Tag Archives: socialist alternative

10 things CHS heard at Sawant’s 2021 People’s Budget town hall

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Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant opened her annual People’s Budget town hall Tuesday evening with a central question animating much of the city’s politics this year: “Who is paying and who’s going to pay in the future for this pandemic and the economic collapse that has happened around us?”

In the two-hour virtual town hall, Sawant and many panelists laid out a road map for how they plan to push back against what they term an “austerity budget” for 2021 from Mayor Jenny Durkan over the next month as negotiations continue between the mayor’s office and the city council.

CHS reported earlier on the timeline and issues for the 2021 city budget process here and the push for community-driven participatory budget in Seattle.

Here are 10 things CHS heard Tuesday night:

  • Specific issues speakers from the council member’s office and supporters with the mayor’s proposed budget unveiled last month included a failure to defund the Seattle Police Department, to stop sweeps of homeless encampments, and budget cuts to transportation, libraries, and community centers. “Mayor Durkan’s proposed budget attacks working people,” Sawant said. Continue reading →

Kshama Sawant’s inauguration a battle cry to ‘Tax Amazon’

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Making her agenda crystal clear, Kshama Sawant’s Monday night inauguration to her third term on the Seattle City Council was also the launch of a new “Tax Amazon” movement in Seattle.

“We need a clear and fearless message that will inspire working people and community members to come out and get involved,” Sawant said in front of a packed crowd at the Central District’s Washington Hall. “We need a message that will sound as powerful in spirit for working people around the country, hence: Tax Amazon,” Sawant said.

Despite the freezing weather, supporters filled the 14th Ave venue to celebrate the decisive victory of the Socialist Alternative incumbent over Egan Orion in November. Orion was backed by an unprecedented $1.5 million in funding from Amazon, a “blatant attempt to buy City Hall.” The election backlash to the Amazon cash also helped Sawant secure key new allies — her fellow council members as the council’s two citywide representatives — Teresa Mosqueda and Lorena González embraced the Socialist Alternative leader and a slate of progressive candidates.

“Together we defeated the richest man in the world,” one of the emcees Eva Metz, Sawant’s campaign finance director, proudly declared. Continue reading →

Bowers steps up effort to unseat Sawant with ethics complaint over Socialist Alternative influence

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Allegations from the new complaint

Reporting by CHS and SCC Insight has led to a Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission complaint against Kshama Sawant from a political opponent seeking to unseat the Socialist Alternative veteran from her seat on the Seattle City Council.

“Kshama is using her office to do work on behalf of the Socialist Alternative organization and she appears to be attempting to shield that work from public disclosure laws,” Logan Bowers tells CHS about the new complaint.

In it, Bowers alleges Sawant “permitted the use of city funds and personnel by the Socialist Alternative party” and that she and staff “have been using 3rd party communications services to conduct City of Seattle business,” a violation of state law.

“While I expect that these apparent violations of city and State law will ultimately be adjudicated at the ballot box, I believe for the health our democratic institutions the voters of District 3 and Seattle deserve to know definitively the extent and legality of council member Sawant’s actions during her tenure in office,” Bowers writes. Continue reading →

Spear still fired up in 43rd district race despite big hurdles in final month

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Spear speaks with a supporter at a weekend rally on Capitol Hill (Images: CHS)

Spear speaks with a supporter at a weekend rally on Capitol Hill (Images: CHS)

Closing a 59 point primary gap would be a downright miracle in a political race, but Jess Spear is keeping the pressure on with one month to go in her bid to unseat longtime House Speaker Frank Chopp in Capitol Hill’s 43rd district.

On Tuesday night, Spear was fired up in her short appearance with Chopp at the Eastlake Community Council candidate forum. It was one of the few times both candidates have appeared together in the same room ahead of the November election, though the 20 minute session didn’t leave much time to get beyond the talking points.

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Spear and Chopp at the Pocock Rowing Center for Tuesday night’s forum (Photo: CHS)

In the August primary Spear garnered just 20% of vote as Chopp took home 79%. Spear’s staff are quick to point out that Spear gave a strong showing given Chopp’s entrenched position in the district and in Olympia.

“Winning depends on our ability to reach people, and that’s what frustrates me about the limited candidate forums,” Spear told CHS heading into Tuesday night. Continue reading →