Ryan Ryals

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For and against legalizing marijuana | Ryan Ryals

When I first read about the 75 medical marijuana supporters who visited the Kent City Council chambers last week, I sympathized with their cause, and with the Kent officials who were forced to shut down the marijuana dispensaries.

 

Taking a stand this generation | Ryan Ryals

Last week, the online version of this newspaper ran an informal survey, asking, “Should the federal government make cuts in the Medicare program to cut the deficit?” The overwhelming response was “no”. Sure, it’s unscientific, but with a 61 percent no vote, that’s a landslide. Don’t cut my bennies, bro.

 

Ryan Ryals lives in Maple Valley and writes a weekly column about politics and life in the city.

State legislators face moral budget choices ahead | Ryan Ryals

I’ve tried not to pick on our state legislators too much, since they have an incredibly difficult job to do right now. Faced with a $5 billion hole in the budget, we’ve declined their offers to help pay for it. We rejected their attempts to tax our Twix bars and Fiji water and even tied their hands by requiring them to get a two-thirds majority to pass any new taxes or fees. No new fees, no new taxes and revenues are falling. I think voters should make it easier for the legislators and just vote for Libertarian and Tea Party candidates. They’ll be happy to cut the budget using a rusty machete and with little regard for the consequences.

 

Ryan Ryals lives in Maple Valley and writes a weekly column about politics and life in the city.

The formula for finding entrepreneurs | Ryan Ryals

At work, I get a lot of phone calls from sales representatives. They’re always trying to sell stuff of course, but lately they always ask, “So, how’s business?” Fine, I say. Sales are steady, profits are slightly up. What do you hear from your other customers? “Oh, most of them are not doing that great. You know, Macy’s and Amazon are doing all right, but most of the little guys are struggling.”

Ryan Ryals lives in Maple Valley and writes a weekly column about politics and life in the city.

Bold leadership for a bold plan: Columnist Ryan Ryals

Sleepy voters; it's time to wake up again. The school levy machine is gearing up in the Tahoma school district, and school officials are looking for $125 million to construct new schools and remodel others. That sounds like a lot, until you learn that Kent just passed a school levy last year that will collect around $240 million, and that's just to keep the schools operating.

Free speech – hard work and worth the effort | Ryan Ryals

Our First Amendment got a major test recently, when the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s reversal of a multi-million dollar judgment against the Westboro… Continue reading