Editorials / Opinion

Requiring initiatives to include fiscal impact information is a sensible and long-overdue step for our democracy in Washington state [“Bill would require ballots to note initiatives’ fiscal impact,” Local News, Jan. 9]. We voters love to support both lower taxes and expanded services, such as smaller class sizes. Who wouldn’t? But we aren’t the…

I don’t understand The Seattle Times’ logic in supporting Advisory Vote No. 8, the law that excludes state licensed marijuana farmers from agricultural tax advantages [“The Times recommends to maintain Advisory Vote No. 8 on marijuana tax,” Opinion. Oct. 14]. The Times writes, “Initiative 502, rightly puts pot alongside alcohol as an adult indulgence…

Gabriel Campanario / The Seattle Times

Last week, The Seattle Times editorial board published its own questions for candidates before the November election. Northwest Voices readers were asked to submit their own questions and issues that need addressing by politicians.

Here are selected submissions:

How do you plan to solve the problem of money in politics?

Spending during elections has skyrocketed ever since the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision. A few wealthy individuals and corporations use money to amplify their speech, drowning out ordinary Americans. In our democracy, the size of your wallet should not determine the strength of your voice. This issue is important to the vast majority of Americans, both conservative and liberal.

There is a national solution to this problem (a constitutional amendment), but there are numerous measures that can be taken on the state and local level to help solve this problem. For example, cities and counties can have small donor incentive programs for local elections. We should ask our candidates what they would do if elected to help solve the problem of big money in politics, so that in the future, elections are more fair and representative of the people.

Faith Deis, Seattle

What will you do about climate change?

It is the most dire issue facing us today and we are running out of time to act. No political leader — local, state or federal — should be given a pass on this urgent question. And as Paul Krugman makes clear, we need informed candidates who understand not only the science but the economics of climate change.

Our state is already paying the price in human suffering, and financially through the destruction of shellfish due to ocean acidification, wildfires and landslides, loss of snow pack, and more. Whether with a carbon tax, stopping coal and oil trains or funding mass transit, state and local candidates have a job to do.

Gender parity remains elusive On the 94th anniversary this month of American women gaining full voting rights, how far have we come? At the ballot box, quite far. Female voters have outnumbered male voters in every presidential election since 1964. So it’s worth remembering the long battle leading up to ratification of the 19th Amendment. The first…

The Times recently recapped its congressional endorsements [“Seattle Times editorial board recommendations for 2014 primary,” Opinion Northwest, July 16]. In every one of the eight races, the endorsement was for the incumbent. Fairness dictates that the record of the current 113th Congress be included: as the lowest level of legislative accomplishment in the last 40 years, far…

Ed Murray (far left, with his partner Michael Shiosaki) and Mayor Mike McGinn (right). [Photos by Bettina Hansen and Marcus Yam, The Seattle Times.] Murray will win When an incumbent runs in a crowded primary field, an inordinate percentage of votes are cast either for or against the record of the incumbent. [“Murray vs. McGinn: showdown…