One Job, Two Very Different Views Taber Might Abolish School Chief’s Job; Vance Says Post Needs To Be Strengthened

Ron Taber plans to loot his own bank account to help him get elected state superintendent of public instruction, a post he believes should perhaps be abolished.

Taber explained himself Thursday night to the Southside Republican Action Club. Taber was one of four Republican state candidates to attend the forum at the South Hill Senior Center.

About 40 people listened to Taber and his Republican rival Chris Vance. They also heard from state insurance commissioner candidates Anthony Lowe and Dave Walker.

Taber opened and closed by noting with a grin, “I am not a politician.” In between, he said he favors corporal punishment, school uniforms and even boot camps for kids who disrupt classrooms.

The retired history teacher and construction company owner noted his campaign already collected more than $400,000 - most of which is his.

But at one point, Taber indicated the schools superintendent position shouldn’t exist. “I have some question as to whether or not we should even have a superintendent of public instruction,” he said.

If he wins the position, Taber said he’d try to get rid of it, but also use it to “shine the light of truth” on the local school districts, he said, paraphrasing Rush Limbaugh.

Chris Vance said the superintendent post should be strengthened, not abolished.

The young King County councilman said he’d use it as a pulpit to talk to parents and to wrestle with the state Legislature, where Vance served for four years.

Vance, who has the strong backing of the state Republican politicians, also said the superintendent should be a money watchdog, not a spending advocate. “I want to track where each one of those dollars go,” he said.

The two insurance candidates have strikingly different resumes.

Anthony Lowe has the support of U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, Rep. George Nethercutt and most other elected Republicans. Lowe has never worked in the insurance industry, but said his experience as a legislative aide and as a deputy prosecutor suit him for the job.

“I know how to both fashion and enforce the law,” Lowe said. “The fundamental job is to protect the consumer.”

Dave Walker worked in the insurance commissioner’s office for 16 years. He said he can jump in and fix things faster than anyone.

Walker sounded almost nostalgic about the good old days. “What we have to do is get the market back to the way it used to be.”

Both West Side men claimed they were the only Republicans capable of beating incumbent commissioner Deborah Senn, widely despised by much of the industry she regulates.

“I’m in this race because I can win,” said Lowe, who has raised the most cash of the four Republican challengers. “I’m the only one who can win.”

, DataTimes