Round 1: McGinn vs. Mallahan

Submitted by Bryan Johnson on Thursday, September 10th, 05:16pm

For the first time, the city's two mayoral candidates Mike McGinn and Joe Mallahan came together for a head-to-head debate at the Cinerama Theater on Thursday.

At first sponsors thought not many would attend, but they ended up selling 350 tickers and having to move to a bigger venue.

Why such a big crowd? Joe Mallahan summed it up.

"We seemed to have filled the house perhaps more with questions than enthusiasm," he said.

To most of the people here the two candidates are unknown candidate one and unknown candidate two.

There is one thing that separates them -- the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

McGinn thinks the agreed to plan to replace it with a tunnel is a big mistake that ignores the will of the people:

"We did have a long process which I thought culminated in a vote that we didn't want a tunnel," he said.

McGinn warns the tunnel could bankrupt the city and he wants it stopped like now. But Mallahan sees it differently.

"I, like most people, am frustrated it took us eight years to get to a solution on the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement. But I believe that decision has been made," said Mallahan.

The two also clashed on the role of the mayor in the school system. McGinn says he wants to talk about a bigger role for the
city. Mallahan says he expects the city's budget crisis to take up all of his time for the first two years of his term.

The candidates agreed on some issues, however. Both say the city needs to focus on economic development. McGinn says he would eliminate 200 high-paying city jobs. Mallahan says he'd get rid of high paid consultants. Both worry about affordable housing, gangs, cops and kids.

The reaction in the main: undecided.

"I'd say Mike struck me as more political and Joe struck me as more administrative," said Andrew Hunt.

"I had my turkey sandwich and thoroughly enjoyed it," said Suzie Burke.

But what about the debate?

"Was that a debate?" she said.

So, gentlemen, start your engines and start campaigning. After all, the election is just a little more than six weeks away.