Press
City Council candidate Q & A: Mike O’Brien
January 15, 2009 - By Gerry Spratt
Mike O’Brien is running against Robert Rosencrantz for Position 8 on the Seattle City Council.
The former chief financial officer for the law firm Stokes Lawrence and former chair of the Sierra Club has focused on transportation and transit issues. He was appointed to the governor’s advisory panel to develop a plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which recommended improvements to I-5, more public transit and improvements to surface streets, rather than a viaduct replacement.
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2009 Endorsements
Our Picks for the November 3 General Election
October 13, 2009 - by THE STRANGER ELECTION CONTROL BOARD
Mike O’Brien, who answers phone calls while riding his bike, has a granite ass. If he doesn’t die in traffic before November 3, we want to see his granite ass sitting on the city council. He’s an environmentalist (former chair of the local chapter of the Sierra Club) and a business wizard (got his MBA from the University of Washington). O’Brien’s mix of idealism and realism in city planning is refreshing, and we think his approaches to building a dense city and funding transit represent the vision Seattle needs. But just as much as we love O’Brien’s big brain and granite ass, we fear his opponent.
Electing Robert Rosencrantz to the City Council Would Be a Nightmare
The Nicest Guy in Seattle Is Frighteningly Conservative and Outfundraising His Progressive Opponent, Mike O’Brien
October 6, 2009 - by Dominic Holden
obert Rosencrantz, who has run for city council twice before and lost, believes he can do anything if he keeps trying. He has an inspiring story to illustrate this. Rosencrantz grew up with a hip disease called Perthes but triumphantly rose to athleticism, to financial prosperity, and now—if his third campaign pans out—to the dais of the city council. “I was the kid on crutches, and the other kids were saying I was a cripple who could never walk,” says Rosencrantz. “And all I could think is that some day I will be a champion athlete.” On his fourth try, Rosencrantz won the national junior championship…
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Green Fever Colors the Future of Roads
November 19, 2008 - By Danny Westneat
You probably haven’t heard of Mike O’Brien. He seems certain you haven’t. But if there’s anyone from the governor to the mayor to the special-interest purveyors who gets credit for being exactly right about Puget Sound’s worst political mess — transportation — it is this guy. Right that voters would go for light rail, regardless of the economy. Right that they don’t want bigger roads — maybe even that the freeway era is over…
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Guest Columnists: Climate the loser in tunnel choice
January 15, 2009 - By Cary Moon and Mike O’brien
We believe Gov. Chris Gregoire, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and King County Executive Sims made the wrong choice in selecting the deep-bore tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Our commitment to real climate solutions is the loser in this decision.
You don’t have to be a climate change expert to understand the role transportation investments play in shaping travel habits, energy consumption and growth patterns… Read More >
Mike O’Brien For Seattle City Council Position 8
July 19th, 2009 - By Dan Bertolet
For me, this is the easiest choice out of all the races. Among the reasons: Mike O’Brien has been consistent in his support for an integrated surface/transit solution as opposed to the deep bore tunnel.
The list of supporters for O’Brien’s fundraiser includes many of the City’s best thinkers and leaders on urban environmental issues. These are people whose understanding of sustainability is both deep and wide, and who respect the interdependencies that span the… Read More >
Mike O’Brien For Seattle City Council Position 8
July 17th, 2009 - By Erica C. Barnett
Mike O’Brien, former chairman of the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club, is a hippie with an MBA: After getting a degree in economics at Duke and his masters in finance from the University of Washington, he spent a decade as chief financial officer at the Stokes Lawrence law firm. In the crowded field for Position 8, he stands out for his environmental background, for his opposition to the waterfront tunnel (a position he shares with fellow ex-Sierra Club chair Mike McGinn, who’s running for mayor), and his fundraising… Read More >
…Mike O’Brien’s Bike All Went for a “Special Preview Ride” on Link Light Rail This Afternoon
July 17th, 2009 - by Christopher Frizzelle
A crush of political insiders gathered at the Westlake Station stop this afternoon for a press conference that lasted approximately 1,467 hours. After the press conference, everyone was going on a by-invitation-only “special preview” central Link light rail ride. Mayor Nickels talked and talked and talked (we’ve worked very hard, it has taken so long for this day to come), and then he introducedSenator Patty Murray, who came up and spoke (we’ve worked very hard… Read More >
Seattle’s Own Municipal Idol
May 26, 2009 - By Laura Onstot
Adam Lambert’s got nothing on Seattle’s eccentric cast of city council candidates.
With the country in deep recession, unemployment at dismal levels, and an inspiring community organizer in the White House, who wouldn’t want a gig that combines public service with four years’ job security? There’s barely a week left before the filing deadline, but Seattle City Council candidates are jockeying for position, creating alliances, and doing everything they can to stand out to you, the judges at home. Welcome to… Municipal Idol! Read More >
Last Night’s Candidate Forum: The Oddest Answer. The Best Answer.
May 22, 2009 - By Josh Feit
I don’t know if Sara Palin look-alike Tina Fey could stand in for Seattle City Council candidate Bobby Forch (he’s a 53-year-old black man), but man did Forch, who’s running in the crowded Position 8 race for Richard McIver’s open seat, go off on some discombobulated sound bite mash ups last night that were ripe for a Fey send up. At last night’s 46 District Democrats candidate forum, the candidates were asked to say what they thought were the biggest issues in North Seattle… Read More >
A Green Slate for Seattle City Council?
February 6th, 2009 - By Aimee Curl
The Sierra Club’s Michael O’Brien is one of a growing number of strong, pragmatic enviro candidates running to make the Emerald City even greener.
Many know Michael O’Brien as the face of the Sierra Club and its crushing opposition to the Roads and Transit package, an initiative that — thanks in part to his efforts — went down in defeat in 2007. Now, fresh off helping to pass the Sound Transit ballot measure last year, O’Brien’s running for Seattle City Council in 2009. And he insists he’s a pragmatist… Read More >
Sierra Club Chair O’Brien to Run For Council
January 22nd, 2009 - By Erica C. Barnett
Mike O’Brien—chairman of the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club and one of the few vocal environmental-community opponents of 2007’s roads-heavy “roads and transit” ballot measure… Read More >
Up Front: Change at City Hall
September 12, 2009 - By Allen Schauffler - [Video]
Seattle voters have already rejected one incumbent. Could there be more? Watch the Video >
