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2003 Seattle Election Information Primary Election Voters' Guide Linda Averill
Video Voters Guide Statement of Candidate Click Here to View the You will need Written Voters' Pamphlet Statement Submitted by Candidate Endorsers include Amalgamated Transit Union 587; Wa. Fed. of State Employees 304; Frederick Simmons, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists activist; Celso Tolman, Filipino American Longshore union leader; Val Carlson, civil rights attorney; Radical Women; Matt Nagle, man. ed. Seattle Gay News; No War Against Iraq Coalition. A lifelong resident, I've watched Seattle's quality of life deteriorate as taxpayer dollars stream to millionaire developers and Fortune 500s. I'm running for City Council to offer Seattle's underserved, overtaxed workingclass majority a voice. End corporate welfare. Our area boasts the world's wealthiest corporations and individuals. Yet low-wage workers and small businesses here suffer the most regressive tax structure in the country. Let's give them relief, and tax corporate profits and the rich to fund vital needs, from senior services to childcare, healthcare, job programs, schools and expanded public transit. A $12 per hour minimum wage, which reflects Seattle costs better than our poverty rate of $7.05, should be our goal, with assistance for small businesses and nonprofits to meet this. Many cities have adopted laws requiring companies doing business with government to pay a "living" wage; in Santa Cruz, it's $11. Seattle should help lead this movement and reinstate affirmative action to equalize access to high-paying jobs. The solutions to skyrocketing housing costs are revived public housing and rent control. New York, Berkeley, and others regulate rents; we can too. Protect civil rights/liberties. In the name of public safety and anti-terrorist "security," local police and feds are trampling people's freedoms. We need an elected civilian review board over police; no city compliance with the unconstitutional Patriot Act; and defense of immigrants. Public ownership of major industries. Boeing and the airlines are examples of how the "free market" doesn't work for working people. Nix bailouts and subsidies; the state should take over key industries and let workers run them for public benefit. My background includes UW degrees in journalism and political science. I'm a bus driver and King County Labor Council delegate. During 20 years as an antiwar, labor and feminist activist, I've personally experienced how grassroots organizing can succeed in winning victories — from defeating union-busters, to strengthening rights for sexual minorities, to exposing the WTO's anti-worker agenda. As a veteran member and candidate for the Freedom Socialist Party, I stand on that party's legacy of fighting for a more humane world. With your vote and participation, we can change city hall. The above statement was written by the candidate, who is solely responsible for the contents therein. |
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Linda AVERILL
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