Our choices for Tacoma schools, port commission
Voters sent one clear signal in the August primary when it came to races for Tacoma School Board and the Port of Tacoma commission: They were inclined to support the incumbents seeking re-election.
We also supported those incumbents in their primary races, and do so again in the Nov. 3 general election.
Tacoma School Board
In Position 2, incumbent Catherine Ushka won an impressive 55 percent of the primary vote against three opponents. The second top vote-getter was Will Jenkins Sr., a retired Marine who runs a small nonprofit.
Ushka, manager of communications and marketing at Green River Community College, has been part of a team that has overseen growing academic success in the Tacoma School District. Graduation rates are up significantly, and the district is making good progress at creating college expectations among students.
We see no reason to deny the bright and knowledgeable Ushka a second six-year term.
Two newcomers, Andrea Cobb and Alisa Regala O’Hanlon, are running for board Position 4, which is being vacated by Kurt Miller. In their three-way primary race, Cobb won 48 percent of the votes to O’Hanlon’s 41 percent. Both women — products of Tacoma schools — are promising candidates, and either would serve Tacoma’s students well.
Our preference is for Cobb, one of the most impressive candidates we met this election cycle. The Lincoln High School graduate was a Palmer Scholars recipient of college funding, which helped her earn degrees that include a master’s in public administration at the University of Washington.
A former policy analyst at the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Cobb now works with the Tacoma Housing Authority’s program that creates subsidized college savings accounts for low-income students. Education is obviously in her DNA; the school board would benefit from her expertise and personal history.
We also like O’Hanlon, who handles federal and tribal relations for the City of Tacoma. Voters can’t go wrong with either of these two strong candidates.
Port Commission
Tacoma and Pierce County voters should re-elect the two incumbents seeking to retain their positions on the Port of Tacoma Commission, Don Johnson and Clare Petrich.
Both have credible opponents. Key Peninsula resident and financial consultant Bruce Cook is challenging Johnson in Position 3, but as a newcomer to the region does not have the deep local knowledge of the incumbent.
Johnson is a former vice president and general manager of Simpson Tacoma Kraft, chairman of the Goodwill Board and past chairman of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Board.
In the Position 5 race, retired business manager and Navy veteran Dick Walters doesn’t make a strong case for replacing Tideflats business owner Petrich. Voters seem inclined to agree; they rewarded Petrich with almost 58 percent of the vote in a three-way primary. The veteran port commissioner deserves another term.
This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Our choices for Tacoma schools, port commission."