Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Position 8, Citywide), and Chair of the Council’s Select Budget Committee, today announced the Council’s Summer 2020 Balancing Budget Committee schedule, a commitment to defund the police and an inquest into the Seattle Police Department’s annual budget. The Budget Committee will review the Mayor’s proposed 2020 rebalancing budget and any Council-initiated revenue/COVID-19 response ordinances.
“We’re in the midst of a deadly global pandemic, a possible recession that could reach Great Depression levels, and protests calling for greater police accountability and reinvestments in racial justice policies. These are the overarching themes that we must seek to address and rectify as we consider the 2020 Rebalancing Budget, and our 2021 and 2022 budgets,” Mosqueda said. “I commit to defunding the Seattle Police Department to reinvest in community-based public safety programs and solutions. We must first do a thorough, transparent deep dive into the Seattle Police Department’s funding. The police department’s $400 million-plus budget for too long has been a black box, a lack of information on where that money is going, as often departments will only share details with Mayoral approval. The budget is a reflection of the City’s values and priorities, and must be in alignment with our constituents’ needs, not an austerity budget that does not address these unprecedented times.”
Mosqueda promised to hold transparent, inclusive and productive budget sessions over the next six weeks.
Mayor Jenny Durkan is expected to transmit her 2020 rebalancing budget on June 9. The Select Budget Committee will meet weekly on Wednesdays between June 10 and July 8, and have two sessions each Wednesday. The morning sessions will be committed to considering Council-proposed revenue legislation, while the afternoon sessions will focus on rebalancing the City’s 2020 budget.
Select Budget Committee Schedule
| DATE | SESSION 1 – 10 AM | SESSION 2 – 2 PM |
| June 10 | (No morning session) | Issue ID on revenue/COVID-19 response ordinances City Budget Office overview of Mayor’s rebalancing package |
| June 17 | Amendments, discussion, potential vote on revenue/COVID-19 response ordinances | Public Hearing (2-3pm) 3pm: Issue ID – Executive 2020 rebalancing package |
| June 24 | Amendments, discussion, potential vote on revenue/COVID-19 response ordinances | Discuss proposed amendments to rebalancing legislation |
| July 1 | Potential vote on revenue/COVID-19 response ordinances (if not voted yet) | Public Hearing (2-3pm) 3pm: Vote on rebalancing legislation including amendments |
| July 8 | Potential vote on revenue/COVID-19 Response ordinances (if not voted yet) | Vote on rebalancing legislation including amendments (if not voted yet) |
| July 13 | 2pm: Full City Council Meeting Vote on revenue ordinance | |
| July 20 | 2pm: Full City Council Meeting Vote on rebalancing legislation |
For more information on the budget process or this schedule, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/select-budget-committee