Published bimonthly by the Libertarian Party of Washington State

Contents copyright (c) 1999 by Washington Libertarian. Any material may be reproduced with credit to the author and to Washington Libertarian.

For the latest on events, speakers, etc., see the ''Updates'' Calendar on the main LPWS web site, http://LPWS.org/events.htm.

Combining radio and Reach Out in membership blitz

The two initial weeks of radio ads on Western Washington station KVI 570 brought in more than 100 membership inquiries, much more than the Party logs in most months, and contributed to a surge of activity at libertarian websites.

Carol Miller, LPWS Executive Director, said the response to the ads was surprisingly strong, making the cost per lead lower than projected, less than $20. The ads have intangible benefits as well. "Radio ads help other advertising such as print and direct mail, and will help our candidates this year as the Libertarian Party becomes a household word," Miller said.

The buzz of interest is an acid test for Project Reach Out, the state Party's initiative to contact inquirers by phone in the critical first few days after they seek information about the Libertarian alternative. Reach Out callers try to answer any questions local prospects have and invite them to local events. Jesse Malkin, currently leading the Reach Out effort in King County, is seeking volunteers to contact members there and around the state. Malkin said the calling is not time consuming, often just leaving messages. You can reach Jesse at malkin1@ix.netcom.com.

Radio advertising may come to other parts of the state as well; the Spokane Region may be next. Given good results so far, funds are being raised to continue and expand the effort. To contribute for future ads on KVI or other radio stations, send a check to LPWS, 10115 Greenwood Ave. N. #297, Seattle 98133. Contact Chris Caputo, at treasurer@LPWS.org or 206-367-4299, for technical instructions on downloading the ad from the website, or for information on donating with credit cards. O

Doug Witt, LP activist and organizer extraordinaire, MUST KNOW that we have ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS and will submit the application only when he is sure that we can handle it. If you can be there for just 4 hours (or as many as 40!), please contact Doug right away at 425-888-2266 or fairs@LPWS.org. Spring Fair hours are 10am-10pm Friday/Saturday and 10am-7pm on Sunday. Fall Puyallup Fair hours are 10am-10pm Sunday-Thursday and 10am-11pm on Friday/Saturday.

KID-FRIENDLY EVENTS We talk about more kid-friendly events, but no parents have yet offered to host any. If you would like to make something happen, this would potentially make our Party more accessible to families. Contact Carol Miller.

Also, activists in the Benton-Franklin Region are considering a week-long Liberty Summer Camp. Anyone interested, call Jocelyn Langlois at 509-946-8382 or jocelyn_l@hotmail.com. Please contact her if you would consider having your kids participate, or if you would like to help.

PROJECT REACH OUT Jesse Malkin, temporary coordinator, asks for more volunteers, particularly outside the 206 area code, except Clallam and Island Counties. As described on front page. Also seeking a leader for this project.

TAX DAY PROTEST COORDINATORS For the LPWS and/or a local area, help organize Tax Day Protests. taxday@LPWS.org or Carol Miller.

PROOFREADER FOR NEWSLETTER AND/OR OTHER PUBLICATIONS Carol Miller or other Party leader will fax the document for you to mark up and fax back. Contact Carol Miller.

A bulletin board for volunteer opportunities will soon be part of the website, and anyone will be able to post to it.O

For most up to date details, see the Events Calendar at www.LPWS.org. Submit calendar additions to calendar@LPWS.org. No RSVP needed unless noted. This section being expanded to be a complete listing of events in WA with directions and more details. Listings are general interest first, then by region.

Speakers Bureau / TorchMasters (previously Free Speech Club) Some Sundays: Feb 28th, March 14th, April 4th, April 18th 2pm. Get an opportunity to practice public speaking (loosely modeled on Toastmasters), plus support for people in the Speakers Bureau, a group of individuals available for presentations to classrooms and other organizations. Questions? Chip, 206-998-4846. Home of Chris C. at 12512 9th Ave NW, Seattle. Directions: (TGC 504/G4) From I-5 NORTHBOUND, take N 130th St Exit (Exit #174); turn left off the exit, up to the stoplight 1/2 block north; turn left (=west) onto NE 130th for 1.3 miles; at Greenwood Ave N go left (=south); at N 125th St go right (=west); at 9th Ave NW go right (=north); it's immediately on the right. From I-5 SOUTHBOUND, take N 145th St Exit (Exit #175); turn right (=west) off the exit onto NE 145th for 1.3 miles; at Greenwood Ave N go left (=south); at N 125th St go right (=west); at 9th Ave NW go right (=north); it's immediately on the right. It's a tall house with lots of stairs on the left side. Lost? call 206-367-4299.

