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With the race for the District 3 seat on the Seattle City Council to replace veteran representative Kshama Sawant in the home stretch and ballots for the November 7th election hitting mailboxes this week, every question seems to come around to a single issue: public safety.
In last week’s debate at the Broadway Performance Hall, the candidates were asked to rate their feeling of safety in Seattle on a 1 to 10 scale.
“I’m at a 1,” Joy Hollingsworth said, choosing the lowest end of the range for a city she says has public safety concerns at the top of every campaign issues — homelessness, addiction, affordability, and, yes, crime.
“I don’t need to fear monger,” she said, saying she supports the Harrell administration’s plan to increase Seattle’s police force by more than 50%.
Her challenger tried to take a more Seattle approach. Alex Hudson refused to provide a number to the TV news reporters brought in by the Seattle City Club and the GSBA to moderate the D3 debate. Instead, the candidate attempted nuance. Depending on the day, she said, she sees too much disorder. Her solutions? In her minute, Hudson described a Seattle social safety net that extended far beyond the walls of the East Precinct with shelters and housing “making sure everyone can come inside,” addiction treatment at “health hubs,” and the creation of an “effective alternative response to police officers.”
Pressed again, Hudson still would not put a number on her public safety rating for the city. She said crime left her sad and disappointed, “sometimes afraid,” but she refused to put a number on that fear.
- PUBLIC SAFETY — Police in schools, increased staffing, and arrest alternatives: District 3 candidates for Seattle City Council address public safety after deadly shooting and bursts of gun violence
- DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABILITY: Redlining, upzones, and a NIMBY letter — District 3 candidates spar over development and growth
- DRUG LAW: How would the District 3 candidates have voted on the Seattle public drug use and treatment legislation? Yes and No
- CAMPAIGNING: From 22nd and Pine to the wraparound porches of Denny Blaine, the candidates hit the streets of District 3
- More…
Hudson
The numbers may be stacked against her. Last week, the debate moderators were armed with the most recent crime stats showing D3’s Capitol Hill neighborhood with a dubious distinction. Capitol Hill has had more than 1,600 violent and nonviolent offenses reported so far this year, the highest of any neighborhood. Last year, Seattle marked a 15-year high in its violent crime rate.
With that backdrop, it is not surprising Hollingsworth has done well in debates and forums centering on public safety. The Black, queer, Central District cannabis entrepreneur and community leader is also the mayor’s choice, winning Mayor Bruce Harrell’s endorsement and leading the way with the most financial contributions to her campaign as she has championed middle of the road progressive positions and a tendency toward accessible takes and straightforward answers and solutions that veer toward a more centrist approach to the council. She has said she would support Harrell’s plan for increased spending on SPD staffing while calling for more accountability at the department.
The on the street, lived approach was on display last week as Hollingsworth mixed calls for supporting increased SPD spending with small safety improvements like upgrading lighting in Cal Anderson to fight the Capitol Hill crime stat spike.
Around 135 crimes per day have been reported in Seattle in 2023
Hudson’s campaign, meanwhile, will live and die by policy.
First Hill’s Hudson, formerly the leader of the neighborhood improvement association and the head of the Transportation Choices Coalition transit advocacy group, has spent her campaign time solidifying her position as a wonk with first-hand experience shaping legislation and the political process around it. Her advocacy for public transit and “upzones everywhere across the city” has set her apart from Hollingsworth who has also called for the development of more housing in the city but in more moderate forms like ADUs that are, she says, less likely to lead to displacement.
But Hudson has taken punches from the Hollingsworth camp for her tepid rejection of the defund movement — Hudson has said it was poorly crafted legislation and does not support the Harrell administration’s push for more cops. At last week’s debate, Hudson said the answer to lowering Capitol Hill’s crime totals was not more police. The East Precinct is right there, she said. The city needs real alternatives to policing, Hudson said, citing the need for “full, better solutions” like new behavioral health centers.
Hudson’s platform calls for “on-demand health, housing, and social services to create root cause, lasting solutions,” a “co-responder model of housing connectors, behavioral and mental health specialists, and social workers,” more spending on community violence prevention programs, and “a reformed and accountable police force.”
