Questions continue to swirl over whether a Biden-Harris administration will govern as progressives or rubber stamps for corporate interests and the centrist establishment. Biden made his career as a moderate and was an author of the controversial 1994 crime bill that accelerated mass incarceration, particularly of Blacks and Latinos. That said, there is little doubt that President-elect Biden loves trains and will seek much more rail funding than his predecessor.

Amtrak–America’s cash-strapped federal passenger rail agency–took note and pointed toward stimulus funding in a congratulatory press release.

“Amtrak looks forward to working with President-elect Biden and Congress,” Amtrak president Bill Flynn said. “To get the economy moving and help Amtrak and our employees through this unprecedented situation, Congress must act now on pandemic relief and economic stimulus funding which enable Amtrak to recall furloughed employees, restore service frequency on long-distance and state-supported routes, and make investments that will advance critical capital projected such as bridges and tunnels on the Northeast Corridor and new equipment, infrastructure improvements and major station upgrades throughout the network.”

Amtrak CEO Flynn also stressed how rail investment aligns with climate action.

“As we look to the future, expanded Amtrak service is essential to decarbonizing our transportation network, which generates roughly 28% of the U.S. annual carbon emissions,” Flynn said. “With cars and trucks responsible for nearly 82% of those emissions, we need passenger rail alternatives throughout the nation.”

We covered Biden’s campaign promises on high-speed rail and climate, and that pledge has also made it into Biden’s transition website: “Provide every American city with 100,000 or more residents with high-quality, zero-emissions public transportation options through flexible federal investments with strong labor protections that create good, union jobs and meet the needs of these cities–ranging from light rail networks to improving existing transit and bus lines to installing infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

The commitment to expanding and electrifying transit in large cities could make the difference in realizing King County Metro’s long-term vision for filling out the RapidRide alphabet from A to Z and electrifying its bus fleet by 2040. Federal assistance could also help Sound Transit meets its timelines and unfreeze projects despite the recession. Many other regional transit agencies are likely looking to capitalize similarly on the sudden appearance of a willing and motivated federal partner.

Biden’s campaign plan set ambitious long-term high-speed rail goals with near-term benchmarks.

“He’ll start by putting the Northeast Corridor on higher speeds and shrinking the travel time from D.C. to New York by half–and build in conjunction with it a new, safer Hudson River Tunnel,” the plan said. “He will make progress toward the completion of the California High Speed Rail project. He will expand the Northeast Corridor to the fast-growing South. Across the Midwest and the Great West, he will begin the construction of an end-to-end high speed rail system that will connect the coasts, unlocking new, affordable access for every American.”

The Northeast Corridor is far and away Amtrak’s highest ridership corridor so it makes sense to build off it, speeding up the corridor and the slower lines to the south connecting to it. High-speed rail from Washington, D.C. to Richmond, Charlotte, and Atlanta makes sense both from a service standpoint and political one, delivering on a campaign promise to a part of the nation increasingly important to the Democrats’ coalition. Improvements and right-of-away acquisition are already in motion for the Richmond segment.

In Cascadia, Governor Jay Inslee overwhelmingly winning re-election primes the state for a push to convert the Amtrak Cascades corridor to high-speed rail. The Inslee administration has already been pushing high-speed rail and it now has a national partner. The groundwork is being laid with regional talks and studies, including a governance structure study underway that could guide the partnership between Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and the private sector.

Route through Congress

While Biden’s going to end up with a decisive win by an overwhelming five-million-vote margin and 306 electoral votes, control of the United States Senate hangs in the balance of runoff elections for Georgia two seats. Democrats also coughed up about five House seats in net, but retain control of the chamber. If those Georgia runoffs go well, Biden would have a Democratic-controlled senate to work with, too, but that’s a big if. But even without it, Biden may be able to strongarm some infrastructure funding through Covid-19 relief and economic stimulus bills.

Rep. Peter DiFazio (D-Oregon)–who serves as House Transportation Chair–issued a statement backing Biden’s infrastructure plans.

“The President-elect has made it clear he is ready to work with Congress to deliver results for all Americans with bold investments in infrastructure that help everyone, from large metro areas dealing with unreliable transit and soon to be jam-packed highways, to rural communities that suffer from bridges in poor condition and deteriorating roads,” Chair DiFazio said. “And of course, ‘Amtrak Joe’ and I share the goals of a robust national rail network and turning the transportation sector—the number one contributor to carbon pollution in the U.S.—into one that is clean, efficient, reliable and resilient to extreme weather events. President-elect Biden plans to ‘Build Back Better,’ and that’s exactly what our Nation needs to move our infrastructure into the 21st century while creating millions of family wage jobs, supporting U.S. manufacturing, and harnessing American engineering and ingenuity. I can’t wait to get started.”

Rep. DiFazio had seemed more lukewarm on high speed rail at the Cascadia Corridor conference Challenge Seattle hosted last year, seeming to save his enthusiasm for hyperloops, autonomous cars, and other tech foibles. It’s good to see the rail focus now, and DiFazio’s is likely to have help from colleague Seth Moulton (D-Massachusetts) in furthering Biden’s rail goals. Rep. Moulton proposed a stimulus bill with $205 billion in high-speed rail funding.

DiFazio noted Trump had not delivered on his lofty promises and let the nation’s infrastructure continue to crumble and transit to languish.

“That’s why earlier this year, after President Trump stormed out of what was to be our final bipartisan meeting, I went ahead without the White House and wrote a transformational bill that would finally move our infrastructure out of the 1950s and into the modern era, so we could start connecting communities and moving goods in ways that are smarter, safer, and made to last. My bill passed the House with bipartisan support this summer, but then, like so many other critical House-passed bills, the Moving Forward Act went nowhere in Mitch McConnell’s do-nothing Senate,” DiFazio said. “That all changes under a Biden administration.”

The post Amtrak Joe’s Win Elevates High-Speed Rail Hopes first appeared on The Urbanist.

The senate appears set to go from a 28-21 split to 29-20. Democrats won two seats with T’wina Nobles defeating Steve O’Ban in the 28th District and Helen Price Johnson edging out Ron Muzzall in the 10th District by a razor-thin 279-vote margin—update: she’s trailing by 1,210 votes after Saturday’s drop. Nobles earned our endorsement and truly represents a 180 from conservative firebrand O’Ban. Democrats also lost one seat as Senator Dean Takko succumb to a Republican challenger in the 19th District–a largely rural area that has been trending toward conservatives.

The state house was already 57-41 before three big pickup opportunities where they led on election night.

• Angie Homola, 10th Legislative District (Update: Trailing by 414 vote after Saturday drop)
• Tanisha Harris, 17th Legislative District (Update: Trailing by 1,783 votes after Saturday drop)
• Alicia Rule, 42nd Legislative District (Update: Still leading)

Hopes of challengers surfing a blue wave in conservative-learning (although increasingly purple) districts like the 6th, 25th, and 26th didn’t materialize, although some candidates–like Carrie Hesch and Zack Zappone–came tantalizingly close. The conservative shift in the 19th also cost Democrat’s Brian Blake’s house seat. Thus, it appears the next session’s partisan split will be 59-39 still be 57-41 the house.

The shift in the state legislature wasn’t just expressed in flipping seats, but also in electing more progressive members in seats already held by the Democrats. The marquee race on this front is the 5th where Ingrid Anderson is clinging to a 415-vote lead over Senator Mark Mullet. (Update: she’s trailing by 88 votes after Saturday’s drop). Anderson is a progressive union-backed nurse, while Mullet is a moderate businessman backed by corporations and notorious for blocking progressive tax reform and climate action.

The house had a few bold challenges of incumbent moderate Democrats, as well. Not all succeeded, but David Hackney (whom The Urbanist endorsed) unseated Zach Hudgins in the 11th District in a landslide.

The other big progressive gains were in open seats and several were Black women.

Among them, Kirsten Harris-Talley is taking over for moderate Eric Pettigrew, who retired, in the 37th. She earned The Urbanist’s endorsement and is likely to be one of the most progressive members of the caucus. Likewise, Jamila Taylor won Mike Pellicciotti’s seat in the 30th and is likely to be more progressive than him, particularly on transportation where Mike was a bit of car activist. Pellicciotti left the seat to run for state treasurer, where he prevailed over Republican Duane Davidson. In the 44th, April Berg won a seat vacated when Democrat Jared Mead was appointed to the Snohomish County Council. The seat had been in Republican hands (specifically Mark Harmsworth’s) as recently as 2018, but Berg’s solid 4-point lead suggests it’s leaning firmly blue now.

The 44th’s shift suggests moderate Democrat state senator Steve Hobbs may get a strong progressive challenge in 2022 when his seat is up.

In the 36th, Liz Berry is taking over for Gael Tarleton, easily besting her more moderate opponent in Sarah Reyneveld. Berry earned our endorsement and will likely legislate well to the left of Tarleton, particularly on transportation and land use issues.

So while at first glance 2020 wasn’t a banner year for state legislature gains like 2018 was, beneath the surface this is the most progressive legislature in modern state history as progressive challengers muscled out moderates. The Republican party made zero gains in urban areas. The 19th District was the only bright spot for them and they may well hold it, but shifting terrain in the 10th and 42nd offset this loss and prospects of regaining former conservative bastions like the 5th, 28th, and 44th appear dim.

And of course we’re due for a redistricting following the results of the 2020 census, which is likely to shift seats and tilt the scales only farther toward urban and suburban districts where Republicans have been getting their clocks cleaned. The state legislature is likely entering an unprecedented era of progressive control. Let’s act on it.

This article has been updated to reflect Thursday’s ballot drop and then Saturday’s drop.

The post Washington State Legislature Swings to the Left, Setting the Stage for Progressive Reforms first appeared on The Urbanist.

Luckily, Councilmember Tammy Morales stepped in to propose doubling the Prop 1 package. That move led Council President M. Lorena González to negotiate a compromise package that was 50% larger than the Mayor’s, upping the sales tax from 0.1% to 0.15%. The compromise amendment passed 8-1–with only Councilmember Pedersen opposed–and that version appeared on the ballot along with $1.7 billion in Harborview Medical Center funding (another source of anxiety among policymakers worried of a tax backlash) which also passed easily.

The landslide win is a reminder to question leaders who insist on austerity, particularly when it comes to transit. Their instincts were incredibly wrong. We should be seeking to continue to invest in transit, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure–and in social housing and Covid relief.

The favorable result paired with the Washington Supreme Court striking down Tim Eyman’s “$30 car tabs” Initiative 976 means we can maintain similar bus service levels despite the recession’s drain on King County Metro’s budget. It ensures that free ORCA transit passes for high school students and Seattle Housing Authority residents will continue. In 2019, 70% of Seattle residents lived within a ten-minute walk of frequent transit, and Prop 1’s renewal of the Seattle Transportation Benefit District allows us to maintain that proud distinction, which helped us lead the nation in transit ridership growth.

A strong campaign

The impressive showing for Prop 1 is a testament to the strong campaign that Yes For Seattle ran. Led by campaign manager Emilio Garza and talented organizers Olivia Sarriugarte and Yes Segura, Yes For Transit had disciplined messaging and completed an incredible amount of voter contacts, relying on textbanks and phonebanks with the traditional door-knocking route impeded by Covid precautions. The Urbanist endorsed the campaign and co-hosted one of those textbanks. The coalition behind the campaign was broad, running the gambit from labor to business to Democratic Party and advocacy groups.

What’s next?

With the coalition behind transit increasingly strong and fresh off a massive win, there’s also the question of what’s next when it come to improving our transportation system.

• Countywide bus measure – Seattle Prop 1 was almost a countywide measure, but the King County Council abandoned its plan due to the pandemic. Seattle’s smashing success could inspire King County to pass their own measure boosting service and potentially funding their unfunded long-term RapidRide expansion and bus electrification plans.
• Free transit – The necessity of pandemic physical distancing measures gave transit riders and a taste of fare-free transit, and that could be one area where the state or region invests to help struggling Washingtonians make ends meet and to increase ridership and equitable access to transit. Plus, the uptick in ridership would drive down carbon emissions and car pollution.
• State funding to accelerate light rail projects – While the Seattle metropolitan region invests in transit, Washington’s state government ranks toward the bottom for the share of its transportation budget that goes toward transit. If the state passes a transportation package in the next few years, the priority must shift toward transit. Recent state packages have been far too highway-focused.
• Sound Transit 4 – Sound Transit 3 (ST3) was ambitious, but plenty of important urban neighborhoods remain unconnected. Whether pursued at a Seattle-level, King County-level, or the entire Sound Transit Taxing District, an ST4 measure could extend Ballard Link and West Seattle Link or even add crosstown subways in the Route 8 and/or Route 44 corridors. The advantage of deciding sooner is helping to guide alignment decisions and accelerating timelines.
• Cascadia high-speed rail – Regional transportation is bumping up against the constraints of I-5, which it would cost more than $100 billion to widen by one lane throughout Washington. Better to invest in high-speed rail to ensure mobility between Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia and greatly improve travel times. The plan might take a few years to come together, but we need to keep chugging along. As President (and it’s looking like it should be official soon), Joe Biden would be much more friendly to rail projects.

For now, it’s onto 2021 budget deliberations, where Mayor Durkan is pushing transit cuts and bike/pedestrian cuts with Transportation Chair Pedersen agreeing and seeking to cut even deeper to funnel money to a vague bridge maintenance plan.

Despite those track records, the Mayor’s Prop 1 victory press release painted Pedersen as the Council’s leader on transit.

“‘Winning this election is more than just a victory for the transit that Seattle loves–choosing to fund robust bus service is a bold affirmation we are upbeat about a future when everyone gets back to work, our economy gets moving again, and we make real progress on the climate crisis,’ said Pedersen who, despite the pandemic, led passage of the transit measure through the Seattle City Council as Chair of the Transportation Committee for voters to decide,” the release states.

While crafting the measure Pedersen was much more downbeat, arguing larger measures went too far. Councilmember Lisa Herbold said she though Morales’ doubling amendment may cause the measure to fail, and Pedersen agreed. “I share those concerns about doubling a sales tax during a recession,” he said. “I’m concerned it would imperil the measure ultimately.”

Revenue collection starts in April, leaving a small gap between the 2014 measure (which expires at year’s end) and the newly passed version.

This article has been updated with Councilmember Pedersen’s quote and date of revenue collection starting. On November 5th, a further update clarified that Pedersen voted against the González amendment, though he did vote for the final bill, and adding the statements from Herbold and Pedersen about the Morales amendment.

The post Seattle’s Prop 1 Bus Package Passes in a Landslide first appeared on The Urbanist.

Below is a roundup of the early results, including non-endorsed races across Western Washington.

Key: Bold Text = leading, ^ = Incumbent, * = Endorsed Candidate/Measure, DEM = Democrat, REP = Republican, IND = Other, Independent

Federal

• President/Vice President: Joseph R. Bide/Kamala D. Harris (DEM) 61%, Donald J. Trump/Michael R. Pence (REP) 36%
• Washington’s 1st Congressional District: Susan Delbene^ (DEM) 60%, Jeffrey Beeler, Sr. (REP) 39%
• Washington’s 2nd Congressional District: Rick Larsen^ (DEM) 65%, Timothy Hazelo (REP) 34%
• Washington’s 3rd Congressional District: Jaime Herrera Beutler^ (REP) 54%, Carolyn Long (DEM) 46%
• Washington’s 6th Congressional District: Derek Kilmer^ (DEM) 62%, Elizabeth Kreiselmaier (REP) 38%
• Washington’s 7th Congressional District: Pramila Jayapal^ (DEM) 85%, Craig Keller (REP) 15%
• Washington’s 8th Congressional District: Kim Schrier^ (DEM) 54%, Jesse Jensen (REP) 46%
• Washington’s 9th Congressional District: Adam Smith*^ (DEM) 75%, Doug Basler (REP) 24%
• Washington’s 10th Congressional District: Marilyn Strickland (DEM) 50%, Beth Doglio* (DEM) 35%

Statewide

• Governor: Jay Inslee*^ (DEM) 60%, Loren Culp (REP) 40%
• Lieutenant Governor: Denny Heck (DEM) 47%, Marko Liias* (DEM) 34%
• Secretary of State: Kim Wyman^ (REP) 52%, Gael Tarleton* (DEM) 48%
• Treasurer: Mike Pellicciotti* (DEM) 56%, Duane Davidson^ (REP) 44%
• Auditor: Pat McCarthy^ (DEM) 61%, Chris Leyba (REP) 39%
• Attorney General: Bob Ferguson*^ (DEM) 59%, Matt Larkin (REP) 41%
• Superintendent of Public Instruction: Chris Reykdal*^ (DEM) 56%, Maia Espinoza (REP) 43%
• Commissioner of Public Lands: Hilary Franz*^ (DEM) 59%, Sue Kuehl Pederson (REP) 41%
• Commissioner of Insurance: Mike Kreidler^ (DEM) 68%, Chirayu Patel (REP) 31%
• Referendum 90: Approved* 60%, Rejected 40%

Legislative Districts

• Legislative District 5, State Senator: Ingrid Anderson (DEM) 50%, Mark Mullet^ (DEM) 48%
• Legislative District 10, State Senator: Helen Price Johnson (DEM) 51%, Ron Muzzall^ (REP) 49%
• Legislative District 11, State Senator: Bob Hasegawa*^ (DEM) 96%
• Legislative District 11, State Representative Position 1: David Hackney* (DEM) 61%, Zach Hudgins^ (DEM) 35%
• Legislative District 19, State Senator: Jeff Wilson (REP) 53%, Dean Takko^ (DEM) 47%, 
• Legislative District 19, State Representative Position 1: Jim Walsh^ (REP) 58%, Marianna Everson (DEM) 42%
• Legislative District 19, State Representative Position 2: Joel McEntire (REP) 51%, Brian Blake^ (DEM) 49%
• Legislative District 22, State Representative Position 2: Jessica Bateman* (DEM) 63%, Dusty Pierpoint (REP) 37%
• Legislative District 28, State Senator: T’wina Nobles* (DEM) 52%, Steve O’Ban^ (REP) 48%
• Legislative District 28, State Representative Position 1: Mari Leavitt^ (DEM) 59%, Kevin Ballard (REP) 41%
• Legislative District 28, State Representative Position 2: Dan Bronoske (DEM) 56%, Chris Nye (REP) 44%
• Legislative District 29, State Representative Position 1: Melanie Morgan*^ (DEM) 65%, Koshin Fidaar (REP) 35%
• Legislative District 29, State Representative Position 2: Steve Kirby^ (DEM) 60%, Terry Harder (REP) 40%
• Legislative District 32, State Representative Position 1: Cindy Ryu*^ (DEM) 73%, Shirley Sutton (DEM) 25%
• Legislative District 34, State Representative Position 2: Joe Fitzgibbon*^ (DEM) 98%
• Legislative District 36, State Representative Position 1: Noel Frame*^ (DEM) 99%
• Legislative District 36, State Representative Position 2: Liz Berry* (DEM) 58%, Sarah Reyneveld (DEM) 40%
• Legislative District 37, State Representative Position 2: Kirsten Harris-Talley* (DEM) 67%, Chukundi Salisbury (DEM) 32%
• Legislative District 43, State Representative Position 1: Nicole Macri*^ (DEM) 92%, Leslie Klein (REP) 8%%
• Legislative District 43, State Representative Position 2: Frank Chopp^ (DEM) 67%, Sherae Lascelles* (IND) 33%
• Legislative District 47, State Representative Position 1: Debra Entenman^ (DEM) 60%, Kyle Lyebyedyev (REP) 40%
• Legislative District 47, State Representative Position 2: Pat Sullivan^ (DEM) 61%, Ted Cooke (REP) 39%

King County

• King County Proposition 1: Approved 78%, Rejected 22%
• King County Charter Amendment 1: Yes 81%, No 18%
• King County Charter Amendment 2: Yes 70%, No 30%
• King County Charter Amendment 3: Yes 69%, No 31%
• King County Charter Amendment 4: Yes 83%, No 17%
• King County Charter Amendment 5: Yes 57%, No 43%
• King County Charter Amendment 6: Yes 63%, No 37%
• King County Charter Amendment 7: Yes 85%, No 15%

Pierce County

• Pierce County Executive: Bruce Dammeier^ (REP) 54%, Larry Seaquist (DEM) 46%
• Pierce County Council No. 2: Hans Zeiger (REP) 52%, Sarah Rumbaugh (DEM) 48%
• Pierce County Council No. 3: Amy Culver (DEM) 67%, Joe Zaichkin (REP) 30%
• Pierce County Council No. 4: Ryan Mello (DEM) 65%, Javier Figueroa (REP) 35%
• Pierce County Council No. 6: Jani Hitchen (DEM) 53%, Jason Whalen (REP) 47%

Snohomish County

• Snohomish County District 4: Jared Mead^ (DEM) 68%, Brenda Carrington (REP) 32%

Seattle

• Seattle Proposition 1: Yes* 81.62%, No 18.38%

The post 2020 General Election Results: Early Returns first appeared on The Urbanist.

As it stands, the state senate sits at 28-21 advantage for Democrats and the state house is 57-41. The tipping point is 25 votes in the senate and 50 is the house. Thus, Democrats can withstand losing seven votes from its caucus and still pass legislation, but just four defections doom bills in the senate, which explains the failure to pass those aforementioned priorities during the last few sessions. The state senate will likely be where progressive legislation either lives or dies, but fortunately a further leftward swing seems inbound.

