This is my take on the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Issues at the Cloverleaf on 22 October. Again this is my take on the event and what I heard and observed. It also includes my spouse observations. She sees or hears things as I am taking notes that I think are interesting and important.
This event included all 5 candidates for Kitsap County Commissioner in District 1 & 2. We had the same 3 minute opening, 2 minute closing, 1 minute to respond and 2 red challenge cards for an additional minute. It was a fairly full room, at least 35-40 attendees. The Cloverleaf did good in hosting the event, something they have done for over 2 decades. They have a limited breakfast menu for the event, but I hope they start cooking the hash browns for a few minutes longer, they were disappointing a few times. Overall it was a good breakfast to start the day with. I think the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce shows a 0700 opening with ordering breakfast and a 0800 start to the event. Of course that is not followed as breakfast ordering starts around 0730 and at 0700 the only people there are setting up the event and video recording equipment, myself & Cloverleaf staff. I am a little prejudice when it comes to the Cloverleaf, I used to work there as a cook many years ago. Nothing like the Cloverleaf during a Packers vs Vikings game. It is interesting that the doors are open at 0700 at the Cloverleaf and attendees usually don’t start arriving until 0715-1730. The ones that concern me are those actual candidates that don’t arrive after 0800 or minutes before. The event schedule says a start at 0800 and when you as a candidate arrive at 0759 to me it says you are either unorganized or very overloaded in your responsibilities and need some time off. You can tell at events like this who is actively involved in things and who is riding on the outskirts of things, at least to my mind. Some candidates come in early and circulate and introduce themselves to those present. Some candidates find supporters and cluster around like birds protecting their nests with little involvement with others outside their immediate circle. Some candidates do not make an appearance until the last minute and I have to wonder about their organizational abilities. As a voter waiting to hear from the candidates how should I look at a candidate that thinks their time is more valuable than 30 or 40 other people who are waiting on them for an event to start? Maybe its my Navy background and training but if I am not 15 minutes early, I am late.
As a note, Darryl Riley is a write-in candidate and will not actually appear on the ballot while Scott Henden was a write-in on the Primary Ballot but got enough votes to appear on the General Election ballot per the rules. The incumbent, Christine Rolfes was the only one on the Ballot for the Primary Election. It will be interesting to see how well it works for the Democratic party as District 2 has been consistent with the Republican winning the Primary and the Democrat coming in second. This last Primary had Democrats split the vote severely and both Republican candidates advanced to the General where in the past a Democratic majority pushed the Democratic candidate over the top, so for many years South Kitsap had a Republican base that was overshadowed by the large Democratic base in the other two Commissioner Districts. Will the Democrats in District 1 & 3 be organized enough to overcome even a split Republican voter base? If I remember correctly the Republican party in Kitsap endorsed Sean Murphy vice Oran Root. I bet the reason for that would make an interesting story at some point. Oran Root ran in the previous election for Commissioner while Sean Murphy decided to run this time 5 days before the filing period.
On to the questions and responses:
District 1 District 2 Christine Rolfes (D) CR Sean Murphy (R) SM Scott Henden (I) SH Oran Root (R) OR Darryl Riley (D) DR
Remember the responses I post are not word for word, its based on my notes and memory. The video will give you the exact response if you have any questions. Now on to the questions that were asked and I will be adding all 41 questions I submitted at the end of this post along with some more information and opinions. Feel free to use the questions in the next week or so it you have a chance to ask a candidate a question.
1. If you had a magic wand and could accomplish anything, what one thing would you like to accomplish in the next 4 years for Kitsap County as a County Commissioner? SH-move on crime, more deputies and Department of Community Development (DCD) needs work on improving CR-stop drug trafficking and Gorst issues SM-housing for all and deregulations DR-Growth Management Act (GMA) preparing for 70,000 people, need Gorst transportation fix OR-housing and prosperity , support the economic ending and have safe neighborhoods
2. How will you encourage the construction of affordable housing in unincorporated Kitsap County and protect environment? CR-comprehensive plans incentives SM-permitting fee structure and allow pre approved plans (ADU’s), less government DR-collaboration with government & people OR-fix DCD, they have no Director or Assistant Director SH-county is have and have not’s, need more building space and pre planned permitting
A red card was used by Rolfes which gave her another minute to comment. CR-we are hiring a new DCD Director, working on pre approved ADU’s, are looking at giving density bonus’s preserving farms also.
3. How will Silverdale and Kingston incorporating affect Kitsap Counties funding model? How will you/are you planning for that eventuality? SM-increase sales in unincorporated areas, regulations stand in the way DR-can not answer without resources, no plan, need to assess OR-collaboration, support businesses outside areas, need workforce development SH-need to service those areas to keep them happy so they do not incorporate CR-agrees with Henden, its up to Silverdale whether to incorporate or not
4. Do you support the creation of a countywide hospital district with taxing abilities to pay for a new medical facility somewhere in Kitsap County? (As a note this was not the exact wording of the question that was asked, this is a copy of the question I submitted.Moderators have a tendency to modify my questions to fit into other questions that may have been submitted). DR-need to assess the issue and needs more information OR-not tax averse SH-sales taxes increase, need to see how efficient existing series are CR-increase workforce training in medical fields, not adverse to tax increase, has a 0.1% sales tax now for mental health etc SM-no new tax, look at existing budget, recruit staff and go to high schools for workforce training in the field
5. In the next 4 years, what do you see as the biggest challenge to fiscal stability and continuation of services provided by Kitsap County to the public? OR-no new taxes, look at existing budget, recruit staffing, go to high schools for workforce SH-more sales outside area, help businesses CR-fair wages for county staff SM-staffing is issue at county, they leave for better wages DR-more people need more services, need grant funds and other opportunities SH-state changed rules on electricians, why DCD has 10 million and not fixing wages
That ended the Eggs & Issues forum. Five questions for the candidates. The video should at some time show up on Bremerton Kitsap Access Television (BKAT) and/or on the online newsletter on the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce website.
My take on this forum? The only candidate with actual answers was Christine Rolfes. She has been a Kitsap County Commissioner for a year or so after Gelder left so she has some in-depth knowledge on what has been going on. A common element was that the Department of Community Development (DCD) needing changed in some ways. Prior to the covid issues, I attended many meetings and talked to many staff at the county. Back then it seemed they were doing well and modernizing many things, like using video to conduct inspections at DCD. The county also did an extensive study on pay for the county staff and updated the pay schedules. It seems that did not help with retention. I remember at one meeting where the discussion was about where to put the county staff on the various pay ranges that came from the study. Basically they looked at pay for similar jobs locally and elsewhere to get an idea of a pay range for a particular job. It had a high, low and median levels. The county seemed to pick a median level to implement but I think what got lost over time was inflation, and that wages and costs have increased but the county probably has not really followed that in their budget for staffing. So after a few years the counties median wage level was well below what could be found elsewhere. Staff left for better jobs or retired. It is funny that in the responses to Silverdale and Kingston incorporating one of the ideas was to give them enough services that they would not want to incorporate. Maybe that same idea could have kept staff at the county over the last few years. Commissioner Rolfes said things are changing in 2025. They are hiring a new DCD Director and they have updates to the Comprehensive Plan that will help with housing. I think much attention has been given to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) as a fix all for housing. I am not sure how many neighbors will feel when ADU’s start appearing next door with the potential to house temporary visitors or tourists. The county was working on regulations for rentals like AirBNBs and others that rent rooms or whole homes to tourists. It will be interesting to see how the two interact. Get a ADU permitted rapidly and renting out to the visitors for the soccer games in 2025 and 2026 in Seattle could be on the agenda for some Kitsap residents.
As for District 1 candidates, I think just from the Primary numbers Rolfes will not have a problem. Henden seems to be a serial filer with a following when it comes to elections, but then Christine Rolfes has even more elections she has been involved in. The big difference is Rolfes seems to win more often. The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) shows the following for Henden: 2015 School Director Non Partisan 2014 23rd Legislative District Republican 2011 School Director Non Partisan 2009 NK Fire Commissioner Non Partisan 2019 NK Fire Commissioner Non Partisan 2020 Kitsap County Commissioner District 1 Republican 2024 Kitsap County Commissioner District 1 Independent
The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) shows the following for Rolfes: 2012 23rd Legislative District Representative Democratic 2012 23rd Legislative District Senator Democratic 2010 23rd Legislative District Representative Democratic 2008 23rd Legislative District Representative Democratic 2024 Kitsap County Commissioner Democratic 2024 23rd Legislative District Representative Democratic 2020 Public Lands Commissioner Democratic 2020 23rd Legislative District Senator Democratic 2016 23rd Legislative District Senator Democratic
How about some more information from the PDC website and candidates websites on 23 October?
Sean Murphy Endorsements include the Kitsap County Republican Party, Semi Bird, Puget Sound Patriots and the Conservative Ladies of Washington. He has $14,060.08 contributions and $8,664.57 expenditures. Contributions came from Puget Sound Patriots $1,000 + $500, & Scott Henden $500 (yes, the Scott Henden that is running for Commissioner in District 1) and others.
Oran Root has nothing on his website about endorsements that I could find. It is one of the better put together websites I have seen but does lack endorsements. Oran Roots campaign started with $0.00 and has $6,825.85 in contributions so far. His total spent is $18,280.93. The Peterson family contributed $4,000 in 4 individual contributions while Dark Horse Political from Las Vegas was a $4,500 expense. I have not yet figured out where the contributions came from to account for $18,000+ in expenses, it may be from a previous campaign. The online documents can be challenging to track at times.
Scott Henden had nothing on his website about endorsements. Scott Henden Campaign started with $7,000 and has added $22,309.89 in contributions. Remember that candidates can use funds from previous elections to fund their own current or other candidates campaigns. He has spent $7,496.78 on expenses. Contributors include Kitsap Patriots Tea Party $1,000 & $500 and Scott Henden himself with $7,000, $5,000 & $2,000 added to the campaign. He had $20,833.00 in Cash contributions and $1,476.89 in In-Kind Contributions.
Christine Rolfes has quite a few endorsements. I think it very interesting that Ed Wolfe and Patty Lent have endorsed Rolfes and both of them are past Republican Kitsap County Commissioners. The Kitsap Democrats, 23rd Legislative Democrats and large list of individuals have all endorsed Christine Rolfes. Christine Rolfes Campaign started with $0,00 and has added $95,211.62 in contributions and spent $60,601.64. Contributions for the General have come from Kitsap 23rd LD Democrats $5,000, Kitsap County Democratic Women $1,000, Washington State Democrats $1,250, Washington State Radiological Society PAC $1,000 and many others including numerous other PAC’s, tribal contributions and many individual contributions from voters on Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo and Bremerton. Also contributing was Bristol Meyers Squibb Company $500.00 from Tampa Florida and Can Manufactures Institute $1,000 from DC in the Primary Election. It is interesting reading some of the documents like the Schedule A: Cash Receipts & Expenditure Detail forms. One data point caught my eye, an expenditure for $171.19 for 4 cases of beer. Turns out it was for the Kickoff event and it included 4 cases of wine at $647.90. There is a lot of information and details in the various forms on the PDC website.
When watchig the candidates I think many do not realize how they look to the audience when they listen to others speaking. Facial expressions do give quite a bit of information away. It seemed that the candidates got along very well at the table. But we all know that at times that is smoke & mirrors. I heard that Henden made a few comments to another candidate right after the event that were probably uncalled for. Why? I do not know why or even the subject of the comment or conversation. I know that if we cannot be professional while in a campaign, that will reflect greatly in the professionalism shown in doing the work in the position elected into. I try to talk to candidates, especially those who represent South Kitsap. This time around I connected with two of the three, Darryl Riley and Sean Murphy. I was pretty much ghosted by Oran Root. I do not make suggestions on who to vote for on my website (at least I seldom do) so I try to give you information and details and I hope you take the time to dig deeper and ask questions of the candidates. This election sets the foundation for the next 4 years on how the county will react to growth, both in population and businesses, but growth as a home for hundreds of thousands of people. We are growing, it is difficult to stop growth, you can direct growth, but odds are you will not stop it over time. Kitsap County has some problems that need addressed and addressed quickly, not in another 4 years. The attention was on DCD and permitting along with public safety during this election cycle. Those are a few of the issues that are affecting our day to day lives. Expenses are growing faster than revenues and that usually means one of two things, increase revenue by increasing taxes and fees or cutting services, like parks and road maintenance. The biggest expense in the county budget is for people. Those same people who are candidates want to create a workforce flow to bolster the ranks of the various departments like DCD or the Sheriffs Office. It is a bad cycle to get into and I think it will be very challenging for all three Kitsap County Commissioners over the next 4 years.