Video Series: Milton Friedman's Free to Choose Friends and children welcome, bring munchies / pop (tap beer provided), come to any or all, start at 8pm, videos are 60 minutes, good conversation afterward.

Friday, March 5: Video 1, Power of the Market Shows how free markets work and why they are essential for human freedom. Discussion with David Brooks (Wall Street Journal) and James Galbraith (University of Texas). Introduced by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Friday, March 19: Video 2, Tyranny of Control Why trade restrictions and subsidies backfire. Discussion with Michael Walker (Fraser Institute) and Steve Cohen (Berkeley Roundtable on International Economics). Introduced by George Schultz.

Friday, April 2: Video 3, Freedom and Prosperity What the dramatic experience in Eastern Europe reveals about bureaucrats and markets. Discussion with Gary Becker (University of Chicago) and Sam Bowles (University of Massachusetts). Introduced by Ronald Reagan.

Friday, April 16: Video 4, The Failure of Socialism Why socialism leads to slavery and mass poverty. Discussion with Gordon Tullock (University of Arizona) and Henry Levin (Center for Educational Research, Stanford University). Introduced by David Friedman.

Friday, April 30: Video 5, Created Equal How markets promote justice. Discussion with Thomas Sowell (Hoover Institution) and Michael Kinsley (New Republic). Introduced by Steve Allen.

"I became a big pain in the neck about Free to Choose. All my friends and acquaintances got tapes as well as books for Christmas after Christmas. If I had come up with Free to Choose, maybe I wouldn't have got into body building." -Arnold Schwarzenegger

Video Series at home of Daniel Nelson, 1407 Taylor Ave N, Seattle. Directions: Take the Mercer St. / Seattle Center exit (Exit #167); turn right (=north) onto Fairview at bottom of exit; turn left (=west) immediately onto Valley St.; Valley becomes Broad and goes under Aurora; turn right onto Harrison (still west); turn right (=north) onto 5th; turn right (=east) onto Roy for 1 block; turn left (=north) onto Taylor; house is on the left side at the top of a bunch of stairs. Lost? Call 206-352-9295.

March 13 and May 8 State Executive Committee Second Saturdays of odd-numbered months. , 1pm-5pm, Broadview Library, 130th and Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle (southwest corner). Please park on the street, not in the library parking. Platform Committee meeting on March 13 after the SEC meeting and in the same room, about 4:30 pm. The Platform Committee makes recommendations to the convention on platform issues. This meeting is your chance to provide input for the Platform Committee recommendations. Directions: From I-5 NORTHBOUND, take the N 130th St exit (Exit #174; turn left off the exit to the stoplight 1/2 block north; turn left (=west) onto NE 130th for 1.3 miles; the library is just beyond Greenwood Ave N. on the left. From I-5 SOUTHBOUND, take the N 145th St Exit (Exit #175); turn right (=west) off the exit onto NE 145th for 1.3 miles; At Greenwood Ave N take a left (=south); turn right onto 130th Street, and the library is immediately on the left. Lost? call 206-684-7519 x3 .

April 15 Tax Day Numerous local protests at post offices and libraries. taxday@LPWS.org. More info in the next newsletter. Contact calendar@LPWS.org to have a local event listed in the next Washington Libertarian.

April 16-18 Spring Puyallup Fair, contact Doug Witt to volunteer at 425-888-2266 or fairs@LPWS.org. 10am-10pm April 16 & 17, 10pm-7pm April 18. 110 9th Ave SW, Puyallup, WA 98371. See "Volunteer Opportunities" section in this issue; our application is not yet approved. Directions: From I-5 Take Exit 142B in Federal Way and follow the signs for State Route 161. Drive about 8 miles into the Puyallup Valley as Route 161 becomes Meridian Street. The fairgrounds will be on the right, at 9th Avenue SW. From Seattle and the Eastside: From Hwy 405, take Exit 2 to state Route 167 South, toward Kent/Auburn. After 20.2 miles, take Route 161 South/State Route 512 West. Drive 2.3 miles to the second exit, which is Meridian Street S. At the end of the exit, turn right at the light. The fairgrounds are on the left. Lost? Call (253) 845-1771.

June 12 & 13 LPWS Convention in Bellevue, details to follow. Speakers include Mary Ruwart, Libertarian activist and author of Healing our World; Peter Weissbach libertarian-leaning talk show host; Michelle Malkin, Seattle Times columnist and published in Reason Magazine; Juan Ros, Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of California, three times as large as any other state LP. More local speakers planned for Washington issues. Questions / suggestions, Carol Miller, director@LPWS.org or 206-781-5661.

