EDITOR’S NOTE: Since our creation in 2007, The B-Town Blog allows residents running for local office one free post for when they announce their candidacy:

Life-long Burien resident Kevin Schilling announced this week that he will be running for Burien City Council, Pos. 4.

Schilling joins Cydney Moore, Shelli Park and Charles Schaefer (so far) in the 2019 race.

There are three seats up for grabs this year:

  • Pos. #2 (incumbent: Bob Edgar)
  • Pos. #4 (incumbent: Lucy Krakowiak)
  • Pos. #6 (incumbent: Austin Bell)

The Primary Election will be Aug. 6, and the General Election will be Nov. 6.

The deadline to file is May 17.

Here’s Schilling’s announcement:

My name is Kevin Schilling. As a life-long Burienite, I’m excited to announce that I’m running for Burien City Council, Pos. 4.

I have deep roots in the Burien community. I’m a fourth-generation Washingtonian and third-generation Burien/Highline resident. Burien provided the resources, community, and location necessary for my family to reach into the middle-class. Growing up, I was always conscious and appreciative of the hard work that it took my family to live a good, stable life. I come from a Boeing family, and I know what it takes to make Burien a good place to work and raise a family. Burien deserves a City government that ensures its residents have a safe, supportive, and prosperous place to pursue that dream.

I attended grade school at St. Francis of Assisi and attend church there. At 13, I started working at the Highline Performing Arts Center, Mick Kelley’s Irish Pub, 909 Coffee and Wine, and PCC. While a student at Aviation High School, I was active in the local theatre scene performing in numerous Hi-Liners, Burien Actor’s Theatre shows (then known as Burien Little Theatre), and beyond Burien at the 5th Avenue Theatre and the Seattle International Film Festival. My educational journey started at South Seattle Community College, ultimately leading toward a degree at Washington State University. In May, I will complete a dual master’s degree from Columbia University and the London School of Economics. These opportunities would not be possible without the incredible community I grew up in.

Throughout this journey, I’ve also been active in civic causes.  I was a legislative session intern for the Governor’s office in 2015, working on a range of tasks relating to boards & commissions, legislative affairs, community affairs, and constituent services. While at Washington State University, I worked at the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy, served as President of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar, a statewide non-profit focused on youth leadership development, and acted as an ASWSU student senator where I secured $250,000 from the state legislature to fix the state route leading to WSU.

I’m running for Burien City Council for many reasons, but a few stand out. First, I want to give back to the community that gave me so much. Burien deserves to be a place of opportunity, where people can keep their families safe, work hard, and surround themselves with a community with dignity and respect. That means everything from fostering a supportive community for kids and businesses, to minimizing noise pollution from the airport.  Second, I want to help bring an end to the divisive politics of recent years.  Our local elections have become far too unnecessarily factional. The City Council ultimately should be accountable to the people of Burien – and I firmly believe we share important common goals: increasing public safety, supporting local businesses, and connecting Burien to the greater King County region.

Finally, I am running because you deserve a responsive voice on City Council. City Councilmembers should be present for important votes and accessible for constituent concerns. That’s why I’m committed to making myself available.  I will be hitting the ground soon, going door-to-door to talk to Burien voters. I look forward to meeting you in the community!

Kevin Schilling
Candidate, Burien City Council, Pos. 4
[email protected]
schillingforburien.com

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