Giving My Thanks to You
I look forward this time of year to the opportunity to reflect on all that I have for which to be thankful. On this Thanksgiving Day eve, there are individual people to be thankful for their contribution to making Seattle a better city. If you are working for your community, I’m thankful for you. I am thankful for the staff that work in my office as part of the District 1 team, Newell, Alex, Jeanne. The service we give to the residents of District 1 would not be possible without your dedication and hard work. For you I am especially thankful.
Groups I am thankful for are those who, in raising their voices, have insured City government is making decisions in the interest of the city, or of our District. The organizations I would like to thank this year are plentiful, I will name three here:
- The District 1 Community Network – D1CN has been formed to strengthen the diverse and distinct District 1 neighborhoods by bringing them together to advocate for agreed upon goals that benefit the entire district.
- Washington Community Action Network – WACAN has profoundly changed the landscape for Washington State renters in 2019.
- Historic Seattle – this organization is doing so much to preserve the spaces that are cultural anchors in a city that is ever-changing. I especially appreciate their efforts this year to Save the Showbox.
This Week in the Budget: Council adopts Final 2020 budget
On Monday, the Seattle City Council adopted the 2020 City Budget.
The City’s total budget is $6.47 billion, of which $2.75 billion can only be allocated to City Light and Seattle Public Utilities because that revenue comes entirely from ratepayers. The City’s General Fund totals $1.48 billion. Fifty-one percent of the City’s $1.48 billion in General Fund revenue is dedicated to the core function of municipal government, public safety. Specifically, about $755 million goes to Seattle Police Department, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Municipal Court, the City Attorney, the Office of Emergency Management, the Office of Police Accountability, and the Office of the Inspector General.
Many thanks to all everyone who contacted me during this budget process; below are our successes from this budget cycle:
District 1 Specific Proposals:
- Establish a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project in SDOT for West Marginal Way Safe Street and Accessibility Improvements at the Duwamish Longhouse and add new funding for planning and design; this was the top priority for the District 1 Community Network. Their advocacy in coming together across all of the District 1 neighborhoods to advocate for this priority was critical to our success.
- Continued funding for a South Park Public Safety Coordinator
- Fund implementation of bicycle facilities on the Georgetown to South Park Trail
- A report from SDOT and the City Budget Office (CBO) on the schedule and status of third party funding discussions regarding South Transit’s West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension project
- Amendments to include the purchase of transit service, and additional support for the West Seattle and Ballard light rail lines, as allowable uses for new transportation funds in a resolution and Council Bill
- A Department of Neighborhoods request to develop a community-led, place-based violence prevention initiative in Westwood and South Delridge
- Proviso spending on the Delridge Way SW – RapidRide H Line CIP project to facilitate continues community engagement
- SPD report on compliance with copper wire laws to discourage the theft of copper wire
- An SPD City-wide asset loss process for reporting and investigating when City assets (like copper wire) are stolen
- Funding for a natural capital valuation planning
Citywide Proposals:
Public Safety and Public Health
- A third Firefighter recruit class to address long-term staffing issues.
- Expansion of the Encampment Trash Program.
- Five Mobile Pit Stops to increase access to bathrooms and hygiene centers.
- Mobile pump-out services to RVs to limit environmental damage to waterways
Homelessness and Housing
- A diaper distribution pilot program and funding for grants to community-based organizations such as WestSide Baby to provide diapers to families of diaper-aged children whom lack of access to diapers presents a barrier to using and accessing childcare services, or for families who access diapers via food banks, shelters, enhanced shelters, and tiny home villages.
- Funding for two new Department of Construction and Inspection positions to support tenant and property owner outreach and education.
- Funding for renters’ rights outreach, education, and organizing
- Impose a proviso on Navigation Team appropriations in HSD (this requires reporting to the Council; it does not limit funding for this work)
Civil Rights
- Direct existing funds to community-based organizations to respond to hate violence
- Request that the Office for Civil Rights spend a portion of its 2020 Proposed Budget on community-based organizations to create restorative justice approaches to individuals committing hate crimes
- Add two new positions at the Office for Civil Rights for a dispute resolution mediator and another to help with anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training.
Transportation and Utilities
- Request a report from HSD on subsidizing transit passes for employees of HSD contracted service providers
- Add funding to Seattle Public Utilities to improve shut-off notification to tenants in multifamily buildings.
- My proposal for a Proviso for spending on SDOT’s Center City Streetcar Connector CIP project to require development of an operations funding plan, and construction funding plan if federal funds are unavailable, was included in the Chair’s budget proposal in a different form, as a request due by September 1.
Economic Development and Arts/Culture
- Re-direct admissions tax to OED for a Film and Music Program Lead to help film industry
- Request that OED provide recommendations regarding the creation of a film commission
- Impose a proviso on funding for the Creative Industry Policy Advisor position in OED to require engagement with the film industry in developing the responsibilities for this position
- Direct funding to support the Seattle Rep’s Public Works Seattle Program
Another item I sponsored requests that the City Budget Office report on steps, timeline and funding to collect high-earners municipal income tax.
The 2020 budget also includes an addition made by the Council during 2018, for $1.08 million for youth diversion programs sponsored by Councilmember O’Brien, that I co-sponsored. The Council approved additional funding this year as well.
It also includes $3.5 million for the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program; an additional $1.5 million grant has been secured from the Ballmer Group, reaching the funding target for the proposal presented to the Budget Committee on October 2nd.
A press release by Budget Committee Chair Bagshaw is linked here.
Public Hearing on Police Guild Collective Bargaining Negotiations
On December 5th, the Gender Equity, Safe Communities, New Americans & Education (GESCNAE) Committee will hold a public hearing to prepare for upcoming collective bargaining with the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild.
The public hearing requirement to give the public the opportunity to testify in advance of collective bargaining “on the effectiveness of the City’s police accountability system” in advance of negotiations was first adopted in Ordinance 122809, passed in 2008. This is a requirement unique to the SPOG and Seattle Police Management Association (SPMA) bargaining processes (it exists for no other city unions) out of recognition that, “the City and the public have a strong interest in the conduct and operation of the police department given its impact on public safety
The hearing will be held jointly with the Select Labor Committee and the Community Police Commission and begins at 5:30 in the Council Chambers in City Hall, with presentations. Sign-in will begin at 5 p.m.; additional information is available on the meeting agenda.
The current contract with the Police Officer’s Guild runs through the end of 2020, and the City has provided notice to begin negotiations on a new contract.
SMC 4.04.120 (G) states, “The City of Seattle will consider in good faith whether and how to carry forward the interests expressed at the public hearing. Those suggested changes that are legally required to be bargained with the SPOG, SPMA or their successor labor organizations will be considered by the City, in good faith, for inclusion in negotiations but the views expressed in the public hearing will not dictate the city’s position during bargaining.”
Sound Transit Online Forum for light rail to West Seattle
Sound Transit has begun environmental review for light rail to West Seattle, and is studying alternatives approved by the Sound Transit Board.
If you couldn’t attend last week’s Sound Transit outreach event, you can still provide input as part of the process for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Sound Transit is requesting comments about neighborhood priorities, based on the station locations they will be studying in the Draft EIS.
Here’s a link to the survey, and the project page.
Parks Wants Your Input on Trail and Wayfinding Improvements for Delridge
The Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation is working on updates to SW Brandon & SW Findley Streets for trail improvements and wayfinding. Come join the Parks Departments at Greg Davis Park (corner of 26th Ave SW and SW Brandon St) between 11am and 1pm on Saturday, December 7.
If you can’t make it and want to stay up to date on the project you can check it out here.
