FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/25/2014

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Councilmember Rasmussen to Host 'Little City Hall' on Queen Anne

SEATTLE - Councilmember Tom Rasmussen will host a "little City Hall" at the Queen Anne Community Center this Tuesday evening to chat with anyone interested in engaging with their Seattle City Councilmember.  Members of the public can drop-in to talk about any issues of their choosing.

"Making the hike down to City Hall and back from Queen Anne Hill can be pretty exhausting, so I thought I should bring City Hall to you," said Councilmember Rasmussen. "I hope you'll stop by to chat about any issues important to you."

The "Little City Hall" is free, open to all-ages and no advance registration is required.

WHAT: "Little City Hall" with Councilmember Rasmussen

WHEN/WHERE:
Tuesday, July 29, 2014, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Queen Anne Community Center
1901 - 1st Avenue W.

WHO:
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen
Public

[View in Council Newsroom]

[More]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/25/2014

Councilmember Jean Godden 

Councilmember Godden Statement in Response to Resolution of Magnuson Park Tree-Cutting Case

Seattle - Councilmember Jean Godden issued a statement in response to the resolution of the Magnuson Park tree-cutting case. Earlier this year Kurt Zwar was charged in Seattle Municipal Court with one count of Removal/Destruction of Parks Property pursuant to Seattle Municipal Code18.12.070(B):

"We treasure our volunteers and all the work they do.  However, we want to ensure visitors feel safe and that our Parklands are protected for future generations.  I would like to thank our City Attorney's Office for its work on this case and Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams for his attention to this issue.  I am grateful to the Seattle Police, as well as the staff of Seattle Parks and Recreation for reporting on this crime and taking swift action."

[View in Council Newsroom]

[More]

The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the City of Seattle and the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild (SPOG) expired on December 31, 2013.  Soon the parties will be negotiating a new contract. On Monday, July 21, the Council passed Resolution 31535 agreeing to use the next round of SPOG negotiations to strengthen police accountability.  In particular, […][More]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/24/2014

Mayor Ed Murray
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Federal Transportation Dollars Approved for Seattle Projects

SEATTLE - Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen announced today that The Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board approved over $27,000,000 in Federal transportation dollars for an array of transportation purposes in Seattle.  Projects that will be funded include basic road maintenance, bicycle lanes and extending the First Hill Street Car on Broadway north to Roy Street.  Mayor Ed Murray, and Councilmembers Tom Rasmussen, Bruce Harrell and Tim Burgess represent Seattle on the Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) Executive Board.

"Thank you to the PSRC for these project grants. The areas funded will have a direct impact on our transportation system, and I look forward to using the funding to increase mobility and keep Seattle moving," said Mayor Ed Murray.

"If there are federal dollars available for local transportation projects, I’m going to work hard to send those dollars to Seattle," said Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "We have some exciting opportunities to repair and maintain our roads, create safer bicycle routes and improve transit services."

PSRC receives federal funds from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, to be allocated to state and local jurisdictions. Funds are awarded via a competitive application process every two to three years.

Summary of City of Seattle Projects Recommended for Funding:
Regional

• $200,000 for Route 48 Electrification (23rd Avenue)  (design only)
• $2,627,528 for Center City Gateway ITS (Next Generation ITS)
• $8,500,000 for Broadway Streetcar Extension

Countywide, Large Jurisdiction

• $1,383,000 for Michigan St ITS (Next Generation ITS)
• $4,300,000 for Center City Protected Bike Lanes, Phase I (2nd Ave and/or 4th Ave)

Countywide, Non-motorized

• $700,000 for Center City Protected Bike Lanes, Phase I (2nd Ave and/or 4th Ave)
• $800,000 for 7th Ave Protected Bike Lanes
• $397,900 for Low-Income Access to Bike Share Network

Countywide, Preservation

• $1,500,000 for Renton Ave
• $1,500,000 for Roosevelt Ave

FTA

• $1,500,000 for Broadway Streetcar Extension
• $4,383,799 "earned share" (aka "formula") operations and maintenance funds (SLU streetcar, Monorail)

[View in Council Newsroom]

[More]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/23/2014   Councilmember Mike O’Brien O’Brien, City Council Seek Emergency Order Prohibiting Transport of Flammable Crude Oil through Seattle First nationwide action by a City Council to call for immediate end to oil train transport near neighborhoods SEATTLE - City Councilmember Mike O’Brien and all eight of his council colleagues signed a letter calling for the U.S. […][More]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/23/2014

Councilmember Nick Licata

Councilmember Nick Licata and City Attorney Pete Holmes' Statement on Marijuana Public Consumption Report

SEATTLE - Councilmember Nick Licata and City Attorney Pete Holmes issued the following statement this morning regarding the Seattle Police Department's report on enforcement of public consumption of marijuana:

"We'd like to thank the Seattle Police Department for completing its report on the first six months of enforcement of the public consumption of marijuana ordinance.

