The editorial board of the Tacoma News Tribune (TNT) recently endorsed the incumbents of the Lakewood City Council for the November 7 ballot.
Horror of horrors, to hear the TNT tell it, should Lakewood return to the “anti-incumbent fever” that infected the city when Lakewood Cares, described by the TNT as “a political insurgent group”, elected “a series of malcontents.”
Oh, the pain of it all that a government should “endure as much mistrust as Lakewood did in its first decade as a city,” drivels the TNT.
Well, FYI TNT, in the interest of journalistic integrity, something you would do well to reexamine, Lakewood Cares (Citizens for Accountability, Responsibility, Education and Service) had, from its inception, a better understanding – as history would prove – of what constitutes representative government than those then in government who were ostensibly elected to represent.
As a reminder – to the TNT and others – and I drive by it every day, there is a statue, a monument, a landmark, that stands as a testament to both a bungling bureaucracy and a single individual who fought city hall and won:
My dad.
Complete with seafaring cap, pipe, beard and rainslicker, the 14’-tall carved-out-of-a-log, life-like caricature of my father still stands, proudly and prominently emblematic of one man’s struggle with an overbearing, overreaching, obtuse and obstinate government rolling bulldozer-like over the entire city landscape.
Dad wouldn’t be bulldozed.
A city code enforcement officer, with the then-city leaders’ blessing and encouragement – in violation of even written code policy – on June 1, 1998 – only two years since city incorporation – confiscated and trashed dad’s smallish-3-foot A-frame sign because they said, it was in the city right-of-way. No, they did not notify dad because, they said, it was not expedient.
Too many violators, not enough time.
So began the battle that would earn TNT coverage (although that was then and this is now) in an article dated January 8, 2000 given the aforementioned statue that continues to this day to grace the entrance to Bill’s Boathouse appeared anonymously that just-passed Christmas afternoon.
It was a gesture of support for dad’s battle against a city run amok.
And out of that battle was born Lakewood Cares which sponsored a rally at Pierce College to which nearly 500 attended. And from that rally this “political insurgent group” was successful in electing “a series of malcontents.”
Malcontents? Deplorables? Curmudgeons? May they and their ilk increase.
Years would go by but one day, in a council candidate forum, the question was asked by the moderator ‘what was the worst mistake the city ever made?’ And the answer of the one who would be mayor was, in light of the sign-code wars of those early years: “The sign code. We really blew the sign code.”
Dad would get, posthumous, his apology.
What the TNT Editorial Board has got wrong with its endorsement of the current slate of incumbents is what the TNT Editorial Board not infrequently gets wrong with their opinion that barely qualifies as print-worthy:
Principles – and character – matter.
One of the challengers of the Lakewood incumbents is Paul Wagemann. In each of the last three 28th District legislative primaries, in which Wagemann ran, the TNT endorsed his opponent. Wagemann won all three.
The TNT’s endorsement is a kiss of death.
Now the TNT supports John Simpson. Simpson supports marijuana.
So does the TNT. In fact, principles matter less to the TNT than pot profits. Said so themselves (November 22, 2016).
In opining Lakewood should drop its silly scruples and welcome pot shops, TNT’s Editorial Board wrote: “Principles are well and good but they don’t keep the lights on, and they don’t pay for recreation departments or police officers.”
Per the TNT (sad now to have to refer to them as a source of information), Simpson said “he would vote to allow retail marijuana in Lakewood not because he personally supports pot sales but because voters have spoken.”
Ironic Simpson’s rational for marijuana – “the voters have spoken” – and his support for the Rental Inspection Program (RIP).
Where, pray tell, did the voters speak in favor of the RIP, or Rental Housing Safety Program per the city’s vernacular? They did not. They were not asked. Those who did speak up, and by far the majority of those who have spoken up since the city imposed its will, have been decidedly against this top-down insistence by the city that warrantless searches are beside the point. Your humble abode will be inspected.
It is not expedient for the city to deal with property-violation offenders. All will comply.
Where have we heard that before?
It is the right-of-way battle all over again. The city is right and you are in the way.
With the Rental Inspection Program, we’ve come full-circle. Sick-lical you might say.
Put that in your pipe TNT and smoke it.
Looks like I’m voting for Simpson then. Lakewood’s ban on cannabis stores is ‘nanny-state’ local government at its worst. I purposely do shopping and buy all my groceries in Tacoma when I drive there every Saturday, because my town still treats cannabis users like criminals.
Cannabis users are still criminals…..according to Federal law. Simpson’s support of cannabis may have a hidden agenda. Yes the voters of this State have spoken but perhaps Simpson’s real motive is all the sales tax revenue Lakewood’s government will get to spend. With that rationale you can justify just about anything…….gambling (oh we already have that euphemistically called “recreational gaming”); other “recreational” drugs; how about recreational sex too? Just plunk your money down for the legal vice of your choice and Lakewood government’s cash register goes “Ka Ching”! After all; isn’t growing that tax base what government is all about. Seems they forgot they got elected to represent its citizens; not take them to the “cleaners”.
JohnA,
so what makes you think Simpson has a hidden agenda?? do you have something you can point to or is this just a feeling???
“Seems they forgot they got elected to represent its citizens; not take them to the “cleaners”.”
