[SledgeHammer]

I have direct contact with Dino Rossi. What are the biggest concerns for all gamefishers? Please give positive, honest, articulate input as to what you would like to see changed on the state level. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, let's get this thread going. I will print and pass this info on to him.

 

[Dave Vedder]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

If he, or Gregoir, for that matter would come out and promise to work hard to cut down commercial harvest in order to increase sports harvert he would win by a landslide. But let's not forget Chris did make positive changes on the commission that resulted in sporties getting a bigger share of Columbia River springers. Given her support for us I have to support her.

 

[TRAUT]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Just shooting from the hip here I would say "accountability" would be a good buzzword. I'm speaking of financial accountability. It seems like every election we have another "special" project that gets approved that raises one tax or another. The raises in the gas tax come to mind, but there's the various attempts to get more money for car rgistration (remember the $30 tabs) the various mass transit/regional transit proposals, etc. These and many more projects are being funded/taxes collected for, and yet the situations they are supposed to fix seem to be staying the same or getting worse. Where the heck is the money going. How many millions of dollars got thrown down a hole on the Seattle monorail project with nothing to show for it except the government stole a bunch of peoples property, turned around and resold a lot of it for a profit after the project was cancelled, and had to pay the debt on a non existent rail system?

I guess the underlying theme to my rant is that before asking for more money, demonstrate where the existing funds are going and see to it that the money is spent effectively. Seems like most projects are funded, studies are done, the studies used up all the budgeted money and then when it's time to actually start fixing or building something, there's no money left.

It's going to be really interesting to see how new ferry boats, new 520 bridge, new viaduct, improvements to the east-west highway passes get funded.

 

[SledgeHammer]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Traut, very good post. Thank you, that's what I am looking for. Dino is all about accountability and he is very fiscally responsible. He does not like the lack of accountability in government and the way money is being spent. He truly believes that government should provide customer service to the people. Anyone can go to his website and email him. He has the "tell Dino" section that will remain if he gets elected. It is answered, that's how I got involved.

 

[Birch Barlow]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

*He needs to be more specific on his website with his ideas and proposals and talk SPECIFICALLY while campaigning about what he disagrees w/Chairman Gregoire on. The generic 'I want a clean environment, good schools, more rainbows and puppies etc'... ain't cutting it. Have him specifically tell voters what he would do differently and exactly how it would benefit them and the state---give them a reason(s) to vote against her and FOR him. wink:

*One issue that is slam dunk for him is her lack of leadership on the Viaduct and 520 that she and others have told us for years that were dangerous and hazardous to our health and needed to be fixed ASAP. She didn't have any trouble gettin' busy and making things happen when it came to rai$ing our taxes for (what we were told was among other things) replacing 520 and the Viaduct--why can't she act as swiftly in actually getting things done?

*She's now insanely entertaining Mayor Nickels ASSanine idea of just tearing the Viaduct down and having a surface only access through the city. Tdown:
Rossi should step up and PUBLICLY reject this idea and say that while it may feel good to some it's just NOT realistic unless your goal is to actually make traffic congestion worse. light: The Viaduct tear down/surface only access through Seattle's waterfront would either put more vehicles on an already overburdened I-5 or bring the truck traffic to a near standstill, hurt commerce and ultimately send thousands of good paying jobs at our Ports and in the city itself elsewhere. Tdown:

*Chairman Gregoire is now also proposing a additional $6 to $7 toll EACH WAY on 520, I-90 and around the North end of Lake Washington beginning ASAP for a project of re-placing 520 that doesn't even have any plans finalized, bids in and even IF they were it wouldn't be done until almost 2020. It it just me or does this sound like the Moronrail fiasco all over again? :?: She's trying to scare everyone about the urgency of the project so she can effectively raise their taxes over 520 just like she did with the Viaduct . However, while we'll be paying higher taxes all the while--by the time she gets around to actually getting something done the Earth's Continental Plates will have moved so far that the next bridge we'll need will probably be to Hawaii.Tdown:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... ge11m.html

This exorbitant toll she's proposing on 520, I-90 and around the North end of the Lake is going to hurt Business' in Seattle, Lake Forest Park , Kenmore and Bellevue and would be a financial hardship for many families and seems excessive and unrealistic for a project that doesn't even have a finalized plan or start date. Tdown:

What Gregoire doesn't realize is this $12-$14 per day toll would just force thousands more commuters on to I-5 and 405 to go the long way(s) around the Lake to avoid having to pay the approximately $300 per month tax just to get to and from their jobs. She wants to charge working class families that are already pinched by sky high gas and food prices with yet another HUGE regressive tax increase. What this will do in effect to only worsen our congestion problems (considerably) because many more people will be forced on to the already bogged down areas of I-5 and 405 at peak times because their families simply can't afford another $300+ a month in their transpiration budget. Tdown:

The lack of effective leadership and action on the Viaduct and 520 is her Achilles Heal. light:

He needs to remind King County voters (Comrade Gregoire's voting block) that she has 'Jumped the Shark' on this one. If Rossi can come up with a timely cost effective plan(s) that will actually get something done he will not only take the rest of the state (outside of the People's Republic of Seattle) but will take enough votes away from her base (in and around Seattle) to win the Gubernatorial race AGAIN--this time by a big enough margin that all the recounting of 'found' ballots and votes cast by dead people and felons won't even put her over the top. clap:

Go Dino! Tup:

 

[DBAppraiser]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Show some leadership in dealing with the Sonics situation. He doesn't have to do much to show more than the current regime.

 

[SledgeHammer]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Traut, go to http://www.orbusmax.com and link to the article about the 2.4 billion dollar shortfall Washington state will be facing next year. It's all due to overspending.

