Alan Lichter - Democrat
Candidate for County Commissioner - District 2
Interview by Ralph Hahn
Personal Information: I am married to a wonderful, supportive wife, a genuinely amazing person. She is a certified yoga instructor, very spiritually and meditatively oriented. She has shared the gifts of her knowledge and spirituality with me. I have three wonderful adult children who love their lives and what they are doing. I am tremendously proud of all three.
I have been an educator most of my life. I earned my Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees at the University of Washington in literature. I taught at the University of Kansas primarily, but have done a number of guest lecturer stints at universities across the nation and internationally. I taught American Literature, The Writing of Poetry, The Writing of Fiction, Black Authors, Children's Literature. My favorite authors are poet Pablo Neruda (a Chilean) and novelist Martin Amis (English).
In the 1980's I was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Gdansk where I found myself advocating for non-communist students with communist university officials. The students wanted to participate in the Solidarity demonstrations against the wishes of university administration and staff.
Career Experiences: As stated previously, I was a university professor teaching literature for most of my career. While teaching, however, I frequently found myself advocating or mediating for others in a wide variety of situations. While a graduate student at the University of Washington, I was a member and ledf a committee mediating problems between the police, merchants and street people in the University district.
At the University of Kansas I was responsible to manage the process to select recipients for 12 major graduate scholarships which required a great deal of mediating between faculty and alumni donors. Finally, I mediated between administration and faculty and students at the University of Gdansk.
Involvement in the Community: I am a member of the pilots association that provides free plane flights for cancer patients going to medical appointments. I belong to Sky Hawks, a group that raises funds for scholarships for high school students who want to earn their pilot's license.
My wife and I are the Resource Stewards for Moran State Park. We are responsible to supervise 37 miles of trails, helping hikers, reporting tree falls or slides, identify and map noxious weeds and plants. I do lectures at the Library on children's literature, poetry, and American literature. I have directed Readers' Theater plays at the theater.
I am a member and was co-chair of Young Eagles, the group who gives children free plane rides. I am a member of the Experimental Aviation Association, the group that organizes the annual Fly-In.
Experience with County Government: When I lived in Lawrence, Kansas, I worked with the Town Council on "Town-Gown" issues and with the Parks Department on a variety of issues. For the first three months of this year, I interviewed all of the County department heads and elected officials to determine the issues and their needs. It was these interviews that convinced me that the issues facing the county were substantial and that I should run for Commissioner.
What do you consider to be the most important issue facing our County? What solutions do you propose to deal with the issue?
I believe that the greatest problem we face is the rapid growth we are experiencing. Between 1990 - 2000, Aspen grew 17% and Martha's Vineyard grew 29%. Those are the years in which the people of those communities felt that their communities changed irrevocably for the worse. San Juan County grew 40% during that time. Our life style and environment is in imminent danger and we must take extreme steps to stop further growth, before the harm is irreversible.
Growth has also brought with it a host of attendant problems, low wages, the highest land values in the state, lack of affordable housing, excessive strain on county services, and degradation of environment resources and aesthetic values. The projected shortfall in the county budget also can be traced to rapid growth. The cost of services has grown with the increasing population without the additional revenue to pay for those services. To solve the problem we must be much more aggressive about slowing growth, managing it with intelligence and concern for citizens.
We, Commissioners and citizens, need to develop a "smart growth" plan. What do we want for our community? We need to limit the total number of permits that we issue annually. We need to look at the possibility of transferring development rights between urban and rural areas. We need to consider the possibility of alternative housing plans, like rural clusters and co-homes. We need to look at pedestrian malls in our urban growth areas and expand our walking paths and trails. We need to look at capping the size of single family dwellings. Most importantly, we must find ways for growth to begin paying for itself, initially and over time.
Permit fees may need to be increased to cover the cost of services instead of being subsidized by taxpayers. Local communities can limit growth; there are many court cases substantiating this belief. We must limit growth and balance it against the livability of out community.
What do you believe is the "job" of a County Commissioner? What have you done in your life which would prepare you for this job? What have you done to inform yourself about the issues currently facing the county?
The Commissioners are responsible to make policy, to legislate. They have a responsibility to do their research, to determine the best information and/or science, to consider the future and plan for it. They must work with their department heads and other elected officials to create long-term plans. Above all, they must not micro-manage; that only distracts employees and creates inefficiency.
I spent 26 years as a university professor solving problems and issues. I know the importance of doing my homework, of thinking about issues, and communicating with others. I know how to resolve issues through negotiation and compromise.
For the last eight months I have been talking to department heads, elected officials, and citizens. If elected, I am committed to holding Town Hall meetings on Orcas and Waldron to keep the dialogue going.
According to the current County Commissioners, revenue is steady or declining, the cost of state mandated programs, services to citizens, and infrastructure needs are increasing. What is your view of this claim? What solutions do you propose to bring costs and income into balance?
I believe that the Commissioners are accurate. The costs of services far exceed income. To solve the problem, we must begin by examining the budget closely. I believe that we must institute a "zero-based" budget process. Every department must prepare a budget based on need, not want. They must then defend their proposed expenditures publicly to the Commissioners. I believe that we can save money by consolidating facilities (and the rentals fees).
We need to stop "credit card spending". We need to encourage low impact businesses, balancing our economy and increasing revenue sources. I believe that can better support our construction industry by limiting building permits. Too much construction business is going to mainland firms because construction exceeds the capacity of local companies to handle. We need to revitalize our traditional economy, agricultural and crafts. We need to encourage more partnerships with the retirement industry, like Elder Hostel. A better business climate will increase county government revenues.
Should guest houses be considered a residence for density calculations and zoning restrictions? Should guest houses be used for transient rentals? Long-term rentals?
Yes, guest houses should be counted in density calculations. We should limit the number of permits given out annually, as well as restrict size and placement on property. I do not believe that guest houses should be used for transient rentals. I do believe that they can be a solution to the affordable housing issue.
What is your view of the Charter Government initiative? What one change in County government would you hope that the charter process accomplish?
I am a little disappointed that the Commissioners chose to initiate the Charter process without asking the public first. I am enthusiastically supportive of the process, however. Anything which encourages citizens to participate in government and to express their opinions is good. My only hope is that the Freeholders can create a charter which we can all support and vote for.
Over $370,000 of the hotel/motel tax income has been given to the Visitors Bureau to promote tourism for our county. What is your view of this effort? The remaining income has been allocated to community theaters on Orcas and San Juan, to the Fair Board, the Parks Department, and to historical societies on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan. What is your view of this allocation of funds?
We need tourism; it is essential to our existing economy. We need to plan for tourism in the future when the average age of citizens is older and their tolerance for tourists is lower. We also need to shape it more carefully. We need to encourage more eco-tourism and more Elder Hostel tours.
We need tourism that will stimulate all aspects of our economy, particularly agriculture and crafts. We want tourists who will respect our life style and environment and participate with us in our community life. As far as the first 2% which supports local organizations, I believe that the funds need to be "put back on the table" and their allocation reexamined. We all need to consider the shape and form of our community all of the time.
The candidates have repeatedly said that the three commissioner system creates management inefficiencies and has been complicated at times by an inability of commissioners to cooperate and a propensity to micro-manage. What is your view of these assertions?
The inefficiency of the three commissioner system is complicated by disagreements and micro-management.
We should explore the possibility of a county manager, someone who is available to the community and department heads all of the time. It is possible to save enough money through increased efficiency that we could pay for the position. We need to insure, however, that if we choose a county manager that we find the right person. We also do not want a manager who is between the commissioners and the public. The commissioners need to be easily accessible to citizens.
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