On Monday, June 10, the Council unanimously approved the First Quarter Supplemental to the 2013 Budget. As the title suggests, we amend the approved budget four times during the year, to correct errors, add expenditures for priorities that have emerged since the budget was approved, and/or make cuts if revenues are coming in below target. [...]
Month: June 2013
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33 Years with SIFF – Honoring Deborah Person
The recently "retired" Managing Director of the Seattle International Film Festival was honored today with a joint Mayor-Council proclamation.
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Supporting a Second Chance
While attending an event this weekend, a long time friend and business owner approached me and said “I cannot understand why you people (viz: Seattle City Councilmembers) insist on passing laws that make it harder to do business in this city.” He was referring to the Job Assistance Legislation, C.B. 117796, which passed out of […]
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Action Summary, Monday 6/10/13
The following is a summation of Council actions at today’s 2 p.m. Full Council meeting PUBLIC SAFETY, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE: 1. Council Bill 117796 (PDF Version) PASS AS AMENDED (9 – 0) Seeking to increase public safety and job assistance through reducing criminal recidivism and enhancing positive reentries to society by prohibiting certain [...]
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Council expands access to healthy food for food stamp enrollees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/10/2013
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Council expands access to healthy food for food stamp enrollees
Seattle - Seattle City Council adopted a budget amendment to add funding to the Fresh Bucks program today, which doubles the value of food stamp benefits when used to purchase fresh food at Seattle farmers markets. The Fresh Bucks program began as a pilot project in 2012, serving only 7 farmers markets in Seattle. With the additional funding from the City, along with funding from JP Morgan Chase and the Seattle Foundation, Fresh Bucks will expand to all of Seattle's farmers markets.
"Many low-income people would like to purchase healthy food options, but costs can be prohibitive. Fresh Bucks puts fresh fruit and vegetables on the dinner table, while supporting local farmers," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, sponsor of the budget amendment.
According to Fresh Bucks, the 2012 pilot helped nearly 1,500 low-income shoppers, including 900 who had never shopped at farmers markets before. The leveraging of food stamp value, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), resulted in 81% of survey respondents that Fresh Bucks made a difference in their families' diets.
Councilmember Richard Conlin sponsored the budget amendment to add $50,000 to the Fresh Bucks program.
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Seattle City Council Passes Job Assistance Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/10/2013
Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
Seattle City Council Passes Job Assistance Bill
Legislation to increase public safety and improve access to jobs
Seattle - Seattle City Council unanimously passed the Job Assistance ...
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Funding Approved to Reduce Gun Violence in Seattle
Today the City Council approved a supplement to our 2013 budget that includes two innovative measures I proposed to increase gun safety and reduce violence in Seattle: (1) A one-time investment of $153,000 to University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center...
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Seattle City Council Introduction and Referral Calendar, June 10, 2013
BY BURGESS 1. C.B. 117800 AN ORDINANCE appropriating money to pay certain audited claims and ordering the payment thereof. Committee referral: Full Council BY BAGSHAW 2. C.B. 117801 AN ORDINANCE relating to the Washington Park Arboretum; approving the execution of a mitigation agreement among the Washington State Department of Transportation, the University of [...]
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Urban Politics #338: Job Assistance Legislation – Giving People a Second Chance
Seattle joins Hawaii, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Newark, New Jersey and Minnesota as having enacted some version of a “ban the box” law for private employers.
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Seattle Public Library Sets World Record
To kick off the Seattle Public Library's summer reading program, two college students worked with the Library to set a world record for the longest book domino chain: 2,131 books! The three-minute video is a must watch.