GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. TODAY
IS MARCH 31, 2025. THE COUNCIL
BREATHING MEETING WILL COME TO
ORDER. THE TIME IS TO:02. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> [ ROLL CALL ] EIGHT PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
THE MINUTES OF MARCH 24, 2025
WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING NO
OBJECTION. THE MINUTES ARE
ADOPTED. WE HAVE ONE
PROCLAMATION, TWO PRESENTATIONS
AND ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY.
I SHOULD REVERSE THAT ORDER. TWO
PRESENTATIONS, ONE PROCLAMATION
AND EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY.
TOMORROW THE AGENDA HAS 13 ITEMS
ON THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR. COUNCIL BILL 120961,
THE WEEKLY PAYMENT ORDINANCE,
COUNCIL BILL 120962, ORDINATES
RELATED TO LAND USE AND ZONING
AMENDING CHAPTER -- THERE ARE A
LOT OF NUMBERS HERE. LET'S SEE.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH REZONING OF
A PROPERTY ON FREMONT AVENUE
NORTH, AND -- GO AHEAD AND LOOK
AT THE AGENDA, OR THE IRC
PUBLISHED TODAY. COUNCIL BILL
120963, ORDINATES RELATED TO
LAND USE AND ZONING ADOPTING NEW
MAJOR INSTITUTION MASTER PLAN
FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
MEDICAL CENTER. AND 10
APPOINTMENTS, FIVE TO THEIR
URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION AND
FIVE TO THE SEATTLE DESIGN
COMMISSION. THEN THERE IS THE
CONSENT CALENDAR INCLUDING THE
WEEKLY BILL PAYMENT ORDINANCE
AND EIGHT ITEMS. SIX
APPOINTMENTS TO THE HOUSING AND
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, TWO
APPOINTMENTS TO THE
SUSTAINABILITY CITY LIGHT AND
ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, AND
ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION FROM
COMMITTEES, RESOLUTION 32167
FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
IT IS SPONSORED BY COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED
FROM THE COMMITTEE LAST WEEK.
ALL RIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG
WITH THE NEXT ITEM. WE HAVE GOT
THE WEEKLY STATE LEGISLATIVE
SESSION UPDATE. I WILL CALL -- I
NOTE TODAY OIR IS VIRTUAL. THAT
IS WHY THE DIRECTOR IS NOT HERE
IN PERSON. I WOULD LIKE TO
WELCOME YOU ALL AGAIN. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR DOING SO MUCH FOR
US DOWN THERE IN OLYMPIA. YOU
ARE WELCOME TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
US. I AM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE
OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.
AND JOINED BY THE STATE
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS DIRECTOR .
ONE MONTH LEFT OF THE 2025
REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE
DEADLINE FOR BILLS TO BE VOTED
OUT OF POLICY COMMITTEES IS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2. AFTER THIS
DATE, THERE IS A VERY TIGHT
SIX-DAY TURNAROUND FOR BILLS
THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE STATE
BUDGET TO BE VOTED OUT OF FISCAL
COMMITTEES. THIS BRIEF WINDOW OF
TIME MEANS LAWMAKERS WILL HAVE
TO ACT QUICKLY TO ENSURE THAT
BILLS WITH FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY TO
IMPLEMENT THE BUDGET RECEIVED
THE NECESSARY ATTENTION BEFORE
THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD IN THE
PROCESS. TODAY'S BRIEFING WILL
FOCUS ON THE RECENTLY RELEASED
HOUSE AND SENATE DEMOCRATS
OPERATING AND TRANSPORTATION
BUDGET . BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THE
POLICIES, LET'S BRIEFLY RECALL
HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT IN THE
BUDGET PROCESS. THE PROCESS
BEGAN IN THE INTERIM LAST FALL
WHEN STATE AGENCY SUBMITTED
FUNDING REQUESTS TO THE OFFICE
OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT , OR
OFM. BY LAW, THE CURRENT
GOVERNOR MUST THEN PROPOSE A
FOUR-YEAR BUDGET IN DECEMBER
THAT DOESN'T ASSUME NEW REVENUE
OR CHANGES TO EXISTING LAW. THE
INITIAL PROPOSAL WAS DRAFTED BY
FORMER GOVERNOR INSLEE'S TEAM
AND KNOWN AS BOOK 1 BUDGET,
WHICH WAS THE STARTING POINT
THAT INCLUDED THE $12 BILLION IN
CUTS. THE LEGISLATURE IS
CONSTITUTIONALLY REQUIRED TO
PASS A BALANCED BUDGET. THEY ARE
USING THAT AS THE FOUNDATION FOR
NEGOTIATIONS . IN JANUARY, WHEN
SESSION BEGAN, THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET WAS READ IN AS THE 2025
HIGH FOR IN 2027 OPERATING
CAPITAL AND TRANSPORTATION
BILLS. YOU SAW THE PUBLIC
HEARINGS HELD . IN FEBRUARY,
BUDGET REQUESTS WERE CEMENTED TO
LEGISLATORS IN BOTH CHAMBERS
FOLLOWING THE RECENT REVENUE
FORECAST. THE WASHINGTON HOUSE
AND SENATE DEMOCRATS RELEASED
THE OPERATING BUDGETS LAST
MONDAY. BOTH BUDGETS HINGE ON
SIGNIFICANT NEW TAX REVENUES
OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. $17
BILLION IN THE SENATE PLAN AND
$15 BILLION IN THE HOUSE PLAN.
THE NEXT STEP IS FOR EACH
CHAMBER TO PASS THE BUDGET OFF
THEIR FLOOR AND ESTABLISH
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES. THESE
COMMITTEES MEET AND NEGOTIATE
THROUGHOUT APRIL TO REFUSE OR
ACCEPT THE OTHER CHAMBER UP HIS
PROPOSALS. THE FINAL BUDGET MUST
BE APPROVED BY PRE SINE DIE ON
APRIL 27. BEFORE THEN, THE
COMMITTEE MUST ADOPT CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE REPORTS, WHICH ARE
REALLY THE FINAL BUDGETS, OR THE
STATE COULD FACE A SPECIAL
SESSION. ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE BY APRIL 27. OF COURSE, THE
GOVERNOR MUST SIGN IT. ON JULY
1, THE STATE FISCAL YEAR WOULD
BEGIN. IN SHORT, THE STATE IS
FACING VERY HARD DECISIONS. I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO GET INTO
THE DETAILS OF THE REVENUE AND
BUDGET PROPOSALS. THERE IS A LOT
OF INFORMATION TO ABSORB. WE ARE
INTERESTED IN HEARING YOUR
FEEDBACK ABOUT THE BUDGETS AND
REVENUE PROPOSALS, BUT TODAY AND
IN THE REGULAR CHECK INS WITH
YOUR OFFICES.
>> JUMPING IN TODAY, WE WON'T
BE ABLE TO COVER EVERY SECTION
OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, BUT WE
WANTED TO FOCUS ON WHERE THE
HOUSE AND SENATE LANDED , AND
ISSUES SPECIFIC TO OUR
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AND WHERE IT
IS MOST IMPACTFUL TO LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. LAST YEAR, OR LAST
WEEK, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WE WENT
OVER SOME OF THE OPERATING
BUDGET REVENUE PROPOSALS. THE
HOUSE AND SENATE DIFFER QUITE A
BIT. THE HOUSE IS PROPOSING
FINANCIAL INTANGIBLES TAX,
PROPERTY TAX LIFT, AND
SURCHARGE, AND THE SENATE IS
PROPOSING A FINANCIAL
INTANGIBLES TAX, A PARALLEL
EXPENSE TAX, PROPERTY TAX LIFT.
THEY WILL REPEAL SOME TAX
PREFERENCES, AND ALSO PROVIDED
SALES TAX CUT. IN TERMS OF
SPENDING, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY,
STARTING WITH A FEW AREAS WHERE
THE SENATE AND HOUSE ARE VERY
SIMILAR. BOTH THE SENATE AND
HOUSE FUND THE MUNICIPAL
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACCOUNT, WHICH
IS AN ACCOUNT THE FINAL FROM THE
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ON A
PER CAPITA BASIS. THEY FIND IT
AT THE SAME AMOUNT, A LITTLE
OVER 60 MILLION. THEY BOTH FUND
23 NEW BASIC LAW ENFORCEMENT
CLASSES, TWO PER YEAR IN EACH OF
THE NEW FOUR REGIONAL ACADEMIES,
ARLINGTON, SPOKANE AND
VANCOUVER, AND THEN THE
REMAINING CLASSES. THEY ALSO
REINSTATE THE 25% LOCAL MATCH
FOR SETTING NEW RECRUITS . THAT
MEANS 25% OF THE COST FOR
SENDING THE RECUSE ARE COVERED
BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. BOTH
THE HOUSE AND SENATE INCLUDE A
$4 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM TO THE
ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON CITIES
TO FIND ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE
PROGRAMS AROUND THE STATE. A FEW
AREAS WHERE THE SENATE AND HOUSE
OPERATING BUDGETS DIFFER FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY IS THAT THE HOUSE
INCLUDES A $25 MILLION GRANT
PROGRAM FOR SUPPORTING
RECRUITMENT HIRING AND RETENTION
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND
CO-RESPONDERS. THIS IS
ASSOCIATED WITH HOUSE BILL 2015,
WHICH HAD BEEN A CITY PRIORITY
THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS THAT PASSED THE HOUSE,
BUT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY
THE SENATE NOW. BUT THE HOUSE
AND SENATE INCLUDE ALMOST $1
MILLION FOR PUBLIC DEFENSE
GRANTS THE GOES TO CITIES. THE
SENATE INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL $2
MILLION FOR GRANTS FOR CITIES AS
WELL. BOTH BUDGETS INCLUDE A
LITTLE BIT OVER $1 MILLION TO
HELP DECREASE THE CASEBACK LOAD
FOR WASHINGTON STATE PATROL
TOXICOLOGY LAB. THE HOUSE ALSO
INCLUDES A 4.FIVE -- A GRANT
PROGRAM FOR A LAW ENFORCEMENT
ASSISTED DIVERSION PROGRAM. THAT
IS A GRANT PROGRAM TO THE
HEALTHCARE AUTHORITY. THE HOUSE
ALSO INCLUDES A RECOVERY
NAVIGATOR PROGRAM RUN OUT OF THE
COUNTY. FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, A
LOT OF SIMILARITIES. VARYING
AMOUNTS, BUT BOTH BUDGETS
INCLUDE MONEY FOR CLUBHOUSE
PROGRAMS, MONEY FOR SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER PEER SUPPORT
SERVICES, DOLLARS FOR HEALTH
ENGAGEMENT HELPS, MONEY TO HELP
INCREASE THE ADMINISTRATION OF.
THE SENATE ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING
FOR CRISIS, TRIAGE OR RELEASE
CENTERS, AS WELL AS MONEY FOR
LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MOBILE
CRISIS TEAMS. THE HOUSE INCLUDES
ABOUT 60 MILLION FOR SUPPORTING
THE HOUSING NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS
WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DISORDERS
. THOSE ARE KIND OF THE MAIN
DIFFERENCES IN THE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SECTION OF THE BUDGET.
FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, A
FEW AREAS WHERE THE BUDGETS ARE
VERY SIMILAR. BOTH FIND ABOUT
200 MILLION FOR THE COVENANT
HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM. A LITTLE
OVER WHETHER THE CITY MILLION
FOR HOUSING AND ESSENTIAL NEEDS.
111 MILLION FOR GRANTS FOR LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND NONGOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATIONS FOR HOMELESSNESS,
HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
BOTH BUDGETS INCLUDE 90 MILLION
FOR TRANSITIONING THOSE WHO ARE
LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS TO SAY FOR
HOUSING. THE SENATE BUDGET
INCLUDES ABOUT $78 MILLION FOR
GRANTS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO
MAINTAIN PROGRAMS IMPACTED BY
THE LOSS OF DOCUMENT RECORDING
FEES, WHICH ARE ONE OF THE MAIN
REVENUE SOURCES THAT GOES
TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS PROGRAMS,
AS WELL AS OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROGRAMS. THE SENATE
INCLUDES ABOUT 77 ONE, AND THE
HOUSE INCLUDES IT AT A HIGHER
AMOUNT OF $117 MILLION. SOME
OTHER AREAS FOR HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS. BOTH INCLUDE 62
MILLION FOR GRANTS TO SUPPORT
THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
COST OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING. BOTH BUDGETS INCLUDE
ABOUT 26 OR 27 MILLION FOR
HOMELESSNESS SUPPORTS THE
FAMILIES, YOUTH FOR PREVENTION
AND DIVERSION TO HOMELESSNESS.
BOTH INCLUDE AROUND 22 TO 23
MILLION FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING
AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR
UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS. THE SENATE
BUDGET INCLUDES A HIGHER AMOUNT
OF 14 MILLION FOR THE
CONSOLIDATED HOMELESSNESS GRANT
PROGRAM. THE HOUSE FINDS IT AT
6.5 MILLION. THE SENATE INCLUDES
5.FOR IN FOR CLOSURE PREVENTION,
AND THE HOUSE FINDS IT AT $1.2
MILLION. A COUPLE MORE
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS HERE. BOTH
THE SENATE AND HOUSE ESSENTIALLY
PROPOSE A SWEEP OF THE PUBLIC
WORKS ASSISTANCE ACCOUNT. THIS
ACCOUNT ESSENTIALLY FUNDS YOUR
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC WORKS, WATER,
WAYS, ROADS, BRIDGES AT SDOT AND
HAVE UTILIZED IN THE PAST. THE
SENATE IS WEEPING 165 MILLION TO
THE GENERAL FUND FOR FISCAL
YEAR, STATE FISCAL YEAR 2026.
AND THEN, TRANSFER BACK TO THE
PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANCE ACCOUNT
FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN 2027.
THE HOUSE IS SWEEPING ABOUT 288
MILLION FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS
ASSISTANCE ACCOUNT TO THE
GENERAL FUND JUST FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2026. THE SENATE BUDGET
ALSO INCLUDES ABOUT 5 MILLION TO
SUPPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS. THE HOUSE
ALSO INCLUDES THAT AT 6 MILLION.
THE HOUSE ALSO INCLUDES 20.5
MILLION TO ASSIST PUBLIC
BUILDING OWNERS WITH ENERGY
AUDITS. THAT COVERS THE
HIGHLIGHTS IN THE OPERATING
BUDGET. TODAY WE ALSO SENT OUT
THE AWC BUDGET MATRIX WITH A LOT
MORE DETAIL THAT YOU CAN REVIEW.
OF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE
HAPPY TO CHAT OFF-LINE ABOUT
SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDING AREAS.
MOVING ONTO THE TRANSPORTATION
BUDGET. BOTH THE HOUSE AND
SENATE TRANSPORTATION BUDGETS
BALANCE THE BUDGET AND ADDRESS
THE $1 BILLION SHORTFALL OVER
THE NEXT TWO YEARS. HOWEVER, THE
HOUSE AND SENATE BOTH TAKE
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE
REVENUE. THE HOUSE IS PROPOSING
A NINE CENT GAS TAX INCREASE
INDEXED TO INFLATION. CITIES GET
ABOUT 6% OF THAT NEW REVENUE
INCREASE. THEY ARE ALSO
PROPOSING AN ANNUAL HIGHWAY USE
THE BASED ON CAR FUEL ECONOMY.
AND THEN, ALSO INCREASING THE
VEHICLE SALES TAX FROM 0.3% TO
1%. THE SENATE IS PROPOSING A
MENU OF DIFFERENT REVENUE
OPTIONS HERE. KIND OF ALL ACROSS
THE BOARD. A 6 CENTS GAS TAX
INCREASE. NO SHARE TO CITIES. A
SALES TAX TRANSFER FROM THE
GENERAL FUND TO THE
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET. EV
REGISTRATION FEE, LUXURY VEHICLE
FEE, RENTAL CAR AND PEER TO PEER
SHARING CAR, TAX INCREASES,
DRIVERS LICENSE FEE INCREASE,
TENDERLY TRAFFIC INFRACTION
ASSESSMENT, 10% E-BIKE SURCHARGE
, AND ONE DOLLAR PER ATTENDEE
ASSESSMENT ON LARGE EVENTS OVER
20,000 ATTENDEES. IN TERMS OF
SPENDING, THE SENATE
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET INCLUDES
83 MILLION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOLS. SAME WITH THE HOUSE.
THE SENATE INCLUDES 87 MILLION
FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE
SAFETY, AND THE HOUSE INCLUDES
82 MILLION . THE SENATE INCLUDES
8 MILLION TO ADDRESS HOMELESS
ENCAMPMENTS ON STATE OWNED
RIGHTS AWAY. IN THE HOUSE
INCLUDES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS
ENCAMPMENTS ON STATES RIGHTS OF
WAY. INCLUDED IN THAT BUDGET IS
A DEDICATED $1 MILLION FOR CITY
OF SEATTLE. FINALLY, I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WORLD CUP
FUNDING. THIS IS BOTH IN THE
TRANSPORTATION AND OPERATING
BUDGET. THE SENATE
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET INCLUDES
8.2 MILLION FOR -- 8 MILLION FOR
PUBLIC SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS,
TRANSPORTATION OPERATION
ACTIVITIES, 2 MILLION FOR
TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AND
SUPPORT, TO MILLION FOR BIKE AND
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS, AND 1
MILLION OF THAT FOR CITY OF
SEATTLE. THE OPERATING BUDGET IS
INCLUDED , FIVE.5 MILLION FOR
SAFETY AND SECURITY INVESTMENTS,
AS WELL AS WHEN WE DOLLARS FOR
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE. THE HOUSE
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET, THERE IS
6 MILLION FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT
SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS, 6 MILLION
FOR KING COUNTY WATER TAX OR
FERRY AND SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS
AS WELL AS 1 MILLION FOR
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE IN THE
OPERATING BUDGET. THAT CONCLUDES
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE
OPERATING AND TRANSPORTATION
BUDGET. THE MAIN FOCUS FOR
TODAY'S. PRESENTATION. WE ALSO
INCLUDED FOR YOUR REFERENCE AN
UPDATE ON ALL OF THE SEATTLE
PRIORITY BILLS JUST TO MAKE SURE
YOU ARE TRACKING THE NEXT CUT
OFF THIS WEDNESDAY. THAT MEANS
POLICY BILLS WILL NEED TO MAKE
IT OUT OF THE COMMITTEE BY
WEDNESDAY. EVERYTHING IS LOOKING
PRETTY SOLID, BUT IF YOU WANTED
TO LOOK FURTHER AT THE SLIDES
TODAY TO CHECK ON WHERE THE
PRIORITIES ARE STANDING AS OF
TODAY, WE HAVE INCLUDED ALL OF
THESE TABLES FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK. TODAY
BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE
CAPITAL BUDGETS WILL GET
RELEASED. WE WILL UPDATE YOU
MORE ABOUT THAT AT THE NEXT
BRIEFING. WE ARE ALSO HAVING A
COUPLE OF HEARINGS IN THE
PRIORITIES. TODAY THE SENATE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE IS
HEARING HOUSE BILL 1423, WHICH
IS THE AUTOMATED NOISE
ENFORCEMENT CAMERA BILL. LATER
THIS WEEK, THE SENATE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE IS ALSO
HEARING HOUSE BILL 1774, A BILL
THAT ALLOWS TO LEASE THEIR LAND
LOWER THAN MARKET VALUE. WE HAVE
THE CUT OFF THIS WEDNESDAY. ALSO
LOOK INTO THE NEXT CUT OFF, NEXT
TUESDAY, THE OFFICE OF CHAMBER
FISCAL CUT OFF. WITH THAT, I
THINK WE CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL
OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COUNCILMEMBER
QUESTIONS. COUNCILMEMBER CATTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
WEEKLY UPDATE. I KNOW IT IS IN
THE NEW PHASE HERE WITH WHAT WE
ARE GOING THROUGH IN TERMS OF
OLYMPIA . I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS THAT IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT A FUNCTIONAL
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, A
FUNCTION THAT FUNCTIONAL PUBLIC
SAFETY SYSTEM. I REALLY WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THE TOXICOLOGY LAB,
FOR EXAMPLE. THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO WORK THROUGH THE
ISSUES WE ARE FACING IN THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IT HAS
HUGE IMPACTS ACROSS THE BOARD
AND REALLY GOES TO WHAT WE ARE
TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNITY, AND
MORE BROADLY IN THE COUNCIL. WE
NEED THE SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE
THAT. TIED TO THAT IS THE
RECOVERY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM THAT
IS VERY IMPORTANT TOO. WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH PUBLIC
SAFETY, WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH
PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE'RE ALSO
PUSHING HUMAN SERVICES. WE ARE
PUSHING THE TRADITIONAL PIECES
WITH POLICE AND FIRE, BUT ALSO
THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE AND
MOVING FORWARD. LIKE WITH THE
CARE DEPARTMENT OR THE COMMUNITY
RESPONSE TEAMS. TIED TO THIS IS
THE IDEA OF THE RECOVERY
NAVIGATION PROGRAM. AS CHAIR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY, I WANTED TO THROW
MY SUPPORT BEHIND THAT PROGRAM
AS WELL. IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN
TERMS OF THE OVERALL
ARCHITECTURE WE ARE TRYING TO
BUILD YOUR, WHICH IS REALLY A
MODEL FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
MATE -- ON THE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH, AGAIN, ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
PUBLIC SAFETY, HUMAN SERVICES,
WE NEED BOTH. I JUST WANTED TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE HARD
WORK THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
HAS DONE ON THIS FRONT IN TERMS
OF BRINGING THIS CAPABILITY TO
OUR STREETS, WHICH IS MAKING A
HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR THE CITY.
