SEATTLE – Councilmember Kshama Sawant celebrated the news this morning that U.S. and Mexican citizen Nestora Salgado was released this morning. She had spent more than 2 ½ years in a Mexican prison on trumped-up charges in connection to her role in forming a legally sanctioned community police force to defend itself against corrupt local...
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February 22, 2016January 6, 2023News Releases, Sawant
Councilmember Sawant, Congressman Smith call for Nestora Salgado’s immediate release
SEATTLE – Earlier today the City Council voted 7-0 in favor of a resolution, sponsored by Councilmember Kshama Sawant, urging the authorities in the Mexican federal government and the state of Guerrero to immediately release Nestora Salgado and facilitate her safe return to her family in Washington. It also calls on Secretary of State Kerry...
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February 11, 2016January 6, 2023News Releases, Sawant
Sawant, Gender Justice League Celebrate Defeat of Transphobic Bill in State Legislature
SEATTLE — Councilmember Kshama Sawant thanked the Gender Justice League and all activists who helped to defeat Senate Bill 6443 yesterday, a bill intended to roll back protections for transgender people. Sawant celebrated the historic victory for trans rights and the victory against bigotry in the Senate: “Congratulations to the Gender Justice League, trans rights...
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January 4, 2016January 6, 2023News Releases
Councilmembers Inaugurated in First District-Based Representation System Since 1910, Harrell Elected Council President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/4/2016
Councilmembers Inaugurated in First District-Based Representation System Since 1910, Harrell Elected Council President
SEATTLE - All nine Seattle City Councilmembers took their oaths of office in the traditional inauguration ceremony in City Council Chambers today, following their successful victories in last November's election. Newly elected Councilmembers Lorena Gonzalez, Lisa Herbold, Rob Johnson and Debora Juarez joined returning re-elected Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess, Bruce Harrell, Mike O'Brien and Kshama Sawant in taking their seats at the Council dais.
Family, friends, colleagues and community members filled the Seattle City Council chambers to celebrate the new and returning local government leadership. Each elected official was sworn in by someone of their choice and gave brief remarks.
Following their oaths, Councilmembers elected Councilmember Bruce Harrell to the position of Council President. Harrell has served as Seattle City Councilmember since 2008 and most recently chaired the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. The Council President is the presiding officer of the Council, sets the Full Council agenda, assigns legislation to committees and is the primary point of contact for external agencies. When the Mayor is absent from the City or incapacitated, the Council President assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Mayor.
Today's historic oath of office ceremony ushered in first district-based representation system since 1910. Seven of the Councilmembers will now each represent a geographical district, while two Councilmembers will each represent the entire city:
- District 1 (West Seattle, South Park): Councilmember Lisa Herbold
- District 2 (Southeast Seattle): Council President Bruce Harrell
- District 3 (Central Area, Capitol Hill): Councilmember Kshama Sawant
- District 4 (Ravenna, Wallingford): Councilmember Rob Johnson
- District 5 (North Seattle): Councilmember Debora Juarez
- District 6 (Fremont, Ballard): Councilmember Mike O'Brien
- District 7 (Downtown, Magnolia): Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
- At-Large (city-wide): Councilmember Tim Burgess
- At-Large (city-wide): Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez
Click here for an interactive tool to help find which Council district you live in.
Today's inaugural ceremony also marked a series of notable firsts in Seattle local government history:
- First Enrolled Native American Councilmember - Debora Juarez
- First Latina Councilmembers - Lorena Gonzalez and Debora Juarez
- First Japanese American/African American Council President and first African American Council President since Council President Sam Smith in 1986-1989 - Bruce Harrell
- First Female Majority City Council since 1998 - Sally Bagshaw, Lorena Gonzalez Lisa Herbold, Debora Juarez and Kshama Sawant
Councilmembers also took their first votes in their 2016-2017 term and assigned committee chairs. Each Councilmember is responsible for heading a Council committee and managing legislation related to that committee's focus:
- Council President Bruce Harrell, Chair: Education, Equity and Governance
- Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair: Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance
- Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, Chair: Human Services and Public Health
- Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez, Chair: Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans
- Councilmember Lisa Herbold: Chair: Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts
- Councilmember Rob Johnson, Chair: Planning, Land Use and Zoning
- Councilmember Debora Juarez, Chair: Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront
- Councilmember Mike O'Brien, Chair: Sustainability and Transportation
- Councilmember Kshama Sawant, Chair: Energy and Environment
For more information on the 2016-17 committee assignments click here. To sign up to receive forthcoming committee agendas via email, click here.
