(WSB photo: L-R, Stephen Brown, Maren Costa, Rob Saka, Phil Tavel, Preston Anderson)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

For the second time in five days, candidates for Seattle City Council District 1 answered questions side by side this afternoon. Five of the eight candidates participated in a forum presented by the 34th District Democrats at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge.

Like the King County Council D-8 forum that had preceded it (WSB coverage/video here), this one was a prelude to the 34th DDs’ endorsement meeting next week. Five of the candidates participated – Maren Costa, Preston Anderson, Rob Saka, Stephen Brown, and Phil Tavel; a sixth, Jean Iannelli Craciun, was expected, but sent a last-minute message citing a “scheduling conflict.”

Rachel Glass moderated the forum, asking questions the organization had planned in advance. Here’s our video:

For those who don’t want to – or have time to – watch the video, we also summarized their replies. Take note that our summaries do not represent everything they said, nor are they direct quotes unless you see words/phrases/sentences within quotation marks. We’re summarizing the questions, too.

First, self-introductions.

TAVEL: He thanked a variety of people including outgoing incumbent Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who was in the audience. He sees two things as important – the skills for the job and the ability to anticipate the unexpected. Who’s going to be the best at understanding … that next crisis? He has worked as a teacher, a company owner, a retail store owner, a public defender, an administrative-law judge. He turned to civic involvement in situations including the West Seattle Bridge closure. “This position is about public service. … In my life I’ve advocated for thousands of people in need.”

BROWN: He agrees with Phil. Then he tells a story of becoming an entrepreneur with a friend after college. “We could afford to fail.” Fear could get in their way, so they decided how to get around that – by “repackaging an obstacle as an analysis.” Says he did the same thing to triumph over fear when he decided to enter the race.

SAKA: Says he’s a dad of 3, veteran, volunteer Little League coach, among other things. Agrees that the community needs someone who’s been here a long time. He’s a Delridge resident. He’s been part of 34th for four years. “At City Hall I want to normalize collaborating across differences … and getting bold things accomplished.” He wants to hire more police and stand up public-safety alternatives. He also supports affordable housing.

ANDERSON: Talking to people in D-1, he says, crime, safety, behavioral health, and homelessness have repeatedly come up. In city/county surveys, those issues come up too. “The thing that stings me as I go out in community … people are losing a sense of trust … a degree of incredulity .. we have the opportunity to turn that around.” He knows what does and doesn’t work, as a clinician, regarding housing people in crisis/need. “Some people are being placed in situations that are not clinically appropriate for them.”

COSTA: She acknowledges the public-safety crisis … having just had a child go through a school lockdown … and a friend being held up … says leaders must dig in deeper and not try to simplify the problems and react in fear, must organize people “around a bold vision and move forward.” Recaps her 25 years as a leader in “big tech” and how she realized that Amazon “had no climate plan and was treating workers terribly.” So she organized workers and got results. She feels like her past actions, “not just words .. serve as a testament to what I will do on Council.”

Question #1: Homelessness is a crisis not being addressed. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority has been questioned. Will you continue supporting it?

TAVEL: We need to support KCRHA. The issue is regional. If we look at it as just a “problem” you think there’s a “solution.” But it’s bigger than that. More cities have signed on to KCRHA. But if Seattle’s going to foot majority of bill, we need more of a hand in (oversight). People are concerned that we spend a lot but don’t get a lot in outcomes.

BROWN: In favor of continuing to support KCRHA. Agrees with Phil, as largest contributor to KCRHA, city needs to be “fierce advocates” but it’s “definitely a regional situation.” Supports “housing-first approach.”

SAKA: Yes, would continue supporting. Complex and nuanced problems. Here to address root causes as well as symptoms. People are recognizing him and sharing thoughts and seem to support it but want better accomplishments. “I’m here to end the blank-check era.”

ANDERSON: Supports continuing to fund KCRHA. He works with VA system, mostly in homelessness programs, has also worked at DESC. VA has cut veteran homelessness in half in recent years. One key issue is placing people in clinically appropriate housing. Want to aggressively treat and house people.

COSTA: She also supports continuing to fund KCRHA. A “true collaboratiohn” across the rgion, getting people “into the place where they can get the care they need” is vital. She learned at Amazon, try big experiments, set and measure goals, audit, but we’re at the point to “need and demand results.” We can solve this problem.

Question #2: Living in Seattle is increasingly expensive. Median home price is double national average. What specific solutions will you offer?

BROWN: Glad to see state Legislature passed greater density that cities can’t opt out of. He’d be more aggressive by raising “ticket price” for developers who want to get out of building low-income housing. Applauds efforts of orgs like Community Roots.

SAKA: Crisis is “out of hand.” Grateful he is lawyer and works in tech but you shouldn’t have to be (that high on the economic ladder) to afford to live in this city. His dad was a front-line warehouse worker. “If you work in this city, you should be able to afford to live here too.” Streamline permit process. Too complex. “We need to build more quickly.”

ANDERSON: For Seattle to move into the future, we need a reset so that folks at 120 percent AMI cn afford. We are addressing 0-50 percent (etc.) but we’re still missing our middle class. Social housing can help. Talk about setting aside public lands for it. He would support that.

COSTA: Increase supply – social housing is one way to do that – people who support and run our city need to be able to afford to live in it – project-labor agreement to be sure of good union jobs – support renters – support small landlords so they don’t get priced out and bought out. She would support a vacancy tax.

TAVEL: He’s a renter. “I get it.” On the positive side, city’s expensive because it’s gorgeous and amazing. Talks about the Morgan Community Association (of which he was vice president until recently) looking at land trusts in recent years. Also, “we need to look to upzone better. We need to add more density whre we have mass transit. … One of the things we don’t have is a mass transit system where you can live (far out) and train in.”

Question #3: Some are advocating for larger police force, but attracting and retaining is harder, also talk of changing how they work. What changes will you propose?

SAKA: He fought to lay groundwork “to keep the city safe by serving on committee that chose Chief Diaz.” As a Black man, he experienced police brutality firsthand. He was also at the Boston Marathon attacked by a bomber. He’s also a combat veteran. We need more police, we have recruiting budget, need more lateral officers too. Also need to stand up alternatives too.

ANDERSON: Yes, we need more police. Would collaborate with police chief and others to figure out how. Brings it back to his clinician background: Must build up crisis responders, need more of them in community. Fire department understaffed too, has a recruiting crisis.

COSTA: Police shortage nationwide is multifaceted. People aging out, fewer signing up. Police officers experience far more traumatic events. We need to support the officers we have. When we show we re the best city to be a police officer, we will get the best officers – anti-racist, anti-sexist. Younger generation doesn’t necessarily see police the same way as older generations – they see blackened glass and tear gas.

TAVEL: Have to get to properly staffed police force, around 1,500. Start of year had only 785. He watched a lot as a public defender, every crisis doesn’t require an armed response, but need to hold people accountable. Maybe subsidize housing for officers. Need to recruit in communities of color, improve training, improve collaborative policing bureau.

BROWN: Need to recruit with wider range of outreach – look at range of compensation more creatively. What maks an officer’s life in Seattle a more rewardding life? Retaining employees at (his bagel business) Eltana might give him some insight.

Question #4: Siloing of social-service programs gets in the way of efficient funding (use, distribution). What would you to do to advocate for changes behavioral health providers seek?

ANDERSON: Always have advocated for greater integration of providers – VA already has it. Increase wages but also increase the standards (to avoid dysfunctional management, for example).

COSTA: She has a child with special needs and knows how hard it is to navigate the system. Eliminate bureaucracy, bring things together – “this is what I did at Amazon.” She would “find organizations, build the bridge, bring people together, stop duplicating efforts.”

TAVEL: Redundancies and silos are both bad. Several years ago a system was created – “homelessness accountable care organization” – so that when person goes into system you can refer and know who they’re already working with. Not just tracking data Find the orgs that are doing it right, fund them, attack siloing and redundancy.

BROWN: Has a disabled adult son – he and his former spouse struggled to help them navigate the system. She became an ombudsperson. If you could have one point of contact or end receiver of system …. bridge the silos that exist – he would advocate for a system that has a champion for each receiver.

SAKA: Too many silos, Need to improve processes. He’s helped businesses of all sizes be successful. He’s been on boards ane commissions and has helped hape commnity-led, fair, equitalble poliies. Need to look to other governments and counties and states for ideas

Question #5 – public safety: You all have said it’s your priority. Detail your vision for solving problems.

COSTA: Rebuild police force. Attract and retain the best. Stand up third department, alternative response, with highly skilled well-paid staff. Invest in gun-violence education. Push upstream, add=dress problems before they become problems. Community policing, family counseling …

TAVEL: Well-trained, well-staffed police force. Contract is 2 1/2 years late. Improve training. Enough officers that we can walk beats. Media keeps saying we have no police and they don’t enforce. Need to talk about victories more. Need to actually enforce laws. Community and collaborative courts work. Use the tools we have.

BROWN: Second thing people say to him re: public safety – either experience being broken into or seeing (something disturbing on the streets). He supports hiring and training officers and holding them accountable for quick response and equitable response

SAKA: Out of hand. Must hire more police, as many from community as possible. Fully empower them to carry out public safety mandate. Swiftly hold them accountable if they fail to carry out their public safety mandate. Police are always responding so unable to build trust. We need more police to in part help build trust.

ANDERSON: Yes, we need to add police, and SFD staff like Health One, but we also need to address upstream effects – “reciprocal determinism” – where you grow up may affect this. He grew up in Tacoma. Vulnerable people are often exploited. When we house them we’ll see a difference. Address poverty early.

Question #6 – Climate crisis. Seattle is particularly vulnerable to various climate-related problems. How would you reduce them?

TAVEL: We’ve missed a lot of deadlines and are now in damage-control setting. But remember when COVID shut everything down and air cleared. If we could reduce emissions (it could have an effect). Worked with Seattle Green Spaces Coalition to protect greenspaces. Electrify our fleets. Sewage poured into water but who was accountable? Partner with intellectual minds and focus.

BROWN: Cities themselves hold the key. Make Seattle a more dense, vibrant, less car use, urban living city. Most powerful impact we can make is with a “new urbnanization model” – make us feel we want to live shoulder to shoulder rather than spreading out.

SAKA: Supports climate justice. Mentions D-1 expanding into Duwamish Valley, “some of the most affected areas in the city, and I’m here to (help).” Talk to experts, Plan is great but if no one uses or supports it, not so much. Expand transit. More carpooling.

ANDERSON: Council needs to establish an Environmental & Social Justice Committee. Increase density – but construction often increases emissions – increase electrification – host of issues that could be worked on, this committee could help. Also need smaller electric shuttles that go deeper into the neighborhoods.

COSTA: Climate crisis is here and we’re not ready. We are not doing nearly enough fast enough. “Winning slowly is the same as losing.” We need to urgently increase our response. First, transportation and building emissions – (move the deadline up to) 2035. We’re going to run out of time before we run out of money. Within D-1 we have Duwamish Valley. Electrify port and short-haul trucking. Inflation Reduction Act has money to pay for these projects. South Seattle College can become a nationally recognized school to train our kids for jobs we’re going to need.

Question #7 – What policies would you support to improve relationship between police and Black/brown communities?

BROWN: He needs to talk to communities firsthand in much greater extent. Would ask about ways they’ve felt connected and ways they’ve felt alienated. Not well-versed in these specifics.

SAKA: Knows firsthand. These are complex nunced issues. Hiring more officers will build trust so they’re not just all running between emergencies. CD has changed. Talking to Black members of historical CD, positive program was Community Policing, foot patrols, regular conversation – all important.

ANDERSON: Personal issue for him, grew up when Tacoma was violent, drive-bys at relatives’ homes. Bring people to table to talk. Brings up Micro-Community Policing Plan program and talking with Seattle U folks who work on it – that program has room to grow. Reach out to community leaders to engage people. With his social work background, would love to have regular community forums.

COSTA: Current anti-racism lens shows us racism is everywhere. Need to admit and address that. Not going to solve problems until we get to root of that. An armed officer coming to your house is not always response you want. Need to see police and communities coming together to fix the built environment – tagging, broken windows, etc – “let’s all get our hands dirty and do it together.”

