Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said Tuesday he will seek re-election to a second term in 2019.

In his announcement, Somers — a Democrat who previously served on the county council — said he has made restoring fiscal discipline to county budgeting, increasing the efficiency of county government, establishing commercial air service at Paine Field, and strengthening regional partnerships to address congestion relief, economic development, and salmon recovery a foundation of his first term.

“It is an honor to serve all the people of Snohomish County as Executive,” said Somers. “With national politics divisive and dysfunctional, we’ve worked hard here at home to focus on basic services and quality of life–making sure we have a strong economy, safe neighborhoods, inclusive communities, and needed services for veterans, seniors, kids, and the most vulnerable.”

With increasing population and the need to replace and restore aging infrastructure, Somers says the county needs to continue looking for ways to maximize taxpayer resources.

“I’m proud of the work we have done to put the county back on solid financial ground,” said Somers. “We know this strong economy will not last forever and have to be prepared for a downturn in revenues. We also need to make key investments now in safety and infrastructure, all possible with smart budgeting, innovative planning, and effective partnerships.”

If re-elected, Somers said he “wants to continue tackling tough issues like traffic congestion, affordable housing, homelessness, and opioid addiction, building on programs underway while using data to improve services and implementation.”