Even being kept on a short leash by Commissioner Chris Endresen, some of Commissioner Josh Brown's public statements have left no doubt about his qualifications — or his lack of true political savvy. Congressman Norm Dicks’ phone lines have been burning up with unhappy constituents and longtime supporters demanding he rein in Brown over his comments and actions about NASCAR.
Dicks can’t be happy — especially since he supports NASCAR and endorsed Brown, who is quickly becoming an embarrassment to him.
There is a slight possibility that Norm could be mistaken about the track being a benefit to Kitsap County.
ReplyDeleteLoyal Democratic politicians sometimes disagree with each other without rancor. Norm also endorsed Endresen, didn't he?
NASCAR isn't the only issue around here.
Cean
What do you think Brown has said recently that is out of line regarding ISC's speedway proposal?
ReplyDeleteSo far as I know, he and Endresen have tried to make it plain that there are fiscal shortcomings in the legislative proposal.
And, so far as I can tell, they are correct. The major source of tax revenue for the county and local taxing districts is the leasehold excise tax, but ISC wants to avoid paying even a penny of tax on the value of the leasehold interest they expect their subsidiary, GWS, to hold.
Is it so hard to see that the county general fund, county road fund, and the fire, school, port and library districts ought to get ordinary taxes from the speedway lessee based on the market value of the leasehold interest?
Economic development funded in part with public revenue ought to accomplish two things: increase economic activity and the jobs that go with it, and cause the tax base to be richer and broader to take some of the load from homeowners' shoulders.
ISC's exemption from the leasehold excise tax would eliminate one of the two objectives of publicly financed development.
Why go along with a proposal that doesn't achieve both goals?
If your answer is that we wouldn't have any new revenue without the project, then the counter seems obvious: We won't have it even with the project so long as GWS pays no leasehold excise taxes.
Do you know of some other answer?
What Lap Dog Brown has done is spend his time in Olympia — on our dime — lobbying against the track. Norm is FOR the track.
ReplyDeleteHe has spoken out against it at just about every opportunity, but sounds almost mornic because he is SO pitifully misinformed, and so close-minded about learning anything that might separate him from Nanny Chris. Norm, on the other hand, is speaking out in favor of the track and lobbying for it behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, I personally know of at least a dozen people who have called Norm and complained. At least two of them have been told Josh has become an embarassment to the congressman. All we did here is report that.