Seattle City Council Full Council 10/8/18

Okay, thank you for being here this afternoon the October 8 2018 City Council meeting of the full City Council come to order it's 2 o'clock p.m.

I'm Bruce Harrell council president will the clerk please call the roll Johnson

Mosqueda.

Here.

O'Brien.

Here.

Sawant.

Here.

Bagshaw.

Here.

Gonzalez.

Here.

Herbold.

Here.

President Harrell.

Here.

Nine present.

There's no objection the introduction and referral calendar will be adopted.

Hearing no objection the introduction referral calendar is adopted and hearing no objection the agenda will be adopted.

Hearing no objection the agenda is adopted the minutes of the September 24th and October 1st 2018 City Council meeting have been reviewed, and if there's no objection the minutes will be signed Hearing no objection the minutes being signed presentations I don't believe we have any present presentations this afternoon so at this time we'll take public comment on item that appears on today's agenda the introduction for a calendar our City Council's 2018 work program the public comment will be accepted for 20 minutes and we ask that you limit your comments to two minutes and identify the issue that you'd like to speak on.

So we actually have two sessions because of a resolution, but we'll start off with a regular public comment section first.

And we have Alex Zimmerman followed by Tyrone Kinney.

Alex Zimmerman is first, Tyrone Kinney is second.

I'm sorry, what's your question, sir?

We actually have another public comment section on that.

Yeah, we you're uh, you get you you we're gonna have public comment section on our general one and then uh after that's concluded We're going to come back and do another public comment section for the agenda number one Yes Classification hi, my daughter wfu a pure

People, I love you.

You know what it means.

My dream about real Nazi, but I cannot find in this consul chamber real Nazi, but American Nazi is more dangerous than real Nazi.

I want to speak about something that is absolutely important when I see about this every day.

When you're talking about referral calendar, how about open Bertha room in City Hall?

What is I talking for six years, a hundred times, one time per week.

So people can come and talk openly about everything, not for one minute, not for two minutes.

So it can be open for candidate forum, because we don't have forum.

When last year, this friend with me, go together, old man like me, go for election for city mayor, we have a six.

in Durkan, in Munich, 150, it's a very big difference.

I think this is exactly what has happened now.

Fascism in this chamber got bigger and bigger and bigger.

When the only Nazi is okay with me, but you're acting like a cretina, is this our biggest problem, what I see now?

Classic example, we have today a meeting inside Indigenous Day.

I try to understand why you destroy American culture, what has existed for many years.

Because Columbus are Jew, I'm sorry about this.

So Jew don't have right for be a happy, or American don't have right to be a happy.

It's a classic.

When you destroy culture, you destroy economica, you destroy politica.

This is exactly happening in this chamber now.

So I right now speak to everybody who listen to me.

We need clean this Dory chamber from this pure cretina.

I don't understand why this cretina.

Oh, no more socialism right now.

One destroys the city totally.

It make us total collapse.

And I spoke about this again, and again, and again.

Stand up Seattle, stand up America.

In 2019, clean this dirty chamber totally.

They hire my dirty cretina, Fuhrer.

Thank you very much.

Next speaker is Tyrone Kinney, followed by Yvette Danish Kinney.

How y'all doing?

Good day.

Very good.

I've been out a little bit, but anyway, Bruce, I also want to wish you a happy birthday coming up pretty soon.

Thank you, sir.

And also, y'all, I've been paying attention to the community of the homeless thing going on, and it's getting worse.

We're raising up money in the different city, in the parts of the city, and I can't see no kind of improvement for the ones that are homeless.

And I think that's sad because we continuously, knowing this problem been going on 41 years, and this make 50 something, almost 50 something years that them people have been in slavery to a homeless.

And the money is there to help them.

but we're not doing the right thing.

And we also continuously to sell land that you need to be able to put the homeless people in.

You sell five acres and don't make it available for the ones that got a job, that want a home.

I met about four or five, I'm doing a new program with God is helping peoples in the community.

And I'm asking you to donate me some land, the city to donate me some land to be able to do what I'm gonna do.

And God's going to bless the situation.

I think y'all are going to do it, too.

And just that in itself, I'm going to make affordable houses, not un-affordable, not when they say it's affordable, but it ain't really being affordable for a person to be able to meet the income.

