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Hello, I'm your host,
Brian Callanan.

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It's two local elected
officials looking for a

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new role in the race for
the King County Council's

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District 2 seat, Rebecca
Saldaña and Toshiko Hasegawa.

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I'm coming home and I'm running
for King County Council.

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After a decade serving as
state senator for District

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37, Rebecca Saldaña won 56%
of the primary vote for a new

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job, council member, in roughly
the same area of southeast

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Seattle, King County District 2.

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We deserve better because
King County has never

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been more expensive.

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Toshiko Hasegawa won 34% of
the vote, with four years

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of experience as a Port
of Seattle Commissioner

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and six as the appointed leader
of the State Commission on

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Asian Pacific American Affairs.

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But with criminal justice
reform, affordable housing,

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and transit access emerging
as top issues for the county,

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who's the right
person for the job?

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We can meet people where
they're at and not leave

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them on the streets.

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You'll hear from
both candidates.

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County government's role is
to make sure that we are

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going to use those taxes for
exactly what we promised.

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The contenders for King County
District 2 are going one-on-one.

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Next on City Inside Out.

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Thanks again for joining
us here on City Inside Out

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on the Seattle Channel.

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I'm Brian Callanan, and I'm
very glad to have with me both

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candidates for the King County
Council's District 2 seat,

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State Senator Rebecca
Saldaña, welcome.

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Thank you.

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Also with us, Port of Seattle
Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa.

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Thank you for being here.

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Thank you.

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And let's start with
some opening statements.

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We had a coin flip
before the show.

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Toshiko, you'll be
speaking first.

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Tell us why you're running
for this position and

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please keep it to a minute.

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Well, thank you so much
for having us here today.

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I'm truly pleased to be able
to be here as a candidate

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for King County Council.

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And I'm running for a simple
reason, and that's that

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I believe that everybody
deserves to live and afford

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in the place that they love
and that they call home.

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And, you know, my family has
been rooted in District 2 since

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my great-grandfather immigrated
here four generations ago,

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because it was a historically
redlined neighborhood.

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It was one of the only places
he was allowed to live.

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My family endured xenophobia,
racism, forced removal,

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indefinite incarceration.

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And that's just one story
of how hard people have

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had to fight to stay
rooted in this community.

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And today the fight
is still difficult.

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People are priced out of
their homes, the price

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of child care, rent.

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You know, folks are
being misplaced out

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of our communities.

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And there are so many
things that make it hard.

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But I'm not new to this work.

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I've spent my time as a Port
of Seattle Commissioner

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talking about quality of life
and how we can move systems

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to make sure that they are
better representative of

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and in service to all people
accessing opportunities.

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I come from county government.

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I worked at county council.

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I worked at the Office of
Law Enforcement Oversight.

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And I'm ready to bring the
culmination of my experiences

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to this new office where I
can give the best of myself

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to my community.

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- Thank you very much for that.

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Rebecca, you're next.

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A one-minute opening statement,

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if you could, please.

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Thank you so much.

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And so my name is Rebecca
Saldaña, and I'm running for

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King County Council District
2 because I want to be able

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to make sure that our
county is a beautiful,

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safe place for all of us.

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That means making sure that
we're addressing affordability,

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making sure that we're
addressing the ecosystem of care

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from child care to elder
care, making sure that we are

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defending our public health
because that is at the core

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of what the county is about.

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And I am fueled similar as
a mother, a grandmother,

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a daughter of a farm
worker who grew up in

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segregated southern Texas on
both sides of that border,

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knowing what it is to want to
make a better life for yourself

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and feeling that you're not
being treated as a human being.

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I'm here to stand
up for immigrants,

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whether that's against
wage theft or against

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mass ICE agents.

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And I have had the honor to
serve our community over the

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last decade in the state Senate,
making sure that we're putting

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big moneyed interests on
to hold them accountable

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and make sure that that is
being invested in, a clean

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field future, in addressing
health care for all.

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And that's why I'm running
for King County Council, to

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bring my service and keep on
standing and representing

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the great people of D2.

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Thank you both for that.

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Just some background
here, folks.

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When it comes to the District 2
seat on the King County Council,

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there's no incumbent running.

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Girmay Zahilay, who used
to hold the seat, was

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elected county executive
and sworn in last year.

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Councilmember Rhonda Lewis
was appointed to the

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District 2 job but decided
not to seek a full term.

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So here we are with the most
competitive race for the

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county council this fall.

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And in researching this, I found
that the biggest differences

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between you as candidates
may be in your backgrounds.

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You touched on this a little
bit, but I wondered if I

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might go a little further.

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I'm talking about family
and work experience, too.

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Toshiko, can I start with you?

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How does your background inform
your approach to this job

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in a way that you might be
different from your opponent?

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You know, I talked a little
bit about my family history

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being rooted in this community.

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When they got out of camps, they
came back to this community.

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And it was because of the
support of community and the

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infrastructure that was there
to make sure that they could

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come back and reset those roots
and be able to grow and thrive.

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That is a legacy of advocacy
that we inherit from our elders.

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And as a mother, it's now
my job to pay that forward

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for the next generation.

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It's what really fires my fuel.

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I turn on an axis of civil
rights and social justice,

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which is important because
right now those same

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rights are on the line.

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As a separately elected
official, no matter where you

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are, it is not just my job.

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It is my moral responsibility to
use my platform to be a voice

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for justice and safeguard how
other people are being impacted.

