Seattle City Council Briefing 7/12/21

All right, good morning.

The July 12th 2021 Council briefing meeting will now come to order.

The time is 9-3 a.m.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Sawant?

Present.

Strauss?

Present.

Herbold?

Juarez?

Here.

Lewis?

Present.

Morales?

Here.

Mosqueda?

Present.

Peterson.

Here.

Council President Gonzalez.

Here.

Eight present.

Thank you so much.

If there's no objection, the minutes of July 6th, 2021 will be adopted.

Hearing no objection, the minutes are adopted and just want the record to reflect that we have now been joined by Council Member Hubbold.

Welcome.

President's report, no president's report for me today.

So we will just move quickly into the preview of today's city council actions, council and regional committees.

Again, the order for today's report out is council member Salant, Strauss, Herbold, Juarez, Lewis, Morales, Mosqueda, Peterson, and then I will conclude this agenda discussion.

So without any further ado, I'm gonna hand it back over to council member Salant.

Good morning.

Thank you, President Gonzalez.

Good morning, everyone.

There are no items on today's city council agenda from the Sustainability and Renters' Rights Committee.

The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for a special time this Thursday, July 15 at 2pm.

In Thursday's committee meeting we will discuss with a community panel of renters and renter rights advocates and with city council central staff members about the three renters rights bills from my office that the committee began discussing last week.

The first bill requires landlords to provide six months notice for any rent increases.

Currently in Seattle, only two months notice is required.

This bill was originally requested by the City of Seattle Renters Commission.

The next bill requires landlords to provide relocation assistance when they displace their tenants with outrageous rent increases, a process that has come to be known as economic evictions.

Over the past decade, there has been unprecedented displacement and gentrification of our neighborhoods, primarily driven by skyrocketing rents, forcing thousands from their homes, neighborhoods, and often the city.

many actually into homelessness.

And according to the nationally recognized studies, we know that every $100 increase in average rents in a city or in any region results in a 15% increase in homelessness.

The connection between the increase in rents and increase in homelessness is staggering.

In Seattle renters who are displaced by redevelopment are eligible for relocation assistance to the tenant relocation assistance ordinance or trail, but renters who are forced to move by outrageous rent increases who.

pays exactly the same burdens of displacement, get nothing.

The bill from my office, the Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance Ordinance, makes renters eligible for relocation assistance when they are forced to move by a rent increase of 10% or more.

At the same time, renters also cannot simply sit back and accept that Washington state's Democrats and Republicans will continue to ban rent control for the next 40 years.

It's already been banned for the previous 40 years, and we've seen the consequences of this not only in Seattle, but statewide with skyrocketing rents.

That is why my office is also proposing comprehensive rent control legislation to limit rent increases to no more than the rate of inflation with none of the corporate loopholes like vacancy decontrol that are often used to undermine the effectiveness of rent control policies across the country.

The rent control legislation from my office has what is called a conditional effective date.

It goes into effect the moment Washington State lifts the ban on rent control.

And we know for the past 40 years, state lawmakers have ignored the fact that they are standing in the way of the only real all-encompassing renters' rights legislation that can stop displacement alongside a massive expansion statewide of publicly owned affordable housing.

If this council passes this rent control legislation, state lawmakers will be under tremendous pressure to stop ignoring the issue and repealing that ban.

I urge committee members of the city council for the tertiary committee to please come prepared to ask questions about the two bills.

As you know, this will be the second committee meeting where these bills will be discussed and we want these discussions to be productive.

And one aspect of making them productive and readiness for an upcoming vote is for committee members to come prepared with their questions, concerns, comments, so that we can take them into account in the legislation.

And as I mentioned, the city of Seattle.

Renters Commission wrote a public letter to propose the six months notice bill, and they also actually took a vote to support the economic evictions assistance bill.

Thursday's committee meeting will also hear and vote on the confirmation of four more appointments to the Green New Deal Oversight Board.

After these four appointments, the board will only have four more vacant positions, one appointed by the mayor and three appointed by the board members themselves.

The appointments will be the only voting item on Thursday's agenda.

As many of you know, about a year ago, I stood at a TaxAmazon press conference outside New Hope Missionary Baptist Church with a dozen clergy and many community activists and socialists to demand that the city establishment support the central area housing plan, which has been developed by the Reverend Dr. Robert L. Jeffrey Sr., who's the senior pastor of the New Hope Church and other area black clergy.

As a result of this advocacy and the advocacy of hundreds of community members, We won an amendment in the final bill to dedicate a portion of the Amazon tax each year towards central district affordable housing.

This was an important accomplishment and a victory for the Black Lives Matter movement, and we need far more affordable housing in the central district and citywide.

Over the years, my office has spoken with many faith leaders who are eager to build affordable housing on their properties.

And as part of this movement, they understand keenly both the urgency and the moral mandate for more affordable housing.

Reverend Jeffrey and other Black members of the clergy have explained how 50 years ago, the city's Democratic Party establishment at that time essentially forced the church to sell its land to the city.

The forced selling price under the city establishment's threat of taking it to eminent domain was $34,000.

This was a travesty against Seattle's black church community and against the black working class and also the city's working class as a whole with the loss of affordable housing that it represented.

That land today is worth more than $2 million, more than eight times the inflation adjusted selling price of 50 years ago.

At least a part of that property can and should be developed into affordable housing.

The church, in partnership with the Low Income Housing Institute, or LEHI, has developed a plan to build affordable housing for 87 households on this city's stolen property with community preference for people who have been displaced or are threatened with displacement from the central district.

Outrageously, the Office of Housing is currently planning to offer only $20 million of funding for low-income housing in the Fall Notice of Funding Availability, or NOFA as it's commonly known for people who know it, which is the first step in the technical process the city uses to fund affordable housing projects like the one proposed by Reverend Jeffrey and other Black clergy and Lehigh.

After the NOFA, sorry, is issued projects bid, and some are selected from among those bids and only then does the affordable housing start to be built.

Ultimately, that means that the Office of Housing does not actually need to make a payment for well over a year.

At which point, the Amazon tax funds that we explicitly reserved for projects in the central area to fight displacement should be available.

The only reason it would not be available is if the mayor refused to honor the promised uses of the Amazon tax, which of course would be totally unacceptable.

My office is committed alongside Lehigh and the Black clergy to increasing the size of the Office of Housing's fall NOFA to guarantee funding for anti-gentrification affordable housing projects like what New Hope Church is fighting for.

And council members may have seen the email exchange between the members of Lehigh and my office, which all of you were copied on.

Working with a wide range of union and community members and Black Lives Matter and Palestinian rights activists, my council office, as you all know, is taking steps to advance legislation that would ban the Seattle Police Department from engaging in training with states, nation states that have been found to violate international human rights.

Last week, I circulated the draft legislation to Other council members inviting your feedback and also asking you to contact my office if you wish to co sponsor this legislation, which I hope to be introducing shortly alongside the organizations and progressive labor unions who are part of this struggle.