And you know when they got disabled money or security, whatever it might be, but be able to bring the families in from having them on the street.

Kids can't go to school correctly, can't put their clothes on right.

Can't have a good meal to eat decent to have come home and be able to study and get the lesson, right?

And there's another problem that the school is not teaching the kids correctly It's a whole lot of agenda All right.

Thank you.

Mr. Kenney following Yvette.

Danish kenny will be I think it says laryn jones or Jonas can make it out very well

Speaking of the homeless issue, there was made the news the other day about they wanted to turn one of the King County former jail locations somewhere around here into shelter, but there was issues about sending the wrong message, putting homeless people in the jail.

I'm not necessarily for or against it.

What I would like to suggest, however, is that you ask the homeless people what they would think of sheltering in there temporarily while the weather is inclement.

They may be down with that.

In the meantime, it would be a good idea for emergency shelters.

If you can't ask them, what do they think about doing that?

And also, as my husband referred to a homesteader as well, 2017 the city spent $10 million on sweeps.

That's a lot of money just to move people around like vegetables on your plate.

What I would like to see, if we got all that kind of extra money, um I'm going online with Mr. Zimmerman on opening up the Bertha Landis room and so if you can find 10 million dollars to sweep people around can you not find the funding it is to make it accessible because you probably need security or I don't know how that works to to uh rent out the Bertha Landis room if you're not a city employee so Just kind of think on that.

I think it would be a wonderful idea to have community meetings.

They can book it at a couple hours at a time just to come and gather together and speak on things.

So I'd like to see you consider that.

And I think as far as the, we're still paying attention to what's going on with the homeless situation.

We're just not showing up because we're kind of frustrated with the lack of progress on getting people housed.

So we're back.

We'll be back again soon.

And thank you for listening.

The fourth speaker, if you sign it fourth, it looks like it starts with an L, and the first name starts with an L, and the last name starts with a J.

There you go.

I'm sorry, I just couldn't make it out.

I apologize.

What's your name, sir?

Louis Jones.

First name?

Louis A. Jones.

Got it, Louis.

Thank you.

I've addressed the presentation today as the security of the city.

relevant to international pressures and issues.

You've already received a very dire article from a social book, which was part of my training as a graduate in sociology at the University of Washington, year 2000. Along with that is a comment from biology, which is, when any species climaxes, there then is a catastrophic disassembly or breakdown, a collapse of that particular species.

We had threats just last week, implied that President Putin could be on the verge of striking another world war.

This came from a British ambassador.

We know that we could respond to this in terms of what we did back in the years between the 60s and the 80s, or even in the 90s.

We could activate our outdoor warning system.

the shelter system that we had.

You could continue with retrofitting buildings and thus ensure some survival of some buildings under shock.

We could apply the Faraday's box concept, which nullifies the so-called EMP that we were also worried about.

Or you could open positive areas of interaction with Russia.

Not impossible.

We could, in appreciation for The fact that President Putin played a major role in throwing the commie flag out and has made overtures of friendship towards us since.

We can start a sister city program.

We can open an agricultural trade route from all of America through Longview or through Seattle to Vladivostok and all of Russia there.

We have a surplus of soybeans, we have a surplus such that our food this particular harvest season is just building up in parking lots.

Thank you, Mr. Jones.

The only way to apply that and to show your innovation, there are a lot of new possibilities.

Thank you, sir.

Opening positive areas so that frustrated and then positive as they have been.

Thank you, sir.

Abuse patterns set by Obama.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So at this time, we're going to move to the section of, thank you, the payment of the bill.

So clerk, please read the title.

Council Bill 119364, everybody mind to pay starting claims and ordering the payment thereof.

Move to pass Council Bill 119364. It's been moved and seconded.

The bill passed.

Are there any further comments?

Please call the roll on the passage of the bill.

Johnson.

Warras.

Mosqueda?

Aye.

O'Brien?

Aye.

Sawant?

Aye.

Bagshaw?

Aye.

Gonzales?

Aye.

Herbold?

Aye.

President Harrell?

Who's that?

President Harrell.

Here.

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

Just one second.

Okay.

Yes, I'm the Honorable Michael Cooper.