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I'm proud of my experience
coming from county government.

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I know where the challenges are
and where the opportunities are.

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My background in criminal
legal reform, in a county

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that spends almost 70% of
its operating budget on

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a criminal legal system.

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We can talk more about that.

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I know we will.

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But, you know,
I've said it once.

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I'll keep screaming it
from the mountaintops.

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The King County government
is meeting this moment.

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It will be very serious about
the public infrastructure

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for public benefit
that's on the horizon.

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and that's housing, child
care, transportation systems.

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As a Port of Seattle
commissioner, I spend my

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time developing those public
projects for public benefit,

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and I think that's exactly
the unique experience that's

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needed at this moment.

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Thank you.

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Rebecca, I want to make sure
I ask you the same question.

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Your background, how it's
different than your opponents,

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and what you think that
should mean to voters.

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Yeah, so I mean, I think we both
have amazing family histories

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that help inspire us and fuel
us to keep on doing our work.

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I think my difference is
probably in the work experience.

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So I studied theology
at Seattle University,

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and it made me a
union organizer,

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working at the intersection of
food, environmental, labor,

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women's movement, justice work.

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And from there, I
became an organizer

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with the Janitors Union.

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And so really have always
been about organizing power

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and making sure that government
is being for the people,

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by the people and is having
to be accountable to the

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people at the end of the day.

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And so I also have worked at the
federal level doing casework

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during the Great Recession
for Congressman Jim

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McDermott, and then came
back into community to

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staff and lead a coalition
of farmworker—I love

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"farmworker"—of labor and
community organizers working at

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the intersection
of making sure

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that the red line communities
actually get investment

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and that the investment
allows our communities

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to stay in our communities.

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And then I think this last
10 years is I've been tested

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of what does that look like
to govern with community

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and do co-governance,
whether that's passing

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the Voting Rights Act,
whether that's passing an

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environmental justice statute.

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- As a state senator, yeah.

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- As a state senator, but
doing it with community

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And also making sure that we're
strengthening our protections

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for immigrants and making sure
that workers have protections,

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whether they're farm workers,
janitors or domestic workers.

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Thank you for that.

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I appreciate that
background piece.

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I do want to make sure we
talk about the fact that

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the average voter might not
know all the differences

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between what a city council
and a county council does.

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I want to focus on one big
difference to start, and that

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would be the county oversees
the criminal justice system.

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From the King County Sheriff's
Office to the Superior

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District Courts to adult
jails and juvenile detention,

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about 70% of the money, you
mentioned this, Toshiko,

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in the county's general
fund goes towards these

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agencies and related law,
safety, and justice programs.

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So, Rebecca, maybe I can
start with you first.

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And I've talked with
you about this.

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One of the biggest ongoing
concerns when it comes to public

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safety is the King County Jail.

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It's been short on staff to
the point where officers

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trying to bring in suspects
are sometimes turned away.

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An audit found that the
jail is not delivering on

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behavioral health services
in the way it should either.

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How would you approach this
problem of the King County

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Jail if you were elected?

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And if this leads into a
larger discussion about public

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safety, that'd be great, too.

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Sure. Yeah, thank you
for that question.

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And so I'll start by saying that
at the state level, I was the

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co-chair of our Jail Standards
Task Force a couple years ago,

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where we looked at the history
of jails, not just the county

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jail here, but across our state.

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And they are in real need
for bringing standards into

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place, making sure that we're
holding ourselves accountable.

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And a big part of that is making
sure that we're diverting

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people from going into the
jail in the first place.

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So how we're doing
interventions, preventions, how

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are people making sure that we
are making sure that people that

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if they can stay in community,
if they can get their

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accountability through
treatment and programming, that

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having them sit in the jail,
and a jail that really is, to

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your point, you know, has a lot
of things going wrong for it.

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It is not a healthy environment
for the workers or for

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the people that are there.

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And, you know, Congressman
McDermott would often say

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that this is the biggest
psych facility is our jails.

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And so I think that that
would be one piece.

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I think the other is that
we need to look at closing

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this facility and look at
regional solutions for what

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kind of system and place do
we need that would actually

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meet the real needs of
public safety and justice.

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The other piece is that we do
need to build up our ecosystem

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of supporting community to
support our young people so

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that they're getting mentorship
and not management, making

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sure that we're building out
our safety community, which

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is also part of public safety.

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Thank you very much for that.

243
00:10:56,451 --> 00:10:58,817
Toshiko, some thoughts on the
jail and maybe some other

244
00:10:58,817 --> 00:11:01,080
big public safety issues for
you and what you do about

245
00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:02,158
them if you were elected.

246
00:11:02,158 --> 00:11:04,629
Well, you know, the jail
is one piece of our

247
00:11:04,629 --> 00:11:06,038
criminal legal system.

248
00:11:06,038 --> 00:11:08,923
And so when it comes to the
jail specifically, it is one

249
00:11:08,923 --> 00:11:11,802
place where rehabilitation
can and should happen and

250
00:11:11,802 --> 00:11:15,134
should be a forum where we're
meaningfully connecting people

251
00:11:15,134 --> 00:11:18,340
to the resources that they need
that are underlying crimes.

252
00:11:18,340 --> 00:11:21,548
We know that underlying
most crimes is a need that

253
00:11:21,548 --> 00:11:22,960
can and should be met.

