Shoreline voters have to chose between incumbent Bob Ransom and political newcomer Janet Way in the Nov. 4 City Council election. The two candidates sat down together to debate the issues recently.
Ransom, 62, an 8-year veteran on the Council, is a human resources consultant and rehabilitation specialist. He served on the Shoreline School Board for eight years and on the Park District Board for 12 years.
Ransom said he is running for re-election, “Because I’d like to see some things completed. I would like to see a new agreement and the development of the first mile of the Aurora Corridor completed, the Interurban Trail and North City completed.”
Way, 53, a photographic artist, is an environmental activist who founded the Thornton Creek Legal Defense Fund. The group is fighting in court Seattle’s development plans for Northgate, and in Shoreline, a development by Aegis Assisted Living.
Way said she is running, “Because I believe the city needs to be more responsive on the environment and protecting property owners and residents from tax increases.”
Ransom pointed out that the city’s tax rate has gone down every year.
“Just last year it went from $1.78 per $1,000 to $1.36 per $1,000,” he said, and because of recent citizen’s initiatives, the city is limited to a one percent increase in property taxes each year.
Way said because property values go up, the perception is that taxes are going up. Way said she is also concerned about merchants having to pay Business and Occupation taxes.
Ransom pointed out that the city of Shoreline does not have a Business and Occupation tax. Businesses pay that tax to the state.
Way also questioned the city’s capital project plans.
“The city is taking on too many big projects such as the Aurora Corridor project and building a city hall, while neglecting to take care of other problems in the city,” she said. She pointed to a 2002 citizen’s survey that put city hall as a low priority.
Ransom said 87 percent of the Aurora Corridor project is funded by federal grant money, because it’s a state highway.
“That money can only be spent on the highway, it can’t be diverted to other projects, it will just be taken back,” Ransom said.
Ransom said the City Hall project makes sense because “we can use federal trust fund and borrow at one-half of one percent. Most of our money is invested at four percent. So now’s the time to borrow, if it’s that low, to build a city hall rather than renting space, as we are doing now.”
Ransom said if re-elected to City Council “I would work with businesses to try to resolve their conflict over the Aurora Corridor project, so we can proceed without delay and not be appealed again. We need to work together with our business community on Aurora.”
Ransom said he would also like to bring Council Committees back to involve more citizens in running their government.
If elected to City Council, Way said her top priority would be “to improve citizen’s contact with the city and make sure everyone feels heard.”
She said a trend has started in the city where developers and property owners are benefiting over others. She pointed to the city allowing Aegis to develop and to the Aurora Corridor project potentially displacing several small businesses.
“We need to stop this trend,” she said.
Way said she likes Ransom’s idea about Council Committees and would also instigate forums once a month where citizens can have a dialogue with the Council, “so that we don’t end up with a loggerhead with citizens and get taken to court. Also, I would bring guest speakers to the forum, to talk about important issues.”
Ransom said the Council already holds dinner meetings open to the public where guest speakers come to talk about issues.
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