Just a second.

I'll call you in a minute, just one second.

I recognize you, Senator.

Just give me one minute, sir.

Okay, at this time, we have no committee reports for consideration today, but as provided by RCW 42.17A.555, the City Council will now consider the adoption of Resolution 31843. And at the conclusion of council member comments, the council will hear comments from you, members of the public, who wish to speak on the resolution, which basically endorses a statewide initiative, 1631, known as the Clean Air, Clean Energy Initiative, which will be on the November 6, 2018 general election ballot.

An approximate equal opportunity to speak will be given to members of the public.

And with that context, would the clerk please read agenda item number one.

Agenda item one, resolution 31843, endorsing clean air, clean energy initiative 1631, a statewide initiative to the people that would charge pollution fees on the largest corporate polluters and use the revenue to invest in healthy communities, clean our air and water, promote clean energy and slow down the impacts of climate change, all under oversight of a public board.

Okay, and just so the public who will comment on this knows the procedures we will introduce and move forward on the resolution, and then we'll open it up for public comment at the appropriate time.

So at this point, I will move to adopt Resolution 31843. Is there a second?

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the resolution, and we'll now hear comments from council members on the resolution itself, and I'll expect Council Member O'Brien to take the floor.

Thank you, Council President Harrell.

I wish that we didn't start this morning with such dire news to talk about this, but I think it's important to highlight it, that the International Panel on Climate Change, a group of scientists convened by the United Nations, came out with their first report this morning since the Paris Climate Accord was reached about two years ago.

And what they've found, what the science tells us, is that we have about a dozen years to get our act together.

if we want to prevent catastrophic changes to climate change.

I'm going to read a quote from Jim Skia, who's a co-chair of the Working Group on Mitigation.

We have presented governments with pretty hard choices.

We have pointed out the enormous benefits of keeping to 1.5 degrees Celsius and also the unprecedented shift in energy systems and transport that would be needed to achieve that.

We show it can be done within laws of physics and chemistry.

The final tick box is political will.

We cannot answer that.

Only our audience can, and that is the governments that receive it.

The reality we're facing is that we have the technology and the know-how to prevent catastrophic climate change, but the question is, do we have the political will?

And before us we have an opportunity, granted a small one, but an important one.

The people of this state have gathered signatures and referred to the ballot initiative 1631, which would frankly be a big step in addressing at a state level what the IPCC is calling on the planet to be doing.

And I am really proud of the citizens of this state that have done the work to get this on the ballot.

And I look forward to an opportunity to vote yes on this personally.

And I hope the council will support a resolution sending the signal to the people of Seattle that we think supporting Initiative 1631 is an important step.

Thank you, Council Member Bryan, for your leadership in this area and for those words.

Would any of our colleagues like to comment again on the resolution 31843 relative to the initiative 1631?

Council Member Sawant.

Thank you, Council Member O'Brien for quoting the recent findings.

I was going to do that myself, but I won't repeat what you just said, which are dire findings.

And the report says, as you were correctly stating, that the The speed and scale at which the world economy needs to be transformed in order to avoid damage, the climate scientists say, has no documented historic precedent, meaning that it's going to be needing to happen at an unprecedented pace, the shift towards renewable energy.

They describe a world of worsening food shortages and wildfires and a mass die-off of coral reefs as soon as 2040, which is a period well within the lifetime of much of the global population.

This is absolutely at our doorstep.

This is not in the future.

And Council Member O'Brien, I completely agree with you.

The question is not about scientific consensus or the understanding of ordinary people globally, the majority of whom understand what we're up against.

Frankly, this is a question of political will, of political leaders.

And it's unfortunate that the corporate political establishment so far, not just in Washington State, but nationwide and globally, has shown that it is not up to the task of addressing climate change, not because they are not smart enough.

Lots of people are very smart, but because when you have a ruling elite that is beholden to the very corporate interests who have plunged the world into this crisis, then it's at an impasse, which means that it requires ordinary people to lead the way, and that is why this initiative is important.

And it's an alternative.

When ordinary people get organized, it's an alternative to climate debate in Washington, D.C.

that ranges from out-of-touch climate change denials of Republicans, Trump, and the right wing, which is absolutely abysmal, to the meaningless and toothless targets set at international conferences by Democratic leadership, unfortunately, with very little enforcement mechanisms included.

