Valentine Smith, US Army Veteran and Neighborhood Leader Running for Tacoma City Council

Valentine Smith, a Central Tacoma neighborhood leader and US Army veteran, has declared his candidacy for Tacoma City Council.  In his announcement, Smith emphasized his ground-level understanding of issues relating to economic development and public safety.

“Everyone I talk to in the community knows someone who has been a victim of property crime.  Since 2011, the crime rate in Tacoma has risen by 10% while the city has eliminated more than 40 law enforcement positions.  My plan is to guarantee the Community Liaison Officer positions and put revenue from the economic recovery into restoring public safety.”

Smith highlighted that assisting with the city’s homeless population and creating jobs are among his top priorities.  “Current policy amounts to little more than shifting people around the city.  We need a plan to assist our homeless population, including homeless veterans.”  On creating jobs, he noted, “I’ve heard from countless local business owners that many of the city’s permitting processes and regulations hurt job growth and makes it harder to open and grow a business.”

Smith is a veteran who served tours in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq and recently transitioned out of active service to join the Washington Army National Guard.  He currently works as an infrastructure project manager at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Valentine Smith serves as Vice-Chair on Tacoma’s City Events and Recognition Committee and is a Board Member of both the Central Neighborhood Council and the Community Council of Tacoma.  He and his wife Danielle live in Central Tacoma and are expecting their first child together any day now.

For more information, contact Valentine Smith at 253-318-3013 or visit online at www.ElectValentineSmith.com