In their words
“I am astounded that the good senator finds correct body parts dirty words.”
— Executive Director Karen Cooper of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, reacting to Washington state Sen. Janea Holmquist’s disapproving recital of biological terms fourth graders are expected to know as part of one school district’s sex-education curriculum.
“I would leave it to readers to consider whether a 23-year-old would have significant experience to be able to jump steps in the pay scale.”
— Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke, talking about County Assessor Ralph Baker’s selection of his chief deputy’s son to fill a newly created managerial job, starting at $38,471 a year, or three steps above the starting rate.
“Three days after the ruling came out I listed 300 acres for sale – and I’ve already got two offers from developers. It’s not what I wanted to do, but I don’t have any other choice.”
— Rathdrum grass seed farmer Wayne Meyer, a former Idaho state legislator, saying Idaho’s ban on field burning this summer didn’t take him by surprise.
“In the future, anyone who wants to get special dispensation would have to get approval from a lieutenant or myself. Just because you are a basketball player is not a special circumstance.”
— Spokane County Jail Commander Jerry Brady, acknowledging it was wrong for a jail sergeant to let the attorney for released Gonzaga University basketball players Josh Heytvelt and Theo Davis pick them up in an area normally off limits except to law enforcement personnel.
“We’re spending a million dollars for an election that people are telling us is worthless.”
— Seattle City Council President Nick Licata, who wants to cancel a March 13 advisory election on whether to replace Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel that Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire says the state won’t fund in any event.
“We have those mud boils opening up all over the city.”
— Spokane Streets Director Scott Egger, talking about the proliferation of pavement problems associated with the transition from winter to spring.
“If the one-dollar coins are going to win, then one-dollar bills will have to lose.”
— Jeff C. Garrett, president of the Professional Numismatists Guild, predicting that if American citizens accept the newly released dollar coins, it will be in place of the familiar paper counterpart.