West Seattle, Washington
25 Saturday
Just in from Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s office, an announcement of multiple cabinet appointments, including an interim SDOT director, plus a West Seattleite as chief public-safety officer.
(WSB photo, Adiam Emery at RapidRide H Line launch in White Center, March 2023)
First – deputy mayor Adiam Emery is promoted to interim SDOT director as of February 4, succeeding Greg Spotts, who is leaving to return to Southern California. The mayor is quoted as saying, “Over the last three years working in our office – and nearly 30 years at SDOT from intern to division director – Adiam Emery has proved to be one of the Seattle’s most effective advocates for transportation safety.” Here’s further background from the announcement:
Originally from Ethiopia, Emery came to the United States as part of the African Diaspora to pursue an education. After earning a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Washington, she began her career with the City as an engineering intern. Over the years, she has risen through the ranks at SDOT, serving as a transportation engineer, manager of the Transportation Operations Center, and division director for Transportation Operations.
We asked a followup question about whether the interim appointment is a stepping stone to permanence; mayor’s office spokesperson Callie Craighead tells WSB, “Later this year, after she has an opportunity to become established as interim director, we will decide whether to seek Council confirmation or launch a national search.”
Following Emery as deputy mayor will be Jessyn Farrell, who’s been leading the Office of Sustainability and Environment; as deputy mayor, the announcement says, Farrell will be “overseeing a portfolio that includes transportation, parks, and climate action.”
(WSB photo, Natalie Walton-Anderson at Alki public-safety forum, June 2024)
Among the others announced with a new role is West Seattleite Natalie Walton-Anderson, the mayor’s Director of Public Safety, who “will become Chief Public Safety Officer, a member of the mayor’s Executive Team and the portfolio manager overseeing the Seattle Police Department, Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department, and the Office of Emergency Management, effective immediately.” Here’s the summary of her background:
Walton-Anderson previously served as a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington Criminal Division, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Criminal Division, and Criminal Division Chief for the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, she is a champion for keeping people safe, including supporting survivors and victims of crimes such as domestic violence and sexual assault, holding offenders accountable, and designing and implementing diversion strategies. Walton-Anderson has a Juris Doctor from Seattle University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington.
Other appointments include waterfront office director Angela Brady adding the title of Sound Transit Designated Representative for the mayor – see the full list here.
By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
We’re continuing our look at what’s on the February 11 ballots that King County Elections mailed out today. Last night we reported on Seattle Propositions 1A and 1B, funding for “social housing”; tonight, we’ll look at the two levy votes for Seattle Public Schools.
Proposition 1: Replacement for Educational Programs and Operations Levy
Seattle Public Schools is asking voters to approve a $747 million three-year operations levy to replace the current levy, which expires in 2025. The expiring levy collected about $244 million annually, while the proposed levy would collect more—$250 million in 2026, $249 million in 2027, and $248 million in 2028.
The proposed levy would fund programs not fully covered by state funding, including salaries, classroom supplies, special education, bilingual education, student transportation, maintenance, and extracurricular activities like arts and sports. Without a replacement, these services could face cuts.
Seattle Public Schools has relied on operations levies for decades to fill gaps left by state funding, especially in areas like special education, bilingual programs, and extracurricular activities. Seattle voters have consistently approved these levies. Rising costs have led the district to adjust levy requests to meet ongoing needs.
The levy would be funded through property taxes, with property owners in the district paying an estimated $0.78 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2026, $0.75 in 2027, and $0.72 in 2028. For example, the owner of a home valued at $700,000 would pay approximately $546 in 2026. These rates would be adjusted based on actual property values at the time of collection.
All taxable properties within the Seattle Public Schools district boundaries would contribute to this levy if it is approved by voters. This includes residential, commercial, and other property types subject to property taxes.
Schools First and other supporters submitted a statement in favor, writing: “This levy benefits every school in every part of Seattle … If the Operations Levy is not renewed, the district will have to make deep cuts. Teachers and instructional assistants will be laid off, and valuable programs that support students will be cut back or eliminated.”
No statements were submitted in opposition.
Proposition 2: Building Excellence Program: Capital Levy (BEX VI)
The district is asking voters to approve a $1.8 billion, six-year capital levy to fund the Building Excellence VI (BEX VI) Program, replacing an expiring measure. The levy is designed to fund safety upgrades, renovations, and technology needs across the district.
If approved, the levy would generate $300 million annually from 2026 to 2031. Property owners would pay an estimated $0.93 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2026, with rates decreasing to $0.79 in 2031 as property values rise. For example, the owner of a $600,000 home would pay approximately $558 in the first year.
Supporters emphasize this is not a new tax but a continuation of the current levy, though the total amount collected annually would increase slightly from the previous levy’s $270 million per year to meet rising costs.
The BEX VI levy would fund retrofitting school buildings for earthquake safety, upgrading fire alarms and security systems, replacing roofs and mechanical systems, making energy efficiency improvements, and renovating or replacing up to five schools. It also provides 90% of the district’s technology budget, which includes student computers and staff training. Its biggest West Seattle project would be an addition at Chief Sealth International High School for Career and Technical Education.
Supporters of the levy, including King County Executive Dow Constantine, argue it is essential to maintaining safe and modern learning environments. “This levy helps make sure our students are safe and our schools well maintained,” they wrote. “Every student and every school benefits!”
Opposition was submitted by Chris Jackins, a longtime critic of district spending. Jackins argued the levy prioritizes large school projects and could lead to consolidations or closures. He also proposed shrinking the levy to reduce taxes and setting aside funds to generate interest for the district’s operating budget.
Supporters have dismissed these claims, asserting there is no language in the proposal to close or consolidate schools. Instead, they argue the levy focuses on maintaining and modernizing existing facilities. “Prop. 2 maintains, rebuilds, and replaces aging school buildings, roofs, HVAC systems, technology, and security systems districtwide,” they wrote in a rebuttal.
State Senator Javier Valdez, a Democrat representing the 46th Legislative District in north Seattle, is a supporter of the levy and wrote, “All Seattle kids, regardless of zip code, deserve safe and healthy schools and up-to-date technology. Let’s continue investing in their future success.”
For both propositions, voters will simply choose “yes” or “no” to indicate their approval or rejection.
Currently, there is no direct alternative to these levies for funding the programs, safety upgrades and technology needs of Seattle Public Schools. The state’s funding formula does not fully cover these expenses, and the district relies heavily on voter-approved levies to bridge the gap. Without these levies, the district would likely need to make significant cuts or seek other funding sources
Election Day is February 11. Ballots must be postmarked by that date or dropped off at a ballot drop box (West Seattle has four) by 8 pm.
