Month: September 2015

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September 30, 2015January 6, 2023News Releases

Council to Host Commercial Linkage Fee Public Hearing Wednesday Evening

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/29/2015

Council to Host Commercial Linkage Fee Public Hearing Wednesday Evening

SEATTLE - Council's Select Committee on Affordable Housing will host a Public Hearing Wednesday evening to hear public feedback regarding the Affordable Housing Impact Mitigation Program (AHIMP) proposal
recommended by the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda Advisory (HALA) Committee.  The AHIMP (aka "Commercial Linkage Fee") assesses a per square foot fee on new buildings, or additional to existing buildings, containing more than 4,000 square feet of new chargeable floor area. Developers could either build affordable housing, or they could pay the fee which would be used to construct rental housing for those making less than 60% of area median income. The fees will be imposed alongside increased development capacity in multi-family and commercial zones in 2016 and 2017.

Each member of the public will have up to 2 minutes to address the committee, and public comment sign-up sheets will be available at 5 p.m.  The draft ordinance is available here.

For additional information on the HALA recommendations and Council's timeline for consideration, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/HousingAffordability/

 

WHAT:
Public Hearing regarding the Commercial Linkage Fee recommended by the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda Advisory Committee

WHEN:
Wednesday, September 30
5:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Seattle City Hall
Council Chamber, Second Floor
600 4th Ave., Seattle 98104

WHO:
Seattle City Councilmembers
Public

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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

 

[View in Council Newsroom]

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September 29, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Harrell, Councilmember Okamoto, News Releases

City Launches Effort to Better Identify and Serve Marginalized Populations

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/29/2015

City Launches Effort to Better Identify and Serve Marginalized Populations

SEATTLE - The City launched an effort today to better identify individual ethnic populations in Seattle to accurately understand their demographic makeup to allocate resources accordingly.

Governments use demographic data, including the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey, to allocate resources and set policy, however, disparate ethnic groups are often bundled into broad categories which can result in skewed data. Currently, for instance, 25 countries represent the "Asian American and Pacific Islander" (AAPI) category in the City's data collection process, however, there are many differences among the unique groups within the AAPI classification as it relates to educational attainment, income, and health. At the State level, only 13% of Asian American adults lack a high school diploma, but disaggregated data finds that over 30% of Cambodian and Vietnamese adults lack a high school diploma.

The resolution signed today by Mayor Murray establishes a task force to recommend improvements to the City's data collection process, including standardized data collection among all City departments and utilizing disaggregated data.

"Based on the way data is collected, certain populations in our city are invisible and are often overlooked when it comes to important resource allocation and service delivery," said Councilmember John Okamoto, co-sponsor of the resolution. "Seattle will be one of the first cities in the nation to undertake this data disaggregation effort, if not the first, and I'd like to thank engaged community members for bringing this issue to my attention."

"Seattle must be a more equitable City. We can achieve that by breaking down the generalizations that have underrepresented our communities of color and immigrants," said Mayor Ed Murray. "More accurate and specific data will help the City deliver better services and improve outcomes for our residents. I applaud Councilmember Okamoto for his leadership on this issue

"I understand the broad strokes we sometimes place on our ethnic communities," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. This work takes an inclusive analysis in refining the data to help us do a better job of providing services and resources where they are needed. It is time we look at specific demographic information to help us achieve targeted solutions."

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Most press conferences and meetings are broadcast live to the web by Seattle Channel at either seattle.gov/mayorlive or seattle.gov/councillive

[View in Council Newsroom]

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September 29, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Okamoto

No Data, No Justice

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Today, with the Mayor officially signing the resolution I sponsored, Seattle became the first city in the nation to adopt legislation on data disaggregation. I’ve found that there’s no faster way for people’s eyes to glaze over than by using the term “data disaggregation.”  But at the recent iCount Symposium hosted by the White House […]

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September 29, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Sawant

My Response to the Mayor’s Budget

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On Monday, September 28, 2015, Mayor Murray presented his version of the budget for 2016. Once again, it falls far short of what working people need. Check out my response, and join me at City Hall on October 27 for a People’s Budget Town Hall to build the movement for a budget that reflects the needs of ordinary […]

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September 29, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Okamoto

