Many people have asked me where I stand on different issues. I am posting this in response to Nick, Jeff and his wife. And to all of the others who want to know. Thanks in advance.
I sent this message to everyone I could think of and asked them to pass it on to whomever they know. This is a series of questions I answered for the Sammamish Reporter (they did not print them all). My opponent also answered the questions but I don’t have room to pass on his answers. People who live in Sammamish will have access to the Reporter through local news boxes.
I hope this is not information overload. I get so upset over where our tax dollars are going, the lack of support shown to our citizens, and the lack of common sense within our City Council. If you have any questions about what I failed to cover please visit my website www.stangunno.com. Also, visit my website for any addition information/insight about me. I added your questions to the bottom. I would like the name of your blog site and would like you to visit mine.
Thank you for understanding why you received this and please pass it on to others.
Stan Gunno www.stangunno.com
Why are you running for this position?
It is time the citizens of Sammamish have a Leader who is willing to listen. I am that Leader. I am concerned about the excessive cost overruns and spending on pet projects that will send our budget into the red in a few years. I am concerned after talking to young people, elderly and people who have special needs that there is nothing for them to do in the city of Sammamish. I am concerned over a lack of strategic planning where we build roads with flower boxes just to tear them up to add a turn lane we knew we needed when we build the road with the flower boxes. Most of all I want to stop the $45 million waste of our money on an East Lake Sammamish Parkway project that is geared more toward beautification than relieving congestion.
Tell us about your experience. Why do you feel you are qualified for this position?
When it comes to over all ability to do the job I am so much more qualified than the other candidate who is currently performing the job. I have been directly involved in our community for years. I have a strong record of public service – working on national, state, county and community issues that affect our quality of life – and I am ready to serve our city. I was brought up to believe that selfless service to others would be its own reward … I still believe that!
ü An honorable and distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force from 1977-1995, earning numerous decorations for leadership and outstanding service
ü Meritorious Service Medal, medals for Commendation, Achievement, Good Conduct and the Humanitarian Service Medal
ü 1996 to present, served the Eastlake Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) as Adjutant, Service Officer, and the chairman of most of the committees. Established programs to triple attendance and reduce expenses by 80 percent
ü Currently serve as the 1st Junior Vice Commander, Department of Washington DAV. Served as the Chairman of the Finance, Budget, Employment and Rehabilitation, and Membership Committees. From Sept 2006 thru May 2007, our Service Officers in Washington aided over 9,000 veterans to receive over $17 million in annual benefits. The DAV organization runs a national transportation network aiding veterans in traveling to medical appointments. In WA State DAV purchased 28 vans running and provided approximately 140 drivers who volunteered over 35,000 hours to transport over 16,000 veterans almost 700,000 miles to their medical appointments
ü Since 2000 serving as a small business owner (general contractor) serving the Puget Sound Area
ü Elected to start my 7th year as a member of the King County Veterans Advisory Board. The Board advises and makes recommendations on programs and services to assist and support veterans and their families through the King County Veterans' Program.
ü 2000 to present actively working with other veteran organizations, National, State and County elected officials to draft legislation to meet the needs of Veterans and their families
ü Since 2004, I have worked with the Washington County Veterans Collation, as an advocate to collectively assess and address the evolving needs of veterans and their families
ü Appointed in 2006, as the Chairman of the Resource Management and Evaluation Committee, King County Veterans Citizen Levy Oversight Board (VCLOB). The levy generates approximately $13 million annually, of which the VCLOB oversees $6.5 million per year for regional human services for veterans, military personnel and their families. We report on the effectiveness of the programs and make recommendations for future improvements. Our focus on expending the revenue raised by the levy funds services for veterans, military personnel and their families, including services specific to veterans’ needs such as Post-traumatic stress disorder counseling, specialized employment assistance, domestic violence counseling, housing assistance, women veterans’ issues, substance abuse, prevention and treatment and mental health counseling.
What separates you from the other candidate?
