>>> TAKING A PAGE OUT OF YOUR
PLAYBOOK, D5.
>> WE'RE LIVE.
>> OH, WE'RE LIVE.
>> DO YOU WANT THIS?
>> YES.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. TGIF. GOOD
EVENING -- GOOD LATE AFTERNOON,
EVERYONE. THE NOVEMBER 21, 2025
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 1:04, I AM SARA NELSON,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> EIGHT PRESENT.
>> ALL RIGHT, THERE ARE NO
PRESENTATIONS TODAY. AND IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
COUNCIL RULES WILL BE SUSPENDED
TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
FOR THE PUBLIC, WE NORMALLY DO
NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AT
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OBJECTION,
SO AT THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN --
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE RULES
ARE SUSPENDED. AT THIS TIME
WE'LL OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. LIMITED TO ITEMS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA, THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR, AND THE COUNCIL WORK
PROGRAM. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
SIGNED UP TODAY, PLEASE?
>> WE HAVE ONE REMOTE AND THREE
IN PERSON.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL START WITH
THE THREE PUBLIC COMMENTERS WHO
ARE IN PERSON AND EVERYONE GETS
TWO MINUTES.
>> OH, JUST A SECOND. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING WAY, UP TO 20 MINUTES,
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN ORDER
OF WHICH THEY REGISTERED.
SPEAKERS WILL ALTERNATE.
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THEIR
TIME. SPEAKERS' MICS WILL BE
MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END WITHIN
THE ALLOTTED TIME. THE FIRST
SPEAKER IS PASTOR STEVE AND THEN
FOLLOWING STEVE, PASTOR STEVE,
WILL BE TARA MILLER AND THEN
BENNET HOUSTON.
>> JUST A SECOND.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> THANKS.
>> -- UCC, AND I ALSO LIVE IN
THE U DISTRICT. MY CONGREGATION
AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS
CONFRONTED DAILY WITH THE
CHALLENGES OF OUR CITY,
HOMELESSNESS, FOOD INSECURITY,
UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING, DRUG
ADDICTION, AND THREATS TO
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS. WE KNOW WHAT
MAKES OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND
THRIVING. DESIGNATING MY
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE SODA
LEGISLATION MAKES IT HARDER FOR
FOLKS TO GET SERVICES, NOT
EASIER. INCREASING SURVEILLANCE
DOESN'T PREVENT CRIME, BUT IT
DOES CREATE PATHS FOR OVER
POLICING OF BLACK AND BROWN
RESIDENTS AND MAKES OUR
IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS LESS SAFE.
COUNCILMEMBERS RIVERA AND
NELSON, YOU TALK ABOUT
DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS. WE HAVE
THE DATA. THE POLICE DO NOT MAKE
US SAFER. WE KEEP US SAFE. AND
YET TIME AND TIME AGAIN THROUGH
BUDGET DECISIONS AND THROUGH
POLICIES, THE COUNCIL REJECTS
THE DATA AND THE VOICES OF THE
PEOPLE CALLING FOR MORE
SURVEILLANCE, SPOG'S MOU,
FUNDING SWEEPS, AND INCREASING
POLICE FUNDING WHILE CRIME RATES
IN OUR CITY ARE DROPPING. IT'S
LIKE THE STORY FROM THE WISDOM
OF SOLOMON REPORTED IN FIRST
KINGS. TWO WOMEN ARE CLAIMING TO
BE THE PARENT OF AN INFANT, SO
THE KING SAYS, CUT THE BABY IN
HALF. THAT'S WHAT THIS BUDGET
DOES. IT FUNDS IMPORTANT
PROGRESSIVE ITEMS, BUT IT FAILS
TO PRESERVE OUR CITY BY
ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC ISSUES WITH
DATA-DRIVEN EVIDENCE ABOUT WHAT
KEEPS US SAFE. I APPLAUD THE
PROGRESSIVE INVESTMENTS, THINGS
THAT SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY SO
THAT WE CAN THRIVE, BUT I LOOK
FORWARD TO A 2026 AGENDA TO SEE
POLICIES THAT STRENGTHEN THOSE
VALUES RATHER THAN CUTTING THE
BABY IN HALF.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL, MY
NAME IS TARA MILLER, I LIVE IN
DISTRICT FIVE, AND I AM ONE OF
THE -- AND OUR BUDGET ROUNDTABLE
TEAM ALL BUDGET CYCLE. AS
SOMEONE WHOSE HAS ABSORBED THE
REFLECTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES
THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PROCESS
THIS FALL, I COME TO YOU AS A
MIRROR, A WITNESS, A GHOST OF
CHRISTMAS YET TO COME. IN
DICKENS' TALE, THIS GHOST COMES
AT THE FINAL HOUR. IT DOESN'T
SPEAK MUCH, BUT IT POINTS TO THE
FUTURE THAT MIGHT BE. I HAVE
HEARD THIS SEASON THAT SOME OF
OUR WORDS, BUDGETS, ARE A MORAL
DOCUMENT THAT SPEAK TO OUR CITY
THROUGH PUBLIC INVESTMENT. SOME
OF OUR WORDS HAVE BEEN HEATED.
SOME CARE TO OUR COMMUNITY HAS
BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, AND
I BRING WARNING THAT THIS IS NOT
ENOUGH. IF WE AS A CITY CANNOT
CENTER THE MOST IMPACTED MEMBERS
OF OUR COMMUNITY AND PRIORITIZE
THEIR LIBERATION IN WHICH WE TOO
MAY BE LIBERATED, THEN I SEE A
FEW COLD WAR WHERE THE CITY OF
SEATTLE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO
WITHSTAND THE FORCES OF FASCISM
KNOCKING ON OUR DOORS FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE FUTURE
THIS GHOST BRINGS IS NOT SET IN
STONE. IT CAN BE CHANGED. THE
IMAGE IS FLICKERING. THE CHURCH
COUNCIL OF GREATER SEATTLE IS
COMMITTED TO BEING PART OF THE
PROCESS THAT SHIFT THIS IS
POTENTIAL FUTURE. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK
WITH CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR,
AND THE THOUSANDS OF VOICES WHO
HAVE GONE UNHEARD IN THESE
CHAMBERS TO MAKE IT SO.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. SO
WITH THE NEWS THAT DEON FOSTER
WILL BE REPLACING SARA NELSON ON
THE COUNCIL, SOME OF YOU ARE
PROBABLY THINKING ABOUT YOUR
RE-ELECTION CHANCES A YEAR FROM
NOW. SO I WANT TO REVISIT SOME
OF THE THINGS I'VE SAID IN THE
PAST. THESE WERE NOT THE TIMES I
WAS PART OF A LARGE GROUP THAT
WAS PROTESTING SOMETHING THAT WE
KNEW YOU WERE ALL GOING TO DO
ANYWAY. THESE WERE TIMES I WAS
HERE AS SOMETHING I HALF
EXPECTED THAT AT LEAST SOME OF
YOU WOULD PROBABLY DO, AND I WAS
SURPRISED THAT NOBODY DID. THESE
WERE ALL THINGS THAT COULD HAVE
SHOWN COMING TOGETHER FOR A
BIPARTISAN PURPOSE. REMEMBER
WHEN A UW ALUM WAS KILLED BY
ISRAEL PROTESTING IN THE WEST
BANK? MANY LOCAL POLITICIANS
SIGNED ON TO A DOCUMENT CALLING
FOR AN INDEPENDENT, U.S.-LED
INVESTIGATION INTO HER DEATH.
COUNCILMEMBERS MORALES AND RINCK
SIGNED IT. CATHY MOORE SIGNED IT
TOO. WHAT WOULD BE THE BIG DEAL?
THERE'S NO DOWNSIDE TO THIS. OF
COURSE, YOU ALL REMEMBER WHEN
ANNE DAVISON ATTACKED A SITTING
JUDGE WITHOUT NAMING THE CASES.
WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS A MILLION
TIMES. THE JUDGE SAID WE CAN
HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, CAN YOU
TELL ME THE CASES THAT YOU'RE
REFERRING TO. AND I SAID, WHY
DOESN'T THE COUNCIL PUT OUT A
STATEMENT CALLING ON THE CITY
ATTORNEY TO CLARIFY WHAT CASES
SHE WAS REFERRING TO. YOU
SHOULDN'T BE ATTACKING A JUDGE
ON THE BASIS OF HOW SHE HANDLED
CASES IF THERE'S ANY CONFUSION
ABOUT WHAT CASES YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN A PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE USE
OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S VOICE TO
CALL ATTENTION TO THAT. THERE
WAS A TIME WHERE -- AND THE
MEDIA ASKED HER ABOUT IT AND SHE
GAVE THIS EXTREMELY CRINGE
ANSWER WHICH SAYS IF HIS SKIN
WAS DARKENER ONE VIDEO VERSUS
ANOTHER, WHICH IMO EVEN MORE
BEAUTIFUL -- AND THAT IS -- I
MEAN, YOU CAN LOOK UP THE WHOLE
THING. IT'S INSANE. I SAID FOR
THOSE OF YOU WHO ENDORSED HER,
RECONSIDER THIS. THE ONE TIME
YOU ALL LISTENED TO ME AS I
BROUGHT MY LAPTOP WITH THE
PICTURES OF HOT RAT SUMMER BEING
PAINTED OVER AND SAID STOP
PAINTING OVER THIS. YOU WERE
LIKE, OKAY. A WEEK AFTER THAT
THERE WERE PEOPLE SAYING, SEE,
JOY, THIS IS WHY WE DON'T
ENCOURAGE HIM.
>> WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> WE HAVE ONE REMOTE SPEAKER. A
REMINDER, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
AFTER YOU HAVE HEARD THE MESSAGE
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED. OUR
REMOTE SPEAKER IS CARINA PATEL.
GO AHEAD, CARINA. AND CARINA,
YOU MAY NEED TO -- THERE YOU GO.
>> HELLO, CHAIR NELSON AND
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I'M CARINA
PATEL CALLING IN FROM THE --
CENTER FOR HEALTH AND FREEDOM.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US IN
YOUR BUDGET. WE WANT TO EXPRESS
OUR DEEP APPRECIATION FOR YOUR
INVESTMENT. THE NEW TUBMAN
HEALTH CENTER WILL EXPAND CARE
FROM 500 TO 12,000 PATIENTS,
PROVIDING MORE THAN JUST HEALTH
SERVICES. IT IS PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY SAFETY
AND CONNECTION AND TRUSTED
PREVENTATIVE CARE LED BY BLACK
AND INDIGENOUS LEADERS WHO KNOW
OUR COMMUNITIES BEST. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO BE A
STRONG AND RELIABLE PART FLER TO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE NOW AND IN
THE YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CARINA. THAT'S OUR
LAST REMOTE SPEAKER.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE REACHED
THE END OF OUR LIST OF PEOPLE
THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO
PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED.
ALL RIGHT, IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS ADOPTED. MOVING ON
TO THE AGENDA, JUST A NOTE ON
THE AGENDA FOR OUR VIEWING
PUBLIC, TODAY WE WILL BE VOTING
ON THE 2026 BUDGET AND CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND 28 PIECES
OF BUDGET-RELATED LEGISLATION.
AND ON -- OF THE LATTER GROUP, A
HANDFUL, WHEN WE WERE VOTING
THIS OUT OF OUR LAST SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE, A HANDFUL WERE
PULLED OUT FOR INDIVIDUAL
DISCUSSION AND VOTES. AND WE'LL
BE VOTING ON THEM INDIVIDUALLY
TODAY AS WELL TO MAINTAIN THAT
SAME FORMAT. SO THAT'S JUST
EXPLAINED WHY THERE ARE CERTAIN
BUDGET-RELATED THINGS THAT ARE
NOT IN THE CONCEPT CALENDAR. AND
THEN FINALLY, THE ITEM FIVE ON
OUR AGENDA IS THE BUDGET. I'M
ASSUMING THAT IS THE BUDGET,
THAT'S THE BUDGET ITEM THAT
PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO SPEAK TO
INDIVIDUALLY, SO IF YOU'RE
FOLLOWING ALONG IN THE PUBLIC, A
NOTE FOR COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET
WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP. ALL
RIGHT, IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED. WE'LL NOW CONSIDER
THE PROPOSED CONSENT CALENDAR.
AND THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR ARE THE MINUTES OF
NOVEMBER 12, 2025, COUNCIL BILLS
121, 127, AND 18, PAYMENT OF
BILLS, AND 25 PIECES OF
LEGISLATION FROM THE SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE, ARE THERE ANY
ITEMS THAT COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD
LIKE TO REMOVE FROM TODAY'S
CONSENT CALENDAR? ALL RIGHT,
HEARING NONE, I MOVE TO ADOPT
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR. I
WILL -- WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF
THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES. YES. YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> AYE. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE
TO THE MINUTES AND LEGISLATION
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ON MY
BEHALF. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO
ITEM ONE. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD.
>> THE REPORT OF THE SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE, AGENDA ITEM
ONE, 121 -- OF MAJOR
INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOOL
PROGRAMS, TRANSFERRING
ADMINISTRATION TO MAJOR
INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT. THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THE BILL PASS WITH
COUNCILMEMBERS STRAUSS,
HOLLINGSWORTH, NELSON, JUAREZ --
AND COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO
PROVIDE A COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, YOU'LL HEAR THE
SAME REFRAIN FROM ME A COUPLE
TIMES TODAY. THIS IS SIMPLY
ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT
PROVIDES US THE ABILITY TO DO
WHAT WE ACCOMPLISH DURING OUR
BUDGET. THAT WAS THE TIME FOR
DECISIONS AND DISCUSSION ABOUT A
DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
THIS IS SIMPLY ENABLING
LEGISLATION TO ENACT WHAT WE
VOTED. I URGE A YES VOTE.
>> ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? ?
>> SORRY, CHAIR, THIS IS THE
MAJOR INSTITUTIONS, CORRECT?
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT?
OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER,
I VOTED NO ON THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION BECAUSE I FIRMLY
BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS IS IN A BETTER
POSITION TO DO THE OUTREACH TO
COMMUNITY AS THESE MAJOR
INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOOLS PROGRAM
IS BEING DELIBERATED. THE OFFICE
OF PLANNING COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DURING THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS DID
NOT SHOW AND THEY THEMSELVES
ADMITTED THAT THEY HAVE PLANNING
-- PEOPLE DOING PLANNING THAT
WERE DOING OUTREACH BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T HAVE THE OUTREACH
PERSONNEL TO DO THE WORK. SO I
THINK THIS SHOULD REMAIN AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
WHO'S ACTUALLY DOING THE
OUTREACH CURRENTLY AROUND THE
MAJOR INSTITUTION'S WORK. SO
FOR THAT REASON, I VOTED TO KEEP
THEM AS THE OUTREACH BODY,
BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS DOES THE MAJORITY
OF THE OUTREACH WORK FOR THIS
CITY. I WILL VOTE YET AGAIN FOR
NO BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP THIS
OUTREACH BODY OF WORK AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
RATHER THAN TRANSFERRING IT TO
OPCD, WHO IS NOT THE DEPARTMENT
AT THE CITY WHO'S DOING THE
MAJORITY OF OUTREACH. AND IT IS
DON THAT'S BEEN DOING THAT
OUTREACH SPECIFIC TO THE MAJOR
INSTITUTIONS WORK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, IS THERE ANYBODY
ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT?
WELL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND
COMMENT, THEN. GOING INTO THAT
VOTE OR I DID SUPPORT THIS PIECE
OF LEGISLATION IN THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE. AND I DID SO BECAUSE
VOTES ON MAJOR INSTITUTIONS,
THAT CONCERNS LAND USE. AND I
FELT THAT IT WAS A LAND USE BILL
PRIMARILY, AND THAT IS WHY I
WENT AHEAD AND SUPPORTED IT. BUT
I DO UNDERSTAND THE OPPOSING
ARGUMENT. THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS IS THE OUTREACH
DEPARTMENT, AND THEY ARE THE
ONES THAT ARE SET UP TO DO THE
OUTREACH, AND THEY KNOW THE
COMMUNITY SIMPLY BY -- SIMPLY
BECAUSE THE OUTREACH TO THE
COMMUNITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS FOR
LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS,
INCLUDING THIS PARTICULAR POLICY
MATTER, AND SO I STARTED TO FEEL
THAT -- THAT PERHAPS I HAD MADE
THE, NOT NECESSARILY THE WRONG
DECISION, BUT THE OTHER DECISION
COULD ALSO HOLD EQUAL SWAY. AND
I AM DECIDING TO CHANGE MY VOTE
NOW BECAUSE OVER THE COURSE OF
MY OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES,
NEIGHBORHOODS, ET CETERA DURING
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ONE
THING THAT I HEARD OVER AND OVER
AGAIN WAS THAT PEOPLE WISH THAT
THERE WERE STILL THE COMMUNITY
COUNCILS AND THE DISTRICT
COUNCILS, THEY MISS THAT
FORMALIZED CHANNEL OF
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITY STAFF.
AND THAT CHANGE HAPPENED DURING
THE MURRAY ADMINISTRATION. AND I
HAVE TO SAY THAT -- AND SO IF WE
-- I'VE DECIDED THAT IF WE TAKE
AWAY THE OUTREACH THAT SOMETIMES
COMES UP, NOT VERY OFTEN WHEN IT
REGARDS A MUP, OR MAJOR
INSTITUTIONS PLAN, THAT -- EVEN
MORE. AND SO ALTHOUGH IT WILL
NOT CLEARLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE
THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL, I DO
WANT TO REGISTER THAT I AM
CHANGING MY VOTE BECAUSE I DO
WANT TO SIGNAL THE IMPORTANCE OF
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOOD DOES. ALL RIGHT. IF
THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> NAY.
>> SIX IN FAVOR, TWO OPPOSED.
>> OKAY. THE BILL PASSES, AND
THE CHAIR WILL SIGN IT. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE
TO THE LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF.
AND WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM TWO INTO THE AGENDA FOR THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, COUNCIL BILL
121110 RELATING TO THE
SHORT-TERM RENTAL TAX REVENUE
AMENDING ORDINANCE 125872 TO
SPECIFY USE OF REVENUE PROCEEDS,
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE
BILL PASS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, AS CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED TO PROVIDE THE
COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THIS IS ENABLING LEGISLATION AND
ENACTING THE DECISIONS WE MADE.
THE INPUT WAS DURING THE
PROCESS, NOT HERE. I URGE A YES
VOTE.
>> OKAY, ANY COMMENTS? ALL
RIGHT, SEEING NONE, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
>> AYE.
>> SEVEN IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED.
EXCUSE ME, EIGHT IN -- NO, SEVEN
IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED. I'M
GETTING CONFUSED. COUNCILMEMBER,
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR VOTE RIGHT
NOW BEFORE THE CHAIR ANNOUNCES
YOUR VOTE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CHANGE YOUR VOTE.
>> APOLOGIES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
I HAD IT ENTERED INTO MY
NOTEBOOK INCORRECTLY, CAN YOU
PLEASE -- CAN WE -- CAN YOU --
WHICH --
>> WE'RE ON ITEM TWO, COUNCIL
BILL 121110.
>> THIS IS ON SHORT-TERM TAX
INVESTMENTS. SORRY, I HAD THE
WRONG THING IN MY BINDER. I HAD
THE PERMITTING ONE. APOLOGIES,
COLLEAGUES.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO RECALL
THE VOTE?
>> NO, JODY, JUST A SECOND. WE
JUST NEED THE COUNCILMEMBER TO
CONFIRM IF HER VOTE IS A NO OR
IF SHE'D LIKE TO CHANGE IT AT
THIS POINT, THANK YOU.
>> NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
>> YEAH, THIS IS RIGHT.
>> IT'S THIS ONE? BUT YOU HAVE
IT DIFFERENT THERE.
>> IT APPEARS DIFFERENT, BUT
IT'S JUST PRINTED DIFFERENT.
>> YES, I WANT TO CHANGE IT. SO
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? SORRY,
AMELIA. JUST SAY I WOULD LIKE TO
CHANGE MY VOTE FROM A NO TO A
YES ON COUNCIL BILL 121110.
THANK YOU. SORRY, COLLEAGUES.
UNDERSTOOD. OKAY, SO THE VOTE
WAS 8-0, IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN,
AND THE BILL PASSES, AND THE
CHAIR WILL SIGN IT. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE
TO THE LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF.
>> POINT OF INFORMATION.
>> YES?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WHEN YOU
ARE READING COUNCIL PRESIDENT
INTO THE CLERK, BECAUSE THERE
ARE SO MANY ITEMS THAT WERE ON
THE AGENDA THAT HAVE BEEN PUT
INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WE
DID NOT RECEIVE A SUMMARY FROM
YOU, I'M REQUESTING THAT YOU
ANNOUNCE THE BILL YOU ARE
CALLING THE VOTE ON BY NUMBER AS
YOU'RE CALLING THE VOTE SO THAT
WE CAN ALL ORIENT TO WHERE WE
ARE ON YOUR AGENDA. THANK YOU.
>> WHAT SUMMARY ARE YOU
REFERRING TO?
>> CAN YOU -- MY REQUEST TODAY
AT THIS TIME IS FOR YOU TO
ANNOUNCE THE BILL THAT YOU ARE
CALLING THE VOTE ON SO THAT WE
CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON THE
SAME PLACE ON THE AGENDA AS YOU
ARE.
>> OKAY, YES. I WILL ASK THE
CLERK TO READ THE ITEM NUMBER
AND ALSO THE BILL NUMBER.
THAT'S -- NORMALLY WE DON'T DO
A SUMMARY. ANYWAY, THE SUMMARY
IS THE AGENDA, I THINK, IS WHAT
YOU'RE REFERRING TO. BUT
ANYWAY, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM THREE INTO THE RECORD,
WHICH IS COUNCIL BILL 121105.
>> AGENDA ITEM THREE, COUNCIL
BILL 121105, RELATING TO FEES
AND CHARGES FOR PERMITS AND
ACTIVITIES OF THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS, RELATED FEES BY
OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THE BILL PASS.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, NELSON,
AND SOLOMON OPPOSED.
>> OKAY, THIS IS THE BILL ABOUT
THE FEES AND CHARGES FOR
PERMITS. OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO
PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THIS IS SIMPLY ENABLING
LEGISLATION ENACTING THE
DECISIONS WE MADE DURING THE
BUDGET PROCESS. THE TIME FOR
INPUT ON THIS WAS DURING THE
BUDGET PROCESS. ON THIS ITEM
SPECIFICALLY IT WAS SEPTEMBER
30, 2025, NOT AT THE 11th HOUR.
I URGE AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
>> AND IN FAVOR OF THE VOTE IN
COMMITTEE WAS FIVE IN FAVOR,
STRAUSS, HOLLINGSWORTH, JUAREZ,
RINCK, AND SAKA. OPPOSED,
RIVERA, NELSON, AND SOLOMON. ARE
THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS BILL?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. AND I
DON'T KNOW IF -- COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND
UP FIRST?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAD HER
HAND UP FIRST.
>> OKAY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
AND APOLOGIES FOR THAT LAST
VOTE. WAS TRYING TO TRACK THE
NUMBER ON THE AGENDA. ALL RIGHT,
RELATED TO COUNCIL BILL 121105,
INCREASING THE SDCI PERMITTING
FEES BY 18%. I WANT TO REITERATE
WHAT I SAID AT THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE, WHICH IS I WILL BE,
AGAIN, VOTING NO ON THIS
PARTICULAR AMENDMENT. I AM
CONCERNED THAT WE'RE
TRANSFERRING THE BULK OF THE
COSTS OF PERMITTING FEES TO THE
PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING
CONSTRUCTED NOW, WHICH JUST
HAPPENS TO BE THOSE SMALLER
PROJECTS. 18% IS A LOT,
PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF
THESE ARE THE SMALLER PROJECTS
LIKE A TOWNHOUSE OR EVEN A
REMODEL OF A HOME, A DAD DO, FOR
INSTANCE, AND I FEEL THIS IS
QUITE A LARGE FEE GIVEN THAT AT
THE MOMENT THERE AREN'T LARGE
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HAPPENING.
WHICH JUST MEANS THESE SMALLER
PROJECTS ARE ABSORBING THE
COSTS. AND AT A TIME WHEN, YOU
KNOW, IT MAY LEAD TO FOLKS NOT
DOING HOUSING PROJECTS, EVEN OF
A TOWNHOUSE, BECAUSE OF THE
COSTS INVOLVED. AND SO FOR THOSE
REASONS, I'LL BE VOTING NO
AGAIN TODAY TO THIS -- TO THIS
BILL. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. MUCH LIKE
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAS
EXPRESSED, MY CONCERN IS THE
OVERALL COST OF BUILDING IN THE
CITY AND HOW DIFFICULT WE MAKE
IT TO BUILD SOMETHING IN THE
CITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
MAKES IT DIFFICULT IS
PERMITTING. WELL, JUST THE
PERMITTING PROCESS. AND ON TOP
OF THAT, WE'RE INCREASING THE
FEES TO DO PERMITS. I THINK I'VE
BEEN CONSISTENTLY MAINTAINING
THAT IF WE WANT FOLKS TO BUILD
IN SEATTLE, WE NEED TO MAKE IT
EASIER FOR THEM TO DO SO AND
PUTTING AN 18% INCREASE ON THE
FEES FOR THAT SEEMS TO MAKE IT
HARDER. AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
OUR BUILD IN SEATTLE. I'M
CONCERNED ABOUT DEVELOPERS OR
INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS TO BE ABLE
TO BUILD IN SEATTLE. AND I THINK
WE CAN FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO
DO IT RATHER THAN PUTTING AN
INCREASE OF FEES ON, YOU KNOW,
ON SMALL GUYS WHO WANT TO JUST
BUILD A DAD DO. SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> OKAY, I'M NOT SEEING ANY
OTHER HANDS. I'LL SAY IT AGAIN,
THIS UNNECESSARILY INCREASES THE
COST OF HOUSING. IT PUTS -- IT
TRANSFERS THE COST THAT IS A
CITY COST ON TO -- ON TO PEOPLE
THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY
CURRENTLY STRUGGLING WITH THE
COST OF HOUSING RIGHT NOW. IT IS
NOT -- I DON'T SEE THIS AS A
STRICTLY BUDGET JUST SORT OF
NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE BUDGET
BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO
HAVE BALANCED THE BUDGET AND
STILL PAY FOR THESE COSTS
INSTEAD OF JUST TRANSFERRING THE
COST TO BUILDERS AND EVENTUALLY
HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS. SO I
WILL SAY AGAIN THAT WE LEARNED
AT THE TABLE WHEN THE PEOPLE
FROM SDCI CAME TO THE TABLE,
THAT WAS UNEXPECTED, BUT IT WAS
HELPFUL, BECAUSE WE LEARNED
THAT, IN FACT, THIS WAS NEEDED
TO FILL AN $8 MILLION BUDGET
GAP. AND THAT IS A SMALL PRICE
IN THE OVERALL COST OF, I THINK
IT WAS ALMOST A $1.8 BILLION --
I COULD BE WRONG, GENERAL FUND
OPERATING BUDGET. BUT THE POINT
IS THAT IT ALSO SENDS THE VERY
-- A VERY WRONG SIGNAL THAT
COMPOUNDS OUR ALREADY BAD
REPUTATION FOR BEING A CITY
WHERE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
BUILD ANYTHING BECAUSE OF OUR
PERMITTING PROBLEMS. AND THIS
HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OF MINE TO
FIX. WE HAVE STARTED DOWN THAT
ROAD, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE
IMPROVEMENT TO BE MADE BEFORE
WE, I THINK, REALLY HAVE SHOWN
OUR WORK AND CAN THEN
JUSTIFIABLY ASK FOR AN INCREASE
OR BUILDERS TO PAY AN INCREASE
IN THE FEES, SO I WILL BE VOTING
NO AGAIN TODAY. I WILL NOTE
AFTER EVEN READING MORE ABOUT
THE ISSUE AFTER THAT VOTE, IT
REALLY IS -- NOT ONLY IS IT, I
THINK, AN UNWARRANTED FEE
INCREASE, IT'S ALSO A
REGRESSIVE FEE INCREASE, BECAUSE
THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE OF THE FEE
IS GREATER THE SMALLER THE
PROJECT, AS WAS MENTIONED BY
OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I DO WANT TO
SORT OF DISTILL THAT THINKING IN
TOWARDS TODAY. SO I WILL BE
VOTING NO. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
JUST LOOKING FOR THE LAST WORD.
