Shoreline City Council Race: Carolyn Ahlgreen Vs. Susan Chang

SHORELINE, WA - In late September, Patch sent local candidates questionnaires to help voters decide who they want to pick. We did not edit the answers and allowed candidates to write as much or as little as they wanted. Here are the answers from Shoreline City Council position 5 candidates Carolyn Ahlgreen and Susan Chang (neither is an incumbent; Council member Shari Winstead's term ends this year).

Carolyn Ahlgreen

Why did you decide to run for this seat? For incumbent candidates, what made you decide to run for reelection?

My name is Carolyn Ahlgreen, and I am running for City Council position #5. I have been in this area for more than 40 years. I have owned 2 homes here in Shoreline and have been in my current one for almost 12 years. I went to school here. I have been a volunteer and member of the BOD of a nonprofit community organization for over 20 years. I am a 3rd generation union member currently employed in health care, and an active PCO for the 32nd Legislative District.

I decided to run because we have members of council who are not listening to the voices of the people they are supposed to represent. Despite last Monday night’s “victory,” the residents of Shoreline are on a losing streak of something like 1 and 15 with the current council. We have council members who not only treat their constituents with contempt, but have also gone so far as to threaten them with arrest, rather than listen to and consider their concerns. We even have candidates who displayed that same lack of concern for our residents as recently as last Thursday by answering questions about Shoreline’s future with “Well, if they don’t like the result of the rezone, they can always sell.” Our council members are listening people who not only do not live here, but also are not vested in our best interest.

I believe we have a council that has failed to protect and defend the residents of Shoreline in far too many ways. In numerous votes in recent history, council has failed or threatened homeowners, pedestrians, dreamers, renters, our infrastructure, our parks, and our environment. It is past time for a change in who sits on our city council. We need council members who understand that you do not treat your constituents the way we, the residents of Shoreline, have been so disrespectfully treated. We need to choose council members who will actually listen to and act on what the residents here want and need, not the instructions from those whose vested interests lie elsewhere. We need council members who understand who it is they are supposed to serve.

We have development questions to ask and answer, infrastructure needs that are unmet, (not the least of which are street lights and sidewalks, so our neighborhoods can remain safe) questions regarding how to provide city services for our residents as the population changes, as well as how to make sure we can live out the vision for a sustainable future here in Shoreline. We have an unprecedented challenge and opportunity to shape a future Shoreline that not only we would want to live in, but our grandchildren will thrive in as well.

We certainly have big issues to tackle here, and not just in Shoreline, but region wide. The people you choose to represent you on city council will need to have an understanding of more than “just us.” The Central Puget Sound region is attracting more than 1000 people a week, and 65% of them are moving into King County alone. This increase in population is more than just a housing issue.

If you could snap your fingers and have it done, what’s one thing you would fix or change about your city?

If I could snap my fingers to fix anything, it would be sidewalks installed in places there are none, repair to those already here, street lights in those places without one, and getting the new pool.

What’s the most prominent issue facing your city right now and what can you do about it?

I'd say that it's balancing the needs of our current residents who do not want to be priced out of their homes, while also allowing for new residents to afford to move in and funding our infrastructure needs, like sidewalks, streetlights, a new pool, and other necessary projects.

Assuming the city you live in is your favorite in the state, what’s your second favorite city in Washington state and why?

I can't really think of a "2nd favorite" place since I have lived in this area (North Seattle/Shoreline) for most of the time I have been in the area. I just can't imagine living anywhere else in the state.

Do you think the city budget is in decent shape? Why or why not?

I think the budget sucks, but that is because of a lack of funding, not a lack of trying on the part of council members. Given what they had to work with, I believe the budget is the best they could do, with the limitations they had. We all think, "I could do so much better," until we actually get in that room.

If you could increase spending on one thing, what would it be?

So, for that reason, I won't even nominate a "what would you stop spending money on," category; but I would try to find a way to increase funding for the "human" services if I could.