Register to vote, if you have not already. Online and mail registrations must be received by February 3 to vote in the election. Or register to vote in person by 8 pm on Election Day.
By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
King County Elections starts sending out ballots tomorrow for the February 11 special election. Your ballot will include four measures related to two issues. First, we’re looking at Seattle Propositions 1A and 1B, which involve funding for the Seattle Social Housing Developer created by a vote two years ago.
The nonprofit coalition House Our Neighbors coalition spearheaded Initiative 135, approved in February 2023 with 57 percent of the vote. This measure established the Seattle Social Housing Developer, tasked with building, owning, and maintaining affordable “social housing.” However, due to Washington state’s single-subject rule, a single ballot measure could not both create the public development authority and provide funding. As a result, Initiative 135 did not include funding for the agency to carry out its mission, aside from startup costs.
Propositions 1A and 1B aim to fill that gap by proposing different ways to fund the Developer.
Social housing in Seattle refers to publicly owned, permanently affordable housing that serves residents across a broad spectrum of incomes, from extremely low to moderate. This mixed-income approach allows the developer to generate more revenue by including tenants from varied income levels, enabling rents to cover maintenance and operational costs while reducing reliance on government subsidies. As a theoretical example, House Our Neighbors, in partnership with Neiman Taber Architects, unveiled a preliminary design for social housing in Seattle. It features eco-friendly buildings offering a variety of housing options, including family-sized apartments, townhouses, and co-living models with shared kitchens and bathrooms on each level.
Tasked with getting social housing built is the Developer, governed by a 13-member board composed of renters, housing experts, and equity advocates. Most members were appointed by city leaders and by groups like the Seattle Renters’ Commission. The board oversees planning and finances, with meetings open to the public. Since its formation, the Developer has focused on building its organizational structure but has not yet constructed any housing due to a lack of consistent funding. Propositions 1A and 1B offer competing solutions to address that.
Proposition 1A
Proposition 1A, introduced through citizen initiative I-137 and signed by thousands of Seattleites, proposes a new payroll tax on employers who pay employees over $1 million annually. The tax is estimated to generate around $50 million a year for the Developer, providing a long-term funding source to build and maintain social housing.
Proposition 1B
Proposition 1B, proposed by the Seattle City Council, proposes to use funds from the existing JumpStart payroll tax to allocate $10 million annually for five years to the Developer. This approach avoids creating a new tax but provides less funding and imposes additional oversight requirements.
Key differences:
Funding Source: Proposition 1A establishes a new payroll tax on high-earning employers; Proposition 1B allocates funds from the existing Payroll Expense Tax.
Funding Amount: Proposition 1A estimates to raise approximately $50 million annually, while Proposition 1B limits funding to $10 million per year for five years, adjusted for inflation.
Income Range: Proposition 1A allows for a broader range of incomes, serving low- to moderate-income households. Proposition 1B focuses on developments catering to lower-income residents, limiting eligibility to those with more restricted financial means.
Oversight: Proposition 1A grants the Social Housing Developer greater autonomy, while Proposition 1B requires the Developer to apply for funding and adhere to conditions set by the Seattle Office of Housing.
Support for proposition 1A (full support/opposition statements are linked here)
Supporters of 1A, including State Senator Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), argue that the proposal provides the necessary resources to address the city’s housing crisis.
“This dedicated revenue stream will create more than 2,000 units, including family-sized units, of social housing over the next 10 years,” Saldaña and others wrote. They emphasize that social housing prioritizes workforce and community stability, helping essential workers like teachers and firefighters stay in Seattle.
They add: “Proposition 1B takes $10 million from affordable housing and essential services to keep taxes low for our wealthiest businesses. It also dismantles the proven business model for social housing, guaranteeing that it fails before producing any of the housing we desperately need. “
Support for proposition 1B
Supporters of 1B, such as Al Levine, an instructor at the University of Washington, advocate for a cautious approach.
“We need more affordable housing and accountability,” Levine and others wrote. “Proposition 1B provides $10 million a year of existing tax revenues for five years to test if the concept works.”
“We need more affordable housing and accountability, but the social housing Public Development Authority (PDA) was only created in 2023 and uses an unproven concept for building and managing housing. Social housing has never been tried in Seattle and is done in one other place in the United States. This concept may have merit, but can it deliver $50 million worth of housing every year when it hasn’t delivered any?”
Opposition to both
Critics, including former housing nonprofit director Alice Woldt, oppose both measures, arguing they fail to prioritize the city’s most vulnerable residents.
“New tax revenues should assist truly poor residents,” Woldt and others wrote. “Social housing advocates want $520 million over 10 years for higher-income apartments, leaving only 60 units for the homeless.”
In February 2024, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, led by President and CEO Rachel Smith, criticized Initiative 137 (I-137). Smith described the initiative as a “blank check” for an “unprepared” social housing developer, expressing concerns about the lack of a concrete plan and the potential financial burden on Seattle residents.
Social housing in practice
Vienna, Austria, is often highlighted as a global leader in social housing, offering a potential model for long-term housing affordability. In Vienna, the city owns and operates a significant portion of the housing stock, providing affordable rentals to a broad range of incomes. Rents are below market rates and tied to household income, ensuring inclusivity while reducing stigma. Revenue generated from tenant rents is reinvested into maintaining and expanding the housing stock, creating a self-sustaining system that addresses affordability and housing stability.
How the Ballot Works
The ballot will ask two questions:
Should one of the two propositions be adopted?
If yes, which proposition — 1A or 1B — should be implemented?
If a majority votes “No” on the first question, neither measure will pass. If “Yes” prevails, the proposition with more votes on the second question will be adopted.
Election Day is February 11. Ballots must be postmarked by that date or dropped off at a ballot drop box (West Seattle has four) by 8 pm.
Register to vote, if you have not already. Online and mail registrations must be received by February 3 to vote in the election. Or register to vote in person by 8 pm on Election Day.
Also on the ballot
Two Seattle Public Schools levies. We’ll look at those in our next election preview.
After a process that started less than four weeks ago when new Gov. Bob Ferguson chose then-State Sen. Joe Nguyen to become Commerce Director, our area has a new State Senator and State House Representative, appointed this afternoon by King County Councilmembers. Above is newly appointed State Sen. Emily Alvarado; below is her subsequently appointed successor as State House Rep., Brianna Thomas, who is a policy adviser in the Seattle mayor’s office.
