Allen MATHEWS
The Voice Of Reason
PLATFORM
LIST OF ISSUES
I have made Bremerton my home and wish to see it become a striving City. We the Citizens need a Voice of Reason on the Council. We need honesty, we no longer need to be the victims of legalized theft, we need better infrastructure planning and repairs, we need to take care of our own first, and we need a Hospital in Bremerton. Elect me and together we will have a voice on the Council.
Open and Honest Government
We all want open and honest government. We want to know that our city is operating ethically and openly. I wish to make myself accountable to public. I will answer all questions to the best of my ability and will not hide items or brush them under the rug. Public employees should be held to the same standard and collective bargaining should be open to the public.
Ensuring Smarter Infrastructure Spending and Planning
Our roads are starting to decay rapidly. There needs to be better ways to fund out roads other than wait for a road to fail (Lebo Blvd) and get grant money to fix and beautify it. Side walks are the other big ticket item the gets tossed around, why not use the revenue generated by the traffic cameras to help fund the side walks. For the roads I am looking into all means of funding for PPP's (Private-Public Partnerships), TIF (Tax Incentive Financing), to using current funding level and at the least resurface the roads correctly that need it, giving them 5 to 10 years of increased life. I am also open to suggestions from the public.
Local Funds for Local Needs First
Police Chief Strachan stresses mental health, mental health, mental health. What better way to help stabilize someone with a condition than getting them into stable housing situations. Kitsap and Bremerton Housing Authorities use a lottery to select 200 names for vouchers every 18 months. The waiting list is approx 1900 people, that is about a 14 year waiting period. And yet these vouchers for housing don't go just to Kitsap and Bremerton people, it goes nation wide. We need to help the ones in our neighborhoods and city who need it first.
Fighting for Hospital Beds in Bremerton
I am in agreement the current Council after the CHI buyout of Harrison, we need a hospital here to compete with CHI. Phase 1 which is approved eliminates all but 84 beds in Bremerton's Harrison facility, phase 2 eliminates those remaining. I support the city to get a Certificate of Need from the State to bring a 3rd party in to operate those beds. I want to work with Legislators and Senators from the 23rd and 26th LD to bring us a provider that can get a Certificate of Need and bring a Regional Hospital or Community Hospital to Bremerton. We have an aging population, we need a hospital in the city. With another provider it brings competition in which results in lowered care cost and improved overall care.
Truth in Water Utility Billing
We need truth in our water bills. Everyone I have talked to on this issue admits the bill is too high. Reason is the city taxes the utility directly and uses shoddy math while loading Capital Projects and passes the cost on to the rate payers. The revenue generated is diverted to the General Fund and used else where at the tune of $7.5 million this year. I am supporting former Councilman Runyon's Ballot initiative that will be out this summer to lower the tax rates by 50% and insures the money stays in the water district.