Lakewood is booming. But our picks for City Council seats don’t erase our unease for future
It’s hard to imagine a bigger development boom than what Lakewood achieved during this past pandemic year. The city smashed records in 2020 with $160 million in new construction permit activity.
Job-creating business parks are humming. Amazon announced it will open a new shipping center in Lakewood. A Tacoma firearms manufacturer is moving south with 500-plus jobs. Talk of the Tesla car company snapping up space also swirled early this year, though nothing firm has come from it.
City leaders had foresight to plan for the 25-acre Lakewood Landing mixed-use development along Interstate 5. They’re tending to neighborhood needs with new parks and a community gathering spot at Colonial Plaza.
The resurgence of Pierce County’s second-largest city (population 62,000), long stigmatized for a stark rich-poor divide, is a success story. And it’s a key reason why our Editorial Board recommends that voters reelect three incumbents to Lakewood City Council: Mike Brandstetter, Jason Whalen and Patti Belle. (A fourth council member, Mary Moss, is running unopposed.)
Our endorsements come with a caveat, however.
Lakewood must do more than develop its economy; it also must develop new leaders and diverse voices. It must fully represent people who struggle to pay rent, who live in neighborhoods like Tillicum and Springbrook, who see first-hand the tension between police and residents, particularly people of color.
Change like this doesn’t happen naturally in a city that, unlike Tacoma, has no term limits. Consequently, Lakewood governance is historically dominated by older, mostly white former military officers with ties to JBLM.
The absence of better prepared alternative candidates to compete against sure-handed incumbents this year is disappointing.
Whalen highlighted the dilemma — and the solution — when he told us this is his final run for council. “It’s time to mentor a new generation of leadership,” he said.
For Position 2, 11-year council stalwart Mike Brandstetter has earned another term. Thirty years in the Army and 20 years leading workforce development programs at Bates Technical College give him a broad portfolio of experience.
Brandstetter, 74, is known for mastering the details of city budget and policy matters. He credibly argues that his skills will be crucial over the next few years as Lakewood allocates millions in federal pandemic recovery funds.
Amelia Isabel Escobedo, struck us as the most promising challenger in Lakewood this year. An Army Special Forces veteran who served in Afghanistan, she’s an outspoken leader in Latino advocacy and anti-racism groups.
Escobedo, 38, says Lakewood police are unaccountable for using deadly force, such as last year’s fatal shooting of 26-year-old Said Joquin. One of her chief criticisms is that the city has been slow to fund officer-worn body cameras — a legitimate concern that the council is currently addressing.
While her time watching City Council meetings this past year is commendable, Escobedo would benefit from sitting on a city board or commission.
A familiar name, Malcolm Russell, also appears on the ballot. Russell has previously run for office in Lakewood but suspended his campaign for Position 2 and thus didn’t interview with us.
For Position 3, Jason Whalen is worthy of one last go-round after 11 years in office. Having lost a bid for Pierce County Council last year, the deputy mayor, small business attorney and former Army officer now wants to re-up for city duty..
Whalen, 58, helped lay the groundwork for Lakewood Landing, where transit-oriented development is planned. To increase affordable housing, he wants to incentivize growing the overall housing supply while “catching up” on sidewalks, green spaces and other amenities that are inequitably distributed.
Siabhon Ayuso is the progressive alternative in this contest, far left of Whalen’s place at the pragmatic center. She says the council is out of touch on grassroots issues such as living-wage jobs, emergency pay for essential workers, marijuana legalization and aggressive police reform.
Ayuso, 36, is passionate and more polished than when she ran two years ago. But her full immersion in Democratic politics can’t compensate for a lack of policy acumen, which Whalen has in spades.
Also on the ballot is David Howarth. His voter pamphlet statement describes him as a first-time, working-class candidate. He missed the Editorial Board interview and thus couldn’t be considered for endorsement.
For Position 5, voters will choose from the largest but weakest field, and we can’t recommend anyone but Patti Belle. A Lakewood resident for just three years and a council member only since she was appointed to a vacant seat in February, Belle is still getting her bearings.
But the City of Kent communications manager is poised, professional and has a good grasp on the value of regional partnerships. She didn’t waste time jumping into civic life, joining the Lakewood Arts Commission in 2018.
Belle, 48, is light years ahead of Gene Drawhorn, 57, an engineer for a Portland wireless company. From his cursory knowledge of local issues and the role of a council member, you wouldn’t know he’s lived in Lakewood five years longer than Belle. Most distressing was his response to a question about police reform: “It’s not my place to question police.”
Two other people are on the ballot for Position 5. Ria Covington Johnson, a perennial council candidate, isn’t running an active primary campaign and declined our interview. Antonio Calimano Montanez didn’t respond to our invitation.
As we see it, Belle could be a bridge between the accomplished old guard and a well-rounded new generation of leaders.
What Lakewood really needs is a development boom of those.
News Tribune election endorsements reflect the views of our Editorial Board and are written by opinion editor Matt Misterek. Other board members are: Stephanie Pedersen, News Tribune president and editor; Matt Driscoll, local columnist; Jim Walton, community representative; and Pamela Transue, a community representative who serves during election season. The Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom and does not influence the work of news reporting and editing staffs. We do not endorse any candidates who do not interview with us. For questions, email matt.misterek@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published July 10, 2021 at 9:00 AM.