Sen. Alvarado followed her swearing-in by saying, “Let’s get to work on making life better for Washingtonians”; Rep. Thomas followed hers hours later – and moments ago – with a few rounds of thank-yous and “I’m having a ‘Miss America’ moment; I’m going to go before I cry,” noting that her dad was watching the livestream from out of state, and that she is looking forward to going to Olympia tomorrow morning.
The appointments were the culmination of daylong proceedings in the county council’s chambers downtown. The council had three appointments to make, these two for the 34th Legislative District, as well as one for the Eastside’s 41st Legislative District. They convened at 11 am for public comment on all the appointments, then interviewed the three candidates recommended for each position by the districts’ Precinct Committee Officers, and then made the appointments, each of which was immediately followed by a swearing-in. These are all interim appointments, until the positions can go to the full electorate.
Both women appointed today are West Seattle residents, but the 34th District spans beyond WS, to White Center and Burien as well as westward to Vashon and Maury Islands. The third state legislator for this district is House Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, who did not seek the Senate appointment. Alvarado was the only serious candidate for it, as noted in our Sunday report; the other two finalists for the House appointment were Seattle School Board president Gina Topp – who was the 34th District PCOs’ top choice, though that did not bind the county councilmembers – and Burien Deputy Mayor Sarah Moore.
If the King County Council goes with recommendations made today by the 34th District Democrats‘ Precinct Committee Officers, State House Rep. Emily Alvarado will succeed Joe Nguyen as this district’s State Senator, and Seattle School Board president Gina Topp will succeed Alvarado. The PCOs – who themselves are elected to those roles – voted in a special meeting held today in Bellevue and online, facilitated by the King County Democrats. (Since state legislators serve in partisan positions, when their jobs become open between elections, state law and party rules govern the process for choosing replacements.) The process required that three names be sent to the County Council, even if three people hadn’t declared interest in the positions, so although Alvarado was the only declared candidate for State Senator, her name will go to the council along with 34th chair Jordan Crawley and member Drew Estep (both of whom made it clear in brief speeches that they wholeheartedly support Alvarado for the job); for the job she would be vacating, five candidates were nominated – the PCOs chose to use ranked-choice voting, and Topp was the leader, followed by Seattle mayoral adviser Brianna Thomas and Burien deputy mayor Sarah Moore (final round of ranking ended at Topp 35, Thomas 14, Moore 4), so their names will go to the county council. (Side note: Topp said that if she gets the legislative appointment, she’ll stay on the School Board.)
WHAT’S NEXT: After ratification by the KC Democrats, the names go to the County Council, who will make their decision Tuesday. Public comment will be accepted at the council’s 11 am meeting, either in person or online – the agenda explains how; county councilmembers then will interview the candidates for both positions, make their decisions, and the appointees will be sworn in immediately. They’ll serve until these positions can go before voters this fall. The 34th District includes West Seattle, White Center, Burien, and Vashon/Maury Islands; Alvarado and Topp are both West Seattle residents.
(Photo courtesy Postcards 4 Democracy – L-R, P4D’s Kathy Rawle, House candidates Brianna Thomas, Sarah Moore, Stephanie Tidholm)
Two of our area’s three state legislators might be new to their jobs within days. We’ve been reporting on the process involved in choosing a successor to former State Sen. Joe Nguyen, now state Commerce Director, and possibly the successor to the State House Representative who is the only person in the running for Nguyen’s seat. State House Rep. Emily Alvarado is the only candidate for the Senate seat, while those interested in succeeding her in the House are assistant Attorney General Ben Carr, Seattle city hall staffer Brianna Thomas, state government analyst Colton Myers, engineering manager Geoffrey Wukelic, Seattle School Board president Gina Topp, Burien City Councilmember Sarah Moore, Highline School Board vice president Stephanie Tidholm. (The photo above is from an unofficial forum at which three House Rep. hopefuls were in attendance, during last Tuesday’s Postcards 4 Democracy gathering.) The 34th DDs published this document with the candidates’ statements.
Next step is a meeting convened tomorrow (Sunday, January 19) by the King County Democrats, during which Precinct Committee Officers from throughout the 34th Legislative District – which includes West Seattle, White Center, Vashon and Maury Islands, and Burien – will vote on who to recommend to the County Council, which officially makes the appointment(s). Tomorrow’s meeting is at 10 am at Bellevue College, for the PCOs and candidates to attend in person, and online (here’s the link) for everyone else. Once those recommendations are made, they go to the County Council for a special meeting Tuesday morning (January 21) – here’s that agenda.
10:26 AM: That’s a screenshot from a few minutes ago, showing demonstrators in The Junction crossing the Walk-All-Ways intersection at California/Alaska – the live video feed showed one group on the northwest corner and one on the northeast corner, just before the light changed. As noted in the advance announcement, this is meant to be an offshoot of the citywide march happening downtown today – which in turn is part of a nationwide series of protests, in advance of Monday’s change of presidents. We’re headed out for a ground-level view.
11:04 AM: About 100 people are participating now, spread across all four corners, chanting as they cross when the pedestrian light is on:
The chants vary – in addition to what’s in our video (which ends with passing drivers honking, after the demonstrators are back on the corners), we heard “Fight like a girl, change the world.”
11:30 AM: Some attrition in the past hour – down to about a dozen per corner.
We have to move on but since this was announced as potentially continuing until 2 pm, we’ll check back when in The Junction again in an hour or so.
12:43 PM: About a dozen sign-waving demonstrators remain.
(Gatewood pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen‘s aerial view of 1/21/2017 Seattle rally’s start in Central District)
Eight years ago, the Saturday after Inauguration Day brought the Womxn’s March on Seattle. This Saturday, People’s March events are scheduled around the country. This time a spinoff is set for the heart of The Junction. Organizers’ full announcement is in our calendar listing. Here’s how they explain the motivation:
We are out there to protest the return of Trump and fascism. Many of us are seniors who want to stand up for our children or grandchildren (or great-grandchildren)! We’ll be carrying protest signs and crossing the intersections at Alaska Junction. We did this in 2016 too. We all march for different reasons, but we march for the same cause: to defend our rights and our future.
The demonstration is expected to start around 10 am Saturday (January 18) at California/Alaska.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Rob Saka has his first 2027 challenger for the City Council’s District 1 seat.
The challenger even has yard signs.
His name’s not on them, though. They’re imploring Councilmember Saka to “Save Curby.”
(Photo from @kidsforcurby on Instagram)
The art on the signs is from editorial cartoonist Brett Hamil. But the idea of putting them on signs and planting them along Delridge was 17-year-old high-school junior Russell McQuarrie‘s.
