Council President Bruce Harrell (District 2, South Seattle) today announced the establishment of a Select Committee on Homelessness and Housing Affordability. Select Committees are created by the Council President and comprised of all nine Councilmembers to comprehensively and effectively conduct the business of the Council, as outlined by Council Rules (SECT. VII) Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw...
Council Honors Activist Alan Sugiyama through Street Naming
The City Council passed Resolution 31827 today to honor the legacy of community activist Alan “Al” Sugiyama. 15th Avenue South between South Nevada Street and South Columbian Way will have an honorary designation of “Alan Sugiyama Way.” Mr. Sugiyama, a life-long Seattle resident, community activist, and educator lived over 40 years in the Beacon Hill...
Select Committee on Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Move $637.8 Million Education Levy to Full Council
The Select Committee on Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy unanimously voted to advance to Full Council a proposed ordinance to continue the City of Seattle’s investments across the education spectrum. If approved, the levy will expand quality preschool classrooms, continue investments in K-12, and establish tuition subsidies and support for college or post-secondary job...
Council President Harrell Schedules Special City Council Meeting to Consider Repealing Employee Hours Tax
Council President Bruce Harrell has scheduled a Special City Council meeting for Tuesday, June 12, and will sponsor legislation that repeals the Employee Hours Tax Legislation. A City Council vote is expected to occur during the special meeting. The legislation will repeal Ordinance 125578, passed on May 14, 2018 and signed by the Mayor on...
Seattle Council Passes Tax on Business to Help Address Homelessness
Following more than five months of deliberation, the Seattle City Council passed an ordinance related to taxation, intended to help address homelessness. The amended proposal establishes an annual tax of $275 per full time employee on the City’s largest businesses, those with revenues of more than $20 million (about 3% of all businesses). The measure...
Council President Harrell’s Statement on the Passing of Rev. Dr. Samuel Berry McKinney
Council President Bruce A. Harrell (District 2 – South Seattle) released the following statement after receiving word of the passing of Rev. Dr. Samuel Berry McKinney: “Seattle lost a great leader today with the passage of Rev. Dr. Samuel Berry McKinney. I’ve always known Rev. McKinney as a person who uplifted others and worked tirelessly to advance...
City Council’s Statement on ICE Targeting Immigrant Rights Activist Maru Mora-Villalpando
New Americans Committee Chair M. Lorena Gonzalez and Vice Chair Teresa Mosqueda issued the following statement jointly with all nine members of the Seattle City Council in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s initiation of deportation proceedings against immigrant rights activist, Maru Mora-Villalpando: “We, members of the Seattle City Council, are angered that Seattle’s office of Immigration...
Council Sets 2018-19 Committee Assignments
The Seattle City Council today adopted Resolution 31789 establishing committee assignments for 2018 and 2019. Each Councilmember is responsible for chairing a Council committee and managing legislation related to the committee’s respective subjects. In addition, each Councilmember serves as vice chair, member and alternate on three additional committees. Councilmembers elected Council President Harrell to continue...
Council Approves Unprecedented Agreement to Redevelop KeyArena
SEATTLE – Council today authorized Mayor Jenny A. Durkan to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Oak View Group (OVG) to redevelop KeyArena into a world-class multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena. The legally binding agreement commits OVG to project costs, including all project overruns, $40 million in neighborhood transportation improvements, and a bevy of...
Harrell, O’Brien Announce Updates to Community-led Forum, Council Vacancy Schedule
SEATTLE – Council President Bruce Harrell (District 2, South Seattle) and Councilmember Mike O’Brien (District 6, Northwest Seattle) announced updated dates for the community forum as part of a process to fill the vacancy in Council Position 8. During today’s Full Council meeting, Council formally endorsed the 20-day vacancy process through Resolution 31778. At the...