| Sally Clark | |
| Office: | Member of the Seattle City Council Position 9 |
| Term Start: | January 27, 2006 |
| Term End: | April 4, 2015 |
| Predecessor: | Jim Compton |
| Successor: | John Okamoto |
| Office2: | President of the Seattle City Council |
| Term Start2: | January 3, 2012 |
| Term End2: | January 3, 2014 |
| Predecessor2: | Richard Conlin |
| Successor2: | Tim Burgess |
| Spouse: | Liz Ford |
| Website: | http://www.seattle.gov/council/clark/ |
| Education: | University of Washington (BA, MPA) |
Sally J. Clark is a former member of the Seattle City Council for Position 9 from 2006–2015.
Clark started her career as a print journalist before working for the Chicken Soup Brigade in communications.[1] In 1997, Clark worked in Seattle city councilmember Tina Podlodowski, focusing on neighborhood development and public safety.[1]
Clark's career also includes work with Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods, the Metropolitan King County Council, Northwest Association for Housing Affordability, and Lifelong AIDS Alliance.[1] [2]
Clark was appointed to fill the vacant seat formerly occupied by Jim Compton in January 2006.[3] In November, she was elected to a one-year term, defeating opponent Stan Lippmann 75% to 23%.[4]
Clark ran for a four-year term in 2007, running against three challengers.[5] She would get in first with an overwhelming majority of 68%, with challenger, Judy Fenton, only receiving 12%.[6] In the November General Election, Clark would win in a landslide and Fenton, 78% to 22%.[7]
Clark ran for a second four-year term in 2011 against two challengers, Dian Ferguson and Fathi Karshie.[8] Both challengers would label Clark as a "follower" and "slow".[8] Clark would focus her campaign on the city budget, supporting the creation and retention of small businesses, and homelessness.[9]
Clark would win the August primary, with 72% of the vote, with Ferguson coming in second with 22%.[10] In the general election, Clark would defeat Ferguson, 65% to 35%.[7]
Clark also served as the Chair of the Select Committee on Minimum Wage and Income Inequality and the Chair of the Select Committee on Taxi, For-Hire, and Limousine Regulations. Clark was additionally a member of the council's Energy Committee and Education and Governance Committee.During her time on the city council and as the Chair of the Committee on the Built Environment.[1] In 2012, the council voted her council president, a role she would stay in until 2013.[1] [11]
In office, she updated the city's "multifamily code" to increase incentives for building low-income housing, expanded Seattle Children's.[8] Clark spearheaded a vote intended to limit the ability of popular ride share companies to operate, by capping the number of drivers they could employ at any time.[12] The movement, led by Sally, passed the Seattle City Council 6-3 on March 17.[13]
In 2012, while serving in her official capacity, Clark struck a bicyclist while driving, opening the city to legal liability for any costs beyond the $25,000 covered by her car insurance.[14] A settlement was reached. The bicyclist received $400,000, with the city paying $375,000.[15]
Throughout her tenure, Clark was labeled "moderate", "a follower", and "indecisive".[8] [11] [16]
In February 2015, Clark announced that she would not seek reelection.[17] In April, she announced she would resign from her seat to take a job at the University of Washington.[2]
Clark is a graduate of the University of Washington (BAs in Political Science and Spanish, and an MPA from the UW's Evans School of Public Affairs).[18]
In 2012, Clark completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow. She is a 2013-2014 Aspen Rodel Fellow.[18]