>>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING.
THE JUNE 4, 2024 MEETING OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE 2024
TRANSPORTATION LEVY WILL COME
TO ORDER. IT IS 9:37 A.M. I AM
ROB SAKA, CHAIR OF THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
>> PRESIDENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUS.
>> PRESENT .
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERE.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE EIGHT
MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> ALL RIGHT. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. BEFORE
WE GET STARTED TODAY, I JUST
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS
A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR SEATTLE.
IF WE GET THIS RIGHT, THIS LEVY
HAS THE POWER TO BUILD A SAFER,
MORE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, AND
BETTER CONNECTED COMMUNITY. WE
HAVE AN URGENT OPPORTUNITY TO
DELIVER THE EVERYDAY BASICS IN
AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY. MORE THAN
THAT, THIS LEVY IS ALSO A VITAL
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. IT'S ALSO
NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT
THIS LEVY HAS THE ABILITY TO
SAVE LIVES. THIS IS A LEVY
PROPOSAL THAT WE WILL BUILD
UPON IN THIS CHAMBER THAT WE
CAN ALL BE PROUD OF. I KNOW
I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE
INVESTMENTS TO KEEP OUR
COMMUNITIES SAFER. TOO MANY
PEOPLE ARE DYING ON THESE
ROADS. ON OUR ROADS AND OUR
STREETS. AND WE'RE GROWING
FURTHER AWAY FROM OUR VISION
ZERO GOALS, UNFORTUNATELY. I DO
WANT TO THANK MAYOR HARRELL AND
HIS TEAM, DIRECTOR SPOTTS AND
THE ENTIRE TEAM AT SDOT AND
EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED
TIRELESSLY TO GET US TO THIS
POINT. MORE TO COME. I WANT TO
THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR
CONTINUING TO MAKE THEIR VOICES
HEARD. WHETHER IT'S ONE OF THE
HUNDREDS WHO HAVE ATTENDED OUR
VARIOUS MEETINGS AND FORUMS ON
THIS LEVY SO FAR, WHETHER YOU
SHARED YOUR FEEDBACK IN E-MAIL?
WHATEVER THE WAY YOU SHARED
YOUR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
RESPONDED TO SURVEYS, WHATEVER
IT IS, YOUR VOICE MATTERS. AND
I WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE ARE
LISTENING. AND I ALSO WANT TO
THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR
YOUR THOUGHTFUL ENGAGEMENT AND
INSIGHTS AND SHARING YOUR
TERRIFIC IDEAS SO FAR. MORE TO
COME. FINALLY, I WANT TO MAKE
CLEAR THAT WE HAVE ONE AND ONLY
ONE TRANSPORTATION IN THIS CITY
AND OUR REGION. I EXPRESSLY
REJECT THE USUAL DIVISIONS AND
PENDING ONE TRANSPORTATION MODE
CHOICE AGAINST ANOTHER.
SIMILARLY, I OF I REJECT
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FRAMING OF US
VERSUS THEM, AND OURS VERSUS
THEIRS AND THE LIKE. THERE ARE
SO MANY INTERDEPENDENCIES THAT
PLAY HERE. AFTER ALL, WE LEARN
THROUGH THE EXTENDED CLOSURE OF
THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE, THAT
IMPACTED THE ENTIRE CITY, T SEAS
AFFECT EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO WALK,
BIKE, ROLL, TAKE TRANSIT OR
DRIVE. WHEN FREIGHT AND CARGO
ARE NOT MOVING EFFICIENTLY AND
RELIABLY, OUR SERVICES, PERHAPS
EVEN PRICES OF OUR DAILY
NECESSITIES ARE DIRECTLY
IMPACTED. THAT DOESN'T JUST
HOLD TRUE, THOSE PRINCIPLES
DON'T JUST HOLD TRUE IN OUR
LOCAL ECONOMY, IT'S OUR
REGIONAL ECONOMY, STATE
ECONOMY, NATIONAL ECONOMY AND
HAS INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
AS WELL. THIS IS A WORLD-CLASS
CITY. SO YOU KNOW, NEW
SIDEWALKS, SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL, VISION ZERO GOALS
AFFECT EVERYONE. AGAIN, WE HAVE
ONE SYSTEM, AND WE MUST WORK
FOR OUR RESIDENTS -- THIS
SYSTEM MUST WORK FOR RESIDENTS,
FIRST AND FOREMOST. AND IT ALL
MUST BE COORDINATED, INTEGRATED
AND ACCOUNTABLE. SO ONE
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. DIRECTLY
IN LINE WITH, I SUPPOSE THE
MAYOR'S ONE SEATTLE APPROACH.
THIS IS THE
TRANSPORTATION-SPECIFIC
IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT. BUT
ULTIMATELY, COLLEAGUES,
WHATEVER WE PUT FORTH IN THE
COMING WEEKS AHEAD, WHEREVER WE
LAND ON THE FINAL LEVY PACKAGE
PROPOSAL, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE
VOTERS ARE THE ONES WHO MUST
ULTIMATELY DECIDE LATER THIS
FALL. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW I
PROPOSE A -- PROPOSED CHAIRS
AMENDMENT PACKAGE. LEARN MORE
ABOUT THAT LATER TODAY. JUST
WANT TO TEE UP THE CONVERSATION
HERE. SO THAT SAID, WE'LL NOW
OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD
RELATE TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW
OF TODAY'S COMMITTEE. CLERK,
HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED
UP.
>> WE HAVE SEVEN IN-PERSON
SPEAKERS SIGNED UP AND TWO
REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> ALL RIGHT. YOU SAID SEVEN IN
PERSON?
>> YES. COUNTING THE PERSON WHO
JUST SIGNED UP.
>> OKAY. OKAY. LET'S SEE. EACH
SPEAKER WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY
TWO MINUTES, AND WE WILL START
WITH THE IN SPEAKERS FIRST.
CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL
BE MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING
MATTER. THE PERIOD IS UP TO 20
MINUTES. SPEAKERS, WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER THEY ARE
REGISTERED. SPAOETS WILL
ALTERNATE 99 UNTIL THE PUBLIC
COMMENT IS ENDED. SPEAKERS WILL
HERE A CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS OF
LEFT OF THEIR TIME. SPEAKERS
WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT
END THEIR COMMENTS WITHIN THE
ALOTTED TIME, TO ALLOW US TO
CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW OPEN AND
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
PERSON ON THE LIST. SORRY, GIVE
ME ONE SECOND. OUR FIRST
IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS RITA
HOLZMAN. AND FOLLOWING RITA
HOLZMAN IS CECILIA BLACK.
>> HELLO AGAIN. I GAME BEFORE
THIS COMMITTEE APPROXIMATELY
ONE MONTH AGO TO TELL YOU ABOUT
MY LATE HUSBAND, STEVE HOLZMAN,
WHO LOST HIS LIFE LAST
DECEMBER, WHEN A DRIVER
COLLIDED WITH STEVE WHILE HE
WAS BICYCLING IN OUR WEST
SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD. IN MY
COMMENT LAST MONTH, I IMPLORED
TO YOU INCLUDE GENEROUS FUNDING
IN THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY THIS
FALL, SO THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL
DIE OR BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN
OUR STATE. I AM BACK TODAY,
BECAUSE UNTHINKABLE, SIX MORE
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN SIX
COLLISIONS LATE LAST MONTH. IT
IS HEARTBREAKING TO ME TO KNOW
THAT SIX MORE FAMILIES ARE
MOURNING THEIR LOSSES AS MY
FAMILY AND I ARE GRIEVING AND
CONTINUING TO MOURN THE LOSS OF
MY HUSBAND. WHAT MORE
HEARTBREAKING IS THAT THESE ALL
BELONG TO STREETS DESIGNATED AS
HIGH DAMAGE. WE MUST DO BETTER.
THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY YOU
SENT TO VOTERS THIS FALL MUST
PRIORITIZE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
FOR ALL WHO TRAVEL OUR STREETS,
NO MATTER WHETHER THEY ARE IN
MOTOR VEHICLES, BICYCLES,
WHEELCHAIRS OR ON FOOT.
SEATTLE'S 0 VISION TEAM HASSA
ALREADY IMPLEMENTED
IMPROVEMENT. BUT CLEARLY,
CLEARLY, MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I IMPLORE YOU TODAY TO INCREASE
FUNDING FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEATTLE'S UPCOMING
TRANSPORTATION LEVY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND THE NEXT SPEAKER IS
CECILIA BLACK. AND FOLLOWING
THAT WILL BE NICOLE GRANT.
>> HI. MY NAME IS CECILIA
GRANT. AND I AM A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZER WITH RIGHTS
WASHINGTON. I WANT TO THANK
THIS COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, MOORE AND
MORALES, FOR BEING SUCH
CHAMPIONS OF SIDEWALKS. 20
YEARS AGO, I WAS PARALYZED WHEN
MY FAMILY WAS HIT BY A
16-YEAR-OLD DRIVER WITH A
CARFUL OF FRIENDS. THEY WERE IN
A COMMUNITY WHERE THERE WERE NO
OTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
FOR TEENAGE DRIVERS. EVERY
SINGLE PERSON IN MY FAMILY
SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES,
AND THE DRIVER DIED. THIS IS
NOT WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR
FAMILY. AND THIS IS NOT THE
OPTIONS YOU WANT FOR YOUR
CHILDREN. I AM LUCKY I HAVE
MONEY SET ASIDE FOR MY HOUSING,
WHICH MEANS I WILL BE GETTING
TO LIGHT RAIL STATION. AND
SEVERAL MAJOR BUS LINES. THIS
HAS TRANSFORMED MY LIFE. AND
EVEN WITHIN THOSE TWO BLOCKS
FROM LIGHT RAIL, ABOUT A
QUARTER OF THE SIDEWALKS ARE SO
UPROOTED, I USE THE BIKE LANES.
BUT I'M LUCKY, I HAVE
SIDEWALKS NEAR ME. I'M ALSO IN
A PRIORITY ZONE, WHERE I KNOW
THOSE SIDEWALKS WILL GET
REPAIRED. AND THE REALITY IS,
IF YOU ARE A WHEELCHAIR USER,
USE A CANE OR A WALKER. IF
YOU'RE A SMALL CHILD OR PARENT
OF A SMALL CHILD, AND LIVING IN
LAKE CITY AND NORTH GATE AND
SOUTH SEATTLE, ON A STREET WITH
NO SIDEWALKS. SIDEWALKS ARE NOT
COMING FOR YOU. AND SO I ASK
YOU THAT AS YOU AMEND AND THINK
ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT, THAT YOU
THINK ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS AND
FAMILY, AND THINK ABOUT WHERE
THEY LIVE AND WHO WILL BE ABLE
TO NAVIGATE THIS CITY IF ONE OF
THEM GETS DISABLED. I HOPE
EVERYONE LIVES LONG ENOUGH TO
WHERE THEY WILL LIKELY BE
DISABLED AND THIS CITY IS NOT
EASY TO NAVIGATE IF YOU ARE IN
A WHEELCHAIR. THANK YOU.
>> CLERK, I WOULD LIKE THE
RECORD TO REFLECT THAT VICE
CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH IS HERE,
PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR,
ENTERED DURING MY OPENING
REMARKS. THANK YOU.
>> THAT WILL BE NOTED. THANK
YOU, CHAIR. THE NEXT IN-PERSON
SPEAKER IS ILEANA HORN. SORRY.
NICOLE GRANT, FOLLOWED BY
ILEANA HORN. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU,
CHAIR SAKA. AND SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL. MY NAME IS NICOLE
GRANT. I USE SHE AND HER
PRONOUNS AND I AM A MEMBER OF
IEBW HERE TO TESTIFY ABOUT THIS
TRANSPORTATION LEVY. IT HAS
BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PROCESS. AND
SO INSPIRING TO HEAR FROM ALL
THE ADVOCATES, WHETHER IT WAS
DISABILITY RIGHTS WASHINGTON.
AND ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT
CAME AND TOLD VERY MOVING
STORIES ABOUT HOW
TRANSPORTATION HAS AFFECTED
THEIR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES IN
SEATTLE. AT THE ELECTRICIANS
UNION, WE WILL BE ADVOCATING
FOR REALLY, A FIRST-OF-ITS KIND
FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN
SEATTLE. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF
GRATITUDE TO MAYOR BRUCE
HARRELL, AND TO CHAIR SAKA, AND
ALL THE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO HAVE
SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF PUTTING IN
ACCESSIBLE, PUBLIC, EV CHARGING
IN SEATTLE. WHEN I THINK ABOUT
THE INVESTMENTS, THE WASHINGTON
STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE IS
MAKING TO MAKE SURE THAT
LOW-INCOME PEOPLE CAN GET
ACCESS TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES
INSTEAD OF FOSSIL FUEL-POWERED
VEHICLES, IT MAKES ME WONDER.
YEAH. BUT WHERE DO YOU CHARGE
IT? I MEAN, IF YOU'RE NOT A
SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNER WITH A
BIG DRIVEWAY, WHO CAN AFFORD
THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHERE DO
YOU CHARGE IT? AND THAT'S
WHERE THE CITY OF SEATTLE CAN
COME IN. SO AN UBER DRIVER CAN
CHARGE ON A LEVEL 3 CHARGING
STATION AT A COMMUNITY CENTER
OR A PARK, SO THAT THEY CAN
HAVE THEIR LIVELIHOOD. OR SO
THAT SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN AN
APARTMENT CAN CHARGE WITHOUT
HAVING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF EXTRA
PARKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SHOULD JUST BE ABLE TO GO TO
THE PARK --
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND THE NEXT IN-PERSON
SPEAKER IS ILEANA HORNE, AND
FOLLOWED BY STEVE RUSTELO.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS ILEANA HORN. AND I'M
HERE REPRESENTING PUGET SOUND
STAGE. WE INCREASE THE
ADVANTAGEMENT IN THIS LEVY AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA'S PACKAGE.
BUT $100 MILLION IS NOT ENOUGH.
VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT A
$1.9 BILLION PACKAGE, THIS IS A
TRULY WASTED OPPORTUNITY IF WE
DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
WE ARE ALSO DISAPPOINTED TO SEE
AN ADDITIONAL $7 MILLION FOR
TRANSIT SAFETY. WE DON'T NEED
MORE TRANSIT POLICE. WE NEED TO
BE INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES --
NOT POLICE. PUGET SOUND SAGE
HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE GOING TO BE
EXPERIENCING LONG-AWAITED LIGHT
RAIL EXPANSION. BUT THIS ALSO
INCLUDES INCREASED RISK OF
DISPLACEMENT AND AS COUNCIL HAS
SPOKEN, WE HAVE THE VISION OF
ONE COMMUNITY. BUT BLACK AND
BROWN WON'T BE ABLE TO IF THEY
CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE
INVESTMENTS IN LIGHT RAIL
EXPANSION. THESE ARE ALSO THE
COMMUNITY OF RIDERS. SO IF WE
ARE NOT ACTUALLY PROTECTING
THESE COMMUNITIES, THEN WE WILL
ALSO SEE LOWER RIDERSHIP, WHICH
IS COUNTER TO THE CITY'S GOALS
FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE AND TO
PREVENT DISPLACEMENT. WE'RE
ASKING YOU TO INCREASE THE LEVY
AND TO REMOVE FUNDING IF ARE
TRANSIT POLICE AND INVEST IN
COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING JUST
$30 MILLION, WHICH IS NOT MUCH
IN THE SCHEME OF AN OVER
BILLION DOLLAR LEVY, FOR THESE
COMMUNITIES TO LEAD, PLAN FOR
THE CHANGES COMING TO ACQUIRE
LAND BEFORE THE COMMUNITIES NOW
BEFORE THE LAND IS TOO
EXPENSIVE IN THE FUTURE. OVER
50% OF VOTERS ARE LIKELY TO
VOTE YES WITH THIS INCLUDED.
AND WE ALSO ASK YOU TO INCREASE
FUNDING IF ARE SIDEWALKS. EVEN
IF THE FUNDING DOUBLED, WE HAVE
TO WAIT 200 YEARS FOR THE CITY
TO BE ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE --
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER
IS STEVE RUBISTELO. AND
FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE CLARA
CANTER.
>> I THINK IF YOU WANT TO PASS
THIS LEVY, ONE THING TO
CONSIDER IS TO STOP TAKING
FOUR-LANE ROADS AND MAKING THEM
TWO-LANE ROADS. I LIVE ON
FREMONT, WHICH IS RIGHT NEAR
AURORA. AND ALL WE NEED IS
ANOTHER CHOKEPOINT ON AURORA.
BECAUSE FREMONT BECOMES A
PARKING LOT WHEN AURORA IS
REDUCED. SO I WOULD SAY THAT I
HAD -- I'VE BEEN THINKING OF
YOU THIS LAST WEEK, WHEN I'M
WORKING. BECAUSE I WAS WORKING
PRIMARILY ON CAP HILL. AND I
SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO DEXTER
AVENUE, I SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO
MADISON. I SEE WHAT HAS
HAPPENED TO PIKE AND PINE. NOW,
IF I'M BEING PAID BY THE HOUR,
AND IT TAKES ME A LONG TIME TO
GET TO PLACES, EH, THAT'S
OKAY. BUT WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO
ARE GOING PLACES AND NOT BEING
PAID BY THE HOUR? ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY I THINK YOU'RE
SEEING AN INCREASE IN
FATALITIES AND INJURIES IS
FRUSTRATION. YOU KNOW, THIS
PROPOSAL S. T.P. IS MISSING ONE
LETTER. IT'S O, STOP SEATTLE.
THAT IS A PROBLEM. WE NEED TO
GET PEOPLE TO MOVE. I'M
MULTIMODAL. ON TRANSIT. BUT
WHEN I'M WORKING, I HAVE TO
USE A CAR. WHEN I'M DOING
OTHER THINGS, IT DEPENDS UPON
WHAT I'M DOING, WHAT IS THE
BEST MODE? TO SACRIFICE ONE
MODE FOR ANOTHER MODE IS NOT
GOOD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE
ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND I REALLY CAN'T SEE PAYING
TO MAKE MY LIFE MORE DIFFICULT.
IT'S NOT IN MY WAY OF DOING
THINGS. AND WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY HERE.
>> SAYING A BILLION DOLLARS
HERE. BILLION THERE. PRETTY
SOON, YOU GOT A LOT OF MONEY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER
IS CLARA CANTER AND FOLLOWED BY
AARON USER.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YEAH.
>> HI. MY NAME IS CLARA CANTER.
I'M HERE TO ECHO, WHAT WE
HEARD SOLELY FROM RITA EARLIER.
