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We invited all Mayors candidates to submit
statements to our membership. Mayor Nickels
declined to send a statement. Below are the unedited
statements from the candidates that did submit them
starting off with our recomended candidate, James
Donaldson
James Donaldson - Recommended Candidate
The two-week buzzer has sounded. The only thing
that matters is what happens in the next two weeks.
What will you do? Where will you be? When will you
do it? How will you make a difference?
We all know that Mayor Greg Nickels is the reason the
Seattle Sonics left town. We all know that Mayor Greg
Nickels left Seattle holding the bag - an empty bag, an
empty Arena, empty seats, and $32 million dollars that
were emptied when Nickels couldn't convince anyone
to turn the Key.
But basketball, Key Arena, and tens of thousands of
empty-hearted fans aren't the only losses to Seattle.
We've lost the respect of the region and the state.
We've lost thousands of jobs. We've lost tens of
thousands of hours stuck in traffic because of political
gridlock. We've lost young people killed in gang
violence and thousands of students dropping out of
school. We've lost our priorities. It would take scores
of emails to tally up the losses Seattle has suffered
through under Greg Nickels.
A new mayor can make a change. But only one man
can make BIG CHANGE. James Donaldson. He's
someone who is looking out for the little guy,
someone who won't give out a $40,000 executive
bonus during a major recession. Someone who has
the intelligence to not just plow through the
bureaucracy, but the snow-covered streets. Someone
who will cut costs and clean house.
IT'S TIME THE FANS WON THE GAME. It's time for
each of us to get out of our seats and take to the
court - and the street - and get James Donaldson
elected.
James Donaldson Campaign Site
Jan Drago
I moved to Seattle the year after the Sonics won the
World Championship. Seattle's first Championship.
Seattle was, and is, a basketball town. Our first
professional franchise.
The Dragos are a sports family! Over the years, my
husband and I have had season tickets for the Sonics,
Reign, Storm, Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders and
Thunderbirds
I worked tirelessly to keep the Sonics in Seattle. I
worked with city and state elected officials. I lobbied in
Olympia for a funding package to keep them in Seattle.
When the Sonics left Seattle, a piece of Seattle went
missing.
Greg Nickels did not do his part to save our basketball
team or upgrade KeyArena, and losing the Sonics
was one of the things that motivated me to run for
Mayor. We should have been able to keep the Sonics
in Seattle, but we didn't.
As Mayor, I will work hard to bring professional
basketball back to Seattle. A new Mayor with a different
style, and a passion for basketball, can work with the
NBA and other key leaders to have professional
basketball in Seattle.
I am the best person to beat Mayor Nickels and bring
basketball back to Seattle.
Jan Drago Campaign Site
John Mallahan
We need a new mayor in Seattle and I'm the best
candidate to defeat Greg Nickels. I'm the only
candidate rated "outstanding" by the Municipal League
and endorsed by The Seattle Times. The city needs
new leadership and better management - two things I
know I can deliver.
The Sonics were a Seattle asset and a part of our
community. I don't support the high-stakes game that
the NBA allowed, where Oklahoma City was able to
lure our team away, but the city had a role to play too.
Seattle needed help from the state, and as everyone
knows - there are no open doors for Nickels in
Olympia. Even in dealing with the fallout and trial,
Nickels was blasted by papers for
being "contradictory," "embarrassing" and for taking a
settlement that was "not a good deal for citizens."
As mayor, I would ensure that the state and our city
worked together on important issues. We need to
remodel Key Arena. We need to regain Seattle
Center's status a great community gathering spot.
And we need a new Seattle mayor. With your support,
we can work to bring NBA basketball back to Seattle,
and bring new leadership to city government.
Joe Mallahan Campaign Site
Norman Sigler
As mayor of Seattle, I will work with our non-profit, for-
profit, King Co, the State of Wa., and private
benefactors, we will create a multi-use space for Key
Arena not just for world-class basketball and its fans,
but for fans of other types of sports such as
swimming, tennis, table tennis, and skating (ice
sports). Professional sports are a great component to
civic engagement and quality of life for a city. I will work
with the NBA and potential ownership groups to bring
a team back to our city. This will be a true partnership
were costs and benefits are shared between all
parties making the investment.
I attended about 8 games a year during the last 3
years the Sonics were in town. Even when the team
was not doing well, it was a great place to go with
friends and see others from the community. I
especially like watching proud parents showing off
their kids who are back from college or are in town for
the holidays. The ability to strengthen a community is
almost priceless. I'm happy to know that some Sonics
players have decided to make their homes in Seattle -
Nick Collison. Please check out other ways I intend to
build partnerships within our great city and send me
feedback.
I would love to work with you all to make NBA in
Seattle a reality and an excellent asset for our
community. I would love your vote.
Thank you.
Norman Sigler Campaign Site
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