Jim Merritt Will Run for Mayor
Tacoma architect and community activist Jim Merritt recently confirmed he will indeed run for mayor this year. Merritt has a lengthy resume and a long history of community work in Tacoma.
I asked him last Friday why he wanted to run now. He expressed how he is proud of where Tacoma is but it seems to have run out of steam the last few years. He wants to bring people together and get Tacoma back on track.
Merritt is the first to publicly announce his candidacy, but we’ve heard lots of names being tossed about. It’s going to be a long campaign season. Who’s next?
Link to the News Tribune
Filed under: Politics, General
5 comments
J John Sherman January 21, 2009
“[W]here Tacoma is but it seems to have run out of steam the last few years. . . .” it has run out of money and not steam in the last few years, but while steaming well; perhaps just look around Thea Foss Waterway, EPA waterway cleanup, and downtown Tacoma ‘Taxpayers’ parking areas, and new and ongoing downtown LID improvements. Enjoy what you got before the ‘Taxpayers’ pull-the-plug on their money as some just might call it ‘steam’ for tomorrows, but money is our most important natural resource, so don’t waste it and now just-let private business fund and build the new stuff needed to get back on any new tracks required.
D Douglas Tooley January 22, 2009
This early in the race there is only one thing for sure, Merritt’s involvement will help raise our politics to a more productive level, at least on urban design and related issues.
On one related issue, transportation and the Tacoma Street car, we do have money, thanks to the passage of the ST funding – as well as an expressed willingness to talk from the Puyallup Tribe.
That’s the sort of ‘steam’ we need. FWIW, if you don’t have that, money is only dangerous.
T Thorax O'Tool January 23, 2009
What are the requirements for eligibility to run?
K Kelley January 30, 2009
Cut my taxes and earn my vote!!! Easy
T Thorax O'Tool January 30, 2009
I’m more concerned about a balanced budget than lower taxes.
Granted, less taxes=good, but balanced budget with no deficit, little to no debt and being sustainable on the current tax base are more gooder.