In the February 18 edition of the Snohomish Tribune, they reported that incumbent Somers’ top three priorities if he wins re-election were 1) Retaining Jobs in the today’s economy, 2) Ensuring that “Transportation Money” comes to Snohomish County from the Federal Stimulus program and 3) Protecting farmland and Agriculture industry.
The part where he says, “If he wins re-election” is important. At the time he shared his priorities, Somers knew he had applied for a different job with the federal government and was hoping to keep it quiet. How do you tell folks in your district you are running for re-election when you are looking for a different job? How do you go to your supporters to raise money for a campaign when you are deceiving them by not disclosing your real plan? If that other thing didn’t pan out, then he would fall back to Snohomish County Council. That says something about Dave.
Then regarding his priorities, I would think that retaining jobs would be a high priority for every elected official. I would think that creating family wage jobs in our county would be very high on the list. I would think that supporting businesses that create those jobs would be a great idea. In Somers’ case, he’s already spent eight years in office and I can’t see how he’s done anything to support business. If you don’t support the business community, how do you expect to retain jobs? Unless you intend to create government jobs, you need profitable businesses to “retain jobs” or to create jobs.
Priority number two is “Ensuring that Transportation Money comes to Snohomish County from Federal Stimulus program”. What kind of priority is that? If there aren’t real priorities for our county he can enumerate, he is in real trouble. Getting in line at the trough is not my idea of good government.
Dave’s third priority was protecting farmland and the Agriculture industry. Protecting them from what? The greatest threat to farm businesses is government regulation. The environmental policies promoted by Somers and his associates are killing farm businesses. The “farm land” will be left, but there won’t be any farmers.
From Dave’s Website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
“Four years ago, I campaigned to get our fair share of transportation investments, protect local businesses, neighborhoods and farms, and improve public safety.”
On Dave’s campaign website today, his priorities are to secure funding for improvements to state and federal highways (US2, SR9 & SR522). These are state and federal highways and funding for them comes from either the state or feds. He must have some evidence that he worked on this priority somewhere in his past, but I can’t find it; unless you count hand wringing.
From Dave’s Website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
Our priority for 2009 and beyond should be to assure the stability of our economy by providing a favorable business climate for our existing businesses, and to attract new businesses that will put Snohomish County in a world leadership position for the new economy.
Once again, there is no evidence that Somers supported any significant business initiatives during the past 3½ years. He certainly didn’t initiate any. For the future, his idea of attracting new business for the new economy is generally related to the Green Economy. That would mean that if you are an existing business, you might be at risk.
Dave also suggests ways to support the economy.
From Dave’s website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
1. Working hard to improve our region’s transportation systems including highways, transit systems, regional connections, and local road system;
2. Maintaining our quality of life including natural environment, business climate, education system, and safe communities;
3. Establishing a four year University in Snohomish County;
4. Continuing to make County government more efficient and responsive.
I would like to hear Dave’s ideas about improving the regional transportation system. I suspect he would be recommending ways to get us out of our cars. A Green Initiative goal is a 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled by county residents by 2015; based upon 2005 as a base. Imagine how your life would change if you had to reduce the miles you travel because the government decided you drive too much? What alternatives has Dave offered that will make it possible for us to drive less?
Whether you like it or not, that is where Somers is leading us. The best way to get you out of your car is to penalize you through taxes or fees. His leadership will hurt if you live in east Snohomish County and drive your car.
His point number 4 “Continuing to make County government more efficient and responsive.” suggests that he has been working on it already. Other than balancing the budget through employee cuts he hasn’t initiated any efforts to be either more efficient or responsive.
We need to keep the heat on Somers for his failure to accomplish any of these goals after all his years on the job. Aside from his environmental regulations, it would be easier to list Dave’s accomplishments after eight years on the job than his failures. The list of accomplishments would be really short and the failures list would be lengthy.
Where I do believe you can count on Somers to deliver will be in his goals for the Environment.
From Dave’s website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
1. Continuing to work to restore Puget Sound and our region’s salmon runs;
2. Preventing sprawl, increasing protection of farm lands and forest lands;
3. Creating new opportunities for sustainable economic development.
Now we are talking about the real Dave Somers. This is his agenda. Here is where you will find his contribution to County government. In the context of Goals and Policies, Dave has been very effective in producing an impact. In order to think that Dave offers a balanced approach to environmental policy, a person would have to be an ultra eco-extremist. The ramifications of promoting this little section of Somers’ agenda ripple through every one of his others.