254
00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,173
County government should
not continue to allow

255
00:11:25,173 --> 00:11:27,278
people to be able to fall
through those cracks

256
00:11:27,278 --> 00:11:30,379
so that we can get them towards
the path of being pro-social,

257
00:11:30,379 --> 00:11:32,177
contributing members of society.

258
00:11:32,177 --> 00:11:34,100
But it's important
that we remember.

259
00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:37,278
Your point of entry into the
jail system goes earlier.

260
00:11:37,278 --> 00:11:40,038
I, to have a degree from
Seattle University, have

261
00:11:40,038 --> 00:11:42,798
a master's in criminal
justice, in criminology.

262
00:11:42,798 --> 00:11:46,287
And you have to think as
early as policing, probation,

263
00:11:46,287 --> 00:11:47,759
courts, corrections.

264
00:11:47,759 --> 00:11:50,878
We need to think holistically
about this system that is

265
00:11:50,878 --> 00:11:54,197
largely reactive and not getting
those outcomes in public

266
00:11:54,197 --> 00:11:57,384
safety or public health that
we really want to see, which

267
00:11:57,384 --> 00:12:00,841
is why at every step throughout
our criminal legal system, we

268
00:12:00,841 --> 00:12:03,892
need to make sure that there
are meaningful off ramps,

269
00:12:03,892 --> 00:12:07,009
which is going to save the
county money for one, but also

270
00:12:07,009 --> 00:12:10,399
connect them to those underlying
resources that they need.

271
00:12:10,399 --> 00:12:13,618
And we do need to make sure
we're fully funding public

272
00:12:13,618 --> 00:12:16,908
defenders, folks who are going
to be able to take in the

273
00:12:16,908 --> 00:12:20,125
totality of the case that's
before them, not just the

274
00:12:20,125 --> 00:12:23,490
criminal or civil matter before
them, so that we can get

275
00:12:23,490 --> 00:12:25,320
people back on a better track.

276
00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:25,820
Thank you for that.

277
00:12:25,820 --> 00:12:27,721
There's so much to talk
about with public safety,

278
00:12:27,721 --> 00:12:29,580
but I'd love to cover some
more ground if I could.

279
00:12:29,580 --> 00:12:30,879
Toshiko, I'll stick with you.

280
00:12:30,879 --> 00:12:33,120
Let's talk about the county's
role in affordable housing.

281
00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:34,557
You touched on this earlier.

282
00:12:34,557 --> 00:12:36,907
A big part of affordability
in King County overall is

283
00:12:36,907 --> 00:12:38,080
certainly about housing.

284
00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:39,788
Maybe we can talk about
child care, too, because

285
00:12:39,788 --> 00:12:41,538
I know that's important
to both candidates here.

286
00:12:41,538 --> 00:12:44,105
How would you approach this
challenge of affordability in

287
00:12:44,105 --> 00:12:45,519
King County if you were elected?

288
00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:47,778
Not in a silo.

289
00:12:47,778 --> 00:12:51,259
I mean, affordability is
impacting every sector.

290
00:12:51,259 --> 00:12:54,325
And as I mentioned, we need to
be able to physically build

291
00:12:54,325 --> 00:12:57,519
the infrastructure that we
need, not just for this moment.

292
00:12:57,519 --> 00:13:00,144
But the Puget Sound Regional
Council, and I serve on

293
00:13:00,144 --> 00:13:02,889
the Transportation Policy
Board as I currently serve

294
00:13:02,889 --> 00:13:05,634
in local government, they
predict that we're going to

295
00:13:05,634 --> 00:13:08,200
grow as a region by another
million people by 2035.

296
00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,293
That means that we are already
behind in standing up that

297
00:13:11,293 --> 00:13:12,940
infrastructure that we need.

298
00:13:12,940 --> 00:13:15,677
This is not a hyper-local King
County or Seattle problem.

299
00:13:15,677 --> 00:13:17,480
It is a statewide problem.

300
00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,557
And we can emerge
as thought leaders.

301
00:13:19,557 --> 00:13:23,076
transit-oriented development
is a huge key to that so

302
00:13:23,076 --> 00:13:25,894
that as we're standing up
new build that we can make

303
00:13:25,894 --> 00:13:28,360
sure that we are meaningfully
using that first floor

304
00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,129
not just for the shops
and the restaurants

305
00:13:30,129 --> 00:13:32,652
that we love but perhaps
grocery stores, childcare

306
00:13:32,652 --> 00:13:35,480
centers as people use those
services close to where

307
00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,105
they live work and where
they take transit and

308
00:13:38,105 --> 00:13:40,442
making sure that we're
pairing that build and

309
00:13:40,442 --> 00:13:42,379
this is what we do at
the Port of Seattle with

310
00:13:42,379 --> 00:13:45,519
meaningful workforce
development opportunities.

311
00:13:45,519 --> 00:13:48,418
That means creating a
pipeline for historically

312
00:13:48,418 --> 00:13:49,740
underserved people.

313
00:13:49,740 --> 00:13:52,000
And that's really important
in a jurisdiction

314
00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,220
like District 2, where
we see those disparities

315
00:13:54,220 --> 00:13:59,128
in economic wellbeing deepest
to some of those transformative

316
00:13:59,128 --> 00:14:00,720
generational jobs.

317
00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:01,940
- Okay, thank you for that.

