Rep. Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge Island) has a fellow islander challenging her for the state House seat she’s held for nearly four years.
Retired U.S. Coast Guard officer and local Republican activist James Olsen is running against Rolfes on a smaller-government, pro-business platform.
They are joined by Poulsbo Republican Aaron Winters, an unemployed construction foreman.
Watch the above video to see all three discuss the economy, state spending and other matters with Sun editor David Nelson. That’s Rolfes on the left side, Olsen’s in the middle and Winters is on the right.
Ms. Rolfes looks happier than her opponents in this video. Advice for political campaigners: Try to look as though you like the people asking the questions and watching the video.
A letter to the editor from the Sun asks: “Does Ms. Rolfes support and income tax?”
POULSBO — I recently viewed the Kitsap Sun’s “Conversation with the 23rd Legislative candidates” on KitsapSun.com. The editorial board did a very good job asking the candidates for their views on issues which will face the next Legislature.
Of course, since the state is broke and facing another huge deficit, I was most interested to hear the answers given to the question of whether each candidate would support a state income tax. Both Mr. Winters and Mr. Olsen answered that they did not support a state income tax. Mr. Olsen answered that spending is the problem, not enough taxation. Ms. Rolfes avoided the question and discussed the B&O tax which is a part of the current initiative requiring a state income tax.
Does Ms. Rolfes support a state income tax? Why did she avoid answering the question?
I agree with Mr. Olsen — the problem is not that the state does not tax enough, it is that the state spends too much of our money.
Joan W. Gorner
Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jun/28/letter-to-the-editor-does-rolfes-support-an-tax/#ixzz0sOts8mfy
Oh, the answer to Ms. Gorner’s question is: YES, Ms. Rolfes does support and income tax.
Oh, the answer to Ms. Gorner’s question is: YES, Ms. Rolfes does support an income tax. Watch her answers and body language.
LindaG, Rolfes as the incumbent has the advantage of two years of public speaking behind here. But this is not a beauty contest,it’s about who has the right idea’s for representing the voters in the 23rd District down in Olympia. When it comes to a choice voters in that district must choose either Rolfes who is a State income tax supporter and responsible for the suspension of the Taxpayers protection Act.
In addition she is party to the Budget mess we now have as the feds have turn down the medicare supplement to the State to the tune of $480 million. We are faced with a State deficit of around $3 billion from 2011.Rolfes can’t blame the local GOP or GWB, this is all the work of mis-manangment by the Democrats both in Olympia and on Capital Hill.
BainbridgeClearCut = James Olsen
“a unique set of skills”
“a unique set of skills”. Why won’t he come clean about his involvment with the secretive Shining City Media? What did he do to get banned from BISD #303? Why was he kicked out of BITV?
James Olsen is The Stupid Sign Man and it’s important everyone know that. He is a paranoid, vindictive crackpot responsible for littering our island with hundreds of his personal little tirades. I haven’t forgotten how he was accused (rightly) of putting up illegal signs for a candidate and in retaliation he filed a complaint against the BI Fire Department’s annual pancake breakfast signs! We have long memories and this guy is not a good citizen. He has a personal agenda that is sad at best.
Mightybeaver, BainbridgeClearCut has been speaking in public for years and years. More than 800 posts (some deleted by site staff) on this blog alone. Not to mention sharing his opinions in our public right of ways and on multiple corners of virtually every major intersection on Bainbridge Island. His public speaking, via his signs, has contributed greatly to yearly increases in crime rates, as evidenced by the dozens of police reports he has filed.
BainbridgeClearCut, aka, admirals:
A self described multi-millionaire real estate tycoon living on a fat government pension (paid for with your tax dollars). If this is the new face of the Republican Party, they are in serious trouble.
As a Republican, James Olson makes me sick. Rolfes is a disaster, but my sense is that Olsen has more than one screw loose. Once again, we have no viable choice.
There is hardly any support for Jim on Bainbridge Island. That’s because we know him well.