City Council 5/28/2024

Good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to City Hall.

The May 28th, 2024 meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order and it is 206. I'm Sarah Nelson, president of the council.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilmember Kettle.

Aye.

Councilmember Moore.

Present.

Councilmember Morales.

Here.

Councilmember Rivera.

Present.

Councilmember Saka.

Here.

Councilmember Strauss.

Council Member Strauss.

Thank you.

Council Member Wu.

Present.

Council Member Hollingsworth.

Here.

Council President Nelson.

Present.

Nine present.

Thank you very much.

There is not a presentation today, so colleagues, at this time, we'll open the hybrid public comment period.

There is one elected official who's remotely present to provide public comment, and as the council's practice, we will recognize Washington State Senator Twyna Nobles first and allow her to speak.

Madam Clerk, how many other people are signed up today?

105 remote, and we have about 70 in person.

Okay, well, we'll start with the state senator, and then we will go into in-person speakers in groups of 10, 10, 10, 10, and everybody will have a minute.

All right, thank you.

I'm sorry, this is City Clerk Dedman.

I just want to interrupt really quick just to kind of make an announcement to the room.

We are at capacity, so please, for people standing in the walkways, please look for open seats.

If you have a bag in a seat, please remove that bag.

We need people to get in seats if possible.

Thank you for everyone kind of indicating what seats are available.

I see a seat over there, but just for safety purposes, If you can't stand directly against the wall, you're in a walkway and that's dangerous.

So please find a seat if you can.

And we are opening up BKL for everyone who wasn't able to make it upstairs.

Thank you.

I do see one.

Anyway, people can find seats if they're looking.

Raise your hand if you've got one next to you, please.

All right, go ahead.

You may begin with the one remote speaker, then we'll move to in-person.

I'll read the instructions briefly.

Speakers will alternate between in-person and remote speakers.

Speakers will hear a chime when there's 10 seconds left of your time.

And for remote speakers, when you hear that you've been unmuted, please press star six for us to hear you.

And we're starting, I believe, with Twina Nobles.

All right, I'm just told that she is not present, so let's go ahead with the in-person speakers, please.

The first speaker is Wei Lin.

Am I first, right?

Hi.

Hi, Council Members.

My name is Wei Lin, and I've been doing gig work since 2020. I'm here today to voice my concern regarding Council Member Sarah Nelson's proposal.

This proposal not only denies gig workers a minimum wage, but also can significantly reduce their pay below the minimum wage threshold.

Gig works are essential for our city economic, especially in the restaurant and delivery sectors.

Denying them of fair wages are making them a financial struggle and undermining their contributions.

Furthermore, this proposal does nothing to address the raising fees imposed to local restaurants and customers.

which they are and we are already struggling to survive.

We must ensure that all workers receive a fair wage and that our local businesses are supported, not burdened with additional costs.

I urge the Council to reconsider the proposal and to work towards a solution that truly supports both gig workers' customers and our local businesses.

My throat hurts, so my voice is kind of mumbling, sorry.

Excuse me, thank you.

We're gonna revert now to recognizing honorable elected officials, and we're gonna go to honorable Cecile Hanson, please.

That happened back in D.C.

too.

On behalf of our chief, Chief Sealth, I'm here to advise you, because I know that he would do that, to fulfill your promises to the public.

You will be blessed by your position and your actions.

It is well known that you do a good work on behalf of our city named after our chief.

And I thank you and I want to express that council people who have come to our Longhouse, please come again, because I welcome you.

And I want to thank you for all the work that you do.

And I know that you will go by the advice that people here to speak on their plea to do right on behalf of all the citizens of Seattle.

Thank you.

We'll be continuing and the next one will be Tanya Treat if I'm not mistaken.

Good afternoon.

My name is Tanya Treat.

I'm a Duwamish council person, and I want to speak to you about the EDI program.

I'm here to talk about the recent proposal on the proviso for EDI restricting the 2024 funds and requiring 2023 to be drawn down.

I'm also here to discuss the potential for withholding $27 million in participatory budgeting.

As you know, the Duwamish tribe has been part of the participatory budgeting process.

I'll call it PB.

And we very much would like to have that continue.

Both of these programs must be given adequate time to deliver their projects equivalent so or more so than the grace that's provided to city capital projects or city programs in general.

A solid example of the long timelines it takes are the four years that it's taken to get participatory budgeting to even get off the ground.

So in summary, these projects are important.

They will deliver resiliency above and beyond the dollars that are being expended.

They're very important to the community.

Please honor your commitment.

Thank you.

My apologies.

The next person is Paul Nelson.

And then followed by Dave Nelson.

Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Seattle City Council, I stand before you today as a representative of the Duwamish Tribe, a voice from a community woven into the very fabric of this city's history, yet so often overlooked in its future.

Today, I am here not just to speak out, but to remind, to urge, and to advocate for the rightful and implementation of community investments.

My name is Paul Nelson, and I am a Duwamish Tribal Council member and a longtime resident of the lands and the communities that we serve and respect.

The city's commitment to equity has been a vocal and well-documented in which we have recognized the systemic racism and historical policies have caused generational harm, particularly in black, indigenous, and communities of colors.

So I urge you members of the Seattle City Council to honor the promises made to support the winning projects and to champion the broader cause of the community investment.

Please allow the promised funds to be used for how they were originally envisioned to do so.

Thank you.

Nelson.

Esteemed members of the city council, my name is Dave Nelson, council member of the Duwamish tribe.

Despite our tribe's own challenges with broken promises, we continue to contribute to the cultural and environmental stewardship of this city.

And this is why we stand before you today, to ensure the promises made to our communities are honored.

The $27 million budget intended for our black, indigenous, and people of color communities was chosen by the community to address urgent needs, yet the funds have been sitting idle, depreciating in value, while our communities wait in desperation.

Reabsorbing this money to cover a budget deficit not only breaks a promise, but erodes the trust and respect of the very people who invested their times and hopes in this process.

I urge you to move the funds now, honor your promise, invest in our future, and show that the city named after our chief stands by its word.

We will now start from the top of the list again.

And so we are going to go to Matthew.

I don't have a last name.

Matthew Okay, thank you And then followed Matthew would be Leah Martin and I believe a shun Tucker Whichever one this one of that one depending on

Hello everyone.

Today I'm here to discuss four problems of the city and how we can control these problems.

I like to start with the sanitation of the streets.

We all know that every street you walk on is dirty, but these streets are infected with so much urine and feces thanks to the homeless.

It's mostly concentrated in the underground light rail system.

But the reason I'm talking about it, it's because it's a health hazard to the public.

And if I would do something about this, I would keep the homeless out of certain areas to keep the streets more cleaner.

The other problem I'd like to discuss is the dangerous substance and drugs on places that people can touch.

Seattle and other cities deal with problems like dangerous drugs like fentanyl, and the lethal dose of this synthetic drug is only two milligrams.

That's enough to fit on a graphite pencil tip.

And other touching drugs like fentanyl, Shit.

There's also cases outside of Seattle that are laced objects like dollar bills that can be overdosed with a touch.

And I do see these drugs on the streets from fentanyl pills to crystal meth and cocaine.

I want the mayors and others to be aware of this to stop overdoses to the public of the...

The next speaker is Leah Martin, followed by, I believe, Ashun Tucker.

Hi, my name is Leah Martin.

I'm the co-owner of Allied Aid Architects in Seattle.

I'm here to show my support for all EDI funding staying intact.

It takes eight to 10 years to complete a housing development in Seattle, from conception to land acquisition, to feasibility, design, design review, permitting, utility upgrades, street upgrades, and construction.

This is true for any mixed-use housing development in Seattle.

So why are EDI projects being held to a different standard?

Why are they expected to be built faster than market rate projects?

The EDI program was established in 2016. Here we are, eight years later, Africatown Plaza is a recipient of EDI funding.

It's opening this summer, right at the eight-year mark.

Why are we discussing halting funding when we know these projects take this long to build and, in fact, are getting built?

I have no objection to better reporting.

Keep this funding intact, otherwise dozens of visionary community-based projects will die and millions of taxpayer dollars already spent will be wasted.

I appreciate people's interest and support of each other, but I always ask that people please hold their claps and verbalizations after people speak and comment.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Ashun Tucker, then followed by I believe it's Eileen Cornelis.

My apologies in advance if I'm mispronouncing your name, but please state your name for the record too.

Thank you.

Yeah, my name is Keith Tucker, and I'm with the organization EDI Funding and the withholding of all of our funds for our program.

We've been working very hard to get permits, to build, to train our youth, to organize our youth and organize our farm right in the middle of the Central District where I grew up.

And it's very alarming to us that no one from the city council came to talk to any of our organizations about what we're doing and how this decision can affect our organizations.

We would have loved to see and hear from you, but we did not.

So this is our chance, I guess, to voice our opinion, to let you guys know how this really will affect the youth and the programs and projects that we have going on.

So this is one of our youth from our program, and she'd like to speak next.

This change is really bad for communities of color and equitable development initiative.

The EDI programs help at risk communities get land for affordable housing and more.

If this change happens, it will hurt a lot of organizations and projects.

The council should keep supporting EDI and say no to this change that will hurt many people of color.

Also, this change came in after the deadline and people didn't have enough time to talk about it.

That's not fair.

Let's support communities of color and say no to the CM Rivera's change in CB 12774. Thank you.

Next speakers is Zaj Collins and then Hamdi Abdulli and I believe Justin Taylor.

Hi, my name is Ash Collins, and I'm here on behalf of ACHD, and I echo the sentiments that have already gone forward.

Removing this funding when it was created to help BIPOC communities is like pulling the rug under all of the efforts that have been made over the last few years.

and it's actually more harmful than not receiving funding at all to spend the emotional, mental weight that these organizations have put into these projects, programming, and services than to remove it now you're eliminating the reality of the hope and the purpose that we hope to bring to our communities.

And so, like I said, I echo the sentiments that have already gone forward and ask for your consideration to not make these changes to our programming.

My name is Hamdi Abdul.

My name is Hamdi Abdul.

I am speaking on behalf of the community that I serve around the city of Seattle, particularly West Seattle and South Seattle.

I am so confused, appalled.

by any thinking that suggests that this initiative, EDI initiative, should be amended.

We don't need amendment, we need to continue the course.

EDI is a glimmer of hope for all of us, as you can see, the whole community.

EDI is a glimmer of hope, not only hope, but because Martin Luther King Jr., died for that reason, we are not accepting that anybody tries to amend or destroy or allow us to start the whole wheel again.

For no reason, that's not justified.

Not have any conversation, and I can be loud as I wish.

We did not have any conversation with any city council member regarding this amendment.

It's a shock.

Thank you very much.

And it's unacceptable.

We appreciate your efforts to make it.

Next speaker is Justin Taylor, then Rain Lake, or I believe that's Lake.

Hi, my name is Justin Taylor and I'm a gig worker opposed to CB120775.

On January 4th, the council president elected by Everybody on the council wrote, quote, under my leadership, this council won't externalize our policymaking authority.

We will consider perspectives from people on all sides of an issue.

And before referring new policy legislation to committee, I'll confirm it has gone through a robust stakeholder process.

Instead of catering to special interests, we'll focus on mission critical work that's responsive to our constituents who are demanding faster progress on homelessness and public safety.

Sarah Nelson herself has acknowledged that this bill was, quote, an agreement forged between Drive Forward and the network companies.

My hope is that your vote postponement today means the council is holding Sarah Nelson to her promise of a robust stakeholder process.

None of you ran on a campaign to reduce pay for working Seattleites by 24%, and to address the issues you did run on, you will need public trust based on holding yourselves to high standards.

Okay, I am going to say it again.

This is the last time I'm going to say it.

Please hold your applause in between speakers.

Thank you.

Hello, I'm Rain Like.

I'm an audio and video professional working in the city of Seattle as well as a long-time gig worker.

for every app on the market.

In that time, I've seen a steady decrease in my pay and longer wait times for orders.

Since the gig worker wage ordinance was implemented, companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats have passed on the cost of paying their workers a fair wage to the consumers using their apps, despite making millions of dollars in profits this last year.

Sarah Nelson's recent proposal to cut gig worker pay caves to these corporations' political strategy.

First, they use their deep pockets to buy political power to leverage against communities trying to hold them accountable.

Then they use their power and influence to pressure elected officials into backing off or blocking policies.

And finally, they shape public narratives to mislead and confuse community members, workers, and officials while hiding behind a faux progressive image.

We're here to demand that City Council reject Sarah Nelson's proposed amendment to cut gig worker pay and go a step further by standing up to the big gig work companies in support of a living wage for gig workers.

Thank you.

The last in person for this set is going to be Paul Patu.

Greetings, City Council.

All of you were elected by the people for the people.

By the people for the people.

The EDI initiative has been years in creating.

Before your term, It is important that you stay the course.

Stay the course.

What you will be remembered when you are away from those seats and your term is through is not what you did for yourself, but what you did for the people.

That will be what is remembered.

And remember, what you do for us, without us, you do to us.

Vote no on the EDI amendment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our first remote speaker is Kate Rubin.

Kate will be followed by Alina Martin.

And remote speakers, please remember to press star six when you hear the message that you have been unmuted and you have one minute apiece.

Go ahead, Kate.

Hi, my name is Kate Rubin.

I'm the organizing director of the Seattle and a renter living in Beacon Hill.

I'm calling to express strong opposition to Council Member Rivera's proposed amendment to place a proviso on the $25.3 million allocated for the EDI and the 2024 budget.

The EDI funds projects addressing the housing crisis and displacement in our communities.

Seattle's growth has disproportionately impacted communities of color, making EDI an essential tool for addressing these inequities.

Why, out of all the items in this budget, is this the one thing Council Member Rivera is focused on?

It's breaking public trust in an already fragile city, particularly regarding relationships with communities of color.

Freezing these funds would exacerbate the housing crisis and deepen existing disparities.

As an organization working closely with Seattle renters, we know how vital these funds are for affordable housing and stabilizing neighborhoods facing economic instability and displacement.

Please reject this harmful amendment and continue supporting programs that protect and uplift communities of color and low-income families.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Alina Martin, and following Alina will be David Edmondson.

Go ahead, Alina.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Alina.

I'm an Instacart shopper, and I'm opposed to the new proposal to cut gig worker pay.

No one deserves to make $13 an hour in this economy.

Paying us less because you think customers will tip us is not logical.

And tip dating us before the...

The proposal change took place in January, and they're continuing to do so.

Instacart wants us to be penalized for not taking future orders because they're going to be anything but transparent, and they know that the pay will not be equal to the work.

Recently, I did a two-customer order where Instacart paid me $23 for three hours of work, and a customer had a $50 tip, which was the only reason it was worth my time.

After the delivery with no reason at all, no errors, the $50 tip was removed.

No engaged time adjustment was made by Instacart.

Start caring about the people in the community and stop standing for questions.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is David Edmondson.

Following David will be Karina Patel.

Go ahead, David.

Hi, my name is David Edmondson on behalf of TechNet.

TechNet supports CB 12775, Revisions to the Delivery Pay Ordinance, passed out of the Governance, Accountability, and Economic Development Committee.

This bill is a common-sense solution that addresses many of the concerns with the existing law, and we urge Council to pass it as is without any harmful amendments.

As I've previously testified, the current Delivery Pay Ordinance has had immediate and devastating impacts to Seattle restaurants, retailers, app-based workers, and customers.

Increased costs in the Seattle market and consumer demand has dropped drastically as a result.

It's unsustainable and should be addressed immediately.

It's my understanding that the council is not going to vote on a final vote today.

If that's true, disappointed to hear that.

The council is not going to act today and will unnecessarily delay relief to those same folks that I mentioned before.

We urge you to support CB 12775. Thank you.

Thank you our next speaker is Karina Patel and following Karina will be Miguel Maestas.

Go ahead Karina.

Karina you may need to press star 6.

Hello.

Hello I'm Karina Patel from the Tubman Center for Health and Freedom.

Tubman Health urges a no vote on the proposed amendment CD 120774. Equitable development initiative provides access to capital and development funds we need to secure a future for communities of color in our city.

