Comments

1
Is Nikkita actually going to vote this year??
2
If Nikkita Oliver hopes to be a viable city-wide candidate she needs to broaden her appeal outside of her current constituencies. In order to do that she'll need to compromise and one doesn't normally see folks that demand ideological purity compromise.
3
Anyone who calls the missing link a "beautification project" has lost my vote. https://twitter.com/sleepylemur/status/8…
4
The pro Nikkita folks must not bike or walk to work. She wants our $ to go to more roads instead
5
What real, measurable results has Oliver delivered? I don't care what someone's rhetoric is, I want to see that they have actually CREATED something. And no, just blocking the bunker doesn't count.
6
I am not convinced that Oliver or other far left ideologues are capable of the coalition building necessary to actually effect change.
7
weird how the woman of color with great ideas who is running for mayor has to compromise "to broaden her appeal," but the white candidates who are pro-police and pro-developer and accept corporate money don't have to compromise a single fucking thing.
8
This is just embarrassing for journalists as good as Brownstone and Groover. 25% MHA is little more than NIMBY-in-drag. You're smart enough to grasp this.

https://medium.com/yes-in-my-blog-yes/th…
9
@ 7 Uh, huh...cuz I mentioned any other candidates in my post? Anyone running for citywide office has to compromise and make sure they are building a winning coalition that appeals to voters across the city. To claim otherwise is stupid.

If Oliver really wants to win and run this city then she has to appeal to the whole city and to people who are likely to vote in the election. Same thing goes for all of the viable candidates in this race.
10
For the endorsements story, I commented:
I would say I'm disappointed in the Cary Moon mayoral endorsement, but frankly, I was expecting worse. I was expecting some sort of split/dual endorsement between Nikkita Oliver and God-knows-who-else.

I guess I can now express my appreciation to the Stranger writers for coming pretty darn close to meeting my exceedingly low expectations.
11
@1 lol thats too damn good.

@2/9 Completely agree.

@3 Yes.

@5/6 Asking the real questions, with real observations.

@7 STFU it has nothing to do with her skin color, and everything to do with hard-left ideology and demonization of anyone that doesn't agree. Also, sane people realize the need for a police force in a civilized society of laws.
12
It's disappointing when journalists are more interested in virtue signaling their wokeness than actually analyzing the merits of a candidate. Oliver's positions on housing and policing will do more harm than good for the communities she aims to help.

If you want to vote for a progressive candidate that will have a hope of actually accomplishing good, you'd be better off with Ferrell, McGinn or even Moon. The only "establishment" candidate is Durkan, and if progressives don't unite around a viable alternative, she will win.

Oliver is absolutely unqualified for office.
13
Nikkita has been dropping the ball, hard, on bikes and transit.
14
NIMBY is a bullying word used by Urbanists to misrepresent the opinions of their opposition. Seattle Fair Growth represents a coalition of neighborhood land use types. We accept the growth that's coming, but we affirm the role of residents to have a voice in where growth goes, how it looks, and the concurrent infrastructure (esp. schools and parks) that should accompany it, with developer impact fees.

We stand with trees and oppose wholesale cutting of our urban tree canopy, now 28% and shrinking. We support public housing and the ability of people of all incomes to live throughout the City, with adequate classrooms and greenspace.

We oppose HALA's Grand Bargain as a huge giveaway to developers. We oppose one-size-fits-all upzones in the remaining neighborhoods. While there is a "missing middle" of housing types, currently classed as low-rise, these townhouses, row houses duplexes, triplexes and small apartment buildings should be grouped close to transit and surrounding urban villages and transit corridors, to take full advantage of transit.

We endorse both Bob Hasegawa and Nikkita Oliver who support these ideas and would restore the role of Neighborhood and District Councils while supporting their efforts to diversify.

