Lawrence Cohen (talk | contribs) Restoring some sourced information. It's all valid, and seems to be written in a neutral tone. |
Please don't restore POV pushing. Go to talk page first. |
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==2007 Campaign== |
==2007 Campaign== |
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In the August primary, Godden faced opposition from three challengers: Joe Szwaja, Lauren Briel and Robert Sondheim. |
In the August primary, Godden faced opposition from three challengers: Joe Szwaja, Lauren Briel and Robert Sondheim. |
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Godden has faced criticism alleging that she is too beholden to developers. At a July 17 meeting in which 43rd District Democrats voted on their endorsements for the August 21 primary, a flier co-authored by [[John Fox]] of the [[Seattle Displacement Coalition]] stated that Godden has “consistently voted against the interests of neighborhoods, low-income and working people while routinely catering to the likes of [[Paul Allen]], downtown, and the corporate establishment.”[http://www.realchangenews.org/2007/2007_07_25/brownbag.html] ''The Beacon Hill News/South District Journal'' said of Godden, "there isn't a subsidy or a zoning change requested by Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. that she hasn't fully supported."[http://www.pacificpublishingcompany.com/site/tab3.cfm?newsid=18628846&BRD=855&PAG=461&dept_id=520818&rfi=6] |
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Despite these allegations, Godden has been endorsed many labor union and environmental groups, including [[King County Labor Council]], [[SEIU]], [[Washington Conservation Voters]], [[UFCW]], [[Unite HERE]], Machinists, Women's Political Caucus, and the [[Teamsters]]. Godden has also been endorsed by nearly every major elected official in Seattle <ref>Godden Endorsements http://www.jeangodden.com/endorsements.php</ref>. |
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Godden is strongly supported by many Democratic legislative district organizations.<ref>Democratic Support http://jeangodden.com/endorsements.php</ref> She received endorsements from four out of six local Democratic Districts and was overwhelmingly endorsed by the King County Democrats.<ref>King County Democrats http://www.kcdems.net/documents/2007.endorsements.pdf</ref> |
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She has also significantly outraised all of her opponents. <ref>Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/eldata/filings/campaignhome.asp?elcycle=el07a&campuni=82</ref>. According to Seattle Ethics and Elections reports, Godden had raised $189,189 as of August 27, in part from real-estate interests including [[Vulcan Inc.]], but also from labor unions throughout Seattle. Her closest challenger, Szwaja, had raised just over $46,000. |
She has also significantly outraised all of her opponents. <ref>Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/eldata/filings/campaignhome.asp?elcycle=el07a&campuni=82</ref>. According to Seattle Ethics and Elections reports, Godden had raised $189,189 as of August 27, in part from real-estate interests including [[Vulcan Inc.]], but also from labor unions throughout Seattle. Her closest challenger, Szwaja, had raised just over $46,000. |
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She was also recently endorsed by the ''[[Seattle PI]]''<ref>Seattle PI's endorsement http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/324499_cityed.html</ref> and the ''[[Seattle Times]]'' gave her and Sondheim a dual endorsement <ref>Seattle Times' Endorsement http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=counciled12&date=20070812&query=godden+endorsement</ref> |
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In the August 21st primary, Godden advanced to the general election, beating her nearest challenger by more than 30 percentage points.{{fact}} |
In the August 21st primary, Godden advanced to the general election, beating her nearest challenger by more than 30 percentage points.{{fact}} |
Revision as of 16:05, 4 September 2007
Jean Godden | |
---|---|
File:Godden.jpg | |
Seattle City Council | |
In office 2003–present | |
Preceded by | Judy Nicastro |
Personal details | |
Born | October 1, 1931 |
Political party | Democratic |
Height | 184px |
Children | Jeff and Glenn (sons) |
Residence(s) | Seattle, WA |
Occupation | Seattle City Councilmember |
Website | http://www.jeangodden.com |
Jean Godden is a member of the Seattle City Council, first elected in 2003.[1] As of October 2006 she is chair of the Energy & Technology Committee, vice chair of the Finance & Budget Committee and the Public Safety, Government Relations & Arts Committee, and a member of the Transportation Committee.[2]
Godden received her bachelor's degree in editorial journalism from the University of Washington in 1973 and was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Her local fame is due to her award-winning column in The Seattle Times newspaper, which she gave up to run for City Council.[2]
Godden is up for reelection in 2007. She is being challenged in the November election by Joe Szwaja.
