Seattle City Council 7/13/2020

And I'm starting the recording.

And you can go.

Thank you so much.

The July 13, 2020 meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.

It is 2.01 PM.

I'm Lorena Gonzalez, president of the council.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Member Juarez?

Here.

Council Member Lewis?

Present.

Council Member Morales?

Council Member Mosqueda?

Here.

Council Member Peterson.

Here.

Council Member Sawant.

Here.

Council Member Strauss.

Present.

Council Member Herbold.

Here.

Council President Gonzalez.

Here.

Eight present.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Council members, the City Council rules are silent on allowing remote meetings and electronic participation at City Council and committee meetings.

The City Council anticipates continuing this practice through August 1st, 2020, and to allow the Council to conduct business remotely, the Council rules will need to be suspended.

If there is no objection, the Council rules will be suspended to allow Council members to hold remote meetings and to participate electronically at City Council and committee meetings through August 1st, 2020. Hearing no objection, the council rules are suspended and the council will hold remote meetings and participate electronically through August 1st of 2020. Presentations, I'm not aware of any presentations, so we will go ahead and move to the approval of the minutes.

The minutes of the city council meeting of June 29th and July 6th, 2020 have been reviewed.

If there is no objection, the minutes will be signed.

hearing no objection, the minutes are being signed.

I'd ask that the clerk please affix my signature to the minutes.

I am now going to move to adopt the proposed introduction and referral calendar.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second.

Thank you so much.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the proposed introduction and referral calendar.

I understand actually there is a need to make a motion here to make a slight modification to the introduction referral calendar.

So council members resolution 31957 is included on the introduction and referral calendar and is a direct result of the passage of council bill 119811. which is the high-level spending plan for Jump Start Seattle.

The bill, as originally introduced, had five council members as sponsors, and we wanted to provide an opportunity to add sponsors to this resolution, which is the proposed spending plan in detail.

So I will move to amend the introduction and referral calendar to add council members as sponsors to Resolution 31957, and we'll need a second for that motion.

I move to approve the resolution.

second.

the list of sponsors for that particular resolution.

So everybody will be called on with the exception of Councilmember Mosqueda because she is a primary sponsor of the resolution.

And Councilmembers, when your name is called, you can indicate whether you want to be listed as a sponsor to that resolution by saying aye or no.

So will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilmember Juarez?

Aye.

Councilmember Lewis?

Aye.

Council Member Peterson.

No.

Council Member Sawant.

Aye.

Council Member Strauss.

Aye.

Council Member Herbold.

Aye.

Council President Gonzalez.

Aye.

Okay, so I have eight, no, I'm sorry, seven council members have been indicated to be added as sponsors.

Are there any additional comments on the amendment to the introduction referral calendar before we call the roll?

Okay, seeing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the amendment?

Torres?

Aye.

Lewis?

Aye.

Morales?

Mosqueda?

Aye.

Peterson?

Aye.

DeWant?

Aye.

Strauss?

Aye.

Herbold?

Aye.

President Gonzalez?

Can I ask if you could call on Council Member Morales again on the adoption of the amendment?

Council Member Morales.

Hi, sorry, here I am, yes.

Thank you.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you so much.

The motion carries and the amended introduction referral calendar is adopted.

If there is no objection, the agenda will be adopted.

I want to thank everyone for their ongoing patience as we We are always looking for ways to fine tune this process.

and adding new features that allow for additional means of public participation in our council meetings.

It does remain our strong intent to have public comment regularly included on meeting agendas.

However, the city council reserves the right to end or eliminate these public comment periods at any point if we deem that the system is being abused or is no longer suitable for allowing our meetings to be conducted efficiently and in a manner in which we are able to conduct our necessary business.

I will moderate today's public comment period and will do so in the following manner.

Public comment period for this meeting is set to be 20 minutes and each speaker will be given two minutes to speak.

I'll call on each speaker by name and in the order in which they registered on the council's website.

If you have not yet registered to speak but would like to, you can sign up before the end of public comment by going to the council's website at Seattle.gov forward slash council, that's C-O-U-N-C-I-L.

The public comment link is also listed on today's agenda.

Once I call a speaker's name, staff will unmute the appropriate microphone and an automatic prompt of you have been unmuted will be the speaker's cue that it is their turn to speak.

