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Announcer: King County Council.

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As the legislative branch

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of county government,

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the Metropolitan

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King County Council

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sets the policies,

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enacts the laws,

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and adopts the budgets that

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guide the largest jurisdiction

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in Washington State.

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Its mission is to protect

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public health and safety,

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enhance quality of life,

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and ensure public trust.

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This is a nonpartisan position.

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Members are elected

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for four-year terms.

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This year, three of the nine

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council positions will appear

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on the primary ballot.

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Hello. My name's Lydia
Assefa-Dawson.

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And I am
running for

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King County Council
District 7.

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In the past 28 years,
our region

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has changed
significantly,

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but our leadership has remained
the same.

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It is now time for a change
in leadership

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that reflects
our community

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and meets
the urgent needs

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of our families
and businesses.

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I am ready to rise
to that challenge.

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As an infant,
I lost my legs

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in an
accidental fire.

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I came
from Ethiopia

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in search of
opportunities.

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I have learned to cope
with my disability

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and the challenges associated
with it,

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all the while
raising

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three
amazing sons.

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The journey
was not easy.

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Having suffered
housing insecurity

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and financial hardships
along the way,

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I've dedicated my career
to helping

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vulnerable families
regain stability

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and independence during
tough times.

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As we recover
from the pandemic,

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my compassion, insights,
and skills

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are critical to recovery
across our region.

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For more
than 28 years,

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my career in cities,
nonprofits,

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and small businesses
has focused

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on serving people.

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I have continuously initiated
and served

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on boards and commissions
at the state,

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county,
and city levels

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to address
homelessness

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and housing
development,

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education, youth,
transportation,

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the arts,
social justice,

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noise and environmental
pollutants,

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and fund
allocation.

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I have led
as a member

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of my Ethiopian
community,

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and for the past
seven years,

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I have also
proudly served

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on the Federal Way
City Council,

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and I have the vision and ethics
we need

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to see remarkable and
long-anticipated

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improvements
for our region.

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With your support
and vote,

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I'll work tirelessly
in partnership

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with key stakeholders,
including you,

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to create a culture
of inclusivity,

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health
and wellness,

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vibrant political
leadership,

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and economic
vitality

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for the communities
of our region.

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If you qualify

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and are not registered
to vote,

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please register.

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If you're registered
to vote,

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I thank you in advance
for exercising

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your right and privilege
to vote.

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My name is Lydia
Assefa-Dawson,

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and I am running for
King County

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Council
District 7,

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and I would be honored
to earn your vote.

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Thank you.

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Hello. My name is Dominique
Torgerson.

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And I am running for King
County Council

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for District 7

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because
we need change.

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I know all too well
the issues

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that we face in our rural
unincorporated

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areas of
King County.

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With completely
unreasonable

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and overburdensome permitting
and zoning codes,

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it is otherwise a miracle
if someone can

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even make it
through

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the permitting process
at all,

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much less without
great financial

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and mental
difficulty.

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It took our business two
and a half years

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to make it through what
should have been

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an over-the-counter
permit.

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King County does little to
nothing to support

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its rural or unincorporated
businesses,

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which is completely evident
by the fact

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that we have the absolute
lowest percentage

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of sales
that comes from

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the unincorporated
areas

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out of any county in
this entire state,

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at a minimal 3.2 percent.

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And that is based on
2016 numbers.

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King County basically has two
principal sources

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of tax revenue -- property tax
and sales tax.

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Property taxes levied
by counties

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can only increase by 1 percent
every year.

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With that limitation,
we have to be able

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to supplement
our revenue

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by getting
sales tax.

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But the only way to create
this foundation

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of stable sales tax
revenue

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is to support unincorporated
businesses.

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With such limited
sales tax

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coming back from
the general fund,

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we have absolutely
no way

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to continue to support
the rural areas,

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much less get funding for
anything else.

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My second issue that
I want to address

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is our effect on
the environment.

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We have such an inefficient
recycling program

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where most of what
we recycle

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still ends up
in the landfills.

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With the technology that
is available,

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there is absolutely
no reason

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we should even have landfills
anymore.

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And that is something
I want to change.

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Lastly, we need
to get back

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to listening
to the people.

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As elected officials,
it is our duty

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to be servants
to the people.

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The words "career"
and "politician"

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should never go
hand in hand,

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but, unfortunately, it is now
all too common,

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continually reinforced
by greed

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and need to excessively
control.

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If I am elected, I will push
for term limits

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that will effectively remove
the incentive

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for someone to try
and make

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an elected position
a career.

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My name is
Saudia J. Abdullah,

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and I'm asking for your vote
for King County

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Council District 7.

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This area
is special to me.

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I'm raising
my son here.

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I work for
King County.

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I ride King County
Metro buses.

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I shop at our
local businesses.

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I relax and unwind in our
beautiful parks.

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My son attends
public school here.

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King County
is our home.

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That's why I know
firsthand

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the challenges our district
is facing

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and how important it is
to have an advocate

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on the council who's invested
in our community.

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South King County
is changing, fast,

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and we can't keep pretending
the solutions

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from the past
will solve

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the community's
new challenges.

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Here's what I know.

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We all want to live
in a community

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where we support
each other,

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where our students
are safe

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and our businesses
thrive,

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where we embrace
fresh perspectives

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and creative
solutions.

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We all want to live

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in a community
we can be proud of.

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And I want to work
with you

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to get us there
together.

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I know the new ideas
will help us build

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a brighter future for
South King County.

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That's why I want
to be your next

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King County
Council member.

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I'm asking for your vote
because I'm ready

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to work with you
and for you

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to make
South King County

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the vibrant, safe,
and happy community

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we know it can be.

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Please visit
FriendsOfSaudia.com

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to learn more
about me

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and to be sure to follow
our campaign

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on social media.

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My name is
Saudia J. Abdullah,

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and on Aug. 3,

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I'd be honored to
receive your vote

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for King County Council
District 7.