On Monday, November 25, the Council adopted the 2014 Seattle budget. The budget includes a number of Council initiatives, in public safety, human services, and developing the new universal pre-school program. I was able to secure funding for a number of important projects, and was happy to join in the unanimous vote to approve the […]
Month: November 2013
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Cops, Kids and Housing
The following article was sent out in my City View Newsletter, which you can sign up to receive here. Yesterday afternoon the Council unanimously approved the City’s 2014 budget. Many changes lay ahead for your City government (a new mayor,...
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2014 Budget Review Wrap Up
Thank you to everyone who shared thoughts about budget priorities this fall. At its best the City budget is a reflection of our priorities and, often, our compromises with each other as we determine how to spend a finite amount of money. Yesterday we took final votes on the City budget for 2014. When you […]
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Ping Pong Pals
Once upon a time, there was a table tennis league operating in the basement of the old Public Safety Building...until the building was demolished in 2005.
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Councilmember Burgess’ statement on final passage of 2014 budget
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/25/2013
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Burgess' statement on final passage of 2014 budget
SEATTLE - City Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council's Budget Committee, issued the following statement tod...
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Crisis in Bus Service Funding, Continued
The crisis in bus service funding I wrote about earlier this year has not been resolved. King County Metro continues to face an annual shortfall of $75 million beginning in mid-2014. If new funding is not attained, service will need to be cut at that time. Metro released proposed service cuts in the event new […]
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MARRIAGE EQUALITY AFFIRMED AT SUCCESSFUL NLC CONFERENCE
The business meeting of the National League of Cities (NLC) was the concluding event at last week’s annual conference, which we hosted in Seattle this year. The business meeting approves policy positions that comprise the legislative platform for NLC, and also elects the new officers for the coming year. A key highlight in the policy […]
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Danish Ambassador to Discuss Future Climate Neutral Collaborative with Washington
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/21/2013
Councilmember Mike O’Brien
Danish Ambassador to Discuss Future
Climate Neutral Collaborative with Washington
SEATTLE - The Danish Ambassador to the United States will present a vision for a "Climate Neutral Collaborative" between Washington State and Denmark this Friday at City Hall. Friday’s meeting brings together the top renewable and sustainable energy leaders from Washington State and Denmark together to pool their ideas and resources to move the state and the country toward the goal of being climate neutral by 2050.
Councilmember Mike O’Brien will discuss the potential for a partnership between Seattle and Copenhagen.
WHO:
Peter Taksoe-Jensen, Danish Ambassador to the United States
Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien
Patricia Chase, i-SUSTAIN
Mark Schleck, Scan|Design Foundation
Leaders in the fields of renewable and sustainable energy
WHAT:
Presentation on a proposed "Climate Neutral Collaborative" between Washington State and Denmark
WHEN:
Friday, November 19, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Seattle City Hall
Bertha Knight Landes Room, first floor
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104
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We Can’t Wait Part 2
You may know that I have been seeking to increase shelter capacity for several years now, with a specific focus on unsheltered families with children beginning in 2011. You can read more about those past efforts here. As a part of this year’s budget process, the Council voted Monday to fund new shelter capacity for […]
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13th Year Promise Scholarship expanding to Rainier Beach High School
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/20/2013
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
13th Year Promise Scholarship expanding to
Rainier Beach High School
SEATTLE - South Seattle Community College announced today the expansion of the 13th Year Promise Scholarship to Rainier Beach High School. The 13th Year Promise Scholarship guarantees that every graduate can attend South Seattle Community College tuition-free in their first year. The 13th Year Promise Scholarship program started with Cleveland High School in 2008 and expanded to Chief Sealth International High School in 2011. Nearly one-third of all graduates from these two schools have attended college thanks to the program.
The special announcement was made earlier today as a surprise to high school seniors at Rainier Beach. South Seattle Community College President Gary Oertli, South Foundation Chair Gene Colin, and Rainier Beach High School Principal Dwane Chapelle were joined by Councilmember Bruce Harrell and Council President Sally J. Clark in the announcement.
"Every child in Seattle should be provided the opportunity to go to college after high school," said Councilmember Harrell. "I want our youth to be empowered to see opportunity beyond high school, have the confidence to obtain higher education and earn living wage jobs."
"The 13th Year Promise Scholarship inspires high school students who might have given up on the idea of going to college to think again," said Council President Clark. "The program has made a difference in the lives of scores of students from Cleveland and Chief Sealth high schools. I’m excited the program is expanding to Rainier Beach."
By 2020, 75 percent of living wage jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, whether at two and four-year colleges, trade or technical schools. More than a quarter of Seattle’s high school graduates don’t go on to college in the year after they graduate. Fifty-percent of 13th Year students said they would not have attended college if not for the 13th Year Promise Scholarship. At Cleveland High School, the on-time graduation rate has increased from 44.5% in 2007-2008 to 76% in 2012.
The 13th Year Promise Scholarship program is funded from the South Seattle Community College Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3), through a combination of financial aid and private philanthropic donations.