I'd ask that you please begin your comments by stating your name and the item that you are addressing.

As a reminder, public comment should relate to an item on today's agenda, the introduction and referral calendar, or the council's 2020 work program.

Speakers will hear a chime when 10 seconds are left of the allotted time.

Once you hear that chime, I'd ask that you please begin to wrap up your comments so we can call on other speakers who have also signed up to speak to us today.

Once you've completed your public comment, we ask that you please disconnect from the line.

And if you plan to continue following this meeting, please do so via Seattle channel or listening options listed on the agenda.

So we'll now go ahead and open up the remote public comment period.

And we'll begin with the first speaker on the list.

Sorry about that.

We'll begin with the first speaker, who is, give me just a moment here, Jazlyn Huerta, followed by McKenna Lux.

Hello, I'm Jazlyn Huerta.

I live in District 3. I'm calling to thank Morales, Sawant, Mosquera, Gonzalez, Herboldt, Lewis, and yes, even Strauss for listening to their constituents.

and committing to defund the SPD budget by at least 50 percent.

I commend all of you for fighting for a justice system that works for all of us and towards a better Seattle.

To my representative Swann I want to thank you for your leadership.

I'm overjoyed with the work you've done and continue to do and I'm so excited to vote for you again.

That being said I'd like to call on Council Members Peterson and Juarez to meet with their constituents in person with masks to discuss defending the SPD defunding the SPD.

Your constituents have taken to the streets to let you know how they feel, and yet you haven't met with them.

You have a responsibility to listen to and represent your districts.

Thank you for this opportunity to speak.

I yield my time.

Thank you so much for calling in today.

Next person is McKenna Lux, followed by Elena Perez.

Hello, my name is McKenna Lux.

I'm the policy manager at the Council on American Islamic Relations, Washington State.

I'm calling today in support of Resolution 31955, reaffirming the city's support for unbanked money transfer operators and the immigrant communities they serve.

Supporting the right to be banked is an important step in progressing economic justice and financial inclusion for immigrant communities.

The inability to secure bank accounts is detrimental to business operations and has caused money transfer operators to either shut down their businesses or take on the risk of being robbed or assaulted, as we have unfortunately seen here in King County.

These unbanked businesses have faced even greater financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they have been unable to apply for much-needed relief that is largely administered through banks.

Affirming our support for the Wright C. Bank is a significant step toward economic justice for these communities.

CARE Washington is grateful for the Council's consideration, and I urge you to vote yes on today's resolution.

Thank you.

Thank you for calling in today.

Next up is Elena Perez, followed by Karen Turing.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Council Members.

My name is Elena Perez with Puget Sound SAGE and South Core Coalition, speaking in support of community-driven solutions.

We ask that you approve Resolution 31955 to support unbanked operators filling a critical need for local immigrant communities to send money home to their families.

This resolution highlights how systems and institutions that are designed to serve many of us do not serve all of us.

As we work on mitigating unintended impacts, we must also make serious investments in community-driven solutions for a future rooted in racial equity and community self-determination.

The Equitable Development Initiative and Green New Deal are racial justice values-driven solutions by and for BIPOC and immigrant communities.

We urge council members to support Council Member Morales' amendment to dedicate 10% to the EDI and 10% to Green New Deal and Jumpstart Spending Plan.

This is what accountability to community looks like.

This is how you invest in our communities.

If you are committed to racial equity and to creating a healthy and resilient Seattle, you must invest fully in EDI and Green New Deal now.

I'd like to thank council members Mosqueda, Morales, and Suwan for drafting and strengthening Jumpstart Spending Plan.

And on behalf of our partners who include African Diaspora of Washington State, Africatown Community Land Trust, Al-Noor Islamic Center of Washington.

Bethany United Church of Christ.

Black Community Impact Alliance.

Central Area Collaborative.

Cham Refugee Community.

Colam Pagoda.

East African Community Services.

Filipino Community of Seattle.

Got Green.

Horn of Africa Services.

Lake City Collective.

LGBTQ Allyship.

Interim Community Development Association.

Multicultural Community Coalition.

Na'a Mahi Fund.

One America, Race and Social Equity Task Force, Rainier Beach Action Coalition, Somali Community Services of Seattle and Somali Health Board.

Thank you.

Thank you for calling in today.

Next up is Karen followed by Roble Muse.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Karen Toring and I live in District 2. And I would like to just second everything that the previous speaker said.