Today's inauguration ceremony served as an opportunity for the public to witness and participate in their local government. The ceremony was broadcast live on the Seattle Channel and can be viewed beginning tomorrow at http://www.seattlechannel.org/mayor-and-council/city-council/full-council.
# # #
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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January 4, 2016January 6, 2023Councilmember Sawant, News Releases
Councilmember Sawant City Council Inauguration Speech (as prepared)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/4/2016
Councilmember Sawant City Council Inauguration Speech
(as prepared)
SEATTLE - Councilmember Kshama Sawant delivered the following remarks at the Seattle City Council inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2016:
"Sisters and Brothers,
"Socialism is rising.
"Across the U.S. and globally, young people and workers are rejecting corporate politics and capitalism. They are fed up with the deep inequality, brutal racism, and environmental destruction under this system.
"Nationally, Bernie Sanders is running a trailblazing campaign as a Democratic Socialist, calling for a political revolution against the billionaire class.
"‘What is socialism?' Millions are asking.
"A socialist society would put people before profits, the environment before big oil. A society in which the resources of the major corporations are taken into democratic public ownership, rationally planned for the needs of society as a whole.
"What we've built in Seattle over the last 2 years is an example of how working people can organize and fight back against the corporate establishment.
"We have not won everything. But as our victory on the $15/hour minimum wage showed: if we fight, we can win.
"The political system in this country, and in this city, is broken. The same old, business-as-usual politics cannot fix it.
"I take the dangers of Republican right-wing politics very seriously. However, they are only one part of the problem.
"Over decades, Seattle has been dominated by a Democratic Party establishment which has presided over an ever-growing housing crisis in this city, increasing income inequality, the largest gender pay gap in the country, and an unaccountable police force.
"It is time for something new. Working people need our own political party that unambiguously fights for our needs.
"My standing here today is the living proof that, even in the face of hundreds of thousands of dollars of corporate cash, we can elect working class representatives. Thousands of people contributed 10 dollars, 20, 50, and together we set a new record for fundraising in a Seattle City Council race, without taking a penny in corporate money.
"Seattle will continue to set a powerful example of the kind of politics that are needed and possible.
"In this beautiful city, blighted by income and racial inequality, 2016 should be the year we take on the greed of the few, to meet the needs of the many.
"We cannot wait around for the state to act, or be held back by an antiquated, 1930s Washington State Supreme Court decision.
"Seattle can and must pass a millionaire's tax!
"We need to tax the rich to free up the resources needed for education, transit, and human services!
"The US is the only country in the industrialized world that denies workers paid parental leave, an essential step towards gender equality. We need to pass legislation this year providing all Seattle workers a minimum of 12 weeks of paid family leave.
"We need affordable housing and a bill of tenants' rights. The crisis of affordable housing will not be solved by helping developers make profits.
"It will require bold social measures like rent control and developing a public alternative to the private housing market by building thousands of city-owned housing units.
"We need to root out police brutality and racial profiling - to put ‘Black Lives Matter' into practice. This will require a democratically elected community oversight board with full powers over the Police Department, to set policy and subpoena officers.
"We should invest in education and living wage jobs, not a new youth jail!
"Seattle is on its way to a $15 minimum wage. 3 days ago, the minimum wage for workers at McDonald's and other big corporations went up to $13. That's good -- but not enough. These same workers need fair scheduling legislation to put an end to abusive scheduling practices.
"I appeal to all working people who are looking to resist the agenda of big business: get organized.
"Join me and Socialist Alternative in our struggle for economic and social justice.