In the 28th District, The Urbanist endorsed T’wina Nobles, who appears poised to defeat Steve O’Ban, a Republican obsessed with dismantling Sound Transit. Nobles edged out O’Ban in the primary and has pulled in big name endorsements like Joe Biden’s and massive fundraising hauls.

Beyond the scope of our endorsements–which require legislative candidates to complete our questionnaire to guarantee eligibility–a handful more races could swing in progressives’ favor. With a weekend until Election Day, turnout out is already very high (already surpassing 50% in some counties) in our accessible mail-in ballot based system in Washington state. High turnout could be an X-factor this election, either propelling a Blue wave or actually helping Republicans hold on in some swing districts.

In the 10th District–which includes Whidbey Island and Mount Vernon–Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson is running a close race against incumbent Republican Ron Muzzall. The race seems a little under the radar compared to Nobles’ challenge to O’Ban, but Price Johnson is outraising Muzzall and trailed him by less than two points in the primary.

In the 5th District, Ingrid Anderson edged out conservative Democrat Mark Mullet in the primary election, and has continued to pile on big endorsements (like Governor Jay Inslee’s) and fundraising hauls. This has big implications because Mullet has helped block progressive tax reform, worker protections, and climate legislation despite the “D” next to his name. Anderson, meanwhile, is a registered nurse with strong backing from organized labor and a stridently progressive platform.

In the 17th District down in Clark County, incumbent Republican Lynda Wilson looked pretty solid in the primary with 55% of the vote, but Democratic challenger Daniel Smith could ride a blue wave, and has big endorsements like Inslee’s to latch himself to that momentum.

On the flip side, incumbent Democrat Dean Takko didn’t look so hot in the primary getting only 44% of the vote against two Republican challengers. Barring a recovery that could be a loss, but since Takko is a moderate, it might be a wash on big progressive legislation. Takko and Mullet are considered part of the “Roadkill Caucus” that blocks progressive legislation.

House

On the house side, Angie Homola is well positioned in LD10-1, with the Republican realtor (Greg Gilday) gaining only 46% of the vote. Homola founded an environmental nonprofit and takes campaign photos with Puget Sound tidepools, while Gilday opposes climate action, new taxes, and the Governor’s eviction moratorium in response to the Covid pandemic.

In LD-42-1, Blaine City Councilmember Alicia Rule tallied 48% of the vote in primary and could close the gap on incumbent Republican Luanne Van Werven. The Bellingham area used to a Republican stronghold, but it’s shifting to the Left. Democrat Sharon Shewmake won the other 42nd house seat in 2018 in close and likely will defend it successfully, despite trailing by a point in the primary. Shewmake has been excellent in her first term and a welcome voice on housing and urbanist issues.

In LD17-1, Democrat Tanisha Harris picked up 47% of the vote in the primary and could pull off the upset on Vicki Kraft with a strong finish. Harris pulled in the endorsement of The Columbian editorial board (Vancouver’s main newspaper) and is outraising Kraft by a three-to-one margin.

In LD26-1 out on Kitsap peninsula, Carrie Hesch is in striking distance of incumbent Republican Jesse Young, who grabbed 52% of the primary vote. In LD26-2, Joy Stanford could also ride a big wave to buoy her primary performance of 43%. It sounds far-fetched, but State Senator Emily Randall pulled off perhaps the biggest upset of 2018 defeating Republican Marty McClendon by a razor-thin margin. Hesch and Stanford are campaigning hard so don’t be surprised if they pull off upsets.

If things get really blue, the 6th District could be in play for the Democrats. Republican incumbents Mike Volz and Jenny Graham nearly touched 55% in the primary, but if Trump is a drag on the ticket, the general could look different. Democratic challengers Zack Zappone and Tom McGarry could catch fire. On the other hand, the Spokane suburbs might be turned on by Trump’s frantic despot antics–so time will tell.

Similar story in LD25, where Puyallup High School teacher Jamie Smith came up just 1.2 points short in 2018 against Republican incumbent Kelly Chambers. Likewise, Democrat Brian Duthie came up just 2.4 points short in 2018 against Republican Chris Gildon, who since retired. With a presidential year and facing an opponent (Cyndy Jacobsen) without an incumbent advantage, Duthie could well close the gap. Both have outraised their Republican opponents handily.

The battle for control the state agenda isn’t just fought in swing districts, but also in safe Democrats seats were moderate incrementalist Democrats are facing more serious challenges from the Left than in recent cycles. Among the crop of progressive challengers are Urbanist-endorsed David Hackney (LD11) are Sherae Lascelles (LD43).

Meanwhile open seats in LD36 and LD37 are an opportunity for bolder progressives in Liz Berry and Kirsten Harris-Talley (both Urbanist-endorsed) to take the reins from more moderate predecessors. Jamila Taylor has an opportunity to do the same with LD30-1, which Mike Pellicciotti vacated to run for State Treasurer–The Urbanist endorsed him despite our disappointment with his Sound Transit-cutting car tab bills.

All told, that’s nine Republican house seats that could flip in a big wave year, and another five Democrat seats that could shift to the Left with progressive challengers. Even with a medium wave, hitting a 60-seat majority in the house seems likely. If all close races go Democrats’ way, the senate split would be 31-18.

A progressive era

The issues on which state Republicans can win seem to be shrinking away. As we pointed out in 2018, car tab sticker shock didn’t work in the Seattle metropolitan area. Initiative 976 barely passed despite deceptive ballot language promising $30 car tabs with no repercussions, and the state Supreme Court struck it down for violating the state constitution. The conservative bag of tricks is depleted, and the era of progressive policymaking is upon us.

Democrats are looking at even larger majorities in Olympia come the 2021 session. The question will soon be turning to what they should do with the commanding majorities voters have given them.

The post These Races Could Cement Progressive Majorities in Olympia first appeared on The Urbanist.

After all, the links between housing policy, transportation infrastructure, environmental regulation, and people’s health and well-being are too well known to ignore; there is much work to be done, and we want to see positions of power occupied by those who understand these critical connections. 

Back in primary season (somehow simultaneously eons ago and also somehow only a few months ago??), we arranged our faces into the necessary shapes to have Zoom calls with dozens of government hopefuls–from seasoned incumbents recommitting to their Sisyphean burdens to bright-eyed first-time candidates angling to make sweeping changes. We’re thrilled to report that the vast majority of the candidates we endorsed have advanced to the general election–meaning most of our endorsements from the grueling slog of 2.5 days of Zooming still stand.

Below you’ll find who we think you should vote for, links to our previous writings about them, and our take on the slew of ballot measures before you. 

As you fill out your ballot this year, let the urbanist agenda of safe, healthy, thriving, sustainable urban living for all be a guiding light during these troubled times. 

Here’s how you should vote:

Seattle Proposition 1: Yes #YesForTransit

An essential transit funding source is expiring at year’s end and it’s imperative we renew it to preserve service and access. The new measure isn’t quite as large as its predecessor–the 2014 Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD)–because Tim Eyman’s Initiative 976 impeded the use of car tab fees–update: I-976 has since been struck down by the state Supreme Court. Known as an office chair thief, Eyman’s big ticket thieving has been from transit agencies. 

