This blog is designed to give readers a glimpse of our editorial-page operation and how we make our decisions. We’ll let you know who we’re meeting with, what they’re telling us, what events and issues we’re looking at. We’ll also pass on information and observations that may not make our print editions. In addition to the editorial board members who post on this blog, the board includes Publisher David Zeeck, Executive Editor Karen Peterson and Managing Editor Dale Phelps.
Editorial board bloggers
Editorial page editor Patrick O’Callahan oversees the online and printed opinion sections of The News Tribune. He came to The News Tribune in 1987 and has worked at Washington newspapers since 1979. E-mail him at patrick.ocallahan@thenewstribune.com
Editorial writer Cheryl Tucker, in addition to writing commentary, manages the daily production of the editorial and op-ed pages and edits letters to the editor. She began her journalism career in 1974 at a Virginia newspaper and came to The News Tribune in 1978. E-mail her at cheryl.tucker@thenewstribune.com.
Editorial writer Kim Bradford manages the online opinion section of The News Tribune and writes commentary. She joined The News Tribune in 2005 after working 11 years at newspapers in Washington and Maryland. E-mail her at kim.bradford@thenewstribune.com.
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Editor emeritus David Seago retired from The News Tribune in 2008 after 41 years at The News Tribune. E-mail him at sds99@harbornet.com.
Richard Davis’ column on state politics frequently runs in the print edition of The News Tribune. He was president of the Washington Research Council, a statewide think tank, from 1986 through 2006. Currently, as a principal with The Simeon Partnership, Inc. he coordinates the activities of the Washington Alliance for a Competitive Economy, a business coalition founded by the Research Council, the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Roundtable.
Karen Irwin of University Place, a mother of four, has been a frequent contributor to The News Tribune's print editions. She has also written for Seattle's Child, Puget Sound Parent, the Tacoma Weekly, the Fayetteville Observer Times and the political blog Right Meets Left. She graduated from California Lutheran University with a degree in English literature and is currently working toward a history degree.
Michael Allen, professor of history at the University of Washington Tacoma, was born and raised in Ellensburg. He served with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam from 1969-70. He has written five books, including the prize-winning "Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus' Great Discovery to the War on Terror," "Rodeo Cowboys in the North American Imagination" and "Western Rivermen, 1763-1861: Ohio and Mississippi Boatmen and the Myth of the Alligator Horse." Allen lives in Tacoma and Ellensburg and has three children.
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This editorial will appear in Sunday's print edition.
The first rule of writing a ballot title is to plainly, accurately and neutrally describe what the measure would do.
The second is to give voters the benefit of the doubt.
Pierce County violated the first but observed the second in settling on ballot language for three charter amendments that voters will consider in the November election.
Two critics of those proposed amendments have challenged the county in court, saying the ballot titles are confusing and prejudicial. They are half right.
The three amendments would move elections of county officials to odd-numbered years, increase term limits for the county executive and County Council members, and end the county’s experiment with ranked choice voting.
Sherry Bockwinkel, a term-limits supporter, and Kelly Haughton, who led the campaign to bring ranked choice voting to Pierce County, have filed a lawsuit against the county.
They are seeking to prohibit the county auditor and prosecuting attorney from printing ballots and voter pamphlets using the current ballot titles. They have two objections:
• The ballot title for Proposition 1 – which would extend the term limits of county executive and county council members – notes that the new limits would be “consistent with term limits in effect for auditor, assessor-treasurer and sheriff.”
• All three propositions ask voters to “approve” or “reject,” instead of duplicating the “yes” and “no” language used for past ballot measures.
Haughton especially has reason to be sensitive to how the county tells voters to indicate their favor or disapproval. His ranked choice voting group is opposing Proposition 3 and has already ordered signs that read “No on 3.”
He should have more faith in voters. They’re smart enough to figure out that “yes” equals “approve” and “no” means “reject.”
The weightier concern is with the language on Proposition 1. Noting that other county officials already have longer term limits is indeed a factual statement; it also is a selling point.
A ballot measure can have an inherently influential title; a straightforward description of a proposal to cut taxes in half might always sound enticing.
The problem with the county’s wording is it doesn’t much matter how long the county auditor can be in office. That’s not what voters will decide in November.
The only reason to include the information about other county offices is to convince voters that letting county executives and council members stick around longer is the logical and orderly thing to do. Consistency is a persuasive argument, especially in matters of governance.
County officials contend that they followed statutory guidelines in writing the ballot titles. They’ll make their case to a Pierce County Superior Court judge on Monday.
The county could win on the legal merits. But just because it can do something doesn’t mean it should. It’s wrong to use the ballot to promote a proposal that’s near and dear to elected officials who see their term limits coming due.
The county’s lawyers, win or lose in court this week, should rewrite the ballot title for Proposition 1.
