On Oct. 15, the Alki Community Council hosted a candidate forum at the Alki United Church of Christ (Alki UCC) featuring contenders for the Washington State Legislature, King County Council, and King County District Court. Held alongside a community briefing on local tsunami hazards by the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, the non-partisan forum gave local residents an opportunity to question candidates on public safety, education funding, addiction treatment, and fiscal accountability ahead of the upcoming election.
34th Legislative District State House Race
The forum opened with the race for the 34th Legislative District State House seat, featuring incumbent Representative Joe Fitzgibbon and challenger Mary Anito. Public safety on Alki Avenue, where six shootings have occurred this year, served as a primary point of discussion.
Fitzgibbon, the House Majority Leader, defended his legislative record, highlighting his work on state climate policy, tax reform, and gun violence prevention legislation. “We now have, not the, you know, most protective laws, but some of the best protective laws around gun violence prevention,” Fitzgibbon stated, pointing to state bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Addressing local crime concerns, Fitzgibbon emphasized the need to ensure law enforcement agencies have proper funding, noting that “the biggest expense is law enforcement” for local governments.
Anito, an engineer, business owner, and public school parent, criticized current state policies and argued for stronger enforcement alongside educational investment. Addressing safety along the waterfront, Anito called recent violence unacceptable. “You should not have to leave here, area where you want to be able to freely safely recreate,” Anito said. On public education, Anito argued that the state’s prototypical funding model fails local schools. “OSPI has said, for many years, a prototypical model is not working,” Anito noted, advocating for a shift toward an enrollment-based funding approach. In her closing statement, Anito promised direct community engagement, stating, “You need someone that can represent you and participate in the culture, community, and that is very important to me”.
King County Council District 8 Race
Debate in the King County Council District 8 contest focused heavily on county budget priorities, homelessness oversight, and public safety between incumbent Teresa Mosqueda and challenger Nick Duda.…