Voice: Election 2019 - Seattle City Council Responses

About Seattle City Council

Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are up for vote this November.

District 1

Lisa Herbold

Current council member. Contact: D1forlisa@gmail.com, www.district1forherbold.org

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

No.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

In 2018, I sponsored Council Bill 119309 to ensure that Seattle Housing Authority, as a subsidy administrator, was required to comply with reasonable accommodation laws to tenants with disabilities.

I am working to double our annual investment in Permanent Supportive Housing for each of the remaining years of the Housing Levy so that we can increase options for people on SSI.

Also, as we renew the Multi Family Tax Exemption that provides a tax credit for new development that includes affordable units, I would like to ensure that Seattle is assessing the affordability levels of housing types for 2+ bedroom units so that their rent levels are affordable for people with disabilities and their families.

Finally, earlier this year the state legislature passed legislation that will make more seniors and people with disabilities eligible for property tax exemptions in 2020. The legislation went into effect on July 28, 2019 so that the income threshold for eligibility will go from $40,000 to $58,423. The King County Assessor notes that only 1 in 100 qualified senior and disabled persons have registered for the program. An important first step would be to improve education and outreach to increase participation in this program.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

I will advance the following two principles in our homelessness intervention system:

Ensure that the programs we fund are in compliance with ADA, and, when necessary, enact new policy to strengthen that compliance; and

Ensure that the programs we fund use a targeted-universalist approach to improve accessibility, especially given the disproportionate representation of people with disabilities experiencing homelessness.

Work with community-based organizations that have expertise and are led by people with disabilities to identify areas for improvement and solutions in both of these capacities.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

The Coordinated Entry system in King County is currently reviewing our traditional assessment tool to see where it has fallen short on serving people with disabilities, people of color, gender non-conforming and Trans people, etc. A new “dynamic prioritization” model has been proposed to ensure, in part, that prioritization is more adequately based on a circumstance at a given time and the appropriate housing/services available at that time.

I see an opportunity for the City to create a broader spectrum of housing resources for this new system to connect with. For people with disabilities, that might mean funding community/group homes with varying levels of assistance and case management, organizations that provide support with independent living support, and alignment between diversion services and “special needs trusts” to help identify beneficiaries that assist someone living in the private rental market.

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

In 2015, I campaigned on a police observer’s Bill of Rights, which I introduced and was passed by the council. This law protects the public in its role as observer.

We must continue to invest in de-escalation training required by Initiative 940 so police officers can get the skills to engage with people with disabilities in a trauma-informed way, so we don't have to rely on accountability tools after an incident or fatality.

I also support expansion of our most valuable diversion tools like the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program so that people with disabilities are connected with services, and not cycled in and out of the criminal legal system.

Finally, I anticipate changes in State Law to improve competency evaluations for people with behavioral health needs in jail without adequate representation. I think it will be key to connect organizations with expertise serving people with disabilities here as well.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

Yes. This cross-training would increase awareness and help ensure more appropriate interactions with people with disabilities. As mentioned above, diversion and improvements with our competency evaluation efforts when people have been booked are key intervention points.

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

Though the ban on plastic utensils, which includes straws, was passed in 2008, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) only began enforcing the ban in 2017. I will continue to work with SPU to make sure that plastic straws are made readily available. The Director’s Rule and promotional materials for the ban do not mention (with the exception of a small footnote) that there are accommodations for individuals with disabilities and that a plastic straw should be made available upon request. I will work with the general manager of SPU to ensure a change in these materials so that not only members of the disabled community, but others are aware that exceptions need to be made.

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

Increasing access to jobs for people with disabilities is important, and it is equally important that we ensure those jobs are equitable and fair employment opportunities. In 2017, with the help of the Commission for People with DisAbilities (PwD), I supported the end of the subminimum wage for people with disabilities. Subminimum wages are an outdated practice that inherently devalue the employee receiving them.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

We should make changes within the Move Levy in order to secure more investment in new sidewalk development, particularly in low income neighborhoods without sidewalks. We should identify sidewalk construction goals for each district rather than a total citywide number of blocks. Finally, a yearly minimum commitment to funding the implementation of the Pedestrian Safety Master Plan, for each of the 9 years of the levy, is an important objective and measure of our commitment to pedestrian safety.

I am working with the MASS coalition on legislation that will ask SDOT to develop policy options and funding for the maintenance of sidewalks.

Sidewalk safety is important, for pedestrians, seniors and disabled persons - so where scooters and bicycles can legally travel and park is a critical question (i.e. roads vs. sidewalks). Policy development from SDOT on sidewalk safety is needed before these new modes of transportation are implemented.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes. While Lyft and Uber are both slowly working towards providing these options, it is not enough. Rideshare companies need to provide better options for their disabled customers and ensure that they do not cost more than the standard fare like we do for traditional taxis. Further, a program such as King County’s Taxi Scrip should be created for rideshare companies.

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

I’ve worked to increase bus service to Admiral, Alki, Delridge, and Highland Park neighborhoods.

However, that’s not enough. In my work on the Regional Transit Committee, and through review of the King County Metro 2018 system evaluation, I’ve seen that additional service is needed to meet KC Metro’s service guidelines (which SDOT uses as well). In District 1 alone, the C Line, 21, 37, 50, 56, 60, 125, 131 and 132 all show as needing additional service, including buses in South Park and Delridge.

Additionally, I’ve been working on implementing impact fees, growth should pay for growth. The Seattle Planning Commission also supports using impact fees for implementing the modal plans. Most local cities use this funding source for transportation infrastructure, but Seattle hasn’t. In December 2018, the Council was planning to consider necessary Comp Plan amendments for Impact Fees, but there was an appeal filed and we are waiting to hear from the Hearing Examiner.

Phil Tavel

Mr. Tavel attended our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council Candidates. Contact: phil@tavelforseattle.com, www.tavelforseattle.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

Yes. I lived with a very close friend and his family when I was working in Australia. My friend’s wife was working with autistic children and one of their children was also on the spectrum. I helped with their child and also assisted at the school, from time to time. This experience helped me further understand how children and adults are impacted by autism and how important it is for families to be connected with professionals who can provide assistance.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

Housing is a basic human right. SSI recipients are clearly not being served by the current system and are priced out of the private rental market. Subsidized housing is only available to a small percentage of SSI recipients across King County. It is important to ask how we can prevent people with disabilities from falling into homelessness in the first place. If this population is disproportionately becoming homeless, we must closely examine the reasons why and work together to find solutions. I will work with the Mayor’s office and City Departments, to identify additional resources to increase affordable housing inventory and review surplus public land options. I will rely on input from advocacy groups like ARC and impacted stakeholders to further engage around this issue and identify ways to better protect and empower those challenged by disabilities.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?Seattle has been failing to house people who are unsheltered, and as important as it is to have shelter available, it is crucial that sheltered spaces be compatible and livable for people with disabilities. I would want to examine solutions ranging from reserving a segment of existing beds to accommodate those with special needs, to constructing new or renovating existing shelter space in order to provide safety and a more livable, supportive environment.
Everyone needs to be somewhere, and if the city cannot provide adequate shelter, the use of defensive or hostile architecture and similar elements should be re-evaluated to avoid contributing to the challenges facing people experiencing homelessness. If elected, my staff will include a liaison to provide external oversight to city services, especially for people experiencing homelessness, to monitor and help address these issues as early as possible.

As an attorney, I have also assisted clients living with disabilities, who were residents in public housing properties, navigate the challenges associated with construction, often resulting in the need to move. I worked to ensure proper access was maintained for vehicles and sidewalks. I also intervened when windows were being removed in winter which were not being replaced on the same day. I observed how stressful and disruptive these situations are, especially when communications from property staff to residents are unclear and disability needs were not fully considered.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

Again, the city council is failing to achieve results on these issues. A thorough review of how we’re providing services is clearly needed, which includes an assessment to determine if results are mapping to stated outcomes for the funding being spent, and how cases are prioritized. Clearly those with severe intellectual or developmental disabilities should be a first priority to receive resources. The goal should be to get people into housing quickly, assign them a case manager to implement and complete a housing and/or treatment plan, and give them the support and tools to become permanently housed. The VI-SPDAT should be revised, or another method utilized, in order to accurately prioritize those who need services the most.
People with developmental disabilities should receive assistance as part of a network of wrap around services. I will also work to identify funding to expand the Navigation Team and other programs which help connect people with services and case management,

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

No one denies the difficult job police face every day. That said, it is critical that law enforcement conduct that job in a fair, equitable, compassionate manner. One more life lost to an incorrect assessment is too many.

