Letters to the Editor

Auditor Lori Larsen
I am writing to thank the Stevens County Republican Committee for recognizing the excellent work of our auditor, Lori Larsen. On July 12, 2025, the Stevens County Republican Central Committee unanimously passed a resolution of appreciation for Lori Larsen. The motion stated, “In light of the concerns about voter integrity in our state and nation, we want to express our appreciation and support for our county auditor, Lori Larsen, who has modeled voter integrity.” I want to add my thanks to Lori for what she has done. The role of the auditor is a difficult one at times. Occasionally, she has to say “no” when plans are proposed that violate the law or to urge caution when commissioners or department heads want to engage in transactions that would not serve the county interests. In addition to ensuring voter integrity, Lori has implemented a fraud alert system to alert homeowners when some fraudster attempts to tamper with the title of a property. She also has set up a website for county historical records and she has expanded vehicle licensing offices to serve more county locations. For all the above reasons, I support Lori Larsen for re-election and remind all county voters of the adage, “If it is not broken, don’t fix it.” Our auditor’s office is not broken. Under Lori Larsen’s leadership, it is functioning well.

Livestreaming It?
The 2009 Fort Hood shooter is going to be legally executed soon (December). Regardless of your stance on the death penalty, you have to admit a firing squad at least isn't likely to be botched, like the recent lethal injection attempt was. It's arguably less “cruel and unusual” than some of the alternatives. Livestreaming it though? “You don't have to watch it if you don't want to” is rich coming from the folks who want to ban drag shows. Little kids or their friends will be able to find the execution on the internet easily. But also, Hegseth is basically making a recruitment video for the Taliban/ISIS. All around a bad idea. Vote these guys out. They have no idea what they're doing and, as a consequence, are messing up the whole country for all of us.

The Winds of Change
With our midterm elections less than 30 days away, there is still time to change course. There are several undisputed facts about our current situation. Fact: food prices are up; gas and diesel prices are up; housing costs are up; and the cost of health insurance, where available, is up. Inflation is at 3.4% – higher than when Trump took office. While wages and salaries have increased, they have generally not kept pace with inflation. Unemployment rose to 4.2% in the recent jobs report. Bottom line: the cost of living is up and affordability (not a made-up word) is down. During the Republican Midterm Convention, President Trump said, “I’m asking you to pretend I am on the ballot.” We don’t have to pretend. He is on the ballot, represented by hundreds of Republican congressional candidates. Many important state offices will also be decided. The incumbent representative for our district, Michael Baumgartner, has overwhelmingly supported Trump’s agenda. He voted for “The Big, Beautiful Bill” which will restrict food assistance and Medicaid services for thousands of people and 54% of all children. He supported the costly tariffs and voted each time against restricting or ending military operations against Iran. He claims to work for all voters, even if they didn’t vote for him. Why would he feel compelled to write that? Doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result, is insanity. Let’s do things differently. Vote for change. Vote Conroy.

Eric Simpson for Stevens County Auditor
I recently had business to conduct at the Stevens County Auditor’s Office. I had called ahead, explained what I needed to do, and made an appointment to bring in my documents. While I was there, a couple came in hoping to renew their vehicle tabs. They had their paperwork and payment with them, but they did not have an appointment. They were told they could not be helped without one. I understand that offices need procedures and I don't know all the circumstances surrounding the appointment policy. What struck me, however, was how much time was spent going back and forth between the couple and the employee. There were no other customers waiting, and the couple appeared to have everything they needed to complete what seemed to be a straightforward transaction. Eventually, they left frustrated. The experience made me think about what I want from an elected county official: someone who understands that government exists to serve the people and can follow necessary procedures while also exercising common sense, courtesy, and good judgment. That is one reason I am supporting Eric Simpson for Stevens County auditor. Eric is reliable, approachable, and willing to listen. He understands the importance of living within a budget, getting things done on time, and treating people with respect. I believe he will bring a practical, service-minded approach to the auditor’s office. I believe Eric Simpson will serve the people of Stevens County well.

