Comments

2
Under the cheat sheet it says ballots are due November 8th. Pretty sure these are endorsements for the primary... maybe lay off the pot lozenges?
3
Hasegawa is anti-transit. Says Sound Transit lied to voters (which is not true). Voted against the distracted driving law. Oh, and took the full per diem allowance even though he wasn't in Olympia during the special sessions. Did it last year too. So count him in with the candidates who aren't qualified to be mayor.

But great reporting as always from The Stranger. Agree with #1 - seems it's totally cool to objectify people if they aren't [insert whatever SECB thinks isn't OK to make fun of].

At least they've gone a step above endorsing "whomever made the best weed reference." Was half expecting a Durkan endorsement from Dan Savage's veto over the rest of the paper (kind of like when they endorsed Adam "Clusterbomb the Blind Children" Smith and completely ignored the challenger in the room).
4
I would say I'm disappointed in the Cary Moon mayoral endorsement, but frankly, I was expecting worse. I was expecting some sort of split/dual endorsement between Nikkita Oliver and God-knows-who-else. At least I'm heartened to see: "We could live with Mayor Jessyn Farrell—one or two SECB members might go rogue and vote for her..."

While Moon's platform may be, as the endorsement says, "All good shit," I happen to think Jessyn Farrell's platform is "better shit," but beyond that, unlike Moon, Farrell has a record of "getting shit done."

In part this is a reflection of the stellar track record Farrell has built up in the state legislature. It's a shame that Moon has gone the Mike McGinn route and decided that Mayor of Seattle is the first elected office she's seeking. And look how that turned out with McGinn.

But this is also a reflection of Jessyn Farrell having built up a political career of finding solutions to problems and getting people together to get those solutions implemented. And that goes back to her role in in the transportation world before she ran for office.
5
Cont. @4...

In contrast, Cary Moon's one memorable contribution to political life, also in transportation, was to champion the so-called "surface+transit option" when the city was debating how to replace the viaduct. Of course, Moon's alternative never happened and was never going to happen. At best it was a worthwhile contribution to the discussion. At worst, it was a purist, quixotic distraction from the more pressing concern of making sure that, one way or another, we were not going to get another goddam viaduct on our waterfront; at worst, "surface+transit" divided the forces opposed to a new viaduct.

Is Cary Moon's current campaign another purist, quixotic quest that will only divide the more progressive votes that stand in the way of a Chris Gregoire clone for mayor? (Who's Chris Gregoire you might ask? I guess I've been living here too long.) Well, everybody's entitled to run for office. I tend to see the pro-city progressive vote getting split between Farrell, McGinn, and Moon. Will one of those three even make it through to the general? And of those three, who's best equipped to beat Durkan? I'm certain the worst equipped is Cary Moon. Well, at least a Mayor Durkan is not as bad a thing as a new viaduct.
6
Jon Grant? The SECB has really jumped the shark this time. You want MORE from a female candidate who is far superior in every single way? Who is not a single issue candidate? Who has a public health background and community ties and experience she didn't steal from others? Good grief SECB, just admit that you're going to come out ahead if you have a penis.
7
The main problem I have with the SECB's endorsements is that they've decided to allow comments on it. The main problem that I have with myself is that I decided to come here to see what the comments said.
8
nrutas @3, agreed on Hasegawa. He and Oliver are the two candidates who are so far out there, I would not hesitate to vote for Durkan if either of them made it through the primary.

And there are just so many ways to slice up the non-Durkan vote, it's entirely possible that Hasegawa or Oliver could make it through. Bob Hasegawa really does occupy his own strange niche. In my own mind, I put him in the conservative swim lane with Durkan, but then when I shared that take with a real old-school Dem, she recoiled. "No, Bob's as progressive as they come."
9
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that we shouldn't vote for Oliver because she would be painted as inexperienced compared to Durkan, yet somehow Moon has a chance. Don't get me wrong, I think she'd make a great mayor, but the biggest accomplishment on her resume is "fought for a better downtown waterfront". Last time I checked we got a $4+ billion tunnel and an eight-lane superhighway on the waterfront. Her heart is in the right place and she deserves credit for her innovative housing policy ideas (I hope someone runs with the vacancy/speculation tax), but I'm not convinced that she has the political instincts necessary to succeed as mayor.

