Speeches

May 26, 2009

Pierce Transit graduation remarks

Thank you for inviting me to this wonderful event. Let me start by saying congratulations to the newest graduates of the Pierce Transit Uniformed Security Officers Academy.

You have an important role to play in keeping the peace in our communities.

Transit systems are literally vital to keeping the economy moving. And as we saw last year when gas cost more than $4 a gallon, a system like Pierce Transit is a reliable alternative to the personal vehicle.

My goal for Pierce County is to keep making progress toward livable, vibrant communities. That means safe neighborhoods and good jobs - and ways to get back and forth from each.

A dependable mass transit system is part of the equation. And that dependability means it runs on schedule and that riders feel safe and secure.

That's where you come in. Your actions - and even just your presence - will help ensure that Pierce Transit riders and operators have a safe and pleasant journey to wherever they are going.

It's been exactly 30 years since Pierce Transit was authorized by the voters.

I'm proud to serve on the agency's Board of Commissioners. Pierce Transit provides safe and affordable transportation. It plays an important role in reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. It links workers with jobs, and students with colleges.

Again, I congratulate you on your accomplishment. And I appreciate your public service.

Thank you.

Pat McCarthy

May 13, 2009

Transportation budget signing

I want to start by thanking Governor Gregoire for her strong leadership during very difficult times. We're honored that she chose to sign this historic legislation here in Pierce County, where so much work is set to be done to improve the movement of people and freight. Governor Gregoire faced the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression and had to make some incredibly tough choices. She should be commended for her steady leadership and her willingness to tackle controversial and complex issues. I would add that Governor Gregoire's staff does an excellent job of communicating and working with us.

I also thank the Legislature's transportation chairs - Senator Mary Margaret Haugen and Representative Judy Clibborn. They had countless legislators, lobbyists, businesses and individuals asking them to fund specific projects. I'll bet the line to see them wrapped around the Legislative Building. I was in that line - and I sincerely appreciate that Senator Haugen and Representative Clibborn took the time to meet with me during such a hectic session. They considered the interests of the broad coalition of South Sound stakeholders, and that's reflected in the budget the governor signed today.

I'm going to stop here for a minute because the Governor needs to hit the road for an event in Aberdeen. Again, let's all thank the governor for being here today.

At the risk of sounding like an Academy Awards speech, there are just a few more folks to thank.

I want to thank local legislators. The entire Pierce County delegation - as well as legislators in neighboring counties - wrestled with these issues. They took tough votes and sometimes had to give on projects and issues they felt strongly about in order to preserve the bigger picture. In particular, I want to recognize the leadership of Senator Jim Kastama and Representatives Tom Campbell and Dennis Flannigan. They were in regular contact with my staff and I as the transportation budget went through the legislative process in both chambers. Our local delegation is building its clout in Olympia, which means more good things are in store for Pierce County down the road.

I must thank the stakeholders. We could not have done this without the help of more than 100 representatives of local government, business, labor, Indian tribes and environmental groups. They signed letters. They made phone calls. And most importantly -- they spoke with one powerful voice. There are too many to name here, but some of them are here today, so be sure to thank them when you're talking to them. If we can keep the momentum going, we can accomplish great things in the coming years.

We owe thanks to our government relations team of George Walk, Mike Shaw and Brynn Brady. It is tireless work just trying to keep up with the thousands of proposals and issues in Olympia.

I also thank Keri Rooney, my director of external relations, and Randy Harrison, who works as a special assistant in my office. Randy read the federal stimulus bill cover to cover and found all of the little pots of money that various departments could apply for. If you can't print money, then the next best thing is finding money, and Randy is our in-house expert.

Finally, I thank Associated General Contractors of Washington for hosting this reception. This trade association represents more than 600 member companies affiliated with the commercial construction industry. When those folks are hard at work building roads, bridges, buildings and homes, the economy does well and we all benefit. They are crucial to the economic recovery.