Baumgartner or Conroy
There are many reasons to vote for Michael Baumgartner. If you like the Trump tax cuts, vote for Baumgartner. If you like higher healthcare and medication costs, reduced funding for rural hospitals, reproductive healthcare for women, food support for children, and the rollback of clean air and water standards, thank Baumgartner and vote for him. Other things you get with Mike include massive funding for ICE abuses, a border wall Mexico won’t pay for, limitless military spending, cash subsidies to the coal industry, and bailouts for big agribusiness. If you like the increased cost of living due to tariffs and the Iran war, then vote for Baumgartner, who will never utter a word contrary to Trump policies. Perhaps it is the use of money intended for the national parks being diverted to build monuments to Trump, or our national forests and BLM land opened to resource extraction and data center construction while being closed to the public, or our unique friendship with Canada destroyed, or providing cover for pedophiles that was your main reason for voting for Baumgartner. And if you really admire how Trump has enriched himself and his wealthy supporters (looking at you, Mike) while you pay $5 per gallon at the pump and are told you should like it, then you know who to vote for. On the other hand, if you want representation in DC more closely aligned with your values and needs, Carmela Conroy is the obvious choice this time. Vote Carmela.

Everything is Expensive
When I last filled my tank, regular gas was $5.27 a gallon. Diesel was almost $7. Trump did that. He attacked Iran because his buddy Netanyahu asked him to, and nobody has gained anything. These skyrocketing gas prices were wholly manufactured by Trump, and he could end them at any time. But he doesn't. And they echo through our entire economy – combines use diesel to harvest our food, and so do the trucks that take it to our stores. Baumgartner has been silent on the issue. We need a rep that will stand up to ego- and dementia-fueled decisions in DC, not a lackey who bends over for whatever economy-killing whims pop into Trump's head each week. Please, let's take action before our strategic oil reserves are depleted and we literally can't buy gas anymore. We're at a 44-year low right now. Any new projects won't come up to speed for several years. Can you afford to not afford gas for another year? Two?

Representative Baumgartner
In the wake of the recent kerfuffle in Spokane County involving data centers, Michael Baumgartner introduced the Power and Water for Families Act (H.R. 9419) purportedly to protect working-class ratepayers. The bill requires that massive AI data centers must pay the full cost of their infrastructure demands instead of forcing the community to subsidize them. This seemingly supportive stance, however, stands in direct contrast to his vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in 2025. That vote included massive federal incentives for the very corporate entities he now pretends to oppose. The OBBBA heavily accommodated AI infrastructure by restoring 100% bonus depreciation, allowing data center operators to deduct specialized hardware, HVAC, and electrical systems immediately. It also restored immediate expensing for research expenditures, artificially accelerating the data center buildout that is now straining local utility grids. Baumgartner’s pivot from subsidizing tech infrastructure to penalizing its resource consumption reveals a hypocritical legislative approach. One minute he champions corporate tax breaks that fuel aggressive data center expansion; the next, he feigns shock when working families are left holding the bill for the resulting grid infrastructure buildout. Baumgartner wants you to believe he is on your side. His actual votes, however, reveal he is nothing more than a rubber stamp for the Trump agenda, which has made life more difficult for ordinary citizens while enriching the Trump/Epstein/ Bezos class, a class he probably considers himself part of. Apparently, this is what making America great again looks like.

The Election is Coming
I confess that I have become more concerned about our election integrity. My concerns have nothing to do with non-citizens voting or fraud committed by election workers, but everything to do with the Trump Administration’s increasing efforts to usurp elections by restricting voting rights. From Trump’s executive order issued in March of this year to hinder the distribution of mail-in ballots, to the USPS rule issued on Aug. 25, this administration wants to make voting more difficult for everyone and could disenfranchise hundreds of thou- sands. President Trump wants the USPS to create a national tracking system by requiring states to redesign ballot envelopes in a few short weeks. Failure would risk having registered voters not receive a mail ballot. All of these efforts are unconstitutional. Elections are administered by the states. Because of my concerns, I went to sos.wa.gov to find news from our Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs. Under the “News” banner, I found encouragement: On Aug. 28, a federal court granted a temporary restraining order preventing the USPS's final rule on ballot mail from being implemented for the Nov. 3 General Election. The Spokane County Elections Office personnel reiterated that no changes would be made before our general election. Ballots will be mailed October 14-16. All of this information renewed my confidence in our election processes. I will place my ballot in the nearest drop box. Please cast your vote.

