Some clear contrasts over growth and the passage of Initiative 695 surfaced
Wednesday between the men who want to be Snohomish County's top administrator.
The two faced off in Everett, the first head-to-head public debate between
incumbent Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel and challenger Lew Moore.
Drewel, a Democrat, is seeking his third term as the county's top elected
official. Moore, a Republican, has been chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Jack Metcalf,
R-Wash., for five years.
Moore slashed at Drewel's record. The incumbent defended his record and his
vision for Snohomish County, but didn't attack Moore directly.
Drewel conceded the county is going through growing pains, but he insisted
his administration is working on solutions to problems. Moore accused Drewel
of letting growth go unchecked, failing to make sure there are enough parks,
roads and other services for growing areas.
Moore goes into the Nov. 2 general election behind Drewel. The incumbent
fended off two Democratic challengers in the primary Sept. 14, garnering 46
percent of the vote. Moore got 34 percent.
Moore repeatedly returned to the growth issue through questions submitted
by the audience.
"Every other issue we talk about ... is affected by growth," Moore
said. "We have done a poor job in the area of growth the last few years."
He talked about the county's zoning code, which he said is outdated, and
the lack of plans for placing facilities such as roads and parks in neighborhoods.
"Growth is going to come our way, but we need to do it in a much more
rational fashion than we do today," Moore charged.
The incumbent agreed that growth is a huge topic, but insisted he won't
be able to do much about it if the challenger gets his way.
Moore called for rolling back property taxes while increasing government
services with an Office of Neighborhoods and an ombudsman, where citizens
can take complaints against the county.
Asked how he could balance growth and guarantee the environment, Drewel
responded: "I can't do it by rolling back taxes and arguing on behalf"
of I-695, which would reduce road dollars. "I can't do it by suggesting
we expand government in a time of declining resources."
What he would do, Drewel said, is to assess county resources, work with
citizens and the Legislature and form partnerships to work out problems caused
by growth. One of those already is under way in the form of a citizen committee
trying to iron out differences concerned with dense planned residential developments.
On I-695, Moore said Washington residents are the sixth-highest taxed in
the nation, and we're not getting a good return on that investment.
He said people are tired of Olympia lawmakers not listening to complaints
about taxes, and the initiative is a way to strike back. He likes the idea
of all new fees and taxes requiring a public vote, which is part of I-695.
"The public now will have an integral part of the taxation and revenue
process," Moore said.
He said people shouldn't worry about loss of state road revenues and other
dollars that would flow to Snohomish County under Referendum 49, which was
approved a year ago. The Legislature would make up the money somehow, he said.
But Drewel said there are no guarantees the money from R-49 will be restored
by the Legislature. The county stands to lose the half-billion dollars for
major traffic projects, as well as money for criminal-justice projects. What's
more, higher education and social service programs would probably be cut if
the Legislature tries to make up the difference from the lost motor vehicle
tax, Drewel said.
The debate was sponsored by the Snohomish County Council on Aging, Children's'
Commission, Community Services Advisory Council and Mental Health advisory
board.
You can call Herald Writer Jim Haley at 425-339-3447
or send e-mail to haley@heraldnet.com
.
