Nerditorial: Sam Crawford Protests Lump of Coal; Demands Figgy Pudding From GMHB, Won't Go Until He Gets Some.

Okay, when Sam Crawford reversed an entire year's work of the 2009 County Council, that is a good thing.

But when the Growth Management Hearings Board reverses any of his work, that is not a good thing.
From the Herald Politics Blog

“At what point does the will of the people and the greater public good take precedence over a bunch of bureaucrats?” - Sam Crawford, as quoted in the Herald Politics Blog

Apparently when that bureaucrat is someone other than himself.

In addition to using virtually the entire legislative calendar of the duly elected 2010 County Council to reverse the actions of the equally duly elected 2009 County Council, Sam Crawford personally filed the zoning amendment that changed over 700 acres of rural land in Birch Bay from one home per ten acres to one home per five acres. And, of course, he voted on that zoning amendment, too. I think he voted yes. Mr. Crawford isn't at all shy about giving precedent to his bureaucratic will over that of the will of the people and the greater public good.

It's just that when he does it, it's okay.

And when does it not become okay...?

“If Whatcom County’s local citizens, Whatcom County elected representatives and appointed representatives and the state environmental watchdog land-use group all agree that the level of development is acceptable, then why would the hearings board go back to the definitional criteria?” - Sam Crawford, as quoted in the Herald Politics Blog

The definitional criteria?

Would that be another way of saying... the law?

And if "the state environmental watchdog land-use group" (*cough*)Futurewise(*cough*) was in agreement that the level of development was acceptable, then why was the petition to the GMHB filed by Futurewise? That's not the action of a stakeholder that concurs with an action.

Is it just me or does a group of stakeholders who agree to ignore the law sound way too much like they are flirting with charges of conspiracy to commit a crime?

"We agreed we weren't going to follow dat law, didn't we Lefty?"

"Dat's right, Fingers."

"Well, someone fuh-got to tell Da Futcha-Wise Guys."

"Dose doity rat-finks. We may have to apply some... community pressure... on dem, eh Fingers?"

"Yeah... community pressure... heh heh heh. Right Lefty."

So, when Crawford makes a change in County land use policy that is sufficiently abrupt to give a character in Tron whiplash, that's all good.

But when Futurewise gets in his way, that's not good.

Just trying to keep up.