Wilson Wants to be Next Mayor

In Gazette interview, says Harrell administration has "forgotten how to deliver results"

Katie Wilson, a community organizer and Transit Riders Union co-founder and executive director is challenging incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell. Early voting began Oct. 17 and the general election is Nov. 4.

In coming weeks, Seattle voters will choose who they want to lead the city for the next four years.

The Georgetown Gazette sent questions to both candidates for mayor. Challenger Katie Wilson's responses are below. To read Mayor Bruce Harrell's answers, click here. Responses were lightly edited for clarity.

Here are the Gazette's questions and Wilson's answers:

Gazette: What is the last place you visited in Georgetown?

Wilson: All City Coffee

Gazette: If you were having a dinner party, would you serve water from the Duwamish River?

Wilson: I wouldn't. The Duwamish isn't likely to be a source of drinking water again anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean Georgetown residents should have to live near one of the most polluted waterways in the country. As mayor, I'll work with residents and with community organizations like the Duwamish River Community Coalition to understand their priorities for the cleanup, identify where federal and state authorities are falling short, use the city's voice to push these authorities to move faster and hold polluters accountable, and ensure that the City is doing all it can to support and advance the cleanup.

Gazette: Homelessness continues to rise. What are two policies the mayor should support or enact to reduce homelessness? Separately, what can the mayor do to make the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) more effective or is it time to reform or sunset the organization?

Wilson: We can't afford four more years of going backwards. Under Harrell’s administration, we’ve lost shelter beds, affordable housing units are sitting empty, and nonprofit landlords are selling off units to the private market. It’s obvious that what we’re doing isn’t working. The reason is that City Hall lacks the vision and leadership to make progress on what’s a top priority issue for so many people in our city. 

It’s going to take more than two policies to address this crisis, but here are two specific things we can do. First, add 4,000 units of emergency housing and shelter over four years using multiple strategies: Tiny House Villages, partnerships with faith communities that have space and willingness to help, municipal rent vouchers for people who need affordability assistance, and rapid acquisition of buildings to provide deep behavioral health support for people cycling through the criminal justice system. This means actually deploying the tiny homes sitting empty in storage lots and learning from successful models like JustCARE, which effectively resolved large encampments by providing individualized shelter that worked for people.

Second, prevent homelessness before it happens. Next year, federal funding will run out for 1,300 emergency housing vouchers keeping formerly homeless Seattle residents housed—if we let that program die, most will likely return to homelessness. The City must develop a local deep housing subsidy to keep these residents in their homes. We also need an Eviction Prevention Initiative working with affordable housing providers, because too many people in supportive housing are being evicted due to rental debt or behavioral health crises, and then landing back on the street.

On KCRHA, the authority has real structural limitations hindering it from functioning as a truly regional agency and has suffered from problems of leadership and management. Unfortunately, it has come to function as a scapegoat that allows the mayor to deflect responsibility for our worsening homelessness crisis; homelessness is indeed a regional problem but simply saying loudly that other King County cities should contribute more is not the way to achieve that. I believe that with new leadership at both Seattle and King County, it will be worthwhile to partner on one more strong effort to make the KCRHA fulfill its promise. But I will not shy away from sunsetting or substantially reconstituting the organization if that’s the right thing to do. Homelessness is a top priority issue for people across this city, and we need to see real results—not more finger-pointing and dysfunction.

Gazette: Next year, many VIPs and dignitaries will land at Boeing Field and drive through Georgetown on the way to the World Cup games at Lumen Field. What should happen to the unhoused people in tents and RVs that live on or near the driving routes to the stadium?

Wilson: The World Cup is an incredible opportunity to showcase Seattle to the world—I'm excited about what it means for our city and our local economy. But it shouldn't be an excuse to treat people and neighborhoods badly. As mayor, I will expand shelter capacity and services, so that Seattle can make actual progress, not just showcase clean streets by pushing people from downtown to Georgetown or the CID or any other neighborhood. This needs to be done thoughtfully and as soon as possible to ensure we can get people the support they need. The incumbent mayor has clearly demonstrated that he will merely sweep people into the shadows for the duration of the event, as happened with the 2023 MLB All-Star Game. For the World Cup, we need to focus on real results, not just pretty pictures. 

Gazette: President Trump could send the military to "clean up" Seattle which he has called "very unsafe." He also suggested in a recent speech to military commanders that U.S. cities could be used as "training grounds." He could also order increased immigration enforcement as seen in some other major cities such as Los Angeles and Washington, DC. How should the mayor respond if any of these things occur?

