City of Seattle Mike McGinn, Mayor

City Attorney Pete Holmes will receive the annual Ancil Payne Civic Leader of the Year award from Washington CeaseFire on Tuesday for showing consistent courage and purpose in efforts to reduce gun violence in the state.

CeaseFire’s 25th annual luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Washington Athletic Club in downtown Seattle.

The first-term City Attorney was tapped for the award, named for the longtime CeaseFire board member and former King 5 president, for continuing the City’s efforts to ban guns from areas of parks, community centers and other facilities where children are likely to be present. Although thwarted by the courts, the push is likely to move to the legislative arena, possibly in January.

“Seattle has not attempted to ban firearms for all City property,” said Holmes, “just parks and playgrounds frequented by families with children. The notion that Seattle can’t protect its most vulnerable residents on the City’s own property is inimical to the principles of local autonomy. Every Washingtonian should be alarmed that state law has been interpreted to prevent such reasonable common-sense local controls.”

Former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels originally proposed the gun ban after a shooting at the 2008 Folklife Festival at Seattle Center left two people wounded. Nickels will attend Tuesday’s luncheon, along with City Councilman Nick Licata, who will present the award to Holmes, and current Mayor Mike McGinn, who will be the keynote speaker.

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