On the Mayor's Mind: City Council elections
Sunday, May 3, 2015
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| Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead |
On the Mayor’s Mind
5.4.15 - City Council elections
By Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead
You can almost taste summer in the air. This first weekend of May has been beautiful, and I’m feeling rejuvenated from time off spent with family and friends.
I am excitedly anticipating the many fun Shoreline summer activities, kicking off this weekend with the Strawberry Festival in Richmond Beach.
It’s just the beginning – I hope you'll keep an eye on the City’s website, Currents and hopefully you're getting Alert Shoreline to keep up to date on the City’s activities.
Since 2009, when I first ran for City Council, May has come to mean something else for me, too: the filing deadline for candidates for City Council elections. With three Councilmembers up for election this year, and four new people having already filed for candidacy, it will no doubt be an interesting year for elections. The filing deadline is May 15, 2015.
In all honesty, I don't look forward to seeing our beautiful City overrun with campaign signs. We all know it’s part of the process and we've come to expect it. Interestingly though, campaign professionals say the signs don't actually make a difference. Maybe that’s true, but I have yet to know a candidate who wants to take that chance.
So this is what’s on my mind – Council elections. I sincerely hope that all the candidates will run clean, positive campaigns, focusing on their positive ideas and traits, rather than negative (and even untrue thoughts) about their opposition. A campaign is good training ground for what a candidate can expect if they become elected. It’s most people’s first experience at a “job interview with the public”. If elected, you then receive a performance evaluation by the public, on sometimes a weekly basis, and, most certainly you will find out how people feel about your work if you run for re-election.
The year of a re-election campaign can be very tough. Most people will say that re-election is easier for an incumbent, but I believe it is actually much tougher. Sure, the incumbent might have name recognition, but they also have a record of prior work experience. An incumbent will also likely be judged not just on their votes, or comments, but they are also held responsible for actions the Council takes that the incumbent may have, in fact, voted against. Sometimes it is the job of an elected official to make decisions that are not popular, or easily understood. Yet a true civic servant will make decisions based on the needs of the greater good, there just isn't anyway you can please everyone. In fact, if you are pleasing everyone, you probably aren't doing a good job.
What an incumbent knows that a new candidate doesn't is the background of decisions and issues. We don't just go to a meeting hear a report, and vote. We spend many hours reading, reviewing, analyzing, researching and discussing issues before there is a vote. A candidate who has not served can easily make promises about what they think (or hope) they can accomplish (e.g., I’ll put in sidewalks on every street! Or “I'll stop that development”). Don't be fooled, it’s not that simple.
Instead, when you are trying to decide whom to vote for, really spend some time getting to know the candidates. Look at more than whether they are a Republican or a Democrat; or live on the east side or west side. Spend the time to dig a little deeper and learn what the candidate’s core values are. What is their perspective, and why? Do they care about the environment? Affordable housing? Taking care of society – our kids and our elders? Are they a supporter of our wonderful parks? In my view, the selection of a candidate should not be about a single issue, but about their background, perspective and core values.
My Council term does not end until 2017, so my only involvement this year will be watching it unfold. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet candidates, and current Councilmembers running for re-election, and I hope you will take the time to do so. Attend a candidate forum, or even reach out directly and have coffee with the candidates. It will be well worth your time to get to know the person you decide to vote for.
See you in Shoreline!
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18 comments:
Let’s be clear about the intent of this lesson from the mayor. There is nothing subtle about it, once we look at the context in which it occurs.
The mayor is using her privileged weekly opportunity on SAN to tout for the re-election of incumbent council members this year. If incumbents were always re-elected, then the make-up of the council - or of any other elective positions - would never change until the incumbent did not run for re-election.
There is a huge issue in this year's council elections, an issue that directly affects the lives of thousands of families in Shoreline, an issue that has been at the forefront of public comment for months at council meetings, namely, the radical rezone that was approved by a slim 4-3 council majority vote.
In recent months, literally hundreds of Shoreline residents have appeared at council meetings to protest against this unnecessary, undesirable, ill-conceived and over-reaching plan to alter the face of almost a quarter of the area of Shoreline at the expense of thousands of current resident families.
Imagine - one vote made the difference between postponing the decision on the rezone to allow for reconsideration of its provisions rather than going heedlessly into creating chaos in the lives of thousands of our Shoreline neighbors. The mayor was one of the four who voted for this. One of the incumbents running for re-election - Jesse Salomon - agreed with the mayor, and it would appear that the mayor is using this opportunity to campaign for him by pushing incumbency without naming names.