THAT IS ANOTHER THING. I DON'T
THINK THERE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT
ONE. BUT THAT IS A SUCCESS
STORY. I THINK YOU CAN JUST
POINT TO THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT WHEN YOU ARE IN
DISCUSSIONS IN OLYMPIA AND SHOW
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. IT IS BEING
DONE RIGHT NOW ON OUR STREETS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
UPDATE. AGAIN, PLEASE PUSH, AND
WE WILL DO OUR PART TOO,
REGARDING THE RECOVERY
NAVIGATION PROGRAM AND
TOXICOLOGY LAB. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER
HANDS. HOLD ON A SECOND. I HAVE
A QUESTION ABOUT THE RECOVERY
NAVIGATOR PROGRAM. COULD YOU
DESCRIBE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE?
>> PART OF THIS IS, YOU KNOW,
THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES
THAT WE ARE SEEING -- PUBLIC
SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND
HOMELESSNESS. WE HAVE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS , BECAUSE OF THE
CIRCUMSTANCES, WHO ARE IN
CRISIS, AND WE NEED TO HELP
THEM. IF THEY DON'T GET THE
HELP, IF THEY ARE NOT HELPED IN
THE NAVIGATION, THIS IS THE --
THE LEAD PROGRAM, OVERALL PDA,
PURPOSE AND DIGNITY IN ACTION,
THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING
WORKING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
AS WELL. IT IS ABOUT GETTING
THEM TO THAT TREATMENT, BECAUSE
OTHERWISE, CIRCUMSTANCES WILL
DICTATE BECAUSE OF THE PIECES
WITH ADDICTION AND SO FORTH THAT
THEY MAY GO INTO SOME OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES WE ARE
SEEING. IT IS SAD. ONCE WE HAVE
A DIRECT MARKET, WE HAVE A
STOLEN GOODS MARKET. I'VE SAID
THIS 1 MILLION TIMES. WE NEED TO
ADDRESS THESE THINGS EARLIER AND
ASSIST ON THE SIDE SO WE ARE NOT
ALWAYS GOING ON THE MORE
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE.
WE NEED THE RECOVERY NAVIGATION
PROGRAM AND SIMILAR PROGRAMS .
THE CARE DEPARTMENT, CRISIS
RESPONSE TEAM. I SAW THAT IN THE
UPDATE AS WELL. WE NEED THEM TO
BE MORE EFFECTIVE. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS TO
MIND THAT THERE WAS AN ARTICLE
IN THE PAPER THIS PAST WEEKEND.
I DIDN'T ASK THAT QUESTION TO
SHOW AND TELL THIS. IT IS
TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE PROGRAM TO
EXPAND ACCESS TO PRIVATE
SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT. THAT
WAS SOMETHING I GOT IN THE
BUDGET YEARS AGO, BUT ANYTHING
THAT CAN STREAMLINE ACCESS TO
COMPREHENSIVE ON-DEMAND
TREATMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TOO. PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE
INSURANCE, OR WHO ONLY HAVE
MEDICAID, OFTEN ARE ON WAITING
LISTS TO GET INTO TREATMENT .
AND WHILE WAITING, THEY CAN
SOMETIMES SUCCUMB TO FATAL
OVERDOSE.
>> CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT? I
READ THAT ARTICLE AS WELL. I
THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. IT
HIGHLIGHTS HAVING THIS
ECOSYSTEM, THIS ARCHITECTURE OF
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS
WORKING AND PRESSING AND MOVING
FORWARD THE NAVIGATION.THAT I
JUST MENTIONED. IN THAT ARTICLE,
THEY TALK ABOUT WE HARD SEATTLE.
WE DO HAVE TO HAVE THIS MIX OF
ORGANIZATIONS AND APPROACHES IN
ORDER TO SEE WHAT IS EFFECTIVE.
OBVIOUSLY, EACH CASE IS
INDIVIDUAL CASE. IN SOME CASES,
THE WE HARD SEATTLE MODEL MIGHT
WORK BETTER, AS NOTED IN THE
ARTICLE, AND IN OTHER CASES,
SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ARTICLE
THAT GOES STRAIGHT TO THE SAME
TOPIC. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND THANK YOU TEAM FOR YOUR
INCREDIBLE WORK SESSION . IT
MOVES FAST. CERTAINLY NOT AN
EASY TIME. YOUR WORK IS VERY
MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR
PRESENTING ON SOME OF THE
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE PROPOSALS ON
THE APPROVED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
WE INCLUDED LANGUAGE TO
ENCOURAGE THE LEGISLATURE TO
LOOK FIRST AT SOME PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE PROPOSALS INSTEAD OF
LOOKING TOWARDS OPTIONS THAT
MIGHT HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATELY
HIGHER BURDEN ON WORKING
FAMILIES. ENCOURAGED TO SEE
THESE PROPOSALS COME FORWARD. I
HAVE ALSO LEARNED OVER THE PAST
COUPLE OF DAYS ABOUT SOME
LOBBYING EFFORTS, SPECIFICALLY,
AGAINST THE PROPOSED BILLS.
PARTICULARLY, A LETTER FROM A
COUPLE OF CITIES AROUND KING
COUNTY. I'M WONDERING IF YOU
COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF WHAT YOU
HAVE SEEN ON THAT FRONT, AS WELL
AS SOME OF THE JUSTIFICATIONS
THEY ARE PROVIDING. ARE THEY
PROPOSING ALTERNATIVES , OR IS
THIS AN ENDORSEMENT OF SOME OF
THE CUTS THAT MIGHT BE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALL CUTS
BUDGET?
>> THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. ON
FRIDAY, I BELIEVE, THERE WAS A
PRESS CONFERENCE OF A NOBLE --
NUMBER OF REGIONAL MAYORS, 12 OR
15, OPPOSING BOTH THE PARALLEL
EXPENSE TAX THAT THE SENATE IS
CONSIDERING, AS WELL AS THE B&O
SURCHARGE BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO
ALL OF THE INTERESTS AND
PRIORITIES OF THAT COALITION OF
MAYORS. I WILL JUST SAY THAT
WHAT I LEARNED FROM THEIR LETTER
IS THAT THEY ARE OPPOSING THOSE
PIECES OF LEGISLATION, BUT I
CANNOT SPEAK TO WHAT ALTERNATIVE
THEY MIGHT BE PROPOSING, OR WHAT
TYPE OF ENDORSEMENT OR BUDGET
CUTS OR NOT THEY ARE INTERESTED
IN. THAT IS ALL THE INFORMATION
I HAVE. THANKS FOR PROVIDING
THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK,
AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN THESE
BRIEFINGS BEFORE, ALL CUTS
BUDGET THAT IS BEEN LAID OUT
WOULD HAVE DEVASTATING
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE ENTIRE
STATE AND MANY RESIDENTS ALREADY
AT THE MARGINS. AS THIS DEVELOPS
AND THERE IS MORE MOMENTUM
AGAIN, SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS,
I WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE
UPDATES ON THEM. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> SPEAKING OF THAT, WHAT ARE
THE CUTS BEING OPPOSED? --
PROPOSED?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
GOVERNOR FERGUSON ASKED ALL HIS
AGENCIES TO DO A BUDGET
REDUCTION EXERCISE. HE RELEASED
ALL OF THOSE REDUCTIONS. WHAT WE
SAW IS REDUCTIONS IN HEALTHCARE
ACCESS, REDUCTIONS IN FOOD
ASSISTANCE ACCESS. WE SAW
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FUNDING,
RECOVERY NAVIGATOR FUNDING
REDUCED. LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIVERSION GROUPS . WE ARE ALSO
SEEING MAJOR DELAYS IN EARLY
LEARNING AND CHILDCARE SUBSIDY
EXPANSION. THAT IS GOING ALONG
WITH THE KIDS ACT, AS WELL AS
POSSIBLE PROPOSALS AROUND
FURLOUGHING STATE EMPLOYEES.
WHAT WE SAW IN THE HOUSE AND
SENATE BUDGETS IS THAT THEY TOOK
AN APPROACH OF SOME CUTS, AS
WELL AS SOME PROPOSE THE
REVENUES. FOR THE SENATE, THEY
ARE DELAYING THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE
EXPANSION, AS WELL AS PROPOSING
FOR -- FURLOUGHS FOR STATE
EMPLOYEES. ARE ALSO DIPPING INTO
SOME OF THE STATE RESERVES. THE
HOUSE IS NOT PROPOSING THE STATE
FURLOUGHS, BUT THEY ARE ALSO
DELAYING SOME OF THOSE EARLY
LEARNING CHILDCARE PROGRAMS, AS
WELL AS NOT FULLY FUNDING THE
K-12 ISSUES THAT ARE SO HOT
TOPICS THIS SESSION. I ALSO KNOW
THAT EACH CHAMBER TOOK THEIR OWN
APPROACH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE
SLIDES. THERE ARE VARYING
AMOUNTS THAT EACH CHAMBER IS
TAKING. SOME ARE TRYING TO DO
MINIMAL CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
WHAT WE SAW IN THE HOUSE WAS
LOWER REDUCTIONS, BUT EVERYTHING
GOT A REDUCTION. THE SENATE
MAYBE JUST CHOSE NOT TO FUND
PROGRAMS, LIKE LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIVERSION AND RECOVERY
NAVIGATOR. IT IS VARYING ACROSS
THE BOARD. I THINK BUT THE HOUSE
AND SENATE WERE TAKING DIFFERENT
APPROACHES OF HOW TO BALANCE
BOTH MAINTAINING NEEDS IN THE
COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE STATE,
AND ALSO MAINTAINING A BALANCED
BUDGET. THOSE ARE THE CHALLENGES
AHEAD FOR THE STATE OVER THE
NEXT MONTH AS THEY NEGOTIATE ALL
THE DETAILS.
>> GOT IT. I HAVE A SPECIFIC
QUESTION REGARDING PAGE 4 . THE
THIRD BULLET POINT UNDER THE
HOUSE OPERATING REVENUE
PROPOSAL. IT SAYS, B&O SURCHARGE
I BUSINESSES WITH A TAXABLE
INCOME OF OVER 250 MILLION. B&O
IS LEVIED ON GROSS REVENUE,
CORRECT? ARE THEY GOING TO --
ARE THEY LOOKING AT GROSS
REVENUE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
THE TAXABLE INCOME OF THOSE
COMPANIES ? IF SO, WHAT IS THE
FLOOR , WHAT IS THE GROSS
REVENUE FLOOR FOR COMPANIES THAT
THIS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO?
>> THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. WE
WILL HAVE TO REVIEW THE BILLING
GET BACK TO YOU OVER EMAIL ON
THAT ONE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
>> OKAY. I HAD A QUESTION ON
PAGE 10. THE TRANSFERS FROM THE
PWAA. HOW MUCH IS IN THERE RIGHT
NOW? IT IS HARD FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND . IS THAT A LOT OR A
LITTLE? WHAT IS THE BASE AMOUNT?
>> LET ME PULL THAT UP FOR YOU.
IT IS A SIZABLE AMOUNT THAT THEY
ARE PROPOSING TO TRANSFER TO THE
GENERAL FUND IF I HAD TO
GENERALIZE, IT IS A CONCERNING
AMOUNT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
BASELINE IS OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD. I CAN ALSO GET BACK TO YOU
ABOUT THAT.
>> THANKS. THAT IS IT FOR MY
QUESTIONS. AT LEAST THE ONES I
WILL TAKE UP EVERYBODY'S TIME
ASKING. ANY OTHERS? ALL RIGHT.
YOU MIGHT BE HEARING FROM US ON
A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK DOWN
THERE . JUST LET US KNOW IF
THERE'S ANYTHING WE SHOULD GET
ENGAGED IN THAT YOU NEED HELP ON
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA PRIORITIES.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. MOVING TO THE NEXT
PRESENTATION. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THIS IS THE FIFA WORLD CUP
BRIEFING. WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALL
THE TIME AT THE DAIS, AND NOW WE
WILL HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE --
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE
ORGANIZATION OF THE GROUP THAT
IS THE INTERJURISDICTIONAL GROUP
THAT IS DIGGING INTO ALL THESE
DETAILS. PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES. FEEL FREE TO BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
DEPUTY MAYOR FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE.
>> HELLO. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
WORLD CUP OPERATIONS IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
>> I AM THE CHIEF STRATEGY
OFFICER FOR THE SEATTLE FIFA
WORLD CUP LOCAL ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE.
>> WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE IN
FRONT OF YOU TODAY. I KNOW THAT,
AS YOU MENTIONED, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, WORLD CUP IS TALKED
ABOUT A LOT. IN FACT, IT HAS
BEEN AROUND AND TALKED ABOUT IN
THE CITY FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS
NOW. WE ARE GETTING CLOSE. WHERE
STILL A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A
YEAR OUT. WE WANTED TO COME TO
YOU TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A
POINT IN TIME BRIEFING ON WHERE
THINGS ARE AT FOR PLANNING. I
KNOW YOU ARE ASKED ABOUT IT
QUITE A BIT AND NEED INSIGHT AND
OVERSIGHT ON IT AS WELL. BECAUSE
IT IS A VERY BROAD PLANNING
EFFORT ACROSS MULTIPLE CITY
DEPARTMENTS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
HAS A ROLE. KAILEE IS THE
SPECIFIC DIRECTOR OF WORLD CUP
OPERATIONS. I WORK ON IT
FREQUENTLY AS WELL. I KNOW SOME
OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN BRIEFED
ON WORLD CUP, AND SOME ARE NEWER
TO IT. WE WILL GO OVER A LITTLE
BIT OF THE BACKGROUND. JUST TO
GO BACK IN TIME A LITTLE BIT. IT
WAS IN 2018 THAT THE CITY
ORIGINALLY PUT IN THE BED TO
FIFA TO BE ONE OF THE HOST
CITIES FOR THE 2026 WORLD CUP.
WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO
LEARN THAT WE WERE AWARDED THAT
, ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF NORTH
AMERICAN CITIES. IT IS THE
WORLD'S LARGEST SPORTING EVENT.
THIS IS A VERY EXCITING
ENDEAVOR, INDEED. IN 2023 WE
ENTERED INTO A MUTUAL SUPPORT
AND COLLABORATION AGREEMENT WITH
WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE LOCAL
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. PWAA,
WHILE IT RECOGNIZES THE CITIES
ARE THE HOST CITIES, THEY ALSO
UNDERSTAND, IN THIS MODEL, THE
CITY SOMETIMES ARE NOT UNIQUELY
QUALIFIED TO HOST A GLOBAL
SPORTING EVENT. AND SO, IT
ANTICIPATED THE SETTING UP OF
INDEPENDENT LOCAL ORGANIZING
COMMITTEES THAT WOULD
ESSENTIALLY DO MOST OF THE WORK
PUTTING ON THE EVENT. WE WILL
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT
THAT MEANS IN A MINUTE HERE. WE
WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE
WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR
LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. THIS
IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK,
BOTH ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AS A CITY, AND OUR
GREATER REGION. ONE THING I WANT
TO MAKE SURE I AM EMPHASIZING,
BECAUSE I DO IT IN ALL TIMES
WHEN I SPEAK ABOUT THE WORLD
CUP, IS THAT THIS IS AN AMAZING
OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A CITY. I
DON'T WANT TO SAY THIS , BUT A
GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. THERE
ONLY SO MANY TIMES IN OUR
HISTORY WHERE WE GET THE EYES OF
THE WORLD ON US. TALKING ABOUT
BILLIONS THAT WILL BE ON THE
CITY OF SEATTLE IN THE SUMMER OF
2026 AS ONE OF THE HOST CITIES.
WE ARE EXCITED TO, NOT ONLY PUT
ON AN AMAZING WORLD CUP FOR
THOSE FOR THE AS WELL. THING W
IS THAT I WANT THIS TO BE ONE OF
THE BIGGEST POINTS OF CIVIC
CELEBRATION AND CELEBRATIONS FOR
THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE IN THEIR
LIFETIME. I WANT ADULTS AND KIDS
TO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY,
I REMEMBER THE THING I DID IN
SEATTLE IN 2026 FOR THE WORLD
CUP. MUCH LIKE PEOPLE STILL TALK
ABOUT THE WORLD'S FAIR. WITH
THAT, WE WILL GO THROUGH THE
UPDATES WITH WHERE WE ARE IN
PLANNING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
SHARING THAT WITH YOU. WITH
THAT, WE WILL GO OVER
BACKGROUND, PLANNING GOALS, AND
MOVING FORWARD.
>> JUST TO GROUND US A LITTLE
BIT IN WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
HERE, WE ARE A 436 DAYS AWAY,
BUT WHO'S COUNTING? IT IS FROM
HOSTING THE LARGEST SPORTING
EVENT EVER STAGED. THE 2026
MEN'S WORLD CUP , FOR THE FIRST
TIME, THE FOOTPRINT OF THAT
TOURNAMENT HAS DRAMATICALLY
EXPANDED TO SPAN THREE COUNTRIES
, 16 HOST CITIES AND 48 TEAMS.
THE TOURNAMENT WILL INCLUDE 104
GAMES WITH THE OPENING MATCH
TAKING PLACE ON JUNE 11 IN
MEXICO CITY AND CONCLUDING WITH
THE FINAL ON JULY 19 IN NEW
YORK/NEW JERSEY. VANCOUVER IS
OUR CLOSEST HOST CITY WRITE UP
THE WAY. IMPORTANTLY, THE
TOURNAMENT DOES OVERLAP WITH OUR
COUNTRIES -- COUNTRY'S 205th
BIRTHDAY ON THE FOURTH OF JULY.
GLOBALLY, THERE IS ESTIMATED TO
BE ABOUT 3 BILLION VIEWERS FOR
THE FINAL MATCH. WE ARE
ANTICIPATING ABOUT 6 MILLION
PLUS TICKETED VISITORS TO THE
UNITED STATES. WHILE SEATTLE
WILL BE THE CENTRAL HUB OF
ACTIVITY WITH THE MATCHES AND
OFFICIALS AND CELEBRATION TAKING
PLACE HERE, THE TOURNAMENT
REALLY IS A STATEWIDE
UNDERTAKING. THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON IN SEATTLE UNIVERSITY
WILL SERVE AS PRACTICE FIELDS
FOR THE TEAMS TO PLAY HERE . WE
HAVE ALSO OFFICIALLY PROPOSED
TWO LOCATIONS FOR POTENTIAL TEAM
BASE CAMPS . BASE CAMPS ARE ,
ESSENTIALLY, CHOSEN BY THE TEAMS
PLAYING IN THE TOURNAMENT, AND
THEY SERVE AS THEIR HOME AWAY
FROM HOME FOR THE DURATION OF
THE GROUP STAYS. THE TWO
LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE
OFFICIALLY SUBMITTED AS OPTIONS
FOR TEAMS TO CHOOSE FROM ARE THE
SOUNDERS CLUBHOUSE IN RENTON AND
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY IN SPOKANE.