Jessyn Farrell has all the same values and policy positions as Moon, but a longer track record of actual accomplishments and experience crafting and moving legislation. It will be a lot harder for Durkan to paint herself as the "experienced" candidate against Farrell compared to Moon. It's too bad Farrell hasn't had the time to get chummy with the Good Old Boys of the SECB like Moon apparently has.
10
The description of Jon Grant as a "ongoing nightmare for the landlord lobby" is grimly hilarious. His 25% MHA is likely to kill efforts to increase the housing supply, as it is in San Francisco. That's a huge gift to current landlords, as it makes sure hte shortage remains acute enough for them to continue to raise rents astronomically. His plans to empower tenants pale in their potential impact compared to this. We can all cheer along with his rent control demands, but it's grandstanding, as Olympia will never give us that option (and he--and you--know it).

What a cynical, embarrassing endorsement. Vote Teresa.
11
Jon Grant refused to debate Secrest on housing or any other topic.
12
Oh, and the "Overton Window" is cocktail-napkin bullshit.

Here's what Grant's beloved policy is doing to housing in San Francisco. There's a reason the feudalist NIMBY wealthy white homeowners in places like Wallingford are among Grants biggest donors; Grant's faux-lefty pose is their best chance to enact their NIMBY, anti-housing, anti-renter agenda, since advocating for it directly can't attract enough votes to win. The SECB used to be smart about this stuff.
14
david jw, tell us how you really feel.

"There's a reason the feudalist NIMBY wealthy white homeowners in places like Wallingford are among Grants biggest donors" is one of the most laughably ridiculous things I've read in awhile. He's been rocking the democracy voucher program more than anyone else. It's pretty awesome.

The less someone knows Jon, the more willing they are to call him faux/false/whatever. To those of us who have worked with him, received his help as tenants, or know him as a friend and regular human being outside of politics, these attacks on his character or intentions rings wildly, wildly hollow.

I may not be voting for Teresa, and I may find Sara Nelson's candidacy genuinely troubling, but when people ask me why I never even consider disingenuously maligning them like that. It's a garbage way to approach civic discourse, and I like to believe that our community at large is largely better than that.
15
I write a public education blog - Seattle Schools Community Forum - and I interviewed all the Board candidates and 6 of the 8 top candidates for mayor.

I think The Stranger has it right with a few exceptions (this is from the public education POV):

Mayor - Durkan didn't give me an interview but told the 36th Dems -twice - that the School Board was a problem to her. No to Durkan.

McGinn, Farrell and Oliver all had a good grasp of public school issues in Seattle with the nod to Oliver for having an entire page about education at her campaign website.

District IV - The Stranger and the Times (and me) all on the same page? Yup. Eden Mack IS the wonkest of wonks and will be great on the Board.

District V - I think three candidates - Alec Cooper, Andre Helmstetter and Zachary DeWolf are all good candidates. I give the nod more to Cooper and Helmstetter purely on their deep knowledge of the district; the learning curve to be a Board director is huge. But DeWolf's commitment to social justice issues for all kids is great. (Just don't vote for Omar Vasquez - quite the schemer and big charter supporter - he sits on the board of a charter school group!)

District VII: Betty Patu. Hands down. Betty is not your typical leader - she doesn't work hard to get attention and she's not a smooth speaker. But so often at Board meetings, she cuts thru the edu-jargon and bullshit and gets right to the point. Plus her institutional knowledge of this district - from working in it and now with it - is a big plus. Byers is a nice but bland person who does not know this district (she hasn't even lived in Seattle that long).

