Ahead of the November 2023 elections, the Renton Reporter sent the same set of questions to every Renton City Council candidate. These are the responses from candidates for Council Position No. 7. 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?

Kim-Khanh Van, Council Position No. 7 (incumbent):

“Public safety was my primary concern when I first ran for office, and it still is. Adequate police response time is important for our Renton Community, which means the staffing level should mirror guidelines per resident population. Our small businesses were devastated and huge economic losses occurred due to the global pandemic and the current shadow pandemic, and a potential for displacement of small downtown businesses and veterans and seniors, due to the build out of the Renton Pavilion and the Connector Project, and the SR 169 Asphalt Plant being constructed near our Cedar River. Our Renton community currently lacks transportation infrastructure due to prior councils lacked vision for Renton to have public transportation like the light rail. Inclusion and equity are not just buzzwords to me and the majority of our residents, and given the diversity of our Renton community; it is a priority for me to make sure our government is inclusive, reflects our community, and be transparent.

Although I am very proud of the investments we have made improving safety for all, there is a great deal more to do. On the Council, I will continue to invest in police staffing to reduce response times and training, as well as prevention and root causes. I will continue to advocate for behavioral health care and substance use treatment, human services and equity, and centering impacted communities like veterans, small businesses, and BIPOC, and those who have been left out or left behind from decision-making processes at our City Hall. I will continue to listen and to learn from our impacted communities and make sure that our city government is accessible to all. I will continue to work collaboratively with regional, state, and national partners to enhance our Renton Community’s quality of life, get light rail, and grow our local economy.”

Randy Corman, Council Position No. 7 (candidate):

“Public Safety: In the past I helped build new fire and police stations, and added firefighters and officers. I’ll continue to monitor police workload and response times, and add police officers as needed to maintain the service residents want. I’ll encourage increased community policing, working to get officers out of their cars and more in touch with the community. I’ll also review city ordinances for necessary updates and work with Legislators to improve state laws as required to reduce crime in our neighborhoods and help all residents feel safe again.

Housing Affordability and homelessness: I will help complete new affordable market-based and rent-assisted apartments in our Downtown, Highlands, and at the future transit center on Rainier and Grady. I’ll use my engineering background and extensive experience as a council member to ensure that our infrastructure is ready to support this housing. I’ll encourage discounted development fees for creation of smaller, more affordable single-family homes, and I’ll work to make permitting more efficient. I will continue to work closely with Renton Housing Authority, partner agencies, and KCRHA to collaborate on housing opportunities.

Taxes and Cost of Living: To lower the tax burden on residents, I’ll continue to support our business and bring new business to our city. In past years I was instrumental in bringing in IKEA, the Landing, the Seahawks, Southport, and countless other business and tax-revenue generating projects that added to our quality of life in Renton.

Traffic: I’ll help complete new lanes on I-405 to reduce cut-through traffic in our city. I’ll help ensure Sound Transit delivers Renton’s Bus Rapid Transit and completes a conceptual design for a future light rail station in Renton. I’ll invest in sensible road improvements, sidewalks and trails, including completion of the exciting Eastrail multi-use corridor. I’ve served on many boards and committees overseeing these efforts in the past, and have the experience needed to keep them moving forward.

Environmental protection: I’ve protected streams, trees and open space, and saved energy with programs like LED streetlights and hybrid city vehicles. I’ll work to keep our water and air pristine and healthy for residents and wildlife, including combating potentially harmful industrial uses over our aquifer like the asphalt plant. I’ll work to continue growing our tree canopy. I’ll continue sustainable energy upgrades, create incentives for solar panel installations, increase community urban-farming opportunities, and enthusiastically support other sustainability opportunities that we may see in the future.”

Q: What are some of your own achievements that you believe speak to your qualifications to be elected or re-elected to the council?

Kim-Khanh Van, Council Position No. 7 (incumbent):

“My own achievements include handling complex legal matters as an attorney, and having a local small business in downtown Renton. I further serve our Renton Community on the following boards: Renton Technical College Foundation, Renton Rotary, Kennydale PTA (where my child attends school), New Horizon School (a non-profit school for kids with learning differences right here in Renton); Renton Historical Society Board; and United States Volunteer Services-Joint Services Command. I served as a pro bono attorney for Northwest Immigrants Rights Project to help immigrants and refugees and founded the Renton Police Foundation to bridge our Renton community with officers and to support wellness and mental health, training, and resources for officers and their families.

On council, I delivered the following for our Renton Community:

– Making sure our City Business Plan includes the words “equity” and “hate free.” This change was critical to ensure these are part of the City’s guiding principles for policies and implementation;

– Advocated and created of the Downtown Patrol District Unit;

– Funded and hired new police officers and mental health navigators.

– Funded $1 million for police body cameras;

– Addressed hate crimes in our city and ensured that public safety is for all

– Publicly supporting the removal of the SR 169 Asphalt Plant permit and advocated for our Cedar River, clean water for our Renton Community;

– Assured $600,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was awarded to Renton small businesses.

