SPEAKER_05

Good afternoon.

The October 29th Select Budget Committee meeting will come back to order.

It is 2 p.m.

I'm Dan Strauss, chair of the Select Committee.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

And for council members not yet in attendance, they are excused until they arrive.

Clerk, over to you.

SPEAKER_12

Council President Nelson.

Present.

Council Member Rivera.

Present.

Council Member Saca.

SPEAKER_99

Here.

SPEAKER_12

Council Member Wu.

Present.

Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_05

Here.

SPEAKER_12

And Chair Strauss.

Present.

Six present.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

We're going to jump right back in.

got until we're done with this which thank you colleagues for keeping us on relative good track we are on item 40 and council member Moore is now present we're on item 40 of 119 so with that over to you director

SPEAKER_02

Thank you.

Continuing with Human Services Department, item 40 would add $168,000 per year in 25 and 26 to support operational costs at Uplift Northwest, which provides transitional housing services here in the city.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Kettle, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

On this one, it's the It's recognizing the great work that Uplift Northwest does.

It recognized the idea of dignity of work and the great work that they do in this area.

And in terms of what we're seeing on our streets, it's an organization that's making a difference.

And with that, I'd ask for, well, it's in the package, so I won't ask for support, but that's the basic background.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Fantastic.

Thank you, Councilmember Kettle.

This is another one of the items that you will see colleagues listed as ongoing funding, but I can tell you from a programmatic standpoint, this is not something that we can fund forever.

This is a need that they have this year and next year, but I just flag for the record that We've done two things here.

One, internally we've had the discussion that we can give them bridge funding to get to a more stable place and also have asked analysts to include this in the ongoing funding categories so that we can be really wide-eyed about the structural issues that we have in the future.

colleagues any other questions or comments on this sure yes please thank you for that clarification for the record because when people are reading this because the intent was always like you said and so when people read the ongoing I think that creates you know different expectations that's right and I and where it comes in the good budgeting practices that we have that we're doing here I don't I want us to be wide-eyed about the future issues that we will run into Thank You councilmember kettle Moving on to item number 41. Director, over to you.

SPEAKER_02

Item number 41 is the SLI.

It relates to good neighbor agreements.

It requests that the Human Services Department and the Office of Housing work with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, provide a report back to the council on how each of them are using good neighbor agreements for city-funded housing and social service projects, steps they've taken to implement those agreements, and generally best practices with respect to good neighbor agreements.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Kettle is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized, and I see Council President has her hand up.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss, again.

You know, one of the things as we're working through the challenges that we're seeing, you know, leading with public safety but also understanding the public health, the homelessness pieces of this, is having a very strong relationship between the service providers and their neighborhoods.

We have to have a positive, engaged relationship that understands the challenges that are being faced by the service providers in terms of dealing with those, again, starting with compassion and empathy.

But then, as I was saying often in committee, the wisdom to understand the impacts on neighborhoods and the community overall.

And this dialogue is vital to that.

And the basis of the slides, it's meant to be a positive, engaged conversation.

And it also, you know, gives voice to the neighborhood.

So often our neighborhoods don't have that voice.

That's something that I'm promoting within District 7 and I know in other areas.

It has varying levels, like in the CID that I've seen with Councilmember Wu.

And I think this is something that would be beneficial.

Because I believe that...

that conversation could avoid, you know, bigger challenges down the road.

Well said.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council President Nelson and followed by Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_06

I appreciate you putting this forward.

Council Member Kettle and I would like to be a co-sponsor.

I heard from a constituent in Belltown that did identify that this is an issue, and I think that we should just put it for the viewing public's sake.

I believe that we're talking about good neighbor policies with permanent supportive housing operators and HSD, because what ends up happening within some of these facilities spills out into the street and the surrounding neighborhood.

And I think that Council Member Moore the other day did allude to this.

And so we do have to make sure that when we look at the audit that overlapped crime and overdoses, we're talking about the same thing.

We're talking about what...

situations are we allowing to happen when we put very vulnerable people with largely some substance use disorder issues together in one place without ensuring that there are wraparound services and also guardrails put on what happens when those services fall short and the impacts to the surrounding area.

So this is going to be an ongoing discussion.

I know that this was something that is not isolated to Belltown.

For my first two years in office, I was trying to work with the neighborhood up around Clement Place on 96th near Aurora.

This is a policy concern for me, and I'm glad that we're taking a first step toward really addressing what does it mean when we are supporting.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you, Chair.

Yeah, I guess, can I be so bold to say great minds think alike?

I will actually be bringing something, a similar statement of legislative intent.

Many of these DESC through KCRHA is already required to have good neighbor agreements.

Unfortunately, many times those good neighbor agreements are not complied with in a way that is satisfactory to the neighborhoods.

So I think maybe you and I can work on this because what I'm looking at is making compliance with the good neighborhood agreements.

They need to get, in order to In revisiting and renewing contracts, I want compliance with the good neighborhood agreements, feedback from the community about how well that's been going, and ways to improve the relationship between the providers and the neighborhood vis-a-vis those good neighborhood agreements.

So again, I'll be expanding on what I think you've placed here, which is an important first step.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Moore.

Vice Chair Rivera.

SPEAKER_03

Thank you, Chair.

Plus one to what my colleagues have said, and Council Member Moore, thank you for your additional work.

I fully support that, and I also would like to see some more honesty from the housing providers on what's going on in those housing units, because I know we've all talked to the providers individually, but they have not come here publicly to say anything.

And we cannot help folks if they're not being honest in the public about the issues that they're experiencing because it is hard without that transparency.

So would love to see that also somehow as a piece of what you're working on.

And I'm happy to lend my support to that, Council Member Moore.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Any further comments, questions?

Seeing none, Director, back to you for item 42.

SPEAKER_02

So item 42, this would add $43,000 in HSD to fund adult-led youth recreation opportunities in the Central District.

And in particular, the Central Area Parent Coaches Association has been identified as the preferred recipient for this additional funding.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council President, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_06

We currently direct funding to a handful of nonprofits providing community violence interruption services, and I believe that we should diversify that spending on other worthy and effective organizations.

And this provision directs a small amount to cover the annual budget expenses of the CD Panthers.

This is a youth football team, football and cheerleading team that serves youth in the Central District.

About 25, I believe the team was started in 1995. beloved institution and also violence prevention in action.

The games and practices of the youth draw the community together, multi-generations of the community together.

The practices provide youth with access to mentors, and they learn so many more skills than just football, of course.

And so I think that we need to expand what we're really considering to be violence prevention and violence interruption and include other organizations that are often left out.

And so this is a budget item that I think provides some support for one of those worthy organizations that I referred to at the beginning.

SPEAKER_05

Well said, Council President.

Vice Chair, is that a new hand?

No problem.

SPEAKER_01

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Council Member Hollingsworth.

I'm sorry, I can't log on.

Thank you.

I want to really thank Council President for her work and leadership on this.

I think it's incredibly important.

CD Panthers, I know you've been working with them for a long time, so I just want to thank, just incredibly supportive of this.

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_05

Council President, you were recognized?

SPEAKER_06

One final thing.

This is a drop in the bucket compared to what they really need, which is a new field.

Been working, trying to make, trying to convene a communication or an agreement between the Seattle School District and the City of Seattle to talk about what to do with Judkins Playfield.

And that's a multi-million dollar project.

But this is a very small step toward making the community wholer with this support.

SPEAKER_05

And an important first step nonetheless, Council President.

Thank you for your championship of this issue.

No further comments.

Director number 43.

SPEAKER_02

Number 43, in dollar terms, is a very significant proposed amendment.

It would add $4 million one time to support the Youth Cares Constellation Center.

So this would be to pay for tenant improvements in their 18,000 foot Services Hub, which is going to be home to workforce development and other programs and services.

So my understanding is this project includes some element of housing.

This is not for that part.

It is essentially for the other part, if you will.

And therefore, this funding is general government general fund funding to support that overall project.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Director, and to also note that this is a $10 million total project, so the city's contribution of $4 million is intended to be matched by other government entities and private fundraising.

With that, I did hear pretty broad support across the council for this, and Councilmember Wu has been speaking to me about this since, I think, before the budget dropped, as well as Councilmember Morales.

This was a high priority for you, which is why you're both listed as sponsors.

Council Member Wu as primary sponsor, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_11

Thank you, Chair Strauss, Council Member Morales, Council Member Hollingsworth, and every other member of this council has expressed enthusiasm for youth care's projects like the Constellation Center on Capitol Hill.

We hope this expression of the city's gratitude for youth care's past and our investment in youth care's future will inspire even more governments and companies around Puget Sound to follow our investment.

I'm looking forward to the collaboration of workforce development and affordable housing with other providers such as Community Roots Housing, Seattle Central College, Fair Start, and King County.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Well said, Council Member Morales.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you.

Yeah, I just did want to clarify that this is for the youth center.

So this is for the tenant improvements for classrooms, offices, computer lab and cafe.

And then there is the housing project, which will include 84 units of affordable housing.

And that is the partnership, as was mentioned, with Community Roots Housing.

So thank you for including it.

SPEAKER_05

Absolutely, to expand on that just a little bit, for many different people trying to receive services, they have to go to many different places.

This is exacerbated for youth.

And so the idea of this Constellation Center is to put the ability to receive service, a variety of different services in one place and connect it to workforce housing.

With that, Director, we're gonna move on to 44.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, I'm going to preview 44 and 45 both deal with food storage and increasing capacity for that, but I'll start with 44. This would add at one time $750,000 to HSD's budget to provide capital improvements for meal providers, specifically to increase food storage capacity, giving them the opportunities to buy in larger bulk and also to store food for a longer period of time.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth is sponsor of both amendments.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you.

And can I address both?

Let's do it.

Awesome.

Meals Provider Program, 42 programs, City of Seattle, Italian District.

issues, they would be able to purchase more food if they had more of the storage space, the van space, the capital improvements to be able to provide the services for a lot of their groups.

I just want to specify this is in everyone's district.

So it is in the entire city of Seattle from, you know, the Teen Feed organization, from Operation Night Watch to SAC Lunches to all these different things that they provide with the meals.

The second piece, this is for the Rainier Valley Food Bank and Council Member Morales' district in the South End.

This is to go towards their capital project as they are creating a beautiful food bank, which is right next across the street.

Right next to the Rainier Beach Library, and then also they service a lot of families at Rainier Beach High School and South Shore and Rainier Beach Community Center.

So this is to go to the capital project that they are doing.

They also house a tiny village behind them as well that Lehigh runs.

And so it's just a great project.

This will be a centerpiece of the community and will really be a hub for food security in the South End.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Council Member Morales, is that a new hand, old hand?

SPEAKER_09

It's an old hand, but I'll use this opportunity to say thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Say thank you.

Well received, Council Member Moore.

Thanks.

Go ahead.

She said thank you.

SPEAKER_08

Oh, okay.

Thank you.

Again, I just wanted to commend Council Member Hollingsworth on your leadership and creativity in dealing with all of this.

So thank you for this.

SPEAKER_05

Amen to that.

Council Member Wu, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_11

Thank you.

I also want to echo that.

Thank you for your leadership and bringing this forward.

I drive by Rainier Valley Food Bank every single day, so it's just amazing to see the evolution of their build-out.

SPEAKER_05

Well said.

No further comments on this item.

We will move on to Item 46.

SPEAKER_02

We've done 44 and 45 to everyone's satisfaction.

SPEAKER_05

45 is related, but...

I heard Councilmember Hollingsworth address it, but if you want to give the central staff...

No, no, no.

SPEAKER_02

I just want to make sure everyone was good.

I want to be sure clarity was provided.

That was all.

Yeah, happy to move on, just given time and timelines.

So number 46 would provide $250,000 in both 25 and 26 for Seattle's youth employment program.

I believe this is to sustain what otherwise would have been a cut.

So money evenly split between a program that focuses on IT certification and health licensing programming, and then general wraparound support services for the youth who are engaged in the program.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Morales, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you.

This is the Youth and Young Adults for Success portfolio.

It funds community agencies that provide pre-employment skill building and membership.

In this particular case, 60 unduplicated youth will be served during a time when youth connecting to their peers is more important than ever, both for their skill building but also for the mentorship they receive and the mental health and development that comes with that.

I appreciate the chair including this in the package.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

It's an important program.

Colleagues, any questions, comments?

Seeing Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, just again wanted to thank Council Member Morales for bringing this forward.

This is an important program and just voicing my support.

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_05

With that, we'll move on to the next item, number 47.

SPEAKER_02

Number 47 would provide $200,000 in both 25 and 26 for an item that I believe you heard about in public testimony this morning, the She Clinic operated by Aurora Commons, health services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation as well as domestic violence and sexual assault.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Moore has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

And I'm happy to follow up with problems I created in a minute if you want.

SPEAKER_08

Oh, that's okay.

Okay.

Thank you very much, Chair.

Yes, we heard a lot of testimony today in support of this.

I'm very, very, I was very pleased to bring this to Chair's attention and make this request.

And it was...

A VERY EASY REQUEST.

SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR STRAUSS, FOR YOUR WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT FOR INCLUDING THIS MONEY.

THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WILL BE FACING CUTS, AND IT IS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SERVICE TO ALL OF THOSE ON AURORA WHO UTILIZE IT, AND THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM AND KEEP IT STRONG.

SO THANK YOU.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Moore, and thank you for continuing Council President DJ D5's legacy of supporting Aurora Commons.

With that, over to you, Director, for item 48.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, item 48, again, Human Services Department.

It's $250,000 in 25 and 26, again, to avoid a cut that otherwise would have occurred for funding for gender-based violence supports for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

obviously a very specialized need, but one that is addressed by a particular agency, and this would restore funding for that program for both 2025 and 2026.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Wu has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_11

Thank you.

I want to say thank you to the Seattle Human Services Coalition and the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence for bringing this need to the attention of my staff.

This budget action establishes ongoing funding for Abused Deaf Women Advocacy Services, an organization based in the Maple Leaf neighborhood, empowering deaf and deafblind survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and harassment to transform their lives while striving to change the beliefs and behaviors that foster and perpetuate violence.

It's a priority of mine and many others on this council to ensure that survivors have choices, information, and assistance they need for the empowerment and survival.

Thank you to Chair Strauss and the committee for their support.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Wu.

I shared this while we were going over these items this weekend.

When I was in AmeriCorps, I had the opportunity to work just down the street from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. This is a very smart amendment.

Thank you.

Colleagues, any questions, comments?

Seeing none, we're going to move on to item 49.

SPEAKER_02

Item 49 would add $185,000 per year for 25 and 26 and authorize the creation of a new strategic advisor position, all that at HSD.

And the idea here is to model success the city has had in youth-focused community safety hubs in different parts of the city, but not currently in the north end.

SO THIS WOULD PROVIDE A NEW FTE POSITION TO BEGIN SCOPING AND TO PROVIDE SERVICES AGAIN FOR YOUTH AT RISK AND NEED OF SUPPORT AND WITH A FOCUS ON THE NORTH END AND THE ISSUES THAT ARISE THERE.

SPEAKER_05

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA IS SPONSOR OF THE AMENDMENT.

YOU ARE RECOGNIZED AND THEN WE'LL TURN TO COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AS CO-SPONSOR.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, thank you, and thank you to Council Member Moore for co-sponsoring on this.

This is not a new program.

This is a program that currently exists in central, south, and west Seattle, and we do not have on the north end.

We've seen and we have data from the north precinct that there is more incidence of youth violence out of the north precinct than any other precinct in the city, so therefore We really need to do something to address youth violence on the north end.

As I stated earlier, I knew that we would have that $6.5 million overage from SPD, and I thought, given this is public safety related, that we could utilize some of that money to include this hub on the north end, which is very much needed for at-risk youth on the north end.

Council Member Moore?

SPEAKER_05

Well said.

Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_08

Oh, thank you very much, Council Member Rivera, for bringing this.

Yeah, this is in addition to the Community Safety Initiative.

Right now we have three hubs, and we both know that, well, actually all three of us who represent the North End, that there's a desperate need for additional, for a North Seattle hub.

We're thinking that this will be based beginning in Magnuson Park, but it will be...

doing all the outreach and connection for all of the north end of Seattle.

We've certainly seen a huge increase in gun violence on Aurora, and this is one step towards trying to address that.

So thank you for including this.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04

Council Member Kettle.

Chair Strauss, thank you.

I just wanted to note this and a couple of the others are really part of a grander strategy.

You know, we've made great strides in public safety.

We passed 11 bills, one more to come for 24. And we've done a lot of things on the public safety side.

But if we're just going there, we also have to fill in the gaps on these, you know, that angle to ensure long-term success.

Otherwise, we're basically running the standstill.

So this combination is what we need, and this is another example.

So as chair of the Public Safety Committee, I appreciate this, because in the long term, this will help create greater public safety posture for us all.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you.

Council Member Saka.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just want to express my support for this item here and want to thank Council Members Rivera and Moore for your leadership in bringing it forward.

We absolutely do have some very specific...

public safety and community safety challenges in the South End and Southwest Seattle and West Seattle that I have the privilege of representing.

And we'll continue to focus on those.

That doesn't mean at the same time there are not pronounced public safety challenges in the North End as well.

And so, you know, we can better address collectively as a, you know, one Seattle way, if you will, you know, the various disparate needs and the common threads that pull us together.

So just appreciate the leadership and support.

And, again, I'm being mindful of, like, all the ones that choose to comment, but there's been a lot of great things that our colleagues have brought forward.

It's been difficult, but...

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And if we were playing the add our name to sponsorship, this is one that I almost added my name to in the balancing package, but I know that this is...

I'm sticking to the rules here, folks.

I just also want to note, this was the first time I've heard that Magnuson would be the first location.

I'm going to, for the record, state that this needs to be a centrally located location.

position but we can figure those details out later we're going to move on to item 50 colleagues just time check we have 78 more items and if we took each item only a minute we would be here until about 4 p.m so any moment more than a minute is putting us past 4 p.m for the record director

SPEAKER_02

So the city currently contracts with We Deliver Care to provide services, particularly along Third Avenue, to address community safety and public health issues.

This would provide an additional $500,000 in both 25 and 26 to ensure that that contract is appropriately and robustly funded.

IT ALSO OPENS THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND THE GEOGRAPHY OF OF THAT PROGRAM AND ITS FOCUS AS TO EXTENT THE ISSUES ON THIRD AVENUE BEGIN TO EASE BUT OTHER IN OTHER AREAS THEY HAVE NOT OR MAY BE DISPLACED TO OTHER AREAS SO AGAIN TO ENSURE ROBUST FUNDING FOR THAT FOR THAT CONTRACT AND THOSE SERVICES THANK YOU I WILL NOTE I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS AN ERROR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WU WAS A CO-SPONSOR BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE AS SPONSOR OF THE AMENDMENT

SPEAKER_04

Thank You chair Strauss.

I would consider her to councilmember Wu to be a co-sponsor if that's the case But she will not ask here though.

We'll make sure that we're abiding by the rules This builds on what I was just saying again.

We've been passing these laws from the legislative perspective.

We've been you know making these great efforts We have been working with SPD and the like but in order to be successful we need providers like we deliver care and others and and there's been a great effort with downtown to include third avenue project.

But with that success there's some ebb and flow and so this is a recognition of that and the recognition that other areas like in the CID also need that kind of third avenue project attention and this gives some flexibility and support to that because again gaining more police officers on the ground we need that 110 percent but we also need to augment with you know programs like this so thank you very much.

Thank you, Council Member Kettle.

Council Member Wu.

SPEAKER_11

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair Strauss and Council Member Kettle for this.

I know for the Chinatown International District, teams have been working to try to get we deliver care there for over two years now.

And so very excited to see that this expansion, this funding will allow for that expansion to happen and be able to widen the scope of services area for this team to be able to address both 12th and Jackson, Third Pike and Pine, and other areas where we see this shift in movement of people.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, any questions, comments?

Seeing none, back to you, Director, for item 51. Item 51 would add

SPEAKER_02

$14,000 to be allocated in contract to United Care, bringing the total amount of that contract to $75,000.

Unified Care provides pre-filed diversion services, and this is, again, to ensure that that contract is appropriately and robustly funded.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council President Nelson is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_06

As I said before, I believe that we should diversify our violence intervention spending, our diversion spending, to among worthy and effective organizations, and this provision bolsters the capacity of unified outreach to provide pre-diversion services under a contract with the city attorney's office.

They already have a contract now, and this would increase it $14,000 so that they could perhaps provide some services during the week.

Right now, they are just on the weekend.

proposed a $150,000 contract that would have been every day during the week, but that was cut back.

And so I'm just trying to allow them to offer services at a different time of the week so that they could continue their good work.

And I just want to note that the services apply to non-domestic violence, non-DUI, and non-person-related and non-firearm misdemeanor crimes.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_08

Just to say thank you very much for this, Council President Nelson.

Pre-file diversion services are critically important in our whole public safety profile.

So thank you for this.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Moore.

Colleagues, other questions, comments?

Seeing none, Item 52.

SPEAKER_02

Item 52, provide $1.5 million a year in 25 and 26 to support programs that encourage residents of recreational vehicles to transition to housing and more permanent shelter that could include an RV storage program.

SPEAKER_05

Did I jump?

Oh, no, I'm on the right place.

Thank you, I am sponsor of the amendment with Council Member Saka as co-sponsor.

This intends for us to use a multi-pronged approach to addressing folks living in RVs by giving them a safe transition time into shelter or into housing.

There's a couple different options.

There were some barriers that we needed to overcome, which is why this funding has been held over for a number of years.

And it's something that I've discussed with some of our officials here in the city of Seattle about ways that we can overcome the current challenges that we're facing.

Council Member Sacco has been a very loud champion for getting more...

to have a program much like Vehicle Residency Outreach Team that we have operating in North Seattle in District One.

That's why Council Member Saka is a co-sponsor and we're gonna be working together to make sure that this funding is deployed rapidly and with interventions that create meaningful outcomes.

Council Member Saka is a co-sponsor, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I love, love, love this amendment and honored to partner together alongside you to help bring it to life and fund it in this budget.

So this is a really important, critically important, to be honest, investment to support RV residents' transition to shelter or permanent housing and proper storage of their RVs.

Colleagues, you know that the Southwest region Southwest region of the unified care teams kind of geographic neighborhood based approach the Southwest region covers substantially all of my council district one and by the data which as of their second quarter report also has the highest concentration of RV encampments not by a little bit by a lot and three times more RV encampments in District 1 than the next highest or the Southwest UCT region than the next highest region, three times more.

And so this vital investment is a critical first step to help us as a city better collectively address the challenges associated with that.

And I view it as a strong, necessary condition, not necessarily a sufficient one, but a strong, necessary condition to allow us to do more and better, again, address the challenges.

I will also be working on another amendment to make sure that we prioritize RV resolutions across Seattle as well.

So thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Stockett.

Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_04

Chair Strauss, thank you to both you and Councilmember Saka on this.

Sadly, you know, Not always, but often we've had challenges in terms of public safety.

So as chair of public safety, I view this as a very positive.

It's different, but it kind of complements also the Salmon Bay Village project, which has also been instrumental of taking RVs off our streets.

Again, because sadly they often become public safety challenges.

But this kind of combination of approach I think will do us good stead as we look to move forward.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Councilmember Kettle.

And when I checked the stats a couple months ago, Salmon Bay Village had been successful at getting 24 RVs not off the road and into Salmon Bay, but 24 people had graduated out of Salmon Bay into permanent shelter or housing.

Yes.

And so great success there.

Moving on to item 53. Director, if you'd like to take it from here.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, $110,000 in annual funding, 25 and 26, to provide technical assistance to community organizations that support immigrants, refugees, and communities of color.

In particular, Community Rise is the organization in question.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Morales is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you.

Yes, this is for an organization that actually provides technical assistance and capacity building legal services for yet smaller organizations serving micro enterprises and serving particularly immigrant and refugee and low income folks.

So this is to support their capacity building efforts.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, item 54 was addressed during the, we swapped names.

We're gonna move on to item 55. Director, over to you.

SPEAKER_02

Item 55 would provide $470,000 to support Plymouth Housing's recovery support services for residents with severe opioid use disorders.

And you can read in detail the number of programs that it would provide, potentially provide continued support, excuse me, new support for, in order to ensure that those programs continue.

Again, $470,000 a year.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And, Council President, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_06

So currently, so I just want to make sure that people understand that this is opioid settlement dollars.

So this is not general fund revenue.

And currently that settlement money is going to Evergreen Treatment Services, the People's Harm Reduction Alliance, and the Hepatitis Education Project.

And we all know that we need to provide more treatment to people who want to stop using.

And in 2023 and 2024, Plymouth housing residents participated in a pilot project, which was the contingency management program called out one of the executive order, the Mayor Harrell's executive orders in 2022 addressing synthetic opioid use and the crisis.

Anyway, this contingency management program was implemented at one of the Plymouth housing facilities and many of the residents who participated were able to stop using for periods of time and subsequently seek take steps toward prolonged recovery.

Just so if people don't understand what contingency management is, it's an evidence-based treatment method that incentivizes cessation through small rewards, and in this case it was gift cards.

And the goal is to allow one to clear one's mind long enough to consider the next steps toward treatment.

Some of the participants in the pilot wanted to serve as peer navigators to support other residents struggling with substance use disorder and help them take further steps toward recovery.

And this funding would be used to enhance Plymouth Housing's recovery supports that they're doing right now, including but not limited to potentially covering part of the cost of a second phase of contingency management, hiring one or more FTEs to train peer navigators or enabling telehealth consults to access sublocate, which is a long...

It's a 30-day dose of buprenorphine.

So I just wanted to note that this is a conversation that grew out of the Plymouth Housing being at this table here during the presentation of the audit that looked at the overdose and crime concentrations, and this was a conversation that the leaders of Plymouth Housing did note that there is a desire amongst residents.

This goes back to some of the things that we were talking about earlier.

I believe that we have to help our permanent supportive housing partners really provide the wraparound services that are expected in facilities.

And so, again, I started talking about the fact that this is opioid settlement dollars.

I had anticipated this not to be new money, but to be a redirection.

And so that was a...

change that was made before this item came out, but I just wanted to explain my thinking.

It is a lot of money, and so I just wanted to acknowledge that my intention was to offset a bit of the existing opioid settlement dollars to go toward this in addition to general fund from HSD.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council President.

As chair of the Budget Committee, I was not comfortable taking money from other programs that have already been identified, and I believed in the request that you were making, Council President, which is why this is funded with general fund.

It is not taking from THE SETTLEMENT DOLLARS THAT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED AT THIS TIME.

THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR A LATER DATE.

I WILL NOTE I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ERROR HERE THAT THESE FUNDS WHILE INTENDED TO BE ONE TIME SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTED AS ONGOING AS PER PRACTICE WITH THE OTHER uplift Northwest tenant services, these similar kind of practices.

So I see that it is listed as one time, but just noting that for the record.

I do see Council Member Moore with her hand.

Council Member Moore, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you, Chair.

I just wanted to thank Council President for your continued leadership on calling out the need for recovery housing and recovery services and for bringing forth this proviso.

And I would also love to see this program expanded beyond just Plymouth housing.

We absolutely need it in all of our permanent supportive housing facilities and also some of our affordable housing facilities as well.

So thank you for your continued leadership in this.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Vice Chair Rivera, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_03

Just to say a plus one to Council Member Nelson's leadership on the recovery and the treatment and recovery services.

It's just important and I really appreciate her keeping her eye on that important service.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Other colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, we're going to move on to item 56.

SPEAKER_02

Item 56 does not involve new funding, but rather proviso on funding that was in the mayor's proposed budget, including $2 million for services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

limit funding to two general purposes.

One, a single FTE at HSD victim advocate position, and then require that the remaining funds be used for procurement of contracted services to assist folks who have fallen victim to commercial sexual exploitation, and then also to include the creation or expansion of an existing receiving center for persons in that situation.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Morris, sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you very much.

Again, this was money that was in the mayor's budget, and it was a little bit differently distributed.

So in consultation with the service providers who are actually on the street providing the services, I had suggested or will be making this recommendation that we have one FTE that coordinates the commercial sexual exploitation work in HSD, and then we look at contracting with the people on the street who are already providing the services in collaboration with SPD and the city attorney's office in terms of being there at 2 a.m.

when the SPD gets a call about where can they take...

somebody who's being commercially sexually exploited when they are ready to get off the street and seek services.

So it's important that we have 24-7 availability and that we have people who've actually often been themselves victims and survivors engaged in this work.

So looking at that.

And then also making sure that we're able to expand the existing bed capacity offered by REST in the South End and then looking at attempting to create a new space in the north end.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Warr.

Thank you for your work on this.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, moving on to item 57.

SPEAKER_02

57 would provide $250,000 a year for 25 and 26 for culturally specific services for Latinx survivors of gender-based violence.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Morales has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you, Chair.

Colleagues, you'll recall that during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we had Consejo Counseling here.

And we're, thank you, Councilmember Moore, praising them for the important work that they do providing services specifically to Latino survivors of gender-based violence.

Unfortunately, as we were praising them, we had just received the transmitted budget that had actually cut their funding for their services.

So this is an attempt to restore.

It is only half of what we were able to secure for them last year.

But I do think it's important.

And I appreciate that we are acknowledging the critical service they provide, particularly to Spanish-speaking survivors who need case management and assistance.

So I appreciate the chair including it in the package.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

Actually, Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you.

I just wanted to thank Council Member Morales very much for restoring some of this funding and being an advocate for domestic violence survivors.

And also, I didn't have a chance to thank Council Member Wu for also her advocacy and continued advocacy on behalf of domestic violence survivors.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, and I spoke to Council Member Morales about a structural issue that we are facing with this request and preventing gender-based violence in total.

We will likely need to expand the amount of funding that we RFP to community organizations.

Consejo has been an organization that we've direct funded from council budget actions.

They do good work, we should support them, and we need to streamline this into the process.

And it brings up the question that is, I think, obvious to all of us that we need to be funding prevention of gender-based violence at a higher level than we are today through the RFP process.

When I said this morning that this budget reform is not a one-time or one-year action, this is what I mean.

We've got a lot of work to do, and we're not going to quit until we're done.

Thank you, Council Member Morales, for bringing this amendment forward.

With that, Item 58.

SPEAKER_02

Item 58 is a sly requesting that HSD work with King County to report on King County's efforts to reestablish a sobering center and HSD's involvement in that work.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Rivera.

Vice Chair Rivera is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_03

Thank you.

And a plus one to the work around gender-based violence in general and then particularly in Latino communities.

So I wanted to say that.

On this one, this is a sly.

Again, like the sly I proffered earlier on the care issue.

This is on the accountability side.

We know that King County is looking to situate a sobering center.

This is a sobering center that they had pre-COVID, actually, and it had not reopened.

I know that they're looking to reestablish and reopen it.

There is some partnership from the city of Seattle and I want to make sure that that partnership includes meeting the needs of the city we know we've identified that folks that are arrested for drug possession that need services who are eligible for diversion services cannot get offered those services when they're not sober because they cannot consent and And so there is a need for somewhere for folks to go so they can sober up and then we can offer services and that they can consent and then go get the treatment that they really need.

And so as part of that situating of that sobering center, I want to make.

That the city is Taking into account that particular need that has surfaced more recently regarding these folks that need Treatment and are not able to consent to services because they're not sober.

So this lies just Asking HST to make sure that they're considering that need as they're working with our partners at King County to situate this sobering Center well said councilmember Rivera council president I

SPEAKER_06

I would like to be listed as a co-sponsor.

We've been talking about this for some months, Council Member Rivera.

And there is a public safety element here.

The word sobering center conjures up the old days when people were drunk on alcohol on the sidewalk, and then where do they go?

We're now talking about a fentanyl crisis, and people are...

you know, more often than not, you know, coming out of...

..have used harder drugs on the street.

And so what we're talking about here is trying to bridge the need to allow people to...

come off of that and then make some decisions about their next steps.

And also the work that organizations such as We Deliver Care do, which is going up and down the street and making sure that people are able to open their businesses to the public and walk on the sidewalk to wherever they're going.

And so I think that there is, and perhaps some of you have also heard Chief Rahr talk about some ideas going forward about a secure sobering center, a secure area for this.

And so this is sort of a, it's a, it's in the gray zone between human services and public safety, but it's increasingly and, well, increasingly important and frequently needed, I would say.

So I applaud getting something on paper that is showing that we're thinking about this.

SPEAKER_03

Thank you, Council President.

I should have said that Council President and I have talked about this, and she wanted to be a co-sponsor on this, and I forgot to say that in my comments.

SPEAKER_05

Council Members, as a reminder, please be recognized before speaking, Council President.

We've stated a couple times in the meeting that we're not adding new sponsors.

We are correcting errors.

We can take this up at a later time.

SPEAKER_03

It was an error on my part because she had requested prior to be a co-sponsor.

Thank you, Chair.

SPEAKER_05

As a reminder, colleagues need to be recognized to speak.

So I've said this a couple times.

Please allow the record to reflect that there was an error on this item and that council president's name will be added.

This is the last time I'm gonna have this part of the conversation today, colleagues.

Moving on to one that everyone has expressed support for, item 60. 59, item 59, I'm getting ahead of myself.

SPEAKER_02

add essentially $1.7 million per year for 25 and 26 to restore funding to the Seattle General Insurance operations for 25 and 26.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

I will likely see a lot of hands pop up in just a minute as I'm starting off.

I spoke to this at the beginning of the day.

This is bridge funding until we find an independent and sustainable revenue source for them.

So colleagues, you will see that they are listed as one-time funds and that is intentional because if Seattle Channel continues to rely on general fund, it undercuts their ability to be independent.

And what we know is that they have gone through many iterations over the last 20 years from C-Chan to Public Access to Seattle Channel.

And we have other models in the state that provide an independent gavel to gavel coverage You're hearing me reference TVW, but we've got a couple different models that we're gonna be looking at.

I heard, maybe everyone already said all of their pieces at the last time we had this before us, but I heard wild amounts of support from everyone on the dais.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, we're gonna move on to item 60. This brings us to...

Trying to do math on it.

We're almost on time.

Back to you, director.

SPEAKER_07

For the record, Council Members, Tracey Ratcliffe, Council Central Staff, for clarity's sake, I'm going to talk a little slower than I usually do, but not so slow.

So if you need clarification on what I go through here in terms of CBAs, please let me know.

So moving on to 60 and 61, which both deal with the provision of funding that would have otherwise been eliminated in the proposed budget that would fund some positions.

So the first one is Law 1A.

And it would increase funding in the city attorney's office by $182,025 and $192,026 to fund a specialty court unit prosecutor.

This is funded by Councilmember Kettle.

And the second one would increase law departments funding by $434,025 and $450,026 to fund two assistant city attorneys in the employment and contract utility section of the Civil Division.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Kell, you can sponsor both amendments.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

You got me excited there when you said number 60. Everybody loved number 60. And I like to think that wasn't just because you're confusing it with the Seattle Channel one.

As I mentioned earlier, we've been doing a lot on public safety, but it's, to what I said earlier as well this morning, it's many hands make light work.

And I've talked...

not long ago about we deliver care and so forth but the other part of this is the criminal justice system you know we're making a lot of strides related to public safety but key to this in terms of following through and ensuring long-term is the health of the criminal justice system and having it work smoothly because if it doesn't all the work that we've been over the past year could be undone.

And so this is part of what we're looking to do here with the prosecutor for the city attorney's office under law and to assist in that area.

And when it comes to the civil division, it's also good governance in the sense that the need is there so we can take two city attorneys away, but the work is there so then you have to outsource it.

And trust me, outsourcing legal work is much more expensive than what we're looking to do here.

And so this is a good governance piece, too, in terms of the civil division, where we're looking to be smart in terms of the expenditure of funds.

Much better to do it with the two assistant city attorneys, particularly in the important area of employment and contract utility sections.

But again, to avoid looking to go outside council route, which will definitely be more expensive.

So thank you, Chair.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And actually, Council Member Kettle, for the record, there was broad and nearly unanimous support for these items.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's move on to item 62.

SPEAKER_07

Item 62, Law 003A, would increase city attorney's office by $500,000 of general fund in 25 and $525,000 in general fund in 2026 for positions that would support the LEAD diversion program, and LEAD is the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program.

And this is sponsored by Councilmember Nelson.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council President Nelson has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_06

So you can look at this change as kind of a technical amendment.

This would redirect funding for two attorneys and a paralegal in the city attorney's office who handle lead cases to the CAO rather than passing that funding through to the PDA.

I'm just now blanking on the new name that used to be Public Defender Association, Purpose, Dignity, Action, and then back into the CAO.

So right now it is money that goes out of the HSD to PDA and then PDA contracts with the CAO for these positions.

This cleans it up and just transfers the funding for those positions directly into the city attorney's office.

will remain the same.

And I did speak with Lisa Dugard about this, you know, head of the PDA, and she supports this change.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, we'll move on to item 63.

SPEAKER_07

Moving on to the Office of the Mayor.

63, item 63, Mayor's Office 001SA.

This is a slide that would request the Mayor's Office to provide quarterly reports regarding activities and performance of the Unified Care Team.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

SPEAKER_07

Oh, Budget Committee.

Sponsor.

SPEAKER_05

Thanks, Tracy.

This was administrative under the Budget Committee.

This has been a standard request that has been made year after year for a number of years.

The Unified Care Team provides its own data, which Councilmember Sacco was referencing.

This was one of the initial push points with data.

It's helpful.

We're going to keep it on the books.

Moving on to item 64.

SPEAKER_07

Mayor Office 002S, this sly would request that the executive provide an inventory of city-funded youth programs.

This is sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Councilmember Hollingsworth, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Tracy, for all your help and work on this.

This is just super simple for us to do an inventory of all the city departments that touch youth and be able to be separated by age, group, et cetera.

I think it's incredibly important when we are going to be talking about the levy next year and Councilmember Rivera's leadership on that and just want to make sure we have an assessment of this as we are trying to figure out

SPEAKER_03

youth initiative for safety and for funding and for you know better impact for our kids thank you thank you vice chair Rivera thank you thank you council member Hollingsworth for bringing this forward I support this and I will say that having been at the city for the last few years this has been done in the past and so I think this will not be a heavy lift for the city departments it's a They can bring it up to today, but I know that this was started a few years ago, so thank you for bringing this back up.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, other questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to item 65.

SPEAKER_07

Moving on to the Office of Economic Development, or OED, item OED01A.

This would increase OED by $800,000 in GEMSTART fund in 25 and 26 for the storefront repair fund, sponsored by Council Member Nelson.

SPEAKER_05

Council President, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_06

Thank you.

So just to remind folks, the Storefront Repair Fund is a program that emerged from a conversation I had in my committee in 2022 with small business owners and BIA directors about the impacts of crime.

And from that discussion, there was a request for some kind of relief for small businesses that had to repeatedly or even just one time repair their storefronts as a result of break-ins.

These grants are in very high demand across the city.

OED awarded 521 grants in 2023 and 279 grants in 2024. The most common request, 62 percent of the grants awarded, was damage to windows.

Now, I want to recognize that $2,000 isn't enough to cover most repairs, but it is a welcome gesture to mitigate the impact of inadequate SPD staffing levels.

And it is a public benefit that we are able to help our businesses repair their storefronts.

And so that is why I'm advocating for this program to be maintained going forward.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council President.

Council Member Rivera.

SPEAKER_03

Thank you, Chair.

So is this additive to the OED jumpstart portion or is this a part of the OED jumpstart portion?

Central staff, can you?

Director Noble.

SPEAKER_02

This is additive.

So this is new money to OED to provide funding for this.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you and I will also note an error here that I believe that these are ongoing funds.

I think it will be hard for us.

I will use the example of this program was started as a one time funded item during the pandemic and it is ongoing.

