Councilmember Tim Burgess

Councilmember Tim Burgess responds to NBA Board of Governors Decision

SEATTLE - City Councilmember Tim Burgess issued the following statement today after the NBA Board of Governors voted to keep the Kings in Sacramento:

"The NBA's decision is very disappointing to me and the thousands of Sonics fans in our city. I remain hopeful that Seattle can once again be home to NBA basketball in the coming years. Chris Hansen and his partners have displayed amazing commitment in their efforts to secure a team for Seattle's fans. The City's role has always been to prepare for a team should one be available. We will be prepared."

[View in Council Newsroom]

The MID is one of the city’s nonprofit Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) where landowners pay special assessments to contract with private firms that provide additional trash pick-up, alley cleaning and other services that make the neighborhood cleaner and safer. The Council considered this renewal and expansion after it was presented to the Council in a petition signed by a significant majority of the would-be MID ratepayers. Because state law limits City government’s ability to raise revenues, BIAs have become an important tool for business districts throughout Seattle to raise their own revenue to make their sidewalks, buildings and streets more inviting to residents and customers.  

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seattle City Council passes South Lake Union rezone
New zoning increases capacity for housing, jobs

SEATTLE - Seattle City Council unanimously passed Council Bill 117603, a package of land use changes that increases the development capacity of the South Lake Union neighborhood to accommodate projected future job growth and housing demands.

"After eight years of collaboration with South Lake Union stakeholders, neighbors and city staff, we're finally implementing the 2004 designation of South Lake Union as an 'Urban Center' and the South Lake Union Neighborhood Plan update," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, Chair of the Special Committee on South Lake Union and the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee. "By 2031, South Lake Union will have to absorb some 12,000 households and 22,000 jobs to continue to meet its share of future growth. This rezone will take the pressure off other neighborhoods and will shape South Lake Union for the next hundred years," added Conlin.

In addition to allowing greater building heights, the new zoning also imposes development standards and incentives to encourage a diverse urban form, more open space and an improved streetscape. For example:

• Only one tower per block will be permitted on the lake front blocks. Other blocks can have two towers but they must be more widely spaced than anywhere else in the city.
• There are strong street-level design standards and incentives to ensure a lively and vibrant pedestrian environment, such as requiring retail at ground level.
• A series of subarea standards will maintain the character of specific communities through incentives for preservation of landmark properties and existing open spaces.
• A new program that preserves farm land and forest land by transferring development rights into South Lake Union will generate funds for transportation improvements.

"This is the culmination of many years of hard work by many people," said City Council President Sally J. Clark. "Cascade neighbors, the South Lake Union Community Council, businesses large and small, property owners, research institutions, social service and low-income housing providers - they haven't always agreed, but they've all worked to shape a vision and now the rules for development of an amazing place to live and work."
"Imagine our South Lake Union alive with growing businesses a bustling neighborhood, connected to green spaces and great transit," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "We've reached a sound compromise that will work."

The Council modified the legislation submitted by Mayor Mike McGinn by adding requirements for greener buildings, historic preservation and view protection, and strengthening affordable housing provisions. Major amendments approved by the Council include:

• Reducing the allowed height on the Mercer blocks from 240 feet to 160 feet, and reorienting the towers to protect views by limiting east-west width to 105 feet.
• Adding the opportunity for up to four 125 foot residential towers on two blocks between the intersections of Westlake and Dexter and Highland and Galer, where the slope of Queen Anne Hill creates a significant change in the topography. This will replace most of the development capacity lost with lower heights on the Mercer blocks.
• Requiring all new buildings to meet the Gold standard of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the US Green Building Council.
• Expanding incentives to encourage preservation of all landmarked structures.
• Raising heights in part of the Cascade neighborhood from 75 feet to 85 feet to allow more flexibility in design.
• Strengthening incentives if developers include a public school in their project.
• Creating permanent setbacks on east-west corridors to protect views of the Space Needle, which was accomplished without reducing development potential.

The Mayor's proposed legislation included a requirement for developers to either include affordable housing in their projects or to contribute to funds for building low income housing if the developer chooses to build above the base height, which is 85 feet in most of the neighborhood. The Council increased the amount of the required fee by 43% for residential projects in hopes of generating more affordable workforce housing in the neighborhood. The fee for commercial projects will increase 33%, phased in over eighteen months.

"We improved the South Lake Union proposal significantly for the public by generating more resources for affordable workforce housing, encouraging the creation of a new public school and establishing a positive precedent for future upzones that will ensure smart growth for Seattle," said Councilmember Tim Burgess.

"I am proud of the work Council did to strengthen the incentives to build more affordable workforce housing in South Lake Union, creating more opportunities for people to live near where they work," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

"As we grow denser - and we must - we are growing in a manner that promotes Seattle values: affordability, an inviting pedestrian environment, open space and protected public views, and design standards that will give us a neighborhood worthy of civic pride," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

"The rezone package strikes a sensible balance between developers and the affordability targets by the City. This year, we will begin a 7-year major update to the City's Comprehensive Plan so policy work will continue to address the city's share of affordable housing needs and stimulate the market with smart development," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "We want a City where residents can live, work and play. Most importantly, in this process to set a clear vision for the South Lake Union neighborhood, Council was forward-thinking and inclusive."

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

City Council Town Hall Meeting on Climate Action Tomorrow
Community encouraged to share thoughts and perspectives

Seattle - Join the Seattle City Council for a town hall meeting where Councilmembers will hear directly from the public.  The meeting will be hosted in the context of the City's recently unveiled Climate Action Plan. 

The town hall will open at 6 p.m. with remarks by Councilmembers, followed by a panel discussion to provide the community with an overview of the draft Climate Action Plan, why it's important and how the community can help.  The rest of the meeting will be dedicated to open public comment.  Speakers will not be constrained to addressing climate issues.

WHO: Seattle City Councilmembers, general public

WHAT: Council Town Hall on Climate Action

WHEN: Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m.

WHERE: University Heights Center
5031 University Way NE, Room 209
Seattle, WA 98105

Read the draft Climate Action Program at http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/climate/

For more information, visit the event flier .PDF here

[View in Council Newsroom]

 Councilmember Tim Burgess

Council Committee votes to fund new public health gun safety package
Seattle will be first city to fund gun safety research long blocked by gun lobby

Seattle - City Councilmembers demonstrated their leadership on gun safety today when the Government Performance and Finance Committee voted to fund a new public health gun safety package.

Partnering with the University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center and public health agencies, the $370,500 proposal will spur long-stalled research on gun violence and enhance the City and County’s response to mental health crises resulting from tragedies.

"While our leaders in Olympia and Washington, D.C. failed to enact gun safety legislation this year, Seattle is demonstrating its leadership by taking positive action today," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "The people of Seattle overwhelmingly support doing everything we can to increase gun safety. This funding will jump-start research blocked by the National Rifle Association and build the same emergency response system used by the Red Cross."

According to previous news reports, the City of Seattle would be the first in the nation to provide direct funding for basic research into the causes and effects of gun violence.

"This research on gun violence will show us what impact it has on public health, and hopefully identify strategies for reducing injuries and deaths," said Councilmember Nick Licata.

"Gun violence is THE public health issue of our time," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "With appropriate research and commitment, we can reduce both murders and suicides in our community. We must."

"This is the way to guide us to safe, responsible gun ownership," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "It’s a step toward a sane, caring policy."

The public health gun safety package includes two additions to the Mayor’s 1st Quarter Supplemental budget detailed below.

Public Health Gun Safety Research ($153,000)

The proposed study will evaluate the interrelationships between substance abuse, mental health diagnoses, gun ownership, injury admissions and deaths.

"Sustained commitment to reducing the public health impact of gun violence is critically important to our city," said Dr. Beth Ebel, Director, Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, UW. "In my work as a pediatric trauma physician at Harborview Medical Center/UW, I regularly care for children and teens who were victims of gun violence. Nearly all of these devastating injuries are preventable. So this is a time to take action, work together, and find evidence-based approaches to reduce gun violence."

The results will provide researchers and medical professionals with the information they need to improve outreach and counseling to prevent injuries from firearms, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Enhanced Mental Health Emergency Management and Response ($217,500)

The initiative includes a state-of-the-art emergency management, response and triage system for mental health crises that has been used by public health teams in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings, by the American Red Cross for natural disasters (the Joplin and Alabama tornadoes in 2011), by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during Superstorm Sandy and by Los Angeles County. The funding will enable Seattle-King County Public Health to administer the purchase and installation of this emergency management and response program.

The Committee will vote on the entire first quarter supplemental budget legislation as early as May 15. A vote by the Full Council would then take place the Monday following the committee vote.

[View in Council Newsroom]

According to previous news reports, the City of Seattle would be the first in the nation to provide direct funding for basic research into the causes and effects of gun violence.

Partnering with the University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center and public health agencies, the $370,500 proposal will spur long-stalled research on gun violence and enhance the City and County’s response to mental health crises resulting from tragedies.

While our leaders in Olympia and Washington, D.C. failed to enact gun safety legislation this year, Seattle is demonstrating its leadership by taking positive action today. The people of Seattle overwhelmingly support doing everything we can to increase gun safety. This funding will jump-start research blocked by the National Rifle Association and build the same emergency response system used by the Red Cross.

The public health gun safety package includes two additions to the Mayor’s 1^st Quarter Supplemental budget detailed below.

Public Health Gun Safety Research ($153,000)

The proposed study will evaluate the interrelationships between substance abuse, mental health diagnoses, gun ownership, injury admissions and deaths.

The results will provide researchers and medical professionals with the information they need to improve outreach and counseling to prevent injuries from firearms, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Enhanced Mental Health Emergency Management and Response ($217,500)

The initiative includes a state-of-the-art emergency management, response and triage system for mental health crises that has been used by public health teams in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings, by the American Red Cross for natural disasters (the Joplin and Alabama tornadoes in 2011), by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during Superstorm Sandy and by Los Angeles County. The funding will enable Seattle-King County Public Health to administer the purchase and installation of this emergency management and response program.

The Committee will vote on the entire first quarter supplemental budget legislation as early as May 15. A vote by the Full Council would then take place the Monday following the committee vote.

City Councilmembers to vote on gun safety public health funding

Seattle - The City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee will consider tomorrow morning an amendment to budget legislation to fund a gun safety public health package. According to earlier news reports, the City of Seattle would be the first city in the nation to provide direct funding for basic research into the causes and effects of gun violence.

WHAT: Discussion and vote on public health gun safety package

WHEN: TOMORROW - Wednesday, May 1, 9:30 a.m.
(see agenda, item #4; timing is approximate)

WHERE: City Council Chambers
Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Ave, 2nd floor

WHO: Government Performance and Finance Committee members

Partnering with the University of Washington's Harborview Medical Center and public health agencies, the $370,500 package of initiatives would spur research on gun violence and improve the City and County's response to mental health crises resulting from tragedies.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Councilmember Tim Burgess responds to Metro briefing on pending service cuts

Seattle - City Councilmember Tim Burgess issued the following statement today after the Council received a briefing from King County Metro officials about potential service cuts:

"Transportation is the backbone of a robust economy and public transit is essential to that vitality."

"Seattle is the largest job center in the state. An estimated two-thirds of the City's 200,000 daily commuters don't drive; they rely on a quality transit network. The legislature's failure thus far to fund Metro service is a direct blow to these commuters and will mean decreased service and increased gridlock for many of us who live and work in and around Seattle. The legislature's inaction could also have a cascading effect through the system as bus routes are eliminated and riders compete for space on other already-crowded routes."

"Metro has avoided cuts so far by reducing staff, increasing fares, spending reserve funds, and imposing a temporary $20 charge on vehicle licenses. When the charge expires next year, Metro will have no other choice but to decrease service unless the state provides the necessary support."

[View in Council Newsroom]

Transportation is the backbone of a robust economy and public transit is essential to that vitality. 

Seattle is the largest job center in the state. An estimated two-thirds of the City’s 200,000 daily commuters don’t drive; they rely on a quality transit network. The legislature’s failure thus far to fund Metro service is a direct blow to these commuters and will mean decreased service and increased gridlock for many of us who live and work in and around Seattle. The legislature’s inaction could also have a cascading effect through the system as bus routes are eliminated and riders compete for space on other already-crowded routes. 

Metro has avoided cuts so far by reducing staff, increasing fares, spending reserve funds, and imposing a temporary $20 charge on vehicle licenses. When the charge expires next year, Metro will have no other choice but to decrease service unless the state provides the necessary support.  

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

City Council Strengthens Affordable Housing Program
in South Lake Union
Consensus built around the need for more affordable workforce housing in the neighborhood

Seattle -- The Seattle City Council South Lake Union Committee voted unanimously on an amendment to produce more workforce affordable housing in the South Lake Union (SLU) neighborhood by strengthening the incentive zoning program. The agreement is a compromise between two existing amendments offered by Councilmembers, which were introduced in last week's SLU Committee meeting. Consensus was built around the need to strengthen the incentive zoning program without discouraging development.

"Today's decision is an important, modest step toward securing more affordable workforce housing in South Lake Union, so that people at all income levels who work in the neighborhood have a chance to live there," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "This is a community of opportunity where the city is investing over $500 million in public infrastructure, and I think it only fair that the benefits of this redevelopment are shared more broadly."

The legislation to strengthen incentive zoning includes a 43% increase in the residential pay-in-lieu price (from $15.15 to $21.68), effectively immediately, and a 33% increase in the commercial price that will be phased in over eighteen months (to $29.71). These prices are paid on a percent of square-foot basis in exchange for additional height and building capacity. Collectively, these provisions will produce an estimated 733 units of workforce housing in and near the neighborhood. The original legislation would have created an estimated 406 units.

"After collaborating with local businesses and affordable housing advocates, we crafted a sensible solution that goes far beyond the Mayor's status quo proposal and brings affordable workforce housing to the City's hottest real estate market," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "Now many more nurses, school teachers, construction workers and other working families can call this booming neighborhood home."

"The Council's adjustments in this legislation and the overall commitment to seeing workforce-priced units actually built in these developments will  help more working people find homes in South Lake Union near jobs and transit," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "That's good for employees and good for employers."
              
"The new Affordable Housing Amendment reflects a collaborative and inclusive decision-making process with developers and affordable housing advocates. The Council applied the Race and Social Justice Initiative lens to ensure we were having an honest debate on equity. Council honored its promise of delivering on-site affordable workforce units in this neighborhood," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell.

"These amendments strengthen one of our tools to generate more workforce housing in South Lake Union," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, chair of the Special Committee on South Lake Union. "I look forward to working with stakeholders and housing experts to both refine our incentive zoning program and also increase the supply of affordable housing city-wide."

"It all goes back to why so many people come to Seattle -- they come because we are a city of inclusive neighborhoods, not just a copy of someplace else. A strengthened incentive zoning program reaffirms our commitment to inclusive and affordable neighborhoods," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

"These amendments, while not a bold leap, are reasonable steps in the right direction. This is only a modest beginning for making housing in Seattle more affordable for average folks," said Councilmember Nick Licata. "We cannot continue to see workers forced to move ever further from the city and drive long distances to work here. The solution is clearly to require developers to provide substantially more affordable housing."

The Council last updated the incentive zoning program in 2008, establishing the goal of producing 5% of affordable workforce residential units in the neighborhood of the development. The Council will also consider similar fee adjustments to the downtown incentive housing program to take effect in 2014.

"Even with this step, we need to go further by engaging in the process laid out in Resolution 31444 to review and update of Seattle's incentive zoning and other affordable housing programs, so we can begin to bridge the gap between our affordable housing needs and the amount we are currently producing," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

City Council plans to vote on the full South Lake Union rezone proposal at the May 6 Full Council meeting at 2:00pm in Council Chambers.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Today the City Council approved bold amendments to the zoning legislation that will positively impact South Lake Union for a generation. In February, I articulated my three guiding principles focused on fairness as the City Council considered a major increase in housing and office density for the neighborhood:

1. Increase benefits to the public in exchange for value given to the private sector.
2. Build homes for our workforce.
3. Support our public school system.

I am pleased to report that, after collaborating with economists, local businesses and affordable housing advocates, we are on a path to achieve all of these goals.

Together we passed in committee a sensible solution that brings affordable workforce housing to the City’s hottest real estate market far above the level called for in the Mayor’s original proposal. Now many more nurses, school teachers, construction workers and other working families can call this booming neighborhood home.

The Council’s Special Committee on South Lake Union voted to raise the in-lieu fee significantly for this neighborhood: a 43% increase for residential projects, 33% for commercial.

When fee increases were first proposed by myself and other councilmembers, however, we heard concerns from local businesses about possible shocks to the office and retail real estate market. In response, the Council decided to phase in the increase to the commercial fee over the next 15 months, providing a smoother and more predictable transition.

In addition to achieving reasonable increases in fees to encourage workforce housing in South Lake Union (which will also be phased in downtown for parity), the committee passed a Resolution I sponsored establishing an even more collaborative and inclusive process going forward – a process I believe can yield even greater public benefit and more affordable housing.

The Resolution will establish an Expert Advisory Team to look at best practices throughout our nation, gather input from a large and diverse group of local stakeholders and make recommendations for increasing workforce housing. When reporting back to Council early next year, this team would explore a range of workforce housing tools for each of Seattle’s growing urban centers.

Separate from the workforce housing discussion, the Council created stronger provisions to enable the creation of a public school to serve the increasing number of families with children in the neighborhood. Having an elementary school for our downtown residents is critical to keeping them in our city. The Council’s amendment ensures that any new school facility built would be suitable to the needs of the school district.

Taken together, these important amendments will enable moderate income workers and their growing families to live near their jobs, which is a pillar of smart growth.

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

City Council to host Town Hall Meeting on Climate Action
Community encouraged to share thoughts and perspectives

Seattle -- Join the Seattle City Council for a town hall meeting where Councilmembers will hear directly from the public.  The meeting will be hosted in the context of the City's recently unveiled Climate Action Plan. 

The town hall will open at 6 p.m. with remarks by Councilmembers, followed by a panel discussion to provide the community with an overview of the draft Climate Action Plan, why it's important and how the community can help.  The rest of the meeting will be dedicated to open public comment.  Speakers will not be constrained to addressing climate issues.

WHO:             Seattle City Councilmembers, general public

WHAT:           Council Town Hall on Climate Action

WHEN:          Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m.

WHERE:        University Heights Center
                     5031 University Way NE, Room 209
                     Seattle, WA 98105

Read the draft Climate Action Program at http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/climate/

For more information, visit the event flier .PDF here

[View in Council Newsroom]

If we ask the voters to support a public campaign finance system, it is very important to clearly articulate the goals we want to accomplish. The academic literature shows mixed results at best when evaluating whether such programs achieve many of the goals touted by program advocates, including increased electoral competitiveness and lower election costs. On the other hand, some reviews of New York City’s campaign finance program show it has engaged much broader cross-sections of the public in the electoral process.

Councilmember Tim Burgess
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Councilmembers to consider Publicly Financed Campaigns for Seattle
Possible ballot measure coming to voters in November

Seattle -- Seattle City Councilmembers announced today a timeline to consider a proposal to publicly finance elections for local campaigns in the city of Seattle. The plan outlines a series of five meetings in April, May and June, leading to a decision about whether to ask voters to approve such a program in November 2013.

At the request of four councilmembers, the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission recently submitted a recommendation for the Council to consider a public campaign finance program. The Council will review the details of the Commission's proposed program structure starting Monday, April 29.

"It's the right time to explore new ways to engage Seattle in the electoral process," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Special Committee on Public Campaign Finance. "Seattle has long been at the forefront in upholding fair elections, but we should learn from other cities about what can be achieved through a public campaign finance system."

Public campaign financing, sometimes called "voter-owned" elections, allows a candidate to qualify for public funds to run an electoral campaign if he or she is able to demonstrate a broad base of community support. Candidate participation would be optional, and participants would agree to set standards that could include limits on private fundraising, a limit on using personal funds or limits on third-party funding assistance. Similar programs currently operate in many cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.

"I'm looking forward to creating a program that helps a diverse cross-section of Seattle residents to run for local office," said Council President Sally J. Clark.  "Plenty of smart, qualified people would love to run, but the price tag has run so high in recent cycles that otherwise great leaders sit out. Money shouldn't determine who runs and serves."

"Voter-owned elections get more people involved and keep campaigns focused on people, issues and ideas, something I think that strengthens our democracy and that we all value," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "Seattle was the first municipality to put a system in place in 1979, and I think it is time to ask the voters to reinstate it."

"The influence of money on elections has grown nationally and locally; with publicly financed campaigns, we can at least minimize its influence on local elections, said Councilmember Nick Licata. "The voters should have an opportunity to decide if Seattle joins other cities with public financing."

[View in Council Newsroom]

In the mid-1990s, the City entered into a public-private partnership to catalyze a revitalization of the northern end of downtown with a new retail shopping center (privately owned) on top of a parking garage (purchased by the City in 1998 using $73 million in bonds). The partnership transformed this area in the last 15 years. Furthermore, the City’s tax experts estimate Pacific Place has generated more than $30 million in sales, admission, business and occupation, and property taxes since 1998.

The garage by itself, however, has operated at a net loss since 2008. So the executive branch of City government entered into negotiations last year with the owner of the retail mall to sell the garage for $55 million, lower than the original purchase price but higher than its current appraised value of $50 or $51 million. To confirm this analysis, the Council contracted for its own independent appraisal that came to the same conclusion.

In late January, the Council received legislation from the Mayor authorizing the sale of the garage. Initial analysis showed that the proposed deal would have left the City slightly over $10 million in the red with remaining debt service costs and loan repayments, but it looked better than any alternative. It was arguably a reasonable price to pay for the revitalization of this area.

The Council’s lead analyst on this issue John McCoy performed excellent analysis, though, that led us to a different conclusion. (You can read it in great detail in a March 6 memo and a March 15 addendum.) With updated information from the Mayor, he found the true costs of selling the garage now would leave the City nearly $21 million in the red in net present value.

Why did the number double? This is where it gets complicated, but it has to do with when the 1998 bonds can be paid off. For various reasons, our garage debt cannot be paid off directly — or “called” in the language of the bond market — until late in 2017. That leaves us paying the bonds' 5% interest rate in the meantime. Per the Mayor’s proposal, the $55 million we would get from selling the garage would sit in an escrow account and make the future debt payments, but it would earn less than 1% interest at today's historically low interest rates. This difference in interest rates inserts a significant wedge in the deal, adding millions in additional interest costs.

Council staff also explored the terms of the original agreement between the City and the mall owner that allow the City, anytime between 2018 and 2028, to force a sale of the garage to the mall owner for the lesser of $50 million or the amount required to make the City whole on its original investment (paying off outstanding debt principal plus accumulated losses with interest). It's pretty counterintuitive, but selling later for less actually pencils out better under most scenarios, because we will be paying down debt in the meantime and we can avoid those extra interest costs.

Under all but the most pessimistic of scenarios when forecasting revenue and expenses for the garage, the City would be in a better financial position to hold onto the garage until 2018 or later instead of selling now. (And under some of the more optimistic scenarios, the City could be made entirely whole on its original investment in the 2020s.) If the City can fetch a price higher than $50 million in the future, we may even turn a profit for the taxpayers.

The cherry blossoms weren't fully out yet, but I did get to use my Car2Go membership for the first time. I used the service three separate times on Friday and Saturday for a total cost of $28.42, far less than a rental car or a taxi.

Each time I needed a car I opened the Car2Go app on my iPhone, located the closest available vehicle and reserved it. A handy walking map guided me to the car—they’re all Smart Cars—where I placed my membership card against the front windshield sensor. Presto! I was verified as the member who reserved the car and the doors unlocked. Once inside, I entered my PIN using the navigation touch screen and withdrew the ignition key from its dashboard holder. Done. I pulled away from the curb and was on my way.

What I really liked about Car2Go was my drive and drop option. No need to return the car to my pick-up spot. It’s a perfect service for one-way drivers who need to get from point A to point B or even for a bunch of errands on a weekend.

Late Saturday night, when I used Car2Go to return to my hotel I encountered a frustrating moment which I chalked up to my status as a novice user. My little Smart Car wouldn’t let me end my trip. A warning flashed on the navigation screen informing me that I had parked outside of the Car2Go service area which I hadn’t. I moved one block but got the same message so I pushed the help button and spoke to a Car2Go customer service representative. She asked my specific location and then informed me that I was parked on a peak hour street and would have to move around the corner. Only then did I notice an obscure sign on a nearby light pole that prohibited Sunday morning parking. My little car was really smart.

NPR ran a story about Car2Go and other car sharing services yesterday. It’s worth a listen.

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Councilmember Tim Burgess responds to the retirement of Chief Diaz

Seattle -- City Councilmember Tim Burgess issued the following statement today in response to today's announcement that Chief Diaz will retire:

"I thank Chief Diaz for his 33 years of dedicated service to the people of Seattle. The life of a police officer is rarely an easy one and John has served this city faithfully.

"This is a critical time for our police department. New leadership is necessary for implementing the reforms that will lead us to where we should be focused: more effective and evidence-based policing, preventing crime rather than just responding to it after it has occurred and improved police-community relations.

"Chief Diaz's retirement gives us an opportunity to move forward with new leadership. The chief of police is one of the most important positions in city government."

[View in Council Newsroom]

This is a critical time for our police department. New leadership is necessary for implementing the reforms that will lead us to where we should be focused: more effective and evidence-based policing, preventing crime rather than just responding to it after it has occurred, and improved police-community relations.

Chief Diaz’s retirement gives us an opportunity to move forward with new leadership. The chief of police is one of the most important positions in city government.

Yesterday the police department released two reports about the department’s handling of last year’s May Day disturbances downtown, one completed internally and one by an independent third party. I commend the department for subjecting itself to a thorough, external review. Such transparency can only serve to improve the work of SPD. It reminds me of a citizens’ review I chaired of the police response to the 1999 WTO riots.

While the independent report criticized planning by the department at a higher level, the report found that “supervisory and line-level police officers were well-disciplined and attempted to follow confusing mandates (at times squads acted independently due to an absence of command direction).” It is good to see that our officers made the best out of a difficult situation, but department leadership should quickly follow up on the report’s recommendations to avoid facing a similar situation again.

The deep bore tunnel is only one element of the massive effort underway to transform our central waterfront and reconnect it to the rest of the city by replacing the seawall, tearing down the viaduct and creating attractive public open spaces. Read more about the creation of a Waterfront for All.

If you are in the urban design field or studying to be, you might enjoy the discussion at this event. Event details and registration are here.

The event is co-presented by the Downtown Seattle Association, the Seattle Planning Commission and the Department of Planning and Development.

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Councilmember Burgess requests audit of City's transportation funding program
Review should focus on unnecessary debt service payments and huge cash balances

Seattle -- Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the City Council's Budget Committee, asked the City Auditor today to conduct an audit of the Seattle Department of Transportation's capital investment program and its management of cash balances.

Burgess asked for the auditor's intervention after learning that SDOT incurred millions of dollars of unused debt in recent years. In 2011, $112 million remained in its cash balance from bond sale proceeds. Last year, the total was $64 million.

"We are $1.8 billion behind on basic street and bridge maintenance projects. It's very troubling that we have been sitting on so much cash," said Councilmember Burgess. "We sold the bonds. We have the money. We should spend these funds to improve mobility and repair our bridges, streets and sidewalks today. Instead, SDOT is wasting taxpayer dollars on unnecessary interest payments. Until we can determine why this is happening and adopt corrective measures, I will not vote to incur any additional debt for SDOT-managed projects."

The Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee will review legislation proposed by the Mayor tomorrow morning that includes incurring additional debt for SDOT. Burgess will move to amend the legislation in committee to stop the sale of any additional bonds for this department.

The City regularly issues bonds to finance large capital programs. Regardless of when the proceeds from the bonds are actually spent, the public has to pay the debt service. If capital projects are not started in a timely manner, or funds are not needed in accordance with project plans, these payments are spent unnecessarily. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent in this way in recent years.

The audit will explore processes and controls within SDOT that will reduce the likelihood of large, ongoing bond proceed balances and recommend what changes should be introduced to avoid such occurrences in the future.

"This is fundamentally a question whether we have sound financial management by this Administration and SDOT to deliver basic maintenance projects at levels funded by the City Council," added Burgess. "This practice must stop and we have to find where the problem is to avoid flushing millions of taxpayer dollars down the drain."

Last year, the Council passed Resolution 31393 asking for a performance and management review of SDOT; this financial audit will supplement the findings of that review, which is underway.

[View in Council Newsroom]

We are $1.8 billion behind on basic street and bridge maintenance projects. It’s very troubling that we have been sitting on so much cash. We sold the bonds. We have the money. We should spend these funds to improve mobility and repair our bridges, streets and sidewalks today. Instead, SDOT is wasting taxpayer dollars on unnecessary interest payments. Until we can determine why this is happening and adopt corrective measures, I will not vote to incur any additional debt for SDOT-managed projects.

The Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee will review legislation proposed by the Mayor tomorrow morning that includes incurring additional debt for SDOT. I will move to amend the legislation in committee to stop the sale of any additional bonds for this department.

The City regularly issues bonds to finance large capital programs. Regardless of when the proceeds from the bonds are actually spent, the public has to pay the debt service. If capital projects are not started in a timely manner, or funds are not needed in accordance with project plans, these payments are spent unnecessarily. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent in this way in recent years.

