>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO
THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE JUNE
4th , 2024 SELECT COMMITTEE ON
THE 2024 TRANSPORTATION LEVY
WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS 4:34
P.M. I AM ROB SAKA, CHAIR OF
THE SELECT COMMITTEE. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO?
>> PRESENT.
>> VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR SAKA?
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. ALL
RIGHT. WELCOME, EVERYONE. I
WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR
CONTINUING TO MAKE THEIR VOICES
HEARD. WHETHER IT'S THROUGH
THE MANY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS
AND EVEN THOUSANDS PROBABLY AT
THIS POINT OF E-MAILS OR
SHOWING UP TO THE VARIOUS
SELECT COMMITTEE MEETINGS OR
REGULAR TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC
HEARINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING,
MANY, MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK. IT IS
GREATLY APPRECIATED. YOUR VOICE
MATTERS. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
THE MAYOR AND HIS TEAM, SDOT
DIRECTOR POTTS AND EVERYONE
ELSE WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY
TO GET US TO THIS POINT. AND
OBVIOUSLY, MY COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES, I APPRECIATE YOUR
THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK, CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT, AND HELPFUL IDEAS
TO MAKE WHATEVER WE BUILD AND
PUT BEFORE VOTERS EVEN BETTER.
SO THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT
FOR SEATTLE. IF WE LAND THIS
RIGHT, WE GET THIS RIGHT IN
THIS MOMENT, THIS LEVY HAS THE
POWER TO TRULY BUILD A SAFER,
MORE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND
BETTER CONNECTED COMMUNITY FOR
ALL. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DELIVER THE EVERYDAY BASICS IN
AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY, THE BOLD
BASICS. MORE THAN THAT, THIS
LEVY IS A VITAL PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUE. IT'S OF NO EXAGGERATION
TO SAY THAT THIS LEVY HAS THE
ABILITY TO QUITE LITERALLY SAVE
LIVES. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE
DYING ON OUR ROADS, AND WE'RE
GROWING FURTHER AWAY FROM OUR
VISION ZERO GOALS
UNFORTUNATELY. AND ALONG THOSE
LINES, I WANT TO OFFER TRIBUTE
TO THE EIGHT FATALITIES IN THE
PAST WEEK PLUS, TO THE PEOPLE
WE LOST AND THEIR GRIEVING
FAMILIES. WE CAN AND MUST DO SO
MUCH BETTER. I ALSO WANT TO
MAKE CLEAR THAT WE HAVE ONE
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN THIS
CITY, IN THE REGION. THERE ARE
SO MANY INTERDEPENDENCIES.
WE'RE ALL CONNECTED IN SO MANY
DIFFERENT, PROFOUND WAYS. ONE
THING WE LEARNED, FOR EXAMPLE,
WITH THE TWO AND A HALF YEAR
CLOSURE OF THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE IS THAT ACTUALLY
IMPACTED THE ENTIRETY OF THE
CITY, NOT JUST WEST SEATTLE.
DECENT QUALITY, RELIABLE ROADS
AFFECT EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO BIKE,
ROLL, TAKE TRANSIT, OR DRIVE.
AND WE ALSO KNOW WHEN FREIGHT
AND CARGO ARE NOT MOVING
EFFICIENTLY AND RELIABLY, OUR
SERVICES AND GOODS, PERHAPS
EVEN THE PRICES OF OUR DAILY
NECESSITIES ARE DIRECTLY
IMPACTED. IT'S A MATTER OF
LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE,
STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE,
AND INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE.
THIS IS A TOP PORT CITY,
INTERNATIONAL CITY. NEW
SIDEWALKS, SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOLS, AND VISION ZERO GOALS
AFFECT EVERYONE. AGAIN, WE HAVE
ONE SYSTEM CHANNELING THE
MAYOR'S ONE SEATTLE APPROACH
AND VISION. WE HAVE ONE SYSTEM
HERE THAT MUST WORK FOR OUR
RESIDENTS IN THE TRANSPORTATION
CONTEXT. AND IT MUST BE TIGHTLY
COORDINATED, INTEGRATED, AND
DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE. AND I
HAVE SHARED MY PROPOSED
CHAIR'S AMENDMENT EARLIER
TODAY, WHICH INCLUDES THREE
PARTS. THE SPENDING REVISIONS,
MY OTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE
EXECUTIVE UNDERLYING EXECUTIVE
LEGISLATION, AND THE COMPANION
RESOLUTION. I LOOK FORWARD TO
EVERYONE'S THOUGHTFUL, WELL,
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC,
THOUGHTFUL SUGGESTIONS AND
INPUT AS WE CONTINUE TO REFINE
THIS PACKAGE AND MAKE IT EVEN
BETTER. BUT ULTIMATELY,
WHEREVER WE LAND IN A FEW WEEKS
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS AND WE
RUN UP AGAINST THE IMPOSED
DEADLINE IN ORDER TO GET
SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT, WHERE
WE WILL LINE WITH THIS FINAL
TRANSPORTATION LEVY PACKAGE? WE
KNOW THAT VOTERS ARE GOING TO
HAVE THE ULTIMATE SAY ON THIS
PROPOSAL. AND FINALLY I NOTE
THAT THIS COMMITTEE HELD A
PRIOR HEARING, PUBLIC HEARING
ON THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY
RENEWAL TWO WEEKS AGO ON MAY
21st. TWO NIGHT IS THE SECOND
HEARING. WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW
TO HAVE ONE. WE HAVE TWO, WITH
MANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO
INTERACT, ENGAGE, SHARE YOUR
FEEDBACK AND PERSPECTIVE.
EXCUSE ME. TODAY WE WILL HAVE A
SHORT PRESENTATION BY SDOT TO
GO THROUGH THE LEVY. WE'LL
MOVE ON IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT
TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WITH THAT,
THANK YOU ALL, AND I ALSO WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON AND
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAVE
JOINED. AND I BELIEVE
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE IS JOINING
ONLINE. SO THEY ARE HERE,
PRESENT, AND ACCOUNTED FOR.
THAT SAID, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO THE
RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 12788, THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON 2024
TRANSPORTATION LEVY
PUBLIC HEARING ON COUNCIL BILL
120788 RELATING TO A PROPOSED
BALLOT MEASURE TO RENEW THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY.
>> THANK YOU, PRESENTERS.
WELCOME. LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE
JOINED US AT THE TABLE HERE.
WELCOME AGAIN. PLEASE DO SHARE
YOUR PRESENTATION AND ONCE
READY, INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
AND BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> CHAIR, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS
FRANCISCA STEFAN. WE WILL KEEP
THIS SHORT. THERE'S A LOT OF
VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY PROPOSAL
AND ANY AMENDMENTS ONLINE. WE
WANT TO PROVIDE A BROAD
OVERVIEW SO FOLKS HAVE A SENSE
OF THE CONTOURS OF THIS AND WE
CAN GET ON TO HEARING FROM
EVERYBODY TODAY. SO, FOR THE
LAST 18 YEARS, SDOT VOTERS HAVE
SUPPORTED TRANSPORTATION LEVIES
THAT MAKE CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS
TO OUR NETWORK. THE LEVY
THAT'S EXPIRING AT THE END OF
THIS YEAR FUNDS APPROXIMATELY
30% OF THE WORK THAT SDOT DOES.
WE ARE FORTUNATE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS LEVY THAT
WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF AND UTILIZE NOT JUST DOZENS
OF COMMUNITY COMMENTS BUT
THOUSANDS. THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY COMMENTS
THAT CAME THROUGH THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION PLAN. THE TIMING
IS REALLY GREAT IN THAT WE JUST
HAVE WRAPPED UP AND THE COUNCIL
HAS ADOPTED THE TRANSPORTATION
PLAN, AND THIS LEVY BEGINS THE
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS AND THE
FUNDING TO SEE IT TO REALITY.
THAT WORK IS CONSIDERING THINGS
LIKE ASSET NEEDS, MOBILITY,
SAFETY, EQUITY, AND
SUSTAINABILITY, WAYS THAT WE
CAN HELP PEOPLE GET AROUND WITH
LESS EMISSIONS, MORE SAFETY,
AND THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE IS
THAT PEOPLE CAN GET WHERE THEY
NEED TO GO REGARDLESS OF RACE,
COLOR, INCOME, AND ABILITY.
WE'LL JUMP INTO GIVING A
LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF THE
PROPOSAL. IT IS AN EIGHT-YEAR,
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL IS AN
EIGHT-YEAR $1.45 BILLION LEVY
PROPOSAL. IT'S A PROPOSAL THAT
FUNDS CONNECTIVITY,
RELIABILITY, AND SAFETY. AS YOU
CAN SEE FROM THE MANY COLORS ON
THE CIRCLE, IT FUNDS MANY
DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS. IT
IS RESPONSIVE TO INFORMATION WE
LEARNED IN LOOKING AT ASSET
NEEDS. IT ALSO IS RESPONSIVE TO
PRIORITIES WE HEARD FROM THE
COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS
ALONG AN OUTREACH PROCESS. WE
TRIED TO HAVE A REALLY BROAD
CONTEXTUAL VIEW, PEOPLE WHO
WANTED MANY DIFFERENT WAYS OF
THIS STRUCTURE, WANTED SMALLER
LEVIES, LARGER LEVIES,
DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEVIES. AND
WE REALLY WORKED TO CREATE A
BALANCED PROPOSAL FOR
CONSIDERATION. CURRENTLY,
SOMEONE WHO OWNS A HOME IN
SEATTLE OF MEDIAN VALUE WOULD
COST THAT HOMEOWNER $16 MORE
THAT MONTH THAN TODAY. WE KEPT
AN EYE ON AFFORDABILITY. WE
WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
COULD AFFORD TO PAY THIS. IT
WOULD BRING THEM BENEFIT BUT
IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THEY COULD
AFFORD. ONE KEY PIECE OF THIS
IS THAT THIS WILL HELP US
LEVERAGE LOCAL FUNDS TOWARD
STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT
HELP US BRING MORE THINGS TO
BEAR IN OUR REGION AND KEEP OUR
CITY MOVING. I'LL JUMP INTO A
FEW HIGHLIGHTS. THIS PROPOSAL
DOUBLES THE FUNDING FOR VISION
ZERO ENABLING US TO SPREAD MORE
PROACTIVE COUNTER MEASURES THAT
WE KNOW WORK ACROSS THE CITY.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU
SEE NOW THROUGH OUR LEADING
PEDESTRIAN INTERVALS, OUR NO
TURN ON RED, AND MANY OTHER
MOVES WE CAN MAKE CITY WIDE
THAT KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. WE'RE
SURGING ON NEW SIDEWALK
CONSTRUCTION, DOUBLING THE PACE
OF OUR SIDEWALK SPENDING SO WE
CAN HELP CONNECT MORE PEOPLE
WALKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN
OUR COMMERCIAL AREAS. WE'VE
SELECTED 15 MAINTENANCE PAVING
PROJECTS WITH A CAREFUL
SELECTION PROCESS THAT
CONSIDERED DAILY TRAFFIC
VOLUMES, TRANSIT ACCESS,
FREIGHT, MULTI-MODAL
CONNECTIVITY, AND MANY FACTORS
IN SELECTING THOSE CORRIDORS.