To note, if you voted the Seattle Times way, the School Board would go from three POC down to one.
16
The members of the Stranger Election Control Board should be identified somewhere. If they are named, I cannot find it.
18
Also: 14 "shit" and 13 "fuck" — come on you can do better than that!
19
I appreciate the mention in the District IV seat endorsement for Eden Mack. I agree that Eden is very well qualified for the position. I would love your feedback (if you have some detail) on what I could have done better to make my key points less platitude-like and more action-based. You can shoot me an email at hello@citizenmeg.com with any notes. - Megan Locatelli Hyska
20
Dear Stranger and your Rabble,

I am loathe to think of a more poorly written, sophomoric and imbecilic endorsement article. I do realize this "McHipster" rag, seen in every major market as a bastion of cool, which is to say, it is a collection of homogeneous bilge designed to inform the fringe they are relevant and have a voice is erroneously read source of news, but this is beyond tolerable. How's that for an opener, you collection of Denebian slime devils?

I am certain any candidate who did not get mentioned in this article is breathing a sigh of relief. Who in the world would want their name, let alone reputation, sullied by the mere hint of fraternity in this collection of lunatic buncomb. What makes this all the more insidious is the fact that this article was actually approved by some editor. I suppose they are busy laying out the section for escorts and weed stores and this slipped by their keen eye.

This comment was not born out of shock and outrage that a credible news source had momentarily spun off it's rails, far from it! I write this because I see scant difference between this and how our president got elected. Electing officials to represent us is a somber, serious task, and should not be placed in the hands of the lazy and foolish. (that's you, The Stranger, in case you missed the heavy ladle of insult I just heaped.) Instead of clear headed, sober and dare I make the foolhardy request, EDUCATED evaluation of the candidates we get this dribbling mass.

In closing I believe anyone who reads this and doesn't see it as anything other than fresh liner for the bird cage gets what they deserve.

With all the sincerity I can muster,

Jeff
21
Wow. Seriously you are going to reduce Hisam to his "tits"? No mention of his plans for healthcare? Or any of his other numerous, well thought out and cohesive policies?
And frankly, I'm aghast you picked Jon Grant. He takes up a lot of space he shouldn't. Or maybe he should take up more space. Maybe what *should* take up space with Jon Grant is a honest conversation about what exactly happened during his time (and not -time, then time again) at the Tenants Union.
22
@20: Somehow you missed every other endorsement issue we've ever done, ever.
23
@22. Well, I suppose that's a reason, argument, something. If this is the best you can do, I apologize for bringing it to your attention. As is often said in the dating world, "it's not you, it's me."
24
@15 thanks for that -- I have a hard time getting a handle on school board so I really appreciate comments from education geeks.

@19 much respect for wading in here, but you can't ask somebody else to hand you a list of concrete actions you're passionate about!

@1 I don't know, I don't think we heard much about what the men were wearing hardly at all.
25
@24 seriously? Did you read the same article I did?
DOCTOR Hisam got reduced to his tits. His goddamned tits. This is a man who has worked to empower women, started clinics and initiatives the world over, a man who has concrete and well thought out policy ideas for moving Seattle forward and keeping us healthy. Did we hear about any of that? No. We heard *ABOUT HIS TITS* and yes now I'm shouting because the more I sit with this the angrier I get.
26
Dr. Hisam Goueli was voted by most of his "colleagues" (competitors) at one of the forums as the most "if not you, who" candidate. Dr. Goueli is the candidate most of the other candidates would want to see advance to the general election, if not themselves. Hisam is an outstanding person for his intellect, his compassion, is extraordinary ability to say and do precisely the right things that matter at the right times. He is well versed on a wide range of issues and aptly explained one of the questions at another forum (far outside his professional expertise) to another of the candidates and the audience. His fresh, truly compassionate approach is badly needed and overdue. Hisam will make an excellent city council member, should he be given the respect that his life's work commands. Voters, residents and the Stranger should respect candidates like Hisam Goueli, whose courage in running for public office is something we should all be proud to support. Vote Hisam Goueli for City Council.
27
As a postscript to my earlier, unexpurgated response I would like to suggest that Charlene Strong (thankfully not mentioned in this article) be considered as a viable candidate. She has spent the better part of 10 years as an advocate (not activist, as she's not some dabbling dilettante) for issues such as LGBT rights and homelessness. She, and this is probably why she has been overlooked by this article, is a voice of reason, not some polarizing, hollow voiced promiser. I suppose if she was guaranteeing free unicorn rides and candy filled streets she might have garnered your interest.