The audit will explore processes and controls within SDOT that will reduce the likelihood of large, ongoing bond proceed balances and recommend what changes should be introduced to avoid such occurrences in the future.

The report reiterated the importance of providing the homeless with permanent housing as quickly as possible. When discussing the issue of temporary, emergency shelters and whether there are enough beds for homeless individuals, the report’s data led to some instructive conclusions.

The county’s shelter system can provide places for 1,704 individual adults on a given night, but 91% of these beds are in Seattle. Homeless individuals should be able to find shelter close to their home communities and existing network of support. Therefore, the report found a strong need for additional beds outside of Seattle.

The data get even more interesting.  A task force studied a cohort of 2,502 individuals who accessed shelter during the first quarter of 2011 and analyzed their shelter stays during the year before and the year after this 3-month period. The report found that 26% of these individuals stayed in shelter for a lengthy 180 days or more, accounting for a total of 74% of the bed nights used. On the other end of the spectrum, 39% of the individuals used shelter for 30 days or less, accounting for just 3% of the total shelter bed nights.

This important information shows policymakers that if we can develop approaches to transition the long-term users of shelters into more permanent housing, we would free up a lot of bed nights to serve an even greater number of people who might need only short-term emergency access to shelter.

In a discussion with the Council last week, presenters talked about this dual approach that opens the front door and the back door of the shelter system. We open the front door by increasing shelter capacity all around King County. We open the back door with focused resources to place those in shelter into transitional or more permanent housing. 

Last fall the Council was told by the Mayor’s budget office and transportation managers there would be no further changes to parking rates in 2013 to allow the public to get used to the changes applied in 2012, but the Mayor recently announced lowered rates in one neighborhood. If we’re going to make changes at all this year, we should adhere to the data and lower parking meter rates in up to 13 paid parking areas in neighborhood business districts.

When the Council adopted the new approach to setting meter rates our goal was to (1) price meter rates based on demand in order to keep one or two spaces available on each block in our neighborhood business districts, (2) reduce congestion and environmental harm from drivers cruising for an open space and (3) shift from a revenue-based approach to an outcome-based policy. (I wrote extensively about these new policies when they were being developed.)

Since our policy shift, the City’s transportation department has indeed raised and lowered meter rates in several areas. For 2012, meter rates were lowered in Capitol Hill south, the Pioneer Square periphery and the northwest corner of South Lake Union. They were raised in the Ballard core, Belltown south, the South Lake Union 10-hour areas and the University District core.

Eventually, our desire is to shift to flexible time-of-day pricing so rates can be even more sensitive to demand. Our transportation officials have repeatedly told us that the City’s current technology doesn’t allow for this level of pricing, but the Mayor’s recent announcement includes this variation. There are other neighborhoods, such as Capitol Hill south, where the parking occupancy between the day and the evening are dramatically different and could use time-of-day pricing even more.

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Statement by Councilmember Tim Burgess regarding allegations of wage theft on City-financed projects

Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess, sponsor of Seattle's 2011 wage theft law, issued the following statement regarding the allegations of wage theft on Seattle Housing Levy-financed projects:

"Theft of wages is as malicious a crime as any other theft. It takes money directly from the pockets of workers and their families. The allegations of wage theft on City-financed projects must be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly by the police department and other relevant law enforcement agencies."

[View in Council Newsroom]

Universal background checks were one piece of the City’s legislative agenda announced in late December. The other elements included an assault weapons ban, a ban on large capacity ammunition magazines, micro-stamping technology and trigger locks and safe storage requirements. Unfortunately, many of the other pieces of gun safety legislation did not make it out of committee by last Friday’s deadline. That is disappointing, as Washingtonians are clearly ready for more responsible gun safety laws.

On Wednesday, March 6, the Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee and Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture Committee will hold a joint meeting to hear from public health officials about proposals to reduce gun violence that the Council will consider through supplemental budget legislation.

Seattle-King County Public Health Director Dr. David Fleming presented a strong case at a public forum earlier this month as to why this issue should be approached through a public health lens: “Gun violence is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States and in King County. As such it is a leading public health problem. The good news about public health problems is that, time and again, they have proven to be fixable, to be solvable. And so there is no better time than now to begin to change our conception of gun violence from something that is inevitable to something that is a fixable public health problem.” Dr. Fleming’s office also put together a compelling compilation of facts on gun violence.

Not only is the public health community energized on this issue, but so are the City’s religious and moral voices. I recently participated in a candlelight vigil and march that ended at St. James Cathedral, where Father Michael Ryan welcomed us and gave remarks that have stayed with me.

A lot of work is happening and momentum is building to bring responsible gun safety measures to our communities. To enact lasting change, we must keep up the pressure on all of these fronts.

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Statement by Councilmember Tim Burgess regarding today's arena ruling

Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess issued the following statement in response to today's King County Superior Court ruling about the environmental review process for a new sports and entertainment arena:

"I applaud the court's ruling today that allows the City and County to continue forward in our environmental review process as contemplated by the MOU. The City Council emphasized the importance of a robust environmental review in its deliberations last fall in order to acquire complete information about the impact of a new arena at various locations. On Monday morning the Council will receive a briefing on the various planning efforts underway related to the proposal to bring NBA basketball back to Seattle."

[View in Council Newsroom]

The following article was sent out in my City View Newsletter, which you can sign up to receive here.

The City Council is debating Mayor McGinn’s rezone recommendations for the South Lake Union neighborhood. Our decisions provide a historic opportunity to shape the future of our city in a way that properly balances public and private interests and creates an exciting, liveable mixed-income neighborhood.

Buried in the tongue-twisting zoning language of setbacks, floor-area ratios and set-asides is a simple idea: fairness. At the end of the day, can we craft legislation that encourages development in South Lake Union (and our other urban centers and villages) and also provides affordable workforce housing?

The answer is yes, and here are three guiding principles I will follow as we work to improve the Mayor’s zoning proposal.

1. Increase benefits to the public in exchange for value given to the private sector.

When city government proactively “up-zones” a neighborhood to allow more height and density, it automatically increases the value of the property, delivering a significant windfall to the private landowners. In exchange for the up-zone, state law encourages cities to re-capture some of the increased value for the general public and specifically highlights affordable workforce housing as a critical goal.

Unfortunately, Mayor McGinn’s proposal for South Lake Union does not achieve an appropriate public benefit for the value we are conveying to the private property owners who benefit from the up-zone. Just as we had to do with the proposed SODO arena deal, however, the Council can modify and improve the Mayor’s legislation.

At my request, the Council hired outside experts who are now analyzing the data and looking at best practices from other cities. This will enable the Council to provide more value to the public while also encouraging continued investment in our neighborhoods. To achieve a fair exchange of public and private benefits, we must craft a better deal for the people of Seattle.

2. Build homes for our workforce.

Nurses, school teachers, and construction workers deserve the opportunity to call South Lake Union home. Allowing moderate income workers (earning between $36,000 to $70,000 depending on household size) to live close to their workplace provides many benefits: it reduces commute times, traffic and pollution; it increases time at home or out in the neighborhood with family and friends.

Providing greater development capacity in exchange for affordable workforce housing is an approach used effectively in other cities throughout the nation. The Mayor’s proposal will generate some dollars for affordable housing, but stretched thin over 25 years it amounts to fewer than 10 affordable workforce units per year. To be fair, I believe Seattle can do much better.

3. Support our public school system.

Two weeks ago, Seattle voters once again demonstrated generous support for public education by renewing two vital levies at a time when more parents are enrolling their children in public school. City government can do more to support the school district by encouraging the development of an elementary school for the growing number of families in the greater downtown area. With this up-zone of South Lake Union, we must craft language that specifies what a developer would need to build for a school (such as space suitable for classrooms, cafeteria and a gymnasium) to earn additional building height.

As with any piece of land use legislation, the details of how we seek to accomplish these policies will be very important. The Council will meet on Monday in City Hall at 2:30 p.m. to discuss these provisions in further detail. But as the Council delves into the complexities of the land use language, I wanted you to know the principles I will follow.

Crime has been reduced dramatically, businesses are opening and new apartments will soon be constructed. While we must be mindful of the history and long-time identity of the neighborhood, these are changes that can benefit new and old residents alike.

The transformation has occurred in recent years because neighbors and Seattle police officers rejected the belief that consistent crime and disorder are an inevitable part of urban living. Community members, police officers and representatives from other City departments put together a focused set of community-driven interventions that restored the neighborhood. The transformation started in 2009 when then-Mayor Nickels and then-City Attorney Tom Carr launched the Drug Market Initiative, an innovative offender-focused deterrence strategy. (Read my description of the DMI effort here.)

So, bravo to Seattle police and community members who came together in common cause to make their neighborhood a better place.

He listed three components of density done well:

1) Make sure that land use and transportation planning efforts are aligned.
2) Require consistently high quality design, especially at the ground level.
3) Provide the amenities and diversity that make density enjoyable.

Watch the full talk below.

Councilmember Tim Burgess

City Council Committee to consider public health package on gun safety
Elected officials from across state also send letter to Governor urging adoption of national standards for firearms violence reporting

City Councilmember Tim Burgess said today that his Council committee would consider funding public health initiatives designed to increase gun safety.

Partnering with the University of Washington's Harborview Medical Center and public health agencies, the $371,000 package of initiatives would spur research on gun violence and improve the City and County's response to mental health crises resulting from tragedies. In addition, Burgess collaborated with local elected officials from small towns and large cities across the state to send a letter today to Governor Inslee, urging him to adopt national standards for tracking and reporting gun violence.

"Gun violence is a public health crisis and this funding package enables Seattle to take positive action now," said Councilmember Burgess, chair of the Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee. "By jump-starting research blocked for so long by the NRA, building the same emergency response system used by the Red Cross, and joining towns across the State to demand better standards for reporting violence, we will increase public safety."

"The National Rifle Association has stifled federal research on methods to decrease gun violence for the last 17 years," said Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH Professor of Pediatrics, Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology, University of Washington. "I am very pleased to see this effort to support important research that can inform policy makers in our community and around the nation on the most effective ways to prevent these tragedies from continuing."

Public Health Gun Safety Research ($153,000)

The proposed study will evaluate the interrelationships between substance abuse, mental health diagnoses, gun ownership, injury admissions and deaths. The results will provide researchers and medical professionals with the information they need to improve outreach and counseling to prevent injuries from firearms, particularly among vulnerable populations. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and its supporters in Congress have long blocked federal funds from being used for this type of crucial research; City funding will jump-start this research at the local level.

"Our communal sense of safety has been shaken by recent national and local episodes of gun violence," said Dr. Beth Ebel, Director, Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, UW. "Recent events have highlighted areas of common concern and galvanized a call to act, as most firearm violence is preventable. These proposals address key causes of gun violence in Seattle and King County. They also lay the groundwork for developing programs that work."

Enhanced Mental Health Emergency Management and Response ($218,000)

The initiative includes a state-of-the-art emergency management, response and triage system for mental health crises that has been used by public health teams in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings, by the American Red Cross for natural disasters (the Joplin and Alabama tornadoes in 2011), by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during Superstorm Sandy and by Los Angeles County. The funding will enable the Northwest Healthcare Response Network, through their partner The Foundation for Health Care Equity, to purchase and install this emergency management and response program with Public Health Seattle-King County.

Adopting National Standards for Reporting Violence

Local elected officials from across Washington State signed and sent a letter to Governor Jay Inslee today urging him to issue an Executive Order directing our state to adopt the National Violent Death Reporting System standards. Washington's participation will provide health professionals, researchers and policy makers with the basic information they need to assess prevention efforts and, most importantly, to determine when and how to prevent future harm and keep residents safe.

Eighteen other states already participate in the National Violent Death Reporting System. Overseen by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, this system enables those states to collect, report and analyze data to better understand gun-related deaths and injuries.

These new initiatives come in the wake of the City of Seattle's call to action for legislators in Olympia to strengthen Washington gun safety laws. On December 17, 2012, the City Council added language to the City's legislative agenda advocating for a ban on assault weapons; a ban on large capacity ammunition magazines; universal background checks (closing the gun show loophole); trigger locks and safe storage requirements; and micro-stamping technology to improve the capability of police to trace fired bullets.

The Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee, which recently passed legislation placing greater emphasis on the importance of evidence in designing and evaluating programs, will receive a detailed briefing from Dr. Rivara and Dr. Ebel Wednesday, March 6 on the importance of better data and research for improving gun safety in Washington State. The committee will vote on this package of initiatives as part of City's first quarter supplemental budget legislation.

[View in Council Newsroom]

In addition, I collaborated with local elected officials from small towns and large cities across the state to send a letter today to Governor Inslee, urging him to adopt national standards for tracking and reporting gun violence.

Gun violence is a public health crisis and this funding package enables Seattle to take positive action now. By jump-starting research blocked for so long by the NRA, building the same emergency response system used by the Red Cross, and joining towns across the State to demand better standards for reporting violence, we will increase public safety.

More details about the elements of this package are below.

Public Health Gun Safety Research ($153,000)

The proposed study will evaluate the interrelationships between substance abuse, mental health diagnoses, gun ownership, injury admissions and deaths. The results will provide researchers and medical professionals with the information they need to improve outreach and counseling to prevent injuries from firearms, particularly among vulnerable populations. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and its supporters in Congress have long blocked federal funds from being used for this type of crucial research; City funding will jump-start this research at the local level.

Enhanced Mental Health Emergency Management and Response ($218,000)

The initiative includes a state-of-the-art emergency management, response and triage system for mental health crises that has been used by public health teams in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings, by the American Red Cross for natural disasters (the Joplin and Alabama tornadoes in 2011), by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during Superstorm Sandy and by Los Angeles County. The funding will enable the Northwest Healthcare Response Network, through their partner The Foundation for Health Care Equity, to purchase and install this emergency management and response program with Public Health Seattle-King County.

Adopting National Standards for Reporting Violence

Local elected officials from across Washington State signed and sent a letter to Governor Jay Inslee today urging him to issue an Executive Order directing our state to adopt the National Violent Death Reporting System standards. Washington’s participation will provide health professionals, researchers and policy makers with the basic information they need to assess prevention efforts and, most importantly, to determine when and how to prevent future harm and keep residents safe.

Eighteen other states (see map above) already participate in the National Violent Death Reporting System. Overseen by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, this system enables those states to collect, report and analyze data to better understand gun-related deaths and injuries.

These new initiatives come in the wake of the City of Seattle’s call to action for legislators in Olympia to strengthen Washington gun safety laws. On December 17, 2012, the City Council added language to the City’s legislative agenda advocating for a ban on assault weapons; a ban on large capacity ammunition magazines; universal background checks (closing the gun show loophole); trigger locks and safe storage requirements; and micro-stamping technology to improve the capability of police to trace fired bullets.

The Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee, which recently passed legislation placing greater emphasis on the importance of evidence in designing and evaluating programs, will receive a detailed briefing from Dr. Rivara and Dr. Ebel Wednesday, March 6 on the importance of better data and research for improving gun safety in Washington State. The committee will vote on this package of initiatives as part of City’s first quarter supplemental budget legislation.

But first, some good news: funding transit is effective mitigation that keeps people moving through the major construction projects underway. For the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program construction period, the State contributed $32 million in transit mitigation. Since construction began, this corridor sees 25,000 fewer vehicles each day, but additional transit service has attracted 17,000 new riders.

The bad news? Unfortunately, the mitigation funding contributed by the State is not sufficient to last through the entire construction period from 2014 to 2016. And to make matters worse, Metro will be forced to cut 16% of bus service (not counting the expiring mitigation service) throughout its system by mid-2014 unless a new permanent funding source is approved. We’re not the only locality facing this problem. Pierce County Transit was just forced to reduce service by 34%, to take effect later this year.

It’s clear that we need new funding sources created at the State level, including local option sources, to keep Metro’s system (and others) functioning. These efforts have failed over the past several years because as a state we have not been able to agree on a comprehensive transportation package (including transit), but we must keep pressing.

If you are interested in a sneak peak at the presentations, take a look:
a. Los Angeles Matching Fund Program Presentation
b. San Francisco Public Financing Program Presentation
c. Portland Campaign Finance System Presentation

In 2008, the Council voted to establish an advisory committee to come back with recommendations about how to implement public financing of campaigns. The committee’s report then came at the same time as the recession and we were forced to table the discussion.

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Mike O'Brien

The opportunity is yours: Ask City Councilmembers your questions Councilmembers Bagshaw, Burgess and O'Brien to appear on February's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

Do you have questions for members of the City Council? What are the next steps for building an arena and bringing the NBA back to Seattle? How does the Council propose election campaign reform and how would that affect residents? What role will the city play in zoning for legalized marijuana? Join the conversation by submitting your questions now.

The Feb. 5 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess and Mike O'Brien answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by noon on Friday, Feb. 1.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 5 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Public invited to comment on memorandums of understanding related to renovation of Seattle's Central Waterfront

Members of the Seattle City Council Central Waterfront, Seawall, and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee invite the public to provide feedback on two proposed ordinances relating to partner projects that complement the City's renovation of the Central Waterfront.

WHAT: Public comment opportunity

WHEN: Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, 5:30 p.m. (Sign up available at 5 p.m.)

WHERE:
Council Chamber, Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Ave, second floor
More information on visiting City Hall

The two memorandums of understanding (MOUs), Council Bill 117699 and Council Bill 117698, outline guiding principles, the process to move the project forward and provisions for City-funded support. They also include baseline concept designs that will be refined in coordination with City design of public-right-of-way improvements, including the Overlook Walk, the plaza in front of the Aquarium and new Alaskan Way and Elliott Avenue surface streets.

These MOUs were called for by Council Resolution 31399 relating to the Central Waterfront Concept Design adopted in August 2012.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Nucor Steel sits on the southwest corner of Harbor Island and is City Light’s largest electricity customer. In 2009, the company proposed investing $3.5 million into a cost-effective system that would turn the waste heat generated at its plant back into electricity, recovering enough to power 2% of its electricity needs. (If this doesn’t sound like a lot, I’ll point out that 2% of Nucor’s electricity usage is equivalent to that of roughly 590 residential households!) Similar to household appliance rebates, City Light would provide an energy efficiency incentive payment in return, in this case spread out over the first three years to mitigate risk.

Unfortunately, a lack of clarity in State law delayed the project for a time, but a helpful fix from the State Legislature last year has allowed the City and Nucor now to move forward together.

The following article went out earlier today in my City View Newsletter, which you can sign up to receive here.

Washington CeaseFire unveiled a poll of statewide voter attitudes toward gun safety laws this afternoon. The results are remarkable and show that Washington voters across the political spectrum want Olympia to pass common sense gun safety laws today.

Conducted the first week of January by Alison Peters Consulting, a firm that serves both Republican and Democratic clients, the poll of 600 registered voters revealed wide and strong support for a variety of gun safety measures, including:

• a state law to require that everyone who buys a gun at a gun show undergo a background check (87% in support);
• a state law to increase mandatory penalties for youth firearm possession, starting with house detention at the first offense (68% in support);
• a state law to ban semi-automatic assault weapons (66% in support);
• a state law to limit ammunition clips on guns to 10 bullets (66% in support);
• and a state law requiring the signature of local police on every concealed weapons permit application (66% in support).

When broken down by region, Seattle residents were generally more supportive of these measures. Perhaps more surprising, though, is that each of these changes received majority support from those polled in Eastern Washington (the more conservative 4th and 5th Congressional Districts).

The fact is we are far more unified on this issue than the gun lobby would have us believe. This information should help legislators in Olympia overcome fears of any potential political backlash.

In December, the City Council amended the City’s lobbying agenda for this year’s state legislative session to include the following specific policy goals: a ban on all assault weapons; a ban on large capacity ammunition magazines; universal background checks, including at gun shows; trigger locks and safe storage requirements; and micro-stamping technology in all firearms sold, purchased or delivered in the state to improve the capability of police to trace fired bullets.

Washington law restrict cities from enacting their own gun safety regulations, so the City Council will continue to respectfully but persistently encourage our colleagues in the State Legislature to take action. My hope is that these survey numbers will spur other local officials across the state to do the same.

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seattle City Council adopts updated Shoreline Master Program
New regulations protect shorelines for all

This afternoon the Seattle City Council unanimously adopted Council Bill 117585 comprising the first comprehensive update of Seattle's Shoreline Master Program (SMP) since 1987.

"These new regulations aim to meet the daunting goal of balancing three competing interests: the needs of our vital maritime industries, the public's right to shoreline access, and the state law to protect plant and animal habitat along our waters," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, Chair of the Planning, Land Use and Sustainability committee . "After five years, two drafts, hundreds of hours of staff work, and several phases of public involvement, this package of SMP amendments is a positive and proactive step in the right direction - protecting our precious shoreline resources for all."

The SMP is an important and complex set of regulations that govern development and uses on and adjacent to shorelines. In Seattle, this includes Puget Sound, Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Ship Canal, the Duwamish River, Green Lake, and wetlands and floodplains around these. The SMP affects land uses, structures and activities, including those occurring over water and on vessels, the location of structures including setbacks and allowed over water coverage, public access requirements and construction practices related to bulkheads, docks and piers.

Working extensively with the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and the City Attorney's Office, the Council addressed most of the actions required under state law. In addition to that work, the Council held a public hearing along with public comment sessions at each of our seven Committee deliberations on the SMP, met with representatives of key affected constituencies, including people who live on boats and floating homes and water dependent businesses, and took field trips to visit houseboat communities and affected businesses. As a result of that work, the Council initiated and approved nearly 50 amendments to the legislation.

Many of these amendments were technical modifications and most of theothers clarify various situations involving water dependent businesses. The Planning, Land Use and Sustainabilitycommittee also strengthened some provisions relating to environmental protection and modified provisions relating to future regulation of people living on vessels. The Council made the following amendments to the SMP:

• Created a provision in the proposed allowed height and setback provisions for water dependent businesses to match the requirements for a Seattle company to modify their structure for building boats for Washington State Ferries. The improvements will not only make it possible to construct our ferries locally in a more efficient and economical way, but will reduce environmental impacts on the waterway.
• A provision defining fueling stations as water dependent uses inadvertently omitted the qualifier that these stations must only be for boats.
• A provision regulating single family homes in the shoreline environment did not exclude the use of historic lot lines that were not intended to definebuildable lots. We modified thelot definition.
• Language limiting signs in the shoreline area was strengthened.
• A provision prohibiting artificial reefs in functioning habitats was added.
• Language was added that directs DPD to prohibit the use of pesticides and fertilizers that impact ecological functions in the shoreline environment.
• In several cases, language was added that recognized that water dependent businesses can depend on certain non water related activities to sustain them financially. We allowed some exceptions to the use standards as long as there was no ecological impact and the property owner made a proportional investment in ecological restoration.

SMP update documents may be accessed onDPD's website at: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/ShorelineMasterProgramUpdate

The most challenging aspect of the SMP amendments has to do with figuring out how to address residences on the water. State law specifies that residential uses over water are not preferred uses of the shoreline/water environment. The City cannot change that law - it is based on the SMA initiative, and only the Legislature could modify it. The State did grant exceptions to allow some 480 recognized floating homes and 34 house barges, but has made it clear that there will be no new exceptions.

The Council has formed a stakeholder group to develop and consider alternatives for providing certainty and an orderly process for people currently residingon the water whose status is uncertain because they are not identified as legal existing floating houses or legal barges and are not clearly identified as vessels.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Statement by Councilmember Tim Burgess on Hansen Group purchase of Sacramento Kings

Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess issued the following statement today:

"This is fantastic news and a huge win for Seattle and our entire region. Throughout our Council work to improve the proposal, Chris Hansen negotiated fairly and has kept his word. He is doing exactly what he told us he would do - working to return NBA basketball to Seattle. There is more work ahead, but this is a giant leap toward bringing the Sonics back home to Seattle."

Councilmember Burgess led the Council's review of the initial arena proposal as chair of the Government Performance and Finance Committee. Burgess insisted on significant changes to the Mayor's arena proposal to improve public benefits, including:

• Stronger legal and financial protections for the city and county governments
• Reduction in the inherent risks of this type of public-private partnership
• Creation of a transportation fund with $40 million in initial funding for SODO freight and pedestrian mobility improvements.

After the Council committee negotiated a revised memorandum of agreement with Hansen, the full City Council approved it by a 7-2 vote on October 12, 2012 (Ordinance 124019).

Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21 and Webcast live on the City Council's website at www.seattle.gov/council. Copies of legislation, archives of previous meetings, and news releases are available at www.seattle.gov/council. Follow the Council on Twitter at twitter.com/SeattleCouncil and on Facebook at Seattle City Council.

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Seattle City Council

[View in Council Newsroom]

I was privileged to lead the Council's review of the Mayor's initial arena proposal and insisted on significant changes in the agreement to improve public benefits, including:

• Stronger legal and financial protections for the city and county governments.
• Reduction in the inherent risks of this type of public-private partnership.
• Creation of a transportation fund with $40 million in initial funding for SODO freight and pedestrian mobility improvements.

After the Council committee negotiated a revised memorandum of agreement with Hansen, the full City Council approved it by a 7-2 vote on October 12, 2012 (Ordinance 124019).

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Sea level rise will bring flooding to parts of Seattle by 2050
City plan will reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to climate change

Within the next 40 years,sea level rise caused by climate change will flood parts of Seattle during high tides, according to a new map developed by City planners, using conservative scientific assumptions.

Warming oceans are raising sea levels and changing shorelines worldwide. A new map created by Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) shows parts of West Seattle, Georgetown, South Park, Harbor Island, Interbay and Golden Gardens could be inundated by 2050. The impact on Seattle shorelines depends on factors such as tides and storms, along with actions the City may take to reduce its own contribution to climate change.

"Climate change is an immediate and critical challenge," City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, chair of the Energy & Environment Committee said. "We are already seeing impacts in Seattle from extreme events, such as last month’s flooding of some 100 properties along Beach Drive in West Seattle. We need to take bold steps to prepare our city for expected impacts and drastically reduce our contribution to greenhouse gases going forward."

The City of Seattle has already taken action to deal with climate change. Departments have been taking steps to reduce their climate footprint and adapt to changes in temperature, precipitation and sea level rise. In 2010, Seattle made a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050 and is writing a new Climate Action Plan to meet that goal.

"Seattle Public Utility’s sea level rise map suggests we have work to do to ensure Seattle’s utility infrastructure and assets are prepared for climate change," said Jean Godden, chair of the Libraries, Utilities and Center Committee. "Seattle is at the forefront of cities doing climate change planning and we intend to stay there. We’re going to make sure - starting now - that climate change impacts join safety and reliability as primary planning considerations for SPU and all city departments."

Today, the City Council called for public input on a set of recommendations for a new Climate Action Plan that were put forward by a recently convened Green Ribbon Commission.

"In the absence of meaningful climate action by the federal government, the Mayor instructed the Green Ribbon Commission to continue Seattle's tradition of climate leadership among the nation's cities," said Green Ribbon Commission co-chair Denis Hayes, president of the Bullitt Foundation. "Our recommendations were designed to help Seattle significantly reduce its own climate impact, and also-learning from Katrina and Sandy-help the city prepare for climate disruptions that are now inevitable. Equally important, these actions will also make Seattle a more equitable, prosperous and safe place to live."

"The Climate Action Plan will build on Seattle’s legacy of environmental leadership," O’Brien said. "Over the next two months we will hold a series of public forums and host an online survey to gather input from the people of Seattle to help guide the actions the city needs to take. We welcome all ideas and suggestions for actions we should take in the next three years as well as in the long-term. We plan to adopt a bold Climate Action Plan on Earth Day, April 22."

It is not too early for Seattleites to start preparing, either. Residents living in areas prone to flooding are advised to obtain federal flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program, available through Federal Emergency Management Agency. The average flood insurance policy typically costs around $600 per year.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Tim Burgess

City Council committee calls for evaluations of new city programsResolution states expectation that evaluations be designed and funded in Mayor's 2014 budget proposal

The Seattle City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee today unanimously approved legislation (Resolution 31425) calling for the design and funding of evaluations of any new programs in the Mayor's 2014 budget proposal.

"We have a fiscal responsibility and a moral obligation to invest in effective programs for both the taxpayers and for the vulnerable who rely on our vital services," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the committee. "The proactive measurement and evaluation of results is what Seattle residents expect and deserve."

The resolution states the Council's expectation that any funding proposal for new or expanded programs in the Mayor's proposed 2014 budget be accompanied by independent evidence of its effectiveness.

If the proposed program is un-tested, the Council will expect the Mayor's budget submittal to include funding and design of a thorough and independent evaluation.

In its deliberations last November for the 2013 City budget, the Council added funding for the City Auditor to help design and implement evaluations of new and expanded programs proposed in the budget. Today's action signals the committee's intent for this work to be done prior to the delivery of the Mayor's budget proposal to the Council in future budget cycles.

The legislation also reaffirms four questions asked by the Council last fall:

1. What are the long-term and measurable goals (outcomes) of the proposed program?
2. What is the gap between the current situation (status quo) and the goals?
3. How effective will the program be in making progress toward the goals?
4. How will the program's progress be measured to prove whether it achieved actual results?

