[MUSIC]
-- ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON.
JULY 21st, 2026 MEETING OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL COME
TO ORDER. IT IS 2:04 P.M.. MY
NAME IS JOY HOLLINGSWORTH. I'M
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
-- COUNCILMEMBER? RIVERA.
PRESENT COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
HERE. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- HERE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- HERE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK HERE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. HOLLINGSWORTH
NINE. PRESENT.
-- AWESOME. TODAY THE COUNCIL
WILL SIGN AND PRESENT TWO
PROCLAMATIONS. THE FIRST ONE
WILL BE PRESENTED BY
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
RECOGNIZING SALMON BAY FC AND
THE SECOND WILL BE OUR HOTEL
WORKER DAY BY COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO PRESENT
YOUR PROCLAMATION.
-- THANK YOU. SALMON, SALMON
BAY. SALMON. LET'S GO. NATIONAL
CHAMPIONS. IT IS SUCH AN HONOR
AND PLEASURE TO GET TO REPRESENT
THE DISTRICT WELL. WE HAVE
DISPUTED SIX DISTRICT SIX SEVEN
WHERE INTERBAY IS, BUT IT IS AN
HONOR AND IT'S JUST AS I SAID
EARLIER, I'M JUST SO GOSH DARN
PROUD OF THE TEAM. SALMON BAY FC
IS DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT FROM
BALLARD FC. ALL OF THE OTHER USL
TWO TEAMS ACROSS THE NATION JUST
USE ONE NAME TO REPRESENT BOTH
TEAMS. HERE IN SEATTLE, WE ARE
DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT, AND WE'VE
GOT A BUNCH OF OTHER TEAMS IN
THE COMMUNITY SO I'LL LET MY
COLLEAGUES SPEAK TO THEM IF THEY
WOULD LIKE, BUT JUST WANT TO
CALL OUT COACHES. MALIA CHALLIS,
ELLIOTT AND JIMMY. I WANT TO
CALL OUT OUR PLAYERS, JORDAN
MORGAN, MALIA, RIA, KEELEY,
JUJU, ALICIA, SOPHIE, MAYA.
WELL, WE GOT A NUMBER OF MAYA.
SO MAYA LOUD, KAYA HANSEN, ANDY
MILLER, JENNY LACKEY, JAYLEE.
REYNOLDS, KIRSTEN MCGUFFEY, AVA.
URIBE, CHLOE. SIELOFF WHO WAS
REALLY GOOD THIS YEAR, WE GOT
MAYA, COURTNEY, JILLIAN MCBRIDE,
SAMIA, BLAKE WARNER, NATALIE
GRAHAM, WE GOT ANNIKA.
CARPENTER, ELENA. ELENA. MILLIAM
AND GOAL! THANK YOU, MEGAN
CARDENAS. RACHEL WRITES. MAYA
HANSEN, MORGAN MANA. LILY. MAN
SHE HAS GOOD FOOTWORK TOO. I
EVERY TIME SHE WAS COMING DOWN
THE PITCH IT WAS LIKE, OH, HERE
WE GO. WE GOT LOUDER. HENDRICK
CAROLINE STUDEBAKER, ELEANOR
MORRISSEY, AALIYAH. DR.. MILLIE.
BRAY, AMIR. HUSSAIN, OUR
CAPTAIN. GOOD TO SEE YOU. WE GOT
ANNA MESSI MENTI. WE GOT AMELIA
SEVEN. OUR MVP.
-- WHO.
-- LOU BARNES PLAYS FROM TIME TO
TIME. WE GOT JODY. KAYA SINGH
WHO MADE THIS. FOR ALL OF YOU
WHO WEREN'T THERE AT THE GAME.
IT WAS A MATCH TO BE REMEMBERED.
WE WENT TO EXTRA TIME. WE GOT A
GOAL. THEY GOT A GOAL. WE ALMOST
GOT ANOTHER GOAL THAT WE THOUGHT
WAS A GOAL. AND THEN WE WENT
INTO PKS AND IT WAS THE SIXTH
ROUND OF PKS AND. A PENALTY
KICK, YES. SO KAYA KAYA SINGH
NAILED THAT LAST GOAL TO MAKE US
NATIONAL CHAMP, TO MAKE YOU
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, TO MAKE US
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. WE GOT A
MAYA ARMSTEAD, MAYA COURTNEY,
MARIAH GRAY AS WELL. AND I
CAN'T FORGET TO THANK THE
ORGANIZATION FOR CREATING A
COMMUNITY THAT YOU GET TO HAVE
AFFOGATO AND LOCAL DRINKS WHILE
GETTING TO SEE AMAZING FOOTWORK
FOR 15 BUCKS. IT'S JUST. THANK
YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT
YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY,
FOR BEING THAT INSPIRATION TO
THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOCCER
PLAYERS, OF SOCCER CHAMPIONS.
