With more than 80 percent of the primary-election ballots yet to be returned, per King County’s daily updates, it looks like many voters are going down to the wire. WSB candidate-closeup coverage is concluding with last looks at the Seattle mayoral challengers (we interviewed the incumbent earlier in the campaign). We sent them five questions, 4 geared to West Seattle.

By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

James Donaldson’s campaign for mayor plays off his three years as a center for the Seattle Sonics basketball team. He talks about teamwork, and about being the big man who can help the little guy.

Donaldson jumped into the election year as a candidate for City Council, then after a couple of months, made the switch to mayor. His main focus has been helping small business owners like himself, who are overburdened by the cost of doing business in Seattle.

Donaldson owns a string of physical therapy and fitness businesses, but said he had to close the Seattle office when it became too expensive to do business in the city.

Earlier this month Donaldson’s Plan for Seattle came under scrutiny by the Seattle Times for getting a big assist from former professional basketball player who is now the mayor of Sacramento.

Cindi Laws, Donaldson’s campaign manager and a familiar face in West Seattle, said the candidate is finding support in the neighborhood.

“As you may have noticed, we have about 100 signs in the windows of neighborhood businesses throughout West Seattle, and that’s because James has campaigned extensively here,” she said.

Here’s how Donaldson answered the five questions sent by WSB:

1. West Seattle residents are concerned about shootings, youth violence and gang activity in the community. Do you have a plan to tackle the issue, and what will you do to keep our neighborhoods safe?

DONALDSON: Public safety would be one of my primary concerns as mayor. I will put more police on the beat to keep the community secure and also address the system problems by providing consistent, stable funding for a police gang unit and convene a regional summit to attack this regional issue.

2. A full block grocery and housing project in West Seattle has been nicknamed “Hole Foods” after the vast pit that replaced two businesses nearly a year ago. There are concerns about the safety, and the stability of surrounding roads at Fauntleroy Way and SW Alaska Street. West Seattle is anticipating a deluge of development; what can be done to make sure we don’t end up with more pits?

DONALDSON: With the property issues and lawsuits pending on the Whole Foods property, there doesn’t seem to be much the City can do in that particular case to force construction under the current laws and codes. The national economic picture is not helping either side towards resolution of a very dangerous and potentially unstable hole-in-the-ground.

The permitting process for construction of new businesses is lengthy and inefficient. Continuing with my beliefs in maximizing efficiency in government, I would work to streamline this process and encourage swift completion of projects after ground is broken. Landowners who do not complete a project in a reasonable amount of time should face a daily fine or be forced to fill in the excavated site to a safe condition until the project moves forward or the property is sold.

3. West Seattle often feels like an island, residents risk messy commutes and downtown shopping expeditions under almost any plan for the Alaskan Way Viaduct. What ideas do you have for keeping West Seattle connected during and after construction?

DONALDSON: I am a tunnel supporter; the Mayor of Seattle cannot realistically change a decision that was made by the governor (on a state highway) before he came into office. The good news for West Seattle, and one of the reasons I support the tunnel, is that the Viaduct will not be demolished until after the tunnel is operational, thus minimizing traffic impacts. I will continue to work to secure a Y-portal at the north end of the tunnel that serves the Northwest portion of our city: Interbay, Magnolia, West Queen Anne, and Ballard. I will also press for an additional downtown exit if engineering proves it feasible.

The current mayor worked overtime to kill West Seattle’s best transit solution, the monorail; offering the 100,000 + residents of West Seattle a streetcar is not going to solve our transit dilemma. We are further compromised by a complete absence of light rail in the next generation – or more. I have called for increased bus service, and will work with King County to secure increased service hours. I have offered a plan that has the city acquire the bus shelters within the city, and will use creative solutions and advertising within these shelters to offset the cost of more buses to our Seattle residents. Advertising on and in buses has proven to help with operational costs; the logical next step is bus shelters.

4. What is the biggest issue facing Seattle and how will you deal with it?

DONALDSON: Transportation is the most important issue in Seattle, and it is an issue I take very seriously. My plan, “Looking up to our potential” is available at www.teamdonaldson.com, and details 30-points to improve transportation.

We have to find a better way of transportation planning. In 2005, The Economist magazine declared Seattle to have the “worst transportation planning in the world.” In the whole world! We have become a mockery for our lack of progress on dangerous highways and bridges, and the ever-shifting focus of priorities.

For eight years, West Seattle residents have traveled on an elevated roadway that could collapse with a minor earthquake, causing a catastrophic loss of life and property. Similarly, Seattle and regional residents travel across the 520 bridge – a roadway that has to be closed in high winds so it won’t sink. The South Park Bridge has been obsolete for decades, and must be replaced. This vital link doesn’t merely connect a neighborhood, it connects manufacturing and industry that is crucial to our economy. Yet in each of these cases, politics and process has trumped progress. We cannot allow this to continue. We must get together, get along, and get going.

5. What is your favorite place in West Seattle, and why?

DONALDSON: This is like asking Mother Hubbard to choose her favorite child! West Seattle has so many great places – natural, historical, built objects, and businesses that it would be difficult to chose just one. I love driving off the West Seattle Bridge and being greeted by “Walking on Logs”. Our shorelines – Harbor Avenue to Alki to Beach Drive are marvelous.

There are great vistas and viewpoints, and I have conducted several press interviews from waterfront parks with Downtown in the background. I love the many waterfront parks that were designed by Lezlie Jane, or the CCC/WPA-era Camp Long and Schmitz Park. I love the business districts – neighborhood businesses are what make neighborhoods unique, and West Seattle has a great many strong, diverse business districts that are supported by neighbors and visitors alike.

I am deeply saddened by the loss of one of the greatest restaurateurs in all of Seattle, with the passing of Hussein Khazaal, and I hope that the Phoenicia Restaurant will stay in business, joining other great West Seattle originals like Luna Park Café, the Homestead, West 5, Pegasus, Angelina’s, Spiro’s…way too many to list. But truly, what is most wonderful about West Seattle is the sense of place, of community.

Donaldson’s website is at teamdonaldson.com. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tuesday, or dropped off in one of the dropboxes around the county (no postage needed if you choose that option – the nearest ones are in North Delridge and White Center) by 8 pm Tuesday night. To see previous WSB candidate/politics reports, check this newest-to-oldest archive.