Which is it? The Best or Worst of Times?

OUR LEADERS ARE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Katherine Price Mason County Progressive

It seems like only yesterday the Mayor of Shelton, and Mason County Commissioner Lynda Ring-Erickson were quoted in Mason's County's faux "news" paper, the Journal, telling us how good things are in Mason County.

I was a little sceptical of their enthusiastic report, since it conflicted with reality, but modern politicians don't really give a lot of weight to things like facts. To the modern politician, facts are in the same category as citizens: pesky, bothersome and to be ignored whenever possible.

Today, just a few weeks after learning that things in Mason County are great, along comes the Port of Shelton newsletter (Portside) to rain on my parade! The Port advises us that their number one priority is business development that creates jobs and that this position is necessary because, according to Portside:

• Over 42% of our workforce goes to another county to get their pay check
• Unemployment is 10.3% (7.4 Kitsap and 7.5% Thurston Counties)
• 33% of Mason County adults earn less than $25,000/year vs. 18.7% state wide
• In 2007 17.9% of the adults experienced food insecurity vs. 11% state wide
• In 2007 Mason County per Capita income was 29.9% below the state average

It is interesting to note that the last two "facts" are for 2007. Very likely these numbers are even worse for 2011. How do these facts (if indeed they are facts) square with the Mayor and Commissioner Ring-Erickson telling us that things in Mason County are just great? They don't.

Our elected officials need to get on the same page if they do not want to confuse the citizens: either things in Mason County are great, as reported by such trusted officials as the Mayor of Shelton and Mason County Commissioner Lynda Ring-Erickson, OR things in Mason County are really bad, as reported by such trusted officials as Hupp and Wallitner.

So, my question to our elected leaders is this: Is this the best of times or is this the worst of times? They really cannot have it both ways...can they?