Big News from Seattle City Hall

Update:

Readers, I got one important point very wrong. Herbold and Juarez are NOT in open seats (I could swear that's what I read but I was probably reading too quickly). Thank you to those who pointed it out. I can say just as there are parents who establish residency in one area to go to a specific school, I would think in the history of elections, more than one person has established residency to run for an elected position that is based on regions. 

A few of you spoke up about who has been connected to SPS that I thought might run someday. 

Jill Geary - Jill is a likable person but she is not always honest about what she does (professionally). She ran as the parent of a Sped student who, as a lawyer, really understood those issues. She got on the Board and then did very little for Special Education. 

She also lied to me. When the discussion first started about the "anti-racism" policy - the one that Hampson was pushing through during COVID times - I wrote to Geary. Because she appeared to be working ONLY with the SCPTSA and I asked her when she would be including other groups. It would seem if you were going to pass a sweeping policy that would affect every single school, you might have some public meetings. and I wanted to pass that information on here. She told me she would be doing that.

She did not do that. She appeared to be working with just a handful of people and primarily Hampson.  (If she reads this, I still have the email.)

If there is a smile to this situation it's that each woman seems to think SHE originated the idea. 

So if it were me, I would not vote for Geary for either the Board OR the City Council.

Hampson - a clear no to any future office

DeWolf and Smith have each tried to get into another office and neither achieved a favorable outcome. I don't see why it would be different in a couple of years.

I can see Hersey running for higher office but I believe he is weighing where he might go next and I think perhaps the legislature rather the City. But time will tell.

End of update

Now initially this post was to be about the annual cat adoption event at Seattle City Hall as reported by The Seattle Times.

The annual event, hosted by the Seattle Animal Shelter and returning from hiatus after the pandemic, lets adoptable kittens and cats take over Seattle City Hall for a day.

Members of the public can visit “kitty stations” to meet about 16 kittens and three adult cats and snap a photo in the Kitty Cam Photo Booth. Visitors will also have the opportunity to vote for the adult cat who will be crowned “Kitty Council President.”

Folks who cannot make it to Kitty Hall but still want to adopt or foster can visit www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter for more information. 

But I see there is other big news, some of which may influence next year's Board elections. 

Last Friday, Councilmember Lisa Herbold announced she would not be running to retain her office. She has an open seat in District 1. From The Urbanist:

“When a segment of the Seattle left says that they intend to ‘primary’ sitting Council members who are not proposing a 50% cut to SPD’s budget, I am reminded that we cannot repeat the 2021 race for the City Attorney when a very strong and proven progressive didn’t advance to the general, forcing a choice between a carceral system abolitionist and a Republican,” Herbold wrote. “In a similar 2023 scenario, progressives could lose District 1, and a seat on the Council.”

Now it appears that Council President Debora Juarez, who reps District 5, will also not be running again. She announced this at a City Council briefing with just a slight comment. (Word is that she has a number of health issues so serving may be taking its toll on her. This may be one reason she's leaving.) 

So that means two open seats on the Council in 2023. (Other Council seats are up in 2023 as well but they are district seats.) 

Over the years, I have stated many times that Seattle School Board is generally NOT a stepping stone to higher office. However, it seems over the last 10 years that there appear to be more and more directors who are fairly ambitious. And nothing wrong with that but it sure does make you wonder who will be running for what next year.

Among the possibilities: 

• Former director Jill Geary, 
• Director Chandra Hampson who may think she can escape her woes by running for City Council,
• Former director Zachary DeWolf who has been laying low since he left office  
• Maybe even director Brandon Hersey who is current Board president. He has been named - by other directors and the Superintendent, no less - as someone who is an up and comer in politics.  
• Maybe Emjah Smith who is a southeast Seattle advocate. She did just lose in her bid to represent the 37th in the Legislature but maybe she could do better in a city race?

Any thoughts?