First HALA Action Passed

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Yesterday, Council passed legislation that took action on the Mayor’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA). The legislation renews and expands the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program as recommended by HALA. The MFTE program – one housing affordability tool in a box of many – provides a tax exemption on the residential improvements on multifamily projects […]

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September 28, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember O'Brien, News Releases

O’Brien Response to Shell Oil’s Abandonment of Oil in Arctic

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/28/2015

O'Brien Response to Shell Oil's Abandonment of Oil in Arctic

SEATTLE - Councilmember Mike O'Brien issued the following statement in response to Shell Oil's announcement to give up on its expensive and controversial push to produce oil in Alaska's Arctic waters:

"Shell abandoned ship today ‘for the foreseeable future,' both claiming that it failed to find enough oil to make further drilling worthwhile and citing an unpredictable regulatory environment. This about face from big oil is really a big win for those of us who spoke out against Shell's Arctic drilling plans and called for a just transition from our current fossil fuel dependence. 

"From the beginning I have said life as we know it depends on bold, immediate action, especially when a harbinger of catastrophic climate change is moored in our backyard. The people of Seattle, the Mayor, and the Seattle Council were resolute in our opposition to Shell's presence in our city and it's pursuits in the Arctic. I firmly believe that our actions, in combination with #ShellNo activism in Seattle and across the country, created the regulatory uncertainty Shell hinted at today. It goes without saying that today's news is as much as a victory for the planet and our climate as it is for our local community.

"Of course, the work to protect the Arctic is far from over. It is unacceptable that President Obama and Secretary Jewell can still issue permits for companies to drill in the Arctic, and we must continue to press the issue to encourage the President to permanently halt all Arctic oil exploration. But today I will celebrate this important victory as a critical first step in the right direction."

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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

[View in Council Newsroom]

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September 28, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Licata

City Council 2016 Budget Schedule

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Seattle Mayor Ed Murray today released his proposed 2016 budget and proposed 2016-21 Capital Improvement Program. The City Council’s Budget Committee will begin its consideration of the budget on Thursday, October 1, with an overview provided by the City Budget Office. Public input is vital to Council review and helps Councilmembers develop a budget that […]

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September 25, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Burgess, Councilmember Licata, News Releases

Murray, Councilmembers seek increased investment in youth arts programming, cultural space preservation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/25/2015

Murray, Councilmembers seek increased investment in youth arts programming, cultural space preservation

SEATTLE - Today Mayor Ed Murray, Seattle City Council President Tim Burgess and Seattle City Council Budget Chair Nick Licata announced a proposal to increase the City’s investment in youth arts education and preservation of cultural spaces.

“Seattle is stepping up and providing arts education in schools that have not had it in years,” said Murray. “This investment aligns new and expanding programming with my vision for a vibrant, equitable city. Every child must have the same opportunity to learn through the arts and every resident must have access to the creative economy.”

Murray, Burgess and Licata are endorsing an increase in funding to the Office of Arts & Culture from the existing admissions tax levied on tickets at entertainment venues. The increased allocation from seventy-five percent to eighty percent of the admissions tax will add $400,000 per year for arts in the City budget. The mayor will introduce his full budget on Monday.

“As our city grows, we must invest in the culture of Seattle that has given us our unique identity and strength,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess. “Seattle is the entertainment and cultural center of the Pacific Northwest. Let’s make certain we provide strong public support for this vital sector of our economy.”

“Having requested this increase at the urging of the Seattle Arts Commission when I met with the Mayor in August of 2014, I am grateful to see him include it in his 2016 budget,” said Councilmember Nick Licata. “I urge Mayor Murray to work toward raising it to one hundred percent in the following years. The pressing need for affordable cultural space, quality arts education, and the imagination working artists bring to our city will not lessen anytime soon.”

The increase will fund expansion of The Creative Advantage and other education initiatives that support work readiness and job training through the arts. Creative Advantage brings together the City of Seattle, Seattle Public Schools, private nonprofit organizations, and the philanthropic sector to expand the availability of arts education in the schools.

Studies show that at-risk youth who have access to the arts in or out of school tend to have better academic results, better workplace opportunities and more civic engagement. Arts-infused learning in reading and math helps close the achievement gap between low-income children and children of color in comparison to white and more affluent students.

