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Back in February I decided to dive into a well-regarded series on the U.S. Navy in World War II – Ian W. Toll\u2019s \u201cThe Pacific War Trilogy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Toll goes beyond the traditional look at the people, strategy and tactics of the battles.\u00a0 He gives important context by delving into what was happening on the home front, including the politics, war production, and the stresses on a wartime society.\u00a0 I am nearly halfway through the final book (\u201cTwilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945) and the combined 2,200+ pages have been well worth it.<\/p>\n
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In the Fall of 1944, with nearly a year of brutal war still ahead, the end result was not really in doubt.\u00a0 The U.S. industrial output, by every measure, was dominating our enemies – and German and Japanese industries were being strategically bombed.\u00a0 We had 55 million people in our factories and 12 million in uniform.\u00a0 We were going to win; the question was when and at what human cost.<\/p>\n
Many leaders in our government had started planning the transition from war back to peace. Think of the challenges!\u00a0 Soldiers returning to the U.S. would need jobs and homes. Women who played such a huge role in manufacturing planes and other weapons of war would suddenly be left without demand for their skills and service.\u00a0 All those tank and plane factories and shipyards needed to retool to deliver peacetime products.\u00a0 They were very concerned the transition would result in another economic depression.\u00a0 In hindsight, their planning efforts paid off!<\/p>\n
While not as dramatic as World War II, we too have been at \u201cwar\u201d with COVID.<\/p>\n
Although we aren\u2019t at the end of the pandemic, yet, we can see a path forward where we \u201cnormalize\u201d COVID and it becomes part of everyday life, just like influenza and the common cold.\u00a0 We know it will likely be with us for a very long time and annual COVID shots may become part of our healthcare regimen. And while we don\u2019t need to retool our economy for peacetime, we definitely need to overcome the Great Supply Chain Disruption!<\/p>\n
So, how do we support our community and lead to a better future?\u00a0 Sadly, the things our residents needed pre-COVID are the same today, just magnified in size and scope.<\/p>\n
We are focused on creating more, and more types, of housing.\u00a0 And for those who are housed but at risk of losing their homes, we need additional supports.\u00a0 Access to behavioral health care is more important than ever, as we all see and feel the impact of the pandemic. Working to keep our kids and teachers safely in school and learning remains important for everyone – especially parents. Creating career wage jobs that will move us forward and allow residents to work where they live continues to be an important priority.\u00a0 Lastly, ensuring our neighborhoods are safe and criminal justice is fairly and equitably administered challenges all of us.<\/p>\n
My thanks to the Council for their consideration of the biennial budget I proposed last month. It was my goal to provide funds to address the priorities I\u2019ve outlined. They are investing a great deal of time as they meet with department leaders and finalize the budget that will propel us forward.<\/p>\n
We are still facing significant headwinds – both figuratively and literally – but I\u2019m confident the planning we are doing today will help us find a smoother path to a brighter future.<\/p>\n
Thanks for reading,<\/p>\n
![\"Bruce\"](\"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/files\/2017\/01\/Bruce-blue-signature.png\")
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Bruce<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Back in February I decided to dive into a well-regarded series on the U.S. Navy in World War II – Ian W. Toll\u2019s \u201cThe Pacific War Trilogy.\u201d Toll goes beyond the traditional look at the people, strategy and tactics of the battles.\u00a0 He gives important context by delving into what was happening on the home […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":3176,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38509],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n