New Dynamics for City Council

11/04/2009

Seattle voters have endorsed two Seattle City Council incumbents for another term: Richard Conlin and Nick Licata. But two new members will shake up the council's dynamic. Results so far show Sally Bagshaw and Mike O'Brien poised to take those seats.

Richard Conlin and Nick Licata both began their Seattle City Council careers in 1998. Now, Seattle voters have handed them each a fourth term.

With about half the expected ballots counted, Conlin has easily won re–election with 75 percent of the vote. Nick Licata also has a comfortable lead of more than 57 percent of the vote so far.

Licata admits the new council will face challenges working with a new team, a budget crisis and a new mayor. But he's confident his newly elected colleagues will bring a good dynamic.

Licata: "It's their skill level, quite honestly, of dealing with other people, of learning how to work with other people. You know, we're not a team we're a legislative body and from what I've seen, Sally Bagshaw does that well, and quite honestly, whether Mike O'Brien or Robert Rosencrantz win, from what I've seen both of them will fit in well at the council."

Council candidate Sally Bagshaw holds a decisive lead over her opponent David Bloom.

Bagshaw is the former chief of the civil division in the King County prosecutor's office. She says her priority is to develop a more vibrant waterfront that includes a tunnel replacement for the viaduct. She also wants to use her experience as a mediator to create more harmony between the council and the mayor's office.

Bagshaw: "For the last eight years there's been a real schism between the council and the mayor and I want to see that schism healed. Yes, we have two separate elected bodies but there's no reason in the world why we can't be working more effectively together. And I think we waste our taxpayers money and time when we're not working effectively together and that's something that I've really pledged to do."

Environmentalist Mike O'Brien also has a strong lead over opponent Robert Rosencrantz, who's run for city council twice before. O'Brien says his top issues will be transportation and housing.

I'm Liz Jones, KUOW News.