CHALLENGES FACING BENTON COUNTY TODAY & IN THE FUTURE
For a Safe, Affordable & Prosperous Benton County!
- Balanced Budget & Financial Challenges due to Inflation, Supply Chain Issues and the damage the shutdown caused with COVID 19: Benton County will be facing some very difficult Economic and Financial Challenges now and in the near future. We may also see more State & Federal funding cuts to our county, leaving Benton County to scramble to find new ways to fund our public services. I am the only candidate and elected official in this race that has the Education and Extensive Financial and Business Experience needed to help ensure that taxpayers money is being used and leveraged in the best possible way so that wasteful spending does NOT occur and taxes are not raised unnecessarily. Maintaining a balanced budget during this time is ESSENTIAL for keeping Benton County public services ongoing. I will use my leadership experience and qualifications to keep Benton Counties financial health on track for a successful outcome now and in the furure. The entire city council in Richland voted unnamously to appoint me to the Richland CIP “Capital Improvement Project’s” committee. A small committee that reviews city projects and their financial impacts to tax payers. I help review the cities financials to make sure we are being good stewards of taxpayers hard earned moeny. Since being elected to office as a city councilman and now Mayor of Richland I have shown a proven track record of saving taxpayers thousands of dollars in taxes. Compare my oppentents qualifications, experience and track record against mine and see who you would like to manage your tax dollars!
- Employment: Competition between counties is fierce across Washington in recruiting large employers to come into their counties and setup shop! We have some of the best skilled labor in the country, and we need to start planning on recruiting more of these companies to come into Benton County in the future as we look past the Hanford cleanup project. I also want our youth to have the ability right out of high school if they decide to choose a career path in the skilled trade’s profession that they can get an apprenticeship and get a good paying job right here in Benton County to be closer to family! I want our youth who attend college and graduate to have the ability to move back if they want and get good paying jobs right here in the Benton County as well! God, Family, Country and Community are very important to me and I will work very hard to keep our local economy strong and healthy here in Benton County.
- Growth: Benton County is growing at a fast pace. Smart economic development is essential to Benton Counties future success and quality of life. We must be smart when approving the development of commercial and residential property. This is key to maintaining our great quality of life here in Benton County!
- I support our Farmers and the Agriculture Industry: My grandfather was a rancher near Stillwater Oklahoma. I spent a lot of time going to cattle sales, herding cattle etc… Many of my friends are in the Ag. Industry. I understand the cost of chemicals to fertilize, and if you use the wrong pesticide for your crop on what it could cost a farmer. I will work hard to support our farmers and work hard to protect your water rights!
- Public Safety Sales Tax: I support our PSST. I do believe it needs some changes to make it better serve the citizens of Benton County. In it’s current form it helps keep 60 plus law enforcement officers employed in Benton County. This not only means duties in the Sheriff’s department, but police officers in the cities within the county. It also provides funding to combat gang violence and drug activity. It provides many youth programs to support safe neighborhoods. The program could also be used to purchase or build a Mental Health Facility along with a Drug Addiction Treatment Program. As your next county commissioner I would help create a better working relationship with city officials to help improve our public safety further for all of our citizens who live in Benton County.
- Affordable Housing: Finding solutions to provide more affordable housing for our younger generation and families is very important to me. My 27+ years in mortgage lending and my background as a real estate master instructor gives me the qualifications and experience needed to tackle this issue and make more affordable housing a reality.
- Homelessness: I want to continue to improve upon the Benton Franklin Counties 10-year plan to end homelessness. Not only will this help families in need it will provide immediate housing alternatives to individuals sleeping on the streets. This is a critical issue we need to address and be more pro-active in our stance here in Benton County. When elected I will work hard on this growing issue here in Benton County.
How Can I Help With These Continued Issues?
Finance: I have 30 plus years of experience in the financial sector and am a local business owner. I have been a Richland City Councilman and now Mayor of the City of Richland going on 5 years helping to manage a city budget of more that $300 million dollars annually. I have been a treasurer of both a large NW financial corporation as well a professional association. In both cases I as able to manage a balanced budget while creating a surplus that was then distributed back to it’s employees and or its members in the form of bonuses or member benfits. I am currently an Active Member and “FINANCE OFFICER” for the United States Coast Guard Auxillary as well as being an excutive officer for Boys Scouts of America working dealing with funding development. I will use my experience to keep Benton County on a healthy fiancial path and work hard to keep our taxes low!!!
Employment: I have a bachelors in “HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT”. I speak the language of employers looking to relocate. I also understand and respect our skilled labor work force. I will continue to work hard to recruit new large employers to Benton County creating new job opportunties to take advantage of our skilled and profesional workforce!
