FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/16/2015
SEATTLE – Council’s Budget Committee chair Nick Licata issued the following statement in advance of today’s 10:00 a.m. meeting, during which time the 9-member Committee will consider amending the proposed 2016 budget Mayor Murray delivered on September 28:
“Homelessness in Seattle is at a crisis level. The Council and Mayor agree we have an emergency. I believe additional financial investment to address the homelessness emergency is needed. Later this morning, Council will vote to add $2.3 million in one-time funding for new and expanded shelter beds to get people off the street, extend day center services and outreach services to vulnerable homeless adults, support authorized encampments, and child care for homeless children. This is in addition to the $5 million in one-time funds approved earlier this month.
“In an effort to meet the demands of the people we were elected to represent, we must both balance the budget and address the urgent and persistent needs of the homeless in our city. As a result of a positive update to the economic revenue forecast, which we recently received, and good work by Council Central Staff who found productive ways to use restricted funds, we are able to avoid diverting funds from the City’s ‘Rainy Day Fund’.”