Letter to the Editor: Reasons to vote for David Chen for Shoreline City Council

To the Editor:

I appreciate anyone running for Shoreline City Council. It’s not easy to run for office, but more choices and conversations make a healthy democracy, especially in a rapidly growing city with changing demographics.

Shoreline currently has only two first-term Council members: Betsy Robertson, appointed in 2018 and running to keep her seat this year, and Susan Chang, who could run again in 2021. The seven others have served multiple terms.

I’ve been writing letters to City Council for five years, advocating for policies and funding for neighborhood business areas to improve walkability, community and the local economy. I’ve watched Council and City staff instead focus on proposing new taxes and planning discrete projects, all on or west of Aurora Ave, including Shoreline Place, the proposed Community Aquatic Center, and an ongoing focus on the “Town Center” at City Hall.

They have not tackled the more challenging goals of reallocating existing funding for new priorities and encouraging good redevelopment everywhere, particularly in rezoned areas near the future light rail stations to the east.

But growth needs infrastructure and policy to help all neighborhoods serve all residents as well as possible in the future.

David will represent a broader range of residents regarding these more challenging goals. Both of his opponents, Doris McConnell and Ginny Scantlebury, are longtime Shoreline residents who live on the water in Richmond Beach. Both prefer to slow the rate at which Shoreline changes and have not been champions regarding quality of redevelopment.

Residents on east side are in general less wealthy and more diverse, with more newer residents who are generally less connected politically. David is from Echo Lake, and his priorities are affordable and diverse housing options and the local economy. David is curious and articulate, passionate about representation and demographics, and ready to dive into policy details. He’d provide more balance and great energy to City Council.

Megan Kogut PhD
Shoreline