FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/29/2014
Sawant to Host Budget Town Hall for the People
SEATTLE – Councilmember Kshama Sawant will host a People’s Budget Town Hall this Thursday evening and be joined by representatives from the King County Labor Council, Casa Latina, the Low Income Housing Institute, the Transit Riders Union, Seattle Displacement Coalition, Washington Federation of State Employees Local 304, Puget Sound Advocates for Retired Action (PSARA), 15 Now, Socialist Alternative and others.
The People’s Budget Town Hall is intended for ordinary people and community organizations to provide public testimony and identify what they require from the City budget process to ensure their most basic needs are met. The People’s Budget Town Hall will include presentations from coalition members on critical needs such as affordable housing, mass transit and social support.
WHAT:
People’s Budget Town Hall hosted by Councilmember Kshama Sawant
WHERE:
Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers
600 Fourth Ave, 2nd Floor
Seattle, WA 98104
WHEN:
Thursday, October 30, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
WHO:
Councilmembers are invited to participate and members of the public are encouraged to attend
Note — Somali language interpreters, assisted listening devices and childcare providers are available on-site.
Sawant invites the public to join the discussion and add their voice to the conversation about what a People’s Budget should involve and how to create living wage jobs, quality affordable housing and essential services for all. Referring to the recent Chamber of Commerce retreat attended by five Councilmembers and the Mayor, Sawant said, "No wonder that every year we get the same business as usual budget. Big business has three days of lavish, unfettered access to City officials so they can craft a budget that fulfills their wishes. Meanwhile, working people, human service providers and others unrepresented by the establishment have two public hearings and a few minutes each to beg for leftover crumbs."
"When it comes to crafting the City’s budget, a majority of the Council, the Mayor, the County Executive and leadership in this town are stuck in business as usual thinking. We need new thinking and new policies to raise the necessary revenues from the wealthy and big corporations to fund the social needs facing Seattle," Sawant concluded.