The Full Council will vote on the resolution on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

[View in Council Newsroom]

To further our efforts to budget wisely and effectively, my committee today unanimously approved legislation (Resolution 31425) calling for the design and funding of evaluations of any new programs in the Mayor’s 2014 budget proposal.

The resolution states the Council’s expectation that any funding proposal for new or expanded programs in the Mayor’s next budget be accompanied by independent evidence of its effectiveness. If the proposed program is un-tested, the Council will expect the Mayor’s submittal to include funding and design of a thorough and independent evaluation.

My wife Joleen and I proudly joined over 1,000 marchers for stronger gun safety laws at the StandUp / Cease Fire rally on Sunday. People of all ages joined together for the mile-long march from Westlake Park to Seattle Center.

Here is what I told the crowd:

All of you here today are a part of a movement  – a movement in Seattle that will spread across our State of Washington and across our Nation.

We are marching today to honor the children and teachers gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary.

We are marching today to honor the victims of all tragedies of gun violence.

We are marching today because the gun violence crisis is a public health crisis.

We are marching today because we believe that education about gun safety can change hearts and minds.

We are marching today because we believe that Olympia has the power to take action.

Let us keep repeating this message together until our leaders in Olympia do the right thing and finally pass meaningful gun safety laws.

We often think of human trafficking as a problem on the other side of the world. I certainly encountered this persistent injustice when I worked overseas as a poverty relief worker years ago. But we must acknowledge the painful reality that human trafficking occurs here, too.

This issue came home for me when a 2008 report landed on my desk detailing the lives of commercially sexually exploited children in King County, some as young as 13. Trapped in a cycle of violence and exploitation by predator pimps and johns, these children need help. With the assistance of many private individuals and organizations, we were able to fund a residential recovery program for some of these youth. That remains one of my proudest moments on the Council.

The City, the County, the Port, the State and our local US Attorney’s Office have all taken strong stands to push forward the fight against human trafficking of any form. To raise your awareness about this issue, I’d encourage you to visit this site: http://warn-trafficking.org/.

Shortly after the Newtown, Connecticut massacre, I spelled out the immediate steps that I believe should be taken by the Legislature. Here’s a quick summary—

• A ban on all assault weapons as existed nationwide until 2004.
• A ban on large capacity ammunition magazines that fuel semi-automatic weapons.
• Universal background checks, which must include closing the gun show loophole.
• Trigger locks and safe storage requirements.
• Micro-stamping technology in all firearms sold, purchased or delivered in the state to improve the capabilities of police in tracing fired bullets.

The evidence is clear. States with reasonable gun safety regulations have fewer gun deaths. Unfortunately, Washington ranks low on the list of states with strong gun safety laws. The Legislature can correct these shortcomings and quickly.

I will be joining the Stand Up Washington march this Sunday afternoon organized by numerous community groups as a collective statement against gun violence.

Local officials should not just sit back and wait for elected officials in Olympia to act.  We must actively encourage them to enact reasonable gun safety regulations that will protect communities across Washington State.

My newsletter focused on the work of Professor Richard Florida at the University of Toronto who has written about the intersection of gun safety regulations and deaths by firearms. But, there are clearly other factors we must consider as well in the wake of tragedies like the one last Friday in Connecticut. Focusing in from broader gun violence to the mass shooting incidents in the last year, we have seen a trend of perpetrators who struggle with mental illness. (It is also worth noting, as this New York Times article does, that the vast majority of perpetrators of violence do not suffer from mental illness, and those who do suffer from psychiatric disabilities are more likely to be victims rather than perpetrators of violence.)

It’s shameful that as a society we do not adequately care for those with mental health challenges. Just walk around the streets of our downtown neighborhoods and you will see what I mean; struggling individuals suffering mental health problems and many of them with nowhere to turn. These issues are very complicated, but we know what can help—providing on-demand treatment services.

I’m no expert, but many professionals have told me that individuals suffering a mental health crisis will sometime have moments of clarity when they recognize their need and will reach out for help. It’s at this precise moment that we must have services available. It doesn’t work to listen to their plea and then place them on a waiting list for the next week or month when services become available. It’s at that specific moment that we should welcome the individual and begin immediate treatment and care.

Yes, this level of on-demand services costs a lot of money, but it is long overdue. When we deinstitutionalized the mental health system decades ago, we never built an adequate network of community-based mental health clinics to take their place. So we already pay a lot in increased costs for emergency room visits, police, and the disruptions caused by street disorder when these individuals are not cared for in appropriate ways. State budget cuts have harmed mental health programs and we need to reverse this trend. State government should put our money where it will work most effectively, up front with the kind of services these neighbors of ours deserve.

Dec. 17 update: This afternoon I proposed an amendment adding the specific gun safety measures listed below to the City’s lobbying agenda for the upcoming State legislative session. The City Council approved this amendment. 

America is still grieving for the children and adults who lost their lives last Friday in Newtown, Connecticut. That horrific event ripped deep into our national soul.

The level of violence is higher in the United States than almost anywhere else in the developed world. Why? And more importantly, what can be done about it? A lot can get done -- if our leaders in Olympia can muster the courage to strengthen safety laws for the people of Washington State.

As President Obama said at the vigil Sunday night in Newtown, “We can’t tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change.”

The Connecticut shootings should enable our Governor, our Governor-elect and leaders in the Washington Legislature to focus on solutions and bring us together to do something meaningful to end this nonsense.

Economist Richard Florida has looked for causation between gun violence and various social and economic conditions. While Professor Florida acknowledges that it is difficult to establish direct causation, he does suggest that there are obvious associations that shouldn’t be ignored.

Professor Florida’s data analysis shows that states with just three gun safety regulations—an assault weapons ban, trigger locks and safe storage requirements—have lower levels of gun deaths on a per capita basis than states without these protections.

Florida’s analysis also reveals that the factors associated with higher firearm deaths at the state level include poverty and an economy dominated by working class jobs. Conversely, firearm deaths are less likely to occur in states with higher levels of college graduates, more “creative class” jobs, higher levels of economic development and a larger number of immigrants.

Florida’s research suggests two separate courses of action for Washington State.

Reasonable Gun Safety Laws Needed for the State

First, to lower firearm deaths, our elected officials in Olympia should secure passage of reasonable gun safety laws, including—

• A ban on all assault weapons as existed nationwide until 2004.
• A ban on large capacity ammunition magazines that fuel semi-automatic weapons.
• Universal background checks, which must include closing the gun show loophole.
• Trigger locks and safe storage requirements.
• Micro-stamping technology in all firearms sold, purchased or delivered in the state to improve the capabilities of police in tracing fired bullets.

The evidence is clear. States with reasonable gun safety regulations have fewer gun deaths. Unfortunately, Washington ranks low on the list of states with strong gun safety laws. The Washington Legislature should quickly adopt prudent safety regulations during the next legislative session starting January 14.

And don’t be fooled by those who suggest that gun deaths are merely a big city problem. Professor Florida reports that “more than 80% of America’s 21 worst mass killings…took place in suburban towns or rural areas, including each and every one of the ‘five worst school massacres in U.S. history.’ More than two-thirds of the 61 mass shootings that occurred between 1982 and 2012…can also be traced to a suburban or rural location.”

Legislators outside of the Seattle area—Republicans and Democrats—should be leading the effort in Olympia to secure passage of gun safety legislation to protect their constituents from gun violence because gun violence occurs everywhere in Washington State.

Addressing Economic Factors

Second, Professor Florida’s research suggests that gun deaths are higher in states with high levels of poverty and working class jobs and lower in states with strong economic growth and a diversity of employment options. We can do something about these conditions as well, including—

• Investing heavily in evidence-based early childhood interventions known to reduce poverty and crime and improve education outcomes. My colleagues and I recently fully funded the Nurse Family Partnership, an example of a proven early childhood intervention. The city’s Families and Education Levy, renewed and doubled by generous Seattle voters in 2011, also invests early in a child’s life.
• Enhance prisoner release policies and programs so every offender released from prison has a work plan, a safe place to live, and a follow-up program designed to help the individual live a successful life. These programs are successfully used in other states to reduce recidivism, encourage work and keep offenders out of the ranks of the unemployed. Washington should join them.
• Create more family-wage jobs by heavily investing in public works projects, like repairing and enhancing our deteriorating transportation infrastructure. We can debate the role of government stimulus programs to restart the economy, but we can all agree that strategic public works investments make sense and create a solid foundation for future economic growth.

Washington’s Gun Safety Laws Just Don’t Make Sense

What happened in Connecticut on Friday is so beyond our realm of understanding that we can’t make sense of it. I also can’t make sense of Washington State’s gun safety laws. Olympia can do better.

The Seattle City Council can regulate the size of the signs people carry into Council Chambers for safety reasons, but we can’t prohibit firearms at Council meetings? Nonsense.

Here is the website for your State legislators: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/.

Let’s tell our State leaders in Olympia: get serious about gun safety.

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Seattle City Council committee advances appointment of Angelique Davis to Civil Service Commission

The Seattle City Council Government Performance and Finance Committee voted today to appoint Angelique Davis, a Seattle University professor and former Assistant City Attorney, to the City's Civil Service Commission. The Full Council will vote on her appointment at its last meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 17.

"Ms. Davis will bring a strong knowledge of employment law and a keen sense of what is fair to this important commission," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee. "Our city employees will benefit from her expertise and judgment as a commissioner."

Since 2005, Angelique Davis has been a full-time professor in Seattle University's Political Science Department. She also directs the Pre-law Program at the university and is an affiliated faculty member in the Global African Studies Program. Before entering academia, she practiced labor and employment law for a number of years as an associate with a private law firm and then as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Seattle's Employment Section.

Davis earned a bachelor's degree in Law and Diversity from Western Washington University and a juris doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law.

Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21 and Webcast live on the City Council's website at www.seattle.gov/council. Copies of legislation, archives of previous meetings, and news releases are available at www.seattle.gov/council. Follow the Council on Twitter at twitter.com/SeattleCouncil and on Facebook at Seattle City Council.

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Seattle City Council

[View in Council Newsroom]

On Friday, the Office of City Auditor organized a forum in City Hall where University of Washington professors presented research on various topics relevant for city policymakers, from transportation to crime to human services. Then, yesterday morning, researchers from the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University briefed the Council on several crime prevention efforts underway to make Seattle neighborhoods safer.

Using science and data to guide government investments and programs is smart government. You’d think that would be obvious and readily accepted. Think again.

Writing in The New York Times a couple of weeks ago, Jon Baron, president of the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy, lifted the rug to reveal a few awkward facts.

“Despite a myriad of new government programs and spending over the last 40 years, the system has failed to improve economic and social well-being for an astonishingly large segment of the American population…

“Census Bureau data show that over the last 40 years, average yearly income of the bottom 40% of U.S. households—now at $20,221—has changed little after adjusting for inflation.

“In education, although the college graduation rate has risen, the high school graduation rate peaked around 81% in the early 1970s. Since then, it has been stuck between 75% and 80%. Department of Education data show that reading and math achievement of 17-year-olds—the end product of our K-12 education system—has not improved over 40 years, despite a 90% rise in public spending per student.”

Baron suggests that we take a lesson from medicine and get serious about using science to guide decisions on how best to allocate tax dollars. Over the past 50 years, the death rate from coronary heart disease and childhood cancers has dropped by half due in large part to the rigor of scientific inquiry, testing and evaluation.

What if we brought that scientific rigor to government-funded programs? It just might allow us to do more good by moving funds from programs that don’t work to programs that do.

My colleagues and I have been providing leadership on this issue for several years. In our most recent budget decisions in November, we increased funding for the City Auditor so more program evaluations could be completed. We set new city policy requiring performance measures and evaluations for new or significantly expanded programs. And, we expanded the Nurse Family Partnership, perhaps the nation’s most studied, evaluated and outcome-focused early childhood intervention.

Nurse Family Partnership is a public health program that sends specially trained nurses into the homes of low-income, first time moms twice a month. The visits begin early in pregnancy and continue until the child is two years of age. It works. Reported incidents of child abuse, neglect and injury are reduced as much as 50%. The economic stability of the family is improved. Education outcomes for both mom and child are improved. Criminal justice system involvement by both mom and child (measured until the child reaches age 15) is dramatically reduced.

Because of the Council’s budget decision to fully fund the Nurse Family Partnership, Seattle will become just the third major U.S. city to make the program available to all moms who qualify. We’re investing early to reap huge dividends.

Measuring outcomes, reviewing the evidence of what works and doesn’t work, and then applying this knowledge to policy decisions could transform the social and economic landscape for many people. As Baron argues in his New York Times piece, let’s make evidence the driver of government spending decisions.

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Seattle City Council and University of Washington to hold research colloquiumCity Hall event will highlight opportunities for City collaboration with university research partners

Join Councilmembers and University of Washington professors and graduate students at a research colloquium discussing how scientific research could improve City programs or services.

WHAT: City of Seattle/University of Washington Research Colloquium brownbag

WHEN: Friday, Dec. 7, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: City Council Chambers, second floor, Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave

WHO: Seema Clifasefi, UW Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Susan Collins, UW Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Daniel Malone, The Downtown Emergency Services Center Ross Matsueda, UW Sociology Ed McCormack, UW Transportation Engineering Jennie Romich, UW School of Social Work & The West Coast Poverty Center

Councilmember Tim Burgess will provide brief opening remarks. Four recent and ongoing UW research studies that focus on Seattle programs will be discussed:

- Evaluation of Seattle's Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance

- Public Use Bicycle-Share Program

- Housing First Approach for Homeless Individuals

- Effects of Social Capital and Collective Efficacy on Community Crime Control

For additional information, visit www.seattle.gov/audit/docs/2012UW_Colloquium_flyer.pdf or contact Claudia Gross Shader, Assistant City Auditor at 206-684-8038 or Claudia.gross-shader@seattle.gov.

[View in Council Newsroom]

We approached this year’s budget with a strong focus on investing our limited resources wisely and efficiently to meet the immediate needs of our city. The Council also focused on those investments that would continue to build a sustainable city and enhance our ability to measure the effectiveness of our various programs. We are committed to achieving results for you.

Most of the Council’s changes to the Mayor’s proposed budget centered on three important areas—

I am particularly grateful that my colleagues agreed to fully fund the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP), an evidence-based early childhood intervention program that leads to better pregnancy outcomes for mother and child, higher education achievement for mother and child, and significantly reduced criminal justice system involvement for mother and child. Early interventions—like the Nurse Family Partnership—pay huge dividends for our city’s future.

You can review budget documents here and my earlier posts here.

Thanks to all of the people of Seattle who called us, sent e-mails, took our on-line budget survey, and shared with me their vision for a better city. Our best days are ahead of us.

Councilmember Burgess' statement on adopted city budget
Council re-focuses budget on urgent, immediate needs

Seattle – City Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council's Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after the Council voted unanimously to adopt the 2013-2014 City budget:

"The Councilmembers collaborated to craft a final budget that more directly addresses the urgent needs faced by the people of Seattle. Through the Council's actions, the community will see more police on the street and will enjoy a faster and more reliable bus transportation system. The Council is also increasing vital services for our most vulnerable neighbors, including full funding of Nurse Family Partnership which empowers first-time moms and their babies living in poverty.

"I'm grateful for the dedicated and thoughtful work of my colleagues and for the energy and engagement of the public throughout this process. Working together, we have created a budget for next year that reflects the values and priorities of Seattle residents."

The following documents contain more information about the Council's changes:

• Summary of major Council changes
• What community leaders say about the Council's budget

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Councilmembers to revisit Communities United Rainier Beach decision

Seattle – Four members of the City Council said this afternoon they would revisit their decision to defund the Communities United Rainier Beach (CURB) crime prevention program when final budget legislation comes before the Council on November 19.

"At today's meeting of the City Council's Budget Committee, I heard poignant personal testimony expressing concerns about a proposed funding cut to the Communities United Rainier Beach (CURB) program," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Committee. "This budget action arose late in the Council's budget process, which meant that the public had little time to provide feedback to Council members. As Committee Chair, I am responsible for managing the process and acknowledge that this proposed action did not go through our normal schedule of review. I will ask my colleagues to postpone action on the CURB program so that the City's Human Services Department can report in the first quarter of next year on CURB's performance to the Council's Committee on Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture."

Councilmember Nick Licata added, "In 2005, I worked with the Council to design a new program to link law enforcement and human services for those involved in street level illegal activity. The goal was to improve the lives of young people as well as improve the public safety in Rainier Valley. In 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 I led the Council in restoring funding when then Mayor Nickels proposed cutting it as well as providing funding for an evaluation of this program. I'm glad that we are restoring CURB funding with the agreement from HSD to evaluate the program outcomes upon both the lives of program participants and upon the public safety of the Rainier Valley community."

"The Council added more than $2.5 million to hire new police officers and funding to focus on proactive policing emphasis patrols," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. "A key component of an effective proactive policing ecosystem are programs like the CURB program. The program's core mission is to divert young people in the Rainier Valley away from the criminal justice system. Seattle has made a unique investment with CURB. After listening to today's testimony about the lives that have been positively impacted, I support the Council's decision to restore funding to CURB. It is critical, however, for Council to examine all crime prevention programs and their effectiveness in preventing crime, poverty and inequity in Seattle."

"I believe programs aimed at preventing people from entering or re-entering the criminal justice system are important to public safety and economic stability for many families in our city, so I am grateful to my Council colleagues for slowing down this decision and giving CURB a chance to fully participate in the budget review process," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "Today, we are buying a little time to better understand if CURB is helping to meet our goals and see if there are other diversion and crime prevention programs around the country that should be brought to Seattle."

More information about the Council's budget actions is available here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

The following documents contain more information about the Council’s changes:

• Summary of major Council changes
• Detailed list of Council actions and associated dollar amounts
• What community leaders say about the Council’s budget

Below are the remarks I made in our committee meeting.

As representatives of the people of Seattle, our job is to protect and empower all people equally. Our votes today give us the chance to uphold the values of empathy and social responsibility as we invest the public’s money.

It is easy to get distracted by the numbers, but we cannot forget why we do this work.

When we vote to expand our youth violence prevention programs or services for the victims of domestic violence we are building a healthier community.

When we vote to improve the speed and reliability of transit service, we are taking a proactive step in building a healthier community.

When we vote to send public health nurses into the homes of first-time Moms living in poverty we are making an investment that will pay huge dividends long into the future, dividends that will make our community much stronger.

Yes, even when we are voting on more mundane matters like funding an evaluation or filling a pothole, these actions can move us closer to a healthier community.

I want to thank my colleagues for giving me the privilege of serving as Budget Chair this year. The effective collaboration we have had has been tremendous; it’s an example of how government should function. And it certainly has made my job easier.

City Council Budget Committee refocuses 2013 budget on urgent, immediate needs
Budget actions invest limited resources to deliver results

Seattle – The Seattle City Council's Budget Committee today voted unanimously on a balanced 2013 budget for city operations and endorsed a spending plan for 2014.

The Council's revisions to Mayor Michael McGinn's September 24 budget proposal add funding for more police officers; focus more work on street repairs and transit speeds; care for Seattle's most vulnerable residents by adding nurse visits for low-income mothers, day shelter space, and support for food banks; build sustainable communities by maintaining investment in community centers and youth violence prevention; and step up the city's ability to measure results of tax payer investment.

"This year we asked the question – how do you deliver the right mix of services while still living out the end of a recession?" said Council President Sally J. Clark. "Mayor McGinn presented a good starting place. We dug into the numbers and the needs. I'm confident this final budget for 2013 manages urgent needs and invests for our future growth."

"The Council worked collaboratively to make changes that effectively address the urgent issues Seattle residents face today," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Budget Committee Chair. "Listening to the community's priorities, we have developed a budget that invests our limited resources wisely and delivers results."

The following documents contain more information about the Council's changes:

• Summary of major Council changes
• Detailed list of Council actions and associated dollar amounts
• What community leaders say about the Council's budget

Proactive public safety

Continuing its emphasis on keeping Seattle's neighborhoods safe, the Council added more than $2.5 million to hire new police officers and fund police emphasis patrols to proactively prevent violent crime.

"The Council prioritized and focused on adding more police officers in neighborhoods," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. "We increased funding to add 21 police officers and $1 million for proactive policing emphasis patrol. The Council listened and acted to enhance public safety for all neighborhoods."

Enhance transportation mobility

Taking a balanced approach to transportation issues, the Council stressed the needs of today's transit riders while also advancing long-range planning for high-capacity transit already underway. The final budget package reprioritizes more than $2 million in transit funding to improve transit speed and reliability for bus corridors identified in City's Transit Master Plan.

Councilmembers also recognized the importance and need of basic road maintenance, preserving safety, mobility and the efficient movement of goods and allocating $2 million street maintenance, repairs and maintenance along Seattle's major transit corridors.

"The public is asking for better bus service now and with the additional funds SDOT will be able to make near-term road and signal improvements to help Metro provide better service and reliability," said Transportation Committee Chair Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "We are also funding long-range planning for High Capacity Transit. The Madison corridor planning will begin in 2013 and the Eastlake corridor planning begin in 2014."

Caring for our most vulnerable residents

Councilmembers added $1.7 million in direct human services funding for a variety of vulnerable populations including victims of domestic violence, seniors, first-time moms living in poverty, individuals and families needing food security and homeless women, men and families.

"I'm pleased that the Council joined together to create human services package to enhance care for the most vulnerable members of our community," said Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee Chair Councilmember Nick Licata. "In particular, it's critical that as part of that package we'll increase shelter capacity for the nearly 2,000 people sleeping outside as well as increasing day services for people spending the night in shelters that are closed during the day. Shelter and day services programs not only address critical survival needs but they also serve as outreach centers for those needing healthcare, case management and a connection back to a supportive community."

"We made great strides towards strengthening human services – adding an average of $2 million over the next two years on top of what the Mayor proposed – including funding for bilingual domestic violence advocacy," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "We also prioritized neighborhoods, making new investments in community center facilities and forest restoration to realize the Seattle we all envision."

Building a sustainable community

To encourage the growth of a more sustainable community and to support Seattle's continued economic recovery, the Council added funding for Green Jobs initiatives, growth-oriented land-use planning initiatives, efforts to reclaim public green space and restaurant permit streamlining.

"The Council is taking actions to create a better future for Seattle," stated Councilmember Richard Conlin, Chair of the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee. "We are investing in bus and streetcar systems that will increase transportation choices. We are increasing funding for the Green Seattle Partnership, which mobilizes volunteers to maintain the health of our urban forest. We are continuing our emergency preparedness efforts by funding work on unreinforced masonry buildings and creating a resiliency strategy. And we are adding new resources that will strengthen housing, community centers, and human services in our neighborhoods and urban centers."

Following policy developed last year, the Council preserved the tiered structure for community centers, keeping operating hours for centers intact from baseline 2012 levels. The Council also added $500,000 to make capital improvements for the Lake City Community Center.

"Even with our economy showing signs of recovery, we need to be strategic with our resources and spending. We can't continue to fund every desire; we must target results and effectiveness. We have chosen to keep all of our community centers open while directing our money towards proven, intentional programming," said Parks and Neighborhoods Committee Chair Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "We are meeting both needs and wants across the city and being purposeful with our priorities."

"Lake City is a growing and changing community. It's got a great group of active neighbors and residents. Now we are looking into the right programming for teens and seniors and creating an accessible, open, and welcoming community center," added Council President Clark.

Delivering results

To make sure the City's new investments actually improve lives and communities, the Council set aside $400,000 for the City Auditor to conduct evaluations of programs targeted for significant expansion (the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and the Career Bridge employment assistance program) and has provided additional staff at the Auditor's Office to support this work.

The Council also requested additional clarity from the Executive regarding the specific outcome targets for other new or expanded programs, including the Center City Initiative and entrepreneurial support offered by the Office of Economic Development.

"I want to say thank you to all of the people who turned out to testify at public hearings, emailed, called and met with Council throughout this budget process," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "I was impressed with the engagement we saw from so many in the community and I think the input we received helped guide our thinking and decisions in this budget."

Final adoption of the 2013-2014 biennial budget will occur Monday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to make final decisions on budget package
Councilmembers available for interviews following voting

Seattle – The Seattle City Council’s Budget Committee will take final votes on the 2013-2014 biennial budget package at tomorrow’s 9:30 a.m. committee meeting.

WHAT:           Final 2013-2014 biennial budget package votes
WHEN:          Friday, Nov. 9, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:        Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers
                        600 Fourth Ave, second floor
                       

Councilmembers will hold an informal media availability following the conclusion of the committee meeting in chambers.

For more information on the Council’s budget process, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/budget/.

The following text was sent out this afternoon in my e-newsletter. You can sign up to receive my e-newsletter here.

Tomorrow morning my colleagues and I will take dozens of votes to modify next year’s city budget. It will be the next-to-final step in our eight week process of receiving, evaluating and adjusting the Mayor’s budget proposal.

I’m going to advocate for significant changes that will expand care for our most vulnerable neighbors, enhance transportation mobility by repairing streets and improving the speed and reliability of transit corridors and improve public safety. In essence, the changes I will be advocating for are all about focusing on the basics and paying attention to the urgent, immediate needs we have today.

Caring for the Most Vulnerable

Since I joined the Council five years ago, we have steadfastly guarded our investments in direct human services. In fact, the Council has even increased these investments each year.

This year will be no different. I will support a targeted increase in funding for domestic violence prevention and for services for the victims of this terrible and often invisible crime. The same for emergency food services, shelter, day center services and rapid re-housing efforts designed to get our homeless neighbors off the street and into permanent housing.

A year ago, at my urging, the Council added nearly $500,000 to an amazing program that helps first time Moms living in poverty. The Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) sends specially-trained nurses into the homes of these Moms. The nurse helps the Mom early in her pregnancy and continues to visit until her child reaches age two.

The results are stunningly good—improved school readiness for children; improved child health and development; improved economic self-sufficiency for Moms; reduced criminal involvement of the Moms and children; and much lower government and societal costs. Investing early pays huge dividends later. (Read this one-page summary of NFP for all the facts.)

Tomorrow, I will be urging my colleagues to take this highly effective program to scale. If we do, Seattle will become only the third major U.S. city to reach every qualified Mom who wishes to participate.

Enhancing Transportation Mobility

I doubt there’s anyone who travels around Seattle much who doesn’t have a complaint about the condition of our streets, the speed or reliability of transit services or bicycle and pedestrian safety. We’ve got significant transportation mobility challenges caused by inadequately maintained streets and sidewalks and a historic failure to address diverse mobility options.

But, we dare not overlook our immediate challenges as we seek to address the long-term issues. That’s why I am supporting several changes to the Mayor’s proposed transportation budget, including adding funds for street repairs and redirecting funds to improve high priority bus corridors. I will also support delaying planning of a possible Eastlake streetcar line so we can pay for streetcar lines we’ve already started (and that are still underfunded). 

Improving Public Safety

The Mayor proposed spending nearly $1 million for a new gunshot locator system of microphones and video cameras to be installed in select areas of the city with high levels of gun violence. It is a fascinating technology, but unfortunately there is no empirical evidence that these systems either reduce gun violence or lead to more arrests of gun offenders. Without such evidence, I instead favor spending our limited resources on interventions that have been proven to reduce gun violence—(1) problem-oriented policing efforts, (2) directed police patrols in areas where crime is geographically concentrated, and (3) an intense focus on the relatively few individuals who cause the most persistent harm. These strategies work, especially when they are done in close cooperation with the community. I will support shifting the money for the gunshot locator system to the hiring of more police officers to pursue these objectives.

In 2008, I led the Council’s work, in collaboration with then-Mayor Nickels, to develop and launch our Youth Violence Prevention Initiative. I continue to support the Initiative, but we need stronger oversight and a better understanding of who we are serving. I will support an immediate increase of $361,000 in order to implement a new risk assessment instrument and to increase mentoring and other services for youth already enrolled in the Initiative.

The Council has been waiting for nearly three years for a thorough evaluation of this program; the indicators we do have do not show significant progress. The Mayor has proposed a $1 million expansion of the Initiative, but I will only support further expansion after the City Auditor has established a new evaluation plan and process. This work can easily be completed over the next few months.

Before the budget process began, the Council unanimously passed Resolution 31404 to emphasize our focus on outcomes and measurable performance. We must make sure we achieve the right results. Results matter to us, results matter to taxpayers and, most importantly, results matter to the kids receiving our services. We have a moral obligation to do what’s best for our kids. Let’s ask the tough questions and get the evaluation framework in place.

This has been my first year as Budget Committee Chair and I’m grateful for the dedicated and thoughtful work of my colleagues and for the energy and engagement of the public (including the more than 1,000 people who took our online budget survey).

Seattle City Council statement on likely passage of Seawall proposition

SEATTLE – Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the Council's Transportation Committee, released the following statement on the likely passage of Proposition No. 1 for General Obligation Bonds for the Alaskan Way Seawall:

"On behalf of the Seattle City Council, I applaud and thank Seattle voters for understanding the need to replace this most basic piece of Seattle's commercial and transportation infrastructure by approving Proposition No. 1. Rebuilding the seawall is critical to protecting the lives and property of our neighbors in downtown Seattle and along Alaskan Way and in the water."

The aging seawall has been considered vulnerable to an earthquake ever since the Nisqually Earthquake in 2011. Its collapse would have grave effects upon the businesses, utilities and roads along the waterfront and into downtown.

