Renton Patch 2019 City Council, Mayoral Candidate Questionnaires

RENTON, WA — The 2019 August primary is coming up on Aug. 6, and two Renton races are on the ballot. We sent each candidate in the race a questionnaire to help local voters pick the right candidate.

The Renton mayoral race is one of the most imporant in the region as longtime Mayor Denis Law steps down. Three City Council members have stepped up to take Law's place, plus former state lawmaker Marcie Maxwell.

Meanwhile, the Position 3 City Council seat being vacated by Carol Ann Witschi has attracted four candidates, and none have held elected office before.

We asked each Renton candidate the same set of four questions, probing everything from development to public transit challenges. We did not put any restrictions on how much a candidate could write, and we did not edit the answers. Here's what they told us:

Mayor

Ruth Perez

Why are you running for this seat?

As a Renton City Councilmember, I have worked to ensure Renton is a place people are proud to call home. In the last few years, we’ve seen incredible job growth, economic prosperity, and a rush of new people looking to build their lives in Renton. Our city is blessed with tremendous energy and prosperity but faces many challenges – now is the time to make sure that we are building upon our recent successes being proactive to avoid the pitfalls of such rapid expansion. My time as Renton’s next mayor, I will continue to focus on the issues that truly impact our residents’ everyday lives – ensuring a continuing strong economy, reducing crime and homelessness, expanding access to affordable housing, and promote and tackling our city’s transportation and traffic issues.

How do you see Renton growing over the next decade?

Renton has tremendous development and business opportunities in an ideal central location with a pro-business climate. I believe that fostering an environment where businesses can attract and retain highly qualified employees is critical to our region. I will lead Renton into our next chapter as a collaborative and inclusive city where working families, neighborhoods, and businesses work together to create a place where all are welcome, and all can thrive.

How has the region's homelessness crisis affected Renton, and what are some solution you think might work?

Skyrocketing rents and the growing demand for behavioral and mental health services continue to make homelessness a regional challenge. We are already moving more people into housing faster, while cutting in half the number of people slipping back into homelessness. We have a plan to make homelessness rare, increasing homeless outreach and connections to treatment while creating more affordable housing to move people permanently out of homelessness.

Are you satisfied with transportation in Renton? Why or why not?

I have been hard at work to provide transportation options for all. I, like many of you, am tired of getting stuck in the traffic that surrounds us.

I would like to continue pressing Sound Transit and Metro for more high-capacity transit and make the best out of the fact that light rail isn’t coming to Renton, which nobody is happy about.

By 2020, Metro Connects will be adding a frequent service network in growing areas in Renton like the Highlands, Longacres, and the East Valley and Sound Transit will be building a new transit center planned at Rainier and Grady Way, as well as the addition of Bus Rapid Transit along 405, with two stops in Renton.

Marcie Maxwell

Why are you running for this seat?

I want to ensure that people in our city have the best opportunities to thrive, that we grow and keep business and good jobs here, and that our city is safe, healthy and welcoming. I’ve raised my family here, and have been a small business owner and a community leader in Renton for three decades. My experiences and skills plus my regional and statewide relationships and my political will can serve Renton best as many of the problems, challenges and opportunities our city faces are regional, and need strong connections and collaboration for regional elected public service. I intend to use my proven leadership voice and actions for policies that value diverse communities, improve lives for more families, invest in our parks and trails, address housing needs and affordability, improve transportation choices, and strengthen productive partnerships within our city and beyond.

How do you see Renton growing over the next decade?

Growth is headed our way. How well we manage that growth is vital to how we maintain our quality of life here. With effective leadership and planning, we can do both. Into the future, I see Renton with its richness in diversity of people, beauty of place, talent in workforce, and care in community!

How has the region's homelessness crisis affected Renton, and what are some solution you think might work?

Homelessness is affecting every city in our region including Renton - and many more cities around our nation. There are a wide variety of problems leading to homelessness, and multiple solutions are needed. Partnering with Renton Housing Authority, faith-based organizations, non-profits in housing, human services and skills training, Renton city staff can work to guide homeless individuals and families toward stability in their lives. Providing shelter, basic needs and emergency services for people in their most vulnerable times takes investments and efforts from the city, organizations and volunteers together. City ordinances as enforced can curb illegal behaviors.

Are you satisfied with transportation in Renton? Why or why not?

