When it comes to improving one of Vancouver’s most pressing problems — the homeless crisis — the two conservative candidates vying for a seat on the city council advocate different approaches.
The incumbent, Bill Turlay, elected in 2011, said the city needs to form a task force, create more family-wage jobs and consider what other cities are doing.
“People all over the world are having this problem,” Turlay said. “There’s no magic potion. … We’ll look at best practices, see who is successful and emulate whatever they are doing.”
George Francisco, a political newcomer who worked as an insurance business owner and has a sales and marketing background, said the city needs to move swiftly, calling it the city’s biggest challenge.
Vancouver City Council candidates
Bill Turlay
Age: 79.
Occupation: Owns a beverage distributorship.
Campaign funding, including in-kind donations: $7,565.
Major endorsements: Vancouver Police Officers Guild; Vancouver Firefighters Union; Clark County Association of Realtors.
George Francisco
Age: 74.
Occupation: Owns an insurance agency, Total Insurance by George.
Campaign funding, including in-kind donations: $12,332.
Major endorsements: Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, Young Democrats of Clark County; Southwest Washington Central Labor Council.
“We need to … come up with some affordable living for our single mothers and those with children to give them a safe haven,” Francisco said.
Francisco said he felt compelled to run because after eight years of calling Vancouver home, he wants to give back to a community he loves. Francisco blasted his opponent for a lack of vision.
“The incumbent has identified one thing in four years he’s claimed to have done and that is to save a fire station and five fireman jobs, and it was collaborative. … He has no vision,” Francisco said.
Turlay calls his objections over the closing of Fire Station 6 and police layoffs, which saved jobs, as one of his greatest achievements while serving on the council. He said the city’s highest priority is boosting public safety efforts. The city needs to boost the police force by 30 people, Turlay said. Turlay said his experience also sets him apart from his opponent, noting his background of working with the Chamber of Commerce and the Columbia River Economic Development Council.
Both candidates are cautious when it comes to the proposed oil-by-rail terminal in Vancouver.
“It’s in the hands of the governor and whichever way he decides, we need to support it,” Francisco said, adding, “I’m glad I’m not the governor.”
Turlay said he wants to ensure the safety of the community and watch the environmental siting process unfold before making a firm decision, but overall, he likes the idea of creating jobs in the area and believes the terminal would accomplish that goal.
“The best way to say it is, we have a system in place,” Turlay said, speaking of the environmental siting process and ultimately the decision by the governor.
The candidates have varying views on how to ease congestion and improve freight mobility.
“Just common sense says we need another way across the river before we tackle the Interstate 5 Bridge,” Turlay said, calling the financing proposed for the now-defunct Columbia River Crossing project “terrible.”
Francisco advocates replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge and including some form of mass transit, whether it’s light rail or rapid bus, before talking about building a third bridge.
“I have a vision of what has to be done,” the challenger said. “The bridge, the waterfront development, the Red Lion, changing that into a marketplace like in Seattle, see our cultural offerings in this city expand, find a home for our symphony. … I have a lot of energy.”
