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Licata's Urban Politics
Mar 07, 2001 -- Congratulations to Seattle City Council Member Nick Licata on publication of the 100th edition of Urban Politics, a remarkable e-mail chronicle of city issues and arguments. This newsletter should be read by anyone interested in what city government does to or for our city.Licata started Urban Politics in September 1996, before he was elected to office. Since then he has kept it up on a regular basis, despite the many hours of writing and research required of him and his staff.
Issue #100 dealt with city council approval of a measure allowing a cable franchise to lay a new fiber optic network throughout the city, an issue that has been hotly debated ever since cable TV companies began stringing wires on city-owned poles.
Licata often expounds on his own work and committee activities in Urban Politics. The fiber-optic deal was not actually in Licata's portfolio, but was steered by Council Member Jim Compton. Licata wrote about it in Urban Politics because he saw it as an important issue for the city, a good deal for the public and a good job by Compton's committee.
Licata frequently revisits or recaps contentious issues that he has been involved in, and explains how he made his decision on which way to go. Issue #101 explores the fight over 100-foot-tall light poles for some city high school athletic fields, which Licata supported.
Licata explains in his introduction, "Although the vote has already been taken, I think it is still important to provide some background and coverage on what the law now says. This is particularly important given that the legislation went through 16 versions and was being amended up until its final passage.
"Pros and cons on the light poles were almost evenly divided. Neighbors to the schools felt their privacy and property values were threatened. On the other side were people who wanted to use the fields after school hours for soccer and other sports.
"My office received hundreds of letters and e-mails from both proponents and opponents of this legislation. Last spring's public hearing on the issue saw the audience almost equally divided."
He goes on to explain why he ultimately voted for the legislation permitting the light poles.
It's not necessarily to an elected official's advantage to keep stirring the pot after a vote has been taken and the debate is over. However, there is a huge advantage to the public in having a detailed explanation of how a key official viewed a contentious issue, and in having a reasonably clear summary of the different sides in the debate.
Topics taken up recently in Urban Politics include campaign contribution limits, Sound Transit, the monorail and the Arboretum, among many others. In each newsletter, Licata states where he stands, as well as outlining the opposing viewpoint.
Thank you, Nick, for continuing to publish such an interesting, useful window into city government. I only wish everyone on the council were as eager to communicate with the public.
To subscribe to Urban Politics, e-mail Nick.Licata@ci.seattle.wa.us.
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