Not “even worth responding to as it’s so ridiculous,” a deputy mayor wrote.

By Erica C. Barnett

In an email to Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office, expressing “serious concerns” about the mayor’s status-quo comprehensive plan update, State Rep. Julia Reed suggested that she might be less than supportive of future city requests to help fund its $285 million Fort Lawton redevelopment project if the city didn’t get more serious about increasing density.

“I know the City is hoping for significant state support to deliver on the Mayor’s vision for Fort Lawton next year,” Reed wrote. “I don’t know if that will be possible if the City’s comprehensive plan isn’t seen to be doing everything possible to maximize housing growth in the state’s largest city. It’s already an uphill climb to do any funding packages for Seattle, and if there’s a strong impression the city isn’t doing all it can on its own, it makes the argument that much harder.”

Documents PubliCola obtained through a records request show that Reed’s email sent mayoral staffers into a tizzy. For two days, emails flew back and forth between at least 17 city staffers (plus Harrell’s in-house political consultant, Christian Sinderman) debating how to respond to Reed.

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Some of the emails were snarky (“I am surprised that these legislators had the time to read and analyze our proposed update with just three days left in legislative session,” mayoral spokesman Jamie Housen wrote) while others urged caution. Gael Tarleton, the former state legislator who led the mayor’s lobbying team in Olympia, noted on May 5 that it was the last day of the legislature and “Emotions are running high[.] .. May I suggest that once this letter is sent, we just let things quiet down, let session end, and re-group[?]”

Staffers debated how strongly to respond to Reed’s suggestion that the Seattle delegation’s advocacy for Fort Lawton funding would depend on Harrell’s larger commitment to density. Harrell’s deputy mayor, Greg Wong, responded to a draft response written by Harrell’s chief operating officer Marco Lowe and edited by Sinderman, saying the city shouldn’t even dignify Reed’s reference to Fort Lawton with a response, writing:

“I like Christian’s edits. I personally don’t think the Ft. Lawton piece is even worth responding to as it’s so ridiculous. It’s not the leverage they think it is and their stance doesn’t even make sense given what we’re proposing. But I don’t feel very strong about whether to delete. If you want to say something about it, I wouldn’t feel the need to explain or be defensive about it. Just point out the baseless bluff it is. You could say something like: ‘As to Ft.  Lawton, it is unfortunate to hear you would not support our plan to increase the amount and likelihood of affordable housing in this area. But that is a separate issue, which we are happy to discuss with you as well.'”

Sinderman also suggested giving the Seattle legislators information about how Seattle compares to “other cities or statewide” in terms of population growth. In her letter, Reed called Harrell’s proposal “disturbingly modest” compared to what the legislature expected when they passed HB 1110, which mandated cities allow, at a minimum, fourplexes or small apartments on every residential lot.

Although Lowe said he was “fine with taking [the reference to Fort Lawton] out,” mayoral spokesman Jamie Housen and Harrell’s special projects director Andrew Myerberg wanted to leave it in. The final letter that went to Reed includes Wong’s language suggesting that Reed does not support the Fort Lawton plan.

Reed told PubliCola that she does support the Fort Lawton plan. “However, the City wants to seek significant funding from the legislature for Fort Lawton infrastructure improvements in the next year, and it’s always really difficult to get major funding for Seattle-specific projects in the legislature.  It helps those of us who will be asked to make the case for these big requests if we can show that the City is already doing everything it possibly can to grow affordable housing with the tools the state has provided.”

“That’s why I really hope the City and state leaders can work together on the comprehensive plan and expanding its scope and vision.  This system works best when we work together.”