Get informed and VOTE!
This is the list of question I submitted for the Eggs & Issues forum. I think all five questions asked came in one form or another from this list. How many can you answer??
1. What is your #1 priority for Kitsap County in the next 4 years if you win the election? Be specific and detailed.
2. What is a priority in your district? What makes that a priority and how will you follow through with solutions in the next 4 years?
3. Do you support a new sales tax for law enforcement? Why or why not?
4. How will you encourage economic development in District 1 or 2 and improve the infrastructure to support that potential growth? Be specific.
5. Do you support a significant increase in impact fees to fund infrastructure needs in your district or the County? Explain your response.
6. What should the priority be, increase revenues via new or higher taxes & fees or reduce services to meet existing and future revenue sources? Be specific in your response.
7. What funding tool does Kitsap County need from Olympia to better manage growth? Be specific as to what tool is needed and how it will help.
8. Within your Commissioner District, what percentage of residents/taxpayers live in unincorporated Kitsap County, not incorporated city limits? How will you ensure their voices are heard when it comes to growth and development in Kitsap County? Be specific in your response.
9. Have you visited/toured the Kitsap County Jail or did a “Ride Along” with a Kitsap County Sheriff? If not, why not and will you do that on a regular basis if you are elected as a Kitsap County Commissioner? Explain your response.
10. Kitsap County Commissioners sit on a number of boards and committees. What specific board or committee do you look forward to being a part of? Explain why that particular board or committee attracts your interest.
11. Regarding the Ruckelshaus Centers Road Map to Washingtons Future Executive Summary, what Key Reform (of the 28 listed) would be your priority in the next 4 years for Olympia to improve the Growth Management Act? Be specific as to how that Key Reform would help Kitsap County.
12. What makes you a better County Commissioner candidate than your opponent? Be specific and detailed in your response.
13. How will you encourage the construction of affordable housing in unincorporated Kitsap County? Be specific as to how this is accomplished.
14. In your opinion, which would potentially bring more economic growth to South Kitsap, the Community Center in downtown Port Orchard or the proposed STEM Educational Center & Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) facility in conjunction with a professional racetrack on the Port of Bremerton property? Be detailed in your response as to why one or the other could potentially have a greater fiscal impact in South Kitsap.
15. Do you support a new property tax, sales tax or vehicle excise tax for Public Works Road projects? Be specific as to what you would support or why you would not support the additional funding requests.
16. Do you think the Mental Health, Chemical Dependency & Therapeutic Drug Court 1/10th of 1 percent funding is being used effectively and in a way as originally envisioned when it has become the only source of long term funding for a number of providers? Why or why not?
17. The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office receives 44% of the Kitsap County General Fund. The Sheriff’s Office has the Jail and Patrol as two of their Divisions. Regarding those two Divisions, what do you see as each of their greatest needs in the next 4 years? Explain your response in detail on how you will support those Divisions.
18. From the Kitsap County 2024 Budget Book, what stands out to you as a potential Kitsap County Commissioner? Why does what you pick stand out to you?
19. Do you support Tiny Home projects on public property? Why or why not?
20. What is the biggest need in the Sheriff’s Office and how do you intend to help meet that need?
21. What is the biggest need in the Department of Community Development and how do you intend to help meet that need?
22. What do you see as the priority in a “fix” for the SR16/SR3 congestion issues? How will this be accomplished and funded?
23. How should a potential regional fast ferry system be funded? Be specific.
24. What do you see as the biggest change needed in the Growth Management Act (GMA) to better support entry level affordable housing in Kitsap County? Why?
25. What do yo see as the #1 priority project for Kitsap County that should be submitted to the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) for federal funding? Why is it a priority?
26. How will Silverdale and Kingston incorporating affect Kitsap Counties funding model? How will you/are you planning for that eventuality?
27. What is the biggest need at the Kitsap County Jail? How will you meet that need?
28. If you had a magic wand and could accomplish anything, what one thing would you like to accomplish in the next 4 years for Kitsap County as a County Commissioner?
29. What do you see as a major need or improvement for the Noxious Weed Program in Kitsap County? Explain your choice.
30. What is the biggest need in the Department of Public Works and how do you intend to help meet that need?
31. What can you do as County Commissioner to ensure staff in all departments are protected from hazardous conditions during construction, rehabilitation or other work in the county facilities? Explain how you will ensure your workforce and incarcerated inmates are working and living in safe environments?
32. What major improvement would you like to see in the Auditors Office? Why should it be a priority in the Auditors Office?
33. What do you see as a major need in the Parks Department in your District? Why is it needed?
34. Hacking and denial of services attacks are becoming more and more prevalent. What do you see as the greatest need for Kitsap County to protect its citizens from data base intrusion events that can compromise personal data of people and businesses? Explain your choice.
35. In the next 4 years, what do you see as the biggest challenge to fiscal stability and continuation of services provided by Kitsap County to the public? Why is it a challenge?
36. Water is essential to support development. Should underground water supplies be removed from rural areas with limited allowed growth per GMA and sent to more urban areas with higher growth potential? If yes, how will the loss of rural well water and aquifer recharging areas affect the rural population and future growth in the county?
37. Do you support the creation of a countywide hospital district with taxing abilities to pay for a new medical facility somewhere in Kitsap County? Why or why not?
38. If the Urban Growth Areas (UGA’s) for Poulsbo, Bremerton and Port Orchard are annexed by their respective cities in the next 10 years per the Growth Management Act (GMA), how will that affect the fiscal stability of Kitsap County to continue to provide services to the remaining UGA’s and the unincorporated areas?
39. What services does Kitsap County supply to the incorporated cities? How are those services paid for?
40. What percentage of annual revenues via taxes, fees, federal & state grants are spent by Kitsap County on the Urban Growth Areas (UGA’s) that will be annexed by incorporated Poulsbo, Bremerton and Port Orchard and the unincorporated areas of Silverdale and Kingston? Do you think the rest of unincorporated areas and smaller UGA’s receive their fare share of the revenues?
41. The permitting process at the Kitsap County Department of Community Development has been criticized for long waits and expensive costs. How will you address these issues during your term in office?
23 October 2024
On 10/18/2024 I called Sean Murphy to ask a few questions regarding the County Commissioners positions he is a candidate for. This started many months ago when I sent the two District 2 candidates a list of questions I had. These are the same questions I used at Eggs & Issues and the Kitsap League of Women Voters forums later on. At that time I had not seen any forums scheduled or advertised. I sent all candidates 3 questions during the Primary 11 July 2024 and received a few responses. I sent Sean Murphy and Oran Root a request for an interview on 20 August 2024 and gave the option of an in person interview or I could send the questions via email. They both chose the email option so I sent my list of 18 questions. I sent an email on 17 September 2024 asking for the status of the response to the questions. I have received zero response from either candidate. When I found out that the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce was holding an Eggs & Issues forum on 22 October I decided to send the original list of questions to the two District 1 candidates, Christine Rolfes and Scott Henden. Later I found a write-in candidate (Darryl Riley) for the Democratic party was made official and would be attending some events so I contacted him and sent him the list of questions. So at this point all 5 Kitsap County Commissioner candidates have had my original list of questions for weeks. I also found an article on Facebook from the Kitsap Sun regarding the Commissioner election so I posted a comment regarding the lack of response from the two Republican candidates. That seemed to gain the attention of one of the candidates, Sean Murphy, who contacted me and we set up a time to have a phone conversation. This is my take on that conversation. I took notes of course, and we did talk on things not directly related to the Commissioner position. Hopefully this gives you a little information on this candidate. On 22 October I will attended the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Issues forum at the Cloverleaf Tavern in Bremerton with not only my original list of questions, but another 20+ questions. I will post my complete list of questions on the Eggs & Issues post in the near future.
My first question to Sean Murphy was: What makes you a better candidate than your opponent?
He thinks it is a difficult question to respond to without throwing mud. He wants to listen to the citizens of the county. He has spent time asking the community what they want. Also what solutions can they see to help fix the issues. He will be looking at the solutions. Example is a shortage of mental health beds and a tour showed empty rooms. Why empty rooms? It’s not beds, its staff, as they leave for better wages elsewhere. Also workforce development to feed into the workforce. Training a sheriff takes 12-18 months and they work and then leave for better wages elsewhere. We need to try to feed the workforce pipeline better, maybe at the college level, maybe reimburse tuition.
Sean says he is different as he looks at what is the cause. When I asked how to fund what he is talking about Sean said the county is going broke and will operate at a deficit. Sean is not willing to increase sales taxes. He wants to increase businesses paying the sales tax, basically more new businesses means more revenue for the county. That leads to the failing permitting process. Lots of county issues can be related to the permitting process and issues at Department of Community Development (DCD). Sean says we are over regulated and that needs to change. Are county rules needed as they are? Can they be changed or reduced? Preapproved building plan at DCD may help for faster permitting process for some projects.
Second question was: What is his #1 priority for South Kitsap? Getting DCD better and get out of the fiscal deficit the county has now.
Third question was what board or committee would you want. Sean said he has been drinking from a firehose and has not had the time to really look at what boards and committees that are available. Basically he is waiting until he gets into office and working with the other two Commissioners on the division of the various boards & committees.
It was an interesting conversation with Sean Murphy. I look forward to more talks with him, especially if he becomes the District 2 Commissioner. Both candidates seem to be on similar paths, they are both Republican afterall. How they will accomplish their goals and how well they will integrate with the other two commissiioners and the staff and workforce at Kitsap County will be the difference.
On to other items of interest. I received a mailer from Kitsap Transit regarding the Initiative 2117 vote that is on the ballot. My big issue with the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) is how we were flat out lied to regarding the potential cost to consumers. I attended a few meetings when this came out years ago and I remember how the Governor and others said specifically the oil companies would take the hit on the expected costs and consumers would see little change at the pumps. I remember at the meetings how few actually believed that would actually happen, but their voices went ignored by Olympia. The Kitsap Transit mailer had data on it, incomplete data of course. One that stood out was the potential loss of “$75,000,000 in Transit Support Grants for free rides for youth and essential transit needs”. It never really says what “essential transit needs” consists of and seems to bring “free rides for youth” as a primary issue of a very large chunk of funding, $75,000,000 over 14 years, or about $5,300,000 per year. How many youths ride the transit system for free that calls for a 5 million dollar budget? What “essential needs” are being hidden under that same 5+ million dollar yearly budget line?
What I see happening is the consequences of “free” money that is coming back to haunt many agencies. When you create a program that relies on temporary funding and that funding stops you are left with a big hole in your budget. South Kitsap School District has seen that happen a few times over the decades. With the federal and state covid funding running out, this will become a huge item in many budgets for the next few years, obviously causing potential deficits in the 2025 budgets and beyond. Kitsap Transit also says on the mailer that if I2117 passes they could have a loss of funding of $84,000,000 to $154,000,000 over the next 14 years, or between 6 and 11 million dollars a year. Looking at the Kitsap Transit 2023 budget numbers it seems the bus fares bring in around $3,000,000 and the ferry brings in another $3,000,000. The sales taxes we have been paying for “public transit” has brought in $57,000,000 for bus’s and $21,500,000 for ferries in just 2023. That’s around $79,000,000 combined. Of course operating expenses are present, like $55,000,000 for bus service and another $21,500,000 for ferry services. Notice on their budget papers that in 2023 Kitsap Transit showed a Net Income of $1,231,031 for bus service and a Net Loss of $234,234 for ferry services so a combined Net Income of $996,797 for 2023. Kitsap Transit’s 5 year projection shows a Net Loss in 2028 of $3,385,400. Of course they have Unrestricted Reserve funds available of around $23,000,000. Kitsap Transit even has Stimulus funding under Bremerton UZA Stimulus Funding ($24,801,572 combined bus & ferry) and Seattle UZA Stimulus Funding ($2,675,000 ferry only) in the 2023 budget.