"Let me end with the words of the great fighter and radical, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, ‘The evils of capitalism are as real as the evils of militarism and evils of racism.' He also said, ‘Call it democracy, or call it democratic socialism, but there must be a better distribution of wealth within this country for all God's children.'
"Sisters and brothers, now is the time to join our movement to create a better world.
"Solidarity."
# # #
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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December 18, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw, Councilmember Burgess, Councilmember Harrell, Councilmember O'Brien, Councilmember Sawant, News Releases
Seattle City Council Announces 2016 Committee Assignments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12/18/2015
Seattle City Council Announces 2016 Committee Assignments
Councilmembers to elect Council President and assign committees on January 4, 2016
SEATTLE - Seattle City Council announced its tentative plan for committee assignments today, in preparation for work in 2016. Each Councilmember is responsible for chairing a Council committee and managing legislation related to the committee's focus. Councilmembers also serve as a vice-chair on one committee and as a member on another. Councilmembers can also sponsor legislation on other committees under certain conditions. Committee assignments are made official at the first Full Council meeting of the year, on Monday January 4, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. Councilmembers will also elect their 2016-17 Council President at the meeting. Committee assignments last for two years.
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw will chair the Human Services and Public Health Committee. Councilmember Bagshaw will oversee Council's work on issues relating to services provided by the Human Services Department, including programs that meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable people in our community. The committee will also consider matters involving public health and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), which allows law enforcement officers to redirect low-level offenders engaged in drug or prostitution activity to community-based services.
Councilmember Tim Burgess will chair the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee. As chair of this committee, Councilmember Burgess will focus on issues relating to housing—investing and promoting the development and preservation of affordable housing, and building strong neighborhoods through outreach and engagement. Councilmember Burgess will also chair the Budget committee, overseeing the review of the Mayor's proposed budget.
Councilmember Lorena González will chair the Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans Committee. As chair, Councilmember González will consider policies to address gender equity and help improve the lives of Seattle's immigrant and refugee residents. The committee will also focus on fostering safe communities, improving police accountability, crime prevention, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, and fire and medical services.
Councilmember Bruce Harrell will chair the Education, Equity and Governance Committee. As chair, Councilmember Harrell will focus on issues relating to public schools and improving student success rates, intergovernmental relations, technology, ethics and elections, prisoner reentry and equity issues for underserved communities.
Councilmember Lisa Herbold will chair the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee. Councilmember Herbold's committee will manage issues relating to labor standards, civil rights, Seattle Public Utilities, and economic development. The committee will also manage issues relating to arts and culture in Seattle, which includes nightlife issues.
Councilmember Rob Johnson will chair the Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee. As chair of this committee, Councilmember Johnson will take up issues involving City zoning, planning, major institutions, quasi-judicial decisions, community development, and land use regulations.
Councilmember Debora Juarez will chair the Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront Committee. As chair, Councilmember Juarez will focus on issues relating to City parks, community centers, and public grounds, including the Seattle Center. Her committee will also manage legislation relating to the Seattle Public Library system. Councilmember Juarez will also chair the Central Waterfront committee.
Councilmember Mike O'Brien will chair the Sustainability and Transportation Committee. Councilmember O'Brien's committee will handle matters pertaining to city-wide and regional transportation policy and planning. These issues range from pedestrian and bicycle programs, traffic control and parking policies, and overseeing the City's coordination with regional and state departments of transportation. The committee will also have a shared-focus on Seattle's Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon emissions.
Councilmember Kshama Sawant will chair the Energy and Environment Committee. Councilmember Sawant's committee will handle policies relating to Seattle's energy usage, as well as issues relating to alternative energy sources, air pollution regulation, energy utility rates, and Seattle City Light finances. In addition, Councilmember Sawant will take up matters that relate to climate and environmental protections, conservation programs, and green infrastructure.