Perhaps Simpson is doing exactly what you seem to think he has forgotten to do. Represent the people. 54% of Lakewood citizens voted for recreational marijuana and now he is doing what the people that put him in office said to do with recreational marijuana.
Simpson understands that he is an employee of the citizens of Lakewood and with that understanding is voting for what the people said yes to (54%). that is exactly what and elected official should do!
this is why John Simpson has my vote and my endorsement.
And what came to Lakewood under your tenure, sir? An interesting criticism from the former city councilman/ former Deputy Mayor who allowed the naked/bikini baristas to come into the city, despite citizens voicing their complaints. Those citizens were laughed at during council meetings and told to stop being prudes. I guess it just depends on the “vices” one approves of.
A politician’s job is to respect and follow the will of the people. Mr. Simpson is trying to do just that, regardless of his own thoughts on the matter. I remember no such vote for naked baristas.
Maybe you should stop smokin’ that stuff and read up on history. It was Pad Finnegan and John Arbeeny, Lakewood CARES members on council, who forced the city to address the issue of “sexually oriented businesses” (SOB) when the city tried to sweep it under the rug out of public view. Pad and John’s outreach, especially to the Korean community most affected, resulted in the largest crowd to ever attend a council meeting where citizens voiced their disapproval of city policy. It forced the city to come up with real options instead of ramming it down their throats. Being “prudes” had nothing to do with it. It was a matter of constitutional rights, zoning and legal restrictions of otherwise legal businesses. I am unaware of any naked baristas ever being in business in Lakewood or permitted to do so.
As far as Simpson’s and council’s motivation regarding legal pot, money surrounding this issue has often been a topic of discussion by council. When it comes down to it, it is always about money to those in government. Follow the money; not the rhetoric and you’ll see the motivation. These are the same people who voted to tax you $20.00 on car tabs because according to Mayor Don Anderson they hadn’t done a good job of overseeing transportation dollars (stated at a meeting of current and past council members in 2013). These are the same people who supported Sound Transit’s power grab outside King County for a transportation system that won’t be completed for 30 years and be used by a tiny fraction of those paying thousands for it.
Dave,
Interesting you shop in Tacoma; I purposely avoid Tacoma because they outlawed plastic bags. Talk about the nanny state!
I’ve been using eco-friendly bags since the 1990s… If Lakewood wants to grow business, they should start by evaluating what they’re already doing that drives people away to shop elsewhere. Many people in Lakewood enjoy cannabis.
The TNT has solidified my plan to vote against every city incumbent trying to be reelected in November. It is such liberal/progressive mush media that we discontinued our subscription after over three decades.
The council has made so many poor decisions, excluding those above, like hiring a city manager who fired city employees, a couple of whom brought a great deal of money into the city in grants, and served the city’s residents like few other employees, outside of the police and fire departments, so he could give his department heads pay raises, using the salaries “saved” by displacing the good city employees. I, and others with whom I have spoken, hope the city (mis?)manager gets great reviews and some other city, preferably out of Washington hires him.
Lakewood should drop its silly scruples and welcome pot shops. Agree!
I, and others with whom I have spoken, hope the city (mis?)manager gets great reviews and some other city, preferably out of Washington hires him. Good riddance
(TNT) recently endorsed the incumbents of the Lakewood City Council for the November 7 ballot. Excellent news!
Simpson said “he would vote to allow retail marijuana in Lakewood not because he personally supports pot sales but because the voters have spoken” – and his support for the Rental SafetyProgram!
I support Simpson! (not OJ)
Better late then never, right?
Here I am, a candidate for city council in University Place.
I have pondered the question of pot sales in UP AND I have researched the potential repercussion with assistance of our own chief of police providing some valuable reading material, research and data.
I have come to the conclusion that I do not believe that having pot legalized within the city of UP will be detrimental to our community. It will not, in and of itself, incur a loss/risk/cost for police services or increase crime rates.
I have witnessed, as I’m sure you have, the waft of the smell of MJ from the vehicle next to mine/yours in the parking lot at Harbor Greens, Trader Joe’s, Safeway, etc… we cannot pretend to isolate/insulate ourselves from this ‘legal’ drug, even when it is used illegally. We are surrounded by it. Why shouldn’t we enjoy some of the revenue from it? Why?
As to the RIP, Rental Housing Inspection program… I am an owner of a rental property in Lakewood. I have spent a great deal of money, time, effort in making these units very comfortable for my tenants. There is a TNT article featuring me with my rental there in Lakewood if you would care to seek it out. It is in the nice neighborhood just on the NE edge of Steilacoom Lake, most of the homes there, including my duplex were built in the 1960s. They are all in some level of disrepair and are in need of improvements. I know what’s wrong with my duplex. My tenants know what is wrong with my duplex. We also know that if I were to address everything that’s wrong with a 50+++ year old structure that I couldn’t afford to keep it and they couldn’t afford to live there.
RIP is a rip. It will hurt landlords, tenants and the community HARD, way hard. Anyone who doesn’t see that is just plain stupid. And anyone who supports it does not have my support. I can’t say ‘my vote’ because even though I own property in Lakewood and pay taxes there I don’t get a vote, but my tenants do, and they trust my judgement, so, in effect I get 2-3-4 votes… so there.