Municipal/Other Questionnaire
Candidate Info
Candidate Name: Toshiko Hasegawa
Position Sought: Port of Seattle Commission, POs 4
Are you an incumbent for this position? Incumbent
Home Legislative District: 37
Are you a Democrat? Yes
Campaign Info
Campaign Manager or Point of Contact: Self
Website: hasegawaforport.com
Facebook: facebook.com/hasegawaforport
Twitter: @toshikograce
Part I – Candidate Background
1. Please briefly describe your qualifications, education, employment, community and civic activity, union affiliation, prior political activity, and other relevant experience. Beyond your qualifications, what makes you the best candidate for this position or office? Please describe any specific background or unique perspective you offer and how those will help you accomplish your goals for the position sought. If possible, give practical examples.
I am a lifelong advocate for working families, a small business owner, and a proud fourth-generation Japanese American with deep roots in the Seattle area. As President of the Port of Seattle Commission, I bring a track record of leadership that prioritizes economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, and racial equity.
My background includes serving as Executive Director of the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, where I worked directly with community leaders and elected officials to advance policies supporting historically marginalized communities. I also have experience in labor advocacy, working alongside unions to promote fair wages, workplace protections, and job opportunities within the maritime, aviation, and trade sectors.
As a small business owner through Yonsei Consulting, I understand firsthand the challenges facing entrepreneurs—especially women and people of color—navigating government systems and securing economic opportunities. My leadership on the Port Commission has focused on expanding access to jobs and apprenticeships, increasing contracting opportunities for minority-owned businesses, and ensuring that our region’s economic growth benefits all, not just a privileged few.
I am uniquely positioned to continue leading the Port because I bring both lived experience and policy expertise to the table. Whether it's securing millions in sustainable infrastructure funding for our airport and seaport, implementing clean energy initiatives, or pushing for stronger labor protections, I have consistently delivered results that reflect our region’s progressive values.
2. What prompted you to run for this office?
I ran for Port Commission because I believe that the Port of Seattle should be a force for good—creating jobs with strong labor protections, advancing sustainability, and ensuring that communities impacted by port operations have a voice in decision-making.
As a mother raising my children in Seattle, I want them to grow up in a region where clean air, fair wages, and equitable economic opportunities are the norm. The Port is an economic engine for our region, but for too long, communities of color, working families, and small businesses have been left out of decision-making. I ran for this office to change that, and I am proud to lead with an approach that centers people over profits.
3. What steps are you taking to run a successful campaign?
Grassroots Engagement: My campaign is powered by community voices. I prioritize direct engagement with voters through constituent meetings and meaningful partnerships. I work closely with labor unions, environmental justice and neighborhood advocacy groups, and progressive organizations/community leaders to build broad support.
Institutional Support: I have strong early support from elected officials at the state, county and municipal level. I also have early organizational support from labor unions, and am actively seeking support from my democratic base by touring all 17 legislative districts in KC.
Fundraising: In January, my first month on the trail, I raised $20,000. I raised an additional $25k in February with my event kick-off. I have more money pledged that will come with time, and continue to dedicate time to phone banking, events, texts and social media.
Strong Digital and Field Strategy: We are leveraging social media, phone banking, and door-to-door canvassing to connect with voters across King County.
Transparent and Accountable Leadership: My campaign is rooted in integrity and accountability, ensuring that every endorsement and dollar raised aligns with our progressive values. Since announcing for re-election, I’ve been featured in TV, radio and editorial media streams highlighting my work, advocacy, and commitment to justice.
4. What are your campaign’s most important themes, issues, or priorities (three to five)? Share issues or priorities specific to the office that you’re running for.
1. A healthy economy leads to thriving communities
2. Sustainability initiatives and the clean energy economy leads to a healthy environment
3. Equity is a business advantage!
I bring triple bottom line approach to the Port – economy, environment and equity – and it’s helped us rebound from he pandemic to be stronger, cleaner and more equitable than ever before. This is exactly what will buoy us through the trump presidency and the impacts of his harmful politics: we will invest in people, because that’s what will make stronger and healthier communities and a stronger, healthier environment.
