Greg Nickels is running for Mayor of Seattle:

• official campaign website
• Facebook
• campaign-finance disclosure reports with the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission

   

Table of Contents

• Discussion forum on the candidates for Mayor of Seattle
• Analysis by Friends of Seattle
• Greg Nickels' Interview Videos (NONE)
• Greg Nickels' Questionnaire Responses

Analysis

Greg Nickels is rightly proud of his many accomplishments. He has often been criticized for his style, but he is a leader who has cut through many Gordian Knots of Seattle politics. No one should forget that his opponent in 2001, Mark Sidran, vowed to stop the construction of light rail. Not only has light rail survived and opened its first line, but also Mayor Nickels gamely returned Sound Transit to the ballot last year after voters rejected the 2007 Roads and Transit measure. Thanks to Mayor Nickels and others, we will have the funding to extend light rail to the north and east of Seattle, and to build a streetcar line through First Hill and Capitol Hill. Further, although we think the city’s Bridging the Gap transportation funding package falls short of meeting our transportation needs, we recognize that Mayor Nickels’ initial proposal was far more ambitious (the City Council trimmed the package), and it was never certain that the voters would approve the plan. It’s an accomplishment. Further, we largely agree with the city’s work building the infrastructure to make two urban centers—Northgate and South Lake Union—places for thousands of new jobs and a home to thousands more. In his questionnaire response, Mayor Nickels lists more of his good deeds.

We have also disagreed with Greg Nickels at times throughout his eight years as mayor. Last year, we believed firmly that Seattle needed a new round of investments in parks and open spaces to keep Seattle vibrant and environmentally healthy as it grows. Mayor Nickels worried (not unreasonably) about the economic downturn and opposed the Parks and Green Spaces Levy. We oppose the $4.2 billion tunnel for the waterfront, as Mayor Nickels knows (he writes, “I supported a surface and transit option but ultimately the Governor decided on a deep-bore tunnel with reduced capacity.”).

We also wish he had shown more political courage in championing the environment. For example, Mayor Nickels initially proposed that a new transfer station be built in the Georgetown neighborhood to handle the growing volume of trash generated by Seattle Public Utilities customers. Mayor Nickels decided to facilitate waste generation instead of reducing it. Not only would his plan have brought tons of waste into landfills, but a new transfer station would have cost millions of dollars and would have negatively affected the Georgetown community. Bad for the environment, bad for neighborhoods. Mayor Nickels abandoned his proposal only after Richard Conlin showed leadership and vision with his Zero Waste Strategy. Unfortunately, Mayor Nickels needed to be persuaded that reducing waste and increasing recycling should be the city’s touchstone policy for managing waste.

An additional example of Mayor Nickels’ inadequate environmental record is his long inaction on Seattle’s outdated construction-waste laws (waste from construction sites is the second-greatest source of waste in the city, next to food waste). Also, despite the talk of creating walkable and bikeable communities, Mayor Nickels has not changed the prioritization of those travel modes in the budget to create a more significant mode shift. In fact, in 2007, he took money away from pedestrian projects

Where Seattle has really suffered the last eight years is in the built environment. Mayor Nickels’ Department of Planning and Development only just last year proposed revisions to the city’s arcane multifamily housing zoning code, which is the legal framework responsible for the terrible four-pack townhomes blighting our neighborhoods and (rightly) turning people off density. This problem should have been tackled earlier, and while we view the proposed revisions to be a step in the right direction, we find them uninspired.

In short, there are many things we think Mayor Nickels could have done better. He has accomplished much as mayor, however, and he has a clear vision for the city. So his candidacy would have excited us more if there weren’t a better candidate in the race. A vote is not merely a reward for past accomplishments, and so we recommend not voting for Mayor Nickels.

Interview

The mayor's schedule did not allow for an interview with Friends of Seattle. His campaign offered to have Michael Mann, the director of the mayor's Office of Sustainability and Environment, interview on Nickels' behalf. We declined, as our policy is to interview only the candidates themselves, not surrogates. Still, we appreciated the Nickels campaign's positive and constructive approach to the Friends of Seattle endorsements process, and we learned from the mayor's responses to our questionnaire below.

Questionnaire Responses

Table of Contents:

• General Questions
  • Friends of Seattle's Mission
  • Candidate Qualifications
  • Representing Seattle
  • City Council Committees
• Issues
  • Waste Reduction
  • Alaskan Way Viaduct
  • Transit
  • Bicycle Infrastructure
  • Pedestrian Infrastructure
  • Land Use and Multifamily Housing
  • City Governance
• Creative Response

General Questions

Friends of Seattle's Mission

• How does your candidacy support Friends of Seattle's values, goals, and mission?

