Dear Neighbor,

Happy New Year! As we conclude the year, we are reflecting on the work my team and I accomplished in 2024. We hit the ground running last January, had a number of transitions on the team, and closed out the year strong.

In this blog we highlight many, but not all, of the policies, projects, and community events from 2024.

This work on behalf of all Seattleites and District 6 residents is made possible by the team who supports me and works for you. I am proud of the people on my team because of the dedication I see in them to serve the people of Seattle. This year Amy Enbysk, Naomi Lewis and Kate Hoffman each found their next step in their public service journeys. Amy has become Executive Dow Constantine’s Press Secretary, Naomi stuck with her land use background and continued to clerk the Land Use Committee at the City Council, and Kate took her policy chops to the next level joining Mayor Harrell’s Policy and Innovation team. I could not be prouder of each of them.

We have also added new faces to our District 6 Team. We welcomed Megan Bartol as our Operations Manager, Joel Raphael as our D6 District Director, and Jesse Franz as our Policy and Communications Director. Megan brings a background working with the Legislature in Olympia, Joel was born and raised in D6 and served our nation working for the United States Army and United States Postal Service, and Jesse most recently worked for the entire City Council on the communications team. In addition, Anthony Rodriguez is now serving in a Policy Advisor role and Cameron Yonan, an MPA candidate at UW, has transitioned from working as our Intern into a part-time Legislative Assistant. We started 2024 strong and we ended 2024 strong, serving Seattleites and D6 residents. This was only possible for the great people who work for you in my office.

As always, I meet weekly with D6 residents, so if you have questions about anything in this newsletter and are a D6 resident, you can request to meet with me during office hours. Sign up here to meet directly with me.   

– Dan

January ’24: Appointed to the Sound Transit Board of Directors 

I was appointed to serve on the Sound Transit Board of Directors representing North King County. This term will run from January 2024 to December 2027, and I am filling the seat of former City Councilmember Debora Juarez. Also appointed to the Board were King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay representing North King County and Redmond Mayor Angela Birney representing East King County.

Board meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month from 1:30-4:00pm. The public can attend meetings in person in the Ruth Fisher Board Room located in the Sound Transit building or virtually via WebEx. If interested, additional meeting information can be found on Sound Transit’s website.

Sound Transit is a public transit agency serving the Seattle metropolitan area and operates the Link light rail system, Sounder commuter rail, and Express bus service. The Sound Transit Board includes 17 local elected officials – 10 from King County, four from Pierce County, and three from Snohomish County, and members are appointed by their respective county executives. Washington Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar also serves on the board.

January ’24: Selected as Council Budget Chair

I was selected as the Council Budget Chair for the next two years. I’m very excited to take on this new role to shape our city’s budget. My committee, formally known as the Finance, Native Communities, and Tribal Government (FNC) Committee, provides policy direction, oversight, and makes recommendations on legislative matters relating to:

• The financial management and policies of the City and its agents, including the operating and capital budgets, levies, taxes, revenue, audits, and judgments and claims against the City;
• The City Budget Office; the City Employees’ Retirement System; and the Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts;
• The Department of Finance and Administrative Services, including the Office of City Finance, the Seattle Animal Shelter, the City’s fleets and facilities, the Customer Service Bureau, and other administrative functions;
• Facilitating government to government relations with Tribes and coordinating public planning with Tribal governments on issues such as economic development, environmental stewardship, and sustaining and protecting indigenous culture, language and history; and
• Coordinating and managing the Council’s work related to increasing communication between tribes and urban indigenous populations, including hearing recommendations from the Indigenous Advisory Council.

January ’24: Seattle City Council Fills Vacant Seat with Tanya Woo

Councilmember Dan Strauss and newly appointed Councilmember Tanya Woo at her swearing in ceremony on January 23

The Seattle City Council appointed Tanya Woo on January 23 to fill the vacant citywide seat left following Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda’s resignation. Councilmember Woo is a co-owner of the Louisa Hotel, which was converted into affordable housing apartments in 2019.