The Seattle Police Department has collected and reviewed a significant amount of data regarding officer contact with the public, especially pertaining to concerns surrounding the excessive use of force. I will work with the Seattle Police Department, my colleagues, and the Mayor to continue reviewing police contact, ensure that body worn cameras remain in use to help rebuild trust and provide transparency, revisit and expand officer training on de-escalation tactics; strengthen the tools to help identify signs of a disability; and monitor the use of force policy to propose changes if and when necessary.

While we should support our Police Department, we must also hold them accountable any time they violate the public trust and their duty to protect and serve.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

Yes. As a public defender for the past 15 years, I’ve seen firsthand how miscommunication and misunderstandings can impact people challenged by disabilities. It’s important for every justice system professional to be aware of the unique needs faced by those with disabilities. I support cross training to promote consistency and best practice standards across the criminal justice system, including the Bench-Bar Annual Conference, where attendees include judges, defense attorneys and prosecutors.

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

The current City Council is not considering the holistic nature of actions they have been taking. I believe true progressivism is compassionate and inclusive. The straw ban was also an instance of the City Council not listening to people with disabilities, resulting in the unintended consequence of increasing barriers for those who need access to plastic straws. This is another example of the lack of broader outreach and engagement by City Council to connect with stakeholders who are the most impacted by legislative actions. I will work to expand public outreach efforts in advance of taking actions in office, improve recycling strategies, and advocate for larger corporations to reduce environmental waste hazards.

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

This discrepancy must be further addressed. I will work with the State legislature, the County and with colleagues on City Council to review existing policies, work to identify more incentives for private businesses, speak with people experiencing disabilities, and talk with local business leaders to identify other methods to make jobs more accessible for all. That kind of inequity has no place in Seattle.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

Recent litigation against the City of Seattle resulted in the city identifying and allocating funds and crews to install curb ramps throughout the city. We shouldn’t have to wait for the public to sue the city to improve the conditions for people with any type of disability.

The Seattle Department of Transportation, SDOT, maintains an inventory of sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks and other pedestrian safety elements in need of repair. Neighborhoods also provide information to SDOT and the city via the find it/fix it app. Approximately 25% of Seattle streets, or 45,000 blocks, are missing sidewalks. The Move Seattle Levy helps fund sidewalk maintenance and improvement projects. However, repairs to sidewalks with gaps or significant grade differences and the addition of curb ramps have not been prioritized, which are unsafe for everyone across the city.

Many neighborhood plans, which remain at various stages of review and implementation, called for sidewalk repairs or new sidewalks, which still have not been completed today. The city should ensure pedestrians get walk signals and the timing allows enough time for people to cross intersections. This is a serious issue and a city like Seattle should work harder to identify funding to address these inequities.

I will work with fellow colleagues, the mayor’s office, SDOT and organizations such as The Arc to get input on other methods to address these safety issues.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes. I believe ride-share companies should provide accessible options for customers who need them. The city could also work with Uber/Lyft and other ride share organizations to encourage and incentivize the expansion of vehicles outfitted to provide these services.

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

Funding shortfalls have already been identified in the Move Seattle levy, which promised voters more access and less delays for RapidRide across District 1 and throughout the city. Instead, RapidRide lines were being scaled back. Federal funding has been unpredictable under the current administration and the city may be facing more funding shortfalls due to economic downturns.

I will work with Metro and SDOT to identify solutions to shift routes and add more buses today to help offset the delays in implementing new RapidRide lines and evaluate other transit services. I will also work with Metro and the city to assist with hiring and training drivers and locating or expanding Metro maintenance bases – all of which are necessary for increased transit service and which are impacting delivery of service hours today.

I will conduct a broader review of larger city department budgets, including SDOT, to gain further insights on how public dollars are being spent, ensure outcomes reflect stated goals and identify other funding sources across the city.

District 2

Tammy Morales

Ms. Morales attended the Disability Forum and sent staff to our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council Candidates. Contact: tammy@votefortammy.com, www.votefortammy.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

Yes. My oldest son is diagnosed with ASD.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

One of my top priorities is securing progressive revenue for permanent supportive housing that would serve the diverse needs of chronically houseless neighbors, and I will work with community groups to draft legislation that does just that. However, we must also ask why people with developmental disabilities are so disproportionately houseless. I will work with appropriate committees and the Civil Rights Office to investigate discrimination based on disabilities and ensure compliance with the law. Additionally, we must help folks stay in their homes and avoid being evicted in the first place. We will push for comprehensive eviction reform.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

We will make meaningful investment in shelters that meet the needs of folks with development disabilities. One solution we are exploring is to re-purpose unused public buildings as shelters and temporary housing. In the long term, we are committed to a housing first approach to our housing and homelessness crisis. We will also organize to end the inhumane and unconstitutional sweeps and hostile architecture. Our city belongs to all of us.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

We will work with King county councilmembers to review the vulnerability index to ensure that we are serving the most vulnerable among us. I will use my office to magnify the priorities of groups like The Arc of King County. I am committed to working with community organizations and drafting legislation with them to address the inequities in all walks of life.

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

Police accountability is central to my platform. I will work with partners in CPC.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

Yes, absolutely.

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

No response to this question

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

Partner with WA state representatives and senators to fight for a disability bill of rights to create living wage union jobs for folks with disabilities and remove obstacles like access to transit and housing. I would also love your input in how we can better track developmental disabilities in employment.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

We just have to be deliberate in funding for the needs of folks with disabilities. Our current model for thriving economy for the rich and rugged austerity is not working for us. I will work with Office of Civil Rights to draft guidelines for making our sidewalks and intersection more accessible including, but not limited to, increasing signal time to give folks with disabilities and seniors enough time to cross the road. We will also fight for progressive revenue to repair existing sidewalks and our infrastructure more inclusive.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes, and we also need to expand public transit and make it free and reliable so we don't have to rely on private companies to make our cities more accessible. A lot of European countries have accessible infrastructure, all we need is political will.

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

We need massive investment in free public transit and our proposal for Seattle Green New Deal and public bank for Seattle will procure the investment we need in our communities. I will also work with county representatives to expand metro transit.

Mark Solomon

No response submitted. Mr. Solomon attended neither the Disability Forum nor our Meet & Greet for City Council candidates. Contact: info@marksolomon.org, www.marksolomon.org

District 3

Kshama Sawant

Currently serves as council member. CM Sawant attended both the Disability Forum and our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council Candidates. Contact: VoteSawant@gmail.com, www.KshamaSawant.org

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

No.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

Housing affordable to people who live on SSI is critically in shortage. People with developmental and other disabilities are extremely overrepresented in King County’s homeless population and are among those communities that face the brunt of this unprecedented crisis - a crisis of economic and social justice in one of the wealthiest cities in the world.

The housing needs of our disabled community members urgently need to be prioritized. However, fundamentally, the problem is one of chronically underfunded services, grossly insufficient public resources, skyrocketing rents. Housing is in crisis for poor and working-class people all over the city, and the crisis disproportionately affects already marginalized community members. We need a major expansion of permanent supportive housing affordable to people making less than 30% of AMI, and specifically they need to have rents set to be no more than 30% of the income of whoever is living there, which is the real definition of affordable housing.

The for-profit market - and the political establishment that has represented the interests of corporate developers - has failed to meet the housing needs of the vast majority. The crisis can only be addressed through bold and comprehensive public policies to make housing affordable. We need universal rent control, free of corporate loopholes. We need a massive expansion of social housing (high-quality, publicly-owned, permanently-affordable housing), funded by taxing big business. But this can only be won by building a united movement strong enough to overcome vicious corporate opposition. We can see in this election year how Amazon, the corporate real estate lobby, and the Chamber of Commerce want to buy City Council seats because they are afraid of such grassroots movements.