So just noting that we'll need to change those numbers.

Colleagues, any other questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's move on to 66.

SPEAKER_07

OED 2A1 would increase OED's budget by $150,000 of general fund in 2026 for a new Capitol Hill ambassador program.

Council Member Hollingsworth is the prime sponsor.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I really appreciate your guidance on this in explaining to me the process that you all have had in Ballard, and this would be an ambassador program after we get the safety coordinators set up.

The following year would be ambassadors.

The neighborhood needs it.

We need ambassadors, people that can connect people to resources, help wayfinding, be able to de-escalate a lot of the things that are going on the Pike Pine Corridor, you know, help some small business owners, you know navigate certain things with their workers as you know, they are Having a deal with a lot of people that are going in and out of their buildings and so forth So I think this is a great opportunity for us to offer Support for the neighborhood and I really appreciate the chair including it in his package.

Thank you Thank our package my apologies and I didn't mean to cut you off and not be recognized.

Thank you, sir

SPEAKER_05

What I love about it is I took our Seattle from something that you said, which is why this is also our package.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Let's take on to item 67.

SPEAKER_07

OED 3A1 would increase OED's funding by $100,000 of Jumpstart Fund in 2025 for a workforce development effort focused on technological skills for low-income individuals.

Council Member Morales is the prime sponsor.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Morales is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you.

So this restores 150,000 that was originally allocated for the Filipino Community Center's Innovation Learning Center.

It's part of their new, actually it was an EDI project, senior housing on the top.

On the bottom is this innovative project Innovation Learning Center.

It provides training in IT infrastructure, renewable energy, broadband technology.

And as last year, they were able to serve 81 unduplicated youth.

These are mostly young people who have been involved in the justice system.

And so it is a step in helping them get out of that path and provides employment and training skills.

SPEAKER_05

And I want to thank the chair for including it.

Thank you.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to 68.

SPEAKER_07

OED 5A1 would proviso $100,000 of jumpstart fund in OED for the Ballard Brewery District support.

And this is sponsored by Council Member Strauss.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Tracy.

This is part of, again, the multi-year project that I was talking about earlier that is tied to the murals, as well as the safe crossings of arterials.

We are putting in right now, as we speak, a safe crossing on 51st across 15th.

This leverages the mural funding as well as the place making that has been going on for several years.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to 69.

SPEAKER_07

OED006SA, this slide would request that OED report on an inventory and assessment of all business outreach and technical assistance the city provides across the various city departments.

This is prime sponsor is Council Member Morales.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Morales, sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you.

Colleagues, because we do have support for small businesses in OED, OLS, SDCI, HSD, and even SPD, this is an attempt to just get a clear handle on what kind of services we offer, what the sort of overarching strategy is.

And I'm also trying to, part of the intent, which I might need to clarify a little more, is to get a sense of what we offer to, for example, our small businesses in our neighborhoods, relative to the kinds of services that are offered to downtown small businesses.

So just really trying to get a little bit richer understanding of the array of things that we do and how we do them and how they're delivered.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, moving on to item 70. We have 49 items left.

SPEAKER_07

Moving to the Office of Emergency Management, or OEM, OEM 101A would increase OEM by $35,000, general fund in 25 and 26, for travel training and administrative support.

Councilmember Kettle is the prime sponsor of this.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Kettle, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

And if you like, I can speak to number 71 to save an extra 45 seconds.

Please.

I just wanted to note OEM is an important part of our public safety family of...

that's really affecting across the public safety area you know it's not just crime and security it's not just fire and rescue it's not just a turn of response but it's also emergency preparedness and so this is important in terms of the you know their effectiveness as an organization and you know part of the emergency preparedness is being ready you know I often say you know be present be mindful, be prepared.

And this is what it is, because if you're prepared and something big happens, earthquake, some other type of catastrophe, man-made or natural, we'll be in a much better place.

And this is an investment we need to do in OEM and really support OEM overall as a key player in our public safety team.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Really well said, Councilmember Kettle.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

I will turn it back to you, Tracy.

If you would like to brief 71, Councilmember Kettle's already spoken to it.

We'll move to 72 once you brief.

SPEAKER_07

Beautiful.

Oh, did you want me to mention 71, OEM 102S?

SPEAKER_05

If you want.

SPEAKER_07

Okay, I'll just read it in the record, 102SA, and that's the slide requesting OEM to report on citywide emergency preparedness training.

SPEAKER_05

Wonderful.

Let's move on to 72.

SPEAKER_07

Moving on to the Office of Housing.

So OH001S, this slide would request that OH produce a Seattle housing investment plan that takes a comprehensive look at all affordable housing investments by the city and establishes production targets for 2025 through 2030. Councilmember Kettle and Councilmember Strauss are the sponsors of this slide.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Kettle, as prime sponsor, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss, and also for your work on this from a budget perspective in terms of budget reform, but also to Housing and Human Services Committee Chair Moore.

Very important.

This is all about good governance.

This is about kind of like what Council Member Morales was talking about, support.

to the business community.

We need to have a comprehensive look at what we're doing.

I've been calling it the Seattle Housing Plan need.

As you see here, we've improved it, and now it's the Seattle Housing Improvement Plan.

We really need to have this approach.

It's all about good governance.

It's about getting transparency and accountability.

and I think better outcomes.

And I think going through this process would also help in terms of the myriad groups that are part of this so they understand what we're doing and, more importantly, why we're doing it.

So thank you very much, Chair.

Thank you.

And Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Councilmember Kettle, for letting me tag onto your slide to limit the number of slides.

The part that I'm most interested in is having a dashboard of where projects are along their pathway so that we understand is the project that has encumbered funds, is it in the planning stage, is it in the development stage, is it in the C of A stage?

I think it will be very helpful.

Council President.

SPEAKER_06

I want to express support for this.

I remember in one of our discussions about this, maybe this is what was referred to as the housing plan, but there was a rigorous discussion in one of our meetings when we were talking about Office of Housing.

I was particularly focused on the fact that there seems to be a large cash balance.

And right now it's, I don't know, about $481,000 or almost half a billion, because projects take a long time to get out the door.

And so I'm assuming that this slide does have...

an emphasis on maybe help figuring out why if there are ways in which those projects or the um from start to finish from award to to completion and um certificate of tenancy could be uh what improvements could be made to make that process faster so that we can use those resources more um expeditiously thank you councilman rivera

SPEAKER_03

Thank you, Council Member Kettle, for bringing this forward.

And then I know that Council Member Moore has also expressed her interest in this in the past because we've talked about this and it seems to be one we've all expressed interest at some point or other.

So I think on this one, you know, budget committee-wide would be one that I would advocate for, but that's your prerogative, Chair.

But just, you know, want to underscore and support this particular one.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

I'll call on Council Member Moore, and after Council Member Moore, I'll ask if there are objections to this becoming a budget committee amendment.

Council Member Moore, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, thank you.

And thank you, Council Member Kettle, for bringing this forward.

I have some additional things I would like to add to this, more specifically looking, you note underlying funding models, but calling out what those are.

And so I would just like the opportunity to bring some additional edits to the slide.

That's all I'm saying.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Moore.

That might be more appropriate for item 75, which is very similar, but focuses on funding structures.

Happy to chat offline.

IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THIS AMENDMENT 72 WILL BE CHANGED TO BUDGET COMMITTEE.

HEARING NO OBJECTION, THIS AMENDMENT SPONSORSHIP HAS BEEN CHANGED.

THANK YOU.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 73.

SPEAKER_07

OH-02A would increase the Office of Housing by $3.4 million in Jump Start funds in 2026 for the Homeownership Capital Production Program.

And the funds would be allocated in 2026, but they could be used in 2026 or 2027. This ties into the conversation that has been had about the funding for the Homeownership Program in which the EXECUTIVES PROPOSED BUDGET HAD REDUCED FUNDING BY 1.7 MILLION IN 2025 AND 1.7 MILLION IN 2026 BECAUSE THEIR PIPELINE WAS NOT IN NEED OF FUNDING.

THIS ALIGNS THIS FUNDING NOW TO WHEN WE ACTUALLY EXPECT THAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO NEED FUNDING.

LIKELY 2027 BUT WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN 2026 IF ANY OF THOSE PROJECTS CAME THROUGH EARLY AND NEEDED THE CITY'S FUNDING AT THAT TIME.

SPEAKER_05

THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER MOORE IS PRIME SPONSOR OF THE AMENDMENT.

YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER SACA CO-SPONSOR.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you very much, Chair.

Yes, again, as explained by Tracy, the purpose of this is just to make sure that the money that's being taken currently is available once the capacity is restored.

As I have said here ad nauseum, I think we need to be doing more for home ownership, both in terms of building and also providing ways down payment assistance, and that we need to be expanding the pipeline of services developers who are in a position to build more home ownership opportunities.

So just wanting to make sure that that money is back there and ready to go.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_13

Council Member Stocker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just want to thank Council Member Moore for her full-throated advocacy of this really important initiative.

We know constituents and community leaders alike have consistently voiced the need for more affordable housing, and homeownership is one vital path towards building wealth, and for people who choose to live live up to the american dream of that white picket fence so to speak whatever that looks like for them we need to create better pathways for that and so uh so proud to co-sponsor this amendment thank you mr chair thank you councilmember sock and i have to thank the both of you this one was very important to me and i'm glad to have it in the package moving on to number 70 questions comments seeing none moving on to 74.

SPEAKER_07

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

SPEAKER_05

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

SPEAKER_01

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLL designed to help go towards people that want to do feasibility studies in the district there are a number of organizations that want to provide housing but they need before they can apply for edi funds or other things they have to get some of the groundwork done and so feasibility studies for some of their parking lots or buildings you know all these good things to be able to help with anti-displacement and gentrification particularly in the central district and would love to earn everyone's support thank you Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

SPEAKER_05

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, we're going to move on to item 75.

SPEAKER_07

08004-SA.

This is a slide that would request the Office of Housing to explore the use of bonds and master leasing for development of affordable housing.

And this is Council Member Strauss' slide.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, this is working in, King County has begun using certain bonds in very creative ways to master lease buildings and turn the key on affordable housing faster.

My request is to look into, can we as the City of Seattle utilize the same methodology?

This is where Council Member Moore, I'm thinking your funding questions might fit in here a little bit more cleanly.

We can work offline.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's take on the item 76.

SPEAKER_07

Moving to the officer of Inspector General for Public Safety.

OIG 101A would increase the OIG budget by $7,000 of general funding in 25 and 26 to adjust the office salary budget.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Kettle has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

In a way, this is kind of like a technical fix, HR technical fix.

But I want to take the opportunity, since I talked about the big four, SPD, Fire, Care, and then OEM, we've also talked about the criminal justice system, law, and SMC.

And I just want to say thank you also to our accountability partners, including OIG, but also OPA and CPC.

Very important in the work that we're doing.

And with that, I'll turn it back to you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Kettle.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, we're going to tick on to item 77.

SPEAKER_07

So moving to the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, OIR001A.

It would increase ORI's budget by $190,000 in general fund in 25 and $201,000 of general fund in 26 to restore funding for the international affairs portfolio.

This is Council.

Oh, this is Budget Committee.

SPEAKER_05

This is Budget Committee.

Thank you, Tracy.

This is half of the International Affairs staff.

I can tell you that not having the data in front of me, we have so many sister cities that each of us have multiple beyond all of the international relations that we do as the closest city of our size to Asia, as well as our strong connections to the Nordic regions.

I...

I have really relied on this entire team a lot.

So with that colleagues, questions, comments, council member kettle.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you.

Chair Strauss as a, um, former naval diplomat and also a nearly decade-long member of the board for the World Affairs Council.

I think this is definitely needed and I definitely support.

And as it turns out, I'm meeting a member of the British delegation tomorrow.

So it's not just the sister city.

We do have a strong delegation, foreign delegation here in Seattle that needs to be supported.

So I just wanted to add that little piece.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And the last time the mayor of Reykjavik was here a couple of weeks ago, he did play a Nirvana song unprompted on KEXP.

And this is the work that this position supports.

Not directly, but this type of work.

I'm getting over my skis.

Let's move on to 78.

SPEAKER_07

Moving to the Office of Labor Standards, OLS001A would increase the OLS budget by $100,000 in 2025 and $600,000 in 2026 for the Business Outreach and Education Fund and Community Outreach and Education Fund.

This is primarily sponsored by Council Member Strauss.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And can you read 79 into the record as well?

I'll take them both at the same time.

SPEAKER_07

Absolutely.

002A would increase OLS by three FTEs to restore position authority in the Office of Labor Standards.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Tracy.

This restores the funding to Office of Labor Standards.

It restores the position authority, but does not restore the funding for the positions.

So this is restoring what they had this last year, the positions, but not the funding for the positions.

I see Council Member Kettle followed by Council President Nelson.

Old hand, Council President Nelson.

SPEAKER_06

I had only a question about 78. This is the time.

Okay.

It looks like the business, so there are two different things that are being funded with this money, the business education fund and the community outreach education fund.

Both are very important.

I'm wondering why does the business education fund get $100,000 and the community outreach fund get $500,000?

SPEAKER_05

It's my understanding that these were the reductions that were made, and so this is the restoration of the reductions that were made.

But central staff, I'll let you confirm.

I'm seeing.

SPEAKER_07

He's nodding his head yes.

SPEAKER_05

I'm saying yes.