|
Standing Committee |
Committee Members |
Committee Meeting Days and Times |
|
Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods & Finance |
Chair: Tim Burgess |
1st and 3rd Wednesdays |
|
Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development & Arts |
Chair: Lisa Herbold |
2nd and 4th Tuesdays |
|
Education, Equity & Governance |
Chair: Bruce A. Harrell |
1st and 3rd Wednesdays |
|
Energy & Environment |
Chair: Kshama Sawant |
2nd and 4th Tuesdays |
|
Gender Equity, Safe Communities & New Americans |
Chair: Lorena Gonzalez |
2nd and 4th Wednesdays |
|
Human Services & Public Health |
Chair: Sally Bagshaw |
2nd and 4th Wednesdays |
|
Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries & Waterfront |
Chair: Debora Juarez |
1st and 3rd Thursdays |
|
Planning, Land Use & Zoning |
Chair: Rob Johnson |
1st and 3rd Tuesdays |
|
Sustainability & Transportation |
Chair: Mike O'Brien |
1st and 3rd Tuesdays 2:00 p.m. |
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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December 14, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Sawant, News Releases
Councilmember Sawant Celebrates Union Rights for TNCs/Taxi Drivers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12/14/2015
Councilmember Sawant Celebrates Union Rights for
TNCs/Taxi Drivers
SEATTLE - Councilmember Kshama Sawant celebrated today's unanimous vote in support of C.B. 118499 intended to help provide union rights for drivers of TNC/Taxi/For-hire vehicles, and issued the following statement:
"This legislation is a huge victory for all the underpaid workers seeking to rebuild the labor movement and fight for a decent life. Massive corporations such as Uber, Lyft, FedEx, and others exploit loopholes around independent contractors to try and prevent workers from unionizing. This ‘new economy' needs the ‘old methods' of collective action like unions, strikes and social struggle. Today's legislation is a call for workers around the world to demand that local governments provide collective organizing rights in the new economy."
A full transcript of Sawant's comments on the passage of this legislation are available here.
# # #
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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November 16, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Sawant, News Releases
Councilmember Sawant Celebrates Budget Victories
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/16/2015
Councilmember Sawant Celebrates Budget Victories
SEATTLE - Councilmember Kshama Sawant celebrated a series of budget amendment victories in the 2015 budget today, but noted the repeated broken campaign promises by corporate-funded councilmembers. “You can tell the election is over,” she said.
City Council Chambers were packed with supporters who advocated for funding for homeless services, 12-week paid parental leave, funding for tenant services, and for youth job and apprenticeship programs. Six of the budget amendments initiated by Councilmember Sawant were adopted.
Budget Amendments Won:
- Doubled funding for Career Bridge ($400,000)
- Doubled funding for youth apprentice programs ($300,000)
- Doubled funding for the Tenant's Union ($98,000)
- Commercial rent control study (Statement of Legislative Intent)
- Passed funding for YWCA homeless shelter ($256,000)
- Passed funding for University District Urban Rest Stop ($155,000)
Budget Amendments Lost:
- Municipal broadband pilot project
- 12 Weeks paid parental leave
- $10 million additional funding for homelessness services
Additionally, Councilmember Sawant's advocacy for an LGBTQ Community Center forced the passage of an alternative proposal, furthering the discussion.
Councilmember Sawant also co-sponsored several other progressive budget amendments which passed unanimously, including:
- $2.3 million additional funding for homeless services (Councilmember Licata)
- $600,000 for Zero Youth Detention funding (Councilmember O'Brien)
- $1 million for Orca passes for low-income middle and high school students (Councilmember O'Brien)
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November 3, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Sawant, News Releases
Sawant, Homeless Advocates Statement on Civil Emergency Proclamation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/3/2015
Sawant, Homeless Advocates Statement on Civil Emergency Proclamation
Use the City's Rainy Day Fund to Seriously Address This Crisis
SEATTLE - Councilmember Kshama Sawant, along with Julia Sterkovsky, the Executive Director of Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC); Patricia Hayden and Steve Daschle, the co-chairs of the Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC); Tim Harris, the Founder and Director of Real Change; Liz Etta, the Interim Director of the Tenants Union of Washington State; Robby Stern, the President of Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action; Katie Wilson, the General Secretary of the Transit Riders Union; Jarvis Capucion, Board Member of Seattle Housing and Resource Effort (SHARE)*; Andrew Constantino, participant of SHARE; and Peggy Hotes, volunteer with Nickelsville issued the following statement regarding the Proclamation of Civil Emergency on homelessness affirmed by the Seattle City Council today:
"The Proclamation of Civil Emergency on homelessness recognizes the deep crisis that homeless advocates have been highlighting for years. We owe a debt of gratitude to the on-the-ground activists from Nickelsville, SHARE/WHEEL, and Real Change, as well as the Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC), One Night Count volunteers, and the affordable housing and transit activists who continue to make this issue a priority.
