Island County residents should take on the issues that affect their community.

That was the message shared last week by Kim Abel, Washington state president of the League of Women Voters.

Abel spoke at a dinner held at the Whidbey Golf and Country Club Thursday.

“The League grew out of a need for action,” Abel said. “By men and women who believe in equality in the ballot box.”

Abel said the state organization has weighed in on the state’s oil and coal production, is pursuing gun initiatives, and has filed two lawsuits to protect K-12 education.

The League supports a 30-day waiting period for gun sales, and they are against charter schools, Abel said.

With charter schools, Abel said, “the voter loses their right to weigh in on how public taxes are spent. … We think schools should have equal funding.”

Abel said the issues that are chosen by the state League are built from research and finding common ground.

“We do our studies as if it’s a masters program,” Abel said.

“We find a consensus, and we find an issue we can take action on.”

The League’s top four priorities, Abel said, are maintaining a strong democracy, funding education, addressing climate change and securing funds for legislative issues.

Abel’s presentation was followed by comments by Island County Commissioners Helen Price Johnson and Jill Johnson.

South and Central Whidbey Commissioner Price Johnson said she was proud of the strides the county has made in agricultural weddings and tourism

“I think we have a lot to be proud about in our local economy,” Price Johnson said. “What makes us strong is our ability to come together.”

Price Johnson, who serves on the Island Transit board of directors, said the recent financial crisis for the transit is “extremely unfortunate.”

Price Johnson said that her main goal is ensuring that the county’s special needs population, which uses Island Transit’s paratransit services, receive the services they need.

“How are we going to address the needs of our most vulnerable residents?” Price Johnson said. “We need to rebuild that trust. Island transit needs to be right-sided and serving the needs of the community.”

Oak Harbor Commissioner Johnson said she remains committed to supporting efforts to increase the number of sheriff’s deputies but that the new positions might need to be phased in over time due to budget constraints.

In addition, the county needs to address the growing need to fund chemical dependency and mental health programs, Johnson said.

“We’re working really hard on plans for treating those conditions.”

Johnson and Price Johnson expressed a desire to bring the county’s website and other functions technologically up to date.

“We need to bring it up to standards that people expect right now,” Johnson said.

Johnson also thanked appointed Commissioner Aubrey Vaughan, who didn’t attend the dinner.

“He’s been great, he comes to work and he does deserve our thanks,” she said.