 

[eddie]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Transportation infrastucture.

 

[fishslave]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

I disagree with BB. We need tolls, not to raise revenue, but to discourage adding more people to the roads. You may not like it, but it works.

It's funny that when the Tacoma Narrows Bridge tolls were approved, those who weren't going to be affected got to vote on it in order to assure it's passage. That means I should get to vote on tolls for the 520 bridge. All's fair when it comes to taxation and sticking it to daily users instead of non-users.

Rossi also needs to have some analysis done on WSDOT budgets and prevailing wage laws that are preventing us from getting things done in a timely and cost efficient manner. I see no point in paying a flagger $30 per hour.

Place emphasis on the Ferry fiasco. Tolls have been kept artificially low for too long, not to mention we have another group of over paid public employees running it.

Lastly, I would like to see ethics laws tightened. If, say a WDFW commissioner stands to gain financially from a vote he casts, he should be required to state in advance, his conflict of interest and then abstain. I want Rossi to say right off the bat, a certain WDFW commissioner will NEVER be re-appointed.

 

[SledgeHammer]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

FS, you have some great input as always. Solutions over complaining. I hope to have his campaign monitoring this thread by the end of today. We all complain about the leadership in Washington, so lets help change it. I thank everyone for their articulate responses.

 

[fishslave]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

FS, you have some great input as always. Solutions over complaining. I hope to have his campaign monitoring this thread by the end of today. We all complain about the leadership in Washington, so lets help change it. I thank everyone for their articulate responses.

Well, as long as I have the soap box...

We do pay enough in taxes and I don't think we need more or less taxation. We just need it to be spent with some responsibility. We have enough "ART" hanging around the state. I'd rather see that money going to law enforcement needs.

We could sure use more enforcement of litter laws for example. A law requiring garbage companies do more to keep their trucks from littering would be nice too. I can only assume Gregoire never sees the crap alongside our roads.

WDFW has complicated the licensing and use of our resources with regards to disabilities too. Reserving a fishing area for wheelchair use only does not help an amputee that uses a prosthesis for example and they often have need of easy access too.

Do you want a weak spot to aim for? How about spending 1.42 BILLION on salmon and steelhead recovery efforts in the next ten years for Puget Sound alone, while we still have non-selective harvests in place. We need a Governor who will strive to get gillnets out of all our waters, regardless of who is using them.

If I were running for governor and wanting sportfishers votes, I would be in contact with the Coastal Conservation Association and asking THEM what they see are the most important issues. Maybe attending one of Gary Loomis's presentations is a good idea. The CCA can't endorse a candidate, but they sure can educate one.

I'm sure I'll think of more later. :mrgreen:

 

[Theking]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Is he going to review funding for schools like Evergreen State College that take hardline political positions? It seems to me that the schools should represent the taxpayers or be neutral at worst. We give them $100 million a year to foist hardline liberal ideas on students.

 

[fishslave]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Here's another one. Gregoire and her DUI checks. Gregoire and her comment that if we had drug testing of kids like the Bush administration suggests, it should be done by school districts. It should not be done. Parental rights supercede government intrusion.

Big brother is alive and well. The proliferation of "traffic" cameras and a host of other privacy issues should be addressed.

The politician that vows to combat the constant Constitutional attacks gets my vote. It's my #1 priority.

 

[Theking]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Will he take all of the Tim Eyeman initatives and look a them collectivly and come up with a different way to approach the taxes effected that we can then deduct the total from our federal taxes?

 

[SledgeHammer]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Keep the good ideas coming. Your ideas are now being looked at by the campaign. This can be a very powerful way to make a difference. This is the type of input that Dino Rossi wants to see. He wants government to provide customer service to it's citizens. Thank you all, and keep the good ideas coming.

 

[TRAUT]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Well Sledge, I've got to commend you for spearheading this effort. clap: Hopefully we can keep it constructive and not turn into the typical personal, name calling fiasco that tend to happen here every once in awhile! conf:

 

[viperman]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Do something about the Methamphetamine epidemic. This is a problem for all of society and it needs to be a priority as it's only getting worse. Put drug dealers in jail and rehab for addicts. I remember reading a piece in the Seattle times about 15-18 years ago addressing how this was coming. Government did nothing to stop it and look at it now.

 

[SledgeHammer]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

You know what Traut, it's looking good and I am impressed with the input. There are some great ideas being put forth. We can all make a difference. We all may not agree all the time, but there are some very smart people here that have some great ideas. I saw Dino speak a couple of months ago. I was so impressed that I had to do something other than just vote and donate. He is a very good man with an incredible amount of common sense. What impresses me too, is how fiscally responsible he is.

 

[SledgeHammer]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

Viperman, take a look at his website. He talks about protecting the citizens. Not only does he talk the talk, he walks the walk. On Monday, he went on a ride-a-long with Renton PD. How often do you see a candidate ride with the police to seek information on how they can protect the public better? I'm telling you, he is a different type of candidate that truly cares about what is happening on a local level.

 

[srchn4salmon]

Re: Biggest state issue for the Gamefishers?

WA bill 6900, look it up if you haven't heard about it. It will have you paying a pretty penny for driving a vehicle with certain sized engines. The excuse for this bill was to pay for the transportation infrastucture, but that was quickly bunked due to the tolls coming quickly.

Here is a link: http://washingtonvotes.org/2008-SB-6900

I highly recommend reading it unless you are all driving a Toyota Corolla or equivilant with less than a 1.8 liter engine.

Bills like these are the problem and I'd hope that the future hopefully gov. would do everything in his power to stop legislation like this and like said above, get some accountability finacially back. Spending is out of control.