My name is Lary Coppola and I'm running for re-election as Mayor of Port Orchard.

I've been a resident of South Kitsap since 1975, and have been in business in Port Orchard since 1979. I've been married to the love of my life, Dee, for 20 years, and we're raising our 7-year old grandson Bryce.

My company, Wet Apple Media, publishes the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal and WestSound Home & Garden Magazine, as well as Kitsap Peninsula Builder and Remodel Kitsap for the Home Builders Association of Kitsap County.

In the time I've served as Mayor, we've seen the most challenging economic times since the great depression. When I took office, the City was dipping into reserves to meet payroll due to a lack of financial oversight by the previous administration. As Mayor, I didn't hesitate to take immediate action by implementing a hiring freeze, reducing spending across the board, making department heads justify expenditures, holding employees accountable, and renegotiating contracts with vendors.

Annexing McCormick Woods and the Sedgwick Road retail area generated enough new revenue to not only save the jobs of 14 City employees, but allowed the City to begin replenishing its reserves at a time when sales tax revenues were declining rapidly. Withdrawing the City from the Revenue Sharing Agreement with the County will save the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in the years ahead. By putting my 32 years of business experience to work, budgeting conservatively, and tight financial management, I'm proud of the fact we're one of the very few cities in our state running ahead of financial projections, that are growing our reserves, and is fiscally solid going forward.

All of this has been accomplished without laying off or furloughing any City employees, cutting any services to citizens, delaying or canceling any capital projects, and we're still open for business five days a week.

A promise made. A promise kept.

However, my proudest achievement is the fulfillment of my Number One campaign promise — to make public safety my top priority. When I took office in 2008, we were Number Six in the state for violent crime for cities our size. In 2011, we're not even in the Top 40. We've reduced crime over 60 percent across the board, and today, Port Orchard is a safer place than at any time in more than a quarter of a century.

I've been involved in community service almost since the day I opened my business. I've been a member of the Rotary Club of Port Orchard since 1980, and served as the organization's Centennial Year President. I was a member of the Kitsap County Planning Commission for 7 1/2 years, serving two terms as vice chair, and one as chairman. My other community involvement includes the Port Orchard Bay Street Association, and sitting on the board of HousingKItsap. I served as board chair in 2010, and helped guide that agency out of the financial crisis that threatened its existence. By negotiating a loan from Kitsap County, restructuring its other debt, and returning the agency to its core mission of providing low-income housing, we were able to preserve one of Kitsap County's key safety-net agencies.

I serve on both the board and executive committee of the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council (KRCC), and am the alternate representative for Kitsap's Cities on the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), and am a member of PSRC's Transportation 2040 Project Prioritization Committee. In addition, I serve as the current vice chair of the Kitsap Transit board, and serve on it's personnel committee. I also serve on the board of the Kitsap County Health District, and its personnel committee, as well as on the boards of Kitsap County CenCom, Kitsap Emergency Management, and the board and executive committee of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance.

My roots here run deep. I care about our city and believe Port Orchard is at a major crossroad in time. We need experienced leadership, and common sense solutions to the challenges facing us. I ask for your vote and for your support.