SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
VACANCY FORUM, [ INAUDIBLE ]. [
INAUDIBLE ] WHO WILL BE YOUR
VOLUNTEER, IS THE ONE KIND OF
VOLUNTEERING, [ INAUDIBLE ].
EVERYBODY GIVE DAVE A HAND.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, EDWARD. YES, MY
NAME IS DAVID TOLEDO, I AM A
VOLUNTEER WITH UNIFIED OUTREACH,
I'M HAPPY TO STEP IN AS
MODERATOR TONIGHT. I JUST WANT
TO -- I JUST WANT TO THANK THE
CANDIDATES FOR MAKING IT DOWN
HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
TRAFFIC ON I-5. FOR THOSE THAT
ARE TUNING IN THROUGH THE
SEATTLE CHANNEL, THERE
UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT AN AGENDA
POSTED, BUT JUST TO QUICKLY LET
YOU KNOW HOW THINGS WILL GO, UM,
WE ARE GOING TO JUMP RIGHT INTO
IT. MOST OF THE QUESTIONS WILL
HAVE A ONE MINUTE TIME LIMIT .
ANYONE THAT GOES OVER THE ONE
MINUTE WILL HEAR A BELL AND WE
WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.
BASICALLY, WE ARE GOING TO START
OUT WITH QUESTIONS FROM THE
HOST, MYSELF, THAT WILL RUN
UNTIL 6:50. THEN WE WILL GO TO A
FIVE MINUTE BREAK, THEN WE WILL
DO QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE,
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A SPEED
AROUND, AND WE SHOULD END UP
FINISHING AT 8:00 P.M. ON THE
NOSE. WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND INTRODUCE THE CANDIDATES.
I'M SORRY, I'M A LITTLE
UNORGANIZED HERE, TOO MANY
PAGES. AND THEN I WILL HAVE EACH
CANDIDATE DO A ONE MINUTE
INTRODUCTION. SO, FIRST, LET ME
INTRODUCE JAMES BERNIE -- CORY,
I AM SORRY, I AM ALREADY BLOWING
IT. JIM, [ INAUDIBLE ], JULIE,
ROB WILSON, KATIE, AND DEBRA
JUAREZ. LET'S GO AHEAD AND
START WITH JIM, GO AHEAD AND
TAKE A ONE MINUTE INTRODUCTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT,
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL.
IT'S GREAT HOW DEMOCRACY WORKS.
SOMETIMES YOU FEEL CHALLENGED. I
AM JIM BOUREY. I AM INTERESTED
IN APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION
BECAUSE I REALLY THINK MY
EXPERIENCE WOULD MAKE A
DIFFERENCE FOR THE CITY, MY
CITY, TOWER CITY, AND FOR THE
DISTRICT AS WELL. [ INAUDIBLE ]
IN PLANNING, I WORKED FOR A
DECADE AS A CITY PLANNER,
INCLUDING WITH THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND
FOR 25 YEARS AS CITY MANAGER IN
VARIOUS CITIES AROUND THE
COUNTRY. AND WHAT THAT DID IS
GIVE ME EXPERIENCE [ INAUDIBLE ]
VERY, VERY CRITICAL FOR THE CITY
OF SEATTLE. PUBLIC SAFETY, LAND
USE, HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS
ISSUES, AND ESPECIALLY [
INAUDIBLE ] BUDGET SHORTFALLS,
SO I THINK THIS EXPERIENCE WILL
GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP
IN. I UNDERSTAND HOW CITIES
WORK, I UNDERSTAND [ INAUDIBLE
]. SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU JENKS?
>> HELLO, D5, I AM NILU JENKS,
YOUR LAKE CITY NEIGHBOR, MOM OF
TWO TEENAGERS, AN IRANIAN
AMERICAN LIFELONG CITIZENSHIP,
AND A LONGTIME ADVOCATE AND I
HAVE WORKED ON VIOLENCE
PREVENTION , YOUTH AND
EDUCATION, AND ALSO ON
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY. WHEN I
RAN TWO YEARS AGO, I KNOCKED ON
THOUSANDS OF DOORS AND TALKED TO
SO MANY OF YOU, AND WHAT I SAW
IS SO OFTEN, OUR SYSTEMS FALL
SHORT. THEY ARE SHIPPED MORE BY
POLITICAL DYNAMICS AND CAMPAIGNS
[ INAUDIBLE ] RATHER THAN OUR
DAY-TO-DAY COMMUNITIES. WE NEED
TO RE-CENTER OUR COMMUNITY
VOICES AND MAKE GOVERNMENT WORK
BETTER FOR EVERYONE. SEATTLE
ISN'T DYING, IT IS GROWING, BUT
WITHOUT LEADERSHIP, THE PLANS
FOR THAT GROUP, RISING COSTS,
UNSAFE ENCAMPMENTS, AND FOR THAT
TRANSIT. WE NEED HOUSING AND
TRANSIT OPTIONS, CLIMATE SMART
POLICIES, AND PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE TO FUND [ INAUDIBLE ].
THAT'S WHY I SPENT THE LAST TWO
YEARS WORKING ON DEMOCRACY
REFORMS LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
DEMOCRACY VOUCHERS TO RETURN THE
POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE,
BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS SEEK OUT
SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS TO [
INAUDIBLE ].
>> HELLO, JULIE?
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M EXCITED
AND HONORED TO BE HERE TO SHARE
THIS SPACE WITH ALL OF THE
CANDIDATES, AND SHOUT OUT TO
UNIFIED OUTREACH AT NORTH
SEATTLE COLLEGE FOR HOSTING
THIS. MY NAME IS JULIE KANG AND
I AM SEEKING YOUR SUPPORT. THIS
COMMUNITY RAISED MY FAMILY AND
THAT IS WHY I AM SERVING AT THIS
TIME, I'M STEPPING UP AS THE
DAUGHTER OF AN IMMIGRANT AND A
PUBLIC SERVANT FOR THE LAST 30
YEARS, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO
WORK HARD, FACE BARRIERS, AND
SERVE OTHERS. OUR FAMILY IS
DEEPLY ROOTED IN D5. MIKE
IN-LAWS ' KOREAN NEWSPAPER, MY
HUSBAND'S RESTAURANT, OR FIRST
HOME, AND THE COMMUNITY WE
COFOUNDED TO HELP SMALL
BUSINESSES WERE ALL IN D5. I
HAVE HEARD CONCERNS FROM
NEIGHBORS AND BUSINESS OWNERS
ABOUT STAYING SAFE, GIVING
BUSINESSES OPEN, BEING ABLE TO
AFFORD AND REMAIN IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. IS AREN'T NEW TO
ME. I HAVE PERSONALLY
EXPERIENCED THE SAME CHALLENGES
AND I WILL BRING MY LIVED
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO
REPRESENT AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE, MY NAME IS
ROB WILSON AND I'M A HUSBAND,
FATHER, SUBMARINE VETERAN,
PEOPLE MANAGER AT AMAZON, AND A
[ INAUDIBLE ] VOLUNTEER. [
INAUDIBLE ] DISTRICT 5 VACANCY
BECAUSE I LOVE THE CITY, I LOVE
ITS PEOPLE, IN AND I SEE IT'S
POTENTIAL. THE WORLD NEEDS
PEOPLE TO STEP UP RIGHT NOW AND
TO BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE OF
OTHERS. I WILL HAVE MANY NEW
THINGS TO LEARN IN THIS WORLD
AND I DON'T SHY AWAY FROM THEM.
LEARNING, GROWING, AND
SUCCEEDING IN NEW ROLES IS WHAT
I HAVE BEEN DOING ALL MY LIFE IT
HELPS TO BE HUMBLE, TO ASK
QUESTIONS, AND TO REALLY LISTEN
TO OTHERS. WE HAVE GOT HARD
PROBLEMS TO SOLVE IN THIS CITY
AND I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT
WORKING TO SOLVE THEM TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY HAIMA?
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS KATY HAIMA.
I LIVE [ INAUDIBLE ] . THERE'S
GUNSHOTS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
THERE IS SPEEDING TRAFFIC. [
INAUDIBLE ] MY NEIGHBORS AND I
AND BUSINESSES NEAR US WANT
CHANGE, WE NEED CHANGE, AND [
INAUDIBLE ]. FOR THE PAST EIGHT
YEARS, I WORKED AS [ INAUDIBLE
]. MY JOB IS TO BRING TOGETHER
COMMUNITY, TO PLAN FOR GROWTH,
ALONGSIDE THE THINGS THAT WE
NEED TO THRIVE. BECAUSE OF THIS
[ INAUDIBLE ] ACROSS OUR CITY
DEPARTMENTS, [ INAUDIBLE ] TO
FIND COMMON GROUND THEM TO MAKE
CHANGE. [ INAUDIBLE ] TOGETHER
WE CAN IMAGINE AND WE CAN BUILD
A BETTER [ INAUDIBLE ]. LOCAL
BUSINESSES OR OUR NEIGHBORS. [
INAUDIBLE ] WE CAN HOLD ONTO
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US, AND
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT [
INAUDIBLE ], THIS IS ABOUT ALL
THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS D5 WERE
NEIGHBORS ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE
THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M HERE
TONIGHT BECAUSE I WORK ALONGSIDE
ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN D5 AND
ACROSS THE CITY [ INAUDIBLE ] .
>> DEBORA JUAREZ?
>> THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS DEBORA JUAREZ AND
I HAVE BEEN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
ARE ABOUT 37 OR 38 YEARS AND I
HAVE BEEN AWARE FOR ABOUT THAT
LONG. I STARTED AS A PUBLIC
DEFENDER, I WAS IN LEGAL
SERVICES, THEN I BECAME A JUDGE
IN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE
THE GOVERNORS, AND THEN GO WORK
ON WALL STREET, THEN AFTER THAT,
[ INAUDIBLE ] WHEN THE DISTRICT
SYSTEM OPENED UP MY DECIDED THIS
WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO RUN
BECAUSE I GOT MY TWO DAUGHTERS
OUT OF THE HOUSE, IN COLLEGE,
AND AS YOU KNOW, [ INAUDIBLE ]
CITY COUNCIL TWO TERMS. SO, THE
BIG QUESTION AND I THINK THE
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS WHO AM
I, WHO AM I NOW? AND I WILL
SHARE A PERSONAL STORY LATER,
BUT QUICKLY, THE PRAGMATIC
REASON IS THIS, [ INAUDIBLE ] I
AM NOT COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I AM
NOT ON SOUND TRANSIT. [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> ALL RIGHT, SO, I ALSO WANTED
TO SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCE THAT
I KNOW THAT SOME FORUMS REQUEST
THAT YOU KEEP QUIET AND ONLY
WAVE HANDS WHEN YOU ARE
SUPPORTING SOMETHING. WE ARE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HONOR THE
SPIRIT OF THE COLLEGE, AND IF
YOU WANT TO CLAP OR YOU WANT TO
CHEER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO
THAT. OKAY?
>> [ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT,
LET'S START JUMPING INTO
QUESTIONS, WE WILL I GUESS IT
STARTED AT THIS END WITH JIM
BOUREY, THEN WE WILL MOVE DOWN
THE LINE. JIM, THE NORTH [
INAUDIBLE ] MALL DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT, WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS
OR THOUGHTS ON KEEPING THAT
CONTRACT?
>> WELL, AS YOU KNOW , THE
PANDEMIC HAD A LOT OF IMPACT ON
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THIS
CITY. I LIVE VERY CLOSE [
INAUDIBLE ]. WE WALKED TO THE
TRANSIT STATION EVERY MORNING OR
WHENEVER WE GO ANYWHERE. AND
WITH THE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING .
[ INAUDIBLE ] RETAIL WHICH IS
NECESSARY BUT I THINK AS A CITY,
WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP
FROM A SENATE PERSPECTIVE, AND
ALSO FROM A [ INAUDIBLE ]
PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, I THINK WE
HAVE SOME MAJOR REFORMS WE NEED
TO DO TO FACILITATE [ INAUDIBLE
] IN THE CITY. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU ?
>> THANK YOU. ONE THING I
NOTICED WHEN I GO TO NORTHGATE
IS THERE ISN'T A LOT OF
COMMUNITY BUILDING THAT HAPPENS
THERE, THERE IS IN AS MANY
ORGANIZATIONS THAT I WOULD LOVE
TO SEE, SO ONE THING I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE IS FOR THE COMMUNITY
TO HAVE PLACES TOGETHER, FOR THE
SCHOOLS AND THE STUDENTS TO
ENJOY. I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO SEE
MORE CONNECTEDNESS WITH OTHER
COMMUNITIES ACROSS D5, THAT IS
OUR BIGGEST ISSUE, GETTING
AROUND OUR DISTRICT FROM EAST TO
WEST. IN TERMS OF
TRANSPORTATION, I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE CONNECTING OUR
ENTIRE DISTRICT AND NOT MISSING
JUST ON TRANSPORTATION IN
NORTHGATE, BUT ALSO COMMUNITY
BUILDING, TOO, THAT IS WHAT I
WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE. AND
ALSO, WE NEED A WORKING ELEVATOR
THAT IS CONSISTENT, BECAUSE NOT
ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS CAN TAKE
THE ESCALATOR. AND RESTAURANTS.
>> THANK YOU, NILU . AND I WOULD
REPEAT THE QUESTION, LET ME
KNOW. OKAY, SO, REGARDING THE
NORTHGATE MALL DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS
OR CONCERNS WITH KEEPING IT ON
TRACK?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, NORTHGATE
MALL IS ONLY TWO MILES FROM MY
HOUSE, AND IT IS HARD TO WALK
THERE, IT IS HARD TO TAKE THE
STROLLER WITH A BABY IN IT, SO I
THINK AS WE THINK ABOUT GROWTH
AND COMMUNITY BUILDING
OPPORTUNITIES, WE ALSO HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
SO I DO LOVE THE IDEA THAT SHE
MENTIONED ABOUT COMMUNITY SPACE,
AND I SEE THE POSTERS WITH GREEN
SPACE, WHICH I LOVE, BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, I ALSO THINK WE HAVE
TO THINK ABOUT, HOW DO WE GET
THERE? AND I THINK IT IS A
MISSED OPPORTUNITY IF WE DON'T
CONNECT THE WEST AND THE EAST
SIDE, SO WE HAVE LAKE CITY WAY,
BUT HOW DO WE GET FROM THE WEST
AND THE EAST SIDE, AND THAT IS
AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO
ADDRESS.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. OR ROB?
>> I AM SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE
NORTHGATE AREA, I LOVE THIS
QUESTION. I WAS AT THE NORTHGATE
COMMUNITY CENTER PARTY ON FRIDAY
NIGHT WITH THE KIDS, WITH THE
COMMUNITY, THERE WAS A MAGIC
SHOW. IT IS A WONDERFUL
COMMUNITY AND IT DOES HAVE ALL
THE POTENTIAL FOR PEOPLE TO COME
TOGETHER. I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED
FRANKLY AS A RESIDENT IN THE
AREA. I TAKE THAT TRAIL EVERY
DAY, I WALK PAST IT EVERY DAY.
CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN MUCH
SLOWER THAN I ASKED [ INAUDIBLE
] BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS
CRAWLING A WRONG. [ INAUDIBLE ]
STRUGGLING FOR A LONG TIME,
WE'RE FINALLY GETTING THE
PROMISE OF A TRADER JOE'S, I
THINK THAT IS A BIG DEAL. THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT JUST
POPPED UP AN OLD HOUSING VENUE,
THAT IS GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD THINGS
THERE, BUT WE HAVE GOT TO MOVE
FASTER. I THINK THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
AREAS LIKE THAT IN AREAS THAT
CAN REALLY TAKE HIGH-RISES.
THERE IS NO REASON WE COULDN'T
PUT A LOT OF HOUSING IN
NORTHGATE. THE RETAIL, THE
RESTAURANTS, THE VIBRANT
COMMUNITY. I WALK ACROSS THAT
BRIDGE TO GET HERE, AND WITH THE
AREA BEING SO MUCH OF I-5, WE
HAVE GOT TO MAKE THE DENSITY
COUNT WHERE WE CAN.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> SO, MY COLLEAGUE SAID
NORTHGATE IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY
TO ADD HOUSING COMMUNITIES [
INAUDIBLE ] AS I ALSO MENTIONED,
THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH [
INAUDIBLE ]. WE HAVE GOT A LOT
OF REALLY LARGE SUPER [
INAUDIBLE ] IN THE AREA, SO IN
TERMS OF THINKING ABOUT WHY
ISN'T DEVELOPING HAPPENING [
INAUDIBLE ] AND WHAT CAN WE
REALLY DO TO BUMP THAT
OPPORTUNITY UP? THAT IS
SOMETHING WE WOULD THINK A LOT
ABOUT IN TERMS OF [ INAUDIBLE ],
BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, [
INAUDIBLE ] EAST-WEST
CONNECTIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS [
INAUDIBLE ]. SO, I THINK
THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES
HERE. THINKING ABOUT ALSO, WHAT
ARE SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL
ISSUES THAT WE ARE RUNNING INTO
WITH THE PERMITTING AND HOW CAN
WE TRY TO [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE
LITTLE LINES OF CODE THAT WE ARE
GETTING STUCK ON, THAT ARE
REALLY PREVENTING US FROM
FULFILLING THE DEVELOPMENT THAT
WE WANT TO SEE IN NORTHGATE?
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> THANK YOU. WELL, FIRST AND
FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO GIVE A
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA, [
INAUDIBLE ] THAT WAS ONE OF THE
PROJECTS WE WERE WORKING ON
BEFORE I LEFT. SECOND, THE
NORTHGATE PROPERTY IS PRIVATE
PROPERTY, [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR THAT
FIRST LIGHT RAIL STATION,
NORTHGATE WAS CERTAINLY [
INAUDIBLE ]. AND CERTAINLY WITH
THE JOHN LEWIS BRIDGE CONNECTING
[ INAUDIBLE ] TO NORTHGATE, THAT
WAS PART OF THE [ INAUDIBLE ] .
AND THEN OF COURSE, ONE OF THE
BIG ISSUES IS THAT WHEN I WORKED
WITH MAYOR [ INAUDIBLE ] WHEN WE
BOUGHT THOSE EIGHT ACRES [
INAUDIBLE ] , YEAH, THE
NORTHGATE COMMONS, AS YOU CAN
SEE, IT IS BEING REPROGRAMMED.
THEY ARE TEARING IT DOWN NOW.
AND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE
BEFORE I LEFT , HE COULDN'T GET
DONE, SO I'M A LITTLE
DISAPPOINTED WHEN I WOULD DRIVE
BY AND SAY WHAT HAPPENED? WE
WERE SUPPOSED TO GET ALL THESE
UNITS, [ INAUDIBLE ], AND HAVE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT [ INAUDIBLE
]. AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . ALL
RIGHT. ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT
QUESTION. JUST DOWN THE STREET,
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR MEETING
COMMUNITY NEEDS AT THE NEW LAKE
CITY COMMUNITY CENTER? AND WE
WILL START WITH NILU ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU. LAKE CITY IS HOME
FOR ME, I GO BY THAT LOCATION
ALL THE TIME, A LIBRARY AND A
COMMUNITY CENTER. I HAVE TAUGHT
STUDENTS AT THE LIBRARY FROM
JOHN ROGERS ELEMENTARY BUT I
THINK WHAT WE NEED TO SEE THERE
IS A PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN GO, I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE A SHOWER FOR
PEOPLE TO USE IF THEY NEED IT
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A
COMMUNITY KITCHEN. I WOULD LOVE
TO SEE A PLACE FOR CHILDREN TO
PLAY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LOT
OF SENIOR PROGRAMMING, I NOTICED
SOMETHING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
PEOPLE REALLY WANT, AND I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE A CLIMATE RESILIENCE
CENTER. WE ARE NOT REACTING IN
TERMS OF PREPARING FOR THE
FUTURE AND PEOPLE NEED PLACES TO
GO [ INAUDIBLE ] AND NOT
EVERYBODY HAS AC HERE, SO
THINKING OF SOMEWHERE THAT CAN
BRING PEOPLE TO LAKE CITY, TOO,
TO HELP SUPPORT OUR LOCAL
BUSINESSES IN THE AREA IS
ANOTHER GOAL THAT I WOULD HAVE
FOR LAKE CITY, JUST MAKE IT A
PLACE THAT IS A REAL COMMUNITY
HUB, AND NOT SUFFERING LIKE IT
IS RIGHT NOW.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU. JULIE?
>> YES, I LOVE COMMUNITY
CENTERS, AND I RECENTLY ACTUALLY
HELPED BUILD A LYNNWOOD
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER BY
FUNDRAISING, BUT ALSO BY MAKING
SURE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE
INCLUDED IN THOSE SPACES, SO THE
FACT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, AS WELL
AS AN ELDERLY -- SENIOR SPACES
FOR TECHNOLOGY, LEARNING, AND SO
MANY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, I
THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE COULD DO, BUT I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
REPRESENTATION. WE HAVE
WRAPAROUND SERVICES, WE HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO NOT ONLY HAVE A
VISION FOR A PLACE, BUT GET THE
INPUT FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE
COMMUNITY, FROM THE NEIGHBORS
WHO ARE ALREADY USING AND LIVING
IN THAT COMMUNITY, SO I THINK
THAT IS IMPORTANT. AND FOR ALL
OF THAT TO HAPPEN, WE NEED
PUBLIC SAFETY. WE NEED TO FEEL
SAFE TO WALK TO OUR COMMUNITY
CENTER AND TO STAY. AND I KNOW
TEEN AND YOUTH PROGRAMS, THEY
USUALLY STAY UNTIL LATE, AND WE
WANT THEM TO FEEL SAFE.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ROB?
>> I REALLY LOVE THE D5, SO
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE PASSION
HERE AGAIN THAT AREA IS A
WONDERFUL LITTLE TIGER, GROCERY
OUTLET, ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS
THAT YOU CAN GO TO IN THAT AREA
AND ENJOY AND CELEBRATE WITH
FAMILY. THE FARMERS MARKET IN
THAT AREA IS SO MUCH RICHER THAN
I EXPECTED THE FIRST TIME I WENT
THERE. IT IS WONDERFUL, THEY
HAVE SUCH A SELECTION OF FOODS.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, THE
COMMUNITY CENTER, WAS ONE OF
THOSE THINGS WHERE WHEN I READ
THE ARTICLE IN SEATTLE TIMES, I
SHARE WITH MY WIFE IMMEDIATELY.
IT TALKED ABOUT REBUILDING THE
COMMUNITY CENTER WITH AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, WITH CHILDCARE, WITH
OPTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
HAVING THAT FORETHOUGHT, DON'T
JUST PUT BACK THE BUILDING THAT
WAS THERE BEFORE, THINK BIGGER,
DO MORE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE PUBLIC INVESTMENT LIKE
THAT CAN HELP CHANGE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. IT THEN DRIVES
THINGS LIKE MAKING IT MORE
WALKABLE, HAVING MORE PEDESTRIAN
TRAFFIC THERE, AND I THINK THAT
COMMUNITY CENTER HAS BEEN REALLY
MISSING FROM THE AREA, AND
BRINGING IT BACK IS GOING TO BE
WONDERFUL FOR LAKE CITY.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> SO, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN
ACCOMPLISH WHEN THE CITY AND
COMMUNITIES WORK TOGETHER. AND
REALLY DEMONSTRATE HOW WE ARE [
INAUDIBLE ]. THIS COULD HAVE
GONE BACK IS JUST A COMMUNITY
CENTER. AND WE KNEW WHAT WE
NEEDED WAS MORE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN THE AREA. WE FIGURED
OUT HOW WE COULD WORK [
INAUDIBLE ] TO WORK ON THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR OTHER
DEPARTMENTS TO FIND FUNDING FOR
THE THINGS TO HAPPEN. I'M SO
EXCITED FOR THIS TO BE A
COMMUNITY FACILITY, AND THERE
ARE ALWAYS WAYS WE CAN LOOK TO
DO EVEN MORE TO REALLY CELEBRATE
OUR RESIDENTS, TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE BRINGING IN ARTS AND CULTURE
IN THESE COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST
WHERE THEY CAN WALK TO THEM, BUT
WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET THE
RESOURCES THEY NEED. SO, I THINK
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE AND I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE EXAMPLES
THROUGHOUT D5 AND A LOT OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
LACKING THEM.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WHEN I
RAN, I THINK YOU REMEMBER THIS,
DAVID, BACK IN 2015, ONE OF THE
THINGS I RAN ON WAS BUILDING A
COMMUNITY CENTER AND I GOT THAT
DONE. THE COMMUNITY CENTER
BELOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON
TOP. AND WE ALSO WENT ON A
PEDESTRIAN BIKE BRIDGE WHICH IS
NOW THE JOHN LEWIS BRIDGE, AND
THE POLICE STATION, THAT BECAME
ANOTHER ISSUE FOR ANOTHER DAY,
AND THE POINT IS WE RAN ON THAT,
WE DELIVER THAT, WE STARTED OUR
OWN $50 MILLION, WE GOT UP TO
LIKE $39 MILLION, AND STARTED
LOOKING FOR AN ARCHITECT, AND AS
YOU KNOW, MY TERM WAS UP, I
WASN'T CHAIRING PARKS ANYMORE,
AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT
WAS GOING TO GO FORWARD, BECAUSE
THAT'S HOW HARD WE WORKED ON
THAT. AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT
WASN'T JUST ME, BECAUSE I LIVE
THERE AND THERE ARE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS I CAN SEE OUT AN
AUDIENCE WHO WORKED ON THAT. [
INAUDIBLE ] BUT ALSO WANTING
THAT SECOND ONE 30th LIGHT RAIL
STATION. AND [ INAUDIBLE ] WE
ALSO WORKED HARD ON GETTING A
SECOND POLICE STATION IN THE
NORTH END, THEN AFTER SOME
ISSUES, WE DECIDED WE MIGHT
DISCUSS A SATELLITE [ INAUDIBLE
].