I am a small business owner and retired Air Force member this separates me from my opponent lacks the experience to lead, manage and plan strategically for the future of our City. I work closely with our elected officials and am endorsed by our elected County Council Members Kathy Lambert and Reagan Dunn, and our State Representatives Jay Rodne and Glenn Anderson. They see and believe in my ability to be a Sammamish City Council Member. I am fiscally responsible which separates me from my opponent. Cost overruns and excessive capital spending is sending us into the red. I am a Leader demonstrated by my ability to listen to the people in Sammamish before I make decisions. Currently, my opponent expressed no concern over the congestion on East Lake Sammamish Parkway. His response to the Seattle Times and me was that instead of relieving congestion we should give up our cars and take public transportation. This is his plan for the new town center also. Metro service has improved some in Sammamish, thanks to the support of Microsoft Corp, but it is still lacking to the point that we are going to get enough vehicles off of the road to support new growth. I am a solid manager. I am not a social engineer. I believe the citizens have the right to drive their vehicles and if they choose, to take the bus. I do not want for force public transportation on anyone. This is what separates me from the other candidate.
What do you see as the greatest need right now in Sammamish?
There are several things Sammamish needs right now:
Proven Leaders who will listen to our citizens
Plans that will relieve congestion not just beautify our roadways
A demonstration of strategic planning.
What do you think about the Town Center plan? Will you push hard for it, or go slow?
We need to take the Town Center Plan slow. Ensure the infrastructure is in place to support the projected growth. Our roads are currently failing us. With the addition of 2,000 households without increased capacity is a mistake. If we take it fast it will be built out in two years and we have an 18-year plan on our roads. I know some on the current council would like to see it built quickly for the revenue stream so we can keep spending like there is no tomorrow, but we cannot do it quickly for fear of massive gridlock. Mr. Cross told the Seattle Times and me that Public Transportation would relieve the congestion we suffer in Sammamish and that we just need to spend more on getting more public transportation in the city. I disagree. We spend enough on public transportation in Sammamish and we need to demand our share of support. Most citizens do not want to give up their vehicles and I am one of them.
How do you feel about creating affordable housing in Sammamish?
Affordable housing leads people to think of crime. Sammamish needs “Workforce Housing”. Workforce Housing is built so our teachers, firefighters, police officers and even the person who works at the local coffee house to live and work in Sammamish. The Urban Land Institute had performed extensive studies into Workforce Housing. Tools to use are: Density transfer, incentive zoning, broadened applications of mixed-use zoning, and property tax exemptions. We need to focus on Workforce Housing vs. Section 8 housing projects that won’t fit the needs of our community.
Should the city float a bond for park and recreation projects? What should park and recreation bond money be spent on?
I am not currently in favor of a parks bond. Let’s plan for park development for the long run. We can search the budget for available funds and eliminate multi-million dollar cost over runs. We need to build up our infrastructure and consider the bonds in about 2-years if partnerships and alternate sources of funding are not found.
Are you in favor of the $14.8 million Phase I improvement plan for East Lake Sammamish Parkway? The entire project plan? Why or why not?
I am against the project as planned. Commute times, safety and road conditions must be improved. Spending $45 million on a 12-year East Lake Sammamish Parkway project that does not improve traffic congestion or account for projected growth (to include the town center) will not work! I will ensure our taxes are spent in the right places to alleviate congestion despite predicted growth. Do not buy into the rumor that I want a 5-lane road on the lake. This is a vicious lie that has been started. We need to look at the alternatives that the City Council refused to review.
How would you change the city's six-year transportation improvement plan?
East Lake Sammamish project stopped and re-worked for safety, reduction in congestion and bicycle/pedestrian friendly. Finish 244th prior to starting work on East Lake Sammamish Parkway. We need to go back to our original transportation plan that increased capacity on Sahalee Way to 202. Since 202 will have 2 left turn lanes at Sahalee way we need to rework our road development plans. We need to push for more Regional Transportation support in Sammamish. Even after years of paying excessive taxes into support of the system we have to have private corporations step up to fill our void in Sammamish. Thank goodness Microsoft Corp can keep bailing us out.
If the city needed to increase revenues, what new tax would you propose?
