The Kitsap Sun editorial board hosted Bremerton mayoral candidates Tuesday as part of it’s pre-primary series of interviews used to make the Kitsap Sun’s political endorsements.
We stream these discussions live and archive them on this blog. You can find out when upcoming discussions are and, at the scheduled time, watch them live, comment and ask questions, of which we’ll choose several at the end to ask the candidates on your behalf. Go to kitsapsun.com/2009/editorial-videos
Click play to watch the video.
Below, you can see questions asked during the live broadcast and see viewers’ comments below. Because of time constraints, we weren’t able to ask everyone’s questions, but did tell the candidates they can find all questions asked here posted on this blog:
— Angela Dice
If they did decide to answer leftover questions, where would we go to find them?
What was Pat Lent’s answer to not regitering and did she address the homeless question? Did any of the canddates respondto the question?
Sharon O’Hara
Come See the Candidates for Mayor Talk about Childcare and issues for Families with young Children in Bremerton at Kitsap Childcare and Preschool 1198 Elizabeth Ave, Bremerton
July 9th 6pm to 7pm Child Care Provided.
I appreciate you for watching the forum and asking your questions. I’d like to take the opportunity now and answer them (my answers in CAPS below comment).
Comment From Gordon Glick]
There is a skilled pool of Federal and Military retirees who can help train youth for jobs in the Trades. Will the new Mayor appoint a coordinator for both volunteer and paid positions to accomplish this worthy goal?
I AGREE, WE HAVE SERIOUS TALENT WITHIN OUR RETIREES. CURRENTLY OUR YOUTH CAN ATTEND WESTSOUND TECH, LOCATED ON 101 NATIONAL AVE. SOME OF THE TRADES ARE REPRESENTED THERE (LIKE WELDING AND SHEET METAL TECHNOLOGY). MY GOAL AS MAYOR IS TO PROMOTE WESTSOUND TECH AS A HUGE RESOURCE FOR OUR YOUTH WANTING TO LEARN TRADES, AND TO WORK WITH PSNS AND BREMERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT FOR OUR FOLKS THAT WANT TO WORK AT THE SHIPYARD COULD EARN APPRENTICE CREDITS IF THEY PURSUE SOME OF THE VALUABLE TRADES VIA OUR TECHNICAL SCHOOL. IT IS A WORTHY GOAL AND AN IMPORTANT ONE.
[Comment From Gyasi Ross]
Post 1996, it seems like politicians/hopeful-politicians get into a very reactive mode according to whatever economic calamity is on CNN/Fox News (pick your poison). How do we act proactively, instead of of reactively, and try to see the opportunity in these economically depressed times? For example, creating–as Mayor Bloomberg is doing in New York City–a robust bonding program using President Obama’s Stimulus Plan’s tax exempt bonding program, to keep small and local businesses afloat, and indeed try to even grow their businesses?
AS I DISCUSSED DURING THE FORUM, THE BEST TIME TO MAKE AN IMPACT AND GROW IS DURING TIMES OF ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE IN HOW WE DO THIS. MY GOAL IS TO WORK TOWARDS CREATING WHAT I CALL THE “BREMERTON IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION”, SIMILAR TO WHAT SCHENECTADY, NY IMPLEMENTED YEARS AGO (WWW.DOWNTOWNSCHENECTADY.COM). MY GOAL IS TO JUMP START THE DEVELOPMENT BY WORKING WITH OUR PROPERTY OWNERS AND INCENT THEM TO DEVELOP THEIR PROPERTIES TO MAKE THEM RENTABLE, AS WELL AS TO CREATE A BUSINESS INCUBATOR. THE REASON I WANT TO FOCUS ON DOWNTOWN FIRST IS THAT IT HAS THE HIGHEST PROPENSITY TO BECOME VIABLE QUICKER, DUE TO ITS HIGH FOOT TRAFFIC WITH PSNS, COMMUTERS, DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEES, MARINA, ETC. AFTER WE “ADD MEAT” TO DOWNTOWN AND GIVE BREMERTONIANS A REASON TO VISIT IT AND SPEND MONEY LOCALLY, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE WHEATON WAY CORRIDOR. THIS AREA HAS THE HIGHEST PROPENSITY TO BE THE CENTER OF BREMERTON’S COMMERCE, WITHOUT HAVING TO BECOME A STRIP MALL MECCA. WHEATON HAS THE HIGHEST CAR TRAFFIC, AND WE NEED MORE REASONS FOR US TO STOP AND VISIT BREMERTON-BASED BUSINESSES INSTEAD OF JUST BEING A MEANS TO GET TO WAL-MART OR SILVERDALE.
