Deeda Seed, a former Salt Lake City Councilwoman from 1996-2000, worked on Mayor Rocky Anderson’s staff off and on from 2000 until 2005, most recently as communications director. She is now managing Democrat Jim Winder’s campaign for Salt Lake County Sheriff and working on a U of U neighborhood survey project.
nnWhat do you miss about City Hall?
nnSome really amazing people who work there. I miss the issues. … I don’t miss the stress, the constant feeling I was going to be attacked at any moment for unknown reasons.
nnAre you and the mayor on speaking terms?
nnNope. I don’t expect that we’ll speak again, but you never know.
nnWhat was your pet project at City Hall?
nnI was very involved in the Bridging the Religious Divide project. … People have been transformed by the process. I know I have been. I now understand what it’s like for LDS people to have their religious beliefs belittled by others. And they came to understand what it is to be agnostic in a society defined by religion.
nnHow is Salt Lake City Corp. doing?
nnThe most significant thing we can do is continue to develop our mass transit system and create more walkable communities. The whole approach to city planning and community development is innovative and takes into account some of the most creative thinking there is. I’m concerned about the rift between the mayor and the council. I think he has been gratuitously mean to the council. … Things are getting done more slowly perhaps because of that. The administration side has been chaotic because of high staff turnover. … Citizens are paying for that high turnover in botched projects and things that aren’t getting done.
nnDo you think you’ll run for office again?
nnNot in the immediate future. Being an elected official'kudos to them'they deserve credit. It’s incredibly difficult. You’re getting beat up all the time; it’s hard to take. From Chris Buttars to Rocky Anderson'they deserve credit.
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