Timber money required for school construction

Uncoupling state timber sales revenue from public school construction funding doesn’t make sense. It is akin to killing the goose laying the golden eggs.

That idea came up during this year’s campaign for public lands commissioner. Democrat Hilary Franz, a Seattle environmental attorney, and Republican Steve McLaughlin, a retired Navy Commander, are the finalists.

Franz stated her position in a candidate questionnaire, according to the business publication, Lens. She wrote the state mandate to use revenue from timber sales on public lands to pay for school construction is “environmentally harmf...