By Tracy Record West Seattle Blog editor With voting starting in about a week, it’s time to pay attention to who and what will be on your ballot. There are only two truly local races in our area, King County District 8 and 34th District State House Position 2. Both have an incumbent and a challenger. Both sets of candidates appeared at the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s lunchtime forum today. Longtime local broadcast journalist (and West Seattleite) Brian Callanan moderated the fast-moving forum at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge, after the Chamber’s executive director Rachel Porter welcomed everyone. We recorded both parts of the forum on video you’ll see below, along with notes about the questions, asked by Callanan (no “open mic”) and replies. Both parts began with opening statements; only the second part, for State House, ended with closing statements. Here’s part 1, with County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda and challenger Nick Duda. All of what follows the video is paraphrased summary unless it’s within quote marks: Q: What county tools would you use to help small businesses? DUDA: Change county policies regarding drug diversion; clearly measure impact of existing programs/taxes before adding more MOSQUEDA: Changed county’s contracting policy to look at small local businesses first. Has made changes to Comp Plan re: affordable housing and more small biz space and child care. Also “Vacant to Vibrant.” Q: Public safety and behavioral health. What county policies would make a difference? MOSQUEDA: Mural in the works for White Center gateway. Turning more empty spaces into vibrant spaces. Added lighting to WC to activate the sidewalk. DUDA: Environmental changes are great but need to look at root issues – repeat offenders, backstop for diversion programs for people who keep cycling through. Drug policy – it’s not OK to keep rejecting offers of treatment. Q: Transit and connectivity, how to protect frequent transit and Water Taxi? DUDA: RapidRide and WT, will protect those, need to look at investment in less-utilized routes. Water Taxi, need to protect it but also understand its effects – county evaluation due soon. MOSQUEDA: Look at safety data, unequal in unincorporated area, pushed for Transportation Benefit District (added tax) to fund more safety improvements. Re: Water Taxi, record numbers, but extra state funding going away, Committed to keeping midday and weekend service to Vashon and WS. Q: Affordable housing MOSQUEDA: Comp Plan amendments. Priority next year […]

Dolores Sibonga, a 95-year-old woman, has passed away. She was a former Seattle City Councilmember and former West Seattle resident. A recent story in The Seattle Times looks back at her life and legacy as a history-making Filipino-American leader and advocate.

You’ve probably heard about the recent passing of former Seattle City Councilmember Dolores Sibonga, 95. The Seattle Times published a story today looking back at Ms. Sibonga’s storied life as a history-making Filipino-American leader and advocate. Northwest Asian Weekly published this story about her earlier this month. But what they didn’t mention is that she […]