Tacoma needs new ideas to solve dire problems. Here’s our pick in City Council District 2

Voters in Tacoma City Council District 2 face a difficult — but not unfamiliar — decision this November.

Of the two candidates vying for their votes, one touts a well-known name and the resume of someone who’s been preparing for this moment for years, while the other is a relative newcomer set on injecting Tacoma politics with fresh ideas and new perspectives.

If constituents are familiar with Sarah Rumbaugh, there’s a good reason. She last ran for County Council in 2020, earning our endorsement in the process. While Rumbaugh, 53, was ultimately defeated in that contest by Republican Hans Zeiger, this time around - in her bid to succeed Robert Thoms representing the smaller and more urban City Council District 2 — she’ll likely benefit from her progressive credentials and the support she’s earned in the city’s North End, Downtown and Northeast corner.

Kelly Blucher, on the other hand, will arrive out of left field for many voters. A community engagement manager at Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier region and a member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness, Blucher, 44, is the daughter of a long-time St. Joe’s nurse and a mother of three who intimately knows the issues she’s most passionate about addressing — like poverty and access to childcare.

Much like voters, The News Tribune’s Editorial Board can only choose one candidate to endorse this year. Rumbaugh gets our nod, but not without words of encouragement for Blucher and a warning about the dangerous comfort of the status quo.

During The News Tribune’s endorsement interview last month, Blucher spoke frankly about her background and motivation for running. She’s faced financial and housing insecurity, she said, and wants to see people with her lived experiences have a voice in city government. After studying at the University of Washington Tacoma and earning a pre-nursing degree from Tacoma Community College, Blucher began working in the nonprofit world, eventually founding Hire 253, which seeks to connect people facing homelessness with jobs.

With the city currently grappling with a pronounced homelessness crisis that shows no signs of waning, there’s little question Blucher’s unique perspective would be of value on the council. This isn’t about tokenizing hardships; it’s about acknowledging that bringing diverse voices and experiences to the table makes for better policy and decisions. If Blucher isn’t elected this fall, we urge her to continue fighting and continue gaining experience.

As previously mentioned, Rumbaugh is no stranger to campaigning and the way politics works in Tacoma. She’s also no stranger to working in the community, as her current roles on the city’s Human Rights Commission and on the boards of Associated Ministries of Pierce County and Temple Beth El illustrate. Like Blucher, Rumbaugh has also faced challenges. The daughter of a single mother who benefited from welfare, she grew up in Bellingham living in public housing and has used the experience as a catalyst for change in her adult life.

Asked about her reasons for running, Rumbaugh said she’s spent 15 years here raising her family and “believes in building an equitable, more environmentally sustainable community for our children.”

“As a community, we have long-standing issues that have been highlighted and underscored by the pandemic, and our city is past the breaking point,” Rumbaugh told The News Tribune. “It’s going to take strong, proven leaders to ensure that we don’t lose sight of what’s most important, like the inequities within our systems — inequities in housing, employment and health care.”

We agree, which is why Rumbaugh earns our endorsement. She has the background and connections to make an immediate difference, and has earned the respect and experience required to lead.

Still, the November general election can’t just be seen as a coronation for Rumbaugh or an eventuality for a candidate years in the making. Given the pressing challenges facing Tacoma — and the reality that the city’s current approaches to many of them simply haven’t been enough, particularly when it comes to addressing homelessness — whoever emerges victorious in this race will be tasked with pushing beyond the familiar talking points and championing new solutions that actually improve the lives of all Tacomans.

We believe it’s a challenge Rumbaugh is up for.

As always, the proof will be in the results.

News Tribune election endorsements reflect the views of our Editorial Board and are written by interim opinion editor Matt Driscoll. Other board members are: Stephanie Pedersen, News Tribune president and editor; Jim Walton, community representative; and Pamela Transue, a community representative who serves during election season.

This story was originally published October 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM.