Council Positions 2, 4, 5, and 6 are up for vote this November
Position 2
Kelli Curtis
Sitting council member, but in Position 5. No response submitted. Contact: kelli@kellicurtisforkirklandcouncil.com, www.kellicurtisforkirklandcouncil.comPosition 4
Toby Nixon
Current council member. No response submitted. Sitting council member. Contact: toby@tobynixon.com, www.tobynixon.comDavid Schwartz
No response submitted. Contact: david_vcp@hotmail.com, www.kirklandcitycouncil2019.comPosition 5
Neal Black
Contact: info@votenealblack.com, www.votenealblack.com
Do you have any direct experience with disability?
Yes. My direct experience with developmental disabilities is limited, but I grew up with a close cousin who was born with a heart defect that, during her childhood and adult life, affected her brain function, speech, hearing, and mental health. And, during my first year of law school, I roomed with a classmate with a form of muscular dystrophy diagnosed in childhood that affected his gait and his comfort sitting and standing.
1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?
I've made housing affordability in Kirkland central to my campaign. I want to encourage the development of a greater mix of housing types around Kirkland's existing urban villages to create more affordable places to live near existing services. I want to see many of those homes be of a variety that will be attractive to and affordable for Kirkland's lower-wage workforce, elderly residents on fixed incomes, and residents with developmental disabilities. That means that some of those homes will need to be smaller and more accessible. I'm hopeful that ground-level ADUs and other small and affordable housing units can be a significant part of that mix.
During the most recent legislative session in Olympia, I worked on eviction reform (i.e., modernization of WA's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act) to build in to the RLTA longer notice periods and judicial discretion. As important as longer notice periods are, the judicial discretion may be the most important component of the reforms that adopted this session, especially for tenants with disabilities that may lead to temporary set-backs. I traveled to Olympia to testify before a House committee and a Senate committee in support of the reform bills, and I joined in two stakeholder meetings with legislators. As outgoing chair of the King County Bar Association's Public Policy Committee and a current member of the KCBA's Board of Trustees, I've heard from those directly involved in helping King County's poorest tenants stay in their homes. The Housing Justice Project within the KCBA represents 90% or more of King County residents needing pro bono legal services in defense of an eviction proceeding. The HJP also helps administer the new Homebase program that makes spot grants available to those suffering a temporary set-back who might be at the King County courthouse facing the threat of eviction. It was the HJP's research and Homebase's efforts that I was supporting by testifying and meeting with legislators in Olympia this session over eviction reform.
2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?
My first priority will always be to encourage the development of homes for people with developmental disabilities -- not homeless shelters -- and allow people with developmental disabilities who may suffer temporary set-backs to stay in their homes. That is the main thrust of the work I've done on eviction reform in Olympia and part of the driving force behind my policy priority concerning a much more diverse mix of housing types in Kirkland. Even with such efforts, we likely will continue to see a disproportionate percentage of people with developmental disabilities, including disabilities that manifest as mental illness, among people living on the streets. We have to be compassionate. We have to educate other community members. We have to make the case for public expenditures of available resources. And, we have to find ways for municipalities and charitable organizations to partner. I certainly don't have all the answers, but I'm willing to engage serious and thoughtful policy discussions.
3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?
I don't have all the answers, but I know organizations that do, like the United Way of King County, the Housing Justice Project, the new Homebase program, and The Arc King County. And, as I mentioned above, I'm willing to engage in serious and thoughtful policy discussions, especially around public-private partnerships that put available public resources and charitable contributions of time and money to wise use.
4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?
Education, training, and community involvement, including partnering Kirkland police officers with the family and friends of community members known by their loved ones to have developmental disabilities that, because of the way in which their disabilities manifest themselves, are at higher risk of having a dangerous interaction with police. This is important for disabled residents of all ages, including school-aged residents, and it starts with partnering school resource officers with the family and friends of school-aged residents with developmental disabilities. At the very least, I want our police force, including our SROs, to recognize on sight those Kirkland residents with developmental disabilities that place them at risk for dangerous interactions with police and know compassion in how they interact with those residents.
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. And, the commitment I've made to the King County Bar Association and its Public Policy Committee (8 years as a member and 4 years as chair, plus 2 years as a current member of the Board of Trustees) is about ensuring access to justice to those in our community that are most vulnerable. Since its founding, over 125 years ago, the KCBA has stood for equal access to justice (http://www.kcba.org/newsevents/kcbaevents/quasquicentennial/WSBAarticle. aspx).
6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
This is an example of the kind of serious and thoughtful policy discussion I'm willing to have. I don't use plastic straws, as a rule. It's been that way for over 20 years - long before the current discussion of microscopic plastic waste in our oceans and food supply. Over 20 years ago, as a 3rd-year law student, I represented the Anacostia Watershed Society in its effort to clean up the Anacostia River, which flows through Southeast Washington DC. It's a watershed in serious trouble, and clean-up efforts in and along the river have always found an enormous number of discarded plastic straws, not to mention plastic bags - to the point that many, if not most, AWS volunteers stop using plastic straws and bags. Plastic straws and bags are not necessary for most people. That said, your question is part of my education. You make it clear that flexible, plastic straws are important to our neighbors with certain developmental disabilities. Inclusivity will always be a touchstone for me - it's a pillar of my campaign and one of my policy priorities - so I would want to work with The Arc of King County or other groups to consider ways in which the use of plastic straws and bags could be significantly reduced, while at the same time, protecting the availability and use of flexible, plastic straws by neighbors with developmental disabilities that rely on them for hydration. I don't pretend to have the answer.
