Mayor Nickels to students: Get involved

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels visited the ASUW senate meeting yesterday to answer students' questions on Seattle issues. Students asked mostly about transit problems and solutions and the state of the Ave.

According to Nickels, 85 percent of people under 35 supported him in last year's election, but that number was so small he still only won the election by about 3,000 votes.

"Basically, you could fit all of the perfect voters under 24 (years old) in this room," said Nickels. "I think it's important that you find ways to get involved."

Nickels also brought along two student members from his office to show how he tries "to make sure our administration reflects the whole community."

Nickels, who was president of the Young Democrats when he attended the UW, said students do not necessarily have to get involved in politics, but need to find something in which to be involved.

"Hands down, I think Seattle is America's finest city," said Nickels. "I cannot think of a city with whom I would trade places."

After his brief presentation, Nickels answered student questions for about 20 minutes.

In regard to questions about transportation, Nickels said Sound Transit will break ground on the light-rail service soon. He hopes the first terminals will open by 2010, 14 years after the idea of a light-rail service in Seattle was first brought before voters.

Light-rail service is something that should have been implemented 30 years ago, but city leaders did not have enough foresight to implement the program, according to Nickels.

Nickels also spoke about a plan to improve the look of the Ave. -- the Ave. project -- and hopefully clean it up, though he blamed part of the current state of the Ave. on U. Village.

"Part of the reason the U-District has gone downhill is because of the U. Village," said Nickels.

The draw of a more mall-like setting for businesses has drawn businesses from the Ave. to U. Village, thus creating more vacant storefronts on the Ave., said Nickels.