I am certain a number of people have caught the same whiff of bile as I while reading the feckless prose foisted upon the readers, so I offer this simple suggestion:

Vote Charlene Strong for city council, Position 8.
28
Grant seems kind of like a rich kid socialist. I went to his website and despite plenty of claim, the only concrete accomplishment I saw was "saving" the Tenants Union (isn't that city funded so they got more funding?) His accomplishments seem thin... and it's odd he's the white guy they did choose. Must be the Socialist thing.
29
@20 - you must be new to town. It's been this way forever, not just recently. And the Stranger does have a lot of influence. I used to pay close attention to it, but since they got on the Sawant bandwagon I'm over it. Young dreamers need a newspaper too.
30
@26 At the "Growing Seattle" forum sponsored by Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and others, Hisam explained "rapid rehousing" to Bob Hasegawa, who had sputtered for several seconds before falling back on "A municipal bank would help with that!"
31
@6 @21 oh look everyone, it's Nicole "everyone I don't like is 'taking up space'" Grant!

@8 an "old school dem" doesn't know what the word "progressive" means, so of course they think Bob "Basically causes with Republicans" Hasegawa is "as progressive as they come." don't lump Nikkita in with this anti-transit loon.

@10 did you not see the study out today that shows that "let developers do whatever they want / supply side housing" is causing the SF shortage??? 25% mandatory affordable housing works just fine in cities like New York and Chicago.

@28 I don't think you actually read much... if you continue, there are more. the Triad scandal, and numerous apartment buildings Jon helped organized into tenant-owned properties, saving countless people from being displaced and priced out of Seattle. he also helped lead I-732 to victory, increasing the state minimum wage and bringing paid sick leave to everyone (long before Inslee signed similar policies into law). what have his opponents accomplished?
32
I think Nikita Oliver should challenge Harrel for his seat and serve a term on council, then run for Mayor. She needs to learn how the process works and prove herself. As it is, she is borderline Sawant, and we've got enough of that mess.
33
Dr. Hisam Goueli was voted by most of his "colleagues" (competitors) at one of the forums as the most "if not you, who" candidate. Dr. Goueli is the candidate most of the other candidates would want to see advance to the general election, if not themselves.

I think you need to be a little more cynical about the motivations of politicians. If they boost one of the candidates who might actually win, that's an unforced error that might hurt them. Goueli is a) a great guy who's hard to dislike and b) not seen as a serious threat to win. That makes him the most politically save answer by far. It might actually be true that he really is their second choice after themselves, but they'd probably say that regardless.
34
@31. Cute. I don't know Nicole Grant, but I do know that Jon Grant was the executive director at the tenants union. The guy that hires and fires and manages employees, not an organizer. And other places seem to be uncovering that Grant didn't manage employees very well. It's true though that I wasn't aware that Jon Grant organized any tenant buildings into tenant ownership in Seattle, which ones? That would be a major accomplishment if it's true, but somehow in this expensive city I have my doubts about whether that's the case or if you're confusing that with the work of other people.
35
@29: Is that it? Young dreamers? If The Stranger is where their dreams lay we are most assuredly doomed. I was informed by a friend of mine that staff of The Stranger is "a bunch of pudgy middle-aged taxpaying dads." So it is safe to assume the old guard is bottling and selling youth culture and ideology like so much dish washing detergent?
36
@31, could you post a link to that study? I am interested to know more. Thx.
37
@31 links or GTFO. Even the SECB's endorsement itself acknowledges that Grant/SA's 25% is at best an "ask high, settle where you wanted" negotiating strategem. Whatever you think of that tactic, even his campaign doesn't (or shouldn't) think that arbitrary percentage is anything more than a demagogic rallying-cry. Here is a good summary of why comparing NY and SF affordability numbers to Seattle's is like comparing apples to hammers: http://www.michaelmaddux.org/blog-1/2017…

Since there's like six co-ops left in Seattle and I've only heard Cary Moon talking about Community Land Trusts this election cycle, I'd like to see some documentation about "numerous apartment buildings Jon helped organized into tenant-owned properties" because that sounds, on the face of it, like utter bullshit.
39
@38: At the risk of being branded pedantic, you misspelled "garbage." Thought you might like to know. Based on how much effort you put into your comment I see you clearly understand words mean things.
40
Little-known fact: Many Eastsiders read the Stranger too.

