CHARTER: Baird, Jankanish stand out for review commission

I opened my voter's guide to find more familiar names than I wanted to see … familiar for reasons I don't enjoy. There are too many of the same people, or from the same family trees, running for local offices in Pierce County.

But then I saw two more familiar names – familiar in that better, more important way: I know them. I encourage all voters who can do so to consider casting their votes for Mike Jankanish and Katie Baird for the Pierce County Charter Review Commission.

I think they are both excellent candidates for the commission because I am deeply familiar with them. I say this not because of their particular policy positions; indeed, I think they hold some very different values on plenty of issues (related or not to the county charter).

Rather, I know them both well enough to appreciate their seriousness, their intellects, their appreciation that – in the marketplace of ideas – ideas matter. Neither of them will be hacks for any particular position or preference. That I know most assuredly.

So, if you'd like a serious and thoughtful review commissioner, you would do well to cast your vote for Katie Baird and Mike Jankanish.

Andrew Milton, Tacoma

This story was originally published July 28, 2015 at 4:07 PM with the headline "CHARTER: Baird, Jankanish stand out for review commission."