December 2025 Message from Mayor David J. Faber

December 22, 2025
 

A Mayoral Retrospective

As my term as Mayor comes to a close, I want to take a moment to speak directly to you—the residents who make Port Townsend such a special place to call home. Serving as the mayor of my hometown has been the honor of my lifetime, and though the last four years have certainly had their share of difficulties, I am deeply grateful to have had this opportunity.

At the outset of my time as Mayor, Port Townsend was facing myriad challenges. Years of deferred maintenance strained our streets, sewer system, and public facilities. At the same time, too many families were feeling the pressure of rapidly rising housing costs, unsure whether they could continue to afford to live in the city they love. These were—and are—not problems with easy or quick solutions, but they were problems we committed to facing head-on.

Together, we have made meaningful progress. We launched a long-term, data-driven approach to infrastructure maintenance and paired that with dedicated funding streams. Our Transportation Benefit District (created in 2023) is now generating roughly $1million per year for street maintenance, which has allowed us to start making very real progress on potholes and otherwise fixing streets around Port Townsend, particularly when paired with the tens of millions of dollars in state and federal infrastructure grants now flowing to Port Townsend. We also made the hard decision to significantly raise sewer rates with the goal of repairing sewer infrastructure before disaster occurs—and we paired those new rates with a novel, income-driven utility discount program to help save lower- and middle-income residents on their utility bills even as we generate more revenue to fix real problems. While there is still a huge amount of work to be done, our city is now on a more sustainable path, one that prioritizes preventative maintenance and smart investment rather than costly emergency fixes.

We also took important steps toward improving housing affordability. By eliminating exclusionary zoning, encouraging diverse housing types, and continuing to support our local nonprofit affordable housing developers, we have laid the groundwork for a more inclusive city. These efforts are in their earliest stages, but they represent a shift toward a housing system that will work for working families, seniors, and young people alike. We still have much more to do on the housing front, however, and as I return to being a “regular” councilperson, I am looking forward to helping design a smart and effective inclusionary zoning/mandatory housing affordability program that is right-sized for our city.

None of this progress happened in isolation, nor can I even begin to take credit for it. Instead, it was the result of collaboration—between all of us on city council, city staff, community leaders, other local governmental bodies, our state and federal legislative delegations, and residents who showed up, spoke out, and stayed engaged. I am especially proud of the respectful, solutions-oriented spirit that defined so much of our work, even when we did not always agree.

As I step back from my time as mayor and return to my council seat, I do so with confidence in the city’s direction and optimism about what lies ahead. The foundation we have built together is strong, and I believe it will support continued progress for years to come.

Thank you for allowing me to serve. I will always be proud to have been your Mayor.

With gratitude and respect,

David J. Faber
Mayor of the City of Port Townsend