The mayor’s budget will also provide additional grant funding to support retention of arts and ethnic cultural spaces in our neighborhoods. Cultural spaces ensure neighborhood livability and vibrancy, and are anchors for many communities, including immigrant and refugees.

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Office of the Mayor

[View in Council Newsroom]

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September 24, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Burgess

Our Creative Culture

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As our city grows, we must act with urgency to stabilize families, artists, and small businesses because without them we lose one of the very things that has made us such a special city. We must invest in the culture...

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September 23, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Sawant, News Releases

Kshama Sawant Presents Open Letter to Chinese President Xi

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/22/2015

Kshama Sawant Presents Open Letter to Chinese President Xi

SEATTLE - Councilmember Kshama Sawant held a press conference today denouncing the systematic violation of democratic rights, human rights in general, and workers' rights in particular by the Chinese government and US corporations operating in China. In an open letter to President Xi, Councilmember Sawant called on Mayor Ed Murray and Governor Jay Inslee to discuss these issues with the Chinese President. The letter was signed by:

Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Councilmember
Dawn Gearhart, Teamsters Local 117
Paul Bigman, Executive Board, Martin Luther King County Labor Council (for identification purposes only)
Reverend Rich Lang, District Superintendent, Seattle/King County United Methodist Church

The letter is available online, and the full text is below.

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An Open Letter to President Xi of the People's Republic of China

President Xi,

We note that during your visit to the United States, starting here in Seattle, your itinerary is monopolized by discussions with representatives of big business such as Uber, Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, Apple, IBM, Cisco, Dow Chemical, DuPont, GM, Pepsi and Berkshire Hathaway.

We believe the problems facing working people in both China and the US should be given attention, instead of being pushed to the side by politicians and corporate leaders, with their sole focus on maximizing profits.

We strongly protest the systematic violation by your government of democratic rights, human rights in general, and workers' rights in particular. We are deeply concerned about the global race to the bottom, pitting workers and environmental standards in each country against each other. Throughout the US and here in the Seattle region we see a constant loss of unionized, well-paid jobs and a proliferation of low-wage jobs where poverty pay is enabled by the brutal denial of democratic rights such as the right to organize and go on strike. We urge Mayor Murray and Governor Inslee to publicly discuss these important issues with President Xi, in support of workers and the environment globally.

It is the workers of China who have been the source of its rapid economic expansion. But Chinese workers still enjoy few of the benefits, instead working long hours for low wages and with minimal safety or welfare protection. US-owned multinational corporations are among the most egregious violators of workers' rights as shown by scandals involving Apple, Nike and New Balance.

Drivers working for the Uber multinational corporation are being exploited both in Seattle and in China. Seattle's Uber drivers are pushing the City Council to enact pro-worker legislation. Their success will be of significance to Uber drivers worldwide.

According to official figures, in 2013 only 242 million workers, out of China's total workforce of around 770 million, had a basic pension. Last year 68,061 workers were killed in workplace accidents. This included 146 workers killed in an explosion at a supplier to General Motors. The majority of the manufacturing labor force is made up of migrants who are deeply discriminated against when it comes to healthcare, schools and housing in the cities where they live and work. These conditions have led to 1,622 strikes so far this year in China - of which 1,211 were over non-payment of wages.

Union rights are under attack around the world, including in the US. In China, workers are not allowed by law to join an independent trade union or to organize freely. The All China Federation of Trade Unions, which is controlled by the Chinese government, has a very poor record of either being silent or siding with the employers during labor disputes.

We are completely opposed to all anti-immigrant rhetoric, and condemn right wing and racist statements that seek to pit workers in one country against workers in another. We defend the rights and dignity of ALL workers, regardless of ethnicity or national origin.

We stand in solidarity with the workers of China in their struggle for democratic rights, including the right to organize in independent trade unions. Multinational corporations exploiting the present sweatshop conditions in China, enforced by your government, will be confronted with our opposition and resistance.

For these issues not to be raised during your visit, President Xi, would only add further injustice.

In protest,

Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Councilmember
Reverend Rich Lang, District Superintendent Seattle/King County United Methodist Church
Paul Bigman, Executive Board, Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council*
Dawn Gearhart, Teamsters Local 117

*for identification purposes only

[View in Council Newsroom]