EVERETT — High school teacher Joseph Erikson is highlighting his progressive brand in his attempt to knock incumbent Scott Bader off the City Council.
He may be facing an uphill challenge, as Bader climbed onto council from a close 2012 special election against now-state Rep. June Robinson, and swatted away a challenger in 2015.
Erikson is endorsed by the local Democratic Party and numerous trade unions, and lives in the southern tip of the Northwest Neighborhood. This is his first council election, however he did apply to fill a vacant council seat appointment in 2017 won by Ethel McNeal.
Bader is endorsed by the firefighter’s union as well as the Affordable Housing Council. He works as a fundraising director for the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, and lives in the northern Riverside Neighborhood.
City Council elections are for nonpartisan positions. This election is for a two-year** term.
Ballots are due Nov. 5.
The Tribune conducted a five-question interview by email, and here are the candidates’ answers:
Question: The city is working to address a long-term budget deficit while trying to maintain quality of life for citizens. What suggestions might you give toward balancing the budget?
Bader: It is not much different than the choices we as individuals make on budgeting. What do we as a city value the most? (...) State law has forced us to run very lean — and I think by and large our city leadership and employees have done a great job in efficiently using our existing revenues. (...) I think the residents of Everett are going to have to soon tell us what they want. For instance, do we want more transit service than Everett Transit can currently provide? Do we want more parks or sidewalks than we currently have? And are we willing to provide the additional revenues to the city to do those things?
Erikson: Our taxation and fiscal incentive system in WA invests in businesses with the idea that they will grow the economy - thing is, it’s people, not corporations, who grow the economy. When we invest in people — education, transit, housing, safe streets, public spaces, beautification — these things draw people into communities and reduce crime. Everett has had a challenge in attracting businesses because it has a bad reputation - not because it doesn’t invest in business (Boeing got $8.7 billion in tax breaks, but around 70 percent of Everett residents don’t own a home). Investing in Everett will lead to increased economic activity. We’ve just had it backwards. It’s time to move forward.
Followup question for Erikson: Would your proposal toward investing in people —building housing and retail to boost the budget — involve government policy changes in planning or using tax incentives for construction drawn from the budget?
Erikson: No, I am not advocating for tax incentives — we gave $8.7 billion to Boeing at the expense of our schools and infrastructure (...) Instead I favor making changes to our zoning ordinances which would revitalize and update our communities to make them more attractive to businesses. I’m against the trickle-down theory of “invest in businesses and they will give money to people” and more in favor of “invest in the people and they will give money to business.”
Question: What do you want to see Everett do in, say, the next three years?
Bader: #1: Keeping our city safe, most particularly by offering assistance to those who want it while at the same time enforcing laws to the greatest extent possible, #2: continuing redevelopment on our commercial corridors by being more user friendly to do planning and get permits, #3: maintaining and improving our infrastructure.
Erikson: Basic infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, bike/scooter lanes, and better street lighting — so many communities in Everett are not up to standard in this regard. And we absolutely must house the 1,260+ homeless children and their families so they can begin the healing process before more damage is done.
Question: In your view, what are Everett’s largest priorities?
Bader: #: Homelessness and transients, #2: Continuing to foster additional economic development, #3: Get WashDOT to get going on building the hard shoulder running lanes on northbound I-5 which will keep more cars on the freeway and get more cars off of our city’s streets — see if we can get this an on
expedited schedule.
Erikson: Housing, transit, and safety. With 80,000 people projected to move into Everett in the coming years, we need to take bold steps to develop in the most innovative and sustainable way possible. We must learn from Seattle’s mistakes and take concise, intelligent action before it is too late.
Question: Yes or no: Should the city’s limit on marijuana retail shops be lifted or altered from the current 5-store cap? Why?
Bader: No, as long as we can ensure access to medical marijuana.
Erikson: Yes. You can buy cigarettes and booze pretty much anywhere, and they are far more dangerous than marijuana. If it offends you, don’t shop there. This is an exciting time for a thriving new industry, and we should foster its growth.
Question: What should people understand about your methods as a leader which they may not be aware of?
Bader: I’m always looking for the solutions that can appeal to the broadest group of people. My city involvement largely came out of getting involved in my neighborhood, and I really appreciate the input and involvement that our neighborhood organizations bring to the process of governing Everett.
Erikson: I’m incredibly resilient and principled. I grew up in poverty and dug myself out with grit — becoming the first person in my family to graduate high school, and subsequently graduating from a British Ivy League university. I’m now an educational leader and advocate for historically marginalized and exploited communities.
** -- CORRECTION:
In the Oct. 23 story on Everett City Council candidates Liz Vogeli and Marian LaFountaine as well as the Oct. 16 story on council candidates Scott Bader and Joseph Erikson, it was reported in both stories that the election is for a four-year term. Both elections are for a two-year term until the city's geographic district elections take effect, which would prompt a fresh election for both seats. The Tribune regrets the error.
