Paul Winterstein a 33-year resident of the Issaquah area and current city councilmember, announced his intention to run for mayor of Issaquah.
Winterstein, who has spent more than 30-years in the software industry, has served as a member of the Issaquah City Council since 2011 and has a long history of civic engagement in the Issaquah community.
“Issaquah is a dynamic and growing community that has undergone rapid change in recent years – much of it for the better,” Winterstein said in a press release. “We have a vibrant culture, great parks and open spaces, a proud record of environmental stewardship, incredible small businesses and a powerful community spirit that values supporting your neighbor. We have had challenges like any rapidly growing community, but I believe that by working collaboratively and by making forward looking investments, we can ensure our community continues to thrive.”
During Winterstein’s time as a councilmember, Issaquah has passed balanced budgets that bolstered public safety while making critical investments in residents’ quality of life. While on the council, Winterstein helped save the Issaquah Senior Center, was the prime sponsor of a comprehensive pedestrian and bicyclist action plan and championed the effort to secure seed funding for the Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park community organization.
Winterstein also serves on the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Growth Management Policy Board, a regional planning agency tasked with making decisions about growth management and transportation throughout King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap Counties.
“I became involved in our local city government through a small community group fighting for more local transit and transportation options in our community,” Winterstein said. “I am committed to working with our neighboring communities to make smart investments that meet our growing transportation and economic development needs. Our roads don’t start and stop at our city’s borders and we need leaders who are committed to meeting our immediate and long-term needs to help provide traffic relief — I am ready to take on this challenge.”
Winterstein has lived in the Issaquah area since 1984. Prior to serving on the Council he served on the city’s first Human Services Commission, volunteered with the Issaquah Meals Program, and has worked on a regional committee that helps provide funding for low-income and senior housing. He has served on the Eastside Human Service Forum Board of Directors and has been involved in local schools as a parent and volunteer.
“Throughout my civic involvement and regional work, I have seen the importance of having elected officials who listen to the needs of their communities,” Winterstein said. “I want to bring my passion for service and a commitment to forward thinking, open and transparent leadership to our executive branch.”
Winterstein lives in the Squak Mountain neighborhood where he and his wife Michelle have raised their four children.
