Kitsap Caucus

The story is out on our main site. State Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, is making another bid to get the state out of the liquor sales business. His most recent attempt was earlier this year, a bill that technically isn’t dead and could be revived in the House.

Sheldon’s hope is that the state can find ways to make just as much money on liquor without all the overhead and other headaches with running the business. His bill would have the state’s Department of Revenue and Liquor Control Board study how liquor could be sold privately while still providing enough state tax money to make up for whatever revenue would be lost.

As pointed out in our story, the state shows no signs of shrinking its efforts to continue engaging in retail sales.

State Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima is the lone co-sponsor so far. In an online story Tuesday in the Yakima Herald-Republic, King is not very optimistic the bill will fly.

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Assuming Democrat Jay Inslee runs for re-election for his First District U.S. House seat in 2010, one of his first opponents out of the box is Redmond’s James Watkins.

On Watkins’ site there is no mention of which party he belongs to, but I did find one tweet that claimed him is a Republican.

On his site he favors less regulation and bureaucracy, criticizes deficit spending and quotes Ronald Reagan. He’s also posted on the Puget Sound Conservative Underground site.

We’ll post more when we have more.

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My close, personal friend John McCain (I’ve got a photo to prove he sat next to me on a bus.) thinks Bainbridge Island’s $190,000 grant to upgrade a boat he doesn’t think the city needed is among 100 projects in the federal government’s economic stimulus plan that either:

A. Create few jobs;
B. Benefit private interests over the public good; or
C. Make improvements where they are not necessary.

Some islanders wonder what an Arizona senator, or his Oklahoma partner Tom Coburn, knows about the needs of a Seattle suburb. Tristan Baurick wrote the story.

No matter that McCain got the best reception of his 2000 presidential campaign in Bremerton, in sight of Bainbridge Island. The man responsible for Sarah Palin’s fame gives little credence to the idea that the boat should be able to “test vapor or surfaces for microscopic traces of explosive material.”

Why? Because Bainbridge is a “tranquil hamlet,” and tranquil hamlets and cozy hideaways and quiet respites and snoozy doormats don’t need vessels that can sniff out bombs.

How tranquil is Bainbridge? Why, they’ve reduced their police force, because there is so little crime. At least, you might think the police budget cuts were painless from reading the McCain-Coburn treatise on wasteful spending in the federal government’s economic stimulus package: “After years of decreasing crime, the city turned to the police force as a source of budget cuts in 2009, trimming it to a force of 20.”

McCain and Coburn also wrote of the original Homeland Security grant that netted the island the new boat, “Bainbridge Island officials were at first puzzled, citing little need for such an advanced boat at the small locality, though it ultimately accepted the funds.”

There is some truth to that statement, but people will certainly interpret it to mean that islanders didn’t really ask for the vessel. A couple of Bainbridge city council members did question the original $600,000 grant to get a bigger boat, but much of the concern was in how much Bainbridge officers would be called on to do work the Coast Guard normally does, or whether island police should be helping with investigations on ferries and for the Naval shipyard.

A Bainbridge Island Review editorial offered manna to those who think islanders are loathe to mingle with those of us who live off island by asking ” . . . when exactly did Bainbridge Island become the regional provider for maritime safety?” and “Since when is it Bainbridge Island’s job to guard the ferry?”

It makes you kind of like the idea of that bridge from Illahee to Bainbridge, doesn’t it?

The editorial asserted that the money would better serve the island by paying for officers. Indeed, a few years later Police Chief Matt Haney was telling Patty Murray the city got a grant for a nice boat, but needed money for uniformed people to operate it.

The whole notion that “Bainbridge Island officials were at first puzzled” though, paints the picture that a fed urged the city without any request by the city to take the boat. That’s missing some nuance, for those of you inclined to do nuance. In fact, the city actively courted the grant money, then most islanders spoke in favor of accepting it.

There remains the question of how many jobs the $190,000 creates. Someone has to build the technology. Someone has to install it. The challenge appears to be in paying someone who can use it.

Whether the original or new grant was merited is probably worth arguing. But in the senators’ dismissive method of describing the Bainbridge allocation I’m reminded of Palin’s “‘thanks but no thanks’ on that bridge to nowhere,” which painted her as someone willing to turn down an ungodly sum of money for an unnecessary project without mentioning that Alaska did still get the money. They make a fine case, but for political reasons are willing to leave out context.

Read the report, but don’t stop there. There are footnotes. For once in your life read those, too.

