HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/23/2025 - Regular - Additional Doc-Citizen Comment LetterMail body: Final draft
SEP 2 3 2025 12
Dear Mayor and Council, CITY COUNCIL MEETING
I'm concerned about recent campaign endorsements by the Mayor and ounci member Diener for
Councilmember Rosapepe's re-election. While free speech is a right, endorsements among sitting officials
create the appearance of a political team in City Hall, eroding public trust.
Here's why:
1. RCW 42.17A.555 prohibits using public resources —like city staff, offices, or social media —for campaign
purposes. Endorsements that seem to come from "the City" rather than individuals risk violating this law.
2. RCW 42.23.070 forbids officials from using their position to grant special privileges. Endorsing a
colleague with the weight of an elected title can appear as leveraging public office for campaign gain.
3. RCW 42.36 (Appearance of Fairness Doctrine) requires impartiality in quasi-judicial roles, like land -use
hearings. Councilmember Diener, who serves on the City's land -use committee and as Kitsap County's
Planning Manager, creates a perception of bias by endorsing colleagues. This raises doubts about independent
decision -making on zoning or permits.
4. When talking to local union reps Councilmember Rosapepe said, "The Mayor has endorsed me, and that's
all you need to know." Using endorsements as a campaign centerpiece undermines impartiality and suggests
decisions may be influenced by political alliances.
5. Ethics guidance urges keeping politics separate from government. Endorsements among officials may be
legal privately but suggest alliances that could sway votes or hearings.
Why this matters: Residents need confidence that council decisions are based on facts, not campaign ties.
Endorsements among colleagues erode that trust.
What I'm asking:
• Adopt a rule barring endorsements of sitting officials using city titles or resources.
• Require endorsements to be personal, with clear disclaimers that they don't reflect the City's position.
• Encourage recusal in quasi-judicial hearings, like land -use, when officials have endorsed one another.
Our community deserves a council that prioritizes impartiality. Thank you.
When you let go of needing what you already have enough of , it frees up oceans of energy to make a
difference with what you have. Lynn Twist