We need to build a movement to tax big business and the super rich to raise the resources needed to truly address the housing crisis, and not accept lip service from politicians who profess support but then capitulate to - or outright serve - corporate interests. The need to build mass movements for housing justice locally in Seattle is urgent, given the federal government continues to dramatically underfund HUD, and the state Legislature has failed for two decades to address the housing crisis or regressive taxation that leads to grossly underfunded services.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

People with disabilities and homeless people need to have a say in how homeless services are funded, designed, and operated. The political establishment has failed to tax big business to adequately fund homeless services and has instead focused their attention on inhumane and ineffective sweeps of homeless people, and creating new regional, dysfunctional bureaucracies. This approach denies homeless people a voice, and fails to meet their needs.

My council office has consistently and vocally opposed the inhumane and ineffective sweeps, and advocated that the $10 million wasted on the sweeps each year be used for services and affordable housing.

Through our People’s Budget movement, which we launched in my first year in office in 2014, we won our first victories that led to the publicly funded tiny house villages. We absolutely need to dramatically increase permanent supportive housing available for our community members with specific needs. As a transition to permanent housing, tiny house villages are proving to have a strong track record, and need to have much-expanded funding. Tiny house villages allow privacy and dignity, they allow case management services, electrical outlets, toilets and showers, and other facilities. This year, as usual, our People’s Budget campaign will bring people together, empowering them to fight for the services we need. In addition, I have an important upcoming bill to expand tiny house villages in the city.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

As rents have risen, and public social housing has been chronically underfunded, there is an alarmingly insufficient amount of affordable housing for everyone who needs it. As a result, case managers and their clients are forced to compete with each other over the available affordable homes. The vulnerability index absolutely needs to be improved, and the limitations in adaptive or intellectual functioning or independent living skills need to be included when determining degree of vulnerability.

In addition to that, the fundamental problem of chronic homelessness needs to be addressed. Which is to fully fund services for all who need them, and not forcing them to compete with one another, and to make housing affordable and permanent for all. That is only possible if the City invests orders of magnitude more in developing affordable social housing, and passes a universal rent control policy, free of corporate loopholes. But we saw from the shameful Amazon Tax repeal, that we cannot rely on either corporate politicians, or even well-intentioned politicians who then capitulate to big business. We need to build grassroots, fighting movements.

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

I was the only elected representative to stand with the vast majority of the community, and vote against the latest police contract that rolled back even the limited accountability measures, which were hard-fought. This was particularly revealing on a city council that is majority people of color, and a super-majority of women. The subsequent court ruling now holds the City responsible to address the serious problems in the contract, vindicating my sole NO vote.

The political establishment has protected the police force from repercussions even for the most egregious killings, like the death Charleena Lyles. That’s why, what we really we need is a democratically elected community oversight board, with full powers over the police. This has been highlighted by the nationwide Movement for Black Lives.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

I fully support training (including cross-training) for people in the criminal justice system to be able to support people with developmental disabilities, rather than becoming the source of escalation. This is absolutely necessary. However, we should fight against the attempts by the political establishment to treat these trainings as an excuse to roll back accountability for police officers and the criminal justice system. Both are needed.

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

I strongly support the right of people with disabilities to use straws. Our movement needs to both educate our community members to reject the false dichotomy between saving the planet on the one hand, and ensuring social justice and meeting the needs of all our communities on the other. As a matter of fact, the two go hand in hand, and we will not be able to save the planet without building powerful unity - across race, abilities, gender, sexual orientation - among working people to fight for a universally-needed Green New Deal program.

There is too much misinformation - actively pushed by big business, especially the fossil fuel corporations - about the most urgent causes of carbon emissions, plastic waste, and pollution. Part of this has manifested in misinformation about straws. This active misinformation campaign by big business points away from the main causes of pollution and climate emissions, for which corporations are primarily responsible, toward minor factors that don’t impact their bottom line. This helps keep ordinary people divided, to deflect attention from the fact that they (the corporations) bear primary responsibility for the climate catastrophe that faces our planet.

We need to unite working people in Seattle around a Green New Deal program to massively expand clean energy along with public transit, making it fully electric, and free at the point of use. And to enable clean-energy retrofitting of residential and commercial buildings. All of this would also enable the creation of thousands of public-sector, unionized, living-wage jobs, which would also prioritize training opportunities and jobs for marginalized communities, including people with disabilities.

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

Supported employment is the best solution to increase the employment rate for people with developmental disabilities. We need to increase funding and access to supported employment, so people with developmental disabilities can work and be paid a wage that they can live on. The best way in which supported employment can be achieved is through public-sector, unionized, living-wage jobs. This is connected to the job expansion that can be done through programs like the expansion of social housing, public transit, and Green New Deal, full funding of public schools, social services, libraries, parks, and other social needs. All of this will both create jobs for people with disabilities, and expand services for them.

I have consistently fought against subminimum wages, which have been dishonestly promoted as a positive thing for people with disabilities by big business and the politicians that represent corporate interests. In 2014, my Office and our movement fought against corporate loophole in the $15/hour minimum wage law to under-pay people with disabilities. There is zero evidence that subminimum wages increases the employment rate for people with disabilities. Instead, it creates another layer of legally-allowed exploitation.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

Our sidewalks are in terrible condition. Many intersections lack curb ramps, or have curb ramps that only face one direction forcing people who use them into traffic. In addition, there are thousands of unsafe areas of our sidewalks. In reality, the Move Seattle levy is totally insufficient to meet all the transportation needs of the city, forcing bicyclists to compete with drivers with pedestrians with people using ambulatory devices for the limited funds. My Council Office has been fighting for impact fees on corporate developers, and taxes on other big businesses to fully fund transportation including the safety of our sidewalks.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

As mentioned above, Washington State in general and Seattle in particular have the most regressive tax system in the Country with poor and working-class people and middle-class homeowners and small businesses expected to pay a far greater portion of their income than the rich. I support taxing big businesses like Amazon and Seattle’s super-rich to fund expanding transit, housing, social services and the other pressing needs of regular people. In reality, regular people have been taxed more than we can afford, and do not have the money to adequately fund this infrastructure. Taxing big business and the rich is more just, and is also the only viable way to raise sufficient funding.

Egan Orion

Mr. Orion attended our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council Candidates, but not the Disability Forum. No response submitted. Contact: info@eganforseattle.org, www.eganforseattle.org

District 4

Alex Pedersen

Mr. Pedersen attended our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council Candidates, but not the Disability Forum. Contact: contact@electAlexPedersen.org, www.electAlexPedersen.org

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

Yes. An immediate family member is diagnosed with ADHD. Also, my next door neighbor growing up is deaf.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

As someone who has spent his career in the field of affordable housing – both in public service at HUD working on homelessness during the Clinton Administration and over 15 years in the private sector financing affordable housing across the country – I agree it’s very challenging to find enough housing affordable to low income people who also have a disability. But there is hope.

I served on the task force that recommended doubling the Seattle Housing Levy, which voters approved in 2016. To leverage those funds for people with disabilities, I will fully support City Hall efforts to enable nonprofit housing providers to pull together multiple sources of funding from not only the Housing Levy, but also the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and the Washington Housing Trust Fund, so that rents can be lowered to below 30% AMI for those tenants unable to secure a Section 8 voucher.

City Hall should work closely with the Seattle Housing Authority and King County Housing Authority to prioritize public housing for those with disabilities AND to encourage landlords with project-based Section 8 contracts to accommodate tenants with disabilities.

As The Seattle Times highlighted when they endorsed me for this city council position,

“On housing, [Alex Pedersen] said recent upzones were overly generous to developers and should be assessed to ensure they’re providing promised affordability and not increasing displacement.

“’The City Council keeps giving away benefits to the private market without extracting the maximum public benefit, which in this case would be affordability,’ he said.”

Along with a Housing First policy, I support permanent housing that is supported by evidence-based wrap-around services.

Beyond affordability, it’s important to enforce fair housing laws, which include the housing of people with disabilities.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

Everyone should be offered appropriate shelter to be safe.

City Hall should ensure that the Navigation Teams engaging unauthorized homeless encampments scattered across the city and the nonprofits receiving tax dollars to provide shelter and services have staff members fully trained in how to accommodate people with disabilities.

Certain “enhanced shelters” should be allowing caregivers.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

This is why it’s so important for City Hall to do an even better job improving their homeless response system across all types of homelessness – then the system will have more bandwidth to provide faster and more attention to those with disabilities. For example, it’s important for our City and King County to join forces on their homeless response systems and fund best practices proven to work such as diversion programs that get the newly homeless back into their housing – this frees up more intensive supportive housing for those with greater needs.

