Candidate questionnaire: John Trumbo, Kennewick Irrigation District

Name: John Trumbo

District: Kennewick Irrigation District, Position 2

Why are you running?

I am a candidate because KID ratepayers should have a chance to vote this year. If I had not filed and encouraged another person to file for the other position, there be no election this year — as there was last year — and the incumbents would automatically be returned to office. I am running because I want KID customers to have a voice and a choice.

What is your experience?

I worked 38 years as a newspaper reporter and editor before retiring in 2012. Twelve of those years were at the Tri-City Herald where I covered city and county government and local agencies, including hospitals, ports and irrigation districts. I reported on the KID for years, and am familiar with many of the district’s issues, past and present. One year after retiring from newspapers I was elected to the Kennewick City Council, which gives me additional experience in working with local officials. I understand the complex relationships with public/private partnerships and am keenly focused on issues that affect tax dollars and citizens in community. I am a homeowner and resident on 1.5 acres in Kennewick, where I have raised my family since 2000. I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo.

If elected, what changes would you plan to make?

I want change at KID, starting with moving elections from December to November and assigning votes equally to each parcel owner, not on how much land is owned. Only 101 of KID’s 22,885 ratepayers have enough land (40 acres or more) to support a farm-based family. Why should the minority have the majority of votes in an election? KID is no longer an agricultural district when 99 percent of its customers are residential properties that are too small to produce crops or livestock for market. KID should do much more to promote voter turnout, which typically is half of one percent. I have asked the KID board to correct these concerns, but members have shown no interest in changing the status quo that favors incumbents and is unfair to the vast majority of ratepayers. I will lead in making election reform at KID.

This story was originally published December 5, 2015 at 5:19 PM with the headline "Candidate questionnaire: John Trumbo, Kennewick Irrigation District."