by Kirby Lindsay Laney, posted 29 September 2015
Ravenna resident and fifth-generation Seattleite, Rob Johnson spoke with praise of the new system for electing City Council Candidates. “The District System makes it more accessible,” he said of his campaign, “it allows you to be much more ‘shoe leather’.”
Johnson and his wife keep only one car for their family of five. “For the most part, I’m the one taking the bus,” he explained, “She’s got the car.” As a District #4 City Council candidate, and as a potential Councilmember, Johnson likes being able to reach constituents using alternate transportation. “There is really great bus service around this District,” he observed, “walking, biking, bus. We have incredible transportation options.”
The Campaign, Now
Johnson chose to run for the Council simply because, “I have certain skills that could prove valuable.” Johnson works for Transportation Choices, a Washington policy and advocacy non-profit, as an urban planner. He has developed skills for dealing with growth, housing and transportation, and he wants to provide that experience to the City Council, and his neighbors.
Johnson sees his extensive experience as a distinguishing feature between himself and his challenger. “I’ve spent more than a decade working on issues for City Hall,” he observed, “More of a behind-the-scenes collaboration.”
As a resident, and in his professional life, Johnson has experience working with the Seattle system of government; working with the Seattle style. He also believes he can identify what makes Seattle distinct from other cities, like Portland, and why a solution there might work here, or not, and what changes might make the imported solutions succeed.
“My sixth generation Seattleites will need a place to live here,” Johnson observed about his children, “We’re an attractive place, but we won’t continue to be one of the strong places if you can’t find a job or a place to live.” His twins, he explained, are very artistic, and it charges him to seek ways, “we can continue to encourage and maintain the arts,” for the future generation.
The Focus, Including Parking
During his campaign, Johnson has spoken with Fremonsters about public transit. For us, Johnson said, it is often a question of service levels, rather than any need for more service. ‘If the bus came more frequently, I’d use it,’ he has heard. “My goal is as frequent and reliable [transit service] as possible,” he said. With the upcoming changes to the transit system, Fremont riders will be able to go to a lot more places, but they, “might have to go two seats instead of one,” Johnson said, describing the method of using a transfer to reach particular destinations.
“The community cares a lot about parking,” Johnson said about his talks with Fremont’s District #4 residents. He’s thought on the issue of parking management, and effective management of parking availability. “If you have too much,” he observed, “there is a loss of property and it causes traffic. If you have too little, you have what we have now, with the angst over incoming development.”
Johnson sees potential in public/private management of parking resources, and allowing communities to keep some money collected from parking kiosks to use for what they think they need – including parking solutions, if they choose. “The goal with any good parking plan is to have one space open per block,” Johnson observed, “80% is the gold standard. Not having people driving around the block.”
Public Safety
Talking with District #4 voters, including in Fremont, Johnson has heard increased concerns over the permanent residency of campers and cars parked on the street – and increases in low-level property crime. “The concerns I’ve heard,” Johnson said, “I think they are about the economics of Seattle.” People can’t find jobs, so they live in a car.
“How can we do more affordable housing,” Johnson said, “and do more to get social services out on the street.” He wants to encourage private partnerships to provide more shelters, and basic social services to address basic needs. He wants to see the City work more with the public libraries, and Solid Ground, to figure out how we can help.
“We have one precinct for all of North Seattle,” Johnson acknowledged, “We need to continue to grow the police force, to do more community policing and provide more responsiveness.” Johnson also noted the lack of public trust that must be addressed, and a need to get more officers out on the street to interact positively with the public.
“We need to be compassionate,” Johnson observed about the City, “how do we walk the fine line between assistance and enabling. I don’t want to be criminalizing homelessness.” He also observed how the new district system to the City Council can help, as people in need of assistance can reach out to their Councilmember.
A Final Word
“I’m hoping to open a District Office,” Johnson said, “so people don’t have to come to City Hall to solve their problems.” Johnson also wants to identify people at each of the City Departments that can best solve problems, and get them to do more outreach and problem-solving.
Walking around Fremont, Johnson said, “I heard a lot about public safety, transportation and land-use, but parking is the number one concern.” As the District #4 Councilmember, Johnson intends to address our concerns – and have his office open to hear more.
For more information on Johnson, visit his candidate website and consider attending the upcoming opportunities to hear him speak. Seattle Channel will be filming a debate between him and his challenger, Michael Maddux, at University Heights Center, on October 1st (reserve a seat through Stranger Tickets) and he’ll attend another public debate between the two District #4 candidates on October 14th at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford at 7p.
Follow-Up Articles
- Michael Maddux, The Local-Level Candidate
- by Kirby Lindsay Laney, 29 September 2015
- Profiles Of District Elections, And The #4 Candidates
- by Kirby Lindsay Laney, 29 September 2015
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