Choosing our leaders can be a confusing business, but here in Everett, we rarely get the opportunity to choose Everett City Council members from multiple candidates on a level playing field because, if and when a position is vacated, it is almost always, (interestingly enough), between elections so the (currently conservative) council majority picks whatever interested individual they deem most suitable to fill the seat. Then when an election finally rolls around, we the citizens of Everett are then encouraged to “retain” the chosen colleague. This practice, coupled with the high expense and labor intensity to potential candidates caused by electing our council members city-wide, along with widespread voter apathy, has resulted in the city council we have today.
That city council just balanced its books on the backs of the people who pay their salary … with considerable benefits. And who cast the deciding vote to raise our taxes? If you guessed the new guy, the selected one, you guessed correctly.
The Herald Editorial Board has endorsed Judy Tuohy, a fabulously qualified and accomplished woman, in the only Everett City Council race before us in the upcoming election. The Herald chose her over the previously appointed candidate, who must now defend his position before the voters. Their stated reason was that Judy Tuohy, the executive director of Everett’s Shack Art Center, disagrees that the way to fix the city’s budget deficit was to increase fees and taxes charged to Everett citizens and businesses, and was especially concerned about the decision to raise taxes on utilities. Judy Tuohy, who managed to guide a new enterprise through a downturn to financial health and stability is not a CPA but she is an intelligent, thoughtful and creative administrator. She should be elected to the Everett City Council, and if we the voters take a good long look at what is at stake, she will be.
Charlene N. Rawson
Everett
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