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Of the eight finalists for a position on the Seattle City Council, one clearly rises to the top: Tanya Woo.
Position 8 was vacated when Teresa Mosqueda won election to the Metropolitan King County Council last November. Out of a pool of 72 applicants, the council selected eight hopefuls to move forward.
Last year, Woo ran for Position 2 against incumbent Tammy Morales, who won by 403 votes out of 25,907 cast in the South Seattle district.
The editorial board endorsed Woo in that race, and we believe she is the most qualified person to temporarily fill the at-large seat until voters make their choice in the November general election.
Woo grew up on Beacon Hill, works in the Chinatown International District and lives in Rainier Valley.
As lead volunteer with Chinatown International District Community Watch, Woo provided meals and other assistance to people living unsheltered. In a powerful example of her hands-on experience, she has administered the overdose prevention drug Narcan and distributed fentanyl testing strips.
Woo knows when to push back against government when it fails to take into account the needs of diverse neighborhoods. She helped successfully demand greater outreach and community involvement when King County planned a shelter expansion at the edge of the CID. The precariousness of the neighborhood was underscored when The National Trust for Historic Preservation named it one of the 11 most endangered historic places for 2023.
In a community forum last week, Woo affirmed she would amend the flawed Tree Protection Ordinance passed by the council last year. Experts say the ordinance will have the practical effect of substantially reducing trees in favor of development.
While Woo lost to Morales, she maintains the qualities and attributes that would make her a strong council member.
Last week, a lobbyist associated with local business interests sent an email to political contributors urging them to contact Seattle City Council in support of Woo.
Of all the other applicants, Vivian Song has emerged as a favorite among some labor groups such as the Seattle Building Trades. She indicated she would not support revising the Tree Protection Ordinance.
A Seattle School Board member, Song said she has experience with large budgets. The financial stewardship of Seattle Public Schools — which faces a $105 million deficit for the 2024-25 school year — is questionable. So is Song’s eligibility to serve on the school board. As The Times reported, Song moved from Ballard to Capitol Hill, which is outside of her district, after she was elected in 2021.
Leaving the students and families of Song’s Seattle School Board District 4 — Queen Anne, Fremont and Wallingford — without representation is unconscionable (District 4 once included Ballard but the board redistricted in 2022). What’s more, there are questions about whether Song should have vacated her seat before the 2023 election. This bizarre situation makes Song’s viability for the Seattle City Council position impossible.
One final thought: The effort to name a temporary council member devolved into the tired paradigm of business vs. labor. Seattleites deserve better. The business community has good ideas. Labor organizations have good ideas. People with no connections to either group have good ideas.
It’s up to council members to hear all points of view and chart a sensible course. Special interests from all sides must stop acting like every City Hall decision is part of an ideological proxy war.
The Seattle City Council is set to take action to fill the vacant seat on Tuesday. Woo would be an excellent choice.
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