We can't let up now. The next step is to implement the stimulus programs, and to do so in a fully transparent way. With the help of the leaders in this room, I know we can get back on the road to prosperity and success.

Thank you so much for coming.

Pat McCarthy

April 15, 2009

Talking points for Pierce College Civics Week

I am very pleased to be here for Civics Week. This invitation is a blend of two of my favorite themes - education and civic involvement.

I have spent my adult life involved in public service in some way. And it even started in somewhat of a nontraditional way.

I was taking a pottery class at TCC in the 1970s when a woman there challenged me. (((tell the rape victim advocate story here)))

Later, I served 12 years on the Tacoma School Board. I also worked as an administrator and advisor at the UW Tacoma. And then I spent 10 years in the Pierce County Auditor's office, including the last six years as the elected Auditor.

That Auditor job was great. One of the key responsibilities was running the county's election system. I had to make sure that every eligible resident of Pierce County had the opportunity to vote for their leaders - from the President of the United States all the way down to local water districts. And then I had to make sure that every one of those votes was counted.

It was an awesome responsibility, and I treasured the experience.

This year, I became the fifth county executive in our county's history. This job has even bigger challenges. On any given day, I'm working on issues involving public safety, transportation, the environment and more.

Some of it may sound dull. This week, I've been in several meetings in which we discuss 20- and 30-year plans for our transportation systems. But the fact is -- the decisions we make today about roads and mass transit will affect you for the rest of your life, and they'll affect your children too.

So that's a little about me and what I do.

Now I want to talk about you - and what you can do for your community.

I have been inspired by Barack and Michelle Obama's call to community service, and I hope you feel that way too.

The President talks a lot about enhancing and emphasizing volunteerism in America. One of his ideas is to create a program to provide disadvantaged youth with opportunities to weatherize buildings - the youth earn practical experience while the people in the buildings save on their energy bills.

That's just an idea at this point. But there are hundreds of organizations throughout Pierce County that need our help. There are volunteer opportunities for individuals, families, youth and seniors - and for groups from schools, businesses, churches and service clubs.

You can help the homeless, tutor a child, empower crime victims, weatherize a house, serve a meal, clean a park, comfort the sick and coach a sports team. There is so much that can be done, and if each of us just does a little community service, it will add up to a lot.

And personally, I think the smile you get from someone receiving your assistance actually adds years to your life.

It's like recycling, in a way. By myself, putting plastic and cardboard and other items in the recycling bin isn't going to save the planet. But if lots of us are doing it, then that makes a huge difference.

Volunteering in the community has the same impact.

You'd be amazed at how many people are doing it.

In Washington state, an estimated 1.7 million people volunteered in some capacity each year between 2005 and 2007. Combined, they dedicated 241 m-million hours of service per year.

Nearly 35% of Washington residents do volunteer work. That's much better than the national volunteerism rate of 27%.

So what do all of those people give up in exchange for their community service? Apparently, watching TV. A study showed that adults who have never volunteered spend 436 more hours a year watching TV than adults who do volunteer. I guess that means those folks are skipping 'Dancing with the Stars' and 'American Idol' in order to serve their communities.

I think those statistics say a lot about our neighbors in our community.

OK, so we've talked about the big picture. Now here are just a few specific ways you can get involved:

Every year, some 12,000 youngsters come through the Pierce County Juvenile Court system. These kids at Remann Hall need help - sometimes it's assistance that our professional staff cannot give without a helping hand.

That's where more than 350 volunteers come in. They help with everything from office work to case management, from drug and alcohol counseling to instructional aide work.

Here's another way: The Pierce County Sheriff's Department has a number of volunteer programs. They include search and rescue, citizen speed watch and cold case investigations, among other things.

You can find out more about the Juvenile Court and Sheriff's Department opportunities on our web site. Go to www.piercecountywa.org and click on one of those departments.