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM
BOUREY, WRAP IT UP.
>> [ LAUGHTER ] COMMUNITY
CENTERS CAN REALLY BE A FOCAL
POINT FOR A COMMUNITY.
OBVIOUSLY, LAKE CITY IT NEEDS
SOME INFUSION OF ACTIVITY, AND A
CENTRAL FOCUS AS WELL. AND I
THINK THEY CAN DO THAT. TO ME,
THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT
ARE IMPORTANT ENGAGEMENT,
ENGAGING THE PEOPLE, AND
ULTIMATELY WHAT IS DONE AT THE
CENTER IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO PROGRAM
ACTIVITIES, SO IT ISN'T JUST A
CENTER THAT HAS ACTIVITY AND
LIFE AND VITALITY. I LIKE TO SAY
GETTING TO AND FROM PLACES A
LAKE CITY CAN BE A CHALLENGE, SO
IMPROVING SIDEWALKS, LIGHTING,
AND OTHER ISSUES ALSO CAN MAKE A
BIG DIFFERENCE AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. UM, AGAIN, IF
ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS FROM THE
AUDIENCE, IF YOU WANT TO HOLD
THEM UP, APRIL WILL GRAB THOSE
FOR YOU. ALL RIGHTY. SWITCHING
OVER. NO, ACTUALLY, LET'S KEEP
-- LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, JUST ONE MORE
QUESTION. AND WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND HAVE JULIE START THIS ONE.
DO YOU SUPPORT FREE RANGE ZONING
AND THE PROPOSED NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER THAT WOULD ALLOW THREE
AND SIX STORY BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION, WHY OR WHY NOT?
>> WELL, IT DEPENDS. THE REASON
WHY I SAY IT DEPENDS IS BECAUSE
YES, SEATTLE NEEDS MORE HOUSING,
BUT IT MUST BE DONE AND BE DONE
IN A SMART, REALISTIC , AND
GROUNDED IN THE NEEDS OF THE
FAMILIES LIKE OUR NEIGHBORS. AND
DENSITY IS COMING , SO WE
UNDERSTAND THAT, ESPECIALLY IN
PLACES LIKE LAKE CITY WAY, AND
WE DO HAVE TO PREPARE, NOT JUST
BY BUILDING MORE UNITS, BUT BY
INVESTING IN SIDEWALKS, SCHOOLS,
PARKS, AND PUBLIC SERVICES THAT
MAKES DENSITY LIVABLE, BECAUSE I
THINK WE HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW WE
CAN GROW WITHOUT PUSHING PEOPLE
OUT, BUT ALSO, GROWTH SHOULD
SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND NOT THE
OTHER WAY AROUND, SO, YES, WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING . YES, WE HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT HOW DO WE ENGAGE MORE OF
OUR NEIGHBORS TO STAY IN THE
COMMUNITY? BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT
WITH GROWTH IN MIND, BUT BE
MINDFUL OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND
THE GREEN SPACE AND OTHER
FACTORS THAT MAY HINDER THE
HIGH-RISES.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. ROB?
>> I THINK ONE OF THESE
TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT
LED ME TO BEING HERE RIGHT NOW
IS GOING TO OLYMPIA DAY SCHOOL
AND HEARING THE DISCUSSION OF
THE SEATTLE CONFERENCE A PLAN
LED BY A PANEL OF EXPERTS.
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE WAS THERE,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, AND THERE
WERE A NUMBER OF FOLKS FROM THE
CITY AND LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS
TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE COMP PLAN
MEANT TO THEM. THERE WERE FOLKS
AND AUDIENCE WHO WERE A LITTLE
WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE
COMP PLAN, THEY MIGHT NOT FULLY
UNDERSTAND IT, BUT HEARING FROM
BUSINESS OWNERS THAT TALKED
ABOUT HOW HARD IT IS FOR THEIR
EMPLOYEES TO FIND HOUSING
ANYWHERE NEAR THE BUSINESS. THE
BUSINESS OWNER THEMSELVES
TALKING ABOUT HOW HARD IT IS TO
AFFORD IT. WHAT I LOVE TO HAVE
MY BUSINESS ON THE FIRST FLOOR
AND HOUSING ON THE SECOND FLOOR?
YES. BUT THAT'S YEARS OF
CONSTRUCTION, WHERE AM I GOING
TO LIVE IN THE MEANTIME, HOW CAN
I MAKE THIS WORTH -- WORK? I
WENT INTO THE MEETING
OPEN-MINDED. I CAME OUT LEARNING
THAT BUILDING HOUSING UNITS
ISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE
SCARED OF. IF ANYTHING, WE ABOUT
TO MOVE FASTER ON IT BUT AND IF
WE CAN ALIGN THE TRANSIT WITH
WHAT WE NEED IN THE COMP LAND, I
THINK EVERYBODY'S GOING TO LOVE
THE CITY THAT THAT CREATES.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, ROB. ALL RIGHT,
KATY.
>> HI, THANKS . SO, I AM A
LAND-USE OWNER, SO YES. I WOULD
DEFINITELY SUPPORT [ INAUDIBLE
]. HELPED WORK ON THE COMP PLAN,
I HELPED WORK ON THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS. THE WHOLE
POINT IS WE ARE ADDING DENSITY
WHERE WE HAVE THESE ASSETS THAT
WE CAN BUILD ON. THERE ARE
BUSINESSES THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK
TO WHERE THERE ARE ALREADY
PARKS, WHERE THERE ARE ALREADY
THINGS THAT MAKE IT A WALKABLE
NEIGHBORHOOD SO WE CAN GET GOOD
TRANSIT, SO WE CAN GET PEOPLE
OUT OF THEIR CARS. WE NEED SO
MUCH MORE HOUSING IN THE CITY
AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT
WITHOUT ADDING MORE CARDS IS TO
DO IT IN PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN
WALK. THE VISION FOR OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS COMES FROM PEOPLE
WHO LIVE THERE, IT'S MORE
DETAILED, IT'S ABOUT THE TYPES
OF HOUSING YOU WANT TO SEE, HOW
WE WANTED TO LOOK, AND ZONING IS
A TOOL WE CAN USE TO SHAPE THAT.
SO, I THINK WHEN USED CORRECTLY,
THE ZONING CAN ACTUALLY MAKE OUR
VISIONS HAPPEN TO MAKE THE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING WE
NEED HAPPEN. AND SO, FOR THAT, I
WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT
ADDITIONAL [ INAUDIBLE ] ZONING.
>> THANK YOU, KATY.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> DEBORA ?
>> BEFORE -- THAT'S A REALLY
INTENSE QUESTION AND IT WILL
TAKE MORE THAN A MINUTE, BUT I
WILL BE REALLY FAST. THIS IS
WHAT I THINK GENERALLY ABOUT
ZONING. IN THE 2025 SALE COMP
PLAN, THE HALF MILE RADIUS
AROUND THE CHILD'S HOME OR YOUR
HOME SHOULD BE OUR NORTHSTAR.
THE COMP PLAN MUST BE
FORWARD-LOOKING AND INTEGRATE
UPWARD MOBILITY, UPWARD ECONOMIC
MOBILITY, AND I SAY THAT , NOW
IT'S GOING TO GET WONKY. BEFORE
WE GET INTO ZONING CAPACITY, NEW
HOUSING, NEW JOBS, [ INAUDIBLE
], ONE SEATTLE 300,000
ADDITIONAL UNITS THAT MAYOR
HARRELL IS LOOKING AT, BEFORE WE
IMPLEMENT HOUSE BILL 1110, WHICH
WOULD ADD ANOTHER 65,000, AND
LOOKING AT NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS,
URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE ALL
KNOW THAT THERE ARE 10
NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMP PLAN
AND D5 THAT IS GOING TO BE
LOOKING AT, BEFORE WE LOOK AT
THE MIDDLE HOUSING TYPES, [
INAUDIBLE ] AND PARKING, YOU CAN
TELL I HAD THIS JOB BEFORE, I
REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO FOCUS ON
THE GOOD STUFF, NOT JUST TRANSIT
AND COMMUNITY CENTER, BUT WHEN I
SAY GOOD STUFF, I MEAN
LIBRARIES, PARKS, GREEN SPACE,
AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> [ APPLAUSE ] X DENSITY IS
INEVITABLE. WE HAVE A CITY THAT
IS GROWING AND HAS A LOT OF
DEMANDS BECAUSE OF ALL THE
EMPLOYMENT AND THE SUCCESS THAT
WE HAVE HAD, SO THAT IS A
CHALLENGE FOR SURE. HOW YOU DO
IT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT, HOW
YOU PROVIDE TRANSITIONS TO
EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS, I
SUPPORT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AT
THE SAME TIME, AS YOU PROVIDE A
MUCH DENSER HOUSING ARRANGEMENT,
OBVIOUSLY SUPPORTED BY
INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT BEING SAID,
TO ME, THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS
TRANSPORTATION BUT I DON'T
THINK WE HAVE HAD SUCCESSFUL
INVESTMENT THAT WE REALLY NEED,
WE NEED TO WRAP THAT UP FURTHER.
AND THAT IS SIDEWALKS, IT IS
BETTER BUS SERVICE, IT IS
EXPANDING THE WAY THAT WE SERVE
THE HOUSING THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
STREETS THAT ARE ONE MAIN
STREETS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
CITY.
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> SO, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF
DENSITY. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE. WE SEE L.A.
GO UP IN FLAMES AND WE HAVE
WATER, WE ALREADY HAVE CLIMATE
REFUGEES LIVING HERE IN SEATTLE.
SO, THE REALITY OF THIS JOB IS
AND WHETHER OR NOT WE DECIDE [
INAUDIBLE ], WE SEE SEATTLE IS
GROWING, WE SEE ENCAMPMENTS, AND
RECEIPT ON AFFORDABILITY. THAT
JOB IS COMMUNICATING TO THE
PUBLIC WHY WE NEED DENSITY, AND
[ INAUDIBLE ], IT IS HOLDING
THEIR HANDS AND GRIEVING OVER
THE ROSE GARDENS THAT THEY ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO NEED TO GIVE
UP, THAT IS SOMEBODY I REMEMBER
KNOCKING ON THEIR DOOR VERY
DISTINCTLY. I WILL BE OUT THERE,
GRIEVING WITH YOU ABOUT THIS
TRANSITION AND THIS FUTURE THAT
I DIDN'T WANT TO COME UPON US,
BUT IT IS HERE. AND IF WE DON'T
BUILD A BETTER FUTURE AND FOR
THE FUTURE, OUR CHILDREN WON'T
HAVE ONE, OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS
WON'T HAVE ONE, SO I INTEND TO
ALWAYS -- WHETHER I GET THIS
APPOINTMENT OR NOT, BE OUT THERE
WITH YOU, GRIEVING ABOUT THIS
TRANSITION, BUT ALSO CELEBRATING
A FUTURE THAT WE CAN ALL
CELEBRATE. I LIVED IN
TRIPLE-DECKER'S IN THE BOSTON
AREA, AND BELIEVE ME, IT WAS
FUN, IT WAS COMMUNITY, AND I
LOVED IT, SO --
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, NILU. LET'S GO
AHEAD AND PUT THESE PADDLES TO
USE HERE, SO EVERYBODY HAS GOT A
GREEN AND A RED ONE, GET THEM
READY. DO YOU SUPPORT THE
PROPOSED NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER
PLAN IN ROOSEVELT? ALREADY.
THANK YOU. AND JUST TO CLARIFY,
THAT IS BUILDING THREE TO SIX
STORY BUILDINGS IN THAT AREA.
ALRIGHTY WHAT IS THAT? IS IT
90th AND ROOSEVELT? OKAY. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO, WAS THAT A
PROPER QUESTION OR NOT, I AM NOT
SURE? OH, OKAY. [ INAUDIBLE ]
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. WHAT --
AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND START
WITH ROB. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR
--
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
>> HEY, I AM JUST A VOLUNTEER, I
AM NOT GETTING PAID FOR THIS. [
LAUGHTER ] THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ALL RIGHT, SO WE WILL START
WITH ROB, AND WHAT IS YOUR PLAN
FOR REDUCING -- AND I AM
ACTUALLY GOING TO TIE THIS IN
WITH A COMMENT FROM THE AUDIENCE
WERE QUESTION. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN
FOR REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND
THE TRADE ON AURORA, AND I JUST
WANT TO ADD THIS AS WELL, IF
APPOINTED, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO
HELP THE VULNERABLE WOMEN THAT
ARE INVOLVED IN THAT SEX TRADE?
AND I'M SORRY, YOU ONLY HAVE A
MINUTE, BUT DO YOUR BEST.
>> I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE
AREAS WHERE WE NEED THE MOST
FOCUS IN DISTRICT 5. ALL OF US
WHO DRIVE THERE, WHO TRAVEL
AROUND AURORA, IT IS SIDE. AS
SOMEONE WITH DAUGHTERS, IT'S
JUST HARD TO IMAGINE SOMEBODY
ELSE GOING THROUGH THAT IN THEIR
OWN LIFE. SO FOR ME, IF THERE IS
GUN VIOLENCE, THAT IS ABOUT
POLICE AND INVESTING IN POLICING
AND BEING SMART ABOUT THE GUN
LAWS. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE
A WIDER DEBATE ABOUT GUNS IN
THIS COUNTRY AND IF THAT
DOESN'T HAPPEN, WE NEED TO HAVE
IT YOUR IN THIS STATE AND THE
CITY. ON THE SEX TRADE SIDE,
THERE ARE INNOVATIVE IDEAS.
OTHER THINGS IN AURORA, SO WE
CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
PATTERNS, BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
PEOPLE BEHIND US, AND HELP
COMBAT IT. BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN
THINGS WE HAVE JUST GOT TO GET
RIGHT AS A SOCIETY, AND THAT IS
ONE OF THEM. SO --
>> THANK YOU, ROB.
>> KATY?
>> THANK YOU. TWO SIDES OF THIS,
WE HAVE GOT ENFORCEMENT AND
PREVENTION. SO, ENFORCEMENT,
REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN
ADDRESS THE HOTSPOTS OF
ACTIVITIES HAPPENING. WE ALL
KNOW [ INAUDIBLE ] IS ONE OF
THEM. DOING THAT BY SHIFTING
WHERE WE CAN SOME OF THE DUTIES
[ INAUDIBLE ] CIVILIAN FORCES
AND EXPANDING THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE THE POLICE
WHERE WE NEED THEM. ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF IT, I THINK THERE'S A
LOT MORE TO DO ABOUT PREVENTION,
AND A LOT OF THIS DOES GO BACK
TO HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS AND
TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T
HAVE TO GO TO DESPERATE MEASURES
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN
PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR
FAMILY, SO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT WHERE CAN WE
EXPAND OUR HOUSING CAPACITY?
WHERE CAN WE ALL POWER SUPPLIES,
SO PEOPLE ARE FORCED OUT ONTO
THE STREET TO MAKE THESE
DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES
QUESTION MARK IN THE OTHER THING
I WOULD DO IS LOOK AT THE
PROGRAMS ALREADY WORKING. WE GOT
THE AURORA COMMONS, THEY'RE
DOING GREAT WORK, THINKING ABOUT
HOW WE CONTINUE TO RESEARCH THE
THINGS THAT ARE WORKING, THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THAT WORK,
AND THE BEST WAYS TO ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> THANK YOU. WHEN I WAS ON THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL ONE OF THE
FIRST TIMES EVER, WE ALSO MET
WITH THE CEO OF AURORA COMMONS,
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2016
AND EVERY YEAR CYCLE AFTER THAT,
WE TRIPLED OUR BUDGET AT AURORA
COMMONS FOR SEX WORKERS AND
THOSE THAT WANT TO GET OUT IN
SEX TRAFFICKING AND WORKING WITH
SPG. THE OTHER ISSUE THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT BESIDES THE
MONEY FROM THE BUDGET TO ALLOW
THEIR EXPANSION, IF YOU NOTICED
IT WAS SMALLER, NOW IT IS
BIGGER, SO THEY CAN HAVE MORE
RESOURCES AND WE CONNECTED THEM
WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON SO THEY CAN HAVE
MEDICAL RESOURCES, BUT THE
NUMBER ONE ISSUE AND I JUST
SPOKE TO THIS TO ELIZABETH A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, IF A WOMAN WANTS TO GET
OUT OF THE SEX TRADE, THERE ARE
ONLY SEVEN BEDS IN THE WHOLE
CITY IF A WOMAN DECIDES THEN AND
THERE THAT SHE NEEDS TO GET OUT
WHATEVER REASON, VIOLENCE, DRUG
ADDICTION, YOU NAME IT, AND THAT
IS THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE,
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE
TO PUT WOMEN WHO NEED TO GET OUT
OF THE SEX TRADE AND HAVE
SOMEWHERE SAFE TO GO, NOT EVEN
SAFEHOUSES. SO, THAT HAS BEEN AN
ISSUE FOR US AND THAT COMES BACK
TO HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> I AM TOTALLY ALL IN ON GUNS
AND GUN CONTROL. ABSOLUTELY,
ROB, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT
UP. PUBLIC SAFETY IS SO
IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY, A LOT OF
IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR MODEL OF
HOW WE POLICE. COMMUNITY
POLICING IS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT, SO HOW THE POLICE
OFFICERS ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE IN
AURORA, HOW THEY ENGAGE WITH THE
SEX WORKERS AND OTHERS IS REALLY
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND ALSO
THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDED FOR
THEM. DRUG TREATMENT AND OTHER
SERVICES NEED TO BE RAMPED UP
AND MUCH MORE INVESTMENTS THAN
WE HAVE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK, YOU KNOW,
DRIVING DOWN, IT'S ABSOLUTELY A
TRAGEDY, AS A MOTHER AS WELL, I
FIND IT REALLY HURT. I THINK ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS
WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO ARE DOING
THIS WORK AND ASKING WHAT THEIR
CARE NEEDS ARE AND MAKING SURE
THEY HAVE RESOURCES TO TURN TO
FOR THEIR CENTERING WHAT WOULD
WORK FOR THEM. I ALSO THINK WHEN
IT COMES TO GUN VIOLENCE
PREVENTION, HAVING ORGANIZED THE
NATION'S LARGEST GUN BUYBACK IN
RESPONSE TO THE PARKLAND
SHOOTING, I THINK WHAT WE NEED
TO DO IS JUST DO THINGS AND PASS
LAWS AND ADVOCATE, AND ZONING
LAWS, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE NOT JUST THROWING MONEY
IN POLICING AND WE ARE HAVING A
HARD TIME HIRING POLICE. IN THAT
CASE, SWITCHING TO ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSES. I WANT TO BE SAFER.
YOU KNOW, I WANT THINGS THAT WE
CAN ACTUALLY FUND AND DO RIGHT
NOW. WE HIRE POLICE WHAT WE CAN,
BUT OUR CARE STEAM BEING
EXPANDED IN D5 WAS WONDERFUL,
LET'S DO MORE OF THAT.
ALBUQUERQUE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB
BRINGING ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES,
LET'S LATCH ON IN THE SAME WAY
THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE, FOR
EXAMPLE, REDMOND HAS DONE SOME
GREAT EXPANSION OF THEIR
RESOURCES AND SEATTLE IS LACKING
A LITTLE BIT, WE CAN DO BETTER.
>> THANK YOU. JULIE?
>> SO, I HAVE TO MAKE A LEFT
TURN IN FRONT OF KRISPY KREME
EVERY DAY, AND I HAVE SEEN
ACCIDENTS. AND AS A MOTHER AND
AN EDUCATOR, I REALLY THINK, IS
THIS THE BEST FOR SEX WORKERS?
AND I TALKED TO ABOUT 50
DIFFERENT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS,
AND WE HAVE 101 BODY SHOP THAT
HAS CORRIDOR'S BECAUSE THEY SEE
GUN VIOLENCE, YOU KNOW, ON A
REGULAR BASIS. WE HAVE ROSE
CORNER FLOWER SHOP THAT SERVES
THE FUNERAL HOMES, AND THEY HAVE
A SEX WORKER ARGUMENT, AND THE
OWNER GOT SICK. I MEAN, SHE GOT
HURT, SERIOUSLY. THESE ARE
THINGS THAT WE THINK ABOUT, AND
I THINK OUR FORMER COUNCILMEMBER
HAS STARTED MAKING SOME
MOVEMENTS TOWARDS SAFETY,
PROTECTING THE PUBLIC, AS WELL
AS THE SEX WORKERS, AND I THINK
WE HAVE TO BUILD ON THAT, SO I
DON'T WANT TO START FROM GROUND
ZERO I WANT TO BUILD ON WHAT IS
ALREADY IN THE PLAN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD
AND -- LET'S STAY ON THE PUBLIC
SAFETY. OTHER THAN AURORA, AND
WE WILL START WITH KATY. OTHER
THAN AURORA, WHAT ARE THE HOT
SPOTS IN DISTRICT 5 THAT ARE ON
YOUR RADAR AND WHAT WILL YOU
ATTACK FIRST?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. IS
THIS WORKING? OKAY. THAT IS A
GREAT QUESTION. I LIVE OFF
AURORA, SO IT IS DEFINITELY THE
HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR ME. THAT IS
DEFINITELY NOT SAYING THAT OTHER
PEOPLE AREN'T DEALING WITH
THESE ISSUES AS WELL, SO AURORA
IS A LONG STRETCH, A LOT OF
ISSUES UP AND DOWN AURORA. I
THERE ARE STILL SOME ISSUES OVER
IN LAKE CITY AND THERE ARE ALSO
A LOT OF ISSUES AND PLACES THAT
THEY MOVE, YOU KNOW? WE SWEEP
THEM AWAY AND THEY JUST POP UP
SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO, I THINK THAT
ADDRESSING THESE PLACES ONE BY
ONE AND THOSE AREAS THAT ARE
HOTSPOTS IS IMPORTANT. I ALSO
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE DON'T
JUST KEEP SWEEPING THINGS FROM
ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER PLACE AND
REALLY DEALING WITH THESE
SYSTEMIC ISSUES AT THE ROOT.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANKS, SO AGAIN, I AM GOING
TO BRING US BACK TO HOUSING, AND
I REALLY THINK WHAT WE NEED TO
DO IS FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET
PEOPLE IN HOUSING TO PREVENT
THIS FROM HAPPENING. KEEPING
PEOPLE IN HOUSING, BUT ALSO
GETTING PEOPLE BACK INTO
HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> THANK YOU. SO, WHAT WAS THE
QUESTION AGAIN ABOUT CRIME? WHAT
WAS IT EXACTLY?
>> OTHER THAN AURORA, WHAT ARE
THE HOTSPOTS IN DISTRICT 5 THAT
ARE ON YOUR RADAR AND HOW WOULD
YOU ATTACK THOSE PROBLEMS?
>> SO, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE
CRIME IN AURORA AND WE HAVE
SINCE [ INAUDIBLE ]. BUT IN
BETWEEN AURORA AND LAKE CITY
WAY, THERE IS A LOT OF LAND AND
A LOT OF LIFE AND A LOT OF CRIME
THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE SINCE I
HAVE LIVED HERE. WITH GUN
VIOLENCE , WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE
ASSAULTS, WE HAVE HAD SHOOTINGS,
WE HAVE HAD HOMICIDES, WE HAVE
HAD OUR VIEWS, SO LAKE CITY WAY,
IF PEOPLE KNEW HOW MUCH I HAD TO
WORK TO KEEP SOME FOLKS FROM
DUMPING MORE TINY HOUSE,
LOW-LEVEL HOUSING ONTO LAKE CITY
WAY AND IN BETWEEN AURORA AND
LAKE CITY WAY, AND IT ISN'T
THAT THE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT
ARE THERE WHO ARE BEING HOUSED
ARE CRIMINALS, IT IS SOMETIMES
WHAT IT ATTRACTS. AND WE WORKED
HARD TO TRY TO GET A SECOND -- A
NEW POLICE STATION, SO WE COULD
HAVE THE WEST OF I-5 OR EAST OF
I-5. AND SOME OF YOU REMEMBER,
WE HAD TO LOCK THE BUNKER AND IT
GOT REALLY, REALLY UGLY, DEATH
AND ALL KINDS OF THREATS TO ME.
SO, I WANTED TO REVISIT THAT,
BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU HAVE A
POLICE PRESENCE, NOT ONLY ON
AURORA OR UP HERE, BECAUSE WE
HAVE A POLICE STATION HERE, BUT
SOMETHING ON THE OTHER SIDE,
BECAUSE THE CALL TIMES ARE NOT
QUICK ENOUGH FOR THEM TO GET
OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA .
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> JIM?
>> SO OBVIOUSLY, AURORA IS A
MAJOR ISSUE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER
CONCERNS AS WELL. LAKE CITY WAY.
[ INAUDIBLE ] WHERE I LIVE, IF
YOU DRIVE DOWN NORTHGATE WAY,
YOU SEE BOARDED-UP BUSINESSES
AND OTHERS BECAUSE OF THE CRIME,
BECAUSE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN
BROKEN INTO. BUT AGAIN, IT JUST
COMES BACK TO HAVING A MODEL OF
COMMUNITY POLICING WHERE THE
POLICE OFFICERS ARE ENGAGING AT
THE STREET LEVEL. IT IS NOT WHAT
I REFERRED TO BEFORE AS DRIVE-BY
POLICING AND THEY ARE IN THEIR
CAR AND WAVING AS YOU GO BY. WE
NEED PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREETS,
ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE, FINDING
OUT WHAT IS TRULY GOING ON AND
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUES AS WELL, SO --
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> NILU?
>> THANK YOU, SO I LIVE, LIKE I
SAID, IN LAKE CITY. 33rd AVENUE
IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE
QUITE A LOT OF SEX TRAFFICKING
AND GUN VIOLENCE AND DRUGS AS
WELL, SO I HOPE PEOPLE KEEP IN
MIND THAT WHITE IS ONE OF THE
MOST ETHNICALLY DIVERSE AREAS
AND NEIGHBORHOODS OF D5 NOT
MENTIONED AS OFTEN AS WE THINK?
AND ALSO, LITTLE BROOKE IS AN
AREA THAT HAS A LOT OF ISSUES. [
INAUDIBLE ] IS AN AREA THAT HAS
ISSUES, A LOT OF D5 HAS ISSUES.
I THINK IT IS ALSO A CONTEST,
HOMELESS PEOPLE LIVING ON OUR
STREETS AND NOT HAVING ENOUGH
SHELTERS [ INAUDIBLE ]. I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE US HAVE AN ACTUAL
REAL-TIME COUNT OF HOW MANY
SHELTER BEDS ARE AVAILABLE IN
THE CITY , SO WE DON'T HAVE A
DEBATE ABOUT WHO IS REJECTING
HOUSING, INSTEAD TALK ABOUT THE
SHORTAGE OF HOUSING AND SHELTERS
AND BEDS THAT WE HAVE. I WOULD
LOVE FOR US TO HAVE MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT IS ALSO
A CRIME, BUT GENERALLY, I THINK
WE NEED TO INVEST IN THINGS LIKE
THE CARE STEAM, COMMUNITY
PASSAGEWAYS, ANTIVIOLENCE
PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS
FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE HAVE HAD
SHOOTINGS AT INGRAM. I HAD A
SPREE SHOOTING IN FRONT OF MY
HOUSE IN SAND POINT, WE CAN DO
BETTER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> JULIE?
>> YET, SO I AM THINKING ABOUT
LAKE CITY AND AURORA, BUT
BETWEEN BITTER LAKE , AN URBAN
TRIAL, AS WELL AS NORTH AKERS
PARK, SO WE KNOW THAT PUBLIC
SAFETY IS NOT A LUXURY, IT IS A
BASIC RIGHT. AND FOR TOO LONG, I
THINK DISTRICT 5 HAS BEEN
WAITING FOR FASTER 911 RESPONSE
TIMES, WAITING FOR THE PROMISE,
AND WAITING FOR THE REAL HELP IN
PLACES LIKE LAKE CITY WAY AND
AURORA AND IN BETWEEN. AND I
THINK WE NEED A VISIBLE,
CONSISTENT PRESENCE, OFFICERS
WERE TRAINED, TRUSTED, AND
SUPPORTED ALSO PUBLIC SAFETY
MEANS CAROTENES THAT ARE
RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS, YOUTH PROGRAMS TO
PREVENT VIOLENCE BEFORE IT
STARTS, AND REAL INVESTMENT IN
HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING, AND
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE,
COUNCILMAN KETTLE FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY CHAIR, FOR STRENGTHENING
THE CITY'S CHRONIC NUISANCE
LAW, AND I THINK THIS IS PART OF
THE BROADER EFFORT TO ADDRESS
PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS, AND I
WILL WORK WITH THE COUNCIL TO
CONTINUE TO WORK ON PUBLIC
SAFETY.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ROB?
>> I THINK THERE ARE AREAS WHERE
WE NEED TO BE REALLY FOCUSED ON
WHERE WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR
EFFORTS BUT OBVIOUSLY RUN
SCHOOLS, OBVIOUSLY IN SOME OF
THESE HOTSPOTS, BUT JUST SHARING
SOME ANTIDOTES. WHEN THERE IS
SOMETHING NEAR A BUS STOP AND
YOU TRY TO CALL AND YOU TRY TO
CALL AGAIN AND [ INAUDIBLE ] TO
FIX IT, THAT DISCUSSION OF
RESPONSE TIMES, THE DISCUSSION
AROUND HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE
THESE AREAS WHERE A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE GOING THERE EVERY
DAY? KIDS ARE BOARDING THOSE
BUSES. LAKE CITY, WE TALK ABOUT
AREAS LIKE THAT, THERE ARE A LOT
OF KIDS THAT WALKED TO JANE
ADAMS SCHOOL. [ INAUDIBLE ]
TALKED ABOUT NORTHGATE WAY
EARLIER. JUST THINKING ABOUT AN
EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAD THAT IS
ONE OF THOSE LIKE HOW DO WE STOP
THIS PASTOR? THERE IS SOMEBODY
THROWING -- HE SAW THEM OUT OF
THE CORNER OF YOUR EYE, BUT
DRIVING ON NORTHGATE WAY, [
INAUDIBLE ] I-5, IT IS KIND OF
HARD TO SEE IT, BUT A GIANT
CHUNK OF CONCRETE GOT THROWN AT
OUR CAR, THERE IS STILL A GIANT
TENT. THAT IS SCARY, THAT IS
SCARY WHEN THERE ARE KIDS IN THE
CARPET AND I THINK THERE IS AN
ENFORCEMENT ASPECT OF THIS,
THERE IS ALSO HOW DO WE GET
TREATMENT TO PEOPLE WHO REALLY
NEED IT?
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ROB.
OKAY. MOVING ON TO BUDGETS. AND
WE WILL START WITH DEBORA .
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> THIS YEAR, SEATTLE HAS A $250
MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. WHERE
WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE BUDGET CUTS
, WHAT ARE WAYS OF RAISING
REVENUE THAT YOU WOULD SUPPORT?
>> LET ME LAY THE GROUNDWORK
HERE. I HAVE GONE THROUGH IT
BUDGETS AND IF I GET THIS JOB
BACK AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE TWO
BUDGET CYCLES, $240 MILLION
DEFICIT. AND WE ALSO ARE
ENTERTAINING AND I HOPE IT
HAPPENS, A [ INAUDIBLE ] TAX,
THAT WE HAVE A SUNSET CLAUSE IN
IT FOR FOUR YEARS, AND IT WILL
GO TO THE VOTERS, AND THOSE
MONIES WILL BE USED FOR
ADDICTION AND SERVICES FOR THAT.
IT'S HARD TO SAY TO A PUBLIC
AND I'M NOT GOING TO LIE OR [
INAUDIBLE ] OR DO PERFORMATIVE
ART HERE AND SAY I AM GOING TO
CUT THIS AND I DESPAIR YOU
CAN'T. YOU CAN'T UNTIL THE
MAYOR SENSED ON THE BUDGET, THEN
YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE PRIORITIES
ARE. WE START WITH WHAT OUR
DISTRICT NEEDS, THAT'S WHAT I
HAVE ALWAYS DONE. WHAT DOES MY
DISTRICT NEED? [ INAUDIBLE ] IS
A TRANSIT, IS IT LIGHT RAIL, IS
AT A CROSSWALK, IS IT A
COMMUNITY CENTER? THOSE ARE THE
THINGS YOU START WITH, AND THEN
YOU MAKE SURE, WHICH I HAVE
ALWAYS DONE, THIS IS A LITTLE
BRAGGING HERE, BUT I HAVE A 98%
BUDGET SUCCESS RATE. AND WHY?
BECAUSE I WORKED WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IN AUGUST TO
MAKE SURE EVERYTHING D5 RELATED
WAS IN THE MAYOR'S BUDGET, SO I
DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT ABOUT IT
WHEN IT GOT DOWN TO THE SECOND
FLOOR. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> SO, THROUGHOUT MY CAREER,
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE
REALLY WORKED ON EXTENSIVELY, I
PUT TOGETHER ACTUALLY 25 AT
LEAST ANNUAL BUDGET ,
MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR BUDGETS IN
THE COURSE OF MY TIME, THERE ARE
CERTAIN THINGS YOU LEARN ABOUT
HOW TO APPROACH BUDGETS. I THINK
WHEN SOMEONE WHO IS NOT FAMILIAR
IN BUDGETS, THEY LOOK AT THE
THINGS THEY CAN GET THEIR MIND
AROUND, THEY LOOK FOR THOSE
LITTLE LINE ITEMS IN THE 2000,
$3000 BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO
LOOK FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT HOW THE
BUDGETED STRUCTURE. [ INAUDIBLE
] I AM CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF
PROGRESSIVE REVENUES, SUCH AS
OCCUPATIONAL TAX . I HAVE
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EXACT
PROPOSAL THERE, AND I KNOW THAT
[ INAUDIBLE ] IT MAY BE AMENDED
AND IT MAY NOT BE QUITE THE
SAME, BUT I CERTAINLY THINK
PROGRESSIVE REVENUES LIKE THAT
WILL BE A VERY GOOD THING FOR
THE CITY.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> THANK YOU. I MEAN, I THINK
IT'S A REALLY HARD TIME THAT
OUR CITY IS FACING AND IT IS A
REALLY HARD TIME IN OUR NATION.
REALISTICALLY, THE THINGS THAT I
THINK WE NEED TO PROTECT IS
ANYTHING THAT IS RELATED TO
DEMOCRACY. OUR LIBRARIES, OR
CIVIC EDUCATION, HOW DO WE KEEP
VOTER TURNOUT HIGH, AND WE KEEP
OUR KIDS AND OUR ADULTS,
EVERYBODY, EDUCATED ON HOW
IMPORTANT THE THREAT IS REAL
QUESTION I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO
THINK ABOUT THIS BIG, TERRIBLE,
HORRIBLE BILL THAT PASSED, WHAT
DO WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP OUR
PEOPLE FED IN HEALTHCARE AND
MEDICARE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT
ARE COMING THE NEXT YOUR
QUESTION WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THIS
FALL. AND YES, SUPPORTING
PROGRESSIVE TAXES. [ INAUDIBLE ]
HELPING OR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW. BUT
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?
ANTI-SPECULATION TAXES. LIKE
THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES HOLDING
ONTO LAND IN HOPES THAT THE
RIGHT -- LIGHT RAIL WILL COME IN
20 YEARS AND I NEED THAT HOUSING
NOW. SO, THINK ABOUT OTHER KINDS
OF REVENUE THAT WE CAN BRING IN,
BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE
UNDER FEDERAL ATTACK, AND WE ALL
KNOW WE ARE, WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. JULIE?
>> YES, WE ARE FACING BUDGET
CRISES IN EDUCATION AS WELL, SO
THIS IS VERY REAL. AND I JUST
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE
THINGS I HAVE DONE IN THE D5 IS
COMMUNITY BANK. WHEN BANK OF
AMERICA AND OTHER LARGE BANKS
CANNOT GIVE EQUITABLE LOAN RATES
TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, WE HAD
54 MEMBERS COME TOGETHER TO FIND
A SOLUTION WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
AND TO OFFER EQUITABLE LOAN
RATES. IT DIDN'T COST ANY
MONEY, AND IN FACT, IT GENERATED
MONEY IN D5 WHERE WE WERE ABLE
TO ALLOCATE SOME MONEY FOR GOOD
WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY. I ALWAYS
TELL OUR STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT
FINANCIAL LITERACY AND TO LIVE
WITHIN YOUR MEANS. YOU KNOW, AS
AN IMMIGRANT, THAT'S WHAT WE
HAVE DONE. WE DON'T OVERSPEND.
WE HAVE SAVED SOME FOR RAINY
DAYS. SO, YES, IT'S A
CHALLENGING TIME FOR ALL OF US,
BUT BEFORE WE INCREASE TAXES OR
PUT IN OTHER THINGS THAT WILL BE
PASSED ON TO THE CITIZEN, I WANT
US TO THINK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY
AND VISIBILITY IN THE BUDGET.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ROB?
>> WHEN YOU -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE REVENUE OF THE CITY AND HOW
MANY THINGS ARE PERCENTAGES ON
SALES AND BUSINESS PROFITABILITY
THAT YEAR, THE PAYROLL IN A
PARTICULAR COMPANY, THAT IS
GOING TO BE A ROLLER COASTER UP
AND DOWN AND WE CAN'T SPEND TO
THE TOP OF THAT [ INAUDIBLE ],
WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR THE GOOD
YEARS AND WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR
THE SLOWER YEARS. THAT MEANS
RESERVE FUNDS. THAT MEANS
PLANNING FOR THE BIGGER -- THE
YEARS WHERE THE BUDGETS GOT A
LITTLE MORE MONEY [ INAUDIBLE ]
AND THE YEARS WHERE IT DOESN'T.
SO, I THINK IT IS LOOKING AND
NOT LONG-TERM VIEW, IT IS NOT
SOLVING A ONE-YEAR PROBLEM, A
TWO YEAR PROBLEM, [ INAUDIBLE ].
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SERVICES
IN THIS CITY THAT ARE TOO
IMPORTANT TO EVER CUT, AND I
THINK WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND
THAT OUR LEADERS NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE THERE ARE THINGS
THAT PEOPLE DEPEND ON ON A
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IS SOMETHING YOU CAN'T
SLOW DOWN ON, YOU CAN'T SLOW
DOWN ON THOSE INVESTMENTS. YOU
CAN SLOW DOWN ON PROVIDING THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS [
INAUDIBLE ] . SO, PICK YOUR
PRIORITIES, HAVE A RESERVE FUND
FOR THOSE RAINY DAYS, AND REALLY
BE OPEN TO NEW OPTIONS WHEN
NEEDED.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK TO
DEBORA 'S POINT, YOU DON'T
REALLY KNOW THE DETAILS UNTIL
YOU GET THERE, BUT THE APPROACH
I WOULD TAKE HIS TRAM ANYWHERE
YOU CAN, WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE
DON'T NEED RIGHT NOW, WHAT ARE
THE THINGS WE CAN HOLD OFF ON
BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THE TOP
PRIORITY? FIGURING OUT WHERE WE
CAN FIND EFFICIENCIES FOR THERE
IS A LOT OF COLLABORATION WE CAN
DO AMONGST DEPARTMENTS AND
REALLY FIND OUT [ INAUDIBLE ] .
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH
TO DIG US OUT OF A HOLE, SO
THAT'S WHEN YOUR VALUES REALLY
COME IN, RIGHT? WHAT IS IT THAT
YOU WANT TO PRIORITIZE, HOW ARE
YOU GOING TO MAKE THOSE HARD
DECISIONS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS
ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED AT
THE END OF THE DAY? BUT WE ARE
ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW THE CITY
CAN SURVIVE, SIR THE NEXT COUPLE
YEARS HERE IN PARTICULAR. SO, IN
PRINCIPLE, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT
LOOKING AT PROGRESSIVE FORMS OF
GENERATING REVENUE, I THINK IT
ALL COMES DOWN TO THE DETAILS.
IF WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NEW
TAXES, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER
MATTERS. IF IT IS GOING TO BE A
GIANT SHOP TO A BUSINESS, THEN
THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM. REALLY
GETTING INTO THE NITTY-GRITTY OF
WHAT WE ARE REALLY DOING WITH
THESE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO
GENERATE, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL
HARMS WE MIGHT BE CAUSING, AND
REALLY THINKING THROUGH AGAIN,
JUST HOW IT STACKS UP AGAINST
OUR PRIORITIES.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. ALL RIGHT,
WELL, THAT COMPLETES THE
QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD PREPARED,
SO, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
JUMP INTO SOME OF THE AUDIENCE
QUESTIONS. SO, IT'S GOING TO BE
RANDOM. WE ARE GOING TO BE HERE
AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO BE
THERE. SO, HANG WITH US. AND I
THINK THAT WE WILL BE RANDOM --
NO, WE WANT, WE WILL STAY ON
TRACK. WE WILL START WITH JIM
BOUREY, THEN WE WOULD JUST WORK
DOWN, THAT WILL BE FINE. JIM,
YOU GET TO START US OFF. CATHY
MORE HAS A REPUTATION OF BEING
RECEPTIVE TO HER CONSTITUENTS
WHEREAS PREVIOUS DISTRICT 5
MEMBERS HAVE BEEN [ INAUDIBLE ]
AT THE COST OF THE DISTRICT AS A
WHOLE. HOW ACCESSIBLE WILL YOU
BE TO REGULAR FOLK?
>> IS STILL MY CLOSING REMARK.
IT'S REALLY ALL ABOUT BEING
RESPONSIVE, LISTENING CAREFULLY,
MAKING SURE THAT EVERY VOICE IS
HEARD IN THE DISTRICT, NOT ANY
SPECIAL VOICE, BUT [ INAUDIBLE ]
. HARD WORK AND MEETING AND
BEING AVAILABLE AND BEING
RESPONSIVE. WHEN SOME EMAIL IS
SENT, YOU DON'T JUST PUT IT ON
A CERTAIN FILE, YOU RESPOND TO
IT IN EVERY INSTANCE. CAN YOU
SAY THAT I HAVEN'T ALWAYS SEEN
THAT HAPPEN IN DISTRICT 5, AND I
WILL MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS IN
DISTRICT 5 IF I'M A
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> THANK YOU, DISTRICT SERVICES
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, I
LOVE PEOPLE, THAT'S WHY I AM
HERE MEETING PEOPLE. IF YOU KNOW
ME, YOU KNOW THAT I AM AN
EXTREMELY SOCIAL PERSON, SO
TAKING THOSE CAUSE AND MEETING
WITH THE PUBLIC IS SOMETHING I
WOULD VALUE AND CHERISH. I ALSO
REALLY BELIEVE IN TOWNHOUSE AND
COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I REMEMBER
GOING WITH THE MAYOR OF THE
FORMER CITY TO GO LEARN ABOUT
LIVING ROOM CONVERSATIONS. [
INAUDIBLE ] HOW DO WE TALK TO
EACH OTHER WHEN WE DISAGREE? I
WOULD LOVE TO BE A CITY COUNCIL
MEMBER THAT BRINGS THE COMMUNITY
TOGETHER AND LISTENS TOGETHER,
NOT JUST ME LISTENING TO YOU,
BUT ALL OF US TOGETHER, AND HELP
FACILITATE THAT, SO WE CAN
ACTUALLY LIVE AND LEARN AND BE
HAPPIER AS A SOCIETY, BECAUSE I
THINK RIGHT NOW, WE ARE REALLY
STRUGGLING, BUT EVERYBODY REALLY
WANTS IS TO BE HEARD, AND I
THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE A VERY
IMPORTANT PART OF THE ROLE FOR
THE NEXT COUNCILMEMBER, AND
SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HOPE TO
CONTINUE.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. JULIE?
>> SO, THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME,
I AM HIGH-ENERGY, I LOOKED TO BE
IN PLACES, TO REPRESENT OUR
COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS TO LEARN
ABOUT ONE ANOTHER, AND I THINK
THAT IS IMPORTANT, AND ONE OF MY
PRIORITIES THAT I ACTUALLY WROTE
DOWN WAS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT,
POSTING LISTENING SESSIONS
ACROSS D5, AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
HOUSES, THAT WAS ONE OF MY
IDEAS. CIVICS FOR ALL, FORUMS TO
REBUILD TRUST. I THINK THERE IS
DIVIDE, AND WE NEED TO WORK
TOGETHER AS [ INAUDIBLE ], AND
USE CIVIC FELLOWSHIP TO BUILD ON
LOCAL LEADERS, SO THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO NURTURE THE NEXT
GENERATION. I THINK THAT IS ALSO
IMPORTANT. AND THOSE OF YOU 30
YEARS IN EDUCATION KNOW THAT I
HAVE NEVER NOT RESPONDED TO A
SINGLE EMAIL OR NOT RETURNED A
PHONE CALL. I DON'T HAVE ALL
THE EASY ANSWERS, BUT SOMETIMES
IT IS JUST GETTING THEM THE
RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
ABLE TO.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ROB?
>> OPEN DOORS, OFFICE HOURS,
ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT BUT OPEN
BOOKING TOOLS, HAVE PEOPLE COME
INTO THE OFFICE. BUT YOU KNOW
THAT IS JUST A SMALL SLICE OF
THE POPULATION THAT IS NEVER
GOING TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO
GET TO YOU, SO YOU'VE GOT TO GO
OUT THERE AND TALK TO THEM.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE IN UNEXPECTED
PLACES, AND YOU HAVE GOT TO MAKE
IT MORE OF A MEANINGFUL
CONVERSATION THEN BE WEARING A
BUTTON AND SHAKING SOMEONE'S
HAND AND MOVING ON. GOT TO HAVE
THE TIME FOR REAL CONVERSATION.
I'M A BIG BELIEVER AND I LOVE
THE DEMOCRACY VOUCHER PROGRAM IN
SEATTLE. I THINK IT IS
FANTASTIC, I THINK IT IS
INNOVATIVE, AND I THINK IT IS
EXACTLY THE WAY THAT YOU GET
PEOPLE'S VOICES HEARD. I WAS
READING UP ON THE PAGE THE OTHER
DAY, BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
PROGRAM. YES, YOU HAVE TO GET
SOME DONATIONS TO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR DEMOCRACY VOUCHER IS, BUT
YOU CAN JUST BARELY HAD THAT
THRESHOLD AND THEN DO VOUCHERS.
I THINK THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE
NEED TO BETTER [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
NOT TO ANY SPECIAL INTEREST.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO, I LOVE
THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I'M VERY
EXCITED ABOUT TALKING TO THE
FOLKS OF D5, THIS IS ACTUALLY A
BIG PART OF WHAT I DO FOR MY
JOB, IS ABOUT ENGAGEMENT.
PARTICULARLY INCLUSIVE
ENGAGEMENT. SO YES, COME TALK TO
ME, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT
WHATEVER PROBLEMS YOU HAVE AND
HELP CONNECT YOU TO RESOURCES TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE YOUR
PROBLEMS. I LOVE TALKING WITH
PEOPLE, I LOVE CONNECTING WITH
PEOPLE, I LOVE TALKING ABOUT
WHAT THEY LOVE AND WHAT THEY
NEED. I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE
DOING [ INAUDIBLE ] ENGAGEMENT [
INAUDIBLE ] BECAUSE AS YOU SAID,
IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO
SHOW UP, IT IS THE PEOPLE YOU
HAVE TO REACH OUT TO BID THAT
MEANS IN PERSON TRANSLATION,
THAT MEANS MORE TIME AND ENERGY,
THAT MEANS MEETING PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE, AND THAT MEANS
RESPECTING PEOPLE FOR THEIR
PERSPECTIVES AND HAVING
COMPASSION EVEN WHEN YOU
DISAGREE. AND THAT I THINK CAN
BE REALLY HARD WHEN WE ARE
WORKING TOWARDS SOLUTIONS AND
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
HAPPY WITH WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
THEY DON'T MATTER AND IT
DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO AGREE
WITH THEM, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE
THE INTEGRITY AND STILL RESPECT
THEIR VOICE.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> I'M GUESSING THAT WAS
DIRECTED AT ME, IT YEARS IN CITY
COUNCIL, SO LET ME JUST BE
HONEST WITH YOU ABOUT THIS. WHEN
WE WENT TO A DISTRICT SYSTEM, D5
WAS ONLY DISTRICT THAT HAD A
DISTRICT DIRECTOR AND HAD A
DISTRICT OFFICE, RIGHT HERE ON
THIS CAMPUS, FOR FOUR YEARS,
1140, I THINK WAS OUR OFFICE [
INAUDIBLE ] FOR $200 A MONTH AND
WE MET THERE EVERY FRIDAY FROM
10 AFTER 3:00. THE OTHER THING
THAT PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND
IS THAT WE WOULD GET --
DEPENDING ON HOW HOT THE ISSUE
WAS, ANYWHERE BETWEEN 100 AND
200 EMAILS, AND SOMETIMES WELL
OVER 100 PHONE CALLS. CITY HALL
DOESN'T HAVE PHONES ANYMORE BUT
AFTER 2020 AND COVID, THEY MOVED
TO A COMPUTER SYSTEM, SO WE
WOULD LISTEN TO MESSAGES BUT I
HAD THE BEST CHIEF OF STAFF WHO
WAS CHIEF OF STAFF FOR LARRY
PHILLIPS AT KING COUNTY COUNCIL,
WE HAD A SYSTEM TO TRY TO GET
OUT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS
BESIDES BEING ACCESSIBLE. THERE
WAS A NEWSLETTER, WAS HAVING
COMMUNITY EVENTS. [ INAUDIBLE ]
NOT TAXPAYER, WE RAISED THAT
MONEY TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THAT
SPACE TO AGAIN TALK TO AS MUCH
PEOPLE AS WE COULD. YES, EVERY [
INAUDIBLE ] WOULD LOVE TO MEET
WITH EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME, BUT
WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, IT
ISN'T JUST D5, IS THE REST OF
SEATTLE AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . ALRIGHTY.
