Amy Glasser guest writes this article.
I have recently declared my intention to run for a seat on the Whatcom County Council. One of the issues motivating me is that 55% of Whatcom County’s budget is comprised of “Law and Order” dollars and there seems to be a continuing push by some county officials to build a “mega-jail” even though it has been rejected by citizen referendum. Continue reading
February 27, 2017 Dick Conoboy
The Case for Public Banking
Public banks are an effective way to use public funds for the good of communities, much like public utilities, instead of for the profit of private mega-banks that take the public’s money and use it to play in the Wall Street casino. Continue reading
February 26, 2017 Jay Taber
One thing we learned watching the movie Deepwater Horizon is that British Petroleum puts greed ahead of concerns for human life and the environment. That greed led to BP paying $4.5 billion in fines and penalties in the largest criminal resolution in US history. Continue reading
February 22, 2017 Wendy Harris
Will the council approve a Critical Area Ordinance (CAO) that does not comply with the GMA? It is looking more and more likely. I am sick to my stomach thinking that after just one “general issues” work session, council will be ready to vote on the updated Critical Area Ordinance. It really did not help that few people participated, but how could they when there was no real training provided on such a technical issue? Perhaps if the CAO was not improperly separated from the Comp. Plan update, it would have been easier to obtain public input. Continue reading
Screenshot photo of Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale), from a January 2015 legislative video update, published on YouTube, on January 23, 2015
February 20, 2017 Sandy Robson
Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale), has been in hot water with constituents in the 42nd Legislative District he represents in Whatcom County, Washington, since late January. The lawmaker has drawn an outpouring of criticism from his constituents who feel Ericksen is under-representing them because of his current dual role as state senator, while also having recently accepted a position as Communications Director with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Continue reading
Our Whatcom County Planning and Development Services Department (PDS), which is part of our County Administration under the direction of County Executive Jack Louws, needs to start being fully transparent with the public in matters relating to the Gateway Pacific Terminal project. Continue reading
Click the link to view a PDF file of the WBA’s SEPA Appeal paper work
–Whatcom Business Alliance’s SEPA appeal of the DNS issued for the Cherry Point Amendments is scheduled for a March 15, 2017 hearing, at 1:30 PM–
The Whatcom Business Alliance (WBA), headed up by President Tony Larson, filed a SEPA appeal of the Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) that was issued by Whatcom County Planning and Development Services, for the Cherry Point Amendments to the 2016 County Comprehensive Plan Update. Continue reading
Highlighted excerpt from the January 2017 Whatcom Business Alliance Newsletter. Click the graphic to access the full newsletter.
January 19, 2017 Dena Jensen
Tidbits have been surfacing about educational programs in our region that are being boostered by GPT and Cherry Point fossil fuel industry enthusiasts, The Whatcom Business Alliance (Tony Larson, President) and Liberty Road (affiliated with Kris Halterman of the Whatcom Tea Party, the board of Social Alliance for a Vibrant Economy and host of KGMI’s Saturday Morning Live radio show). In the pics are screen shots of a recent Liberty Road post about the “Growing the Economy with Raspberry Pi,” program in the Burlington-Edison school district and an excerpt from the Jan. 2017 WBA newsletter. Continue reading
Page excerpt from “Protecting Treaty Rights, Sacred Places, and Lifeways: Coal vs. Communites,” presented by Jewell James, Lummi Tribal Member and Head Carver, Lummi Tribe’s House of Tears Carvers
January 14, 2017 Dena Jensen
At the most recent Planning Commission meeting on the Cherry Point Amendments this last Thursday, a lady spoke near the tail end of the comment section on the amendments who identified herself as Erin Anderson and said she was speaking on behalf of the Whatcom Business Alliance. Continue reading
January 10, 2017 Wendy Harris
Dear County Council,
As you are aware, it is a fatal flaw in the CAO that the county lacks baselines standards to help measure and monitor the county’s success in meeting no net loss standards. Thus, I had begun reviewing this information on my own in an attempt to help the county better achieve GMA compliance. Continue reading
noisy waters northwest 
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