Coppola, without a doubt

Lary Coppola is hands down the best choice for mayor. His record speaks for itself.

You know the old adage, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” Well, it ain’t broke. In fact, Port Orchard is one of the few municipalities in the state that is in good shape. The city’s financial house is in order. The crime rate is down. He has fostered a pro-business climate and works tirelessly to attract businesses and jobs to the area.

He has transformed the Planning and Engineering Departments into models for other municipalities to emulate. It is incredibly refreshing to have a Planning Department that looks for ways to make your project a success, as opposed to presenting roadblocks that delay your project. Their permit processing time is unrivaled and the simple fact that the city offices remain open 5 days a week is more than you can say for the majority of the municipalities in the county.

I have listened to both candidates at debates. His opponent does not articulate his vision for the city, nor does he indicate what he would do if elected. In fact, you have no idea where he stands on issues. He is a total unknown quantity. Given the exemplary performance of Lary Coppola during his first term in office, it is a clear and simple choice who we should elect as mayor of Port Orchard. Join me in supporting Lary Coppola for another term as mayor of Port Orchard.

Robert Baglio

Port Orchard

Choose Lucarelli for council

To the editor:

Cindy Lucarelli is the right choice for City Council position #5 as proven by her experience, dedication, and endorsements. Cindy has over 20 years experience as an independent business owner and employer. She understands economic factors and has practiced conservative fiscal responsibility.

Cindy is dedicated to our families. As a parent of a special needs child, she continues to advocate and volunteer. And for our community, Cindy gives her time and energy by regularly attending City Council meetings, as she has done for five years.

Currently Cindy serves on the Port Orchard Economic Development/Tourism committee for planning local events. She is also the volunteer Executive Director of our non-profit Cedar Cove Association. For me it is a privilege to volunteer under her vision and leadership with a mission to benefit Port Orchard.

We can retain our small-town essence and move forward with revitalization. Not only do I, as an involved citizen of this growing community, endorse Cindy for position #5, but she is also endorsed by several community groups. They, too, see Cindy as one who will continue to use skill and vision in the work for solutions to local concerns. Join me. Mark your ballot for Cindy Lucarelli.

Carol Brusa

Port Orchard

Mayor’s proven leadership

To the editor:

I have lived in Port Orchard for 72 years … been in business here since I graduated high school. Mayor Coppola and the current administration are doing an excellent job. A great city council and a staff we can be proud of. Why change it? Even his opponent, Mr. Matthes admits the mayor has done a good job, according to a story in the Independent.

I approve of the annexations; they were a natural move. I also approve of the job the mayor is doing of running the city as a business. He has balanced the budget and has the best DCD staff in Kitsap County.

If you value your vote, vote for proven fiscally responsible leadership.

Richard A. “Dick” Brown

Port Orchard

No to Beach Drive annex

To the editor:

This letter is to encourage those who are included in the proposed Beach Drive Annexation to vote “No.” This is a conflict of interest as it is initiated by Councilman Jim Colebank, to annex his property along Beach Drive into the city so he can build his home there and still remain on the City Council.

We the citizens will gain nothing by joining the city and will in fact lose services. The city, which is growing by leaps and bounds, cannot provide services if and when inclement weather hits us. They don’t have enough equipment or manpower to maintain the roads during bad weather. Police protection would also suffer, as they too are short-handed. The city just doesn’t have enough money to supply the needed services we in the proposed annexation need.

Also, if annexed into the city those of us who have view property, or waterfront property, would most likely see tax increases. Along those lines the city could also say, now you are in the city you must be on sewers, which for some of us would mean having to sell as we can’t afford the high price of sewers and the higher rates charged.

There are many cons to being annexed into the city, more so than pros. Mr. Colebank, who started this annexation, stands to gain at the expense of the many. With Mr. Colebank being on the City Council it reeks of a conflict of interest. Conflict of interest can be defined as any situation in which an individual or corporation (either private or governmental) is in a position to exploit a professional or official capacity in some way for their personal or corporate benefit.

We the undersigned urge you to send in your Notice of Intent to Petition for Annexation with a big No Annexation written across the front and if this does come to a vote we urge you to vote “No.” We also urge you to write to the members of the City Council at cityofportorchard.us and tell them how you feel about this annexation.

Jim & Kathleen Haner

Marcia Watt

Port Orchard

Support Axel for Port job

To the editor:

Comments: Kudo’s to candidate Axel Strakeljahn, candidate for Bremerton Port Commissioner, for understanding that “today’s bond issue is tomorrow’s tax” for Kitsap County residents. Its time for another voice of reason and a firm believer in limited government and lower taxes in our county.

