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-Hi. My name is Ed Pottharst,
and I'm running
for Seattle City Council District 6.
I speak a little differently
because of a lifelong hearing loss.
I hope that you'll lean in a bit
to hear what I have to say.
I have worked for the city of Seattle
for over 30 years.
Through my work with Seattle City Light,
Neighborhoods,
and Parks and Recreation,
I know how to get city departments
to collaborate with residents,
businesses, and community groups
to get action taken
and progress accomplished.
I know how to help people
navigate their way through the maze
that city government
sometimes can be.
With my leadership,
we are going to move city departments
into action now
on the urgent issues
of affordable housing,
homelessness, transportation,
growth, and climate change.
Developing local community partnership
is the most immediate
and efficient means
of addressing affordable housing
and homelessness.
Providing sustained funding
to local community teams
and mental- and behavioral-outreach
workers and community members,
especially
in neighborhood business districts,
is what we need in partnership
with people who are homeless
to help them find housing,
education, and living-wage jobs.
Seattle is growing
and becoming more dense.
Additional public services
and amenities are required.
Development impact fees
are long-overdue in Seattle
and would help pay for them.
Climate change
is the defining issue of our time.
The urgency is now.
A road-use payment system with equity
as a priority
would lessen traffic's congestion,
improve air quality,
reduce carbon emissions,
and encourage people
to use transit,
ride-sharing, and bicycles.
Incentives for onsite
solar electrical generation
and energy storage
in commercial and residential buildings
would also reduce
greenhouse-gas emissions.
I welcome your thoughts and ideas
on how to address
the challenges and opportunities ahead
for District 6 and our city.
I would be honored to have your vote
and the opportunity to serve you
as your Seattle City Council member.