With car tabs in doubt, the Seattle City Council opted to increase the STBD’s sales tax from 0.1% to 0.15%, allowing the STBD to pull in about $39 million next year. That haul is likely to increase over the six-year measure, but the lack of car tabs means less money and service overall than the previous measure.

About half the revenue goes into adding bus service, while the ORCA Opportunity low-income fare program pulls in up to $10 million annually. The measure sets aside $9 million for “Emerging Needs” in the first year with West Seattle Bridge closure mitigation in mind. There’s also a bucket for transit infrastructure upgrades like bus lanes and queue jumps that help buses make it through busy intersections and traffic jams faster.

On Seattle’s busiest bus routes, the STBD represents a 30% boost to service, which can go a long way toward building ridership, reducing overcrowding, and saving riders time. In 2019, 70% of Seattle lived within a 10-minute walk of frequent transit service, which wouldn’t have been possible without the 2014 transit measure.

One in three essential workers rely on transit to get to work. The pandemic, with the uptick in work from home and physical distancing, has caused and necessitated a decline in transit ridership. Don’t be fooled into thinking this means we can skimp on transit. Our bus service remains as crucial as ever to keep our society functioning and to position us for a strong recovery.

Increasing bus frequencies and lowering cost for low-income riders is a huge win. We can’t lower transportation emissions, which compose the bulk of Seattle’s carbon footprint, without investing in our bus network. Vote #YesForTransit on Seattle Prop 1.

State Referendum 90: Approve

State Referendum 90 will uphold the new Washington state law requiring all public schools to teach comprehensive sex education to K-12 students. A healthy, safe, thriving urban place must have a populace who share principles of mutual respect and healthful communication, particularly when it comes to bodily autonomy. The comprehensive sex education bill that passed in 2019 lays out requirements for students to learn skills related to respectful and effective communication, and meaningful relationship building. 

Imagine an entire generation having the conviction and knowledge to identify, name, and even intervene in situations of intimidation, violence, exploitation, or coercion… that’s a city we want to live and/or raise kids in. Add in the widespread establishment of concepts of affirmative consent, and you have a recipe for a safer world, particularly for women, transgender and other marginalized genders, and queer people. Our definition of urbanism is not a silo of zoning, permitting, and the like–but rather an intersection (pun intended) of the many facets of urban life that promote health and resiliency. APPROVE!

Yes on All King County Amendments and Proposition 1

There are seven county charter amendments and one county proposition in front of voters this fall. The Urbanist elections committee recommends voting YES on all of them and APPROVED on County Proposition 1. 

Of the seven amendments, four address criminal justice reform. These amendments come in the aftermath of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s murders, which ignited historic, nationwide civil rights protests. Locally, there’s no shortage of unaccountable policing–perhaps the most egregious recent example is the murder of Tommey Le. An independent report of the incident, released in 2020, stated: “[t]he Sheriff’s Office went to extraordinary measures in its investigation to advance the theory the Le had a knife at some point in the encounter.”

Le did not have a knife. The current sheriff, Mitzi G. Johanknecht, originally distanced herself from the incident because it happened during her predecessor’s term, but the investigation occurred under her watch. Shortly afterward, the officer was cleared of wrongdoing and proceeded to hit a pedestrian with his patrol car, causing the person’s death. That officer is still an employee. In fact, no police officer in Washington state has lost their commission due to excessive force. 

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Council is therefore proposing some serious reform, oversight and accountability: amendments will require investigations and provide legal representation when people are killed in the criminal justice system, make the Sheriff’s position appointed rather than elected, and give the Council and Executive oversight into the Sheriff’s duties and union negotiations.

Republicans are not too happy about those last two. From fear-mongering about politicizing the Sheriff’s Office, to wringing hands over technicalities, opponents conveniently never directly address if the amendments will actually improve public safety. In fact, they likely will: appointing the Sheriff will allow hiring people from outside a corrupted department, and giving the Council oversight will enable changes such as social workers responding to mental health-related 911 calls.

Overall, charter amendments 1, 4, 5, and 6 are modest efforts at police accountability and the chicken little opposition is evidence of our broken system. It’s time to trust Black leaders who support these changes. Vote YES on all the County Charter Amendments.

Beyond the public safety amendments, yes votes on the rest of the bunch will facilitate affordable housing on surplus County property (an ambitious interpretation of which might even open the door for agencies like Sound Transit to use ground leases to fund operations), make charter language more inclusive, and pay for some desperately needed capital improvements at Harborview. We love affordable housing, inclusive language, and critical healthcare infrastructure–vote YES on County Charter Amendments 2 and 3, and County Proposition #1.

Endorsements in brief

*Questionnaire responses are hyperlinked to the candidates’ name where available. Read our Primary Endorsements for more details on the candidates.

• U.S. House District 9: Adam Smith
• U.S. House District 10: Beth Doglio
• Governor: Jay Inslee
• Lieutenant Governor: Marko Liias
• Secretary of State: Gael Tarleton
• State Treasurer: Mike Pellicciotti
• Attorney General: Bob Ferguson
• Commissioner of Public Lands: Hilary Franz
• Superintendent of Public Instruction: Chris Reykdal
• Senate District 11: Bob Hasegawa
• LD11-1: David Hackney
• LD22-2: Jessica Bateman
• Senate District 28: T’wina Nobles
• LD29-1: Melanie Morgan
• LD32-1: Cindy Ryu
• LD34-2: Joe Fitzgibbon
• LD36-1: Noel Frame
• LD36-2: Liz Berry
• LD37-2: Kirsten Harris-Talley
• LD43-1: Nicole Macri
• LD43-2: Sherae Lascelles
• Referendum 90: Approve
• Seattle Proposition 1: Yes (#YesForTransit!)
• King County Charter Amendment 1: Yes
• King County Charter Amendment 2: Yes
• King County Charter Amendment 3: Yes
• King County Charter Amendment 4: Yes
• King County Charter Amendment 5: Yes
• King County Charter Amendment 6: Yes
• King County Charter Amendment 7: Yes
• King County Proposition 1: Approve

Look up your district and voter information on the state website here. Postage is included, so just drop your signed and completed ballot envelope in the mail or the nearest drop box.

The Urbanist Elections Committee consists of Hayley Bonsteel, Lizzy Jessup, Myra Lara, Owen Pickford, Doug Trumm, and Rian Watt.

The post The Urbanist’s 2020 General Endorsements first appeared on The Urbanist.

The 43rd district covers much of our central city including Downtown, Capitol Hill, U District, Green Lake, Fremont, and more. The district includes some of the densest, fastest growing, and most progressive parts of the city and at the same exemplifies Seattle’s ongoing housing crisis and rapid gentrification–the wealth inequality is jarringly visible. The seat has been represented by the same moderate incumbent since the 1990s, but that could change with the election of Lascelles.

As we said in our primary endorsement of Lascelles: “Not often do we come across a candidate that has shown effective political action, radical compassion and fierce ingenuity while in a state of constant precarity. When they see a need, they go straight to those affected, down to even producing what’s needed–forming an intuition that focuses on results and community care.”