EDI supports projects that are crucial for inclusive and sustainable growth projects related to entrepreneurship health food access home ownership and housing culture and the arts early childhood education and much more.

EDI funded projects have tackled historical injustices, promoted economic freedom, and acted against displacement.

Dripping away the security for previously awarded EDI funds threatens a domino effect, jeopardizing the eligibility and viability of other funding avenues.

It risks stalling projects in pre-development stages, prolonging timelines, and inflating costs.

By voting no, you protect the innovation and creativity that defines Seattle.

We must decide what type of Seattle we want to live in, of Seattle where we invest in the brilliance and innovation within communities of color.

Thank you.

ELLIE WILSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Miguel Maestas and following Miguel will be Nick.

Excuse me following Miguel will be Sean Icahn.

No I'm sorry.

Following Miguel will be Nick Haight.

Miguel Maestas Good afternoon this is Miguel Maestas.

I'm with El Centro de la Raza the center for people of all races.

We oppose the amendment that would freeze funding for the Equity Development Initiative.

EDI provides vital funding to organizations serving communities of color to address the affordable housing crisis.

This funding represents a basic commitment to our communities to support grassroots efforts in developing assets for the people we serve.

For years, El Centro, along with many others, have raised our voice regarding the inequities that exist and that have been exacerbated by institutional and structural racism.

Our organization, like many others, has successfully demonstrated how to combine affordable housing, childcare, community and cultural space, and economic development opportunities to uplift families and build community.

EDI is an important city initiative because it says that we are heard, acknowledged, and supported.

To freeze EDI project sends a message that says we will no longer be heard, acknowledged, or supported.

Please vote no on this amendment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Nick Haight and following Nick is Michael Sywarath.

Go ahead Nick.

Hi my name is Nick.

I am against the gig worker pay cuts proposed by Sarah Nelson.

I have been a gig worker for seven years and this is the only time I've ever had a raise in all that time.

Recently Uber broke protocol and was paying normal pay normal pre-batch pay.

as recently as last week, where I was paid $7.50 to take a 15-mile drive from Edmonds down to 8th and Republican.

This is what we will deal with.

Other jobs that are more normal will pay $3.

This is totally unacceptable.

But more than that, the transparency issues take away all our rights, what little benefits we have, and force us to do a subpar job because we don't have the information available to us.

I implore City Council to get rid of all the transparency changes because they are just untenable and they will make our lives so much worse.

ELLIE WILSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Michael Syrath and following Michael will be Marcos Wanlis.

Go ahead Michael.

MICHAEL SYRATH Hello.

My name is Michael Syrath.

I'm the executive director of Southeast Effective Development or SEED.

We oppose the amendment to CB12774.

DEED was started nearly 50 years ago to fight underinvestment and institutional racism in Southeast Seattle.

In all those years, EDI is one of the best tools we've ever had to invest in communities of color and fight this displacement.

Real estate transactions can take multiple years and be once-in-a-generation opportunities.

Pausing or freezing much-needed EDI funding disrupts community plans for local ownership, affordable housing, and cultural space.

Projects may be permanently lost.

I urge the full council to vote no on amendment to CB12774 and continue investing in EDI.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Marcos Wanlis, and Marcos will be followed by

maria guadalupe ramirez go ahead marcos marcos thank you go ahead yes we can thank you wonderful my name is marcos wanda founder and ceo of the seattle latino metropolitan chamber of commerce i am here today on behalf of our members in support of tv 120775 the reform bill that passed out the Governance Accountability and Economic Development Committee.

We believe this bill reflects a true compromise that will reduce costs created by the original law.

More importantly, we believe this will restore third-party delivery in the city and help restore order volume for sales, restaurants, businesses, and the app-based workers.

As I have previously testified, our members, particularly small family-owned restaurants, have been directly affected by this new law.

Customers have abandoned the app, eliminating an important offering for small businesses trying to attract and retain customers.

The new law is also failing app-based workers who are now waiting for longer and fewer and smaller orders.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Maria Guadalupe Ramirez.

Following Maria will be our last remote speaker for this group.

Eliana Horn.

Go ahead, Maria.

Thank you.

This is Maria calling from the Delridge neighborhood.

I'm calling to urge the city council to vote no on council member Rivera's amendment to CB120774.

This amendment would be catastrophic to so many communities of color who are recipients of the Equitable Development Initiative.

As a neighbor in Delridge, I have the pride of going with Delridge Farmer's Market put on by the African Community and Housing Development Group.

They have been growing due to the investment of capacity building funds that are from EDI.

I myself work in the Duwamish Valley, heading up the Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition.

We are experiencing rampant displacement in both neighborhoods, in South Delridge and South Park areas.

And this project has been so critical in building our capacity to advocate for people advocate for child care for.

ELLIE WILSON- Thank you.

And our last speaker for this remote group is Eliana Horne.

Go ahead please.

And you may need to press star 6 Eliana.

Hello, my name is Eliana Horn and I'm a policy analyst at Puget Sound Stage and a transactional law attorney who has worked with many of the organizations who have received EDI funding or are eligible to receive EDI funds.

I am urging you to vote no on Councilmember Rivera's amendment to Council Bill 120774. Withholding EDI funding until carryover funds are spent down this year is counter to equitable development values and the racial justice values that this city has claimed to center.

All development takes time, and this is true for all city programs related to real estate, which is why Council has authorized an increase in a carry forward of $71 million for the Office of Housing, which is included in the same legislation.

Yet Council Member Rivera has not proposed the same restrictions for affordable housing dollars.

Equal development work takes even more time than classic real estate development, and that's exactly why the EDI has been designed as it has been and has been authorized to carry forward funds year after year.

EDI works with BIPOC communities and organizations that this city has disinvested in, neglected, and sidelined for decades.

We will now go into in-person speakers again, and we're going to start with Deborah H. Anderson, followed by Jill Friedberg, if I'm not mistaken.

And then also Shannon Colsa, if you don't mind just starting to line up at the mics.

Thank you.

I was curious about the source of where the EID amendment was coming from, and I was saddened to see that it was coming from the Northeast Seattle and North Seattle.

Why would people that are so well situated, they have a QFC in U Village that has free childcare for while you shop, be interested in drawing the purse springs on equity funding for those who do not have grocery stores that have free childcare.

To me, it's historically variation of sophisticated financial oppression.

You close the purse strings, and equity dries up.

I'm asking you to vote no on this.

I live in senior disabled housing.

I experience Seattle City getting it right every single day.

I ask that you vote no and get it right for others.

And after you vote no, please tell your constituents, we don't do this anymore.

We reach back, we raise up, we allow equity.

After Jill, we'll have Shannon Colsa and then Jennifer T. Brown.

Hi, my name is Jill Friedberg.

I'm a District 3 resident and also a co-founder of Wanawari, one of the organizations that will be severely impacted if the proposed EDI amendment is passed.

This amendment was submitted on Friday afternoon before a three-day holiday weekend, which means that the public effectively had five business hours to learn about and respond to this proposed amendment.

That should be illegal.

I understand that there's a budget shortfall.

It's city council's job to be creative in solving problems like budget shortfalls, not to reinforce structural inequities because it's the easiest way to close a budget shortfall.

The city has been solving budget shortfalls on the backs of Seattle's black communities for decades.

Go find the money somewhere else this time.

pause for a moment.

Look, the audit, if we want to get through everyone, there are a couple of people downstairs.

I don't know how many people are in Bertha Knight Landis as well.

So I am trying to make it so that everyone can speak and we can get onto the agenda.

And it really does interrupt the flow of conversation and it does add time when you clap.

I'm sorry to have to say that, but I am asking that you follow the rules and allow people to just Come on up and speak with no interruption.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Hi there.

My name is Sharon Kosla.

The EDI program was created to support the success of nonprofit organizations that bring joy, safety, and wellness to all of our communities.

Have you seen the list of projects that have been completed by EDI?

I've been to so many of these, so many of them.

Art Noir, Bird Bar, William Gross, they're amazing.

If you haven't been to these projects, please get in your car and go visit them.

Honestly, these completed projects should be enough for you to see that this program needs to exist.

This amendment is an attack on our communities, our BIPOC communities, an attack on the network of amazing nonprofits that are on the ground doing the real work.

We have come to rely on these services, these organizations, even you have.

Let's be real here.

Housing, food security, safety, healing, education, transportation, art, and culture, just to name a few.

Freezing or pulling funding from these organizations

Next, we have Jennifer T. Brown, followed by, I believe it's Aknat Navarro, and then Chantelle Patu and Pramanik Davis.

If you don't mind just lining up to the mics, thank you.

Sorry, I'm sorry.

This is Clark Dedman again.

I just want to make that very clear.

If you hear your name, can you please start forming a line so we can kind of not have to make pauses in between?

If you can't, that's fine, but that's just ideal.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm Jennifer Brown and I'm here to ask you to vote no on the gig worker pay cut.

I drove for DoorDash for 18 months and it was my sole job for a year.

I was grateful to find work I enjoyed, but there were difficulties.

Even at the above minimum rate, I was normally paid, including tips.

The app sends new drivers more orders in the first week, which allows the thinking that you will always make that rate, then the orders lessen.

You work over 12 hours per day to try to maximize earnings, but sometimes the app sends you $3 orders, which are as much work as $20 orders.

If you reject the low orders, your acceptance rate suffers, then you receive less orders.

The driver takes all the risks, accidents, car repairs or expensive car rentals, expensive insurance as a gig worker, and drivers are on a 1099 for taxes and can owe tax into the thousands of dollars.

Some of these expenses and risks can even result in homelessness, which happened to me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Acunet, and then followed by Acunet is going to be Chantelle Patu, Pominence Davis, and then it's Huberto Suiza, and then I'll stop there.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, city council members.

My name is Agnes Navarro.

I'm here speaking on behalf of the Filipino community of Seattle, a nonprofit community-based organization also involved in affordable housing.

We are located in South Seattle.

We have worked closely with the mission of the mayor to build One Seattle.

His vision was to bring to the forefront innovative community-based programs that increases affordable housing, economic opportunity, and a vibrant cultural space, find permanence in the city of Seattle.

If South Seattle is part of the One Seattle, the EDI is strongly needed towards fulfilling the mayor's promise.

And it's for this reason why I'm going to ask you, why decide on taking it away from us?

If Seattle series in providing social equity, EDI should not be taken away because it was created based on the racial equity analysis in 2016, which showed that when Seattle grows, community of color, including those in South Seattle, will be impacted by displacement and a loss of access to opportunity.

Taking EDI away.

Thank you.

to invest in marginalized communities and work to end racial equity.

All these organizations today have worked several years to give the community the crucial services to help struggling community members.

Thank you very much, racial equity, thank you.

Chantelle, then Pominence Davis.

I'm Chantel Patu.

I'm the executive director of Urban Family.

I'm actually going to relinquish my time and let community member Darrell Powell speak.

Hello, my name is Darrell Powell.

I'm here representing the African-American community on the behalf of I'm the president of the Seattle King County branch of the NAACP.

And I'm here to say vehemently oppose Councilmember Rivera's amendment to Council bill 120774. It's a slap in the face to our community.

I looked at the data, I'm on a CPA, of the 76 projects that she's asking to take away, 27 of them are African American, 13 in the Central District, and 14 in the Rainier Valley.

I ask, how many are in the north area that are being taken away?

At worst, at best, this is tone deaf, at worst, it's something more insidious.

When we fight, be clear, the NAACP wins.

Councilmember Hollingsworth, Councilmember Wu, Councilmember Morales, Councilmember Saka, will you come speak with me and talk to me and ask, how can you help?

This is your chance to help.

I ask you to vote no on this insidious amendment to the EDI.

The government has gentrified us.

The government has redlined us, has underserved us.

We are standing in front of you arguing for us to be able to have some hope of ownership.

EDI was lifted up to put a Band-Aid on the bulletin of injustices, of inequities, right?

And now you want to rip the Band-Aid off.

I can't believe we're here having this conversation right now.

What we need to be having is a conversation about how much more we need to pour in to opportunities of ownership for the black and brown communities.

We've built wealth for this country for 400 years.

400 years of free labor has built the wealth of this country.

So the money you guys are having meetings about is our money anyway.

So at the end of the day, you owe that to us.

You guys were voted in by us.

We lifted you guys up and he'll put you guys in these positions.

And so now being in these positions, you need to serve us the way we're supposed to be served.

That's our money in the first place.

We have to serve our communities in these facilities.

We're supposed to be giving them services.

You're worried about violence in our community?

Well, let us house our young people.

Let us put them in places where they can get the programming they need and be successful.

The next speaker is, I believe it's Prominence Davis.

Oh, sorry, that was you, John.

Excuse me.

Huberto Suiza, and then Quinn Pham, and then I believe it's...

Williams is the last name.

My name is Humberto Suiza.

I'm here today in support of the PayUp campaign.

I used it to drive for Rudy, an app-based courier company, until late 2021 when I got deactivated due to conflicted delivery requirements.

Sarah Nelson built to amend the law that we can all be proud of cutting the workers' pay.

Sarah Nelson is the reason why app workers like me aren't even protected under the law that was created by us.

by gig workers, there are rules as a council that we must obey, and as the freshman council members, I can understand that you may not know, and this isn't the way.

Do better, Seattle City Council.

Thank you.

Okay, good afternoon.

My name is Quinn Pham.

I'm the executive director of the Friends of Little Saigon.

Little Saigon is a neighborhood that is filled with rich history and culture.

A resilient community has gone through hell and is still finding our way back through the layers of inequitable policies and displacement and economic growth that has not benefited our community.

But just because we're resilient doesn't mean we should continue to struggle.

We deserve better.

12 years ago, Little Saigon created a vision for a mixed-use development project that would provide affordable commercial space for small businesses, affordable housing for families, and at the heart of it, a cultural center that would anchor our neighborhood into the future.

After seeking funding to do a feasibility study and identifying potential properties, it was clear that we needed to have a community driven initiative and substantial resources to make the vision come true.

It took us six years to purchase a property, six.

And this provision is to push us to do even more and create less flexible funds for us to be able to achieve these visions.

120774, thank you.

Our last speaker in the set is C.R.

Williams.

Hello, my name is Carol Rashana Williams, and I'm here with BIPOC's DAC Sustainable Tiny Art House community.

We received funding from EDI last year, and in the two years that we've been working with the city, we've been able to house eight participants.

We've also been able to provide jobs for around 15 to 20 people.

And so I'm really shocked at this opportunity.

This amendment that has come up and only given us five hours to respond, which is really ludicrous.

I was at the beginning of this whole EDI development thing 15 years ago.

And here we are.

When you look at the list of all the 50 organizations that are being impacted, more than 80% of them are black-owned organizations.

That is abominable on the council's proposal to really demolish us even more.

I oppose this amendment and I think that if you're going to take the time to do this, at least come visit our programs.

Thank you.

We'll now move on to the next group of 10 remote speakers.

Our first remote speaker in this group is James Lavelle, and following James will be Nikita Oliver.

And please remember, remote speakers, to press star six when you hear the message that you have been unmuted.

Go ahead, James.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yep.

Hi, my name is James W. Lovell, and I'm an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and a member of the SeaTac City Council.

However, today I'm speaking in my capacity as the Chief Community Development Officer for the Chief Seattle Club.

I'm speaking in opposition to the amendment that would cut funding to BIPOC communities by raiding the Equitable Development Institute funding package.

EDI is the most fertile ground for equitable community development.

EDI funding came in and supported Chief Seattle Club before we had any housing, and EDI funding facilitated our first development.

We now have opened 340 units of housing.

Current and former city council members challenged us to serve our communities, and we have risen to that challenge.

Today, this proposal will cut funding that will facilitate 200 more units of family housing that has been in development for years.

This weekend, as I explained to my young children about the lasting effects of redlining, I used EDI investments as examples where focused, meaningful investments can begin to underdo that harmful history.

Our systems built dams that prevented BIPOC communities from owning property and building wealth.

EDI investments break down those dams and let water flow back to the...

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Nikita Oliver, and following Nikita will be Karen Turing.

Go ahead, Nikita.

We can see you it looks like you're ready to go.

Nikita one more time star six and then we're going to move on to Karen Turing.