I agree with the portion of the Barbara Poppe 2016 report on Seattle homelessness that raises similar concerns about the Vulnerability Index, concluding that “scores from the vulnerability assessment should not be the primary basis for prioritization” (Page 8).

I am a strong proponent of supportive housing so that people experiencing homelessness have a permanent solution that meets their individual needs.

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

I have visited the Solid Ground Housing at Magnuson Park (where Charleena Lyles lived) approximately 10 times to confer with residents and hear their ideas.

I believe having more police officers with better training will help to avoid these tragedies. Adding police officers to the already strained department will yield benefits beyond faster response times. The more officers we have, the more time and personal bandwidth each officer will have to absorb the latest training such how to effectively interact with people with developmental disabilities, to handle emergency calls in the field without undue fatigue or stress, and to connect on a personal level with residents in the communities they serve.

I also support efforts to re-introduce our city’s Community Service Officer program. As you may know, Community Service Officers are “unarmed civilian SPD personnel … out in the field to conduct community outreach, mediate disputes, and perform other work that connects the community with SPD without requiring the specific skills and authorities of sworn police officers. It was seen as highly successful for dealing with community needs and building trust and connections with SPD, while freeing up sworn officers to focus on other policing activities (though not relieving sworn officers of their responsibilities to also build relationships in communities).” CSO’s will also be able to link residents in need to social services.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

YES

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

Thank you for raising this issue. The current city council often articulates impressive sound bites, but these too often cause unanticipated or negative consequences. That’s because the current city council too often uses a “blanket,” ideologically driven approach to policy-making without researching or fully considering the nuances. City councilmembers should engage more engagement with impacted stakeholders, like the disability community, to make sure new policies will not create new problems.

I reviewed your legitimate concerns in the media and your joint statement on a Facebook page:

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/people-with-disabilities-concerned-about-seattles-ban-on-plastic-straws/281-572575933

https://www.facebook.com/disabilityrightswa/posts/the-plastic-straw-ban-for-restaurants-in-seattle-will-go-into-effect-on-july-1-2/1397156010385483/

At the very least, food service providers should keep a reserve of straws that it can make available to people who need them, but I hear you that it’s yet another inconvenience and worry for those already overburdened.

I look forward to discussing this issue more with you. Looking at the data after the program has been in effect for over a year should provide an opportunity to explore this more.

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

I am very much onboard with your position paper on this important issue: https://thearc.org/position-statements/employment/

As someone endorsed by the business community (as well as some labor unions), I could help to boost and refine the programs needed to improve meaningful and sustainable employment of people with disabilities.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

It’s frustrating when we see a city council crafting feel-good resolutions that have little to do with city government, while people in wheelchairs cannot navigate along a sidewalk or across a street. It’s time for City Hall to prioritize the basics and that means sidewalks and crosswalks.

My campaign is centered on holding City Hall accountable for getting back to the basics which includes safety and accessibility for all pedestrians and those trying to get on and off a bus or paratransit vehicle.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

YES. I would want to bring private companies to the table to make sure they have a practical and expeditious plan for providing much greater accessibility.

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

Big picture, I am very PRO-transit and I believe City Hall needs to focus on moving the most people and freight in the most efficient and most cost-effective ways, all while doing more to reduce pollution.

We can get more people to ride Sound Transit’s light rail to make the most of those big investments:

I’ve doorbelled residents on every block in District 4 reaching over 18,000 people on foot. Many people, including busy parents and aging seniors, tell me, “I want to ride light rail, but there’s no easy way to get there.” Let’s make it easier for more people to ride Sound Transit’s light rail to make the most of those big investments. Our District 4 is unique because we are blessed with three light rail stations: Husky Stadium now as well as Brooklyn Ave (U District) and Roosevelt in 2021. To reduce congestion and benefit our environment for everyone, we should focus on making it easier for more people to ride light rail. To make it easier to ride light rail, we need to:

• Solve the problem of the “first and last mile” by launching and measuring the success/failure of various, low-cost pilot projects. (The “first and last mile” is the beginning and end of an individual’s trip from their home to reliable public transit. It is typically the most logistically challenging leg of a journey, especially when it’s raining or dark or you are simply not able to walk one mile each way from your home to the Sound Transit station at Husky Stadium. For many, it’s just easier to drive.) Pilot projects to test “first and last mile” solutions could include: shuttle vans, smaller/more frequent buses, discounts for those riding Uber/Lyft to a light rail station, providing several safe drop-off/pick-up places, combining package delivery with “people delivery,” and other innovations learned from other cities. King County Metro has an “Innovative Mobility” division which is piloting new technologies. Whichever pilot projects move the most people in the most cost-effective manner, City Hall should help to expand.

• Improve several pedestrian paths to Husky Stadium station with better sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting, and signage. If you’ve ever tried to traverse from Husky Stadium to U Village or to neighborhoods beyond, you know what we’re talking about! Let’s bring the University of Washington and U-Village to the table to create a win-win.

• Support Supplemental Bus Service for Seattle Residents:
We should review, revise, and renew the special Seattle levy (approved by voters November 2014 as “Prop 1”) that funds supplemental bus service from King County Metro — as long as Metro and SDOT do a better job engaging riders to provide the bus service they actually want. For example, Metro should restore commuter bus lines cut since 2015 and maintain key bus lines such as the #70 that serves Eastlake and the U District. The $270 million city bus program is up for renewal in 2020.

• Increase Transit When Increasing Density:
City Hall should not rapidly increase population density where there is little to no transit. Because the best transit is often frequent bus service and the buses are owned/operated by King County instead of by the City of Seattle, City Hall needs to be both cautious about where it allows increased density and vigilant about getting transit service where and when we need it the most. For example, the growing number of residents in and near Magnuson Park / Sand Point need more frequent transit.
Large institutions, large employers, and large developments asking the city government for special treatment and variances to zoning laws should, in exchange, implement measures to transport their employees and/or residents in an effective manner so as to not overly burden existing transportation systems. For example, by providing shuttle services, building an extensive sidewalk network, and encouraging carpooling or telecommuting.

Shaun Scott

Mr. Scott attended the Disability Forum and sent staff to our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council Candidates. Contact: shaun@electscott2019.com, www.scott2019.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

Yes. I was a long-term caregiver for my older sister Nichole, who had cerebral palsy. As such, I’ve been a member of SEIU 775NW, and have written about issues facing home care aides for the union paper Insight Magazine.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

Ensuring the most marginalized members of society can afford to live in Seattle is at the heart of my campaign. Current affordable housing programs are not enough, and absolutely do not ensure the survival of those making less than designated median incomes for existing programs. Therefore, decommodifying housing is critical. Too often, the term “affordable housing” has been cheapened through overuse and misuse. I am very intentional in saying that, as a city council member, I will fight for public and supportive housing, which I believe is necessary to adequately and sustainably address our housing crisis. Without this kind of bold investment in public housing, people with disabilities will continue to be neglected by our current approach to affordable housing, which relies on market incentives and fines that developers are able to absorb without much consequence.

This immediate need is also why I have called for a fair tax code. We need to be moving away from regressive sales and property taxes and, instead, prioritize progressive revenue streams to fund these public and supportive housing projects. The city’s own Progressive Revenue Taskforce on Housing and Homelessness reported last year that we need to be investing hundreds of millions of dollars per year and suggested that these progressive revenue streams can include: taxation of vacant luxury real estate developments, a mansion sale tax, and taxes on large corporations. It’s time for Seattle to stop letting luxury developers use our city as a capital sink and then turn around and refuse to build affordable housing. Our city needs compassionate solutions, and that means housing people with disabilities and unhoused people by actually dedicating the resources needed to make it happen.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

City policies that criminalize poverty are part of a long history of ableism, racism, homophobia, and transphobia as a result of our capitalist system that places value on people based on their ability to produce labor. This same history means that Seattle has resorted to cruel and ineffective methods regarding the housing crisis. The most visible tactic has been the sweeps, on which the city has spent upwards of $60 million dollars in the past six years. If elected to City Council, I would prioritize stopping the sweeps and banning hostile architecture. Neither are helpful or sustainable practices when it comes to solving the underlying issues of this crisis, and both are inhumane.