Both Jessyn Farrell and Cary Moon support the Hall's massive upzones of single-family neighborhoods throughout the City, rather than respecting the difference between single-family zones and low-rise transitional zones. We support adding density in single-family zones by easing regulations on mother-in-law apartments and backyard cottages. A program to encourage mother-in-law apartment development by homeowners could create 1,000 to 2,000 naturally affordable units at no cost to the city.

I told you that NIMBY is inaccurate. Please stop using it to misrepresent the ideas of those of us who simply want to have a voice at the table. We are for livability, not opposed to growth or density.

BTW, this is the comment period on the new Design Review plan that will remove any project on less than 10,000 sq ft parcel from any neighborhood review or input, at the request of developers. Together with HALA's elimination of neighborhood planning, this will complete the takeover by developers and the quashing of any other voices, per Mayor's plan. Time for an article on the proposed Design Review changes?
17
Sarajane @14, nice try. It's a shame you have to misrepresent the meaning of the word "misrepresent."

You write: NIMBY is a bullying word used by Urbanists to misrepresent the opinions of their opposition. Sorry, you can't take pejorative terms and have to cast them as misrepresentin'. (I dunno, isn't accusing other folks of "bullying" itself a form of bullying?)

But then you go on to wildly misrepresent the positions of the pro-city candidates in this race: Both Jessyn Farrell and Cary Moon support the Hall's massive upzones of single-family neighborhoods throughout the City, rather than respecting the difference between single-family zones and low-rise transitional zones.

"Throughout the City"? Huh?

Unless you have a very sketchy idea of what the word "throughout" means, that's not what HALA is. From the FAQ:
If you live in a single family house in a single family zoned area outside of an Urban Village no changes to zoning are being proposed.

If you live in a single family house within an Urban Village, implementation of MHA will require some zoning changes. These zoning changes are not expected until 2017 after a community engagement process. The character and scale of any potential zoning changes will be discussed as part of the process, and may include zoning for housing types that are complimentary to neighborhoods.
18
I'll give her credit for recognizing that the private sector isn't going to solve the housing issue, and advocating for more public housing. Housing vulnerable citizens of the city is a fine task for government, but I doubt they would give up $$$ for less important goals to focus on housing. Nice idea though.
19
cressona, I think Moon and Farrell are on board with some combination of changes in single family zones, allowing missing middle housing throughout the city, but not necessarily increasing the size of buildings allowed (ie, if you can tear down a house and build a 3600 square foot mansion, why not also allow that new build to be 3-4 1000 square foot homes with the same footprint). These important reforms were removed from HALA thanks to Murray's cowardice, but are broadly popular among voters (48 in favor, 29 opposed). Most mayoral candidate support them, but there are reasons to believe Farrell and Moon's commitment to this reform is particularly robust. (Calling these reforms a "massive upzone" is, of course, absurd--one might even call it a "misrepresentation"--but that's what don't-call-them-NIMBYs do.)

Which is the sort of common-sense, needed reform that (and I say this with all *due* respect to @14), only someone who is objectively pro-housing shortage and who's either indifferent or hostile to the availability of affordable housing would oppose. Whether it's beyond the pale to refer to such people as NIMBYs is an exercise left to the reader.
20
@9 and the others

Nikkita appeals to the majority of the city already. To say she has to compromise anything "to appeal to the masses" is yet another tactic at trying to paint her into appearing as some sort of fringe candidate. The other tactics include referring to her as "artist and activist" (but not lawyer with a masters) or bringing up her voting record, when none of these are applied to other candidates.
21
But given Oliver’s prior role as an activist working explicitly outside the system of electoral politics, her choice is not surprising."

Lame especially since now SHE'S running for an office that needs votes. So when is voting good? When you need votes.

"During the last mayoral election, more than half the city didn’t vote either. The median age of those who did vote was 50, despite the fact that 18 to 34 year-olds make up nearly 40 percent of the city. "

And whose fault is that? Sorry, registering to vote is easy and so is voting by mail.

