GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE FOR BENTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER
I'm concerned with many issues that are of import to Benton County's future.
The Coffin Butte Landfill expansion and use is an issue that needs an ecologically conservative, multi-generational environmental perspective. We should analyze and try to limit the impact of this existing landfill and only expand if it is of critical need and would benefit future generations of Benton County Residents, not create more problems for them.
Consequentially, as stewards of Benton County we should be reducing waste and working to achieve net zero waste where possible. We should work with businesses as well to reduce restaurant carry out and service trash. I know there are existing initiatives being considered at the county level, and my hope is that we can leverage our highly innovative helpful Benton County citizens to build models that can be effective and implemented quickly.
Food security and agriculture are a blessing, we need to respect our existing climate and go all out to protect it by reducing our impact. This means less clearcutting and irresponsible burning of our forest resources, protecting our water sources, and encouraging farmers and businesses to steer clear of damaging practices.
Housing for the many people that live in Benton county currently as well as future incoming people is of high importance for our future prosperity. We have resources to move forward, building and reshaping our county to achieve realistic housing opportunities for our citizens. We again need to build upon our community of citizens to aid us in making lands, buildings and fields into new or repurposed housing.
Above all this is my desire to see and help nourish a culture of compassion and caring for all our Benton County citizens. We have so many people who do wonderful work for people in need of medical and mental health services. I want to do all we can to assist them in their mission and aid to implement improvements rapidly.
The combined power of our ideas and efforts of volunteer workers should always be encouraged, and I would make it a mission to help empower people in Benton County to engage themselves to help heal our people in need, as involvement to solve local problems inspires and nourishes people of all walks of life.
Politics are all about people; our needs, our relationships with our community and our visions for the future. It’s the future of Benton county that I’m looking forward to shaping with the support and consensus of citizens like you. Thank you!