News - Elections - Elections candidates

POSTED: Monday, Oct. 12, 2009

Q&A with David White, Blaine City Council, Ward 1

To help readers better understand where candidates stand on the issues in the 2009 election, The Bellingham Herald provided questionnaires to candidates.

David White is a candidate for Blaine City Council, Ward 1

Question: City Council has eliminated water and sewer fees and is now considering doing the same with impact fees. Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not?

Answer: For two decades Blaine has left a sour taste in the mouths of developers throughout the county. This council is taking credit for something I suggested 14 years ago, and was scoffed at, when I brought it up at that time to stimulate the sagging economy at that time. It is going to take a long time for the bad feelings this city has left in developers mouths for them to take a serious look at Blaine again when so many of them have been injured by this administration

Q: What is your vision for growth and development in Blaine, and how would you accomplish it?

A: We need to lower all fees and restrictions in this city in order to attract any action. We need to be sending a representative to all business development seminars to talk about the advantages of setting up a business in Blaine. This is not just Blaine’s problem but it is state wide because of the very high taxes, and fees and restrictions imposed by the environmental extremists that are in this state from the Governor on down.

Q: What do you think the city should do with the airport property?

A: The airport property is prime developmental area for a manufacturing firm, with close access to the border, railroad and sea. It should be maximized to it’s full potential and the city needs to make it development friendly to anyone who shows interest in the property.

Q: What are some of the unique challenges Blaine faces as a small border town, and how would you overcome those challenges?

A: We need to make cuts in personnel within the city. We are still the only city in the county that is till clinging to a city manager that we do not need, as we are only a city of 4,000, and every other city in this county is doing fine with a mayor form of government that is responsible to the voters every four years, and is accountable to them. Every city Manager this city has had for the last 16 years has taken advantage of the people of this city with no accountability, including the one now who is under investigation for taking a gift and not declaring it. This city has no concept of how to spend money and get the biggest bang for its dollar. I can promise the people of Blaine that I can find ways immediately to save at least a million dollars right from the start.