Gone Rogue
We have a president that has gone rogue. Worse yet, our congressman refuses to hold him accountable. Donald Trump is attacking our democracy. Michael Baumgartner has not upheld his oath of office to protect the Constitution. Constitutionally, states have the primary authority over election administration. Donald Trump has attacked that with his SAVES act, which Michael Baumgartner supports. Even though Donald Trump stumps that mail-in voting is filled with fraud, he repeatedly votes by mail. Donald Trump has gone as far as the Supreme Court to eliminate Birthright Citizenship from the Constitution. Michael Baumgartner has not challenged him. The Constitution is designed to change through amendments, not executive orders. Donald Trump is aiming towards an un-Constitutional third term. Michael Baumgartner remains silent. Our Founding Fathers purposefully developed a system of checks and balances to protect our nation from autocracy. Michael Baumgartner has relinquished his responsibility by rubber stamping Donald Trump’s agenda. We need to return to those checks and balances. By voting for Carmela Conroy and breaking this attack on our democracy, we will have the chance to hold this rogue president in check and return to what our Founding Fathers envisioned.

The SAVE Act
Michael Baumgartner doesn’t boast about many of his votes, but he actually wrote that he was “proud to vote ‘Yes’ on the SAVE America Act” and “Requiring ID to vote is just common sense.” If only implementation of the bill was easy to accomplish. The SAVE Act would require that proof of citizenship be presented when voters register in person at a county elections office. Currently, most voters register online, by mail, or at the DMV, and only 6% of voters register in person. Birth certificates, passports, or enhanced driver’s licenses would be the only valid credentials sufficient for registration with a few rare exceptions. Further, if the names on these documents do not match exactly, it creates a name discrepancy. Women who change their legal names through marriage or divorce would face additional steps to fix this discrepancy at considerable cost in travel, time, and money. The requirement applies any time a voter updates their registration, including after moving. A move as harmless sounding as changing units in an apartment complex would trigger the need to reregister. Noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare despite the best efforts of election skeptics. While Baumgartner argues the SAVE Act is necessary to prevent noncitizens from participating in federal elections, it would introduce severe logistical roadblocks for thousands of eligible American citizens who happen to live far from urban centers, such as right here, in Baumgartner’s predominately rural district. The devil is in the details which Mike refuses to acknowledge.

National Parks
I recently read an article on the National Parks in Washington state. Our parks are priceless jewels, and their beauty and grandeur are recognized throughout the Northwest and indeed the entire world. More and more people are hiking their trails, climbing their mountains, and enjoying their awe inspiring beauty. Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic Parks being in close proximity to densely populated Puget Sound attract many return visitors, supplementing those from other states and countries who inject significant dollars into area economies. Despite the popularity of our parks, DOGE slashed management budgets by 25% in January 2025 and ended the controlled entry reservation system designed to ease the overcrowding of entry roads, parking lots, and visitors centers. As predicted then, today there are long lines for restrooms, which can lack toilet paper and other amenities. In addition to the budget cuts, park entrance fees have been redirected to the other Washington (D.C. that is) to pay for gold plating fountains and other vanity projects. Who voted for these budget cuts? Our very own Representative Baumgartner did in the Big Beautiful Bill that cut funding for maintenance, interpretive ranger talks, children's programs, and public safety. Why would he vote to degrade our parks? Is it part of a plan to privatize or sell off these public treasures? We could ask him, but he refuses to meet with the general public, instead holding invitation-only events. To save our parks, vote Baumgartner out.

Our Time to Shine
The Washington state primary elections are coming Aug. 4, and ballots are in the mail. Elections are important because all eligible citizens can choose their representatives in local, state, and federal offices. We also vote on initiatives and other ballot measures. Citizens are stakeholders. Elections are our opportunity to make our voices heard to determine the path forward for our country politically, economically, and socially. Such is the power of our vote. First-time voters may still register. All voters may find sos.wa.gov/elections a valuable resource. Engaging with, and supporting, our community through protests and marches is visible, uplifting, and influential. However, voting is the key to affecting change; voting is our fundamental right and responsibility. If you support high gas and grocery prices, and shrinking healthcare, housing availability, and affordability, then you will vote to maintain the status quo. If you support an administration that is focused on retribution and self-enrichment while stealing from its citizens, then you will vote for the status quo. If you support a government whose goal is to destroy human rights and civil rights, then you will vote for the status quo. Current leaders violate the most basic pillar of government: to do for its people what they cannot do for themselves. However, if you envision a different government – one being of the people, by the people, and most importantly, for the people – then you must vote for immediate, transformational change.