Déjà vu? Sax, Somers facing off again

Snohomish County Councilman Jeff Sax wants to be the first District 5 candidate to win re-election in more than 20 years, which would likely secure the current 3-2 Republican majority on the council for four more years.

With strong support from business and developers, campaign mistakes by his Democratic challenger — former council chairman Dave Somers — and the addition of independent candidate Greg Stephens to the race, that could spell success for Sax.

But during Sax's tenure in office, the spotlight often has shone on him for his gaffes rather than his accomplishments, such as the time he and family members were caught building a house without a permit. That has some supporters worried Sax might be the vulnerable GOP link this year.

As one of three council seats up for Tuesday's election, the Sax-Somers District 5 rematch is widely seen as the most competitive race.

Democratic Councilman Dave Gossett is unlikely to lose his District 4 seat to newcomer Eva Davies.

And in District 1, Republican incumbent John Koster faces former Marysville City Councilwoman Suzanne Smith. Yet, Republicans feel sure enough of a Koster victory that they're already filling his campaign coffers for a potential run in two years against current Democratic County Executive Aaron Reardon.

Jeff Sax, 43


Residence: Snohomish

Occupation: county councilman

Personal: married, two children

Background: current District 5 councilman who unseated Somers four years ago; holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Top three endorsements: Snohomish County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Snohomish County-Camano Association of Realtors, Dino Rossi

Campaign Web site: www.jeffsax.com

Dave Somers, 52


Residence: Monroe

Occupation: protected-species policy analyst for the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission

Personal: married

Background: county councilman for four years, including one year as chairman

Top three endorsements: U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen; former Republican state Sen. Cliff Bailey, Snohomish County Labor Council

Campaign Web site: www.djsomers.com

Greg Stephens, 56


Residence: Maltby

Occupation: former emergency medical technician for American Medical Response Ambulance

Personal: single

Background: has never held or run for office

Top endorsements: none

Campaign Web site: www.electstephens.com

The money leader

Sax is clearly the money leader in his District 5 race. He has raised more than $200,000 — twice what Somers has. Much of that money has come from individuals and groups with development interests.

In addition, fronting the cost of numerous Sax mailers during the past four weeks is the Coalition for Quality Communities PAC, led mostly by developers.

Sax is the first and only candidate the group will be supporting this year, said PAC manager David Toyer, also vice president of governmental affairs for Barclays North, a leading Puget Sound developer.

Despite growth issues leading the District 5 campaign, the Quality Communities PAC, formed earlier this year, isn't interested only in protecting development options through its candidate support, Toyer said.

"We're looking to support folks who we believe will do the necessary work on quality-of-life issues such as traffic, planning and economic development," Toyer said. "We haven't agreed with everything Sax has done, but we think Jeff has been more effective on the job — balancing things and working out tough issues — than Dave was during his four years on council."

Those words and hefty donations from development interests have Sax's opponents crying foul. Barclays North's donations total more than $30,000 to the Sax campaign and PAC. Sax's supporters also include other developers, real-estate agencies, lumber manufacturers and building-material companies, in addition to individual donors throughout the county.

"I may be supported by the business community," Sax said. "But all of those industries mean jobs in Snohomish County."

Under GOP leadership, the County Council has been criticized for trying to expand urban-growth areas and for developing farmland. One case was the council's attempt to rezone farmland near Island Crossing so the Dwayne Lane family could move their Smokey Point car lot. Another hot-button issue has been the development of policies for fully contained communities — basically new cities built in their entirety outside urban areas. Sax has supported both.

"He's primarily backed by developers who feel they largely have a de facto vote on the council by Jeff [Sax]," said Zach Silk, field director for the Washington Conservation Voters, which endorses Somers. "[Sax] plays a rubber-stamp role for what they're looking for."

Residential building permits are up over last year's numbers and expected to continue increasing. Year-to-date totals through August show Snohomish County is the third-fastest-growing county in the state, behind King and Pierce counties, with more than 4,500 residential permits, according to the Building Industry Association of Washington. That's about 500 more permits than the same period during 2004.

On shaky footing?

Somers says he would have more money to counter Sax if he hadn't been forced to run a primary-election campaign. Many donors waited until after Somers defeated Steve Hobbs in the September primary to fund his bid to unseat Sax.

But at least one campaign blunder may give Somers even worse footing on which to stand. Somers initially took credit for the council raising traffic mitigation fees five years ago while he was in office. But Somers only proposed an increase in traffic-mitigation fees during his last year in office. It was Sax and the current council that passed the measure.

Sax supporters have denounced the mistake through campaign advertisements.

Also causing problems for the Somers campaign is that Sax is apparently offsetting Somers' call for new mitigation fees by introducing such a measure before the council. Somers, however, says the Sax proposal won't do enough to update the county's infrastructure, which he says is deeply behind the curve when compared with current growth projections.

Sax supporters say they doubt Somers' campaign promises of a more moderate approach to balanced growth within urban zones, saying his four years in office all but shut down development. Somers says a 2001 "development phasing overlay," which temporarily halted development in Lake Stevens, was necessary.

"It wasn't right to move forward with development until we had the funding for road and surface-water improvements," Somers said. "We were trying to change the county's direction on growth management by matching up available funding with needed services."

While Sax supporters have been quick to point out Somers' mistakes, Sax has had his own public embarrassments. Two years ago, Sax and family members were caught building a house at his residence without a permit, the result of which was a series of county penalties and chastising from the opposition.

And last month, Sax leaked confidential settlement papers concerning the Brightwater sewage project that King County is building inside Snohomish County, north of Woodinville. While the settlement giving Snohomish County $70 million recently was approved by the council, most council members said they were disappointed in Sax's move to break the council's confidentiality agreements.

A censure against Sax, presented by Democratic Councilman Kirke Sievers, sits before the council. But with at least one Republican vote needed to pass the measure, chances are it will sit until after the election if considered at all.

"I represent balance"

Also affecting the election battle between Sax and Somers is the emergence of a third candidate, independent Greg Stephens.

Stephens originally tried to run against Sax in the Republican primary, but was not allowed by Republicans when he could not provide any GOP credentials.

Stephens has taken a loan against his residential property to fund his campaign, and the independent, who says voters now have a nonpartisan choice, could draw votes away from Somers. Stephens campaigned for Somers four years ago when he lost to Sax, and the two see more eye-to-eye on issues than Stephens does with Sax.

"If you're voting for Sax, you're voting for the developers, but Somers seems to be for no growth at all." Stephens said. "I represent balance."

It's unlikely Stephens will win, and he knows it.

"But with the fact that this district has never re-elected anyone in 20 years," he said, "I would argue there's a chance."

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-783-0577 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com