-Welcome to the King County Video Voters' Guide,
your chance to hear directly from the candidates
in the August primary.
This is an all-mail election.
Instead of going to a polling place,
ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
All ballots must be returned on or before Election Day.
In this edition, we've invited the candidates
who will appear on the primary ballot
for King County Council, the Port of Seattle Commission,
and representatives who support
and oppose King County Proposition 1.
The offices are non-partisan.
Each of the statements is up to two minutes long and unedited.
The speakers appear on your screen in the same order
as they will appear on the ballot.
If only one or two candidates filed for a seat,
that position goes straight to the general election
and does not appear on this primary ballot.
First up, King County Proposition 1,
the King County Parks, Recreation, Trails,
and Open Space Levy.
If approved by the voters, King County Proposition 1
would raise $810 million
over six years from 2020 to 2025.
The levy would provide funding for operations
and maintenance of county, town, city, and park district parks,
and it would provide funding for open space,
trails, recreation, pools, zoo operations,
and an aquarium capital project.
The proposed levy renews a parks levy
that expires at the end of 2019.
Proposition 1 would authorize
an additional six-year property tax beginning in 2020
of 18.32 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
In 2020, the owner of a home valued at $500,000
would pay $91.60 per year.
In subsequent years,
a new levy rate would be calculated
using the 2020 levy amount as the base
and calculating the King County inflation
plus the population index
or the limitations set by RCW 84.55,
whichever is greater.
This measure will appear only on the primary ballot.
All voters in King County are eligible to vote
on King County Proposition 1.
-Hello. My name is Sean den Bok,
and I am the School
and Public Programs Manager
at the Seattle Aquarium.
Your vote to renew
and replace the King County Parks Levy,
appearing on your ballot
as King County Prop 1,
will support conservation
by protecting thousands acres
of forest and open spaces,
invest in parks, large and small,
improve trails, pools,
and play fields,
and expand recreation
in environmental education
for underserved communities
here in King County.
The typical homeowner
will only pay $2.28 per month
over the current levy,
and it includes
strong, public oversight.
I'm supporting King County Prop 1
because it will help
combat climate change
by ensuring we preserve our forests
and green spaces to better protect
air and water quality.
It will provide new trails
where local families can get outside
and enjoy nature
in our rapidly growing region,
and it will fund needed maintenance
and upgrades of playground
equipment, sports fields,
and public pools to expand opportunities
for exercise and recreation for kids.
All King County kids
deserve fun and safe places
to play close to home.
Finally, King County Prop 1
dedicates funds
to help expand the aquarium
and broaden our education
and conservation impact
and it enhances education
and access programs
at the Woodland Park Zoo
to promote hands-on learning
for our next generation
of conservationists.
Endorsers include
the Seattle Aquarium,
Woodland Park Zoo, Forterra,
the Trust for Public Land,
the Nature Conservancy,
King County Executive
Dow Constantine,
a bipartisan council majority,
and many more.
Learn more at www. kcparksforall.com,
and be sure to vote yes
on King County Prop 1 by August 6th
for our health, for our kids,
and for our communities.
♪♪
-Metropolitan King County Council --
as the legislative branch of county government,
the Metropolitan King County Council
sets the policies, enacts the laws,
and adopts the budgets
that guide the largest jurisdiction
in Washington State.
Its mission is to protect public health and safety,
enhance quality of life, and ensure public trust.
This is a non-partisan position.
Members are elected by geographic district
to four-year terms.
This year, four of the nine council positions
are on the ballot.
Two of those four positions will appear on the primary ballot.
If you live in one of those two districts,
you will be able to cast a vote in the primary.
The top-two vote-getters in those two positions
will advance to the general election in November.
♪♪
-Hi, everyone.
My name is Girmay Zahilay,
and I'm running to be
your next councilmember
for King County Council
District 2.
Growing up in Seattle, I always
felt like we were living in
"A Tale of Two Cities."
This is a region of
unprecedented wealth
and also a region where
people are struggling
to afford basic needs
like housing,
a region known
for technology and innovation,
and also a region that lacks
basic infrastructure
and transportation,
a region known
supposedly for progressivism,
and one that continues to
disproportionately
impact black and brown people
through the justice system.
I'm running to be
your councilmember
because we deserve to
live in a region
that works for everyone.
I've seen first-hand
how this economy fails to work
for all of our communities.
I was raised by
a single mother who was
an Ethiopian refugee.
We grew up in places
like Rainier Vista,
Holly Park, and Skyway.
Every night, my mom
would tuck her kids into bed,
and instead of going
to bed herself,
she would put on her scrubs
and go work night shift
at two local nursing homes.
Even though she worked
double shift every day,
she still struggled
to pay rent, to pay
for her car, to pay
medical bills and child care.
After a lifetime of hard work,
these challenges
are even greater today.
I'm running for
King County Council to
design bold solutions
to these regional problems.
We can live in a county where,
if you work a full-time job,
you don't live in
constant fear of losing your home
and being displaced
because there is affordable
housing and there are opportunities
for home ownership
in our neighborhoods.
We can live in a county
where maintaining a car
no longer traps families
in a cycle of poverty
or destroys our environment
because more people
have access to reliable,
effective public transit.
We can live in a county
where our youth can prosper
because they have limitless
educational opportunities
and a justice system that seeks
to rehabilitate and restore
rather than incarcerate
and traumatize.
My name is Girmay Zahilay,
and I know we can work together
to make this a county
that truly works for everyone.
-Hi, I'm Stan Lippmann running
for King County Council District 2.
The good news is that we already
have infinite clean energy,
so we should learn to live
in wealth and harmony.
On my website, councilmanstan.com,
I'm going to visualize
Seattle 2045 in Google Earth,
Jetson or Flintstone.
If elected, you'll decide.
Governor Inslee's
new energy law dooms us.
It makes us carbon- free by 2045,
but science tells us
we only have until 2030
to save the planet.
King County Council
can step in to fix this,
and I'm the only one running
who knows how to get this done.
Since earning my PhD
in atomic physics
at Johns Hopkins 30 years ago,
I had been fighting
for a fossil-free world
by working on fusion
and solar energy technology.
Solar is now cheaper than
hydro and natural gas.
Elect me, and we'll have
a public utility district
to establish
a clean energy marketplace.
You can participate as a producer
and investor in our
collective energy future
and bypass
the Wall Street blockade.
Texas now bills
three gigawatts a year.
So could King County
to give us 12 gigawatts by 2023.
Such marketable electricity
will make King County rich
and carbon-free by 2030.
King County could give you
better service and lower taxes.
Being rich lets us solve
all of our problems
with 1 million affordable units
in 2,000
Space Needle, Jetson-style homes
around the Puget Sound
supporting point-to-point
commuting anywhere fast
through your mag-pneumatic tubes
in your Jetson mobile by 2045.
Nothing can stop the future now
that I resolved the Einstein paradox,
the singularities
at the center of each atom.
Atheists shouldn't worry
about information not escaping
from a black hole
since we're already there.
Cymatics is the operation
of all resident interaction
at 2:32 power precision.
That's why, if you elect me,
you'll be seen as an individual.
I'm Stan Lippmann,
and please vote for me
in the summer and November.
-My name is Larry Gossett,
and I have the honor
of representing District 2
on the King County Council.
And with your support,
I will continue to be able
to focus on the key issues
facing our community --
affordable housing,
maintaining safe communities,
and ensuring that everyone
has equitable accessibility
to public transportation.
These are all areas that I know
you are concerned about,
and with your help,
together with me,
we can continue to make progress
for all the people
who reside here
in Martin Luther King Jr. County.
As a King County councilmember,
I am committed to implementing
my recommendations,
especially in two areas --
public housing
and criminal justice.
First, in public housing,
I recently recommended
44,000 units of housing
be built to the King County
Affordable Housing
Task Force.
It was adopted.
We plan to build this many units
over the next five years.
Again, with your support,
we will achieve this goal.