Lascelles has a long history of successfully building organizations and structures, culminating most recently in the founding of two crucial nonprofits: People of Color Sex Worker Outreach Program (PoC SWOP) and Green Light Project (GLP). PoC SWOP is an advocacy and community building organization for sex workers of color, and Green Light Project provides direct outreach harm reduction at the intersection of sex work and drug use. Because of their advocacy and lived experience, Lascelles is acutely aware of and actively combats barriers to entry, a facet of policymaking and everyday life even our most progressive Democrats fail to address.

“Lascelles speaks glowingly of the walkable, bodega-saturated lifestyle dense cities like New York foster, and they live in the University District because it offers that,” The Urbanist Election Committee wrote. “It’s clear they’re an urbanist and understand the importance of transit and density. More than that, they’re precisely the kind of urbanist that can attract new folks and break the movement out of the White male-dominated technocratic rut that can be its stumbling block.”

Lascelles is running on a platform that includes greater support for public housing and our neighbors forced to sleep outside, investments in green infrastructure, free transit, and state level police reform. Learn more at www.sheraeforstate.com. Vote by November 3rd. (Here are The Urbanist’s general endorsements.)

This monthly social event is free, all ages, and open to everyone. Call in if you want to meet other people who care about our city, network, or hear from an inspirational speaker. Normally we meet second Tuesday of the month, but this month we pushed the event back a week due to a scheduling conflict. The line opens a 6:15pm for networking and discussion and the speaker starts at 6:30pm. We hope you can join us! Register on the form below for the Zoom link:

Update: Watch the video from the meetup and hear what Sherae has to say:

The post State House Candidate Sherae Lascelles Is Our Guest Speaker at October 20th Urbanist Meetup first appeared on The Urbanist.

Below is a roundup of the early results, including non-endorsed races across Western Washington.

Key: Bold Text = leading, INC = Incumbent, * = Endorsed Candidate/Measure, DEM = Democrat, REO = Republican, IND = Other, Independent

Federal

• Washington’s 1st Congressional District: Susan Delbene (DEM, INC) 56%, Jeffrey Beeler, Sr. (REP) 32%, Derek Chartrand (REP) 6%
• Washington’s 2nd Congressional District: Rick Larsen (DEM, INC) 52%, Timothy Hazelo (REP) 14%, Jason Call (DEM) 12%
• Washington’s 3rd Congressional District: Jaime Herrera Beutler (REP, INC) 55%, Carolyn Long (DEM) 41%, Martin Hash (IND) 2%
• Washington’s 6th Congressional District: Derek Kilmer (DEM, INC) 50%, Elizabeth Kreiselmaier (REP) 26%, Rebecca Parson* (DEM) 12%
• Washington’s 7th Congressional District: Pramila Jayapal (DEM, INC) 80%, Craig Keller (REP) 8%
• Washington’s 8th Congressional District: Kim Schrier (DEM, INC) 45%, Jesse Jensen (REP) 18%, Keith Swank (REP) 17%
• Washington’s 9th Congressional District: Adam Smith* (DEM, INC) 74%, Doug Basler (REP) 15%, Joshua Campbell (REP) 8%
• Washington’s 10th Congressional District: Marilyn Strickland (DEM) 21%, Beth Doglio* (DEM) 14%, Kristin Reeves (DEM) 13%

Statewide

• Governor: Jay Inslee* (DEM, INC) 52%, Loren Culp (REP) 17%, Joshua Freed (REP) 7%
• Lieutenant Governor: Denny Heck (DEM) 28%, Marko Liias* (DEM) 17%, Ann Davison Sattler (REP) 12%
• Secretary of State: Kim Wyman (REP, INC) 50%, Gael Tarleton* (DEM) 45%, Ed Minger (IND) 3%
• Treasurer: Mike Pellicciotti* (DEM) 54%, Duane Davidson (REP, INC) 46%
• Auditor: Pat McCarthy (DEM, INC) 48%, Chris Leyba (REP) 41%, Joshua Casey (DEM) 11%
• Attorney General: Bob Ferguson* (DEM, INC) 57%, Matt Larkin (REP) 23%, Brett Rogers (REP) 12%
• Superintendent of Public Instruction: Chris Reykdal* (DEM, INC) 40%, Maia Espinoza (REP) 24%, Ron Higgins (IND) 20%
• Commissioner of Public Lands: Hilary Franz* (DEM, INC) 52%, Sue Kuehl Pederson (REP) 22%, Cameron Whitney (REP) 9%
• Commissioner of Insurance: Mike Kreidler (DEM, INC) 60%, Chirayu Patel (REP) 28%, Anthony Welti (IND) 12%

Legislative Districts

• Legislative District 5, State Senator: Ingrid Anderson (DEM) 48%, Mark Mullet (DEM, INC) 47%
• Legislative District 10, State Senator: Helen Price Johnson (DEM) 52%, Ron Muzzall (REP, INC) 48%
• Legislative District 11, State Senator: Bob Hasegawa* (DEM, INC) 93%
• Legislative District 11, State Representative Position 1: David Hackney* (DEM) 42%, Zach Hudgins (DEM, INC) 36%, Jay Stark (IND) 20%
• Legislative District 19, State Senator: Dean Takko (DEM, INC) 46%, Jeff Wilson (REP) 36%, Wes Cormier (REP) 17%
• Legislative District 19, State Representative Position 1: Jim Walsh (REP, INC) 56%, Marianna Everson (DEM) 23%, Clinton Bryson (DEM) 20%
• Legislative District 19, State Representative Position 2: Joel McEntire (REP) 52%, Brian Blake (DEM, INC) 48%
• Legislative District 22, State Representative Position 2: Jessica Bateman* (DEM) 35%, Dusty Pierpoint (REP) 35%, May Ellen Biggerstaff (DEM) 14%
• Legislative District 28, State Senator: T’wina Nobles* (DEM) 51%, Steve O’Ban (REP, INC) 49%
• Legislative District 28, State Representative Position 1: Mari Leavitt (DEM, INC) 58%, Kevin Ballard (REP) 42%
• Legislative District 28, State Representative Position 2: Dan Bronoske (DEM) 54%, Chris Nye (REP) 25%, Jamie Michaud (REP) 22%
• Legislative District 29, State Representative Position 1: Melanie Morgan* (DEM, INC) 62%, Koshin Fidaar (REP) 38%
• Legislative District 29, State Representative Position 2: Terry Harder (REP) 39%, Steve Kirby (DEM, INC) 33%, Sharlett Mena* (DEM) 27%
• Legislative District 32, State Representative Position 1: Cindy Ryu* (DEM, INC) 64%, Shirley Sutton (DEM) 24%, Keith Smith (DEM) 7%
• Legislative District 34, State Representative Position 2: Joe Fitzgibbon* (DEM, INC) 96%
• Legislative District 36, State Representative Position 1: Noel Frame* (DEM, INC) 97%
  
• Legislative District 36, State Representative Position 2: Liz Berry* (DEM) 49%, Sarah Reyneveld (DEM) 43%, Jeffery Cohen (DEM) 6%
• Legislative District 37, State Representative Position 2: Kirsten Harris-Talley* (DEM) 50%, Chukundi Salisbury (DEM) 21%, Andrea Caupain (DEM) 12%
• Legislative District 43, State Representative Position 1: Nicole Macri* (DEM, INC) 93%, Leslie Klein (REP) 6%, Brandon Franklin (IND) 1%
• Legislative District 43, State Representative Position 2: Frank Chopp (DEM, INC) 54%, Sherae Lascelles* (IND) 28%, Jessi Murray (DEM) 18%
• Legislative District 47, State Representative Position 1: Debra Entenman (DEM, INC) 58%, Kyle Lyebyedyev (REP) 42%
• Legislative District 47, State Representative Position 2: Pat Sullivan (DEM, INC) 58%, Ted Cooke (REP) 29%, Joseph Cimaomo, Jr. (REP) 9%

The post 2020 August Primary Election Results: Early Returns first appeared on The Urbanist.

