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What are the most important issues facing Pierce County, and how will you address them as Executive?
1) Public Safety, 2) Jobs close to home, and 3) reducing Traffic Congestion are my “big three.” Leadership from the new Executive to get our courts moving will end the backlog that is clogging our jail and forcing deputies to “catch and release” criminals. Following VISION 2040, the 30-year planning blueprint that I helped to create, will result in more clean technology, international finance, and trade & logistics jobs so that thousands more Pierce County residents can get off the freeway to King County and make a good living here at home, thus addressing both issues 2 and 3.
What makes you qualified to lead Pierce County as Executive? What has prepared you for this job, and how will you use that preparation to serve Pierce County residents? What skills, qualities and experiences do you posses that your opponents don’t? Why are you the voter’s best choice?
I have far more Chief Executive experience than the other three candidates combined. I have a lifetime of success as executive director of not-for-profit organizations and general manager of small businesses. Having hired, trained and directed hundreds of employees, and overseen construction projects and service delivery, I will not require on-the-job training as County Executive.
When did you decide to run for Pierce County Executive? What catalysts led to your decision?
About two years ago, while working with John Ladenburg on several boards and commissions, I realized a capable person needs to step up to take his place. Those on the horizon were professional politicians without the lifetime of executive skills needed to lead the eighth largest organization in Pierce County. Many people encouraged me to move up from my City Council position.
What is your vision for Pierce County, and how do you plan to get us there? What things need to happen to make that possible?
So much of County government’s focus has been on land use issues—developers versus environmentalists. With both groups sitting at the table, I chaired the Growth Management Policy Board that forged VISION 2040, which addresses growth with a plan for mixed-use centers in our larger cities and preservation of the great Northwest’s beauty in rural and resource lands.
Beyond that, my vision is for using the office of Executive to LEAD all 800,000 citizens to a higher quality of life—reducing dropout and crime rates, strengthening the local economy around the twin engines of the port and Lewis-McChord military base, and mobilizing the great power of volunteerism by youth and seniors.
How will you address the economic issues facing Pierce County? What needs to happen for Pierce County’s economy to prosper? How far off are we? What’s standing in the way, and what will you do to change it?
A county-wide Transportation Benefit District will move ahead the three projects we must have to keep our economy moving: Highway 167 from the Port, Cross Base Highway to give relief to Spanaway-Graham-Bethel, and a 21st century Pierce Transit system. These are better uses of tax money than Sound Transit 2, and will pay big jobs dividends.
How will you create Pierce County jobs?
Implementing VISION 2040, with a nexus of where we live and where we work, plus connecting our population and employment centers, will bring more high-wage employers here. I will make certain we keep UW Tacoma on its growth plan toward 15,000 students, and support the Bethel Skills Center and the Small Business Incubator to have the technically trained workforce that employers need.
How will you address transportation issues in Pierce County, and find ways to ease congestion?
The answer is not Sound Transit 2, which will suck 18-billion transportation dollars from taxpayers without solving our road and bridge needs. I will lead a Transportation Benefit District to meet the specific needs of Highway 167 from the Port, Cross Base Highway to free 100,000 people trapped in Spanaway and Graham, and implement the modern mass transit plans I have helped develop as vice chair of Pierce Transit.
How will you address the deficiencies in Pierce County’s criminal justice system? Please outline the deficiencies you see.
Number one is fixing the backlog caused by sluggish Superior Courts—we have over 20 judges now, but the jail is crammed with defendants awaiting trial, and this creates a domino effect causing “catch and release” of offenders. Performance audits have been done, what’s lacking is Executive leadership to implement the needed improvements.
How will you address sprawl in Pierce County? Do you see it as a problem?
Damage has been done through lack of concurrency—that is, making certain that adequate roads, schools and sewers are in place when growth occurs, not playing catch-up ten years later. My VISION 2040 plan gives a clear blueprint with a hundred pages of ideas for better ways to accommodate 400,000 more residents in the next 30 years.
How will you balance taxes with meeting the needs of your constituents? What’s your take on our current balance of taxes vs. services? Are there changes that need to be made? Where is there room for improvement? Are there specific spending cuts you plan on making? Are there specific taxes you plan on raising?
As chair of Tacoma’s Government Performance & Finance Committee, I’ve built up reserves and reduced spending so that the City is weathering the current economic downturn WITHOUT drastic cuts. Unfortunately, the County has spent beyond its means during the height of sales and real estate tax revenues. Already a 3.4 percent cut has been required for 2009, and more efficiencies MUST be found because the public is not ready for tax increases for general services. The tax that the public will support is a reasonable one which is specifically earmarked to solve transportation problems on roads they use every day.
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