Biography

First elected in 2007, Councilmember Tim Burgess was re-elected with 83% of the vote in November 2011. After leading the Council's Public Safety and Education Committee during his first term (which included human services for the first two years), Tim now chairs the Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee and is vice-chair of the Planning, Land Use and Sustainability Committee.  He also chairs the City's Retirement System Board and is co-chair of the Family and Education Levy Oversight Committee.

A Seattle native, Tim has been involved in local community and government matters for the past 45 years. He brings a diversity of experience to the City Council, having worked as a journalist, Seattle police officer and detective, global anti-poverty worker and small business owner. He chaired his neighborhood community council and served 12 years on the City's Ethics and Elections Commission. These life experiences have helped to shape Tim's world view and have convinced him of the power of people to create positive change.

Tim grew up on Capitol Hill and attended Lincoln High School and the University of Washington. He and his wife of 34 years, Joleen, and their three daughters all are graduates of Seattle Public Schools.  Tim and Joleen are residents of the Queen Anne neighborhood.