You’ve heard the line before: Mike McGinn
is a one-issue candidate. His campaign for mayor was fueled in the
primary by opposition to the deep-bore tunnel under downtown. Other
than that, folks say, he’s got nothing.
But numerous strong showings at debates and strong policy positions
on a raft of issues demonstrate a candidacy built on pushing solutions
to Seattle’s transportation mess and scores of other city problems.
Instead of building a highway under the city, for instance, McGinn
wants to expand light rail to West Seattle and Ballard as soon as
possible, linking those neighborhoods to the rail grid within the next
5 to 10 years. At Sound Transit’s current pace, the next light-rail
proposal—if it even goes to Ballard and West Seattle—won’t
be complete for 20 to 30 years. McGinn also wants to accelerate the
appointment of a new police chief, help neighborhood groups build parks
and sidewalks, push the state to allow some bars to stay open later
than 2:00 a.m., build more affordable housing, and implement programs
that would reduce the need for a new city jail. After years of civic
service, he knows how Seattle ticks—and he has the tools to make
it run better.
Joe Mallahan, the T-Mobile executive running against him, inspires
no such confidence. At campaign events and at a meeting with the
Stranger Election Control Board, Mallahan has lacked knowledgeable
answers on subjects ranging from city taxes to transportation to
housing to his own voting record. At the first head-to-head
general-election mayoral debate, at the Cinerama, McGinn spoke at
length about the success of a downtown affordable-housing
program—which the city council recently voted to expand—and
ways we can export it to neighborhoods. The moderator, KUOW’s Steve
Scher, then asked Mallahan what he would do. “About the same. I think
we have talked about it enough,” Mallahan said, clearly unfamiliar with
an issue that will be on the next mayor’s plate.
“Before today, I would have voted for Mallahan because of his
business experience,” said Gary Strannigan, the assistant vice
president of public affairs for Liberty Mutual who gave the welcoming
address to the debate, walking down Fourth Avenue after the event. “But
I have to say, I was impressed with McGinn’s skill… and he was more
knowledgeable.”
Mallahan, whose primary civic involvement is helping to run a
neighborhood hot-dog fair, has never shown a particularly strong
interest in city issues. Records from King County Elections show that
he skipped 13 of the 25 elections since he registered to vote in April
2000. (McGinn has missed only four.) McGinn has years in the trenches
in civic life—including chairing the local Sierra Club, running a
campaign in the fall of 2007 to defeat a ballot measure that paid for
more roads, founding a nonprofit called Great City, and heading up a
levy to fund neighborhood parks. That knowledge of the city, and his
experience as an attorney at a private law firm, serves as the basis
for a mayoral administration that would push on several fronts.
On Transportation: To expedite the creation of a light-rail
line connecting Ballard and West Seattle, McGinn announced in September
he would send a ballot measure to voters within two years of taking
office. “If city voters support the plan and agree to raise their taxes
to fund it, we will get it built as quickly and efficiently as
possible,” McGinn says. He proposes saving money by emulating the fifth
light-rail line in Portland, which used existing rights-of-way and
built the line in only three years. In contrast, Mallahan is content
with Sound Transit’s pace to put a measure, which is currently being
studied, on the ballot in 2016—or later. Mallahan also roundly
opposes building a functional streetcar network, and he remains opposed
to a First Hill streetcar that voters approved last year.
On Nightlife: McGinn believes that “new residential
development must not be able to drive out existing nightlife
establishments,” and he says that if elected, he will work with the
Washington State Liquor Control Board to try to allow “bars and
nightlife venues to stay open later with different closing times into
the evening.” Permitting certain bars to remain open past 2:00 a.m.
would “cut down on incidents after establishments close.” Performers
and club operators—employees of an industry that generates $90
million a year in local sales and taxes—”deserve a safe and
supportive environment to earn their living,” McGinn says. To that end,
he proposes increasing police patrols at “hot spots.” He also suggests
extending light-rail and bus service until 3:00 a.m. for folks who’ve
been out to get home safely.
