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Buxbaum led with 56 percent of the vote in early returns Tuesday night over former KGY radio host Dick Pust, who had 42 percent.
“I am grateful for the confidence that Olympia voters have placed in me and I will set to work right away,” Buxbaum said. “I’m going to focus on making sure that we are well positioned for meeting our budget needs.”
Buxbaum is set to succeed Mayor Doug Mah, who has been mayor since 2008 and is the veteran member of the Olympia City Council, having served since 2002. Now Buxbaum, with just shy of two years on the council, will be one of the senior members on the government body, along with Councilwoman Jeannine Roe and Councilwoman Karen Rogers.
“I congratulate Steve Buxbaum,” Pust said. “I know he loves Olympia, and he’ll be a great mayor.
“I gave it my best shot. We both love Olympia and the voters chose Steve.”
With Buxbaum apparently moving to the mayor’s seat, that would leave Buxbaum’s current seat open, with about two years left on the term. The council will appoint someone to that seat, and Pust said that he would consider applying for it.
Buxbaum has said his top goal is for a comprehensive plan that is directly linked to zoning, development regulations and design review. The city is in the midst of developing its new comprehensive plan, the first major update since 1994. Another top goal is revitalizing downtown. He has championed an approach including considering a ban on some high-alcohol drinks, working with bars to prevent overserving and declaring part of downtown blighted under the state community renewal law in order to buy derelict properties and sell them for redevelopment. Buxbaum has also called for strong neighborhood involvement.
Improving downtown was Pust’s top issue. He has suggested a new ordinance banning sleeping on sidewalks. He also pledged to forge a council that gets along and create more family-wage jobs.
Buxbaum has run on his experience as a longtime state worker in the old Department of Community Trade and Economic Development, where he worked on community development. He said that’s his passion and vocation, and he wants to use his experience to benefit Olympia.
Pust cites a different kind of experience with more than four decades at KGY Radio, mostly as its morning host from 1969 to early this year. He has met practically every major community leader over that time and developed a knowledge of the issues.