318
00:14:01,940 --> 00:14:03,500
Rebecca, some thoughts
about affordability.

319
00:14:03,500 --> 00:14:05,960
I know this is always a
hot topic in King County.

320
00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,067
I'm especially thinking
about, right before we

321
00:14:08,067 --> 00:14:10,363
recorded the show, The
council had a split vote

322
00:14:10,363 --> 00:14:13,475
to approve a 0.01% sales tax
increase to fund children's

323
00:14:13,475 --> 00:14:14,798
and families programs.

324
00:14:14,798 --> 00:14:16,859
Point being, underlying
point being, it's getting

325
00:14:16,859 --> 00:14:18,677
more expensive to live
here, and this issue of

326
00:14:18,677 --> 00:14:19,778
affordability is a big one.

327
00:14:19,778 --> 00:14:21,259
Can you touch on this, please?

328
00:14:21,259 --> 00:14:25,234
Yeah, and so, I mean, I think on
housing, the county has a huge

329
00:14:25,234 --> 00:14:29,048
responsibility to be a
convener, to make sure that the

330
00:14:29,048 --> 00:14:32,879
whole region is meeting
our neighborhood plans.

331
00:14:32,879 --> 00:14:35,552
So White Center CDA had
a master plan that they

332
00:14:35,552 --> 00:14:38,860
partner with King County
Housing Authority and others.

333
00:14:38,860 --> 00:14:41,735
Skyway has our neighborhood
plan about how we want

334
00:14:41,735 --> 00:14:44,820
to grow, and that is an
incorporated part of D2 as well.

335
00:14:44,820 --> 00:14:48,503
So it is around equitable
transit-oriented development,

336
00:14:48,503 --> 00:14:52,408
making sure that community gets
to drive that development and

337
00:14:52,408 --> 00:14:54,139
the county gets to partner.

338
00:14:54,139 --> 00:14:57,503
So there's a couple of different
funds at the state level

339
00:14:57,503 --> 00:15:00,580
that we help support our
county to be able to access.

340
00:15:00,580 --> 00:15:03,042
One is our pasta dollars
that creates the early

341
00:15:03,042 --> 00:15:05,754
learning facilities to help
make sure that as we're

342
00:15:05,754 --> 00:15:08,897
building more density, that
we're incorporating both

343
00:15:08,897 --> 00:15:12,147
child care centers, but also
daycare centers that are

344
00:15:12,147 --> 00:15:16,182
family centered providers, that
we are making sure that we

345
00:15:16,182 --> 00:15:21,071
provided equitable access for
affordable housing through our

346
00:15:21,071 --> 00:15:23,557
short-term rental assistance.

347
00:15:23,557 --> 00:15:25,869
And so at the state,
we were able to make

348
00:15:25,869 --> 00:15:27,240
that more accessible.

349
00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:29,653
So it can be supporting
economic development

350
00:15:29,653 --> 00:15:32,580
as opposed to just like
traditional, just the housing.

351
00:15:32,580 --> 00:15:36,144
Because we know that when you
connect and create buildings

352
00:15:36,144 --> 00:15:39,999
that have housing and, you know,
workforce development of like

353
00:15:39,999 --> 00:15:43,927
at the Filipino communities at
Seattle, where they are training

354
00:15:43,927 --> 00:15:47,200
people how to do install
Wi-Fi in affordable housing.

355
00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,696
So the people that are coming
out of a prison system or out

356
00:15:50,696 --> 00:15:54,413
of being unhoused, creating
opportunities for them to have

357
00:15:54,413 --> 00:15:57,759
careers and be able to have
that value of investing and

358
00:15:57,759 --> 00:15:59,918
improving their own communities.

359
00:15:59,918 --> 00:16:02,274
I want to talk a little bit
more about transit, if I

360
00:16:02,274 --> 00:16:04,802
could, because Executive
Zahilay was talking about

361
00:16:04,802 --> 00:16:07,442
adding more buses countywide
in the state of the county

362
00:16:07,442 --> 00:16:08,879
address just a few months ago.

363
00:16:08,879 --> 00:16:10,807
But there's this
multimillion-dollar

364
00:16:10,807 --> 00:16:13,557
structural budget gap on the
horizon for Metro Transit.

365
00:16:13,557 --> 00:16:15,868
Metro relies on sales taxes,
which are not growing

366
00:16:15,868 --> 00:16:18,176
fast enough to keep up with
inflation, among other

367
00:16:18,176 --> 00:16:19,440
financial concerns there.

368
00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:20,340
Rebecca, let me start with you.

369
00:16:20,340 --> 00:16:22,990
If you're elected, how would you
make getting around King County

370
00:16:22,990 --> 00:16:24,120
easier for transit riders?

371
00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:25,100
You definitely want to do that.

372
00:16:25,100 --> 00:16:27,519
They don't want to be stuck
on the bus for hours either.

373
00:16:27,519 --> 00:16:28,480
And how would you pay for it?

374
00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,480
There's some big
issues at Metro.

375
00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:31,298
Yes, there are.

376
00:16:31,298 --> 00:16:35,360
So, I mean, I work
with the coalitions.

377
00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:39,360
So I just got the endorsement of
Transportation for Washington.

378
00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:43,413
And working with them, with
the Transit Riders Union,

379
00:16:43,413 --> 00:16:47,288
with our non-drivers, with
our experts at Metro, is

380
00:16:47,288 --> 00:16:49,360
really looking at our plan.