"We welcome the $5 million commitment and are supporting it, along with every budget amendment furthering homeless services and affordable housing.
"The SHSC has recommended that a bare minimum of $15 million is necessary for the coalition to provide basic, critical services. We sincerely hope that the Council will follow up on today's Proclamation with a commitment to fund the full $15 million. We also hope the Council will uphold the spirit of the Proclamation by including every proposed funding increase for homeless services in the new budget.
"For context, the Seattle Police Department recently exceeded its own overtime budget (without consultation with the Council) by $14 million - almost three times the amount now being put forward to resolve the state of emergency for homelessness.
"The City has $100 million available between the ‘Rainy Day fund' and Emergency Subfund, which is utilized for emergencies. The Mayor and City Council have now acknowledged that we're facing an emergency. We appeal to Councilmembers and the Mayor to use a significant portion of this fund to bolster the $5 million that is currently being proposed. We also hope Councilmembers will revisit Councilmember Sawant's budget proposal to introduce taxes on the super wealthy and big business in order to meet homeless needs.
"After years of pressure and organizing, including the 2014 and 2015 People's Budget Town Halls, we are finally seeing initial results as the political establishment recognizes this is an emergency situation. Now we need to seriously act on it."
*for identification purposes only
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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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October 27, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Sawant, News Releases
Councilmember Sawant Unveils Commercial Rent Stabilization and Other Proposals to Support Seattle’s Small Businesses
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/27/2015
Councilmember Sawant Unveils Commercial Rent Stabilization and Other Proposals to Support Seattle's Small Businesses
SEATTLE - Accompanied by many small business owners and worker representatives, Councilmember Kshama Sawant today unveiled a series of initiatives intended to support Seattle's small businesses and workers. The proposals, which range from stabilizing commercial rents to improved late night transit service to providing retirement account options for workers, are part of a comprehensive package to help small businesses and their workers thrive.
"There's a lot of small business rhetoric from corporate politicians, but little actual policymaking that helps our city's small businesses. Commercial rent control, for example, is a policy that will directly benefit small businesses," said Councilmember Kshama Sawant. "City Hall needs to stop conferring sweetheart deals on big developers and corporations, and begin serving the interests of small businesses and working people."
The announcement today coincides with the Council's review of the proposed 2016 operating budget. Among other proposals for budget amendments, Councilmember Sawant is urging a study of commercial rent control in preparation for an ordinance next year.
"We all love Seattle's quirky unique culture, but we need to support our small businesses if we're serious about preserving the character and soul of our city," said David Meinert, owner of The Comet and other businesses. "We especially need to move on these policy ideas to support women and minority-owned businesses," he added.
Mike Rodriguez of Restaurant Opportunities Center United added that "Policies such as commercial rent control and a city-sponsored portable retirement system benefit both small businesses and their workers. We cannot lift living standards of restaurant workers by focusing on labor policy alone. When small businesses have a steady predictable profit and easier paths to provide benefits to their workers, both parties win."
For a more detailed explanation of Councilmember Sawant's "Progressive Plan for Seattle Small Businesses and Their Workers," click here.
Press Conference Speakers:
David Meinert, Owner, The Five Point Cafe, Comet Tavern, others
Sonja Ponath, Small Landlord, Former Small Business Owner
K. Wyking Garrett, AfricatownSeattle.com
Mike Rodriguez, Restaurant Opportunities Center United
Paula Lucas, Le Frock
Nate Omdal, Fair Trade Music Seattle
# # #
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.