On Public Safety: After he lost in the primary election,
Mayor Greg Nickels asked both candidates if he should proceed with the
search for a new police chief. McGinn recommended that the search
continue. “We need to start now,” McGinn says. But Mallahan asked the
mayor’s office to postpone the process for the next mayor to take up.
Nickels deferred to Mallahan. “I think that’s a mistake,” says McGinn,
noting a trend in youth and gun violence that makes the search urgent.
Finding and appointing a new chief could take four to six months,
delaying new anti-crime initiatives. McGinn has proposed stepping up
prosecution of gun crimes, restoring the full staffing of the gang
unit, increasing access to crime statistics, and expanding programs
that get nonviolent drug users and dealers off the street and into
treatment.
On Neighborhoods: McGinn is prepared to dish out tough love
to neighborhood organizations by giving them more authority to make
decisions—but only when their ideas make sense. McGinn’s
carrot-or-stick approach would establish neighborhood managers who
could lean on city hall with the weight of large constituencies. But
McGinn’s neighborhood plan also promises to “pay attention to who is
(and is not) at the table.” It’s a polite way of saying that McGinn
will recognize persnickety curmudgeons as a tiny, squeaky slice of the
city, while seeking out more rational voices. For sound ideas, McGinn
commits to provide “small grants” to neighborhood organizations and
lend human resources from city hall. Moreover, he vows to “uplift
neighborhood-driven strategies that are working.” So neighborhood plans
that aren’t working—such as opposing more density around
light-rail stations—can be dismissed.
And About That Tunnel: Mallahan is all for building a $4.2
billion deep-bore tunnel under downtown to replace the aging Alaskan
Way Viaduct. But McGinn points out that the tunnel is a largely
unstudied, unfunded yoke around the city’s neck. The city council
recently agreed to a plan that puts Seattle taxpayers on the hook for
any cost overruns (above a $930 million base tab for the city). But
considering the tunnel wouldn’t have any downtown exits, it may not
spare downtown from most of the traffic that uses the viaduct, McGinn
says. His campaign points out that, according to data from the
Washington State Department of Transportation, only 40 percent of trips
on Highway 99 (which the tunnel would replace) don’t get on or
off downtown. In other words, if the tunnel were built, the remaining
60 percent of those trips would be on downtown streets,
but—because we put all our eggs into the tunnel—we wouldn’t
have money to invest in surface and transit improvements to mitigate
that traffic. McGinn wants to put all that money into a surface/transit
alternative—and the light-rail projects mentioned earlier.
And the state hasn’t fully studied the impacts of the tunnel.
According to a lawsuit filed in October by an anti-tunnel group (which
McGinn is not involved with), the state won’t finish studying the
tunnel until 2011. “The state seems to be trying to ram through a
project without doing an Environmental Impact Statement and explaining
the costs, risks, and negative community and environmental impacts to
the public,” says Cary Moon, director of the People’s Waterfront
Coalition, which is not involved in the lawsuit.
A vote for McGinn is a vote for better transit, wise public-safety
investments, guided neighborhood planning, a thriving music and
nightlife scene, and a knowledgeable, innovative mayor. 
McGinn couldn’t unclog my nostril.
I love the art this week. Beautiful! As for the article, I admire its passionate use of the words “numerous” and “knowledgeable.”
So McGinn hates moving cars, which are a reality of this region, and he’s going to go to war with the state to stop the tunnel. On the other hand, he’s going to try to convince the state to change their puritanical liquor policies? It’s like he’s going to slap the legislature with one hand while jacking them off with the other. srsly?
Does The Stranger have any CONCERNS about McGinn, or is he a perfect candidate? Why gloss over his work at his law firm, which basically was McGinn fighting for the very corporate entities he decries now.
Also, how can you write an endorsement for any candidate and not use the word “jobs” — especially in this economy? I’m playing devil’s advocate, I realize, but isn’t the job situation an issue, particularly with Boeing an inch of moving out of town? Not everyone lives on Capitol Hill or in Ballard.
