>>> HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, APRIL
28th MEETING OF THE SEATTLE
COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER. IT
IS TO: 02 P.M., I AM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT JOY HOLLINGSWORTH,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] SEVEN
PRESENT POINT
>> AWESOME, AND COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ AND COUNCILMEMBER
STRASSER EXCUSED FOR TODAY'S
MEETING. COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE TWO
PROCLAMATIONS FOR TODAY,
STARTING WITH COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER, THE PROCLAMATION
RECOGNIZING MAY 1st AS
INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED, OFF TO YOU FOR THE
FIRST START POINT
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, I THOUGHT
WE WERE DOING COUNCILMEMBER
CATTLE'S FIRST POINT WE GOT A
LOT OF PEOPLE HERE FOR THAT ONE
POINT BOB AND I WERE HAVING A
JOKE. THANK YOU, I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT, I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO BRING THIS
PROCLAMATION FORTH, AND I'M
REALLY THRILLED POINT EVERY YEAR
ON MAY 1st, WE CELEBRATE
INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY, AND I
KNOW I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
CHAMBERS TODAY WHO LAST YEAR, I
GOT TO SEE OUT IN MARCHES, AND
OFTEN I GET TO SEE AND
ORGANIZING ROOMS, AND WE WANTED
TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AS A
COUNCIL TO HONOR THE WORK OF OUR
LABOR MOVEMENT, INCLUDING OUR
UNION ORGANIZERS, INCLUDING
ORGANIZERS WHO ARE ORGANIZING
WITH WORKING PEOPLE EVERY DAY
AND GET A CHANCE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
MADE A POINT SO, WITH THAT, I
THINK MAYDAY IS NOT JUST A
MOMENT ON A CALENDAR, IT IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REFLECT ON
THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR
DIGNITY, FOR SAFETY, AND FAIR
WAGES FOR WORKERS EVERYWHERE. WE
KNOW THAT THE WORK THAT YOU DO
IS HARD, AND FOR SO MANY
WORKERS, ESPECIALLY IMMIGRANT
WORKERS, BLACK AND BROWN
WORKERS, WORKERS IN LOW-WAGE
SECTORS, IT IS NOT AN ABSTRACT
IDEA, LABOR IS NOT AN ABSTRACT
IDEA. IT IS EVERY DAY, IT IS
PERSONAL, AND IT IS ABOUT WHAT
MOVES US FORWARD. THIS
PROCLAMATION MATTERS BECAUSE HE
GETS TO NAME THAT HISTORY AND
THAT STRUGGLE AND IT NAMES THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL PUT IN DAY IN
AND DAY OUT. AND WE ALSO BELIEVE
IT IS IMPORTANT TO SAY
PROCLAMATION ALONE IS NOT
ENOUGH, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO
ORGANIZE AND TAKE ACTION. SO, WE
ARE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE MAYDAY,
NOT JUST HERE IN CHAMBERS, BUT
ON PICKET LINES, AND ORGANIZING
SPACES, AND IN THE CONTINUED
PUSH FOR BETTER ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY AND BETTER
LIVELIHOODS FOR ALL WORKERS.
BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, I WANT
TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE
THE LABOR ORGANIZERS IN
COMMUNITY WITH US TODAY. IF YOU
ARE A PROUD UNION MEMBER OR PART
OF A WORKER ORGANIZATION, PLEASE
STAND OR RAISE YOUR HAND AS YOU
ARE ABLE, SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, I
HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO LOOK
AROUND AND SEE EACH OTHER AND
FEEL YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR
POWER IN CHAMBERS TODAY. WE ALSO
WANT TO JUST QUICKLY CALL OUT
SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT I KNOW
ARE JOINING US TODAY, PLEASE
FORGIVE ME IF I DON'T HAVE YOU
ALL ON MY LIST, THERE ARE A LOT
OF FANTASTIC OAKS DOWN IN THE
LOBBY, SO THANK YOU. ICM OKAY
LABOR HERE WITH US, 350 SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON, INTERNATIONAL
MIGRANTS ALLIANCE, SCIU 775,
STARBUCKS WORKERS UNITED,
SEATTLE ALLIANCE AGAINST RACISM
AND POLITICAL OPPRESSION, NORTH
SEATTLE PROGRESSIVES, U.S. CW
3000, U.S. AW 4121, ONE AMERICA,
RISE UP, [ INAUDIBLE ], WE'VE
GOT SCIU, THE COALITION OF
INTERNS AND RESIDENTS, SCIU 6,
LOCAL 1495, AND MANY, MANY MORE
WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK EVERY
SINGLE DAY. THANK YOU ALL SO
MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR BEING
HERE. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE
WHOLE PROCLAMATION, I KNOW WE'VE
GOT A WHOLE AGENDA TO GET TO
TODAY, BUT LET ME JUST READ A
QUICK EXCERPT FOR YOU, THEN WE
ARE GOING TO ASK FOLKS TO COME
UP AND SHARE A FEW WORDS POINT
WHEREAS MAY 1st, INTERNATIONAL
WORKERS DAY, HONORS THE GLOBAL
STRUGGLE FOR WORKERS RIGHTS
ROOTED IN THE MOVEMENT FOR THE
EIGHT HOUR WORKDAY, AND CARRIED
FORWARD BY GENERATIONS OF
WORKING PEOPLE ORGANIZING FOR
DIGNITY, SAFETY, AND FAIR WAGES.
MAYDAY IS RECOGNIZED ALL OVER
THE WORLD WITH INTERNATIONAL
WORKERS DAY CELEBRATED ACROSS
CULTURES AS WORKERS COME
TOGETHER TO UPLIFT THE STRUGGLES
AND VICTORIES IN CREATING
SYSTEMIC CHANGE, THE FIGHT THAT
IMMIGRANT WORKERS IN THE U.S.
HAVE REIGNITED. WHEREAS
SEATTLE'S LABOR MOVEMENT
REPRESENTS WORKERS ALL ACROSS
OUR ECONOMY FROM PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS TO BUILDING TRADES UNION
MEMBERS, SERVICE EMPLOYEES,
MARITIME WORKERS, ORGANIZING FOR
A MORE JUST AND FAIR, EQUITABLE
WORKING CONDITIONS. WHEREAS
SEATTLE WORKERS WHO ARE FROM
HERE AND WHO COME HERE AS
CAREGIVERS, PARENTS, NEIGHBORS,
AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND THE
DEDICATION OF SERVICE WORKERS
FROM ALL COUNTRIES POWERS EVERY
SECTOR OF OUR ECONOMY IS A
REMINDER TO KEEP INVESTING IN
LIBRARIES, HEALTHCARE, PUBLIC
SPACES, AND TRANSIT WHILE
CONTINUING TO BUILD PATHWAYS OF
OPPORTUNITY. NOW THEREFORE, THE
MAYOR AND THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL PROCLAIMED MAY 1st, 2026
TO BE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY.
>> YAY.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ALL RIGHT. AND WITH THAT, I
WILL HAND IT BACK OVER TO THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO IS GOING
TO FACILITATE INVITING PEOPLE TO
SPEAK THAT'S AWESOME, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
COLLEAGUES, DOES ANYBODY HAVE
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE
FLOOR ABOUT THE PROCLAMATION AT
HAND? WELL, LET ME JUST TAKE
THIS TIME TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
COMING TO COUNCIL CHAMBERS. WE
WERE ALL HAPPY TO SIGN ON TO
THIS PROCLAMATION. WE KNOW WE
HAVE A TON OF OUR LABOR UNION
FRIENDS AND BROTHERS -- WE SAY
BROTHER AND SISTERS, RIGHT? CAN
I SAY IT BECAUSE I'M NOT -- AM
I ALLOWED TO SAY? SIBLINGS,
SIBLINGS, THANK YOU. OKAY,
SIBLINGS IN THE ROOM TODAY AND
WE ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE
YOU, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT LABOR
IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR CITY AND
OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ARE JUST SO
HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SIGN ONTO
THIS PROCLAMATION, AND ALSO, WE
HAVE SOME GUESTS WERE GOING TO
SPEAK NEXT, AND SO, NOW, ARE
THERE ANY COMMENTS? NO, SO,
HEARING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, IF
THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, RULES
ARE GOING TO BE SUSPENDED FOR
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER TO PRESENT
THE PROCLAMATION AND FOR OUR
GUESTS TO COME UP AND DO SOME
COMMENT AS WELL. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, ALL RIGHT, THE RULES
ARE SUSPENDED, AND I BELIEVE
TODAY, WE HAVE WORK IN
WASHINGTON HERE, I HAVE CJ MAX
AND EMMANUEL , ARE YOU ALL HERE?
AWESOME. FOLLOWING THAT, WE HAVE
AN OKAY LABOR, SO WE HAVE KATIE,
PIA, KARINA, AND SHAWNEE WHO ARE
HERE. YOU ALL ARE NEXT. AND THEN
WE HAVE SHAMIKA CARTER FROM
WASHINGTON STATE LABOR COUNCIL,
AND THEN KAREN FROM PROTECT 17,
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU ALL
SPEAKING, SO WORKING WASHINGTON,
YOU ALL ARE FIRST, THANK YOU.
YEAH, ANY MICROPHONE YOU WANT.
>> YEAH, I GO FOR THE SHORTER
ONE. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE,
MY NAME IS CJ GARCIA, I AM THE
CODIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING
WASHINGTON. IS STATEWIDE
ORGANIZING HOME FOR MULTIRACIAL
WORKERS , A MOVEMENT ACROSS
DIFFERENT SECTORS ALL ACROSS THE
STATE. WE KNOW THAT WORKERS
ACROSS THE STATE ARE TAKING
ACTION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
WORKER POWER CHANGES EVERYTHING.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN WORKERS
ORGANIZE, THEY CANNOT ONLY JUST
SHIFT THE CURRENT CONDITIONS
THAT WE ARE FACING, WE CAN SET
AN AGENDA THAT CENTERS
WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE. IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. WE ARE FACING
IMMEASURABLE ATTACKS RIGHT NOW.
THE BUILDING CLASS AND THE
CORPORATIONS HAVE BEEN
RELENTLESS ABOUT SIPHONING OUR
RESOURCES FOR THEIR BENEFIT,
USING THEIR WEALTH TO BUY
ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DO THEIR
DEALINGS, AND STRIP US AWAY FROM
PROTECTIONS FROM IMMIGRANT
PEOPLE, TRANS PEOPLE, WORKERS
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEY
CONTINUE TO DO THAT TO A ROAD
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION,
AND LIVE SERVICES THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES NEED TO SURVIVE.
THEY DO THIS BECAUSE THEY KNOW
THAT WHEN THEY KEEP US IN A DEEP
STATE OF SURVIVAL AND THEY PAID
US AGAINST EACH OTHER, [
INAUDIBLE ]. AND WHILE THEY ARE
BREAKING RECORD PROFITS, EVERY
DAY WORKING PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO
PAY RENT, PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE,
AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH. WE ARE TAKING ACTION AND
STANDING TOGETHER TO PUT [
INAUDIBLE ] AND SAY WE ARE NOT
POWERLESS. WE'RE SETTING A
PRO-WORKER AGENDA THAT MEETS
PEOPLE'S NEEDS, THAT GIVES A
PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT, THAT
MAKES OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
REPRESENT OUR EVERYDAY PEOPLE'S
NEEDS. AND THAT THOSE AGENDAS
ARE GOING TO CHANGE
FUNDAMENTALLY PEOPLE'S EVERYDAY
LIFE. WORKER POWER MAKES
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. MAYDAY IS
JUST ABOUT THAT, IT IS ABOUT
WORKER POWER, SO I HOPE YOU JOIN
US AND BUILD A POWER TOGETHER,
THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> LABOR IS NEXT, AND THEN THE
WASHINGTON STATE LABOR COUNCIL.
AND PROTECT 17 POINT
>> FANTASTIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH
AND COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER FOR
HAVING US HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS
KATIE AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE
SECRETARY-TREASURER FOR MLK
LABOR. OUR ORGANIZATION WAS
FOUNDED IN 1888 BY DOCKWORKERS,
LOGGERS, AND FARMERS WHO KNEW
FOR AS LONG AS THERE HAS BEEN
INDUSTRY IN THIS REGION THAT
WORKERS NEEDED TO BIND OURSELVES
TOGETHER FOR OUR FAIR SHARE. I
AM HERE AT THE MICROPHONE, BUT
AM OKAY LABOR IS AN ORGANIZATION
OF LEADERS , COMPOSED OF MANY
LEADERS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST RECOGNIZE
OUR PRESIDENT, DUSTIN, WHO IS
HERE, OUR VICE PRESIDENT,
STÉPHANE, AND OUR BOARD
MEMBERS, [ INAUDIBLE ] WHO ARE
ALSO HERE WITH US TODAY, AS WELL
AS THE ENTIRE MLK LABOR STAFF. I
APPRECIATE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
TO OUR LABOR MOVEMENT. UM, THE
EIGHT HOUR WORKDAY, THE FIVE
DAY, 40 HOUR WORKWEEK,
MINIMUM-WAGE OSHA, [ INAUDIBLE ]
INDUSTRY DID NOT JUST GIVE THESE
THINGS TO WORKERS, THEY WERE ALL
HARD-FOUGHT VICTORIES. AND WE
HAVE THEM BECAUSE WE CAME
TOGETHER AND FOUGHT FOR THEM.