There are many, many other opportunities. We have a wonderful resource in the United Way of Pierce County. They have a Volunteer Center that can connect you with hundreds of opportunities to serve. You can find the details online at uwpc.org.

Of course, there are other kinds of civic involvement. Let me say a word about that.

You can get involved in political campaigns. Find a political leader or candidate or a cause that inspires you. You really learn a lot about the community when you go door to door, talking to people about important issues.

Maybe someday one of you will run for public office. Maybe you'll serve on a town council or a school board, or run for the Legislature or Congress. Or maybe you will be a school teacher, a firefighter, a policeman or a public works engineer.

The bottom line is there are great benefits to civic involvement. You help others. You give back to your community. You use special skills that some of you might have. You can learn something new. And you might even explore career options.

I went from being a volunteer as a rape victim advocate to executive of the second-largest county in Washington state. Who knows where your path will take you?

I'll wrap up with another word about the Obamas.

Last month, First Lady Michelle Obama talked about volunteerism and community service. She was speaking at the National Mall in D.C. at a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of YouthBuild, which helps young people work toward G-E-Ds or high school diplomas while building affordable housing.

The First Lady concluded her speech with this remark:

'At a time in our nation when so many are struggling, we have to remember that everyone can make a difference and that we all have something to contribute.'

I think those are great words to live by.

Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this program. I wish you the best of luck in your studies and encourage you to find your one thing you can do for your community.

I'd be happy to take any questions.

Pat McCarthy

April 7, 2009

Talking points for APWA Conference, 'Solutions for Our Aging Infrastructure'

I appreciate this opportunity to welcome you to Pierce County.

I am very excited to see such a collection of bright minds at this conference. Your community leaders are counting on you to help find solutions to complex issues. And I hope this conference serves as a key reference point in that process.

The work you do is a vital public service. And I don't have to tell you that you don't get enough credit for it.

You manage the backbone of our society -- our roads, our wastewater and solid waste systems, our ferry systems, and our utilities. These are the services that so many people take for granted every moment of every day - that is, until something breaks down.

And, unfortunately, our society has been cruising along for years on the back of an infrastructure system that is many decades old in some instances. Federal, state and local governments have not made the full investments necessary to take care of the existing infrastructure.

And if you're too busy to take care of what you've got, then expanding it to accommodate new growth is even more of a challenge. That's why this conference is so important.

I appreciate that you will talk about asset management - using real data, real science to preserve the infrastructure that's already in place.

You will learn about the latest uses of technology in your field. For example, how a G-P-S system can help you track your vehicles and ferries and other equipment.

You will learn about advances in engineering that enable us to better protect the environment while meeting the infrastructure needs of our communities.

You will talk about financing. The federal stimulus bill approved by Congress and President Obama makes a contribution to our nation's infrastructure needs, but that investment just scratches the surface. Our funding sources are not keeping up with our fast-changing world. We continue to rely on the gas tax for transportation funding, even as we drive fewer miles and do so in more fuel-efficient vehicles.

I'm glad you will talk about the 'human infrastructure' - the need to keep training existing workers and to promote this kind of work in our schools for the future workforce.

These are all critical subjects, and I appreciate that you are taking the time to explore them.

As part of the conference, you have the opportunity to take several tours to learn about best practices in this region. One of these tours will take you to our new Central Maintenance Facility.

This is a state-of-the-art facility that incorporates a mix of little details and big changes. The result is a facility that will reduce our energy bill and make our workers more productive.

I strongly encourage you to take that tour and see what our Public Works folks have done to make their operation more efficient.

The work you do affects people's daily lives. It affects their safety. It affects the economy.

Local leaders like me want to clear away obstacles and promote livable communities. That means we must have sturdy streets and bridges, reliable utilities, and clean water and air.

A community that has those things is a thriving community.

I thank you for your public service. And I thank you for coming to Pierce County to share your experiences and to learn from each other.

I wish you the best of luck.

Pat McCarthy