Everett mayor’s race: Franklin too friendly to business

Published 1:30 am Sunday, August 24, 2025

The Herald endorsed Mayor Cassie Franklin. No surprise. She’s business-friendly to a fault. The fault being businesses are often gifted permits that don’t meet municipal code. Perhaps 90 percent of all Everett businesses are deficient of landscaping, which is why Snohomish, Marysville and Lake Stevens look so lush green in comparison.

It’s not that Franklin lets businesses violate one law, but many. An example, Franklin and her team cost the city that $500,000 First Amendment barista lawsuit, all because the city didn’t want it known that no drive-through window was legally allowed to face the street. After the suit, the city made the bikini stands comply, but none of the other 90 percent or so Everett drive-throughs that face the street.

No permit is valid that violates any law.

It won’t be Franklin’s “Too bad, so sad” world after she’s indicted.

Jean Rittmann

Everett