Phil Tavel has declared his candidacy for the District 1 City Council seat, joining Preston Anderson, Maren Costa, AnnaLisa Lafayette and Rob Saka.

The announcement was shared in a press release sent to media on Tuesday,

"Phil Tavel, longtime community leader in West Seattle, accomplished attorney, and Administrative Law Judge, is running for the newly-redrawn District 1 Seattle City Council seat, following the departure of Lisa Herbold.

Tavel has dedicated his life to serving the community, with deep roots in District 1. Tavel lives in the Arbor Heights neighborhood of West Seattle, where his son attends public school. An active member of the West Seattle Junction community, Phil previously ran a small business out of Pioneer Square. Tavel says he will bring a deep passion for neighborhood small businesses to City Council, as well as his nearly 20 years of working in the Criminal Justice System helping those in need. Tavel also brings a proven track record of community leadership, like his work organizing over 5,000 community members to push the city to deliver on the West Seattle Bridge.

Tavel is committed to the community and to a vision of a more equitable and just Seattle.

"As an Administrative Law judge and public defense attorney, I've seen how local government is failing all of us – especially our most vulnerable. Seattle City Council needs to stop saying 'yes' to everything and re-focus on the basics, like keeping our neighborhoods clean, safe, and prosperous for all.”

Tavel's experience as a Public Defender and an Administrative Law Judge has given him a unique perspective on the struggles residents face that often go overlooked in Seattle. He has heard hundreds of cases from those in financial distress, represented thousands of clients in need and he has seen, firsthand, the consequences of government inaction. His approach to City Council will be informed by the experiences of the people he serves, with a focus on ensuring that all residents of Seattle have access to the resources they need to thrive.

"Seattle deserves a City Council that is committed to delivering on its most fundamental promises. In recent years, the city has failed to keep its citizens safe, its downtown streets clean and vibrant, or its transportation infrastructure reliable. I'll fight for a Seattle City Council that consistently delivers on the basics so that everyone in Seattle has a fair shot at success. Now is not a time for politics, but for public service."

The City’s contract with its Police Officers is now more than two-years overdue and must be finalized before we can even start to rebuild our police force. We need to focus on expanding our Collaborative Policing Bureau and find more ways to utilize alternative methods of insuring public safety through prevention and not just punishment. We need more permanent supportive housing in this City and we need a more diverse array of shelter options that can help everyone who is in need. The City must repair its broken system of public outreach and neighborhood councils so that City Leaders can more easily hear the concerns and thoughts of those people that they are meant to be serving. The Seattle City Council needs to return to a priority of effectively and equitably delivering services to the people of this City and focus on fulfilingl the promises laid out in our City Charter.* Right now, we need Council members with a proven track record of public service. I will be just that kind of Councilmember, for District 1 and for the City of Seattle.

Preamble to Charter of the City of Seattle: “Under authority conferred by the Constitution of the State of Washington, the People of the City of Seattle enact this Charter as the Law of the City for the purpose of protecting and enhancing the health, safety, environment, and general welfare of the people; to enable municipal government to provide services and meet the needs of the people efficiently; to allow fair and equitable participation of all persons in the affairs of the City; to provide for transparency, accountability, and ethics in governance and civil service; to foster fiscal responsibility; to promote prosperity and to meet the broad needs for a healthy, growing City.”

To learn more about Phil Tavel's campaign for Seattle City Council, or to contribute Democracy Vouchers, visit www.TavelforSeattle.com."