The measure was designed to fund the public safety need for a new seawall. The replacement project is also the critical first step in a larger vision to revitalize the downtown waterfront.

A strong and secure seawall will serve as the foundation and an important step in moving that revitalization forward. To meet the safety concerns caused by the seawall's vulnerability, the City has an accelerated schedule planned for replacing the seawall. By approving this necessary funding now, the project will be able to take advantage of today's favorable construction and bidding environment to begin this important project in 2013.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Correction: the survey summary as originally posted contained an error in calculations on the chart and graph of per capita respondents by zip code on pages 14 and 15. The information has now been corrected.

Last Wednesday we closed our online, non-scientific survey of residents about the 2013-2014 City budget. We’ve spent the last few days compiling the results into a summary presentation, which you can view here. 

The survey asked 19 questions regarding priorities for city spending, what residents value most about their neighborhoods and how they feel about city services.

The results show that people want to be safe, they want good schools and they want to be able to get around town in a variety of ways. Respondents gave public safety, public schools and transportation the highest ranks when asked to order the “most important” local government services and, separately, the priorities “local government should focus on.”

Slightly more than half of survey participants believed the City was “responsive” (26.6%) or “becoming more responsive” (25.8%) to the needs of Seattle’s most vulnerable residents.

Here is a graphic that highlights some of the words survey participants used in writing what they liked most about their neighborhood. The larger the word in the graphic, the more often it was used:

The chart below shows residents’ basic satisfaction levels with city government services:

This survey gives us another window into what matters most to the residents of Seattle. More than 1,000 Seattle residents responded to the non-scientific survey, which was available online and promoted via blogs, newsletters and handouts at community events around the city. The Council also received hundreds of e-mails and phone calls about the budget and heard hours of testimony at public hearings.

The Council will vote on its amendments to the Mayor’s budget proposal later this week.

You have questions, we have answers
Councilmembers Bagshaw, Burgess and O'Brien to appear on November's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE – Do you have questions for the City Council? What changes has the Council made to the mayor's proposed budget? How does the Council determine its budget priorities? Why was the Yellow Pages ban deemed unconstitutional and what does that mean for Seattleites? Hear election night predictions and join the conversation by submitting your questions now.  

The Nov. 6 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess and Mike O'Brien answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 5.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
Nov. 6 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

The Council approached our budget work with a sharp focus on effectively addressing the needs of today. We want to make smart investments to deal with the pressing issues we face in a way that is efficient, effective and aligned with our vision for the future.

Before we received the Mayor’s budget proposal in late September, the Council passed Resolution 31404. This legislation established performance standards and questions for the Council to ask (and City departments to answer) so that we know what we’re getting when we invest taxpayer money in new programs.

Over the last six weeks, we have been asking these questions about specific goals and program measures. Sometimes we get satisfactory answers; sometimes, frankly, the answers leave us with only more questions.

Despite the requests and proposals for new spending, this is a still a recession-driven budget. We are trimming program spending and, even more reluctantly, eliminating city staff positions. So where there are new programs proposed, we must have a solid accountability structure in place to move forward. If such a structure does not yet exist, the Council may “proviso” or hold money until we are sure it can be invested effectively, or we may ask for rigorous evaluations as we move forward.

The Council has also been listening closely to your priorities. We have heard from hundreds at our public hearings. Over a thousand people have completed our budget survey. (This survey will close at 5:00 p.m. today and I’ll post a summary of responses next week.) We know that people have many needs today—and we’re working hard to effectively address them.

I will post more information in the coming 10 days and I’m sure my colleagues will do the same on their blogs. As always, you can follow our work live on the Seattle Channel and you can find copies of agendas and budget documents here.

Seattle City Council seeks candidates for civil service commission

Councilmember Tim Burgess announced today that the City Council is seeking candidates for a three-year term on the Civil Service Commission starting Jan. 1, 2013.

The Commission serves as a quasi-judicial body to provide fair and impartial hearings of alleged violations of the City's personnel system. Employees may file appeals with the Commission regarding all final disciplinary actions and alleged violations of the Personnel Ordinance and its related rules and policies. The Commission also provides timely review of appeals regarding personnel actions and decisions.

The Commission may issue orders to remedy violations and may present recommendations to the Mayor and City Council regarding the administration of the personnel system. In addition, the Commission investigates allegations of political patronage to ensure the City's hiring practices are established and carried out in accordance with the merit principles set forth in the City Charter.

The Civil Service Commission is comprised of three members, one appointed by the Mayor, one appointed by the Council and one elected by City employees. An Executive Director jointly supports the Commission alongside the Public Safety Civil Service Commission and manages their operations.  

The Civil Service Commission normally meets on the third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and typically lasting between one and two hours. Commissioners receive a $5,200 annual stipend as compensation for their work.

Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to fairness and integrity; an understanding of employment law and human resources is also desirable.

Interested candidates should deliver a résumé and cover letter by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13 to Councilmember Tim Burgess by e-mail (tim.burgess@seattle.gov), by fax (206-684-8587; provide cover memo with Attn: Tim Burgess) or by mail to:

Councilmember Tim Burgess
Chair, Government Performance and Finance Committee
Seattle City Council
P. O. Box 34025
Seattle, WA 98124-4025

For additional information, please call Councilmember Tim Burgess’ office at 206-684-8806 or visit the Commission’s Web site: http://www.seattle.gov/csc/default.htm.

The Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) is a highly successful public health and safety program that starts early by improving the lives of moms and their babies. NFP sends specially-trained nurses into the homes of first-time moms living in poverty. The nurses help the mom early in her pregnancy and continue to visit until their child reaches age two. Extensive studies have proven that NFP works: healthier moms, children better prepared for school, and lower crime rates. 

For a more readable description of these benefits, take a look at the infographic after the jump.

Seattle City Council requests City Attorney present SPD monitor candidate to court

Seattle – The Seattle City Council passed Resolution 31414 this afternoon, continuing the City's progress in meeting the terms of the consent decree agreed to in August with the United States Department of Justice. The resolution (adopted 8-1) provides guidance to City Attorney Pete Holmes in filing the City's recommendation for a consent decree monitor, a condition required to be met by Fri., Oct. 26.

The resolution identifies police monitoring expert Merrick Bobb, a veteran of police reform efforts in King County, Los Angeles, Oakland, Milwaukee, Albuquerque and elsewhere, as the City of Seattle's preferred monitor. Bobb founded the Police Assessment Resource Center and led the development of National Guidelines for Police Monitors.

Bobb was one of 23 applicants for the monitor position in Seattle. A staff team forwarded five names for interviews. The Mayor, City Attorney, police chief and command staff, city policy and budget staff and a sub-group of City Councilmembers interviewed four candidates after the fifth removed himself from consideration.

"Mr. Bobb is a leading expert in this field and is the most qualified to be the Monitor," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the City Council's Public Safety Committee. "I am confident Mr. Bobb will build an unprecedented and long-lasting relationship between the community and the police department."

"I believe Merrick Bobb will prove to be a strong and balanced monitor," Council President Sally J. Clark said. "Our officers and our community deserve an expert monitor who will be present, who will listen and who will help Seattle make the gains in effectiveness and accountability I know we all want."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Share your budget priorities with the Seattle City Council
Final budget public hearing to take place Thursday, October 25

Seattle – The Seattle City Council invites members of the community to participate in its final public hearing on the 2013-2014 City budget.

Working together with Seattle residents, the Council wants next year's budget and Capital Improvement Plan to reflect the priorities and values of our City.

WHAT:
Seattle City Council public hearing

WHEN:
Thursday, Oct 25
5 p.m. sign in, 5:30 p.m. public hearing

WHERE:
Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers, second floor
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Members of the Seattle City Council

If individuals cannot attend the Oct. 25 public hearing, there are other opportunities to share your priorities with the Council: 

• Until Oct. 31, through our online survey
• By e-mail: council@seattle.gov
• Over the phone: 206-684-8888

Budget educational material has been translated into Chinese (traditional characters), Korean, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese and is available at http://www.seattle.gov/html/citizen/language.htm. If you are planning on attending one of our budget hearings and need interpretation assistance, please call 206-684-8888.

For more information on the Council's budget process, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/budget/. 

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Joint statement by City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Bruce Harrell, Tim Burgess and Nick Licata with City Attorney Pete Holmes on selection process of the Seattle Police Department Monitor

City Attorney Pete Holmes, City Council President Sally J. Clark, and Councilmembers Bruce Harrell, Nick Licata and Tim Burgess issued the following statement on the selection process of the Seattle Police Department Monitor:

“Earlier today, Mayor McGinn chose to publicly question the qualifications and integrity of one of the candidates to be appointed the monitor of the Seattle Police Department. The Mayor’s statements undermine the candidate selection process and are factually wrong.

“It has been 10 months since the Department of Justice issued its report calling for reform of our Police Department. We have been patient throughout this process, hoping that the necessary reforms could begin quickly. Unfortunately, the Mayor’s statements today reveal a continuation of the obstruction and stall tactics we have seen from the beginning. We can no longer remain silent.

“Merrick Bobb is one of our country’s preeminent police reform experts. His reputation is unblemished. His experience with police practices, accountability and rebuilding public trust and confidence in the police is extensive and highly appropriate for Seattle.

“All five of us interviewed the finalists for the monitor position. All five of us—independently and contrary to the Mayor’s conclusion—ranked Mr. Bobb as our first choice for this very important position. We intend to advance our recommendation favoring Mr. Bobb’s appointment.

“While the opinions of our Chief of Police and his top commanders deserve our attention and consideration, we do not agree that the leadership of the Police Department should have veto authority over this selection. The monitor’s selection is central to the success of the overall effort to improve SPD’s use of force policies and reduce biased policing. Above all, the people of Seattle must be confident that the selection of the monitor is objective, free from inappropriate interference, and focused on the long-term reform of policing in Seattle.

“Unfortunately, the Mayor’s statements today contribute confusion, doubt and mistrust, especially among our rank and file police officers who we believe are fully ready to embrace high-quality and professional improvements of the Police Department.

“We are at a crucial time in this process that began 10 months ago. What is required is strong, decisive leadership focused at advancing the reforms we believe are necessary.”
           

Council takes steps to strengthen trust and participation in local democracy
New campaign finance laws ban rollovers and implement fundraising window

Seattle – Today the Seattle City Council moved to strengthen Seattle's local democracy and increase civic trust and participation by reforming Seattle's campaign finance laws. Council Bill 117548 (approved with a 7-2 vote) imposes two new rules for candidates running for local office by prohibiting candidates from rolling over surplus campaign funds from one campaign to the next, and by creating a fundraising window for all candidates seeking local office.

"These changes are about demonstrating to the people of Seattle that City elected leaders are focused on representing them, not working for re-election," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien, primary sponsor of the bill. "I hope our actions today help ensure that every person in this city feels like their voice can be heard, no matter how much money they have."

"The public's frustration with the influence of money in politics grows with every election, especially at the federal level. Cities can lead the way toward a healthier and more accountable political system," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, co-sponsor and Chair of the Government Performance and Finance Committee that initially heard the legislation. "This legislation moves strongly in that direction and reinforces Seattle's support for fair and transparent local elections."

"This legislation emphasizes that our city government represents people not dollars; it will encourage more people to get out and vote, because the value of each vote will not be diminished by money driven campaigns," said Councilmember Nick Licata, co-sponsor of the bill.

The fundraising window creates a specific period of time that candidates seeking local office can solicit or accept campaign contributions. The new fundraising window would run from January 1 of the year before an election to April 30 of the year following the election (candidates currently have several months after an election to retire debt and close up their books). The window will limit the actual or perceived influence of campaign contributions on elected officials by reducing the amount of time that elected officials are fundraising and making policy at the same time.

The State of Washington, along with 16 other states, currently prohibits State elected officials from fundraising during the legislative session. Cities around the country such as Houston, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose and Los Angeles also have similar fundraising windows in place for local races.

The second provision prohibits the rollover of surplus funds for future races. The law requires candidates to dispose of all surplus funds at the end of the fundraising window (April 30 of the year following their election) by returning contributions to donors or donating the funds to the City or a non-profit. This provision ensures that donor intent behind contributions is being honored (i.e., "this candidate, this race, these issues") and reduces the perception of corruption by minimizing fundraising in uncompetitive races.

Council Bill 117548 responds to Resolution 31337, passed in November of 2011 during the height of the Occupy Seattle movement. Section 2.6 called on the City to analyze how city election campaigns are currently financed and explore alternatives. The proposal was drafted after reviewing campaign finance data collected by the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission for all candidates in local races over the past 12 years.

The proposal has been endorsed by the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission and numerous organizations, including League of Women Voters, Washington Public Campaigns, One America, Statewide Poverty Action Network, as well as labor, environmental and other member-based organizations.

Seattle has long been a national leader in promoting clean, ethical, transparent local elections. Seattle first established the Board of Ethics and Fair Campaign Practices in 1971 and was the first municipality in the nation to adopt public financing of campaigns back in 1979. In 1991 Seattle established the current Ethics and Elections Commission and, more recently, the City Council chartered the Commission on Public Financing in 2008 to explore viable models for bringing back publicly supported campaigns.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Councilmembers Burgess and McDermott to discuss arena votes

Seattle – King County Councilmember Joe McDermott and Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess, chairs of the two Council’s finance and budget committees, will be available to speak with members of the media following the City Council’s vote on the arena project.

WHAT:
Media availability about final arena vote

WHEN:
After the Seattle City Council meeting ends (est. 2:30 p.m.)

WHERE:
Seattle City Hall
Sam Smith conference room, second floor (off Council reception)
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess
King County Councilmember Joe McDermott

This media availability will be live-streamed on the Seattle Channel at www.seattle.gov/councillive.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

If you live, work, study or play in the U District, come out and join us!

Seattle City Council to hear from Superintendent Banda

Seattle – The Seattle City Council will welcome first-year Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda at the Council’s Monday morning briefing session. With the school year now underway, Mr. Banda will present the challenges and opportunities facing the District this year and discuss areas of ongoing collaboration between the City and the District.

WHAT:
Presentation by Superintendent Banda

WHEN:
Monday, October 8, 10:15 a.m.

WHERE:
Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers, Second Floor
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Superintendent José Banda
Members of the Seattle City Council

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to hold public hearing on proposed 2013-2014 budget
Join us to share your priorities for the City

Seattle – The Seattle City Council invites members of the community to participate in a public hearing tomorrow night in City Council Chambers. Working together with Seattle residents, the Council wants next year’s budget and Capital Improvement Plan to reflect the priorities and values of our City.

WHAT:
Seattle City Council public hearing

WHEN:
Tomorrow, Thursday, October 4
5 p.m. sign in, 5:30 p.m. public hearing

WHERE:
Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers, Second Floor
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Members of the Seattle City Council

New this year, the Council is seeking budget and priority input through an online survey, available through October.

If you are planning on attending one of our budget hearings and need interpretation assistance, please call 206-684-8888.

The second public hearing on the 2013-2014 budget will be held in Chambers on October 25. For more information on the Council’s budget process, visit our website. 

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council approves rental housing inspection legislation

Seattle – The Seattle City Council voted today (5-0) to approve rental housing inspection legislation, improving living conditions for Seattle's more than approximately 269,000 renters occupying 147,000 rental units. Council Bill 117569 provides a multi-faceted approach to addressing Seattle's sub-standard housing through a registration and inspection program.

"I have great hopes that this program will improve the conditions of renters living in substandard housing.  A similar program in Los Angeles has resulted in a $1.3 billion re-investment in the City's rental housing stock while costing tenants in LA less than $13 year," said Councilmember Nick Licata, Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee Chair.

"This law protects senior citizens and thousands of other residents throughout Seattle by ensuring that their rental homes are safe," added Councilmember Tim Burgess. "We listened carefully to both the tenant groups and the apartment owners, and the resulting law proves that collaboration can accomplish great things for our city."

"Tenants deserve safe and livable housing and landlords need clear and reasonable inspection regulations," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "This legislation makes both of those things happen and has a realistic roll out plan."

"This legislation is the result of years worth of conversation and making sure we remained focused on protecting the health of renters," added Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This was a successful collaboration of many stakeholders, all concerned about quality of life."

"This legislation reinforces the simple notion that tenants are entitled to basic standards of health and safety," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

In June 2010, the Seattle City Council adopted Ordinance 123311, creating a rental housing registration and inspection program. At the same time, the Council also adopted Resolution 31221, requesting that the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) convene a stakeholder group and report back with recommendations for implementing the rental housing registration and inspection  program.

The Stakeholder Group met 14 times between December, 2010 and January, 2012, resulting in a series of recommendations on the scope of a rental housing program.  The current legislation passed out of the City Council's Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee after eight committee meetings on September 26, 2012 with a vote 4-0.

For a summary of elements of the program, clilck here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to hold public hearing on proposed 2013-2014 budget
Join us to share your priorities for the City

Seattle – The Seattle City Council invites members of the community to participate in the a public hearing next Thursday in City Council Chambers. Working together with Seattle residents, the Council wants next year's budget and Capital Improvement Plan to reflect the priorities and values of our City.

WHAT:
Seattle City Council public hearing

WHEN:
Thursday, October 4
5:30 p.m. public hearing (5 p.m. sign-in)

WHERE: 
Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers, Second Floor
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Members of the Seattle City Council

New this year, the Council is seeking budget and priority input through an online survey, available through October.

If you are planning on attending one of our budget hearings and need interpretation assistance, please call 206-684-8888. 

The second public hearing on the 2013-2014 budget will be held in Chambers on October 25. For more information on the Council's budget process, visit the Council budget web page. 

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council approves arena legislation
Revised agreement preserves jobs and protects public investment

Seattle – The Seattle City Council voted 6-2 today to approve a revised agreement with private investor Chris Hansen for a new sports and entertainment arena (Council Bill 117480). The final version of the bill includes technical amendments discussed over the past ten days with the King County Council.

"Council staff, lawyers and councilmembers have worked hard to produce an agreement that protects the city, charts the right site review process and secures appropriate public benefits," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "Today's vote closes one phase of tasks and begins another, including work on how we plan for a bright future at Seattle Center."

The final agreement approved by the City Council expands public benefits in the proposal through dedicated funds for transportation projects and Key Arena. It also strengthens the legal and financial protections afforded to the City and County, including a personal financial guaranty from Hansen.

"The Council's action today allows us to move forward on the processes laid out in this agreement," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council committee that reviewed the agreement. "Working together, we can improve freight mobility, protect maritime and industrial jobs, bring a new source of economic and cultural activity to our city and ensure a healthy future for the Seattle Center."

"The financial protections in place for Seattle and our taxpayers make this a great deal for non-sports fans and fans alike, and I applaud everyone involved for coming together to work out a winning solution for all parties," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "I think this deal sets a new standard for public-private partnerships in projects like this around the country."

"The terms of this agreement reflect our commitment to taxpayers' financial security, the well-being and viability of the Seattle Center, and the need for freight and traffic to move smoothly and reliably," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "This is a significant milestone in the journey to bring the NBA back to Seattle."

 "This new, forward-thinking agreement is a culmination of the hundreds of thousands of devoted Sonics fans working to bring back the Sonics," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "I applaud Mr. Hansen for his unquestionable commitment to Seattle and his pragmatic approach in negotiating with the City and conversing with all regional stakeholders for the strongest public/private deal in the country. The green and yellow are on their way back home and I look forward to hearing Kevin Calabro call out—flying chickens in the barnyard—once again."

"Throughout this process I've been asking a lot of questions," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "I'm ready to move the process forward, remembering that concerns from our industries, taxpayers, Seattle Center and about environment impacts must be addressed before the documents are finalized."

The Mayor submitted legislation with agreements between the City, King County and Mr. Hansen's ArenaCo to the City Council on May 18. The Council spent two months reviewing the proposal and gathering input from members of the public. On July 30, eight Councilmembers sent a letter to Hansen outlining areas of concern in the proposal and stating a desire to reach a positive agreement.

The legislation includes two documents: a memorandum of understanding between the City of Seattle, King County and private investor Chris Hansen and an interlocal agreement between the City and County.

The following documents contain more information on the revised agreement:

• Summary of major changes
• Frequently asked questions

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

As chair of the Council’s Budget Committee, here’s how I will evaluate the Mayor’s proposal:

• Does the budget focus on your priorities and the basic services city government is obligated to provide? Are we getting our core work done on your behalf?
• Does the budget fund programs that work and achieve the desired results? Are we spending wisely and effectively?
• Does the budget reflect our shared values for fairness, opportunity for all, justice and protecting the most vulnerable?
• Does the budget advance our quality of life? Among all the choices we face, are we strategically focused on spending that will do the most good?

Listening to You

When deciding how to spend your tax dollars the most important thing we can do is listen. My staff and I have been attending community meetings and listening to residents throughout our city.  Most folks are busy with their jobs and families and have not yet been able to voice their views. The good news is that there are many more opportunities: You can attend our main public hearings at City Hall (October 4 and October 25), send us an e-mail at council@seattle.gov, or take our on-line budget survey today.

• What priorities do you believe local government should focus on?
• How safe do you feel in your neighborhood?
• How satisfied are you with the city government services you receive?
• Do you believe city government is responsive to the needs of Seattle’s most vulnerable?

Please visit our budget website for more opportunities to be informed and be involved: http://www.seattle.gov/council/budget/.

Funding Only What Works

Earlier this year the budget forecast for next year was looking pretty gloomy, but the Mayor’s Budget Office recently signaled there would be money for new investments.  Before we rush to launch new programs or expand current ones, however, I believe we must see clear and independent evidence that our investment will produce the desired outcomes.

Last week, the Council passed Resolution 31404, legislation I introduced that will frame our budget analysis by asking the following questions about new investments:

1. What are the long-term and measurable goals (outcomes) of the proposed program?
2. What is the gap between the current situation (status quo) and the goals?
3. How effective will the program be in making progress toward the goals?
4. How will the program’s progress be measured to prove whether it achieved results?

Public safety is an important example. Earlier this month our City Auditor and the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University published a report that verifies what we discovered last year:  we are spending millions of dollars on over 60 crime prevention programs, but we can only be sure a handful work well. The Mayor’s budget must begin to address this gap between research and practice. It should set up independent evaluations to confirm whether programs achieve their goals, stop funding programs that do not work, and increase funding only for programs that do.

We should be funding programs with clear and independent evidence of success. And we should stop funding programs that don’t work so we can free up money for the successful programs.

Here’s a strong example: Nurse Family Partnership (NFP).

I pushed to increase funding for this program last year and my committee received an update on its progress two weeks ago. NFP is a program that sends specially-trained nurses into the homes of first-time moms living in poverty. The nurses help the mom early in her pregnancy and continue to visit until their child reaches age two.  The program has been operating for more than 30 years and it is one of the most tested and most successful programs in the country.

The results of NFP are clearly documented—a decreased likelihood of criminal involvement by both the mother and child, better academic outcomes for the child, stronger economic stability for the mother and lower government costs. Independent reports rank NFP as among the most effective and most efficient interventions possible to improve child welfare and prevent crime. Yet, our current funding of the NFP is not enough to reach all the eligible moms in Seattle. We can and should expand this program.

As the Council’s budget process kicks into gear, my colleagues and I will listen to you and ask the hard questions about new spending.  After all, it’s your money. Together, let’s make sure we invest in what works.

Chow, battling brain cancer, is a long time advocate for youth and the Seattle community, having served as a Seattle City Councilmember (1990 – 1997) and a School Board member.  She has also been a volunteer for the Seattle Chinese Community Club Girl’s Drill team and youth basketball leagues.

Photos from this event can be seen in this Flicker Gallery.

Video of the September 17 special recognition event, Seattle Channel

Video tribute to Cheryl Chow, Seattle Channel

Seattle Center is a place visited by millions of people every year, a mixing place for all ages, cultures, races and interests.

Created for the 1962 World’s Fair, it sits on the edge of the neighborhood where Joleen and I raised our daughters and live today. I can remember visiting the Center during the Fair, sneaking through a fence to avoid the price of a ticket.

Seattle Center houses some of our city’s most significant arts and cultural organizations (and more are coming to the campus soon). The Pacific Science Center is a model of research and education for all ages. Our local PBS station—KCTS 9—broadcasts from the Center. The International Fountain—built in 1961 and completely redone in 1995—is a wonderful playground for children and adults running to dodge the spurts of water that shoot 120 feet into the air.

Seattle Center is part civic square, part arts and sports venue, part school, park and open space. It’s a safe place where people gather from throughout Washington and the world to play, reflect, learn, watch and cheer. It’s a prize of immense value.

Despite its history and importance, beneath its outward beauty Seattle Center is in trouble. The Center is not meeting its financial plan and it has struggled for the past several years to meet its budget obligations. A report issued earlier this year and presented to the City Council documents these financial challenges. Major nonprofit organization tenants at the Center owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in past rent. Next Monday, I expect the Mayor’s budget recommendations for 2013-2014 to ask us to once again lend the Center money from our reserves while, at the same time, acknowledging that the Center can’t repay earlier loans as promised.

Going back to the early 1990s, there have been multiple planning efforts designed to put the Center on a firm financial footing and set a clear vision for its future, the latest being the Century 21 Master Plan adopted in 2008.

It is into this context and history that Chris Hansen’s proposal for a new sports and entertainment arena arrived. Hansen’s proposal did not cause the Center’s financial trials. But it does create an opportunity to move us forward. If he’s successful, Seattle’s new NBA team will play at Key Arena for at least two and possibly three years while the new arena is constructed. These seasons will draw more people to the Center and its surrounding neighborhood, create new tax revenues to help offset the costs of long-range planning and give time for the Center’s leadership and advocates to work on implementation of the Century 21 plan.

There are multiple reasons for the challenges we face at Seattle Center—loss of the Sonics in 2008, the economic recession, unrealistic budget expectations that required Center leaders to produce net revenue gains while also providing hefty discounts to favored nonprofit organizations, and the lack of political will at City Hall to forge ahead with a specific plan of action, to name just a few big ones. Now we have a chance to grab the opportunity the arena proposal has created and release the innovative energy that abounds in this city.

There are plenty of examples that can guide us, both inside and out of city government: the transformation of the central waterfront project, the public-private partnership that spurred South Lake Union’s renaissance, the growing expansion of our regional rail and transportation network, the recently doubled Families and Education Levy that helps struggling schools and students, the Libraries for All campaign that rebuilt or remodeled every one of the city's libraries.

On-line budget survey seeks Seattle's input on priorities

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Council Budget Committee today launched an on-line survey asking residents for their priorities and opinions on city services as next week it begins its review of the 2013-2014 City budget. The survey is available here.

"Before the Council takes any action on the budget, we must make sure we listen to the people of Seattle and understand their priorities," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the Budget Committee. "Then we must ensure that City government is effectively investing taxpayer dollars on the services that matter most to the public."

The budget survey's 19 questions include:

• What priorities do you believe local government should focus on?
• How safe do you feel in your neighborhood?
• How satisfied are you with the city government services you receive?
• Do you believe city government is responsive to the needs of Seattle's most vulnerable?

The Mayor will present his budget proposal to the City Council on September 24 at 2 p.m. The Council must then move quickly to scrutinize the proposal, craft amendments and reach a final balanced budget by the middle of November.

To keep informed about these important budget deliberations, please visit the City Council budget Web site. To share your priorities for Seattle, take the survey today or contact all city councilmembers at council@seattle.gov.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Cheryl has served the people of Seattle as a coach, school teacher, principal, school board member, drill team master and City Councilmember. Now, as she battles cancer, Cheryl has identified her "last crusade" as advocating for gay rights and dignity.

As she took the portable microphone from the Clerk, Cheryl turned her back on today's Council and spoke directly to the audience. Tears welled up in my eyes as Cheryl told a poignant story about the time her mother, former Seattle restaurateur Ruby Chow, told her for the first time that she loved her. Cheryl used the story to make her point that everyone deserved to be loved, especially gay and lesbian young people who are often rejected and ridiculed, sometimes by their own families. Her plea focused on young people who feel suicide is their only "escape" from the rejection they experience. Cheryl Chow—still fighting for the basics, especially for those most in need of special protections.

God bless you, Councilmember Chow.

Last Thursday afternoon the Government Performance and Finance Committee voted 7-0 (with one abstention) to approve the revised agreement to build a new sports and entertainment facility. The legislation will be considered by the Full Council on Monday, Sept. 24. Below is the text of a newsletter I sent out on Tuesday about the details of the revised agreement negotiated with Chris Hansen.

Council President Sally Clark, Councilmember Mike O’Brien and I just announced a new deal with Chris Hansen, the private investor who would like to build a new sports and entertainment arena in Seattle.

The new agreement is a good deal for all the people of Seattle, not just sports fans. It’s even a good deal for our longshoremen and freight haulers and for Seattle Center, too.

The new deal protects family-wage jobs in our region’s economic base and provides strong financial protections for taxpayers and city and county government.

The original proposal submitted to the Council by the Mayor on May 18 explained that Hansen would build a new arena after acquiring a basketball team (and perhaps attracting a hockey team, too). The City and County would provide up to $200 million in funds from public bonds to buy the site and the arena, which we would then lease back to Mr. Hansen’s group, ArenaCo, for at least 30 years. The annual “service payments” on the bonds would be paid by rent and taxes generated by the arena and the private investors would cover any shortfall out of their pockets.

