Email: kendall.watson@patch.com

Phone: 206-455-1331

Hometown: Salem, UT

Age: 37

Bio: From 2006 to 2010, I've worked at newspapers in California and Washington state, including the Mercer Island Reporter in 2009 covering education and sports.

Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for us to inject our beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will cause editors to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.

Politics
How would you describe your political beliefs?
I'm a mixed bag. I strongly believe in the power of the government to act as a force for good and to improve people's lives. It is, after all, made up of people. But I also believe that our elected representatives should be held accountable and spend money they raise for the state carefully and wisely—they should conserve our resources for when we really need them. It is, after all, our money. And finally, we should always be thinking about how our actions affect others, now and in the future—both those we don't know and our loved ones living with us now, as well as our children and grandchildren not yet born.
Are you registered with a certain party?
I am not currently registered with a political party.

Religion
How religious would you consider yourself?
I consider myself a casual observer of the mystery of life, and enjoy the multitude of expressions in celebration of it. Heck, it's one of the main reasons I sought out a career in writing. I believe in this.

Local Hot-Button Issues
What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?
I plan to stay focused on several key issues: Education, and in particular, funding for Mercer Island schools, plans to keep up with increased enrollment and safety of youth in schools. City government and possible cuts to vital services are also of prime importance.

Where do you stand on each of these issues?
Both the school board and city council must carefully examine what is possible in terms of infrastructure and services, and plan for the future accordingly. In times of economic hardship, it can be risky to be ambitious—as the city was in building the Community Center at Mercer View or the school district was in partnering with The Boys and Girls Club to build the PEAK facility. But being short-sighted is equally if not more risky.