I share many of the progressive values that Friends of Seattle has. I want to make Seattle the best city it can be - that means a vibrant community with fast, frequent, and reliable transportation choices. It means a city whose government invests in neighborhood amenities, like parks, community centers, and farmer's markets. It means a city with homes that are within everyone's reach - whether you are a software engineer, teacher or restaurant worker. It means a city that takes care of those less fortunate by supporting basic social services and investing in low income housing. It means a city that has compact, vibrant, 24-hour urban centers. And it means a city that is a place for families - with good schools, great parks, and safe neighbors.

Qualifications

• Please describe any professional accomplishments that demonstrate your effectiveness as an elected official (if you are an incumbent) or would demonstrate your effectiveness as an elected official (if you have not yet held office).

As Mayor, I have many professional accomplishments that I am proud of; such as starting the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement (which 956 mayors have now signed, representing over 84 million Americans) and leading the campaign to pass Mass Transit Now last November (and I've worked on light rail for the last 21 years, which will open on July 18). I am proud of working tirelessly to stop a new elevated viaduct from being rebuilt on our waterfront, of breaking the logjam at Northgate to encourage investments around what will eventually be a light rail station while daylighting Thornton Creek, and of initiatives like the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans. My effectiveness comes because I don't let talk replace action. When I see a logjam that is stopping us from moving forward, I break it. When I see an opportunity for regional or national leadership that can help Seattle, I take it. And I am committed to working hard for this great city.

Representing Seattle

Background: Seattle is the most populous city in Washington and is the state's economic engine. At the same time, Seattle cannot address many of its problems without working with King County, regional entities (Sound Transit and the PSRC), and the state government. Yet many observers believe that Seattle's interests are represented inadequately at those levels. For example, the Muni League has criticized the 40-20-40 rule for allocating new Metro transit funding. Further, transit advocates note that the state's current tax system disadvantages transit. And the Legislature refused to allocate federal stimulus dollars for road projects in Seattle.

• As an elected official representing Seattle, how would you work with King County, regional governmental entities, the state legislature, and the governor to ensure their budgets and policies address Seattle's needs?

I have a record of accomplishments over the past eight years of bringing people together, making decisions and then delivering results. I have demonstrated this leadership in numerous environmental areas.

• I led the Sound Transit board in developing the Mass Transit Now package, and led the campaign to get this historic transit measure approved on November 4, 2008.
• I was the first Mayor to pledge to meet the Kyoto protocol targets for carbon reduction, and inspired a movement that now includes 956 Mayors representing over 84 million Americans. I created our city's Climate Action Plan and set the course for reducing our carbon emissions by 648,000 metric tons by 2012.
• Through my leadership in the US Conference of Mayors, I helped to author the energy efficiency and conservation block grant legislation which is now providing $3.2 billion of carbon reduction resources to local communities ($6 million to Seattle this year).

Issues

Waste Reduction

Background: Rather than build an expensive new transfer in Georgetown to handle the growing volume of trash generated in Seattle, the City of Seattle adopted a "Zero Waste Strategy" centered on reducing waste. As part of that strategy, the City Council adopted a 20-cent "green fee" for disposable shopping bags.

• Do you support the green fee? Why or why not?

Yes. As you know, I proposed the green fee along with Council President Conlin over a year ago, was pleased when the council passed it, and am actively supporting the campaign to retain it.

Alaskan Way Viaduct

Background: Governor Gregoire signed a legislative bill ordering the Washington State Department of Transportation to design a bored tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. This bill contains language allocating cost overruns to Seattle citizens, although some question whether the language has legal significance. Notwithstanding that provision, the City of Seattle committed $930 million and the Port of Seattle $300 million to finance the tunnel. Although the exact tax consequences of these commitments are not totally clear, it is safe to assume that the Port's contribution would result in higher property taxes for Seattle property owners, and the City's pledge would be funded with increases in property taxes, City Light utility rates, and possibly other taxes and fees.

• Do you support the plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a bored tunnel? Why or why not?

As you know, I have fought long and hard to stop the rebuild of the Viaduct. That fight came at a high political price for me in Olympia but I have demonstrated that I will defend the interests of my city even in the face of powerful opposition from around the state. I supported a surface and transit option but ultimately the Governor decided on a deep-bore tunnel with reduced capacity. That compromise allowed us to meet our objective to stop a new elevated freeway on our waterfront. Now that a decision has been made, I am going to work hard to ensure that the waterfront is opened up as a vibrant public space and that we have the transit service we need in that corridor.