Wilson: As mayor, I will do everything in my power to protect our neighbors and defend Seattle from military intervention or increased immigration enforcement by Trump. Specifically, I will:

• Work in lockstep with community-based organizations that have built trust in immigrant communities, the City Attorney's Office, and the (state) Attorney General to build rapid response networks, and to join and initiate lawsuits to slow or stop Trump.

• Learn from what's worked in other cities and states that have successfully pushed back and resisted Trump’s threats.

• Review and strengthen Seattle's sanctuary city ordinance, which hasn't been updated in over 20 years.

• Ensure that the Seattle Police Department is complying with the Keep Washington Working Act and not assisting in arrests for civil immigration violations. Recently it emerged that SPD seems to be responding to public records requests from ICE much faster than it responds to public records requests from journalists; that is a problem.

I am also concerned about the fact that the mayor recently expanded the city’s CCTV surveillance network at the same time as Trump’s threats have come closer and closer to home. Records generated by these kinds of systems have already been exploited by the Trump Administration. There could not be a worse time for Seattle to rush through this expansion of surveillance over the objections of immigrant rights groups, civil rights advocates, and the city’s own Surveillance Advisory Working Group.

Gazette: Seattle is routinely included in lists of the most expensive places to live. What should the mayor do to make Seattle more affordable for residents?

Wilson: Throughout my career I've led coalitions to major victories that put money back in the pockets of working families, from higher wages to lower transit fares. But we need to do more. Seattle has become less and less affordable, as costs like housing and child care have skyrocketed. We need bold action to build more homes faster and rein in escalating housing costs so that the people who make Seattle run—janitors, grocery workers, baristas, rideshare drivers, hotel workers, security guards, social workers—can also afford to live here.

Specific actions include:

• Bring down costs for renters by prohibiting abusive practices like rental "junk fees" and ensuring the Seattle Social Housing Developer is a national leader in producing permanently affordable, mixed-income housing.

• Remove barriers to housing production that push up rents. Cut the red tape, reforming permitting, design review, and other bureaucratic hurdles that can make it so expensive and difficult to build right now.

• Provide free summer childcare and make this a great city for kids and families. Create a roadmap for supporting families and children “from cradle to career.” 

• Build upon Seattle's leadership in labor standards—including our $20.76 minimum wage and protections for gig workers—so working families can actually afford to live here.

Gazette: Georgetown does not have as many amenities as other city neighborhoods. Plans for a dog park in Georgetown were first proposed in 2020 and announced in 2021 with an expected opening in 2023. There was a delay due to environmental cleanup and design review. Construction was rescheduled for summer 2024-25. Now, SDOT's web site says construction should begin "this year." What should a Georgetown resident take away from the fact that it has taken longer than a mayoral term to begin building a dog park?

Wilson: That city government under the current administration has forgotten how to deliver results. For 14 years, I've led coalitions that actually got things done—from winning the ORCA LIFT program to passing the JumpStart Seattle Payroll Expense Tax that prevented devastating budget cuts. When I'm mayor, we won't accept years of delays on basic neighborhood amenities. We'll set realistic timelines, hold departments accountable, and actually complete projects. That’s what leadership is about.

Gazette: Because of Georgetown's geography and nearby major roads, Georgetown experiences traffic differently than other parts of the city. What is the mechanism in city hall to help the neighborhood communicate its needs and concerns to SDOT when the regular planning and consultation process does not provide results the community needs or wants?

Wilson: The current system clearly isn't working when a neighborhood waits five years for a dog park. I've spent years listening to ordinary people's experiences in communities throughout the city, leading research teams and surveys to understand real needs, and collaborating with stakeholders to make change happen.

My campaign isn’t supported by the big business interests and rich donors that can get in the way of common-sense projects and basic accountability. As mayor, I'll focus on addressing transportation issues and improving transit options, particularly in underserved areas. Georgetown shouldn't have to wait years for basic amenities while wealthier neighborhoods get immediate attention. No neighborhood should.

The Georgetown Gazette does not endorse candidates. To learn more about each candidate, visit their campaign web sites at bruceforseattle.com and wilsonforseattle.com.

The nearest ballot drop boxes for Georgetown residents is at the South Park Library, 8604 8th Ave. S. Click here for a map to search for other ballot drop boxes.