Despite the mayor’s advice, before we make our own electoral decisions we must pay attention to issues and where the candidates stand on them. That’s what democracy is all about.
"Look at more than whether they are a Republican or a Democrat; or live on the east side or west side." The term for this rhetorical device is apophasis: the mentioning of something in disclaiming intention of mentioning it--or pretending to deny what is really affirmed. Council positions are non-partisan and officials are elected at large, not by district. That's what the mayor should have said.
Just to clarify: the vote on the rezoning ordinance was 5-2, with Chris Roberts joining the other 4 in the majority. The Planned Action ordinance was a 4-3 vote.
Disgusting example of how this city operates. Smoke and mirrors, look over here, don't look behind the curtain. The wizard of Winstead is at it again. Deceptive pandering to the public to support the Cowardly Lion who describes himself as the Great Decider! Lets see, Jesse Salomon voted to destroy my neighborhood and to take away my public utility(Ronald) without a vote. I haven't forgot. And I know who I am voting for!
In this editorial endorsing voting for incumbents, mayor, you state that civil servants act for the greater good of the citizens. I am glad that you have now changed your values to include this possibility. You may like acting for the greater good once you try it. I look forward to seeing how that translates into action.
It should be noted that in 2013, a year in which Mayor Winstead ran unopposed, she spent $872.17 with Boruck Printing for "yard signs and banner."
I have a feeling that the banner didn't cost over $800.
Well yes it is hard for people who live in the rezone area, but the population IS going to increase, and people SHOULD live closer to mass transit rather than further away. Perhaps it's time for neighbors in the re-zone to chat so when the developers come along they get the best prices for their houses.
"On the Mayor's Mind" ? Or in the mayor's mind. It would have been better to leave us with some doubt.
@anon 10:51a.... pay attention much? The neighbors in the re-zone area ARE chatting with each other and guess what? We're not budging, we're going to protect the character of our neighborhoods, and we're going to protect the natural environment in our neighborhoods.
My campaign books are open to anyone who wants to review them, at any time.
Shari, why would we want to see your "campaign books"? Our concern is for our community, its future, its sustainability not only economically but also for its family neighborhoods that the 4-person majority of the council clearly dismissed as a necessary sacrifice for future growth. But it is obvious to most of us that the plan is terribly flawed, is not based on the best information, and is causing deep and widespread pain. Your column did nothing but re-emphasize what the community sees as your lack of sympathy for those being seriously harmed. It was far more concerned with trying to influence the coming election and to justify your rezone decision which, given all the circumstances, is simply not justifiable.
I hope they rezone shoreline to get rid of the cinderblock houses in the neighborhoods by the freeways. They're damp dark structures that could cause respiratory issues. I wonder if they could find a way to condemn them to make way for more parking around the new light rail stations
Natural Environment in our neighborhoods...nothing natural about the neighborhoods, if you want to preserve nature, go downtown to a high rise, rip down your house and put in natural vegetation, hence letting it go back to nature.
I wish they'd rezone my area so I can build an addition to my house and not have to deal with all the regulations here. The rezone is awesome, but it's not going far enough. Rezone all of Shoreline please!!!
UPZONE MOTORCYCLE HILL!
WRONG. With the rezone you are now limited in the size of any addition you can build on your house. Any single family home can now only be modified to the lesser of 50% or 1000 sqft., thanks to your city council.
Pre-rezone you were not limited to this.
May we assume the mayor's perspective on "negative (and even untrue thoughts) about their opposition" came from her own campaign? "Sometimes it is the job of an elected official to make decisions that are not popular, or easily understood. Yet a true civic servant will make decisions based on the needs of the greater good, there just isn't anyway you can please everyone." Shari's point is well-made - we are, indeed, not smart enough to know what is best for us. And for some reason I thought our council members were elected to represent US, the electorate. The lack of leadership and vision is Shoreline is a "train wreck" -sorry for the play on words referencing the Light Rail Train. Your remark "Don't be fooled, it’s not that simple." suggests that we think it is that simple. We don't. But when a candidate acknowledges that they understand the values and vision of the residents of Shoreline, it speaks the the candidate's intent. I want a council of neighbors who share my values and will listen for enlightenment. You say this election should not be about a single issue, but YOU have made it a gargantuan single issue, bypassing and ignoring input from the community. I endorse Light Rail in Shoreline but I am infuriated by the council's "scorched earth" approach to compliance. The tone of your message tells me that you are concerned that some of you may be facing the wrath of the residents and fear being held ACCOUNTABLE!
Just re-reading these comments again. What an awesome community of people who care! Thank you citizens of Shoreline for coming out over and over again to stand up for what is right!
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