Kudos to Jan Sears and Milene Henley, county treasurer and auditor respectively.

Instead of presenting a 2008 dream budget, according to published information they estimated realistic budget revenue within acceptable percentage of overall projection. Not intending to discredit others who contributed to the process, these department heads brought to the table revenue compilations backed by prior year histories and realistic economic trends, not lucky estimates.

In this last election, you voted into office real people who are in touch with the islands and work responsibly.

As residents of San Juan County, each of us can individually contribute to a continued, responsibly strong local economy by carrying our own weight — paying for goods and services rendered from each other in a tight, timely fashion. What goes around does come around — every product purchased and produced here with real dollars keeps island families employed.

Employers looking downwind, by now, should recognize our islands have their own economy and can bypass national economic trends. Employers who are reaping excess profits hopefully recognize any 2009 profit concessions made toward keeping or adding employees will be returned to them many fold in 2010.

Next year, everyone could be patting themselves on the back, silently recognizing their contribution to stable, economically independent islands.

Roz Casad
Friday Harbor