Five candidates vying for seats on the Burien City Council participated in a June 24 forum hosted by Burien People for Climate Action (Burien PCA), where they shared their views on local climate policy and environmental stewardship.
The forum, held ahead of the Aug. 5 primary election, featured:
- Hugo Garcia*: Council Position No. 1
- Sam Mendez: Council Position No. 3
- Rashell Lisowski: Council Position No. 3
- Sarah Moore*: Council Position No. 5
- Rocco DeVito: Council Position No. 7
*denotes incumbent
PCA said that all ten candidates running for the upcoming Aug. 5 primary election were invited to attend, or alternatively, to submit their answers to questions in writing.
Jamie Jo Skeen (running for Council Position No. 5) was unable to attend and declined to submit written answers.
No other candidates responded.
The forum focused on sustainability priorities in Burien, exploring candidates’ positions on climate resilience, green infrastructure, and environmental equity.
Candidates were asked to address their support for the city’s Climate Action Plan, how they would promote environmental justice, and what specific actions they would take to help reduce emissions in Burien.
The Aug. 5 primary election will determine which two candidates advance to the general election in November.
Following is a brief summary of the candidates’ answers to questions (in alphabetical order):
Question 1: Do you agree that the concentration of heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) in earth’s atmosphere is increasing rapidly, is the highest it has ever been, and that human Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) are the primary cause? Please elaborate.
Rocco DeVito: Yes. Public education is very important in making the community aware.
Hugo Garcia: Yes. We are living with the devastating effects of climate change. The evidence is clear and it is our generation’s mandate to do something to slow the effects.
Rashell Lisowski: Yes. Many people still deny climate change is occurring, yet we are facing devastating effects. She urges outreach to engage and educate residents.
Sam Mendez: Yes. Wealth inequality and climate change are critical issues that are clearly linked. There is much good government research that can be brought to the community in an accessible way.
Sarah Moore: Yes. A lot more education is needed to help people understand what CO2 is and what it does.
Question 2: Burien has an excellent Climate Action Plan, but progress has been minimal in the 3 ½ years since it was passed. What would you do to ramp up and prioritize its implementation?
Rocco DeVito: The city needs to hire a grant manager to help acquire funding. Transportation and housing are critical issues needing priority action in our Climate Action Plan. Burien officials should advocate more strongly with the county and the state for laws and funding to support climate-friendly transportation and housing.
Hugo Garcia: The council needs to stabilize the budget to ensure adequate city staffing, including retention of experienced staff. Special quarterly council sessions should be held to review city actions and progress on the Climate Action Plan; without this we lose sight of our goals and any changes that need to be made. We should also establish a Parks District to assure the focus needed there.
Rashell Lisowski: We need to do more to promote the use of public transit and make sure new construction meets strong energy-efficiency standards. She recently spoke with someone who tried to open a child care center in downtown Burien but was blocked by zoning rules. Fixing things like this would not only support working families but also reduce car dependence by placing essential services close to home and near public transport.
Sam Mendez: Much progress could be made with a new, progressive Council. Budget concerns are an issue as we don’t want to cut vital city services during the current budget shortfall. We can and should tackle climate issues that don’t require funding or can be funded through grants. He is open to ideas on new sources of funding.
Sarah Moore: Council needs to periodically review the Climate Action plan, city policies, and the status of city projects in order to keep councilmembers focused on what is being done and what future actions need to be prioritized.
Question 3: Please give us feedback on the 12 Actions that People for Climate Action are asking cities to urgently prioritize to get on track with decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions radically by 2050? Of those 12 Actions, which 3 do you think you would focus on in the first year of your term, to really start moving the needle?
Rocco DeVito: The City can provide more assistance to help builders connect with funding for construction that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. We need to support multi-family housing construction, provide more public transit, and encourage the use of public transit. Grants are often available for safe street projects; sidewalks and bike lanes need to be included when these projects are planned. He would like to see the creation of a Transportation Benefit District that includes Burien.
