The following are statements made by Pierce County Council Chair Dan Roach and Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy in response to the Pierce County Auditor’s announcement that an effort by county resident Jerry Gibbs calling for a vote on the county’s proposed General Services building has collected enough signatures to qualify for the November 2015 ballot.

Dan Roach

“It’s a great day when one citizen can stand up and truly make a difference. I think that’s the message that sometimes gets lost in the details of this debacle. People sometimes get cynical about participating in their government, but I want to congratulate Mr. Gibbs for proving that standing up for what you believe in is not an impossible feat.

“I was happy to play a part in this drama supporting Mr. Gibbs in his effort to exercise his rights. It was my duty to sponsor the resolution that ordered the county to drop its lawsuit against Gibbs, preventing county government from grossly exceeding its power.

“This is not only a victory for Jerry Gibbs, his supporters and all those who want to have a voice in the process. This is a fine example of how citizen activism and perseverance can triumph, even when the full weight of government is brought down upon them.”

Pat McCarthy

“The merits of this project are clear: we can save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars and dramatically improve customer service by consolidating 19 divisions from 14 locations into one. We can do this while owning the building instead of continuing to lease at escalating costs. No tax increases are necessary.

“For the sake of the 820,000 people we represent, I hope to keep this project moving forward. Otherwise, maintaining the status quo will cost taxpayers over $300 million over the next 25 years, which is far more than the project’s total cost.

“During this two-year public process, the County Council voted 6-1 to spend $1 million to initiate development of the General Services Building. Then the Council voted 4-3 to give it final approval. Unfortunately, the project was sidetracked by Council politics, fear mongering and the financial backing of the commercial landlords who want taxpayers to keep paying rising lease costs.

“Elected county leaders are paid to make tough decisions. The referendum process was never intended to be used for administrative decisions such as leases because it would paralyze government.

“I am proud of my record as County Executive. We made it through the Great Recession by reducing staff and consolidating departments and divisions, all while improving efficiencies and effectiveness. My administration consolidated 911 services and worked to successfully complete a U.S. Open. This project dramatically adds to those accomplishments, which is what taxpayers should expect from their local governments.”