Smart Bombs: Power play, not road rage

With legislators forming a task force to gather school district data they should’ve been curious about long ago, the decks are cleared for what this session will really be about: the November elections.

Republicans are close to seizing the House of Representatives, and they believe Gov. Jay Inslee is vulnerable. Win those races, and it could mean total control of state government.

So while it was Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson the Senate canned, the real target is the governor. “Inslee is incompetent” will be the hot talking point for the next nine months, and his appointees will feel the burn.

As Sen. Michael Baumgartner tweeted to Inslee appointees: “Do your job … Serve the people (with)accountability. Or more heads are going to roll.”

I doubt if Peterson had formed a task force on freeway congestion that would’ve passed for action (as it does in the Senate), because that’s not really the point of her sacking.

So who’s next? Bill Bryant, Republican candidate for governor, visited the editorial board recently and brought up the Health Care Authority, which underestimated the Medicaid budget. The administrator is Dorothy Teeter, who after nearly three years in the job has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

Just like Peterson.

GLASS SENATE. Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler said Peterson was “given ample time to show she had the right stuff.” Interesting use of “ample.”

The state constitution says it is the “paramount duty to make ample provision for the education of all children.” The Supreme Court, which has found the Legislature in contempt, ordered that funding be found through “dependable and regular tax sources.”

In response, the Legislature has moved slower than rush-hour traffic on Interstate 405. Bertha, the massive tunnel boring machine, was stuck for two years. The Legislature’s been stuck on the basic education highway for nearly 40 years.

Sen. Mike Padden said of Peterson’s firing, “The pressure was building for a long time. Sometimes you need to act decisively.”

A perfect quote for lawmakers’ procrastination on education. But now it’s an election year, and senators are busy demanding accountability from others.

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE. During last summer’s oh-so-close teachers strike, it was clear that many people didn’t understand who was responsible for funding basic education, which includes teacher salaries. That would be the state Legislature.

Under pressure from the Supreme Court, the House and Senate have set up different deadlines for coming up with a plan to wean school districts off local levy dollars and fully fund education. Tentatively, the House deadline is the end of the 2017 session; the Senate deadline is Dec. 31, 2017.

The Spokane strike was averted when the teachers and the district agreed to a one-year contract, which expires at the end of August. So, we could have another showdown.

Just remember that legislators are the true culprits. So, if you want heads to roll, there is an election in November.

FAREWELL TO BERT, BOMBS. Spokesman-Review reporter Kip Hill tweeted, “Can no one end a campaign anymore? Must they always be suspended?”

It’s tough giving up something you cherish, even when you know the end is nigh and probably permanent. So, with that, I’m announcing that “Smart Bombs” is being suspended as I take on the duties of editorial page editor. I’ll be writing a different kind of column. More on that later.

This week is about Bert Caldwell, who is retiring. His final day is Friday. That’s a lot knowledge and wisdom walking out the door.

Be sure to send him a farewell note, along with congratulations on a stellar career. His email is bertc@spokesman.com.

Associate Editor Gary Crooks can be reached at garyc@spokesman.com or (509) 459-5026. Follow him on Twitter @GaryCrooks

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