Beyond the Fourth Corner

John Lesow on Recent British Columbia elections and “growth management”

John Lesow Guest Writer   In May of 2024, I suggested in a Guest Editorial that Planners in Washington and British Columbia were on the same page--the Wrong one--in their efforts to address the "Housing Crisis" and "Affordability" in their respective communities of Bellingham and North Vancouver, B.C. The results of the Provincial election in British Columbia on October 19 show that the electorate remains deeply divided on the government's plan to ...

Do you know your Superior Court Judges

Do you know your Superior Court Judges... many never appear on the ballot. Trooper Gadd THE way Superior Court Judges are elected came to light recently, to this reporter,  in the case of a state trooper that was killed on the Freeway in Marysville.  A suspect in the case just had his bail reduced from $1,000,000 to $100,000 by Judge Richard Okrent in Snohomish County. This suspect was in Snohomish County jail ...

Single Family Homes and the American Dream Reduced by State Action by John Lesow

John Lesow Guest Writer “Planners on Both Sides of the Border are on the Same Page…And it’s the Wrong Page.” At their April 24 meeting at the Bellingham Yacht Club, the Bellingham City Club hosted a pro-development panel discussing the pressing issue of “Balancing Policy, Population and Preservation”. At issue were the recent legislative edicts from Olympia, demanding more housing density in Bellingham and prohibiting Single Family Zoning. The Washington State legislation, ...

Echelon Insights Total Poll on behalf of Concerned Taxpayers of WA.

Challenger Raul Garcia of Yakima. Received 36% of the Respondents to the poll. WEB SITE Challenger Raul Garcia of Yakima. Received 36% of the Respondents to the poll. WEB SITE Incumbent Maria Cantwell of Seattle. Received 44% of the Respondents to the Poll WEB SITE New State Poll Shows Surprising Results for Challengers this Fall A new poll released this week by Echelon Insights and sponsored by Concerned Taxpayers of ...

In Skagit County: Jail Comes together in Four Years… Ron Wesen tells the story.

How did Skagit County Complete their Justice Center Project. The slides below highlight the process. Beginning with the passage of the proposition to build the Justice Center until Finishing around the ribbon cutting in July 2017 was just less than 4 years for the $62,602,000 Project.  This made Skagit County the First County in the Fourth Corner to build a modern jail in their community. The leaders in Skagit County got the job done. ...

JACKIE DEXTER for Whatcom County Council District 5

JACKIE DEXTER for Whatcom County Council District 5 Jackie Dexter I am a mother, wife, scientist, and farmer of both land and sea. My husband and I have called Whatcom County our home for the last 18 years. In 2007 I obtained my Bachelor of Science in biology from Western Washington University and in 2015 I received my Fisheries and Aquaculture Certificate from Bellingham Technical College. We decided to raise our children in the ...

BEN ELENBAAS for Whatcom County Council District 5

BEN ELENBAAS for Whatcom County Council District 5 Ben Elenbaas It’s been an honor to represent you, but there is still more work to be done. Far too many people are being marginalized by a council majority that seems to only serve their own interests. The result is Bellingham-centric solutions that don’t serve you. Throwing more of your tax dollars at problems rarely results in better outcomes. Budgets continue to grow while ...

JON SCANLON for Whatcom County Council At-Large

JON SCANLON for Whatcom County Council At-Large Jon Scanlon My name is Jon Scanlon and I live in Bellingham with my wife Jennifer—an obstetrician—and our two dogs, who love to join in on outdoor adventures across Whatcom County. I hope to earn your vote for Whatcom County Council. My commitment to public service is deeply ingrained. I was raised by a tight-knit family with a history of community and public service. I ...

RUSS WHIDBEE for Bellingham City Council At-Large

Russ Whidbee for Bellingham City Council At-Large Russ Whidbee Hello, my name is Russ Whidbee and I am running for Bellingham City Council At-Large. I’m not a politician, I’m an accounting instructor and financial manager. I truly believe that we need someone on our Bellingham City Council that understands budgets, actuals and fiduciary responsibility. As a financial manager, I currently have millions of dollars of assets under-management and am highly regulated by ...

MARK STREMLER for County Council 4th District

  Mark Stremler for County Council 4th District Mark Stremler Friends, protecting our cherished District 4 is deeply personal to me. This community is the beating heart of our county - and its sanctity and safety MUST be defended! For too long, weak leadership has put our wonderful neighborhoods at risk. But I know the spirit of District 4 remains resilient and STRONG. Folks here understand the value of hard work and ...

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