Tim’s Bio

Tim Burgess spent his time in public service advocating for early learning programs for Washington’s children, including high-quality childcare, preschool, and tailored services for families that need it most.

He was first elected to an at-large position on the Seattle City Council in November 2007 and re-elected in 2011 and 2015. He became Seattle’s 55th Mayor for 71 days in September 2017, when the City Council appointed him to complete the previous Mayor’s term.

While a member of the City Council, Tim was the lead architect of the Seattle Preschool Program, first approved by Seattle voters in 2014, and renewed and expanded since then.

He wrote legislation and signed into law new requirements that social service contracts be competitively awarded, include specific outcomes, and allow for incentive pay for performance.

Tim developed the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area, a tourism fee when people stay in downtown hotels, which raises approximately $20-23 million annually for Visit Seattle to promote regional tourism; reached agreement with community stakeholders that allowed the stalled Convention Center Expansion Project to move forward and win approval from the Seattle Design Commission; expanded the authority of the City Auditor to evaluate city government program performance; led police reform efforts, including legislation that allowed hiring of police command staff from outside the police department; and, co-authored the 2017 police accountability ordinance that expanded and strengthened civilian oversight of the police.

As Mayor in late 2017, Tim signed an agreement with the Seattle Public Schools to jointly design and build a new Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center, which will be completed in 2027. Tim retired at the end of 2025 after serving as Deputy Mayor to Mayor Bruce Harrell (2022-2025) with a portfolio covering public safety, economic development, and the Seattle Center.

Tim received his BA in political science from the University of Washington. Tim and his wife, Joleen, live in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood, where they raised their three daughters.