1 of these 4 candidates will replace Pasco’s mayor and long-time councilman

A longtime Pasco councilman’s decision to step down at the end of his current term opened the door for three political newcomers and a fourth candidate who’s sought office before.

Irving L. Brown Sr., Steven X Martinez, Leo A. Perales and Nikki Torres all are vying for the District 3 seat on the Pasco City Council.

Perales is the only candidate with experience in the political arena, having led campaigns for Kennewick City Council in 2017 and Washington state senate in 2018.

The seat will be vacated at the end of the year by Mayor Saul Martinez, who has been on the council for 11 1/2 years.

Martinez confirmed in May that he was leaving city politics to focus on the next journey for him and his family.

The Mesa native was appointed to the city council in June 2010, then made history in January 2020 when selected by his colleagues to be Pasco’s first Latino mayor.

The position is for a 4-year term and covers the northeastern part of the city.

A majority of District 3 is north of Interstate 182, from Convention Place on the west end extending to the city limits east of Highways 395 and 12 at Dietrich Road.

The top two vote-getters in the Aug. 3 primary will advance to face off in November’s general election.

Irving L. Brown Sr.

Irving L. Brown Sr., a Pasco resident since 2008, says he believes in his city and it is up to him and his neighbors to “build our future together.”

He is the executive director of the Tri-Cities Diversity and Inclusion Council and human resources manager at the Red Lion Hotel and Conference Center. He also owns a small consulting business.

“Pasco stands at a crossroad with a booming population. Our economy is one of the fastest growing in the state, yet entire sections of our city feel left behind,” Brown said in his Voters’ Guide statement.

“If elected, I will work to strengthen our city’s economy with pro-growth policies that distribute development evenly across our city,” he said. “I will find ways to save money in our budget without compromising vital services while maintaining a culture of equity, inclusion and empowerment in our local government.”

Brown’s campaign has received nearly $4,000 in contributions and loans, and has spent almost $3,000 of it, according to the Washington state Public Disclosure Commission.

Leo A. Perales

Leo A. Perales believes in working toward the future, Pasco must “reclaim the values, the traditions and policies” that made the city a great place to live.

A Pasco native and community activist, Perales says Pasco needs a new generation of leadership and he is the one with “proven critical experience and depth of knowledge to get things done.”

He has been a leader in Consejo Latino, an organization that advocates for issues important to the Latino community. He also has served on the Tri-Cities Community Work Group on Community Policing and a handful of other community and social justice groups, and as a community representative with the regional Special Investigations Unit, which investigates officer-involved shootings and police force.

Perales says in the Voters’ Guide that it’s important to retain community values and put families first, while also maintaining fiscal responsibility.

“Public safety is one of my priorities as it greatly impacts our quality of life. I believe the city should support our police and firefighters because they put their lives on the line every day to keep our families safe,” he wrote. “As your representative I will work to ensure that we have well-funded fire and emergency medical services because after this pandemic, we know how vital they are to our community.”

Perales’ campaign has not reported any contributions or loans, but has spent $2,515, the PDC shows.

Nikki Torres

Nikki Torres says she decided to run because leadership is needed to put Pasco on a path to full recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This requires an experienced collaborator who will support smart growth, address affordable housing through permitting and zoning, and promote policies that will entice new businesses and manufacturing to our city,” she wrote in the Voters’ Guide.

She is a strategic partnerships manager for Western Governors University and a past president of the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

She also has been a board member of Tri-Cities Community Health, Visit Tri-Cities and the Kennewick Police Department Foundation.

“Within our community we know that Pasco is a confident member of the Tri-Cities and moving forward as a leader,” she said. “I will help our city recover from the pandemic and build a stronger economy that works for everyone in our community.”

Torres’ campaign has spent almost $1,700 of the nearly $10,500 she has brought in, her PDC filing states.

Steven X Martinez

Steven X Martinez, like his fellow candidate, wants to share in Pasco’s future growth and believes he has the voice to carry that through for its residents.

A “true Pasco kid through and through,” Martinez works in job analysis for Local 69 Associated Western Pulp & Paper Workers.

He also helps coordinate an annual sneaker and backpack drive with area coaches, and volunteers to help out local migrant farm workers, he wrote in his Voters’ Guide statement.

Martinez said his love for the “Purple City” has never wavered.

“My grandparents handed down this love of Pasco, because from the time they settled in Pasco in the early 1950s, they saw what we all see today: A community that embraces diversity, change and, most importantly, growth,” he said.

“The past 30 years Pasco’s growth wasn’t always handled with a long term and innovative thought process,” he continued. “Pasco is doing a much better job now. But some residents of Pasco seem left out and wanting more. I hope to bring a voice of the everyday residents that feel unheard.”

Martinez has not registered his candidacy with the Public Disclosure Commission.