What lessons about government revenues and fiscal priorities from the wake of 2008 would you apply in responding to the Covid-19 crisis? (200 words or less)

COVID-19 finds our governments of all levels find themselves working around the clock in emergency mode trying to care for our communities and keep the worst impacts at bay. This pandemic has also illuminated in stark contrast the cracks in our public service system. All the socioeconomic inequalities of our collective society are now viscerally obvious as our neighbors go without work, food, or education. While some are already eyeing budget cuts and austerity measures, we cannot expect to slash and cut our way out of this economic and public health crisis. I firmly believe that COVID-19 presents a generational opportunity in that it will force us to shift the way we see government. Instead of a burden of “red tape”, government is the method through which our society builds and recovers collectively, together. We must commit that lesson to memory and govern in Olympia accordingly. Nothing short of foundational, structural change in government, policy, economics, and society will build the low-carbon future we desperately need. The lessons to learn from COVID-19 are to be bold and unafraid to attack the root causes of suffering, and strengthen the public services we all depend on. Not slash, cut, and defund.

Would you vote for a bill that ends the ban on rent control in Washington? Why or Why not? (50 words or less)

Yes. The 37th LD has a large number of residents who are renters, and we are also ground zero for gentrification and displacement. We deserve rent stabilization policies. We must lift the statewide ban on rent regulation to stop economic evictions and keep families together.

What role do you see the state playing in enacting land use reform, and what should that reform prioritize? (200 words or less)

Our state was very forward-looking when we worked to pass the Growth Management Act into law many decades ago. However, our land use policies desperately need updating especially as we stare down a shortening timeline to fight the climate crisis. Every community across our state has an urgent need to build dense, liveable neighborhoods with more types of housing for more types of families. We should reform our land use policies, and I believe that should include key policies such as: legalizing multi-unit dwellings on all residential plots across the state, encouraging transit-oriented developments, and must include anti-gentrification policies like the right to return for residents. We should also include more pedestrian and multi-modal transportation oriented reforms into our land use policy as well. Reforms should prioritize biking, public transit, and de-prioritize the use of single occupancy vehicles.

What should be the major components of a climate package? (50 words or less)

Progressive revenue reform and taxes on big polluters that funds:

• Expanded public transit and bike infrastructure
• ST3 completion
• New funding for State Housing Trust Fund to build low-carbon social housing
• Pollution caps
• Change state procurement to buy clean and buy union
• Pass the Clean Fuels Standard
• Invest in forest health

What should be the top strategies for the state to fix the cycle of segregation, disinvestment, gentrification, and unaffordable housing in our cities? (200 words or less)

The 37th LD is in so many ways ground zero for all these intersecting issues. We are one of the most diverse districts in the state with a majority of residents identifying as a race other than white. We are also a historically redlined district and we still experience the impacts of segregation, redlining, gentrification, disinvestment, wealth extraction, and the housing crisis. Historically oppressed communities like those in the 37th should be first in line for investments from the state as well. We must center those most impacted within our state policies. Myself and our neighbors have been on the receiving end of these forces, and I am committed to building up our neighborhoods in Olympia – not standing by while gentrification displaces more community members. Some of the top strategies I’m in favor of to stop this destructive cycle are:

• Land use reform to build denser, mixed-income neighborhoods
• Right to return policies state-wide
• Lifting the ban on rent regulation, and rent stabilization policies
• Building new, low-carbon social housing in every neighborhood (preferably to passivhaus standards!)
• Orient development around transit and multimodal transportation options

What’s your roadmap to fixing educational inequities in Washington state? How can Washington state comply with its constitutional duties regarding education? (200 words or less)

Our family is a proud public school family with two young kids in the Seattle Public Schools. I am proud to serve on the PTA of the Friends of Hawthorne association and co-chair our Equity Committee. We see and experience the brilliance of public school teachers, staff, faculty, nurses, paraeducators, custodians, food service workers, and bus drivers every single day. There is no question in my mind it is a moral imperative to fully fund education in our state for every single community and school district. I emphatically support full funding of K-12 basic education that includes robust professional compensation and benefits for educators and mental health staff. We must also fund pre-school and childcare that prepares children for school and protects workers. And the investment in post-high school programs – for college and most importantly trades – is the lifeline for our growing and transitioning workforce. Additionally, I will champion:

• progressive revenue to fully fund K-12 education
• more nursing staff in rural and urban schools
• increasing pay for paraeducators
• increasing teacher pay and benefits
• supporting teachers and staff when they strike
• decreasing the technology gap in low-income communities
• funding and building free, public wifi so all kids have access

Do you think Washington state should have an income tax?If yes, what is the legislative path? If not, would you pursue any tax reform? (100 words or less)

Yes. Progressive tax reform has been a passion of mine for over a decade. I served on the All In for Washington coalition and on the Seattle Progressive Revenue Task Force. Our path to progressive income tax is to engage in strong outside/inside strategy with real organizing and mobilization of community members. We must use the power of the public demand to reconstruct our tax system, and we must make it clear what public services it will fund. It won’t be used to give tax breaks to corporations – but instead must be used to fund healthcare, housing, education, and more.

While California and Oregon have passed a clean fuels standard aiming to meet their climate goals, Washington did not, as the bill stalled out last session. Would you vote for it? If not, what is the route to meeting our climate goals? (150 words or less)

I absolutely would vote for it. The fact that the Clean Fuels Standard has yet to be passed is honestly quite frustrating. When I serve in the State House I intend to lead on this urgent matter, in addition to championing additional robust climate measures that will make our state meet our emissions goals and lead with equity for oppressed communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

What percentage of the state’s transportation budget should be for alternatives to cars, such as transit, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure? (100 words)

A lot more than is currently, that’s for sure! We have to re-prioritize our spending to public transportation, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure. Our own transportation leaders in our state government have told us that we cannot widen roads any more, it’s impossible and impractical. Considering we are effectively at capacity for car infrastructure, we need to significantly balance our state’s transportation budget to get folks out of the cars and into fast, frequent, affordable public transit and bike/pedestrian modes of transport.

What should be a higher priority: electrifying personal vehicles or reducing the number of trips made in personal vehicles? Explain how to achieve your priority. (50 words).

Reducing the number of trips in personal vehicles must be our priority. Prioritizing personal EVs does nothing for congestion or traffic. We must invest in policies and infrastructure that actually gets folks out of their cars and onto public transit or bikes/their own bodies. It’s healthier for our communities.

