Joe Mallahan Outlines Vision for Seattle's Future on "The Day with Trae"
In a recent interview on "The Day with Trae," Seattle mayoral candidate Joe Mallahan shared his vision for the city, emphasizing his commitment to community engagement and addressing key issues, including homelessness, public safety, and affordability.
Mallahan, a seasoned business leader with 30 years of experience, including a decade as a community organizer in Chicago with the Industrial Areas Foundation—the same organization Barack Obama worked with—highlighted his "hard-nosed, big-hearted" leadership style. He recounted a proud moment from his time at T-Mobile, where he leveraged his social justice values to change how the wireless industry treated customers with bad credit, leading to the acquisition of 10 million new customers annually.
During the discussion, Mallahan outlined his three main priorities for Seattle:
Homelessness: He criticized the current approach of "sweeps," advocating instead for a focus on addiction treatment and providing emergency bedding, similar to what was implemented in Portland.
Public Safety: Mallahan intends to expand the Care Team within the police department, increasing its size from 25 to 150 social work-trained individuals to reduce escalations and save costs. He also proposed automating traffic safety with radar and automated ticketing to free up police hours and enhance street safety.
Affordability: Mallahan stressed the need to leverage federal tax credits to build more affordable housing units and address current eviction rules that he believes contribute to landlords' financial difficulties.
Mallahan also addressed the perceived division within Seattle, proposing that his unique background—having worked with both the "uber wealthy" and in social justice—positions him to bridge the gap between different economic communities. He expressed a desire to foster a more inclusive and tolerant environment, even stating, "I want to just pour love out on people."
He assured viewers of his continued presence in the community, citing his daily interactions at light rail stations and farmers markets, as well as meetings with community leaders and various groups, including the Muslim community. Mallahan emphasized that this consistent engagement would hold him accountable as a leader.
For those interested in learning more, Joe Mallahan encouraged visiting his website, JoeMallahanforSeattleMayor.com, or following his Instagram at @joemallahanformayor, where he regularly posts policy updates. He also invited volunteers and those interested in yard signs to connect with his campaign.
