I take exception to your editorial cartoon in the Aug. 13 edition portraying a gloating Gov. Christine Gregoire in a carriage consisting apparently of ill-gotten taxpayers’ money.

The real situation today is that Gregoire must cut every avenue of state spending by 5 or 6 percent because of revenue shortfalls. The Legislature has demonstrated that it is incapable of quickly prioritizing the cuts that must be made, making the calling of a special session a waste of time.

I am sure Gregoire is grieving, not gloating.

I voted against Gregoire when she first ran for governor because I felt she had mishandled the blame for the failure of her Attorney General’s office to file an appeal of a major judicial award against the state.

However, in the years since, I think she has done a responsible job as governor, particularly in the last two years, which have been characterized as the most difficult in 80 years.

Karin Duval’s editorial on the same page extols extra spending on the county level for mental health. Perhaps the cartoonist should have portrayed the supporters of that program, such as Redmond Mayor John Marchione, in the carriage.

I seriously doubt that any of the programs Gregoire must cut are particularly less important than mental health.

David Banks, Redmond