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Candidate Responses on

Key Themes

Candidate Questionnaire Responses

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wednesday, Oct. 22

5:30pm – 8pm

Downtown Burien

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33rd STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

Tina Orwell - State Senator 33rd Legislative District of Washington
Tina Orwell - State Senator 33rd Legislative District of Washington
Tina Orwall – State Senator

Meet Tina

(via Elect Tina Orwall)

Tina Orwall is a dedicated Washingtonian who has made a lifelong commitment to serving her community. From her early years growing up in Oak Harbor and Seattle, to now representing South King County in the Legislature, Tina’s connection to our state runs deep.
Throughout her career, Tina has carried a people-first attitude, advocating for the issues that matter most to Washingtonians. Tina graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in psychology and later earned a master’s in Social Work Administration. She committed herself to serving others, first as a clinical social worker advocating for individuals experiencing mental illness and homelessness. Her work with marginalized communities led her to the Washington State Legislature in 2009, where she began fighting for those who too often have their voices ignored.
In her role as a legislator, Tina has focused on advocating for the most vulnerable, with a special focus on veterans, women, youth, and survivors of sexual assault. She has fought to improve the justice system for victims of sexual violence, worked on suicide prevention programs, and led efforts to combat sex trafficking and illegal pornography. Tina isn’t afraid to tackle difficult issues that others shy away from, bringing critical attention to the challenges that impact so many Washingtonians.
Tina’s background in social work and psychology has made her a staunch advocate for inclusion and collaboration. She understands that real progress comes when we work together to find solutions to our state’s toughest problems. As Senator for District 33, she continues to fight for a safer, more diverse, and more inclusive Washington—a state where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
A wife and mother of two, Tina lives with her family in Des Moines, Washington. She has been an active member of the PTSA and a strong advocate for school levies, demonstrating her commitment to her children’s education. Her daughter is now pursuing a master’s degree in special education at the University of Washington, and her son is training as a commercial electrician. Tina’s dedication to her family reflects her deep belief in the importance of strong communities.

Elect Tina Orwall

Tina Orwall

State Senator

Kevin Schilling – State Representative Position #1

About Kevin

(via Elect Kevin Schilling)

Kevin was born alongside his twin sister in Des Moines where he grew up as a 4th generation Washingtonian in a union household (dad was a 35 year SPEEA Boeing engineer).
 
Kevin grew up going to Grace Lutheran Pre School in Des Moines and St. Francis of Assisi in Burien for grade school. Throughout that time, Kevin regularly participated in Des Moines rec league sports and had the same soccer coach for 15 years (shoutout Dan Keller!).  
 
After grade school, Kevin attended Aviation High School in the Highline School District. In high school, Kevin participated in Speech & Debate, was student body vice president, and worked throughout high school at local restaurants 909 in Burien and Mick Kelley’s in Kent. 
He started community college while working full time as a UFCW21 grocery store worker before teaching English in Far Western Nepal. He returned and worked as a delivery specialist at a boatyard selling Cutwater Ranger Tug boats, based in Kent.  
 
Kevin then started working for now former Democratic State Representative Kathy Haigh, as well as serving as a session aide to Democratic Governor Jay Inslee.  
 
After his first state government stint, Kevin completed his bachelors degree at Washington State University in Pullman where he ran a trivia night, hosted a radio show, worked as a tutor for football players, worked at the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service, and served as a ASWSU student body senator while ultimately graduating Summa Cum Laude as a Top Ten student for both community service and thesis writing. Go Cougs! 
 
Not quite done with school yet, Kevin finished a dual masters degree at Columbia University in New York City and the London School of Economics. While at Columbia, Kevin supported organizing graduate student workers (of which he was one) into a union with UAW. The following year, the graduate students successfully organized and got higher pay and better benefits. Kevin’s thesis focused on a timely issue: differences of economic Washington state politics between Democratic and Republican presidents focused on tariffs and oceanic trade.  
 
Following graduate school, Kevin returned home to work at St Francis of Assisi as a Pastoral Assistant to Father Hayatsu (his childhood priest). While home, Kevin ran for Burien City Council for the first time and was elected in local elections with close to 63% of the vote.  
 
When COVID hit, Kevin joined AmeriCorps to deliver emergency meals to low income families and seniors in Burien, Normandy Park, and SeaTac. He also completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard Kennedy School.  
 
Burien re-elected Kevin in 2023, where he then began serving as Burien Mayor. While on city council, Kevin has focused his efforts on using a treatment-first approach to homelessness, drug addiction, and mental health needs, making it easier to construct housing of all kinds, and getting law enforcement the tools they need to keep Burien safe. Kevin’s legislative priorities also include delivering more services to families whether it be meals and WiFi during the pandemic or rental assistance through ARPA funds holding government accountable to its spending and project timelines, and passing Burien’s climate action plan, economic development plan, and 20-year comprehensive plan.
 
Kevin serves on the policy board of the Greater Seattle Business Association (the Puget Sound’s LGBTQ chamber of commerce), and in his free time enjoys hanging out with his family, going to comedy shows, reading history books, traveling as much as he can, watching movies, playing video games, eating dim sum, and drinking coffee.

Elect Kevin Schilling

Kevin Schilling

State Representative 1

Edwin Orbas - State Representative Position 1
Edwin Orbas - State Representative Position 1
Edwin Obras – State Representative Position #1

Meet Edwin Obras

(via Edwin Obras for State Representative – 33rd District)

Edwin Obras immigrated to the United States as a child from the Philippines and was the first in his family to graduate from college.

He earned a B.A. from the University of Washington and later a Master of Public Administration from Northeastern University, reflecting his strong academic foundation.

Professionally, Edwin has over 25 years of experience in the human services field, working for nonprofit organizations in King County and for the City of Seattle.

He spent 17 years with Seattle’s Human Services Department, rising to the position of Deputy Division Director, and previously served as the division’s Budget and Policy Director and Contracts Manager.

His work in Seattle focused on critical social issues – homelessness, anti-hunger efforts, youth development, community safety, and supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Representative Edwin Obras just finished his first session in the Washington State Legislature. He’s a member of the Healthcare & Well-Being Committee, the Labor & Workforce Standards Committee, and the Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee—demonstrating his strong focus on improving quality of life, protecting workers’ rights, and enhancing public safety.

In addition to his committee work, Edwin serves as Assistant Majority Whip.

In addition to his professional career, Edwin has been deeply involved in community service. He chaired the SeaTac Human Services Advisory Committee from 2016 to 2018, helping guide local human services policy. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Filipino Community of Seattle and was the board’s president for five years (since 2019).

In that role, he has co-chaired a capital campaign to develop affordable housing for families, demonstrating a commitment to improving housing access in his community.

