I'm Back

Dear Friends:

I am so sorry that I have not updated you all with my adventures. I was at a City Council Candidates' Forum tonight and was asked by several people why I'd stopped writing; one of those people being Councilman Ron Wambolt. (Ron, I would have never thought you read my blog). So, I am going to dedicate myself to writing at least three times a week.

Why haven't I been writing? Well....remember that last spill I took? I actually broke my toe then, I had the flu and I've been spending time catching up with my doorbelling. That's not an excuse though!

I continue to doorbell and enjoy the great people I meet on the road. Yesterday, I spoke to Gretchen, a neighbor two blocks down from me, right next to the entrance to Yost Park. Gretchen has one of the most beautiful gardens in Edmonds. I admire it each and every time I drive by. She has an eye for composition (i.e. what colors go where,what sizes go where, etc.). I was lucky enough to meet her and speak in detail about gardening (one of my hobbies, too).

Now that it's getting dark sooner and raining, I do a lot of doorbelling in the dark and in the rain. A couple of days ago I walked down a very long, dark driveway in the dark. The gentleman at the door was very impressed with the fact that I had done all of that. He said, if I had the courage to walk down his long driveway, I have must have the guts to make tough decisions. I have his vote!

What's new with the Campaign? Where to start? The Everett Herald Endorsement! The Everett Herald endorsed me! I AM THRILLED!

I have just returned from the an Edmonds Council Candidate Forum sponsored by the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce. It was nice to see my friends from the Chamber. I think I did well. The questions really hit the issues we are facing: how do we fix our budget, the fire district, and where do we build new housing to keep in line with the Growth Management Act.

Interestingly enough, Mr. Plunkett indicated we do not have a budget problem. I'm not sure how he came to this conclusion. Our Yost Pool almost closed this year and the citizens had to raise money to save it. And, we asked the people who keep Edmonds running to take unpaid days off from work. This doesn't look to me like a healthy budget!

The Fire District is another interesting issue. Even though selling our fire department today may bring in the cash we so desperately need, in the long run, this move will cost Edmonds more money. As Lynnwood and Mukilteo annex unincorporated parts of Snohomish County, this will reduce their contribution to the cost of a fire department, and our burden will increase. There is no free lunch in this deal, and, even more important, once we sell our fire department, there's no way we could ever get it back.

In his closing statement tonight, Mr. Plunkett made it clear that he wants Edmonds to stay the way it has always been, he does not want new people to move here, he does not want anyone to drive here. I'm not sure how that will work. Should we put fences around Edmonds? Pascal (my 14 year old) said he might have people tattooed with bar codes for entrance. Ok, just kidding, but it was a pretty funny thought.

The Edmonds that I know and love gets its charm from caring neighbors. I live here because my neighbors are my village and we take care of each other. That's where the real charm of Edmonds lies.

Until tomorrow my friends (yes, Councilman Wambolt, that means you, too),

Priya