Go ahead Nikita.

Okay, for some reason we're not hearing her.

Our next speaker will be Karen Turing, followed by Janice Batchelor.

Go ahead, Karen.

Good afternoon.

This is Karen Turing, and I'm asking the City Council to vote no on Councilmember Rivera's amendment to CB120774.

I'm a partner at Black and Tan Hall that's located down in District 2 in Hilleman City.

And we've received transformational funding from EDI to purchase and operate a cultural space.

Now, since receiving this funding, we created over a dozen living wage jobs, hosted 25 artists and cultural workers.

We paid city taxes, business taxes, sales taxes.

We've hired general contractors and construction workers and architects and paid service providers.

And guess what?

We're not even officially open yet.

Now multiply that by 70 plus organizations that have received this transformational funding and recirculated those dollars in Seattle.

Closing a budget shortfall is a short-term solution that guts long-term positive change.

Please reject this harmful amendment and vote no.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Janice Batchelor.

Following Janice will be Lily Hayward.

Go ahead, Janice.

Hello.

Hello, I'm Janice Batchelor.

I'm testifying to ask you to vote no on Sarah Nelson's proposal to cut gig worker pay.

I work on DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart.

I enjoy the flexibility of this job, and I won't be able to keep doing this.

Mileage goes down to 35 cents a mile, and we get no transparency on offers.

Absolute is in business because they are increasing the fees so bad, but most of that money doesn't even go to us.

How was cutting our pay supposed to help?

Companies would like you to believe that cutting worker pay is a solution to get more customers.

But the reality is this proposal would do nothing to stop apps from charging exorbitant fees.

DoorDash and Uber have made record profits by increasing these fees.

And there's no oversight and proposal to guarantee they'd be actually taken away.

Don't side with the app.

Side with workers and vote no.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Lily Hayward, and following Lily will be Paulina Lopez.

Go ahead, Lily.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Lily Hayward, and I am speaking today on behalf of the 25 members of the Seattle Police Chiefs of Commerce.

I would like to share the following message that was sent to members this morning.

Stakeholders across the board agree on increasing wages for drivers.

However, there have been three negative unintended consequences that have occurred since the ordinance was introduced in January.

Drivers have had less work, restaurants have declined in sales, and customers are ordering in a very low frequency.

Arguments can be made around the edges of these facts, but that has been the practical reality since January.

The economic dynamics that increase costs and our driving price increases will not change only modifications to the policy.

We ask that you vote affirmatively on a proposal that will compensate drivers but reduce the overall cost increases.

Alternatively, no action would be an affirmation of the status quo.

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER IS PAULINA LOPEZ-PETERS.

AND FOLLOWING PAULINA WILL BE EMMAJIA SMITH.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS PAULINA LOPEZ.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DUWAMISH RIVER COMMUNITY COALITION.

AND WE ARE IN THE SOUTH SEATTLE AREA AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY.

AND I'M HERE TO OPPOSE AMENDMENT CB12774.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, THESE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING has been created to aim to address displacement and the unequal distribution of opportunities, providing communities of color the funding and the technical support to purchase real estate and have more community control spaces.

These have been benefiting majority of organizations led by people of color.

We consider this a slap for our communities.

Again, when we are talking more and more of environmental justice, of justice BEING COMMUNITY CENTER APPROACH, LET US LEAD THE WAY WITH PROVIDING THE FUNDING, WITH PROVIDING THE POLICIES THAT WE NEED TO CONTROL THE SPACES AND HAVE LESS PEOPLE DISPLACED IN THE SEATTLE AREA.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EMMAISHA SMITH AND FOLLOWING EMMAISHA WILL BE MARK JOHNSON.

GO AHEAD, EMMAISHA.

THANK YOU.

HELLO.

MY NAME IS EMMAISHA SMITH.

I'M FROM SEATTLE.

black community in the Central District.

I'm a fierce advocate for our families and our community members.

And I'm here in opposition of Councilmember Rivera's amendment to harm the Equity Development Initiative.

I'm mainly here to speak.

I support pretty much what everyone else has said around the opposition.

But I wanted to highlight that this amendment will exacerbate our public safety issues.

Just coming from a black experience when there were no resources coming to our community, and there's still relatively none coming to our community.

It's the community that has to come together and take care of us, not just our communities, but others.

We have to come together as a collective.

This, to me, is a harm to public safety because you are cutting, you're pulling the rug from the resources that were already given and that are necessary.

So if you care anything about our public safety, If you care anything about our communities and our families.

If you care anything about Thank you.

Our next speaker is Mark Johnson and following Mark will be Malik Barnes.

Go ahead Mark.

Honorable members of the Seattle City Council Mark Johnson Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs for the Washington Retail Association.

The Washington Retail Association supports CB 120775 As approved by the Governance Accountability and Economic Development Committee, we believe this bill reflects a good compromise that would reduce the costs created by the original law.

This new law had swift and dramatic impacts for Washington and Seattle-based businesses, app-based workers and customers in just a few months' time.

These unintended consequences have hurt the very people the law was supposed to help.

Retailers are seeing fewer and smaller orders.

Delivery drivers are seeing longer wait times.

and customers are frustrated over what used to be a dependent way to shop and eat.

We encourage the council to take action and adopt this compromise as soon as possible without amendments and revive app-based delivery in the city.

Please support CB12775.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Malik Barnes, and following Malik will be Howard Greenwich.

Go ahead, Malik.

My name is Malik, and I started doing gig work in Seattle in 2019 on DoorDash, Instacart, and Lodi.

I'm testified to ask you to vote no on the proposal to cut gig worker pay.

As a gig worker, gas and wear and tear on the vehicle adds up.

It's a big expense to try to do the work.

You need to be able to make enough to cover all these A lot of times, it's almost not even worth it if you don't make enough to cover your gas.

That's why it's so important to have a pay standard that actually requires companies to pay for all those mileage costs, especially because of the cost of living in Washington State.

You definitely have to make much more than that.

It is common sense that gig workers should be paid more than minimum wage because you have to.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Howard Greenwich.

Following Howard will be Julia Buck.

Go ahead Howard.

Good afternoon City Council.

I'm here to comment on the amendment to Council Bill 127-2004.

Seattle's Race and Social Equity Initiative, which was signed into law last year, created a race and social equity tool kit to apply all policy proposals before the council using a tool kit developed for the council.

As you know, every summary and fiscal note report from central staff that accompanies every ordinance written for you asks if there's a racial impact in what we've done to engage communities, specifically as How does this legislation impact vulnerable or historically disadvantaged communities?

How do you arrive at these conclusions?

While the underlying bill may not have required a racial justice toolkit analysis, Council Member Rivera's amendment has a clear and negative impact to these communities, an absolutely triggered one.

Council should consider withdrawing this amendment before and come back after that stuff.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Julia Buck, and following Julia will be our last remote speaker for this group, Reverend Steve Gerby.

Go ahead, Julia.

Good afternoon.

I'm a homeowner in District 6, and I heard you're doing data-driven decision-making.

So I wanted to let you know, regarding the gig companies, in terms of OLS settlements, in the past two years, Uber Eats has paid $3.3 million in fines Grubhub has paid $1.5 million.

DoorDash has paid $1.5 million.

These companies are exploitative of workers and do not pay a fair wage, and if you allow them to pay people less, they will.

I also wanted to say that two weeks after council crowed about affordable housing week, and one week after you sent $96.3 million to SPD for 24% retroactive raises with no budget concerns, you're now defunding housing and anti-displacement measures and the black community by 25 million.

You're disgusting.

Our next speaker, our last speaker for this group, remote speaker, will be the Reverend Steve Gerby.

Go ahead, please.

My name is Reverend Steve Gerby.

I'm the pastor of University Congregational United Church of Christ located in the U District, part of District 4. I'm also a homeowner in District 4. Do not pass any amendment which would freeze funding for the Equitable Development Initiative.

I'm here as part of the Faith Land Initiative Network of the Church Council of Greater Seattle.

and in solidarity with the community partners participating in and advocating for the equitable development initiative as university congregational is looking at the development of our land and assets we know that development projects take time creating a community vision invites deep listening and working through the steps as time intensive but we also recognize the historic disinvestment in systemic exclusion toward bipoc communities in seattle issues that edi works to repair We are in solidarity with the groups working to access EDI funds.

My council member's amendment makes our city less stable, furthers division, and perpetuates disinvestment in BIPOC communities.

Release the funds for EDI.

Moving to in-person public comment.

Jody, is that correct?

Yes, it is.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Our moving back to remote public comment.

Again, if you could please line up at the microphone, that would be great.

And apologies in advance if I mispronounce your names.

It'll be Derek Lum, followed by Karen Akata Sakata, Alex Kim, Irene Stupka, John Jason Ogunnuk, So Derek Lum is first and then followed by Karen.

Hi there, everyone.

Thank you for letting me speak today.

My name is Derek.

I work for Interim CDA.

We are committed to advancing equity and social justice for the CID and other communities of immigrants, refugees, low-income folks.

I'm here to speak in support of the Equal Development Initiative and against Amendment A, related to the EDI.

So our communities faced displacement for decades, and this became more clear as growth into up zones happened across the 2010s.

The city came out with the EDI in 2016, partially to help communities like ours that face high risk of displacement.

And so the EDI was born.

It has played a great role in our community, upholding community-driven developments such as Little Saigon Landmark Project, the Ang Family Home, and the rebirth of the historic Busch Garden restaurant.

These investments fulfill our community's vision for growth without displacement and honor our cultural heritage.

If the funding were paused, reject the amendment, and fulfill...

Karen, and then followed by Alex, Kim.

Okay, I think I'm next.

Okay, hi, my name is Karen Akata Sakata, and I am here to urge you to vote no on Council Member Rivera's amendment to EDI funding.

I'm born and raised in Seattle and have lifelong work in Chinatown International District.

For me personally, I'm the owner of Busch Garden and recently became a member of the Interim CDA Board, but...

This funding is allowing us to reopen Busch Garden, which has been a cultural home for so many in the Chinatown International District.

It is gonna support Busch Garden carrying on its rich history as a place where generations of Seattle's communities, as well as visitors, both national and international, have gathered and returned regularly for nearly seven decades.

to stay in the CID, which has already survived decades of displacement and gentrification pressures, allows us to keep this part of Seattle's story alive.

So please to the communities of color, and we want to make sure that Seattle maintains its rich support for the diverse communities of Seattle.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Alex Kim.

I'm a District 2 resident and food delivery driver asking you to vote no on the proposed revision.

A guaranteed $19.97 per hour for active time only means we're guaranteed to be paid under minimum wage because it's guaranteed to have downtime between orders.

You've done everything these companies have asked for.

And the best DoorDash can say is, quote, this creates a path to lowering delivery costs.

These are billionaires known for exploiting workers.

Uber Eats was caught using child labor in Brazil.

How can you just trust them?

Either you guys are very naive or you're bad business people, or you just don't care if workers get hurt in this transaction.

DriveForward absolutely is a company union.

They wrote on their website, quote, we were founded by Uber.

Why does DriveForward say they have drivers coming to them for emergency assistance?

but they never say they actually help them.

Spice Wallace said, quote, we'd love for customers to come directly to us.

It's not like we're making any money on delivery anyways.

Customers are definitely doing that more to pay up.

So is it really hurting the restaurant industry?

And I'd also like to say, I strongly oppose the EDI amendment and council member Rivera is also the co-sponsor of the gig worker bill.

So they're giving cops a retroactive phrase for doing nothing for three years.

And then they're trying to enact the scary measures on all the rest of us.

Followed, now we have Irene, and then followed by Irene would be John, and then Jason.

Irene Stupka, District 3, speaking against gig worker pay cut.

I'm a bicycle delivery driver, also a person who fell into gig work after a domestic emergency, after loss of childcare, and after loss of work and COVID.

Obviously, I'm not the only one in this kind of difficulty.

Large companies have the power to absorb uncertainty, and yet they have passed on the simple cost of providing minimum wage.

Why?

We don't know.

Reputedly, council was ready to make another change to cut wages after only 136 days of pay up.

In this time, community has worked hard to adjust to increased delivery fees and shifting needs.

Council seemingly made no attempt to increase transparency.

The current situation has created a lot of frustration, distrust, and anxiety in our communities.

I am here to speak strongly against the seemingly manipulative use of rhetoric by delivery platforms and politicians that has contributed to people's concerns.

I want revenue and transparency.

We don't deserve to live in fear of someone like DoorDash taking advantage of our communities with the complicity of city council.

Thank you.

I live in District 3 and support CB 120-775 as is.

I am disappointed that you are not voting on it today.

Please don't bend and clog it with amendments which will just raise the fees and defeat the intended purpose.

We have already received that lesson with the original pay-up bill.

Please learn from our despair.

Consumers have spoken with their wallets.

They do not support pay-up and they vote.

Negotiate the best deal that will eliminate the $5 fee and the market will return sales to restaurants and increased income to delivery workers will explode.

I'm certain of this because it was working before the bill.

Most of us may double what we are currently.

Double is a lot.

We did not ask for the pay up bill.

The people commenting that the apps are starting to pay us less in the last couple of weeks are wrong.

It's just a glitch with the estimate.

We receive the full pay with the adjustment we get every other Tuesday.

It shows how many people don't know what they are commenting on regarding this bill, and they continue to spread false information.

We have John, and then followed by John, is it Stromster?

And then we have...

Danny Ivar, if I'm not mistaken, Ian West, Catherine Spicker, and then Joseph Lopez.

I think you may have skipped one.

Jason?

Jason Volnick?

Jason Ogulink?

Yeah.

Correct.

Thank you.

It's been 137 days and we have a clear picture of how this law has failed restaurants, customers, and the vast majority of couriers.

97% of restaurants want this law to change because their orders have been cut in half.

This law has put small business on a trajectory to begin closing.

Some already have.

Disabled, elderly, and middle class Seattleites can no longer afford necessary services.

As a courier, my earnings have plummeted.

This past week for 52 hours of work, I earned $516.

That puts me at $9.89 an hour before expenses.

This law promised a base of $26.40.

This mistake needs to be corrected immediately so fees can be lowered and order volume can be restored.

Okay, so a mispronunciation of the first name.

I apologize.

I believe it's Danny Love, Ivor, and then Ian West, Catherine, and then Joseph Lopez.

And please state your name for the record, please.

Thank you.

Hello.

You want to state your name?

Yeah.

Are you translating?

Yes.

Okay, then two minutes.

Okay, I'll just read it straight through.

So good afternoon, my name is Ivan.

I'm an Uber Eats and DoorDash delivery driver, and I want to ask you to vote against the proposal to reduce our wages.

Delivery companies exploit couriers and take advantage of loopholes in the law and tricks of trade.

If you look at the relationship between a customer, a restaurant, a courier, and a delivery company, the courier is always the one who suffers and is blamed for everything.

for me to pay rent and medical bills.

$19 per working hour is a very low amount for a courier.

After a 12 to 17 hour shift, delivery companies only count three to five hours as active time.

Active time includes picking up an order and taking it to a client.

The waiting time for the order, time spent getting to the restaurant, waiting for the restaurant to prepare the order, and waiting for the client are not counted.

I spend 17 hours working every day, but I am only paid for five active hours.

From this payment, I also have to subtract the costs associated with work, car maintenance, fuel payments, and parking fees.

What do I get out of $19 an hour?

Thank you.

Good afternoon, my name is Ian West.

I live and work in District 2 as a proud resident of Columbia City and as lead organizer of the Faith Land Initiative of the Church Council of Greater Seattle.

I'm here in solidarity with community partners who've been funded by the Equitable Development Initiative.

The Faith Land Initiative supports dozens of faith communities who are actively discerning the future use of their land, many of whom have submitted public comment on this issue to the council and their respective council members across the city.

Through this work, we understand the labor of love and time it takes to bring a community vision to life.

Keeping in mind the historical harms that have prevented equitable community development in Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, we know that now is actually the time for deeper investment in affordable housing, which prevents displacement and houses all of our neighbors in the neighborhoods they've always called home.

For these reasons, I join others today in urging the council to vote no on Councilmember Rivera's amendment to CB 120774. Thank you.

