Issues

David has written extensively about his views to help Olympia. Read and watch below to find out more.

Is Ross a Democrat or a Republican?

The Mayor and Olympia City Council positions are all non-partisan. But people still want to know my political party identification. Here is my response...

The ROSS Plan

The Recover Olympia and the South Sound (R.O.S.S.) Plan is a community-wide response to help with housing, addiction, and mental illness in our homeless population. Ask your local elected officials if they will pledge to support The ROSS Plan.

1. End Encampments

We need to systematically and compassionately dismantle the massive encampments that have proliferated around our city, while preventing new ones from forming. We can do this while providing services and support to the homeless community rather than letting them suffer. Read More

2. Ban Daytime Camping

Olympia must enforce a ban on daytime camping that prevents permanent encampments, makeshift buildings, and pedestrian interference from occurring.

3. Outreach and Enforcement

Olympia currently has some good starts on outreach programs working with people living outside. While they are long overdue, current efforts primarily focus on people in crisis and trying to manage those who are the biggest nuisance downtown. We also need an outreach effort that includes social workers embedded with law enforcement, as well as basic patrolling of local encampment areas.

4. Olympia CARE Program

Olympia should implement a city-sponsored day labor program for homeless people which would allow them to feel a sense of self-worth and dignity, and a return to knowing that they have something to contribute.

5. Reduce Chronic Panhandling

Reducing and ending chronic panhandling is part of an overall approach to dismantle Olympia's pervasive street culture which sucks in at-risk youth, minors aging out of foster care, and people trying to move forward. Rather than focusing on banning panhandling, this approach is to encourage other options for panhandlers as well as for those who want to help them.

Why Olympia Is Not Fixing Homelessness

Olympia has struggled with homeless issues for a few decades, but the prospect of 4 more years of the same wrong-headed approach could push us beyond recovery.

Make Our City Safe

Olympia has gone from people not feeling safe downtown at night, to not feeling safe in many areas of the city, to people not feeling safe in their own homes. It's time to fix that. Read More

Downtown Olympia Artesian Commons Park

Downtown Olympia's infamous artesian water pipe was converted into an asphalt "park" that became a hang out for street people. What happened next was predictable and preventable. More importantly, the Artesian Commons Park is now the key to saving downtown Olympia.

Affordable Housing and Sustainable Growth

Over the next 20 years, Olympia is predicted to see an influx of 20,000 new residents. That's a 40% increase in population in our city. It could dramatically drive up housing costs and endanger housing for many, or it could provide an unbelievable opportunity to recover Olympia and rebuild our historic downtown.