But what I also want to say is that the other day Chief Best asked how can seven people make decisions for all of Seattle.

And I was thinking well that's like third grade social studies.

That's representative government.

And with the passage of the Jump Start program And with the intent to defund Seattle Police Department by 50%, I want to let the council know that you do represent me and that is what you should be doing.

I fully support it and thank you for doing so.

I'd also like to speak in support of funding for our economic development initiative.

And I'm really hoping that you fund it at the full 10%.

And here's why.

because the staff of the Economic Development Initiative are everything that the community wants in government.

They're smart, they're deeply engaged in the community, and they have the lived experience to navigate systems in the best interest of our community.

I believe that this money is well invested, and I support the full percent for the Economic Development Initiative.

Thank you.

Thank you for calling in today.

Next up is Roble followed by Abdi Fayouk.

Honorable council members, this is Roble Musse speaking on financial inclusion resolution.

I am the founder of the Right to Be Bank campaign, which is seeking to pass a financial inclusion law in Washington state.

In 2018, I had to shut down my remittance business that was based in Seattle because banks refused to open an account for me.

These same banks, however, were serving my competitor, Remitly, which is started by a white founder.

I soon learned that I was not the only one being denied an account.

After 19 years of de-risking, the data is clear.

Money transmitters owned by entrepreneurs of color, immigrants, and Muslims have been redlined, while large corporate players like Western Union, which habitually violate anti-money laundering rules, continue to be banked.

Western Union recently paid half a billion dollars in fines for knowingly breaking anti-money laundering rules, but banks seem to be comfortable managing that risk.

Bank de-risking has also caused a public safety crisis for immigrant communities in Seattle.

Community members have also informed us that DACA recipients and religious institutions like mosques also face discrimination by local banks.

By passing this resolution, which calls on the Washington State Legislature to promote financial inclusion, the Seattle City Council will send a strong message that it is committed to breaking down the institutional barriers that prevent residents of color from getting equal access to economic opportunities.

I would like to thank Council Member Morales for sponsoring this resolution, and Council Members Sawant and Herbold for their support.

And I look forward to all of you supporting this resolution.

Thank you.

I return my time.

Thank you for calling in.

Next up is Abdi, followed by Emily Merrill.

Good afternoon, Seattle City Council.

My name is Abdi Fayoki.

I'm a long-term resident of Seattle District No. 2. I'm calling about supporting Resolution 31955 on bank money transfer operators.

I just want to say that I was an owner of a money transfer business, and I was forced to shut down my business because of the fine you risked.

I was very surprised when this happened to me, because I was able to secure all the necessary licenses to operate my business legally through Washington State Department of Financial Institutions and U.S.

Treasury Department.

I just want to let you know that I was wiped out financially and I'm still in debt because of my business shutting down when I have all the legal papers to operate legally.

I believe we should all have the right to be banked if we have the necessary and all the required licenses.

I just want to finish my comments that As an emerging community of color that lived here for the last 20-plus years, we kept hearing equity and social justice.

I think it's about time that we have seen real equality in terms of closing the gap financially.

I thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak.

Thank you, Avdi, for calling in today.

Next up is Emily, followed by Aspen Blaine.

Hi, my name is Emily Merrill.

I'm a District 5 voter.

I put in an incorrect content summary because I read the wrong agenda, and I mixed up kinds of taxes.

But when the capital gains tax does come up, please do vote for it.

Having read today's agenda, I would like to speak in favor of the resolution in favor of providing, basically, of allowing financial services to be provided to immigrants or unbanked persons.

While resolutions have changed much, They can at least provide important statements of our values, and access to economic services are central to survival in the modern world.

I do have a further comment right now.

I don't believe it's on the agenda today.

I wanted to say that I'm glad to hear the announcement of a super majority of the council will support defunding the SPD.

I know there's a backlash coming.

We can't make significant change to power without it.

I'm asking you to hold the line, remembering that we have held the line in the streets for this long month and a half.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for calling in, Emily.

Next up is Aspen, followed by Abdul Hakeem Hashi.

Hello, my name is Aspen.

I both work and own a business in District 5. I wanted to call today to urge Council Member Juarez to join her peers in committing to defund SPD by a minimum of 50%.

