I have lived on the Eastside for 67 years. During that time, I have seen many city administrations come and go and it is mostly because of Mayor John Marchione that I have adopted Redmond as the community I feel most comfortable with.

When I found out the mayor had an opponent, I asked around town for the name of this person, looked for it in print, but could not find out who it was. When I did find out, I asked people about the gentleman, and no one could tell me either that they knew of him or what he wanted to accomplish as mayor. This concerned me since this is not the time, as Redmond moves forward, to exchange an experienced, progressive mayor for one who has apparently shown little interest in the government he wishes to oversee.

Mayor Marchione is a progressive and approachable mayor. Because of his leadership, I see a city that values and preserves its history and possesses a viable historic preservation program, while moving into the 21st century with clear purpose and determination.

Mayor Marchione genuinely cares about the interests of Redmond and its residents. His time on the Redmond City Council, his leadership approach and his interpersonal skills have made him an asset to the people of Redmond and he effectively represents the city to various stakeholders while ensuring the city gets the solutions it needs.

His service on the Sound Transit Board will make sure light rail comes to Overlake and downtown. He has recently been selected as one of the first recipients of the Association of Washington Cities Advocacy All-Star Award for his demonstrated commitment to advocating for the interests of cities throughout Washington state.

He understands the processes necessary to move a project forward, and as a finance professional, he has the skills necessary to manage the city budget and keep it financially sound. His leadership has put Redmond ahead of Seattle and other cities with infrastructure by building new roads, new utility capacity and reserving land for parks in Overlake and downtown.

Mayor Marchione is good for this city and re-electing him Mayor will keep some very important programs going and continue to give Redmond the leadership and management it deserves as it moves into the future.

Tom Hitzroth

Kirkland