County council races: Low, Nehring not helping renters

Published 1:30 am Saturday, October 23, 2021

As the election approaches, it is vitally important our community elect Snohomish County Council members who operate with integrity, common sense and in the best interest of their constituents. Sam Low, District 5 and Nate Nehring, District 1, are up for reelection. Per Public Disclosure Commission reports, donations from the real estate/building Industry account for 50 to 60 percent of their total campaign funding. This also includes Executive Dave Somers. Who do they listen to?

We’ve been ignored for the last 20 years. As a result, the whole county is suffering under a glut of gridlocked development in rural areas without adequate infrastructure. It’s getting worse. Rather than require developers wait for improvements, the county is accepting applications for high-density development on dangerous, gridlocked roads

This bias has other real world consequences. The County Council prepared a June 14 letter to Gov. Jay Inslee asking he extend the eviction moratorium beyond June 30. The money meant for rental relief, was there, just needed time to be dispersed. Only Low and Nehring did not sign. Why?

This affected 7,000 tenant applications representing possibly 17,500 to 21,000 county residents who faced potential eviction and homelessness. Did the real estate and building industry, who’d been lobbying heavily to let the moratorium expire in order to evict and raise rents, have anything to do with it?

Council members Stephanie Wright, Megan Dunn and Jared Mead will listen to their constituents. Please elect Brandy Donaghy, District 5 and Nicole Ng-A-Qui, District 1.

Linda Gray

Woodinville