Qualifications, not promises

I encourage the residents of Five Mile and Moran Prairie, and Indian Trail, to think about more new developments going up in these areas. While more houses in this boom time might sound like a good idea, let’s consider the impacts of added traffic and noise on already-overburdened streets.

Nadine Woodward received the endorsement (along with $93,600) from the Washington Association of Realtors, who admit to “playing big this year” and who want “to change the face of the City Council,” (“Realtors’ spending unprecedented,” The Spokesman-Review, July 21).

Special interests supporting political candidates is nothing new, and in our system, nothing is wrong with it. But let’s think down the line on this. Do we want a mayor who, due to this unprecedented financial support, might be more inclined to look favorably upon projects proposed by these special interests?

Or would you prefer a mayor who values working with neighborhood councils on issues that directly impact their quality of life?

If you want to have a say in deciding what the priorities are in your neighborhood, then you’ll want Ben Stuckert for mayor. He has a solid track record of listening to and standing up for neighborhoods, and will lead the whole City Council to engage with citizens on issues that affect their immediate community.

Look carefully at each candidate’s qualifications — not just policies and promises, but their real-world experiences managing a large, complex organization subject to competing interests and constituencies.

Ann Torpie

Spokane