Everett City Council Candidate Statement – Scott Bader

Editor’s Note: On October 6th MyEverettNews.com sent the following message to all 7 candidates on the general election ballot for Everett City Council. We advised that we would be publishing the response on Saturday October 17th as most voters will be receiving their ballots in the mail this weekend.

Every general election MyEverettNews.com invites candidates for Everett City Council to tell our readers in 400 words or less why they should vote for you. You may have been invited to participate this way in the primary but this is a new election so we are asking for a new submission. In addition to the 400 words we’re asking all candidates to answer the following reader-submitted question…

With the county jail’s new policies restricting taking in those that are currently on drugs, and a surging heroin epidemic that is resulting in increased property crimes…what do we do with the hundreds/thousands of addicts that are avoiding the criminal justice system?

Here is the response received from incumbent Scott Bader who is running for position 5 against challenger Charlene Rawson. We did not receive a response from Ms. Rawson.

I’m seeking re-election to help continue the good stewardship of the City. Things aren’t perfect, but many good things are happening that show Everett’s future to be bright. This is due to the leadership that has been in place for almost two decades now. I’ve been fortunate to be part of the ‘team’ that continues to foster these good things and set the stage for an even brighter future.

Downtown continues to be built up. Our waterfront continues to see new activity. Boeing and the SW Everett Industrial area remain strong and grow stronger. WSU Everett is coming. Good family wage jobs continue flowing in.

The City held a tight rein on the budget, avoiding layoffs and closures that afflicted other cities in our region during the recession. And while we had to increase some fees and taxes to avoid any further impact to public safety, our fees and taxes are still at our near the bottom in Snohomish County and throughout the region.

Housing construction and home sales have recovered since the recession, showing that Everett is a desirable place to live.

That said, there is no question that challenges face our city, and I’m hoping we can get a Council majority to work with the Administration to do more.

Our transients and homeless populations present a challenge to us. Our police, working with social service agencies, reach out in a compassionate way. But the police need more tools to prompt those who refuse help to move on from a dangerous and unhealthy lifestyle that harms our neighborhoods. I support the administration’s proposal to put $1 million more into enforcement and assistance.

The recession took a deep toll on our ability to do anything we absolutely didn’t need to do. My first priority is to reinforce our public safety and emergency response efforts. We still need to expand our S. Everett library and our parks – these projects are my next priority, and I support the Administration’s proposal to put aside $5 million over the next 3 years.

I have a deep track record of involvement in Everett – I’d be grateful for your vote to re-elect me.

-City Council President 2015

-City Council member 2012-present

-leader in Cascade View and Riverside neighborhoods

-past member of Everett Transportation Advisory Committee and chair

-active in my church, Scouts

-and many others and endorsements at www.baderforeverettcitycouncil.org

Reader Submitted Question: With the county jail’s new policies restricting taking in those that are currently on drugs, and a surging heroin epidemic that is resulting in increased property crimes…what do we do with the hundreds/thousands of addicts that are avoiding the criminal justice system?

Like most of our citizens, I am frustrated by the policies that allow a transient population to disrupt our neighborhoods. I’ve personally been affected – having cars stolen twice, and my son’s bicycle stolen in broad daylight from our garage.

It’s most frustrating that the City is being negatively impacted by policies that aren’t of our own making. Despite our best efforts, county, state, and federally made rules and regulations tie our hands in so many ways.

The City administration – our police and our legal department – are seeking ways around every road block. They continue to work with the Yakima jail, public defenders, and others, to find a way to be able to jail those arrested for property crime until trial and sentencing. They are also looking for jails closer to home. Finally, we need laws that make it harder to beg, panhandle, and ‘live rough’ to support drug use.

Also, who we elect at the County matters greatly in our ability to effectively use our own County jail. Longer term, and a far broader question, is who we elect to make policy that leaves our institutions, including our County jail, feeling so vulnerable to any lawsuit, regardless of the merits.