2006 Candidate Questionnaire
SECTION I
BASIC CANDIDATE INFORMATION
1. Name as it will appear on the ballot
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First Name |
Middle Initial or Nick Name |
Last Name |
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Jim |
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Street |
2. Office sought (include office, jurisdiction, position/district number):
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House of Representatives, 43rd District, Pos. 1 |
3. Are you the incumbent? Yes x No
4. How long have you resided in this district/city?
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29 years |
5. How long have you resided in King County?
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29 years |
6. Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan? x Partisan Nonpartisan
7. If partisan, please indicate party: Democratic
CAMPAIGN CONTACTS
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Campaign Name: |
Friends of Jim Street |
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Address: |
P.O Box 30149 |
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City, State, zip |
Seattle, WA 98113-0149 |
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Campaign Phone: |
206-383-3022; Candidate – 206-218-4740 |
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Campaign Fax: |
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Campaign E-mail: |
info@jimstreet.org |
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Campaign Website: |
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POLITICAL BACKGROUND
1. Beginning with the most recent position, please list public offices which you have held. Include positions on appointive Boards or Commissions.
Public Office |
Elective or Appointive? |
Dates Held |
Leadership Role (if any) |
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King County Superior Court Criminal, Civil & Juvenile Courts |
Elective |
1997--00
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Seattle City Council
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Elective
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1984-95
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President, Council; President, Puget Sound Regional Council; Chair, PSRC Growth Management Policy Board; Chair, Metro Arts Committee; Chair Council Land Use Committee; Chair City Council Public Education Committee. |
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2. If you ran for public office but were not elected, please list those races below:
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Office Title |
Year of Run |
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Mayor, City of Seattle
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1989
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SECTION III
In this section, we are seeking responses that reflect the four ratings criteria: involvement, effectiveness, character, and knowledge. These are defined as follows:
- Involvement: What has the candidate done previously in family, neighborhood, community, volunteer work, employment or public life to suggest readiness to accomplish challenging objectives? How do these activities demonstrate readiness for the challenges unique to the office sought?
- Effectiveness: Has the candidate demonstrated promise of being productive in the office sought? Has the candidate shown the ability to work with other people?
- Character: Do the candidate's personal traits show the ability to take on the responsibilities of campaigning for and holding the public office she or he is seeking? Is the candidate a leader, participant or observer? Is the candidate trustworthy, reliable and candid?
- Knowledge: Has the candidate demonstrated the willingness and ability to learn and adapt? Does the candidate understand the duties and challenges of the office sought? Does the candidate have a firm grasp of the issues important to his or her constituency and their potential effects?
1. In a page or less, why are you running for this office? (Note: the interview committee will be given a copy of this statement before your interview; at the beginning of your interview you will have the opportunity to expand on this statement in any way you wish.)
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I've had the opportunity to get very clear about the values I bring to bear as I make choices and take action. In my website you will find a complete statement of those values. The first two are: § Do we value all persons in all places in all times equally? § Do we cherish and protect our earth? I am running because I believe we can do much better as a community, as a state and as a nation to fulfill our commitment to these values. I want to help mobilize the conscience of the people of our state in support of social justice, environmental stewardship and honest, open government. Another way to put it: My desire to serve in the legislature is about children. The children we have. Are they going to receive the education and other support they need to be good providers, good citizens and self-fulfilled human beings? Are they going to have access to the education to which they aspire regardless of income? And, in particular, are we going to focus the attention needed on those children who start behind, stay behind and dropout? I intend to serve on the House education Committee and/or the House Families and Children Committee. My priorities will be: i) reduced class size, ii) education system reform, iii) reduced achievement gap and iv) reduced dropouts. Success will require attention to public schools, families and state systems such as foster care and juvenile justice. The children not yet born. Are we going to consume the wealth this planet offers and leave the leftovers to the generations that follow? Or, are we going to make the hard decisions and take the actions that are necessary to sustain the incredible qualities of life that we have? I intend to serve on the House Transportation Committee because I believe the automobile has and will have more impact on the quality of the environment in Washington State (and on global warming) than any other factor. My priorities will be: i) In the short term, provide leadership on the 520 bridge decision; ii) Shift the state criteria for making transportation investments from moving vehicles to moving people and goods; iiI) Reform transportation governance in the Puget Sound Region so that accountable policy makers can craft a coherent, comprehensive transportation (and land use) strategy using the complete set of revenue sources that are available; iv) Do everything within state authority to increase gas mileage and reduce harmful emissions. I have not lost my idealism or optimism about what our state and country can be. Future generations deserve nothing less. |