Additionally, I would encourage city planners and urban designers to embrace universal design, so that built environments are equally accessible to all individuals. While I advance a plan to invest in and build public and supportive housing, my office would be sure to work with community organizations like the Arc of King County and Disability Rights Washington to develop training and educational resources which could be made available for shelters and homelessness service providers. Collaborating in this manner can materially improve the accessibility and safety of those spaces to people with disabilities who are houseless or displaced.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

To ensure that people with developmental disabilities are receiving effective case management and the help needed to transition into supportive housing, the city should look into investing in expanding VI-SPDAT metrics and criteria. As a result, we could require that new vulnerability indexes include people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Organizations that provide supportive housing, like the DESC, rely on VI-SPDAT for their placement. Ensuring that this vulnerability index actually does consider intellectual or developmental disabilities means that organizations that provide services like supportive housing can actually prioritize people with disabilities who may otherwise be at risk of being chronically houseless. At the same time, the city must itself build more supportive housing so that fewer people are turned away. Supportive housing promotes safety, health, and the care that people with disabilities are too often unable to access.

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

I believe that the city must commit to a system of restorative rather than punitive justice. In order to do this, my campaign has fully committed to anti-carceral solutions that would have prevented the killing of Charleena Lyles and John T. Williams, along with too many others. The reality is that Charleena Lyles should be one of my constituents today if her crisis had been met with crisis intervention and de-escalation, and not violent police intervention. In the course of this campaign, I have proposed the full reinstatement of the Community Service Officer (CSO) unit, a program that had been defunded years ago. Though nominally employed by the Seattle Police Department, CSOs are unarmed officers trained in de-escalation, crisis intervention, and violence prevention. As true community servants, CSOs would help direct people in crisis to mental health resources and the necessary social services.

Additionally, as recently as May of this year, the federal judge who is currently administering the consent decree between the city of Seattle and the Department of Justice has stated that the Seattle Police Department is at least partially out of compliance, particularly with regards to police accountability. I would not have voted in favor of the new SPOG contract that was negotiated last year because of the rollbacks on police accountability measures which were widely criticized by community groups and organizations like the ACLU. If elected to City Council, I would work closely with the Community Police Commission to advance rigorous standards for police oversight and accountability. Should the SPOG contract return to the negotiating table, as has been suggested by Judge Robart, I would ensure that any contract brings SPD back into compliance with the consent decree. Measures for police accountability that prioritize training on de-escalation are necessary to advance the safety and security of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

Yes, I would support this cross training implemented in conjunction with the Community Service Officer program, as a step towards an anti-carceral justice system where people will not be criminalized and processed without regard for their disability status. All relevant agencies should also be equipped with specialized training so as to best meet the needs of folks with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. These trainings should create an emphasis on anti-ableist processing within the justice system.

When it comes to juvenile facilities, jails, and prisons, Disability Rights Washington’s AVID (Amplifying Voices of Inmates with Disabilities) program has released several reports detailing how the vast majority of our county jails fail to provide services to people with disabilities. Accessibility issues like physical barriers, failure to incorporate universal design, and solitary confinement do real harm to people with disabilities who are incarcerated. For young people with various disabilities, this issue is incredibly important in the context of the youth jail to be built in the Central District. I am unequivocally against the project because of the threat it poses to young people with disabilities, especially people of color with disabilities.

Lastly, through the course of this campaign, I have actively opened conversations with other candidates seeking elected office. If elected, I would work with those on the Seattle School Board to advocate for training regarding intellectual and developmental disabilities, with the overall goal of ending our school to prison pipeline.

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

I would reverse the Seattle plastic straw ban, as it is a blatantly ableist policy. Meanwhile, I would ensure the city pays for plastic straws in publicly funded spaces. Marginalized people in society should not be forced to bear the brunt of climate change, and they should certainly not be forced to sacrifice their wellbeing in the name of environmentalism.

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

In community organizing, one principal tenet is that there is a role for everyone. In order to follow through on this, we need to meet people where they are at, and know that everyone has something to contribute. Our current capitalist economic system places value on abled people, and as a consequence, there are many barriers for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities in pursuing and maintaining employment. A common barrier for people with developmental disabilities is reliable transportation to and from their workplaces from their place of residence. In this context, my campaign has supported the financing of expanding public transit lines. Additionally, I would encourage a shift in culture in workplace settings; there needs to be proper education, training, and support to launch successful disability inclusion initiatives. Workplaces, and cities, can and should build a culture of inclusion. Whether this is done by commissioning disability rights advocacy groups to do comprehensive trainings that result in structural changes, or also doing their own research for a truly inclusive workplace, this is a commitment that needs to be undertaken by people in all workplace settings, including the municipal level.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

The city is currently operating its street and sidewalk repair projects in a manner that demonstrates access they do not consider it as urgent of a priority as it should be. Current estimates suggest that it would take 100+ years to complete these improvements at the rate they are currently being pursued. If elected, I would use my office to propose adequate funding for projects aiming to improve the safety and accessibility of pedestrian thoroughfares to improve their functionality, especially for those who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids, and mandate their expedited completion. This would also require the expansion of safe, accessible sidewalks in more car-dependent areas of the city and is a project that I know will take collaboration with other councilmembers. Combined with a vision to expand public transportation, including paratransit, I believe Seattle will become less car-dependent and more pedestrian-friendly.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes. Increasingly, more and more people are relying on ride-share companies as a means of transportation in Seattle. It is no secret that mass transit options in the city do not adequately accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. Therefore, it is especially important that these same companies be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets to accommodate people with disabilities who rely on ride-share services. Pressuring these corporations to accommodate the needs of disabled riders should be treated as an anti-discrimination compliance issue.

Meanwhile, it is crucial that the city invests in free and accessible public transportation. We should absolutely hold private corporations to standards that fairly treat our neighbors with disabilities. However, we also need to ensure Seattle is not dependent on big business. By prioritizing a mass transit system that is reliable and accessible, we can further equity in our city.

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

There are a number of individual transit projects--building Rapid Ride through Eastlake, the implementation of the bike master plan, completion of the center city streetcar connector--which I believe will be important to District 4 and the city as a whole. That being said, we must create free universal accessible public transportation. Solving first and last mile gaps, investing more in Metro Access, and making it free are all necessary changes. I am also interested in looking into what it would mean to stop contracting out services like Access, which are critical for people with disabilities. Working in coalition with groups like Transit Riders Union, Seattle Subway, and Sierra Club (all of which have endorsed our campaign), I will collaborate towards free accessible public transportation while raising progressive revenue to fund it.

District 5

Debora Juarez

Currently serving as council member. No response submitted. Did not attend the Disability Forum or our Meet & Greet for City Council candidates. Contact: info@deborajuarez.com, www.deborajuarez.com

Ann Davison Sattler

Ms. Sattler attended our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council candidates but not the Disability Forum. Contact: ann@neighborsforann.com, www.neighborsforann.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

Yes. Although I don't think of it as such and I know it is not a major disability, my vision has been very bad since the age of 7. It was so bad that it stopped me from participating in water sports because I could not see without visual assistance, which was not readily available for water sports at that time. My mom who was an RN (registered nurse) and during my growing up years took care of para and quadriplegic people in their homes. I often spoke with her of what she did to help them in their homes and although I missed her when she went, I understood she was helping someone in the most personal way possible.

1 - HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

First, I think we need to provide emergency shelter for everyone who needs it. We declared a state of emergency years ago and yet we are still just moving people from place to place; if there was a natural disaster and large groups of people became homeless, I don’t believe we would just let them fend for themselves and I don’t think we should do that for our homeless neighbors either. Emergency shelters are just a start as I want to make major advances in increasing our housing stock by removing unnecessary barriers and partnering with more non-profits. I’d also like to see more diversity in housing like a dormitory style approach that could provide very low cost housing for people that need it most. Once there is adequate supply, housing prices should fall or at least stabilize making it easier for programs like section 8 to affect more people.

2 - SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

As part of my approach to provide emergency shelter for everyone, I would like to see large scale shelters which would not be ideal for people with certain disabilities. What it would do is then open up existing shelter space to then become specialized for people with specific needs before we can find them more permeant housing solutions. I do not want anyone to be relegated to living on the street.

