Stephanson: an easy choice

Published 4:07 pm Monday, September 28, 2009

Although the challenger deserves points for earnestness and creative thinking, this year’s race for Everett mayor isn’t really much of one.

The incumbent, Ray Stephanson, has provided steady and prudent leadership that has the city in better fiscal condition than most others, building a foundation for a brighter future.

The challenger, Jim Johnson, has as the cornerstone of his campaign a voluntary plan — as yet unfunded — to “make our school system the best in America” by offering cash rewards to high school students who meet certain goals for grades and study time. He says his proposal attacks “the causes of our problems, not the symptoms,” and will help the city retain jobs and improve public safety.

Johnson rejects the notion that he’s running for the wrong job. Trying to implement such a plan from a school board position, he argues, would meet too much internal resistance. He can push it more effectively from the outside as mayor, he says.

Even if he’s right, he severely underappreciates the many details and complexities of being the chief executive of a city of more than 100,000. Suggesting that the city can essentially run itself, as Johnson does, exposes how unprepared he is for the job he seeks.

Stephanson is an easy choice for another four-year term.

When he took office nearly six years ago, the city was spending through its reserves, threatening future instability. Working with City Council leaders, Stephanson developed a policy to maintain a 20 percent reserve fund, which has to be repaid if tapped. That led to a stronger bond rating and lower interest rates on borrowing for capital projects. It also has helped the city to avoid the layoffs and service cuts that other governments have faced during the recession.

The city isn’t out of the woods, budget-wise — sales and business-tax revenues are still falling. Maintaining a strong financial footing, with an eye on the long haul, must remain a top priority. Stephanson vows it will, and argues that as a result, the city will be in a better position to implement a bolder parks strategy when the economy improves.

He also has worked quietly but persistently with Boeing executives and union leaders to seek the labor peace that may be required to keep new jetliners rolling out of Everett for years to come. His excellent relationship with the Navy — here and in the other Washington — bodes well for the future of Naval Station Everett, and he has worked closely with the congressional delegation to steer federal dollars to local projects.

The city still faces its share of challenges — seeing its considerable investment in the Riverfront Project pay off, the unmet need for four-year college degrees, a continuing perception that city government remains hard for many to access.

In this year’s mayoral race, Stephanson is clearly the best candidate to tackle them.