Overview of the Collection
Biographical NoteBorn in 1931, Dolores Sibonga grew up in Seattle's International District. She received her B.A. in journalism in 1952 and a law degree in 1973, both from the University of Washington. She was the first Filipina-American admitted to the Bar Association in Washington State. Prior to attending law school, Sibonga worked in radio and television in Spokane and Seattle, including producing documentaries, and publishing a community newspaper. After receiving her law degree, Sibonga served as a public defender and later was Deputy Director of the Washington State Human Rights Commission. Sibonga was appointed in 1978 to fill Phyllis Lamphere's seat until a special election was held. She did not run in the special election, but was subsequently elected to Council for the term beginning in 1980. She chose not to stand for reelection in 1992. While on Council she chaired four committees: Personnel and Property Management (1978, 1980-1981), Parks and Community Resources (1982-1983, 1988-1989), Finance (1984-1987, 1990-1991), and Labor (1986-1987). During her tenure on the City Council, Sibonga championed minority hiring by the City, increased expenditures for parks, Japanese-American reparations, and maintaining the local character of Seattle Center during a proposed redesign of the facility by the Disney Corporation. After her Council term expired, Sibonga resumed her law practice and served on the Horse Racing Commission and Human Rights Commission. Content DescriptionCorrespondence, memoranda, draft legislation, reports, testimony, and notes concerning issues before City Council while Sibonga was a council member. The collection contains a significant volume of materials relating to the Pro Parks levy. This $188 million bond issue would have financed park improvements and acquisitions of land for new parks. The levy appeared on the ballot in 1982 and was defeated. Also documented in Sibonga's files are discussions about the site of the Martha Washington School. When the school closed, the city purchased the property and eventually turned it into a park. Other materials in the collection cover the planning for the new downtown Seattle Art Museum, which opened in 1991, funded by a 1986 levy. Additionally, the materials document Sibonga's work on issues relating to Seattle Center, including redevelopment of the Fun Forest amusement area, as well as the Walt Disney Company's 1988 proposal to revitalize the Center, which was rejected after citizens protested Disney's plans to commercialize the campus and demolish the International Fountain, Center House, and other structures. Other topics covered in the collection include the Seattle Mariners, Japanese-American reparations, the proposed Ackerley Arena, and the Nuclear Freeze Resolution. Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
Records are open to the public. Preferred Citation :[Item and date], Dolores Sibonga Subject Files, Record Series 4681-02. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives. Administrative InformationDetailed Description of the CollectionThe following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
SubjectsThis collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
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