THE TEAMS WILL MAKE THEIR
SELECTIONS OF BASE CAMPS
FOLLOWING WHAT IS CALLED THE
DRAW WHERE WE FIND OUT WHO WAS
GOING WHERE. THAT WILL HAPPEN
LATE THIS YEAR , ANTICIPATED TO
BE DECEMBER, WITH TEAMS SELECTED
THEIR BASE CAMP SHORTLY
AFTERWARDS. WE HAVE NO WAY OF
KNOWING IF ONE, OR BOTH, OF
THESE LOCATIONS WILL BE
SELECTED, BUT I THINK, GIVEN THE
WORLD-CLASS FACILITY WE HAVE
DOWN IN RENTON, I THINK WE'RE
FEELING PRETTY GOOD THAT AT
LEAST ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS
WILL BE CHOSEN. TEAMS ARE
EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN LATE MAY
OR EARLY JUNE TO THEIR BASE
CAMPS. IN ADDITION TO THE
OFFICIAL FAN CELEBRATION AT
SEATTLE CENTER, WHICH WE WILL
TALK ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT, THE
LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE ALSO
ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT
THEY WILL BE PARTNERING WITH
NINE LOCATIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE ON THE
MAP. THEY WILL HOST FAN ZONES,
WHICH ARE MANY FAN CELEBRATIONS
AIMED AT ENSURING THAT AS MANY
WASHINGTONIANS AS POSSIBLE CAN
BE A PART OF THE GAMES. SPECIFIC
LOCATIONS AND PROGRAMMING IN
EACH OF THOSE AREAS WILL BE
ANNOUNCED PRIOR TO THE
TOURNAMENT . THEY ARE IN
PLANNING MODE RIGHT NOW. AS I
SAID, THE CLOSEST HOST CITY IS
VANCOUVER. WE ARE EXPECTING UP
TO 1.6 MILLION VISITORS BETWEEN
THE TWO CITIES OVER THE COURSE
OF THE TOURNAMENT. LOCALLY, THE
INITIAL PROJECTION IS THAT WE
WILL SEE UP TO 750,000 VISITORS
OVER THE THREE WEEKS THAT THE
TOURNAMENT IS HERE JUST IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. HERE YOU CAN
SEE THE FULL MATCH SCHEDULE. WE
ARE HOSTING SIX MATCHES . TWO IN
THE KNOCKOUT ROUND AND FOUR IN
THE GROUP STAGE . OF NOTE, WE
ARE EXCITED TO HOST A MATCH ON
JUNETEENTH WELCOMING THE U.S.
MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM. THAT WILL
BE A BIG ONE. ANOTHER MATCH ON
JUNE 26, WHICH KICKS OFF PRIDE
WEEKEND. OUR LOCAL ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING
CLOSELY WITH OTHER VENUES IN THE
AREA. THERE WILL BE NO DUAL
EVENT DAYS FOR MARINERS AND
WORLD CUP. A QUICK NOTE ON THE
CLUB WORLD CUP , NOT TO BE
CONFUSED WITH WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WHICH IS
THE WORLD CUP IN 2026. WE ARE
HOSTING A SERIES OF CLUB WORLD
CUP GAMES THIS YEAR BEGINNING IN
JUNE . THESE ARE ANTICIPATED TO
BE MORE LIKE A SEAHAWKS GAME .
PLANNING IS STILL , OBVIOUSLY,
IMPORTANT AND UNDERWAY. BUT
THEY'RE NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE
AT THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT IN 2026. WITH
THAT, I WILL KICK IT OVER TO
APRIL TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE OVERALL STRUCTURE AND TOUCH
ON SOME OF THE LOCAL ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE INITIATIVES.
>> THANKS. IT REALLY DOES TAKE A
VILLAGE TO PUT ON THE WORLD 'S
LARGEST EVENT. WANTED TO MAKE
SURE WE WERE ALL ON THE SAME
PAGE. FIFA OBVIOUSLY CONTINUES
TO PLAY THE ROLE OF HANDLING
EVERYTHING THAT WILL HAPPEN
INSIDE THE STADIUM ITSELF. THEY
ARE ALSO HELPING TO SUPPORT AT
AN INTERNATIONAL CONTINENTAL
CORONATION LEVEL. IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH FEDERAL
GOVERNMENTS, REALLY FOCUSED ON
ENSURING THAT CUSTOMS AND FEES
AS ARE APPROPRIATELY SITUATED SO
FANS AND PLAYERS AND WORKERS CAN
BE HERE. AND THAT, THERE IS OUR
ORGANIZATION. WE ARE THE
NONPROFIT THAT WAS CREATED FOR
THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GETTING OUR
REGION READY FOR HOSTING THIS
EVENT, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DO THAT WITH OUR
VALUES IN MIND. I WILL GET TO
THAT IN A MINUTE. WE'RE REALLY
FOCUSED ON EVERYTHING THAT IS
HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF THE
STADIUM, MAKING SURE THERE IS A
GREAT AND SAFE AND FUN
EXPERIENCE AND ATMOSPHERE FOR
FANS , AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY
RESIDENTS AS WELL. AND THEN, THE
GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS, LIKE THE
CITY, CONTINUE TO DO YOUR NORMAL
GOVERNMENTAL THINGS. PROVIDING
YOUR EVERYDAY SERVICES AND
ENHANCED SERVICES IN SOME CASES.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS PARTNERS,
LIKE FIRST AND GOAL, LUMEN
FIELD, VISIT SEATTLE, WHO ARE
ALL WORKING TO HELP MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE A FACILITY WHERE
THE GAMES CAN BE PLAYED AND THAT
SUPPORT MARKETING
INTERNATIONALLY SO FANS CHOOSE
TO BE HERE. I MENTIONED A LITTLE
ABOUT THE DESIRE AS AN
ORGANIZATION. ALTHOUGH WE WERE
CREATED FOR HOSTING THE WORLD
CUP IN GETTING OUR REGION READY,
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
WERE DOING THAT IN LIGHT OF, AND
CONSISTENT WITH, OUR REGION'S
VALUES AND STATE VALUES. THESE
ARE THE SIX LEGACY PILLARS.
HUMAN RIGHTS, ACCESSIBILITY AND
SUSTAINABILITY UNITE ALL 16 HOST
CITIES. AND THEN, CHILDREN,
CULTURE AND COMMUNITY ARE THREE
ADDITIONAL ONES HE ADDED
LOCALLY. EVERY PART OF WHAT WE
ARE WORKING ON, WE REALLY MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE HITTING ON
THESE LEGACY VALUES, BOTH IN
TERMS OF HOW WE ARE SETTING UP
AND ORGANIZING AND HOW WE ARE
BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT CREATING
OPPORTUNITY, AS WELL AS BEING
INTENTIONAL ABOUT USING THIS
GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT. AS MENTIONED,
IT IS UNUSUAL AND INFREQUENT
THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY,
AND WE KNOW IN ADVANCE THAT WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE THE WORLD'S
FOCUS. AND WE HAVE THAT HERE. WE
ARE REALLY EXCITED TO LEVERAGE
THAT MOMENT FOR COMMUNITY FOR A
LASTING POSITIVE LEGACY. YOU
PROBABLY HAVE SEEN THE NUMBERS.
OUR PARTNERS AND VISIT SEATTLE
WORKED WITH TOURISM ECONOMICS, A
DIVISION OF OXFORD ECONOMIC, TO
PUT TOGETHER A PRELIMINARY
ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT.
JUSTIN KING COUNTY ALONE, THE
EARLY ANALYSIS IS THAT WE EXPECT
TO SEE NEARLY $1 BILLION OF
ECONOMIC REVENUE AND IMPACT WITH
MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN DIRECT
STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUES
GENERATED. THERE IS AN
ADDITIONAL $68 MILLION OF
FEDERAL TAX REVENUE THAT IS
PROJECTED TO BE GENERATED HERE.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE GREAT
NUMBERS, THERE IS NEARLY 21,000
JOBS THAT ARE LOCALLY SUPPORTED
BY THE WORLD CUP HERE BETWEEN
NOW AND THE GAMES THEMSELVES.
AND THEN, I MENTIONED WANTING TO
BE INTENTIONAL AND REALLY MAKING
SURE THAT WE ARE SHARING THAT
PROSPERITY, LEARNING FROM PAST
EVENTS ABOUT WHAT HAS WORKED
WELL AND WHAT IS NEEDED FOR
IMPROVEMENT. WE HAVE PUT
TOGETHER A THREE-PART SMALL
BUSINESS INITIATIVE TO HELP MAKE
SURE THAT MORE BUSINESSES HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE
IN THIS. WILL START OUTWARD AND
WORK MY WAY DOWN. AT THE STATE
LEVEL, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE
SEATTLE CHAMBER, WHO IS PUTTING
TOGETHER A PLAYBOOK FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT WILL SHARE A
BUNCH OF INFORMATION ABOUT
THINGS THEY MAY WANT TO BE
THINKING ABOUT. AGAIN, THAT IS
REALLY AIMED STATEWIDE. AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL, THANKS TO FUNDING
FROM KING COUNTY, THE CHAMBER IS
WORKING WITH COMMUNITY CONNECTOR
PROGRAM TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES ACROSS
THE COUNTY , INCLUSIVE OF HERE
IN SEATTLE. HERE IN SEATTLE, IN
PARTICULAR, IN THE STADIUM
NEIGHBORHOODS , WE ARE WORKING
TO FUND THEM TO BE ABLE TO HIRE
WORLD CUP LIAISONS THAT CAN
PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO THE BUSINESSES IN
THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND FIND OUT
WHAT IT IS THEY NEED SO WE CAN
ALSO BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT. AND
REALLY, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO HELP GET PEOPLE ACROSS TO THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. IN PARTICULAR, IN
THE AREAS THAT BEAR MOST OF THE
BRUNT OF THE IMPACT OF HAVING
MEGA EVENTS. ONE OF THE OTHER
WAYS WE ARE WORKING TO HELP
DISPERSED TOURISM AND REALLY
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE SHOPPING
LOCALLY AND VISITING ALL AREAS
OF THE COMMUNITY HERE IN
SEATTLE, AS WELL AS ACROSS THE
STATE AND THE FAN ZONES, IS THAT
WE ARE WORKING ON AN AUGMENTED
REALITY APP SPECIFIC TO THE
SEATTLE WORLD CUP EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH SMALL
BUSINESSES AND TOURISM AGENCIES
ACROSS THE STATE. REALLY WANTED
TO FOCUS THAT THESE ARE PLACES
YOU SHOULD GO AND VISIT. IT WILL
BE SOMETHING THAT IS AVAILABLE
IN THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR IN
ADVANCE OF THE GAMES THEMSELVES
TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE LOCALLY TO
BE TRAVELING AROUND AND VISITING
SMALL BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS
FANS WERE TRAVELING HERE FOR THE
GAMES. THEY WILL BE ABLE TO WIN
PRIZES WITH WORLD CUP SWAG AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. ONE OF THE
VALUES I KNOW IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE
IS THE NEED TO ENSURE WE ARE
PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND
WORKERS RIGHTS AS PART OF THIS
ORGANIZING PLAN. WE KNOW THAT ,
HISTORICALLY, WITH MEGA EVENTS,
PARTICULARLY LARGE SPORTING
EVENTS, THERE IS AN INCREASE OF
TRAFFICKING THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH
PEOPLE DURING THAT PERIOD. WE
ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
NONPROFITS INVOLVED IN
TRAFFICKING PREVENTION, AS WELL
AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT , THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY,
FIFA, THE CITIES OF SEATTLE, IN
THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WRIT
LARGE TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS
GOING TO BE TRAININGS THAT ARE
REALLY SPECIFIC TO THE NATIONS
THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING
HERE AS TO WHAT TO BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR. MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THE REMEDIES TO BE ABLE TO HELP
ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
THAT IS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT
WE WILL BE WORKING ON. WE HAVE
SEVERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES WE
HAVE STOOD UP, OR IN THE PROCESS
OF STANDING UP, TO ENSURE THEY
ARE PROVIDING THEIR EXPERTISE
AND THAT WE ARE NOT REINVENTING
THE WHEEL WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE
THAT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING
AND ARE REALLY TAPPED IN. WE ARE
WORKING -- WE HAVE A JUNETEENTH
AND PRIDE MATCH COMMITTEE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE ALSO
HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY ,
ACCESSIBILITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL
PROVIDING INPUT AND THEIR
EXPERTISE IN EACH OF THOSE
AREAS. I DID WANT TO TAKE A
SECOND TO SHARE THIS PHOTO IS
FROM A SIGNING OF THE LABOR
STANDARDS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND MLK
LABOR FOR ENSURING THAT ALL WORK
THAT IS DONE AT SEATTLE CENTER
FOR OUR FAN CELEBRATION WILL BE
DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
LABOR UNIONS, AND MAKING SURE
THAT ALL WORKERS WILL BE
RECEIVING A FAIR AND GOOD FAMILY
WAGE SALARY FOR THAT WORK. WE
ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE THE
ONLY HOST CITY , SO FAR, THAT
HAS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT SUCH AS
THIS. SPEAKING OF THE SEATTLE
FAN CELEBRATION AT SEATTLE
CENTER, THIS IS THE PRIMARY
PLACE THAT MANY FANS ARE REALLY
GOING TO GET TO HAVE A WORLD CUP
EXPERIENCE. WE ARE EXPECTING
15,000 TO 30,000 I
THINK KYLIE MENTIONED SPECIFIC
TO SEATTLE WE THINK 700 -- AFTER
750,000 PEOPLE WILL BE HERE OVER
THE COURSE OF THAT THREE-WEEK
PERIOD. ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THEM
WILL HAVE TICKETS. THE REST WILL
BE HERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE
AROUND THE ATMOSPHERE AND PART
OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS WHERE
WE THINK MANY OF THEM WILL BE AT
THE SEATTLE CENTER. WE ARE
REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE STAFF
AND LEADERSHIP AT THE CENTER.
AND THEIR WORK TO GET READY , TO
BE READY TO ACCOMMODATE ALL
THESE PEOPLE. WE ARE WORKING
REALLY CLOSELY IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE CENTER STAFF , WITH THE
RESIDENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND IN
PARTICULAR, THE PRIDE
NATURALIZATION CEREMONY AND
IRANIAN CEREMONY, TO MAKE SURE
THERE IS NOT PROBLEMS WITH THEIR
ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THEIR PROGRAMS AS PLANNED AND
THEN, IN THE VENDOR WORK, WE ARE
REALLY FOCUSED ON BEING
INTENTIONAL ABOUT CREATING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WASHINGTONIANS
AND SEATTLE COMPANIES. AND SO,
WE HAVE WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES ARE
LOCATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PARTICIPATE, AND IT IS NOT
JUST A BIG NATIONAL,
MULTINATIONAL COMPANY.
>> AS APRIL EXPLAINED , THE MAIN
OFFICIAL FAN CELEBRATION WILL BE
AT SEATTLE CENTER. ONE OF OUR
CORE VALUES AS A HOST CITY IS TO
REALLY CREATE AN INCLUSIVE
EXPERIENCE THAT FACILITATES
EXCITEMENT AND CIVIC PRIDE FOR
THE ENTIRE CITY, NOT JUST THE
VISITORS WE EXPECT. ONE WAY WE
PLAN TO DO THAT IS BY RESOURCE
AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ARTS
AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY TO
PUT ON THEIR OWN CELEBRATIONS
WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY CENTERED
ON CIVIC AND CULTURAL PRIDE,
SHARED HUMANITY, CROSS-CULTURAL
LEARNING AND JOY. AS YOU MAY
RECALL, COUNCIL APPROVED 500,000
IN THE 2025 BUDGET FOR THIS
PURPOSE. WE HAVE A SMALL IDT,
INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM, WORKING
NOW ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH
GROUPS CAN APPLY AND BE SELECTED
FOR THESE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
MICRO GRANTS. THE AIM IS TO HAVE
AT LEAST ONE COMMUNITY
CELEBRATION IN EACH DISTRICT. WE
EXPECT TO OPEN UP RFPs FOR THIS
SOMETIME THIS SUMMER WITH THE
WORD DECISIONS BY EARLY FALL,
GIVING FOLKS AMPLE TIME TO PLAN
AND PREPARE TO EXECUTE ON THEIR
CELEBRATIONS BY THE TIME THE
TOURNAMENT COMES. WE WILL MAKE
SURE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED AS
THINGS PROGRESS ON THIS. WE
REALLY VALUE EACH OF YOUR
PARTNERSHIPS AND MAKING SURE
THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE AWARE
OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY
EMERGE. NOW WE'RE GOING TO
TRANSITION INTO SOME OF THE MORE
TACTICAL PLANNING PIECES THAT WE
ARE DOING AS THE CITY, AND AS
THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE.
THE FIRST BEING SAFETY AND
SECURITY. OBVIOUSLY, ENSURING
THE SAFE AND SECURE EXPERIENCE
FOR EVERYONE IS TOP PRIORITY. WE
HAVE AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM
CONSISTING OF KEY OPERATIONAL
DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
DEVELOPING WHAT IS CALLED AN
OVERALL EVENT OPERATIONS PLAN.
THAT PLAN WILL ENCOMPASS SAFETY
AND SECURITY PROCEDURES,
TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLANS,
EVENT SUPPORT AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS, AND
INTERAGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. AS
WELL AS, DEVELOPING THE PROTOCOL
AND STAFFING FOR A UNIFIED EVENT
OPERATION CENTER THAT WILL BE
ACTIVE ON GAME DAYS, AT LEAST ON
GAME DAYS, OVER THE SUMMER . IT
IS ANTICIPATED TO BE AN OFF-SITE
FROM THE NORMAL EOC SOMEWHERE,
HOPEFULLY, CLOSER TO THE
STADIUM, AND THAT ALSO ALLOWS
THE EOC TO BE ACTIVATED, IF
NEEDED, FOR ANYTHING ELSE
NON-WORLD CUP RELATED THAT GOES
ON ACROSS THE CITY. IN ADDITION
TO THE INTERNAL WORK, THE LOC
HAS ABOUT 18 SUBGROUPS WORKING
ON KEY PUBLIC SAFETY COMPONENTS
AND COORDINATING ACROSS ALL 16
HOST CITIES , ALL OF WHICH THE
CITY IS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING
IN. ONE EMERGING COMPONENT OF
THE SAFETY PLANNING WORK BROUGHT
ON, PARTIALLY, BY THE VEHICLE
ATTACK IN NEW ORLEANS EARLIER
THIS YEAR, IS AN OVERALL CITY
EFFORT TO EVALUATE AND SECURE
AREAS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO
VEHICLE ATTACKS. WE ARE
PROTUBERANT -- PRIORITIZING THIS
WORK FIRST AND KEY WORLD CUP
PEDESTRIAN PUBLIC SPACES, LIKE
SEATTLE CENTER AND WESTLAKE
PARK. WE KNOW THIS ALL TAKES
FUNDING AND RESOURCES. WE ARE
CURRENTLY ENGAGED WITH THE LOCAL
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND OTHER
AGENCIES TO DO A GAP ANALYSIS
THAT WILL INFORM A STATEWIDE
MUTUAL AID ASKED, WHICH IS
REALLY GOING TO BE CRITICAL TO
THE ABILITY TO HOST A SAFE AND
SECURE EVENT.
>> WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH
YOUR OIR STAFF IN D.C. AND
OLYMPIA. THERE WAS 5 1/2 MILLION
DOLLARS PROPOSED IN THE SENATE
BUDGET FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT
STAYS IN THE FINAL NEGOTIATION.
IN THE D.C., ALL 11 U.S. HOST
CITIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER ,
BOTH AT THE CITY LEVEL AND THE
LOCAL ORGANIZING LEVEL, TO
ENSURE THAT OUR SAFETY AND
SECURITY REQUESTS ARE MOVING
FORWARD. COLLECTIVELY, WE ARE
SEEKING $625 MILLION FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH OUR
REQUEST HERE IN SEATTLE AT $33
MILLION. THAT HELPS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE FULLY ABLE TO HAVE A
SAFE AND SECURE WORLD CUP IN
2026. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE
NATION HAS HAD 78 SIMULTANEOUS
RATED ONE AND TWO EVENTS.