WE ALSO HEARD FROM THE
COMMUNITY THAT CONNECTIONS TO
LINK LIGHT RAIL A ONCE IN A
GENERATION INVESTMENT IN OUR
COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO THEM, AND THEY WANT TO BE
ABLE TO GET TO IT. SO WE'VE
MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO
EMPHASIZE CONNECTIONS TO NEW
AND EXISTING LINK LIGHT RAIL
STATIONS, BOTH THE ONES THAT
ARE OPENING SOON, AND THE ONES
THAT WE EXPECT SORT OF NEAR THE
TAIL END OF THE LEVY. WE'VE
ALSO LOOKED AT OUR BIKE LANE
NETWORK AND LOOKED TO SEE AREAS
WHERE WE COULD EXPAND BIKE LANE
ACCESS TO AREAS OF OUR CITY,
WHICH ARE UNDERSERVED TODAY. AS
WELL AS LOOKING AT THE WAYS WE
CAN CLOSE THE GAPS IN OUR
EXISTING NETWORK AND HARDEN THE
EXISTING LANES WE HAVE SO THEY
PROVIDE GREATER LEVELS OF
SAFETY FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE
USING THEM. THE PROGRAM ALSO
LAUNCHES A PREVENTIVE BRIDGE
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. WE LEARNED
THAT WE COULD DO MORE TO INVEST
AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THE RIGHT
PLACE TO KEEP THOSE VERY, VERY
VALUABLE ASSETS GOING LONGER.
WE ALSO HEARD QUITE A BIT FROM
THE COMMUNITY ABOUT LIGHTING.
HARD TO IMAGINE AT THIS TIME OF
SUMMER, BUT DEEP IN THE DARK OF
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER IT'S AN
ISSUE PEOPLE FLAG CONSTANTLY
BECAUSE IT DOES KEEP THEM FROM
GET TOGETHER THE PLACES THEY
WANT TO GO IF THEY DON'T FEEL
LIKE THEY CAN SEE OR THEY
DON'T FEEL SAFE. WE HAVE MADE
AN INVESTMENT IN PEDESTRIAN
LIGHTING AS WELL AS WHAT HAS
BEEN CALLED IN THE STP THE
PEOPLE, STREETS, AND PUBLIC
SPACES. SPACES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMERCIAL
DISTRICTS TO MAKE THOSE
INVITING FOR PEOPLE AND PLACES
THAT FEEL WELCOMING. WE'VE
MADE AN INVESTMENT IN EV
CHARGERS AND TREE CANOPY IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY OF OUR
OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND WE'VE
ALSO MADE AN INVESTMENT IN SPOT
IMPROVEMENTS FOR FREIGHT TO
KEEP GOODS MOVING THROUGHOUT
THE CITY. SO IT'S A LOT OF
DIFFERENT PIECES, AND AGAIN AS
I SAID, THERE'S REALLY GREAT
VALUABLE, DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS
OF ALL THE DIFFERENT
COMMITMENTS AND THINGS ONLINE
THAT I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK
AT. WE REALLY WORK TO TRY TO
MAKE THIS A BALANCED PROPOSAL.
WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO A DEGREE OF
SPECIFICITY THAT'S GREATER
THAN WHAT IS IN THE MOVE
SEATTLE LEVY TODAY. WE'VE
IDENTIFIED PROGRAM BUDGETS,
SUB-PROGRAM BUDGETS, PROGRAM
COMMITMENTS, AND EVEN CANDIDATE
PROJECTS. AND YET WE DON'T
WANT TO TIE THE HANDS OF
ANYBODY, OF FUTURE LEADERS, AND
WE ALSO WANT TO MAINTAIN
FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND TO
COMMUNITY NEEDS SO THERE IS A
DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY AS WELL
SO WE CAN RESPOND TO THINGS AS
THEY EMERGE. I WILL SAY WE ARE
READY TO BUILD THIS LEVY. SDOT
HAS REALLY I THINK DEMONSTRATED
IN THE PAST FEW YEARS OUR
ABILITY TO UP THE PACE OF OUR
PROJECT DELIVERY PROCESS, AND
THIS LEVY IS AN INCREASE FROM
WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, BUT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS WELL WITHIN
THE ABILITY OF SDOT TO DELIVER.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
OUR CURRENT LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
THIS COUNCIL, AND IT'S
IMPORTANT TO US. IT PROPOSES WE
CONTINUE REGULAR REPORTING OF
THE PROGRESS ON THIS LEVY, THAT
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A LEVY
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, A SET OF
RESIDENTS WHO DEDICATE THEIR
TIME TO HELP OVERSEE THAT THE
SPENDING AND THE PROJECT
PROGRESS IS HAPPENING AS
PROMISED AND HELP GUIDE ANY
CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE
ALONG THE WAY. AND WE WILL
CONTINUOUSLY WORK TO IMPROVE
THE INFORMATION WE SHARE OUT.
WITH THAT, HOPEFULLY THAT WAS A
HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE
PUBLIC TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
FRANCISCA. BILL, REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THE
PROPOSAL HERE, THE ORIGINAL
PROPOSAL IN THIS ADDITIONAL
CONTEXT ON THE EXECUTIVE
PROPOSED LEVY. SO AS PRESIDING
OFFICER, I AM NOW OPENING THE
PUBLIC HEARING ON COUNCIL BILL
120788. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD
RELATE SOLELY TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA AND WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THIS SELECT
SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 30
REMOTE AND 35 IN PERSON.
>> ALL RIGHT. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE.
WE WILL START WITH THE
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. I
SUPPOSE ALTERNATE ON AN EVERY
10-PERSON BASIS. CLERK, WILL
YOU PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC
COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
>> YES. THE SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED ON IN THE ORDER SIGNED
UP. WE WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN
IN PERSON AND REMOTE SPEAKERS
IN GROUPS OF 10. SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A CHIME WHEN THEY HAVE 10
SECONDS LEFT OF THEIR ALLOTTED
TIME, AND WE ASK THAT YOU BEGIN
TO WRAP UP YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT
AT THE SOUND OF THE CHIME
WITHIN 10 SECONDS. AND REMOTE
SPEAKERS, WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN,
YOU'LL NEED TO PRESS SIX TO
UNMUTE YOUR PHONES. SO WE ARE
GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
IN-PERSON SPEAKER. FIRST
IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS ALEX
ZIMMERMAN WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED
BY ALLISON STEGEN. GO AHEAD,
ALEX.
>> FASCIST REPUBLIC. MY NAME
ALEX ZIMMERMAN. I LOVE SEATTLE.
I LIVE HERE FOR A YEAR. I
UNDERSTAND HOW STABLE, GOOD
PEOPLE. SO FOR ONE YEAR, ONE
MINUTE, EXACTLY. ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT. THEIR OPINION VERY
IMPORTANT . TRY TO UNDERSTAND
HOW MANY IDIOT IN THIS CITY. SO
FOR MANY YEARS, NOTHING GO
BETTER. NOTHING. NOTHING. AND I
AM TALKING ABOUT SEATTLE SPEND
$160 BILLION FOR NOTHING.
CLASSIC EXAMPLE. HOW MANY IDIOT
IN THIS CITY?
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ALLISON STEGEN FOLLOWED BY
DAN MCKISSON.
>> I'M WITH ILW LOCAL 19
SEATTLE. THANK YOU, CONS SACK
FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE
OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING. TRAFFIC
ISSUES AROUND OUR DOCKS AND
AREAS WITH FREIGHT, IT GETS SO
CONGESTED. I'M SUPPORTING THE
INCREASED, EXCUSE ME,
INCREASING THE FREIGHT ELEMENT
TO MOVE SEATTLE LEVY TO $25
MILLION. OUR PORT COMMUNITY AND
BEYOND WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT
FROM MUCH-NEEDED ATTENTION TO
OUR INDUSTRIAL ROADS. I HAVE A
SIX-MINUTE COMMUTE TO WORK, BUT
DAYS I DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER
TO THE CREWS AND WHEAT
TERMINALS, NEVER MORE THAN 10
MILES. THIS PAST YEAR IN THE
SPAN OF THREE MONTHS, I
SUFFERED THREE FLAT TIRES ON MY
COMMUTE. NOT GOOD, NOR SAFE.
SEATTLE'S STREET DESIGN ON
MAJOR TRUCK ROADS WILL NEED TO
ACCOMMODATE FREIGHT AND NEEDS
TO SAFELY INTERACT WITH
SIDEWALKS AND OTHER MODES OF
TRANSPORTATION. FIXES TO OUR
ROADS ARE NECESSARY SO
DOCKWORKERS CAN GET TO OUR
DIFFERENT JOBS, EXPEDITE THE
SEMI-TRUCKS, KEEP TRAFFIC
FLOWING, MOVE CARGO, AND HELP
ENSURE SEATTLE HAS BETTER.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS DAN MCKISSON. FOLLOWING DAN
IS ANDY GREGORY.
>> I'M DAN WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL WAREHOUSE UNION.
WASHINGTON AREA DISTRICT
COUNCIL. SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF
THE LEVY AND SEEKING INCREASED
FUNDING FOR THE FREIGHT ASPECT
OF IT. I'VE WORKED SINCE 86 AT
THE RAIL YARDS FIRST AND THE
DOCKS SINCE THEN. AND IT'S
CHANGED A LOT. AND AS WE, IT'S
CHANGED, WE NEED TO STAY UP ON
THE SAFETY. BY DOING THAT, YOU
HAVE TO HAVE FREIGHT BE ABLE TO
MOVE THROUGH THE INDUSTRIAL
AREAS WHERE THEY CAN MAKE TURNS
ON CORNERS AND NOT JUMP CURBS
AND KEEP IT SAFE. SO AS WE MOVE
FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS
AND SPEND THIS MONEY, WE NEED
TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE
ABILITY TO MOVE FREIGHT THROUGH
THERE. YOU LOOK AT MARTINEZ
WAY, THAT'S THREE LIGHTS
STRAIGHT DOWN 90. THAT'S HUGE
FOR OUR AG EXPORTERS HAVING
THAT CORRIDOR SAFE TO RUN TO
THE PORT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ANDY GREGORY. AND FOLLOWING
ANDY WILL BE VICKY CLARK. GO
AHEAD, ANDY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU,
CHAIR SAKA AND THE REST OF THE
COUNCIL FOR HAVING US HERE
TODAY. MY NAME IS ANDY GREGORY
AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE
PORT SEATTLE. THE WORKING WATER
FUND IS THE ECONOMIC BACKBONE
OF SEATTLE. INDUSTRY DEPENDS ON
THE FREIGHT NETWORK FOR THE
EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF GOODS.
FULL FUNDING OF THE FREIGHT
ELEMENT OF THIS PACKAGE WILL
ADDRESS THE NEED FOR FIXES.
PLEASE INCREASE THE PROGRAM BY
$25 MILLION AND WE APPRECIATE
THE $20 MILLION THAT'S IN THIS
AMENDMENT. FUNDS ARE USED TO
INVENTORY LOADING DOCKS, REMOVE
OLD RAIL LINES, REPAIR
SIDEWALKS, REPAVE AND REMAKE
STREET, AND FUND STUDIES. SO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT
TO FUNDING SDOT THROUGH THE
MOST PRACTICAL MEANS AND
LEVERAGING PARTNER
OPPORTUNITIES. LET'S WORK
TOGETHER TO IMPROVE SAFETY,
EQUITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY AND
FREIGHT MOBILITY TO SUPPORT
RESIDENTS, WORKERS, AND THE
ECONOMY. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT IS VICKY CLARK.
FOLLOWING VICKY WILL BE KATIE.
>> I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB. THANK YOU
TO SAKA AND COUNCIL OF YOUR
REVIEW OF THE PACKAGE. I WANT
TO TOUCH ON THREE THINGS.
