Press release:

Joey Martinez has filed for Burien City Council seat number 7. The seat is currently filled by Brian Bennett, who has decided not to run for re-election.Bennett has endorsed Martinez for the seat.

33-year-old Burien resident Martinez has been married since 1999 to Jackie Martinez and has two boys, both of whom attend Highline Public Schools. Martinez has volunteered for both of his boys sports teams in one way or another all their lives. He’s spent the last two years volunteering with the Burien Bearcats, first as an assistant coach then as the Head Coach for one of the teams.

Martinez has worked for Seattle City Light since 2007 and was recently promoted as supervisor to a new business unit within City Light IT. Martinez has also worked for the city of Auburn from 2001-2005.

Martinez was born in East Los Angeles, California and is a 1st generation Mexican-American on his mother’s side and 3rd generation on his father’s side. Joey is fluent in both English and Spanish, and Spanish is actually his first language.

Says Joey, “I am looking forward to working with you to Build a better Burien! Together, we can accomplish much if we stick together. My life experience as a father has taught me to be firm and patient, as a husband to listen and care, as a son to always work to improve myself, and as a friend to always be there.

“As a Burien Planning Commissioner I have also learned to think 20 years into the future and have come to see that actions taken today can impact us for generations.

“Spending time both in and out of the public sector has prepared me to help us all Build a better Burien by learning what does and does not work in government. I have learned that government is of the people, for the people, and by the people and when we stick together and work together we can accomplish almost anything.

“Burien is a great place to live, however, we’ve got a bum rap in the media. Every time you hear Burien in the news it is about an apartment fire or a shooting. When you hear about our kids they sound out of control.
“With your help, I’d like to work with our police department and give them the tools needed to tackle our issues. Working with you I want to give our youth more to do. More activities so they don’t get in trouble. More activities so they take pride in our community. And more activities so they can succeed in life.

“If we can work together to accomplish these two items I believe it will go a long way to Building a better Burien. These two issues we need to tackle together are a major impediment to our future success in Building that better Burien.

“There are many other issues I’d like to work on with you, like Storm Water issues and business retention, however I feel the policing and youth issues are the most pressing and needed to help solve our economic development problems.

“My name is Joey Martinez and I humbly ask for your vote.”