Steve Wehrly is Running for County Council

Wehrly for Council Campaign Plan and Election Platform

Steve Wehrly

To the Voters of San Juan County, Washington:

Thanks for the opportunity to ask for your vote to elect me to the San Juan County Council, Position One, San Juan Island Residency District.

My resume is attached with this Plan and Platform.  A separate Position Paper on issues affecting San Juan County is available. I have numerous writing samples, both as a newspaper reporter and a lobbyist, that I would be happy to send you. You can also google “Steve Wehrly, Reporter,” or just “Steve Wehrly” for other articles about me. I welcome your questions or comments.

My campaign plan is to meet every registered voter in San Juan County, at least by phone or e-mail if not at your home or on the streets, beaches, ferries and hiking trails of our fabulous county. I will not campaign against anyone; I have no personal or political agenda. I will not seek nor will I accept campaign contributions.

Politics has been my profession since college. My entire career has been “getting the work done” in local, state and national legislatures, courts and bureaucracies.

My work for you will focus on the County Budget.  Together with your council members from Orcas and Lopez, I will pass four county budgets that will be smart and sustainable. Not everybody will like everything that will be in, or taken out, of the budget – but everything in the budget will benefit voters in San Juan County. I look forward to working with you on those budgets.

Part of budgeting is getting the money…

First, from you as a taxpayer. Like it or not, you contribute a substantial portion of the money needed to make this county a great place to live. Spending your money wisely will be my first priority. Tax increases are not a priority.

Second, I will seek money from the federal and state government budgets. There are dozens of government programs that can directly benefit this county, and that we can realistically ask for.  I have worked with more than thirty state budgets and numerous state and local budgets as a lobbyist. I will work with your legislators to bring money programs to San Juan County.

Third, I will make sure that local sources of money are used wisely, including tax money generated by junior taxing districts such as the Hospital/EMS Commission and the Port of Friday Harbor. Almost every county department and taxing district is operating at a high level of efficiency and effectiveness; I want to make sure that continues.

I have several specific proposals, such as bicycle lanes and paths on main roads, taking care of animals, and expanding low- and middle-income housing.

I will gladly respond to your questions and suggestions. You can submit them in writing to me at [email protected] or you can telephone me or I will meet with you to discuss them in person.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to ask for your vote. Let’s talk soon.

Steve Wehrly
360-370-5478 (home)
360-298-1292 (cell)

Employment:
2016 – Friday Harbor House of Jerky, Friday Harbor, WA.
2014-2015 – Insurance agent, Tammy Cotton Farmers Agency, Friday Harbor, WA.
2014 – Transfer station manager, Lautenbach Recyling, Friday Harbor, WA
2012-2014 – Reporter, Journal of the San Juans, Friday Harbor, WA, 2012 – 2014.
2011-2012 – Editorial Assistant, Seattle Business Magazine, Seattle.
2009-2011 – Volunteer Campaign Coordinator, Rick Larsen (D) for Congress Committee, 2nd CD WA.  Campaign Manager, Tom Campbell (R) for Congress. Contract writing, Center for Regulatory Effectiveness. Various volunteer activities, Friday Harbor.
2008 – Legislative Counsel, Pacific Environment, Washington, DC.
1987-2008 – Private law practice.  Lobbying, legislation and politics.
1985-1987 Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell Law Firm, Tacoma.
1980-1985 – Lobbyist, SAFECO Corp., Seattle.
1979 – Laborer, Hoffman Construction, Portland & Seattle.
1974-1978 – Black, Helterline Law Firm, Portland, Oregon.
1971-1974 – Zbigniew Brzezinski and Agribusiness Council, New York.
1969-1971 – Dept. of State, Agency for International Development & Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Washington, D.C.

Education:
Columbia University School of Law, New York. JD, 1974
National Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan. Chinese language fellowship. 1968
University of Washington, Seattle. BA (college honors), 1968
Seattle University, “Great Books” Seminar Honors Program
Jesuit High School, Portland, Oregon

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