Paid Political endorsement

Now that Democrat Kim Schrier has made it through the primary election for Congress, I'd like to tell a story about an interaction I had with her at a Kittitas Valley Healthcare Foundation fundraiser earlier this spring. She was walking around the room meeting people and greeted me. She and I chatted politely briefly and she earnestly told me that in order to "save the salmon," she wanted to take down the Lower Snake River dams.

I was a little shocked to hear this so casually mentioned by a candidate for Congress. Taking down the dams would either be an act of hostility to farmers, ranchers, and residents of Central Washington, or it indicates Kim Schrier's sad lack of knowledge of how vital these dams are to provide affordable, clean, and renewable power for the people of Central Washington.

Destroying the dams would undercut the over $20 billion in trade and other benefits they provide across the Northwest, result in more pollution as coal plants would be called upon to replace the lost energy, and would increase the average family's power bill by around 12% to 15% according to the Bonneville Power Administration. This is to say nothing of the cost to remove the dams, which could be over $2.5 billion. It wouldn't even particularly help salmon, which survive the dams at a 97% rate.

Now that Kim Schrier is officially facing Dino Rossi to be our next Representative, I want to be open about this concern, because I'm convinced that having her as our U.S. Representative would be a disaster for Central Washington residents and farmers who depend on our dams. I strongly endorse Dino Rossi, the only candidate for the 8th Congressional District who understands the importance of the affordable, clean, and renewable energy that comes from our dams.

Sincerely,

Senator Judy Warnick LD 13

Moses Lake WA 98837