TAVEL: Former SW Precinct Capt. Pierre Davis runs Collaborative Policing. When Phil was on precinct liaison committee, he talked about this a lot. City person should go into community; cites an example, talking to East African community and hearing about disconnect with their kids, then talking about a forum so the kids could hear from police in a non-threatening way. Suggests expanding Community Service Officer program through Collab Policing Bureau.

Question #8 – This past Tuesday’s City Council drug-law vote. How would you have voted and why?

SAKA: Yes. Released a statement afterward. We need these enforcement mechanisms and tools – people are “literally dying on the streets, folks. Turning our back and doing nothing is not working.” Recognizes strong public safety and public health aspects of it. Would also make sure we are diverting people to support and treatment services they need.

ANDERSON: Yes. He understands as a clinician that a life with addiction “is harsh, it’s terrible.” There’s a therapeutic court at VA. Sometimes we let perfect be enemy of good. Main concern is, client would say they don’t want to go into housing where there’s drug use and drug dealing – we’re creating vortexes drawing people back into (it).

COSTA: No. As (Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda said in preceding forum), they didn’t have to pass this to be in line with the state. Incarceration will increase deaths. People are more likely to die of overdose coming out of jail. We can lead with compassion and still refuse to accept harmful behavior. Also concerned about shuttering of community court. Our courts are clogged, our officers are stressed.

TAVEL: Yes. Public-defender friends didn’t like that answer. We have such a nuanced problem with this right now, need to get a better handle on it.” Nobody thinks public drug use is appropriate. So what do we do with it? Getting people into mental health and drug court is (helpful) … that’s not going to happen if we decriminalize things. We can use criminal justice system as safety net. We need to back it up with collaborative courts.

BROWN: Yes, but “I agree with Maren that incarcerating addicts is not the way to go, but stripping government of tools is also not the way to go.” Also feel for people who feel they can’t go out and see safe streets.

Question #9: Big council turnover ahead (with four incumbents leaving and possibly a fifth). What will you do if elected to get your priorities passed and build consensus?

ANDERSON: Hopes to serve on Public Safety and Human Services committee that Herbold is on.

COSTA: “Business moves at the speed of trust” was an Amazon saying. Relationship-building will be vital. Would humbly take guidance from people there the longest. People skills, building trust, things that come with age. Mayor has shown he’s more willing to bring people in even if he doesn’t agree with them.

TAVEL: Collaborative process in criminal law, bringing together people who start very far apart. When you try to negotiate a plea – he’s spent close to 20 years bringing people together in that kind of setting. “I think I’m an outstanding listener, I don’t enter a situation thinking I know everything.” Says he gets along well with Harrell, knows/has experience with lots of other people in city government.

BROWN: Support person for small business, rejuvenate downtown viability, would be a good fit for the Sound Transit Board, would do best at helping other people’s ideas become actionable plans, “figure out how everybody can get a little bit of what they want.”

SAKA: Would like to serve on the Public Safety Committee. Just one area he’s “very passionate about.” Communities don’t need a savior, they need people with nuance … he could also help with economic development .. will work with fellow councilmembers “whoever they are.” And “I’m here to serve YOU, the people of this district.” Has served on many boards and commissions, “put me in the game, coach, give me the ball.”

Then, their closing remarks.

COSTA: So excited about this campaign … Evidence-based solution-oriented, swift acting … she’ll lead powerfully and boldly.

TAVEL: D-1 has grown, added areas, bigger, more diverse, we need someone who understands public service, what it means to be an advocate, how to represent a community. “I want to be a public servant for you. All the skills in my life have come together where I want to serve everybody where I live.”

BROWN: Facing challenges like this, city needs a mix of imagination and pragmatism. “I bring a mix of creativity and pragmatism.”

SAKA: We can either choose and elect more of the same or can go a bold way forth – work collectively = unite ourselves around experience – his experience is service-oriented and personal.

ANDERSON: “I’m running to help people.” That desire even led him recently to travel cross-country to work on voter suppression issues.

34th District Democrats members will vote on their endorsements Wednesday. King County Elections mails ballots July 12th; voting will continue through August 1st. If you’re not registered to vote yet, there’s plenty of time – here’s how.