Meet Toby Nixon, Candidate for Kirkland City Council

Editor's note: What follows is part of a series of candidate profiles Patch will be bringing to you for the 2011 elections. Toby Nixon is challenging incumbent Jessica Greenway for council position 4.

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Full name:

Toby Lee Nixon

Occupation and job title?

Senior Program Manager, Windows Planning and PC Ecosystem, Microsoft Corporation.

Age and place of birth?

52, Van Nuys, CA

Where do you live now and  how long have you lived there?

12113 NE 141st St, Kirkland WA 98034, since February 1996; have lived in Kirkland since January 1993.

Spouse or domestic partner if any:

Married to Irene King Nixon, since June, 1982 (29 years).

Children:

Mary (26), Sarah (25), Robert (23), Julia (20), Thomas (19).

Education:

Attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (majored in Computer Science).

Military Service:

None.

Memberships and affiliations in organizations:

President, Washington Coalition for Open Government. Advisory Council member, Lake Washington Schools Foundation. Advisory Council member and former board member, Youth Eastside Services. Active member of Totem Lake Neighborhood Association. President, Kingsgate Highlands 3&4 Homeowners Association. Member, Leadership Eastside Class of 2013. Representative to Kirkland Interfaith Network. Board of Directors member, Heart of America Northwest, which advocates for cleaning up the Hanford nuclear site. See web site for more details and affiliations.

Have you or a business you owned or had principal interest in ever filed bankruptcy?

Yes, over 25 years ago, the result of a confluence of high medical bills, losses on sale of property, and reduction in income associated with leaving a company that was about to go into bankruptcy itself. One of life’s many learning experiences.

As an adult, have you been convicted or charged with a crime other than a minor traffic violation?

No.

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION

Web site: www.tobynixon.com

Email address: toby@tobynixon.com

Phone number: 425-823-9779; Mobile: 206-790-6377

Campaign manager: Eric Rohrbach

Campaign manager contact information: 425-681-4000; manager@tobynixon.com

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE(S): State Representative, 45th District (2002-2007); represented much of Kirkland in the state legislature, and served as ranking member of the State Government Operations and Accountability committee. Commissioner, King County Fire Protection District 41 (2009-2011).

Other campaigns for public office:

State Representative, 45th District (2008); State Senator, 45th District (2006); State Representative, 45th District (2000); State Commissioner of Labor, Georgia (1992); State Representative, 61st District, Georgia (1990)

THIS CAMPAIGN

What is the primary reason you are running for this office?

I’m optimistic about Kirkland’s future; that’s one reason I worked so hard to bring our new neighborhoods into the city! We need city council members who will bring together and get input from residents throughout our city, then make the tough decisions to prioritize city services and get our new city onto a solid, affordable financial footing. I am willing to listen, apply my experience as a state representative, fire commissioner, and local volunteer, and then do the hard work to move our city forward.

What will be your top three priorities if you get elected and why?

1) Restoring a fiscally responsible and sustainable city budget that provides quality service levels for those essential services Kirkland residents expect.

2) Creating a more business-friendly environment that encourages healthy local businesses and the jobs and services they provide, while protecting the character and livability of Kirkland’s diverse neighborhoods.

3) Incorporating cost effective accountability and open government processes into city government to encourage transparency and reinforce Kirkland’s tradition of citizen participation and consensus building.

What sets you apart from the other candidates and/or previous office holders?

Our city is at a crossroads, and the decisions our city government makes today will determine the Kirkland we build for tomorrow. I have a proven track record of consensus building, fiscal responsibility, and ethics and accountability in my professional experience, legislative service and as a fire commissioner. I do my homework, study the issues and perspectives of stakeholders, and come to meetings prepared to make decisions and move forward. I respect and understand the diverse needs of all of Kirkland including our new neighborhoods, and I will work to bring together all of Kirkland for a better tomorrow.

How much money do you expect your campaign to spend on this election?

Successful contested races for Kirkland City Council during the 2009 election spent in the neighborhood of $30,000. Given the increase in population of Kirkland by roughly two-thirds since then, successful races during the 2011 election may need to spend $40,000 or more to effectively reach all of Kirkland’s voters.

Official endorsements:

Affordable Housing Council
Seattle King County REALTORS®

Joyce Buchanan, former member, Kirkland City Council
David Carson, member, Redmond City Council
Sants Contreras, former member, Kirkland City Council 
Tom Dillon, former member, Kirkland City Council
Dave Earling, former member, Edmonds City Council
Randy Eastwood, former mayor, City of Kenmore
Luke Esser, former state senator, 48th District
Bill Finkbeiner, former state senator, 45th District
Rick Forschler, member, SeaTac City Council
Jeff Glickman, member, Woodinville City Council
Mark Harmsworth, member, Mill Creek City Council
Gene Hawkridge, former member, Northshore School District board
Anthony Hemstad, commissioner, King County Public Hospital District #1
John Hendrickson, member, Kenmore City Council
Andy Hill, state senator, 45th District
Larry Ishmael, former president, Issaquah School Board
Tom Johnston, commissioner, King County Fire Protection District 34
Dave Kaplan, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Des Moines
Debra Kolrud, member, Monroe School District Board
Mark Lamb, mayor, City of Bothell
Kathy Lambert, member, King County Council
Steve Litzow, state senator, 41st District
John Marchione, Mayor, City of Redmond
Dan McDonald, former state senator, 48th District
Hank Myers, member, Redmond City Council
Jim Nobles, former member, Seattle Monorail Authority board of directors
Jessica Olson, member, Everett School District Board
Johanna Palmer, former member, Lake Washington School District Board
Jackie Pendergrass, member, Lake Washington School District Board
Chuck Price, member, Woodinville City Council
Mathew Pruitt, commissioner, Finn Hill Park and Recreation District
Frank Radford, commissioner, Finn Hill Park and Recreation District
Jennifer Robertson, member, Bellevue City Council
Troy Romero, former mayor, City of Sammamish
Ken Seal, member, East Bellevue Community Municipal Corporation
Hank Stecker, former member, Woodinville City Council
Ed Sterner, member, Lake Forest Park City Council
Margaret Wiggins, commissioner, Northshore Utility District
Bill Woods, former mayor, City of Kirkland