♪♪
-Hi.
I'm Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis.
As a recent parent,
I am more determined than ever to build a Seattle
we can be proud to pass on to the next generation.
In my first term, I brought together
unlikely coalitions to deliver results,
and I'll continue that work if reelected.
On public safety, in my first term,
I increased our park ranger program
from two to 28 rangers,
fully funded the police hiring budget each year,
passed an ordinance protecting firefighters from harassment
in the line of duty, and worked with Mayor Harrell
to create a civilian behavioral health response
in lieu of police involvement.
If reelected, I'll increase these alternative responses,
continue the shared commitment of the Council and Mayor
to recruit and retain police, and support community programs
proven to reduce repeated criminal behavior.
On housing and homelessness,
we need to get people out of encampments,
and into stable housing immediately.
Working with Mayor Harrell, my office helped create
the Unified Care Team -- a one-stop,
no-excuses shop to navigate people experiencing homelessness
into shelter, and resolve encampments.
And it's reduced encampments by 42%.
But much work remains.
Over the next four years,
I'll increase enhanced shelter options like tiny houses,
so people experiencing homelessness
have a stable shelter,
rather than being displaced to another encampment.
I'll also work with city partners to build
and acquire social and nonprofit housing,
so more people can afford to live in our community.
On climate change, we are running out of time.
Seattle must confront the emergency with housing planning
that emphasizes dense, walkable communities,
electrification of buildings, and safe,
reliable public transportation.
I'm proud to have been endorsed
by the Martin Luther King County Labor Council,
the 36th District Democrats, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal,
former Labor Secretary Robert Reich,
Attorney General Bob Ferguson,
County Executive Dow Constantine,
and Downtown Seattle Association C.E.O.
Jon Scholes, among many others.
And I ask for your support, as well.
Thank you so much for your consideration.
-Hello, Seattle.
-My name is Aaron Marshall and I am running
for Seattle City Council District 7.
A steward --
the careful and responsible management
of something entrusted to one's care.
As a citizen of Seattle,
and a longtime resident of District 7,
we must ask ourselves,
"Do we have a good steward in Seattle?"
I have lived in Seattle for over 20 years.
This is my home.
I refuse to give up on it.
Especially this city,
regardless of how bruised and battered we are.
Seattle is in crisis and needs direction.
I am an independent voice for common sense change.
I am neither Republican nor Democrat.
I represent the majority who have been
without a voice for too long.
I'm a Seattle police officer who works on a team
called the "Community Response Group,"
working to address the most difficult issues the city faces.
I've been an officer since 2013, and was drawn to SPD
because of my deep ties to the city.
I'm a United States Marine Corps veteran.
I was in the restaurant industry for nearly two decades,
mostly in Queen Anne,
and won Seattle's Best Bartender award twice.
I know my constituents, my small and medium sized businesses,
and I know my district.
Our community is being torn apart by fentanyl, meth,
and an unabated mental health crisis.
And I have seen the effects firsthand.
There is a way out of this, and that way requires dedication
to work through these challenges proactively.
The critical issues of public safety,
addiction, mental health, homelessness,
affordable housing, transportation, taxes,
workers' rights, small and medium sized businesses,
and the overall livability of this city
can be found in detail on my website,
marshallforseattle.com.
Thank you.
-I'm running for the Seattle City Council,
driven by a commitment to community safety
and revitalizing our city with a business-forward mindset.
I'm Olga Sagan,
and as Washington's Business Owner of the Year,
I am deeply commit--
committed to revitalizing downtown Seattle.
I understand the significance of independent businesses
and vibrant community events in creating thriving city.
I will leverage my experience and expertise
to bring back the charm and energy
that once made our downtown area so vibrant.
Together, we will rebuild downtown
that is bursting with local businesses,
cultural events, and sense of community pride.
I immigrated to America in '99,
and graduated from Ballard High School.
This experience has shaped my understanding
of the importance of the community
and the values we hold dear.
