Anderson Leads List For State’s Top Jobs
Every spring when the Legislature goes home, the year-round inhabitants of Olympia’s sprawling state office buildings switch on their word processors and pound out a fresh batch of the capital city’s No. 1 export: regulations.
From family farmers to schoolteachers, the people who struggle to comply with Washington’s heavy-handed regulations need a year-round friend in Olympia. They’ll have one if they elect Ann Anderson as lieutenant governor.
Anderson’s three terms as a top Republican state senator qualify her for the parliamentary side of this job - presiding over the state Senate. In addition, she wants to review the state’s rules, repealing outdated or senseless ones and making sure others are reasonable and consistent with the Legislature’s intent. We endorse Anderson.
State auditor: Brian Sonntag is a tough, efficient watchdog
The state auditor guarantees the efficiency and integrity of government. Democrat Brian Sonntag has held this job for four years. He streamlined his own staff and cut travel costs, saving taxpayers $1.4 million. Meanwhile, his auditors have found $30 million worth of mismanagement in public agencies around the state. His enforcement of the whistleblower law turned up problems ranging from the use of state computers to download smut to ongoing allegations against the state insurance commissioner. He has pushed for performance audits to determine whether state programs achieve their goals. Sonntag has earned another term.
Insurance commissioner: Anthony Lowe offers needed balance Incumbent Deborah Senn styles herself as a consumer advocate, and that’s a quality we admire. But the state insurance commissioner’s job requires evenhandedness, and that’s a quality Senn lacks. The Democrat demagogues against insurance firms. That’s popular politics but bad policy.
State law allows insurance carriers to make a profit; this keeps them afloat and preserves choice for consumers. Senn tried but failed to head off a foreseeable crisis in the individual health insurance market, then used resulting requests for rate increases as an opportunity to flog insurers, prompting lawsuits from them and whistleblower complaints from her own alienated staff.
Republican Anthony Lowe, a sharp young attorney who’s done the homework needed to speak intelligently of this complex job, offers a fairer vision. He wants to reopen the agency’s branch offices and develop market-based reforms to stabilize individual health insurance. Now a criminal prosecutor, he would go after the industry’s con artists while creating an environment in which honest carriers - the majority - can succeed. Lowe gets our endorsement.
Commissioner of public lands: Bruce Mackey has the know-how
Something’s wrong when the state’s public schools sue for a better return on Washington’s public lands and top universities want the lands sold. Democrat Jennifer Belcher, who manages those lands, does so in a way that has inspired the concern - and prompted award-winning administrator Bruce Mackey to quit her office and run against her.
Unlike Belcher, who is a career politician, Mackey has a doctorate and a long career in lands management and economics. He contends that with balanced, responsible forestry, the state can protect wildlife and increase revenue-producing timber harvests as well. Republican Mackey’s right, and we endorse him.
Attorney general: Christine Gregoire has earned another term
As state attorney general, Democrat Christine Gregoire has focused on issues that touch people’s daily lives. She beefed up the Consumer Protection Program and worked for legislation that helps abused children. She also realized that the public is fed up with costly lawsuits. Her office uses - and encourages - alternative methods of dispute resolution.
The Gonzaga Law School graduate brought 20 years of solid legal experience with her to the job. Gregoire has earned another term.
State treasurer: Mike Murphy has the needed expertise
The Washington state treasurer invests and manages the state’s money. Both candidates are well-qualified. Republican Lucy DeYoung of Woodinville has a mix of private banking experience and public service. She has been both mayor and a councilwoman in her hometown.
Democrat Mike Murphy, Thurston County treasurer since 1987, worked 15 years in the state treasurer’s office before that. That combination will help him step right in at the state level with a good understanding of the state’s counties and cities. Plus, he has garnered the endorsements of those whose pension money the treasurer helps manage - law enforcement officers and teachers. Our endorsement goes to Murphy.
Secretary of state: Ralph Munro is energetic, innovative
Republican Ralph Munro has been doing his job since 1981 and he’s still pursuing innovation and reform with the energy of a newcomer. He put the state voters guide on-line, is computerizing the storage of state records and is facilitating the trend toward optional voting by mail. In his next term, he says, he’ll press for a pre-primary voters guide and will carry on his battle to replace the partisan caucus system with a more participative presidential primary election. Munro gives government a good name.
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN, EDITORIAL, ENDORSEMENT - Our view CREDIT = John Webster and Rebecca Nappi For the editorial board