Council Positions 1, 3, 5 and 7 are being voted on in November 2019.
Position 1
Lydia Assefa-Dawson
Current council member. No response submitted. Contact: lydia1fw@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/KeepLydia/Position 3
Susan Honda
Current council member. No response submitted. Contact: hondaforfw@gmail.com, www.hondaforfw.comRose O'Sharon (Sharry) Edwards
No response submitted. Contact: sharryedwards@comcast.net, www.sharryedwards.nationbuilder.comPosition 5
Mark Koppang
Current council member, Contact: koppang4council@gmail.com, www.markkoppang.com
Do you have any direct experience with disability?
No.
1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?
Federal Way has among the highest percentage of affordable housing options in King County. While we don’t directly provide housing we have supported Multi Service Center, Reach Out, Catholic Community Services and the FW Caregiving Network, among other, in providing housing options to this population.
2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?
We have some great partners working to ensure the highest standards of safely are maintained at their shelters. Having served at all of them I know first-hand the efforts they expend to create a safe environment.
3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?
We continue to create partnerships with organizations employing new or more effective methods of engagement with the homeless community. While the city doesn’t directly provide shelter services we are committed to ensuring all members of the homeless population have potential solutions.
4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?
The police must continue to receive training, specifically around de-escalation, to ensure that the high stress situations they encounter are handled as positively as possible. Having training around the specific needs of the developmentally disabled would be important as well and would be incorporated in this training.
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?
Absolutely!
6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
We have not banned plastic straws in Federal Way and I am not aware of any drive to do so.
7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?
While Orion Industries no longer is in Federal Way, they are a great example of how effective disabled people can be in the right environment. One of the things Federal Way does is fund a position at the community center to work with this specific group and ensure they have the support they need.
8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?
In Federal Way, we continue to upgrade our sidewalks and crossing signals to improve accessibility for the disabled.
9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?I do not. I would support taxi companies having wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets.
10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
While this is outside of my direct responsibility as a City Council Member in Federal Way I would continue to advocate for expanded transit services to Seattle.
Jamila Taylor
No response submitted. Contact: info@electjamilataylor.com, www.electjamilataylor.comPosition 7
Linda Kochmar
Contact: LKochmar1@aol.com, www.lindakochmar.comDo you have any direct experience with disability?
Yes. My Granddaughter has cerebral palsy. She is now 16 years old. In addition, as a state representative, I sponsored and passed a bill that would require all Washington Obstetricians to include pamphlets explaining Down syndrome. This has prevented women from going directly to an abortion (previously 90%).
1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?
As a State Representative in 2015, I co-sponsored HB 1223 to give King County the authority to use hotel & motel taxes to raise bond revenues for for affordable housing in South King County. This money is to be used for housing options within half a mile of transit options. Sound Transit is building Light Rail in Federal Way to be completed by 2024. As a member of the Council, I would ensure that a percentage of that housing would go to people with developmental disabilities.
2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?
One of my goals should I be elected is to provide a homeless shelter in Federal Way for single adults. We currently have limited housing for women escaping from domestic violence, and for families, but no overnight shelters for single individuals. I am very aware of my Granddaughter's limited ability to walk and use her hands and would certainly be concerned for disabled individuals.
3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?
The City of Federal Way currently partners with Catholic Community Services for wrap-around services for their Day Shelter and for Fusion, our program for homeless families. I would like to help with permanent supportive housing that provides services for individuals with disabilities. There is an assisted living complex for developmentally disabled in Vancouver that I would like to see built here. Social Services should help with housing and services for the poor, disabled, and elderly. I would support rapid re-housing to connect the homeless with housing and services when facing eviction.
4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?
Our Police Officers need to be properly trained to recognize that an Autistic Individual will interact differently with them. In addition, training for the different types of disabilities and mental illness will help the officers recognize the different situations that they may encounter.
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?
No answer
6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
Plastic straws appear to be the answer and I would support that.
7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?
Orion Industries helps to train disabled individuals in the South King County area. I believe government should give tax credits to those companies that support the hiring of individuals with disabilities. In addition, I think the disabled should be properly compensated.
8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?
Federal Way has a program to put in curb ramps and accessible pedestrian signals. In addition, we also have an ordinance to prevent the blocking of sidewalks by signage, etc.
9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?Absolutely!
10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
Transit is already being expanded in Federal Way with the contruction of Light Rail, however we need more connector buses to get individuals from their neighborhoods to the downtown transit garage.
Tony Pagliocco
Contact: contact@tonyfw.com, www.tonyfw.comDo you have any direct experience with disability?
Yes, my daughter is a T-10 paraplegic.
1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?
As a city we have to continue to form and enhance partnerships with organizations both in and outside of Federal Way that can help with providing pathways to affordable housing that are clear, timely, and accessible.
2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?
I would look at this being added to the priority backlog for the Human Services Commission to examine when allocating funds to organizations that can help provide these services both locally and regionally to provide as many options as possible.
3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?
Providing more opportunities to combine human services support and case management in the field vs having to redirect through a number of options. We can also work regionally to help with programs, partnerships, and transportation but it requires a deep audit to map the data and attributes of each program to utilize the most efficient ones.
4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?
We can bergin examining and recommending certain training and de-escalation procedures to better provide our officers with the tools needed to ensure situations are handled properly and in the correct context.
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.
6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
By providing our businesses with information on why accessibility is important and if we had a commission that focused on the needs of the community, that input could be ingested and put into action items for the city to work on.
7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?
I believe that we need more partnerships with industries and vocations that can provide training and job opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. There is a growing market and awareness in this space and it’s a great time to be able to generate some interesting programs that could be tailored to individual needs.
8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?
I believe that if we had a commission that focused on disability feedback and input, it could help to ensure that the proper opinions are being heard and examined as investigation and planning for the city continues. I also think we should examine other cities that have done great, notable work and look for opportunities for reuse.
9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?
As a father of a daughter who utilizes her wheelchair daily, I think that having a minimum number or % of accessible vehicles would be a good start to allow for equal access in an area for mobility. I do feel that training would need to be provided to the drivers so they can assist with breakdown and storing of the chair if needed.
10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
I have been a member of the King County Travel Advisory Commission for a little more than a year where we provide advisory positions to Metro’s staff members and general manager, the King County Executive and Council, local jurisdictions, and subarea transportation boards concerning transit policy issues. I believe having more Federal Way representation on this commission would be of benefit.