FIRST, WE SUPPORT THE
ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR THE SAFE
ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM. AS A
MOM OF A KID STARTING TO BIKE
ON THE STREET, SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL ARE IMPORTANT. BUT
SCHOOLS ARE FAR FROM THE ONLY
TRIP OUR YOUTH TAKE. AS SUCH,
SECOND WE REQUEST THE COUNCIL
ADD AN ADDITIONAL $20 MILLION
TO THIS LEVY SPECIFIC TO
FILLING GAPS IN THE SEATTLE
BIKE NETWORK, ESPECIALLY SOUTH
SEATTLE. THIRD, PLEASE
REINSTATE THE CUT TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD FUNDING PROGRAM. I
WAS PART OF THE OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE. DURING THAT TIME, WE
OVERSAW THE SECOND CYCLE OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD STREET FUND.
BEYOND MERELY REACHING OUT TO
COMMUNITY, THE PROGRAM REACHED
IN. IT WORKED WITH COMMUNITY
GROUPS, OTHERWISE IT WOULD NOT
HAVE BEEN PART OF THE
CONVERSATION. THE PROGRAM
OPERATIONALIZES THE EQUITY
VALUES OF THE DEPARTMENT AND
THE CITY AT LARGE. PLEASE
REINSTATE THE FUNDS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS KATIE. FOLLOWING KATIE WILL
BE SCOTT. GO AHEAD, KATIE.
>> HELLO, CHAIR SAKA AND
COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
KATIE AND I'M A STEERING
COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR LODI FIVE
AND LODI FIVE NORTH SEATTLE. WE
ALONG WITH EFFORTS IN THE CID
AND SOUTH PARK REQUEST
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR
TRANSPORTATION FOR FREEWAY
MITIGATION IN THIS LEVY. IN THE
DISTRICT, A COMMUNITY-LED
EFFORT IS RAISING AWARENESS FOR
A HIGHWAY LID. THE RECENT
INCREASE IN DENSITY IN THE
U-DISTRICT AND SURROUNDING
NEIGHBORHOODS CALLS FOR
ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE AND
HOUSING. THERE ARE AT LEAST
SEVEN ACRES OF DEVELOPABLE LAND
AVAILABLE ON THE EAST SIDE OF
THE HIGHWAY THAT COULD BE
INCORPORATED WITH A LID ALONG
WITH HOUSING AND SAFE SPACES
FOR SIDEWALKS AND BICYCLES.
FUNDING FOR AN INITIAL
FEASIBILITY STUDY HERE WOULD
HELP US PREPARE FOR FUTURE
CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES. THE CITY SHOULD
ALIGN WITH THESE COMMUNITY
EFFORTS. THIS INCLUDES
EXPANDING THE PROPOSED 47th
STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE STUDY
SCOPE TO INCLUDE BENEFITS LIKE
HOUSING. I SUPPORT THIS LEVY,
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CREATE
ONE THAT BUILDS A MORE
CONNECTED AND SUSTAINABLE
SEATTLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS SCOTT. AND FOLLOWING SCOTT
WILL BE SHAWN MARYHOO.
>> CHAIR SAKA, MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL, MY NAME IS SCOTT, AND
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1.
WE NEED TO GO BIGGER AND BOLDER
WITH THIS LEVY. SCIENTIFIC
POLLING SHOWS PEOPLE WILL
SUPPORT A LARGER LEVY. I WOULD
VOTE FOR A $1.7 BILLION LEVY
THAT HAS FUNDING DEDICATED TO
PEOPLE WALKING, ROLLING,
BIKING, AND TAKING TRANSIT IN
SEATTLE AND FOR A LEVY THAT
INVESTS MORE IN UNDOING THE
HARMS CREATED BY OUR SYSTEMS.
FRIENDS OF I-5, CID, AND MANY
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN
REQUESTING AYEWAY MITIGATION
FUNDING IN THIS LEVY. THE
PROJECTS PROPOSED BY THIS GROUP
AND I HAVE THE LETTER HERE FOR
THE CLERK GET AT THE BASICS OF
URBAN QUALITY OF LIFE AND
UPLIFT PUBLIC SAFETY. THESE
PROJECTS CAN REDUCE AIR
POLLUTION, MAKE IT EASIER TO
WALK AND BIKE, INCREASE TREE
CANOPY, AND SPACE FOR PARKS,
HOUSING, AND JOBS. LET'S DO
THE RIGHT THING AND CREATE A
LEVY THAT BUILDS A MORE
CONNECTED AND SUSTAINABILITY
SEATTLE. PLEASE INCLUDE $40
MILLION IN THE LEVY.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS SHAWN MARYHOO. FOLLOWING
SHAWN WILL BE AARON MUCI E.
>> HEY. I'M SHAWN MARYHOO. I
LIVE IN GREEN LAKE, AND I USE
SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT ON
A DAILY BASIS. I WOULD VOTE FOR
A $1.7 BILLION THAT INVESTED
MORE THAN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL
IN SIDEWALK SAFETY AND
ACCESSIBILITY. AS SOMEONE WITH
A DISABILITY, THERE ARE AREAS
OF THE CITY I CAN'T SAFELY
LIVE DUE TO THE LACK OF
ACCESSIBLE AND SUFFICIENTLY
MAINTAINED SIDEWALKS AND SO
MANY OTHER AREAS WHERE I END UP
IN THE STREET JUST TO GET WHERE
I'M GOING. IF THE MORE WAS
INVESTED IN SIDEWALK SAFETY, IT
WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF US AND NOT
JUST PEDESTRIANS TOO. I HOPE WE
CAN SHOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH
DISABILITIES DESERVE THE SAME
SAFETY AND ARE VALUED MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY. ACCESSIBILITY
AND INCLUSION SHOULD BE AT THE
CORE OF ANYTHING WE DO. THANKS
FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS AARON MUCER. FOLLOWING AARON
WILL BE KIRK. GO AHEAD, ERIN.
>> MY NAME IS JENNY, A RESIDENT
OF SEATTLE, AND I'M HERE TO
EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR
INCREASED FUNDING FOR SIDEWALKS
AND FOR THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY
IN GENERAL. AS A PARENT AND
GUARDIAN OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED
YOUNG MAN, I KNOW HOW
CHALLENGING IT CAN BE TO
NAVIGATE THE WORLD. WITHOUT
SIDEWALKS, GETTING AROUND IS
INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY
FOR THOSE WHO ARE VISUALLY
IMPAIRED. IT LIMITS THEM IN
THEIR ABILITY TO LEAD
INDEPENDENT LIVES. OUR FAMILY
SUFFERS GAPS IN PEDESTRIAN CAN
LIMIT MY SON. WHEN MY SON WAS
ATTENDING, HE WANTED TO BE ABLE
TO TRAVEL THERE ON HIS OWN ON
THE BUS. AND WHILE HE COULD
MAKE IT AS FAR AS 95th AND LAKE
CITY WAY, THE GAP BETWEEN THE
BUS STOP AND RYDER MIGHT AS
WELL HAVE BEEN AN OCEAN ABYSS.
THERE WAS NO WAY TO NAVIGATE
THAT WITHOUT A SIGHTED PERSON.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT STORY A
LITTLE BIT. IT'S GOTTEN A LOT
OF PRESS COVERAGE. BUT THE
AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT IT
TOOK TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN WAS
INCREDIBLE.
>> THANK YOU. AND OUR LAST
IN-PERSON SPEAKER FOR THIS
GROUP IS KIRK.
>> PRESIDENT NELSON, CHAIR
SAKA, MEMBERS OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS KIRK.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
TRANSPORTATION CHOICES
COALITION. I WANT TO THANK THE
CHAIR FOR ENGAGING COMMUNITY
GROUPS AND COUNCIL CALLINGS. WE
COMMEND THE INCREASED
INVESTMENT IN SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL AND NEW SIDEWALKS. WE
SUPPORT THE NEW EMPHASIS ON
ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOOD
GOVERNANCE. TODAY, I WANT TO
LIFT UP THE IMPORTANCE OF
EQUITY IN THIS LEVY. IT'S
UNFORTUNATE THAT THE COUNCIL
DID NOT HEAR ABOUT SDOT'S
EQUITY WORK THIS MORNING. TAKE
THE TIME TO GET BRIEFED ON THIS
CRITICAL PROGRAM. AND FIRST, WE
WANT TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS
ABOUT THE CUT TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE SAFETY
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. IT
EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES TO
IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT ARE
MEANINGFUL TO THEM. WE SHARE
THE GOAL IN MAKING TRANSIT SAFE
AND WELCOMING. THANK YOU FOR
THE ROBUST DISCUSSION THIS
MORNING ON THIS TOPIC. WE WANT
TO SEE THE TRANSIT FUNDING
INVESTED STRATEGICALLY. ANY
WORK TO INCREASE MUST BE
COORDINATED.
>> THANK YOU. WHEN I CALLED
NUMBER NINE, AARON, AARON
MUCIE, I BELIEVE SOMEONE WITH
THE NAME OF JENNY GOT UP AND
SPOKE. IS AARON HERE, NUMBER
NINE? OKAY. THEN WE'RE GOING
TO MOVE ON TO OUR REMOTES AND
WE'LL COME BACK AND KEEP IT IN
THE SAME ORDER.
>> SOUNDS GOOD.
>> OUR FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS
ROBIN BRIGGS. FOLLOWING THAT
WILL BE IRIS. WHEN YOU HEAR THE
MESSAGE YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED,
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 JUST ONCE,
AND YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO
GIVE YOUR COMMENTS. GO AHEAD,
ROBIN BRIGGS.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> HI. MY NAME IS ROBIN. THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY CAN ADDRESS
TWO VERY BIG PROBLEMS WE FACE.
THE FIRST IS TRAFFIC SAFETY.
SIX PEOPLE DIED IN THE LAST
WEEK IN TRAFFIC VIOLENCE. THESE
DEATHS ARE NOT INEVITABLE. THEY
ARE THE INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE
OF OUR LACK OF COMMITMENT AND
FUNDING TO SOLVING THEM. THE
SECOND POINT IS THAT OVER 60%
OF OUR EMISSIONS IN SEATTLE
COME FROM TRANSPORTATION. ANY
MEANINGFUL ATTEMPT REQUIRES US
TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE
EMISSIONS. EACH OF US MAKING
DIFFERENT CHOICES ABOUT HOW TO
GET AROUND. WE COULD TAKE
TRANSIT, WALK, OR BIKE INSTEAD
OF DRIVING. IF ENOUGH OF US
WERE TO DO THAT, IT WOULD
DRAMATICALLY REDUCE OUR
EMISSIONS. MOST PEOPLE IN
SEATTLE ARE WILLING TO CHANGE.
THESE OTHER MODES OF
TRANSPORTATION HAVE TO BE FAST,
CONVENIENT, AND SAFE. I SHOULD
NOT HAVE TO TAKE MY LIFE INTO
MY HANDS WHEN I CROSS THE
STREET OR BIKE TO THE GROCERY
STORE. SO WE NEED A
TRANSPORTATION LEVY THAT MAKES
ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVING SAFE,
RELIABLE, AND CONVENIENT. THAT
IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO YOU
TO DO. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS IRIS
ATMAN. FOLLOWING IRIS WILL BE
DAN GADGET .
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
IRIS ATMAN. I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT THE CLIMATE AND THE FACT
THAT SEATTLE IS NOT ON TRACK TO
MEET OUR GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET. AS
WE KNOW, TRANSPORTATION IS THE
BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN
SEATTLE. I GET AROUND AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE USING BUSES AND
LIGHT RAIL. A LEVY NEEDS TO
PRIORITIZE WALKING, BIKING,
TRANSIT, AND SAFETY FOR THESE
MODES OF TRAVEL. WE NEED TO
MAKE IT POSSIBLE AND PREFERABLE
FOR PEOPLE TO DECREASE RELIANCE
ON CARS, ESPECIALLY INTERNAL
COMBUSTION ENGINE CARS. THANK
YOU FOR RISING UP TO
RESPONSIBLY ADDRESS THE
CHALLENGES RIGHT IN FRONT OF
US. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS DAN GADGET. AND FOLLOWING
DAN WILL BE BEN NEEMAN. GO
AHEAD, DAN. DAN, YOU MAY NEED
TO PRESS STAR 6. THERE YOU GO.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PERSON SAKA AND MEMBERS
OF THE COUNCIL. I AM PAST
PRESIDENT OF THE WASHINGTON
TRUCKING ASSOCIATION AND FORMER
CHAIR OF THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON FREIGHT MOBILITY
BOARD. I AM HERE TESTIFYING IN
SUPPORT OF THE TRANSPORTATION
LEVY. THERE HAS BEEN AN UNDER
INVESTMENT OF BASIC ROAD
MAINTENANCE AND PRESERVATION
FOR YEARS. WE ONLY FEED TO LOOK
AT THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
FERRY SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT YEARS
OF NEGLECT CAN DO TO A
ONCE-ROBUST FERRY SYSTEM. OR
LOOK AT THE ADVERSE IMPACT WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE HAD ON OUR
ECONOMY AND OUR ABILITY TO MOVE
PEOPLE AND FREIGHT. PLEASE DO
NOT NEGLECT SEATTLE'S ROADS AND
BRIDGES. FUNDING FOR ASSET
MAINTENANCE DOES NOT COME CLOSE
TO AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE. THE SDOT'S
ASSET STATUS CONDITION REPORT
DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF
HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR MORE
FUNDING, ESPECIALLY AERIAL
PAVING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND LET'S GET THIS DONE.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS BEN NEEMAN. FOLLOWING BEN IS
MICHAEL RUBY. GO AHEAD, BEN.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS BEN
NEEMAN. I AM A SOUTH SEATTLE
AND DISTRICT 2 RESIDENT. I'M
SPEAKING TODAY TO IMPLORE THE
COUNCIL TO GO BIGGER ON THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY. THE
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR
SIDEWALKS AND SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL ARE SORELY NEEDED. THIS
LEVY IS LACKING IN FUNDING AND
VISION FOR FIXING OUR MOST
DANGEROUS ROADS. THIS COMES ON
THE HEELS OF TWO OF THE MOST
DEADLY WEEKS IN SEATTLE IN
RECENT HISTORY. PLEASE GO
BIGGER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS MICHAEL RUBY. AND FOLLOWING
MICHAEL WILL BE ANN KNIGHT. GO
AHEAD, MICHAEL.
>> MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I AM
MICHAEL RUBY. I LIVE IN
WALLINGFORD. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE
PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION LEVY. I
VIEW ITS APPROVAL, THE
ORIENTATION OF THIS LEVY TOWARD
FIXING THINGS. THE FOCUS ON
MAINTAINING OUR BRIDGES AND
ROADWAYS BEFORE WE SPEND MONEY
ON SHINY NEW THINGS IS A
WELCOME CHANGE. IN ADDITION, WE
NEED TO FIX SOME OF THE
MISTAKES OF THE PAST. WE NEED
TO REPAIR THE TEARS IN THE
FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED BY THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE FREEWAYS.
WALLINGFORD AND THE UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT LOST THE HISTORIC
NEIGHBORHOOD THEY SHARED THAT
WAS CALLED LATONA. I SUPPORT
THE PROPOSALS TO INCLUDE IN THE
LEVY FUNDS FOR PLANNING THE
EFFORTS TO REPAIR THIS DAMAGE
THROUGH LIDS OVER I-5.
FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND
PRELIMINARY PLANS MUST BE DONE
TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS ELIGIBLE
FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HAVE
BEEN INCLUDED IN RECENT
APPROPRIATIONS. I SUPPORT THE
REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL $40
MILLION IN THIS LEVY DESCRIBED
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON BY KATIE
AND SCOTT.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR
NEXT SPEAKER IS ANN KNIGHT. AND
FOLLOWING ANN WILL BE BRITNEY
FISHER. GO AHEAD, ANN.
>> MY NAME IS ANN KNIGHT. I
SPOKE THIS MORNING ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING
ADEQUATE FUNDING. WE CAN'T
WAIT ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS. WE
NEED TO DOUBLE THE BUDGET AND
MAKE ANY HEADWAY AGAINST THE
LOSSES FROM CLIMATE CHANGE AND
REDUCTION OF HEAT ISLANDS. WHAT
I LEARNED THIS MORNING WAS THE
PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
TASK FORCE MAKES NO MENTION OF
STREET TREES, A CRITICAL PART
OF HAVING OUR TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM PROVIDE A HEALTHY AND
LIVABLE CITY. I WANT TO URGE
THE COUNCIL TO ENSURE STREET
TREES ARE PART OF THE
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TASK
FORCE DISCUSSION SO WE CAN MAKE
USE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY TO
PROVIDE OUR NEEDED CANOPY
COVER. THE CITY NEEDS TO
PARTNER WITH HOMEOWNERS AND
OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS TO ENSURE
THE LONGEVITY AND CARE. POLICY
ON STREET TREE OWNERSHIP NEEDS
TO BE EXPLORED AND HOW THE CITY
WILL HAVE ONGOING FUNDING TO BE
A GOOD PARTNER. OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE NEED REPRESENTATION
FROM THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION.
>> THANK YOU, ANN. YOUR TIME IS
EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL
BE BRITNEY FISHER. AND
FOLLOWING BRITNEY WILL BE TYLER
BLACKWELL. GO AHEAD, BRITNEY.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS BRITNEY
FISHER, A SOUTH SEATTLE
RESIDENT WHO PRIMARILY BIKES,
WALKS, AND TAKES PUBLIC TRANSIT
TO GET AROUND. I WANTED TO ADD
MY VOICE TO SUPPORT A LARGER
LEVY WITH INCREASED INVESTMENT
IN SIDEWALKS. I'M LUCKY TO
HAVE A MOSTLY SAFE DAILY
CYCLING EXPERIENCE. AT TIMES
THERE'S A BIKE LANE THAT DUMPS
YOU OUT ON AN UNSAFE ROAD IN
SOUTH SEATTLE. SIDEWALKS
MYSTERIOUSLY END ON A WALK.
I'VE RECONSIDERED BIKE TRAVEL
PLANS BECAUSE I CAN'T FIGURE
OUT IF A ROAD ON MY ROUTE WILL
BE SAFE ENOUGH TO TRAVEL. I
SCRATCH MY HEAD. WE'VE
PRIORITIZED MOVING CARS THROUGH
A SPACE OVER OUR OWN SAFETY.
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT IN BIKE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC
STREETS AND PEDESTRIAN PROGRAMS
WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE AND
CONTINUE TO MAKE SEATTLE A CITY
I'M PROUD TO CALL MY HOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS TYLER BLACKWELL. AND
FOLLOWING TYLER WILL BE OUR
LAST REMOTE SPEAKER FOR THIS
GROUP OF ELIZABETH HEATH. GO
AHEAD, TYLER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
TYLER BLACKWELL. I AM THE
TRANSPORTATION PLANNER FOR THE
SOTO BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
WHILE PLEASED WITH MANY ASPECTS
OF THE LEVY PACKAGE, I'M HERE
TO MAKE TWO ADDITIONAL
RECOMMENDATIONS. ONE, INCREASE
THE FUNDING FOR FREIGHTS AND
GOODS MOVEMENT BY AN ADDITIONAL
$25 MILLION. AND TWO, INVEST IN
IMPROVEMENTS TO SOTO SPECIFIC
TRANSIT SERVICE. THE $25
MILLION INCREASE COULD BE USED
FOR PROGRAMS SUCH AS DEVELOPING
A PROPER FREIGHT AND DESIGN
PLANNING TEAM, IMPLEMENTING
VISION ZERO, AND PAVING FIRST
AND LAST MILE FREIGHT
CONNECTIONS. INCREASE TRANSIT
SERVICE WITHIN SOTO, WITH
INCREASED TRANSIT SERVICE, WE
CAN REDUCE SINGLE OCCUPANCY
VEHICLE RATES AND REDUCE COSTS
FOR WORKERS. SOTO AND ITS 10s
OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS ARE
VITAL TO OUR CITY'S HEALTH.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR LAST REMOTE
SPEAKER FOR THIS GROUP IS
ELIZABETH HEATH. GO AHEAD,
ELIZABETH.
ELIZABETH, ARE YOU THERE?
ELIZABETH, ARE YOU THERE? SHE
DID STAR 6. SHE'S UNMUTED.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO
OUR NEXT. NOPE. SHE JUST MUTED.
GO AHEAD, ELIZABETH. OKAY. WE
WILL COME BACK TO ELIZABETH.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE BACK INTO
OUR IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. OUR
FIRST TWO SPEAKERS WILL BE
CARLO ALCANTARA FOLLOWED BY
ERIN GANNO N.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS CARLO.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE
AURORA REIMAGINED COALITION. IN
THE LAST 10 DAYS, WE'VE HAD
SEVEN DEATHS OF INDIVIDUALS AS
A RESULT OF VEHICULAR VIOLENCE.
THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE KILLED
GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES,
JUST ATTEMPTING TO MOVE ABOUT
THE CITY. AS COUNSELOR SAKA
STATED, WE HAVE ONE TRANSIT
NETWORK, AND WE NEED TO TREAT
IT AS SUCH. THEREFORE, WE MUST
CLOSE THE GAP THAT HAS BEEN
CAUSED BY DECADES OF
INEQUITABLE INVESTMENTS
PRIORITIZING PRIVATE VEHICLES
WHILE NEGLECTING TO BUILD AND
CONNECT OUR SIDEWALKS,
DEDICATED PUBLIC TRANSIT
INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE EIGHT
BRIDGES DEDICATED TO CARS
CROSSING ACROSS THE LAKE
WASHINGTON SHIP CANAL AND TWO
MAJOR HIGHWAYS IN THE FORM OF
STATE ROUTE 99 AND AURORA
AVENUE THAT CUT THRATE WE'RE GO
AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR
FAILURES OF THE PAST TO
PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE
MOVING THROUGH THE CITY. WE'RE
ASKING THE COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR
NEXT SPEAKER IS AARON GANNON.
FOLLOWING AARON WILL BE NELSON
GOMEZ.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR HEARING
MY COMMENTS. MY NAME IS AARON
GANNON. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT A
LARGER LEVY WITH MORE FUNDS AND
CONNECTING THE BIKE NETWORK. MY
FAMILY HAS A CAR LIGHT
LIFESTYLE. I USE MY BIKE AS A
SECOND CAR FOR OUR FAMILY. I
BIKE UP THE FOURTH AVENUE BIKE
LANE HERE, WHICH IS A GREAT
ASSET IMPROVEMENT TO THE BIKE
NETWORK. I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE
OF THAT. MY DAUGHTER USES 128
BUS TO GET TO WEST SEATTLE HIGH
SCHOOL AND SOUTH SEATTLE
COLLEGE INSTEAD OF USING A CAR
LIKE SOME OF HER PEERS. MY WIFE
DRIVES TO HER JOB, WHICH IN
LIEU OF TAKING THE BUS WHICH
WOULD TAKE 90 MINUTES. DRIVING
TAKES 20 MINUTES. THERE'S NO
RELIABLE BIKE NETWORK TO GET
HER TO HER CLASSES WHERE SHE
WOULD FEEL SAFE. YOU COULD GET
HER CAR OFF THE ROAD AND I
WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE LIKE US
ARE OUT THERE WAITING FOR THESE
CONNECTIONS TO BE MADE AND
IMPROVED FOR MORE FREQUENT
TRANSIT. THANK YOU FOR HEARING
ME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS NELSON GOMEZ. FOLLOWING
NELSON WILL BE BRITNEY BROST.
>> GOOD EVENING, CHAIR SAKA,
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M
HERE NOT ONLY AS A VOTER, AS A
RESIDENT OF LOWER QUEEN ANN,
BUT I'M ALSO HERE AS A
HOMEOWNER WHO WOULD BE PAYING
FOR THIS LEVY, AND I DO SUPPORT
INCREASING THE FUNDING FOR THE
LEVY TO A LEVEL AROUND $1.7
BILLION. AS SOMEONE WHO
PRIMARILY WALKS AND TALKS
TRANSIT, WHILE I AM HEARTENED
BY THE AMENDMENTS TO INCREASE
SIDEWALK FUNDING AND TRANSIT
PROJECTS, I DO THINK THERE IS A
LOT MORE THAT CAN BE DONE. WITH
VISION ZERO COMING UP IN 2030,
WE ONLY HAVE SIX YEARS TO FUND
ALL OF THE PROJECTS NEEDED TO
REDUCE PEDESTRIAN DEATHS. THERE
ARE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN
UPPER QUEEN ANN THAT STILL NEED
A LOT OF SIDEWALKS. THERE'S A
LOT MORE WE COULD DO TO BOOST
FUNDING THERE. AND ALSO,
LASTLY, DENNY WAY IS A LARGE
CHOKE HOLD FOR THE EIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF RELIABILITY
IMPROVEMENTS WE COULD DO THERE.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS BRITNEY FOLLOWED BY ANNA
ZWARTZ. GO AHEAD, BRITNEY.
>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS BRITNEY. I LIVE IN
DISTRICT 7. AND THIS LIMITS ME
WHAT I CAN DO IN YOUR CITY
BECAUSE WE ARE A CAR CITY.
IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. THE CAR
CITIES ARE ALL OVER THE UNITED
STATES. BUT WE CAN THINK AND WE
CAN CHANGE THIS WITH THIS
TRANSPORTATION LEVY BY GOING
BIGGER. WE CAN COMPLETE
SIDEWALKS INSTEAD OF 400 YEARS,
WE CAN DO IT IN A TIMELY
MATTER. 72 HOURS FOR POTHOLE
KING OR WE CAN FOCUS ON MAKING
THIS CITY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO
EVERYONE THAT LIVES HERE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NO
VISION FOR VISION ZERO BECAUSE
THIS CITY IS A CITY FOR CARS.
THIS CITY IS FOCUSED ABOUT HOW
WE GET PEOPLE MOVING IN CARS. I
MAKE ALL MY DECISIONS WHEN I
TRAVEL. IS THIS ROUTE GOING TO
BE SAFE FOR ME TO BE ON? I LIVE
DOWNTOWN. I LIVE IN A
HIGH-INJURY NETWORK. AM I GOING
TO BE SAFE WHEN I'M WALKING?
AM I GOING TO BE MAKING THE
BUS? IS IT A RELIABLE BUS? IS
IT GOING TO BE FULL? I HAVE TO
MAKE THESE DECISIONS DAILY
BECAUSE I CAN'T DRIVE. UNLIKE
MOST PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL WHO
CAN GET IN THEIR CAR AND GET
FROM POINT A TO POINT B IN A
TIMELY MANNER.
>> THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW ON
SPEAKER 15, ANNA. FOLLOWED BY
16 SHAMUS ENGLAND. GO AHEAD,
ANNA.
>> I'M SPEAKING IN PLACE OF
ANNA. SHE HAD TO LEAVE.
APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION. I
AM AARON MUSSER. I LIVE IN
RAINIER VALLEY. I STILL AM
OBSESSED WITH SIDEWALK REPAIRS.
I AM HEARTENED BY A LOT OF THE
DISCUSSION I'VE HEARD TODAY. I
REALLY APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER, EXCUSE ME, I'M
SO SORRY, ALL OF YOU. I KNOW
YOU'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT THE
SIDEWALKS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU
ALL REMEMBER THE THING I SAID
THIS MORNING. WHEN I GO OVER A
SPEED BUMP ON A SIDEWALK, MY
LEGS WILL FLIP UP, POP OUT LIKE
TWO BY FOURS. IT LOOKS FUNNY,
AND I CAN'T GET THEM BACK. SO
LET'S TRULY TRY TO GET THOSE
FIXED. I'D REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT. INDEPENDENCE FOR ME. IT
TAKES THAT INDEPENDENCE AWAY,
AND I HAVE TO RELY ON OTHER
PEOPLE TO HELP ME GET MY FEET
BACK ON MY PADS TO GET ON THE
TRAIN. THAT'S NOT GOOD. I
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT
YOU'RE DOING.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS SHAMUS ENGLAND. FOLLOWING
SHAMUS WILL BE SAPPHIRE GUTH.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I AM AN UNION MEMBER.
I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR
THESE FORWARD-THINKING
ADDITIONS BUT FOR THE
ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION FOR
VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS. THAT
WILL HELP PUT MYSELF AND MY
UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND
SIBLING BACK TO WORK. IT WILL
ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE ON A
DAILY BASIS. WITH THE NEW RULE
FOR ZERO EMISSIONS AND LOW
VEHICLE EMISSION STANDARDS
TAKING EFFECT THIS YEAR, MAKING
SURE THE CITY HAS ADEQUATE
CHARGING STATIONS TO SUPPORT
THE PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE TO
COMMUTE INTO THE CITY EVERY DAY
FOR WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAPPHIRE
GUTH FOLLOWED BY MARKY DAVIS.
>> THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS
SAPPHIRE GUTH. I COME BEFORE
YOU IN SUPPORT OF USING SOME OF
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION LEVY TO
HIRE LOCAL UNION MEMBERS TO
INSTALL THE VITAL EV CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS AIR
POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
MY MOTHER GOT ME INTERESTED IN
EV AND ONE OF THE REASONS I OWN
ONE NOW. SHE INSTALLED THE EV
CHARGER FOR MY CAR. AS AN EV
OWNER, I HAVE CONVERSATIONS
WITH GAS DRIVERS WHO ARE
INTERESTED IN GOING ELECTRIC.
ONE OF THEIR MAIN REASONS NOT
TO IS LACK OF RANGE AND LESS
PLACES TO CHARGE. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. ONE DAY LONGER, ONE
DAY STRONGER.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARY
DAVIS. FOLLOWING MARY WILL BE
ZACHARY SCHNEIDER.
>> IT'S MARK DAVIS. I'M HERE
ON BEHALF OF LOCAL 46 IVEW. I
WOULD LIKE TO, WE APPRECIATE
YOUR SUPPORT ON THE LEVY. WE'VE
ALSO SUPPORTED AND WORKED HARD
ON THE LEVY, AND WE SUPPORT THE
AMENDMENT. WE SPECIFICALLY
SUPPORT THE FUNDS GIVEN TO THE
EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND
THE CHARGING STATIONS. WE'D
ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THAT
THIS WORK IS DONE BY UNION
ELECTRICIANS MAKING A LIVING
WATHE
COMMENTS ON THE SIDEWALKS AND
SEEING THE NEED, I'D LIKE TO
DOUBLE DOWN MY SUPPORT ON THE
SIDEWALKS. THANK YOU FOR ALL
YOUR WORK ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU, MARK. OUR NEXT
SPEAKER IS ZACHARY SCHNEIDER.
AND FOLLOWING ZACHARY WILL BE
OUR LAST IN-PERSON SPEAKER FOR
THIS GROUP, BILL RUDD. GO
AHEAD, ZACHARY.
>> GOOD EVENING. SO WE LIVE IN
A PLACE OF A LOT OF GROWING
PAINS. WE'VE ALL SEEN OVER THE
YEAR AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND
THE COUNCIL HERE THIS EVENING
THAT AS WE FACILITATE ALL THESE
BEAUTIFUL NEW GREEN THINGS IN
TRANSPORTATION THAT WE CAN
STILL HAVE EV CHARGING FOR OUR
VEHICLES WHILE WE DO THAT, AND
IT WOULD, I BELIEVE, EASE THOSE
PAINS AS WE DO THIS GREAT
TRANSITION TOWARD OUR 2035 DATE
OF ZERO INTERNAL COMBUSTION
ENGINE CARS SOLD. AND IF YOU
LISTEN TO SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT IVW LOCAL 77 HAS
RECOMMENDED TO SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT, I THINK IT WOULD GREATLY
FACILITATE THOSE THINGS FOR OUR
GRID. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER
FOR THIS GROUP IS NUMBER 20,
AND I BELIEVE IT'S BILL RUDD?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL. HOW
ABOUT THAT CRAZY WEATHER?
ALMOST TOO CRAZY. BUT WORTH
BRAVING IT TO BE OUT HERE
TODAY. MY STORY IS, UH,
PERSONAL, ANECDOTAL, SO THANK
YOU, AND IT'S IN SUPPORT OF
THIS LEVY. SO I USED TO BE
HOMELESS. WE WERE HOMELESS AT
THE TIME. THEN SOMETHING
CHANGED. I GOT A UNION JOB AS
AN ELECTRICIAN, AND THAT
CHANGED EVERYTHING. THAT
CHANGED EVERYTHING. I OWN A
HOUSE NOW. I PAY TAXES, AND
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE MY LIFE BE A
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACE.
WHEN I SEE $10 MILLION HERE,
$10 MILLION THERE TOWARD
ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
UPGRADES, I DON'T JUST SEE A
SOLUTION FOR GLOBAL WARMING, I
SEE CHANGING. THANK YOU.
>> YOU HAVE 10 MORE SECONDS IF
YOU'D LIKE TO FINISH.
>> BECAUSE BEING AN ELECTRICIAN
IS A REAL CHANCE JOB. IT'S A
REAL THING, AND THERE'S A WOMAN
OUT THERE, THERE'S A YOUNG MAN
OUT THERE BORN ON THE WRONG
SIDE OF THE TRACK, AND THEY'LL
BE ONES INSTALLING THOSE EV
CHARGERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW MOVING
INTO THE NEXT GROUP OF REMOTE
SPEAKERS, NUMBER 10-20. OUR
FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER, AGAIN,
WILL BE ELIZABETH HEATH. IT
LOOKS LIKE YOU NEED TO PRESS
STAR 6 ONCE. AND FOLLOWING
ELIZABETH WILL BE MEGHAN CRUZ.
GO AHEAD, ELIZABETH . OKAY.
I'M SORRY. FOR SOME REASON,
WE'RE NOT GETTING HER AUDIO
TONIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE
ON TO MEGHAN CRUZ. FOLLOWING
MEGHAN WILL BE ZOE STEVENSON.
GO AHEAD, MEGHAN.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M MEGHAN
CRUZ SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE
AMENDED LEVY PROPOSAL AND
SPECIFICALLY INCREASING THE
FUNDING FOR FREIGHT. MANY OF US
DON'T REALIZE THAT FREIGHT IS
THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION MODE
USED BY ALL SEATTLITES. AS
SEATTLE INCREASES THE DENSITY
IN ITS NEIGHBORHOODS, WE MUST
BE SURE OUR ROADS ARE IN REPAIR
AND DESIGNED TO HANDLE TRUCK
TURNS AND MA NUEVERS. THIS WILL
TAKE ADEQUATE FUNDING AND
COORDINATED LAND USE
LEGISLATION. THIS AMENDED LEVY
BUDGET IS A FIRST STEP TOWARD
THIS GOAL. THANK YOU TO THE
CHAIR FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ZOE STEVENSON. FOLLOWING ZOE
WILL BE LISA. GO AHEAD, ZOE.
>> MY NAME IS ZOE STEVENSON AND
I LIVE IN MT. BAKER, RAINIER
VALLEY. I AM A VOTER AND I
WOULD VOTE FOR $1.7 OR A $1.8
OR A $1.9 BILLION LEVY THAT
INVESTS MORE IN SIDEWALKS AND
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. I'M CALLING
TODAY ON BEHALF OF MY
NEIGHBORHOOD TO ASK FOR AN
AMENDMENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION
LEVY TO SPECIFICALLY FUND
SIDEWALKS ON MY STREET, 37th
AVENUE SOUTH. BECAUSE IF THE
PRIMARY CONNECTOR FOR CHILDREN,
ELDERLY FOLKS, AND PEDESTRIANS
IN GENERAL TO THE GROCERY
STORE, PARKS, AND TRANSIT.
TRAGICALLY, IT'S THE GO-TO
STREET FOR SPEEDING DRIVERS IN
OUR AREA. I WATCH OUT MY WINDOW
AS CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FIVE
WHO ARE USING THE ROUTE THEY'RE
SUPPOSED TO USE MUST WALK IN
THE STREET WITH CARS AND TRUCKS
TO GET TO JOHN MERE ELEMENTARY
AND FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL. THESE
KIDS DESERVE THE SAME SAFETY AS
THEIR WEALTHIER PEERS HAVE IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. PLEASE
FUND SIDEWALKS ON 37th AVENUE
SOUTH. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LISA.
FOLLOWING LISA WILL BE DUSTIN
BRANUM.
>> HI. HI THERE. I'M LISA. I
LIVE IN GREENWOOD, AND I'M ON
THE STEERING COMMITTEE THE
AURORA COMMISSION,
ARC, WORKING TO CREATE
TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE. I
PRIMARILY WALK, BIKE, USE
TRANSIT, AND I AND EVERYONE I
KNOW WOULD VOTE FOR A LARGER
LEVY THAT DEDICATES 50% OF
FUNDING TO WALKING, ROLLING,
BIKING, TAKING TRANSIT, AND
INVESTS MORE IN SAFETY AND
SIDEWALKS. WE'VE BEEN IN
CRISIS FOR A WHILE. MY OWN
PERSONAL STORY, I WAS HIT BY A
SPEEDING CAR WHILE BIKING NEAR
GREEN LAKE LAST SUMMER. I WAS
LUCKY. I WASN'T BADLY INJURED.
OTHERS HAVEN'T BEEN AS LUCKY.
WE REMEMBERED 240 FOLKS WHO
DIED ON SEATTLE STREETS SINCE
VISION ZERO'S INCEPTION
INCLUDING RODRIGUEZ WHO WAS
DRAGGED UNDER A VAN NEAR AURORA
AND 85th. THIS WEEK'S
STAGGERING DEATHS REINFORCE
WHAT WE'VE SADLY COME TO
EXPECT.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS DUSTIN BRANUM. FOLLOWING
DUSTIN CHARLES. GO AHEAD,
DUSTIN.
>> HI. MY NAME IS DUSTIN
BRANUM. I LIVE IN BALLARD AND I
DON'T DRIVE IN THE CITY. I GET
AROUND BY FOOT, BIKE, AND
TRANSIT. I'M A VOTER, AND I
WOULD VOTE FOR A $1.7 BILLION
LEVY THAT IMVESTS IN BETTER
TRANSIT AND SIDEWALKS. WE NEED
A LARGER LEVY THAT DEDICATES
50% OF FUNDING TO INCREASED
WALKING, ROLLING, BIKING,
TAKING TRANSIT. SEVEN PEOPLE
HAVE DIED ON SEATTLE STREETS IN
THE LAST TWO WEEKS. SAFE BIKE
ROUTES ARE CRITICAL IN MAKING
OUR STREETS SAFER AND
PREVENTING THESE DEATHS AND
SERIOUS INJURIES. PROTECTED
BIKE LANES MAKE IT SAFER FOR
PEOPLE ALREADY BIKING, AND
PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO
CHOOSE TO BIKE WHEN A
COMPREHENSIVE AND CONNECTED
NETWORK OF PROTECTED BIKE
ROUTES EXIST. STREETS WITH
PROTECTED BIKE LANES ARE SAFER
FOR PEOPLE ON BIKES, WALKING,
ROLLING, AND DRIVING. 50% OF
SEATTLE POPULATION WANTS TO
BIKE MORE. PRIORITIZING BIKING
AND OTHER NON-CAR MODES OF
TRANSPORT.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS CHARLES PRESTRUDE. FOLLOWING
CHARLES WILL BE SHERRY CALL. GO
AHEAD, CHARLES.
>> I'M CHARLES, A LIFE-LONG
SEATTLE RESIDENT. THE PROPOSED
LEVY DOESN'T SPEND NEARLY
ENOUGH ON STREET MAINTENANCE
AND PAVING. ACCORDING TO SDOT,
MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE
CITY'S STREETS ARE IN POOR OR
VERY POOR CONDITION. UNDER THIS
LEVY, WHICH WOULD ONLY REPAVE
ABOUT 2% OF THE CITY'S STREETS
EACH YEAR, DETERIORATION WOULD
CONTINUE. AT THE END OF THE
EIGHT YEARS, THE CITY STREETS
WILL BE IN EVEN WORSE CONDITION
UNDER THIS LEVY AND THE COST OF
EVENTUAL RECONSTRUCTION WILL BE
MUCH, MUCH HIGHER. THAT'S NOT
SUSTAINABLE OR SAFE OR GOOD
PLANNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS SHERRY CALL. AND FOLLOWING
SHERRY WILL BE REID HAMPTON. GO
AHEAD, SHERRY.
>> GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL
MEMBERS, MY NAME IS SHERRY
CALL. I REPRESENT MEMBERS OF
THE WASHINGTON TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION AND THE THOUSANDS
OF TRUCKS OPERATED BY THE
INDUSTRY IN WASHINGTON STATE.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PROVIDE COMMENTS TODAY ON
THE STP AND APPRECIATE THE WORK
OF COUNCIL ON TRANSPORTATION
FUNDING AND PLANNING FOR THE
FUTURE OF MOVEMENT, SAFETY, And
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN
SEATTLE. THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. GOOD ROADS
PROTECT ECONOMIC VITALITY,
COMMUNITY SAFETY, AND REDUCE
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
OVER80% OF COMMUNITIES IN
WASHINGTON RELY ON TRUCKING TO
DELIVER THEIR GOODS. THE
INDUSTRY KNOWS TOO WELL THE
RESULT OF FAILING ROADWAY
INFRASTRUCTURE. WE NEED TO
ENSURE WE DON'T FALL FURTHER
BEHIND ON FREIGHT NETWORK
FUNDING AND BASIC ROAD
MAINTENANCE. PLEASE ENSURE THE
FREIGHT NETWORK HAS FUNDING AND
FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS THE
OVERFLOWING NEEDS FOR SIMPLE
PAVEMENT REPAIRS. I APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS REID HAMPTON. FOLLOWING REID
WILL BE OUR LAST REMOTE SPEAKER
IN THIS GROUP, ALICE LOCKHART.
GO AHEAD, REID.
>> HI, COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY. MY NAME
IS REID HAMPTON AND I'M A
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 6. A
BIGGER, BOLDER LEVY IN WHICH
ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS AND
DELIVERABLES ARE FOCUSED ON
SAFETY. IN THE LAST 10 DAYS,
SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE DIED ON OUR
ROADWAYS. SEVEN PEOPLE. THIS IS
A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF PAST
DECISIONS PRIORITIZING THE
MOVEMENT OF PRIVATE VEHICLES AT
ALL COSTS. THIS COUNCIL NOT
ONLY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
UNDO THESE HARMS, BUT IT HAS A
RESPONSIBILITY TO DELIVER A
LEVY THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MEET
OUR 2030 VISION ZERO PROJECT.
CENTERED SAFETY AND MULTI-MODAL
IMMENTS FROM EXPANDING THE RATE
OF SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION,
CONCRETE GOALS FOR CONCRETE
PROTECTED BIKE LANE, AND
SPECIFIC TARGETS IMPROVING
TRAFFIC SAFETY IN ALL
NEIGHBORHOODS. FURTHER EXPAND
THIS LEVY TO THE $1.7 BILLION
VALUE AND TACKLE THE LARGEST
PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS IN OUR
CITY, OUR TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND PLEASE SUPPORT THE
LARGER LEVY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER
FOR THIS GROUP IS ALICE
LOCKHART. GO AHEAD, ALICE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
I'M ALICE LOCKHART WITH 350
SEATTLE AGAIN. THIS TIME ASKING
THAT YOU AMEND THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY SO THAT IT
SUPPORTS THE MAYOR'S CLIMATE
FRAMEWORK. GROUND
TRANSPORTATION MAKES UP 60 PER
ISN'T OF SEATTLE'S CLIMATE
EMISSIONS. THE CLIMATE
FRAMEWORK AIMS TO MORE THAN
DOUBLE THE PROPORTION OF TRIPS
THAT YOUTH TRANSIT BY 2030,
WHICH WOULD BE GREAT. BUT THE
LEVY CUTS TRANSIT FUNDING BY
16% RELATIVE TO MOVE SEATTLE.
WHAT THE HECK? COUNCIL, CAN YOU
FIX THIS? PLEASE AMEND. WE NEED
A LEVY THAT DEDICATES 50% OF
THE FUNDING TO INCREASING
WALKING, ROLLING, BIKING. AS SO
MANY SPEAKERS HAVE CORRECTLY
SAID. AND WE DON'T NEED ONE
THAT FOSTERS CLIMATE POLLUTION
BY INCREASING CAR.-FOCUSED
FUNDING BY 30%. COUNCIL, CAN
YOU FIX THIS ALSO? DEMANDS
INCLUDING A $1.7 BILLION LEVY
WITH 50% OF FUNDING FROM
MULTI-MODAL. WE SUPPORT LEVY
FUNDING SPENDING FOR.
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE
BACK INTO IN-PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTERS. AND WE ARE ON
NUMBER 21.
>> CLERK. CLERK, IF I MAY
PLEASE QUICKLY, I THINK I
MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, BUT
JUST FOR CRYSTAL CLARITY, WE
HAVE 100% ATTENDANCE IN THE
ROOM OR VIRTUALLY IN THE CASE
OF COUNCIL MEMBER MOORELY ALL
COUNCIL MEMBERS. COUNCIL,
PRESIDENT NELSON, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, AND COUNCILMEMBER WOO
MAYBE, COUNCILMEMBER WOO WAS
ALREADY HERE, BUT I WANT THE
RECORD TO REFLECT WE HAVE 100%
ATTENDANCE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. YES, WE DO.
MOVING BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT,
WE ARE ON IN-PERSON NUMBER 21
KEISHA JONES. FOLLOWING KEISH
WILL BE NUMBER 22 EMILY BILLOW.
GO AHEAD, KEISHA.
>> GOOD DAY, CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS KEISHA
JONES AND I REPRESENT SDOT
EQUITY GROUP. WE WORK CLOSELY
WITH SDOT TO INTEGRATE THE
FRAMEWORK IN COMMUNITY
PRIORITIES INTO THE 41 MILLION
NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATED SAFETY
PROGRAMS PART OF THE MAYOR'S
ORIGINAL PROPOSAL. I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE OUR STRONG SUPPORT OF
THE ORIGINAL INVESTMENT AS IT
IS CRUCIAL FOR COMMUNITY,
CO-CREATED SAFETY PROJECTS IN
THE CITY. DIVERTING $15.5
MILLION AWAY FROM THIS PROGRAM
MAKES IT MORE CHALLENGING TO
MEET COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE
DIVERTING THE DECISION-MAKING
PROCESSES AWAY FROM COMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE MOST BE HARMED IS NOT
EQUITY. THESE COMMITMENTS ARE
ALIGNED WITH OUR EQUITY VALUES
AND WILL LEAD TO BETTER HEALTH
AND LIFE OUTCOMES FOR ALL
SEATTLITES. WE WANT TO INVEST
IN PROJECTS DRIVEN BY
COMMUNITY, FOR COMMUNITY.
BROADER EQUITY EFFORTS TO
REALIZE OUR COLLECTIVE VISION
OF THE CITY THAT WORKS FOR
EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND SPACE.
>> NEXT IS EMILY. FOLLOWING
EMILY WILL BE PAUL LUKES.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS EMILY AND I LIVE IN
DISTRICT 3. A PROGRAM MANAGER
AT THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY,
AN AMBASSADOR FOR CASCADE BIKE
CLUB, AND FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
I'M AN AVID CYCLIST. IN FOUR
YEARS, I'VE HEARD COUNTLESS
TIMES FROM FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES,
AND FOLKS IN THE GREATER
BICYCLING COMMUNITY ABOUT
GETTING HIT BY CARS, BUSES,
FEELING UNSAFE, AND NOT GOING
ON A BIKE AGAIN. I PERSONALLY
USED TO LIVE IN COLUMBIA CITY
BUT MOVED TO CAPITOL HILL THIS
YEAR BECAUSE BIKE
INFRASTRUCTURE WAS SO POOR. I
ACCESS 27 LIBRARY BRANCHES
WHILE WORKING FOR THE CITY.
IT'S HOW I GET TO AND FROM THE
GROCERY STORE AND DOCTORS
APPOINTMENTS. I SHOULDN'T HAVE
RISK MY LIFE GETTING TO WORK.
COMPLETED BIKE NETWORK WOULD
MAKE MY DAILY COMMUTE WORKER
AND ACCESSING LIBRARY BRANCHES
EASIER. PLEASE ADD $15 MILLION
BACK TO THE SAFETY FOR BIKE
PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS PAUL LUKES. FOLLOWING PAUL
WILL BE DYLAN YOUNG. GO AHEAD,
PAUL. IS PAUL STILL HERE?
NUMBER 23. OKAY. WE'RE GOING
TO MOVE ON NUMBER 24, DYLAN
YOUNG.
>> MY NAME IS DYLAN YOUNG AND I
OWN AND LIVE IN A CONDO IN
DENNY TRIANGLE. I WILL VOTE FOR
THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT PUT FORTH
FOR THE LEVY. AS SOMEONE NEARLY
STRUCK BY A CAR TODAY, I WOULD
GENTLY REMIND DRIVERS THEY ARE
STEERING A WEAPON. I DRIVE AS
LITTLE AS POSSIBLE MYSELF IN
THE SENSE THAT I COULD INJURE
SOMEONE AS A DRIVER IS A BIG
REASON WHY. SECONDARILY IS I
LIVE CLOSE TO TRAFFIC CONGESTED
ON-RAMPS BY DENNY AVE. I NOTICE
THE TENSION AND ROAD RAGE OF
PEOPLE IN THEIR CARS. ONE
RARELY SEES THAT BEHAVIOR IN
PEDESTRIAN CROWDS. PEOPLE ARE
KIND AND SMILING WHEN WALKING,
ACCELERATING OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE
TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS I
STRONGLY BELIEVE IS A HAPPY AND
HEALTHY EFFORT. THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS MORGAN. FOLLOWING MORGAN IS
ODIN AMADORE. THOSE ARE NUMBERS
25 AND 26.
>> HI THERE. MORGAN PUTNAM.
NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU. I'M A
RESIDENT OF SEATTLE. I'VE
COMMUTED BY BIKE, BY TRANSIT,
BY CAR, AND BY FOOT DURING MY
EIGHT YEARS HERE.
PROFESSIONALLY, I SPENT 15
YEARS WORKING INFRASTRUCTURE,
INCLUDING THE LAST FOUR IN
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
I FOUNDED THE NEXT GEN HIGHWAYS
INITIATIVE SUPPORTED BY THE
HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AND IN
WASHINGTON. I DEEPLY APPRECIATE
THE EFFORT OF THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF
ALL CITIZENS. NOT AN EASY TASK.
I ALSO THANK SEATTLE GREENWAYS
FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO REPRESENT
AND ENGAGE CITIZENS ON
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES. I WOULD
LIKE TO CHALLENGE SDOT AND THE
CITY TO OFFER MORE SERVICES
WITH LESS MONEY. WHAT IS
PROPOSED IS THOUGHTFUL AND
WORKS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL
CONSTITUENTS. BUT IN MANY WAYS,
IT IS INCREMENTAL, NOT
TRANSFORMATIVE. THERE ARE
SEVERAL WAYS THAT I SEE THIS,
BUT TIME BEING WHAT IT IS, I'LL
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK TODAY.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ODIN AMADORE. FOLLOWING ODIN
WILL BE BJ LAST.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. I'M A
CENTRAL DISTRICT RESIDENT WHO
DOES NOT OWN A CAR AND GETS
AROUND PRIMARILY BY BIKE.
DEATHSINCREASEED FROM 2019 TO
2022. IF ESTIMATES HOLD UP,
2023 WOULD GO DOWN AS THE 1990
A CRAZY MOMENT WHERE BIKING IN
SEATTLE HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER
THANKS TO PAST SEATTLE CITY
COUNCILS, BUT WASHINGTON ROADS
HAVEN'T BEEN THIS DEADLY IN 30
YEARS. AS TRANSPORTATION COSTS
RISE, MORE PEOPLE WILL WALK,
RIDE, BUS, AND USE THOSE
RENTABLE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS WE
ALL LOVE SO MUCH. AS YOU BUILD
A FUTURE OF SEATTLE, PLEASE BE
BOLD AND VISIONARY. I STAND
WITH CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB,
SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS,
AND OTHERS TO DEMAND THE
FOLLOWING THREE THINGS. ONE,
DEDICATE AT LEAST 15% OF THE
LEVY FUNDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS
FOR PEOPLE WALKING, BIKING,
ROLLING, AND RIDING TRANSIT.
AND PRIORITIZE LEVY FUNDING FOR
HISTORICALLY DIVESTED
COMMUNITY. THREE, PROPOSE $1.7
BILLION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS BJ LAST. AND FOLLOWING BJ
WILL BE ETHAN CAMPBELL.
>> MY NAME IS BJ LAST, A
HOMEOWNER IN BALLARD. I'D VOTE
FOR A $1.9 BILLION
TRANSPORTATION LEVY THAT SPENDS
AT LEAST 50% ON PEDESTRIAN,
BICYCLE, AND MASS TRANSIT
INFRASTRUCTURE. SOMEONE THAT'S
CAR FREE, I GET AROUND THE CITY
ON THIS ENTIRELY BY WALKING,
BIKING, AND TAKING THE BUS.
YA'LL TALKED A LOT ABOUT BIKE
TO WORKWEEK RECENTLY AND SAID
YOU WERE GOING TO DO IT. HOW
DID THAT GO? DID YOU STICK TO
THE BIKE PROTECTED
INFRASTRUCTURE OR DID YOU TRY
GOING ACROSS THE CITY AND GET
SOME OF THE TERRIBLE ONES THAT
ARE TERRIFYING? WHERE YOU DROP
DOWN ON AN ARTERIAL AND TAKE
YOUR LIFE INTO HANDS TO GET TO
WORK, TO THE STORE, OR GET TO
THE DOCTOR? SIMILARLY LIKE
YA'LL WERE CAMPAIGNING
RECENTLY WALKING AROUND GOING
DOOR TO DOOR, HOW DID THAT GO?
DID YOU NOTICE A DIFFERENCE
WHEN SIDEWALKS DISAPPEARED? DID
YOU START FEELING A LOT LESS
SAFE? I DO THAT EVERY DAY. WE
NEED BIKE LANES. WE NEED
SIDEWALKS, AND WE NEED TRANSIT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ETHAN CAMPBELL. AND
FOLLOWING ETHAN RUPIN.
>> I WANT TO URGE FOUR
AMENDABLES TO STRENGTHEN THIS
LEVY. FIRST, TO GET SERIOUS
ABOUT SAVING LIVES, VISION ZERO
NEEDS MORE FUNDING. THE $70
MILLION ALLOCATED TO OUR MOST
DEADLY CORRIDORS WILL BE SPREAD
TOO THIN TO MAKE THE MAJOR
SAFETY UPGRADES NEEDED. ADDING
BIKE LANES TO SIX STREETS OVER
THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS IS NOT
ENOUGH. THE LEVY IS MISSING
CRITICAL BIKE CONNECTIONS LIKE
10th AVENUE AND CAPITOL HILL
AND CID. PLEASE FUND THOSE.
EFFICIENT FREIGHT MOVEMENT HAS
COME AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY
IN SEATTLE. ENSURE THAT SAFETY
IS BAKED INTO EVERY FREIGHT
PROJECTED FUNDED BY THE ADDED
$20 MILLION. LASTLY, THIS LEVY
WOULD REDUCE FUNDING FOR
TRANSIT RELIABILITY PROJECTS.
THAT WON'T HELP US REACH OUR
CITY'S CLIMATE GOALS. PLEASE
REVERSE THIS CUT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS KATE RUPIN. FOLLOWING KATE
WILL BE OUR LAST IN-PERSON
SPEAKER FOR THIS GROUP, KILEY
ROTH.
>> I AM A RENTER LIVING IN
DISTRICT 2. I'M HERE TODAY TO
URGE YOU TO INCREASE THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY TO AT LEAST
$1.7 BILLION. IDEALLY, MORE.
SEATTLE IS GROWING AND OUR
NEIGHBORS ARE DYING BECAUSE OF
OUR RELIANCE ON CARS AND OUR
LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE. WE ARE
EXPERIENCING OVERLAPPING
HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, CLIMATE
CRISES. AND THIS REQUIRES BOLD
AND CREATIVE ACTION. SO
INVESTING IN SIDEWALKS, PUBLIC
TRANSIT, AND BIKE LANES IS
INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE AND
ENSURING SEATTLE WILL BE
ACCESSIBLE TO GENERATIONS TO
COME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS KILEY ROTH. THEN WE'LL MOVE
INTO THE REMOTE GROUP. KILE Y?
KILEY MAY NOT BE HERE. WE'LL
CHECK BACK IN A BIT. WE'RE NOW
GOING TO MOVE TO OUR REMOTE
SPEAKERS. THE FIRST ONE ON THE
LIST IS JULIA BUCK. FOLLOWING
JULIA WILL BE MOLLY MC NEALY.
PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF. GO AHEAD, JULIA.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS JULIA.
I'M A SEATTLE RESIDENT, A
HOMEOWNER, AND A NON-DRIVER. I
APPRECIATE THE IMPROVEMENTS THE
COUNCIL HAS MADE ON THE INITIAL
PROPOSAL. I'D LIKE TO SEE AT
LEAST A 50/50 SPLIT FOR
NON-DRIVING INFRASTRUCTURE TO
SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO DON'T
DRIVE. I'DLIKE TO SEE LANGUAGE
TO ENSURE SAFETY FOR PEOPLE.