“Curby” is from a Hamill cartoon published in the South Seattle Emerald back in November, referring to the concrete mid-street hardened median near Delridge/Holly, at the center of a “Delridge Safety Project” for which Saka successfully pushed to add $2 million to the new city budget. Because of a RapidRide stop in the area, it prevents left turns, including into the Refugee and Immigrant Family Center Preschool, at which Saka is a past parent.
And that’s just one of many City Council/city government actions of which McQuarrie disapproves. He lives in South Delridge, explains that his family “has always been politically active,” and says his fury was first ignited by sweeps of encampments near his home. “Homelessness is a failure of the state, and these sweeps are punishing people for the state’s failures.”
But no yard signs about that so far. He has chosen instead to spotlight the battle over “Curby.” Even more than the plan itself, McQuarrie says it’s the timing – $2 million in spending when the city has been dealing with a big budget deficit, as well as big challenges like homelessness. So despite being a self-described “broke high-school student,” he decided to print up about 20 signs, putting half of them out for starters. “Everyone I’ve talked to thinks [the proposed barrier removal] is absurd. … It’s interesting to educate people through art.” A teacher who knew Hamil helped him make contact, McQuarrie says, adding that Hamil gave his permission (and incidentally is now selling “Save Curby” T-shirts online). Some of the signs have disappeared since he put them up in the week before our conversation last Sunday, he says, which is why he initially contacted WSB. (We went looking for them after our conversation and spotted signs near the Delridge Library, near Louisa Boren STEM K-8, and near Delridge/Andover).
What would McQuarrie rather see the $2 million go toward? Social housing, light rail, environmental-justice grants, to name a few. Meantime, he’s already busy with a variety of other activism and advocacy – he says he worked on recently elected citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck‘s campaign, and environmental education with the Duwamish River Community Coalition.
Has he brought his “Curby” concerns directly to Councilmember Saka?
He says he has tried multiple times – including four phone calls that “went to voicemail” – and hasn’t reached him or received a reply yet. He says he tried to talk with Saka while at City Hall recently for Councilmember Rinck’s swearing in, but that he was told to schedule a meeting, and hasn’t been able to do that yet. He has brought it up with Councilmember Rinck, who he says agreed it was “absurd,” while also noting that the budget decisions were made before she joined the council.
Meantime, he plans to print more signs, and is looking toward that 2027 council run, while noting “I could go straight into law school” instead. If you have a question for him, he says he’d be happy to hear from you at kidsforcurby@gmail.com.
As for “Curby” itself? We asked SDOT on Tuesday about the timeline and next steps for planning and constructing the “safety project” expected to involve its removal, since it’s written into this year’s budget. Once we get the answer, we’ll update. (We asked Saka himself about the project in this recent interview.)
(Photo courtesy Joe McDermott)
In the center of that photo is West Seattleite Nick Brown, signing the oath of office as he begins work as state Attorney General. Brown, a Democrat, was elected in November with 56 percent of the vote, over Pete Serrano, a Republican. Brown previously served as U.S. Attorney for Western Washington and is a decorated U.S. Army veteran.
The Washington State Legislature convened today. If you’re available at mid-morning tomorrow, you can talk about it here in West Seattle with a unique group that Postcards 4 Democracy is hosting – here’s the announcement they asked us to share with you:
West Seattle’s Postcards4Democracy.org, the local group that advocates for voter registration and getting out the vote via handwritten notes to people in places where it counts nationwide, concludes its presentation of candidates being considered for our 34th District House & Senate this month due to Sen. Joe Nguyễn’s appointment to state Director of Commerce under the new Ferguson administration.
State House Rep. Emily Alvarado is one of 2 who have emerged so far that are being considered by the PCO’s of the 34th District Dems to refer on to the King County Council to appoint for the soon to be vacant Senate seat. (John “Skip” Crowley is the other and to date no contact info has been found for him, nor did he attend the Jan. 5 forum hosted by the 34th.)
There are 7 folks throwing their hats into the ring vying for the house seat should Emily Alvarado move up to fill the vacant spot in the Senate. Previously, last week, we introduced Geoffrey Wukelic, Gina Topp (Seattle School Board president), and Representative Alvarado, who will keep her house seat if she doesn’t move into Senator Nguyen’s post.
We look forward to hosting 4 of the other candidates for the potential House Rep opening should Emily Alvarado move into the senate, plus Senator Joe Nguyễn, this Tuesday, 1/14/25 at C & P Coffee, from 10:30 – 12 noon.
In addition to Senator Nguyễn, we are expecting to hear from:
Brianna Thomas, Csenka Favorini-Csorba (who currently serves as a King Conservation District Supervisor), Sarah Moore (who currently serves in Position No. 5 on the Burien City Council), and Stephanie Tidholm (who currently serves on the Highline School Board).
There will be opportunity for questions, we hope you will join us! More info at: postcards4democracy.org
Meantime, the next step in the process of appointing Sen. Nguyễn’s successor is a King County Democrats meeting this Sunday – here’s info about that.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“I’ve got another career or two in me.”
That’s how King County Executive Dow Constantine clarified to the Rotary Club of West Seattle that he’s not retiring, just not re-running.
He was guest speaker at Tuesday’s weekly Rotary lunch meeting, which also included presentations in honor of WSB co-founder Patrick Sand.
First:
Exactly two months have passed since Constantine announced at his birthday celebration in West Seattle that his fourth term as County Executive will be his last. He told Rotarians on Tuesday that he’s “ready to do something different,” 30 years after he first ran for office, noting that his personal responsibilities include his 10-year-old daughter and “very aging” parents.
His speech touched on some of his accomplishments, as well as a sore spot or two. Public safety, for example: “There’s been some misinformation circulated about the King County Jail and who is or has been accepted. We are operating under the Hammer settlement” – more than a quarter-century old, mandating a certain jail-staffing level, he said. “During COVID … we couldn’t meet that level – so we couldn’t book for nonviolent misdemeanors,” with, he said, exceptions, such as “a big event like a protest,” or two exceptions in the past year, “everything in downtown Seattle … (and the) entire transit system.” The latter mention seemed intended to stave off questions or criticism about the recent murder of Metro coach driver Shawn Yim; Constantine said “Operation Safe Transit” starting last March has led to more than 350 arrests, and that officers downtown had been focusing on “fentanyl dealers.” He also noted the discontinuation of transit stops near 12th/Jackson on the south side of downtown “because of the street situation there.” He added that they’re working to bring the King County Sheriff’s Office – which includes transit police – up to full staffing, with measures such as a $25,000 bonus for lateral transfers: “So if your cousin in Louisiana wants to work here, now is the moment.”