381
00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,364
We have—you know, Metro staff
have put together a plan

382
00:16:52,364 --> 00:16:53,899
of this is their big vision.

383
00:16:53,899 --> 00:16:56,720
And then with the money they
have right now, what's possible?

384
00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:58,538
And how do we buy things back?

385
00:16:58,538 --> 00:17:02,220
So I think that a big piece
is looking at outcomes and

386
00:17:02,220 --> 00:17:06,067
looking at data, because
before COVID, we had certain

387
00:17:06,067 --> 00:17:08,038
kind of movement of people.

388
00:17:08,038 --> 00:17:11,480
And really, our right of ways
and our transit is about

389
00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,920
making sure that we are
moving people, goods, ideas.

390
00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,294
And sometimes that means moving
people, not letting people

391
00:17:18,294 --> 00:17:21,260
move, letting them be able
to stay in their community

392
00:17:21,260 --> 00:17:23,894
to do their work and to be
able to go to groceries

393
00:17:23,894 --> 00:17:27,066
and looking at what are the
patterns post-COVID of where

394
00:17:27,066 --> 00:17:28,818
we should put those resources.

395
00:17:28,818 --> 00:17:33,049
So we have we both got to go
this weekend to look at the

396
00:17:33,049 --> 00:17:37,776
possibilities of Rapid R, which
is taking the 7 corridor,

397
00:17:37,776 --> 00:17:40,038
which is our workhorse bus.

398
00:17:40,038 --> 00:17:41,597
A RapidRide bus line, yeah.

399
00:17:41,597 --> 00:17:46,460
Right, but the 7 is a workhorse
that runs throughout the D2.

400
00:17:46,460 --> 00:17:49,826
And so looking at working
with communities, like which

401
00:17:49,826 --> 00:17:52,650
stops need to be, you know,
are ones that we can take

402
00:17:52,650 --> 00:17:54,813
off to make it faster, but
then what are the ones that

403
00:17:54,813 --> 00:17:55,798
we need to be able to keep on?

404
00:17:55,798 --> 00:17:59,011
And so just briefly on the
money part, I mean, I think

405
00:17:59,011 --> 00:18:02,115
one was at the state level,
doing the Move Ahead Washington

406
00:18:02,115 --> 00:18:04,817
was starting to make sure that
the state is becoming a better

407
00:18:04,817 --> 00:18:09,555
partner. So I advocated hard to
increase our funding to be able

408
00:18:09,555 --> 00:18:13,471
to create the grant programs
so that we can partner

409
00:18:13,471 --> 00:18:17,804
with public transit, bike
ped, multimodal services.

410
00:18:17,804 --> 00:18:20,737
And so I think part of it
is leveraging all those

411
00:18:20,737 --> 00:18:22,856
dollars to make sure
that we're competing.

412
00:18:22,856 --> 00:18:25,295
And the other piece is,
We do have to look at a

413
00:18:25,295 --> 00:18:28,232
possible levy in the next
couple of years to be

414
00:18:28,232 --> 00:18:29,857
able to support transit.

415
00:18:29,857 --> 00:18:31,740
Toshiko, can you jump
in on this one too?

416
00:18:31,740 --> 00:18:33,740
Improving transit,
funding transit.

417
00:18:33,740 --> 00:18:35,817
What would your approach be
as a county council member?

418
00:18:35,817 --> 00:18:39,740
You know, the budget
scenario is precarious.

419
00:18:39,740 --> 00:18:43,596
And in a district like District
2, where you have so many people

420
00:18:43,596 --> 00:18:47,008
who are transit dependent,
it's really important that

421
00:18:47,008 --> 00:18:48,640
we maintain that service.

422
00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,837
The Route 7 is a perfect
example as one of Metro's

423
00:18:51,837 --> 00:18:54,959
most heavily utilized
routes that will soon be

424
00:18:54,959 --> 00:18:56,959
converted into a RapidRide R.

425
00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,855
And I applaud Executive
Zahilay for advancing the

426
00:18:59,855 --> 00:19:01,720
timeline to deliver that early.

427
00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:05,727
But what's also important is
making sure that we continue

428
00:19:05,727 --> 00:19:09,230
to have that ear towards
equity because frequency

429
00:19:09,230 --> 00:19:12,740
is great, but not at the
expense of accessibility.

430
00:19:12,740 --> 00:19:16,441
And so we have to make sure that
we are not compromising people

431
00:19:16,441 --> 00:19:20,067
when there are tough budgets
decisions to be make from being

432
00:19:20,067 --> 00:19:23,625
able to access the transit that
they need and depend on that

433
00:19:23,625 --> 00:19:25,659
keeps their daily lives flowing.

434
00:19:25,660 --> 00:19:29,251
Our highest priority is to
maintain levels of service and

435
00:19:29,251 --> 00:19:32,623
make sure that people can get
to where they need to go on

436
00:19:32,623 --> 00:19:34,420
time safely and dependably.

437
00:19:34,420 --> 00:19:35,940
And so that's a priority.

438
00:19:35,940 --> 00:19:39,845
In terms of funding sources, the
good people of District 2 have

439
00:19:39,845 --> 00:19:43,450
risen their hands time and time
again and said that when it

440
00:19:43,450 --> 00:19:47,278
goes to a good cause, that they
are willing to pay their taxes.