I did see some tweets on her page that were vaguely supporting defunding, but also noticed that she's not yet committed to joining her colleagues in this issue.

Honestly, there's nothing more disappointing to me than seeing my own council representative be on the wrong side of this moment.

Please reconsider your position in this issue, Ms. Juarez.

We've seen that our mayor doesn't support us, those of us on the streets working to make this happen every day.

So we really need your support and the support of the council instead.

Thank you.

Thank you for calling in today.

Next up is Abdul Hakeem, followed by Frank Rizzo.

My name is Abdul Hakeem Hashi.

I am the owner of Hashi Money Wiring.

I'm a long-time, 20-year resident of the city of Seattle, 9456 13th Avenue.

It is Roxbury and 13 in Southwest.

I'm the owner of the business.

My bank account was closed in 2016, and since then I don't have any bank account.

I cannot bank anywhere.

I have been robbed twice with a gun, because there are criminal gangs who know that we have some cash in the office, and that's why I have been robbed twice.

I am asking the council to at least to pass this resolution.

because of the problem we are facing.

For COVID-19, I applied for the PPP because I have three employees.

I have been rejected.

Why?

Because I don't have a bank account under the business name.

They said, you give us only under your name, but we are not allowing to give you under.

your name, but if it's only in BC, and I go every bank, no bank wants to open me an account under my business name, Hash Money Wiring.

No banks.

So please consider passing this resolution and help us with the state of Washington, because the state of Washington is the regulator of the credit unions in the state of Washington.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for calling in today.

Next up is Frank Rizzo.

Hi, this is Frank, and I'm sorry to hear that the previous caller, Abdul, was robbed twice with a gun.

I do urge all city council members to keep the Seattle PD whole and not support the idea of crippling the police department's budget by cutting it 50%.

If police are defunded, Seattle firefighters and medics could face a new reality by responding to dangerous calls without law enforcement presence.

Please, please understand that testing out a theory that crime goes away if police go away is completely reckless.

Seattle police officers serve with pride and dedication every day and deserve appropriate resources and support.

Thank you.

Thank you for calling in today.

Colleagues, that concludes the public comment sign-up sheet.

I don't have anyone else showing up as registered and present, so we'll go ahead and close out today's public comment period and go ahead and move into regular committee business.

And I just need one quick moment here to pull up My script is I inadvertently closed it.

Give me just a moment.

Working as fast as my internet lets me.

Okay, colleagues, we're going to go ahead and close out the public comment period and go ahead and move into items of business on today's agenda.

The first item up is payment of the bills.

Will the clerk please read the title?

Council Bill 119830, appropriating money to pay start of the claim for the week of June 29th, 2020 through July 3rd, 2020 and at ordering payment thereof.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

I will move to pass Council Bill 119830. Is there a second?

Second.

It's been moved and seconded that the bill pass.

Are there any comments?

Hearing no comments, will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Juarez?

Aye.

Lewis?

Aye.

Morales?

Aye.

Mesqueda?

Aye.

Peterson?

Aye.

DeWant?

Aye.

Strauss?

Aye.

Herbold?

President Gonzalez?

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

I'd ask that the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation.

Will the clerk please read agenda item one, short title, into the record.

Agenda item one, Council Bill 119826 relating to grant funds from non-city sources authorized from the Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation to accept specified grants and execute related agreements for and on behalf of the city.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

I will move to pass Council Bill 119826. Is there a second?

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to pass the bill.

Council Member Peterson, you are listed as the prime sponsor of the bill, so you are recognized in order to address this item.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, this is Council Bill 119826. It's accepting $3.5 million, essentially, for the West Seattle Bridge.

The money is from the Federal Surface Transportation Program and is going to our Seattle Department of Transportation.

I'd like to thank Council President Gonzalez and Mayor Durkin for their votes at the Puget Sound Regional Council a few weeks ago to prioritize these funds for the West Seattle Bridge.

Thank you, Councilmember Peterson for that description.

Are there any additional comments on the bill?

Councilmember Herbold, please.

Thank you.

I want to echo Councilmember Peterson's appreciation for both Madam President Gonzalez's vote at LRPC as well as the mayor's.

Thanks as well to Councilmember Peterson for being the sponsor of this bill.

Just want to provide a little bit more detail about the purpose of these funds.

We are looking at the potential replacement of the bridge.