Edwin grew up in Seattle’s diverse Beacon Hill neighborhood and has emphasized that his lived experience as a Filipino American informs his public service and advocacy for marginalized communities. He is also a father to a young adult son, who is a graduate of the University of Washington.

Edwin Obras for State Representative – 33rd District

Edwin Obras

State Representative 1

PORT of SEATTLE

Ryan Calkins - Port of Seattle Commissioner #1
Ryan Calkins - Port of Seattle Commissioner #1
Ryan Calkins – Commissioner #1

About Commissioner Calkins

(via Port of Seattle)

Ryan Calkins was elected to the Port of Seattle Commission in 2017 and re-elected in 2021. Ryan is an Advisor on Offshore Wind and Maritime Infrastructure at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. For more than a decade, Ryan ran an import and distribution company in Seattle that was recognized for its industry-leading sustainability initiatives. In 2007, he formed Seattle Microfinance Organization, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs with limited economic resources. Ryan began his career in Central and South America, working for disaster relief and human rights nonprofits.
He received his Master of Arts from Yale University in International Relations and his Bachelor of Arts from Willamette University in Religious Studies. Born and raised in Edmonds by a public school teacher and a small business owner, Ryan now lives in Seattle with his wife and three children.

Commissioner Calkins focuses on sustainable economic development at the Port of Seattle, working to ensure that the region’s prosperity is shared among all communities. In 2021, Ryan was recognized for his role in launching Maritime High School with the Laschever Marlinspike Award from the Northwest Maritime Center.

Ryan balances current needs with a long-term vision for the Port of Seattle, to ensure that one of our region’s most valuable public assets will continue to thrive for generations to come.

Port of Seattle Bio
Ryan for Port

Ryan Calkins

Commissioner #1

Hamdi Mohamed - Port of Seattle Commissioner #3
Hamdi Mohamed - Port of Seattle Commissioner #3
Hamdi Mohamed – Commissioner #3

About Commissioner Mohamed

(via Port of Seattle)

Hamdi Mohamed was elected to the Port of Seattle Commission in November 2021. She made history as the first Somali woman elected to public office in Washington State and the first Black woman elected to the Port of Seattle Commission. In 2024, she served as the first Black Commission President in the Port’s 112-year history.

Mohamed’s decision to run for Port Commission stemmed from her long history and connection with the Port. Mohamed’s father was a truck driver, and her mother worked at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Mohamed and her husband currently live near SEA and are both proud University of Washington graduates.

In addition to her work at the Port, Mohamed currently serves as Director of the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Prior to her time at the city she served as policy advisor to King County Executive Dow Constantine and was the Deputy District Director for U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, helping small- and medium-size businesses navigate the impacts of new public policies. She also worked for CARE International and the Refugee Women Alliance in roles dedicated to fighting poverty and empowering immigrants.

Mohamed’s priorities as Commissioner include:
— economic development to make the Port more competitive and create local jobs;
— equitable economic advancement for workers and small businesses;
— environmental justice by expanding the Port’s role in reducing toxic pollution and promoting renewable energy; and
reducing the impact of aircraft noise and pollution on our neighbors.

As the only Port Commissioner living in South King County and representing the neighborhoods around the airport, she looks to be a strong voice for the community and lead on cleaner aviation fuels and climate action.

Port of Seattle Bio
Elect Hamdi

Hamdi Mohamed

Commissioner #3

Toshiko Grace Hasegawa - Port of Seattle Commissioner #4
Toshiko Grace Hasegawa - Port of Seattle Commissioner #4
Toshiko Grace Hasegawa – Commissioner #4

About Commissioner Hasegawa

(via Port of Seattle)

Toshiko is a fourth-generation Japanese American and a lifelong resident of the Beacon Hill neighborhood in South Seattle. A daughter of the labor movement and descendant of World War II incarcerees, Toshiko’s passion for public service is fueled by her commitment to civil rights and promoting fairness in government operations.
She believes the Port of Seattle holds the key to a robust economy, healthy environment, and thriving communities. She hopes to help the Port be a leader in bringing together stakeholders to build our port economy back to be more inclusive, sustainable, and abundant. Her priorities include addressing supply chain issues, expanding economic opportunities, and reducing pollution.

Toshiko was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee as Executive Director of Washington State’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs in 2018. In that capacity, she serves in the Governor’s Subcabinet on Business Diversity, the Disaster Resiliency Workgroup, the Deadly Force Task Force, and other state committees. Hasegawa worked as a staff member for the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight for King County, where she worked to promote transparency and accountability in policing operations. She also worked in the Office of King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, working closely on issues of Human Labor Trafficking.

Toshiko holds a Master’s degree from Seattle University and lives in her family home on Beacon Hill with her husband Michael and daughter Keiko Rose.

Port of Seattle Bio
Hasegawa for Port

Toshiko Hasegawa

Commissioner #4

Candidate Responses on Key Themes

Our group of grassroots organizations, community residents and leaders met over 4 months to talk about the issues that are most urgent and important to us.  Together, we produced 5 key themes: Environmental & Health Justice, Workforce Access and Economic Barriers, Policy and Regional Regulatory Coordination, Community Engagement and Prioritization, and Funding and Sustainability Challenges.  

We gave the top questions to the Port of Seattle and 33rd Legislative District candidates.  These are their answers.

We will ask new questions at the Forum.  Bring yours!  Register and join us!

Register

Environmental & Health Justice

How will you protect existing trees or fast-track cooling solutions? How will you report progress and involve community voices in holding you accountable on this issue?

We already live with airport noise and pollution; we don’t need to be on a heat island too! But now the Port is cutting down old trees in our neighborhoods and saying they’ll replant, but it takes decades for new trees to replace lost shade and filter pollution. This makes our streets hotter, worsens air quality, and our families less healthy in neighborhoods already overstressed.

Why This Matters

Areas around airports experience increased severity of heat islands because of large expanses of paving, minimal tree cover, and legacy infrastructure decisions—leading to more heat stress, heat exhaustion, and cardiovascular emergencies. Aircraft operations, vehicle traffic, and minimal tree cover amplify this effect. Higher temperatures exacerbate air pollution (ozone/smog) and worsen underlying respiratory diseases, while also impacting mental health, particularly among medically vulnerable residents.  New tree removals threaten to worsen environmental and health burdens, especially in over-exposed BIPOC and low-income neighborhoods. Research shows mature trees are irreplaceable shields against air toxins, noise, and urban heat.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

In 2024, we authorized the Land Stewardship Plan for the Port of Seattle, one of the most comprehensive strategies for long term preservation of any public agency. It includes five objectives:

Objective 1. Establish and maintain an inventory of land stewardship resources

Objective 2. Protect and restore healthy and self-sustaining trees, forest, and other habitat

Objective 3. Connect and expand existing habitat

Objective 4. Offset operational and development impacts to trees, forest, and other habitat

Objective 5. Support community partnerships

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

The Port Commission recognizes that tree canopy is an essential part of our ecosystem, climate resiliency, and community health. Although urban development near the airport sometimes requires tree removal for flight safety and regulatory compliance, we’ve acted to minimize impacts and raise standards. We adopted the Land Stewardship Plan and Tree Replacement Standards, developed in consultation with local cities and Forterra, which set the highest benchmarks for responsible tree management. We also took action to permanently protect North SeaTac Park in perpetuity and are working toward transferring stewardship to a non-governmental organization dedicated to environmental conservation by the end of next year.