SPEAKER_02

It's confusing the way it's constructed, but the intent is to restore funding at the levels that it otherwise would have been, if you will.

Yep.

Council President.

SPEAKER_06

I have observed and complained that there is already an imbalance in what is allocated to business education and compared to the community education.

Again, both are important, but the best way to...

to encourage compliance is through education.

So when new regulations come online, we make sure that we educate businesses, particularly businesses in neighborhoods where there is a preponderance of non-English-speaking entrepreneurs, et cetera, that we do make sure that people understand the new rules so that they don't inadvertently violate them.

And so I think this is an ongoing policy question about how we allocate, in general, outreach funds to make sure that we can prevent violations of labor regulations.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, other questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to item 80.

SPEAKER_07

Moving to the Office of Planning and Community Development.

OPCD, OPCD 001A would increase OPCD's budget by $150,000 in Jumpstart Fund in 25 and 26 for the Ballard Regional Center Planning.

And this is Council Member Strauss as the primary sponsor.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

The Ballard...

downtown Ballard has the zoning capacity right now to be considered a regional center.

It is not considered a regional center.

OPCD needs to do some work to have it meet that criteria.

Once it is a regional center, it then has access to state and federal funding through PSRC.

This provides the funding to OPCD to do the work.

This is a, colleagues, we were talking about the supplemental EIS.

and whether or not we should proviso that funding or add funding.

I looked at provisoing that funding to accomplish this goal.

It would not have done that, which is why there is new funding.

Different than other plans that are of the regional center, growth center plans, we have spread this funding over a couple of years to mitigate a one-time bow wake of funding need.

which is why you are seeing it as one time over a few years.

This is one body of work.

It cannot continue once it's done, which is why it's one time and not ongoing.

Questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's take on number 81. This is OPCD 002A.

SPEAKER_07

It would increase OPCD's budget by $384,000 in general fund in 2025 and $403,000 in general fund in 26 and 2.5 FTEs to restore positions.

that were proposed to be abrogated in the 25-26 proposed budget.

Council Member Morales is the prime sponsor.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Morales is the sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you very much.

Colleagues, I feel like I've been saying all year, we have a lot of work to do in the planning department next year with the comp plan, sound transit, design review, state legislation that's coming that we need to implement.

So I'm happy that we are able to restore the funding for the staff members who we're going to need in order to get all this work done.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Thank you.

Let's question, I see Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Council Member Morales, for bringing this forward.

I just had a question maybe for clarification and a statement of wish, whether one of these positions is going to be utilized for the Aurora Corridor study work?

SPEAKER_05

What do we know?

For?

SPEAKER_08

An OPCD?

SPEAKER_05

Sorry, these are the position authorities.

I don't believe that we are directing place-based analysis, if I have that correct.

I see Director Noble.

Lish is at the table now.

SPEAKER_00

Lish, you are recognized.

Thank you, Lish.

So the Aurora Avenue study work was put on pause when the person who was in this position took a new position within OPCD.

In answers to questions about the status of that Aurora Avenue work, OPCD has said that they would need restoration of this position to continue that work, which implies to me, but doesn't say explicitly that they would be doing that work if they have this position.

But I'll follow up with the department.

SPEAKER_05

OK.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Other questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's move on to item 82.

SPEAKER_07

OPCD 003 SA.

This slide would request that OPCD report on strategies to attract food retailers to food deserts.

This is primarily sponsored by Representative Saka.

Representative, Council Member Saka.

Representative, I've elevated you, Council Member.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Representative Saka.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

No, I'm just a humble servant, you know, trying to attack these potholes on the front line.

So, no, but this is, so it's well sort of documented and established right now at this point, I think, that addressing food deserts throughout our city is a shared priority.

You know, we heard from Councilmember Rivera earlier this morning about, I think, Magnuson Park.

You know, I have a number of food deserts in my district, South Park, Georgetown, Delridge, you know, with proposed industry consolidation and mergers.

There are a number of others across the city that are on the chopping block to be closed.

If that goes through, no one seems to be talking about, but we're talking about it, let alone you know given all the much-needed needed yesterday sound transit investments and expansions including in in West Seattle there's at least one grocery store going to be closing as a result of that and so we need a better address and have a plan and have thoughtful planners it doesn't leave that I will be offering a friendly amendment to clarify and slightly expand the scope to consider siting and location options, but this definitely captures the thrust of what I think we're all concerned about.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Saka.

Colleagues, other questions, comments?

Council Member Rivera.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, I just want to say thank you to Council Member Saka.

I support this, particularly because we're in the middle of a comprehensive plan update, and we need to or our next iteration of the comp plan.

And so food, there are all these items that need to be part of the comprehensive plan.

And so I think this is very timely.

Thank you for including it here, particularly since there's no budget needed for this item.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, other questions, comments?

Seeing none, we are going to move on to item 83.

SPEAKER_02

Item 83 is a technical item, essentially a fund swap.

It ensures that the funding for the EDI is maintained at the level in the proposed budget, but frees up some...

jumpstart revenues to be shifted elsewhere and to be used for more flexible purposes, in particular funding some of the other ads that we've been reviewing today.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Let's move on to 84 unless Council Member Rivera is that an old hand.

Let's move on to 84.

SPEAKER_07

Moving on to the Office of Sustainability and Environment, or OSE.

OSE 001A would increase OSE's budget by $400,000 in Jumpstart Fund in 2025 and 2026 for the Duwamish Valley Workforce and Small Business Support Program.

This prime sponsor is Council Member Wu.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Wu is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_11

Thank you.

Thank you to Budget Chair and Sustainability Committee Member Strauss for bringing attention to green workforce development.

As Sustainability Chair, I'm committed to building sustainability, job growth, community resilience, and an equitable clean energy economy.

We need to ensure no one is left behind in our city's broad environmental goals.

Proud to support the citywide clean energy workforce and the Office of Economic Development's economic revitalization strategy, and proud to uplift the small and industrial businesses in that area.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Wu.

And I know that when we were going through the weekend work, you as well as Council Member Saka and I believe Council Member Morales had all brought this up I might have errored, but I know that Council Member Wu, you were the loudest one championing this, so that's why we knew we were listing you.

I see Council Member Saka's hand.

Over to you, sir.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So, yeah, I guess I want to thank Council Member Wu for her strong leadership on this issue.

Of the $400,000 proposed, $200,000 is specifically for the Duwamish Valley green workforce development.

which we know was cut in the original proposal.

And $20,000 is for small businesses, providing technical assistance and support for small industrial businesses in South Park and Georgetown, so the Duwamish Valley, directly in my district.

And so proud to support this.

I'm not breaking your rule, Mr. Chair, but if there were ever a case for a colorable argument for an exception to be made, given that this is directly in my district and benefits my district, I would say this is it, but proud to support it regardless.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, and I recognize I might have been the error here, so I am happy to make, I won't make the exception for myself, but I'll make the exception right now.

Council Member Morales, was this also on your list?

SPEAKER_09

It was, and yes.

SPEAKER_05

Okay, let's add them all together.

Let's move as a team.

With that, any other questions, comments?

Council Member Rivera.

SPEAKER_03

I do in general, and maybe this is a placeholder for central staff, but there's a number of ads here that I feel fit squarely with the allocations for Jump Start to the different departments.

I'm not understanding why we're doing additive instead of those items could be funded from the pots that each of these organizations are getting for these particular, and let me give you an example.

This Green Jobs, and I support this Duwamish Valley workforce piece, But the Green New Deal bucket has green jobs associated with it.

So are we adding Jump Start rather than having the department use part of that Green New Deal, you know, 18 million to fund to support this particular ad?

SPEAKER_10

So that was actually a restoration of a reduction from the Green New Deal bucket.

So the executive had proposed eliminating this funding and this amendment would restore that funding.

So that did exist and would not exist without adding this back.

So over the Green New Deal funding.

SPEAKER_03

But it's $18 million, so presumably you could have taken something else if you were going to restore this.

This is where I'm a little confused, but we can take this offline.

SPEAKER_02

Another potential approach would be to provide some of the existing funding, but that would have done the risk of limiting something else that would have been funded.

So both things can be true, then we can continue offline.

SPEAKER_03

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Vice Chair.

And if you're not satisfied with the bearer's package, you can bring amendments to reduce these items and return them to the Jumpstart Reserve account.

Council Member Saka, that's an old hand.

Is that correct?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you.

Let's move on to the next item.

SPEAKER_07

Moving on to the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections.

SDCI 001A would increase SDCI's budget by $50,000 of general fund in 2025 to convene a tenant work group on strategies to protect the health and well-being of Seattle renters.

This is sponsored by Council Member Morales.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And Council Member Morales, you are recognized for both 85 and 86. Yes.

SPEAKER_09

Oh, right.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you very much.

I will say that...

I appreciate the chair including this.

This is actually the second time that I've requested and received this funding for this purpose.

This is a workgroup not just for tenants.

It's actually to try to convene landlords and tenants together to help facilitate better understanding about our tenant laws, about landlord responsibilities, about tenant responsibilities.

So I do appreciate that it is here.

What would be even better is to make sure that the mayor actually uses this funding this time so that we can start to address some of these challenges and kind of tension between landlords and tenants.

We currently have over 6,000 outstanding compliance inspection complaints from landlords and tenants that need to be investigated and resolved.

And so the goal here is to try to move that conversation forward.

I'll stop there, and if there are no questions, I'll ask Tracy to read 86.

SPEAKER_07

86, SDCI 002A would increase SDCI's budget by $355,000 of Jumpstart funding in 25 and 26 to partially restore reductions in tenant services contracts, primarily sponsored by Councilor Morales.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you very much.

Again, I know we heard from a lot of folks today, and we will probably continue to hear from them.

We know that the most cost-effective way to address homelessness is to prevent it, and we do that by helping people stay housed.

So our homeless crisis is clearly a top issue for all of us, and I believe it was Councilmember Kettle said earlier, you know, spending money on a lawyer now can prevent thousands of dollars later when a family is evicted, or something to that effect.

Prevention is worth a pound of cure.

We know that evictions across the county have increased.

And this restoration will serve just a fraction of what's needed.

And it will go to organizations who conduct tenant services like Interim, the Somali Community Services, Via Comunitaria, BC Seattle, the Tenant Law Center, the Housing Justice Project.

And as we heard earlier this morning, there are thousands of people who will be impacted if this continues.

goes unfunded.

So I do want to let colleagues know that it is my intent and hope to bring an amendment that could fully restore this funding and would welcome any colleagues who want to work together on this.

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_07

Moving to item number 87, SDCI 003S.

This slide would request that SDCI, in consultation with the Human Services Department, report on the utilization of the rental registration and inspection ordinance for proactive eviction prevention.

This is primarily sponsored by Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you.

We have a great opportunity, I think, with our rental registration inspection ordinance where all the landlords are supposed to register to utilize them sort of as utilizing the model of the housing connector where they have relationships with landlords.

So the first sign that a tenant might be struggling with rent is to do an outreach and see what's going on and if they need assistance at that point, either in rental assistance or some other type of assistance.

So I think we have a great database here to create connections.

And then just as to back to 86, I would say I'm certainly interested in working with you, Council Member Morales, on tenant services.

SPEAKER_05

Well said.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Council President?

SPEAKER_06

I just do want to put in a plug for Housing Connector.

They do, I believe that they are, they work with landlords and tenants to look at utility arrears as the first sign of instability.

And that is, if that is what you're going for, that is a good way to go is definitely catch it before it becomes, people can't just pay their rent.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just want to add my voice of support to this great amendment.

Thank you, Council Member Moore, for bringing it forward.

I've been very judicious about kind of piling on, but I did unfortunately miss an opportunity just a moment ago with the last few amendments to pile on as well.

So, Council Member Morales, thank you for your leadership on

SPEAKER_05

Items number 85 and 86.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

SPEAKER_05

And this is why this is our package, not just mine.

Council Member Rivera, is that a new hand?

SPEAKER_03

The plus one.

SPEAKER_05

Plus, plus, plus, plus, plus.

With that, let's move on to the next item.

SPEAKER_07

Moving to the Seattle Department of Human Resources, SDHR 001A would increase SDHR's budget by $371,000 in general fund in 25 and $389,000 of general fund in 26 and 1.5 FTE to restore the Workforce Equity Division.

This is sponsored by Councilmember Morales.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Councilmember Morales.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you, Chair.

I really appreciate this being included in the package.

As I've said many times before, we do have some challenges in some of our city departments, and we know that there is a lot of work to do to ensure that particularly women in the city don't struggle in their workplace.

And some of the work that this workforce equity team does is really critical in teaching our departments about human resources issues, about non-discrimination, about how to ensure that you are not creating a hostile work environment.

So I'm happy to see this here and glad that we will be able to continue that work in the city.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Moving on to 89. Let's do 89, 90, and 91 all together, please.

SPEAKER_15

Okay.

Good afternoon.

It's Calvin Chow with Council Central Staff.

We're starting with the Seattle Department of Transportation section.

The next three items are related to the transportation levy should it be approved by voters next week.

Item 89, S.1A1 adds the appropriations for the first two years of the levy as was discussed with the committee on October 22nd.

The numbers are correct in the description.

It is 178 million in 2025 and 193 million in 2026. The numbers are different in the columns because there is also a reversing of $7 million in each year that was included in the mayor's proposed budget that would come out of the budget if the levy passes.

Item 90 is related.

It is SDOT 2A1, and it imposes a proviso on half of the first year spending on $89 million of the levy funding until approved by future council action.