The second and final area
that I've been proud of
and want to continue
to make progress on
is the number of young people
that we have incarcerated
in our youth detention center.
About 15 years ago, in 2004,
we had an average daily population
of 224 youth.
Today, it's down to 41.
That's a 75% reduction.
I want to maintain that
kind of effectiveness
until we achieve our goal
of zero youth detention.
Thank you very much.
♪♪
-Hello. I'm Joe McDermott.
As your King County
Councilmember,
Sound Transit Board member,
and member of the Seattle
King County Board of Health,
building a just, equitable,
and thriving King County
is the mission
for my work every day.
Strong transit options
mean opportunity for everyone.
That's why I fought
to include West Seattle
in light rail expansion,
and I'm leading the effort
to secure a tunnel
for light rail in West Seattle.
It's also why I'm delivering
RapidRide bus service
to Delridge and Burien
and ensuring that metro
and Sound Transit
prioritize equitable fares
and equitable fare enforcement.
Solving our
homelessness crisis
means solving our housing crisis.
That's why
I passed legislation
dedicating $660 million
in lodging taxes
to affordable housing,
and I'm shaping
the council's work,
creating a coordinated,
regional response
for homelessness services.
With firearm deaths in America
exceeding 35,000 a year,
gun violence is a public health
crisis that we must address.
That's why I introduced
and passed the King County
Gun Safety Action Plan --
common sense laws and programs
focused on saving lives.
And a thriving King County means
we must be
a welcoming King County.
When I joined the hundreds
of people at Sea-Tac Airport
protesting Trump's first
illegal travel ban
targeting Muslims,
it became crystal clear
that we needed to step up locally
to support our immigrant and
refugee friends and neighbors.
I partnered with
Executive Constantine and
the Seattle Foundation
in developing the immigrant
and refugee Resilience Fund
and sponsor the creation
of the King County Immigrant
and Refugee Commission
to support
residents across King County.
A just, equitable,
and thriving King County
is possible no matter
the challenges we face.
I would be honored to
continue this mission with you
for the next four years.
-My name is Goodspaceguy,
and I am a free market candidate
for the King County Council.
King County is our part of
Spaceship Earth
that we should turn into
a higher- living-standard
demonstration project
for the people of Earth.
Let us see how much we can raise
the living standard
of the workers in King County.
Orbital space around our Earth
might become important
to King County.
Please think of our Earth
as your spaceship.
You have a spaceship.
Our Spaceship Earth
is traveling through space
around our sun each year.
And with our sun,
our Spaceship Earth
is traveling inside
our Milky Way galaxy.
Please think of yourself
as the passengers and crewmembers
of our Spaceship Earth.
How can we improve
our Spaceship Earth?
Let us use technology
and free market economics
to raise the living standard
of the workers.
As crewmembers of Spaceship Earth,
let us promote the functioning
of the free market economy.
Let us move away from
the command economy
of socialism that uses force.
Socialism requires force
because socialism
does not have the strong profit
incentive that capitalism has.
Let us move
towards the free market economy
that serves you, the consumer.
Under capitalism,
profits create jobs
desired by you, the consumers.
Through work,
we create the living standard.
Let us try to get more people
into the workforce.
Let us abolish the minimum wages
of the command economy
because minimum wages
make jobs go away,
which increases homelessness.
Bad laws create bad results
like increasing the number
of homeless people.
Homeless people need money
and so turn to panhandling
and welfare and crime.
By abolishing the minimum wages
of the command economy,
let us make it profitable
to coax homeless people
into the workforce
so they can help raise
the living standard
of our King County
of Spaceship Earth.
Vote for Goodspaceguy.
♪♪
-Port of Seattle -- it's called the Port of Seattle,
but the port is actually a countywide municipal corporation
that operates Sea-Tac Airport and the marine terminals
with a focus on economic development for the region.
Five commissioners are elected at large
by all voters in King County.
Two of these seats will appear on the primary ballot.
These are non-partisan positions elected to four-year terms.
All voters in King County can vote
for one Port commissioner in each position.