I also love and fully support the pavement-cooling pilot projects modeled in other areas and suggested by event organizers, such as applying light gray, water-based coatings to pavement so it reflects rather than absorbs heat. These innovative, science-based solutions should be scaled where feasible. We must continue applying emerging technologies, strategies, and best practices across planning, design, and capital projects to build climate-ready infrastructure. 

Accountability includes transparency: the port developed a sustainability dashboard for cruise, and I think it would be appropriate to develop a tree canopy dashboard, which tracks canopy adjustments on Port properties – including plantings, removals, and the status of past, current and future planned actions.

Senator Tina Orwall

It’s critical for our community’s health and safety that we protect our environment and mitigate all forms of pollutants. As a State Representative, I advocated with Senator Karen Keiser for $6 million of the Climate Commitment Act dollars to go to the protection of trees in airport-impacted neighborhoods, as well as putting HEPA filters in impacted families’ homes, among other things. I also advocated for the protection of the North Seatac Park and its greenspace.

I also worked on the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act, and this session sponsored SB5652, an environmental justice implementation and community engagement plan, which compels the port to take action.

I did and will continue to convene regularly with community leaders, local state governments, and higher education institutions to address airport impacts and mitigation for our community. I will continue working with the University of Washington to review, evaluate, and provide reports to the public on progress and implementation.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

I support protecting mature trees and accelerating cooling where airport impacts are most acute. As a legislator, I’ll push to target Climate Commitment Act and Evergreen Communities funds to airport-impacted neighborhoods, require heat-mitigation features in state-funded capital projects, and publish simple progress dashboards so residents can track canopy and cooling investments over time. I’ll work with cities, the Port, and community groups on fast, measurable pilot projects (shade structures, cool surfaces, resilient plantings) and regular public updates. As a City Councilmember and Mayor of an airport community, I know how long this work has been going on for and I’ve been in the fight alongside folks to hold bad actors accountable to residents.  I’ve worked with former Burien Mayors Jimmy Matta and Sofia Aragon at length on these issues while we all served together. 

Representative Edwin Obras

I strongly believe protecting our existing tree canopy and fast-tracking cooling solutions is essential to public health. As someone who grew up in South King County and now represents communities like SeaTac, Burien, and Des Moines, I know firsthand how airport-impacted neighborhoods already face disproportionate noise, traffic, and pollution.

In Olympia, I’ll push to prioritize funding through the Climate Commitment Act and the Evergreen Communities Act to expand canopy and cooling projects in overburdened areas. That includes cool pavement, shade structures, cooling centers, and planting fast-growing trees to replace lost canopy. I will also require agencies to use tools like the Tree Equity Analyzer to make progress transparent and accountable. Finally, I will codify community partnership standards under the HEAL Act so residents most impacted help design and oversee these projects—not just watch from the sidelines

What steps will you take so that we, the directly impacted residents, hold real decision-making power, not just consultation, in Port projects, airport planning, and related policy changes? How will you reform or resource current advisory mechanisms—such as StART and the noise complaint hotline—so that community recommendations about airport impacts are visibly, publicly tracked, responded to, and their impact on decisions reported back? As a bonus, can you commit to a timeline?

Community advisory bodies, such as the Sea-Tac Airport Round Table (StART), and Port noise complaint webform, theoretically exists to provide input into Port and airport planning (for example, SAMP), but community members do not know if or how their input affects actual decisions. Input is collected, but our lived experiences rarely shape outcomes. “Our voices are not really part of the decision-making process. We get meetings where we can talk, but after that, it’s up to them whether our input matters.”  Likewise, transcripts of public comments exist but are not always paired with transparent follow-up.

Why This Matters

Many residents living near the airport feel that their voices and concerns are not reflected in Port decisions.  Advisory bodies (like StART), comment periods, and equity dashboards represent progress but do not fully address entrenched concerns about responsiveness and accountability. Public input rarely results in visible action or transparent follow-up. Airports depend on the active support or at least cooperation of host communities to remain economically viable, expand capacity, and maintain social license to operate. This persistent lack of influence on decisions fuels mistrust and frustration, especially in communities already facing health and environmental burdens. People want proof their input helps shape Port decisions that affect them

Senator Tina Orwall

It’s important to both secure funding for community resources and ensure the community has access to and information about their outcomes. I secured state funding for the Mobile ObserVations of Ultrafine Particles Study (MOV-UP) Study by the University of Washington and required it to have a community-based oversight board to evaluate, monitor, and review implementation of plans. I worked to secure state funds for King County DOH to do health impact review studies which have been critical information to show health disparities in our airport communities. I also secured state funding for King County DOH to do asthma intervention in South King for children with uncontrolled asthma – we have the highest rates in King County of children with asthma seeking care in EDs.

Finally, I secured state funding for two air quality monitoring stations ((SeaTac and Des Moines) to  expand EPA sites to include monitoring for ultrafine particles. We’re also partnering with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to create and improve monitoring of ultrafine particles in the airport community. We’re coordinating with The King County Department of Health on health disparities and intervention for kids struggling with asthma. That includes helping assess and implement HEPA filter systems in our schools.

To ensure transparency and make sure that groups that represent all voices are at the table, HB2103, the port package bill we developed alongside SB 5955 with Senator Kaiser, compels government agencies to report back on mitigation efforts. It is critical to get third party monitors to truly capture the needs of our community and work together to mitigate harm being done.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

Residents deserve proof that input changes outcomes. One of the main reasons I’m running for Legislature is that folks in our community feel ignored by their political leaders in Olympia. For Port-related processes (StART, noise), I’ll require public metrics and response timelines, and regular report-backs, so people can see how recommendations were incorporated—or why not. I can’t promise to always follow your input, but I can promise to follow up and tell you why I disagreed or – perhaps more often – why I might agree with you but be unable to advance the issue.

Representative Edwin Obras

Our neighbors should never feel like their voices don’t matter. Advisory bodies like StART and public comment processes are only meaningful if input actually shapes outcomes.

