Like most Readers of the Kirkland Reporter, I care about seeing our town grow back into a vibrant jewel of the Eastside that attracted my family and I to the community, over 10 years ago. I live in Kirkland, have a software business in Kirkland, my wife manages a big retail store in downtown Kirkland, and our neighbors own and manage retail businesses in downtown Kirkland, too. What has happened to the downtown Kirkland retail marketplace is frightening!

We have an important election coming up on Aug. 18th, to elect Kirkland City Council members. Kirkland needs to become more responsive to the business owners that have invested in Kirkland to provide retail shops and services. The city needs to get behind these entrepreneurs to help them promote Kirkland, as a destination shopping area for Seattle and Eastside residents. What has the city done to promote Kirkland retailers over the past 10 years … not much … and probably less than that!

There is way too much turnover of our retail shop-spaces every two to three years and today the vacancy rate of shops is alarming. Our council needs to show some leadership or tax funding for all of their pet projects entertained in past is going to be gone.

I’m voting for Amy Walen for Kirkland City Council and I hope you do too. Amy has been running the company that has been one of the biggest suppliers of business tax revenue for our city … for years – Ford of Kirkland. She knows what Kirkland retailers and businesses need to thrive and how the city can help to restore our community’s commercial vitality.

James Karl, Kirkland