At first look, Vancouver Metropolis Council candidates Kim Harless and John Blom do not appear to have a lot in widespread.
Their résumés could not be extra totally different – Harless, who works for a nonprofit recycling group, is an energetic member of the League of United Latin American Residents native chapter and infrequently volunteers for regional environmental teams. Blom, an actual property agent, served one time period as a Republican member of Clark County Council, the place he earned a fame as a average conservative.
However get them to speak about Vancouver’s points and you will see that they overlap on virtually each main coverage place, from rising housing density to serving to the town work on a local weather change plan.
Blom was elected to Clark County Council in 2016. In 2020, he gave up his celebration membership and ran for re-election as an impartial, believing that native politics ought to be much less partisan. The technique failed. He was eradicated within the major and the seat finally went to the Republican candidate.
However the defeat additionally enabled Blom to launch his marketing campaign for the non-partisan Vancouver Metropolis Council. He promotes his expertise in native authorities as a sensible matter.
“I feel it is easy to say that issues like local weather change and homelessness are massively vital points, nevertheless it’s laborious to translate into, ‘Here is what the town can do about it,'” stated Blom particular insurance policies to include actions that the town can do. “
Harless can also be a political weirdo – along with her tenure as chairman of the Clark County Constitution Evaluate Fee, she spent practically a decade discussing waste and recycling techniques for Clark County’s public well being service.
A lot of her volunteer work has centered on meals safety with the goal of offering susceptible communities with equal entry to inexpensive meals. In candidate boards, she speaks about her personal experiences rising up on the sting of poverty in Vancouver.
If elected, she can be the primary indigenous particular person on Vancouver Metropolis Council to have an extended, homogeneous historical past of solely white councils.
“Many organizations and people have reached out to me and informed me how proud they’re that I run in any respect,” stated Harless. “I am a primary era every little thing.”
Police and reform
Each have broad assist for the Vancouver Police Division and are involved a few current report from the police chief indicating the division is struggling to recruit and retain sufficient workers.
“Proper now we’re not maintaining with the inhabitants on previous ratios and probably finest practices,” stated Harless. “The police should go from name to name and don’t have any approach of getting concerned in neighborhoods.”
Harless stated she as soon as thought of becoming a member of the Vancouver Police Division. Does she consider that the policing discourse – which has grow to be more and more crucial in recent times in mild of the excessive profile incidents of violence on the native and nationwide ranges – is deserved?
“Sure and no. I feel alternatives have been recognized for our VPD,” stated Harless, including that she was delighted with the federal government grant that was lately awarded to the town’s Enhanced Cellular Disaster Response Workforce to allow them to to lift their ranks from three to 6 mentally ailing.
When requested concerning the wider dialogue about regulation enforcement reform, Blom stated he had seen “an actual lack of respect” for the occupation.
“I worry that what has been misplaced on this dialog is that almost all of cops and regulation enforcement officers locally are doing this as a result of they need to serve the communities by which they’re,” stated Blom.
Supported homeless camps
The 2 candidates additionally shared an optimism – and a sure worry – about Vancouver’s new homelessness technique. Employees are working to open assisted, fenced-in campsites to unhoused individuals, hoping to have three websites operational by the top of the yr.
“When performed proper, it may be a extremely good short-term measure,” stated Blom. “I do not assume it is an ideal answer.”
Each Harless and Blom agreed that the success of this system is determined by the native individuals. The Vancouver metropolis council awarded the working contract for the primary camp to the non-profit Outsiders Inn in September.
“Solely legal guidelines should be enforced. What was not performed proper was seeing individuals dealing and utilizing medicine outdoors of the navigation heart and there was nearly no response, “Blom stated, referring to an deserted day heart in downtown Vancouver that was completely closed in March 2020.
“There must be some enforcement of the principles. It is a widespread society, there are only some issues that aren’t okay. “
Harless stated she thought the campsites had been a mandatory stopgap answer to enhance the situations for the individuals who dwell outdoors.
“I do not assume anybody enjoys or likes to see that folks should dwell outdoors. However we’ve people with no selection however to try this, and if we simply maintain letting go of it, you may have an enormous public well being scenario, “stated Harless. “In the intervening time we do not have sufficient lodging. We simply do not do it. They usually will not present up tomorrow. “
Blom and Harless will seem on the polls for voters in Vancouver on November 2nd. You’re at the moment operating for first place from Laurie Lebowsky, who doesn’t need to be re-elected however has introduced that she is going to assist Blom along with his provide.
[ad_2]