In her time on Council, she chaired Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture Committee. I am very proud of the work that CM Woo accomplished, from securing over $2.5 million in public safety investments for the Chinatown International District to $4 million for youth affordable housing, to $800,000 for the Duwamish Valley workforce and small businesses.

I have never seen a city-wide Councilmember show up across our city like Councilmember Woo did. In a single day, she would be in Ballard, West Seattle, and Columbia City — and showing up like this was a regular occurrence.

She also brought a renewed focus to serving the Chinatown International District, which is a neighborhood that has been overlooked for decades from construction of I-5, to building the Kingdome, and as recently as hosting the MLB All-Star games. Engaging and serving residents in the neighborhood must be a first step not a last step when making decisions about the neighborhood.  

January ’24: NW Leary Way Update

I continued work to resolve the encampments on NW Leary Way without sweeps by bringing people inside. This work is successful by connecting people experiencing homelessness with the services that meet their needs.

This effort has utilized three different tiers of shelter (each with a different level of case management and access to medically assisted treatment) and the newly opened Salmon Bay Safe Lot for people living in their car or RV. We have completed a by-name list for cars and RVs in the area, as well as a second by-name list for the people living in and around the former Jack in the Box.

We will continue drawing down the area by moving people off the streets and into the type of shelter that meets their level of needs. The effect of work done from last August to January did not solve homelessness in the Leary Area. However, it did make significant strides by bringing people inside.

We continue to work, strategize, and complement new strategies to address the issues occurring in the industrial area. Stay tuned in 2025 for more updates on our work in this area.

February ’24: ‘Missing Link’ Bike Route Study

Newly proposed ‘Missing Link’ bike route

In March 2023, I formally requested the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) study and design a route to complete the Burke-Gilman Trail ‘Missing Link’ along NW Market Street, NW Leary Avenue, and 17th Avenue NW. By the beginning of 2024,10% design was complete.

On February 27, I held meetings soliciting feedback to inform SDOT’s 30% design. These meetings included Deputy Mayor Adiam Emery, SDOT, commercial business owners, property owners, industrial business owners, and many bicycle, pedestrian, and transportation advocacy groups. As a result of those meetings and other feedback received from the community, SDOT has now release their 30% Design Outreach Summary, which you can access via this link.

Ensuring SDOT receives and incorporates feedback is critical to designing a safe and useful completion of the Missing Link. This means hearing from the people who work on the route, live on the route, and would use the route. One example of how these meetings informed design are the changes made in front of the Ballard Landmark Senior Living building – we heard their concerns and made major changes.

Still, there is more work to do to ensure we build a trail that works for everyone. As SDOT continues their design work, I will facilitate more of these day-long stakeholder meetings to help neighbors have their voice heard. If interested, additional information regarding the ‘Missing Link’ project can be found on SDOT’s website.

February ’24: Association of Washington Cities Action Days

Councilmember Strauss and Rep. Julia Reed in Olympia.

I represented Seattle at the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) City Action Days in February, where 250 officials representing more than 80 cities gathered. Mayors, councilmembers, and other officials collectively asked state legislators to support city priorities.

I lobbied in support of House Bill 2384 which expanded city authority to use automated traffic safety cameras, under certain conditions. This bill passed and now allows our city to better address dangerous driving without pulling critical police resources away from responding to 911 calls. I also included funding for these new cameras in the city budget and helped negotiate a deal that will allow civilians, instead of just police officers, to review the camera footage.

City Action Day was a great opportunity to hear from colleagues, along with state agency leaders and legislators, on Washington State’s budget, infrastructure, housing, public safety and more. I also had the privilege of meeting with the Seattle delegation of the Washington State Legislature.

March ’24: Upper Skagit Indian Tribe Government-to-Government Meeting

Representatives from the City of Seattle and Upper Skagit Indian Tribe at the government-to-government meeting

On March 29, Mayor Bruce Harrell, Councilmember Tanya Woo, and I represented the City of Seattle in a government-to-government meeting with leadership from the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe (USIT). We toured the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project (Skagit Project) and discussed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing the Skagit Project.

USIT highlighted the importance of the Skagit River and its resources, including salmon, to tribal cultural, spiritual, and economic well-being. The Gorge Dam is constructed on an important tribal cultural and spiritual site, and the town of Newhalem is constructed on the site of a

former USIT village. Mayor Harrell recognized the importance of the area to tribal culture and reiterate Seattle’s commitment to implementing meaningful measures to address USIT interests. 

Seattle City Light (SCL) is in the process of relicensing the Skagit Project. The project is a series of three dams — Gorge Dam, Diablo Dam, and Ross Dam — that provide 20% of the City of Seattle’s power.

It is licensed under FERC. The current license expires in 2025. Renewing the license also means reviewing the environmental, cultural, safety and other impacts of the continued operation of the project. SCL submitted a final license application to FERC in April 2024 for a new license that will last for the next 30-50 years. Negotiations are ongoing to determine the final environmental and cultural measures to include in the new license

March ’24: District 6 Project Updates

Ship Canal Water Quality Project Site Visit

Councilmember Strauss inside the Ship Canal Water Quality Project’s underground tunnel.

On March 8, I checked in on the Ship Canal Water Quality Project. Seattle Public Utilities and King County Wastewater Treatment Division are building an underground storage tunnel to significantly reduce the amount of polluted stormwater (rain) and sewage that flows into the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Salmon Bay, and Lake Union from our sewer system.

In some parts of Seattle, sewage and stormwater share a set of pipes; this is called a combined sewer. During heavy rains, the water often exceeds the pipes’ capacity, sending untreated sewage and stormwater into the Ship Canal. These overflows can harm fish, wildlife, and the environment, and can contain pollution.

In 2018, 84% of the city’s overflows came from the combined sewers in Crown Hill, Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Downtown, and Capitol Hill. During a heavy storm, the new tunnel will capture and temporarily store more than 29 million gallons of untreated stormwater and sewage until the treatment plant is ready for it. The tunnel will improve water quality regionally by keeping more than 75 million gallons of polluted stormwater and sewage from flowing into the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Salmon Bay, and Lake Union on average each year.

Map of Ship Canal Water Quality Project.

It was great to see the project’s progress and I look forward to continued investments in the health of Puget Sound and the region. If interested, additional information and updates about the construction process can be found on the Ship Canal Water Quality Project website. While the tunneling is complete, work will begin on the pump building and along NW 56th street in Ballard between 28th Avenue and 24th Avenue.

6th Ave NW Neighborhood Greenway

Councilmember Strauss with community members cutting the ribbon to open the 6th Ave. NW Neighborhood Greenway.

In June, construction resumed on the 6th Ave NW Neighborhood Greenway. It was completed in November. This created safer access for people walking, biking, and rolling in the area, especially for students. The greenway connects West Woodland Elementary School and the existing greenway on 6th Avenue from NW 58th Street to the Burke-Gilman Trail.

This section of 6th Ave NW had been identified by many community members to be part of a larger neighborhood greenway. Neighborhood greenways aim to provide a safe and pleasant environment for people who walk and bike in their neighborhood and to nearby places.

The work on 6^th Ave NW included speed humps to calm traffic, stop signs for street crossings, new signs and pavement markings to help people find their way, and tree trimming in some places to maintain sight clearance for new signs. Learn more at the 6^th Ave NW Neighborhood Greenway website.

Installation of New Stop Signs in Ballard’s Brewery District

New stop signs installed on 14th Ave. NW in the Ballard Brewery District.

New stops signs were installed for all entrances of the intersections along 14th Ave between 49th Ave and 54th Ave in Ballard’s Brewery District. Too many collisions were occurring in the Brewery District, and community advocates and neighboring businesses asked for help. SDOT installed these stop signs to increase the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Many thanks to Neighborhood Greenways for adding planters to the medians. There is more work to do to improve safety on 14th Avenue. Stay tuned for updates on additional improvements.  

April ’24: Select Budget Committee Begins

The Seattle City Council released a first-of-its-kind 5-year review of the City of Seattle’s budget at the end of April. The 224-page report summarizes the budget by department to better understand how city resources are allocated, how the budget has grown between 2019 and 2024 and what has driven its growth over time. 

Key findings of the 2019-2024 budget review find the City of Seattle faces an estimated $240 million budget deficit starting in 2025, according to the most recent data. To prepare for that, the review investigated what has caused the City of Seattle’s overall budget to increase 29 percent over the past five years. The review found the primary causes were:

• Base budget cost increases: Base budget cost increases, including inflation, accounted for about 79 percent of all growth to the General Fund;
• New and expanded programs: New revenue sources like the JumpStart Payroll Tax, which funds housing, contributes to the General Fund, and supports other new programs, accounted for 19 percent of the City’s total budget increase; and
• One-time revenues: City spending supported by things like federal COVID-relief funding increased the budget, but that was one-time funding that has or will expire.

We are addressed this year’s budget like never before. In a typical year, the Select Budget Committee (SBC) begins in September. Under my leadership, we are began this work in April.

April ’24: Ballard Commons Children’s Playground Grand Opening

“The Cove,” Ballard Commons’ new children’s playground.

On April 20, I attended the celebration of the opening of the Ballard Commons Children’s Playground. My office has been working to improve Ballard Commons Park since I was first elected as a City Councilmember.

Advocacy for this project began in 2018 with the Ballard Alliance securing grant funding from the Seattle Office of Economic Development. Construction for the play area project began in late August 2023 and was completed in April 2024. The nautical-themed playground is aptly called “The Cove” and is a nod to Ballard’s history.

Following the ribbon cutting, entertainment included music from School of Rock’s Seattle House Band, Little Stars Improv Comedy, Storytime with Fabi from Ballard Public Library, and music from the Ingraham High School Jazz Combo.

I am excited that the next phase of improving Ballard Commons is underway with the addition of affordable housing projects at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Additional updates regarding St. Luke’s Episcopal Church can be found below.

May ’24: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and BRIDGE Affordable Housing Groundbreaking

Councilmember Strauss participates in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and BRIDGE Housing groundbreaking

On May 17, I attended the groundbreaking of Ballard’s St. Luke’s Episcopal Church affordable housing project with BRIDGE Housing. Once finished, there will be 84 affordable family apartments on the church’s property in Ballard.

This was one of the first projects I worked on once being elected. I first met with Reverend Olsen in January 2020 to start moving this project forward. I connected St. Luke’s with technical experts, helped St. Luke’s navigate applying for Office of Housing funding, and passed legislation that allows for greater density of religious institution housing projects.

Developed in partnership with St. Luke’s, this new eight-story project is the result of a community-driven effort to bring affordable housing to a desirable and growing area. St. Luke’s will consist of studios, one, two, and three-bedroom apartment homes, and will be affordable to households earning up to 60% of the Area Median Income for the City of Seattle. Planned amenities include a community room, bike storage, resident services, shared laundries on each floor, and a rooftop deck and play area.

We couldn’t have accomplished this without Reverend Olsen’s steadfast dedication and the entire St. Luke’s congregation.

St. Luke’s set a goal of raising $2.5 million. Close to $1 million was raised from its congregation. In addition, community members gave close to $500,000. Church leadership hopes the community will help them raise the remaining $1 million.

St. Luke’s plans to begin moving families into the 84 affordable apartments in 2025. The service provider FamilyWorks will be on site to provide support. The mixed-use building that will house their new church is scheduled to open in 2026. It will include market-rate apartments and community event spaces. By 2027, St. Luke’s hopes to provide affordable childcare on-site for families living in their housing. Up next is the second housing project, which has already gone through permitting and is almost ready to begin.