July 26-30, 1999 Candidate filing week for 1999 elections at County Elections Departments.

September 14, 1999 Primary Election

September 10-26 Puyallup Fair, contact Doug Witt to volunteer at 425-888-2266 or fairs@LPWS.org. 10am-10pm Sunday through Thursday, 10pm-11pm Friday/Saturday. See "Volunteer Opportunities" section in this issue; our application is not yet submitted. Directions above.

November 2, 1999 General Election

REGIONAL MEETINGS

E. King County Liberty Forum 3rd Wednesdays. March 17: Sol Sylvan on early Objectivism. Knew Ayn Rand and other early Objectivists. Azteca in the Bellevue Hilton, 150 112th NE, just west of Hwy 405. Dinner 6:30pm, announcements 7:45, speaker 8:00. $2 suggested contribution. Ernie, 425-641-9824, or hannah@seanet.com. April 21, May 19 speaker TBA. Business meetings 1st Wednesdays: March 3, April 7, May 5.

Bellevue Town Committee Establish slate for the next election. Tuesday, March 9th, 7pm, Main Bellevue Library, 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue. Questions? Ernie, 425-641-9824, or hannah@seanet.com. Directions: Hwy 405 to NE 8th Exit, west on NE 8th to 110th, right=north on 110th, library will be on the left. Ask at the desk for which meeting room. Lost? Call 425-450-1760.

Colville and surrounding area: Organizational meeting March 15 in the basement of the Colville Public Library located at 195 S. Oak, Colville. The building will be open at 6:30pm, with the meeting beginning at 7pm and expected to finish about 9pm. Party members are encouraged to bring prospective members. Questions? Mark at 509-684-6240 or marktaff@theofficenet.com. Directions: From Kettle Falls Proceed S on Hwy 395; once in Colville, turn left onto First Ave (3rd light).; proceed W one block; turn right onto Oak St.; the library is one block down on the left. From Chewelah: Proceed N on Hwy 395; once in Colville, turn right on Astor Ave (first street after second light); proceed W one block.; the library is on the left.

Kirkland Town Committee Meet in advance of City Council meetings, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 6:30pm, at Wendy's 312 Central Way. March 9, March 23, April 6, April 20. Council meetings start at 7:30. Questions? Rachel, raehawkrij@aol.com or 425-814-4548. (Rachel seeks someone to lead the Kirkland TC.)

Grays Harbor County Saturday, March 20, April 17. Third Saturday every month. 1pm at the River Haven Restaurant. Questions? Art 360-289-4940. 120 Lincoln Ave, Hoquiam, on Highway 101 just north of the Hwy 109 turnoff. Lost? 360-532-0126.

W. King County Liberty Supper Club 4th Thursdays, Feb 25, March 25, April 22. Oscar's II Restaurant, 2051 E. Madison in East Capitol Hill. Dinner 6:30pm, meeting 7:45. $2 contrib. Questions? Scott, 206-322-4180. Directions: From I-5, Madison St. Exit; east on Madison; on the right near 22nd, parking in the back. Lost? 206-322-2029.

Benton/Franklin Counties 4th Thursdays, Feb 25, March 25 Godfather's Pizza, 1051 G. Washington Way, Richland. Dinner 6:30pm, meeting 7pm. Topic for Feb. 25 is Success '99 and increasing our outreach. Questions? Dave, 509-627-1303. Directions: From I-182, take Exit 5 = north on George Washington Way, it's 1/2 block past Swift Ave. on the left. From Hwy 14, take the George Washington Exit, head north, and it's 1/2 block past Swift Ave. on the left. Lost? 509-943-8488.

Kitsap County 2nd Tuesdays, March 9, April 13 at 6:30 pm, odd-numbered months at Round Table Pizza 3276 NW Plaza Rd., Silverdale, 360-698-4040; even-numbered months at Jester's Coffee House, 1468 Olney Ave. SE, Port Orchard, 360-895-7753. Questions? Ron, 360-479-2921.

Olympia 3rd Thursdays March 18, April 15 at 6:30pm at the Urban Union, 116 Legion Way next to Sylvester Park, downtown. Questions? Matt, 360-432-0162.

Spokane Region 2nd Mondays at 7pm. Annual convention on Monday March 8, at NEW LOCATION: Auntie's Bookstore, 402 W. Main, Spokane, 7pm. Everyone is invited to participate in choosing new party officers and doing other convention business. Regular meetings April 12, May 10. Questions? Marc Whitman, 509-624-7417. Directions: From I-90, Division St. Exit (heads north); left=west onto Spokane Falls Boulevard; left=south onto Stevens; left=east onto Main Street, it is on the left.

