About Mike

Born and raised in the Seattle area, Mike has a deep appreciation for the beauty of the Puget Sound region and a deep respect for the progressive values and spirit of independence of the people who live in Seattle and make it such a great city.

A lifelong idealist, Mike believes Seattle can be a model for sustainability, affordability, and economic and cultural vitality. He envisions a city where smart housing policies ensure that all families can afford to live here; where children get a great public education; and where there are great jobs opportunities. He believes that if we focus on the right priorities, we can create a city where everyone is doing their part to save the environment and reduce global warming just by living here — a city where people use less energy and save money but get more out of their lives.

At the same time, Mike is deeply pragmatic in his approach to achieving these goals. After earning an economics degree from Duke University and an MBA from the University of Washington, Mike has spent most of his professional career working in financial management. He served for 10 years as the chief financial officer at the local law firm of Stokes Lawrence, where he oversaw budgeting, financial reporting, and forecasting for a $10 million business.

Through his business experience and his knowledge of finance, Mike understands the importance of an analytic and metric-based approach to management. He has seen how smart, carefully applied financial incentives can lead to positive results that achieve lasting benefits in business.

As chair of the Sierra Club, Mike led the campaign to defeat the roads-and-transit plan that would have allocated billions to build new highways. Then he played a vital role in the effort to pass Proposition 1, which secured funding for light rail and public transit without wasting money on more highways.

Mike also served on an advisory panel convened by the Governor to develop a plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The advisory panel — which included representatives of the state, county, and city departments of transportation and members of community and business groups — recommended a plan that included improvements to I-5, public transit expansion, and investments in surface streets. This approach would cost about $1 billion less than the $4.2 billion deep-bore tunnel project that city and state leaders now favor.

Mike opposes the deep-bore tunnel, which would cost Seattle taxpayers $900 million and require the largest tax or fee increase in city history and. He believes it is a deeply flawed plan that fails to address our city’s most important transportation needs.

As an idealist with strong progressive values and a pragmatist with a strong background in finance and organizational management, Mike offers a rare combination of vision and experience that is clearly needed on the Seattle City Council.