Our legislation would ban Seattle police from training or having any exchange with the military or police of any nation violating the Geneva Conventions of the United Nations or the International Bill of Human Rights, which together form the basic humanitarian standards that need to be adhered to and have been internationally agreed upon by nation states over the last 70 plus years.

This follows city council resolutions committing Obviously, this is in accordance or the city council resolutions that were passed are in accordance with these international standards committing to uphold civil and human rights.

In fact, not passing this legislation would directly contradict these past City of Seattle resolutions and longstanding city policy.

Some of the opponents of this legislation have claimed that this ordinance unjustly singles out the state of Israel.

It does not, as any plain reading of our bill will show.

I urge council members and your staff to read the bill properly.

Rather, the bill bans training with the military or police of any nation state that has been found to violate these basic international human rights standards.

Obviously, needless to say, the ban would apply to the Seattle Police Department, engaging in training with the Israeli state forces, with the Seattle Police Department has done in the past.

These are the state forces who have been responsible for brutalizing the Palestinian people for decades and who have been roundly condemned worldwide by unions, faith communities, human rights groups, and governments this past spring for their brutal and disproportionate military assault on the people of Gaza.

their attempted eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem, and their instigation of violent right-wing mobs.

The Israeli state has been found over the years by organizations like Amnesty International and by Israeli mainstream human rights organizations to have repeatedly violated the Geneva Conventions of the United Nations in its aggression and violent attacks on Palestinians and the forced seizure of their lands.

The International Court of Justice has found that the Israeli state violated the fourth Geneva Convention humanitarian rights of Palestinians.

The United Nations Human Rights Council repeatedly has determined that the Israeli state violated international human and civil rights laws and committed war crimes against the Palestinians.

In January, the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem detailed systemic human and political rights violations by the Israeli state in their report, This is Apartheid.

But As a matter of fact, this ordinance applies across the board, and if there are other nation states that violate such basic international human rights laws as the Geneva Conventions, as the Israeli state has done, Seattle police would be banned from training with them also.

Last week, my office circulated in the community a petition calling on this police training ban with human rights violators.

And the response was remarkable.

Within 48 hours, more than 800 community members had signed.

Earlier this morning, my staff have circulated the petition and signatures to all council offices.

So you can look at not only the signatures, but the number of comments that eloquent comments that have come in, which I really appreciate members of the public offering these comments.

Just a few of them.

Martin, a union member of the International Order of Masters, Mates, and Pilots, and a Central District resident wrote, quote, Geneva Convention violators have no place in our community.

Is Seattle a police state city affiliated with the worst in human rights offenders or a city with standards and justice?

" Daniel from District 5 wrote, quote, we need to move our systems of safety away from historic institutions of violence and allowing SPD to train with the Israeli military is exactly the opposite direction. Our city should invest money into its indigenous residents, not send its police force to learn from and teach other colonial states. End quote. Catherine, a member of SEIU 775 from the university district, wrote, quote, these kinds of tactics are inexcusable. Our police are already too militarized. Cops precipitate violence by using these sorts of aggressive tactics, end quote. And Christian, a member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 289, wrote, quote, simply, our community is not a war zone. The increasing levels of militarization of our police force has been ongoing post 9-11 and has only gone to endanger our people and create fear, mistrust, and anger towards the very people we are supposed to trust. Violations of the Geneva Conventions are heinous crimes. There is no reliable reasoning as to why anyone in this country should be receiving training from a nation that can blatantly deny such things. The very fact that it must be raised as question is another glaring look at the disarray this great country is falling towards. Seattle council members must stand up and let their voices reflect those of its constituents. There is power in democracy, in community, and if they can lead in any way, they must." End quote.

I urge all council members to read through the petition in the comments by more than the 300 signers that they have added comments and contact my office if you wish to co-sponsor the bill.

Last week during the city council briefing, I talked about the legislation from my office sent for introduction to the council president's office several weeks ago to decriminalize various psychedelics.

like magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, and MDMA.

Last week at the briefing, I raised some questions for Council Member Herbold, who was not there, so I'll raise the questions again now so we can have a discussion on this.

I have publicly been reporting on this legislation for over three weeks at repeated City Council briefings.

On June 25th, 18 days ago, my office sent the legislation we drafted in collaboration with Decriminalize Nature Seattle to Council Member Herbold's office.

In that email, we said, quote, we assume that this legislation will be referred to your public safety and human services committee, given its subject matter.

However, if you do not have the capacity in your committee meetings, please let us know, and we will find another committee option.

Alex, I try to give you a call.

Please feel free to call me at this number if you have any questions, end quote.

That was an email from my staff member.

Since then, my staff have also followed up with literally dozens of phone calls, but we have not received any response from Council Member Herbold's office so far, whether they will accept this legislation into their committee or not.

And if they don't want to accept, I'm happy to accept the legislation in my committee, as I've said repeatedly.

So I just wanted to pose that question here publicly.

Last week, my staff and I met with decriminalized nature activists, and they are predictably frustrated with the unnecessary delay.

And as I said, I'm flexible on what committee it is referred to, but I am concerned by the already now nearly three week delay in its introduction.

And I'm perplexed that council members have not provided any public explanation of why they are refusing to even allow the bill to be introduced.

Because this is no longer a controversial point.

It's the research on how damaging the war on drugs has been, has been now decades old.

And this is coming on the heels of all that well established research and we're talking about psychedelic drugs, which have a powerful potential to be used in the treatment of PTSD depression and addiction, and some have little or no harmful effects.

For the substances that can be harmful, such as ecstasy, we know the harmful effects are almost always a result of other drugs like meth being laced into the ecstasy without knowledge of the consumer.

And this is where this legislation will be important because, for example, in Canada, there are incredibly successful programs to offer free testing of drugs without risk of arrest at large shows.

Essentially, there's a testing tent set up.

where members of the public can bring their drugs to see if what they are about to consume is what they think they're about to consume, or if it's laced with something harmful.

This alone has saved many lives, but this program only works because people are willing to use it, and people are only willing to use it because they know that it will not be used to arrest them, regardless of the legality of the drug in their possession.

So that's the whole...

research that has shown the causality from not criminalizing the use of the drugs to actually having safe consumption and, in fact, reducing consumption of the dangerous drugs.

My point, of course, on the whole is that even if the drugs can be harmful, some of them can be harmful.

We're aware of that.

The criminal justice system is a terrible response that has been documented to the point of consensus among the scientific community and it prevents this sort of harm reduction approach that saves lives and it has been part of the failed war on drugs that has massively expanded mass incarceration and psychedelics are only a small part of that mass incarceration system but they are a part of it and we should not delay any more in passing their decriminalization in my view.

Once the legislation is placed on the introduction and deferral calendar, it makes it available for the public to see and comment on, and that should happen with no further delay.

I also joined other council members in signing the letter to the new Ad Hoc Overdose Emergency and Innovative Recovery Task Force, asking them to review this issue.

But I don't believe that there is any science or scientific evidence to show that that should be used as a reason to prevent everyone else from weighing in and also to prevent the introduction of this bill.

And some of the members of the task force are activists in decriminalized nature Seattle, whom I spoke with personally last week, and they don't see any reason for why there should be a delay in introducing the bill.