Snohomish County odd-numbered months, Business Meeting, Saturday, March 20th, 3pm, Everett Library, Main Branch, lower meeting room, 2702 Hoyt Ave. Tony, 425-355-0543.

Tacoma Third Thursdays, March 18, April 15, 7pm, Roundtable Pizza, 7901 S. Hosmer. Michael Hamilton 253-846-1928.

Vancouver Vancouver Libertarians meet Third Thursdays, 7pm, Smokey's Pizza, 10411 NE Fourth Plain, Orchards, Washington. Lori or Frank, 360-837-3760.O

This is one of those columns where I can't just pick one topic and delve into it. There are too many important things happening I wish to highlight.

First, Success '99. We made sure this event came to Seattle this year, for the first time ever, to learn how to run good campaigns from national experts. Getting elected or appointed to office is the best chance Libertarians have of limiting government. We have some public office holders now, but need many more. If you would consider running for office or working on a campaign, 1999 is the year to take the plunge. The knowledge we gained at Success '99 has made our odds of winning better than ever.

Next, and in support of that effort, Kelly Haughton's local candidate recruitment efforts and Brett Wilhelm's L2000 Project are underway. Both have been approved by the State Executive Committee and, through the individual efforts of so many, will provide us the broad base of candidates we must have. Please seriously consider running for office and contact Kelly or Brett.

The LPWS has endorsed the $30 Car Tax Initiative. This initiative is probably the next best thing to electing Libertarians to office. It will force the legislature to cut about $1 billion per year in spending or force them to put any proposed tax increases to a vote of the people. The LPWS is also holding a contest to find spending cuts so the legislature won't have a case for raising taxes!

If the Republicans don't endorse the initiative January 30, this will give our Libertarian candidates for the legislature a terrific issue on which to run in 2000. If the initiative passes and the legislature overturns it with a 2/3 vote, our candidates will have even more ammunition. If they don't overturn it, our candidates can show how we will honor the wishes of the electorate by making the necessary spending cuts to offset the tax cut the initiative provides. We can press our opponents for what spending they would cut if elected, or where they would raise taxes. If the other parties don't endorse the initiative, and it doesn't obtain enough signatures, the voters have them to blame for not getting behind it. We win no matter what!

I am going to send in 1/3 of the cost of my annual car tabs to support the initiative. I can't think of a safer investment with better odds. The way I look at it, the chances of winning blow Lotto away!

Also, our suggested policy proposals will be rolling out very shortly. The first one will be on health insurance. Suffice to say it will make eminent sense and look like Greek to Deborah Senn and the current state legislators. This will give our candidates for the legislature another campaign issue, plus will hopefully help uncover candidate(s) to run for Insurance Commissioner in 2000 against Ms. Senn. We have about 20 months before the 2000 elections to popularize our ideas and steer the debate in the Libertarian direction.

Lastly (due only to space constraints), the much cogitated, debated, dreamed of, planned on, Speakers Bureau, has been enacted. They are fine tuning their presentations and are already on the circuit. Chip Barron leads this effort. Please contact Chip if you would like to participate in speaking to high schools, colleges, civic clubs, etc. Think how important it is we reach young people. Otherwise, they might never learn how much freedom they are supposed to have, and freedom is perhaps their only true "entitlement." O

Chair plans "Treasure Hunt"

Members wanted to judge proposals to slice spending

Mary Maas, state chair, has called for a subcommittee to lead a treasure hunt for $1 billion in useless government spending, and award a prize to the person with the best proposal for cutting waste.

The move is motivated by I-695, the initiative to reduce car taxes to $30 a year. If the initiative were passed, spending cuts would be needed to maintain compliance with state government spending limits. One billion dollars worth in fact, the amount the initiative would save taxpayers annually.

The "Let's Take All The Money That No One's Using Anyway And Spend It On Basic Government Services" faction has already started hysterical, barely logical attacks on the initiative. The Seattle Times editorialized that people shouldn't sign the initiative since it doesn't specify spending cuts to "pay for" the tax cut and requirement for a vote on tax increases. Someone needs to show the voters just how much can be cut from the state budget. That someone should be the Libertarian Party.

Maas proposed the subcommittee at the January SEC meeting, suggesting that it make efforts to reach out to state employees, particularly those who might be disgusted with waste they see every day of their careers. Just to make things interesting, Maas suggested that the top prize be $300, some lucky dog's car tax for 10 years.

All the slots on the proposed committee are open at press time.

