[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The B-Town Blog nor its staff. During this election year, we are allowing each candidate one chance to introduce themselves in this manner as a public service at no charge:]

Hello neighbors, does this story sound familiar?

In the past 3 years my home has been burgled ten times. Eight times I filed a police report to document my experience. The ninth time I filed to run for Position 5 on YOUR city council. The tenth time I interrupted the thieves and feared for my life on my own property. I did not file another report because I lost faith in our local government representatives and policy enforcers to address the problem.

I was told by city representatives that I needed a better security system. Do YOU believe that more cameras, or a louder alarm screeching in the middle of the night will stop this invasion of criminal activity we are experiencing from every corner of our town?

Do you agree that there are age-old, common sense practices and remedies for unlawful behavior?

Are you exasperated with a failed approach to community problems that not only don’t improve- they exacerbate?

Have you learned from experience that perpetually increasing taxes does not result in a better/safer way of life? Do you feel abandoned by those you trusted to look out for your welfare?

Do you wish someone had the courage to stand against the tide of lawlessness and injustice, and not insist we need to accommodate it?

Would you welcome a fresh set of solutions, a new voice confronting these maladies that can and should be met with firm, reliable remedies?

Then please take a chance on my Common Sense Leadership. Reject more of the same nonsense from incumbent, Nancy Tosta.
I have spent years working in and around government agencies in private and public partnerships. I know change requires deliberate, consistent pressure, and always comes more easily with a smile.

Remember the definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.”

Thank you for your valued participation in this process.

Vote JILL ESAU for BURIEN! Common Sense Leadership

[Have an opinion or concern you’d like to share with our ~80,000+ monthly Readers? Please send us your Letter to the Editor via email. Include your full name, please cite your sources, remain civil and – pending our careful review – we’ll consider publishing it.]

Since 2007, The B-Town Blog is Burien’s multiple award-winning hyperlocal news/events website dedicated to independent journalism.

21 replies on “LETTER: Jill Esau is running for Burien City Council, Position #5”

  1. Ok you make a claim of 10 break in’s in 3 years. Do you have and are willing to post your case number’s for each report to prove your not trying to sway votes with a over reaction to a situation.

    10 times in 3 years if true that seem like you got someone watching your movements. A past renter with a old key. Also seems to be a very isolated situation perhaps a career crimal living near you. I would also take a guess after the second one your home owners insurance drop your policy. Now you react as if the police give bad information. Sorry but there simple ways to combat these crimes. But if you don’t listen and at least try the solutions. How are we supposed feel your going to what is best for the residents of this city.

    Also trying to make people think that one person on the council can make all the career crimanls in city stop there daily activities seems a little much for one council member to do. More police or more patrols are not going stop problem ether if you fail listen to there ways of combating crime.

    Also some tips on stopping crime is not going be a end all solution ether but it’s a start. With some help it can make a little difference.

    1. Also on your election filling you have a 425 area code listed on your contact information but a burien p.o. box.

      Could you please explain this do you actually live in burien and if so for 10 years why a 425 area code and not a 206 area code.

        1. I lived here for over 30 years and had mutable phone numbers over the years all (206) cell and landlines.

          1. Also her treasurer has Bellevue PO box and a 425 area code for her contact number.

            I am just trying to ask some simple question from someone who wants to help control how the city is ran. But in her letter it seems she is fed up with crime. But refused to follow some simple tips on possibly slowing down the crime. Just makes me wonder how she would do with simple tips from other council members.

            Before I vote I want to be as informed as much as possible on these candidates so I and other people don’t make the wrong decision. Like with what has happened in the past.

        2. That could not possibly be true for your whole life. Numbers were not even portable until 2003, and if you are moving to a different area code, it is almost never possible.

  2. Jill is a personal friend of us and we happen to sit both on the airport committee. She is a very honorable and trustworthy person. We know firsthand the information in her letter is true and sadly there are many more people in Burien experiencing the same who are sick and tired of the high crime rate. Put 4 people like Jill on the city council and Burien will turn into a smoothly run city with a balanced budget. Burien, this is your election – seize the opportunity.

    1. Yes it seems as if she has 13 to 15 friends hitting thumbs up and thumbs down buttons for her to.

      I will take a guess if what your saying is true then she needs to make friends with her neighbors and keep a eye out for one another. I know in my neighborhood we keep a eye out for one another if see something we try to call the police or chase the people off. Even if means grabbing a yard machete 2×4 or baseball bat if handy and chasing the thug off.

    2. Problem is that she did nothing to convince us that she ‘will turn Burien into a smoothly run city with a balanced budget”. All she did was talk about how she gets robbed A LOT. Someone who is running with a fear-based agenda will never get my vote. I want positive candidates who will tell us what they plan to do to make Burien a liveable, tolerant and open community with real solutions to our problems, which by the way, are the same problems facing all communities (drug addiction and the resulting homeless thieves).