2. Describe your most important personal characteristics or traits as they relate to the office you seek.
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Clear Values – I have had a lifetime of public service to test those values. See above. Integrity – My job is to listen carefully to what my constituents say, truly hear them, be honest with them and in the end do what I think is right without pandering. The same is true with respect to my colleagues in the legislature. Trust is essential. This does not rule out compromise, if compromise is necessary to get the best long term solution that is possible. Vision – The ability to understand the long term consequences of what is being proposed and to connect the dots between apparently unrelated things. Knowing that the large and the small both matter. Experience/Knowledge – All levels and all branches of government as well as private sector. Skill – Communication, collaboration, political strategy, Will – Knowing and talking about the right answers is not enough. Legislative accomplishment requires tenacity. I believe that I was well known for tenacity on the city Council. During the last five years I have raised over $4 million from eight foundations, 16 local governments and the state for the Reinvesting in Youth juvenile justice project. “Will” does not require running over people.
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3. Please describe in sufficient detail, one to three accomplishments or contributions of which you are most proud. These examples should illustrate effective skills and capabilities you think apply to the office you are seeking. These accomplishments may have occurred at any time in your personal, professional, or public life.
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Engaging the City of Seattle in support of the Seattle Public Schools-When I first joined the council, the scope of city responsibilities was defined narrowly. I was convinced that the health and quality of our city could not be separated from the health and quality of our public schools. I proposed and then chaired the first City Council Committee on Public Education. Our purpose was to explore how the city could more fully support the schools. The Families and Education Levy arose out of that initiative, and the first drafts of the levy were written in my office. It was ultimately passed after Mayor Norm Rice’s Education summit in 1990 and is the foundation for the city’s support of the schools since that time. To complement that effort I proposed the City’s Children and Youth Action Plan that focused City resources on at risk families and children. Mobilizing the regional coalition in support of strong growth management policies in King County – I chaired the City Council’s Land Use and Planning Committees for 12 years and was very active at the regional level. As result, when the State passed the Growth Management Act in 1990, I and others were prepared. I lead the Seattle delegation on the King County Growth Management Planning Council and ultimately played the leading role in mobilizing the regional coalition including Seattle, most suburban cities and allies on the King County Council. The result was the most effective policy in the state limiting sprawl and focusing growth. Reforming Juvenile Justice – Over the last five years, as Director of the Reinvesting in Youth project I have raised over $4 million from eight foundations and 16 local governments to increase resources for intensive, evidence -based interventions for youth and families involved in the juvenile justice system and to reduce the disproportional involvement of children of color in that system. In 2006, we gained passage of the state “Reinvesting in Youth” bill which provides that the State will reimburse local governments for the state’s share (70%) of incarceration and other deep end savings resulting from local government investments in these cost- effective programs. State dollars have now replaced the foundation dollars. This was made possible in significant part by my strong regional relationships, my experience as a Superior Court Judge in Juvenile Court and the credibility that I have with local and national foundation leaders including Gates, Allen, Annie E. Casey, The Seattle Foundation and others.
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4. Please list or describe your current and past activities in the community in which you have acquired skills that relate to the office you seek. Include your role in the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved. Involvement consists of many areas such as family, neighborhood, community, employment, or public life.
