from Lisa Byers
In a recent letter to the editor Mike Carlson asked a number of questions about what I believe to be the role of government. Other individuals asked similar questions. I will do my best to address this complex topic in a concise manner.
I believe that government has a limited, but important role to play in society. Government is not the answer for resolving many of society’s needs. Many needs are best addressed through volunteer efforts, or by for-profit or non-profit businesses. But when government does provide services, it should do so efficiently and effectively.
When we, as a community, grapple with an issue, I believe that government is well suited for convening people, setting common goals, and then developing incentives to implement solutions. I believe that some of our best innovations have come about through thoughtful collaboration between government and individuals working through for-profit and non-profit businesses.
When we choose to adopt regulations, they should be designed so that businesses that follow the rules may thrive, and property owners may have flexibility in how they use their property. One of the challenges of government is that regulations stay on the books after they are no longer useful, thus becoming an impediment. We must be diligent about pruning out old rules that no longer serve us.
It is very important to me that government officials recognize that uncertainty has a significant detrimental effect on business and residential development. The length of time that it took this county to get through the required update to the Critical Areas Ordinance is a case in point. Nine years is too long. The uncertainty had very real economic costs.
Mike, you say that you have made a living in the islands without government help. I have a feeling that you don’t mean that in the literal sense. You travel on roads and ferries. You know kids or have kids who have gone to school and gotten an education. You’ve probably used maps and weather forecasts. You’ve had a clinic or hospital to help you through an illness or accident. Put simply, at some point, you’ve been helped by your neighbors. And government is, at its most simple, one of the ways that we come together to make our society function.
I know what it is like to work hard, save money, and buy property. I know how scary it can be to think that you won’t be able to provide for your kids. I know how difficult it is when you’ve been running your business successfully, but then the rules change and you have to change in order to survive, let alone thrive. You wrote in your letter that you thought my response to an issue was cavalier. I’m sorry you got that impression. I think that people who work with me would tell you that is not their experience of me. I think they would say that I am thoughtful and balanced. I hope that you will give me the opportunity to re-shape that perception.
My work has involved hiring people and worrying about making payroll. I have taken risks in order to keep people employed, because I know that without a job they would suffer, and they might move away. We need good jobs, with good wages in our community so that people may thrive. I think our economy in San Juan County is transitioning. We will continue to rely on construction and tourism, while at the same time there are more people employed here who are exporting their ideas and creativity. They are writers, artists, scientists, educators, consultants, and more. This is a place where people come to relax, to learn, and to be inspired. The more we can capitalize on that—by continuing to value this unique environment—the more our economy will thrive.
I believe that we do need regulations to protect our environment. That is a consequence of having more people. I believe that the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) passed by the county council last December was a valid attempt, within the requirements of existing state law, to find a way to allow property owners as much flexibility as possible. However, it is important with any regulation that we understand how it works in real life. We need to gather case studies of on-the-ground experience, and then make changes to improve the application and predictability of regulations. Within the context of state law, we should strive to make regulations as clear, consistent and as flexible as possible. If state law makes that impossible, we should work together to change state law.
Finally, I believe that my work experience makes me very well suited to be a county council member. I have worked with others to build housing for almost 5% of Orcas Island’s year-round population. The construction of that housing created jobs, and the finished product—the houses—provide a home for many people who work at jobs we depend upon on a daily basis.
Through collaboration, hard work and innovation, I have led an organization, using a using a mix of private and public financing, to do something that many thought was not possible. I hope I am able to bring those same skills of hard work and collaborative problem solving to the county council.
Lisa Byers is a candidate for San Juan County Council for the Orcas Island Residency District
I just read 878 words written by Lisa Byers mostly not answering the questions raised by Mike Carlson, myself or anyone else. All of it was off the original topic.
Does each of us get 800+ words to respond to this?
Lisa Byers made statements recorded In June of 2012. The anonymous e-mail legitimately and no doubt accurately questions her views based on those statements. No one has actually defended these statements.
Lisa Byers does not answer the question raised by the e-mail but makes inflammatory statements in Orcas Issues about the person behind the e-mail.
Her supporters follow suite concerning not only the e-mail but also attacking anyone who demands she answer to her statements in the videos of June of 2012.
Lisa nor any of her supporters offered an explanation defending the actual issue. All of them, to now include Lisa, have gone off in some other direction with each post.
Some of the continued dialog on the subject has been edited from the original string.
Whether or not Lisa Byers wins or loses this election is of no concern here. This is about TRUTH.
Unless Lisa Byers can explain how her statements and associations in the past are not exactly what they are, then she is a big problem to all of the citizens of San Juan County. Because she, her supporters and Orcas Issues are doing an end run I suspect that exposing the truth here would be fatal to her bid for the position she seeks. If the things we suspect are true and the truth be known, 80+% of the population would not vote for her.
I feel I have wasted 300 words responding to this as I doubt Lisa Byers will respond to the actual statements she made in those videos and her views.
Lisa has a wonderful heart in the community and my opinion is that she’ll represent not only the economic interests of the community but strengthen the fabric of the community.
The role of government? To represent the broad interests of the people. The role of business? To make money. The role of charitable donors? To be egalitarians when they can and feel it. The role of the people? To better understand these roles and vote every day.
I wish Lisa well. My humble opinion is she has the heart of the community’s interests in mind and that’s quite a balancing act among so many strong voiced individuals.
I am always flabbergasted by the crowd that thinks government is useless. One only needs to watch an old western movie when the rancher with the biggest, baddest gang was in charge to see what life was like before. Government is not perfect. The people there are our friends and neighbors doing the best they can. Often they do what we think is stupid. It is however what we’ve got. Those of you who think we have too much socialism should never get on Interstate 5 again. I personally like clean air, water and unpolluted food. A few of the services government attempts to provide. I have not always agreed with how OPAL was run but what Lisa pulled off with grants, donations and moxie makes her by far the best candidate to protect our interests and our precious island nature.
Lisa, your unwillingness to properly address my simple questions, your affiliation with the New Economics Institute (www.neweconomics.org )and the manner in which OPAL is structured, have led me to understand that you and I have very differing views about the nature of the human spirit. Your actions imply that you do not trust your fellow human beings, in fact, your need to control their actions into perpetuity signals that you actually fear their actions. Humans are born with innate creativity, which is nurtured in an atmosphere of trust. Generally it is not our close friends that make us grow, but it is our adversaries that disturb us enough to get off of the porch and go to work in the rain. Risks that are taken in an atmosphere of “we trust that you will make the right decision” foster creativity. You suggest incentives to support our economy, but fail to point out that incentives generally shade one plant to help another one grow. What really grows individuals and thus an economy is inspiration. Inspiration naturally blossoms within a system of trust and expressed social confidence, while incentives are a controlling force which creates imbalance in the economic system(EcoSystem). Those individuals who are given a handout rather than a handup are effectively being taught that they do not have the power to compete in this world. I support the Homes for Islanders template because individuals create “sweat equity” by working on their own houses and end up with an unencumbered title to the property. I trust that they will do the “right” things with their own property.
Lisa ,the government needs to pave the roads, not our lives. Bumps in life’s road calls forth creativity and creativity builds not only an interesting individual, but a vibrant community worth living in(and visiting!). I will be voting for individuals who have grown up on unpaved roads and will trust me and value me as a creative spirit having a human experience.
Royce Meyerott