The top-two vote getters in each position
will advance to the general election in November.
♪♪
-Growing up, I dreamt of a place
where I could serve the public
and give back to my community.
With just a suitcase
and a scholarship, I came to the U.S.
I arrived in King County
27 years ago,
moved to Woodinville,
and raised my son.
I devoted myself to improving
our region's quality of life.
I worked for the City of Seattle
for 15 years,
and I worked for the City of Renton
for the past 12 years.
I will continue that tradition
of public service
as Port Commissioner.
I will ensure that our region
stays competitive,
and everyone shares
in our economic prosperity.
A rising tide must lift all boats,
so I will use my experience
in workforce development
to train and retrain workers
as well as to ensure fair wages
and working conditions.
But the Port must protect
our jobs and our environment.
Sea-Tac Airport can be
the first in the nation
to power every flight
with biofuel,
and that would cut
carbon emissions in half
and protect the health
of our airport communities.
I can ensure that the Port does this
because I've launched innovative
environmental programs
including Seattle's
Climate Protection Initiative.
I worked with
former vice president Al Gore
to launch the movement
to stop climate change.
I won an Emmy
for promoting water conservation
and received two national awards
for inclusion and equity.
I will take this experience
to the Port
and make it more answerable
to the people of King County.
I hold degrees in finance, economics,
and international trade,
all important to the Port.
And I'm endorsed by many maritime
and economic
development champions --
the Puget Sound Pilots, senators,
mayors of Auburn, Renton, Kent,
CEOs, and many people
whom I've worked with
throughout King County.
Please vote for Preeti for Port.
Thank you.
-I'm Dominic Barrera,
and I'm running to bring a voice
for Port Area residents, labor,
and environmental concerns
to the Port Commission.
I'm a lifelong
South King County resident.
My father was an
aircraft mechanic growing up,
and I've worked in a union position
in airport operations
for seven years.
In that time,
Sea-Tac Airport has grown by 45%.
But infrastructure,
technology, and processes
are struggling to keep up,
negatively impacting
travelers and workers alike.
We need a Commissioner
with a deep understanding
of operational realities
to guide long-term planning,
mitigate the impacts
of developments,
and address the inequities
faced by low-wage workers
and vulnerable communities
surrounding our Port.
As a former environmental
non-profit director,
I will prioritize investments
in infrastructure
that cut fossil fuel pollution,
relieve traffic,
and improve freight mobility
and will push to research
and incentivize the use of
new technologies and procedures.
As a Fire Commissioner,
I've passed state legislation,
balanced tight budgets,
improved working conditions
and efficiency in my district,
and proven myself an effective,
accountable elected leader.
I will be the progressive voice
on the Port Commission,
pushing the Port of Seattle
to be a hub for good, safe jobs,
a global leader in environmental
stewardship and innovation,
and a good neighbor,
investing in local communities
and ending human trafficking
through our ports.
I'm Dominic Barrera,
and I would be honored
to have your vote.
-Hi. My name is Sam Cho,
and I'm running for Port of Seattle
Commission Position 2.
I'm running because
I want to see a Port of Seattle
that's working for the people
of Greater Seattle.
If you've driven down
to Sea-Tac Airport and
you've been stuck in that traffic,
that's not working for the people.
If you stood in that security line
that wraps around the terminal,
that's not working for the people.
If you're in South King County
and you're disproportionately
affected by the noise pollution,
you need representation.
My parents immigrated
to this country through
the Port of Seattle,
and they worked as dry cleaners.
They scrubbed, washed, and
pressed shirts for a living, and
they hoped through their hard work
that their son would one day
wear a dress shirt.
Well, today I'm wearing one.
I'm running because,
as King County continues to grow,
I want to ensure
that we share in that growth
and provide opportunities
for everyone because,
as the tide of prosperity rises,
it should lift all boats.
That means
workforce development and
careers with living-wage jobs.
I want to tackle climate change
more aggressively.
I want to bring accountability
and transparency to the Port.
And, lastly, I want to stop human
and labor trafficking
at the Port.