IS THIS THE LAST WORD?
>> LET ME SEE. I BELIEVE SO. .
>> AND IF NOT, I'LL WAIT UNTIL
HAVING THE LAST WORD AS THIS WAS
AN ITEM THAT CAME FROM THE
COMMITTEE ON WHICH I CHAIR.
>> I AM WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO
GET COORDINATED. I DON'T WANT TO
JUMP -- OKAY, CHECKING AGAIN IF
THERE ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
AND IF SOMETHING COMES UP TO YOU
LATER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO RAISE
YOUR HAND. GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> WITH THE LAST WORD ON THIS
BILL, RECOGNIZING EVERYONE'S
GOOD INTENTIONS, AND I AGREE
WITH THE SENTIMENT YOU HAVE WITH
RAISING FEES, I JUST RAISE FOR
YOU THE FACT WE HAD AN HOUR-LONG
DISCUSSION ON OCTOBER 30th IN
WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE
WERE THREE CHOICES BEFORE US. WE
COULD CONTINUE TO DRAIN THE CORE
STAFFING RESERVE WHICH WILL
EXTINGUISH VERY QUICKLY, WE
COULD LAY PEOPLE OFF, WE COULD
ADD GENERAL FUND, OR WE COULD
INCREASE PERMIT FEES. THOSE WERE
THE CHOICES BEFORE US ON OCTOBER
30th, ON NOVEMBER 1st, THIS IS
ENABLING LEGISLATION, ENACTING
CHOICES WE MADE ALONG THE
BUDGETS. HAD I KNOWN THAT THESE
WERE PRIORITIES OF COLLEAGUES,
WE WOULD HAVE INCLUDED THIS IN
THE BUDGET. SINCE THEY WERE NOT
IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITIES DURING
ISSUE ID, WE CONTINUED MOVING
THIS BILL FORWARD AS DISCUSSED.
IF THIS BILL DOES FAIL, IT PUTS
THE BUDGET OUT OF BALANCE, AND
WE WILL NEED TO COME BACK TO
WORK NEXT WEEK. I URGE A YES
VOTE. THANK YOU.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IT ON THE
RECORD THAT I DO NOT REMEMBER
THAT AS HAVING BEEN A ROBUST
DISCUSSION. WE CAN REMEMBER THAT
DISCUSSION IN DIFFERENT WAYS. I
THINK THAT WITH THE FOCUS ON
PERMITTING THAT IF IT HAD BEEN
LATE OUT SO -- WITH THE NUANCE
THAT WE THEN RECEIVED WHEN WE
WERE DISCUSSING THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, PERHAPS SOMEBODY
WOULD HAVE SURFACED AN
AMENDMENT. HOWEVER, THIS
PARTICULAR BILL ITSELF WITH THE
SCHEDULE OF FEE INCREASES AND
WITH THE BOILERPLATE, YOU KNOW,
TO COVER THE COST OF DOING
BUSINESS IN THE COMMENT SECTION
WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE
RATIONALE FOR THE AND ACTUAL
COST OF THE PERMITS PER PROJECT
SIZE, THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT
BEFORE US DURING THAT
CONVERSATION. AND SO THAT IS WHY
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE
THAT IS WHY THIS DISCUSSION HAS
BEEN PROLONGED NOW.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> YES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I
JUST WANT TO PUT IT ON THE
RECORD THAT AS WE'RE HAVING ALL
OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, THERE
SHOULD ALWAYS BE OPPORTUNITY FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS TO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING. THESE WERE PROFFERED
LAST WEEK AS PART OF A CONSENT
PACKAGE, AND IT GOT REMOVED FOR
INDIVIDUAL VOTE, AND THAT'S
OKAY. AND SO TODAY WE CAN VOTE
AGAIN. FOLKS CAN VOTE WHICHEVER
WAY THEY CHOOSE. THAT IS OKAY. I
NEVER WANT TO SQUELCH FURTHER
CONVERSATION ON ANYTHING,
BECAUSE THESE ARE IMPORTANT
TOPICS. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT
WORK, AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO
DISCUSS UP TO THE POINT WHERE WE
VOTE SOMETHING OUT. SO I REALLY
FEEL THAT VERY STRONGLY BECAUSE,
AS COUNCILMEMBERS, WE ARE
ELECTED TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE
AND ALSO SOMETIMES THAT MEANS
THAT AT THIS STAGE WE MIGHT
STILL BE DISCUSSING SOMETHING,
AND I THINK THAT'S MORE THAN
APPROPRIATE. AND IT'S NOT AN
ISSUE, I DON'T BELIEVE, WE'LL
JUST VOTE ON IT AGAIN AND FOLKS
CAN VOTE HOW THEY VOTED LAST
TIME OR IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE
THEIR VOTE, THEY CAN DO SO
AGAIN. I DON'T SEE THAT AS AN
ISSUE. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND I WAS NOT HERE LAST WEEK
DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, SO I
JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS. I
WILL BE VOTING AYE ON THIS, BUT
I DO RECOGNIZE THE POINTS BEING
MADE BOTH BY OUR BUDGET CHAIR,
STRAUSS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT,
AND THE POINTS THAT YOU AND THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT ARE MAKING,
YOU AND COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA,
ARE MAKING ON THIS. FOR ME, I
LOOK AT THIS, THIS KIND OF GOES
TO THE IDEA OF SOMETHING MOVING
FORWARD, I DO THIS IN PUBLIC
SAFETY TOO, WORK THROUGH THE
ISSUES OVER TO COURSE OF THE
YEAR TO FIND THOSE PIECES,
WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, TO SET
OURSELVES UP FOR BUDGET. I THINK
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.
THE PRICE IMPACTS ARE IMPORTANT
AND THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF
WHAT WE'RE DOING IN DEVELOPMENT
IS IMPORTANT. MY RECOMMENDATION
IS IN THE COURSE OF '26 THAT
THIS COMES BACK UP THAT WE CAN
HAVE A ROBUST, YOU KNOW,
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT TO
THEN INFORM THE BUDGET COMMITTEE
AS WE GET TO THIS POINT NEXT
YEAR. SO I RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW,
THE CHALLENGE, AND I RECOGNIZE
THE POINTS BEING MADE. BUT
MOVING FORWARD FOR YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, ALSO FOR BUDGET CHAIR
STRAUSS, I WILL BE VOTING AYE ON
THIS ONE FOR THOSE REASONS.
>> OKAY, ANYBODY ELSE? ALL
RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR --
VERY MUCH FOR STATING THE VALUE
OF ROBUST OVERSIGHT,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, BECAUSE IT
REALLY IS -- AND FOR ALSO
STANDING UP FOR THE, NOT
NECESSARILY THE RIGHT, I WOULD
ACTUALLY SAY THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF US TO SPEAK OUR MINDS ON
THESE IMPORTANT MATTERS NO
MATTER WHAT . WE DON'T SQUELCH
THOSE KINDS OF STATEMENTS. YES,
WHAT WERE YOU MOTIONING ME AS?
>> JUST CASE IN POINT, OUR
COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
WAS NOT HERE WHEN WE DISCUSSED
IT, SO BEING ABLE TO DISCUSS IT
TODAY GIVES HIM AN OPPORTUNITY
TO ALSO DISCUSS IT AT A TIME
WHEN WE DIDN'T. SO THAT'S JUST
A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHY WE SHOULD
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING
CONVERSATION. AND IT'S OKAY.
PEOPLE CAN STILL VOTE HOW THEY
VOTE. THANK YOU.
>> AND ALSO, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, YOU DID SIGNAL IT MIGHT
BE SOMETHING GOOD TO WORK ON IN
2026, SO HOPEFULLY THAT IS THE
CASE. OKAY, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE --
>> EXCUSE ME, I HAD MY HAND.
>> OH, I LOOKED AT -- GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> JUST LOOKING FOR THE LAST
WORD ON LEGISLATION --
>> THAT IS A COURTESY THAT IS
PROVIDED. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY
A COUNCIL RULE. BUT I'M HAPPY
TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD.
>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU. STATING
AGAIN THIS IS SIMPLY ENACTING
THE DECISIONS WE MADE DURING THE
BUDGET PROCESS AND I URGE AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL? I MEAN PLEASE CALL THE
VOTE. ON THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILL.
>> PLEASE PAUSE, JODY.
>> OH.
>> OKAY, JODY, WE CAN HEAR YOU
NOW. IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLL
ON COUNCIL BILL 121105.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> SEVEN IN FAVOR, TWO OPPOSED.
>> I'M SORRY. PLEASE CHANGE MY
VOTE TO NO.
>> SIX IN FAVOR, THREE OPPOSED.
>> ALL RIGHT. THE BILL PASSES
AND THE CHAIR WILL SIGN IT. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION ON
MY BEHALF. AND WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM FOUR INTO THE
RECORD, COUNCIL BILL 121124.
>> RELATING TO THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
AUTHORIZING MATERIAL SCOPE
CHANGES OF CITY OF SEATTLE,
PROPOSITION ONE, TO EXPAND USES
OF REVENUES FOR TRANSIT
SECURITY. THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THE BILL PASS WITH
COUNCILMEMBERS STRAUSS, RIVERRA,
HOLLINGSWORTH, JUAREZ, NELSON,
SAKA, AND SOLOMON IN FAVOR WITH
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK OPPOSED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS IS
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED TO PROVIDE THE
COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, THIS IS SIMPLY
ENACTING THE DECISIONS WE MADE
DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. THE
TIMEFRAME PUT ON THIS WAS DURING
THE BUDGET PROCESS, NOT AT THE
11th HOUR, I URGE AN AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU.
>> ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. COLLEAGUES,
I PULLED THIS FROM THE CONSENT
PACKAGE WHEN WE TOOK THIS UP IN
COMMITTEE SO I COULD CAST A NO
VOTE ON THIS MATTER. AS I
REFLECTED IN COMPLIT TEE, THE
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE IS USED
TO FUND TRANSIT SERVICE,
TRANSPORTATION ACCESS PROGRAMS
THAT SUPPORT AFFORDABLE AND
EQUITABLE TRANSIT ACCESS SUCH AS
THE ORCA LYFT PROGRAM AS WELL AS
TRANSIT CAPITAL PROJECTS. THIS
WAS A VOTER-APPROVED MEASURE.
THE 2020 SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE
WAS APPROVED BY 80.32% OF
VOTERS. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE
SHOULD CHANGE COURSE ON
SOMETHING THAT VOTERS APPROVED,
AND THEREFORE I DO NOT SUPPORT
CHANGING THE INTENTION OF WHAT
THESE DOLLARS ARE FOR AND RISK
LOWERING EVEN BY A SMALLER
AMOUNT THE INVESTMENTS IN THOSE
AREAS I OUTLINED. WE HAVE $9
MILLION IN THE TRANSPORTATION
LEVY. SO FROM A POLICY
PERSPECTIVE, IF WE'RE TO EXPAND
INVESTMENTS IN THIS AREA, IT
WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE THAT WE
SHOULD BE LOOKING TO THOSE FUND
SOURCES FIRST AND HAVE A
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH IN
PARTNERING WITH OTHER TRANSIT
AGENCIES. SO I RESPECTFULLY
DISAGREE WITH THIS AS A POLICY
APPROACH BUT WANT TO VOICE MY
DEEP SUPPORT FOR WORKING ON
TRANSIT SAFETY WITH YOU ALL AND
CONTINUING THE WORK WITH OUR
UNION REPRESENTING TRANSIT
WORKERS, ATU 587. AND FOR THESE
REASONS, I WILL BE VOTING NO
TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE -- I
APPRECIATE THE POINTS MADE BY
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, AND I
UNDERSTAND THEM, BUT THIS IS
LIKE AN EXAMPLE I WAS JUST
SPEAKING TO. TRANSPORTATION
CHAIR SAKA AND I HAVE BEEN
WORKING TRANSIT SECURITY,
TRANSIT SAFETY VERY HARD OVER
THE TWO YEARS, AND WE'RE
LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT
WORK, WHICH INCLUDES, BY THE
WAY, COORDINATING AND WORKING
WITH OUR KING COUNTY
COUNTERPARTS AND TO ENSURE THAT
WE DO HAVE THAT SAFE ENVIRONMENT
FOR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, BECAUSE
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF THE --
OUR CONSTITUENTS AND ALL THOSE
THAT, YOU KNOW, WISH TO USE IT
DON'T BECAUSE OF THEIR FEAR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY, THEN WE'RE IN A
BIGGER CHALLENGE. AND SO FOR
THAT REASON, I'D LIKE TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR HIS WORK
ON THIS AREA AND THEN ALSO
WORKING AS WE ARE THROUGH BUDGET
COMMITTEE AND GETTING TO THIS
POINT TOO. SO THANK YOU. YOU CAN
PROBABLY GUESS WHERE I'M GOING
TO VOTE.
>> OKAY. I'M NOT SEEING ANY
OTHER COMMENTS. I DO WANT TO
NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK'S VOTE IN
THE SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE WAS
NOT AN 11th HOUR VOTE, IT WAS
THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS BILL
WAS BEFORE US, CHAIR STRAUSS,
WHEN THE -- WHEN THOSE VOTES
WERE TAKEN, AND IT WAS REMOVED
FROM THE CONSENT PACKAGE AND
VOTED ON INDIVIDUALLY, AND THAT
WAS NOT THE 11th HOUR, THAT WAS
THE PERFECT TIME TO GET TO IT.
>> DO I HAVE THE LAST WORD?
>> YES, YOU DO.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK, JUST
STATING THAT THESE POLICY
DISCUSSIONS OCCURRED DURING THE
COUNCILMEMBER PROPOSALS, THE
CHAIR'S BALANCING PACKAGE AND
REVISED PACKAGE, AND THAT IS
WHEN THE POLICY DISCUSSION
OCCURRED. THIS IS SIMPLY
ENABLING LEGISLATION ENACTING
THE DECISIONS WE MADE DURING THE
BUDGET PROCESS. AND YES, THIS IS
THE LAST HOUR, THE 11th HOUR OF
THE DAY, I URGE AN AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF. ALL
RIGHT, THERE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM FIVE INTO THE RECORD,
COUNCIL BILL 121116.