BECAUSE THIS EVENT CROSSES THE
CONTINENT AND BOTH COASTS. IT
REALLY IS OF NATIONAL INTEREST
AND NATIONAL SECURITY. IT IS FAR
BEYOND ANYTHING THAT ANY CITY OR
STATE COULD DO ON THEIR OWN.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE WORKING
TOGETHER AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
>> MOVING ONTO TRANSPORTATION.
THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO HAVE 80%
OF TICKETHOLDERS ARRIVED WITHOUT
A PERSONAL CAR. THERE HAS BEEN ,
FOR A WHILE NOW, EXTENSIVE
COORDINATION AND PLANNING WITH
METRO, SDOT, SOUND TRANSIT AND
WSDOT BROKEN UP INTO FIVE
TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUPS
CONVENED BY THE LOCAL ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE. WE ARE WORKING HARD
TO COORDINATE AND PLAN ACROSS
ALL THE RELEVANT AGENCIES TO
KEEP PEOPLE MOVING DURING THIS
MAJOR EVENT. SDOT, STARTING THIS
YEAR, WILL START A SERIES OF
PAVEMENT ACCESSIBILITY
IMPROVEMENTS IN KEY AREAS
SURROUNDING THE STADIUM TO READY
THEM FOR THE SURGE IN USE.
ADDITIONALLY, DURING THE WORLD
CUP, METRO IS PLANNING TO
OPERATE A CIRCULATOR BUS, WHICH
WILL CONNECT LUMEN FIELD, THE
CID , WATERFRONT AND SEATTLE
CENTER FOR THE FAN CELEBRATION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE ELLIOTT
BAY CONNECTOR PROJECT THAT IS
SLATED TO BE FINISHED BY THE
WORLD CUP WILL PROVIDE A NEW
WALKING AND BIKING CORRIDOR
BETWEEN SEATTLE CENTER AND LUMEN
FIELD. THAT WILL BE A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY. A LITTLE BIT ON
BUDGET REQUESTS.
>> AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE ARE
SUPPORTING THE CITY'S REQUEST
THAT SENATOR MURRAY AND
REPRESENTATIVE HAD FOUR THIRD
AVENUE REVITALIZATION. SENATOR
CANTWELL IS WAITING ON A
NATIONAL BILL TO HELP PROVIDE
$10 MILLION DIRECTLY TO EACH
HOST COMMUNITY . IT WOULD GO
HERE TO THE PUGET SOUND REGIONAL
COUNCIL TO HELP ADDRESS THE
CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION
PRIORITIES DURING WORLD CUP THAT
HAVE ONGOING BENEFIT. THAT BILL
IS JUST ABOUT TO BE INTRODUCED.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS BEEN YET.
AND THEN, AT THE STATE LEVEL,
GAVE A GREAT SUMMARY. I WOULD
JUST SAY THAT THE SENATE FUNDED
AT A SLIGHTLY HIGHER LEVEL AND
INCLUDES THE PEDESTRIAN
IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE SENATE
FUNDS THE FULL $10 MILLION, THE
HOUSE FUNDED $6 MILLION FOR
TRANSIT SERVICE WITH NO
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS.
>> LET'S TOUCH ON PERMITTING A
LITTLE BIT. TAKING A CUE FROM
ONGOING DISCUSSIONS OF
IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PERMITTING
PROCESSES FOR HOUSING, SMALL
BUSINESSES. WE ARE ALSO MODELING
A MORE STREAMLINED APPROACH TO
EVENT PERMITTING AS WELL WITH
THE SPECIAL EVENTS OFFICE AND
SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE PLAYING
A LEAD ROLE HERE IN CITYWIDE
MANAGEMENT AND CENTRALIZED
TRACKING. WE HAVE BEEN
COLLABORATING CLOSELY FOR ALMOST
A YEAR NOW WITH THE ENTITIES WE
KNOW HAVE COMPLEX AND TIME
SENSITIVE PERMITTING NEEDS, WELL
AHEAD OF APPLICATIONS COMING IN,
TO FACILITATE A SEAMLESS
APPROVAL PROCESS. THOSE ENTITIES
ARE PWAA -- FIFA, OF COURSE, FOR
THE AREA WITHIN THE STADIUM
FOOTPRINT, THE LOCAL ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE FOR THE FAN
CELEBRATION AT SEATTLE CENTER,
FIRST AND GOAL IN LUMEN, FOR
STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN
THEIR WALLS THAT THEY NEED TO
MAKE BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT, AND
BOTH UDUB AND SEATTLE UNIVERSITY
FOR THEIR PRACTICE FIELD
IMPROVEMENTS. WE WILL ALSO BE
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY
EVENT PERMITTING. A SYSTEM CAN
REALLY SERVE AS A ONE-STOP SHOP
FOR INFORMATION ON WHAT PERMITS
ARE NEEDED FOR A GIVEN EVENT,
AND AN EASY WAY TO NAVIGATE THE
APPLICATION PROCESS AND TRIAGE
ISSUES. WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL
BE A LOT OF EVENT PERMIT
REQUESTS COMING IN AS WE GET
CLOSER TO THE TOURNAMENT FROM
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND
COMMUNITY GROUPS. REALLY AIMING
TO MAKE THAT A SEAMLESS
EXPERIENCE FOR THEM AS WELL. NOW
MOVING INTO WHAT WE CALL
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE. A KEY
COMPONENT OF THE OVERALL VISION
OF MAXIMIZING THE UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY THAT HOSTING THESE
GAMES PRESENTS TO OUR CITY IS TO
REALLY SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES TO
USE THE WORLD CUP AS A
SPRINGBOARD FOR CIVIC
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WILL
PROVIDE BENEFIT BEYOND THE GAMES
THEMSELVES. WE WILL TOUCH
BRIEFLY ON A FEW OF THOSE HERE
NOW.
>> THE MAP ON THE LEFT IS
SHOWING THE CENTRAL BUSINESS
AREAS OF THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
THAT IS AN AREA WE ARE WORKING
THROUGH TO CREATE SOMETHING
CALLED THE UNITY LOOP. IT IS
REALLY TAKING A STEP BACK AND
RECOGNIZING, FIRST AND FOREMOST,
THE WORLD CUP WITH THE NUMBERS
SHARED EARLIER ABOUT HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE WATCHING AND
PARTICIPATING IN WORLD CUP
EVENTS. MEN'S WORLD CUP IN 2026
PREDICTING 3 BILLION PEOPLE.
THAT IS A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE
WORLD. FOR TO ALL COME TOGETHER
DURING THE SAME 90 MINUTES TO
WATCH A GAME. WE UNDERSTAND THE
WORLD CUP IS REALLY A UNIFYING
MOMENT FOR THE WORLD, FOR OUR
COUNTRY, AND FOR OUR CITY.
REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE
FANS WHO COME HERE AND THE
PEOPLE THAT ALREADY LIVE HERE
HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY TO
ENJOY UNITY. THIS TIME, IT IS
TAKING ADVANTAGE AND LOOKING UP
THE MAJOR ARTS AND CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS THAT EXIST IN OUR
COMMUNITY ALREADY, AND HELPING
TO TIE THOSE TOGETHER IN A MORE
CURATED PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED
PATH, MUCH LIKE THE FREEDOM
TRAIL IN BOSTON. REALLY TRYING
TO MARKET THAT IS SOMETHING AS A
WAY TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT
MAJOR ARTS AND CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS. IT IS CONNECTED BY
A TON OF STREET ART. I THINK
THERE'S 110 PIECES OF STREET
HEART -- ARTS PLAN BETWEEN NOW
AND THE WORLD CUP. WE ARE
WORKING ON ADDING A FEW THAT ARE
SPECIFIC TO THE WORLD CUP AS
WELL. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE TRAVELING
THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY , NOT
JUST A AT THE STADIUM ITSELF.
THE PHOTOS ON THE RIGHT , YOU
SEE TWO PHOTOS FROM THE AMAZING
PARTNERS, WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING
TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN BUILD AN
-- AND OPEN 26 NEW PLAYFIELD BY
2026 TO GIVE CHILDREN MORE
ACCESS TO FREE PLAY ACROSS THE
STATE. NOT ONLY HAS THE
FOUNDATION ALREADY SUCCEEDED AT
THEIR GOAL OF BUILDING 26
PLAYFIELD, THEY HAVE NOW DOUBLED
IT AND ARE TRYING TO GET AN
ADDITIONAL 26. THESE ARE TWO
PLAYFIELD IN SEATTLE. THE TOP
ONE IS AT AND THE BOTTOM ONE
DOWN AT NEW HOLLY.
>> WE WILL ALSO BE MAKING
IMPROVEMENTS TO SOME OF THE
LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING
WESTLAKE AND OCCIDENTAL PARKS.
THERE OBVIOUSLY EXPECTED TO BE
MAJOR HUBS OF FOOT TRAFFIC
DURING THE GAMES. PARKS AND SDOT
WILL UNDERTAKE A SERIES OF
SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY
IMPROVEMENTS AT OCCIDENTAL PARK
AND ALONG OCCIDENTAL MALL,
INCLUDING TRAPASSO THE BASEMENT,
ELECTRICAL LIGHTING UPGRADES .
LEADING UP TO THE GAMES, PARTS
WILL ALSO IDENTIFY OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEAUTIFICATION
IN THOSE AREAS. AND THEN, AS
PART OF A LARGER EFFORT AROUND
REIMAGINING WESTLAKE PARK IS A
PREMIER GATHERING ACTIVATION
SPACE IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN
GOING ON WITH STAKEHOLDERS NOW.
PHASE 1 OF THAT WORK WILL REALLY
FOCUS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE BY THE
SUMMER OF 2026 TO GET THE PARK
READY TO WELCOME THE SURGE OF
VISITORS AND ACTIVATIONS TO
COME. A LOT OF THAT WORK CENTERS
ON OPENING UP THE SPACE ,
GETTING RID OF NONFUNCTIONAL OR
AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS
THE STAGE AND THE FOUNTAIN THAT
HAS NOT WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF
YEARS NOW. INSTALLING NEW
SPECIALTY PLANTERS BUT ALSO
DOUBLE AS PROTECTION AGAINST
VEHICLE ATTACKS , AND
INSTALLATION OF REMOVABLE
BOLLARDS AS WELL. ALSO, DOING
MAJOR TRIP HAZARD ABATEMENT IN
THAT SPACE. CONVERSATIONS ARE
ONGOING WITH DOWNTOWN
STAKEHOLDERS ON POTENTIAL
ACTIVATIONS AND CELEBRATION
OPPORTUNITIES IN BOTH OF THOSE
SPACES. NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON
GETTING THOSE PLACES SAFE AND
OPEN TO BE ABLE TO POST WHATEVER
ACTIVATIONS COME OUR WAY. AND
THEN, FINALLY, THE THIRD AVENUE
IMPROVEMENTS . BUILDING OFF OF
THE MOMENTUM FROM THE THIRD
AVENUE SPARK BLOCK PROJECT THAT
WAS UNVEILED A FEW MONTHS AGO,
SDOT IS EXCITED TO CONTINUE
THAT, AND IS USING KEY -- WORLD
CUP IS A KEY DRIVING FACTOR IN
CONTINUING THE WORK DOWN THE
CORRIDOR. MORE LIGHTS HAVE
ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED,
EXTENDING THE -- EXPENDING
THAT'S EXTENDING FROM THE SPARK
BLOCK TO PINE STREET. SDOT AND
ARTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO
DELIVER NEW, LARGE-SCALE ART ON
THIRD AVENUE LATER THIS YEAR.
THAT IS THE NEXT NODE TO BE
WORKED ON. WE WILL CONTINUE THE
PROCESS TO STAND UP ART
INSTALLATIONS AND PUBLIC REALM
IMPROVEMENTS AT THE KEY NODES
MOVING DOWN THE CORRIDOR,
PIONEERS., THIRD AND JACKSON ALL
BY THE SUMMER OF 2026. YOU
SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE MORE ART
COMING UP THIS SUMMER WITH
LARGER PIECES COMING ONLINE THIS
WINTER IN TIME FOR THE WORLD
CUP. NOW WE WILL WRAP UP WITH A
FEW KEY DATES AHEAD.
>> STARTING THIS WEEK , ON
THURSDAY, WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU
ALL TO JOIN US AT OUR OFFICE IN
PIONEER SQUARE. WE WILL UNVEILED
THE OFFICIAL HOST CITY POSTER
FOR SEATTLE. ALL 16 CITIES WILL
HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE POSTER ,
AND I THINK, ALMOST ALL OF THEM.
WE CERTAINLY DID. WE WORKED WITH
LOCAL ARTISTS TO FIGURE OUT WHO
CAN BEST CAPTURE THE LOOK AND
FEEL AND SEATTLE FOR THE ENTIRE
WORLD. AGAIN, THAT IS THURSDAY
AT 5:00 P.M. NEXT QUARTER, WE
WILL BE KICKING OFF THE
JUNETEENTH AND PRIDE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE -- COMMITTEES. WE ARE
REALLY EXCITED THAT YOU NINTH IS
THE BEGINNING OF ONE WEEK TO
CELEBRATE BEING ONE YEAR OUT
FROM HOSTING THE WORLD CUP. IT
IS TREMENDOUS TO NOTE IT IS
ALMOST A YEAR OUT . WE HAVE A
LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT I THINK
WE ARE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE FOR
WHERE WE WANT TO COME AND NEED
TO BE, IN THE PLANNING EFFORTS.
OF COURSE, THE CITY OF SEATTLE
IS HOSTING THAT'S THE MAYOR IS
HOSTING A DAY OF SERVICE TO
CELEBRATE THE ONE YEAR OUT IN
JULY, WHICH WE ARE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT. WE WILL OFFICIALLY LAUNCH
THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR THE
WORLD CUP LOCALLY LATER THIS
SUMMER AS WELL. AS ALREADY
MENTIONED, THERE IS A FINAL DRAW
IN DECEMBER, WHICH IS WHEN WE
LEARN WHAT TEAMS ARE GOING TO BE
PLAYING HERE, IN ADDITION TO THE
U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM . IT
IS ALSO WHEN WE LEARN CRITICAL
INFORMATION, LIKE WHAT TIME THE
MATCH IS HAPPENING LOCALLY. AND
THEN, SOMETIME IN Q4, TICKETS
WILL GO ON SALE AS I IMAGINE,
THAT IS SOMETHING YOU, OR THE
FOLKS PAYING ATTENTION IN
SEATTLE CHANNEL, WILL ASK.
>> I WILL WRAP US UP WITH A
COUPLE OF CLOSING REMARKS. HERE
IS SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON
THE SCREEN FOR THE LOCAL
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE . IF YOU
HAVE PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICTS OR
IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY WANT TO
VOLUNTEER , WE HAVE A LOT OF
PEOPLE WANT TO BE A PART OF
THIS. THIS IS A WAY TO STAY
UPDATED. YOU CAN SHARE THIS
INFORMATION IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS,
AS APPROPRIATE. I JUST WANT TO
END ON TWO POINTS. ONE IS,
CLEARLY AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK. I
THINK KAILEE AND ALL THE CITY
DEPARTMENTS, AND APRIL AND THE
LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. THEY
ARE DOING THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHAT YOU GOT TODAY IS THE MOST
ABRIDGED VERSION YOU CAN GET OF
THE PLANNING EFFORTS. A LOT OF
DETAILS . AS WE LEARN MORE,
PARTICULARLY THE DRAW OF WHICH
TEAMS ARE COMING IN DECEMBER, WE
WILL BE PIVOTING AND MAKING SURE
WE ARE WELL PREPARED. THE SECOND
THING IS, I WANT TO CIRCLE BACK
ON WHAT I STARTED WITH ABOUT
THIS BEING A MOMENT OF CIVIC
PRIDE. I REALLY HOPE EVERYBODY
IS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITH
ALL OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN A
WAY THAT, WHETHER PEOPLE CAN GO
TO A GAME OR COME TO THE FAN
FENCE, WHEREVER THEY ARE, I HOPE
THEY FEEL OWNERSHIP OF THIS
EVENT. I LOVE FOR SEATTLE AND
BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. IT IS
OUR TIME TO SHINE ON THE WORLD
STAGE. I HOPE EVERYBODY FEELS
THEY CAN TAKE SOME OWNERSHIP AND
BE PART OF THAT AS WELL. WITH
THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I
WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY
HAVE.
>> THANK YOU. LOOKING AT MY
COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY. I SEE THERE ARE THREE
HANDS UP. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA ,
DID YOU PUT YOUR HAND UP FIRST?
>> YES.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, DEPUTY
MAYOR FROM THE ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE. REALLY APPRECIATE
THIS INSIGHTFUL PRESENTATION AND
BRIEFING, AND APPRECIATE YOUR
COLLABORATION ON A ONE-TO-ONE
BASIS BEHIND THE SCENES AS WELL
IN THE PAST YEAR SHARING OUT
THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH
ME AND MY OFFICE. THIS IS A VERY
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE
HAVE. NOT JUST AS A CITY, BUT AS
A REGION , AND INTERNATIONALLY
AS WELL. FOR ME, MY VISION IS
THAT WE HAVE, FOR THE WORLD CUP,
NEXT YEAR, NOT THE CLUB WORLD
CUP, WORLD CUP LIGHT DASHES THAT
WHAT WE ARE CALLING IT? MY
VISION FOR ACTUAL WORLD CUP IN
2026 IS THAT WE HAVE A SAFE,
FUN, VIBRANT WORLD CUP GAMES
THAT TRULY SHOWCASE OUR UNIQUE
ARTS AND CULTURAL SCENE, ALONG
WITH THE MANY WONDERFUL ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES LOCALLY WHERE
PROSPERITY AND BENEFITS ARE
WIDELY SHARED , AND ANY BURDEN
OR NEGATIVE IMPACT IS FULLY
MINIMIZED AND MITIGATED TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. I
APPRECIATE YOUR WORK TO HELP
ADDRESS THAT , AMONG OTHER
THINGS. I KNOW I AM EXCITED FOR
IT. NOT JUST BECAUSE THE MATCHES
THEMSELVES HAPPENED TO BE IN MY
COUNSEL DISTRICT , BUT AS WE
LEARNED THROUGHOUT THE
PRESENTATION, THERE ARE MANY
NEIGHBORHOODS WERE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO PLUG INDIRECTLY THROUGH
VARIOUS FAN ZONES, ET CETERA,
WATCHING LOCATIONS AND THE LIKE.
AS MUCH HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO
IS GOING INTO EVERY DAY IS
PLANNING THIS, I HAVE A QUESTION
ABOUT , I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
LIGHT IT IS , BUT THE FIRST
ECONOMIC BENEFITS SHARING
PROSPERITY SLIDE WHERE IT TALKS
ABOUT THE LOCAL ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE SMALL BUSINESS
INITIATIVE. AND SO, IT MIGHT BE
SLIDE SEVEN. I DON'T KNOW. THAT
SLIDE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE
SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVE .
FIRST OFF, CAN YOU TALK MORE
ABOUT HOW THE THREE SPECIFIC
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE? CID, WERE
SELECTED TO RECEIVE THIS KIND OF
ENHANCE RECOGNITION AND FUNDING,
WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND
IMPACTFUL RECOGNITION. REALLY
PRESTIGIOUS AS WELL. I HAVE
HEARD FROM OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS
IN MY OWN DISTRICT, AND MY SENSE
IS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD
FROM CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THEIR
INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
RATE THEY REPRESENT AS WELL WHO
WANT A STRONGER PART OF THIS ,
THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. FOR
EXAMPLE, SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS
IN GEORGETOWN, ALKI AND WEST
SEATTLE HAVE RAISED SOME
CONCERNS ABOUT THIS . THE
CONCERNS, THE SCOPE OF THE
CONCERNS STEM FROM SOME OF THE
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE TAYLOR
SWIFT WEEKEND, FOR EXAMPLE, OR
THE ALL-STAR GAME AND SOME OF
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, IF
YOU WILL, OR NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF
THOSE EVENTS FROM MASSIVE FRONT
LINES, OVERFLOWING GARBAGE ,
LACK OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS , AND
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. FOR THE
LACK OF SANITATION, ET CETERA.
