Pavel Goberman

Published July 24, 2015 – video interview below

Pavel Goberman, a 77-year-old fitness author/entrepreneur from Highland Park, is nothing if not honest. When we asked all 9 District 1 City Council candidates in June whether they supported Seattle annexing White Center/North Highline, he replied that it wasn’t a good question for us to ask, and that what he thought about the issue didn’t matter.

FIRST WSB REPORT ON HIS CANDIDACY: When he turned up on the city list on March 5th

HOW DID HE WIND UP HERE? He grew up in the “former USSR,” where he was in the military as well as holding various other jobs. He “immigrated to the United States for political reasons” in 1980. He spent a lot of time in Minnesota, then came to Seattle in 1992.

NOT HIS FIRST RUN FOR OFFICE: He ran in Oregon for US Senate last year, because he wants to defend the U.S. Constitution against “corrupt officials. … My goal is to support the Constitution, the law of this country.”

HE’S EXPECTING TO RUN AGAIN: He says he’s hoping to run against U.S. Senator Patty Murray next.

HE’S AN AUTHOR: He wrote the book “Get Energized” and says that he’s in charge of his health – there’s a role for doctors, but he thinks it’s important to be in charge of your health.

WILL HE VOTE FOR ‘MOVE SEATTLE’? No.

HIS PRIORITIES: Fight crime, improve traffic on the bridge. He thinks police should move more quickly when investigating a crash – “10 minutes, take a picture, move.”

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY: Asked about the recently unveiled plan, he voiced suspicion about campaign contributions. He also said he doesn’t support rent control. He says it’s wrong that America spends so much money outside its borders yet has people living on the streets. “Tent cities” are OK as temporary housing, he said, but he wants to see permanent housing seen, as well as more use of accessory dwelling units.

WHY VOTE FOR HIM? He doesn’t see anybody who could do a better job. “I have a plan to create more jobs, improve traffic …” He doesn’t accept campaign financing; if you do, he says, “you become the puppet of donors.”

SEE HIS INTERVIEW WITH US: We started by asking, how did he find his way to West Seattle?