Is Kitsap Transit being fiscally responsible? Remember the people on the board of Kitsap Transit are some of the same people that have sat on many boards over the years, including Housing Kitsap, which cost Kitsap taxpayers many millions of dollars and almost bankrupt Housing Kitsap a few years ago. Basically many entities will come to you for funds, whether a continuation of the Climate Commitment Act or increases in sales taxes or other revenue generating fees or taxes in the next few years. We have to ask those asking for funds to show how well they have been fiscally responsible in the past and to prove it, not just say they did good. The elected make mistakes, they are human, in most cases, and mistakes will be made. What is done after the mistake is found is the key element. Did they take responsibility? Did they ensure it will not happen again in some way visible and obvious to the taxpayers? Are they concerned with how funds are being spent or more interested in getting elected to office or advancing their political career in some way? It is interesting that all the initiatives were funded by one Republican millionaire, while Olympia has a Democratic majority in the legislature. Will we see a Democratic millionaire putting forward more initiatives in the future, or do they have enough clout in Olympia they don’t need to pay for an initiative? Interesting how politics works in Washington State isn’t it?
15 October 2024
This post is on the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Issues Forum for the 35th and 23rd Legislative Districts. For the 23rd District it is the Senator position. The incumbent Drew Hansen (D) has as his challenger Lance Byrd (R). In the 35th District it is for Position 2 as Representative. The incumbent, Travis Couture (R) has as his challenger James DeHart (D). The 35th District Position 1 incumbent is Dan Griffey (R) who is running unopposed and has not needed to attend the forums.
23rd District Drew Hansen DH Lance Bryrd LB
35th District James DeHart JD Travis Couture TC
This forum has the same setup, a 3 minute opening, 2 minute closing, 1 minute to answer the question and 2 red cards for an additional minute to challenge or explain in more detail.The challenge cards were not used. Of course there were issues with the microphones not working so the candidates had to speak up louder to be heard. Some did it well, at one point Hansen was almost shouting. On the other side at times it seemed others faded out a little. Of course the moderator microphones seemed to work, even with the voice of one moderator being a little higher frequency and difficult to hear at times. There were two trainee moderators, so they are learning. Of course my favorite question was first. This question, to me, shows if a candidate has any imagination or ability to really think out of the box. I think this year only one so far has not really answered the question, Tiffany Mitchell, if I remember correctly. This was not a big turnout, maybe 15 or so people not associated with the Chamber or video staff. I found out that Bremerton Kitsap Access Television (BKAT) does not record the event, a private party does. The private party will send BKAT the video at a future date to be put on the schedule. I found out the October 8th Eggs & Issues for the 26th District will show on BKAT 10/15 at 0800, 10/19 at 2200 and 10/20 at 1630. Yep, you missed a showing already. At some point after it shows on BKAT the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce gets a copy and they will have it available on their newsletter available on their website. Again a reminder these are my thoughts on what I saw and heard during the forum. The choice is yours to make, I will not tell you how to vote, I just tell you what I see and hear at a forum, but I encourage you to vote and to be an informed voter. Ask the candidates questions and hold them accountable.
1. With a magic wand, what one piece of legislation would you like to magically get signed by the Governor during the next legislative session? DH-create affordable public education including college LB-education, we need school vouchers JD-education, need to fully fund K-12 and build more schools TC-cost of living, needs us to lower taxes, Olympia budget doubled in 10 years, incomes did not
2. What is your #1 legislative priority for Kitsap County in the next session? LB-crime, change existing limiting laws, also need doctors JD-transportation, Gorst issues and ferries TC-drug abuse issues, public safety, homelessness and mental health issues DH-Ferries, drug treatment options and University access in Poulsbo
3. In Your Legislative District what do you see as the biggest impediment that is holding back growth in housing and jobs? JD-need to support small businesses TC-need infrastructure, water/power/sewer in rural areas to support growth DH-need training for workforce, a maritime academy LB-need to cut delays in permitting process and stable tax laws
4. In the next 2 year budget cycle in Olympia, what would be your #1 Capital Budget project to fund for Kitsap County? TC-that comes from constituents, need historical preservation and to restore community meeting facilities DH-a University building in Poulsbo, drug treatment mental health improvements LB-drug addiction issues JD-need more mental health and treatment facilities
5. What would you propose as solutions for the WSDOT Ferry system improvements? DH-pay workers better, funding has been a disaster, need maritime academy LB-electric ferry boondoggle, does not support Climate Commitment Act JD-agree with Drew, need maritime academy, need hybrid ferries TC-failure in leadership by WSF, bill to purchase two diesel ferries not passed by Olympia
6. In Your Legislative District what do you see as the biggest impediment that is holding back growth in housing and jobs? LB-permitting process JD-permitting process, time & cost TC-Growth Management Act (GMA) holds back growth DH-supports (Accessary Dwelling Units (ADU’s)
7. What is the biggest change needed in the Growth Management Act to support more entry level housing? JD-need partnerships for low cost housing, permitting issues too TC-don’t add to GMA, need to relax GMA DH-some legislation passed did help, need more housing density near transit LB-not familiar with GMA
8. What is the current state of health care in your district? TC-works on passing bills for special needs DH-need more hospital options in Kitsap LB-need another hospital and staff, better patient to nurse ratios JD-need more hospital. insurance companies increasing cost to patients
9. What is your take on the four initiatives? (I included what they are below, they each had two one minute times periods to speak) DH-capital gains, vote No, don’t repeal LB-natural gas ban vote yes, capital gains tax vote yes, it will increase JD-capital gains tax vote No, it doesn’t affect most of Washington and it funds education TC-climate act yes, gas hikes big LB-climate act yes, long term care yes JD-climate act, need to cap gas tax TC-climate act transfers wealth, doesn’t affect 35th district DH-climate act paying for ferries and free transit for under 18
I2066 Prohibit state & local governments from restricting access to natural gas.
I2109 Repeal the capital gains excise tax imposed on long-term capital assets by individuals with capital gains over $250,000.
I2117 Prohibit carbon tax credit trading and repeal provisions of the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act (CCA), a state law that provided for a cap and invest program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95% by 2050.
I2124 Allow all employees and self-employed individuals to opt out of paying the tax and receiving benefits under WA Cares, the state’s long term services and supports trust fund health care program.
10. What makes you more qualified to serve the residents/taxpayers in your Legislative District than your opponent? JD-I bring state experience and common sense TC-familiar with military, and I am a small business owner DH-I have made progress in the 23rd district, raised salaries of nurses LB-I look at data and information at my job, there are multiple system failures in Olympia and I am experienced in looking at issues
Interesting how I see some common threads. It seems the various Departments of Community Development (DCD for the County) have similar issues of high costs for permits and inspections and very slow turnaround. It’s nothing new of course, that has been issues at other elections too. I think things at the country level are worse than ever before and not much better at the city level, at least from what I hear. At some point those in power will have to take notice and actually address the permitting issues and the GMA’s effects on growth at the state, county and city levels. I think many lose sight of the fact the 35th District is very rural. The GMA says growth and development in rural areas should be limited. Basically, you can’t put in water, sewer and power to an area that is not part of an Urban Growth Area without a lot of barriers being thrown up.
I like hearing about a maritime academy, but the lack of a clear path, cost, and who pays are subtracting from the idea. I think the aviation targeted high school in Seattle works well, maybe that could be used as an example in Kitsap County (Raisbeck Aviation High School). It might work well with the project going on at the Port of Bremerton as they work on their Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) and STEM facility along with a professional racetrack. The Port of Bremerton has an airport, marinas and a racetrack already. Can you imagine a training facility that could cover trades that work in the maritime environment, in aviation and with high performance cars? That could be and should be a priority for local, state and federal politicians to create a world class learning center for a number of trades, talk about real workforce development. Funny how that seems to be not a subject of discussion at many levels.
Having more options for hospitals was mentioned a few times. Funny how no one raised the idea being thrown around a while back about a countywide hospital district with taxing abilities. That was the one that the District 2 County Commissioner said could leave out South Kitsap because they would never pass another tax. So South Kitsap would not pay the tax, but could benefit from the new facilities in Central or North Kitsap.
I had the boss with me this time. As I took notes she had a tendency to watch the candidates and the audience. It seems the candidates appeared stone faced most of the time, not really reacting to the questions or the responses from other candidates. It was enough that I noticed the same thing. There were some reactions, but much less than I have seen at previous forums. There was one audience member that was distracting, tapping on the table or making noise at times. Again, less audience reactions than before but then we had a much smaller audience too.
Upcoming next Tuesday, 22 October, is the Kitsap County Commissioners Candidates, all 5, if everyone shows up. That should be an interesting forum and I think the Chamber is expecting a big crowd. Yes, I have my questions ready, all the candidates have received a copy of the 18 original questions. Of course I have another 20 or so new questions ready too.
9 October 2024
Here we go for another Eggs & Issues forum at the Cloverleaf. This time it was the 26th Legislative District. That covers some of South Kitsap and Tacoma.
26th District Position 1: Adison Richards (D) Jesse Young (R) 26th District Position 2: Michelle Caldier (R) Tiffany Mitchell (D)
This was a first for me when it came to candidate participation. Michelle Caldier had other commitments and needed to attend this forum via a lap top FaceTime style of meeting. I am not sure what her view of the event was, but there was definite difficulty in getting her to stop talking at the end of her time limits. Speaking of time, it is interesting that this event started around 0808, at 0805 the only candidate at the tables was Michelle Caldier, on the laptop screen. It took a while to get everyone settled, sitting and ready to go, both candidates and audience. With Michelle Caldier going over the time limits on a regular basis I think the other candidates felt it was ok to fudge a little too. Not real bad but enough to get noticed and I think frustrate the timekeeper/moderators. It reminded me of the Big Bang Theory when Sheldon went to work via a robot/iPad remote. Imagine a future Eggs & Issues or League of Women Voters event with all the candidates using robot avatars.
Like before there was a 3 minute candidate introduction, a 2 minute closing, 1 minute to answer a question and 2 red challenge cards. They managed to get through 8 questions in the almost 90 minute forum. Again a reminder, this is my view of the event. What I heard and how I interpret the conversations. It is not a word by word transcription of events.
Michelle Cauldier MC Tiffany Mitchell TM Jesse Young JY Adison Richards AR
1. With a magic wand, what one piece of legislation would you like to magically get signed by the Governor during the next legislative session? MC- repeal policies that have increased taxes TM- need a ballot issue for a woman’s right to choose JY- need school choice AR- need term limits for executive offices, need a bill about housing issues
2. What is your #1 legislative priority for Kitsap County in the next session? TM- create more affordable housing supply side and renters side JY- need economic development zone in South Kitsap at Port of Bremerton AR- help small business owners MC- need a regional entity to train law enforcement
3. In Your Legislative District what do you see as the biggest impediment that is holding back growth and jobs? JY- permitting costs and lowering tax policies AR- permitting costs and workforce development MC- to many regulations or policies that have detrimental effects TM- agrees with everything so far, need better communications and workforce development
4. Regarding Olympias budget, what, if any, new tax would you support? AR- do not support income tax, need to do more with budget they have MC- does not support more taxes, if there are more workers then you get more taxes TM- need to look at efficiency, supports family leave tax JY- does not support tax increases, budget in Olympia has doubled in 2 decades.
5. In Your Legislative District what do you see as the biggest impediment that is holding back growth in housing? MC- the government, cost to just break ground high, permit approval costs TM- not sure, ask developers what are the issues JY- regulations, a non elected board in Seattle makes the decisions, too much funding going to Seattle (not sure what board in Seattle Young was talking about, he wasn’t specific or clear) AR- need a plan to build housing where it is needed, Republicans increased gas taxes (I am not sure about this statement, the video may make the point clearer) TM- need to ensure savings that builders get are passed to the consumers JY- gas tax increase has provided no value to Kitsap County, it all goes to Seattle and the board
6. What is the biggest change needed in the Growth Management Act to support more entry level housing? (a red challenge card was used on this question) TM- need more starter homes, impact fees have an effect JY- GMA is an urban model and does not consider the rural areas effectively AR- if no plan under GMA, could clear cut (he commented he does listen) MC- the Urban Growth Areas are an issue JY- need to empower at the local level, not a board in Seattle
7. What do you see as the priority in a “fix” for the SR16/SR3 congestion issues? JY- need bypass by connecting SR16 with SR3 Belfair Freight Corridor improvements AR- need to work with others, Navy etc. MC- its poor budget management, need federal support TM- Don’t know answer, need to fix, not sure how, need partners
8. What is your insight on the 4 Initiatives on the ballot? (I am including a quick synopsis of the initiatives below also candidates were given 2 one minute responses to the question)
I2066 Prohibit state & local governments from restricting access to natural gas.
