Politics

  1. 2013 Council Retreat sets new tone for Olympia

    by Matthew Green   Last year, a brand new Olympia City Council, elected mostly in reaction against the proposal for raising building heights on the isthmus, set a very different…

  2. Prop 1: Diary of a Movement Crushed by Money

    By Paul Pickett [Editor’s note: Paul Pickett is a regular OP&L contributor and a former PUD Commissioner who volunteered with the Thurston Public Power Initiative, and wrote this personal account.]…

  3. Local Election Results Tell a Familiar Story

    by Matthew Green Thurston County is a Democratic community. As Barack Obama was winning 50% of the votes across the nation (to Mitt Romney’s 48%) and 55% across Washington State,…

  4. Update on 2012 Campaign Spending

    by Matthew Green The campaign against the proposal to authorize the Thurston Public Utility District to provide electrical service has obliterated the record for political spending in Thurston County. As…

  5. County Commission: Romero versus Barkis

    By Paul Pickett It’s going to be a complicated November ballot. Beneath the Presidential race are a bevy of statewide races and initiatives and Congressional and legislative races. On the…

  6. City Council Pauses to Reflect on its Year So Far

    By Matthew Green   The Olympia City Council spent much of a recent sunny weekend talking stock of its year so far. At a mid-year retreat, on September 15, they…

  7. Olympia Public Safety Levy

    Should the city raise sales tax for police and social services? By Marissa Luck   Come January, your morning scone and latte combo could be a penny more expensive. Why…

  8. Post Primary Election Update

    By Matthew Green   In the August 7 primary election, voters picked their favorite candidates in two races previously profiled in OP&L. For county commissioner, incumbent Democrat Cathy Wolfe led…

  9. Public Utility Commissioner: Why You Should Pay Attention This Year

    pud candidates

    By Paul Pickett   What’s a “pud”? Thurston Public Utility District is an odd bird. It had its first election in 1938, but despite having 70 elections since then, most…

  10. Thurston County Commissioner: Three Challengers to Wolfe

    Clockwise from top left: Wolfe, Jones, Rogers and Barner

    By Paul Pickett   At the end of filing week in May, surprise was in the air. The race for the 1st District County Commissioner seat suddenly got interesting. Incumbent…