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Local supporters of health care legislation plan to rally in Bremerton Saturday.

Health Care for America NOW! and the Healthy Washington Coalition are organizing nine rallies across the state. Bremerton’s will be at the Harborside Fountain Park at 10:30 a.m.

The event is designed to express support for health care reform, particularly to urge the U.S. Senate to pass legislation before the holiday recess.

Other rallies will be in Bellingham, Everett, Olympia, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and Yakima.

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Brynn Grimley writes:

Facing the start of his final year as County Commissioner, Josh Brown has decided to give it a go for another four years.

The 28-year-old, (soon to be 29) was sworn into office at 25 years old amidst skepticism and doubt that he would be capable of running a county with roughly 250,000 residents and an overall budget of around $300 million.

When Brown took office Jan. 1, 2007 he became the youngest commissioner to hold the post. He also was the youngest elected official to sit on the various regional boards and commissions that come with the job.

Now Brown is the senior county commissioner (Commissioner Charlotte Garrido does have a prior stint under her belt), and as of Jan. 1, 2010 he will be the senior elected official sitting on regional boards like the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council.

Other elected officials making up those boards were elected after Brown took office.

But as the new kid on the block three years ago, Brown faced a lot of criticism.

Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola was one critic who didn’t sugarcoat his opinion in various blog posts on his personal Web site.

He has since changed his tune.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that I didn’t support Josh when he ran for office the first time,” Coppola said. “I have to say after working with him over the last two years, I have become a supporter.”

At the time of Brown’s election Coppola was not yet mayor, but as an outspoken business leader he shared his opinions about Brown’s run for office — most of them negative — on his blog. (Anyone interested in specifics can refer to the 2006 archive on Coppola’s blog).

Now after seeing Brown in a leadership role, Coppola admits: “He’s much smarter than I gave him credit for.”

“In the areas where I have worked with him, he has proven himself,” he said. “I was skeptical of his abilities because of his young age and his lack of experience in an elected office.

“I’m impressed with his ability to take on challenges and his knowledge,” Coppola said. “He will have my full support,” in his bid for reelection.

Long-time Silverdale resident and business owner Ron Ross was also skeptical at first.

In fact, Ross’s son Robert Ross filed a lawsuit against Brown just before he officially took office, questioning his residency. (A judge ultimately ruled in favor of Brown after a trial in February 2007).

Reflecting on commissioners that have held the post since the 1950s, Ron Ross believes Brown has “been one of the best commissioners we’ve had in years and years.”

“He’s really, for his young age — forget his age. He’s been exceptionally good,” Ross said.

Ross initially couldn’t fathom how a 25-year-old could lead the county.

While there are still areas where he believes county government as a whole can improve, Brown has easily proven himself as the best person for the job in Central Kitsap, Ross said.

“I don’t know who is going to run against him,” he said, “but he would be hard to beat.”

And what about that lawsuit? While he said his son Robert still wonders about the residency status, he doesn’t have any major complaints about Brown since taking office.

“I think my boy feels like Josh is a good commissioner,” he said. “Josh has not offended my boy with any decisions he made and I talk to him every day.”

Ross and his wife Nadean have also supported Brown’s efforts in Central Kitsap through a donation of $1 million to the Silverdale Haselwood Family YMCA.

Brown initiated the partnership between the county and the YMCA group to build the facility at the proposed community campus in Silverdale.

It’s that collaboration, between the county and its citizens that Brown hopes to continue to build if reelected, he said.

“The next four years we’re going to see a lot of changes in our county,” he said. “The role of the county is going to continue to change. We need to find ways to communicate better with the public about what’s happening.”

Carl Johnson, a longtime civic volunteer, said he supports Brown’s run for reelection because of the job he has done since taking office.

Johnson ran for the position of Central Kitsap Commissioner as the Republican candidate in 1994 against Democrat Phil Best and again in 1998 against Democrat Tim Botkin.

“I think despite his youth, he’s demonstrated a particularly remarkable commitment and ability to work within the county government and work with the players that he has to work with,” Johnson said. “I think he has demonstrated a very non-partisan approach to decision making.”

Proving himself to naysayers and gaining support across the political aisle are just some of the ways Brown has tried to close the partisan gap while in office, he said.

“I like the challenges,” Brown said. “For folks that maybe thought I didn’t have the experience or the ability, I knew in my heart that I did. And I’m a really hard worker.”