Hollingsworth
Hollingsworth, meanwhile, has led with public safety in her campaign and has said she believes SPD’s staffing needs to be fully restored. Her priorities include reducing 911 response times “for all priority calls,” addressing Fire, EMT, Police and CARE team staffing shortages, spending more on Health One funding and treatment resources for the Seattle Fire Department, expanding the community resource officer program. She has also said she will “prioritize police accountability, upholding high standards, and providing transparent oversight” but has not offered specific plans.
Both have said they would support increased funding for city “violence intervention” programs, and would oppose a new police officer contract that doesn’t grant the Office of Police Accountability and Office of Inspector General subpoena powers in conduct investigations.
Hollingsworth also does not support the move of parking enforcement out of SPD while Hudson is a proponent.
Whether the D3 race will truly turn out to be a single-issue election is a big question. Forecasting based on the August primary’s results indicates the vote will be a nail-biter with Hollingsworth showing strength across the Central District and making strong inroads into the Capitol Hill cores where Sawant showed such electoral power in the past. For voters who cast their ballots thinking about public safety first, the choice will be about emphasizing a full social response that deemphasizes traditional policing in favor of a health, addiction, and housing approach — or an approach that puts policing and crime at number one.
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Hollingsworth is much more in tune with the actual issues here. She was well prepared for the debate and actually answered the moderators questions instead of just repeating the problem with performative empathy like Hudson. Hollingsworth just has common sense, something the city council has been lacking the past few years.
Joy actually listens to community when we say we dont feel safe. I dont know how you dont answer that question but Alex really sad a lot while saying nothing at all.
Alex Hudson been all over the place on this issue. she told the stranger she supported defunding the police in 2020, and that was earlier this year. now she’s saying it was a mistake. what made you change your mind? it’s okay to say you were wrong, the last thing we need on city council is someone who can’t make a decision.. it’s what got us in this mess to begin with
More like she is realizing what an unpopular position that is and is now backtracking to appear more moderate and garner votes. I would expect if elected she would move back to her defund position.
If I had to vote based on this article alone, Hollingsworth has my vote and support.
Hudson is the clear winner of this. Hollingsworth cares about bottom lines of rich business owners and not what’s best for Capitol Hill.
Hollingsworth understands the actual problem is a comprehensive approach rather than the same thing we’ve been getting from the city. Hollingsworth has talked about addressing the root cause of crime while Hudson wants to repeat the same things that have us dealing with the current crime wave.
Absolutely! Hollingsworth has a comprehensive, holistic plan! She has my vote!! She is who we need!
That’s a fact
When she said that her safety is a “one” outta 10, I thought “Oh you poor baby. Driving past it all on your way to wherever it is she goes.” “How does she make it out of the house with that fear?”
It’s s o phoney and it’s clear she has NO solutions beyond “More cops, more money, more cops, more money…” Then claim she ain’t “fear mongering”. She can’t remember the lie she just told 5 minutes ago!
WTF. According to this very news outlet, she lives in the Central District, home of weekly drive-bys. It’s so bizarre to watch woke ideology spin so far off track that we are now boo-hoo-poor-babying black women in the CD for feeling unsafe. So she figured out how to make a few bucks and live a little better. She couldn’t be further from mega money power, but you are treating her like Bezos. Bizarre. So you like the other candidate better, BFD. You don’t need to brand her as a phony and a liar. Jeeeezus.
I’m fairly certain that Hollingsworth lives directly on 23rd Ave which is a corridor of frequent drive-by shootings (like yesterday’s that hit a preschool), and King5 News this morning reported that there have been 26 shootings in the CD so far this year, already more than double last year’s tally of 12. I’d say the heightened fear and concern are warranted.
sorry, but “I’m at a 1” is absolutely fear-mongering, no matter what you call it. that just isn’t a starting point for a reasonable, good-faith conversation about genuine safety concerns in this city.