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Campaign Reform State Board, Common Cause, President Pro Tem (1976-1982); drafted state campaign finance reform initiative
Education Municipal League Education Committee (1977-1980) Seattle Schools Citizen Budget Advisory Committee, Chair (1980- 82); drafted “Citizen’s Guide to the Teacher’s Contract”; one of 2 citizens asked to serve on District-SEA negotiating team to resolve RIF/Recall problem City-Schools Joint Advisory Committee for Education (JACE) (1982-83)- city / schools relations New Horizons for Learning, Board Member (1980-84) – education best practice Citizen’s Education Center Northwest, Board Member (1978-1982) – school finance and citizen engagement. Doing What Works, Co-Chair, (2004-06) – a small group of citizens working with Seattle Schools staff on policies for School District systemic reform; resolution now pending in School Board Student Learning Committee
Environment Sustainable Seattle, Board Member (1988-92) Transportation Choices Coalition, Board Member (2001-2003) 1000 Friends of Washington / Futurewise, Board Member (2003-2004)
Private Sector Lawyer in Private Practice (1977-1983), Anti-trust and public labor law
Public Employment World Bank, Economist and Budget and Operations Analyst (1971-74) City Council Member (1984-1995)– see above Superior Court Judge (1997-2000) – presided and applied state law in adult criminal, civil, family and juvenile courts Reinvesting in Youth / City of Seattle/King County (2001-2006) – Directed regional project requiring recruiting a diverse Steering Committee chaired by Norm Maleng, raising $1 million in contributions from 16 local governments, raising $2.5 million from 8 foundations and passing state “Reinvesting in Youth” legislation.
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- Please describe the duties of the office you seek. Which are the most important duties and why?
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Vote on budget and laws that establish state policy. Refer referenda and constitutional amendments to the people. Approve certain Governor’s appointments. Provide vision and leadership within the legislature and mobilize support for priority legislation. Help formulate priorities and strategies within the party caucus. Provide constituency services to assure access and response from state agencies. Provide legislative oversight of government operations. Engage constituents in discussions of state policy. Use the legislative platform to project vision and values to change hearts and minds on important public issues
Different legislators will perform different functions, which is a good thing. There is some specialization among these duties based on interest, temperament, skills etc. As a city councilmember and as a legislator my priorities have been and will be to provide leadership in crafting and generating a majority vote for priority legislation and working with others to mobilize public opinion for major policy reforms, e.g. tax reform |
EDUCATION BACKGROUND SUMMARY
FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT
The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report is distributed to voters in print and/or on our website. It includes a summary of the candidate’s education. Please summarize your education in 120 characters (letters, punctuation, and space all combined). The League will delete material that exceeds the space limit by beginning with the last entry. Suggested order is (degree) (subject) (school) (year, if desired).
Note: If this question is left blank the League will not include education information in your candidate profile.
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B.A., Princeton (1964); MPA, Princeton (1971); J.D.(Law), University of Puget Sound (1976) |
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY
FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT
The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report also includes a summary of each candidate’s civic involvement. Please summarize your civic involvement in the space below. We will make every attempt to include the information in the Candidate Evaluation Report as submitted. Due to space restrictions in the Report, your response is limited to 500 characters (letters, punctuation, and spaces all combined). It is important that you list your involvement beginning with the most important and ending with the least important. If you exceed the length of response permitted, or if the League should find it necessary to shorten responses for publication purposes, deletions will be made beginning with the last item listed.
Note: This information will appear verbatim on the League’s Candidate Evaluation Report. If this question is left blank, the Municipal League will not include information on your civic involvement in the Report.
Check here if you would like the Municipal League to copy the first 500 characters from Question 4 to paste into this section.
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Campaign Reform (State Board, Common Cause); Education (Chair, Seattle Schools Citizen Budget Advisory Committee; Board, New Horizons for Learning; Board, Citizen’s Education Center Northwest); Environment (Board, Sustainable Seattle; Board, Transportation Choices Coalition; Board, 1000 Friends of Washington / Future Wise) |
Finished!
If at all possible, send your response to the Municipal League electronically as an attachment, or insert it into an e-mail message (cec@munileague.org). Mail and fax numbers are listed below. If the League has not contacted you to schedule an interview, please call the League office at your earliest convenience.
Don’t forget to send the following to the Municipal League: a resume, a photo, campaign literature, and, if you are an incumbent, constituent newsletter and other materials. Please use the check-off list on the cover sheet of this packet to indicate which items you have sent.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR CAMPAIGN!
THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE OF KING COUNTY
Candidate Evaluation Coordinator: Jennifer DiGiacomo
Seattle, WA 98104-1614 Fax: 425-671-0506 Website: www.munileague.org