(WSB photo from Saturday’s mayoral visit)
As reported here in-depth on Saturday, Mayor Ed Murray spent about 2 1/2 hours in West Seattle that day, including a walking tour of The Junction and Triangle, and a “coffee chat” with about 20 in attendance. After all that, we had the opportunity to ask the mayor a few questions one-on-one. Ahead, our questions – inspired by recent reader comments and community-meeting discussions – and his replies:
*What can be done about the affordable-housing crisis right now – to help people who are getting notices of big rent increases, who are looking for someplace they can afford to live and can’t find it?
“We’re trying to understand that,” the mayor replied. “The question is whether we can change the length of the warning (period), or the amount of increase – I’m not talking about rent control – or whether it will take permission from the state.” He says he suspects the latter will be necessary.
*Speaking of the state, what are you doing to push for Sound Transit to be authorized to raise enough money for light rail to West Seattle (and elsewhere – the battle currently is over whether ST will have $11 billion taxing authority or $15 billion)?
Murray, who is on the Sound Transit board, said he was in Olympia all day Thursday working on this (the day a hearing was held on the transportation bill that made it out of the State Senate). They’re running into a bit of a roadblock over which taxes they can use, though.
*Speaking of taxes, we keep hearing about levy fatigue. People say they just want to be able to see the big picture, rather than voting for one levy, then hearing about another, then another … What else is on the horizon?
He didn’t mention anything new – the $900 million transportation levy is in the spotlight now, and has a West Seattle informational meeting Tuesday (March 31st) at 6 pm at West Seattle High School – but first noted that “we’re not doing a good job reminding people” when levies are replacements or renewals. (Transportation, for example, will follow the expiring Bridging the Gap levy, though it’s been amply noted that its 9-year price tag is more than twice BTG, which was for less than $400.) Second, Murray said people have to remember “how we got here,” namely, he said, via the Tim Eyman initiatives. “So now we have to go to the voters again and again … but they do get to decide.” He expressed regret that so much of the taxation is “regressive.”
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