TODAY IS ALSO WORKER MEMORIAL
DAY, WHICH IS THE DAY THAT WE
HONOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED ON
THE JOB. LAST YEAR, 115 PEOPLE
DIED IN WASHINGTON STATE WHILE
THEY WERE AT WORK. THIS IS A
REMINDER TO ALL OF US THAT OUR
WORK IS NOT YET COMPLETE. MAYDAY
IS OUR DAY, AND THIS YEAR, WE
ARE SHOWING UP TO SHUT IT DOWN,
AS IS OUR TRADITION WITH THE
LABOR MOVEMENT AND THE IMMIGRANT
RIGHTS MOVEMENT, WE ARE COMING
TOGETHER THIS FRIDAY AT CAL
ANDERSON PARK. ALL WORKERS ARE
INVITED TO JOIN US. MAYDAY WAS
THE VERY FIRST DEMONSTRATION I
EVER PARTICIPATED IN. SIX --
WELL, ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO NOW,
AND IT WAS THE THING THAT GAVE
ME THE COURAGE TO STAND UP AND
JOIN A PICKET LINE AT MY FIRST
UNIONIZED WORKPLACE, BECAUSE IT
WAS NOT SO FOREIGN TO JOIN IN
COLLECTIVE ACTION. I WANT TO
RECOGNIZE PIERRE RIVERA JONES,
AND MORENO, AND MARIE WHO ARE
THE THREE COCHAIRS OF THIS
YEAR'S MAYDAY MARCH, FOR THEIR
EXCELLENT WORK STEWARDING OUR
MULTIRACIAL, MULTI-UNION
COALITION TOGETHER. AND I ALSO
JUST WANT TO FINALLY SAY THAT
THE LABOR MOVEMENT IS ONE IN
FIVE WORKERS IN AMERICA IS AN
IMMIGRANT WORKER, AND WE KNOW
THAT THEY ARE UNDER THE GREATEST
LEVEL OF ATTACK RIGHT NOW. THEY
ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY AND OUR LABOR MOVEMENT,
AND WE WILL STAND SHOULDER TO
SHOULDER WITH THEM TO DEFEND
THEIR RIGHTS AS A LABOR
MOVEMENT. THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS
SHERITA CARTER, SECRETARY-TREASU
RER OF THE WASHINGTON STATE
LABOR COUNCIL, REPRESENTING OVER
HALF 1 MILLION WORKERS ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE. THE WS OC IS
THE VOICE OF LABOR, SO THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THIS PROCLAMATION
AND FOR RECOGNIZING MAYDAY, NOT
JUST AS A MOMENT, BUT AS A
MOVEMENT. MAYDAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN
ABOUT WORKERS SHOWING UP FOR
EACH OTHER, FOR JUSTICE, AND FOR
A BETTER FUTURE. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS I VALUE MOST ABOUT THIS
DAY IS THAT IT DOESN'T BELONG
TO JUST ONE PLACE. IT LIVES IN
CITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND
ACROSS THE WORLD. AND EVERY
YEAR, WORKERS TAKE TO THE
STREETS, AND THIS YEAR WILL BE
NO DIFFERENT HERE IN WASHINGTON,
WHETHER WE ARE IN SEATTLE,
SPOKANE, TACOMA, OR MANY OTHER
PLACES TO RAISE OUR VOICES
TOGETHER. [ INAUDIBLE ]
SOMETHING I'VE NEVER DONE
BEFORE, I WILL GO MARCHING
ALONGSIDE MY BROTHER, WHO IS A
UNION ELECTRICIAN, A THIRD-YEAR
APPRENTICE. AND THAT MEANS
SOMETHING TO ME BECAUSE THIS
MOVEMENT IS NOT ABSTRACT, IT IS
PERSONAL. IT IS ABOUT FAMILY AND
IT IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE LOVE
HAVING ACCESS TO GOOD JOBS, JOBS
THAT PROVIDE STABILITY, A VOICE,
AND DIGNITY. UNIONS CHANGE
LIVES. THEY MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR
WORKING PEOPLE TO BUILD
SOMETHING SOLID, TO SUPPORT
THEIR FAMILIES, TO PLAN FOR THE
FUTURE, AND TO STAND UP ON THE
JOB AND BE HEARD. THEY TURN JOBS
INTO CAREERS. THE UNIONS TURNED
STRUGGLE INTO POWER, THEY TURN
ISOLATION INTO SOLIDARITY, AND
THAT IS WORTH CELEBRATING. BUT
TODAY ALSO HOLDS ANOTHER
MEETING. TODAY'S RECORDS
MEMORIAL DAY, A DAY WHERE WE
PAUSE TO REMEMBER WORKERS WHO
WENT TO WORK AND NEVER CAME
HOME. A DAY THAT REMINDS US THAT
DIGNITY AT WORK MUST INCLUDE
SAFETY. THAT EVERY WORKER
DESERVES AND NOT JUST A GOOD
JOB, BUT A SAFE ONE. AND SO
TODAY, WE HOLD THE LINE FOR
SAINT PETE IN THEIR MEMORY. SO,
AS WE CELEBRATE MAYDAY, WE ALSO
CARRY THAT RESPONSIBILITY WITH
US TO KEEP FIGHTING, TO KEEP
ORGANIZING, TO KEEP BUILDING A
WORLD WHERE NO ONE HAS TO RISK
THEIR LIFE JUST TO MAKE A
LIVING. THAT'S WHAT MAYDAY
REPRESENTS, ELECTIVE POWER,
SHARED PURPOSE, AND THE BELIEF
THAT WHEN WORKERS STAND
TOGETHER, WE CAN SHAPE THE
FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR STANDING
WITH WORKERS AND FOR RECOGNIZING
THE POWER AND PROMISE OF THIS
DAY. I AM PROUD TO ACCEPT THIS
PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF
WASHINGTON'S LABOR MOVEMENT
THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, AND KAREN,
WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS AND LABOR
COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS KAREN AND
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
PROTECT 17 POINT I'M GRATEFUL
FOR THE INCREDIBLE NUMBERS AND
LEADERS AND STAFF OF OUR UNION
THAT ARE JOINING ME TODAY.
PROTECT 17 REPRESENTS OVER
10,000 WORKING PEOPLE ACROSS THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST WITH OVER 3000
WORKING FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
FROM ACCOUNTANTS TO ENGINEERS,
TRANSIT PROFESSIONALS TO PUBLIC
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, CIVIL
RIGHTS ANALYSTS AND URBAN
PLANNERS, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL
AND HONORED TO BE CELEBRATING
THIS PROCLAMATION WITH YOU, AND
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER FOR INVITING US HERE AND
BRINGING OUR LABOR COMMUNITY
HERE IN HONOR OF INTERNATIONAL
WORKERS DAY. UNITY IS
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN OUR
CURRENT TUMULTUOUS POLITICAL
CLIMATE. OUR CITY, OUR COUNTRY,
AND OUR WORLD MUST REMEMBER AND
CHANNEL OUR PAST LABOR
SOLIDARITY TO CREATE A BRIGHTER
AND MORE HOPEFUL FUTURE . AND
HERE LOCALLY, WE HAVE A RICH
HISTORY TO DRAW FROM. IN THIS
CITY, OVER 100 YEARS AGO, LOCAL
LABOR UNIONS LED THE VERY FIRST
CITYWIDE WORK STOPPAGE IN U.S.
HISTORY. THE 1919 GENERAL STRIKE
WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR MANY
THINGS. THE SHEER AMOUNT OF
WORKERS THAT PARTICIPATED IN IT,
OVER 65,000, THE FACT THAT IT
REMAINED PEACEFUL, AND THE LOCAL
LEGACY THAT SHAPES THE VERY
FOUNDATION FOR ONE OF THE MOST
UNION DENSE PLACES IN OUR
COUNTRY TODAY. THE SUCCESS OF
THE SEATTLE GENERAL STRIKE WAS
ROOTED IN ITS SOLIDARITY AS A
LABOR MOVEMENT, WITH OVER 100
UNIONS COMING TOGETHER TO RESET
THE SCALES OF POWER AND IGNITE
CHANGE. THOSE OF US IN THIS ROOM
UNDERSTAND THE WORK , THE
COORDINATION, AND THE ORGANIZING
THIS MUST HAVE TAKEN. THEY FACED
OPPOSITION, DISAGREEMENT, AND
SKEPTICISM, AND THE DEBT WITHOUT
CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, THEY
HELD STRONG TO THEIR COMMON
INTEREST OF STOPPING INJUSTICE
AND BUILDING POWER FOR WORKERS.
IT WAS ABOUT CLASS, IT WAS ABOUT
SAFETY FOR ALL. IT WAS ABOUT
PROTECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES. VERY SIMILAR
TO WHAT WE ARE FACING TODAY. IT
WAS ABOUT KNOWING [ INAUDIBLE ]
WHICH SIDE YOU ARE ON, AND SO, I
WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS
PROCLAMATION AS ONE OF THOSE
THAT IS PRIVILEGED AND PROUD TO
CARRY UNION [ INAUDIBLE ] AS
MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM ARE, IT
IS OUR WORK TO LEAD THE WAY FOR
STRONGER PROTECTIONS, INCREASE
SAFETY, AND CREATE A DEEP SENSE
OF VALUE AND PRIDE IN EACH
OTHER'S WORK. COLLECTIVELY, THE
PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND THE
ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE
SUPPORTING THIS PROCLAMATION, WE
WILL KEEP PUSHING BOLD,
INCREDIBLE, AND HISTORICAL
CHANGE TO ENSURE THAT SEATTLE
REMAINS A VIBRANT WORLD-CLASS
CITY. AND SO TODAY, WE HONOR AND
CELEBRATE ALL WORKERS,
RECOGNIZING THAT EVERY WORKING
PERSON PROVIDES CONTRIBUTIONS TO
OUR CITY . TOGETHER, WE WILL
DRAW STRENGTH FROM OUR PAST AND
WE WILL KNOW WHICH SIDE WE ARE
ON AND WE WILL FIGHT AND
CELEBRATE WITH JOY AND STRUGGLE.
THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE'S LABOR
MOVEMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND
SOLIDARITY FOREVER, AND HAPPY
MAYDAY.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
ALL, AND COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER,
BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO
ALL OF THE SPEAKERS WHO ARE WITH
US TODAY. BEFORE WE INVITE THE
SPEAKERS UP TO TAKE A QUICK
PHOTO, [ INAUDIBLE ], SO SHOUT
OUT TO YOU ALL, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. AND I ALSO JUST WANT
TO TAKE A SECOND, I WANT TO
APPRECIATE -- WE SIT HERE AS
ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT IT IS
ACTUALLY ALSO THE WORKERS WHO
WORK FOR US TO DO A LOT, SO I
REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT
TO MY WHOLE TEAM FOR THE WORK ON
ORGANIZING THIS EVENT, BUT
ESPECIALLY TO [ INAUDIBLE ] IN
THE BACK FOR REACHING OUT,
COORDINATING, AND HELPING MAKE
SO MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP, AND HAVE
SUCH A SEAMLESS MOMENT FOR US TO
CELEBRATE MAYDAY, SO THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND [
INAUDIBLE ] .
>> ONE MORE SPEAKER. ONE MORE
SPEAKER.
>> SURE, ARE YOU DOING PUBLIC
COMMENTS ARE FOR THE
PROCLAMATION?
>> I'M HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> WE ARE DOING THE
PROCLAMATION, AND THEN PUBLIC
COMMENTERS WE GET TO AFTER THE
PROCLAMATION. SO, THAT'S AFTER
--
>> I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH
THE WORKERS. MY ISSUE IS WITH
THE WORKERS. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO
COMMENT ON THAT.
>> AND YOU CAN DO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY. CAN WE MAKE SURE SHE
GETS SIGNED UP ON THE THING?
MA'AM, WE WILL GET YOU SIGNED
UP, SO YOU CAN COME AND SPEAK
POINT OKAY, PERFECT, PERFECT,
PERFECT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW
WE ARE GOING TO INVITE THE
SPEAKERS WHO CAME UP, IT IS A
TRADITION THAT WE TAKE A PICTURE
WITH THE COUNCIL, SO IF WE CAN
INVITE THOSE SPEAKERS UP, WE
WILL TAKE A PHOTO, AND I WANT TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE STUDENTS
WHO WERE OUTSIDE, YOU CAN KIND
OF SEE US, WE JUST WANT TO THANK
ALL THE STUDENTS WHO ARE OUT
THERE. YOU CAN HEAR US, THOUGH.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO COUNCIL,
THE YOUNG KIDS, THE YOUNG
BABIES, WE LOVE YOU ALL. SO, THE
SPEAKERS, IF YOU WILL JUST COME
UP RIGHT BEHIND AND WE ARE GOING
TO TAKE A PHOTO. AND IF WE CAN
GET [ INAUDIBLE ] TO COME IN THE
MIDDLE, WHO IS GOING TO TAKE THE
PHOTO. AWESOME. AND YOU WILL
JUST COME UP HERE ON THE STAIRS.
WE ARE ALL FRIENDS.
>> AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER, YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, YOU ARE IN
THE MIDDLE. LET US KNOW WHEN YOU
ARE READY.
>> ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, DEANNA
LEE. LET US KNOW WHEN YOU ARE
READY.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANKS.
>> IT'S A NICE COLOR ON YOU, BY
THE WAY.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> WE HAVE OUR SECOND
PROCLAMATION, AND THEN RIGHT
AFTER THAT, WE GO RIGHT INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT, OKAY? SO, OUR
SECOND PROCLAMATION,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, YOU HAVE
PROCLAIMED IT TO BE NATIONAL
THERAPY ANIMAL DAY. ALL RIGHT,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, IT IS OFF
TO YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> YES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. AS
NOTED TO ME, NATIONAL THERAPY
ANIMAL DAY IS NOT JUST ABOUT
CELEBRATING CURRENT THERAPY, IT
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE
MORE PET OWNERS TO CONSIDER
BECOMING VOLUNTEERS, CREATING A
HAPPIER, HEALTHIER COMMUNITY
THROUGH GREATER ACCESS TO SAFE
AND MEANINGFUL THERAPY ANIMAL
VISITS, WHICH IS ALSO VERY GOOD
FOR OUR LABOR COMMUNITY, TOO.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT
POINT, AND ALSO THANK MR. GREG
LEE OF PET PARTNERS. YOU KNOW,
THIS GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS AT
SEATTLE VA HOSPITAL, SEATTLE
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL,
PROVIDENCE, SWEDISH, UW, AND
THEN GROUPS LIKE THE UNION
GOSPEL MISSION, IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT WORK THAT IS BEING
DONE. AND WITH THAT, COLLEAGUES,
I WILL LEAVE -- READ THE
PROCLAMATION. SO, WHEREAS PET
PARTNERS HAS DESIGNATED APRIL
30th AS NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMAL
DAY, AND WHEREAS SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT INTERACTING
WITH THERAPY ANIMALS CAN REDUCE
STRESS, RELIEVE DEPRESSION, SLOW
HEART RATE, LOWER BLOOD
PRESSURE, AND STRENGTHEN THE
IMMUNE SYSTEM, AND WHEREAS
THERAPY ANIMAL TEAMS IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE PLAY AN ESSENTIAL
ROLE IN IMPROVING HUMAN HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING THROUGH
HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND, AND WHEREAS
THERAPY ANIMAL TEAMS INTERACT
WITH A VARIETY OF PEOPLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY, PUTTING VETERANS,
SENIORS, PATIENTS, STUDENTS, AND
THOSE APPROACHING END OF LIFE.
AND WHEREAS THESE EXCEPTIONAL
THERAPY ANIMALS WILL PARTNER
WITH THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS,
BRING COMFORT AND HEALING TO
THOSE IN NEED, AND WHEREAS WE
ENCOURAGE MORE PET OWNERS TO
CONSIDER BECOMING PET PARTNERS,
VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY
BY CREATING GREATER ACCESS TO
MEANINGFUL THERAPY ANIMAL
VISITS. SO NOW, THEREFORE, THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL PROCLAIMS
APRIL 30th , 2026 TO BE NATIONAL
THERAPY ANIMAL DAY.
>> AWESOME.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND THANK YOU, MR.
GREG LEE.
>> ARE THERE ANY -- BEFORE WE
ASK YOU TO COME UP TO SAY A FEW
WORDS, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS
REGARDING THIS? I KNOW WE HAVE
THIS YESTERDAY IN OUR CANCEL
BRIEFING, SO PEOPLE MAY COMMENT.
MR. GREG LEE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO
COME AND SAY A FEW WORDS, AND
YOUR DOG IS, TOO, IF THEY WANT
TO TALK.
>> [ LAUGHTER ] THANK YOU, CITY
COUNCIL, MY NAME IS GREG LEE, I
AM [ INAUDIBLE ] . AND I'M
SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN GIVING
BACK AND VOLUNTEERING IS A VERY
IMPORTANT THING. A RESCUE DOG, I
ADOPTED HIM FOUR YEARS AGO FOR
THE WASHINGTON GERMAN SHEPHERD
RESCUE, AND OUR JOURNEY STARTED
AT PET PARTNERS TWO YEARS AGO,
AND WE HAVE VISITED OVER 2000
PEOPLE IF NOT MORE. AND IT
STARTED IN CAPITOL HILL AT A
RECOVERY PROGRAM. AND IT MOVED
ON TO STUDENTS AND INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS AT UW, AND WE CURRENTLY
VISIT THREE HOSPITALS, SWEDISH
-- WE WILL BE VISITING SEATTLE
CHILDREN'S TOMORROW, AND THE VA
ON THURSDAY, SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING AND
RECOGNIZING ANIMAL ASSISTED
THERAPY AS WE ATTEST FIRSTHAND
HOW COMFORTING AND HEALING A PET
CAN BE TO PEOPLE, SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ] COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, THE RULES -- IF THERE
ARE NO OBJECTIONS, THE RULES ARE
GOING TO BE SUSPENDED, SO YOU
CAN PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION TO
GREG. DID YOU ALSO WANT A
PICTURE WITH VLOGGER, TOO, AS
WELL? OKAY, AWESOME, LET'S TAKE
A PICTURE WITH LOGGER AND WE
WILL JUMP INTO PUBLIC COMMENT
BUT I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS
FOR BEING PATIENT AS WE DO OUR
-- COLLEAGUES, WE ARE GOING TO
COME DOWN TO THE FRONT, SO WE
HAVE A PICTURE WITH LOGGER, AND
MR. GREG LEE. WE CAN TAKE IT
RIGHT HERE. AWESOME, PERFECT,
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S JUMP RIGHT
INTO THE MEETING. ALL RIGHT, SO
WE ARE GOING TO TRANSITION INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT. GREG, HOW OLD --
NOT HOW OLD IS LOGGER, BUT HOW
MUCH DOES HE WEIGH? 95 POUNDS,
THAT'S A BIG BOY. ALL RIGHT.
