FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Sonny Putter                                                                                      

Telephone:      425-401-7220 (w)             425-226-3367 (h)

E-mail:            sonny_putter@prodigy.net

Web site:       http://pages.prodigy.net/sonny_putter/

SONNY PUTTER DECLARES CANDIDACY
FOR RE-ELECTION TO
NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL

Newcastle City Council incumbent will seek
another term

Newcastle, Washington, June 23, 2003 - Sonny Putter today announced his candidacy for re-election to the Newcastle City Council, Position 4.  Sonny was first elected to the Newcastle City Council in 1994, and was re-elected in 1995 and 1999.  He was elected Mayor for a 2-year term in 2000.

Sonny Putter successfully lobbied for major projects that will benefit the community for years to come.  To date, Newcastle has received over $20 million in State and County grants for Coal Creek Parkway improvements to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety.  Two new elementary schools will be built in Newcastle in the next 2 years.  Ten parks have been developed or expanded.  New urban trails, like the Lake Boren Esplanade adjacent to Coal Creek   Parkway, and new natural trails, like the Golf Course Trail, were built to improve pedestrian circulation and create connections between neighborhoods.  These achievements underline Sonny’s continued efforts to upgrade the City’s infrastructure and increase the level of basic services in Newcastle.

Sonny stated the following about his candidacy:

“I'm your neighbor, no matter where in Newcastle you live.  Along with many of you, I helped start the City.  I feel a sense of responsibility to help build Newcastle into a community with its own special identity.  I envision a pedestrian-friendly community business core, a central civic meeting place connected to Lake Boren Park, expanded community-wide programs, more sidewalks for safety in the neighborhoods - and a unique Newcastle ZIP code. "For the past 9 years, I've served as a Council member who has helped improve services for all Newcastle residents.  At the same time, I helped restrain City spending while increasing revenues from outside sources.   Community amenities such as parks, trails, and playgrounds were developed.  Basic services, such as police, fire and emergency medical services, have been made more reliable, with greatly improved response times. "My immediate goals are to complete all of Coal Creek Parkway through Newcastle, promote development in the Community Business Center as Newcastle's downtown, partner regionally with other local governments to bring new amenities, like a library, to Newcastle and get a unique ZIP code for Newcastle."

Throughout his service as a councilmember, Sonny has been active in local and regional affairs.  He represents   Newcastle on the Eastside Transportation Partnership, of which he was formerly Vice Chair.  He is also Newcastle’s representative on the I-405 Corridor Program Executive Committee.  In 2002 and 2003, Sonny was elected by his peers in other cities to serve as Co-Chair of Suburban Cities Association's Policy Board and as a member of the organization’s executive committee.  Sonny currently represents all King County cities outside Seattle on the Metropolitan King County Regional Policy Committee, and served in the same capacity as a member of the Metropolitan King County Regional Water Quality Committee, the Regional Transit Committee and the King County Jail Advisory Committee.

At the State level, Sonny serves on the Legislative Committee of the Association of Washington Cities.  He also earned accreditation as a Certified Municipal Leader from the Association.

Sonny has been an officer and board member of several local charitable organizations and was a founding board member of the Greater Newcastle Chamber of Commerce.  Professionally, he is a Certified Public Accountant and an owner of Friedman, Putter and Company, an Investment Advisory firm registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Sonny is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound with a Master of Business Administration degree and McGill University with a Master of Science degree.  Sonny and his wife Ann Marie have been married for 31 years and have one son, Yoni.

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Paid for by Citizens for Sonny Putter