The intent of this proviso is to have SDOT proactively engage the council in the development of detailed spending plans for the levy.

And then item 91 is another related item.

It takes the $7 million that were freed up by unwinding the mayor's proposal and establishes a new council district fund.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Calvin.

I'll pass it over to Transportation Chair Saka in just a moment.

Just to say, broadly speaking on all three of these, this does three things.

One, it accepts SDOT's and the executive's plan should the levy pass to be ready to implement at the ready to go.

It does two, it implements a, I'm calling it a mega proviso of half of their funding for next year so that they can get started on their work and so they can come back to us to make sure they have heard and that there's a A CONVERSATION RATHER THAN A DIRECTIONAL INFORMATION SHARING ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT ACROSS THE CITY AND IN EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS.

AND THEN THIRD, WHEN YOU'VE UNWOUND THESE TWO VARIOUS PLANS, IT CREATES ONLY FOR TWO YEARS COUNCIL DISTRICT FUNDS AT A MILLION DOLLARS APIECE.

APOLOGIES TO THE CITYWIDE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT WE'LL TAKE YOUR INPUT TOO.

SPEAKER_13

Transportation Chair Saka, over to you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

And so proud to support these amendments here.

And the first one, item number 89, mostly a technical implementation type amendment.

The next one there is, what did you call it?

The super proviso?

Mega.

Mega proviso.

Yeah.

And to pile on with respect to the underlying intent there is like, you know, we need to more closely partner together with all of our executive department colleagues and counterparts.

And this is just, I think, a well-crafted forcing function to ensure as much.

And communication is always a two-way street.

And so...

So that's item number 90. With respect to item number 91, that one I'm really, really, really, really, really excited about because that essentially restores the council district fund, which was ultimately dropped during the final levy proposed package that we put together that voters are going to decide on next week.

and so but there was general broad consensus that everyone likes to have some sort of say on these kind of smaller scale discrete nitty-gritty neighborhood type projects think of more crosswalk Stop sign potentially a traffic circle, but you know additional lighting those kind of things To unlock the full potential of a neighborhood and make it really safe for pedestrians So I think these are together a really smart sound package of investments.

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, and thank you for Sponsoring them with me.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you councilman Rivera

SPEAKER_03

Thank you.

On item number 90, I just want to say that I too ask the chair to include this proviso, although I would have provisoed more than half the money because I do feel really strongly that SDOT in general, when they're putting together spending plans, they should be engaging council on the front end so that we're able to engage with our constituents rather than put the spending plan together and then send it to us by then it's it's too baked for us to be able to provide proper feedback and to work with our constituents to provide that feedback but Did want to note that I did request also up this this type of proviso but just with more than half of the funding as Proviso more than half the funding for the same purpose Thank you colleagues questions comments Seeing none.

SPEAKER_05

Let's move on to item 92

SPEAKER_15

Item 92 is SDOT 4A1.

This would add a proviso in SDOT for transit and roadway improvements for Delridge Avenue Southwest in the vicinity of Holly Street.

It's offered by Council Member Saka.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Saka, as sponsor of this amendment.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So, Delridge is, as we know, an under-resourced neighborhood, an historically marginalized and disadvantaged community.

Very extremely, but important, extremely busy, but very important arterial thoroughfare that runs directly through the neighborhood, kind of bifurcates it.

So, this, and among the many communities there is immigrant and refugee families.

who continue to face on a daily basis conditions and unsafe access to important services along Delridge.

So this is a much needed investment and helps our city deliver safe, accessible, equitable access in that really important corridor.

So thank you, Mr. Chair.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And Council Member Saka, as I shared with you privately, I do have concerns with this, but this is your number one priority.

And District 6 is not going to tell District 1 how to operate.

So glad to have your priorities included.

Moving on to Item 93. Item 93 is SDOT 5A1.

SPEAKER_15

This would add a proviso of $175,000 in SDOT to implement on-street parking changes at Duwamish Head.

It's offered by Council Member Saka.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Saka has sponsored the amendment.

SPEAKER_13

Yeah, so thank you, Mr. Chair.

As previously mentioned, addressing, so ultimately, just like the last one, Riff, that was principally about safety, safety and accessibility for all.

This is the same thing.

This is principally a community safety issue.

And as I previously stated, addressing issues of, in this particular area of lawlessness on Elk High and Harbor Avenue will take a multifaceted public safety approach and creative implementation as well.

And one of those approaches will be redesigning the geometry and built environment in this particular area, Duwamish Head.

And by changing the parking configuration of Duwamish Head, we can better ensure appropriate parking, adequate parking in the area.

And we're also doing away with a design layout that allows individuals engaged in less than ideal behavior, let's just say, at all hours of the day and night to congregate and gather.

So I want to specifically thank SDOT for their proposal and work on this effort.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Saka.

Very well said.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to 94.

SPEAKER_15

Item 94 is S.6A1.

This item would suspend the contributions of the 20% of red light camera revenue to the school safety fund and use those revenues to set it aside as $1.18 million of general fund in 2025 for the deployment of automated traffic enforcement cameras outside of school zones.

It's offered by Council Member Saka and Council Member Strauss.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Calvin.

I'll pass it over to Council Member Saka in just a minute.

Just to understand that to deploy speed cameras, red light cameras, and block the box cameras, we will need some funding, and we still need to pass another law before we have the ability to do this.

Council Member Saka and I are prepared to act on this legislation in January, should SDOT not transmit it to us in January.

duly noted for SDOT.

You've got a couple months, otherwise we're going to do it ourselves.

And so this sets us up to be able to implement those laws in a timely fashion.

Council Member Saka?

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yeah, this is a really important investment.

It provides funding for various speed cameras throughout the city.

And I'm thinking top of mind, Elk High and Harbor Avenue neighborhoods.

But we know the speeding and racing, unsafe just driving behavior is a problem that really afflicts us all in all neighborhoods across the city.

And so this provides a funding path.

It's a complex issue.

We've learned over...

This year, the reason why we need to do a new piece of legislation is because a prior council ordinance a couple years ago was rendered obsolete that authorized speed cameras in certain areas, including Elkhire and Harbor Avenue, was rendered obsolete.

by last year's changes in state law.

So now we got to go back to the drawing boards and do it again.

So we're waiting on expertise, closer expertise from the executive department, in this case SDOT, to craft that legislation, but we'll be prepared to work with them and, you know, do it ourselves if, depending on timing, early next year.

So thank you, Mr. Chair.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Salk and Council Member Morales.

SPEAKER_09

Can I just clarify if this transfer of funds means that there would be a reduction in funding for Safe Routes to School improvements?

SPEAKER_15

It would not reduce the proposed spending.

It reduces a capital reserve that was in the Safe Routes.

SPEAKER_09

Effectively means that projects couldn't get funded because that reserve is diminished.

SPEAKER_15

It does.

It is a direction of money away from the Safe Route to Schools program that supports Safe Route to Schools cameras as well as the capital improvements.

Those dollars have not been programmed in the mayor's proposal.

And with the expansion of the Safe Route to Schools, the school cameras that are proposed, There is additional revenues that are showing up in fund balance, essentially, and being put into reserves there.

So that is what this is using.

SPEAKER_09

Okay.

I'll want to follow up to make sure I'm understanding that better.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Cal.

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

Just to put a finer point on that, we are also expanding our safe routes to school, our school zone cameras.

So there will be more revenue from there, as well as this is a bit of an editorial that Safe Routes to Schools was a way for us to create Vision Zero infrastructure in and around schools before Vision Zero was taken as seriously by SDOT.

What we have seen from SDOT this year is a greater attention and if the levy passes, a greater focus on Vision Zero citywide.

And so I think that there...

When this was all started, there was no way to do Vision Zero.

So safe routes to schools and these cameras was the way to do it.

And thankfully, we've expanded a little bit from there.

But I see I might have gotten something wrong because Calvin's got some more to share.

SPEAKER_15

Nick, just one other complication or point.

nuance to this is that the new state law essentially treats all the camera revenues similarly, so they would all be supportive of other camera programs.

That's not what we have in our law yet, but that is what we would do when we implement the state law, so it is consistent with that model of using camera revenues to support other camera safety auto enforcement programs.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, any last questions, comments?

Seeing none, ticking on to 95.

SPEAKER_15

Item 95 is SDOT 7A1.

It would provide $175,000 in SDOT for additional urban design and pedestrian improvements in Ballard Avenue and the Ballard Brewery District, offered by Councilmember Strauss.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Cal.

Sponsor of the amendment, I am recognized.

And colleagues, I just want to share, I got a laugh out of Councilmember Hollingsworth.

You've been hearing me take this focused look at the Ballard Brewery District with the murals for vibrancy, the OED for the marketing.

And this is an additional part of it, which we have been working to create Ballard Avenue as a people street, a business street, a model.

It took us four years to get it right.

We finally figured it out, it's now set.

There's a little bit of cleanup that we need to do and to connect it to the brewery district.

So that's what this is.

Questions, comments?

If you want to come to Ballard Avenue, we would love, if you have a street in your district that you would like to run this program, I'd love to support you.

With that, moving on to 96.

SPEAKER_15

Item 96 is SDOT 8A1.

This item provides us $1 million of Seattle Transit Measure funds in SDOT for the Transit Ambassadors Program that's run by King County Metro.

It's offered by the Budget Committee.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Cal.

This was actually mine, but I gave it to the Budget Committee as whole because my best guess is folks are supportive.

So if that's not the case, please let me know.

This was an amendment I ran last year to require ambassadors to be on Metro buses that connect to downtown or sound transit stations.

An ambassador is not an operator.

It is a person to help people.

give directions, let kids know that there's a safe person on the bus, pick up the rattling bottle that's at the back of the bus, tell the person to turn down the music or to stop bad negative behavior.

Metro was unable to provide me an update as of writing the budget, which is why I decided to reinstate the proviso.

Questions, comments?

Seeing none, and the reason that I made a budget committee was Council Member Saka and I had long conversations about this as a shared priority and rather than just putting the two of us, we figured it would be across the board.

Moving on to 97.

SPEAKER_15

Item 97 is S.9A1.

It would provide 500,000 of Seattle Transit Measure funds for the waterfront shuttle in downtown for transit service.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

This is Budget Committee.

Council Member Kettle, I probably should have checked with you, but this...

This is called the free waterfront shuttle.

It is just exactly that.

It is free.

It goes to the waterfront and other civic locations in downtown Seattle.

The waterfront is not served by transit in a way that other parts of downtown are, and it is important to be able to connect our beautiful waterfront with Pioneer Square, with Seattle Center Campus, and other downtown stops.

So that is what this funding does.

Colleagues, questions, comments at this time?

Seeing none, let's move on to 98.

SPEAKER_15

Item 98 is S.901A1.

This is an administrative item to recognize the October revenue forecast.

It has no expenditure impacts.

SPEAKER_05

Only revenue impacts.

Moving on to...

Sorry, I'm getting a little funny here at the end of the day.

Item 99...

SPEAKER_15

The next item is related to the Seattle Fire Department.

It is SFD 101A1.

It increases the fire department by 61,000 in 2025 and 2026 for the Southlake Union Public Safety Awareness Program, Mind the Zone Awareness Program.

It's offered by Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04

Council Member Kettle will sponsor the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

You mentioned our shared areas, along with Council Member Saka with the Elliott Bay Sailor Sea, but also Lake Union in our case, along with District 3. We need to have a safe maritime environment, and that's what this is about.

We need to to ensure that we have that public safety afloat.

And particularly with the air traffic coming in and out, you know, de-conflicting with the increased number of people using the lake.

So thank you very much.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Kettle.

And this is, I will state for the record, one of the recommendations from the Waterway Safety Study.

Thank you for bringing this forward, Council Member Kettle.

Colleagues, we're gonna move on to item 100. That means we have 19 items left.

SPEAKER_15

And so next item is moving into the Seattle Public Slough Police Department.

Item 100 is SPD 101A1.

This would proviso SPD's sworn salary benefits and overtime to be restricted only for sworn safety and benefits that pay for SPD's recruits and sworn officers.

It's offered by Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Kettle.

You are recognized as a sponsor of the amendment.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

This is simply a School of Rock good governance piece.

These are some big numbers, and we want to ensure proper oversight and accountability.

And so, yes, I call this my Schoolhouse Rock proviso.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Schoolhouse Rock, how a bill becomes a law.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to 101.

SPEAKER_15

Item 101 is SPD-102A1.

It would increase the police department by one FTE strategic advisor three to oversee participation in the 30 by 30 initiative.

It is offered by Council Member Saka and Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_05

Council Member Saka is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

And I guess first off, I want to thank my esteemed colleague, our esteemed colleague, Council Member Moore, for your partnership in helping to bring this to life and ultimately help strengthen and support our ongoing SPD efforts to transform the culture of policing internally for women.

You know, we can't just be in the business of recruitment and hiring the best officers.

We need to be doing the, I think, arguably harder work or difficult work of making sure they're set up for success once they're in the department and we grow them.

promote them, develop them, and ultimately retain them.

And so this initiative, this funding would assist the department-wide coordination of all the various efforts towards achieving the 30 by 30 goals of hiring, of achieving 30 percent of the sworn force by 2030, and specifically to direct specifically directing the involvement of the Seattle Police Women's Alliance, which is a new organization that was proud to attend their launch event earlier this summer in all their efforts.