Even worse, and this has to be noted, those targets are often accompanied by a push to shift the burden of addressing climate change onto the backs of ordinary workers as a consumption choices.

And in some cases, that's possible, but not on a scale that is necessary to actually, you know, make the change that's needed.

And just to give an example, ordinary people are often forced to have to drive individual vehicles, even though they understand that mass transit is important.

But when those options are not available, they're forced to make choices that are not good for the planet.

So by focusing on the individual consumer, corporate politicians intentionally and effectively give big business a free ride.

And these big businesses, the oil lobby, are the very source of the overwhelming majority of greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental destruction.

Those big corporations, those same corporations donate to the election campaigns of prominent Republicans and Democrats.

Unfortunately, that is one thing in common that both parties have that ensures that the debate over how to save humanity from the climate crisis never touches their bottom line.

Initiative 1631 is far better than the usual climate solutions promoted by establishment politicians, and because it is a voter initiative, it actually taxes big business rather than regular working class consumers.

If 1631 succeeds, Washington state could be the first U.S. state to put a fee on carbon emissions, which would help shift the discussion towards the large polluters who are ultimately responsible for climate change.

It is notable that Olympia, entirely in the control of the Democratic Party, was unable to pass a carbon tax last legislative session, but that a grassroots effort to pass 1631 could do what corporate Democrats could not.

There are, as we know, some weaknesses in 1631. Most importantly, it has large exemptions for some polluting companies based on the components that are being taxed.

Those exemptions are unfortunate and will lessen I-1631's effectiveness to address climate change.

They are also a political liability for the initiative because the big oil companies are cynically using these exemptions in their propaganda to convince people to vote no.

So our grassroots campaign has to counter that and we have to actually have, you know, go door-to-door to make sure that people understand that this is in our collective interest to pass this.

And I really wholeheartedly support this resolution.

Thank you, Council Member O'Brien.

I also would say that it's uh just in closing that it is quite unfortunate as a member of the labor movement myself I would say it's unfortunate that the Washington State Labor Council discussion on this was unable to achieve the two-thirds majority that it needed to have official endorsement of this initiative and I think it points towards the real need for the labor movement to have serious discussions around the issues of climate change and how fighting climate change is in the interests of everybody regardless of whether you're in the construction sector or whether you're in the teachers union because there are going to be no jobs on a dead planet and we all have to fight together for a just transition of all people who are in the oil sector so they can have jobs in the renewable energy sector so that, you know, we can together move towards a sustainable planet.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Sawant.

Council Member Bekshaw.

Thank you.

Council Member Sawant, I agree with you.

And I know that you may find that as a surprise, but I really am pleased that we have an opportunity to put this resolution forward.

Council Member O'Brien, thank you for doing it in such a statesman-like way.

My goal here is to bring our community together.

that we have our environmental leaders working with labor leaders, but with all of us to say it's a small step, but it's an important one.

And I believe that it sends a signal not just to our state, but to the nation that we and local government are the ones that are going to have to step up and do this kind of work.

We will, through this initiative, help reduce carbon emissions, improve the energy efficiency in building, and of course, help us replace fossil fuel with clean energy.

And that has been a goal that we've all shared.

So, I also appreciate the fact that there is a public oversight board.

I know every time we try to do something like this, people say, how are you going to spend it?

You're not spending it well or wisely.

I believe that in this case, we will have a board of people who know what they're talking about and will help us target those investments wisely.

And I also want to say thank you, Council Member Juarez.

Part of this initiative is that we are required to consult with the tribes.

I appreciate your input on that, and I want to recognize this is a good measure and a good step for our city.

Thank you, Council Member Begshaw.

Okay, I think we are ready to proceed.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Thank you, Mr. President.

I want to also thank the prime sponsor of this resolution for coming forward today, also in recognition that there has been a number of individuals who have fought for many years to try to bring together a broad coalition that includes labor, that includes business, that includes environmentalists, And the Blue Green Coalition that has come together and for years has advocated for this, has tried endlessly to make sure that there is a path forward, a path that recognizes that in order for us to successfully create a just transition to a green energy economy, we have to recognize the concerns that union members, that labor has, that workers as a whole have in collaboration with environmentalists and with businesses.

