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Auburn deputy mayor Cheryl Raikes and council member Clinton Taylor reflect on public service and local challenges
Summary
Mayor Nancy Backus interviewed Deputy Mayor Cheryl Raikes and Council Member Clinton Taylor on a city podcast about why they ran for office, how they balance public service and private life, and experiences that shaped their local priorities.
Mayor Nancy Backus hosted a podcast interview on Jan. 6, 2025, with Auburn Deputy Mayor Cheryl Raikes and Council Member Clinton Taylor about what drew each to local office and the challenges of serving a growing city.
The conversation centered on roots in Auburn, motivations for public service and the learning curve of council work. "More gets done at the local level than gets done at the county, state, or federal level," Backus said, explaining why she values local engagement. Both Raikes and Taylor said service and community ties brought them into politics: Raikes as executive director of the Downtown Auburn Cooperative and Taylor as founder of a financial-education nonprofit serving low-income BIPOC youth across Puget Sound.
The profile-style interview placed both officials’ service in context. Deputy Mayor Cheryl Raikes, who has lived in Auburn since childhood, was appointed to the City Council…
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