441
00:19:47,278 --> 00:19:50,232
County government's role is
to make sure that we are

442
00:19:50,232 --> 00:19:53,259
going to use those taxes for
exactly what we promise.

443
00:19:53,259 --> 00:19:58,165
Sound Transit really fractured
public trust in taking Ballard

444
00:19:58,165 --> 00:20:00,019
Station off of the plan.

445
00:20:00,019 --> 00:20:02,726
And it's a tremendous win
that Graham Street is

446
00:20:02,726 --> 00:20:05,640
put back in, even though
Boeing Access Road isn't,

447
00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:06,588
Ballard isn't.

448
00:20:06,588 --> 00:20:09,371
But that's just one most
recent example of how

449
00:20:09,371 --> 00:20:12,758
government has failed to
meet the expectation of the

450
00:20:12,758 --> 00:20:13,824
voting public.

451
00:20:13,824 --> 00:20:16,201
And we have to be
cognizant of that.

452
00:20:16,201 --> 00:20:18,827
And so as we are putting
proposals out there for

453
00:20:18,827 --> 00:20:20,913
the public to consume, we
have to make sure that

454
00:20:20,913 --> 00:20:23,365
there's strong accountability
in the terms of that of

455
00:20:23,365 --> 00:20:24,709
how those funds will be used.

456
00:20:24,709 --> 00:20:26,500
And let me keep going
down that path if I

457
00:20:26,500 --> 00:20:28,605
could. Toshiko, I'll
stick with you.

458
00:20:28,605 --> 00:20:31,939
I'm thinking about the King
County Regional Homelessness

459
00:20:31,940 --> 00:20:34,942
Authority as one example of an
audit found that they're not

460
00:20:34,942 --> 00:20:36,832
doing the right thing
with their money.

461
00:20:36,832 --> 00:20:38,298
They're 13 million
dollars unaccounted for,

462
00:20:38,298 --> 00:20:39,028
things of that nature.

463
00:20:39,028 --> 00:20:39,876
I know there have been some

464
00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,516
other audits with other
social service programs out

465
00:20:42,516 --> 00:20:44,876
there where it's been a big,
whoa, pump the brakes here.

466
00:20:44,876 --> 00:20:46,309
The county's not
spending its money

467
00:20:46,309 --> 00:20:48,328
properly. Can you talk
about that and what sort of

468
00:20:48,328 --> 00:20:50,481
oversight you're hoping to
have if indeed you are a

469
00:20:50,481 --> 00:20:52,317
county council member
in the future?

470
00:20:52,317 --> 00:20:54,364
I think that
oversight is a must.

471
00:20:54,364 --> 00:20:57,317
Fiscal responsibility
has to be meaningfully

472
00:20:57,317 --> 00:21:00,961
built into operations for
every aspect of government.

473
00:21:00,961 --> 00:21:04,487
It's not unique to King
County regional homelessness

474
00:21:04,487 --> 00:21:08,278
authority. I applaud executive
Zahilay for standing up an

475
00:21:08,278 --> 00:21:09,640
internal audit function.

476
00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,357
There needs to be teeth,
such as a freezing mechanism

477
00:21:12,357 --> 00:21:14,144
when there is obvious
mismanagement.

478
00:21:14,144 --> 00:21:15,873
Does it need to be
disbanded, the RHA?

479
00:21:15,873 --> 00:21:18,288
The RHA, what is correct is
having a unified regional

480
00:21:18,288 --> 00:21:20,557
approach to answering our
issues because they are

481
00:21:20,557 --> 00:21:23,326
not unique to Seattle and
they are being experienced

482
00:21:23,326 --> 00:21:25,778
everywhere and we cannot let
people fall through the

483
00:21:25,778 --> 00:21:27,980
cracks. I need to be
abundantly clear.

484
00:21:27,980 --> 00:21:32,200
There are people facing imminent
homelessness if King County

485
00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,720
Regional Homelessness Authority
were to disband tomorrow and

486
00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:36,380
that is unacceptable.

487
00:21:36,380 --> 00:21:39,240
So what is acceptable is making
sure that there are strong

488
00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,337
safeguards in place and the
federal funding is incredibly

489
00:21:42,337 --> 00:21:44,739
precarious. We have
the case to make to

490
00:21:44,740 --> 00:21:48,500
demonstrate that we can
and should get this right.

491
00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:51,467
But we cannot forget what's
at the core of it, which

492
00:21:51,467 --> 00:21:54,290
is people who are facing
very real problems, and

493
00:21:54,290 --> 00:21:56,057
it's getting colder outside.

494
00:21:56,057 --> 00:21:56,817
Good point.

495
00:21:56,817 --> 00:21:59,337
Rebecca, some thoughts about
this when it comes to the

496
00:21:59,337 --> 00:22:01,857
RHA and that overall issue
of fiscal responsibility,

497
00:22:01,857 --> 00:22:04,009
because there have been
some question marks around

498
00:22:04,009 --> 00:22:05,960
the county council over
the past couple years.

499
00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:09,057
Yeah, and I'll say that this is
a great issue to talk about.

500
00:22:10,500 --> 00:22:12,817
For me, it's about
mutual accountability.