That’s why I support requiring agencies to maintain a public “You Said, We Did” dashboard showing how community input leads to real changes. I also support reforms to ensure community-majority advisory panels on major Port and airport projects, so residents share decision-making power. These reforms will build trust and ensure accountability, especially for communities already carrying the heaviest environmental burdens

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

If re-elected, I will continue to support opportunities for airport impacted communities to raise issues and provide input to community leaders and decisionmakers. In addition to the direct election of politicians who make the policy decisions at local, regional, state, and federal levels, community members can participate in StART, attend and make comments at Port meetings, the Highline Forum, and to key state legislative committees. I also encourage community members to call, email, or write us directly with concerns, as I read every piece of correspondence that I receive from constituents.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

I firmly believe that “one size” does not fit all when it comes to community engagement—especially for a countywide entity like the Port of Seattle. We must offer multiple mechanisms and opportunities for communities to receive information, provide input, and meaningfully shape the decisions being made at the Port.

Although the StART group began as a Port-led forum, decision-making power ultimately rests with its voting members: the participating cities. Unfortunately, those members have voted against expanding representation to other communities such as Beacon Hill and Vashon Island. We continue to support the work of StART, recognizing it as one of several advisory bodies that inform and advise on the Port’s work.

Beyond StART, the Port also participates in the Highline Forum, which has a somewhat overlapping but broader membership. In the Duwamish Valley, the Port launched the Port Community Action Team (PCAT)—a community-led forum specifically for residents impacted by decades of industrial pollution from the seaport, the airport, and private industry. PCAT is chaired by community members who select their own membership, set their own agenda and priorities, present to the Commission annually, and advise on policy matters.

Under my leadership, we launched the Beacon Hill Roundtables to address the unique and compounding issues faced by Beacon Hill residents living under the flight paths of both Sea-Tac and King County International Airport.

There are also additional avenues for communities to inform and guide Port decision-making. We expanded the South King County Community Impact Fund, through which community-based organizations participate in annual symposia to exchange ideas, identify shared priorities, and provide feedback for improvement. The Port also hosts multiple forums for the business community—including WMBE and DBE partners—to connect, access resources, and share input.

Finally, it’s important to remember that Port Commissioners are directly elected to represent the people. Anyone can reach out, request meetings, and make their voices heard. I strongly encourage residents and community leaders to continue engaging, educating decision-makers, and sharing the concerns, hopes, and priorities of their communities.

Workforce Access and Economic Barriers

What will you implement within the next year to remove these barriers for workforce entry, particularly for trades AND white-collar positions at the Port? Will you commit to developing pathways that include direct community input, translation/navigator services, and alternative credentialing options?

Like everyone, BIPOC and immigrant communities consistently prioritize access to good jobs and economic opportunity. For many, the barriers are immediate: language obstacles, educational credentialing requirements, and bureaucratic hurdles like obtaining a driver’s license—all making it much harder to access Port jobs. These barriers lock out skilled and motivated community members from real opportunity, fueling the racial wealth gap and economic segregation. Our neighbors are forced into lower-wage or precarious jobs, despite their potential to contribute in skilled and leadership positions.

Why This Matters

Barriers like language access, credential requirements, and bureaucratic processes continue to keep highly qualified BIPOC and immigrant community members out of Port jobs—both in trades and white collar roles.  Although Port Jobs and community partners provide navigator and pathway services, significant barriers persist: navigator support is limited and doesn’t fully cover all trades or white-collar positions; not all specialized or leadership job pathways are translated/accessibly navigated; and community partner input isn’t always linked transparently to Port hiring reforms or credentialing policy. 

The working group found these partnerships don’t yet guarantee timely, equitable access or meaningful policy influence for BIPOC and immigrant jobseekers. This exclusion reinforces racial wealth gaps despite many residents holding skills and motivation. A local advocate described, “I know folks who’ve worked at the airport for years but can never move up just because they don’t have a U.S. certificate or perfect English.” Better access to Port jobs and hiring pathways is critical for equity, economic resilience, and closing the opportunity gap.

Senator Tina Orwall

It is critical to create access to job opportunities for our community – one of the most diverse communities in the country. Everyone deserves a job that pays a living wage and is safe and reliable. I regularly meet with and attend community events to ensure feedback makes it into the legislation that we work on. After hearing from trade workers last session, I co-sponsored SB 5041, which provides unemployment insurance benefits for striking or locked-out workers, allowing them to advocate without additional financial pressure.

I will continue to support projects like Sound Transit’s RAPID Fund to prepare unemployed and underemployed individuals for entry-level construction jobs in our region. I’ll also keep working with institutions like Highline to develop apprenticeship programs that bring in folks who might otherwise struggle to find work. People who have historically been excluded from higher-paying jobs with high-quality benefits can find those jobs in the unionized trades – I’ll keep working with unions to create more access and stability for all.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

Within a year, I’ll back skills-based hiring and recognition of equivalent experience/foreign credentials, expand navigator/translation services in high-impact ZIP codes, and require plain-language, in-language job pathway materials. I’ll also ask workforce programs to publish annual data on diverse hiring, navigator uptake, and credentialing reforms so we can fix what isn’t working. Our local labor leaders are doing great work advocating for more community and BIPOC inclusion in the trades through apprenticeship programs and expanding opportunities like this. I’ll look to partner with them to hold the Port accountable.

Representative Edwin Obras

As a longtime human services professional, I’ve seen how language barriers, credentialing rules, and bureaucratic hurdles keep qualified people out of good jobs.

In the legislature, I support expanding navigator programs and translation services so immigrant and BIPOC communities can fully access Port jobs. I also believe public employers should recognize equivalent work experience and foreign credentials, not just U.S.-based degrees. And I will require regular, multilingual reporting on hiring outcomes, so we can measure whether we are truly closing the opportunity gapThis aligns with my legislative work protecting workers’ rights—from rideshare drivers to isolated service workers—because I believe every worker deserves dignity and opportunity

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

I am proud of the efforts I’ve made to bolster K12 education that reduces barriers to access to Port-related careers, including ongoing support of Raisbeck Aviation High School, the founding of Maritime High School, and dozens of other initiatives the Port leads.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

Promoting equity in economic opportunity at the Port of Seattle is a core priority of mine. This means ensuring that women, people of color, immigrants, and all underrepresented communities have access to high-quality, family-wage jobs, fair benefits, and contracting opportunities. It also means ensuring that trans and non-binary employees are protected from the violent attacks of a federal administration that is targeting them.

Since joining the Port, I’ve worked hard to understand and close equity gaps. We commissioned the Women of Color Assessment, which revealed disparities in base pay, raises, and promotions. We didn’t stop at the data — we took action. Last year, the Commission approved an updated compensation package that closes equity gaps for existing employees and removes unnecessary barriers, such as rigid education requirements, for applicants.

We also conducted a barriers assessment to identify inequities in our contracting processes and reaffirmed our WMBE goals. Regardless of what’s happening at the federal level, the Port of Seattle continues to lead with progressive, equity-based policies.