OKAY. NEXT, WE WILL START WITH
NILU. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
QUESTION. UNDER THE CURRENT ONE
SEATTLE PLAN, SEATTLE MAY FAIL
TO MEET ITS GOAL OF 30% TREE
CANOPY BY 2037. WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS?
>> WELL, I THINK TREES ARE
IMPORTANT. I RAN BECAUSE OF THE
CLIMATE URGENCY THE FIRST TIME
AROUND THAT I THINK WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PLANTING
TREES. I DON'T THINK TREES AND
HOUSES OUR ENEMIES. GENERALLY
THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TREES WANT
THEM BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN A
HOUSE. I THINK IF WE CAN FIND
WAYS TO BUILD IN RIGHTS-OF-WAY
AND HAVE MORE FLEXIBLE FLOOR
PLANS TO BUILD HOUSES, WE CAN
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TREES AND
GREENERY. I ALSO THINK WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE KEEPING IN
MIND BIODIVERSITY BUT I THINK
ALL OF US HAVE SEEN THAT OUR
ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING HERE IN
THE LAST 20 YEARS I HAVE LIVED
HERE, I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF
CHANGE BUT AND THEN I THINK THAT
WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
HOW WE HIT OUR GOALS OVERALL ON
CLIMATE. CAN WE DO [ INAUDIBLE ]
FINANCING TO GET HEAT PUMPS FOR
EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY QUESTION
CAN WE USE HEAT PUMPS LIKE THEY
ARE IN TACOMA TO HELP WITH RENT
STABILIZATION? CAN WE HAVE
BETTER -- ALL THE PUBLIC TRANSIT
[ INAUDIBLE ] , BUT ALSO KEEP
EXPANDING AND MAKING SURE THAT
OUR LIGHT RAIL IS SUPPORTED AND
THAT WE ARE GETTING OUT WORK AT
CARDS TO PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED
THEM. THERE IS SO MUCH WE CAN DO
TO MAKE THIS CITY A GREENER
PLACE.
>> THANK YOU, NILU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> JULIE?
>> SO, IN AREAS LIKE NORTHGATE
AND LAKE CITY WHERE WE ARE
SEEING MORE PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO
ALSO THINK ABOUT INVESTMENT IN
THE GREEN SPACE AND CLEAN AIR
THAT WE NEED TO THRIVE, SO
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS NOT A
FAR-OFF IDEA, I THINK IT IS
REALLY ABOUT WHETHER OUR KIDS
CAN PLAY IN A SHADED PARK,
WHETHER SENIORS CAN WALK SAFELY
WITHOUT OVERHEATING, AND WHETHER
FAMILIES LIVING NEAR MAJOR ROADS
ARE PROTECTED FROM POLLUTANTS.
AS WE PREPARE FOR GROWTH, WE
MUST INVEST IN TREES, ELECTRIC
TRANSIT, GREEN BUILDING
STANDARDS, AND MAINTAINING OUR
PARKS, NOT JUST TO CHECK OFF THE
BOX, BUT REALLY TO CREATE A
HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT
COMMUNITY. LET'S CONNECT OUR
CLIMATE INVESTMENTS TO WHERE
PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE. ESPECIALLY
IN D5 WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS
LONG LAGGED BEHIND. SO, I THINK
OUR NEIGHBORS DESERVE CLEAN AIR,
QUIET STREETS, AND THE SHADES OF
A TREE ON A HOT DAY, AND THAT IS
THE KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE
I WILL FIGHT FOR.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. ROB?
>> THIS IS A VERY TRUE STORY, I
WAS ON 103rd AND FIFTH TODAY
SWELTERING IN THE HEAT AND
WONDERING WHERE THE TREE COVER
WAS THAT WAS GOING TO SAVE ME.
BUT THE NORTHGATE DEVELOPMENT
ISN'T GOING FAST ENOUGH AND I
DON'T HAVE TO RECOVER ANYWHERE
NEAR ME BECAUSE [ INAUDIBLE ].
HOPEFULLY THAT SPEEDS UP. THERE
IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT NEED TO
PRESERVE THE TREES WE CAN. WE
HAD A NEIGHBOR GOING DOOR TO
DOOR TO SAVE A LINE OF FOUR
TREES, ESTABLISH TREES,
BEAUTIFUL TREES IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY HAD TO
HEROICALLY GO AROUND AND SIGN
PETITIONS AND TALK TO THE CITY
AND PRESERVE THOSE TREES. IT
SHOULDN'T BE AN UPHILL BATTLE
TO SAVE THE TREES. THAT SHOULD
BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO, THE
DENSE HOUSING, BUT LET'S SAVE
THE TREES [ INAUDIBLE ].
THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHER AREA TO
DEVELOP, AND IF WE BUILD DENSER
HERE, WE CAN SAVE THE TREES
HERE. THE OTHER THING I WILL SAY
IS THE COMP PLAN AND READING THE
PDF WHEN THEY OPENED IT TO
PUBLIC COMMENT, THERE ARE SO
MANY SMART, PRAGMATIC, CREATIVE
PEOPLE IN THIS CITY PROPOSING
REALLY GREAT OPTIONS FOR TREE
COVER ALONG ROADWAYS THAT WILL
ADD TO THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY,
WILL ADD TO THE WORKABILITY OF
THOSE AREAS, SO MANY GOOD IDEAS
OUT THERE, LET'S FOLLOW THEM.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> SO, I AM A TREE LOVER, MY
BACKGROUND IS IN LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECTURE AND CONSERVATION.
SO, I THINK WE NEED MORE TREES.
WE NEED MORE OF THEM,
EVERYWHERE. I THINK WHEN WE PICK
THEM AGAINST HOUSING, WE MAKE IT
INTO A ZERO-SUM GAME. YES, WE DO
HAVE LIMITED SPACE AND WE HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIT ALL OF
THESE THINGS AND, SO YES, IF YOU
WANT MORE HOUSING AND MORE
TREES, YOU HAVE TO GO TALLER,
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAVE TO AGREE TO DO. I ALSO
THINK THERE IS A LOT OF NUANCES
IN OUR CODE THAT WE CAN USE TO
ENCOURAGE THE OUTCOMES WE WANT,
SO IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE
NUMBER OF TREES, BUT IT IS ABOUT
THE SIZE AND THE TYPES OF TREES
FOR [ INAUDIBLE ] AND REALLY
THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THOSE SMALL
THINGS WE CAN MAKE TO ACTUALLY
ENCOURAGE THAT IN PRIVATE
DEVELOPMENT? I ALSO THINK TREES
IS AN EQUITY ISSUE. I THINK THAT
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS ONE OF THE
BEST PLACES TO ADD TREES. [
INAUDIBLE ] NOT ON HOMEOWNERS OR
ON RENTERS [ INAUDIBLE ]. SO,
THIS IS WHY I THINK A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN WORK WITH
COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR
DEPARTMENTS, PARTICULARLY WITH
SDOT TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES ON
HOW WE CAN GET MORE TREES,
PARTICULARLY IN OUR
RIGHTS-OF-WAY, AND AGAIN, IT IS
GOING TO MAKE US MAKE DIFFICULT
TRADE-OFFS, BUT IT'S THE WORK
THAT WE NEED TO DO.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA
JUAREZ ?
>> I'M GOING TO GET A LITTLE
WONKY HERE BUT I UNDERSTAND
UNDER THE COMP PLAN ON THE
TREEPLANTING PIECE THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT, ESTABLISHING A
POINT BASED SYSTEM [ INAUDIBLE
], LOOKING AT THAT 10 MINUTE
WALK SHED, BUT ALSO UNDER MAYOR
HARRELL'S ONE SEATTLE, AS YOU
KNOW, HE IS LOOKING AT 300,000
UNITS COMING IN, AND MY
UNDERSTANDING FROM LOOKING AT
IT, [ INAUDIBLE ], IS THAT THERE
IS PROTECTIONS BOTH IN MAYOR
HARRELL'S ONE SEATTLE COMP PLAN
, AND NOW THE PROPOSED COMP PLAN
ABOUT TREE AND TREE PROTECTION.
AND ONE THING THAT WE HAVE BEEN
BLESSED WITH NORTH OF THE SHIP
CANAL, AND IT GOES BACK TO [
INAUDIBLE ] JULIE WAS SAYING
THAT THERE WAS [ INAUDIBLE ]
ENVIRONMENT OF RACISM THAT TOOK
OUT A LOT OF TREES SOUTH OF THE
SHIP CANAL, SO IF YOUR DISTRICT
5, IF YOU ARE ON CITY COUNCIL,
YOU DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE
FIVE, LOOK AT THE HOST, AND
HAVING GREEN SPACE AND CANOPIES
FOR EVERYBODY, AND THAT IS A
HARD TASK TO DO, PARTICULARLY
WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH
DEVELOPERS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY
AND ZONING. SO, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO
DOING WORK ALSO WITH ANOTHER
COUNCILMEMBER DAN IS HERE, SO I
THINK YOU SHOULD ASK HIM.
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> WELL, FIRST OFF, DEBORA , I
WAS NOT REFERRING AT ALL TO YOUR
TIME IN OFFICE. I WAS REFERRING
TO MORE RECENT EXPERIENCES, SO I
APOLOGIZE IF YOU INTERPRETED IT
THAT WAY. IT WAS NOT FOR THAT
REASON AT ALL. OBVIOUSLY,
PLANTING TREES IS CRITICAL. I
HAVE WORKED IN A NUMBER OF
CITIES WHERE WE HAVE HAD VERY,
VERY AGGRESSIVE PLANNING
PROGRAMS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN
TREATED USA CITIES. SO, PLANTING
IS IMPORTANT. PRESERVING IS ALSO
EQUALLY IMPORTANT. I REALLY
BELIEVE WE NEED SOME MORE
FLEXIBILITY IN HOW OUR TREE
ORDINANCE IS DONE, BECAUSE
SOMETIMES WE DON'T HAVE THE
BEST RESULT JUST BECAUSE OF THE
WAY WE APPROACH IT, SO I THINK
THAT IS IMPORTANT FROM AN
ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING IS HOW WE
MIX OUR LAND USES, SO THAT
PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO GET IN A
CAR WHERE THEY GO EVERYWHERE.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE MOVED
TO THE AREA WE DIDN'T NORTHGATE
IS SO WE CAN WALK -- THE GROCERY
STORES ACROSS THE STREET, WE CAN
UP TO 25 RESTAURANTS. WE CAN
WALK TO OTHER SERVICES AS WELL,
WE CAN WALK TO TRANSIT. HAVING
COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU CAN WALK,
WE HAVE THOSE SERVICES IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND -- SO THIS
IS ABOUT -- OKAY, AND WE ARE
GOING TO START WITH JULIE, I
BELIEVE. AND DO YOU SUPPORT ART
INFUSED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
PROGRAMS FOR LOW LEVEL [
INAUDIBLE ] ? WHAT SPECIFICS
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE?
>> CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION?
>> DO YOU SUPPORT ART INFUSED
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AS
DIVERSION FOR LOW-LEVEL
OFFENSES?
>> YES. SO, MY UNDERGRAD AT UCLA
WAS ART AND PSYCHOLOGY, AND I
THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BECOME AN
ART THERAPIST. THEN I LEARNED AT
THAT TIME THAT ART THERAPY WAS
NOT OFFERED WITH HEALTH
INSURANCE, AND WITH IMMIGRANTS
AND REFUGEES. SO, I PIVOTED AND
BECAME A TEACHER AND TAUGHT ART.
SO, I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT
HOW TO INFUSE ART, AND WE NEED
MORE, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME LIKE
THIS, WHEN I AM WORKING WITH
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS,
STUDENTS WHO ARE MULTILINGUAL,
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
DOING IT. AND I ALSO KNOW THAT
THEY ARE CHALLENGED BY BUDGET
CUTS. SO, THIS IS THE TIME, I
THINK, IMMUNITY CAN STEP UP, BUT
I AM A PRO ART -- ART
APPRECIATOR, ART LOVER, AND
CREATOR OF ART. SO, I DEFINITELY
SUPPORT IT.
>> [ APPLAUSE ] X THANK YOU.
ROB?
>> I HAVE BEEN EDUCATING MYSELF
RECENTLY A LOT MORE ABOUT THINGS
LIKE TREATMENT COURTS AND OTHER
DIVERSION METHODS AND ALTERNATE
FORMS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM THAT ARE ULTIMATELY MORE
EFFECTIVE FOR THE COMMUNITIES
AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO GO
THROUGH THOSE PROGRAMS. IT'S
NOT ABOUT LOCKING PEOPLE UP,
IT'S NOT ABOUT NOT GIVING THEM
A SECOND CHANCE, IT IS ABOUT
FINDING WAYS TO HELP THEM AND
TREAT THEM. I THINK AN ART
INFUSED PROJECT SOUNDS AMAZING.
I PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED WHEN IN
THE NAVY, YOU HAVE FOLKS IN THE
NAVY, YOU TALK TO THEM ABOUT
THEIR BACKGROUND, AND ESPECIALLY
ON THE USS [ INAUDIBLE ], THE
CARRIER I WAS ON AT THE TIME,
YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT WERE
AVOIDING JAIL TIME BY JOINING
THE MILITARY. THAT MIGHT SOUND
SURPRISING TO SOME, BUT IT IS AN
ALTERNATE OPTION THAT A JUDGE
GIVES HIM AND HE GIVES THEM
ANOTHER CHANCE, GIVES HIM
SOMETHING WHERE THEY CAN GO OUT,
MAKE AN INCOME, A PART OF
SOCIETY, CONTRIBUTE, AND REALLY
TURNED HER LIFE AROUND. THAT
MOVED ME AND THAT IS SOMETHING I
THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE OPEN TO.
WHEN THERE ARE BETTER IDEAS,
LET'S PURSUE THEM AND LET'S
MAKE THIS WORLD, YOU KNOW,
BETTER FOR EVERYONE, EVEN THOSE
WHO MADE SOME MISTAKES.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY? X
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYBODY
WOULD SAY NO TO THAT. TO YOUR
POINT, SECOND CHANCES ARE SUPER
IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THOSE
LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES. PEOPLE ARE
DEALING WITH A LOT, THERE IS A
LOT OF STRESS OUT THERE, IT IS
HARD RIGHT NOW. AND A LOT OF
THAT CAN COME OUT IN WAYS THAT
ARE ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. WE KNOW
THAT WHEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WORK
WITH THEIR HANDS, IT OPENS THEM
UP. AND THAT OPENS THEM UP TO
HEALING. I DO THIS ALL THE TIME
WITH [ INAUDIBLE ], DRAW THE
PICTURE. SO, I THINK IT'S A
GREAT IDEA AND I WOULD
DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS, OTHER
METHODS THAT WE COULD DO FOR
DIVERSION, SO WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY IS, KEEP THEM
WITH THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEMS, MAKE
SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN LEAD HAPPY
LIVES WHERE THEY ARE THRIVING.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> THAT IS A TWO PART QUESTION
BECAUSE I AM GOING TO ANSWER THE
EASY QUESTION FIRST, I THINK IT
IS A WONDERFUL ONE FOR ME
BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER IS A TEACHER
AND AN ART THERAPIST. I WAS
WONDERING IF SHE'S AN AUDIENCE.
IN MY FORMER LIFE AS A PUBLIC
DEFENDER AND A JUDGE, I WAS ONE
OF THE FIRST JUDGES THAT THE
DRUG OR WHERE WE ACTUALLY DID
FELONIES AND DID DIVERSION'S,
WE ALSO DID [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR
LOW OFFENDERS. THE COMMUNITY
COURT IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT
BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE. AND SO, BEING THE
FIRST [ INAUDIBLE ] JUDGE WITH
JUDGE MARTINEZ WHO IS NOW A
FEDERAL JUDGE, HAVING DRUG
COURT, HAVING READ AS A LOW
LEVEL FELONY, NOT A CRIME OF
VIOLENCE, PUTTING PEOPLE NOT
ONLY TO TREATMENT, BUT GIVING
THEM ALTERNATIVE MODES FOR
TREATMENT AND FOR GETTING
HEALTHY AND ADDICTION, AT THE
TIME, PEOPLE WERE NOT HAPPY
ABOUT THAT, THEY THOUGHT THEIR
TAX DOLLARS WERE BEING WASTED ON
GIVING PEOPLE OPPORTUNITY. THERE
ARE ALL KINDS OF TREATMENT
MODALITIES THAT WE USE THAT
PEOPLE THOUGHT WEREN'T GOOD
ENOUGH, THEY WANTED THEM IN
JAIL. SO, I AM VERY MUCH
SUPPORTIVE OF COMMUNITY AND ART.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> I WOULD ALSO CERTAINLY
SUPPORT THE ART DIVERSION
PROGRAMS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
ESPECIALLY FOR A NONVIOLENT
OFFENDER, WHAT DOES SOMEONE
LEARN IN JAIL AND WHAT DOES
SOMEONE LEARN WITH DIVERSION? IT
IS KIND OF A NO-BRAINER, IS ANY
QUESTION SO, WE NEED TO INVEST
IN THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, WE
NEED TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES,
NOT JUST FOR ART, BUT THERE ARE
OTHER ANIMALS THAT CAN BE
INVOLVED, OR I AM A RUNNER, I
THINK RUNNING IS A GREAT PROGRAM
FOR DIVERSION THERE ARE A LOT OF
PROGRAMS WHERE THEY HAVE
DIVERSION AS WELL, SO I WOULD
CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT AND
TREATMENT.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS
THINKING BUT I THINK MEETING
PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AT, SOME
PEOPLE WILL THINK ART THERAPY
WOULD BE WONDERFUL FOR THEM AND
OTHER PEOPLE WE NEED OTHER
OPTIONS. I THINK LOOKING AT THE
DATA IS IMPORTANT. BUT I WILL
SAY, I AM ABSOLUTELY A FAN OF
ART, BECAUSE MY FRIEND WOULD
BEAT ME UP -- I HAVE MANY, MANY
FRIENDS WHO ARE ARTISTS IN THIS
CITY, SHOUT OUT TO 1448, BUT SHE
WAS ALSO AN ART THERAPIST
WORKING WITH CHILDREN. IT REALLY
IS -- THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET
OUT YOUR FEELINGS CREATIVELY,
AND JUST DO THE HEALING THAT YOU
NEED TO DO, IT'S IMPORTANT. [
INAUDIBLE ] THINK ABOUT WAYS
THAT WE CAN BRING PEOPLE BACK
INTO COMMUNITY, BACK INTO
HEALING, AND YOU KNOW, BEING
WITH ALL OF US, RATHER THAN
ALWAYS LOOKING TO PUNISH.
BECAUSE IF YOU, I DON'T KNOW,
AS A PARENT, MY KIDS ARE HERE, I
WOULD SAY THAT THEY DO BETTER
WHEN I DO LESS PUNISHING AND
LESS BRINGING IN.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LET'S
KIND OF STAY LOOSELY ON THE
SUBJECT OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S
CLICK RAISE THE PADDLES. FIRST
QUESTION, DO YOU SUPPORT
DIVERSION FOR LOW-LEVEL
OFFENDERS? OKAY, EASY ONE. DO
YOU SUPPORT ART INFUSED
DIVERSION FOR LOW-LEVEL
OFFENDERS? OKAY, YOU GUYS GOT
EASY ONES. OKAY. NOW, LET ME
GIVE YOU A HARD ONE. SEATTLE HAS
REPEALED THE PREVIOUS BAN ON
ARRESTING AND BUCKING SHOP
LIFTERS AND VANDALS WHO HAVE
COMMITTED UP TO $750 IN RETAIL
THEFT OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. DO YOU
SUPPORT PROSECUTING LOW-LEVEL
CRIMINAL OFFENSES? SORRY.
SEATTLE HAS REPEALED THE LAW
THAT SAYS THAT THEY DON'T BOOK
CRIMES UP TO $750. DO YOU
SUPPORT THAT REPEAL? DO YOU
SUPPORT PROSECUTING SHOPLIFTERS
WERE VANDALS UNDER $750?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> ALL RIGHT, CITY COUNCIL, IF
YOU'RE WATCHING THIS VIDEO,
THIS IS WHERE YOU START SEEING
DIFFERENCES.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> [ LAUGHTER ] SURE, THANK YOU,
JULIE. OKAY, NOW WE'RE BACK TO
QUESTIONS. OKAY, JUST ONE MORE.
ALONG THAT SAME LINE. AND WE
WILL START WITH ROB. THERE ARE A
LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE
SUFFERING WITH LOTS OF VIOLENCE
AND THEFT. WHAT WILL YOU DO TO
SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES AND HELP
THEM THRIVE?
>> THAT'S PRECISELY WHY I PUT
UP THE GREEN PADDLE. A LITTLE
HALFHEARTED, BECAUSE I THINK
THERE ARE A LOT OF HARD
QUESTIONS HERE, BUT I DON'T
THINK EVERY SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
IN BATTLE SHOULD NEED A SECURITY
GUARD STANDING NEAR THE EXIT. I
DON'T THINK THAT'S AFFORDABLE,
I DON'T THINK THAT'S REASONABLE.
I THINK IT IS A GOOD [ INAUDIBLE
] PROGRAM, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T
WORK FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS. SO, SOME OF THAT IS
TECHNOLOGY. I MEAN, THERE ARE
CERTAIN BUSINESSES WHERE THE
THEFT IS A BIT HARDER AND
EVERYTHING IS FINE THE COUNTER,
BUT IF YOU'RE A GROCERY STORE
OR ANYONE ELSE, I KNOW I -- AS
YOU TALK ABOUT WALKING TO
SOMETHING, AND YOU WANT TO SEE
ALL YOUR GROCERY STORES
DISAPPEAR IN SEATTLE BECAUSE
NOBODY GETS PROSECUTED FOR
SHOPLIFTING? THE MARGINS ARE
ALREADY REALLY SLIM AND A LOT OF
THESE BUSINESSES, AND WE HAVE
GOT TO DO MORE TO MAKE SURE
THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR
TAKING SOMETHING AND RUNNING
OUT. I THINK WE HAVE SEEN IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT
WENT FOR LATE OR LISTED ON THIS,
AND IT JUST DOESN'T WORK, IT
SHUTS DOWN BUSINESSES, IT
CHANGES THE NEIGHBORHOOD. [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY? X
THANKS, SO I AM A SMALL BUSINESS
AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE WORRY
ABOUT ALL THE TIME. WE RUN ON
VERY SMALL MARGINS, AND YOU
KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING BAD WOULD
HAPPEN, IF WE GOT BROKEN INTO,
THAT WOULD BE REALLY CHALLENGING
FOR US TO RECOVER FROM, SO I
THINK THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE
SOME GOOD PROGRAMS WHERE THEY DO
PROVIDE SOME GRANT FUNDING AND
SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES WHO
EXPERIENCE VANDALISM OR OTHER
THINGS, AND WE CAN BEAT THOSE
UP. THAT'S NOT SOLVING THE
PROBLEM, BUT IT IS HELPING
BUSINESS OWNERS SURVIVE THOSE [
INAUDIBLE ]. I THINK PART OF IT,
IT IS ABOUT HOW WE ARE GROWING
OUR CITY, IS ABOUT HAVING ACTIVE
STREETS WHERE THERE ARE MORE
EYES ON THE STREETS. IT IS ABOUT
HOW WE BUILD OUR BUILDINGS AND
THE RESTRAINTS IN OUR LIGHTING
AND ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
I'M INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THE
CAMERA PROGRAM WORKS IN AURORA.
I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN
USE TECHNOLOGY IN OTHER WAYS. [
INAUDIBLE ] APPROACH THESE
THINGS WITH COMPASSION AND THAT
DOESN'T MEAN LENIENCY, BUT IT
DOES MEAN WE CAN TRY TO FIGURE
OUT WHY THESE THINGS ARE
HAPPENING AND SAW THEM AT THE
ROOT CAUSE. AND AGAIN, I WILL
SAY HOUSING IS A BIG PART OF
THIS, AND INCOME INEQUALITY. SO,
THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN PREVENT
THESE THINGS UPSTREAM [
INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION
ONE MORE TIME?
>> HOLD ON ONE SECOND. UM,
>> SMALL BUSINESSES, RETAIL
THEFT, RIGHT?
>> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THERE
ARE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES
THAT ARE SUFFERING WITH LOTS OF
VIOLENCE AND THEFT. WHAT WILL
YOU DO TO SUPPORT THESE
BUSINESSES AND HELP THEM THRIVE?
>> WHEN WE SAY VIOLENCE AND
THEFT, VIOLENCE, ABSOLUTELY,
THAT IS A CRIME AGAINST A
PERSON, IT IS A FELONY,
ABSOLUTELY. WE GET INTO THAT AND
I'M GOING TO GET A LITTLE WONKY
HERE BUT IS IT THEFT OF ONE
DEGREE, SECOND DEGREE, THIRD
DEGREE? THE REASON WHY I SAY
THAT IS WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP THE
QUESTION EARLIER OF BOOKING, [
INAUDIBLE ] GEL CAPACITY ISSUES.
THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE THAT
POLICY, LIKE WE SIMPLY CAN'T
TAKE PEOPLE IN FOR WHAT THEY
CALLED LOW-LEVEL CRIMES WHEN WE
HAVE MURDERERS AND PEOPLE WHO
ARE SHOOTING, THOSE ARE THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO GET [
INAUDIBLE ] FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
AND THAT IS REQUIRED FROM US AS
COUNCILMEMBERS WHEN WE ARE
ELECTED UNDER THE CHARTER. SO,
THE OTHER ISSUE, TOO, IS WE ARE
STILL UNDER A CONSENT DECREE, [
INAUDIBLE ], PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
THE REST. AND ALSO, THERE IS A
TIME WHERE I WAS THE
COUNCILMEMBER WITH A FEW OTHERS
THAT I DO NOT SUPPORT POVERTY AS
A DEFENSE FOR THEFT. MISDEMEANOR
OR FELONY. PEOPLE KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND
WRONG. AND SO, AGAIN, THERE IS
NUANCE IN THE QUESTION, BECAUSE
I THINK YOU HAVE TO DEFINE HOW
MUCH THEFT. ARE YOU BREAKING IN
AND ASSAULTING SOMEONE OR ARE
YOU JUST TAKING SOMEONE'S BY
QUESTION WHICH IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF
THERE IS ROOM IN THE JAIL FOR
THAT.
>> THANK YOU. JIM?
>> I CERTAINLY AGREE, THERE ARE
A LOT OF NUANCES. BUT CLEARLY,
WE NEED TO TRANSFER HER WHAT
HAPPENS. I HAVE BEEN IN THE
WALGREENS IN NORTHGATE A NUMBER
OF TIMES WHEN THERE IS SOMEONE
CLEARLY WALKING OUT WITH ALL
KINDS OF STUFF, AND THE PEOPLE
AT THE STORE AND SAY, WELL, WE
CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, THE
POLICE WON'T RESPOND IN A ONE
IN FOUR SEPARATE THOUGH, IT IS
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO TAKE, COME
AND TAKE IT. [ INAUDIBLE ] WE DO
NEED SOME ENFORCEMENT BUT I ALSO
AGREE THAT [ INAUDIBLE ]. AS WE
DESIGN OUR CITIES, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THERE ARE EYES ON,
THERE ARE ACTIVITY LEVELS.
WHEREVER YOU LIVE IN THE LAST
SIX MONTHS, THERE HAVE BEEN
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
HAPPENING, ADDITIONAL EYES ON,
AND THAT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE
IN THE ACTIONS OF MANY PEOPLE ON
THE STREETS, SO ALL THOSE THINGS
ARE IMPORTANT, AND I WOULD AGREE
WITH TECHNOLOGY. WE CAN USE
TECHNOLOGY [ INAUDIBLE ] AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT CAPACITY
BECAUSE WE HAVE BOTH TALKED
ABOUT THE JAIL, BUT ALSO OUR
COURTS, AND ALSO JUST THINKING
ABOUT HOW WE CAN DIVER PEOPLE
LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
EARLIER. BUT IN TERMS OF
SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESSES,
LOOKING AT LAKE CITY THAT IS
REALLY HAVING A HARD TIME AND
EVEN NORTHGATE, I WOULD REALLY
LIKE TO SEE [ INAUDIBLE ]
CREATED IN THOSE AREAS BUT EVEN
THOUGH IT IS HARDER IN THOSE
AREAS, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE AN
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM ACROSS THE
CITY ARE SMALLER HUBS THAT NEED
SUPPORT BEFORE THEY CAN BECOME
HIGH THRIVING HUBS, SO THAT'S
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, A
LITTLE MORE SUPPORT FOR OUR
BUSINESSES ON A LEVEL WHERE THEY
CAN GET THE SAME SUPPORT WE ARE
SEEING [ INAUDIBLE ], AND
BRINGING IN SERVICES TO GET
HOUSING TO PEOPLE AND CONNECT
THEM TO SERVICES IS SOMETHING I
LIKE TO SEE, TOO, I KNOW THAT
WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THE U
DISTRICT. SO, GENERALLY TRYING
TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING
CHOICES THAT ARE NOT AWESOME, I
THINK ADDRESSING POVERTY AND
DIVERTING ACTIONS, BUT ALSO [
INAUDIBLE ] THE BUSINESSES BY
GIVING THEM THE SUPPORT THEY
NEED ON THE STREET.
>> THANK YOU, NILU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> JULIE?
>> SO, WHEN OUR DAUGHTER WAS 16,
SHE WENT AND GOT A PART-TIME
JOB, MAKING MINIMUM WAGE AT A
CLOTHING STORE. SHE COULDN'T
REALLY BUY ANYTHING FROM THE
STORE BECAUSE THINGS WERE A
LITTLE BIT PRICEY. BUT SHE WOULD
SEE PEOPLE COMING IN AND FILLING
UP A BAG AND WALKING OUT. AND
THE MANAGER WOULD SAY THERE IS
NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. THAT
IS NOT NORMAL. THAT IS NOT WHAT
WE SHOULD TEACH OUR CHILDREN.
SO, I THINK CIVIC EDUCATION IS
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT, AND I THINK AS ADULTS, WE
HAVE TO ROLE MODEL AND TEACH OUR
CHILDREN WHAT IS RIGHT AND
WRONG. AND WE HAVE TO SET
EXPECTATIONS. SO, YES, I
UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE
OUR BASIC NEEDS MET AND WE AS A
SOCIETY NEED TO PROVIDE THAT,
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE STRICT
AND FIRM FOR THOSE WHO ARE
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THOSE WHO
ARE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND
SUSTAIN THOSE BUSINESSES FOR
PEOPLE LIKE US.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> LET'S DO TWO MORE QUESTIONS,
AND THEN WE WILL TAKE A SMALL
BREAK. KATY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND
START WITH YOU. CONSIDERING HOW
MUCH TIME AND ENERGY WAS TAKEN
UP WITH ETHICS ISSUES IN THE
PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, WHAT WILL
YOU DO TO LIMIT YOUR POTENTIAL
ETHICS CONFLICTS ONCE YOU ARE
SEATED?
>> OKAY, ALL RIGHT. SO, I HAVE
WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR SOME
TIME, AND SO, I HAVE GOTTEN VERY
USED TO DISCLOSING ANYTHING THAT
MIGHT IN FACT HAVE A FINANCIAL
ETHICS ISSUE. AND SO,
DISCLOSURES ARE GREAT, BUT THEY
DON'T GET US ALL THE WAY,
PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE DETAILS OF WHAT THAT MEANS
WHAT THE JEWEL IMPLICATIONS ARE.
[ INAUDIBLE ] AND PUTTING THE
FACTS OUT THERE. WE NEED TO
TRUST OUR GOVERNMENT, TO BE
EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT, AND SO
I THINK SOMETIMES WE CAN GIVE
MORE INFORMATION THAN WE HAVE TO
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN FACT
BUILDING THE TRUST WITH OUR
COMMUNITIES. SO, DISCLOSURES ARE
GREAT, BUT IF IT COMES DOWN TO
IT, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM
A DECISION IN WHICH I WOULD HAVE
FINANCIAL ETHICS ISSUES, THEN SO
BE IT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING
THAT.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> 10-Q, I AM GUESSING THIS HAS
TO DO WITH ETHICS ISSUE
REGARDING SOME COUNCILMEMBERS
THAT REPRESENTED DISTRICTS WHICH
ALSO HAD BUSINESSES, WHICH WAS
FOR THE DELIVERY OF FOOD. AND
ANOTHER WAS A BIG FIGHT ABOUT IS
THIS LOWERING THE ETHICS OR IS
IT TAKING AWAY FROM WE HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN AS TRANSPARENT AS
POSSIBLE, [ INAUDIBLE ]. I WOULD
TELL PEOPLE, DON'T EVEN BOTHER
WITH PDR, JUST PRINTED OUT AND
YOU CAN HAVE IT. SO, THE OTHER
ISSUE IS THIS. IF YOU ARE A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
DISTRICT, THAT KIND OF TAKES
AWAY YOUR POWER AT LARGE AND
OTHER FOLKS WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE
JOB YOU HAVE, LIKE SHE OWNS THE
BUSINESS. DOES THAT MEAN THAT IF
SHE HAS THIS JOB, SHE HAS TO
RECUSE HERSELF FROM ANYTHING
THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS
OR DELIVERY FEES? AND THAT WAS
THE ISSUE WE WERE STRUGGLING
WITH. I WILL BE FRANK BECAUSE I
DID SPEAK TO COUNCILMEMBER MORE
WHEN SHE CALLED, AND I DID TALK
TO SOME OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS,
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO THINK THAT
NOW THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE
DELIVERING AND WE HAVE THESE APP
IS AND WE HAVE ALL THESE THINGS,
EVERYBODY DOES MORE THINGS NOW,
AND YOU CAN'T JUST FIND
YOURSELF WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
ON A REALLY CRITICAL ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> I HAVE WORKED WITH THE PUBLIC
SECTOR FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS, AND
WITH DISCLOSURE AND ETHICS, AND
I REALLY HAVE NEVER HAD FRANKLY
ANY INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY
BESIDES OWNING A HOUSE. [
INAUDIBLE ] SO, ETHICS TO ME ARE
PRETTY SIMPLE. I DON'T REALLY
HAVE ANY CONFLICTS . I DO THINK
THAT IS A COUNCIL TALKS ABOUT
ETHICS, THE COMMUNICATION IS
IMPORTANT. I DON'T THINK THAT
EVERYBODY NECESSARILY UNDERSTOOD
THE ETHICS PROPOSAL, AND I THINK
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF
THERE WAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
FROM THE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE
ABOUT IT.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT
CONFLICTS I WOULD HAVE. I FEEL
SIMILAR IN YOUR BOAT, BUT I
WOULD DO WHAT I COULD TO REMOVE
THOSE FROM MY PLATE. BUT ALSO, I
WOULD RECUSE MYSELF IF THAT WAS
NECESSARY, IF IT SEEMS LIKE A
REASONABLE CHOICE AFTER
DISCUSSING THE SEATTLE ETHICS
AND ELECTIONS COMMISSION, SO
THAT WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW,
TRUST IN OUR CHOICES AND
SOCIETY. LIKE I SAID, I WORK IN
DEMOCRACY, AND AT A TIME WHEN
OUR TRUST IN OUR GOVERNMENT IS
FALLING, I WOULD DO EVERYTHING I
CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOTERS
AND OUR CITIZENS CAN TRUST [
INAUDIBLE ]. BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT
WOULD REDUCE TRUST AND
ELECTIONS. SO GENERALLY, YES, I
WOULD RECUSE MYSELF IF I HAD TO,
BUT MOSTLY MY NORTHSTAR WOULD BE
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE TRUST
THEIR GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED REALLY
BADLY.
>> THANK YOU, NILU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> JULIE? THAT'S SO, I HAVE
BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT FOR 30
YEARS IN EDUCATION . IN
EDUCATION, ETHICS IS CRITICAL,
AND TRANSPARENCY IS VERY
IMPORTANT. SO, I HAVE LIVED, YOU
KNOW, FOR 30 YEARS AS AN ADULT,
AS A PUBLIC SERVANT WITHOUT ANY
ISSUES, HOWEVER I DO KNOW THAT
IN THIS APPOINTED SEAT THAT
THERE MAY BE SOME CONCERNS. SO,
FIRST OF ALL, TRANSPARENCY,
ACCOUNTABILITY, EARNING THE
TRUST, AND I HAVE SERVED ON
BOARDS WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE TO
EXCUSE MYSELF. AGAIN, I THINK
COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT. LET
THEM KNOW WHY YOU CAN'T VOTE ON
CERTAIN THINGS, WHY YOU HAVE TO
REMOVE. OR KNOWING THE POLICIES,
MAYBE PERHAPS THERE IS AN AREA
WHERE MY EXPERTISE MAY BE
VALUED, THEN I DO HAVE TO SHARE
THAT KNOWLEDGE, AND PERHAPS
STRENGTHEN. BUT IT IS NOT FOR MY
OWN BENEFIT, BUT IT IS REALLY
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ROB?
>> I THINK THIS IS WHERE I WILL
GO BACK TO MY FIRST CAREER AS A
NAVAL OFFICER. FOUR YEARS IN
COLLEGE, LEARNING WHAT THAT
TAKES, WHAT THAT MEANS, WHAT
THAT TRUST IS THAT THE PUBLIC
PLACES IN THEIR MILITARY, AND
HOW YOU CAN LIVE UP TO THAT, ALL
YOU NEED TO EARN THAT. AND THEN
YOU ARE OPERATING AROUND
DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT, YOU'RE
RUNNING A NUCLEAR REACTOR. YOU
HAVE GOT TO FOLLOW THE BOOK TO
THE TEA. THIS IS A WORLD OF
PROCEDURES, THIS IS A WORLD OF
BEING ACCOUNTABLE, MAKING SURE
THE PAPERWORK IS RIGHT, MAKING
SURE EVERYTHING IS RIGHT,
BECAUSE THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH.
IT IS A SAFETY THING FOR THE
CREW, IT IS A NATIONAL SECURITY
THING. THAT IS THE BAR AND
STARTED MY CAREER ON AND IT IS
SOMETHING THAT STUCK WITH ME
EVER SINCE. YOU SEE I KEPT THE
SHORT HAIRCUT EVER SINCE, LIKE
IT HAS BEEN WITH ME. BUT ONE OF
THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT
SEATTLE, LOOKING AT WHAT OUR
VOTERS EXPECT IN TERMS OF
DISCLOSURE, PUBLIC RECORDS, WHAT
WE ARE DOING, WHEN WE ARE
COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS, ET CETERA, WE
HAVE READ ARTICLES IN THE
SEATTLE TIMES, WE KNOW WE HAVE
GOT TO HOLD OURSELVES TO A HIGH
STANDARD AND MAKE SURE WHAT THE
PUBLIC EXPECTS IS WHAT WE DO.
ASK THANK YOU, ROB. OKAY, LAST
QUESTION BEFORE THE BREAK, WE
WILL START WITH DEBORA . NO
KINGS OR QUEENS , SHOULD ELECTED
OFFICIALS BE HELD TO THE SAME
STANDARD AS THEIR CONSTITUENTS
IN INSTANCES OTHER THAN ARRESTS
RELATED TO PUBLIC PROTESTS IF
YOU WERE CHARGED AND EITHER
FOUND GUILTY OR PLED GUILTY TO
THE CRIME OF THINGS SUCH AS
FRAUD, THEFT, DUI, WHEN YOU
RESIGN FROM YOUR POSITION. IF
NOT, WHY NOT?
>> OKAY, WELL, I -- OBVIOUSLY,
EVERYONE IS HELD UNDER [
INAUDIBLE ] AND WE ARE ALL HELD
TO THE LAW IN THE SAME STANDARD
AND NO ONE IS ABOVE IT, SO, IF I
WERE -- FELONY, MISDEMEANOR, I
DON'T KNOW, FEDERAL CHARGE,
YEAH, I GUESS. [ INAUDIBLE ] IF
I'M OUT THERE PROTESTING, WHICH
IS MY RIGHT TO DO, NOT IN MY
CAPACITY AS A COUNCILMEMBER,
WHICH WE DID DURING GEORGE
FLOYD, AND WE ALSO HAD OUR
POLICE CHIEF [ INAUDIBLE ] IF
THAT MEANS GETTING ARRESTED,
THEN I WILL GET ARRESTED, I KIND
OF LIKE THE SAME ATTITUDE. WE
ARE SEEING SUGAR CITY, WE ARE AS
A READY, AND WE ARE ALL GOING TO
HAVE TO GET OUT THERE, NOT JUST
PEOPLE OF COLOR, WITH OUR BODIES
AND VOICES TO STOP WHAT WE ARE
SEEING IN LOS ANGELES. SO, ON
THAT ASPECT, ABSOLUTELY, I WOULD
TAKE MY PUNISHMENT, AND
CERTAINLY ANY OTHER CRIME, YEAH.
I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN ALL
AGREE, [ INAUDIBLE ] NO KINGS
DAY, WHICH IS SAD THAT WE HAD TO
HAVE A NO KINGS DAY, THAT OF
COURSE WE ARE HELD -- IN EFFECT,
I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE ARE HELD
TO A HIGHER STANDARD.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . I'M NOT
SURE -- AND I WILL GIVE YOU
ANOTHER CHANCE TO ANSWER. THIS
SAID NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC
PROTESTS. THIS IS SPECIFIC TO IF
YOU ARE FOUND GUILTY OR PLEAD
GUILTY TO CRIMES SUCH AS FRAUD,
THEFT, DUI, NOT RELATED TO
PROTESTING, WOULD YOU RESIGN ,
IF NOT, WHY NOT? AND I WILL GIVE
YOU ANOTHER CHANCE WITH THAT.
>> OKAY, WELL I GUESS I WOULD
RESIGN, BUT I GUESS IT WOULD
DEPEND ON WHETHER -- EVERYONE
HAS A SIXTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO
TRIAL THAT I WOULD PROBABLY --
THERE MAY BE A REASON THAT I DID
WHAT I DID, I DON'T KNOW. I
WOULD HAVE A JURY IF THEY FOUND
ME GUILTY, I GUESS. BUT THAT IS
KIND OF NEBULOUS BUT IF I KILLED
SOMEBODY, ABSOLUTELY. BUT YOU
KNOW, IF I BY ACCIDENT PICKED UP
A SALAD AT QSC AND DIDN'T KNOW
IT WAS IN MY CAR, I'M NOT GOING
TO RESIGN, SO THAT IS A LITTLE
BIT DOWN THE ROAD THERE. I
DON'T KNOW WHO ASKED THAT
QUESTION, SO WE CAN TALK TO YOU
AT THE BREAK, BUT --
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> OKAY, THANK YOU, DEBORA . SO,
AGAIN, I KNOW THIS WAS A LONG
ONE, BUT JIM, I WILL JUST
CLARIFY. IF THIS SAYS IF YOU
WERE FOUND GUILTY OR PLED
GUILTY, SO WE ARE NOT TALKING
ABOUT PROTESTING, WE ARE NOT
TALKING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW I
DID IT. AND DEBORA , IF YOU WANT
TO TAKE ANOTHER SPIN AT THE END,
FINDS YOU, BUT OTHERWISE, JIM,
GO AHEAD, JIM.
>> DO I GET TWO SHOTS, TOO? YES,
I WOULD RESIGN. IF YOU DON'T,
YOU REALLY UNDERMINE THE PUBLIC
TRUST. AND I THINK IT IS REALLY
VERY IMPORTANT, SO IF I WAS
CONVICTED OF SOMETHING ASIDE
FROM A PROTEST AND I HAD BEEN TO
THE NO KINGS PROTEST, AND I
THINK I HAVE TO SAY, WHAT'S
HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL
IS DISGUSTING AND IT IS
UNFORTUNATE, AND IT
UNFORTUNATELY IS TAINTING ALL OF
GOVERNMENT. IT TAINTS THE STATE,
THE WAY PUBLIC LOOKS AT IT, SO
WE NEED INTEGRITY, AND WE NEED
PEOPLE TO STEP UP, AND I WOULD
RESIGN.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> WELL, I AM THE OLDEST CHILD,
AND SO VERY MUCH A RULE
FOLLOWER. I WANT TO KNOCK ON
WOOD, BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN HAVE
A SPEEDING TICKET IN MY PAST.
BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT I
WOULD DO THAT WOULD GET ME IN
THAT SCENARIO, BUT YES, I WOULD
RESIGN. AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO
WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE
PUBLIC TRUST AND MAKING SURE
THAT PEOPLE FEEL THEY ARE
REPRESENTED BY PEOPLE THAT CARE
ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE
SYSTEM. AND I SHOULD SAY THAT,
YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE I AM A
HESITANT RULE BREAKER DOESN'T
MEAN THAT I AM SUPER JUDGMENTAL
. I HAVE SIBLINGS THAT I HAD TO
LET NEGOTIATE WITH.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. JULIE?
>> SO AGAIN, BEING AN EDUCATOR,
I STAY AWAY FROM TROUBLES, BUT
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I HAVE TO
FIGHT, AND I THINK THERE ARE
DIFFERENCES. SO, IF I'M FOUND
GUILTY, MOST DEFINITELY, I WILL.
YOU KNOW? BUT I ALSO WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT I REALLY THINK OF
EVERY HUMAN OF EQUAL VALUE. SO,
BECAUSE I AM AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL, IT DOESN'T GIVE ME
GRACE. IT DOESN'T MATTER. SO,
YES, I AM FOR THAT, BUT ALSO, I
WANT US TO THINK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF THE RULES AND HOW
WE CONTEXTUALIZE IT, RIGHT? SO,
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHO IS
PROSECUTED, FOR WHAT REASON, AND
THEY MAY HAVE THEIR NARRATIVE,
SO I WANT TO HAVE AT LEAST A
HEARING, SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DESCRIBE
, BUT THAT SAID, I DO AGREE THAT
WE HAVE TO BE ROLE MODELS AND WE
HAVE TO SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS
FOR US.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ] X AND ROB, JUST
REAL QUICKLY TO REMIND
EVERYBODY, THE QUESTION WAS
SPECIFIC ABOUT BEING FOUND
GUILTY OR PLEADING GUILTY. ROB,
GO AHEAD.
>> I LOVE THAT THERE IS A
PROTEST CARVEOUT IN THIS
QUESTION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT
IS ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT IN
2025. IF BETSY'S DELIVERY WAS
FASTER, I WOULD HAVE MAYA TODAY
IS A GOOD DAY TO PROTECT
DEMOCRACY SHIRT, BUT IT IS STILL
ON ITS WAY, IT'S SLOW. I THINK
POLITICIANS AND GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS NEED TO BE HELD TO A
HIGHER STANDARD, I THINK THAT IS
MY FIRST REACTION WHEN I HEARD
THIS QUESTION. THE PHRASE THAT
RESONATES WITH ME, EVER SINCE I
WAS A KID, EVER SINCE I SAW
LOCAL TOWN GOVERNMENT IN ACTION,
AS IF YOU WERE A PUBLIC SERVANT,
YOU'RE SERVING THE CONSTITUENTS.
WE ARE THE BOSSES, THEY ARE THE
MANAGERS, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO
VOTE FOR YOU, THEY ARE THE ONES
WHO VOTE YOU OUT OF OFFICE WHEN
YOU'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB. I
THINK WE ARE BEHOLDEN TO THAT
GROUP, AND IF I DISAPPOINT THAT
GROUP BY MAKING A MISTAKE,
GUILTY OR CONVICTED GUILTY, I AM
OUT.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, ROB.
KATY?
>> THIS IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST
QUESTION OF THE NIGHT, SO
THANKS. [ INAUDIBLE ] SORRY.
YEAH. I WOULD. BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. AND THAT'S
WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVING
YOU SHOULD DO. SO, I WILL YIELD
MY TIME TO [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU. DEBORA , IF YOU
WANTED TO FOLLOW UP?
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] I WAS JUST
GOING TO DO THIS WHILE EVERYONE
WAS TALKING. YES, I WOULD
RESIGN. YES. WE ARE AS PUBLIC
SERVANTS HELD TO A HIGHER
STANDARD. SORRY.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR CLARITY.
ALL RIGHT, I HAVE 7:02 ON THE
CLOCK. LET'S DO IT -- DO YOU
WANT FIVE MINUTES OR EIGHT
MINUTES? [ LAUGHTER ] FIVE
MINUTES OKAY? ALL RIGHT, FIVE
MINUTES, WE WILL COME BACK AT
7:07.
>> [ RECESS ] [ CAPTIONER
STANDING BY ]
>> [ MUSIC ]
>>> THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW
RETURNING TO THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 THEY CAN SEE
FOR HIM, HOSTED BY UNIFIED
OUTREACH. AND ONCE AGAIN, I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
CANDIDATES, JAMES BOUREY, NILU
JENKS, JULIE KANG, ROBERT
WILSON, KATY HAIMA, AND DEBORA
JUAREZ. ROUND OF APPLAUSE,
PLEASE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> SO, WE HAVE GOT ABOUT 50 MORE
MINUTES. WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD
CHANCE OF GETTING THROUGH MOST
OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT HOW ABOUT
WE BREAK IT UP REAL QUICK WITH
SOME OF THE RAISE THE PADDLE,
THESE WILL BE JUST REALLY QUICK
ANSWERS. AND QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS. FIRST QUESTION, DO YOU
SUPPORT FREE LOCAL BUS SERVICE
THROUGHOUT SEATTLE? OH, OKAY,
OKAY. DO YOU SUPPORT CHARTER
SCHOOLS? I NEED ANSWERS FROM
EVERYBODY. ALL RIGHT. THROUGH
THE FIRE, RIGHT? DO YOU SUPPORT
AN EXPANSION OF TINY HOME
SHELTERS IN DISTRICT 5? DO YOU
SUPPORT SARAH NELSON'S
LEGISLATION PENALIZING OPEN DRUG
USE? ARE YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH
THE OPEN DRUG USE? THAT YOU GET
TICKETED FOR THAT? DO YOU
SUPPORT THAT? OKAY, EVERYBODY'S
PADDLES ARE KIND OF MIDWAY,
LET'S GET THEM UP OR DOWN. ALL
RIGHT. PROTESTS IN SEATTLE HAVE
SHUT DOWN TRAFFIC MOVEMENT IN
SEATTLE'S DOWNTOWN AREA, AS
WELL AS VARIOUS FREEWAYS,
HIGHWAYS, AND BRIDGES. DO YOU
SUPPORT LIMITING THESE TYPES OF
PROTESTS ? I'M WAITING. DO YOU
SUPPORT LIMITING THE MOVEMENT OF
PROTESTS THAT SHUT DOWN FREEWAYS
AND HIGHWAYS? OKAY. EVERYBODY
GOOD? WE ARE ALL KIND OF
WHISTLING. CAN I GET
EVERYBODY'S UP AND DOWN AT THE
SAME TIME? OKAY. OKAY, ALL
RIGHT, THANK YOU. IS EVERYBODY
OKAY WITH THESE? I KNOW YOU GUYS
ARE USED FOR MUCH MORE MILD --
>> I SUPPORT THE STUDENTS IN
CHARTER SCHOOLS, DO WE SUPPORT
THE FUNDING?
