Toby Nixon Announces Campaign for Fourth Term on the Kirkland Council

Thanks to all of you for the opportunity to serve you as a member of the Kirkland City Council since 2012. My third term on the council concludes at the end of 2023, and I am seeking a fourth term. I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve you! I love the work, especially the opportunities to help people, to learn new things, and to be a voice for individual liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, free enterprise, equality before the law, transparency and accountability, and public engagement.

My Priorities

To build the Kirkland we want for tomorrow, we need a city government that is fiscally responsible, encouraging to local businesses, and open and accountable. I’m using my experience, knowledge, and skills, honed as your city council member, as a representative in the state legislature, as a fire commissioner, and through over 35 years building technical consensus in the computer industry, to build Kirkland’s tomorrow.

I am firmly committed to ensuring that you are never surprised by actions taken by the city. You deserve access to the same information as city council members to the maximum extent possible, so you can fully understand the decisions the council makes and the processes by which things get done in Kirkland. You have a right to participate in establishing the future policies of our city, and to clear and fair notice when changes are proposed. I’m working to ensure that Kirkland does an even better job being open, transparent, and accountable to you, and listening to what you have to say. That doesn’t mean that what each individual or group wants will be implemented, since there are people in Kirkland who have opinions on every side of every issue and doing what everyone wants is impossible — but I commit to listening and fairly considering all concerns and ideas before weighing the alternatives against my principles and making the decision I believe will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Because of the leadership of your city council, Kirkland is an example of openness and accountability to cities throughout Washington, going far beyond the minimum requirements of state law on government transparency, public engagement, and ethics. Our Code of Ethics for the city council and city boards and commissions is among the strongest in Washington. Our trailblazing Public Records ordinance and rules are recognized across the state, having received awards from both Washington Coalition for Open Government and the Association of Washington Cities. The updated city web site makes it easier to find the information you need on any device, and the Our Kirkland application and web tool make it easier than ever to submit requests for service. The public engagement process for Kirkland 2035 — the update to the city’s comprehensive plan for the next 20 years — was second to none, and we’re building on that for the next comprehensive plan update during 2023-2024. And the city is firmly committed to being a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place for everyone to live, work, and play.

We need jobs and businesses in Kirkland to grow if we expect the best services for our neighborhoods and families. Our business and zoning regulations and tax policies must accommodate innovation and growth, while protecting the quality of life we value. We can’t drive away vital investment and family-wage jobs by micro-managing businesses from the city council chamber. And we need a variety of housing so that the people who work in Kirkland at all income levels can afford to live in Kirkland.

As co-chair of Citizens for One Kirkland, the committee that supported annexation of Kingsgate, North Juanita, and Finn Hill into Kirkland, I worked hard for more than a decade to bring our city together and make it One. I’m committed to bringing all parts of our city together, maintaining a sustainable budget, and providing the essential services that the people and businesses of Kirkland deserve and expect. I firmly believe that public safety — including police, courts, fire, emergency medical service, and disaster response — is the most important job of the city, and I make public safety the highest priority when balancing the various services the city provides.

My Principles

I am firmly committed to the fundamental principles on which our nation was founded and that have made it great, including individual liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, and free enterprise. You can count on me to consistently vote for less regulation and more freedom, and to never vote for nanny-state laws that try to substitute the wisdom of the elite for your own. You know better how to live your life or run your business than anyone else, and the government should not interfere with your freedom of choice so long as you respect the lives, liberty, and property of others. In particular, I am a strong supporter of property rights, and believe the owners of property should be able to use it as they see fit so long as any objectively negative impacts on others are adequately mitigated.

Let’s Talk!

If you ever have a question for me, don’t hesitate to contact me when it’s convenient for you. Just give me a call at 206-790-6377 or email me at toby@tobynixon.com (or tnixon@kirklandwa.gov if it’s official city business). I’m also available on Facebook, Twitter, and NextDoor. I look forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,