Contestants will have to work to catch up with Grays Harbor chair Art Rathjen, who already submitted a plan to excise more than $300 million each biennium by closing the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development, whose far-flung foreign field offices he accuses of coordinating corporate welfare. "In my view," Rathjen writes, "entrepreneurs, capitalists, corporations, and community leaders can promote development far better than a state agency. I propose the functions of this department be carried out privately without cost to taxpayers. This would not only cut state spending but would also promote economic development much more effectively." O

Campaign '99 gaining momentum

Seven candidates and counting

1999 is an important year for the LPWS to run candidates for local office. These are races we can win. Kelly Haughton heads the effort as LPWS Candidate Recruiting Chair. Haughton has announced up to 13 information forums around the state, to answer questions and recruit candidates and campaign staff. Forum dates are being set with the regional chairs as we go to press, and will include unorganized areas.

"We're still rolling out our program," Haughton says, "and already have a record number of seven candidates. We're looking for several dozen, and hope to have at least one in each organized region."

Kirkland Libertarians, chaired by Rachel Hawkridge, have announced a slate of three candidates for city council -- Gene Hawkridge, Jeff Jared and Jesse Brocksmith. Gene Hawkridge now holds appointed office in Kirkland, and Jared got nearly 20,000 votes in a previous campaign.

Mark Leigh has begun organizing his campaign for Mayor of Sedro Wooley. William Wolper will run for Fire Commissioner in Grays Harbor County. Wolper, a former fireman and fire chief, is vice chair of that county's LP. In Pierce County, Dave Franta is planning a race for Key Peninsula Parks and Recreation Commission.

Haughton adds, "Another dozen or so are exploring campaigns for Seattle and Tacoma Port Commissions, Puyallup, Bellevue and Tacoma City Councils, plus various school boards, public utility districts and fire commissions."

We may also be seeing the importance of Libertarian Town Committees. There are only two so far, Bellevue and Kirkland. Bellevue has committed to running a full slate for city council. Kirkland now has its slate. The West King region will combine candidate recruiting with the organizing of Town Committees, starting in early March.

Haughton notes the most winnable campaigns are in the rural areas, even with no formal county organization. Dave Swann (White Salmon) and John Gearhart (Palouse) were both unopposed for their city council victories. Swann does not recall a contested campaign in rural Klickitat County, even at the county level. The winning strategy can be no more than filing early on the first day.

The information forums, dubbed Operation Govern, will be hosted by Mike Hihn, Executive Director of the Washington Liberty PAC. Hihn was elected to school board, after forming a slate to seek voting control. The forums will cover campaign tips, support from both the Party and the PAC, and the big one, "What if I get elected?" O

Jury duty:
A personal experience

by John Evans

I was on jury duty a few weeks ago. Here is how it went:

I sat in the jury room beginning at 8:00 AM on Monday, then was excused at 2:30 PM. I returned Tuesday morning at 8:45 AM, was assigned to a jury pool at 10:15, but didn't head to the courtroom until 11:15. The charges were one count of trafficking in stolen goods and two counts of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine). The defendant was black. A few potential jurors were excused for "hardship", then we were excused at 12:00 for lunch. At 1:30 PM we went back in. Each juror was to provide a brief bio. I was juror 23.

I was excused at 2:00 PM after my bio because of my speech, but no one before me provided any information about their views on drug laws, so I was the first one excused for other than "hardship". My speech under "leisure activities" in pertinent part was, "I enjoy many outdoor activities, but I do not watch television and do not read the newspaper. I am involved with political organizations, and the relevant ones for today are the Libertarian Party, The Fully Informed Jury Association and the Drug Policy Foundation."

The judge then asked what the Drug Policy Foundation was about. I responded, "The Drug Policy Foundation believes that the "War on Drugs" is harmful to individual liberty and that the war should be halted and the drug laws repealed."

The judge then asked what this jury organization was about. I responded, "The Fully Informed Jury Association believes that jurors have the right to judge the law as well as the facts."

The judge then said, "Do you feel, under the circumstances, that you could take the jury oath of this court?" I responded, "I do not believe that I could in good faith take that oath, and I further believe that I could not render a guilty verdict for a victimless crime."

The judge excused me.

I am very curious about others in that jury panel - to know if others objected to the oath about the judge deciding the law and the jury the facts - or the drug laws. But I have no convenient way to determine what happened after I was excused. I was pleased that all prospective jurors at least heard one voice that had a problem with both. But for the current victims of the War on Drugs, the jury of their "peers" is missing.

Any prospective juror in favor of drug decriminalization or asserting their right to judge the law as well as the facts will be eliminated from the jury.

