To subsidize construction of affordable housing, Whatcom County will use economic development investment funds to pay the development fees that cities charge for new homes. That reduces costs for developers, letting them sell homes affordable to lower-income people.

Is that a good use of those sales tax dollars?

Jack Louws says yes. Doug Ericksen says no.

Louws, former Lynden mayor, and Ericksen, Republican state senator for the 42nd Legislative District, are vying this fall for the Whatcom County executive seat. The two conservative candidates debated Wednesday, Oct. 12, at a meeting of the conservative Northwest Business Club. Current Executive Pete Kremen and County Council member Tony Larson also debated. Kremen is running against Larson for Larson's seat on the council.

ERICKSEN-LOUWS

Economic development funds also are used to improve or build publicly owned facilities to encourage private-sector job growth. An example is a Port of Bellingham project to renovate a waterfront building so a Stanwood-based company can relocate there, bringing high-paying jobs.

For the affordable housing, advocates argued the funds would stimulate the construction industry and provide housing that's affordable for many area workers.

At the debate, Louws said it's an appropriate use of the funds, but he also supported using the money to help businesses that want to expand right now.

Ericksen said the money, instead, should be used for roads or sewer projects, as examples, so growth can occur around them.

Tax activist and former radio personality Brett Bonner asked Ericksen if it's wise to refuse to raise taxes without a public vote; Bonner then asked Louws if it's wise to leave possible tax increases on the table.

"I do think it's wise to give that certainty to the public," Ericksen said. And, as long as tax increases are on the table, we'll never reform government, and we'll continue to ignore private-sector solutions, he said.

Louws said that when considering tax increases, you have to look at the state of the economy, what the money would pay for and what process the county would go through with the public.

"Until our economy is working on all cylinders, we're not going there," Louws said. But he thinks we need to retain the possibility in case we have good ideas that would work for Whatcom County.

When asked whether, if elected, they'd retain Dewey Desler, current deputy county administrator, Louws said that it'd be imprudent to lose his institutional knowledge, but Ericksen said he'd get a new person for the position, which he'd rename chief of staff.

KREMEN-LARSON

The candidates debated the proposed transfer of nearly 9,000 acres of state-managed land in the Lake Whatcom watershed to the county for parks uses.

Larson, who is against the transfer, said the county shouldn't eliminate logging revenue to taxing districts and replace it with added county expenses. Now isn't the time to build a "legacy park" from land already owned by the public, he said.

Kremen said it would be paid with funding from the conservation futures property tax levy, a dedicated source of funding Larson sought to defend. A cost of about $260,000 for so many watershed acres is "an unbelievable deal," Kremen said.

MORE ELECTION NEWS

For more on these candidates and other races on the Nov. 8 ballot in Whatcom County, go to bellinghamherald.com/elections.