Renton must make its needs known early and at every step to ensure we get our needs met in regional transportation decisions and investments. I have established region-wide relationships and the political will to be Renton’s leader with transit agencies and for state transportation funding. Improving transportation means ensuring that I-405 freeway improvements are completed, using smart traffic management for city streets, better transit access with routes and timely scheduling that work effectively for residents and works here, transit oriented housing development near employment centers, walkable neighborhoods, and opportunities on our waterways.

Randy Corman

Why are you running for this seat?

Renton is going in a positive direction, and I want to keep us moving forward to create an even more vibrant, inclusive, and thriving city. As Renton’s most experienced Council Member, I have a 25-year proven track record of listening to residents and improving our city. I’ve served five years as Council President and Chaired all eight council committees. I’ve served with four Renton mayors and closely seen what works and what doesn’t. I bring skills from an award-winning 33-year career as an engineer and manager at the Boeing company. As an engineer, I thoroughly understand our city’s transportation, utilities, emergency systems, and other infrastructure. As an experienced manager, I am ready to lead our city staff in a positive and collaborative direction.

I have been successful on the council at helping to hold down city taxes and utility fees while adding many amenities to our city by growing our business base. Just a few examples of improvements are Henry Moses Aquatic Center, the Piazza, Veterans Memorial Park, Ron Regis Park, Heritage Park, and many others. As a council member, I’ve helped Renton maintain our sense of community as we’ve grown in population from 43,000 to 102,000. I have fostered a collaborative, non-partisan culture at City Hall, where we use facts and data to drive our decisions while including residents in every step. I also have the regional experience we need in a mayor. For 20 years I’ve represented Renton on the I-405 Executive Committee. I’ve also served on Metro Transit Board, Eastside Transportation Partnership, Sound WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Committee, May Creek Basin Plan, Eastside Trail Planning, Sound Transit BRT, and many other regional roles. My wife and I have five children and five grandchildren, all living in Renton, and we want to ensure Renton keeps getting better. As Mayor, I’ll keep us on the right track.

How do you see Renton growing over the next decade?

I see us continuing to grow in a way that benefits our residents and businesses. Growth is inevitable in our area, and we need to continue proactively directing growth in a way that improves our city. I participated in the creation of our city’s first Comprehensive Plan 25 years ago and have made countless decisions since then to ensure growth works for residents of Renton. I helped create The Landing, Southport, a revitalized downtown, and the IKEA business district through careful and strategic planning. They are now providing great shopping, dining, and housing for our residents, while significantly shifting the tax burden off of Renton homeowners. These businesses also help fund our schools. Our housing supply should continue to grow in a way that protects existing neighborhoods while providing ample opportunities for new families and individuals.

I’ll help us complete new lanes on I-405 to reduce cut-through traffic in our city and make our travel easier. I’ll track and improve police response times and use community policing and an updated ordinance to further reduce crime. I’ll discount development fees based on square footage to encourage the creation of smaller single-family homes so that more people can afford to buy homes in our community.

A decade from now, downtown Renton will resemble Fremont, with a mix of fun and eclectic shopping, dining, and housing opportunities alongside artisans, breweries, and high-tech employers. The Landing and Southport will host modern and large-scale shopping and high-tech employment, with fast water-taxi connection to tech hubs around the lake. Boeing will continue to break production records, and businesses all over town will be prospering.
Single-family neighborhoods will look similar to today, but with more sidewalks, trees, bus stops, solar panels, edible landscapes, and corner coffee shops. Renton’s residents will find it much easier to get to work and travel around, with more high-paying employment opportunities in town, a fast Bus Rapid Transit, Water-Taxi, and freeway connections to the rest of the region, with a light rail connection on its way.

Renton’s population will be increasingly diverse, as people from all cultures fully engage their talents and experiences to make Renton the most desirable address in the region.

How has the region's homelessness crisis affected Renton, and what are some solution you think might work?

Homelessness has been increasing in Renton, and it has a devastating, destabilizing impact on the people living in shelters, outdoors or in vehicles, as well as a negative impact on residents and businesses near homeless encampments. The only right answer is to get everyone living indoors. This can be done through a combination of encouraging construction of affordable market-rate housing (by efficient permitting and incentives to build smaller homes) and by addressing the very needy with services and subsidized apartments.

