I enthusiastically endorse Rich Erwin for Mercer Island City Council, Position #6. We have discussed several of his proposals, from how he could support the City Council plan for defeating I-90 tolling to his vision for a thriving Town Center better integrated with the community. I am impressed with the amount of research and data he has gathered on the expense of mitigating adverse impacts on the city and school district employees related to I-90 tolling.

He has also demonstrated to me that he is deeply knowledgeable on land use issues and knows what building a thriving Town Center will require. He has proposed design modifications to make our parking garages more user-friendly. Very importantly to me, he promotes a productive partnership between the City Council and the school district.  Finally, Rich is passionate about seeing our sustainability plan implemented and safeguarding our parks and open spaces. I am thoroughly convinced that he is ready to hit the ground running and will be a collaborative force on the City Council.

Rich is no newcomer to Mercer Island civic leadership. His long and active history working on committees and initiatives, chairing the MI Design Commission, working to pass school bonds and serving on Debbie Bertlin’s campaign committee during her first run for City Council, has readied him for this next step. In addition, Rich has 26 years of experience at Boeing in engineering and information technology, which has provided valuable lessons in dealing with diverse opinions and constrained budgets. It takes time, drive and knowledge to be a really great City Council member. Rich’s demonstrated commitment to getting things done, as well as his knowledge, skills and readiness for the position, tell me he’s the person we need to elect to City Council.

Carrie George