Before casting your vote in the Aug. 5, 2025, primary election, the public can attend an in-person debate between the three candidates for mayor of Auburn: incumbent Mayor Nancy Backus, Auburn City Councilmember Yolanda Trout, and local businessman Ron Morgan.
The event runs 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 9, at the Auburn Senior Center, 808 9th St. SE. All mayoral candidates have been invited to participate. This will be a recorded event.
In the meantime, below are Backus’s responses to questions sent by the Auburn Reporter.
Nancy Backus
Q: Why do you want to be mayor?
A: Being mayor of my hometown has been an incredible honor — one I do not take lightly. I’m committed to earning and keeping your trust every single day. Auburn has grown and changed tremendously since my family moved here in 1968. We’ve seen exciting progress, and we’ve weathered challenges. Through it all, I’ve worked hard to lead with stability, integrity, and a focus on results.
Now more than ever, we need steady, proven leadership at the local level — leadership that rises above national political noise and stays focused on what matters to Auburn residents: public safety, strong neighborhoods, infrastructure, and opportunity for all.
I’ve built strong, collaborative relationships with local, regional, state, and even national leaders that continue to open doors for Auburn. I want to keep using that experience, those connections, and my deep love for this city to serve you — and help Auburn thrive.
Q: What are the five greatest challenges the city faces at this time, and what would you do to better the situation?
A: • Public safety: We will continue to offer competitive wages to attract and retain the very best officers, invest in new technologies to support their work, and sustain our Officer Wellness Program to promote both mental and physical health — ensuring officers show up as their best selves to serve our community. We’re also committed to collaborating with regional partners to address broader public safety issues impacting Auburn and South King County.
• Homelessness: We will build on the success of our homelessness programs, which have been recognized statewide as best practices. Over the past five years, these efforts have made a noticeable difference, and I’m grateful to residents who have shared that they see the change. Thank you for recognizing our hard work — we’ll keep going.
• Safe and affordable housing: Auburn has long been considered an affordable place to live, but rising costs have changed that. Recent updates to our comprehensive plan — aligned with new state legislation — will make it easier to build a greater variety of housing types, such as duplexes, triplexes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and homes on smaller lots. These changes will help create more housing opportunities for current and future residents, including young people who want to stay in the community where they grew up. We’re also developing pre-approved ADU plans to save builders time and money. In addition, we’re preparing to launch an enhanced rental housing inspection program in 2027 to ensure all residents have access to safe living conditions.
• Infrastructure: We’re committed to identifying infrastructure needs and securing grant funding to support major road and utility projects. While construction can be inconvenient, the long-term benefits — such as improved traffic flow, safety, and utilities — are worth the temporary disruption.
• Business attraction and retention: We’ve streamlined permitting, provided grants during challenging times, and built programs to support business growth. Moving forward, we’ll continue to partner with the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Auburn Cooperative, and businesses of all sizes to make sure their needs are heard and met
Q: Given concerns about public safety and rising crime rates in Auburn involving teen violence, break-ins, shootings, etc., voiced in recent public forums, what would you do, indeed, what could you do, to make things better?
A: Recent public forums have reinforced just how deeply our community cares about these issues — teen violence, break-ins and shootings. Your voices have helped shape both the priorities and the path forward, and I thank you for speaking up. In response, we will continue to host public safety forums throughout the year to keep that dialogue going and ensure transparency.
I’m committed to taking action on multiple fronts. That includes continuing to work closely with the city council, fellow mayors, county prosecutors, judges, and executives in both King and Pierce counties to strengthen accountability — especially when it comes to violent juvenile offenders. Over the past few years, we’ve made progress in South King County by pushing for charges to be filed against juveniles caught with firearms, and we’ll keep that pressure up.
But this is also about prevention. We need to invest in youth outreach, after-school programs, and mental health resources — so young people have better choices and stronger support. We’re also looking at ways to use technology and regional coordination to better track and prevent repeat offenses.
We must be tough where it counts, and compassionate where it matters. Public safety is not just a police issue — it’s a community-wide responsibility, and I’m committed to leading that effort.
Q: How would you help strike the necessary balance between Auburn’s simultaneous needs for growth and development and for preserving what’s best about the city?
A: Auburn is growing — there’s no question about that. But how we grow matters. That’s why we’ve taken a deliberate and thoughtful approach in our recently approved 2024 Comprehensive Plan. This plan provides a clear framework that allows for growth while protecting what makes Auburn special — our sense of community, our neighborhoods, and our quality of life.
One of the biggest challenges is the need for more housing at all income levels. To address that, we’re creating more flexibility in how and where different types of housing can be built — including within established neighborhoods — while ensuring that new development fits the character of those communities. That includes options like duplexes, triplexes, ADUs, and smaller lot sizes.
Smart growth is about more than just housing — it’s about infrastructure, parks, traffic, and keeping Auburn livable for everyone. We are committed to managing development in a way that respects our past and prepares us for a strong, inclusive future.
Q: What experience do you have dealing with large budgets?
A: I bring over 3 decades of direct experience managing large and complex budgets. For the past 22 years, I’ve been deeply involved in Auburn’s finances — first as a city councilmember and chair of the Finance Committee for 10 years, and for the past 12 years as your mayor. During that time, I’ve submitted six balanced budgets to the city council for approval, each one reflecting community priorities, financial responsibility, and long-term sustainability.
I worked as a finance manager at The Boeing Company, where I managed budgets ranging from millions to billions of dollars. That private-sector experience gave me a strong foundation in strategic financial planning, oversight and accountability.
I take great pride in listening to the community and ensuring that our budget reflects both our needs and — when resources allow — our wants. Responsible budgeting is not just about numbers; it’s about values, transparency, and making sure we’re investing in what matters most to Auburn.
