Why I am compelled to run for public office this year

We have chronic problems of homelessness, hopelessness, drug abuse, increasing crime, decreasing civility, housing shortages, worsening traffic, failing infrastructure, the changing environment, high food prices, shortages of necessities, unfair labor practices, wages not keeping up, and the list goes on and on. Life for most people is not better than it was a few years ago. The response from local government has been anemic at best, unacceptably inadequate, and without the needed urgency and accountability on all fronts. Elected leadership has been all talk and done little to actually solve problem. The plans that are being talked about now should have been front and center several years ago and already solving problems, not just studying or working on them, definitely not just now in an election year. The County Executive is the top executive branch leader and must be held to account for our current situation and the lack of a true cohesive plan to improve people's lives. Blaming others or claiming things are out of his control is unacceptable. Even where he doesn't have control, he has a voice and should have been using it strongly as our advocate. In a healthy organization, praise goes down the chain of command, blame goes to the top. We need someone new at the top who will live to serve the people and actually do something about what is wrong here at home. Strong public advocacy leadership is needed to steer Snohomish County out of this rut, toward the American Dream for everyone, and not just for big businesses and the well-connected or privileged few. We don't need another panel, focus group, or study. We need action that produces quality results, and a new Executive to make it happen. That type of servant-leadership is precisely what I am offering and I have a record of personal success in the public and private sectors as well as the political and people skills to turn those dreams of a better life for all of us together into reality. The more we can re-focus government upon serving the people directly, and less upon submitting to pressure groups, donors, and other outside interests, the better life will be for all of our people. I have been pushing a public service mindset within the Republican Party and got elected to lead here in Snohomish County on that platform. Now it's time to do the same for County government and bring people together for the common good.

 

Competition is good and usually gives people the best outcomes. We desperately need some fresh faces in politics at all levels, not more of the same. This year, the people will have some big choices to make here at home and I trust the voters and the voting process to reflect the will of our people. Within the Republican Party and in my private efforts, I will continue working hard to make sure we have some great choices next year locally, statewide, and nationally. The last thing we need is more of the same bad choices or candidates for office who are just bubbling to the top due to political connections and name recognition. We need a break-out moment, a time for all of America to really shine, not just for some of us, for everyone.