JUST CURIOUS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND, CAN YOU TALK MORE
ABOUT HOW THOSE THREE
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THAT SPECIFIC
INITIATIVE WERE SELECTED, AND
JUST MORE BROADLY, ZOOMING OUT,
CAN YOU DISCUSS YOUR COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PLANS
FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE
GOING TO BE IMPACTED DIRECTLY
AND INDIRECTLY AS PART OF THIS
PROCESS? THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER. THOSE THREE
NEIGHBORHOODS WERE SELECTED
BECAUSE THEY ARE THE THREE
NEIGHBORHOODS MOST CLOSE TO THE
STADIUM. THEY ARE GOING TO BEAR
THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACTS THAT
HAPPEN WHEN 65,000 PEOPLE GO IN
AND OUT OF THAT STADIUM SIX
TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THREE
WEEKS. SO REALLY WANTING TO
LEARN FROM PREVIOUS MEGA EVENTS
AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT THOSE
COMMUNITIES NEED TO BE ABLE TO
HELP MITIGATE , AS WELL AS SHARE
THE POSITIVE IMPACTS AS WELL.
THAT IS WHY WE FOCUSED OUR
LIMITED ECONOMIC REVENUE
OPPORTUNITY, OR BENEFIT FUNDING
, FOR THOSE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS.
IF WE HAD UNLIMITED FUNDING, WE
WOULD PUT IT IN EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY IN
SEATTLE AND ACROSS THE STATE,
BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE HELPING TO
DRIVE PEOPLE TO COMMUNITIES
ACROSS THE STATE. WITH UP TO
750,000 PEOPLE COMING TO THE
REGION OVER THOSE THREE WEEKS,
IT IS LIKELY THAT AT LEAST HALF
OF THEM WILL BE FROM
INTERNATIONAL ORIGINATIONS AND
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO
SEATTLE BEFORE. WE WANT THEM TO
HAVE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION TO
BE ABLE TO STAY AND COME BACK.
OUR DESIRE , SIMILAR TO YOUR
DESIRE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT,
APPOINTING TO IDENTIFY
MITIGATIONS NEEDED, AND THEN
ACTUALLY START MOVING FORWARD IN
MITIGATION, IS WHY WE SELECTED
THOSE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS IN
PARTICULAR. OVERALL, IN TERMS OF
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
CONVERSATIONS, WE ARE ALWAYS
AVAILABLE. WE ARE CONTINUING TO
WORK THROUGH A MORE PRONOUNCED
ENGAGEMENT PLAN SO PEOPLE HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES . WE ARE WORKING
ON CREATING OFFICE HOURS TO BE
ABLE TO , ON A REGULAR BASIS,
WERE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T FIND
WHATEVER THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IN
SOME OTHER WAY CAN KNOW THAT
THEY HAVE THIS TIME DEDICATED TO
REACH OUT TO US AND HELP GET ANY
ANSWERS OR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
THEY MAY HAVE.
>> DID YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION? I WILL ADD ON A COUPLE
OF , ON A LARGER CITY
PERSPECTIVE. ONE OF THE LESSONS
LEARNED FROM THE MAJOR-LEAGUE
FILES THAT ALL-STAR GAME IS THAT
FAN BEHAVIOR IS APTLY VERY HARD
TO PREDICT. YOU WOULD THINK IF
EVERYBODY IS GOING DOWN TO THE
STADIUM TO SEE IN ALL-STAR GAME,
THEY WOULD ALL STOP BY ALL THE
PLACES IN THE CID OR PIONEER
SQUARE. THAT ACTUALLY DID NOT
HAPPEN . I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR
WORLD CUP IS, FIRST, HOW WE MAKE
SURE WE FACILITATE THAT BY THE
NEIGHBORHOODS CLOSEST TO THE
STADIUMS. AND THEN, HOW WE TALK
TO COMMUNICATE HIS --
COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE THE MOST
IMPACTED AREA. THE BENEFITS AND
BURDENS OF WORLD CUP WILL NOT BE
EVENLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE
CITY. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING
WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE UP FRONT.
WE DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO GO TO GEORGETOWN, OR IF
THEY -- WHEREVER THEY GO. THEY
MAY OR MAY NOT. THAT IS PART OF
WHY WE ARE TRYING TO EMPHASIZE
AS A CITY THAT WE WANT OUR OWN
NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE ABLE TO
CREATE CELEBRATIONS, AND WHEN WE
COME BACK THE SUMMER, PERHAPS
FALL WITH THE RFP, THAT WOULD
REALLY HELP THOSE COMMUNITIES
FIGURE OUT HOW WE MAKE THIS WORK
FOR US. HOW WE MAKE THIS A WIN
FOR US REGARDLESS OF WHAT FANS
DO. WE WILL HAVE SUGGESTIONS. WE
WANT TO GET THEM OUT TO ALL THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. I KNOW THERE WAS
DISCUSSION WITH THE LEADERS
ABOUT THE TAYLOR SWIFT FERRY
LINES. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND
THOSE ISSUES, BUT WE ALSO WANT
TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE CAN ALL BE
PART OF THE SOLUTION. WE CAN ALL
BE PART OF COMMUNITIES COMING
TOGETHER, AND WE CAN'T WORK FOR
THEIR COMMUNITY. MAYBE THAT IS
AS SIMPLE AS GATHERING AT THE
FOUNDATION MANY PITCH AND HAVING
A CELEBRATION WITH ALL THE
CULTURES OF YOUR COMMUNITY
TOGETHER. THAT CAN BE A WAY TO
REMEMBER WORLD CUP. I ALSO WANT
TO TALK ABOUT MITIGATION OF
THINGS LIKE TRASH BUT I THINK
THAT IS SOMETHING, AS WE START
LOOKING AT THE ONE YOU'RE OUT
MORE, WE'RE THINKING THE
RAMP-UP WE NEED. WE CERTAINLY
KNOW IT WILL BE HEAVY IMPACT IN
THE SEATTLE CENTER TO STADIUM
AREA, AS THAT IS WHERE MOST OF
THE FANS WILL BE, AND MOST OF
THE VISITORS WILL BE, BUT IF
THERE ARE ISSUES IN OTHER
COMMUNITIES THAT YOU ARE SEEING
OVERLOADED TRASH CANS AND THINGS
LIKE THAT, PLEASE LET KYLIE
KNOW, AND WE WILL WORK WITH THE
DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE OUT IF
THERE ARE AREAS THAT NEED EXTRA
TRIAGE FUNDS DURING THAT THREE
WEEK PERIOD. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE DEPARTMENT ARE LOOKING FOR
ALL THE PEOPLE IN SEATTLE TO
MITIGATE THOSE HARMS AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE.
>> I WOULD ALSO ADD ON THAT, YOU
KNOW, THAT SAME IDT THAT IS
COMING UP WITH THE PROCESS FOR
HOW WE RESOURCE COMMUNITIES TO
PUT ON THEIR OWN CELEBRATIONS IS
ALSO TOP OF MIND FOR THEM TO
DEVELOP AN OUTREACH PLAN THAT
REALLY COMPLIMENTS THE WORK THE
LOC IS DOING IN THOSE STADIUM
NEIGHBORHOODS AND EXPANDS IT
CITYWIDE TO ENSURE THAT
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS DISTRICTS
ACROSS THE CITY HAVE THE
INFORMATION WE NEED. ANOTHER
INITIATIVE THAT WILL BE COMING
OUT SOON IS FACILITATED BY THE
SEATTLE SPORTS COMMISSION. THEY
ARE DEVELOPING WHAT IS CALLED A
COMMUNITY PLAYBOOK. THE INTENT
OF THAT IS REALLY FOR IT TO BE
AN INCLUSIVE COMPREHENSIVE
RESOURCE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
THAT WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD . IT WILL
ENCOMPASS INFORMATION LIKE WHAT
TYPE OF PERMITS YOU NEED, WHAT
TYPE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO
THINK ABOUT IF YOU WANT TO HOST
A WATCH PARTY IN TERMS OF
POTENTIAL LICENSING ISSUES. THAT
IS SET TO COME OUT IN A FEW
MONTHS, I BELIEVE.
>> NEXT MONTH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU
AGAIN. I THINK MY FIRST QUESTION
IS, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU
TO MY OFFICE TO TALK ABOUT THESE
SEVEN SPECIFIC. AND LATER TO MY
DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL.
THAT WOULD BE AN EASY AND QUICK
WAY TO REACH OUT TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY COUNCILS
IN MY DISTRICT TO BASE LINE THE
EXPECTATIONS AND POSSIBILITIES.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC
OUTREACH OPPORTUNITY. I WOULD
LIKE TO FACILITATE THAT. MY
FIRST QUESTION IS, AND IT
DIDN'T COME UP IN THE OIR, BUT
WHEN I WAS DOWN IN OLYMPIA A
MONTH AGO , I WAS TALKING TO
SOME FOLKS. WE HAVE HAD
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS. THERE IS
THE BILL IN TERMS OF THE
FACILITATING THE FAN ZONES AT
SEATTLE CENTER. A LOT OF FOLKS
DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE WORLD
CUP WAS ABOUT TO COME, AND IT
WILL BE STATEWIDE, NOT JUST
SEATTLE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT
WORD HAS GOTTEN OUT NOW, WHICH I
THINK IS GOOD. DO WE KNOW WHERE
THE LEGISLATION IS IN TERMS OF?
>> WHICH LEGISLATION?
>> HOUSE BILL 1550 .
>> I BELIEVE IT IS STILL MOVING
AHEAD. LAST I HEARD, WE CAN
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU WITH THE
INFORMATION ON EXACTLY WHERE IT
IS.
>> I BELIEVE IT PASSED OUT OF
COMMITTEE THIS MORNING OR
YESTERDAY.
>> EXCELLENT. IT WAS FASCINATING
TO HEAR SOME NONCHALANT
PUSHBACK. DO YOU REALIZE THIS IS
NOT JUST SEATTLE, BUT THE STATE?
THANK YOU FOR THAT. JUST TO
HIGHLIGHT THE SEATTLE
CENTERPIECE, WESTLAKE IS WELL
KNOWN, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. IT IS
FUNNY, BECAUSE JUST TODAY, I WAS
HAVING A WALKABOUT WITH MY FIRST
HILL THAT INCLUDES FREEWAY PARK
, WHICH IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
THEY ARE GETTING SOME WORK DONE
THROUGH PARKS BASED ON FUNDING
THEY RECEIVED . THAT IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT DOWNTOWN
WITH FIRST HILL COMING DOWN. AS
I WAS DOING THAT, WE WALKED DOWN
CHERRY ON THE WAY BACK. WE DID
OUR OWN LITTLE WALKING LOOP,
UNITY LIP -- LOOP, IF YOU WILL.
I WAS HIGHLIGHTING ALL THE
PAINTED COLUMNS FOR I - 5. WE
ARE LIKE, HEY, THIS IS CONNECTED
SEATTLE TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
IMAGINE A BASE LEVEL PAINTED IN
A WAY THAT DEFEATS GRAFFITI. BUT
IMAGINE THE TOPS, LIKE 48 TEAMS
WITH THEIR FLAGS REPRESENTED. 72
COLUMNS, IMAGINE 48, AND MAYBE
THOSE FROM PAST YEARS , WHAT AN
INTERNATIONAL WELCOME THAT WOULD
BE. PIGGYBACKING ON THE MONORAIL
WITH AN WILL BE AND SO FORTH --
MLB , AND SO FORTH. THESE IDEAS
COME FROM THE COMMUNITY. I AM
ALWAYS TALKING IT UP. BY THE
WAY, PART OF THE FREEWAY PARK
RENOVATION, WHICH CONNECTS TO
THE CONVENTION CENTER, THAT IS A
PLACE THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T
KNOW IN TERMS OF BEING A
CONNECTOR. THERE IS A PUBLIC
RESTROOM. IT IS BEING RENOVATED
AS PART OF THE PROJECT. WE TALK
ABOUT PUBLIC RESTROOMS. THIS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT. AND SO, THESE
ARE THE THINGS THAT CAN COME OUT
OF THESE MEETINGS. I JUST WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT . TAKE A LEFT
AT SEATTLE CENTER. THESE KINDS
OF THINGS CARRY -- PARK WILL BE
FEATURED NO DOUBT BECAUSE IT
SHOWS UP IN EVERY NFL AND OTHER
KIND OF SPORTING EVENT. WHAT CAN
WE DO TO LEVERAGE THAT? I DO SEE
THE OPPORTUNITIES BEING ENDLESS
IN TERMS OF DISTRICT 7
SPECIFICALLY. SINCE WE ARE
TANGENTIAL TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM
D 1, IT IS REALLY KEY. I JUST
SEE THE POSSIBILITIES THERE .
THANK YOU FOR THAT. BY THE WAY,
I AM STILL -- ENGLAND ALREADY
HAD A COUPLE OF QUALIFYING
MATCHES. I AM ALREADY TRACKING
WHAT IS GOING ON.
>> YOU WOULD BE. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AT
THE END.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. WHEN TALKING TO
CONSTITUENTS, I HAVE HEARD A LOT
OF EXCITEMENT , AND I HAVE HEARD
SOME ANXIETY. I AM REALLY
GRATEFUL FOR THE PRESENTATION
TODAY SO I KNOW HOW TO SPEAK TO
SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. DID I
HEAR CORRECTLY THAT SEATTLE IS
THE FIRST FOR FIFA TO SIGN A
LABOR COMMITMENT?
>> YES.
>> SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE.
SEATTLE CONTINUES TO BE A UNION
TOWN AND LEADING THE WAY ON
WORKERS RIGHTS. I HAVE A COUPLE
OF QUESTIONS FOR TODAY SPANNING
ACROSS REVENUE AND FINANCIAL
PIECES, AS WELL AS
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC
SAFETY. STARTING OFF, HOW MUCH
DOES IT COST TO ATTEND ONE OF
THE SEATTLE MATCHES? WHAT IS THE
GPS TICKET AND -- CHEAPEST
TICKET A SEATTLEITE MIGHT BE
ABLE TO BUY?
>> WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER YET
BECAUSE THE TICKETS HAVE NOT
GONE ON SALE. THEY WILL GO ON
SALE IN Q4 BUT WE DO KNOW THAT ,
NO MATTER WHAT, ALL
WASHINGTONIANS AND SEATTLEITES
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIT INSIDE
OF LUMEN FIELD. THAT IS WHY WE
HAVE THE SEATTLE FAN CELEBRATION
AND FAN ZONES ACROSS THE STATE
SO ALL WASHINGTONIANS AND
SEATTLEITES HAVE ACCESS TO A
FREE PLACE TO BE PART OF THE
WORLD CUP EXPERIENCE.
>> OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. CERTAINLY
WOULD LOVE UPDATES ONCE THE
TICKETS DROP. ARE THERE ANY
REIMBURSEMENTS TO SEATTLE FROM
FIFA FOR DIRECT EXPENSES
INCURRED ON THE CITY?
>> YES. THERE WILL BE. RIGHT
NOW, WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH
THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE
REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WILL
LOOK LIKE, AND THE SCOPE OF
WHICH DIRECT COSTS WILL BE
REIMBURSED.
>> GREAT. I WAS REALLY EXCITED
TO SEE THIS GOAL TO FOCUS ON
HAVING 80% OF FOLKS ARRIVING
WITHOUT A VEHICLE -- I AM A
PERSONAL FAN OF THAT BEING CAR
FREE. THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE
GOING TO BE PROVIDING INCENTIVES
FOR SOME VISITING GUESTS TO USE
TRANSIT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. I
ALSO AM CAR FREE. SUPER EXCITED
AS WELL. THAT IS BOTH A REALITY
ON WANTING TO MATCH OUR VALUES
WITH SUSTAINABILITY, BUT IT IS
ALSO A REALITY ON THE SECURITY
PARAMETERS THAT WILL BE IN
PLACE, BECAUSE IT IS NATIONS
THAT WILL BE PLAYING HERE. WE
HAVE MORE DIGNITARIES AND HAD
THE STATE THEN TRADITIONALLY.
THE SECURITY PERIMETER WILL BE
MUCH BIGGER. THERE WON'T BE ANY
ON-SITE PARKING FOR FANS. SO
THAT WILL HELP. CONVERSATIONS
WITH THE TRANSIT AGENCIES AND
SDOT ARE REALLY FOCUSED RIGHT
NOW ON THE , BOTH WHAT IT IS WE
NEED TO PROVIDE SERVICES LOOKING
AT PAST MECCA EVENTS AS AN
EXAMPLE , AND WE ARE LOOKING TO
THAT TAYLOR SWIFT , BLUE JAYS
WEEKEND AS THE, HERE IS THE
CROWD WE ARE LOOKING FOR. AND
SO, USING THAT TO HELP DETERMINE
HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL SERVICE IS
NEEDED, BOTH IN A CIRCULAR BUS,
AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL SERVICE
COMMUTER RAIL OR OTHER THINGS.
AND THEN, WE WILL BE MOVING INTO
INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO GET IT,
HOW WE MARKET IT AND MAKE SURE
FANS KNOW. FIFA WILL HAVE AN APP
THAT ANY TICKET GOER HAS ACCESS
TO. WE ANTICIPATE A LOT OF
PEOPLE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE
A TICKET, WILL USE IT AS WELL AS
A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL OF THE
INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS IN
THAT REGION. WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
BE BROADCASTING ALL OF THE
TRANSIT SPACES. WE'RE ALSO
REALLY EXCITED WE ARE WORKING
WITH THE TRANSIT AGENCIES ON
POTENTIALLY CREATING AND
DEVELOPING A MULTI-DAY TRANSIT
FARE ACROSS THE AGENCIES. WE ARE
REALLY HOPEFUL THAT WILL BE
SOMETHING THAT CAN MOVE IN TIME
FOR WOKE UP TO HELP FACILITATE A
MULTI-DAY TRAVEL.
>> CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE SOME
UPDATES ON THAT AS IT DEVELOPS.
ON THE TRANSPORTATION SLIDE
THERE WAS A POINT ABOUT A STATE
REQUEST OF $8 MILLION FOR
TRANSIT SERVICE. IS NOT RELATED
TO EXPANDING TRANSIT SERVICE ARE
BACKFILLING?
>> DOES OFFER INCREASED SERVICES
DURING JUNE AND JULY OF NEXT
SUMMER.
>> WHAT IS THE CURRENT PLAN FOR
CONNECTING UNHOUSED FOLKS
THROUGHOUT THE CID, PIONEER
SQUARE OR STADIUM AREAS AND
CONNECTING THEM WITH SHELTER AND
SERVICES?
>> AS WE GO INTO THE YEAR OUT,
WE WILL START RAMPING UP THE
DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL PIECES
LIKE TRASH PICKUP AND THINGS
LIKE THAT. THERE IS NO SEPARATE
PLAN FOR ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS
IN THOSE AREAS. I THINK, AS WITH
MOST MEGA EVENTS, OUR WORK
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS REMAINS
CONSTANT. WE ALWAYS WILL LOOK TO
DO OUTREACH TO GET FOLKS INTO
SHELTERED HOUSING IF WE CAN. AND
TO BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR PUBLIC
SPACES FREE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR
PEOPLE. I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY
MAJOR CHANGE OR SHIFT IN FOCUS
DURING WORLD CUP ON THAT.
>> CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO AVOID
SWEEPING FOLKS UNNECESSARILY AND
REALLY HAVING AN EYE TOWARDS
GETTING FOLKS HOUSED. WE ARE IN
A RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
RELATED TO IMMIGRATION. DO WE
HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF
THE INTERNATIONAL GUESTS AND
THEIR ABILITY TO EVEN COME TO
THE U.S.?
>> I THINK RAPIDLY CHANGING IS A
REALLY GREAT WAY TO DESCRIBE
WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS A SPACE THAT FIFA HAS
BEEN LEADING IN THE
CONVERSATIONS DIRECTLY WITH
STATE DEPARTMENT HERE, AS WELL
AS THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN CANADA
AND MEXICO, BECAUSE THIS IS A
THREE COUNTRY EVENT. AND SO, I
KNOW THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO
PUSH ABOUT THE NEED FOR PEOPLE
TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS FOR THIS TO
BE A UNIFYING EXPERIENCE. PEOPLE
NEED TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO BE
HERE. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED THAT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER TWO OR THREE
WEEKS AGO TO ESTABLISH A WORLD
CUP PASS FOREST THAT IS REALLY
TRYING TO -- TASK FORCE TO UNITE
THE WHOLE OF THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT AROUND THIS EVENT TO
MAKE SURE THE NATION AS READY AS
A WHOLE.
