PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — For the first time in eight years, there will be a new Pierce County executive.
Democrat Ryan Mello and Republican Kelly Chambers are both vying for the position in the November election.
The county executive implements county policies and oversees the day-to-day operations of all county government and services. This includes more than 3,000 full-time employees and a more than $3 billion budget.
Current Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier is not seeking reelection because he's reached his term limit.
Chambers has been a Washington state representative for six years, representing the Puyallup area, and owns an in-home care business based in Tacoma.
“Top priorities are addressing public safety,” said Chambers. “There's really a lot of public safety concerns.”
Mello is the chair of the Pierce County Council, which he has been on for four years. Before that he was on the Tacoma City Council for 10 years and was on the Metro Parks Tacoma Board of Park Commissioners.
“The biggest things we have facing Pierce County is, first of all, the lack of affordable housing,” said Mello.
KING 5 asked candidates how they think homelessness should be addressed.
“The best way that we can deal with homelessness is to, first of all, help get upstream and help stem the tide of folks falling into homelessness,” said Mello. “So, keeping people in their home and falling into homelessness, making sure that folks can afford their rent, making sure that seniors don't lose their housing because their property taxes are too high.”
Mello added he thinks there needs to be more shelters people want to live in, like tiny home villages.
Chambers said she thinks “being honest about the root causes of homelessness" is important.
“We need to expand those services that address the biggest contributors of homelessness. So, addiction and untreated mental health,” said Chambers. “So, bringing more providers online in the county so that law enforcement has a place to direct people that are in the throes of addiction and mental health problems.”
KING 5 asked the candidates what they believed was the best way to address violent crime in the county.
“Well, a couple of things need to be done. It's a multifaceted approach,” said Chambers. “First of all, it's ensuring that our law enforcement has, like I said, the tools and resources that they need to do their jobs. But maintaining the support of our law enforcement, and by attracting, recruiting, and retaining those law enforcement professionals.”
Chambers added that she thinks some state laws may need to be adjusted to better address juvenile crime.
“We need to make more space in our jail for violent offenders,” said Mello. “That violent offenders remain behind bars as they should. We're going to continue to resource the sheriff's department to have the personnel in order to do their job, solve violent crimes, and get violent offenders off the streets.”
Both candidates believe the county needs more housing.
“So many folks have their budgets stretched way too thin and pay way too much of their income on housing,” said Mello. “So, job number one is actually implementing the Housing Action Strategy that we put in place and building significantly more permanent affordable housing.”
“The cost of housing in Pierce County is outpacing that of incomes,” said Chambers. “We've also seen policy which makes it more difficult for people to get into homeownership. So, through regulation, when we make it more expensive to build, you're pricing people out of their homes.”