Councilmember Tammy J. Morales (District 2 – South Seattle) is calling for Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz to take immediate action after a video came out in which a Seattle police officer made abhorrent comments about a 23-year-old who had just been killed by police. “After every high-profile incident of police abuse, we’re told to wait – wait for...
Press Releases
The latest press releases from Seattle City Councilmembers.
Seattle Councilmember Herbold’s statement on federal court’s Consent Decree ruling
Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1 – West Seattle & South Park) released the following statement after U.S. District Court Judge James Robart released an order finding the Seattle Police Department has remained in compliance with many of the requirements of the Consent Decree: “While progress has been made, our work is not yet done. Court supervision will remain in...
Safer Streets Enabled by Passage of Additional Traffic Camera Enforcement Legislation
SEATTLE – Following their recent designation of illegal drag racing zones, the Seattle City Council passed two additional pillars of the traffic camera enforcement strategy, as sponsored by Councilmember Alex Pedersen for safer streets. The suite of new legislation will create safer streets throughout the city by authorizing the addition of automated traffic cameras in hospital zones and public park zones and by...
Innovative Strategy to Maximize Permanent Affordable Housing and Transit Access to Address Homelessness Crisis Passes Seattle’s Transportation Committee
SEATTLE – The Transportation and Seattle Public Utilities Committee passed today legislation sponsored by Councilmember Alex Pedersen, which will increase the space for low-income housing by creatively rerouting a public alley in the heart of the University District. Centrally located on NE 45th Street between Roosevelt Way and 11th Avenue NE, the alley currently splits two parcels that, when combined by the legislation, will enable dozens of additional housing units permanently available to low-income residents. Under an innovative arrangement crafted by Councilmember Pedersen in 2021, Sound Transit has been generously leasing...
Councilmember Pedersen urges reduction of harmful regressive taxes as part of City Hall’s emerging ideas for new revenue
SEATTLE – Councilmember Alex Pedersen (District 4, Northeast Seattle) issued the following statement in response to today’s release of the report by the City of Seattle’s Revenue Stabilization Workgroup. “To this day, Seattle has never replaced a regressive tax with a progressive one. While I appreciate the hard work of City Hall’s revenue group, I am concerned that their search for new revenues overshadows the need to...
City of Seattle Revenue Stabilization Workgroup Completes Work, Issues Report with Options to Address Seattle’s Revenue Gap
Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Pos. 8 – Citywide) announced that the Revenue Stabilization Workgroup has completed their work and issued a final report considering revenue options to address the City’s widening budget gap. Founded last year, the group of diverse civic, policy, community, and business leaders worked together to consider progressive revenue options, address looming revenue...
Councilmember Pedersen Celebrates Agreement to Save Luma, the Magnificent Cedar Tree in Northeast Seattle; Much Work to do to Protect Trees Throughout the City
SEATTLE – Councilmember Alex Pedersen (District 4, Northeast Seattle) issued the following statement celebrating today’s announced agreement to save Luma, the magnificent cedar tree in Northeast Seattle, so it is not cut down as part of a development project: “Today we celebrate the agreement to save the magnificent Luma cedar tree in Northeast Seattle, and tomorrow we have much work to do to improve tree protections throughout our city. I want to thank Mayor...
Seattle City Council passes first-in-the-nation law protecting app-based workers from unreasonable deactivations
The Seattle City Council passed an ordinance today, sponsored by Councilmembers Lisa Herbold (District 1 – West Seattle and South Park) and Andrew J. Lewis (Pioneer Square to Magnolia), that protects app-based workers from being unreasonably deactivated from their platforms. The App-Based Workers Deactivations Rights Ordinance, the latest PayUp legislation, requires network companies to base deactivations on reasonable policies and provide app-based workers with notice, records, and human review...
Councilmember Herbold celebrates mid-year supplemental budget positions for new police alternative, also $1 million to expand opioid treatment
Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1 – West Seattle & South Park) is looking forward to the Council vote tomorrow on the midyear budget bill. Among other things, the bill moves $1.6 million to the Community Safety and Communications Center and grants position authority for the city’s new dual dispatch pilot program, as well as making $1 million available to expand mobile...
Legislation for City of Seattle to partner with SIFF, Cinerama passes committee vote
Legislation sponsored by Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis (District 7 – Pioneer Square to Magnolia) to partner with SIFF and support the purchase and operation of the historic Cinerama theater passed a key committee vote today. “I am grateful to my colleagues for their support in advancing this critical investment to re-open the Cinerama and activate our Downtown,” said Councilmember Lewis....
Seattle City Councilmember Lewis hails collaborative plan to ramp up treatment investments, address public drug use
Seattle City Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis (District 7 – Pioneer Square to Magnolia) hailed a comprehensive proposal, announced by Mayor Harrell’s office today, to expand drug treatment and address public drug use. The proposal is the result of the deliberations of Mayor Harrell’s fentanyl task force, of which Councilmember Lewis is a serving member. The new legislative package, which Councilmember Lewis intends...
Statement from Councilmember Morales in Response to Shooting at Rainier Beach Safeway
Seattle, WA – On Saturday morning, Councilmember Tammy J. Morales (District 2, Chinatown / International District and South Seattle) issued the following statement regarding the shooting at Rainier Beach Safeway last night: “Last night, South end community leaders were hosting a beautiful community healing space in the Rainier Beach Safeway parking lot when dozens of shots were fired toward them. These young people, out of love...