Harrell Reflects on Tenure, Passes Torch to Wilson in Concession Speech
Photos: Jordan Somers
By Mead Gill
SEATTLE, WA – Outgoing Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell delivered his concession speech this afternoon at City Hall, just weeks before he is set to leave office. Speaking after a narrow election loss, the Mayor congratulated Mayor-elect Katie Wilson and reflected on his four years in office.
Mayor Harrell grounded his remarks in a call to action for public servants.
"Don't fear failure. It's not failure, but low aim. That's the crime in great attempts. It is glorious even to fail,” he said.
Throughout the speech, Harrell continually deferred credit for his administration's achievements to his staff and the citizens of Seattle. He proudly detailed the city's progress across several areas, including public safety, affordability, homelessness, and education.
The Mayor noted 150 police officers were hired this year. “We reinvented the officer recruiting and restored staff from the 1990 levels,” he said, also championing the creation of the CARE Department, a dual public health and public safety approach.
Harrell noted his administration’s $1 billion investment in housing, which has preserved over 8,000 units, he said. He also claimed to have reduced encampments by 80% and increased the number of people moving from shelter to housing by 50%.
Uplifting the Every Child Ready Initiative, the Mayor discussed efforts to revitalize the downtown core. "We rewrote the tax code, giving 90% of Seattle small and medium businesses a tax break," he said.
Harrell addressed a question about his cabinet. “What I am most proud of is that in the world where we are questioning Diversity and Equity and Inclusion…we had the most diverse executive team and cabinet,” he said. “It wasn't because they were diverse. It was because they were the best.”
Harrell repeatedly stressed the need for unity as the city moves into the Wilson administration.
"While it is very seductive to stay in campaign mode and look at the Wilson administration from a competitive lens, I will not do that," he said, pointing to his philosophy of “One Seattle.” "I believe in our hearts that they want the same thing: fairness, justice, peace, equity, equality."
When asked what advice he would give Mayor-elect Wilson, Harrell urged a focus on education, economic development, and public safety.
Closing his remarks, the Mayor told the audience that he and his wife, Joanne Harrell, will take time to reflect. "I haven't written my next chapter yet. Many of you know I'm a man of faith. He writes our chapters,” he said. "I'm not retired, I'm not going anywhere."
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