King County is planning to open a safe-injection site somewhere in the county. Do you think providing a safe-injection site will help reduce overdose deaths? Do you support one in your city? Why or why not?

Safe injection sites do more than simply prevent overdoses while people are waiting for treatment options. They also prevent the spread of blood borne disease by making sure that needles and other paraphernalia are disposed of in one location. I am in favor of them from the public health aspect as well as the immediate life saving one. Preventing the spread of blood borne disease/pathogens prevents future health issues and death. That's why almost every major health organization supports them. I don't support one in the city of Shoreline though because I think they belong close to other needed services, especially medical.

In your free time, what’s your favorite thing to do locally?

I like to spend my spare time at the local "tourist attractions," actually. I like Seattle Center and Pike Place. I also love Deception Pass.

When you go to a coffee shop, what drink do you usually get?

I like a shot of espresso in a regular cup of coffee. The place I discovered them called it "a shot in the dark."

Susan Chang

Why did you decide to run for this seat? For incumbent candidates, what made you decide to run for reelection?

I am running for City Council because I love the City of Shoreline. I want to help the city keep its neighborhood character, wonderful parks, and sense of community as we deal with a number of issues related to growth and the arrival of light rail. I am a civil engineer, a Shoreline Planning Commissioner, and a neighborhood volunteer. I am known for asking good questions, working well with others, doing my homework on issues, and making decisions with compassion.
I am excited to listen to and work with the many passionate community volunteers and City staff to preserve and enhance the things that make Shoreline a great city.

If you could snap your fingers and have it done, what’s one thing you would fix or change about your city?

If I could snap my fingers and have it done, I would fix the issue of homelessness.

What’s the most prominent issue facing your city right now and what can you do about it?

The most prominent issue facing us is growth and how to channel its effects in positive ways. In addition to monitoring effects on traffic, neighborhood character, percentage of tree canopy, and the need for City services, I would like to find ways to be proactive about bringing about the community’s vision for Shoreline.
This means strengthening the connection between our neighborhoods and City government, looking at the City’s Development Code, maintaining an adequate level of policing, and encouraging or forming partnerships for the right kind of economic/retail development along Aurora and our neighborhood centers.

Assuming the city you live in is your favorite in the state, what’s your second favorite city in Washington state and why?

Edmonds. I love walking through their downtown area with its lively mix of shops and restaurants in a beautiful setting.

Do you think the city budget is in decent shape? Why or why not?

For the next few years, the city budget is in good shape. The Shoreline City Manager and her staff, as well as the City Council, have worked to pass balanced budgets with money set aside for reserves. In the longer term, inflation and increasing expenses will make balancing the budget more difficult.

If you could pick one thing for the city to stop spending money on, what would it be?

The City Council is meeting, over several weeks in October and November, to consider the 2018 City Budget. I have been attending these meetings to learn more about how the City allocates its resources, but I have not yet seen enough detail to answer this question.

If you could increase spending on one thing, what would it be?

We need to provide for numerous City services including public safety, parks, human services, basic City services, and capital projects. All of these need to be funded at some level. Based on the responses I heard when knocking on doors in our neighborhoods, the one thing almost everyone wants is more sidewalks!

King County is planning to open a safe-injection site somewhere in the county. Do you think providing a safe-injection site will help reduce overdose deaths? Do you support one in your city? Why or why not?

I have not researched the issue enough to know whether Community Health Engagement Locations (CHELs) save lives, but I understand creating two of these locations in King County (with one in Seattle) is recommended by the King County Department of Public Health as a way to save lives.
I would not support having a CHEL (or safe-injection site) in Shoreline. Shoreline currently has a methadone clinic, and there are a number of issues that negatively affect the community or require additional police response. A CHEL would exacerbate these issues.

In your free time, what’s your favorite thing to do locally?

I like to work in my vegetable garden, go to movies at The Crest, and attend my children’s soccer games.

When you go to a coffee shop, what drink do you usually get?

Tall drip coffee with two raw sugars. If I’m splurging, a tall mocha with half the amount of chocolate and no whipped cream.

Image via Patch.com