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-Welcome to the King County Video Voters’ Guide,
your chance to hear directly from the candidates
in the August Primary.
This is a vote-by-mail election.
Instead of going to a polling place, ballots will be sent
to all registered voters.
In this edition, we've invited the candidates who will appear
on the primary ballot for King County Assessor and King County
Council Positions 2 and 8.
The offices are nonpartisan.
Each of the statements is up to two minutes long and unedited.
The speakers appear on your screen in the same order as
they will appear on the ballot.
If only one or two candidates filed for a seat, that
position goes straight to the general election and does not
appear on this primary ballot.
First up, King County Assessor.
The King County Assessor oversees the assessment of
residential and commercial properties in King County,
as well as personal property used by businesses.
These values are used to calculate property taxes
and to calculate property tax levy rates for King
County taxing districts.
This is a nonpartisan position.
The assessor serves a four-year term, and all
voters within King County are eligible to vote in this race.
-Hello, my name is Dominique Scarimbolo, and I am running
for King County Assessor.
I am not a career politician.
I'm a small family business owner, property owner, and
somebody who has spent years researching government codes,
regulations, and property tax systems firsthand.
I've dealt with property tax appeals, done many
public records requests, and been involved
in many other processes that for sure leave
people feeling frustrated, unheard, and confused.
The Assessor's Office should not be complicated.
Taxpayers should easily be able to understand how their property
value was determined, why it may have changed, and how
to effectively challenge it if they don't agree with it.
I also believe uniformity matters.
Similar properties should be assessed under
consistent standards and methodologies
throughout King County.
Taxpayers should not be left wondering whether one
area or property type or group is being treated
differently than another.
Public confidence depends on a process that is
transparent, understandable, and consistently applied.
And taxpayers should not need specialized knowledge
or expensive help just to understand that process.
Government works best when it stays focused on the
responsibilities they were created to perform,
which is also first and foremost to serve we the
people, not figure out ways to generate more tax revenue.
The Assessor's Office should provide fair and
accurate assessments, clear information, and a process
people can have confidence in.
If elected, my goal is simple: open the books,
increase transparency, improve accessibility,
and put taxpayers first.
-Hello, I'm Chris Roberts.
As a former Shoreline Mayor, longtime councilmember
enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation,
and King County property owner, I know firsthand
the stress skyrocketing property taxes place
on King County residents.
Too many of our neighbors are at risk of being
priced out of their homes.
I am running for assessor to restore integrity, equity, and
transparency to the office.
Right now, backlogs and understaffing delay vulnerable
seniors, veterans, and neighbors with disabilities from
receiving the tax exemptions they qualify for.
Meanwhile, our current system uses unsound valuation methods
for certain properties, giving them subsidized tax
rates while you and I pay more.
That is simply not everyone paying their fair share.
Fixing these structural issues requires a completely different
skill set than valuing a house.
Relying purely on appraisal experience
to run this department is like hiring an insurance
agent to serve as the state insurance commissioner.
One handles individual transactions, the other runs
a massive public agency.
My goal is to focus on the broader challenges facing
the office while advocating for sound public policy.
To deliver real tax relief, we must first ensure the office
supports our county's $400-billion economy efficiently.
That means modernizing our processes so housing can be
built without costly delays, working with cities to
promote efficient government, and proactively expanding
targeted outreach so every eligible resident gets the tax
exemptions they are entitled to.
Over the last 17 years, I've managed complex public budgets,
worked with regional leaders, and managed large projects.
I would be honored to bring that practical executive experience
and collaborative approach to the Department of Assessments.
I am proud to be endorsed by officials from all across the
county, including Executive Girmay Zahilay and former
Assessor Lloyd Hara.
I would appreciate your vote.
Yakoke.
-Hello, my name is Rob Foxcurran and I'm running
for King County Assessor.
I grew up here.
I graduated from the Seattle Public Schools before
graduating from the UW.
Today, my wife and I live on Beacon Hill in Seattle with
our soon-to-be two daughters, who I'm proud to say are both
sixth-generation Seattleites.
This is home.
Now, whether you rent or own your home,
costs keep rising, and property taxes are
a part of that story.
The assessor doesn't set tax rates,
but they do determine the value of every property in the county.
Those values shape what you pay.
That's why I'm running.
This is a technical office that requires real
expertise to run well.
I may not be an elected politician,
but I am an expert and proven leader in my field.
I'm the only candidate and progressive in this race
that has spent over a decade as a certified general
real estate appraiser.
I currently serve as the City of Seattle's senior appraiser,
where I'm also a shop steward with PROTEC17.
For the past three years, I also served as a hearing examiner
on the King County Board of Appeals and Equalization.
That's where folks go to appeal their property's assessed value.
There, I watched corporate landowners
pay teams of consultants to help slash their tax bills.
I've seen the system from every seat at the table.
I know where it works, and I know where it falls short.
King County currently ranks near the bottom nationally
in commercial property tax fairness.
When the wealthiest corporations
don't pay their share, that burden shifts directly
onto your shoulders.
We need a professional to balance these scales.
My plan for real affordability includes three core
shifts. First, we need modernized payments.
I will fight for monthly payment options so families can
actually budget.
Second, we need to expand the county's
efforts in signing seniors, veterans, and neighbors
with disabilities up for for the exemption programs
they are already qualified for.
And third, I'm pushing for a universal homestead exemption.
What does that mean?
It means that a portion of your primary residence,
your home, is exempt from property taxes.
Why does that matter?
Because we're in the middle of a housing crisis
and an affordability crisis, and no one should ever be taxed
out of their own neighborhood.
I'm Rob Foxcurran, candidate for King County Assessor,
and I would be honored to earn your support
in our effort to prioritize people over property.
Thank you.
-Hello, my name is Al Dams and I'm running for King
County Assessor.
I was born in Seattle and have
lived here my whole life.
I currently reside in Northeast King County outside of Duvall.
I've been married for 32 years and together
we have five children.
I attended public schools and graduated from the
University of Washington.
I've served in King County Government for 32 years now and
am currently the Chief Deputy Assessor.
I know how critical the work of the Assessor's Office is.
I lead the efforts to set property values upon which your
property taxes are calculated and billed.
I also lead the review of funding requests from
taxing districts to ensure they are accurate
and lawful.
Getting it right is technical and demanding,
taking years to learn.
I've done it for 11 years as Chief Deputy Assessor.
My teams of highly trained and educated appraisers, analysts,
and technologists value 750,000 residential and commercial
properties each year.
Because of our office's high standards, professionalism,
and quality, we've earned the Certificate of Excellence in
Assessment and Administration, one of only 65 assessors
in North America to achieve this honor and one of two in our
state. No candidate in this race has the experience and
knowledge I have nor the track record reforming
the property tax system.
As Chief Deputy Assessor, I've worked to reform
exemption programs so thousands of additional
seniors are receiving tax breaks to stay in their
homes. I'm committed to expanding tax exemptions
so those of all ages are eligible.
Voters face a real choice: hand this office
to someone who must learn from scratch and risk
costly mistakes, or elect me, the person who's
been doing this work every day for more than a decade.
I'm asking for your vote to keep the office in
and experienced and proven hands.
I'm endorsed by organizations,
elected officials, and people of all backgrounds, and I'd
be honored with your vote.
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-Metropolitan King County Council.
As the legislative branch of county government,
The Metropolitan King County Council sets the policies,
enacts the laws, and adopts the budgets that guide
the largest jurisdiction in Washington state.
Its mission is to protect public health and safety, enhance
quality of life, and ensure public trust.
This is a nonpartisan position.
Members are elected by geographic district
to four-year terms.
This year, four of the nine council seats
are up for election.
Only two of those four seats will appear on
the primary ballot: District 2 and District 8.
If you live in one of those two districts, you will be able
to cast a vote in the primary.
The top two vote-getters in those two districts
will advance to the general election in November.
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-People across our district are tired of hearing promises
made but not seeing them kept.
The cost of living keeps climbing.
Housing, childcare, and groceries are too expensive.
Our communities pay the price for lack of state support
as local governments are left underfunded and overstretched.
Our district deserves investments and outcomes.
People deserve to live in communities that they love.
The moment for courage and change is now.
This fight is personal.
I'm raising my children on Beacon
Hill in the same home my grandparents bought after being
released from Japanese American concentration camps.
I've watched neighbors have to leave because politicians
don't understand the consequences of their votes.
We deserve better.
