As Seattle’s mayoral election draws near, incumbent Bruce Harrell appeared on The Gee and Ursula Show on KIRO Newsradio to outline his accomplishments and address mounting public concerns over crime, homelessness, and the state of local small businesses.
Championing Small Businesses and Economic Recovery
When asked about the ongoing challenges small businesses face — especially with rising commercial rents and the lingering effects of the pandemic — Harrell underscored his personal and professional ties to the small business community.
“You’re talking to a person who owned a small business for many years in downtown Seattle,” Harrell noted. “Also, an attorney who represented literally close to 100 small businesses in my career.”
Harrell highlighted efforts by his administration to ease burdens on business owners, including proposed business and occupation tax reforms designed to reduce costs for smaller enterprises.
One key initiative Harrell emphasized was the revival of the Storefront Repair Fund, a grant program offering financial assistance to small businesses recovering from vandalism and break-ins.
“Our storefront reform fund is coming back,” he stated. “When there’s a broken window or a broken door, we give grants to help business owners deal with senseless crime.”
Addressing Homelessness with Shelter-First Approach
Homelessness continues to be a central concern in the mayoral race. Harrell defended his administration’s “shelter-first” policy and claimed significant progress in clearing encampments that obstruct public access.
“Under our leadership, we’ve removed 80% of encampments in areas where people couldn’t get past sidewalks,” Harrell said. “We always offer shelter first and comply with the law.”
Harrell also cited a $970 million voter-approved levy — Proposition 1 — as a crucial win for affordable housing. According to Harrell, the city has invested over $1 billion into housing development under his leadership, resulting in more than 33,000 units built, 6,000 of which are affordable.
Combating Gun Violence and Rebuilding Police Staffing
The issue of public safety looms large, especially in the wake of five shootings in a single week, many of which were reportedly targeted attacks. Harrell said his administration has been aggressive in addressing the spike in gun violence and rebuilding the Seattle Police Department (SPD).
“We have a hundred new officers this year, and that’s huge,” Harrell said. “This is unprecedented in terms of the trajectory we’re on.”
He added that the city is actively working to remove illegal firearms from circulation.
“We’re getting about five and a half guns off the street each day — that’s thousands of guns per year,” he explained. “We are very aggressive in trying to keep people safe.”
Responding to Critics
When asked to respond to criticism that his administration is more focused on promises than action, Harrell pointed to the difficult conditions he inherited when taking office.
“People have to remember what the city looked like four years ago,” Harrell said. “We lost over 300 police officers — nearly 20% of the department.”
Despite the challenges, Harrell maintained that his administration is on the right path and that results are beginning to show.
“We have a lot of work to do, and I’m up for it,” he concluded. “The trajectory is clear — and we’re moving forward.”
As the election approaches, Harrell is urging voters to consider not just his promises, but the concrete progress his administration claims to have made on Seattle’s most pressing issues.
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