I ALSO HAVE SOME BAD NEWS THAT
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, THERE WAS
ANOTHER PERSON WHO WAS KILLED
ON OUR STREETS UP IN DISTRICT
6. THAT MAKES SEVEN PEOPLE IN
THE LAST 10 OR 11 DAYS OR SO
THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED IN
SEATTLE ON OUR STREETS. EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE HAS
A FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND A
COMMUNITY THAT IS GOING TO FEEL
THOSE RIPPLING EFFECTS. I JUST
WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER. YOU
KNOW, ONE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
AND THAT EVERY ASPECT OF THAT
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM HAS TO
PRIORITY SAFETY, OR ELSE PEOPLE
WILL CONTINUE TO BE KILLED ON
OUR STREETS. ALL SEVEN OF THOSE
PEOPLE WERE KILLED ON FRIGHT
ROUTES, ON BIG ARTERIAL STREETS
THAT WE KNOW ARE DANGEROUS,
THAT WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
KILLED ON BEFORE. AND WE
CONTINUE TO NOT DO ANYTHING
ABOUT IT AS A CITY. THE LEVY
THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU
DOESN'T HAVE ANY SAFETY
LANGUAGE IN THE FREIGHT
SECTION. WE NEED TO ADD
LANGUAGE THERE TO PRIORITIZE
SAFETY ON ALL OF THOSE
PROJECTS. WE NEED TO BUILD MORE
BIKE LANES, BUILD MORE
SIDEWALKS, BUILD MORE SAFETY
PROJECTS, BUILD MORE TRAFFIC
CALMING IN ORDER FOR THIS TO
STOP. I WOULD LIKE TO USE THE
REMAINDER OF MY TIME FOR JUST
30 SECONDS OF SILENCE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR FINAL IN-PERSON SPEAKER
IS AARON MUSER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS
AND GUESTS. I LIVE IN RAINIER
VALLEY. AND I AM OBSESSED WITH
SIDEWALK REPAIR. IT HAS BEEN
PUBLISHED IN SEVERAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
OVER THE PAST YEARS. I'VE HAD
MY PHOTO TAKEN WHILE ROLLING
DOWN BUMPY SIDEWALKS. I HAVE
EVENING HAD A GO PRO ATTACHED
TO THE BOTTOM OF MY WHEELCHAIR,
TO KIND OF GET THE REALTIME
WORD OUT TO THE POWERS THAT BE.
I LOVE GOING TO TAKE THE LIGHT
RAIL. AND FIRST OF ALL, I
WANTED TO DEFINITELY TAKE TIME
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
MORALES AND MOORE FOR TRYING TO
GET THIS $100 MILLION AMENDMENT
TO THE PACKAGE. SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT.
>> I HAVE TESTIFIED HERE MAYBE
THREE OR FOUR TIMES. AND I WILL
DO IT OVER AND OVER. I'M GOING
TO COME BACK AT 4:30, SO I HEAR
THIS SAME SPEECH AGAIN. I MIGHT
TWIST IT UP A LITTLE BIT. I
DON'T KNOW. BUT IT IS SO
IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE LIGHT
RAIL GIVES ME A LOT OF
INDEPENDENCE. AND IT'S
SOMETHING THAT IS GREAT, BUT
WHEN I GO OVER A BIG SPEED
BUMP, SO TO SPEAK. IT IS A
SPEED BUMP, IF IT'S ON A
SIDEWALK. MY LEGS ARE VERY
STIFF BECAUSE I HAVE M.S. MY
LEGS WILL FLY OUT LIKE
TWO-BY-FOURS. AND I CANNOT GET
THEM BACK MYSELF. SO ME GOING
TO USE LIGHT RAIL, TO USE IT AS
AN INDEPENDENT SOURCE OF THINGS
I NEED TO GET DONE, IF I NEED
TO HAVE SOMEONE HELP ME GET MY
FEET BACK ON MY PADS, IT'S
KIND OF RIDICULOUS, THAT
DEFEATS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF
HAVING AN ACCESSIBLE WAY OF
TRAVEL. SO THANK YOU FOR THE
SUPPORT YOU HAVE. AND I JUST
IMPLORE YOU TO -- I APPRECIATE
IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR, WE'LL NOW BE MOVING
TO THE REMOTE SPEAKERS. WE HAVE
THREE REMOTE SPEAKERS SIGNED
UP. OUR FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS
ANN KNIGHT AND FOLLOWING THAT
WILL BE EMIL SANCHEZ. ANN, ARE
YOU THERE? OKAY, CHAIR, WITH
YOUR PERMISSION, WE'LL MOVE ON
WITH THE NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER,
WE'LL GO TO ANN.
>> JUST A REMINDER, YOU MIGHT
WANT TO PUSH STAR 6.
>> ANN, DO YOU WANT TO PRESS
STAR 6?
>>> OKAY. I'M GOING TO MOVE ON
TO THE NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER. SO
EMILSE SANCHEZ.
>> I CAN SPEAK NOW.
>> OKAY. ANN, IF YOU'RE READY,
YOU CAN START TALKING.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS
ANN KNIGHT, AND I'M SPEAKING
ABOUT STREET TREES. STREET
TREES ARE A CRITICAL PART OF
THE CANOPY WE DEPEND ON FOR THE
HEALTH OF OUR CITY AND PROVIDE
ESSENTIAL MITIGATION TO THE
MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
SEATTLE STREET RIGHTS OF WAY,
WHICH COVER 20% OF THE CITY, IS
ESSENTIAL IN DRESSING
SEATTLE'S TREE CANOPY GOALS
SINCE IT IS OWNED BY THE CITY
AND RUNS THROUGHOUT SEATTLE.
THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT THAT
THIS NEXT EIGHT-YEAR
TRANSPORTATION LEVY HAS
SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO PLANT
AND MAINTAIN TREES. THIS
CLIMATE CHANGE, WE LOST 10
ACRES OF CANOPY. AND DESPITE A
$20 MILLION INVESTMENT IN
STREET TREES IN THE PAST LEVY.
WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF CLIMATE
CHANGE IF WE ARE GOING TO
REDUCE AND NOT CREATE MORE
THROUGH THE LOSS OF EXISTING
TREES. THE LOSS OF TREES IN THE
NEXT EIGHT YEARS, THROUGH THE
NEW WILL SET US BACK EVEN
FURTHER IN OUR CANOPY GOALS. AS
AN EXAMPLE, THE IMPACTED BIRCH
WILL IMPACT THE TOTAL LOSS OF
BIRCH FIRS. THAT LOSS WILL
LIKELY EXCEED THE NUMBER OF NEW
TREES THAT WILL BE PLANTED
UNDER THE PROPOSAL. AND THIS IS
JUST ONE OF THE SPECIES THAT WE
WILL BE LOSING DUE TO CLIMATE
CHANGE. THUS, THE CURRENT
PROPOSED LEVY DOES NOT MAKE
ADEQUATE INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE
CHANGE AND TO INCREASE THE
TREES IN THE VULNERABLE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CURRENT
PROPOSAL OF $29 MILLION
REPRESENTS JUST 2% OF THE LEVY
BUDGET. IT SHOULD BE DOUBLE THE
TO 4% OR 58 MILLION IF WE CAN
HOPE TO MAKE ANY PROGRESS IN
THE PAINTING AND BUILDING OF
TREE CANOPY ON OUR STREETS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER IS
EMILSE SANCHEZ.
>> YOU MAY NEED TO PRESS STAR 6
TO BE UNMUTED.
>> HI. FINAL HE, UNMUTED. CAN
YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, I CAN. YOU CAN GO
AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS EMILSE SANCHEZ.
MY DAD DIED BIKING 33 YEARS AGO
IN A HIT-AND-RUN. NOT IN
SEATTLE, BUT THE SAME FATE CAN
BEFALL CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS
IF WE DON'T INVEST IN SAFE
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION. I
COMMUTUAL OVER THE CITY AND CUT
CARBON EMISSIONS. AND I KNOW
MORE WOULD IF THEY FELT SAFE.
SO I ASK THAT YOU ASK FOR A
$1.7 MILLION TRANSPORTATION
LEVY, INCLUDING PEDESTRIAN
PROGRAMS, ADDING THE $32
MILLION TO REVERSE CUTS IN
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE. AND ADA
ACCESS ABILITY. AS WELL AS
TRANSIT CORRIDORS. CAPITOL
PROJECT FUNDING. AND OF COURSE,
BIKE SAFETY PROGRAMS, ADDING 20
MILLION TO MAINTAIN BIKE
PROGRAMS. AND SELECT EXPANSION.
NEIGHBORHOOD STREET
IMPROVEMENTS, ADDING 30 MILLION
TO COMMUNITY-LED PLANNING TO
PREPARE FOR LIGHT RAIL
EXPANSION. AND THE CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT AREA.
FIVE VISION ZERO AND SCHOOL
SAFETY, ADDING 20 MILLION TO
ENSURE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO
SUPPORT SAFETY REDESIGNS AND
THE CITY'S FIVE MOST DANGEROUS
STREETS. AND NUMBER SIX,
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY, ADDING
40 MILLION TO URBAN FREEWAY
MITIGATION. AND SEVEN, PEOPLE
FOCUSING ON PEOPLE, STREETS AND
PUBLIC SAFETY, BY ADDING $10
MILLION TO ADD ACCESSIBLE
PUBLIC REST ROOMS AND TRANSIT
HUBS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR FINAL REMOTE SPEAKER
WILL BE ALBERTO ALVAREZ.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS ALBERTO.
I'M A DELIVERY DRIVER HERE IN
SEATTLE. I'M ACTUALLY SPEAKING
FOR THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY
THAT YOU GUYS ARE DISCUSSING
RIGHT NOW. I DO DRIVE,
ESSENTIALLY, AROUND THE CLOCK.
SO I'M OUT THERE ON THE
STREETS, DAY IN AND DAY OUT. SO
I SEE THE REAL PROBLEMS THAT
ARE GOING ON. NUMBER 1, I THINK
BICYCLE TRANSPORT NEEDS TO BE
IMPROVED A LOT MORE THAN WHAT
THIS LEVY IS PROPOSING. BUT
BEYOND THAT, THE SIDEWALK
SITUATION FOR PEOPLE ON FOOT
AND PEOPLE WITH, YOU KNOW, LOW
MOBILITY AND WHEELCHAIRS AND
THAT SORT OF A THING. THAT
NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED, A LOT
MORE. LIKE MORE THAN 50%. YOU
KNOW, DOUBLE OF WHATEVER IT IS
NOW. YOU KNOW, I SEE HOW THEY
STRUGGLE, JUST GETTING, YOU
KNOW, FROM POINT TO POINT. I
SEE IT EVERY DAY. YOU KNOW.
IT'S CONSTANT. IT'S A REAL
PROBLEM. AND THE FACT THAT THIS
LEVY DOESN'T FOCUS ON THAT AS
MUCH AS IT SHOULD. IT'S A
LITTLE CONCERNING. ON A SIDE
NOTE, IF YOU GUYS ARE WANTING
TO BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THE
DOWNTOWN CORE, YOU KNOW,
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, AND EVEN
ON THE WEEKENDS, THAT'S THE
KEY, GETTING PEOPLE ON FOOT
BECAUSE THE COST OF PARKING --
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IT'S WAY
TOO HIGH. SO ANYONE THAT IS
TRYING TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, IN
FOR THE WEEKEND, FOR, YOU KNOW,
A BALL GAME, FOOTBALL GAME, TO
THE BARS, YOU KNOW, TO WHEREVER
THEY WANT TO GO. IT LIMITS
WHERE THEY GO. SO PEOPLE ON
FOOT, PEOPLE TAKING THE BUSES,
PEOPLE ON BIKES. THAT'S HOW
YOU GET PEOPLE BACK INTO THE
CORE. THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE IN
FOR BUSINESS HOURS, THEY'RE
ONLY THERE FOUR OR FIVE DAYS
OUT OF THE WEEK. SO IF YOU
DON'T FOCUS ON PEOPLE BEING
ABLE TO GET THERE ON FOOT,
YOU'RE MISSING THE MARK. SO
IMPROVE THE SAFETY FOR PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIANS, PEOPLE
ON BIKES AND PEOPLE --
>> CHAIR, THAT WAS OUR LAST
SPEAKER.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND
ENGAGEMENT. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
TITLE OF ITEM 1 INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1. PROPERTY
TAXES 101, FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE OUR
PRESENTER IS ALREADY AHEAD OF
THE CURVE HERE AND HAS JOINED
US AT THE TABLE. WELCOME,
DIRECTOR NOBLE. ONCE READY,
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND
BE BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU. BEN NOBLE,
CENTRAL STAFF DIRECTOR --
SORRY, JUST WORKING ON GETTING
THIS UP THE RIGHT WAY.
STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT.
>> ALL RIGHT. YEAH, BEN NOBLE,
STAFF DIRECTOR AS YOU CONSIDER
THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY AND
CONSIDER SOMETHING TO PUT TO
THE VOTERS TO EFFECTIVELY RAISE
THEIR OWN PROPERTY TAXES,
THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO
PROVIDE YOU SOME CONTEXT FOR
CITY PROPERTY TAXES OVERALL.
AND IN PARTICULAR, WHY IT IS
THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO THE
VOTERS TO ASK THEM TO TAX
THEMSELVES FOR SOMETHING
SEEMINGLY AS BASIC AS
TRANSPORTATIONATION. I WANT TO
BACK UP AND TELL YOU ABOUT
PROPERTY TAXES OVERALL, TALK
ABOUT THE LIMITATIONS THAT ARE
PLACED ON THE CITY BY THE STATE
GOVERNMENT, IN TERMS OF
TAXATION OVERALL AND PROPERTY
TAX IN PARTICULAR. AND THEN
WALK YOU THROUGH KIND OF THE
WAY PROPERTY TAXES HAVE EVOLVED
OVER THE PAST 20-PLUS YEARS.
WITH THAT, LET ME DIVE IN. SO
JUST IN TERMS OF OUTLINE, TALK
TO YOU ABOUT EXISTING PROPERTY
TAXES AND WHERE THE MONEY GOES,
ESSENTIALLY. THEN TAKE A LOOK
AT THE LIMITATIONS. AS I
ALLUDED TO. THERE ARE STATE
LIMITATIONS ON TAXING
AUTHORITY. AND THE IMPACT OVER
TIME. AND THEN LASTLY, JUST AT
LEAST MENTION SOME EXISTING
PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION AND
DEFERRAL BE PROGRAMS THAT
TARGETS SENIORS AND LOW INCOME
FOLKS. AND TO MENTION AS WELL,
THAT THEY ARE POTENTIALLY A
COMPONENT OF THE LEVY AS WELL.
WITH THAT, THIS FIRST PICTURE,
KIND OF BUSY. BUT IT'S
DESIGNED JUST TO GIVE YOU A
BACKGROUND ON PROPERTY TAXES
OVERALL. AND WHERE THE MONEY
GOES, WHEN YOU'RE WRITING YOUR
-- A CHECK FOR YOUR TAXES. AND
YOU SHOULD KNOW, IF YOU'RE A
RENTER, YOUR LANDLORD IS
INDIRECTLY WRITING THAT CHECK
AND IS UNDOUBTEDLY, IN SOME
WAY, REFLECT IN YOUR RENT AS
WELL. ASSESSED VALUE, JUST OVER
$800,000. AND IF YOU WERE TO
LIVE IN THAT HOUSE, YOUR TAX
BILL IN 2024 WOULD HAVE BEEN
JUST UNDER $7,300. AND THIS
CHART IS TRYING TO SHOW YOU
WHERE THAT MONEY WOULD GO. AT
FIRST TI THINK PEOPLE THINK THE
SCHOOLS ARE RECIPIENTS OF
PROPERTY TAX. I THINK PROBABLY
LESS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE FACT
THAT BOTH THE PORT AND THE
COUNTY AND THE STATE, ALSO GET
A SHARE OF YOUR PROPERTY TAXES,
AS YOU PAY THEM. IN PARTICULAR,
THE CITY'S SHARE IS ABOUT 30%
OF THAT TOTAL. SO ABOUT $2200
OF THE $7300 IS GOING TO THE
CITY. NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO
BREAK DOWN THE CITY COMPONENTS.
IF THERE AREN'T QUESTIONS,
I'M GOING TO DO THAT. THERE
ARE OVERVIEWS OF WHERE THAT
PROPERTY TAX GOES. THIS IS A
LOOK AT THE CITY STUDY SIDE.
NOW IT IS A STACKED CLARKT
CHART. THIS IS AGAIN, THAT SAME
INDIVIDUAL, THAT $804,000 HOME.
AGAIN, THEIR SEA TAX BILL IS
JUST OVER $2200. AND THIS IS
HOW IT BREAKS OUT. 8 -- ALMOST
$900 IS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
AND YOU CAN READ UP AND SEE THE
OTHER POM PONENTS HERE OF THAT
TAX BILL. EACH OF THE THINGS
BEYOND THE GENERAL PURCHASE
FUND HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE
VOTERS IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.
MOST HAVE BEEN 50% VOTES. AS
THE TRANSPORTATION BILL IS FOR
A LEVY. AND THE BOND DEBT
SERVICE AT THE TOP. THAT WAS
THE BONDS ISSUED AT THE
WATERFRONT. AND THAT'S
ACTUALLY A 60%. BUT AGAIN, THIS
SHOWS A CITY COMPONENT OF HOW
THE TAX BREAK IS. NOW I'M
GOING TO TALK ABOUT REVENUE.
AND THE CHART LOOKS NEARLY
IDENTICAL AND LOST ONE OF ITS
LABELS. AND IT'S NOT COMING
BACK SO I'M NOT GOING TO --
SORRY. I NEED TO GO BACKWARDS
HERE. SEE IF I CAN DO THAT.
YEAH. SO THIS IS THE SAME
CHART. BUT IT'S PIVOTED TO
SHOW THE REVENUE TO THE CITY.
SO EVERY PROPERTY IN THE CITY
IS SHOWING WHAT I SHOWED ON THE
PREVIOUS SIDE. AND THAT THEN
ADDS UP TO THE CITY'S REVENUE.
AND THE DENOMINATIONS HERE ARE
IN MILLIONS. DOLLARS. AND
AGAIN, THAT SHOWS YOU IN
MILLIONS HOW THE CITY IS
COLLECTED. I DON'T KNOW WHY
THE ONE FOR GENERAL FUND HAS
DISAPPEARED. BUT THAT TOTALED
OVER $300 MILLION. $300 PLUS
MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
AND EACH OF THE LEVIES AS YOU
CAN SEE, RAISING ALMOST $100
MILLION OR MORE. I THINK WHAT
IS INTERESTING TO NOTE IS, IN
TOTAL, THERE IS NOW MORE MONEY
BEING RAISED FROM THE
VOTER-APPROVED LEVIES THAN FROM
THE COUNCILMANIC, GENERAL
APPROVED FUND. AND THAT IS NOT
AN ACCIDENT. IT IS A PRODUCT OF
HISTORY. AND IN FACT,
ULTIMATELY A PRODUCT OF TIM
EYMAN AND THE STATE
LEGISLATURE. AND WE'LL GET
BACK TO THERE STORY IN JUST A
SEC. HERE WE GO. UNDERSTANDING
THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX
AUTHORITY. THERE ARE TWO KEY
CONSTRAINTS ON THAT AUTHORITY.
ONE IS THAT THE TOTAL RATE --
SO THE CITY, IN TOTAL, CANNOT
CHARGE ITS RESIDENTS, MORE THAN
$3.60 PER THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND
THAT'S A COMBINATION OF THE
VOTER-APPROVED LEVIES, AS WELL
AS THE COUNCILMANIC, GENERAL
FUND LEVY. BONDS -- AND
ACTUALLY, THE PARK DISTRICT ARE
OUTSIDE THIS LIMIT. THE PARKS
LIMIT IS A SEPARATE TAXING
AUTHORITY. IT'S NOT THE CITY
IN DIS-VERY IMPORTANT WAY.
THERE ARE SEPARATE LIMITATIONS
FOR COLLECTIVE, LOCAL MEASURES.
AND IT FACES THAT CONSTRAINT.
IN TOTAL, WE CAN'T CHARGE
RESIDENTS MORE THAN $3.60 FOR
ASSESSED PURPOSES. CURRENTLY,
WE'RE AT $272. SO THAT
CONSTRAINT IS NOT BINDING ON US
IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY. SO
WE'RE A LONG WAY FOR THAT CAP.
IN A SLIDE, I'LL SHOW YOU THE
DIFFERENCE OVER TIME, BETWEEN
THE EXISTING CITY RATE AND THAT
LIMIT. THAT LIMIT HAS THE
EFFECT OF REVENUE POWER OF THAT
LIMIT CHANGES WITH THE CITY'S
ASSESSED VALUATION. AND WE'LL
REVIEW THAT AS WELL. BITHE MOST
IMPORTANT LIMITATION THAT HAS
BEEN BINDING ON THE CITY SINCE
EARLY 2000S IS THE 1% LIMIT ON
REVENUE GROWTH. SO EACH YEAR,
THE CITY CAN INCREASE ITS TAX
REVENUE COLLECTION BY 1% PLUS
THE VALUE OF THE NEW
CONSTRUCTION. THAT WAS
INITIALLY IMPOSED BY A
VOTER-APPROVED INITIATIVE. THAT
WAS ULTIMATELY OVERTURNED BY
THE STATE SUPREME COURT. BUT
THEN THE STATE LEGISLATURE
ADOPTED THE SAME LIMITATIONS.
SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE
INITIATIVE AND THE LEGISLATION
THAT PUTS THIS INTO EFFECT.
BEFORE THAT VOTE AND THAT
LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL, THE
CITY'S GROWTH RATE HAD BEEN
KEPT AT 6% PER YEAR. SO RATHER
THAN 1% PLUS NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND THE WAY THIS WORKS AT A
TECHNICAL LEVEL, IS THAT ONE OF
THE BILLS THAT YOU WILL WILL
VOTE ON, WHEN THE BUDGET IS
BROUGHT TO YOU IS THE PROPERTY
TAX LEVY. AND YOU ARE THEN
VOTING, ESSENTIALLY, TO TELL
THE ASSESSOR, HOW MUCH MONEY
THE CITY WANTS TO COLLECT FOR
THE GENERAL FUND. AND FOR EACH
OF ITS LEVIES. BUT YOU CAN'T
JUST TELL HIM ANY NUMBER. YOU
CAN ONLY TELL HIM A NUMBER THAT
IS 1% MORE THAN THE CURRENT
YEAR, AT 1%, AGAIN, PLUS THE
VALUE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION. IN
THE PAST, WE WERE ABLE TO TELL
THE ASSESSOR, WE WANT LAST
YEAR'S REVENUE, PLUS 6%. ASK
THAT CONSTRAINT OVER TIME HAS
HAD A REALLY MEANINGFUL EFFECT
ON HOW MUCH MONEY THE CITY CAN
RAISE. AND THIS CHART IS
DESIGNED TO ELSTRAIGHT THAT
EXACT POINT. SO THE BLUE HERE,
DARK BLUE AT THE BOTTOM, IS
GENERAL FUND OVER TIME. SO
RELATIVE TO 2002. REVENUE THERE
WAS ABOUT, LOOKS LIKE, $180
MILLION TO THE GENERAL FUND. WE
ARE CURRENTLY ABOVE 300, ABOUT
330. AND THAT GROWTH RATE THERE
IS 1%, PLUS THE VALUE OF NEW
CONSTRUCTION AT THE TIME. I
WOULD NOTE THAT NEW
CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN
MEANINGFUL ADDITIONAL TO THAT
OVER THE YEARS. WE'VE GOTTEN
AN ADDITIONAL 1% OR MORE IN
SOME YEARS OF. THAT BOOM HAS
HELPED. THE DOTTED LINES SHOWS
YOU WHAT THE LIMITATION WOULD
HAVE BEEN IF IT WERE 6 PERCENT.
SO HOW MUCH THEY WOULD HAVE.
PROPERTY TAXES WOULD HAVE GON
UP AN AVERAGE 6%. ABOUT YOU
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSED
FROM THE CITY. AND YOU CAN SEE
THAT THE DIFFERENCE -- THE
DISTANCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO
LINES, OR THE LINE AND THE
SOLID LINE AT THE BOTTOM, HAS
GROWN OVER TIME. THIS HAS BEEN
A COMPOUNDING EFFECT. YOU KNOW,
IN THE FIRST YEAR, IT WAS A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 6% AND 1%,
WHICH WAS JUST 5%. IN THE
SECOND YEAR, IT WAS MORE. AND
IN THE THIRD YEAR, IT WAS YET
AGAIN MORE. AND BY THE END
HERE, IN 2024, IF THE 6% WOULD
HAVE REMAINED IN EFFECT. THE
COUNCIL WOULD HAVE HAD
POTENTIAL AUTHORITY TO COLLECT
FOR THE GENERAL FUND, NORTH OF
$6 MILLION. THERE'S BEEN A BIG
LOSS OF EFFECTIVE TAXING
AUTHORITY. SO THAT'S PART OF
THE REASON THAT WE ARE GOING --
THAT YOU MAY DECIDE, AND WE
HAVE, IN THE PAST, GONE TO THE
VOTERS, TO ASK THEM FOR
ADDITIONAL MONIES, FOR
SEEMINGLY BASIC CITY SERVICES.
THAT THE CONSTRAINT ON GROWTH.
OR THIS VERY IMPORTANT REVENUE
STREAM, HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT
OVER TIME. AND IF ITS IMPACT
HAS BEEN GROWING OVER TIME. SO
IT'S BEEN COMPOUNDING IN
MEANINGFUL WAYS. BUT THAT'S
NOT THE ONLY STORY. AND THIS
NEXT LINE THAT I'M GOING TO
ADD TO THE GRAPH WILL HIGHLIGHT
THAT FACT. SO LET'S SEE IF I
CAN GET THIS TO GO. THERE WE
GO. DON'T WANT THAT THERE. SO
I'VE ADDED NOW A LIGHT BLUE
LINE. AND THAT IS ADDING ON TOP
OF THE GENERAL FUND THE AMOUNT
OF REVENUE RAISED BY
VOTER-APPROVED LEVIES. AND WHAT
YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE'RE
ACTUALLY ABOVE THAT 6% LIMIT
THROUGHOUT. AND I THINK THE
NARRATIVE HERE. AND I THINK
IT'S DESCRIPTIVE AND I THINK
QUITE ACCURATE. WAY BACK IN
2001, EACH ESSENTIALLY, BEFORE
THIS LIMITATION WAS IMPOSED,
THE CITY HAD GONE TO VOTERS, TO
ASK THEM WHETHER THEY WOULD BE
WILLING TO TAX THEMSELVES FOR
CITY SERVICES. AT THE SAME
TIME, THE REQUESTS WERE REALLY
MORE FOCUSED ON ADDING ABOVE
AND BEYOND SERVICES, RATHER
THAN BASIC SERVICES. IN
PARTICULAR, THE EARLY LEVIES,
AND WE'VE ADDED LEVIES OVER
TIME, WERE FOR THINGS LIKE
FAMILY EDUCATION. IT WAS THE
CITY STEPPING INTO EDUCATION
SPACE, TO HELP EXPAND SERVICES
THAT WERE OFFERED THERE. THAT
WAS ABOVE AND BEYOND, NORMAL
CITY FUNCTION. AND VOTERS WERE
ASKED WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD
BE WILLING TO TAX THEMSELVES
FOR THAT, IF YOU WILL,
ADDITIONAL PURPOSE. AND THEY
WERE. ANOTHER LEVY WAS THE
HOUSING LEVY. AND AGAIN,
THEY'RE -- THERE WAS A
RECOGNITION THAT THAT WAS
PERHAPS BEYOND A BASIC CITY
SERVICE, THE TAXING AUTHORITY
THAT WAS AVAILABLE FROM THE
STATE, WASN'T SUFFICIENT TO
MAKE WITH A SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. AND WE NEEDED TO DO
THAT, NEEDED TO GO TO THE
VOTERS FOR EARLY MONEY. THAT'S
WHY YOU WOULD SEE VOTER
APPROVED LEVY THE BEYOND WHAT
WOULD BE OTHERWISE THE LEGAL
LIMIT. BUT OVER TIME, THE
PRESSURE GROWS ON THE GENERAL
FUND, AS PROPERTY TAX REVENUE
IS ONLY GROWING BY 1%. AND
THERE WERE ADDITIONAL LEVIES
ADDED. SO THE PROX LEVY COMES
ON. INITIAL LEVIES WERE STILL,
AGAIN, MORE FOCUSED ON CAPITAL.
WE WERE STILL ABLE TO MAINTAIN
OPERATING FUNCTIONS. BUT TO
REMAIN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS,
THOUGHT IT APPROPRIATE TO
REQUEST FUNDING FROM THE
VOTERS. AS THOSE REVIES WERE
RENEWED. THEY SHIFTED MORE
TOWARDS OPERATING IN MORE
RECENT YEARS. AND AGAIN,
THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE
TIME PERIOD, WHEN THE DISTANCE
BETWEEN THE 6% LIMIT AND THE 1%
LIMIT GROWS, WHEN THE
CONSTRAINT BECOMES EVER-MORE
BINDING. NOW, IN TERMS OF WAWHY
PROPERTY TAX, VERSUS OTHER WAYS
OF RAISING REVENUE. THAT HAS
EVERYTHING TO DO WITH OUR
TAXING AUTHORITY BEING
CONSTRAINED BY THE STATE. FOR
INSTANCE, WE DON'T HAVE FREE
REIGN ON SALES TAX. THE SALES
RATE TAX WE CAN CHARGE IS
CAPPED BY THE STATE. SIMILARLY,
THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS ON OTHER
FORMS OF REVENUE. PROPERTY TAX
IS ONE OPTION THAT WE HAVE, IN
TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO GO TO
THE VOTERS AND HAVE THEM
APPROVE ADDITIONAL TAXING. SO
THAT IS WHY THE PROPERTY TAX,
OVER OTHER TAXES. IT'S BECAUSE
IT IS ESSENTIALLY ONE THAT THE
STATE HAS GIVEN THE CITY
AUTHORITY UNTO ITSELF TO
INCREASE. BUT AUTHORITY THAT IS
CONTRAINED BY VOTER APPROVAL.
AND BEFORE I MOVE ON AND MAKE
THAT POINT, WHEN IT WAS PUT TO
THE VOTERS, WAY BACK IN THE
EARLY 2000S. INITIATIVE 747,
THE PITCH ABOUT IT WAS THAT
RESIDENTS SHOULDN'T HAVE THEIR
PROPERTY TAX BILLS INCREASED,
UNLESS THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO,
UNLESS THEY ARE GIVEN A DIRECT
VOICE. AND THAT'S WHY THE 1%
RULE WAS IMPOSED. AND THAT THE
PHEPBL MESSAGE WAS, IF PROPERTY
TAXES ARE GOING TO GROW BY MORE
THAN THIS, IT HAD HAS TO BE
WITH THE APPROVAL OF VOTERS
DIRECTLY. AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED
OVER TIME IS THE CITY HAS TAKEN
VOTERS UP ON THAT DIRECTLY.
SEATTLE ISN'T THE ONLY CITY
THAT HAS DONE THIS. AND I
HAVEN'T DONE THE RESEARCH. BUT
I'M QUITE SURE WE HAVE RAISED
MORE REVENUES FROM
VOTER-APPROVED LEVIES THAN ANY
OTHER IN THE HISTORY OF THE
STATE. BUT THAT IS THE HISTORY
OF HOW THOSE LEVIES GOT INTO
PLACE. AND WHY EVEN FOR SOME
CITIES, THE CITY HAS NEEDCH HAD
THE NEED TO GO TO VOTERS TO
RAISE LEVIES FOR PROPERTY TAX
REVENUES. -- IMING GOING TO
SHIFT TO THE $3.60 LIMIT. JUST
A REMINDER, THEY HAVE LEVIES
THIS PLACE. THIS NEXT SLIDE
LOOKS VERY SIMILAR. THE SCALE
HAS CHANGE THE. AND THE DOTTED
LINE IS A DIFFERENT DOTTED
LINE. YOU PROBABLY CAN'T TELL
IT'S EVEN A DIFFERENT COLOR.
DOESN'T ALWAYS SHOW ON THESE
THINGS. THIS IS DESIGNED TO
IMPACT THE $3.60 CENT LIMIT. IN
ADDITION TO GOING TO THE VOTERS
FOR APPROVAL, AT SOME POINT,
THERE WAS A LEVEL, WHICH WE
CAN'T GO BEYOND, EVEN IF THE
VOTERS WERE TO APPROVE IT. THE
BLUE LINES ARE SHOWING AGAIN,
THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT
WE'RE RAISING. THE BOTTOM LINE
SHOWS HOW MUCH WE COULD RAISE
AT THE ABSOLUTE LEGAL LIMIT. IF
PROPERTY OWNERS WERE CHARGED
$3.60 PER ASSESSED THOUSAND,
THAT'S HOW MUCH WE COULD
RAISE. SO THIS IS THE
CONSTRAINT, RIGHT? THAT THE
ULTIMATE LEGAL CONSTRAINT. AND
WE'VE -- IN RECENT YEARS, YOU
CAN SEE THAT ON THE RIGHT, WE
HAVEN'T WORRIED VERY MUCH
ABOUT THIS CONSTRAINT, BECAUSE
WE ARE SO FAR BELOW THAT LIMIT.
AGAIN, WE'RE CHARGING -- THE
ASSESSMENT IS ROUGHLY $2.60,
AND THE LIMIT IS $3.60. WHICH
IS A FULL DOLLAR MORE THAN
ASSESSED THOUSAND. WHICH YOU
CAN SEE HERE, IT'S A LOT OF
MONEY. THERE WERE TIMES WHERE
THIS MATTERED MORE. WHAT THIS
IMPLIES AND SHOWS IS THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY WE CAN RAISE IS
DEPENDENT ON THE ASSESSED VALUE
OF THE CITY. BECAUSE WE TAKE
THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE CITY
AND MULTIBY BY $3.60. YOU GET
THAT VALUE. WE HAD VERY SHARP
INCREASES IN PROPERTY VALUES SO
THAT THE $3.60 TIMES
EVER-GROWING NUMBERS HAS BEEN A
VERY LARGE LIMIT. BUT I WOULD
NOTE FOR YOU, IN THE EARLY
2000S, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED
DOING LEVIES, WE WERE CLOSE TO
THE CAP. I GET TO SAY THIS I
DID SOME OF THEM WAY BACK WHEN.
TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT
LEVY CAPACITY. EVER MORE, IT IS
ABOUT VOTERS' WILLINGNESS TO
APPROVE IT. I WOULD NOTE IN THE
2012 REGION, TIME FRAME, WHEN
PROPERTY VALUES DECLINED
SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE CITY. AND
ACTUALLY, THE LIMIT THEN
LOWERED AS ASSESSED VALUES
DROPPED. AND WE GOT A LITTLE
NERVOUS, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
WE MIGHT HIT THAT LIMIT. WHAT
HAPPENS CAN WE CAN'T COLLECT
THE FULL AMOUNT OF LEVIES.
WE'RE OBLIGATE THE TO REDUCE
THIS. THAT IS A THEORETICAL
CONCERN AT THIS POINT. WE ARE
WAY FAR UNDER THAT. BUT I WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT DOES EXIST
AS A CONSTRAINT. THE LAST POINT
WAS ABOUT THIS PROPERTY TAX AND
EXEMPTION -- EXCUSE ME.
PROPERTY TAX, EXEMPTION AND
DEFERRAL PROGRAMS. THEY'RE
QUITE COMPLEX. THIS IS A
HIGH-LEVEL SUMMARY. ANYONE WHO
SEES THIS, IF YOU'RE WITHIN
THE ELIGIBILITY SPECIALS HERE,
IT IS WELL WORTH CONTACTING THE
COUNTY ASSESS. THEY'RE AT THE
FIRST POINT OF APPLYING TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THESE PROGRAMS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY AT, DEPENDING
ON THE PROGRAM, AT SOMEWHAT
LOWER INCOME LEVELS, AT EVEN
GREATER BENEFITS. BUT THESE
PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH
AVOID PAYING TAXES ALTOGETHER.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE EXEMPTION
PROGRAMS OFFER. AND THEN THE
DEFERRAL PROGRAMS, ARE ONES
WHERE YOU CAN AVOID PAYMENT. IN
SOME WAYS, THEY WORK LIKE A
REVERSE MORTGAGE. YOU CAN AVOID
PAYMENT. THEN THE TAX BILL
BECOMES A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY
TO BE REPAID TO THE GOVERNMENT
WHEN THE PROPERTY TRANSACTS.
BUT THERE ARE WAYS FOR THOSE
WHO ARE MOST FINANCIALLY
VULNERABLE TO AVOID SOME OF THE
IMPACT OF VOTER-APPROVED
LEVIES. SO I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THOSE PROGRAMS
EXIST. AND AGAIN, THE COUNTY
ASSESS IS THE FIRST POINT OF
CONTACT FOR APPLYING FOR SUCH
PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S WHAT I
HAD ON PROPERTY TAX.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU,
DIRECTOR NOBLE. THIS IS VERY
INSIGHTFUL AND EMPOWERING, FROM
MY PERSPECTIVE. AND VERY
HELPFUL. SO HERE WE ARE TODAY,
WHERE THE PROPOSED SHARE
PACKAGE IS A $1.55 BILLION
PRICE TAG. THAT'S $100 MILLION
MORE THAN THE EXECUTIVES'
FINAL PROPOSAL OF $1.45
BILLION, WHICH IN ITSELF, ADDED
ANOTHER $100 MILLION ON TOP OF
THE ORIGINAL EXECUTIVE
PROPOSAL. I THINK IT'S CLEAR
TO ME NOW, AFTER LISTENING MORE
ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION AND
READING ALL THE STAFF MEMOS AND
TALKING THIS THROUGH WITH OUR
CENTRAL STAFF EXPERTS OVER THE
PAST FEW MONTHS. YOU KNOW WHAT
WE'RE -- THIS IS A HEFTY PRICE
TAG. POTENTIALLY, THE BIGGEST
IN SEATTLE HISTORY FOR A LEVY.
BUT ALSO, IT'S CLEAR TO ME
THAT THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE AT,
WE'RE ASKING THE VOTERS TO
APPROVE THIS. THIS IS AN
INTENTIONAL DESIGN FEATURE, NOT
A FLAW. IS THIS IS NOT A BUG IN
THE SYSTEM. THIS IS AN
INTENTIONAL DESIGN FEATURE. AND
WE'VE LEARNED, AS PART OF THIS
PRESENTATION, DIRECTOR NOBLE,
THAT BECAUSE OF THE 1% CAP AT
THE STATE LEVEL, IT'S LIMITED
THE ABILITY OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING SEATTLE
TO RAISE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
AGAIN, INTENTIONAL DESIGN
FEATURE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
JUSTIFYING IT AND GOING BEFORE
VOTERS FOR SPECIFIC APPROVAL
FOR CERTAIN THINGS. IT'S NOT A
BLANK -- IT'S NOT INTENDED TO
BE UNDER OUR STATE SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE A
BLANK CHECK THAT MUNICIPALITIES
ARE EMPOWERED TO COLLECT
PROPERTY TAXES AS THEY SEE FIT
UNDER THE 1% PROPERTY CAP. IF
YOU NEED MORE, YOU GOTTA GO AND
JUSTIFY IT. AND BECAUSE OF
RISING INFLATION, BECAUSE OF
INCREASED COST OF LABOR GOODS
AND SERVICES, BECAUSE OF THE
COMPOUNDING EFFECT OF ALL OF
THIS, AND THE 1% CAP
CONSTRAINT, WE'RE AT A POINT,
WHERE STUFF THAT USED TO BE
ADDITIVE, STARTED TO DELVE INTO
THE SUPPLEMENTAL. I GUESS PHASE
AND WILL NOW IT'S LIKE
ESSENTIAL AND BASIC. AND SO WE
-- THIS IS -- AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE
EXPERIENCING IS A DESIGN
FEATURE OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE
CURRENTLY HAVE, AND I
UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, SOME
PEOPLE WHO DON'T LOVE THIS --
EVEN THIS PRICE TAG. CHANGING
THE SYSTEM IS AN OPTION.
THAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF
THIS BODY. YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT
ALSO CONSIDER ADJUSTING OUR
EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT
TRANSPORTATION -- WHAT BASIC
SERVICES. WHAT ARE CONSIDERED
BASIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.
I DO THINK THAT THE PUBLIC
DEMANDS THAT WE PRIORITIZE
SAFETY AND SECURITY IN OUR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
I DO THINK THAT THE PUBLIC
EXPECTS US TO PRIORITIZE THE
ECONOMY AND YOU KNOW, CLIMATE
SUSTAINABILITY AMONGST OTHER
THINGS. BUT ULTIMATELY AGAIN,
THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO DECIDE.
AND FOR ME, THIS IS -- THE ARC
OF THIS JOURNEY, IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND
HISTORY AND HOW WE GOT HERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, IT'S
CLEAR THAT THIS KIND OF
HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF
HAVING TIGHT ACCOUNTABILITY AND
OVERSIGHT CONTROLS BAKED INTO
WHATEVER LEVY WE HAVE. AND THIS
IS -- AND I'M PROUD TO SAY
THAT THIS LEVY, THIS PROPOSAL
THAT WE HAVE ON THE TABLE
TODAY, HAS THE TIGHTEST
CONTROLS, THE STRONGEST
GUARDRAILS AND OVERSIGHT AND
ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS OF
ANY LEVY TO DATE. VERY
THOUGHTFUL IN THAT REGARD. ALSO
HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE TASK FORCE. WE NEED A
BETTER, MORE SUSTAINABLE PLAN.
THE NEXT LEVY, AFTER THIS
EXPIRES, IF APPROVED, WHAT IS
IT? $5 BILLION? $10? WHERE IS
THE -- WHERE -- WE NEED A
BETTER APPROACH. SO THE TASK
FORCE WILL HELP GET US THERE.
AND ALSO, THAT'S WHY WE RATED
THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF
PROGRAM, TO HELP CONNECT OUR
MOST VULNERABLE TAXPAYERS,
QUALIFIED ELDERS, PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, DISABLED
VETERANS, WHO MIGHT NOT BE
AWARE, CURRENTLY, THAT THEY
QUALIFY FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS
AND EXEMPTIONS. BASICALLY, THE
FOLKS THAT WERE ON DIRECTOR
NOBLE'S CHART THERE TOWARDS THE
END. BUT YEAH. WE KNOW THAT THE
TYPE OF TAXES THAT, UNDER
EXISTING STATE LAW, ALLOWS US
TO COLLECT, CREATE A VERY
REGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURE :
WHENEVER WE DO THAT, IT'S
CRITICAL THAT WE MEANINGFUL
EXPLORE WAYS THAT WE CAN
MITIGATE HARM TO OUR WORKING
CLASS. IN ANY EVENT. THANK YOU,
AGAIN, I WELCOME COLLEAGUES
FROM MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FOR
YOUR COMMENTS AND ALSO DIRECTOR
NOBLE, FOR THIS PRESENT AEUGD.
I'M FROM CALIFORNIA, SO I MET
THE 1% PROPERTY TAX CAP WITH
PROP 13 AND SAW ITS DEVASTATION
IN CALIFORNIA AS WELL. SO I DO
UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS. I
WASN'T CLUED INTO THE FACT
THAT IT WAS SOLD INTO THE
NARRATIVE THAT IT WAS SOLD TO
THE VOTERS BY WAS, YOU SHOULD
BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHAT YOU PAY
FOR. THE POINT OF THIS
PRESENTATION SEEMS TO BE THAT
PROPERTY TAXES ARE A NECESSARY
EVIL. AT FIRST, TO FUND, ABOVE
AND BEYOND SERVICES, BUT NOW TO
FUND BASIC SERVICES. SO THE
LENGTHS TO WHICH I'M GOING TO
BE LOOKING AT THE DISCUSSION
GOING FORWARD IS THAT WE BETTER
MAKE DARN SURE THAT WE'RE
MAKING GOOD DECISIONS IN THIS
LEVY PROPOSAL. BECAUSE THE
PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SERVING,
DIDN'T REALLY PERHAPS HAVE A
SAY IN THE -- IN WHAT HAPPENED
WHEN THE CAP WAS IMPOSED A LONG
TIME AGO. SO THAT IS SORT OF --
THAT'S BACKGROUND TO WHAT WE
HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW, TO ENSURE
THAT WE ARE PROTECTING OUR
VULNERABLE AND OUR LOW-INCOME
PEOPLE, RESIDENTS,
HOMEOWNERLESS AND RENTERS IN
THE CITY. SO SINCE I'VE BEEN
IN OFFICE, THERE HAVE BEEN
THREE RENEWALS OF PROPERTY TAX
MEASURES. FIRST, THERE WAS THE
PARKS LEVY. WE DOUBLED THAT.
AND THEN, THERE WAS THE --
THERE WAS THE HOUSING LEVY. WE
TRIPLED THAT FROM THE PREVIOUS
ONE. AND THIS IS THE THIRD ONE.
AND SO I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE
INCREASING BURDEN THAT WE'RE
PUTTING ON OUR RESIDENTS. AND
ALSO HOW WE'RE INCREASING THE
COST OF HOUSING, DURING A
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS,
THAT'S NEVER LOST ON ME. SO IN
ANY CASE, I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS FOR, DIRECTOR NOBLE,
IF YOU'RE STILL THERE, IF YOU
CAN -- I WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT
THESE TAX RELIEF. BECAUSE WHEN
I FIRST STARTED LOOKING INTO,
OKAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
WITH THE INCREASED BURDEN WITH
THE PARKS DISTRICT, I LEARNED
ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX
EXEMPTION. CAN PEOPLE TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF MORE THAN ONE OF
THESE PROGRAMS AT THE SAME
TIME?
>> OKAY. I AM NOT THE EXPERT.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE COULD BE
PORTIONS THAT COULD GET AN
EXEMPTION FROM. AND OTHERS THAT
YOU CAN GET A DEFERRAL FROM. SO
PARTIALLY YES. BUT I CONTACTED
THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, AND
REALIZED THAT THE COMPLEXITY
HERE IS VERY REAL. I TRIED TO
DO A SUMMARY THERE. SO I
ENCOURAGE FOLKS WHO ARE
POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE TO REACH
OUT TO THE KING COUNTY
ASSESSOR. AND I WOULD NOTE, FOR
WHAT IT'S WORTH, THAT
PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION IN
THESE PROGRAMS THAT DON'T
NECESSARILY GO TO CITY
REVENUES. SHIFTS THE BURDEN TO
THOSE WHO ARE BETTER ABLE TO
PAY. WE TELL THEM AND THEY
DETERMINE THE RATE ACCORDINGLY.
SO.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THE
ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WOULD
ALSO INFORM MY NEXT QUESTION,
WHICH IS HOW MANY OF OUR
RESIDENTS -- HOW MANY PROPERTY
OWNERS, HOMEOWNERS, WOULD
BENEFIT IN SEATTLE FROM THESE
PROGRAMS? AND THEN THAT DEPENDS
ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN USE
THEM CONCURRENTLY OR NOT. BUT
MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN GET THAT
ANSWER. AND THEN MY FINAL POINT
IS THAT WHEN I WAS TALKING TO
THE ASSESS A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, ABOUT THIS, HE NOTED THAT
ONE OF THE BARRIERS TO
ACCESSING THIS PROGRAM IS NOT
THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT
IT, IT'S THE BACKLOG OF
APPLICATIONS SO THERE'S A
STAFFING ISSUE. I THOUGHT IT
WAS IN OLYMPIA. BUT THE POINT
IS A PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE
DEFRAY THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILL,
IF THEY CAN'T EVEN ACCESS THAT
PROGRAM. SO I THINK THERE NEEDS
TO BE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT,
HOW WELL THAT OFFICE IS STAFFED
UP --
>> I CAN REACH BACK OUT TO THE
ASSESSOR AND GET AN ASSESSMENT
OF WHETHER THERE IS A LAG OR
WHAT THAT TIME LAG IS.
>> GREAT. THANKS.
>> GREAT QUESTIONS. I THINK WE
DO NEED ULTIMATE CLARITY ON
YOUR QUESTIONS. I DO -- AND
I'M SURE THAT, IT IS ONE OF
POTENTIALLY FACTORS. BUT
ABSOLUTELY, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
AND UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS
THIS THESE PROGRAMS EXIST IS
ONE OF THOSE FACTORS. AND I
THINK IT IS DEFINITELY FAIR TO
DEBATE THE WEIGHT OF THAT AND
SORT OF THE BROADER CONTEXT.
ONE THING IS CLEAR. AND ONE
THING I DID LEARN ABOUT THIS,
IN DECIDING TO ULTIMATELY MAKE
THIS, CREATE THIS PROPOSED GOOD
GOVERNANCE, STAND-ALONE
CATEGORY, THAT INCLUDES
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORT.
THIS NEW PROGRAM IS THAT UNDER
THE NEW 2024 THROUGH 2026
INCOME THRESHOLDS FOR SENIORS,
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, AND
DISABLED VETERANS.
APPROXIMATELY -- THESE NEW
THRESHOLDS ARE APPROXIMATELY
50% HIGHER THAN THE THRESHOLDS
THAT WERE IN EFFECT FOR THE
YEARS 2020 THROUGH 2023. SO
CONSEQUENTLY, MORE PEOPLE ARE
NOW ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.
BUT MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THEIR
ELIGIBILITY. SO YOU ARE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THOUGH, MADAM
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WE NEED
BETTER DATA CLARITY ON WHAT
THOSE EXACT NUMBERS, INCLUDING
THOSE IN SEATTLE, WHAT THAT
MIGHT LOOK LIKE, EXACTLY. BUT
IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT MORE
PEOPLE QUALIFY UNDER THESE NEW
THRESHOLDS. SO ANYWAYS, THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. AND I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER
IT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WAS COMPLICATED, IN THE
SIDEWALK TASK FORCE WAS LOOKING
AT LOCAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
AS A WAY TO RAISE MONEY FOR
SIDEWALKS. AND I'M JUST
WONDERING HOW THAT INTERFACES
WITH PROPERTY TAXES?
>> A LOCAL IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT, AND CITY CURRENTLY
HAS A PARTICULARLY LARGE ONE IN
EFFECT ON THE WATERFRONT IS A
PROPERTY TAX. IT ESSENTIALLY
ACTS AS A PROPERTY TAX. IT IS
PAID THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAX
BILL. BUT IT INVOLVES AN
ASSESSMENT OF THE SPECIAL
BENEFITS THAT ARE ACCRUED TO
PROPERTY OWNER FROM A PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE PIECE OF
INFRASTRUCTURE. SO I'M -- I
CAN TALK ABOUT THE WATERFRONT
EXAMPLE. I WORKED ON THE
PROJECT A GOOD DEAL. SO THE
WATERFRONT, LINEAR PARK IF YOU
WILL, THAT IS A WATERFRONT
DEVELOPMENT. HAS INCREASED THE
PROPERTY VALUES, PARTICULARLY
OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WHO OWN
OFFICE SPACE ALONG ALASKA AND
SOME WAYS, THE BACKS OF THOSE
BUILDINGS HAVE BECOME FRONTS,
IF YOU WILL. AND THE CITY WAS
ABLE TO SHOW THAT THERE WAS
WITH HIRING AN APPRAISER, THERE
WAS GOING TO BE AN INCREASE IN
VALUE. WE ARE ALL GOING TO
BENEFIT. BUT THERE WAS SPECIFIC
BENEFIT TO PROPERTY OWNERS. AND
LOCAL DISTRICT CAN BE FORMED IN
TWO WAYS. THE RESIDENTS CAN GET
TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT
TO TAX OURSELVES TO BUILD SOME
IMPROVEMENT. OR THEY CAN BE
IMPOSED BY THE CITY. THERE ARE
DIFFERENT RULES ABOUT HOW THAT
HAPPENS. SO IN THE CONTEXT OF
SIDEWALKS, A SIDEWALK OBVIOUSLY
PROVIDES A GENERAL BENEFIT. YOU
AND I CAN WALK THEM AS WELL.
BUT FOR THE HOMEOWNER, THERE IS
SOME PARTICULAR BENEFIT AS
WELL, JUST TO HAVE ACCESS FOR
THEIR OWN PROPERTY. SO AN
L.I.D. MIGHT HELP RAISE MONEY
TO COVER SORT OF THE SPECIAL
BENEFIT ASSOCIATED. BUT MY
GUESS WOULD BE THAT THAT IS
ONLY GOING TO BE A SMALL SHARE
OF THE OVERALL BENEFIT. SO THE
OPPORTUNITY THERE IS PROBABLY
-- IT'S CONSTRAINED. CERTAINLY
NOT ZERO. BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE
THAT THE HOMEOWNER WOULD THEN
PAY SO THAT THE CONSTRUCTION
COSTS OF THE SIDEWALK GETS
DIVIDED TO GENERALIZE BENEFIT
AND SPECIAL BENEFIT, IF YOU
WILL, A PORTION OF THE -- A
PORTION OF COST ASSIGNED TO THE
HOMEOWNER CAN'T EXCEED THE
SPECIAL BENEFIT. AND THEN THE
PROPERTY OWNER CAN PAY UP FRONT
FOR THEIR SHARE OF THE SIDEWALK
-6789Z OR THE CITY CAN OFFER,
ESSENTIALLY, A FINANCING PLAN.
AND THAT'S HOW IT ENDS UP IN
YOUR PROPERTY TAX. END UP WITH
A FINANCING PLAN OVER 20 OR 30
YEARS. AND YOU PAY OFF YOUR
SHARE OF THE COST OF THAT
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, IN THIS
CASE, A SIDEWALK, OVER TIME. IT
CAN BE VERY ATTRACTIVE THAT
WAY, BECAUSE THE CITY CAN GET A
PRETTY GOOD INTEREST RATE,
BECAUSE WE'RE ISSUING --
AGAIN, THE DEBT IS ISSUED
AGAINST THE PROPERTY OWNER
SPECIFICALLY. BUT THE
ORGANIZATION OF THE ESSENTIALLY
TAXING STRUCTURE, REDUCES THE
RISK TO LENDERLESS. AND
THEREFORE, GET AN ATTRACTIVE
RATE. I DO NOT HAVE DETAILS. I
KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS AT
VARIOUS TIME LOOKED AT L.I.D.s
IN THE CONTEXT OF SIDEWALK. ONE
OF THE ISSUES I THINK SO COULD
COME TO EFFECT IS SCALE. THAT
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS IN L.I.D.
SO YOU WOULD WANT TO DO IT IN
AN APPROPRIATE SCALE. BUT COULD
WE DO THAT IN A TIME FRAME TO
MAKE THAT ALL WORK? AND THEN
WHAT IS THE SPECIAL BENEFIT TO
THE HOMEOWNER, VERSUS TO
GENERALIZED BENEFIT? AGAIN,
THAT'S AN APPRAISAL QUESTION.
I HAVEN'T RESEARCHED WHETHER
ANYONE HAS ANSWERED THAT OR IN
GENERAL. BUT IT WOULD ALSO NEED
TO BE ANSWERED IN SPECIFICS OR
PARTICULAR SET OF
CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT
IF THE LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS
AGREED TO IT, IT IS INCREASING
THEIR PROPERTY TAX. THEY HAVE
--
>> THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR
SHARE OF THE RESPONSIVE
BENEFIT. THEY CAN DO IT UP
FRONT OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS
FINANCING SCHEME. SCHEME IS
PROBABLY THE WRONG WORD FOR
FINANCING OPPORTUNITY THAT THE
CITY OFFERS THAT EFFECTIVELY
TURN ITS INTO A STRING OF
PAYMENTS THAT -- THAT IS -- AND
ACTUALLY, AS I'M OVERREACHING,
ABOUT WHETHER IT'S PAID BY
PROPERTY TAX BILL OR PAID WITH
THE MORTGAGE. BUT IT FEELS THE
SAME WAY. IT BECOMES AN ANNUAL
PAYMENT THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE PROPERTY ITSELF. SO IT
WALKS AND TALKS LIKE PROPERTY
TAX.
>> IT DOES INCREASE THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY THEY HAVE TO PAY OUT
OF POCKET.
>> YES. I WANT TO BE CAREFUL OF
TECHNICALITIES. ABSOLUTELY.
>> HOW DOES THIS PLAY INTO THE
CAP OF THE 3.60.
>> IT DOES NOT APPLY.
>> OKAY.
>> THERE IS ANOTHER LIMIT WHICH
IT MIGHT APPLY, THE $5.90 LIMIT
TAXING ACROSS LOCAL
AUTHORITIES. BUT AGAIN, I
DON'T KNOW THAT L.I.D. WOULD
DO THAT. I HAVE TO DO THE
RESEARCH.
>> I KNOW IN DISTRICT 5, THAT
WOULD HAVE US GOING THROUGH AN
L.I.D. PROCESS. WOULD HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT. WE DON'T HAVE A
LOT OF MONEY IN DISTRICT 5,
UNLESS YOU'RE ALONG THE WATER.
SO THAT WOULD HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON
INDIVIDUALS' PROPERTY TAXES.
AND WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT
THOSE GOING UP WITH THE COMP
PLAN. JUST PUTTING THAT OUT
THERE, SOMETHING THAT, IN TERMS
OF THINKING ABOUT -- THIS IS AN
EQUITY ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT I DON'T THINK THERE IS A
SPECIFIC SPECIAL VALUE TO THE
HOMEOWNER. THERE'S A VALUE, A
COMMUNAL VALUE. SO IN LOOKING
AT WHERE WE SHOULD BE PUTTING
OUR MONEY IN THE LEVY. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT
THAT WE CAN'T JUST WAIT FIVE
YEARS AND THEN DECIDE WE'RE
GOING TO FINISH THE FINANCING
OF SIDEWALKS THROUGH L.I.D.s.
BECAUSE THAT WILL CREATE A
SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON
COMMUNITIES. I KNOW IN MY
DISTRICT. AND COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES'S AS WELL AS SAKA'S,
WHO JUST DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF
MONEY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I DON'T WANT TO PREJUDGE.
BUT THE CITY HAS LOOK THE AND
CONCLUDED THAT THEY WEREN'T
MANAGEABLE FOR EITHER EQUITY
REASONS OR ADMINISTRATIVE
REASONS. I LIKE THE STAR IN
PART, THE MAGNOLIA BRIDGE WAS
BUILT IN PART, BACK TO THE '20
THE AND '30s WITH L.I.D. FOR
THE RESIDENTS OF MAGNOLIA. SO
THERE ARE BITS OF
INFRASTRUCTURE. AND I AM NOT
JUST PICKING ON STORY. BUT JUST
HAPPENED TO COME ACROSS IT.
LOOKING AT THE BEYOND SIDEWALKS
TO OTHER KINDS OF
INFRASTRUCTURE. AN LID IS STILL
A COOL THAT COULD BE USEFUL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND
THANK YOU AGAIN, DIRECTOR NOBLE
FOR HELPING US LEVEL SET ON THE
HISTORY OF PROPERTY TAXES HERE
IN SEATTLE. AS IMPACTED BY THE
STATE. AND HOPING TO TRACE THE
ARK OF THE JOURNEY. AND HOW WE
GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, FOR YOUR
INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO
TO OUR SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WOULD THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
TITLE OF ITEM 2 INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 2. PROPOSED LEVY
FINANCE TASK FORCE FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> YES. THE TASK FORCE. SO
PRESENTERS, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US AT THE TABLE. ONCE
READY, PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATION. LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING ALL ABOUT THE
PROPOSED TASK FORCE HERE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA. AND
THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M GREG SPOTTS,
SDOT DIRECTOR, JOINED BY
COUNCIL DIRECTOR LABORD, ANNYA
PINTAK AND MEGHAN SHEPARD.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO THANK
THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
COMMENTED TODAY AND THANK YOU,
CLARA CANDOR, FOR LEADING US IN
A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THIS HAS
BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT MONTH FOR
US, ALL OF US WHO WORK IN THIS
FIELD. IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS
OF 2024, WE HAD FOUR FATALITY
COLLISIONS. THEN WE HAD DOUBLE
THAT NUMBER IN MAY. AND AT THE
APPROPRIATE TIME, WE LOOK
FORWARD TO OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF
YOU ON OUR RECENTLY RELEASED
VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN. IT
BUILDS ON THE RECOMMENDATION
LITTLE IN THE VISION ZERO,
TOP-TO-BOTTOM REVIEW. TODAY,
HOWEVER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A
FEW STOPPICS THAT WERE RAISED
BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M
GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT YOU
CAN EXPECT GOING FORWARD FOR
BOTH OUTCOMES AND WORKPLAN,
RELATED TO THE LEVY AND THE
SEATTLE TRANSPORT WILLATION
PLAN. ANNYA IS GOING TO FILL
YOU IN ON HOW THE LEVY WAS
FORMED IN EQUITY AND THE
CITY'S RACE AND JUSTICE
ORDINANCE.
>> DIRECTOR SPOTTS, I'M GOING
TO CUT YOU OFF HERE FOR JUST A
MOMENT. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A
GOOD BASELINE ON THAT. SO YOU
WERE INVITED HERE TODAY WITH A
SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND INTENT ON
TALKING ABOUT THE TASK FORCE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DIRECT
YOUR COMMENTS AND NARROW THEM
TO THE TASK FORCE. AND I
BELIEVE SLIDE 14 IS WHERE, ON
YOUR PROPOSED SLIDE IS WHERE
THAT STARTS. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. WELL, THEN I'LL PASS
IT TO MEGHAN SHEPARD, WHO IS
PRESENTING THAT PORTION.
INSTEAD THANKS, DIRECTOR
SPOTTS, AND THANK YOU TO THE
COMMITTEE. THIS INCREASES
MAINTENANCE AND MODERN FUNDING
OVER THE CURRENT SEATTLE MOVE
LEVEL. IT SURGES SIDEWALK AND
BRINGS A DATA-DRINK LIFE CYCLE
APPROACH TO PROPOSED BRIDGE AND
MAINTENANCE. CONSISTENTLY,
THROUGHOUT OUR LEVY ENGAGEMENT,
WE HEARD STRONG PUBLIC
ALIGNMENT AROUND THE NEED TO
ADDRESS BRIDGES, THE NEED TO
ADDRESS OUR BROKEN AND MISSING
SIDEWALKS. AND TO IMPROVE
PAVING AS WELL. THERE ARE
FUNDING NEEDS BEYOND THE SCOPE
OF THE FUNDING LEVEL. AS WELL
AS GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE
CITY'S CONCERN FOR VOTER
APPROVED MEASURES TO PAY FOR
CORE SERVICES, MAINTENANCE, AS
WELL AS THE TRANSFORMATIONAL
SAFETY AND GROWTH INVESTMENTS,
THAT THE CITY NEEDS AND THAT
WE'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY
COMMENTERS TODAY. TECHNICAL
EXPERTISE, AS WELL AS BROAD
COMMUNITY SUPPORT WILL BE
NEEDED TO ADDRESS THESE
CHALLENGES. SO TOL BRING THOSE
COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL
PERSPECTIVES TOGETHER. WE HAVE
PROPOSED A TRANSPORTATION
FUNDING TASK FORCE. FOR LONGER
TERM TRANSPORTATION. THIS ALSO
ALIGNS WITH THE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO
GO BEYOND THIS LEVY PROPOSAL,
TO ADDRESS OUR TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY ON
NEEDS. SO THE SCOPE OF THE
TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE, AS
PROPOSED, WOULD BE TO BUILD
CONSENSUS AND TO MAKE SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATIONS, TO THE MAYOR,
AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL, ON
POLICY AND FUNDING STRATEGIES,
RELATED TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
KEY TASKS WOULD BE
TRANSPARENTLY CORPORATING
COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL
PERSPECTIVES. RECOMMENDING
POLICY CHANGES FOR NEW SIDEWALK
REPAIR AND SIDEWALK
CONSTRUCTION. THESE ARE LIKELY
LOOKING AT OUR LAND-USE
POLICIES, WHO IS REQUIRED TO
REPAIR SIDEWALKS? WHO IS
REQUIRED TO BUILD NEW
SIDEWALKS? REVIEWING AND
RECOMMENDING FUNDING STRATEGIES
TO ADDRESS FUNDING
STABILIZATION AND ASSET
MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO THE CITY
COUNCIL AND TO THE MAYOR. SO
POTENTIAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TASK
FORCE. MEMBERSHIP. WE WANT
BROAD PERSPECTIVES. WE JUST
HEARD HERE. FANTASTIC
INFORMATION FROM DIRECTOR
NOBLE, RIGHT? ABOUT THE IMPACT
OF FUNDING, THE PROPERTY TAXES
PEOPLE ARE PAYING RIGHT NOW,
ARE PROPERTY TAXES OVER TIME.
YOU JUST HAD A CONVERSATION
RIGHT NOW ABOUT LOCAL
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS. THERE'S
BEEN EARLIER WORK DONE, TO LOOK
AT A LIST OF CURRENT AND
POTENTIAL FUNDING STRATEGIES
THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.
SO TO HAVE A BROAD PERSPECTIVE
OF PEOPLE WHO NOT ONLY BRING
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE TO THE
TABLE, BUT WOULD BE THOSE
PEOPLE PAYING FOR ANY OTHER
ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX OR
MEASURES RELATED TO OUR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
NEEDS AND TO ENSURE THAT WE
HAVE AN EQUITABLE PERSPECTIVE,
AS WELL AS REALLY STRONG
TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS
BROAD COALITION WOULD BE NEEDED
TO MAKE STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS
AND THEN TO CONTINUE TO GO ON
AND SUPPORT THE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL. IF ANY OF THEM COME TO
PASS. WE WOULD WANT IT TO BE
REALLY WELL SUPPORTED,
TECHNICALLY. WITH NOT ONLY
STAFF FROM MULTIPLE CITY
DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS, YOU
KNOW, A CONSULTANT FACILITATOR.
AND LOCAL AND NATIONAL EXPERTS
ON FINANCE FUNDING AS WELL AS
LEGAL PERSPECTIVES. THERE IS AN
EXAMPLE TIME LINE OF WHAT THIS
COULD LOOK LIKE. A FEW THINGS
DRIVING THE TIME LINE. ONE IS,
WE NEED TO GET GOING. BECAUSE
EIGHT YEARS OF A LEVY WILL GO
BY QUICKLY FOR ALL OF US. WE'VE
GOT THE UPCOMING SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE, WHICH IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE ASKING OF THE VOTERS. SO
WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THE TASK
FORCE ESTABLISHED EARLY IN
2025. WITH SOME PRELIMINARY OR
INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE
BEGINNING OF 2026 TO HELP
INFORM THE STM. AND THEN FINAL
RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE END OF
2026, TO YOU ASK TO THE MAYOR.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WOULD BE
ASKING THE TASK FORCE TO
RECOMMEND, SPECIFICALLY
BUILDING ON AN EARLIER WORK OF
OTHER TASK FORCE AND OTHER
ENTITIES. AND GIVE US SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATIONS. SO AN EXAMPLE
OF THE KIND OF RECOMMENDATION
COULD BE THE SIZE AND
COMPOSITION OF A BONDING
PACKAGE THAT COULD ADDRESS
MISSING SIDEWALKS OR PAVEMENT
CONDITION OR BRIDGE
REPLACEMENTS. ANOTHER SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS COULD BE
RELATED TO THE ROLE AND
COMPOSITION OF LEVIES. WE'VE
TALKED TODAY ABOUT, LIKE
THERE'S THIS BALANCE HERE.
ORIGINALLY, THEY WERE BEING
USED TO PAY FOR YOUR ADDITIONAL
SERVICES. AND NOW, WE ARE
INCREASINGLY RELIANT ON THEM
FOR OUR CORE OPERATION NEEDS.
SO HOW SHOULD LEVIES IN FUTURE
BE IMPOSED? IS A CRITICAL
QUESTION WE COULD BE ASKING AS
WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. AND THIS IS
IMPORTANT STUFF RIGHT HERE. AND
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET
THIS TASK FORCE RIGHT. IT'S A
CRITICAL ITEM AND A GREAT IDEA.
I WAS PREPARED TO INTRODUCE
THIS PROPOSAL OF A TASK FORCE,
A FUNDING TASK FORCE MYSELF.
BUT THE EXEC BEAT ME TO THE
PUNCH, SO TO SPEAK ON THIS.
NATURALLY, I SUPPORT THE
CONSTRUCT OF A TASK FORCE OF
SOME SORT, AND I'M GLAD THAT
IT IS GOING TO BE RESOURCED.
AND IN FULL DISTINGUISH, I HAVE
BEEN IN INITIAL PRODUCTIVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
EXECUTIVE ON WHAT THIS SHOULD
IDEALLY LOOK LIKE. I DO THINK
THIS IS A MORE SUBSTANTIVE
MEATY THAT WOULD BE MORE
APPROPRIATE. AND THAT'S WHY
THE PROPOSED SHARE PACKAGE
PROVIDES INITIAL, DIRECTIONAL
GUIDANCE FOR WHAT THIS TASK
FORCE LOOKS LIKE. BUT I THINK
THE FINAL DETAILS WOULD BE BEST
CONSIDERED OUTSIDE OF THIS --
THIS TASK FORCE -- OR EXCUSE
ME. THIS SELECT COMMITTEE,
GIVEN THE TIMING HERE. BUT YOU
KNOW, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT. AND YOU
KNOW, YOU MENTIONED SOME --
MEGHAN, YOU MENTIONED SOME
OUTCOMES AND SPECIFIC IDEAS
THAT MIGHT, SORT OF, NATURALLY
FLOW FROM THIS. AND YOU KNOW,
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT IS LIKE
RATHER THAN CROSS-REFERENCING A
REPORT THAT ITSELF WASN'T --
DIDN'T HAVE RESOURCES AND MANY
OF THE ITEMLESS IN THERE,
DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF THE
100% VOLUNTEERS THAT LED THAT
WORK AND PERFORMED NAWORK, YOU
KNOW, AREN'T ACTUALLY, DUE TO
STATE LAW IMPLEMENTATIONS. OR
OTHER LEGAL CHALLENGES, AREN'T
IMPLEMENTABLE HERE. RATHER THAN
THAT, WE NEED FUNDING TO MAKE
SURE THAT ALL THE IDEAS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS, CONTAINED IN
THIS TASK FORCE, IN THE REPORT,
WHETHER IT'S AN INTERIM REPORT
OR FINAL REPORT, ARE, ACTUALLY,
IF CITY DECISION MAKERS, SO
CHOOSE, IMPLEMENTABLE. DAY ONE.
THAT WOULD BE KEY TO FIGURE
OUT. AND ALSO, MAKING SURE THAT
THEY'VE CAREFULLY THOUGHT
THROUGH SOME OF THE IDEAS. SO
IT'S NOT JUST, FOR EXAMPLE,
YOU KNOW, I KNOW, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT KEEPS COMING UP, IS
AN IDEA, IT'S ON EVERYONE'S
PUNCH LIST. OH, WHY DON'T YOU
DO IMPACT FEES, FOR EXAMPLE?
WELL, WE CAN'T JUST DO IMPACT
FEES. "WELL, BELLEVIEW AND
OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS
THEM EXCEPT SEATTLE." THAT
MIGHT BE TRUE, BUT SEATTLE IS
THE ONLY JURISDICTION -- OR ONE
OF THE ONLY JURISDICTIONS THAT
HAVE AN MHSA PROGRAM. TO THE
EXTENT, IMPACT FEES ARE ON THE
PUNCH LIST OF POTENTIAL
OPTIONS. SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE
THE TASK FORCE TO CAREFULLY
THINK THROUGH WHAT AN IDEAL
INCENTIVE RATE STRUCTURE AND
TIME LINE COULD LOOK LIKE.
BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO -- WE
STILL WANT TO ENCOURAGE
DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY. IN ANY
EVENT, THERE'S SO MANY NUANCES
AND LAYERS OF COMPLEXITY ON
THIS TASK FORCE THAT, YOU KNOW,
AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T
THINK WE CAN FULLY RESOLVE IN
THE SCOPE OF THIS COMMITTEE. AS
WE CONSIDER A BROADER $1.55
BILLION PACKAGE. BUT YOU KNOW,
I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR
THIS BODY TO PROVIDE SOME
INITIAL DIRECTIONAL GUIDANCE
AND FEEDBACK ON WHAT THIS TASK
FORCE SHOULD LOOK LIKE. IT
THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES,
COMMENTS. YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, FEEDBACK? GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA. AND I
APPRECIATE THIS GOES TO GOOD
GOVERNANCE. AND LOOKING AHEAD,
AND BEING PROACTIVE, INSTEAD OF
RE80IVE. I THINK IT PROVIDES
OPPORTUNITIES AS MENTIONED IN
THE BRIEFING, OF SIDEWALKS. AND
DIRECTOR SPOTS, IF YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR AN EXAM. YOU HIT
ROY STREET. YOU HAVE A BRAND
NEW BUILDING THAT HAS BRAND NEW
SIDEWALKS ALL AROUND IT. AND
FURTHER SOUTH, AS YOU HEAD
TOWARDS MERCER. THERE'S WHAT
LOOKS TO BE A BRAND NEW
BUILDING. TECHNICALLY, THE
GROUND FLOOR REMAINS THE SAME.
BUT UPWARDS IN TERMS OF HOUSING
ABOVE IT. IT'S ESSENTIALLY NEW
BUILDING. BUT THE SIDEWALKS ARE
A BIG HIT AND MISS. THERE'S A
SECTION THAT LOOKS LIKE A BRAND
NEW BUILDING. SO I LOOK AT OUR
FRIENDS WHO MAY BE TRYING TO GO
DOWN THAT SIDEWALK. AND THAT
WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC. SO IF
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN EXAMPLE,
HOW IT SHOWS UP, GO TO QUEEN
AVENUE NORTH AND UPTOWN'S LOWER
QUEEN ANNE. YOU'LL SEE ONE.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER?
>> YEAH. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT?
>> CAN YOU GIVE A SENSE OF HOW
MUCH THE TASK FORCE WILL COST?
AND WHAT IT WILL PAY FOR? I
MEAN, WE'VE HEARD $5 MILLION,
BUT I DON'T SEE THAT
EXPLICITLY STATED IN HERE. CAN
YOU JUST SORT OF ORIENT US AS
TO WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
>> AT THIS POINT, THE PROPOSAL
CONTAINS A COMBINED $5 MILLION
FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
SIDEWALK 23450EDS. AND THE
ESTIMATED COST FOR CONSULTANTS
AS WELL AS SUPPORTING MEMBERS
OF THE TASK FORCE WOULD BE MORE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $1.5 TO
$2 MILLION. THE OTHER ARE
PROPOSED TO SUPPORT SDOT'S
CURRENT EFFORTS AROUND SIDEWALK
REPAIR. EDUCATION, OUTREACH,
ENFORCEMENT, THINGS THAT WOULD
SUPPORT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS
TO UNDERSTAND THEIR
RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS
SIDEWALK REPAIR. SO THAT IS
WHERE THE OTHER $2.5 TO $3
MILLION IN THAT PROPOSED
INVESTMENT WOULD GO.
>> CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE
OF THE POLICY DIRECTION THAT
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, FOR
SIDEWALK REPAIR?
>> I WOULDN'T PRESUME THE
DIRECTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING
FOR YET. BUT I WOULD ABSOLUTELY
POINT BACK TO THE SIDEWALK
AUDIT, THAT THE O*FS OF OFFICE
OF THE CITY AUDITOR PERFORMED
RECENTLY. PERFORMS A SERIES OF
RECOMMENDATIONS. MAKING IT
EASIER TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT,
IF YOU'RE GOING TO REPAIR YOUR
OWN SIDEWALK. PROVIDING
ADDITIONAL, LIKE, LOOKING TO
CREATE PROGRAMS THAT WOULD HELP
SUPPORT, LIKE, LOW-INCOME
PROPERTY OWNERS. THERE ARE
OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE A MODEL,
FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THE REPAIR
OF THE SIDEWALK IS PAID FOR
WHEN THE HOME IS SOLD. THAT HAS
BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS. SO LOOKING TO
CREATE A SIMILAR PROGRAM LIKE
THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION IN
THE AUDIT. AND I THINK THAT
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE
A STRONG BLUEPRINT FOR US TO
FOLLOW AS WE LOOK THROUGH THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, DID YOU
-- ARE YOU -- OKAY? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR
SPOTTS, TEAM, REALLY APPRECIATE
THIS. VERY HELPFUL. LET UNDER
THE CIRCUMSTANCES CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION. AND YEAH. IF
THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THIS, AGENDA ITEMS,
COLLEAGUES, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO OUR THIRD ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
TITLE OF ITEM 3.
>> THE CHAIRMAN RELATING TO
COUNCIL BILL 10 20788.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER CALVIN IS AT
THE TABLE. PLEASE JOIN US AND
ONCE YOU'RE READY, BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS, I'M
COUNCILMEMBER CALVIN CHOW. IF
YOU GIVE ME A MOMENT, I WILL
GET MY PRESENTATION ON THE
SCREEN. THERE WE GO. AGAIN,
COUNCILMEMBERS. CALVIN CHOW
WITH CENTRAL STAFF. AND WILE BE
WALKING THROUGH THE PROPOSED
AMENDMENT LEVY PACKAGE IN FRONT
OF YOU. THIS IS A MEMORANDUM I
SUBMITTED TO YOU LAST WEEK. AND
IT'S ATTACHED TO AT AGENDA.
THERE IS AN ATTACHMENT THERE IF
PEOPLE WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG.
THERE IS A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
THAT WOULD ADD COUNCIL GUIDANCE
AND OTHER ISSUES OF INTEREST TO
THE KOUFPBSIL THAT WOULD BEING
RELATED TO OTHER ISSUES THAT
ARE RAISED IN THESE
DISCUSSIONS. SO FIRST, I'LL GO
THROUGH THE CHAIR'S AMENDMENT,
WHICH INCREASES THE SIZE OF THE
LEVY BY $100 MILLION TO $1.55
BILLION OVER EIGHT YEARS. AND
PROPOSES A NUMBER OF SPENDING
CHANGES. AND SO THIS TABLE IS
INCLUDED IN THE MEMO. AND I'LL
GO THROUGH IT IN SOME DETAIL.
IT DOES PROPOSE REDUCING THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THE
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY INITIATIVE
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. AND
DISTRIBUTE IT TO SIMILAR
PROGRAMS THAT ARE MORE
ADMINISTERED AROUND SAFE ROUTES
TO SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS THE
PROPOSED DISTRICT PROJECT FUND.
IN TOTAL, THERE IS A NET $1.5
MILLION CHANGE THAT DOES
BALANCE OUT WITH OTHER PROGRAMS
ACROSS THE LEVY. THERE IS ALSO
A CHANGE THAT DOES NOT REDUCE
THE SIDEWALK AND INFRASTRUCTURE
SOLUTIONS THAT WAS JUST TALKED
ABOUT, BUT IT RENAMES IT AND
MOVES IT INTO A NEW CATEGORY
THAT THE CHAIR IS PROPOSING.
THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL $10
MILLION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE
CLIMATE CHANGES UNDER CLIMATE
AND RESILIENCY. THERE IS
ADDITIONAL $20 MILLION FOR
FREIGHT PROGRAMS UNDER THE
FREIGHT AND GOODS MOVEMENT
SECTION. AND THEN THERE THE NEW
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EQUITABLE,
WHICH INCLUDES $1 MILLION
OVERSIGHT TO SUPPORT THE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND $1.5
MILLION FOR THE PROPERTY TAX
OUTREACH EDUCATION. AND AGAIN,
THE MOVED MONEY THAT WAS
PREVIOUSLY CALLED THE SIDEWALK
OF THE STRUCTURE SOLUTIONS.
WITH THAT, I'LL RETURN IT TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PACKAGE.
>> THANK YOU, CAL. SORT OF
SUMMARIZE WHAT THE PROPOSED
CHAIR AMENDMENT ACCOMPLISHES.
I'LL SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS,
KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHATS AND
WHYS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS
WELL. JUST TO CLARIFY AND
RESTATE WHAT THIS PROPOSED
AMENDMENT DOES, IT DOUBLES THE
SIZE OF SIDEWALKS AND PUTS IN
AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE THEM.
AND TRIPLES THE FUNDING TO
INCREASE SAFETY AND PUBLIC
TRANSIT, AMONGST OTHER THINGS.
STRONG -- AGAIN, STRONGEST, OF
ANY LEVY, IN HISTORY,
ACCOUNTABILITY, OVERSIGHT AND
GOOD GOVERNANCE CONTROLS ARE
MECHANISMS. AND YOU KNOW, WHICH
I THINK IS GREAT SO IN TERMS OF
WHY SOME OF THE REVISIONS,
WELL, WE INCREASED THIS TO $100
MILLION, AND WE HEARD OVER AND
OVER FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT
THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE OF BIG,
BOLD INVESTMENTS IN OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AS LONG
AS THEY CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE
THAT WHATEVER FUNDING WE ARE
SPENDING OR INVESTMENTS WE ARE
MAKING, IS BEING PRUDENTLY
SPENT. WISELY INVESTED. WE'RE
SEEING GOOD ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
OUTCOMES. AND ULTIMATELY, I
THINK MAKING SOUND INVESTMENTS
IN THINGS THAT ARE COMMUNITY
SUPPORTS. LIKE SAFETY IN ROADS.
ACCELERATING ECONOMIC GROWTH
AND VITALITY. AND TAKING MORE
URGENT ACTION TO ADDRESS
CLIMATE CHANGE. HIGH LEVELLESS,
THESE ARE THE THREE BIG THEMES.
THAT I STRONGLY BELIEVE WARRANT
THESE TYPES OF INCREASES. AND
THERE'S MINIMUM SPENDING
REQUIREMENTS IN THERE AS WELL.
WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR
PRIORITIES ARE DIRECTLY MET IN
ADVANCE OVER THE COURSE OF AN
EIGHT-YEAR LEVY. SO UNTIL
CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES WILL
ALWAYS ALLOW CHANGES WITH A
THREE-FOURTHS VOTE BY THE
COUNCIL. SO WANTED TO BE
PRESKREUBGTIVE ENOUGH SO THAT
VOTERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE
GOING TO BE GETTING IN EXCHANGE
FOR THIS. IF THEY APPROVE THIS.
BUT ALSO, DIRECTLY LIVING UP TO
A VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION
FROM THE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE ON MAKING SURE WE
ALSO PRESERVE IMPLEMENTATION
AND EXECUTION, SUBJECT TO
COUNCIL DIRECTION AND FEEDBACK.
THAT'S WHAT THAT IS ABOUT. WE
HEARD OVER AND OVER FROM
COUNTLESS CONSTITUENTS THAT
THESE CHANGES ARE ADDRESSING
SOME OF THEIR MOST URGENT
CONCERNS. AND COLLEAGUES, I
HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU ALL
DIRECTLY IN THIS CHAMBER,
INDIVIDUALLY, ONE ON ONE. AND
OUR VARIOUS SHARED EXTERNAL
COMMITTEE WORK, THAT WE HAVE
TOGETHER. IN OTHER AREAS, I
HAVE HEARD YOU ALL MENTION YOUR
PRIORITIES AND THEY THINKS THAT
ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL. AND
AREALESS OF CONCERN TO YOU ALL.
AND I'VE HEARD THIS LOUD AND
CLEAR. BROADLY, THIS INCLUDES
COUNCILMEMBERS MOORE AND
MORALES, HEARD YOU TALK OVER
AND OVER ABOUT THE NEED FOR NEW
SIDEWALKS, SO DESPERATELY
NEEDED IN YOUR DISTRICTS. IT'S
A SHARED PRIORITY I HAVE IN
MINE. BUT WE KNOW THAT 100% OF
PEOPLE ARE PEDESTRIANS AT SOME
POINT IN THEIR JOURNEY. IT'S
THE RIGHT THING TO DO FROM A
SAFETY PERSPECTIVE. RIGHT THING
TO DO. CURRENT CITY POLICY
CREATES PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED
AS IF THEY'RE "OTHER" OR "LESS
THAN." IN 500-PLUS YEARS TO
CLOSE A MISSING SIDEWALK GAP IN
OUR CITY IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE
23450ED TO MAKE MORE URGENT
PROGRESS. AND REGARDLESS OF
WHATEVER MODE YOU CHOOSE TO
TAKE. WE KNOW AGAIN, 100% OF
PEOPLE ARE MAKING THE JOURNEY.
IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO
FROM EQUITIABILITY PERSPECTIVE,
IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN
TERMS OF A GOOD GOVERNANCE
PERSPECTIVE. WE ALL BENEFIT. WE
CAN ALL WIN. AND COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, ALSO HEARD YOUR
CONCERNS ABOUT THE
DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF
FATALITIES IN YOUR DISTRICT. AS
OF MY OWN DISTRICT. AND THE
AREAS OF NEEDING TRAFFIC
CALMING AND CENTERING EQUITY,
PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH SEATTLE.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, HEARD YOU
TALK OVER AND OVER ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF FREIGHT MOBILITY.
AND DOWNTOWN, PAIRED WITH THE
-- SAME THING WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUS, BY THE
WAY. PAIRED WITH COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE'S CONSISTENT FOCUS ON
THE NITTY GRITTY GOOD
GOVERNANCE FEATURES AND
CONTROLS. COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
YOU ARE STRONG FOR THE NEED FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT
AND PRUDENT STEWARDSHIP FOR
DOLLARS IN ALL AREAS WAS HEARD
LOUD AND CLEAR. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. AGAIN, YOU'RE ONE OF
THE CHAMPIONS OF CARGO AND
FREIGHT MOBILITY. AND MAKING
SURE THAT THE BACKBONE OF OUR
ECONOMY AND SOMETIMES SIGHT
UNSEEN IS PRESERVED AND THAT
ABILITY TO MOVE THOSE GOODS AND
SERVICES IS EXPANDED.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, HEARD YOU
LOUD AND CLEAR ABOUT CALLING
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND SAFE
ROUTES TO SCHOOLS, AND RELATED
TO YOUR LONG-ESTABLISHED
PRIORITIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY,
ESPECIALLY FOR OUR CHILDREN.
COUNCILMEMBER WOO, WE ALL KNOW
YOUR LIFELONG WORK IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES. AND I ALSO KNOW
YOUR STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO
CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY
INITIATIVES. AND LAST BUT NOT
LEAST. VICE CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH, YOUR INTIMATE
CONNECTION WITH YOUTH SAFETY,
YOUTH INITIATIVES AND TRAFFIC
CALMING, ESPECIALLY ON HOW ALL
OF THESE TRANSPORTATION
PROGRAMS IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY
IN YOUR DISTRICT AND THE
BROADER CITY. AND I SHOULD ALSO
NOTE, WHEN I STARTED HAVING
THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE
ABOUT INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT
PRIORITIES. VICE CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH WAS THE FIRST TO
MENTION TO ME, ONE OF HER
PRIORITY WAS WAS
ELECTRIFICATION, AND
SUSTAINABILITY. AND EV CHARGING
TO THAT, TO OUR BROADER CITY.
SO KIND OF HOW THAT TRANSLATES
TO THESE NEW INVESTMENTS, SAFE
ROUTES IN SCHOOLS. AGAIN, WITH
THE FOCUS AND PRIORITY OF
EDUCATION AND YOUTH, VICE
CHAIRS HOLLINGSWORTH AND
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA UNITED
STATES UPON, THEY GET THE
CREDIT THERE. DISTRICT PRODUCT
FUND, EXPANDED SO WE CAN ALL --
AUTO SEVEN DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE A LITTLE
MORE CONTROL OVER THESE SMALLER
SCALE IMPROVEMENTS. THINK OF
MARKED CROSSWALKS. WE GET THES
THINGS ALL THE TIME. SO IN OUR
STANDARD PROCESS TODAY. CAN YOU
DO THIS? AND OH, IT'S ON OUR
PUNCH LIST. AND GREAT. SO NOW
WE'RE -- WE'LL BE A LITTLE
MORE EMPOWERED TO DIRECTLY FUND
IN ADVANCE, THOUGH, WHICH IS
COOL. CLIMATE ELECTRIFICATION.
AND WOO. ANDEST MOOF THE -- AND
I UNDERSTAND THIS. MOST OF THE
HEADLINES AND THINGS, COVERAGE
IS GOING TO CENTER AROUND THE
SIZE, THE SCOPE, AND THE
SPECIFIC INVESTMENT AREAS. BUT
ONE THING I'M MOST PROUD OF,
OF THIS PROPOSED CHAIR PACKAGE
IS THE TYPE OF ACCOUNTABILITY,
GOOD GOVERNANCE FEATURES. THE
STRONGEST OF ANY LEVY IN
HISTORY ARE CONTAINED IN THIS
INITIAL PROPOSAL. WE COULD
BUILD UPON THEM. AND THE SORT
OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND WE
CREATED A NEW STAND-ALONE, GOOD
GOVERNORRANCE AND EQUITABLE
IMPLEMENTATION CATEGORY. THAT
WAS DIRECTLY FOR COUNCILMEMBERS
KETTLE AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND CREATED THIS BRAND NEW
LEVEL TO THE INVESTMENTS AS
STAND-ALONE THING. NOT TO BE
BURIED AND NESTED WITHIN
SOMETHING ELSE. AND THEN -- SO
DISTRICT FUNDS, TALKED ABOUT
THAT. IN ANY EVENT, THAT'S
KIND OF THE IDEA. THE
BACKGROUND BEHIND THOSE
SPECIFIC INVESTMENTS. I GUESS
BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT
PORTION, I'LL PAUSE AND SEE IF
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY COMMENTS
OR QUESTIONS. HEARING NONE,
WE'LL MOVE ON. GO AHEAD. THANK
YOU, CAL.
>> THANK YOU. AND I SHOULD HAVE
MENTIONED TO YOU, THE FOLKS
WATCHING, THAT THE CHARTS ARE
ALL IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IT
IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE
CHAIRS AMENDMENT DOES INCLUDE A
NUMBER OF TEXT AMENDMENTS TO
THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION. HE IS
PROPOSING, MINIMUM FOUR-YEAR
MITIGATION. NEW SIDEWALKS. I
BELIEVE THAT IS TO INCLUDE
ALTERNATIVE SIDEWALKS AS WELL.
BRIDGES. AND ELECTRIC CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE
REQUIREMENTS WOULD INCLUDE A
WAIVER PROVISION THAT WOULD
ALLOW A CHANGE IF THERE WAS --
WITH COUNCIL APPROVAL, IF THERE
IS AN EMERGENT NEED. THE CHAIRS
AMENDMENT WOULD ALSO APPROVE.
IF WOULD HAVE BACK AS THE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. IT WOULD
EMPSAOEUTZ LEVY PROGRAMS AS
PART OF THE SCOPE OF LEVY
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES CHARGED.
THE CHAIR'S AMENDMENT INCLUDES
A REPORTING REQUIREMENT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE -- HOW
DASHBOARD REPORTING HAS BECOME
A COMMON PRACTICE ON HOW WE
REPORT OUR LEVY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AND HAS BEEN A VALUABLE WAY TO
KEEP TRACK OF THE SEATTLE LEVY.
AND ALSO MAKES CHANGES TO THE
RECITALS. AMONG THE CHANGES
THAT THAT IT MAKES, WHICH ARE
INCLUDED IN THE MEMO I SENT TO
YOU. IT HIGHLIGHTS SIDEWALKS,
CHARGING NEEDS. DOES TALK ABOUT
THE IMPACT OF PAVING AND BASIC
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. AND CALLS
OUT THE PLAN RESOLUTION,
PRIORITIZING THE MAINTENANCE OF
ROADS AND BRIDGES, ONCE IN A
GENERATION INVESTMENT IN
SIDEWALKS, ELECTRICAL VEHICLE
CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE,
IMPROVEMENTS FOR TRANSIT RIDERS
PROGRAMS. VISION ZERO. AND
SAFETY AT LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD.
>> SO TO PILE ON THERE FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, I'LL NOTE, ON THE
OUTREACH IN EDUCATION PIECE.
THAT PROGRAM -- THAT SPECIFIC
PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO HELP
MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE COSTS AND
IMPACTS ON THE LEVY, ON THE
WORKING CLASS, AND ENSURING
THAT THOSE QUALIFIED FOR TAX
BREAKS ARE RECEIVING THEM AND
ARE CONNECTING THEM WITH
EXISTING RESOURCES, INCLUDING
MANY SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND DISABLED
VETERANS. MY AMENDMENT WOULD
ENSURE, AT LEAST IN PART, THAT
THEY ARE MADE AWARE OF, YOU
KNOW, THESE OPPORTUNITIES. AND
I'LL EMPHASIZE SOMETHING I
MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT UNDER
THE NEW 2024 THROUGH '26
INCOME THRESHOLD FOR SENIORS --
FOR SENATORS, PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES, AND DISABLED
VETERANS, APPROXIMATELY, THOSE
THRESHOLDS ARE 50% HIGHER THAN
THOSE IN EFFECT FROM 2020
THROUGH 2023. AS A DIRECT
RESULT, MORE PEOPLE ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM. WE
NEED TO GATHER BETTER DATA ON
THAT. AS WAS APTLY POINTED OUT.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT MORE PEOPLE
ARE ELIGIBLE: WE ARE WORKING
HARD TO INCREASE -BLTDABILITY
AND GOOD GOVERNANCE, BY
CREATING BETTER OVERSIGHT. OUR
JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WHATEVER THE INVESTMENT AMOUNT,
WHETHER IT'S $1.55 BILLION AS
PROPOSED OR EVEN $1, EVERYTHING
IN BETWEEN, WE ARE SPENDING
WISELY AND HAVE GOOD OVERSIGHT
AND FUNDING MECHANISMS IN
PLACE, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
ACHIEVING THE DESIRED IMPACT.
AND THE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE NEEDS RESOURCES TO
ENSURE THAT EVERY DOLLAR IS
SPENT WISELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
AND PART OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW,
THE LEVY OVERSIGHT ON THIS IS
EMPOWERED WITH AUDITING
ABILITY, CAPABILITY AND FUNDING
TO BACK THAT. AND WE ALSO ADDED
A LITTLE KNOWN FEATURE
EXPLICITLY ADD. AND I HEARD
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA AND SO
MANY OF YOU ALL TALK ABOUT
PERFORMANCE METRICS AND MAKING
SURE, WHATEVER THE PROGRAM IS,
ESPECIALLY LEVY, IS PERFORMING
AS INTENDED. SO WE ARE
EXPLICITLY ADDING TO THE REMIT
AND SCOPE OF THE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE, PERFORMANCE
EVALUATION. THESE -- THESE
INTENTIONAL DESIGN CHANGES,
TAKEN INDIVIDUALLY, EH, OKAY.
BUT TAKEN TOGETHER, REPRESENT A
COMPREHENSIVE, ROBUST APPROACH
TO ACCOUNTABILITY, OVERSIGHT
AND TRANSPARENCY. AND THEN
FINALLY, THE TASK FORCE
FUNDING, I THINK WE TALKED A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. BUT IN
ANY EVENT. I WELCOME ANY
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR
SAKA, CAL, SDOT, EVERYBODY. I
WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR
THIS IMPORTANT WORK. AS SOME OF
OUR COMMENTERS MENTIONED, WE
HAD THE HORRIFYING INCIDENTS
LAST WEEK OF SIX AND NOW WE'VE
LEARNED SEVEN PEOPLE BEING
KILLED IN TRAFFIC INCIDENTS.
THROUGH THIS LEVY, WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE OUR
COMMITMENT TO MEETING OUR
VISION ZERO GOALS, TO MEETING
OUR CLIMATE JUSTICE GOALS, AND
TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO
FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE HOW WE
REGARD TRANSPORTATION IN OUR
CITY. I THINK EVERYBODY HAS
TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO REALLY
PLAN FOR THE REST OF THE 21st
CENTURY, AND NOT JUST WHAT WE
THOUGHT THIS CENTURY MIGHT LOOK
LIKE, BACK IN THE '50s AND
'60s. THAT MEANS PRIORITIZING
THE MOVEMENT AND SAFETY OF
PEOPLE OVER THE MOVEMENT OF
CARS, BY DEDICATING MORE SPACE
TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, A
CONNECTED CITY WIDE NETWORK OF
PROTECTED BIKE LANES, MORE AND
BETTER SIDEWALKS. SO I DO WANT
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
FOR REALLY INCREASING FUNDING
FOR SIDEWALKS. MANY OF US KNOW
THAT OUR DISTRICTS NEED MUCH
MORE OF THAT. AND WE KNOW THAT
SOME PARTS OF OUR CITY NEED
MORE INVESTMENT IN SIDEWALKS.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT MOST OF
THE TRAFFIC FATALITIES WE HAVE
IN THE CITY, HAPPEN ON
ARTERIALS, LIKE MLK AND FOURTH
AVENUE SOUTH AND AURORA, PLACES
WHERE SIDEWALKS EXIST BUT
COMPLETE SAFETY MEASURES FOR
PEDESTRIANS DO NOT. SO THIS
LEVY NEEDS TO BE BIG ENOUGH TO
FUND SIDEWALKS AND ENABLE OUR
VISION ZERO TEAM TO MAKE THE
OTHER ROAD SAFETY AND DESIGN
CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED TO
REALLY BRING THOSE GOALS INTO
REALITY. IN MY DISTRICT, WE
HAVE BOTH THE LIGHTHOUSE FOR
THE BLIND, AND WASHINGTON
STATE'S DEPARTMENT OF SERVICES
FOR THE BLIND, AND I CAN TELL
YOU THAT ALONG RAINIER, I
REGULARLY SEE FOLKS WALKING
WITH CANES, WHO ARE TRYING TO
NAVIGATE ACROSS THE STREET,
AFTER GETTING OFF THE BUS. AND
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN ON RAINIER
AVENUE, YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW
SCARY THAT IS. YESTERDAY, WE
ALL RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM A
CONSTITUENT WHO INDICATES THAT
SHE IS BLIND. HER MOTHER USES A
WALK ARE. HER SISTERAND THEY AN
THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH
SIMILAR MOBILITY ISSUES, NEED
OUR CONSIDERATION, AND THAT'S
WHO WE SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR.
AND THE SAFETY PROJECTS THEY
NEED SHOULD RECEIVE SUFFICIENT
FUNDING THROUGH THIS LEVY. I
THINK THIS IS A REAL
OPPORTUNITY THAT IS OPPORTUNITY
FOR US. WE KNOW THAT
TRANSPORTATION THAT ACCOUNT FOR
SEATTLE'S POLLUTION. AND THIS
WOULD BE CRITICAL TO ACHIEVING
SEATTLE'S GOALS, WHILE WE
STILL HAVE TIME TO MAKE A DENT.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE STRUCTURED
TO LOWERING THE MILES TRAVELED
IN PERSONAL VEHICLES.
INCREASING INVESTMENT IN
TRANSIT, IS A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH
BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, WHILE
ALSO ADDRESSING OUR SAFETY
ISSUES. AND I DO WANT TO
REITERATE THE CALLERS. WE HAD A
CALLER WHO WAS REQUESTING MORE
FUNDING OF SUPPORTING OUR GOAL
OF PLANTING TREES IN THE RIGHT
OF WAY. WE HEAR A LOT MORE. 27%
OF THE CITY'S LAND IS A PUBLIC
RIGHT-OF-WAY. AND IF SDOT IS
GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
PLANTING TREES, THEN THEY ALSO
NEED THE FUNDING THAT GOES
ALONG WITH MAINTAINING THOSE
TREES, SO WE DON'T LOSE THEM.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR
AND MY COLLEAGUES. WE HAVE A
LOT OF WORK TO DO. I THINK THIS
IS AN IMPORTANT PACKAGE TO
CONSIDER, AND I DO JUST WANT TO
INDICATE, AND THE CHAIR KNOWS
THIS, I DO HAVE SOME AMENDMENTS
THAT I'LL BE CONTEMPLATING AND
WORKING WITH MY CONSTITUENTS
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER THE
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> YES. THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, IN TERMS
OF THIS UPDATED LEVY, A FEW
THINGS. ONE, DISTRICT 7,
REPRESENTATIVE. BUT I DO
RECOGNIZE DISTRICT 5, 1 AND 2,
AND THE PRIORITY THAT WE NEED
TO PLACE ON YOUR DISTRICTS, AS
IT RELATES TO SIDEWALKS IS VERY
IMPORTANT. AND GOING TO THE
POINT THAT I MADE EARLIER, JUST
IN DISTRICT 7. BUT MUCH WORSE
IN DISTRICTS 5, 7, 1, AND 2.
AND THE PRIORITY NEEDS TO BE
THERE. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE
PRIORITIZATION RELATED TO SAFE
ROUTES TO SCHOOL. THIS NEEDS TO
BE FRONT AND CENTER. SO THANK
YOU FOR THAT. ALSO, REALLY
APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC TRANSIT
SAFETY. I KNOW THIS KIND OF
GETS PUSHED TO ONE SIDE. BUT
THIS IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS THE
INTERSECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY,
TOO. IF WE DON'T HAVE SECURITY
ON OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT, WHAT
HAPPENS TO OUR DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION PLAN? WHAT HAPPENS
TO OUR EFFORTS WITH THE ARTS
AND CULTURE COMMUNITY, IF WE
DON'T HAVE SAFE, PUBLIC
TRANSIT TO GET DOWNTOWN? OUR
SPORTS AND THE REST. SO THE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PIECE IS
A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS
LEVY. ALSO, FREIGHT, VERY
IMPORTANT. I'M ALWAYS TALKING
ABOUT LOGISTICS, CORRECT? AND
IN PARTNERING WITH MY DISTRICT
6 COUNCILMEMBER, IN TERMS OF
FREIGHT. THE 15-MINUTE CITY.
BUT ALSO THE PORT OF SEATTLE.
WE HAVE TO BE SMART NTERMS OF
OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PORT OF
SEATTLE. AND MAKE SURE THE
HEAVY HAUL, AND THE REST OF IT,
TO INCLUDE UTILITY AND
ELECTRIFICATION IS SET. SO THE
FREIGHT PIECE IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO THE PORT OF SEATTLE. AND
AGAIN, OVERALL, FOR LOGISTICS,
IF WE DON'T ACCOUNT FOR IT, IT
WILL BECOME AD HOC, INEFFICIENT
AND UNSAFE. BOTTOM LINE. SO
REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK ON
FREIGHT. AND OBVIOUSLY, JUST TO
CLOSE, GOOD GOVERNANCE, KEY.
REALLY APPRECIATE. THE ELEMENTS
OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND THIS IS
SOMETHING WE NEED TO WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SDOT. AND THE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. I THINK WE
CAN DO A GREAT JOB ON THAT. AND
REALLY ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS. SO
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. MADAM VICE CHAIR.
>> I HAVE A CHAR HERE EVERY
TIME YOU SAY GOOD GOVERNANCE,
I'M GOING TO BE A MILLIONAIRE
BY THE END OF THE YEAR. I'M
PUTTING A DOLLAR IN EVERY TIME.
JUST PLAYING. I APPRECIATE
THAT. THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA. I
WANT TO THANK SDOT, DIRECTOR
SPOTTS AND BILL LABORE, ANNYA,
WHO WAS HERE. THANK YOU. $2.
>> SAID IT TWICE.
>> OKAY. HE DID SAY IT TWICE.
YOU OWE ME LIKE THREE, CHAIR
SAKA. THANK ANNYA AND MEGHAN
FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU,
CHAIR. I KNOW THAT IT'S A
HEAVY LIFT. YOU HAVE BEEN
LISTENING TO ALL OF US AND
BRINGING US -- YOU'VE BEEN
LISTENING TO US, AS WE ARE
BRINGING YOU INFORMATION ABOUT
OUR CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT IS
IMPORTANT TO OUR DISTRICT.
APPRECIATE THAT IN CRAFTING
THIS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS, I KNOW IS SAFE ROUTES
TO SCHOOL. I'VE BEEN LISTENING
TO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SIDEWALKS,
TRANSIT, THE LATE 8, THE SAFETY
NEEDS. WE HAVE 50% OF THE
PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT, WHO DO
NOT OWN A VEHICLE. AND THEY
RELY ON PUBLIC -- ON TRANSIT
OPTIONS AND BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE
AND SIDEWALKS. WE ARE PRETTY
LUCKY TO BE IN DISTRICT 3 ABOUT
ALL THE TRANSIT OPTIONS THAT WE
DO HAVE, AND MODES OF
TRANSPORTATION. AND WANT TO
CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THOSE,
IMPROVE ON THOSE. I'VE HEARD
ABOUT THE POTHOLES. PRAISE GOD,
MADISON WILL BE DONE IN AUGUST.
I KNOW I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT
THAT, EVERY SINGLE I HEAR
SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, WHETHER
I'M AT THE GROCERY STORE OR
WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
EVERYONE ALWAYS ASKS ME ABOUT
MADISON. AND I WAS TOLD BY
SDOT, THE DATE. AND ALSO, I'VE
HEARD ABOUT LAKE WASHINGTON.
BECAUSE WE'VE MADE INVESTMENTS
ON MLK, A LOT OF TRAFFIC HAS
BEEN PUSHED TO LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD. DEFINITELY
UNDERSTAND THAT IS AN
INVESTMENT WE NEED, ALONG LAKE
BOULEVARD. PEOPLE SPEED 70
MILES AN HOUR ALONG THERE. BEEN
TALKING TO RESIDENTS ALONG THE
LAKE. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND ALSO, ABOUT THE TYPES OF
SAFETY ROUTES TO SCHOOL, AROUND
GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL IN A
DIFFERENT AREA IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, LIGHTING OUR
SIDEWALKS. MAKING SURE OUR
KROUBGS ARE WELL LIT, FOR KIDS
TO GET SAFELY TO SCHOOL. SAW
THE RECENT INVESTMENT, ALONG
MLK. I FORGOT THE SCHOOL NAME.
BUT IT'S NEXT TO I-90 LID. SAW
ALL OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS
THERE. AND CREATED THE SAFETY
NEED FOR OUR KIDS TO GO TO
SCHOOL. LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU, CHAIR, ON
THIS. AND GETTING MORE DOLLARS
FOR YOU SAYING GOOD GOVERNANCE.
YOU AND COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR THE ROBUST DISCUSSION TODAY
AND ALL OF YOUR WORK TO PUT
THIS PACKAGE TOGETHER. THERE
ARE A LOT OF ELEMENTS I LIKE,
AND BEYOND JUST FREIGHT, I ALSO
HAVE WORKED ON SIDEWALKS. I
TEED UP THE SIDEWALK SLIDE THAT
I THINK YOU AND COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES AND COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
ARE USING IN THIS PACKAGING
PROPOSAL. BEYOND THAT, ENSURING
THAT WE HAVE SAFE CONNECTIONS
FOR PEOPLE RIDING BICYCLES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT
MISSING LINK. AND ONE OF MY
LARGEST PRIORITIES THAT WENT ON
PAUSE DURING THE PANDEMIC, IS
REGARDING TRANSIT. MAKING SURE
THAT OUR TRANSIT HAS A RELIABLE
TRAVEL TIME, HAS -- SO THAT YOU
CAN RELY ON IT. BECAUSE YOU
NEVER KNOW HOW LONG THE BUS IS
GOING TO TAKE. YOU CAN'T
NECESSARILY USE IT TO GET TO
WORK. I MISSED MY ROUTE 17 BY
THREE MINUTES TODAY. AND I WAS
NEARLY LATE TO COMMITTEE
BECAUSE THE D LINE TOOK SO
LONG. RIGHT? THESE ARE REAL
WORLD EXAMPLES THAT WE'RE
LIVING TODAY. SO I JUST WANTED
TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, AND
ESPECIALLY THANK YOU, CHAIR FOR
YOUR WORK ON THIS. I'LL LIKELY
BE BRINGING AMENDMENTS BUT I'LL
NEED TO WORK WITH CAL TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LANGUAGE
IS. JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT?
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW
YOU'VE GOVERNOR TO WORK, ; WE
ALL SELF LOCOMOTE FIRST. AND IN
THE SAME -- ALONG THAT SAME
SORT OF PRINCIPLE, THINKING
ABOUT WHAT UNITES OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. OUR
ROADS, NO MATTER WHAT THE ROAD,
HAVE TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE. SO
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. MAKING SURE
THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING YOUR
INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING
MAINTAINING BRIDGES IS
IMPORTANT. AND I DON'T WANT IF
WHAT IS ANTICIPATED AS A
BONDING MEASURE. THAT'S TO BE
DISCUSSED LATER. I JUST WANTED
TO ADD. I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE
ITEMS. AND THEN WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE RESOLUTION, I HAVE AN
ADDITIONAL PRINCIPLE, I'D LIKE
TO ADD THERE. SO FOR THE
TRANSIT SAFETY. LAST YEAR,
COUNCIL ADDED 1 MILLION TO
SUPPLEMENT TRANSIT -- WELL,
SAFETY ON, I BELIEVE IT COULD
HAVE BEEN METRO. BUT I BELIEVE
IT COULD BE SOUND TRANSIT. BUT
MY POINT IS, THAT IS $1
MILLION. YOU'RE ADDING, I
THINK, 9. AND AT THE SAME TIME,
RIGHT? SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ANYWAY, ALSO -- I'M ALSO
KEENLY AWARE THAT WE SHOULDN'T
LET OUR PARTNER AGENCIES OFF
THE HOOK FOR DOING THEIR JOB.
SO I'VE ASKED CAL WHAT HAS
METRO COMMITTED? AND I THINK
THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT $24
MILLION IN THEIR BUDGET NOW.
AND I THINK SO IT MIGHT BE
RE-UPPED IN THEIR NEXT
BIENNIUM.
>> I FOUND $25 MILLION IN THE
BIENNIUM, SO ABOUT $12.5
MILLION IS WHAT I SEE IN THEIR
BUDGET.
>> GOT IT. SECOND QUESTION.
SIDEWALKS. YES, AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE
MOST OUT OF OUR DOLLARS.
BECAUSE THERE ARE 11,000 BLOCKS
OF -- THAT NEED SIDEWALKS IN
THIS CITY, AND I THINK SO THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSAL FUNDS 280 OR
SO AND WE'RE BRINGING IT TO
TROUBLE THAT. IS THE
ANTICIPATED USING THE MODEL OF
LIKE THE SOUP-TO-NUTS --
THAT'S THE WRONG EXPRESSION.
BUT THE ACTUAL TRADITIONAL
DRAINAGE SIDEWALK? OR CAN THERE
BE A MIX OF ALTERNATIVE MODELS
OF SIDEWALKS TO MAKE SURE THAT
NUMBER 1, DRAINAGE IS NOT ALL
PUT THROUGH OUR SURFACE WATER
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT THERE
CAN BE SOME IMPERVIOUS
SURFACES, ET CETERA. CAN YOU
TELL ME HOW THOSE COSTS ARE
FIGURED?
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND
JUST SO YOU ARE AWARE. THE
DISCUSSIONS I HAVE BEEN HAVING
TO DATE WITH THE EXECUTIVE. AND
WITH SOME OF THE CHAMPIONS OF
THIS, COUNCILMEMBERS MOORE AND
ALSO MORALES, THAT IS
DEFINITELY CONTEMPLATED INSOFAR
AS WE ARE GOING TO MAKE
INVESTMENTS IN BOTH TRADITIONAL
SIDEWALKS. THE FULL CURB AND
GUTTER KIT, WHICH ARE IS THE
SPECTRUM. THE MOST EXPENSIVE,
MOST COSTLY, BUT ALSO THE MOST
DURABLE AND ARGUABLY EFFECTIVE
AS WELL, EVERYTHING. AND
THAT'S ON ONE END OF THE
SPECTRUM, AND LITERALLY A
BARRIER THAT SEPARATES THE ROAD
FROM FOOT TRAFFIC. PEDESTRIANS.
THERE'S A NUMBER IN BETWEEN. A
RANGE OF CREATIVE OPTIONS. THAT
IS WHAT IS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE
SPENDING. AND AGAIN, SOME AREAS
ARE GOING TO GET THE FULL CURB
AND GUTTER. SOME ARE GOING TO
GET THE -- SOMEWHERE ALONG THE
SPECTRUM. BUT THE IDEA IS, WE
NEED TO DO SOMETHING, WE CAN'T
LET -- IDEALLY, I WOULD LOVE
FOR EVERYONE TO GET THE FULL
CURB AND GUTTER. THAT IS THE
MOST COSTLY. AND THAT -- LET'S
WAIT FOR THE FULL. THAT HAS
BEEN ONE OF THE BIGGEST
BARRIERS, I THINK, TO BRINGING
SIDEWALKS TO LIFE MORE
URGENTLY, ACROSS THE CITY. THE
IDEA IS THAT MORE COMMUNITIES
ARE GOING TO GET SOMETHING.
THAT FUTURE COUNCILS AND FUTURE
POLICY MAKERS ARE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO BUILD UPON AS NEEDED.
AND THAT WILL ALSO HELP US
STRETCH OUR DOLLAR AND
INVESTMENTS IN THAT AREA AS
WELL. SO ANYWAYS. IT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. AGREED.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER. I
DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOUR
ANSWER TO MY QUESTION. I JUST
HAD ONE MORE.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I'M JUST CLEARING E-MAIL
FROM A WEEK OR SO AGO. AND I
DID NOTICE WE DID GET AN E-MAIL
FROM THE CHAIR. FROM THE
WATERFRONT COMMUNITY. AND HE
NOTED THAT THE STREET PROJECT
SCAPING IMPROVEMENTS, BORDERING
ALASKAN WAY. AND THE PIPE
CORRIDOR. MARKET CONVENTION
CENTER. LACK A DEDICATED
FUNDING SOURCE. SO I'M
WONDERING HAS THERE BEEN ANY
CONSIDERATION TO INCLUDE, I
THINK IT'S ABOUT $700,000 TO
THE INVESTMENT. HAS THERE BEEN
ANY CONSIDERATION TO ESSENTIAL,
NOT ESSENTIAL. BUT THEY'RE
CONTRACTUALLY -- WERE
CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO DO
THAT WITH THE LID. HAVE YOU
THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THAT HERE?
>> IT'S NOT CURRENT -- TO MY
UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE. IF
IT'S INCLUDED, IT WOULD BE IN
THE EXECUTIVE'S ORIGINAL
PROPOSAL. AND TO MINE, IT'S
NOT. YOU CAN BET THAT WITH
CENTRAL STAFF. BUT ALSO, I AM
AWARE, I'VE HAD A DIRECT
MEETING WITH THE FOLKS YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT. SO I'M AWARE OF
THIS ISSUE AS WELL. SO IT MIGHT
BE COVERED AS PART OF A BROADER
KIND OF MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, I
DON'T KNOW OFFHAND.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I CAN GO AND
RESEARCH THIS FOR YOU. IT MAY
BE NOT CALLED OUT. BUT THERE
MAY BE UNPROGRAMMED FUNDS THAT
MAY BE -- YOU KNOW, THAT MAY
ADDRESS THAT TYPE OF NEED. I'LL
HAVE TO FIND OUT FOR YOU.
>> THANKS. IN THE WELL, GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I, TOO,
WANT TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN
APPRECIATION OF ALL THE HARD
WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, ALONG
WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND OUR
CENTRAL STAFF, CAL. AND I WANT
TO SAY, I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE
THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN SO
MUCH TIME TO MEET WITH US
INDIVIDUALLY, AND
COLLABORATIVELY, ON THE PIECES
OF THIS VERY BIG, BUT VERY
IMPORTANT PACKAGE, AND ONE OF
THE FIRST THINGS IS THAT I KNOW
YOU'VE HAD TO TAKE ON IN YOUR
ROLE AS COUNCILMEMBER. IT DOES
NOT GO UNNOTICED HOW HARD AND
COLLABORATIVELY YOU'RE WORKING
ON THIS. I WANT TO SAY, IN
PARTICULAR, I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE AS YOU TALK ABOUT
THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS,
THERE ARE 24 SCHOOLS IN
DISTRICT 4. AND IT'S MY
INTEREST TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS
ARE, YOU KNOW, RIDING THE BUS,
WALKING, RIDING TO SCHOOL AND
CAN GET THEIR SAFELY. IT'S
BEEN A HUGE ISSUE AND ONE THAT
I'VE HEARD A LOT FROM
CONSTITUENTS IN THE DISTRICT
ABOUT, SO I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THAT
AND CALLING THAT OUT. IN
ADDITION TO THE TRAFFIC-CALMING
MEASURES, BOTH FOR PEDESTRIANS,
AS THEY'RE WALKING THE STREETS
WITH SIGNAL TIMING, AS WELL AS
CALMING MEASURES ALONG OUR
STREETS, LIKE SANDPOINT WAY,
WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
CAR RACING AS OF LATE. AND IT
POSES A HUGE ISSUE TO
PEDESTRIANS THERE AS WELL.
ALSO, TRANSIT SAFETY
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, THANK YOU
FOR RAISING THIS. THERE ARE
THREE LIGHT RAIL STATIONS IN
DISTRICT 4. AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE ARE RIDING. WE HAVE
A GREAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
IN THE CITY, AND WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE IT'S GETTING BETTER.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IF PEOPLE ARE NOT
RIDING. SO WE WANT TO MAKE IT
SAFE FOR PEOPLE. I DID NOT HAVE
A DRIVER'S LICENSE UNTIL I WAS
30 YEARS OLD. I COULD NOT
AFFORD A CAR. SO IT'S NOT LOST
ON ME THAT SOME PEOPLE DO NOT
HAVE CHOICES AND HAVE TO RIDE
THE LIGHT RAIL. SO WE WANT TO
MAKE IT SAFE. WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AS WELL. AND
THEN SIDEWALKS. I KNOW
SIDEWALKS OR THE ISSUE OF
SIDEWALKS ACROSS THE CITY. AND
MORE PREVALENTLY SO IN THE
DISTRICTS THAT WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT. I WILL SAY EVEN IN
DISTRICT 4 AND WEDGEWOOD, THERE
ARE A LOT OF MISSING SIDEWALKS.
AND THAT MEANS, AGAIN, THE
YOUTH AND OUR OLDER FOLKS AND
FOLKS IN GENERAL, WHO LIVE IN
THOSE AREAS, ARE NOT ABLE TO
GET ABOUT THE CITY SAFELY IN
THEIR NECK OF THE WOODS. SO IT
REALLY IS AN ISSUE THAT IS, YOU
KNOW, EVERYONE CARES ABOUT.
I'M POINTING THOSE OUT IN
GENERAL FOR OUR PARTICULAR
DISTRICT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT
THE ENTIRE PACKAGE IS SOMETHING
THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL OF
SEATTLE. I WILL BORROW THE
EXECUTIVES, AND YOU RAISED IT.
WE ARE ONE SEATTLE. ASK WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL AREAS OF
THE CITY ARE WALKABLE,
ACCESSIBLE, TO ALL OF OUR
RESIDENTS. AND WE NEED TO THINK
OF IT AS SUCH. BECAUSE PEOPLE
MOVE ABOUT THE CITY, NO MATTER
WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU MOVE ABOUT
TO ALL AREAS OF THE CITY. SO
ALL OF THOSE ENHANCEMENTS
ACROSS THE CITY ARE GOING TO
BENEFIT ALL OF US, REGARDLESS
OF WHERE WE LIVE. AND SO IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE A ROBUST SYSTEM IN
PLACE FOR OUR RESIDENT S AND
THAT WE'RE DOING THIS
COLLABORATIVELY AND TOGETHER.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
WOO.
>> I ALSO WANT TO ECHO
EVERYONE'S PRIORITY AND
FEELING A THANKFULNESS. I HAVE
A SPECIAL AFFINITY FOR
ALLEYWAYS. I'M GOING TO FIND
YOU LATER TODAY, AND WE'LL
HAVE TO CHAT MORE, ESPECIALLY
FOR OUR HISTORIC ALLEYWAYS. BUT
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS
INVESTMENT IN TRANSPORTATION TO
MAKE SURE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE
IS SAFE AND STRONG. THANK YOU
FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS.
AND I'M EXCITED FOR WHAT IS TO
COME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND LAST
BUT NOT LEAST? COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
I, TOO, WANTED TO ECHO THE
COMMENTS OF THANKING YOU FOR
THE TREMENDOUS THOUGHT AND
EFFORT YOU'VE PUT SO FAR IN
DEALING WITH THIS. I APPRECIATE
THE FACT THAT YOU'VE INCREASED
THE LEVY AMOUNTS. AND THAT
YOU'VE PUT A LOT MORE --
ALLOCATED A LOT MORE RESOURCES
TO SIDEWALKS. ONE THING, I WILL
BE BRINGING ADDITIONAL
AMENDMENTS AROUND SIDEWALKS,
NOT SURPRISINGLY. AND NOTING
THAT TO ANSWER COUNCIL
PRESIDENT'S ANSWER ABOUT CURB
AND GUTTER, THAT WE'LL BE
INCLUDING IN HERE NEW SIDEWALKS
AND SIDEWALK ALTERNATIVES. SO
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A COMMITMENT
IN OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN TO
GET TO 1 THROUGH 5 BY 2024. AND
THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO DO
THAT IS BY LOOKING AT
ALTERNATIVES, WHICH HAVE BEEN
VERY EFFECTIVE IN GREENWOOD.
AND BEING CREATIVE. SO ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I WILL BE
ASKING FOR IS A SIDEWALK MASTER
PLAN. AND I'M HOPING THAT THE
TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE CAN
BE THE PLACE, PERHAPS WHERE
THAT'S PUT TOGETHER. SO THAT
WE CAN BRING SPU AND SDOT
TOGETHER. THEY'RE ALREADY
WORKING TOGETHER IN
COLLABORATION. BUT WE CAN BRING
ALL THE MINDS TOGETHER AROUND
DRAINAGE. AND THE TRANSIT
PIECES. SO THAT THEY ARE NOT
WORKING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
BUT LOOKING AT HOW DO WE
EFFECTUATE THIS. THERE ARE MANY
WAYS TO DO THIS. A MASTER PLAN
AND CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER
IS SOMETHING I'M LOOKING FOR AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE'VE MOSTLY COVERED SOME
CONCLUDING REMARKS FOR MOST.
BUT I DO THINK THERE WERE A FEW
FINAL SLIDES. ADEQUATELY, AND
JUMP AROUND HERE AND THERE. BUT
I WILL LET YOU CLOSE OUT THE
PRESENTATION. ONE FINAL
QUESTION. MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> COUPLE OF THINGS ON THE
RESOLUTION.
>> YEAH, SURE.
>> LET'S SEE. SO I -- IN YOUR
-- ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU
HAVE, I BELIEVE, IT IS -- TELL
ME WHERE IT IS. IF IT'S IN THE
AMENDMENT SECTION OR WHATEVER
BUT IN THE MEMO, THERE IS
SOMETHING ABOUT ACCESS.
CONSTRUCTION ACCESS. AND
THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR ME.
BECAUSE FOR A VERY LONG TIME,
EVER SINCE 2002 WHEN I STARTED
WORKING FOR THE CITY FOR THE
TRANSPORTATION CHAIR, THERE HAS
BEEN THE PROBLEM OF LACK OF
COORDINATION BETWEEN SDOT'S
WORKING THE RIGHT OF WAY AND
SBU WORKING THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO I'M HOPING THAT'S
CONTEMPLATING YOUR CONSTRUCTION
ACCESS, WHATEVER THAT ITEM IS.
BECAUSE THERE IS A PROGRAM. IT
USED TO BE CALLED CONSTRUCTION
COORDINATION, SOMETHING OR
OTHER. NOW, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH
IT'S CALLED THE PROJECT
ACCORDINATION OFFICE. BUT THE
POINT IS, IT SEEMS LIKE WE
STILL CANNOT MASTER THE
COORDINATION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY
WORK, WHICH WILL DECREASE THE
IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
SEE THEIR STREETS BEING TORN UP
OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND THE
MAPS IN THE -- ON THE WEBSITE,
ARE ONLY FROM 2019. SO I DON'T
KNOW IF THAT'S BEING KEPT UP.
BUT HOPEFULLY, WE CAN FLUSH OUT
THAT PART OF THE RESOLUTION TO
ACCOMMODATE THAT. AND THEN THE
-- OH, YEAH. THE -- IT'S
CALLED, RIGHT NOW, THE PROJECT
AND CONSTRUCTION COORDINATION
OFFICE. LET'S LOOK AT WHAT
THAT WORK IS -- HOW THAT WORK
IS PROCEEDING AND HOW WE CAN
STRENGTHEN IT. AND THE ASSET
CONDITIONS NOTE ON PAGE 12. I
WOULD LIKE A BETTER INFORMATION
ON HOW WE ARE MONITORING
ASSETS. HOW IS SDOT'S ASSET
MANAGEMENT NOW, IN TERMS OF
STRENGTHENING IT, HAVING
OVERSIGHT, ET CETERA. I WOULD
LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN
TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE MONITORING THE CONDITION
OF OUR ASSETS.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
>> I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GOING
THROUGH ALL THE SLIDES AT THE
TIME, BECAUSE IT DOES SOUND
LIKE THEY ARE MAKING CONCLUDING
REMARKS. BUT THERE IS A
COMPANION RESOLUTION TO THE
PACKAGE. THE INTENT IS TO GET
THESE THAT ARE TALKED ABOUT
THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY TIED
TO THE VOTER APPROVAL OF THE
LEVY. SO AGAIN, THE PROPOSED
RESOLUTION WOULD HAVE THREE
SECTIONS. WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THESE LEVY ISSUES. SOME OF THE
REPORTING ISSUES AND WOULD
IDENTIFY SOME OF THE ISSUES
THAT COUNCIL HAS IDENTIFIED FOR
THE CONVERSATION. THE LEVY
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES, DOES
TALK ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE
SPECIFIC PROGRAMS WOULD BE
ADMINISTERED. SO PARTICULARLY,
THE DISTRICT PROJECT FUND, THE
NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE SAFETY
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. AND THEN
ALSO GIVE SOME DIRECTION ON
PROGRAMS LIKE TRANSIT PASSENGER
SAFETY, ELECTRIC VEHICLE
CHARGING, POTENTIALLY, THE
FINANCIAL TASK FORCE, DEPENDING
ON HOW THAT CONVERSATION GOES
WITH YOUR OFFICES. AND THEN THE
COMMENTS THAT COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON MADE ABOUT THE ADA
COMPLIANCE AND PEDESTRIAN
ACCESS. I THINK AS CURRENTLY
PROPOSED, IT WAS MORE DIRECTED
TO MANAGING THE SITE, AND
MAINTAINING THE ACCESS. AND I
THINK THERE IS ANOTHER LAYER
WHICH COUNCIL PRESIDENT IS
DESCRIBING, WHICH IS PROJECT
COORDINATION IN GENERAL, OVER
MAYBE A LARGER AREA, SO THAT
THIS INCORPORATES, I BELIEVE,
OUR UTILITY CUT WORK, SO THE
SAME AREAS AREN'T ALL CUT UP
AT THE SAME TIME. AND THAT
MULTIPLE PROJECTS, THE
CUMULATIVE IMPACT ON MULTIPLE
PROJECTS SO THAT IS WHAT IS IN
YOUR PROPOSED RESOLUTION RIGHT
NOW. THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION
WOULD HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANT
OVERSIGHT ISSUES. I THINK THE
ATTEMPT OF THE ASSET CONDITION
PIECE FOR THIS IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS
KEEPING ALL OF ITS WORK
GROUNDED AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT
THE CONDITION OF THE ASSET
MANAGEMENT IS. IT IS
FUNDAMENTALLY, A MANAGEMENT
SERVE DECISION, A TOOL FOR SDOT
TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IT IS IN
ITS MANAGEMENT OF ITS -- WHAT
IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR. AND I
THINK THIS IS JUST CALLING OUT
FOR SPECIFICALLY YOUR INTENT
THAT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
NEEDS TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT
THOSE TOOLS ARE, AND WHERE
WE'RE GOING. THIS SECTION OF
THE LEVY WOULD ALSO TALK ABOUT
MORE SPECIFICITY ABOUT THE
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. IT
WOULD ALSO ASK FOR INITIAL
READINESS ASSESSMENT. AND ASK
US TO PROVIDE ANNUAL LEVY
DELIVERY PLANS AS WELL. LASTLY,
THERE WOULD BE A SECTION TO
IDENTIFY THAT COUNCILMEMBERS
MIGHT HAVE, MY DESIRE TO SIGNAL
THEIR INTEREST IN FUTURE
DISCUSSION. CHAIR SAKA HAS
IDENTIFIED VISION ZERO IN THE
INTEGRATION OF THE FEDERAL SAFE
ASSISTANCE APPROACH. HE'S ALSO
IDENTIFIED THE SCOPING OF HOW
PAVING AND COURT ORDERED
PROJECTS HAVE DONE. ISSUES LIKE
HOW WE DEAL WITH COMPLETE
STREETS POLICY AND HOW WE MAKE
FUNDING EFFICIENCY DECISIONS
AND HOW WE INCORPORATE FUNDING
INTO PROJECT DECISIONS AND HOW
COUNCIL APPROVES INDIVIDUAL
COUNCIL BUDGETS, AS COMPARED TO
HOW WE DO INDIVIDUAL BUDGET
PROGRAMS. AND FINALLY, HE'S
ALSO IDENTIFIED FUTURE
CONSIDERATION OF THE GENERAL
FUND IN SUPPORT OF
TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES. SO
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION,
UNLESS THERE IS ANYTHING
FURTHER, I THINK YOU ALL HAVE
SPOKEN TO THE ENTIRETY OF IT.
>> YEAH, NO. THANK YOU, CAL. I
APPRECIATE THAT. QUICK NOTE ON
ONE OF THE ITEMS FOR FUTURE
COUNCIL EXPLORATION. THERE IS
-- YOU KNOW, I'LL CALL OUT
SPECIFICALLY VISION ZERO. I'M
ENCOURAGED ABOUT THE
TOP-TO-BOTTOM REVIEW, DIRECTOR
SPOTTS LOOKING AT YOU.
TOP-TO-BOTTOM, GOOD WORK THERE.
AND THE RECENT, COUPLE WEEKS
AGO, SDOT RELEASED ACTION PLAN
WITH PRIORITIES IN SPECIFIC
INVESTMENTS. I'M ENCOURAGED BY
THE RECENT ELEVATION OF A CHIEF
SAFETY OFFICER WITHIN SDOT.
WHICH IS GREAT AND THE
UNFORTUNATE FACT REMAINS, WE
ARE STILL MOVING NOT IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION ON SOME OF
THESE GOALS. SO THE IDEA THERE
WITH THAT ITEM IS ONE OF -- I
WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT ELSE YOU MIGHT
NEED. FROM A LEGISLATIVE
PERSPECTIVE TO HELP US BE MORE
SUCCESSFUL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THAT LOOKS LIKE TODAY. BUT
IT'S A CONCEPT THAT WE'LL WANT
TO FURTHER EXPLORE. IN ANY
EVENT. WELL, ALSO, WANT TO
QUICKLY CALL OUT TRAFFIC SAFETY
HAS BEEN MENTIONED A FEW TIMES
HERE. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE DO THAT. I TAKE TRANSIT ALL
THE TIME TO AND FROM WORK. AND
TOOK IT THIS WEEKEND WITH MY
YOUNG KIDS TO THE MARINERS
GAME. IT'S GREAT. BUT THE FACT
REMAINS THAT NOT EVERYONE FEELS
COMFORTABLE ENOUGH AND SAFE
ENOUGH AND SECURE ENOUGH TO
TAKE TRANSIT TODAY. AND WHAT
I'M REFERRING TO SPECIFICALLY,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, IS THOSE
WHO DON'T RELY ON IT, AS THEIR
ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.
LIKE I DID, GROWING UP, TO BE
HONEST. AND HAVE A CAR. AND SO
WE WANT TO INCREASE RIDERSHIP.
WE WANT TO -- WHICH WILL HELP
BOOST, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT
REVENUES. OBVIOUSLY BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY, IT WILL HELP US
MAKE MORE URGENT PROGRESS ON
OUR CLIMATE GOALS. AND I THINK
TRANSIT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS,
WHERE WE CAN'T JUST -- IT'S
NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS, WHERE
YOU CAN -- "IF YOU BUILD IT,
THEY WILL COME." WE CAN'T JUST
EXPAND IN A VACUUM SERVICE AND
RELIABILITY WITHOUT ALSO
CREATING CONDITIONS WHERE
PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE IT, AND
WE'RE SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPROVING
CONDITIONS. AND EXCELLENT
POINT, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THEY'RE LIKE, THIS ISN'T
INTENDED TO REPLACE OR LET
ANYONE OFF THE HOOK. YOU KNOW,
TO -- WHETHER IT'S METRO OR
OTHERWISE. YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE A
SAFE, SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR
ALL, WORKERS AND RIDERS AND
EVERYONE. BUT ALSO, I THINK IT
RECOGNIZES THAT WE DO NEED TO
BE ADDITIVE, NOW MORE THAN
EVER, WE WANT TO BUILD IT OUT.
AND OH, BY THE WAY. THERE'S A
LITTLE THING CALLED THE 2026
FIFA WORLD CUP COMING. NEED AS
MANY PEOPLE WANTING TO TAKE
THAT AS POSSIBLE AND SAFE ON
THAT. SO ANYWAYS. REALLY,
REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I'VE
HEARD A COUPLE OF YOU ALL
EMPHASIZE THAT. SO I WANT TO
SPEAK DIRECTLY ON THAT. IN ANY
EVENT, WELL, THANK YOU, CENTRAL
STAFF. CALVIN, REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR EXCELLENT WORK
HERE. YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND
COLLABORATIONS BEHIND THE
SCENES AND PUTTING THIS
ALTOGETHER AND PATIENCE AND
GRACE WITH ME, AS I -- AS
SOMEWHAT OF A MOVING TARGET ON
SOME OF THESE PIECES. COMPLEX,
ALL OF THEM. COMPONENTS. BUT I
APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE AND
UTMOST PROFESSIONALISM. AND
HELPING ME AND THIS BODY KEEP
IT MOVING, SO WE CAN PUT A
FINAL PACKAGE TOGETHER BEFORE
VOTERS. AGAIN, VOTERS ARE
ULTIMATELY GOING TO DECIDE. SO
I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE AND
PROFESSIONALISM HERE. ALSO WANT
TO TAKE THE TIME AS WELL, WHILE
I AM HERE, TO SPECIFICALLY
ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK DIRECTOR
SPOTTS, WHO IS IN THE ROOM. AND
YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE SDOT
TEAM, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE
HERE AND SHARE WITH US YOUR
INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THE TASK
FORCE, MORE TO COME THERE.
LET'S CONTINUE THE
COLLABORATION THERE. AND I WANT
TO ALSO THANK THE MANY
CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN THE
TIME TO BE HERE, WHO HAVE
SHARED YOUR THOUGHTFUL E-MAILS,
PHONE CALLS, COMMENTS, GOT SOME
GREAT FEEDBACK AT A LITTLE
LEAGUE GAME LAST NIGHT FROM A
PARENT. IN MULTIPLE WAYS. YOU
KNOW, WE'RE HEARING FEEDBACK.
AND IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
AND ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE LIVES LOST THAT WE LOST
THIS PAST WEEK. AND, YOU KNOW,
HONOR AND PAY TRIBUTE TO THE
FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS. WE
NEED TO DO BETTER. AND I THINK
THROUGH THE PLAN AND
INVESTMENTS AND PROGRAMS AND
AREAS FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
TODAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE
WELL POSITIONED TO MAKE BETTER
PROGRESS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL
DO BETTER, EVEN AFTER THAT AS
WELL. SO THAT SAID -- AND
OBVIOUSLY, THANK YOU TO MY
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR
THOUGHTFULNESS AND YOUR
PATIENCE THROUGH THIS TWO AND A
HALF-HOUR-LONG MEETING. THIS
NEW, PROPOSED PACKAGE IS THE
NEW BASELINE PROPOSAL. AND JUST
WANT TO NOTE THAT -- AND I
WELCOME CONTINUED COLLABORATION
AND PARTNERSHIP WITH EACH OF
YOU ALL. I KNOW, SOME PEOPLE
MIGHT HAVE AMENDMENT. SOME
PEOPLE MIGHT NOT. AND THAT'S
TOTALLY FINE. IF THERE ARE ANY
DISTRICT-SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS,
RELATED TO ATTACHMENT A, I WILL
DISCLOSE, I WILL HAVE MY OWN.
DISTRICT-SPECIFIC AMENDMENT TO
ATTACHMENT A, BUT IT -- MY
AMENDMENT WILL BASICALLY
REALLOCATE AND REPRIORITIZE,
SOME OF THE PROJECT'S EXISTING
CALLOUT THERE, RATHER THAN
CREATING A BRAND NEW EXISTING
THING. CALLOUTS.
>> THE MODEL. THE ACCOMPANYING
LEGISLATION. WHATEVER IDEAS YOU
HAVE. LET'S MAKE SURE IT'S
ADDITIVE TO THIS AND BUILDS
UPON, AND I HEARD A LOT OF
GREAT IDEAS NOW, FOR EXAMPLE,
FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, ON THE
SIDEWALK PIECES, MASTER PLAN. I
THINK WE'RE IN LINE AND ON
TRACK AND ON PROGRESS THERE.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS THERE.
AND MORE TO COME. BUT AGAIN,
THANK YOU, CAL. REALLY
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. CAN'T
THANK YOU ENOUGH. SO YEAH. ANY
FINAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS,
COLLEAGUES?
>> YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT ME,
LIKE COME ON. ALL RIGHT. WELL,
THANK YOU AGAIN. WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
MEETING AGENDA. IS THERE ANY
FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE
ADJOURN? HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE, WE ARE ADJOURNED. IT
IS 11:55 A.M.