Part II – Yes/No Questions, please qualify your answer if necessary
1. Do you support steps to build a fairer economy through tax reform and progressive taxes as wealth increases? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #1
2. Do you support robust investment in publicly owned housing/subsidized housing for elderly and low-income individuals/families, and zoning changes to support such housing? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #2 I believe that housing availability is a crisis and the port can be a supportive partner with the county and cities to appropriately zone and build housing. I believe urban planning for housing specifically should happen as part of a comprehensive planning process and that the quality of life of the residents should be front and centered: new housing should only be granted in areas that can accommodate necessary amenities families need to thrive – like grocery stores, schools, green spaces, libraries etc. I do not support reasoning industrial areas for housing because living near industrial operations lead to serious disparate outcomes in health and education.
3. Developer impact fees are allowed under the Growth Management Act. Should they be increased to help pay for needed improvements to our roads, parks, and schools? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #3
4. Do you support building a municipally owned and operated broadband system in your city or jurisdiction? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #4
5. Do you support local investments to address climate change where applicable? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #5
6. Do you support women’s unrestricted access to reproductive healthcare? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #6
7. Do you support laws regulating the purchase, ownership, and carrying of firearms? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #7
8. Do you support the right of workers to unionize and bargain, including public employees? Yes
Optional: Qualify Your Response to #8
Part III – Free Response (Please answer at least four fully, and consider the additional three optional)
1. Why are you requesting Democratic endorsement? What aspects of the Democratic platform most resonate with you?
I am seeking the Democratic endorsement because my values align with the core principles of the Democratic Party—equity, sustainability, workers’ rights, women’s rights, and fairness for all people. As a democrat and as a progressive leader, I believe government should work for the people — not special interests, big businesses making bottom-line decisions at the expense of our communities and our planet.
The Democratic platform’s commitment to organized labor, climate action, women’s rights and civil rights resonate with me. I’ve worked my whole life to fight for civil rights, social justice, and economic empowerment, and I’ve worked diligently to organize within the party specifically. (Particularly within the 11h LD before I was redistricted to the 37th, as an Eboard member and PCO).
2. What public policy reforms do you support to achieve greater equity and inclusion for BIPOC and LBQIA+ individuals in our communities?
Equity must be at the center of policymaking, and I have consistently advocated for reforms that uplift BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, including:
Economic Empowerment: Expanding access to Port contracts for minority- and women-owned businesses, ensuring equitable procurement policies, and increasing workforce development programs that prioritize marginalized communities.
Labor Justice: Strengthening labor protections for low-wage workers, many of whom are BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. This includes supporting paid family leave, fair scheduling practices, and living wages.
Environmental Justice: Communities of color disproportionately bear the brunt of pollution from port operations. I support policies that reduce emissions in frontline communities and invest in mitigation efforts such as home soundproofing, tree canopies, and clean energy infrastructure.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion: Ensuring that Port programs and policies affirm and uplift LGBTQIA+ individuals, including non-discrimination protections, inclusive hiring practices, and support for LGBTQIA+-owned businesses.
3. What steps do you think need to be taken to improve voter turnout and increase voter trust in our election process?
Expand Voter Education: Many voters, particularly in historically marginalized communities, face barriers to information about elections. Investing in multilingual voter outreach, ballot assistance, and community engagement is critical.
Strengthen Election Security and Accessibility: We must combat misinformation and ensure elections remain free, fair, and accessible. That means defending vote-by-mail, protecting same-day voter registration, and expanding ballot drop box locations.
Engage Young and First-Time Voters: Partnering with schools, colleges, and community organizations to engage young voters is key. The Port Commission should also lead by example, investing in civic education initiatives to empower the next generation of voters.