I am particularly concerned about the delays at this point for logistics reasons.

There are not very many more committee meetings before the budget begins.

And if the legislation is not introduced as soon as possible, it will be delayed until after the budget, which often it doesn't have to, but often means that it will not be taken up this year because council members will get busy with the budget and effectively we would need to start all over again next year.

And that is simply not fair.

to the activists of decriminalized nature Seattle and members of the public who want this passed.

So as I said, I'm again happy to discuss.

further, but I don't agree that there should be any further delay in introduction of the bill, and I hope council members will not block the introduction.

Finally, but not least, I want to thank members of the Garfield Superblock for their work alongside our office in advocating for full funding for their project to renovate, improve, and add art and historical displays in the heart of Seattle's Central District.

This community-led project started 15 years ago, and it is time to finish it.

The coalition's updated plan melds the original plan's vision with new historic and culturally relevant public art installations, site furnishings, improved access, play equipment, water feature, and an improved restroom facility.

When completed, we know the Garfield area will be a gem in the Central District, and I'm excited for my office to be advancing a supplemental budget amendment this month to add city public funds of $500,000 into the Garfield Superblock Project, and I urge council members to support it, and I'm excited to join Garfield Superblock organizers and community members this Wednesday at 5 p.m.

to celebrate the project's progress and vision.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for that report.

Are there any comments or questions on Council Member Simons' report?

Council Member Herbold, please.

Thank you.

Just wanting to comment a little bit about the entheogen bill.

Just as a little bit of background, the bill was only made available in Legistar on Wednesday, June 30th.

I don't want to get into the whole issue of calls made.

I don't have a way of knowing how many calls were made, but my staff has received four voicemails and three of them on this topic.

The fourth was not on this topic at all.

When I responded to Ted Verdone in Council Member Sawant's office a couple weeks ago when they informed us that this bill was coming, I let them know that I'd be meeting with Decriminalize Nature to talk about their ideas around process and the content of the bill.

We subsequently, myself and Council Member Lewis, subsequently attended one of their board meetings.

It took them some time to consider conversation that we had and get back to us.

We all have an email from them in our inbox this morning.

Again, to clarify, the bill itself has not been assigned to a committee yet.

Council President Gonzalez has, I think, and I will let Council President Gonzalez speak for herself.

But the understanding is that we have all agreed, the council, in signing the letter, asking that the Overdose Emergency and Innovative Recovery Task Force consider recommendations that the council has sort of agreed on a process for considering this.

policy.

And I believe that referring the bill to a committee prior to recommendations from that committee is premature.

The legislation is not ripe.

And I appreciate that the council president is supporting the position that we have all taken regarding that policy process.

Just to clarify, the board of Decriminalize Nature Seattle emailed this weekend for their support for the task force and waiting for their recommendations.

There are several members of Decriminalize Nature Seattle on the task force itself.

Um, and again, there are concerns that introduction of this legislation would indicate a specific intent from council prior to receiving recommendations.

I think there is strong support on the council for, um, for recognizing the.

the usefulness of entheogens in public health contexts and interest in the policy objectives of the legislation.

But again, I'm really hoping that we can consider policy at a time when we have actually received recommendations from the folks who are looking at this issue.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Herbold.

Sorry, it took me a minute there to find my mute button.

Okay, any other comments or questions?

Oh, Council Member Solange, please.

First of all, I just find this response to the question of phone calls and voicemails somewhat absurd and disingenuous.

I mean, yes, it's true that my staff member did not leave a voicemail on every call he made, but he made 23 calls and he probably left four voicemails.

Yes, you're right, Council Member Herbold, but it would be completely crazy for him to leave 23 voicemails.

Nobody in their right mind would do that.

I mean, four voicemails should be ample for staff members and I mean, you know, it's your office ultimately, you know, it's not about staff members, it's about the office as a whole, for you to know that we care about this issue and we're looking for a response.

And I appreciate that you have spoken openly today, but this is the response we were seeking when we reached out to your office so many times.

But leaving that aside, On the question about what that letter that all of us signed says, there was no comment about a process for this legislation in that letter.

That letter did not say one word about that process.

Maybe some of you were thinking that that is the process that you were agreeing to when that letter was signed, but that's not what it actually says.

And yes, and I did mention Myself, just a few minutes ago that members of some of the members of the task force and also members, I mean, or activists in decriminalized nature Seattle, and it is they who have informed me that they don't they that they that they believe the research.

and the scientific conclusions to be so well established at this point that they don't expect that the work of the task force is going to change the substance of the legislation in any way, and they themselves are perplexed and frustrated as to why there has been a delay in introduction.

The letter does not say that the task force should finish prior to introducing this bill.

The legislation is ripe.

I do not agree that the legislation is not ripe.

An introduction of the legislation is the first step to allow a democratic debate.

Okay.

Are there any other comments or questions relevant to Council Member Sawant's report?

I'm sure we're going to have this discussion all over again at 2 o'clock, so we will have an opportunity to discuss it then as well.

I do want to say that as council president, it's it's my responsibility to identify which committee this proposed legislation would go to in this instance.

I do believe.

that it is appropriate to refer this legislation to the Public Safety and Human Services Committee.

My hope was that Council Member Herbold and Salant could come to an agreement on a timeline related to legislation.

I've heard very strongly from Council Member Herbold as the chair of our Public Safety and Human Services Committee that she would like for the task force process to run its course prior to introduction and the consideration and debate of legislation related to this particular subject.

I am deferring to her as the chair in supporting her decision in terms of that particular timeline.

Obviously, Council Member Sawant has the right as a council member to make an amendment to the introduction referral calendar to introduce her proposed legislation in advance of the task force completing its work.

And my understanding is that that is likely going to happen this afternoon at two o'clock.

And if it does, folks will have to make a decision about whether or not They agree with the chair of the Public Safety and Human Services Committee and my support of that decision and support or not support Council Member Solan's motion to amend the introduction and referral calendar.

With that being said, let's go ahead and move down the line unless we have any other questions or comments.

Hearing none, Council Member Strauss, good morning.

Good morning, Council President, colleagues.

There is one item from the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee on today's introduction referral calendar, Council Bill 120121, which grants flexibility for downtown street level storefront uses to address vacancies from this pandemic.

There are also two appointments from the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee on today's full council agenda, one to the historic Seattle PDA Governing Council and one to the International Special Review District Board.

The next meeting of the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee is this Wednesday, July 14th, Starting at 930 a.m.

there are four items on the agenda.

One, a briefing and public hearing on the annual docket setting resolution for the comprehensive plan amendments to be considered in 2022. Second, a long-awaited briefing from Office of Planning and Community Development on the racial equity toolkit report on the city's urban growth strategy.

Third, a quarterly tree protection progress report from Seattle Department of Construction Inspections.

And fourth, a briefing on Council Bill 120108, which amends the Yesler Terrace Master Plan to allow for the development of vacant sites.

This coming week, I'll be attending the Green Lake Community Council on Wednesday evening.

