Hi, everyone. My name is Sara Nelson, Iām running for City Council, and Iām the business candidate.
How did Iāa former Sandinista brigadista who met her husband at the WTO protestsābecome the ābusiness candidate?" Well, besides the fact that The Stranger and Seattle Times both agree on the labelāa sure sign the stars are aligningāitās really not a surprise. I do co-own a small business. My company, Fremont Brewing, has grown from three full-time employees to 55. Iām proud of that.
Iām also pretty vocal that I think our local small businesses need a seat at the table in politics. With more than 60 percent of King Countyās private-sector workers employed by small businesses, theyāre incredibly important to growing our economy, tackling affordability, and ensuring we donāt turn into Bellevue. Iām absolutely willing to be the candidate of progressive small business.
On the other hand, being the ābusiness candidateā feels a little weird. Iām no right-winger. Iām a recovering academic who taught Anthropology and Womenās Studies at the University of Washington. I was an activist in my twenties, and Iām an activist today. Letās just say Iām not waiting for my invite to Dino Rossiās country club.
Still, I get why ābusiness candidateā has a negative connotation. Too often, business has been the Voice of āNoā in Seattle politics. I understand some of the frustrationāsometimes, the City Council aims for giant corporations and misses, body-checking small, locally-owned businesses instead. Immigrant- and minority-owned businesses are often the most affected. I will certainly work to avoid those unfortunate misfires.
But Seattle is a progressive, experimental city, and Iām proud of that. I believe itās time for a voice for small business that matches that progressive spirit. Thatās exactly what Iāll bring to the City Council.
Iāve already been doing this work for years. I actually have more City Hall experience than all of my opponents combined. As senior policy advisor to former City Councilmember Richard Conlin, I worked for over a decade on a wide range of issues, from transportation to economic development to social justice.
Councilmember Lisa Herbold is the perfect example of why experience matters. She too was a long-time Council aide who really understands Seattle municipal government, and when she was elected she was ready to hit the ground running and be effective from Day One. The same would be true in my case
Over my 11 years as a Council aide, some of my proudest work came on environmental policy. I helped pass landmark legislation on climate change and zero-waste policy that made Seattle a national leader on environmental issues. As your City Councilmember, Iāll make Seattle a national leader again.
Running a business hasnāt changed my passion for sustainability. In fact, itās given me a soapbox to advocate for progressive environmental policies. Iām proud that in 2014 Fremont Brewing was honored with the King County Executiveās āSmall Business of the Yearā award. Weāre one of the top craft breweries in the country when it comes to conservationāwe also won Sustainable Seattleās Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Award for small businesses this year.
Having navigated the cityās loose network of environmental incentives when adding green features to my own business, I know there are better ways to engage local business on sustainability. Thatās why Iām on the steering committee to expand the EnviroStar program to make greening up easier. I want to serve as an example for business owners to say āYesā to doing everything we can to operate sustainably and benefit of our environment.
Thatās not the only case where I think progressive business can help us get to āYes.ā I absolutely, 100% believe that businesses have a moral responsibility to treat their employees right. At Fremont Brewing, weāve been providing our staff a living wage, healthcare, retirement benefits, and paid family leave long before any were required by law. We did so because itās the right thing to do. On the City Council, I will help sort out the legitimate business concerns from the nonsense, and make the right thing happen. Thatās exactly why itās important to have progressive business owners involved in local government.
Small businesses are the beating heart of Seattle. Theyāre where we work, eat, drink, and sing most of our ill-advised karaoke. Having progressive small business at the table means reducing political polarization, helping workers, and supporting what makes Seattle a place weāre all proud to live.
And thatās why Iāa progressive Democratādonāt mind being āthe business candidateā this time around.
Sara Nelson, co-owner of Fremont Brewing, is a candidate for City Council Position 8.