After a great deal of discussion with my wife Trisha, I have decided to run for the position of Mayor of Federal Way. It was not an easy decision to leave the legislature. Over the last eight years, as your State Representative, I have had he honor of playing a major leadership role on Issues ranging from keeping Boeing jobs in our state, to authoring comprehensive auto theft and sex predator legislation, to becoming a recognized education champion on behalf of Washington’s school children.
But as the saying goes, home is where the heart is and my home is Federal Way. Throughout those eight years my heart has remained in local government and improving our community. For that reason I am excited to ask you for your vote in the first ever Federal Way Mayor’s election.
You are about to make an important choice. The new mayor, like the city and many of our friends and neighbors, will face many challenges. These include developing a clear vision for our city’s future, bringing new jobs to our community, making our neighborhoods safer while ensuring that your taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and efficiently. It will also require a leader like myself who has had the experience, during lean budget years, of managing a multi-million dollar operation with over three hundred employees, as well as the experience of finding and helping to implement solutions to complex governmental issues.
The timing of your decision in November could not be more critical to our city’s future. I know that Trisha and I are not the only ones who have had friends laid off at Weyerhaeuser, had Federal Way police on their doorstep after an attempted robbery or other vandalism, and see daily the empty store fronts throughout our downtown. These are the kinds of challenges that I have successfully faced before as a City Councilmember, Mayor, and community volunteer leader. I believe with your help I can successfully meet them again.
As always, your opinions are first and foremost in my mind as we work on issues that impact all of us. I welcome your e-mails, calls and meetings to share your thoughts, concerns, and questions. My contact information can be located by clicking “contact us” on the left side of this page.
Again, thank you for your support. Together, we can make Federal Way a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
With best personal regards,
Skip Priest