My staff will be meeting with the Finney Neighborhood Association, and we're very excited that this week the Finney Neighborhood Association, they're signing the documents to receive officially and legally the Greenwood Senior Center, which we voted on a few weeks ago.

Lastly, I'll be attending the Association of Washington City's Legislative Priorities Committee this Thursday.

And here in District 6, I'm looking forward to speaking to residents during office hours this week on Thursday afternoon from 2 to 6 and next week as well.

So thank you, colleagues.

Council President, that is my report.

Thank you so much, Council Member Strauss for that report.

Any comments or questions on that report?

All right, hearing none, let's go ahead and go down the line.

Next up is Council Member Herbold, and after Council Member Herbold will be Council Member Juarez.

Good morning.

Good morning and thank you.

The full council agenda has no items from the Public Safety and Human Services Committee today, but the committee itself will be meeting tomorrow morning.

And there are three items on the Public Safety and Human Services Committee agenda tomorrow.

First, we'll have a 2021 mid-year accountability report from the Community Police Commission and the Office of Inspector General and the Office of Police Accountability.

We'll have a presentation on the discussions to date around the payout policy and an overview of stakeholder conversations held thus far.

And then finally, we'll be having a possible vote on the less lethal weapons bill.

Amendments are listed on the agenda regarding right actions and pepper ball use.

A couple other things I want to mention.

As we all know, last week, the Office of Police Accountability released its report about the presence of police officers in Washington, D.C.

on January 6th.

The OPA found complaints against two officers to be sustained.

I believe the recommendations of the Discipline Committee to terminate two officers for lack of professionalism and violations of law and policy are sound and necessary.

I released a statement noting my belief that if public employees knowingly travel to a location in support of people whom they knew were intending to attempt an insurrection, even if their participation was as a passive observer, that that's a clear connection.

between conduct and duties or responsibilities, and I believe is an offense that merits termination.

The words clear connection between conduct and duties or responsibilities is a reference to the SPD policy manual that specifically states that the department does not want to unduly limit the liberties or rights of officers, but clarifies when there's a clear connection between conduct and duties or responsibilities, and that that impacts the ability of the police department to create community trust and faith in the ability of police officers to fulfill their obligations, that those are legitimate issues to take a look at.

We know that research from nonpartisan groups like advanced democracy, show that before January 6th, there were calls for violence that proliferated in tens of thousands of comments online.

And since 2006, that the FBI has been warning us that extremist groups have had strong ties to law enforcement.

And my hope would have been that the OPA investigation did more than it did to look into the question of what the officers who attended on January 6th, what sort of event they thought that they were attending.

Did they see the calls for violence on tens of thousands of comments on Twitter, TikTok, Parler?

and other message boards?

Did they hear President Trump say that it was going to be wild?

Were there any inquiries or interviews with folks who the officers had talked to in advance about their plans to attend?

Was there any attempt to look at materials that the officers may have received or reviewed in advance of attending?

I'm also concerned that the report itself suggests that the phone records, specifically tweets, were deleted.

OPA says that Seattle IT attempted to recover those phone records.

But I do have questions of whether or not we consulted, whether or not OPA consulted with professional IT forensic to see whether or not those texts could be restored.

Community Police Commission has also noted the importance of addressing extremism within the department.

And in the wake of the announcement last week, stated that soon after the attack on the Capitol, the CPC asked Chief Adrian Diaz how SPD plans to investigate and address extremism within the department ranks.

While the Department of Defense, the Houston Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies across the country have publicized plans to address this issue, SPD's plans remain unclear.

I have also asked the chief about this, noting that the Office of the Employee Ombud Director Kahn is working with the American University's Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab known as peril, to develop an anti-extremism course and pilot it among several external facing employees in several departments.

And that a few months ago when I inquired with Dr. Khan about the police department's involvement in this, details about department employees were still pending, although apparently commitments from other departments, including the Seattle Fire Department, were in hand at that time.

And again, this was, I think, probably in early June, I'd made this inquiry.

So hoping to hear more from Chief Diaz about his participation in this important effort being led by the Office of the Employee Ombud.

Lastly, just a few words around the weekly HSD update that I seek to provide on the work of the Human Services Department.

Just wanting to let folks know that the Hospitality Worker Emergency Relief Fund reports distributing checks totaling an additional $14,600 in cash by June of 2021 for the Hospitality Worker Relief Fund.

The entire fund has now been distributed, and the cumulative total for the fund is 1,650 checks, totaling $2.17 million in cash assistance.

and other events coming up this week.

We have the Regional Policy Committee meeting this week, and then also want to note that on Wednesday at noon, the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force will meet.

And that's it for me.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Council Member Herbold.

Any comments or questions on that report?

All right, I'm not seeing any hands raised, so we'll go ahead and go down the line here.

Next up is Council Member Juarez, and then we will hear from Council Member Lewis.

Good morning.

Good morning, everybody.

Okay, so I have five items to speak to, and I will be brief.

There are no items on today's council agenda from the Public Asset and Native Communities Committee.

The next meeting of our committee will be Friday, this Friday at 2 o'clock.

In regards to parks, let's see, from July 2nd to July 5th, the highest average number of park users were reported at Golden Gardens, Green Lake, and Seward.

Second, market calendars.

Seattle Parks and Recreation's big day of play will be Saturday, August 21st.

The event will be held one to four at Rainier Playfield.

That's on 3700 Alaska Street.

It will showcase a wellness fair, in-person and virtual programs, live performances, and details can be found online or on Facebook.

In regards to the Clean City Initiative, let's see, the crews focused and they did extra deep cleaning efforts at the Myrtle Edwards Park.

In regards to libraries, library branches continue to reopen.

So last week, Seattle Public Libraries reopened Green Lake, Northeast, Northgate, and West Seattle branch libraries on Sunday, July 11th.

The Capitol Hill branch welcomed the public back in as well.

With these additional branches now open, Seattle Public, I'm sorry, Seattle Parks has 22 of the 27 locations reopened on modified schedules.

So we look forward to more branches reopening in August.

As far as Native communities, The national news, it's actually international news as well, interviewed Brett Shelton.

He's a lawyer with the Native American Rights Fund, also known as NARF.

Regarding the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland's announced search for graves and remains of Indian children near indigenous boarding schools in the United States, Mr. Shelton called it a huge first step.

It is actually.

and reported that it is anticipated that there'll be more graves in the United States and Canada due to the large number of schools in the United States that operated for over a century.

So Mr. Shelton commented that Secretary Holland's announcement is the first time the United States has ever taken on a national responsibility to become more knowledgeable and truthful about this dark past, that is boarding schools and Native American children in the United States.

Last week's summary, this is regarding the equitable communities initiative.

I met with the advisors to the ECI task force.

The ECI will be making recommendations to the city council on Tuesday, July 20th.

Recommendations will focus on needed investments to address the systemic challenges facing communities of color.

More specifically, the task force will recommend the best ways to invest the $30 million in four categories, or as they refer to them as the four pillars.

I went over these before, but I'll briefly state them again.

Number one, building opportunity through small business support.

