The Council voted today on 81 separate budget actions to compile our final, balanced budget package. Here is the press release with quotes from all nine councilmembers.
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.