Editor,

Regarding the Island Transit scandal involving financial mismanagement, taxpayers should be outraged. Executive Director Martha Rose should be sacked. Thanks to her, as many as 22 percent of her employees will be losing their jobs.

In addition, the Island Transit Board of Directors should be humbled for failing in their oversight of the system. Taxpayers certainly deserve better when public employees are entrusted with tax dollars. In addition, it’s a mystery how annual state audits found nothing wrong with the operation of the bus system. I wonder if and when those audits were published for public enlightenment?

One last observation. It may feel good to say we have “free” bus service on Whidbey Island, but lots of folks shake their heads in disbelief when they so often see mostly empty buses on our roads. The exception of course would be the Boeing workers who catch the bus at the Clinton ferry. But overall, one has to wonder about the cost per mile for each rider. Wouldn’t it be interesting if that statistic were highlighted on the next audit of Island Transit?

DAVID HOWE

Greenbank