By Westside Seattle Staff

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.

Mosqueda highlighted her active record in local government, emphasizing county efforts to safeguard health services, public health clinics, and affordable housing. Addressing recent concerns regarding the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), Mosqueda outlined steps taken to bring contracts back under county oversight. "In fact, not only that, we hired an independent financial monitor, and we would create a governance board that has its own discretion over high risk," Mosqueda explained. In closing, Mosqueda stressed her dedication to public service, declaring, "I take this job very seriously. I'm not here to sit on my hands. I am here to work".

Duda, a private sector manager and West Seattle resident, urged a shift in county governance, prioritizing public safety, addiction treatment, and strict fiscal oversight. "I see three key issues that are defining our region right now. The first is public safety," Duda asserted. Criticizing regional handling of chronic homelessness and open drug use, Duda argued that "our response has not been compassionate. It is not accountable, and it is not going to be effective". Duda also called for metric-driven taxation, stating he would not approve future tax proposals that lack clear, study-backed medical and social outcomes.

King County District Court Position 1 Race

Judicial candidates for King County District Court Position 1, appointed incumbent Judge Bardi D. Martin and challenger Nyjat Rose-Akins, discussed bail rules, repeat offenders, and community court programs.

Judge Martin highlighted his background on the bench and the volume of cases handled by the court. "King County District Court processes the most cases out of any courts in Washington state. And because of that, I think it's very important to have a judge on the bench that knows what it's like on the other side," Martin stated. Discussing repeat offenders, Martin explained that judges are bound by Court Rule CrRLJ 3.2, which establishes a legal presumption of release unless specific risk factors are proven. Martin also praised the court's Community Court program, noting it is "designed to connect people with resources, specifically homelessness, or when they're unhoused, as well as mental health and substance use disorder treatment".

Rose-Akins, a full-time pro tem judge and former city prosecutor with 16 years of legal experience, emphasized accountability alongside rehabilitation. "My mantra is we can hold people accountable while still being compassionate. It is not mutually exclusive," Rose-Akins said. Rose-Akins referred to the district court as "the people's court," noting it handles the everyday legal matters that directly impact residents' lives.

Tsunami Preparedness Briefing

Prior to the candidate forums, Holly Stark from the Seattle Office of Emergency Management delivered a presentation on regional natural hazards and tsunami readiness. Stark explained that Seattle faces risks from 19 identified hazards, with earthquakes ranking as the top threat and tsunamis ranked seventh. She highlighted the shallow crustal Seattle Fault zone running beneath the area, which could generate localized tsunami waves within minutes following a major quake. Stark announced that the city, in coordination with the Seattle Department of Transportation, will soon install new tsunami evacuation signage along Alki Beach to direct residents and visitors inland toward high ground.

Reporting for this story was done by Special Correspondent Liz Steen