Continuing in an assessment of candidates vying for Vancouver, Washington City Council, Position 2 now merits a look.
Position 2 is currently held by Jeanne E. Stewart, undoubtedly the single most centrist person sitting on the council. She is being challenged by 2 political novices, Alisha Topper and Ty Stober, both relatively unknown.
Admittedly, neither of the candidates has reached out to me as did others I have blogged about, but I have talked with Ms. Stewart in the past. My views of her challengers are based upon their web sites and news articles.
Again, in no order of preference,
Ms. Stewart was first elected to the Vancouver City Council in 2001, defeating Alex Veliko by nearly 20% in the final count. She ran and again won in 2005, defeating challenger Eric Olmsted by an even wider margin, approaching 30%.
As noted above, she is without a doubt the single most centrist member of the city council, thoughtfully considering constituents viewpoints she hears in her interactions with citizens throughout the city.
It was Jeanne E. Stewart who correctly assessed the public mood in 2010 concerning lumping a vote to increase sales taxes to fund operations & maintenance for light rail into a sales tax increase to fund C-Tran and voted against fellow council members on the C-Tran Board, resulting in her being ousted from the board in what can only be described as a tantrum thrown by sleazy mayor Tim ‘the Liar’ Leavitt.
Within a few month, council adopted the very position they ousted her for.
Soft spoken, she is a woman who strives to actually represent citizen concerns over the often unrealistic desires of former mayor Royce Pollard and current mayor Leavitt.
Until the election of Council Member Bill Turlay, she often sat as the lone voice of reason and sanity against the now defunct Columbia River Crossing light rail project.
More than any other city council member, her 8 years on the Vancouver City Council is marked by placing citizens above the often unreasonable demands and positions of the city council that would further burden Vancouver residents.
Ms. Topper is a newcomer with no tangible political experience seen, although she claims, “As a citizen, I serve on the governing boards of the Columbia Credit Union, Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, Vancouver’s Downtown Association, and the Rotary Club of Vancouver Metro Sunset.”
This is her first time running for public office with her Issues page largely describing her as “YES” for whatever city council has proposed in the past, regardless if citizens can afford the taxes to pay for it all or not.
Craftily avoiding mentioning a position on the recently killed Columbia River Crossing light rail project, her list of endorsements is a in part a Who’s Who of CRC supporters, Identity Clark County and most notably, former Mayor Royce Pollard, who in the past refused to endorse any candidate unless they signed a paper swearing support of the bankrupting project that would force Vancouver and Clark County to accept Portland, Oregon’s financially failing light rail, even though it has been defeated numerous times by vote.
Her Public Disclosure Commission report indicates strong support from those members of the community who worked diligently over the years to force the boondoggle on Vancouver Citizens.
Before announcing they would not actually endorse nonpartisan candidates, Ms. Topper was one of two under consideration for partisan endorsement by the Clark County Democrat Party, the incumbent declining partisan endorsement from either party.
Although she lists her High School teaching assistant for special needs students, membership in Future Farmers of America, cheerleading, track and field participation and employment with the Fort Vancouver National Trust, her resume’ is lacking in actual public service or political experience.
Although his second try for public office, abandoning his 2012 effort to run for the State Senator seat vacated by 49th Legislative District Democrat Craig Pridemore to promote homosexual marriage, Ty Stober is another political novice with little experience claimed, other than serving to promote homosexual special interests.
His issues page is a masterpiece of vagueness, touting “a vision for a prosperous and inclusive Vancouver” with no specifics.
Without actually mentioning it, he craftily uses language seen over the years by blind supporters of the no dead CRC light rail project.
His endorsement page is a Who’s Who of the Democrat Party and homosexual activists, understandable since he ran as a Democrat in 2012.
He also lists no public experience representing citizens other than promoting homosexual special interests.
These are your choices for Vancouver City Council Position 2 this election. There was another person who filed, but they dropped out early since it appeared they filed to run for city council to oppose County Commissioner David Madore and no other reason.
At the risk of being accused of endorsing, to me the choice would be simple if I were permitted to vote in city council races. An incumbent, who has faithfully served the public on the city council for 8 years, or one of two newcomers, neither with any political experience and both showing allegiance to special interests.