May ’24: National Nordic Museum Events

Norway’s Crown Prince Visits Seattle

Left to right: Councilmember Dan Strauss with his wife Caroline , and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway

Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon visited Seattle to talk about how his country and Washington can collaborate on opportunities in green transition and decarbonization. In addition, Crown Prince Haakon delivered a speech and met with representatives from the state, local tech companies, and the University of Washington. I had the privilege of meeting him at a conference held in Ballard’s National Nordic Museum.

I met Crown Prince Haakon’s father, H.M. King Harald V, when I was in 3rd grade back in 1995 and again in 2015 when he visited Seattle and dedicated a mural at Bergen Place Park in Ballard.

New Exhibit: Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20^th Century

The “Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20^th Century” exhibit was on view from March 23-July 21 the National Nordic Museum. The exhibit showcased the incredible untold story of African American visual and performing artists who sought new possibilities, inspirations, and environments in the Nordic counties. Guests took a trip through the stories of the period’s protagonists, featuring photographs, paintings, textiles, film, music, dance elements, and more from the lives of iconic figures like Dexter Gordon, Herb Gentry, Doug Crutchfield, Howard Johnson, and others. This exhibit was curated by Dr. Ethelene Whitmire, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison; with Leslie Anne Anderson, Chief Curator, National Nordic Museum.

The City of Seattle, through my leadership, sponsored this exhibit. As this exhibit travels the nation, it will highlight the vibrancy of our city.

Celebrating Eric Nelson of the National Nordic Museum

Eric Nelson, Executive Director and CEO of the National Nordic Museum since 2008, announced his retirement.

I was honored to present a proclamation at Eric’s retirement party celebrating him and the great work he has done over the last sixteen years. Under Eric’s leadership the museum transformed from a neighborhood museum in a deteriorating school building into a nationally designated museum with museum grade exhibits and archives. This work was recognized internationally as Eric has been awarded Knighthood by five Nordic nations.  

Thank you, Eric for your service to our community!

June ’24: Seattle Waterways Safety Study Findings

Seattle Fire Department marine emergency responders.

Findings from the Seattle Waterways Safety Study were presented during the June 25 Public Safety Committee. This study was a year in the making, and I am excited to see my advocacy efforts come to fruition.

Seattle waterways are shared by different user groups. To ensure safety on the waterways, there is need for safety patrols, emergency response assets, and coordination of commercial, recreational, transportation, and residential activities. The study’s key findings include:

• There are more residents, visitors, and types of recreational activities around the waterways. Growth in population, tourism, and new businesses offering rentals and other recreational services, particularly from human-powered or non-motorized vessels.
• More safety education is needed for recreational users. New or infrequent users may not be aware of regulations for waterways use, such as speed limits, rights-of-way, anchoring locations, and requirements for carrying safety equipment.
• Asset locations and staffing levels limit Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Seattle Fire Department (SFD) response times. Calls for service have returned to pre pandemic levels, but Harbor Patrol staffing has decreased and SFD staffing has remained constant.
• Property crime was identified as a problem that may benefit from more patrols. Interviewees representing commercial, industrial, and residential users all described an uptick of theft from buildings, vessels, and docks.
• Current Harbor Patrol data does not provide a complete picture of need. It is also difficult to establish a metric for recommended marine police unit staffing.
• Derelict vessel response is a resource-intensive activity. Can be difficult to find the derelict boat owner and penalties are not enough to encourage compliance, which leaves property owners and public agencies to step in.
• SPD and SFD work effectively together on emergency response. There is generally good cooperation between SPD and SFD during emergency response, but more formal procedures are needed.

