Representing an area that stretches from Yesler Terrace to Rainier Beach and mostly borders Interstate 5 and Lake Washington, Seattle City Council Position 2 has experienced recent turnover.
Tammy Morales held the seat from 2020 until she resigned earlier this year. The council appointed Mark Solomon to serve until votes are certified after the November election and a new member takes office.
That person ought to be Adonis Ducksworth.
Ducksworth is the most qualified, experienced and able to represent the diversity of District 2.
Growing up in the area, Ducksworth said he has seen the ravages of violence and addiction. He earned an associate degree from Seattle Central College in 2008, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in 2010 and a master’s in public administration from the UW in 2012. He currently serves as a transportation policy manager to Mayor Bruce Harrell.
Gun violence is the district’s top public safety concern, said Ducksworth. He recounted joining neighbors to ask police to patrol known hot spots during the summer, only to be told that a shortage of officers prevented such proactive strategies. “These are Black and brown kids shooting each other,” he said. “We need officers to discourage youth violence and be a presence in the neighborhood.”
He wanted to continue the council’s emphasis on hiring more cops but also focus on underlying social issues. Community anti-violence programs ought to be boosted as well, he said.
Such programs have been plagued by scandals involving bad actors working for nonprofit organizations. More accountability was needed to show council members what was working and what needed to change, he said. This is a sound approach.
In recent years, the city budget faced shortfalls as spending outpaced taxes. Ducksworth said he was open to new revenue, a point with which the board is greatly skeptical.
While Seattle politicians are too eager to jump to increasing taxes (and downplaying impacts to the cost of living and business competitiveness), Ducksworth said he wanted to review city services to ensure they were delivering the promised results. That’s worthy of support.
Ducksworth said he agreed with affordable housing operators who say current tenant protections are not working but would not specify which laws he would be open to reforming.
He affirmed that he would reexamine the 2023 Tree Protection Ordinance that allowed the felling of thousands of trees. “We need to make it stronger and encourage our developers to get creative to keep trees if they build more housing.”
Others in the race include Eddie Lin, Jamie Fackler and Jeanie Chunn. Each of them presented good ideas and clearly care about the city and the southeast community.
In a crowded field, Adonis Ducksworth stands out as the strongest candidate to represent the values and aspirations of the community. Voters ought to choose Ducksworth for Position 2.
