Editorial: Early signs from county exec are encouraging
December 7, 2009
By Staff
In the weeks since King County voters picked Dow Constantine as the next county executive, the new leader has taken several steps to include Newcastle and Eastside voices in the transition.With little time to prepare for the daunting executive post, Constantine wasted no time in assembling a 30-member transition team during the 21-day sprint from Election Day to Nov. 24, when he was sworn into office.
As Constantine prepared to take the reins, we were heartened by his decision to make 41st District Sen. Fred Jarrett deputy executive, the No. 2 position in county leadership.
He will handle some duties once assigned to the chief of staff, and Jarrett will be responsible for how county government operates. Constantine praised Jarrett when he announced the appointment last month.
“I cannot think of a more perfect fit to address the challenges and opportunities that we face while we remain true to our core values,” Constantine said in a statement.
Republican-turned-Democrat Jarrett served in the state House until he was elected to the Senate last year. The experience he gained at the state level, as well as the skills he gained as a Boeing executive and Mercer Island mayor, will make him a steady presence as Constantine and the County Council are forced to grapple with tough decisions. He has represented Newcastle admirably in the Senate.
Constantine is the third county leader since May, and the challenges before him are daunting. In addition to crippling county and Metro Transit budget shortfalls, Constantine must reassure anxious taxpayers as county leaders weigh service cuts and other painful — albeit necessary — money-saving measures.
Constantine should make the effort to seek input from Newcastle and Eastside residents shortly after he takes office. The next executive should also mend fences with rural residents on the outskirts of Newcastle hurt by the way county officials handled the Critical Areas Ordinance.
We endorsed Constantine for his commitment to open space, his legislative background and his commitment to assign a staff person to work with small cities and rural areas.
We are encouraged by the actions he has taken thus far.
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