No Loss for Words

To start with, let me say I’m not surprised the Herald editorial board endorsed Aaron Reardon for County Executive.  They couldn’t abandon their guy after making excuses for him and fawning over him his whole “career” even after citing a lengthy list of his weaknesses and failures in their endorsement editorial.  After all, next to Scoop Jackson, Aaron is the Everett Herald’s Favorite Son.  Abandoning him now would only demonstrate their own poor judgment in the past.

The problem is the editorial board underestimates the importance of those “management lapses” to the rest of us.  According to their own editorial “…we think (Hope’s points) are valid and are disappointed that Reardon has been unwilling to accept personal responsibility for allowing standards inside his own office to fall unacceptably low.”

Add to that the antagonistic relationship between Reardon and the County Council. For years, Reardon didn’t bother to communicate with them face to face even though they were of his own party and only 300 feet away.  Now that’s leadership for you!  Sign that guy up for another term! 

Since the County Executive is the highest elective office in the county with management oversight over hundreds of workers it’s important that the guy at the top set the example for everyone else; something his predecessor Bob Drewell did very well. If the past eight years sets the example for the next four years, I’m afraid for Snohomish County.

According to the Herald they decided on Reardon because Mike Hope has limited experience in government and no management experience.

Where it’s true that Mike Hope has been a private business owner and a Seattle Police Officer for more than twelve years and only served in the legislature for three years, he does have a Master’s Degree in Public Policy Study from the U of W and he’s demonstrated leadership in every job he ever held.  Yes it’s true, Mike Hope has not managed a venture as large as the county in the past, but neither had candidate Reardon when he was first elected, but that fact doesn’t suggest he’ isn’t capable.  Another underestimation by the Herald.

Mike’s success as a minority party representative in passing important legislation during the past three years is astounding and his repeated success working across party lines give us all insight into how Mike Hope would manage Snohomish County.

It appears the Herald is willing to retain a guy who has demonstrated time and again that he fails to manage and oversee his appointed managers; something that demonstrates to me both poor management oversight and poor management judgment in appointing people of questionable character to positions of highest authority in the county.  

A guy who himself came to the executive job after two terms in the House of Representatives and part of a term in the State Senate but no meaningful experience managing anything or working in the private sector.  A guy most of us characterize as a professional politician; but a guy who even today aspires to higher political office.

And finally, in light of the disclosure that Kevin Hulton was on the clock, working for Aaron Reardon’s office while he was campaigning for Reardon’s re-election suggests that Reardon’s management style hasn’t changed much in spite of the addition Gary Haakenson as his deputy.  In light of all his publicly disclosed failings the Herald still endorses him.  My goodness!

I’ve been a fan of Mike Hope since he first ran for public office because of the personal qualities he brings to the table. He conducts himself in an honorable manner in private just like he does in public.  He’s street smart and well educated.  He works hard and works well with others.  Mike has both common sense and good judgment.

I’m proud to support Mike Hope for Snohomish County Executive and I encourage everyone to do the same.  Tell your friends and relatives “Mike Hope is our man!”