The Urbanist Election Committee’s Take: Vote Harris-Talley

Read our endorsement post to see why.

The post 2020 Endorsement Questionnaire: Kirsten Harris-Talley, LD37-2 first appeared on The Urbanist.

What lessons about government revenues and fiscal priorities from the wake of 2008 would you apply in responding to the Covid-19 crisis? (200 words or less)

Funding state government with a regressive sales tax is a bad idea. The Covid-19 crisis has caused a significant revenue decrease because retail brick and mortar establishments are closed or have limited goods and services. As a result, the state government must address a 4-7 billion-dollar budget deficit. The state must resist the temptation to implement significant budget cuts and instead should find ways to stimulate the economy. Cutting education, infrastructure, transportation, healthcare and income replacement programs will prolong the recession. Instead, the state must find new sources of revenue like a progressive income tax, a capital gains tax or a new tax on cloud computing to generate revenue and stimulate the economy. Trickle-down economics is a hoax. The economy does not grow when you provide the top 10% with tax cuts and deregulate the economy. The economy grows when hard working Americans have spending power to buy goods and services, which results in businesses expanding and making capital investments and hiring more workers, who have more spending power. The state must use this crisis to adopt bold progressive initiatives that put discretionary income in the hands of working people and use new sources of revenue to finance these initiatives.

Would you vote for a bill that ends the ban on rent control in Washington? Why or Why not? (50 words or less)

Yes. Rent control provides renters protection from predatory practices by landlords. When you purchase a home, you can obtain a 30-year fixed mortgage, which is essentially a stable price for housing. Renters deserve the same protection. Communities should have the authority to decide the best housing policies for their constituents.

What role do you see the state playing in enacting land use reform, and what should that reform prioritize? (200 words or less)

The state should play a significant role in land use reform. The housing crisis in Washington is the result of a market failure and the state should use land use reform to address this issue. There is an insufficient supply of housing for low-income residents because developers believe they can achieve a higher profit margin on housing projects that sell at a higher price point. The state should acquire land close to transportation hubs and provide tax incentives or direct subsidies to increase the supply of affordable housing. The state should require developers who want access to public land to develop a portion of each project for low-income individuals and families. In addition, the state should require all communities to develop affordable housing and refuse to bow to pressure of NIMBY from residents of more affluent communities. The state should also not attempt to place affordable housing in industrial areas. Promoting affordable housing in industrial areas is a form of environmental racism that exposes communities of color to polluted air and water. The state should focus on land use reform to provide affordable housing on public land in every community and provide economic incentives to encourage development of affordable housing.

What should be the major components of a climate package? (50 words or less)

The goal should be the reduction of green-house gases that cause climate change. The components should be an investment in a green new deal that incentivizes clean energy, public transportation, fuel emission standards and carbon trading. The state must use financial incentives like tax policy to finance these initiatives.

What should be the top strategies for the state to fix the cycle of segregation, disinvestment, gentrification, and unaffordable housing in our cities? (200 words or less)

Many of the communities of color in the metro Seattle area were formed as the result of intentional discrimination and red lining. Communities of color were restricted to certain areas like the Central District and the International District. As the mega-corporations grow, their very highly paid employees began to colonize traditional communities of color and build luxury homes, apartments and condominiums the original residents cannot afford. Policy makers take advantage by enacting higher property taxes that force lower-income individuals to sell or abandon property their family held for generations. As communities of color are forced out more gentrification occurs increasing the pressure on the last remaining hold outs to sell and move. The way to break this chain is to provide relief from high property taxes to qualifying families and individuals, and rent control to renters in traditional communities of color. In addition, developers in traditional communities of color should be required to provide affordable housing as part of their construction projects. Developers should also be required to negotiate with community groups that represent communities of color for other amenities in exchange for their support of the project.

What’s your roadmap to fixing educational inequities in Washington state? How can Washington state comply with its constitutional duties regarding education? (200 words or less)

First, in this time of crisis, budget cuts for schools should be off limits. Second, the state should commit to providing the resources to meet the educational needs of every student. This includes providing social services so that students come to school prepared to learn. Schools must ensure students have sufficient nutrition and counseling to recover from trauma they may suffer at home. The state must review school policies from a racial equity lense. Racial equity includes eliminating the school to prison pipeline and zero tolerance policies. School should adopt restorative justice and mediation services as an alternative to juvenile justice. One of the many problems with juvenile justice is that is does nothing to resolve the underlying dispute. If the student returns to school, the original dispute is still festering and results in recidivism. Schools must invest in recruiting and retaining minority staff- teachers, counselors, school nurses, advisors and coaches that have the same lived experience as the diverse student population. The state must find revenue to ensure that students in lower-social economic jurisdictions have the same opportunities as there more affluent cohorts. This includes fully funding special education which has yet to be accomplished.

Do you think Washington state should have an income tax? If yes, what is the legislative path? If not, would you pursue any tax reform? (100 words or less)

Yes. The path should be less steep in light of the pandemic. Regressive taxes are not only unfair, but they multiply the negative impacts of recessions. The need for additional sources of revenue has never been as clear as now. The current financial collapse rivals the great depression of the early 1930’s, the late 1980’s and 2008. History has taught that austerity programs and trickle-down economics prolong recessions and economic stimulus initiatives help the economy recover faster. The Democrats have a majority in the House, Senate and occupy the Governor’s mansion. The strategy is unity, and pledge to do no harm.

While California and Oregon have passed a clean fuels standard aiming to meet their climate goals, Washington did not, as the bill stalled out last session. Would you vote for it? If not, what is the route to meeting our climate goals? (150 words or less)

Yes. In a similar fashion to the pandemic, we need to rely on verified scientific principles to govern public policy. We must make it clear that failure to address climate change will lead to higher costs and irrevocable damage to the environment. First you concentrate on the Democratic majority and you make it a requirement to support clean fuel standards in order to get campaign support. In the same manner, the HDCC would not support a candidate that did not support civil rights, we should treat so-called Democrats who refuse to acknowledge and act on climate change as pariahs. Next we focus on Republicans in swing districts and let them know we will focus on their “flat earth” denial of climate change to voters in a campaign to label them as ignorant and defeat them. The key is to be relentless and not compromise on the future of the planet.

What percentage of the state’s transportation budget should be for alternatives to cars, such as transit, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure? (100 words)

90%. The time for building and improving roads is over. The future of transportation is to get people out of their cars and on to clean public transportation, safe biking and pedestrian lanes on major thoroughfares. The state still needs to ensure that existing infrastructure is safe. However, the emphasis of the state’s policies as manifested in their budget, is to reduce carbon emissions by reducing the number of cars and commercial trucks on our roads.

What should be a higher priority: electrifying personal vehicles or reducing the number of trips made in personal vehicles? Explain how to achieve your priority. (50 words).

I would prioritize reducing the number of trips made in personal vehicles. Currently the production of electricity results in carbon emissions. Using more electric cars will slightly improve but not solve our climate change problem. Fundamentally we need to learn how to promote mass transit and safe lane for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Urbanist Elections Committee’s Take: Vote Hackney

Read our endorsements to see our reasons why.

The post 2020 Endorsement Questionnaire: David Hackney, LD11-1 first appeared on The Urbanist.