As a council member, I have helped the city work hand-in-hand with Renton Housing Authority, numerous non-profits, and faith-based organizations to offer homeless residents the assistance they need to get off the street and into emergency shelters and housing. In some cases, homeless residents reject help because of addiction, mental illness, or other barriers, and will end up sleeping on sidewalks, in cars, or encampments in wooded areas. The city currently provides grants to partner agencies, staffing assistance for emergency shelters, day-use facilities for homeless families, life-saving assistance to the homeless, information and outreach about shelters and services, cleanup of dangerous camps, and other help.

Homelessness is a problem that we can tackle successfully in Renton if we get in front of current trends with a comprehensive plan. Renton Housing Authority already provides nearly a thousand subsidized and low-cost housing units to families and individuals who might otherwise be homeless, as well as housing choice vouchers for another 900 families. They have over a hundred additional units currently in planning or under construction. In the last Washington legislative session, Renton became eligible to receive nearly half a million dollars a year for the next twenty years to help solve homelessness. I’ve proposed providing these funds to Renton Housing Authority to get even more apartments in the pipeline. Data suggests we have a few hundred homeless residents sleeping outside or in over-night emergency shelters in Renton, a potentially manageable number to resolve. Unfortunately, they are not all in a position to move to a subsidized apartment. Some need treatment or counseling, which can be obtained by connecting them with the Veterans Administration, DSHS, Catholic Community Services, and other agencies.
We also have another group of homeless that live indoors, including couch surfers and families living in friend’s basements, and they still lack permanent addresses. In these cases, low-cost apartments, Section 8 housing, and more livable wage jobs are a good answer.

As Mayor, I’ll ensure we have a coordinated plan to strategically use all our resources to get everyone out of tents, vehicles, and public areas, and into proper homes.

Are you satisfied with transportation in Renton? Why or why not?

I am not satisfied with our public transportation service because we have not received our fair share of service from Sound Transit. I have taken meaningful steps to correct this problem, and I am confident Renton will catch up. In 2018 I presided over the creation of a unified Transit Plan for Renton as Renton’s Transportation Chair, which coordinates many separate activities by different transit agencies. I’ve served on the Metro Board and currently co-chair the Sound Transit Bus Rapid Transit Committee to ensure we get excellent transit service in the future. As Mayor, I’ll ensure that the plans get fully implemented. We’ll move our transit center from downtown to Rainier and Grady, to serve both Metro and Sound Transit Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). This BRT Station and another at Exit 7 will provide fast access to light rail in Bellevue and Tukwila. I represent Renton on the I-405 Executive Committee, and I have been working hard for many years to get I-405 widened so that the BRT buses can go full speed all times of the day. The new Transit Center will also be planned as a future light rail station, to ultimately connect to the Tukwila International Blvd Station via a (currently un-funded) 3.7-mile rail connection. If there is a Sound Transit 4, Renton will get the light rail. I will also work with Metro to complete two additional Rapid Ride lines to Renton, one that connects us to the south with Kent and Auburn, and a second one that connects us north with Bellevue and Issaquah. Renton will also see improved metro service in all neighborhoods, as light rail in Seattle and Bellevue frees up buses that get reassigned to Renton.

Starting in 2020, we will have a water taxi that connects us to Lake Union and potentially other locations on Lake Washington. I have ridden on the prototype, and it can get from Renton to the University of Washington in 18 minutes, even during peak hours, while offering bar services and Wi-Fi. Residents will pay about eight dollars for the crossing.

Armondo Pavone

Pavone did not respond to the quesionnaire as of July 29

City Council Position 3

Valerie O'Halloran

Why are you running for this seat?

I am running for City Council because I want to spend my time and talent doing something that has the potential to make a positive influence on people’s lives. Renton has the chance to meaningfully address our challenges and take advantage of the best of our opportunities, but we need experienced leadership with an understanding of our local communities and values.

I have 30 years’ professional experience in Accounting, Financial Analysis, Systems and Process
Improvement. When I retired five years ago, I was a Senior Finance Systems Analyst for a major medical device manufacturer in the region.

I have served the community for 20 years in a variety of volunteer roles, largely around philanthropy and service organizations, including as a member of the Board of Directors of the Renton Regional Community Foundation for nine years and currently as a member of the Executive Committee. I feel compelled to serve, bringing my unique combination of financial expertise and proven commitment to better our city. By collaborating, implementing innovative solutions, and staying ahead of the curve, we can ensure Renton remains a great place to live, work, play, and learn.

How do you see Renton growing over the next decade?

