Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance previews a series on the candidates for public office in the city of Vancouver in the Nov. 4 general election

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

As part of our coverage of the upcoming Nov. 4 general election, Clark County Today reached out to a number of area candidates to get their views on obvious issues impacting their particular races. This past week, we reached out to the eight candidates running for positions in the city of Vancouver and I’m pleased that seven of the eight took the time to provide their responses to our questions.

Keep in mind that neither myself nor Clark County Today offers endorsements in any political races. In addition to that, Clark County Today doesn’t accept any political advertising. We do our best to remain as neutral as possible and only provide information that helps you to make your own decision.

This week, you will read a series of stories about how the Vancouver candidates feel about the issues in their city. Those stories will be generated from their responses to the questions our staff considered obvious about the current issues in the city of Vancouver, including homelessness, the I-5 Bridge project and others.

As a kickoff to this series, I’m going to provide you with the responses from the candidates to a general question. Sometimes the best question turns out to not be a question at all, but an invitation to allow the candidates to express the thing(s) that THEY believe to be the biggest issue facing the city.

You will notice the responses from the candidates vary greatly in length and scope. I try very hard not to edit but to just present their responses “as is” if you will.

Mayor

“The biggest issue facing our city is the funding of essential services — including public safety,’’ said current Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, who is running for re-election. “Our solutions focus on building coordinated responses with our regional partners. We’ve been actively collaborating with the Department of Corrections, Clark County, and the Sheriff’s Office to ensure that resources are used efficiently and our community’s needs are met.’’

McEnerny-Ogle is being challenged in the race for mayor by Justin Forsman, who has been very critical of the current mayor’s performance and continued to be so in his responses to our questions.

“The biggest issue facing Vancouver is our leadership,’’ Forsman said. “During COVID, we saw our elected officials abandon their duty to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They parroted propaganda instead of practicing leadership. They shut down small businesses, isolated families, compelled the wearing of masks and pressured people into medical treatments that many knew were unsafe and ineffective.

“That same disregard for freedom and accountability continues to this day,’’ Forsman added. “Public forums have been stripped away, citizen voices have been ignored, and resources mismanaged while taxes climb higher each and every year. Our roads crumble while the city takes away lanes we already paid for with gas taxes and car tab fees.

“We have lost the diversity of ideas that keeps democracy healthy,’’ Forsman said. “A small political circle has turned into an elite class disconnected from reality and addicted to power and control. Vancouver does not need more bureaucrats from Olympia telling us how to live. It needs liberty minded citizens who remember who they work for.

“As mayor, I will restore citizen participation, cut waste, and bring common sense back to City Hall,’’ Forsman added. “The people of Vancouver will once again decide the future of our city.’’

Position 1

Pooneh Gray is challenging incumbent Kim Harless for Position 1 on the Vancouver City Council. Harless was the one candidate who did not respond to our request. Gray provided three issues that she sees as critical for the city’s future.

“Vancouver faces several interconnected challenges, including homelessness, rising costs of living, and public safety,’’ Gray said. “Homelessness is multifaceted and closely tied to affordability. The city of Vancouver’s development costs and building guidelines need review to eliminate duplication, remove outdated rules, and reduce unnecessary expenses that drive up housing prices. We must also address supply and demand with strategic annexation and expanded housing options that can help lower costs, especially for renters.

“The city’s budgeting approach also impacts affordability,’’ Gray added. “The 2025–2026 biennium budget created a $43 million shortfall that was passed on to residents through higher water, parking, and other fees. I’ve spoken with residents who fear sleeping in their cars if these increases continue. The city must budget like families do planning ahead for inflation and expenses rather than reacting to shortfalls.

“Public safety is another concern,’’ Gray added. “I’ve personally called 9-1-1 and been placed on hold. Residents deserve to feel safe in their community. Proposition 5, on the November ballot, would add 13 officers and support staff. Vancouver has one of the lowest officer-to-citizen ratios in the state. But we must also reduce unnecessary load on first responders. There are calls that involve individuals with untreated mental illness or addiction who cycle repeatedly through emergency and jail systems due to a lack of treatment options. Our jails are near capacity, officers wait hours to book individuals, and many offenders are released only to reoffend. Addressing these issues will free up time for first responders to address other issues within our community.

“We must rethink how we support public safety investing in prevention, treatment, and efficient systems so first responders can focus on protecting our community and residents get the help they need.’’

Position 2

The face for Position 2 is between incumbent Erik Paulsen and challenger Derek Thompson. Paulsen was very succinct in his response to the top issue facing Vancouver residents.

