When state House District 32 candidate Debbie Boothe-Schmidt states that she will “fight for working families,” just exactly who will she be fighting for?

For struggling business owners who create jobs and tax revenue? And, their employees that depend on their paychecks? Who may or may not still have a business or a job? And may have never received a single Oregon unemployment check to date?

Or will she fight for public sector SEIU/AFSCME employees who consume revenue?

These families have gone unscathed during this time with fully funded paychecks, benefits and retirement not missing a beat, all paid for courtesy of those business owners and their employees, most of whom face a very uncertain future.

Never has the distinction been more clear in Debbie’s world view than what we now see during this pandemic.

There are the working families who create revenue in the private sector.

Then, there are the working families that consume revenue in the public sector.

Despite any claims to the contrary, Debbie’s recent abandonment of our local union workers and her acceptance of enormous SEIU/AFSCME Portland money speaks loudly and clearly for itself.

She does not support policies that will protect our local businesses.

Next time, ask Boothe-Schmidt to specifically define what she means by “working families.”

And, if you own or work for a local business, think twice about voting for someone who will continue to bleed you dry when it comes to making sure that her backers never miss a beat.

Cynthia Malkowski

Seaside

I recently attended a Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District board meeting. One thing is very clear to me — they are not working for the taxpayers. They are vigorously working to cover their own back sides.

Last week, I asked Skyler Archibald, the executive director when we could expect the warm water pool to open. (it’s been closed since Sunset Pool reopened almost two months ago) He told me that they recently sought out another vendor for the parts needed and that it should be open by the end of the month.

In other words folks, he could have sought out another vendor within days of not being able to get the parts from the original company. Instead, he chose to listen to excuses and not do anything.

The taxpayers have been without the warm water pool for almost two months now. The only reason for that is that Skyler Archibald did not do his job. I pointed this out to the board during the comment portion of the meeting. It’s a pretty clear dereliction of duty.

Later in the meeting, the board went out of their way to praise Skyler for the wonderful job he has done. Have any of you ever been publicly praised for not doing your job? I’ve never heard of it happening before, except in government.

One thing is very clear to me; the board of directors of the SEPRD is not working for the taxpayers. They hold no one accountable for doing their jobs.

Soon, SEPRD will be coming to you wanting to spend your dollars to buy the asbestos-laden school next door to the pool. This group has shown no ability or desire to properly care for what they already have. Does it make any sense to let them buy more property when they have not shown the ability or desire to properly care for what they already have?

It’s your tax dollars folks!

John Huismann

Seaside