• If you support the tunnel, what would you do to address the cost-overruns issue?

Seattle property owners will not be saddled with any potential cost overruns for the state's tunnel project. Even though last minute language to this effect was approved in the legislation authorizing the tunnel, no legal mechanism currently exists for the state to charge property owners for any cost overruns. Other jurisdictions around the state are very concerned about the precedent this could set it the state expects to tax local businesses to help fund state projects.

• If you oppose the tunnel, what would you do to prevent its implementation?

N/A

Transit

Background: The City of Seattle already contributes to local transit. The City put together the financing package to construct the South Lake Union streetcar line, and the City and King County Metro share the ongoing operating costs for that line. Further, the Bridging the Gap tax package finances some Metro bus service within Seattle, and Bridging the Gap also pays for street improvements designed to expedite bus travel.

• If elected, how do you intend to improve the in-city transit system?

We must identify and implement short-term and long-term strategies to improve the transit system in Seattle including:

• The opening of the first Sound Transit Link light rail line in just a few short weeks.
• Expansion of the light rail system to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington is underway.
• Further expansion of light rail north to Northgate and Lynnwood, south to Federal Way, and east to Bellevue and Redmond thanks to the 2008 voter-approved Mass Transit Now measure.
• Developing the next lines of the streetcar network including the Sound Transit funded First Hill line and future extension along First Avenue.
• Ensure our Bridging the Gap transit investments are realized. The innovative partnership between the City and Metro you mention in your question is a policy I led on and am proud to have gotten it done.
• Working with county and regional leaders to improve the allocation of Metro bus service based on mutually-agreeable goals such as ridership instead of out-dated political compromises.

The opening of light rail this summer presents an amazing opportunity to continue the work we have done to improve transit in the city and create compact, sustainable development while doing it. With the addition of light rail to our transit system we can support communities where car ownership is not required. The passage of Mass Transit Now was a huge achievement last year that will build a system with the capacity to carry 1 million riders a day. I look forward to ensuring sustainable communities are built around the future stations in the University District, the Roosevelt Neighborhood, and the Northgate Urban Center.

Bicycle Infrastructure

Background: The City of Seattle has adopted a Bicycle Master Plan, which provides a vision for improving bicycling facilities in Seattle.

• Do you support the Bicycle Master Plan? [Yes/No only please]

YES.

• If you support it, do you have ideas for improving the plan?

[Editor's note: No answer provided.]

• If you support it, how do you suggest the City fund the plan?

The completion of the Bicycle Master Plan was a major milestone for bicycling in Seattle, and I am proud to have worked with the bicycling community these last few years accomplish this. We are on our way to making Seattle the best community for bicycling in the US. I am committed to the implementation of the master plan and I am very proud of the work we have done just in the first couple of years. Already we have installed 56 miles of new bike lanes and sharrows. That is more bike lanes than any Mayor in Seattle's history. For the first time we are installing green bike lanes, bike route signs, and signals specifically for bicyclists, all designed to make bicycling easier and safer in our city.

With the support of groups like the Cascade Bicycle Club and Transportation Choices Coalition we passed the Bridging the Gap levy in 2006. With the levy we have a dedicated funding source that invests millions of dollars each year towards the implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan. The Bridging the Gap levy was a clear sign that we are not just going to invest in roads and bridges for cars, but in fact we are investing in a better, more complete transportation system for all users. I am also extremely proud to carry the sole endorsement of the Cascade Bicycle Club.

Pedestrian Infrastructure

The City Council is considering whether to adopt a draft Pedestrian Master Plan.

• Do you support the Pedestrian Master Plan? [Yes/No only please]

YES.

• If you support it, do you have ideas for improving the plan?

[Editor's note: No answer provided.]

• If you support it, how do you suggest the City fund the plan?

Just a few weeks ago I announced a major milestone for walking in Seattle. We now have a draft Pedestrian Master Plan, the first of its kind in the country, which prioritizes over six million dollars in funding each year with the goal of making Seattle the most walkable city in the country. Also with the help of the Bridging the Gap levy we will build more sidewalks, improve pedestrian crossings, and make it safer for children to walk to school. Over the past four years the City of Seattle built close to 100 blocks of new sidewalk. This is the most significant level of investment in pedestrian and bicycle facilities in a generation, and we are just getting started. We still have a lot of work to do and I look forward to working with you to continue to improve the bicycle and pedestrian experience in Seattle.