The Puget Sound Region is expected to grow by 1.8M people by 2050. Renton is poised to take its share of this growth. When we talk about growth, we tend to silo the topics of jobs, housing and

transportation. I don’t think we can do that anymore. I believe we need to look at these issues
comprehensively. People need to get from home to work in a way that makes sense for them, their
families and the city. We need economic growth within the City with a variety of housing options so that people don’t have to sit on I-405 for an hour to get where they are going. We also need better transit opportunities so folks can leave the car at home. Wouldn’t it be great to work in the city you live in and be able to commute by bus, bike or by walking?

I see Renton becoming even more of a Center for Opportunity in the Region over the next decade and beyond—so long as we plan for growth and don’t just let growth happen to us. We need to be
deliberate and collaborative in terms of housing, jobs, and our environment, so that all members of the community benefit from the opportunities and no one is disproportionately adversely affected by change. We are an inclusive community and we should rightly be proud of the fact that people of all walks of life want to call Renton home.

How has the region's homelessness crisis affected Renton, and what are some solution you think might work?

I believe homelessness is a regional issue that must be address using regional resources. City

boundaries are meaningless when people are looking for shelter or services. The issues around homelessness are as varied and complex as the people who are experiencing it. We can’t treat this as a single umbrella topic when the reality is far more complex.

We need humane yet enforceable laws to get people into shelters or rehab, or jail when criminal activity is involved. But we cannot do this alone. King County and the region must develop cohesive, collaborative actions to address the various needs. No one method will work for every individual situation or city.

Renton has a variety of shelters, day use facilities, feeding programs, free medical clinics, shower and hygiene centers, social services and case management centers. We need to make sure people are getting access to the services they need and coordinate with the County to deliver support for those who aren’t. Let’s look at our rent regulations, build more affordable housing, and improve the accessibility of our human services like addiction and mental health treatment. We can’t solve
homelessness overnight, but we must to do more on this critical issue to help those in need and protect public safety.

Are you satisfied with transportation in Renton? Why or why not?

I feel that there are not enough public transportation options to, from and within Renton. While we are paying millions of dollars into regional transit improvements, Renton itself is mostly underserved by ST3. We will someday get a transit hub and Bus Rapid Transit lanes, while other cities are already enjoying expanded bus service and light rail connections.

I live in the Highlands. It used to take me seven minutes to get from my house to downtown Renton. Due to the growth and added traffic, it now takes me seventeen minutes to get downtown. The nearest bus stop is a mile away and that bus runs infrequently during the week and hardly at all during evenings or weekends. It’s the three T’s: Transit, Transportation and Traffic. We need to find ways to move folks around their daily lives that don’t require having to take two or three buses to get close to their destination.

If I’m elected, I’ll be the advocate Renton needs to ensure our voice is heard on future local, county, and state transit projects. I’ll work with our existing transportation partners to improve our options now and develop better opportunities for the future.

Max J. Heller III

Why are you running for this seat?

I am running for this position because I feel I will be able to bring the solutions needed to address many of the problems facing our city that the current city council members have failed to address and bring real and solid solutions to. some of the problems that need to be solved are :

Homlessness, crime and drugs these are chronic problems that are largely being ignored and

its growing into a problem of epidemic proportions. rent control and affordable housing, this is a widespread issue that is not being addressed, period, rent prices are out of control and growing at an insane pace, as a renter I feel this stress every month when rent is due, the king county area has some of the highest rent rates in the nation and is continuing to increase, income of the lower and minimum wage earners is not keeping pace. something needs to be done to stop landlords from being able to force tenants out of their homes because of this problem, I believe we need to enact rent control, increase affordable housing for the low income and bring a living wage that gives low income families a chance to climb out of debt and poverty. this is just a portion of the reasons I am running for city council and why I am fighting to bring economic prosperity to everyone in our city.

How do you see Renton growing over the next decade?

renton needs to grow at a controlled and responsible pace, period we want to continue to grow and enjoy economic prosperity but we need to ensure that prosperity is enjoyed by everyone and no one is left behind.

How has the region's homelessness crisis affected Renton, and what are some solution you think might work?

homelessness and crime has affected every part of the PNW and renton is not immune to this

we need a solid solution to handle the large homeless population and help get these people rehabilitated and off the streets

Are you satisfied with transportation in Renton? Why or why not?

public transportation services in renton could use improvement, more services, expansion of the light rail into renton. better bus stops and general overall improvement and security at renton transit center.

Linda M. Smith

Why are you running for this seat?

I’m running because I believe that many of our residents are marginalized due to a lack of solutions and the necessary resources to improve their lives. Working together we can identify the problems and find solutions to ensure that every resident has access to an equitable life. I have demonstrated through my work as the Founder of the Center of Hope, and the Emergency Day Center services set up for this past winter snowstorm, and other community programs and services that I have the skills, vision and knowledge, to work collaboratively and achieve progress. I have the ability to work across a broad spectrum of community and civic groups and organizations to jointly develop and create possible solutions to many of the issues impacting the residents of the city of Renton.

How do you see Renton growing over the next decade?

According to USA.com, the population growth rate in Renton is much higher than the state average rate of 17.05%. Based on these increases, Renton will continue to grow economically, in population and in diversity. According to the King County changing demographics report dated February 23, 2017, the following trends will occur over the next decade or so: 33% of Renton residents will speak other languages, will be one of the county’s most diverse cities, with 51% persons of-color, and 25% foreign- born. With median income 15% below countywide median, 11% of residents are below poverty level, 53% of Renton residents and 49% of youth received DSHS assistance. Over 80+ languages spoken in Renton schools, and 57%+ eligible for free/reduced price meals. With this projected trend over the next decade, the impact on social issues such as hunger, homelessness and availability of affordable housing will continue to increase. The city must be proactive in building a plan to address the social impact based on increase population as reflected in the data.

How has the region's homelessness crisis affected Renton, and what are some solution you think might work?

The homelessness crisis has affected Renton as other cities in our region. It has impacted the
perception of safety and lack of services for the those who are experiencing homelessness and other social matters. In fact, there is only one shelter with a capacity for 59 individuals. According to the information from the Family liaison within our school system the number of families suffering from homelessness has not declined but has grown exponentially. What I see as viable solutions are more affordable housing and comprehensive and collaborative services. As the Founder of the Center of Hope in Renton, I have been in touch with issues that affect the growing homelessness and the city’s insufficient response. There are services but not enough to address the growing needs. The best approach is having one location where residents are able to connect to essential and necessary services. I am currently leading a project with a group of business, faith leaders and the city in developing a collaborative approach to providing a range of possible solutions to homelessness and its root causes. As a new council member, I would work to expand this group to include more civic and community-based partners as well as other cities across the region to increase the dialogue and the range of possible strategies to support and address this crisis.

Are you satisfied with transportation in Renton? Why or why not?

No. The transportation needs have not kept up with the growth in population. Many of the residents do not work within the city of Renton so public transportation is critical in terms of getting to and from places of employment and other vital services. Residents are unable to move from different locations within the city to the downtown transportation core to connect the main transportation lines without having to rely on personal vehicles.

I would propose and investigate the funding and viability of a Community Conveyer system. This would support and augment the coordination of transportation lines focused on getting residents to their respective place of employment or other necessary resources. By doing so would reduce the dependence on personal vehicles, while reducing traffic congestion and the impact to the environment.

James Alberson

Why are you running for this seat?

I’m running because I’d like to be a part of ensuring that as Renton grows, we foster the right kind of growth that positively impacts the city and the individuals and families that live here. Good growth must include adequate levels of affordable housing, create an environment that attracts quality businesses and high paying jobs, focus on inclusion and opportunities for all Renton citizens, and maintain safety for all -- especially protecting seniors and other vulnerable populations.

How do you see Renton growing over the next decade?

I see Renton growing quite a bit over the next decade, however it must be controlled growth that creates opportunities and minimizes any detrimental effect of growth (eg. Increase traffic difficulties, etc.). Planning for such growth should take into account that the majority of the Renton citizens affected look upon the resulting growth as positive, progressive, and beneficial to their overall quality of life.

How has the region's homelessness crisis affected Renton, and what are some solution you think might work?

The region's homelessness crisis is definitely being seen and felt in Renton currently. A true solution to the problem is multi-faceted, but I think should include supportive housing, shelters, addiction services, job training, and employment opportunities to assist the homeless in getting back to self-sufficiency and off of the streets. Any and all homelessness services should be directly tied to a formal program that is a structured process that someone in a homeless position could systematically follow to get back on their feet, should they choose to do so.

Are you satisfied with transportation in Renton? Why or why not?

No, I'm not satisfied. I believe a priority should be to look into how light rail development can fit into Renton’s future. The transportation issue is not an easy one to solve, but I believe that increasing the amount of public transportation options (ie. More bus routes, light-rail, etc) is instrumental to easing traffic congestion. I’d like to look into what infrastructure modificationd are feasible to help with traffic flow as well.