FOR ALL OF YOU. SORRY, I'M GOING
ON WAY LONGER THAN I THOUGHT I
WAS. SOMETHING THAT IS
INTERESTING ABOUT USL TWO IS
BECAUSE IT IS A IT'S NOT MLS.
WE DON'T GET TO KEEP THESE
PLAYERS FOREVER. THEY GO ON TO
BECOME TO GET TO GO ON TO HIGHER
LEVELS OF THE GAME, TO GET TO GO
ON TO OTHER THINGS IN LIFE,
SOMETIMES GETTING TO COME BACK
TO PLAY, PLAY FOR US. AND SO
IT'S JUST AMAZING TO GET TO
HAVE YOU RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU
FOR BEING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.
THE ONLY SO BALLARD FC, I THINK
I ALREADY SAID THIS BALLARD FC
AND SALMON BAY FC, THE ONLY CLUB
IN THE ENTIRE NATION TO BOTH BE
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. AND THIS IS
THEIR SECOND YEAR. MY, MY
FAVORITE PART ABOUT THIS IS WE
WERE TALKING. WE WERE WHEN THEY
PLAYED COLORADO ON JULY 3rd, WE
WERE. OUR JEER TO THEM WAS THAT
THEY WERE LANDLOCKED, BUT BOB. I
SAW COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE THE
NEXT DAY AND HE COULD HEAR FROM
THE TOP OF QUEEN ANNE. HE COULD
HEAR US CHEERING FOR THAT WIN.
SO THOSE ARE MY REMARKS. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I'M JUST IT'S JUST
AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO GET
TO HOST NATIONAL CHAMPIONS HERE
AT CITY HALL.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS ARE THERE
ANY OTHER COMMENTS
COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO
OFFER BEFORE I REQUEST
SIGNATURES FOR THE PROCLAMATION?
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOLLOWED BY
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST
OFF, I WANT TO SAY
CONGRATULATIONS TO SALMON BAY
FC. AS THE CITY COUNCILMEMBER
THAT REPRESENTS WEST SEATTLE,
INCLUDING YOUR RIVALS, THE
JUNCTION FC AND THE WEST SEATTLE
ROADIES FC I'M STILL. I'M A
TREMENDOUS FAN AND SUPPORTER OF
THEM. I'M LOOKING AT THE
PENINSULA. THE WEST SEATTLE
PENINSULA IS OVER THERE, BUT
AYE. I ALSO AM INCREDIBLY PROUD
OF YOU ALL FOR YOUR. ON THE
FIELD SUCCESS. TREMENDOUS
ACHIEVEMENT. IT REFLECTS GREAT
CREDIT NOT ONLY UPON YOURSELVES.
THE BALLARD INTERBAY COMMUNITY,
BUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF SEATTLE,
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY,
AND WHICH IS ALSO WHY I'M
HONORED TO AFFIX MY NAME, EVEN
THOUGH I'M. I WOULD ORDINARILY
BE CHEERING LOUDLY FOR. FOR THE
ROADIES, BUT I DO CONGRATULATE
YOU. INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU
ALL. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD, BECAUSE
THIS IS ABOUT BRINGING
COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. IT'S ABOUT
CELEBRATING COMMUNITIES. THIS IS
ABOUT CELEBRATING WOMEN IN
SPORT. AND FOR THOSE REASONS AND
SO MANY MORE, REALLY HONORED TO
BE ABLE TO AFFIX MY NAME TO THIS
PROCLAMATION, TO HONOR, TO DO
ONE SMALL THING WE CAN DO FROM
THE CITY OF SEATTLE PERSPECTIVE
TO TO HONOR YOUR EXCEPTIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT. CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- ALSO, I'LL NOTE THAT THERE
IS SOME SOME.
-- INTERMARRIAGE BETWEEN SOME OF
THE COACHING STAFF BETWEEN YOUR,
YOUR TEAM AND MY TEAM. SO
ANYWAYS, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
I JUST WANT TO SAY FIRST
CONGRATULATIONS. IT IS SUCH A A
ACCOMPLISHMENT AND YOU HAVE SUCH
AN EXAMPLE THAT YOU'RE SETTING
FOR THE GIRLS TO INCLUDE A
CERTAIN SOON TO BE MIDDLE
SCHOOLER IN MY HOME AND THE, YOU
KNOW, THE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING
THERE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE
GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN OUR
CITY AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE. AND
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
THAT, FOR ALL THE POSITIVE
REASONS AND THAT THE IMPACTS ON
THESE GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN'S
LIVES IS SO IMPORTANT. AND AND
ALSO, GIVEN THAT YOU PLAY IN
DISTRICT SEVEN, WHICH IS ALSO,
YOU KNOW, WHERE THE SEATTLE
STORM HAVE THEIR PERFORMANCE
CENTER, WE HAVE A LITTLE
WOMEN'S SPORT FOCUS THERE IN
THE DRAVIS. SO THE DRAVIS SPORTS
CENTER THAT WE HAVE THERE IS SO
IMPORTANT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE SHOULD LEAN INTO ACROSS
THE BOARD, WHETHER IT'S LIKE MY
DAUGHTER'S CASE, IT'S NOT JUST
SOCCER, BUT LACROSSE AND
BASKETBALL TOO, YOU KNOW, AND,
YOU KNOW, REALLY DEVELOPING
THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE WHOLE
CITY BECAUSE IT IS A CITY ASSET
AS AS THE STORM ARE TOO. AND SO
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND
CONGRATULATIONS AND FANTASTIC
JOB. THANK YOU.
-- AWESOME COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND I WILL BE BRIEF
WITH MY REMARKS. I JUST WANT TO
SAY CONGRATULATIONS, CHAMPIONS.
OH MY GOD, WE'RE SO EXCITED.
YES, I CAN FEEL THE ENERGY. AND
I'M LIKE, I CAN SEE THE PLAQUE
FROM HERE. SO VERY COOL. YOU
KNOW, I GOT A CHANCE TO GO TO
ONE OF YOUR GAMES WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. THANK YOU
FOR INVITING ME AND JUST TURNED
ME INTO AN INSTANT FAN. SO THANK
YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU FOR PLAYING HARD.
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING OUR
CITY WELL. WE'RE JUST SO PROUD.
AND I'M TOTALLY LIKE JUST
GEEKED OUT. AND SO THANKS FOR
JOINING US TODAY SO WE CAN
CELEBRATE YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- YEAH.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. I TOO WANT
TO ADD MY NOTE OF
CONGRATULATIONS. I HAVE TWO
DAUGHTERS AND I JUST LOVE YOU
ALL ARE SUCH ROLE ROLE MODELS
FOR OUR GIRLS AND WOMEN IN
SPORTS IN THE CITY, AND EVEN
THOSE THAT DON'T PLAY SPORTS.
TO SEE YOU ALL PLAY AND WHAT YOU
MEAN TO GIRLS AND WOMEN IN
COMMUNITY, BOTH IN AND OUT OF
SPORTS, IS REALLY AMAZING. SO
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
FOR BRINGING THEM TO CHAMBERS
TODAY SO THAT WE COULD CELEBRATE
THEM. AND AGAIN,
CONGRATULATIONS.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. ARE THERE
ANY COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS BACK
TO YOU BEFORE WE CALL THE ROLL
FOR SIGNATURES? ANY CLOSING
COMMENTS?
-- AS YOU CAN TELL, WE'RE ALL
SUPER PROUD OF YOU. THANK YOU
FOR BEING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS,
FOR DEDICATING YOURSELVES TO A
YEAR HERE. I KNOW THAT THE WHOLE
TEAM COULDN'T BE HERE BECAUSE
COLLEAGUES, FOLKS, GO BACK
QUICKLY TO EITHER THEIR COLLEGE
OR THEIR HOME, JENNY LACHEY FLEW
BACK HERE FROM ENGLAND TO PLAY
FOR ONE GAME. IT'S JUST BEEN
SUCH A PLEASURE AND HONOR TO GET
TO BE YELLING ON THE SIDELINES.
I'M GLAD I GOT MY VOICE BACK.
SO I'M READY FOR NEXT YEAR. AND
FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO JOIN
US, PLAY IN INTERBAY. TAKE IT.
SEASON TICKETS ARE 100 BUCKS.
IT'S IT'S AMAZING. SO I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR
WHERE WE'LL ROLL BACK, DO IT
AGAIN, GET THAT SECOND STAR
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- AWESOME
-- ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES, CAN WE
CALL THE ROLL? WHO WOULD LIKE TO
SIGN THE PROCLAMATION?
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. RINCK. YES.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- NINE SIGNATURES WILL BE
AFFIXED.
-- IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
RULES WILL BE SUSPENDED. TO
PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION TO OUR
GUESTS AND ALLOW THEM TO PROVIDE
SOME COMMENTS. SO, HEARING NO
OBJECTION, THE RULES ARE
SUSPENDED. THE PROCLAMATION WILL
BE PRESENTED TO OUR GUESTS AND
WILL PROVIDE. THEY'LL PROVIDE
COMMENTS. I DON'T KNOW WHO'S
COMING UP TO SPEAK, BUT WHOEVER
IS YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO
COME UP, WHICHEVER. MIKE, TO
PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS.
-- YEAH.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THAT'S GREAT
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- CAN YOU HEAR ME?
-- YES.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- OKAY.
-- FIRST WE WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU FOR INVITING US HERE. BUT
MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO SAY
IT'S WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING
WITHOUT ALL OF YOU. AND WE'RE
SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE. BUT
WE'RE ALSO JUST GRATEFUL TO
KIND OF PAY THE WAY FOR ALL THE
YOUNG GIRLS AND THE YOUNGER
GENERATION. SO THANK YOU AGAIN.
-- HEY
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SAY
ANYTHING? NO. YEAH. AWESOME. A
SHORT, A SHORT AND SWEET
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- CAN WE TAKE A PICTURE UP HERE
ON THE DICE?
-- ABSOLUTELY. SO NOW CAN WE ALL
COME TAKE A PHOTO? YOU'RE JUST
GOING TO COME UP HERE ON THE
DAIS.
-- OH LEI OH, OLÉ, OLÉ. SANTA
FE, SANTA FE, 000.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- HEY!
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- SANTA FE 0000.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- SANTA SANTA FE.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- OH.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- LEI.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- OH LAI OH.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- LEI SANTA FE. YOU CAN COME ON
IN AND SPREAD DOWN.
-- THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK
YOU. COME ON OVER. COME ON DOWN.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- RIGHT HERE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND
WE'RE LOOKING.
-- AT THIS CAMERA.
-- RIGHT HERE. BOB, DO YOU WANT
THIS?
-- YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US
WHEN. YEAH. COUNT US.
-- DOWN HERE. SIX, SEVEN.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THEY'RE ALL GOOD.
-- AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
PROCLAMATION RIGHT THERE?
-- WE NEED ONE MORE SIGNATURE
FROM ROB COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
-- I'M NOT SURE IF I SAID I
THOUGHT HE WAS.
-- ON IT, BUT I'LL SIGN IT
AGAIN.
-- I SIGNED IT FOR HIM. DOUBLE
DOWN. OH, WE HAVE IT TWICE.
-- WE'LL GET THIS BACK TO YOU
IN A MINUTE. I'M GOING TO HOLD
THIS. HERE. YOU HOLD IT.
-- NATALIE OKAY, THAT'S TRUE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YEAH, YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH.
ONE. LET ME TAKE A COUPLE. MORE
TIME. OKAY. AND THEN YOU WANT TO
GIVE. OKAY.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH.
-- I'M GOING TO GET THIS BACK
TO YOU WITH THE CORRECT
SIGNATURES IN A COUPLE.
-- IN A COUPLE OF.
-- BUT
-- REAL PLEASURE.
-- TO GET TO SEE YOU ALL.
-- AGAIN TODAY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- CONGRATULATIONS
-- HIP, HIP.
-- [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE]
-- CONGRATULATIONS.
-- [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER]
-- HIP HIP.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- HOORAY!
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- HIP HIP. HURRAH HURRAH.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- ABSOLUTELY
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I LIKE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THE SALMON.
-- I LIKE YEAH, WE HAD TO BRING
THAT. LOVE IT. THANK YOU THANK
YOU. NICE. AND NOW WE'RE DOING.
-- THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH.
-- THAT'S AWESOME.
-- I LIKE THAT OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ
SALMON BAY. SO COOL. OKAY.
SALMON BAY THEY GOT A LITTLE
PINK AND GREEN. Y'ALL CAN BE
AKAS AS.
-- WELL.
-- OKAY, SO NEXT. THAT WAS FUN.
THANK YOU, SALMON BAY. WE ARE SO
GRATEFUL FOR YOU ALL AND WE'RE
SO, SO PROUD AS WELL, ESPECIALLY
WITH OUR LITTLE GIRLS SEEING
Y'ALL PLAY. IT'S JUST AMAZING.
SO WE ARE SO GREAT. OKAY, NEXT
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER WE HAVE A
SECOND PROCLAMATION TODAY. YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. YES. SECOND
PROCLAMATION. SO I WANT TO TAKE
A SECOND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
WORKERS THAT ARE HERE IN COUNCIL
CHAMBERS WITH US FROM UNITE HERE
LOCAL EIGHT AND SAY, THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU
FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. COLLEAGUES,
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BRING
FORWARD A PROCLAMATION
PROCLAIMING HOTEL WORKER DAY IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO BE TODAY,
JULY 21st. AND I WANT TO SHARE
WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO US.
WE KNOW THAT. AND I'M LOOKING AT
YOU ALL. WE KNOW THAT THE
WORKERS WHO ARE IN OUR HOTELS
ARE THE FOLKS WHO MAKE FANTASTIC
PLACES FOR US TO STAY. THEY MAKE
WELCOMING PLACES FOR OUR GUESTS.
THEY HELP MAKE SEATTLE A PLACE
THAT CAN WELCOME PEOPLE TO VISIT
OUR FANTASTIC CITY. AND WE ALSO
KNOW THAT THOSE WORKERS ARE MANY
TIMES IMMIGRANTS OR MANY TIMES
FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING A COUPLE
OF JOBS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
CAN HAVE AFFORDABILITY HERE. AND
WE WANTED TO HAVE A MOMENT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK THAT OUR
HOTEL WORKERS DO TO MAKE SEATTLE
SUCH A FANTASTIC CITY, AND TO
PROCLAIM HOTEL WORKER DAY IN
CELEBRATION OF THEIR WORK AND
THEIR ORGANIZING AND THEIR
STEADFAST CONTRIBUTIONS TO TO
OUR CITY. I'VE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND CONNECT
WITH UNITE HERE WORKERS AND SEE
SOME FOLKS HERE TODAY WHO I'VE
SAT DOWN WITH. I SEE SOME FOLKS
WHO I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF
JOINING ON THE PICKET LINE. AND
WHAT YOU DO IS REALLY HARD. AND
WHEN YOU STAND UP FOR YOUR
RIGHTS AND YOU ORGANIZE, THAT'S
ANOTHER VERSION OF HARD WORK
THAT MIRRORS THE HARD WORK YOU
DO IN YOUR DAY JOBS. SO I THINK
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
TAKE A SECOND TO ACKNOWLEDGE
YOUR WORK, YOUR LABOR, AND YOUR
ORGANIZING. AND SO I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO BRING FORTH THIS
PROCLAMATION TODAY. I'LL JUST
SHARE A COUPLE OF LINES HERE.
AND COLLEAGUES, I WOULD LOVE
YOUR SUPPORT AND SIGNATURE ON
THIS PROCLAMATION. I WON'T READ
ALL OF IT, I PROMISE. I KNOW,
BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO
WHEREAS SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
HONORS THE IMMEASURABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL HOTEL
WORKERS TO OUR CITY AND
EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE FOR
THEIR WORK, RESILIENCE AND
LEADERSHIP. WHEREAS, SEATTLE HAS
LONG RECOGNIZED THE ESSENTIAL
LABOR OF HOTEL WORKERS,
INCLUDING THROUGH THE PASSAGE
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF FOUR HOTEL
WORKER LABOR STANDARDS,
ORDINANCES PROTECTING WORKING
CONDITIONS, SAFETY AND IMPROVING
ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE FOR THOSE
WORKERS. WHEREAS, WORKERS AT
EMBASSY SUITES HAVE BEEN ON
STRIKE SINCE JUNE 18th, MAKING
TREMENDOUS PERSONAL SACRIFICES
IN PURSUIT OF FAIR WAGES,
STRONGER WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS,
QUALITY HEALTH CARE AND THE
DIGNITY OF EVERY WORKER
DESERVES. WHEREAS, CITY SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL STANDS IN
SOLIDARITY WITH HOTEL WORKERS
AND URGES ALL PARTIES TO ENGAGE
IN IMMEDIATE GOOD FAITH
NEGOTIATIONS TO REACH A FAIR
AGREEMENT THAT RESPECTS WORKERS,
RECOGNIZES THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
AND BRINGS THIS LABOR DISPUTE TO
A JUST AND TIMELY RESOLUTION.
WHEREAS, SEATTLE HAS A PROUD
HISTORY OF STANDING WITH WORKERS
AND RECOGNIZING THAT WHEN
WORKERS HAVE THE POWER TO
ORGANIZE, BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY
AND EARN A FAIR SHARE OF THE
PROSPERITY THEY CREATE, OUR
ENTIRE CITY IS STRONGER NOW.
THEREFORE, THE MAYOR AND THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL PROCLAIM
JULY 21st, 2026 TO BE HOTEL
WORKER DAY.
-- HEY
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- BEFORE WE CALL THE ROLL FOR
SIGNATURES, ARE THERE ANY IS
THERE ANY ONE THAT HAS COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME
HERE TODAY. AND I JUST WANT TO
IN PARTICULAR SPEAK ABOUT SORT
OF THE THE BRAVERY, THE OF
STANDING UP FOR YOURSELVES, FOR
YOUR COLLEAGUES AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF, YOU KNOW, IT IS
NOT JUST A FIGHT FOR YOUR
RIGHTS. IT IS A FIGHT FOR
WORKING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. AND
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT
YOU ARE NOT ALONE, THAT YOU KNOW
YOU ARE FIGHTING A GOOD FIGHT
WHEN YOU STAND UP FOR
YOURSELVES, WHEN YOU STAND UP
FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES, AND WHEN
YOU FIGHT FOR THE DIGNITY OF
LABOR. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU
DO, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
TODAY.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I'M GOING TO STAND. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOLKS AT UNITE HERE
FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, WHO
IS NEW TO SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL,
WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON LABOR
ISSUES. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR INPUT ON ALL THESE ISSUES,
BUT I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK
STEFAN, WHO I'VE BEEN DEALING
WITH FOR A DECADE. WE DON'T
ALWAYS AGREE, BUT I ALWAYS
APPRECIATED THAT LABOR WOULD PUT
STEFAN FORWARD TO COME TALK TO
US. A LOT OF LABOR ISSUES, LABOR
PEACE AGREEMENTS, A LOT OF
CONTRACTS WITH SEATTLE CENTER
AND OTHER ISSUES. AND SO YOU
HAVE A GREAT LEADER, YOU HAVE
GOOD PEOPLE. WE HAVE GOOD
LEADERSHIP. AND FOR THAT, THANK
YOU, STEFAN, BECAUSE I KNOW
YOU'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME,
LONGER THAN ME. SO THANK YOU AND
THANK YOU.
-- COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER. THANK
YOU. COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANT
TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE
WORK THAT YOU DO, AND
PARTICULARLY, WE JUST HAD A
GREAT EVENT WHERE PEOPLE FROM
ALL OVER THE WORLD CAME HERE AND
YOU TOOK GREAT CARE OF THEM. YOU
TAKE CARE OF OUR VISITORS AT THE
CITY AND YOU MAKE US LOOK GOOD
AND YOU DESERVE TO BE TAKEN CARE
OF. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND I WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COMING ON
THE HEELS OF THE EVENT WE JUST
HAD, WHERE THERE WERE SO MANY
FOLKS HERE FROM ALL OVER, AND
THEN COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
-- COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS YEAH,
THANK YOU. I'LL BE BRIEF. YOUR
SHIRT SAYS EXACTLY WHAT I'M
THINKING. THAT ONE JOB SHOULD BE
ENOUGH. THIS CITY IS NOT GETTING
ANY CHEAPER TO LIVE IN, AND
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT
YOUR RIGHTS TO LIVE, TO EARN A
LIVING WAGE HERE IN OUR CITY.
THESE TYPES OF STRIKES, AS I
UNDERSTAND, USUALLY TWO DAYS,
MAYBE A WEEK. I UNDERSTAND
YOU'RE IN WEEK FIVE, IS THAT
RIGHT? THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE
DOING BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING IT
NOT ONLY FOR YOURSELVES AND OUR
COMMUNITY, BUT FOR SO MANY OTHER
PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. AND WE'RE
STANDING WITH YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS WE ALSO HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- THANK YOU.
-- ONE JOB SHOULD BE ENOUGH.
JUST SIMPLY PUT, ONE JOB SHOULD
BE ENOUGH. AND I KNOW FROM MY
TIME BEING ALONGSIDE YOU ALL ON
THE PICKET LINES, I TALKED TO
SOME OF YOU WORKING FIVE JOBS TO
GET BY IN THIS CITY. THAT IS
UNACCEPTABLE. WE SHOULD NOT BE
LIVING IN THAT REALITY AND IN SO
MANY WAYS, I THINK EXACTLY THIS.
THE PHRASE THAT YOU ALL CHAMPION
ONE JOB SHOULD BE ENOUGH
CAPTURES IT SO WELL. AND I KNOW
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THIS BODY
IS WORKING EVERY DAY TO TRY AND
FIGHT FOR A CITY THAT REALLY
WORKS FOR ALL OF US. BUT I
WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO
REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COURAGE THROUGHOUT THIS STRIKE.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING,
BUT I WANT TO URGE ON THE
STRONGEST OF TERMS THE NEED TO
COME TO A RESOLUTION, TO BARGAIN
IN GOOD FAITH, BECAUSE YOUR
DEMANDS FOR YEAR ROUND HEALTH
CARE, FOR APPROPRIATE STAFFING,
PRE-PANDEMIC STAFFING LEVELS TO
BE RESTORED, AND PROTECTIONS
FROM ICE ARE BEYOND REASONABLE.
THEY'RE NECESSARY. AND SO,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS
PROCLAMATION FORWARD AND
HONORING HOTEL WORKERS FOR THE
INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM UNITE HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COURAGE IN THIS FIGHT. IT'S BEEN
AN HONOR TO STAND BY YOU AND
WILL CONTINUE TO STAND BY YOU
THROUGHOUT THIS. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. THANK
YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
COUNCILMEMBER. FOSTER. I JUST
WANTED TO SAY I'VE HAD THESE
CONVERSATIONS WITH STEFAN, SO I
THINK IT'S JUST RIGHT TO SAY IT
PUBLICLY TO THE GROUP HERE.
