LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | Commissioner Emerson owes us money


October 30, 2012 · Updated 2:01 PM 

To the editor:

It was with great interest that I read the “Sound Off” from Commissioner Emerson in the Oct. 13 South Whidbey Record. Her writings showed an almost complete lack of understanding of the job we pay her to do. She claims to be a “fiscal conservative,” so in these difficult times, I find the irony of her not remedying her personal role in the financial position Island County is particularly galling.

I don’t like getting sued; especially by someone being paid to “govern” with my tax dollars. Just off the top, it cost us taxpayers $50,000 to defend ourselves against her frivolous lawsuit ... plus all the time we paid the planners and others to prepare a defense. She lost in court, but has refused to pay any of the approximately $40,000 fines legally levied against her for unpermitted building activity. Yet she cries out against the other commissioners for passing the one-percent tax they are legally allowed to without a vote. That one percent does not even keep up with inflation. And now, rather than just do her job, she is actively campaigning against the other two commissioners.

I suggest that Commissioner Emerson either pay her fines now or the prosecuting attorney take immediate action to collect those fines. I also think Island County should sue Ms. Emerson for the costs of our defense.

NEIL COLBURN

Langley

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