Constantine segued into the observation that behavioral health is the root of much of the street disorder, and that help is expected from the 2023 voter-approved Crisis Care Centers initiative, meant to create five drop-in centers, one exclusively for youth, 20 mobile teams around the county – plus an investment in northeast cities getting a crisis care center that’s open now – with help plus a “warm handoff” to wherever a person needs to go next — from rehab to the custody of a relative. (It might be five more years, however, before all five are open.)
Behavioral-health challenges play into homelessness, he said, but declared that problem primarily the result of a houing shortage – “safe, affordable housing will be a key factor in” getting it under control, and he said the county is working on thousands of new units. Then he quickly moved to climate change, saying the county’s major water-treatment plant at West Point is better able to withstand “increasingly strong storms” because of its new battery-based system “so when City Light flickers, we don’t lose power – we didn’t in the ‘bomb cyclone’.”
The next segue was into transit, where he declared Metro to be “leading the way toward zero emissions” and said he’d “spent my whole damn adult life trying to make up for” the anti-transit decisions made in the region more than half a century ago. The progress he touted included Sound Transit light rail, for which he (ST’s board chair) declared the region to have an “enormous appetite,” noting the crowd that flocked to its Lynnwood opening. While acknowledging the “runup in construction cost,” he insisted that “we are in a strong. position to deliver what voters approved” and said it’s vital to keep working toward having projects “shovel-ready” for when the financial factors allow. As for West Seattle light rail specifically, he said the federal “record of decision” – the next major planning milestone – is expected by the end of February.
After two more quick topic mentions – arts funding and redevelopment of the King County campus downtown – the Rotary allotted a few minutes for questions. First one was back to light rail: “When is it going to happen?” Constantine replied, “That’s an open question,” adding that “the scope is really the question – do you build the Avalon station or not? … There are 100 questions like that that the board’s going to have to answer.” One thing’s for certain, he reminded everyone, West Seattle remains scheduled to be built before Ballard.
The next questioner voiced some skepticism about transit, seeing empty buses and trains, but Constantine countered that this area saw the nation’s second-largest transit growth last year, and he again vowed to improve safety, while warning that “what’s on sidewalks sometimes spills into buses.”
After that, he was asked, “Why are you giving up work?” Constantine insisted he isn’t: “I need to, want to, continue to work for a long time, but after 16 years of this gig, I’m ready to do something different.”
TRIBUTE TO WSB CO-FOUNDER PATRICK SAND: The county executive also presented a memorial proclamation in honor of WSB co-founder Patrick Sand, who died suddenly in mid-October. That followed a presentation by the Rotary, whose members honored Patrick posthumously as a “Paul Harris Fellow” – after one of the founders of Rotary International – and also announced the creation of an annual Patrick Sand Memorial Award, with the Rotary’s Brian Waid citing WSB’s unofficial motto, referring to our coverage of as much as we can (as noted in this Seattle Times essay) – “We always show up.” Thanks to Clay Eals for recording video of most of the presentation:
The awards – including an eagle trophy for the Paul Harris Fellowship – were accepted on Patrick’s behalf by your editor (his wife and co-founder) and our son Torin.
The Rotary Club of West Seattle has a lunch meeting most weeks at noon Tuesday at the West Seattle Golf Course – see the upcoming speaker schedule here.
(WSB video – Councilmember Saka’s entire speech/Q&A)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Though the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce promoted City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s Thursday speech as “State of District 1,” Saka opened by saying it wouldn’t be that at all. He promised a “community check-in” instead, while noting that West Seattle – where he lives – is just one of five communities in his district.
He proceeded to ricochet around a multitude of topics in the ensuing 45 minutes of speech plus Q&A, held during the Chamber’s monthly lunch meeting, at the West Seattle Golf Course banquet room. He mentioned two ribboncuttings as among his “great memories,” including May’s opening day of the Delridge Farmers’ Market (which also drew Mayor Bruce Harrell, as shown in our photo):
As he did during his recent interview with WSB, Councilmember Saka repeatedly touted his email newsletter, saying he’s sent “at least 40” of them, “more than any other councilmember,” adding that he considers it an example of one of his “guiding principles … be communicative and collaborative, biasing on the side of transparency.”
But, he said, “My highest priority has always been and will continue to be improving public safety.” Another priority, “improving transportation infrastructure” and parks. He also listed support for small businesses, working families, affordable housing. “I’m keenly aware there are many challenges going on right now for small businesses … (they are) suffering … some are shutting down … overwhelmingly burdened by policies and rules including city policies and rules … that’s not good for small business community, for customers, for everyone … we’ve seen this play out .. across the whole nation .. everyone is feeling the pain …(inflation) rents (high) homeownership out of reach for many people … we are in some challenging times and the pain is real.”
He did not suggest any solutions for that, but did note that businesses are opening too and asked if anyone at the meeting had opened a business in the past year (one attendee, an aesthetics entrepreneur, stood up).
Also in the supporting-businesses vein, Saka mentioned restoration of funding for the “immensely popular Storefront Repair program.” Some of those repairs, he noted, “were needed because of policy decisions regarding public safety.” As he continued ticking through a list of first-year actions, he also cited support for entrepreneurs, including Black/brown people in business, the West Seattle Junction Association‘s boundary expansion (which required City Council approval), “funding for small-scale safety projects,” “investments for underresourced neighborhoods,” plus what he said was a commitment to Duwamish Tribal Services as part of the participatory-budgeting funding that he said his office helped “preserve,” and “expanded child-care assistance.”
For what he called another guiding principle, “constituents first,” he says his office is now “fully staffed” – they filled the opening for district director with Erik Schmidt, who was in attendance along with chief of staff Elaine Ikoma Ko. (Schmidt fills the vacancy left when Leyla Gheisar moved to another job with the city.) “Every member of my team will put constituents first.” He said he’ll take all the “critical feedback … but please respect my staff,” which totals three positions. (Ikoma Ko has been his chief of staff since he took office a year ago.)
Going back to public safety, Saka said the council has passed “14 sweeping public-safety bills” including “anti-street racing legislation” and SPD officer-hiring streamlining, which he said was being done without sacrificing candidate quality. He enthused about SPD hiring more officers than it lost last year, while acknowledging that the net gain was “just a handful” (to be specific, one, as reported here earlier this week). Saka, who is vice chair of the Public Safety Committee, also noted that last year saw more applications than any year since 2013 — “people are interested in joining the SPD.” Adding that “hiring wait times” have reportedly been halved, he said, “You all are smal business owners – you know the importance of efficiencies.”