Having said all that, Oliver is very smart on so many issues.
22
@ 20 Can you please provide the poll/data showing that Oliver has widespread support across the city? The Stranger quotes a poll showings she is polling behind McGinn and Durkan.

Can you also please also point to her demonstrated record of success as a leader that has been able to bring together disparate parties to find real solutions to the pressing issues facing this city? Or building consensus with folks that might that have different ideas or approaches to solving complex civic problems than she? I see a lot of rhetoric from Oliver (and her supporters) but I don't see a lot of results.
23
@20, @21: A good reason to emphasize Ms. Oliver's activism and artistry over her status as a lawyer is that Ms. Oliver does not currently practice law. She is a lawyer by training, but law is not her profession. She hasn't litigated a case since law school.

And for a lawyer to claim that she didn't vote because she is a queer woman of color who rents is demeaning both to lawyers and to queer woman renters. Come on, she can pass the state bar exam, but she can't update her voter registration? And her racial and sexual identity is the reason? Poor show.
24
I'll be voting for Nikkita

I want an extreme "POC" leftist for mayor because, maybe, it will wake up the braindead shitlibs in this town when she runs the city government into the ground.
25
Nope. McGoo it is.
26
I appreciate Nikkita's energy and commitment. But I feel that current events have demonstrated the problem with electing someone, particularly to a leadership role, who has no experience managing an administration. Being an activist focuses the attention, justly or not, on single elements. The lead administrator, President, Governor, Mayor, need to be able to manage people and manage more on their plate. Nikkita's comments about eventually not needing a police force reveal a well-meaning, but naive person. My opinion.
27
"Unlike Moon, Oliver had already jumped into the race when Ed Murray was still the top contender, a bold move that showcased a dedication to change before it became easier for other candidates to file."

She was a statement candidate. She remains a statement candidate:

"Critics might also bring up Oliver’s opposition to the North Precinct and new juvenile detention center as..." proof she's a statement candidate.

"Besides, what’s wrong envisioning a future that relies less on our racist criminal justice system to tackle problems rooted in economic injustices?"

The new juvenile detention center is needed because the old one is no longer fit for occupancy. And the new center is not some Dickensian gulag, to mix metaphors. Opposing a new police precinct house in a city with a rapidly growing population is foolish in the extreme.

But that's ok, because she's a statement candidate.
28
And it's never too late to, you know, replace the police.

Just fund services in other departments. Crisis intervention, drug abuse services, family services, mental health. All that takes work off the SPD's plate. SDOT can automate more and more traffic enforcement. If you don't have to be an armed, trained combatant to read a gas meter or write a parking ticket, why must you be one to enforce basic traffic laws? Even less work for the police. Those are just baby steps. Fund that stuff, and stop letting the police budget grow. Stop hiring more cops.

Watch. I know a lot of people think the police keep crime down, but it's not true. The huge declines in crime during the 90s were due to demographic shifts. Crime plummeted in cities that did't hire more cops, didn't jump on the mass incarceration bandwagon. Come to think of it, the skyrocketing crime in the 70s? Not at all connected with fewer cops.

More crime, less crime, it happens for reasons that have nothing to do with police. Study the history. We don't need them.
29
>Dissent: The Case For Nikkita Oliver
>by Sydney Brownstone, Heidi Groover, Steven Hsieh and Ana Sofia Knauf

taking note of those reporters who think BLM doesn't have a tactics/leadership problem whatsoever

get a fuckin' clue guys
30
@28
>More crime, less crime, it happens for reasons that have nothing to do with police. Study the history. We don't need them.

yeah OK, the next time I have a crazy vagrant threatening property and people I'll... okay what do I do? Help me out.

Stuuuupid
32
I just don't believe she has the experience to run a massive bureaucracy. Almost none of the candidates do. I want simple administrative competence. I want Greg Nickels again.
34
@28

One nice thing I can say about having a public police force is that there's someone I can call when a private police force gets together and starts policing my behavior, my street corner, my religion, my lunch money, the nice little coffee shop i've got there, my sexuality, my neighbor's skin color, the perceived political content of my speech, or what have you.