To better support workers at SEA who are not direct Port employees, I founded the Workforce Conditions Ad-Hoc Committee. Through that effort, we launched the ORCA Cards for All pilot program, created a child care navigator program, and are exploring the development of a child care center near the airport. We’re also expanding efforts to connect workers with the health care benefits they deserve.

Looking ahead, over the next year I am committed to removing barriers to workforce entry—both for trades and white-collar positions—by developing pathways shaped through direct community input. This includes expanding translation and navigator services, exploring alternative credentialing so that experience and skill count as much as degrees, and ensuring that community-based organizations remain active partners in shaping recruitment and retention strategies.

I take seriously my responsibility to economically empower our communities through meaningful opportunities. From aviation to maritime, every initiative we undertake must embed equity from the ground up—and that starts by listening to and working alongside the people we serve.

Will you commit to an inclusive grant/contracting process that features community review of the application process, transparent reporting of results, and innovative new avenues for small organizations to participate meaningfully?  One example would be a conversation-based application process like the one piloted by Seattle?

For years, small businesses run by people of color in our district have struggled to compete for Port contracts, often lacking the capacity and support to meet eligibility. This has held back our district’s economic vitality, leading to persistent gaps in opportunity and income.

It appears that only well-resourced groups can win contracts, while the communities most affected by Port activities and most in need of resources are left behind. Capacity is already stretched thin, so every failed application is wasted energy and missed opportunity. And small community businesses remain underrepresented in contract awardees, which undermines both economic growth and public trust in the Port’s equity mission

Why This Matters

Small businesses run by people of color in airport-impacted areas consistently struggle to win Port contracts, facing barriers such as limited capacity, extensive and overly complex paperwork, and a lack of supportive, culturally-relevant technical assistance. In addition, contracts are often sized too large for small firms to compete, let alone win, without resources to partner with well-established groups.  The Port of Seattle’s own comprehensive disparity studies and contracting annual reports explicitly confirm that minority- and women-owned businesses (WMBE) remain underrepresented in Port contracts. This has kept vital economic benefits out of the hands of those most impacted by the Port’s activities, and concentrated contracting opportunities among a handful of well-resourced groups. The result is persistent gaps in economic opportunity, uneven business development, and a lack of trust in the Port’s equity and inclusion efforts.

Senator Tina Orwall

I will continue to advocate for inclusion and transparent reporting from all of our governmental institutions, including the Port and Department of Commerce. I’m proud to say that meeting and directly working with community members on legislation has always been and will continue to be one of the most critical parts of my work as a legislator.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

I’ll champion community review of contracting criteria, right-size opportunities so small firms can bid, fund culturally competent technical assistance, and require multilingual public summaries after each round (who applied, who won, and why). Programs should set annual BIPOC/small-business participation goals with quarterly progress reporting to rebuild trust.

Representative Edwin Obras

Small BIPOC-owned businesses in South King County deserve a fair shot at Port contracts. Too often, the process is stacked against them.I will champion community review panels to vet application processes and eligibility criteria, making sure they are realistic and accessible. I’ll also push for contract sizes that small businesses can compete for, and require multilingual public summaries of results, so everyone can see who is being awarded contracts and why. Finally, I will support setting annual public goals for BIPOC/small business participation and tracking progress with “You Said, We Did” reports.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

I will continue to explore avenues for expanding contracting opportunities for SMEs and WMBEs, while also recognizing the role of labor in assuring that the interests of workers are also considered in contracting processes.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

Promoting access, equity, and transparency in our grant programs is an ongoing effort, and one we continue to refine and improve upon. While we’ve made important progress, there’s still much more work to do.

To open, I’d like to state that I agree with your notion of having visibility to decisions that are made. Within my first year on the Commission, we launched a Budgeting and Funding Tracking Tool to publicly display the Port’s Equity Spend. This data visualization dashboard allows anyone to see how dollars are distributed across projects and communities. You can access it here: Equity Spending Dashboard.

Regarding grants: One of the most significant barriers for many community-based organizations is the grant match requirement, which can limit access to funding. Fortunately, the Port was able to lead the charge in Olympia to reduce the match ratio from 3:1 to 2:1, a meaningful step toward greater accessibility. However, even this remains a substantial barrier, and further change will require legislative action.

We’ve improved equity in the granting process by hosting multiple informational sessions — offered in various formats and languages — to ensure accessibility. When awards are made, the Port publicly announces all awardees and the outcomes they’ve committed to deliver. That said, we continue to identify opportunities to simplify the application process and reduce barriers to entry.

I strongly support the idea of forming a standing, community-based review group to assess grant materials and provide feedback on a project-by-project basis. This mirrors best practices already in place at several Washington State agencies, which even compensate community members for their time and contributions. Embedding that kind of participatory feedback loop is how we strengthen equity and accountability over time.Regarding diversity in contracting: In 2018, the Port set an ambitious goal to triple the number of WMBE firms doing business with the Port within five years — and we achieved that goal ahead of schedule. In 2023, the Port partnered with 392 unique WMBE firms, representing a 12.4% spend across all projects and totaling $77.7 million, just shy of our 15% goal. In non-construction contracting, we met the full 15% target in 2022. I consider the success in the meeting these goals as a signal to be more ambitious. Building on this momentum, I championed Resolution 3836, which the Commission passed unanimously earlier this year. The resolution raises our goal to 500 firms and 16% total WMBE spend, with a 14% subgoal specifically for construction. These targets reflect not only our progress, but our shared belief that equity and economic opportunity must continue to grow together.

Community Engagement and Prioritization

As Port and legislative representatives, what steps will you take to prevent displacement, protect affordable housing, and support cultural hubs in neighborhoods impacted by airport activity and expansion? How will you involve community stakeholders in planning, and what protections would you put forward, especially as cargo and warehousing facilities grow?

The airports are key contributors to the region’s economy but communities near them are increasingly burdened as airport operations and related infrastructure expand. The extension of SR 509, for example, brings more freight and regional traffic onto local streets. As roads widen and space for warehousing and airport-linked businesses grows, residents are squeezed—property prices rise, affordable housing shrinks, and cultural and social anchors are put at risk. Planning decisions continue to favor airport and port expansion over the stability and well-being of local neighborhoods.

Why This Matters

Airport operations and expansion—such as the SR 509 extension—create major economic benefits, supporting over $33 billion annually in business output and nearly 175,000 jobs. However, these gains come with disproportionate, accumulating burdens for adjacent residential communities, including mounting housing costs, instability, and sharply worsening air quality.

