I’m voting for Lorna Smith for Jefferson County Commissioner. Lorna has substantial experience in local government.

Both candidates emphasize creativity, collaboration, and community participation as strategies for addressing: affordable housing, environmental concerns, and economic issues. But only Lorna has actually navigated the complexities of representative government.

We all value our family connections and community ties. We all need a strong local economy so we can provide for ourselves and for whom and what we love. Retail jobs and the trades play a role, but
38 percent of us are over 65.

Social Security, pensions, investments, and part-time jobs create a substantial share of our county’s economic engine.

Lorna understands this economic reality; she recognizes that maintaining environmental protections, protecting a rural lifestyle, providing affordable housing, and accessible Internet can only be achieved within an intricate web of city, county, state, and federal regulations.

Lorna Smith’s ability to “think outside the box” evolves from an understanding of how the box is constructed.

Twenty-five years in Snohomish County government and eight years on Jefferson County’s Planning Commission give Lorna the knowledge, experience, and network to govern effectively. She’s heard and addressed the concerns of residents about local issues from septic systems to zoning regulations, from Brinnon to Port Townsend, from the retiree to the tribal member, from business owners to shipwrights. She will work well with fellow commissioners to craft inventive and original solutions that only can arise from hard work and a deep understanding of the checks and balances inherent to the democratic process.

Most love the communities we grew up in and some even remain and find our life’s work there. These may be aspects for living a fulfilling and happy life, but they are not credentials for leadership. Popularity is not competence. Lorna Smith has the experience and my vote.

Susan Langlois
PORT TOWNSEND