I2109 Repeal the capital gains excise tax imposed on long-term capital assets by individuals with capital gains over $250,000.
I2117 Prohibit carbon tax credit trading and repeal provisions of the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act (CCA), a state law that provided for a cap and invest program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95% by 2050.
I2124 Allow all employees and self-employed individuals to opt out of paying the tax and receiving benefits under WA Cares, the state’s long term services and supports trust fund health care program.
AR- Yes on natural gas initiative, No on the other initiatives MC- Yes on all four TM- No on all, capital gains tax is for schools JY- Yes on all four, they increase taxes on the middle class, businesses leave due to high taxes AR- local jobs will go away if climate commitment act fails, need to address childcare MC- Democrats have an appetite for tax increases, the capital gain tax will spread TM- if climate act repealed, there are no replacement funds, need to fix JY- gas tax up $0.50, capital gains will target lower incomes, why pay for long term care and not sure you will get benefit
That ended the questions and they went into their 2 minute closing remarks. You can watch that on the video which may be available on BKAT or the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce websites.
What I took away was many candidates have little understanding of the Growth Management Act (GMA) and how it affects growth in Washington State. In 2015 Olympia took a look at the Growth Management Act. They went to the William D. Ruckelshaus Center for help. After $700,000 or so dollars and a few years of interviews and discussions with stakeholders, a Road Map to Washingtons Future was created. There are 4 volumes to the report, it includes information from many meetings and surveys (lots of reading). Elected at all levels of state, county and city were involved. Business was involved, developers, contractors and many others. Heck, I attended a few meetings and made comments too. You can Google the Road Map to Washington's Future and read all about it.
Copied from the project website was this: “To understand how the framework aligns with, creates barriers to, and/or supports the desired future of the communities it is meant to serve, the Project Team traveled across the state, gathering information and hearing from ~2,500 individuals, which included nearly 400 elected officials. The collection of information throughout the state occurred through individual and group interviews, multi-sector workshops, elected official workshops, regional/statewide groups workshops, government agency workshops, Latinx workshops, an electronic questionnaire, university student and faculty research, and review of previous related studies and engagement activities.”
The Legislature got the final report on 30 June, 2019. It gave six actions and a number of key reforms that could improve the current growth planning framework. It is a lot of reading, but it gives an idea that the GMA has issues. The real question is what has been done by Olympia regarding the report? What has changed? Most of the candidates have very little if any knowledge of GMA or the report that Olympia paid for in 2015. Almost 10 years after Olympia started the process to improve GMA we are still trying to figure out what to do. Sound familiar?
Jesse Young had an idea of a bypass around Gorst. I brought up an idea quite a few years ago about a bypass around Gorst on SR3. Basically go from around the Chico area to around the Sunnyslope Road area and bypass Gorst. That would could potentially shift traffic around Gorst and give time to come up with a more permanent solutions. Mr. Young’s idea of connecting with the Belfair Freight Corridor Bypass and connecting with SR16 is a potential solution, but I don’t think that much traffic goes from Belfair area to head towards Tacoma. I don’t know the traffic count from SR3 to SR16 towards Tacoma, but to me it seems the big blockage is where SR3 and SR16 meet at the overpass from Belfair. The merging of Belfair traffic with 2 lanes of SR16 traffic when combined with the sun in your eyes in the morning will always cause a backup. Add in an accident and traffic backs up past Sedgwick. To my mind, and I have lived here over 4 decades and dealt with the traffic for most of that, there are only 3 viable solutions. One is to build a bridge connecting SR3 with SR16 and have the Belfair SR3 traffic blend into that system. The second would be to build a bypass around Gorst. It would take looking at which direction would give the biggest bang for the buck in removing vehicles from the Gorst area. The third would be to build into the hillside and create a new 4 lane freeway high above the potential flood zone that is the Sinclair Inlet. It really comes down to time and money. The Belfair Bypass or renamed Belfair Freight Corridor has been going on over 2 decades and still hasn’t had a shovel in the dirt. Odds are anything to do with Gorst is even further out in the time line. Odds are WSDOT will also probably do another study and change the lines of travel at the overpass of SR304 coming out of Bremerton before we see anything substantial from Olympia or the federal government.
The candidates had some interesting things to say and showed various degrees of knowledge about the issues. Mitchell comes from Oregon and was in their Legislature. I am not sure that is the best thing to have on your resume. She also didn’t seem to have a good handle on many of the issues, affordable housing and Gorst seemed to stymie her. Young has his own baggage he brings to any elected position, not sure if that will help or hinder him as a candidate. Richards seemed eager to please everyone, he actually stood up when he spoke, I am sure the guys running the video equipment were kept busy following him. Caldier was Caldier. I have spoken with her on a number of occasions, she has always been willing to talk, even when I am not in her District. I give her good grades for that.
I tried finding the Eggs & Issues events on Bremerton Kitsap Access Television (BKAT) but haven’t been successful yet, it may not be available on BKAT. I did email BKAT to see what I could find out. I did find the Eggs & Issues from 9/17/24 on the 6th District Federal candidates on the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce website, it took some digging and I ended up going through their Chamber e-Newsletter Archives. The last newsletter was 2 October, and it had the video, with commercials of course. So a future e-newsletter will have the latest Eggs & Issues event. If I find out anything from BKAT I will post that later.
As a side note, the Cloverleaf does do a limited breakfast menu for the event. I had the Cloverleaf Special which was 3 eggs, hash browns, two sausage patties and toast for $16.36 with tax. I did notice that the previous Eggs & Issues I had the same menu item and it cost $22.91. So I look closer at the receipt and they charged a Large Party 20% fee, $3.55 on the bill. I hope the Cloverleaf doesn’t make that a habit, I am not sure an automatic 20% fee that most didn’t know about would be very well received and it was the first time I remember getting that added..
6 October 2024
This is my take on the League of Women Voters of Kitsap (LWVK) Candidates for County Commissioner forum held via Zoom on 3 October. The turnout by candidates was poor, at least for District 2 voters and taxpayers. District 1 had Christine Rolfes (D), the incumbent and Scott Hendon (R) as the candidates. For District 2, the two Republican candidates were no shows, but the official write in candidate, Darryl Riley did make an appearance. I am disappointed by the lack of showing by the two Primary winners for the District 2 County Commissioner position. I have tried to interact with both candidates via email to set up a meeting and gave an option of answering questions that I have via an e-mail. Both candidates took the option of responding to my list of questions and did not seem at all interested in meeting one on one. They had the questions on 22 August and I sent a followup request for a response on 17 September. I have received zero response from Sean Murphy (R) and Oran Root (R). It is interesting that during the Zoom meeting the only person not actually on video was Scott Hendon (R), he was audio only. I watched the Zoom meeting but missed the audio of the first 10 minutes due to technical issues on my side. Maybe there was an explanation for the missing District 2 candidates and the lack of video from the District 1 candidate I may have missed. But you have to wonder.
On to the questions,
Christine Rolfes- CR Scott Henden- SH Darryl Riley- DR
1. What is your priority for the first year? SH- Public safety and housing affordability DR- learn the job, meet people and assess needs CR- continue ongoing work, Kingston ferry terminal improvements and boarding pass,Comp plan changes and denser urban areas & public safety
2. How will you ensure the unincorporated Kitsap County voters and taxpayers will be heard? DR- meet people and find the people in the unincorporated areas CR- doing work now organizing town halls and meetings SH- lives in rural Kitsap, public meetings good if not controlled, have gone to farmers markets and there are formal and informal ways
3. What is the current plan to update the Comprehensive Plan? CR- How to accommodate the expected 75,000 people arriving in next 20 years SH- affordable housing issues, get rid of regulations fix permitting system DR- where will 75,000 people go to schools and fix the Gorst issues
4. As population increases how to increase/update infrastructure? SH- people want to know if county cares, people don’t think so now maybe ombudsman to help DR- built and founded by small businesses, give incentives to small businesses and builders CR-county needs to be small business friendly, looking at code enforcement with better customer service and workforce development
5. How can the county protect our natural environment? DR- more than a county issue, includes communities CR- best open space and parks system in the state, provide better access, the county plays a big role in providing water quality SH- county provides good buffers and parks
6. Are current impact fees and property taxes enough or do they need to increase? CR- we have a long term budget issue, as funding goes up slower than costs are rising, need to pay staff a fair and equitable salary SH- opposed to new taxes and impact fees, problem is with the metrics, DCD had 10 million in leftover funds DR- disagrees with Hendon, metrics are important, as to increasing fees and taxes we need to see if the taxpayers would support increases
7. As a County Commissioners, how would you interact with state and federal agencies? SH- would contact federal and state officials and talk DR- need collaborative work between state and federal and county CR- its all about collaboration and communications, SR305 work is and example as is the upcoming acquisition of 700 acres from DNR near Eglon Park.
That was it, 7 questions over about 45 minutes. The closing statements were interesting. Rolfes and Riley basically asked for your support and went over a little of their accomplishments, Hendon did some of that but I think spent more time attacking Rolfes than anything else.
The Zoom video should be on the League of Women Voters Kitsap website at https://www.lwv-kitsap.org/.
Again I will say I do not like the Zoom meeting format for a forum. I think much is missed when you can’t see the faces of the candidates throughout the event. Also the interactions between the candidates and the public is also interesting to watch. Simple things like does the candidate show up on time? Do they interact with the public before the meeting? Do they stick around and interact with the public and answer questions after the event? All of that shows something about the candidate and their election team.
Again, this is not a word by word dissection of the event, it is my take on what I see and hear. Did I miss things? Maybe. I know it is difficult to solve the world’s problems in 60 seconds, been there and tried that in past forums and debates. This is only shining a little light on the candidates from my point of view. Both the League of Women Voters Kitsap, Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce and the Bremerton Kitsap Access Television (BKAT) may have the videos from the various forums. I urge you to look up videos. Whoever wins will be part of how Kitsap County moves forward (or backward) over the next 4 years. Also VOTE as if your lives depend on it, Be informed and ask questions and be involved.
2 October 2024
This is the second Eggs & Issues for the General Election. There are 4 more scheduled in October. All will be at the Cloverleaf Tavern in Bremerton starting at 8AM.
08 October 26th Legislative District candidates 15 October 35th Legislative District candidates 22 October Kitsap County Commissioners candidates
Yes, the ballots come out around the 15th-18th of October and the election is 5 November. Basically the state mandates the ballots are mailed by the 18th and some jurisdictions mail them a few days earlier.
I didn’t really look at their political affiliation until I sat down to research and write this post afterwards. I could have easily guessed at which party each was just by the things they said and their attitudes. The format was the same, a 3 minute opening, 1 minute response and 2 minute closing. Each had two red cards to challenge a speaker. I may have missed it, but I do not think anyone challenged this time, unlike the federal District 6 candidates which used both challenges.
Again this is not a word by word discourse on what was said. I listen and write brief notes giving me an idea of what was said by the candidates. I like in person forums much more than I do the Zoom forum the League of Woman Voters has been doing. You see how if any, the candidates react to each other and their reactions to the answers their opponents are giving. You can tell a lot about people that way. Enough to change a vote? I think so, I know I have attended forums/debates where I changed how I would vote based on the attitude, presentation and character being shown by a specific candidate.
This was for the 23rd Legislative District Positions 1 & 2.
Position 1: Tara Simmons (TS) (D), the incumbent and Kurt Robertson (KR) (R) the challenger.
Position 2: Greg Nance (GN) (D), the incumbent and Jamie Miles (JM) (R) the challenger.
