Letter to the Editor: Jesse Salomon is my choice for Shoreline City Council
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
To the Editor:
Jesse Salomon is my choice for Shoreline City Council Position #6. For the past 5 years I have been closely involved in the development process in Shoreline. Over the past 2 years I have been impressed with the understanding Jesse has of the important issues and the desire to create a community based decision making process. Jesse values neighborhoods and will fight to protect yours and mine. By supporting an open and inclusive public process, Jesse believes we will get the best results. Neighborhoods like Richmond Beach and the areas surrounding the potential light rail stations at 145th and 185th and I-5 face challenges caused by potential development. People in our community have the solutions to these problems. Jesse believes in empowering that creative decision making. Development means making things better. Jesse will never forget this.
John Behrens
Shoreline
Posts
9 comments:
Jesse seems like a nice enough fellow, but his experience pales compared with Robin McClelland's. Robin has been a Shoreline homeowner and active community volunteer for a dozen years, Jesse's been here for maybe two. He deserves kudos for serving up in Whatcom County on their Planning Commission for a few years, but as Richmond Beach folk know, county planning is very different than city planning. Robin has served right here on our City of Shoreline Planning Commission for eight years. And for those who think that Jesse's endorsement by the local 32nd District Democrat machine should matter (which didn't seem to help failed candidates Janet Way, Wendy DePeso or Maggie Fimia), Robin has been voting for Democrats since before Jesse was in grade school. Maybe Jesse would be adequate on our Council, but why settle for that? Robin would be "outstanding." Those are the ratings assigned to these candidates by the non-partisan Municipal League. Vote for Robin McClelland, the outstanding candidate in this race to keep Shoreline the "Best Place to Live."
Robin McClellan is a life long bureaucrat. She has never seen a development she won't support. She gave an impassioned plea in FAVOR of the Point Wells proposal.For those of us here in Shoreline who do not live in areas with covenants like Innis Ardin and the Highlands, we would like to have a candidate that will listen to the impacts proposals supported by the likes of Ms McClellan will have on our every day lives.
Comments at 9:51 is typical of the snarky NIMBY hyperbole that killed the proposed SHAG senior housing project, the Ridgecrest housing project across from the Crest, and the mixed use building at the old James Alan Salon property. 9:51 also distorts what McClelland has said about Point Wells. She supported the City's Subarea Plan that calls for environmental cleanup of the site, public access to the shoreline and a mixed use project that is IN SCALE with what our City's road network can handle. She has NEVER supported the Snohomish County Urban Center designation because it's too big and too much. Get your facts staight 9:51.
Robin want to tear up our city no matter what homes are in the way. She is Pro Robin. Get a job for herself and to heck with the community.
I am voting for Jesse. In talking with Robin, she loves the park on Aurora. Are you going to take your kids up there to inhale the carbon monoxide from all the cars????
I look forward to having Jesse on our council. Too often the City staff determines what is "good for us" even though most don't live here. Jesse does live here and has demonstrated his willingness to listen to the citizens who pay for and must live with the outcome of Council decisions. Development really should improve the quality of life for those who must live with it, not just the developers -
The first comment refers to the 32nd District Democrats as a "machine" and likely has not attended many meetings. Many members of the District were elected by the public as Precinct Committee Officers last year and represent their precincts. Endorsements require a 60% vote of the membership at meetings which are announced well ahead of time. I think the endorsements of the District are representative of the Democrats living in the area.
I would say that more people should get involved in the District's endorsement process. The District meets every second Wednesday of the month at the Richmond Masonic Hall next to the Fred Meyer's in Shoreline and is always looking for more people to get involved with promoting Democratic values.
As it is, the District, the King County Democrats, the Sierra Club, and Councilmember Bob Ferguson have supported Jesse. That is an impressive list of endorsements for a candidate who has worked to make his community stronger where ever he has lived.
Ridgecrest didn't go forward because the developer lacked financing, or were you not paying attention to how the commercial real estate market tanked? Additionally, even though the city rezoned the property, it lacks the necessary infrastructure to go forward and the city staff believes that single-family residents should foot the bill for developers by buying SPU.
As for the James Alan Salon failure - that is completely on the original ownership, they got a $1 million loan in July 2009, made 3 payments and the property went into foreclosure, that is the dirty little secret about that site. The developers could never afford their dream building. Additionally, there was a lack of adequate water supply for a building that large at that site. That is not the fault of the NIMBYs.
Which leads us to the SHAG housing complex - there is another proposal for the site, but the developers will have to put in a second water line from Aurora to meet the International Fire Code, a problem that existed for the first project. If a developer wants to build in Seattle, they install the necessary water improvements.
Get your facts in order before you start attacking what you believe to be NIMBYs, instead, the problem was due to fiscally irresponsible developers who did not perform their due diligence.
Robin McClelland approved the Gateway Plaza which was supposed to be mixed use, but the developer failed to perform due diligence and the soils would not support a multi-story building, what say you to that? The same developers are supporting her campaign.
I note again that the King County Municipal League gave McClelland its highest rating of "Outstanding" and gave opponent Jesse Salomon its next-to-lowest rating of "Adequate."
Evan
What is a Muni League rating the product of? A product of someone who is a good speaker? Perhaps Chris Eggen - highly intelligent and very capable might not get an outstanding - BUT he is an outstanding City Councilperson. Furhter, I have liked what I have seen of Chris Roberts on the Council - and you remember as well as I the rating that he received... I don't want to make my decisions for Shoreline on the basis of the Muni League (who is not in Shoreline) as if they are God. I want to genuinely understand the kinds of decisions the candidates will make as councilpersons on the Shoreline City Council. Sincerely, Greg Logan, Asst Director, Highland Terrace Assn.
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