tom Odegard
Friday Harbor,