>> LET ME GET THE AUDIENCE -- BY
RAISE OF HANDS, WHO WOULD LIKE
THAT AS A QUESTION THAT DESERVES
A ONE MINUTE ANSWER, RAISE YOUR
HAND. SORRY, GUYS,
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] THERE ARE LIKE
TANKS IN OUR AREA AND IF WE HAVE
TO SHUT DOWN THE HIGHWAY TO NOT
LET --
>> OKAY, BY AUDIENCE APPROVAL
HERE, SHOULD WE GET RID OF ALL
THE RAISE THE PADDLES AND JUST
GO TO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS?
THAT IS GOING TO CUT INTO YOUR
QUESTION, SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE
IT TO YOU. BY RAISE OF HANDS,
SHOULD WE THROW AWAY THE RAISE
THE PADDLE ? WHO WANTS TO THROW
IT AWAY? WELL, THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO, THAT'S WHAT
I WAS ASKING, DO NOT WANT TO
HAVE THE BULLET QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS, DO YOU JUST WANT TO GO
TO THE AUDIENCE QUESTIONS?
>> THE LAST QUESTION STARTED
WITH DEBORAH I BELIEVE, SO WE
ARE BACK TO JIM? OH, OH, OKAY,
SORRY, OKAY. STARTING WITH NILU.
DO PERSUADERS -- PERSUASIVE
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS MAKE IT
SAFER, FOR EXAMPLE, CCTV AUTO
LICENSE PLATE READERS, TRAFFIC
CAMERAS, WHAT ARE THE
ALTERNATIVES?
>> WELL, THE ALTERNATIVES IS
MORE POLICE, I ASSUME, BUT THERE
ARE ALSO THINGS LIKE INVESTING
IN BETTER DESIGN THAN OUR
STREETS, AND DESIGNED TO DRIVE
TRAFFIC AND BUILD COMMUNITY. FOR
EXAMPLE, AURORA, IT WOULD BE
GREAT TO HAVE PEDESTRIAN STREETS
AND ACTUALLY TREAT THE AREA LIKE
A NEIGHBORHOOD INSTEAD OF A
PLACE THAT NEEDS TO BE POLICED
ALL THE TIME, GIVE THEM TREES,
GIVEN BUSES, GIVEN WALKWAYS, YOU
KNOW, SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES,
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO
TO MAKE PLACES SAFER. NORMALLY
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DEVELOP
COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT D5 COULD REALLY
BENEFIT FROM ACROSS THE
DISTRICT.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. JULIE?
>> WELL, I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO
START DOING SOME PILOT PROGRAMS
ACROSS THE AREA, SO YES ON THAT.
HOWEVER, TRAFFIC CAMERAS, I KNOW
WE HAVE THEM. SOME OF YOU HAVE
MAYBE EVEN GOTTEN A TICKET AND
BOUGHT IT FOR A LOT OF THE
REASONS, SO AGAIN, I THINK YOU
HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND HOW
SOME DATA INFORMED DECISIONS ON
HOW WE ARE GOING TO USE IT AND
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE, AND LASTLY,
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR
CONSTITUENTS TO KNOW THE REASON
FOR HAVING THESE, AND HAVING
THEIR INPUT, BECAUSE I THINK A
LOT OF TIMES, WE JUST GO AND DO
IT, AND THEN PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
WHY, SO WHEN THERE IS NO [
INAUDIBLE ], IT IS HARD TO HAVE
PEOPLE FOLLOW RULES, SO IF WE
CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
THE DATA TO SUPPORT WHY WE NEED
TO HAVE CCTV'S, YOU KNOW,
TRAFFIC CAMERAS, ALL OF THAT, I
THINK THAT MIGHT BE BETTER.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. ROB?
>> I THINK THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY
PLACES WORK TECHNOLOGY COULD DO
A LOT. WE TALKED ABOUT [
INAUDIBLE ] FOR LICENSE PLATES,
BUT WHEN YOU SEE AN AMBER ALERT
GO OFF, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO
HAVE SOME WORK CAMERAS OUT THERE
THAT COULD FIND THAT CAR
QUICKLY? I SURE THINK SO. SPEED
LIMITS IS ANOTHER ONE, I THINK
THAT IS A MUCH LESS
CONTROVERSIAL ONE. ROOSEVELT
BUILT A HIGHWAY, BUT ALSO A
PLACE THAT A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS
ARE TRYING TO CROSS, [ INAUDIBLE
]. YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK LEFT,
YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK RIGHT, THEN
THE CAR JUST ZOOMS DOWN AT 45
MILES PER HOUR. I THINK THERE IS
A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
TICKETING SOMEBODY AT 26 AT 45
AND TICKETING SOMEBODY AT 40. WE
WENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE
CENTERS, WHICH ARE GREAT PLACES
AROUND THE CITY, BY THE WAY, [
INAUDIBLE ], YOU CAN BORROW A
SPEED GUN FROM ONE OF THEM IF
YOU'RE CONCERNED WITH I HAVE
SAT THERE BEFORE AND I HAVE SEEN
PEOPLE GO 45 MILES PER HOUR ON A
RESIDENTIAL STREET AND I DON'T
THINK THAT SHOULD BE OKAY. WE
NEED TO START ON THE MAIN
THOROUGHFARES AND DO THAT, I
THINK THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY
CAN REALLY MAKE OUR CITY BETTER
AND SAFER.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> YEAH, SO I THINK [ INAUDIBLE
], WE NEED SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS
AND WE NEED LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS,
SO I THINK B-SCAN FILL SOME OF
THOSE SHORT-TERM GAPS. THEY ARE
LIMITED IN WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
DO. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF
PRIVACY TRADE-OFFS THERE, BUT I
THINK FOR ME, THE THING I AM
MOST EXCITED ABOUT ARE LOOKING
AT THOSE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS,
THOSE LONG-TERM STRATEGIES.
TALKING ABOUT THE DESIGN OF
THESE STREETS, WE CAN TALK ABOUT
HOW MANY CROSSINGS WE CAN HAVE,
WE CAN DO SPEED HUMPS, THERE ARE
A LOT OF DIFFERENT TREATMENTS WE
CAN DO TO GET TO THE SAME
OBJECTIVE, INSTEAD OF JUST USING
CAMERAS AND PUNITIVE MEASURES TO
GET PEOPLE. THE PROBLEM WITH
THAT IS LIMITED FUNDING. WE
WOULD LOVE SPEED BUMPS
EVERYWHERE, SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN,
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY
TO DO THAT. THIS IS AN AREA I
WOULD BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT,
WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GIVE POWER
BACK TO PEOPLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
THEY CAN HELP SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC
ON THE STREETS. THEY KNOW THE
STREETS BEST, THAN OTHER TRAFFIC
PATTERNS AND WHERE IT IS COMING
FROM, SO I WOULD BE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE LONG-TERM
HOLISTIC SOLUTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> YOU'RE GOING TO GET MAD AT
ME FOR ASKING, BUT CAN YOU ASK
THE QUESTION AGAIN? [ INAUDIBLE
] IF WE'RE JUST TALKING
TRAFFIC, IF WE ARE JUST TALKING
GENERAL CRIME. DID IT SAY?
>> DOES PERVASIVE SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEMS MAKE US SAFER ? FOR
EXAMPLE, CCTV, AUTO LICENSE
PLATE READERS, TRAFFIC CAMERAS,
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
>> YES, LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING
HERE, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ON
COUNCIL, EVERY TIME [ INAUDIBLE
] , WE HAD FIGHTS WITH THE ACLU,
FOR GOOD REASON, YOU SHOULD HAVE
THEM. SO, SHOT SPOTTER CAMERA
VESTS, CCTV, LICENSE READERS,
DRONES, TRAFFIC CAMERAS, BUT WE
ALSO WANTED TO ERR ON THE SIDE
OF VIOLATING PERSONAL SPACE AND
PRIVACY, WE ALSO DIDN'T WANT TO
ERR ON THE SIDE OF CRIMINALIZING
TRAFFIC BEHAVIORS SO THAT THERE
IS A CAMERA, BUT ALSO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE HAD TO PUT THEM WE HAD
TO DO THE SCENARIOS AROUND
SCHOOLS, [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR
CHILDREN AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE
CITED FOR THAT FOR SAFETY
PURPOSES. HIGH-LEVEL TRAFFIC
AREAS, TRANSIT STATIONS. WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CAMERAS
THERE, BECAUSE A LOT OF
OVERDOSES AND DEATHS. AND ALSO,
IT DOES HELP OFFICERS, AND WHEN
YOU ARE DOWN 600 OR 700
OFFICERS, YOU HAVE TO RELY
SOMETIMES ON SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEMS. NOT JUST TO REST CRIME,
BUT ALSO TO PREVENT CRIME. AND I
KNOW SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THE
SHOT SPOTTER , SOME
NEIGHBORHOODS DIDN'T WANT TO,
SOMEDAY, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> SO, MY ANSWER IS YES TO ALL
OF THE ABOVE, THERE REALLY
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. RED LIGHT
CAMERAS, SPEEDING TICKETS. THERE
DOES NEED TO BE GUIDELINES ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY IS USED, I THINK THAT
NEEDS TO BE PUBLIC CONVERSATION,
I WOULD JUST GIVE YOU FOR
INSTANCE -- DAILY, I WALK ALONG
NORTHGATE WAY. AT EIGHTH AVENUE,
IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. WHEN I WAIT
TO CROSS, I WAIT UNTIL ALL THE
PEOPLE THAT RUN THE LEAD -- RED
LIGHT OUR PAST -- [ INAUDIBLE ]
IF I WERE A BLIND PERSON, I
WOULD BE DEAD MANY TIMES,
LITERALLY. [ INAUDIBLE ] BIG
DIFFERENCE IN OUR SAFETY AND THE
ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO WALK
PLACES, AND I THINK THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
>> WE HAVE A CHALLENGE WITH A
NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS WE
HAVE TODAY. FOLKS, WE ARE NOT
GOING TO SOLVE THAT IN A FEW
YEARS, IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE
A CHALLENGE FOR US. SO, USING
TECHNOLOGY [ INAUDIBLE ] EXTEND
WHAT WE DO, [ INAUDIBLE ] WOULD
MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. [
INAUDIBLE ] THE WHOLE 25 MILE AN
HOUR SPEED LIMIT ON ALL THE
STREETS, ALL THAT HAS DONE IN
THOSE INSTANCES IS HAVE PEOPLE
RESPECT THE LAWS THAT ARE THERE.
IT IS AN UNREALISTIC SPEED
LIMIT.
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
>> AND JUST REFRESH MY MEMORY.
NILU, DID YOU START WITH YOU?
OKAY, SO JULIE, WE WILL START
WITH YOU. AND HOW DO YOU DEAL
WITH STRESS AND CONFLICT IN YOUR
DAILY LIFE?
>> SO, AS I HAVE SHARED, AND
FINALIZING FINISHING UP MY
MASTERS, MY SECOND MASTERS IN
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELING. AND IN THAT WORK,
AND AS A TEACHER, THERE ARE A
LOT OF STRESSFUL CONFLICTS THAT
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND AGAIN,
I THINK WHEN PEOPLE ARE ON THE
SAME PAGE, IT IS EASY, BUT WHEN
THEY ARE ON DIFFERENT PAGES,
THEY HAVE TO LEARN AND LISTEN TO
EACH OTHER, SO LISTENING IS
CRITICAL, AND YOU HAVE TO SEE
THEIR PERSPECTIVES. WE ALWAYS
TELL OUR STUDENTS, CONSIDER
OTHERS ' PERSPECTIVES. I THINK
THAT ALSO ECHOES FOR ADULTS, AND
THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK
ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND
CONS AND HAVE A DIALOGUE. I
THINK WE ARE MISSING CIVILITY AT
THIS TIME, SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO
HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND
UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S
PERSPECTIVE, THEN I THINK WE ARE
ABLE TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR
CONSTITUENTS.
>> THANK YOU. ROB?
>> I THINK SOMETIMES AFTER AN
EMAIL OR MESSAGE, THAT GIVES ME
A LITTLE BIT, TAKE A DEEP
BREATH, WALK AWAY, I DON'T
REPLY RIGHT AWAY. I THINK THAT
IS A GOOD PRACTICE FOR
EVERYBODY. THE OTHER THING IS I
THINK THE CONFLICT HERE IS
REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS
ABOUT LISTENING TO THE OTHER
PERSON, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEY
ARE COMING FROM, AND LOOKING FOR
COMPROMISE. OFTEN, IT IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT IS BINARY, ONE
WAY OR THE OTHER, THERE IS AN
EASY ANSWER TO ONE SIDE OR THE
OTHER. IS OFTEN SOMETHING IN
BETWEEN AND MAYBE THEY HAVE A
TON OF FEEDBACK THAT YOU CAN
BENEFIT FROM. SO, IT MIGHT SEEM
A CONFLICT THAT IS, IT MIGHT BE
SOMETHING [ INAUDIBLE ]. ON THE
OTHER SIDE, BEING A PARENT, I
THINK TEACHES YOU A NUMBER OF
LESSONS. ONE OF THEM IS THAT A
PARENT'S FIRST THOUGHT IS OFTEN
WRONG. I THINK THERE ARE SOME
REALLY GOOD BOOKS AND STUDIES
OUT THERE ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH
ADOLESCENT MINDS THAT ARE
GROWING AND REACTING A CERTAIN
WAY, AND EDUCATING YOURSELF,
LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO CONNECT
WITH OTHERS CAN REALLY BENEFIT
YOU LONG-TERM.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATIE ?
>> WAS A QUESTION ABOUT STRESS
OR WAS IT ALSO ABOUT CONFLICT?
>> STRESS AND CONFLICT.
>> THANK YOU, SORRY. [ INAUDIBLE
] PLYMOUTH MARTINI WITH A TWIST.
RIGHT? AND THEN GET BACK TO IT,
RIGHT? SO, MY HUSBAND [
INAUDIBLE ] RESTAURANTS RECRUIT
COVID, LIKE STRESS IS NOT
UNFAMILIAR TO US BUT I AM A
PARENT OF A TODDLER AND A BABY.
[ INAUDIBLE ] AND CURRENTLY
DOING 2 1/2 JOBS. I AM ONLY
STRESSED BECAUSE I LOVE WHAT I
DO AND THEY CARE A WHOLE LOT.
DEALING WITH CONFLICT IS
SOMETHING, TO YOUR POINT, WHERE
YOU ARE A PARENT, THERE ARE A
LOT OF TECHNIQUES WHERE YOU
THINK TO YOURSELF [ INAUDIBLE ],
AND YOU BRING THOSE INTO YOUR
EVERYDAY LIFE. THE REASON I LOVE
CONFLICT IS BECAUSE IT UNEARTHS
THE THINGS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT [
INAUDIBLE ] AND WHEN YOU GET TO
THAT POINT, YOU CAN THEN FIGURE
OUT DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS TO
PROBLEMS YOU ARE WORKING ON. IF
YOU COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, IT
IS OFTEN NOT THE RIGHT ONE, THIS
GIVES YOU THE TIME TO ACTUALLY
TALK ABOUT YOUR VALUES, THINK
ABOUT OTHER POTENTIAL IDEAS, AND
[ INAUDIBLE ] TO FIND A COMMON
GROUND.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> THANK YOU, I WILL BE QUICK.
WHERE I COME FROM, THAT IS
CALLED GOOD MEDICINE [ INAUDIBLE
] MENTAL HEALTH. SO, QUICKLY, I
DO MY 10,000 STEPS, I AM ON MY
EIGHTH BOOK, I LOVE PODCASTS, I
AM BIG IN HOW WE RELATE TO OUR
FAITH, OUR FAMILY, OUR
COMMUNITY. I AM NOT ON ANY
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, I DON'T
WATCH CABLE NEWS, AND AFTER
EIGHT YEARS ON SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL, AND ALSO RAISING TWO
MILLENNIAL DAUGHTERS, AND ALSO
BEING A PUBLIC DEFENDER AND THE
JUDGE, I AM USED TO STRESS AND
ADVERSITY , CLASHING OF IDEAS,
AND WHAT WE CALL STRUGGLE
SESSIONS. YET, YOU CAN DO THAT
AND I WANT TO END WITH WHAT [
INAUDIBLE ], AND THAT IS I AM
NOT SMARTER THAN ANYONE, I HAVE
JUST LIVED LONGER, AND FOR THE
BOOMERS OUT THERE, THERE IS SOME
WISDOM AS YOU GET OLDER WHEN YOU
WANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS
IMPORTANT, AND ALSO LOOKING INTO
PEOPLE'S HUMANITY, AND
RECOGNIZING WHATEVER YOUR
DIFFERENCES ARE, THAT HUMANITY
PIECE HAS TO BE THERE FOR [
INAUDIBLE ] AND GIVE TO YOUR
COMMUNITY AND YOUR CITY.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> SO, MY SIMPLE AND QUICK
ANSWER IS [ INAUDIBLE ]. MY WIFE
WILL TELL YOU THAT I RUN WAY TOO
MUCH, BUT IT HAS BEEN A GREAT
RELEASE OVER THE 40 YEARS OF MY
PUBLIC SERVICE, BECAUSE I WILL
TELL YOU, I HAVE WORKED FOR A
LOT OF COUNCILMEMBERS, AND HOW
IRONIC THAT I WOULD SAY THAT
SOMETIMES THAT IS STRESSFUL. BUT
I THINK THERE IS ALSO THE
INTELLIGENCE TRAINING I HAVE
RECEIVED OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN
REALLY, REALLY VALUABLE WITH ME.
HOW TO WORK WITH OTHERS AND TO
ACHIEVE SOLUTIONS WORKING
TOGETHER, BE RESPECTFUL, LISTEN
CAREFULLY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
ALSO, HOW TO WORK THROUGH
CONFLICT. [ INAUDIBLE ] I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU HAVE HEARD THIS
BEFORE, BUT JUST A WONDERFUL
EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU CAN TAKE
POSITIONS THAT IS A VERY
IMPORTANT LESSON TO LEARN.
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
>> ICING, I READ, I TURN TO
COMMUNITY, THESE ARE THE THINGS
THAT I DO WHEN I AM STRESSED. IN
2016, AFTER THAT ELECTION, THE
FIRST THING I TURNED TO WAS
HEALING THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY,
THAT IS ACTUALLY HOW I CAME INTO
POLITICS. [ INAUDIBLE ]
ATTENTION OF CONVERSATION
BETWEEN ALL OF US, I THINK THAT
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
DEVELOP SKILLS TO LEARN HOW TO
DISAGREE BETTER. IT IS ALSO WHY
[ INAUDIBLE ], IT IS KNOWN TO
REDUCE POLITICAL VIOLENCE.
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT
THE I.R.A. BOMBINGS STOPPED IN
THE GOOD FRIDAY [ INAUDIBLE ].
SO, I LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS THAT
MAKE US ALL DO BETTER. BUT
REALLY, AS AN IRANIAN AMERICAN,
I HAVE BEEN LABELED EITHER THE [
INAUDIBLE ] ON ONE SIDE OR THE
AXIS OF EVIL. THE TRUTH IS THAT
NONE OF THAT IS TRUE. AND HAVING
TO WALK THAT PATH WHERE PEOPLE
JUST MISREAD EACH OTHER AND HAVE
NO UNDERSTANDING AND POLITICS
PITS US AGAINST EACH OTHER, I
HAVE ALWAYS HAD TO BE AN
AMBASSADOR, A COMMUNICATOR THAT
HAS PATIENCE FOR PEOPLE'S
UNDERSTANDING. AND SO, THAT'S
WHAT I DO, I WILL GROUND FOR
EVERYBODY, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE
COME TO THEIR THOUGHTS HONESTLY,
AND START FROM THAT POINT TO
HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT I
DON'T COME IN THINKING AND
RIGHT.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. I THINK WE
ARE GOING TO STAY. JULIE, YOU
STARTED THAT ROUND, RIGHT?
LET'S STAY ON JULIE. LET'S DO
JUST A QUICK 15 TO 32nd ANSWER,
JUST TO LET US KNOW YOU A LITTLE
BIT BETTER. WHAT IS THE LAST
SHOW THAT YOU BINGE WATCHED?
>> SO, WE DON'T HAVE CABLE AND
I DON'T REALLY WATCH TELEVISION
BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER BE OUT IN
THE COMMUNITY , IN COMMUNITY
SPACES, WORKING WITH OUR
STUDENTS, MENTOR IN, AND BEING A
CULTURAL BROKER TO OUR ETHNIC
AAPI COMMUNITY, AND THERE IS SO
MUCH WORK, SO I AM SORRY, I
DON'T HAVE A FAVORITE SHOW.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. AND TALK ABOUT THE
TIMING. I READ A BOOK EARLIER
THIS YEAR ON THE MAKING OF THE
WEST WING, AND THEN I STARTED
LISTENING TO A LOT OF WEST WING
PODCASTS. THEY HIGHLIGHTED NOT
TO WATCH EVERY EPISODE, AS THAT
WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TIME, BUT TO
WATCH THE EPISODES IN EACH
SEASON, AND SOMETHING THAT
REALLY TAUGHT YOU SOMETHING OR [
INAUDIBLE ], SO I WATCH PROBABLY
ABOUT 20 TO 25 EPISODES OF THE
WEST WING, AND I AM UP HERE
PROBABLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN A
LOT OF THE IDEALISM ON THAT
SHOW, WHAT POLITICIANS SHOULD
STAND FOR AND WHAT THIS COUNTRY
CAN BE, SO, THAT WAS MY TAKE
AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> I DON'T WANT A LOT OF TV,
BUT AND/OR. EVEN THOUGH IT IS
DISNEY CORPORATIONS, ET CETERA,
ET CETERA, IT IS ALSO THE
REBELLION THAT WE NEED RIGHT
NOW, SO IT COULDN'T HAVE COME
AT A BETTER TIME, I THINK FOR A
LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT IN ALL THESE
OTHER SORTS OF THINGS ASIDE, BUT
YEAH, JUST SOMETIMES NICE TO
TURN OFF AND JUST SEE A WORLD
WHERE THE REBELLION WORKS , SO
--
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] UM, SUNDAY ,
YESTERDAY, I BINGED ABOUT FOUR
HOURS OF THE , EVEN THOUGH I
HAVE SEEN EVERY EPISODE, BECAUSE
I LOVE SELENA, I LOVE THE WAY
SHE TALKS, [ INAUDIBLE ] , SO, I
AM A BIG BINGER ON NETFLIX AND
PRIME AND HULU, AND I LIKE
DOCUMENTARIES, AND I AM REALLY
INTO POST-WORLD WAR II RIGHT
NOW, [ INAUDIBLE ], AND THE
TRIALS HAPPENED IN NUREMBERG.
SO, AM A BIG HISTORY BUFF AND I
LOVE READING THAT STUFF AND
FINDING THE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT
WHAT I READ, SO I CAN UNDERSTAND
MORE. SO, THAT IS KIND OF ME, I
AM A BIT BORING, SO --
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> SO, WE LIKE ESCAPISM, MY WIFE
AND I PREVIOUSLY DID GO TO A
MOVIE THREE WEEKS AGO, I GUESS
IT WAS, TO SEE SUPERMAN. I
DON'T RECOMMEND IT [ LAUGHTER ]
MAYBE I AM SHOWING MY AGE IN
MAKING THAT RECOMMENDATION. IT
WASN'T WHAT I REMEMBER ANYWAY.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> I DON'T TEND TO BINGE SHOWS,
I TEND TO READ MORE, BUT I DO
WATCH SHOWS. AND I WILL SAY, WE
STARTED WASHING WITH MY KIDS,
POKER FACE. SOMETHING [
INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NOW
BACK TO THE SERIOUS STUFF. AND
WE WILL START WITH ROB. WHAT
WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO TRANSITION
THE UNHOUSED POPULATION INTO
TEMPORARY HOUSING OR TREATMENT?
WHAT OTHER CITIES DO YOU THINK
HAVE FOUND SUCCESS USING
INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS FOR THE UNHOUSED
POPULATION?
