by Devin Chicras
West Hill Community Association teamed up with our friends at South Seattle Emerald to host Skyway’s first-ever debate for King County Executive on October 4, 2025. Not only did it give voters a chance to hear from both candidates (on topics ranging from safer streets, ICE, and homelessness to environmental justice and annexation), it sent an undeniable message that Skyway-West Hill neighborhoods are worth paying attention to, and can’t be ignored.
Held at Talley High School in unincorporated Skyway-West Hill, the event featured free food from a half dozen Skyway-area restaurants, live music from local violinist and rising star Amani Tompkins, voter registration and election information, and an opportunity to meet new neighbors.
The program itself was led by moderators Rosette Royale (South Seattle Emerald Managing Editor) and Hermon Mekuria (Renton High School Journalism Club Officer and Skyway resident), who were joined on stage by King County Executive candidates (and current King County Councilmembers) Claudia Balducci and Girmay Zahilay.
For areas like Skyway-West Hill (which includes all of the unincorporated neighborhoods between the borders of Seattle, Renton, Tukwila, and Lake Washington – like Lakeridge, Campbell Hill, Bryn Mawr, in addition to Skyway), the King County Executive role is critically important. Because there is no city government, we look to King County to provide government services. The Executive is the top seat in the county, which kind of makes them our mayor, in a way.
The primary duties of the King County Executive include:
- Leading County Operations: They manage the day-to-day operations of the county and its nearly 17,000 public employees. This includes a wide range of essential services like public transit (King County Metro), public health, policing, and jail services.
- Budget Management: The Executive is responsible for developing and proposing the county’s biennial budget, a significant financial document that outlines spending priorities and revenue forecasts for all county departments.
- Policy and Legislative Agenda: The Executive sets the policy agenda and proposes new initiatives to the King County Council. They work with the council, cities within the county, and other partners to address major regional issues.
- Addressing Key Issues: The Executive is tasked with tackling the most pressing challenges facing the county, such as housing affordability, homelessness, public safety, and environmental concerns.
- Oversight of Unincorporated Areas: For residents in unincorporated King County, the Executive’s office functions as the local governing municipality, providing city services like utilities and street maintenance.
- Emergency and Crisis Response: The office is responsible for leading the county’s response to emergencies and preparing for future disruptions.
Watch the full video below to see:
- 00:03:00: Violin performance by Amani Tompkins
- 00:20:00: Introductions, what is a King County Executive, opening statements
- 00:26:00: Question on increasing oversight for the Department of Community and Health Services
- 00:31:00: Question on how to encourage more participation in local government
- 00:35:30: Question on how to address homelessness
- 00:40:45: Question on how to make roads safer for drivers and pedestrians
- 00:45:20: Question on how to prioritize support and resources for communities like Skyway
- 00:50:05: Skyway Trivia lighting round (watch to see who won a Nevzat’s gift card!)
- 00:57:20: Question on how they’ll stay connected to the needs of residents
- 01:00:00: Question on federal immigration policy and community safety around ICE activity
- 01:03:10: Question on environmental justice strategies
- 01:06:00: Question on what skill makes them a good boss and what they need to improve
- 01:09:00: Closing statements
Don’t want to scroll through the video? Open the video in YouTube to access all of these timestamp links in the video description.
Thanks to King County Elections and Seattle Foundation for supporting this work through the Voter Education Fund!
PS: Are you registered to vote? Check your status and get registered online by October 27, 2025 for this election, or else you have until election day (November 4, 2025) to do so in person at King County Elections headquarters in Renton: VoteWA.gov.
Video by West Hill Community Association | Photography by Chloe Collyer
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