Richard Conlin
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Richard Conlin (born May 1, 1948) is a former member of the Seattle City Council, first elected to council in 1997 and serving until his 2013 reelection loss to Kshama Sawant of Socialist Alternative. He was unanimously elected council president twice, serving from 2008-2012.
Early life and education
Conlin is a native of Washington, D.C.<ref name="SPI 2005">Template:Cite news</ref> He moved to Michigan for college and received a B.A. in history from Michigan State University (1968), as well as a master's degree in Political Science (1971).<ref name="AW">Template:Cite web</ref> After college, Conlin took a job selling computer programs.<ref name="SPI 2005"/> He was elected to two terms (1973–1976) as an Ingham County Commissioner, representing part of the City of East Lansing.<ref name="SPI 2005"/><ref name="AW"/>
Before being elected to Seattle City Council, Conlin directed the Community and Environment Division at Metrocenter YMCA from 1985 to 1996, where started the Earth Service Corps, expanded the Master Home Environmentalist certification (aimed at household waste and pollution) and co-founded the policy group Sustainable Seattle.<ref name="AW"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Conlin spent time teaching public administration at the University of Botswana and University of Swaziland.<ref name="SPI 2005"/><ref name="AW"/>
Seattle City Council
Elections
Conlin first ran for the Seattle City Council in 1997 after councilmember Jane Noland chose to run for mayor instead of reelection.<ref name="SPI 2005"/><ref name="SR1">Template:Cite news</ref> In the September primary, Conlin came in first among seven challengers, with 30% of the vote, and advanced to the general election with former councilmember Sherry Harris, who earned 28% of the vote.<ref name="ST Out">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="1997election">Template:Cite web</ref> Harris received endorsements from a majority of the council while Conlin only received an endorsement from Mayor Norm Rice after the primary.<ref name="ST Liberal">Template:Cite news</ref> Although heterosexual, Conlin received endorsements from LGBT politicians and organizations over Harris, who was a lesbian.<ref name="ST Out"/><ref name="ST Liberal"/> In the November general election, Conlin defeated Harris in a landslide, 66% to 34%.<ref name="1997election"/>
Conlin ran for reelection in 2001 and, in the September primary, came in first against four challengers, with 46% of the vote.<ref name="2001 primary">Template:Cite web</ref> He advanced to the general election with Seattle School Board member Michael Preston who earned 23% of the vote in the primary.<ref name="2001 primary"/><ref name="SPI2001">Template:Cite news</ref> Conlin ran on his record as chair of the neighborhoods committee, and outraised and received more endorsements then Preston.<ref name="SPI2001"/> In the November general election, Conlin defeat Preston 62% to 38%.<ref name="General elections">Template:Cite web</ref>
Conlin ran for reelection in 2005, facing two primary challengers, Paige Miller, a Seattle Port Commissioner, and Darlene Madenwald, President of the American Lung Association of Washington.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> in the September primary, Conlin and Miller advanced with 49% and 36% of the vote, respectively.<ref name="2005 primary">Template:Cite web</ref> In the general election, Conlin focused on his record as transportation chair while Miller accused Conlin of flip-flopping on transportation issues, like the Waterfront Streetcar and the Alaska Way Viaduct replacement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the November general election, Conlin defeated Miller 60% to 40%.<ref name="General elections"/>
In 2009, Conlin faced one challenger, David Ginsberg, a technology “solutions architect" at a bank.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the November general election, Conlin defeated Ginsberg in a landslide, 77% to 23%.<ref name="General elections"/>
In his 2015 reelection campaign, Conlin faced two challengers and secured first place in the August primary, receiving 47% of the vote.<ref name="2013 primary">Template:Cite web</ref> Kshama Sawant, an economics professor at Seattle Central College and member of the Socialist Alternative party, came in second, with 35% of the vote, and also advanced to the general election.<ref name="2013 primary"/> Conlin focused his campaign on his record, which included rezoning the South Lake Union neighborhood and passing a $123 million housing levy, and high-profile endorsements, like the King County Labor Council.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="KUOW 2013">Template:Cite news</ref> Sawant campaigned on raising the minimum wage and against the capitalist systems.<ref name="KUOW 2013"/> In the November general election, Sawant narrowly defeated Conlin, 50.8% to 49.1%.<ref name="General elections"/>
Tenure
Over his tenure, Conlin chaired the Environment, Emergency Management & Utilities Committee, the Annexation Committee, Neighborhoods, Growth Planning, and Civic Engagement Committee, and the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability.<ref name="AW"/> His focus areas were public health, sustainability, and the environment. Under the banner of environment, he was involved in efforts to improve the salmon population. Conlin was involved in emergency response planning for Seattle.
Conlin sponsored the 2007 Zero Waste Strategy, Resolution 30990 which directed Seattle Public Utilities to produce recommendations on how to eliminate residential solid waste,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> including whether to ban or tax plastic shopping bags and Styrofoam food containers. In 2008, Conlin sponsored a bill to phase out plastic bags in Seattle, a 20-cent surcharge on bags.<ref name="SPT bags">Template:Cite web</ref> Businesses with under one million dollars in annual sales were exempt and got to keep the money. The measure passed the city council by a 6-1 margin.<ref name="SPT bags"/>
On August 8, 2008, Washington Food Industry, a trade group representing grocery stores, launched a petition drive to nullify the ordinance through citizens' referendum, funded partly by the plastics industry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On September 15, the petition was certified by the King County Elections Office,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> delaying implementation of the fee until after a public vote. On August 18, 2009, Seattle voters rejected the fee, 53 to 47 percent.<ref name="SPT bags"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A new plastic bag ban and paper bag fee passed in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On October 15, 2012, both the King County Council and Seattle City Council approved a financing plan for a $490 million sports arena in Seattle's Sodo neighborhood, backed by venture capitalist Chris Hansen. The King County Council vote was 9–0, while the City Council vote was 7–2, with Conlin and Nick Licata as the only opposition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The new arena was intended to host the NBA Seattle SuperSonics professional basketball team as well as a potential NHL ice hockey team.
Recall effort
On May 31, 2011, a recall effort was announced. Proponents cited Conlin for three alleged violations of law: signing the draft environmental-impact statement of the proposed Seattle waterfront tunnel in lieu of Mayor Mike McGinn, colluding with City Attorney Peter Holmes, and failing to place a certified initiative on the ballot.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 22, 2011, King County Superior Court Judge Carol Schapira dismissed the recall petition, which would have required proving Conlin committed malfeasance or an illegal act to go forward.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Post-City Council Career
After serving on the council, Conlin became an affordable housing developer at Conlin Columbia LLC.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Conlin also teaches urban planning at the University of Washington.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>