Port commissioner candidate should respect voters’ decisions

Published 6:15 pm Wednesday, October 23, 2013

I live in Auburn, but most of my career has been centered on Kent. I have concerns about Pete Lewis becoming a Port of Seattle commissioner.

I supported Lewis early on as the mayor of Auburn because of his business background – until about two years ago. At that time, Mayor Lewis heavily promoted a street maintenance levy for Auburn that voters defeated. After the election, Mayor Lewis came out and declared major arterials “unsafe” and dropped the speeds on those streets that increase traffic congestion. West Valley Highway was unsafe and dropped to 30 mph, and Main Street over Highway 167 was dropped from 50 to 35 mph. To me, this was a clear reaction to the voters saying no to something he wanted.

How could West Valley Highway be unsafe after the election and not before the election?

Given the importance of the port commissioner position to the region’s business and workforce, I want a port commissioner who respects the voter’s decision and doesn’t react in a way that appears to be getting even with the voters.

– Cliff Ridgway