RR's sister throws her hat in the ring

Helen is my wonderful sister.

For immediate release

January 8, 2008
Contact: Committee to Elect Helen Price Johnson -D
PO Box 112 Clinton, WA 98236
Tom Cahill 360-730-1895

South Whidbey School Director Helen Price Johnson Announces Candidacy for Island County Commissioner

Cites Need for “Transparent, responsive government”

CLINTON, WA – Citing the need for transparent, responsive county leadership, and the importance of maintaining our islands’ quality of life, Helen Price Johnson today announced her intention to seek the Island County Commissioner District 1 position.

Elected to the South Whidbey School Board in 2001, Price Johnson served as president from 2003-05, overseeing a dramatic financial turnaround from a large budget deficit to a stable $1 million fund balance. She currently represents the board on legislative issues at the state and federal level.

“By exercising patience, respect, and diligence, we were able to turn the district around. Helen’s courageous leadership was critical to our board’s success” said Greg Gilles, former South Whidbey School Director. “She has never been afraid to face a difficult situation head on.”

Price Johnson understands the needs of Island County’s small business community. “If we balance economic and environmental sustainability, we can support both the small business backbone of our economy and the quality of life that we all treasure,” she said. A mother of four, she owns and operates Price/Johnson Construction with her husband Dave, also a longtime Islander.

Neil Colburn, restaurant owner and former mayor of Langley agrees. “Helen understands that our small businesses employ a large share of our workforce and contribute to our way of life. And she knows that we must care for our fragile economy and our environment at the same time. These are the principles we need in our county government today.”

“Growing up here, I learned the importance of a strong community where we look out for one another and give back to the place we live. We have been drawn together by this amazing community and the natural beauty that surrounds us. I see a need to change the culture of our county’s leadership so these values are better represented. Einstein said ‘you can’t solve problems with the same thinking that created them’. That’s why we need a change.”

Price Johnson, a Democrat, moved to South Whidbey in 1965. She is a Langley High School graduate and has her BA from Mills College. In recognition of her school board service, she received the Trustee Award for Servant Leadership. She has been a longtime community volunteer with the South Whidbey PTA, the League of Women Voters, the South Whidbey Home Builders, the South Whidbey Historical Society, South Whidbey Youth Soccer, and Langley United Methodist Church among other organizations. In 2004 she was featured as a Hometown Hero in the South Whidbey Record. In 2007, she served as a consultant with Big Mind Group to the Port of South Whidbey Island in their comprehensive planning process.