>> AGENDA ITEM FIVE, COUNCIL
BILL 121116, ADOPTING A BUDGET,
INCLUDING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM -- THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THE BILL PASS AS
AMENDED.
>> ALL BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE.
OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER --
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, AS CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED TO PROVIDE THE
COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, JUST
TO ORIENT US TO WHERE WE ARE IN
THE AGENDA TODAY, THIS IS THE
PROPOSED BUDGET, THE NEXT VOTE
WILL TAKE IS ENACTING THE
CHANGES THAT WE AS
COUNCILMEMBERS MADE TO THIS
BUDGET. AND SO ON BOTH OF THESE
I URGE A YES VOTE. I WILL TAKE A
MOMENT AND THANK YOU COLLEAGUES
FOR DOING YOUR LONG SPEECHES
YESTERDAY. TO PASS THIS BUDGET
TOOK AN EFFORT OF MANY CITY
EMPLOYEES. I THANKED MANY PEOPLE
YESTERDAY. I WANT TO ADD TO THAT
LIST TODAY, BRAD, SUE IN OUR
COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, ERIC,
SUN, AND MICAH IN OUR I.T.,
LITERALLY THESE COMPUTERS DON'T
RUN WITHOUT YOU. EVERYONE AT THE
SEATTLE CHANNEL DOWNSTAIRS
KEEPING THE CAMERAS RUNNING AND
PEOPLE ABLE TO VIEW OUR WORK IN
A TRANSPARENT FASHION SO THEY
DON'T HAVE TO BE DOWNTOWN. AND
FINALLY, COLLEAGUES, WITH THE
RUSH AND BREAK AROUND
THANKSGIVING, I'M NOT SURE I'LL
BE ABLE TO BRING A PROCLAMATION,
BUT WE'VE GOT A GENTLEMAN WHO
WORKS HERE AT CITY HALL WHO'S
WORKED HERE FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS,
I BELIEVE. HIS NAME IS ALBERT
WARD. HE'S RETIRING ON -- IN
THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER. HE
HAS CARED FOR OUR BUILDING, OUR
CITY HALL FOR TWO AND A HALF
DECADES, AND I JUST WANTED TO
TAKE THIS MOMENT TO HONOR HIM,
THANK HIM FOR HIS WORK, HIS
SERVICE TO OUR CITY, BECAUSE WE
COULDN'T DO WORK IN THIS
BUILDING IF IT WASN'T A
COMFORTABLE -- LIKE IF IT
WASN'T TAKEN CARE OF. SO I JUST
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR
WORK ON THIS BUDGET AND EVERYONE
WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE AND TO
THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT GET WORK
DONE ON BEHALF OF SEATTLEITES
EVERY DAY, THANK YOU.
>> ARE THERE ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS ON THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILL? THIS IS THE BUDGET BILL,
AND I DID NOTE THAT YOU WOULD BE
WELCOME TO SPEECHIFY TODAY IF
YOU WANTED TO. COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ?
>> I'M SORRY, POINT OF ORDER,
I'VE BEEN BUGGING THE BUDGET
CHAIR AS HE'S BEEN SITTING
HERE. SO I DIDN'T SPEAK
YESTERDAY, BUT I WANTED TO BE
VERY BRIEF. I DIDN'T KNOW IF
YOU WANTED US TO HAVE BRIEF
COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE
ENDING IN 116 OR ITEM NUMBER SIX
ENDING IN NUMBERS 546, SO WHAT
WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO?
>> I WAS WONDERING THAT MYSELF
YESTERDAY BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING
AT THAT BUDGET ITEM AND THERE
WAS NO DOCUMENT ASSOCIATED WITH
IT. IT WAS A CLERK FILE
BASICALLY SAYING WHAT CHANGES WE
HAD MADE. THEN I COULDN'T FIND
THAT. I THINK THIS IS THE BUDGET
BILL.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING,
BECAUSE IT WAS THE BILL NOT THE
FILE. OKAY, CAN I BE VERY BRIEF,
MADAME CHAIR?
>> YOU CAN TAKE AS LONG AS
YOU'D LIKE.
>> OH, DON'T SAY THAT. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. I DIDN'T SPEAK
YESTERDAY, I WAS FORMING MY
THOUGHTS. BUT I WILL BE VERY
BRIEF, I PROMISE. FIRST OF ALL,
FROM ME, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF
MY COLLEAGUES FOR INVITING ME
BACK AND BEING SO WARM AND
WELCOMING, ASKING ME TO SERVE
AGAIN. THROUGH THE BUDGET --
THROUGH THE COMP PLAN, I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL
IN 2026. I HAVE SOME BRIEF WORDS
VERY QUICKLY, AND I WOULD LOVE
TO SAY MORE, BUT I KNOW WE'RE
SHORT ON TIME. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON
REPRESENTING THE MIGHTY D2. IT
HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH
YOU, SIR. I KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU
WERE ON SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL,
AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING SEE MORE
OF YOU WORKING ON LAND USE,
HAVING YOU HANDLE THE HOUSING
COMMITTEE AS THE VICE CHAIR
STEPPED UP AS THE CHAIR, AND AS
YOU SAID, I DESCRIBED MYSELF AS
YOUR PLUCK I CAN SIDEKICK, AND
IT WAS AN HONOR TO DO THAT WITH
YOU. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR
PARTNERSHIP ON THE TUBMAN HEALTH
CENTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU
ON THAT MATTER. COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, YOUR PASSION BRINGS SMILES
TO ME SOMETIMES, AS I KNOW WE'VE
HAD GOOD OFFLINE CONVERSATIONS,
BUT YOUR COMMITMENT NOT ONLY TO
THE CITY BUT TO YOUR DISTRICT,
YOUR HARD WORK, CERTAINLY, AND
YOUR PASSION, CERTAINLY SHOULD
BE ADMIRED. I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THAT. THIS JOB IS NOT EASY.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH, IT
HAS BEEN A JOY, PARDON THE PUN,
IT HAS BEEN A JOY TO WATCH YOU
WORK FOR YOUR PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO BLACK
EXCELLENCE AND BLACK BRILLIANCE.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN A
COUNCILMEMBER WITH YOUR VOICE,
YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR PRESENCE,
AND IT IS POWERFUL AND MUCH
NEEDED. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, IT'S BEEN VERY
IMPRESSIVE TO GET TO KNOW YOU,
REFRESHING AS A YOUNG LEADER. I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU. AS WE SAY IN INDIAN
COUNTRY, I LOOK FORWARD TO
WATCHING YOU STEPPING BACK TO
LIGHT THIS WORLD ON FIRE. WELL
DONE. AND AGAIN, OUR LEADERSHIP
FOR OUR GREAT CITY AND OUR
COMMUNITY, I HOPE A LOT OF YOUNG
FOLKS ARE WATCHING TO SEE, TO
STEP UP, AND TO DO THIS HARD
WORK. SO THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, MY D4
SISTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR HONESTY, KINDNESS,
GENEROSITY, I'VE ENJOYED YOUR
SENSE OF HUMOR AND, OF COURSE,
MY TEMPER AND YOUR TEMPER. IT'S
BEEN GOOD FOR BOTH OF US. I'VE
ENJOYED OUR CONVERSATIONS AND
ALSO JUST WATCHING YOU TALK
ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY AND
OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT YOU SAW
IN THE BUDGET AND WHAT YOU
THOUGHT WE BELIEVED WE NEEDED.
THE FACT THAT YOU WALK INTO MY
OFFICE AND WE TALK REALLY MEANT
A LOT TO ME. COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON, AS PRESIDENT, YOUR
COMMITMENT TO ADDICTION,
RECOVERY, AND WELLNESS WILL
ALWAYS BE AN INSPIRATION TO ME
AND TO INDIAN COUNTRY AND TO SO
MANY PEOPLE AND LIVES THAT YOU
HAVE SAVED. YOUR HUMANITY TO
THOSE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION
AND ITS DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES
TO THEIR SPIRIT, THEIR BODY,
THEIR MIND, THEIR FAMILIES, AND
OUR COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT MANY
YEARS TO COME. AND AGAIN, I WANT
TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR SOME
FOLKS THAT SHOWED UP HERE THAT
PERSONALLY ATTACKED YOU, AND IT
WAS HARD FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND
WATCH. I KNOW WE'VE HAD OUR
MOMENTS TOGETHER, WE'VE HAD
FELLOWSHIP TOGETHER, WE'VE
PRAYED TOGETHER, AND AGAIN, YOUR
LEADERSHIP MEANT A LOT TO ME,
AND SO DOES OUR FRIENDSHIP. AND
THEN, OF COURSE, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
WORKING WITH YOU ON PUBLIC
SAFETY I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH
BESIDES ALL THE MILITARY STUFF.
THANK YOU. YOUR DAD JOKES, GREAT
DISCUSSIONS, GREAT DEBATES, I'M
JUST -- WATCHING YOU WORK AND
YOUR MITTMENT TO THE BUDGET, TO
HUMANITY, TO A SYSTEM, TO
GOVERNANCE, AND OF COURSE, OUR
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE SEATTLE
STORM, I LOOK FORWARD TO 2026.
YOU ARE QUITE A LEADER, AND I
THINK THE FACT THAT YOU SERVED
OUR COUNTRY REALLY MEANS A LOT
TO ME. IT MEANS A LOT TO MY
FAMILY AND MANY VETERANS
WATCHING. SO THANK YOU. AND LAST
BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS,
I KNEW YOU WHEN YOU WERE A
LEGISLATIVE AIDE. I'VE WATCHED
YOUR LEADERSHIP. I'VE WATCHED
YOU GROW. YOU BEING BUDGET CHAIR
WITH YOUR TRANSPARENCY, YOUR
KINDNESS, YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS
REALLY MEANT A LOT TO ME AND THE
D5 STAFF. AND YOUR STAFF HAS
BEEN AMAZING IN KEEPING US
INFORMED. AND AGAIN, AS YOU AND
I TALKED ABOUT, YOU DON'T
ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT IN A
BUDGET, BUT YOU MADE SURE AND
YOU TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
GOT WHAT WE NEEDED. I THINK
THAT'S A SONG. I'M SURE
SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? OKAY. BUT
BEING A BUDGET CHAIR IS
DIFFICULT, AND I DON'T THINK A
LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT
RULE ABOUT BEING A BUDGET CHAIR
IS SO DIFFICULT AND IT BEGINS SO
EARLY WITH DISCUSSIONS AND
MEETINGS AND BUILDING COALITIONS
AND STAKEHOLDERS. AND I
APPRECIATE THE FOLKS HERE WHO
COME OUT EVERY TIME TO TELL US
AND REMIND US THAT BUDGETS ARE A
MORAL DOCUMENT, BUT WHAT I
ALWAYS ADD IS IT'S STILL A
BUDGET. THERE'S ONLY X AMOUNT
OF MONEY. WE DO THE BEST WE CAN
COMMITTED TO THOSE PRINCIPLES
THAT PEOPLE LIVE A HUMANE LIFE
WITH HOUSING AND FOOD AND
MEDICAL AND PROTECTION. AND FOR
THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, JUST
SEEING YOU ALL SITTING OUT
THERE. WE DO SEE YOU, AND THANK
YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO END ON
THANKING CENTRAL STAFF BECAUSE
THEY'RE AMAZING. I'VE BEEN
WATCHING THEM FOR ALMOST NINE
YEARS NOW, AND THEY DO ALL THE
HARD WORK. AND OF COURSE, OUR
WONDERFUL CLERKS JODY AND AMELIA
AND SHIREEN. A HUGE SHOUT-OUT TO
LAUREN HENRY WHO CONTINUE
YULELY, EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN A
LAWYER FOR 40 YEARS, STILL
ANSWERS MY DUMB QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU, LAUREN HENRY. AND WITH
THAT, I WANT TO THANK THIS WHOLE
BODY HERE, AND I KNOW SOMETIMES
PEOPLE LIKE TO, YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS KIND BUT
THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE IN
THIS CITY, AND WHEN WE GET THOSE
EMAILS AND THOSE LETTERS AND WE
GO INTO COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE
SHAKE OUR HANDS AND SAY MAYBE
YOU DIDN'T DO WHAT I ASKED THIS
TIME BUT YOU WERE GOOD TO ME,
YOU HEARD ME, AND I TELL THEM WE
STILL GOT ANOTHER BUDGET CYCLE.
SO LET'S KEEP GOING. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU,
MADAME PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
AND JUST I HAVE -- WE DO HAVE AN
ITEM CALLED OTHER BUSINESS, AND
I WILL BE MAKING REMARKS ON --
REGARDING COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON
AT THAT POINT. SO THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES TO RECK MISE HIM.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES AND EVERYONE HERE AND
ACROSS THE CITY, TODAY WE ARE IN
A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE
NEED TO SHOW THAT WEST COAST
BLUE CITIES CAN BE RUN WELL,
THAT WE CAN FULFILL OUR CHARTER
RESPONSIBILITIES AND ALL THE
WHILE ADHERING TO OUR SEATTLE
VALUES TO INCLUDE BEING A
WELCOMING CITY THAT IS DIVERSE,
EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, AND
ACCESSIBLE. EVEN TO THE POINT
TODAY WHERE, AS COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ NOTED, THAT ONE-THIRD,
CURRENTLY TODAY, ONE-THIRD OF
OUR COUNCILMEMBERS ARE VETERANS.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT.
