From UW dropout to mayoral candidate

Hours after Kristopher Kime was beaten to death in the Mardi Gras riots of Feb. 27, King County Councilman Greg Nickels, a democrat, summoned local news media to the scene of the violence and vowed to hang a copy of Kime's death certificate in his office, should he win the 2001 mayoral election.

"We will never, ever again have anyone beaten to death on our streets within the plain view of the police," said Nickels.

If elected, Nickels may fire Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, who has assumed much of the responsibility for February's Mardi Gras riots, much like former police chief Norm Stamper after the WTO riots.

But Nickels makes no apologies. "Seattle needs a mayor who keeps this a safe, unified and thriving city."

Nickels, a graduate of Seattle Preparatory School and a former UW student -- he dropped out at age 19 -- was born in Chicago, but has lived in Seattle for 40 years.

In 1979, Nickels was hired as a legislative assistant to then-city councilman Norm Rice. Eight years later, Nickels became a councilman himself.

In 25 years of political service, Nickels eradicated the Marlboro Man from the Kingdome in 1996 and spearheaded the Elliott Bay Water Taxi program.

Now, at 46, Nickels looks to a future as the next mayor of Seattle.

Even though Nickels plans to discipline the SPD with Kerlikowske's termination, he maintains he will protect both the police and fire departments from his planned budget cuts of 5 percent to 10 percent in every city department.

However, Nickels said, "It won't be enough for our city's next mayor to simply cut the budget down to size." According to Nickels' campaign Web site, Seattle loses $2 billion a year due to gridlock, and the city's traffic problems will be Nickels' first priority in the mayor's office.

While Nickels, finance chairman for the Sound Transit Board, remains loyal to his $2.1 billion light-rail plan, he is fighting on multiple fronts to sell light rail to Seattle.

He faces numerous obstacles. There's the decade or more of waiting to extend light rail to SeaTac. Then he still has to face the report from engineering firm DMJM Harris that says Metro busses can handle as many passengers in the transit tunnel as light rail. Also present is the threat of the monorail soaring in priority on the 2002 ballot.

If Nickels doesn't clear these hurdles, Seattleites might invest in another mode of mass transportation -- and another candidate for their mayor.