The last section of Somers’ goals for his campaign he lists Public Safety. Public Safety consumes about two thirds of the county general fund budget. The Sheriff, the jail, the prosecutor’s office, the Clerk and the courts already consume two thirds. Dave would have us believe that he is involved with public safety issues in the district. The Sheriff knew about the increasing gang activity that lead to a homicide in Sultan but Somers must have missed that one.
In addition to existing Criminal Justice offices, Dave wants to dedicate additional funds for “alternative programs and mental health” at the expense of what? Where does Dave plan for these funds to come from? Rather than adding obligations to the county burden, we need to be reducing them.
From Dave’s website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
• Continuing to work on making our County’s Public Safety system more effective and efficient;
• Support funding for alternative programs such as drug court;
• Reducing public safety costs by treating the root causes of much of our crime – mental health and drug related.
There is no doubt that Dave Somers wants to lead his district, but I know I don’t want to follow where he is taking us and I doubt many others will either when they realize where that is. If you look at Somers’ issues on his website, they are at a minimum listed in reverse order and that is giving him the benefit of the doubt. I seriously doubt whether Transportation or the Economy are high priorities for his next term since they have not been in the past.
Ask Dave Somers to list his accomplishments that can be substantiated with a “yes” vote on an issue. Ask Dave Somers when he had his last Town Hall Meeting with constituents. Ask Dave Somers what his proudest achievements have been in government.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the answers were short; not because he hasn’t been doing anything, but because his achievements do not serve the average citizen in the district. If the average citizen knew how Dave and others in his camp conspiring to change their lives, the people would be alarmed.
As a challenger I can question Somers’ accomplishments or lack of them. As the incumbent he can question my ability to do better. Since I am considerably more experienced in government than he was when he was elected I think I can offer credible answers to his challenges. Voters are entitled to know about incumbents; their voting record and their agenda for the future.
As a candidate for county council, I can offer a solid twenty plus year history of moderate government where I have the same expectations for the development community as I do for the environmental community; solid science to establish fair guidelines for both sides.
No Loss for Words 
Will the Real Dave Somers Please Stand Up!
by Steve DanaIn the February 18 edition of the Snohomish Tribune, they reported that incumbent Somers’ top three priorities if he wins re-election were 1) Retaining Jobs in the today’s economy, 2) Ensuring that “Transportation Money” comes to Snohomish County from the Federal Stimulus program and 3) Protecting farmland and Agriculture industry.
The part where he says, “If he wins re-election” is important. At the time he shared his priorities, Somers knew he had applied for a different job with the federal government and was hoping to keep it quiet. How do you tell folks in your district you are running for re-election when you are looking for a different job? How do you go to your supporters to raise money for a campaign when you are deceiving them by not disclosing your real plan? If that other thing didn’t pan out, then he would fall back to Snohomish County Council. That says something about Dave.
Then regarding his priorities, I would think that retaining jobs would be a high priority for every elected official. I would think that creating family wage jobs in our county would be very high on the list. I would think that supporting businesses that create those jobs would be a great idea. In Somers’ case, he’s already spent eight years in office and I can’t see how he’s done anything to support business. If you don’t support the business community, how do you expect to retain jobs? Unless you intend to create government jobs, you need profitable businesses to “retain jobs” or to create jobs.
Priority number two is “Ensuring that Transportation Money comes to Snohomish County from Federal Stimulus program”. What kind of priority is that? If there aren’t real priorities for our county he can enumerate, he is in real trouble. Getting in line at the trough is not my idea of good government.
Dave’s third priority was protecting farmland and the Agriculture industry. Protecting them from what? The greatest threat to farm businesses is government regulation. The environmental policies promoted by Somers and his associates are killing farm businesses. The “farm land” will be left, but there won’t be any farmers.
From Dave’s Website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
“Four years ago, I campaigned to get our fair share of transportation investments, protect local businesses, neighborhoods and farms, and improve public safety.”
On Dave’s campaign website today, his priorities are to secure funding for improvements to state and federal highways (US2, SR9 & SR522). These are state and federal highways and funding for them comes from either the state or feds. He must have some evidence that he worked on this priority somewhere in his past, but I can’t find it; unless you count hand wringing.
From Dave’s Website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
Our priority for 2009 and beyond should be to assure the stability of our economy by providing a favorable business climate for our existing businesses, and to attract new businesses that will put Snohomish County in a world leadership position for the new economy.
