Lynnwood candidates’ statements on city finances

Three candidates are running in the Aug. 6 primary for the Lynnwood City Council position that two-term Councilman Mark Smith is giving up to run for mayor. The three are City Planning Commission member Ian Cotton, former Councilman Jim Smith and City Diversity Commission Chairwoman Shirley Sutton.

The top two vote getters in the primary advance to the Nov. 5 general election.

Here are statements on City finances from candidates Cotton and Smith. Candidate Sutton has not responded.

Ian Cotton

“Fire-fighting. That’s what local governments all around the region have been doing during the ‘Great Recession’. Today, economic indicators and projected city revenues indicate a stabilized, cash positive city balance for Lynnwood. Now that the fires are out, a council member’s responsibility is to review what we’re spending money on and evaluate them; have the citizens asked for it? Is it a core service? If we keep it how can we streamline it? These are questions that need answers. I will work towards government savings equaling reduced taxation, and only spend on what Citizens have asked for. Read more at www.cotton4council.com”

Jim Smith

“The city added six new taxes recently to cover decreased revenues. Now that revenues have improved, the new taxes should be repealed before new spending takes place.

The recession was used as an excuse for the mismanagement of city funds. In 2007 and 2008, the city was warned of the recession, yet continued to build several capital projects.

Firefighters, police and medics were threatened that their departments would be cut substantially, which caused the loss of some of our most promising public-safety employees to other cities. Across-the-board cuts to all departments were mindless and bad city business.”

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.