There are those who contend that the proper thing to do is to take the jury oath, then on the jury just refuse to convict. My judgement was that any cause that requires lying to promote is not a worthy cause, and I chose to not take a false oath. The consequences of my decision fall upon a man in Seattle recently tried by his "peers."

I have decided to send a letter and FIJA literature to all King County Superior Court judges. O

The Water Commission and Me

How I learned to make a difference in local government.
by Margaret Wiggins

Some people give a lot of thought to running for office. I didn't have time, and that was probably for the best. One week before filing closed someone asked me if I would run for water commissioner in the Northshore Utility District. When I asked my husband and boys what they thought, they were excited about the idea. Then I talked to the outgoing commissioner and she thought I could handle it as well.

So I wrote up a brief resume and emailed it around. The responses were encouraging, but I was hoping a better candidate could be found. Then came that Friday in August, the last day to file. I went to the King County courthouse to see who had filed. Only one person and I didn't recognize the name. I went ahead and filed so the voters would have a choice. Because my opponent got to the courthouse first, her name would appear first on the ballot, and in the voter's pamphlet. We only had to campaign for the general election since there is no primary needed with only two candidates.

There was no charge to file for this seat. The clerk simply took my information and pointed to the handouts that explain the rules for running a campaign, like where you can legally post yard signs, and the Public Disclosure Commission forms to be filed. The PDC forms are as much fun as a 1040-tax form. The public has access to all information about income sources and property holdings for their elected officials.

Not all commissioners are paid, but I happen to be in a large utility district that pays the top dollar allowed by state law, $70 per day or part of a day. I was quite surprised to find it offered other benefits as well, including full medical, dental and vision benefits for my whole family, mileage, and a couple of free meals every month. The district will pay for 96 meetings a year, an average of eight a month. This can include several multiple-district meetings that require attendance from one or more commissioners on a monthly basis, training classes, Chamber of Commerce luncheons, and touring the district.

Lobbying in Olympia was fun, and the association conventions are educational as well. Eight meetings a month doesn't sound so bad, but they occur mostly in the evening and can be disruptive to family life.

I started attending the public meetings before the election. The other candidate was there also but stopped coming after losing the election in November. Meetings occur two Mondays a month, and often there is a luncheon to study a technical subject or hear a presentation from the staff on a new program.

I was sworn into office at the first public meeting in January. My husband and son were there and we took a few pictures but otherwise it was business as usual. While I had seen the commissioners signing piles of papers during the meetings, this was the first time I got to see what was in the piles. There were multiple copies of resolutions that were prepared by the staff for our signature, and seldom discussed. There were thousands of dollars in vouchers for all the bills and paychecks that required three commissioner signatures. And so the rubber-stamping began...

With a background in the phone company, the military, and school bureaucracies, I was somewhat prepared to deal with many of the decisions the board had to make. We directed staff to negotiate a union contract with the help of consultants. They wrote most of it without consulting us but that was just firming up procedures that were already in place. I was surprised to find the Democrats on the board agreeing with me on some of the conservative parts of the contract.

My top priorities were learning the technical language of water and sewer, the acronyms, and getting to know the players. I could only fit in about 20 questions a meeting, and with only three regular meetings a month, it took a long time to become reasonably informed. By the end of the year I was feeling much more comfortable stating my opinion in a large multi-district group meeting, whether the Seattle water director wanted to hear it or not. Bureaucrats run most of the operations and they respond to the mandates of the federal and state bureaucrats, not necessarily the commissioners. It would be entertaining if it weren't so sad.

It didn't take long for me to realize the parental function a commissioner serves for the managers of the district. They don't need to be told what to do, but they want to be appreciated. They don't want to take all the responsibility for the decisions that affect the public. They also seem to do a better job when they think someone cares enough about the job to watch them. Making them change out their consultants every few years can have an effect like term limits as well. The hourly wage workers seemed glad to have a commissioner listen to them when I spent a couple of hours walking around the office and chatting.

A new building was in progress when I got there. The blueprints were already out for bid.

Voting on a contract bid is pretty anti-climactic, since the lowest "responsible" bidder doesn't leave much choice. This was a $4 million contract, so we had the lawyer investigate the contractor for past lawsuits. The contractor came up reasonably clean. We were fortunate to have a manager only a few blocks away that could help oversee the project, but he got a little sloppy with the paper work. In fact, he created $18,000 worth of sloppy paperwork. I told the other commissioners that I could not approve any work without an explanation for the $18,000 in costs (other costs had explanations provided). The other commissioners did not seem concerned by the oversight. I lodged a protest. The general manager brought the supporting documents to the next meeting to justify the expense.