Combat Voter Suppression: We must fight against any attempts to restrict voting rights and advocate for policies that expand participation, such as automatic voter registration and pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds.
4. What important local issues have you worked on (or taken an interest in) that you feel aren’t getting enough attention from elected leaders and the local media?
One issue that deserves more attention is the impact of port operations on frontline communities—particularly around Sea-Tac Airport and the Duwamish Valley. While our airport and seaport drive economic growth, the surrounding neighborhoods experience disproportionate levels of noise pollution, air pollution, and environmental degradation. These communities, largely BIPOC and working-class, must be at the center of policy solutions.
As Port Commissioner, I have prioritized environmental justice measures, including soundproofing homes, transitioning to cleaner fuels, and increasing tree coverage in impacted neighborhoods. However, more must be done to hold polluters accountable and ensure that economic prosperity does not come at the expense of community health.
Another under-discussed issue is the need for stronger worker protections at Sea-Tac Airport. Airport workers—many of whom are immigrants, women, and people of color—face lack of job stability and don’t have the benefits they need to find work/life balance. I have worked with labor unions to improve worker protections, and to create access to benefits including CHILDCARE, health care and or cap passes – but this is a work in progress and we need sustained momentum to bring awareness to the cause.
5. Please list at least three specific, concrete actions you would support to ease the homelessness crisis.
Support service providers with access to resources – We can expand our grant opportunities for CBO’s with economic empowerment for the unhoused into their programming. And, The Port owns land that could be repurposed for services – for example, one of our tenants is Mary’s place – we could explore partnerships with service providers to ensure they have the space they need to work their mission. We can expand our partnerships with port jobs or our resources navigators system to support economically infirm people to access existing resources.
Expand Workforce Development for Unhoused Individuals – The Port is a major job creator, and we must prioritize job training programs that help people experiencing homelessness transition into stable employment. This includes apprenticeship programs, trade certifications, and partnerships with local unions.
Address the Root Causes of Homelessness – We need to expand mental health and substance use treatment programs, as well as eviction prevention services, to stop the cycle of homelessness before it begins. The Port can help fund and advocate for regional strategies that address these systemic issues.
6. What safety, law, or justice issues are currently facing your jurisdiction, and how will you address them?
One of the most pressing safety concerns at the Port is trafficking: human trafficking, drug trafficking, and arms trafficking. As a major international transportation hub, our region is vulnerable to trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable individuals, especially young women and girls. To combat this, I have supported policies that:
Train airport and port employees to recognize and report signs of human trafficking. (Nationally recognized). I led the budget ask that expanded this program to the maritime sector.
Expand partnerships with law enforcement and advocacy organizations to provide survivor support, including a first o its kind commitment from the airlines themselves to train their employees on identification and intervention strategies.
Implement stronger labor protections to prevent worker exploitation in industries connected to port operations, such as cruise.
Additionally, incidence of sexual assault on aircrafts is growing. This could be because people are reporting more often! None the less, we organized a press conference with LE and airline partners to raise awareness about how to protect yourself – and esp minors flying alone – from being victimized. And, we sent a strong message to perpetrators that sexual assault is a crime everywhere, all the time, and when it’s conducted on an aircraft, its a FEDERAL crime that WILL be investigated, by the FBI.
7. What are the transportation/transit challenges which face your jurisdiction and how would you address them? What role does green energy play in your proposed solutions?
Balancing the demand for travel, which is driven by growth, with the need to not exacerbate adverse impacts of industry on industry-adjacent communities. This means helping lead the conversation regionally to develop new transportaiton systems that can replace air and car travel and in turn, Carbon emissions. I’ve been proud to service on the transportation policy board with the PSRC, and to participate in several conversations to help bring high speed rail to Washington state.
By typing my name below, I declare under penalty of perjury the foregoing is true and correct.
Printed Name: Toshiko Hasegawa
Date (mm/dd/yy): 3/3/2025