On July 30, my colleagues and I sent a letter to Mr. Hansen stating our belief that the agreement as proposed did not represent an appropriate balance of public and private benefits. Nor did we think the financial protections for the City were adequate; we did not want the City to be in a position where we would be forced to take money from public safety or human services to fund the debt service payments should something go wrong.

We also heard real concerns, from as far as eastern Washington, about the effect of arena-related traffic on industrial, manufacturing and freight operations near the Port of Seattle.

So how does the new agreement resolve these problems? 

Using some of the money originally proposed for the new arena, the revised proposal creates a new $40 million fund to address longstanding transportation problems in SODO. The City and County will seek to expand this fund by leveraging other money from other public and private partners, including the Port of Seattle and the state and federal governments.

The new, dedicated source of funds will create more efficient movement of freight and protect the vital, family-wage jobs of our industrial, manufacturing and maritime sectors. These sectors are an important segment of our regional economy and cannot be shrugged aside.

The agreement also commits the City to an area-wide planning process to strengthen land use protections for industrial lands outside the stadium district.

We were also able to secure significant additional security provisions, including a personal guaranty by Mr. Hansen for the City and County’s annual debt payments. Here are a few others:

• ArenaCo must double its security reserve (establishing a two-year cushion of debt payments) if its revenues do not meet the established targets.
• The City and County now have the authority to conduct an independent, third party assessment of the viability of ArenaCo’s business plan and the wherewithal of the private investors, just like the entity’s private lenders will require.
• At the end of the arena use agreement, the City and County can require ArenaCo to purchase the land and facility for $200 million.

The modified proposal sets aside $7 million for a Key Arena Fund, which allows for some money to be available when a study of options for the future of Key Arena and the Seattle Center is completed. (Mr. Hansen, by the way, will now reimburse the City for the cost of that study.) We will face significant decisions about the future of the Seattle Center, but the renewed energy from a couple seasons of NBA at the Key and this dedicated source of funds will give us a running start down this path.

And, this new agreement could fundamentally change the model of how public-private partnerships involving sports facilities are financed. The new deal recognizes the opportunities presented by Chris Hansen, takes advantage of those opportunities in a reasonable and fiscally-prudent manner, and builds in nearly foolproof protections against the inherent risks associated with investments of this kind.

If you would like more information on the modifications, you can read a summary of all the major changes or explore a frequently asked questions document.

Taken together, I believe these changes provide a very real and tangible benefit to our City. We protect the jobs we have, we bring a new source of economic activity to our City that will benefit Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District, we get a chance to bring back our Sonics and we leave ourselves at very little financial risk in the process. It’s an example of what’s possible when collaboration and a dose of good governance are applied to real challenges and opportunities.

Seattle City Council committee approves revised arena agreement
Action moves legislation to Full Council for consideration on Sept. 24

Seattle – The City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee voted 7-0 (with one abstention) this afternoon to approve a revised version of legislation containing the proposed agreement to build a new sports and entertainment arena. The legislation will be considered by the Full Council on Monday, Sept. 24.

“Today's vote moves us one step closer to a good deal for all the people of Seattle, not just sports fans,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the Government Performance and Finance Committee. “The new deal protects family-wage jobs and provides strong financial protections for taxpayers and city and county government. It also gives us an opportunity to begin an in-depth planning process about the future of the Seattle Center.”

The following documents contain more information on the revised agreement:

• Revisions to the Memorandum of Understanding
• Summary of major changes
• Frequently asked questions

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City Councilmembers announce new arena deal
Revisions protect public's investment, preserve family-wage jobs

Seattle – Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Tim Burgess and Mike O'Brien announced today that they have reached an agreement with Chris Hansen's ArenaCo for a new sports and entertainment arena they will recommend to their colleagues for approval by the full Council.

The modified memorandum of understanding (MOU) protects family-wage jobs in Seattle's industrial, manufacturing and maritime sectors by funding freight mobility and other transportation improvements. The MOU also strengthens the legal and financial protections afforded to the City and County, including a personal financial guaranty from Hansen.

"The new and improved agreement with Mr. Hansen makes this a sound step for Seattle," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "We set out to make sure the general fund is protected, freight mobility is helped and that we have help in charting the future of Key. We achieved these goals."

The new agreement creates a $40 million SODO Transportation Infrastructure Fund to address longstanding transportation problems in the area. The Fund will initially be a collaboration between the City and County, but additional funding will be sought from other public and private partners, including the Port of Seattle and state and federal governments. Councilmembers also announced that the City will begin an area-wide planning process to strengthen land use protections for industrial lands, including the creation of a Port Overlay District.

The MOU clarifies the environmental review process by requiring an examination of alternative sites, including the Seattle Center, and stating that final City Council adoption of transaction documents will only come after the EIS process is fully completed.

"We strongly believed that public money should be used for broader public purposes. The negotiated changes allow us to address long-standing transportation problems, preserve good jobs and protect Seattle's taxpayers," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the Council's committee that analyzed the agreement. "The new agreement demonstrates how healthy skepticism paired with collaboration and good governance can lead to wonderful opportunities for the public."

In addition to transportation improvements, the new agreement creates a $7 million Key Arena Fund, a portion of which will be used to fund a study of options for the future of Key Arena and the Seattle Center.

The agreement includes significant new financial protections for the City and County, including a personal guaranty by Hansen for the City and County's annual debt payments. It also requires ArenaCo to double the security reserve if its revenue fails to meet expectations.

"This agreement marks an exciting day in Seattle as we take a big step towards bringing back the Sonics. This is a great deal for the City and County, basketball fans and non fans alike," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "This deal is not just about an arena or the Sonics, it now includes new funding for transportation improvements in SODO, a new path towards protecting our industrial lands, and new money for Key Arena. I commend Mr. Hansen for his good faith negotiations throughout these past few months."

The revised language gives the City and County the authority to conduct an independent, third party assessment of the financial assumptions underlying the planned construction and operations of the arena and the overall risks associated with both prior to the approval of the final Transaction Documents. The City and County will have access to the same information about ArenaCo and its business structure as the entity's private lenders. At the end of the arena use agreement, the City and County can require ArenaCo to purchase the land and facility for $200 million.

The Mayor submitted legislation with agreements between the City, King County and ArenaCo to the City Council on May 18. The Council spent two months reviewing the proposal and gathering input from members of the public. On July 30, eight Councilmembers sent a letter to Hansen outlining areas of concern in the proposal and stating a desire to reach a positive agreement.

The Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee will consider the revised legislation at a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. in Council Chambers (600 Fourth Ave, Second Floor). After a vote in committee, the legislation will be voted on by the Full Council on Monday, September 17 or Monday, September 24.

The following documents contain more information on the revised agreement:

• Summary of major changes
• Frequently asked questions

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers to make an announcement on arena negotiations

Seattle – Seattle City Councilmembers will make an announcement on the proposed arena this morning:

WHAT:
Arena announcement

WHO:
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Mike O’Brien

WHEN:
Today, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:
Outside of Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Avenue, second floor, at the top of the stairs

This press announcement will be live-streamed on the Seattle Channel website at http://www.seattlechannel.org/eventLive/.

For more information on the documents the Council has reviewed on the proposed arena, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/arena.htm.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City Council committee advances performance guidelines
Measure outlines framework to ensure City programs improve quality of life

Seattle – The Seattle City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee today unanimously approved performance guidelines (Resolution 31404) to ensure that new or modified City programs are able to demonstrate their value through measurable results. The Full Council will vote on the guidelines on Monday, September 10.

"As the Council's budget committee chair, I will lead in making sure our investments of the public's money produce results that improve the quality of life for the people of Seattle," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "We must ensure the City government wisely and efficiently invests tax dollars on the services that matter most and that we achieve the results we desire."

The budget resolution increases accountability by requiring that new programs or funding increases be justified by identifying the program's desired results and outcome measurements. When reviewing any new or significantly changed programs proposed by the Mayor, the Council will ask four simple questions:

1. What are the long-term and measurable goals (outcomes) of the proposed program?
2. What is the gap between the current situation (status quo) and the goals?
3. How effective will the program be in making progress toward the goals?
4. How will the program's progress be measured to prove whether it achieved actual results?

"Instead of just counting inputs and outputs, such as employee hours or the number of program participants, we want to move toward the measurement of specific outcomes," Burgess said. "How many students graduated from high school prepared for college or their career? How many homeless individuals or families transitioned to permanent housing? By how much did we reduce street crime in a specific neighborhood? These are examples of the kind of outcome questions we want answered so we can invest more in those programs that are effective. We have a responsibility to maximize the impact of the people's money."

The Mayor will present his budget proposal for the 2013-2014 biennium to the City Council on Monday, September 24 at 2 p.m. Washington State law requires the Council to adopt a balanced budget no later than December 3.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council approves Yesler Terrace redevelopment legislation
Comprehensive legislation lays the groundwork to improve neighborhood for low-income residents

SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council voted unanimously today to approve legislation allowing the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to redevelop the 22-acre Yesler Terrace public housing neighborhood.

The legislative package requires SHA to replace 561 existing units of very low-income housing for current residents, build more than 1,200 new income-restricted units at a variety of affordability levels, and allows for as many as 4,500 total housing units.

Council President Sally J. Clark said, "The Council took this opportunity to ensure the Yesler Terrace redevelopment plan will respect the needs of people who live in Yesler now and to make sure that Yesler evolves into a greater urban neighborhood for more residents."

Terms of the planned action ordinance, cooperative agreement and street vacation call for SHA to construct community gardens, pedestrian pathways and pocket parks open to the public, and re-landscape the neighborhood with more trees than are currently present.

"The Yesler Terrace redevelopment will increase low income housing, create a vibrant neighborhood next to downtown, and take a major step towards meeting our growth management goals. New Holly, High Point, and Rainier Vista demonstrate Seattle Housing Authority's ability to develop extraordinary communities," stated Councilmember Richard Conlin, co-vice chair of the Yesler Terrace Special Committee. "The Yesler Terrace Redevelopment project will be added to this list as a careful, thoughtful, and prudent project that will make a big difference in many people's lives."

The Housing Authority may build up to 900,000 square feet of office, medical service space and lodging, as well as 150,000 square feet of retail and services.

SHA will provide comparable housing for all current Yesler Terrace residents during construction. Every resident will also receive a certificate guaranteeing their right to return to the neighborhood once new housing is completed. SHA estimates replacement construction will begin in 2013.

Councilmember Nick Licata, co-vice chair of the Special Committee said, "The Council made this development better by providing stronger assurances that excess revenues must provide additional very low income housing and any future use of Housing Levy funds at Yesler Terrace must be awarded according to a competitive process.  In addition, renters' rights to return to Yesler are much strengthened by limiting SHA's criteria for screening returning tenants."

The Council modified the Mayor's proposed cooperative agreement between SHA and the City to improve the project and provide further safeguards for residents of Yesler Terrace. Of the 20 amendments to the cooperative agreement the Council passed, several were imposed to further protect Yesler Terrace tenants, improve the quality of the neighborhood and to increase the amount of low-income housing created:

• SHA is required to use all proceeds from the sale of land for infrastructure and low-income housing in the Yesler Terrace neighborhood. 

• If SHA gets more than it needs to pay for the infrastructure and low-income housing, additional funding will pay for up to 100 more units for very-low income residents (households that make no more than 30% of area median income).

• Housing built east of Boren in the early stages of the project must include units for low-income residents.

• If a tenant has a dispute, SHA is required to work with the Yesler Terrace Community Council and the Citizens Review Council to resolve the matter.

• If future Housing Levy dollars are requested for Yesler Terrace, any funds will be awarded through the regular Housing Levy Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process.

• SHA must work with community organizations that assist women- and minority-owned businesses and economically disadvantaged individuals to obtain employment through Section 3 hiring, apprenticeship programs and equal opportunity programs.

"Our vision for Yesler Terrace is to improve the quality of life for all who choose to live, work, and play there," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This new community will foster understanding for generations among our children, seniors, those who speak English and those who don't. It will provide access to jobs, schools, transportation, medical care and more. It's a vision that has been years in the making. I am proud today to say Yes to Yesler."

"Since its inception, Yesler Terrace has fostered a unique community, allowing thousands of Seattleites to create a home and raise children near the heart of downtown.  I'm thrilled to see residents get the improvements they deserve in order to continue to thrive," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "Additionally, I am committed to ensuring that the voices of communities impacted by the change continue to guide the redevelopment process."

"Today's vote is an important step towards creating more healthy, affordable housing in Seattle. I am committed to continuing to work with SHA and Friends of Little Saigon to ensure that this is a project that benefits not just Yesler Terrace residents but the surrounding communities as well," added Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

"As Civil Rights chair, I believe we must work inclusively with this diverse community and reassure the 1,200 residents who include families with children, people with disabilities, seniors, and immigrants who speak other languages, a right to return to their home and community," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "I am confident that this cooperative agreement will assure, at a minimum, a 1-for-1 replacement of low-income units at Yesler Terrace."

"Remaking Yesler Terrace will create a strong neighborhood full of opportunity and hope in the heart of Seattle," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "It's a project that creates jobs, contributes to economic growth, protects affordable housing and lines up perfectly with our desire for fairness and opportunity for all. It's a project that is rooted in our progressive values."

"This exciting project will rebuild badly needed low-income housing for current residents and generations to come," said Andrew J. Lofton, Executive Director of Seattle Housing Authority.  "We've enjoyed collaborating with the City Council, Mayor and many others to develop this plan, and we're excited to move forward."

For more information on the proposed Yesler Terrace redevelopment plans, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/yesler_terrace.htm.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

The City Council voted a few minutes ago to unanimously confirm Magdaleno Rose-Avila—he goes by Leno—as the first director of the City’s new Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, an office that I led the effort to create during last fall’s budget deliberations.

Seattle is home to 103,173 foreign-born residents who actively contribute to our city’s economic, social and cultural well being (2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates). This population is incredibly diverse, but shares some common strengths and common struggles.

Here’s just one example.

Amanuel came to the United States from Eritrea via Kenya. After years of working hard, learning English, supporting his parents back home and then bringing them here, getting married and having children, Amanuel finally saved enough to fulfill his dream of opening his own store. He found a good location and got some help and encouragement from other immigrant business owners.  As he got closer to opening his store, he became more and more nervous . . . about City government, of all things.  He had heard horror stories about paperwork, rules and red tape.

Amanuel didn’t know where to turn, so he decided to march right down to City Hall. Fortunately, he ran into a City staffer who heard his story and helped him get all of his paperwork completed that same day. Amanuel was able to leave City Hall with the license he needed and peace of mind.

Amanuel lucked out; others might not be so fortunate. Amanuel’s story is just one example of why formation of the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs was so important to me last fall.

There are other reasons, too.

Take education. Anywhere from 20% to 40% of the elementary school students qualified to receive extra academic assistance from the City’s Families and Education Levy are “English language learners,” most the children of immigrants. These students have quite a mountain to climb and they need our proactive support.

Take crime victimization. Many recent immigrants to Seattle came from countries where they would have never reached out to the local police for help, where the police were corrupt or feared as enforcers of authoritarian rule. City government has an obligation to help our new neighbors learn about our protective systems and resources, a need most urgent for women and girls who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. Our police officers can be their defenders.

Under Leno’s leadership, the new city office can help with these issues and more. The office will facilitate immigrant integration, help create a citywide culture that understands the value that such integration brings to both immigrant and receiving communities, celebrate the cultures and contributions of Seattle’s immigrants and refugees, and advocate within City government on behalf of immigrants and refugees. It is an ambitious charge for a small, two-person office, but it is essential for this growing population.

As trend-setting incubators of innovation, local governments should proactively welcome immigrants into our cities. Shamefully, Congress remains unwilling to take meaningful action for comprehensive immigration reform, despite the very clear facts justifying reform and despite encouraging changes in the national discourse. More and more leaders in the business community are coming to the realization that immigration is a huge positive (or, in some cases, essential) for our economy. Christian religious leaders from across a wide political spectrum have signed a joint statement urging immigration reform. President Obama has approved appropriate changes in the use of the executive’s prosecutorial discretion, granting relief and peace of mind to many young immigrants.

Another positive step we can take at the local level is to discontinue our practice of honoring so-called “voluntary detainer” requests from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials placed on minor offenders who are otherwise eligible for release or others who have served their time. The honoring of ICE detainer requests should be limited to individuals arrested and charged with serious or violent crimes and persistent, high frequency offenders.

The economic and moral imperatives for immigration reform are clear. A 2007 report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers found that immigration increases US GDP by roughly $37 billion each year. Immigrants fill important roles at all points of the economic spectrum, from high wage, high skilled positions to seasonal, low wage jobs. Other countries work hard to attract immigrants with advanced degrees because these individuals spur economic growth—we should be doing the same. Similarly, the current number of visas for agricultural or seasonal work ignores the economic realities of the labor market. The native-born workforce is aging and the birth rate alone is not enough to fill the labor demands of the U.S. economy. We need immigrants to fill that gap.

The moral case is equally compelling. Rather than welcoming the stranger among us, the current immigration system tears families apart and keeps 12 million of our neighbors living in fear of sudden disruption of their daily lives. We will all be safer and healthier if we integrate these individuals into American society and help them achieve citizenship.

There remains much work to do to enhance successful and effective immigrant integration practices. Patterns of immigration change over time and we must be able to adapt. Immigration, at its core, is representative of the fluidity of life. As President Kennedy once wrote, immigration reminds “every American, old and new, that change is the essence of life, and that American society is a process, not a conclusion.”

Seattle must continue to improve the way we welcome our newest neighbors and the new Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will be of tremendous importance in this process.

Have a question for the Seattle City Council?
Get it answered on Seattle Channel's Council Edition
Councilmembers Clark, Burgess and Godden to appear
on September's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE – Do you have a question for the City Council? Will the proposed NBA/NHL arena become a reality? What are the Council's 2013 budget priorities and how will they align with those of Seattleites? What does passage of the Library Levy mean for Seattle libraries? What does the Council's vote on Yesler Terrace mean for the neighborhood and residents? Whatever your questions, submit them now.

The Sept. 11 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Tim Burgess and Jean Godden answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by noon on Thursday, Sept. 6.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
Sept. 11 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

The project builds on two ongoing City initiatives deeply embedded in the community—the Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and the Rainier Beach Neighborhood Plan Update. The plan update specifically asked the Police Department to “consider a ‘hot spots’ approach to crime prevention” in the neighborhood.

The City will partner with George Mason University’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy for the project’s research and evaluation component, work that is crucial in measuring the impact of taxpayer dollars. The GMU Center has done excellent work on the value of focusing police resources on particular problem places (often called “hot spots”), a topic about which I’ve written extensively.

This grant is especially gratifying because it serves as a good example of how developing partnerships with outside institutions is important and can help create a culture of inquiry and innovation. While digging for background information for another project, the Office of City Auditor formed a relationship with the research experts at GMU. The Council then hosted several of them last year for a discussion about place-based and evidence-based crime prevention. After the visit, numerous City departments worked with GMU on this successful grant proposal and the Council submitted a letter in support.

Congratulations and thank you to all the dedicated City staff and partners who helped craft the grant application and to the people of Rainier Beach. 

Yesler Terrace redevelopment legislation passes out of Seattle City Council
Special Committee
Full Council will cast final vote on September 4

SEATTLE – allowing the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to redevelop the 22-acre Yesler Terrace public housing neighborhood.

Council President Sally J. Clark, chair of the Yesler Terrace Special Committee, said, "The Council took this opportunity to ensure the Yesler Terrace redevelopment plan will respect the needs of people who live in Yesler now and to ensure that Yesler becomes a great urban neighborhood again. The new development of great parks and gardens, better streets and a true housing mix means we ensure low-income people have a great Yesler home far into the future."

The legislative package requires SHA to replace 561 existing units of very low-income housing for current residents, build more than 1,200 new income-restricted units at a variety of affordability levels, and allows for as many as 4,500 total housing units.

Councilmember Nick Licata, co-vice chair of the Special Committee said, "The Council made this development better by providing stronger assurances that excess revenues must provide additional very low income housing and any future use of Housing Levy funds at Yesler Terrace must be awarded according to a competitive process.  In addition, renters' rights to return to Yesler are much strengthened by limiting SHA's criteria for screening returning tenants."

"The Yesler Terrace redevelopment will increase low income housing, create a vibrant neighborhood next to downtown, and take a major step towards meeting our growth management goals. New Holly, High Point, and Rainier Vista demonstrate Seattle Housing Authority's ability to develop extraordinary communities," stated Councilmember Richard Conlin, co-vice chair of the Yesler Terrace Special Committee. "The Yesler Terrace new development will be added to this list as a careful, thoughtful, and prudent project that will make a big difference in many people's lives."

Terms of the planned action ordinance, cooperative agreement and street vacation call for SHA to construct community gardens, pedestrian pathways and pocket parks open to the public, and re-landscape the neighborhood with more trees than are currently present.

"Remaking Yesler Terrace will create a strong neighborhood full of opportunity and hope in the heart of Seattle," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "It's a project that creates jobs, contributes to economic growth, protects affordable housing and lines up perfectly with our desire for fairness and opportunity for all. It's a project that is rooted in our progressive values."

"I'm pleased that SHA has been working with members of the community to maintain the vitality of Little Saigon," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

The Housing Authority may build up to 900,000 square feet of office, medical service space and lodging, as well as 150,000 square feet of retail and services.

SHA will provide comparable housing for all current Yesler Terrace residents during construction. Every resident will also receive a certificate guaranteeing their right to return to the neighborhood once new housing is completed. SHA estimates replacement construction will begin in 2013.

"As Civil Rights chair, we must work inclusively with this diverse community and reassure the 1,200 residents who are families with children, people with disabilities, seniors, and immigrants who speak other languages, a right to return to their home and community," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "I am confident that this cooperative agreement will assure, at a minimum, a 1-for-1 replacement of low-income units at Yesler Terrace."

For more information on the proposed Yesler Terrace redevelopment plans, visit our web pages.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council committee advances appointment of Kendee Yamaguchi to Ethics and Elections Commission

The Seattle City Council Government Performance and Finance Committee voted today to appoint Kendee Yamaguchi, an experienced leader in the public and private sectors and in the community, to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. The Full Council will vote on her appointment after the Council’s August recess on Tuesday, September 4.

“Ms. Yamaguchi’s dedication to community engagement and good government make her an excellent fit for the City’s Ethics and Elections Commission,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee and a former chair of the Ethics and Elections Commission.

Kendee Yamaguchi brings a combination of legal experience, electoral knowledge and understanding of Seattle’s diverse communities to the Ethics and Elections Commission. She has worked in federal and state government and as a private sector lawyer. Currently she serves as the executive director of the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. She has served as a faculty member for APIAVote, a non-partisan organization devoted to Asian American and Pacific Islander electoral and civic participation. She is also a former board member of the Municipal League of King County.

Yamaguchi earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and public communications with a minor in international affairs from American University. She also earned a juris doctorate from the Seattle University School of Law. 

On July 27, the city took a significant step toward reform

But what kind of reform do we want? Who will decide? How will we know when we achieve it? These are important questions that are not answered with any precision in the settlement documents. The answers are left to a federal monitor (appointed in the next couple of months), city policymakers, police commanders, and a new citizen commission (also appointed in the next couple of months).

The reform I’m eager to achieve will celebrate police excellence, reward officers who exercise effective leadership, embrace constitutional principles, and prompt active praise of our officers and deep appreciation from the people of Seattle. This is the reform that is essential and long overdue.

Achieving and sustaining this type of reform means far more than new policies, more training, and better supervision. It means deep shifts in culture and practice that both improve police effectiveness and restore public trust.

Effectiveness and trust takes on added urgency in light of new crime statistics released this week. The four major violent crimes tracked by police — homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery — increased 9 percent in the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year. Property-related crimes — burglary, theft, and vehicle theft — rose 1 percent.

My council colleagues and I receive a steady stream of complaints about crime and disorder, everything from open-air drug dealing to gun assaults, smash-and-grab thefts, and residential burglaries. These complaints are as persistent as the crimes themselves and they come from Belltown, the central waterfront, Pioneer Square, Rainier Valley, the Chinatown/International District, Lake City, the University District, and other areas.

A New Yorker who recently relocated here wrote in The Seattle Times about his experience with Seattle street crime. He wasn’t complimentary. While his diagnosis might not be totally correct, his frustration is not at all unique. Many Seattleites think we’ve given up and allowed the drug traffickers, muggers, and thieves to take over our streets and sidewalks and do as they please. 

No matter your opinion about the Justice Department’s investigation or the terms of the settlement, we can all agree on this core premise: Seattle needs a police force that is effective in preventing crime, apprehending those who commit crimes and making all of Seattle’s neighborhoods safe. 

Preventing crime and maintaining safe neighborhoods is the Police Department’s primary mission. But, how our officers accomplish this task is equally important. 

Concerns about use of force, racially biased policing, training, and de-escalation skills have lingered for many, many years. The proliferation of smart phones and other video recording devices has turned some incidents into media mega-events that hammer home a perception that our officers are engaged in widespread misconduct. The Justice Department’s finding in their December report that up to 20 percent of use of force incidents involve unconstitutional practices certainly fueled these concerns.

Frankly, we shouldn’t be surprised by the outcry over some police practices. We’ve seen documentation dating back to the early 1990s that affirms the questions and concerns.

Former King County Superior Court Judge Terry Carroll was appointed as the first civilian auditor of the Police Department’s Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) in 1992. He identified early on and then wrote about improper use of force, minor incidents becoming major incidents, lack of de-escalation training, and insufficient internal controls. His successor, the former United States Attorney for Western Washington, Kate Pflaumer, issued similar findings, as did Washington State Court of Appeals Judge Michael Spearman, who followed Pflaumer. So has the current OPA Auditor, former Judge Anne Levinson.

Carroll, Pflaumer, Spearman, and Levinson have been consistent and clear in their findings and admonitions over the years — the Police Department has a serious problem with some officers who use excessive force, some who allow minor incidents to escalate out of control, and insufficient training in de-escalation. (Read OPA Auditor reports here.)

A year-and-a-half ago, in February 2011, I wrote that a fundamental culture shift in the Police Department was necessary to create the lasting reform we desire.

All organizations resist change. We see it in the private sector and inside government. Change is particularly hard in a police subculture where systems, procedures, rules, and hierarchy of command combine with the power and authority we give police officers and the dangers and threats they face.  It’s a volatile mix of ingredients that is both necessary and challenging.

And that’s why the appointment of a federal monitor to oversee implementation of the changes we must adopt to achieve effective and constitutional policing is such a promising step. An experienced, external monitor with direct hands-on police oversight and community engagement experience, a demonstrated ability to create lasting change, and a specific work plan will change the internal dynamics of the Police Department for the better.

It's important that this monitor be someone who can provide strong leadership to craft specific and meaningful policies and procedures, not simply a technician who completes a checklist and announces accomplishments. The monitor must have the legal and policing wisdom to garner the respect and trust of the employees of the Police Department and the people of Seattle. He or she must be a leader who inspires confidence, understands the importance of effective policing and the power of police legitimacy from the public’s perspective.

Selecting the right monitor is the fundamental linchpin in achieving success with this endeavor. Get the wrong monitor and we will likely once again find ourselves in the familiar cycle of reform followed by crisis followed by more reform that we’ve experienced since the early ‘90s.

Federal monitoring of the Los Angeles Police Department led to more effective policing and renewed public trust and confidence in law enforcement. Three Harvard University researchers summarized these findings in a 2009 report:

"We found the LAPD much changed from eight years ago, and even more so in the last four or five years. Public satisfaction is up, with 83 percent of residents saying the LAPD is doing a good or excellent job; the frequency of the use of serious force has fallen each year since 2004. Despite the views of some officers that the consent decree inhibits them, there is no objective sign of so-called “de-policing” since 2002; indeed, we found that both the quantity and quality of enforcement activity have risen substantially over that period. The greater quantity is evident in the doubling of both pedestrian stops and motor vehicle stops since 2002, and in the rise in arrests over that same period. The greater quality of stops is evident in the higher proportion resulting in an arrest, and the quality of arrests is evident in the higher proportion in which the District Attorney files felony charges…Indeed, recorded crime is down in every police division in the city."

The federal settlement and the appointment of an oversight monitor allow us to shift our focus to the important work at hand: successfully addressing the concerns the OPA Auditors have raised for two decades and getting on with the business of improving public safety. The people of Seattle deserve this and so do the women and men of the Police Department.

This commentary was originally published earlier today at Crosscut.com.

As a result, the proposed arena is not on the agenda for this Wednesday's Government Performance and Finance Committee meeting. The Committee will consider the arena legislation again in September.

Now, starting next year, every day of the week, every week of the year, children and adults throughout Seattle will have a safe place to nurture their love of reading and learning. Public libraries represent a sanctuary of learning in every neighborhood. Public schools provide the same.  

I strongly believe public libraries and public schools need our enthusiastic support so that our children can thrive and grow into responsible citizens. Learning is the rock-solid foundation for economic opportunity that leads to good jobs and a successful life.

That’s why I worked so hard last year for passage of the Families and Education Levy that provides vital support to our schoolchildren most at risk academically. Seattle voters generously approved that measure for children as well.

You Deserve Results from the City Budget

Yet, I took to heart what some critics of the Library Levy said: Why is the City not funding such key priorities through the general fund budget? That’s a fair question that deserves an answer.