Brown’s election Web site is: www.electjoshbrown.com

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President Barack Obama sent me a personally addressed happy Thanksgiving Day message in the most intimate way available these days, via an e-mail from one of his advisers. He’s still not giving me his personal address, the one that goes to the BlackBerry.

It is personal, though. It says “Steven –” at the top, which is very difficult to fake. And he knows how much I love to see two hyphens right next to each other. It gets me to prattling away and making everything all oogy.

He talks about how Americans will be sitting down together, counting blessing, giving thanks, overeating, renewing old feuds and restraining orders, laughing at the Detroit Lions and the Oakland Raiders, etc.

Eventually he starts writing about people who can’t break bread with family because they’re overseas or working “second” jobs. Apparently he has no sympathy for those whose “first” jobs require them to work tomorrow, like cops, convenience store clerks, criminals and South Kitsap reporters. Frankly I didn’t know there were any second jobs available.

Fortunately, Diamond Parking is taking the day off, so Chris Henry can park out in front of the building.

Finally, the president gets really personal, and not in an offensive way. He didn’t bring up that open wound I still have from that surgery in March, or my weight. He did write:

“You have been there through victories and setbacks. You have given of yourselves beyond measure. You have enabled all that we have accomplished — and you have had the courage to dream yet bigger dreams for what we can still achieve.”

Yep. I still dream of another championship for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that those Warren Avenue parents (present company excluded) would stop complaining about my friends in North Perry.

You can read the president’s message after the jump and pretend he sent it you. That’s my Thanksgiving Day gift to you.

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There will be light blogging for the next couple of weeks here. I’ll be away next week and this week I’m mostly counting the minutes until next week. I might have something else here about the county’s budget process. I’m trying to find out if county residents have the right to launch a referendum on the county’s 1 percent property tax collection increase. That’s kind of a thing in Bremerton.

In the meantime, enjoy the following video. I’m not really a Jimmy Fallon fan, but this is wonderful.

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Joel Connelly at Seattlepi.com writes about it.

Here is the Public Policy Polling site, which shows that 52 percent of Republican voters and 26 percent of the overall voting public think Barack Obama won the election because ACORN stole it from John McCain.

The Gallup archives show this poll from November 2001. The survey points out that election counting was perceived as less of a problem than it had been earlier in the year, but much of that was because the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001 had happened. However, it’s worth noting that the public’s perception of what happened in the 2000 election hadn’t changed much, even after the attacks. From the 2000 Gallup report:

Despite their changed view about the seriousness of the election controversy and the need for change in the electoral system, Americans have not changed their minds about what happened in the election and its aftermath. The poll shows that today 50% of Americans say Bush won the presidency fair and square, while 32% say he won it on a technicality, and 15% say he stole the election. These numbers are little changed from those found immediately after the Supreme Court decision in December that effectively halted the vote recount and made Bush the winner. At that time, 48% said Bush won fair and square, 32% said he won on a technicality, and 18% said he stole the election. These results are also remarkably similar to those obtained in a Gallup poll this past July.

A separate poll taken a little more than a month after the 2000 election shows that 31 percent of Democrats thought Bush stole the election.

What say ye? Does anyone here think ACORN stole the election for Obama?

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The Dude, charter member of the White Russian Caucus, though he often consorts with legislators from Seattle.

This is really a topic more suited for another writer, one you might know, who because he now works for a competitor I won’t name. I’m not trying to insult him (Oh dear, now you know his gender.) by suggesting he’s an expert in mind-altering substances. But almost anyone is more of an expert than I am, given that I have chosen a life in which I really only get anything close to high when the dentist shares some killer nitrous. Unfortunately my dentist lives by a code himself, so we’re both on our best behavior around each other. The point is I’m no expert on the subject matter, and could really only guess at any place’s intoxicant of choice. Then again, I do read police reports.

In political circles you have your caucuses. Our nine legislators are free to call themselves the Kitsap Caucus without any fear of copyright claims from us. We’re that noble.

Steve Elliott on OpEdNews, in a pro-marijuana decriminalization post that insists Washington’s Speaker of the House, Frank Chopp is missing part of that which makes him a man (Actually, there is a pair of said parts and they are not socks or trousers.) suggests legislators could be broken into caucuses that have yet to be made official, the intoxicant caucuses. From the blog entry:

“Chopp, who grew up in Bremerton, WA, likes to describe himself as a ‘Bremerton Democrat’ (translation: ‘I’m almost like Norm Dicks. Besides, I don’t smoke pot; I drink beer. Vote for me, please!’), presumably to distance himself from the ‘effete Seattle liberal’ image that scares him so badly . . .”

