Voter forums spotlight pressing community issues

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

By Robyn Vincent

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-During Saturday’s drizzle, local, state and federal candidates sat before community members and media representatives at Teton County Library, propounding their views on issues at the forefront of an upcoming election month. Although positions and platforms have been clearly outlined at this stage in the game, the discussions initiated dialogue between candidates allowing them to respond to each other’s differing or similar view points.

During the Town and County forums, community character dominated the conversation.

Positioned at opposing ends of the table, mayoral candidate Mike Lance and incumbent Mark Barron faced a small cluster of Jacksonites for the Town Council discussion. Between them sat candidates Louise Lasley and Greg Miles and incumbents Abe Tabatabai and Mark Obringer - all vying for spots on Town Council.  
Questions centered on community and commercial development, Jackson’s town and community character and the referendum to annex South Park. Candidates also fielded questions about the economic crisis’ residual effects on the valley, transit and social services and budget cuts. Opinions on commercial development, affordable housing and community character seemingly dictated the content of responses as candidates were encouraged to use their window of time as they saw fit. But finding it difficult to keep answers within the two-minute time frame, responses were often cut short as the out-of-time bell interrupted a string of diatribes.

A quasi debate between Barron and Lance ignited on a few occasions. Answering how Jackson’s town character had changed – for better or worse, the mayor cited accomplishments during his tenure including “over 100 affordable housing units and the town’s 100-percent renewable energy,” adding that “town square has never looked prettier.”

Contrastingly, Lance painted a picture of his childhood when “neighbors looked after you.” Barron’s opponent also remarked community character had dissipated as a result of big building construction, a loss of the youth and middle class and elderly Jacksonites who had helped to pass along “a sense of community” to young people.

When asked if the town was sufficiently contributing to social services, Lance assumed a socially moderate approach. “People always say welfare begins at home. There’s a lot of people who have their hands out and don’t want to try and apply themselves … I think we need to look long and hard at the agencies providing money to see if they are really providing the services we need,” Lance said.
Barron intertwined one of his key platforms in his retort. “The investments that Town and County make are relatively small in human services compared to the overall budget. If we merged town and county services we would have more revenue and a healthier community.”

The county commissioner forum acquainted voters with incumbents Leland Christensen and Andy Schwartz, and candidates Claire Fuller and Dennis Triano. Although both town and county meetings emitted a casual air, the county commissioner discussion prompted audience laughter on several occasions as candidates engaged each other in witty banter, from the weather to retirement.
Similar to the Town Council discussion, opponents were required to hash out beliefs on affordable housing, Jackson’s susceptibility to the economic crisis and transit options. In addition, questions were posed about in-town zoning, the natural resources overlay, rising costs of living in Jackson, resort zones, the hospital as a private entity and Moratorium support.

All of the candidates regularly echoed one another’s sentiments, agreeing on the restriction of additional resort zones, Jackson’s lack of immunity to the economic crisis and keeping the hospital a public entity. They also meshed on the necessity to amend aspects of the affordable housing planned use development tool (AHPUD).
Candidates did, however, differ on the subject of in-town zoning regulations - Fuller and Triano said they wouldn’t press owners to downsize property while Schwartz and Christensen were in favor of it. The four also clashed about the Moratorium - Shwartz explained he voted against it – a stance echoed by Triano and opposed by Christensen and Fuller.


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Voter forums spotlight pressing community issues | Planet JH News Article: General News

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