Voting for someone for public office requires more than checking a box for a political party, assuming they share your values and will represent you in the office they hold. Character in a public servant is vital. You need to be able to trust, not just in what their qualifications for the job may be, but in how they will hold that office. I have a firm belief that one way to judge the character of a person is in how they treat their friends.

Phil Collier, a candidate for Island County commissioner, did not filed state required reports regarding campaign donations and expenditures. I was not upset by what may have been a simple oversight but by the fact that Mr. Collier, when asked for a statement, replied that he had asked his long-time friend Oak Harbor attorney Chris Skinner to make sure he was filing the appropriate reports. He then joked, “I guess I’d better give Chris (Skinner) a tongue-lashing.” (According to the Whidbey Examiner.)

When caught in a difficult decision, it is easy to blame someone else, but holding a public office is about taking responsibility for your actions and those who report to you.

Our current county commissioners, Angie Homola and Helen Price Johnson, have shown over and over again that they are not only extremely qualified for the positions they hold but are willing to take responsibility for the tough decisions they have made during their time in office.

Carol Dawes
Coupeville