ESSENTIAL TO THIS EFFORT AND A
REFLECTION OF THIS EFFORT IS OUR
BUDGET. TODAY COUNCIL IS
ADOPTING A BALANCED BUDGET. IT
IS PRUDENT IN THAT IT'S SET UP
RESERVES OVER $10 MILLION THAT
HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE TO BE IN A
POSITION TO RESPOND TO FEDERAL
UNCERTAINTY. AND THANK YOU TO
EVERYONE FOR THAT TO INCLUDE
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK FOR HER
LEADERSHIP ON THIS. AND THERE'S
OTHER MEASURES. I HAD ONE. I
KNOW OTHERS HAD MEASURES TO GIVE
US FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS
FEDERAL UNCERTAINTY. AND WE ALSO
TOOK STEPS TO ADDRESS OUR FOOD
CRISIS, SPECIFICALLY SNAP, WITH
WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE
PASSING OF THE FOUR COMPANION
BILLS TO THE CR. MY HOPE IS THAT
THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL
CHALLENGES WITH SNAP. WHILE
BALANCED, THE BUDGET IS STILL,
AS STATED BY CENTRAL STAFF VERY
RIGHTLY, INHERENTLY
UNSUSTAINABLE. THIS MEANS HARD
DECISIONS LIE AHEAD. I WILL
ADMIT THAT I LAMENT THAT WE DID
NOT HAVE A SEATTLE STABILIZATION
SPENDING WORK GROUP IN COMPANION
WITH OUR REVENUE WORK GROUP. I
SAY THIS BECAUSE -- AND I DO
BELIEVE IN PROGRESSIVE REVENUE,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME LAYERING
PROGRESSIVE TAX ON PROGRESSIVE
TAX AGAIN AND AGAIN IS ALSO
INHERENTLY UNSUSTAINABLE. AND
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE
CHALLENGES. AND I HIGHLIGHT THIS
BECAUSE WE DO NOT LIVE ON AN
ISLAND. WE BASICALLY LIVE ON A
PENINSULA, NOT AN ISLAND, AND
FOR EVERY ACTION THERE IS A
REACTION. AND WE SEE THIS IN TAX
POLICY AS WELL. ON DISTRICT
SEVEN I KNOW A CONSTITUENT, A
FRIEND, WHO WORKS FOR AMAZON.
SHE WANTS TO WORK IN SEATTLE,
BUT SHE HAS TO WORK IN BELLEVUE.
LAST WEEK I WAS AT THE JEWISH
FEDERATION OF GREATER SEATTLE
EVENT IN BELLEVUE, AS I TURNED
UP BELLEVUE WAY, THE LINE OF
CARS COMING FROM BELLEVUE BACK
TO SEATTLE WAS INCREDIBLE. AND
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT
ST2, SOUND TRANSIT, YOU KNOW,
THE BRIDGE, THEY'RE DOING WORK
ON IT NOW. THE INTENT WHEN THAT
WAS, YOU KNOW, PLANNED WAS FOR
PEOPLE TO COME FROM BELLEVUE AND
THE EAST SIDE TO COME TO SEATTLE
TO WORK, TO BE IN OUR CITY, TO
SPEND, TO CREATE THAT REVENUE.
BUT NOW PEOPLE ARE TALKING IT'S
GOING TO BE THE OTHER WAY, THAT
PEOPLE WILL GO THAT DIRECTION TO
WORK. AND THEN INSTEAD THEY'LL
JUST COME HERE FOR THE SEAHAWKS,
THE MARINERS, YOU KNOW, THE
STORM, GO STORM, NOW THE
TORRENT, GO OR THE TORRENT . SO
BOTTOM LINE, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT THE FULL SET OF
SERVICES IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE
FULL SET OF SERVICES AND
PROGRAMS THE CITY NOW PROVIDES,
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RESERVES
THAT WE NOW RELY ON, THE
REVENUES THAT WE NOW RELY ON.
AND WE ALSO MUST REMEMBER -- AND
SO I NOTE THAT SO WHILE BALANCED
TODAY, OUR FINANCIAL HOUSE IS
NOT IN ORDER, AND WE MUST
REMEMBER THAT OUR REVENUES ARE
DEPENDENT ON THE HEALTH OF OUR
ECONOMY. WE MUST LOOK TO SET UP
THE CITY FOR SUCCESS, FOR
ECONOMIC SUCCESS. AND I -- I
HAVE FEARS THAT WE MAY NOT BE
DOING SO MOVING FORWARD. AND
THIS IS IMPORTANT GIVEN THE HEAD
WINDS WE FACE. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR
MARITIME ECONOMY, WHICH IS
NEARLY A THIRD OF OUR REVENUE,
FACES SEVERE HEAD WINDS BECAUSE
OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S
DISASTROUS TARIFF POLICIES. AND
FURTHER HEAD WINDS EXIST IN REAL
ESTATE AND RETAIL AND TECH AND
SO ON. SO THESE ARE THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
COLLEAGUES, MY APPROACH TO THE
BUDGET HAS BEEN BASICALLY DRIVEN
BY MY THREE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
OF PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR PORT,
INDUSTRIAL MARITIME ECONOMY, AND
OF COURSE, OUR CONSTITUENT
NEEDS, PARKS, TRANSPORTATION,
AND SO ON THROUGH MY DISTRICT
BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ALL UNDERLINED BY THE PRINCIPLE
OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND SO THANK
YOU, COLLEAGUES, AND ESPECIALLY
BUDGET CHAIR STRAUSS AND ALL
YOUR STAFFS TOO FOR YOUR
COLLABORATION THIS BUDGET
PROCESS. AND AS NOTED BEFORE AS
WELL, TO CENTRAL STAFF, THEY'RE
SO KEY AND FOR THE CITY CLERK
STAFF AS WELL. THANK YOU, ALSO,
FOR THOSE THAT COME TO PUBLIC
COMMENT, WHETHER HERE IN CHAMBER
-- AND I RECOGNIZE MANY OF YOU,
YOU KNOW, FROM HERE OR DOWN
WITH, YOU KNOW, JOHN GETTING A
COFFEE, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
COMING OUT. BUT ALSO FROM THE
MEETINGS, THE CALLS, THE EMAILS,
THE CHANCE ENCOUNTERS ON THE
STREET, TRUST ME, ALL OF US HAVE
SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE
RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. I DO
WANT TO DO A SPECIAL THANK YOU,
THOUGH, TO MY TEAM CHIEF OF
STAFF STEVE SMITH, POLICY
DIRECTOR BRENT LOWE, DISTRICT
DIRECTOR REBECCA, AND POLICY
DIRECTOR SARAH. AS YOU KNOW, WE
ALL REQUIRE AND WE NEED THAT
SUPPORT THAT WE GET FROM OUR
STAFFS. SO TO CLOSE, WHILE I
CELEBRATE TODAY AND I LOOK
FORWARD WITH CONCERN ABOUT OUR
CHALLENGES TOMORROW, I DO
PLEDGE, HOWEVER, TO WORK
TOGETHER WHETHER OUR MAYOR ELECT
WILSON AND HER TEAM, OUR NEW
COLLEAGUES COMING ON TO COUNCIL,
AND OF COURSE, OUR CONSTITUENTS
AS WE TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF
STRUCTURAL BUDGET REFORM AND
BUILDING A TRULY SUSTAINABLE
LONG-TERM BUDGET. SO THANK YOU,
EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS,
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? I'M NOT
SEEING ANY OTHER COMMENTS, AND I
WILL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD,
CHAIR STRAUSS. I WOULD LIKE TO
-- SO YESTERDAY I WAS -- I
PLAYED BAD COP IN A WAY, AND I
DID VOICE MY CONCERN ABOUT
SUSTAINABILITY. AND I DO
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, ABOUT THE
VERY THIN NEEDLE WE'RE
THREADING BETWEEN REALLY WANTING
TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN
TO PRESERVE AND STRENGTHEN OUR
SAFETY NET AND ALSO RECOGNIZING
THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOME OF OUR
DECISIONS AND POSSIBLY THE
MOVEMENT OF BUSINESS OVER TO THE
EAST SIDE OR LOSING THOSE JOBS
FUNDAMENTALLY FOR ME, THAT'S
WHAT THE ISSUE IS. SO ANYWAY, WE
TALKED ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY AND
TODAY A LITTLE BIT. BUT I WANT
TO REALLY SINCERELY -- OH,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, I'M
SORRY. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, THE
THREADING OF THE NEEDLE
CONVERSATION THAT WAS JUST RIGHT
BEFORE -- SECONDS BEFORE I BEGAN
SPEAKING. ANYWAY, I DO WANT TO
THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR
SUPPORT OF MY AMENDMENTS. I PUT
FORWARD 16 AMENDMENTS, I
BELIEVE, IF THAT'S THE CORRECT
COUNT. THE MAJORITY OF THEM WERE
PROVISOS, BASICALLY PRESERVING
FUNDING THAT IS ALREADY IN THE
BUDGET FOR THE BUDGET PRIORITIES
THAN EXPRESSED BY OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS AND MYSELF IN THE
PAST. BUT -- AND I THANK THE
CHAIR FOR PUTTING MANY OF THOSE
IN THE CHAIR'S PACKAGE AND IN
THE CONSENT PACKAGE. SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT
OF THOSE. AND FUNDAMENTALLY, I
WANTED TO CALL OUT A COUPLE OF
THEM. YOUR SUPPORT OF MY
AMENDMENTS THAT SOUGHT TO
PRESERVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR
BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESS OWNERS
WAS REALLY GRATIFYING TO ME, THE
SUPPORT OF THE PROVISOING THE
MONEY THAT EXISTS ALREADY IN THE
LIBERTY PROJECT THAT IS A
PARTNERSHIP BUT KIND OF LED BY
TABLE 100 REALLY MEANS A LOT TO
ME BUT MORE FUNDAMENTALLY TO THE
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WILL
CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THAT
SUPPORT. AND ALSO THERE WAS
REALLY IMPORTANT FUNDING TO
PROVIDE FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT SO
THAT SMALL BUSINESSES CAN MODIFY
OR SO THAT THEY CAN ADAPT TO
CHANGING FEDERAL POLICIES AROUND
CONTRACTING FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS.
THAT WAS -- THAT'S GOING TO BE
REALLY IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD,
BECAUSE THAT'S THE BREAD AND
BUTTER OF A LOT OF OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES, AND ESPECIALLY IN
THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE
UNDERGOING PRETTY RAPID
GENTRIFICATION AS WELL. SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE, AND
AGAIN, AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR WORKING WITH ME OVER
THE PAST TWO YEARS, NOT JUST
DURING THIS BUDGET PERIOD, BUT
TO, IN A VERY BIG WAY, CENTER
INVESTMENTS IN TREATMENT AND
RECOVERY THAT I HAVE REALLY
APPRECIATED THAT, AND THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THAT. IT DOES SAVE
LIVES AND REALLY DOES HIGHLIGHT
A PRESSING NEED IN OUR CITY. THE
-- IN THE CHAIR'S -- OR IN THE
CONSENT PACKAGE WAS THE BUDGET
ACTION HSD060A1, AND I JUST
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOU ALL
HELPED ME DO OR WHAT YOU ALL
DID. THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET ITEM
SPECIFIES HOW $2.85 MILLION IN
NEW PUBLIC SAFETY TAX REVENUE
FOR TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
SERVICES WILL BE APPROPRIATED.
SO AND THEY ARE LISTED HERE AT
$250,000 OR MORE FOR SOBER
HOUSING STIPENDS, $500,000 OR
MORE -- AND THAT IS BASICALLY SO
YOU GET BOTH. YOU GET HOUSING
AND TREATMENT SERVICES IN THE --
WITH THE SAME PLACE OR WITH THE
SAME ORGANIZATION. AND FINALLY,
$500,000 OR MORE TO MAINTAIN AND
EXPAND MY TREATMENT PILOT
PROGRAM THAT ENABLES CASE
MANAGERS TO REFER PEOPLE WHO
WANT TO TAKE THE STEP TOWARD
RECOVERY DIRECTLY INTO A
TREATMENT FACILITY. AND THAT HAS
BEEN, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THAT
HAS REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN
PEOPLE'S LIVES. AND THIS WILL
CONTINUE THANKS TO YOU. I DO
WANT TO NOTE TOO OUR OUTREACH
WORKERS, OUR CARE TEAM MEMBERS,
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND ANY --
AND OTHER CONTRACTED CITY SOCIAL
SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT WHEN YOU
ENCOUNTER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS RESOURCE,
PLEASE USE IT. IT IS THERE FOR
YOU. $500,000 IS THERE FOR WHEN
YOU ENCOUNTER SOMEONE AND
THEY'RE IN LITTLE SAIGON RIGHT
NOW. I WAS DOWN THERE THE OTHER
DAY TALKING TO PEOPLE. WHEN YOU
ENCOUNTER PEOPLE, PLEASE
REMEMBER THIS RESOURCE AND USE
IT IF YOU CAN. IT'S NOT FOR
EVERYBODY, BUT HOWEVER, KEEP IT
IN MIND AS YOU'RE OUT AND
ABOUT. AND THEN FINALLY, THE
REST OF THAT CBA IDENTIFIES THAT
THE REMAINING FUNDS WILL BE
DISTRIBUTED FOR ENHANCEMENT OF
ACCESS TO RECOVERY-BASED
SERVICES WITHIN PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, LIKE
CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT,
MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER, ET CETERA, AND WILL
ALSO -- IT'S INTENDED TO
PERHAPS ONE DAY SUPPLEMENT CITY
FUNDS TO KING COUNTY FOR CRISIS
-- FOR DESIGNATED CRISIS
RESPONDERS TO HELP PEOPLE GET
INTO -- WHO ARE IN DANGER OF
HURTING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.
AND THEN FINALLY, SUPPORTING
PROGRAMS TO EXPAND THE PROVISION
OF LONG LASTING INJECTIONS. SO
WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, THE CITY
DIDN'T EVEN FUND REHAB, AND SO
WE'VE COME A LONG WAY. AND I
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU.
>> THAT'S REALLY NICE.