It’s not the first time “Bremerton Democrat” has meant that the speaker drinks beer. In 2007 Josh Feit at “The Stranger” wrote:

“First elected to the state house from Seattle’s 43rd District in 1994, Chopp, who likes to refer to himself as a ‘Bremerton Democrat’—meaning a beer-drinking, blue-collar, populist 26th District Democrat, as opposed to an effete, latte-sipping, pot-smoking 43rd District Democrat . . . “

In both references Bremerton’s preference for beer over marijuana is, I guess, intended as an insult of sorts. Frankly, I know many people who think “beer” is probably being too general and too kind to the “We’re working on it” city. A random sample of stereotypical assumptions freely offered by co-workers within earshot led to the irrefutable conclusion that the beer of choice in Bremerton is anything that comes in a 40-ounce bottle, because it is more easily pilfered from the Sev.

We could be high (And by “high” I mean “wrong.”), of course, so we ask you dear readers to come up with your own thoughts for what the intoxicant of choice in Bremerton is. While we’re at it, let’s include Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo and Port Orchard. Don’t feel limited to legal substances, because I know that would be a particular challenge for Port Orchard. Remember, Seattle is claiming marijuana (despite there being not a single White Castle restaurant in the city) and possessing marijuana will get you more than a stern reprimand that kills your buzz.

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A report by the state’s Caseload Forecast Council has created a potential increase of $520 million in what the state needs to spend, according to an e-mail sent to members of the House’s Ways & Means Committee.

Yona Makowski, senior fiscal coordinator for the House Democratic Caucus, wrote that the council’s revised forecast will be shown in the governor’s 2010 supplemental budget, which had already been expected to address a projected $1.7 billion shortfall.

Makowski wrote that the state’s Office of Financial Management computed the cost of the changes at $277.4 million, but other costs not directly related to the caseloads would add another $243 million.

State Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, shared the e-mail with us and pointed out that there is still another revenue forecast due, which could show another negative revision to the budget.

You can download the Caseload Forecast Council report here.

Some of the PowerPoint presentations offered at Friday morning’s meeting can be accessed here.

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Got a report to tell you about, but first let’s dig into some context.

Like any educated citizen, I rely on talk radio for much of my information.

Earlier this year one host in particular was making the case that Washington’s deficit budget shortfall was actually worse than California’s, because per capita it was higher, or close to it, or something. I suspected the talker might astonishingly be incorrect about that, but the Seattle Times backed him up, kind of.

Turns out he was incredibly wrong.

My suspicion about it was based on the notion California had reached its $42 million hole after years of dealing with other holes. So, if after years of wrangling and cutting everything we could we were still left with the same hole we had last year, then that would be a California-sized problem. That makes the talker wrong, but not incredibly so.

The incredible part comes in once you realize California’s budget is done every year. Washington’s is for every two years. So take Washington’s deficit and divide by two. Uh oh.

It still might be bad, but it’s not California bad.

So now the Pew Center on the States, a think tank that studies state issues, listed 10 states that are “in fiscal peril.” Guess what! Washington isn’t on the list!

If you look at the study itself this is not to suggest Washington is in good shape, it’s just not among the worst 10. It is tied with three states for 14th. From the press release for the study:

California’s financial problems are in a league of their own. But the same pressures that drove the Golden State toward fiscal disaster are wreaking havoc in a number of states, with potentially damaging consequences for the entire country.

This examination by the Pew Center on the States looks closely at nine states, in addition to California, that are particularly affected by the recession. All of California’s neighbors–Arizona, Nevada and Oregon–and fellow Sun Belt state Florida were severely hit by the bursting housing bubble, landing them on Pew’s list of states facing fiscal difficulties similar to California’s. A Midwestern cluster of states comprising Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin emerged, too, as did the Northeastern states of New Jersey and Rhode Island.

From the press release you can download the study if you like.

Pew compiled its list based on high foreclosure rates, increasing joblessness, loss of state revenues, the
relative size of budget gaps, legal obstacles to balanced budgets—specifically, a supermajority requirement for some or all tax increases or budget bills, and poor money-management practices.

Where Washington appeared to fare badly was in the size of the budget deficit and the fact that Washington is one of 17 states to require a supermajority to raise taxes.

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You commenters resurrected an old post and began discussing whether there’s room for moderates in either party. The practice of dredging up old posts is, by the way, awesome.