@4 – well noted. McGinn is a man of great ideas…and that’s about it. He has a track record of having others do the heavy lifting, or clean-up his dropped balls on projects and then taking all of the credit for the success of that project. Ask folks who have worked with him in law firm and at City Hall. He makes really big promises, but he won’t deliver. We’re still gonna get the tunnel, people. And big business (such as those who fund McGinn’s non-profit “Great City”) will still rule the roost. Wake up and smell the coffee Seattle. Who cares if Mike bikes? It’s electric.
This is so weak. You are endorsing the lesser of two evils, you should just say that. McGinn and Mallahan are both absolute disgraces and everyone knows that. Why don’t you write that story instead, instead of putting ‘lipstick on a pig’ for McGinn.
Another reason why I and literally thousands of other people will ‘blank’ the Mayor’s race or Write in Greg Nickels or Ed Murray.
JeffT @3: So McGinn hates moving cars, which are a reality of this region, and he’s going to go to war with the state to stop the tunnel.
Jeff, it’s a grotesque distortion of Mike McGinn’s philosophy to say that he is anti-automobile or “hates moving cars.” Like most of us who advocate for transit and transportation choices, Mike’s about achieving a more competitive balance between driving and other modes. If Mike were really the car hater you make him out to be, he would be doing something truly radical like opposing the 520 bridge replacement.
It’s hardly an assault on the value of motor vehicles in this region to want to resist opening a multi-billion-dollar checkbook to replace a route that’s not close to being one of the most traveled routes in this region with something that’s going to be even less traveled. And especially when it’s the taxpayers of Seattle who are going to be writing the blank check.
Also, I don’t think it’s fair to say Mike’s “going to go to war with the state to stop the tunnel.” Remember he had been asked, “How do you plan to stop the tunnel?” And his answer was, “That’s the wrong question.”
Polonius @6:
Polonius, cut it with the boilerplate “this candidate has a history of being all talk and no action” political hit job. If you want to engage in such a copy-and-paste, little smear, provide some examples.
Somehow, though, methinks your desire to take some shots at Mike McGinn has absolutely nothing to do with the shots you’re taking at him. In other words, you couldn’t care less about your own criticism of Mike McGinn.
(The Stranger has made its share of petty criticisms of Joe Mallahan too, which I’m not crazy about.)
Since when does the Stranger endorse the Lesser Seattle movement. I agree, this is an election about just starting over, and McGinn isn’t a second coming by any standard.
@10
No, McGinn isn’t a second coming by any stretch.
However, McGinn ISN’T that arrogant little ass Mallahan.
I am voting for McGinn. He comes off as more intelligent and available than Joe “I don’t understand but let me get my high priced consultants to contact you later” Mallahan.
@8 “And especially when it’s the taxpayers of Seattle who are going to be writing the blank check.”
Seattlites will write checks for the west side light rail – if they vote for it.
Seattleite will write checks for streetcars.
That’s all fine and fanciful, but the economy is is the tank.
McGinn won’t talk to our crumbling infrastructure – remember the $500M in deferred streets and bridge maintenance in the city?
Mallahan is taking the less sexy, more pragmatic approach to addressing mobility – freight and people – both of which this city needs to move.
Maybe Dom and The Stranger’s love for McGinn is really a cubby bear thang…
@8 “And especially when it’s the taxpayers of Seattle who are going to be writing the blank check.”
Seattlites will write checks for the west side light rail – if they vote for it.
Seattleite will write checks for streetcars.
That’s all fine and fanciful, but the economy is is the tank.
McGinn won’t talk to our crumbling infrastructure – remember the $500M in deferred streets and bridge maintenance in the city?
Mallahan is taking the less sexy, more pragmatic approach to addressing mobility – freight and people – both of which this city needs to move.
http://www.joemallahan.com/Issues/Transp…
Note also that Mallahan doesn’t support the city giveaway on Mercer that McGreen does…
McGinn represented predatory lenders. Why not report that, as it would change your supposedly progressive opinions about how great he is? Oh, that’s right, that would cause you to think about your beliefs.
