ADAM RAGHEB
Proven Experience for Mercer Island City Council Position 7
I’m a father of three young children under 4, a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, and a former Mercer Island Planning Commissioner. I was raised by a college professor and a public school teacher. My wife, a university educator, and I chose Mercer Island for its excellent public schools, its beautiful parks, and its safe and spacious neighborhoods.
Why I am Running
I am running to advocate for and protect what makes Mercer Island unique. We need a leader who knows how to build bridges, but stands firm when Mercer Island’s best interests are not being served. For the past four years, our balanced City Council has served the Mercer Island community well, and I’m committed to continuing that legacy of balanced, thoughtful leadership.
Proven Experience. Trusted Community Advocate.
Priorities
More priorities to come as I continue to reach out and interact with our community!
-
I will advocate for sufficient police and programs to keep our community safe and ensure that our emergency services will always serve our city’s needs. Investing in crime prevention programs like neighborhood watch and camera networks can deter criminal activity before it happens and keep our community safe.
-
Our parks are essential to our quality of life here on Mercer Island. I will stand up to any proposals that threaten to develop on parkland, ensuring these cherished spaces remain places for Islanders to gather, play, and build community. As a Planning Commissioner I opposed the idea of putting underground parking in Mercerdale for Town Center overflow. I recently provided public comment that parking in parks should be for park uses only, and this idea was incorporated into the Park Zone by our Planning Commission in May of this year.
-
Without vibrant retail and parking in our suburban community, our Town Center is at risk of further decline. I have collaborated with retail business owners to improve parking downtown. On Council, I will leverage my Planning Commission experience to guide our Town Center toward a successful and thriving future.
On Council, I will ensure that proposed neighborhood changes reflect and support the principles of the Comprehensive Plan and its Vision Statement.
-
I will work to address our aging water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure through thoughtful, integrated, and prioritized improvements. My Systems Engineering background requires me to analyze complex aerospace systems and ensure they perform appropriately and within budget. Our City and its infrastructure is an example of a complex system-of-systems.
-
My wife and I selected Mercer Island as a place to live and raise our family primarily because of its reputation for excellent public schools. I will work to ensure that the City continues to support our public schools and MIYFS.
Mercer Island is our home, and I am committed to protecting what makes our community special.
My experience as a Planning Commissioner has given me knowledge of how our city works and together we can guide its future.
ADAM RAGHEB
THE EXPERIENCED CHOICE FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL
Raised in the Midwest by parents who are both educators, Ragheb credits his upbringing with instilling a strong work ethic, respect for environmental stewardship, and an appreciation for excellent public schools.
Adam holds a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently works as a Senior Aerospace Systems Engineer. In his role, he regularly brings together diverse viewpoints to craft collaborative, data-driven solutions for complex systems-of-systems—an approach he believes will serve Mercer Island well.
While his professional background focuses on the aerospace industry, he also has firsthand experience with utility right-of-way and route design, soil conservation, airport land-use permitting, tree law, renewable energy, and administrative law proceedings.
Currently employed as an Aerospace Systems Engineer, one of Adam’s important tasks at work is to bring together a broad variety of viewpoints, perform impact analyses of design decisions, and to craft a timely solution that is beneficial to all – this experience will be directly applicable to a city council position.
Personal views aside, he believes it is a City Councilmember’s job to listen to and represent their constituents, and thus Adam pledges to hear every island resident who wishes to be heard, even in the cases where their personal beliefs may differ from his.
PROVEN RECORD
Adam has a strong track record of protecting our parks, preserving our neighborhoods, and supporting policy to allow our Town Center to thrive.
OPEN EARS
Adam’s willingness to listen to his constituents, even when contrasting viewpoints are held, will ensure his votes on the City Council are fair.
Questions?
adamrformicc@gmail.com
DEEP UNDERSTANDING
As a former Planning Commissioner, Adam has deep-dived a number of city topics and understands the importance of systems thinking.