Name: jsterba4mukcitycouncil
Address: Mukilteo
Telephone: +1 425 238 6695

The Platform

Dear Neighbors

My family loves living in Mukilteo! In addition to employment at The Boeing Company, I manage a successful small business, and my daughter attends Harbour Pointe Middle School. We chose to move here over 7 years ago because we wanted to live in a safe, thriving city with an incredible school district. l am dedicated to protecting our quality of life and what makes our community great while ensuring Mukilteo remains safe and prosperous.

I will promote fiscal responsibility, affordability, and champion a city leadership that is trusted and accountable to manage within our means. I will hold the line and not increase taxes for our citizens or our valued business community. I will foster programs to make Mukilteo a business destination, which will set the stage to create jobs, grow our current businesses, and create increased revenue streams for our city. I will reject high density development and preserve and protect what makes our city a spectacular place to live and raise our families.

It would be an honor to serve as your Councilmember. I will work tirelessly to partner with residents, support our businesses, and deliver results. I humbly and respectfully ask for your trust and your vote.

Please reach us at jsterba4mukcitycouncil@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Why do you think you are the best candidate for City Council Position 2?

While I’m new to politics, I am an experienced leader with 36 years of service at The Boeing Company; 27 of which are in management and senior management. I have a commonsense approach to tackle issues head on, ask insightful questions, and bring parties together to obtain the best solutions. I have vast experience procurement, leading large scale projects, contracting, negotiating, budgeting, and operational adherence to plan while providing accountability for the teams that I lead.

Education:

Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Tennessee- Knoxville; Bachelor of Arts (BA), Communications, University of Washington.

What would be your top priorities if elected?

Ensuring a safe community is the foundation for everything else. Focus on crime prevention, community policing, and ensuring adequate resources for our Firefighters and emergency services. Strong support of all our first responders ensures that Mukilteo will remain safe and prosperous.

I will promote fiscal responsibility while fostering economic growth and champion a city leadership that is trusted and accountable to manage within our means. I will focus on streamlining regulations and supporting businesses. A strong economy provides jobs, tax revenues, and a higher standard of living.

I will ensure we’re a city which maintains and makes the necessary investments in schools and infrastructure. Essential long-term planning is a responsible investment in our city and is essential for daily life, supporting economic growth.

I will hold the line on taxes, reject high-density development, and preserve and protect what makes our city a spectacular place to live and raise our families.

Why is Mukilteo experiencing financial challenges?

Mukilteo, like other cities in the region, has experienced financial challenges due to several factors with the reality that our expenses are outpacing revenues. We face significant deficits in the coming years without additional revenue sources or fiscally responsible budget cuts.

Current projections show a concerning depletion of the general fund, if unaddressed, this potentially leads to having less than a two-month reserve by the end of 2026.

The city has not made sufficient contingency plans for unexpected financial challenges and to cover existing emergency services is exhausting $1.9 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding which ends in 2025.

Staff expenses have increased by 12.4% since 2023, coupled with lower-than-anticipated revenues.

The Mukilteo School District is also facing financial and staffing challenges.

These factors collectively contribute to the financial difficulties faced by Mukilteo. Addressing these issues requires strong leadership, strategic planning and analysis to ensure our long-term financial stability.

What can Mukilteo do to get back its fiscal health? What kind of suggestions would you make?

Overall, a balanced approach combining strategic revenue measures, cost controls, and community engagement is key to restoring fiscal health.

As a council member I would consider several strategies to improve Mukilteo’s fiscal health:

Review departmental budgets for inefficiencies and unnecessary expenses.
Prioritize core services while exploring partnerships or alternatives for less critical functions.
Promote tourism, business growth, and attract new industries to expand the Mukilteo tax base.
Refinance or restructure debt to lower interest costs.
Build adequate reserve funds for future financial shocks.
Consider new or expanded levies, such as EMS levy lid lifts, to fund essential services giving citizens a voice and a vote without overburdening taxpayers.
Keeping residents informed and involved in fiscal decisions to foster support for measures like levies or spending cuts.

Elect James Sterba for Mukilteo City Council Position 2

James Receives Endorsement from the Everett Herald!

The Platform

Dear Neighbors

Please Vote August 5th 2025

Coming Events

Check back often for updates from the campaign trail!

Online Contributions

Get involved!

Contact James

Drop me a line!

jsterba4mukcitycouncil

Elect James Sterba for Mukilteo City Council Position 2

James Receives Endorsement from the Everett Herald!

The Platform

Dear Neighbors

Please Vote August 5th 2025

Coming Events

Check back often for updates from the campaign trail!

Online Contributions

Follow and Connect With The Campigan

Get involved!

Contact James

Drop me a line!

jsterba4mukcitycouncil

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