Why I am Running

I have been striving to make neighborhoods and life for my neighbors better for over 27 years in the Pacific Northwest. From advocating for open spaces and land preservation to trying to shift airplane paths so they are less impactful on residents, my volunteer time has been spent trying to move the needle on a variety of issues. By being an elected official, I’ll be able to take the issues I’m already working on further down the path toward real change. Also, if elected I will be joining a seasoned team of commissioners who are already working on the current issues we face.

Housing and Houselessness –  Houselessness also ties into other issues such as substance use, crime, and many others. In this area, I will advocate for a holistic approach that focuses on housing and services. It seems to me you can’t house people without also thinking of what type of services they’ll need to make their lives successful. I also support current efforts to house people that are being tried by Mayor Wheeler and Chair Vega Pederson. I’m encouraged by the progress made on houselessness in San Antonio which has been captured in this short documentary. Basically, the solution there was to build a large center that houseless people can go to for food and services. It seems to have helped a lot. That will be one solution that I propose if I’m elected. I will be backing much of the current proposals of Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. There have been a few initiatives lately that I am supportive of such as tiny homes or tent villages. I’ve seen these work in Seattle in the past.

Livability – We all want to thrive and live rich lives. I look around our neighborhoods and I often think of ways that things could go better. These solutions also often have a positive impact on slowing climate change. Things like planting lots more trees would add more oxygen to our air and clean toxins out of the air. There is no reason we’re not planting millions of trees a year – it would improve our health and our life expectancies greatly. There could be more encouragement to get us out of our cars and use other modes of transportation. We have a great transit system here – let’s improve it and use it! If we are going to drive we could also all slow down some – this would lead to fewer traffic deaths and fewer car/pedestrian and car/bike accidents. That’s why I support PBOT’s efforts to reduce the speed limit on arterials and residential streets. When we slow down, accidents that do occur tend to lead to fewer fatalities. We’re also creating nighttime problems with the amount of glaring LED lights that are being placed on buildings and homes. The County and other governmental entities can be doing more to lead us towards better lighting solutions that don’t blind people who are out and about at night. The birds would appreciate this, as well.

Climate Change – We’re all feeling the changes associated with global warming and climate change. Whether it’s forest fires (and the accompanying smoke) or super hot summers, weather changes are coming and they are likely only going to get more extreme. I intend to use my best thinking to help us think about our community’s resilience and also help make changes to push back against climate change. Simple things that we can do easily such as stopping the use of gas-powered equipment (leaf blowers, lawnmowers, edgers, etc.) are at the top of my list. The fact that we’ve known how harmful these devices are and how polluting (both noise and air) – and that we haven’t taken action to limit their use is one of the issues drawing me to run for this office. There are hundreds of good ideas floating around out there that can be implemented county-wide that will make our community safer and less polluted. Here’s to a healthier environment for all of us and the other species we live among.

City/County Coordination – If there’s one thing I hear more than any other from residents it’s that the City and County don’t coordinate well on issues together. My hope would be to help improve this relationship. If the City and County were better able to work together more positive change in our region can take place. I have testified before the City and the County on various issues and see that they don’t coordinate well. I am hopeful that our newly elected chair, Jessica Vega Pederson will be leading us toward better city/county coordination, and I hope to support any effort in this direction.

I’m here to Help – I intend to offer my best thinking in every situation. If there are places where I have a blind spot I will admit that and learn what I have to to be able to participate in an intelligent way. I look forward to offering my ideas for how to keep our county on an improving trajectory. I’ve been at this for many years and I intend to continue in the future. Here’s to a healthier and more prosperous life for all of us and the generations that follow.

I’d love to hear your solutions to keep making life here better for everyone. Write me @ albert@albertkaufman.com – thanks!

Albert Kaufman – 2.16.23