Auburn Mayoral Race: Fact vs. Fiction

I’m not even sure what to say. Throughout this election I’ve had friendly interactions with Deputy Mayor Wales, until yesterday. After being told that Wales was making false allegations against me, I sent her an email requesting she stop. Her responses were quite offputting.

I don’t know how else to explain it, so here are the email exchanges.

I receieved an email from Councilmember Rich Wagner. He wanted me to share this and I could not agree more!

“[E]very vote is important, especially in a local election.”

That old saying was very well demonstrated during my re-election in 2013, where I won by only 35 votes out of approximately 12,500 total votes cast.
Those numbers mean that if only 18 people had voted differently than they did (just one vote out of every 360) I would have lost. EVERY VOTE IS IMPORTANT!!

________________

So please, if you aren’t certain get out there and talk to the candidates (both are holding events in these final weeks before the election), ask questions, talk to people who’s opinion you trust and respect and reflect on what you want for Auburn.

And once you’ve done that: ensure your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors are voting as well!!

Councilmember Wagner will not be running for re-election this year, after having been a City Council member for 28 consecutive years, the longest in Auburn’s 125 year history.

There are currently 2 individuals campainging for his seat on the Council:

Larry Brown: http://www.electlarrybrown.com

Mike Khaler: http://electmikekahler.com

Deputy Mayor Wales has repeatedly claimed that the Faith based community in Auburn want to be involved in the discussion for how to best care for homeless population, as well as be involved in the act of caring for and serving these more vulnerable members of our community.

Being raised in a church-going Family, with a parish that had a soup kitchen and community pantry, I found the assertion that the faith based community wasn’t involved to be suspect. So, I once again reached out to my contacts who serve the homeless community and asked. I received a quick, resounding NO – that the claim is absolutely not true.

First, among the qualified, relevant and concerned members of the Mayor’s Taskforce on Homeless is a Messiah Lutheran Church Program Volunteer.

Further, to give a glimpse of just some of what our Faith Based community in Auburn does for our homeless and low income population, I was provided a list of Churches or religious entities and how they serve. This is by no means everything done, or every religious organization, in Auburn. But it paints a pretty beautiful picture of the compassion that is sewn throughout our city.

Latter Day Saints church (5-7 Wards):
Volunteer weekly
Making mats for the homeless to sleep on
Make blankets for the homeless
Make specialized pillows with “plastic covers” that are comfortable to sleep on
Make hygiene kits every week
Make meals as requested
Volunteer for large projects – like painting and spring cleaning

Zion Lutheran:
Meal every week for homeless

Grace:
On call support

NW Family Church:
Provide support and work with organizations to help prevent persons from becoming homeless
Any emergency needs

First United Methodist:
Meal every week for homeless
Counseling support
On call support for Auburn Food Bank

Messiah Lutheran:
Meal every week for homeless
Small food bank 1 day a week to supplement the day Auburn Food Bank is closed
On call support for Auburn Food Bank

New Day:
Volunteer
Food drives
Sock drives
Winter coat drives
Misc needs drives
Make mats for the homeless

Holy Family:
On call support for Auburn Food Bank

Lifeway Church:
Meal every week
Counseling support

Community of Christ:
Meals
Food drives

Buddhist Temple:
Meals – frozen to help at shelter
Food drives
Fill special needs for Auburn Food Bank

Faith Family Church(brand new church in Lakeland):
Already bringing in food, towels, flip flops, etc. to the Auburn Food Bank

*St Matthews Episcopal Church:
Helps host the Thursday Night Community Supper

Additionally, several Spanish churches that use these church sites – help with food service.

So, as you can see – it’s a bit confusing to see why one might allege the faith based community are being cut out of homeless and community outreach.

*Added since original post thanks to wonderful commenter!

***MONDAY, OCTOBER 9TH*** is the deadline to register to vote or update your voter record for November’s election.

So whether you’re new in town, a young adult finally able to vote, you moved within the county, or any other reason, PLEASE update your registration.

If you are wondering if you are eligible to vote due to homelessness or following a felony – or just need assistance registering Cynthia Brown will be more than happy to help you: Cyntbrown72@gmail.com or 206-234-7166

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!!

https://www.sos.wa.gov//elections/register.aspx

Today is National Voter Registration Day! Are you registered to vote? Is your address correct with the SOS to ensure you’re in the right districts? Did your name change? Update it with the SOS to ensure your ballot us delivered!

https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org

And then VOTE November 7th!

I’ve updated the PDC page, adding information on the complaint against Nancy Backus. I also have added a page talking about donation, and have posted my findings of the out-of-Auburn donors. Though I emailed both camaigns for information on their out-of-Auburn donors, I have not received back information from the Wales campaign. I posted what I was able to find through my independent research.