>> THAT'S IT. AND WHEN I OPENED
UP BY SAYING, YEAH, YOU KNOW,
STATING, YOU KNOW,
SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES, I DO WANT
TO SAY THAT IT'S A LOT EASIER
TO SAY THAN DO THAT WE HAVE TO
LOOK AT OUR PROGRAMS AND
ELIMINATE THOSE THAT AREN'T
WORKING AND REINVEST THOSE
DOLLARS SOME PLACE ELSE TO
BALANCE OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
INDEED, THAT IS THE IDEAL,
HOWEVER, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT,
BECAUSE WE ALL COME WITH OUR
PRIORITIES. AND SO I JUST WANT
TO RECOGNIZE AND, YOU KNOW,
OFFER SOME GRACE TO EVERYBODY
THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO
THAT. AND WHEN PRESENTED WITH
ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES OF
TWO NEW TAXES THAT WERE SENT
DOWN BY THE MAYOR AND ALSO WITH
THE HELP OF COUNCILMEMBER RINCK,
WE PUT IT TO WORK FOR OUR
PRIORITIES. ANYWAY, I HEARD -- I
READ SOMETHING JUST SPEAKING TO
THE NEW INCOMING ADMINISTRATION,
ALSO RECOGNIZING GOOD FAITH ON
HER PART, COUNCIL -- I MEAN,
MAYOR ELECT KATIE WILSON SAID IN
ONE INTERVIEW, I BELIEVE,
SOMETHING ABOUT THE RECOGNITION
THAT WE DO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
WITH PUBLIC RESOURCES AND THAT
SHE WILL UNDERGO A -- AN
EXERCISE OF LOOKING AT WHETHER
OR NOT OUR INVESTMENTS ARE
GETTING THE RESULT WE WANT. I
WISH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION
WELL. I'LL SAVE MY THANK YOUS
UNTIL THE LAST ITEM. THAT'S ALL
I'VE GOT TO SAY. ANYBODY ELSE
BEFORE CHAIR STRAUSS? GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
URGING AN AYE VOTE ON THIS. IT
WILL COME TO THE CLERK FILE,
WHICH PUTS INTO THE RECORD ALL
OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE MADE
DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS. I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
DIDN'T -- AND IT'S HARD TO
TELL WHO HAS BEEN THANKED OVER
THE LAST TWO DAYS. A WISE PERSON
ONCE TOLD ME IT'S NOT
APPROPRIATE TO SHARE THANKS FOR
PEOPLE SIMPLY DOING WHAT IS --
WHAT THEIR JOB IS. THE REASON
THAT I'M GIVING THANKS TO
EVERYONE IS BECAUSE EVERYONE
WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAD A VERY SMOOTH PROCESS
AND IT WAS BECAUSE WE CAME
TOGETHER IN A COLLABORATIVE
MANNER. AGAIN, WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
CITY CLERK SHIREEN, PHILLIP
WOODSMITH, AND OF COURSE,
MARISSA AND CHRIS WHO OPEN AND
CLOSE THIS ROOM EVERY SINGLE
DAY. THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR
MAKING THIS A SUCCESSFUL
PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS,
AND WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF. I WILL
NOTE, IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN, THAT
WAS THE FIRST --
>> NEXT VOTE. DON'T JINX IT.
>> IT'S THE NEXT VOTE.
>> I'LL JUST FINISH MY -- THE
SPIRIT IS HERE. THAT IS THE
FIRST THAT I REMEMBER OF A
UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THE BUDGET,
AND I JUST WANTED TO
CONGRATULATE YOU.
>> THANK YOU, I BELIEVE IT'S THE
NEXT VOTE, BUT YES.
>> NO, SHE MEANT ON THE 9-0
VOTE.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
THE NEXT ITEM INTO THE REPORT.
>> 314546, CITY COUNCIL CHANGES
TO THE 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET AND
THE 2026-2030 PROPOSED CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THE COMPLIT
TEE RECOMMENDS THE FILE BE
APPROVED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, AS
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU'RE
-- TO PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE
REPORT.
>> NOTHING FURTHER TO PROVIDE AT
THIS POINT.
>> ARE THERE ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS? WELL, CONTINUING ON, I
DO THINK CHAIR STRAUSS AND I
WANTED TO ALSO EXTEND MY
APPRECIATION TO BRAD, SUE, AND
I'M GOING TO MESS UP THE NAME.
>> DIANELLI.
>> OKAY, I'M SORRY THERE. BUT
OUR COMM SHOP IS GOING TO BE
BUSY. THEY'RE ONES RESPONSIBLE
FOR PUTTING OUT OUR TAKES ON THE
BUDGET TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I
APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S A LOT OF
WORK. I ALSO WANT TO THANKS, OF
COURSE, CENTRAL STAFF. I CAN'T
NAME EVERYBODY BY NAME, BUT IT
WAS A GRIND, AND YOU PULLED
THROUGH WITH GRACE. HERE I AM
LOOKING AT AN EMPTY TABLE, AND I
HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK
COMING UP. AND THEN AMELIA, YOU
REALLY -- YOU'RE A STAR. YOU
KEPT US ON TRACK. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. AND THEN FINALLY, JUST ONE
LAST THING, I DO WANT TO THANK
MY STAFF. I WAS QUITE BUSY
DURING PART OF THIS BUDGET
PROCESS, AND THEY REALLY HELD
DOWN THE FORT THERE IN THE
OFFICE AND WORKED WITH CENTRAL
STAFF AND KEPT ME ON TRACK WHEN
THE REALLY IMPORTANT VOTES CAME
DOWN. AND SO THANK YOU, JEREMY
MOON, TO ANYONE WHO I MISS, AND
ERIC NIELSON. SO WITH THAT, IF
THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE CLERK
FILE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON? AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> THE CLERK FILE IS APPROVED
AND WILL BE FILED. ALL RIGHT,
PEOPLE, CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY,
THERE WERE NO ITEMS REMOVED FROM
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. THERE'S
NOT A RESOLUTION FOR
INTRODUCTION AND ADOPTION TODAY,
IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL? BESIDES
OUR LAST GOOD-BYE TO
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, WHOSE
LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS
TODAY. GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
AND BEFORE SPEAKING TO
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, AND
PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
SIGNS SAYING BUDGETS ARE A MORAL
DOCUMENT, PASTORS HERE,
COLLEAGUES, I WANTED TO
APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE. I WAS
AT A FUNERAL MASS FOR JOHN COME
BERFORD, WHO DIED ON MONDAY AT
THE AGE OF 77. HE WAS VERY
ACTIVE IN POLITICAL AND CIVIL
LIFE TO INCLUDE IN BOSTON WITH
THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION AND
HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE WHERE
HE SAW ELECTED OFFICE. I WAS
JOINED BY GAEL TARLETON, SARA,
AND OTHERS. FOR JOHN IT WAS ALL
ABOUT SERVICE. I MET JOHN WHILE
SERVING ON THE BOARD OF WORLD
AFFAIRS COUNCIL, A NONPROFIT
THAT HE WAS SERVING ON. BUT ALSO
HE FOUNDED THE QUEEN ANNE FOOD
BANK AT SACRED HEART CATHOLIC
CHURCH. HE ALSO PROVIDED
FINANCIAL MENTORING TO VETERANS
AT JBLM AND AROUND THE COUNTRY
AND EVEN IN ENGLAND, AS THEY
SOUGHT TO TRANSITION FROM
MILITARY SERVICE TO CIVILIAN
LIFE. AND SO WITH THAT, WITH
THAT IDEA OF SERVICE, WHICH WE
ALL HAVE TOO IN OUR LIVES HERE
ON CITY COUNCIL AND ALL THE
OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO, AND I
BELIEVE MY AIR FORCE BROTHERS
WILL ALSO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE
HAVE THE WATCH. AND WE'LL
CONTINUE THAT IDEA OF SERVICE
THAT JOHN EXEMPLIFIED SO WELL
MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE
OF SILENCE FOR JOHN, IF THAT'S
ALL RIGHT WITH THE BODY. THANK
YOU. JUST IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT
TO RECOGNIZE LIFE. TIME HERE IS
SHORT ON THIS BALL OF DIRT
ROLLING THROUGH THE SOLAR
SYSTEM. IT FEELS LIKE A LONG
TIME OFTEN, BUT WISE PERSON ONCE
REMINDED ME THAT LIFE IS SHORT,
AND OUR IMPACT CAN BE GREAT OR
LITTLE. JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT OVER THE LAST
DADE CITY HALL HAS HAD A FAIR
AMOUNT OF DIVISION AND TENSION
IN A NEGATIVE WAY AT TIMES.
WE'VE SEEN THAT THROUGH THE
VOTES THROUGH THE DECADE AS THE
FINAL VOTE WE TOOK ON THE CLERK
FILE DENOTING OUR COUNCIL
ACTIONS, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME
IN A DECADE THAT WE'VE HAD A
UNANIMOUS VOTE OUT OF THIS BODY.
IT'S HEALING THAT HAS OCCURRED
BETWEEN THE SEVENTH AND THE
SECOND FLOOR OVER THE LAST FOUR
YEARS. IT HAS BEEN HEALING
WITHIN THIS BODY OVER THE COURSE
OF THIS YEAR. HEALING -- IT
DOESN'T TAKE TIME TO HEAL
WOUNDS, IT TAKES ACTIONS TO HEAL
WOUNDS. AND THROUGH OUR
COLLABORATION THROUGH THE ONE
SEATTLE SPIRIT OVER THESE LAST
EIGHT WEEKS, NINE WEEKS, WE'VE
REALLY BEEN ABLE -- AND I
APPRECIATE, COLLEAGUES, ALL OF
YOUR WORK WITH ME, I HAVE JUST
BEEN THE STEWARD OF THE WORK
THAT YOU HAVE PUT FORWARD. AND I
JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
WALKING THIS PATH WITH ME, THANK
YOU FOR ENGAGING IN HEALING
ACTIONS, WE HAVE MUCH MORE WORK
TO DO, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE
THAT MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE
MOMENT IN WHICH WE JUST PASSED
INTO A BRIGHTER FUTURE. THANK
YOU.
>> PRAISE THE LORD.
>> AMEN.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I
WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, FOR
BEING A, YOU KNOW, TO MY RIGHT,
BUT THE RIGHT FLANK OF WISDOM
DOWN THERE. WHEN YOU RAISED YOUR
HAND, WHEN I SEE IT RAISED, I
THINK THAT THERE'S SOMETHING
GOOD THAT'S GOING TO COME
ALONG. OH, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK,
DID YOU WANT TO -- DID YOU HAVE
OTHER BUSINESS?
>> NO, I WANTED TO GET IN LINE
TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON FOR HIS
SERVICE, SO HAPPY TO GO AFTER
YOU.
>> YEAH. AND I'M SIMPLY SAYING
THAT I SURE WILL MISS YOUR -- I
GUSHED, I SANG YOUR PRAISES THE
OTHER DAY, SO I'M NOT GOING TO
REPEAT MYSELF, BUT FOR MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC OUT THERE, THIS
BODY IS LOSING A CHAMPION FOR
ALL OF SEATTLE AND ALSO DISTRICT
TWO, THIS GUY REALLY HAD YOUR
BACK, I HAVE TO SAY. AND YOU'VE
BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH,
AND I WILL CERTAINLY MISS YOU. I
KNOW THAT WE -- AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER EDDIE LYNN, BUT I
JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE
SUCH A SOFT SPOT FOR YOU, AND I
HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU
OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS. I
HAVE A FAVORITE T-SHIRT THAT
NOBODY HERE HAS REALLY SEEN, BUT
I WILL NEVER NOT THINK OF YOU
WHEN I WEAR IT. OKAY, I'LL SHOW
IT.
>> OH YEAH.
>> OKAY. IT SAYS, EMPLOYEE OF
THE MONTH, I MAKE IT SO. AND
IT'S RYKER THERE, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE HE ALWAYS SAYS, YOU
KNOW, MAKE IT SO, ET CETERA.
ANYWAY, KIND OF AN INSIDE
GENERATIONAL JOKE, THOUGH, BUT
YOUR OFFICE WAS ALWAYS SUCH A
PLEASURE TO WALK INTO, JUST GAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF LEVITY WHENEVER
I WALKED IN WHEN I REALLY NEEDED
IT, SO THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK?
>> THANK, YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
GET IN LINE TO PUBLICLY THANK
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON FOR HIS
SERVICE TO THIS BODY AND TO THE
PEOPLE OF DISTRICT TWO. I HAVE
BEEN SO THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL
FOR THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO PARTNER THIS YEAR. I
KNOW WE KICKED OFF YOUR POINT
TERM BY HOLDING A TOWN HALL
TOGETHER IN DISTRICT TWO, AND
ALSO PARTNERING THEN WITH A
NUMBER OF COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO PULL TOGETHER A
ROUNDTABLE IN THE CID PROVIDING
FULL LANGUAGE ACCESS IN
MANDARIN, JAPANESE, AND
CANTONESE TO ENGAGE OUR
COMMUNITY ON THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN. AS LAND USE CHAIR, YOU
GUIDED US THROUGH MAJOR PIECES
OF LEGISLATION. AND I'M
THINKING ABOUT STREAMLINING
PERMITTING, PAVING THE WAY FOR
TIMELY DELIVERY FOR SOUND
TRANSIT THREE, AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP
ON THE ROOTS TO ROOST
LEGISLATION. AND I KNOW I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE DAY WHERE WE CAN
WALK DOWN THE STREET AND SAY
THAT'S A ROOTS TO ROOST PROJECT
THAT. PROJECT, THAT FAMILY
HOUSING, THAT HOUSING, AND THAT
BUILDING EXISTS BECAUSE WE PUT
FORWARD LEGISLATION THAT HELPED
THAT PROJECT. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. IT HAS
BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU
AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU
DO NEXT. AND I KNOW WE'LL SEE
YOU HERE IN CITY HALL. THANK
YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, I SAID
SOME WORDS THE OTHER DAY, AND SO
I'LL JUST REITERATE, FIRST OF
ALL, HOW GRATEFUL I AM, YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. THESE ARE
REALLY HARD JOBS. WE ALL KNOW.
AND IT IS AN OVERWHELMING
RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT SO
MANY CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR
DISTRICT AND ALL OUR DISTRICTS.
AND SO I SO APPRECIATE YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP AND HOLD
THE SEAT UNTIL FOLKS, YOU KNOW,
ELECTED NOW ENTERING
COUNCILMEMBER EDDIE LYNN, WHOM I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH,
AND I JUST -- YOUR KINDNESS,
GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT, AND JUST
YOUR FRIENDLINESS AND JUST
YOU'RE SUCH AN AMAZING HUMAN.
YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE. YOUR
CARING ABOUT PEOPLE IS THE THING
THAT I SO APPRECIATE ABOUT YOU
THE MOST. AND SO YOU REALLY TOOK
GREAT STEWARDSHIP OF THE SEAT
AND I REALLY THANK YOU FOR DOING
THAT. AND SO I ACTUALLY ALSO
KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU SAT ON THE
COUNCIL A LITTLE BIT. AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK
WITH YOU IN FUTURE CAPACITY,
ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO
SEPTED. AND JUST ENJOY, ENJOY
YOUR TIME POST COUNCIL. BUT I
KNOW WE'LL SEE YOU AROUND THESE
PARTS ONGOING BECAUSE THAT IS
YOUR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION.
IT DOESN'T -- IT DIDN'T START
HERE AND IT DOESN'T END HERE.
SO THANK YOU, MY FRIEND.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAME COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND I TOO WANT TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR
ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE,
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, FOR YOUR
SELFLESS SERVICE, ENDURING
COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY. IT HAS
BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO BE
ABLE TO SERVE ALONGSIDE YOU ON
THIS BODY. MENTIONED A FEW DAYS
AGO THAT YOU AND I HAD THE
PLEASURE OF SERVING TOGETHER IN
THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AND
AIR FORCE RESERVES, 15, 20 YEARS
AGO, AND I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM
YOU OVER THE YEARS. AND
INCLUDING NOW THROUGH OUR SHARED
SERVICE TOGETHER ON THIS BODY.
YOU'VE DISTINGUISHED YOURSELF
IN SO MANY WAYS FOR THE BETTER.
YOU'VE SERVED YOUR CONSTITUENTS
IN DISTRICT TWO WITH
DISTINCTION, PRIDE, AND
COMMITMENT TO MAKING THAT
DISTRICT BETTER AND THE BROADER
CITY OF SEATTLE BETTER AS WELL.
ROGUE IS YOUR CALL SIGN. I
MENTIONED MINE EARLIER. WE'LL
JUST LEAVE IT THERE. BUT A
ROGUE, YOU'VE -- I'M GOING TO
MISS A LOT ABOUT YOU. WE'VE
BEEN FRIENDS FOR 25 YEARS NOW
AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO GOING
FORWARD. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE
YOU LIVE. BUT I AM REALLY GOING
TO MISS YOUR, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, YOUR CAMARADERIE AND
YOUR COLLEGIALITY AND YOUR
COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT. THIS WORK
IS TOUGH WORK AND SOME PEOPLE,
MOST PEOPLE, ONLY SEE KIND OF
WHAT GOES ON RIGHT HERE AT THE
DAIS. THAT IS REALLY ONLY A
FRACTIONAL SLIVER OF THE WORK
EVERY LAST ONE OF US DOES IN OUR
RESPECTIVE OFFICES FOR OUR
CONSTITUENTS AND FOR OUR CITY.
SO MANY INDIVIDUAL ONE-ON-ONE
MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS, BUT
ONE THING I ALWAYS APPRECIATED
ABOUT COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON IS
HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO COME
INTO MY OFFICE, ALLOW ME TO COME
IN HIS OFFICE, JUST INFORMALLY,
NOT TO TALK ABOUT SOME SPECIFIC
POLICY IDEA OR PROPOSAL BUT JUST
INFORMALLY TO CHECK IN, SEE HOW
I'M DOING, HOW MY FAMILY'S
DOING, SEE WHAT WE GOT GOING ON.
COMMISERATE A LITTLE BIT. THAT
LEVEL OF CAMARADERIE AND
COLLEGIALITY AND COLLABORATION,
THESE INFORMAL CHECK-INS,
NONTRANSACTIONAL, YOU'RE NOT
SEEKING ANYTHING FROM ME NOR
VICE VERSA, IT UNLOCKED SO MUCH
IN TERMS OF BUILDING
CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT
ACTUALLY HELP THIS BODY GET WORK
DONE OUT HERE PUBLICLY. AND SO
FOR THAT, I COULDN'T BE MORE
GRATEFUL AND YOU'VE INSPIRED ME
TO BE MORE, YOU KNOW, CHECK IN
MORE WITH OUR COLLEAGUES HERE AS
WELL AND I'LL CONTINUE TO CARRY
THAT FORWARD. I ALWAYS
APPRECIATE YOUR GUIDANCE AND
MENTORSHIP, AGAIN. YOU'VE
TALKED SOME SENSE INTO ME A
NUMBER OF TIMES, AS YOU HAVE
OVER THE DECADES, FRANKLY. WHICH
I REALLY APPRECIATE. AND I HOPE
THAT I WAS ABLE TO IMPART SOME
NUGGETS OF WISDOM ON YOUR END AS
WELL, BUT I TO APPRECIATE YOUR
GUIDANCE AND MENTORSHIP. I WANT
TO THANK YOUR WIFE, SUZANNE,
BECAUSE -- AND I FORGOT TO DO
THIS THE OTHER DAY WHEN SHE WAS
IN THE ROOM, BUT CHECK THE TAPE,
SUZANNE, BUT THIS WORK IS HARD.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE
COUNCILMEMBER OUT HERE SERVING,
IT'S NOT JUST THE COUNCILMEMBER
AND THEIR STAFF OUT HERE
SERVING. IT'S NOT JUST THE
COUNCILMEMBER AND THEIR STAFF
SACRIFICING. IT'S A SACRIFICE
BORNE BY THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND
IN YOUR CASE SUZANNE. SO I
REALLY APPRECIATE HER SERVICE
AND SACRIFICE TO YOUR DISTRICT
AND OUR CITY. FINALLY, JUST ON A
PLAYFUL SIDE, WHY NOT, WHY NOT,
ROGUE, WHY NOT? AMONG OTHER
THINGS ABOUT YOU, I'M GOING TO
MISS YOUR SHOES. I'M GOING TO
MISS YOUR SHOES. MY GOODNESS. I
LOVE THOSE ORTHOPEDICS,
ORTHOTICS? NUGGY AIR UNCS. I'M
GOING TO MISS THOSE, THEY LOOK
GREAT. I'M ALSO GOING TO MISS
YOUR FUN MANNERISMS AND SILLY
QUIRKS. WE ALL HAVE THEM. FOR
YOU I'M GOING TO MISS YOUR
GRUNTS. WHO'S GOING TO WANT
YOU? CITY PARKS SEPTID, I'M
GOING TO MISS YOUR GRUNTS. THAT
IN PARTICULAR. BUT I KNOW HOW TO
GET AHOLD OF YOU. I KNOW WHERE
YOU LIVE. WE'LL BE AROUND AND
LOOK FORWARD TO STAYING IN CLOSE
TOUCH, MY FRIEND. BUT THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE,
COMMITMENT, MENTORSHIP,
FRIENDSHIP, ALL THE ABOVE, AND
SO MUCH MORE. THANK YOU.
>> CHEETOS, SPEAKING OF SNACKS
THAT COULD PUT A PLUG IN THERE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH HAD
HER HAND UP NEXT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
AND I'LL BE BRIEF, AND THIS IS
DEFINITELY FROM COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, THIS IS GOING TO BE A
PUPPET EPISODE FOR SURE. THE
JOKES AND ALL, THAT WHICH IS
GREAT, WHICH I LOVE. SO I JUST
WANT TO, NUMBER ONE, YOU HAVE
THE BEST SNACKS, SO THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON. AND I
SAID THIS YESTERDAY, YOU ALSO --
YOUR KINDNESS AND YOUR SMILE WAS
HUGE. AND I THINK WE CAN ALL
ATTEST TO THAT HOW IMPORTANT
THAT IS JUST TO BE NICE AND HAVE
YOUR -- JUST THE ABILITY TO LEAD
WITH GRACE AS YOU DID EVERY
SINGLE DAY. AND THERE WILL NEVER
BE ANOTHER SEPTID EXPERT LIKE
YOU WERE AND TO REMIND US HOW
IMPORTANT THAT IS WHEN WE ARE
INCORPORATING DIFFERENT ELEMENTS
INTO ANY OF OUR COMMITTEES, HOW
IMPORTANT THAT IS, AND I'VE
HEARD COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE TALK
ABOUT IT A LOT, THE SEPTID AND
PUBLIC SAFETY, WHETHER IT'S
PARKS AND ARTS, LIBRARIES AND
EDUCATION, ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF
THINGS, TRANSPORTATION, YOU HAVE
TALKED ABOUT IT. I WANT TO THANK
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR
WIFE FOR THEIR SACRIFICE. AS WE
KNOW, COLLEAGUES, IT IS NOT JUST
US UP HERE, IT IS OUR FAMILIES
AS WELL AND THE SACRIFICE THEY
MAKE WHEN WE ARE SPENDING LONG
DAYS IN THE OFFICE. SO JUST WANT
TO THANK YOUR FAMILY AS WELL,
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, AND FOR
YOUR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. YOU
MADE DISTRICT TWO BETTER, AND I
KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER ELECT
LYNN WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OFF
YOUR SUCCESSES THAT YOU HAVE
DELIVERED FOR THE DISTRICT. SO
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE ACROSS ALL THE
AREAS THAT YOU HAVE SERVED OVER
THE DECADES. THANK YOU. AND I
JUST SIMPLY WANT TO SAY FAIR
WINDS AND SEAS. BEST WISHES TO
YOU, WHATEVER NEXT CHAPTERS TO
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. AND I JUST
WANTED TO CLOSE WITH A VERY
IMPORTANT QUOTE FROM YODA. DO OR
DO NOT, THERE IS NO TRY. MAY THE
FORCE BE WITH YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. APPRECIATE YOU.
OKAY, IF THERE IS NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, I -- THIS -- WE WILL
-- OH, LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE
-- YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THE LAST
WORD?
>> I DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON
ON THE RECORD. IT'S BEEN AN
HONOR AND PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH
YOU, SIR. THANK YOU FOR SHARING
YOUR TIME WITH US. I'VE LEARNED
QUITE A BIT. AND AS I SAID MANY,
MANY, MANY, MANY MONTHS AGO,
YOU'RE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE
ROOM, AND YOU DON'T NEED TO BE,
WHICH MAKES YOU EVEN BETTER, AND
TWO MINUTES ISN'T ENOUGH AND
I'M GLAD TO HAVE TEN MONTHS
WITH YOU MY FRIEND. THANK YOU,
MR. SOLOMON.
>> OKAY, WE'VE REACHED THE END
OF OUR -- OF TODAY'S AGENDA --
OH, GO AHEAD.
>> IF I MAY ADDRESS COUNCIL,
MADAME PRESIDENT. I WANTED TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORDS.
THANK YOU ALL WHO WERE ABLE TO
COME TO THE EVENT THE OTHER DAY.
SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT I WAS IN
THE AIR FORCE AND I WAS TRAINED
AS A BRIEFER. OKAY? KEYWORD
THERE BEING BRIEF. SO TAKE
NOTES, ACE. AND SO I KNOW, MICK
JAGGER, RIGHT? SO I DO WANT TO
KEEP THIS BRIEF, BUT I DO WANT
TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND I WANT
TO START WITH COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
BECAUSE WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER
FOR SO LONG. WE DID SERVE IN THE
AIR FORCE RESERVE TOGETHER. I
REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAME IN AS A
GREEN KID, REAL ROUGH AROUND THE
EDGES, AND I SAW YOU PROGRESS. I
SAW YOU ADVANCE. BY THE WAY, YOU
ALL KNOW THAT HE HELD -- I THINK
STILL HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST
PUSHUP, CONSECUTIVE PUSHUPS DONE
AT THE -- IN ONE SETTING.
>> BEFORE KIDS. BEFORE KIDS.
>> YEAH, PRIOR TO KIDS. YOU ALSO
MAY NOT KNOW THAT HE WAS AT THE
BOSTON MARATHON WHEN THE BOMBING
HAPPENED. OKAY? HE WAS RUNNING
THE MARATHON. BUT I'VE SEEN YOU
GROW. I'VE SEEN YOU GROW AS AN
ANALYST. I'VE SEEN YOU GROW
FROM A PROFESSIONAL BEING AT
PERKINS, BEING AT MICROSOFT,
BEING ON THE CHARTER COMMISSION
FOR KING COUNTY, AND NOW BEING
THE MAYOR OF WEST SEATTLE. I'M
GOING TO SAY IT RIGHT NOW, OKAY?
THAT'S THE MONOCHROME I'M
PUTTING ON YOU, THE MAYOR OF
WEST SEATTLE. THANK YOU, MY
BROTHER. THANK YOU FOR SERVING
ALONGSIDE WITH ME. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON I
STARTED THINKING OF YOU AS -- MY
NICKNAME FOR YOU WAS THE CLOSER.
BECAUSE YOU HAD SOME LEGISLATION
YOU WANTED TO GET DONE, YOU WERE
GOING TO MAKE SURE IT GOT DONE.
YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE THE
ARGUMENTS. YOU'RE A CLOSER. I
ALSO REFER TO YOU AS FIVE FEET
OF FURY, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE
OTHER THING. YOUR PASSION, YOUR
TENACITY -- TELL ME I'M WRONG.
>> I'LL TAKE THAT IN A POSITIVE
VEIN.
>> THAT IS, THAT IS. AND YOU DID
SOMETHING LAST WEEK THAT ALSO
WAS VERY TOUCHING. YOU SENT OUT
A VETERANS DAY MESSAGE AND YOU
ACKNOWLEDGED ME AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA AND
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE AND THANKED
US FOR OUR SERVICE. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. GOT MAD
RESPECT FOR YOU. AND I KNOW THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME
WORK ON SAFETY, QUALITY OF LIFE
ISSUES. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING
TO CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER.
COMMANDER KETTLE, YOU KNOW, YOU
GOT THIS AIR FORCE/NAVY THING
HAPPENING. GOT MAD RESPECT FOR
THE NAVY, OKAY? AT LEAST YOU'RE
NOT ARMY, SO IT'S OKAY. AND YOU
AND I HAVE BOTH WALKED SIMILAR
PATHS. WE BOTH WERE 05s IN THE
MILITARY. WE'VE BOTH BEEN IN
THE INTELLIGENCE BUSINESS. WE'VE
BOTH BEEN ANALYSTS. WE'VE BOTH
SEEN THINGS AND DONE THINGS THAT
A LOT OF FOLKS CAN'T EVEN
IMAGINE, RIGHT? AND I THINK
ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH
PUBLIC SAFETY. 35 PUBLIC SAFETY
BILLS? OR 34, SOON 35. IN JUST,
WHAT, LESS THAN TWO YEARS.
