I just interviewed Mike McGinn.
Asked how he responds to accusations (see his opponent Joe Mallahan’s press release) that he’s a flip flopper, McGinn says:
“I still oppose the tunnel. I think it’s a terrible decision for the city of Seattle. My statement is a simple acknowledgment of how the Democratic process works. The mayor is obligated to follow a 9-0 vote of the council. It’s not an option for the mayor to just ignore legislation.
I’ve consistently been against the tunnel. I remain opposed. Yesterday, I acknowledged that it’s not the mayor’s job to ignore legislation passed by the council.”
Asked what he says to supporters who were counting on him to throw his body in front of the boring machine to stop the project, McGinn says:
“I still oppose the tunnel, and I will ask the tough questions. Where’s the money? What effect will it have on the rest of the budget? Is the state going to be responsible for cost overruns?”
Is the tunnel a done deal now?
“We don’t know the cost. We shouldn’t be subject to cost overruns. And Even the council has acknowledged that we don’t have the cost estimates on this. If we can’t afford to pay for this, I would hope they’d choose a more practical alternative. I believe I-5/Transit [the surface/transit option] is a much smarter choice”
Asked if his conciliatory announcement was an acknowledgment that he was down in the polls, McGinn said:
“I have been moving up in the polls. The issue here was the council had a 9-0 vote and the public and the press wanted to know what my response would be, and they were entitled to know.
I do understand how the democratic process works. A mayor doesn’t get to ignore legislation.
Mayor Nickels opposed the parks levy, but he’s building parks now.”
