STANWOOD — In an era when the unopposed candidates on the election ballot sometimes outnumber those in contested races, Councilman Timothy Loney is campaigning against incumbent Mayor Dianne Warsinske White in part because he wants her to do her best.
“Running against a challenger forces candidates to work harder to win the political capital needed to do the job,” Loney said. “If getting out and talking to people builds political capital for the mayor and she wins, that’s OK.”
Loney believes, though, that he is the right choice for the job.
“I am a Navy chaplain, a counselor. I build bridges between people,” Loney said. “The experience I’ve got will help gain the cooperation needed to build a strong business environment in Stanwood. That’s our most important issue.”
White, a Stanwood native, maintains she remains the best choice for mayor.
“After four years in office, I don’t believe there’s anybody in Stanwood who has a better understanding of being mayor or who has the contacts I do,” she said.
Economic development and maintaining current employers is a big issue in Stanwood, White said, and without growth in sales tax revenue, times are going to be tough for the city.
As a former longtime owner of a small business, White said she understands how tough it is for business owners in the current economy. She also has worked on Stanwood’s marketing plan to ensure the city is looking ahead to attract family wage jobs, she said, instead of sending commuters out of town each day.
White has hope for economic development because the cost of doing business is much less expensive in Stanwood than it is in south Snohomish County, for example, she said.
“And we have this jewel coming in the form of the new train station,” White said. “Every time a new transit terminal is built in this state, you get growth outward from there. Our zoning near the station is compatible for new business.”
To make that happen, though, Loney said, the city has to project a better can-do attitude.
“Business owners say people in Stanwood don’t support local businesses,” Loney said. “That’s not the city’s fault, but if a city policy is difficult for a business, what are the alternatives? I can help the policy makers and the business community talk to each other.”
In addition, Loney would like to see the mayor take on more of a role with lawmakers at the state and federal levels.
“We need to be proactive about the state and federal issues that will impact our city,” he said.
If re-elected, White said she plans to work for the establishment of a parks district that follows the boundaries of the Stanwood- Camano School District.
“We may have opposition from the Camano Island folks, but the reality is they are using our parks and not participating in paying for them,” she said. “The tax for this would not be much because the district is huge.”
Before being elected mayor, White was appointed and served on the planning commission and city council. She also currently serves on the Snohomish Health District county board of health.
Loney was appointed to his council seat in 2007 after he returned from military service in Iraq. He was elected to the position later that year. If Loney wins he will step down from his council position.
The Stanwood mayor’s job pays $1,100 a month.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427, gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Stanwood Mayor
Timothy Loney
Age: 46
Occupation: Navy chaplain and current city councilman
Dianne Warsinske White
Age: 63
Occupation: Pharmacist and incumbent mayor
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