COLLEAGUES, AT THIS TIME, WE ARE
GOING TO NOW OPEN THAT HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC
COMMENT IS LIMITED TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA, THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR, AND THE COUNCIL'S
WORK PROGRAM. THE COUNCIL CANNOT
ACCEPT COMMENTS ON QUASI
JUDICIAL ITEMS WERE ON CAMPAIGN
RELATED MATTERS. CLERK, MANY
SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED IN?
>> SO, WE HAVE FOUR REMOTE .
YES, THAT'S 4.4 REMOTE AND --
14 IN PERSON.
>> AWESOME, ALL RIGHT, SO THAT
IS 18 SPEAKERS, EVERYONE IS
GOING TO GET TWO MINUTES. CLERK,
WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE RULES
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?
>> SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
TIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF
THEIR TIME. SPEAKER'S
MICROPHONES WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DO NOT END THEIR COMMENTS
WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER. SO, FIRST UP, WE MISS
CAROLYN MALONE, FOLLOWED BY
CHRIS HENDRICKSON, NATHAN WALL,
CJ GARCIA, BENNETT, AND THEN WE
HAVE DEREK, FOLLOWED BY BETTY,
GABRIEL, MARIA, AND GWENDOLYN.
THEN WE HAVE M. SMITH , JASON,
SUMMER, AND EVEN THAT. AND THEN
WE WILL SWITCH TO ONLINE. MISS
CAROLYN MALONE. WELCOME.
>> I AM CAROLYN MALONE. ON
AUGUST 28th, I WENT TO THE
SEATTLE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT OF
RACISM AND RETALIATION WHERE I
LIVE. ON OCTOBER 30th, THE
OFFICE SOC ARE WAS CLOSED FOR 2
1/2 MONTHS, A PAINT JOB. ON
NOVEMBER 6, I FILED AND SIGNED
MY FORMAL COMPLAINT, AND WAITED
FOR AN INVESTIGATOR TO BE
ASSIGNED TO ME. FINALLY, ONE WAS
ASSIGNED. I REJECTED HIM BECAUSE
I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN HIS
ABILITY TO ACT IMPARTIALLY ON MY
BEHALF. AND FAST-FORWARD, I ASK
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR , DEREK
WHEELER SMITH, AND I WAS TOLD
REPEATEDLY, HE IS ON LEAVE. AND
THEN I FOUND OUT THAT HE IS ON
LEAVE FOR JUST BOMBSHELL REASON
FOR HE HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED FOR
UNION TAMPERING, SEXUAL
HARASSMENT, JUST A LAUNDRY LIST.
AND ALSO, HIS ASSISTANT ,
DIRECTOR FATIMA , AND THE OFFICE
AS SO CR SEEMS TO BE IN CHAOS,
SO MY POINT IS I'M CONCERNED
THAT MY CASE WILL NOT BE
INVESTIGATED, WILL JUST GO AWAY,
OR SOC R WILL GO AWAY, SO I AM
WONDERING WHAT THE COUNCIL IS
DOING ABOUT IT. ARE YOU AWARE
THAT MR. WHEELER SMITH IS ON
LEAVE FOR REASONS THAT PUBLIC
COLA PRINTED OUT. I HAVEN'T
SEEN [ INAUDIBLE ] IN THE
SEATTLE TIMES ABOUT ALL OF THESE
CHARGES AGAINST HIM, SO, I WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ,
THANK YOU. X THANK YOU, MISS
CAROLYN. NEXT, WE HAVE CHRIS,
WELCOME. FOLLOWED BY NATHAN, AND
THEN CJ GARCIA, AND BENNETT.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL. [ INAUDIBLE
], MY NAME IS CHRIS HENDRICKSON,
I AM A D7 RESIDENT. BUT TODAY, I
AM HERE ON BEHALF OF MY FRIENDS
AT BRIGHTON COMMUNITIES. I'M
DOING A LITTLE BIT OF
VOLUNTEERING FOR THEM THIS
WEEKEND NEXT WEEK, AND SO, I
WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE COUNCIL
TO ATTEND THE COMMUNITY
CELEBRATION AT BRIGHTON
COMMUNITIES. THIS EVENT TAKES
PLACE MAY 7th, WHICH IS NEXT
THURSDAY FROM 4:00 TO 6:00. I
HOPE THAT YOU CAN ALL COME.
MAYOR WILL BE THERE SPEAKING.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH. I HAVE BEEN BUSY HANGING
THESE FLYERS UP EVERYWHERE, SO
I'M JUST GOING TO READ A TINY
LITTLE SEGMENT, SO YOU KNOW MORE
ABOUT WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. AT
THE CENTER OF THE CELEBRATION IS
A THREE POINT $5 MILLION
INVESTMENT FROM AMAZON
SUPPORTING THE RENOVATION OF A
124 UNIT BRIGHTON APARTMENTS,
ONE OF THE LAST DEEPLY PORTABLE
SENIOR PORTABLE HOUSING
COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE. THIS
PLACE IS PRECIOUS. IT REFLECTS
THE GROWING MODEL WERE PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE AND COMMUNITY LED
ORGANIZATIONS WORK TOGETHER TO
PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY WHILE
BUILDING LONG-TERM PATHWAYS TO
OWNERSHIP AND GENERATIONAL
WEALTH. SO, THEY ARE AWESOME. I
LOVE THEM SO MUCH, AND I HOPE TO
SEE YOU ALL THERE. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU, CHRIS.
NEXT, WE HAVE NATHAN WALL
FOLLOWED BY CJ, THEN BENNETT,
DEREK, BETTY, GABRIEL, MARIA,
GWENDOLYN.
>> SO, FIRST I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THE VISION ZERO. I BELIEVE
IT IS WELL-INTENTIONED, BUT I
DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THIS IS
NECESSARY. I THINK WE KIND OF
ALREADY KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO
TO REALIZE VISION ZERO IN THE
CITY, AND THAT IS MAKE IT HARDER
TO DRIVE TOO FAST AND SPEAK
ILLEGALLY, AND I THINK LIKE WHAT
WE SEE ON RAINIER, WHAT WE SEE
ON MLK AND AURORA, WE NEED --
THESE DECISIONS AREN'T REALLY
POLITICALLY POPULAR DECISIONS,
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE THEM,
BECAUSE SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN CONVENIENCE. SO, I BELIEVE
THE BUDGET DEFICIT WE ARE IN
RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK IT IS
NECESSARY BECAUSE IN MY OPINION,
WE ALREADY LARGELY DO KNOW WHAT
WE NEED TO DO, SO, I DON'T
THINK THIS IS LIKE A BAD
INTENTIONED IDEA, I JUST -- I
ACTUALLY THINK IT IS
WELL-INTENTIONED, I THINK YOU DO
WANT TO SEE PEOPLE STOP DYING ON
OUR STREETS, BUT I JUST THINK
THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO DO IT.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO SAY, I AM
HAPPY TO HEAR THAT ONE OF THE
COMPANIES PULLED OUT OF BUILDING
AN A.I. DATA CENTER IN OUR CITY.
WE CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO
RESIST USING AIA AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, AND WE NEED TO HOLD
CORPORATIONS LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ]
ACCOUNTABLE FOR TRYING TO BUILD
THESE DATA CENTERS, AS WELL AS
TRYING TO BUILD AN ICE DETENTION
CENTER. I WANT TO REITERATE MY
CALL FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO
HOLD MAYOR JOE [ INAUDIBLE ]'S
POINT ACCOUNTABLE, BECAUSE HE IS
-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS
POSITION IS WITH THE COMPANY,
BUT IT IS HIS FAMILY'S COMPANY.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO
BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HUNT
'S POINT UNTIL THEY STOP DOING
THIS, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE
RESIDENTS WOULD PROBABLY SUPPORT
US IN THAT. FINALLY, I WANT TO
SAY, I THINK THE CITY OF SEATTLE
NEEDS TO JOIN CITY OF SEATTLE IN
CALLING FOR [ INAUDIBLE ]. HIS
CONDUCT OF STALKING HIS
EX-FIANCE, AND THEN MOCKING HER
ON FACEBOOK WITH POSTS ABOUT
SOAKING IN A TUB AFTER NOT -- HE
DOESN'T HAVE TO WEAR AN ANKLE
MONITOR BECAUSE HE IS
LYMPHEDEMA, YOU SHOULDN'T BE
MOCKING HER ON FACEBOOK ABOUT
IT. WHILE THAT IS NOT CRITICAL,
YOU SHOULDN'T BE AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL, SO --
>> THANK YOU, NATHAN. NEXT, WE
HAVE CJ GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY
BENNETT, DEREK, BETTY, GABRIEL,
MARIA, GWENDOLYN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS CJ
GARCIA, AND THE CODIRECTOR OF
ORGANIZING [ INAUDIBLE ]
WASHINGTON. I WANTED TO TAKE THE
TIME TODAY TO THANK YOU, THANK
THE CITY, CITY COUNCIL, AND
OFFICE OF STANDARDS FOR THEIR
WORK IN ANALYZING THE DATA FROM
FIVE BIG DELIVERY APPS AND
PUBLISHING A REPORT ABOUT THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF GIG WORKER
PROTECTIONS IN THE CITY. FOR A
LONG TIME, WORKERS HAVE BEEN
SAYING THAT GIG WORKER
PROTECTIONS LIKE PAY [ INAUDIBLE
] ARE WORKING. AND TWO YEARS
AGO, WORKERS HAD TO FIGHT BACK
AGAINST AT COMPANIES IN THEIR
BAD-FAITH ATTEMPT TO TEAR OUT
THOSE PROTECTIONS BEFORE THE
DATA WAS EVEN IN. NOW THAT WE
HAVE THE APPS ON DATA BACKING UP
WHAT WORKERS HAVE BEEN SAYING,
IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO
HIGHLIGHT RAISING LABOR
STANDARDS AND IMPROVING WORKER
PROTECTIONS HELPS EVERYONE. THE
DATA SHOWS THAT DELIVERY DRIVERS
PAY AND THE NUMBER OF DELIVERY
ORDERS WENT UP AND CONTINUE TO
GO UP EVEN AFTER THE PAYMENT
ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT. JUST
AS IMPORTANTLY, PAY IS NOW EVEN
MORE RELIABLE BECAUSE OF [
INAUDIBLE ] AND IT MAKES UP A
LARGE PERCENTAGE INSTEAD OF
CUSTOMER TIPS THAT COULD
FLUCTUATE FROM ONE ORATOR TO
ANOTHER. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT
THE COUNCIL BUILT THE STUDY IN
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DATA
AND THE COUNCIL LISTENED TO
WORKERS AND STAY COMMITTED TO
MAKING DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS,
DESPITE THE FIERCE PRESSURE FROM
CORPORATIONS AND [ INAUDIBLE ].
WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THAT IN
SEATTLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU, CJ. NEXT,
WE HAVE BENNETT, FOLLOWED BY
DEREK, BETTY, GABRIEL, MARIA,
GWENDOLYN.
>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL. I WOULD LIKE TO
ADVOCATE FOR A DIFFERENT
EMPHASIS IN MEASURING SUCCESS
AND FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS, WHICH
IS TO MEASURE THE REDUCTION IN
THE NUMBER OF NEW HOMELESSNESS
RATHER THAN FOCUS ON [ INAUDIBLE
] TOTAL NUMBER, AND THE REASON
FOR THIS IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF
HOMELESSNESS IS A DIFFICULT
NUMBER TO MAKE A DENT IN, AND I
HAVE BEEN WATCHING LOCAL
POLITICS ENOUGH [ INAUDIBLE ].
THEY CAN'T FIX IT. [ INAUDIBLE
] BUT THE NUMBER OF NEW HOMELESS
YEAR-OVER-YEAR, THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT [ INAUDIBLE ].
MORE OF AN IMPACT ON. IF YOU
LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, SO, IN THIS
MODEL, PREVENTING NEW
HOMELESSNESS IS RELATIVELY EASY,
ESPECIALLY IF IT IS FOR A RENT
RELATED EVICTION. IN THEORY, ALL
YOU HAVE TO DO IS TIP AND THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE
PERSON IS ABLE TO PAY AND WHAT
THE RENT IS. ON THE OTHER HAND,
GETTING SOMEBODY OUT OF AN
EXISTING HOMELESSNESS SITUATION
IS MUCH HARDER, YOU HAVE A GAP
IN THEIR HOUSING HISTORY, A GAP
IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY,
THEY MAY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH OR
DRUG ABUSE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN
AGGRAVATED BY THE PERIOD OF
HOMELESSNESS, BUT THE THING IS,
TO THE PUBLIC, THE EXISTING
HOMELESSNESS IS A MUCH MORE
VISIBLE PROBLEM. [ INAUDIBLE ]
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO DO
ABOUT THE ENCAMPMENTS? THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE PIPELINE
OR THEY ARE ABOUT TO BECOME
HOMELESS ARE MUCH LESS VISIBLE,
AND SO, THERE IS LESS PRESSURE
ON THE GROUP, EVEN THOUGH IF
THIS MODEL IS CORRECT, THAT'S
WHERE YOUR DOLLARS WOULD
ACTUALLY MAKE THE MOST
DIFFERENCE. SO, I AM SAYING IF
THAT IS A POLITICAL PROBLEM
WHERE PEOPLE ARE ABOUT TO BECOME
HOMELESS OR LESS VISIBLE,
ESSENTIALLY I AM SAYING TO YOU,
CHEAT AND TO MAKE THAT A MORE
VISIBLE ISSUE [ INAUDIBLE ] A
NUMBER YEAR-OVER-YEAR SHOWING A
REDUCTION IN NEW HOMELESSNESS,
BECAUSE EVEN IF THE TOTAL NUMBER
DOESN'T DO MUCH, AND THE BOTTOM
GRAPH THAT WE SHOWED [ INAUDIBLE
] .
>> THANK YOU, BENNETT.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> NEXT, WE HAVE DEREK, FOLLOWED
BY GABRIEL, BETTY, MARIA, AND
GWENDOLYN. DEREK? DEREK,
FOLLOWED BY BETTY.
>> THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME
SPEAK.
>> LET'S RESTART YOUR TIME.
DEREK, COULD YOU SPEAK IN THE
MICROPHONE?
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BEING
LABELED AS A DOMESTIC TERRORIST.
BEING ON THE DOMESTIC TERRORIST
WATCH LIST AND ALL THAT ENTAILS.
IF YOU CAN REMEMBER [ INAUDIBLE
] RENEE GOOD AND ALEX PRETTI,
THERE WAS A REASON WHY THEY [
INAUDIBLE ], BECAUSE ONCE YOU
ARE ON THE DOMESTIC TERRORIST
WATCH LISTS, IT DISRUPTS YOUR
WHOLE LIFE. LIKE THE FIRST LADY
THAT SPOKE ABOUT THE CIVIL
RIGHTS DIVISION HERE, [
INAUDIBLE ] QUITE FRANKLY, IF
YOU ARE ON THE DOMESTIC
TERRORIST WATCH LIST, [
INAUDIBLE ]. THEY DON'T TAKE
ANYTHING YOU SAY SERIOUSLY. I
HAVE -- I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK
ANYMORE . BELIEVE YOU ME WHEN I
SAY MY EXPERIENCES LAST. [
INAUDIBLE ] ALL AROUND THE
UNITED STATES, I CAN'T GET A
JOB [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND WHEN YOU
COMPLAIN , THE POLICE ACTUALLY
DEPICT YOU AS SOMEONE WHO IS
MENTALLY UNSTABLE , PARANOID .
AND YOU CAN LOOK ONLINE, DON'T
TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, I'VE DONE
RESEARCH, BECAUSE -- AND
FINALLY, AFTER MAKING ABOUT SIX
COMPLAINTS TO THE POLICE, I
FINALLY LOOK AT THE REPORT THAT
THEY WROTE, AND IT IS ALL TRUE.
I WILL BRING HERE NEXT TUESDAY.
MY CAR WAS VANDALIZED. ABOUT A
WEEK AFTER OPENING A P.O. BOX
HERE, MY PO BOX AT THE UNITED
STATES POSTAL WAS VANDALIZED.