Land Use and Multifamily Housing

Background: According to U.S. Census data cited in the Seattle Comprehensive Plan, about half of Seattle's households live in multifamily housing. Further, according to the Plan, approximately 40% of Seattle's total land area is set aside for residential use-35% for single-family residences but only 5% for multifamily dwellings. That 5% dedicated to multifamily housing tends to be concentrated in "urban villages" or along arterial streets, which are noisy and dirty. However, "backyard cottages" (also known as "detached accessory dwelling units) are also allowed in singe-family zones in Southeast Seattle.

• Would you support legislation to allow backyard cottages to be built in all single-family zones? [Yes/No only please]

YES.

• Would you ever support a contract rezone or a broader rezone allowing for more housing to be built on a site? [Yes/No only please]

YES.

• If you support the concept of rezoning, what criteria would you use in deciding where more housing should be built?

I proposed the legislation to allow backyard cottages in Southeast Seattle a few years ago. With the success we've seen, I recently sent legislation to the City Council to expand the allowance of backyard cottages throughout the city. Backyard cottages provide an affordable housing option for Seattle's families and homeowners.

I would support legislative rezones based on combinations of the following criteria:

• Proximity to employment and retail centers
• Level of service by transit and other transportation infrastructure (like sidewalks and bike lanes)
• Vibrancy of neighborhood
• Level of city investments and amenities (such as parks and community centers)
• Community support
• Appropriateness of project for the area

I think a great example of this is what's happening up in the Roosevelt neighborhood. There is soon going to be a light rail station that will be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood and change the mobility in that area significantly. The neighborhood is excited to take advantage of this opportunity by adding density around the station. But they are moving forward deliberately because they want the right kind of density for their neighborhood. I am very eager to work with them on this.

Many newly built townhouses in Seattle are architectural atrocities, and site plans tend to be car-dominated. Most townhouse developments are exempt from the City of Seattle's Design Review Program. It is also difficult to find attractive new condos and apartment buildings. To address some of these problems, the City Council is considering a package of revisions to the zoning code.

• Do you support the proposed revisions to the multifamily housing zoning code? [Yes/No only please]

YES.

• If you support the revisions, do you have ideas for improving the proposed revisions?

I recently sent this legislation to the City Council that will be our first multifamily zoning update in 20 years and that includes better townhome design, more affordable housing, and encourages green construction and landscaping. I look forward to the council passing that legislation.

That being said, I believe that our smaller townhome development projects should not be ignored. Currently, these smaller townhomes do not have to go through the Design Review Board. I am proposing that these projects go through a design review process with my staff from the Dept. of Planning and Development, thus ensuring that even small projects must comply with a level of design standards, but also saving these smaller projects the time and money that they cannot afford to lose by going though the lengthier and more robust Design Review Board process. I intend to send legislation down to council on this issue soon and hope for its swift passage.

City Governance

• Do you support the "Vote Clean Seattle" plan, which is supported in principle by the City Council, to create a system for publicly funded campaigns in Seattle? [Yes/No only please]

YES.

Creative Response

• If you have additional thoughts on how to improve Seattle's city government or to make Seattle a more livable and sustainable city, please note them here.

Through the City's Complete Streets policy, and guided by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master plans we are making better use of our limited public right of way for all modes of transportation. For too long our focus was almost solely on moving cars on our roads. We are now allocating space differently so that bikes, people, and transit are included in our transportation system and road designs. I believe we are in the process of shifting the mode priority away from cars, and I support this continuing evolution.

Parks and open space continue to be vital to our success as a city and I'm proud of the direction we're moving in. We are moving forward on covering all of our reservoirs which when finished, will create 76 acres of new open space. The Green Seattle Partnership, which began in 2004 has already restored 375 acres of forest parkland in our city.

Finally, Seattle is a leader in the nation in the number of buildings that meet LEED standard. Building on that leadership, I have set a goal of reducing residential and commercial building energy use by 20% by 2020. Based on the recommendations of my Green Building Task Force, we launched an effort to do 5,000 discounted home energy audits in the city, and to use $1.2 million of our Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant money to create a revolving loan fund for those homeowners to make the upgrades necessary to make their homes more energy efficient. (We also have an existing energy retrofit program that provides audits and weatherization services to low-income residents.) I have also directed DPD to begin work on a new performance based energy code to achieve our 20% goal.