IN THE NEWS
August 1, 2010. The Daily News. "Candidate Profile: Richard Carson."
August 1, 2010. The Columbian. "Will Rich Carson leave 18th race in protest?"
July 28, 2010. The Columbian. "Sprawling 18th District yields crowded ballot for house seat."
July 9, 2010. The Columbian. "Carson needles Russell over immigration stance."
June 15, 2010. The Columbian. "Independents Unite."
June 10, 2010. The Daily News. "Elections: 18th District race draws a crowd."
May 27, 2010. Clark County Conservative. "Campaign for Liberty Vets 18th L.D. Candidates."
May 26, 2010. The Columbian. "Candidates find Common Ground."
May 21, 2010. Clark County Politics retraction. "In keeping with my policy of correcting errors..."
May 19, 2010. The Columbian. "Amphitheater owners, casino opponents big spenders in 18th."
May 9, 2010. The Columbian. "Carson shows his cards." (see below)
May 5, 2010. Issued press release on proposing legislation to deal with BPA takings issue.
April 12, 2010. Issued press release on campaign challenge to not take "special interest" money.
January 1, 2010. Valley Bugler. "Richard Carson annouces he is the 'independent' candidate in 2010."
January, 2010. Started running grass root ads in the Lewis River Review, The Reflector and the Camas-Washougal Post-Record.
December 22, 2010. The Columbian. "BPA drops Hockinson-area route for power line."
December 20, 2009. The Columbian. "More candidates drawn to fill gap."
December 20, 2009. The Daily News carries the press release story.
December 18, 2009. The Daily Insider carries the press release story.
December 17, 2009. Issued press release announcing that I am putting my name forward to run as an Independent for the position of State Representative in the 18th District.
WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING:
Clark County Conservative Blog:
"Richard Carson, the Independent, described himself as a 'fiscal and constitutional conservative' refusing to accept any special interest money or endorsements...Richard Carson showed his views well." - May 27, 2010 article
The Columbian:
"Hockinson-area resident Richard Carson responded to the proposal by organizing neighbors, starting a Web site and mounting an independent campaign for the state Legislature. Even though BPA continues to examine other alternatives for the transmission line, he said he’s pleased with Bonneville’s decision to eliminate the route near his house." - December 21, 2009 Front Page
The Reflector:
"One can only imagine what the growth plan would look like today had Betty Sue Morris been in office and Rich Carson been heading the planning department and rural residents given an important voice in planning decisions. We may never know." - July 24, 2002 Editorial
"The efforts of people like Rich Carson help repair the growing divide between rural and urban people in Clark County." - February 5, 2003 Editorial
"Carson's comments resonate well in rural Clark County. They hardly seem like words coming from the mouth of a major county official." July 28, 2004 Editorial
[Please note: Marvin Case, The Reflector's editor, makes it a policy to not make endorsements regarding political candidates. The editorial comments made here were solely regarding my performance over the years.]
WHAT LOCAL LEADERS HAVE SAY
“‘The county had egg on its face,’ said Jim Malinowski, a board member of Clark County Citizens United, a property rights group. Carson’s flexibility pleased Malinowski, who would like to see more of it in county’s dealings with rural residential requests.”
“‘I think he is making a difference,’ Commissioner Betty Sue Morris said.”
“Commissioner Judie Stanton said she used to complaints from people… ‘That doesn’t happen now’ she said.”
“‘He is a rare planning director that not only understands the county’s side of things but also understands the developer’s side of things,’ [Steve] Horenstein said."
‘There have been positive changes on both sides of the coin, for neighbors and environmentalists, as well as developers,’ [John] Karpinski said.”
RECENT NEWS STORIES
Carson shows his cards (The Columbian, May 9, 2010)
"Richard Carson, independent candidate for the open 18th Legislative District seat, is making no secret of his reason for running. Carson lives in the Hockinson area and has been a vocal opponent of the Bonneville Power Administration’s proposed 500-kilovolt transmission towers, which would rise nearby.
Although BPA is a federal agency, Carson, formerly Clark County’s director of community development says there’s plenty the state Legislature could do to stop the project.Among his suggestions:•Budget money for Washington State University Vancouver to study public health implications of the transmission lines on adjacent property owners.
Budget money for Washington State University Vancouver to study public health implications of the transmission lines on adjacent property owners.•Direct the state attorney general to help property owners impacted by the towers claim compensation for lost property value.
Direct the state attorney general to help property owners impacted by the towers claim compensation for lost property value.•Refer to voters a measure broadening the definition of eminent domain in order to force BPA to pay property owners for “health and visual impacts.”
Refer to voters a measure broadening the definition of eminent domain in order to force BPA to pay property owners for “health and visual impacts.”•Sponsor legislation and a budget that direct the state lands commissioner to offer state trust lands targeted for the towers in Clark and Cowlitz Counties.
Sponsor legislation and a budget that direct the state lands commissioner to offer state trust lands targeted for the towers in Clark and Cowlitz Counties.Carson provided no cost estimate for his proposals." [My note to the reader: I believe that all of this can be done with existing state agency budgets. As I have repeatedly said, I am not going to propose any new costs to the state budget].
Independent, Integrity, Experience, Issue Driven