Who are you to tell her how she should feel? When black people are 6% of the city yet 50% of the homicides.. Im glad YOU feel safe, not all of us have that luxury
you know I just can’t get over how privileged this sounds. Our community is dealing with home invasions, car jackings, the most murders in the history of this city, property crime, gun violence. My aunt and uncle wont even shop at their neighborhood safeway because there was a shooting this summer and you want to call it FEAR MONGERING that we DONT FEEL SAFE?? I am so over people with their BLM signs not actually listening to the community this affects the most. wake up
No, you and your family wake up. Do people who are fear mongering about crimes feel unsafe about cars too? Stop driving because it is dangerous.
36 people were killed and 243 were seriously injured in Seattle in 2022.
Its obvious you dont care how the black community feels about this issue.
That’s great data Tom. Here’s some more for you. Seattle has had 57 homicides this year which is already ahead of what we had in all of 2022 and the three years prior to that. In fact we’re on pace to double the number of homicides from the year before the pandemic (2019). In other cities like LA, Philly, Chicago homicides are actually declining but not in Seattle where we are growing at 7% through the first half of the year.
Gee Tom. Hasn’t the city been implementing Vision Zero for five years to try to reduce vehicle related deaths to zero and greatly reduce injuries? Why no such grand plan when it comes to handgun violence and other violent crime? Why the denial? Tamika is right. Just another white urbanist telling her she has no right to want a safer neighborhood for herself and her family.
Ok Tom, so what does that stat even mean? Please put into some sort of context. Also, when one is driving a car, that is completely by that persons choice. When one is walking down the street and gets randomly assaulted, shot at, and/or killed, that is not by the same choice. If you argue otherwise, this is a VERY dark world we all live in. Anyways apples to squash comparison.
MadCap, getting hit by a car or by another car is definitely not the victim’s choice.
Glenn, I’m all for UK-style gun control but conservatives wouldn’t support that, would they?
district13tribute, you should let Fox News know homicides are declining in those sanctuary cities.
I don’t know Tom. I would have to search Seattle and try to find an actual Conservative. That could take some time.
There are over 200,000 more residents in Seattle than there were when Seattle’s number of murders peaked at 69. The murder rate is a third lower today, than it was then.
This is fearmongering from an unqualified hack.
please tell my aunt and uncle its “fear mongering” when safeway gets shot up, or their neighbors were dealing with home invasions. you only see this issue from your very privileged without thinking about the community it actually impacts. do everyone a favor and listen to black community instead of talking for us
Literally an hour after you wrote this jaded comment, I sat at a light while someone fired off ten shots in the direction of dozens of people. Luckily no one was hurt.
Who is it that you think you are, and why, when a black woman speaks out about her community, Won’t you listen? Is it because you’re addicted to whatever bs narrative you have, or do you just not give a shit what actual black people have to say about their community.
Note: I am neither white knighting, nor am I in any way black, I just can’t stand people with unqualified opinions talking trash about people they don’t want to listen to.
LISTEN TO BLACK WOMEN!
Listen to the black woken who OPPOSE Hollingsworth and see through her profit-before-people policy ideas. There were plenty of black people siding against both her AND Harrell if you want to play the identity card.
Ummm…He’s talking facts
As a woman who lives right off Broadway and relies on public transportation and walking everywhere, I have been the victim of several crimes just this year alone, from literally being chased in the light rail station by a pole wielding guy screaming that he was going to kill me to an aggressive man on drugs who camped out on my porch several times a day for weeks, refused to leave, and threw rocks at people, to a woman who literally broke open my porch to stash her shoplifted goods under it, to having my boob grabbed on my way to dinner right in public on Broadway by a strange guy just walking by. It really has gotten to the point where I’m afraid to walk around my own neighborhood alone. I’ve lived on Capitol Hill since the early 90s and never felt this way until the last few years.
I’ve had to call the cops several times. Only once out of the six times I called did an officer ask me if I wanted to file a police report. When I called 911 to report the pole wielding guy, no cop ever even called me back to get any information or take a report. So frankly, I don’t believe that the city even HAS the actual crime data to give factual information. There was also a news report about how our police keep losing police reports and are unable to produce them when asked.