>> MY FINAL QUESTION , ON THE
CITY SIDE, WHAT INSTRUCTIONS AND
TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED TO SPD
ON THE NEW CITY SHIELD LAW AND
THE LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON
COOPERATING WITH HOMELAND
SECURITY?
>> THE TRAINING FOR SPD AND
POLICIES AND LAWS IN PLACE WILL
REMAIN CONSISTENT . NOTHING
SHOULD CHANGE IN THAT REGARD.
ALL OF THE OFFICERS, AS WITH ALL
CITY EMPLOYEES, SHOULD BE
TRAINED ON THOSE AND AWARE OF
WHAT OUR STATE AND LOCAL LEGAL
OBLIGATIONS ARE IN THAT REGARD.
NOTHING WILL CHANGE JUST BECAUSE
IT IS WORLD CUP.
>> THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE AND PROVIDING THIS
INFORMATION. MY QUESTION IS
ABOUT THE PORT OF SEATTLE. OR BE
INVOLVED WITH YOU AT ALL
REGARDING THIS? BECAUSE I AM
THINKING ABOUT THE MAJOR AMOUNT
OF TRAFFIC , PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
IN PARTICULAR, AS WELL AS RAPID
TRANSIT , THAT WILL BE FLOODING
INTO THE STADIUM AREA . WE KNOW
THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT
MOBILITY THROUGH SOTO . IS THE
PORT AT THE TABLE REGARDING
THIS?
>> ABSOLUTELY, COUNCILMEMBER. A
REALLY GREAT POINT. THE PORT OF
SEATTLE IS A STRONG PARTNER.
THEY ARE IN THE PLANNING
MEETINGS. THEY PARTICIPATE IN
BOTH SECURITY AND TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING, AS WELL AS THE LARGER
LEADERSHIP PLANNING COMMITTEES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WOULD
JUST ADD THAT ONE OF THE THINGS
I DID BRING UP WITH THE
COMMISSION PRESIDENT IS
TRAFFICKING SIGNS AT SEATAC AND
-- IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN
ENGLISH. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE
THEM, BUT THEY JUST THAT HAVE
PUT THEM UP. BUT THAT IS
SOMETHING I'M HOPING , AS
PLANNING GOES THROUGH, WE DO SEE
THOSE SIGNS. NOT ONLY AT THE
PORT, BUT IN OTHER LOCATIONS
THROUGHOUT. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
IT IS REALLY NICE TO SEE YOU.
APRIL, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE
AT THE CITY. IT IS NICE TO SEE
YOU. KYLIE, NICE TO SEE YOUR
RETURN. NICE TO SEE YOU TOO.
JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT MY
COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
WAS SAYING ABOUT THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. I KNOW THE
PRACTICE MATCHES WILL BE BETWEEN
25 AND SEATTLE UNIVERSITY. SO
MAKING SURE WE ARE MAKING
PROVISIONS FOR THE TRAFFIC
MITIGATION AND SOME OF THE OTHER
ISSUES THAT MIGHT ARISE WITH
MORE FOLKS IN THAT AREA WHO ARE
OUT TO WATCH THE PRACTICE
MATCHES, ET CETERA. I IMAGINE
THAT UDUB IS AT THE TABLE SINCE
THEY ARE PART OF THIS. BUT ALSO,
THAT WE ARE MAKING -- REALLY
LOOKING AT THE UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT AND THE SURROUNDING
NEIGHBORHOODS, BECAUSE SANDPOINT
IS NEARBY THE STADIUM AND THE
NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING ARE
NOT TOO FAR AWAY. WE KNOW THERE
WILL BE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO
WATCH , GO PLACES TO WATCH, BUT
WE ALSO KNOW THAT, BECAUSE OF
PRACTICE MATCHES BEING AT THE
STADIUM, THERE WILL BE MORE
CONGESTION, WHICH GETS REALLY
BUSY DURING HUSKY GAMES. SO
MAKING SURE THAT SINCE I
REPRESENT THE DISTRICT, I WILL
CALL IT OUT NOW, JUST MAKING
SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING , YOU
KNOW, PLANNING FOR THAT EXTRA
TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA. RELATED TO
LIGHT RAIL, BECAUSE IT IS REALLY
GREAT, YOU CAN GO TO LIGHT RAIL
AND TAKE IT TO PRACTICE MATCHES,
AS WELL AS UDUB. ENSURING THAT
WE ARE WORKING WITH, AND I
IMAGINE YOU ARE DOING ALL THESE
THINGS, SO I AM RAISING IT AS
POINT OF CONCERN FOR THE
DISTRICT I REPRESENT. 50 ON
PUBLIC TRANSIT, WHETHER IT IS
THE METRO BUSES OR LIGHT RAIL AS
FOLKS ARE GETTING ABOUT TOWN. TO
BE FAIR, THIS IS SOMETHING ON MY
MIND EVERY DAY, JUST THE SAFETY
ISSUES AS PEOPLE ARE RIDING, BUT
THAT BECOMES, THAT ISSUE IS
STILL THERE, AND WE HAVE MADE
INROADS THERE THAT I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE , AND MANY OF US HAVE
HERE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
MORE ABOUT PLANNING EFFORTS TO
ENSURE THAT, AS YOU'RE WORKING
WITH THE PARTNERS, WHAT THEY ARE
GOING TO PROVIDE IN TERMS OF A
SAFE EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST AT
FIFA, BUT NOW. SINCE YOU ARE IN
CHARGE OF THE FIFA PLANNING AS
PART OF THE EVENT.
>> I DO WANT TO MAKE ONE THING A
LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR . THE
PRACTICE FIELDS AT UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON AND SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY ARE WHERE THE TEAM
WHO IS ABOUT TO PLAY AT LUMEN
FIELD, THEY WILL PRACTICE THE
DAY BEFORE, BUT THEY ARE NOT
GOING TO BE OPEN TO THE GENERAL
PUBLIC OVERALL. TEAMS WILL HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE IF
THEY LET THE PUBLIC COMMENT --
COME AND WATCH. SOME HAVE
TRADITIONALLY ALLOWED FOR A
SMALL PERIOD. YOU ARE TOTALLY
RIGHT THAT WON'T MEAN THE
PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE THERE
IN HOPES OF SEEING THEIR COUNTRY
OR PLAYERS. SO FOR SURE, THE
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND
NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT PLANNING
AROUND THOSE AREAS IS SOMETHING
WE WILL BE MOVING INTO, BUT WE
HAVE NOT GOTTEN THERE YET. BUT
YEAH, WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. AS
IT RELATES TO THE TRANSIT SAFETY
, I THINK TWO THINGS IMPORTANT
TO POINT OUT, ONE IS THAT THE
TRANSIT FUNDING AND SECURITY
FUNDING REQUESTS ARE INCLUSIVE
OF THE COSTS AND NEEDS FOR
SUPPORTING ADDITIONAL TRANSIT
AMBASSADORS, ADDITIONAL TRANSIT
SECURITY, WHATEVER IS THE RIGHT
SPACE AND NEED FOR EACH OF THE
DIFFERENT TRANSIT STATIONS OR
LINES THAT FOLKS WILL BE USING.
THAT FUNDING IS INCLUSIVE OF THE
REQUEST WE ARE ASKING FOR AT THE
FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.
>> THANK YOU, APRIL. DEPUTY
MAYOR, THIS GOES TO SOMETHING
YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT, WE JUST
DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN,
EVEN THOUGH THOSE MAY NOT BE
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, I JUST THINK
PEOPLE ARE SUPER EXCITED. THERE
ARE SO MANY FOLKS AT THE
UNIVERSITY TO BEGIN WITH THE
STUDENTS AND SUCH, IT IS A VERY
POPULATED AREA, AND I AM SURE
PEOPLE -- I WOULD NOT BE
SURPRISED IF PEOPLE JUST DON'T
SHOW UP HOPING TO CATCH A
GLIMPSE OR JUST BE THERE AS PART
OF THE ENERGY. I THINK THAT,
EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BE OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC, I THINK FOLKS
WILL SHOW UP. I WOULD IMAGINE
THAT SOME FAMILY MEMBERS,
FRIENDS OF THE TEAMS, WILL SHOW
UP. I AM JUST GUESSING . BUT IT
GOES TO UNINTENDED, UNPLANNED
FOR THINGS THAT MAY BE IN THAT
WE SHOULD PROBABLY PLAN FOR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
ABSOLUTELY AGREE. IN A WAY, WE
CAN ANTICIPATE THE UNANTICIPATED
IN THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW WORLD
CUP FANS ARE PASSIONATE . ONCE
WE KNOW THE TEAMS, WE WILL GET
MORE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY
OPERATE AND HOW THEIR FAN BASES
OPERATE. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT
THERE WILL BE MUCH THAT WILL POP
UP. I ALSO WANT TO SAY TOO, AS
WE GO ALONG, WE ARE OBVIOUSLY
PLANNING AND BEING AS THOROUGH
AS WE CAN. EACH OF THESE THINGS
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, IT IS AN
AMAZING OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT REALLY
RIGHT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT
IS SAFE AND SECURE AND FUN AND A
BENEFIT FOR THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE. AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH
OPERATIONS DAY OF, WE KNOW
THINGS WILL POP UP. WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE THE DAILY OPERATIONS
CENTER STOOD UP. AS THINGS
HAPPEN, WE COULD HOPEFULLY
RAPIDLY RESPOND IN REAL TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE
ABLE TO RAPIDLY RESPOND ON SITE.
WE CAN'T PLAN FOR EVERYTHING. I
WANT TO SAY, I SHOULD HAVE SAID
THAT I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT
FIFA WORLD CUP FOR MANY REASONS,
BUT JUST AS A WAY TO POSITIVELY
ENERGIZE OUR CITY , AND ALSO ,
IF IT IS AN EVENT WHERE
EVERYONE, AND ONE FORM OR
ANOTHER, FEEL A PART OF , AND IT
IS A GOOD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
FOR OUR CITY AS WELL. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT FOLKS
, BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN FIFA
ISN'T AROUND. I WANT TO SAY
THAT, AND I WANT TO SAY THAT
THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PUT OUR CITY IN A
POSITIVE FOCUS , AND THAT THEY
ARE ECONOMICALLY GOOD FOR
CITIES, ANY CITY , AND IT SOUNDS
LIKE YOU ARE DOING A ROBUST JOB
IN MITIGATING FOR UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES, BECAUSE WE WANT
BOTH. IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T
DO THE EVERY DAY JOB EVERY DAY,
AND THAT IS WHY HE CALLED OUT
THE METRO ISSUES THAT HAPPENED
IN THE SOUND TRANSIT ISSUES. WE
ARE NOT JUST PREPARING FOR FIFA
AND GIVING SPECIAL FOCUS AND
DON'T CARE ABOUT THE OTHER DAYS
OF THE YEAR . YES, WE DO. THAT
IS WHY I AM RAISING THAT PART I
DON'T WANT TO SEE THESE
POSITIVE THINGS BEING ACTIVATED
JUST FOR FIFA. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THEY ARE HAPPENING EVERY
DAY . IT IS NOT OR, IT IS AND.
WE ARE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE THE LIGHT
ON SEATTLE IN A POSITIVE WAY,
AND MAKE SURE WE ARE RAISING
MONEY FOR OUR CITY. LET'S BE
HONEST. THANK YOU ALL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> JUST IN CLOSING, I WANT TO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. I DID GET A
BRIEFING THE OTHER DAY. AS I
CONVEYED IN MY MEETING WITH YOU,
I WILL BE DEDICATING SOME TIME
IN MY COMMITTEE OVER THE SUMMER
JUST TO BE ABLE TO DIVE DEEPER
INTO SOME OF THESE ISSUES --
ISSUES SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE
PROBLEMS, BUT SOME OF THE TOPICS
THAT ARE TOP OF MIND TO ME. OF
COURSE, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN
NOTED, HOW DO SMALL BUSINESSES
BENEFIT, AND IS THERE ANYTHING
THEY CAN START DOING NOW TO
PREPARE? BUT ALSO, I AM REALLY
FOCUSED ON HOW WE CAN SHOWCASE
OUR LOCAL TALENT, ESPECIALLY
MUSICIANS AND OTHER PERFORMING
ARTISTS. I HAVE GOTTEN THE MUSIC
COMMISSION LEADERS TOGETHER . I
KNOW THERE IS SYNERGY AND
CONVERSATIONS. BUT THOSE ARE TWO
EXAMPLES OF THINGS I AM LOOKING
AT. MOSTLY, I AM INTERESTED IN
KNOWING HOW ALL THESE DIFFERENT
RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
AND JURISDICTIONS ARE LOOKING AT
THE EXPERIENCE FROM THE END-USER
PERSPECTIVE. LIKE GETTING OFF
THE PLANE, WHAT DO THEY SEE WHEN
THEY GET OFF THE FLIGHT TO
ULTIMATELY GET A SEAT AT THE
GAME IF THEY'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO
GET A TICKET? THAT IS WHAT I AM
LOOKING AT . I'M LOOKING AT THE
VISITOR 'S PERSPECTIVE AND HOW
WE INTEGRATE THAT INTO THE
PLANNING. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S
A LOT WE HAVE TO DO FOR ALL
THESE OTHER THINGS, AND THINK
ABOUT HOW THEY ARE EXPERIENCING,
NOT JUST THE GAMES, BUT ALSO OUR
CITY. AND I RECOGNIZE IT DEPENDS
ON WHICH TEAMS COME IN WHICH
NEIGHBORHOODS MIGHT BE OF
INTEREST FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT
DEPENDING ON THE TEAMS THAT COME
IN THE FANS THAT COME, ET
CETERA. LOTS TO TALK ABOUT GOING
FORWARD. THIS IS JUST THE FIRST
TIME WE ARE DISCUSSING IT IN
PUBLIC HERE WITH EVERYBODY.
THERE WILL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES
LATER TO DIG DEEPER INTO SOME OF
THESE THINGS. ALL RIGHT. IF
NOBODY ELSE HAS ANY THING TO SAY
OR ASK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALSO, JUST A THOUGHT, HAS
ANYBODY -- HAS ANY HOST CITY
WRITTEN A WHAT NOT TO DO? [
LAUGHTER ]
>> LOTS OF LESSONS LEARNED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM 5 ON
THE AGENDA. COUNCILMEMBER RINCK
HAS A PROCLAMATION FOR SIGNATURE
TODAY PROCLAIMING MARCH 31, 2025
TO BE INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER
DAY OF VISIBILITY IN SEATTLE.
PLEASE LEAD THE DISCUSSION ON
THE PROCLAMATION FOR ANY
ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK BEFORE A
REQUEST SIGNATURES TO BE
AFFIXED.
>> CERTAINLY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. TODAY, MARCH 31 ,
MARK INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER
DAY OF VISIBILITY. THIS DAY IS
SIGNIFICANT -- OF SIGNIFICANCE
WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2009 TO HONOR
THE CONTRIBUTIONS , BRILLIANCE
AND BEAUTY OF TRANSGENDER,
GENDER NON-BINARY AND TWO SPIRIT
PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD. AS WE
ALL ARE AWARE, AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, THERE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTS
TO SILENCE HIS COMMUNITY AND
DENIED THEIR VERY EXISTENCE.
HOWEVER, HERE AT HOME, THE CITY
OF SEATTLE RECOGNIZES THE
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE AND CELEBRATES THE
JOY AND RESILIENCE OF OUR
TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY BY
ELEVATING THOSE VOICES AND LIVED
EXPERIENCES. IN THE SPIRIT OF
JOY AND HONORING OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A
FEW LOCAL LEADERS. CERTAINLY NOT
AN INCLUSIVE LIST, JUST TO
HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF FOLKS HERE
IN SEATTLE. WHO HAS BEEN WORKING
IN THE TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
MOVEMENT SINCE THE 1970s, DANNY,
COFOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE GENDER JUSTICE LEAGUE,
WHO HELPED ESTABLISH SEATTLE'S
FIRST TRANS PRIDE COMMUNITY
EVENTS, KATHY JOHNSON, FOUNDER
AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNITED
TERRITORIES OF PACIFIC ISLANDERS
ALLIANCE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
UTOPIA WASHINGTON, WHO HAS
UNAPOLOGETICALLY FOCUSED ON THE
INTERSECTION OF TRANS AND
IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS, AND THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LAVENDER
RIGHTS PROJECT, WHICH WAS
FOUNDED IN 2016 AS A LEGAL AID
GROUP SUPPORTING LOW INCOME
LGBTQ AND TRANS FOLKS. FOR ALL
THESE REASONS, I URGE MY
COLLEAGUES TODAY TO SIGN
TODAY'S PROCLAMATION. THANK
YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. ARE THERE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL
RIGHT. I WILL TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER MY
GRATITUDE TO YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD. THINK YOU VERY MUCH. I
THINK IT IS FITTING THAT WE HAVE
THIS PROCLAMATION ON THE SAME
DAY THAT THE MAYOR SIGNED THE
SHIELD LAW I SPONSORED IN THE
GOVERNMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT --
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IN CASE
PEOPLE FORGOT, THAT WAS A COUPLE
WEEKS AGO. IT PROTECTS
INDIVIDUALS SEEKING GENDER
AFFIRMING CARE AND IS DEEPLY
ROOTED IN OUR SHARED SEATTLE
VALUES TO LIFT UP THE MOST
HONORABLE COMMUNITIES,
PARTICULARLY WHEN UNDER ATTACK,
AS WE SEE WITH THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION. I SAW A QUOTE
THIS MORNING REGARDING
TRANSMISSIBILITY DAY WITH THE
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN THAT
RESONATED WITH ME. IT SAYS "IT
IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
PRESENT THE WORLD THE TRUTH
ABOUT TRANS PEOPLE, WHICH IS
THAT WE ARE AS NORMAL AND AS
BORING AS EVERYONE ELSE, AND
ALSO IS EXCITING AND NOT BORING
AS OTHER PEOPLE." THE REASON
THAT RESONATES WITH ME IS
BECAUSE THE TRANS COMMUNITY IN
SEATTLE ARE EVERYDAY PEOPLE AND
EVERYBODY AROUND US , INCLUDING
OUR NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, FAMILY,
TEACHERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND
SO MANY MORE WHO, ON A DAILY
BASIS, UPLIFT THE LIVES OF OTHER
PEOPLE AND SIMPLY WANT TO LIVE
THEIR LIVES WITHOUT HARASSMENT
AND VIOLENCE. THAT IS WHY I AM
VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU
BRINGING THIS FORWARD TODAY SO
THAT WE CAN HONOR THEM WITH THIS
PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS
RAISED. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON WHO WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE THEIR SIGNATURES AFFIXED
TO THE PROCLAMATION?
>> [ ROLL CALL ] EIGHT
SIGNATURES WILL BE AFFIXED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. MOVING ON TO THE PREVIEW
OF CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS, COUNCIL
AND REGIONAL COMMITTEES. THE
ROLL CALL TODAY STARTS WITH
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. I WILL LET
YOU GO FORWARD WITH YOUR REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WILL TRY TO BE REALLY QUICK,
BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING A
LITTLE BIT LATE. NEXT PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE
ON APRIL 8. WE WILL HAVE THE
SECOND READING OF THE
AFTER-HOURS ESTABLISHMENTS BILL,
WHICH GIVEN THE EVENTS OVER THE
PAST WEEKEND, SHOWS HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS. WE WILL BE
TAKING THAT UP ON APRIL 8. THIS
WEEK , I ALREADY MENTIONED
TODAY, FREEWAY PARK , MY
WALKABOUT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS
. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR
TOUR AND RAISING THE ISSUES IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD , SPECIFICALLY,
WITH FREEWAY PARK, WHICH IS
BEAUTIFUL AND REALLY ICONIC. WE
SHOULD BE TREASURING AND REALLY
BUILDING IT BACK UP, WHICH WE
WILL. TOMORROW IS COUNCIL
MEETING . FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE, THE RESOLUTION THAT
WILL GO OVER TOMORROW. THIS WEEK
I ALSO HAVE THE REGIONAL WATER
QUALITY COMMITTEE MEETING . ON
THURSDAY, WE HAVE THE PIKE PLACE
MARKET PDA. THE STAKEHOLDER
MEETING COMES OUT OF THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION PLAN WHEN WE
PULLED THAT OUT. THE PIKE PLACE,
THE STREET ITSELF , AND NOW
WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE A GREAT
STAKEHOLDER MEETING TO GO
THROUGH THE ISSUES RELATED TO
PIKE PLACE ITSELF. AND BUILD
CONSENSUS IN TERMS OF A WAY
AHEAD. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT ON THURSDAY. FRIDAY GOING
TO SCIENCE CENTER, WHICH IS
REALLY IMPORTANT. A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON,
PARTICULARLY RELATING TO THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WITH SEATTLE
CENTER. IN SOME WAYS THAT IS
TIED TO THE FIFA WORLD CUP.