Saka said he’s been doing in-person research as well, from attending roll calls at SPD precincts to attending a “live-fire demo” with Public Safety chair Councilmember Bob Kettle at an SPD facility on Wednesday, related to upcoming legislation the council will consider on rules regarding what police can use at protests and other crowd-control situations.
He also lauded SPD for using “digital marketing” to reach more recruits, and for increasing use of crime-prevention technology.
Then he moved to transportation (the committee he chairs), declaring “great wins last year” including adoption of the Seattle Transportation Plan and “shepherd(ing)” the $1.55 billion Transportation Levy, eventually unanimously approved by the council – “nothing ever happens in the City of Seattle 9-0, guys!” he exclaimed – and then approved by voters with a two-thirds yes vote.
D-1 transportation spending he mentioned briefly included the eventual 35th SW repaving (here’s our recent update) and new sidewalks (this district has the second-highest number of “missing” sidewalks, he observed). He did not mention the controversial $2 million Delridge Safety Project, centered on removal of a road divider at Delridge/Holly.
Then it was a quick elaboration on affordable housing, $342 million in the mayor’s budget plan, which Saka said would help prevent homelessness. He aso noted city funding for two new “congregate shelter locations” that might include tiny houses.
For the year ahead, an added public-safety priority – on which he had expounded at this week’s council briefing meeting on Monday – is transit security. “I take the bus almot every single day,” he said, then adding that he sometimes drives too, “unapologetically .. at the end of the day, transportation is a choice.” He said he planned to attend today’s memorial for murdered Metro driver Shawn Yim, adding, “what happened to Shawn is entirely preventable … that affected the driver (but) people have seen their own public safety challenges.” He said the budget already had included more money for “expanding transit safety” as well as “behavioral health on buses” but “tragically the ink on hte mayor’s signature on the budget was still drying” (when the murder happened).
He concluded with mentions of the city’s Comprehensive Plan update, now in the hands of the council for review, and the District 2 vacancy (after Tammy Morales‘s resignation) that the council has to fill.
A short Q&A period followed. First, Saka was asked for more specifics on the public-safety technology he had mentioned. He promised a “list” would be in his newsletter.
Public safety was also on the mind of the next attendee, Claiborne Bell, owner of Distinguished Foods in The Triangle, who reminded everyone that a murder had happened at his business (the September shooting death of Laupule Talaga). He thanked Saka for his personal followup. But he lamented that the police-officer shortage meant it “took a while” for officers to response, and said that delays in responses because of the officer shortage are “ridiculous.”
Saka was next asked when full police staffing will happen and when the CARE Team will expand to West Seattle. For the former, “it’s going to take a while.” For the latter, he had no specific time frame, as he said the city is still working with the police union on who can respond to what.
The final question was about the Comprehensive Plan – “where will the greatest density be in District 1?” Saka did not have an answer for that, instead replying that the plan came from the mayor’s office, the council is now vetting it, “I don’t have a strong view one way or the other … I am committed to listening and learning from community members, including small businesses.” But “listening,” he warned, “doesn’t mean I’m going to 100 percent placate or kowtow to any one perspective.”
You can see the entirety of his speech and the Q/A in our unedited video at the top of this story.
By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
34th District State House Rep. Emily Alvarado of West Seattle hosted a coffee hour this afternoon at C & P Coffee to outline priorities for the State Legislature session starting Monday and to answer constituents’ questions.
About 14 people attended the event, organized by Postcards 4 Democracy.
Alvarado will start the session in the House but may not finish it there, as she is a candidate to fill Sen. Joe Nguyễn’s State Senate seat following his move to lead the Commerce Department under incoming Gov. Bob Ferguson. She highlighted the opportunity presented by the Democratic majorities in the Legislature.
“We do have in Washington some of the strongest Democratic majorities that we have had in a long time … 30 Democrats in the Senate and 59 Democrats in the House,” she said. “We have an obligation and responsibility to play defense and also to play offense.”
Key priorities for the upcoming session, Alvarado said, include addressing the economy, cost of living, affordability, public safety and education. “My personal priority is making housing more affordable,” she said.
Alvarado introduced HB 1217, a bill designed to enhance housing stability by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring advance notice of changes, capping fees and deposits, creating a landlord resource center, authorizing tenant-lease terminations, ensuring parity between lease types, and enabling attorney general enforcement.
A constituent asked about rent increases, sharing that their rent had risen from $1,100 to $2,700 in 18 months. “Where can you turn to if you think you are getting gouged?” they asked.
“Right now you can’t turn to anyone because they’re doing what is absolutely legal,” she said. “I want us to create more housing. I want landlords to be able to run their business in a way that makes sense, and I think people deserve some reasonable protections on their side.”
Child care is also a top priority, Alvarado noted, citing that 63% of Washingtonians live in child-care deserts. She also called for increased funding for special education and said Washington’s schools are underfunded.
Alvarado said constituents are concerned about potential rollbacks on climate action, referencing the recent initiative that sought to repeal the Climate Commitment Act but did not pass.
“We’re going to continue to push, but we’ll have to play defense there,” she said, referencing the state’s response to climate change.
On immigration, Alvarado warned of “devastating impacts” if laws are not strengthened.
“There’s going to be a lot of conversations about how we make sure that we support immigrants who are part of our community, who are critical to our economy,” she said.
Reproductive rights will also require vigilance, she said, noting that amid the federal switch to the Trump Administration, strengthening Washington law will be a top priority.
“Washington has some of the strongest protections for abortion access and reproductive health care in the country,” Alvarado noted. “But honestly, if Medicaid funding is cut and changes are made at the federal level, the biggest challenge for people here is going to be around access.”
All these priorities are complicated by a $10 billion state budget deficit, Alvarado said, which will require difficult decisions in the coming session.
As for her future, the next step in the potential Senate appointment is a King County Democrats meeting with 34th District precinct-committee officers on January 19th; the King County Council‘s decision on the appointment could come that same week.
Postcards 4 Democracy, the sponsor of today’s event, meets weekly at C&P Coffee to write postcards and register voters. Check their schedule to attend a meeting.
Two local elected officials have public appearances in West Seattle on Thursday:
STATE HOUSE REP. EMILY ALVARADO: The second-term 34th District State House representative, currently hoping to be appointed to the State Senate seat that Joe Nguyễn is leaving to become Commerce Director, will be at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) at 1 pm Thursday. West Seattle’s Postcards4Democracy group is sponsoring this coffee chat as a look ahead to the State Legislature’s 2025 session, which starts next week, and asked us to let you know about Rep. Alvarado’s appearance.