“Public safety,’’ said Paulsen, who then suggested city officials “continue to make the voter approved investments in fire resources. Pass and implement the police investments proposed with Prop 5.’’

Thompson pointed to the homelessness crisis.

“The crisis of homelessness demands a comprehensive, compassionate, and localized strategy that focuses on housing stability, resource coordination, and addressing the root causes,’’ Thompson stated. “My approach would be a shift from managing the crisis to preventing it and rapidly rehousing those in need. The core of this strategy must be a Housing First model. This evidence-based approach prioritizes moving individuals and families into permanent, stable housing without prerequisites like sobriety or employment. Once house support services are provided in the home to address tenancy underlying issues. We need to establish a dedicated and local rapid rehousing fund to cover immediate costs like security deposits, per-month rent, and short-term rental assistance. We need to inventory all city-owned properties and partner with local landlords and churches to increase the pool of available, affordable units. We must streamline the labyrinth of services that are currently available. The duplication of effort is totally inefficient. Coordination is the key. We must implement a coordinated entry system. And this single point of access ensures that every person experiencing homelessness is assessed for need and matched to the most appropriate housing and support resource, eliminating long waiting lists and redundant intake forms. And you can tell me I will create a mobile outreach team as comprised of mental health professionals, substance abuse counselors, and social workers. And their mandate is to build trust, provide on-the-spot aid, and facilitate the transition into housing and treatment. To genuinely solve this homeless problem, we must tackle the economic and systemic factors that push people out of their homes. We must expand eviction and utility assistance programs to intervene before a crisis occurs. Prevention is the most cost-effective solution, and we need to prioritize the development of permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless individuals. and this would combine subsidized housing with indefinite support services, offering long-term stability for those with complex needs. We need to partner with local vocational schools and businesses to offer job training and placement programs specifically targeting individuals with barriers to employment. In summary, a successful local response requires committed funding, radical coordination across service providers, and an unwavering focus on the dignity and stability provided by safe, permanent housing.’’

Position 3

Current Council Member Diana Perez is being challenged by Robert Elkin in the race for Position 3.

Perez focused on three issues in her response.

“Vancouver is facing three interrelated and urgent challenges: rapid population growth, housing affordability and the rising cost of living, and the ongoing homelessness crisis,’’ Perez said. “Addressing these requires intentional leadership, strong partnerships, and a deep commitment to the overall health of our local community.

“Population growth: Our city is growing quickly and that growth must be managed with foresight. I support smart, sustainable development that ensures our infrastructure, transportation systems, public services, and natural resources keep pace,’’ Perez said. “That means planning for growth before it creates bottlenecks through walkable communities, transit-connected housing, and land use that protects green spaces while meeting the needs of current and future residents.

“Housing affordability and cost of living: Too many families are being priced out of their own neighborhoods,’’ Perez said. “As a council member, I’ve championed zoning changes to support more housing options especially near transit and supported expanding affordable housing for our workforce, and mixed-income housing across the city. I will continue pushing for policies that reduce barriers for developers building affordability, while investing in services and partnerships that lower the overall cost of living for working families, especially for our residents living on a fixed-income.

“Ongoing homelessness crisis: Homelessness is a humanitarian issue that demands both compassion and accountability,’’ Perez said. “I support a multi-pronged approach that includes permanent supportive housing, expanded mental health and substance use recovery services, and coordinated partnerships with nonprofits, Tribes, and across the different jurisdictions in the county that includes prevention measures. At the heart of combatting homelessness is addressing the root causes before they lead to crisis.

“These challenges are complex and systemic but solvable,’’ Perez said. “I bring a proven record of listening to residents, building bridges, and taking action rooted in shared values. I’m committed to ensuring Vancouver grows in a way that is sustainable, inclusive, and works for everyone.’’

Elkin did his best to narrow it down to one top issue.

“Vancouver is facing a lot of important issues today. If I can only pick one, it will have to be that our elected officials do not listen to the people,’’ Elkin said. “They don’t even pretend to anymore. I am continually astounded by the way some talk to citizens. There is an air of ‘we know what’s best for you’ in almost every council meeting. I’ve spoken about the velvet ropes and spiky plants they set up to shield and separate themselves from everyone at council meetings. I’ve been told that council meetings are a ‘business meeting’ and they need to get things done – and that is the reason they do not allow public testimony on any subject anymore. The Vancouver City Council needs a reminder on just what their business is – representing and serving the people.’’

Thanks to each of the candidates for responding to our questions. This week, Clark County Today will provide a series of stories on the views of the Vancouver candidates.