AND FOR THE SIX MONTHS THAT I
LEASED IT, THEY REFUSED TO
REPAIR IT, DIDN'T ONCE IN THAT
SIX MONTHS, THE LEASE WAS UP, IT
WAS REPAIRED. AND SO, I JUST
IMPLORE YOU TO TAKE IT
SERIOUSLY. IT IS -- THE
CORRUPTION RUNS DEEP BREAD AND
IT IS NOT JUST SEATTLE, I LOVE
SEATTLE EVEN THOUGH --
>> THANK YOU, DEREK.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> NEXT, WE HAVE BETTY, WELCOME.
FOLLOWED BY GABRIEL, THEN WE
HAVE MARIA, GWENDOLYN, WE WILL
GO ON TO SHEET NUMBER TWO.
WELCOME, BETTY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, THIS IS MY
FIRST TIME, SO I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW IT WORKS. I HAVE TWO
MINUTES. I AM HERE TO ADDRESS
PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
I THINK -- IN MY OPINION,
HOMELESSNESS , IT HAS A LOT TO
DO WITH THE WAY THEY MANAGE
THINGS , AND THE SEATTLE HOUSING
AUTHORITY IS A BIG PROBLEM. IN
PUBLIC HOUSING. THE WAY THEY DO
THINGS IS POOR MANAGEMENT. I
HAVE A PROBLEM WITH NOISE FOR
ONE YEAR . AND NOBODY HAS DONE
NOTHING. YOU CAN DO NOTHING ,
NOTHING, NOTHING. SO, IT IS
SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE [
INAUDIBLE ] THEY NEED TO WORK ON
THAT. MY OTHER ISSUE IS I REALLY
ASK YOU THAT -- TO GO PAPERLESS.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT ALL THE
RESIDENTS , THEY RECEIVE A
LETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU
OPEN THE DOOR, IT'S A SINGLE
LETTER. AND I BELIEVE IT'S
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
WORK. THEY HAVE SO MANY
MANAGERS, MANAGER AFTER MANAGER
AFTER MANAGER, THEY REALLY NEED
TO SAVE MONEY ON MANAGERS, AND I
BELIEVE THEY NEED NEW MANAGERS
THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO, YES, THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED
TO SAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BETTY. NEXT, WE
HAVE GABRIEL, FOLLOWED BY MARIA,
THEN GWENDOLYN. WE HAVE M .
SMITH, SOMMER MILLER, JASON, AND
THEN -- [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> A, FOLKS, MY NAME IS GABRIEL
DIAZ AND I AM HERE TODAY TO
SPEAK ABOUT KYLE ANDERSON
PROTESTS AND THE [ INAUDIBLE ]
REVIEW. I KNOW SEATTLE HAS A
DISCUSSION COMING UP ABOUT THIS,
AND I WANT TO SHARE AN OPINION I
HAVE, SEE YOU ALL CAN MULL IT
OVER BEFORE THE REVIEW. [
INAUDIBLE ] ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS I SAW THAT PEOPLE
RECOMMENDED WAS DOING CULTURAL
COMPETENCY REVIEWS AND
TRAININGS. PERSONALLY, I AM NOT
AS BIG A FAN OF THAT, I'M GOING
TO SHARE WHY. MY FIRST THOUGHT
IS LIKE PERSONALLY, I DON'T
THINK THAT A LOT OF THE STUFF WE
ARE SEEING, A CULTURE REVIEW IS
GOING TO CHANGE POINT DON'T
STOP PUNCHING PROTESTERS WHILE
THEIR ARMS ARE RESTRAINED [
INAUDIBLE ]. LEARNING ABOUT
STONEWALL IS IT GOING TO STOP
OFFICERS FROM POTENTIALLY
ESCALATING PROTESTERS AND
CROSSING LINES. SECONDLY, IT IS
JUST BECAUSE [ INAUDIBLE ] POINT
16% OF VETERAN OFFICERS AND 14%
OF NEW OFFICERS HAVE TAKEN THE
TRAINING THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED
TO BY LAW WITHIN THE TIMELINE
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO. THIS
TRAINING DOES [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND
OFFICERS JUST AREN'T DOING IT
BUT WITH MULTIPLE PAPERS AND
MULTIPLE JOURNALIST REPORTING
SOME OFFICERS ONTO DOING IT
BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T DO
"WELCOME." [ INAUDIBLE ] THAT IS
NOT GOING TO STOP ANOTHER [
INAUDIBLE ] BUT WE NEED STRONGER
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OFFICERS. WE
TALK ABOUT HOW WE HAVEN'T
DROPPED OUR STANDARDS, BUT KEPT
OUR STANDARDS HIGH, BUT WHAT
ABOUT STANDARDS FOR OFFICERS
WERE ON THE FORCE? FOR EXAMPLE,
OFFICER KEN HOWARD, THE OFFICER
WHO [ INAUDIBLE ]. BECAUSE HE
BLACKED OUT WHILE THEY WERE
PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTS
TOGETHER. 70% OF THE DISCIPLINE
THAT SHE [ INAUDIBLE ] HANDED
DOWN ARE THE LOWEST LEVEL
RECOMMENDED OR BELOW. THIS
DOESN'T SAY TO ME OFFICERS WILL
BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND [
INAUDIBLE ], BUT NOT ADDRESS THE
ACTUAL CHANGE. WE HAD A CHANCE
TO GET SOME ACCOUNT ABILITY
MEASURES TO SPD DURING THE LAST
CONTRACT, WITH MULTIPLE [
INAUDIBLE ] SAYING THIS WAS NOT
ENOUGH ACCOUNT ABILITY, AND YET
WE GAVE IT TO THEM ANYWAY. THE
BEST WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WAS
BACK THEN, THE SECOND BEST TIME
IS NOW. WE NEED TO WORK CLOSELY
[ INAUDIBLE ]. I WILL FIRST
REITERATE THE DEMANDS OF THE
VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY TO
OPEN AN OFFICE OF PUBLIC -- AN
OFFICE OF THE VICTIMS OF POLICE
VIOLENCE. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
GABRIEL. NEXT, WE HAVE MARIA,
FOLLOWED BY GWENDOLYN, THEN M,
SOMMER, JASON, AND MISS E THAT.
MARIA ?
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
MARIA, I AM A JUNIOR IN WEST
SEATTLE. I AM HERE TODAY TO
SPEAK MY TRUTH AND REPRESENT
MINORITY YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TO INVEST
MORE IN IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE --
REFUGEES OFFICE -- SORRY, I'M A
LITTLE NERVOUS. AND TO CREATE A
REAL OPPORTUNITY THAT SUPPORTS
AND UPLIFTS YOUNG PEOPLE SUCH AS
MYSELF. TOO OFTEN, POLITICIANS
AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS CLAIM
THAT THEY ARE WORKING TO PROTECT
OUR YOUTH. BUT THE REALITY TELLS
A DIFFERENT STORY. OUR YOUTH ARE
NOT BEING PROTECTED WHEN
EDUCATION FUNDING IS CUT , WHEN
SCHOOL SHOOTINGS CONTINUE TO
HAPPEN, AND WHEN IMMIGRANT
CHILDREN ARE BEING PLACED IN
DETENTION CENTERS. I RECOGNIZE
THAT THE COUNCIL RECENTLY PASSED
LEGISLATION TO PROTECT LOCAL
COMMUNITIES, BILL 121180, AND I
APPRECIATE THAT STEP, BUT I URGE
YOU TO GO FURTHER. TAKE THE TIME
TO READ THE LETTERS WRITTEN BY
CHILDREN CURRENTLY IN ICE
DETENTIONS OR IN ICE CUSTODY.
THEIR WORDS ARE HEARTBREAKING
AND REVEAL THE REAL CONDITIONS
THEY ARE FACING. IF WE TRULY
WANT TO PROTECT OUR YOUTH, WE
MUST LISTEN TO THEM, INVEST IN
THEM, AND ACT WITH URGENCY AND
COMPASSION. PROTECTION SHOULD
NOT JUST BE A STATEMENT, IT
SHOULD REFLECT IN MEANINGFUL
LEGISLATION AND IN THE CITY
BUDGET. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU, MARIA.
NEXT, WE HAVE GWENDOLYN,
FOLLOWED BY LETTER M, SOMMER,
JASON, YVETTE, THEN WE WILL JUMP
TO ONLINE.
>> I'M GWENDOLYN, I AM HERE TO
COMMENT ON THE PUBLIC HEARING
TODAY FOR PERMANENT BAN ON ICE
DETENTION CENTERS. WE NEED TO
HAVE THIS BAN PASSED POINT
>> ONE SECOND, GWENDOLYN. WE CAN
DO -- SO, WE ARE PUBLIC COMMENT
WHERE YOU CAN COMMENT ABOUT
ANYTHING, AND THEN YOU CAN DO
ANOTHER WITH YOUR PUBLIC HEARING
AS WELL. DID YOU SIGN UP FOR
BOTH?
>> I ONLY SAW A SIGN UP FOR ONE.
>> OKAY, SO IS GWENDOLYN ALLOWED
TO DRESS LIKE THE COUNCIL ABOUT
THAT, AND THEN ALSO DO A PUBLIC
HEARING COMMENT?
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] COMMENTS ON
ITEMS RELATING TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA, AND [ INAUDIBLE ] ITEMS
WITHIN THE COMMITTEE PURVIEW,
AND ALSO THE COUNCIL WORK
PROGRAM WITHOUT ANY COMMENTS ON
THE PUBLIC HEARING. THE PUBLIC
HEARING WILL HAPPEN AS SOON AS
WE LOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
>> SO, CAN GWENDOLYN TALK ABOUT
ICE DETENTION CENTERS IN GENERAL
? AND THEN DO PUBLIC COMMENT
REGARDING THIS CURRENT
LEGISLATION? DID YOU SEE WHAT I
JUST DID THERE? YOU CAN TALK
ABOUT THEM IN GENERAL FOR YOUR
FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THEN
SIGN UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING,
THEN YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE
CURRENT LAW DIRECTLY. THAT IS
WHAT I AM BEING TOLD.
>> I SEE, I SEE.
>> YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M
SAYING?
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT
>> OKAY, SO WE WILL RESTART YOUR
TIMER. IT IS RIGHT AFTER COMMAS
RIGHT AFTER WE GIVE PUBLIC
COMMENT, THEN WE WILL DO THE
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DETENTION
POINT SO, YOU CAN COMMENT ABOUT
ICE DETENTION CENTERS IN
GENERAL, AND THEN SPECIFIC, THE
LAW WE ARE DOING TODAY, SO YOU
CAN DO BOTH.
>> YEAH, SO IN GENERAL, WE NEED
ICE OUT OF SEATTLE. YOU KNOW,
LIKE BUT ICE IS NOT THE ONLY
THREAT TO PEOPLE IN SEATTLE
RIGHT NOW, IT IS A HUGE THREAT,
BUT WE ALSO HAVE MANY DEVELOPERS
MOVING IN TO SET UP THESE NEW
A.I. DATA CENTERS. THESE DATA
CENTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO COST AS
MUCH ELECTRICITY AS IS CURRENTLY
BEING USED BY ONE THIRD OF THE
CITY TODAY, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE
FOR THIS [ INAUDIBLE ] ACTUALLY
BENEFIT WORKING PEOPLE. WE NEED
THE POWER OF THE WORKING CLASS
TO FIGHT AGAINST THESE THINGS,
AGAINST ICE, AGAINST THE THING
I'M NOT ALLOWED TO NAME RIGHT
NOW, AGAINST DETENTION
FACILITIES, AND SO FOR THAT
REASON, EVERYONE HERE SHOULD
COME OUT ON A DATE , THIS
FRIDAY, THE MARCH, SHOW THE
POWER OF THE WORKING CLASS
AGAINST THESE BIG BUSINESS
BILLIONAIRES. WE NEED TO COME
BACK HERE ON TUESDAY, MAY 5th.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE SOCIALIST AND
ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS SINGLED
OUT TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE ARE
ANGRY, PEOPLE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF
THIS, YOU KNOW, BS GOING ON WITH
ICE, EVERYTHING. AND [ INAUDIBLE
] SHOW THAT OUR CITY IS NOT
COMING THIS, WE ARE ALL SICK OF
IT. EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T ALL BE
OUT HERE AT 2:00 P.M. ON A
TUESDAY, BUT WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH,
AND IF THE BUSINESS CLASS [
INAUDIBLE ] WILL FIGHT TO SEE
THIS THROUGH.
>> THANK YOU, GWENDOLYN, AND
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARING, WHICH THE PUBLIC
HEARING IS RIGHT AFTER THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WHICH YOU
CAN COMMENT ABOUT THE DETENTION
CENTER LEGISLATION THAT IS
BEFORE US. NEXT, WE HAVE LETTER
M. SMITH, [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> YEAH, I THINK IT IS VERY GOOD
THAT , YOU KNOW, WE ARE HAVING
THIS PUBLIC HEARING ON AN
IMPORTANT BAN ON ICE DETENTION
CENTERS, AND I THINK IT SHOULD
BE UNDERSTOOD ALSO THAT THIS IS
ONLY HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE
PRESSURE OF THE MOVEMENT,
BECAUSE OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE WHO WENT OUT ONTO THE
STREETS IN MINNEAPOLIS, AROUND
THE COUNTRY TO FIGHT BACK
AGAINST THESE ATTACKS BY I
SPRAYED ON THEIR OWN, THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY WOULD NEVER
PASS ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY
BENEFITS WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE.
IT IS ONLY UNDER THE PRESSURE OF
[ INAUDIBLE ] ANY OF THE GAMES
IN SEATTLE THAT WE HAVE WON, YOU
KNOW, OVER THE LAST 10, 15
YEARS, AND I WILL TALK MORE
ABOUT THE ICE DETENTION CENTERS
IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IT
HAS BEEN ALMOST FOUR MONTHS. I
MEAN, IT IS SHAMEFUL THAT THIS
IS ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE, IS
PASS A ONE-YEAR BAN, AND NOW
DISCUSSING THIS PERMANENT BAN ON
ICE DETENTION CENTERS, WE HAVE
BEEN OUT HERE FOR THREE MONTHS,
MANY ORGANIZATIONS, CALLING FOR
STRONGER ACTION. THERE ARE BASIC
THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL COULD
PASS, MUNICIPAL IDEAS FOR
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, WHICH
MANY CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY
PASSED POINT NEW YORK, BOSTON,
SAN FRANCISCO, WHY DOES SEATTLE
NOT HAVE THIS? IT PROVIDES BASIC
PROTECTION FOR UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANTS. ON APRIL 8th, A
UNION MEMBER WAS DEPORTED FROM
SEATAC, KENNY, A MEMBER OF UAW
4121. THE DEMOCRATS AREN'T
DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, AND
FRANKLY, THE UNION LEADERSHIP
ISN'T, EITHER. I THINK IT'S
REALLY DISAPPOINTING , WE JUST
HAD A ROOM FULL OF UNION LEADERS
WHO CAME IN FOR A PHOTO OP, BUT
THAT MAKE A SINGLE DEMAND ON
THIS COUNCIL, DIDN'T SAY A WORD
ABOUT UNION MEMBERS WHO ARE
BEING DEPARTED, AND THIS IS
EXACTLY WHY WE HAVE TRUMP IN THE
FIRST PLACE. I MADE THIS POINT
BEFORE, IT IS BECAUSE OF THE
LACK OF ACTION BY THE DEMOCRAT
PARTY THAT THE RIGHT-WING IS
TAKING POWER AROUND THE COUNTRY,
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ENDING
TRAFFIC DEBTS FOR VISION ZERO,
BUT THE DEMOCRATS OF THE KING
COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE SOUND
TRANSIT ARE TALKING ABOUT
CANCELING THE LIGHT RAIL
EXTENSION. [ INAUDIBLE ] IT'S
BY EXPANDING MASS TRANSIT,
MAKING IT FREE, GETTING PEOPLE
TO USE IT, AND THE WAY IS CLEAR,
TAX THE RICH. AMAZON'S PROFITS
HAVE GONE UP $21 BILLION IN 2020
WHEN THE PAST -- [ INAUDIBLE ] .
>> THANK YOU, M . THANK YOU, M.
