Issue statement from Lynnwood candidates Graziani and Ross
Lynnwood City Council incumbent Ruth Ross and challenger Rosamaria Graziani recently sent statements about the most important issue or issues in the Nov. 7 general election.
Ross and Graziani are running for one of three Lynnwood council positions on 2017 ballots.
Here are the two candidates’ statements in the order that their names will appear on the November ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet:
City of Lynnwood Council Position #3,4-year-term
Ruth Ross
The most important issue for this election is addressing the social inequity inherent in society today. Social inequities affects everyone in a community, but it is hard for a community alone to address. It is important for a campaign to start the conversation and when elected continue to work closely with our residents and those of surrounding communities to find regional solutions. By building strong working relationships throughout the area, we can educate ourselves on what does work to make a more just, fair, and equitable community.
Working together and reaching out across all lines, will ensure every voice is heard and all ideas considered.
Rosamaria Graziani
During my opponent’s two terms on the council, utility fees rose at SEVEN TIMES the inflation rate. She supported a $40 fee added to car registration renewal, the highest sales tax in the state, and property taxes that are forcing our neighbors to move.
I will bring change. NO MORE “TAX TO THE MAX.” I will roll back the car tab fee, the sales tax and recent utility hikes. Low income residents—and not just seniors—will be able to get discounts in taxes and fees.
Our parks will be free of pesticides and toxins. We will buy electric and hybrid cars when possible. Lynnwood can be a model city.
Issue statements from a Fire District 1 incumbent and challenger
Snohomish County Fire District 1 incumbent Commissioner David Chan and challenger Michael Ellis recently sent statements about their views on the most important issue or issues in the fire district election.
Chan and Ellis won places on the Nov. 7 ballot by placing first and second in a five-way contest in the August primary. Chan is seeking a third six-year term on the fire district board.
Fire District 1 includes unincorporated areas between Everett and the Snohomish-King county line, including the Meadowdale area north of Lynnwood.
The district has now combined with the Lynnwood Fire Department to form the South Snohomish County Fire and Rescue Regional Fire Authority. The winner of this election will join the regional fire authority board as will the district’s other four commissioners and two members of the Lynnwood City Council. Lynnwood voters don’t participate in this election.
The cities of Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Brier have been getting service by contract with the district; those contracts will continue with the RFA. The contract cities don’t vote in fire district elections.
Here are issue statements from the two candidates:
Fire District 01 Commissioner Position #2, 4-year term
David Chan
Emergency Medical Services –
Currently, 80 percent of Fire District 1 calls are for Emergency Medical Services. Delivering this service will become more challenging because of the congested traffic and the aging of our population. Here are some key actions we must take to meet the challenges:
- Expand current Community Paramedic – Frequent visits of our most vulnerable residents and serve their medical needs. This will reduce their emergency calls.
- Establish mobile medical units in heavy population center to reduce respond time
- Prevention and Education to the Public – Program such as “Fall Prevention for Seniors” keeps many Senior citizens avoiding the “fall”.
Michael Ellis—
How best to increase public safety is the most important election issue facing Fire District 1 voters. Providing adequate training for our first responders is essential.
As a police officer serving alongside our community’s excellent firefighters, I want to restore firefighters’ training programs reduced by budget reductions taken by the 12-year incumbent during his second term.
This August a majority of primary voters agreed, now is the time to make a change in the Commissioner who represents them on Fire District I’s Board. If elected, I will see to it that firefighters and paramedics have all the tools and training needed to do their jobs protecting you and your family.
–By Evan Smith
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.
It is very unfortunate that Mr. Ellis got his information second hand or even third hand. Had he come to Fire Distrust 1 commissioner meetings, Mr. Elllis would have heard about the Board’s discussion about increasing training expenses. Had Mr. Ellis reviewed the actual documents of the Fire District 1 budgets, he would have found out training budget had been double in last 3 years.
During the last 6 months since they registered to run, none of the four candidates including Mr. Ellis had ever come to a Fire District 1 Commissioner Board meeting.
No one candidate had even made any request of the budgets or other documents. Simply rely on second hand information and making inaccurate statements had just confused the issues. While I do not expect the candidates would have the same level of understanding of the issues like a 12 years incumbent like me, I do hope that they would have the curiosity and interest in finding out the issues first hand.
David Chan
Incumbent Snohomish Fire District 1 Commissioner Position 3
Got a post card from our former Fire District that no longer exists as Lynnwood Fire Dept. or FD1, asking for my vote on a commissioner. SORRY FIREFIGHTERS! The City of Lynnwood will not be able to vote on any of the commissioners until 2020. Thank you Mayor Smith for making sure we had no voice.