Through my work with Piroshky Piroshky Bakeries,
I have contributed to making it a Seattle staple.
With 70 employees across four locations,
I have prioritized the well-being of my team
by offering living wages and health care benefits --
values all businesses should embrace.
As a councilmember,
I will bring this business acumen and commitment
to community experience to City Hall.
I pledge to be the most visible councilmember
within their district that Seattle has in recent history.
I will roll up my sleeves, and hit the pavement
with my constituents, not work remotely.
You deserve to have a public comment face-to-face
with your local leaders, not a camera.
Together, let's build a safer, more prosperous Seattle --
one that embraces community safety --
not defunds police -- empowers businesses,
and celebrates our diverse and vibrant cultures.
With your support, we can create a city
where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Thank you for your trust, and I look forward to...
to the opportunity to earn your trust and vote.
♪♪
-Hello.
My name is Bob Kettle,
and I'm running for Seattle City Council
because I share your frustrations
with a lack of progress that our city has made
in the face of critical challenges
in public safety, public health, and homelessness.
I'm a first-generation American,
stay-at-home dad, and civic leader,
having retired as a naval officer
to help support my wife's work as a civil rights attorney --
including the landmark case with the ACLU of Washington
overturning Don't Ask Don't Tell.
I volunteer with several neighborhood-level
public safety organizations,
including the West Precinct Advisory Council,
the Queen Anne Block Watch Network,
and before that, as chair of the Queen Anne
Community Council's Public Safety Committee.
The truth is, my opponent has been part of the problem.
Pledging to defund the police by 50% was irresponsible,
and undercut our public safety
and our ability to implement reform.
I support allocating additional resources to recruitment,
training, and community policing,
including non-police responders.
My opponent and the council have enabled open drug use
and drug dealing, which has claimed the lives of over 500
Seattleites last year alone.
We cannot solve our public safety issues
without addressing public health.
With increasing shelter space,
it's time to restore our public spaces.
Encampments are an inhumane and inexcusable solution.
Not only are they public safety threats,
most critically to the unhoused themselves,
but blocking our parks and sidewalks
infringes on disability rights,
harms our neighborhood businesses,
and diminishes everyone's quality of life.
We need leadership able to partner with county,
state, and federal authorities to add mental health,
hospital capacity, and addiction treatment centers.
We must also prioritize funding only programs and service providers
shown to actually work.
I'll focus Seattle government on saving lives,
keeping the vulnerable safe,
and restoring our beautiful city.
We can do this.
I'm Bob Kettle, and I ask for your vote.
-Hello.
My name is Isabelle Kerner.
I am running for Seattle City Council Position 7
because we need to elect someone
that is able to work with current elected leaders,
the public, and officials of other city departments
to implement common sense solutions
that address the root cause or causes
that have left thousands of people
in Seattle's streets, sidewalks, and public parks,
where criminal activity continues to run rampant,
drug use is an everyday occurrence,
and mental health seems to always be on the decline.
As a city, we must work to rebuild the trust
between the public and our public safety providers,
including the Seattle Police Department,
as well as the Seattle Fire Department.
We must hold our elected officials accountable
at every city level,
so that promises made by successful candidates are kept
once such individuals are elected,
even if they fail during their tenure.
Seattle also needs to clean up the streets.
I believe we can once again be the Emerald City
we once were known for,
if we take action now to remove the waste and litter
plaguing the city and its perimeter.
Four years ago, in 2019,
there was a lot of talk about auditing of city departments.
And while there was a lot of talk about these audits,
there was no audits ever done.
We should have been conducting regular audits this entire time.
Taxpayers deserve to know where and how
their money is being spent.
Taxpayers also need to know why
Seattle keeps running out of money.
I am a problem-solving and solution-oriented person.
I get things done.
Seattle needs common sense solutions to start now.
With your vote, I promise we can achieve that immediately.
Thank you all for listening.
I appreciate your time, and I would value your vote
with the highest level of integrity.
Be safe, and make smart decisions.