ARLINGTON – Newcomer Josh Roundy is running against longtime Arlington City Councilman Chris Raezer.
Raezer did not return our questionnaire, appear at our editorial board meeting or submit comments to the voters pamphlet. He also has not appeared at some candidate forums.
Roundy, 34, says growth is the main reason he is running. “They haven’t handled growth as well as they could,” he said of the council that he said has pushed away some developers.
“I won’t stand in the way of growth. We’ll be left behind,” as we were with Costco, he said.
A certified public accountant, Roundy said he has the financial expertise to help the council. He knows the city can’t fund every issue; it needs to prioritize funding for city departments first.
As for a Regional Fire Authority, Roundy said, “Marysville’s interested in Marysville. But is that in the best interest of Arlington?”
He said while a levy lid lift may be cheaper he favors Arlington having its own fire district.
Regarding the homeless, he favors everyone working together to solve the problem. He likes the idea of embedding a social worker with police. That may help some homeless turn their lives around and keep them out of already-crowded jails.
On the council, Roundy said he would ask questions and look ahead to make sure any projects he voted for could be sustained in the budget.
Name: Josh Roundy
Experience: I have a bachelor’s degree in accounting and am a certified public accountant. I have been using these skills while building experience in local governmental finance and budgeting for 11 years, starting at the State Auditor’s Office and progressing to finance director for the city of Mill Creek. Currently I work for the city of Lake Stevens. Through this experience, I understand the current issues that cities face and possess a lot of firsthand knowledge relevant to being a useful city councilman. Personally, as a long-term resident of Arlington, I also want to see Arlington grow and develop while still maintaining its small-town qualities. While representing the voters on the City Council, I would strive to connect my experience to city issues, bringing to the table sound fiscal accountability while planning for sustainable growth.
Why should voters pick you? The issues of utmost importance to me are public safety, infrastructure, fiscal sustainability and transparency, and most importantly, is economic development and the future planning/development of our city. These are all big issues that take experienced leaders, time to implement, good policy making, and a council willing to work together to plan for a better city of Arlington. Name: Chris Raezer did not return the questionnaire.