FREIGHT ROUTES ARE THE STREETS
WITH THE MOST FATALITIES AND
ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES. THERE ARE
SEVERAL MUSIC VENUES ON THOSE
STREETS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
SAKA'S PROPOSED CUT TO THE
EQUITY FOCUSED PROJECT BUDGET
THAT FUNDS THE WORK GROUP
PROGRAM TO HIGHLIGHT AND
PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES
AND INCREASE DISTRIBUTION OF
SAFETY-FOCUSED SPENDING. EVEN
THOUGH I LIVE IN DISTRICT 6, I
VISIT D-2, BUT I ALWAYS TAKE
TRANSIT BECAUSE THE BIKE ROUTES
HAVE GAPS, AND YOU NEED THE
PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBOR.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER,
REMOTE SPEAKER IS MOLLY
MCNEALY. FOLLOWING MOLLY WILL
BE KATHRYN WELLS. GO AHEAD,
MOLLY.
>> HELLO, CHAIR SAKA AND
COUNCIL MEMBERS. I LIVE IN
COUNCIL DISTRICT 3. I'M
SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF ADDING
FUNDING FOR THE BIKE SAFETY
PROGRAM IN THE SOUTH SEATTLE
BIKE NETWORK. I MOVE THROUGH
SEATTLE VIA BIKE AND FIND
BIKING IMPORTANT FOR GETTING TO
WORK, SCHOOL, BUSINESSES, AND
FOR MENTAL HEALTH, WELL BEING,
AND COMMUNITY. HAVING PAINT ON
A ROAD IS NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT
CYCLISTS WHO ARE VULNERABLE. I
LEARNED THIS THROUGH
VOLUNTEERING FOR AN
AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WHERE WE
DO GROUP RIDES FOR ABOUT 10
KIDS A WEEK. EVEN WITH A LARGE
GROUP OF KIDS, CARS DO NOT TAKE
CAUTION OR DRIVE WITH PATIENCE
AND CARE, ESPECIALLY ON LARGE
ROADS, AND IT JUST FEELS VERY
DANGEROUS. INVESTING FUNDS IN
BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL
PROMOTORCYCLING AND SAFE TRIPS
BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR
DIVERSE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
INVESTING WILL CREATE A LESS
SEGREGATED CITY. I'M THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME AND THE ABILITY
TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANKS.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHRYN
WELLS. FOLLOWING KATHRYN WILL
BE JAY DONAWAY. GO AHEAD,
KATHRYN. YOU MAY NEED TO PRESS
STAR 6.
>> GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KATHRYN
WELLS AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 1.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A WEST
SELEVY PROJECT HAS
ME DISAPPOINTED AND CONFUSED.
BUILT MULTIPLE PROTECTED BIKE
LANES ON MULTIPLE ROADS,
MULTIPLE GREENWAY, AND SMALLER
PROJECTS. IT'S MUCH MORE
COMFORTABLE THAN IN 2015 BUT
GAPS DO REMAIN. THIS LEVY
PROPOSES REDUNDANT BIKE LANES
ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM AN EXISTING
GREENWAY, AN OASIS OF BIKE
LANES. NONE OF THESE PROJECTS
ADD TO THE NETWORK LIKE THE
STUFF FROM MOVE SEATTLE DID. A
PATH ALONG HIGHLAND PARKWAY
SOUTHWEST IS THE ONLY PROPOSAL
I SEE THAT COMPARES TO THE ONES
WEST SEATTLE GOT OVER THE LAST
NINE YEARS. PLEASE FUND THE
BIKE BUDGET ADEQUATELY SO WE
CAN BUILD HIGH-IMPACT QUALITY
PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE SAFETY
AND CONNECT OUR CITIES. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER
FOR THIS REMOTE GROUP IS JAY
DONAWAY.
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS JAY
DONAWAY. PRESIDENT OF SEATTLE
ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASSOCIATION TO
ELECTRIFY TRANSPORTATION SINCE
1980. THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING
CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE
BILL. I SIMPLY ASK FOR WISER
SIDING AND FAR STRONGER
ENFORCEMENT. IT'S CRITICAL FOR
DRIVERS IN RENTAL HOUSING AND
VISITORS TO DOWNTOWN, YET 14
YEARS INTO THE MODERN EV ERA,
THE ONLY FAST CHARGER IN SOTO
REMAINS UNDER A BRIDGE IN A
SPOT THAT COULD HARDLY BE
CONSIDERED SAFE AND HAS BEEN
PERPETUALLY OUT OF ORDER DUE TO
VANDALISM AND EXTREMELY SLOW
REPAIR RESPONSES. SUPPORTS EV
CHARGING INSTALLATIONS ONLY
AFTER A THOROUGH CONSULTATION
WITH THE MOST EXPERIENCED
ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVERS IN THE
WORLD BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE A
CHOICE, WE DON'T SHOP, WORK,
OR VISIT WHERE WE CAN'T
CHARGE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE
INTO OUR IN-PERSON SPEAKERS
NUMBERED 31 THROUGH 35. OUR
FIRST SPEAKER IS RITA HOLSMAN.
>> MY NAME IS RITA HOLSMAN. I
SPOKE ABOUT THE DEVASTATING
TOLL SEATTLE TRAFFIC HAS TAKEN
ON ME AND MY FAMILY SINCE MY
HUSBAND DIED LAST DECEMBER IN A
COLLISION IN OUR WEST SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE MY HUSBAND
WAS BICYCLING. THIS MORNING I
POINTED OUT SIX OTHER
COLLISIONS IN LATE MAY CAUSED
SIX MORE PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR
LIVES. I LEARNED ANOTHER PERSON
DIED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AS A
RESULT OF A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
IN THE GREENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 250
SERIOUS INJURY ACCIDENTS ON OUR
STREETS. IF RECENT YEAR OVER
YEAR STATISTICS ARE ANY
INDICATION, THAT NUMBER WILL BE
EVEN HIGHER THIS YEAR. I WAS
CONCERNED TO SEE IN THIS
MORNING'S MEETING THAT
ALTHOUGH AN AMENDMENT OFFERED
BY THE CHAIR INCREASES THE
OVERALL LEVY AMOUNT, IT
ACTUALLY DECREASES THE AMOUNT
OF VISION ZERO FUNDING BY $1.5
MILLION COMPARED TO THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY PROPOSAL.
GIVE THIS ASPECT OF THE
AMENDMENT THOUGHTFUL
RECONSIDERATION. THERE IS AMPLE
EVIDENCE THAT VISION ZERO
PROJECTS ALREADY COMPLETED ARE
EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING
FATALITIES AND SERIOUS
INJURIES.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR
NEXT SPEAKER IN PERSON WILL BE
LYNN DOMINGO. FOLLOWING LYNN
WILL BE GORDON PADDLEFORD, I
BELIEVE.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LYNN
DOMINGO WITH NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF THE BLIND,
DISABILITY RIGHTS WASHINGTON,
AND ALSO A MEMBER OF LILO, A
LEGACY OF EQUALITY, LEADERSHIP,
AND ORGANIZING. AN ORGANIZING
GROUP HERE IN SEATTLE THAT HAD
GOT JOBS AND CONSTRUCTIONS, AND
THIS LEVY IS A WIN-WIN FOR ALL
COMMUNITIES. THIS BRINGS
TOGETHER THE COMMUNITIES THAT I
WORK WITH THAT DEPEND ON
SIDEWALKS AND TRANSPORTATION. I
SEE THE DEVELOPMENTS IN BALLARD
WHERE MONEY CAN BE USED WISELY.
TRANSPORTATION IS BAD FOR ME
BECAUSE BUS SERVICE. BUT I'D
LIKE TO LOOK AT 213 SOUTH MAIN,
WHICH I DO THINK THAT WILL BE
OF VALUE OF TRYING TO
RECONSTRUCT A BETTER SEATTLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS NUMBER 33, GORDON PADDLEFORD
POSSIBLY? AND FOLLOWING GORDON
IS JENNY ALLMAN.
>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS GORDON, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS. I WANT
TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE SAFETY
BACKLOG. YOU HEARD ABOUT THE
SIDEWALK BACKLOG AND THE
BRIDGES BACKLOG. HERE'S THE
MAP OF THE SAFETY BACKLOG ON
OUR STREETS. THIS IS FROM
SDOT'S NEWLY RELEASED VISION
ZERO ACTION PLAN. IT'S WHAT
THEY CALL THE HIGH-INJURY
NETWORK. IT'S ESSENTIALLY A
NETWORK OF STREETS WHERE WE'RE
SEEING INCREASED CRASHES,
FATALITIES, AND SERIOUS
INJURIES. THE WAY I THINK ABOUT
THIS NETWORK IS IT'S A NETWORK
OF OUTDATED AND DANGEROUSLY
DESIGNED STREETS THAT WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THIS
LEVY TO FIX. WE DON'T KNOW ALL
OF THE SOLUTIONS FOR ALL OF THE
STREETS. THERE'S TOO MUCH
COMPLEXITY OUT THERE. WE KNOW
THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FOR VISION ZERO AND
POLITICAL SUPPORT FROM YOU ALL
TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. I
ALSO HAVE PLACED THE FATALITY
FROM THIS YEAR ON THIS MAP. AND
THEY'RE ALL ON THE HIGH INJURY
NETWORK. THESE ARE THE STREETS
THAT NEED TO BE FIXED, AND WE
NEED TO HAVE THE POLITICAL
SUPPORT AND FUNDING TO FIX
THEM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS JENNY ALLMAN. FOLLOWING
JENNY WILL BE KATIE WILSON. IT
IS POSSIBLE JENNY SPOKE IN
PLACE OF ANOTHER WHEN WE BEGAN
PUBLIC COMMENT. JENNY, ARE YOU
HERE? OKAY. I THINK JENNY SPOKE
EARLIER TODAY. OUR LAST
IN-PERSON SIGNED UP SPEAKER IS
KATIE WILSON.
>> HI, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME
IS KATIE WILSON. I'M HERE
REPRESENTING THE TRANSIT RIDERS
UNION. OUR CITY AIMS TO MORE
THAN DOUBLE THE TRIPS ON
TRANSIT. RIGHT NOW, THIS LEVY
PROPOSAL REPRESENTS A DECREASE
IN TRANSIT INVESTMENT COMPARED
TO THE EXPIRING LEVY. POLLING
SHOWS THAT VOTERS PREFER A
LARGER LEVY THAT MAKES MORE
AMBITIOUS INVESTMENTS IN
MULTI-MODAL INFRASTRUCTURE. ADD
TRANSIT DOLLARS TO MAKE
TRAVELING BY PUBLIC TRANSIT
FASTER AND MORE RELIABLE. AS
LONG AS IT TAKES THREE TIMES
LODGER TO GET SOMEWHERE BY BUS
COMPARED TO DRIVING, IT'S HARD
TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO DITCH
THEIR CARS. I UNDERSTAND THAT
SOME PEOPLE FEEL THE BIGGEST
CONCERN WITH TRANSIT RIGHT NOW
IS TAFFETY, AND I DON'T WANT
TO MINIMIZE THE FACT THAT SOME
PEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE RIDING
TRANSIT TODAY. I WANT TO
PROVIDE ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE. I
RIDE ALL THE TIME WITH MY BABY
AND WE DON'T FEEL UNSAFE
BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE. IT MAKES
ME FEEL UNSAFE THE DANGER OF
GETTING HIT BY A CAR WHILE
WALKING TO THE BUS STOP. I
GUESS MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL OF
OUR SIGNED-UP SPEAKERS.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, SEE.
>> THAT'S A RECORD.
>> I SUPPOSE WE HAVE REACHED
THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING
AGENDA. COLLEAGUES, 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 5:56 P.M.