After attending the candidate forum at Leisure Estates this past Tuesday evening, I was reminded of all that is good about politics in Renton.  We are more concerned and focused on the needs and wants of the entire community today than on our past mistakes or clouded vision.  We know that we all need to work together, to listen to one another, to continue learning how to do things more effectively, more efficiently and more inclusively.

Campaigns that focus on the shortcomings of an opponent or group of supporters shift our focus away from what matters most, the city of Renton and all of its citizens.  For the most part, campaigns in our fair city model the behaviors that are necessary for a vibrant city where every citizen is respected and has value.  When campaigns resort to focusing on past acts or incomplete, erroneous information in attempts to move the voters’ attention from their needs, their concerns, their issues and how we need to work together to make our city the best it can be for all of us, we all lose.  We have too much at stake, too much to do, too many relying upon all of us to let that kind of campaigning happen in our city.

In the final weeks of this campaign, it is my hope that our focus is on Renton and all of her citizens.  That the candidates seeking our support remember that what we are looking for are people who can and will support us, all of us, and not the other way around.

Our past paves the way for our future; that includes the bumps in the road, the occasional pothole and scenic detours.  All those things provide us with the knowledge and experience to know what we need to do in the future, to make life better here in Renton for all of us.

Jerri Wood

Renton