It is together that we will be most successful.

And while the full council was not able to make a unanimous recommendation at the convention, I think it goes without saying there was a number of conversations that were had without recognizing the in-depth discussions, the blood, sweat, and tears that individuals have put into this effort.

negates the conversations that have happened and I know that going forward we as a city and as a region and as a state will be better off when we recognize the commonality in our struggles and while there might not be unanimous support for the effort that's being considered on the ballot this year, we have something in common and that is that we know that the road to a just transition is long and that in order for us to make sure that we accomplish the vision of a green energy economy, one that rewards workers, one that has good green energy jobs that are living wage jobs, we have to make sure that business and labor and environmentalists are at the table and keep that door open.

So it is with that support and with the knowledge that this is a vehicle, a green vehicle, to make sure that we're accomplishing that vision that I support Councilmember O'Brien's effort.

And I think we should do everything that we can to keep our arms open and our minds open about how we will continue to bring folks to the table because this November, like every November, is a tough one and we will be a better off.

The movement will be better off, both the labor movement and the environmentalist movement, after this November when we see this successfully pass and recognize that those fears are grounded and being left behind and we need to make sure the just transition is realized.

Thank you, Councilmember Esqueda.

Okay, Councilmember O'Brien, are we good?

to proceed?

Good to proceed.

So now we'd like to hear comments from members of the public who wish to speak on the resolution.

The total time allotted for comments will be 20 minutes and the speakers will be called in order that they've signed up until the 20 minutes have expired and each speaker will be provided two minutes and I have you in the order here and we'll start off with Mr. Alex Zimmerman followed by Deja Sherman-Peterson and I will just remind members of public this is specifically on Resolution 31843, not on the other items.

My name Alex Zimmerman, and people know me from Tacoma to Everett.

I spoke 2,000 times.

I want to speak about the position that you have.

Two points that totally confuse me.

Number one, who will pay for this?

Who will pay for this?

Ordinary people will be paid for this.

That's number one.

And number two, you talk about corporation, but you are number one corporation, Seattle number one corporation, and number one killer.

Because right now, for example, High five, we drive for twice.

What does this mean?

This mean dying and dying.

Thousand people will be dead.

In statistic talk around right now, so couple miles away from high five, you know what this mean?

People die from cancer.

Is it?

So who's number one killer?

And who's number one who's supposed to pay taxes?

You guys!

You will pay taxes from your salary?

$130,000?

I'm not sure.

Who will pay for this?

The people of Seattle.

This is exactly what has happened.

So you're not only supposed to be punished by this law, yeah.

Pollution fee on largest corporation.

You are a largest corporation.

You are a largest killer.

You're supposed to be paid.

No, you don't.

We'll pay.

People will be dying.

We will pay in your citizens chamber for $130,000.

You don't do nothing, only talking and talking and talking and talking.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Talking and talking and talking.

BS again and again and again.

So that's exactly what is you doing right now in civilized country called a political anonymous.

It's exactly who you are.

So my proposition, very simple.

We need cleanses Dory chamber.

And after this, we will look in who will pay for this.

You from your package or real corporation who killer like you.

Thank you very much.

So our next speaker is these Sherman Peterson and and angstrom.

Hi, I'm Deja Sherman-Peterson, and I co-chair the Climate Action Team at University Unitarian Church, and I'm also a representative of People for Climate Action.

University Unitarian Church is a supporter and an endorser of Initiative 1631. We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

We believe in justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.

And we believe in the respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Those are three of the Unitarian Universalist principles.

And we believe that this initiative satisfies those three principles.

It's not perfect, but it effectively addresses our values in this.

I too heard about the IPCC report this morning.

Carbon dioxide emissions need to fall by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030. Even I will probably still be alive at that point.

And reach net zero by 2050. We have 12 years at the most to reduce our emissions, not 12 years until we begin, 12 years to reduce our emissions.

Or as has been said, we will suffer grave consequences.

I urge you to pass this resolution, but I also urge you not to stop there.

Seattle is not on track to reach its 2020 goals.

Please use the Bloomberg grant wisely to get Seattle on track to meet its goals and the K4C goals.

