The Friends of Sunnyside

A new website has been advertised in the Sunnyside Daily Sun News this past week.  It is called Friends of Sunnyside.  The website is edited by Wayne Overland, a property owner in Sunnyside.

Mr. Overland is not very happy with the performance of the Sunnyside City Council.  In June, he wrote a letter to the editor which urged the City Council to hold off on naming a new City Manager until after the fall elections.  Thankfully, it appears that the City Council will indeed, follow this sound piece of advice.

After I announced I would be running for City Council in District 1, running against incumbent Theresa Hancock, Mr. Overland contacted me to express some concerns he has for our city.  (I welcome anyone and everyone to contact me with any issues they have.)

He and his group are upset with out of control spending by the current City Council, the cutting of police officers, and the resulting fiasco created by the way the Council terminated former City Manager Eric Swansen.  (I thought that was already a done deal, but it is again on the agenda for tonight’s meeting of the Council!)

The Friends of Sunnyside has a number of issues presented on their website, which I am actively reviewing.  However, I do share many of Mr. Overland’s concerns, and wish to make every effort to restore all the police officer positions cut by this City Council (these cuts to law enforcement were supported by my opponent Theresa Hancock.)

This fall, the 3/10 of a cent sales tax dedicated to law and justice will be on the ballot for renewal.  The Sunnyside Police Department used funds from these monies to hire additional officers and other personnel prior to this City Council term.

After expending all reserve funds, the current City Council then eliminated police officer positions, despite having the extra revenue from this sales tax approved by the voters.  The citizens have spoken at the ballot box, and voted extra taxes to go for law enforcement.  Why has the City Council gone and cut officers?

We can do better than this.  I promise “The Friends of Sunnyside”, and all citizens, that if I am elected, I will support a complete review of the budget as suggested by Mike Farmer in the Yakima Herald this week. (Mike Farmer is a City Council candidate in District 2 for Sunnyside.)  In an effort to beef up law enforcement, I will support the continued collection of the 3/10 sales tax for law and justice!

As far as I know, I am the first candidate for the Sunnyside City Council to publicly take a position on this law and justice ballot issue for 2009.  Along with a steady source of revenue for law enforcement, I will resist all efforts to “cost shift” employee pay raises and benefits at City Hall.  The first order of business is going to be public safety when it comes to budget priorities.  After getting patrol officers back out on the street in full force, then we can negotiate pay raises for administrators, and the virtues of 9 weeks of vacation each year for City employees (which has been the priority of the current City Council).

I want to thank Mr. Overland and his friends for taking an interest in improving conditions in Sunnyside.  All citizens and business owners in Sunnyside are encouraged to voice their concerns to me at any time.  Please feel free to drop me a line at my e-mail: editor@blogsunnyside.com about any issues you wish to discuss.