Under Governor Jay Inslee, I led a state agency where we
fought for economic development, directed vital resources to
local small businesses, and delivered aid to communities
facing health care crises.
At King County's Office of Law Enforcement Oversight,
I led critical reforms to advance police accountability
and establish the grassroots, community-driven solutions
needed to prevent gun violence.
As Port Commissioner, I'm delivering on affordability
by creating a child care center and securing good
union jobs with real benefits.
As your County Councilmember, I'll build affordable housing,
promote safe and reliable public transit, protect renters,
and expand child care access.
I'll fully fund mental health systems and invest in
community-led strategies that stop gun violence before it
tears another family apart.
And I'll bring real accountability and oversight
to our county and champion progressive funding
options so that the ultra-wealthy pay their share.
City Attorney Erika Evans, Councilmembers
Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Eddie Lin, former
Governor Jay Inslee, legislators, labor unions,
Democratic organizations, and over 100 progressive
leaders in District 2 endorse me because they've
seen me deliver on what I promise.
Let's choose a better future.
-I'm Rebecca Saldaña and I'm running for
King County Council District 2 because working people
deserve a county we can actually afford to live in.
Right now too many people are struggling with rising
rents, childcare costs, health care bills and long
commutes while the wealthiest corporations and the ultra-rich
continue to profit.
I'm running to build more housing that's
affordable at every income level, raise wages,
improve transit, expand behavioral health care,
and make child care more accessible for working
families. As a daughter of a Mexican immigrant
farm worker who later became a machinist, I know what
economic insecurity looks like, and I know how transformative
good union jobs and vibrant communities can be.
That's what has shaped my life and my work.
Before elected office, I organized alongside
janitors and farmworkers fighting for dignity
and fair wages.
In the state Senate, I've spent the last decade delivering
real progressive change, helping pass the capital
gains and millionaire's tax so the wealthiest
pay more towards the services we all rely on,
passing one of the strongest paid family medical and leave
programs in the country, and sponsoring the Domestic
Workers Bill of Rights to protect care workers and
immigrant workers too often excluded from labor protections.
I've also fought for major investments in affordable
housing, transit, climate justice, and safer,
healthier communities.
Now, I'm ready to bring that proven leadership to the
King County Council because meeting this moment will
require leaders willing to stand up to powerful interests
and fight unapologetically for working people.
I'm honored to have the sole endorsement of the King
County Democrats as well as endorsements of King County
Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda, Sarah Perry, Claudia Balducci,
and many more progressive labor unions and community leaders.
I'd be honored to earn your support.
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-My name is Mia Jacobson, and I am running for King
County Council to wake you up before it's too late.
You might think our Council has to listen to us, but
after the election, we are all participating in
a faith-based exercise.
Our local legislative process has no place for public opinion.
Policy is drafted and voted on by people who are most
often not affected by it, while the people who are
cannot contribute to the conversation which creates it.
We have no measurable impact on the decisions made
by our representatives, and if we cannot check our
government, we live in a fascist society whether we vote or not.
No one is coming to save us from the cultural and
economic crisis we face in this time of radical change.
Until we are present in the conversation which
creates legislation, we will be unable to prevent
any decision made by our government that fails
to protect our liberty.
While the issues we face may seem impossible,
the root cause is simple.
There is no common sense in legislation because
there is no common voice.
And there is no common voice because there is no common mic.
If elected, I will promote policy that allows for
adequate public partnership.
I will introduce an open public forum parallel
to every committee to act as a standing
check against bad policy and an interactive map
that citizens can use to drop pins of
interest to guide the legislative conversation.
Together, we will find ways to use government
to empower those in the community already
doing the work.
The people have outgrown our need for representation
with the advancement of our technology.
If we can expect to access social media 24 hours a day,
we can expect to engage with the legislative process
whenever we want.
We have to get organized if we are going to have
any control over our own lives.
Give me your vote and I'll give you the mic.
The time has come to organize or die.
Vote Mia Jacobson for King County Council District 8.
-I'm Teresa Mosqueda, and I'm running for re-election
to the King County Council to keep fighting for
every family in District 8.
From Vashon Island to the Chinatown-International District,
from Burien up to Belltown, I want our district
to have the opportunity to be healthy, housed, and to
be able to make ends meet.
What I've done on King County Council so far is delivered.
I chair the Board of Health and the Health, Housing, and
Human Services Committee.
I've used those roles to make sure that we're investing
in caring for all residents.
That means making sure our public health
clinics remain open and accessible to all residents,
including immigrants and refugees.
I've secured stable funding for domestic violence and
sexual assault survivors.
I've championed workforce housing investments, wage parity
for human service workers, and help pass the King County
Parks Levy to make sure we're investing in climate
resilience strategies.
My priorities going forward are very clear.
I want to expand access to affordable housing.
I want to prevent displacement for working families.
I want to improve community safety through behavioral
health investments and reduce gun violence.
I want to invest in what workers need every day.
accessible around-the-clock transit, affordable child
care, and good union wage jobs.
I am proud to have been able to represent District 8, and I
ask for your additional support going into this election.
I am thankful to have the support of Congresswoman
Jayapal, Governor Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown,
MLK Labor, SEIU, UFCW, the building trades in every
labor union that has endorsed my election.
I have support from environmental groups, housing,
and health champions.
I hope to earn your support for
another term on King County Council.
I believe King County works best when
we lead with compassion, accountability, and a commitment
to opportunity for all.
I ask for your support going into this
election so I can keep serving you on King County
Council and building a county where every person
can be healthy, housed, and resilient.
Thank you.
-My name is Nick Duda and I'm running for King County
Council. I'm running because our region needs more
accountability from its leaders on how we tax, how we
spend, and most importantly whether our policies are
actually producing the outcomes they promised.
Right now families are paying more for everything,
Many businesses are struggling, and government at every level
is facing budget deficits.
That is not something that happened to us, but rather
it's the result of policy choices that have gone
unchallenged for too long.
This lack of accountability shows up most clearly in
homelessness and public safety.
We have spent enormous sums on housing, but far too little
on treatment and recovery.
Any honest assessment has to admit that our priorities
are out of balance.
Simply put, we are losing more lives, degrading more public
space, and eroding public trust through fiscal mismanagement
all at the same time.
We all want our region to be compassionate and well-governed.
In so many ways, we're just not doing either very well.
My opponent has been on the other side of many of these
issues for years, and it's fair to connect her record to the
results people see every day.
Attempting to defund the police was a mistake that cost our
community in multiple ways.
Layering taxes and regulations onto businesses have
made it harder to operate and more expensive for their
customers and community.
Recent surveys show that only 12% of local small
businesses are making ends meet and that only 9% of the
businesses in the state are considering expanding here.
That's not good for business or workers.
And our approach to housing and homelessness, which
lacks expectations around treatment and recovery,
is not compassionate if the results are continued suffering.
These are policy choices, and elected officials
have to own the outcomes of the policies they champion.
I believe in good governance.
I believe in programs that work.
I support fair wages and a good quality of life
for people who work hard.
But when policies falter, we should be honest enough
to say so and brave enough to change direction.
I'm a West Seattle resident, the father of two young kids,
the son of a union mailman, and I've spent my career
managing budgets and driving growth
all deeply rooted in data.
I'm running to bring balance, accountability,
and measurable outcomes back to King County.
I'm Nick Duda, and I hope to earn your support.
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- You've just seen all the video statements
recorded by candidates for King County Assessor
and Metropolitan King County Council.
We will produce another Video Voters’ Guide
for candidates who advance to the November general election.
For Seattle candidates and ballot measures, watch the
Seattle Video Voters’ Guide.
This program is a collaboration of the Seattle
Ethics and Elections Commission, the Seattle
Channel and King County TV.
Ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
Look for your ballot in the mail after July 15th and vote and
return it by Tuesday, August 4th.
No stamp needed to return your ballot.
Ballots can be returned via U.S.
Mail or at one of King County's secured ballot drop
boxes. Remember to sign the envelope with your voted
ballot. Accessible voting centers or AVCs are
available to voters who need assistance completing
their ballot.
You can track the progress of your ballot
online and find the location of drop boxes or AVCs by visiting
King County Elections at kingcounty.gov/elections.
Ballots must be postmarked by August 4th.
Thank you for joining us.
We'd like to hear from you about the Video Voters’ Guide.
To comment on this guide, please call 206-684-8500 or email
ethicsandelections@seattle.gov.
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