EVERYTHING CAN BE TIED TO THAT
THESE DAYS. GETTING SEATTLE
CENTER READY AND INTEGRATING ,
AND PERFORMING AND MOVING
FORWARD IS SO IMPORTANT. NEXT,
COUPLE OF THINGS. I WILL DO AN
EVENT REGARDING INSPIRING
STUDENTS THAT SERVE IN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. THAT WILL BE
INTERESTING. NEXT TUESDAY , AND
THEN NEXT WEEK, FRIDAY, WILL BE
THE NEXT DISTRICT 7 NEIGHBORHOOD
COUNCIL MEETING THAT WILL FOCUS
ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. I
WILL END THERE . THINK YOU VERY
MUCH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. HOLD ON
A SECOND. LET ME LOOK AT THE
ALPHABET. MY ORDER SAYS KETTLE,
RINCK, RIVERA. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE? WE ARE MOVING ON .
>> I DEFER TO YOUR LIST.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WILL ALSO BE BRIEF IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME. I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF WAYS WE
ARE SHOWING UP IN COMMUNITY.
LAST WEEK OUR TEAM HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY AT PRIDE PLACE. THIS
IS A COMMUNITY ROUTES HOUSING
PROJECT SPECIFICALLY FOR LGBTQ
ELDERS . REALLY SPECIAL PLACE,
KIND OF THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN
THE REGION . DOWNSTAIRS IT ALSO
HAS A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY
RESOURCE CENTER FOR LGBTQ
ELDERS, WHICH IS A REALLY LOVELY
PLACE. IF YOU HAD NOT HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT, I
ENCOURAGE IT. WE ALSO HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH
UNITED WAY OF KING COUNTY. I
ATTENDED THE CIVIC POET
INAUGURATION. WE HAVE A NEW
CIVIC POET. IF YOU HAD NOT HAD
AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THEIR
POETRY, THEIR ABSOLUTELY
FANTASTIC. WE HELD THE
IMMIGRATION RESPONSE FOR NATION
MEETING WITH KING COUNTY
PARTNERS, AS WELL AS, I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THE TOWN HALL THAT OUR
OFFICE DID ALONGSIDE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON AT THE
BLAINE MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH. WE HAD SOME SOLID
TURNOUT . FOLKS ARE REALLY
ENGAGED, AND SOME FOLKS EVEN
VOICED IT WAS THEIR FIRST EVER
TOWN HALL, WHICH MADE IT
PARTICULARLY SPECIAL. I WANT TO
THANK, AGAIN, THE OFFICE OF D 2.
LASTLY, I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH
RAINIER SCHOLARS OVER THE
WEEKEND AROUND HER CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP TALKING
ABOUT HOUSING. ALWAYS REALLY
SPECIAL TO CONNECT WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE . AS IT RELATES TO
COMMITTEE WORK, THIS WEEK
THERE'S ACTUALLY A SPECIAL
MEETING OF THE REGIONAL POLICY
COMMITTEE FOCUS ON KING COUNTY
PARKS LEVY. THIS IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
WHEN LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE
CITY, NAMELY, THE WATERFRONT ,
WOODLAND PARK ZOO AND THE
SEATTLE AQUARIUM. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE AND I POSTED ON THE
REGIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE AND
WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU
APPRISED AS THE LEVY SHAPES UP.
WE WILL REPORT BACK WHAT COMES
OUT OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF
THIS WEEK. WE ALSO WILL BE
HOLDING THE CITY LIGHT AND ARTS
AND CULTURE COMMITTEE THIS
FRIDAY. WE WILL BE TAKING UP THE
VOTE ON THE TWO EASEMENTS WE DID
NOT GET TO LAST TIME. AS A
REMINDER, WE MOVED THE VOTE ON
THESE JUST TO MAKE TIME TO MAKE
SURE THAT ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
WERE BRIEFED ON THE RENEWABLE
PLUS PROGRAM, WHICH IS COMING
BEFORE FULL COUNSEL. HOPEFULLY,
ONCE IT GOES OUT OF COMMITTEE.
AND THEN, LASTLY, I WOULD NAME
THAT WE HAVE THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION POLICY CHANGES
THIS THURSDAY. THE FOCUS OF THIS
SESSION WILL BE A PANEL
DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON HOUSING.
WE HAVE PARTNERS FROM ENTERPRISE
COMMUNITY PARTNERS, KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY,
SEATTLE CLUB, AMONG OTHERS, AS
WELL AS TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE
VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF HER HOUSING
SYSTEM THAT MAY BE AT RISK WITH
SOME OF THESE FEDERAL POLICY
CHANGES. WE WILL ALSO BE HAVING
A DISCUSSION ON A DRAFT
RESOLUTION NOT A VOTE, BUT
RATHER, JUST A DISCUSSION ON A
DRAFT RESOLUTION MY OFFICE HAS
BEEN WORKING ON ALONG WITH
COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WITH THAT,
IT WILL TURN IT OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, UNLESS
THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MY
UPDATES.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK. ALL RIGHT. LAST WEEK I
HAD MY RECURRING MEETINGS WITH
BOTH CHIEF BARNES IN THE NORTH
PRECINCT CAPTAIN . I CONTINUE TO
HAVE CONVERSATIONS, AND WE
CONTINUE TO PARTNER ON MAGNUSON
PARK IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES
AT THE PARK. ALSO, IN THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT AND
WEDGEWOOD . I CONTINUE TO ASK
FOR ATTENTION THERE. I
APPRECIATE CHIEF BARNES AND
CAPTAIN MEETING WITH
CONSTITUENTS TO DISCUSS THESE
ISSUES. REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR
PARTNERSHIP AT SPD. LAST WEEK I
ALSO HAD LIBRARIES EDUCATION AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE HAD DIRECTOR FROM THE OFFICE
OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS
FROM SEATTLE COME AND PRESENT ON
FEDERAL ACTION UPDATES ON
FEDERAL ACTION RELATED TO
IMMIGRATION. SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE
ADMINISTRATION'S ENDING THE
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN'S
PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES LEGAL
ASSISTANCE TO MINORS IN THE
UNITED STATES SEEKING ASYLUM.
THE DIRECTOR IS TALKING TO
ADVOCATES TO LEARN WHAT THAT
MIGHT MEAN FOR KIDS HERE IN
SEATTLE. ONE OF OUR KEY PARTNERS
IS A NATIONAL NONGOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES , VIA
ITS PARTNERS, LEGAL ASSISTANCE
AND SUPPORTS TO UNACCOMPANIED
MINORS. THEY HAVE AN OFFICE IN
SEATTLE. AS I SAID, THE DIRECTOR
WILL GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE IMPACTS TO CHILDREN IN
SEATTLE. I WILL SHARE WHAT SHE
LEARNED. SHE ALSO GAVE ME AN
UPDATE SINCE THE COMMITTEE
MEETING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION
ALSO TERMINATED FUNDING THAT HAD
PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARDED FOR
CITIZENSHIP COURSES AND
PROGRAMMING. I'M GETTING MORE
INFORMATION FROM HER ON THAT. AS
I SAID EARLIER, I WILL SHARE
WHAT I LEARNED ON THAT
PARTICULAR PROGRAM AS WELL. AND
THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS. OR THE
ACTUAL IMPACT, BECAUSE WE KNOW
IT WILL HAVE IMPACTS. ALSO, LAST
WEEK, I TALKED TO CONSTITUENTS
ABOUT OUTAGES, POWER OUTAGES
EXPERIENCED BY SOME OF OUR
NEIGHBORS IN THE DISTRICT TO
HAVE POWER LINES UNDERGROUND
THAT ARE AGING. THIS IS AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE. COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, YOU'RE FREQUENTLY TALKING
ABOUT AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS
IS ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES. WE
TALKED TO CITY LIGHT ABOUT THEIR
PLAN. THEY'RE GOING TO START
EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR
THAT AREA . IT IS PARTICULARLY
CHALLENGING, BECAUSE SOME OF
THESE POWERLINES WENT IN AND, I
BELIEVE, THE '70s, WHEN THAT
TECHNOLOGY WAS NEWER. NEWER
TECHNOLOGY HAS A BOX THEY PUT
UNDERGROUND THAT MAKES IT EASIER
TO DO THESE REPAIRS, BUT FOR
THIS, BACK THEN, THEY WOULD LAY
POWER LINES UNDERGROUND . IT
MAKES IT REALLY HARD TO IDENTIFY
WHERE IN THE SEGMENT NEEDS
IMPROVEMENT. ALL THIS TO SAY
THAT THIS IS REALLY CHALLENGING
TO REPAIR, BUT THEY HAVE STARTED
REPAIRS. I AM EVER SO GRATEFUL
TO CONSTITUENTS FOR THEIR
PATIENTS AS CITY LIGHT WORKS ON
THESE REPAIRS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE
BEEN DEALING WITH POWER OUTAGES
ON AND OFF EVERY TIME THERE IS A
WEATHER ISSUE OR TREE THAT
FALLS. IT CAUSES THESE POWER
OUTAGES. I WANTED TO -- I DON'T
SIT ON THE COMMITTEE THAT
OVERSEES CITY LIGHT, I BELIEVE,
IT SITS UNDER YOUR COMMITTEE,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, SO I WOULD
BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF YOU
HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY
LIGHT, OR INTENT HAVE BRIEFINGS
ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. IT
CAN'T JUST BE IN MY DISTRICT.
I'M SURE IT IS THROUGHOUT THE
CITY. I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT WHAT YOU ENVISION FOR YOUR
COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF CITY LIGHT
IN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. THIS
WEEK I WILL BE MEETING WITH
SCOUTS HERE AT CITY HALL
WEDNESDAY AT 5:30. IF YOU'RE
AROUND AND WANT TO SAY HI, IT IS
CUB SCOUTS PACK 144 . I WILL BE
GIVEN THEM A TOUR OF CITY HALL
AND CHAMBERS. THERE VISITING AS
PART OF GETTING THERE MY
COMMUNITY BADGE. I AM HAPPY TO
HELP THEM ACHIEVE THAT BADGE.
LIKE I SAID, IF YOU'RE AROUND I
WANT TO SAY HI TO THE KIDS, LET
ME KNOW. I WILL JUST SAY MY LAST
PIECE. I WILL BE ATTENDING THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT MEETING, WHICH
I SIT ON . THE NEXT MEETING IS
THIS THURSDAY. WE ARE GOING TO
LOOK AT RECOMMENDING
CERTIFICATION OF COMPREHENSIVE
PLANS FOR MILLCREEK, ARLINGTON,
AND SEATAC AND A COUPLE OF OTHER
CITIES FROM THE STATE.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, I DON'T
GIVE -- I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A --
THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND. WE
CAN TALK OFF-LINE.
>> HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THAT VERY
BRIEFLY. LUCKILY, I RECEIVED
SOME OF THE NOTIFICATION ABOUT
THIS CHALLENGE HAPPENING IN YOUR
DISTRICT AS WELL AND HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH CITY
LIGHT STAFF THAT DAY TO ASK THE
COMMUNICATIONS AND HOW WE
COMMUNICATE BACK TO PARTNERS
AROUND RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. I
IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO THEIR
ATTENTION. THEY MENTIONED THEY
HAD COMMUNICATIONS GOING ON.
WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE OUR
OFFICES CONNECT TO MAKE SURE
THAT IS HAPPENING. IT SOUNDS
LIKE THERE IS NOT AN IMMEDIATE
RESOLUTION, WHICH IS AN ONGOING
CHALLENGE. WE BEEN HAVING A LOT
OF DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY LIGHT
STAFF AROUND THE CHALLENGES IN
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW WE,
AS A CITY, WILL GRAPPLE WITH
MAINTAINING AND HAVING STRONGER
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DELIVER
ELECTRICITY TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
A LITTLE BIT OF TWO PARTS.
LET'S CERTAINLY CONNECT TO MAKE
SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT
COMMUNICATION FROM CITY LIGHT AS
WELL, AND IN COMMITTEE, WILL
HAVE DISCUSSIONS THIS YEAR
AROUND THE MAINTENANCE
CHALLENGES THAT HAPPEN, AND
MAKING SURE WE ARE NOT HAVING
THIS CONTINUOUS ISSUE AROUND
BLACKOUTS AROUND THE CITY.
>> THANK YOU. IT IS THE LATTER.
I'VE REACHED OUT TO CITY LIGHT,
AND THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO
CONSTITUENTS. IT IS MORE ON THE
ONGOING ISSUE AND THE CITY LIGHT
PLAN FOR THAT ONGOING ISSUE.
THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO GET
INFORMATION ABOUT.
>> CERTAINLY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> I TOO WILL HAVE AN ENDEAVOR
TO MAKE MINE FAIRLY BRIEF. FIRST
AND FOREMOST, ON THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE FRONT ,
TOMORROW WE HAVE THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING
AT 9:30 A.M. TWO IMPORTANT
TOPICS. A PRESENTATION FROM SDOT
AND DISCUSSION ON AUTOMATED
TRAFFIC CAMERAS IN OUR CITY.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE A BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE ON
THE RESOLUTION TO IMPROVE A SKY
BRIDGE THAT CROSSES BETWEEN
DISTRICTS THREE AND DISTRICT 7
FOR CONVERSATION AND POSSIBLE
VOTE LAST TIME. AS ALWAYS, ALL
ARE WELCOME. MOVING ON, I WILL
JUST SAY , I WANT TO TALK FOR A
MOMENT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENED IN MY DISTRICT LAST
NIGHT, WHICH TIES TO SOMETHING
THAT HAPPENED IN OUR CITY A
COUPLE NIGHTS AGO. COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON'S DISTRICT. THIS ALL
TIES TOGETHER. LAST NIGHT I JUST
PUT MY THREE YOUNG KIDS TO
SLEEP. I HAVE THREE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL KIDS . A SIX-YEAR-OLD,
SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AND 10-YEAR-OLD.
PUT THEM TO SLEEP. PUT THEM TO
BED. MY OLDEST DAUGHTER WAS
STILL AWAKE, AS SHE USUALLY IS,
AND MIA MY WAY FOR DOWNSTAIRS ,
AND THEN, AROUND 9:00 P.M. WE
HEARD UNINTERRUPTED GUNFIRE IN
NORTH DELL RIDGE . THAT WAS
QUITE LITERALLY NOT JUST IN MY
BROADER COMMUNITY AND
NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IN THE
VICINITY OF MY BACKYARD. AROUND
9:00 P.M., WE HEARD AT LEAST 100
UNINTERRUPTED GUNSHOTS , AND MY
DAUGHTER COMES DOWNSTAIRS SCARED
. MY 10-YEAR-OLD SCARED,
TRAUMATIZED, CONFUSED . WE
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT
THE TIME. I KEPT TELLING HER, I
THINK IT WAS JUST FIREWORKS.
DON'T WORRY, SWEETHEART. I
LATER LEARNED THAT IT WAS
ACTUALLY -- IT WASN'T FIREWORKS
, IT WASN'T AN INNOCENT IN THAT
EXPLANATION. HE WAS, INDEED,
GUNSHOTS. I LATER WENT TO
UPSTAIRS . I HAD TO TRY TO
COMFORT AND CONSOLE MY YOUNG
DAUGHTER. MY PARENT GUILT
SETTING IN, I STILL HAVE NOT
TOLD HER THE TRUTH NOW THAT I
KNOW WHAT I KNOW ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED. I AM SCARED TO. RIGHT
AFTER I WAS ROCKING HER TO SLEEP
AND ENSURING HER IT WAS GOING TO
BE OKAY, I WENT TO GO CHECK ON
MY YOUNGEST BOYS WHO ARE
SLEEPING AT THE TIME , AND
THANKFULLY, DID NOT WAKE UP. I
HAD TO WAKE THEM UP FOR THE SOLE
PURPOSE OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY
WERE SAFE . I LATER LEARNED THAT
MY , A FEW OF MY NEIGHBOR'S
HOMES WERE ESSENTIALLY TURNED
INTO SWISS CHEESE. GUNSHOT HOLES
RIDDLED SOME BUILDINGS AND
STRUCTURES . AN RV CAMPER AND A
FEW VEHICLES . MY NEIGHBORS AND
DELL RIDGE ARE FED UP . MY
FAMILY IS FED UP. PEOPLE ACROSS
THE WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY AND
THE ENTIRE CITY ARE FED UP. THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT HITS US CLOSE
TO HOME AS YOU CAN GET . I AM
TOLD THAT WHAT HAD HAPPENED LAST
NIGHT WAS , IT WAS COMMUNITY
MEMBERS GATHERING , STARTED OFF
PEACEFUL, TO COMMEMORATE AND
START A VIGIL FOR THE DECEASED,
AT LEAST ONE OF THE DECEASED,
FROM AN AFTER HOURS NIGHTCLUB
HOMICIDE THE NIGHT BEFORE . LATE
IN THE EVENING ON SATURDAY NIGHT
OR EARLY HOURS ON SUNDAY MORNING
THERE WERE TWO HOMICIDES. AN
AFTER HOURS NIGHT VENUE
ESTABLISHMENT WHERE TWO PEOPLE,
TRAGICALLY, LOST THEIR LIVES. SO
WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT IN DELL
RIDGE, I AM TOLD, WAS COMMUNITY
MEMBERS HONORING , SEEKING TO
HONOR THAT LIFE LOST ,
APPARENTLY, THROUGH GUNFIRE AND
A 21 GUN SALUTE WITH MULTIPLE
PEOPLE SHOOTING OFF LIVE ROUNDS
INTO HOMES . WHAT HAPPENED LAST
NIGHT , AND WHAT HAPPENED THAT
PRECEDED IT THE NIGHT BEFORE ,
WAS UNACCEPTABLE. IT IS ENTIRELY
PREVENTABLE. LIKE YOU SAID,
PEOPLE ARE FED UP. WE KNOW THIS.
I KNOW IT FIRSTHAND. THAT IS WHY
I AM PERSONALLY -- THAT IS WHY I
GO SO HARD IN THE PAINT ON
ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY ANYTHING
AND EVERYTHING, PUBLIC SAFETY
RELATED. MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND MY
FAMILY UP A SAFETY AND SECURITY,
THEIR LIVES LITERALLY DEPEND ON
IT. I AM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
OUTCOME HERE. NO ONE IN SEATTLE
SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO THIS KIND
OF THING. A SENSE OF SAFETY AND
PEACE IN OUR OWN HOMES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS IS REALLY A
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT. WHAT OCCURRED
LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE
IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE. I WANT
TO ENSURE MY CONSTITUENTS THAT
I'M WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
MAYOR'S OFFICE AS THEY
INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT . I
STAND READY TO SUPPORT THEM
THROUGH THE COURSE OF THEIR
INVESTIGATION TO THE FULLEST
EXTENT POSSIBLE. I AM TRULY
GRATEFUL FOR THE SWIFT RESPONSE
AND PROFESSIONALISM OF SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS . IT IS CLEAR WE
NEED TO DO MORE AS A CITY . MY
CONSTITUENTS ARE FED UP WITH
THIS. SO WAS MY OWN FAMILY. IT
IS UNFORTUNATE THAT CERTAIN
COMMUNITIES, IN THIS CASE, DELL
RIDGE, CONTINUE TO BEAR THE
BRUNT OF OUR RISING CRIME AND
GUN VIOLENCE CHALLENGES ACROSS
THE CITY. BUT FOR ME, WHAT
HAPPENED LAST NIGHT REALLY
UNDERSCORES THE URGENT NEED FOR
US TO CONTINUE AND INTENSIFY
EFFORTS TO ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE
AND ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS
THE CITY. IT REALLY TIES TO TWO
PIECES OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION
WE ARE ACTIVELY CONSIDERING
RIGHT NOW. ONE IS THE
AFTER-HOURS REGULATION BILL ,
AND THE OTHER IS THE PUBLIC
SAFETY RESOLUTION THAT WE ARE
EXPECTED TO VOTE ON TOMORROW.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, IT CALLS OUT
AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF
ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, NOT
JUST POLICE. I WILL HAVE MORE
CONVERSATION AND COMMENTS
TOMORROW ABOUT THE NEXUS BETWEEN
WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST FEW DAYS
AND THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION,
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR
THAT MY FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN,
AND WILL ALWAYS BE, ON
SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES , WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY, AMPLIFYING THE
EFFORTS AND WORK OF OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS, ALL OF THEM , LOCAL
STAKEHOLDERS, CITY LEADERS,
INCLUDING YOU ALL, COLLEAGUES,
TO ENSURE THAT WE FIND AN -- AND
ADVANCED TRULY MEANINGFUL
SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR ALL AND
BETTER PREVENT AND ADDRESS THIS
KIND OF THING. THIS EIGHT
ACADEMIC. THIS IS NOT A
HYPOTHETICAL THING FOR ME AND MY
FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY. THIS IS
REAL LIFE, EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES.
