Candidates for City Council, Maureen Judge and Patti Darling, will bring a fresh perspective to Council deliberations regarding regional needs and Island values.

Patti Darling brings decades of experience as a medical professional in a variety of settings. She has been an administrator, caregiver and planner. Her experience within motorsports and as an emergency services planner indicates that she can work within diverse organizations to set policies and plans. In addition to her expertise in emergency services, she has demonstrated a knowledge of issues regarding transportation and housing. Best of all, she would bring further recognition to the nearly one-third of the Island population of seniors who are underrepresented within the leadership on the Island.

Maureen Judge has become an informed and deft politician throughout her six-month-long campaign. She has worked hard to learn about the various regional organizations throughout the Puget Sound region in order to gain those endorsements and has spent a good deal of time talking with residents throughout the Island. Knowing both agency leaders and community members will help the Council as it continues to grapple with regional issues regarding I-90 access and the effects of urban growth. Her many years of experience in business is also an asset.

Both candidates are smart, practical, well-spoken and strong-minded. We believe they are more than tough enough to broker agreements with regional leaders regarding the Renton airport, guide city staff to enforce open/public space code requirements with developers and champion Islanders beliefs about parks and trails.

Both — regardless of how long they have lived on the Island or how and where they raised their funding — share the values of Mercer Islanders and are committed to maintaining the way of life here. We feel that Islanders do not want protectionists, but proactive leaders who will meet the challenge of balancing the competing interests of urban growth and small town tranquility.