The SR 509 extension channels increased freight through SeaTac, Burien, and Kent, raising local traffic volumes and exposing residents to higher emissions and noise. Proximity to airport-linked warehousing is increasingly linked to up to eight times higher rates of pediatric asthma and a 30% increase in premature death rates, compared to less-impacted neighborhoods. As warehousing and logistics activity increases (fig. C) along these corridors, the strain on air quality, housing affordability, and community stability will deepen—intensifying the daily hardships of families and elders least able to move away.

Senator Tina Orwall

As we see the full implementation of the Puget Sound Gateway projects, I have worked with SDOT and our community to make sure we minimize impact where we can, including securing funds to mitigate noise and pollution, and trying to minimize costs of new travel corridors for local residents. It is incredibly important to avoid displacement. For over a decade, I’ve worked with housing advocates on foreclosure prevention, including a bill this year that protects homeowners who are part of an HOA. I will continue to partner with community leaders, cities, UW, and KC DOH to address the impact of airport and noise/air quality.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

I believe that SeaTac Airport, and our community as a whole, is built out in terms of capacity and that any future growth can’t come at the expense of neighborhood stability. I’ll support anti-displacement tools (rental stabilization/assistance funded by state/Port sources where appropriate), land-banking near transit, and grants to preserve cultural hubs. For major projects (SR-509, warehousing), I’ll require early community input, health-impact review, and mitigation dollars tied to air-quality and housing pressures.

Representative Edwin Obras

We cannot allow Port expansion and projects like the SR 509 extension to displace families and erode our cultural anchors.

I support designating neighborhoods near airports and warehouses as “cumulative impact zones,” giving them stronger anti-displacement and health protections. I will push for zero-emission requirements, pollution fees, and mitigation funds for new warehousing near homes. Most importantly, I will ensure ongoing engagement with residents, cultural leaders, and public health experts in planning processes, so development protects people, not just profitsThis builds on my record supporting housing stability and co-sponsoring tenant protection bills.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

I have been a strong advocate for addressing affordability in our region, especially with regard to housing, by encouraging density, streamlining permitting, and reducing barriers to development.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

I firmly believe that the communities who bear the greatest burdens of Port operations should also have the greatest access to its benefits. That’s why I hope to advance a resolution establishing geographically specific goals for recruitment, employment, and contracting that prioritize residents of airport-impacted communities.

However, true environmental justice goes far beyond economic opportunity. It requires acknowledging and addressing the disproportionate health impacts of industrial operations on historically oppressed communities. Here, the Port of Seattle faces a legal limitation: our mission does not include promoting or funding public health directly. This means we cannot fund health projects—even through our grant programs—but we can and must ensure that every project we undertake is designed to avoid, reduce, and mitigate air, land, water, and noise pollution.

To do that effectively, we rely on tools like the Port’s Equity Index and the Washington State Department of Health’s Environmental Health Disparities Map, which illuminate the cumulative environmental and health burdens communities face. I want to see us take the next step: building a consistent project-by-project framework to document these findings, share them publicly, and integrate processes for meaningful community engagement, establishing budgeting and funding goals, conduct tribal consultation when appropriate, and mitigation planning.

The HEAL Act provides a strong model for how the State of Washington has embedded environmental justice into agency decision-making. I believe the Port can—and should—adapt the spirit and strategies of the HEAL Act to our own work, especially as we move forward with major initiatives like the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP).

By grounding our decisions in transparency, accountability, and equity, we can ensure that the Port’s progress does not come at the expense of the people who live closest to it.

Will you support or initiate partnerships among the Port, County, and community-based organizations to provide more vans, multilingual navigators, and joint outreach to improve or expand existing programs?

Many community elders—especially those facing language and mobility challenges—continue to experience deep isolation despite the presence of services like King County Metro Access and Community Van. While some nonprofit and city initiatives offer navigation or support, it is fragmented and often limited by unstable funding. Community organizations frequently resort to relying on volunteers’ personal vehicles, which is unsustainable.

Why This Matters

Elders and people with disabilities in South King County struggle with isolation because transportation options like Metro Access and Community Van are not serving the most marginalized because of language barriers, insufficient outreach, complex application processes, and rigid service boundaries that make these services hard to use.  Nonprofit and neighborhood-based efforts to support mobility are fragmented and chronically underfunding, frequently relying on the personal vehicles of volunteers, which is neither efficient nor sustainable. For many, this means missing essential medical care, groceries, and the chance to engage in community life. This isn’t just inconvenient; it’s a serious barrier to health, dignity, and full participation for some of the neighborhoods most impacted by regional growth.

Senator Tina Orwall

It’s important to increase and maintain access to transportation, including public transportation, across our community. I will continue to work with community leaders and organizations to find culturally responsive solutions for access needs throughout the region.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

Yes. I’ll back Port and County partnerships to expand vans, multilingual navigators, and targeted outreach; pilot boundary/eligibility flex for Access/Community Van; and track usage by language and demographic so gaps are visible and fixable. Multi-year funding should treat mobility as a community-health investment, not a one-off grant.

Representative Edwin Obras

Our elders deserve mobility and dignity. Too many face isolation due to language barriers and underfunded programs.

I will work to expand Metro Access and Community Van eligibility, ensure multilingual navigation services, and secure multi-year funding for van and navigator programs. These will be treated not as luxuries, but as essential community health investments. I’ll also require public reporting on program reach and waitlists, so gaps are identified and addressed.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

Yes.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

In short, yes. I will advocate for and help initiate these partnerships. Together, we can make our programs more accessible, multilingual, and community-driven so that every resident, regardless of language or zip code, can fully engage with and benefit from the Port’s work.

Funding and Sustainability Challenges

What specific changes will you implement to make the Port’s grant process clearer, simpler, more transparent and accessible to all community-based groups, including BIPOC and immigrant-led organizations?

The current Port grant mechanism needs improvement.  Many small community organizations share stories like this: “We continually find out about funding opportunities too late or not at all.”  And, “I spent weeks on a Port workforce development grant application. When we applied, it wasn’t clear how the process worked. Our application was rejected on a technicality after repeated efforts for clarification. It was both frustrating and discouraging.” The process is time-consuming, technical, and sometimes feels designed for bigger players—leaving grassroots groups feeling like outsiders. Capacity is already stretched thin, so every failed application is wasted energy and missed opportunity. 

Why This Matters

Community organizations facing language barriers and limited staff are consistently excluded due to inaccessible, non-transparent grant processes and scarce, impersonal technical assistance. This leaves only well-funded groups able to win contracts and leaves affected, under-resourced communities behind. Persistent barriers—language, technology, unfamiliarity with public systems—keep immigrant-led, BIPOC, and volunteer organizations locked out in airport-impacted neighborhoods, where the application process remains daunting and favors those with experience and connections. As a result, resources repeatedly go to the same organizations, while community-driven groups struggle to survive.

When decision-making and grant reviews lack transparency or true representation, trust erodes, undermining accountability and innovation and fueling a cycle where genuine mutual understanding, accountability, and innovation are replaced by skepticism and disengagement.

Senator Tina Orwall

Transparency is critical in developing and maintaining public trust and access to opportunities. I’ve worked hard to create access for community and constituents to the legislative process. For example, we’ve been able to develop housing in partnership, and following the guidance of, community organizations that support marginalized families with members who are intellectually or developmentally disabled. I will continue to advocate for access for all.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

I’ll require clear timelines, translated materials, live help sessions, and simplified applications sized for small orgs. Reviewer diversity and scoring transparency should be standard, and agencies must publish easy post-round summaries so groups learn and improve. The goal is to reduce red tape and widen access for grassroots, BIPOC, and immigrant-led organizations.

Representative Edwin Obras

Grassroots groups shouldn’t be shut out of funding because of inaccessible processes. I will advocate that all state agencies fund interpreters, provide translated materials, and hold accessible grant information sessions.

I will also fight to direct technical assistance dollars to trusted community organizations—not just state agencies—so groups with deep ties can help neighbors apply. Finally, I’ll push for regular public updates on equity outcomes and reviewer diversity, so the process is clear and accountable.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

Port grant programs must meet very high standards in terms of accountability and the distribution of public funds. I recognize that this can create challenges for applicants, and we will work to provide navigation services for community groups.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

As I mentioned earlier, promoting equity, access, and transparency in our grantmaking is a top priority. To expand on that work: we recently passed the Port’s Language Access Plan, which ensures that all public-facing materials—including grant opportunities—are available in King County’s most common languages. This is a major step toward making our programs more accessible to linguistically diverse communities.

We’ve also expanded our understanding of who is impacted by Port operations to include residents of the Duwamish Valley and those living under the flight path. With that, we’ve increased the total amount of community funding—so the overall “pie” is bigger. Our goal is to continue advocating for direct investment into communities that hold the local knowledge, vision, and leadership necessary to define their own paths toward health and well-being.

At the same time, we’re continuing to lobby the Legislature to further reduce the 2:1 grant match requirement, which remains one of the biggest barriers for smaller community-based organizations to access Port funding.

Finally, I want to affirm that I support all of the suggestions outlined in this application. and I will raise them directly with Port staff for consideration and implementation, including:

  • Post all Port grant notices from all entities on one common, searchable, multilingual platform, with text/email alert options.
  • Support community participation in designing the grant application process similar to the one Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods uses.
  • Publish the plain-language scoring criteria used for small grants, and ensure at least one community-nominated reviewer is included for every funding round
  • Create a simple appeals process for groups who feel they were unfairly evaluated, and use appeals data to update future reviewer training or grant instructions.
  • Run open “grant clinics” or office hours with culturally competent staff to provide hands-on technical help.  
  • Propose that grant eligibility and reporting requirements be scaled by applicant size, so small and new organizations aren’t held to the same compliance demands as multi-million-dollar institutions, or offer adequate assistance to increase their capacity to comply.
  • Encourage larger, legacy orgs to mentor or partner with grassroots applicants as a condition for their own funding renewals—building new relationships and local capacity.
  • Create an “equity impact” score or public dashboard showing staff, funding recipient, and reviewer diversity.
What can you do to ensure funding priorities are co-designed with those most impacted by airport and port activities?  Will you change your grant design process to better meet actual community needs in terms of co-designed goals, metrics, and sustained/multi-year funding?  What would YOU use for metrics?

For years, grant funds have been allocated, but it isn’t always clear what was achieved. Communities feel in the dark about what’s working and what’s not. Decisions on what kinds of grants are offered and how they are structured are made without us. Our orgs are asked to apply for grants that are rarely co-designed with the community, leading to wasted effort and misalignment with actual community needs. True solutions come when affected people help shape the policies that govern their lives. 

Why This Matters

Too often, key decisions about what kinds of grants are available, who qualifies, and how success is measured are made far from the lived realities of impacted communities. Grassroots leaders are then asked to “fit” their work to programs that may not reflect current needs or even proven local solutions. This disconnect produces wasted effort, discouragement, and missed opportunities for innovation while the actual impact of funding remains blurry to those on the ground.

Communities deserve to know not just where the money went, but what difference it made—and to have an active, informed role in both shaping and assessing programs designed for their neighborhoods. When affected residents and organizations help set priorities and identify success together, public dollars work harder, trust is built, and outcomes improve for everyone

Senator Tina Orwall

I work with community leaders and organizations to better understand and develop programs that will work for our community specifically. As part of this process, I am currently looking into funding opportunities for some of these proposals, particularly as we approach our next legislative session and a changing fiscal landscape over the next few years.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

I support co-designing funding priorities with impacted communities and offering multi-year “stability” awards for proven efforts. I’ll use plain metrics – air-quality or noise improvements, housing-stability outcomes, and youth/worker placements – and require agencies to publish them so everyone can see what works and adjust accordingly.

Representative Edwin Obras

Funding priorities should be co-designed with the community, not imposed from the top down.

I support hosting annual listening sessions before budgets are finalized and reserving funding for first-time, grassroots, and culturally rooted organizations with multi-year stability grants. I’ll also push for public reports that clearly state which community ideas were acted on and why. Metrics should focus on community-identified outcomes, such as reduced displacement, improved health, and stronger small businesses

This approach reflects how I’ve led in both government and nonprofits—ensuring that lived experience drives real solutions.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

I would ensure that the grant programs are broad enough to receive applications across a range of community issues, and that each application offers measurable goals for success.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

I fully support the recommendations laid out in the model candidate actions. Investing in sustained relationships, accessible support, and transparency isn’t just about equity—it’s about ensuring resources have the most transformative, lasting impact in our communities.

I support creating a publicly advertised annual open call—both online and through trusted community partners—for residents and organizations to suggest and vote on new grant themes or priorities, with results shared openly. I also support reserving a portion of grant funds each year for first-time, grassroots, and culturally rooted organizations through multi-year, equity-focused “stability” or seed funding with simple, accountable reporting.

Finally, beyond our grantee’s symposium. I would like to see regular annual check-ins and listening sessions with past grantees to identify ongoing barriers and publish clear updates about what was changed (or not) and why. These practices build the trust, transparency, and partnership our communities deserve.

Policy and Regional Regulatory Coordination

As Port Commissioner, will you commit to establishing a Port-wide policy to report the number and general circumstances of deportations every month, and publish clear Port protocols for proactively notifying families or legal representatives where it is legally permitted?  If not, what can you do to help address this issue?

The lack of required notification or public reporting around deportations from local airports means families are left in the dark, undermining trust and traumatizing communities.

