News - Elections - Elections candidates

POSTED: Monday, Oct. 12, 2009

Q&A with John George, Blaine City Council, Ward 2

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

John George is a candidate for Blaine City Council, Ward 2.

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?

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

How does the City generate tens of thousands of tourist stopping in Blaine every month of the year? It’s simple for those who are educated in marketing: One promotion/marketing is so simple and effective it will have thousands of people stopping in our city as opposed to driving past it:

99 Cents/gallon of gasoline (15 gal limit) -- This type of marketing will take advantage of thousands of drivers crossing our border every day. The program also drives traffic to our restaurants and other business with incentive coupon specials. With this marketing of our city, traffic jams will replace the empty streets, empty retail spaces realizing the amount of traffic pouring into our city will fill up overnight. The Developer, Ken Imus had difficulty leasing new retail spaces for his plans to revitalize our downtown area, this issue is solved. His empty spaces will fill up overnight. The entire downtown, currently a ghost town will grow faster than ever before in history -- tax bases increased, shops moving in faster than ever in history and with tens of thousands of tourist each month with incentives from the local merchants to spend their cash. Downtown Blaine will be BOOMING OVERNIGHT.

This growth also allows us to afford to develop programs for our seniors, skate parks and activities for our bored children and better the quality of life for our families that live here.

This marketing of tourism needs to be in the hands of professional marketing experts -- not back door promotions of secretaries who sleep with the City Planner.

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

I am still reviewing the many good options for the airport.

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

The city of Blaine has potential with the right candidates on council. My opponent rubberstamps everything and fails to bring forth real solutions to the challenges facing our city. The city promoted a secretary who work for and romanced her manager, the City Planner. The City Planner arranged for her promotion and testified to that. There were no other applicants allowed to apply for the Tourism Developer position which has cost our city dearly as in my opinion this left out highly qualified people who understand how to develop the tourism that our dying city truly needs but fails to have as a result of this behind the door promotion for a critical position.

We need Honest Clean Wholesome Government and unfortunately we have to clean it up in order to move forward with qualified educated dedicated people.