Editor,

Just read the article, “With reserves gone, Island Transit axing staff, routes” about the Island Transit financial meltdown.

I do hope blame is doled out to the Island Transit board and state Auditor’s Office for ineptly watchdogging Island Transit. Clearly, I am very concerned for the future of Island Transit.

However, as one of the defenders of America’s OLF Coupeville, I salute the Island Transit drivers, maintainers and dispatchers who provided a modern-day Alaska-Siberia Air Route for OLF’s defense.

Without Island Transit, it would have been financially and physically impossible for me to stick up for America’s VAQ Wing five times in Whidbey’s “belly of the beast” that is the Island County Commissioners’ chamber.

By providing that voice for OLF, OLF Coupeville remained open and morale was hopefully kept up for NAS Whidbey when so many refused to publicly recognize the dangers at hand.

I would certainly also happily pay a transit fare to enjoy the patriotic triumph that is OLF Coupeville today — especially to celebrate the arrival of more EA-18Gs and resulting inbound APZs to OLF.

I just hope Island Transit will rebound instead of continue its descent, although that seems bordering on unlikely without decisive state and federal government intervention.

But I believe fellow Americans seeking compensation from disclosure deception in Central Whidbey to evacuate rank higher on the priority list.

Joe Kunzler

Sedro-Woolley