3 - SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

If VI-SPDAT is not giving an accurate account of people’s needs then it should be reconfigured. I believe very strongly in bringing groups together to get the best outcome and this may be a case where groups like yours could be brought to the table to create better metrics in how we view and tackle our homeless emergency.

4 - SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

As with the previous question, I think that we could use more collaboration when we try to solve our difficult problems and input could certainly be helpful in the way we train our officers. I do believe that Seattle has some of the best trained officers in the nation, but I also realize that we have a large problem with retention and morale so some of our best officers (that we worked so hard to train) leave. I want us to have the best police force and I want to give them the support they need to bring their best selves to their work. I also want to increase the force’s community engagement which I think will help in many areas like this. It is a lot harder to make judgement mistakes when you know the people with whom you interact.

5 - SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

Yes, I am a strong believer in cross training in my personal life and I think that it would benefit both police officers, prosecutors, advocates, and community entities as well as those with developmental or intellectual disabilities. Because of the higher risk of being a victim of a crime, we need cross-training in all sorts of settings to increase the protection of and avenues to communicate with those with disabilities.

6 - ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
I don’t see any problem with allowing plastic straws in cases where people have a serious need for them. Lately, our city leaders like to use climate change as a political talking point and often does things that are highly visible, but which has limited impact. I believe strongly that we need to be a leader in combating climate change--and even have an info graphic on my website that would completely offset our gasoline carbon footprint for under 1 cent per gallon; and I have also seen firsthand, when helping in a local beach clean up recently, that the plastic waste that comes in is not from straws but mainly consumer packaging and fishing items.

7 - JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

I think we could do a lot better at this. There is a non-profit out in Kittitas County called Elmview that specializes in finding employment for people with developmental and other disabilities and I think they are a good place to look for improving our efforts to get to best practices. Making an incentive for employers to hire those with disabilities needs more attention and effort. Because work can provide purpose, community, stability and a sense of pride, we need to find creative ways to help more disabled become employed. In some places the employer pays half the wage and the government pays the other half, thereby sharing the cost of the employee and yet still providing a full wage and a job, and frequently much more than that for the individual.

8 - SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

Sidewalk construction is a huge focus for me. District 5 has the most need for sidewalks of any district and our current councilmember (the first who specifically presides over this district) has not put adequate attention into this. I’m especially focused on increasing sidewalks around transit and schools. I also want to make sure that when bike lanes are added they don’t remove bus access as has happened along 65th where a large number of people rely on bus transportation live. I will make sure that we start to make major improvement on our sidewalk deficit in District 5. It also means that we make sure bike share businesses have a way to keep their bikes from blocking sidewalk access, as well as public safety issues to keep sidewalks clear for all those using the sidewalks for transportation.

9 - TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?
I think that they should have access for people in wheelchairs, but I don’t want to categorically make requirements without bringing all sides together. It would seem that having wheelchair vans would be good for business, but maybe the issue is that individual drivers can’t afford the upgrades. The city could come in and help with loan assistance or work with Uber/Lyft corporately to find a way for them to want to provide access. Alternatively, we could issue licenses for other car service competitors who may want to provide such service more readily. I’m worried that our current council is too quick to do things like enact a head tax without bringing in all sides of the issue and I don’t think that is how we should govern in Seattle.

10 - TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
I think Sound Transit is right to be our focus and I will work to keep it moving, but I think we have been lax on the rest of our transportation. Instead of spending hundreds of millions on a limited street car we could put that money into a lot of other improvements. I’m not against the idea of having a streetcar, but our current leadership has no spending control and lets costs balloon. How many buses could we get for $100 million? How many access vans? How many sidewalks? I will work hard to make sure we spend our money in the best way possible to help the most people and the broadest reach, especially for those who are struggling.

District 6

Dan Strauss

Mr. Strauss attended both the Disability Forum and our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council candidates. Contact: ballard206@gmail.com, www.seattlefordanstrauss.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

Yes. I previously worked for the Oregon Supported Living Program, which provided housing and wrap-around support for adults with developmental disabilities. This first-hand experience changed my life - it helped me understand how people living with developmental disabilities are treated differently and are sometimes invisible, how our built environment creates barriers for navigating daily life, and how government institutions do not meet the needs or treat adults with developmental disabilities like everyone else. The people I worked with deserve to have access to the same opportunities as everyone does.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

We as a city and region need to dramatically increase our investment in permanent supportive housing. This housing is designed for people who earn as little as no income and people who need daily or frequent access to care and services, including and especially people with developmental disabilities. Permanent supportive housing is the proven way to address our homelessness crisis and we need to get people with developmental disabilities into homes. I will work with our regional partners to increase investments in permanent supportive housing and will work with my fellow Councilmembers to increase investments in services for people experiencing homelessness.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

We need to build shelters with four walls and a door they can lock for every person who wants to come inside. These shelters should be ADA-compliant and also have access to the services and care people need, including services for people with disabilities. I have made addressing homelessness from a housing-first, services-based perspective one of the centerpoints of my campaign, and I will work to increase investment in these services once in office.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

Supportive housing is the only proven way to reduce chronic homelessness, and I will work to make sure everyone, including and especially people with developmental disabilities, get the services and care they need. One way the city can better identify the highest need individuals is through a collaboration with service non-profits, who do the on-the-ground work and best understand where to direct resources.

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

The VERA Institute of Justice is doing great work on the topic of developmental disabilities in police interactions through the Serving Safely initiative, and I will listen to and follow their suggestions on how to address this issue. We have to have training for police officers on how to recognize and properly respond to calls involving people with developmental disabilities - one training isn’t enough. Continuing education for police officers on how to interact with people with developmental disabilities is an important step towards ensuring what happened to John T. Williams and Charleena Lyles doesn't happen in our city again.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

Yes, I would support cross-training. Given the high percentage of people with developmental disabilities in the justice system, our justice system needs to be equipped to understand how to best communicate with and hear what the people they are working with are saying. One example of a way our justice system can improve in this regard is to actively reach out to organizations which help people with I/DD disabilities and work with them to become educated on the needs of the people they serve. The organizations can also work with the justice system on the resources and options available to I/DD victims, and help the justice system focus on areas to improve care and response.

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

I support plastic straws for medical purposes. We need to approach this in a similar way we approached regulating plastic bags. Single-use plastic bags are flimsy and become litter quickly. When we required plastic bags to be thicker (2.25 mils), the bag’s durability increased, making it reusable and less likely to become litter. I approach using plastic straws for medical purposes in a similar way. Whether it is durability, thickness, or flexibility, we need to have a standard to make this a product useful for our community while we reduce pollution and our reliance on plastics.

People with disabilities need to have access to the same restaurants and other public spaces which anyone else does. Making appropriate straws available is a part of this effort. We can do this while we reduce litter and ensure plastic doesn’t end up in our oceans and streams. I will work with you to define the solution and ensure it is available in our city.

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

Employers need to do more to be accessible (including providing additional services, if necessary) and available to employees with developmental disabilities. I would support a public program dedicated to employing people with developmental disabilities and providing policy incentives for private businesses to do the same.

Schools should also have a strong employment transition element built into their curriculum; I will push to expand this part of the curriculum, as well as hiring counselors and trainers who can work individually with people with developmental disabilities and help them prepare to enter the workforce and find good jobs with good wages and benefits.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

I strongly support block-the-box legislation and one of my top priorities is working with the state legislatures to allow use of traffic cameras to ticket drivers who block intersections or drive in bus lanes. I also support making every bus stop and light rail stop ADA-accessible so there is level boarding, reducing the need for buses to kneel. People with developmental disabilities rely on transit; we need to make sure transit is appropriately accessible, reliable, and easy to navigate.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes. There is no reason why people in wheelchairs shouldn’t have access to the same services as everyone else. Furthermore, I would explore legislation requiring the rideshare companies to charge the same as they would for all other rides at the time.

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

One of the centerpieces of my campaign is a citywide network of connected bus lanes. This would enable anyone to go to a bus stop, wait no more than ten minutes, and be on their way without being stuck in traffic. Having the reliability which dedicated bus lanes would create would transform the nature of life in Seattle, make life without a car much more possible, and is one of my top priorities when I get elected. I also support expansion of the light rail network and will work with Sound Transit to get the current planned stations and lines finished faster than the given timeline.