The first question out of the block is becoming a standard, With a magic wand, what one piece of legislation would you like to magically get signed by the Governor during the next legislative session? TS-tax relief for middle and low income. KR-capital gains tax to be removed GN-make child care comprehensive and affordable for working families JM- No such magic wand, need accountability
2. What is your #1 legislative priority for Kitsap County in the next session? KR-fix crime issues, data we are being given is false GN-Fix the ferries JM-need to ask why? over budget and overstaffed TS-support legislation for affordable housing
3. In Your Legislative District what do you see as the biggest impediment that is holding back growth in housing and jobs? GN-childcare needs and streamline permitting processes JM-need predictable and trustworthy regulations TS-need to become more attractive for businesses to come here KR-need law & order, too many crimes
4. What is holding back growth of housing in the district? JM-regulations, the when and how to build TS-permitting process and funding projects KR-need investment in rentals & allow landlords better control GN-permitting process needs fixed and more apprenticeships are needed
5. What is the biggest change needed in the Growth Management Act to support more entry level housing? TS-need more multi family housing KR-better permitting process (stated he had not read the GMA) GN-need incentives for builder and to use new tech like drones JM-difference between Bainbridge and Bremerton, need better & more stable zoning
6. What are your priorities for health care? KR-better emergency services, arrested need to visit hospital and are sometimes let loose vice going to jail GN-expand healthcare workforce, partnership with tribes, more mental health care funding JM-followup with primary care physicians, preventative care as a priority TS-help train and keep workforce, universal healthcare
7. Talk about the initiatives on the ballot. GN-voting No, they leave fiscal holes in budget JM-long term care, no, then something about someone being dropped on their head if they supported this. TS-voting No on capital gains tax, its going to education KR-voting yes on capital gains initiative GN-project safe roads in Bremerton funding and fast ferry funding at stake JM-how many times do you need to step on a rake? talk to students TS-reduce emissions, a PSE backed bill on natural gas removal KR-long term care, people need choice
8. In your district what is the #1 transportation issue? JM-issue of roundabouts and access to ferries TS-fix the ferries and expand Kitsap Transit KR-had 63 mile commute to Boeing, 3 hour backups, fix ferries and no electric ferry GN-fix the ferries
9. What do you see as the priority fix for the SR16/SR3 congestion issues? TS-need a multi government approach KR-could build a bridge but wider roads could save Gorst businesses GN-need partnerships, maybe Kitsap Transit, need more car pooling JM-use of existing rail system to serve park & ride maybe at Otto Jarstad Park with Navy/shipyard supplying security
So that was it, 9 questions covering a few subjects in little over an hour. Did I learn anything from this forum? I think so. It was a late start as Tara Simmons didn’t show up until almost 10 after, her opponent was doing his opening speech as she sat down. Another issue that seems typical at many events was the microphones. Not only will they malfunction at times, many people do not know how to use a microphone. Some you have to almost put in your mouth, very close to the lips while speaking. Others, like my Blue, can be adjusted to pick up voices from directly in front to hearing the all the room almost. It mostly is in the cost and tech that you buy. As someone who has worked on systems using microphones, direct wired is best and make sure you have plenty of extra batteries for the wireless microphones.
In general what I saw was two incumbents that have experience being challenged by two challengers who have had little, if any, experience in Olympia. No one really came up with solutions. Saying you want to increase the healthcare or ferry workforce, get Kitsap Transit to have better service, or create a better permitting process doesn’t really do anything. Where will funding come from for each of those solutions? A solution without funding is just wishful thinking, it is not a plan. One candidate did not like the magic wand question, at least from the response. I like it. It makes the candidate think of their priorities. What would be the one big thing to accomplish during their 2 year term of office? I am one of those who think you need goals, need challenged to improve and look for solutions to problems that haven’t even occurred yet. In the Navy I tried to not got to higher ups with problems, I went with solutions to issues, in some cases before the higher ups even knew there might be issues. Another candidate wanted to use the existing rail system to create a park & ride near Gorst with a direct run to PSNS. The park & ride would be fenced in with security looking at shipyard badges to allow people on the train. Personally I think that is a short sighted solution. Gorst has traffic issues, too many vehicles in the same general area twice a day and any fender bender can stop traffic for hours. Two solutions come to mind. A Gorst bypass. Run a 2 lane+ road from around the SR3 Chico exit to near the Sunnyslope/SR3 intersection. That would allow Bangor & other traffic to bypass Gorst. Of course if the Belfair Bypass is any indicator it may take a few more decades. Setting up the rail system with a station at the Port of Bremerton, and one in Mason County, one near PSNS and another near Bangor could serve as a major east/west public transit and freight system for a few counties. The Port of Bremerton could use the existing system for freight to the coast if they had a business that needed the system to move freight, there is a spur to the Port property afterall. A system like that could move freight and people from the coast to Bangor on a regular basis and bypass the Gorst bottleneck. But with 5+ decades of refusal from the Navy and the DOD and a lack of support from most of the elected in Olympia and the other Washington, it is unlikely to happen in my lifetime. Odds are we will still be having public meetings on the Gorst issue decades from now, basically status quo.
I am looking forward to the next 3 Eggs & Issues. My 35th District will be interesting as at times it seems the 35th District forgets Kitsap County is a part of the Legislative District. I am really looking forward to the District 1 and 2 Kitsap County Commissioners forum, especially if a write-in candidate participates.
20 September 2024
As it is a new election season and I did find that the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce is continuing the Eggs & Issues events, this starts the first of a 4 or 5 entries dealing with the General Election in November.
First of all I have been very disappointed in the election so far, the Primary was like a stealth election. I didn’t see a lot of involvement by the majority of the candidates. If I think it has been low key and I follow things in Kitsap as much as I can then those who do little research or are not involved are really out of the loop. I think the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce did not do Eggs & Issues for the Primary and the Kitsap League of Woman Voters was very focused on only certain primary candidates. It turns out the 35th Legislative District, of which much of South Kitsap is in, has its own League of Woman Voters who have a huge tendency to forget that Kitsap County is part of their Legislative District. Of course the Kitsap League of Woman Voters is much more concerned about the 23rd and 26th Legislative Districts and leaves the Kitsap County 35th Legislative District voters and taxpayers on their own to rely on a Mason County/Shelton oriented and focused League of Woman Voters. It is interesting how any Chamber of Commerce in South Kitsap doesn’t seemed involved in many ways when it comes to informing the people of the candidates. The Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce is focused on Silverdale and Central Kitsap. I do know at least a Port Orchard City Council member does moderate the event, but you do not see much involvement by any organization in South Kitsap beyond that. On the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce website they have their #1 Goal: “Promote Economic Vitality of Silverdale/Central Kitsap”. So again the attention to those who could inform the voters and taxpayers of the candidates leaves out South Kitsap. That seems to be a reoccurring theme over the decades.
I do want to thank the Cloverleaf Sports Bar & Grill for their work and service during the event. Having worked there many decades ago, I know a lot of work goes into preparing for an event. The food was very good as was the service. There was around 40 people present at the event.
The calendar schedule on the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce website has the next few Eggs & Issues happen in October. October 01 at 0800 at the Cloverleaf Tavern in Bremerton is the candidates for the 23rd Legislative District and on October 08 at 0800 at the Cloverleaf Tavern in Bremerton is the 26th Legislative District candidates. I was told on October 22 at 0800 at the Cloverleaf Tavern the candidates for the District 1 and District 2 Kitsap County Commissioners will be held. That was not on the Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce Event Calendar as of 19 September. As a reminder, the General Election will have ballots mailed out by law on or before 18 October if I remember correctly. I think the Kitsap County Auditor will have them mailed out a few days before that. Funny how the candidates that will have a huge affect on Kitsap County the next 4 years will not be heard until a week after the ballots come out and two weeks before the election. Two of the Kitsap County Commissioner positions are up for the election with only 1 incumbent, District 1. Remember the County Commissioner position is unusual in that the candidates run in their District in the Primary but run in all three Districts in the General Election. That has been a big reason South Kitsap has had a Republican win the Primary in the last 3 elections, but lose in the General to the Democrat candidate. It should be interesting with two Republicans in the General this year. Yes, I will be covering that Eggs & Issues very closely.
Now on to the Eggs & Issues forum at the Cloverleaf Tavern. Attending was Drew MacEwen (R) and Emily Randall (D) both trying to replace Derek Kilmer as Washingtons 6th District Representative in Congress. Before I go into the actual questions and responses I wanted to do some research on both candidates. I went to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website to see where funding for the candidates is coming from for the last 18 months. It was eye opening to say the least. First up was Drew MacEwen and his contributors. He had as of the 19th of September, 182 contributors ranging from Washington State Republican Party ($1,500) to Go Pac Go’s $2,500 contribution. Green Diamond Resource Company PAC gave $1,000 while David Mafrige gave $3,300 for the Primary & General. Even a Bruce Titus gave $1,000. Drew had contributions from a few states, WA, GA, OR, WI & TX. Most were well under $1,000. Emily on the other hand had 3,550+ contributions from WA, MD, NM, OK, IL, AZ, VA and some interesting ones from DC and MA. I did not look at all 3,500+ entries, but went over at least ⅓ or more of them. Emily received $2,000 from California Lofgren for Congress, United Food & Commercial Workers International Union from DC for $5,000 for the Primary and General and the Equality Project PAC gave $3,500 for the Primary and $1,500 for the General Election, both out of DC. The one that really stood out was ACTBLUE, a hybrid PAC out of MA focused on Democratic candidates & issues . I do not know how much they contributed total to the Randall campaign, but the FEC had 11,395 entries for Randall’s campaign ranging from $3.00 to $4,000 just from ACTBLUE. The FEC records showed ACTBLUE has contributed $1,993,411,376 over the last 18 months to various campaigns, including Randall’s. I have always found it interesting how many people outside our various legislative districts take great interest as to who is elected to represent us at the federal, state and local levels.
I will be adding my list of questions I submitted to the moderator at the Eggs & Issues event at the end of this entry.
Each candidate was given a 3 minute opening statement, 1 minute to answer questions and 2 minute close. They each had two red cards, or challenge cards, to further respond to an opponents comment. They did use both of them. The event was recorded by Bremerton Kitsap Access Television (BKAT). I think the video will be available on the BKAT or Greater Kitsap Chamber of Commerce websites, but as of 19 September I could not find it. The Kitsap Sun did do a short article in its September 19th issue on the event.
What I give is my impressions/understanding of the responses, not a word by word replication of the conversations. At times it is hard to hear the responses, especially when some in the audience seem to think it is ok to talk over the candidate to talk to their table companions. I would say for more details go to the video when it becomes available. Drew MacEwen is DM and Emily Randall is ER.
My favorite question that I have asked at many forums was first up.
1. If you had a magic wand, what piece of legislation would you pass in your first term? ER, Court reform, (I think it was targeted to the Supreme Court) DM, Balance the Federal Budget.
2. What common issues does Kitsap County have with the other rural counties in the district?
DM, Most very rural with more urban in Pierce and some of kitsap County. The lack of a skilled workforce and a failing education’s system are common to all. ER, Olympia is doing things to improve the education levels and there is an increasing cost to childcare.
3. How will you improve health care for the many active duty, retirees and Veterans and their families?
ER, health care has a primary care shortage and reimbursements rates need to be higher to attract more primary care services. DM, Naval installations and shipyard workforce need more investments in the workforce for health care.
4. The shipyard and Naval Bases have large projects coming up in the next decade, how will you help ensure the area is ready for the changes in traffic and additional people that the work will create?
DM, Billions will be spent investing in the area in the next decade. We need to federalize the Gorst traffic issues. ER, Olympia is funding Gorst studies now and we need better childcare and schools. DM, I2117 not a big issue, states budget has doubled in 10 years, it a lack of leadership not funding. ER, I2117 will cause budget cuts.
This was the first Red card question. One candidate seemed to want to defend Olympia and its fiscal policies while the other seemed to say the leadership in Olympia has been negligent in how it is spending funds.
5. They were asked their position on health care reforms.
ER, (I did not hear her response due to noise.) DM, has seen the reduction in military health care with demand up and supply down.
6. What is your priority for the Gorst traffic issues?
DM, Feds need to take over the Gorst issues and fix as it is a primary issue for the military to move people and freight. Need to use the existing rail line. ER, state money funding Gorst issues so needs are met for future planning and funding.
7. Should the DOD rail system be utilized for civilian traffic?
ER, need to look at Bus Rapid Transit and other options. There is a difference between moving freight and people. DM, supports it use and allow stops to pick up shipyard workforce in Mason County and transport to Kitsap military bases and shipyard.
8. What is holding back growth of jobs and housing in the district?
DM, lack of trained workforce and educational opportunities. ER, agrees workforce is the biggest challenge along with healthcare.
9. How to meet housing needs in the district. ER, need low income housing and housing for workforce. DM, difficult to build in Washington due to codes etc. Many issues contribute to lack of housing.
10. There are issues with permitting at all levels. What can you do?
DM, Don’t want feds dealing with permitting. ER, need training via apprenticeships and as a jump start.
