Walker: Why I’m Running As An Independent For Council

By AARON WALKER
Independent Candidate
Los Alamos County Council

Hello Los Alamos,

First of all, a huge thank you to all of those that have reached out to me over the past two days. You have all kept me very busy gathering signatures and answering questions. I appreciate the outpouring of support from the community during this unique time dealing with COVID-19 and trying to secure a

A big question I have been asked is “Why are you running?” The answer to that question is not an easy one to answer, as there are many diverse reasons why I am running. I have always felt the urge to serve, even after my time in the Navy concluded. The natural path from this was to get involved with the local government, and I have been since 2018 when I was selected to be on the Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB). During my tenure on CDAB I have gotten the feel for how our county government operates, and I have noticed areas that need to be fixed.

Too often, the focus is on the “big picture” items such as housing, downtown and parking. These ARE major issues, but there are a lot of other issues plaguing this county that could make this place a much more dynamic place to live. I want to restore accountability to the county. I want to change the attitude and culture of the county and the county council. For too long, it seems as though the departments have had “free reign” to do what they wish, and the councilors will rubber stamp anything brought to them without asking difficult questions.

We desperately need someone on county council that is not afraid to ruffle some feathers and ask challenging questions. We need a councilor that is willing to challenge what is in front of them, and not accept everything at face value. We also need a councilor that is sympathetic to the people of the county and will take time to listen to members of the community.

I’m not afraid to do any of those. I can be brash, blunt, and not afraid to challenge the status quo. I can be sympathetic to the issues of the community and am willing to devote as much time as needed to talk to members of the town without a political bias or a specific agenda. I’m not doing this to build a “legacy” or leave my mark on the community. I am running because I feel I can fill a specific role that the county desperately needs right now.

A while back I wrote a letter stating that Empathy, Integrity, and Listening were the three major qualities that I feel are paramount to a county councilor. I feel I bring all of these to the table and have struggled to find these qualities in some of the other candidates.  As an Independent I don’t have the same political advantages as the major parties, but I do have grit, desire, and determination. I am running because I feel I can be what people need in a county councilor.

I still need your assistance to get on the ballot for the election in November. I must gather a total of roughly 205 signatures of voters registered in Los Alamos County. All your signature indicates is that you would like me to be on the ballot. If you would like to sign my petition or hear more about me, please email me at walker4cc@gmail.com. I will respond as rapidly as I can. I will respect social distancing protocol and can place a petition for you to sign at your door/in your mailbox and return for it later if that is what you would prefer. If you live in White Rock, you can also email me and ask for my address, as I have a petition on my door.

Thank you for all the support!

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