I attended the Auburn City Council candidate debate last week and was struck by the contrast among the four individuals vying for Positions 5 and 7.

John Hayes Holman (Position 5) and Wayne Osborne (Position 7) had positive, well-thought-out plans and ideas for improving city government and to make it more responsive to the citizens of Auburn. Virginia Haugen and Frank Lonergan, on the other hand, spent the evening making dour, negative comments.

Haugen, a current Councilmember, commented that Auburn is a “mess.” Instead of suggesting what she would do to make improvements, she stated that there was nothing that could be done since the City has no money. If she feels she can’t do anything, why is she running?

Lonergan, who once served on the Snoqualmie City Council, was equally negative, taking several cheap, unwarranted shots at the Auburn Police Department. The Auburn PD is well recognized throughout the state as one of the finest law enforcement agencies in Washington. That, and Lonergan’s idea of installing (parking) meters would be just the thing to drive remaining shoppers out of downtown.

After listening for 90 minutes, I was left wondering, do we want the same “business as usual,” or some new, positive, refreshing ideas?

– David A. Hines