2021 Elections Candidate Statements: King County and City of Issaquah

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
Resolving the county’s transportation/traffic issues is one of my top priorities. We must continue making investments into multi-modal transportation systems that include our light rail system, improving existing bus routes, maintaining our roads, and making our neighborhoods bike and pedestrian friendly. We must reduce our carbon footprint by continuing to invest in electric/hybrid buses to replace our current fleet.

Sarah Perry
One of my top priorities is making sure our neighbors have safe, reliable, and accessible transportation that does not impose on our natural spaces. I will expand access to transit, advocate for additional affordable housing and walkable communities through transit-oriented development, and protect and strengthen our environment at the same time.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
Issaquah should maintain the road network we’ve already built and add strategically planned roadways to meet current and future growth. However, we cannot build our way out of traffic congestion, except by reducing traffic. We need increased local and regional transit services, walking and bike paths, transit alternatives (vans and rideshare programs), e-bikes and e-scooters. And we should encourage telecommuting.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
My main focus is on increasing access to existing public transportation. There are three major benefits to be seen from this: We could reduce traffic congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and we would be addressing one aspect of social equity. We must also give priority to pedestrians and cyclists.

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
King County is expected to see rapid growth in the coming decade, and we must prepare our foundational infrastructure, such as sewers, parks, and general local services to coincide with this growth. Expanding our transportation options is also a critical aspect of sustaining and improving our quality of life as our population grows. We must also encourage vital business development.

Sarah Perry
We live in one of the fastest growing districts in King County and we must meet this growth with solid infrastructure by building more affordable housing, expanding access to transit and transportation options, and protecting our green spaces from development.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
What will Issaquah look like in the future? This is the question that guides growth management. We must ensure that Issaquah is affordable to a wide range of people, that our environment and open spaces are preserved for future generations, that growth is supported by infrastructure, and that Issaquah is a warm, welcoming, and equitable community.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
We must carefully plan for growth and ensure that a substantial percentage of all new construction is affordable housing. Building homes that only the wealthy can afford is not a sustainable practice for any city. Unlimited growth is also unsustainable. We must find a balance.

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
Public safety is a major concern as we see rising crime in Seattle. We cannot have increased crime in our neighborhoods. To break the crime cycle, I’ve worked to develop programs such as community court and reformed several juvenile justice processes. We must protect public safety funding to meet the needs of our growing population and keep our neighborhoods safe.

Sarah Perry
My goal is that every neighbor has a safe place to call home and safe and healthy communities to live, work, and play. I’ll collaborate at the state and local level to meet the unique needs of each community and prioritize sustainable funding for all aspects of public safety including community-led programs and needed reforms.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
Public safety is our top job. For too long we’ve asked emergency responders to resolve unfunded social issues. Many calls involve no criminality but do involve people in personal crisis. Adding a social worker, homeless outreach specialist and park ranger now allows Issaquah to deliver the services people need and frees police to focus on fighting crime.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
Police are expected to deal with a myriad of community problems, yet are not given all training needed for such a wide scope of issues. We must do better in this category. And we can by creating new branches of emergency services for the different situations where armed police are not required, such as mental health troubles, addiction, and homelessness.

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
To protect our quality of life for current and future generations, we must make sure that we maintain and expand county infrastructure to serve our needs and protect the environment. This means expanding our transportation systems, converting our landfills to new, clean waste management technology, preventing sewage overflows into Puget Sound, and building more affordable housing at all income levels.

Sarah Perry
I will be an advocate for smart growth, while making sure our infrastructure is prepared and enhanced for the growth coming our way. I will support housing density in our cities per the Growth Management Act allows and continually work to maintain and enhance green spaces throughout our communities.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
No specific statement provided; “answered in other sections.”

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
I believe that Issaquah, in general, has maintained its infrastructure quite well. I’d like to focus more on what can be improved: pedestrian and cyclist routes in ALL of Issaquah. All residents in all neighborhoods should be able to walk or ride a bicycle to downtown without worrying for their safety.

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
The county has attained the highest credit rating for a government agency, which saves millions of dollars in interest each year on capital projects. As a member of the budget committee, we have distributed financial assistance to small businesses and assisted renters with COVID relief. It is important to continue prioritizing our spending and to be responsible with your taxes.

Sarah Perry
I will always be a champion for tax fairness and fiscal responsibility. We need to start with regular performance audits on tax breaks. I will ensure our county is positioned to leverage federal and state dollars, and collaborate with local leaders to coordinate services and find efficiencies.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
The City Council’s job is to ensure that taxes are spent effectively, so that residents get the “biggest bang” for their dollars. Last year, the Council adopted rubrics for measuring city progress and effectiveness; starting this year, we must begin to tie measurement results to budget decisions. Every aspect of the city budget reflects our community values.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
I am not yet familiar with this year’s budget and therefore cannot provide comment on specifics, but I would like to reiterate that my priorities for spending would be providing pedestrians and cyclists with safe routes through our city, increasing access to public transportation, and supporting programs that promote equity in some fashion.

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
Taking care of those in need is a priority. We must bring services and equity to our communities. COVID has magnified our need for mental health services. We must continue funding for the human services department to bring access to housing, behavioral health services, homeless care, and suicide prevention, thus creating a robust safety net for those most at risk.

Sarah Perry
Washington State is ranked 48th in the nation in mental health support services and we can, and must, do better than this. I will prioritize public health and human services at every opportunity. This is a state, county and city issue, and I look forward to partnering across the sectors to find better solutions for all of our impacted families and community members.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
COVID-19 amply demonstrated the need for a strong municipal and private human services network. I am proud of the advances Issaquah made in the midst of a public health crisis – adding Human Services Department personnel, and financially supporting multiple nonprofit organizations that serve our residents. Going forward, we must ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of our public/private human services network.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
Homelessness, addiction, declines in mental health, the growing gap in wealth distribution, etc. are global/national problems. While addressing the core causes must come from higher government, this does not mean we cannot simultaneously treat the symptoms of these problems we experience locally. I would support expanding Issaquah’s current Human Services department.

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
We must protect and improve the air we breathe and the water we enjoy. We must also focus on reducing our carbon footprint. Forest maintenance, fire prevention, and shifting away from fossil fuel transportation are key aspects of improving air quality and reducing our greenhouse gases. Habitat restoration and flood reduction projects help us to preserve our land and waterways.

Sarah Perry
We have a responsibility to protect and preserve the beauty of this District, including our open spaces, rural neighborhoods and farmlands, our air quality and forests, lakes, rivers and watersheds, as well as supporting local food resiliency and sustainability programs. I am a strong advocate of our Growth Management Act and protecting our rural spaces to reduce our carbon footprint.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
Climate change affects us locally as indicated by increased flooding, wildfire dangers, loss of salmon and other habitat, and even the impacts of a global pandemic. We must urgently adopt steps to reduce carbon emissions. I support our new Environmental Board and look forward to reviewing a Climate Action Plan as well as the council’s revision of Title 18 land use policies.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
We are living in a time with an unprecedented rate of biodiversity loss. Preserving the health of our environment and preventing the loss of biodiversity is of the utmost importance to protecting our own health. We can take action at a local level that can help prevent ecological collapse.

Metropolitan King County, Council District No. 3

Kathy Lambert
We chose to live in Washington because of its beauty, natural settings, and our strong environmental standards. Ultimately, people choose King County because of our good schools and safe communities. My goal is to increase equitable housing options to meet the needs of all our residents and continue developing more trails, greenspaces, and parks to help promote livability and accessibility.

Sarah Perry
As the largest physical district of all nine in King County, and the one expected to see the most growth in the next 10 years, I will work to ensure that all residents have an affordable, safe, vibrant place to live, work, play, and learn now and for future generations.

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 3

Barbara de Michele
No specific statement provided; “answered in other sections.”

City of Issaquah, Council Position No. 5

Rose Zibrat
Issaquah is a great place to live, but we can do better. We need to provide pedestrians and cyclists with safe routes through our city and increase access to public transportation. We must plan for equitable, affordable housing.