 |
| Steve Tharinger with supporters. |
James asked: I do not consider myself to be a Democrat or Republican. I vote for whoever I think will do the best job. I am very concerned about the future of jobs in our area let alone our whole country. So many people are unemployed, and I want to know what have you done and what do you plan on doing for our district when it comes to helping people get back to work?
Steve Tharinger:
As a County Commissioner, I have never let the economic livelihood of my constituents in the 24th District stray far from my mind. I have a proven record of far-sighted, long-term fiscal responsibility, and the foundation of that record has been my respect for maintaining the sustainability of our local natural resources-driven economy. I have fought to preserve our agricultural economy by protecting farmland. I have made it a personal mission on the local and state level to restore our salmon population, both to re-balance our local environment and to sustain jobs in recreation, tourism, commercial fishing, and sport fishing.
Just as importantly, I have reached out to local businesses and succeeded in developing numerous local public/private partnerships that are the best of both worlds: deals that result in stimulus and new jobs for local business and much-needed improvements in local infrastructure. The Elwha Bridge project is a perfect example: a major infrastructure project that was completed in a cost-effective manner, with multiple private and public partners, an enterprise that also stimulated the local economy. The role I played in providing funding to help open Peninsula Plywood is another great example.
Just as importantly, I have reached out to local businesses and succeeded in developing numerous local public/private partnerships that are the best of both worlds: deals that result in stimulus and new jobs for local business and much-needed improvements in local infrastructure. The Elwha Bridge project is a perfect example: a major infrastructure project that was completed in a cost-effective manner, with multiple private and public partners, an enterprise that also stimulated the local economy. The role I played in providing funding to help open Peninsula Plywood is another great example.
Kevin Van De Wege
Unlike Steve and I's opponents, who both cling to a nonsensical ideology that government cannot create jobs despite the available evidence, I believe strongly in my ability and my responsibility as a legislator to provide assistance to our local communities through this devastating recession. Instead offering my suffering constituents a selfish "every man for himself" ideology, I prefer to look at results, and my record proves that I have been effective in creating family-wage jobs for our local communities through my efforts in Olympia.
During the past two terms, I have crafted legislation that funded alternative energy and created capital projects at Nippon Paper in Port Angeles and PT Paper in Port Townsend. In both cases, these new initiatives both created new family-wage jobs and protected ones that were in danger of being downsized. In Grays Harbor, I secured the contracts for the construction work on the 520 Pontoon Project to be handled in Aberdeen. I also interceded on Peninsula Plywood's behalf and helped them obtain capital improvements and an operating loan on behalf of the state, leading to scores of new jobs for my hardworking constituents. Finally, I led the effort to streamline reporting requirements for small businesses, which eased the burden on local enterprise and likely saved many jobs.
And I'm not finished. Everyday I look for new opportunities to help my hardworking constituents weather this economic storm. I'm currently working on legislation which will improve our local schools and create much needed local contracting and construction jobs. I've also pledged to protect our coastal shellfish industry and local timber industry, ensuring that they are both handled sustainably to maintain the long-term economic and environmental viability of the 24th District. Finally, I will fight reckless budget cuts currently being proposed to our state infrastructure, which will save and even create countless jobs in Carlsborg, Port Hadlock, and Sequim.
During the past two terms, I have crafted legislation that funded alternative energy and created capital projects at Nippon Paper in Port Angeles and PT Paper in Port Townsend. In both cases, these new initiatives both created new family-wage jobs and protected ones that were in danger of being downsized. In Grays Harbor, I secured the contracts for the construction work on the 520 Pontoon Project to be handled in Aberdeen. I also interceded on Peninsula Plywood's behalf and helped them obtain capital improvements and an operating loan on behalf of the state, leading to scores of new jobs for my hardworking constituents. Finally, I led the effort to streamline reporting requirements for small businesses, which eased the burden on local enterprise and likely saved many jobs.
And I'm not finished. Everyday I look for new opportunities to help my hardworking constituents weather this economic storm. I'm currently working on legislation which will improve our local schools and create much needed local contracting and construction jobs. I've also pledged to protect our coastal shellfish industry and local timber industry, ensuring that they are both handled sustainably to maintain the long-term economic and environmental viability of the 24th District. Finally, I will fight reckless budget cuts currently being proposed to our state infrastructure, which will save and even create countless jobs in Carlsborg, Port Hadlock, and Sequim.
No comments:
Post a Comment