CITY COUNCILMEMBER ROB SAKA: As he announced during this week’s council briefing meeting Monday afternoon, Councilmember Saka is speaking to the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce during their 11:30 am lunch meeting Thursday. It’s billed as a “State of District 1” speech, in the banquet room at the West Seattle Golf Course (4470 35th SW). If you’re a Chamber member, lunch is $25; for non-members, $35 – go here to register.
(Added Monday: 34th DDs’ video recording of forum)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Five elected officials were among the eight people who participated in an online forum this morning meant to help the 34th District Democrats choose nominees for one, possibly two appointments to state legislative seats.
It’s part of the process launched because Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson chose 34th District State Sen. Joe Nguyễn to become director of the state Commerce Department. The 34th DDs, King County Democrats, and King County Council all have roles in the fast-moving process, which is expected to end with county councilmembers making appointment(s) in a little over two weeks.
The “one or two” is because 34th District Position 1 State Rep. Emily Alvarado is seeking to succeed Nguyễn, so if she does, her State House seat will have to be filled too. She was the only would-be senator to participate this morning. The four elected officials hoping to be her potential successor are King Conservation District Supervisor Csenka Favorini-Csorba, Seattle School Board president Gina Topp, Burien City Councilmember Sarah Moore, and Highline School Board vice president Stephanie Tidholm. The other three candidates participating in the forum – which wasn’t mandatory, so others might surface – were Vashon-residing assistant state Attorney General Ben Carr, West Seattle-residing Mayor’s Office policy/labor adviser Brianna Thomas, and West Seattle-residing software engineer Geoffrey Wukelic.
The 34th itself is due for its every-other-year leadership elections this Wednesday; outgoing chair Graham Murphy introduced this morning’s forum, and chair candidate Jordan Crawley moderated. The format was standard – opening and closing statements, plus questions answered by each candidate. Though the general public doesn’t get a vote in this round, we covered the forum so those who didn’t attend can see what the candidates said, prior to one or two being chosen to represent you at least temporarily in Olympia, with some likely to surface in elections this fall.
Our recounting of the questions and answers are paraphrases/summaries unless the verbiage is between quote marks. Housing, education, and the cost of living were topics surfacing frequently. First, the opening statements:
We’ve been reporting on the process of filling the State Senate seat that Sen. Joe Nguyễn will be leaving to become state Commerce Director this month, and the potential State House seat that would result if Rep. Emily Alvarado is appointed to that seat. As previously noted, the 34th District Democrats are having an online candidate forum Sunday morning (January 5th), 10 am, as part of the candidate-vetting process, and have just sent the list of qualified candidates who have come forward so far (we’ve noted the [updated] five who currently hold elected office):
34TH DISTRICT STATE SENATE
Emily Alvarado (current 34th District State House Rep., Position 1)
John “Skip” Crowley
STATE HOUSE, 34TH DISTRICT POSITION 1 (open if Rep. Alvarado is appointed to Senate)
Ben Carr
Brianna Thomas
(added 6:12 pm) Csenka Favorini-Csorba (current King Conservation District Board Supervisor)
Geoffrey Wukelic
Gina Topp (current Seattle School Board president, director from District 6)
John “Skip” Crowley
Sarah Moore (Burien City Councilmember)
Stephanie Tidholm (Highline School Board vice president)
34th DD chair Graham Murphy adds, “12 candidates initially shared their intent to be nominated. Three candidates subsequently removed themselves from the process. We could not verify the eligibility of one candidate, who did not return email and voicemail messages for additional information about their eligibility.”
Though tomorrow’s forum is primarily for 34th DD Precinct Committee Officers to get information before three potential finalists are nominated per vacancy (for which forum participation is not mandatory), the public is welcome to watch as capacity allows – here’s the link; here are the rules and questions. Then on January 19, the King County Democrats will meet to choose candidates for the King County Council to consider to fill the vacancy/vacancies (we’re working to get more information on that); that’s the deadline for possible candidates to express their interest. The county council’s decision is expected January 21.
As we reported Thursday, 34th District State Senator Joe Nguyen of West Seattle will be leaving his seat to lead the state Commerce Department. That means at least one legislative vacancy in our area, possibly two since – as also noted in our Thursday story – State House Rep. Emily Alvarado told WSB she’s interested in the State Senate seat. The 34th District Democrats have the first task in the process of filling the seat(s) – choosing candidates to be considered. If you’re interested in the State Senate vacancy or potential State House vacancy, 34th chair Graham Murphy says you’re invited to fill out and send this form to “formally express your intent to be considered for nomination.” (Not mandatory, though.) This process will move fast; Murphy says the 34th DDs are already planning an online candidate forum next weekend, 10 am on Sunday, January 5.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Seattle City Council is off for holiday break. But some councilmembers are sending out their “year in review” newsletters. You’ll probably get one from District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, as he concludes his first year in office.
But we didn’t wait for that to talk with him about Year 1 and some big issues, including the impending change at the top for SDOT, and two of his most-touted budget measures. We sat down with Councilmember Saka for a 37-minute video-recorded interview last week at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. Here it is, unedited:
If you don’t have time to watch, here’s the summary of our Q&A:
3:17 PM: Midway through his second term as state senator for the 34th District, which includes West Seattle, Sen. Joe Nguyễn is leaving for a new job. Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson has just appointed him as director of the state Commerce Department. From the announcement:
… Commerce oversees vital programs on economic and community development, covering issues like clean energy and housing.
“Senator Nguyễn brings experienced leadership and a strong record on fighting to improve the lives of Washingtonians to this critical agency,” said Governor-elect Ferguson. “I know he will help ensure state government works better for the people.”
Joe Nguyễn represents Washington’s 34th Legislative District in the State Senate, where he has earned a reputation as a steadfast advocate for equity, economic justice, and community empowerment. As the son of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyễn’s lived experiences have fueled his commitment to creating opportunities for underserved communities and breaking down systemic barriers.
Since first being elected in 2018, Nguyễn has been a champion for policies that uplift working families and marginalized groups. He has led efforts to expand the Working Families Tax Credit, strengthen Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and secure funding for affordable housing and clean energy innovation. Nguyễn’s work reflects his belief that the government should be a force for good, delivering tangible outcomes that improve lives and build stronger communities.
In addition to his legislative achievements, Nguyễn’s professional background in technology and community development informs his forward-thinking approach to problem-solving. He is passionate about bridging the gap between innovative solutions and real-world impacts, particularly for those who have been historically left out of the political process.
Nguyễn is a dedicated husband and father of three, drawing inspiration from his family to fight for a Washington that is equitable, sustainable, and prosperous for all. Whether addressing housing affordability, renewable energy, or workforce development, his focus remains on creating a future where every Washingtonian has the tools to thrive.
