I am running for City Council to bring your voice to City Hall and accountability to city government. Accountability means listening and getting results.

Many have lost faith in City Council because of backroom deals, policies making our city less affordable, and a lack of focus on safety and livability.  With accountability, we can restore people’s faith in city government and get results on priorities:

• Reducing Homelessness: We should fund only data-driven, best practices proven to reduce homelessness. I will collaborate with our Mayor and King County on mental health and drug addiction solutions and to craft a comprehensive plan that achieves real progress on this regional crisis. Compassion requires results.

• Increasing Safety: Our police officers and firefighters need support from City Council to do their jobs. City Council should hold the criminal justice system accountable to prevent prolific offenders from being continually released into communities without proper help and supervision.

• Improving Transportation: All people — including seniors and families with children — need good transportation to work, shop, play, and thrive in our city. But our city’s traffic and roads are a mess.  City Council must wisely invest our limited resources on reliable roads, transit, and sidewalks to safely move the most people.

My combination of public service experience and financial skills from the private sector are needed to achieve results.

• After earning a master’s degree in government, I worked at the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton Administration to reduce homelessness. My career includes 15 years managing financial analysts to preserve affordable housing.

• When serving as a Legislative Aide to former City Council President Tim Burgess, I crafted legislation creating the nationally acclaimed Seattle Preschool Program, which voters overwhelmingly approved. I led efforts to fund the Nurse Family Partnership to empower low-income moms and their babies. I know how to get things done.

My wife and I have been raising our children near Candy Cane Lane and I published the neighborhood newsletter “4 to Explore.”

As a progressive Democrat focused on results, I’m endorsed by the Seattle Times, the Seattle Fire Fighters Union, the Plumbers Union, State Senator Jamie Pedersen, State Representatives Gerry Pollet and Javier Valdez, School Board Director Eden Mack, Port Commissioner Peter Steinbrueck, former King County Executive Ron Sims -- and by Nick Licata, Ruth Kagi, Daniel J. Evans, the 46^th LD Democrats, and neighborhood businesses.

I would be honored to earn your vote.

ENDORSEMENTS

The Stranger. Sierra Club. The Urbanist. Transit Riders Union. Cary Moon. WA State High School Democrats. Seattle DSA. Seattle Subway. UAW 1981. 43rd LD WA State Rep. Brady Walkinshaw (2013-2017). Seattle City Councilman Jim Street (1983-1995). Our Revolution - King County.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Field Organizer for Pramila Jayapal’s 2018 Campaign. Editor; Real Change News. Outreach Coordinator; Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Filmmaker and Journalist; City Arts Magazine and SEIU 775NW. 

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Student Body President, Shoreline Community College (2002-2003). Labor Organizer, Campaign Workers Guild (2018-present). 4Culture Individual Arts Award recipient. Mayor’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs Individual Artist grant recipient.

STATEMENT

The people of Seattle and District 4 need bold leadership on big questions like affordable housing, housing the homeless, and climate justice. I hope to provide that leadership as your next Seattle City Councilmember from District 4.

My time as outreach director for the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs’ multimillion dollar renovation of King Street Station taught me that listening and collaboration need to be at the heart of our politics. If elected, I would establish a constituent services office in District 4 and hold regular town halls to hear from the working families, students, renters, neighborhood groups, and vulnerable populations in my District.

Seattle is my home of 27 years. I believe our city’s prosperity should benefit us all. By listening to our neighbors and building coalitions, we can forge a fair city, where renters aren’t priced out, and homeowners aren’t stressed out by rising property taxes. An accountable city, where big developers and corporations don’t run roughshod over our neighborhoods and tax code.

We can have a caring city, where the homeless get connected to supportive housing and mental health services, and young people don’t have to choose between textbooks and food. We can have an inclusive city, where there is enough housing for those here, and for those on the way.

A vote for Shaun Scott is a vote for this vision.