We are all used to hearing about big money in politics. Now it seems like big money has come to San Juan County politics. I first received a large glossy real estate advertisement style postcard from the O’Day campaign. This was followed by an even glossier two-page flier for Stephanie O’Day. Then there were the quarter page advertisements in the Journal. This led me to wonder where the money was coming from. Teh answer was illuminating. Thanks to the San Juan islander I found that the majority of contributions to O’Day’s campaign, 82%, were from people not living on the island. Only 18% of the contributions to Stephanie O’DAy’s campaign, which would include her own contributions, were from islanders. Stephanie O’DAy’s campaign slogan is “protecting the island way of life.” The money tells a different story. I hope islanders will not fall for glossy advertisements paid for by outside money.

Laura MacGinitie Derevensky,

San Juan Island