Number two, developing diverse and culturally competent educators and education opportunities.

That would be including cultural education for BIPOC youth, programs for the formerly incarcerated, and an equity education innovation fund.

Number three, accessing affordable housing, land acquisition, and generational wealth.

including a lease to purchase home by a program and a generational wealth and apprenticeship pipeline programs.

That's something that we've been working on up at North Seattle College with the apprenticeship program and with Dr. Crawford, the president of North Seattle College.

And finally, number five, increasing positive health outcomes.

That would include food access and environmental justice, culturally responsive and inclusive healthcare, workforce development of healthcare providers of color.

So the ECI task force is allocating approximately one quarter of the 30 million among each of the four pillars.

More details will be available on July 20th.

On July 18th, or on July 8th, I also attended the PSRC Transportation Policy Board, which received updates on regional transportation planning and has a special presentation on impacts on the transportation network of Puget Sound and water quality.

And finally, in regards to Sound Transit, we were set to vote on realignment on Thursday, July 22nd.

That date has been moved to August 5th.

That's giving us some time to get our amendments in and giving council member or board member Belducci an opportunity to add more of comments and concerns and address some additional language in her resolution.

which will be looking at both of them.

The resolution of board member Balducci, and the resolution proposed by the board chair, Mr. Cankeel.

That's it.

Thank you.

Back to you, council president.

Thank you so much, council member Juarez.

Any comments or questions on that report?

Hearing none, we'll go ahead and go down the line.

Next up is council member Lewis, followed by council member Morales.

Good morning.

Thank you, Madam President.

There are no items on the introduction referral calendar from my office or expected to go to the Select Committee on Homelessness Strategies and Investments.

The committee will have its next meeting on July 28th, Wednesday, July 28th.

where we will again take up Council Bill 120109 that will establish a fund to accept private gifts to assist in our strategic efforts to address the state of emergency of homelessness.

We will also have a presentation from the Human Services Department reporting back on their progress to stand up additive emergency shelter investments and progress on the attached rapid rehousing program that the council funded as part of our budget in the fall of last year for 2021. So do please forward to my office any questions or communicate with HSD directly.

If you have some things you would like HSD to be prepared for for that presentation, I certainly have a lot of questions in regards to the shelter assets and rapid rehousing, as I'm sure my colleagues here do as well.

King County Regional Homelessness Authority will meet this Thursday, and I will be attending that meeting along with Council President Gonzalez and Mayor Jenny Durkan as part of Seattle's delegation to that body.

We will hear an update from CEO Mark Jones on their staffing plan to staff up.

the new Regional Homelessness Authority.

We will also hear an update on the early stages of Mark Doan's strategic plan to address the homelessness emergency here in King County, including the City of Seattle, obviously, through this combined authority.

I met with members of the Live Experience Coalition on Friday who confirmed that CEO Dones has been meeting with them on a regular basis and incorporating their feedback and concepts into their strategic planning.

So I am encouraged and looking forward to hearing more directly from CEO Dones at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority on how those urgent and critical plans are coming along and how Seattle can be a partner in bringing them into reality.

Finally, I had the great privilege last week to visit with my constituents, Tim and Nancy Washburn in Magnolia, to congratulate them on completing a tiny house in their driveway, which will ultimately be installed in the expanded Inner Bay tiny house village in District 7. Nancy Washburn asked for a tiny house to be paid for and built by her and her husband as a present to celebrate her 80th birthday.

And I do hope that their servant leadership is a model to other folks in our community on how we can all pitch in and do our part It was really quite a fun experience.

It was sort of a little impromptu street party where Tim and Nancy were joined by their extended family, children and grandchildren, as well as their neighbors who assisted in providing material and labor over the course of a two-week period to build the tiny house.

in collaboration with the Low Income Housing Institute.

And it really just shows how this kind of effort can really bring the community together in an action-oriented way, where all of us can do our own small part to contribute to moving forward on housing and shelter-based solutions to the homelessness state of emergency that provide people a safe and dignified place to live.

So thank you so much, Tim and Nancy.

And Nancy, happy birthday.

Really appreciate your assistance really stepping up as a community member and helping get our tiny house villages scaled up quicker.

So I'm very proud to represent you, and I look forward to future collaborations on how we can solve homelessness.

So with that, Madam President, I don't have any other things to report.

Thank you so much, Council Member Lewis.

Thanks for sharing that story as well.

Anyone else have any comments or questions on that report?

Hearing none, we'll go ahead and go down the line next up with Council Member Morales, and then we will hear from Council Member Mosqueda.

Good morning.

Good morning, colleagues.

There are no items from the Community Economic Development Committee on this afternoon's agenda.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, July 20th.

I do have Council Bill 120123 on the introduction and referral calendar, which will extend the delay in implementing the heating oil tax.

This will be the second time we delay it.

And I will be happy to talk about that later.

I do have resolution 32009 providing an honorary designation of South Hill Street as Clarence A. Cox Jr.

Way.

So that will be on this afternoon's agenda.

Last week I participated in the Central Puget Sound Economic Development District meeting where we discussed regional workforce recovery planning projects.

This is being funded by $400,000 grants that they received as part of the CARES Act.

to identify high-demand industries and help create an understanding of regional workforce needs.

And among those needs are housing.

I'm sure everyone saw the editorial in this morning's paper talking about how we really need to not just talk about attracting industry and attracting jobs and supporting growth and recovery there, but also really meeting the housing needs so that the workers in our community have a place to live.

So this will all be part of the work that PSRC is doing there.

Additionally, PSRC staff are developing an economic development element guide to assist jurisdictions in the upcoming 2024 COMP plan update process.

The element guide provides instruction on how to create place-specific local policies that build and strengthen the local economy while working toward common regional goals.

The goal areas are included in the plan review manual for economic development, and that is available on the PSRC website.

I would encourage folks to take a look at that.

Later this week, I have a Board of Health meeting as well.

Moving on to departments.

Last week I met with the interim director, Colladra Childers, for the arts department.

They had been under the impression that a search for a permanent director was underway.

My understanding is that that has been put on hold.

The arts commission commissioners are interested in engaging in a stakeholder process with community members to get some help identifying priorities for what the city's next arts director, what kind of qualities, experience that director should have.

And so my understanding is that the process will, that stakeholder process will continue with arts commissioners leading that.

This weekend, July 17th and 18th, will be one of the welcome back events in the Chinatown International District at Hing He Park.

There'll be martial arts demonstrations, lion dances, cultural performances, as well as several live music performances and a vaccine pop-up offering the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines.

So hope y'all will come on down Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 7. I also met with the Office of Economic Development's Interim Director Banks to talk about a few different things.

She informed me that she has briefed the Film Task Force and notified them that OED will not be moving forward with a film commission at this point.

I think there has been a decision to really focus on recovery, and they are working to get some priorities for the Film Task Force for 2021 and 2022. I am hoping to receive recommendations from OED on how they proceed with that work and have been told that they will make that presentation once those recommendations are finalized.

