Successfully managing traffic and growth depends on collaboration and forward looking planning between the City of Redmond and its neighbors throughout the region. It is critical for our mayor to have strong ties with governments and agencies across the Puget Sound area. I want a leader with a proven track record of regional collaboration. John Marchione has this track record.

It’s no surprise that traffic and growth dominate the debate in Redmond’s mayoral race.

Since moving to Redmond in 1991, I have watched our city and the surrounding area grow in population and traffic congestion. I am keenly aware that regional growth outside of Redmond and the pass-thru traffic it has created are straining Redmond’s infrastructure and resources.

That’s why it’s important to recognize we are facing a regional challenge that requires a regional response. The City of Redmond, mayor and City Council cannot address the situation alone, and anybody who tells you otherwise doesn’t understand the scope of the problem.

From the moment Mayor Marchione took office in 2008, he has heightened and strengthened Redmond’s position in regional and state politics. Rather than hold all the regional power within his office, he shared positions of regional importance with the city council and staff. Today, Redmond is represented on more than 20 regional boards and commissions dealing with growth, transportation, economic development and protecting the environment, with Redmond representatives holding many of the leadership positions. These regional boards and commissions develop policy, provide guidance and fund projects to solve our region’s growth and traffic challenges.

Mayor Marchione now leads Redmond as one of the most involved and collaborative cities in the region. Marchione is a member of the Sound Transit Board of Directors — the organization bringing light rail to Redmond. Just last year, Marchione was elected president of the Puget Sound Regional Council. He now leads a four-county organization representing Snohomish, King, Pierce and Kitsap counties, responsible for regional planning and allocating hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for highway, transit and clean air projects for our region.

We cannot afford to jeopardize the strong regional leadership positions Mayor Marchione has attained for Redmond. He is the proven leader we need to address our regional traffic and growth challenges. That’s why I am voting for Mayor Marchione on Nov. 3.

John Stilin

City of Redmond council member