Should the city annex Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base?
Protection of the viability of McChord AFB and Fort Lewis is of critical economic importance to Lakewood and Pierce County. I am conditionally in favor of annexation as a way to limit urban encroachment that may put the bases at risk. I feel the projected revenue generated by the annexation needs to cover the expense of acquisition of “clear zone” properties in voluntary fair-market-price sales. How has the city done in providing basic services, such as street lighting, road repairs, road signs, permitting, blight cleanup and other services? This year Lakewood has significantly increased the budget allocation for road repair and maintenance. Given the limitations on the budget and with this recent increase, I believe it is doing a relatively good job in these areas. Should Lakewood develop public street ends at various lakes into public parks? The street ends abutting the lakes generally cannot provide practical public access because of extremely limited size, topography and lack of pa