AND TRAUMA THE PEOPLE ARE
HAVING. I NORMALLY , GENERALLY,
HAVE A SMILE ON MY FACE . TODAY
IS NOT ONE OF THOSE DAYS ,
BECAUSE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT
OKAY. WE NEED TO DO BETTER. GET
IN TOUCH WITH THE POLICE CHIEF ,
CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER
WALTON, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ,
AND -- ABOUT THIS. I APPRECIATE
THEIR EFFORTS AND PARTNERSHIP .
I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING
THEM AS THEY IMPLEMENT CHANGES
TO THE CURRENT CRIME SAFETY PLAN
AND MAKE OTHER TWEAKS TO -- I
KNOW WE ARE IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF THE
OVERALL CRIME PLAN, BUT I LOOK
FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THEM AND
THEIR WORK. I APPRECIATE THE
PROFESSIONALISM, AND THE COURAGE
OF THE OFFICERS WHO RESPONDED
LAST NIGHT. HUNDREDS OF
GUNSHOTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, AS A
PARENT WHOSE KIDS WERE INVOLVED
IN A SCHOOL SHOOTING, I AM SO
SORRY THAT YOUR FAMILY HAS
PERSONALLY BEEN TOUCHED BY GUN
VIOLENCE AND GUNS IN THE CITY.
AS A PARENT, I AM HAVING TROUBLE
ARTICULATING HOW DIFFICULT THIS
IS . YOU KNOW, WE ARE PROTECTIVE
OF OUR CHILDREN AS PARENTS, WE
DON'T EVER WANT THEM TO BE IN
DANGER -- IN DANGEROUS
SITUATIONS. THESE THINGS ARE
HAPPENING. OF COURSE, NOT JUST
JUST TO ME AND YOUR CHILDREN,
BUT TO CHILDREN ACROSS SEATTLE.
THIS IS IT TO TAKE AWAY FROM ALL
THE KIDS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING
THIS ACROSS THE CITY, THIS IS
THE LATEST INCIDENT. IT HAPPENED
TO YOU AND YOUR HOME. I AM
REALLY SORRY FOR THAT. THAT
REALLY BREAKS MY HEART FOR YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY THAT IT HIT THIS
CLOSE TO HOME. THIS IS AN TO BE
SELF-SERVING, COLLEAGUES, BUT
THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING
IN OUR CITY ARE HAPPENING TO US
AS WELL. I KNOW WE HAVE HAD
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, AND MANY OF
YOU , ABOUT HOW THE PUBLIC
SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING
IN THE CITY , WE ARE NOT IMMUNE.
NO ONE, NOT US OR ANY OF OUR
CONSTITUENTS. IT IS WHY I FIGHT
SO HARD. I KNOW YOU DO TOO,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, AND MANY OF
YOU, COLLEAGUES , ON THIS PUBLIC
SAFETY ISSUE ACROSS THE CITY.
>> -- I AM REALLY SORRY TO HEAR
IT . I CONTINUE TO BE A STRONG
PARTNER WITH YOU ON TAKING CARE
OF THESE ISSUES IN THE CITY.
THIS IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE
TO ME. I KNOW IT IS TO YOU, AND
IT SHOULD BE TO ALL OF US. WE
WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS
ISSUE ACROSS THE CITY SO THAT
OUR KIDS CAN FEEL SAFE IN THIS
CITY THAT THEY LIVE IN AND CALL
HOME. IT IS COMPLETELY
UNACCEPTABLE. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE
THAT ANY CHILD IN SEATTLE SHOULD
NOT FEEL SAFE, AND THAT YOU ARE
WORRIED TO TELL YOUR CHILD. I
GET THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN.
MINE WERE TEENAGERS. IT DOESN'T
MATTER HOW YOUNG OR OLD THEY
ARE. THEY ARE KIDS. THEY SHOULD
BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR
CITY. THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE. I
JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR STORY.
BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES, WHEN WE SIT
UP HERE, I KNOW I HAVE SOME
TREPIDATION, BECAUSE PEOPLE
AUTOMATICALLY LOOK AT US AS, YOU
ARE JUST SAYING THAT. BUT NO, WE
SHARE IT BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT
TO LET OUR CONSTITUENTS KNOW,
AND ALL OF US KNOW, COLLEAGUES,
HOW IMPORTANT THESE ISSUES ARE,
AND THAT IT TOUCHES EVERYBODY IN
THE CITY. THAT IS WHY WE FIGHT
SO HARD TO DO THE WORK THAT WE
ARE DOING AND PASTIES PUBLIC
SAFETY LEGISLATION PIECES THAT
WE ARE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
COUNCILMEMBER KENDALL AS CHAIR
OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
FOR LETTING ME SAY THOSE WORDS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
FOR SHARING. AGAIN, I AM SO
SORRY.
>> BEFORE PASSING IT ON, WHILE
WE'RE ON THIS TOPIC, I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, FOR
STATING THAT. I TOO APPRECIATE
THAT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT
PUBLICLY AND NOT SHY AWAY AND
TREATED AS, OH, THAT IS JUST
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN
HEADLINES. GUN VIOLENCE WAS THE
TOPIC OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY
AUDITOR 'S LATEST REPORT
PRESENTED IN MY COMMITTEE LAST
THURSDAY. I WAS GOING TO TALK
ABOUT IT AT THE END, BUT SINCE
WE ARE ON TOPIC, AND THEN WE CAN
MOVE ON. YOU HAVE MOVED ON TO A
DIFFERENT COMMITTEE, BUT THIS
WAS AN AUDIT I REQUESTED TO
FOLLOW UP ON. IT WAS PAUSED. THE
MAYOR AND I REQUESTED TO LOOK AT
HER VARIOUS CRIME PREVENTION
STRATEGIES. LONG STORY SHORT, IF
YOU WEREN'T THERE, COLLEAGUES,
OR HAVE NOT READ THE REPORT, I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO. THE
CONCLUSIONS ARE DISHEARTENING,
BUT ALSO OFFER SOME HOPE . THE
HOPE DEPENDS ON US TAKING
ACTION. IN ESSENCE, THERE'S SO
MUCH MORE THE CITY CAN DO TO
REDUCE AND PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE.
THIS IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE
AUDIT. MANY OF THE STEPS WE
SHOULD TAKE HAVE BEEN
RECOMMENDED IN PREVIOUS AUDITS,
NOT JUST ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE, BUT
MORE GENERALLY , APPROACHES TO
GATHERING INFORMATION, TO
WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE
WHEEL. WE DON'T HAVE TO
REINVENT THE WHEEL. THE CITY
SHOULD -- BUT IT STARTS WITH
ADMITTING THAT WE CAN DO MORE,
AND WE CAN DO BETTER. THE AUDIT
PRESENTS A LOT OF RESOURCES
OTHER CITIES OR DO -- DOING TO
REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE BY DOUBLE
DIGITS. THE POINT TO ME WAS ,
WHY AREN'T WE DOING THAT,
BASICALLY? NO DISRESPECT TO THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE WERE AT THE TABLE . THE
FACT IS THAT EVERYBODY
RECOGNIZES A -- SPD HAS GREAT
DATA, FOR EXAMPLE. IS A QUESTION
OF HOW WE CAN MORE PRODUCTIVELY
PUT THE DATA ABOUT WHO IS
GETTING SHOT, WHERE THE
SHOOTINGS ARE HAPPENING, THE
TRENDS WE SEE, AND HOW SPD CAN
BETTER SHARE THE DATA THAT IS
NOT COMPLETELY PRIVATE AND PART
OF AN INVESTIGATION WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, HSD,
TO INFORM THEIR GRANTS FOR
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK.
THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THE POINT IS,
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING
ON GUN VIOLENCE ESPECIALLY, BUT
IT IS THE TIME FOR HUMILITY ,
AND IT IS THE TIME TO USE THE
RESOURCES WE HAVE. IN THIS CASE,
A REPORT. EITHER TRUST THESE
EXPERTS IN THE MODELS THEY ARE
PUTTING FORWARD THAT HAVING
POSITIVE RESULTS IN OTHER
CITIES, OR WE DON'T. THE
EXPERTS I'M TALKING ABOUT ARE
THE DOJ AND THE POLICE EXECUTIVE
RESEARCH FORUM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE
AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION, DEA HIGH
INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREA
OFFICES. THEY HAVE A LOT OF
RESOURCES TO HELP LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS. THESE ARE FREE
RESOURCES. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE
NOTHING TO LOSE BY, IN MY
OPINION, AVAILING OURSELVES OF
OTHER RESOURCES AND TAKING INTO
PRECISELY THE EXPERIENCE , NOT
IS CERTAINLY TAKING A DIFFERENT
APPROACH, BUT RECOGNIZING THERE
ARE OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO. WE
OWE IT TO -- WE OWE THE LIVES OF
OUR CONSTITUENTS TO DO THE VERY
BEST WE CAN. THAT SOMETIMES
MEANS LOOKING LATERALLY. ANYWAY,
THAT IS ALL HE WANTED TO SAY.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
PRACTICE QUICKLY, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS
BEFORE. OBVIOUSLY, WE
COLLABORATE CLOSELY WORKING ON
THESE ISSUES. THE BILLS HE WAS
TALKING ABOUT ARE PART OF THE
ACTION IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE . THEY ARE PART OF THE
OVERALL STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
PLAN. WE ARE DRIVING TO REALLY
CHANGE THE DYNAMIC IN OUR CITY,
THE PERMISSIVENESS. THERE IS A
PERMISSIVENESS THAT ALLOWS US
GUN VIOLENCE TO OCCUR. WE ARE
WORKING THESE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE AFTER-HOURS ESTABLISHMENTS
BILL IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMIT TO, NOT
JUST TO MY VICE CHAIR AND OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, BUT TO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT WE WILL
CONTINUE THIS WORK IN THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE WHERE WE ARE
REALLY DRIVING ON THIS FRONT
WORKING WITH THE ARCHITECTURE ,
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER DURING
THE LRI -- OIR BRIEFING. THAT IS
MY COMMITMENT TO THE CITY AS IT
RELATES TO GUN VIOLENCE. THANK
YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SALAMANCA
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WILL ALSO TRY TO BE BRIEF.
COMING UP WITH A LAND-USE
COMMITTEE ON WEDNESDAY, WE HOPE
TO ADDRESS UNITED FORESTRY
COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS . DESIGN
COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS,
STREET-LEVEL USE LEGISLATION,
BUILDING PERMIT EXTENSION
LEGISLATION, AND HAVE A BRIEFING
ON A DO YOU LEGISLATION
RESPONSIVE TO THE STATE
REQUIREMENTS OF 1337. IT IS
GOING TO BE A FULL MEETING ON
WEDNESDAY . WE INTEND TO GET
QUITE A BIT DONE. THIS PAST WEEK
I DID ATTEND THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE MEETING. THANK YOU,
CHAIR KETTLE, FOR ALLOWING ME TO
INVADE YOUR SPACE. ALSO HAD
MEETINGS WITH THE SEATTLE KING
COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS, HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL WE ARE
DISCUSSING THE NAVIGATION CENTER
AND AROUND FOLKS WHO ARE IN
NEED. I MET ALSO WITH NEIGHBORS
FROM THE BRIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD TO
TALK ABOUT GENERATIONAL WEALTH
BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN
COMMUNITY. I MET WITH SEATTLE
INDIAN SERVICES COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO TALK ABOUT
THE -- WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING
THERE AT THE OLD NAVIGATION
CENTER, AND THEIR PLANS FOR
MOVING FORWARD. I ATTENDED THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLANNING
COUNCIL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY. I
MET WITH THE INTERIM CID
RESIDENT ADVOCATES ON THURSDAY
TO TALK ABOUT THE COPPERHEADS A
PLAN. AS MENTIONED,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK AND I DID A
TOWN HALL AT UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH , WHICH IS REALLY COOL.
THIS MORNING I HAD A MEETING
WITH CHIEF BARNES . ALSO, THIS
AFTERNOON -- OR THIS MORNING, I
ATTENDED THE SHIELD LAW SIGNING
AT THE LGBTQ CENTER. COMING UP
THIS WEEK, I DO HAVE
CONSTITUENTS, BASICALLY, DOING
OFFICE HOURS, SPECIFICALLY, FOR
THE MOUNT BAKER COMMUNITY, WHICH
ARE SUPPOSED TO START IN 38
MINUTES. WE WILL SEE IF I MAKE
IT IN TIME. BUT WE WILL BE THERE
TONIGHT. I WILL BE MEETING WITH
THE CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB
TOMORROW . I AM GOING TO BE
ATTENDING THE NIGHT AT THE
FILIPINO COMMUNITY CENTER ON
WEDNESDAY EVENING . I WILL BE
ATTENDING THE REGIONAL PLANNING
COUNCIL ON THURSDAY, AS WELL AS
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE
. I WILL BE SUBSTITUTING FOR
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE . YOU MAY BE
LATE FOR YOUR -- I MAY BE LATE
FOR THE SELECT COMMITTEE AS A
RESULT OF THAT. THURSDAY EVENING
I WILL BE ATTENDING A COMMUNITY
IMPACT EVENT FOR THE RATER
VALLEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
FUND. TO FOLLOW UP ON THE
COMMENTS THAT COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
MADE AND OTHERS HAVE MADE, WE
BOTH KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE
IN ENVIRONMENTS WITH GUNSHOTS
FIRED. WE ARE COMBAT VETS. IT IS
ANOTHER THING TO HAVE TO COMFORT
YOUR CHILDREN WHEN THAT IS
GOING. I HAVE NOT HAD TO DO
THAT. I AM GRATEFUL I HAVE NOT
HAD TO DO THAT. MY HEART GOES
OUT TO YOU. I HAVE HAD SHOTS
FIRED NEAR MY HOME . I HAVE
ACTUALLY BEEN SHOT AT . BUT THE
DOUBLE HOMICIDE THAT HAPPENED
YESTERDAY MORNING AT THREE
SOMETHING IN THE MORNING AT THE
CLUB IN RAINIER BEACH WAS
PREVENTABLE. THAT IS NOT THE
FIRST TIME WE HAVE HAD AN
INCIDENT THERE. THE EARLY
MORNING OF FEBRUARY 8 WE HAD A
SHOOTING WHERE , I MENTIONED IT
ON THE DAIS, OVER 100 SHELL
CASINGS WERE RECOVERED FROM THAT
WHEN SHOOTING. I AM ANXIOUS TO
GET THIS LEGISLATION REGARDING
REGULATING AFTER OUR CLUBS
ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. WE HAVE
GOT TO DO IT. IF WE HELD THE
VOTE TOMORROW, I AM ALL IN. I
CAN'T WAIT TO VOTE FOR THIS. I
WILL LEAVE IT THERE. BUT I
CAN'T, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T THE
ONLY SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED THE
OTHER NIGHT. THERE WAS ANOTHER
SHOOTING ON SOUTH BEACON HILL.
SAME NIGHT. WE DO HAVE TO DO
BETTER AS A CITY. IT IS NOT JUST
CITY GOVERNMENT. IT IS NOT JUST
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS NOT
FIRST RESPONDERS OR SECOND
RESPONDERS. IT IS US, AS A
COMMUNITY. WHAT ARE WE DOING ?
WHAT ARE WE DOING WHEN IT COMES
TO ALL THE VIOLENCE HAPPENING?
SOME AGAIN, I COULD GO ON , BUT
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. AND
AGAIN, MY HEART TO YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY. LET'S GET THIS BILL
PASSED. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WILL BE BRIEF. I KNOW IT IS
4:26. UTILITIES TECHNOLOGY
COMMITTEE , WE WILL BE GOING ON
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9. WE ARE GOING
TO DISCUSS COUNCIL BILL 120960 .
THAT IS GOING TO BE UP FOR A
VOTE. I WILL TALK TO THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS . IS ABOUT
AUTHORIZING SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES, SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE LOWER
DUWAMISH WATERWAY CLEANUP . WE
ALSO HAD A COMMITTEE MEETING .
AND NOW, WE WILL BE HAVING A
VOTE. I WILL CONNECT WITH YOU
ALL TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS
COMFORTABLE. BUT HOPEFULLY, WE
FEEL LIKE WE HAD ENOUGH
INFORMATION, AND THAT WE WERE
GIVEN ENOUGH INFORMATION IN THAT
EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE ALSO HAD
THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY
COMMITTEE WITH COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. THE THINGS WE'RE GOING
TO BE -- BEING PREDICTABLE ABOUT
RATES , AFFORDABLE ABOUT RATES,
AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
KEEPING OUR RATES AFFORDABLE
WITH OUR GROWING INFRASTRUCTURE
AND AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE
NEED, BUT ENGINEERING THAT WE
CAN BE ABLE TO PLAN CORRECTLY,
AND WE ARE SENDING DUST SPENDING
MONEY WISELY. I WILL NOT UPDATE
EVERYONE ON MY EVERYDAY
ACTIVITIES. YOU CAN GO TO MY
INSTAGRAM OR NEWSLETTER THAT I
WILL BE BLASTING OUT FOR YOU ALL
TO SEE ALL THE WONDERFUL
COMMUNITY PEOPLE I CONNECT WITH
DAILY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT IS
ALL YOURS, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL
ALSO BE BRIEF. THE NEXT MEETING
OF THE GOVERNANCE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE WILL BE ON THURSDAY,
APRIL 10. WE ARE STILL
FINALIZING THE AGENDA, BUT WILL
HAVE CONTINUED DISCUSSION AND A
POSSIBLE VOTE ON COUNCIL BILL
120957 CONCERNING FEET DEMOCRACY
VOUCHER PROGRAM. I WILL MENTION
TWO THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
EARLIER TODAY, I JOIN COUNCIL
MEMBERS HOLLINGSWORTH AND
SOLOMON AT THE SHIELD LAW
SIGNING AT THE LGBTQ CENTER ON
CAPITOL HILL. WE HEARD FROM
LEADERS FROM THE COMMISSION, THE
LGBTQ CENTER AND SEATTLE PRIDE .
NO TO EVERYONE, THE THEME OF
THIS YEAR 'S PRIDE IS LOUDER.
I'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR TODAY
FROM THE COMMUNITY WE ARE NOT
GOING TO STAND FOR THE ATTACKS
ON THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND THE
-- AND BY PASSING LEGISLATION BY
SHIELD, WE CAN COMBAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION'S ATTACK AND
ENSURE THAT SEATTLE REMAINS A
SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACE FOR
ALL. ONE NOTE , YOU MIGHT NOT
HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS. THIS WEEK
MY STAFF AND I WILL VISIT THE
PARAMOUNT PICTURES PRODUCTION
OFFICE. THIS IS ON THE CORNER OF
SEATTLE CENTER WHERE CASCADE
PUBLIC MEDIA USED TO BE LOCATED
ON MERCER AND FIFTH. THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN
LEASING SPACE IN THE BUILDING
FOR THE LAST YEAR TO HELP CREATE
IS, PARTICULARLY, THE FILM
INDUSTRY, TO HAVE SPACE TO
GATHER AND WORK. WHY