As Election Day looms closer, Burien will see its excitement in the race for one council position.

Incumbent Sue Blazak and opponent Jack Block Jr. are going to head to head for the seat.

Blazak works for the Highline School District as a substitute para-educator. She also sits on the South County Area Transportation Board and the Regional Transportation Policy Board.

Block is a longshoreman who previously served on the council from 2003 until 2006, when he unsuccessfully ran for Port of Seattle commissioner.

Blazak currently serves as deputy mayor. Block also held that position when he was on the council.

He said he was running because there are "serious problems in Burien."

"There are incomplete projects," he said. Among those projects was the delay in the reconstruction of First Avenue, a project he said was originally planned to take six months that has stretched into three years.

Blazak admitted that the project didn't go as planned.

"This happens unfortunately," she said.

"It was a very complicated project and we made the best of the situation. We're trying to learn from this experience.

Block said he chose to run against Blazak because he saw her decision-making as "one sided." He originally planned to run against Councilwoman Sally Nelson. However, Nelson decided not to seek re-election. Planning Commission Brian Bennett is running unopposed for Nelson's old seat.

Block cited the Lora Lakes controversy as an example of Blazak's poor decision making..

In the midst of the construction of the third runway in 2007, the Lora Lake apartments, which were mainly rented out to low-income tenants, faced demolition due to its close proximity to the runway.

Advocates for low-income residents campaigned against the demolition, causing a major dispute that involved Burien officials, King County and the Port of Seattle.

The apartments were demolished in August of this year after it was discovered the ground was contaminated.

Block, an advocate for affordable housing, said that Blazak was too unwilling to look at any form of compromise over the situation.

Blazak, on the other hand, said Block's claim was "unfair," as she said all seven members of the council as well as citizens supported the decision to tear down the apartments.

Block said he wanted to support Burien's low-income residents.

"People don't realize how hard it is being poor," he said. "We have to support our citizens."

One idea he hopes to get off the ground, if elected, is to lower utility taxes.

Blazak said she has worked to bring money into the city that would improve bus service and make pedestrian access better.

She said she has talked to the Regional Transportation Policy Board - of which she is also a member - in order to get funding for improved bus service.

"Those improvements will reach us in two years instead of five years," she said.

In addition, Blazak said she wanted to work on bringing light rail to Burien, though she admits that won't happen for a long time.

Blazak is endorsed by the Women's Political Caucus.

Block is endorsed by council members Gordon Shaw, Kathy Keene and Rose Clark.

Both candidates are endorsed by Washington Conservation Voters.
Asked how she felt about her fellow council members' endorsement of Block, Blazak said with a sigh, "That's politics."