[Comment From Sally Santana]
Will you, within your first three months in office, designate a liaison from the Office of the Mayor to the homeless community, including the Kitsap Homeless Advisory Board, to work together to solve the issue of homelessness?
HOMELESSNESS IS A HUGE ISSUE, AND I WISH THERE WAS A MEANS TO SOLVE IT. I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY (INCLUDING FOLKS LIVING IN THEIR CARS DOWN THE STREET). I AM ALL FOR WORKING TO PROVIDE A HAND-UP. I AM WILLING TO EXPLORE THIS AND SEEK YOUR DIRECT INPUT ON YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT ON THIS.
TheBremelogger: If one of these candidates could deliver Hales, well, they’d have this election sewn up. But I’ve been wrong before. #ksun
MIKE HALE IS VERY INTERESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY (I TALK TO HIM REGULARLY SINCE HE COMES TO MY STORE TO TAKE MY ORDER FOR HALES ALES). AS I HAVE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST, I ENVISION DOWNTOWN BREMERTON BECOMING A MICROBREWERY DESTINATION, WITH A FEW ESTABLISHMENTS LOCATED WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AS MAYOR, I WOULD WORK TOWARDS ESTABLISHING INCENTIVES THAT BRING THIS INDUSTRY TO DOWNTOWN FIRST. THIS WILL CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL FLOW OF FOOT-TRAFFIC, SOMETHING THAT ALL BUSINESSES DESIRE. BY BECOMING A DESTINATION, WE WOULD HAVE MORE FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY COME TO BREMERTON AND SPEND THEIR MONEY HERE, INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY AROUND. SHIPYARD WORKERS TO COMMUTERS TO RESIDENTS WOULD HAVE MORE OF A REASON TO COME DOWNTOWN, AND THIS WOULD PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER BUSINESSES ADJACENT TO THEM, SINCE NOW THERE WOULD BE A DRAW. IN ADDITION TO HALES, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MCMENANIMS AND LOCAL HOME-GROWN BREWPUBS.
[Comment From Sally Santana]
Carlos seems to be almost singularly concerned about taking care of downtown.
SALLY, AS I STATED EARLIER, DOWNTOWN HAS THE MOST PROPENSITY TO PROSPER THE QUICKEST DUE TO THE SHEER AMOUNT OF FOOT TRAFFIC. I WANT TO MAKE DOWNTOWN SUSTAINABLE FIRST, THEN TAKE THE FOCUS TO WHEATON WAY TO ESTABLISH OUR CORE COMMERCIAL CENTER. CHARLESTON IS AN AREA THAT CAN USE SOME MUCH NEEDED ATTENTION TOO, SINCE THERE IS A DECENT AMOUNT OF VEHICLE TRAFFIC THERE. WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE AREAS THAT HAVE SUB-AREA PLANS DEVELOPED ALREADY (LIKE DOWNTOWN AND WHEATON), AND AS MAYOR, I WILL WORK TOWARDS DEVELOPING SUB-AREA PLANS FOR CHARLESTON AND KITSAP WAY, AND WORK WITH OUR MANETTE RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE SUB-AREA PLAN DEVELOPED MEETS THE COMMUNITIES DESIRES AND EXPECTATIONS.