It's not enough to pass a resolution.

We need to do the hard work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Following Ann Engstrom, who's next, will be Andrea Fast.

Hello, I'm Anne Engstrom.

Thank you for allowing us to speak on this critical crisis.

And thank you for all the positive comments I've heard that you're maybe supporting this resolution.

I run the Citizens Climate Lobby, the Seattle chapter.

And we're working to put a rising price on carbon nationally.

And you can imagine how frustrating that is.

The IPCC just came out with all these data that you've already heard.

I can't believe that it has to be reduced by 45% by 2030. I don't know how we're going to make it.

And it says coal needs to be reduced by 40% today.

We need to shut down that coal plant.

But anyway, inaction will be horrible.

The least we can do is put a price on carbon and polluters now in order to slow down climate change.

1631, clean air, clean energy, clean water, healthy forests, and healthy communities is the initiative we need to pass now.

At least it gives us a start in the right direction.

If we don't, the costs to our health and our citizens will be incredible.

We have been hit in the face with smoke from wildfires caught, you know, just from the extreme heat and drought already.

My hometown of Chelan almost burned down and now is suffering every summer from the lack of tourists because of the smoke.

Our waters are warming, killing the salmon, starving orcas, and creating longer-lasting toxic blooms.

CO2s are absorbed by the ocean sound that create acidification that kills pteropods, basic food source, and destroying the shellfish industry.

I'm extremely concerned about our food chain.

Citizens Climate Lobby endorses and asks the City Council to endorse Initiative 1631 now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Following Andrea, who's next, is Lucas Vargas-Zanatello.

I have some copies of my remarks, but you're going to be bored reading them because it's out of the CIPCC.

I'm not going to speak to the science.

You know, 1.5, the difference between 1.5 Celsius and 2, which was the target set by the Paris Agreement, is a really big deal.

I'm Andrea Fasti.

I'm a Norwegian-American.

I've lived in Ballard for about 40 years.

I've actually seen the slugs in my yard disappear to be replaced by snails from California.

We'll consider them climate change migrants.

We are at the 11th hour.

In fact, I think I saw a clock, a new clock about the climate, and you know how they had the atomic clock in the old days?

Well, we're at five minutes to midnight, folks, so it's really late.

Today is a really auspicious day for you to take action on 1631 because it's Indigenous Peoples Day and it's an opportunity for us to recognize our Native neighbors and the fact that they get this, they understand this stuff.

So this is a really good day to pass 1631 as a city.

The other thing I'd like to say just about Seattle is that we're pioneers.

You know, we know how to do things.

We get people out of the woodwork like Bill Gates who do things that are remarkable.

And if we can channel the money that we can get from the big polluters into some innovative things, we can make a dent in this problem.

It's going to be hard and we have to move fast, but I really think we can do it.

The other things that are happening today that are interesting, the Nobel Peace Prize went to, not Peace Prize, Economics Prize, went to a couple of scientists who are really trying to get their hands on the interface of climate and macroeconomics and what that means and how governments can use that information to move forward.

And the other thing is that the valve turners, the people that very bravely, at risk of their own lives, turned off the flow of the pipeline oil from Canada, are on trial and they're being allowed to use what's called the necessity defense.

Please wrap up, ma'am.

I'm sorry that my time is up, but that's all I can say.

Thank you very much.

So pass this.

And thank you, all of you who are already on board.

I hope our remarks- Following Lucas, who's our next speaker, will be Brian Emanuels.

Hi, thanks for letting me talk to you guys today.

I'm here before you all as a citizen of Seattle, a working member of UAW Local 4121, and a graduate student of climate science at the University of Washington, and I'm urging you to vote yes and endorse this initiative today.

Washington State needs to move quickly and responsibly towards decarbonization if we want to set an example of leadership and innovation in these increasingly desperate times.

As Mike pointed out, this very day, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its sixth report, which states that hitting emissions targets set forward in the 2015 Paris Agreement will require a societal transformation.

This kind of language usually comes from partisan political organizations.

that this is now the consensus opinion of the international scientific community represents an important step in how policymakers like yourselves need to address the threats of climate change.