Part of the answer is the approval by Washington State voters in 2001 of Tim Eyman’s Initiative 747 (and adoption of it by the state legislature) which restricts property tax increases to only 1%.  The 1% property tax increase—the City Council routinely adopts the increase each year—often lags behind inflation. However, voters can raise the property tax more when they approve specific measures, such as the Libraries for All and the Families and Education levies. Since that time, we’ve seen a sharp rise in the number of voter approved levies.

The need to obtain voter approval for special taxing measures means we must be at the top of our game in wisely and effectively investing the public’s money. As chair of the Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee, I can push for the solid performance measurement and reporting that you expect from your government

To increase this accountability, I am introducing a budget resolution requiring the leaders of city departments to justify any new programs or funding increases by proving effectiveness. Not just “inputs” (how many hours city employees work on a program) and not just “outputs” (how many people enrolled in a program), but the bottom-line “outcomes” a program is expected to achieve. For example, how many youth earned their diploma, how many unemployed residents obtained a good job, or by how much did street crime decline? This budget resolution is a simple statement of the City Council’s expectation that we should increase accountability, improve how we measure our investments, and do a better job of wisely and effectively using your tax dollars.

The Mayor will present his budget to the Council on September 24. We must adopt a balanced budget no later than December 3. That’s just 70 days to review the budget proposal and make whatever changes we feel necessary to benefit Seattle.

To keep informed about these important budget deliberations, please visit our City Council budget website. To share your priorities for Seattle, please contact me at tim.burgess@seattle.gov.

City Councilmembers participate in “Night Out Against Crime”
Neighborhood activities focus on crime prevention and block watch efforts

Seattle– Seattle City Councilmembers will travel throughout Seattle on Tuesday night, spending time with neighbors across the City in an effort to heighten crime prevention/awareness and neighborhood safety. “Night Out” is a national Crime Prevention event and will take place this year on August 7, 2012. Last year, 1,327 events were registered with the Seattle Police Department. If you have never participated in “Night Out”, Councilmembers encourage you to get involved this year. The theme this year is “Together – Safer Neighborhoods.”

Night Out is an excellent opportunity to organize your block and work together as a community.  

• Join or start a Block Watch
• Communities are the catalyst in preventing crime. Make a commitment to reduce crime and violence in your community and learn what you can do.

Find a Night Out event in your Neighborhood by viewing this map.

Councilmembers will participate in numerous neighborhood festivities including, but not limited to, the following:
Council President Sally J. Clark: Madrona, Rainier Valley, and Seward Park neighborhoods
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw: Ravenna and Downtown neighborhoods
Councilmember Tim Burgess: Downtown, West Seattle and South Seattle neighborhoods
Councilmember Richard Conlin: Ravenna neighborhood
Councilmember Bruce Harrell: Downtown, Ravenna, and Seward Park neighborhoods
Councilmember Nick Licata: Belltown neighborhood
Councilmember Mike O’Brien: Fremont neighborhood

Seattle Police North Precinct
Cedar Park/Meadowbrook Neighborhood
Bartlett Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
3000 Bartlett Ave NE

Broadview/Bitter Lake Neighborhood
11700 Fremont Ave N Block Party
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
11700 Fremont Ave N

Broadview/Bitter Lake Neighborhood
Bitter Lake Neighborhood Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
Where Intersection of N. 133rd and Bitter Lane

Wedgwood/View Ridge Neighborhood
Top Pot Doughnuts' Night Out Against Crime
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 8 p.m.    
Wedgwood Top Pot Café 6855 35th Ave NE

Seattle Police West Precinct
Queen Anne Neighborhood
9th Ave Block Party
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 10 p.m.
2700 block of 9th Ave W

Belltown Neighborhood
Block Party / Neighborhood Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 p.m.
3rd Avenue and Vine St.

Seattle Police East Precinct
Capitol Hill Neighborhood
11th and Denny Block Party                                
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m. 
100 block of 11th Ave. East and Denny Way

Madrona/Leschi Neighborhood
31st Ave Neighborhood Night Out!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m.  
400 block of 31st Ave / 31st between E Jefferson and E Terrace

Mt. Baker/North Rainier
Leschi/Mt. Baker night out
August 7, 2012, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
31st Ave S between Norman and Judkins

Seattle Police Southwest Precinct

Alki/Admiral Neighborhood
3200 44th Ave SW Night Out   
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
3200 44th Ave SW between Hanford and Hines

West Seattle Neighborhood
Morgan Junction Block Watch
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 10 p.m.
6000 42nd Ave SW

Seattle Police South Precinct

Beacon Hill Neighborhood
3300 Block Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m. 
3300 block of 17th Ave South

Rainier Beach/Othello Neighborhood
Angel Morgan Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m. 
P-Patch at S. Morgan and 42nd Ave. S.

Rainier Beach Neighborhood
59th Avenue S. Block Party
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m. 
10628 59th Avenue S. (59th Ave S - South of Bangor)

Columbia City Neighborhood
2012 National Night Out Against Crime with CURB
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 9 p.m.
4437 Rainier Avenue South

Seattle City Council in discussions with investor Chris Hansen to modify proposed arena agreement

Seattle – A majority of Seattle City Councilmembers signed a letter today to investor Chris Hansen, continuing discussions regarding modifications to the proposed agreement for a sports and entertainment arena in SoDo. The letter outlines areas of concern in the current proposal and states the City Council's desire to address these concerns before moving forward with a final agreement. The full text of the letter is available here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council committee advances appointment of M. Lorena González
to Ethics and Elections Commission

The Seattle City Council Government Performance and Finance Committee voted today to appoint M. Lorena González, a distinguished attorney and civic leader, to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. The Full Council will vote on her appointment on Monday, July 23.

"With her professional background and track record of civic engagement, Ms. González will bring valuable perspective to the City's Ethics and Elections Commission," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee and a former chair of the Ethics and Elections Commission. "I am pleased the Council has found a candidate of such high caliber to serve the public on this important commission."

González is an attorney with Schroeter, Goldmark & Bender. Lorena focuses her practice on representing individuals who have been victimized by people in authority positions. Lorena has litigated numerous employment cases, including discrimination and wage and hour class actions, in state and federal court. She is a Past President of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington's (LBAW) Board of Directors and was a member of that board from 2003–2008. In 2004, she was the recipient of LBAW's Outstanding Member of the Year award and was the youngest member and the only law student in the history of LBAW to receive that award.

She is a 2005 honors graduate of Seattle University School of Law and was the 2011 recipient of the school's Alumni Service Award. Lorena is fluent in Spanish and is the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. She was born in Prosser, Washington, and grew up in Washington's Lower Yakima Valley where she and her family worked as migrant farm workers. She is the first and only attorney in her family.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Reminders for Thursday's joint public hearing on the proposed SODO arena
Seattle and King County Councils to hear public testimony

Seattle – The Seattle City Council and King County Council will hear public testimony on Thursday, July 19, regarding the proposal for a new multi-purpose arena in SODO.

Members of the public are invited to attend and give in-person testimony to City and County Councilmembers, the legislative bodies who must both adopt the memorandum for the project to move forward:

When:
Thursday, July 19, 5:30 p.m.
Sign-up begins at 5 p.m.

Where:
Bertha Knight Landes Room, Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Ave, First Floor, Seattle 98104
Information on visiting City Hall

In anticipation of large crowds, the Councilmembers issued the following reminders to individuals coming to speak:

• Sign up forms will be available at 5 p.m.  Speakers will be heard on a first come, first served basis.
• Individuals can only sign up one person for public testimony; they cannot hold space in line for others or sign up multiple speakers.
• Time allotted for individual speakers will depend on the number of those signed up. Given expected attendance, speakers should be prepared for one minute for spoken testimony. Both Councils accept written comments at any time and comment forms will be available at the meeting.
• While signs are allowed, signs with sticks are considered weapons and are not allowed in City Hall.
• This public hearing will be broadcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and webcast at www.seattle.gov/councillive.

View the joint meeting agenda here.

Follow the Council's deliberations through Twitter by signing up through the King County Council website. Watch all Council proceedings held in chambers LIVE on King County TV on Comcast and Broadstripe Cable on channel 22, or online.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

One of Westneat's carpings is that we don't read the Declaration of Independence out loud at our neighborhood barbeques and civic events anymore. But, NPR did it this morning, as they have for the past 24 years. Take a listen here.

So, taking my cue from Danny Westneat, here's my 4th of July list of gripes, well, a few of them.

I'll start off with a very personal and probably politically incorrect one: I don't like being yelled at, called names, or ridiculed over a policy decision I'm about to make or have made. I'll let you in on a little City Hall secret . . . people who send emails to Council members or testify in front of our committees will gain a fair hearing when they clearly express their opinion, cite facts and perspective to support their opinion and suggest specific solutions. Those who forward email rants, use name-calling as their primary form of argumentation, well, they're not likely to be heard very well.

Here's another one. Fear drives too many of our public discussions.  Take immigration reform. Despite the overwhelming evidence that this country needs serious and widespread immigration reform, including a reasonable path to citizenship for undocumented individuals already here, we can't act. Congress is frozen on the issue, so states step in with their draconion solutions that are economically self-destructive. Let's be clear, we need new immigrants in our country today as much as we always have.  It's an economic imparative. Don't agree? Read this Washington State perspective that's loaded with facts and figures making the case for sensible immigration reform.

Just one more. Crime and neighborhood safety are a concern throughout Seattle. Every neighborhood and every resident deserves to be safe and secure in their home, on the streets and sidewalks of our city, and in our parks, at work and at school. But we can't bring ourselves to invest in the crime prevention interventions we absolutely know work extremely well and pay huge dividends. Here's an example—the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP).

NFP is a program across the country that every week sends a specially-trained nurse into the home of first-time mothers living in poverty beginning early in their pregnancy until their child reaches age two.  The program has been operating for more than 30 years and it is one of the most examined, tested, reviewed and evaluated social service interventions anywhere. The results of the NFP are clearly documented—lower criminal involvement by both mother and child, better academic outcomes for the child, stronger economic stability for the mother, and on and on. Our state government ranks the NFP as among the most effective and most efficient interventions possible to improve child welfare and prevent crime. Yet, government funding of the NFP only allows us to reach about half of the eligible moms in Seattle. What a shame!

OK, Danny, I've griped.  Off to the neighborhood BBQ now.  What a country!

Have a question for the Seattle City Council?
Get it answered on Seattle Channel's Council Edition
Councilmembers Burgess, Godden and Licata to appear
on July's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE – Do you have a question for the City Council? How can residents voice their opinion on the proposed NBA/NHL arena? Will there be program or staffing cuts in next year's budget? How are city leaders working to curb Seattle's rise in gun violence? Whatever your questions, submit them now.

The July 10 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Jean Godden and Nick Licata answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by noon, Friday, July 6.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
July 10 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers approve Seawall replacement bond levy
$290 million levy likely to be on November ballot

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today unanimously approved Council Bill 117498, a 30-year property tax bond measure of $290 million to provide public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront and related public infrastructure. Once approved at the Full Council meeting next week, the measure will be on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot.

A new Seawall is projected to protect the City and its residents and workers for the next 100 years or more. A 30-year bond spreads the cost of this project to existing and future Seattle residents who will benefit from today's investment. The 30-year bond for $290 million would cost the owner of a $360K home about $59 per year.

"Replacing the seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy," stated Council President Sally Clark. "Failure of the wall could severely disrupt transportation and commerce and lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life."

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Transportation Committee chair said today, "Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct. The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt on time to serve as a vital corridor for moving people and goods."

"The seawall project is the foundation for Seattle's future waterfront. Regardless of what kind of development will happen we are taking the next important step to providing a safe corridor and pedestrian friendly waterfront," stated Councilmember Jean Godden, chair of the Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee.

"The first priority is to fix the seawall for public safety and get our public piers back in working order so that we can safely use them again," stated Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This is the beginning of reclaiming Seattle's waterfront."

A replacement Seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy because the current Seawall is not designed to withstand seismic events. Seawall failure could lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life while severely disrupting public transportation and commerce.

The proposed bond would go before voters in November. The dollars generated would pay for construction of the new seawall from South Washington Street to Virginia Street and provide funds toward replacing the deteriorated pilings and decking of the two City-owned piers that extend from the seawall: Pier 58, known as Waterfront Park, and Pier 62/ 63, both of which are owned and operated by the Seattle Parks Department. Pier 58 is seismically vulnerable and the structural deficiencies of Pier 62/63 have forced the City to limit use of the pier to protect public safety.

The $290 million bond measure would complete project funding for this stretch of the seawall in combination with approximately $30 million from the King County Flood Control District and nearly $30 million already identified in the City's General Fund. Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct.  The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt to provide public access to the waterfront and area businesses.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

 Seattle City Council to continue analysis of SODO arena proposal on Thursday, July 5
Additional meeting previously scheduled for July 6 cancelled

Seattle – The Seattle City Council"s Government Performance and Finance Committee will continue its review of the proposal to construct an arena in SODO on Thursday, July 5 at 2 p.m. The committee will receive its first briefing from the Council"s Central Staff regarding financial details of the proposal.

Who:
Government Performance and Finance Committee

What:
Analysis of SODO arena legislation
                       
When:
Thursday, Jul. 5, 2 p.m.
                       
Where:
Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall
(600 Fourth Ave, 2nd Floor)

The City Council"s Government Performance and Finance Committee has also cancelled its previously scheduled meeting for Friday, July 6. The City Council"s review calendar is updated below:

Videos and presentation materials from past Council meetings regarding the arena can be found at http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/arena.htm.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers support Supreme Court ruling
on Affordable Health Care Act

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to uphold the Affordable Health Care Act:

"I applaud the Supreme Court's careful review of the arguments," stated Council President Sally J. Clark. "Coverage for all Americans is critical to urban places, as well as rural. Now we have work to do to ensure health care outcomes improve along with coverage."

"The Supreme Court chose logic over politics with this decision," stated Councilmember Nick Licata, chair of the Human Services, Health and Culture committee. "Now Washington voters must let their state leaders know if they support the expansion of the Medicaid allotment."

"I am pleased with the Supreme Court's ruling this morning," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "We can now focus on the improvements necessary to make comprehensive health care affordable, efficient and effective for all Americans."

"This is an extraordinary opportunity to reshape our health care system by combining quality health care with affordable health care," added Councilmember Richard Conlin. "Seattle is working with our local providers to reshape our local system to ensure that all of us – including the least, the lost, and the left-behind, will share the blessings of healthy lives."

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw added, "I have longed for today's headline. Four years ago, Obama said, ‘Yes we can' and today five Supreme Court Justices said, ‘Yes we will' to affordable health care. At long last, all Americans will have choices and accessibility to a health plan. Thank goodness."

"I think that we always knew that extending the benefits of health care was the right thing to do. Now we know that it is not only right, but it is also constitutional," stated Councilmember Jean Godden.
"With national health care reform upheld, Washington can get to work making sure everyone has access to affordable, quality care," stated Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "Affordable health care will bring equity to those that need care and provide continued coverage for those already insured."
"After today's ruling by the Supreme Court the thirty million Americans currently without health insurance will begin having access to affordable health care," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "This is a great step forward for America"

"I have seen the detrimental impact of not having medical coverage in my own life through the eyes of family members, friends, and colleagues. This decision will ensure that they are no longer one major medical emergency away from health and financial disaster," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "People can now seek solace knowing that their health is not tied to their employment status. This is absolutely critical in building a healthy Seattle."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers to take public comment
on Seawall replacement bond levy
$290 million levy to be considered for November ballot

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today announced the public hearing date to discuss a proposed 30-year property tax bond measure of $290 million to provide public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront and related public infrastructure. The measure under consideration would be on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot. The 30-year bond for $290 million would cost the owner of a $360K home about $59 per year.

"Replacing the seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "Failure of the wall could severely disrupt transportation and commerce in the region and lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life."

WHAT:
Seawall bond measure public hearing
Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Special Committee

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at 5:30 p.m.
Sign up will open at 5 p.m.

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Second floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

A replacement Seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy because the current Seawall is not designed to withstand seismic events. Seawall failure could lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life while severely disrupting public transportation and commerce.

The proposed bond would go before voters in November. The dollars generated would pay for construction of the new seawall from South Washington Street to Virginia Street and provide funds toward replacing the deteriorated pilings and decking of two City-owned piers that extend from the seawall: Pier 58, known as Waterfront Park, and Pier, 62/ 63, both of which are owned and operated by the Seattle Parks Department. Pier 58 is seismically vulnerable and the structural deficiencies of Pier 62/63 have forced the City to limit use of the pier to protect public safety.

The $290 million bond measure would complete project funding for this stretch of the seawall in combination with approximately $30 million from the King County Flood Control District and nearly $30 million already identified in the City's General Fund. Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct. The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt to provide public access to the waterfront and area businesses.

Seawall Ordinance

Seawall Fiscal Note

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

I also saw something I hadn't expected that could help Sound Transit and Seattle smartly prepare for integrated mobility at the Northgate Link Light Rail Station. 

My colleague, Richard Conlin, has proposed that we develop a new parking garage and a pedestrian/bicycle bridge across Interstate 5 to link the Northgate station with the west side of the freeway, including North Seattle Community College. Writing in yesterday’s Seattle Times, two neighborhood advocates also urge a comprehensive mobility solution at Northgate that includes walkers, cyclists, transit riders and commuters in vehicles. 

I agree with these sentiments, but let's also plan for increased residential density at the location of the parking garage, a smart move that might also help offset the costs of the garage and the bridge through negotiated development agreements.

Our Northgate opportunity brings me back to what I saw in San Diego. As I walked the neighborhood around Petco Park, I realized that they had successfully integrated what some would see as incompatible or even competing components. It is a wonderful, mixed use, diverse neighborhood that's alive and bustling with energy.  We watched container ships being unloaded, freight trains switching and loading containers, diners coming and going from restaurants, families with kids in tow. Petco Park is surrounded by residential towers. And then there's the parking garage, mostly concealed by condo and apartment buildings. Take a look in the photo below.

The residential units in the building to the left in the above photo are upscale, market rate condos. The units in the building to the right are apartments, including work force units. The only part of the garage that's visible from the street is the exterior staircase and the vehicle access point which is more clearly seen in the photo below.

The parking garage accommodates vehicles on Padre game days and visitors, shoppers, residents and others on non-game days. One parking level below ground is reserved for residents in the condo and apartments buildings wrapped around the garage (all are separate buildings). A completely underground garage is not possible near Petco Park because of the high water table.

The next photo is taken from the roof deck of one of the condo towers adjacent to Petco Park. We watched as crews prepared the outfield for a company party later in the evening.

So, I brought back two take-away lessons from San Diego. 

First, when a parking garage is deemed essential we can get creative about how it fits into a neighborhood.

Second, in a broader sense, uses that are often seen as incompatible—industrial and residential, for example—don’t have to be if we plan carefully. My San Diego trip prompted a lot of thoughts about what we might do to bring more residents to Pioneer Square and the SODO Stadium District. Regardless of our final decisions on the proposed new sports arena, we have opportunities to inject more vitality into this section of our city by carefully considering a mix of residential, restaurant, and entertainment uses while, at the same time, recommitting ourselves to protection of our vitally important maritime and manufacturing businesses.

Seattle City Council and King County Council to host joint public hearing on proposed SODO arena on July 19
City Council to hold additional committee meeting on arena on June 29

Seattle – The Seattle City Council and King County Council announced today that they will co-host a joint public hearing on July 19 regarding the proposal for a new multi-purpose arena in SODO. Members of the public are invited to attend and give in-person testimony to City and County councilmembers. Both Councils accept written public comments at any time.

Who:
Seattle City Council and King County Council

What:
Public hearing on proposed SODO arena legislation

When:
Thursday, July 19, 5:30 p.m.
Sign-up begins at 5 p.m.

Where:
Bertha Knight Landes Room, Seattle City Hall
(600 Fourth Ave, First Floor)

The City Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee has also added a meeting on June 29 to its review of the proposal. The additional meeting and public hearing are highlighted in the City Council’s review calendar below:

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers to take public comment
on Seawall replacement bond levy
$290 million levy to be considered for November ballot

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today announced the public hearing date to discuss a proposed 30-year property tax bond measure of $290 million to provide public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront and related public infrastructure. The measure under consideration would be on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot. The 30-year bond for $290 million would cost the owner of a $360K home about $59 per year.

"Replacing the seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "Failure of the wall could severely disrupt transportation and commerce in the region and lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life."

WHAT:
Seawall bond measure public hearing
Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Special Committee

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at 5:30 p.m.
Sign up will open at 5 p.m.

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Second floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

A replacement Seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy because the current Seawall is not designed to withstand seismic events. Seawall failure could lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life while severely disrupting public transportation and commerce.

The proposed bond would go before voters in November. The dollars generated would pay for construction of the new seawall from South Washington Street to Virginia Street and providing funds toward replacing the deteriorated pilings and decking of the two City-owned piers that extend from the seawall: Pier 58, known as Waterfront Park, and Pier, 62/ 63, both of which are owned and operated by the Seattle Parks Department. Pier 58 is seismically vulnerable and the structural deficiencies of Pier 62/63 have forced the City to limit use of the piers to protect public safety.

The $290 million bond measure would complete project funding for this stretch of the seawall in combination with approximately $30 million from the King County Flood Control District and nearly $30 million already identified in the City's General Fund. Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct. The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt to provide public access to the waterfront and area businesses.

• Seawall Ordinance
• Seawall Fiscal Note

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers join regional partners in launching next phase of Alaskan Way Viaduct tunneling project

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today joined Gov. Chris Gregoire, state, port and local officials in breaking ground for the launch pit for the tunnel boring machine for the Alaskan Way Viaduct (AWV) replacement project. When complete the tunnel will connect to the new SR 99 roadway south of downtown to Aurora Avenue in the north providing for a safe corridor and better mobility.

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Transportation Committee Chair said today, "This event marks the next critical phase of the tunneling project as the pit is readied for the boring machine. The tunnel project maintains capacity of Viaduct, avoiding the kind of congestion that could cripple movement of freight and growth of commerce in Seattle. The tunnel project will take the traffic, noise and blight that now separates our downtown from our waterfront and will bury it underground." 

"Today we break ground on a tunnel that will finally allow Seattle to rediscover our waterfront," stated Councilmember Jean Godden, chair of the Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee. "When complete, our waterfront will be active and vibrant, populated with parks, restaurants and cultural amenities. It will be a waterfront second-to-none, which will be cherished for generations. We are truly building for the future."

"One small scoop of dirt, one giant leap for Seattle," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "After a decade of debate, I am excited to finally start work on a safe and superior corridor that will improve mobility in this region and create thousands of jobs. I look forward to late 2015 when this tunnel opens."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to hold hearing on taximeter rate increase legislation

The Seattle City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, June 6 to receive comments on Council Bill 117465, which calls for an increase in the taxicab meter rate and an increase in the flat rate from downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Who: City Council Government Performance and Finance Committee

What: Public hearing on taximeter rate increase

When: Wednesday, June 6, 12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m.
(Committee meeting and hearing sign-up begin at 11 a.m.)

Where: Council Chambers (600 Fourth Ave, Second Floor)

The new taximeter rate will raise the taxicab fare on the average 4.4 mile trip from $14.80 to $15.65, an increase of $0.85 (5.7 percent). The increase in taxicab fares will vary slightly depending upon the trip length. A summary of the legislation from the City's Department of Finance and Administrative Services is available here.

The Committee received a briefing on the proposal on Thursday, May 31. After the public hearing, the committee will consider the legislation on Wednesday, June 20 at 9:30 a.m.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

All the meetings listed above will take place in City Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Avenue, second floor. Public comment at Committee meetings will be limited in duration in order to allow for consideration of unrelated Committee business. A separate public hearing will be scheduled in July to receive public opinion on the arena proposal. The date, time and location of the public hearing will be announced with a minimum of 30 days notice.

The Council accepts written public comments at any time.

At the end of our morning session, we had the privilege of hearing from members of the Seattle Youth Commission, a student-led advisory body that advises the Council on a wide range of issues. Against the backdrop of violence on our streets, their presentation reminded me of the hope and potential of this city’s younger generation. 

The Commission members were poised, articulate, smart and very engaged as they briefed us on their work to prevent violence, end youth homelessness, improve Metro transit service, teach wise environmental practices and improve dialog with police.

A big shout out to our Youth Commission members! Well done and thank you.

Seattle City Council sets review schedule for SODO arena proposal

Seattle – The City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee today released its tentative review schedule for the proposed sports arena in SODO partially funded by City bonds. The dates and times of the Committee's meetings are listed below. Other Committee business unrelated to the arena will also be heard at these meetings.

All the meetings listed above will take place in City Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Avenue, second floor. Public comment at Committee meetings will be limited in duration in order to allow for consideration of unrelated Committee business. A separate public hearing will be scheduled in July to receive public opinion on the arena proposal. The date, time and location of the public hearing will be announced with a minimum of 30 days notice.

The Council accepts written public comments at any time.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to host conversation on community priorities for the City budget
Let your voice be heard at the last of the three Mondays in May

SEATTLE – Join the Seattle City Council for community conversations about the City budget and community priorities. Participants will engage City Councilmembers and neighbors in conversation centered on five thought-provoking questions about the future of our City.

Let your voice be heard at the following date and location:

South Seattle
Monday, May 21, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave South

Three Mondays in May feature the World Café format and are a chance to meet and engage your elected officials and neighbors in conversation, a place to learn about the basics of the City budget and choices faced by City policymakers and an opportunity to participate in the civic life of your home community.

These conversations are not a formal public hearing and do not require extensive knowledge of City politics, policy or history. The Council will hold public hearings on the 2013 City budget and Capital Improvement Program in the fall where members of the community will be invited to advocate for specific programs and services.

A flier that can be distributed with more information is available here. Discover other ways to let your voice be heard at City Hall at www.seattle.gov/council/budget.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmember Burgess' statement on proposed new sports arena

SEATTLE – Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee, released the following statement regarding the proposal for a new sports arena partially funded with City bonds:

"The Council will thoroughly review the Mayor's proposal for a new sports arena. We will determine if municipal bonds for this project are an appropriate and wise commitment from the City. We will also explore any risks to the City's financial stability and whether this investment provides sufficient public benefit. To the extent appropriate, we will do this work in coordination with the County Council's concurrent review.

"As the proposal was negotiated, my colleagues and I developed a list of issues we expect the Government Performance and Finance Committee will focus on during deliberations, including financial protections for the City, the impact of the new arena on our important maritime and industrial sector and the relationship between the City and the County. We shared this list with the Mayor's staff in early April and through this committee we'll examine whether the proposed agreement addresses these and other questions." (The list of issues is available here.)

The Government Performance and Finance Committee will receive a formal briefing about the arena proposal at its next scheduled meeting on Thursday, May 31 at 9:30 a.m. in City Council Chambers.

Public comment will be accepted at this meeting but will be limited in duration. A public hearing will be scheduled for a later date.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

EVENT DATES
May 14, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
May 21, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Seattle City Council to host conversations on community priorities for the City budget
Let your voice be heard at one of the remaining Mondays in May

SEATTLE – Join the Seattle City Council for community conversations about the City budget and community priorities. Participants will engage City Councilmembers and neighbors in conversation centered on five thought-provoking questions about the future of our City.

Let your voice be heard at one of the following dates and locations:

Central Seattle
Monday, May 14, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Seattle Central Community College, 1701 Broadway, Broadway Edison Building, Room BE1110

South Seattle
Monday, May 21, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave South

Three Mondays in May features the World Café format and are a chance to meet and engage your elected officials and neighbors in conversation, a place to learn about the basics of the City budget and choices faced by City policymakers and an opportunity to participate in the civic life of your home community.

These conversations are not a formal public hearing and do not require extensive knowledge of City politics, policy or history. The Council will hold public hearings on the 2013 City budget and Capital Improvement Program in the fall where members of the community will be invited to advocate for specific programs and services.

A flier that can be distributed with more information is available here. Discover other ways to let your voice be heard at City Hall at www.seattle.gov/council/budget.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to host conversations on community priorities for the City budget
Let your voice be heard at one of three Mondays in May

SEATTLE – Join the Seattle City Council for one of three conversations in May about the City budget and community priorities. Participants will engage City Councilmembers and neighbors in conversation centered on five thought-provoking questions about the future of our city.

Let your voice be heard at one of the following dates and locations:

North Seattle
Monday, May 7, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
North Seattle Community College, 9600 College Way North, College Center, New location: Cafeteria

Central Seattle
Monday, May 14, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Seattle Central Community College, 1701 Broadway, Broadway Edison Building, Room BE1110

South Seattle
Monday, May 21, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave South

Three Mondays in May feature the World Café format and are a chance to meet and engage your elected officials and neighbors in conversation, a place to learn about the basics of the City budget and choices faced by City policymakers and an opportunity to participate in the civic life of your home community.

These conversations are not a formal public hearing and do not require extensive knowledge of City politics, policy or history. The Council will hold public hearings on the 2013 City budget and Capital Improvement Program in the fall where members of the community will be invited to advocate for specific programs and services.

A flier that can be distributed with more information is available here. Discover other ways to let your voice be heard at City Hall at www.seattle.gov/council/budget.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Three Mondays in May is part of the Council’s effort to listen to the people of Seattle about your priorities for City government. How should we be spending your tax dollars? Where should our primary focus be? If we must reduce spending, where should the cuts be focused? Your opinions are valuable to us, so come out tonight and share them with us.

