This editorial will appear in Wednesday's print edition.

The Narrows bridge advisory committee has made a good case that bridge tolls can remain where they are until 2010.

The citizens who advise state transportation leaders about Tacoma Narrows Bridge toll rates might find out today if their hard work was worth it.

The Narrows Bridge Toll Citizen Advisory Commission spent a lot of time this fall examining a request from the state Department of Transportation to raise bridge tolls in July.

The last toll hike took effect in July and was supposed to be good for two years. But transportation officials, taking note of a summer drop in bridge traffic, were worried that they wouldn’t have enough money to meet the new bridge’s debt payments and ongoing maintenance and operations costs.

Thanks largely to the advisory committee’s diligence in digging deep and pressing the transportation department for additional information, it was able to make a good case that the state can afford to leave tolls at their current levels until at least 2010.

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This editorial will appear in Wednesday's print edition.

Hard-hit Pacific needs answers from Corps
It’s one thing to get slammed by Mother Nature. It’s another to get flooded out by the federal government.

Moods are anything but pacific in Pacific.

Even though floodwaters are receding, many folks in the small South King County town are still fuming – and rightfully so. It was bad enough that Mother Nature dumped her wet stuff on them; then their fellow man added insult to injury.

That’s how a lot of Pacific residents are feeling after the Army Corps of Engineers added significantly to their flood misery by releasing water behind the Mud Mountain Dam Thursday with little warning.

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We received a gracious letter from some prominent state Republicans, including former Secretary of State Ralph Munro. It's not the sort of thing we run in our letters column, but thought it was worth posting here.

On behalf of the Washington State John McCain for President Committee, we would like to congratulate and offer our best wishes to President-elect Barack Obama and his team in this state and Washington, D.C. We hope that Senator Obama is an excellent president and enjoys wide success during the next four years.

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The Washington Transportation Commission, should it dismiss the Narrows citizens committee's recommendation to keep tolls at current levels for less than compelling reasons, could be sending the message that such groups have little influence. That would make policy-makers' ability to sell new tolls even harder.

Many folks in the small South King County town are fuming – and rightfully so. It's bad enough that Mother Nature dumped her wet stuff on them; then their fellow man added insult to injury. That's the feeling of a lot of Pacific residents after the Army of Corps of Engineers added significantly to their flood misery by releasing water behind the Mud Mountain Dam Thursday.

If you have comments or questions about these topics, please email them to patrick.ocallahan@thenewstribune.com. Editorials represent the consensus view of The News Tribune's editorial board.

Want to sit in on a daily ed board meeting? Email cheryl.tucker@thenewstribune.com to make an appointment.

Pierce County Democrats quietly filed a legal challenge Monday afternoon, contesting the way the Republican-controlled County Council is appointing a new county auditor.

The co-plaintiffs are Pierce County Democratic Chair Nathe Lawver and Ron Lopp, a longtime adversary and critic of county officials. They filed the action pro se, acting as their own attorneys.

The council is expected to name its choice today. If it selects Katie Blinn, a Democrat, the dispute might seem moot. Democrats contend the council is obliged to name a Democrat to fill the seat vacated by former auditor and Democrat Pat McCarthy -- now the new county executive.

Lawver says:

The appointment of Blinn would be ideal, but it needs to be through the process in the charter. The council's actions of modifying the charter through a resolution is illegal by our charter and state law.

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Many newspapers, us included, ran photo collages of President Bush at his final news conference Monday. The Wall Street Journal took a different tack, publishing photos of Bush in early 2001 and now.

I was struck by just how much Bush hasn't aged. Sure, he looks older, but eight years will do that to anyone his age. It seemed that former Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton looked far worse for the wear when they left office.

Then again, such comparisons depend on the photos used. In this gallery of photos at the New York Daily News, Bush is arguably the worst of the bunch. And these photos on CNN don't bode well for Obama.

I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow I got on the Republican National Committee's e-mail buddy list.

That's why the RNC is giving me the chance to send a great big "Thank You" to George Bush as he leaves office. Oh, and they'd be ever so grateful if I'd also make a contribution while I'm at it "to help strengthen our Party for the battles ahead."

Here's the letter that was sent to me – and doubtless many, many more people.

Dear Cheryl,

For the last eight years, President Bush has led our country with firm determination and a steady hand in the face of numerous challenges and crises. He restored honor and integrity to the White House and protected America from another terrorist attack.

As President and Mrs. Bush prepare to leave Washington in a few weeks to return to Texas, I know I speak for Republicans and grassroots leaders across America when I say we are all grateful for their tremendous service to our country. To show our appreciation for our Commander-in-Chief, the RNC is asking every Republican to sign an electronic card that will be presented to President Bush before he leaves office. It is the least each of us can do to show our gratitude to the leader of our country and our Party.

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