Political odds and ends

The National League of Cities just held its annual convention in Nashville and four members of the Lacey City Council attended the activities.   Those attending were Andy Ryder, Jeff Gadman, Cynthia Pratt and Lenny Greenstein.  Some of those brought their spouses.   Four days of workshops and seminars were highlight by the keynote speech of Vice President Joe Biden.  The City of Lacey budgets money for council travel and restricts the number of activities each member can participate in on the taxpayer dollar.   Some councilmembers – – such as Mayor Andy Ryder – – pay their own way to other meetings around the country. (Jan Teague’s personal opinion – when these city officials get together their main subject of conversation is how to raise more revenue and what new regulations can they implement.)

The decision of Olympia Councilmember Jim Cooper to run for a seat on the Thurston County Commission comes as no surprise – – but it does lead to one question.  Cooper had been involved in the effort to revamp county government – including increasing the number of county commissioners from three to five.   Doing so would dilute the political impact of each individual commissioner and maybe even lower the salary of each position.   In running for this office Cooper must answer the question – – does he still favor increasing the number of county commissioners and in the process – – lowering the pay for the job?

Cooper is running for the seat being vacated by Cathy Wolfe.   Also up for re-election next year is Commissioner Sandra Romero.   Romero has not yet announced that she will seek re-election.   The conventional wisdom – right now – is that she won’t – – given the fate last time of Karen Valenzuela.   Former Thurston County Sheriff Gary Edwards has said that he will run for Romero’s seat if no good candidate emerges to challenge for it.