Mallahan sucks too. They’re both embarrassing candidates. Still, this constant blow-job for McGinn is annoying, and not nearly as thoughtful an analysis as my 5 year-old niece could write. There are many sides to every story, and good journalists do well by weaving all of those sides into their stories. Try it.
This is pure propaganda. It’s unfortunate that The Stranger’s current staff has such a limited understanding of politics. I’m sure Dominic means well, but this article is just the parroting of McGinn’s talking points. I’m all for mcginn, but there’s plenty there to criticize. The stranger never has been an objective paper, but this is getting ridiculous.
@13 Remember Bridging the Gap? McGinn has talked about wanting to put that money to use on crumbling infrastructure which is now on hold for the tunnel.
Be Wary of stranger Endorsements
not everyone lives on the hill or commutes 9-5
the stranger fucked up
remember the “commons park” which the stranger was against? now just look at south lake union, ugly condos everywhere…while we could have had a central park like NY
…good job stranger way to have a vision for the city
@12 State law holds Seattle taxpayers responsible for ALL cost overruns. So the tunnel IS a “blank check.”
It has no on-ramps or off-ramps downtown. The proposed tunnel is strictly a thoroughfare bypass that will primarily be used by semi-trucks from the port.
I’m really worried that he’s not going to win.
I’m glad someone remembers our blunder with the Commons. Small-minded and fainthearted Seattle, it’s time to stop talking and BUILD SOMETHING. Every time you drive Mercer think how downtown will be with 100,000 cars on the fairy-tale “surface option.” – Jeff S
If we create complete, utter gridlock, everyone in Seattle will simultaneously understand the impact of cars on the environment and the futility improving our road system and they will all get out of their cars at the same moment, just like an REM video and buy fixed gear road bikes and all ride to the tattoo shop together. Please.
I am a new yorker that moved to Seattle at the beginning of the year – don’t ask why – I want 2 things to make me stay and pay my sweet high taxes in this city (U-district):
1. Make the Amtrax became the “LIRR” quick, on time, and with early schedules going BOTH WAYS!! (I work in Everett) I hate driving (watch “taken for a ride” documentary)
2. 2am? really? 2am and no more drinks and places close? WTF!! make bars close at 4am! or even better, 24hrs!
I posted a comment on another forum. Despite being outmatched moneywise, McGinn could be more aggressive.
McGinn needs to stop with this robocall shit and actually articulate the obvious: that Mallahan is a nice guy who nevertheless has not voted 13 times in 9 years, who doesn’t have a single accomplishment under his belt in terms for providing for the city, and he hasn’t really named a single business achievement besides affordable cell phone minute plans.
Why is this happening? Why can’t McGinn & Co. state the obvious? Don’t do stupid things like the guns ban — focus on the basics. Contrast your candidate with the guy who paid $230k into the race and is winning it. Talk about the issues and things Mike has made real impact on versus the nothing Joe has done.
What unsubstantiated bullshit, at least in the leadoff comments about this article! The Stranger article was based on debates and interviews with the candidates. It is fairly factual. Those comments are from people who have strong feelings but no facts behind them.
The ability to clean some jerk’s nostril has nothing to do with being Mayor.
Yes, McGinn is a lawyer and worked as partner in a law firm. Making partner is proof of ability, contrary to the baseless assertion of his lack of ability in one of those comments.
Yes, McGinn certainly worked for corporate interests in his practice. If I remember right, he even represented Joe Mallahan’s firm at one time. So what? We all have to make a living, don’t we? When he was financially able, McGinn founded his own public service organization.
As for effectiveness and follow-through, I well remember when, in 2007, the local chapter of the Sierra Club (then headed by McGinn) came out against the Roads & Rail initiative, which was supported by both Christine Gregoire and Greg Nickels. Their argument, and that of ALL the other environmental organizations, was that we could not get the rails without the roads. The Sierra Club disagreed, saying we could not afford to continue belching auto exhaust, and that we could pass a rails and bus initiative the following year. That argument galvanized me, as well as others. I supported their fight – in a very small way – with contributions, and sent out emails to friends. Astoundingly, the initiative went down in defeat.
