Wolves to Seattle?

There is a divide between the west side of Washington state and the east side, and it is more than just the Cascade Mountain Range.

In fact, every so often, it is suggested that eastern Washington secede from the west side and form a new state of its own.

That may never be taken seriously, but the two areas are without question different.

The power and influence on the west side of the state rankles many in eastern Washington. The population numbers vastly outweigh the more rural east side. Politics are different, too. The west tends to be more liberal.

These differences will never be solved, so, the clash continues.

Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, has renewed the conflict. He introduced a bill in Olympia that in his mind would start to even things out. He wants to share the increasing number of eastern Washington wolves and wolf packs with the west side of the state.

His bill, although tongue in cheek, would relocate packs to the more populous west and let the residents there enjoy what farmers and ranchers are faced with east of the Cascades.

The predators are endangered and have protection, but working farmers and ranchers on the east side are seeing increasing numbers of wolves and increased predation of their stock.

Eastern Washington legislators are trying to address the problem, but a few wolves in downtown Seattle might speed things up.

Following Kretz’s lead, perhaps we could send over some long stretches of two-lane roads without passing lanes.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher