>>> -- 2020 MEETING OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL COME
TO ORDER.
I'M LORENA GONZALEZ, PRESIDENT
OF THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL A
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> HERE.
>> EIGHT PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAME
CLERK.
JUST SO THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, I
DID RECEIVE THE MESSAGE FROM
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD SHE WILL
BE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.
SHE'S RUNNING A FEW MINUTES
LATE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR ALL'S PATIENCE
AS SHE WORKS ON SOME IMPORTANT
ISSUES BEFORE HOPPING ON THE
LINE WITH US TODAY.
AGAIN, SHE DOES PLAN TO BE HERE
WITH US.
SHE'S JUST RUNNING A FEW MINUTES
LATE.
I WILL TRY TO KEEP AN EYE OUT
FOR HER AND NOTE FOR THE RECORD
WHEN SHE ARRIVES.
OKAY, SO NEXT UP IS A SESSION OF
RULES.
SO THE CITY OF SEATTLE ISSUED A
CIVIL SECURITY PROCLAMATION DUE
TO THE CORONA THATVIRUS.
THE STAY HOME, STAY HEALTHY
ORDER IS THROUGH JUNE 17th IN
THE -- THE CITY COUNCIL --
THROUGH JUNE 17, 2020.
JUST TO CLARIFY, HE DID NOT
EXTEND THE STAY HOME AND STAY
HEALTHY ORDER, HOWEVER, WE DO
HAVE PROCLAMATION 20-28.4 WHICH
PERMITS THE CITY COUNCIL TO
CONTINUE MEETING REMOTELY
THROUGH JUNE 17th.
AND SO IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'LL
CONTINUE TO DO SO.
SO COUNCILMEMBERS, THE COUNCIL
RULES ARE SILENT ON
PARTICIPATION AT COMMITTEE
MEETINGS.
IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO
CONDUCT BUSINESS, THE COUNCIL
RULES WILL STILL NEED TO BE
SUSPENDED.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE COUNCIL
RULES TO ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO
CONDUCT REMOTELY THROUGH JUNE
17th.
HEARING AND SEEING NO -- IS
THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT?
HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTION,
THE COUNCIL RULES WILL BE
SUSPENDED TO ALIEU
COUNCILMEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE
ELECTRONICALLY AT CITY COUNCIL
AND ANY FUTURE COMMITTEE
MEETINGS THROUGH JUNE 17, 2020.
AND AS THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ALONG.
THE COUNCIL RULES ARE SUSPENDED
ACCORDINGLY.
PRESENTATIONS, I AM NOT AWARE OF
ANY PRESENTATIONS.
I KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES HAS A PROCLAMATION THAT
SHE'D LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER
SIGNING ON TO, BUT WE WILL GO
AHEAD AND TAKE THAT UP IN THE
CATEGORY OF OTHER -- OTHER
BUSINESS.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO
OUR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MEETINGS -- MEETING OF MAY 26,
2020 HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES WILL BE SIGNED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES ARE BEING SIGNED.
I ASK THE CLERK AFFIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE MINUTES.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
PROPOSED INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS NOW ADOPTED.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
IS NOW ADOPTED.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, ON OUR AGENDA, WE
WILL HAVE TWO PERIODS OF PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY.
THE FIRST ONE IS OUR GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THE SECOND
WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON
AGENDA ITEM ONE, WHICH IS
COUNCIL BILL 119797, RELATED TO
THE LAND USE ACTION AROUND THE
MOBILE HOME PARK.
THAT BILL IS COSPONSORED BY
COUNCILMEMBERS SAWANT AND
JUAREZ, AND SO THE FIRST, AGAIN,
WILL BE ON ITEMS ON THE CITY
COUNCIL AGENDA, INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR, OR ITEMS
RELATED TO THE COUNCIL'S 2020
WORK PROGRAM.
IT REMAINS THE STRONG INTENT TO
HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY
INCLUDED IN MEETING AGENERAL
DAS.
AND OF COURSE, WE CONTINUE TO
FINE TUNE THIS PROCESS AND AS WE
CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT AND
SOLIDIFY OUR REMOTE PUBLIC
MEETING -- PUBLIC COMMENT
PROCESSES, WE'LL CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE THE PUBLIC THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
WE DO CONTINUE TO RESERVE THE
RIGHT TO END OR ELIMINATE THESE
PUB LIB COMMENT PERIODS AT ANY
POINT IF WE DEEM THE SYSTEM IS
BEING ABUSED OR IS NOT SUITABLE
FOR ALLOWING OUR MEETINGS TO BE
CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY AND IN A
MANNER IN WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO
CONDUCT NECESSARY BUSINESS.
THAT HAS THUS FAR NOT BEEN THE
CASE, AND I'M GLAD THE PUBLIC
HAS TAKEN FULL OPPORTUNITY AND
ACCESS TO USE A REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT PROCESS TO PARTICIPATE
IN OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
ORDINARILY 20 MINUTES.
WE HAVE ABOUT 37 FOLKS SIGNED UP
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
JUST AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR FOR
SAKE OF EFFICIENCY SAY THAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT
UP TO AN HOUR.
SO I'M GOING TO ALLOT 60 MINUTES
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
LY CALL ON EACH SPEAKER BY NAME
AND IN ORDER OF WHICH THEY
REGISTERED.
IF YOU ARE WATCHING OR LISTENING
AND HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED TO
SPEAK BUT WOULD LIKE TO, YOU CAN
SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BY GOING
TO THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE AT
WWW.SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL,
COUNCIL.
AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS
ALSO LISTED ON TODAY'S PUBLISHED
AGENDA.
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT OF YOU ARE
UNMUTED WILL BE HEARD BY THE
PUBLIC SPEAKER.
AND THAT IS THE SPEAKER'S CUE
THAT IT IS THEIR TURN TO SPEAK.
I ASK THAT EACH SPEAKER BEGIN BY
STATING THEIR NAME AND THE ITEM
THAT THEY 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.
THE QUICK HEARING ON BILL
119717, THAT'S THE MOBILE HOME
PARK BILL.
THAT WILL BEGIN AFTER THIS
PUBLIC COMMENT -- GENERAL PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS OPEN.
SO SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME
WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT IN
THEIR ALLOTTED TWO MINUTE TIME
TO SPEAK.
IF THE SPEAKERS DON'T END THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE TWO
MINUTES PROVIDED, THEN THE
SPEAKER'S MICROPHONE WILL BE
AUTOMATICALLY MUTED TO ALLOW US
TO CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ASK YOU
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE AND IF
YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING
THIS MEETING, WE ASK YOU DO SO
ON EITHER CHANNEL 21 ON YOUR TV
OR AT SEATTLECHANNEL.ORG.
OR YOU CAN CALL INTO ANY OF THE
LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
NOW OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
AGAIN, I'VE COMMITTED TO DOING
60 MINUTES.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO 3:08 P.M.
AND THE FIRST SPEAKER WHO IS
WITH US THIS AFTERNO GAUGE
CLARK.
>> HI THERE, HOW ARE YOU?
>> GOOD.
>> OKAY, GOOD.
MY NAME IS GAGE CLARK, I'M A
27-YEAR-OLD WHITE MALE.
I'M A SALES REPRESENTATIVE THAT
WORKS IN MEDICAL DEVICES, A
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, A
FULL-TIME MBA STUDENT AND I LIVE
WITH MY WIFE WHO JUST GRADUATED
LAW SCHOOL IN SEATTLE.
I'VE BEEN AN UPSTANDING CITIZEN
AND IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE
LAW MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE COUNCIL
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
HAPPENED AT SATURDAY'S PROTESTS.
IT STARTED OUT AS ANY OTHER
PROTEST I'VE TAKEN PLACE IN.
THE ONLY ONE I'VE DONE IS THE
WOMEN'S MARCH.
HARDLY A POLICE OFFICER IN
SIGHT.
THE GROUP I WAS WITH ENDED UP IN
FRONT OF POLICE HEADQUARTERS,
AND ADMITTEDLY, THINGS WERE
TENSE.
AND PEOPLE WERE HOLDING SIGNS
CHANTING A VARIETY OF THINGS
LIKE BLACK LIVES MATTER, DON'T
SHOOT, I CAN'T BREATHE.
IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE
POLICE WERE TENSE.
THEIR POSTURES WERE GETTING MORE
DELIBERATE AS THE CHANCE
CONTINUED.
EVENTUALLY YOU STARTED TO SEE
THINGS LIKE THE POLICE PULLING
THEIR BATONS PART WAY OUT OF
THEIR BELTS AND POINTING TO
SELECT MEMBERS IN THE CROWD.
SOME MEMBERS AND I SAW A
S.W.A.T.
VEHICLE AT THE TOP OF
CHERRY STREET.
AND A FEW OF US, LESS THAN 25,
BEGAN WALKING UP THE INCLINE TO
CREATE A PROTEST LINE IN FRONT
OF THAT CAR.
WE HAD OUR HANDS UP AND WERE
CHANTING DON'T SHOOT.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW
TEAR GAS AND FLASH GRENADES.
THEY WERE BEING THROWN AT ME.
WHEN I TRIED TO RUN BACK TO THE
SAFETY OF NUMBERS, THE MAIN
GROUCH WAS HAVING TEAR GAS AND
FLASH GRENADES THROWN AT THEM
TOO.
FOR THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF
HOURS, THEY WERE THE MOST CAY
YACHTIC AND SCARY OF MY LIFE.
THERE'S AN INNATE CONFLICT OF
INTEREST HERE.
POLICE CAN HAVE A VESTED
INTEREST IN SUPPRESSING FREE
SPEECH, ESPECIALLY FREE SPEECH
THAT THEY ARE THE SUBJECT OF.
THIS IS ONE OF SUCH RARE CASES.
I BLATANTLY SAW POLICE INSTIGATE
THE CHAOS.
I SAW THEM USE HYPERMILITARIZED
TACTICS ON THE CITIZENS OF YOUR
CITY WHO WERE TRYING TO PROTEST
PEACEFULLY.
THE PROTEST BECAME VIOLENT AFTER
THE POLICE STARTED USING
CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT
MAYOR DISTURB CAN'S SOLUTION WAS
TO ADD FOR TOXICITY.
HAVING --
>> THANK YOU, GAGE FOR CALLING
IN THIS AFTERNOON.
ALSO WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD
THAT COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD IS
NOW ON THE LINE WITH US AND HAS
JOINED THE MEETING.
NEXT SPEAKER IS SHANNON MAYO.
>> HI, THANK YOU.
HI.
HI THERE.
I AM A VOLUNTEER IN SEATTLE.
I FIRST WANT TO VOICE MY OUTRAGE
AND SADNESS FOR THE BRUTAL
MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.
I'M OUTRAGED FOR SEAN LEE, SCHAR
LENA LYLES, SHEA TAYLOR, ALONZO
PRICE-HOLD, JOHN T. WILLIAMS AND
OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN SHOT AND
KILLED BY SEATTLE POLICE
OFFICERS.
WHEN BLACK AND BROWN CITIZENS
PAY TAX DOLLARS FOR POLICE
PROTECTION AND INSTEAD ARE
KILLED BY THE POLICE AT AN
ALARMING AND DISPROPORTIONATE
RATE, YOU MUST TAKE ACTION.
WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM.
THIS IS NOT PUBLIC SAFETY.
VICTORIA IS CHAIR FOR THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADV
COUNCIL AND SHE RAISED SOME GOOD
QUESTIONS ON KUOW THIS MORNING.
SHE SAYS SHE DOES NOT FEEL
SEATTLE'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY IS BEING HEARD.
SHE ASKED WHY CAN'T SEATTLE STEP
UP AND SPEAK OUT?
GET OUT THERE ON THE FRONT
LINES?
MARCH WITH US, PRAY WITH US,
KNEEL WITH US, BE LIKE OTHER
CITIES.
I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
SEATTLE POLICE COULD HAVE
MARCHED WITH THE PEOPLE AS WE
SAW SOME POLICE DO AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
I'M DISGUSTED WITH HOW SEVERAL
POLICE OFFICERS INTERACTED WITH
OUR CITIZENS OVER THE WEEKEND.
WE SAW A MAN PINNED DOWN AND
PUNCHED OVER AND OVER.
WE SAW A YOUNG GIRL SPRAYED IN
THE FACE WITH PEPPER SPRAY.
WE SAW PEACEFUL PROTESTERS FLASH
BANGED AND ALL BY SPD.
AND WE SAW OFFICERS COVERING
THEIR NAME BADGES TO AVOID
ACCOUNTABILITY.
MOMS DEMAPD ACTION IS DEEPLY
CONCERNED THAT WHILE WE CONTINUE
TO GIVE A LARGE BUDGET TO SPD
MANY COMMUNITY-BASED, VIOLENCE
INTERVENTION PREVENTION GROUPS
SUCH AS COMMUNITY PASSAGEWAYS,
RAINIER BEACH ACTION COALITION
REMAIN UNDERFUNDED.
IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT
TO ENSURE THESE GROUPS GET THE
DOLLARS ALREADY PROMISED FOR
2020, EVEN AS BUDGETS ARE COME
PROMISED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
NOT ONLY DO THEY NEED THE MONEY
YOU ALREADY ALLOCATED TO THEM,
THEY NEED TO EXPAND THEIR WORK.
WE WANT TO SEE THEM AT THE
FOREFRONT OF 2021 BUDGET
PLANNING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT UP IS SUJAFA ROMNEY.
>> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I AM ALSO COMMENTING ABOUT THE
POLICE VIOLENCE IN SEATTLE OVER
THE WEEKEND ON PROTESTERS.
-- DEFINES TERRORISM AS THE
UNLAWFUL USE OF FORCE AND
VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS TO
INTIMIDATE OR CAUSE A CIVILIAN
POPULATION TO FURTHER POLITICAL
OR SOCIAL OBJECTIVES.
BY THIS VERY DEFINITION, WHAT
THE COPS DID OVER THE WEEKEND
WAS AN ACT OF TERRORISM.
I ASK THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO
WORK WITH THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO PRESS
CHARGES AGAINST MAYOR DISTURB
CAN, POLICE CHIEF BEST AND THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZACH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M CALLING ABOUT THE SICK PAY
FOR GIG WORKERS AND WHY I
BELIEVE IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR GIG
WORKERS TO RECEIVE THE SICK PAY.
I'M A SOLE PROVIDER OF A FAMILY
OF FIVE.
I'VE BEEN SICK FOR A WEEK AND
BEEN HOME.
AND I'VE BEEN USING MY CREDIT
CARDS TO PAY ALL MY BILLS, AND
IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR THE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO ACTUALLY TAKE
A HARD LOOK AT GIG WORKERS FOR
NOT GETTING PAID FOR SICK IN
THIS PANDEMIC.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
TODAY OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TINA
SEGURDSON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS TINA SEGURDSON.
I'M ADDRESSING 119713 ON BEHALF
OF THE 45,000 MEMBERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA FOR
SPONSORING THE ORDINANCE.
GIG WORKERS TRAVEL TO
BUSINESSES, HOMES AND HEALTH
CARE CENTERS AROUND THE CITY,
PROVIDING ESSENTIAL FOOD AND
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO THE
PUBLIC, INCLUDING MANY
QUARANTINING, HIGH-RISK
RESIDENTS.
YET, WHEN OUR WORKERS MAY HAVE
BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID-19, THEY
CURRENTLY FACE AN IMPOSSIBLE
CHOICE BETWEEN PUTTING FOOD ON
THE TABLE AND STAYING HOME TO
PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
PAID SICK AND SAFE DAYS FOR GIG
WORKERS WILL ALLOW THEM TO STOP
WORKING AND SEEK MEDICAL
TREATMENT WHEN THEY NEED IT.
THEY CAN TAKE TIME OFF TO CARE
FOR SICK FAMILY MEMBERS OR
CHILDREN WHO ARE HOME BECAUSE
SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED.
IN ADDITION, WITH MORE PEOPLE
STAYING HOME TO STAY HEALTHY,
THE USE OF DELIVERY APPS HAVE
BEEN BOOMING.
HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH GIG WORKERS
ARE THE ONES SHOULDERING THE
RISK OF CONTRACTING COVID-19,
PAY RATES ACTUALLY APPEAR TO BE
DECREASING, RATHER THAN
COMPENSATING THEM FOR THAT RISK.
GIG WORKERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO
AFFORD MEDICAL CARE IF THEY GET
SICK, BUT A JOB CAN PAY AS
LITTLE AS $2.
WHEN THE CRISIS HAS PASSED, GIG
WORKERS WILL NEED PERMANENT PAY
STANDARDS AND PROTECTION.
THESE ESSENTIAL FRONT LINE
WORKERS DESERVE HAZARD PAY NOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNA
ZAVARTS.
>> HI, I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR
OF AN ADVOCACY PROGRAM.
I'M TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT OF
COUNCIL BILL 119793 TO PROVIDE
SICK DAYS FOR GIG WORKERS.
I WAS A GIG WORKER FOR EIGHT
YEARS AFTER I WAS LAID OFF FROM
MY FULL-TIME JOB DURING THE LAST
RECESSION, AND MY CURRENT JOB IS
THE FIRST FULL-TIME JOB I'VE HAD
SINCE THEN.
MANY DISABLED PEOPLE DO GIG WORK
BECAUSE IT OFFERS THE
FLEXIBILITY WE NEED TO WORK WITH
OUR DISABILITIES.
SOMETIMES IT ALLOWS US TO AVOID
THE DISCRIMINATION WE FACE WHEN
APPLYING FOR OTHER JOBS.
THAT WAS MY CASE.
I WASN'T OUT ABOUT MY LOW
VISION, AND SO POTENTIAL
EMPLOYEES, THEY COULDN'T FIGURE
OUT WHAT MY DEAL WAS.
WITH GIG WORK, I COULD PROVE I
COULD DO THE WORK FIRST WITHOUT
THEM REALIZING I WAS DISABLED.
AS A GIG WORKER, THE PRESSURE TO
TAKE ON WORK IS CONSTANT.
MY ROLE IS NEVER TO TURN DOWN
JOBS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN
THE NEXT JOB WAS GOING TO COME.
I WORKED WHEN I WAS SICK.
I WORKED RIGHT AFTER MY
C-SECTION.
FOR MANY, IT'S THE ONLY JOB
MARKET WE'VE HAD ACCESS TO.
IT'S CRITICAL WE START TO THINK
BIG PICTURE ABOUT THE KINDS OF
POLICIES WE NEED SO THAT GIG
WORK CAN BE STABLE AND SECURE.
JUST LIKE GENERATIONS OF WORKERS
BEFORE US FOUGHT WITH THEIR
UNIONS FOR SHORTER WORK DAYS OR
PAID SICK AND VACATION TIME, FOR
EMPLOYER-PROVIDED HEALTH CARE,
WE NEED TO PUSH FOR THESE SAME
POLICIES FOR THE GIG ECONOMY
TODAY.
THANS.
>> THANK YOU, ANNA FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALLISON
McDONOGH.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALLISON
McDONOGH.
I'M A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON, AND I WAS AT THE
PROTEST ON SATURDAY.
SO I'M HOPING TO TALK ABOUT
POLICE VIOLENCE TODAY.
AND I'M ADVOCATING FOR YOU TO
DEFUND THE POLICE BY 50%.
I WITNESSED MY FRIENDS
PEACEFULLY PROTESTING AND THEY
WERE MACED DIRECTLY IN THE FACE
BY THE POLICE, PUSHED BACK AND
TWO WERE ARRESTED AND PUSHED TO
THE GROUND WITH A KNEE TO THEIR
BACK, SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED
TO GEORGE FLOYD, THE DEATH WE
WERE PROTESTING.
THE POLICE -- I DID NOT WITNESS
THE POLICE MAKING ME PERSONALLY
FEEL SAFE.
THEY MADE ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE.
SHORTLY AFTER I ARRIVED, I COULD
HEAR THE FLASH BANGS GOING OFF
EVEN THOUGH I HAD LEFT WITH MY
FRIENDS TO TEND TO THEIR WOUNDS
FROM THE MACE.
I ALSO WORK IN SOCIAL SERVICES
AND HAVE HAD TO CALL THE POLICE
FOR MENTAL HEALTH CRISES FOR MY
CLIENTS.
I NEVER FEEL SAFE CALLING THE
POLICE IN THOSE CASES.
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO WATCH OVER
THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT MY
CLIENT, MY BLACK CLIENTS R NOT
THE NEXT VICTIM OF THIS VIOLENCE
BECAUSE THEY EXPERIENCE MENTAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES.
SO I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO DEFUND
THE POLICE BY 50% AND
REDISTRIBUTE THAT MONEY INTO
PROGRAMS THAT ARE BLACK LED AND
THAT ARE GOING TO OBSERVE THE
COMMUNITY, SERVE THE PEOPLE OF
COLOR IN SEATTLE AND MAKE SURE
THAT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE
AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE WHO NEEDS
THEM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA
SKALSO.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS JESSICA.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE.
I WAS -- I AM ALSO COMMENTING ON
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUST
LISTENING TO THE CALLERS THAT
HAVE ALREADY CALLED IN, I'M
GRATEFUL FOR THEIR INPUT.
I PRETTY MUCH AGREE WITH WHAT
EVERYONE HAS SAID.
I WAS AT THE PROTEST ON SATURDAY
ON THE 30th.
I WAS IN THE BACK, THOUGH,
TRYING TO SOCIAL DISTANCE.
SO I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE THE
DIRECT POLICE MISCONDUCT, BUT I
DO HAVE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS FROM
ACQUAINTANCES WHO WERE THERE
FURTHER UP.
ONE WOMAN HAD A FLASH BOMB GO
OFF NEXT TO HER, AND HER EARDRUM
WAS RUPTURED.
AND ALSO WHEN SHE TRIED TO
LEAVE, HER AND HER FRIEND HAD
DRIVEN FROM A WAYS AWAY, AND
THEY WERE TRYING TO GET TO THEIR
CAR, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT
THE POLICE WOULD LET THEM
THROUGH TO GET TO THEIR CAR.
AND THEY ASKED WHAT THEY WERE
SUPPOSED TO DO, AND THERE WAS
REALLY NO ANSWER.
AND THEN ALSO JUST -- I'M DEEPLY
CONCERNED WITH ALL THE TEAR GAS
AND FLASH BOMBS BEING THROWN.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BADGE
NUMBERS BEING COVERED UP AND
PROTESTERS FEELING TRAPPED.
AND THIS APPROACHABILITY OF
POLICE OFFICERS, I FEEL THAT
THAT IS ESCALATION INSTEAD OF
DE-ESCALATION.
I THINK POLICE OFFICERS NEED TO
BE APPROACHABLE, AND THEY JUST
DO NOT COME OFF THAT WAY.
SO PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO
ACCOUNT.
IF WE CARE ABOUT THE MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD, THEN WE ALSO NEED
TO START WITH OUR LOCAL POLICE
OFFICERS AND HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERY
MISCONDUCT.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN THIS
AFTERNOON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMELLE
JARRA.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR
TIME AND LISTENING OUR CONCERNS.
I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR -- SINCE
MAY 2014.
-- COMPANIES BECOME GREEDY AND
MAKING MORE MONEY.
-- IT IS EASY FOR THEM TO
SILENCE THE TRUTH -- ELECTED BY
US.
HERE WE ARE.
WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH
THE WAY THEY TREAT US.
WE NEED TO GET PAID SICK DAY, WE
DESERVE.
MANY DRIVERS STAY AT HOME FOR
THEIR FAMILY, BUT SOME -- I KNOW
YOU GUYS ARE READY TO VOTE SOON,
YES OR NO.
-- BY VOTING FOR YOU YES.
ALL OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
USE YOUR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
AND UNDERSTANDING THE FACTS.
DRIVERS DESERVE SICK PAY.
YOU ALL EXPRESSED YOUR SUPPORT
FOR US BY VOTING YES, YES, YES.
WE WILL COUNT ON YOU.
THANK YOU AGAIN.
DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE YES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AARON.
>> YEAH, HELLO.
I COME TO YOU TODAY TO ANSWER A
QUESTION THAT MANY RIDESHARE
PROVIDERS HAVE TO ASK -- WHY IS
SICK PAY IMPORTANT TO ME?
SICK PAY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT
MAKES US AS RIDESHARE PROVIDERS
FEEL VALUED AND APPRECIATED.
IT HELPS ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
WHAT IF I GET SICK?
HOW WILL I PAY MY MONTHLY DUES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES?
IT HELPS WITH OVERALL MORALE.
IN CLOSING, WE ALL WANT TO FEEL
LIKE WE MATTER.
IN DOING SO, PASSING THIS SICK
PAY LEGISLATION WOULD DO SO.
SO I CHALLENGE YOU TO ASK
YOURSELF IS EQUALITY FAIR?
THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN,
AARON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RACHEL
LAWSUITER.
>> MY NAME IS RACHEL LUATER.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
WORKING WASHINGTON.
WE ORGANIZE THOUSANDS OF GIG
DELIVERY WORKERS IN WASHINGTON.
I WANT TO SAY WE STAND IN
SOLIDARITY WITH THE PROTESTERS
ORGANIZING AGAINST ANTI-POLICE
VIOLENCE.
RAFRDING THE PAID SICK LEAVE
BILL, THE DELIVERY BUSINESS IS
BOOMING.
WHILE THE COMPANIES ARE MAKING
MORE MONEY THAN EVER, IT'S NOT
BEING PASSED DOWN TO THE PEOPLE
DOING THE WORK.
THEY'RE GETTING PAID MINIMUM
WAGES, DO NOT HAVE BASIC
PROTECTIONS, AND OFTEN HAVE TO
BUY THEIR OWN PPE AND SAFETY
SUPPLIES.
IF ANYTHING, PAY RATES HAVE GONE
DOWN AS SO MANY NEW WORKERS HAVE
BEEN BROUGHT ON TO THE APPS.
WHILE CUSTOMERS ARE TIPPING
GENEROUSLY, THE COMPANIES ARE
PAYING LESS.
TODAY THAT STARTS TO CHANGE.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
DURING THIS PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS.
ANOTHER FIRST FOR SEATTLE
WORKERS AND A CRITICAL WAY TO
HELP ESSENTIAL WORKERS STAY
HEALTHY AND PROTECT PUBLIC
HEALTH.
WE'RE EXCITED TO ENSURE GIG
WORKERS, LIKE MANY OTHERS IN
SEATTLE, HAVE THE SIMPLE RIGHT
TO TAKE A SICK DAY WHEN THEY'RE
SICK.
WE HOPE THE IDEA SPREADS.
THIS IS A BIG STEP FORWARD, BUT
THERE'S WORK TO DO.
WE NEED HAZARD PAY DURING THE
CRISIS TO REFLECT THE RISK
WORKERS ARE TAKING ON AND THE
EXTRA EXPENSES THEY'RE CARRYING.
AND WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE
CRISIS WORKERS FACE EVERY DAY,
EVEN BEFORE THIS START, WE NEED
LONG-TERM PROTECTIONS, INCLUDING
PAY STANDARDS TO GUARANTEE
MINIMUM WAGE AND EXPENSES.
JUST AS THE COUNCIL STEPPED IN
MORE THAN A MONTH AGO ON BEHALF
OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS,
WORKERS NEED THE CITY TO STEP IN
TOO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF
GIG WORKERS AND FOR CONTINUING
TO MOVE FORWARD TO RAISE PAY IN
THIS FAST-GROWING INDUSTRY.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY, RACHEL.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
NEXT UP IS JENNIFER HALL.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M JENNIFER HALL.
AND I'M A TEACHER AT WEST
SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I AM A
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AS
WELL.
SO LISA HERBOLD IS OUR
COUNCILWOMAN HERE.
AND I AM CALLING TO TALK ABOUT
THE TAX AMAZON INITIATIVE.
A NUMBER OF US HERE IN DISTRICT
ONE ARE CONCERNED THAT IT HAS
NOT BEEN DISCUSSED AS MUCH AS WE
WOULD LIKE, WHICH MEANS THAT
IT'S THAT MUCH FURTHER FROM
BEING PASSED.
AND JUST GOING TO MY OWN
EXPERIENCE AS A TEACHER, AND AS
A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, AND
AS SOMEBODY WHO'S LIVE HERE FOR
ABOUT 30 YEARS, I FEEL MYSELF
BECOMING KIND OF A DEFACT TOE
SOCIAL WORKER, BECAUSE WHEN I
MAKE THE CONTACT TO MY STUDENTS'
FAMILIES, I AM RUNNING INTO
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN STRAITS.
THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO
BUY THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEED.
CLEANERS FOR THEIR HOMES,
LAUNDRY DETERGENT, DISH SOAP.
GETTING FOOD TO THEM IS A LITTLE
BIT EASIER.
AND A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES TOO
HAVE BEEN PUSHED SOUTH BECAUSE
OF RENTAL INCREASES.
I'VE SEEN MY OWN NEIGHBORS
PUSHED OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF
SOCIAL HOUSING AND WE HAVE THE
MOST REGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURE
THAT WE COULD HAVE.
IT'S RIDICULOUS TO NOT HAVE BIG
BUSINESSES PAY TAX.
AMAZON SHOWBOAT BY MAKING THE
CONTRIBUTIONS IT MAKES TO MARY'S
PLACE.
IT'S GOOD THEY'RE DOING THAT,
BUT WE NEED TO TAX AMAZON.
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
CARE OF OUR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
NOW THAT THE COVID-19 CRISIS IS
SHOWING THIS TO ALL OF US.
WE HAVE --
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS BARBARA FINNY
FOLLOWED BY LAURA DENNIS,
BARBRA?
>> HI, MY NAME IS BARBRA FINNY,
A RESIDENT OF BITTER LAKE IN D5.
I'M COMING TO YOU ABOUT SEATTLE
POLICE VIOLENCE.
THERE'S A MULTIRACIAL REBELLION
OF YOUNG PEOPLE FOR JUSTICE FOR
GEORGE FLOYD AND AGAINST POLICE
VIOLENCE HERE AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
ON SATURDAY, SEATTLE'S MAYOR
SAID THAT POLICE TOLD HER TO LAY
DOWN A CURFEW, SO SHE DID.
SEATTLE DOES NOT NEED A CURFEW,
PEPPER SPRAY AND TEAR GAS.
WE NEED AN END TO RACIST POLICE
VIOLENCE.
WE NEED TO KEEP IN PLACE THE
CONSENT DECREE ON SPD.
AND WE WANT A 50% CUT ON THE SPD
BUDGET AND REAL POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE DO NEED
ECONOMIC HOUSING SECURITY,
INCLUDING IMMEDIATE COVID
RELIEF, HOUSING AND JOBS THROUGH
THE AMAZON TAX.
WE NEED AN END TO INHUMANE
HOMELESS SWEEPS.
WE NEED THE CANCELLATION OF
RENTS, MORTGAGES AND UTILITY
PAYMENTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST
INCOME.
PLEASE CONTINUE THE MORATORIUM
EXTENSION FOR MY NEIGHBORS AT
THE MOBILE HOME PARK.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA DENNIS
FOLLOWED BY JASON R.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
I'M A MENTAL HEALTH THERAPIST
HIRE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE AGENDA
ITEM IN RASHD TO SATURDAY'S
PROTEST.
I'M HERE NOT JUST TO SHARE MY
EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS ONE OF
THOUSANDS I HAVE HAD IN THE LAST
FOUR DAYS AFTER THE OUTRAGE OF
GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH.
IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'VE
BEEN AN ADVOCATE ON WOMAN'S
ISSUES BY SUPPORTING MARCHES
SUCH AS THE WOMEN'S MARCH AND
HAVE BEEN MET WITH SUPPORT AND
PEACE FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
WHAT I WITNESSED IN EXPERIENCE
ON SATURDAY WAS EVERYTHING BUT
THAT, FILLED WITH AGGRESSION,
UNNECESSARY FORCE AND, FOR THE
FIRST TIME, AS A PRIVILEGED
WHITE FEMALE, IN FEAR OF THE
AUTHORITY THAT IS MEANT TO KEEP
US SAFE.
I SHOWED UP LIKE MANY ON
SATURDAY WITH THE INTENTION TO
ADVOCATE AND STAND FOR THE
INJUSTICE THAT CONTINUES TO
RESURFACE AGAIN AND AGAIN IN OUR
SOCIETY.
POLICE BRUTALITY ON PEOPLE OF
COLOR HAS TO STOP.
I STOOD WITH FELLOW SEATTLEITES
AND WATCHED AS THEY BEGAN TO
PUSH PEOPLE WITHOUT CAUSE OR
AGITATION OR AGGRESSION FROM THE
PROTESTERS.
I SAW THEM PEPPER SPRAY A MAN OF
COLOR IN HIS 50s WITH A CANE,
WITHIN A TWO FOOT RANGE.
I WATCHED IN HORROR AS THEY
THREW TEAR GAS AND FLASH BANGS
INTO THE CROWD WITHOUT
PROVOCATION.
I AM BEYOND OUTRAGED BY THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
RESPONSE TO SHOW UP AND ALLOW US
TO RIGHTFULLY PROTEST IN PEACE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
UNWILLING TO ENGAGE WITH US
PEACEFULLY AND WITH SUPPORT TO
OUR CAUSE.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW THE
COUNCILMEMBERS, DURKAN AND
POLICE CHIEF BEST -- AND
PHYSICAL FORCE ON TO THOSE THAT
ARE PROTESTING PEACEFULLY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN,
LAURA, AND WE HAD A LONG
CONVERSATION THIS MORNING ABOUT
COUNCIL'S ROLE IN ACCOUNTABILITY
ISSUES.
INVITE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE
COUNCIL BRIEFING THAT WE HAVE
THIS MORNING.
BUT, OF COURSE, THERE'S A LOT
MORE COMING, INCLUDING A PUBLIC
HEARING ON WEDNESDAY THAT WILL
BE CHAIRED BY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
CHAIR LISA HERBOLD, WHO IS GOING
TO LEAD US THROUGH A
CONVERSATION AS AS WE THINK
THROUGH THOSE AFTER INCIDENTS,
INCIDENT THAT IS OCCURRED AND
HEAR A REPORT OUT FROM OUR
CHIEFS ABOUT THE RESPONSE SO FOR
THOSE OF YOU CONCERNED ABOUT
WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY
COUNCIL, I HOPE YOU WILL TUNE IN
ON WEDNESDAY.
WE ARE GETTING READY TO RELEASE,
I THINK, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A
TIME FOR GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WE
CAN ANNOUNCE AT THE END OF
PUBLIC COMMENT HERE.
IF NOT LATER TODAY, BUT
CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
FOLKS ARE CALLING IN WITH
INTEREST ON THIS ISSUE TODAY,
THE DETAILS AROUND FUTURE
CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE COMING UP
LATE THEY ARE WEEK ON THIS
ISSUE.
NEXT UP IS JASON REEVES FOLLOWED
BY JAMES THOMAS.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS JASON
REEVES.
I'M A SEATTLE DOORDASH DRIVER
AND CAREER BLACK MAN.
ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS DON'T CALL
ME ESSENTIAL.
PAY ME LIKE I'M ESSENTIAL.
DON'T CALL ME A HERO, TREAT ME
LIKE I'M A HUMAN.
I DON'T ASK FOR ANYTHING THAT IS
REACHING FOR THE MOON.
ALL I ASK IS FOR SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL TO STAND WITH GIG
WORKERS, TREAT US LIKE TRUE,
ACTUAL HUMES.
GIVE US SICK LEAVE IF WE'RE
TRULY ESSENTIAL, SO WE'RE NOT
SPREADING INFECTION.
GIVE US HAZARD PAY SO WE CAN BUY
THE PPE THAT WE CAN STOP THE
SPREAD OF INFECTION SO THAT WE
CAN KEEP THE -- DOWN.
SIMPLE STUFF.
I CAN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT THE
HAZARD PAY.
I REALLY HAVE TO TALK ABOUT
BEING A BLACK MAN BECAUSE I
SHOULDN'T HAVE TO -- I SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO GAMBLE ON AM I GOING TO
BE ALIVE IN TEN MINUTES AFTER
TIME I SEE A POLICE OFFICER.
YOU KNOW, IS HE HAVING A BAD
DAY?
AM I GOING TO END UP DEAD?
THESE ARE THING THAT IS GO
THROUGH MY MIND.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THIS.
THEY CALL THI GREATEST
COUNTRY ON EARTH.
SOMEWHERE I READ THAT THE
GREATNESS OF AMERICA IS TO
PROTEST FOR MORE RIGHTS.
THE CYCLE NEEDS TO END.
GET THESE POLICE -- GET THESE
PEOPLE OFF OUR FORCES.
PUT THEM ON LISTS, PUT THEM IN
GITMO.
LET'S GET BACK TO THE WORK WE
NEED TO DO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M SORRY I GOT LOUD.
I'M SCARED I'M GOING TO DIE
BECAUSE I AM MY COLOR.
YOU HEAR ANGER IN MY VOICE, THAT
IS FEAR.
THAT'S DESPERATION AND IT'S 33
YEARS OF BEING SCARED, BEING
TOLD THAT I AM A TARGET FOR MY
SKIN COLOR.
GET IT THROUGH YOUR PEOPLE'S
HEADS.
>> THANK YOU, JASON FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES THOMAS
FOLLOWED BY NANCY CALLAHAN.
>> MY NAME IS JAMES THOMAS.
I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN BLACK MALE.
I FEEL FOR YOU, THE BROTHER WHO
JUST SPOKE.
I'M A DELIVERY DRIVER AND
RIDESHARE DRIVER SINCE DECEMBER
2016.
I'M ADVOCATING FOR SAFETY AND
SICK LEAVE FOR GIG WORKERS.
WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERPRIVILEGED
PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF ALL RACES AND
NATIONAL ORIGINS WHO DO THIS
WORK.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS INDUSTRY
HAVE DARK SKIN, AND ONE OF THE
BIGGEST ISSUES WE FACE IS NEAR
NEED OF MAKING A BETTER LIVING.
WE'RE DOING ESSENTIAL WORK
WITHOUT ANY OF THE PROTECTIONS
OTHER WORKERS ARE AFFORDED.
WE ARE TAKING A RISK TO GO OUT
AND WORK.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE A SERVANT.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE
RESTAURANT, PICK UP YOUR FOOD,
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SMILE ON
YOUR FACE WHEN YOU OPEN THE
PACKAGE AND THEN YOU DON'T CARE
ABOUT US TO GIVE US A NICKEL
TIP.
TH PAY IS SO LOW THAT WE HAVE
TO RELY ON TIPS.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON PEOPLE'S
GENEROSITY BECAUSE THEY'RE
RELYING ON MY GENEROSITY TO
BRING THEM FOOD FOR $2.
BUT NOT EVERYONE RELIES ON TIPS
EQUALLY.
I MAKE LESS IN TIPS BECAUSE OF
MY RACE AND I'M A MALE.
I HAVE SEEN CUSTOMERS PUT THEIR
WALLET BACK IN THEIR POCKET AS
SOON AS THEY SEE I'M A BLACK
MALE PULL UP IN THEIR DRIVEWAY.
I'M 66 YEARS OLD, AND I KNOW
WHAT I SEE.
HAVING NO LEGAL STANDARDS IN AN
INDUSTRY THAT IS MADE UP OF SO
MANY WORKERS OF COLOR REINFORCES
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND
DISPARITY IN PAY.
ESPECIALLY SINCE WE KNOW THAT
PEOPLE TIP US LESS BASED ON OUR
RACE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY IS
LOOKING OUT FOR THE PEOPLE DOING
THIS WORK, THAT'S WHY WE NEED
THESE EMERGENCY PROTECTIONS OF
SICK LEAVE AND HAZARD PAY NOW.
AND IN THE LONG RUN, WE NEED --
RACIAL DISPARITIES AND HOW
PEOPLE ARE TREATED.
WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE
BECAUSE WE WANT MORE FROM THE
BILLIONAIRES.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING US AND
STANDING WITH WORKERS TO MOVE
THIS SICK LEAVE POLICY FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU, MR. THOMAS FOR
CALLING IN.
NEXT UP IS NANCY CALLAHAN
FOLLOWED BY STUART DUCKWORTH.
>> HI, I'M NANCY CALLAHAN, AND
THIS IS FOR THE ISSUE OF CD
119793.
AND I LIVED IN WASHINGTON STATE
SINCE 2005.
I HAVE BEEN DOING GIG WORK SINCE
2016, DURING WHICH ALL OF THOSE
FOUR YEARS I WAS TRYING TO
FINISH UP A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
AND I AM CALLING IN TODAY TO
HELP ADVOCATE FOR SICK PAY
BECAUSE I GOT INTO A SERIOUS
ACCIDENT THE WEEK AFTER I
FINISHED BY BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN
2018, AND I WAS HEADING TOWARDS
A DIFFERENT JOB THAN GIG WORK,
BUT I STILL WAS VERY THANKFUL
HAT I HAD BEEN ABLE TO G
WORKING.
AND THE ACCIDENT TOTALLED MY
CAR.
AND I GOT INJURED.
AND SO NOT ONLY WAS THE DREAM OF
ALL THAT HARD WORK SHOT, AT
LEAST TEMPORARILY, BUT I DIDN'T
HAVE A CAR TO WORK IN OR DRIVE
TO ANY OF THE MEDICAL
APPOINTMENTS I NOW NEEDED TO GO
TO.
I DIDN'T HAVE MONEY BECAUSE
THERE WASN'T SICK LEAVE TO PAY
FOR UBER AND LYFT DRIVES TO GET
TO MEDICAL POINTS.
I DIDN'T HAVE PROPER
REPRESENTATION, PROPER AMBULANCE
ORDERS AT THE SCENE OF THE
ACCIDENT BY SEATTLE POLICE, SO
THE WHOLE THING PUT ME IN A BAD
SITUATION.
MY YOUNGEST SON DROPPED OUT OF
HIS ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL TO TAKE
CARE OF ME.
THE WHOLE THING TURNED OUR LIFE
UPSIDE DOWN.
HAD THERE BEEN SICK PAY, IT
COULD HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, SEEING THIS SITUATION
NOW REALLY GIVES ME AN
APPRECIATION THAT I GET TO SPEAK
UP ON SOMETHING THAT I NEVER
THOUGHT I'D HAVE A VOICE ON,
BECAUSE NOW IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT
FOR SO MANY PEOPLE, NOT JUST ME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN,
NANCY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STUART
DUCKWORTH FOLLOWED BY CHARLES
HOWE.
>> HELLO.
THIS IS STUART DUCKWORTH, AND
I'M HERE TO REQUEST A YES VOTE
FOR THE MOBILE HOME PARK.
AND ALSO MOVE THAT THIS
EXTENSION BE A PERMANENT
EXTENSION, MEANING THAT WE'VE
BEEN LIVING IN THIS MOBILE HOME
PARK FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND
WE'VE HAD TO EXTEND THIS
MORATORIUM SEVERAL TIMES.
AND REALLY, THIS IS BASICALLY A
WASTE OF YOUR TIME AND --
BECAUSE THE LAND THAT THIS
MOBILE HOME PARK O
INITIALLY -- LET'S SEE HERE.
ZONED AS MOBILE PARK HOME ONLY
BECAUSE THE GROUND UNDERNEATH IT
IS UNSTABLE.
IT'S ON A LANDFILL AND UNDER THE
LANDFILL IS A WATER TABLE FROM
HOWARD LAKE.
AND SO IT SHOULD JUST REMAIN A
MOBILE HOME PARK, AND THAT'S
THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PLEASE VOTE
YES.
AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLES HOWE
FOLLOWED BY SAMANTHA FOOT.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT
WHO'S REQUESTING THIS COUNCIL --
BY DEFUNDING THE POLICE AND
MOVING FORWARD ON THE TAX AMAZON
PROPOSAL TO SUPPORT THE NEEDED
INCREASE IN CIVIL AND SOCIAL
SERVICES AND TO ACCOUNT FOR THE
LOSS REVENUE DUE TO THE
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS.
THE CITY IS WELL ABLE TO
REPRIORITIZE AWAY FROM THE
POLICE AND CORPORATE POWERS,
PROVIDING FOR THE CITIZENS.
ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS INCREASED
PROTECTION AND PAY FOR GIG
WORKERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAMANTHA
FOOT FOLLOWED BY FRANCESCA.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA FOOT.
I AM ALSO CALLING TODAY TO
ADDRESS YOUR ATTENTION TO THE
VIOLENT ACTIONS OF THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT THIS WEEKEND
AND WILL HAPPILY DO SO AT THE
PUBLIC HEARING ON WEDNESDAY.
MINUTES TO GETTING TO WESTLAKE,
I WATCHED MY FRIENDS GET TLUN ON
THE GROUND, KNEES ON THEIR
BACKS, HANDS IN CUFFS, SIMPLY
FOR ASKING TO GET TO THE
PROTEST.
MYSELF AND OTHERS WERE MACED
DIRECTLY IN OUR FACES, INCHES
FROM THE POLICE.
AS WE POURED MILK ON OURSELVES
TO GET THE STING OFF OF OUR
BODIES, I WATCHED THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT SMIRK AND
LAUGH IN OUR PAIN.
WE WERE MOCKED BY THE POLICE
WHEN ASKED TO FIND OUR FRIENDS
WHO HN ARRESTED.
I AM DEMANDED THE COUNCIL WORK
TO DEFUND THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT WHO GETS $400 MILLION
TO BE EQUIPPED WITH MILITARIZED
EQUIPMENT TO TERRORIZE CITIZENS.
I WANT THAT MONEY REINVESTED
BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, INTO
COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH AND
SAFETY.
THE POLICE DO NOT PROTECT US
HERE.
THEY DO NOT SERVE US, AND THEY
ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SIMON TAYLOR
FOLLOWED BY KAREN TAYLOR.
OH, I'M SORRY, THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS FRANCESCA FOLLOWED BY SIMON
TAYLOR.
MY APOLOGIES.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS FRANCESCA.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO ASK YOU TO
MAKE DEFUNDING THE POLICE AN
IMMEDIATE PRIORITY.
THIS VIDEO FROM THE WEEKEND OF A
SEATTLE OFFICER KNEELING ON THE
NECK OF A PROTESTER.
POLICE CHIEF CARMEN BEST
RECENTLY SAID THAT BECAUSE OF
SEATTLE'S INITIATIVES AND POLICE
REFORMS, SOMETHING LIKE WHAT
HAPPENED TO GEORGE FLOYD
WOULDN'T HAPPEN HERE.
WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT THAT IS
FLAT OUT WRONG.
WE CAN'T RISK ANYMORE LIVES.
DEFUNDING POLICE IS THE ANSWER.
WE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY BEGIN
STRATEGICALLY REALLOCATING
FUNDING, RESOURCES AND
RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM THE
POLICE AND TOWARD
COMMUNITY-BASED MODELS OF
SAFETY, SUPPORT AND PREVENTION.
WE MUST INVEST IN HOUSING,
EMPLOYMENT AND HEALTH CARE IN
WAYS THAT DIRECTLY TARGET THE
PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
INSTEAD OF CRIMINALIZING
HOMELESSNESS, WE NEED PUBLICLY
FINANCED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
INSTEAD OF GANG UNITS,
COMMUNITY-BASED ANTI-VIOLENCE
PROGRAMS.
JOBS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
INSTEAD OF SCHOOL POLICE, WE
NEED COUNSELORS AND RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PROGRAMS.
AS YOUR CONSTITUENT, I ASK YOU
TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SIMON
TAYLOR, FOLLOWED BY KAREN
TAYLOR.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M CALLING FIRST TO SAY THAT I
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE GIG
WORKERS ASKING FOR SAFETY.
MY ROLE IN THIS PANDEMIC IS AS A
NURSE.
I AM A PRIMARY CARE NURSE
PRACTITIONER AND I TAKE CARE OF
PEOPLE EVERY DAY WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING THE FEAR OF LIVING
UNDER A PANDEMIC.
BUT I'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF
PEOPLE LIVING UNDER FEAR FOR A
LONG TIME, LIVING UNDER THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE VIOLENCE OF
SEATTLE POLICE AND THE RACISM OF
IT.
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO
DEFUND THE SEATTLE POLICE.
I CALL ON MAYOR JENNY DURKAN TO
RESIGN FOR HER HANDLING OF THIS
SITUATION.
WHEN THE CITY OF SEATTLE IMPOSES
A CURFEW AND IMMEDIATELY BEGINS
ARRESTING ITS OWN RESIDENTS,
THAT ALIGNS US WITH A HISTORY WE
DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF.
IT ALIGNS US WITH THE AGENDA OF
THE TRUMP REGIME.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS US TO STAY
IN LINE, TO LACK POWER AN
AVOID OUR DISSERTATION IN THE
PUBLIC -- HE WANTS SEATTLE TO BE
QUIET AND OBEDIENT TO PROTECT
HIS AGENDA.
THE POLICE PARTICIPATED IN
KEEPING SEATTLE QUIET AND OF
BEAD YEPT, AND THEY HAVE FOR THE
PAST SEVERAL DAYS AND YEARS
BEFORE THAT.
IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO DEFUND
THEM, AND I'M ASKING YOU AS A
NURSE TO DO THAT.
IF WE MATTER SO MUCH TO THE
COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, THEN LISTEN
TO US.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN TAYLOR
FOLLOWED BY ALANNA KELINE.
>> HI THERE, MY NAME'S KAREN
TAYLOR.
I'M CALLING ABOUT THE POLICE
BRUTALITY THAT WE'VE BEEN
WITNESSING.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, Y'ALL ARE GOING
TO INVESTIGATE THE FACTS, BUT A
LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ALSO BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THE TONE OF
THINGS.
SO WHEN I GO AND LOOK AT ONLINE
AT LAW ENFORCEMENT PUBLICATIONS,
THERE'S A LOT OF GLEE IN
VIOLENCE, THERE'S A LOT OF
PHOTOS OF PEOPLE.
THEIR FACES SMASHED IN THE
GROUND.
THEY TAKE PHOTOS TO KEEP OF
THAT.
THEY PASS IT AROUND.
SO WHEN WE SEE THEM SMIRKING,
IT'S NOT IN OUR IMAGINATION.
THERE'S ALSO THE CASUAL THING,
JUST SORT OF CASUALLY MACING
PEOPLE IN THE FACE, CASUALLY
PUNCHING THEM.
SO THERE'S GLEE, THERE'S THE
CASUAL, AND THEN THE CASUAL
EXTENDS TO JENNY DURKAN TOO, WHO
I REQUEST TO RESIGN.
SHE CASUALLY BRUSHED OFF THE
QUESTION OF THE COPS COVERING
THEIR BADGE NUMBERS, AS IF IT
HAD NEVER OCCURRED TO HER AND
WAS SOMETHING SHE DIDN'T KNOW
ABOUT.
THESE THINGS ARE PART OF WHAT
CAN LEAD US TO THE DEEPER TRUTH,
WHICH IS COPS ARE INHERENTLY A
TERRIBLE IDEA.
WE NEED TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND
INVEST THIS MONEY IN SOMETHING
ELSE.
THIS COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT
CLEARER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALANNA
KILLIAN, FOLLOWED BY DR. HOWARD
GAIL.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALANNA
KILLIAN.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX.
I'VE BEEN A SOFTWARE ENGINEER IN
SEATTLE FOR THE LAST DECADE.
I'M CALLING ABOUT THE AMAZON
TAX.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
RIGHT NOW WE KNOW WE NEED TO
SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED
BY COVID.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING
CRISIS.
WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE
COMING RECESSION AS WELL AS THE
CLIMATE CRISIS.
AND WE CAN ADDRESS AND SUPPORT
ALL OF THESE WITH A SMALL TAX ON
BIG BUSINESS.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS WEREN'T
ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THIS
TAX BECAUSE YOU WERE RESTRICTED
FROM DOING SO DURING THE HEALTH
EMERGENCY, BUT NOW THAT THESE
RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED, I JUST
WANTED TO URGE YOU GUYS TO PASS
THIS TAX AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I'VE LIVED IN THE SEATTLE AREA
MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I'VE SEEN
HOW THIS CITY WORKS REALLY WELL
FOR SOME PEOPLE, LIKE ME.
BUT IT ISN'T WORKING FOR OTHER
PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST AS MUCH
RIGHT TO THEIR HEALTH AND TO
STABILITY.
THIS IS WASHINGTON STATE.
IT'S A PROGRESSIVE STATE, BUT WE
HAVE ONE OF THE MOST REGRESSIVE
TAX SYSTEMS IN THE NATION.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THESE BUSINESS
LEADERS ARE FACING PARTICULAR
TAX BURDENS AT THIS MOMENT.
SO PASSING THIS TAX SHOULD BE AN
IMMEDIATE PRIORITY.
IT'S A MOVE TO SUPPORT WORKING
PEOPLE.
I WORK FOR TECH COMPANIES.
I GET THAT AMAZON HAS A LOT OF
POWER, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY
REASON THAT THIS CITY SHOULD
WORK BETTER FOR BIG BUSINESS
THAN IT DOES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE HERE.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, ALANNA FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DR. HOWARD
GAIL, FOLLOWED BY ERIC SAL GER.
>>>> HOWARD GAIL -- HI, THIS IS
DR. HOWARD GAIL FROM QUEEN ANNE,
AND I DO WANT TO SPEAK NOT JUST
ABOUT THE PROTEST, PEOPLE HAVE
ALREADY SPOKE ON THE THAT, BUT
ABOUT THE ROLE THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL HAS ADVOCATED.
CHIEF BEST WAS ON THE NEWS
YESTERDAY.
SHE MENTIONED THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL, THE OPA AND THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION.
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS MISSING
IN ACTION.
THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
IS MISSING IN ACTION.
THEY SPENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS
DOING WEBINARS ON COVID.
THE OPA HAS NOW CERTIFIED OVER
TEN POLICE KILLINGS.
THERE HAVE BEEN 29 POLICE
MURDERS SINCE JOHN T. WILLIAMS.
THERE'S BEEN E LYLES,
SINCE YOU PROMISED THERE WOULD
BE CHANGE.
EIGHT KILLINGS SINCE LYLES,
WE'RE COMING TOWN THIRD
ANNIVERSARY.
LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO, ON MAY
19th, A BLACK MAN WAS KILLED ON
ELLIOT WAY JUST A FEW BLOCKS
FROM MY HOUSE.
THERE'S BEEN NO DISCUSSION OF
THAT.
HE WAS RUNNING AWAY FROM THE
POLICE, YES HE DID HAVE A KNIFE,
BUT HE WAS SHOT FIVE TIMES IN
THE BACK.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS WE CAN'T
PRETEND OUR WAY OUT OF THIS
CRISIS.
SEATTLE IS JUST AS GUILTY AS
EVERY OTHER CITY THAT HAS THESE
PROBLEMS, AND I'M BEGGING AND
PLEADING THE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO
TAKE A STRONGER ROLE IN
OVERSIGHT.
WE HAVE A POLICE CONTRACT
NEGOTIATION, NO ONE'S BEEN
SPEAKING OF THAT.
I'D LIKE THAT TO BE ADDRESSED,
AND I'D LIKE THERE TO BE
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
THE COMMISSION IS COMPLETELY
MISSING IN ACTION ON THESE
ISSUES.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS
SALLEN GER, FOLLOWED BY
JENNIFER.
>> MY NAME IS ERIC.
IT'S HARD TO DISTILL ALL MY
THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND INTO A SET
OF COMMENTS.
SO INSTEAD, I WANT TO START WITH
THE FORWARD JOKE -- AND THAT'S
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I LIVE DOWNTOWN AND I LIKE IT
HERE.
AND WE HAVE OUR SHARE OF ISSUES,
UNFORTUNATELY, AND FOR BETTER OR
FOR WORSE, THE PEOPLE WE CAN
CALL TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES ARE
THE POLICE.
THIS WEEKEND, BECAUSE I'VE LIVED
DOWNTOWN, I WAS ABLE TO WATCH AS
POLICE GASSED PEACEFUL CROWDS.
A SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER PEPPER
SPRAYED A 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL FOR
SPORT.
PEOPLE WITH THEIR HANDS UP WERE
SUBJECT TO A VARIETY OF
EXPLOSIVE DEVICES.
WHEN CALLED OUT ON THE POLICE
ESCALATION, THE MAYOR ASKED THE
PUBLIC -- WHO WE WOULD BELIEVE,
HER OR OUR LYING EYES?
SO AFTER THE POLICE TURNED THIS
PEACEFUL PROTEST INTO VIOLENT
ONES, THEY NEED US TO LOSE
CONTROL OF MULTIPLE WEAPONS,
RECOVERED BY A REPORTER'S
SECURITY GUARD.
THERE'S BEEN AN EPIDEMIC OF
CRIME DOWNTOWN, AND THE SHOPS
THAT WERE LOOTED SATURDAY HAVE
BEEN COMPLAINING FOR MONTHS
ABOUT THEFT, ASSAULT AND
PROPERTY DAMAGE.
I'M HEARTBROKEN BY WHAT'S GOING
ON IN THIS CITY, AND I FEEL LIKE
WE NEED THE POLICE TO PLAY A
ROLE DOWNTOWN, BUT NOT LIKE
THIS, NOT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO
ANTAGONIZE PEACEFUL PROTESTERS.
NOT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO TURN
PEACEFUL EVENTS INTO, YOU KNOW,
A SPECTACLE OF BRUTALITY, AND
NOT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO STAND
BY WHILE BUSINESSES ARE BEING
LOOTED.
WHAT DID THEY DO FOR US DURING
THE MASS SHOOTING?
FEBRUARY?
THE TWO SHOOTERS WHO WEREN'T
HOSPITALIZED ESCAPED TO THE
LOCAL SEATTLE SUBURB OF NEVADA,
ONLY 1,100 MILES AWAY.
GREAT JOB ON THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT FOR PROTECTING THE
COMMUNITY FROM.
I DON'T ENKNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I AM VERY FRUSTRATED.
I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT THINGS WE CAN DO TO
HELP.
I THINK A NUMBER OF THEM ARE
POLICE UNION OVERSIGHT AND
LOOKING AT DATA-DRIVEN METHODS
OF POLICE REFORM AND SEEING WHAT
WORKS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEND YOU EMAILS
WITH PROPOSALS, BUT RIGHT NOW
I'M FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY, SO
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, ERIC FOR CALLING
IN THIS AFTERNOON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER,
FOLLOWED BY PAULIE G. >> THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS FOR HEARING
MY CALL AND ALLOWING MY COMMENTS
TO BE ON THE RECORD.
I BELIEVE I'M SPEAKING WITH
REGARD TO POLICE VIOLENCE AND
ALSO MAYOR DURKAN AND CITY
ATTORNEY PETE HOLMES,
SPECIFICALLY MAYOR DURKAN AND
CITY ATTORNEY PETE HOLMES HAVE
MOVED PUBLICLY TO END THE
CONCEPT DECREE.
IT'S CLEAR, IF ONLY FROM THE
EVENTS OF THIS WEEKEND, THAT
MAYOR DURKAN AND CITY ATTORNEY
HOLMES ARE, I'M CONVINCED,
WILLINGLY DEAF TO THE DEATHS OF
AFRICAN-AMERICANS AS WELL AS
OTHER PEOPLE.
-- MAYOR AND CITY ATTORNEY'S
DESTRUCTIVE ATTEMPTS TO END ONE
HARD EARNED OVERSIGHT OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, YOU EACH HAVE
MORE -- AND AS INDIVIDUALLY AND
AS A COUNCIL TO CALL ATTENTION
TO THIS INCOMPETENCE.
AS WELL, I WOULD R
REPRESENTATIVE COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN I AM OF YOUR DISTRICT
AND A VERY ACTIVE VOTING
CONSTITUENT AS WELL AS
ORGANIZER.
PLEASE, BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE
BEING WATCHED FOR WHAT KIND OF
STANCE YOU TAKE WITH REGARD TO
THIS ISSUE.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
WHETHER YOU ARE IN SUPPORT OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE THE
MOST VULNERABLE OR WHETHER YOU
STAND UP FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JENNIFER, FOR
CALLING IN THIS AFTERNOON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAULIE G. >>
HI, MY NAME IS PAULIE G., I AM A
MEMBER OF NEXT STEPS WASHINGTON.
I ALSO WORK WITH TERRY ROGERS
KEMP OF THE NAACP KING COUNTY
WHO IS THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
CHAIR.
WE HAVE TO CHALLENGE THIS MYTH
OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY IN
SEATTLE, WHICH IS REPEATED, NOT
JUST BY THE ALT-RIGHT POLICE
UNIONS YOU RECENTLY ELECTED AN
ALT-RIGHT S.W.A.T.
TEAM LEADER
PRESIDENT, BUT ALSO BY OUR
SUPPOSED LEADERS LIKE SEATTLE
MAYOR JENNY DURKAN AND CHIEF OF
POLICE CARMEN BEST.
YOU KNOW, JUST WITHIN THE PAST
FEW DAYS, POLICE HAVE MACED A
CHILD IN SEATTLE.
THERE WAS POLICE CLOSED FIST
PUNCHING PROTESTERS.
THERE WAS ALSO A POLICE OFFICER
KNEELING ON THE NECK OF
PROTESTERS.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE
EXAMPLES OF THE RAMPANT,
UNCONTROLLED AND UNHINGED
BEHAVIOR OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, AND IT MUST BE
STOPPED.
AND THIS CRITICISM IS NOT JUST
FOR MAYOR DURKAN'S
ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALSO THE
CITY COUNCIL.
EIGHT OF THE MEMBERS VOTED FOR
THE LAST POLICE UNION CONTRACT,
WHICH IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY
HINDRANCES TO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IN SEATTLE.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
KSHAMA SAWANT FOR BEING THE SOLE
COUNCILMEMBER TO VOTE AGAINST
THAT OUTRAGEOUS POLICE UNION
CONTRACT.
RIGHT NOW THE NEW POLICE UNION
CONTRACT IS IN THE BLACK BOX
PHASE AND I HAVE NO FAITH IN THE
MAYOR TO INCORPORATE THE
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT SHE SAYS SHE
WILL.
YOU KNOW, AND THEY RECENTLY JUST
FILED A MOTION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO BE
RELEASED FROM THE CONSENT DECREE
AND END THE CONSENT DECREE
OVERSIGHT.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM DOE.
>> HI, I'M WILLIAM DOE, AND I'VE
DRIVEN RIDE SNAIR SEATTLE ABOUT
THREE YEARS.
IT'S IN REGARDS TO SICK PAY.
THE COMPANIES THAT PUT TOGETHER
SICK PAY PROPOSALS OR SOMETHING
IN EFFECT THAT PAYS US LESS THAN
$6 AN HOUR.
I DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONE THAT
DRIVES AROUND SEATTLE WHILE I'M
SICK BECAUSE I CAN'T MAKE ENDS
MEET.
UNEMPLOYMENT HASN'T PAID ME FOR
TWO AND A HALF MONTHS.
IT'S STILL AN ISSUE.
I'M UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE.
I HAVE TWO HIGH RISK ADULTS AT
HOME.
MY LAST TRIP I PICKED UP, OR ONE
OF THE TRIPS I PICKED UP THE
OTHER NIGHT, HAD THREE YOUNGER
PEOPLE.
ONE OF THEM WAS COUGHING.
AND THEY WANTED TO SIT IN FRONT
WITH ME.
MY PPE COSTS ARE VERY HIGH, AND
THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT'S GOING
TO CONTINUE NOT JUST UNTIL THE
END OF THE SEATTLE EMERGENCY BUT
MAYBE TO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT
YEAR.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE
EXTENDED.
IT NEEDS TO BE MADE -- AND I
NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
IF I GET SICK, I'M REALLY IN
DEEP TROUBLE, NOT JUST MY
FAMILY, BUT IT COULD CREATE A
BIGGER PROBLEM FOR ME IF OTHER
DRIVERS DRIVE WHILE SICK BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T MAKE ENDS MEET
WAITING FOR HELP.
SO PLEASE DO SOMETHING THAT WILL
BE LASTING AND FAIR T
DRIVERS.
A LOT MORE YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE
COMING OUT AND A LOT MORE PEOPLE
ARE GOING THREE TO FOUR PEOPLE
IN A CAR AND THEY ARE NOT
WEARING THEIR MASKS.
RECENT RESEARCH SHOWS THAT
PEOPLE UNDER 40 ARE BECOMING
MORE AND MORE INFECTED.
SO GIVE US A HAND, HELP US OUT,
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, WILLIAM, FOR
CALLING IN TODAY.
THAT WAS THE LAST SPEAKER ON THE
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD,
SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE
OUT THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
AND MOVE TO ITEMS OF BUSINESS ON
THE AGENDA.
AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC
HEARING ON THE MORATORIUM BILL
RELATED TO THE MOBILE PARK AS
AGENDA ITEM ONE REQUIRES.
SO THE FIRST ITEM IS PAYMENT OF
THE BILLS.
WILL THE CLERK READ THE TITLE
INTO THE RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 119800.
-- THE WEEK OF MAY 18, 2020
THROUGH MAY 22,2020 AND --
>> THANK YOU.
I WILL MOVE TO PASS COUNCIL BILL
119800.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
THAT THE BILL PASS, ARE THERE
ANY COMMENTS?
OKAY, SEEING NO COMMENTS, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU.
THE BILL PASSES AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT.
I ASK THAT THE CLERK PLEASE
AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S MOVE INTO COMMITTEE
REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
AGENDA ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, 119 -- SIX
MONTHS -- ORDINANCE -- ON THE
ILING ACCEPTANCE PROCESSING
AND/OR APPROVAL -- AS DEFINED IN
--
>> THANK YOU.
BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING
ON THIS ITEM, I'M GOING TO TURN
IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT,
WHO, AS LEAD SPONSOR OF THE
BILL, MAY WANT TO PROVIDE US
WITH SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
AND THEN IF COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PROVIDE
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, SHE WILL
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AS
WELL.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
THIS BILL -- THAT PROTECT THE
RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE'S REMAINING
MOBILE HOME PARKS FROM
DISPLACEMENT.
ONE AND A HALF YEAR AGO, THE
RESIDENT OF THE MOBILE PARK IN
NORTH SEATTLE CONTACTED CITY
COUNCIL BECAUSE THEIR PARK OWNER
AT THE TIME, THERE'S A NEW OWNER
NOW, WAS ATTEMPTING TO SELL IT
TO A DEVELOPER.
WHEN MOBILE HOME PARKS ARE
ELIMINATED, IT CAN BE
DEVASTATING.
THEY OWN THEIR HOMES, BUT
DESPITE THE NAME, THEY'RE OFTEN
UNABLE TO BE MOVED.
SO WHEN THE LAND IS REDEVELOPED,
EVERYONE OFTEN LOSES EVERYTHING.
PEOPLE ARE LEFT WITH MORTGAGES
TO MANUFACTURED HOMES THEY CAN
NO LONGER KEEP AND HAVE NOWHERE
TO GO.
THIS WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS
AS AN OUTCOME, POTENTIAL
OUTCOME, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF
THE MOBILE HOME PARK WHO ARE
SENIORS WHO HAVE PAID THEIR DUES
TO THE COMMUNITY, WORKED FOR
DECADES AND MANY OF WHOM HAVE
BEEN FORMER UNION MEMBERS.
MY OFFICE WORKED WITH THE
RESIDENTS TO DEVELOP AND PASS
TEMPORARY ZONING PROTECTIONS TO
PREVENT MOBILE HOME PARKS IN
SEATTLE FROM BEING REDEVELOPED
INTO ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
AND THROUGH THEIR EXCELLENT
COMMUNITY, ORGANIZERS WERE ABLE
TO PASS THAT LEGISLATION.
AND COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WERE
THERE THE LAST FEW YEARS WILL
REMEMBER THAT THEY'RE MOVING
PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
COUNCIL HAS PASSED TEMPORARY
ZONING RESTRICTIONS AND
REQUESTED THE CITY DEPARTMENT DO
THE WORK REQUIRED TO MAKE THOSE
OR OTHER ZONING PROTECTIONS
PERMANENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, MAYOR DURKAN'S
DEPARTMENT HAVE NOT PRIORITIZED,
SO FAR, THE PROTECTING OF THE
HOMES OF THE RESIDENTS OF
SEATTLE'S MOBILE HOME PARKINGS.
AND REALLY NO PROGRESS HAS BEEN
MADE ON THAT ZONING WORK.
SO WE WILL NEED A COUNCIL BILL
FOR TEMPORARY EXTENSION WHICH
THE RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED.
I THANK COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ FOR
SPONSORING THIS.
I REQUEST MAYOR DURKAN TO HAVE
THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO DO THE
WORK NECESSARY TO MAKE THESE
PROTECTIONS PERMANENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
FORWARD TOGETHER THE
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ AND FOR
THOSE OPENING REMARKS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ AND YOU COORDINATED IN
ADVANCE, AND YOU WERE TAKING THE
LEAD ON MAKING REMARKS SO.
WE
WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON NOW TO
THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF
TODAY'S AGENDA.
AS PRESIDING OFFICER, I AM NOW
OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON
COUNCIL BILL 119797.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY AT LEAST TWO
MOBILE HOME PARKS LOCATED IN THE
CITY OF SE.
THE ONLINE REGISTRATION TO SIGN
UP TO SPEAK AT THIS HEARING
OPENED AT 12:00 NOON TODAY.
AND I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS IN
THE ORDER OF PREREGISTRATION.
THE ONLINE REGISTRATION WILL
REMAIN OPEN UNTIL THE CONCLUSION
OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THE RULES APPLY TO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD ALSO APPLY TO
THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE PROVIDED
TWO MINUTES AND WILL RECEIVE A
TEN-SECOND WARNING TO WRAP UP
COMMENTS.
SPEAKER'S MICROPHONES WILL BE
AUTOMATICALLY MUTED AT THE END
OF THE PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO
COUNCIL BILL 119797 IS ONLY
BEING ACCEPTED AT THIS PUBLIC
HEARING.
SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO BEGIN
THEIR COMMENTS BY STATING THEIR
NAME AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO,
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN THE
PROCESS OF ACCEPTING PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR
COUNCIL BILL.
WE ONLY HAVE THREE PEOPLE SIGNED
UP AT THIS POINT FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THE FIRST IS LINDA McCOY AND
THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM DOMINIQUE
CHANDLER, LINDA?
>> HI.
I AMLIN DA McCOY, AND I'M THE
CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE
HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION HERE AT
THE MOBILE HOME PARK.
I WANT TO SAY THAT WE LEARNED
VERY, VERY LATE, LIKE JUST
YESTERDAY EVENING, HOW THIS
WORKED.
SO SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE SENT
EMAILS TO YOU ABOUT THIS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO READ
THEM, PLEASE DO.
PATTY IS ONE.
AND SHARON BROWN IS ANOTHER.
SHE WANTED ME TO MENTION THAT.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ AND COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT,
FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD AND FOR
HELPING US GET THROUGH.
TWO THINGS HAPPENED THAT MADE IT
DIFFICULT FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD
ON GETTING THE THINGS DONE FOR
THE REZONE, MORE PERMANENT WORK.
AND THE ONE WAS WE CHANGED THE
BROORD OF DIRECTORS HERE.
SO WE HAD TO KIND OF START OVER
WITH A NEW GROUP.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, COVID-19
HAPPENED.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE REALLY
WEREN'T ABLE TO MOVE FO.
OUR INTENTION IS YOU PASS THIS
EXTRA EXTENSION AND THEN -- IN
THE NEXT SIX MONTHS THAT WE WORK
WITH YOU AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO GET
THE REPORTS DONE THAT NEED TO BE
DONE IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS INTO
A MORE PERMANENT ZONING FOR OUR
MOBILE HOME ONLY.
OKAY, I GUESS THAT'S IT.
AM I --
>> YOU GOT ABOUT FOUR SECONDS,
YOU GOT ABOUT FOUR SECONDS.
>> OH, OKAY.
WELL, VOTE YES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
>> THANK YOU, LINDA.
>> WE'VE WORKED ON THIS FOR A
YEAR AND A HALF, SO, YEAH.
>> THANK YOU, LINDA FOR CALLING
IN AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK
AND ADVOCACY ON THIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DOMINIQUE
CHANDLER.
>>.
DOMINIQUE?
IS DOMINIQUE CHANDLER ON THE
LINE?
>> HELLO?
>> HELLO, NOW WE CAN HEAR YOU.
THERE YOU GO.
>> OH, THANK YOU.
DOMINIQUE CHANDLER, AND, YES, I
LIVE IN THE MOBILE HOME PARK.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THE LAST
HOUR HAS BEEN OH SO TRAGIC TO
HEAR EVERYONE'S SADNESS.
AND THAT'S NOT THE REASON FOR
THIS PHONE CALL, BUT MY GOD,
EVERYONE IS SUFFERING NOW.
AND ALL I WANT TO SAY IS THE
MOBILE HOME PARK IS A SENIOR
PARK.
AND THE CHOICE WE'VE GOT IS WE
BOUGHT OUR HOMES.
IT'S THE ONLY ONE REALLY LEFT
HERE, THAT WE'RE HOMEOWNERS OF
OUR, YOU KNOW, MOBILE UNIT.
AND IF THEY KICK US OUT OR JUST,
YOU KNOW, LEVEL IT, WE HAVE NO
PLACE TO GO.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT
WILL ADD TO THE HOMELESS
POPULATION BECAUSE WE'RE SENIORS
AND, COME ON YOU GUYS, DON'T YOU
HAVE SENIOR PARENTS?
DON'T YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT LOVE
YOU?
THERE'S A TIME THAT, YEAH,
TAKING CARE OF YOUR ELDERS
SHOULD BE A GOOD THING, NOT A
BAD THING.
AND I -- MY HEART'S BEING BROKEN
WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON,
AS ALL OF YOURS ARE.
AND THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I NEED TO
SAY.
THAT LET'S HOPE TOMORROW'S
BETTER THAN THE WEEKEND.
ALL RIGHT, I'M DONE.
>> THANK YOU, DOMINIQUE FOR
CALLING IN.
WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE
TIME TO DO IT.
WE HAVE STUART DUCKWORTH LISTED.
I KNOW WE HEARD FROM HIM DURING
THE GENERAL COMMENT PERIOD, BUT
IF STUART IS STILL ON THE LINE,
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM
HIM.
>> WELL, HELLO AGAIN.
YES, I'M STILL ON THE LINE.
AND I AGREE WITH DOMINIQUE ABOUT
ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE
TALKED.
THIS IS AN AMAZING SITUATION
THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
HOWEVER, I'M HERE JUST TO
SUPPORT THE EXTENSION OF THE
MOBILE HOME PARK AND ACTUALLY WE
SHOULD MA PERMANENT BECAUSE
THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MOBILE
HOME PARK.
THEY TRIED TO PUT DEVELOPMENT IN
HERE BECAUSE IT'S A FAIRLY LARGE
PIECE OF PROPERTY, BUT IT IS
BUILT ON A GARBAGE DUMP FROM THE
LATE '50s, OR MIDDLE '50s, AND
UNDERNEATH THE GARBAGE DUMP IS
THE WATER RUNOFF FROM HOWARD
LAKE.
SO THIS IS REALLY UNSTABLE
GROUND.
MOBILE HOME PARK IS BASICALLY
ALL THAT IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR,
OR MANUFACTURED HOME PARKS.
WE HAVE HOMES.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THOSE IN
HERE TOO.
SO WE JUST NEED TO GET A VOTE TO
MAKE THIS A PERMANENT SENIORS
MOBILE HOME PARK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND HAVE A
GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY.
>> THANK YOU, STUART, FOR
CALLING IN TODAY.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENTERS
THAT I HAVE FORMALLY SIGNED UP
FOR TODAY HERE.
SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE
OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON
COUNCIL BILL 119797 AND WE WILL
NOW PROCEED WITH A VOTE ON THE
BILL.
SO I WILL MOVE TO PASS COUNCIL
BILL 119797.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, I SAW YOUR
LIPS MOVE, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR
ANYTHING, SO I WANTED TO HAVE A
LITTLE PAUSE THERE.
THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
PASS THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT IS LEAD
SPONSOR OF THE BILL.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE YOU IN
ORDER FOR YOU TO ADDRESS THIS
ITEM IN FURTHER DETAIL.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I DON'T PLAN TO HAVE ANY MORE
POINTS.
I THINK THE POINTS HAVE BEEN
MADE BY THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES
ABOUT WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT WE
MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING.
AND AS THEY HIGHLIGHTED, THEY
ARE SENIOR MEMBERS OF OUR
SOCIETY, AND WE SHOULD BE
PRIORITIZING PROTECTING THEIR
HOUSING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON
THE BILL?
OKAY, I SEE COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN FOLLOWED BY
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
WANTED TO THANK THE RESIDENT
THAT IS CALLED IN TODAY, AND
ALSO TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF
PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, PREVENTING
HOMELESSNESS.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAME PRESIDENT.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION FOR THE
SPONSORS, IF I MIGHT, GIVEN THE
DELAY IN THE INITIAL PLAN TO
HAVE A MORE CONCRETE STRATEGY K
YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE IF
IT'S APPROPRIATE, MADAME
PRESIDENT, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE
FOR THE SPONSORS TO DO SO, CAN
YOU TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT YOUR
HOPE IS AT THE END OF SIX
MONTHS?
I KNOW WE WANT FOLKS TO
WORK WITH STCI, BUT ARE THERE
CONCRETE PLANS WE THINK WILL
COME TO FRUITION AT THE END OF
THESE SIX MONTHS?
>> WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT?
DOES COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT OR
JUAREZ WANT TO TAKE THAT UP?
>> I CAN.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING
ON THIS FOR -- COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND I, WHEN COUNCILMEMBER
JOHNSON WAS HERE AS WELL, AND
THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE A LEGISLATIVE FIX.
WE CARVE OUT A PARTICULAR ZONED
AREA FOR THESE MANUFACTURED
MOBILE HOME PARKS.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK
THESE ARE JUST MOBILE HOMES, BUT
THESE ARE ACTUALLY MANUFACTURED
HOMES WITH A CONCRETE
FOUNDATION.
PEOPLE HAVE LIVED THERE FOR
MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND AS COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
SHARED, WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERS,
RETIREES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF -- JUST HAVE A
LOT OF OLDER GENERATION LIVING
THERE.
WE'VE BEEN THERE AT LEAST THREE
TIMES AND HAVE MET WITH THE
DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP AT BOTH
AREAS.
SO THE END GAME IS THAT WE CARVE
OUT SOME LEGISLATION, THAT WE
MAKE IT PERMANENT.
AND WE LOOKED AT OTHER ZONING
AND HOW OTHER CITIES DID IT.
UP IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY, THURSTON
COUNTY.
THAT'S WHAT SUCCESS SHOULD LOOK
LIKE HOPEFULLY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
>> OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, DID YOU
WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT AS WELL?
OKAY, WE'LL DO THAT AND THEN
HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
>> THANK YOU.
AS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
MENTIONED, YEAH, THERE ARE OTHER
CITIES THAT HAVE CREATED THAT
PERMANENT MOBILE HOME PARK
ZONING DESIGNATION.
AND SO THERE'S NOTHING NEW OR
STRANGE OR DIFFICULT ABOUT THIS,
BUT SEATTLE DOES NOT HAPPEN TO
HAVE THAT ZONING TYPE SO FAR.
SO IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN
AND TO MAKE THAT ZONING OR TYPE
PERMANENT, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD
NEED TO CARRY OUT AN ANALYSIS, A
STATE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
ACT ANALYSIS.
IT SHOULD BE FAIRLY ROUTINE
WORK, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON
THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SHOULD
BE ANSWERING TO, THEY HAVE NOT.
BUT IF THEY DID CARRY THAT OUT,
WHICH THEY SHOULD BE DOING,
BECAUSE WE CANNOT BE
INDEFINITELY EXTENDING THE
TEMPORARY DESIGNATION, THEY
SHOULD CARRY THAT OUT.
ONCE THEY DO THAT, THE COUNCIL
CAN PASS A SIMILAR BILL.
THAT DESIGNATION WOULD BE
PERMANENT AND NOT JUST FOR SIX
MONTHS ONLY.
AND SO I MEAN, IN TERMS OF
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S
QUESTION, CONCRETELY, IT COMES
DOWN TO THE COUNCILMEMBERS
PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE MAYOR TO
NOT POSTPONE THIS AND JUST DO
IT.
AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, FROM A
TECHNICAL STANDPOINT, THERE ARE
NO OBSTACLES TO MAKE IT
PERMANENT.
>> THANK YOU, I THOUGHT THAT
CLARIFICATION WOULD BE HELPFUL
AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS
AT THE END OF SIX MONTHS.
SO THANK YOU BOTH TO THE PRIME
SPONSORS AND HAPPY TO SUPPORT
TODAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
SPONSORING THIS BILL.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD
LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH YOU ON FOR A
PERMANENT FIX BEFORE SIX MONTHS
IS UP BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A
PERMANENT PIECE OF LEGISLATION
WILL STOP US FROM HAVING TO
RENEW EVERY SIX MONTHS.
MY GRANDMOTHER LIVED IN A
MANUFACTURED HOME PARK FOR
SENIORS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
-- I UNDERSTAND THAT THE GROUND
THAT YOU KEEP YOUR HOME ON IS
NOT NECESSARILY THE GROUND THAT
YOU OWN.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND ENSURE THAT IT
REMAINS STABLE.
SO I'D LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON
MAKING THIS PERMANENT FIX.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
FOR MY COLLEAGUES?
I'M NOT SEEING ANY.
I THINK I SHARE THE SAME
INTEREST AS MANY OF YOU.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE THIRD OR
FOURTH TIME I'M BEING ASKED TO
VOTE, THIRD TIME THAT WE'RE
BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON THIS
ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE REALLY
NICE TO BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE THE
SUBSTANCE AND THE ACTUAL LEG
WORK DONE AND COMPLETED BY THE
EXECUTIVES SO THAT WE CAN MOVE
ON FROM THIS ISSUE.
IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING THAT
THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.
SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO
ENCOURAGE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND
THE STCI TO ACTUALLY JUST DO THE
ANALYSIS AND ALLOW FOR US TO
HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CERTAINTY AS
IT RELATES TO THIS PARTICULAR
ISSUE.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO ONGOING
LEADERSHIP FROM COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ AND SAWANT IN THAT SPACE,
AND OF COURSE, FROM OUR LAND USE
CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, TO
BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE
PATH FORWARD IS TO FACILITATE
THE EXECUTION OF THE WORK THAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
SO I DEFINITELY PLAN TO SUPPORT
THIS BILL.
OKAY.
LOOKS LIKE FOLKS DON'T HAVE
ANYMORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I DO WANT TO OFFER THE SPONSORS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE OUT THE
CONVERSATION IF THEY HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY'D LIKE
TO ADD.
>> NO.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LOOKS LIKE NOTHING ELSE TO ADD
HERE.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
>> MORALLESS?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> EXCELLENT.
THE BILL PASSES, AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT.
I'D ASK THAT THE CLERK PLEASE
AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION.
ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES, WE'RE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO
OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
THAT'S ITEM TWO, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM TWO INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, COUNCIL BILL
119793 FOR GIG WORKERS IN
SEATTLE.
PAID SICK AND PAID SAFE TIME FOR
GIG WORKERS WORKING IN SE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAME
CLERK.
I WILL MOVE TO PASS COUNCIL BILL
119793.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO PASS THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, YOU ARE
THE SPONSOR OF THE BILL, SO YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
>> THANK YOU, MADAME PRESIDENT.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO AMEND
COUNCIL BILL 119793 BY
SUBSTITUTING VERSION 5A FOR
VERSION 3B.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO SUBSTITUTE THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I WILL
HAND IT BACK OVER TO YOU SO THAT
YOU CAN ADDRESS THE SUBSTITUTE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAME
PRESIDENT.
AND THANKS TO MY COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES FOR ALL OF YOUR
ENGAGEMENT ON THIS ISSUE.
AS YOU KNOW, PAID SICK AND SAFE
LEAVE IS SOMETHING THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAVE BEEN PROUD TO HAVE
IMPLEMENTED IN 2012 AND PAID
SICK AND SAFE LEAVE AS WE KNOW,
AND AS YOU TALKED ABOUT DURING
THE INITIAL PASSAGE, IS NOT JUST
ABOUT THE WORKERS IT PROTECTS.
SO THAT'S CRITICAL.
IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING THE
COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
WHEN WORKERS GO TO WORK SICK,
THEY INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE,
THEY TAKE LONGER TO RECOVER,
THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
INFECT THEIR COWORKERS AND
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AND WHEN WORKERS DON'T HAVE THE
ABILITY TO TAKE TIME OFF FOR
SAFE LEAVE, DUE TO DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET
THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY
NEED TO BE SAFE.
IT'S IN LIGHT OF THE IMPORTANCE
OF PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE FOR
BOTH THE WORKERS AND THE
COMMUNITY AT LARGE THAT WE
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS VITAL
LABOR STANDARDS PROTECTION WAS
EXTENDED TO GIG WORKERS,
ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE
CRITICAL WORK THEY ARE DOING
RIGHT NOW TO SERVE OUR
COMMUNITY.
THESE ARE OUR FRIENDS.
THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.
THESE ARE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS,
AND THEY DESERVE THE SAME
PROTECTIONS EVERY OTHER WORKER
NEEDS UNDER PAID SICK AND SAFE
LEAD.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE BENEFITS
THAT PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE
HAVE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE BUILT ON THE GOOD WORK
THAT YOU ALL PASSED IN 2012 FOR
THE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WERE HERE
THEN, AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE EXTENDED THE PROTECTIONS THAT
WE ALL PASSED AS A STATE WHEN WE
VOTED TO IMPLEMENT INITIATIVE
1433 THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF
PARTIALLY LEADING IN 2016.
WE'RE PROUD OF THESE
PROTECTIONS.
WE'RE PROUD THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
A LEADING EXAMPLE FOR OTHER
STATES AND CITIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE
PROTECTIONS LARGELY ONLY APPLY
TO TRADITIONAL W2 EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
GIG WORK HAS DRAMATICALLY
INCREASED IN THE PAST DECADE.
WE'RE ROUGHLY AROUND ONE SIXTH
OF WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
ARE DOING GIG WORK.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE GIG
ECONOMY, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, THIS IS
JUST ABOUT THE ECONOMY AT THIS
POINT.
WORKERS ARE BEING LEFT OUT WHO
ARE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF OUR
ECONOMY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE
PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE.
ESPECIALLY NOW DURING THE
CORONAVIRUS, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF
WORK THAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
FROM WORKERS WHO ARE DELIVERING
FOOD, WHO ARE DELIVERING
GROCERIES, WHO ARE DRIVING
PEOPLE TO ESSENTIAL APPOINTMENTS
ACROSS OUR CITY, WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE MET.
AND KEEPING THEM SAFE, ALLOWING
THEM TO BE PROTECTED FROM
GETLING SICK, AND ALSO MAKING
SURE THAT IF THEY GET SICK, OR
THEY NEED A SAFE DAY, THEY HAVE
THE PROTECTIONS THEY NEED FOR
THEIR DAY-TO-DAY PROTECTION SO
THEY CAN GET PAID.
THIS IS ABOUT INTERACTING WITH
MEMBERS OF OUR PUBLIC.
MANY OF THESE WORKERS HAVE
COUNTLESS CONTACTS WITH
INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT OUR
COMMUNITY.
AS YOU HEARD FROM THE FOLKS WHO
TESTIFIED TODAY, THEY GO RIGHT
UP TO THE DOORS OF OUR
NEIGHBORS, RIGHT UP TO THE DOORS
OF OUR HOUSE TO DELIVER
GROCERIES, TO DELIVER FOOD AND
TO PROVIDE FOLKS WITH THE
ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT THEY
NEED.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT THEY HAVE
PROTECTIONS IF THEY ARE SICK OR
NEED TO TAKE A DAY OFF TO TAKE
CARE OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
MANY PLATFORMS WE HAVE WORKED
WITH OVER THE LAST TWO PLUS
MONTHS.
AT THIS POINT WE'RE ON TO TEN
WEEKS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH
STAKEHOLDERS.
MANY PLATFORMS HAVE STATED
THEY'RE PROVIDING SICK LEAVE FOR
THEIR WORKERS.
BUT WE'VE HEARD FROM MANY
WORKERS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO ADEQUATE LEAVE OR IT'S
HARD TO ACCESS THE POLICIES
OFFERED.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO MAKE SURE
THAT THIS LEGISLATION IS IN THE
RIGHT FORM TO PROTECT THE
WORKERS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S
IMPLEMENTABLE, TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE ACTIONS ARE RECEIVABLE FROM
THE WORKERS SO THAT WHEN WE PASS
THE LAW, THE WORKERS CAN
ACTUALLY GET TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF SICK AND SAFE LEAVE WHEN THEY
NEED IT.
WE'VE BEEN IN COORDINATION WITH
A NUMBER OF PARTNERS TO GET THIS
RIGHT AND MANY OF THOSE PARTNERS
INCLUDE YOU ON CITY COUNCIL FOR
ALL OF YOUR FEEDBACK OVER THE
LAST TWO WEEKS.
THANKS SO MUCH TO A FEW FOLKS
AND THEN I'LL STOP AND SAVE A
FEW THANK YOUS FOR THE END,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, BUT I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO THE LABOR
UNIONS AND ADVOCATES, INCLUDING
WORKING WASHINGTON, MLK LABOR
FOR HELPING US DEVELOP THIS
LEGISLATION.
THANK YOU TO THE PLATFORMS WE
HAVE BRIEFED AND SOMETIMES HEARD
FEEDBACK AND INCORPORATED THAT
TEEDBACK FROM ENTITIES LIKE
POSTMATES, DOORDASH, UBER EATS,
UBER, LYFT, INSTACART AND THE
SEATTLE RIDESHARE ASSOCIATION
AND DRIVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE
NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAW PROJECT,
THE CENTER FOR POPULAR
DEMOCRACY, AND THE CENTER FOR
LAW AND SOCIAL POLICY AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL FOR HELPING US
LEARN FROM POLICIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
AND AN EMAIL FROM JASMINE AT THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS WHO
PROVIDED US WITH SOME FEEDBACK
EARLIER TODAY AND OVER THE LAST
FEW WEEKS.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY ENGAGED WITH
US.
ALSO, FOLKS LIKE KAREEM AND
JANEE FROM THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS.
KYLIE AND ANTHONY FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
THEY HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS TO
WORK WITH, AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT
THIS LEGISLATION IS PASSING,
HOPEFULLY, WITH YOUR SUPPORT
TODAY.
MADAME CHAIR, I'LL SAVE MY THANK
YOUS FOR CARINA BULL FROM
CENTRAL STAFF FOR AFTER
COMMENTS, BECAUSE I THINK THEY
DESERVE A FEW MORE MINUTES.
THIS LEGISLATION IS STRONGER
BECAUSE OF YOUR INPUT.
I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO BE
PROUD OF HERE, EVEN THOUGH WE
RECOGNIZE THIS IS THE FIRST OF
MANY POLICIES THAT THESE WORKERS
NEED TO BE PROTECTED.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA FOR THOSE
REMARKS.
COLLEAGUES THIS MORNING AT
COUNCIL BRIEFING, OF COURSE, WE
DISCUSSED WE HAD CARINA BULL
JOIN US FOR A SUBSTANTIVE
CONVERSATION AND BRIEFING AND
UPDATE ON WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN
THE SUBSTITUTE BILL.
I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH
THAT.
SO AT THIS POINT WE ARE VOTING
FIRST ON THE SUBSTITUTION.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
SECOND MOTION WHERE WE WILL VOTE
ON THE BILL AS SUBSTITUTED.
SO I WOULD -- IF YOU HAVE
SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS NOW ON THE
SUBSTITUTED BILL ON SORT OF THE
UNDERLYING POLICY, I'D ASK FOR
YOU TO SAVE THOSE UNTIL THE
SECOND MOTION SO THAT WE CAN GO
AHEAD AND GET THE SUBSTITUTION
IN FRONT OF US TO ALLOW FOR THAT
CONVERSATION TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FOR
THE SPONSOR OR QUESTIONS FOR THE
SPONSOR ON WHAT'S INCLUDED IN
THE SUBSTITUTE BILL BEFORE WE
VOTE ON PUTTING THE SUBSTITUTE
BEFORE US?
OKAY.
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, ARE
THERE -- I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
ADOPTION OF THE SUBSTITUTE.
>> MO MORALES?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, GONZALEZ?
>> YES?
>> I THINK I FROZE UP.
ARE WE VOTING?
MY APOLOGIES.
>> IT'S OKAY, TOTALLY FINE.
THIS IS THE NATURE OF TECHNOLOGY
IN THESE REMOTE SETTINGS.
SO WHAT WE ARE VOTING ON NOW IS
NOT THE SUBSTANTIVE BILL.
WE ARE VOTING ON PUTTING FORWARD
IN FRONT OF US THE SUBSTITUTE
VERSION OF THE BILL.
WE WILL THEN ENTERTAIN A MOTION
TO ADOPT THIS SUBSTITUTE VERSION
AND THEN HEAR COMMENTS AGAIN.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
WE MAY HAVE LOST COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
OKAY, MADAME CLERK, I'M GOING TO
ASK YOU TO CALL THE ROLL ON THE
BILL.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO CIRCLE BACK TO
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THE
SUBSTITUTE IS ADOPTED.
AND VERSION 5A OF THE BILL IS
NOW BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS
ON THE BILL AS AMENDED?
COLLEAGUES, I'M SCANNING.
OKAY, SO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
HAS RAISED HER HAND.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS SO
I CAN PUT YOU IN THE COUP?
GREAT.
WE WILL HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, THEN LEWIS, THEN
PEDERSEN.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, PLEASE?
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I WILL, OF COURSE, BE VOTING YES
ON THIS LEGISLATION.
GIG WORKERS DELIVER GROCERIES,
DRIVE FOR UBER AND LYFT AND DO
MANY, MANY OTHER JOBS ESSENTIAL
TO OUR SOCIETY.
THESE ARE JOBS LIKE ANY OTHER,
EXCEPT THEY ARE MARKED WITH A
LEGAL FICTION THAT THEY ARE ONE
PERSON SMALL BUSINESSES INSTEAD
OF EMPLOYEES OF A CORPORATION.
THE RESULT OF THIS LEGAL FICTION
IS THAT WORKERS ARE SUDDENLY NO
LONGER PROTECTED BY LABOR LAWS
AND THE BOSSES DO NOT HAVE TO
PAY THE EMPLOYER'S SHARE OF
SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES, AND THE
WORKERS ARE DENIED THEIR RIGHTS
TO ORGANIZE INTO A UNION TO
COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN FOR A FAIR
CONTRACT WITH THEIR BOSS.
THIS IS TOTALLY UNJUST AND IT'S
A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF HOW, UNDER
CAP LIMB, THE WORKING CLASS MUST
CONTINUALLY ORGANIZE AND
STRUGGLE TO AVOID FALLING
FARTHER AND FARTHER BEHIND.
WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT 100
YEARS AGO, OVER 100 YEARS AGO,
NO WORKERS COULD LEGALLY FORM
UNIONS IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT
COURAGEOUSLY, THEY DID ANYWAY,
OFTEN DEFENDING PICKET LINES
AGAINST PHYSICAL ATTACK AND
THREAT TO THEIR VERY LIVES.
IN THE 1920s, THE U.S. MILITARY
WAS DEPLOYED TO BOMB THE PICKET
LINES OF STRIKING MINERS.
WORKERS WON THE RECENT CONTRACT
THAT FORMED THE SO-CALLED MIDDLE
CLASS THAT LASTED FOR ABOUT TWO
GENERATIONS, WHICH, OF COURSE,
IS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR MOAT
MILLENNIALS NOW.
BUT THOSE LABOR -- THOSE
PROTECTIONS WERE WON THROUGH
LABOR STRUGGLES.
THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE WAS WON
THROUGH A STRUGGLE.
BIG BUSINESS HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING
TO CLAW BACK EVERY GAIN THAT
WORKERS FOUGHT FOR AND WON WHILE
INEQUALITY HAS BALLOONED AS WE
KNOW AND AN ESTIMATED ONE OUT OF
EVERY FIVE WORKERS IN THE U.S.
IS NOW CLASSIIED AS AN
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, ALSO
KNOWN AS GIG WORKERS.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS A
PROBLEM THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
ALL WORKING PEOPLE SHOULD BE
FIGHTING AGAINST.
ULTIMATELY, GIG WORKERS WILL
NEED TO UNIONIZE WITH OR WITHOUT
THE LEGAL PERMISSION TO DO SO,
BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE THE POWER
IN THE WORKPLACE WHEN WE GET
ORGANIZED TO FIGHT FOR IT.
IN THE MEANTIME, I'M HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION TO
EXTEND PAID SAFE AND SICK TIME
RIGHTS TO GIG WORKERS IN
SEATTLE.
THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
FINALLY, I WOULD RAISE THE
CAUTION AROUND ENFORCEMENT THAT
I HAD SPOKEN TO WHEN WE HAD THIS
DISCUSSION AND COUNCIL BRIEFING
WHEN WE FIRST DISCUSSED IT.
SEATTLE'S OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS IS EMPOWERED TO
ENFORCE THESE WORKER'S RIGHT
BECAUSE SO MANY BIG BUSINESSES
ENGAGE IN WAGE THEFT.
THERE'S A SERIOUS BACKLOG.
THEY DO EXCELLENT WORK, BUT THEY
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES.
IF YOUR BOSS STEALS FROM YOU, IT
TAKE MISS MONTHS EVEN TO GET THE
MONEY YOU ARE OWED.
WE HAVE SEEN HOW RUTHLESS
CORPORATIONS CAN BE DISREGARDING
WORKER'S RIGHTS.
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS IS
CURRENTLY UNDERSTAFFED.
THE MAYOR HAS A HIRING FREEZE,
CLAIMING THERE'S NOT THE BUCKET
BECAUSE OF THE COVID-RELATED
SHORTFALLS.
THESE ARE NOT AN ACT OF GOD.
IF MAYOR DURKAN AND THE CITY
COUNCIL WERE WILLING TO TAX BIG
BUSINESS AND RAISE PROGRESSIVE
REVENUES, WE COULD HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO STOP THE AUTHORITY
IN ORDER TO FULLY FUNCTION IN
PROTECTING WORKER'S RIGHTS.
AND IN ADDITION, CREATING MORE
PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS BUILDING
SOCIAL HOUSING AND THE GREEN NEW
DEAL AS THE TAX AMAZON MOVEMENT
IS DEMANDING, AND AS MANY PEOPLE
IN PUBLIC COMMENT INDICATED
TODAY.
GIG WORKERS DESERVE TO BE
PROTECTED WITH PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME RIGHTS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION TODAY, BUT WE ALSO
NEED TO PUSH BACK AND REFUSE TO
ACCEPT AUSTERITY THAT IS COMING
DOWN THE PIPES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
NEXT UP IS COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, MADAME PRESIDENT.
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, AND I'LL
SAY IT AT THE TOP, THAT I WILL
BE VOTING FOR THIS LEGISLATION.
I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY DO A
SHOUT-OUT TO DAN FOR HIS
REPORTING --
>> HELLO, DON, THIS IS LISA.
>> HOLD ON A MINUTE.
EVERYBODY.
>> I SHOULD NEVER UNDERESTIMATE
THEIR ABILITY TO GO ON AND ON --
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD --
>> OKAY.
GOT IT.
WE CAN'T HEAR YOUR PERSONAL
CONVERSATION.
>> OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> LET ME REGAIN MY COMPOSURE A
LITTLE BIT HERE.
I WANT TO DO A SHOUT-OUT TO DAN
BEEKMAN FOR HIS REPORTING THIS
WEEKEND WHICH MADE SOME POINTS
THAT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
AND THAT I THINK ARE REALLY PRES
YENT.
HE INTERVIEWED A DRIVER NAMED
DAISY TORREZ WHO, BEFORE DRIVING
FOR ONE OF THESE GIG-BASED
PLATFORMS, HAD WORKED IN A HOTEL
AND HAD BEEN AN EMPLOYEE.
AND AS SUCH, WAS ENTITLED TO
PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE.
HE INTERVIEWED A GENTLEMAN NAMED
ZACH WHO WAS DRIVING FOR AN APP
WHO PRIOR TO COVID WORKED AT A
CAR DEALERSHIP.
AND IN THAT POSITION WOULD HAVE
BEEN ENTITLED TO PAID SICK AND
SAFE LEAVE.
I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I THINK
IT IS A HORRIBLE HARBINGER OF
THINGS TO COMPOST-COVID THAT THE
OPENINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT
ARE THRIVING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
FALLEN OFF IN THE ECONOMY THAT
EXISTED PRE-COVID WHO ARE
ALREADY IN POSITIONS WHERE
EARNINGS AND BENEFITS WERE NOT
KEEPING PACE WITH THE RISING
COST OF LIVING ARE NOW
SUSTAINING THEMSELVES
ECONOMICALLY BY WORKING FOR
THESE APPS THAT DO NOT HAVE
THESE BENEFITS THAT ALL OF US
HAVE TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN THE
NORMAL ECONOMY OVER THE LAST
DECADE AS FOLKS HAVE FOUGHT FOR
AND SUCCESSFULLY WON, INCLUDING
MANY OF THE FOLKS ON THIS
COUNCIL, INCLUDING PAID SICK AND
SAFE LEAVE, IN SOME CASES
NATIONALLY MANDATED VACATION
TIME.
AND IT'S JUST CRITICAL THAT
LEGISLATION LIKE THIS -- I'M SO
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
THIS IS A MASSIVE GAP IN THIS
ECONOMY.
AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE ONE OF
THESE DOWNTURNS AS WE DID IN THE
'90, 2010, 2011 DOWNTURN,
THERE'S GOT TO BE VERY CONSCIOUS
WORK ON THE PART OF LEADERS AT
ALL LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO WORK
REALLY HARD TO TRY TO MAKE SURE
THAT INEQUITIES THAT COME IN
DURING A DESPERATE TIME IN THE
ECONOMY TAKING A HIT DON'T GET
ENTRENCHED AND SOLIDIFIED AND
BECOME A NEW NORMAL THAT CHANGED
WHAT THE ECONOMY ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE RECOVERY LOOKS LIKE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD STORIES.
I CANNOT SPEAK TO THEM
PERSONALLY.
THERE USED TO BE PAID
INTERNSHIPS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE
WORK FORCE.
OR I'VE HEARD ABOUT MANDATORY
OVERTIME OR DEFINED BENEFIT
PENSIONS THAT EXISTED DURING THE
PERIOD OF MIDDLE CLASS GROWTH
THAT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
ALLUDED TO.
WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT
PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE THROUGH
THIS LEDGELATION, BUT ALSO MORE
BROADLY, IS IS A FUNDAMENTAL
PART OF OUR ECONOMY ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF COVID, AND THAT IT IS
DURING COVID AS WELL.
I WILL BE VOTING FOR THIS, AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
NEXT UP, WE'LL HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
AND IF ANY OF MY OTHER
COLLEAGUES WISH TO MAKE
COMMENTS, PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA FOR GENEROUSLY GIVING
US MORE TIME TO REVIEW THIS
LEGISLATION.
THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
I KNOW THAT YOUR CITY COUNCIL
STAFF AND OUR CENTRAL STAFF HAVE
WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS.
I ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR WORKING
WITH THE EXECUTIVE ON JUST HOW
TO PRACTICALLY IMPLEMENT THE
LEGISLATION AND ALSO FOR
REACHING OUT TO THOSE IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR WHO WOULD BE
IMPACTED BY THE LEGISLATION.
ALSO WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO
WORKING WASHINGTON FOR THEIR
ADVOCACY FOR THIS LEGISLATION
SO.
I WILL BE VOTING FOR THE
LEGISLATION.
JUST WANTED TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER COMMENTS
ON THE BILL?
OKAY.
I'M NOT -- OH, YOU WILL GET THE
LAST WORD.
ANY OTHER OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT
TO GIVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE BILL
BEFORE WE HAND IT OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA TO CLOSE
US OUT?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> SAME THING TO EVERYONE FOR
THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA FOR HER
WORK ON THIS.
I KNOW SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON IT
FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
OBVIOUSLY, SUCH COMMON SENSE
LEGISLATION THAT DURING A PERIOD
OF TIME WHERE THERE IS A HIGH
LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, HIGH LEVEL
OF RISK TO EXPOSURE TO A HIGHLY
INFECTIOUS DISEASE THAT WE WOULD
PROVIDE THIS COVERAGE TO THIS
SECTOR OF WORKERS IS JUST COMMON
SENSE NOT JUST FOR THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF THE WORKERS BUT
ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE THEY
INTERACT WITH AS SORT OF A
CONNECTER OF SERVICES.
SO REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S EFFORTS
ON THIS.
ABSOLUTELY AGREE THERE'S A LOT
MORE WORK WE NEED TO DO IN THIS
SPACE AND LOOK FORWARD TO AN
OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY BE ABLE
TO ENGAGE IN THAT BODY OF WORK
IN THE COMING MONTHS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE
FORWARD HERE.
THERE APPEAR TO BE NO MORE
COMMENTS OR DEBATE ON THIS.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA TO CLOSE
US OUT.
AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO CALL
THE ROLL ON THE BILL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
AND THANKS TO ALL OF OUR COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON
THE PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE
ORDINANCE FOR GIG WORKERS.
AS THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAID,
IT IS COMMON SENSE.
AND EVEN THOUGH IT MAKES SENSE
TO GIVE WORKERS SICK DAYS DURING
A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, YOU CAN
IMAGINE THERE WAS A LOT OF
COMPLEX POLICY CONVERSATIONS
THAT WENT INTO MAKING SURE THAT
THIS POLICY WAS GOING TO BE
ACTIONABLE AND THAT PEOPLE WOULD
RECEIVE THESE BENEFITS.
AND THE TWO PEOPLE THAT I WANT
TO THANK AGAIN ARE CARINA BULL
FROM CENTRAL STAFF AND THE CHIEF
OF STAFF IN MY OFFICE.
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT I'M
GOING TO BE PASSING ALONG THIS
THANK YOU TO.
I KNOW THEY'RE PROBABLY WATCHING
WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION AS THIS
LABOR OF LOVE OVER THE LAST TEN
WEEKS LOOKS TO BE CROSSING THE
FINISH LINE.
HER ENERGY AND HER KNOWLEDGE AND
HER WILLINGNESS TO THINK OF
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AND DOING IT
ALL WITH INCREDIBLE PATIENCE AND
GRACE AS YOU SAW THIS MORNING AS
SHE PRESENTED TO OUR COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES.
AND FOR HER ENDLESS HOURS,
HUVENS OF CALLS WITH
STAKEHOLDERS, MULTIPLE MEETINGS
THROUGHOUT BOTH DAYS AND NIGHTS
AND WEEKENDS TO MAKE SURE THAT
VOICES WERE HEARD, IDEAS WERE
INCORPORATED AND THAT THE
IMPORTANT NUANCES WERE WORKED
OUT.
THIS IS A REALLY CRITICAL
POLICY.
AND I THINK IT'LL HAVE LASTING
IMPACTS FOR BOTH THE WORKERS AND
THE PROTECTION OF ALL OF OUR
HEALTH IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS
SLASH YEARS UNTIL WE CAN GET
BOTH A VACCINE FOR COVID, BUT
ALSO THE BROADER PROTECTIONS
EVERY GIG WORKER NEEDS TO HAVE.
WANTING TO LOOK TO CONTINUE TO
STRENGTHEN THE PROTECTIONS FOR
THOSE WORKERS AS WELL.
I DO WANT TO THANK, AS YOU'VE
HEARD OVER THE LAST THREE OR
FOUR WEEKS, FOLKS HAVE BEEN
WRITING IN, CALLING.
THE FOLKS WHO YOU HEARD TESTIFY
TODAY, PEOPLE IN THE BEEKMAN
ARTICLE AND OTHERS, THESE ARE
THE WORKERS WHO THEMSELVES HAVE
HAD TO NOT ONLY FIGURE OUT HOW
TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES IN THIS
CRISIS BUT REALLY HAVE PUT IN A
TON OF WORK TO CRAFTING THIS
POLICY WITH US.
SO THANK YOU TO THE WORKERS
IMPACTED BY THIS LEGISLATION
WHO'VE BEEN AT THE TABLE TO HELP
CRAFT THIS BASIC SET OF
PROTECTIONS TO PROVIDE A FLOOR
SO THAT EVERY WORKER CAN HAVE
ACCESS TO SICK LEAVE.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE WIN FOR
THOSE WORKERS AND FOR THE CITY
AS A WHOLE.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM TODAY'S
WORKERS AND OVER THE LAST FEW
WEEKS HAVE REALLY SPOKEN FOR
THEMSELVES.
YOU ALL HAD HEARD THESE STORIES,
BUT I WANT TO LIFT UP A FEW
COMMENTS WE HEARD TODAY AND THEN
FROM LAST WEEK.
WHAT YOU HEARD FROM JASON TODAY
WAS A SENTENCE THAT REALLY
RESONATED THAT I THINK WE SHOULD
JUST SPEND ANOTHER SECOND TO
REFLECT ON.
HE SAID DON'T CALL ME ESSENTIAL
AND THEN NOT PAY ME LIKE I'M
ESSENTIAL.
DON'T CALL ME A HERO, TREAT ME
LIKE I'M HUMAN.
HE WAS FOLLOWED BY MR. THOMAS
WHO TALKED ABOUT HOW CRITICAL IT
IS FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT
FOLKS ACTUALLY HAVE THE SAFE
LEAVE THAT THEY NEED, THE SICK
LEAVE THAT THEY NEED, TO MAKE
SURE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN LEFT
BEHIND.
AND AS HE GOES TO THE DOOR, HE
SEES PEOPLE PUT THEIR WALLETS
AWAY BECAUSE OF INHERENT OR
BIASSED RACISM THAT CONTINUES TO
PERPETUATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT SHOULD GO STATED EXPLICITLY
THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF
WORKERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
PROTECTING TODAY ARE BLACK AND
BROWN WORKERS.
AND THE VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE
THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF STATE
AND FEDERAL POLICY IN TERMS OF
LABOR PROTECTIONS ARE BLACK AND
BROWN WORKERS.
AND THAT WAS TRUE WHEN WE PASSED
THE DOMESTIC WORKERS BILL OF
RIGHTS LAST YEAR.
THANKS AGAIN TO THE
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED
THAT LEGISLATION AND THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES
ACROSS THE NATION IN PASSING
THAT.
IT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE
EXPLICITLY LEFT OUT OF THE
FEDERAL PROTECTIONS AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL.
AND WE TOOK THE ACTION TO
PROTECT THEM.
AND TODAY, YET AGAIN, WE'RE
STANDING UP, ESPECIALLY FOR
THOSE WHO'VE BEEN INTENTIONALLY
LEFT OUT OF LABOR PROTECTIONS IN
THE PAST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
VULNERABLE WORKERS, WORKERS WHO
ARE NOW CALLING ESSENTIAL, HAVE
THESE EXPLICIT PROTECTIONS AS
CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR
ECONOMY AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY HAVE THE SAFETY THAT THEY
NEED DURING THE TIME OF THE
PANDEMIC AND RECOGNIZING THAT
THESE ARE MOSTLY BLACK AND BROWN
WORKERS.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO LEAVE
YOU WITH THE COMMENTS I SHARED
FROM CARMEN, WHO IS A GRUBHUB
DRIVER.
SHE SAYS NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE
HUNGRY AND HIDING IN THEIR HOMES
FROM THE VIRUS, I AM SUDDENLY
ESSENTIAL.
I AM RISKING EXPOSURE TO HIGHLY
CONTAGIOUS, POSSIBLY DEADLY,
VIRUS TO DELIVER PEOPLE'S
DENVER.
ALTHOUGH EXTREMELY WEAK,
COUGHING AND HAVING TROUBLE
TAKING A FULL BREATH, I KEPT
WORKING BECAUSE IT WAS MY ONLY
SOURCE OF INCOME.
AT TIMES I WAS TOO WEAK TO WORK
OR FINISH MY SHIFT.
I LOST MY OPPORTUNITY TO EARN
INCOME.
GIG WORK IS MY ONLY INCOME, SO I
AM NOW BEHIND ON ALL MY MONTHLY
BILLS.
I WORK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT
THERE ARE DAYS WHERE I ONLY MAKE
ENOUGH FOR THE NEXT DAY TO PUT
GAS IN THE CAR AND GRAB A FEW
GROCERIES.
I DO NOT LIVE PAYCHECK TO
PAYCHECK, I LIVE DAY TO DAY.
I LIVE ORDER TO ORDER.
I DO NOT KNOW HOW I WILL
FINANCIALLY RECOVER.
I'M STILL EXPERIENCING WAVES OF
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS.
AT TIMES, I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK.
WITH SICK LEAVE I WILL NOW MAKE
SURE THAT I WILL NEVER BE IN
THAT SITUATION.
WITH SICK LEAVE, I WOULD HAVE
NOT HAD TO WORK WHEN I WAS VERY
SICK AND POSSIBLY SPREAD THE
VIRUS.
WITH SICK LEAVE, I WOULD HAVE
STAYED HOME.
WITH SICK LEAVE, I MAY HAVE
RECOVERED FASTER.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES
FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK TO SUPPORT
THIS LEGISLATION, AND IT'S A
GOOD DAY.
THANKS FOR ALL THE WORKERS AND
THEIR TIME AND FOR ALL OF THE
STAKEHOLDERS WHO PROVIDED INPUT
ON THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
SO THAT CLOSES OUT OUR DEBATE ON
THIS PARTICULAR COUNCIL BILL.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE CLERK
CALLS A COUNT ON THE BILL.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AS AMENDED
AND THE CHAIR WILL SIGN IT.
AND I'D ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION, AND
CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, ON THE PASSAGE OF THAT
BILL AND ESPECIALLY
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE
WORKERS WHO WILL BE COVERED BY
THIS NEW PROTECTION.
IT'S REALLY A GOOD DAY FOR THEM.
OKAY, FOLKS, WE HAVE OTHER
BUSINESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES DOES HAVE AN ITEM IN
OTHER BUSINESS.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND HAND IT
OVER TO HER FOR HER REMARKS AND
HAVE HER WALK US THROUGH HER
REQUEST, COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
LAST WEEK WE SENT AROUND A
PROCLAMATION ACKNOWLEDGING JUNE
AS LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FLAG
RAISING THAT WE HAD SCHEDULED
FOR THIS AFTERNOON HAS BEEN
POSTPONED FOR THE TIME BEING.
SO BEFORE I ASK FOR YOUR CONSENT
TO ADD YOUR SIGNATURE, I WOULD
LIKE TO READ A LETTER FROM ONE
OF THE LGBTQ COMMISSIONERS WHO
RESPONDED AND SENT US A
STATEMENT THAT SHE ASKED TO HAVE
READ TODAY SINCE THAT FLAG
RAISING IS DELAYED.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT
FOR HER.
SHE SAYS, WHILE THESE ARE
CHALLENGING TIMES FOR LGBTQ
BLACK PEOPLE, I WISH TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JUNE IS GAY
PRIDE MONTH.
WHILE THERE WERE OTHER GAY
LIBERATION RIOTS BEFORE THE 1969
STONEWALL RIOTS, OUR COMMUNITY
COMMEMORATES PRIDE ANNUALLY ON
THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL
RIOTS.
THIS MONTH WE CELEBRATE OUR
HISTORY, COURAGE AND THE
RESILIENCE OF THOSE WHO CAME
BEFORE US AND FOUGHT BACK
AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY AND
TRANSPHOBIC AND HOMOPHOBIC
OPPRESSION.
IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
TO SHARE OUR STORIES OF HOW
PRIDE BEGAN, BECAUSE WE ARE
STILL FIGHTING FOR COMPLETE
CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ALL LGBTQ
PEOPLE.
WHEN WE HONOR AND TALK ABOUT
PRIDE THIS MONTH, IT'S IMPORTANT
TO TAKE TIME TO REFLECT NOT ONLY
ON THE RECENT KILLING OF GEORGE
FLOYD AND OTHER
AFRICAN-AMERICANS BUT TO HONOR
AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TRANS AND
GENDER NONCORMING COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO WERE MURDERED IN
2020.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE NAMES --
DUSTIN PARKER, MENDEZ-OROCHOA,
MONICA DIAMOND, LEXIE, JOANNA,
SERENA VOMOS, LAYLA SANCHEZ,
PENELOPE RAMIREZ, TONY McDADE.
AS WE LOOK FOR WAYS TO HEAL FROM
THIS TRAUMA, PLEASE REMEMBER TO
REACH OUT TO YOUR BLACK AND
BROWN FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND
BUSINESS OWNERS RIGHT NOW TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE
SUPPORT THEY NEED OR WANT.
PLEASE LISTEN MORE THAN TALK.
I CHALLENGE OUR SEATTLE ALLIES
TO ASK THEMSELVES QUESTIONS SUCH
AS WHAT CAN YOU DO TO LIFT THE
LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND BLACK AND
BROWN PEOPLE AT THIS TIME AND
INTO THE FUTURE?
THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO
LEARN.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE ASIANS,
ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS,
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, LATINX,
MIDDLE EASTERNERS AND WHITE
ALLIES AND EVERYONE ELSE UNITING
WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
AGAINST RACIAL INEQUITY.
HAPPY PRIDE, IN REMEMBRANCE OF
THE STONEWALL RIOTS.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
IN SOLIDARITY, SEATTLE LGBTQ
COMMISSIONER AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR, STAKEHOLDER, COMMITTEE
CHAIR.
SO COLLEAGUES, I WOULD NOW LIKE
TO ASK FOR YOUR CONSENT TO ADD
YOUR SIGNATURE TO THE
PROCLAMATION AND THOR YOUR
SUPPORT IN HONORING THE FOLKS
WHO HAVE DIED FIGHTING FOR THEIR
RIGHTS AS LGBTQ PEOPLE.
AND WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THE
CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL.
>> OKAY.
SO COLLEAGUES, ANY COMMENTS OR
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO ADD
BEFORE WE HAVE THE CLERK CALL
THE ROLL ON THE PROCLAMATION?
OKAY, HEARING NONE, I WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FOR
BRINGING THE PROCLAMATION TO
FULL CITY COUNCIL AND FOR
READING THE STATEMENT FROM THE
LGBTQ COMMISSION AS SHE JUST
READ IT AND REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR STEWARDSHIP OF THIS ISSUE
IN THIS PROCLAMATION THROUGH THE
CITY COUNCIL AS WE KICK OFF
PRIDE MONTH TODAY, JUNE 1st.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD
ASK THAT THE CITY CLERK CALL THE
ROLL ON HAVING COUNCILMEMBERS
ADD THEIR NAME TO THE
PROCLAMATION.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, YOU NOW
HAVE THE SIGNATURE OF ALL OF THE
COUNCILMEMBERS.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER BUSINESS
TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL?
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I JUST WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK.
THERE WAS A REQUEST TO --
ENDEAVOR TO GET WEDNESDAY'S
HEARING SOLIDIFIED BEFORE WE
WRAPPED UP TODAY, AND THANKS TO
MY STAFF, THE STAFF OF OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS, OUR CLERK STAFF
AND MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT
WE HAVE INVITED, INCLUDING THE
OPA DIRECTOR, THE OFFICE
ININTEKTER GENERAL, THE CO-CHAIR
OF THE CPC, AND THE POLICE AND
FIRE CHIEF AS WELL AS THE
BEGINNINGS OF A COMMUNITY PANEL
THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER.
WE CAN NOW ANNOUNCE THAT THAT
MEETING WILL BE HELD AT NOON ON
WEDNESDAY.
SO PLEASE DO MARK YOUR CALENDARS
FOR NOON WEDNESDAY.
AND AGAIN, THE FORMAT WILL BE
STARTING WITH A PUBLIC HEARING
THEN BREAKING UP INTO, DEPENDING
ON PEOPLE'S -- THE INDIVIDUAL
COMPONENTS, THE AVAILABILITY OF
THE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING
THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT OF THE
MEETING, WHAT WILL FOLLOW THE
PUBLIC HEARING PORTION WILL BE A
PRESENTATION FROM OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS ON WHAT
THE STRUCTURE OF THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS IN THE
PROCESS FOR INVESTIGATIONS.
THE COMMUNITY PANEL AND THEN AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCILMEMBERS
TO HEAR FROM AND ASK QUESTIONS
OF OUR POLICE CHIEFS WITH A
RECOGNITION THAT WE MIGHT NEED
TO, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP TO TESTIFY,
TO TAKE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
COMMENT AT THE END OF THE
MEETING AS WELL.
SO HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL COME
TOGETHER AND, AGAIN, HAPPY TO
INCORPORATE FOLK'S INPUT BETWEEN
NOW AND WEDNESDAY AT NOON AND
MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS A
POSITIVE EFFORT THAT IS FOCUSED
ON NEXT STEPS AND HEALING AND
OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO
CONTINUOUS REFORM.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, FOR THAT UPDATE.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING
THE INVITATION FROM THE CLERK'S
OFFICE AND ALL THE ZOOM
INFORMATION.
SO CLAEGS, PLEASE DO SAVE THE
DATE FOR THIS WEDNESDAY STARTING
AT NOON FOR A SPECIAL MEETING OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THIS
CONVERSATION AS DESCRIBED BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND HOPE
THAT YOU ALL WILL BE ABLE TO
FIND THE TIME TO JOIN US.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S SHORT
NOTICE, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS AN EMERGING AND
PRESSING ISSUE FOR MANY OF US,
AND ESPECIALLY FOR OUR
CONSTITUENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
UPDATE.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME
BEFORE THE COUNCIL?
OKAY, HEARING AND SEEING NONE,
THIS CONCLUDES THE AGENDA.
OUR NEXT MONDAY IS JUNE 8, 2020
AT 2:00 P.M.
IT WILL BE A REMOTE MEETING
AGAIN.
YOU WILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION FROM ME ABOUT REMOTE
STATUS OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE
FUTURE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A
HEADS UP YOU SHOULD PLAN FOR A
JUNE 8th MEETING BEING REMOTE
AGAIN.
I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL
AFTERNOON, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN VERY SOON.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.