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Wednesday, January 12th, 2011 John Creighton 425-636-8924
Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton announced today he will campaign for King County Council Position 6 (currently held by Councilmember Jane Hague).
“I’m proud of the work I’ve done with my colleagues on the Commission to bring the Port of Seattle from an agency that was under federal investigation to one that will set a record in container traffic for the year despite the down economy,” said Creighton. “I’d like to take that same focus on reform and results to the King County Council,” he added.
Reforming County Government
Creighton believes the King County Council needs to make tough reforms starting with the structure of the King County Council. Creighton proposes:
Lowering the number of King County Councilmembers to seven.
Reducing the pay of King County Councilmembers to under six figures.
“I know when compared to the overall county budget, the council reforms are small. However, we need to create a culture of efficient delivery of government services throughout the organization, and that needs to start at the top,” said Creighton. Creighton also proposes a number of reforms that will provide more accountability to taxpayers and lessen the burden on jobs-creating businesses:
Reducing duplicative efforts of regional governments by looking for areas to collaborate and share services.
Streamlining permitting and licensing processes at the county.
Providing more transparent accounting so taxpayers know where there money is being spent.
Protecting Our Environment
As a Port Commissioner, John Creighton spearheaded the passage of a 6-part environmental motion that made important environmental changes such as prohibiting cruise ship dumping in the Olympic Marine National Sanctuary, mandated the use of low sulfur diesel or shore power by cruise ships, and directed staff to work with King County on a biomass disposal. He supported the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a collaborative initiative with the ports of Tacoma and Vancouver and local port-related businesses to reduce port-related air emissions, and championed clean air and water initiatives at Sea-Tac Airport.
As a County Councilmember, Creighton proposes:
Prioritizing work on protecting Puget Sound including appointing one person to oversee all storm water management issues at the county level.
Incentivizing property owners to fix outdated septic systems to limit pollution and runoff.
Putting on the ballot a dedicated source of funding to clean up Puget Sound.
Exploring incentives for agricultural landowners in the county to switch to organic farming.
“I’ve taken the lead on a number of tough environmental issues such as cruise ship dumping. I’d like to take that same approach as a King County Councilmember on issues like storm water runoff and cleaning Puget Sound,” said Creighton.
Ensuring Transportation Choices
“Our regional governments get too mired in process and delay. A good example of this is the South Park Bridge project. The bridge will now be closed for three years because regional government couldn’t act and get a proposal in place. We need stronger leadership at the County level so projects that are vital to commuting and freight mobility move forward,” said Creighton.
As a County Councilmember, John Creighton supports:
Moving decisions on bus service and light rail away from political negotiations to decisions based on ridership and engineering recommendations.
Completing the South Park Bridge Project as soon as possible with no more delays.
Reducing overhead for both Sound Transit and Metro and reducing duplication of the agencies.
About John Creighton
John Creighton is a business lawyer who practiced on the east coast and overseas prior to returning to his home in the Northwest. He was elected to the Seattle Port Commission in November 2005, and was chosen by his colleagues to serve as Commission President for two consecutive years (2007-2008). He spearheaded the effort to find a new chief executive for the port, and has sat on both the audit and strategic planning subcommittees of the Port Commission.
Since being elected to the Commission, John has developed strong expertise in both transportation and economic policy. He was appointed by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire to the State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board in 2006. He has served on the board of enterpriseSeattle, the economic development organization for King County, and was appointed to the board of the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2010. John is also currently the chair of the advisory board of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle's Pathways for Small Business Initiative, a program that helps equip small disadvantaged contractors with the business skills necessary to grow their businesses.
John grew up on the Eastside of King County and is a graduate of Interlake High School in Bellevue. John lives in Kirkland, WA.
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