Dear Editor,

Have you been looking for good reasons to support Randal Son for commissioner? Consider these. What better argument than the fact that all three of the sitting commissioners are supporting his opponent? Apparently they would feel more comfortable if a new commissioner was as much like them as possible. How would that be good for the rest of us?

What about the UB’s endorsement of his opponent? Son has a clear idea of what the Commissioner’s job can be for the community, rather than just what it has been. What effrontery that a man who has only been here for 45 years could successfully challenge someone whose family has been here for six generations. A better question might be not how long have you been here but what have you done for us lately?

One of the arguments put forth by the editors of the UB endorsing his opponent was his support for targeted budget increases for deputy pay at the Sheriff’s Office to reduce turnover. Has anybody else considered that maybe some of the turnover could be due to the work environment and not pay related?

To be fair to the editors, they did say that Son’s hard work is impressive, as is his effort to reach out to leaders and residents. They give themselves away when they further say that this is something “established candidates,” whoever that might be, could learn from. Established? Establishment? Get the picture?

I understand from similar letters to the editor that his opponent is an accountant. Isn’t there an accountant on the commission already? The idea that we need redundant accountants reminded me of an accountant story. A rancher, of which I am one, was walking across a field with his accountant and he turned to the accountant and asked: What color is that horse? It’s brown on this side, replied the accountant.

The UB, his supporters, and the opponent himself would apparently like to keep things the way they are. Let’s see if we can make the future indistinguishable from the past. Now that is comforting. For some people.

The future is arriving daily whether we like it or not and cries out for creative solutions. Randal Son understands who we are and where we have been. He also understands how much better we can be. Vote for Randal Son for commissioner.

Charles Potts

Walla Walla