City Council Candidates Talk Dollars And Sense

For a community that has invested more than $50 million to create a retail hub and downtown, it was no surprise what issue dominated a business-oriented University Place City Council candidate forum Thursday night.

Town Center – the controversial, sink-or-swim project that’s been more than a decade in conception and development - took center stage.

On Thursday at , the candidates running for the three University Place City Council spots up for grabs in November all said they support the concept of creating a downtown that could infuse University Place’s sales tax base.

But the six candidates offered a range of opinions on whether they would maintain the approach that city leaders are taking to turn the project into reality, with the starkest contrast between current UP City Councilwoman and challenger

Belleci said the vision of Town Center – to create a pedestrian-friendly downtown while being generating sales tax dollars for the suburban community – is still valid. As the city goes through the process of finding developers for Town Center, there will be some minor changes, but the City Council “has to stick with the vision.”

But Lee responded that private retail has been developed in recent years in nearby cities such as Gig Harbor and Lakewood, while UP Town Center has floundered.

“I feel the problem is the public sector tried to be developers,” he said, adding that he’d the project’s development in the hands of the private sector.

said the city has already invested a lot of money into the project before its doors have even opened, and the city needs to be “very careful” for any more money it fronts for the project.

Meanwhile, his opponent, said although he'd hoped for the project’s development to move faster, he’d like to maintain the direction in which the project is headed, although if a business or developer has an idea, “bring that idea to us.”

Although Town Center was a big component of the discussion Thursday, it wasn’t the only issue the candidates tackled.

In terms of ways to retain University Place’s existing businesses, candidate said he would want to improve communication with existing businesses, in part, to make sure the city’s permitting process is easy for them to navigate.

His opponent, , said in talking with businesses, he realizes the city “really needs to focus in” on its various fees that veer business away from UP and into neighboring communities.

Thursday’s forum – sponsored by the University Place-Fircrest Division of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber – focused heavily on economic development and business. Other questions focused on candidates’ priorities if elected and how they would improve the community’s current business climate.

But the first question asked by division Chairman and Patch blogger appeared to catch the candidates somewhat off guard.

“How would you,” he asked, “as a City Council person, address the growing deer population of University Place?”

“Honestly, that’s a question?” Keel asked jokingly.

Walden later explained that yes, it was a serious question, although it was intended to help establish the questioning for the night.

To see how the candidates responded to all of the questions, the forum will air on UPTV.