And I’m so over the “IN THIS HOUSE…” sign people claiming crime is caused by anything other than social inequalities.
Joy is the only one talking about black household income gaps in any race county/city-wide. i trust her to address these issues more than anyone
I don’t. She can’t even pay her employees the correct wage proportional to the work they do for her weed product.
I 100% agree with you Tamika!
Sorry to be harsh, but the “no snitch” culture contributes greatly to homicides in the Black community. No suspects have been identified in the public shooting at Safeway and the hookah lounge shooting (3 dead, 6 wounded there). This is despite many people witnessing the shootings, some of whom were wounded. I wish some of the witnesses would stand up and work with the police. The way it stands now, the revenge attacks will result in many more homicides in the Black community.
Tamika I completely agree! And everyone has different levels of “safe-ness”. As a woman I definitely don’t feel safe going out alone in certain parts of my beloved neighborhood of CapHill and CD as I did even 5/10/15/20/35 years ago. No one should shame anyone who feels unsafe. Everyone has had different life experiences and challenges. Are these same judgers of “fear mongering” also going to tell a victim of an invasive or brutal assault that they are being hyperbolic with their feelings of un safeness afterwards? So sick of the judgy “it’s not that violent” police. If people are feeling unsafe and saying so, they are feeling unsafe!
as she drives by in her $100,000 ashtray? or is she agoraphobic? Because that’s the clinical definition. You do understand that right?
What are you even talking about?
Great post Tamika. That is spot on regarding what is going on in this area.
Do you need to experience what I did last month to understand she was absolutely correct? When for no reasons at all somebody comes to you and hitting you in the head. It’s a reality and something should be done. People like Hudson are not the right ones in this situation. Open your eyes.
Yes! I lived in Chicago for several years and never felt unsafe in my neighborhood, even out at night. In the past year I have been threatened three times during the day while walking my dog on my street, and was followed while being threatened once (which was truly scary). I understand being mugged. Being randomly assaulted by strangers while out in the middle of the day is something else.
You claim you understand being mugged, and then describe being mugged and say that is another thing, I’m a bit confused…
I’m glad she said it was “1”! We *are* afraid here. My neighbor won’t even leave her home after sundown because she’s afraid of being attacked (she’s short and frail). She takes a bus to grocery stores that are further away now because she doesn’t feel either QFC or Safeway are safe even during the daytime. After seeing another fight in the QFC today I can’t blame her.
I must admit I don’t really like being outside after dark either, and try to be home by 10 pm.
A fight in QFC? which one?
What’s the point of a scale if we’re just going to keep sliding it… To me a one out of ten is living in Gaza right now and living on many Seattle streets isn’t much higher, but if that’s what Joy really feels then I don’t understand how she can govern for those whom deal with so much worse than her experience…
Right, so can we please quit quibbling about what number is appropriate, and just admit that Seattle has a safety problem? If you step back and look at what Joy was saying, that’s what “1” means. Now let’s vote in the person that recognizes this and get to work.
It’s not the number, it’s the hyperbole… Hudson rejected the number premise but spoke to the need to address the issues. Hollingsworth fear mongered, then gaslit about it, and then repeated the failed plan by Harrel to increase SPD staffing by 50% with no plan for how to do that… I’ll take the plans and pragmatism from Hudson over the hyperbolic and sloganeering statements from Hollingsworth.
Hollingsworth has my vote. She’s a realist who will listen to her constituents and not take far left positions that have no chance at passing the council or being effective at lowering crime and homelessness.
I interpret Hudson’s suggested policies here as potential long term solutions to near term in our face problems. There is nothing wrong with many of her suggestions, but they fail to address the present moment in which violent crimes are being committed at elevated levels. Hollingsworth understands these near term problems require near term solutions, such as hiring more police officers to reduce emergency response times. It would actually be great to meld many of Hollingsworth suggestions with some of Hudson’s, which could keep us safer in the near term while starting to address the long term causes for the issues that plague us. But the first priority needs to be addressing criminal activity occurring now.