NEXT, WE HAVE SOMMER MILLER,
FOLLOWED BY JASON AND YVETTE AND
WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC
HEARING.
>> I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING M
JUST SAID. FOR PUBLIC HEARING,
MAYBE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
IT. IT KIND OF SEEMS LIKE THE
CITY COUNCIL SHOULD LET PEOPLE
KNOW PUBLICLY THAT THERE IS [
INAUDIBLE ]. OTHERWISE, THEY CAN
COME IN AND BE PART OF IT, CAN
THEY? BUT IT'S BEEN ALMOST FOUR
MONTHS, AS M SAID, SINCE RENEE
GOOD WAS KILLED, AND EVERY
SINGLE MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL
SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMMIT RIGHT
NOW TO DOING WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT
IN THE NEXT POINT, WHICH IS PASS
A PERMANENT BAN. THAT IS THE
LESS THAN BARE MINIMUM OF WHAT
YOU CAN DO. THE DEMOCRATS SHOULD
BE TAKING MUCH STRONGER ACTION.
PEOPLE ARE BEING TERRORIZED NOT
JUST BY ICE, BUT ALSO BY COPS
AROUND THE COUNTRY. WHETHER IT
IS FEDERAL OR STATE POLICE. THIS
HAS MASSIVE ECONOMIC COSTS FOR
THOSE PEOPLE. CASTEEL HIGHTOWER
AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING
FOR A PROTECTED PERSONS PROGRAM
IN SEATTLE FOR SIX YEARS, TO
PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF
POLICE BRUTALITY AND THEIR
FAMILIES, AND THE DEMOCRATS HAVE
DONE NOTHING BUT THEY HAVE COME
IN HERE FOR SIX YEARS AND ASKED
FOR BASIC [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR
VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND
THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING. VICTIMS
OF POLICE VIOLENCE , THEY HAVE
TO PAY FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES,
TRAVEL, LEGAL SUPPORT, LOST
WAGES, HOUSING, CHILDCARE, EVERY
COST IS WORTH TIME TO FAMILIES
WHEN [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND THAT
MONEY SHOULD COME FROM TAKING
MONEY FROM THE [ INAUDIBLE ],
WHICH BY THE WAY, THE BUDGET HAS
GONE UP $123 MILLION IN THE LAST
FIVE YEARS. WE DON'T NEED MORE
POLICING, WE DON'T NEED
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, WE NEED
YOU TO FIND THINGS WORKING
PEOPLE NEED BY TAXING THE RICH.
WE CAN PASS A KING COUNTY TAX,
AMAZON TAX TO PASS FREE MASS
TRANSIT TO PAY FOR FREE
HEALTHCARE FOR , YOU KNOW, AT
LEAST 100,000 PEOPLE IN SEATTLE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LIKE A DOG
AND PONY SHOW RIGHT BEFORE WE
COME IN EVERY WEEK NOW. YOU GUYS
DO NOTHING. THE DEMOCRATS HAVE
CONTINUED TO [ INAUDIBLE ]. BUT
WHEN WORKING PEOPLE NEED
SUPPORT, SOME OF THESE DEMOCRATS
[ INAUDIBLE ]. WE SHOULD HAVE NO
ILLUSIONS WHY THIS IS. THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY [ INAUDIBLE ] .
>> THANK YOU, SUMMER. NEXT, WE
HAVE JASON, FOLLOWED BY YVETTE.
IS JASON HERE? THANK YOU,
WELCOME, JASON. JASON IS NEXT.
THANK YOU, SUMMER. FOLLOWED BY
MISS YVETTE.
>> YEAH, MY NAME IS JASON THEO,
I AM A RENTER OF DISTRICT 5
POINT IT HAS BEEN A MOST A YEAR
AND A HALF SINCE TRUMPED UP
OFFICE AND ICE IS TERRORIZING
OUR COMMUNITIES, [ INAUDIBLE ]
KICKED OFF OF THEIR ALREADY
INADEQUATE HEALTH INSURANCE, AND
WAR AND GENOCIDE CONTINUE UNDER
IMPERIALISM. SEATTLE IS A CITY
WITH A SUPPOSEDLY LIST MAYOR, [
INAUDIBLE ] IS SUPPOSEDLY THE
PARTY THAT IS FIGHTING TRUMP.
WHAT HAVE THEY ACTUALLY DONE?
LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID, IT TOOK
THIS LONG FOR A PERMANENT BAN ON
DETENTION CENTERS TO BE PUT ON
THE AGENDA, AND ALSO LIKE
EXACTLY WHAT SOMERSET, A PUBLIC
HEARING IS SUPPOSED TO BE
PUBLIC. IT TOOK AN IMMENSE
AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO EVEN FIGURE
OUT THIS WAS HAPPENING TODAY.
AND ANY DEMOCRAT ON THE CITY
COUNCIL THAT VOTES AGAINST THAT
BARE, BARE, BARE MINIMUM, BELOW
BARE MINIMUM, IS AN ENEMY OF
WORKING PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE
THROWN OUT OF OFFICE. YOU KNOW,
THAT PERMANENT BAN IS FAR FROM
ENOUGH. EMPTY PROCLAMATIONS
ABOUT MAYDAY AND TRANS
VISIBILITY ARE NOT ENOUGH. HOW
CAN YOU PROCLAIM TO STAND FOR
IMMIGRANT WORKERS AND CONTINUE
TO BALLOON THE POLICE BUDGET AND
DO NOTHING TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST
ICE? THE CITY COUNCIL COULD SHUT
DOWN THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
THAT THEY VOTED TO EXPAND LAST
YEAR THAT KATIE WILSON REFUSES
TO SHUT DOWN, THEY COULD PASS AN
EVICTION MORATORIUM UNTIL ICE IS
OUT OF SEATTLE, THEY COULD BUILD
A MUNICIPAL I.D. SYSTEM THAT M
WAS TALKING ABOUT, BUT INSTEAD,
[ INAUDIBLE ] THAT WOULD USE A
THIRD OF THE CITY'S POWER AND
JACK UP OUR POWER BILLS. ONE OF
THE COMPANIES TRYING TO BUILD
THOSE DATA CENTERS IS [
INAUDIBLE ], WHICH IS BUILDING
DATA CENTERS IN INDIANAPOLIS AND
LEASING [ INAUDIBLE ]. THEY ALSO
DONATED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS TO BRUCE HARRELL'S
ELECTION LAST YEAR, AND YET
KATIE WILSON IS ALSO DOING
NOTHING TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST
THESE DATA CENTERS. THIS IS A
DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT WORK, THEY
WORK FOR THE BILLIONAIRES AND
BIG BUSINESS, NOT WORKING
PEOPLE. IF WE WANT TO WIN
ANYTHING, WE NEED TO BREAK FROM
THE DEMOCRATS AND BUILD A NEW
PARTY, WE NEED TO [ INAUDIBLE ].
EVERY YEAR, THE ROTTING UNION
LEADERSHIP DONATES TO [
INAUDIBLE ]. THE UNION
LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE ORGANIZING
MASS STRIKE ACTION AGAINST ICE
AND CUTS TO LIGHT RAIL AND
PUBLIC SERVICES IN SEATTLE,
INSTEAD THEY'RE PRETENDING LIKE
THEY HAVE ANY CONNECTION TO THE
SEATTLE GENERAL STRIKE OF 1919
-- [ INAUDIBLE ] .
>> THANK YOU, JASON. THANK YOU.
NEXT, WE HAVE TO MISS YVETTE.
THANK YOU, JASON.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> COME ON, MISS YVETTE. [
INAUDIBLE ] .
>> HI, GOOD MORNING, GOOD
AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THE
SEATTLE KING COUNTY CLINIC. I
WAS A VOLUNTEER THERE. IT WAS A
HEARTWARMING EXPERIENCE. [
INAUDIBLE ] 3000 PEOPLE OVER
THAT WEEKEND, PEOPLE LINING UP
THE DAY BEFORE TO GET THEIR
TICKET. AND SURPRISINGLY, AS I
WAS LEAVING MY SHIFT, [
INAUDIBLE ] ONE OF THE
VOLUNTEERS THERE. OF COURSE, I
HAD TO GIVE HER A SHOUT OUT.
ALSO, [ INAUDIBLE ] 12th AND
JACKSON. COME TO FIND OUT THAT [
INAUDIBLE ] THE NEW MAYOR TOOK A
HARD APPROACH TO ENCAMPMENT. NO
CODDLING, NO EXCUSES. [
INAUDIBLE ] I NOTICED THE
DIFFERENCE. [ INAUDIBLE ] PRETTY
MUCH BY AND LARGE, [ INAUDIBLE ]
AROUND HERE. AND ALSO, I DID
SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT
[ INAUDIBLE ] ACROSS THE STREET
HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE 2020 AND
THE CITY OWNS THAT PROPERTY. CAN
YOU FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW TO
BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THAT
LOT? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A
HOUSING SHORTAGE, AND I THINK
ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS FOR [
INAUDIBLE ] AFFORDABLE AS IT CAN
BE, BECAUSE LAND IS EXPENSIVE,
SO LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN
MAKE THAT -- TURN THAT INTO
BUILDING PLACES FOR OUR
NEIGHBORS. AND I THINK -- OH,
ONE MORE THING, I THINK. [
INAUDIBLE ] OH, IN MY
COMMUNITY, WE WANT AND
APPRECIATE THE SECURITY CAMERAS.
SO, KEEP THEM UP, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MISS YVETTE. NOW
WE ARE GOING TO JUMP TO ONLINE.
WE HAVE MR. HOWARD GILL. PLEASE
PRESS*6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, HOWARD GILL.
THIS MORNING, THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE MEETING, WE HEARD HOW
THE PUBLIC SPHERES AROUND THE
PASSING OF 2023 DRUG USE AND
POSSESSION [ INAUDIBLE ] CAME
TRUE. DISPARATE ARRESTS OF
AFRICAN AMERICANS, A LACK OF
FUNDING FOR [ INAUDIBLE ], THE
SIGNIFICANT FAILURES OF THE SPD
PRIORITIZING ARRESTS AND JAILING
OVER DIVERGENT FOR MINOR
OFFENSES. THIS IS A PATTERN WE
SEE REPEATED WITH OUR POLICE
ACROSS SITUATIONS. WE PASS LAWS
GIVING OFFICERS DISCRETION. A
DISCUSSION WITH [ INAUDIBLE ],
DISCUSSION WITH THE USE OF
FORCE, DISCUSSION WITH ALLOWING
THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE CARE
TEAMS [ INAUDIBLE ]. DISCUSSION
OF DE-ESCALATION WHEN FACING
FOLKS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES.
DISCRETION ON HOW TO DEAL WITH [
INAUDIBLE ] VIOLATING
CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS, AND
FAR TOO OFTEN, THE POLICE ABUSE
THAT DISCUSSION. AND WHEN WE
TRUST OUR OFFICERS IN AN
ENVIRONMENT WHERE TOXIC POLICE
CULTURE WILL OFTEN DOMINATE, AND
THEN PROVIDE NO REAL
ACCOUNTABILITY POINT THIS
COUNCIL PRIORITIZES PUNISHMENT
OVERPROTECTION, THEN IGNORES
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR UNJUST
CRIMINALIZATION. YET YOU WILL
REFLEXIVELY DEMAND
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ANYTHING [
INAUDIBLE ] SYSTEMIC DISPARITIES
AND ARMS. [ INAUDIBLE ] THREE
ANNIVERSARIES OF COMPLETELY
UNNECESSARY KILLINGS BY SEATTLE
POLICE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN
SEVERE CRISIS. [ INAUDIBLE ]
KILLED SIX YEARS AGO TOMORROW
WITH NO WEAPON WHILE HOLDING HIS
INFANT SON. TERRY, KILLED JUST
SIX DAYS BEFORE GEORGE FLOYD. AT
BRIAN SMITH, KILLED SEVEN YEARS
AGO [ INAUDIBLE ] POLICE
OFFICERS BROKE DOWN HIS
APARTMENT DOOR. ALL OF THESE
CASES HAVE HEARINGS OVER THE
NEXT FEW MONTHS WITH INJURIES
LIKELY TO FIND THAT WHAT SEATTLE
HAS SEEN LAWFUL AND PROPER IS IN
FACT UNJUST AND CRIMINAL.
THRUSTING POLICE [ INAUDIBLE ]
IN A TOXIC CULTURE WITH NO
ACCOUNTABILITY WILL ALWAYS BE A
RECIPE FOR FAILURE, EVEN WHEN IT
COMES TO ACCOMPLISHING [
INAUDIBLE ] GOALS OF PUNISHMENT.
WE NEED COMMUNITY CONTROL OF
POLICE, THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THE NAME STARTS WITH A G, I
CAN'T PRONOUNCE THAT NAME, MY
APOLOGIES,*6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF. GUENEVERE?
>> HI, THANK YOU. MY NAME IS
GUENEVERE [ INAUDIBLE ], I'M A
D5 RESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M GOING
TO DEMAND THE CITY [ INAUDIBLE ]
DENY ICE AND DHS THE USE OF ANY
LAND OR BUILDING IN SEATTLE OR
DETENTION CENTERS. DO NOT UNDER
ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOW ICE OR
DHS TO SET UP OR OPERATE A
DETENTION FACILITY IN THE CITY
OR YOU WILL BE COMPLICIT IN THE
CRIMES OF THIS FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GUENEVERE, NEXT WE
HAVE CJ, FOLLOWED BY DAVID
HAYNES, THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO
OUR PUBLIC HEARING. CJ,*6 TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF. I DON'T SEE CJ
ONLINE. OH, CJ WAS HERE? OKAY,
SO NEXT, CAN WE HAVE DAVID
HAYNES,*6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF,
DAVID HAYNES.
>> HI, DAVID HAYNES, [ INAUDIBLE
] COUNCIL LEADERSHIP HAS NO
URGENCY IN SOLVING THE PUBLIC
SAFETY CRISIS AND THE HOMELESS
CRISIS, ESPECIALLY BEFORE [
INAUDIBLE ]. TAKE A LOOK AT THE
AGENDA FOR THE DAY OF THE
COUNCIL, THERE IS NOTHING ON
THERE EXCEPT UNDERMINING THE
EFFORTS OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND APPOINT A BUNCH
OF PEOPLE, THAT IS ALL WE ARE
DOING TODAY. [ INAUDIBLE ] TO
PUSH YOUR POLITICAL SUPPORTERS,
TAKING UP THE MAJORITY OF THE
PEOPLE'S TIME, WHILE THE WHOLE
TIME, SOCIETY CONTINUES TO
IMPLODE. AS WE WITNESSED THIS
MORNING, [ INAUDIBLE ]
INFILTRATED THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND DICTATED WHAT THE
COP'S BEHAVIOR IS, MISLEADING [
INAUDIBLE ] INTERFERENCE FOR
EVIL, REPEAT CRIMINAL OFFENDERS
WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BREAK
THEIR ADDICTION, WHILE MAKING
SHARON LEE AND ALL THESE SERVICE
PROVIDERS WERE UNQUALIFIED RICH.
AND JUST GO OUTSIDE. IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE TO ENJOY YOURSELF
BECAUSE THERE ARE ALL THESE
SCREWED UP PEOPLE, AND YOU ALL
ACT LIKE, HEY, WE DON'T WANT TO
JUDGE, WE DON'T WANT TO PUNISH,
WE JUST WANT TO USE THEM FOR A
MORE PROFITABLE [ INAUDIBLE ]
BECAUSE IT KICKS BACK A WHOLE
BUNCH OF MONEY AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
POWER MONGERING POSITIONS , THAT
DON'T HAVE THE BEST INTEREST OF
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. BUT IN
PUSHING WITH YOUR [ INAUDIBLE ]
BS , AND IT HAS HAMPERED THE
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR
COMMUNITY. AND YET, YOU ALL
STILL LIE TO US ABOUT HOW MUCH
OF VIRTUE SIGNALING AND [
INAUDIBLE ] YOU ARE LITERALLY
RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR BLACK
DRUG PUSHERS. YOU ARE LITERALLY
[ INAUDIBLE ] REPEAT OFFENDERS.
AND THEN YOU SIT THERE AND LIE
TO US ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU CARE,
ABOUT HOW INCLUSIVE WE ARE. OH,
[ INAUDIBLE ] INCLUDE THE DRUG
PUSHERS AND THE [ INAUDIBLE ].
MAKING WOMEN AND CHILDREN
UNDRESSED WHILE YOU ALL ARE
VIRTUE SIGNALING ABOUT HOW MUCH
YOU CARE, BUT YET IT IS ALWAYS
ABOUT THE BLOG PUSHERS, THE
BLACK AND BROWN DRUG PUSHERS,
THE EVIL [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MR.
HAYNES. SO, ARE THERE ANY
FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO, SO
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE
LIST OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS,
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING IN
PERSON TODAY, AND ALSO FOR YOUR
COMMENTS ONLINE. AND WHEN YOU
SEE US EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE ARE
NOW GOING TO TRANSITION INTO THE
PUBLIC HEARING, SO THE COUNCIL
WILL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC
HEARING, ORDINANCE [ INAUDIBLE
]. THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED [
INAUDIBLE ] ESTABLISHING A
TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON PERMIT
APPLICATIONS FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT, EXPANSION, OR
CONVERSION OF EXISTING
STRUCTURES TO DETENTION CENTERS.
TODAY, THE COUNCIL WILL HOLD A
PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS
ORDINANCE. COUNCILMEMBER RINCK,
SPONSOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED TO ADDRESS THIS
ITEM BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC
HEARING. COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
THANK YOU TO THE FOLKS WHO
SHOWED UP AT [ INAUDIBLE ]. I
PERSONALLY OWN THAT, WE WILL
MAKE SURE THAT [ INAUDIBLE ]
MOVING FORWARD LIKE WE DID WITH
THE ORIGINAL MORATORIUM, SO I
JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT [
INAUDIBLE ]. TO PROVIDE A BIT OF
HISTORY HERE TO THE LISTENING
PUBLIC, BECAUSE WHEN WE SAW THE
SOLICITATION NOTICE POSTED ON [
INAUDIBLE ], THIS BODY MOVED AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE
AND PASS EMERGENCY LEGISLATION
FOR A 365 DAY MORATORIUM ON NEW
AND EXPANDED DETENTION CENTERS,
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, FOR YOUR
SUPPORT ON THAT LEGISLATION.
WHEN WE PASSED ABOUT EMERGENCE
THE LEGISLATION, IT SERVED AS A
DECLARATION OF PUBLIC EMERGENCY
AND ESTABLISHED WORKPLAN TO
CONSIDER PERMANENT REGULATIONS
FOR 2027. THIS PUBLIC HEARING
TODAY IS A STEP TOWARDS CREATING
THOSE PERMANENT REGULATIONS,
THERE WILL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES
TO WEIGH IN AS WE MOVE FORWARD,
BUT I WANT TO JUST GROUND US IN
THE FACT THAT THE ACLU REPORTED
TODAY THAT THE 17th PERSON HAS
DIED IN CUSTODY IN ICE
DETENTION. THAT IS THAT'S
INSIDE OF DETENTION CENTERS
OCCURRING AT A RATE OF ONE IN
EVERY SIX DAYS. WE HEARD TODAY
AND PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT KIDS IN
DETENTION . WE KNOW THE HORRIFIC
CONDITIONS WITHIN DETENTION
CENTERS. AND BY ENABLING OR
SUPPORTING MORE DETENTION
CENTERS , IS JUST HELPING THIS
REGIME RAMP UP THEIR INHUMANE
ENFORCED ACTIONS AND INFLICT
UNSPEAKABLE FORMS AGAINST OUR
COMMUNITIES. THE DEMANDS TO THE
PUBLIC HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ON
THIS TOPIC, THEY WANT TO GET ICE
OUT OF SEATTLE, BUT I ALSO WANT
TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT PREVENTING
MORE DETENTION CENTERS FROM
STANDING UP IN OUR CITY IS THE
BARE MINIMUM. SO --
>> [ APPLAUSE ] WITH THAT SAID,
[ INAUDIBLE ]. I ALSO WANT TO
VOICE MY SUPPORT AND GRATITUDE
FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT
HAVE TAKEN SIMILAR ACTIONS, I
KNOW A NUMBER OF OTHER CITIES
ARE CONSIDERING SOME MORATORIUMS
AT THIS TIME. WE ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO WORK ACROSS THE
REGION TO SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT
AND WORK ALONGSIDE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS, BUT JUST WANTED
TO OPEN UP WITH THOSE REMARKS,
THANK YOU [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. SO, AS
PRESIDING OFFICER, I KNOW OF IN
THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE
127401. I KNOW WE HAVE THREE
SIGNED UP ONLINE. EVERYONE WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES. FIRST UP, WE
HAVE JASON, FOLLOWED BY
GWENDOLYN, SUMMER, AND THEN
DEREK . OH, SORRY. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. DEREK, AND THEN WE WILL
SWITCH TO ONLINE AS WELL, WHICH
WE HAVE DAVID HAYNES, HOWARD
GALE, AND GUENEVERE. SO, JASON?
WELCOME. WITH YOUR [ INAUDIBLE ]
BAG, ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
>> THANKS. YEAH, I SAID A LOT
OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IN THE
PREVIOUS PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT
JUST TO SAY, LIKE I AGREE WITH
-- I MEAN, I AND OTHER PEOPLE
HAVE SAID IT, THIS IS THE BARE
MINIMUM, AND FRANKLY, YOU KNOW,
I THINK THAT IT'S LIKE -- THE
FACT THAT IT HAS TAKEN THIS LONG
TO DO THIS WHEN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS HAVE FIGURED OUT
HOW TO MAKE THIS -- YOU KNOW,
OTHER CITIES HAVE PASSED THIS
ALREADY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE
-- WE NEED TO BE DEMANDING MORE
FROM WORKING PEOPLE, WE NEED TO
BE DEMANDING MORE FROM OTHER
CITIES, AND I GUESS MOST OF WHAT
I WANT TO USE MY COMMENT OR IS
ALEXIS MERCEDES RINCK REALLY
PUBLICLY SUPPORTS A PERMANENT
BAN ON DETENTION CENTERS. WHAT
ABOUT THE REST OF THIS CONSUL,
WE SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION, WE
SUPPORT A PERMANENT BAN ON
DETENTION CENTERS ? AS RINCK
POINTED OUT, THERE ARE PEOPLE
DYING IN THESE DETENTION
CENTERS, THERE ARE A LOT MORE
DEBTS IN ICE CARE IN THE CITY
AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND THIS
IS THE BARE MINIMUM WE CAN DO TO
FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP AND THE
RIGHT-WING AND WE LISTED MANY,
MANY OTHERS THE CITY SHOULD BE
DOING. DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO
-- ANSWER THAT QUESTION? I MEAN,
DO YOU SUPPORT THE BAN -- THE
PERMANENT BAN ON DETENTION
CENTERS IN THE CITY?
>> PUBLIC COMMENT IS JUST FOR
YOU.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A NO. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
GWENDOLYN, FOLLOWED BY SUMMER,
AND THEN M AND DEREK, WELCOME.
GWENDOLYN, WELCOME BACK.
>> HOPEFULLY THIS IS MORE
COMPLETE NOW. [ INAUDIBLE ] THIS
IS THE BARE MINIMUM, IT ACTUALLY
DOESN'T COST AS MUCH OF
ANYTHING, BECAUSE THERE ARE
CURRENTLY NO ICE DETENTION
FACILITIES IN SEATTLE, THEY'RE
ALL SPREAD ACROSS KING COUNTY,
BUT EVEN STILL, THE BALL IS IN
MOTION, WE HAVE TO PUT ON
MAXIMUM PRESSURE TO START A REAL
FIGHT AGAINST ICE. AS THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY, WE ARE SERIOUS
ABOUT FIGHTING ICE, IT WOULDN'T
HAVE TAKEN FOUR MONTHS JUST TO
GET TO A HEARING. THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY WOULDN'T BE DISCUSSING
FEASIBILITY ONE MAN, ONE CITY,
WE WOULD BE SEEING A MASSIVE
LEGAL FIGHT ON THE KING COUNTY
ALREADY [ INAUDIBLE ]. WE WOULD
BE SEEING COUNTYWIDE, STATEWIDE
BANDS AGAINST ICE POSTED EVERY
LEGISLATURE DEMOCRATS CONTROL.
WE SEE MARCHES EVERY WEEKEND,
STREET DEMONSTRATIONS, STRIKES
AND LOCKOUTS OF WORKING PLACES,
INCLUDING ONES WITH IMMIGRANT
WORKERS ESPECIALLY. DEMOCRATS
AREN'T LEADING THESE THINGS
BECAUSE INSTEAD, THIS DEMAND HAS
BEEN GRINDING FORTH AGAINST
MACHINERY OF THE PARTY, AND
THAT'S BECAUSE DEMOCRATS ARE A
PARTY NOT OF WORKING PEOPLE, BUT
OF THE BILLIONAIRES AND THEIR
INTERESTS. DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS
, YOU KNOW, AS OFTEN AS THEY
ARE, ARE PART OF THE SAME
CLINICAL MACHINE IS DEMOCRATS ON
CITY COUNCILS. THEY'RE NOT HERE
TO FIGHT THE SYSTEM, THEY'RE
HERE TO RUN THE SYSTEM, AND THAT
INCLUDES ICE, AND THAT'S WHY
BIDEN ESCALATED AFTER TRUMP'S
FIRST TERM. WE NEED A NEW [
INAUDIBLE ] AND THE SPAN IS ONLY
BEING HER NOW BECAUSE OF THE
REPEATED PRESSURE OF THE
MOVEMENT [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND SO,
WE WANT TO SEE THIS PAST AND [
INAUDIBLE ]. EVERYONE HERE
SHOULD COME OUT AGAIN NEXT WEEK.
WE HAVE MORE ORGANIZATIONS
COMING. PROPOSALS LIKE THIS HAVE
A TENDENCY TO DIE IN THE
DARKNESS ONCE PUBLIC PRESSURE IS
OFF. NOW THAT IT IS BEING PUT
FORWARD, IT IS A TIME TO
ESCALATE THE PRESSURE, NOT TAKEN
OFF. AND I AGREE WITH JASON [
INAUDIBLE ] MAKE VERY CLEAR
GUESS OR KNOW OF WHETHER THEY
WANT TO SEE THIS PASS,
REGARDLESS OF ANY ITS FANS OR
BOTS.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, GWENDOLYN, NEXT WE
HAVE SUMMER, FOLLOWED BY M, THEN
DEREK, THEN WE WILL MOVE ONLINE,
DAVID HOWARD.
>> SO, JOY HOLLINGSWORTH IS
USING YOUR EXCUSES [ INAUDIBLE
]. PERMANENT BAN ON DETENTION
CENTERS. THIS IS A
STRAIGHTFORWARD [ INAUDIBLE ].
WHAT GOOD IS ONE YEAR IF [
INAUDIBLE ] POINT BECAUSE
THEY'RE JUST GOING TO [
INAUDIBLE ]. IT'S FINE IF THAT
USED TO HAPPEN. I WANTED TO ASK,
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE
CITY COUNCIL WHO CAN PUBLICLY
COMMIT RIGHT NOW -- THERE IS NO
REASON ALL OF YOU SHOULDN'T BE
ABLE TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW. IT IS
EASY. YOU PUBLICLY COMMIT RIGHT
NOW TO PASSING A PERMANENT BAN
ON DETENTION CENTERS IN SEATTLE,
ANY OF YOU? VOTING YES ON THAT?
>> PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR YOU
ALL. I WILL CONTINUE [ INAUDIBLE
] POINT
>> CAN ANYONE SAY THEY CAN PASS
THAT, THEY CAN VOTE YES ON THAT
? RAISE YOUR HAND. ALEXIS, CAN
YOU? YES?
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, SUMMER. NEXT WE
HAVE M, FOLLOWED BY DEREK.
WELCOME.
>> YEAH, I WANT TO REITERATE
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID, THERE IS
JUST NO REASON NOT TO PASS THIS,
AND YOU KNOW, YES, THERE IS A
PROCESS. BUT THERE IS NO EXCUSE
FOR NOT PUBLICLY PLEDGING RIGHT
NOW TODAY TO SUPPORT A PERMANENT
BAN ON DETENTION CENTERS, AND
YOU KNOW, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, FOR DOING
THAT THESE BUREAUCRATIC EXCUSES
OF PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR YOU,
THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE
DON'T LIKE WHEN WE COME UP HERE
AND WE TALK ABOUT THE ROLE THAT
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS PLAYED
IN THE LONG HISTORY OF ATTACKS
ON IMMIGRANTS AND IT GOES ACROSS
THE BOARD FOR BLACK PEOPLE,
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, FOR
WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE, BUT WE ARE
IN THE CRISIS THAT WE ARE IN
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY. BARACK OBAMA
STILL HAS A RECORD FOR
DEPORTATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY.
MASSIVE ATTACKS ON IMMIGRANTS.
WE HAVE A CONGRESSMAN IN
SEATTLE, ADAM SMITH, WHO VOTED
TO CREATE ICE, VOTED REPEATEDLY
TO FUND ICE, AND THE DEMOCRATS
ON THIS COUNCIL AREN'T EVEN
WILLING TO SAY PUBLICLY THAT YOU
SUPPORT A PERMANENT BAN ON ICE
DETENTION CENTERS IN SEATTLE? IF
WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT THIS AS
WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE, IF WE ARE
GOING TO SOLVE ANY OF THESE
PROBLEMS, WE HAVE TO RECKON,
THIS IS WHY WE, PURE AND TALK
ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY, WE HAVE TO RECKON WITH
THE BETRAYALS AND THE ATTACK BY
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OVER A
SERIES OF DECADES THAT HAVE
BROUGHT US TO THIS POSITION. AND
WE NEED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST
THAT, WE NEED TO FIGHT BACK
AGAINST THE TIES TO THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THE UNION
MOVEMENT, IN THE SOCIALIST
MOVEMENT, WE HAVE TO BREAK THIS
CYCLE OF EVERY TWO YEARS OR
EVERY FOUR YEARS, VOTING FOR
DEMOCRATS WHO BETRAY US, WHO
DON'T DO ANYTHING, WHO FUND A
GENOCIDE, WHO FUND ICE, WHO
INCREASE THE SPD BUDGET $123
MILLION, AND THEY WON'T EVEN
SAY THEY SUPPORT A PERMANENT BAN
ON DETENTION CENTERS AND THE
RIGHT WING GETS SWEPT BACK INTO
POWER. THIS IS A CYCLE WE ARE
IN, WE HAVE TO BREAK IT, AND
WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE HAVE TO GET
ORGANIZED TO DO THAT, SO I
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO NOT HAVE
ANY ILLUSIONS THAT THIS COUNCIL
WILL DO ANYTHING UNLESS AIR
FORCE, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, I
HOPE YOU [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> DEREK, YOUR NEXT, NO, NO, NO,
YOU'RE NEXT. AND I DO KNOW SOME
PEOPLE SIGNED UP ONLINE, WE ARE
GOING TO GO ONLINE, THEN BACK TO
IN PERSON FOR US TO FINISH.
DEREK.
>> BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART I
LEFT OUT ABOUT BEING PUT ON THE
DOMESTIC TERRORISM WATCH LIST IS
THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A
THREAT, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE
RADICAL VIEWS. AS A MATTER OF
FACT, THE MOST RADICAL VIEW THAT
I HAVE IS THAT THE LORD OFFERS
SALVATION TO LGBTQ ENTRANCE
PEOPLE AS WELL, BUT JUST AS THEY
ARE, THAT IS THE MOST RADICAL
VIEW I EVER HAD, AND I DIDN'T
EVEN POST THAT ONLINE. ONE OF
THE THINGS I WANTED TO REITERATE
IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A
THREAT TO SOCIETY TO BE PUT ON
THE DOMESTIC TERRORIST WATCH
LIST, WE KNOW THAT FROM WHAT WE
SAW IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
WITH RENEE GOOD AND ALEX PRETTI.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A THREAT.
IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANY ONE OF
US. I CAN'T REITERATE THAT
ENOUGH. I HAVE WORKED IN
CORPORATE AMERICA MOST OF MY
LIFE. MY FACEBOOK PAGE WAS FOR
KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH COLLEAGUES
THAT I WANTED TO STAY IN TOUCH
WITH. SO, BUT THE CORRUPTION
RUNS DEEP HERE. WHAT I HAVE
HEARD ABOUT SPD UNFORTUNATELY IS
TRUE. I FOUND THAT OUT THE HARD
WAY. WHERE ARE YOU -- WHERE
THEY'RE BEING CONDESCENDING AND
DISMISSIVE. BUT THAT IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART THAT I WANTED TO
REITERATE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DEREK. WE WILL
SWITCH TO ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARING, NEXT WE HAVE DAVID
HAYNES, HOWARD GILL, FOLLOWED BY
GUENEVERE, THEN WE WILL SWITCH
BACK IN PERSON WHERE WE HAVE TWO
PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
>> THERE IS A DISTINCT
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN INNOCENT
MIGRANT AND SOME CRIMINAL
UNDERWORLD CARTEL CHARACTER. AND
YET, SEATTLE DEMOCRATS DON'T
WANT TO DECIPHER THE DIFFERENCE,
THEY WANT TO LIVE VICARIOUSLY
THROUGH WHATEVER THEY SEE IN THE
NEWS THAT HAS BEEN EMBELLISHED
AND PROPAGANDIZED WITH THE LIES,
AND THIS IS WHY IT IS UNSAFE. [
INAUDIBLE ] AN INNOCENT THIS
PERSON SHOULD BE DISCRIMINATED
AGAINST BECAUSE THERE IS A DRUG
CLOSURE THAT NEEDS TO BE
PRIORITIZED FOR HOUSING. BUT
YET, IT COULD BE SAID THAT THIS
IS BEING OFFERED BY THE
OFFSPRING OF CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD
GANGSTERS. MISCONSTRUING WHAT
CONSTITUTES PROPER POLICY, AND
IT'S BECOME A THREAT TO
INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THIS CITY AND
AROUND THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE
SEATTLE IS PROACTIVE IN
UNDERMINING THE EFFORTS TO VENT
INNOCENT PEOPLE, SO THAT THEY
ARE PROTECTED, YET YOU ALL ARE
PROTECTING EVIL CRIMINALS. EVIL,
WICKED LATINOS THAT ARE
CONDUCTING [ INAUDIBLE ] . DRUG
PUSHERS FROM THE BLACK
COMMUNITY, THE BLACK AND BROWN
RIVALS. AND YOU ALL JUST ACT
LIKE THEY ARE PEOPLE, TOO, AND
WE NEED TO BE ALL-INCLUSIVE. BUT
THIS IS MORE OPEN BORDER
SANCTUARIES, MORE TREASONOUS,
UNCONSTITUTIONAL REGIONS THAT
SEATTLE WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY
AS THE MOST BOTTOM DRILLING, A
LOWLIFE PIECE OF [ INAUDIBLE ]
TOWN IN AMERICA BECAUSE OF YOUR
PROGRESSIVE INTERPRETATIONS OF
POLICY, AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
WEAPONIZE THE DAIS. AND
UNDERMINE THE INTEGRITY OF
PROPER POLICY THAT PUBLIC SAFETY
IS A THREAT AND YOU ALL ARE A
THREAT PRETTY WELL ARE NOT DOING
THE RIGHT THING, YOU ALL ARE
LITERALLY LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ]
INTERFERENCE FOR EVIL,
GODFORSAKEN PEOPLE. [ INAUDIBLE
] WE DON'T WANT TO JUDGE, BUT
WE ARE GOING TO JUDGE THE WHITE
MAN AND HATE ON TRUMP AND DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO UNDERMINE
THE EFFORTS TO SOLVE THE CRISIS
OF PUBLIC SAFETY. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, MR. HAYNES, NEXT
WE HAVE HOWARD GILL, FOLLOWED BY
GUENEVERE. HOWARD GILL, FOLLOWED
BY GUENEVERE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, HOWARD GILL
FROM THE 36th [ INAUDIBLE ]. I
FULLY SUPPORT TODAY'S
LEGISLATION ON BANNING DETENTION
CENTERS AND THANK YOU FOR
PUTTING THIS FORWARD. HOWEVER,
THIS IS FAR FROM SUFFICIENT TO
PREVENTING THE FORMS [ INAUDIBLE
] WE CANNOT SIMPLY SAY WE WERE
GOOD PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HELP TO
SAVE PEOPLE. WE HAVE A MORAL
RESPONSIBILITY TO PREVENT [
INAUDIBLE ] AS PROPOSED OVER
SEVEN MONTHS AGO BY [ INAUDIBLE
]. OTHER CITIES HAVE PUT IN
PLACE SOME VERSION OF OUR
PROPOSED MEASURES. [ INAUDIBLE ]
RECENTLY STATING THAT CALLING
911 IS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE
TO WARRANTLESS ENTRY OF PRIVATE
HOMES AND BUSINESSES AND THAT
THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
SHALL EMPLOY DE-ESCALATION
TACTICS IN RESPONSE. AND THAT
BOSTON WILL DENY ACCESS TO CITY
BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES FOR
PURPOSES OTHER THAN INTENDED.
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE CHIEF BRIAN
O'HARA HAS WARNED HIS RANK AND
FILE OFFICERS THAT IF THEY
WITNESS [ INAUDIBLE ] AND FAILED
TO INTERVENE, THEY COULD BE
FIRED. THIS COUNCIL MUST ADOPT
AFFIRMATIVE POLICIES REQUIRING
SEATTLE POLICE TO PROTECT
EVERYONE'S FOURTH AMENDMENT
RIGHTS, OR ELSE ADMIT THAT
POLICE ARE DESIGNED TO ONLY
PROTECT PROPERTY AND NOT PEOPLE.
AND FINALLY, LET ME JUST SAY,
DAVID HAYNES ' HATEFUL, RACIST
COMMENTS ARE AN ABSOLUTE REASON
FOR BANNING HIM. THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. THEY ARE
OVERTLY RACIST AND HATEFUL
COMMENTS. SO, PLEASE, BAN HIM.
THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> NEXT, WE HAVE GUENEVERE , AND
THEN WE WILL GO BACK IN PERSON,
WHICH IS AVRIL JONES, MISS E
THAT, NATHAN, AND BENNETT.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M
CALLING IN TO SUPPORT THE
AFFIRMATIVE AND ON DETENTION
CENTERS IN SEATTLE. I ONLY WISH,
AS A FORMER CALLER SAID, THAT
THE CITY [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
CRIMINAL FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.
[ INAUDIBLE ] THE MORAL BEAUTY
OF ALL HUMANS [ INAUDIBLE ].
THERE IS RAMPANT ABUSE ACROSS
ICE DETENTION FACILITIES,
INCLUDING SEXUAL ABUSE, [
INAUDIBLE ], TORTURE, [
INAUDIBLE ], AND DEATH DUE TO
NEGLECT OR ACTIVE ABUSE COMING
FROM ICE AGENTS, WHICH HAVE NOW
REACHED AN ALL-TIME HIGH. IF YOU
DO NOT PASS THIS PERMANENT BAN,
AGAIN, YOU WILL BE COMPLICIT IN
CRIMES OF THIS FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION AND WE THE PEOPLE
WILL REMEMBER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NOW WE ARE GOING
TO GO IN PERSON, MR. GABRIEL
JONES. SORRY, MISS YVETTE, [
INAUDIBLE ]. GABRIEL, WELCOME.
NO, GABRIEL IS NEXT. YVETTE,
NATHAN, BENNETT.
>> HEY, FOLKS, GABRIEL DIAZ
AGAIN, WASN'T PLANNING ON
SPEAKING THIS, BUT [ INAUDIBLE
]. VERY OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE SEEING
DETENTION CENTERS GET WORSE. I
LOOK AT [ INAUDIBLE ], AND
SEATTLE AREA VETERAN WHO JOINED
TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY [ INAUDIBLE
]. WHILE ATTENDING ONE OF HIS
IMMIGRATION HEARINGS, HE WAS
DETAINED [ INAUDIBLE ], DURING
WHICH WE KNEW HE WAS NOT GETTING
THE MEDICAL TREATMENT THAT HE
NEEDED AS A DISABLED PERSON,
AND YET ICE AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT CONTINUOUSLY ARGUED
THAT HE WAS, THERE WAS NO ISSUE
THERE, UNTIL THEY HAD TO ADMIT
THAT HE WAS VERY CLEARLY NOT
GETTING THE CARE HE NEEDED POINT
HE WAS NOT SEEING THE DOCTORS HE
NEEDED TO REMAIN WELL, AND WAS
RELEASED BECAUSE [ INAUDIBLE ]
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS VERY,
VERY AWARE THAT HE WAS NOT
GETTING THE CARE HE NEEDED. I
APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER RINCK [
INAUDIBLE ]. WASHINGTON STATE
OFFICIALS HAVE SINCE SUED [
INAUDIBLE ] AGAIN WHO WAS IN
CHARGE OF THE DETENTION CENTER,
BECAUSE EVEN AFTER BEING TOLD BY
JUDGE AFTER JUDGE AFTER JUDGE
THAT THEY HAVE TO ALLOW PEOPLE
IN TO CHECK THE CONDITIONS OF
THE FACILITY, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
ALLOWED. PEOPLE IN NORTHWEST
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WATER
TESTING AND IT IS SO WIDELY
KNOWN THAT NOBODY WHO WORKS
THERE EVER WILL DRINK THE WATER
THERE, THE ONLY DRINK THEIR OWN
WATER BOTTLES. THERE ARE 3500
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST GEO GROUP
FOR THEIR FACILITIES AROUND
SEXUAL ASSAULT, CONTAMINATED
FOOD, RACISM, SEXISM, AND MORE.
THIS IS WHAT WE RISK SETTING OUR
CITIZENS UP FOR POINT THIS IS
WHAT WE ARE RISKING BY HAVING A
FACILITY LIKE THIS, PEOPLE WHO
ARE WILLING TO PUT PROFIT OVER
THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO
HELP. THESE FACILITIES -- WE DO
NOT NEED ANY MORE FACILITIES
LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY IN
SEATTLE, WE DO NOT NEED NEW
FACILITIES, AND THEY ALSO AGREE
THAT WE NEED TO PERMANENTLY BAN
THEM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GABRIEL, NEXT WE
HAVE MISS YVETTE, FOLLOWED BY
NATHAN AND BENNETT. MISS YVETTE,
WELCOME.
>> HELLO AGAIN. REGARDING THE
TALK ABOUT BANNING DETENTION
CENTERS, WITHOUT CONSIDERING
INSTEAD TURNING THEM INTO
TRANSITION CENTERS FOR THE
HOMELESS? THEREBY CREATING A
STABLE ENVIRONMENT, SO THEY CAN
GET THE HELP THEY NEED [
INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU, MISS . NEXT, WE
HAVE NATHAN, FOLLOWED BY
BENNETT. WELCOME.
>> I SUPPORT THIS BAN ON ICE
DETENTION CENTERS IN SEATTLE AND
I AM GLAD THAT THE COUNCIL, YOU
KNOW, IS EXPANDING EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION BY ITS
NATURE HAS TO BE TEMPORARY, SO
THIS IS WHAT I EXPECTED TO SEE
FROM YOU AND I AM HAPPY TO SEE
THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS
TODAY. WE NEED TO STOP ICE FROM
COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU
KNOW, WE KNOW THAT IMMIGRANTS
MAKE UP INTEGRAL PARTS OF EVERY
SINGLE DISTRICT IN SEATTLE, AND
WE CAN'T JUST LET FEDERAL MASS
THUGS COME IN HERE AND KIDNAP
PEOPLE WHETHER THEY ARE CITIZENS
OR NOT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS IN THIS
COUNTRY, WHETHER YOU ARE A
CITIZEN OR NOT, THAT'S WHAT THE
CONSTITUTION SAYS. AND THAT IS
ONE WAY THAT WE ARE NOT LIKE
OTHER COUNTRIES, AND I THINK
THAT IS -- AS MUCH AS I DON'T
REALLY LIKE THIS COUNTRY, I
THINK THAT IS [ INAUDIBLE ]. UM,
I'M NOT GOING TO PUBLICLY
ADDRESS DAVID HAYNES EVER AGAIN,
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE -- YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE ASKED ALEX
ZIMMERMAN TO NOT COME BACK FOR
30 DAYS BEFORE. I KNOW WE CAN'T
PERMANENTLY BAN PEOPLE FROM A
GOVERNMENT BUILDING, BUT I THINK
THAT DAVID HAYNES NEEDS TO BE
HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS
COMMENTS POINT NOT ONLY ARE THEY
RACIST, SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC,
TRANSPHOBIC, THEY ARE OFTEN -- I
UNDERSTAND WE KIND OF GO OFF THE
AGENDA SOMETIMES AND I
APPRECIATE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH ALLOWING US TO,
BUT I THINK THERE IS SOME LEVEL
OF RELEVANCY THAT WE CAN ENFORCE
WITH HIM. HE TALKS ABOUT [
INAUDIBLE ] AT THE FARMERS
MARKET, HE TALKS ABOUT CRIME IN
BALTIMORE, HE TALKS ABOUT BRUCE
HARRELL, WHO HASN'T BEEN MAYOR
FOR ABOUT FOUR MONTHS NOW, AND
HE TALKS ABOUT KROGER NOT
HONORING HIS COUPONS, AND
THERE'S NOTHING YOU GUYS CAN DO
ABOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF, SO I
JUST FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SOME
THINGS WE COULD MAYBE GET IN
LINE TO GET HIM TO LIKE STOP
COMING HERE AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
PARADING US ABOUT -- AND TEARING
DOWN PIONEER SQUARE IS NONSENSE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS,
SO -- [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, NATHAN. NEXT WE
HAVE BENNETT, WELCOME, BENNETT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. I DO
ALSO SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM ON
NEW ICE FACILITIES. ONE OF THE
REASONS , APART FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION'S APPALLING
IMMIGRATION POLICIES JUST THE
TOTAL CULTURE OF LAWLESSNESS
SURROUNDING ICE. THIS IS DOWN IN
PORTLAND , OUTSIDE AN ICE
FACILITY THERE, AND I WOULD HAVE
BROUGHT MY LAPTOP [ INAUDIBLE ].
YOU CAN STILL KIND OF SEE WHAT
IS GOING ON. THERE IS A WOMAN
TALKING TO THE POLICE OFFICER,
SHE'S JUST STANDING THERE, SHE
IS NOT DOING ANYTHING, SHE'S
JUST TALKING TO THEM, BECAUSE I
KNOW IF I DIDN'T SHOW THE 10
SECONDS LEADING UP TO IT
EVERYBODY WOULD SAY, OH, SHE
MUST'VE DONE SOMETHING. THREE,
TWO, ONE. SHE DID ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING. AND AS FAR AS ANYBODY
KNOWS, THE GUY WHO DID THAT TO
HER HAS NEVER BEEN DISCIPLINED.
FORGET BEING FIRED. THERE IS
UTTERLY NO REASON -- IT DOESN'T
EVEN MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OF
THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE, THAT GUY
SHOULD BE IN JAIL. FORGET BEING
FIRED, HE SHOULD BE IN PRISON.
YOU CAN BE CHARGED AND ARRESTED
FOR THINGS THAT YOU DO ON DUTY.
I MEAN, THE OFFICER WHO KILLED
GEORGE FLOYD, HE WAS TECHNICALLY
ON DUTY WHEN HE COMMITTED THE
MURDER. YOU CAN BE ARRESTED AND
CHARGED FOR THINGS YOU DO ON THE
JOB, BUT NOTHING HAS EVER
HAPPENED TO THAT GUY AS FAR AS
WE KNOW. THIS IS LAWLESSNESS IN
ADDITION TO THE APPALLING RACISM
AND XENOPHOBIA BEHIND THE
ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY, AND
ONE MORE REASON THAT WE SHOULD
DISTANCE OURSELVES FROM ICE IN
EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, INCLUDING
THE MORATORIUM ON NEW
FACILITIES. AND CAN I ADD, I
FULLY SUPPORT [ INAUDIBLE ],
GREAT FOR COUPONS, THANK YOU.
