Supports Kershner for job growth

By all appearances, this tight-knit community seems like the ideal place to settle down and raise a family. The only thing lacking for young people are jobs and the chance for upward mobility.

My wife and I are both in our early-20s. I work at WWU, and she works at Ferndale High School. We both get mistaken for students everywhere we go.

They think we're students because Whatcom County is largely a place where young people go to school and then leave after graduation.

I met Kathy Kershner, candidate for Whatcom County Council, several months ago. She’s the rare type of politician that I’m proud to support, because she gets it. She has two adult children of her own and a son, Jake, who is just 11. I believe she wants to make Whatcom County a place where her kids can have their own kids someday.

Growing up, I never imagined that I’d start my adult life here. It seemed unlikely, because I thought Bellingham was a place for college students and retirees. Though my assumption was a bit too simplistic, the demographics of Whatcom County are still much too bimodal.

To convince our young people to stay, we need to elect leaders who are serious about creating opportunity. I believe we need leaders like Kathy who take this issue personally. She cares about the future, because she cares about her kids. That’s why I’m voting Kathy Kershner for Whatcom County Council on Nov. 3.

Bellingham

This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Supports Kershner for job growth."