McGinn: 'We're going to have to reach out'

Chris Grygiel (Strange Bedfellows):

Mayor-elect Mike McGinn said Tuesday he's not worried about being able to work with the power structure that sought to defeat him or the nearly half of voters who picked his opponent.

Speaking on KUOW's "The Conversation" a day after businessman Joe Mallahan conceded the race, McGinn said the months before his January inauguration will bring opportunities and challenges.

McGinn on Election Night

"I think that there's a campaign phase, and clearly it's passionate," the attorney and environmentalist said. "I've worked a long time on ballot measure campaigns and trying to elect people to office. The reality is, after a campaign people know how to come to the table and work together. I don't view that as a challenge at all."

McGinn said as he assembles his transition team he will talk to many people, not just his supporters.

McGinn was asked several questions, specifically:

Whether he would retain Seattle Department of Transportation chief Grace Crunican? She, along with outgoing Mayor Greg Nickels, were criticized for the city's response to huge December snowstorms.

McGinn said: "These are the types of decisions you have to work through on transition. There are a lot of folks in a lot of different departments. It's just premature for me to talk about individuals before you have that chance to sit down and talk."

What he would say to people who backed Mallahan?

"I recognize that, people who take the time to get involved, take the time to vote...everybody is bringing their concerns to the table. You don't have the luxury, if you're in office, of saying you're only going to listen to the people that helped you. That's not problem solving. We're going to engage everybody, and let's remember, too, that Joe and I did agree on a lot of things. One of the things is that we need a more efficient government. We both talked about the need to put more of an emphasis on public safety, supporting children, supporting families and giving people alternatives.

Whether McGinn, who rode bicycle to many campaign events, would continue to bike as mayor?

"I'm going to bike as much as I can...during the campaign the schedule made it impossible some times. I enjoy biking as a means of transportation, it's a little bit of time where I'm not connected to the phone or the computer, so that's a nice part of the day for me. I'm going to try to arrange it so I can bike as much as possible."

How long it might take to complete the "missing link" of the Burke-Gilman bike trail in Ballard?

"It's in litigation right now, so I don't know the time line of the litigation....Once that litigation is resolved, I think the city is ready to move, it has the money, it has the designs."

Whether he supports an idea before the City Council to limit panhandling?

"This is currently under consideration by the council, than it's this mayor's decision on signing it. My concern is about moving the problem around. Now clearly, there are rules. There's just basic rules of conduct, there should be the ability to address truly aggresive actions...I'm just a skeptic (about the measure)."

Howie P.S.: I heard this while in the car and wanted to post the audio, but the station doesn't post audio of each individual segment.