We also discussed separately with Interim Director Banks and with Port Commissioner Stephanie Bowman the process for implementing the Youth Opportunities Apprenticeship Program, which we just added a million dollars to us to begin that partnership with the port.

So as we are moving forward with a memorandum of understanding, I will keep all of you informed on where we are in that process.

And then finally, as it relates to our department issues, we – it seems there's been a delay on the 15th Avenue BIA.

I think we are – I think that group of folks is back on track with getting information and documents to us.

They've adjusted the timeline a little bit, but are hoping to have the documents by the end of next week.

We may not be able to begin hearing that BIA in my July committee, but we – if not, we will begin that process in August.

And it may require that we have a special committee meeting to meet the public hearing timeline and to try to get this done before we begin our budget conversations.

So it's likely that we will need a special meeting in early September.

Just want to give folks a heads-up about that.

Last week, I met with neighbors in the Chinatown International District to discuss Just Care, some graffiti issues, and other public safety issues that are happening.

Folks in the CID are really hoping that we can prioritize that neighborhood in terms of getting folks sheltered.

There is a growing presence on King Street.

And there was a lot of great work happening with Just Cares in that neighborhood several months ago.

but the work must continue, so met with them to talk about that.

Tomorrow, I'll be touring the Orca Business Park in Georgetown to discuss similar issues with folks in that neighborhood.

Also tomorrow, I'll be speaking with the Office of Housing about safety enhancements at the UW Laundry site as part of the ongoing work that my office is doing with the Mount Baker community.

And then on Wednesday, I'll have office hours at the Columbia City Farmers Market starting at 3 p.m.

I have been receiving many calls and emails regarding the closure of the Seward Park Beach due to a lack of lifeguards.

As Councilmember Juarez just mentioned, this park is one of the highest uses in the city and we are still mourning the loss of Andreas Gobel, the young man who drowned in Andrews Bay on June 26th.

Safety in Andrews Bay has been an ongoing issue and drownings are far too frequent in that area.

So having no lifeguards at that swim beach and closing the beach for the rest of the summer is very problematic.

It's not going to deter people from swimming there, especially when we're having the kind of record-breaking heat that we've been having.

It'll only put south end neighbors at greater risk.

So my office has been in contact with the Parks Department already to learn more and we will continue to advocate for opening the beach to the people of South Seattle.

On Friday, my staff and I will join representatives from SPU to tour the Green River watershed and to learn about this amazing asset in Seattle's utility infrastructure.

And finally, colleagues, I do want to welcome our newest staff member, Imani Carey.

Imani officially joined us last week and is already jumping in with both feet.

Her portfolio will include parks, OSC, and she'll be assisting with the Office of Economic Development as well.

Please also contact her for scheduling requests.

And that is all I have this morning.

Thank you so much, Council Member Morales.

Any comments or questions on that report?

All right, I'm not seeing any hands raised, so we will hear next from Council Member Mosqueda, and then after Council Member Mosqueda is Council Member Peterson.

Good morning.

Good morning, Council President.

There are two items from the Finance and Housing Committee on today's full council agenda.

The first is Council Bill 120117. This legislation is going straight to full council.

It was on the introduction and referral calendar.

On Tuesday, July 6, this legislation relates to last year's past legislation, which was Ordinance 126161, which created the 2021 LTGO taxable bond fund that was and which authorized an Interfund loan to support spending on the West Seattle Bridge in anticipation of the 2021 bond proceeds.

This was before the 2021 adopted budget was presented and before the decision between repair or replace was made for the West Seattle Bridge.

The 2021 adopted budget anticipated additional taxable bond sales for the overlook walk and aquarium expansion projects and directed those proceeds to the same fund.

FAS has since determined that we can sell non-taxable bonds for the west Seattle bridge repair effort but these bond proceeds will need to be held in a separate fund from the taxable bonds.

So that is why it is coming to council.

It's technical in nature and also we hope to move it through rather quickly given the technical nature of the bill.

We also have Council Bill 120114, which is the South Park property acquisition legislation that we heard on Friday.

I know there's a lot of excitement around this legislation.

This legislation will authorize the Office of Housing to acquire two parcels in South Park for affordable housing development along with community ground floor space.

This is the first time the Office of Housing will be utilizing the direct acquisition authority that the Council increased in 2019 to $30 million through an amendment that we sponsored.

And thank you all on Council at the time for your support for that amendment that I brought forward.

We made the increase so that the Office of Housing could act quickly on this exact type of land acquisition.

And in the recent update that we had in front of us in 2001, in June, we now have removed that cap.

So first we expanded it to $30 million, and now we've removed the cap completely so that we can offer Office of Housing additional flexibility, recognizing that there may be an increase in acquisition opportunities on the horizon due to market changes, especially in the wake of COVID.

This is a really important opportunity for our city to acquire additional parcels of property either for public use or to be passed on directly to community organizations who are specifically rooted in community orgs who are serving those who are directly experiencing displacement and folks who have been long unable to compete in the market.

This is how we disrupt market practices and this is why it is so exciting for us to be able to enter into this partnership with the folks in South Park and really follow their lead and be able to acquire the property.

This bill, Council Bill 120114, was passed out of my committee on Friday, and due to the timing of the purchase, it is really important for us to move as quickly as possible.

So thanks so much to the Council President for her work on this as well, and her agreement to move this onto Monday's full Council agenda.

This is community supported, and it will utilize two properties to create 70 to 100 family-sized affordable housing units, affordable housing determined at 60% of the area median income along with community space on the ground floor serving the community and creating more of a place a sense of place.

The community has asked us to acquire the site and to do an RFP for affordable housing development with community priorities in mind and that is exactly what we are excited to do with them and in partnership and thank you to the South Park community for all of their advocacy and leadership on this issue, and to the Office of Housing for their work, along with Erin House in my office, who has helped to move this forward, and Tracy Ratcliffe from Central Staff.

So if you do have any questions about the legislation, it was on the introduction and referral calendar for a while.

We had a robust discussion on Friday.

If you do have any remaining questions, please do reach out to our office before I'm happy to answer any of those questions for you.

And of course, so is Erin House in my office or Tracy Radcliffe?

The next Finance and Housing Committee will be on Tuesday, July 20th at 9.30 a.m., our regular meeting time.

In other updates, I wanted to let you know that I did have the chance to speak with members of SEIU 1199 from Northwest Hospital who are currently engaged in negotiation.

I wanted to send them a note of solidarity and support.

We know that over the last year plus, these workers on the front line have truly been putting their lives at risk, the health and safety of their family as well.

by continuing to go to work to support our community by providing essential health services.

They told me story after story of workers who didn't have enough supportive staff with them, that there had been reduced to a skeleton crew, and that this had compromised the health and safety of their patients, and it also had put extreme pressure on them to be able to complete their work and their rounds.

Folks expressed that they were still experiencing being told to take their intermittent breaks, which is something that I've spent many years while at the Washington State Labor Council fighting against.

There is no such thing as an intermittent break.

If you need to use the restroom for three minutes, one hour, and then the restroom again two hours later for three minutes, that does not constitute a six-minute break.

