Sullivan brings the most to council primary race

Democrats will be favored to retain the Snohomish County Council seat that represents Everett and Mukilteo, which Kirke Sievers must vacate because of term limits. That makes the primary race between state Sen. Jean Berkey and state Rep. Brian Sullivan a potential winner-take-all matchup.

Of these two capable lawmakers, we believe Sullivan is the better choice because of his local government experience, extensive background in land-use issues and reputation for working constructively with Democrats and Republicans.

An additional 300,000 people are expected to move to the county in the next 20 years, which makes a firm grounding in the complexities of land use a must for any county council candidate. Sullivan's credentials there are hard to beat.

He served as mayor of Mukilteo for eight years while the state's Growth Management Act was being put in place, and understands the history of the GMA and how it has evolved. In recent years he has had an up-close view of local pressures as coordinator of Snohomish County Tomorrow, a committee of city, county and tribal representatives that helps guide growth management. As chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, he has been a leader on many of the prominent issues regarding growth and environmental issues.

Sullivan says his approach to land-use decisions would be open and transparent, working proactively with all sides to find creative solutions that serve the greater good. He has the credentials to make such a statement meaningful.

He also cites transportation solutions, economic development efforts that bring more good-paying jobs here and the efficient delivery of public safety services as top issues he'd address.

Berkey's platform is similar, and her seven years of experience in the Legislature makes her a strong contender. The longtime Everett resident points out that she has worked on several committees in Olympia that dealt with the issues of counties.

Like Sullivan, Berkey says she would approach land-use issues by evaluating competing needs and listening to all sides. She agrees that the county must play an active role in economic development, putting jobs closer to where county residents live.

We believe Berkey would be a competent council member. But given Sullivan's more detailed vision of the county's future and stronger record of collaboration, we think he would make an excellent one.