Axel understands that wasting tax payer money on frivolous projects crowds out legitimate and needed government spending on education, police, fire and transportation infrastructure.

Axel has my vote and support for Port Commissioner.

Scot Sageser

Seabeck

Misleading anti-1183 ads

To the editor:

Hello, I’ve been irritated with the ads on television urging voters to vote no on I-1183 and wanted to clear up some common sense facts about I-1183.

First off every fact in this piece of writing comes from the Liquor Control boards website or the reading of the initiative itself and can be found publicly. The first misconception about the initiative is that the liquor control board will be “dethroned” and their power will be stricken but that is false. The Washington State Liquor Control Board will still have a big part in the distribution of liquor.

Nearly the entire first part of the initiative states that a distributor will not receive a license if they do not meet public safety requirements set by this initiative and the liquor control board.

Second, almost the entire ad campaign against I-1183 is focused on the increased availability of hard liquor to minors… on the SECOND PAGE of the initiative it states verbatim “This initiative will (h) Require a retail store to demonstrate to state regulators that it can effectively prevent sales of alchohol to minors in order to get a license to sell liquor.” I also stress that it says STATE regulators. It also states verbatim “ This initiative will (l) Make the standard fines and license suspension penalties for selling liquor to minors twice as strong as the existing fines and penalties for selling beer or wine to minors.”

The topic being exploited by the opposing view is not an issue at all and if it were an issue it would be on behalf of the state and the liquor control board. Privatizing the liquor industry would allow the state to focus on more relevant matters and the ability to reallocate important resources. I urge you to vote yes on I-1183.

Maverick Ryan

Port Orchard

Pinneo will be a leader

How many of your high school teachers do you remember?  I remember a few of my teachers, and it’s interesting to me that all of ‘those’ teachers, the ones that you remember, have a few things in common.  ‘Those’ teachers in my life were the ones who inspired me.  They inspired me because of their passion for the subject that they taught.  They inspired me in a way that caused me to think of Biology, or English, or History as subjects that I care about.  ‘Those’ teachers had a passion for, and mastery of the subjects that they taught that actually made me excited to write creatively, do projects that stretched me, and go above and beyond in many classes where students are tempted to do the bare minimum and simply keep the status quo.

Many of you know that Ben Pinneo is running for Port Orchard City Council.  Mr. Pinneo now teaches AP English classes at South Kitsap High School.  His students know him as one of ‘those’ teachers.  I believe that if you knew Ben Pinneo as I know him, you would know that he is a fantastic choice for Port Orchard.  I worked in Port Orchard as a Youth Pastor for 8 years, and I have known Ben since the time he was a freshman in high school and I call him a very close friend still today.  When Ben joined our youth group at church as a teenager, he is one of a few students that honestly inspired me.  Ben’s passion for learning, growth and caring for others were contagious in our youth ministry, and they impacted me as a Pastor as well.  Ben was one of those rare students that from an early age, seemed to care deeply about those around him and actually worked to inspire and help others.

Ben could have gone many places after graduating with his teaching degree, but he chose to come back to Port Orchard to teach at South Kitsap because he loves and cares for his community.  If you live in Port Orchard, you know what a special place this is.  If you live in Port Orchard, you know that this community deserves leadership that not only cares about the community, but inspires the community to care about itself.  Ben cares enough about this community to make the sacrifice of going door to door asking to hear the concerns of the Port Orchard Residents.  He has learned from community leaders about the intricacies of these issues and has an admirable mastery of many of the complex problems that Port Orchard faces.  He is one of the few community leaders who is hearing about these issues from the older and younger generations, which makes him extremely unique.  He has taken it upon himself to not only understand the issues, but also to develop a vision for the future.

Ben was a student who embodied this type of leadership, he is now a teacher who demonstrates this type of leadership as well.  He is one of ‘those’ teachers.  Having Ben Pinneo run for leadership in the community is a unique opportunity for Port Orchard to have a leader who not only cares about the community, listens to all generations in the community, and has a vision for the community; but also a leader who will inspire the Port Orchard community to go beyond the status quo to care about this wonderful and unique place and to continue becoming the city that we know Port Orchard can be.

Ben Pinneo is one of ‘those’ types of leaders.

Mike Reynolds

Former director of Student Ministries at Adventure of Faith Church in Port Orchard