501
00:22:12,817 --> 00:22:18,621
I think for decades and decades,
the county and our state

502
00:22:18,621 --> 00:22:23,634
have done so much harm to our
communities by supporting and

503
00:22:23,634 --> 00:22:27,896
facilitating the criminalization
of black and brown bodies

504
00:22:27,900 --> 00:22:31,009
in our communities, whether
that was the way that

505
00:22:31,009 --> 00:22:34,501
the enforcement for war on
drugs got on the market,

506
00:22:34,501 --> 00:22:36,601
you know, was implemented.

507
00:22:36,601 --> 00:22:39,884
It is definitely in terms
of how we were willing

508
00:22:39,884 --> 00:22:43,220
to throw away children,
you know, for life without

509
00:22:43,220 --> 00:22:44,596
prison sentences.

510
00:22:44,596 --> 00:22:46,747
And so part of what I've seen at

511
00:22:46,747 --> 00:22:49,665
the state level has been
to undo some of those

512
00:22:49,665 --> 00:22:52,479
harms, and it is like
redirecting investments to

513
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,615
actually support communities
closest to the experiences

514
00:22:55,615 --> 00:22:58,490
that are impact—that are
doing the work on the ground,

515
00:22:58,490 --> 00:23:00,019
getting the dollars to them.

516
00:23:00,019 --> 00:23:04,067
And in 2020, we made some major
shifts and said that, you

517
00:23:04,067 --> 00:23:06,357
know what, we actually support

518
00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:12,663
community violence intervention,
that we need to make sure that

519
00:23:12,663 --> 00:23:15,940
people that have experienced
substance

520
00:23:15,940 --> 00:23:19,577
use are actually there as peers
advocating and supporting and

521
00:23:19,577 --> 00:23:22,617
accompanying people on
the pathway to recovery.

522
00:23:22,617 --> 00:23:25,317
And all of this was happening
during the pandemic.

523
00:23:25,317 --> 00:23:29,597
So I think the piece to me is
that what's happening right now

524
00:23:29,597 --> 00:23:33,278
is that there has not been that
-- especially in the human

525
00:23:33,278 --> 00:23:36,200
services, there's not been
a misuse of the dollars.

526
00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:38,740
The work is happening.

527
00:23:38,740 --> 00:23:42,084
What was not done is the county

528
00:23:42,084 --> 00:23:47,192
staff, the county council,
the executive at the time,

529
00:23:47,192 --> 00:23:51,817
which is not the executive we
have now, and the community did

530
00:23:51,817 --> 00:23:54,876
not sit down and have
clarity around how are we

531
00:23:54,876 --> 00:23:57,375
going to tell the
story of this money?

532
00:23:57,375 --> 00:23:58,942
How are we creating the fiscal

533
00:23:58,942 --> 00:24:01,227
responsibility? How are
we creating the codes and

534
00:24:01,227 --> 00:24:03,544
being able to make sure
that we're doing that?

535
00:24:03,544 --> 00:24:06,047
And so that's the place
where at this moment,

536
00:24:06,047 --> 00:24:08,895
what we need to do is make
sure that we are building

537
00:24:08,895 --> 00:24:11,681
that accountability in,
but it's got to be both

538
00:24:11,681 --> 00:24:12,394
ways. Okay.

539
00:24:12,394 --> 00:24:14,085
I need to stop you
there because I want

540
00:24:14,085 --> 00:24:15,576
to make sure I talk
about endorsements.

541
00:24:15,576 --> 00:24:16,798
The top three for your campaign,

542
00:24:16,798 --> 00:24:18,200
you think voters
should know about?

543
00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:19,597
30 seconds, if you could.

544
00:24:19,597 --> 00:24:23,057
Sure. So my top
three endorsements

545
00:24:23,057 --> 00:24:25,159
are all on RebeccaSaldana.com.

546
00:24:25,159 --> 00:24:27,400
And so I'll just
say King County,

547
00:24:28,519 --> 00:24:31,278
Martin Luther King
Labor Council,

548
00:24:31,278 --> 00:24:36,557
OneAmerica Votes, and
King County Democrats.

549
00:24:36,557 --> 00:24:37,680
I know there's a few out there.

550
00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:38,680
I appreciate that.

551
00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,817
Toshiko, your top
endorsers, if you could.

552
00:24:40,817 --> 00:24:44,180
I'm incredibly proud to have
the sole resounding endorsement

553
00:24:44,180 --> 00:24:46,460
of King County Executive
Girmay Zahilay,

554
00:24:46,460 --> 00:24:49,116
who was the former council
member for District 2

555
00:24:49,116 --> 00:24:52,836
who did transformational things
in his time as a council member,

556
00:24:52,837 --> 00:24:56,239
and I'd be a partner for
him for continuing the work

557
00:24:56,239 --> 00:24:57,919
as he's the county executive.

558
00:24:57,919 --> 00:25:00,200
I'm very proud to
have the endorsement

559
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,679
of Seattle City Council
Member Alexis Mercedes Rinck,

560
00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,960
as well as the
Northwest Carpenters,

561
00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:08,673
who would be tremendous partners
in helping us build the

562
00:25:08,673 --> 00:25:09,459
future that we need.

563
00:25:09,460 --> 00:25:10,180
Thank you very much.

564
00:25:10,180 --> 00:25:11,396
Time for closing statements.

565
00:25:11,396 --> 00:25:13,577
Toshiko, your first
one minute, please.

566
00:25:13,577 --> 00:25:18,019
I am the proud product of the
community that raised me.

567
00:25:18,019 --> 00:25:20,019
And this is not just
a time of great need.

