The Vancouver City Council has one seat open for challenge this year, currently occupied by young Bart Hansen, who was appointed with little or no voter input to replace now mayor Tim Leavitt.
My concerns with young Mr. Hansen continuing to hold this seat have been expressed at Who Is The Conservative Voice on the Vancouver City Council?
Having the majority on the council, even if by a slim margin, centrist I feel is a good thing. But, as we saw with the resent passage of the Special Events Ordinance, 3 liberals and no conservative voice on the council came very close to one of our more important constitutional rights, freedom of speech and assembly, being retained by one vote.
Enter John Jenkins, a conservative running to take the seat away from Bart Hansen which would give us a council comprised of 4 centrists, 2 liberals and 1 conservative, should he win and not the current 4 centrists and 3 liberals.
John, a resident of Vancouver since 1966, has a proven history of personal commitment in voluntarily serving the City of Vancouver as one of the founding members of the Clark College Computer Advisory Committee, serving as its chairman from 1995 until 2008, serving on the Vancouver/Portland Aviation Noise Advisory Committee, chairing the 2004 Vancouver Salary Review Commission and co-chairing the 2009 Vancouver Charter Review Committee.
Being success oriented with a strong belief in “being fiscally responsible in all financial matters,” John would apply these same organizational and management skills that “are vitally needed in the City of Vancouver government to attain its maximum efficiency.”
John came by his experience and successes the hard way, he had to earn it. His father, a career Army man passed away when John was 12 years old, leaving his mother with 4 small children and dependent upon meager Military Survivor benefits. John grew up learning to appreciate the Military and the sacrifices made by those who wear the uniform in defense of our nation.
He strongly feels we must provide adequate care for those who defend our nation, especially if wounded in combat and for the families of those who pay the ultimate sacrifice.
Growing up under such meager conditions taught John frugality and how to maximize what is available to you, which is why he opposes slapping Vancouver citizens with the added expense and tolls of a new bridge with light rail, something that will benefit Portland much more than Vancouver. As John says,
“It is my opinion that additional federal funds should be demanded by both Oregon and Washington. Both bridges are designated Interstate routes and, therefore, the majority of the cost of building and maintaining them should be a federal responsibility. Accepting only 10% funding for the CRC is unacceptable in my opinion. Having read about other bridges with similar design criteria all around the country I know we can do better and for far less.”
Addressing adding Portland’s light rail to a new bridge, John said,
“Light rail costing almost $200 million a mile is unbelievable. Studies by both the Washington Policy Center and the Cascade Policy Institute both offer alternatives that will save millions from the projected cost estimates. These alternatives should be fully discussed and seriously considered. Furthermore, the citizens of Vancouver and Clark County should have a right to vote on whether or not they want to incur the operating costs of light rail.”
In regards to the growing budget deficits, John believes there remains room to cut unnecessary spending by looking closer at mid management, upcoming retirements, training, upper management and more. He opposes new hiring for office positions and protecting the rank and file employees, such as Fire and Police.
John says, “As employees of a city we should be proud and keep in mind ‘We work for You’.”
To regrow jobs in Vancouver and Clark County, John would lower business fees, taxes, and in some cases provide incentives to businesses to move here and provide much needed jobs to our community.
John supports Arizona’s recent law on Illegal Aliens and would oppose any action by the council to condemn the new law protecting Arizona’s citizens.
Seeing how close the current council came to placing regulations on our right to peaceful assembly and free speech he says,
“I believe our constitution is at risk. I will make a strong case for following our constitution to protect citizen rights. The right to assembly is just one. The right to bear arms is another. I will always be mindful of our constitution and who has given so that we may have it.”
Mindful of murders of 2 young girls in our community in recent years by level III repeat sex offenders and seeing how Clark County seems to receive many upon release, he advocates strengthening current law more by writing and mailing notification within a 10 block area of a offender moving into an area, something he has read the state has that authority to impose. As a city council member, he would pressure our legislators to propose such legislation to implement such notification and to continue strengthening our laws to protect our sons and daughters.
Feeling the so-called “Green Energy” over rated, John would prefer to follow the European example of clean nuclear energy, remaining mindful that nuclear waste remains a large issue.
John Jenkins has a resume’ of “proven leadership and experience,” more than qualifying him to serve on the Vancouver City Council and he has ideas that will grant the city council a more consistent conservative voice.
Bart Hansen has the backing of the city establishment, but has shown his lack of foresight and knowledge of history by advocating placing regulations on our right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech, that admittedly by city officials, has never caused a problem to the city by either political persuasion.
In invite you to visit Elect John Jenkins Vancouver City Council and give him serious consideration. We need a conservative voice on the Vancouver City Council.
