Why We Care About the Seattle City Council 2023 Election
By Rebecca Bear, President and CEO
In November, Seattleites will have the opportunity to significantly impact the leadership of our City Council. Seven of the nine seats are on the ballot, and it is important voters pay attention to the candidates’ perspectives on many pressing issues facing our city. Seattle Parks Foundation reached out to candidates with questions pertaining to some of the most important issues that impact our parks and public spaces including: equity of access, public safety, tree canopy, climate readiness and district specific issues.
One of the most critical roles our City Council members play is as decision makers on the city budget and the Metropolitan Park District funding. The support our city leaders provide can help Seattle become a world class city (or conversely decay our green infrastructure). In the last year, Seattle has made tremendous strides in cleaning up our parks, activating them, investing in long overdue capital projects, expanding recreation opportunities, and increasing park safety for all residents. It is critical this momentum continues.
The next class of City Council members will be leading the city during a time when Seattle will be showcased to the world at the FIFA World Cup. We will have new regional destinations such as the Waterfront Park and the Aquarium. And, we will continue to have needs in every district to improve the quality of life in Seattle through parks and public spaces. In 2022, we hosted a survey of voters and 91% of them believe that Seattle’s Parks and Recreation system is important to the quality of life in Seattle. Our greenspaces and public spaces differentiate Seattle from many major metropolitan areas of the country, and they need to be well maintained and funded.
Our next city council will also be critical decision makers when it comes to the future climate resilience of Seattle. With increasing heat, smoke, king tides, flooding and unexpected weather events, Seattle is facing an uncertain future if we do not invest and make changes now. Climate-related ordinances go before our city council frequently and having council members who deeply understand these issues will be important for our city’s long-term success.
As you read the candidates’ unedited responses, please consider how they show their commitment to our parks and public spaces, then fill out your ballot and VOTE!