It is so refreshing to have a candidate in the race that is a straight shooter that actually acknowledges that crime and homelessness in Seattle is really bad and unacceptable. Hudson is the status quo: gaslighting and denialism.
Not even close to true, on any comment you’ve made. Hollingsworth is NOT refreshing. She’s regressive!
What sort of fantasy land is Hollingsworth residing in? Seattle is one of the safest big cities in the U.S. – and it isn’t even close. Are there problems – yes! Is there room for improvement – yes! Are we the least safe we’ve ever been – no!
Good grief, amazing someone so unqualified even made it through to the primary, to be anywhere near a seat of power.
Hudson wouldn’t even answer the question. just dodged it like every other Seattle style politician we’ve had throughout the years. I’m just glad we have someone who is actually listening
She is living in the reality of D3 in 2023 where every walk to the grocery store involves an encounter with some unhinged drug addict or their dealer and if you need police support, you may be out of luck because we now have fewer police officers than we did 30 years ago. Is the murder rate as bad as Chicago? No, not yet, but the current situation is worse than it was 10 years ago and trending in the wrong direction due to bad public policies that have attracted, concentrated and enabled drug riff raff from across the country to take over the city while at the same time causing police officers to quit en masse. People are tired of this cr*p and the apologists for the city council’s status quo progressive approach to the crime/drug/encampment crisis, which is all ideology and no reality.
so you have to walk by them? and?
I’ve honestly lost track of how many times my Garfield student has had to shelter in place. And he’s so used to it these don’t phase him anymore; as he puts it-lockdowns are what’s to really be feared. Maybe Seattle violence as a whole is down but daylight shootings near schools in D3 feel waaaaaaaay too prevalent. And the city’s response to date is not satisfactory.
As if being an economics professor at a local community college qualified Sawant to become a Councilmember. The job is open to all comers, and Hollingsworth is at least as well qualified as the current office holder was when she joined Council.
You are just wrong. Like, wrong in a Russian disinformation campaign kinda way. Quit it with your trolly, incredulous disinformation.
Harrell will be having his tailor add Hollingsworth shaped pockets to his suits charging it to the police budget.
Only in this town would a lesbian, black woman who owns a weed business be considered an establishment insider, and therefore nor worthy of election due to her “conservative” positions. Laughable.
conflict of interests
She is. Listen to other black people on the matter: she’s using ID politics to get votes then push crime-boner nonsense, here’s what a BLACK WOMAN has to say on Hollingsworth: https://x.com/nowchillsade/status/1714168854992339192?s=46&t=HSWc9qFu9m07OvvWgMapQw
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/one-injured-shooting-near-daycare-seattles-central-district/WACVYQKHEJCBZA673VZSAI6YTU/
read what the black daycare owner said. what is the black community saying?
This is what they’re saying
Nikkita is a biracial woman from the Midwest. what is the black community saying? do you know enough of us to form an opinion? at least joy is from here and listens to us.
Nikkita Oliver moved to Detroit. Her opinion on the issue should be viewed in context of her departure and her inability to win a citywide election here despite two attempts. The people have spoken on her, and I give her credit for taking the hint and getting out of town.
The “Black community” is not monolithic and has a range of opinions, solutions, and perspectives. Black people disagree about things! White people always do this tokenizing shit and it’s incredibly disrespectful.
Nikkita expresses a more nuanced perspective than most of the comments on this thread who actually don’t seem to be able to carry multiple thoughts/truths at once.
They didn’t say conservative, they implied Hollingsworth will be a rubber stamp for Harrell. None of those attributes have anything to do with whether or not someone’s conservative, that’s not the argument being made, but they also don’t preclude someone from being an establishment politician aligning themselves with the pro police and pro business mayor.
Our “pro business mayor” was just quoted on this site celebrating the arrival of a $20 minimum wage in Seattle. And why would being pro business be such a political liability in your eyes? You and others here seem suspicious of anyone who runs for office while owning a business of any kind. Sara Nelson is regularly attacked for owning Fremont Brewing, for example. We could use some Council members who have experience running businesses. We certainly have plenty, Morales, Mosqueda, Lewis and more, who have worked for labor unions. Would some semblance of balance be a bad thing?