North Seattle
Monday, May 7, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
North Seattle Community College
9600 College Way North
College Center, Cafeteria (note room change)

Central Seattle
Monday, May 14, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Seattle Central Community College
1701 Broadway
Broadway Edison Building, Room BE1110

South Seattle
Monday, May 21, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
New Holly Gathering Hall
7054 32^nd Ave South

A flier that can be distributed with more information is available here. 

The weather forecast called for rain throughout the day, yet the sun popped out and I was confident I could make it to and from City Hall on my scooter without getting drenched.

Then, on a day to celebrate the effective and necessary role of labor unions, along with a separate march celebrating the importance of immigrants and the need for immigration reform, chaotic violence and property destruction occurred downtown.

Self-described anarchists mingled with peaceful May Day demonstrators at Westlake Park, covered their faces with masks or bandanas and engaged in destructive acts of vandalism and violence.  It stopped almost as quickly as it started; the anarchists pulled off their black clothing and melted away into the larger crowd once again, though not before some were arrested. (The Seattle Times has extensive coverage of all this in today’s newspaper.)

About an hour after this senseless violence, I received a totally unrelated email from a friend who provided a link to an article in the Northwest Asian Weekly about Aoxiang Liao, a woman who immigrated to the United States from China in 2008. Liao recently graduated from a special English language training class provided by OneAmerica.

I couldn’t help but contrast what Aoxiang Liao has accomplished—moving to a new country, learning English, getting a job, getting engaged with her community—with the anarchists who committed senseless violence yesterday afternoon in our downtown.  Liao represents a hopeful, productive future; the anarchists represent destructive despair. Liao represents the other immigrants and refugees who have come to our country and those who wish to come here, people who make our larger society stronger. The anarchists shift attention to themselves, a twisted narcissism that plays on the aspirations—and legitimate protests—of others for their own self-aggrandizement.  Liao uses her skills and obvious capabilities to build her life in her new country and contribute to the common welfare. The anarchists destroy what exists and refuse to engage with our broader society.

For me, I’ll stand with Aoxiang Liao and what she represents.

As I rode home last evening, I passed Westlake Park. There were a few protesters milling about; it was peaceful. I saw boarded up store fronts and I wondered what the day’s events would cost, both in dollars and lost productivity. And then the downpour began and I got drenched; the city was being cleansed.

Queue up your questions for the Seattle City Council
Councilmembers Burgess, Licata and O'Brien to appear on
May's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE – Take a moment to ask your questions of City Councilmembers. What should be the top priority for Seattle Public Schools new superintendent? What's the City doing to prepare for the upcoming plastic bag ban? How can residents get involved in this year's budget process? Whatever your questions, submit them now.

The May 8 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Nick Licata and Mike O'Brien answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by noon, Friday, May 4.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the City's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
May 8 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Eric and Nick were guests on the Charlie Rose show this past week. Watch the video at http://www.charlierose.com/view/content/12324.

Let your voice be heard at one of the following dates and locations:

North Seattle
Monday, May 7, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
North Seattle Community College
9600 College Way North
College Center, Room 1161

Central Seattle
Monday, May 14, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Seattle Central Community College
1701 Broadway
Broadway Edison Building, Room BE1110

South Seattle
Monday, May 21, 2012, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
New Holly Gathering Hall
7054 32^nd Ave South

These conversations are not a formal public hearing and do not require extensive knowledge of City politics, policy or history. The Council will hold public hearings on the 2013 City budget and Capital Improvement Program in the fall where members of the community will be invited to advocate for specific programs and services.

Discover other ways to let your voice be heard at City Hall at www.seattle.gov/council/budget.

SEATTLE - All three credit rating agencies - Standard & Poor's, Fitch and Moody's - have affirmed the city of Seattle's existing Aaa/Aa1 bond ratings. In addition, Standard & Poor's has revised its outlook for Seattle's rating to "stable" from "negative."

Steps Seattle has taken to address financial and economic challenges factored into the affirmed ratings. According to S&P, "The 'AAA' rating reflects our view of the city's:

• economic role as the center of a very deep and dynamic regional economy;
• strong income indicators and a resilient employment market that has kept the city's unemployment rate below the national average;
• strong financial management policies and practices, including robust forecasting and monitoring capabilities; and
• low-to-moderate debt burden, with rapid amortization and excellent management of the city's longer-term capital improvement plan."

In addition, S&P revised Seattle's outlook to "stable" based on steps the city took last year to fund its pension system.

"Our strong credit rating reduces the cost of borrowing for essential infrastructure improvements and saves taxpayers money," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "Last year, with the Council's help, we built up our Rainy Day Fund, a tangible demonstration of our commitment to a financially prudent city budget. I look forward to working with the Council as we work to close our budget shortfall and provide long-term financial stability for the City."

"The excellent ratings validate our actions over the past several years to maintain a solid financial foundation," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee. "Despite the sluggish economy and significant budget cuts, the Council and Mayor, along with the Retirement Board of Administration and city employees, worked together to keep our fiscal house in order. The excellent bond ratings strongly affirm the course we have followed."

The city has taken a number of steps to improve its financial position. The Mayor, working with the Council, developed a budget plan for 2011 and 2012 that closed significant General Fund budget gaps. In both cases this was done without raising general taxes. In addition, the city adopted policies to increase its Rainy Day Fund. The city also adopted a plan to address challenges to the city pension system. City officials are now studying additional changes to the pension system to ensure long-term sustainability.

- 30 -

Office of the Mayor

The celebrations will continue the next six months and many arts organizations that make their home at the Seattle Center are taking part. On Saturday, May 5, the Seattle Opera is hosting a free HD simulcast in Key Arena for the opening night McCaw Hall performance of Madama Butterfly, the final show of its season. Up to 8,000 tickets are available for what is expected to be the largest live opera audience in Seattle history. Don’t think opera is for you? Read these opera myths debunked on the Seattle Opera Web site.

The excellent ratings validate our actions over the past several years to maintain a solid financial foundation. Despite the sluggish economy and significant budget cuts, the Council and Mayor, along with the Retirement Board of Administration and City employees, worked together to keep our fiscal house in order. The excellent bond ratings strongly affirm the course we have followed.

The City, including City Light and Public Utilities, use debt financing for capital improvement programs and spend approximately $370 million per year to service this debt. High bond ratings translate into lower interest payments that save millions of dollars in debt service payments. 

In the last year and a half, the City took several steps to tighten up City financial policies to address concerns raised by the rating agencies:

• The Council adopted a new policy requiring the City to directly deposit $2 million in the Rainy Day Fund and further established that half of any year-end unanticipated General Subfund balances would be transferred to the Rainy Day Fund (Ordinance 123743). Over the next few years, the Council expects to build the Fund to approximately $40 million.
• City employees agreed to increase their contributions to the Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System (SCERS) to 10.03% of salary and the City’s contribution was increased to 11.01%, changes designed to begin to address investment losses from underperforming financial markets (Ordinance 123482 and Resolution 31334).
• The interest rate paid on City employees’ retirement contributions was lowered to 4.47% from 5.75% based on a recommendation from the SCERS Board of Administration (Resolution 31333).

These steps were the right course of action and the bond rating agencies have confirmed that.

The Government Performance and Finance Committee received a presentation on factors affecting bond ratings on March 29, 2012. The materials and video from that meeting are available online.

Special Committee to discuss Seawall

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Council’s Special Committee on the Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program will meet after Full Council on Monday, April 23. 

The Committee will discuss public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront, the downtown business district, transportation and public infrastructure, a possible bond measure to replace the Elliot Bay Seawall and the Seawall design, schedule, cost estimates and next steps.

WHEN:
Monday, April 23, 2012, following Full Council
(approximately 2:30 p.m.)

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Ave, Second floor, Seattle 98104

View the committee agenda here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

4   different Chief Executive Officers
4   different Chief Division Officers
5   different Chief Financial Officers
6   different Vice Presidents of HR
3   different General Legal Counsels
5   different Special Division Directors
4   different Chief Operating Officers
4   different Chief Information Officers
3   different Communications Directors
17 different Board Members

Could your company handle such disruption among key employees? That's an average of nine senior management changes in each of the six years. Nine key leaders gone each year. Can you guess the Seattle organization that experienced this level of leadership turnover in the six years ending in 2011?

The Seattle School District, the organization responsible for running our public schools. Here's the list again with the actual job titles:

4 Superintendents
4 Chief Academic Officers
5 Chief Financial Officers
6 Vice Presidents of HR
3 General Legal Counsels
5 Special Ed Directors
4 Chief Operating Officers
4 Chief Information Officers
3 Communications Directors
17 board members

Read School Board member Sherry Carr's analysis of what's going on at the school district in this piece published by Crosscut.

Historical perspective:

From Seattle Municipal Archives: In anticipation of the World’s Fair, respected designer Paul Thiry was hired as chief architect of the Exposition, designing an aesthetically adventurous cityscape intended to excite the visitor with futuristic visions of scientific progress, including the Washington State Pavilion (now the KeyArena).

From the Seattle Center: Key Arena as we know it today opened on October 26, 1995 and has entertained over 10 million guests as Seattle’s premier venue for sports, concerts and family entertainment. The state-of-the-art facility is one of the safest, most advanced and comfortable arenas in the world. Its unique design provides sports and concert fans an intimate entertainment experience with spectacular sightlines and acoustics, uncommon in arenas of similar size. Amenities include convenient concession and merchandise areas and a nearby five-story parking garage for more than 600 vehicles.

Home to Seattle’s own Seattle Storm, KeyArena at Seattle Center also hosts entertainments most acclaimed talent from music’s biggest stars to popular family shows. Since its opening in 1995, KeyArena has hosted over 130 concerts including music’s biggest names such as Aerosmith, Jose Carreras, Green Day, Pearl Jam, Celine Dion, Elton John, Garth Brooks, George Strait and Simon & Garfunkel. We have entertained thousands of families with shows from Disney On Ice, Champions On Ice and WWE.

Seattle Municipal Archives has some excellent resources on the 1962 World’s Fair.  Click to view digital files, text files.  Image files can be viewed here and here.

Seattle Municipal Archives Item #111677

Watch Seattle City Councilmembers share their
favorite Seattle Center memories

SEATTLE - In anticipation of the Seattle Center's Next Fifty celebration kick-off on Saturday, April 21, Seattle City Councilmembers sat down to share their favorite Seattle Center memories. Tune in to our Council Connection blog over the next week as they share their stories.

What:
Seattle City Councilmembers share their Seattle Center memories

When:
Morning and afternoon blog postings, April 16-20, 2012

Where:
Council Connection Blog at http://council.seattle.gov/
Subscribe to the RSS feed at http://council.seattle.gov/feed/

For more information on the Seattle Center's Next Fifty celebration, including the schedule of events, visit http://seattlecenter.com/news/detail.aspx?id=1719.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Library leaders and city officials join together in support of levy for The Seattle Public Library

Seattle Public Library Board President Marie McCaffrey, City Librarian Marcellus Turner, Mayor Mike McGinn and City Councilmember Richard Conlin announced support for a Library levy to restore cuts and improve core services at a noon press conference at Seattle's Central Library. City officials and Library leaders were joined by scores of Library patrons at the event.

The Library levy would fund increased Library hours, build the collection of books and materials, enhance computers and online services and improve building maintenance. The plan grew out of a two-year process that involved comments from more than 39,000 residents through public meetings, open houses, surveys, focus groups and forums. There were more than 14 million visits to The Seattle Public Library last year and over 11 million books and materials circulated.

The City Council is expected to vote on legislation that would authorize an Aug. 7, 2012, ballot for a Library levy at 2:30 p.m. today.

The seven-year Library levy of $17 million annually would stabilize the Library budget after four years of cuts that have eroded services. The Library has been closed for one week each year since 2009, 15 of 26 branches are closed two days a week, and the budget to buy books and other items has been cut by more than 13 percent since 2009. The levy would also provide an estimated $5 million to address anticipated cuts in 2013. The Library would continue to rely on the city's general fund for the majority of its budget. At about 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, the levy would cost the median homeowner approximately $52 a year.

"We owe a huge thank you not only to the mayor and council for their collaboration and support, but also to the people of Seattle who helped shape the plan over the past two years," said McCaffrey. "This is an important step toward completing the vision of the 1998 'Libraries for All' bond measure, which resulted in new and improved libraries across the city."

McGinn said people depend on libraries for access to information and resources they need to succeed. "Libraries are the great equalizers for people of all ages," he said. "A strong Library system contributes to the economic, educational and cultural vitality of our city." He noted that libraries are key partners in supporting his initiatives for youth and families and to bolster civic engagement. "Libraries support our residents looking for work, students needing homework assistance, and people who cannot afford a computer," he said. "Our libraries are educational centers in every community and gathering places for neighborhood meetings and activities."

Conlin initiated a study of alternative funding options for the Library in 2010 after recognizing the city's fiscal challenges and declining tax revenues were affecting services. A levy package grew out of that effort.

"At the City Council's April 3 public hearing, Library patrons spoke to how they have been impacted by the cuts and how critical it was that our libraries be open with the resources and assistance they need," Conlin said. "Libraries are particularly important in challenging economic times and it just doesn't make sense to cut services when people need them the most."

City Librarian Marcellus Turner said the plan was built to reflect the priorities of the community. "Libraries are the city's classrooms for both individuals and the community," he said. "The Library levy will help ensure we can provide essential Library services now and for the next generation of users." 

Ninety-one-year-old Eleanor Owen and local mystery writer Kathrine Beck also spoke about how the Library has helped them, and their families and friends, throughout their lives.

For more information, visit www.spl.org and select "Libraries for All: A Plan for the Present, A Foundation for the Future," or call 206-386-4636.

For more information contact: Andra Addison, communications director, 206-386-4103

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Council President Sally Clark and I visited Roxhill Elementary School last Friday morning. It was one of those visits that pump you up and get you excited.

Roxhill is barely inside the city's southern boundary, hugging the north side of Southwest Roxbury Street. It's a Level 3 school in Seattle's numeric grading system (that's a C letter grade), improved from Level 1 just two years ago. Credit goes to Principal Carmela Dellino and her staff of 29 dedicated and engaging teachers for the progress.

Roxhill's student population is more diverse than the city as a whole—27% Black, 40% Hispanic, 17% Asian/Pacific Islander, 12% White. Thirty-five percent of Roxhill's students are English language learners. Seventy-five percent of the students are enrolled in the free/reduced lunch program. Twenty-three percent of the students receive special education attention. Student achievement lags behind the school district's overall elementary school averages, but Roxhill students are getting better on their reading, math, writing and science tests. Their academic improvement rate beat district-wide averages in both math and reading in the 2010-2011 school year.

After walking the hallways of Roxhill and visiting classrooms, you can see why. The visit revealed a school focused on learning. It was orderly and clean. Students worked well together. Teachers and their helpers, including student teachers from the UW, were walking around, sitting on the floor, encouraging and drawing out the best from their students.

We saw child-focused commitment.  We saw teachers and student teachers pouring themselves into the kids. We saw the order and discipline of the building and classrooms.  We saw engaging and stimulating teaching methods being used.  We saw kids who were learning, having fun and working with each other. We sat in on a local government civics lesson for third graders.

Impressive. That's the word that kept coming to mind as I drove back to City Hall. Impressive principal and teachers. Impressive academic progress being made.

Roxhill is another example of a Seattle public school that's working.

Levy proposal addresses ongoing fiscal challenges and supports critical services

What:
After a two-year process involving the thoughtful contributions of tens of thousands of residents and collaboration between The Seattle Public Library, Mayor’s Office and City Council, a proposal to stabilize Library funding and improve Library services is complete.

Who:
Library Board President Marie McCaffrey, City Librarian Marcellus Turner, Mayor Mike McGinn and Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin will announce a proposed Library levy to address ongoing financial challenges and support key service priorities: Library hours, collections, technology and building maintenance.

91-year-old Library patron Eleanor Owen and Seattle author Kathrine Beck will also speak about the Library’s importance to the city’s educational, cultural and economic vitality.

Library and city officials will be joined by other members of the City Council and Library Board, as well as the Friends of the Library, Library Foundation and members of the public.

When:
Noon Monday, April 9, 2012

Schedule:
Noon to 12:30 p.m. – Event Remarks
Library Board president, mayor, City Councilman Richard Conlin and city librarian will talk about the levy plan and what it offers the community. Two Library patrons will talk about the importance of libraries in their lives. The press will receive copies of the proposal, “Libraries for All: A Plan for the Present, A Foundation for the Future.”

12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. - Other Broadcast Opportunities
Library officials, the mayor, City Council members, Library patrons Eleanor Owen and Kathrine Beck, as well as Library Friends and Foundation members available for further interviews. Opportunities to film baby story time, tax assistance program and poetry group and other activities happening in the building. City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed Library levy for the Aug. 7, 2012 ballot at 2:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Ave.

Where:
The Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 3

Information:
Andra Addison, The Seattle Public Library, 206-386-4103, andra.addison@spl.org
Caroline Ullmann, The Seattle Public Library, 206-615-1627, caroline.ullmann@spl.org

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Back in January, I blogged about the problem of coercive, exploitive prostitution in Seattle.  We documented that 67 individuals acting as pimps had victimized more than 78 girls and women in King County in a 42-month period; the vast majority of the victims were juveniles. Here's a chart that shows each of the cases and their final disposition.  

Well over half of the juvenile victims were exploited through commercial advertising on Backpage.com or other Internet sites. Shame on Village Voice Media and their investors for supporting and encouraging sexual exploitation of our children. 

Jim Larkin serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Village Voice Media, Inc. You can write Mr. Larkin here.

Seattle City Council moves to strengthen Seattle's life sciences industry
Legislation will waive city B&O tax on government research funds

Seattle – The City Council today will introduce legislation (Council Bill 117438) to waive the City's business and occupation tax on government research and development funding of Seattle companies and nonprofit organizations in the growing life sciences sector.

"This legislation recognizes the significance of the life sciences sector and will help it grow in our City," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee. "Research and development funds from the federal and state governments can lead to medical breakthroughs that treat diseases and improve care in Seattle and around the world. Waiving the tax on these funds is smart and compassionate. It will create jobs and save and improve lives."

The life sciences industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the City and the greater region. Between 2007 and the first quarter of 2011, jobs in this sector grew nearly nine percent statewide.

"We appreciate the City's efforts to ensure that Seattle's tax policy supports, not hinders, our efforts to increase jobs and medical research and advancement in Seattle," said Dr. James Hendricks, president of Seattle Children's Research Institute and Chair of the Board of the Downtown Seattle Association. "The life sciences and biotech sectors are big bright spots in Seattle's economy and with this legislation we are well positioned to attract additional government funding and expand medical research."

Government funds helped researchers at Children's validate that a single dose of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine was effective, a finding that essentially doubled the amount of available vaccine since it was originally believed that double dosing was necessary. Government funds are also allowing Kineta, Inc., a Seattle biotech company that advances treatments for autoimmune diseases and viral diseases, to collaborate with scientists at the University of Washington to develop a broadly acting anti-viral drug that may be the future penicillin for viral diseases. It is one of several lines of research for Kineta, which has grown from 8 to 22 employees since 2007.

The Council is moving to clarify the City's tax code after confusion arose last year on whether government funding received by life sciences companies and nonprofit organizations was subject to local taxation.

"Seattle is in the vanguard of biotech innovation and should put every available dollar of these research funds toward improving and saving lives," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "We're fortunate to have so many global health leaders so close."

"In life sciences, government funds are an all-but-essential bridge between basic research and private capital support," said Erik Nilsson, president of Insilicos, a company that conducts biomarker analytics of laboratory data. "Removing the B&O tax on these funds will help startup companies grow past their early, most vulnerable phase."

The proposed bill is the first step in the Council's review of City tax policies to ensure fairness and effectiveness. Further study will focus on steps that simplify business reporting and compliance with the tax code and maintain City services while improving the business climate in Seattle.

The Government Performance and Finance Committee will first consider the life sciences tax waiver legislation at its meeting on Wednesday, April 4, at 9:30 a.m. in Council Chambers.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Feedback sought on proposed Seattle Public Library Levy

SEATTLE – Providing funding stability for the Seattle Public Library is a priority for the City of Seattle. Seattle City Councilmembers invite members of the public to provide their feedback on the proposed Library Levy legislation before the Council. 

WHAT:
Public Hearing on the proposed Library Levy

WHEN:
Tuesday, April 3, 5:30 p.m. (Sign up will open at 5 p.m.)

WHERE:
Council Chambers, second floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

Over the last two years, the Library has involved over 39,000 residents in strategic planning for the Library's future and setting priorities for Library services. In community surveys, focus groups panel discussions, five open houses, and three community meetings, the people of Seattle came together to identify the priorities for the Library's work now and in the future. Please take this opportunity to share your feedback on the proposed seven year Library Levy.

For more information on the proposed Library Levy, please visit the Council's issue page.  The proposed legislation will likely be voted on at the April 9, meeting of the Special Committee on the Library Levy at 2:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Businesses can be a powerful resource in the fight against trafficking. For example, in the area of sex trafficking, cabs, restaurants, bars, hotels and motels, and even retail malls are often locales used by traffickers. Businesses can educate employees about the problem, train employees to identify and report suspicious activity appropriately and make their premises and operations unwelcoming and risky to human traffickers.

The Washington BEST initiative is the latest great example of how Seattle and Washington State continue to be national leaders in the fight against human trafficking. Since 2002, we have passed a number of critical laws to counter this scourge:

• Expanded the definition of criminal profiteering to include human trafficking and adopted criminal penalties for human trafficking.
• Banned sex tourism.
• Established commercial sexual abuse of a minor as a criminal offense with increased penalties for “johns” and the predators who promote the prostitution of children.
• Enabled police, prosecutors and the courts to treat prostituted children as crime victims and divert them out of the criminal justice system.
• Supported police and prosecutors by allowing one-party consent voice recordings in investigating cases involving the commercial sexual abuse of minors.

I am particularly proud that we opened The Bridge in 2010, the only facility in Washington where children who have been sex trafficked receive intensive services in a residential setting. A few weeks ago, the state legislature adopted a ground-breaking bill that prohibits advertisers from knowingly publishing “escort” ads involving minors. It also requires advertisers—including online advertisers like backpage.com—to keep records of the identification used to verify ages of persons in these types of ads.

Finally, the Center for Children and Youth Justice is working in communities across the state to develop victim-centered protocols for first responders, police, the courts, and social service providers that will make Washington a leader in establishing a statewide coordinated response to victims of sex trafficking.

A few cities around the U.S., including Seattle and San Francisco, are trying new on-street parking management techniques to reduce cruising for open parking spaces and ensure one or two available spaces on each block. Today's New York Times has an article about how San Francisco's experiment is going. Just like here in Seattle where Councilmember Mike O'Brien and I led the effort to switch to demand-based parking management, San Francisco's effort shows promise.

Read my earlier posts on better on-street parking management strategies here.

Seattle City Councilmembers Clark, Burgess and Godden nominate PI Globe as official landmark
Hearst Corporation donates Globe to Museum of History & Industry

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Jean Godden and Tim Burgess, Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) Executive Director Leonard Garfield, and the Hearst Corporation today announced plans to forever keep the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Globe in Seattle as a recognized historic landmark.

When the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (PI) newspaper announced its decision to stop the presses and move to an internet-only format in 2009, the three Councilmembers, all former journalists, began working with representatives of Hearst Corporation, MOHAI and the staff of the Landmarks Preservation Board to make sure that the Globe would continue to stay in Seattle as a beloved icon.

Council President Sally J. Clark said, "The PI Globe is like an old friend. Seeing it atop the PI Building not only makes us smile, it also serves as a reminder of the important role that the Post-Intelligencer has played in the history of Seattle and the greater Puget Sound region."

The Globe has been a fixture on Seattle's waterfront on top of the PI Building since it was moved from its original location at Sixth and Wall in 1986.  Hearst Corporation, which owns both the Globe and seattlepi.com, moved most of the pi.com operations to another building last year and does not plan to maintain a long-term presence in the PI Building.

In a letter to Councilmembers Clark, Godden and Burgess, Mark Aldam, president of Hearst Newspapers, thanked the Councilmembers and MOHAI for their work to honor the Globe and celebrated this historic moment in its existence.

"Following the designation of the Globe as a City of Seattle landmark, Hearst will donate the Globe to MOHAI, and MOHAI and the City of Seattle will together work to identify a suitable new home for it," Aldam said. "Hearst is deeply grateful for your dedicated efforts on behalf of the Globe and all it represents, and for the willingness of MOHAI to accept the important role as its new steward."

MOHAI is making plans to refurbish the Globe and to find a new permanent location for it to reside. The Globe will be taken to a temporary storage site for cleaning and maintenance, likely sometime later in 2012.

MOHAI's Executive Director, Leonard Garfield, announced that a campaign will soon be launched to find a new home for the Globe and to fund its restoration and provide for its long-term care. He said, "We thank Hearst for its generous and thoughtful gift. The Globe is one of Seattle's signature icons and we are thrilled that our community will continue to enjoy the Globe for many years to come. We are honored to become the steward of this cherished symbol of Seattle's journalism and our local history."

The City of Seattle is working with MOHAI and Hearst during the transition of ownership, and is in discussions with MOHAI to the Globe to be stored in a former airplane hangar at Magnuson Park during its restoration.

"MOHAI is the perfect caretaker for this historic Seattle icon," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "We will continue to work with Hearst and the museum to find a permanent home for this landmark. It will forever be a reminder of the importance of a free and independent press."

This afternoon the Globe will be nominated for recognition as a landmark. Historian Mimi Sheridan will make the presentation to the Landmarks Preservation Board on behalf of the Councilmembers. The meeting will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Seattle Municipal Tower, Room 4060.

"This is truly a great day for the citizens of Seattle. Today we're not only honoring the iconic globe but also decades of high-caliber journalism. For more than 100 years the P-I has been a trusted source of news and chronicler of life here in the Northwest. On behalf of my colleagues on the Council and the citizens of Seattle I want to say thank you to Hearst Corporation and MOHAI for preserving this wonderful gift to our community," said Councilmember Jean Godden, who worked for the Post-Intelligencer as a reporter and columnist.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to announce update on Seattle Post-Intelligencer Globe
Council working with MOHAI and Landmarks Preservation board to save PI Globe

SEATTLE –  On Wednesday, Seattle City Councilmembers will announce developments in preserving a Seattle treasure, the Seattle PI Globe. Joined by leadership from MOHAI and the Hearst Corporation, Councilmembers will discuss the Globe’s future.

WHAT:
Status update for Seattle Post-Intelligencer Globe preservation

WHEN:
Wednesday, March 7, 11:30 a.m.
                       
WHERE:
Near Seattle City Council Chambers
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Second Floor
Seattle, WA 98104

WHO:
Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Jean Godden
Leonard Garfield, MOHAI Director
Historian Mimi Sheridan
           
For more information view the Seattle PI globe’s landmark preservation application.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council approves implementation strategy for Families and Education Levy
Plan raises the standard of accountability for City-funded programs

Seattle – The Seattle City Council voted unanimously this afternoon to approve the Families and Education Levy Implementation and Evaluation Plan (Council Bill 117395). Through the use of performance-based contracts, competitively awarded investments and required data reporting, the Plan emphasizes accountability and results.

"The Levy has been the City's most effective tool for helping struggling schoolchildren. This legislation strengthens it further," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council committee that reviewed the legislation. "It focuses squarely on student academic achievement and directly links the City's funding awards to student performance."

The Levy is a partnership between the City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools; it has three central goals:

• Promote school readiness and learning;
• Support academic achievement and reduce the academic achievement gap; and
• Prepare high school graduates for college and/or the career of their choice.

Recognizing the importance of an early start, the Levy significantly increases resources for pre-kindergartners and children in elementary school. Furthermore, it will focus on students who are underachieving academically in schools with a large population of students with academic challenges, or in schools with an overall low performance record.

To better integrate Levy resources with existing school efforts, the schools will be asked to identify the strategies or programs that will best align with ongoing work in classrooms. To help schools identify effective resources, the City will develop a list of providers, through a Request for Qualifications process, that have the ability to successfully help children improve academically. Schools may only use providers from that list for their Levy funded strategies.

The Levy was approved by 64% of Seattle voters in November. Programs will receive funding for the school year starting in September. The Families and Education Levy Oversight Committee, appointed in December, will meet monthly to review Levy processes and results.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

While these debates continue, Seattle is purposefully moving forward with an initiative predicated on a fundamental tenet of education reform—that we measure student academic performance and adjust our strategies when performance lags.

This afternoon, the City Council will vote on legislation establishing the implementation and evaluation plan for the Levy. Seattle voters approved this measure by a 64% margin last November, agreeing to tax themselves $232 million over the next seven years to fund special interventions to help the city’s most academically at risk students and schools.

Frankly, the Levy is a radical departure from the status quo in public education. While the argument about linking teacher evaluations to student performance continues, the Levy takes the step of linking funding of our partners (schools and nonprofit organizations) to student performance. The focus is on student academic achievement, not the good intentions of the adults or school administration. At the same time, it does honor the crucial importance of effective teachers, strong principals and family engagement.

