Candidate Profile: Mark Wallach, Boulder City Council

BOULDER, CO — Ten candidates are running for five open seats on City Council in Boulder's Nov. 2 municipal election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Mark Wallach is running for Boulder City Council.

Age: 68

Family

Joan Zimmerman, wife

Education

B.A. Yale University, J.D. Columbia University

Occupation

Retired, previously Real Estate Development 20 years, Attorney, 18 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Boulder City Council. 2019-2021

Campaign website: wallachforcouncil.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

To continue the work I have been doing for the past two years, and to address the many issues facing our community.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Two years of experience on the Council. I have actually served, voted and negotiated with my colleagues. I understand how the Council works and have spent considerable time working with the remaining incumbents on policy matters.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think our local officials, and our City staff, have responded magnificently to this crisis. Departments have worked with vastly diminished staff and financial resources to continue to provide critical services, often in novel ways. Our Council has been focused on our economic recovery, and was quick to institute outside dining to protect our restaurant industry. We have managed a difficult budget situation characterized by diminished tax revenue. I am very proud to have worked with all of them during this period. We have very different views on Council, but during this crisis we collaborated together for the good of Boulder.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Obviously, affordable housing. Unlike other candidates, I do not believe the best solution for Boulder is to maximize the construction of market rate housing in order to obtain a small amount of affordable housing from the developers. I believe we have an opportunity to convert our municipal airport to the construction of large amounts of affordable and middle-income housing. As the site is 179 acres, we could easily build in excess of 2,500 units there. It is a difficult, multi-year process to do this, but I think the result would justify the effort.

Otherwise, protection of open space and providing a vigorous response to the challenge of climate change are critically important.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My two years of service demonstrate my capabilities for this position. I believe that in this period I have established a reputation as a diligent, critically thinking member of the Council who asks important questions and works cooperatively with others. I am very proud of the fact that each and every member of the current Council - representing a wide range of viewpoints - has chosen to endorse my candidacy.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Perhaps the only advice I ever received from my father was the simplest, and occasionally the hardest to comply with: Do the right thing. Nothing more, nothing less. It is amazing how difficult it can be to identify the right thing to do, and how challenging it can be to do it. I also had a business partner who always said to me, "First tell me the bad news." Don't sugarcoat, don't lie, and be candid. I have tried to follow that advice.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I first started coming to Boulder 40 years ago as a young rock climber. Much older than I was, and after a number of injuries, I am now competing for the title of "Worst Rock Climber in Colorado". But I still love it, and will continue as long as I can.