So I want to emphasize that we are in complete alignment with the various efforts and initiatives underway under the leadership of Chief Rohrer, but Looking at the media headlines over the past year and listening to women officers directly, it's very clear and abundantly clear, to be honest, that we need to do more and help change and reform the culture of policing.

And this is an ongoing challenge, and there's great work going on currently today in the department, and we want to help support and amplify and uplift that work.

We have all the right partnerships to get it done and to be a model for this strategic initiative in the nation.

So let's go do it.

I will note that this is a strategic advisor three position, which is a very, very senior civilian position, intentionally so, because it helps up level the importance of this initiative.

And and so again just want to want to thank councilmember More for your leadership.

I know like councilmember Morales has been a champion on these issues budget chair Strauss So many people but especially especially including the women of the hard-working women of SPD This is sort of a creature of off-the-cuff, impromptu roll call that I attended last moment with Council President.

We heard some very—we heard the good, the bad, and the ugly, I'll just say.

And so, anyways, I'm glad we're at this point and proud to support it at this stage.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Morris, sponsor of this amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you very much, Chair.

And I wanted to thank Council Member Salka so very much for bringing this forward and continuing to be an active partner on this.

I know we sort of started this work many, many months ago, and I appreciate the fact that you have followed up and continued the outreach with the sort of organic work that's going on at SPD and the 30 by 30. And this is really, truly meant to complement that not to come in and and be directive or squash those internal organic efforts just to really to show our support for the work that needs to be done.

So thank you for bringing this forward.

And I also wanted to make a note that I will be making an additional request in the 30 by 30 childcare was identified as a critical issue I note that they are currently working for a scoping agreement with a child care consultant to bring forth proposals for second quarter 2025. And I want to make sure that there is sufficient funding to make that happen.

So I will be bringing that forth.

And then also wanted to thank...

Chief Rahr for her leadership on this and for getting back to me with answers to my letter that I sent out early in the year on the status of 30 by 30, and I failed to respond quickly, so I want to use this opportunity to say thank you very much.

I was very impressed with all the work that's going on, and this is just a way to acknowledge and continue to support that work.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Well said, Council Member Moore.

Council Member Kittle?

SPEAKER_04

Yes, thank you, Chair Strauss.

I wanted to thank my colleagues, Council Member Moore and Council Member Saka, on this.

Clearly, this is important to the Public Safety Committee, so as Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I express my support.

And we were to have an update on September 24th, but there's different actions going on with 30 by 30 over the course of the fall, so it made sense to delay that so that could be incorporated in an agenda item on a future committee meeting, which we'll do once we get back into Public Safety Committee work.

And so again, just wanted to thank all those involved to include Interim Chief Rohrer and the work that she and the SPD team is doing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Vice Chair Rivera?

SPEAKER_03

I just wanted to thank Council Member Moore and Council Member Saka for bringing this forward.

Although I don't sit on the Public Safety Committee, I often attend and I have been on the record as supporting the 30 by 30 initiative and have attended meetings.

on this as well, so want to thank Chief Rahr for her leadership on that as well, and not just Chief Rahr, but there are various folks and women over at SPD who are championing this effort that I know I've met with and I've participated on the luncheon with, et cetera, and so I want to really give them recognition and just reiterate my support.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Colleagues, other questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's move on to item 102.

SPEAKER_15

The next two items are related.

SPD 103A1 would increase two parking enforcement officer supervisor positions for PEO officer training.

And the next item, SPD 103SA1, is a statement of legislative intent requesting that SPD report on the parking enforcement officer hiring process.

These are offered by the Budget Committee.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

This was something that I heard broad support from colleagues either on the dais or in our one-on-one meetings, which is why they're subject as budget committee.

So thank you for your council-wide support.

I see Council Member Kettle and then Vice Chair Rivera would like to comment.

No.

Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

As chair of the Public Safety Committee, I just wanted to speak to this.

My team is reaching out.

I've been to all five precincts.

I also want to meet with the parking enforcement office effort and the team to show our support.

And this is also part of the frustration which happened in years past when the parking enforcement was taken out of SBD and put in SDOT, which was a mistake and during that time the budget process was not kind to parking enforcement so to unit and so looking to and then you know fix that wrong basically so looking forward to working with SPD on parking enforcement to ensure that we're covered in this area thank you well said colleagues any other questions comments on this one it's moving on to item 104

SPEAKER_15

Item 104 is SPD 105A1.

It would increase SPD by 10 million of general fund in 2026 for overtime.

It's offered by Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_05

And while we do this, can we also do item 107 since they are interlinked?

SPEAKER_15

Item 107 is SPD 904A1.

It decreases SPD by 6.5 million in 2025 and 6.5 million in 2026 to adjust sworn salary savings or excuse me, sworn salary funding.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

And this is the item 107 is what creates item 104. Is this correct?

SPEAKER_02

It's correct.

It's consistent with the analysis that Greg Goss provided indicating that the The base budget for SPD was in some sense over budgeted for 6.5 million a year given the staffing levels, but that they had been neglected to provide funding, sufficient funding for overtime in 2026. So the two transactions together appropriately fund SPD given reasonable forecasts of staffing levels and a reasonable expectation about overtime use.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Just because it is an item of high scrutiny, I would like to, in item 107, the description is that the funding is repurposed for other council needs.

I would like reference to the other council need of 104, which is the overtime, if we can work on that offline.

SPEAKER_02

We can provide that clarification in an updated version.

SPEAKER_05

Fantastic.

Thank you.

Council Member Kettle will sponsor the amendment and then budget committee doing the administrative stuff.

You're right.

SPEAKER_04

Yes, as sponsor and as chair of the Public Safety Committee, this is another opportunity to thank central staff and specifically Mr. Doss for his eagle eye.

And, you know, I kind of view this as a technical fix.

It's a big technical fix, but it's a technical fix.

And I really appreciate the work central staff does.

So thank you very much.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Kettle.

Colleagues, other questions, comments?

Seeing none, moving on to Item 105.

SPEAKER_15

Item 105 is SPD-106A1.

It increases SPD by 200,000 in 2025 and 16,000 in 2026 to expand the closed-circuit television pilot on Aurora.

It's offered by Council Member Moore.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Moore has sponsored the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_08

Thank you.

This is pretty self-explanatory.

We're just trying to cover the entire Aurora corridor, and that's, I'm not entirely sure why it wasn't initially done that way, but we're filling in the gaps.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Moore.

Questions, comments from the colleagues?

SPEAKER_04

Council Member Kettle.

Again, Chair Strauss, we're in the SBD section right now.

So I just wanted to say I support this.

It lines up with the legislation that we passed earlier this year.

And I recognize that there will be other areas as well.

And that's something that we can look at as we move forward.

But on this one, I appreciate Council Member Moore's work to basically align it with the intent of the underlining legislation.

SPEAKER_05

Fantastic.

Thank you, Council Member Kettle.

Colleagues?

Seeing none, let's move on to item 106.

SPEAKER_15

Item 106 is SPD-108-SA1.

It is a SLEI requesting that SPD provide quarterly reports on staffing, overtime, finances, and performance metrics offered by the Budget Committee.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, I made this as a budget committee as the outcome of the conversation regarding overtime, which we had here at committee.

So colleagues, if we have inadvertently left your question out, please do let us know and we will make that adjustment.

Let's move on to questions, comments.

Council Member Kettle, new hand, old hand.

Old hand.

Let's keep moving on.

Item 108.

SPEAKER_15

The next section is related to Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Item 108 is SPR 2A1.

It increases SPR by 1.5 million of REIT funds to convert the softball infield at Garfield Playfield from grass to turf.

SPEAKER_05

It's offered by Council Member Hollingsworth.

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This is a project that's near and dear to my heart.

Obviously, we heard some of the softball teams come and talk about how they get rained out more than the boys.

At this particular field, we have the boys softball field, or excuse me, boys baseball field that is turfed, and this will be able to have a match for the girls softball team in conjunction with, can I just start on 109 as well, since it kind of blends in?

Is that okay?

Awesome.

This also is connected to the Garfield Superblock.

This is additional funding, the gap funding for them to be able to complete this project.

And I also want to thank Council Member Morales, Council President Nelson, and Council Chair Strauss also for your support on the Garfield Superblock in previous years.

This is the ending to get it over the finish line, complete team effort.

So thank you.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

You and Cal, if you want to read 109 into the record, please do.

SPEAKER_15

109 is SPR 3A1.

It increases parks by $775,000 of Metropolitan Parks District funds for the capital costs and community staffing costs related to the Garfield Superblock Park project.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, questions, comments on either of these?

Seeing none, let's move on to 110.

SPEAKER_15

Item 110 is SPR 4A1.

It increases parks by 1.5 million of REIT to convert the baseball infield at Fairmont Park from grass to turf offered by Council Member Saka.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Saka.

Sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So first off, a friendly minor wording thing there.

That specific field is both a softball and baseball infield, which really ultimately gets to the heart of what we're doing here.

Wow.

and the rationale in terms of better addressing the gender disparity and access to softball, baseball fields, Title IX implications, gender equity, any number of valid reasons.

But I... Firmly believe that every child in our city should have access to safe, year-round playfields.

And my district is home to many families who have their kids in various softball and little league, community recreational baseball, softball teams, select teams.

And so a lot of people can benefit from this.

People have been clamoring for this across District 1, from players to coaches to parents to grandparents and spectators.

And my district is also, I should note, number two out of the seven geographic council districts, number two in terms of the number of U under 18 youth.

So this is a really important, critically needed investment to help you know, better support youth and sports.

And I'm glad that our parks department, they use a terrific cork-based, eco-friendly, and environmentally safe turf fields to address the issues of equity and equal access.

And I look forward to continuing to fund and work with parks to ensure that all our children across this terrific city have access to the state-of-the-art fields.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Saka.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's move on to item 111.

SPEAKER_15

Item 111 is SPR 5A1.

It increases parks by $150,000 of unrestricted cumulative reserve fund to help develop a proposal for a future portal park.

It's offered by Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_05

Council Member Kettle, as sponsor of the amendment, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

I want to thank SPR, Seattle Parks and Recreation for their support, but also the community, Belltown United, Belltown Community Council.

This is important.

Belltown does not have a park.

It does not have a green space.

And this is a necessary first step.

This is the area, as you know, where the...

The viaduct went into the tunnel from the old days, and it really needs to be brought back as a jewel.

And it's really important in terms of, you know, the idea of the market to the MOHAI or the waterfront to Seattle Center.

It's in this crossroads area, and we need this area in addition to the community having a need for a park, but to have for the city overall.

And so I want to thank everybody involved to really get this to the starting line and fire the gun and get the race started to create Portal Park.

A great location, by the way, for World Cup 26. Just want to add that to him.

SPEAKER_05

Put a soccer pitch in there, a football pitch in there.

Moving on.

Questions, comments, colleagues?

Seeing none, let's move on to one.

Item 112.

SPEAKER_15

Item 112 is SPR 6A1.

It increases parks funding by 186,000 parks and recreational fund in 2025 and in 2026 and adds 1.34 FTE laborers to restore two part-time ground maintenance positions.

It's offered by Council Member Hollingsworth.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you also for your support on this.

This is just restoring funding for two part-time maintenance crews.

I think we can all agree that we really need maintenance in our city and they are the lifeblood and heartbeat to continue to manicure our parks and keep them safe, clean, and accessible for all.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to 113.

SPEAKER_15

Item 113 is SPR 7A1.

It increases parks by 700,000 in 2026 for graffiti abatement services performed by a community-based organization.

It's offered by Councilmember Nelson.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council President Nelson.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_06

Thank you very much.

This is simply, and this extends the same sort of terms to Uplift Northwest that they have right now.

They are funded through mid-2025, and because graffiti shows no sign of letting up anytime soon, and this is a very common complaint that I hear from constituents and also contributes to a deterioration of livability in our city, I am proposing to extend that contract through the end of the biennium.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council President.

And I heard wide support across the council for this item.

Colleagues, any questions, comments?

SPEAKER_04

councilmember kettle chair i i just want to thank um council president nelson for putting this in important pillar pillar four of the strategic framework plan uh we have to hit a graffiti so i just want to thank you uh council president for this Thank you.

Council President?

SPEAKER_06

This does not represent all of what we spend in graffiti abatement, of course.

It's one tiny slice.

But I neglected to note that Uplift Northwest is also a job creation organization.

They provide job skills and job placement.

And so this is not only doing something for the collective, it's also doing something for the individuals that are served by Uplift Northwest.

SPEAKER_05

Fantastic.

Thank you.

Colleagues, seeing no further comments, let's tick on to 114.

SPEAKER_15

Item 114 is SPR 8A1.

This would add a proviso on Parks' public restroom renovation CIP project, provisoing $25,000 for painting the bathroom at Cal Anderson Park.

It's offered by Councilmember Hollingsworth.

SPEAKER_05

Councilmember Hollingsworth is sponsoring the amendment.

Please, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you, Miss.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

Go ahead.

I didn't mean to cut you off.

Let's do it one by one.

I was going to say do them all at once, but they're all very different.

So let's do them one by one.

SPEAKER_01

Awesome.

Yes.

This request is for just a mural along the...

Sorry, the mural along Cal Anderson Park, the restrooms.

It's very similar to what we have in the South End, to Be'er Sheva.

It's a way to create a form of graffiti, you know, deterring graffiti.

If you have beautiful artwork, people won't graffiti it.

So this is...

dedicated towards that.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Councilmember Hollingsworth.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick into 115.