Hugo Garcia: The 12 points listed by PCA provide a good roadmap. The ones he would focus on first would be those with “paths of least resistance”. It would help to create groups to focus on each action individually. He would like the city to pass an ordinance that creates requirements for climate upgrades when older buildings are being renovated; assist homeowners with making improvements and help them access funding and/or programs to do so. The City should partner with neighboring communities to set up energy-smart programs. He would also like to see Burien require EV charging stations at new buildings, schools and city buildings; Burien needs more EV charging stations, but they are expensive and he would support a new tax on sales of high-priced properties to fund these.
Rashell Lisowski: The City should do more to engage and partner with nonprofits already doing important climate work. We also need to improve how we engage Burien residents who aren’t currently involved in these conversations, and support them in organizing and pushing the Council to act. She does not support diverting funds from other critical needs, but would consider creating a tax or fee on buildings and corporations that emit excessive greenhouse gases to help fund climate action. She does not support increasing fees on individuals/families, and thinks it is very important to run all potential fee-based legislation through an equity lens to make sure that climate action does not come at the expense of marginalized residents.
Sam Mendez: Supports having a grants coordinator as a way to find funding. Bike lanes, sidewalks, and other traffic calming measures to encourage non-car transportation should be a top priority. Supports having a home energy score requirement when a home is sold (a legislative bill was proposed this year but did not pass). Climate goal costs should be considered when building affordable housing, and considering the intersectional nature of denser housing, transportation alternatives, and climate change goals. All 12 actions are good and really important, but some will be expensive, and the city is facing a budget crisis next year.
Sarah Moore: She would prioritize weatherization of buildings, improved transit options, and improved sidewalks and bike lanes. It is essential to consider costs and social justice when discussing issues with residents. Sarah represents Burien on the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C); Burien needs to create ways to collaborate with other nearby cities to advance climate actions. This would help educate residents, build support, and find funding. Bond levies can provide funding but are costly and difficult to enact.
Primary Election is Aug. 5, 2025
In Washington’s top-two primary system, all candidates appear on the same ballot, and the two who receive the most votes – regardless of party – advance to the general election. That means in Burien’s Aug. 5 primary, the top two vote‑getters for each council position will move on to the Nov. 4 general election, giving voters a final choice in the fall.
Ballots are mailed to all registered voters at least 18 days before Election Day. For the August 5, 2025 primary, that means ballots begin mailing around July 18.
Learn more about candidates running for local offices at the King County Elections website.
The reason that only these candidates attended was because this “Burien People” group is just another front for the Progressives to involve themselves in the election. Look who actually attended, they all are Activists who take outside money to advance outside interests.
These individuals are what Burien rid itself of when the likes of Krystal Marx and Cydney Moore were run off the Council due to the damage they brought by being bought and influenced.
100% ^ ^ ^
We will all be eating cheese mined from the Moon before anyone from that Leftist gaggle or those candidates hold a discussion about Public Safety in Burien. They collectively speak of the environment but every one of them would find a way to justify and excuse a polluting encampment. I’m all for nature but let’s talk about the scenic views of addicts sprawled amongst trash or litter surrounding RV’s camps, and properties in Burien piled in trash and collected items instead.
First off – I do believe in anthropogenic climate change. Human activity is a contributing factor. Where the wheels come off the bus so to speak is that people think they can make an impact with micro regional programs. And when candidates start taking about wealth inequity causing climate change ….. run for cover – the progressive socialists will do anything to start class warfare. Bike lines, more transit … all good. Cleaner local air and access to mobility are all lofty goals but call it what it is. Those efforst will have zero impact on the climate. Programs that will really help people should be focused on adaptation to a warmer climate including tree canopy, incentives for heat pumps and insulation. What people really dont want to hear is the efforts to win or lose the climate change battle will be determined by the developing economies of China and India. End of story.