The announcement says Sen. Nguyễn starts the new job January 15, 2025. We have a request out to him for comment, and also a request out to the 34th District Democrats, who have a key role at the start of the process of finding a successor. The current Commerce director, Mike Fong, is moving to Snohomish County government, where he’d worked before.
5:40 PM: 34th District Democrats chair Graham Murphy gave us a short summary of the process for filling the forthcoming vacancy: “The process is led by King County Democrats, but 34th PCOs select the candidates to fill current and conditional vacancies. The King County Council decides what candidate from the three will fill the vacancy. Our friends in the 33rd LD just went through a similar process. Ultimately, we cannot kick off the process until Senator Nguyễn sends me an email notifying me of his intention to vacate with a date. Recently, this process has taken about 30 days to complete.” (More details on the process are in this document.)
ADDED 7:06 PM: At least one candidate is already seeking the Senate seat that’ll be vacated: 34th District Rep. Emily Alvarado, now in her second term. We talked with her briefly by phone tonight; she says she’s already focused on the signature issues such as housing, schools, and child care, and ready to dive into the budget battle facing the Legislature this year.
ADDED EARLY FRIDAY: Here’s what Sen. Nguyễn told us about the new job: “I’m excited about the opportunity to serve in the Ferguson Administration. Governor Ferguson is a leader who doesn’t shy away from taking on tough challenges and getting things done, which is exactly what Washington state needs. Commerce is often the first point of contact for many Washingtonians with state government, and I hope to approach this role with humility and a deep commitment to serving every community across our state.”
Just out of the inbox, Mayor Bruce Harrell has announced he wants a second term. According to the news release we received, he has officially registered his campaign for the 2025 city elections. Harrell was elected as mayor in 2021, one of a crowded field that filed that year, two years after deciding not to run for re-election to the City Council. The news release includes a statement from Harrell reading in part “… there is more work to do – this is the time for proven leadership to stand up for our values and keep Seattle moving forward as a city that is welcoming, affordable, and safe.” He was preceded by Jenny Durkan, who decided not to run for a second mayoral term. The last two-term Seattle mayor was West Seattleite Greg Nickels, who served 2002-2010. Only one other person has registered a mayoral campaign so far, Alexander Barickman.
After defeating appointed incumbent Tanya Woo with 58 percent of the vote last month, Alexis Mercedes Rinck is now officially on the Seattle City Council. She’s had two swearings-in, including a ceremonial event as part of today’s City Council meeting. She will serve the final year of the unexpired term that Teresa Mosqueda gave up to run for King County Council, and then a full four-year term for citywide Position 8 will be on next year’s ballot, along with citywide Position 9, currently held by council president Sara Nelson. From the news release announcing Councilmember Mercedes Rinck’s swearing-in:
… “I am honored to join the Council and look forward to working with them to tackle our city’s most pressing challenges to create a Seattle that works for everyone,” said Councilmember Rinck. “The stakes for our city are high, and we must stand firm in defending the rights of women, LGBTQIA2S+ communities, immigrants, and workers against both federal threats and local challenges. Together, we can build a strong, healthy, and inclusive community.” …
Councilmember Rinck is committed to progressive revenue solutions, affordable housing, worker protections, public safety, and climate action. She has a clear plan to tackle Seattle’s budget crisis, expand housing supply to meet the city’s growing needs, and protect workers’ rights. Her public-safety approach focuses on building alternative responses and preventative measures as well as community engagement, while her climate action plan prioritizes equity and sustainability. ….
The new councilmember will serve as chair of the Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture committee and as vice-chair of the Libraries, Education & Neighborhoods committee. She will also be on the Housing and Human Services, Land Use, and Transportation committees. You can find her contact info here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The City Council, sitting as the Select Budget Committee, voted this afternoon to pass a budget for the next two years. They’ve made dozens of changes since Mayor Bruce Harrell first sent them a budget proposal back in September. If you want to see how, this is the key document to read. Reading through it, we note that District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka‘s sponsored or co-sponsored changes include:
*$2 million for what he’s calling the Delridge Safety Project, including likely removal of a divider that keeps drivers from turning left at Delridge/Holly (the budget item spells out, “for improvements to Delridge Way SW near the SW Holly St right-of-way to allow for left-turn ingress and egress from adjoining properties, including the Refugee and Immigrant Family Center Bilingual Preschool”)
*$1.5 million for turf at Fairmount Playfield
*$200,000 for neighborhood business districts
*$175,000 to eliminate angled parking at Duwamish Head, a longtime request of nearby residents concerned about street disorder and gatherings (the budget item spells out “to convert angled on-street parking on Harbor Ave SW at Duwamish Head to parallel-only parking, and to restore parallel-only parking to Alki Ave SW adjacent to this location”)
*$1 million for transit security, plus a report on implementing it
*SPD reports including officer recruitment/retention and sound-enforcing technology
*$50,000 for cleaning RV sites, plus a report on RV strategy
*A report on the pothole-repair program
*A report on attracting food retailers to food deserts
The Delridge project has been the subject of much discussion; it’s something that Saka pursued even before he was a council candidate. He defends it in the newsletter he sent out after the budget vote, including:
… I became aware that certain members of the organized opposition to this project is driven by fringe ideological framing and a purist “proxy war” of sorts that seeks to pit cars against cyclists, transit riders, or pedestrians. I wholeheartedly reject this divisive narrative. The Delridge Safety Project prioritizes inclusive safety improvements for ALL road users, not one mode of transportation choice over another. …
Saka’s newsletter also explains why the field at Fairmount Park was singled out for turf conversion, saying it traces back to the survey he circulated earlier in the year after “an extensive consultation process with five local youth recreational softball/baseball leagues,” and lists these results:
The voting results data for each of the eight candidate projects are as follows:
Fairmount Park Playfield: 137 votes, earning 31% of the total vote.
Riverview Playfield: 107 votes, earning 24.2% of the total vote.
Lincoln Park South Playfield: 46 votes, earning 10.4% of the total vote.
Hiawatha Playfield: 45 votes, earning 10.2% of the total vote.
EC Hughes Playfield: 38 votes, earning 8.6% of the total vote.
Highland Park Playfield: 27 votes, earning 6.1% of the total vote.
Bar-S Playfield: 24 votes, earning 5.4% of the total vote.
Walt Hundley Playfield: 19 votes, earning 4.3% of the total vote.
Saka’s newsletter lists other points that he considers key in the final budget.
P.S. One West Seattle budget point we noted early on, disbanding the Highland Park-based Mounted Police Unit as part of the SPD budget, never came up for reversal, so it appears that unit’s end is near.
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