To the editor:

Before you mark your ballot for county commissioner, please consider some things I have learned about Phil Bakke:

As planning director, Bakke, and the commissioners he supports, are responsible for wasting hundreds of thousands of your taxpayer dollars. They have contracted with Keith Dearborn to write the same wetland regulations over and over. Did you know that Phil could have recommended adopting a FREE State model ordinance?

How about the Freeland plan? Where are the implementation strategies and regulations? Why couldn’t the Freeland plan be implemented in phases instead of being held hostage to the multimillion dollar sewer project? Why did Bakke allow the county to be caught off guard and have to adopt an emergency ordinance to prevent unwanted forms of development?

More recently, Bakke, as an appointed county commissioner, decided to opt for a pricey request for proposal for recycling. What does this mean? Instead of having private local business, Island Disposal, handle both our garbage collection and recycling, Bakke wants to hire a recycling contractor under the supervision of the county because Bakke thinks that will be efficient. Really? Government more efficient than a long-time local business? I’ll bet we’ll need to hire more attorneys to write the contract and we will probably end up with Island Disposal anyway.

By the way, Mr. Bakke, the county does not franchise garbage collectors – it is the state of Washington. Way to stay on top of the issue.

Bakke is a political opportunist who lacks leadership and insight. Over the years his primary accomplishments have been creating bad regulations and increasing the number of planners needed to manage the new regulations. During his tenure as planning director, the total department, including support staff and new programs, increased by 12. At a cost of over $600,000, I question this candidate’s handling of my money.

For any of you supporting Mr. Bakke for county commissioner, I suggest you look at how Bakke’s words and promises match his actual actions and accomplishments. Phil Bakke is the ultimate bureaucrat. Let’s not put another one in office. I am supporting Helen Price Johnson. It’s time for a change.

Emmy McNeil Atwood

Langley