When voters unfold their mail-in ballots around north Snohomish County in advance of the Nov. 7 general election, the District 1 County Council race will offer two exceptionally qualified candidates.
One is the well-studied incumbent who has already built a legislative track record in his first nine months in the position while bringing a youthful perspective. The other is a retired Air Force veteran and substance abuse counselor with more than three decades of experience helping others.
Marysville Democrat Ray Miller, who serves on the county Charter Review and Human Rights commissions, is challenging incumbent Republican Nate Nehring of Stanwood, a middle school teacher raised in Marysville who was appointed to the council in January and serves voters in north county.
The candidates shared their positions on issues affecting a fast-growing county that saw the nation’s second-largest increase in people moving from elsewhere in 2016, adding 10,476 residents. Major issues such as the opioid crisis and homelessness, the job market, and taxes were among the topics.
“Without a doubt, it’s my knowledge, my experience, and my history of working in the community for over thirty-some years,” Miller said, answering why he should be elected. In addition to his military service, he worked for Boeing, served on the Governor’s Commission on Veterans Affairs, King County Children and Families Commission and Marysville Diversity Committee while in his counseling work helped veterans receive treatment and access to health services.
Nehring he deserves to be elected because of what he’s already done in the job. “For me, it’s where I stand on the issues and what I’ve done so far on the council,” he said.
Nehring has focused much of his time on the heroin opioid epidemic, the embedded social worker program with the cities of Arlington and Marysville and sheriff’s office, and getting funding into the executive’s 2018 budget, and more-recently championed a unanimous council action to ban safe injection sites countywide.
He voted to support renovations for the county courthouse rather than a new building, saving taxpayers $150 million, and as vice chair of Snohomish County Tomorrow, he has advocated on behalf of formal regional designation for the Arlington-Marysville Manufacturing Industrial Center.
While out doorbelling, Nehring has spoken with many young families. “They don’t feel like they’re represented at any levels of government,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of young people in government, so I bring that perspective with fresh ideas.”
District 1 covers Marysville, Arlington, Darrington, Stanwood and Granite Falls, as well as unincorporated rural areas in the county.
Name: Raymond Miller
Party: Democrat
Experience: U.S. Air Force and Vietnam-era veteran; bachelor’s degree in Social and Political Science from The Evergreen State College; and certification as a chemical dependency counselor from Seattle Central College. 2016 Henry M. Jackson National Service Award from the Snohomish County Democrats; 2010-2017 Vice President of the Snohomish County branch of the NAACP. A nationally certified veteran service officer, Miller has helped thousands of veterans to receive more than $1.5 billion in benefits, medical services and mental health services from the air force. Miller was elected by county in District 1 in 2015 to the Charter Review Commission. He also serves on the county Human Rights and the Washington State Salaries commissions. He previously served on the state Governor’s Commission on Veteran’s Affairs, the Marysville Diversity Committee and on the King County Children and Families Commission.
How do your differ from your opponent?
“We need a commissioner… who has the skills and experience to plan for the future of north and east Snohomish County,” Miller said, adding he is committed to increasing the access to county programs and services for those same residents. District 1 deserves a focused attention as population growth and demand for affordable housing impact the county. “We must plan for a future that includes housing and economic development in north and east Snohomish County, at the same time as we protect the rich environmental and agricultural resources that are a critical part of the character of Snohomish County,” Miller said. “As commissioner, I would hold regular office hours in District One and bring county programs to rural and small city Snohomish County, which is too often underserved by our county.”
Why should people vote for you rather than your opponent?
“I am running to give back some of what this county and the city of Marysville have given me,” Miller said. “ And I have experience that will enable me to represent District One as we deal with pressures of lack of jobs, the heroin epidemic and the increased homelessness that are increasingly affecting our district.”
Name: Nate Nehring
Party: Republican
Experience: I serve as the District 1 Snohomish County councilman and also on over a dozen boards and committees throughout the county. My community service includes tutoring students with disabilities and volunteering through the YMCA’s Miracle Basketball program. I have a BA in Education from Western Washington University and an AA in Criminal Justice from Everett Community College. Prior to my position on the county council, I worked as a teacher and coach in the Marysville School District and serve as vice chairman of the Stanwood Planning Commission.
How do your differ from your opponent?
Public safety: Rather than cutting back on law enforcement, I believe that we should bring law enforcement and human services together in a unified and balanced approach to combat the epidemic of drug abuse and homelessness in our community. We should work to keep our neighborhoods safe and connect those in need with essential services without enabling additions. Property taxes: I am opposed to an increase in property taxes. County residents, especially those on fixed incomes, are already burdened by existing taxes that have been increasing over the years. I believe that county government must be fiscally responsible by looking to increase efficiency and reduce waste as opposed to increasing property taxes.
Why should people vote for you rather than your opponent?
People should vote for me to retain my position on the Snohomish County Council because I have a proven record of accomplishments as their current representative. For example, I have been partnering with law enforcement and human services on bringing a team composed of a social worker embedded with law enforcement officers to the Smokey Point area to combat the epidemic of drug abuse and homelessness. I have also demonstrated fiscal responsibility through my vote to renovate the county courthouse rather than build a new, expensive one; this vote save approximately $150 million in taxpayer dollars. My accomplishments on the county council have led to 100+ bipartisan endorsements from community leaders and organizations. I will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of residents of north Snohomish County.