And I have the experience
to get it done.
I'm a small business owner
in exports and trade.
And, at a time when our president
is waging trade wars,
we need someone
with export experience
to protect our economy where
40% of jobs are dependent on trade.
I've worked on policy
on the national level
as a political appointee
under President Barack Obama.
I've also worked
as a legislative assistant
in the state legislature
and for a member of Congress.
As Commissioner,
I believe the sum of my experiences
will allow me to
hit the ground running
and get things done.
As of now, I'm endorsed by
the King County Young Democrats,
the longshoremen, Local Laborers 242,
and eight Democratic
legislative districts
throughout King County.
My name is Sam Cho,
and I'm running for the
Port of Seattle Position 2.
And I'm asking for your vote
because together we'll get it done.
-Hi, I'm Nina Martinez, and I'm running
for Seattle Port Commissioner.
I have been a business technology
consultant with extensive background
negotiating multi-million dollar
contracts for national,
international businesses
as well as government agencies.
I also serve as board chair
of the statewide organization,
Latino Civic Alliance.
I was honored to be appointed
to the Farm Work Group by
Governor Inslee and was able
to successfully help negotiate
better working conditions
for our farm workers.
I have a proven track record of
working with all levels
of government. Recently,
I worked on the Keep Washington
Working Act that protects
immigrant workers in Washington
and strengthen hate crimes
legislation to protect
communities of color
and the LGBTQ community.
I am running for Port Commissioner
because I understand the vital role
the Port of Seattle plays in
the King County economy.
I am committed to taking
my experience across public
and private sectors
to ensure that the Port's
policies promote job growth
in our county.
It is important to prioritize
diversity in the work force
and increase business contract
procurement for women
and minorities. I am dedicated
to increasing pathways
to family wage jobs
and strengthening protections
for workers. I will advocate
for greater opportunities for
apprenticeships at the Port
and prioritize recruitment
of young women and members
of historically underrepresented
communities into the marine
and aerospace science programs.
The Port's ability to grow our
economy is limited by how fast
and efficiently people and goods
can move through our state's
infrastructure. I will work
across different levels of
government and reduce traffic
and move freight. I support investing
clean energy infrastructure,
solar panels at our
Port facilities,
increasing charging stations,
electrification of
the Port's fleets,
encouraging low-carbon
jet fuel production,
and research in Washington State.
I will also stand with the community
to address reducing noise
and pollution. I will be
a fierce advocate for cleaning
and protecting our local
waterways and marine life.
My business experience has
prepared me to help the Port grow
and innovate. My decades
of advocacy for working families
and environmental justice
will help guide that growth
in a sustainable and just way.
I am Nina Martinez,
and I ask you to join me
in taking our Port into a cleaner
and more equitable future.
-Hello. My name is Grant Degginger, and
I'm running for the Port of Seattle
Commission Position 2.
I'm an attorney and a fifth-generation
Seattle area resident.
I grew up on the East Side,
and I've been actively involved
in addressing some of
our region's most challenging
problems.
I served three terms
on the Bellevue Seattle Council,
in two terms as mayor of Bellevue.
During that time,
I helped lead efforts
to extend light rail
to the East Side,
expand transit surface,
replace the SR 520 bridge,
and increase housing
opportunities.
Later, I was appointed
by Governor Gregoire
to the Washington Public
Disclosure Commission
where I worked to provide
transparency in elections.
The Port owns and operates facilities
that are vital to our economy --
the Sea-Tac Airport,
the seaport in Seattle,
and Fisherman's Terminal.
This is a crucial time for the Port
because some of its facilities,
particularly Sea-Tac Airport,
have failed to keep up
with our region's rapid growth.
Access in and out of the airport
is congested.
The terminal is undersized
with long lines for everything.
Simply put, the airport
is not meeting your needs,
the needs of the traveling public,
the needs of the airlines,
and the people who work
at the airport.
We can and we must do better.
The Port is developing a plan
for spending billions
at the airport.
I want to be sure that we make
the right investment
to ensure that the airport
will meet our region's needs
well into the future.
