Shoreline Residents Turn Out For City Council Forum

Around 75 people packed the in Shoreline on Thursday night for the Shoreline City Council candidates forum, hosted by the Briarcrest Neighborhood Association and co-sponsored by Patch.

All six candidates were on hand for the 90-minute event, moderated by Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Patch editor . The forum was the first chance for voters to hear the competitors views on everything from public transportation, to supporting small businesses.

"We need to improve our business climate, but we need to promote Shoreline," said Position 4 challenger when asked about how to increase income for the city without raising property taxes. Way, who had previously served on the council from 2005 to 2009, pointed to the likes of the city's park system, along with events such as the North City Jazz Walk, as ways to draw people to the city.

Councilmember , the Position 2 incumbent, said that he favored improving the business climate, bringing in more businesses and collecting sales tax. Eggen also stated that he was not in favor of adding traffic cameras, or assesing a B&O tax on businesses as a means of increasing revenue.

, running for Position 6, currently held by Terry Scott, only took about 10 seconds to give his opinion on the shortening of the public comment period at city council meetings.

"If I don't have the time to listen to you, you shouldn't vote for me," said Salomon, who works full time as a public defender in Seattle Municipal Court.

The candidates also had a wide array of views when it came to the issues surrounding the walkability of 145th Street, and the lack of East-West bus service in the city.

"We're playing catchup," said Position 4 incumbent . McConnell would go on to say that it would take a decade to catch up with mass transit in the city. Meanwhile, Position 2 challenger thought the city should take a harder stance.

"We need to stand firm with those types of groups and hold them accountable," said Hubbell, an independent business consultant originally from Seattle. Position 6 candidate spoke about her views on 145th Street.

"145th is the gateway to Shoreline, and it should be treated as such. For sidewalks, it's not a matter of finding the money, but allocating it," siad McClelland, who owns a solo consulting practice.

During the audience submitted round of questioning, the candidates had relatively similar views when it came to retaining the weak-mayor-council system, and supporting the programs for the mentally disabled on the Fircrest campus.

From this point forward, it's all systems go for the candidates, with ballots being mailed in less than 60 days on October 21. All ballots must be postmarked by November 8.