Hopefully somewhat better-known fact: There's a rather important race happening in the 45th Legislative District, as in it could flip the state Senate, which would mean that the entire West Coast becomes a "wall of blue" to stop Trump. And anything that annoys the Orange One is worth doing.

Yes, I know these are the primary endorsements and the 45th district primary is a foregone conclusion...but as you said above, people are itching to vote NOW, and voting for Manka Dhingra in the primary is good practice for voting for her *again* in November.
41
I guess I'm officially old. I'm not voting for nearly all of these people.
42
Jon Grant hasn't answered how he would address the illegal encampments and hold social service providers accountable to actually house the homeless rather than toss them between shelters or leave them in encampments like the Jungle (a Sawant solution by the way). He has no ideas about how to actually get the homeless housed and is floating failed housing policies as ideas for creating affordable housing. He will be expected to line up with Sawant and what we need are real solutions that manage the tension between helping the least among us and respecting those of us who pay the bills. That's who I'm voting for: a candidate that can show me how they'd do that. Stranger picks? Not a single one of them can do that.
43
Thanks, Stranger, this is a real public service. I'm always delighted to see your list of candidates I can eliminate from consideration right away.
44
School Board endorsements: A++. Thank you.
45
@#32

Catalina, as always is spot on.
46
@#4

Yes, exactly.

My wish Mayor Farrell with Cary in a key policy/advisory role.
47
I'm with @4 and @5. While I think Moon is very smart, and would make a great city council member, I don't think she would be a good mayor (yet). She probably wouldn't be as bad as McGinn, but still suffer from the same fundamental problem: lack of experience. This lack of experience also means she has a very low chance of actually being elected. The only person happier than Moon about this endorsement is Jenny Durkan. If this endorsement has any influence at all, she will face off with someone who has never held elected office, and whose most famous political battle was a losing one. (A battle, by the way, so poorly argued that most had no idea what it actually entailed or that the committee formed to look at the issue recommended it). It is isn't enough to be right -- if you are a politician, you have to be able to convince people that you are right.

On the other hand, Farrell -- who shares the same opinion on most of the issues as Moon -- would be a much tougher candidate. She is arguably more qualified than Durkan, thus removing one of the stronger arguments for voting for Durkan. The so called "outsider cred" is really not a decent argument for voting for someone. It is a strong argument to vote against them.
48
@ 31

Chicago's MHA requirement is 10%, not 25%. NYC's is 25%, but the housing produced is magnitudes less affordable and the program is much more generous to developers. Seattle MHA units are required to be affordable to people making 60% of median income, and in return developers get to add ten feet to their buildings. NYC's "affordable housing" is defined as affordable to people making 150% of median income, and developers get to double the height of their buildings.

These policies are a lot more complicated than just the raw percentage of "affordable" housing, which is a pretty meaningless number, because there's no universally agreed-upon definition of affordable. Jon, Nikita, and Cary's insistence on 25% is totally arbitrary.
49
I'm struck by the consistency in the comments about the Mayoral and Council choices. SECB is rendering itself increasingly useless for the progressive community. I'll start with Council: for a publication that believes (as I do) that we need more representation of women and people of color in elected office, the decision to choose a privileged cis straight white man in a field of strong diversity and qualification is striking. In contrast to Mosqueda, you've endorsed an individual who literally does not have a record, and for those who've worked with him at the Tenants Union, the reports are amazingly and consistently negative. Mosqueda in contrast has attracted the endorsement of respected labor unions who've worked with both of them. The Council endorsement runs against both effectiveness, consistency in values, and a record of actually doing something. Vote Mosqueda, or someone else qualified in this race, not Grant. I'll be voting for Mosqueda.