But then, perhaps you're more comfortable than I am with the prospect of a right-wing militia (or a chain-whirlin' rumblin' street gang, or a "family" selling "protection," or a group of furious young men in ski masks and combat boots carrying truncheons draped with red and black flags) showing up at your door and asking a lot of questions.
35
Whhat I find unsettling is that the Seattlepeoplesparty.com website does not have any information on how the People's Party is organized. Is there a board? Are there officers? Where and when does it meet? Is it open to anyone to join the party? How does one join? There are only options to donate and to volunteer. Before I support Ms. Oliver and her People's Party I would want this kind of information. Otherwise we don't know who is accountable, other than Ms. Oliver. Also the name People's Party reminds me of communist parties in authoritarian countries.
36
The original article stated that several SECB members would vote for Farrell. Can we expect a similar dissenting article in support of Farrell?
37
My prediction (which is worth the electrons it's residing on): The election will be between Durkan and Hasegawa, and Durkan will win.
38
Nikkita since day one. Still Nikkita.
39
#32 Word.

(I am supporting Oliver in the primary, though)
40
I find the Cary Moon endorsement a bit strange--I'd wager, at the moment, she was likely to be 5th with Bob Hasegawa taking 6th of the top tier 6. Given that, I understand those who think the Moon endorsement is some backdoor gift to Jenny Durkan.

Regarding endorsements, this practice of "dissenting" is going to dilute the Stranger's impact and influence. Dan pretty much owns this one for opening the gate with this snit over US Representative Jayapal--but this is not a good trend for the paper. Hash it out, fight, argue, debate...but then editorially, speak with one voice.
41
@28 Right
Just ditch the police. Simple as that
No problem.
42
I'd say Hasegawa and Oliver are the top choices in this election. I lean with Hasegawa because he has a record showing independent thinking and mature judgement against the monied interests and knee-jerk sheppledom. McGinn and Moon are tied, for me, in third place; currently McGinn looks more "aggressively independent" and aligned moreso with the working classes. I would never vote for either Durkin or Farrell. Durkin is with the developers and Amazon and won't even disclose her address .. is she not registered to vote, herself? And ... Farrell and a Republican colleague of hers are behind this "distracted driver" (really, motorist harassment) legislation that will mostly target minorities, low income and women drivers. Probably because (I'm taking an educated guess, here) she takes money from auto insurance companies. Not to mention that another poster reports that Farrell's husband is a developer (though I haven't confirmed or falsified this report). Vote for either Hasegawa or Oliver.
43
@40 The Stranger has long undermined their credibility with endorsements, starting, minimally with their pushing for this exorbitant car tab fee along with any number of other "park your brain" explanations for who they support, including the sexual objectification of a male candidate for the port while totally ignoring both women candidates as if they don't even exist. I actually think that candidate appears to be the better candidate, but I'm finished with their bullying of voters and being above having to offer rational explanations for who they may or may not like. But the car tabs was the last straw for me. Because The Stranger is the reason many voted for it - and it passed. Get the money for transportation from marijuana revenue or an income tax on the wealthy. I can not afford what we're paying. Clearly The Stranger does not have my best interests at heart.
44
I love Nikkita Olivers positions and all, but did *not* be vote for her. She has no experience as a chief executive of any kind driving policy, and the danger of her F-ing it up (the proverbial one step forward, two steps back) is high. That said, I want to hear her voice, want her to get experience governing, and perhaps try again in a cycle or two.

I would love to see her on City Council or in the state house, making her bones crafting alliances and actual policy in part of the cooperative process of our democracy. The importance of experience like that can *not* be overstated. We need hearts and minds changed, and she needs allies.

I voted for Cary Moon (a decision I made before the SECB endorsements came out) because she has led initiatives already that have gotten shit done in this town.
45
I live in a neighborhood that will not call the police because people are afraid someone will get shot by the cops. Get real.

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