The last two for this upset, Kathleen Spiger and then followed by Joseph Lopez.

My name is Katherine Spinner.

I'm a member of University Friends Meeting, a Quaker meeting in the University District, District 4. I live in District 2 on Beacon Hill.

I'm also here as part of the Faith Land Initiative of the Church Council of Greater Seattle in solidarity with community partners who've been funded by the Equitable Development Initiative.

I am a member of a faith community which is actively discerning the future use of our land.

We understand the labor of love it is to bring a community vision to life.

Considering also the historical harms that have prevented equitable community development in BIPOC communities, we understand that now is the time for deeper investment in affordable housing, which prevents displacement and houses all of our neighbors in the neighborhoods they've always called home.

I join others today in saying no to Council Rivera's amendment to CB120774.

Thank you.

We're now moving into remote speakers for this group.

Our first, my apologies, we have one more.

Oh, thank you.

Joseph Lopez.

Oh, never mind.

I don't see him coming up.

So yes, please proceed.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Okay thank you.

Our first remote speaker for this group is Diana Moore and following Diana is Robert Engel.

Go ahead Diana.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Diana's no longer signed on so we'll move on to Robert Engel.

Go ahead Robert.

Hi, I'm Rob.

I'm a proud member of the Seattle Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression.

Don't cut this EDI budget.

It's obviously crucial.

Cutting this thing would be racist.

Don't pretend it's not.

Shame on you, Carmen.

We know what you're doing.

And also, why is it such a chore to listen to the people you're supposed to serve?

If it takes you all day long to listen to us clap, then that's your job.

And if you don't like it, you need a new job.

What's the rush?

Where are you going?

We're doing you a favor by coming to you.

I'm working right now.

I have to do this while I'm at my job because these are all...

Give us all one minute to speak.

You're the one forking over $56 million just in back pay to dangerous killer cops and then cutting half that from oppressed nationalities in the city.

Your priorities are painfully obvious.

Shame on you.

Don't cut this bill.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Katie Beeson, and following Katie will be Jordan Green.

Go ahead, Katie.

Thank you.

Katie Beeson on behalf of the Washington Food Industry Association representing independent grocers, convenience stores, and our suppliers.

WFIA supports CB120775, the reform bill that passed out of the Governance Accountability and Economic Development Committee and feel this is a good compromise that will reduce costs created by the original law.

As we've continued to testify in previous hearings, delivery is an effective tool for our members and it helps them remain competitive and meet the needs of our customers.

The new ordinance has had swift consequences as it took effect in January and has resulted in customers placing fewer orders and less work for app-based workers.

These unintended consequences are unsustainable for our members.

The City Council had the opportunity to fix this today and we're disappointed the Council has not chosen to act in a necessary delay relief to thousands of restaurants and retailers and tens of thousands of at-base workers who rely on delivery for food, groceries, and essential goods.

We urge the Council to adopt CB120755 without further amendments.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jordan Green and following Jordan will be Edgar Hardy.

Go ahead, Jordan.

Hello.

I'm here in opposition to Council President Nelson's pay cut proposal.

Greedy corporations are already making millions of dollars off of our gas, maintenance, and time.

I don't understand how cutting our pay is helping us.

How does that bring in more orders?

Are they going to bring tipping back to the forefront?

Are they going to quit retaliating by stating how much we make to deter people from tipping?

What about the junk fees that are making it impossible for the most vulnerable users?

A couple meetings ago, it was stated that we don't make laws on maybes, ifs, and buts.

But now we are hoping that maybe these big corporations will cut to junk fees by lowering pay.

How does that make any sense?

Nothing in Nelson's pay cut proposal is addressing any of this.

A pay-up ordinance was constructed through a process with all stakeholders, so it wasn't a surprise.

We are independent contractors, so we're taxed like a business.

The original pay-up ordinance helped balance this out.

The Nelson pay cut brings us significantly below minimum wage.

As a matter of fact, it makes us the lowest pay rate in the nation for gig workers.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Edgar Hardy, and following Edgar will be Ryan Curran.

Go ahead, Edgar.

You may need to press star six just once.

Okay, Edgar's not available.

We are going to move on to Ryan Curran, and following Ryan Curran will be Hermione Karsten.

Go ahead, Ryan.

Hello, this is Ryan Curran.

I'm with Race Forward.

We're a national nonprofit working for a just, multiracial democracy.

I want to thank you for the opportunity to comment in support of the Equitable Development Initiative and against the budget for these freezing funds.

Now is not the time to backtrack on Seattle's commitment to racial equity.

It is time to double down on community investments like this that address longstanding racial justice issues such as displacement, chronic disinvestment, and lack of access to economic opportunity for communities of color.

Unfortunately, we have seen nationally a backlash to government's work on racial equity, starting with Trump's executive order against racial equity training and the Supreme Court's recent decision against affirmative action.

This has had a chilling effect on government's obligation to achieve racial equity.

Freezing EDI funds would continue this trend and sever community trust in government.

And this is not a trend the City of Seattle wants to be a part of.

EDI is a critical funding tool for equitable growth and Race Forward hopes we can continue to lift it up as a national model for equitable investment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Hermione Karsten, and following Hermione is Janelle Perrot.

Go ahead, Hermione.

Thank you.

My name is Hermione Carson.

I'm here to ask to support fair gig worker pay and vote no on the Uber and DoorDash proposal.

I'm a customer.

My husband and other members of my family are very high risk from COVID even after the vaccine.

So gig workers save our lives every day.

They deserve to make a living.

In terms of some of the things I've heard about changes and how customers tip differently.

I can speak from personal experience that Instacart has radically changed how customers are able to tip.

They're actively discouraging it, actively suggesting we reduce the options available and making it difficult to tip.

I've seen tipping windows simply not come up.

Thank you for that.

And I also want to say maintain EDI funding to city needs it.

Thank you.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Janelle Parrott and following Janelle will be Philip Pantaleo.

Go ahead Janelle.

JANELLE PARROTT- Hi.

Thank you.

I'm Janelle Parrott and I'm asking you to vote no to cutting gig wages gig workers wages.

or dislocated and is a vital part of Seattle's economy especially since the pandemic.

I'm a single parent in the throes of early childhood, a chronic health condition, and endured all the economic and social consequences of the pandemic.

DoorDash helped make ends meet for me and my now eight-year-old daughter with some days the only money left was for gas.

I too have seen those earnings go down as gas prices go up.

I became one of the gig workers that kept the economy going during the pandemic, helped deliver to folks with no transportation or are disabled.

and provide proud to provide a valued service.

The service is paid for on the backs of facts and work of the contractor transportation repairs depreciation and gas below minimum wage would not even break even and not even earn a sustainable income for investment.

When you devalue the service you devalue the people providing the service.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON Thank you.

Our next speaker is Philip Pantaleo and following Philip will be Connor Sullivan.

Go ahead, Philip.

Hi, my name is Philip, and I'm a South Park resident speaking on CB 120774. EDI is one of the few anti-displacement tools the city has and is rooted in the 2035 Comprehensive Planning.

Just recently, this council rejected Council Member Morales' Connected Communities pilot with an explanation that it wasn't the right time because the new Comprehensive Plan has not been adopted.

Yet in the Mayor's One Seattle plan, EDI has listed up many times as a major commitment to keep Seattle a culturally diverse city and preventing displacement.

You should take your own advice and don't constrain the EDI now until the comprehensive plan process is done next spring.

I urge you to vote no on Councilmember Rivera's amendment and in future to find ways to expand funding for the good work of EDI.

We need more EDI funding, not less.

And to members of the public, cut support to businesses associated with council members until they support EDI and our communities.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Connor Sullivan and following Connor will be Robert Singleton.

Go ahead, Connor.

I'm calling in to oppose the reduction to gig worker pay.

I just want everyone on the council to imagine you're being interviewed by a national member of the media, and everyone's going to see it.

And you had to explain how you're helping gig workers by paying them less and removing protections.

They'd probably ask, how is the protection part even a financial thing if it seems like you're screwing them?

And then they'd ask you about the fees that the companies charge and why that's not in the bill.

And you'd be like, oh, well, Sarah Nelson got an email from Instacart that says they'll probably do it.

And they'd laugh at you because that's not how adults do business.

It's ridiculous.

I know Sarah Nelson is going to side with the executives of DoorDash over the actual citizens of Seattle.

But the rest of you don't have to.

This is not going to age well for you.

And, again, there's nothing being done.

other than screwing the drivers.

Every change, I feel bad for the restaurant too, but the way to help the restaurant is not on the backs of the drivers.

Do the right thing.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Robert Singleton.

And Robert will be followed by our last remote speaker for this group, Nicholas Nagel.

Go ahead, Robert.

Good afternoon, President and Council Members.

My name is Robert Singleton, and I serve as the Director of Policy and Public Affairs for the U.S.

West Region at Chamber of Progress.

We are a tech industry association supporting public policies to build a more inclusive country in which all people benefit from technological leaps.

Unfortunately, I was hoping to encourage you to vote on the rollback amendment of the payoff ordinance because it appropriately addressed the clear and well-articulated impacts that the ordinance is having on local businesses and those who rely on delivery services.

Sadly, this delay will continue to severely impact these same folks.

While the proposal was not perfect, it was a crucial step towards ensuring fair and equitable working conditions for gig workers in the long term while balancing the needs of consumers to have affordable access to essential services like groceries and food in the short term.

Knowing all this, the Council Committee on Government Accountability and Economic Development wisely chose to move this proposal to this body without a single no vote.

That committee met with stakeholders across the board and answered many tough questions and concerns via amendment and discussion.

Now it's time for this group to continue the momentum pass the proposal under consideration because the status quo is simply untenable.

So please vote today.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you.

And I believe our, was that Nicholas Nagel?

I've lost track.

I'm sorry.

Go ahead, Nicholas.

Hello.

All right.

My name is Nicholas Nagel, District 7, and I'm here to oppose Council Bill 120775. Sarah Nelson, Nelson, you should be ashamed of yourself.

The cost of living has done nothing but rise over the last several years, and you are proposing that we allow the same tech companies pricing us out of our homes to pay their workers starvation wages.

Under this bill, gig workers are projected to get a 30% decrease in wages, far below our minimum wage.

These companies claim they cannot pay this living wage.

If so, then they should not be in business.

Sarah Nelson herself has admitted that this bill is authored by the very companies it seeks to regulate.

They believe they can buy City Council.

Prove them wrong.

I yield my time.

We will go back to in-person speakers.

The first one is going to be Joseph Lopez.

Okay, still not here, we'll proceed.

It's Gabriel Jones, followed by Nuralafa Mahamatha, I believe.

Excuse me for the mispronunciation.

And then, just a second.

And then followed by, then we have Jake, and then Ariana Riley, and then Jess Zamboe.

Oh, it's Gabriel Jones.

Gabriel Jones.

Hi, my name is Gabriel Jones.

I'm a equity commissioner out in Renton.

Today I'm here as someone with many ties to the community that will be most...

Here's someone with many ties to the community who are most affected by the ending of the EDI funding.

This amendment was...

So we had only hours to raise up to fight against the cut of programs that directly affect us.

I'm so honored to stand beside the wonderful community members who want to fight for the money they've earned and against the consistent, intentional disenfranchisement of the community.

So we can't have a voice when our programs get cut.

But we still have showed out because we won't let these programs that affect our community get cut without a fight.

That's why I'm here today to speak as an individual who is an equity commissioner and does equity work.

As someone who works daily to ensure equity is at the forefront of life, I'm incredibly disheartened to see these funds being cut.

In the lobby, you have a sign that says Black Lives Matter.

But those are empty words unless we address systemic racism and break down these barriers.

Cutting these programs will hurt so many.

So if you really believe that Black and other BIPOC lives matter, you need to show it every day.

And you need to make sure that they get the funding they're needing.

Vote no on cutting the EDI funding.

And Neuraliza, if I'm not mistaken, Neuraliza?

And then followed by Nuraliza will be Bishop Thomas E. Davis, and then again, Jake Theonis, and Arianna Riley, and Jess Zumbau.

If you don't mind, just please get stepping up to the microphone if you're still here present.

Thank you.

Peace and blessings to the people.

My name is Nurhaliza Mohammed.

I'm 24 years old and I'm the food justice coordinator at the Rainy Beach Action Coalition.

And I'm a community member that has grown up in the CHOM refugees community.

EDI has funded over $4 million for CRC and over $3.5 million in support of RBAC's property acquisition, which promotes food access, public safety, and youth development in our communities.

RBAC has been in the middle of a contract amendment of $809,999 to bring this project construction to completion by the end of 2024. The fact that the city council is deliberating with little to no notice after Memorial Day weekend or whether or not to withhold the funding of my community's infrastructure is intentionally keeping those impacted outside of decision making.

Just know that you have brought black, indigenous, immigrant, and refugee...

youth outside for the wrong reasons.

This is a very, very bad idea.

Council Member Maritza Rivera from Ravina, I'm fearful to learn the truth of your intentions for sponsoring this proposal.

Remember, what continues to be with...

decisions like yours, and we have the rest of our lives to commit to addressing your harm.

And more will rise to join us.

In that I rest.

Thank you.

Bishop Thomas E. Davis with the Bethel Christian Church of the Apostolic Faith.

We've been in the community for over 70 years, and we oppose this decision that is being made.

We stand with the community and various businesses that have been supported by this funding, and we ask that you would not take it away from us.

Thank you.

Hello, council members.

My name is Jake Danis and I work for Duwamish Tribal Services.

I'm asking the council and mayor to please honor the city's promises to fund six participatory budgeting projects voted through by the public last November.

The most impacted communities have been working tirelessly for years to ensure the city follows through on its promises and invest in Seattle's historically underfunded black, indigenous and communities of color.

And please do not cut the EDI funds as Council Member Riviera's amendment proposes, which pits BIPOC communities against each other.

In August of last year, the Duwamish Tribal Services held a community outreach event, and one of its projects submitted was approved by voters.

Please honor the process and fund all six PV projects, including the $7.2 million to fund the Duwamish-centered community center that will offer community engagement and cultural preservation.

Duwamish Tribal Services should be the main contractor for this project.

There is also a petition circulating that is amassed about So thank you.

Yes.

Good afternoon.

My name is Ariana Riley.

I am a delivery driver in Seattle.

This past weekend was the busiest weekend I've worked in food delivery ever.

West Seattle was busy until 2 a.m.

this weekend.

In all my time working food delivery before the law, West Seattle died down around 10.30 to 11 p.m., I was working Saturday and Sunday until almost 2 a.m., where customers in West Seattle were ordering from restaurants in West Seattle at high volumes until 2 a.m.

The proposal to amend pay up is based on assumptions that restaurants are slow, customers are ordering less, and drivers aren't staying busy.

For the majority of restaurants and drivers, that is not true.

Restaurants at this time are busy, drivers I talk to are busier, and customers are getting their food at 2 a.m.

promptly.

If the city had been engaging in data collection rather than rushing to implement bad policy, you also would have the data that shows delivery volumes are back to normal at this point and have been for months now.

Engage in data collection, not cutting our wages for hopes and post-it bees.

Vote no.

Thank you.

Hi, good afternoon, council members.

I'm Jess Zimbabwe, a District 1 resident testifying today on behalf of Environmental Works.

We're a nonprofit community design center based in historic Fire Station 7 in District 3. And we're here to support EDI funds today.

Affordable housing and jobs and healthy food and cultural spaces to communities of color that have been historically and structurally excluded from the near unbounded wealth of our city.

If we want to have a future Seattle that is a just Seattle, a future Seattle that is a sustainable Seattle, and a future Seattle with room for everyone, we have to support and expand equitable development initiative funding.

Thank you.

Council President, that was the last set for this 10, but just to give everyone an idea of what we have remaining for our speakers, we have 43 in-person remaining and 73 remote speakers remaining.

Thank you.

Erin, first speaker in this remote group is Strawberry S and following Strawberry will be Cheryl Harrison.

Go ahead, Strawberry.

I'm a part of the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression.

Vote no on Marisa's amendment to cut over 50 million from the EDI.

Seattle made a promise to our communities of color to invest in equality and equity for all.

This amendment would break that promise.