Now for Mayor, again, you've chosen the most privileged white cis gender straight woman in the race, in a field of strong talent. A field with more talent than the Council seat. You've literally chosen the individual who explained her rationale for running in your own pages, as being able to self-finance. You've chosen someone has zero record of accomplishment. She was unsuccessful in opposing the tunnel, which is now complete. She claims to have planned Pioneer Square in her one TV ad that I saw, which is a bizarre claim and likely unsubstantiated. I believe that Pioneer Square predates her. I'm really not sure what she's achieved, other than a policy position around taxing vacant apartments and a higher tax on foreign real estate investment. Fine. That's a fine idea but at best it's .01% of the root cause of rising housing prices in Seattle. As a publication that cares of urban policy and density, it feels like you're wedded to a strange red herring. I am personally voting for Farrell who has a strong record and a dozen reasons to support her. I also understand why, as a progressive, to support Oliver. That makes sense to me too. I'll support either of them against Durkan.

Congratulations Stranger, you chose the two most privileged people to endorse for the two most competitive and impactful races in 2017. That seems consistent. You decided to ignore actual records of people who do things that positively impact the lives of real people. In fact, it seems that you value purity over the records of people who've actually done something, and god forbid, developed an actual record in the world. Good work!!!

And finally, your Moon Mayoral endorsement is literally a giveaway to Durkan in this race.
50
Moon 4 mayor seriously? Nikkita Oliver ALL THE WAY. She's got the wind at her back, you guys must not have attended the packed launch event @ Wa Hall. She entered the race when everyone thought it would be crazy, and if you met with her, you know the kind of person she is.
That said, thank you for (sort of) apologizing for calling Mr. Grant a serial-killer, and acknowledging he is exactly what the city needs right now to replace Burgess.
51
NYC's is 25%, but the housing produced is magnitudes less affordable and the program is much more generous to developers.

Yeah, "affordable" is up to 150% AMI. Also, double the heights. And Manhattan is mostly exempt.

San Francisco is much more comparable to what Oliver and Grant are proposing, and it's a disaster.
52
Staring at the current cover (also included above) as I sip my americano has upset my stomach. All the central figures are smiling -- except for Bob Hasegawa, dead center, lips curling downward with his teeth clenched, eyes inscrutably narrowed. Unlike the other figures his neck is hunched, wormlike. Put a mlilitary cap on him and he would be right at home in a WWII US propaganda poster -- as Tojo, perhaps.

Shame on illustrator Danny Hellman and shame on the Stranger.
53
Team McGinn!
54
@20 for someone talking about "educated" and yet you don't know the difference between "it's" and "its"? Hard to take you seriously. (Plus that breathlessly offended tone.)
55
Staring at the current cover (also included above) as I sip my americano has upset my stomach. All the central figures are smiling -- except for Bob Hasegawa, dead center, lips curling downward with his teeth clenched, eyes inscrutably narrowed. Unlike the other figures his neck is hunched, wormlike. Put a mlilitary cap on him and he would be right at home in a WWII US propaganda poster -- as Tojo, perhaps.

Shame on illustrator Danny Hellman and shame on the Stranger.
56
Cory Moon??? Jon Grant??? Bwa-ha-haHaaaa! Too too funny. And do you have editors there? Has anyone mentioned how sag-ass tired your phony breezy used-to-be-cute writing style has become?

Cory Moon for mayor Jesus fucking Christ. I'm off to grab some pot lozenges.
59
Maybe we should have elected Sound Transit Boards to elect Jessyn Farrell to them...

In the interim, board the #JessynTrain to Sound Transit Board! GO JESSYN! GO SOUND TRANSIT!
60
Y'all shit the bed on a bunch of endorsements, not that that's a surprise given that it's AMATEUR HOUR EVERY DAY AT THE STRANGER.... But WTF is up with picking the random white dude for Port Pos. 1? The easy pick is Bea Querido-Rico, who checks every box the Stranger usually wants all of us to check, except for the "this is who we want blowing cocaine up our asses with a straw". Get your shit together, SECB!
61
F'ing hilarious. I was just arguing with my partner last night for his "voting doesn't do anything" attitude. Why people conflate national, state and local politics is beyond me. Thanks Stranger!
62
This is a great list, thank you. I will ensure to NOT vote for any these idiots that you support. Read between the lines on the art-related tax alone and you can see that the majority of the money goes to non-artistic endeavors (but yes, do go one about the importance of visiting the zoo...).

