In Their Own Words: Meet City Council Candidate Joan Bloom

What is your full, legal name?

Joan Marie Bloom

Where do you work and what is your job title?

I own a care consulting business, Aging Well LLC, DBA Joan McGinnis, MSW, with my office in downtown Edmonds. My title is Director of Care Consultation and Care Mediation

When and where were you born?

August 29, 1951, in New Castle, PA

Where do you live now and how long have you lived there?

I have lived in Edmonds since 1985.

Spouse or domestic partner if any:

Gary E. Bloom

Children:

Adam Bloom

Bria Bloom

Education (include graduation date(s), if any):

Pennsylvania State University, 1973, BA Social Welfare

University of California, Berkeley, MSW (Master of Social Work), 1978

Military Service (include year(s) of discharge, if any):

NA

Memberships and affiliations with clubs and other organizations:

Professional:

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, WA

Geriatric Mental Health Specialist, WA

National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers

National Association of Social Workers

Other:

Sierra Club

Edmonds Senior Center

Edmonds Floretum Garden Club

City related:

Former member of the Edmonds Transportation Committee

Edmonds Tree Board, current, Co-Chair

Have you or a business you owned (or had principal interest in) ever filed bankruptcy?

No

As an adult, have you been convicted or charged with a crime other than a minor traffic violation?

No

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION:

Web site: EdmondsForum.com (or VoteJoanBloom.com)

Email address: joan@EdmondsForum.com

Phone number: 425-775-4899

Campaign manager: none

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE(S):

Elected (includes years of service): none

Other campaigns for public office: none

THIS CAMPAIGN:

What is the primary reason you are running for this office?

I believe that council members should be stewards first, and politicians, a distant second. Since becoming involved in Edmonds politics, I have observed that development is not always done in the best interest of the citizens, the environment, and future generations. We have failed projects, such as Old Milltown, and recently Haines Wharf, that must be examined so that these type of mistakes are not repeated.

Even in this difficult economy, Edmonds has enormous assets, and I want to be a part of helping Edmonds to thrive.

What will be your top three priorities if you get elected and why?

1. Transparency in the operation of all city departments. I would like to bring the Open Government Initiative (opengovernmentinitiative.org/) to Edmonds. Citizens should be able to have easy access to how their money is being spent in all departments. Cooperation and collaboration with citizens will be fostered through an open, transparent process.

Citizens will be better prepared to make choices about voting to increase their taxes when they can trust that their money is being wisely spent. For details on how to implement transparency, see my article, Make Public Records Public.

2. Economic development. We should focus on bringing more businesses into Edmonds and bringing more Edmonds residents, residents from surrounding areas, and tourists into the city to spend money. We have to fill our vacant buildings and increase sales tax revenue. Edmonds has relied on real estate excise taxes to pay for city services. With the significant decrease in land-use applications, from 188 in 2002 to 64 in 2010, we have a lot less money available. As the trend of less construction is not likely to reverse soon, we have to concentrate on making Edmonds a more attractive city for retail and service businesses to open shop.

3. The budget. Expenses are expected to increase approximately 3 percent every year for the next four years, while revenue is projected to increase approximately 1.5 percent in the same years. Even if all three levies pass, we will not be able to maintain our expected level of expenditures, thus must get our expenses in line.

What sets you apart from the other candidates and/or previous office holders?

My campaign slogan is Stewardship, not Politics. I am running on stewardship of our public funds, and preservation of our infrastructure, historical assets, and environmental resources, for future generations.

I have introduced the Open Government Initiative into the election conversation, and, if elected, intend to work to put this initiative in place in Edmonds. Edmonds has the opportunity to become a model of open government and transparency.

I believe that Edmonds has a revenue and an expense problem, and I have asked Councilmembers and the Mayor to take a careful look at the functioning of all departments. I have also asked the Council and Mayor to especially reconsider staffing levels in the Development Services department. See Fund Yourself in Edmonds. I believe that I am the only candidate to make this request.

How much money do you expect your campaign to spend on this election?

I have elected mini-reporting and will spend no more than $5,000 on my campaign.

Official endorsements:

The Everett Herald

Sierra Club

32nd Legislative District Democrats

Laura Spehar, Edmonds Citizen of the Year 2011

Council Members Steve Bernheim, Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, and Michael Plunkett

Former Council Members Mauri Moore and Dave Orvis

Former Mayor Harve Harrison

Former Student Council Representative, Peter Gibson

Representative Cindy Ryu