As Josh noted, I arose at the ungodly hour of 6 am (in fairness to me, though, I must note that I often get up at 6am to write Morning Fizz, but I usually go back to sleep) to sit on a panel at the Downtown Seattle Association debate at the downtown Seattle Library this morning. Refreshingly, moderator C.R. Douglas dispensed with opening statements (I swear to God, if I ever emcee a debate, I’m going to make the candidates recite each other‘s opening statements) and went straight to questions. Even more refreshing: Douglas’ questions actually elicited some answers I hadn’t heard before. Some highlights:
Most off-the-cuff response: Asked what he would cut if Tim Eyman’s tax-slashing Initiative 1033 passed, Position 4 candidate David Bloom muttered, off-mike but audibly to everyone in the room, “Eyman’s appendage.”
Conlin, Ginsberg, Bagshaw
Most dated reference: When I asked Position 2 challenger David Ginsberg to give an example of an instance where incumbent Richard Conlin had pushed for process over progress, Ginsberg referred to the monorail, which was killed by a city vote in 2005. “We wouldn’t be so concerned with the viaduct solution today if we had the monorail,” he said. Conlin’s acid response: “That’s an interesting example to choose, because I think the monorail was an example of a failure of process because the [monorail] board was so secretive … the process broke down,” Conlin said.
Most tired reference: Jessie Israel, challenging Position 6 incumbent Nick Licata, brought up—for the zillionth time—a statement Licata made to Sports Illustrated in early 2006 to the effect that the economic and cultural value of the Sonics to the city was near zero. Yawn. Licata later (as in, still in 2006) noted that numerous studies have found that sports teams bring no or negative net revenue in to cities.
Out of Body Experience: Asked what he would do to improve the climate for small businesses in Seattle, Bloom—a lefty housing and social-justice advocate who isn’t known for taking business-friendly positions—responded that he would create a small business office within the Office of Economic Development, create better partnerships between the city and local Chambers of Commerce, and provide assistance to immigrant- and minority-owned businesses in the Rainier Valley that were impacted by light rail.
Most surprising responses overall (tie): Asked where she would cut the budget if 1033 passes, Bagshaw avoided the usual “protect public safety and human services” dodge, saying flatly that—after eliminating positions that are sitting vacant—she would “slow down our transportation projects” and probably cut the transportation department. That’s a surprisingly bold statement in a city where government spending on pretty much anything is sacred. Tying for most surprising response: Richard Conlin, who was the only candidate to say he would not support dedicating parking-meter revenue collected in neighborhoods to projects in those neighborhoods.
Most disingenuous comment (tie): Ginsberg said he didn’t support a 20-cent fee on plastic bags proposed by Conlin (and subsequently rejected by voters) because “I live in High Point [in West Seattle] and I live kitty-corner to people who can’t afford it. Maybe they don’t get to buy an apple for their kids because they have to buy” disposable bags. That argument is disingenuous because: a) Twenty cents isn’t a huge amount of money, and b) Poor people are poor, not stupid. They can remember to bring reusable bags just as easily as Ginsberg, who noted somewhat smugly that “I live my values” by bringing canvas bags to the store.
Ginsberg followed up on that disingenuous comment by making an even more disingenuous attempt to contrast his own environmental values with Conlin’s. “I find it interesting that Richard uses plastic yard signs for his campaign,” Ginsberg said. Conlin’s campaign acknowledges that his signs are (recyclable) plastic, but notes that they’ve been using the same ones for three (!) election cycles.
Oddest endorsement plug: Asked how the council would take advantage of the fact that a new (and inexperienced) mayor will come into office next January, Israel talked up her endorsement from state Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-41) as an example of how she would “rebuild relationships with Olympia.” That’s an interesting theory. Clibborn, as PubliCola has noted numerous times, has been no friend to Seattle—supporting an amendment to the viaduct bill that puts Seattle on the hook for tunnel cost overruns, pushing legislation that would make it harder for Sound Transit to build light rail across I-90, and ensuring that Seattle was cut out of funding from the federal transportation stimulus.
