Lake Forest Park City Council, Position 3

Jean Thomas

Age: 67

Residence: Lake Forest Park

Marital/family status: Single

Education: Attended Otterbein College and Boston University

Occupation: Formerly administrative and financial management; currently technical writer/editor

Question 1: How will you address ethics, accountability and transparency in city government?

Many of the city’s problems are exacerbated by the need for greater transparency as well as the need for improved communication and processes. The issue of the cameras installed near two elementary schools is an excellent example of this need. There is currently little opportunity for two-way communication for residents to learn about city issues and to ask questions of its council members. In addition to scheduling city forums, one of the city’s staff members should be appointed as an ombudsman to assist residents having problems navigating through city processes.

Question 2: How do you envision managing the city’s budget deficit without putting the financial burden on your constituents?

The city’s fiscal responsibility must always be balanced by the needs of its residents. Community services that have a substantial impact on residents’ quality of life must be retained. We should continue to offer reduced taxes and fees for residents who qualify due to fixed and/or low income. City administration should continue to provide information on the city Web site and through events such as the “Help for Surviving the Economic Crisis: Community Resources &Services Fair” on Oct. 10.

Question 3: How will you foster and deepen regional, city and community communications?

I will continue to build and enhance working relationships with public officials in other municipalities as well as at the county and state level. I look forward to representing the council on regional task forces and committees. The city should schedule bimonthly or quarterly forums at the Third Place Commons at which residents can ask questions of council members as well as the mayor and city administrator regarding current issues facing Lake Forest Park.

Question 4: How will you help the city to support developing a sound economy?

The economic sustainability of our city depends on our expanding our narrow tax base, with less reliance on continuously raising property taxes. We need to attract, support, and keep small businesses, and to support green jobs including “silicon collar” jobs, emerging technologies, and home-based businesses. We must increase efficiency in city government through more stringent — and ongoing — reviews of all expenses including staff compensation, which is more than 70 percent of our budget. Many of the old ways of doing business no longer serve us well; we need to be more resourceful and innovative.

John Wright

Age: 54

Residence: Lake Forest Park

Marital/family status: Wife &Son

Education: BSBC, University of Washington (1986)

Occupation: Resident Engineer, King County Metro Transit Design &Construction

Question 1: How will you address ethics, accountability and transparency in city government?

I believe government processes must be formal and transparent or abuse is inevitable. City business should be conducted and recorded via formal communications that outline the terms and detail of all agreements made and the responsibilities of all parties, and these files must be available via freedom of information request. Elected officials and city employees must read and sign an acknowledgment of city ethics policy, and those policies should be posted on the city Web site and accessible to all.

Finally, the city should have an independent ethics review board that can review violations and recommend actions to the city council.

Question 2: How do you envision managing the city’s budget deficit without putting the financial burden on your constituents?

The best thing we can do for our citizens is to ease the burden of government and not to raise taxes when they can least afford it. After city departments trim their budgets by 10 percent, I favor balancing the budget by reducing the forecast amount by 10 percent (for contingency), and then funding mandatory expenses first and prioritizing those remaining through the remaining available funds. What remains to be funded when the 90 percent level is reached does not receive funding unless the council votes to use contingency. We all have to live on a budget, and city government should be no exception.

Question 3: How will you foster and deepen regional, city and community communications?

Lake Forest Park does a good job in this area, making the Town Crier available monthly by mail and electronically on the city Web site, offering city news via free citymail e-mail, and the city’s Web site is excellent in providing those interested with information on city happenings. I think LFP could improve by designating a city ombudsman that would be a personal contact for those having difficulty navigating the city’s electronic news and information sources. Regionally, the city should maximize its participation in forums with other cities, like the Seashore Transportation forum, Suburban Cities Association, Association of Washington Cities, etc.

Question 4: How will you help the city to support developing a sound economy?

Because most of city revenues are property tax based, the city should explore additional sources of revenue through grants, and I believe a sound investment would be to hire a full-time grants administrator to bring in these revenues. Currently LFP reports that it brings in only 1 percent of revenue from grant sources, while it brings in twice as much processing passport applications for the state department! This performance is abysmal, and we should reasonably expect it to be improved by several hundred percent. Additional city expenses could be trimmed by effectively coordinating volunteer efforts with a part-time coordinator.