Farias touts service at state, local levels

If length of public service is the measure of a candidate, Wapato Mayor Jesse Farias stands head and shoulders above his challengers for the District 2 county commission seat.

The 63-year-old disabled Vietnam veteran has worked in state and local government in a variety of positions almost continuously since 1969.

He was a regional director for Employment Security, state director of Veterans Affairs and a member of the Liquor Control Board before joining the Wapato City Council.

A lifelong Wapato resident and the divorced father of three children, Farias graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in sociology.

“I have tons of experience in providing leadership to government that is different than in the private sector,” said Farias, the only Democrat in the race. “I have held myself and government accountable for public money.”

His service provides him experience in working through state government to help solve local problems, he said.

In his view, there are a number of problems in county government.

Like other challengers in the race, Farias said the county planning and permit departments have responded too slowly to applications for new projects.

“It is a somewhat chaotic and long, tiresome process. We need to take a look at that,” he said.

Farias also wants to bring his experience and college training to bear on the organization of county government.

He said employees need to be brought into the decision-making process to streamline government.

“I believe people who provide the service need to be in on the planning. The staff knows what is wrong. They need to figure out how to tell us what is wrong. It doesn’t always involve money.”

He also would like to take county government to the public, providing opportunities for residents to interact with commissioners on problems in their areas.

On budget issues, Farias said the county needs to set priorities and make departments accountable for the money they receive.

“Policymakers need to set a strategic direction for the next five to 10 years. Each year as requests for money come in, they need to be analyzed for how that takes us where we need to be,” he said.

He said he understands security and accessibility issues in the courthouse, but believes convincing voters the county needs a new courts building will be a tough sell.

“I don’t think the commissioners have the credibility they think they have to get voters to approve a bond issue,” said Farias, referring to the bond issue that brought on the problems with the new jail.

He does favor extending the three-tenths of 1 cent sales tax for criminal justice. The cities receive 40 percent of the estimated $5 million the tax will generate this year and have benefited from the additional funding.

He said he hasn’t studied the White Swan rail line issue enough to take a position on whether the county should have switched the operator from a Toppenish nonprofit to a Yakima-based private carrier.

Farias said he opposes the relocation of the Douglas auto wrecking yard. He said the new spot along Yakima Valley Highway doesn’t appear to be the best place.