Our healthcare providers and essential workers on the frontline, especially in the healthcare setting, need time to decompress and relax.

They are owed their full rest and meal breaks.

And that, among the other issues around health and safety concerns for the number of staff they have, the lack of respect in the workplace and the need to make sure that they are adequately compensated and that we are making sure that these institutions like Northwest Hospital are not being used as training grounds for then people to go on a year or two to other health care institutions because there's no way that they can compete with those wages.

We need to be paying these workers what they're owed and respecting them in their workplaces as well.

So I look forward to continuing to stand in solidarity with SEIU 1199 health care members and hope.

that there is both daylight on the issues that they're facing at the bargaining table, and that these messages of solidarity from electeds and community members at large will help to make sure that they know that they feel supported, and hopefully this will lead to resolution.

So thank you again to members of SEIU 1199 for reaching out, and please note that we are sending you strength and messages of solidarity as well, and we'll be here with you as you finalize your negotiation.

Later this week, I will be attending the National League of Cities Human Development Committee, of which I am a member.

They are starting their summer board and leadership program.

This is an annual conference that the National League of Cities usually hosts around the nation.

And unfortunately, due to COVID this year and last year, I will not be able to attend in person.

But as a proud member of the Human Development Committee, we will look forward to participating in those discussions.

We also will be able to have a chance to highlight the investments that Seattle has made through our Seattle Rescue Plan.

And I know that the National League of Cities has continued to point to Seattle as a great example of how to use those dollars.

Also I'll note that the Department of Early Learning excuse me Department of Education and Early Learning has also noted Seattle is one of the only cities that has done direct cash investments for child care providers which is getting a lot of attention and a lot of excitement and appreciation.

So thanks again, colleagues, for all of your work on the Seattle Rescue Plan.

I think that it is something that, again, Seattle can be proud of across our nation.

Later today, I will be attending the kickoff of the Public Health Directors Recruitment Community Advisory Committee.

That is a mouthful for basically saying the body that will be looking for an individual to replace outgoing Director Patty Hayes from Public Health Seattle-King County.

Again, a longtime friend and mentor of mine.

We do wish her luck.

And this national search brings together direct advisors, members from King County and Seattle to identify the next public health leader.

So very excited about that.

And of course, if you have recommendations, there is a robust recruitment process.

So please, please let me know if I can get that information to you.

I'll also be attending our Board of Health meeting later this week where we will have a panel discussion on drug user health and continue our conversation and robust engagement among board members looking at the social determinants of health and equity.

We've been having regular retreat meetings over the last few weeks.

months.

And then lastly, just two updates from the departments that report to our committee that we work in partnership with Office of Labor Standards has marked their second anniversary working on the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Ordinance.

They are marking the second anniversary with a months long social media campaign.

And anything you all can do to help us emphasize and lift up these messages is going to be extremely important.

As you know, hiring entities are not necessarily used to being employers and we want to make sure that anyone who is hiring domestic workers, whether in your home to clean it or to take care of kiddos or to take care of elders or to take care of yards, that we get the information out to all hiring entities about their rights and responsibilities under the law.

and that workers, as domestic workers, whether they're independent contractors or employees of a firm, that they know their rights as well.

It's a difficult population to do outreach to, both as hiring entities and workers, and I appreciate the work of Office of Labor Standards and the council's efforts over the last two years to have increased the budget to support the campaign to get information out and to help make sure folks on all sides know their rights and responsibilities.

Office of Labor Standards also issued a third public comment period for the rules on the TNC Minimum Compensation Ordinance.

This is for gig and app-based drivers.

Want to let you know that public comment does close this week on July 14th.

So again, public comment period open for rules for the Minimum Wage Compensation Ordinance specific to transportation network companies, those app-based companies.

And again, it closes on the 14th.

And finally, from FAS, they have a few updates for you.

FAS finalized their wheelchair accessible for hire, the WAV customer survey, which is now being translated into seven tier one languages.

The survey will be available online for the wheelchair accessible for hire customers to fill out and could use your help in helping to push that information out as well.

We will put it on our social media thanks to the partnership of Department of Neighborhoods as well and community liaisons who were helping to recruit and interview respondents in person and over the phone.

I wanted to let you know the downtown recovery calls as the third, excuse me, as with the COVID testing and vaccination sites, the customer service bureau will be the point of contact for the downtown recovery events.

ADA accommodation requests, the main phone number that you can call for accessing this information is 206-684-2489.

And all of this information will also appear on all the city the city flyers that are being published for these downtown recovery efforts to make sure that there is ADA accommodations available.

We'll also let you know that the Seattle Animal Shelter staff could use additional help in getting information out about the ways that folks can adopt furry friends.

You may have seen some of the statistics in the wake of so many people adopting animals and purchasing new pets.

Now as more people go back into the workplace that is no longer at home.

A lot of people are giving up their pets.

So we want to make sure all of these furry friends have a place to call home.

And really excited that FAS has flagged for us that they helped an animal named Jewel, a four-month-old female pit bull that was found in a dumpster with a fractured leg, find a home.

Dr. Bennett was able to spade her, fix an umbilical hernia, and amputate a limb, which allowed her to quickly heal and become available for adoption.

Jewel is considered a tripod.

and they typically do really well, especially when they're young and adaptable.

We expect to help find her an adoptable home very soon, and Jewel is just one of many pets who need a home now.

So thanks for all of the work at FAS, as you can tell.

They have a wide variety of responsibilities, and we appreciate all they do.

That is it for me, Council President.

Thank you so much, Council Member Esqueda.

Council Member Lewis, I see that you have your hand raised, please.

Yes, thank you, Madam President.

I just wanted to briefly remark that I, too, had the privilege of meeting last week with representatives from SEIU 1199 to discuss the ongoing friction that they're facing in their current negotiations.

And I, too, just wanted to take a brief moment following Councilor Mosqueda's report to Echo the very, very strong support for a fair and equitable contract and that that be reached soon to make sure that we can.

have a lot of the rhetoric that has been used as public officials toward the heroes that are our public health workers and that are our nurses and nurse practitioners and everybody that SEIU 1199 represents, making sure that we put our money where that rhetoric is, then making sure that we appreciate and respect the work that they do by giving an equitable and dignified contract.

So I just wanted to take a moment to also raise up that meeting.

Thank you, Councilor Lewis.

Well said on that issue.

I won't belabor it here, but I too, of course, stand in solidarity with all of those workers and members of SEIU 1199 Northwest.

You know, it's easy for many of these employers to put up signs about how much they appreciate the hard work of our frontline health care workers who were the brunt of the COVID pandemic, but of course we know had really disproportionate Um, you know, working terms and conditions, even before covid covid just worsened and deepen those and it is time now to, um, recognize through a fair and equitable contract, the contributions and sacrifices.

Um, and in some instances, the loss that many of those frontline, um, essential workers experienced, uh, last year.

So, um.

I too stand in solidarity with those workers and look forward to hearing some good news very, very soon.

Colleagues, any other comments or questions on that report?

Hearing none, we will go ahead and hear now from Council Member Peterson, and then I will give my short report and we will conclude.