Additionally, recommendations include:

• Improve recreational boater education with signage and situational training modules. Provide materials in multiple languages to lower cultural barriers.
• Partner with other organizations to conduct safety checks for recreational users. Explore regular patrols by Seattle Park Rangers and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
• Consider coverage by Park Rangers to support noise ordinance enforcement. Park Rangers have the authority to cite individuals and may also achieve compliance by reminding users of City regulations

If interested, you can read the full report here, view the slide deck here, and watch the committee meeting here. Since releasing this report SFD has deployed a Jet Ski team to Lake Washington for faster rescue response. As well, safety boats have been added to Lake Washington to help educate waterway users and ensure boaters and paddlers stay clear of landing Seaplanes.  We will continue to use this report to inform how we can increase safety on our waterways and along our 201 miles of coastline.

Mayor Bruce Harrell signs Transportation Levy proposal sending it to voters.

July ’24: Seattle City Council Approves $1.55 billion Transportation Levy Package

On July 9, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a back-to-the-basics Transportation Levy package focused on increasing safety, maintenance, and modernization — all while limiting the impact on taxpayers.

The current transportation levy was passed in 2015 and is set to expire this year. It accounts for roughly 30 percent of the Seattle Department of Transportation’s budget for core services and new projects.

After being passed by Council and signed by Mayor Bruce Harrell, the Transportation Levy went to a final vote of the people on this November’s ballot. It passed with 66 percent of the vote.

How will the funding be spent?

• $20 million for arterial roadwork to fund a bikeway on Leary Avenue, Northwest Market Street and 17th Avenue Northwest.
• $403 million in street maintenance and modernization
• $221 million in bridge infrastructure and safety
• $193 million in pedestrian safety
• $160.5 million in Vision Zero and school and neighborhood safety
• $151 million in improving transit corridors and connections
• $133.5 million for bicycle safety
• $100 million to install and maintain traffic signals and improve mobility
• $69 million to better address climate change, protect the environment, and increase our tree canopy
• $66.5 million to activate public spaces, neighborhoods, and business districts
• $45 million for economy-focused improvements to our freight transportation system
• $7.5 million for good governance, oversight, and property tax relief education

July ’24: Burke-Gilman Trail Completion at 30% Design

Proposed Link to the Burke-Gilman Trail

In July SDOT released the 30% design for the Burke-Gilman Trail which builds on the work from the 10% design and the stakeholder meetings I hosted in February. This 30% design includes:

• Added signage and marking to clearly indicate shared use paths on the Burke Gilman
• Changed Ballard Landmark frontage to include loading zones to promote safety
• Widened trail in some places along Leary beyond the standard 10-foot path, as well as added some landscaping. Also, improvement curb ramp widths to match trail widths.
• Added ADA compliant bus stops and crossing areas
• Curb bubs, curb widths, and crossing treatments were modified to accommodate freight movements along Leary Ave and Shishole Ave.
• Added a new full traffic signal and marked crossing at 17^th Ave NW and Leary Ave NW to safely connect 17^th Ave Neighborhood Greenway to the Burke Gilman.

We look forward to continuing our work with the community regarding bus stop designs, crossing intersections along 17th Ave and Shishole Ave NW, planting additional trees and vegetation, and signage and markings to better reflect ADA standards and advice from disability rights advocates.  

Read more about the project here, and stay tuned for updates in 2025.  

August ’24: Midyear Supplemental Budget Process

As the Budget Chair, I passed the Midyear Supplemental Budget to true up the actual spending during 2024 ahead of writing the 2025-2026 budget. That included:

• Adopting my amendment to increase funding for student mental health to $12.5 million through the end of 2024 (it’s now more than $20 million in 2025 and beyond).
• New appropriations for new and existing public safety programs.
• Transfer of $400,000 allocated for Chinatown-International District alley and right-of-way cleanup from the Office of Economic Development (OED) to the Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) Clean City Initiative.
• Creation of 21 new positions in the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department.
• Creation of 21 new positions in the Human Services Department, 19 of which would be dedicated to the Unified Care Team (UCT).