"Initiative 502, approved by state voters, created a civil fine in state law for public consumption of marijuana.  When the Council approved Ordinance 124393 to incorporate this provision of I-502 into city law, it drafted a section requiring SPD to monitor enforcement by age, race, sex and location.

"During the first half of 2014, 82 tickets were issued. While the sample size is small, it does indicate trends for race and homelessness we should continue to monitor.

"36% of tickets were issued to African-Americans, who make up 8% of Seattle's population according to the 2010 census. 33% went to African-American males.

"46% of those ticketed list addresses associated with homeless services, transitional housing, post offices, mental health services or motels. It appears tickets disproportionately affect people without private residences.

"This shows the need for places where people can legally consume marijuana in Seattle."

"The SPD has also agreed to send this information to Mark Kleiman and the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis for an independent peer analysis of the report. We look forward to their guidance regarding how we can improve our city's marijuana policies for all residents."

[View in Council Newsroom]

[More]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/23/2014

Councilmember Mike O'Brien

O'Brien, City Council Seek Emergency Order Prohibiting Transport of Flammable Crude Oil through Seattle
First nationwide action by a City Council to call for immediate end to oil train transport near neighborhoods

SEATTLE - City Councilmember Mike O'Brien and all eight of his council colleagues signed a letter calling for the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to issue an emergency order prohibiting the shipment of Bakken crude oil in legacy DOT-111 tank train cars. Bakken is highly flammable and easily ignited at normal temperatures by heat, static discharges, sparks or flames, and vapors which may form explosive mixtures with air and spread along confined areas such as sewers. The Seattle City Council is the first in the country to support the petition, filed by Earthjustice on behalf of the Sierra Club and ForestEthics.

The corresponding letter highlights the O'Brien-sponsored oil train Resolution 31504, which was signed by Mayor Ed Murray and adopted by Council in February. O'Brien's resolution urged Secretary Anthony Foxx to aggressively phase out older model tank cars used to move flammable liquids that are not retrofitted to meet new federal requirements. Following the explosion of DOT-111 train cars in Quebec, which killed 47 men, women and children, Canada immediately took action to begin phasing-out of the DOT-111 cars.

"Dozens of people have died in crude-by-rail accidents when DOT-111 tank cars were punctured and spilled flammable crude," said O'Brien. "The catastrophic explosions can be triggered by a single spark and yet they travel on tracks underneath downtown and flanking both Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field. Seattle cannot afford to sit idly by with public safety in our city at risk."

Earlier today the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed new rules that would phase out the use of the DOT-111 cars in two years. City Council's letter in support of the EarthJustice petition seeks to protect the public from oil spills and explosions now. According to the letter: "Banning the shipment of highly flammable crude oil in legacy DOT-111 tank cars is necessary to abate the unsafe conditions posing an imminent hazard to human life, communities, and the environment."

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, areas up to one-half mile or more from an accident site are considered vulnerable. An incident requiring warning, evacuation or rescue could easily affect the more than 600,000 people living and working in densely populated sections of Seattle.

BNSF Railway reports moving 8-13 oil trains per week through Seattle, all containing 1,000,000 or more gallons of Bakken crude. Many of the City of Seattle's public safety concerns were highlighted in the April 2014 testimony of Seattle's Director of Office of Emergency Management before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies in the Committee on Appropriations.

[View in Council Newsroom]

[More]

This month's Council edition of the Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out is now online. Councilmembers Godden, Licata and I talked about the police department, City Light, and marijuana with host Brian Callanan. Take a look below:[More]

Kate Vrijmoet is a curator, an artist and a passionate activist. She keeps a studio in Pioneer Square, a small business, but one that, although she manages to pay her taxes, she operates at a loss. 

As she points out, regretfully, there’s a big gap between male and female artists. The stats are grim: Although 60 percent of arts graduates are women, galleries display only about 25 percent of women’s work nationally. Seattle’s record at 39 percent is somewhat better. Less than 4 percent of museum collections are credited to women artists.

When asked why this is the case, Kate reflects that salary negotiation and having a family have been obvious barriers in her own art career. However, it is clear that … Continue Reading »

[More]

Scanned copies of the signed legislation are available in the database records linked below: Ord. 124514 C.B. 118079 AN ORDINANCE relating to the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area; modifying the boundaries; and amending Ordinance 113029, as previously amended by Ordinances 115998 and 120303. Ord. 124515 C.B. 118106 AN ORDINANCE relating to historic preservation, imposing controls […][More]