“What is happening now is that folks are literally disappearing, and there are families that have no idea where their loved ones are, leaving behind devastated children, partners, and elders who often never discover what happened.  Families across our communities are traumatized, left scrambling for information and unable to prepare or say goodbye.”

Why This Matters

Deportations from local airports have always traumatized immigrant families, but the current administration’s aggressive approach has intensified the harm. Families now often lose loved ones suddenly, without warning or clear information, leaving them desperate for answers or closure. These rapid, secretive removals fracture trust and devastate already stressed communities, while the Port and state agencies—tasked with cooperating but not supporting—are the last point of contact before families are split apart. Transparent notification and public reporting are some of the only ways local leaders can offer support and uphold a sense of care, even when broader change is beyond their immediate power.

Senator Tina Orwall

The current federal administration’s aggressive targeting of immigrants and communities of color is unacceptable. In 2019, we passed the Keep Washington Working Act to ensure that local law enforcement does not collaborate with ICE. We passed HB 1232 to increase our ability to provide oversight of private detention centers, and just a couple weeks ago, I toured the ICE detention facility with Rep. Stern. Funding has also been provided for immigrant legal representation through the Office of Civic Legal Aid & hate-crime hotline via SB 5427. I will continue to work on legislation with fellow legislators, the AG, and the DOH to mitigate harm where we can.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

This is a really challenging issue, which Port Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed was just interviewed at length about by the Seattle Times. Ultimately I agree with much of her approach – trying to work with community to maximize transparency within the limited jurisdiction that we have at the State and local level over Federal policy.

Representative Edwin Obras

As a Port Commissioner, I would absolutely support monthly public reporting of deportations and clear notification protocols for families and legal representatives, wherever legally allowed.

Too many families are torn apart in silence, with no accountability. Transparency is the least we can offer, while also advocating for broader reforms at the state and federal levelI will also fight to direct technical assistance dollars to trusted community organizations—not just state agencies—so groups with deep ties can help neighbors apply. Finally, I’ll push for regular public updates on equity outcomes and reviewer diversity, so the process is clear and accountable.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

I’m committed to working with community partners with the legal and technical expertise, as well as credibility with impacted communities, to support families impacted by the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

We do not have the visibility we want or deserve on deportations occurring in our gateway, nor do we have jurisdiction or authority over ICE, CBP, TSA, or any other federal operation in our gateway. We need a model for oversight and accountability of federal law enforcement from our Congressional members. Nonetheless, we are doing what we can, and will be introducing our Welcoming Port Policy at the next meeting on 10/28. 

Please see my full statement on federal immigration enforcement actions occurring at SEA here: https://www.portseattle.org/commission-blog/20227/statement-federal-immigration-customs-enforcement-actions-our-gateway

Who do you see as a constituent?  If that includes airport impacted communities, what reforms will you implement at the Port to end this “passing the buck” on regional harms—perhaps a working group that includes electeds, government agencies, and community representatives—so that we have a durable way to collaborate with the Port to problem-solve? Could that include a policy that community residents and community groups are given early input as major Port or regional projects are planned and publicly track how that information is incorporated? (expansions, new infra, cargo operations)

SeaTac Airport is a major economic engine for Washington.  But this engine that benefits so many state-wide, overburdens surrounding local communities like Tukwila, Burien, Renton.  These areas face compounding harms: worsening air and noise pollution from persistent flights, increased truck and freight traffic, and the steady loss of trees to warehousing and logistics development. Agency “buck-passing”—where the Port, WSDOT, city planners, state and federal regulators each say “not our department”—means no one entity owns the problem or is accountable for cumulative impacts. 

This type of discoordination is a cause of huge health disparities between people who live in these airport impacted communities.   As one community leader and resident said, “It’s really hard to know who’s responsible for which piece of impact… flights, ground transportation, removal of trees. How can all levels of government transparently work together to benefit people—instead of hiding responsibility?”

Why This Matters

SeaTac Airport’s growth brings prosperity for Washington, but imposes heavy health and environmental burdens on surrounding communities like Tukwila, Burien, and Renton. Residents near the airport experience asthma rates up to 35% higher than the county average, and average daytime noise levels frequently exceed 65 decibels, disrupting sleep and learning. PM2.5 and ultrafine particle pollution have been measured at levels above national health guidelines, driven by both jet exhaust and increased freight truck traffic.

Agency “buck-passing” means no single entity is accountable for these cumulative harms, leaving health disparities largely unaddressed. Over 70% of impacted residents are people of color or immigrants, and many lack resources to relocate or retrofit homes, which worsens inequities.

Direct, coordinated government action is urgently needed—supported by community-driven data and accountability measures—to reduce pollution, restore greenspace, and address the disproportionate burden of airport operations on local residents.  Building effective, public, collaborative planning is both a moral duty and practical necessity to ensure airport-impacted neighborhoods don’t get left behind as the region grows.

Senator Tina Orwall

I will continue to fight for transparency and accountability across governing bodies. I will continue to make the Port subject to the HEAL Act and work with community leaders on implementation and evaluation of outcomes. It’s important to bring as many community partners together as possible to ensure clarity and develop inclusive policy across our region.

Mayor Kevin Schilling

The people of the 33rd Legislative District are my constituents, and every one of us lives in an airport impacted community. I’ll support a public working group that includes state agencies, the Port, local governments, labor, and community orgs with early input on major projects—and require joint progress dashboards aligned with the HEAL Act. Conditioning certain state funds on cross-agency planning and public response timelines will create real accountability for cumulative impacts.

Representative Edwin Obras

Airport-impacted communities are my constituents, and I reject the “passing the buck” culture that leaves them behind.

I will push for a regional working group of electeds, agencies, and community representatives to tackle cumulative impacts of airport operations. This group will set shared accountability standards and require public dashboards tracking input and outcomes. I will also support tying infrastructure funding to collaborative planning, so no project moves forward without clear community engagement.

This aligns with my commitment to environmental justice and my work on the Community Safety and Health Care committees, where I’ve advanced policies protecting vulnerable communities.

Commissioner Ryan Calkins

Residents of King County are our constituents, and in a larger sense, everyone who relies on the Port of Seattle for the safe and efficient transport of goods and people through our facilities. We have many groups that we work with to coordinate actions at local, state, and federal level including regular engagement with other elected officials, the Puget Sound Regional Council, the Sound Cities Association, and the groups we facilitate in communities. Where coordination or regional planning has failed, we might consider reforms to existing organizations, rather than creating a new layer.

Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa

I see anyone who lives in King County as a constituent. I believe regional impacts require regional solutions, and I support efforts to work collaboratively and inter-jurisdictionally to address community concerns. I would also support a policy requiring early community input as major projects are planned. That includes publicly tracking how community feedback is incorporated into final designs and decisions.

These reforms would help ensure transparency, shared accountability, and long-term collaboration among the Port, local governments, and the people most affected by our work.