August ’24: Sound Transit Stations Opening

Councilmember Dan Strauss attends ribbon cutting of 1 Line to Lynwood LINK line

On August 30, Sound Transit proudly opened Lynnwood Extension Link extension connecting Seattle to Snohomish County via the 1 Line. Sound Transit added 8.5 miles of service with five stations in Lynnwood, Shoreline, and Mountlake Terrace. This extension broke ground in 2019, I am happy to see this segment of the 1 Line completed and provide more accessible and wide-reaching services for Link riders. With this opening light rail has reached Snohomish County, connecting Snohomish County to downtown Seattle and SeaTac airport.

The five-station segment from Northgate to Lynnwood saw nearly 90,000 more boardings from July to October. In addition, October 2024 was the first month in Sound Transit history that the 1 Line topped 3 million riders.

Map of 130^th Street Link Light Rail

As you may be aware, there is one more light rail station to open on the 1 Line to Lynnwood in 2026. The station is located at NE 130th Street and would not have happened without the steadfast advocacy of Debora Juarez, who was both our City Council President and a Sound Transit Board member. Station naming is an important consideration at Sound Transit as they are preparing to open dozens of new stations in the coming years. Thank you to those who provided feedback on naming options for the 130^th station.

September ’24: West Point Treatment Plant Unveils Improvements

Councilmember Dan Strauss and Legislative Assistant Cameron Yonan at the West Point Treatment Plan.

In September, I visited the West Point Treatment Plant to celebrate the new and improved 16.8 megawatt high-voltage battery system and 140 solar panels that power the plant’s light, heating and ventilation.

The West Point Treatment Plant has, at times, spilled raw sewage into the Puget Sound, with the largest in recent memory occurring in April of 2017. The failure in 2017 was due in part to power fluctuations. The battery and solar installation was designed to ensure power reliability and consistency. These improvements are essential to reduce the risk of the pumps turning off.

This is the first project of its kind in the City of Seattle and would not have been possible without Casey Sixkiller, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 10. Casey worked on this project when he worked at King County, The City of Seattle, and now at the EPA. We must thank him for his work!

I, as the former chair of the Land Use Committee, had to amend the code for this project to be built because the building exceeded height limits within the zone.

September ’24: Select Budget Committee Receives Mayor’s Propose Budget

As the Chair of the Select Budget Committee, I kicked off the Council’s budget work in April to review the base budget, departmental budgets, and revenue overviews. Usually, that work does not begin until the mayor sends his budget proposal to Council (September 24 this year). Due to this extensive advanced preparation, the Select Budget Committee was able to efficiently work with the City Budget Office, our Central Staff, and city departments to smoothly analyze the Mayor’s proposed budget.

The Budget Committee’s work lasted through October and most of November. You can learn more about the budget process here.

October ’24: Preparing for Skagit Dam Relicensing

Councilmember Strauss inside the Skagit Hydro Facility.

I had the pleasure of returning to the Skagit Hydro Facility in the Skagit River for a tour. These three dams provide 20% of Seattle City Light’s power. However, the current license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) expires in 2025. To renew this license, Seattle City Light must review the dam’s safety, cost, environmental, and cultural impacts.

On this tour, I focused in on the details of City Light’s relicensing process, specifically including performing recreational, aquatic, cultural resource, and wildlife/botanical studies.

This was a return trip for me. In March, I toured the facilities as part of government-to-government meetings. This October tour focused on the details of fish and environmental mitigations.

Relicensing is a big project with many important details, because the next license will last between 30 and 50 years.

October ’24: Indigenous People’s Day

Councilmember Strauss, Mike Tulee, and Larry Gossett at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day was October 14. As Chair of the Finance, Native Communities and Tribal Governments Committee, I’ve had the pleasure of developing meaningful relationships with member of our Federally recognized tribes and native communities. This year there was a Citywide celebration hosted at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center with dancing, dinner, bingo, and performances. I had the honor of attending with civil rights leader Larry Gossett who joined in protest and community to help advocate for the creation of the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center.  

