Sammamish councilmember Don Gerend announced this week he will run for another four-year term on the Sammamish City Council at Position No. 3.
Having been a member of the Council since the City of Sammamish incorporated in 1999, Gerend has been selected as mayor three times by his fellow councilmembers. He has taken a particular interest in transportation issues, both within Sammamish and on the regional and State level. He served on the King County Regional Transit Committee, currently is on the Eastside Transportation Partnership (and was past chair of this Eastside forum), and is also on the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Transportation Policy Board (chair of the finance working group). At the state level he was appointed to represent all cities on the Road Usage Charge Steering Committee providing direction to the State Transportation Commission.
Gerend says that after first focusing on the myriad of decisions and actions involved with starting a new city, the Sammamish Council recognized the importance of developing strong working relationships and advocacy at the regional, state and national levels for the betterment of cities in general and Sammamish in particular.
“Sammamish citizens have enjoyed a lower tax rate than our neighbors in unincorporated King County while seeing enhanced attention paid to infrastructure improvements and service delivery,” Gerend said. “Unlike neighboring cities, and most cities in Washington state, Sammamish does not charge city utility taxes, and local businesses enjoy not having city business and occupation taxes. Our parks and public open space have increased tenfold since incorporation, arterials have been rebuilt and essential transportation connections have been constructed.”
Gerend worked as a rocket scientist at Boeing, was a professor of physics and astronomy at Seattle University and had a second career in commercial real estate brokerage and syndication.
Gerend has lived in Sammamish since 1979 with his wife, Susan. Their two adult children graduated from Issaquah High School.