Once again, there is no evidence that Somers supported any significant business initiatives during the past 3½ years. He certainly didn’t initiate any. For the future, his idea of attracting new business for the new economy is generally related to the Green Economy. That would mean that if you are an existing business, you might be at risk.
Dave also suggests ways to support the economy.
From Dave’s website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
1. Working hard to improve our region’s transportation systems including highways, transit systems, regional connections, and local road system;
2. Maintaining our quality of life including natural environment, business climate, education system, and safe communities;
3. Establishing a four year University in Snohomish County;
4. Continuing to make County government more efficient and responsive.
I would like to hear Dave’s ideas about improving the regional transportation system. I suspect he would be recommending ways to get us out of our cars. A Green Initiative goal is a 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled by county residents by 2015; based upon 2005 as a base. Imagine how your life would change if you had to reduce the miles you travel because the government decided you drive too much? What alternatives has Dave offered that will make it possible for us to drive less?
Whether you like it or not, that is where Somers is leading us. The best way to get you out of your car is to penalize you through taxes or fees. His leadership will hurt if you live in east Snohomish County and drive your car.
His point number 4 “Continuing to make County government more efficient and responsive.” suggests that he has been working on it already. Other than balancing the budget through employee cuts he hasn’t initiated any efforts to be either more efficient or responsive.
We need to keep the heat on Somers for his failure to accomplish any of these goals after all his years on the job. Aside from his environmental regulations, it would be easier to list Dave’s accomplishments after eight years on the job than his failures. The list of accomplishments would be really short and the failures list would be lengthy.
Where I do believe you can count on Somers to deliver will be in his goals for the Environment.
From Dave’s website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
1. Continuing to work to restore Puget Sound and our region’s salmon runs;
2. Preventing sprawl, increasing protection of farm lands and forest lands;
3. Creating new opportunities for sustainable economic development.
Now we are talking about the real Dave Somers. This is his agenda. Here is where you will find his contribution to County government. In the context of Goals and Policies, Dave has been very effective in producing an impact. In order to think that Dave offers a balanced approach to environmental policy, a person would have to be an ultra eco-extremist. The ramifications of promoting this little section of Somers’ agenda ripple through every one of his others.
The last section of Somers’ goals for his campaign he lists Public Safety. Public Safety consumes about two thirds of the county general fund budget. The Sheriff, the jail, the prosecutor’s office, the Clerk and the courts already consume two thirds. Dave would have us believe that he is involved with public safety issues in the district. The Sheriff knew about the increasing gang activity that lead to a homicide in Sultan but Somers must have missed that one.
In addition to existing Criminal Justice offices, Dave wants to dedicate additional funds for “alternative programs and mental health” at the expense of what? Where does Dave plan for these funds to come from? Rather than adding obligations to the county burden, we need to be reducing them.
From Dave’s website http://davesomers.org/index.php?page=display&id=4
• Continuing to work on making our County’s Public Safety system more effective and efficient;
• Support funding for alternative programs such as drug court;
• Reducing public safety costs by treating the root causes of much of our crime – mental health and drug related.
There is no doubt that Dave Somers wants to lead his district, but I know I don’t want to follow where he is taking us and I doubt many others will either when they realize where that is. If you look at Somers’ issues on his website, they are at a minimum listed in reverse order and that is giving him the benefit of the doubt. I seriously doubt whether Transportation or the Economy are high priorities for his next term since they have not been in the past.
Ask Dave Somers to list his accomplishments that can be substantiated with a “yes” vote on an issue. Ask Dave Somers when he had his last Town Hall Meeting with constituents. Ask Dave Somers what his proudest achievements have been in government.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the answers were short; not because he hasn’t been doing anything, but because his achievements do not serve the average citizen in the district. If the average citizen knew how Dave and others in his camp conspiring to change their lives, the people would be alarmed.
As a challenger I can question Somers’ accomplishments or lack of them. As the incumbent he can question my ability to do better. Since I am considerably more experienced in government than he was when he was elected I think I can offer credible answers to his challenges. Voters are entitled to know about incumbents; their voting record and their agenda for the future.
As a candidate for county council, I can offer a solid twenty plus year history of moderate government where I have the same expectations for the development community as I do for the environmental community; solid science to establish fair guidelines for both sides.
Posted in Snohomish County Political Commentary, Steve Dana Issues | 2 Comments »