This Wednesday, the city of Burien sent out a newsletter to its approximately 48,000 residents and on the front page of that newsletter, it failed to list me as a candidate for council.

The information for who is running in the Council election comes directly from the King County Elections website. So I find it strange that my name was excluded from the list shown in the city newsletter. When I called the city for an explanation, they couldn't explain why this error had occurred and they did refuse to send out a mailing correction for their error.

Now the dilemma here is that the city does not consider the blogs to be valid media sources so they are only willing to correct their error in the Highline Times and on the city website.

If we are to believe the city's surveys, only 20 percent of the Burien citizens get their information from the Highline Times and only 33 percent of Burien citizens have a computer that they get their information from.

So this error in the city newsletter of not listing me as a candidate puts me at a disadvantage to the other candidates that have been announced as candidates by the city. Please tell your friends, family and neighbors that I am still running for Position #3 on the Council.

As I noted earlier in the week, the city has made it very difficult for the candidates to know at which of the city events candidates are allowed to meet and introduce themselves to the citizens. I have been clearly told that this is not allowed at the Strawberry Festival, etc.

Based on how election business is allowed in the city, it is no wonder that incumbent candidates have an edge over new candidates in Burien elections. If your name is missed in the city newsletter, thousands of citizens don't know you are running because 80 percent of the citizens don't read the Highline Times.

While the city manager has just announced he is leaving, there are still major changes that have to happen to the council to improve service to the city and its citizens.
Debi Wagner
Candidate for Position #3
Burien City Council

(Editor’s Note: According to the latest scientific city survey we know about, when residents were asked where they obtain their local news, 31 percent replied Local Paper/Highline Times. That was overwhelmingly the top answer. Down in 7th place, were blogs, including www.highlinetimes.com, at 10 percent.)