>> SO MUCH OF MY PASSION FOR
THIS TOPIC COMES FROM BEING
INTRODUCED TO MARY'S PLACE
THROUGH AMAZON. I THINK THAT
PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN GREAT.
THERE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE AMAZON
BUILDINGS ON THE CAMPUS, THEY
SHARE A BUILDING WITH AMAZON,
AND THEY DO A [ INAUDIBLE ]
EVERY YEAR. THAT'S WHERE I
LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THIS
ISSUE, LEARNING ABOUT MARY'S
PLACE, LEARNING ABOUT HOW
CREATIVELY THEY USED HOTELS THAT
WERE CLOSING DOWN IN THE SOUTH
LAKE UNION AREA THAT WERE CLOSED
DOWN YET, THAT THEY COULD USE IT
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THAT
CREATIVITY OF CREATING SHELTER
SPACE, READING UP ON SOMETHING
LIKE THAT HELPFUL HOUSING
PROGRAM AND HOW KING COUNTY THEN
INVESTED IN GETTING MORE SHELTER
SPACE, BUT ULTIMATELY, THAT
JOURNEY FROM THE STREETS TO
PERMANENT HOUSING WHEN THERE IS
NOT ENOUGH SHELTER BEDS, THAT'S
NOT A GOOD START. THERE ARE NOT
ENOUGH TINY HOMES, THAT'S NOT
SOMETHING YOU CAN TRANSITION TO,
SO I THINK THE DATA SHOWS THAT
CITY HOUSING LIKE TINY HOMES,
LIKE SOMETHING PERMANENT WAS THE
BEST YOU CAN DO, AND I DO THINK
WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF
OTHER CITIES.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> THANKS. SO, I DO THINK WE
HAVE SOME EXAMPLES BUT AS YOU
SAID, THE TINY HOUSING, GETTING
MORE EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND
THINGS OUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY
WAYS TO ADDRESS THINGS IN THE
SHORT TERM, BUT WE HAVE A
LONG-TERM ISSUE, TOO, AND THAT
IS WITH HOUSING. WE NEED TO FIND
MORE CREATIVE WAYS TO DELIVER
AFFORDABLE HOUSING [ INAUDIBLE ]
PARTICULARLY WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT NOT, YOU KNOW,
FINDING IT AS MUCH ANYMORE, AND
THERE ARE SOME INCREDIBLY
PROMISING MODELS THAT DIFFERENT
GROUPS ARE LOOKING AT IN TERMS
OF HOW WE FIND THAT AND HOW WE
CAN [ INAUDIBLE ]. THE CITY
SHOULD BE SUPPORTING THAT WORK
AND REALLY WORKING TO SCALE THAT
UP [ INAUDIBLE ] THE TRADITIONAL
MODEL IS STARTING TO CRACK A
LITTLE BIT. SO, I THINK FOR US,
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THOSE
SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS, THOSE
LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, AND I
CAN'T THINK OF A CITY WHERE
THEY HAVE SOLVED IT AND DONE IT
RIGHT, BUT I THINK [ INAUDIBLE ]
FROM DIFFERENT CITIES BUT
OBVIOUSLY, CONTEXT IS DIFFERENT.
[ INAUDIBLE ] VALUE AND JUST THE
COST OF LAND HERE BRINGS A WHOLE
DIFFERENT DIMENSION OF THE
COMPLEXITY [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO JUST
QUICKLY GO OVER HOW WE GOT TO
WHERE WE ARE AT, AND WHEN MAYOR
MURPHY SAID 15 YEARS AGO WE WERE
TRYING TO END HOMELESSNESS, WE
WENT FROM UNSANCTIONED
ENCAMPMENTS TO SANCTIONED
ENVIRONMENT [ INAUDIBLE ] , TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES TO TRANSITIONAL
HOUSING TO ARBY'S. SO, ALL THAT
TO SAY IS THERE IS A CONTINUUM
OF HOW WE NEED TO MEET PEOPLE
WHERE THEY'RE AT AND PROVIDE
SERVICES. SO, OF COURSE, WE NEED
TO BUILD MORE TRANSITIONAL
HOUSING THAT OUR STAFF AND
SOCIAL WORKERS CONNECT PEOPLE TO
SERVICES THAT THEY NEED. THE
PROBLEM THAT WE WERE SEEING, I
THINK THE PROBLEM THAT YOU ALL
ARE FRUSTRATED WITH, AND YOU
DON'T JUST SEE IT IN D5, YOU
SEE IT EVERYWHERE, IS WHAT YOU
DO WHEN YOU HAVE 70 2/10 AND
ONLY -- WE HAVE WELL OVER 70
2/10 [ INAUDIBLE ] AND YOU ONLY
HAVE -- I'M JUST GOING TO PICK
A NUMBER BECAUSE SOME OF THEM
ARE REALLY HIGH, YOU HAVE 100
PEOPLE, 90 PEOPLE. AND ONLY 11
ONE SERVICES. YOU CAN'T ARREST
THEM. WHAT DO WE DO? AND SO, WE
HAVE TO HAVE STRONGER WAYS , OFF
RAMPS TO WORK WITH THOSE PEOPLE
THAT -- BUT YOU CAN'T LIVE
HERE, YOU CAN'T HAVE A TENT
UNDER A BRIDGE.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> SO, THE KEY TO THIS HAS TO BE
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. THE
PUBLIC CAN'T DO IT ALL.
LEVERAGING THE RESOURCES [
INAUDIBLE ] WITH PRIVATE
RESOURCES, [ INAUDIBLE ], REALLY
IMPORTANT, WE DO NEED
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, OBVIOUSLY,
BUT WE ALSO NEED PERMANENT
HOUSING. I WOULD SUGGEST PEOPLE
LOOK AT THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS.
[ INAUDIBLE ] ACTUALLY WORKED
THERE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AS [
INAUDIBLE ]. THEY HAVE DONE AN
EXCELLENT JOB OF ADDRESSING MUCH
OF THE HOUSING ISSUES. DENVER
HAS AS WELL, SO I LOOK TO THOSE
MODELS BECAUSE THEY HAVE USED
HOTELS. BUT HOMELESSNESS NEEDS
TO BE TREATED NOT JUST WITH
PROVIDING A HOME, IT HAS TO DO
WITH DRUG ADDICTION, TREATMENT
FOR DRUG ADDICTION, IT HAS TO DO
WITH A WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES THAT
GO BEYOND JUST BEING IN A HOUSE,
AND THOSE NEED TO BE CASE
MANAGED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE,
THEN WE CAN TURN THINGS AROUND.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> THINKING OF CITIES LOCALLY
THAT I AM INTERESTED IN, TOO,
LIKE I SAID EARLIER HAS HEATPUMP
RENTAL STABILIZATION PROGRAM,
BECAUSE PART OF IT IS ALSO
MAKING SURE RENTS ARE
REASONABLE. AND ALSO, THEY HAVE
THIS REAL-TIME SHELTER BED
AVAILABILITY INTO, THAT I THINK
WE SHOULD BRING HERE SO [
INAUDIBLE ]. CITIES THAT I
REALLY RESPECT, ALSO MINNEAPOLIS
AS YOU MENTIONED. ALSO, HOUSTON
THAT CAME TOGETHER AS A CITY AND
SAID WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND
ARGUE WITH EACH OTHER AND
BROUGHT INCORPORATED PEOPLE WHO
DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER TO
APTLY SOLVE PROBLEMS AND ADDRESS
THEIR ISSUES THAT THEY ARE
RECOGNIZED THEY SHARED, INSTEAD
OF, YOU KNOW, YELLING AT EACH
OTHER AND FIGHTING. AND FINALLY,
I THINK A BIG PART OF THIS NEEDS
TO BE PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS,
WHAT CAN WE DO TO LIKE COVER
SOMEONE'S SHORT-TERM BILLS? IF
IT IS JUST A SMALL LINE, BECAUSE
IT IS SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO
ADDRESS AN ISSUE AFTER IT HAS
HAPPENED, THE TRAUMA IS ONGOING
AT THAT POINT, [ INAUDIBLE ].
SO, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT,
AND WHATEVER CARE, YOU KNOW,
THAT PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS, TO TRY AND SUPPORT
PEOPLE FROM FALLING INTO
HOMELESSNESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
>> THANK YOU. JULIE?
>> SO, I'M THINKING ABOUT
UNHOUSED POPULATION IN DENVER,
SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, AND
I KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE SHELTER
BEDS, MORE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
TREATMENT, ALONG WITH JUST NOT
TINY HOMES. AND PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. I THINK ALL
OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO
CONSIDER, AND I SUPPORT A
COMPASSIONATE, RESULTS DRIVEN
APPROACH, SO I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOT JUST
HOUSE THEM IN THESE TINY HOMES,
BUT REALLY THINK ABOUT
COORDINATED OUTREACH,
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SERVICE
PROVIDERS, AND ITS SYSTEM THAT
REALLY HELPS PEOPLE MOVE OFF THE
STREET AND INTO RECOVERY. IT IS
NOT COMPASSIONATE TO LEAVE
PEOPLE IN CRISIS OR JUST TO TURN
AWAY, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO LONGER
FEELING SAFE IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. I THINK WE REALLY
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A HOLISTIC
APPROACH AND LOOK AT THE DATA OF
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, BECAUSE 10
YEARS LATER, WE ARE STILL IN THE
SAME PLACE.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. UM, WE
STARTED AT ROB WITH THAT ONE,
RIGHT? OKAY, SO KATY, AND THANK
YOU EVERYBODY JUST FOR BEING SO,
UM, YOU KNOW, BEING A PART OF
THIS. WE HAVE ABOUT 13 MORE
MINUTES OF QUESTIONS, AND THEN
WE WILL DO THE CLOSING
STATEMENT. SO -- ALL RIGHT,
KATY, HOW WILL YOU ENSURE YOU
AND THE COUNCIL WILL SERVE ALL
RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE, AND THEN
WE HAVE MANY EMIGRANT OWNED
BUSINESSES ON AURORA, HOW CAN WE
ENGAGE THEM SO THAT WE ARE
ADDRESSING THEIR ISSUES ,
ADVANCING INCLUSION, BUSINESS
STRATEGIES THAT LOOK AT ALL OF
OUR NEEDS?
>> THAT IS A LONG QUESTION FOR
ONE MINUTE. OKAY, THE FIRST
PART, ACCOUNTABILITY, HOLDING
OUR COUNTERPARTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR
THE WORK THEY ARE DOING AND
SHOWING THAT THEY ARE REACHING
OUT TO THE MEMBERS OF THEIR
COMMUNITY WHO ARE GOING TO BE
EITHER THE BENEFICIARIES OR
POTENTIALLY HAVE A BURDEN OF THE
POLICY DECISIONS WE ARE MAKING.
SECOND, BUSINESSES ALONG AURORA,
PART OF THIS, I TALKED A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT, I HAVE DONE A LOT OF
ENGAGEMENT AS A COMMUNITY
PLANNER AND I HAVE LEARNED A LOT
ABOUT STRATEGIES, ABOUT HOW WE
REACH OUT TO PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY.
IT IS REALLY CHALLENGING, IT
TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND
RESOURCES. WE NEED INTERPRETERS
WHO CAN'T JUST INTERPRET THE
LANGUAGE, BUT ALSO CULTURALLY
INTERPRETED, SO WE UNDERSTAND
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE I
THINK THAT AURORA IS AN
INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE OF ONE OF
THOSE PLACES WHERE YOU DRAW
BLOOD BUSINESS INCUBATORS
BECAUSE THE SPACES ARE CHEAP.
AND EVEN AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
LET'S REDO AURORA, LET'S
CHANGE IT, LET'S REVITALIZE IT,
IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT PART OF THE LIFEBLOOD ARE
THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS , WE NEED
TO THINK ABOUT A VISION THAT
KEEPS THEM THERE, THAT KEEPS HIM
A PLACE, AND ALSO PROVIDES
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO GROW
AND EXPAND.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> OKAY, I NEED YOU TO READ THAT
AGAIN BECAUSE THAT WAS -- OKAY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] PART OF THE
PROBLEM.
>> SO YOU SAID MEET THE NEEDS OF
THE FIVE AND MEET THE NEEDS OF
THE CITY, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID?
YES START
>> HOW WILL YOU ENSURE YOU AND
THE COUNCIL WILL SERVE ALL
RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE? AND THEN
-- SORRY [ INAUDIBLE ]. WE HAVE
MANY EMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES
ON AURORA, HOW CAN WE ENGAGE
THEM, SO THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING
THEIR ISSUES, ADVANCING
INCLUSION AND BUSINESS
STRATEGIES THAT LOOK AT ALL OF
OUR NEEDS? I WAS COMBINING
BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS SEEING A
COMMON THREAD OF ADDRESSING ALL
COMMUNITIES, AND THEN
SPECIFICALLY EMIGRANT BUSINESS
COMMUNITIES.
>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THIS AND MAYBE SOME PEOPLE CAN
DISAGREE ON THAT SIGN, I WOULD
LIKE TO SAY THAT IN EIGHT YEARS
THAT I WAS IN SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL, THAT I WORKED REALLY
HARD TO DO THAT. NOT ONLY AS I
SHARED WITH SOME OF MY YOUNGER
AND NEW COUNCILMEMBERS THAT HAD
ELECTED AND CAME ON BOARD, [
INAUDIBLE ] YOUR VOTE WAY IS
JUST AS MUCH IS ANYONE ELSE'S
VOTE. YOU REPRESENT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND EVERYBODY 'S
PROBLEMS. THERE IS A REASON WHY
WE WENT TO DISTRICT SYSTEM, BUT
YOU HONOR THE NEEDS OF YOUR
DISTRICT AND FOR ME, THAT IS
LASER FOCUSED ON BRICK AND
MORTAR TRANSIT, HOUSING, PUBLIC
SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE I
WOULD LIKE IT WHEN THE MAYOR
WOULD CALL ME AND SAY WE ARE
THINKING OF PUTTING THIS IN THE
FIVE, AND I WOULD BE LIKE NO,
YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT BECAUSE
WE ALREADY HAVE THREE OF THOSE.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
-- YOU WANT TO REPRESENT ANYONE.
WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT LAKE
CITY WAY, AND WE HAVE SO MANY
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE
IMMIGRANT OWN, AND I REMEMBER
WHEN ALL OF THIS WAS GOING ON
DURING COVID AND PEOPLE WERE
BREAKING IN AND COMING IN AND
TAKING THINGS AND THEY WERE JUST
GOING UP AND DOWN IN OTHER
PLACES AS WELL. YOU ARE DOWN 700
OFFICERS, YOU REALLY AREN'T
DOING THE BEST YOU CAN WITH THE
TOOLS YOU HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE IT
BETTER. THANK YOU.
>> SORRY, THANK YOU, DEBORA .
JIM? THAT'S SO, IT'S A LOT OF
HEAVY LIFTING. IT REALLY COMES
DOWN TO LISTENING AND ENGAGING
WITH PEOPLE. ENGAGING AT THE
DISTRICT LEVEL, MEETING PEOPLE
WHERE THEY ARE, HAVING FORUMS
THAT PEOPLE CAN COME AND TALK
AND HAVE A CONVERSATION, AND
HAVING THAT AT THE CITY LEVEL AS
WELL. UNDERSTANDING ISSUES THAT
PEOPLE BRING FORWARD,
UNDERSTANDING THEIR CONCERNS
OBVIOUSLY IS CRITICAL. WE CAN
ALSO LOOK AT THE INVESTMENT FROM
THE LENS OF WHAT IT AFFECTS AND
WHO IS HELPED. THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT I THINK ANY INVESTMENT THAT
WE DO OUGHT TO COME WITH THAT
PERSPECTIVE.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> THIS IS A REALLY DENSE
QUESTION, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW,
AS SOMEONE WHO IS FROM A
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY AND WHO
SPEAKS THREE LANGUAGES, FARSI,
ENGLISH, AND SPANISH, I THINK
MAKING SURE WE ARE REACHING OUT
IN LANGUAGE AND ARE HAVING
SERVICES AND ARE CULTURALLY
SENSITIVE IN OUR APPROACHES TO
DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND
RELIGIOUS MINORITIES AND THEIR
NEEDS IS ACTUALLY REALLY
IMPORTANT BUT IT IS THE WAY TO
GET BY AND I MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING IN BOTH
DIRECTIONS WHAT IS NEEDED AND
WANTED. AND THEN IN TERMS OF
SUPPORTING BUSINESSES, IT IS
AGAIN REACHING OUT AND TALKING
TO THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE
DIFFERENT DISTRICTS WILL HAVE
DIFFERENT NEEDS. AND I
APPRECIATE WHAT DEBORA SAID
HERE, REGARDING REMEMBERING THAT
THIS IS A CITYWIDE THING, AND
KEEPING IN MIND THAT THERE IS A
LOT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN, AND MAKING SURE
WE ARE BOUNCING EVERYBODY'S
NEEDS ACROSS THE CITY.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. JULIE?
>> SO, I THINK THIS IS MY
NARRATIVE, YOU KNOW? I HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY,
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE
EQUITABLE MODEL, INCLUSIVE
MODEL, AND EVERYONE'S VOICES AT
THE TABLE. AND THAT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT WE DO THE SAME THING.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO
DIFFERENTIATE. AND WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT TRANSLATION AND [
INAUDIBLE ] SERVICES, WE WANT IT
REAL TIME. IT IS NOT THROUGH A
GOOGLE TRANSLATE OR IT IS NOT
FOR SOMEBODY ELSE ADVOCATING
LIKE A YOUNG CHILD. A LOT OF OUR
STUDENTS ARE SERVING AS
INTERPRETERS AND THAT IS NOT THE
ROLE OF THE STUDENTS ALL THE
TIME. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT AS
WE THINK ABOUT BUSINESSES,
ESPECIALLY -- I MENTIONED THAT I
VISITED ALMOST 50 BUSINESSES,
AND IN PERSON, RELATIONAL. THAT
IS NOT ONLY FOR ETHNIC COMMUNITY
BUSINESSES. I THINK ALL
BUSINESSES NEED THAT TENSION, TO
BE ADVOCATING FOR THEM, BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T COME TO SPACES LIKE
THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING,
YOU KNOW? CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
ARE HAPPENING MIDDAY. SO, WE
HAVE TO GO TO WHERE THEY ARE.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. ROB?
>> I LOVE THAT OUR LOCAL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A TITLE ONE
SCHOOL. YOU HAVE KIDS FROM ALL
BACKGROUNDS, YOUR KIDS FROM MANY
DIFFERENT RELIGIONS BUT I HAVE
MY KIDS COME HOME AND TEACH ME
THINGS ABOUT NEW CULTURES,
DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ON A WEEKLY
BASIS. IT'S WONDERFUL TO EMBRACE
THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY, IT IS
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THE
CITY STRONG, IT IS ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT MAKES D5 STRONG I
THINK THERE ARE THINGS THE NEXT
COUNCILMEMBER CAN DO IN THIS
DISTRICT, INCLUDING TRANSLATION
SERVICES. YOU NEED TO BE PUTTING
OUT YOUR NEWSLETTER IN DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES, YOU NEED TO BE MAKING
SURE THE MESSAGE GETS OUT. BUT
YOU ALSO NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS
ABOUT WHO IS ON YOUR STAFF, WHAT
LOCATIONS ARE YOU PLACING THOSE
OFFICES IN QUESTION WHERE ARE
YOU HOLDING OFFICE HOURS, WHERE
ARE YOU HOLDING MEETINGS? AND
THEN GOING OUT AND MEETING THE
BUSINESS OWNERS BUT SHOW UP AT
THEIR FRONT DOOR DURING BUSINESS
HOURS AND MEET THEM, SEE WHAT IS
ON THEIR MIND, SEE WHAT THEY'RE
STRUGGLING WITH. AND THEN BE
READY TO ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES,
GET IN THE TRENCHES WITH THEM,
AND HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS. OUR
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HAVE
ENOUGH CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW, AND
WE NEED TO DO ALL WE CAN TO HELP
[ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU, ROB. NEXT, KATY,
YOU ARE STARTING? OH, OKAY. WE
LIKED YOUR STYLE. NO, WE WILL
MOVE TO DEBORA . DEBORA , HOW
WILL YOU WORK WITH SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE
STUDENT SAFETY IN AREAS AROUND
OUR SCHOOLS, AND WILL YOU COMMIT
TO WORKING WITH SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THEY ARE PART
OF ONE SEATTLE AND INTEGRAL TO
AN EQUITABLE CITY? YOU WANT ME
TO READ THAT AGAIN?
>> NO, YOU GOT A GOOD ONE IN
THERE BUT IT IS A TWO PART, BUT
ABSOLUTELY, SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
WORKS ALSO WITH THE ELECTED
SCHOOL BOARD, WHETHER IT WAS ON
HOUSING, BUSING, FOOD, THE SUGAR
TAX, MAKING SURE THAT THE TEXT
MANY WENT BACK, SO WE COULD FEED
KIDS. SO, THE OTHER ISSUE ON THE
SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT WHEN WE ARE
DOING THE BUDGET AND LOOKING AT
SDOT AND LOOKING AT WHERE WE
WANTED TO PUT SIDEWALKS, WE MADE
IT A PRIORITY -- JUST HIGH
TRANSIT FOOT TRAFFIC WHERE YOU
NEED SIDEWALKS, BUT ALSO
SCHOOLS. AND YOU KNOW, WORKING
WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON THE
ISSUES THAT IT WORKS, AND I WANT
TO HOPE LEE, IF I GET THIS JOB,
IS TO GO BACK BECAUSE WE WERE
THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE THAT WERE
TARRED WITH THE SEATTLE SCHOOL
DISTRICT TO BE TO MEMORIAL
STADIUM. THAT STARTED IN 2016.
TO GET THAT UP AND GOING. ONE,
WE WERE DOING CLIMATE PLEDGE
ARENA. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT AT
THE SAME TIME BECAUSE YOU DON'T
MOVE DIRT TWICE WHEN YOU'RE
DOING THIS KIND OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND POURING CONCRETE
[ INAUDIBLE ]. WE WERE BRINGING
THE NHL, AND IT WAS SHARING WITH
SEATTLE CENTER AT THAT TIME. SO,
WE WERE ALWAYS WORKING WITH THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THAT IS
NEVER ENDED.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . JIM?
>> THE CITY COUNCIL ITSELF,
COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL
BOARD IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT A
COUPLE THINGS. IN MY PAST
EXPERIENCES, WE HAVE PRIVATIZED
[ INAUDIBLE ] SIDEWALKS, AND
THAT IS WHERE IT HAS BEEN A
MAJOR COMPONENT WHERE WE DECIDED
TO BUILD. BUT I AM ALSO A
PROPONENT OF SCHOOL RESOURCE
OFFICERS. POLICEMEN THAT ARE
ACTUALLY IN THE SCHOOLS. WHERE I
WORKED BEFORE, WE HAD NOT HAD
THEM HAD [ INAUDIBLE ]
CAPABILITY, AND THAT HAS TAKEN
SOME OF THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVITY
TO HAVING A POLICE OFFICER IN
THE SCHOOL. BUT IT HAS REALLY
PAID HUGE DIVIDENDS IN MANY
SITUATIONS AND I SUPPORT THAT, I
THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD
SOLUTION TO HELP
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> SO, I SERVE ON THE BOARD FOR
RACIAL EQUITY AND WORK WITH THE
URBAN LEAGUE TO BE IN ROOSEVELT
AND GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOLS, AND
WHAT I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT
IS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH
STUDENTS, BRINGING THEM INTO THE
CONVERSATION, CENTER THEIR
NEEDS. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ASKING
FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT,
THEY'RE ASKING FOR THINGS THAT
BRING MORE LONGING. AND HAVING
BEEN A PARENT AT JOHN ROGERS
ELEMENTARY ON THE OTHER SCHOOL,
[ INAUDIBLE ]. I LIVE ON SAND
POINT WAY, WE DON'T HAVE
SIDEWALKS. [ INAUDIBLE ] I
UNDERSTAND IT IS A LONG-TERM
INVESTMENT TAKES TIME, BUT AT
LEAST WE SHOULD HAVE SAFE ROUTES
FOR KIDS TO BE WALKING TO
SCHOOL. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
THINGS THAT IS A CITY
COUNCILMEMBER AND WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBERS, I KNOW ONE OF
THEM IS HERE TONIGHT, SORRY -- [
LAUGHTER ] BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK
HAVING REALLY STRONG AND
IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP FOR ME --
THE KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE, AND
FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND MAKING
SURE THEY ARE CENTERED IN OUR
DECISIONS AND OUR NEEDS IS GOING
TO BE INCREDIBLY INVALUABLE AT
MAKING DECISIONS, BECAUSE THEY
KNOW WHAT THEY NEED MORE THAN WE
DO.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. JULIE?
>> THE SO, OF COURSE AS AN
EDUCATOR, I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT
SCHOOL SAFETY, STUDENT SAFETY.
AND I SERVED ON EQUITY COMMITTEE
FOR OVER FIVE YEARS IN SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OH, WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT STUDENT SAFETY, WE
THINK ABOUT HOLISTIC APPROACH.
