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 to use $ to help – expedite permitting, use county bonds/debt to fund more housing. Want family-sized units too.
DUDA: Need to reassess taxing of new housing to fund affordable housing, Re: permitting, regional policy failure, needs clearer timelines, should be able to get it done (faster).

Q: Prioritize spending, how to avoid putting burden onto small biz?
DUDA: We do a poor job measuring results. Accountability important. Reinvest dollars before adding new taxes.
MOSQUEDA: I’m a huge proponent of progressive taxes. But all we have now is sales tax and prop tax. New taxes now have to make up for federal money that’s being ripped away.

LIGHTNING ROUND: Whimsical questions such as “dogs or cats?” Mosqueda the latter, Duda the former.

Next, 34th District State House Position 2 Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon and challenger Mary Anito:

Q: Lowering costs for business?
ANITO: Streamlining, keep regulation to minimum. Public safety – thefts at a site, etc. raise costs.
FITZGIBBON: Energy policies – planning to pursue policies to bring cost down, tweak clean energy law – permitting for energy projects – insurance: take hard look at liability

Q: Retail theft and repeat property crime – what changes to improve accountability?
FITZGIBBON: We had an organized retail crime task force but governor vetoed funding for it. New issue, gift card fraud, need law to address that crime
ANITO: Been on shelter board – saw what works – need to invest in mental health care – went to two local public-safety meetings, fentanyl smoke going into apartments, how do we fund the right things? Laws should address that

Q: Ferry crisis the other day – how to avoid a repeat?
ANITO: Need to ensure we have talent pipeline, know what the market rate is, look at trade schools, ensure more people want to do this work, ferry fleet improvement so vessels don’t need so much attention
FITZGIBBON: It was a catastrophic situation on Monday. Workers who called in sick are underpaid and that’s a real problem – contract arbitration did not go well. But strikes are not legal – but 23 people decided to call in sick and 100 declined to fill in for them.

Q: Construction project disruption like ST, how to protect street access?
FITZGIBBON: A lot of it at local levvel but we did change law regarding business compensation for relocation.
ANITO: Project near her home has run a long time. Need deliverables and to hold accountable if not met. 24/7 no-parking at Fauntleroy Culvert jobsite unrealistic when work not under way. Get performance data and results built into contract.

Q: Child care costs – how to make it more affordable?
ANITO: Need more home day cares. My kids go to private preschool. Why did Seattle Preschool Program cost so much more? Though we make good $, child care cost killing us … we chose to have 3 kids.
FITZGIBBON: Passed state bill to subsidize though Working Connections. But that’s increased state spending, Had to slow implementation to balance state budget.

LIGHTNING ROUND: This one also was somewhat lighthearted. One excerpt: Early bird or night owl? Anito the former, Fitzgibbon the latter.

Again, what we wrote above are just topline notes – watch the full videos to get their detailed answers and statements. Also, all four are scheduled for another forum next Thursday night, as previewed here, at the Alki Community Council meeting, 7 pm October 15, Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds). Ballots will start arriving that day, and you have until November 3 to vote.