Candidates square off in league forum

A crowd of some 60 citizens packed the basement meeting room of the Colfax Library Tuesday night for the Pullman League of Women Voters’ ballot forum.

Candidates for county auditor and state representative debated issues concerning those offices, while citizen advocates spoke for and against several of the state law measures on the November ballot.

Candidates and advocates made statements on their issues before fielding questions submitted in writing by those in attendance.

Karen Kiessling, moderator for the League of Women Voters, read the questions.

In the race for Whitman County auditor, the only county contest on the ballot, two-term incumbent Eunice Coker, 54, sparred with her challenger Esther Wilson, 49.

Coker said "every aspect" of the auditor’s office has "vastly improved" since she won the job in 2002.

Wilson, though, said operational flaws she saw in the auditor’s office while working in the county’s finance department made her question Coker’s fitness for re-election.

"One definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result," said Wilson.

Questioned about how they would reduce the feelings of distrust and anger that appear to permeate the courthouse if elected auditor, both Coker and Wilson said they can do a better job of working with other county officials than their opponent.

"I’ve been leading that battle since June," said Wilson, who has been acting as the finance department since its dissolution in June. "Quite frankly, the leader I’ve had the most struggle with is the auditor."

Coker said other county officials see her as more trustworthy, which makes her better suited to bring county leaders together.

"If you know someone who works in the county, call them. Talk to them," said Coker. "Who is the honest person here?"

Both cited their individual experiences as being key to recovering the county’s finances.

Coker cited her 18 years with the county as giving her a great deal of institutional knowledge on governmental accounting.

Wilson said she has helped build a team to repair the financial problems.

One of those problems is payment of bills beyond a department’s budget.

Wilson told the Gazette last week Coker has approved payment of bills for departments that exceeded their budget without the authority to do so.

An audience question asked her about that.

"We have paid some bills when a department goes over budget," said Coker.

She added, though, that in such cases, she has received assurances from the responsible officials that they have pending budget amendments that would cover extra spending.

Wilson said she has seen Coker’s office approve payment of several bills outside of budget, without any approved amendment, in her three years in the finance department.

Wilson said she brings years of experience in finance and customer service training. Both of which put her in a better position to improve the operations of the auditor’s office.

She suggested contracting out payroll and setting up a sub-agent to run the licensing department.

Coker, though, said those moves must be performed in the courthouse.

"There’s an awful lot of what Miss Wilson just said that can’t happen," said Coker.

She said licensing must be done in the office because the Department of Licensing would not allow a subagency in Colfax.

Candidates for 9th District State Rep. led off the evening’s debate card.

Incumbent Joe Schmick, 52, said his focus if re-elected would be to ease the state’s "unyielding regulations" on small business. Doing so, he said, would put people back to work.

"We have got to have a better job atmosphere," he said.

Those jobs, Schmick said, would generate additonal revenue that could plug the state’s mounting budget deficit.

Challenger Glenn Stockwell, 60, mounting his third campaign for the position, again stressed the importance of pushing the federal government to complete its Columbia Basin Project. The project would create a large reservoir of water in east-central Washington.

Stockwell has long been a proponent of the project, saying it would create thousands of jobs and raise property values.

"This project is the largest 800-pound gorilla in economic development this state has ever had," he said.

Both are running as Republicans, though Stockwell ran as a Democrat in 2009. When questioned about the switch, he said he has primarily voted Republican, but has sided with Democrats he thinks can best represent the state.

"I am an American," he said.