City council president Tim Burgess is Seattle’s Tywin Lannister. (That’s a Game of Thrones reference, people. Seriously, hold up photos of them side by side. THEY’RE LIKE TWIN BEADY-EYED BALDING EAGLES.) But Tim’s resemblance to the power behind the Iron Throne goes beyond the physical: Both are ruthless, condescending men with a firm grip on power.
Burgess does terrible things with his power. He’s backed the disastrous downtown tunnel project, opposed local progressive taxation measures while hypocritically complaining about the state’s regressive tax system, tried and failed to criminalize panhandling, shot down campaign finance reform, and voted against funding homeless encampments. His signature project, a universal prekindergarten program for kids, is a huge achievement—but it would have been easier to celebrate if Burgess had managed to tamp down his condescend-o-meter and collaborate with local daycare workers’ unions instead of ending up in an epic fight with them. Seattle needs to harness the energy of grassroots progressives in order to address growing wealth inequality and a housing market that’s spiraling out of control. But Burgess hates grassroots lefties. You can read it on his ruthless, condescending face.
We want to see Jonathan “the rent is too damn high” Grant on the city council dais instead.
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