568
00:25:20,019 --> 00:25:22,759
It's a time of
tremendous opportunity.

569
00:25:22,759 --> 00:25:26,046
And it's a wonderful thing
to be able to articulate an

570
00:25:26,046 --> 00:25:29,778
affirmative, positive vision
for the future of District 2,

571
00:25:29,778 --> 00:25:33,582
which is a beautifully diverse
place that has also suffered

572
00:25:33,582 --> 00:25:35,179
incredible disparities

573
00:25:36,259 --> 00:25:40,259
and has oftentimes
sat at the margins.

574
00:25:40,259 --> 00:25:44,490
And at this juncture, our
community, rightly centered

575
00:25:44,490 --> 00:25:47,288
in the conversations,
empowered can be the

576
00:25:47,288 --> 00:25:48,278
margin of victory.

577
00:25:48,278 --> 00:25:51,767
Because when we identify
strategies that work in public

578
00:25:51,767 --> 00:25:55,057
safety, in public health,
in holistic well-being and

579
00:25:55,057 --> 00:25:58,659
they work with our community,
it can work across

580
00:25:58,659 --> 00:26:00,576
Washington state.

581
00:26:00,577 --> 00:26:03,699
More information is available on
my website at VoteToshiko.com.

582
00:26:03,700 --> 00:26:05,699
And I'd be honored to
earn people's votes.

583
00:26:05,700 --> 00:26:07,239
One minute, please,
Rebecca, to finish.

584
00:26:07,239 --> 00:26:08,057
All right.

585
00:26:08,057 --> 00:26:10,396
Well, thank you so much
for having me here.

586
00:26:10,396 --> 00:26:14,461
It's an honor to be able
to represent the 37th

587
00:26:14,461 --> 00:26:16,440
for the last 10 years.

588
00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,919
And I want to continue to
bring my service closer home

589
00:26:18,919 --> 00:26:23,039
and running for King
County Council District

590
00:26:23,039 --> 00:26:27,317
2. I believe that with our
progressive executive, with

591
00:26:27,317 --> 00:26:30,837
our new mayor, we have an
opportunity in our region to

592
00:26:30,837 --> 00:26:34,587
demonstrate that in the
toughest of times when we

593
00:26:34,587 --> 00:26:37,722
bring our values and our
experience to the table,

594
00:26:37,722 --> 00:26:38,720
we can make change.

595
00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,396
We can meet people where they're

596
00:26:40,396 --> 00:26:42,538
at and not leave
them on the streets.

597
00:26:42,538 --> 00:26:46,057
We can build out the crisis
prevention services that

598
00:26:46,057 --> 00:26:47,900
are so desperately needed.

599
00:26:47,900 --> 00:26:51,490
We can use our surplus
lands to be able to provide

600
00:26:51,490 --> 00:26:53,200
housing for everyone.

601
00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:57,153
And I have been working and
representing our community

602
00:26:57,153 --> 00:26:58,700
for the last 10 years.

603
00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:02,880
I am committed to making sure
that we can do things together.

604
00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,871
We are the leaders we're
looking for, and I would

605
00:27:05,871 --> 00:27:09,009
be so grateful to have your
endorsement, as all the

606
00:27:09,009 --> 00:27:12,597
voters that are listening here
on Seattle Channel today.

607
00:27:12,597 --> 00:27:15,720
And please visit my website
at RebeccaSaldana.com.

608
00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:16,288
All right.

609
00:27:16,288 --> 00:27:17,557
Thank you both for that.

610
00:27:17,557 --> 00:27:18,636
We'll be right back.

611
00:27:18,636 --> 00:27:21,949
What are people saying on
social media about the race

612
00:27:21,949 --> 00:27:23,679
for King County District 2?

613
00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,509
One person writes,
Rebecca Saldaña always

614
00:27:26,509 --> 00:27:29,659
stands with impacted
individuals and workers.

615
00:27:29,659 --> 00:27:31,055
Thank you, Rebecca.

616
00:27:31,055 --> 00:27:33,105
Keep speaking truth to power.

617
00:27:33,105 --> 00:27:35,980
Another says, Toshiko
Hasegawa will be an

618
00:27:35,980 --> 00:27:38,461
outstanding member on
King County Council.

619
00:27:38,461 --> 00:27:40,880
Community will certainly
benefit from her

620
00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:44,219
experience, labor household
upbringing, and skills.

621
00:27:44,219 --> 00:27:46,180
We'd like to know
what you think.

622
00:27:46,180 --> 00:27:50,566
Send us an email at contact at
seattlechannel.org or find us on

623
00:27:50,566 --> 00:27:51,576
social media.

624
00:27:51,576 --> 00:27:53,520
Good to have that
feedback about King

625
00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,276
County Council District
2 and great to have our

626
00:27:55,276 --> 00:27:56,219
candidates with us here.

627
00:27:56,220 --> 00:27:58,336
Toshiko Hasegawa,
Rebecca Saldaña, thank

628
00:27:58,336 --> 00:27:59,278
you both very much.

629
00:27:59,278 --> 00:27:59,739
Thank you.

630
00:27:59,739 --> 00:28:00,317
Thank you.

631
00:28:00,317 --> 00:28:00,919
I'm Brian Callanan.

632
00:28:00,919 --> 00:28:02,500
and see you next time
on City Inside Out.

633
00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:22,239
♪ ♪