Jan 4, 2025

Hello Neighbor,

I am sending this end-of-year note to share my gratitude to everyone who helped make this first year as your At-Large Bellingham City Councilmember a success.

It's been a steep learning curve and not always easy, but support from community members has made all the difference.

Together, we've joined the push for critical legislative actions to increase housing options, pulled together renters, manufactured home owners, non-profits, and landlords to draft and secure council support for protections against unfair, unnecessary, and excessive fees, and passed resolutions in support of state-wide rent stabilization and opposing the defeated Albertsons- Kroger merger.

In the context of the plateauing revenues, I am also proud to have supported a budget that still made targeted investments in public health and safety and long overdue wage increases for the lowest-paid city employees.

This next year, I will ask all of you to help build on this work.

All the reasons why I decided to run remain at crisis levels, especially overwhelmed social services and the rising cost-of-living.

Also in 2025, this council seat, along with three others, are up for election. This will be a critical opportunity to lay out the agenda for our city in the years to come.

The biggest lesson of 2024 for me is how invaluable community partnership is for effective leadership in city government.

If it has been awhile since we have been able to connect, shoot me a reply to this email to find a time soon.

Let's make the most of this next year together!

Happy New Year!

Jace Cotton