We'll be environmentally
sustainable,
and we'll be a better neighbor
for the nearby communities.
Also I will work to ensure
that the seaport remains competitive
in shipping cargo,
in welcoming cruise ships
to our city,
and in continuing to provide
great family-wage jobs.
I have spent two decades
in public service,
bringing people together
around shared values
to create lasting,
positive change.
As your Port Commissioner,
I will ensure that the Port
is transparent
and an innovative partner
delivering the infrastructure
and living-wage jobs
our economy needs and deserves.
I would be honored
to have your vote.
-Hi, my name is Ali Scego.
It has been a privilege
to lead a life of public service
as visionary workforce leader
with over 20 years of
progressive experience,
expertise
in bringing diverse partners
to deliver results,
implement system integration
that removes barriers,
increase access to education
and employment.
I have received a Bachelor of Science
in economics, a Bachelor of Science
in agro economics
from University of Maryland.
I am running for Port of Seattle
because I believe the current
Port system
not working for travelers,
thousands of workers that built
the strong economic engine,
and the environment.
I believe every Port
contract worker can achieve
a better life if we create a system,
a system that works for them.
I want to build a system
that will invest in human capital
and creates a talent pipeline
that will benefit both labor
and business communities.
Our vision for better Port --
sustainable, clean environment
that improve the quality of life
for Puget Sound ecosystem
by eliminating toxic pollutants,
reduce noise level,
increase vegetation
and old-growth trees,
restore the Duwamish River.
In order to achieve
a quiet night,
we need to impose a curfew
between 11:00 p.m.
and 6:00 a.m.
I also think of our future
and know we need to adapt
an agile workforce model,
a model that will work --
will help the Port of Seattle
think different about
how contract workers are engaged
and can be up-skilled
to reduce workforce gaps.
We need local, highly-skilled
small business as vendor
to keep dollar in our local economy.
Workforce housing --
as one of the largest landowners,
the Port needs to be part
of the housing solution.
Build workforce housing
in the surrounding cities.
To reduce solo commute,
Port employee and contractor
will receive ORCA card.
♪♪
-Hello, I'm Port of Seattle
Commissioner Fred Felleman,
and I want to thank you for
the opportunity to serve
on the Port Commission
the past four years.
I came to the Port
with over 30 years' experience
as a killer whale biologist
and environmental consultant,
working to protect the health
of our marine environment
and those dependent on it.
As Commission Vice President and
founding chair of the Energy and
Sustainability Committee,
I worked hard to reduce the Port's
greenhouse gas emissions
while expanding opportunities
for meaningful careers
in King County.
I'm working to support
our quality of life by securing
environmental safeguards
during major transformations
at the airport and seaport
that expand the economic benefits
of trade, tourism, fishing,
and recreation. I've significantly
shaped changes in the Port's culture
through the hiring of a new
executive director
and championing the creation
of the new position,
Senior Director of Equity,
Diversity, and Inclusion.
With your support in my next term,
we'll continue to be
a regional leader
through the reduction
of the Port's greenhouse gas
emissions;
work with business and labor
to promote green innovations
while protecting our working
waterfront and industrial lands
to stimulate an economy
that works for everyone;
expand opportunities
for women and minority-owned
businesses while seeking
environmental and economic justice
for disproportionately
impacted communities;
inspire youth to pursue
Port-related jobs of the future
by championing innovation,
apprenticeships, and internships;
and, of course,
be accessible and responsive
to community interests.
I will continue to champion
Port policies rooted
in fiscal responsibility,
ecological integrity,
and social equity.
I'm proudly endorsed
by many labor unions,
environmental organizations,
elected and community leaders,
as well as many Democratic
legislative districts
throughout King County.
I'm Port of Seattle
Commissioner Fred Felleman.
I respectfully ask for your vote.
Thank you,
and for more information,
please go to fredforport.com.
-Hi, I'm Jordan Lemmon,
candidate for Port of Seattle
Commissioner Position 5.