Having my name on the brass plaque of the new building is humbling and ego boosting at the same time. I'm proud to be part of a well-run district, but I am aware of how little I have contributed to it. But I have my success story.

The next year's budget was discussed at our last meeting of the year, I was surprised to see an item in the budget that I had recommended. Disaster preparedness was one of my campaign promises and the district was in good shape, relatively. When I came across an article in one of the engineering newsletters describing a new seismic detection valve that would shut off the district's water automatically, I gave the article to the manager in charge of preparedness and asked him to take it to one of his staff meetings. The staff was excited and the article resulted in a request for an appropriation to install the device on one of our more critical reservoirs. Funny how these things work out.

Watch this space for news of my next goal: I plan to run for conservation committee chairperson, to try to end Seattle's dictation of water conservation measures to the outlying districts.

Margaret Wiggins (mwiggin@worldnet.att.net) is a water and sewer commissioner who recently became a subscriber to the Libertarian Party. She lives in Bothell, and feels it is only fair to give the Republicans credit for her election. O

SEC News

L2000 Approved; Car Tax measure endorsed; Discovery Booth support fund

In what members called a dizzyingly productive meeting, the SEC approved the L2000 plan to coordinate statewide races in the 2000 elections.

The SEC also endorsed the $30 Car Tax Initiative, and agreed to make uniform the initials appearing next to candidates' names on ballots. The preferred initial is 'L'. In the last election ballot, identifiers varied widely from district to district.

The committee authorized Mary Maas to contract with Carol Miller for executive services through to the end of July.

Ernie Ludwick, an activist from East King County, proposed a contingency fund of $3000 to hold space for outreach booths at fairs and festivals. He said demand for booth space at events like the Puyallup Fair is high, and spots can open up at any time. The potential gains, he said, are enormous. This proposal was approved as a test project, with the provision that net income from the events will pay back the LPWS.

McLaren and Lahr Win Appointments

Snohomish County Libertarian Larey McLaren joined the Alderwood Water District on Jan. 4. McLaren was appointed to one of two new seats on the commission, and will serve until the election in 2001.

Commissioners are non-partisan and serve for six years.

"My function will be to assist the other Commissioners and the General Manager guide District growth and management policy," McLaren explained. "The AWD includes a rapidly growing part of South Snohomish County and I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity."

Ron Lahr landed a seat on Spokane's Community Development Board, which was open to applications. The mayor and city council approved his.

Lahr lives in Spokane and is a former secretary of the LPWS and Spokane County LP. O

Town Committees Tips

Cultivating the grassroots without getting dirty

by Ernie Ludwick

Apparently it is unlawful in Bellevue to cover something on "your" property with a blue tarp.

That's one of the things the Bellevue Town Committee aims to change. The first meeting of the Bellevue Town Committee brought in 3 new members, all who had strong opinions about which tasks to take on. The main interest of the group is to fight the proliferation of local, small, freedom-whittling laws. Laws about what color tarps you can use on "your" property, for instance. To this end, we appointed a task group, led by the Kleiner clan, to find out how laws are made and un-made, when council meetings occur, and how to influence the process. Another member, Todd Cromwell, volunteered to arrange for us to appear as a discussion panel at the local high schools and colleges. We'll be forwarding the names of leads to the Speakers Bureau and the State Party.

The committee will also issue press releases, create a web page, and start a treasury.

As part of our philosophy, we vowed to keep the process fun for all of us. This means treats at meetings, doing fun stuff as well as politicking and staying upbeat, putting out a positive message. That's going to be the best way to get our neighbors on board. Rather than dwelling on all of the bad situations out there, we will point out the great Libertarian alternatives and improvements.

Here are a few of my observations on running a town committee:

1. Local libraries are a great resource. They are teeming with educated, politically curious prospects who might actually read the bulletin board and become involved. The quiet, orderly meeting rooms do away with the waiters and bussers that constantly disrupt meetings held in restaurants.

2. An almost completely different group of individuals has contacted me or attended the meetings compared to those I've met at the state and county meetings. Local activists see this as a chance to bring about real change, now. They aren't interested in sitting around planning Senate campaigns. They are interested in countering that one crooked councilman, or ditching that one stupid ordinance. Remarkably, though, I have begun to see some of the faces from the Town Committee appear at the Regional meetings. We have found a way to make the LP relevant to a whole new segment of the population, and to engage them in the process.

