Tag Archives: Matthes

Matthes, Garrido Weigh in on Bethel Corridor

While Democrat Charlotte Garrido maintains a small lead over Republican challenger Tim Matthes, the final result of the race for South Kitsap Commissioner won’t be official until the election is certified Nov. 25. At last count, Tuesday, Garrido had 50.59 percent of the vote; Matthes had 49.14 percent.

When Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola announced that the city hopes to move forward with an annexation of Bethel Corridor sooner rather than later, I called both candidates to see where they stand on the city’s proposal.

One hitch for the county would be that the city is asking for a suspension of a revenue sharing agreement between the county and Kitsap cities that allows the county a “soft landing” revenue-wise when an annexation occurs. The interlocal agreement calls for the county to receive 75 percent of tax revenue from the annexed area in the first year, 50 percent in the second year and 25 in the third.

Kitsap County is doing with half a million less and dipping into its reserves to balance its 2009 budget. Given the economy, it hardly seems like an opportune time for the county to pursue development of the corridor, the plan for which has become something of an albatross around the county’s neck.

The cost, with bonding, to implement the whole plan (with design standards) would be $43 million, and the city had considered asking taxpayers and businesses to foot the bill. A recent survey shows, not surprisingly, lack of support for the various mechanisms (including increased property taxes) proposed to fund the project. Coppola has said the city could fund infrastructure on the corridor through a variety of sources, including grants, development fees, revenue and more, without having to increase individual taxes. What would have to go are the plan’s exacting design standards.

Both candidates said they would support the city’s desire to annex the corridor.

Tim Matthes pointed to the plan’s design standards as an example of the county’s “onerous regulations” that have stymied development. Matthes has said, if elected, he would work to ease the burden on developers by simplifying county code. Matthes said South Kitsap Industrial Area’s impending annexation into Bremerton is another example of how Kitsap’s cities are better at putting out the welcome mat to new and growing businesses than the county is.

Matthes said he would support Port Orchard assuming responsibility for the corridor as long as it makes sense for taxpayers.”It should go to whoever would do the most for it, and the city appears to be in the best position to do that,” Matthes said.

Garrido, who served as SK Commissioner through 2000 took part in the process through which the Bethel Corridor Plan was developed with input from citizens, businesses and other interested parties. Asked if she had any concerns about the city implementing a modified plan, she said, “Everybody is going to have some concerns about it.” That being said, the economic times dictate some degree of expediency.

“I’m willing to work with the city in any way we need to to address that issue as well as anything else,” she said.

And what about the prospect of altering the revenue sharing agreement and the county’s dispensing with the soft landing?

“We have to be creative in ways we’ve never had to be,” said Garrido. “I don’t throw anything off the table.”

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Updated Numbers in SK Races

Chris Henry

Republican Jan Angel is holding onto her lead over Democrat Kim Abel in the race for the 26th District, position 1. Last night, the state auditor had Angel at 50.77 percent of the vote to Abel’s 49.23 percent. Today, it’s 51.20 to 48.80 percent. Results in Kitsap are 50.61 percent for Angel, 49.14 for Abel.

District-wide, incumbent Larry Seaquist’s lead over Republican challenger Marlyn Jensen has narrowed from 61.02 (compared to Jensen’s 38.98) percent last night, to 59.92 (compared to Jensen’s 40.48) percent today, a moot point given Seaquist’s sizable margin over Jensen. In Kitsap, Seaquist has 60.97 percent of the vote to Jensen’s 38.89.

The numbers in the South Kitsap Commissioner’s race have not changed: Garrido with 51.92 percent of the vote; Matthes with 47.88. To elaborate on Matthes’ comments yesterday evening on his apparent loss, he said he had no regrets about running. He was disappointed that he didn’t win. He said, “I learned a lot, and I probably would do some things differently.”

The Kitsap County Auditor’s office will update numbers at 4 p.m. today. Political reporter Steve Gardner will post a story later today with updates on all Kitsap-related races.

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Commish Candidate Matthes Resigns as KAPO VP

Chris Henry

Lack of time — and not the desire to distance his candidacy from the Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners’ strong stand on property rights — was the driving reason for Tim Matthes’ recent resignation as vice president of KAPO. But the need to appeal to a broader base did play a small role in his decision, Matthes said today.

