Our governor, our tax dollars

In a failed bid for the nomination for president, Washington’s governor used a lot of taxpayers’ money and time between his official duties and his campaign, while traveling around the country accompanied by 14 Washington State Patrol troopers – two sergeants and one lieutenant – mostly speaking to empty rooms and still being paid $182,000 a year.

The Seattle Times and Northwest News Network reported that between March 1 and the end of July, he was on the road for all or part of 90 days out of 153, or nearly 60% of our time.

With his frequent cross-country campaign travel that cost taxpayers more than $580,000 between March and June, the governor still refuses to pay back any taxpayers’ dollars with his campaign money; he also declines to be interviewed, saying “It’s the law.”

By contrast, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who also is running for president, recently agreed to cover all of the costs of his security team when traveling for campaign-related business.

To the teachers and their families that won’t be going back to work this year because there’s no money, what do you think? I am neither a Republican or a Democrat, as I vote for the candidate I feel is the best for Washington. With this said, does it matter? The West Side’s “densely populated I-5 corridor” will dictate what’s best for the rest of Washington anyway.

Some things are just wrong.

David W. Haderlie

Liberty Lake