Heidi Wills

Ms. Wills attended our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council candidates but not the Disability Forum. Contact: Heidi@heidiwills.com, www.Heidiwills.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

Yes. The direct experience I have is with serving youth who have disabilities at The First Tee of Greater Seattle where I was their executive director for 13 years. We served youth with autism, Down syndrome, youth with physical challenges and intellectual disabilities.

1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

There is common agreement that we need a Housing First approach to address the root causes of homelessness. I agree with individuals with disabilities and their advocates who have been fighting for inclusion in communities and independent living since the 1960s "based on the premise that people with even the most severe disabilities should have the choice of living in the community.”

Our region, and Seattle in particular, is not doing enough for individuals with disabilities and other vital parts of our population with respect to affordable housing options. A home is a basic necessity for individuals and families.

We need to work on a regional plan to provide more affordable housing options for people at all income levels and provide effective wrap-around services to people who need them. We must provide more services for people in need and more case workers to get people into homes to make a lasting and positive impact in their lives. I will work with groups like The Arc to make sure Seattle is working collaboratively with regional and state agencies to coordinate services and to reduce duplication of service.

Not only is there a shortage of affordable housing options, but individuals with disabilities do not see movement on wait lists for home and community-based services. When individuals are ready for stable housing, the housing options and funding are not always there.

An important function of the Seattle City Council is oversight of the city’s budget. I support funding to cover four areas of housing options for individuals with disabilities: housing development (funds to develop housing units), housing operations (costs to operate a home like rent and utility bills), supportive services (for example: case workers, healthy food, and general check-in expenses) and medical services (which could include skilled nursing care.)

A home is essential and so is ensuring that individuals with disabilities are fully part of our community. These four pillars each need attention and resources.

Affordable housing is central. The high cost of living and out-of-reach housing costs for many working families is one of the most significant issues facing Seattle. About half of our residents are renters. And 46% of renters below 50% of the area median income are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. A financial or health set-back could have dire consequences on their housing situation. Access to affordable housing means investing in our community’s future. To become the community, we all deserve and for our children’s future especially, we need more housing of all shapes and sizes for people of all income levels, especially for low-income and for the “missing middle” (60% – 120% of Area Median Income.) We must make this a priority.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) increase affordable housing opportunities in a way that is consistent with neighborhood character, and yet they are fraught with opposition. There are many reasons to favor them. They’d allow aging homeowners the income stream of a rental on their property, or even renting out their home to a family while they move into an ADU on their own property. They’d allow adult children the ability to move back home after college and live autonomously. I support making ADUs easier to permit and build because we’re experiencing a housing crisis. It benefits our community if people like teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters have housing options close to where they work. Estimates are that 2,300 ADUs could be integrated into our neighborhoods over the course of the next 10 years. Of course, the City should regularly monitor and evaluate how ADUs develop over that time to ensure there aren’t harmful unintended consequences.

To integrate more housing into D6, we need to involve the neighborhoods in those decisions. When I was on the council, we had a robust neighborhood planning process led by Jim Diers in the Dept. of Neighborhoods. It was heralded as a model around the country. It’s time to engage neighborhoods again. There are valid concerns about displacement, the need for adequate public transit to serve additional residents, loss of tree canopy, and other relevant issues that should be heard. We should set targets for each neighborhood and let each community decide where and how we will integrate more housing. Seattle’s future needs to include adding housing opportunities in our urban core, near our job centers and near our public transportation network. Personal transportation from distant, suburban communities adds to our carbon footprint and is expensive. The average cost of owning a vehicle is $10,000/ year. I will be a leader who engages the community in how we integrate new housing opportunities into our neighborhoods.

2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

People experiencing homelessness need the feeling of security and safety. This is true of all of us. It is a foundational part of existence.

I favor expanding personal lockers and providing more hygiene stations for individuals with disabilities. Lockers are one small step that we can take to ensure safety and security for people experiencing homelessness.

Again, this gets back to the importance of safe, decent and affordable housing for everyone.

The recent “System Failure” report funded by the Ballard Alliance and other Small Business Improvement Districts found that our city’s most prolific offenders who are causing repeated harm to our community are not being held responsible for their actions. Often the most vulnerable people in our community are susceptible to being victimized.

I am relieved to see that at least in District 6, there is some good news that “crime is down, and multiple projects completed since community walks and emphasis patrols” began through an initiative from Mayor’s Office.

Improving public safety is a core part of my campaign as is addressing the lack of affordable housing.

3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

I have heard this same frustration expressed by Rep. Nicole Macri who works for the Downtown Emergency Services Center. The VI SPDAT vulnerability index needs to consider people suffering on our streets with developmental disabilities, with a prevalence being people of color. It sounds as though the index needs to be retooled so the people who among those with the greatest need are prioritized for permanent supportive housing.

There are many types of supportive housing, including community-based homes and more individual-based apartments and homes. I recently toured The Estelle in the Rainier Valley area which is a wonderful addition to our community. I would work with state lawmakers like Rep. Nicole Macri to ensure that our state prioritizes supportive housing and case management.

I would work at the city level too to fund supportive housing. I have met with individuals in the private sector who are a part of the Triple Door Coalition. They expressed an interest in dedicating more corporate resources to permanent supportive housing with a desire to collaborate with a City Council that has a more collaborative, problem-solving approach when interfacing with the business community. As a small business owner, I have the support of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce in my campaign. If elected, one of my goals is to engage relationships there to be a part of the solution in providing much greater resources for permanent supportive housing. I do not think that government should solve it alone. We need many more resources than the public sector can provide us in both the short-term and the long-term. Also, I would look to other cities to see what best practices they are using to see if they would be an appropriate fit for Seattle.

Developing a regional plan to address the root causes of homelessness with the creation of more permanent supportive housing is essential. I would like to work on this issue, if elected. I would see crafting a plan with the involvement of Arc as an essential step towards success. Once a regional plan is ready for public review and comment, I would ask for your support in implementing and continually refining it in order to ensure that we are doing everything we can to address the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities.

4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

The American with Disabilities Act requires government to provide “effective communication” and “reasonable accommodation” regarding equal access to services for individuals with disabilities. I will look for ways to bolster these two tenets.

We need to ensure police officers have the proper training they need to de-escalate situations. I am aware of the Ruttenberg Autism Center, which provides training on autism to police departments. It could become a best practice for our officers to be familiar with how to constructively interact with people with disabilities. Also, I would want your input to see if it makes sense to replicate the Florida law, which requires police departments to provide autism training for law enforcement officers.

Training programs may not be enough to enable disabled people and their families to feel safe in interactions with law enforcement. We could make 911 calls more inclusive to our entire community. One idea (link) is to establish a 911-type number with crisis management training personnel to handle crisis response for mental health emergencies/ psychiatric disability related crises rather than police officers.

5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

Yes, I would support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools. As a business owner and a former non-profit director serving youth in South Seattle, I have found that cross-training benefits staff. They see the bigger picture and the context for various situations and gain a better appreciation for each other’s roles and responsibilities.

I am impressed by the resources that Arc (and the National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability) have created. I support implementing them more fully in Seattle. This information provides a wealth of resources for local governments, law enforcement officers, lawyers and advocates with the goal of improving police interaction with people with disabilities.

6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

I was not aware of the utility of plastic straws to some members of our community. It sounds as though there needs to be exceptions for plastic straws for people with disabilities. Again, drawing up on my experience as a small business owner, I understand how a mandate from government can create unintended consequences.

7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

Now is the time to make progress on this issue because employers are hiring. An important part of solutions to addressing the root causes of homelessness is HIRING PEOPLE. I would work with the city’s Office of Economic Development to bring a coordinated voice to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities. Having the support of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, I am in a position to give a credible voice to this issue.

Incentives make a difference. From a policy perspective, I would want to ensure that employers are taking advantage of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides incentives for hiring individuals who “consistently found barriers to employment.”

I’m pleased that Washington state is a “mentor state”, which means that our state has resources and support services available for companies. Are companies aware of the attributes and benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities? We can work together to ensure that they are.

