The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Dear Editor,

Because Washington State’s presidential primary is meaningless--except to gather names for major political parties (which smells like public use of dollars for the benefit of private groups) the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices were contacted. Responses from both referenced RCW 29A.56.060 submitted as an initiative to the legislature and passed in 1989. Simply put, if the legislature provides funds a Presidential Primary is held.

This year the cost of the Presidential Primary is estimated at $11.5 million. Considering the McCleary decision (fully fund basic education) and the lack of state mental health facilities there were better uses for that money—especially since the legislature is fined $100,000 every day their education funding obligation is not met!

It’s time to repeal RCW 29A.56.060 (and any related laws) and put the money spent on that worthless endeavor to better use. At the very least there should be some means to be reimbursed by the groups benefiting by getting lists of voters who must declare party affiliation in order to vote. Direct legislative action by the representatives and senators elected to represent you in Olympia could eliminate this wasteful spending, but only with your encouragement/pressure.

Jim Davison

Waitsburg