THAT'S AMAZING. ABSOLUTELY
AMAZING. I'M GLAD THAT I'VE
BEEN ABLE TO BE THERE ALONG THE
WAY WITH SOME OF THAT. GIVEN MY
BACKGROUND, OF COURSE, PUBLIC
SAFETY IS MY JAM, AND I WANTED
TO BE ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE, BUT I COULDN'T THINK
OF A BETTER PERSON TO ACTUALLY
CHAIR THE COMMITTEE THAN YOU,
BECAUSE YOU GOT STUFF DONE.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, I HAVE
LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU, MAN.
JUST THE, YOU KNOW, THE
CONVERSATION BY THE FLAGPOLE,
THE INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS,
HERE'S HOW YOU NAVIGATE THIS
STUFF. EVEN THAT CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW TO CHAIR A COMMITTEE
AND HOW TO HAVE A PLAN A, B, C,
AND D WHEN THINGS GO SOUTH,
RIGHT? THE WAY YOU HANDLED THIS
WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS, THE AMOUNT
OF HOURS YOU PUT IN, THE AMOUNT
OF HOURS YOUR STAFF PUT IN, HOW
YOU HANDLED PUBLIC COMMENT, THE
WHOLE BIT, DUDE, MASTERFUL,
ABSOLUTELY MASTERFUL. AND THE
FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE
ANTICIPATING HAVING HOURS AND
HOURS AND HOURS OF COMMENTARY OR
DEBATE AND WE DIDN'T, I THINK
IT'S ALSO A TESTAMENT TO YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THAT. SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. AND I THINK I
REFERRED TO YOU AS THE MAYOR OF
BALLARD, AND YOU CITED OFF A
WHOLE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
YOU'RE MAYOR OF. YOU ONLY GET
BALLARD, I'M SORRY.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH,
THERE IS A SAYING THAT WE HAVE
IN OUR OFFICE, WWJD, WHAT WOULD
JOY DO? AND IF THERE WAS EVER A
QUESTION ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT
POSITION WOULD I TAKE OR HOW AM
I GOING TO VOTE, DO WHAT JOY
DOES. IT'S LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S
GOOD, I'M GOOD WITH THAT. AND I
THINK ABOUT HOW YOU NAVIGATED
THE WHOLE COMP PLAN THING, HOW
YOU MADE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GOT
HEARD, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG IT
TOOK. AND WHILE WE'VE SEEN SOME
REAL SHENANIGANS, YOU KNOW, IN
THIS CHAMBER, THERE WERE NO
SHENANIGANS WHEN YOU WERE TAKING
CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS, WHEN YOU
WERE HANDLING, YOU KNOW, THAT
PROCESS. PEOPLE RESPECTED THE
JAZZ HANDS, THE SNAPS. PEOPLE
RESPECTED LETTING OTHER PEOPLE
TALK. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO ONE
DAY REFERRING TO YOU AS MAYOR
HOLLINGSWORTH, SO I'M PUTTING
THAT ON YOU RIGHT NOW. DON'T --
OKAY, YEAH. COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, MY PLUCK I CAN SIDEKICK,
I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU. I LOVE
THE FACT THAT YOU ARE NO
NONSENSE, YOU DON'T SUFFER
FOOLS EASILY. YOU ARE VERY
WILLING TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT
THEMSELVES. YOU'RE DOWN TO
BUSINESS, YOU'RE DOWN TO EARTH,
AND NOT PLAYING GAMES. YOU MAY
HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, A
GREAT DEMEANOR, YOU MAY DROP THE
F BOMB EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT
YOU'RE ABOUT GETTING STUFF DONE
AS WELL. AGAIN, TELL ME IF I'M
LYING, RIGHT? AND THE THINGS
THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN
JUST A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME LIKE
WITH THUNDERBIRD, LIKE WITH LAKE
CITY, I'M LOOKING -- I KNOW
THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD. AND
THE FACT YOUR SPOUSE AND MY
SPOUSE ARE BOTH ARTISTS, WE CAN
LET THEM GO IN THE ART SHED AND
PLAY, AND WE CAN WATCH A STORM
GAME. ALL RIGHT, SOUNDS GOOD.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, OKAY, YOU--
WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT THE
NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, I
THINK ABOUT YOU, AND
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. YOU ARE THAT
NEXT GENERATION, OUR INCOMING
MAYOR, KATIE WILSON, SHE IS THAT
NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. AND
ONE THING THAT I HAVE PUT OUT
THERE A LONG TIME AGO IS US OLD
FOLK NEED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE
NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, AND
YOU'RE IT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN
ANYONE MORE PREPARED, MORE
STUDIED. YOU'VE GOT YOUR
SPEAKING POINT -- YOU DON'T
SPEAK OFF THE CUFF. YOU'RE
PLANNED OUT. YOUR STUFF IS
PLANNED OUT, WELL RESEARCHED,
AND IT WAS A PLEASURE WORKING
WITH YOU ON -- I THINK, YOU
KNOW, AT ONE POINT IT SEEMED
LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE THE
SOLOMON/RINCK SHOW BECAUSE WE
KEPT SHOWING UP AT THE SAME
PLACES OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
WHETHER IT'S THE TOWN HALL AT
THE CHURCH OR THE ETHIOPIAN
COMMUNITY CENTER. YOU KNOW,
GETTING ROOTS TO ROOFS DONE. IT
WAS AN IDEA THAT IT'LL NEVER
HAPPEN, WHY BRING THIS BACK, AND
THEN WE GOT A UNANIMOUS VOTE OUT
OF OUR COLLEAGUES. THAT SAYS
SOMETHING. IT SAID SOMETHING
THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE MAY BE,
YOU KNOW, ON DIFFERENT ENDS OF
THE SPECTRUM, YOU KNOW,
POLITICALLY, WE CAN STILL WORK
TOGETHER. AND IT'S BEEN AN
ABSOLUTE JOY WORKING WITH YOU.
IT'S BEEN SO MUCH FUN. I THINK
I'VE WORKED MORE CLOSELY WITH
YOU AND MY STAFF'S WORKED MORE
CLOSELY WITH YOUR STAFF THAN I
HAVE WITH ANYBODY ELSE ON THE
FLOOR. IT'S BEEN COOL.
>> VERY COOL.
>> I ALSO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE CATHY
MOORE, WHO YOU KNOW, I WAS ON
THE COMMUNITY HOUSING SERVICES
COMMITTEE WITH. WE WERE ABLE TO
WORK THROUGH THEM. AND I REGRET
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WORK
WITH HER MORE ON THOSE ISSUES
AND HAVE HER AS A PART OF THIS
BODY, BUT AS I SAID BEFORE SHE
LEFT THE BODY, I GOT MAD RESPECT
FOR HER. AND I STILL DO. SO
DEFINITELY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
HER AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK
THAT WE DID. AND I CAN'T LET,
YOU KNOW, THIS TIME PASS WITHOUT
SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT OUR
CENTRAL STAFF, I LOVE YOU GUYS.
I HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH
KEEDLE AND LISH. A LOT OF TIMES
I COMBINE THEM AND CALL THEM
QUICHE. THEY WERE THE LAND USE
PEOPLE I WAS WORKING MOST
CLOSELY WITH. BUT ALL THE
CENTRAL STAFF HAS BEEN
FANTASTIC. THE CLERKS, AMEALIA,
BEST CLERK FROM THE WORLD, GOING
TO SAY IT AGAIN. AND YOU KNOW,
THINKING ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
HEADS THAT I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO
WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, DON,
DWAYNE, RICO, DR. KIM, JENNIFER
CIAO, ALL OF THEM HAVE JUST BEEN
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PARTNERS. I
KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO
PARTNER AND CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER. AND ONE PERSON I WANT
TO DEFINITELY MAKE SURE I
THANKS, THANK IS COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON. WE CONNECTED
BEFORE YOU GOT INTO THIS BODY,
STAYED CONNECTED WHILE YOU GOT
ON THIS BODY, AND THEN WE
CONNECTED EVEN MORE WHILE I
SERVED WITH YOU ON THIS BODY.
AND DEFINITELY IT'S BEEN AN
HONOR, A PLEASURE. I'VE SEEN
YOUR, AGAIN, TENACITY, YOUR CUT
THROUGH THE -- YOU KNOW, CUT
THROUGH THE BS, CUT THROUGH THE
RED TAPE, LET'S JUST GET IT
DONE. WE NEED PERMIT REFORM,
LET'S DO IT. WE NEED TO HAVE,
YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTABILITY, LET'S
DO IT. WE HAVE MONEY WE HAVEN'T
SPENT, LET'S SPEND IT. YOU
KNOW, HAVING THAT SENSE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT SENSE OF
PEOPLE SAY IT CAN'T BE DONE,
GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY WHILE
I DO IT, RIGHT? AND THAT'S THE
WAY YOU'VE APPROACHED THINGS IS
LET'S JUST GET IT DONE. LET'S
NOT SUFFER FROM THE TYRANNY OF
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT, LET'S GET IT
DONE.
>> YEAH, RIGHT?
>> AND I SO MUCH, JUST SO
APPRECIATE THAT ABOUT YOU. I SO
APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP THAT
YOU'VE SHOWN IN THIS BODY AND
ON THIS COUNCIL. AND WHAT I WAS
TELLING MY FRIEND OVER HERE WHEN
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT MAKING
PUBLIC COMMENT, I SAID, DON'T
BE MEAN, RIGHT? OKAY. YOU HAVE
HAD TO WEATHER SOME OF THE
NASTIEST COMMENTS THAT I'VE EVER
HEARD, AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY
REASON WHY SOMEONE WOULD SAY THE
STUFF THAT THEY DID TO YOU OTHER
THAN JUST BEING MEAN. AND YOU
KNOW, FOLKS COME HERE TO GIVE
PUBLIC COMMENT SO THAT THEY CAN
HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD, BUT
WHEN YOU'RE TAKING YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT TIME TO DEMEAN SOMEONE
OR QUESTION SOMEBODY'S MOTIVES,
INCLUDING OURS, RIGHT, TO SHOUT
DOWN OTHER VOICES, THAT'S NOT
SERVING YOU WELL. SO IF YOU WANT
TO USE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT TIME
TO DEMEAN SOMEBODY ELSE, STAY
THE HELL HOME. IF YOU WANT TO
ADVICE WHAT YOU'RE REALLY
FEELING AND WHERE YOU WANT THE
CITY TO GO, GREAT, WE WANT TO
HEAR YOU. BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU
WHEN YOU'RE YELLING AT ME,
OKAY? IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH ME, GREAT,
OKAY, BUT DON'T YELL AT ME.
DON'T TELL ME TO GO KILL
MYSELF. DON'T TELL ME TO SHUT
UP. DON'T QUESTION, YOU KNOW,
MY INTEGRITY. AND YOU'VE HAD TO
ENDURE THAT. AND IT AIN'T RIGHT.
NONE OF US, NONE OF THE PEOPLE
ON THIS BODY DESERVE THAT KIND
OF TREATMENT. SO I JUST ASK YOU,
AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC,
ANYBODY LOOKING NOW, WE WANT
YOUR COMMENTS. BUT DON'T BE
MEAN. OKAY? IT DOESN'T SERVE
YOU WELL. AND IF SOMEONE SAYS
SOMETHING YOU DON'T AGREE WITH,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOUT THEM
OUT OR SHOUT THEM DOWN OR SHUT
THEM DOWN. WE HAVE DIFFERENCES
OF OPINION. THAT'S WHAT MAKES
US US. SO LEAD WITH RESPECT. ONE
FINAL SHOUT-OUT, OUR SECURITY
FOLKS. I MEAN, YOU'RE ONLY HERE
ALL THE TIME. NO ONE EVER GIVES
YOU ANY PROPS, I WANT TO GIVE
YOU PROPS, RIGHT? THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING
IN CHAMBERS. THANK YOU FOR
TRYING TO CONTROL THE CHAOS.
YEAH. AND THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU FOR
THESE LAST TEN MONTHS. IT TRULY
HAS BEEN AN HONOR. THANK YOU FOR
PLACING YOUR TRUST IN ME TO FILL
THIS POSITION.
COUNCILMEMBER-ELECT LYNN AND I
HAVE MET ALREADY. WE'VE MET
WITH OUR STAFF, WE'VE DONE
TRANSITION. THERE WILL BE SOME
CONTINUITY. AND ONE OF THE
REASONS THERE'S GOING TO BE
CONTINUITY IS BECAUSE WHILE I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY STAFF,
SARAH, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, MY
POLICY DIRECTOR, CHRIS
HENDRICKSON, MY DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH,
MURPHY BUSHES MY DIRECTOR OF
INTERNAL AFFAIRS. WE COULDN'T
HAVE GOTTEN THIS STUFF DONE
WITHOUT THEM. I HAVE A HELL OF A
STAFF, AND I'M GOING TO MISS
THAT STAFF. FORTUNATELY THADDEUS
AND CHRISTY WILL BE STICKING
AROUND TO HELP EDDIE. THADDEUS
IS GOING TO STAY ON AS HIS
POLICY DIRECTOR. CHRIS WILL BE
HERE TEMPORARILY DOING
COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH. SO
MURPHY, THERE YOU GO. THEY NEED
SOME PLACE TO LAND AND I'M
HOPING TO FIND SOME PLACE FOR
THEM TO LAND. THEY NEED SOME
PLACE TO LAND, SEATTLE CHANNEL.
BUT AGAIN, I CAN'T THANK THEM
ENOUGH BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GET DONE WHAT WE
WERE ABLE TO GET DONE WITHOUT
THEM. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR
THIS HONOR, THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY, THANK YOU FOR
PLACING YOUR TRUST IN ME, AND AS
I CLOSE OUT MY LAST NEWSLETTER,
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE
NOW REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA, AND THE NEXT CITY
COUNCIL MEETING -- THANK YOU FOR
THOSE WORDS, VERY HEARTFELT AND
WISE -- THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL
MEETING WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 25th
HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND THE CITY
COUNCIL MEETING -- THE CITY
COUNCIL WILL MEET AGAIN ON
DECEMBER 2nd AT 2:00 P.M. ALL
RIGHT, HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, WE ARE ADJOURNED. IT
IS 2:50. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.