Basically I think both are saying that permitting at federal, state, county and city levels relies on a trained staff with the knowledge to process the permitting requests and there are not enough trained people to fill the needed positions with knowledgable staff.
11. What can you do to to improve infrastructure supporting the rural communities?
ER, create paths for school students and increase the availability of broadband services and also childcare. DM, rural can’t support infrastructure projects and they need more affordable housing.
12. How will you improve health care for the many active duty, retirees and Veterans in District 6?
DM, need to bring back and increase health care at Naval Hospital bremerton. ER, need to add to the VA and improve wait times and work on dealing with mental health challenges.
13. If any, what new tax would you support and what should that tax be funding?
ER, need to look at bills effects and look at tax reform. DM, Do not support new taxes.
14. Do you support child tax credits?
DM, support it and it helps. ER, yes, it helped her family and families are struggling.
15. Is construction of EV facilities and lowering carbon use important?
ER, yes. DM, need a better handle on energy generation and transfer of that energy on the grid.
16. What are your thoughts on the immigration issues?
DM, it is an issue and many crossing are not families. Need a system to block undesirables and secure the borders. ER, supports bipartisan bill and there is danger at the border for immigrants.
17. How can you help WSF?
ER, state underfunds WSF and they need federal funds. DM, WSF fired ⅓ of the workforce during covid. The certification of mariners needs to be addressed to respond to the greater need for qualified workforce.
18. How should you fund your bills?
DM, go back to a balanced budget, stop using Continuing Resolutions. Address the issue of Navy building designing ships that fail and are retired after a decade of use. ER, need to see what works and need more oversight.
19. Regarding funding to schools from federal sources.
ER, CK gets federal funds, Bremerton doesn’t. DM, don’t want feds in education. expedite process for military to get educational certifications. Make trades education the same in all states.
20. What will add to politics in Washington State?
DM, need more practical people to build relationships. ER, bipartisanship is important.
21. What is your steepest learning curve in your first year representing District 6?
ER, big learning curve building relationships. The scale of what we represent and the size of the group, 535 representatives. DM, magnitude of size and a 5 hour travel each way. Need time to build and maintain relationships.
Closing comments and as part of that why would you be more qualified to serve the District 6 residents?
ER, proud of first place in Primary and has an open office door for constituents. DM, has well rounded resume, has Navy relationships from prior service, has worked as a state Senator and Representative and works with both sides.
That was pretty much it. Like I said I do not quote the candidates but hopefully you can find the video on BKAT or the Chamber websites. I hope this gave you some interest in learning more about those who want to represent you in the other Washington. I think one of the most telling things is how and where each candidate gets their funding from. I would like to think we choose our leadership, but now its all about the money and where it comes from and where it is going that really sets our path to the leadership that is set in position to represent us at all levels, not just federal.
Do your research, use Washington Public Disclosure Commission and the Federal Election Commission and really look at what the candidates are offering and who is funding them. Keep asking questions and demanding answers. When they get into office, make sure they are working for us and hold them accountable. We should not hear rumors or discussions on how difficult it is to contact our Representative in Congress. Ever who gets into office to Represent District 6 needs to follow Derek Kilmers lead in how to communicate with the constituents. My interactions with him were very good over the years.
Below it the list of questions I gave to the Eggs & Issues moderator. They did use a few of mine. Yes, I am working on the list of questions for the 23rd and 26th District candidates and the County Commissioner candidates.
Congressional District 6 U.S. Representative Questions:
1. If you win, what is your #1 priority for Congressional District 6 during your first term in office? Be detailed in your response.
2. What is your priority for the Gorst traffic issue in Kitsap County? Be detailed in your response and discuss funding sources.
3. Congressional District 6 is very rural with Clallam, Kitsap, Mason Jefferson and Grays Harbor Counties and parts of Pierce County included in District 6. What will you do to improve the infrastructure supporting the rural communities in the 6th District? Be specific in your response.
4. Do you think the DOD rail system that serves the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsula’s military bases should be used to also move freight and people to improve the rural counties ability to find jobs and increase the economies of the rural areas? Please explain your response.
5.There are many active duty, retirees and Veterans in Congressional District 6, what will you do to improve health care for them and their families? Please explain in detail.
6. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Naval Base Kitsap/Bangor have large projects upcoming. What will you do to help ensure the area is ready for the increase in traffic and people that the projects will create in the next decade?
7. What is your #1 priority specifically for Kitsap County in your first term? Be specific what you want to accomplish.
8. What makes you more qualified to serve the residents of District 5 than your opponent? Be specific in your response.
9. In Congressional District 6 what do you see as the biggest impediment that is holding back the growth of jobs and housing? Be specific in your response.
10. If any, what new tax would you support and what should that new funding accomplish? Be specific in your response.
11. Congressional District 6 is made up of Kitsap, Clallam, Mason, Jefferson and Grays Harbor Counties and parts of more urban Pierce County. What common issues does Kitsap County have with the other areas you represent and how will you address those common issues. Be specific in your response.
12. With a magic wand, what piece of legislation would you pass in your first term as Representative for District 6? Why is this legislation important to you and to District 6 residents?
26 July 2024
I posted earlier on the Kitsap League of Women Voters forum and the responses from the 3 Democratic candidates that showed up. I am not sure that the Republican or the Abe Lincoln Democrat Party candidates were even invited to this League forum. If this was a Kitsap League of Women Voters forum just for the Democratic side I am very disappointed in the Kitsap League of Women Voters. If the other 3 candidates were invited but chose not to attend I am very disappointed in them as well.
I sent all 6 Kitsap County Commissioner District 2 Candidates a list of 3 questions using the email in the Voters Pamphlet that I pulled from my question bank on 7/11/2024. I had one, Stacey Smith, acknowledge the receipt of the questions and she stated response would be forthcoming. That arrived on 7/17. I commented on a Facebook post about the lack of response by the candidates and Matt Macklin, responded on Facebook that he had not received the e-mail but came back shortly after and said he had found it in his Junk folder. I received his response on 7/25/2024.
Below are the responses from both candidates with minimal editing by me to just fit it to my format. At the end of the candidates responses I will give my opinion on their response and opinion on the other 4 candidates.
Response from Stacey (Spencer) Smith:
1. Within your Commissioner District, what percentage of residents/taxpayers live in unincorporated Kitsap County (not within Bremerton or Port Orchard city limits)? How will you ensure their voices are heard when it comes to growth, development and infrastructure improvements in District 2? Be specific in your response.
There are approximately 280,000 people living in Kitsap County and roughly 93,000 people reside in district 2. Port Orchard’s city population is 16,000. Bremerton’s (total) city population is 44,000 and divided in ½ equates to 22,000. For estimates, 38,000 of the 93,000 the population lives inside a city jurisdiction. This is approximately 40% of the district 2 general population resides within city limits and 60% resides in the unincorporated areas.
My experience on the Kitsap Department of Community Development planning commission representing South Kitsap developing the 20 year strategic plan for growth, as well as developing two Kitsap Aging 4 year strategic Area Plans has underscored the importance of a strong communication plan to ensure community voice is solicited, received and incorporated into planning for growth, development and infrastructure.
A strong communication plan includes a multi-facet approach to ensure community members are aware of upcoming projects, project progress and opportunities to review and provide feedback. Kitsap County uses a variety of social media platforms to share information or meeting invitations (Facebook posts, Next Door Apps, Instagram, and X), outreach to local news group through press releases, featuring projects in newspaper articles, and other targeted media outreach. The Gov.Delivery notification system is available as a self-serve sign-up notification system for individuals to select topics of interest and how they want to receive information (email or text options). There are also opportunities to provide general feedback at standing public meetings, such as the Board of County Commissioners or Planning Commissioner meetings, that occur twice a month. Lastly, the traditional “yellow” postings on physical properties is also a useful way for local neighborhoods to be informed of upcoming projects and feedback opportunities.
As community-based plans and projects are developed, local government strives to establish strong connections with residents. Engaged communities are thriving communities. Feedback is solicited through community forums, townhalls, public hearings and work study sessions, as well as posting draft documents for community review and feedback on websites. Press releases and notification alerts are data driven strategies to connecting community.
As a Kitsap County employee, I have developed and analyzed community needs assessments to identify gaps and assess solutions. I have conducted community surveys, focus group interviews, and townhalls to present data, proposed successful strategies, and collect feedback.
With my experience in county government, conducting community needs assessment, 30 years living in the district and being district 2’s planning commissioner, I am best equipped to be the voice for district 2 as we continue to grow.
2. Kitsap County Commissioners sit on a number of boards and committees. What specific board or committee do you look forward to being a part of? Explain why that particular board or committee attracts your interest.
There are about 20 different boards and committees that Kitsap County Commissioners members participate. Some are local, regional (multi-county), statewide, and a couple national.
I am most looking forward to joining the Kitsap Public Health Board. I attend the monthly Board meetings as a member of the public. I appreciate the community project updates, status updates on our community’s health, special project presentations to ensure our community is aware of the broad array of services and information available through our local health district. The information is well presented and easily understood. I enjoy learning about my community and how we can thrive together.
The other Board I’m excited to join is the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) executive board. Kitsap Commissioner Charlotte Garrido currently sits on this board. Josh Brown, the PSRC Executive Director, is a former Kitsap County Commissioner. Nancy Buonanno-Grennan, the PSRC Deputy Director, is a former Kitsap County Administrator and Human Resource Director. I would use my existing relationships to advocate for District 2. I believe there are opportunities to learn from other regional models that are working well.
3. In your opinion, which would potentially bring more economic growth to South Kitsap, the proposed Community Center in downtown Port Orchard or the proposed STEM Educational Center & Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) facility in conjunction with a professional racetrack on the Port of Bremerton property? Be detailed in your response as to why one or the other could potentially have a greater fiscal impact in South Kitsap.
The Port of Bremerton Circuit of the Northwest project includes a racetrack, concert venues, townhomes, and other recreational/ tourism related activities. It’s a BIG project that has struggled with securing funding. It’s deadline for securing funding has been extended three times. If it is funded, it could potentially bring more economic growth to our area; however it may be sporadic, or specific to an event or season.
The Port of Bremerton is ranked the #1 port in Washington State. It is recognized for its leadership and ability to attract successful business models. It generates approximately $1 billion revenue to Wahington State. As District 2 Commissioner, I would rather focus on investing in economic growth that focuses on keeping our community healthy, maintains our character, compliments the existing businesses at the Port’s industrial park, preserves green space, and embrace innovative new businesses to Kitsap- like clean energy.
Response from Matt Macklin:
Dear Mr. Gay, Thank you for reaching out with your questions and for your patience in awaiting my response. I appreciate your engagement and look forward to addressing your questions. Below are my responses to your queries with specific ideas for county policy incentives and implementations that can accomplish the goals presented: 1. Within your Commissioner District, what percentage of residents/taxpayers live in unincorporated Kitsap County (not within Bremerton or Port Orchard city limits)? How will you ensure their voices are heard when it comes to growth, development and infrastructure improvements in District 2?
Be specific in your response.
Unincorporated Kitsap County Residents Approximately 75% of residents within Commissioner District 2 live in unincorporated Kitsap County, outside the limits of Bremerton and Port Orchard. Ensuring their voices are heard is crucial for balanced growth and development. I propose the following strategies: Regular Town Halls and Listening Sessions: The primary tenant of my campaign is “Leadership that listens. Action that Delivers.” That was chosen not as something that sounds good, because it embodies my record and approach to effective leadership and operations. I would implement a policy to hold monthly town halls and listening sessions in various unincorporated areas. These meetings can be formalized through a county resolution, ensuring that they are scheduled and conducted regularly. I have already begun doing this during my campaign. Reinviting local media outlets to board meetings will also re-engage the public with what has in recent times been under-whelming county government. Community Advisory Boards: Establish advisory boards through an ordinance that mandates the inclusion of representatives from unincorporated areas. These boards would meet quarterly and provide direct feedback to the County Commissioner on growth and infrastructure issues. Our boards are key to subject matter expertise, and this also goes for geographic immersion. Digital Engagement: Develop a county-funded digital engagement platform where residents can submit feedback, participate in surveys, and join virtual town hall meetings. This platform can be integrated with existing county websites and social media channels. This platform may also act as a more effective way to elicit and ensure public comment. Transparent Communication: Create a county policy that requires regular updates on development projects and infrastructure improvements to be published in a dedicated section on the county’s website and distributed via email newsletters. This policy would ensure accountability and transparency in all communication efforts.
2. Kitsap County Commissioners sit on a number of boards and committees. What specific board or committee do you look forward to being a part of?
Explain why that particular board or committee attracts your interest.
Board or Committee Involvement I am particularly interested in joining the Kitsap County Planning Commission and PSRC. These committees plays a vital role in shaping the future of our community through oversight of land use, zoning, and comprehensive planning. My focus would be on: Sustainable Development: Advocate for the implementation of a Green Building Incentive Program, which offers tax credits and expedited permitting for developers who incorporate sustainable practices and energy-efficient designs in their projects. We should aim to make KC a hub of green energy jobs and development. Affordable Housing: Propose a policy that allocates county funds to a Housing Trust Fund, which would provide low-interest loans and grants to developers building affordable housing units. This can be coupled with inclusionary zoning policies that require a percentage of new developments to be affordable. Infrastructure Improvements: Champion the adoption of a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that prioritizes infrastructure projects based on community input and needs assessments. This plan would be reviewed and updated annually to ensure it remains aligned with growth patterns and community demands. This goes beyond the current process seen in the Comprehensive plan de
3. In your opinion, which would potentially bring more economic growth to South Kitsap, the proposed Community Center in downtown Port Orchard or the proposed STEM Educational Center & Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) facility in conjunction with a professional racetrack on the Port of Bremerton property?
Be detailed in your response as to why one or the other could potentially have a greater fiscal impact in South Kitsap.
Economic Growth Potential Both the proposed Community Center in downtown Port Orchard and the STEM Educational Center & EVOC facility with a professional racetrack have significant potential for economic growth in South Kitsap. However, I believe the STEM Educational Center & EVOC facility could potentially bring greater fiscal impact for several reasons: Job Creation: Implement a Workforce Development Program in partnership with local educational institutions and businesses. This program would focus on training and certifying residents for jobs created by the STEM center and EVOC facility, ensuring that local talent is utilized. Attracting Investment: Establish a Business Improvement District (BID) around the proposed facility to attract investment and enhance local infrastructure. The BID would fund improvements such as enhanced public transportation, parking facilities, and beautification projects, making the area more attractive to investors and visitors. Education and Training: Secure state and federal grants to support the establishment of the STEM Educational Center. This funding would help develop cutting-edge programs that attract students and educators, positioning South Kitsap as a leader in STEM education. Diverse Revenue Streams: Develop a revenue-sharing agreement with the facility's operators, ensuring that a portion of the profits from events and programs is reinvested into the community. This could fund local schools, public safety initiatives, and community projects. Community Engagement: Form a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to manage the development and operation of the facility. This partnership would involve local businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies, ensuring that the project benefits the entire community and aligns with local needs. At the end of the day, there is always benefit from discussion and perspective. I am committed to working collaboratively with all residents to ensure a prosperous and inclusive future for South Kitsap. Should you have any further questions or require additional information, please feel free to reach out. Matt
My response and opinions follows.
This is a little different from a League Forum or debate as the candidates have as much time as they want to answer and can research their information used to respond to the question. Sometimes this is better than the 60 second response at a debate or forum, assuming of course the candidates don’t get the questions to be asked days before the event. I think a mix of the two is important to see how a candidate thinks and how knowledgeable they are. How well do they respond to a random question thrown at them versus a question they can research and really think about it over a few days.
Regarding the first question on how two involve those in South Kitsap that are not in an incorporated area I find very important. Commissioner District 2 has all of Port Orchard and significant part of Bremerton under its umbrella, but the majority of the voters and taxpayers live in unincorporated Kitsap which is some of the Navy Yard City area and areas South of SR3. Both Bremerton and Port Orchard also have areas that are part of their Urban Growth Area (UGA), which are areas that the cities should annex at some point. Those UGA’s are targeted by the Growth Management Act (GMA) to receive the majority of the growth in unincorporated Kitsap.
Stacey says communications is a key element and relies on many of the existing methods of contacting residents, social media, Gov.Delivery, and public meetings. Matt talks about Town Halls, Community Advisory Boards, digital engagement, and transparent communications. I use many of those sources to follow what is happening in Kitsap County. They are useful. My best information was when I attended as many if not more meetings than the County Commissioners did. Has any candidate for the Board of County Commissioner (BoCC), or even the present County Commissioners attended a Kitsap Public Utilities District (KPUD) or Port of Bremerton meeting? Some may not have noticed but unincorporated South Kitsap is rural, very rural. We don’t have facilities for community meetings that are close to where we live. When I was on a Wicks Lake/Coulter Creek committee we met at Long Lake. Believe it or not with SR16 dividing South Kitsap you have two different areas that have been ignored for many decades, East and West of SR16 is a very interesting mixture of people and lifestyles. Matt says he would have monthly Town Halls in various unincorporated areas. Odds are they will be in the UGA of a city because that is where the growth is going and where potential meeting locations could be found. The unincorporated areas outside the UGA’s have few meeting places that could hold a town hall. Long Lake has been used, but again there is a difference between east and west of SR16.
Regarding the Boards and Committees, Stacey was very interested in the Kitsap Public Health Board, which she attends already as a member of the public and the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). Matt was interested in the Kitsap County Planning Commission (which Stacey attends as a member representing District 2) and the PSRC. He was interested in shaping the future of the community. I am not sure an active County Commissioner sits on the Planning Commission, I think they assign a volunteer and get reports/recommendations from the committee, but I may be wrong. Matt also wants to create a Housing Trust Fund and a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that goes beyond the Comprehensive Plan CIP. That should be interesting, especially for funding.
Last was the two big projects in District 2, the Community Center in downtown Port Orchard and the STEM/EVOC/Racetrack facility on the Port of Bremerton property. First of all remember that the Port of Bremerton is part of the City of Bremerton, the city goes all the way along SR# to the Mason County line. The Community center is within the Port Orchard city limits. That has big tax implications for both cities along with potential revenue windfalls. Stacey doesn’t seem to think the funding for the Racetrack is really secure but if it was fully funded could have a big, but sporadic impact, while Matt thinks the STEM/EVOC facility could have much greater fiscal impact. Stacey did say she would want rather focus on investing in the Port of Bremerton Industrial Park potentially with “clean” industries.
If you don’t know what is going on at the Port of Bremerton there is movement towards a professional racetrack/entertainment facility that would include a STEM facility and a EVOC facility. The infrastructure to develop the area is already underway. STEM is education targeted to Science, Technology, Engineering & Math. The potential to create a facility that could work with the local high schools and Olympic College to create programs to support Marine, Air and other technological fields and could have a huge impact well beyond Kitsap County. An example is Raisbeck Aviation High School in Tukwila. The Port of Bremerton has an airport and marinas so the potential is huge. The EVOC is the Emergency Vehicle Operators Course. It is a course that is given to police, sheriffs, firemen, ambulance and other emergency vehicle operators. I have taken the course and it is very informative and very, very useful to the emergency vehicle operators. It has been given on the abandoned airstrips on the Ports property but that area is being opened to development and will be lost for use as an EVOC facility. The local EVOC is used by many areas outside Kitsap County and brings in people from all over the state. It is a very important faculty to have, especially as they operators would have to be sent out of county for the course.
Now for the District 2 candidates and my opinions.
Paul Nuchims (Abe D) wasted his time and money running for office. But it is his time and his money to spend.
Sean Murphy (R) seems more politically driven than community driven. He has ideas, like a bounty on fentanyl dealers but doesn’t really make it clear where the funding is coming from. Also his idea on train service needs a few reality checks. Why should I as a Kitsap resident help pay for a train service to just PSNS and Bangor? I would think the federal government would be the entity for that, not Kitsap County. And yes the idea or a few like that have been brought up before. Heck the rail goes all the way to the coast so it could be a true rail transportation system for more than just Kitsap County, but I seriously doubt the feds would buy off on the concept nor would voters support funding a rail line to shipyard workers and not the rest of the public. I wonder if Sean talked to the Port of Bremerton at all on the subject?
Jeff Coughlin (D) is a current Bremerton City Council, he is knowledgeable but he is a Bremerton City Council member and I do not think he really speaks for South Kitsap. I would not feel represented on the Board of County Commissioners with him as the District 2 Commissioner. I think he would be very focused on what he could do for Bremerton and forget that the great majority of District 2 lives South of Gorst.
Orin Root (R) has run for this position before. I have met with him in the past and I was impressed. I am disappointed he did not respond to the email with my questions, but such is the arena of digital communications. His website has some things like public safety where he will work with the Sheriff to ensure they have resources. In the past out of 3 County Commissioners I think only one actually visited the jail and had an idea of how it operated. I do not think the present County Commissioner Garrido has ever visited the Kitsap County Jail and considering the Sheriffs Department, which includes the Jail, is 60% plus of the budget you would think it would attract an occasional visit. I think past commissioners didn’t really want to know the things that might bite them in the budget, and the Jail is a big one. Also the front line Deputies should be recognized more often than the occasional BoCC meeting. I think every Kitsap County Commissioner should do a Ride Along and a visit to the jail twice a year. I find it interesting that many candidates are calling for the Department of Community Development (DCD) to streamline permitting. I have been to many meetings precovid and I am sure that was being done on a regular basis so I wonder what happened at DCD to get it to the condition it is in now, is it a leadership problem at multiple levels? Orin has a chance to win the Primary as Commissioner Garrido has not won a Primary, she comes in second. It’s the rest of the county that typically choses the commissioner for South Kitsap. I like that in the past Commissioner Wolf was a Republican and brought another point of view to the BoCC. Maybe we need that again.
Matt Macklin (D) I think is a big supporter of a hospital district in Kitsap County. You can see his responses to the 3 questions I asked. His website has the standard “beat my chest” accomplishments but it is short on actual answers. I would have to ask how he would accomplish things like “Prioritize the growth of small businesses in Kitsap County…”. I see many of his ideas as needing funding and I wonder where this funding will come from. Things like a Green Building Incentive Program offering tax credits and expedited permitting. Not sure how expedited permitting will fit well in a DCD that seems to be overwhelmed at this point. What I don’t see on his website is how he will work for South Kitsap. What will he bring to the table specifically for South Kitsap?
Stacey (Spencer) Smith (D) has been involved with Kitsap County for 25 years. She attends many of the same meetings as the BoCC. She is very knowledgeable when it comes to the social issues facing Kitsap County. She has served on the Planning Commission and is familiar with things like the Comprehensive Plan and GMA. I gather she is also a supporter of a hospital district in Kitsap County. What bothers me is the potential for her to be just a clone or echo of the outgoing Commissioner. I would like to see and hear things that would make her stand out from Commissioner Garrido. If she makes it into the General I will be looking for that from her. I do not think we need another commissioner for South Kitsap that seems uninterested in many aspects of the job. I would be impressed with any sitting commissioner or commissioner candidate who actually visits the jail and does a ride along with a Deputy. Her website seems to concentrate on social polices dealing with housing and behavioral health issues. I didn’t see anything regarding the current issues with DCD or Sheriffs Department, it was very ‘social issues’ focused.
This is the Primary so only the top two will go on to the General.
In no special order I have 3 that could be a decent pick to represent South Kitsap:
Oran Root (R) Stacey (Spencer) Smith (D) Matt Macklin (D)
Please look at their websites, attend forums and debates and ask questions.
Please vote, it counts.
22 July 2024
I have a few things to discuss today. I would have posted sooner but I decided to wait to see if I received any other responses. That and I have been with my spouse as she had a 3 way bypass done last week.
The Kitsap League of Women Voters had an online Zoom forum last week for the District 2 Kitsap County Commissioner candidates. Of course not everyone showed up. The two republicans were a no show as was the Abe Lincoln Democrat Party. I get the feeling the republicans think the League is a little biased politically, just a guess on my part of course.
The Kitsap League of Women Voters doesn’t count the voters in the 35th Legislative District as part of Kitsap it seems. They rely fully on another group to keep 35th Legislative District Kitsap County residents in the loop. I don’t think that has worked well at all myself.
Before I discuss the forum, I did send a list of 3 questions to all six candidates using the email address in the Kitsap County Official Voters Pamphlet. Out of the six candidates I received one response, that from Stacey (Spencer) Smith. She acknowledged the receipt of the questions but said she would answer them later. I received them after the forum of course. Another candidate said basically they did not receive the questions. He, Matt Macklin, said later he had found them in his junk file. I have yet to receive a response to the questions from Matt. It may be a good idea for candidates to look how the email system actually works and check their junk file.