Liberalism has turned into nothing more than an echo chamber of feel-good politically-popular comments and programs that cost real money to taxpayers in return for nothing.

Oh, and "undocumented migrants"? As with almost any other country in the world, they should be deported. If they want change, they should affect change in their own countries first.
63
It is unfair that your publication did not acknowledge that there is another viable candidate for Port of Seattle Commissioner Position 3: Lisa Espinosa. Many people don't even know that publications such as yours make it impossible for those working full-time jobs, and commuting two hours a day, to get their message out to the community since you only want to interview them when they are trying to make a living.

Politics already is filled with people like Bowman. Espinosa is the only working class candidate who is not only a life-long Seattleite but who favors building the arena and seeing the Sonics return to town. Yes, she is not the most experienced politician, but as the saying goes, everyone is until you actually get elected! Bowman is partially responsible for the corruption mess that took place under her watch. She could have stood up but didn't. Go to www.vote4lisa.com to learn about an ethical, alternate candidate.
64
It is unfair that your publication did not acknowledge that there is another viable candidate for Port of Seattle Commissioner Position 3: Lisa Espinosa. Many people don't even know that publications such as yours make it impossible for those working full-time jobs, and commuting two hours a day, to get their message out to the community since you only want to interview them when they are trying to make a living.

Politics already is filled with people like Bowman. Espinosa is the only working class candidate who is not only a life-long Seattleite but who favors building the arena and seeing the Sonics return to town. Yes, she is not the most experienced politician, but as the saying goes, everyone is until you actually get elected! Bowman is partially responsible for the corruption mess that took place under her watch. She could have stood up but didn't. Go to www.vote4lisa.com to learn about an ethical, alternate candidate.
65
Ok, I'm looking at the Port Commissioner candidates currently ... watched all their video presentations (and know very little about the port) and I appreciate some of the insights behind your support for Calkins. But how come you write a summary and mention ONLY the two MALE candidates - and don't even sigh a breath about EITHER of the two FEMALE candidates? Sexist, a bit? Along with your objectification of your chosen candidate (granted, satiric) as a Ken doll???

If anyone can refer me for further information on the female candidates, please share. Thank you.
66
@65 P.S. You also mention there was a sexual harassment at the Port. AND you then fully ignore any mention or discussion of the women candidates? They don't exist?
67
@66 How many women do they hire on average with these jobs the Port is supposedly producing? Do they hire older women? Younger women? What's their batting average been, given this sordid sexual harassment tale in the land of "liberalism?"
68
A word to those thinking you can simply compare NY and Seattle housing costs. Don't forget that salaries are much higher in NYC in relation to those housing costs. I find 25% low.

I was also perplexed by the reticence of all the mayoral candidates during the televised debate (King 5) on "rent control" while all were falling in (lock, stock & barrel) supporting "rent stabilization." Looking up these terms, they're employed rather loosely and interchangeably. Does anyone have insight or understanding as to how they view the differences between these two terms?

Because - in the NYC and surrounding areas - they have been aggressive in ways about rent control/rent stablization - meaning that they can't raise the rent beyond a certain percentage each year. And, we're talking about a few percentage points - 2-3 percent in some places, with people so furious that there were rent freezes - they weren't allowed to raise them at all. And it was taken quite calmly as a matter of fact.

Here, the rent increases are extraordinary percentages. This is insane. And rent control is illegal by state law? That makes no sense.

So someone explain to me how you have stage filled (presumably) with liberals and progressives - and not one of them will step forward as a mayoral candidate and support 'rent control.'

What am I missing?
69
Reduced to a Ken Doll - come on Stranger you can do better than that. You had two women in the room, one a former state senator and the other an engineer from MIT. No mention of the women, and your selection is based on a pre man bun Ken Doll. The women brought up the issue of the long walk between the Sound Transit and the Airport, not the Ken Doll.
71
Question for The Stranger: Where is a video clip ANYWHERE of Ahmed Abdi or Lisa Espinosa - Port of Seattle/Commissioner Position 3 - speaking on camera??? You're endorsing Mr. Abdi and I notice some others endorsing him - and he has a nice website - but the only video I can find is a local foreign language news piece interview without any English subtitles access. He did not submit a video statement for SeattleChannel.org (neither did Lisa Espinosa, for whom I can't anything at all beyond her website). Can your editors encourage him to submit a video piece for voters before Aug 1st? I don't want to vote for Stephanie Bowman because of Shell, but I don't want to park my brain, either. Can you help out with this - and show us more as to why we should believe you? Maybe you could encourage Lisa Espinosa, too?
72
It's now the 24th and I still don't see any video or youtube statement from Mr. Abdi or Lisa Espinosa running for the Port position. I find this troubling. One of the problems with our elections is the money and propaganda dominating the air waves. When you have a (presumably) free service at Seattle Channel for ANY candidates to get up and make a statement to the public, I'd think that candidates who understand that this is EXACTLY what we need in elections - and while getting the money out - would get in there and answer to the public. It's called showing yourself to be answerable to, and accountable to the public.

But I see these two, one of whom has some major endorsements - doesn't even bother.

There's something wrong with that. I see that for other candidates too. If you don't even bother to take advantage of a free television service for candidates running for local office - to stick your face and statement up there for TWO MINUTES, even - if you can't even bother to tell the people of Seattle - face on in a FREE video - why I should vote for you - then I can't be bothered either!

No wonder Bowman is looking happier than a PRIS during her statement. While it's also, BTW, totally free for candidates to stick up youtube channels.

Guess my ballot on that position will be BLANK or a write in for .. Greenpeace? Ben Franklin?
73
On your Prop, see that piece where they closed comments for SAM and its 35 dollar exhibit "Walking Into Infinity?" When is SAM special exhibits, the Pacific Science Center and the Aquarium going to open its doors to ALL children, families and Seattle residents on First Thursdays? Heck, you don't even have to do it for tourists - if you check IDs for residency.

I'm NOT voting for this Prop. I support funding for the arts and sciences, but this is NOT the way to do it. I have rising rent, ridiculously expensive car tabs - something The Stranger pushed for while we struggle financially to meet these unfair expenses.

All of you faux liberals - grow a pair and get an income tax on the wealthy. Put through rent control. And get rid of these UNJUST UNAFFORDABLE car tabs - take transportation out of the marijuana revenue while also making the wealthy pay their fair share - make these incredibly well endowed museums contribute, for a change, by participating in First Thursdays.

VOTE NO.
74
@73 Plus, tell these museums, if they don't already, to set aside slots for classrooms to go in for free. So they can go on other days besides First Thursdays. Since this is supposed to be about field trips.
75
I'm voting for Teresa Mosqueda.
... I've had the good fortune of seeing Mosqueda at work at the Washington State Labor Commission conventions so Ive seen first hand that she's an intelligent, knowledgeable, articulate, and tireless advocate for working class issues. Grant deserves our support and appreciation for his efforts in housing but there's no doubt in my mind that Mosqueda will be solid and effective in a broader range of working class issues (including housing). Mosqueda's candidacy is a great opportunity for us.
76
I love this. I now precisely whom to not vote for.
77
No to prop 1 and HELL no. just say no to another greedy proggy tax rubber stamped by this LeftRag
78
I'm writing in Jill Stein
79
@69

I was thinking the exact same thing. Bea Querido-Rico seems worlds more qualified than Calkins, and her approach to the position more informed. Is it because Calkins has a bunch of endorsements from Dems? Am I missing something here?
80
My theory is that The Stranger endorsed Cary Moon, at least in part, because if anything abruptly ends her political career, they'd be able to use "Goodnight, Moon" as the headline.

Please wait...

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