2 million of these funds are identified to conduct what Estella is calling a type, size and location study for the eventual replacement of the west Seattle bridge.

But it gets these funds in place to do that work so that if that decision is made, we have that information.

The remaining 1.5 million of the grant award will be used to support specifically the transportation demand management programs that respond to the West Seattle bridge closure and focus these programs on providing alternatives to single occupancy vehicle trips between West Seattle and downtown.

I want to note for West Seattle residents that the Council Central staff memo notes specifically that the funds related to the tight size and location study allows SDOT to explore replacement concepts such as rebuilding the bridge or an immersed tube tunnel.

It further notes that it would be the basis for an environmental review of alternatives and developing cost estimates.

There's a great deal of interest in West Seattle for what's called an immersed tube tunnel.

It's not a board tunnel or a drilled tunnel.

we have a lot of information on this.

it is built off-site and basically dropped into the water.

just want folks to know that SDOT was forward-thinking enough to include this concept as eligible for funds associated with the type, size and location study.

thank you.

we will go ahead and move along.

It was my pleasure to advocate alongside Mayor Durkan for these additional flexible dollars to look at the scope of work as described by Councilmembers Peterson and Herbold and really appreciate this bill coming forward so that we can begin this crucial infrastructure work and analysis of remind folks that the West Seattle Bridge is critical to mobility for the entire region, including those who come, including for those folks who do not live in West Seattle.

It is just so key to the region's strategies around mobility and so important for us to make sure that we address those issues from a broad perspective, not just because of the direct impact to West Seattle residents, but also to impact in, for example, Council Member Morales' district that is adjacent to your district, Council Member Herbold, but also in addition to the people who just rely on the West Seattle Bridge to get to and from home, but who may not live in West Seattle.

So I'm really proud to be able to support this bill and to continue to support efforts at the regional level to continue to advocate for additional dollars that might be available to us to really get this replacement or repair done in the most expeditious way possible.

If there are no other comments on the bill, I would go ahead and ask that the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill.

Lewis?

Aye.

Morales?

Aye.

Mosqueda?

Aye.

Peterson?

Aye.

DeWant?

Aye.

Strauss?

Aye.

Herbold?

Aye.

President Gonzalez?

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you so much.

The bill passes, and the chair will sign it.

And I'd ask the clerk to please affix my signature to the legislation.

Will the clerk please read agenda item two into the record?

Agenda item two, Council Bill 119815, related to the Seattle monorail, authorizing the director of the Seattle Center Department to execute a second amendment to the easement agreement with Westlake Center, LLC, previously authorized by ordinance 113272, providing additional easement area for improvement and expansion of the modern location platform, granting rights to install and maintain ticket kiosks, and commercial and informational signage, and ratify and confirming search and inquire acts.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

I will move to pass Council Bill 119815. Is there a second?

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to pass the bill.

Council Member Juarez, you are the sponsor of the bill, so you are recognized in order to address it.

Thank you.

This regards the monorail platform expansion as you heard from the clerk and from my comments this morning.

This legislation allows the Seattle Center Director, Mr. Robert Nellum, to take the next step in moving forward with the platform expansion by authorizing execution of an amendment to the existing monorail operating and easement agreement with Westlake Center.

Westlake Center owns the Westlake monorail station platform, and the monorail utilizes it under the terms of a 1987 monorail operating and easement agreement.

This legislation amends the easement with that Westlake Center.

The monorail, which is owned by the city and operated by a concessionaire, Seattle Monorail Services, SMS, can transport 6,000 riders per hour in each direction of travel.

traffic mitigation efforts are underway in anticipation of the arena's opening, which should be fall of 2021. To achieve that maximum capacity, the size and layout of the Westlake Center monorail station needs to be modified.

The legislation expands access ways, provides new ticketing equipment and gateways, as well as information and commercial signage.

Seattle Monorail Services will pay $6.6 million for platform capital improvements and another $38,000 a year for use, cleaning, and maintenance of the added space.

The amortized cost of the improvements will be reimbursed with Monorail revenues over the remaining 14 years of the Seattle Monorail Services concession agreement.

As you know, colleagues, we've been working on this for a couple years.

Hopefully it will go as planned, and we will open the Seattle Center in fall of 2021. As chair of the Public Asset and Native Communities Committee, I recommend full council pass this bill.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Juarez.

Are there any other comments on the bill?

Councilmember Strauss.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Council Member Juarez, for your leadership on this agreement.

We know that the monorail is going to be that last mile connection between our light rail system and the new Climate Pledge Arena at the Seattle Center.

We are going to, with these changes, we'll be able to see more people able to be moved faster, being able to use both trains rather than just one at a time.

this is going to change the way that we're able to use the monorail and get to Seattle Center.

So thank you all for your leadership, Director Nellens in particular.

Any other comments on the bill?

Seeing none, thank you so much, Council Member Juarez, for bringing this bill forward.

I know it's been many years in the works, so appreciate the opportunity to support this bill as well.

I would ask that the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill.

Juarez?

Aye.

Lewis?

Aye.

Morales?

Aye.

Mosqueda?

Aye.

Peterson?

Aye.

Sawant.

Aye.

Straus.

Aye.

Herbold.

Aye.

President Gonzalez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

I ask that the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation.

Will the clerk please read item three into the record?

Agenda item three, resolution 31955, reaffirming the city of Seattle's support to unbank money transfer operators, and immigrant community safety.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

I move to adopt Resolution 31955. Is there a second?

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the resolution.

Council Member Morales, you are the prime sponsor of the resolution, so you are recognized in order to address it.

Thank you President Gonzalez.

I just want to give a little bit of background as the folks who called in this afternoon mentioned over the last several years money transfer organizations have found it increasingly difficult to operate safely because of what's called de-risking That's a process where banks go through terminating their relationship with certain account holders because – who they've deemed to be high-risk.

And this is particularly affecting our Somali neighbors.

It's a process that started after 9-11, and so there is a certain amount of risk.

discrimination that is assumed to be happening as well.

We know that the accounts of Somali American money transfer organizations have been closed.

It's having devastating impacts on our Somali neighbors.

And it's been going on for a long time, and it is still continuing to be an issue.

Banks have applied de-risking in a discriminatory manner, denying small and immigrant-owned remittance companies bank accounts while continuing to serve larger operators.

So this resolution calls on the Washington State Legislature, specifically the Senate Financial Institutions Economic Development and Trade Committee, and the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee to study the legislative options that could better support financial inclusion of these entities so that they can continue to operate and serve the community.

I've discussed this with our office of intergovernmental affairs, who are clear that this is one of the city's legislative priorities already and are working with committee chairs.

And I urge your support of the resolution for financial inclusion for our Somali neighbors.

Thank you so much, Council Member Morales.

Any other comments on the resolution?

Council Member Herbold and then Council Member Sawant.

Again, just want to thank Council Member Morales for taking the lead on this issue and glad to hear confirmation from you, Council Member Morales, that OIR has identified this as a priority for the next legislative session.

When proponents contacted me back in May about this issue, I immediately contacted OIR and requested that they include this issue in the state's legislative agenda.

I am happy to support this

be in solidarity with the infrastructure to allow our community members in the Seattle area to support their families with money transfers.

And of course, I was also extremely supportive of the resolution in 2015 that the city council at that time had passed in support of this money transfer infrastructure because we know how much of a backbone it is for the financial sustenance of the communities in many of the countries in the neocolonial world.

The banking industry and the laws that regulate them are dominated by the big banks that are not only more interested in their profits than in meeting the financial needs of our communities, but are among the exploiters, the explicit exploiters of the same communities that should be being held.

The big banks invest in fossil fuel industry and yet the state government will not allow Seattle to bank with the credit union instead and that's why it's important that in alliance with the native indigenous urban native community and the environmental activist community that we have made strides towards that and we need to keep making progress in order to have public banking in the city of Seattle.

Big banks sell adjustable rate mortgages and then ruthlessly foreclose on people's homes.

Big banks and other rapacious financial institutions have carried out years of subprime and predatory lending.

Approximately 90% of subprime mortgages issued in 2006 were adjustable rate mortgages, and nearly 10 million homeowners lost their homes to foreclosure sales in the US between 2006 and 2014. I mean, this is the larger context that looms over ordinary people, but especially communities of color.

In fact, among those who were foreclosed in the wake of the Great Recession in 2007-2008, it was predominantly black households and Latinx households that were impacted by the sale of adjustable rate mortgages, predatory lending, and then coming upon that foreclosures.

Big banks are not interested in helping the East African community in the Seattle area in any way to send money to help support their families and the smaller services that are willing to do this work because it is needed, even if it may not be very profitable, are not given the authority and protections that are given to the big banks.

My staff member, Jonathan Rosenblum, has met with Roble Musse to discuss this, and I'm very happy to support this resolution, as I said, to work with the community moving forward, especially on the state level, to assist money transfer operators who serve immigrant communities.

And I just also publicly wanted to thank I think it is important to thank Jonathan Rosenblum for suggesting or maybe being among those who suggested to the community that they work on the state level instead.

Clearly, we are hoping that it will have a real impact to help the community.

Okay.

Seeing none, I will make sure that Council Member Morales gets the last word.

I also wanted to just echo my thanks, Council Member Morales, for your work and advocacy in this space.

It is an issue that is very dear and near to my heart.

It is part of the reason we have an organization called One America today that is sort of the largest immigrant rights organization in the state.

It is multicultural, multigenerational, multiracial organization that has really championed so many amazing policy reforms throughout the state and here in Seattle and certainly in this area of unbanked issues as it relates to immigrant populations.

They've continued to advocate for a systemic, sustainable change.

And as somebody who comes from an immigrant family who still has family abroad, I personally understand the importance of being able to have an opportunity to issue remittances.

And when you are limited to doing that via banks, based on racist policies, frankly, that are and have been implemented and enforced by our financial institutions in America, it really makes it difficult for for immigrants living in this country who are already enduring so much in terms of family separation and having the burden of continuing to provide for families in their home countries.

It is so important for us to continue to take a really strong policy position about how important it is for us to solve for these really significant policy issues which have to be tackled by the state.

So I appreciate your ongoing advocacy and sponsorship of this resolution.

I'm looking forward to supporting it.

That being said, I will hand it over to you to have the last word and then we'll call the roll on the passage of the resolution.

Thank you to Councilmember Herboldt, Sawant, and Gonzalez.

I do just want to give a final thanks to the community who brought this to us.

Council President Gonzalez already mentioned One America, so I want to thank Rich Stoltz there, the Somali Health Board, Somali Family Safety Task Force, Care Washington, Seattle Rideshare Drivers Association, Living Well Kent, access to our community, and the Abu Bakr Islamic Center of Washington were all really instrumental in helping bring this to council and are also working, as I said, in Olympia and meeting with state legislators and the appropriate committee chairs to make sure that we are doing what we can at the state level.

And then we were also in communication with Congressman Heck, who's on the Financial Services Committee.

in DC because a lot of these banking regulations, the changes that we need need to happen at the congressional level, at the federal level as well.

So I want to thank everyone for your support, and we are ready to vote.

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

With that being said, I would ask that the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the resolution.

Juarez?

Aye.

Lewis?

Aye.

Morales?

Aye.

Mosqueda.

Aye.

Peterson.

Aye.

Dwan.

Aye.

Strauss.

Aye.

Herbold.

Aye.

President Gonzalez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

The resolution is adopted and the Chair will sign it.

I'd ask that the Clerk please affix my signature to the legislation.

Okay, Agenda Item 5. Will the Clerk please read Agenda Item 5 into the record?

Council President Gonzales, I believe we're on item four.

Whoops.

I apologize for that.

I realized it after I said it.

Will the clerk please read agenda item four into the record?

Not a problem.

Agenda item four, resolution 31950 relating to the Department of Parks and Recreation authorizing the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation to act as the authorized representative plus agent.

on behalf of the city of Seattle, and to legally bind the city of Seattle with respect to certain projects for which the city seeks grant funding assistance managed through the Recreation and Conservation Office.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

I apologize for reading, asking you to read the wrong item.

I was distracted by one very cute baby over here, and so I apologize for that.

I will move to adopt Resolution 31950. Is there a second?

second.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the resolution.

Council Member Juarez, you are the prime sponsor of this resolution, so I will recognize you so that you can address the item.

Thank you.

This legislation authorizes the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jesus Aguirre to submit grant applications to the state of Washington Recreation and Conservation Office, the RCO, for state funding assistance.

This resolution is routine.

We've done it many times and required as part of the formal RCO grant application process.

Yale Parks and Rec applies for RCO grants each year and has a strong success rate in securing additional funding for planned capital projects.

In 2020, Yale Parks and Rec will complete 11 RCO applications for a total of $6,120,860.

