‘She’s still floundering’: Recall petitioner describes Mayor Katie Wilson’s first eight months

A recall effort against Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is gaining momentum after Seattle resident Melinda Jacobson filed charges with King County Elections, alleging the mayor is “derelict in her duties for public safety.”

Jacobson joined Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio to explain why she and her husband decided to act.

“I gave her the benefit of the doubt,” Jacobson said. “But geez, it’s been over eight months now, and she’s still floundering.”

Jacobson says public safety is her primary concern

Jacobson, a lifelong Seattle resident, said the Bite of Seattle shooting was “the icing on the cake” after months of frustration. She highlighted the mayor’s response to the ongoing crisis on Aurora Avenue, where a community march was held the first Saturday in June that Wilson did not attend.

“She didn’t fully address it until June 30,” Jacobson said. “There were city officials there at the time, including past city officials and current city officials, but no Katie.”

Jacobson also said citizens she has spoken with share a common view of the mayor.

“They describe her as a mayor in training wheels,” Jacobson said.

The mayor’s response left Jacobson unconvinced

Jacobson read Wilson’s official response on air, which listed accomplishments including expanding community crisis response hours, launching universal school meals, and banning rental junk fees.

“In reading this, I don’t see really anything that really concerns public safety,” Jacobson said. “That is not her priority, and according to the Seattle city charter, public safety is supposed to be one of the prime priorities of not only the city government, but the mayor.”

If approved by a judge, recall sponsors would have 180 days to collect more than 70,000 signatures. Jacobson said she is ready to move as soon as that approval comes.

“We’ve got people that are ready to go out the door and get signatures,” Jacobson said. “It’s organized already.”

Jake says the recall may be citizens’ only chance to hold Wilson accountable

Jake said the recall effort carries weight beyond the petition itself, arguing it may be the only way Seattle residents have to weigh in on Wilson’s decision to force out Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes in the aftermath of the Bite of Seattle shooting.

“I think it would be a shame if people didn’t get the chance to make their voices heard on this, because that was a really big mistake that happened after the Bite of Seattle,” Jake said. “You literally have the Chief of Police who was forced to resign by the mayor, and this may be the citizens of Seattle’s only chance to voice their opinion on whether or not she got that right; she should be held accountable for that.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3