The next year, as McGinn had predicted and worked for, there was a Rails and Busses initiative on the ballot. I even contributed some of my time on this one, going to the big meeting of the governing body of Metro, along with other Sierra Club supporters, to push for placing the issue on the ballot. Not only did they put it on the ballot, but the measure easily passed. Talk about hard work and follow-through. McGinn has both in spades. More recently, he co-led an effort to pass a parks funding levy, which was opposed by Nickels because Nickels felt that in a recession one should not ask for too much from the voters. The levy, surprisingly, passed. McGinn, if anything, is a miracle-worker.
McGinn is a bona fide activist with a proven record of success. As far as I am concerned, those comments are without merit!!
Instead of spending massive sums supporting our addiction to automobiles, we should spend the limited public resources that we have available to us on mass transit, especially on extending our new light rail system. Visualize Ballard – AND West Seattle – AND Northgate with their very own light rail connections to downtown Seattle, and by extension to the airport and to each other. Now THAT is a dream worth working for!!
What is this wacky love affair people have with connecting Ballard with West Seattle? First the Monorails nuts, now light rail? Aren’t there a good half-dozen other regional transportation problems to solve before we worry about Ballard to West Seattle? I think a series of canals with Venetian gondolas would make a lot more sense.
To Yes on Gondolas:
Obviously you don’t know anyone who lives in either Ballard or West Seattle. Their perspective is a bit different than yours. And as for me, who live in northeast Seattle, I would love to be able to hop the train to West Seattle. And if it were not for the naysayers, we would already have common-sense (far from wacky) Monorail transportation throughout our fair city.
I love this McGinn. By announcing today he’s given up fighting the tunnel, he’s gone from being a one-issue candidate to a zero-issue candidate. I take that back. He’s still a one-issue candidate, it’s just that he changed the one issue to his complete unbelievability.
But, he has set a new standard for hack politicans. He’s the first to ever break his word before the election.
Oh Please, McGinn is the only one who makes sense!
For mayor, I just want a white dude with a beard who rides a bike, owns a Prius, and wears flannel. Is it too much to ask?
Light Rail to Ballard and West Seattle, more music and nightlife, and holding down potential cost overruns with the tunnel are all winning issues. Mallahan…why don’t you ask all of the T-Mobile staff he fired this year what they think of him? Keep in mind that T-Mobile is PROFITABLE…so these layoffs were to appease the Wall Street bloodsuckers. He has NO EXPERIENCE in public policy, and will be at the mercy of the “special interest” who will run his administration. The last thing we need is another “business man” running for public office. Stick to what you do best, Mallahan, maximizing profit for your shareholders by mass layoffs and shipping jobs overseas. Leave the governing to true public servants. I am “In for McGinn!”.
Thanks for all these comments, people. Oddly it’s proving to be the most influential debate I’ve witnessed in aiding my decision of whom to vote for. I have become highly skeptical of The Stranger’s ability to reliably parse all the political noise for me. Case in point, I didn’t vote Nickels in the primaries on account of their assurances that “we just need someone else to run against him to keep him accountable”. And now Nickels is out and we’re left having to choose between tweedles dee and dum. Great. I’m having a really hard time getting behind either of these guys. Corporate bloodsucker vs. doddering incompetent. Sheesh. I’m with the New Yorker: get your shit together, Seattle. I’ve been here 20 years and I still don’t get the mentality of this place. How did we get stuck with this choice? Maybe I will write in Greg Nickels. I miss him already.
Yo Winston, just a clarification that T-Mobile is owned by Deutch Telecom in Germany and does not answer to Wall Street as T-Mobile isn’t traded as a stock on the market in the US albiet the parent company is in Germany. From my readings he actually had some innovative ideas while there and he’s pretty down to earth for a “business man”. Oh and one more thing, at what point did having business experience become a bad thing when getting ready to run an organization called the City of Seattle that has a $4B annual budget and well over 5,000 employees?
Cheers
yes Ralph,
I can tell your brain is severely congested.