I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Mike Tulee to honor the legacy of Bernie Whitebear, Larry Gossett and the Gang of Four.

November ’24: Council Passes 2025-2026 Budget

Members of the Seattle City Council join Mayor Bruce Harrell for the 2025-2026 Budget bill signing.

In November, we passed a balanced budget that addressed a $250-plus million budget shortfall while still making essential investments in our community and ensuring access to high-quality services that make our City stronger.

We know the same inflation that helped cause our budget shortfall is being felt hardest by working class Seattleites. Too many are struggling to meet their everyday needs. We won’t leave them behind. This is a budget for everyone – a budget that builds towards a better, safer, more affordable Seattle for all.

Our Budget wins:

• Affordable Housing: Invested more than $340 million into affordable housing – the single biggest investment in Seattle’s history.
• Public Safety: Expanded Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) citywide and seven days a week, added more positions to 911 call center, and expanded We Deliver Care programming.
• Homelessness: Funded new non-congregate shelters, invested in new transitional housing programs, expanded the Unified Care Team, and invested $4 million into YouthCare to create workforce training and affording housing for homeless youth. 
• Public Health: Funded new substance use disorder programs including detox and inpatient treatment beds to support recovery.
• Affordability: Invested $7.1 million in rental assistance to help people stay houses and invested in food banks to promote food security.
• Economy: Restored funding for storefront repair programs for small businesses and restored funding for outreach to workers and businesses about Seattle labor protections.
• Protecting City Jobs: Reduced layoffs and protected City workers jobs for the next seven months.
• Saving the Seattle Channel: The initial budget proposal suggested layoffs and ending all original programming at the Seattle Channel. We were able to fully reverse those cuts and create a workgroup to ensure the long-term, continued success of the channel. 

December ’24: City Council welcomes New Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck

Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Dan Strauss, along with their staffs, at Seattle City Hall.

The Seattle City Council officially welcomed Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, who was sworn in during a ceremonial event today at City Hall. Rinck won the November special election to fill the at-large Position 8 seat, which represents voters citywide.

She will chair the Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture Committee. I am already at work supporting her with my FERC relicensing knowledge and sharing key details to support ongoing relicensing efforts in Skagit.

I look forward to working with Councilmember Rinck and welcoming her to the Seattle City Council. Additional information about Councilmember Rinck can be found here.

December ’24: Extended Office Hours

Due to chairing the Select Budget Committee, I temporarily paused office hours this fall. In December, I held over 25 hours of meeting with residents, including on a Sunday from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.

It was really great to meet with so many residents, and it remains one of my favorite parts of representing you. Office hours are important to me because I get to hear directly from you and help you when you need it. If you ever need assistance, let me or my D6 District Director know, because we are here working for you. We have your back.

I meet weekly with D6 residents, so if you have questions about anything in this newsletter and are a D6 resident, you can request to meet with me during office hours. Sign up here to meet directly with me.   

December ’24: Adopted 2025 State Legislative Priorities

In December, the Council adopted the City’s 2025 legislative agenda — the list of policies the City and its lobbyists advocate for in Olympia each year. The policy areas include public safety, behavioral health, economic development, housing and homelessness, climate and environment, and adequate funding for services and local governments. You can find the full list here.

My colleagues supported me in adding three priorities to the agenda including protecting abortion access, addressing climate change, and addressing the disappearance of missing and murdered indigenous women.

2024 overall

This was a big year with many transitions. We addressed a $260 million structural budget hole, passed the important transportation levy, completed projects such as the West Point Treatment Plant battery project and the 6^th Avenue Greenway, and kept important projects moving like completing the Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman Trail.

I couldn’t do this work without my D6 Team and without you, Seattle’s District 6 residents. It is a humble honor to represent the neighborhoods I grew up in, and it is a pleasure to serve you.