Twitter TheBremelogger: Delusion alert: Carlos Jara thinks we’re gonna have an Ikea in 2015. #ksun
THERE IS NOTHING DELUSIONAL ABOUT THINKING BIG. WHEN LOOKING AT TO WHAT CAN BE A HUGE DRAW FOR WHEATON WAY, COMPANIES LIKE IKEA COME TO MIND (NO, I DON’T SHOP THERE REGULARLY, BUT HUNDREDS OF KITSAPERS DO MONTHLY). THE REASON I LIKE A COMPANY LIKE IKEA IS THAT IT WOULD BE A GREAT DRAW THAT WOULD PULL FOLKS IN FROM HANSVILLE TO GIG HARBOR. IN FACT, WE WOULD ALSO PULL FROM THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA (PORT TOWNSENT/PORT ANGELES). CREATING A DRAW CREATES PERIPHERAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT WOULD SURROUND AN IKEA. MY GOAL IS TO FIGURE OUT WHO OUR PARTNERS CAN BE, AND WORK TOWARDS ENTICING THEM TO COME TO BREMERTON IN ORDER TO CREATE LOCAL JOBS, DIVERSIFY OUR SALES TAX BASE, AND CREATE A SUSTAINABLE BREMERTON.
[Comment From Mike Eliason]
Should the city annex into a neighborhing fire district or continue to maintain its own department? How about police? Public works? Where do you draw the line?
FORMING A WEST SOUND FIRE DISTRICT HAS SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS FOR OUR OWN DEPARTMENT IN THE MEANS OF HAVING ACCESS TO LARGER RESOURCES AND BEING ABLE TO POOL THE PURCHASING POWER WHEN REPLACING EQUIPMENT. BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE I AM PROUD TO SEE A BREMERTON FIRE TRUCK DRIVE BY OR A BREMERTON POLICE CAR. THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY. I AM WANTING TO FURTHER STUDY WHAT THE PROS AND CONS ARE IN MERGING FIRE DEPARTMENTS. I WOULD NOT LIKE TO DO THE SAME WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, SINCE BPD IS WELL-VERSED IN THE ISSUES WITHIN BREMERTON AND NEED TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES LOCALLY. PUBLIC WORKS DOES A BANG-UP JOB WITH LIMITED RESOURCE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN PARTNER MORE CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY ON CERTAIN ITEMS (THINK SNOW DAYS AND HAVING THE CAPACITY TO POSSIBLY SHARE RESOURCES THEN).
[Comment From Louis Soriano]
what would you do to lower the water sewer tax that is now about 25% higher than other cities our size?
LOUIS, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT OUR RATES ARE HIGHER THAN THEY SHOULD BE. I AM EXPLORING WHY THIS IS THE CASE, CONSIDERING THAT THE BOND ORIGINALLY PUT INTO PLACE TO REBUILD OR SEWER PLANT A FEW YEARS AGO HAS ALREADY SUNSETTED. ONCE I DETERMINE WHAT WE CAN DO TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON BREMERTONIANS WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, I WILL WORK TOWARDS DOING JUST THAT.
[Comment From ollyollyoxen]
How are you, as Mayor, going to work with the school system to make sure that future residents of Bremerton feel comfortable keeping their children in our schools?
THE PERCEPTION IS THAT THE BREMERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT A GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT PERCEPTION, BUT DO BELIEVE BSD AND OUR CITY NEEDS TO TOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LOUDLY. WE HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH PSNS EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEERING AT OUR SCHOOLS TO DISCUSS SCIENCE TOPICS. OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS WORK IN PRESCHOOL, OFFERING ALL-DAY FREE KINDERGARTEN, AND HAS BEEN HONORED FOR ITS MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION. IT HAS A UNIQUE AND VERY POPULAR SPANISH-IMMERSION PROGRAM FOR NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS, AND WAS DESIGNATED A KINDERGARTEN LIGHTHOUSE DISTRICT IN 2007, DUE TO BSD’S EFFORTS TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY IN ITS EARLY-EDUCATION EFFORTS. THESE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO PROMOTE IN ORDER TO ENTICE NEW FAMILIES TO MOVE TO BREMERTON AND INVEST THEIR FUTURE HERE.
If you have further questions, please email me at c.jara1971@gmail.com or call me at 360.813.1173.
I look forward to earning your vote.
Thanks!
-Carlos Jara-
Mayoral Candidate, Bremerton
vote4carlos.com
Thank you, Carlos, for taking the time to respond. It is really appreciated 🙂
Hi Carlos,
Nice to see you participating in the blogs. Sounds like you have really thought things out and are very positive!
Since we really want to hear from you, I thought I’d let you know that typing in all CAPS is the equivilent of shouting online. No worries about it this time (from me, anyway). Just thought you would like to know.
Keep up the dailog. 🙂
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson