A Campaign Kick-Off breaskfast will be held for Raymond Payne at the Lacey Community Center on May 22, 2013 at 7:00 AM.

Raymond Payne, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant and Vice Chair of Lacey Planning Commission, is campaigning to represent the City of Lacey on City Council in Position 4.

There will be plenty of food and fun!

RSVP TO MILLY RICE (360) 259-0559 or Rice.milly@comcast.net

Lacey fire recruits training on-site so they can serve quickly – South Sound – The Olympian – Olympia, Washington news, weather and sports.

I am pleased that steps were taken by Lacey Fire District 3 to reopen Fire State 35 in North East Lacey.  With public safety being one of two primary functions of local government, I think this is a welcomed development and will give citizens and businesses in that area greater peace of mind.

The heavy lifting will come when the grant making this possible expires in 2-years.  I am certain with the efforts Chief Brooks has taken to reach out to the community and foster open communication, he and his team will kraft a solution that will be thoughtful, sustainable, and keep Lacey safe for years to come.

As Federal and State government tighten their budgets, now is the local time for local governments to do some soul searching and ask the question, what is the role of government?

During this campaign for Lacey City Council position 4, I want to take the lead in influencing that discussion and the eventual answer.
My view it quite simple, the primary role of local government is to provide public safety and adequate infrastructure, which then paves the way for growth and prosperity. Outside those two functions, any proposals that seek to extend local government should be subjected to a vigorous and thoughtful philosophical debate.

Moreover, I view local government as a “partner with the private sector”. In that context, I believe all of our civil servants, who are our neighbors, and who care about our city and its outcomes just as each of us do, should work to ensure that each component of government is adding value to what the city is trying to achieve. If it cannot define that benefit, it should cease to exist.

We need to attract a young, creative class and make sure their entrepreneurial opportunity glide path is greased by the wheels of government cooperation, not sanded by the salt of government intrusion.

I was always told that “failing to plan is planning to fail” and that is something I believe. We have to meticulously plan for our future and the planning begins with a thoughtful answer to the question “what is the role of government”?

Raymond