Here you get two stories about party members being punched from within.

The first is a great read about New York Republican Dede Scozzafava, whose last name has become a verb, thanks to the work on one side by Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck and on the other by the Obama White House.

The second story relates to U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, who voted against the health care reform bill. The piece points out that Baird hasn’t ruled out supporting the bill in the future, but he wanted information about costs before he would vote “yes.”

I generally don’t like giving away endings, but the last two paragraphs in the first story, the one from the Washington Post, probably sums up best the danger in insisting on party purity tests.

From the story:

Those conservative forces now descend on Florida, where former House speaker Marco Rubio, who on Monday received the endorsement of the Club for Growth, might shove aside centrist Gov. Charlie Crist, who was once on John McCain’s short list for running mate. And Scozzafava has a warning.

“There is a lot of us who consider ourselves Republicans, of the Party of Lincoln,” she said, her face now flush. “If they don’t want us with them, we’re going to work against them.”

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State Rep. Fred Finn, D-Olympia, issued an official announcement today that he’s running for re-election in 2010. His press release follows the jump.

Finn replaced former state Rep. William “Ike” Eickmeyer, D-Belfair in 2008. Finn won that contest fairly handily over two-time Republican candidate Randy Neatherlin of Belfair.

All the incumbents up for re-election in 2010 in Kitsap’s three districts have filed financial forms with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.

In the 35th District Senate race Kyle Taylor Lucas, who tried to grab the Democratic nomination away from incumbent Democrat Tim Sheldon in 2006, has paperwork for the 2010 race. Lucas’ last document filed, however, was in 2007. And in late 2007 she responded to a blog post written about her by saying, “. . . it was my rip-off Democratic consultant and the Democratic Party leaders, including State Party Chair Pelz, who saw to it that I would never run again. I hope that readers will understand that there’s much more than meets the eye. Just as my 35th District opponent, Tim Sheldon, was subjected to hysteric Democratic Party politics, ultimately–so was I. My inability to run again is attributable to a useless and over-paid consultant who compromised me at every turn.”

So I guess she’s out?

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Any mention that these announcements might be timed can sound awfully cynical. But state Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, admits the reason for my suspicion within five words of his Monday press release. President Barack Obama doesn’t let on, but I think I know better.

Kilmer plans to renew his effort to get a bill passed that would encourage the state to hand out 3 percent of its contracts to veteran-owned businesses. He tried to get it passed in the last session, but it didn’t make it through the Senate.

The President is launching an initiative to help veterans get work with the federal government.

Both press releases follow the jump.
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Those of you reading today’s story about the election results might be wondering what all the rules are for a recount. You’re thinking knowledge of this might come in handy at that next mixer, or when you have to talk when the band takes a break. This is information sure to impress would-be suitors. Well, it would have impressed me back when I was . . . suiting. Then again I was impressed by anyone who could find Russia on a map.

I can’t profess to give you all of them, but here are a few.

The standards for automatic recounts (Those the county or state pays for whether any candidate wants one or not. I say that because I’m sure there are some candidates who are relieved to lose, who love to give speeches and mix with the people, but don’t relish the idea of actually learning the finer details of accounting and fecal treatment for four years.) per RCW 29A.64.021 are they are done by machine if the two contenders are within a half percentage point of each other and within 2,000 votes.

In Kitsap County the Bremerton Transportation Proposition 1 (the car tabs initiative), the Bainbridge school bond and EMS levy, a few school board races, some unopposed candidates and the Port of Bremerton commissioner contest were the ones that beat the 2,000-vote margin. As of Monday, all were beating the half-percentage point standard.

For a hand recount the standard is that the contenders are within a quarter percentage point of each other and within 150 votes. In statewide races the rule is within 1,000 votes and that quarter percentage point.

Should a candidate want a recount even if the totals don’t call for an automatic one, they can pay for it themselves, but if the recount proves that the first or second count was wrong you and I pay for it when we order the biscuits and gravy at Pat’s or return that Valentine’s letter some of us get every year.

From RCW 29A.64.081

The canvassing board shall determine the expenses for conducting a recount of votes.

The cost of the recount shall be deducted from the amount deposited by the applicant for the recount at the time of filing the request for the recount, and the balance shall be returned to the applicant. If the costs of the recount exceed the deposit, the applicant shall pay the difference. No charges may be deducted by the canvassing board from the deposit for a recount if the recount changes the result of the nomination or election for which the recount was ordered.

