Group advocate Tanya Woo earned The Occasions’ endorsement when she sought a Seattle City Council seat final yr.
After falling quick, Woo utilized for and gained an appointment to a vacant place on the council. Now, as an incumbent, she is searching for election to citywide Place 8.
In a crowded major, Woo continues to rise to the highest.
Woo grew up on Beacon Hill, works within the Chinatown Worldwide District and lives within the Rainier Valley. She has the sort of hands-on expertise that makes her an efficient council member.
As lead volunteer with Chinatown Worldwide District Group Watch, Woo offered meals and different help to individuals dwelling unsheltered. She has administered the overdose prevention drug Narcan and distributed fentanyl testing strips.
Her household renovated, and he or she managed, the Louisa Resort within the ID, which incorporates reasonably priced residences and outlets. As anybody who has attended group conferences across the metropolis is aware of, Woo exhibits up.
“My workplace focuses on three high priorities,” she instructed the board. “The primary one is affordability. Quantity two is public security. And we have now to handle homelessness. I really feel like we’ve been failed by KCRHA [King County Regional Homelessness Authority]. Whereas our regional method is the appropriate method, we have to make it work, and we have to produce outcomes.”
The Metropolis Council faces an approximate $260 million price range hole that should be fastened. Whereas tax revenues elevated lately, metropolis spending accelerated even quicker.
A poll by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce revealed 76% of Seattleites agreed with the assertion that town ought to reprioritize governmental fundamentals earlier than contemplating elevating taxes. Solely 23% supported the notion that town ought to keep present spending and lift new taxes to cowl the deficit.
Woo was the one candidate of the 4 interviewed by the editorial board who agreed with the vast majority of ballot respondents.
“I don’t assume we must always increase taxes,” she stated. “As a small-business proprietor, as somebody who has constructed reasonably priced housing, we have now to make it work and make actually laborious selections. We have now to prioritize.”
When requested in regards to the significance of a uniformed police officer to public security on a scale from 1-10, Woo responded with an 8. The opposite candidates gave solutions starting from 1 to five.
Contemplating the alarmingly lengthy response instances to emergency calls brought on by understaffing, rebuilding the Seattle Police Division should proceed to be a high precedence for the council. Woo will get this.
Lastly, Woo helps amending the Tree Safety Ordinance, laws handed final yr that town’s personal City Forestry Fee doubts will put Seattle on monitor to satisfy its environmental targets.
“I grew up on Beacon Hill, stay within the Rainier Valley. We have now tree deserts and warmth islands. We’re not attending to our metropolis aim of 30% tree cover by 2030. We’re not going to have the ability to make that. We have to prioritize timber.”
Different candidates within the race embody: Tariq Yusuf, Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Saunatina Sanchez.
For essentially the most half, the opposite hopefuls symbolize a throwback to earlier councils, with positions on taxes and legislation enforcement that appear out of step with the vast majority of voters’ considerations.
Woo dealt with herself effectively in her quick time on the council. Residents ought to elect Tanya Woo for Place 8.