King County Council D2 Race: Gossett, Zahily Candidate Questions

SEATTLE, WA — King County District 2 runs about 12 miles down Lake Washington from Seattle's ultra-wealthy Laurelhurst neighborhood south to Skyway and the Renton border. It's perhaps the most economically and racially diverse County Council district, and it's been represented since 1993 by local civil rights icon Larry Gossett.

Gossett hasn't had a serious challenger in more than a decade — until this year.

Girmay Zahilay, 31, a local attorney and the son of Ethiopian refugee parents, stepped up to challenge Gossett this spring. Zahilay isn't running to against Gossett per se, and in fact announced his campaign before Gossett confirmed that he would run again.

Both candidates support items like more affordable housing, criminal justice reform, and better public transit. And they've each earned endorsements from high-profile elected officials: state Sen. Mona Das for Zahilay, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, among many others.

It's almost guaranteed that Zahilay and Gossett will emerge from the Aug. 6 primary. The third candidate in the race, Stan Lippmann, has run in more than ten races in the area since 1997 and is focusing his campaign on climate change and building a solar energy plant in King County.

Still, a vote in the primary will be a key sign of support for either Gossett or Zahilay. To help you decide who to vote for, we sent each candidate a questionnaire highlighting a few key issues facing D2 residents. Lippmann did not respond to our request.

Girmay Zahilay

Why did you decide to run for this seat? If you're the incumbent, why do you want to keep your seat on Council?

Growing up in South Seattle, we had underfunded public schools, a criminal justice system that refused to let young people move past their childhood mistakes, and discriminatory zoning and lending policies that funneled people of color into poverty. When I realized that public policy could design inequality and despair, I also realized that it could design hope.
I’m running for King County Council because I care deeply about the community where I was raised and the direction our region has been heading is making life harder and harder for people. I believe in the promise of all our residents from our youth to our senior citizens and I know stronger regional policies around housing, criminal justice, and transportation can improve people’s lives.

What's the most pressing issue facing King County right now, and what do you want to do about it?

Building affordable and supportive housing must be a top priority for the King County Council. The housing and homelessness crises are a regional issue requiring a focused and aggressive response from our county government. We need a central authority that has buy-in from all local governments and aggressively pursues a housing first approach to the biggest challenges of this era. We must also ensure that we as a county are getting the funding we need, and creatively using the funding we have to work towards solutions for the crisis.

When was the last time you used transit (bus, train, ferry, etc.)? What transit improvements are a priority for you?

I use the light rail every single day multiple times a day.

All transportation decisions should be viewed through a social justice and equity lens. In an era of mass displacement, we must ensure more than ever that communities like Skyway and Renton have reliable access to public transit. We must invest more in bus service, build protected bike lines, and increase employer partnerships on transit access.

King County Public Health recently published data on an increase in overdose deaths between 2017 and 2018. What's your stance on CHELs (community health engagement locations)?

Community health engagement locations are a great first step in ensuring the safety of those in our community who struggle with opioid addiction. These spaces provide a doorway to recovery and help to make our communities safer.

Larry Gossett

Why did you decide to run for this seat? If you're the incumbent, why do you want to keep your seat on Council?

I have had the honor of representing the people of District two for over two decades and with your help, we have accomplished much in the areas of public safety and criminal justice, health and human services, public transportation and immigrant rights. However, we have unfinished work and I would like to serve you again for the next term. In the area of public safety and criminal justice, we have reduced the numbers of youth in our detention facilities by 75% over the past few years, one of the highest reductions in the entire nation. However, King County has a goal of zero youth detention. I want to work towards that goal by implementing a program that I have advocated for that will reach those youth that are the hardest to serve but the most in need and are already involved in our juvenile justice system. Secondly, I have advocated to build 44,000 affordable housing units in the next five years in this region. This will help alleviate the housing crisis that faces us now but this will take a regional effort that I have been a part of. To build those units, we are looking throughout the King County government owned land for housing sites, changes in land use policies to increase density, building modular housing that will reduce the costs for families and private-public partnerships to build the housing units. Thirdly, I want to continue to make our public transportation system accessible to all our King County residents regardless of income or place of residence. The Orca Lift program that reduced fares for low income people that I created can be expanded to include those with no-income or lower income people. I believe that the use of public transportation is essential for people to lead a healthy, productive life.

What's the most pressing issue facing King County right now, and what do you want to do about it?

I believe the most pressing issue facing King County is our housing crisis. This crisis is affecting every aspect of our society and especially those that have not benefited from the economic boom in our region including the middle class and working poor. For this reason, I served on the King County Affordable Housing Task Force and worked with my colleagues to commit to building 44,000 affordable housing units in King County over the next five years. The task force has now become part of the Puget Sound Regional Council and I am working to implement that goal of building the 44,000 units through changing land use policies, building modular housing, encouraging private-public partnerships, utilizing government owned lands to build housing and expanding programs to keep people from becoming homeless.

When was the last time you used transit (bus, train, ferry, etc.)? What transit improvements are a priority for you?

I regularly use the bus since I am unable to drive and used the bus just a few days ago. I believe the access to public transportation is a human right and that all people have a right to use public transportation regardless of income. As a result of my legislation, the Orca lift program was created. I want to expand that program to include those that have no income or even lower income. I also believe that we can do this at the same time we are transitioning to a 100% energy efficient system which is crucial to reducing our carbon emissions.

King County Public Health recently published data on an increase in overdose deaths between 2017 and 2018. What's your stance on CHELs (community health engagement locations)?

I support CHELS. I was able to visit three sites in Vancouver BC and it became crystal clear that there are important health, medical, social, economic and educational benefits of CHELS. CHELS are absolutely saving the lives of people who are addicted to opiates, and I firmly believe that King County should be the first jurisdiction in the US to open them. I also believe that we need treatment on demand and that this should be the first option of those addicted to drugs and alcohol.