I'm running for this office
to ensure that Puget Sound
remains a safe, clean,
and, above all, prosperous
environment for its residents
as well as plant and animal life.
By supporting local business
and promoting reasonable
environmental standards
for traffic traveling through
our ports, we can keep
our land, sea, and air clean
and inviting to both locals
and visitors. I hope to bolster the
expansion of our ports by bringing
in diverse local business,
increasing public transit use,
and creating safe pedestrian
corridors from transit to ship
and airport terminals.
I'll work with business leaders
and government bodies
to promote cooperation
and understanding of each's goals
and collaborate to achieve them.
As a South King County resident,
I am affected by the airport
almost daily. I want to improve
the impact that Sea-Tac has
on those living near it
and encourage an expansion plan
that respects its neighbors
and ecological surroundings.
The increase in traffic
from locals and tourists --
we need to provide fast,
reliable service to transit systems.
I'd like to develop
an additional short-distance tram
to cover gaps from
airport terminals to transit.
With the addition of a new
cruise ship terminal
and added foot traffic,
I want businesses to feel
comfortable opening shop
in this new venue.
I look forward to working with
city planners and area residents
to determine the best way of
integrating this expansion
with the existing neighborhood.
By working together, I hope
this will make for a wonderful
attraction and increase
the image of Seattle
as a tourist destination.
I can only achieve these goals
as part of a team and will work
with as many people as possible
to create a future
for King County.
Thank you for your time.
-Hello, King County voters.
I am Garth Jacobson,
a candidate for Port of Seattle
Position number 5.
First, let me explain
why I'm well-qualified
to hold this position.
Second, I'll discuss
my ways to make the airport better.
And third,
I'll make recommendations
for the seaport.
First, briefly, I obtained my BA
in economics and philosophy,
a law degree, and a Master's
in public administration
from the University
of Montana.
I also hold a Master's
of tax law degree from the University
of Washington.
I practice law in both
the public and private sectors.
I hold leadership positions
in the American Bar Association
in their science
and technology section
and business law sections.
I am active in the community.
As a frequent flier,
I see the airport suffers
greatly from expansion.
We need to do better.
That airport traffic is brutal,
parking can be a pain,
the TSA lines
are often too long with too much
plastic bottle waste,
busing passengers to planes is harsh.
I recommend we make changes
in the traffic flows,
identify parking spots like they do
in the Portland Airport,
add more TSA lines, and have
water bottle refill stations
throughout the airport
so people can reduce
their plastic bottle waste.
For the seaport, the Port Commission
needs to hit the pause button
on new cruise line terminals.
I don't want to deny someone
their bucket list cruise to Alaska,
but cruise ships pollute
three-to-four times more
per passenger mile
than jet planes.
We need to think about
the effect on the environment.
Likewise, we don't need
a new cruise terminal
in the SoDo area.
Potentially, it just makes
traffic worse for those
going to games and those
getting on the ferry.
Let's hit the pause button
with new terminals
until we know the impacts.
We need growth, we need progress,
but we also need to think about
how to do it right
without asking for more
taxpayer money.
For these reasons,
we should change direction.
I ask you vote for Garth.
Vote to make the ports better.
Vote Garth Jacobson.
-You've just seen all the video statements
recorded by candidates for county and port offices
in King County.
We will produce another Video Voters' Guide
for candidates who advance to the November general election.
This program is a collaboration
of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission,
the Seattle Channel, and King County TV.
Again, this will be a vote-by-mail election.
Instead of going to a polling place,
ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
Look for your ballot in the mail after July 17,
and vote and return it by Tuesday, August 6.
No stamp needed to return your ballot.
Ballots can be returned via U.S. Mail
or at one of King County's secured ballot drop boxes,
Accessible voting centers, AVCs, are available to voters
who need assistance completing their ballot.
Ballots must be postmarked by August 6.
You can track the progress of your ballot online
and find the location of drop boxes or AVCs
by visiting King County Elections
at kingcounty.gov/elections.
Thanks for joining us.
We'd like to hear from you about the Video Voters' Guide.
To comment on this guide,
please call 206-684-8500.