City Issues & Campaign Priorities

As your next District 1 council representative in the City of Puyallup, my priorities will be Safe Streets, Strong Communities, and Smart Leadership. I want to increase the quality of life in every neighborhood of the city, which means improving infrastructure like parks, roads, and sidewalks, while strengthening youth programs and senior services.

I will bring to City Council my core values, including fiscal responsibility, accountable governance, and community-centered decision making. My goal is to represent everyone in Puyallup, starting with your input, and always taking action with your feedback in mind. The ideas below are what neighbors in Puyallup have been sharing with me over the past couple of years, and I want to know what you think. Email me with your suggestions!

Ensuring Fiscal Responsibility

Exactly how we spend City of Puyallup tax revenues is our first priority to assess. If elected, I will be an advocate for a more efficient use of your tax dollars. The first thing I’ll push for is an assessment of the recent large expenditures made by the City Council without input from voters – and discover where we can reduce costs, taxes and fees that were put on us over the past year.

Addressing Public Safety

I want every neighborhood in our city to be as safe as the next. While enforcement will be entrusted to a robust and strong Puyallup Police Department, crime prevention is the vital responsibility of the City Council. Crime mapping will show us where to concentrate resources, and this strategy has proven to reduce incidents across the board. As a retired police officer with Puyallup PD, my experience and expertise will be key to helping City Council understand where resources are most needed.

Investing in Quality of Life & Affordable Housing

To reduce homelessness and make our city a place where our children can stay to raise their own families, we have to invest in housing. We also have to make sure development includes infrastructure to prevent problems like traffic congestion. Our roads, sidewalks, parks, recreational programs, water and sewer systems are all key to a great quality of life in Puyallup. Here in District 1, we are fortunate to have the Rec Center, Meeker Mansion, Pioneer Park and Puyallup Library, the farmer’s market and downtown businesses that keep the community vibrant.

At the same time, we are missing out on some big opportunities that can build up our city, such as an outdoor swimming pool for youth and families, a natural grocer, and a trolley bus transporting residents from the downtown train station to River Road businesses, the Rec Center, out to Stewart’s Crossing and Farm 12, between city parks and the South Hill business district. These kind of investments are what will make Puyallup an even better city for families, young people and seniors.

Developing Local Business & Job Creation

In my current profession bidding out solar installations and associated electrical projects, I have learned a lot about local business development and job creation. These needs have become equally important on my list of priorities in the community. Puyallup can develop a more robust business base to ensure our community can thrive together through economic challenges. Our downtown here in District 1 will be my focus, working with entrepreneurs and local business owners to ensure the Puyallup Valley is the most attractive place to live and do business.

Stewarding the Environment

While my experience in law enforcement gives me a unique understanding of public safety, my work in renewable energy reflects the values I have always held for the environment. Before electric cars were readily available, I converted my old diesel SUV to run on waste vegetable oil and I was one of the first homeowners in Puyallup to install solar on my roof. That’s the kind of initiative and leadership I want to bring to city government, as Puyallup has fallen behind in retrofitting buildings and vehicles with renewable energy technologies as affordability increases.

Engaging the Community

I have called Puyallup home my entire life, and I love how it has grown into a more diverse community. I give credit to my daughters for keeping me up with the times, and to my wife’s work in municipal services that makes me more in touch with the needs of the community. It is critical that leadership in the City of Puyallup care for everyone regardless of background, income, or circumstance. My reputation throughout my career shows these are my values, including during my tenure as Community Outreach Officer with the Puyallup Police Department, and I will continue to pursue these policies as your city council representative.

One of my proposals to enhance community engagement will be to form a Youth Council, to help guide the City of Puyallup into the future. We also need an Ethics & Efficiency Board or similar program to help residents and small businesses navigate permitting and other issues. It is also time to respect and celebrate the multicultural reality of our city, with events such as an annual multicultural fair showcasing traditional and ethnic foods, music, and art. Just like the farmer’s market and other events sponsored by community non-profits including the Puyallup Main Street Association, city government can bolster the vibrancy of local businesses with additional community events, bringing new residents together with those of us who grew up here, and make Puyallup shine.

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How leaders in the City of Puyallup interact with the community is critical to the success of its mission, visions and values. As a council member, I will be accessible, just like I was known to be as Community Outreach Officer during the years I served with the police department. What that means is meeting community where they are, rather than dismissing those who can’t show up to speak during council meetings. It also means having systems in place to get real community input, such as regular in-district discussions between city residents and their council members, something we haven’t seen take place in many years.

I encourage you to contact me with your perspectives, issues and questions, and I’m really looking forward to keeping in close touch with as many people as possible who live in Puyallup’s District 1 over the next four years. Send me an email anytime, or use the form below for questions and suggestions regarding my campaign for Puyallup City Council. You are also welcome to call or text me at 253-318-8790, and please include your name as well as voting neighborhood to ensure the fastest response. Thanks! – Jeff