Takeaways from the Bellevue City Council Candidates Forum
Eastside Audubon Society, Save Coal Creek, and the People for Climate Action Bellevue came together this month to host a forum for Bellevue City Council Candidates to ask about the positions on climate and sustainability in the city.
Candidates who participated included:
Mayor Lynne Robinson- Position 6
Ruth Lipscomb- Position 4
Dexter Borbe -Position 2
Conrad Lee- Position 2
Candidates kicked off the forum with an opening statement before answering a series of questions about our local environment and their plans for sustainability.
All of the candidates recognized that Bellevue has grown and changed recently and will continue to do so at incredible speed.
Conrad Lee is the “Longest serving council member in the city of Bellevue, with a reputation as a fiscal hawk.” He recognized that Bellevue has undergone major changes in recent years, and is looking forward to making changes within what’s reasonable for Bellevue and balancing economic growth with environmental policies.
Ruth Lipscomb is a passionate environmentalist who says that Bellevue needs to “adapt to its new status as a metropolis” and advocates for density and sustainability to make sure Bellevue is “livable for all future residents.”
Mayor Lynne Robinson focused on the importance of housing equity and transportation in Bellevue’s growth as both things impact climate and equity.
Dexter Borbe agreed with the importance of the connection between housing affordability and climate action. He’s advocating for maintaining Bellevue’s quality of life as it grows.
When asked about reducing Bellevue’s carbon emissions all candidates agreed that doing so will take large-scale coordination between governments, nonprofits, and corporations and more dedicated resources. Ruth pointed to other cities and the county who have created frameworks for reducing carbon emissions that we should look to and being sure the resources are there to fully fund the large-scale action needed to accomplish climate goals. Mayor Lynne pointed out a lack of data that needs to be addressed as well.
When asked about their commitments to broader climate action, Mayor Lynne and Dexter agreed that housing affordability and transportation access were two key issues that will help achieve Bellevue’s climate goals. Other opportunities Mayor Lynne discussed included zoning to keep trees on properties. Ruth echoed the diversity of opportunity and advocated for strong action now at the city level saying “we need to be working on everything at once” while Conrad emphasized the need for pragmatism when making these decisions.
Candidates continued to emphasize the importance of protecting Bellevue’s tree canopy and key habitat areas like Coal Creek. Ruth pointed out Bellevue’s unique location as a city “between two lakes” and it’s important ecological role. She suggested that Bellevue should become a strong model for other cities when it comes to protecting key habitat. Mayor Lynne agreed and shared her optimism for Bellevue’s future in protecting habitat and trees. Dexter pointed to the practical reasons Bellevue should be more effective in preserving nature including how much it’s already spent on protecting key land and its administrative capacity to handle more requests like this. Conrad emphasized the importance of community engagement in understanding where the opportunities to protect habitat are and getting citizens to participate in preservation programs.
Similarly, all candidates agreed that tackling the litter problem in Bellevue requires an increase in community engagement programs and campaigns.
When asked about growth and housing affordability Mayor Lynne and Ruth encouraged Bellevue to take strong action towards housing affordability. Ruth advocated to “increase the number of housing units by a huge number” in order to address the housing crisis while Mayor Lynne focused additionally on preserving older apartment units, which are larger and more affordable, and creating incentives for residents to downsize. Dexter promoted mixed-use development and transit-oriented housing to make sure climate goals are still achievable in densifying the city. Conrad brought up the possibility of unintended consequences and encouraged and encouraged acting within Bellevue’s means.
Thank you to all the candidates who participated.
Watch the full forum below: