Here’s what port commission candidates said were their top concerns for port’s future
The Port of Tacoma’s commission has two positions on the August primary ballot, and no shortage of candidates from which to choose.
For Position 2, incumbent Commissioner Dick Marzano, who was first elected in 1995, faces two challengers, Jeannette Twitty and Elizabeth Pew.
Twitty is co-owner and founder along with her husband of Top 2 Bottom Commercial Cleaning and Sanitation. Pew is a member of the Tacoma Arts Commission and works with soldiers and other service members who are preparing to enter the civilian workforce.
For Position 4, incumbent Commissioner Don Meyer, serving on the commission since 2010, at least on paper has nearly 10 challengers, though some are no longer running.
Meyer’s challengers include: Brian Duthie, Mary Bacon, Christian (C.J.) Dylina, Mario Rivera, Nirav Sheth and Christopher Pierce.
Duthie works at the Port of Seattle as a firefighter/fire inspector, Bacon works as an environmental scientist for EcoAnalysts Inc., Dylina works at St. Joseph Medical Center as an MRI tech.
According to the county’s online election guide, Rivera has worked as technical support and repair at Best Buy and several banking entities as an ATM tech. Sheth is president of Sheth Group LLC and co-owner at Sheth & Patel LLC (Bistro Baffi restaurant).
No information was available on Pierce as of July 2 in the online election guide.
Two candidates, c bey el and Scott Lewis, do not have active campaigns, though their names are still on the online list of candidates.
Lewis told The News Tribune that “I have taken a step back from my campaign,” while c bey el wrote that “I am not running this election cycle, being I took on a new role as Project Director of our WorkSource Young Adult program.”
Bacon, Duthie and Dylina participated in a recent News Tribune editorial board meeting with the candidates, along with Meyer.
Marzano, Pew and Twitty also participated in a separate editorial board meeting.
The candidates were asked, among other items, what their biggest concern was for the next few decades at the port.
Position 2:
Marzano said that “I believe that the biggest concern that I have right now is increasing our market share. But with that comes a lot of things. In order to increase market share, we’ve got to continue investing millions of dollars in terminals, also with our infrastructure, and ensuring that we do have, like I said earlier, a clean and safe environment.
“There’s a clear understanding our community is going to continue to grow in the next 20 years … with that comes the responsibility of making sure we can create living wage jobs so that the housing that is now being affected for some of the younger people in our community, they’ll be able to afford that. At the same time, we’ve got to have some kind of assurances that we don’t just eliminate all of our green space. It’s critically important also, once again, that as people come into this community, you want to come in and be able to live, play and grow.”
Pew is concerned about sea-level rise and continued climate change.
“Looking over the next 20 years or so, there’s a lot of things that are competing for that top slot. But one of the things that I see that is going to touch on all of these different topics is looking at how do we mitigate and then also adapt to rising temperatures, potentially rising sea level.”
She added: “It might be infrastructure and might be training and developing into new careers and industries for our residents. I’d like to be world class innovating ahead of the curve on that instead of getting dragged along kicking and screaming when we ultimately have to in 20 or 30 years anyway, because we really are getting to the point where we cannot deny the effects of what is happening globally and in our community here.”
Twitty said that long term, she’d want the port to focus on “community neighbors, small businesses impacted by government policies, and reducing the red tape that’s limited access to opportunity.”
She believes outreach also needs to improve.
“Since I’ve been campaigning, I have talked to several individuals that are not educated about the port and don’t know much about the commission,” she said.
In her election guide statement, she also noted her initiatives included: “the support of marine trade through land acquisition, living job and wage creation, land use and infrastructure development, concern for the environmental health of our port, and partnering with regional organizations.”
Position 4
Meyer said that ”I think the biggest threat we have is retaining a working waterfront in the Tideflats.
“We need to be a 24-7 operation. If we’re not a 24-7 operation, we lose. We will not be able to compete competitively against Canada or Southern California. So I think the biggest issue that we have is, can we retain a working waterfront that can get greener, even in the facilities that handle fossil fuels? In my mind, that’s the single biggest issue we have in front of us.”
Bacon’s concern focused on sea level rise: “What I propose is that the port needs to create a Port of Tacoma climate change action strategy. I propose that the strategy’s goal would address climate change and the concurrent infrastructure development would be sustainable, inclusive and equitable. The objectives would include lower emission development, prepare for and respond to climate related impacts, support innovative solutions and sustainable technologies. Our long term outcomes would establish lower emissions, increased resilience to climate change, and the promotion of economic development.”
Duthie’s concern focused on Puget Sound Energy’s LNG facility.
“What I see as the biggest question mark … is the LNG plant. You know, it is top of mind for everyone considering running for this office. And either you know, you’re fully supportive of it, or you have major concerns. And I am one of those that has major concerns with this project. … Do we really think we’re still going to be with natural gas in 40 years where we’re at today? I think this is a huge opportunity to work with other activist groups, other scientists and local government … in looking at how are they evaluating environmental impacts.”
He added: “For the future, I don’t want my daughter and the next generations to have to deal with that plant and also pollution into the air and into the water. I think we need to be smarter with investments.”
Dylina said he considers the conversion away from fossil, diesel and bunker fuels “the future.”
“We need to start the conversion, looking at it, and we need to have partners on board. You know, some of these companies — talk to them. What can we do to help them out to make it better, easier for them to convert? What can we do to help them? What can they do to help?”
He noted in his election guide statement: “We must move into the future with a combination of job creation and stability, while also realizing that being environmentally sound is a must. We cannot and will not continue to not make the environment a priority for shipping and the Port of Tacoma.”
Rivera, in the county’s online voter guide, wrote that “My short time experience as a longshoreman led me to realize how essential our port is to the City of Destiny. With the realization of how pivotal our port is to us, I feel sometimes it takes a fresh perspective and someone from the outside to bring new ideas that will assist in the continued success of the Port of Tacoma’s ever-expanding community.”
Sheth wrote that “My agenda at the Port will be creating sustainable jobs, environmental protection, veterans employment opportunities & managing cost of operation including safety standards.”
Pierce had not submitted any statements to the voter guide as of July 2.
Three or more candidates filing for an office put the race on the August ballot. The top two vote-getters in the race will advance to the November general election.
Incumbent Commissioner John McCarthy saw one challenger file for his seat on Position 1: Laura Gilbert.
This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 1:45 PM.