Good morning.

Good morning, thank you, Council President.

Good morning, colleagues.

Our City's Transportation and Utilities Committee has three items on this afternoon's full City Council agenda.

As was already mentioned, this afternoon we'll vote on Resolution 32009 to confer an honorary designation on the South Hill Street between 21st and 22nd Avenue South to call it Clarence A. Cox Jr.

Way.

This resolution is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Herbold and Morales.

As many of you know, .

Our committee unanimously recommended this resolution be approved.

Last week, our committee heard from the City Light Review Panel about why they fully endorse City Light's strategic plan.

It's a multi-year plan for implementing the mission of this $1 billion city-owned utility enterprise, which provides affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible electricity to over 900,000 people in Seattle and surrounding areas.

Despite several cost pressures, including the COVID pandemic, Seattle City Light has surpassed expectations in keeping their rate increases under control.

City Light also succeeded in not increasing the bills of electricity customers this year when its customers were the most vulnerable.

Moreover, City Light's proposed rate path will also have a lower than expected rate increase in the future as compared to their previous strategic plan.

The net result is a six-year average annual increase will be less than 3.5% instead of the original 4.5%.

On January 16th, our committee had its first presentation and discussion on the strategic plan.

Then on July 7th, we heard from the customer review panel about why they endorsed the strategic plan and support its adoption by this council.

Like I said, we unanimously recommended the approval.

If you have any questions about this, our central staff analyst, Eric McConaughey, is available between this council briefing and our full council meeting this afternoon.

This afternoon, we'll also vote to adopt Council Bill 120103 to authorize Seattle City Light to enter into a long-term lease with the nonprofit community development authority to take care of the old Georgetown steam plant structure, which is a national historical landmark.

For council members not on the Transportation Utilities Committee, again, our central staff analyst, Eric McConaghy, is available to answer any questions.

We unanimously recommend an approval of that.

Finally, our committee also recommended Council Bill 120115 as amended, which will allow our Seattle Department of Transportation to increase on-street parking rates in the uptown neighborhood just during large events at Seattle Center.

such as professional sports at the newly renovated Climate Pledge Arena, but we decided to have that legislation appear on the full City Council meeting on Monday, July 26th, in case the public wanted more time to comment.

Our Transportation Utilities Committee meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 930 in the morning, and so our next committee meeting is next Wednesday, July 21st.

In District 4, this past Friday afternoon, I had my office hours again with constituents over the phone and look forward to these virtual office hours again this coming Friday afternoon.

I expect to have office hours in person again in September.

That concludes my report.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Council Member Peterson.

Any comments or questions on that report?

All right, hearing none, I'll go ahead and give my brief report and then we can conclude this morning's council briefing really quickly folks.

I have no item on today's city council agenda for final action from governance and education committee.

I do have 1 item on today's introduction referral calendar that we will discuss during our regularly scheduled governance and education committee meeting, which is set to occur tomorrow, Tuesday, July 13th at 2 o'clock PM.

So there are a total of 3 items on the agenda for tomorrow's committee meeting.

The 1st is Council Bill 1, 2, 0, 1, 2, 0, which is a bill related to employment related ordinance that would give civil service status to 5 public disclosure officers who process the public records requests of all elected officials within the city of Seattle.

thereby hopefully enhancing the public's trust in our public disclosure process once those requests are received by offices who include elected officials.

The second bill will be Council Bill 120124, which would establish the Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts.

Consistent, this bill would be consistent with the budget action that I sponsored last fall that was supported by the council.

As proposed in this legislation, The new economic and revenue forecast office would be independent of the executive and legislative branches of city government and would perform functions very similar to those that we see performed in the King County Office of Economic and Financial Analysis and the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.

So this new economic revenue forecast office would provide independent forecast and economic analyses fulfilling the policy intent of council budget action that was included in the 2021 adopted budget.

The office would consist of three and a half full-time equivalents through a combination of newly created positions and transferred positions from the city budget office and from finance and administrative services.

The office would be headed by a director who would be hired by and report to a new forecast council, which would be comprised of the mayor, the city finance director, the council president, and the council budget chair or their designees.

The forecast council would be responsible for providing oversight of the new office and for approving the revenue forecast.

And it is, folks, my belief that this new office will provide several benefits for the city.

The first would be to create a more open, transparent, and robust forecasting process that would enhance the city's revenue projection, modeling, and tracking for purposes of constructing and approving and appropriating our budget.

And also through this new office, the city council and the public will have greater access to and and increased confidence in the forecasting process.

This will help level the playing field between the mayor and the council in determining what budget actions to take in reaction to changes to the city's expected revenue.

So my office, central staff, the city budget office, and the finance director have spent several months negotiating and developing this legislation, and I'm looking forward to launching the conversation about this particular governance bill in my committee meeting tomorrow.

The third and final item on my committee agenda for tomorrow is another briefing and discussion with our Department of Education and Early Learning, who will be joining us to provide An annual update for the Families Education Preschool and Promise levy investments.

We'll have a number of representatives from organizations and institutions funded by the levy to share directly how the levy is working and to share with us the positive impact it's had on supporting our young scholars and families across the city through those really important investments.

Last week, I also attended the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board meeting that Council Member Juarez already touched on, so I won't summarize what we discussed, and she has already done that very well.

And then, as Council Member Lewis mentioned, this week, there will be a meeting of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority Governing Committee, and I will be attending that meeting together with Council Member Lewis, and I'm looking forward to receiving the report and the recommendations on the proposed staffing plan.

And lastly, this week, I will be joining my colleagues from across the nation at our local progress board meeting and looking forward to having an opportunity to catch up with council members and other local elected officials from across the country on work that they are doing as well.

That is all I have on my report.

Any comments or questions?

Council Member Mosqueda, please.

Thank you, Council President.

I just wanted to emphasize my support and excitement around the Revenue Forecast Office as well.

I appreciate it being a co-sponsor on that during last year's budget deliberations.

I think that for the last few years, it's been pretty surprising to not see the type of paralleled structure that we saw at the state legislative office where they have the LEAP office where you can find information about I'm really excited about this opportunity to have a separate body that reports out to the legislative body on a frequent basis and I'm really excited about this legislation moving forward and thanks to your office and also for her engagement as well, but really excited about this opportunity to vote in your committee on this legislation and consider the legislation as I think that it is a matter of good governance, transparency, and accountability, and I think, as you noted, will really help set us up for And so while it might sound mundane to folks, this is very exciting, and I wanted to thank you for your work on that.

Thank you for that, Council Member Skate.

I appreciated your support in the budget and appreciated everybody else's support during the budget process as well, and I'm really excited about an opportunity for us to have the first public conversation about this really important piece of governance legislation that is probably not going to grab any headlines, but I feel pretty good about it, so.

Colleagues, if there's no other comments or questions, just scanning the room 1 last time.

I don't see any other hands raised.

So, with that being said, that does conclude items of business on our agenda.

I look forward to seeing you all at 2 o'clock.

We are adjourned.

Thank you.

Thank you.