Candidates Talk Budget, Champion Civic Engagement at Election Forum

There was no getting away from budget talk at Tuesday's Political Candidates Forum at the Enumclaw campus of Green River Community College, where the public had the opportunity to ask questions of the four Enumclaw City Council candidates and four School Board candidates who accepted their invitations to speak to citizens before the November 8 election.

Current school board members Corey Cassell, and April Schroeder along with candidate were joined by current City Councilmembers and and candidates and in discussing the fact that both governing bodies will need to work with less in the coming year.

City of Enumclaw

Hogan, who is running for his third term on City Council, is uncontested in this election. He painted a bleak picture, explaining that the general fund budget that funds the city's core services is the most worrisome moving into next year. It'll be about quality of life issues, he said, pertaining to the Aquatic Center, golf course, and Parks and Recreation. "We've cut just about everything we can cut in terms of trimming. Now we're going to be cutting limbs."

Elfers, who is running against Dickson for Position 2 on the City Council, said his priority looking ahead to next year is to maintain these services like police, utilities and street maintenance. He said the annexation of the city library to King County Library Systems is an outsource option to lighten the burden on the general fund.

Revenue comes either through growth in the city, which raises the amount of property tax collected, or it comes from raising the property tax itself, said Hogan.

There has not been much growth in the city of Enumclaw, but Dickson said he believes he can help the city to raise its revenue in light of the impending $600,000 deficit projected for 2012 by supporting partnerships with non-profilts. He stated the stadium agreement between the city and school district as one example and the Rotary Club's putt putt golf course in the Rabbit Barn at the Expo Center as another way to generate alternative sources of income. He named the local 4H, FFA and the Mount Rainier Baseball Association as possible city partners.

Taking a question regarding the management of the Expo Center, Elfers said the goal was to make it self-sustaining. While official policy is that the city would give discounts for its usage to non-profits, it needs to balance the fact that the center also can't be free. Nonetheless, the city is optimistic the center can break even in the next three years.

Dickson said its problem thus far is that there hasn't been clear objectives set for what he understands is an entity that was to be run 'like a business.' It needs a vision -- be it to create better usage by the community or to activate tourism, he said, and he believes his leadership could see to it that the Expo Center could break even immediately.

LaFleur, who is running unopposed for the Position 4, was the first to respond to a question about support and promoting local small businesses. He said that business follows people, and his goal is to make the city an attractive and affordable place to live. Rather than start with activities to attract potential businesses, start with attracting people.

Elfers answered that Enumclaw needs some sort of anchor store, such as a Fred Meyer or Costco, in order to generate the traffic and interest in the local community. He acknowledges that that butts heads with a desire to keep Enumclaw's existing small-town feel.

Dickson touted his business experience and advocated that local businesses offer up their best employees to serve the public whether it's through elected office or on local boards in order to help shape city policy. He added that the city should rid itself of unnecessary codes that discourage businesses from setting up shop in town. And he'd work with the Chamber of Commerce to develop a clear vision to increase revenues.

Hogan, offered that the Council has the ability to lobby for a B&O tax to support revenue generation but has been reluctant to do so.

Enumclaw School District

The reality of how tight the school district's budget is was brought to light when candidates answered a question regarding the poor condition of the Enumclaw High School buildings.

McGann, who is running against Dan L. Peterson (who couldn't make this forum) said it's not just the high school that has to contend with old and worn buildings and infrastructure. The district doesn't have the money to make large-scale renovations, and bonds are needed to fund such projects. Given the poor economy, however, the district doesn't want to ask people for more money. In the long run, she said she hopes as growth starts to materialize in Black Diamond following the district's tri-party agreement to construct new schools in the city, that bonds set to fund this construction can also benefit the existing schools in Enumclaw.

Schroeder, who is running unopposed, added that with what funds currently exist, the focus is on keeping classroom sizes small and supporting a robust curriculum for students.

Cassell, also running unopposed, offered that in dire circumstances, the district does have a levy option -- like the technology levy currently being implemented to support fitting classrooms with new tools for learning. But echoing McGann's sentiment, the capacity in the community to provide that funding is currently not there.

An additional disadvantage for Enumclaw is that "we are the incredible shrinking school district," he said.

Cassell liked it to taking a pay cut each year as decreasing student enrollment means a shrinking revenue source for the district.

Nonetheless, "it's not acceptable that the schools are in such bad shape," he said.

With the state Legislature looking to close another $1.4 billion shortfall in tax revenue through June 2013, Enumclaw's Levy Equalization Assistance (LEA), which provides a state match to 'property poor' school districts to lessen the differences in taxes paid for local levies, is vulnerable, Merrill said.

Merrill, running for her sixth term though unopposed this time, concluded that it would be very hard to approve a bond at this point and that again, the district's focus is currently on what happens in the classroom. Nonetheless, she recommended people who had concerns about whatever issues they had related to schools to "come talk to us."

Engagement is Important

Indeed, talking to your local governing councils is, according to Hogan, it's one thing "that makes this town so neat." The size of Enumclaw makes it possible for residents to be a part of and actually see democracy in action. "Be participatory in government," he said. "Every person can really make a difference."

Merrill added that on top of engaging with board members, make your voice heard at levels above that of the school district. Call your legislators and let them know education is important to you, he said. If citizens don't participate, "we won't see democracy fulfilled in our community," she said. "It's critical to stay engaged."

Come to the meetings, Cassell concluded. Ask questions. If you have concern, "speak up -- early and often."

To that end, moderator Jim Hutchinson charged those in the audience to get informed before they vote. "Your vote matters to the extent that you make it matter," he said.