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Who is Katie Wilson?
Wilson, who defines herself as a democratic socialist, won the Seattle mayoral race running on her platform of affordability, housing, homelessness, public safety, and transportation. On her website, she highlights a plan for a "Trump-Proof Seattle," which aims to shield the city from potential federal rollbacks under a second Trump administration. The proposal centers on protecting vulnerable communities, preserving essential services and reinforcing Seattle’s progressive values in the face of national political shifts. Wilson’s plan acknowledges Seattle’s reliance on roughly $150 million in annual federal funding and outlines a proactive strategy to close potential budget gaps with progressive local revenue sources. Among her proposals is the implementation of a city-level capital gains tax, a recommendation she helped develop during her tenure on the city’s 2023 Revenue Stabilization Workgroup. The mayor-elect also pledges to strengthen support for immigrants and refugees, expanding legal services, language access, and rapid-response tools for those facing immigration enforcement. She plans to update and reinforce Seattle’s sanctuary city policies, ensuring that city departments, including the Seattle Police Department, do not cooperate with civil immigration arrests or share data with federal agencies.
Wilson’s “Trump-Proof” agenda extends protections to the LGBTQ community and reproductive rights. She commits to safeguarding access to gender-affirming care and reproductive health services, ensuring shelters remain inclusive, and supporting schools in resisting federal pressure to retreat from inclusive practices. Addressing concerns over government surveillance, Wilson plans to review how the city collects and stores data, especially any that could be accessed by hostile federal entities. She intends to strengthen surveillance ordinances and prevent SPD from using unapproved technologies acquired through other jurisdictions.
Framing her policy as both defensive and forward-looking, Wilson said Seattle must “build resilient systems that protect our people and uphold our values” in uncertain national circumstances.
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