Biography
Godden attained celebrity status in Seattle as the leading columnist for both daily newspapers, first for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and most recently for The Seattle Times. Godden reached that status after years working in other positions with the paper, including as a business editor, editorial page editor, real estate and urban affairs reporter and restaurant critic.
Godden was one of the P-I's early female staff members and one of two women in her class at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. She would eventually graduate from the University of Washington's School of Communications.
She started her newspaper career at the University District Herald as a 19-year-old, joined the P-I in 1974 as a temporary staffer, had her first column published in the P-I in 1983, and finally switched to The Seattle Times in 1991.
Born in Connecticut, Godden's family moved 116 times before she graduated from high school in Virginia due to her father's job as a surveyor.
After two Seattle school levies failed and her son's kindergarten class disappeared, Godden and other parents mobilized and she ended up as PTA president. Godden then joined the League of Women Voters; Citizens Against Freeways; the Municipal League; and the United Way, where she helped to organize the Lake City Community Council, wrote its bylaws and served as one of its first directors.
In the late 1960's Seattle Mayor Wes Ulhman appointed Godden to his charter review committee. She was also named to the City's Board of Adjustment.
Godden has two sons, Glenn and Jeff, and two grandsons, Matthew and Chris. She resides in Seattle's View Ridge neighborhood.[3]
Accomplishments on the City Council
As Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, Godden helped hire new leadership for Seattle City Light, reduced electrical rates by a 8.4%, reduced the utility’s long term debt by 15%, and ensured City Light purchased greenhouse gas offsets to meet its zero net emissions goal for the first time. City Light is now the only utility in the country that has met this goal. [4]
A staunch environmentalist, Godden shepherded the Environmentally Critical Areas Ordinance, fighting for wider buffer areas to protect creeks, and curtailed the use of pesticides near streams. Godden was the first to suggest the two-for-one tree replacement program requiring the Parks Department to do more than simply replace the trees it removes. She also took the lead in working to clean up the Duwamish River and protect the Soundway Greenbelt from development. Godden also led efforts to fund Bike Station Seattle, a secure bike-transit facility in Pioneer Square that provides parking and services to bicycle commuters.[5]
Godden has also worked hard to fund and expand social services that serve the disadvantaged. For example, she secured funding for Project Access, a service that connects uninsured people with pro-bono medical treatment. She supported Solid Ground's Housing Counseling Program that provides counseling for residents at risk of eviction or foreclosure. Godden also strongly supported funding for Senior Services Senior Centers to assist with the Center's operating expenses. She helped restore Bookmobile funding, increased hours the libraries are open, and twice added new dollars to increase the book and material collection. Godden also increased city funding for late night recreation programs and for the Reinvesting in Youth program that gets kids with their first offense out of the cycle of crime. [6]
2007 Campaign
In the August primary, Godden faced opposition from three challengers: Joe Szwaja, Lauren Briel and Robert Sondheim.
She has also significantly outraised all of her opponents. [7]. According to Seattle Ethics and Elections reports, Godden had raised $189,189 as of August 27, in part from real-estate interests including Vulcan Inc., but also from labor unions throughout Seattle. Her closest challenger, Szwaja, had raised just over $46,000.
In the August 21st primary, Godden advanced to the general election, beating her nearest challenger by more than 30 percentage points.[citation needed]
Primary election results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
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Jean Godden (inc.) | 37,565 | 52.00% | |||
Joe Szwaja | 15,705 | 21.74% | |||
Lauren Briel | 9,664 | 13.38% | |||
Robert Sondheim | 9,037 | 12.51% |
From King County Elections [1]
References
- ^ Seattle PI http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/2003nov/resPage20.htm
- ^ a b Seattle City Council Website http://www.seattle.gov/council/godden/ Cite error: The named reference "multiple" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ http://www.jeangodden.com
- ^ Seattle City Council Press Release http://www.seattle.gov/council/newsdetail.asp?ID=6646&Dept=28
- ^ Seattle City Council Press Release http://www.seattle.gov/council/newsdetail.asp?ID=5995&Dept=28
- ^ Seattle City Council Press Release http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/news/detail.asp?ID=6718&Dept=28
- ^ Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/eldata/filings/campaignhome.asp?elcycle=el07a&campuni=82