LYNNWOOD – The longest-serving member of the Lynnwood City Council is defending his seat next week against two challengers.
Jim Smith, in his 20th year on the council, is running against Planning Commissioner Maria Ambalada and Christopher Boyer, a local pastor, in Tuesday’s primary election.
The two candidates who get the most votes next week will go head-to-head in the November general election.
Lynnwood City Council members serve four-year terms and are paid $18,600 per year.
“The citizens of Lynnwood have invested in me during the past 20 years, and they know that experience counts,” Smith said.
If re-elected, Smith said he’d continue pushing for the city to build a stand-alone senior center.
Currently, the Lynnwood Senior Center is in rented space at Scriber Square Shopping Center. Smith also said he’d support plans to provide affordable housing for seniors.
Smith said he wants to end what he calls an era of “taxes gone wild.” The City Council has approved four new taxes during the past year, he said.
“The most important thing is to be a voice on the council that puts any further tax increases in check,” he said.
Ambalada, a staunch advocate for preserving mobile homes and affordable housing in Lynnwood, wants to set up a public market that could help low-income residents earn money.
She also said the city should find ways to get seniors more involved in activities at the Lynnwood Senior Center. She was impressed by a recent trip to the Everett Senior Center, where patrons helped with tasks such as cooking and serving meals, she said.
The city should also do more to prevent gang activity in the city, Ambalada said. This could be done by building a youth center with outreach programs to give young people alternatives to committing crimes, she said.
“There is a need for a person like me,” Ambalada said. “It’s not my choice, but it seems like all my activities are there for me to be the voice of those who aren’t heard usually.”
Boyer, pastor of Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Lynnwood, said he’s also passionate about providing affordable housing for seniors.
His church has donated 2.2 acres of land valued at $1.8 million for the construction of a 40-unit apartment complex for senior residents, he said.
He’s also excited about the growth of the Lynnwood City Center, which is planned to include multi-story buildings, parks, pedestrian pathways and public squares. The development is planned for northwest of I-5, east of 48th Avenue and south of 194th Street.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity with the city center and what we can do to give the city a new face,” Boyer said.
Boyer, who also works as a nonprofit management consultant, said he’d welcome the chance to serve on the City Council.
“I’m interested in finding out what the people in the city of Lynnwood see as really important, and working with them to complete what needs to be done,” he said.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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