None. We all live with a budget. We need to measure our needs vs. our wants. The city needs to address the needs of our citizens vs. the wants of the City Council. A good example of this the city needs to improve the capacity of our roads and the citizens need us to improve capacity. The City Council has ignored the needs of our Citizens and presses on to develop a project that is a basic beautification project on East Lake Sammamish Parkway. We must use our tax base wiser. The city needs to re-evaluate our capital investments to stay in line with our revenue flow. If it is determined by the majority of our citizens that they want a bond issue added for park and recreation it should be determined if a partnership with local groups such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club could avoid raising the taxes of our citizens.
Anything else you'd like to tell voters?
I am a small business owner who retired from the military. My whole life has been dedicated to service, leadership and management. I don’t work for another city or county, I work for the citizens of Sammamish. I will listen to all of the citizens of Sammamish. I will listen and before I make decisions that affect millions of your tax dollars I will make sure the majority of the citizens support the project. I will make sure that proper infrastructure comes with any new development that fits our community. I will create a realistic, long-term fiscal plan to protect the diverse priorities of the Plateau community, including safe neighborhoods, well-maintained parks and trails, recreational facilities and programs, along with a vibrant business district. Sammamish is a neighborly community. I want to grow old here, ensure it remains a neighborly community. Sammamish is a community serving all of its’ citizens. Sammamish is a community where we can raise our children in a safe and family environment.
You should know I have extensive training in budgets, leadership, management and customer service. My opponent has never held a management position. For 20 years plus he has always been a Sr. Planner. Never has he filled a position as Assistant Director, Assistant Manager, Director or Manager. My record of service speaks for its self. I am willing to listen to the citizens of Sammamish before I make decisions. Our current City Council does not listen to the recommendations of their board and committees. They take the recommendations and either throw them away, or reassign another board or committee to come up with a different plan. This was demonstrated with the Town Center Plan. They replaced the first board after they submitted a plan the Council disagreed with and then the new board submitted a plan. The Council didn’t like it and changed it to fit their goals. After all I have heard “We know better than you on what the Vision of the City is…” “I am not concerned about congestion…people need to find alternative forms of transportation instead of driving.” They do not listen to the people of Sammamish; they are spending out of control trying to build a city over night, and are looking into raising our taxes again. We have the highest impact fees in the state. We are considering doubling them again (just after doubling them last year). New fees will be thousands of dollars. This does not affect current homeowners, but it does affect people who want to build their home in Sammamish so they can raise their family in our community. We need to develop the City of Sammamish as a Community not as an Urban Area. I hear things from the Council like “Well when I lived in Chicago…I loved the way they … and I would love to see that here”, I don’t want Chicago here. I don’t want Seattle here. I want Sammamish here.
What is your vision for the Town Center area?
This is a long term Vision for the City of Sammamish. We must be cautious in developing a Town Center. The Town Center Area should be a place where families can gather and visit. The children can play in a small fountain while enjoying a drink and sandwich from a local restaurant. It should have a multi-use community center for seniors, youth, families, and singles. It would have an indoor walking track, childcare (for the father or mother who wants to do a craft, attend a class, or get into a pick-up game of basketball. Maybe an indoor pool or 2 pools one for laps/diving and the other more family oriented. Growth in the Town Center Area must be cautious. We do not currently have the infrastructure to support a Town Center. We don’t have the infrastructure to support our current growth, not including projected growth of 1,300 – 2,000 residences and 200,000 – 400,000 sq feet of office/retail. We do need more restaurants, available office space, multi-use facilities and retail opportunities in Sammamish. But we need to ensure we develop the infrastructure ahead of land development or we will be at a standstill.
Are you committed to low taxes for Sammamish city residents? Do you intend to pursue any programs that would increase taxes on Sammamish residents?
