The race for Bellevue Metropolis Council Place 1 pits a multiterm council member who’s a longtime public servant in opposition to a first-time candidate.
John Stokes has been on the council for greater than a decade and has contributed to the town’s success in some ways.
However Paul Clark is the individual The Seattle Instances editorial board believes is required to assist lead King County’s second largest metropolis into the long run.
As a enterprise proprietor, Clark has a stake sooner or later success of the Bellevue economic system. His neighborhood involvement exterior of being an engineer speaks of his time administration abilities and dedication to his metropolis. He has served on the Civil Service Fee and the Parks Board.
He’s working on a platform of public security, a thriving enterprise neighborhood and assist for the parks system. With regards to the town’s police division, Clark stated the town wants to shut the staffing hole that exists when officers go away the division as the town recruits and hires extra officers. He suggests providing aggressive salaries and bonuses that may mirror the price of residing. He additionally helps the lately funded transit unit that may patrol Sound Transit’s expanded light-rail system, Eastlink. He stated residents wish to see elevated give attention to imposing legal guidelines governing property crimes, which he helps.
As proprietor of Factoria Labs, Clark says his expertise background will assist in his method to make pragmatic selections on behalf of the general public and that expertise is vital to Bellevue’s future.
Clark supported Bellevue’s Parks and Open House levy in 2022 and stated if elected he would work to broaden parks in Eastgate and Factoria.
Clark has criticized Stokes over his feedback and tone which have offended constituents and no less than one public official. Whereas Clark requires extra civility in politics, as a part of his marketing campaign, Clark incessantly negatively references Seattle. As a public official who will signify a metropolis the place a majority of its grownup residents derive their incomes from Seattle, he ought to respect the contributions Seattle makes to the economic system and tradition of the Puget Sound.
Nonetheless, with the broad assist Clark has mustered throughout varied sectors of Bellevue and his expertise in neighborhood service, he’s the candidate who would finest serve the individuals of Bellevue and must be elected to Place 7.
Correction: An earlier model misstated Bellevue’s dimension. It’s King County’s second largest metropolis, not Washington’s.
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