Michael Preston will bring strong leadership to the Seattle City Council, advocating for those he calls "the least, the lost, and the left out." We think Preston's track record on the Seattle School Board demonstrates that he's capable of delivering on such a bold promise.

Here's that badass record: He increased funding for low-income students, advocated for school choice, led efforts to get commercialism out of Seattle's schools, and helped decentralize the school district.

"When you have a value system, you reflect that value system in how you vote," Preston tells The Stranger. "Then you don't have to explain yourself after the fact," he says in reference to his opponent--incumbent Richard Conlin--who has disappointed advocates for the homeless and civil-rights supporters alike. Preston, a 50-year-old African American Seattle native, sees Conlin's wishy-washy politics as a lack of leadership, and he's ready to step in and fill the void.

We're convinced Preston will deliver on his promises to make progress on key issues: police accountability, racial relations, affordable housing, and transportation. He'd push for video cameras in all police cars and advocate for an independent police review board. He would retain and increase Seattle's stock of affordable housing, and scrap the current light-rail plan while focusing on monorail.

Despite the fact that's he's cleared up past financial errors, Preston has been written off by many in his bid for city council. We think that's ridiculous ["The Michael Preston 'Scandals,'" Amy Jenniges, Oct 25]. He more than deserves a chance to sit on the city council so he can show off his bold, progressive politics.

"When you look at the big picture--at what Seattle hasn't done--that's why I'm running," Preston says.