Renton means a lot to me, and as a lifelong resident and business owner here, I want to see strong and balanced leadership guiding this community into its future, and people with new and fresh ideas for how Renton can manage the changes and challenges ahead. This is what leads me to endorse Jami Smith for Renton City Council.

I trust people who have been on both the signing and the cashing side of a payroll check to know the impact of city ordinances on small businesses, and as the owner of her own consulting firm, and with a 20-year career that has spanned technology and operations, Jami has that experience. She can look at problems with a critical eye, drill down to the root cause, and come up with a path forward that works for all of us, and I think that is what is needed on our city council.

At the end of the day, Renton needs leaders who work, both together and individually.

The sheer number and diversity of the people who have joined me in supporting Jami — from business owners to community leaders, from lifelong Renton residents to new faces, from teachers to realtors — is a testament to the quality of the relationships she is able to build, and it shows that she can work well with many different people with many different opinions to get results. This gives me confidence that she will advocate for Renton no matter where she is or with whom she’s meeting.

Renton needs Jami, and my vote is for her in the Nov. 7 General Election. I urge you to vote for Jami too.

Jason Parker

Renton