Ahead of the November 2023 elections, the Renton Reporter sent the same set of questions to every Renton City Council candidate. These are their responses. You can read more on rentonreporter.com.
Q: What are some of the most important problems facing the Renton community, and how do you intend to address them?
Ryan McIrvin, Council Position No. 4 (incumbent):
“Public safety is the clear number one issue facing Renton right now. Renton residents deserve to feel safe in their own homes and community and right now many of them don’t. As a council, we’ve made public safety our top priority in the last budget cycle and fully funded the administration’s request for personnel in hopes of getting more officers on the streets. We’ve also been strong advocates for greater resources and law enforcement authority to address the opioid epidemic we are facing right now. Open and rampant drug use in our public spaces is not an acceptable outcome. We need better tools to help get these folks into a more stable environment where they can receive better treatment for their addictions.
As more people have moved to our region, housing has grown increasingly unaffordable. For many working families, wages have failed to keep pace with inflation and they have been priced out of our community as a result. We need to continue to invest in permanently affordable housing for cost burdened households earning less than 50% of the area median income. Renton has developed a Housing Action Plan to help create and preserve more affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for our residents. We now need to take actionable steps to begin implementing that plan if we hope to fully address this problem. However, as we continue to grow, we must also ensure that we do so in a green and sustainable manner that minimizes our impact on the natural environment and reduces our carbon footprint.
As we continue to grow, traffic congestion has become increasingly more challenging for most residents. We need to continue to invest in our transportation infrastructure to ensure residents can get to where they need to go in a reasonable amount of time. We need to continue to invest in a better holistic transit system that includes Renton in order to give people a reliable and viable alternative to single occupancy vehicles. We also need better bicycle and pedestrian connections to encourage more active mobility in Renton and beyond. Ultimately, I would like to see a plan developed and commitment made by Sound Transit to bring light rail service to Renton.”
Sanjeev Yonzon, Council Position No. 4 (candidate):
“Safety as Our Top Priority – The most important job of our city leaders is to ensure a safe community for our kids, families, seniors, and small businesses. In my service on the Renton Regional Fire Authority Board, I work with first responders to ensure the training, resources, and future planning required to meet our region’s needs. On the City Council, I will do the same, coordinating with law enforcement, first responders, service providers, and community leaders to achieve long-term public safety and reduce crime.
Boost Our Economic Recovery – As a small business owner, I still feel the struggle to recover from the pandemic. On the Council, I want to apply that experience and business know-how to improve the conditions for local small businesses, foster growth and workforce development, and spur investment in our diverse businesses.
A Sustainable Renton – As our city continues to grow, we must remain affordable and welcoming for current residents and the next generation of neighbors. I have helped pass important investments in our schools, safety, and infrastructure, and will drive strategic and comprehensive planning to protect affordability, prioritize investments in our transit and infrastructure needs, and preserve parks and open spaces for all.”
Q: What are some of your own achievements that you believe speak to your qualifications to be elected or re-elected to the council?
Ryan McIrvin, Council Position No. 4 (incumbent):
“When crafting a city biennial budget with our city administration, I have consistently prioritized funding for public safety. Through the budgeting process we’ve funded new police positions and competitive pay increases, advanced law enforcement training for de-escalation and implicit bias, and emerging technology such as body worn cameras and drones.
During my time in office I have had the privilege of representing Renton on several regional boards and committees where I have fought hard to ensure Renton receives its fair share of regional resources and community investment. This has included funding for transit service and capital improvements, salmon habitat restoration, affordable housing projects, regional trails, and more. I view all these achievements as collective achievements obtained through a collective process rather than something I wish to personally take credit for, but I do believe my many individual contributions to the many favorable outcomes have helped to make a positive difference in Renton.”
Sanjeev Yonzon, Council Position No. 4 (candidate):
“I’m a small business owner, education leader, and father focused on safe and healthy communities, affordability, and creating opportunity. My experiences have shown me that we need new perspectives and improved community engagement to make real progress on the issues we face. I am running for City Council to be a voice for increased focus on safe and healthy communities, opportunity and affordability, and a sustainable future for our families.”
Q: What does the role of city council member mean to you? How will you use it to improve the community?
Ryan McIrvin, Council Position No. 4 (incumbent):
“I am deeply grateful for the trust the voters have put in me for the past eight years to represent them on city council. Ultimately, it is the Renton residents whom I serve in this position. It is my duty as a council member to represent the views of my community, so I will continue to seek input from as many different perspectives across Renton in the decision making process in order to continue to best serve our community. When I ultimately leave office, it is my most sincere wish that Renton is better off than the day I was first sworn in.”
Sanjeev Yonzon, Council Position No. 4 (candidate):
“The role of a city council member is continued action on our most important problems. By engaging within the community to fuel new solutions, we can be more adaptable and encompass the needs of all of our residents. This means creating infrastructure to improve pedestrian access and safety, supporting education, fostering small business growth, and creating an environment that allows those in our community to feel safe.
Ultimately, I believe that my goals of safety, economic growth and opportunity, and sustainability will increase the livelihood of Renton residents while investing in the future of our great city.”
Q: In what ways has the Renton City Council recently fallen short in solving some of the city’s problems, and how will you look to improve upon the council’s efforts in the future?
Ryan McIrvin, Council Position No. 4 (incumbent):
“I think that overall, the city has done a pretty decent job at prioritizing tasks to solve existing problems. The largest obstacle to solving many of these problems are the financial resources to do so. Cities have extremely limited taxing authority and the vast majority of our budget is dedicated to basic and essential city services. Many of the larger problems we face as a city such as homelessness, mental health, and drug addiction will require more vast resources and action beyond Renton’s jurisdictional boundary. These larger problems will take collective action by our neighboring cities, the county, and the state to solve. We’ve done a great job of handling what is directly within our control, but need to do more to pool resources to fully tackle the larger challenges out there.”
Sanjeev Yonzon, Council Position No. 4 (candidate):
“I believe that Renton has not received our fair share of federal, state or county funding to invest in safe, affordable, and mobile communities and a thriving local economy. I want to work across agencies and levels of government to ensure we are getting our fair share, and that we are making the smartest use of every dollar to improve quality of life and opportunity for every Renton neighbor.”
Q: Do you support a $19 minimum wage in Renton? Why or why not?
Ryan McIrvin, Council Position No. 4 (incumbent):
“Yes, I have signed the petition in support of raising the minimum wage in Renton. I believe working families in Renton are feeling the financial squeeze of inflation and wages have simply not kept pace with the cost of living in our region. A modest increase in the minimum wage would help to better balance the burden many families are feeling to make ends meet right now. However, I think voters should get the final say on this and would not move to impose the measure through direct council action without first giving our residents an opportunity to make their voice heard on this.”
Sanjeev Yonzon, Council Position No. 4 (candidate):
“I support a 5-10% annual increase of the minimum wage that would allow for our community members to be better compensated for their work, while also ensuring small businesses can adapt to this change. This gradual method will ensure job retention while increasing the affordability of goods and services in our city.”