As a side note the candidates were asked 7 questions during the forum. As typical I did send a few questions to the Kitsap League of Women Voters (16) and they used at least 4 of the questions at the forum.
I don’t record what I hear so there will be gaps and issues at times but I try to tell the story I hear as I hear it and remember it.
I won’t go through the introductions, you can go to the Kitsap League of Women Voters website and see the video. Also the first question dealt with their budget experience and of course they all had some experience with budgets, large and small.
The second question dealt with their top priorities. Stacey had issues with increasing housing and increasing behavioral health care access. Jeff says he will meet with all staff in the first 100 days and housing, growth, health care, transportation, ferries, roads and public safety are all priorities. Matt says the housing crisis/supply and public safety are the priorities.
Question 3 was how to support growth and infrastructure and economic development. Jeff said DCD permitting has issues and the ferries need addressed. Matt said he needed to better understand the DCD issues and would look for private/public partnerships. Stacey said to use the Port of Bremerton as an example and use their and the cities knowledge and skills to help with the growth.
Question 4 dealt with impact fees/property taxes and were they sufficient. Matt says there is always waste and never enough funding. He mentioned a hospital district. Stacey says impact fees cover costs and are they actually doing that would be a question to be answered. Jeff says it’s up to the citizens about taxes.
Question 5 dealt with the Growth Management Act (GMA) update and what were their concerns. Stacey said we needed to go for fewer single family homes and have greater density in growth. Jeff said there needed to be multiple forms of housing and Matt said GMA was not working good.
Question 6 dealt with the many thousands of voters and taxpayers who live in District 2 and are not in an incorporated area and how will they ensure their voices are heard when it comes to growth in South Kitsap. Jeff keep doing what he does as a Bremerton City Council member and meet people.Matt says he his always on duty and attends events. Stacey says she has lived here 30 years, goes to local meetings and uses social media.
The last question dealt with what boards or committees would they most look forward to being on. All three seemed to be very interested in sitting on the Kitsap County Public Health District Board. I found that very interesting and worrisome to a point. Matt talked a little about a lack of coordination in the county. Stacey said she looked forward to be on the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) while Jeff was interested in Kitsap Transit, Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council, PSRC and Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA).
I got the impression that all 3 were supporters of a Kitsap County Hospital District that would be supported by an increase in property taxes. This is the same thing that the incumbent Commissioner said she would be ok in leaving out South Kitsap from the district but still let them use the facilities. Personally I would have to really look at what a hospital district could provide and the property tax increases that would entail. I have spent the last week at the hospital facilities in Silverdale as my spouse had a 3 way bypass last week. It has been very interesting week or so to say the least.
I do not know what has happened at the County over the last few years. Many people I knew have left, including department heads and staff at many levels. I have noticed that the commissioners, at least the one that represents District 2 does not return e-mails and Public Works has a great tendency to not contact the voters and taxpayers when questions are asked. I have been told you must go through some administrator before you can even talk to a commissioner. How true it is I do not know, it is just what I have been told the last few months. If you do not know, I ran for District 2, 3 elections ago, and for another 4 or 5 years attended hundred of meetings of the BoCC, KRCC, KT, KPUD, PoB and many others so I do have a little experience in how things used to work. The push for a hospital district is interesting. In the meantime Silverdale is a big the economic driver for Kitsap County and odds are it will incorporate in the next 5 years, if not sooner. The candidates did not seem to really have a good feel for the GMA and how it has affected growth for the last 20+ years. I did not even bring up the study done by the legislature a number of years ago on how to better the GMA. It’s funny as I see the issues with DCD (Department of Community Development) as having a big influence on the housing issues. The GMA drives development and does give many restrictions on where growth happens. GMA and DCD are not coordinated to deliver less expensive housing. It is coordinated to follow the market and the market for housing has been high for a number of decades. Bottom line the only way to have affordable housing is to have government subsidies, one way or the other. When a city/county gives a developer a tax incentive, it falls on the rest of the taxpayers to take up the slack. It also reduces the taxes all of the 41 taxing districts in Kitsap County receive for term of the incentive. Bainbridge Island had a method/process I think was viable for long term affordable housing, but no one else seems to want to copy that particular process.
I do not think the County Commissioner for the last 12 years has really worked for South Kitsap. We have been at the bottom of the list for many things. We are rural, which GMA hates in many ways when it comes to development and the infrastructure needed to support growth. So the Bremerton and Port Orchard incorporated areas get 95% of the attention even though they are maybe 40% of the voters and taxpayers in South Kitsap. I think we need a Commissioner that at least recognizes this issue.
After the Primary I will concentrate on the two candidates and will try to set up a meeting one on one to ask questions and of course attend forums or debates as I can.
Ballots are out, so VOTE!!
13 July 2024
It has taken time to get back to updating the website as Domain.com did a major upgrade in April and I lost my access to the website in the way I had been accessing it for 5 0r 6 years. But I am back now. Like I mentioned in a previous post the 2024 election will be interesting to say the least. So I will be posting some of the election issues I see and I will be asking candidates questions and add their responses. I will also post on news articles, news articles regarding development and other government actions that I think need to be looked at closer. I also have a Facebook group called Peninsula Bridge to Bridge. In that I discuss the restaurants we go to and the businesses we visit. I will continue that on this website and will expand on what I think went well, or not, with my visit to the business. I may attend a few meetings, but nothing like I did precovid.
I wanted to attend the Eggs & Issues like before but I have seen nothing about the Chamber of Commerce having those again. I contacted the Kitsap League of Women Voters and found out they are doing remote events and to top it off, the 35th Legislative District was done months ago and not part of the wrongly named Kitsap League of Women Voters. It seems those in Kitsap County 35th Legislative District are not considered to be part of Kitsap County League of Women Voters concerns.
So first up this month is a few questions I sent to the Kitsap County Commissioner District 2 candidates. I used the Kitsap County Voters Pamphlet to get the 6 candidates email addresses as follows:
Jeff@KitsapForCoughlin.com JEFF COUGHLIN
Murphy4kitsap@gmail.com SEAN MURPHY
info@mattmacklin.com MATT MACKLIN
electoran@root4kitsap.com ORAN ROOT
info@Smith4Kitsap.com STACY SMITH
pnuchims@aol.com PAUL NUCHIMS
So far I have had 1 response as of 13 July and that was from Stacy Smith saying they were good questions and she would respond later with her response. Here are the questions I asked from my candidate question bank:
1. Within your Commissioner District, what percentage of residents/taxpayers live in unincorporated Kitsap County (not within Bremerton or Port Orchard city limits)? How will you ensure their voices are heard when it comes to growth, development and infrastructure improvements in District 2?
Be specific in your response.
2. Kitsap County Commissioners sit on a number of boards and committees. What specific board or committee do you look forward to being a part of?
Explain why that particular board or committee attracts your interest.
3. In your opinion, which would potentially bring more economic growth to South Kitsap, the proposed Community Center in downtown Port Orchard or the proposed STEM Educational Center & Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) facility in conjunction with a professional racetrack on the Port of Bremerton property?
Be detailed in your response as to why one or the other could potentially have a greater impact in South Kitsap.
Yes, I have a question bank of questions I have asked candidates over the last 10 years, its funny how many are still relevant today. When I receive a response I will post that response on this website.
On another note, Kitsap County Public Works has a number of road projects this year. One is near where I live on Glenwood Road. They are continuing the road improvement project that was started decades ago on Glenwood Road. It originally was to start back in May but it seems the contractor can't start work until the utility companies accomplish their work in moving the utilities. So far it seems Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Astound and Century Link have better things to do so this project is on delay until the utility work is done and the contractor can go to work. I hope it starts soon as I don't want road work going on in the late fall/early winter time frame. The detours add a few miles every trip to our outings. The lack of communications between Kitsap County Public Works and the public is interesting. I had asked question about the delay using Kitsap1. I received a response that the question had been forwarded to Public Works. I received a response from Theresa Smith who said the same thing Kitsap1 said which was they forwarded the question to Julie Hamon who is the Assistant Construction Manager. After a week or so I sent an e-mail to Commissioner Garrido regarding the lack of Public Works response and have not heard from her either. There is a communications breakdown in the county offices I think.
If you did not know, Kitsap Transit is building a big Transit Center near the intersection of Sidney and Sedgwick. You can see the work trailer in the lot on Sidney, that work should be starting soon. As a matter of fact Port Orchard put out a request for bid on a project in the same area. There is a creek nearby & WSDOT is building a new fish friendly culvert across SR16 now for Blackjack Creek. The city will be adding a lift station just feet from Ruby Creek (which feeds into Blackjack Creek) on the corner of the Transit Center property. It will serve 1900 ERU's and support the Transit Center and other growth in the area. It will have a wet well, two submersible pumps, 750gpm capacity, a backup diesel powered pump, generator and all support equipment. The ERU is Equivalent Residential Unit, it is used as a billing method for sewer/water systems. One ERU basically being the water one single family home typically uses. A business might be set at 2 ERU for billing purposes..
That is it for this entry. I hope to update at least weekly, more often when I get responses from candidates. I will let you know what is happening in Kitsap and the Facebook group Peninsula Bridge to Bridge and hope you find the posts interesting and useful.
22 January 2024
I want to remind readers that voting counts. Neither party, D or R, has a majority of the voters. It takes Independent and other party voters to give any party a majority. I would like to see better candidates than what will probably presented in November, but a choice needs to be made. We will have a snake oil salesman/con man and a very old and ineffective leader to pick from. Both seem to have issues and are only 4 years difference in age, heck I am younger than both by a few years and I would not feel competent enough to be president.
5 November 2020
This is the first entry in my modified blog/webpage. I have decided to stop attending meetings for the most part. Covid19 has put a glitch into the everyday face to face meetings I had attended previously and Zoom meetings seem to be very restrictive as to how the public is involved. My plan is to update this page every so often with my point of view on various subjects. I hope to keep up with local goings on, mainly by reading meeting minutes or viewing BKAT videos.
Part of why I am backing away from continuing my public involvement is the election results. I had hoped for change but at many levels change did not happen. It may be the future legislative redistricting may change how things are in Kitsap County, but I doubt it. Frankly when I see at many levels the quality of the candidates I have to wonder about the direction we are taking. We have over 328,000,000 in the USA and 7,600,000 in Washington State and this is the best we can come up with for candidates at many levels. That is scary in many ways. I will emphasize that I am not Republican or Democrat, I am an Independent voter who looks for the best person for the office, not a political poppinjay or parrot of political beliefs. Neither of the major parties have all the answers, heck neither one at times seems to even understand the questions. As for the smaller political parties, it usually is more of the same of the "my way or the highway' style of political posturing. So yes, basically I am tired of years of the same old bullshit from all sides.
The general public is not much better, they seem at times to bask in the glory of ignorance and misinformation. Instead of getting involved and actually getting their hands dirty learning and educating themselves on the issues most seem to use the internet exclusively to form their opinions. If Bill from Billings says on Facebook that a candidate is from Mars, then that becomes the mantra. Locally people act surprised when local politicians discuss something they do not agree with and act even more surprised when it happens. The fact it was discussed at previous public meetings, voted on at a public meeting and may have eventually had a newspaper article written about it is immaterial. No one came to their door or called them to tell them personally something that will affect them is happening. Oh, the horror of not being told personally. We have a tendency to forget who the elected officials actually work for, they work for all of us regardless of party affiliations. It is up to us to ensure they do not forget that and that takes work and involvement on our part.
Yes it is hard to be informed, I know, I spent the last four years going to hundreds of hours of meetings and talking one on one with many community leaders. I will stay informed, I will still research the issues and I still have the elected officials on my list of people I e-mail or phone call to discuss the issues. I hope they know that I am willing to listen to their ideas and give my feedback and I hope they listen to my concerns.
Kitsap County is changing and changing much more rapidly than many people expected. That will not change, in fact it may increase in speed in the next few years even with the economic recovery from Covid19 that is on the horizon. How we in Kitsap County change to meet the future will be interesting. I expect Silverdale will be incorporated in the next 5 years with Kingston following in the next 10-15 years. That will greatly change the dynamics in Kitsap County and have a huge affect on unincorporated Kitsap County and the services they receive.
Hopefully I will discuss this in this blog in the next few years and I hope to keep you informed a little bit. I leave many of the details to you to hopefully get you more involved with our community, the county, the state and our country.