Sara Nelson defends Seattle City Council against 'toxic' characterization

Speaking on KUOW's Soundside, Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson invited listeners to watch Council proceedings themselves to determine whether recent allegations hold merit.

RELATED: Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales steps down, citing harmful work environment

"These are really urgent issues that we are dealing with — public safety, housing, making progress on homelessness," Nelson said. "These are also some fairly political topics as well, and so, this is when I have seen some heated responses. But that is within the realm of the rights of Council members to make sure their position is understood by the people who are watching and listening to the meeting."

Nelson was responding to reasons District 2 Councilmember Tammy Morales gave for deciding to resign in January. On Monday, Morales told Soundside the Council "is sliding towards really undemocratic behavior" — which Nelson said is untrue.

"When I raise the issues on the dais, I am met with this seething anger just for expressing my policy priorities or my perspective, and when that is the reaction, and it's coming from a Council that came in talking about collegiality and civility and respecting one another's differences, the hypocrisy is also really problematic," Morales said.

RELATED: ‘Gaslighting and manipulation.’ Why Tammy Morales is leaving Seattle City Council

Nelson told Soundside she had intended to "stay above the tit-for-tat allegations," but felt she had to "respond to attacks on the integrity of the [Council]" after hearing Morales' interview on Soundside.

"I'm frankly shocked and disappointed with the way she has characterized the dynamic on Council and what occurs at the dais," she said.

Public comment

Morales not only excoriated her Council colleagues for the way she says they've treated her, but also for the way they've handled members of the public.

She noted a September hearing over two controversial ordinances — Stay Out of Drug Areas (SODA) and Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (SOAP). Morales said the Council had 10 police officers in the back hallway.

"When you start to engage with the public in that way, when you know that there are strong feelings about policy that's being proposed, and your reaction is not to allow people to speak, but to call the police, that's really problematic, to have to have the voice of the public stifled like that," she said.

In contrast, Morales said there is less police presence when chambers are full of people concerned about an issue that aligns with members’ concerns.

RELATED: 6 protesters arrested after descending on Seattle City Hall to demand support for refugees

Nelson flatly denied allegations that the Council's actions have been undemocratic or favor any side of a debate.

"I have always endeavored to allow everybody who signs up to give public comment to be able to do so," she said. "I respect people's First Amendment rights."

Nelson did acknowledge that there have been occasions when she has limited public comment, though, "largely because we had important things that we had to get to on the dais, and it was possible that there would be a lot of people who signed up."

And she specifically addressed a time when several protestors were arrested "for disruptive and dangerous behavior."

"Everybody who signed up to give public comment that day was able to give public comment," Nelson said. "So, there was no picking and choosing who gets to give public comment."

Interference

In her public letter, Morales also accused Council members of interfering "with the ability of our non-partisan Council Central Staff to provide objective policy analysis."

"Council members cannot dictate the content of central staff memos," Nelson said.

She also denied treating Morales' budget priorities and legislation any differently from anyone else's, arguing disagreements were not evidence that Morales was targeted but that her colleagues had different opinions.

"We all have one vote at the dais," Nelson said. "It's our responsibility to work with our colleagues on our own time and try to build support for our legislative priorities."

Another open seat

After Morales steps down on Jan. 6, the City Council has 20 days to appoint her replacement. That person will serve until a special election in November 2025.

Nelson said the application process to be appointed to the seat until then will likely be from Jan. 2 to 9.

Some have wondered whether Tanya Woo would be appointed again. She unsuccessfully challenged Morales for her seat in 2023. But Woo was appointed to citywide Position 8 when Teresa Mosqueda left the City Council for the King County Council this year. Then in November, Woo lost her seat to Alexis Mercedes Rinck.

Morales said she does not believe Woo should be appointed to the Council again.

"I think if she wants to run for this seat, she should run just like anybody else who might be interested," she said. "I do not think another appointment is appropriate."

Nelson said she has not heard whether Woo is interested in being appointed, nor does she know if Woo has plans to run for the District 2 seat next year.

Woo told KUOW last week that she has not yet decided whether she will run.

RELATED: Tanya Woo not ruling out another Seattle City Council run

But Nelson does not want anyone to reconsider applying for the appointment or running.

"One of the reasons that I wanted to be on this show is because I don't want anybody who is interested in serving District 2 to be discouraged from applying because of how the Council dynamics have been characterized by Councilmember Morales," she said. "This is a positive work environment."