Shoreline Resident and Public Defender to Run for City Council

Jesse Salomon, a public defender and member of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, has announced his decision to run for position number 6. Salomon will be campaigning to fill the seat currently held by incumbent Terry Scott, who recently announced that he will not be running for re-election after his term expires Dec. 31.

Scott was elected to the City Council in 2007 and served as deputy mayor from 2008 to 2009. Scott is a physician assistant faculty member at the University of Washington.

Salomon, in a statement, said that he has been talking to voters throughout Shoreline in order to understand the issues and concerns that they have with Shoreline city government. “I am convinced that filling the leadership void created by Councilmember Terry Scott’s departure is where my skills and talents on the Shoreline City Council can be best used to keep Shoreline moving forward.”

Since announcing his candidacy just last month, Salomon has contributed $15,000 and raised more than $5,000. 

Salomon, 34, is a board member of the , representative to the , former planning commissioner and co-founder of a nonprofit for homeless youth.

Salomon said that among his priorities if elected would be to plan for smart growth and development. Salomon says he is motivated to ensure traffic safety after his mother was killed in a traffic accident. “I will fight for more sidewalks, street lighting and police officers to keep our families safe,” he said.

Salomon says city government needs to be accountable for how it spends taxpayer dollars. “Recently, Shoreline voters passed a tax increase to fund city services. I will make sure that money is spent on direct services to fight crime and help those in need, not on bureaucracy.”

Salomon graduated from Western Washington University and the University of Washington School of Law, where he earned scholarships and recognition for his public service.

While at Western Washington University, Salomon served as vice president for legislative affairs, and later spent one session in Olympia as legislative liaison for WWU students. There, he spoke out against tuition increases and was instrumental in securing $19 million for state grants, which help middle- and low-income students pay for college.

Salomon is endorsed by King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson, Shoreline City Councilmembers Chris Eggen and Chris Roberts, and Maralyn Chase (D-Shoreline), among others.

Salomon is a full-time public defender in Seattle Municipal Court. He owns a home in Shoreline’s Ridgecrest neighborhood, where he lives with his partner Sarah and their dog Wishbone.