– Prioritized funding equity, housing, and human services (EHHS), and small businesses affected by the COVID 19 pandemic;

– Voted for Renton Transportation Benefit District (RTBD), making sure we have resources for transportation; and Initiated the Equity Commission.”

Randy Corman, Council Position No. 7 (candidate):

“I have a decades-long history of service to Renton on the Council and throughout our community, reflecting a deep knowledge and successful track record on the issues that residents care about. I led Renton Council for six years as council president, chaired every council committee, and I’ve worked directly with 5 mayors. I’ve helped build amenities like the Henry Moses Aquatic Center, Downtown Pavilion and Piazza, Heritage park, the Veterans Park, the skate park, and many other parks and trails. I’ve helped bring in businesses like IKEA, the Landing, the Seahawks, Southport, and many others. I helped get crime rates under control when they were climbing in past years, and I know the steps we must take to do it now. I’ve worked toward increased inclusion and support for every member of our diverse communities through such efforts as the creation of the Inclusion Task Force and the Equity Commission, and I recognize the continued need to strive for improvement.

I’ve earned broad support from a host of Renton residents, Renton leaders, and local businesses including the Mayor and most City Council Members, as well as organizations like the Eastside Business Alliance and the Affordable Housing Council. I am focused on serving Renton’s needs. I am not looking at Renton Council service as a stepping stone to higher office outside of Renton.”

Q: What does the role of city council member mean to you? How will you use it to improve the community?

Kim-Khanh Van, Council Position No. 7 (incumbent):

“I filed as a first-time candidate four years ago because authentic representation matters. This means having elected leaders who share our values, engage, listen, and deliver results for us. I made sure that everyone has equitable access to our City government and our policy and ordinances are community centered.

I’m proud of the progress we have made together as a community, but there is more work to do. I want to make sure that 1) public safety is for ALL, 2) equitable economic recovery and growth for businesses devastated by the pandemic and support workers, and 3) government fiscal responsibility and transparency. I will use my role as a city councilmember to continue to outreach and engage our community, and co-govern with the Renton community. I will continue to strengthen my regional, state, and national relationships to bring resources to Renton. Let’s continue on this journey together. You can learn more at www.ElectKimKhanhVan.com.”

Randy Corman, Council Position No. 7 (candidate):

“Renton Council has a major impact on our public safety and quality of life in our city, but individual council members don’t have authority by themselves. To be effective, a council member must be able to bring together other council members to join them in specific legislation and policy making that is beneficial [to] the city. This requires putting Renton’s interests at the forefront, being able to construct business cases, predict both intended and unintended consequences of actions, and maintaining productive relationships with other council members. I have a majority of Council Members supporting me in this election, which speaks to my ability to get results in a team environment.”

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?

Kim-Khanh Van, Council Position No. 7 (incumbent):

“The Renton City Council has fallen short due to lack of sound and diverse lived experiences. This makes the council’s decisions and leadership capabilities, often times, out of touch compared to the diversity and current values in Renton’s population. There is a distinct lack of engagement and transparency towards veterans, seniors, BIPOC communities, and small businesses who will be impacted by the major city planning projects. These projects include the renovation of the Renton Pavilion, the Renton Connector Project, and the B&O tax increase.

In addition, the council had the ability to leverage millions of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for small businesses and pandemic recovery, and left that money on the table. That is unacceptable. We should be leveraging every dollar to invest in the safety, health, equity and opportunity for our neighbors and communities. I am committed to continually evolve the council to effectively engage and better serve our constituents at the City Hall.”

Randy Corman, Council Position No. 7 (candidate):

“The Renton City Council has had several very challenging years coping with the pandemic challenges along with the resulting loss local small business revenues. They’ve also been challenged by the regional fentanyl crisis, increasing homelessness, negative crime trends, and fast increasing cost of living. While the Mayor and city staff are managing the immediate crisis in the short term, the Council needs to create the long-term policy and plans that prevent these issues in the future.

They could use all the help, experience, and perspective they can get right now.”

Q: Do you support a $19 minimum wage in Renton? Why or why not?

Kim-Khanh Van, Council Position No. 7 (incumbent):

“I believe that everyone deserves a living wage and $19 moves working families closer to the ability to get by. I have been working with the City Attorney, community leaders, small business owners, and more to ensure citywide wage requirements have broad buy in and community input and will be upheld for the long term.”

Randy Corman, Council Position No. 7 (candidate):

“In the long term, I think a $19 minimum wage would be a reasonable goal. However, I have not yet seen a viable path towards achieving this without significant sacrifices elsewhere. The proposal that has been most widely discussed involves the City of Renton creating a new 5-person department that oversees businesses’ wages and other business data, at a cost to Renton taxpayers of one or two million dollars per year. The money would have to be cut from other programs, like housing assistance, law enforcement, or street maintenance. These programs are delicate and could not take the hit right now.“