As a person of Puerto Rican ancestry, these threats never felt more real than when I watched in horror as the island that my ancestors called home was pummeled by the kind of powerful storm that will become more frequent as the climate warms.

And I continue to be outraged by the response efforts that disproportionately favor the rich at the expense of poor and working class Puerto Ricans.

Washington has a chance to be different.

We are making a historic decision this November, and out-of-state fossil fuel companies are pouring in unprecedented amounts of money to influence our decision.

Will we take responsible steps toward a diverse, clean energy economy, ensuring the health and safety of our most vulnerable citizens, or will we stagger blindly into a litany of climate impacts that will only become more serious the longer we do nothing?

An endorsement of 1631 is an endorsement of proactive solutions that will reinforce Seattle's commitment to a responsible and innovative economy, to science-based policy, and to a healthy environment.

Thank you.

Thank you, Lucas.

Following Brian will be the Honorable Michael Fuller, and then Christie Royce.

Hi, I'm Brian Emanuels, a volunteer from Climate Solutions representing the Yes on 1631 campaign.

1631 is backed by the broadest coalition in state history.

More than 250 in-state groups representing labor unions, tribal nations, environmental organizations, communities of color, health professionals, faith groups, advocates for low-income residents, scientists, community leaders, plus hundreds of Washington State businesses, large and small, and literally thousands of volunteers.

The opposition comes almost entirely from one source, big out-of-state oil companies who've contributed 99.7% of the record $21 million raised against it, so they can continue to duck paying for even a share of the cost of the damage their products to.

They say this initiative will cost small businesses and poor families billions while giving big polluters a free ride, but that's just false.

This fee will only be imposed on the state's largest polluters, primarily oil production and distribution companies and utilities reliant on fossil fuels.

There are some exemptions, like the coal plant in Centralia, to honor the agreement under which it will soon close, as well as certain energy-intensive trade and exposed industry classifications in order to keep those companies and jobs here in Washington State.

Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority, over 80% of the state's pollution, is covered by this fee.

And because it's a fee, all the money raised will be returned to us in investments in clean energy, healthy forests, and clean air and water.

So will it really hit the most vulnerable the hardest, as they claim?

No.

Section 4.4a of the initiative requires that, quote, there must be sufficient investments made from the clean air and clean energy account to prevent or eliminate the increased energy burden on people with lower incomes.

And that's partly why advocates for low-income families are not only backing the initiative, but were integrally involved in writing it.

The oil companies say there's no accountability in this initiative, but all the expenditures will be overseen by a public board made up of experts in science, business, health, and trusted community leaders.

As elected city leaders, Seattle residents look to you for guidance on important public policy proposals affecting our city.

So an endorsement from you sends an important message to voters that 1631 is not only sound public policy, but also essential to Seattle being able to meet your emissions reduction goals.

So thank you for your leadership on this matter and for your dedicated service.

Thank you, Brian.

Our last two speakers I have signed up are the Honorable Michael Fuller, followed by Christie Royce.

Yes, I'm Honorable Michael Fuller.

I'm standing before you today as I went to prayer.

Jenny Durkin, Mayor of Seattle, Washington, in regards of Kusama Sawant, Uh, she is openly violating her breach of contract, well, her contract.

I'm sorry to interrupt you.

Stop this time.

Uh, this is just on the clean air, clean energy initiative that were passed.

So I need you to talk about that.

Just weave it in.

I'm talking about how she betrayed my daddy.

That's not on the agenda.

And you, all of you Neanderthals are violating our veterans that fought to make this country safe, free, and secure.

Are you saying that that's relative to the Clean Air Act?

Bruce Harrell.

And you grew up in the city.

I did, brother, but I'm going to have to hold you.

You're going to be disruptive.

I'm finding you disruptive if you don't talk on the agenda.

I'm finding you disruptive, and I'm going to put you on notice that I'm not going to allow that, and you're going to be removed.

There ain't no man in this country that's so high to worry about the law.

Bruce Harrell.

Thank you, sir.

Our last speaker, I'm with you brother, I'm with you.

Christy Royce would be our last speaker.

Hi, thanks for having me today.

I'm here as a mother and I'm here as a daughter of an atmospheric physicist and I'm here as a small business owner.

My two daughters and your children are all counting on us doing the right thing.