3. Each of us should think of ourselves not as a Party member functioning under the auspices of a National or State organization, but as an independent Precinct Representative. As the head of your own, neighborhood-size precinct, how can Libertarian ideas help you and your neighbors to effect your immediate surroundings? Then, by banding together with other precincts/neighborhoods, you can use the Town Committee organization to effect citywide issues. The Town Committees should turn to the regional or larger organizations only when it serves the needs of their constituent precincts.

Our long-term goals include running a full LP slate for Bellevue City government, and establishing a membership base of at least 120 individuals, organized by neighborhood. From that group we hope to choose between 5 and 10 people each month to attend every city council meeting as watchdogs (decked in LP logos, of course). When the council proposes a stupid law, we will speak out loudly, issue press releases, and propose free market alternatives. We will watch their agendas to forewarn others in case something really odious is coming up for consideration, and make it clear to the council that what they do and say will be publicized. (Editor's note: I will be happy to send any Libertarian the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of other Libertarians in their region, city, town, or neighborhood. You can organize a Town Committee!) O

Apportion WA's electoral college votes - call today!

Just introduced, HB 1534 would apportion the State's Electoral College votes to reflect the State's popular vote. This would make it impossible to repeat what happened in 1992 when 56% of the State's voters cast a ballot for someone other than Clinton, yet he was awarded all 11 of the State's electoral votes. (See story in December issue for more details.) Please call the Legislative hotline, 1-800-562-6000, and urge each of your three state representatives to support passage of this Bill. Call Janet Anderson if you would like to help in this campaign, 206-285-2460.O

Lots to Loathe in Gov's '99 Agenda

OLYMPIA (BB) -- In his State of the State address, Governor Gary Locke proposed wasting millions of dollars on the state's failed education system, placing Eastern Washington under Soviet-style central control, and giving the government's already pampered employees the right to bargain collectively to improve their employment terms. The governor also said he expected people to shut up and not complain about it.

Actually, those are not the Gov.'s words but it is the message when he "urges lawmakers to put aside their partisan warfare," as the Associated Press reported, and keep a spirit of "bipartisan cooperation and civility." He wants no opposition to the laundry list of waste and folly he is putting forward.

Top of his wish list: scholarships for the top 15% of high school graduates, allowing them to attend two years of college, in spite of the fact that college educators are always expressing frustration with the waves of unprepared freshmen and sophomores they have to reeducate every year. The plan also manages to ignore the growing numbers of adult and distance learners who are the state's most qualified and motivated students. But best of all, for the governor, this is an explicit piece of middle-class welfare, aimed at families of four making no more than $69,000 a year, the fat demographic that politicians bribe with benefits every year. Locke also wants to hire 1000 new teachers, test teachers for competency, set up "a type of charter school" (in other words, not a charter school) and give rewards to top teachers and schools. Expect the teachers' unions to quash three of those ideas. Can you guess which three?

Locke also released his "Water for People and Fish" plan to put the entire eastern agricultural region of the state under the benevolent control of the Department of Ecology. The plan, according the governor's press secretary, replaces centuries of "antiquated" water law with attempts by bureaucrats to find efficient ways of irrigating (!), surveillance of water extraction from new wells, buying out privately-held water rights with public money and sending that water to the ocean, and allowing low-level bureaucrats to wander eastern Washington's lonely vistas handing out $25,000 fines for non-compliance. That's up from a maximum fine of $100. An Eastern Washington farmer and rancher described the plan as placing "agriculture's head on a chopping block." It could also stop growth in Eastern Washington's cities, since strict interpretations of water policies could dehydrate building that growth management has already tried to strangle.

The governor was quoted as saying: "Instead of standing at the bottom of the cliff with an ambulance and a stretcher, we want state government to be at the top of the cliff building fences." It was not reported whether the governor proposed to stop forcing people off of the cliff with taxes, regulations and takings. O

But Seriously:
More News from Legislature '99

Aside from the biennial budget proposed by the governor, at press time there is no clear theme for the session. Legislators have held hearings on the health insurance mess they managed to create over the last five years, and over an affordable housing crunch that may have something to do with growth policies they have endorsed. Cruising the list of bills in the hopper of the state House, one sees an array of bills for exemptions from excise, B&O and the special fuels taxes. It doesn't look like any general tax rollbacks are contemplated.

Rep. Brian Thomas, a member of the Republican Liberty Caucus, has a bill to provide for rural development and another closing a loophole favored by taxing districts. I don't know the details, and quite frankly, I don't want to know. But I do admire someone close to us in ideas, who also can attend to all the details and make law. We all know libertarians who are not detail-oriented in their politics, this writer for example. But I hope we can find about 50 libertarians to join him in the House and write some tax laws in 2000. O

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