Mayor-Elect Mike McGinn has created a site called "Ideas for Seattle" that gives locals the opportunity to submit their ideas for making the city a better place. And some that just help it become a different place.
The top 10 ideas (for the moment):
- Expand as much light rail + subway as possible
- Legalize marijuana and tax it
- Create a lid over I-5 in Seattle
- Foot/Bike Patrols for SE Seattle
- Make Seattle the 1st US City to be carbon neutral
- Install sidewalks throughout Seattle
- Seat aside park beach areas for "clothing-optional" recreation
- Secure a new source of funding for City libraries
- Revitalize Pioneer Square
- City-funded public farmer's markets
The website is a great tool for letting the public feel like they have input on the future of their city. Many of the suggestions take some serious effort and will not be made quickly. Regardless, this website provides a good opportunity to open up dialogue for many issues that our city faces and will hopefully show this new administration some of the things we feel are important.
When you check out the website, make sure to look at individual forum's, such as Transportation, Neighborhoods, Homelessness, and Public Safety. Some of the interesting ideas that are worth noting are:
- Promote family-friendly urban neighborhoods
- Create a Pedestrian friendly zone throughout downtown
- Build new streetcars and restore the Waterfront Streetcar
In response to the #1 voted on idea on the site, Seattle Transit Blog provided information from McGinn's light rail information handout that sparked a mini debate. As the debate rages on throughout Seattle blogs regarding what McGinn is going to do about the problems facing our city, Ideas for Seattle is a good outlet, and can even provide some humor (see "Zombie Epidemic Emergency Plan"). To add your own ideas, simply create a log in and start typing!