Celebrating $20 minimum wage is the definition of pro business when tracking inflation from the initial creation of minimum wage would put it well above this by now… Our mayor should be pushing the local, state, and federal government to catch up. Also, my recollection was that he was trying to carve out exemptions up until the last minute.
There is already enough corporate influence within our government, we don’t need it in our politicians. I would prefer to have people with leadership and policy skills.
I believe WA State’s minimum wage is the highest in the country so we don’t need the mayor lecturing the State to “catch up.” What is needed in Seattle may not be the same as what is necessary in Ephrata (located in Eastern WA, Matt). There is a difference between being a business owner and being a corporate functionary. It is a shame you cannot see the difference. And your assumption that business owners do not possess leadership or policy skills is so ridiculous. I can see how a labor union manager /employee might possess skills useful for a Council position and have voted for several, including Mosqueda. Your refusal to consider business owners for the same position makes you an extremist.
Tell people in Ephrata making minimum wage that they don’t deserve more Glenn (and yes I’m familiar with Ephrata Glenn 🙄) Also, just because the rest of the country is behind doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be pushing for them to catch up, that’s called leadership…
I never said I wouldn’t consider or vote for a business owner politician, I’ve already said that we’re splitting hairs with Hollingsworth and Hudson on a lot of issues, but I would still prefer that business owner to have more policy ideas and less hyperbole than Hollingsworth.
Seattle is a lot safer if you carry multiple tourniquets and wear Level III or IIIA body armor. I used to feel 1 out of 10 on the safety scale but now I feel at least 2 out of 10.
Hollingsworth is a joke. Standard issue vanilla politician supporting the interests of the wealthy. Blah blah blah. Casting a vote for Hudson easily.
“the candidates were asked to rate their feeling of safety in Seattle on a 1 to 10 scale.
“I’m at a 1,” Joy Hollingsworth said,”
Seriously? How do you make it out your front door on the daily Joy?
As a Marine I’d say my safety is an 8 on my worst day. I live on Broadway and E Pine btw.
We need to completely revamp policing. We need to build a sturdy safety net or the cops we hire will be overwhelmed and burned out. One cop can only do so much in a day. If everyone is falling through the cracks?(Like covid) It won’t matter how many cops we have. None of them have the right tools for that job.
Joy Hollingsworth is disingenuous at best. A stone cold liar at worst. She’s a “one” on a scale of one to 10. Okay Joy…Then in her next breath she says this?
“I don’t need to fear monger,” she said, saying she supports the Harrell administration’s plan to increase Seattle’s police force by more than 50%.”
You JUST FEAR MONGERED! A ONE! Remember? Uno, one…C’mon? THAT is playing politics.“I don’t need to fear monger,” she said, saying she supports the Harrell administration’s plan to increase Seattle’s police force by more than 50%.”
There’s a serious conflict of interest where Joy Hollingsworth is concerned and none on the other side with Alex Hudson.
Alex has an all hands on deck approach that is the ONLY way to accomplish what we all want.
We need to not offer a contract to cops. Instead?
We ditch the union and we the people run it.
We best in America wages and benefits. No need for unions.
Her answer was hilarious. Gaza is a 1.
Seriously. Even if I felt like Seattle was a genuinely dangerous place to walk around in (I don’t), I would never call it a ONE. A one is ‘I don’t even look out the window in case I catch a stray bullet’…. Not fearmongering, my ass
They’re both ninnies when it comes to public safety. But, if Joy is going to increase the police force by 50%, I’m voting for Alex.
Joy has shown herself to be working for the wealthy white crowd, especially in the meeting I attended with the Leschi meeting which was 80% white and 80% over 60.
Joy knows that fearmongering over crime is going to win the wealthy vote. And neither she nor Hudson have a single solitary idea on controlling the cops. Of Joy wants to increase the cops by 50% and not have any new ideas on controlling the cops, she’s far more dangerous than Alex.