It's not a good look for Seattle to run out of money for public libraries, schools, and BIPOC community organizations only to provide 23% raises for a brutal police force known worldwide for laughing about how a young woman they murdered has limited value and is at the center of several discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuits.

Nor is it a good look to introduce this amendment the Friday before a long weekend.

It gives the appearance that the council does not want to hear public comment on what you are planning to do with our tax money.

The voices of the masses deserve to be heard.

I urge you to keep your promises to black and brown community-led organizations today so you don't have to make empty apologies for failing them tomorrow.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Cheryl Harrison, and following Cheryl will be Charita Dumas.

Go ahead, Cheryl.

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Cheryl Harrison, and I'm calling to address the participatory budget.

So I'm urging the council to fully fund the projects chosen to be funded through the participatory budget process, which is housed by the Seattle Office of Civil Rights.

And what they said was, our vision is a city of thriving and powerful communities that foster share, healing, and belonging.

We understand that healing cannot happen without full transparency and honesty with communities we serve.

Historically in this country, state, and city, Equity has already been delayed and denied for centuries and should not be delayed for any reason for even one more day.

We the people did our part in good faith and it is now the city of Seattle's turn to follow through in good faith.

I urge the council to fully fund the winning participatory budget projects as well as the council to vote no on restricting EDI funding for BIPOC communities.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Charita Dumas, followed by Jasmine Smith.

Go ahead, Charita.

Hi, my name is Charita Dumas, and I think it's ridiculous that voters have to beg our city council to keep their promise to fund EDI.

Voters voted you in because it is your job to protect us and the community, and that you should be voting no against this particular amendment.

You know very well that EDI funds have done more to elevate the community and people of color.

Not only that, the lives that have changed by more housing, which reduces homelessness, jobs that reduce crime and joblessness, farming that increases food supply to the communities, the very communities that need it, and our seniors, as well as educating our youth on how to build a community through farming.

EDR funds are the very reason you are in office.

Do your jobs and find the money elsewhere.

This amendment targets race and social status.

You very well know it.

At this point, we shouldn't have to ask you to do your job.

You should do it willingly.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jasmine Smith.

And following Jasmine will be Edwin Lindo.

Go ahead, Jasmine.

Hi.

My name's Jasmine Smith over at the Washington bus.

And we are speaking against this amendment to cut funding from the Equitable Development Initiative for projects that are already started that are going to support programs that young people need, that young people are counting on, having the housing to live in, to afford, having child care facilities, having community cultural centers.

These are all things that countless young people benefit from.

And the youth in our communities are outraged and panicked by this amendment, which threatens to defund and remove these critical resources and programs.

They've already been integrated into long-term community plans Divesting from them will put jobs community resources and many communities futures into jeopardy causing irreparable damage to our city's progress.

There will be calls to justify this with the budgetary issues within the city but this is not an excuse to divest from our communities.

Thank you.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Edwin Lindo and following Edwin will be Afua Coyote or Coyote.

Go ahead Edwin.

Hi, I'm Edwin Lindo, co-founder of Estalipa's Library.

Me, my life partner, my family, our homeowners in Beacon Hill, and we as a community standing in solidarity with everyone else in the Chamber, as we are here currently at the airport, urge Council to vote no on Council Member Rivera's amendment.

We've organized in less than five hours from the business hours, you probably received about 1,500 emails to your inbox because our community said we will not stand for this, and that was in less than 12 hours.

The community said, we deserve what you have committed as a city council.

Imagine if we had more time, our community has a voice and they're strong.

And in receiving emails, you may have believed that our communities are unsophisticated because we did say that the number we were going to lose in funding is $50 million, which is not exactly what council members are proposed.

It was 25 million to be frozen.

However, we understand how this political game works.

We know that it's actually going to be more than $15 million because the money carrying over is not going to be spent in time.

We're getting thrown under the bus today.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Afua Kouyate, and following Afua is Brian Duncan.

Go ahead, Afua.

Yes, good afternoon, council members.

My name is Afua Kouyate, and I am the Executive Director of Adepua Cultural Education Workshop.

I'm also a constituent of the Cultural States Agency.

This next year, we celebrate our 40 years of being in Seattle.

Being in Seattle, performing and providing cultural education to children in almost every school in this city of Seattle.

Right now, we're building an African Cultural Arts Center in Rainier Valley, where I live and I work.

This problem that we're addressing will jeopardize our Rights of Passage program, our Rainier Valley Creative District, our Odundi Festival and local immigrant and refugee populations.

Please vote no for CD 120774. Every bit goes a long way.

If you don't want us in the streets give us a home.

Thank you.

ELLIE WILSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Brian Duncan and following Brian will be Jade Weiss.

Go ahead Brian.

Hello, yes, I'm Brian Duncan, District 6. I would like to urge a no vote on the rescinding of the minimum wage for the gig workers.

I'm not a user of the service, nor in the restaurant or the industry in any way.

I'm just a random voter, but I do pay attention to current events and have heard the debate on both sides.

and understand that people have different opinions about it.

But I really think that at a basic level, everyone deserves to have a minimum wage, including gig workers.

So I urge you to agree on that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jade Weiss.

And following Jade is Jeffrey Gustafson.

Go ahead, Jade.

Thank you.

I'm a King County resident and a housing justice advocate.

As a landlord tenant paralegal, I assisted clients facing displacement in Seattle and then received life-saving resources from organizations in the Equitable Development Initiative, such as Chief Seattle Club and Casa Latina.

I think community members get access to emergency housing that would not have been available if not for the EDI, meaning if these organizations did not exist, even more families and individuals would become unhoused.

It's egregious that an amendment to freeze funding to these critical community organizations has been brought forward as a solution to the budget deficit.

This move is illogical and inhumane.

It would add to the existing homelessness crisis and would dramatically increase disparities, not just in Seattle, but across King County.

Once again, black, indigenous, and migrant communities, mainly youth, will suffer the consequences of bad policy.

I urge council to reject Amendment A to Council Bill 172774. I urge youth to incessantly sweep our unhoused neighbors and stop wasting millions of taxpayer dollars to exacerbate the symptoms of homelessness.

Do your job smarter.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jeffrey Gustafson, and following Jeffrey will be Zachariah Urena.

Go ahead, Jeffrey.

Hi, council members.

My name is Jeffrey Gustafson.

I'm a resident of District 4 and a lifelong Wedgewood resident.

I was glad to see today that the vote to cut workers' pay was postponed, and I hope that council will do the right thing and never hold that vote to cut workers' pay.

You know, I'm troubled as a voter that such a pay cut was ever on the table.

And I find that to be embarrassing.

I also think that the last minute postponement today's vote, presumably because the council president failed to manufacture enough political will to cut worker pay.

You know, I hope with that last minute postponement that you'll note how many low wage gig workers took precious time out of their day to be here today to request that you please do not lower their pay below minimum wage.

This has been a ridiculous mess of a process and it's exactly the opposite of the responsible government.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our last speaker for this group of remote speakers is Zachariah Urena.

Go ahead Zachariah.

Hi.

So my name is Zachariah.

I'm a delivery driver on GrabHub DoorDash and Instacart.

I'm asking you to please stand with drivers and vote no on the proposal to cut driver pay.

There is nothing beneficial for drivers in the proposal.

It will only hurt us.

And these apps are trying to spin it like we need more delivery, but that's not the case.

We need to be paid fairly for the deliveries we do take, though.

And before the pay up, I was being flooded with offers as low as $2 and $3 to travel several miles.

And furthermore, the top Dasher program they want to bring back, where you need to maintain a 70% acceptance rate to get priority on better orders, is a way to punish drivers who refuse these low offers.

And they want to bring this awful program back

We will now go back to in-person, and so we'll- I have one, pause please.

Excuse me.

So colleagues, by now it's almost four o'clock and we have extended public comment the equivalent of about six public comments.

So we've gone through two hours.

My inclination is always to let everybody speak and I just wanted to get agreement or see if there is any objection.

Okay, go ahead please.

I'm going to call the next 10 names.

If you can please line up to the microphone.

It'll be Jared Johnson, Nathan Beckwith, Ryan Donahue, Diane Ferguson, Sam King, Ren Wheeler, Taylor Farley, Cliff Cawthorn, and I believe it's Gary, and then Hashin.

Good afternoon.

My name is Jared Johnson.

I'm with the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, also known as SCIPTA.

We are a member of the Race and Social Equity Task Force, which was instrumental in the founding of the Equitable Development Initiative.

EDI was created to address the ongoing displacement of black, indigenous, and POC communities from the city of Seattle.

As displacement pressures and affordability issues continue to grow, the city's investment in equitable development is crucial.

EDI has funded a number of community-led projects, including the Little Saigon Landmark Project, which in partnership with Friends of Little Saigon will bring a Vietnamese cultural center and family-sized housing to Little Saigon, a project that has taken this community over 10 years to get going.

Freezing the funds for this program will not only mean that projects like these may not happen in the future, but also that BIPOC organizations across the city that have been working tirelessly to preserve their communities could have their projects stalled or completely derailed.

I urge that you maintain this funding.

Thank you.

As a reminder, there's two microphones.

So if you want to stand up to the other microphone, both these microphones work, this one and the one over here on the west side too.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Nathan.

All right.

I decided to come up here with no list to read off of.

I'll look right in your eyes and I want a little bit of engagement.

I started coming in here because of the gig worker rollback or whatever you want to call it.

And every single time I've been here, I've become more and more frustrated by watching and listening to what you guys are trying to change and the amount of money that you're just ignoring.

What is it, $143,000 you make?

Is that individually or collectively?

You don't have money for EDI?

You want to reduce gig workers' pay?

Have you tried to live off of minimum wage?

Have you tried to live off of what the current gig worker pay is?

What is that?

It's like $64 an hour you guys make?

How about you reach deep down in your pockets and you start putting some money where it goes?

Don't retroactively fund the police.

What is it, $103,000 you're gonna give them?

It's ridiculous.

What are you doing?

Ryan, then Diane?

Yes.

Hold on.

Ryan, who's in...

Okay.

I don't mind.

It's okay.

Oh, no, you can go.

Okay.

All right.

Hello.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Ryan Donahue.

I am the chief advocacy officer over at Habitat for Humanity, Seattle King, and Kittitas Counties, and I'm here to urge a decisive no vote for Amendment A proposed for CB 120774. Passing this amendment will devastate active developments and potentially kill crucial affordable housing projects.

In our pipeline alone, it jeopardizes projects that will serve potentially over 200 different people across the city of Seattle.

Like our partnerships with Nehemiah Initiative and African Community Housing Development, these projects are bringing solutions to the communities that need them most.

These funds are not merely beneficial, but they're indispensable.

At a time when high interest rates, inflation, and soaring land costs already make affordable housing development more expensive, this amendment proposes to make it even harder.

Please reconsider and ensure that everyone in Seattle has a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home.

Thank you.

Diane followed by, sorry, Diane followed by Sam.

Okay, hi, this is, I'm Diane Ferguson, Director of the Central Area Senior Center in District Number Three.

Ms. Hollingsworth, Council Member Hollingsworth, I'm here to adamantly oppose that EDI amendment not pass, not be approved by you.

We have been in our building since 1968. It was owned by the city and then we were able to get it transferred to us.

We have an EDI grant and I can see how it has been transformative in terms of bringing people back into the community that have been displaced.

I actually see the amendment close to being redlining and we don't need to go back to times when things were redlined.

It has helped African American communities, BIPOC communities, young people, and what we are trying to avoid is displacement.

We need more housing for those who are homeless.

And so I would encourage you not to vote for or approve this amendment because it harms our communities.

Thank you.

Howdy.

My name is Sam King.

I am a homeless veteran.

It is scary sleeping in my car every night, not having the dignity to have access to 24 hour bathrooms everywhere.

but the one thing that has kept me off the street is gig work.

I see that you all kicked the ball on that vote.

So I guess my joke about taking me out to dinner before you screw me, not really necessary.

So let me instead say genuinely from the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of the members who made this pay increase back in January.

It has kept me off of the street.

I hope that that continues going forward.

Council Member Rivera, you're kind of cute, but to disenfranchise people of color is disgusting.

Makes you kind of ugly to me.

Do better.

Ren Wheeler.

Okay, Ren Wheeler, then Taylor Farley, Cliff Cawthorn, and Gary, then Hanschen.

Thank you City Council Members.

My name is Wren Wheeler and I'm the Civic Engagement Specialist at Wing Luke Museum who is a partner in the Race and Social Equity Task Force.

RSED and EDI were originally formed to address the ongoing displacement of BIPOC communities as the high displacement pressures and affordability issues continue to be exacerbated.

It is critical that City Council vote no on Council Member Rivera's amendment to freeze EDI funding.

Additionally, I echo previous speakers' invitations to visit EDI sites and projects.

All the projects were and are created by the people in those communities.

Get out and visit our sites and projects, speak to our neighbors who are creating these homes together.

Then come back and increase funding and change the I from initiative and EDI to investment.

Thank you.

Taylor was next.

Is there a Taylor here?

Are you Taylor?

Hi.

Hello, I am Taylor.

I am from Queer Power Alliance.

I urge you to vote no on the Councilmember Rivera's amendment, CB120774.

This is directly impacting and harming the community, and more specifically, it's harming people of color, queer, trans, and indigenous people.

We don't need to wait for the funds is the way that it's worded.

And your people have sent us an email saying it'll be a pause.

We don't have time for a pause.

The community has worked very hard to get where they are right now.

The reason that this is called an EDI is not just for equity development inclusion.

It is equity...

equity, diversity, inclusion.

It was for the people of color and for people that are most disenfranchised.

Don't continue the disenfranchisement.

The community knows what they need and they have been working to get that.

Please vote no.

Cliff, if Cliff is not here, then we'll move on to Gary.

Good to go.

So yeah.

Okay.

It's a bit of like being hit in the mouth, and like Mike Tyson says, when you get hit, then you don't know what to do.

So I'm looking forward to the vote.

But I'm also looking forward to having merit-based delivery again.

I have 100% acceptance rate, 100% completion rate on DoorDash.

I'm looking forward to being back in that program.

I'm looking forward to more orders.

Karen Wolf.

from Working Washington stated that orders were down.

That's unequivocal.

Breakfast is gone.

Virtual kitchens in West Seattle, virtual kitchens on Capitol Hill, they're down.

Having a fee increase is not gonna help that.

More orders are gonna help the restaurants.

Proforma and work out that this works.

they matter, the gig companies matter, they profit, we profit, we get more orders, we win.

There will be no more disruptions, please stop.

We will then follow, we have Hashan, and then Olisa Enrico will be the last person for the set.

Since I moved to Seattle with my wife last year, we have been adjusting to the high cost of living here.

One day she told me the food delivery become unaffordable because the new law took effect.

The payout ordinance was all over the news too, citing the promise to pay delivery workers with the $26 hourly rate.

If you can beat them, join them.

That's how I start doing deliveries.

When the minimum wage is set above the fair market price, not everyone can get it.

The wage high has suspended the delivery workforce and decreased the consumer events simultaneously.

Last week, I submitted all my earnings statements since February as evidence to the council.

And I will say that once again on the record, pay up is a lie.

I made $447 on average weekly with 40 to 60 hours on call time.

And hourly rates merely $10 per hour.

There are simply not enough orders because the consumer has rejected the price and changed their spending habits.

It took a three-year-long global pandemic to allow the food industry to grow to where it was in 2023, and payout has destroyed all at once.

Please support the Amendment CB-12775 before dealing any more damage to the food delivery industry.

Thank you.

Mic check.

Greetings.

My name is Olisa Enrico, third-generation Seattleite, descended from redlined and gentrified peoples right here.

My family and my community provide this city with arts, culture, and entrepreneurship, folks who will revitalize downtown and the folks who will be paraded in front of the millions of visitors during the World Cup.

I am a constituent of Districts 1, 2, 3, and serve the entire city in my role as the Executive Director of the Cultural Space Agency.

Vote no on the proposed amendment 120774, which strips away the small advancements of equitable development that this city has committed to.

We understand the budget must be balanced, but you must understand it is not on our backs.

We deserve our spaces.

We deserve to return home.

