I want to ask the voters of Kirkland to help elect four Kirkland City Council candidates who have the fiscal savvy to guide Kirkland through these tough economic times: Joan McBride who chairs the council’s Finance Committee; Doreen Marchione who, as CEO of Hopelink, managed a $44 million budget; Penny Sweet, a small business owner who managed a multi-million dollar budget prior to retiring from Group Health Cooperative; and Amy Walen, the current controller at Ford Motor who has also served as controller for other large northwest companies. The city is facing a projected $8 million budget deficit this year and we need the kind of skills these candidates have to usher the city through this current economic downturn. Please join me in voting for them on Nov. 3.

Glenn Peterson, Kirkland