Seattle’s police force is now at around 800, down 500 from several years ago. Boston, with a smaller population, has a force of about 2,300. Enough said.
I’m liking Hudson more and more. It seems like she’s thought about these issues for a long time and her answers were more nuanced than Hollingsworth’s.
The “how scared are you” question was silly and reductive. I’m glad Hudson didn’t give a number.
It’s sad that people are feeling like crime is not an issue. There was shooting yesterday and the window of daycare was shot out during the shooting. This is alarming to me. Why are you avoiding the the safety issues that we have in this city. Joy is the one who has the most comprehensive approach and she has my vote 100%!
Need to increase number of police officers 500% to get to NYC levels. Need to double police salaries to get there.
This thread is an interesting reflection of some of the most online CH commentators, but not really reflective of Hudson or Hollingsworth’s positions or what the election’s policy stakes are.
The police department isn’t growing by 50%, no matter what the budget allocation is. The continued framing of this kind of question does a disservice to the reality – that they can’t even hire for the empty positions that are budgeted for now, even with additional salary incentives.
Overall Hudson and Hollingsworth are more similar than not and will have the same votes in 98% or more of things, I think the Harrell connection is overblown and folks who keep bringing that up as a cudgel of conservativism don’t understand the community connections of being Black and growing up in the CD when it was majority so (and I say this as someone who doesn’t like Harrell). Each candidate has different & valuable life experiences and community connections and IMO at the end of the day it mainly boils down to what you want out of the role itself – someone who is probably more relational and actively in community (like community meetings and events and the like) — or someone more policy/political-minded who will probably run for another office shortly down the road, because the major policy levers they want to move aren’t actually those of one of 9 councilmembers (Sharon Tomiko Santos is probably going to retire soon…).
Neither candidate is that close to (or that far from) Kshama Sawant in the scheme of things (despite that dumb question coming up in one of the community debates) and neither has the Sawant/Socialist Alternative ground game that continously turned people out for her campaign work. The context of the council is totally changing.
We’re in a “strong Mayor” city – who’s being prepped for that role and what are their policy priorities? What’s their relationship to District 3? If Harrell truly doesn’t run again in 2025 who are the viable candidates and how can we start talking to them now, to see the changes we want? The City departments are a mess, morale is low, budget is projected to be short by 220 Million a year; there’s a homelessness & housing crisis, a gun violence crisis, a mental health and substance abuse crisis, small businesses environment is rough, SPS is a mess, it takes 10million years and 15 studies to get a new dog park/sidewalk/cross walk/etc… at the end of the day there’s going to be a “Chamber” supported candidate and a “Stranger” supported candidate, and it’d be great to have both actually be decent options for the job.
“There is a housing and homelessness crisis”. No there is not. There is a housing crisis that causes displacement of working class people from the city, a small fraction of which fall into homelessness and there is a homeless encampment crisis caused primarily by drug addiction, the magnet effect of Seattle’s enabling policies (you can set up a tent in the park, steal to fund a drug habit, and do drugs in public with no consequences), and court rulings by the 9th circuit. “A housing and homeless crisis” is gaslighting to keep the dollars flowing.
I want to like Hudson, but she’s really striking out here. This is an easy question.
If the mayor mandated the current police force do their jobs instead of increasing the force by 50% we wouldn’t need to throw away money at more useless police officers beholden to the union. SPOG is blackmailing the mayor and the voters to choose their candidates and we need to put a stop to it now. Restructure their contract or fire and replace all of those whiny babies.
You obviously don’t even understand the situation to begin with, we can’t “Restructure their contract or fire and replace all those whiny babies” NO ONE QUALIFIED WILL TAKE THE JOB! That’s where we are now, while everyone has their hair on fire about hiring more police, we can’t even, because no good police officer wants to work in the city of Seattle where the community treats their police force like sh*t. Yah, and the mayor should “mandate” the current police force to do their job?! Grow up, how do you think that happens, in your simplistic world does the mayor stand at a podium and order or “mandates” the police to “do their jobs”! Or else?! It’s people like you, with your attitude is why good police officers don’t want to work in the city of Seattle. Thanks for that.