We deserve to be here and we deserve to do it together.

So please vote no.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Thank you.

We're now moving into our next group of remote speakers.

Our first remote speaker will be Andrew Nagel and Andrew will be followed by Flora Temple.

Go ahead Andrew.

ANDREW NAGEL Hello my name is Andrew Nagel.

I'm here to comment on CD 120775 the bill to reduce wages for at-based workers.

Simply this bill would hurt people.

It would allow these companies that don't pay enough already to pay even less.

I admit that the structure needs changing, but you need to pay people more, not less.

Anecdotally, people who work on these apps have multiple phones so they can get enough orders to make rent.

To make a livable amount on these apps, you need to pretend to be multiple people at once.

The time investment, too, means that you can't really escape this job and get a better one.

You spend all of your time going from order to order, that you have no time to get another job is the kind of thing that is going to make things worse.

You're going to hurt people in this community.

Please don't do this.

Please vote no.

Thank you.

ELLIE WILSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Flora Temple and following Flora will be Naima Clark.

Go ahead Flora.

Hi, my name is Flora Temple.

I'm the director at the Mount Baker Hub Alliance and a member of Essential Southeast Seattle, and I'm also here to urge council members to vote no on the amendments to CB120774.

As many others have said, EDI is a key source of funding for the communities that have been historically underinvested in.

Freezing this funding not only halts the key dollars needed, but also would jeopardize materials, hours of labor, and the relationships and community trust that are the cornerstone of these projects.

These are complicated and unique projects that are purposely undertaken to build community and drive economic development.

Our city needs these projects.

Just look at the list.

Each project has required hours and years of planning by dedicated community advocates, community participation, layers, and levels of creative funding.

Second, the amendment undermines the standard budget process, which accommodates the extended timelines necessary for development projects.

It's troubling that this amendment was introduced so late without consulting the relevant departments and this simply isn't how we do business here.

While I understand that there's concern about the looming budget deficit I urge you to look elsewhere.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Naima Clark and following Naima is Kathleen Allen.

Go ahead Naima.

KATHLEEN ALLEN- Hello my name is Naima Clark.

I'm a long term resident of District 2. The Equative Development Initiative is a lifeline to organizations of color.

empowering them to build and sustain their communities.

If this vital program is cut, it will be a devastating blow to these organizations, stripping them of funding they desperately need.

Take Nurturing Roots Farm for instance.

We need to find land to continue our crucial work in providing fresh produce education and love and support to our community.

The process of finding land and completing feasibility studies is already grueling and time consuming.

And might I add that we also are waiting to put in an offer we are stifled in doing so because of this initiative that has been put forth without edi support this becomes nearly impossible cutting edi funding will fuel the displacement of black and brown communities pushing residents out of um out of their uh pushing residents out and erasing their cultural and historical footprints when youth lose places to thrive their future is robbed um please vote against this vote no to

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Kathleen Allen and following Kathleen will be Katie Hall.

Go ahead Kathleen.

Hi.

I hope you can hear me.

This is Kathleen Allen.

I doubt that I can add much to what other folks are saying.

You know only that this amendment comes from representatives of Northeast Seattle.

I wonder if this is enacted by people who live and vote in Northeast Seattle or possibly a small contingent of interest acting through Council Member Rivera's office to obstruct this important step toward cultural health and equity throughout the city.

So please, I'm asking you to reject Council Member Rivera's amendment, which will hurt thousands of people from communities in need, and in turn, those who are more advantaged at risk of increasing crime and chaos resulting from blatant historical inequities.

Increasing police presence alone will not solve the problem.

Please stand with communities of color and all of us in support of harmonious dynamics for all Seattle residents.

Reject the amendment and support the voter approval.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Katie Hall and following Katie Hall will be Lillian Ballesteros.

Go ahead Katie.

Hi, this is Katie Hall and today I'm serving in the role of the chairwoman of the Youth Council for the NAACP Seattle King County and I'm asking that you all vote no on this EDI initiative.

Not only would it hurt the past and all the work that Seattle has been doing, a person like myself would want to live in a live in a place like Seattle not being from here.

You're going to really work at making that look horrible as well as the present moment and what side of history do you all want to end up on with the future generation?

As far as youth council goes, these are your future lawmakers, these are your future educators, and these are voters.

And so I would say something like this will make our youth council really want to get involved in understanding a little bit more about how do we go about voting down things like this.

With that being said, I hope that you guys decide to end up on the right side of history.

And as a crisis manager, I would not want to manage this crisis with the City of Seattle Council when you think about the type of impact that it can make on a community like Seattle.

Thank you very much, and you can give the rest of my time to the next person.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Lillian Ballesteros.

Following Lillian will be Mayha Khan.

Go ahead, Lillian.

Good afternoon.

My name is Lillian Ballesteros.

I'm a resident of Seattle, and I'm the Executive Director of Latino Community Fund of Washington.

We strongly oppose the amendments proposed for the EDI funding.

This was an investment.

It was a promise made to our BIPOC communities, our young people, our families in Seattle.

We urge the Council to keep that promise and not cut this funding for our communities, not cut these investments.

This would have dire consequences, in particular for our Black, our Indigenous, and our communities of color.

I stand in solidarity with the community groups who have done such incredible work with EDI funding, and we urge the Council to vote no on this amendment.

You've heard many times this amendment and the disinvestment is going to have widespread impact on our communities.

And so we support our communities.

And in doing so, we need to vote no on this amendment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Mejia Khan.

And following Mejia is Anitra Freeman.

Go ahead, Mejia.

You may need to press star six to unmute yourself, Meha.

Hello.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Okay.

Hello.

This is Neja Khan, and I'm a gig worker partnering with Rhodie and DoorDash.

I just want to bring up some key points that I would like to share.

The city of Seattle is a leader and a pioneer for a positive, innovative change, ensuring fair and just laws for all workers, including the non-traditional sector.

I take my job seriously in order to support the operational efficiency of the business I serve.

However, it is disheartening when these companies expect us to meet here wages that are barely enough to survive on.

Public financial profit statements further show the record revenues these companies raked in year over year.

For example, revenue reports show that DoorDash earned $2.5 billion in the first quarter of Thank you.

Our next speaker is Anitra Freeman, and following Anitra will be Mario Dunham.

Go ahead, Anitra.

Thank you.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Okay.

My name is Anita Freeman.

I am speaking on behalf of share a grassroots organizing effort of homeless and formerly homeless men and women in support of the equitable development initiative and in opposition to the harmful proposed amendment.

Homelessness is the biggest crisis in Seattle today.

The roots of homelessness lie in housing and economic injustices that go back in history.

and it built up multiple interlocking effects, including dispersed communities and lost cultural heritage.

The Equitable Development Initiative was a serious effort at holistically addressing displacement.

Seattle's mayor bragged about it.

It gave many hope.

It started much good work.

Vote no on Councilmember Rivera's amendment and let the good work continue.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Mario Dunham.

Mario will be followed by our last speaker in this remote group, Caleb Tewold.

Go ahead, Mario.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Can you hear me?

Okay, thank you.

My name is Mario Dunham, and I represent the legacy of my brother, Eliza Lee Lewis.

I'm pretty sure people in the room know his name.

The only reason I'm here is because he would be in the front lines right now saying, voting no to this ridiculous preposterous um idea of a bill uh i think that it is insane that we as um uh by pop people of south seattle have to beg you to reconsider something that we deserve anyway we already had to move everywhere uh except for where we live and the people that live are fighting to stay there there's no reason for this to happen And I'm trying to understand what would be the cause of this.

It doesn't make sense.

It's ridiculous.

And my brother would be furious if he was alive today.

I'm here for my brother and no one else.

Vote no, please, because it makes absolutely no sense.

Thank you.

And our last remote speaker for this group is Caleb Tewoldt.

Hi my name is Caleb Tolube.

I work at Rainier Scholars.

I am the Associate Director of Leadership Development there and also a history teacher.

I live in District 3 in the Central District and I work in the Rainier Valley.

I want to take this time to oppose Councilmember Rivera's AMENDMENT, CB 120774, PAUSING THE FUNDS OR FREEZING THE FUNDS TO THE EDI IS ONE OF THE MOST RACIST THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN COME THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL IN MY TIME IN SEATTLE.

AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO FUND THESE BIPARTISAN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING POSITIVE THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I'd also like to make a note that I didn't come here to speak on it, but I want to make sure that app-based workers are paid a living.

Thank you.

And that concludes this group's remote speakers.

Amelia, are you back for the in-person public?

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

The next 10 speakers, I'm going to call your names out.

If you're still present, please step up to one of the two microphones.

Robesto, and then Noah Garteman from .

So Melba is first.

Oh, sorry.

Go ahead.

I'm Melba.

So I'm the Director of Lossless Tab Connection located in South Seattle.

And I'm speaking on behalf of 161 youth that range from age 2 to 15, as they gave me feedback to give to you today.

I'm a woman that identifies as Gullah Geechee.

I was born in segregation, survived integration, and came to Seattle looking for enrichment of cultural that I really found here.

As we talked about EDI at the studio, our students often talked about that we were getting a new home.

With that new home, I would tell them the story that, as a child, I would ask my father, why didn't we get 40 acres and a mule?

And he would always say, next time.

As I stand here, I speak on behalf of those young people who have this opportunity to have the equivalent of 40 acres and a mule.

I think it's really important to know that what EDI is doing is not just about what happens today.

about what happens tomorrow.

The last thing I'm going to tell you is that at Northwest Captain Action, we talk about choices, options, and consequences, and whether or not your integrity is in alignment with your reputation.

From T.J. Proctor, who is five years old, he said to me, Melvin, remind them that their integrity needs to be in alignment with their reputation.

I AM AN ARTS AND CULTURE WORKER.

I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 5 AND I ALSO WORK CITYWIDE AS A STAFF MEMBER OF THE CULTURAL SPACE AGENCY.

I AM ALSO HERE TO ASK FOR YOU TO VOTE NO ON COUNCIL MEMBER REVERA'S LAST MINUTE AMENDMENT TO COUNCIL BILL 120774. We know that Seattle has been plagued by many, many years of racial redlining in real estate.

We know that gentrification is happening.

We know that displacement is happening.

This initiative has been one of few things to actively combat all of these things.

Pulling funds now effectively cuts off already funded projects at the knees and prevents them from realizing their project ideas, just as Ms. Melba was talking about.

Please vote no.

Happiest role?

Hello, my name is Happy Israel and I've been working for Instacart for five years as a gig worker in Seattle.

I'm here to ask you to please not cut my pay by 20% or more.

This new ordinance that went into effect in January has made my job safer and less stressful and ensures that I'm getting paid fairly for the work that I'm doing.

Please do not cut my pay, do not cut my benefits, do not cut my safety.

I'm really proud of Seattle for the steps that we've been taking as a city for many years to try to address inequality, to be a leader on minimum wage that's actually a living wage.

It's hard enough to survive in this city as is, and you're hearing that from people of all different backgrounds for all different reasons.

Please don't cut worker pay in order to short-term make things easier for restaurants or make things easier for these gigantic corporations that are making record profits.

You can't cut worker pay in order to make businesses function.

If a business can't afford to pay all stakeholders a livable wage, it shouldn't operate.

Thank you.

My apologies.

It's Jesse and then Joseph.

Hey, good afternoon, council members.

I'm Jesse Simpson.

I'm the Director of Government Relations and Policy at the Housing Development Consortium.

I'm here today to speak in strong opposition to the proposed amendment to Council Bill 120774, which would freeze investments to the Equitable Development Initiative.

EDI supports community organizations in high displacement risk neighborhoods, funds these organizations to build capacity, acquire land, and directly develop new affordable housing, childcare, cultural centers, and more.

It's an essential part of how the city plans to combat displacement of all kinds, and advance equity as Seattle grows.

We need to continue these investments to empower historically marginalized communities to actually build the affordable housing and community serving uses our city desperately needs.

I urge the full council vote no on the amendment to Council Bill 120774 and continue investing in equitable development.

Thanks for your leadership and the opportunity to testify.

Where is Rivera?

We have Joseph, and then after Joseph, it's Tierman.

Hello, my name is Joseph Shoji-Lachman, and I'm here on behalf of Asian Counseling and Referral Service.

We're also a member of the Equitable Recovery and Reconciliation Alliance.

First of all, I want to say, you know, I appreciate Councilman Mose being here, except for Councilman Rivera at the moment, whose amendment I'm speaking to.

It must be nice to not have to hear the criticism of this horrible amendment that's threatening the integrity of the Equitable Development Initiative.

I'm here again to speak in solidarity on behalf of our organization with critical partners who are involved in the initiative and also, of course, in solidarity with our other communities of color, our black, Latinx, indigenous, and other Asian and native Hawaiian Pacific Islander serving organizations who will be horribly impacted if this change is made.

I think you've heard pretty much every point on this already, but again, please go visit the CHOM Refugees Community.

Go visit my community of Seattle King County.

Stephanie had to leave because it has been so long waiting for her turn here, but I wanted to make sure I threw that in on her behalf.

So please vote no on this.

Chairman, then Pastor Carrie Anderson.

Good afternoon, Council.

I'm Tiernan Martin, Director of Research at FutureWise.

FutureWise urges the Council to vote no on Amendment A to Council Bill 120774, which would halt funding to one of Seattle's most vital anti-displacement strategies, the Community-Led Equitable Development Initiative.

The amendment is inconsistent with the current comprehensive plan.

specifically capital facilities element policy 5.5.

It also contradicts new state law, which the city must comply with by the end of this year, CRCW 3670A70 subsection 2H, which specifically lists equitable development initiatives.

Finally, the amendment is inconsistent with the stated values of this council.

It would disrupt carefully laid plans by the city's community partners and make future partners think twice about working with the city.

As stewards of the city's budget and leaders committed to good governance, you have set a high standard for yourselves, one that this legislation falls short of meeting.

FutureWise urges the council to vote no on this amendment.

Thank you for your leadership.

Pastor Kerry Anderson, Pastor Kerry Anderson, pastor of First AME Church, the oldest black church founded by former slaves in the state of Washington.

We've been around since 1886. And I'm here to speak in opposition to Councilmember Rivera's proposal on amendment to 120774. You know, I really applauded the fact when the city of Seattle realized the racialization and segregation and redlining that hurt and harmed people of color.

Now I'm not here to applaud.

I'm here to say I'm appalled.

Appalled, outraged, and dismayed.

that now we are dealing with the matter of taking away funding for black and brown people that we need for sustaining our communities.

I'm out of time, but I'm not out of message.

We're gonna stand up, speak up, and stay up.

After Steve, we have Noah as the last person in this group.

My young friend there comes from a church that was a church before there was a state of Washington.

But as you can see, he has not been here quite that long, but he has been here for a long time.

And we both came down here independently looking at, I believe, the same issue.

What brought me here was the underpaying gig workers.

What you have to do is raise the wages of people Then you don't have to do guaranteed national income.

Then you don't have to have a negative income tax.

If you put money into people's hands, then they'll be able to afford to live.

Now I see a lot of gig workers who are working hard and getting not much.

And the companies that employ them are doing very well.

We should not legalize Wage slavery, the South used to call that when they were looking at the North.

Let's do a better job.

Testing.

All right.

This is the third time I've come up to speak against this issue, but it looks like I also have to speak against Miranda Rivera's amendment because it's just as bad.

So I guess I'll talk a little bit about both.

Pay up needs to happen in order for us to be able to have a livable wage.

This is all paid gig workers want is a livable wage.

It's not ridiculous.

It's not crazy.

It's just common sense.

You give more money to the workers, they'll be able to actually live and be able to be a part of this economy.

But here's what really drives me insane is what Revere's amendment.

You are...

to claim Hispanic person.

Hispanic people had just been as damaged by the government as everyone else.

If I must remind you, President Eisenhower did an operation with a very unfortunate name where it forced a lot of us out of this country and into Mexico where some of us weren't even born there.

What I'm basically saying is stop trying to screw your voters or we're gonna vote you out.

Okay, I believe we're now moving back to remote speakers.

Is that correct, Amelia?

Can you pause for a quick second?

Colleagues, it is now 4.30 and we've been having public comment for two and a half hours.