The RCO grants require a local match and will fund only projects that are included in an adopted plan.

Yale Parks and Rec's required matching funds for the projects are appropriated in Yale Parks and Rec's 2016-2021 Capital Improvement Program.

RCO will announce the grant award recommendations in January of 2021, but the actual grant awards will not be contracted until July to fall of 2021. The funding will support currently unfunded project element, program, I'm sorry, capital project.

As chair of the Public Asset and Native Communities Committee, I recommend council adopt resolution 31950, or council bill, I'm sorry, council bill 119, I got the wrong number here, I apologize.

Resolution 31950.

Yeah, resolution.

Yeah, I was looking at the wrong one, I apologize.

Yeah, I'm sorry.

Resolution 31950. I was reading last the last pages ordinance.

Thank you.

Got it.

OK, colleagues, any additional comments on the resolution?

Yeah, I don't see anybody raising their hands, so I would ask that the clerk please call the role on the adoption of the resolution.

Torres.

Hi Louis.

I hear Alice I must get up.

Mosqueda.

Peterson.

Aye.

Sawant.

Aye.

Strauss.

Aye.

Herbold.

Aye.

President Gonzales.

Aye.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

Thank you so much.

The resolution is adopted and the chair will sign it and ask that the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation.

Now we can go to agenda item five.

Will the clerk please read that item into the record?

Agenda item five, appointment 1585. Appointment of Tyrone Grandison as member of Community Technology Advisory Board for term to December 31st, 2021.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk.

I move to confirm appointment 1585. Is there a second?

Second.

Excellent.

It's been moved and seconded to confirm the appointment.

Council Member Peterson, you are the sponsor of this appointment, so you are recognized in order to address the item.

And I recognize that you have an amendment, so my suggestion is that you address the underlying item first, and then we'll take up the amendment.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, this is appointment 1585. It would appoint Dr. Tyrone Grandison to the Community Technology Advisory Board.

As you know, in the Transportation Utilities Committee, we also oversee technology issues.

And Dr. Grandison founded a nonprofit technology organization.

He previously served as Chief Information Officer for the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation and earned a Ph.D. in computer science.

There is an amendment that will clarify that Dr. Grandison is a new appointment.

Dr. Grandison is so dedicated to the technology field that he's been already attending these meetings of the advisory board.

And so he's practically already a member, but we need to amend this to say that he's technically a new member.

great.

Thank you so much, Council Member Peterson.

I think it makes sense for you to go ahead and move that amendment at this point, and we'll go ahead and take that up.

Thank you.

So again, this amendment is just to note that he will be a new member.

That's the only change to the packet.

So I move to amend appointment 1585 as presented on amendment one.

Great.

Is there a second?

second.

Thank you so much.

It's been moved and seconded to amend the appointment.

Councilmember Peterson, you've already spoken to the amendment.

Thank you so much for that.

Are there any additional comments on the amendment?

Hearing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the amendment?

Aye.

Peterson.

Aye.

DeWant.

Aye.

Strauss.

Aye.

Herbold.

Aye.

President Gonzales.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you so much.

Are there any additional comments on the appointment as amended?

hearing none, I just want to thank you, Councilmember Peterson, for your work on this.

I know it was a long time coming.

Appreciate the collaboration between our offices on making sure that the CTAP appointments continue to move forward.

So thank you so much for that.

I will ask the clerk to please call the roll on the confirmation of the appointment as amended.

Juarez?

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Morales.

Aye.

Mosqueda.

Aye.

Peterson.

Aye.

DeWant.

Aye.

Strauss.

Aye.

Herbold.

Aye.

President Gonzalez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you so much.

The appointment is confirmed as amended.

Okay, folks, other business.

Is there any other further business to come before the council?

Madam President.

Yes, Council Member Mosqueda.

Madam President, thank you so much.

On item four, Council Member Juarez's resolution, I fully support it.

Vote aye.

There's no need to recount it.

I just could not get myself off mute fast enough.

Council Member Juarez, fully support it.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Is there any other business to come before the council?

Hearing none, colleagues, this concludes the items of business on today's agenda.

Our next City Council meeting is Monday, July 20th, 2020, starting at 2 o'clock p.m.

I hope that you all have a wonderful afternoon.

We are adjourned.

Thank you so much.