A Republican, Matthes is running against Democrat Charlotte Garrido in the race for South Kitsap Commissioner. The two survived the top two primary Aug. 19. Democrat Monty Mahan failed to make the cut.

Matthes said his run for commissioner is demanding more time than he had expected. Last week, he missed the Kingston Chamber of Commerce forum at which Garrido was present.

“I believe I underestimated the amount of time a viable candidate puts in for the general election,” he said. “I thought, ‘This is going to be hard, but I’ll have the time.’ It was brought home last week. I made two mistakes and one (missing the Kingston forum) was horrible.”

The other event, nearly missed, was a KAPO meeting, Matthes said.

Besides stepping down from his post with KAPO, Matthes has arranged to have his seat on the Kitsap County Board of Equalization covered for the next two months. The volunteer board hears challenges to property tax valuations.

Asked if his decision was, in any way, a strategy to reach voters who may define him solely by his membership in KAPO, Matthes said, “probably a little bit.”

KAPO is known for its advocacy of individual property rights and interest in local land-use issues. Matthes remains a member and said, “I still feel strongly about property rights.” But he added that, as a candidate, he has been trying to connect with voters of all persuasions.

“I think an commissioner needs to have an open mind, not an empty head,” he said. “You meet so many people and get so many different ideas, you can’t help but broaden your perspective.”

Vivian Henderson, executive director of KAPO, supports Matthes’ decision.

“I think he’s doing a very responsible thing,” she said. “He needs to concentrate on his campaign. It’s critical.”

Matthes’ post with KAPO will be filled by Jackie Rossworn, who was voted on by its board of directors. She will serve through February, the end of Matthes’ term, when KAPO will elect new officers.

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Matthes Ad (designed by Neatherlin) to Be Pulled from Cable

Chris Henry

The Kitsap Sun has requested a campaign ad for Tim Matthes, Republican candidate for South Kitsap Commissioner, be pulled from cable television stations, where it has been running for the past couple of days.

The ad begins with a Kitsap Sun logo and the title of a letter to the editor, “County Government: We’re in Trouble,” by Marion Larm of Poulsbo

Deb Smith, director of marketing for the Kitsap Sun, called Matthes earlier today asking him to pull the ad because it uses the Kitsap Sun logo without permission. Smith cited another ad she saw that used the title of a letter to the editor by Vivian Henderson, director of the Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners. Matthes is a member and past president of KAPO.

“By juxtaposing headlines from letters to the editor and using voice-over with our logo, the commercial improperly attributes their opinions to us,” said Smith in an e-mail.

Matthes said the ad was designed and submitted to the station by Randy Neatherlin, Republican candidate for the 35th District. Matthes said he was unaware he had done anything wrong in approving the ad.

“My intent is to take everything off there, at least the offending portions,” said Matthes. “I’m going to change it. I have to modify it and take anything off that has to do with the Kitsap Sun.”

On Friday afternoon, Matthes was trying to contact Neatherlin and also an attorney to see what the law says about campaign ads.

Managing editor Jeff Brody said clearly Matthes is not entitled to use the Kitsap Sun logo without permission. The only time that would be appropriate is if the Kitsap Sun had actually endorsed a candidate, Brody said.

Democratic candidate Monty Mahan received the endorsement of the Kitsap Sun’s editorial board over the past weekend.

Neatherlin, contacted later in the day, was surprised at the Kitsap Sun’s objection to the ad, material for which he pulled from the Kitsap Sun Web site

Neatherlin, a business owner whose “sideline” is making advertisements for other candidates, said use of newspaper headlines in campaign ads is a routine practice. He has used it before and never run into problems, he said.

Neatherlin apparently did not differentiate between headlines on articles and editorial titles. “From everything I understand, it’s 100 percent legal,” he said. “It’s common practice for political ads.”

Neatherlin said he would not speak for Matthes, but would defer to his wishes on the matter.

A note on the photo above: Matthes submitted this campaign photo to the Kitsap Sun. It shows the candidate seated at a table with the Kitsap County logo in the background. Matthes is a member of the county’s board of equalization.

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