I've been a climate activist for over 10 years.

I just can't believe that we would put our children in such jeopardy.

It's morally inhumane.

My dad's an atmospheric physicist, so I've heard about climate change my entire life.

The bad news is that the IPCC is notoriously quite conservative, so when they're coming out with these high-level warnings, take them very, very seriously.

I'm also here as a business owner.

I've worked in nature-based tourism for 20 years.

I've traveled to Antarctica and the Arctic over 100 times.

I worked in the Arctic in my 20s.

You used to need a working icebreaker to get through the Arctic region.

I've been there many, many times.

I wasn't there for 15 years, and I returned in August of 2016. And what I saw shocked me to my core.

There was no sea ice.

It was 70 to 80 degrees.

The polar bears that we saw were dying.

And because of my experience with climate change, I understood that what happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic.

I understood what methane bubbles are, and I knew what that meant for my children.

I shut down my company.

out of a moral obligation to not do the carbon footprint of going to the Arctic, and I started a solar company.

I started that solar company in January.

We've hired our first two employees.

We are so busy.

These are good, solid, living wage jobs.

They are jobs that can't be shipped overseas.

You can become an electrician through the apprenticeship program.

You do not need a college degree.

And suddenly you are making a solid income, an income you can support a family on.

Thank you, Ms. Rice.

Thank you.

Do the right thing.

Thank you very much, Ms. Rice.

Are there any other people that would like to speak from the public comment section for resolution 31843. And if not, I think I covered everyone that had signed up.

The time allotted for public comment on this item has now expired.

Oh, I saw a hand raise.

Oh, come forward.

Okay, make sure I get this young lady to sign.

Linda?

Can you please help us?

Hi, I'm Allie and I'm a climate reality leader.

I was just on a panel recently with Mr. Gore and we made the commitment overall as climate reality leaders to then support and work together collaboratively for climate change and for the future of our children.

So I want to thank you very much for this, for your hopeful endorsement of 1631 and moving forward with the council in collaboration and coalition together in making a better tomorrow for Seattle.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Would you be so kind to sign it?

Thank you very much for your comments.

Thank you, Linda.

Okay, so at this time, I'll conclude public comment that the time has expired and the council now proceed with a vote on resolution 31843. Make sure that any further comments from anyone.

Council Member, can I, before I do that, can I do that?

I took our comments and then I did the public.

I think we're, don't get another, we can.

Yes, we can.

Council Member O'Brien.

Keep it brief, Council President Harrell.

I want to thank everyone who came out to testify.

Your thoughtful and passionate testimony reflects a reality that I believe in and what we need to do as a city and as a planet.

And I'm really grateful.

And I know how hard it is to feel like we're beating our head against the wall.

And some folks have been doing this for decades.

And we see these reports that it's almost too late at this point.

But we're going to do what we can as a city.

I also want to just mention an experience I had a couple weeks ago.

I had a chance of, I was in a room with a couple thousand climate activists listening to the head of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, speak.

Richard described himself, I believe, as a third generation coal miner, and standing in front of a room of climate activists said that we have to meaningfully address climate change right now, and he's supportive.

But he also said that we have to ask ourselves if we expect coal miners to pay more of the cost of changing this than the rest of us in the room.

We need to rethink that equation, and I think that applies to all workers, too.

We have to do this in a just way, and I think this initiative actually lays the groundwork for that.

But I think it's enlightening to some of the discussion we had about labor and the role, the challenges they're facing.

But thank you all again for being here today.

Thank you, Councilman O'Brien.

Okay, I think we'll proceed with a vote if everyone is ready.

Okay.

Those in favor of adopting resolution 31843, please vote aye.

Aye.

Those opposed vote no.

The motion carries, the resolution is adopted and as, well it wasn't amended, the resolution is adopted and the chair will gladly sign it.

Thank you very much.

Is there any further business to come before the council?

Council Member Swat.

Thank you, President Harrell.

I would like to be excused from the City Council meeting on October 22nd.

Second.

Moved and seconded that Council Member Schwant be excused on October 22nd.

Any comments?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

The ayes have it.

Any other business coming before the Council?

If not, we stand adjourned.

Everyone have a great rest of the afternoon and thank you for your work.