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Joe Mihelich, a license representative for the state Department of Health, is his union’s chief shop steward. He says his experience officiating high school sports and serving as a substitute teacher gives him a different perspective.
“I’m well-rounded,” he said.
Greenstein works in insurance sales and says his business background and community involvement have helped prepare him for the position. He has been a small-business owner for 25 years, is the president of the Horizon Pointe homeowners association and is involved with several boards, serving as the chairman of the Thurston County Chamber’s Business and Economic Development Committee. He sits on the Lacey Chamber of Commerce’s government-affairs committee and is a former board member of the Thurston Chamber.
“I’m heavily invested in the community,” Greenstein said.
Greenstein said recent planning commission decisions show the direction in which Lacey is heading. He said the biggest success was increasing the building-size limit in Hawks Prairie, opening the doors for Harbor Wholesale and Trader Joe’s and creating about 600 jobs for Lacey. He said the commission brought in a vast array of voices as it read through the draft shoreline master program, which has been accepted by the City Council and Department of Ecology.
“Everyone gets their voice heard,” he said.
Mihelich, a lifelong Washington resident, has criticized the fact that Greenstein has lived in the state for only six years. Greenstein said he and his wife plan to spend the rest of their lives in Lacey, and that “I’ve been more involved in the community in six years than he has in his lifetime in Washington.”
ON THE ISSUES
Business and economy: Both say the city needs to do more to attract potential employers. Both have reservations about eliminating the B&O tax immediately, with Mihelich saying it would mean layoffs and Greenstein noting that the lost revenue would affect the budget.
Mihelich said the city should alter the way it bids construction awards, with up to 15 percent dedicated to apprentice programs. He’s also an advocate for expanding the Regional Athletic Complex to attract national tournaments.
Greenstein said the way to deal with the economic downturn is to be as business-friendly as possible. He said he doesn’t believe in increasing taxes and that Lacey can bring in more revenue if it becomes a better place to do business.
Transportation: Mihelich said the city needs to come up with an alternative east-west corridor, possibly with an expansion of Golf Club Road. He also supports adding an exit near Carpenter Road to help with growth. Greenstein said patience is needed regarding College Road as federal and state money becomes more scarce. He foresees small projects in the next year or two but said any major project isn’t in the cards for at least five to 10 years.
Water rights: Greenstein said the city has the water rights to accommodate growth for 10 years, with more to come as the city mitigates Woodland Creek. Mihelich said the city should look into desalinization, which Greenstein has said is expensive and not a common-sense answer.
ENDORSEMENTS
Greenstein: Council members Tom Nelson, Virgil Clarkson and Ron Lawson, the Lacey Chamber of Commerce, Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman and Sheriff John Snaza.
Mihelich: Council member Cynthia Pratt, Thurston County Democrats, Local 433 Washington Federation of State Employees and the Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council.
Nate Hulings: 360-754-5476
nhulings@theolympian.com
www.theolympian.com/outsideoly