>> ARE THERE ANY MORE PEOPLE
SIGNED UP ? NO? SO, THERE ARE NO
MORE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING ,
PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED,
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMMENTING ON
THIS LEGISLATION. WE ARE NOW
GOING TO TRANSITION INTO OUR
MEETING. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE INTRODUCTION
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NONE. NO
OBJECTION, THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR IS ADOPTED. WE
ARE NOW GOING TO CONSIDER THE
AGENDA. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO, NONE, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE ARE NOW
GOING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED
CONSENT CALENDAR. ON THE
CALENDAR ARE MINUTES OF APRIL
21st, 2026 POINT COUNCIL BILL
121200 PAYMENT OF THE BILLS, FOR
THE HOUSING, ARTS, AND CIVIL
RIGHTS COMMITTEE, AND WE HAVE
SIX APPOINTMENTS FOR THE HUMAN
SERVICES, LABOR, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. ARE THERE
ANY COUNCILMEMBERS THAT WOULD
LIKE TO REMOVE ANYTHING FROM
TODAY'S CONSENT CALENDAR?
HEARING NONE, I MOVED TO ADOPT
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IS THERE A
SECOND? IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO ADOPT THE CONSENT
CALENDAR, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> CONSENT CALENDAR IS ADOPTED,
WILL THE COURT IS A FIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE MINUTES AND
LEGISLATION ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR ON MY BEHALF WAS TO
MARK ANOTHER NOTE,
COUNCILMEMBERS, THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
WILL BE EXCUSED FROM THE REST OF
TODAY'S MEETING. HEARING NONE,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA IS EXCUSED.
WITH THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER 1 INTO THE RECORD
QUESTION AGENDA ITEM 1,
ADJUSTING THE PAY ZONES FOR THE
TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL
COMPENSATION PROGRAM [ INAUDIBLE
] .
>> AWESOME, SO, I'M GOING TO
MOVE TO PASS -- I HAVE TO MOVE
IT, SO COUNCIL BILL 121 [
INAUDIBLE ]. COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, A SPONSOR OF THE BILL,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO ADDRESS
IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND COLLEAGUES THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD ADJUST THE PAY ZONE BETTER
KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC [ INAUDIBLE
] OR ITP COMPENSATION PROGRAM.
APPROVAL OF THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD FOLLOW THE CITY'S
HISTORICAL PRACTICE OF DIVIDING
THE SAME BENEFITS AND OTHER
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR
BOTH REPRESENTED AND
NON-REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES WITH
THE SAME JOB TITLE. FOR CENTRAL
STAFF ANALYSIS, THE PROPOSED
ADJUSTMENTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH
INCREASES FOR REPRESENTATIVE
MEMBERS WITHIN THE IPT UNIT AS
REFLECTED IN THE CITY IS AND
WILL YOU WITH LOCAL 77. THIS WAS
PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL
IN NOVEMBER 2025 UNDER ORDINANCE
127 334. THE ITP COMPENSATION
PROGRAM IS A DISCRETIONARY PAY
PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES NEARLY 600
EMPLOYEES ACROSS EIGHT CITY
DEPARTMENTS. THIS MEANS THAT THE
APPOINTING AUTHORITIES SETS
EMPLOYEE PAY WITHIN A BROAD
SALARY RANGE RATHER THAN IN
FIXED STEPS. WHILE THE PAY ZONE
FOR NON-REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES
AND ITP COMPENSATION PROGRAM WAS
INCREASED IN THE 2026 PAY
ORDINANCE BY 3.6%, THE MOU WITH
77 INCREASED THE PAY ZONE FOR
REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES WAS
HIGHER, AT 4.15%. THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD PROVIDE
PARITY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS
ABOUT THE BILL BEFORE US? WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] SIX IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES, THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT, PLEASE AFFIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION ON
MY BEHALF. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, FOR ALL
YOUR HARD WORK ON THAT AND
BRINGING THAT POINT NEXT, WE
HAVE OUR HOUSING, ARTS, AND
CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 2 INTO
THE RECORD?
>> APPOINTMENT 03471,
APPOINTMENT OF AMY NGUYEN AS
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS
AND CULTURE. THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL
CONFIRMED. IT'S AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO
PRESENT THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I'M SO EXCITED TO BE
BRINGING FORWARD THE APPOINTMENT
OF CURRENTLY INTERIM DIRECTOR
AMY NGUYEN TO THE OFFICE OF ARTS
AND CULTURE. I WILL REMIND US AS
I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
MOMENTS IN COMMITTEE, IF YOU DID
NOT ATTEND THE FIRST HEARING ON
INTERIM DIRECTOR NGUYEN'S
CONFIRMATION, IT WAS JUST AN
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL MOMENT IN
COUNCIL. IT WAS FILLED WITH
COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS FROM THE
ARTS COMMUNITY TESTIFYING ABOUT
INTERIM DIRECTOR NGUYEN'S
BACKGROUND IN ARTS AND CULTURE ,
IN PLANNING, AND BRINGING A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH,
BRINGING SKILLS, CREATIVITY, AND
COMMITMENT, AND THEY ALSO
BROUGHT A STICK FIGURE WITH HER
PHOTO ON IT, WHICH WAS REALLY,
AGAIN, FANTASTIC. THE OFFICE OF
ARTS AND CULTURE, AS WE ALL
KNOW, IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS IT
MANAGES THE CITY'S PUBLIC ARTS
PROGRAM, PROVIDES GRANTS TO
SUPPORT ARTISTS AND ART
ORGANIZATIONS, OPERATES AND
REALLY HELPS MAKE SEATTLE A
PLACE WHERE EVERYONE HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN SMART,
MEANINGFUL, AND DIVERSE CULTURAL
EXPERIENCES. AMY BRINGS OVER A
DECADE OF PUBLIC SECTOR
LEADERSHIP WITH EXPERIENCE
ACROSS ARTS AND PLANNING,
IMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SHE WAS
PREVIOUSLY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF THE SEATTLE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT, INTERIM DEPUTY
DIRECTOR AND PUBLIC ART DIRECTOR
AT THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND
CULTURE, AND MOST RECENTLY, SHE
LED A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION ADVANCING
AFFORDABLE ARTIST WORKSPACE
HOUSING AND CULTURAL
INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING
LARGE-SCALE MIXED-USE PRODUCTS.
WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HER LEADING
OUR OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE ,
AND COLLEAGUES, I URGE YOUR
SUPPORT, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE
ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THE
APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR NGUYEN?
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
POINT DIRECTOR NGUYEN, IT HAS
BEEN AMAZING HEARING FROM YOU IN
COMMITTEE. AND BEING ABLE TO
SEE, AGAIN, THE INCREDIBLE
COMMUNITY OF FOLKS WHO BELIEVE
IN YOUR LEADERSHIP SHOW UP IN
THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO JUST
VOICE THEIR SUPPORT AND BRING
THEIR ART AS WELL. YOUR
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND
EXPERTISE ARE EXACTLY WHAT OUR
CITY AND OUR CULTURAL SECTOR
NEED RIGHT NOW. I'M SO GRATEFUL
THAT YOU WILL BE SERVING THE
CITY IN THIS WAY, SO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR
VISION AND YOUR DRIVE FOR THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. LET'S MAKE
AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
FURTHER COMMENTS? I DON'T SEE
ANY. I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS
MOMENT, THANK YOU, I KNOW YOU
ARE THE ACTING DIRECTOR RIGHT
NOW, AND THEN AFTER THIS VOTE,
WITH A SIGNATURE AND BEING SWORN
IN, THEN WILL BE THE DIRECTOR.
THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY INTERIM,
SO MANY THINGS, BUT I JUST WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT
TO SEATTLE, TO THE ARTS
COMMUNITY, WE HAD A GREAT
CONVERSATION AND TALKED ABOUT
HOW ART IS INTERWOVEN INTO OUR
ENTIRE BEING OF PEOPLE AND
COMMUNITY, AND JUST REALLY
APPRECIATE -- I KNOW YOU'RE
GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB AT THE
ARTS DEPARTMENT, LOOKING FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOU, AND I KNOW
WE ALL ARE. SO, COLLEAGUES,
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON APPOINTMENT
NUMBER 34714 FOR DIRECTOR AMY
NGUYEN.
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] SIX IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED POINT
>> AWESOME, MOTION CARRIES,
APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED,
CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR
NGUYEN.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> RECOGNIZED NOW IF YOU WANT TO
PROVIDE SOME BRIEF COMMENTS AT
ALL TO THE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC, YOU CAN JUST COME
TO THIS MICROPHONE RIGHT HERE IN
THE MIDDLE.
>> I WILL KEEP IT VERY BRIEF
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE HAD
A VERY LONG AFTERNOON AS WELL.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH, COUNCILMEMBERS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION AND FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS
AND CULTURE. I'M DEEPLY
GRATEFUL TO YOUR TRUST. I ALSO
WANT TO THANK CHAIR FOSTER AND
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING , ARTS,
CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE FOR THE
THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION DURING
MY CONFIRMATION HEARINGS. AS
SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN THE CITY,
THIS OPPORTUNITY IS ESPECIALLY
MEANINGFUL TO ME. I AM HONORED
TO STEP INTO THIS ROLE AT A TIME
WHEN SEATTLE'S ARTS AND
CULTURAL COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO
SHAPE HOW WE REFLECT, CONNECT,
AND BUILD A SHARED FUTURE. I
BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT ARTS AND
CULTURE ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE
LIFE OF OUR CITY AND THAT OUR
WORK MUST ENSURE ACCESS, EQUITY,
AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS AND
COMMUNITIES IN EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD. I LOOK FORWARD TO
PARTNERING CLOSELY WITH THE
COUNCIL, WITH MAYOR'S OFFICE,
AND WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS
SEATTLE TO ENSURE WE ARE
STEWARDING PUBLIC RESOURCES
RESPONSIBLY AND DELIVERING
MEANINGFUL AND ACCOUNTABLE
OUTCOMES. THANK YOU AGAIN, I AM
HONORED TO SERVE YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR,
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COLLEAGUES, THERE WERE NO ITEMS
REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. THERE IS NOT A
RESOLUTION OR INTRODUCTION FOR
ADOPTION TODAY. ARE THERE ANY
OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS ? I DO
HAVE SOMETHING I DID WANT TO
SAY. SO, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF
A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT,
THAT CITY HALL IS THE PEOPLE'S
HOUSE. AND IN THE PEOPLE'S
HOUSE, WE HAVE RULES THAT WE
FOLLOW, WE RESPECT OTHERS, WE
TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT AND
KINDNESS. EVERY DAY, OUR
SECURITY GUARDS , THEY COME TO
THIS BUILDING MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE IS PROTECTED, KEEPING
PEOPLE SAFE, AND THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY AND OUR
COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, EVERY DAY, I
SEE THE VERBAL ABUSE AND
DISRESPECT OF OUR SECURITY TEAM
FROM THE PUBLIC. I SEE THE
EMOTIONAL TOLL IT TAKES ON
PEOPLE THAT ARE SIMPLY JUST
DOING THEIR JOB, KEEPING THE
PEACE. LAST WEEK, REMARKS WERE
MADE THAT WERE REALLY RACIALLY
CHARGED AND DISRESPECTFUL TO ONE
OF OUR SECURITY GUARDS. NUMBER
ONE, FULL STOP, THAT IS
UNACCEPTABLE IN THIS HOUSE.
ESPECIALLY IN THESE COUNCIL
CHAMBERS. NUMBER TWO, THE
COMMENTS CALLING SOMEONE A BOY,
A LITTLE BOY, A GROWN MAN ,
DISRESPECTFUL. LET'S DO A
HISTORY LESSON. DURING SLAVERY
AND AFTER SLAVERY , JIM CROW,
NOW IN THE PROGRESSIVE SEATTLE ,
TO DEHUMANIZE BLACK PEOPLE,
PARTICULARLY BLACK MEN, YOU
EMASCULATED THEM, PEOPLE WOULD
REFER TO BLACK MEN AS BOYS. THIS
IS NOT A CASUAL AND AFFECTIONATE
TERM, THIS IS DELIBERATE. IT IS
A WAY TO DENY ADULTHOOD, THE
MANHOOD IN WHICH SIGNALS A
RACIAL HIERARCHY. THIS IS TO
ENFORCE CONTROL AND SUBMISSION.
EVEN AS AN ADULT, BLACK MEN,
PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO USE IT TO
PUT THEM IN THEIR PLACE. NOW,
RACISM, ESPECIALLY IN SEATTLE,
OFTEN COMES FROM OUR PROGRESSIVE
FRIENDS. WE HAVE SEEN
PERFORMATIVE ALLYSHIP. YOU SPEAK
ON BLACK LIVES AND YOU MEET
BLACK VOICE, AND ALL THE SUDDEN,
THE MASK COMES OFF AND THE REAL
YOU. WHAT WE AS A CITY AND A
COMMUNITY NEED TO STOP DOING IS
GIVE PEOPLE EXCUSES IN OUR CITY
THAT SAY THEY ARE PROGRESSIVE .
YOU CAN BE PROGRESSIVE AND
RACIST, I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE
LAST YEAR AND I'M GOING TO SAY
IT AGAIN THIS YEAR. ASK ANY
PERSON OF COLOR IN THIS CITY AND
THEY HAVE SEEN IT HEAD ON AND
FACE ON. THIS IS YOUR FRIENDLY
REMINDER THAT WHETHER YOU ARE IN
CHAMBERS, IN THE HALLWAY, THE
STAIRS, FIRST FLOOR, AND THE
ENTRYWAY, ANYWHERE IN THIS
BUILDING, RACISM OF ANY FORM
WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS
CITY HALL. IT WILL BE CALLED OUT
. I WILL CALL IT OUT EVERY
SINGLE TIME. OUR SECURITY --
MOST OF THEM ARE PEOPLE OF
COLOR, THERE THE MOST KIND,
PASSIONATE, A LOT OF THEM ARE
IMMIGRANTS. THEY ARE HUMAN, TOO.
THEY TAKE THE BUS HERE, THEIR
FAMILIES, THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR
MOMS, THEIR DADS, THEIR UNCLES .
SO, THIS IS OUR FRIENDLY
REMINDER THAT WE ARE TO TREAT
EVERYBODY WITH RESPECT. AND ANY
TIME I HEAR ABOUT SOMEBODY BEING
DISRESPECTED AT CITY HALL, OTHER
THAN COUNCILMEMBERS, BECAUSE I
AM THE PERSON THAT GETS PAID TO
GET DISRESPECTED OR YELLED AT OR
SCREAM THAT, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER
YOU WANT, BUT NOT TO OUR
SECURITY GUARDS, NOT TO THE
STAFF, NOT TO THE PEOPLE WHO
CLEAN THIS BUILDING, FULL STOP.
SO, I WANTED TO SAY THAT ON
CAMERA FOR THE RECORD, FOR THE
SEATTLE CHANNEL, AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO THE
MEETING. IS THERE ANY MORE
FURTHER COMMENTS FOR THE GOOD OF
THE ORDER? COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT AND I APPRECIATE YOU, AND I
APPRECIATE HOLDING THE LINE AND
DRAWING THE LINE THERE, AND I
JUST WANT TO SAY ON THE RECORD,
I FULLY ENDORSE AND SUPPORT YOUR
STATEMENTS AND YOUR COMMENT, AND
MORE THAN THAT, I APPRECIATE
THEM AND THE GRACE THAT YOU
BRING TO THIS CONVERSATION. AND
ESPECIALLY THAT YOU ARE HOLDING
A LINE FOR THE FOLKS WHO WORK
HERE, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT
I FULLY SUPPORT THAT AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS FOR THE GOOD OF THE
ORDER BEFORE WE END THE MEETING?
AWESOME. C AND NON-. THANK YOU
ALL FOR COMING TO THIS MEETING,
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WE WILL
ALWAYS CONTINUE TO RESPECT
EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THE
END OF OUR MEETING. OUR NEXT
MEETING WILL BE