8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

We need transportation improvements to ensure Seattle is safe to walk and get around by wheelchair. If we want a livable, walkable city outside of downtown, we need to ensure that pedestrians and people in wheelchairs have unobstructed and safe facilities such as sidewalks and crosswalks on busy arterials.

Pedestrian safety is a serious issue. In 2017, Seattle had 11 pedestrian deaths and 56 serious injuries. We must make pedestrian safety a priority. One-fourth of our city still doesn’t have sidewalks which equates to 1,800 blocks of arterials and 10,000 blocks of non-arterials. Seattle only spends $2M annually on sidewalks which is enough for only 7 new blocks each year. The Move Seattle Levy has just over $4M over 9 years for remarking crosswalks, even though it promised voters a 4-year remarking cycle. More than 8% of commuters walk to work and downtown, it’s 13%. In Ballard, 31% surveyed in 2016 said they walked to their destination. These figures demonstrate that dense communities with safe pedestrian infrastructure will use it. When I was on the city council 20 years ago, I earned the nickname “Sidewalk Wills” for my advocacy for safety on our sidewalks and streets.

This issue is as relevant now as it was then. This is not just an issue for individuals with disabilities but one for us as a society. As our baby boomers age, they will also need safe sidewalks, streets and intersections. Safety for everyone is a basic service of municipal government and I have prioritized basic services in my campaign.

9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes, of course, individuals with disabilities need ride-share companies to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets. If these companies use our city’s streets and we license them in order to provide transportation options for the public, then these companies should provide options for all the public.

10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

Transit service is central for me. It’s a key part of the greater good that government must provide its residents. I think it’s the measure of a functional and equitable society and a reflection of our values. I got my start as a transit advocate as the student body president at the UW when I championed the U-PASS program, which is a universal bus pass provided to every student on their student ID card for a nominal fee. Believe it or not, it was a controversial idea at the beginning in 1990. Yes, the libertarians tried to recall me as student body president because they said that they resented paying for something that they weren’t planning to use. I argued that we all benefit when people take transit with improved air quality, lessened congestion, and lower global warming footprint. I also argued that not everyone has the option to drive. There are people who are too old or too young, who can’t afford it or who have sight-impairment or other disabilities. And there are those who simply choose not to drive. Our society must provide reliable, affordable, frequent and safe transit options for these people.

Since that time, I have worked at King County on transit issues and in helping to push through the first Sound Transit package. I ran for the City Council in 1999 because Charlie Chong said disparaging things about busses. That’s what prompted my interest in serving the public on the City Council. People need and deserve an advocate for public transit on their City Council.

The Seattle Public Transportation Benefit District comes up for renewal next year. I would be an outspoken voice in support of passing this. It represents 30% of bus service in Seattle. At a time where we need more transit service, we can’t afford to lose any service. A good way to get it renewed is to talk about its success. The latest performance report shows transit availability and access continues to improve, with 67 percent of Seattle households now within a 10-minute walk from 10-minute service which is up 25% percent from when the effort began.

I would work with my colleagues on the Council to provide urgency and oversight to address the needs of transit riders by prioritizing transit projects promised to the voters in the City’s Move Seattle Levy. To improve reliability, investments promised by Move Forward Levy, including 7 new RapidRide routes, need to be kept. Off-board payment and dedicated bus lanes are essential to improving reliability, and legislative approval for camera enforcement of traffic impeding the right-of-way of buses would help deter problematic choke points.

I would seek, or at least be open to, additional sources of funding for transit. Some ideas include fees into downtown for Uber and Lyft riders, congestion pricing done on a sliding scale so as not to disproportionately affect low-income people, and funds for transportation infrastructure such as road improvements through implementing impact fees.

District 7

Andrew J. Lewis

Mr. Lewis attended both the Disability Forum and our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council candidates. Contact: lewisforseattle@gmail.com, www.lewisforseattle.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability?

No.

1 - HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?

I am committed to permanent supportive housing for our neighbors with disabilities of all types. I support partnering with organizations who provide exceptional housing opportunities for people with disabilities, including DESC, Plymouth, and LiHi. I had the great privilege of touring the Bart Harvey, a LiHi retirement housing community with low barrier options for people with disabilities of all types. All of the providers I have talked to have told me the same thing, there is a dire lack of resources from the City to meet the demand to provide necessary permanent supportive housing. I will work to make sure out of our $6 billion budget we provide more support to get more housing on line and make sure it is subsidized to be affordable to folks on SSI.

I support the affordable housing development at Fort Lawton in District 7, and I support efforts to incorporate housing into the WA State National Guard Armory in Interbay. We need to look at every opportunity to site additional affordable housing on public land.

2 - SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?

I have gone to the low-barrier DESC shelter to look for witnesses at trial who listed it as their known address. I have seen first hand the barriers people with disabilities face trying to seek rest and shelter in noisy and crowded 12-hour shelters; and we need alternative options.

I support increasing the amount of enhanced shelter space in Seattle, meaning locations short of permanent supportive housing but better resourced than 12-hour night shelters. This includes hygiene facilities, lockers to secure belongings, and sleeping quarters offering greater privacy. These enhanced shelters should be merged with day centers to provide opportunities to engage with service providers on-site. I support making these shelters smaller in scope and dispersing them amongst multiple neighborhoods with longer term stays from residents and priority admittance for people with disabilities.

3 - SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?

First, I will fight to include adaptive and intellectual disabilities in the VI-SPDAT. Second, as mentioned in my prior post about enhanced shelters, I will work to prioritize admitting people with disabilities to enhanced shelters, and make sure there are on-site services, not referrals to off-site distant service providers, so folks can get the assistance they need to get out of the cycle of homelessness.

4 - SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?

We need mandatory de-escalation training at all first-responder levels. I-940 has mandated de-escalation for the police, and we need to make sure that is thorough and ongoing. But, we also need to make sure our paramedics, firefighters, nurses, jail guards, and other first responders receive de-escalation training as well. In my experience as a prosecutor, many first responders can be overwhelmed by situations where they are dealing with a person with a disability, and will ultimately call the police to help de-escalate. In some of those cases, police use force, and sometimes deadly force. If we can train first responders to de-escalate the situation without calling the police, we can reduce the risk of harm to our neighbors with disabilities. Cook County Illinois mandates that all their corrections officers undergo 60 hours a year of de-escalation training to reduce use of hostile force. We can do that here, and we must do that here.

5 - SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?

I am very proud of the work I have done as a prosecutor on public health based diversions to get people with disabilities into treatment and out of the criminal justice system. The Legal Intervention Network of Care (LINC) program diverts people directly from booking at King County Jail and into an in-patient bed. The Choose 180 Program has diverted 245 young people out of jail and into mentorship, treatment, and education alternatives over the last year and a half. Only 8 of them have re-offended.

I want to increase the programming and resources for these public health based diversions that make us safer and provide the support necessary to get people back on their feet and out of the criminal justice system.

6 - ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?

I support looking into pragmatic and reasonable exceptions to Seattle's plastic straw ban in limited circumstances.

7 - JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?

I support making room within the civil service of Seattle for more opportunities for people with disabilities. I further support making increased employment opportunities for people with disabilities a cornerstone of our economic development strategy, and incorporating it into the agenda of the Mayor's Jobs Council, community workforce agreements, and other city initiatives involving jobs training generally.

8 - SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?

I support investments in safe infrastructure, and believe the building of ramps, heavy fines for vehicles blocking intersections, and other provisions to fully realize vision zero. I also support requiring public education initiatives and enforcement requiring bike share consumers to properly park bikes on the side of the right of way, and not just leave them abandoned blocking a side walk. I further support making it an infraction to negligently park a bike share bike in such a way that it obstructs the right of way.

9 - TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?

Yes.

10 - TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?

One of the best things the City Council has done over the last 10 years is create the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) which passed into law in 2014 and dramatically increased service. I support renewing and expanding the TBD to reach the last few neighborhoods of Seattle currently underserved by transit, as well as bulking up our existing links and connections.

Jim Pugel

Mr. Pugel attended our Meet & Greet for Seattle City Council candidates, but not the Disability Forum. Contact: Jim@jimpugel.com, www.Jimpugel.com

Do you have any direct experience with disability? Yes. I am a survivor of cancer and the chemotherapy caused permanent numbing of my feet and portions of my leg. For some time I needed a cane but am now able to manage without.