SWs Primary-Election Picks

REAL PROBLEMS CONFRONT our city. Influence-peddling scandals simmer at City Hall, huge debt burdens Seattle City Light, accounting fiascos dog the Seattle School District, and an enormous revenue shortfall might derail the monorail. The solution for voters is not simple. We cant just throw all the bums out, because some incumbents have performed well and others have not attracted better opponents. There are a lot of challengers running this year, but once you eliminate the cranks and the risk-averse, the pickings are slim. So work your way through the ballot carefully, and be realistic voting is necessary but not sufficient to solve Seattles ongoing challenges. The public needs to be engaged with our political institutions all year long, not just on Election Day.

In making the following endorsements, we reserve the right to change our minds. As we write this, the Seattle City Council again is taking up the zoning changes at a Lake City strip club. While we dont think involvement in Strippergate is a litmus test, it might become one if more-damaging revelations emerge from City Council deliberations or from investigations by the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission or the FBI. At the moment, we regard the imbroglio as only one strike against certain incumbents, not an automatic disqualifier.

If you find there are places on your ballot where we have not made recommendations, thats because we only endorse in contested races.

Seattle City Council

Position 1

Judy Nicastro isnt perfect, but a G-string-thin majority of our board feels shes good enough to return to office. Nicastro has many political assets: She cares about tenants in a city government that is too oriented to homeowners and landlords; she is a staunch defender of civil liberties at a time when our constitutional rights are under attack; and she defends the role of the legislative branch of government from the overzealous reach of our current mayor. Her flaws are not lost on usshe still has not fully leveled with the public about Strippergate, she can be mercurial, and she indulges in the occasional flaky idea. Nevertheless, we think her strengths, on balance, outweigh her weaknesses.

We also like Art Skolnik a lot. He has a great r鳵m頡s an advocate of historic preservation and a strong sense of the citys culture and heritage. He articulates a dynamite platform of neighborhood rights, respect for the physical environment, and City Council authority. His campaign strategyaccepting no donations and entering latehas marginalized him, however.

The other candidates in the race are former Seattle Times gossip columnist Jean Godden, environmentalist Kollin Min, Realtor Darryl Smith, socialist David Ferguson, and real-estate broker Robert Rosencrantz.

Position 5

Mike Thompsons fight to defend our quality of life is worthy of voter support. Thompson is a veteran of the community-council movement, served on Mayor Greg Nickels transition team, and has worked as a health and safety specialist at Seattle City Light for 22 years. Now he is sounding the alarm about Nickels effort to bowl over the neighborhoods in favor of big kahunas like the University of Washington, Paul Allens Vulcan company, and Northgate Mall. Thompson would bring a much-needed perspective to the Seattle City Council.

Twelve-year incumbent Margaret Pageler is known as a brainy workhorse who cares about utility issues. Pageler, however, was unable to assert council leadership during the energy crisis, when Seattle City Light needed her the most. We also take issue with her law-and-order conservatism, her enthusiasm for big business, and her inaccessibility.

Other candidates in the race include city bureaucrat Tom Rasmussen, monorail fan Dick Falkenbury, bus-driving activist Linda Averill, and mystery man Thomas Wade.

Position 7

David Dellas longtime commitment to social justice has earned our endorsement in this race, especially in light of the incumbents weaknesses. Della began his political life fighting corruption and exploitation in the cannery industry. Since, he has worked for former Mayor Norm Rice and the state Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, and now is in charge of community relations for United Way. He promises to fight for human services and to overturn the citys draconian civility laws that target the homeless. Della also articulates ratepayer outrage over the skyrocketing costs at Seattle City Light.

Heidi Wills, who was first elected four years ago, is a sincere, ardent environmentalist but performed badly as chief City Light watchdog in the chair of the councils Energy Committee. The utilitys troubles during her tenure would be enough to compel us to recommend a changewhats good enough for former City Light chief Gary Zarker should be good enough for Willsbut she also gives too much ground to the bullying of Mayor Nickels. And the fact that shes never fully explained her odd pattern of behavior in Strippergate is a fourth strike.

Retired City Light engineer Bob Hegamin and social-justice advocate Christal Wood round out the field.

Position 9

Incumbent Jim Compton doesnt get itand for that reason he needs to get gone. He doesnt get that, as Public Safety chair, when activists push hard for greater civilian oversight of police, he should deliver. He doesnt get that, as a City Council member, he needs to ask tough questions about the huge public investment wanted by Paul Allens Vulcan in South Lake Unionand that it is inappropriate for public officials to hop on a Vulcan jet for a basketball junket. He doesnt get that when he accepts thousands in campaign donations from an ex-felon and his cronies, he needs to answer media inquiries, not dodge them.