So long, Sid Snyder; election comments

This week we note the passing of former Senator Sid Snyder.

A story elsewhere in this edition chronicles his career. I didn't know him when he was appointed to a vacancy in the state Senate, but I soon came to appreciate him. As a representative, he was acutely in touch with his constituents and represented our area's particular points of view very well in the Senate. He was an extremely effective legislator and quickly rose to the top leadership post. He worked well with members of the Republican party and with the bureaucrats. And he never forgot his roots, his start in the grocery business--he was about serving people's needs.

What a man.

Moving on, I hope local voters realize how well Peter Goldmark is serving our county as Commissioner of Public Lands.

Wahkiakum County has 12,900 acres of timberland managed as a trust by the Department of Natural Resources. The income from harvest of timber on those lands is very important to the function of Wahkiakum County government.

The county has lost ability to harvest timber from around 3,000 acres of that land because it's considered endangered species habitat. County officials, led by Commissioner Dan Cothren, have been working with the DNR and state legislators to get compensation for the lost harvest revenue and to set up a program where the county and others like it can acquire more timberland to boost their revenues.

When Goldmark took office four years ago, he had a reputation as an environmentalist, and local officials were afraid he would derail the efforts. However, as Goldmark has learned the issues, he has become a supporter of the process. The county has received partial compensation for the lost revenue, and the Board of Natural Resources is supporting legislation to finance the acquisition of timber for the counties.

Goldmark deserves our support.

Finally, I had planned to offer comments on the ballot measures we'll start voting on soon. However, I've run out of time. You'll have to do your own homework; the voter's guide is out, and it is thick. I do hope to have some comments next week.

I will urge people to support Referendum 74, which would affirm the law passed last Feburary that would allow same gender couples to marry.

From my point of view, the law will extend the benefits of marriage, a civil union, to people who want to or who have already started families; in other words, it will strengthen families.

There's no good reason not to do so.