The Levy is meticulously managed by the City’s Office for Education, not the School District. Levy funds are awarded on a competitive basis to community-based nonprofit organizations and schools that demonstrate an ability to achieve specific academic improvement targets. Twenty percent of contract dollars are tied directly to achieving outcomes, meaning these funds can be withheld if the desired outcomes are not met. Program interventions that don’t work are canceled.

Levy investment decisions are based on what works to improve student academic achievement. For example, the new Levy will invest much more heavily in pre-kindergarten education and elementary schools since research evidence strongly demonstrates that such early interventions pay huge dividends in student success.

The ultimate goal of the Levy, in partnership with the School District, is that all Seattle schoolchildren will graduate from high school prepared for college or some form of post-secondary career certification.

Some schools in Seattle have consistently failed to provide a quality education to their students. Many of these schools have high concentrations of students living in poverty and students of color. The City is particularly focused on improving these schools. But, the City will not invest in these schools if we have insufficient confidence that the principal and faculty will wisely and effectively use the Levy’s funds.

Recognizing that sometimes new thinking and strategies are needed to address persistent failure, state law allows for “innovation schools” to adopt different governing rules. They have greater flexibility in setting curriculum, extending class periods and school days, and in hiring teachers, as well as a host of other options for modifying standard operations. Over the past two years, as we developed plans for renewal of our city’s Levy, we had the “innovation school” option clearly in mind. The implementation and evaluation plan we will vote on later today is designed to provide significant funding to a few of our weakest schools.

However, on February 15, the School Board approved a memorandum of agreement with the teachers’ union that will govern how and when innovation schools can be utilized in Seattle. Besides changing the name to “creative approach” schools, the agreement requires 80% of a school’s faculty to approve switching to innovation school status. This unusually high threshold will likely be impossible to meet in the very schools our Levy is designed to help.

I fear that as a consequence, only schools already providing a quality education, with stable and unified faculties, will be able to take advantage of the latitude offered by the state’s innovation school provisions. And I fear that for our struggling schools, the 80% threshold will maintain the status quo, blocking them from unique opportunities to implement approaches that help their youngsters succeed. I hope I’m wrong and that our principals and teachers will continue to embrace innovation for the sake of our children.

The new Families and Education Levy is a strong, bold and very necessary tool designed to help those Seattle schoolchildren most in need. Let’s not put obstacles in the way of the Levy or of the schools and students it seeks to serve.

(This post was originally published earlier today at PubliCola.com.)

Seattle City Councilmembers Bagshaw, Burgess and Rasmussen to appear on this month's City Inside/Out: Council Edition
Email your questions now for Seattle City Councilmembers

SEATTLE – What needs to happen to bring NBA and NHL to Seattle? How can residents be involved in this year's budget process? What are the next steps for making Third Avenue safer for residents and visitors? Is the Volunteer Park Conservatory really facing closure? Whatever your questions, submit them now.

This episode of City Inside/Out: Council Edition features Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess and Tom Rasmussen answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by Friday, March 2, at noon.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel
• Simply reply to this email

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the City's lawmakers. Email now and tune in on Tuesday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m. to hear the answers to your questions.

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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

The State House of Representatives unanimously passed ESSB 6251 this afternoon. The Senate passed the bill earlier without dissent. The legislation prohibits knowingly publishing advertisements for a commercial sex act involving a minor and requires that advertisers—including online advertisers like backpage.com—keep records of the identification they use to verify the age of the person depicted in the advertisement or else face prosecution.

The unanimous bipartisan support for this bill signals that local and state policymakers continue to be united in our efforts to stop the horrific violence against children through coercive prostitution.

Read earlier posts on this issue here.

In the fall of 2010, the City Council adopted new on-street parking management policies.

These new policies were designed to (1) keep one or two spaces available on each block in our neighborhood business districts, (2) reduce congestion and environmental harm from cruising for an open space, (3) and shift from a revenue-based orientation to an outcome-based orientation. (I wrote extensively about these new policies when they were being developed.)

Now, there are new concerns that the parking policy changes made in 2010 are adversely impacting businesses, essentially driving customers away. There are specific concerns about the decision to extend pay periods from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in certain neighborhoods. (As a clarification, the Mayor sets the times of day for paid parking; the City Council determines the days of the week.) However, collected occupancy data shows the new policies are working as they were intended.

In the Chinatown-International District, a study of occupancy this past fall by SDOT showed that

"Data collected in September 2011 showed that the new evening parking hours in Chinatown/International District are achieving the intended results.  The City Council approved policy calls for parking spaces to be occupied between 65% and 83% of the time. Parking occupancy at 7:00 PM was measured at 78%, right in the target range of one to two open spaces. Data from our pay stations also shows transactions per day have been consistent in Chinatown/International District since September.  This preliminary data is consistent with data we’ve seen in the other neighborhoods where parking was extended to 8 PM in 2011."

SDOT will soon complete another citywide assessment of parking occupancy and further divide neighborhood parking areas into smaller zones which will allow even more precision in setting meter rates and hours to achieve the desired outcomes. Later this year, we'll all be able to pay on-street parking meter fees by cell phone.

Seattle City Council Government Performance and Finance Committee to hold hearing on Families and Education Levy implementation plan

Seattle – The Seattle City Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee, chaired by Councilmember Tim Burgess, will hold a public hearing on Wednesday to receive comments on the 2012-2018 Families and Education Levy implementation and evaluation plan. The hearing will follow a briefing and discussion of the proposed plan during the committee meeting.

Who:
City Council Government Performance and Finance Committee

What:
Briefing and public hearing on 2012-2018 Families and Education Levy implementation and evaluation plan

When:
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 9:30 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
(View meeting agenda)

Where:
Council Chambers (600 Fourth Ave, 2nd Floor)

In November 2011, Seattle voters approved by 64 percent a $231.6 million levy to provide education support services  in order to improve academic achievement in public schools. This is the fourth Families & Education Levy passed in the City of Seattle.

The implementation and evaluation plan sets out the criteria, methodology and required program outcomes for the Levy investment areas.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council establishes Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
Coordinated efforts will provide easier to use services to immigrant and refugee communities

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today approved 7-0 Council Bill 117394 establishing the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs as an executive department. By creating one location for immigrant and refugee services, this office will coordinate the City's efforts in reaching and providing services to immigrant and refugee communities.

"The City of Seattle has better invested in the way we serve all residents – including immigrants and refugees," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the committee that will oversee the new Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. "This new office will improve how the City integrates new immigrants and refugees into the civic life of Seattle, as well as help all residents benefit from the diversity of immigrant and refugee cultures. It will be mutually beneficial to all."

The bill recognizes Seattle is home to many immigrant and refugee communities and that language and cultural barriers can compromise equal access to government services and programs. These barriers combined with the complex nature of issues that impact immigrant and refugee communities, resulted in this Council action to strengthen the relationship between government and these communities.

"Immigrant and refugee communities contribute to the vitality of Seattle in countless ways, but they can also have trouble accessing city services," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "The Council created this office because we saw the need to provide a more coordinated welcome to these individuals and families."

"The Immigrant and Refugee Commission is excited about the new City of Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.  Seattle's Immigrants and refugees have quickly become part of the city's economic life, from the bustling International District downtown to the polyglot scene that is the South East, the most diverse zip code in the nation," said co-chair Devon Abdallah. "What a great way to show commitment to continue to advocate for immigrant and refugees," said co-chair Jesus Rodriguez.  "We are looking forward to having an office coordinating efforts across City departments and a central point of contact for individuals requiring City assistance."

"I am thrilled that we were able to create an office that will reach out to newcomers and serve as a one-stop place to access information and services," stated Councilmember Jean Godden.

"The Office will make city government more accessible and responsive to Seattle's immigrant and refugee communities, which now represent 17 percent of the City's population," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "I look forward to working with the new office to better include these communities, our newest residents, in our civic process and life."

"OneAmerica applauds the Council's leadership in creating this office which will help streamline access to services and create innovative ways to recognize and encourage immigrant and refugee communities to participate in city life. The office also provides a clear signal that city government values the input and contribution made by immigrant communities," said OneAmerica Executive Director, Pramila Jayapal.

The bill also renames the Immigrant and Refugee Advisory Board to the Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission.  The Seattle City Council created the Immigrant and Refugee Advisory Board and developed an Immigrant and Refugee Action Plan in 2007. The Immigrant and Refugee Commission will work with the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative to integrate principles of social justice and ensure consistency with the Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

So, we invited the City departments that report to our Committee to give Ignite presentations about their work.  Take a look and see what you think: 

• City Budget Office
• Finance and Administrative Services
• Personnel
• Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System
• Office of City Auditor
• Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission
• Office for Education

The protection of view corridors to and from Roosevelt High School is especially important and we achieved that with today's vote. After this bill passed out of committee, neighborhood representatives met with the developer and made a joint proposal for further setbacks to protect views, which the Council adopted in its final legislation. Under existing zoning across from the school, a builder could build a 40 foot high structure from lot line to lot line, essentially blocking all of the views to and from the school. Our final legislation, while allowing some higher height, opens up and protects views from 15th Avenue Northeast and along 14th Avenue Northeast.  (Because the blocks across from the school are not level actual building heights are guided by alternative measurement methods.  Review potential heights in this illustration.)

There is much in the legislation the neighborhood can be proud of and pleased with. The rezone package prepares Roosevelt for the changes that will inevitably come with the arrival of light rail. It will create attractive, pedestrian-friendly green streets, allow for more affordable housing for individuals and families and encourage the growth of a vibrant neighborhood business district.  

What we adopted today is a pro-neighborhood package of changes and incentives that will achieve the core values identified by the neighborhood, advance our city’s concentrated density strategy and lead to a family-friendly quality of life for the residents, students and workers of the Roosevelt neighborhood.

You can read my blog post explaining my vote for this legislation in committee here.

By the way, I went out to Roosevelt last night and walked and drove around the neighborhood, then had dinner at Pies & Pints on Northeast 65th Street. Great food! Check it out.

Nicholas Kristof wrote an illuminating article yesterday in The New York Times that described how the Internet has become the primary marketing tool of those who "sell" young women for profit.  It's not a topic we will likely raise at dinner tonight, that's for sure.  But, the commercial sexual exploitation of our children demands moral clarity and a keen focus.

So what are the facts of sex trafficking in our region?

Yesterday, my office completed a compilation and review of criminal prosecutions in Seattle-King County over a 42-month period ending in August 2011.  We found that 67 offenders had been charged and prosecuted over the 42 months.  These 67 individuals had victimized more than 78 girls and women in King County.

We have gathered together key documents from these cases in one place so the public can gain a sense of the psychological abuse and violence committed against these women. As a warning, the documents contain graphic and disturbing information. Details on the cases and links to the case stories are available in this table.

The remarks I will be sharing with our legislators this afternoon follow the jump. 

Good afternoon, Senators.  Human trafficking, including the sexual exploitation of children, is a difficult topic. It demands moral clarity, careful examination, and the kind of bipartisan purposefulness you have demonstrated in your sponsorship of the package of bills you have under consideration.

Nearly 10 years ago, the Washington State Legislature led the nation in passing laws to criminalize human trafficking, but unfortunately the problem persists and is growing. There are some, however, who don’t believe we have a problem and accuse us of exaggerating and sensationalizing, so we set out to get the facts.

Yesterday, my office completed compilation and review of a select set of criminal prosecutions in Seattle-King County involving some of the most serious offenses related to human trafficking—commercial sexual abuse of a minor, promoting prostitution in the first degree, rape of a child in the first degree and sex trafficking.    We examined prosecutions stretching over a 42-month period ending last August. It is all documented in these notebooks I will leave with you. 

Here’s what we found.  Sixty-seven offenders were charged and prosecuted by the King County Prosecuting Attorney in this 42-month period.  These 67 offenders victimized more than 78 girls and women.

There is a common practice or pattern running through all of these cases—debilitating psychological abuse, threats of violence and acts of violence against each of the victims to destroy their self-respect and instill pervasive fear, all for the purpose of keeping the victims trapped in prostitution. This entrapment means they can be sold over and over again, providing a lucrative business for their pimps.

About 30% of the victims in these cases were 18 or older. Most were juveniles—many 16 or 17 years old, but a sizeable number as young as 13, 14 or 15.  Nearly 60% of the juvenile victims were exploited through commercial advertising on backpage.com or other Internet sites.   

Included in these notebooks for each case is the sworn “certification for determination of probable cause.” I encourage you to read a few of these. They document the pattern of abusive and violent behavior that is routinely used to keep victims in submission. What you’ll read is chilling. The legal terms we use for these offenses, like “commercial sexual abuse of a minor,” only hint at the stark and bitter truth of what these victims live with on a daily basis. 

Their suffering demands our attention and action. These girls and women are modern day slaves.  

Remember, these extreme crimes are not limited to my city and county.  There are similar cases across our state in Snohomish, Pierce, Spokane and Yakima counties. The extent to which these crimes are occurring in our communities is shocking and sobering

I join with Mayor McGinn, Chief Pugel, and the others who have come to the capitol today to support your bipartisan efforts to stop this exploitation. Please act quickly to put an end to the commercial sexual exploitation of our children through online advertising. Increase fees and require mandatory restitution by offenders. And let’s help the victims vacate their prostitution convictions more quickly and collect damages from those who exploited them.

Please provide our police officers, prosecutors and judges the additional tools and authority they need to arrest and penalize those who prey on the vulnerable.

Join your Seattle elected officials at Saturday's City Hall Open House
Office tours and civic education available for visitors

SEATTLE – Mayor Mike McGinn, City Attorney Pete Holmes and members of the Seattle City Council invite residents to City Hall this Saturday for a day of Seattle-centric festivities.

City Hall Open House
Saturday, January 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
(enter on Fifth Avenue)

The open house will include tours of the Mayor's Office, City Council offices, and Office of Intergovernmental Relations, a Q&A with Mayor Mike McGinn, and workshops on the legislative process and interpreting credit reports. All departments will be on-hand to answer resident questions and provide information on City-sponsored programs. City Attorney Pete Holmes will be present along with the four new police Precinct Liaisons. The Seattle Animal Shelter will have adoptable animals available at their booth.

Details are as follows:

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.      

City Hall open for visitors, department tabling

City Council offices available for self-guided tours
(Second floor)

Pai's food truck available on Fifth Avenue

Pike Place Farmer's Market available on Fifth Avenue

"How a bill becomes a law" civic education exhibit
(Council Chambers, second floor)

10:15 a.m.                

Remarks by Council President Sally J. Clark
(Bertha Knight Landes Room, first floor)

10:20 – 11:15 a.m.  

Q & A with Mayor Mike McGinn
(Bertha Knight Landes Room, first floor)

11:15 a.m.

Mayor's Honor Song, Arlie Nakeshi, Native American
(Bertha Knight Landes Room, first floor)

12:00 – 12:30 p.m.  How a bill becomes a law workshop
(Council Chambers, second floor)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.     Financial Empowerment Workshop: Unraveling the mysteries of credit reports/scores by Becky House, American Financial Solutions, a member of the Seattle-King County Asset Building Collaborative
(Floor L2, Room L280)

The following local musical acts will perform from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.:

• The Fred Hoadley Trio (Latin Jazz; lobby)
• Arlie Neskahi and Eagle's Jump (Native American Music; seventh floor lobby)

The Farmer's Market on Fifth Avenue will include the following local vendors:

• Martin Family Orchards (apples)
• Sidhu Farms (frozen berries, honey, jam)
• Full Circle Farms (organic winter vegetables)
• Garden Flowers (pickled beets and winter vegetables)
• Alm Hill Gardens (fresh tulips)
• Sammamish Valley Farm (dried flowers and winter vegetables)
• Neng Farm (dried flowers and winter vegetables)
• Xai Cha Farm (dried flowers and winter vegetables)

For more information on tomorrow's Open House, visit www.seattle.gov.

Seattle City Council approves marriage equality resolution
Councilmembers unanimously support state legislative efforts

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today unanimously approved Resolution 31356 declaring full support of state-wide marriage equality, urging the Washington State Legislature to swiftly pass Senate Bill 6239. This bill is explicitly intended to end discrimination in marriage based on gender and sexual orientation, while respecting the religious freedom of religious institutions to determine for whom to perform marriage ceremonies.

"I'm sure it's no surprise that the Seattle City Council favors marriage equality," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "We've long been on record in support, and many of my colleagues and I have actively lobbied for the cause. It's heartening to hear the legislature has the support to turn the measure into law."

"As chair of the committee that oversees Seattle's Office for Civil Rights, I wish to thank the members of the Washington State Senate, House of Representatives, and Gov. Gregoire on fighting for marriage equality in our state," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "Families come in many forms and all families in our city and state should enjoy equal rights and opportunities.  We all benefit from an environment that promotes equality."

The Council resolution also recognizes that all people are created equal and should be treated as such by their government and provides a formal declaration of support to the state legislature and Gov. Gregoire.

"I'm thrilled to support this resolution urging State Legislators to take the final step toward marriage equality. It's about time we lived in a state which recognizes everyone's equal rights under the law," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

"It's long past time for all people in same-sex relationships to be allowed to marry. Washington's 'everything but marriage' law has served its purpose yet I'm glad that many agree that it still falls short of what right and fair," stated Councilmember Nick Licata. 

"The elected leadership of Seattle stands united in support of the marriage equality legislation," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "Washington should no longer make distinctions based on sexual orientation. I encourage my colleagues and friends in the state legislature to pass this bill."

In February 1997, the City of Seattle adopted Resolution 29535 opposing discrimination against same-sex couples in Washington State and supporting legal recognition of civil marriages for same-sex couples. Supporting marriage equality is also in the City of Seattle's 2012 state legislative agenda.

"I am so pleased this day has come," stated Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.

"If two people are ready to commit to spend their lives together, they should have the option to get married," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "Marriage equality is the civil rights issue of our day, and I fully believe we must grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights and privileges before the state as straight couples."

"As a licensed officiant, I look forward to the opportunity to celebrate and perform wedding ceremonies as soon as this legislation is approved and I can legally sign the papers," added Councilmember Richard Conlin. "Let's make it happen!"

"The City of Seattle has long prided itself on its commitment to equality and diversity. Marriage equality should be afforded to all consenting people," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "Equality and fairness is good for people and business, and marriage equality will make Washington state more attractive to those who would move here. I applaud the efforts of Gov. Gregoire and the Legislature to pass these bills in this session.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

First, Judy Lightfoot, writing over at Crosscut.com, makes the case for SPD's Crisis Intervention Team and the hundreds of officers with advanced training for dealing with people with mental health challenges.  It's a good piece that showcases the exemplary work done every day by Seattle police officers.

Second, when you think of Central Park in New York City do you shudder and think of runaway crime and disorder?  Would you walk your dog or jog in Central Park after dark?

You may be surprised by what's happened in Central Park in recent years.  A couple of weeks ago, The New York Times reported on a nearly crime-free Central Park.  Smart policing can produce amazing results; it proves that urban crime is not something we must shrug our shoulders over and accept.

And here's another believe it or not factoid out of New York City.  The High Line, an elevated park extending over a mile and designed by James Corner—the same urban designer working on our central waterfront—has been crime free since it opened two-and-a-half years ago.  Crime free!  There hasn't been one reported major crime on the High Line. (Seattle will begin work later this year on our ground-level version of the High Line on Bell Street between Fifth Avenue and First Avenue in Belltown.)

Criminologist Franklin Zimring argues in his new book, The City That Became Safe, that the long-held belief that large urban cities will always have a minimum threshold level of crime is false. He says New York City's experience since 1991—they have eliminated 80% of major crime—proves that smart policing can produce amazing results, even in areas where crime has flourished for years. It will be difficult and require intense focus, but we can do the same here in Seattle.

Local elected officials highlight solutions to region's human trafficking problem

SEATTLE – King County Councilmember Jane Hague, Port of Seattle Commissioner Gael Tarleton, Mayor Mike McGinn, City Attorney Pete Holmes, and Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess today recognized national Human Trafficking Awareness Day by joining together with community advocates and law enforcement leaders to announce new tools and solutions to prevent human trafficking locally.  

"Sexual exploitation, forced labor, and other forms of human trafficking will not be tolerated here, and I applaud these new strategies to prevent modern-day forms of slavery," said King County Executive Dow Constantine.

"As a major trade center, our region is a natural staging area for human trafficking," said Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chair Jane Hague.  "I am very proud of the work that King County has done to help eliminate this dehumanizing crime, including the first successful prosecution in Washington State.  It is critical that we continue to shine a light on this issue, and work together with other local governments to increase the pressure on offenders."

"Prosecutors and police see the damage of human trafficking every day on the streets of our community. State and local governments are recognizing the problem and giving law enforcement new tools to combat human trafficking, particularly in the area of the sexual exploitation of minors. We can and should do more to protect our children from those who would abuse them for profit," said Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Sean O'Donnell.    

"A strong coalition is already working together to eradicate trafficking," said Port of Seattle Commission President Gael Tarleton. "But we can't do it alone, and that's why we hope to educate the millions of passengers who pass through the airport each year about this crime and recruit them, as partners in the fight."

"A critical tactic for fighting human trafficking is raising the public's awareness of the issue," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "Exploiting people for any reason – whether it be for sex, labor or profit – is unacceptable in this city. That's why I will continue to work with my fellow elected officials and law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors this month in Washington D.C., to protect Seattle from this violation of basic human rights."

"My office, in collaboration with the Seattle Police Department (SPD), is already reallocating existing resources to attack the demand side of the sex industry, said Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes. "Where SPD typically referred – and we prosecuted – female prostitutes and male johns at roughly a 60-40 ratio, we are seeking to reverse that ratio. Prostitutes are more often than not victims, and in most instances, Seattle Community Court will be an option for them, coupled with appropriate services. Johns will not have this option, and even first timers will face prosecution and tougher sentencing."

"Our state has made significant progress in the fight against sex trafficking and we can all take pride in what has been accomplished in the last few years," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "More needs to be done—and I'm pleased that more is being done—to help the victims of these crimes."

"It is critical to the work of service providers and law enforcement and, most importantly, to the identification of victims, that the community recognize and understand human trafficking in all its forms," said Jaimie Driscoll a spokesperson for the Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network (WARN).  "WARN thanks the King County Council, the City of Seattle, and the Port, for their work in bringing awareness of human trafficking to its constituency and for its recognition of local efforts to combat trafficking in Washington State."

Earlier this week, King County, the Port of Seattle, and the City of Seattle each brought awareness to the issue of human trafficking by issuing proclamations. 

Read the King County Council proclamation here.

Read the Port of Seattle proclamation here.

Read the City of Seattle proclamation here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

King County, Seattle, Port promote awareness of human trafficking
Agencies will hold event tomorrow to highlight regional solutions

SEATTLE – In advance of Human Trafficking Awareness Day, recognized nationally on January 11, the King County Council, Port of Seattle Commission, and Seattle City Council passed recent legislation to shine a spotlight on the horrific problem of human trafficking. 

 "In Washington, we can be proud that we were the first state in the union to criminalize human trafficking, and King County successfully prosecuted the state's first human trafficking case." said King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert, who co-sponsored the County proclamation. "The unique partnerships we have been able to create here are making a difference by strengthening tools for law enforcement and the courts to help protect immigrants and teens from being forced into servitude and prostitution, as well as increasing penalties for convicted traffickers."

As many as 17,500 people are trafficked annually into the United States.  Mostly women and children, these individuals endure forced labor, sexual exploitation, debt bondage, and forced marriages – prison terms that have no end date and no hope for release.

"Our borders should always be open to trade and tourism, but they should never be open to human trafficking," said Port of Seattle Commission President Gael Tarleton. 

By working together, the three agencies, along with local and federal law enforcement partners, hope to increase awareness of this terrible issue – and with that awareness, heighten both reporting of activities and conviction of those who benefit from the misery of others.

"Human trafficking is a grave issue that thousands of people face in our State. It requires broad partnership across jurisdictions and I'm proud of the statement we are making together with this proclamation," noted Seattle City Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

"Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery and needs to be eradicated permanently," said King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn. "It's important that we increase public awareness of the warning signs and heal the victims."
Human Trafficking Awareness Day is Wednesday, January 11, and the three agencies will be joined by community and law enforcement leaders to announce new tools for both law enforcement officials and citizens and unveil solutions to prevent this modern-day slavery.  The event will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Seattle City Hall.

Read the King County Council proclamation here.

Read the Port of Seattle proclamation here.

Read the City of Seattle proclamation here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council debuts new homepage
New design easier to navigate

SEATTLE – Along with confirming their new 2012-2013 Council President and committee assignments, the Seattle City Council today introduced a new seattle.gov/council/ homepage. The homepage also features the Council's newly-released 2011 annual report.

The new homepage design utilizes components of the new seattle.gov look and feel in an effort to better convey legislative information to Seattleites.  Along with highlighting Council's initiatives and legislation, the homepage features RSS feeds of the calendar and the Council Connections blog, links to issue-specific pages and the Councilmember's 2012 individual and group photos. 

The Council Connections blog is more prominently featured on the homepage and is the one-stop-shop for news and updates from the Council.  This aggregator site includes Councilmember blog posts, Council-issued news releases and information from the City Clerk's office.  Found on the homepage, this feature is also accessible here.

Of note to media outlets, the 2012 individual and group Councilmember photos are available in the Council newsroom. 

For more information on the 2012 committee assignments or to sign up to receive agendas, visit here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to focus on economic recovery in 2012
Sally J. Clark confirmed as Council President, Councilmembers take oath of office

SEATTLE – Led by newly sworn in president Sally J. Clark, the Seattle City Council reaffirmed their commitment to economic recovery and strengthening regional partnerships at today's swearing in ceremony. Returning Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Jean Godden, Bruce Harrell, and Tom Rasmussen were sworn in today in the traditional Oath of Office ceremony.

Family, friends and colleagues filled the Seattle City Council chambers to celebrate new local government leadership. Each elected official was sworn in by someone of their choice and gave brief remarks.

This year the Council's focus is all about resilience; about taking big and small actions to keep Seattle working. Seattle, like most cities across the United States, labors to provide services and meet public obligations. This will be another year of budget cuts and lay-offs, but there's much that city government can and must do to stoke business and individual success.

As new Council President, Sally J. Clark stated, "We are a Council committed to seeing Seattle through this economic downturn by collaborating with other regional governments, streamlining licenses and permits, and following through on capital projects and infrastructure needed by business and residents."

"I would like to thank the voters of Seattle for their strong support and trust in reelecting me to the City Council," said Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.  "This is a time of extraordinary opportunity for Seattle.  I am excited to be working for the great future that we have before us."

"This year, my colleagues and I will move Seattle forward by reimagining and reshaping our waterfront, building strong relationships with our regional partners , and working to ensure Seattle Public Utilities continues to deliver excellent service at affordable rates," added Councilmember Jean Godden.

"I am grateful and energized to start a new term in office in charge of a new committee," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "In a time of continued budget difficulties, we will work collaboratively with the Mayor, City employees and the public to raise the performance of City departments, strengthen accountability and increase citizen access to government."

Councilmember Bruce Harrell said, "I am honored that the people of Seattle re-elected me to serve another term on the City Council. I am excited about the coming year, addressing the Department of Justice's report of the Seattle Police Department and the opportunities that chairing the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology committee will bring."

"This year, parks and neighborhoods are joining forces in one committee, said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This is a natural fit as parks improve quality of life in our neighborhoods and help to build community.  I look forward to continuing to work with neighbors across the city to make our parks, roads, sidewalks safe and accessible to all."

"Sally Clark will be a great Council President," stated outgoing Council President Richard Conlin. "I am looking forward to the work on planning and land use issues.  I am confident that 2012 will be another successful and productive for this Council."

"I congratulate my colleagues for their reelections," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "In my new role as Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee I look forward to continue exploring opportunities to help Seattle meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050."

Today's inauguration ceremony served as an opportunity for the public to witness and participate in their government. The ceremony was broadcast live on the Seattle Channel and can be viewed here.

For more information on the 2012 committee assignments or to sign up to receive agendas, visit here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

I've learned a lot over the last four years.  We've accomplished a lot, too.  But one important area where I don't believe we've made as much progress as we should have is in reforming the culture of our Police Department.  I've written about this before here and here.  We also have not effectively wrestled with and abated the persistent and extremely corrosive street crime and disorder that plagues some of our neighborhood business districts. 

As a summation of my work on the public safety committee, I've compiled my thoughts on these two major challenges in a policy essay.  My hope is this paper will spark needed discussions among and between policymakers, law enforcement officers and concerned citizens about the best way we can work together to make our city safer. Please take some time to read it and let me know how you react to these ideas.

Seattle City Council to hold inaugural ceremony
Council to confirm president, newly-elected Councilmembers and committees on Monday

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Council will hold the Oath of Office ceremony and vote on new council committees, established by Resolution 31350 at the Full Council meeting, Monday, January 9, at 2 p.m. The next Council President will also be confirmed at this time. A reception will be held in the Bertha Knight Landes room after Full Council adjourns.

WHAT:
Oath of Office, confirmation of Council President and 2012 committee assignments
Reception following

WHEN:
Monday, January 9th, 2 p.m.

WHERE:
Seattle City Council Chambers
600 4th Avenue, 2nd Floor
Seattle, WA 98104

WHO:
Seattle City Councilmembers

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.