Mayor Jenny Durkan on her last day (Photo: Tim Durkan)
Jenny Durkan left the city hall…and the legacy that was in power in an unprecedented period.
Although we do not agree 100% with all the decisions she made, we appreciate her quick actions in response to a global pandemic.
In early 2020, when people flocked to avoid the Chinatown International District (CID) because of false fears of Asians causing the spread of the coronavirus, it was Jenny Durkan who took her staff to the CID restaurant for dinner , Which shows that the CID organization is confident that it is safe. She paid for these dining experiences at her own expense instead of using city money. Durkan encourages other city leaders to also patronize CID companies.
In March 2020, Durkan issued a civil emergency notice to help the city respond to the epidemic—giving her special powers to respond to public health and safety threats. With this power, Durkan was able to bypass the regulations and procedures normally required for city spending, contracts, borrowing, and temporary employment. She has the right to close city facilities and cancel activities to prevent the spread of the virus.
It is this decisive demonstration of leadership that keeps Seattle at the forefront of the pandemic.
Although the outbreak started in our state, at first, more people died of the coronavirus in our city than anywhere else in the United States-one year later, the death rate in the Seattle area was the lowest among the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, according to New York Times.
When Durkan announced last winter that she would not run for re-election, she said it was so that she could focus on getting the city out of the pandemic without being distracted by politics.
By June 2021, Seattle has become the first major city in the United States to fully vaccinate 70% of its residents 12 years and older, which proves Durkan’s commitment to putting public health and safety first.
Generally speaking, women are not encouraged to brag. Durkan is no exception. We found that the first female mayor of Seattle since the 1920s donated all her 2020 salary to the city.
“When Covid hit, I knew it would have a devastating impact on the ability of families, workers, small businesses, and cities to help because our budget was affected. I talked with my family and we felt this was the right approach ,” Deccan told Northwest Asia Weekly. “This city is too painful… I decided to work for free. They concluded that the law requires me to be paid, so’donating’ to the city is the only way. This is automatic. The money is not paid to me. “
We also thank her for being a good friend of CID and responding to our needs through her AAPI Deputy Mayor Shefali Ranganathan and Mike Fong. Fong is in charge of all city government departments and mobilizes resources for CID when we need it. He personally attended many CID conferences and events to show his support.
Durkan also approved funding for at least three affordable housing projects in CID.
Responding to the pandemic, protests and death threats that “blacks are also fate”, when her personal address was disclosed and her family was in danger, Durkan’s job was very difficult. This is our lifetime. You may meet other mayors.
She did the job with strength and grace, and we salute you, Jenny. thank you.