In Kitsap County the deposit required is 15 cents a ballot for a manual recount and 25 cents each for a hand recount. For Bremerton City Councilman Brad Gehring, should he decide to ask for a recount in his council race against Jim McDonald it would be about $135 for a machine count and about $225 for a hand count.

Asked Monday if he would ask for a recount should the totals fall outside automatic recount range, Gehring said he would not. “I can’t afford to do that,” he said.

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How come none of you told me about this before?

Does the news seem kind of stale lately? Do even the great speakers seem monotone after a while?

Well, here’s something to spice up the news of the day. Before this I hadn’t personally seen any clips of Hugo Chavez at the UN or network talks about the Nobel Peace Prize. I had seen the Florida Democrat.

Enjoy.

For more, visit The Gregory Brothers.

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Peter Callaghan from the (Tacoma) News Tribune discusses whether cities should be led by strong mayors or managers. In the process he interviews someone who has seen both types of governments, former Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman.

In 2005, in the wake of the Brame scandal and the Corpuz dismissal, I asked Cary Bozeman, now the director of the Port of Bremerton, which form was best. He had been both the “weak” mayor of Bellevue and the “strong” mayor of Bremerton.

Strong leaders are the key. But because it is more likely that a city can hire a strong leader from around the nation than find one to elect in town, he said he thinks a council-manager system is best for most cities.

When Bainbridge Island was going through its conversation about whether to dump the strong mayor, I also asked Bozeman what he thought about it, and what he thought Bremerton should have. He declined to answer.

Makes you wonder, though, doesn’t it? The question has come up in the past. Anyone here for changing the form of governments in the three other Kitsap cities now led by mayors? Or are the cities better off sticking with what they have?

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. will be in Seattle touring Swedish Medical Center’s Medical Home Pilot in Ballard today. She’ll be accompanied by our congressional representatives and Seattle Democrat Jim McDermott.

All three voted Saturday in favor of HR 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which passed the House 220-215.

The press release follows:
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Readers, including candidates, who question my use of the word “said” in the story about second-day election results have reason to do so.

When the new election numbers came in on Wednesday, I called both Bremerton mayor candidates, Bremerton City Councilman Will Maupin and former county commissioner Patty Lent, to get their reactions.

In my conversation with Maupin I asked his reaction to the second-day numbers, which showed he had lost ground, and what he would do now.

Maupin answered that he had no idea, that it was too early to figure that out. “I’m very concerned about the city of Bremerton. I don’t think we’re headed in a good direction,” he said. “I will try to figure out what to do
to best serve the city.”

Before I heard that comment I had no inclination to think that Maupin might consider leaving his seat. But that comment made me wonder if that was what he was thinking about. So I asked him specifically if “try to figure out what to do to best serve the city” meant he was considering resigning.

He did not say, “Yes.” He did not say, “No.” He did say he had to think about what to do — that it was “way too early” to be talking about what’s next.

I didn’t want to write a story saying that Maupin was open to resigning from his council seat unless I was certain he was really was open to it. So I asked him again. I received the same answer. In response to one of those questions, he said, “At the moment I don’t feel good about working with the person who appears to have been elected our new mayor.”

In neither case did he deny that he was open to resigning. My error was in writing that Maupin “said” he was considering resigning. He did not specifically “say” that.

I inferred from his comments, which were made in response to two specific questions about a possible resignation, that he was considering it and in the story wrote that he “said” it.

Had I written that “he didn’t rule out resigning,” or something akin to that, I wouldn’t feel a need to count this as a mistake. My inference may have been incorrect, but given two opportunities to be clear about that with me, Maupin wouldn’t deny that resignation was one of the possibilities.

The problem, to repeat an earlier point, was in the improper use of “said,” because he didn’t say it.

Even when we paraphrase someone instead of quoting them, “said” should mean what it says, that he said it. He didn’t. He implied it, maybe. He didn’t rule it out. He made it seem like a real possibility. But he didn’t say it.

I was incorrect in writing that he did.

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Word at the Kitsap county commissioners’ meeting this morning is that Shawn Gabriel, administrative services director (”budget director” in simpler terms), has resigned.

Gabriel was hired in July of 2008 to replace Ben Holland. He had been deputy city manager in North Miami Beach and had also worked for Miami-Dade County.

We’ll post more when we know more. Word this morning was that Gabriel’s departure is for personal reasons, but I have a call into county officials to get the story. They’re not expecting to have a permanent replacement until the beginning of next year and will work with a firm to run the rest of the 2010 budget process.

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