DORI MONSON

Just when I thought local government couldn’t get any more corrupt

Mar 5, 2013, 11:03 PM | Updated: Mar 6, 2013, 3:57 pm

Courtney Gregoire, far left, was yesterday appointed to fill a seat on the Port of Seattle Commission. (AP Photo/File)

(AP Photo/File)

Dori writes…

Has there ever been a more glaring example locally of cronyism and nepotism?

I’ve long said there is no more corrupt government agency than the Port of Seattle. From a boozing CEO who charged taxpayers for his drinks, to the outrageous property tax they assess local residents, to the disgraced commissioner who tried to get a $50,000 per year internship for his “friend,” to the current effort to increase commissioners’ salary a shocking seven-fold – from $6,000 to $42,000 per year.

Amazingly, commissioners voted 3-1 Tuesday night to give themselves that huge raise. It appears heading for passage. Knock me over with a feather.

So what family does this corrupt agency turn to to rehab its image?

The Gregoire family of course.

Along with voting to give themselves the gigantic raise, the Port commissioners also voted Tuesday to appoint Christine Gregoire’s 33-year-old daughter Courtney Gregoire to fill their open seat.

Commission President Tom Albro said she stood out for her “strategic understanding of the vision…”Zzzzzzzz…

Five words into his endorsement I got so bored with the politi-speak, I couldn’t finish reading the sentence.

I’m sure Gregoire was the best person in the world to land the coveted Port Commission spot. Just as I’m sure that Courtney Gregoire was the best person in the world last October when the outgoing governor named her daughter to the board of trustees for Seattle Community Colleges.

Mommy never worked one day in her adult life in the private sector. At least Courtney Gregoire also works as an attorney for Microsoft. A private sector job. But, like her mom, she is building a career based on cronyism.

Welcome to Washington State – where’s there’s never enough money and there’s never enough jobs.

Unless your mom was governor.

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Just when I thought local government couldn’t get any more corrupt