7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?
I would be talking to public and private employers in Kirkland and the surrounding area about what barriers exist that might be limiting employment of more people with developmental disabilities - and, in general, diversifying their workforce. The people of Kirkland have a strong interest in seeing neighbors with developmental disabilities who want employment get employment - in both the public and private sectors.
8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?
My vision for Kirkland is one with a greater mix of affordable housing types around more densely populated urban villages. Density near services can put people closer to where they work and obtain services, and it can make bus and paratransit services more effective and efficient.
9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?
To the extent that ride-share services are licensed by a municipality to operate within the municipalities borders, I think it would be reasonable to require that, as a condition to that license, the ride-share service include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets. I would want to understand better what barriers exist that might be limiting the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in each ride-share services' fleets. And, I think it would be just as important to make sure that, as use of ride-share services grows, there continue to be convenient and inexpensive alternatives to ride-share services available for use by Kirkland residents with developmental disabilities and their friends and family members.
10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
As mentioned above, I will be encouraging the development of a greater mix of housing types around Kirkland's existing urban villages with the hope of creating sustainable growth, more affordable housing, and regional transit options that are more effective, more efficient, and more reliable. I will be constantly in search of alternatives to cars that people will use, including older residents and residents with disabilities, and that includes public transit options.
Position 6
Amy E. Falcone
Contact: Amy@AmyFalcone.org, www.AmyFalcone.org
Do you have any direct experience with disability?
Yes. I am the mom of an autistic son.
1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?
Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our region right now. As a Kirkland Human Services Commissioner and mom of an autistic son, the fact that individuals with developmental disabilities are over-represented in our region’s homeless population is both professionally and personally worrisome to me. Like ARC, providing opportunities for people with disabilities to live independently and being part of a community is a high priority for me. In my work on the Kirkland Human Services Commission, I have successfully advocated for additional funding for homelessness services and prevention, and for funding organizations that support individuals with developmental disabilities in our community. If elected to City Council, I will continue to be an advocate for affordable housing and in particular for those with disabilities.
2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?
The City of Kirkland is making efforts to be a more welcoming and inclusive city. However, there is more to do. Including the voices of individuals not usually heard by city government is one of the primary reasons I am running for office. I know first-hand that it is possible to be inclusive of the needs of individuals with disabilities with thoughtful planning. For example, as PTA President at our local elementary school, I created a Special Needs Chair position on my board which resulted in more inclusive school events. By providing a more formal avenue for input we learned to add sensory rooms as a safe place for individuals to take a quiet break or gain sensory input. This type of active solicitation of input and thoughtful planning can have a huge impact when developing and improving our local shelters and affordable housing.
3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?
Based on this assessment, I would support re-evaluation of the VI-SPDAT tool to ensure that it is best capturing the relative needs of everyone experiencing homelessness in our community and support revising it as needed to ensure that it is properly prioritizing the need to make the most impact.
4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?
I support putting improved measures in place to protect individuals with developmental disabilities as they interact with our local police. I was thrilled that The Arc of King County provided free first responder training earlier this year, and as Kirkland City Council member, I will work to ensure that all of our first responders are adequately trained on interacting with individuals with developmental disabilities.
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 efforts for our justice system to be more inclusive and accommodating of individuals with disabilities, including additional required training and oversight to ensure the safety of people with disabilities.
Furthermore, as a mom to an autistic child who attends our local public schools, I am sensitive to the fact that those with developmental disabilities are often misunderstood by the justice community. As a private citizen, I have successfully advocated for the startup of a task force to examine best practices in School Resource Officer programs to help mitigate some of these unintended consequences. I continue to advocate for our most vulnerable students and help keep them safe when interacting with police on campus.
6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
Although we need to minimize single-use plastics, it’s important also to balance the needs of everyone in our community. I would support a partial plastic straw ban that allowed plastic straws at request.
7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?
I am hopeful as I see large local employers such as Microsoft understanding the value of a neurodiverse workforce, and thoughtfully recruiting individuals with developmental disabilities. I believe that our government can play a role in leading this effort by valuing all kinds of diversity in our staff, including neurodiversity. I would also support private sector programs that encourage diverse employment opportunities.
8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?
I want to create a Kirkland that is safe and walkable, where we spend less time navigating traffic and more time connecting with our families, friends and neighbors. As a long-time advocate for improved walkability in our city, I absolutely value accessibility and will prioritize improving walkability for everyone in our community.
9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?
Independence in one’s daily life, including the ability to get around when needed or wanted, is crucial to living a fulfilled and healthy life. Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft have an opportunity to play a key role in making transportation more accessible to those with disabilities. Increasing their inclusiveness not only would make them more likable in the public eye, but would also increase their market, and when their wheelchair accessible vehicles were not being used to transport individuals with mobility disabilities, they can be used to serve typically-abled passengers as well for additional revenue.
10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
As our region faces unprecedented growth, we need to thoughtfully plan for the impact on our transportation infrastructure and expand both vehicular and non-vehicular modes of transportation. As Kirkland City Councilmember, I will advocate for the expansion of public transportation to connect us to destinations within Kirkland and in neighboring cities, and for walkable and accessible neighborhoods surrounding public transportation hubs.
