Divided Shoreline

For the three City Council positions in Shoreline, a politically divided city, The Times recommends a politically divided ticket: Paul Grace, Maggie Fimia and Terry Scott.

Grace is running for the open seat vacated by Rich Gustafson. Grace is a co-founder of Pro Shoreline, which is the more pro-development faction in Shoreline politics. He supported the original Aurora Avenue North project when he was on the council, and for that is the target of a new hit piece funded by some Aurora merchants.

Grace was appointed to the council and lost the seat at the subsequent election by a handful of votes. He now tries a comeback. He works at Sea-Tac Airport as manager of ground transportation, and is much more knowledgeable on government than his first-time opponent, Chris Eggen.

Fimia, the incumbent in her race, is in the pro-neighborhood faction and generally allies with Councilwomen Janet Way and Cindy Ryu. Fimia was the Democrats' maverick on the King County Council in the 1990s and entered Shoreline city politics as a critic of how city officials had handled the Aurora project, arguing that they had not listened to the public.

Once elected, she led a council majority to oust the city manager. His supporters sued Fimia and her colleagues for talking outside the public spotlight, thereby violating the Open Public Meetings Act. They could have settled the lawsuit by each paying a $100 fine, but they fought back in a battle that cost the city much more, claiming the accusations against them were political.

The accusations were political — and also, we think, legitimate. In August, Pro Shoreline attacked Fimia in a nasty mailer to Shoreline households ("Lies! Scandal ... Secret Meetings ... "). We believe she should have paid the $100 and let it go, but also that a few improper discussions are not reason enough to end a notable public career.

Fimia has an ego, but she is perceptive to the community mood, skilled in the ways of government and possessed of an independent mind. Her novice opponent, Doris McConnell, is well-spoken but does not have the political firepower of the incumbent.

In the third race, we endorse the newcomer, Scott. We have no great complaint against Bob Ransom, who has been on the City Council ever since Shoreline had one. But, Scott impresses with his energy and community interest.

Scott is a resident of the Ridgecrest neighborhood, which has been underrepresented, and is a physician assistant at the University of Washington. He is not aligned with a faction, which would make him the swing vote on a divided council.