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Please note that many of the issues of this campaign are also addressed in some of the press releases issued by the Joe Szwaja for City Council campaign. You can see our press releases in the press room section of the web site.

A Bold, Progressive Vision for the City of Seattle

• All neighborhoods are viewed as important to Seattle. Growth management decisions need to be sustainable and compatible with existing uses.
• Our open spaces and environment are protected.
• Existing family businesses and local industries that pay a living wage and produce sustainable products are made priorities in local government.
• Affordable housing is preserved; renter's rights are protected while landlord's concerns are respected.
• Existing infrastructure is properly maintained. Low cost traffic solutions are emphasized.
• Frontline employees are empowered to deliver quality services. Unaccountable privatization schemes are ended.
• Community policing is restored as the primary way police services are delivered.
• The Seattle City Council stands up for the people and truly filfill its legislative duties.

A Plan for Housing Affordability

Seattle is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis.  Skyrocketing housing prices have contributed to our region's economy, but at the cost of making it less livable for the majority of its residents.  The housing crisis is not just an economic issue--it's a political issue that requires bold leadership to stop displacement, increase affordable housing and end subsidies for profitable developers.

To address these problems, I propose a four-point plan to:

• Preserve our current affordable housing
• End tax breaks and giveaways for developments that don’t provide clear public benefits
• Build more affordable housing
• Support homeless services

Read more 

A Plan for a More Sustainable Seattle

Seattle needs to be part of the worldwide effort to find solutions to our planet's potentially catastrophic climate situation. The city must refocus its transportation from one that moves single-occupancy vehicles to one that moves people and freight. Neighborhood sustainability councils can aid this effort by finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve livability at the same time.

Read more

A Plan for Police Accountability

It is time to reform our police accountability mechanisms to increase their transparency, independence, and effectiveness. Maintaining a professional, top-notch police force requires honoring those public servants who excel at a very difficult job, while making sure that police officers who violate professional standards receive appropriate discipline. Unfortunately, this has not occurred in Seattle. Recently, well-documented cases of police officers using excessive force and lying to their superiors have not resulted in proper discipline.

Read more

A History of LGBT Advocacy

Joe Szwaja has a proven track record of leadership on LGBT issues. During his tenure on the Madison City Council, Joe co-authored and passed several landmark reforms, including:

*DOMESTIC PARTNER benefits (sick and bereavement leave) for city employees.

*NON-DISCRIMINATION on the basis of sexual orientation in pulic accommodations and housing.

Click here to read more about Joe's history of fighting for equal rights for all.

Click here to download a printable flyer
(Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

A History of Effective Support and Advocacy for Immigrant Rights

In Wisconsin Joe Szwaja helped pass equal opportunities laws that benefited many immigrants from Latin America and Southeast Asia. He helped immigrants get a better education and social services as a community college teacher and as a staff person at the Neighborhood Intervention Project and Centro Hispano.

Click here to download a multi-lingual flyer on Joe's work for Immigrant Rights
(Microsoft Word Document)