District 5
Meet the Candidates
Cathy Moore
Aligned
cathymoore.net
ChrisTiana ObeySumner
Not Aligned
votechristiana.com
Question 1
Public Safety: The DSA’s core mission is to create a healthy, vibrant downtown for all. It is no secret that the pandemic took a heavy toll on downtowns across the country and Seattle is no exception. As we work toward recovery on all fronts, issues of public safety downtown continue to be one of the top themes we hear from stakeholders. How will you address public safety in downtown Seattle?
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Cathy Moore
First, pass an ordinance conforming city law to state law to allow police to arrest individuals for public drug use and drug possession. Second, set up a health engagement hub where individuals can access basic health care, counseling, methadone/suboxone treatment, and connection to services. Third, work to expand on-demand drug treatment programs. Fourth, work to increase availability of mental health treatment facilities. Coordinate the work of all the outreach workers downtown to eliminate redundancies. Provide client centric shelter. Support the work of MID. Connect those who can work to employment. Focus on breaking up the retail theft rings and the drug rings. Emphasis patrols.
ChrisTiana ObeySumner
Public safety in downtown is a consequence of the housing crisis, mental health treatment, addiction treatment, and general crime. The public can feel safe when people are given places to live and given treatment for their issues. The vast majority of crime is something that happens due to desperation and mental imbalance, not because of petty desire. By getting people off the streets they lose their desperation and are no longer subject to the everyday stresses that come with being unhoused. We need to work together as a city to provide for the most vulnerable members of society and to bring down costs, making Seattle an easier and safer place to live.
Question 2
Investing in Downtown’s Recovery: Given the importance of downtown to the overall health and vitality of our city and region, what actions will you propose to support downtown’s recovery?
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Cathy Moore
Implement Mayor Harrell’s Downtown Reactivation Plan. Give B&O tax breaks.
ChrisTiana ObeySumner
I support actions that will bring people downtown within reason. Downtown has suffered as a result of people working from home and inaccessibility. Recovery comes from people having the desire to go downtown and being able to do that without the use of a car. Traffic still plagues the city and improving our transit infrastructure would enable more people to come in and out of the city. When foot traffic increases so do sales. Downtown needs to shift its priorities to focus on how it can bring people in instead of trying to force people to drive in from the suburbs as they did before the pandemic. Now is as good a time as ever for downtown Seattle to rethink its priorities and plan for the future, instead of living in the past.
Question 3
Fiscal Priorities: Given the fragile state of downtown’s revitalization, do you agree that the City should prioritize existing spending before imposing new taxes or increasing existing ones? In a detailed manner, please describe how you would propose addressing the budget issues the city is facing.
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Cathy Moore
Yes, the city has a duty to be a good steward of public monies. I will follow the recommendations of the Revenue Stabilization Task Force.
ChrisTiana ObeySumner
Seattle needs to increase the amount of taxation by restructuring the regressive tax structure currently in place. The burden needs to be shifted onto corporations and the wealthy instead of working-class people and their families. Existing spending can be addressed at the same time as expanding. Seattle is poised to expand and it needs to densify as it continues to grow. We cannot make the same mistakes of the past and that means spending more to ensure a better future.
Question 4
Top Voter Concerns: What do you believe are the top three issues on voters’ minds right now, and how would you propose addressing them?
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Cathy Moore
Homelessness, public safety, affordability. More client centric shelters, more tiny home villages and pallet shelters, safe RV parking lots, increase length of stay for community camps on faith properties, more outreach to the faith community to accept community camps. See above for public safety. Also, address gun violence by expanding the intervention programs, filing more extreme risk protection order petitions, better enforcement of unlawful possession of firearm cases, giving out safety locks and gun safes. Build more affordable housing by passing the Housing levy. Build social housing.
ChrisTiana ObeySumner
Housing Justice and Ending Homelessness Housing Justice and Ending Homelessness are intertwined. Housing unaffordability and inaccessibility are direct causes of becoming unhoused. There’s an inherent problem here that creates extreme inequity at the intersection of housing, labor, and economics that lays the foundation for our homelessness crisis. In order to fix housing and homelessness, we must address both. This can be achieved through a multifaceted approach that starts with increasing our understanding of root causes with intersectional data grounded in real-life experiences, innovating new approaches to expanding all equitable housing options and leaning into the opportunities afforded by I-135.
Better Transit for Seattle Improving transit in District 5 requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses the needs and concerns of various stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and local government officials.
1) Expand and Improve Transit Infrastructure:
2) Increase Frequency and Reliability of Service:
3) Promote Public Transit Use:
4) Encourage Transit-Oriented Development:
5) Increase Community Engagement
Housing and Homelessness Specific Plan The root causes of our housing crisis lie within complex infrastructure issues. As the eighth most expensive city to live in the country, we are displacing our neighbors across a wider spectrum than we may think. We need to take actions such as supporting I-135, creating a housing registry, expediting the development process, performing housing accessibility audits, and much more.
Question 5
Return to Office: One of the most impactful things we can do to drive downtown revitalization is to get more people here – visitors, tourists, residents and perhaps most importantly, workers. A steady and consistent flow of employees downtown who are eating, drinking, shopping and engaging in recreation brings much needed support for our small businesses and public spaces. Do you believe that city workers should work in person three or more days per week?
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Cathy Moore
Yes, absolutely.
ChrisTiana ObeySumner
I don’t believe people need to be forced to work in person for a job that can be performed completely remotely. Seattle should focus on creating a downtown full of housing, amenities, and businesses that will attract people downtown. Transit needs to be a priority so that people around Puget Sound can easily access Seattle, driving up tourism. Adapting office buildings into housing would empower downtown businesses by giving them a steady stream of people who are actively choosing to be there. Additionally, creating a robust, accessible, and sustainable transit system would incentivize workers to come into the office on their own accord. Downtown is at a critical juncture where it can adapt to the future or stick to a dysfunctional past.
Question 6
If there were any important details about your candidacy that you were unable to provide in response to the previous questions, please take this opportunity to share that information here:
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Cathy Moore
My husband is a small business owner so I understand many of the pressures businesses are under.
ChrisTiana ObeySumner
[Candidate left this field blank.]