As the Mayor of Tigard for six years, I worked closely with our surrounding communities and local leaders to ensure all our communities and cities were thriving together and supporting one another. That’s the way we do things around here—we work together, respect one another, and engage in constructive dialogue that moves us forward.
Why do I care? After living in Tigard for 59 years, I moved five years ago with my wife, and now live on Fischer Road. My family has lived in the area for over 70 years, and Cook Park is named after my father. I’m passionate about this area and having the community grow and thrive.
I strongly urge the residents of King City to vote NO on this recall election in February.
Recalling elected officials should be rare and limited to situations where the official has committed an ethical or legal violation. That hasn’t happened here, so a recall is not warranted. If you don’t like decisions elected officials are making, you have the opportunity in November to run for a position on the council or vote for a different candidate.
The mayor and city councilors in King City are hardworking, authentic, and truly engaged members of their community. They are volunteers, receiving no pay for their time and effort to support the goals of the city’s citizens, and they perform their volunteer public service very well. This is a thankless job that they volunteered for, and you elected them to fulfill.
I have attended numerous city council, planning commission, and CPO meetings where they have listened, engaged, and responded to citizen voices and concerns, and I have watched them act on citizen input every step of the way. For outside influences to suggest the mayor and councilors do not listen to their constituents only reinforces that those pushing for the recall are, in fact, outsiders.
King City’s growth management plan was developed over the past seven years with numerous public meetings and input from hundreds of city residents. The plan has been approved by the city council, county commission, metro council and even state agencies. Now a small number of individuals who oppose the plan (some don’t even live in King City and can’t vote in this election), want to stop it by recalling the current mayor and majority of the city council and replacing them with unelected people. If recalled, new councilors will be appointed, not elected by the citizens of King City. This is not how city governments work, and it is not how democracy should work.
This recall special election is costing King City taxpayers. It uses money that can’t be used to maintain your streets, parks, and public safety.
King City residents should vote NO on this radical recall election this February. Our communities are better than this and your mayor and councilors should remain exactly where the voters put them just months ago – in office.