And I am going to, everybody will speak.

I'm going to pause public comment so that we can get to the consent agenda and the IRC and approval of the agenda and then return to public comment if that is okay.

Okay.

all right so uh we're all here so we heard that so um it'd be it would be a postponement of public comment until after consideration of the agenda right so we have two items of business you know get through the the sort of the pro forma items and then move on to the go ahead yeah sorry i'm just

In real time, trying to understand what we're doing right now.

So you want to take us through the agenda and then come back to public comment once we're done with the agenda?

Or get through the consent agenda and the IRC and then come back to public comment.

I would...

Stop.

Stop.

Stop.

I would say we should just keep everything together, one side or the other.

Okay.

Yeah.

We have...

Go ahead and continue with the...

Please continue with the remote public comment speakers.

Okay, Council President, point of personal order.

I have to say that the disruptions that we are experiencing right now are disabling me from doing my business of the government.

I recognize that.

Thank you.

Currently, we have 21 remote speakers and 23 in-person speakers remaining.

Jody, please proceed with the remote speakers.

Thank you.

Our next remote speaker will be Joseph Lopez, and following Joseph Lopez will be Emma H. Go ahead, Joseph.

And Joseph, you may need...

Good afternoon, city.

Oh, there you are.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Good afternoon, Seattle City Council.

My name is Joseph Lopez.

I'm the co-executive director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, located in the Rainier Valley neighborhood within District 2. We live in the Frisco neighborhood within District 3. As I shared during public comment today, I encourage you to fully support the Equitable Development Initiative.

I live and work in the districts that represent communities that have been historically displaced and ignored by the city's policies and practices.

The EDI is a step to repair and restore funds to those communities.

The Church Council relates to nearly 150 faith communities in Seattle.

We have been working for peace and justice in Seattle for 105 years.

Today I'm speaking in solidarity with community partners who have been funded by the Equitable Development Initiative.

It is imperative to the flourishing of our city that you do not pass any amendment with the free funding for the Equitable Development Initiative.

Doing the work of equitable development is not an overnight task.

Do not pass any amendment to CD120774 with the free funding for the Equitable Development Initiative.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Emma H., and following Emma will be Eric Agiemang.

Go ahead, Emma.

Hi.

I'm wearing two hats today.

I'm a bike courier who delivers with DoorDash and Uber Eats, and I'm a former employee of the affordable housing arm of a community development financial institution.

First, I want to thank council members Hollingworth and Moore for their efforts to start a true stakeholder process around the revisions to pay up I'm hopeful we can arrive at a compromise that protects workers and support maneuvering by corporations and their lobbying groups.

Second, I'm deeply concerned that my representative council member Rivera is seeking to defund the equitable development initiative today.

You ran under a platform of public safety.

The data are clear that increasing affordable housing decreases crime.

jeopardizing funding for affordable housing via this amendment undermines your own stated number one priority we need more affordable housing not less council members vote no on the edi amendment today and vote no on the current pay up revision next week that likewise fails to include thank you our next speaker is eric eckerman and following eric will be randy banneker go ahead eric

Can you speak up Eric.

Are you there.

Okay well Eric is unmuted but we cannot hear him so we are going to move on to Randy Banneker and following Randy will be Roberto Jordan.

Go ahead Randy.

RANDY BANNEKER RANDY BANNEKER Thank you council for the opportunity to comment.

My name's Randy Banneker and I'm speaking in support of the amendment package to the pay up legislation.

I wish to thank Council President Nelson for her leadership on this important fix.

The original ordinance while well intentioned proved damaging once it went into effect earlier this year.

Restaurants and drivers experienced a sharp drop in sales.

Seattle is still struggling to recover economically especially our downtown.

Our city needs thoughtful course corrections policies that are a detriment to economic recovery and an individual's ability to prosper.

This package is an important and balanced course correction.

Please give it your support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Roberto Jordan, and following Roberto will be Diane Tsujimura.

Go ahead, Roberto.

Good afternoon, City Council members.

talk to you about the advantages of EDI because it's like preaching to the choir.

You guys know how good the EDI has done for the city.

But I'd like to ask you to vote no on CB 120774. Just because of one of the things that was one of the rules that you guys had, which is to uphold the public trust and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and fairness.

The city had these different organizations go through a competitive process to attain grants so that they could do the good for the good of the city.

Went through the whole process and we're awarded these things and now they're saying that, okay, we're going to put some of the money and have it held up and if your stuff isn't done by the end of the year, then you don't get it.

Thank you our next speaker is Diane Sugimura and following Diane will be Marie Kidhay.

Go ahead Diane.

Honorable City Council members I would urge you to not support the EDI amendment.

I'm Diane Sugimura.

I was the director of the Department of Planning and Development when the EDI program was developed and adopted and it wasn't because of me it was because of amazing staff and community working together to develop this important program.

Such an amendment would negatively impact the marginalized communities the program was specifically intended to help, those that have been systematically cut out of the public process and resources in the past for racial reasons.

Yes, we are talking about actions that have taken place over many decades.

While we cannot undo the past, we certainly have an obligation to make sure successful programs are continued helping to ensure we are not repeating the damaging acts of the past.

We can and must do better.

Thank you for listening and for voting against this amendment.

Since 2016 this program has been a model across the country.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Marie Kitty and following Marie is Brian Pushel.

Go ahead Marie.

Marie, we may need you to press star six one time.

Okay, Marie is muted.

We're going to move on.

Oh, there you go, Marie.

Go ahead and speak.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Marie Kiday.

I am leaving a message regarding the economic development initiative that funds, supports, and elevates projects that generate economic development, growth, and prosperity for non-white and historically oppressed communities like my community, the Central District.

It's extremely alarming to think city councils even entertaining the retraction of these funds from the smallest and most powerful folks that you all were voted to protect and serve.

Wasn't redlining us enough?

To move forward with this retraction without discussion or engagement, your taxpayer is truly deplorable.

Don't let the wrong decision of voting yes be your legacy.

Vote no to Councilmember Rivera's discriminatory amendment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Brian Puchel, and following Brian will be Sophia Haddix.

Go ahead, Brian.

Hello, my name is Brian Pushel.

I am speaking to you today in support of the minimum wage law as it currently stands for gig workers.

I think it's important to remember that for gig workers, this could very well be their entire livelihood.

And It's not necessarily just a part-time job for them.

I think we've heard a lot of comments from people working 17 hours that clearly it's more than just part-time or even full-time.

It's their livelihood, and we need to make sure that they're able to have a living wage.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Sophia Haddix and following Sophia will be Alice Lockhart.

Go ahead, Sophia.

Hello, my name is Sophia Haddix.

I am concerned community member artist born and raised in Seattle.

My family has been here since 1943.

I am deeply invested in the well being and vibrancy of the diversity of this community and I urge you to oppose this initiative 120774 by Council Member Rivera.

AND THE EDE FUNDING ALLOCATED TO OVER 70 BLACK INDIGENOUS AND BIPOC ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THE BACKGROUND OF THIS CULTURAL HERITAGE OF COMMUNITY AND LIFE.

THESE ORGANIZATIONS DO MORE THAN JUST PROVIDE COUNCIL SERVICES.

THEY OFFER SAFE SPACES FOR CULTURAL EXPRESSION, SUPPORT OF THE YOUTH, AND LIFELINES TO SO MANY IN THE TIME WHERE COMMUNITIES ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

THESE ORGANIZATIONS STAND AS PILLARS OF HOPE, RESILIENCE, LIBERATION, FOSTERING THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE DIVERSITY IS NOT JUST EXCEPTIVE BUT CELEBRATED.

must consider the long-term impact of not voting down on this initiative on our youth and propose.

I ask you council members to vote no on this initiative if you want to see the vibrancy and future of our community to thrive.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Alice Lockhart and following Alice will be our last remote speaker for this group.

Alberto Alvarez.

Go ahead Alice.

Good afternoon, Council.

I'm Alice Lockhart with 350 Seattle.

I shared many this afternoon for keeping EDI as it is. um and i have another concern which is that once public comment is over there will be some procedural discussion that says something like well this is only a proviso it won't really hurt anything and later we'll restore it and i would like i echo um howard greenwich's concern that um there should absolutely be a racial equity toolkit applied to this amendment before it is passed and if such a toolkit is applied we'll find out about all the projects that are in the pipe and how projects will be act act and you know going right now how projects will be actively harmed and um defunded as as as as a result as sorry their money becomes less valuable thank you our last remote speaker for this group is alberto alvarez

Go ahead, Alberto.

And Alberto, you may need to press star six.

Jody, just a second, just a second.

Jody, the gentleman is here in person.

Can you give us a second to sort this?

Thank you.

Sure.

Go ahead.

Ready?

Yes.

I made Sarah Nelson.

What the hell are you doing?

If it looks like a kickback, if it smells like a kickback, and you sold Fremont Brewery or whatever to that corporate company, right?

You're making money out of poverty.

You're bringing down our wages.

I'm a driver.

I see the real problems that the city has.

Homelessness, drug abuse, high crime, so on and so forth.

But this is the best you can come up with?

What the hell?

Jesus Christ, man, like, I'm pissed.

And if you fail us, we're going to wash over you.

and we're gonna call the next 10 speakers.

Please line up, excuse me, line up on the two microphones.

I apologize, it's been a long afternoon.

We're gonna go with Joan Polson, Robert Jeffrey See, Stephanie Ung, Lilitha, Uranos, if I believe, J.M.

Wong, Alex Mercedes, Rink Burnett, Helliston, Michael Wolff, and Kadeen Cook.

And we're at number 61, just to reorientate everyone.

Thank you.

My name is Joan Paulson, and I'm speaking concerning Council Bill 120774 on the EDA funding and asking for no reduction of funding on it.

I am a board member of the Central Area Senior Center.

I chair the Property Management Committee.

As a three-year-old organization, we've been trying to correct building issues that had been ignored for 20 to 30 years by the City of Seattle and Sound Generation.

Currently, we are implementing a workable HVAC system to be followed by a rooftop solar panels.

The contracts have been signed and we need the EDA funding to complete these projects.

Please do not remove all of the funding for EDI.

Thank you.

Robert.

My name is Robert Jeffrey, senior.

I'm senior pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and vice chair of the board of New Hope Development Institute.

We're working in partnership with Lehigh to build 92 units of housing in the central area.

This this amendment will vitally impact the work that we're doing.

We've been working over four or five years to get this done.

And now we're struck with this and we've had all kinds of obstacles.

This seems like a moral and ethical decision for the council.

The city and governments in this country have always done their progress and solved their problems on the back of Black people, poor Native Americans.

All of their problems and progresses have been solved over our backs.

Please don't do this again.

Let's start a new chapter in this city.

Let's give benefits to the poor, to the Black and to the BIPOC people in this city.

Thank you.

Stephanie?

I'm not seeing a Stephanie.

Okay, next is Layletha.

And then Yorando, please come up.

Thank you.

And Yorando's, I believe it's the next person, the Jam Wong.

Start by saying, forgive me, Pastor, where you at?

Okay.

This is the same...

racist, white supremacy BS that you guys have done always to us.

What right do you, Rivera, to come and take something from my neighborhood in the CD?

Why don't you take the money from your own?

You know what I mean?

You talking about taking money from all these programs that are giving people hope?

Can you imagine what it's gonna do?

We got all these resources happening and We still got homelessness, we still got drug addiction, but it's gonna be worse, because they're gonna be desperate.

We're not gonna do without feeding our families, regardless what it takes.

These programs make us feel like we have a chance, like we can do something different, like we're supported, like we can have a home.

You guys go home every day.

We don't.

We need these programs, and whoever votes for this, we gonna vote you out.

You can believe that.

And by the way, I'm with WSOS.

Two streets, our streets.

Write that down.

Yuranos?

Yordanos?

Okay.

Yordanos.

Okay.

J.M. Wong, Alexis, Mercedes, Rink.

I just want to say, Council Member Rivera, we see you.

We see you for how sneaky and how shady you are pushing this amendment right before the long weekend.

And who knows if you're going to push for this amendment to be voted today.

But we just see you.

And we want you to know that it's not going on well.

And we are watching you.

So in the meantime, the city council just recently passed a Seattle RSJI race and social justice initiative.

It was signed into law last year, creating a toolkit to apply to all policy proposals before the council.

And as you know, every summary and fiscal note report from central staff that accompanies an ordinance as if there's a racial impact and as what was done to engage community.

The checklist asks, how does this legislation impact vulnerable or historically disadvantaged communities?

How did you arrive at this conclusion?

So council member Rivera's amendment has a clear and negative impact to these communities.

And yet there was nothing done to show that an analysis was done or even thought of.

So council consideration of the amendment requires this RSGI analysis to be done first and should be withdrawn until then.

All right.

I didn't hear your name.

I'm not sure if you're Jan Wong or, and if not, then the Alexis Mercedes rink is next.

And then Burnett.

Haselton and then Michael Wolff.

And please, please be ready to speak as soon as the person before you has stopped.

And again, no clapping or disruption in between speakers.

Go ahead.

Good afternoon, counsel.

My name is Alexis Mercedes Rink.

I'm a renter in the Central District and a proud Latina here today to advocate for our frontline communities here in Seattle.

recognize that our city has a history of discriminatory policymaking.

To address this and truly make housing affordable and advance racial equity and mitigate displacement, we must promote equitable development and ensure we're incorporating density across our city and in every neighborhood.

The amendment on EDI, which puts the city on a path to divest from equitable development projects, is a betrayal to black, indigenous, immigrant, and communities of color in Seattle.

We cannot sacrifice these projects that are intended to remedy injustices.

I urge you to please vote no on this amendment.

If we are going to address the budget deficit equitably, we must implement progressive revenue options to protect critical programs.

But most importantly, we must center the communities impacted before introducing legislation that threatens our safety and livelihoods.

Nothing about us without us.

Thank you.

Burnett.

Hi, remember me back in February?

Money for housing, not police.

No, don't worry, we're not doing a sit-in today.

I'm not getting arrested.

I'm somewhere I need to be.

But I wanted to read a little bit from my arrest report, which was filed by Captain Steve Strand with the Seattle Police Department.

And he said, I went to each individual protester and asked if their intention was to be arrested.

And later reiterates, I approached the group and explained if they did not want to be arrested, or I asked the group if they wanted time to protest.

That is not true.

He did not do that.

I know that because I was wearing my chest mounted GoPro, the same one I've got now that recorded everything, and he just made that up.

Now, I don't really care what happened to me.

Nobody should care what happened to me.

But I think a lot of even progressives, even progressive activists, don't realize the extent to which police sometimes just make stuff up and put it in official reports.

And he's the captain, joined SPD in 91, promoted to the captain in 2020. So feel free to take some of that police money and give it to EDI funding.

Thank you.

Michael, then followed by Kadeen Cook.

Good afternoon.

Michael Wolff, Executive Director of Drive Forward.

Delivery couriers have been at council meetings since January asking for you to help as they've lost their earnings.

How much longer do they have to wait?

Restaurants have been telling you that delivery orders have collapsed and they've asked for your help.

How much longer do they have to wait?

Consumers have spoken and moved away from food delivery because of high costs as a result of broken legislation.

How much longer do they need to wait for your help?

Workers, small businesses, and consumers are asking for you to act.

We continue to urge you to move forward with this legislation, and we are ready to help you understand these issues in any way we can.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Caden.

You know, I wasn't really planning on being here today.

I was, I went up to the university district and I picked up my graduation cap and gown today because graduation is happening in two weeks.

But when I saw what was on the agenda today, I just took the link straight down here.

I care deeply about this city and I try to advocate the best I can to get more people into affordable housing.

So I see this EDI amendment as a full frontal attack on that.

I think, you know, it You all ran on a platform of promoting affordable housing, promoting community, and I don't see how passing this amendment or even offering this amendment would help with that.

I just want to say, Council Member Rivera, this is just incredibly disappointing.

I don't know if your intentions were as racist as this seems, but I think we need to own up to that and hopefully withdraw this amendment.

Thank you.

The last person for this group would be Eric Frenwin, if I'm not mistaken, the last name, Eric Frenwin.

Am I seeing an Eric?