SO, STARTING FROM GETTING TO THE
SCHOOL BUS STOP, AND YES,
SIDEWALKS, BUT ALSO WITH
DENSITY. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE
SOME -- WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD
WHERE THE SCHOOL BUS STOP IS
RIGHT ON THE EDGE, AND THE BUS
HAS TO STOP. THE PUBLIC BUS 28
HAS TO STOP. SO, I THINK IT WAS
A LITTLE BIT OF OVERSIGHT THERE.
SO, I WANT TO THINK ABOUT US AS
THINKING ABOUT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO
THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
KIDS HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK TO
SCHOOLS ON THEIR OWN OR WITH,
YOU KNOW, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS,
AND A LOT OF FAMILIES, A LOT OF
MY NEIGHBORS ARE SAYING NO, THEY
DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH
THEIR KIDS BIKING OR WALKING.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. ROB?
>> I THINK THE WORD PARTNERSHIP
IS SO IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE
THERE ARE SOME INCREDIBLE
PARTNERSHIPS IN OUR CITY, AND
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS
ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THEM. SEEING
OUR OWN SCHOOL WHERE FENCING HAS
BEEN IMPROVED OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS, THERE ARE CAMERAS ON
EVERY ONE OF THE DOORS TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE ENTERING THE SCHOOL
ARE THE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO BE
ENTERING THE SCHOOL. I THINK
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST
LEVEL. THE OTHER ONE, CROSSING
GUARDS I LOVE SEEING CROSSING
GUARDS THE SCHOOL, I THINK THAT
MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
CROSSWALKS, WE TALKED ABOUT
SPEED ZONES EARLIER, ABSOLUTELY.
THESE WALKING AREAS AROUND THE,
WE WANT OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL EVERY
DAY. AND CARS GOING A BIT LOWER
IS GOING TO HELP EVERYBODY OUT.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE TIME
TO SEE THE KIDS AND BE SAFE.
WITHIN THE SCHOOLS, THE
HEADLINES ARE FRIGHTENING WHEN
SOMETHING HAPPENS, AND SO MUCH
OF THAT COMES DOWN TO MENTAL
HEALTH, HAVING THE SUPPORT FOR
STUDENTS, HAVING STUDENTS KNOW
WHO TO TURN TO, WHO TO SPEAK UP
ABOUT, HOW TO REPORT SOMETHING.
WHEN PEOPLE REPORT SOMETHING ,
THEY'RE LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR
CLASSMATES. WHEN PEOPLE ARE
CONNECTED, WE CAN AVOID REALLY
DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FOR OUR
KIDS.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> ON, SO, I LOVE THIS QUESTION
BECAUSE CHILD FRIENDLY CITIES
ARE LIKE A PASSION OF MINE. SO,
SIDEWALKS ARE BASELINE, THAT IS
THE MOST BASIC THING YOU CAN DO
TO MAKE IT MORE PHYSICALLY SAFE
FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THIS CITY, A
CHILD FROM THE CITIES ARE ABOUT
PROMOTING NOT JUST THEIR
PHYSICAL SAFETY, BUT THE
COGNITIVE AND SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT. IT SETS HIM UP TO
BE MORE [ INAUDIBLE ]. THOSE
EARLY YEARS ARE SUPERCRITICAL.
AND SO, WHAT THIS MEANS IS WE
NEED TO CREATE SYSTEMS, NEED TO
CREATE A CITY THAT OUR KIDS CAN
ACTUALLY WALK AROUND BY
THEMSELVES AND THEY CAN BIKE
AROUND BY THEMSELVES BUT
INDEPENDENT MOBILITY IS SO
CRITICAL TO DEVELOPING
CONFIDENCE, AND WE DON'T HAVE
THE STREETS TO DO IT AND WE
DON'T HAVE THE PLACES FOR KIDS
TO GO. WHY DON'T KIDS GO
OUTSIDE ANYMORE? IT IS BASICALLY
A HIGHWAY BUT THAT, WE BUILT
THAT. THIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO A
LOT OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES,
THAT WE CAN'T HAVE OUR KIDS
JUST FREE RANGE ANYMORE, WE
CAN'T DO THAT. SO, I THINK
INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONE OF THOSE
ISSUES. REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN
BUILD ALL THE SIDEWALKS ALL AT
ONCE, BUT FOCUSING WHERE WE CAN
DO THAT AND REALLY TAKING A MORE
HOLISTIC, BROADER LOOK AT WHAT
DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MORE CHILD
FRIENDLY CITY?
>> THANK YOU, KATY. LET'S GO
AHEAD AND DO A COUPLE FLIP THE
PADDLES, I KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T
LIKE IT, BUT WE WANT TO KNOW YOU
GUYS A LITTLE BIT BETTER, OKAY?
WE KNOW YOU DON'T WORK FOR THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND [ INAUDIBLE
], BUT -- TWO QUESTIONS. DO YOU
SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS
IN THE SCHOOLS, YES OR NO? DO
YOU SUPPORT CIVICS BEING TAUGHT
IN THE SCHOOL, YES OR NO? OKAY,
EASY. ALL RIGHT, I'M SORRY I
WASN'T ABLE TO GET TO THE LAST
FOUR. BUT I CAN GET TO AT LEAST
ONE OF THEM, AND I THINK WE ARE
GOING TO START WITH JIM AGAIN,
IS THAT CORRECT? JIM, LET'S
HAVE YOU START WITH THE LAST
QUESTION, WHICH IS -- DURING THE
PANDEMIC, MANY STUDENTS AND
YOUNG ADULTS DID NOT HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNSHIPS
AND JOBS. HOW CAN WE MAKE SPACE
FOR THEM?
>> MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE
QUESTION. DURING THE PANDEMIC,
MANY STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS
DO NOT HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS. HOW CAN WE
MAKE SPACE FOR THEM? I THINK
IT'S JUST LIKE WHAT
OPPORTUNITIES CAN WE GIVE THE
YOUTH THAT MAYBE WERE AFFECTED
BY COVID AND DIDN'T HAVE A
CHANCE TO GET THEIR FIRST JOBS
AND INTERNSHIPS?
>> I THINK THE CITY CAN DO
OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES AND
REALLY WORKED TO ESTABLISH
INTERNSHIPS AND OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES. IT'S SOMETHING
THAT I HAVE DONE, FRANKLY, AS A
CITY MANAGER BEFORE, WHERE YOU
ENCOURAGE PARTNERSHIPS WITH
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS . IN MY
ORGANIZATIONS, I HAVE A
NONPROFIT, WE WORK TO GIVE
INTERNSHIPS AND OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. SO,
I THINK IT IS A MATTER OF
PARTNERING WITH THE PRIVATE
SECTOR. THERE MAY BE
OPPORTUNITIES ALSO FOR CITIES TO
PROVIDE JOBS, FOR CITIES TO
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE
AS WELL, AND I WOULD SUPPORT
BOTH OF THOSE AVENUES.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NILU?
>> SO, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT
PLACE WHERE OUR LABOR UNIONS
COULD HELP US. THEY HAVE GREAT
TRAINING INTERNSHIPS. AND
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. ALSO,
THE URBAN [ INAUDIBLE ] HAS A
TRAINING PROGRAM THAT I HAVE
HELPED WORK WITH, AND THE CITY
CAN ALSO HELP REVIVE JOBS. THERE
IS ALSO A ROLE FOR VOLUNTEERING
HERE, YOU COULD HAVE PAID
VOLUNTEERS THAT COULD DO A LOT
OF WORK IN OUR CITY AND GIVE
KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY
NEED TO HELP THEM DEVELOP IN A
VARIETY OF SKILLS THAT WERE LOST
DURING THE PANDEMIC. AND ALSO,
HELPING ADDRESS ANXIETY ,
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT HAS
COME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC. BUT
GENERALLY, I THINK TURNING TO
THE YOUTH AND ASKING THEM WHAT
OPPORTUNITIES THEY WOULD LIKE
NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE
CONVERSATION, TOO.
>> THANK YOU, NILU. IT JULIE?
>> SO, I THINK OUR YOUTH HAS SO
MUCH TALENT AND SKILL SETS THAT
WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE TO GET, YOU
KNOW? ESPECIALLY IN TECHNOLOGY.
AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE
ACTUALLY WORKED WITH A LOT OF
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND
COMMUNITY LEADERS TO PIVOT INTO
EVEN ZOOM MEETINGS, AND THE
YOUTH WERE ABLE TO GET IT. AND I
THINK BY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH -- ACROSS GENERATIONS,
HIGHLIGHTING AND UTILIZING THE
SKILL SETS THAT ARE USED IN THAT
OUR YOUTH ARE ABLE TO COME WITH,
I THINK WE CAN CREATE JOBS THAT
WE ARE NOT EVEN IMAGINING YET IT
SO, I THINK WE WANT TO BE
PROACTIVE IN PARTNERSHIPS TO
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
AND WE KNOW THAT IF WE HAVE A
LOT MORE VIBRANT SMALL
BUSINESSES, THEN YES, KIDS CAN
WALK TO THE ICE CREAM SHOP AND
YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO CREATE
SMALL JOBS. IN TERMS OF
INTERNSHIPS, I DO WANT US TO
THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE PROVIDE
SUPPORT FOR RESUME BUILDING,
INTERVIEW SKILLS, MENTOR IN? ALL
OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED,
ESPECIALLY FOR IMMIGRANT
CHILDREN. I THINK YOU, JULIE.
ROB?
>> I REALLY LIKED HOW THIS
QUESTION WAS RAISED. I THINK THE
OTHER PLACE YOU SEE THIS IN THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM -- IS IN THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHERE THE KIDS,
DEPENDING ON THEIR AGE DURING
THE PANDEMIC, THEIR WHOLE GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN CHANGED
BY THAT YEAR, TWO YEARS OF
SOCIAL ISOLATION FOR SOME OF
THEM, BEFORE THEY WERE BACK IN
THE CLASSROOM. AND THE OTHER
THING I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE
SEEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS, OH,
WE USED TO DO THAT BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC. THAT WENT AWAY WHEN
THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED. THAT WENT
AWAY. I THINK IF IT IS SOMETHING
WE ARE NOT SEEING THE
INTERNSHIPS ON THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES LIKE WE WERE
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE
ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GET BACK TO
THAT LEVEL. IT OBVIOUSLY HAS TO
BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIVATE
BUSINESSES. I THINK THE NAME OF
IT IS A MARITIME HIGH SCHOOL, I
THINK, I MET SOME FOLKS WHO
WORKED IN THAT IN THE TACOMA
AREA. AND I WAS DOING A CPR
CLASS, THAT SOMEBODY FROM DOWN
THERE, TALK ABOUT A BRILLIANT
IDEA, TALK ABOUT SOMETHING WHERE
YOU TARGET EDUCATION TO EXACTLY
WHERE THE JOB NEEDS ARE, AND
THAT CAN BE A PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TO
MAKE THE FUNDING HAPPEN, AND
THOSE KIND OF THINGS CREATE
BETTER OUTCOMES FOR OUR KIDS AND
HELP THEM ALIGN THEIR INTERESTS
WITH THEIR FUTURE JOBS.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. KATY?
>> THANK YOU, SO THIS IS ALONG
THE LINES OF A CHILD FRIENDLY
CITY BUT I THINK PART OF THIS IS
REALLY ABOUT BUILDING THE
NARRATIVE THAT IT ACTUALLY DOES
TAKE A COMMUNITY FOR US TO RAISE
OUR KIDS. ALONG WITH THAT,
OBVIOUSLY THE IDEA PARTNERSHIPS
WITH BUSINESSES, WITH
NONPROFITS, I THINK THOSE ARE
PRETTY EASY ONCE TO NAME.
SUPPORTING THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
ALREADY WORKING. SUPPORTED,
CONTINUING TO FUND THOSE. AND I
DO REALLY LOVE THE IDEA OF
THINKING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES
POTENTIALLY WITH OUR MARITIME
AND INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND WITH
THE COURT. AS WE ARE LOOKING TO
SORT OF THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE
NEW, INNOVATIVE INDUSTRIES WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING AND
REALLY PAIRING WITH OUR PARTNERS
THERE TO THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE
GROW THESE LIVING WAGE JOBS WERE
POTENTIALLY KIDS DON'T NEED TO
GO TO COLLEGE, BUT THEY CAN'T
HAVE THAT FINANCIAL SECURITY
THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE, AND ALSO
BENEFIT SEATTLE? AND OUR
MARITIME INDUSTRIAL SECTOR.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. DEBORA ?
>> SO THE QUESTION DOESN'T JUST
SPAN DURING THE PANDEMIC, ALSO
NOW. I WORKED WITH THE MAYOR FOR
THE PROMISE PROGRAM FOR SEATTLE
STUDENTS, CAN HAVE THEIR FIRST
FEW YEARS OF COLLEGE FREE AT ANY
SEATTLE COLLEGE BUT WE DID THAT
AND I WAS VERY PROUD OF IT. I
MADE SURE THAT INGRAM AND NATHAN
HALE WERE IN THE QUEUE ON THAT,
FOCUSING ON CHILDREN OF COLOR,
LOW-INCOME CHILDREN, AND ALSO
FAMILIES WHERE IT WOULD BE THE
FIRST TIME SOMEONE FROM THE
FAMILY HAS WENT TO COLLEGE AND
HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. I WAS VERY
BLESSED TO WORK WITH DR. BROWN
WHO USED TO BE THE PRESIDENT
HERE. WE HAD AN APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM WHERE WE WORKED ON
TRADES, TEAMSTERS, AND UNIONS
RIGHT OUT HERE IN THE PARKING
LOT. AND WITH THE [ INAUDIBLE ]
TRIBE, WE HAD IRONWORKERS,
ACTUALLY HAVE AN APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM, BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE
IS , I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE CREDIT
FOR IT, BUT IA IS NOT COMING FOR
IRONWORKERS OR PLUMBERS. THEY'RE
GOING TO COME -- THEY CAN'T
REPLACE YOU PEOPLE WHO BUILD
THINGS, AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE
LOST IN THIS WORLD. AND SO,
GETTING BACK TO THE PANDEMIC, WE
WORKED CLOSELY WITH AMAZON TO
MAKE SURE THAT LAPTOPS WERE
DELIVERED, I BELIEVE, TO JANE
ADDAMS AND JOHN ROGERS.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . WELL, WE
HAVE COME TO THE END OF THE
FORUM. WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND HAVE ONE MINUTE CLOSINGS
FROM EACH OF THE CANDIDATES.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND START AT THE
OPPOSITE END WITH TRANSIT AND AT
WORK OUR WAY BACKWARDS.
>> DEBORA ?
>> I AM AN ELDER. OH, I AM NOT,
SOMEONE ELSE HERE IS OLDER THAN
ME. LET ME HURRY UP AND SAY THIS
BUT I SAID THIS IN THE
BEGINNING, WHY ARE YOU RUNNING
AGAIN, DEBORA ? EIGHT YEARS, YOU
COULDN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF
THERE, THAT IS TRUE. ALSO SAID
THE REASON WHY, IT'S A FINITE
AMOUNT OF TIME, I'M NOT THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND I AM NOT
ON SOUND TRANSIT, AND THAT TOOK
UP SO MUCH TIME. I WANT YOU TO
GO LOOK AT MY COVER LETTER AND
WHAT I AM CALLING MY INDIGENOUS
D COLONIST STORYTELLING RESUME,
CV, AND LOOK AT WHAT I BUILT IN
D5 AND ACROSS THE CITY IN BRICK
AND MORTAR. LAKE CITY COMMUNITY
CENTER, CLIMATE PLEDGE, THE
WATERFRONT, ONE 30th LIGHT RAIL,
[ INAUDIBLE ], WE HAD A SECOND
AT THE McDERMITT HOUSE. WE ALSO
HAD OUR SECOND FOOD BANK AT
BITTER LAKE. ALL THE
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT
WE DID WHEN WE WORKED WITH
THORNTON CREEK, SIMON
PROPERTIES, NHL, SEATTLE STORM,
AND OF COURSE MY PRIDE THAT I
WORKED SO HARD ON, THE JOHN
LEWIS BRIDGE, STARTED OUT AS A
PEDESTRIAN BIKE BRIDGE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DEBORA . KATY?
>> ALL RIGHT, TO ALL OF YOU WHO
CAME HERE TONIGHT, THANK YOU, IT
IS WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU ENGAGED
YOUR COMMUNITY. I AM HERE TO
WORK FOR THE CONSTITUENTS OF D5,
THE RESIDENTS, THE UNHOUSED, AND
THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN LIVE
HERE YET BUT I WANT TO BE PART
OF GROWING PLACES THAT PEOPLE
LOVE AND TO BUILD COMMUNITY
THROUGH COMMUNITY BUILDING. I
HAVE BEEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE FOR
ALMOST MY ENTIRE CAREER I WORKED
WITH PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES TO
CONNECT THEM CITY PROCESSES, SO
THEY CAN HELP [ INAUDIBLE ]
THEIR FUTURES. WHERE I THRIVE
AND WHERE I AM REALLY EXCITED TO
WORK IS WITH COMMUNITY FINDING
COMMON GROUND AND TO FIND
SOLUTIONS BUFFER TODAY AND
TOMORROW. I'M EXCITED TO WORK
WITH D5 AND USE MY EXPERIENCE AS
A LAND-USE PLANNER AS A SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER, AND AS A PARENT,
AND THINK ABOUT WHERE AND HOW WE
CAN ADD MORE HOUSING, AS WE CAN
GROW OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS FROM ALL
STAGES OF THEIR LIFE, FROM
CHILDHOOD TO OLD AGE, SO PEOPLE
CAN STAY PLACE IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT THEY LOVE.
>> THANK YOU, KATY. ROB?
>> I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THIS ROLE BECAUSE OF HOW YOU CAN
THINK BIG AND REIMAGINE HOW THIS
CITY IS GOING TO LOOK LONG-TERM.
TWO IDEAS I DIDN'T GET TO WHERE
THEY ARE, ONE OF THEM IS IT IS
VERY EXCITING TO THINK ABOUT [
INAUDIBLE ] I-5, AND A TON OF
NEW DEVELOPMENT WHETHER THAT IS
PARTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ET
CETERA BUT I THINK THAT IS A
TYPE OF THING THAT LOOKING AHEAD
DECADES IN THE FUTURE COULD BE
AMAZING AND TRANSFORMATIVE FOR
THE CITY PRETTY WANT MORE LAND,
THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND IT. THE
OTHER THING IS JUST LOOKING AT [
INAUDIBLE ], IT'S TWO HOURS TO
GET SOMEWHERE BY PUBLIC TRANSIT
AND 30 MINUTES TO GET THERE BY
CAR, WHAT YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO DO? WE REALLY WANT A
CITY THAT IS CONNECTED AND WORKS
FOR EVERYBODY, THAT IS THE KIND
OF THING WE HAVE TO TARGET 45
MINUTES OR LESS, ANYWHERE IN
SEATTLE, I THINK THAT IS A GOOD
RULE. SEATTLE FACES A NUMBER OF
HEART PROBLEMS, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, AND
PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING BUT THIS
IS WAY MORE THAN 16 MONTHS WORTH
OF CHALLENGES. D5 NEED SOMEONE
IS GOING TO PUT IN THE TIME,
ASKED THE QUESTIONS, AND CONNECT
WITH PEOPLE. I ENCOURAGE THE
COUNCIL TO BE OPINIONATED IN
THIS PROCESS AND TO SOMEONE WHO
CAN LEARN IN THE ROLE, SERVE THE
PEOPLE OF D5, AND POTENTIALLY
RUN AGAIN IN 2026.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. JULIE?
>> I LIVED IN DISTRICT 5 FOR
NEARLY 30 YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR,
SMALL BUSINESS PARTNER, AND
COMMUNITY LEADER. I LOVE OUR
COMMUNITY, AND KNOW THIS
DISTRICT DEEPLY, IT'S PROMISE,
IT'S DIVERSITY, AND ITS
CHALLENGES. I HAVE HIGH HOPES
AND EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR
DISTRICT. YOU HEARD ME TALK
ABOUT SAFETY, SIDEWALKS, SMALL
BUSINESSES, AND TRANSPORTATION.
THESE AREN'T ABSTRACT ISSUES TO
ME, THEIR PERSONAL, I HAVE
WALKED THESE STREETS, VISITED
SMALL BUSINESSES, LISTENED TO
COUNTLESS NEIGHBORS AND
COMMUNITY LEADERS. WHEN
APPOINTED, I WILL CONTINUE TO
LEAD THE SAME WAY, WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY, WITH
TRANSPARENCY, BEING REALISTIC
AND HONEST, WITH HEART, BY TRULY
LISTENING. I WILL WORK WITH OUR
NORTH PRECINCT TO MAKE OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER, SUPPORT
TRANSIT SOLUTIONS, AND ADVOCATE
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
IMMIGRANT VOICES THAT BUILT THIS
COMMUNITY. I AM NOT HERE TO MAKE
EASY PROMISES, BUT TO DO THE
HARD, STEADY WORK OF EARNING
YOUR TRUST AND BEING ACCESSIBLE,
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SERVE.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE. NILU?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
SPACE, THANK YOU FOR MODERATING
AND KEEPING TIME, I THANK YOU,
EVERYBODY, FOR SHOWING UP, FOR
CARING, FOR BEING PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION, AND FOR BELIEVING
IN THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
DEMOCRACY ONLY WORKS WHEN WE
PARTICIPATE, WHEN WE ARE WILLING
TO SIT AND DISAGREE WITH EACH
OTHER, AND I TRULY HOPE EVERYONE
WILL ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT WHAT WE NEED FOR THE CITY.
I ALSO HOPE YOU WILL GO. AUGUST
5th IS OUR PRIMARY, WE HAVE AN
ELECTION COMING UP, YOUR VOTE
MATTERS, YOUR VOICE MATTERS, AND
HELPS SHAPE THE CITY WE WANT TO
LIVE AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR
EVERYBODY THAT HAS APPLIED,
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT
YOU DO FOR OUR CITY, AND HOWEVER
THIS APPOINTMENT TURNS OUT, I
KNOW THAT I WILL KEEP WRITING
FOR A CITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE
SAFE, HOUSED, HEARD, AND TRULY
SEEN. I WANT EVERYONE TO THINK
ABOUT POLICIES THAT ADDRESS OUR
HOUSING CRISIS WITH
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES IN
MIND, I DON'T ENJOY SEE MY
NEIGHBORS HAVING TO MOVE AWAY
FROM YOUNG TO OLD. AND THINK
ABOUT AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE,
IT'S REALLY HARD. AND OUR
YOUTH, AND ALSO OUR CLIMATE
EMERGENCY. EVERYBODY, PLEASE
FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY BUT AS AN
IRANIAN AMERICAN, IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT, VERY VALUABLE.
CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS
NEED TO. THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> JIM BOUREY, BRING IT HOME.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING,
IT'S REALLY VERY INSPIRING TO
SEE YOU HERE TONIGHT. THANKS TO
EVERYBODY AS WELL, I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR APPLYING, A LOT OF
GREAT PEOPLE, I HAVE ENJOYED
MEETING THEM. I HAVE APPLIED FOR
MANY JOBS AS A CITY MANAGER. IT
HAS REALLY TO ME NOT ABOUT THE
COMPETITION, IT HAS REALLY BEEN
ABOUT THE BEST FIT, THE BEST FIT
FOR THE POSITION. TO ME, I FEEL
LIKE I HAVE A LOT OF REASONS FOR
HAVING THE BEST FIT. MY
EXPERIENCE AS A MANAGER HAS PUT
ME IN A POSITION TO UNDERSTAND
THE ISSUES THAT THE CITY HAS,
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS. I
WANT TO DO THIS JOB FOR YOU, BUT
I ALSO WANT TO DO THIS FOR MY
DAUGHTER AND MY TWO DAUGHTERS IN
THE CITY. I WANT THIS TO BE A
CITY THEY CAN GROW AND PROSPER
IN PREDEFINED SELECTED, I
PROMISE I WILL LISTEN TO YOU,
WILL BE RESPONSIVE, AND I WILL
WORK AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO
SUPPORT THE DISTRICT AND THE
CITY, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR COMING.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR ATTENDING. IN CLOSING,
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE
NO HORSE IN THIS RACE. ALTHOUGH
I WAS 30 YEARS IN DISTRICT 5, I
AM CURRENTLY IN WEST SEATTLE,
BUT I WILL SAY, I AM VERY
IMPRESSED WITH THE CANDIDATES
HERE TODAY, AND AGAIN, I DON'T
HAVE A HORSE IN THE RACE, BUT I
WOULD SAY THANK YOU TO THE
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SHOWED UP
TODAY. I WOULD HOPE THAT THE
REST OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS WILL
VIEW THIS AND THAT THEY WILL
SERIOUSLY TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION THE QUALITY OF
CANDIDATES, THE CHARACTER, AND
THERE IS ACTUALLY A SIGN OUT IN
THE AUDIENCE THERE THAT SAYS D5
DESERVES A VOICE, NOT A
CARETAKER. PLEASE, CITY COUNCIL,
ELECT SOMEBODY OR APPOINT
SOMEBODY THAT YOU FEEL WILL
ADEQUATELY REPRESENT THIS
DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR COMING,
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> [ EVENT CONCLUDED ]