I am committed to keep our taxes at their current level. I will not raise taxes on Sammamish residents. Our taxes are sufficient enough maintain the city and support capitol projects. I have to caution you and other residents. We are spending $45 million on an East Lake Sammamish Parkway project that does nothing to improve congestion or take future growth into consideration. Construction of these 4.5 miles is going to last over 12 years. When we finish with the project we have what we started with one lane into Sammamish and one lane out. We will have a lower speed limit, more traffic congestion, flower boxes, a sidewalk on one side, lighting similar to 228th since this is the projected gateway into our city and a center turn lane in places. We do not need to spend $45 million on safety if that is what we need to address. It should not take over 12 years to finish 4.5 miles of road project and we have to address congestion. We have had cost overruns on every project the city takes on as an improvement. These cost overruns are hurting our budget. If the Current City Council continues to spend at the projected rate we go into the red in a few years. This in outlined in the City’s budget. City Hall about a 25% cost overrun (millions), Pine Lake Park (cost overruns), Ebright Creek Park (cost overruns), Beaver Lake Park projects (cost overruns), etc, etc, etc. We have a lack of leadership and management in this city that treats our budget properly. First with proper planning we don’t need cost overruns. I confirmed this through the parks department in Seattle. They build on time and on budget. If the citizens feel we need the parks bond the city is pressing, I would consider putting it onto the ballot and let the citizens decide. I don’t think we need it. We can partner with the YMCA for a pool, and the Boys and Girls Club for a place for youth. I see the city forgetting to deal with a realistic budget. We all live on a budget. We all have wants and needs. An example is I want a 52” television. I need to pay my water bill and mortgage. The city must address our needs before we spend money on our wants. When we build a park we need to make sure we have the money to cut the grass. Even better when we build the ball field we need to make sure we can get our children to the game on time and not be stuck in gridlock.
What ideas do you have to help the elderly citizens of Sammamish?
Let me put three areas into one answer here. The city of Sammamish is failing our elderly citizens, families and people with special needs. This was demonstrated during last winters’ storms. There was no viable Strategic Plan in place to effectively deal with emergencies in the City of Sammamish. There was not communication system in place to check on people who had special needs such as our elderly, families with small children and people with special needs. There was no communication system in place to keep residents informed of the status of shelters, aid, return of power, etc. There was no plan for the city to step up and aid the emergency responders. I spoke with the fire department and they had to clear roads to respond to emergencies. The city should have placed the maintenance personnel on alert and had them stay the night at the city hall in preparation for the storm expected the following day. We could have had roads sanded, cleared of debris (or most) and had a communications system in place. I hope I don’t live here if we ever suffer an earthquake of any size. Elderly citizens feel they need a place to meet to talk, play cards, read and just relax. We offer them nothing. We spend millions on a City Hall and cannot use the upstairs even temporarily for a meeting place for our seniors. We have nothing for our youth to do in Sammamish. Some say well we opened the Skate Park. We have 40,000 people in Sammamish and approximately 1/3 of them are 18 years old and younger. The Skate Park accommodates about 40 youth on a good day. Not all of our young people like to walk in the park, wilderness, or listen to concerts designed for the older crowd. Families need covered picnic areas, playgrounds, and a town center with a water feature similar to the fountain in Redmond Town Center. Places to take your family out to dinner or just an evening out for the two of you.
What ideas do you have to help families in Sammamish?
Before we can figure out how to help families in Sammamish we need to listen to them and determine their needs. The City of Sammamish sends out a survey to approximately 400 people or less and receives responses from approximately 300 of them. Remember we have 40,000 residents and from the 300 respondents the city determines the needs of everyone and the desires of everyone. I am sorry but this is not a good method to listening to the citizens. The things I see that are currently needs are addressed above.
What are your top 5 priorities for the City of Sammamish?
There are several things Sammamish needs right now:
Proven Leaders who will listen to our citizens
Plans that will relieve congestion not just beautify our roadways
A demonstration of strategic planning
Responsible spending and realistic planning
A right for citizen referendum.
Do you support the proposal that any expenditure over $15 million should require 75% approval by the city council?
I do not know who made the proposal but any single expenditure over $15 million should have the approval of 80% of the council. I believe in the right for citizen referendum and if they disagree with any expenditure over $15 million it should have a majority approval of the citizens.
Stan GunnoCandidate Sammamish City Council Position 6
www.stangunno.com
Thank you for your support and Vote in November!
