Who to VOTE for?
On August 18th, two of three top vote getters per position will move on to the Nov.3 General Election. Only one position for City Council in Lakewood has three candidates – Position 2 – Mike Brandstetter, Connie Coleman-Lacadie, & Levi Wilhelmsen. Members of the SaveLakewood Steering Committee are interviewing candidates and the contestants’ answers to questions, along with their background, will be posted here. Here is our meeting with Mike Brandstetter:
Mike Brandstetter’s Background:
- Dean of the Academic Depart. at Bates Technical College;
- 30-year US Army career including 9 years as a Command Sergeant Major;
- 6 years Workforce Educator in Pierce County;
- Masters in Organization Leadership;
- BS in Business and Management;
- Lakewood 1st Lions;
- Toy Rescue Mission board member;
- Organizing Committee for Lakewood Relay for Life;
- various veteran’s associations;
- State and PC education committees and work groups;
- former board member Tillicum Community Center;
- married 38 years to Hae Yon;
- one son serving as Army 1LT in Afghanistan.
- Resides in Oakbrook;
- financial supporter and newsletter distributor of the Prop.1 and SaveLakewood Campaign.
Q: What is Lakewood about?
A: “How residents perceive their city matters more than the council’s perception. Economic development was not the reason Lakewood incorporated. Quality of life then, and now, remains citizen’s primary concern. Adding to the tax base does not equate with quality of life. Economic development is not the Council’s number one job, but rather development of the kind of city the citizens want to live in. Current and past administrations have tended to look for the big fish as opposed to encouraging small businesses. ‘If it creates economic development it must be good for Lakewood,’ should not be the council’s philosophy.”
Q: Would you favor raising gambling taxes?
A: “Probably not. It would just end up in the general fund and get in the way of what the city needs to do and that is phase out gambling by annually setting aside say 1% of gambling revenue thus spreading out the fiscal impact over several years for use when gambling is gone. The Council should certainly be able to plan with say a six-year lead time. The contention that gambling should have co-equal footing with legitimate businesses is not even acknowledged by the State Legislature. Big box stores, for example, are not identified by their known connections to the negatives gambling brings so how can gambling be an equivalent business enterprise? The community has a right to say how their neighborhoods should be. It is clear to me that there are social costs associated with gambling that are not say with Wal-Mart. Had HB2162 passed (allowing a precedent-setting ability for cities to zone casinos) it would have been a disaster for Lakewood and cities across the state as it would have made nearly impossible the eradication of this industry.”
Q: How would you improve education?
A: “Education is about students and the teachers who teach them, far more than buildings and budgets. The initiatives proposed by the CPSD have either focused on talented students or excuses. Teachers are needed that see their profession with passion. It is a vocation, not a job. What do this kind of teachers need? We should provide that as opposed to a place where students are experimented with. I was disappointed with the City Council’s emphasis on preparing 3-year-olds as opposed to 23-year-olds, the latter needing perhaps their GED, or vocational training, or ESL. The moms and dads need to get their education more than helping the child who comes home to parents with inadequate education.”
Q: What is your view of the Initiative process, specifically Prop.1 (that would have eliminated gambling)?
A: “Initiative provides a way to educate the public – an important and valuable part of the political scene. The difficulty in getting a matter on the ballot requires the issue be important enough to resonate with the people. Given the various factions that comprised the vote on Prop.1, the chances are that as viable plan for eliminating gambling would win.”
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
A: “If I say I am going to do something, I will do my part. I have a systemic approach to problem solving and believe myself to be a coalition builder. I am fiscally responsible and, as opposed to furthering a political party agenda, I am civic minded, holding community values as my top priority.”