Teresa Tuesday: (July 30, 2024)

Welcome back to Teresa Tuesday where we are just getting back from a trip to Oakland where we got a chance to share best practices with other progressive local elected leaders from across the country. I am also excited to see Jacob Plihal from D8 compete in the Olympics. FYI, Teresa Tuesday will be on break until August 20th as we head into recess and get ready for budget season.  

Committee Update

Safe System Approach

Simple things such as having the walk sign start a few seconds before the light turns green can help reduce accidents and deaths in our streets.

In Committee of the Whole we heard a presentation of the Safe System Approach. Many might be familiar with what we call Vision Zero in Seattle. It’s strategies and policies we can implement as a community to get us to zero traffic fatalities for drivers, pedestrians and those using other means of transportation. The Safe System Approach recognizes that we are all human and that humans make mistakes. We can design our streets and transit networks in a way that takes this into account rather than placing responsibility on individuals to get us to zero traffic fatalities. We passed a motion endorsing the Safe System Approach to achieve the goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries in King County; and requesting that the Executive propose a strategy to develop a coordinated, multiagency safety action plan using the Safe System Approach. If you are interested in learning more about the Safe Systems Approach, the presentations can be found here.

Kelly Rider - Director of DCHS 

Director Rider appointment to lead DCHS now heads to Full Council for a final vote.

Congratulations to Director Kelly Rider whom we voted to confirm as the head of the Department of Communities and Human Services. I’ve had a chance to work with Director Rider during my time on council and in previous roles and I could not be more excited to have her leadership in this important position. She has always been collaborative in her approach to the work and ensuring a wide range of stakeholders are engaged in decision making. Congratulations again and I look forward to our continued partnership! 

Council Update

Local Progress - Public Dollars for Public Good 

Nuestro Caucus of Local Progress - Latinx elected leaders from across the country assembled for the first time together.

Washington State was well represented in Oakland with attendees from Bellingham, SeaTac, Olympia, Federal Way, Tacoma, Port Angeles, Highline Schoolboard(not pictured) and King County.

Local Progress is an organization started in 2012 to bring together progressive local leaders to share what policy ideas they had to tackle some of our toughest problems. The organization has grown to include elected leaders from 48 States and D.C., and we held the annual convening this year in Oakland, CA. It was the largest in the organization’s history with more than 450 people in attendance.  

I joined Dexter McCoy County Comissioner from Fort Bend County TX, Terri Gerstein of the NYU Wagner Labor Initiative, and Delishia Porterfield of the Nashville City Council to talk about different ways of supporting working families.

I was honored to be asked to present on what we as local leaders can do to hold large multinational corporations like FIFA accountable to raising standards in our community rather than driving them down when large events come to town like the World Cup in 2026. I’m a firm believer that when we spend public dollars it should be for public good.  

We showcased all the ways public policy can infuse higher labor standards in various projects and investments.

My talk centered on the ways we can lift standards for workers and invest in our communities when large scale investments for public projects come before us as elected leaders. In our region we’ve been able to use Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and Community Workforce Agreements(CWAs) to ensure that we are contracting with highroad employers, recruiting from local areas and helping community members gain access to good union careers through programs like apprenticeships.  

The economic impact of Seattle hosting the World Cup will be felt across the state with an estimated 750,000 people coming to the region for the games in 2026.

Oakland City Councilmember Carroll Fife (in blue) led the LP delegation in a housing policy discussion in Oakland City Hall.

While at the conference I also joined with other Local Progress members from across the country for a tour around Oakland to learn what local leaders are doing to address their affordable housing crisis. 

This spot has become much more than a house, it's a hub for community empowerment.

One truly inspiring stop on our trip was this house that is the home to Moms4Housing. Through the efforts of formerly unhoused mothers, they have been able to convert what had been a property that sat vacant for years owned by corporate landlords into a space for community held by a community land trust. You can read more about their story here. 

Councilmember in Community

White Center Library

Did you know the White Center Library is open later in the evening on Tuesdays and Wednesdays? 8pm close instead of the normal 6pm.

Families just like mine across the county love stopping by our local library. I got to spend some time with Executive Director Heidi Daniel of King County Library System at our local White Center branch. Our libraries are great places to get books and other media plus they are real hubs for community to be nurtured and created. They are also convenient locations to cast your ballot.

Muslim American Youth Foundation

MAYF is determined to create a space where all youth can feel a sense of belonging.

The Muslim American Youth Foundation in Burien is hard at work transforming their space to address some of our most pressing community needs. Right now it is a safe place where youth can play sports and be supported in community. They are in the process of developing their facility to create up to 39 spots for much needed childcare. I look forward to working with them along with other elected leaders in our region to help them actualize their goals. 

Vashon Water Taxi Tour

Thanks Captain Brad for getting our team to Vashon Swiftly and Safely on the Water Taxi.

I jumped at the chance to join METRO for a tour of the newly expanded mid day Water Taxi Service just in time for the start of the Strawberry Festival. The trip from downtown Seattle to Vashon only takes 22 minutes and is a great alternative to a WSF sailing. Ridership on these new sailings show that this was a much-needed addition to service. 

Islanders for Ferry Action

Fix Our Ferries even has sweet hats to help get out the message.

I also met with leaders of Islanders for Ferry Action who have joined with other island communities to form Fix Our Ferries so that I could get an update on the transportation situation on the island. Even with the expanded Water Taxi service, transit on the Island still remains a challenge for many, especially service workers who are now struggling to get off island after their shifts if they don’t have a car because bus service now ends earlier. I’m committed to working with METRO to find viable solutions to ensure Islanders on and off the island have access to reliable options for mobility. 

Gravy

Pepa runs the front of the house while Dre is point in the Kitchen at Gravy.

While on island I also swung by to meet with local restauranters Dre Neely & Pepa Brower who are the forces behind Gravy an incredible spot on Vashon you can’t miss. They were kind enough to let me drop in for a visit while they were in the middle of their prep for the crowds of the Strawberry festival. One of the things my office is currently working on is helping small businesses like Gravy be able to participate in all of the incredible festivals our region hosts without permitting costs being a barrier. Next time you are on Vashon make sure to stop by Gravy for some incredible food! 

Pop Pop Bottle Shop

How cool are these coolers? Amiright!

As we wound down the day on Vashon I had to check out this neat shop, Pop Pop Bottle Shop. It was a hot day and lots of visitors were popping in to grab a cold beverage. Add it to your next island itinerary. 

Community Spotlight

Thank you for signing up for the #TeresaTuesday Newsletter. We will send you regular updates every other week. If you’d like to reach out or have an issue we can help with, please reach out anytime.

Thank you for allowing us to represent you on the King County Council!

Teresa Mosqueda
King County Councilmember, District 8
(206) 477-1008
teresa.mosqueda@kingcounty.gov