Okay, we'll move to in-person.

I'm sorry, remote.

Thank you, Jody.

Yes, our next remote speaker for this group is Lynn Reed, and Lynn will be followed by Peter Kitchen.

Go ahead, Lynn.

Good afternoon.

My name is Lynn Reed, and I'm here today representing our members at Drive Forward.

The revised pay up legislation and amendments are a vital step in fixing the current pay up law that took effect January 13th of this year.

Restaurants and customers are highly impacted.

We were disappointed to hear that there would not be a vote today to make necessary changes to reverse career earning new loss hardship for customers impacted by higher fees.

Uber recently publicly disclosed that they have lost 30 percent of their courier population in Seattle since pay up took effect January 13th of this year.

Restaurants are reporting 50 to 60 percent less delivery orders.

Drivers are waiting up to two hours between offers bringing their overall earnings to a fraction of what they earned before January 13th.

Pay up has created a snowball OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

PLEASE FIX THIS NOW.

THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PETER KITCHEN.

AND FOLLOWING PETER WILL BE ASHWANT POWER.

GO AHEAD, PETER.

YES.

I'M COMING IN IN OPPOSITION TO THE AMENDMENT TO STRIP HUNTING FROM EDI.

LET'S CALL THIS WHAT THIS IS, AN ASSAULT BY THE WEALTHIEST, WHITEST, RICHEST PART OF THE CITY and its member to strip funding from communities of color and low-income communities.

Even the manner in which it was done shows us the disregard and disrespect for these communities.

Placing this amendment on the bar on a Friday to be heard on Tuesday over a holiday weekend is the height of disrespect and, quite frankly, racist.

I know this council is full of clueless corporate stooges, but I hope that you will look this blatant systemic racism in the eye and say, no, this is too much for even us.

Please don't repeal pay up.

It hasn't even had a chance to go into effect, but I really hope you can see how disrespectful and disingenuous and appalling this amendment is.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Ashwant Kaur, followed by Carl Nelson.

Go ahead, Ashwant.

Hello, my name is Ashwin code and I am a Seattle resident and a community member.

I am joining community in urging city council to vote no on council member Rivera's amendment to CB 120774 to cut the EDI funding.

I echo all previous comments speaking against cutting EDI funding.

I repeat the note that this amendment was introduced after the bill deadline and on a Friday before a long weekend.

I additionally highlight that this long weekend commemorated.

Saturday was African Liberation Day, a global commemoration of the political work for freedom, which includes economic liberation for black and African people.

Monday was Memorial Day, a day of honoring fallen military personnel who died protecting the very democracy that Councilmember Rivera fits on with the tactics used to sneak in this amendment.

And yesterday was Black Wall Street celebrating the legacy of a once thriving African-American business district.

Here we are a century later facing yet another attempt to undermine.

Thank you.

Our next speaker will be Carl Nelson.

Following Carl will be Aiden Carroll.

Go ahead Carl.

Hi there.

My name is.

Hello.

Can you hear me.

Yes.

Okay.

Hello.

My name is Carl Nelson.

I'm a resident of District 4. I just wanted to chime in and speak in favor of fully funding the EDI as well as in strong opposition to the amendment to CD 127.74.

The amendment threatens to axe critical projects like about 130 units of affordable housing in the CD.

youth achievement center in the rainier valley and more community gardens in short things that make our city a desirable and likable place to live especially for normal people who are not wealthy and who have unfairly borne the brunt of our incredible growth and success the amendment also threatens to derail the city's commitment to racial justice and the effects of displacement at a time when homelessness is increasing and disproportionately affecting communities of color I urge the city to keep promise to fully fund the Equal Development Initiative and if necessary seek out new and progressive revenue sources to do so.

Also I just want to chime in and also say don't cut gig worker pay.

We can all see.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Aiden Carroll and following Aiden will be Lucas O'Brien.

Go ahead Aiden.

LUKAS O' The gig worker movement has made itself here shown today very clearly.

There are certainly restaurants in opposition who are scared because of the sabotage we have discussed that the apps are putting on them.

It's insightful to Look into a new book by Yanis Varoufakis, the former finance minister of Greece, called Technofutilism, about how the cloud platforms are squeezing not only workers, but what we used to call the free market, and charging essentially rents to use their platforms on every person in the economy.

These platforms are...

fundamentally changing the game for everyone and everything.

And whether you want to save capitalism or not, we're going to have to socialize these platforms.

100 years ago, we mean it as our water and our power.

Everyone knows that was a good idea.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Lucas O'Brien and following Lucas is Jess Long.

Go ahead, Lucas.

Hi, my name is Lucas O'Brien.

I'm here as a resident of West Seattle to stand in solidarity with the Duwamish Tribe in asking the Seattle City Council to uphold their promise to fund the participatory budgeting by approving CB 120774. I'm asking the Council to both, one, follow through with assigning the $27 million in funds to each of the six winning participatory budget projects, including the Duwamish Center Community Center, And two to dismiss the amendment submitted late Friday by Councilmember Rivera that would gut the $25 million in funds for the Equitable Development Initiative effectively pitting BIPOC communities against each other.

Thank you.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jess Long and following Jess will be Jennifer Beatom.

Go ahead Jess.

JENNIFER BEATOM.

Hi.

DIRECTOR HAMPSON- Yes.

Oh perfect.

My name is Jeff Long.

I am a housing case manager.

I'm concerned about Council Member Rivera's amendments.

This would affect my ability to do my job of getting people into the housing that they need.

I echo all of my neighbors sentiments that they've already said to demand a vote no on her amendment.

I want to ensure that all EDI projects maintain their funding and they continue to get more funding.

I yield my time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jennifer Beatom and following Jennifer will be Kitty Wu.

Go ahead Jennifer.

Hi my name is Jennifer Beatom.

I live in District 3. I identify as a queer and disabled.

I worked in the arts and culture sector.

I urge you all to vote no on CD 120775, cutting pay to app-based gig workers.

It's offensive.

Councilmember Nelson has demonstrated she's okay, not only with these highly profitable tech companies gouging concern and gig workers, but letting companies write legislation for her.

This is not representing stakeholders.

I also urge you to vote no on Council Bill 120774. Displacement is still happening.

It disproportionately affects BIPOC communities.

And it's abominable that Council Member Rivera proposed this intensely harmful, biased amendment to gut the XOE development initiative funding on a timeline with only five business hours for the public to respond.

Seattle continues to suffer from targeted economic oppression of black and brown communities, and it's reprehensible that any council members are in support of the bill.

Ongoing, sustainable, transformational work by BIPOC stateholders to create affordable housing.

I urge you to not amplify structural racism and perpetuate historical harm,

Thank you our next speaker is Kitty Wu and following Kitty will be Caleb Germanero.

Go ahead Kitty.

Thank you council members.

I live and work as a hip hop advocate in District 3 at 206 Wu at Washington Hall and I'm incredibly disappointed with Councilmember Rivera's shameful late night amendment of CB 120774 to freeze funding from our BIPOC communities and I urge you to oppose this amendment.

The EDI supports community development starts to address the racism and economic injustice of decades of displacement and cultural gentrification.

The city has made a commitment to social justice and ending racism through our race and social justice initiative.

The city of Seattle is a self-proclaimed nationwide leader in this effort and we expect more from our council not less.

Please vote no on this short sighted misguided and inequitable amendment.

Thank you.

ELLIE WILSON- Thank you.

Our last speaker for this group excuse me of remote speakers is Caleb Germanero.

Go ahead Caleb.

CALEB GERMANERO Hi my name is Dr. Caleb Germanero and I'm representing Escalitas Library to oppose the amendment.

So Escalitas Library has itself been in an intense negotiation process because the long-lasting effects of red lighting and environmental racism as we combat environmental impacts of a brown site and so in edi a lot of the sites that we are acquiring are contaminated and so that's hence the ability that it takes quite a bit of time um to negotiate and figure this out and city council broadly has not advocated on our behalf to the state to help with this um cleanup so we can't just jump right into acquisition because THE CONTAMINATED SITE GOES ACROSS CITY ENTITIES ACROSS ALL OF BEACON HILL.

AND SO WE ARE ASKING THAT FOUR MORE TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND OR THE CITY COMPLEX ACTUALLY HELP.

ALSO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT NIKITA OLIVER DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK THEIR PIECE.

SO I'M GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR

All right, speaking of Nikita Oliver, you are next, but I'm going to call the next 10 speakers as well.

So it's Nikita Oliver, and following by Nikita will be Kay Weikingarit, Marcus Henderson, Temi Wakana, and Dijonique Davis, and Mary...

Lucachis, and Kimberly Wolf, and then followed by Shaylee, I believe, from the NAACP.

Go ahead.

Thanks, Caleb, for remembering.

I didn't get to speak.

So I'm the executive director of Creative Justice, located at Washington Hall and D3, where I both live and work.

And I've been partnering on the Youth Achievement Center with Africatown Community Land Trust and Community Passageways, which is one of the projects EDI would defund if this amendment goes through.

And the lobbyist says, let there be no question, Black Lives Matter here.

The EDI Amendment, the 23% increase for Seattle Police Department, the trying to absorb the $27 million for participatory budgeting, and not making sure gig workers get their pay says the exact opposite when it comes to Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.

I left a house visit to make this public comment.

I was trying to do it online, but for maybe a nefarious reason, I could not unmute.

I'm going to assume that's not the case.

Our communities do not have the time nor capacity to organize around last minute amendments that will take away the little bit that we receive from this city.

We provide valuable public safety efforts to make sure that people have exactly what they need.

And I actually believe that you all owe us more.

So your next amendment had better be giving us more budget.

Kay Wiking Garrett and then Marcus Henderson.

Joaquin Leff.

Okay, thank you.

Marcus Henderson.

Okay, Tame Wakoma.

Tame Wakoma.

My name is Tame Wakoma.

I am a fifth generation Central District resident.

I have seen firsthand how our community has been divested and it's impacted me personally.

I also run the Sankofa Theater.

So when we're talking about EDI and divesting in our communities, you're talking directly to me and the people that I serve and the people that I grew up with.

I see that you have an indigenous character as your corporate seal, but how could you have that corporate seal and uplift BIPOC communities?

What gives you the right to divest into us?

What tells you that, hey, in this lifetime, I want to support systematic racism?

Because everywhere you look, you see the destruction that it costs.

I want to just make sure that I say my piece and I speak directly to you, Ms. Rivera, and say, is this the lifetime where you want to carry that guilt?

Do you really want to carry on the legacy of horror and chaotic disruption in our communities?

Or do you want to be the one to pivot and make a good decision?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Diogenique Davis.

I'm the NAACP State Conference Chairman of Housing.

I'm here today to strongly urge you to oppose the EDI amendment that would halt funding and address the displacement caused by gentrification in our city.

Seattle is currently facing a severe black homeless crisis and it's in the predominantly white city.

The organizations that will be affected by this are the ones on the forefront filling in the gaps to meet the housing needs of those affected by our displacement.

I urge each of us and each of you to please strongly consider the implications of the EDI Amendment and its repercussions on our community.

We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to this, the struggles of those most affected by gentrification.

Let us stand together in support of equitable housing solutions and reject any measures that will hinder the progress towards us moving forward.

Thank you.

Mary, followed by Kimberly Wolf.

I'll be reading for Mary who will be signing for the Council.

My name is Mary.

I worked for Instacart from 2015 to 2021. I'm asking the Council to vote no on the new proposal because it's detrimental to our well-being.

The new proposal does not cover expenses incurred by gig workers, does not address the real picture of what gig workers go through.

The new proposal was made by the Uber Corporation.

The council is supposed to take care of us citizens by listening to us, not to corporations.

The group Working Washington researched by collecting data from the gig workers, which is fact finding.

The new proposal removes transparency and allows penalties for not accepting low paid jobs, which opens the door to exploitation of gig workers.

I'm asking the council to vote on the new proposal.

Thank you.

Um, Kimberly Wolf.

Okay.

Followed by Kimberly would be Alex Zimmerman.

And then, and then, thank you.

Kimberly Wolf, gig worker.

There's one phrase that comes to mind when I think of this new council, and it's off the mark.

To put forward a bill that guts the original fair and reasonable pay up law while not actually solving any issue that arose after January is off the mark.

To push a bill pretty much written by big app companies and to never have a full shareholding process so that you're read in to exactly what's happening and what is actually needed is off the mark.

You know the conflicting stories that you're hearing about order volume is because of apps throttling and messing around with the algorithms, right?

It's not about the law.

And to speak on another subject, I'd like to leave you with an example of proper boating rules.

The larger ship for which it's harder to make a turn has the right-of-way.

The smaller ship that's more nimble and able to turn is the one who's supposed to go out of the way.

EDI is a large ship due to the scope of projects being years long.

To interrupt that is to harm vulnerable communities for years, again, off the mark.

So when you're looking for things to cut, you need to be looking toward a more nimble, short-term thing that has been addressed.

Thank you.

Oh, I don't see him.

So, Shaylee?

Good afternoon, my name is Shalee Seacrest.

I'm the president, state president of the NAACP, here to urge you to oppose the amendment.

In NAACP, we understand the challenges of having to balance a budget.

But don't balance your budget off of the backs of black people.

This amendment, it takes off much needed funding.

NAACP, we understand that you all are challenged of making it on the broken pieces, but don't balance a budget off of the backs of black people.

Instead, invest inside of the black organizations that are standing in the gaps that's actually saving money.

Invest in the Youth Achievement Center.

Invest in Africatown.

Invest in Wana Nowari.

These are community acres.

Filling in and doing the work.

Do not balance the budget on the backs of black people.

Shalee with the NAACP.

Thank you.

The last...

The last two in-person speakers who have signed up is going to be James Fackler and then Alberto Alvarez.

Any one of you two here?

James and Alberto?

Okay.

Jody, if you want to move into remote public speakers, please.

Yes, I will.

We have four.

Our next remote public speaker is Jim Buchanan, and following Jim will be Vanessa Murdock.

Go ahead Jim Buchanan.

Hello I'm Jim Buchanan president president of Washington State African-American Cannabis Association and first generation community member in the central district council member.

Rivera, about 200 people or more testified today to not support your amendment.

What kind of joke is this?

Who is supporting it?

Who is behind it?

Who's lobbying you?

Who else on the council has the you know what to vote for this?

We would like to see.

We will watch and see.

This is ridiculous, and we will not accept it in our community.

We need you out of office submitting stuff like this.

Point, period, bottom line.

We also advocate for the participatory budget to go back to its original purpose that it was lobbied for and created for in 2020 and 21. Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Vanessa Murdock, and following Vanessa will be Tiffany McCoy.

Go ahead, Vanessa.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Vanessa Murdock and I am the executive director of the Seattle Planning Commission.

I appreciate you taking in all of the comments today.

I have been listening along with you.

The Planning Commission is an independent advisory Commission that provides advice to you as well as to the mayor.

We have been supportive of EDI, the Equitable Development Initiative, since its inception in 2015, which was noted by previous commenter Diane Sigimura, previous director of the Department of Planning and Development.

I would urge I would urge the council to consider the amendment being proposed by council member Rivera.

Thank you our next speaker is Tiffany McCoy and following Tiffany will be our last speaker remotely of Biff Grigman.

Go ahead Tiffany.

Thank you.

My name is Tiffany McCoy.

I'm the Policy and Advocacy Director at Housing Our Neighbors calling in strong opposition to Councilmember Rivera's last minute proposal to defund the Equitable Development Initiative and standing in solidarity with all the supporters who had to address this upheaval with incredibly short notice.

I'm a bit confused about this proposal because with the Connected Communities pilot by Councilmember Morales we had to go through several committee meetings and it was ultimately not passed because according to some council members, that wasn't fully baked.

I'm not sure how this is any different.

Council Member Wu, you said that that needed to go through a racial justice analysis before you could vote on it.

Are you going to hold the same position for this amendment?

We've also seen recently the removal of the anti-displacement framework from the proposed comprehensive plan.

And now here we are today with this last-minute amendment to freeze and arguably begin the dismantling of EDI.

A lot of you, while running for office, said you would listen to quote-unquote community, and I think it's clear which communities you are not listening to.