KPLU Local News
(2009-10-06)
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Mayoral candidates Joe Mallahan, left, and Mike McGinn hold up "waffle" response cards during a "lightning round" of questions Monday evening. They met for a CityClub debate at the Seattle Central Library.
Photo courtesy Seattle Times
Both cell-phone executive Joe Mallahan and lawyer and environmentalist Mike McGinn entered the race as relative unknowns.
After an hour and a half of responding to a wide range of questions from moderators and the audience, Mallahan began his conclusion by saying, "I think you have a very clear choice in front of you."
But the standing-room-only crowd at the downtown Seattle Public Library could be forgiven if they weren't so sure McGinn and Mallahan agreed on a lot. Beyond generalities about growing the economy and making city government more efficient and responsive to citizens, both candidates promised to add more police, reach out to minority communities and protect arts funding. Neither Mallahan nor McGinn has ever held public office, and in response to a question about how they'd fill the appointed office of deputy mayor, they agreed again
"Yes, the deputy mayor would have government experience," Mallahan said.
McGinn left open the possibility he could have more than one deputy mayor. But, he said, "Of course they'll have government experience."
One point on which the candidates clearly disagreed was whether to go ahead with the plan to replace the Alaskan Way viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel. Mallahan said that train has left the station.
"We have consensus, the decision's been made, we are moving forward" he said. "It's the role of the next mayor of Seattle to make sure that all the agencies work together to deliver that project on-time and on-budget."
McGinn countered that it's a bad deal that can and should be stopped before it's too late.
"It's the single largest commitment of resources we're about to make in our future," he said. " And it's not a good one. We don't know how to pay for it, we don't know how to deal with cost overruns, we don't even know how much it's going to cost."
Both men presented themselves as progressives with strong social and environmental values. They sought to distinguish between themselves primarily by differences in their backgrounds and management styles. Mallahan pointed to his corporate leadership experience, and McGinn cited his work in neighborhood groups and non-profits.
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