    3. Well I found your burien address but I can’t find one for Jill Esau other than a p.o. box. Also looking at crimereports.com it seems to only show a couple of break ins in your neighborhood in the past six months. Now I realize other parts of burien are getting hit with crime but a lot if is just simple crimes of opportunity. As someone leaves a window open or parks there lawn mower around the back corner of there house instead of locking it up. Not putting good locks on yard tool sheds. Leaving your car unlock at night or even during the day. People get lackadaisical and think well no ones going get in are car when that close to are house. Then you wake up in morning and your car has been ransacked. Or we have a big dog no ones going to come in our yard at night. But your dog is sleeping inside at night and can’t hear what’s going on outside to well.

      It’s unfortunate that there are people in are city that don’t have personal morals and can’t keep their hands off other peoples property. But is that a city council issue or should people take the time to follow tips on stopping or slowing down crime first.

  3. Also had a break-in and found that the Police we’re not effective either. I tried to get the stuff that they took from my house for fingerprints on three different occasions and never did receive my personal belongings back or information as to where to pick them up at. Bad enough you have some slum stealing your stuff then the cops can’t follow through.

  4. I’m really tired of rhetoric. You say you have solutions and can lend leadership. Perhaps that’s true, but this letter gives zero information to support your claims. What is your background? What are some of your solutions? What is your leadership experience?

    I’d be pissed off too if I were broken into that many times, so I completely get the anger. But anger and criticism are not qualifications for a council seat, and this letter provides no information as to what kind of a council member you would be. Can you fill in the blanks?

    1. Here a link to some information I found on her oh yeah it’s happens to be on some Bellevue wa newsletter website http://marketplaceconnections.org/speakers/jill-c-esau

      I don’t know what making toffee has to do with fighting crime or running a city. Or being able to afford to live in London to attend a graduate program at Sotheby’s Auction House.

      Sounds to me like she can afford to invest in better security for her home. But thinks if the police won’t patrol her home 24/7. Stop by check her doors windows for her then there just not doing their job.

      I am glad there a lot new people running but it’s situations like this that we need look at before we vote.

  5. Not filing a police report is a disservice to our city, we need to track crime so we can do all things possible to prevent it. This kind of lack of citizen responsibility eliminates you from the field, we need good stewards of our city, you have proven yourself unworthy.

    1. JJ Grieve – I have met a few of our Burien officers, and liked each. But there are flaws in the way we are being protected, by Burien law enforcement. As someone who has been dealing with frequent vandalism, including break-ins and car theft and winning court trials only to be left with the onus of collecting from the thieves with no help from the courts/law enforcement and being left to pay increased property insurance.

      The police know several of these people by name who are doing such break-ins and are weary of dealing with them. They take on the attitude of blaming the homeowner for not doing enough to protect their property. There are no serious consequences for these thieves. Jail is only a short change of scene for them with regular meals and a chance to catch-up with the other crooks in the area. No one makes them repay any money that the court says they owe the victim.

      If this wasn’t all bad enough, in our case they were picking on the home of hospitalized seniors, there is also evidence that the thieves had been collecting credit card information for more than 10 people in our area. I was more than a little surprised that the police were not particularly interested in this information.

      On a side note, if you have ever tried to talk with an officer about an ongoing case, let alone get a copy of the paperwork from the Burien Police Station you will know that it can be frustrating. Everything is done via a phone system that is not very user friendly and the people in the reception area can make you feel a nuisance for walking through the door.

      All of the above said, I too am less likely to contact the police these days when I am left to clean-up after the most recent trespassing.

      1. Well let see a issue with the phone system file a complaint if they get enough complaints they may just look in to changing it. (common sense)

        Now a issue with a city employee unless if they said or actually did anything other than look at you odd. There not really anything you can do about that. (common sense)

        Getting paper work from any city with more than 5 people in it may be a hassle. Then also officers are usually rather busy and can’t just drop everything to answer your questions. Also there might be a legal reason why they can’t answer some questions in a ongoing case.

        Then charges and amount time for the criminal to serve is done by the d.a. office and a legal team and final approval by a judge.

  6. There are a lot of reactionaires among the challengers. That’s not the temperment needed to be truly effective at anything. But in this current national climate, it’s unfortunately too often the norm right now. Burien can and should do better.

    I noticed Manning is also running things out of his 425 area code. And he also requested comments be turned off. And the incumbents so far are also requesting comments off.

    Not wanting people to comment on a normally open comment public facing site cuts both ways. Obviously it allows for a unchalleged candidate statements, and serves the PR purpose. It also avoids damaging or embarrasing statements if they or their supporters participate.

    It also cuts them off from questions from the undecided voters who would not normally have that opportunity, and who may be interested in straight answers and straightforward and clear positions that written comments can engender. And if not straighforward, it is on the record.

    We can’t have voters misinterpreting candidates positions and thinking for themselves, can we? Granted, we can go to a candidates web page and post a question, if they have a web page. Or call their campaign volunteers/staff. That too sets you up for what they think you want to hear all too often and does not publically get exposed, so they prefer that.

    There are rational reasons both pro and con, but overall it’s not very democratic or as helpful as they think to have comments turned off. It can backfire.

    1. I also notice Mary Russel has a 510 area code on her contact number which is out of California with a burien p.o box listed on her c1 registration.

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