SPEAKER_15

Item 115 is SPR 9A1.

It is a proviso on $20,000 in Parks' major maintenance and asset management CIP project, and it would support improvements at First Hill Park offered by Councilmember Hollingsworth.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth is sponsoring the amendment.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

These will go towards improvements.

First Hill Park, it butts up against District 7 next to Freeway Park.

They're just experiencing some public safety issues, and this will help with restoring some of the ground maintenance and also plumbing and all the good stuff to continue the park to be healthy as that neighborhood.

It's their only pocket park.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Hollingsworth.

Colleagues, questions, comments?

Seeing none, let's tick on to 116.

SPEAKER_15

Item 116 is SBR 10A1.

It increases Parks' budget by $100,000 of Metropolitan Park District funds in 2025 and again in 2026 to support food at late night programming for teens.

It's offered by Council Member Hollingsworth.

SPEAKER_05

Council Member Hollingsworth, queen of food.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think you just want to say I like to eat, and that's fine.

SPEAKER_05

You like people to be fed.

Sorry to interrupt you now, but you like people to be fed because fed bodies make smart decisions.

SPEAKER_01

And I just want to say it decreases 30% of gun violence when neighborhoods are fed.

So I just wanted to throw that out there.

Anyhoo, so this would go.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for that comment.

FOR THAT COMMENT.

THERE ARE A TON OF LATE NIGHT ACTIVITIES THAT GO ON IN OUR DISTRICT FROM SEATTLE PARKS DEPARTMENT LATE NIGHT.

THEY'RE ALL THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

THIS WOULD ALLOCATE FUNDING SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO OFFER FOOD TO ATTRACT KIDS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THOSE AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

KIDS WILL BE ABLE TO GET FED Kids do not have enough to eat, particularly over the weekends, the three square meals.

And so this will provide food when they do late night on Fridays and Saturdays.

So they'll be well fed throughout the weekend during these programs.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Hollingsworth, colleagues, questions, comments?

Not seeing any.

Let's move on to 117.

SPEAKER_15

Item 117 is SPR 11A1.

It would increase parks by 500,000 of REIT in 2025 for the planning and design of accessibility improvements to the Museum of History and Industry.

It's offered by Council Member Kettle.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

Council Member Kettle, as sponsor of the amendment and former naval officer speaking about the formal Naval Reserve building, you are recognized.

SPEAKER_04

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair Strauss.

I love the tie-in to South Lake Union, to Lake Union itself, and the Mohi and its history.

I just mentioned Market to Mohi.

Mohi is yet another jewel for the city, and it's part of the overall effort that we're doing with South Lake Union Park.

I wanted to thank for their work related to the Canoe Carving Center.

The team has been fantastic working with us.

And regarding the Mohi, this is to kick-start an overall effort IMPROVEMENT OF THE MOHAI BUILDING.

AS YOU NOTED, IT'S AN HISTORIC BUILDING.

IT HAS ITS AGE ISSUES.

AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS AS IT REALLY LOOKS TO HIGHLIGHT SUCH A KEY FEATURE OF SOUTH LAKE UNION PARK.

THANK YOU.

SPEAKER_05

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE.

COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?

SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE FINAL PARKS ITEM.

BUT THEN I WILL HAVE, THERE'S ONE THAT I, A PARKS ITEM I DIDN'T SEE ON HERE THAT I THOUGHT WAS INCLUDED.

SO I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AT THE END.

SPEAKER_15

Item 118 is SPR 12A1.

This would be a proviso on $75,000 within Parks' major maintenance and asset management CIP project to fund improvements at Marvin's Gardens Park and Bergen Place.

It's offered by Council Member Strauss.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you.

As sponsor of the amendment, I'm recognized that...

Bergen Place is the sister city park with our sister city Bergen, Norway.

The King of His Majesty, King Harald of Norway has come both times to dedicate the mural that's in this park.

This park, as well as Marvin's Gardens, which was Ballard City Hall until we were forcibly annexed May 29th, 1907, was our city hall.

There has been vandalism to both parks and there's been deferred maintenance for both parks.

Both parks could fit in the size of this room together.

So that's what this is, maintaining our relationship with our sister cities and maintaining our public space.

Questions, comments?

Seeing none.

To Director and Deputy Director, I believe that we had an amendment to restore two of the maintenance positions in the Parks Department.

SPEAKER_10

Yeah, we did that one.

SPEAKER_05

We covered that one.

We did that one.

Thank you.

Just double checking.

Thank you.

Let's move.

Item 112, if it matters.

Oh, man.

This day, it's ticking, isn't it?

There it is.

Clear as day.

Moving on to item 119, moving into Seattle Public Utilities, our last item for the day.

SPEAKER_15

The last item 119 is SPU 5A1.

It increases SPUs by 150,000 of solid waste fund in 2025 and again in 2026 for textile waste prevention by organizations supporting refugee and immigrant women offered by Council Member Wu.

SPEAKER_05

Council Member Wu is sponsor of the amendment.

You are recognized.

SPEAKER_11

Thank you.

The CBA dedicates funding for workforce development for refugee and immigrant women, leveraging skills to upcycle, which means the creative reuse of hard-to-recycle waste.

The funding will be used to support the Refugee Artisan Initiative that supports refugee and immigrant women in overcoming barriers to employment and diverts waste from Seattle's waste disposal system.

We're grateful that Chair Strauss included this item in our balancing package.

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05

Nice change of words.

Our balancing package, colleagues.

This is our package together.

With that, that concludes the run-through.

Director, Deputy Director, anything else to say on this entire process?

Council President, we'll get to you in just a minute.

SPEAKER_02

We've been through all of your amendments and we gave that overview at the beginning, so I'm happy to answer questions, but otherwise I think we're...

This is all we had for you.

SPEAKER_05

Fantastic.

Colleagues, the experience that you just had is what central staff and myself have done one to three times per day every day for the last week.

I am going to assert a point of personal privilege that I have the comp plan open house for my district starting in 70 minutes.

So I'm going to limit our conversation for nine minutes if we do have continued conversation because...

OPCD apparently can't check the budget calendar.

Council President.

SPEAKER_06

Thank you very much, Chair, for your very hard work on this, and thank you very much, central staff.

It's a lot to take in, and we'll be working really hard as the Friday deadline approaches.

I am a little nervous because this budget includes elements of forecast risk and future unsustainability.

It depends on using payroll expense tax revenues totaling $406 million in 2024, $440 million in 2025, and $466 million in 2026, while our most recent collection of the tax was $315 million in 2023. And the higher level of revenues appears to rely on strong performance of the tech sector stocks, which is not guaranteed, as has been said many times in the past, to continue in the future.

And further, the budget projects a deficit of $100 million starting in 2027, which is up from $76 million in the mayor's proposed budget.

Though given relatively slow performance in building permitting, it's unclear if there's a large chance of upside revenue growth in the base general fund revenues.

Just for comparison, from 2010 to 2019, when development and construction were rapid, we could grow out of a small deficit.

While there are always reasons for optimism about the future, it's less likely that we'll see the rise in revenue growth rates of the last decade that would be necessary to grow out of this deficit.

But if all projections come to pass, this budget will require some combination of actions in 2027 to bring the fund into balance.

And that'll be, you know, we're just so we need to be ready for that work.

And what I'm just seeing here is that since we got the projection, the latest, the October revenue projections, we have a net revenue reduction of $10 million and an increase in spending of $15 million here.

And we're able to do that because we're drawing down our PET reserves to I think about $6 million.

So I just wanted to say on the record that that is concerning to me.

And I tried to have most of my amendments that I submitted, except for the Seattle Channel and the graffiti abatement, I tried to balance those going in using existing funds.

hopefully we'll be able to have a bunch of amendments that will put us into a position where I feel a little bit stronger about not kicking the can too far down the road and having bigger problems in 2027.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council President, for summarizing the information that I have requested to be presented numerous times over the last year, including as recently as last week, and summarizing some of the comments that I made opening this up, which is that after we can't get ourselves out of a structural deficit that was created over a decade in a single year.

And so message, I join you in the message that there's more work to do, and I'm going to do it.

Encourage you to join along with us councilmember Rivera councilmember soccer councilmember Morales and we have six minutes remaining in committee We're already a half an hour over.

SPEAKER_03

I will be brief chair chair Thank you for putting together this package and I want to thank director noble and his central staff, too I want you all to know that I recognize all the work that has gone into your delivery of this package to us yesterday evening and I want to echo the sentiments of Council President.

This is a lot to take in.

Having just said, received it yesterday, I will say that I, too, have some concerns.

Really, I have concerns about Council as a body contributing to an even bigger budget deficit situation.

in 20 starting in 2027 I recognize that there are 15 million dollars worth of ads that have not been offset by reductions I look forward to working with you chair and with my colleagues here on the council all of you together to see what we can do to in the next few days between now and the time that we would approve this package to figure out ways that we can perhaps offset some of this 15 million because I don't know about you all but I made a commitment when I started here in January that I would work really hard not to further continue to the deficit and so I know that my commitment is to try to do what I can between now and the time that we need to past this package to see what, if anything, we can do to really, and I know we can.

I shouldn't say what can we do, but let us do some more hard work together to try to offset some of these additions so we are not creating a bigger deficit than what was sent to us when we first started this process weeks ago.

I'm in the interest of being brief.

I'll just say that I really look forward to working with all of you in the next few days.

Thank you, Chair.

Council Member Sacco.

SPEAKER_13

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I guess first off, friendly amendment to a comment you made earlier this morning about, you know, the launch of a new women's semi-professional soccer team up north.

They are not the only new soccer team in the city, semi-pro women's.

And so when we say that team, let us also say the name of the West Seattle Roadies FC, who are also launching in...

Launching next year.

So another great sport opportunity throughout our city just to celebrate.

I guess also want to, on another note, want to thank you, Mr. Chair, for your stewardship and leadership in getting us this far.

Plenty more work to do, obviously, but, you know, appreciate your leadership.

And importantly, also want to highlight and thank the central staff for your hard work in getting us here.

PULLING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER AND WORKING WITH NINE SEPARATELY ELECTEDS AND THE BUDGET CHAIR AND COORDINATING WITH EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND WHATEVER ELSE IS A LOT, BUT I RECOGNIZE YOUR HARD WORK AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY SO FAR AND IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.

FINALLY, I'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO NOTE THAT Laila Ghasar from my office.

This is their last day in my office, sadly.

And they are off to greener pastures for them, less so for my office and selfishly our entire legislative department, but it's an aside.

But I just want to...

So, Laila...

is going to be starting a new role with an HSD next week.

And, you know, proud of that.

But I want to thank Layla for their hard work and many selfless contributions and sacrifices for my office, for the benefit of the people of District 1 and everyone across Seattle.

And Layla's hard work hard work and service.

Before joining my office earlier this year, Layla worked for, I guess, almost two years at former Council President Warris' office.

And so a couple great years of service to the city so far.

And although, on the one hand, I'm sad to see them go, I'm happy that they're going to stay near and dear in the city.

And so we'll know how to get a hold of Layla.

But, Layla, thank you for all you do.

And— And yeah, much appreciated.

So thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Council Member Stockett.

Council Member Morales.

SPEAKER_09

Thank you.

I will try to make this very quick.

I do want to appreciate the restoration of some vital services in the chair's package.

I too am concerned about where we are right now.

I really do appreciate the chair acknowledging that there is a lot more work to do to address the structural problem that we have.

This week, we got a letter from the chamber, and they referenced a report called Mind the Gap, Measuring the Accuracy of Spending Projections from the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, where they referenced some statistics about Seattle, including that Seattle's adopted budgets were on average 14% off from actual spending.

The Chamber's letter would lead you to believe that we are overspending, but the further analysis that was actually done in this report, and I spoke to them today, is that for every year for the last 20 years, our spending was actually below our adopted budget and our final budget, which speaks to the problem.

We have a lot of perception about what's happening in our budget, and yet every year we know that we are overspending.

having to find different ways to pay for the things that we have in the city.

So I have asked central staff to investigate a couple of revenue options that would allow us to diversify our revenue options at the same time that we acknowledge the volatility of the payroll expense tax.

And so I know a couple of colleagues have contemplated some other revenue options.

And I'm just hoping that there is enough shared interest to move an amendment forward so that we can at least have the conversation when we're discussing budget amendments in a couple of weeks.

Thank you, Chair.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

Colleagues, seeing no further comments, I'm just going to thank Layla for their service to the Seattle City Council under multiple elected officials.

Colleagues, if you had the pound cake that was in the shared kitchen yesterday, I want to thank Ruth Allen for the pound cake.

I am five pounds heavier.

And yes, Council Member Saka, West Seattle Roadies, great program.

They just weren't announced in the last eight days, which makes...

Salmon Bay FC, the newest.

But we're splitting hairs.

Love you all.

We're two minutes over, the 30 minutes over.

If you'd like to come learn about the comp plan, we're meeting at the Nordic Museum at 5.30.

With that, the next, we've reached the end of today's meeting agenda.

The next select budget committee will be again on Tuesday, November 12th at 5 p.m., where we will hold our second budget hearing.

Amendments are due hard stop, noon, Friday, two sponsors, revenue source, and one sentence description.

Members of the public may continue to submit written public comment at council.seattle.gov.

Colleagues, any further business come before the Select Budget Committee before we adjourn?

Seeing none, we are now adjourned.

Thank you.

It is 4.32 p.m.