UNITE EIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A SEAT
AT THE TABLE AND TO HAVE YOUR
VOICE HEARD AND TO NEGOTIATE AND
WORK THESE CHALLENGES THAT THAT,
YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE FACING. AND
SO I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND, AND I CAN VOUCH, AS SOME OF
MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ STEFAN, AND THE
LEADERSHIP IS FANTASTIC. SO
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
-- THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
COUNCILMEMBER, SORRY.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I'LL JUST BE BRIEF
AND SAY THAT I'M REALLY PROUD
OF YOU ALL FOR YOUR COURAGE AND
COMMITMENT TO STAND UP FOR THE
LABOR MOVEMENT AND FIGHTING FOR
THESE RIGHTS THAT YOU SO
DESPERATELY HAVE WORKED HARD FOR
AND DESERVE AND NEED. AS
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA ALLUDED TO
A MOMENT AGO, WE JUST GOT DONE
WELCOMING THE WORLD. BUT WE WERE
A GLOBAL CITY BEFORE. FIFA WILL
BE A GLOBAL CITY LONG AFTER FIFA
AS WELL, AND YOU ALL ARE A
SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT. YOU
ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY,
SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO
THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND OUR
STANDING AS A STRONG GLOBAL CITY
LEADER. AND YOU'RE ALSO UNSEEN
BY MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME
VISIT HERE. BUT I WANT YOU ALL
TO KNOW THAT I SEE YOU, THAT
THIS COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY SEES YOU
AND YOUR WORK NOT ONLY FOR
YOURSELVES, YOUR UNION, BUT THE
BROADER LABOR MOVEMENT. THEY'RE
GREATLY APPRECIATED WITHIN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. SO THANK YOU
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- AND I'LL SAY MY QUICK
COMMENTS BEFORE I KICK IT BACK
TO YOU. COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER,
FOR CLOSING WORDS. VERY GRATEFUL
THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE. AGREE
WITH EVERY SINGLE THING THAT MY
COLLEAGUE SAID. AND FOR THE
RECORD, EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL
ARE ASKING FOR, FOR YOUR JOB IS
THE BARE MINIMUM. IT IS THE BARE
MINIMUM. AND SO SUPPORT YOU ALL
1,000%. AS ALWAYS SAY, BECAUSE
I'M FROM THE CITY, TEN TOES
DOWN 1,000% FOR FOR WHAT? WHAT
YOU ALL ARE. WHAT YOU ALL ARE
ASKING FOR. AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. AND
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER,
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND
HIGHLIGHTING YOU ALL SO WE CAN
CELEBRATE YOU ALL TODAY AND
ELEVATE YOUR VOICE ON WHAT'S
GOING ON WITH YOUR STRIKE IN
WEEK FIVE RIGHT NOW. SO THANK
YOU ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER DO YOU HAVE
ANY CLOSING WORDS?
-- YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COLLEAGUES, FOR SHARING ALL OF
THAT SUPPORT. IT REALLY MEANS A
LOT TO ME. SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I'M SURE IT MEANS A LOT TO
THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
I'LL JUST SAY THIS, YOU KNOW,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS ALREADY
SPOKE TO THIS. WE THINK THIS MAY
BE THE LONGEST RUNNING HOTEL
STRIKE IN SEATTLE HISTORY, AND
WE WANT TO STOP MAKING HISTORY
IN THIS WAY. AND SO WE STAND
WITH YOU TO DO THAT. AND THANK
YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME OUT TO
BE WITH US TODAY. WITH THAT, I
THINK, WELL, I'LL LET YOU LET
THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL.
-- THANK YOU. WE ALSO HAVE GREAT
LEADERSHIP ALSO, LIKE STEFAN AS.
-- WELL.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- ALL RIGHT.
-- EVERYONE ELSE GAVE YOU A
SHOUT OUT. IF I DIDN'T, I KNOW
I WOULD HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT
LATER. SO CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL TO SEE WHO WOULD
LIKE TO FIX THEIR SIGNATURES TO
THE PROCLAMATION?
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. I
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH. YES. NINE
SIGNATURES WILL BE AFFIXED.
-- AWESOME! YAY!
-- SO IT.
-- IS OFFICIALLY
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- 21st HOTEL WORKERS DAY. AND
SO IF THERE ARE NO. IF THERE'S
NOT AN OBJECTION, THE RULES WILL
BE SUSPENDED TO PRESENT THE
PROCLAMATION AND HEARING NO
OBJECTION, RULES ARE SUSPENDED
TO PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION. AND
THEN I THINK WE'RE INVITING
STEFAN. AND THEN THREE PEOPLE AS
WELL, OR WHOEVER IS SPEAKING.
YEAH. OKAY. AWESOME. FROM THE
GROUP.
-- WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY
COUNCIL. I'M BLUSHING A LITTLE
BIT BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF HOTEL
WORKERS IN THE SUCCESS OF OF
SEATTLE'S ECONOMY, IN THE
SUCCESS OF SEATTLE TOURISM
SECTOR AND IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR
CITY AS A COMMUNITY HOTEL. WORK
IS HARD WORK. SOME OF YOU HAVE
SAID IT. HOTEL HOUSEKEEPERS HAVE
HIGHER INJURY RATES THAN COAL
MINERS. NO MATTER WHERE YOU WORK
IN A HOTEL, YOU'RE ON YOUR
FEET, YOU'RE LIFTING, YOU'RE
RUSHING ALL TO PROVIDE A GOOD
EXPERIENCE TO THE GUESTS THAT
COME TO OUR CITY. AND HOTEL WORK
HAS GOTTEN MUCH HARDER SINCE THE
PANDEMIC. STAFFING LEVELS HAVE
DROPPED. WHAT USED TO BE ONE
PERSON'S JOB IN THE PAST IS NOW
WHAT USED TO BE TWO PEOPLE'S JOB
IN THE PAST IS NOW ONE PERSON'S
JOB, RIGHT? AT THE SAME TIME,
MANY WORKERS ARE STRUGGLING TO
GET ENOUGH HOURS TO ACTUALLY
MAKE A LIVING AND SUPPORT THEIR
FAMILIES. AFTER YEARS OF RISING
COSTS, GROCERIES, HOUSING, CHILD
CARE, ALL THE OTHER ESSENTIALS,
WE'RE AGAIN IN FACING INFLATION
IN SEATTLE, A 5% RIGHT. AND SO
THAT'S WHY WORKERS AT THE
EMBASSY SUITES ARE FIGHTING FOR
BETTER WAGES. A RETURN TO
PRE-PANDEMIC STAFFING LEVELS,
YEAR ROUND HEALTH CARE, RIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE
HOTEL WHO LOSE THEIR HEALTH CARE
IN THE WINTER WHEN IT'S SLOW.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE
FIGHTING, BUT THEY'RE ALSO
FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING EVEN MORE
FUNDAMENTAL. AND THAT'S EQUALLY
IMPORTANT. THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR
THEIR RIGHTS AS WORKERS AND AS
IMMIGRANTS. ALMOST FIVE WEEKS
INTO THE STRIKE, HOTEL
MANAGEMENT AND OWNERSHIP HAS
RESPONDED WITH A 40 CENT OFFER
FOR THEM TO RETURN TO WORK, AND
HAS REJECTED SOME VERY BASIC
PROTECTIONS FOR IMMIGRANTS IN
THE WORKPLACE. THIS IS WHY WE'RE
SO EXCITED THAT YOU'RE
RECOGNIZING HOTEL WORKERS HERE
TODAY AND THAT YOU'RE PASSING
THIS PROCLAMATION. SO I REALLY
WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER, ALL OF YOU, THE MAYOR,
FOR SIGNING ON TO THIS
PROCLAMATION, BECAUSE IT MEANS A
LOT TO US. AND I'M GOING TO
TURN IT OVER TO HAYDEN AND
FABIANA, WHO ARE GOING TO SAY A
FEW WORDS THEMSELVES.
-- YEAH, YEAH OKAY. HONORABLE
COUNCILS, MY FELLOW WORKERS,
EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM HAVE A
BLESSED GOOD. GOOD DAY. I AM
VIVIAN KIBO, WORKING AT EMBASSY
SUITES UNDER THE FOOD AND
BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT. I NEVER
IMAGINED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO
STAND HERE AND JOIN A JOB
ACTION. I DECIDED TO GO OUT AND
NOW I HAVE BEEN ON STRIKE FOR 34
DAYS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I
WOULD NORMALLY DO, BUT THIS IS
NOT ONLY ABOUT ME. EVERYONE IS
EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I
AM ONE OF THE SENIOR EMPLOYEES
IN OUR DEPARTMENT. MOST OF THE
TIME I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY IF
I RECEIVE 35 HOURS. EVEN NOW,
DURING THE BUSY OR PEAK SEASON,
I'M STILL RECEIVING ONLY ABOUT
30 HOURS PER WEEK. HOWEVER, EVEN
THOUGH OUR SHIP HAD BEEN
SHORTENED, WE ARE STILL EXPECTED
TO WORK FASTER AND CARRY THE
SAME HEAVY WORKLOAD. WE ARE NOT
BEING GIVEN ENOUGH PAID TIME TO
COMPLETE IT PROPERLY. THIS
CREATES TREMENDOUS PRESSURE AND
AFFECTS BOTH THE EMPLOYEES AND
THE QUALITY OF THE WORK. WE ARE
ABLE TO PROVIDE. WE I GO WHEN I
GO HOME, I AM SO EXHAUSTED,
EXHAUSTED. ALL I CAN DO IS LIE
DOWN. THAT'S REAL. NOTHING
ELSE. IN OUR LAST UNION
CONTRACT, WE RECEIVED A WAGE
INCREASE. WE WAGE GREAT. WE WERE
GRATEFUL FOR IT AND WE HOPE IT
WOULD HELP US MANAGE THE RISING
COST OF LIVING. HOWEVER, WHAT IS
THE VALUE OF HIGHER. OUR HOURLY
WAGE? IF WE ARE GIVEN FEWER
HOURS TO WORK, WE WANT TO
CONTINUE DOING THE JOBS WE LOVE.
OUR WORK IS OUR BREAD AND
BUTTER, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW
THAT OUR WORK IS VALUED AND THAT
OUR CONCERN MATTERS. WE ARE NOT
ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT. WE
ARE ASKING FOR FAIRNESS. I
CANNOT BEAR TO BE QUIET.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. BOBBIE. CITY
COUNCIL. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU
TODAY. HAPPY HOTEL WORKERS DAY.
WE'VE BEEN ON STRIKE FOR ONE
MONTH NOW. IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY
EXHAUSTING. I'M SURE IT'S BEEN
INCREDIBLY EXHAUSTING FOR SOME
OF THE RESIDENTS NEAR THE HOTEL
AS WELL, WHO'VE HAD TO DEAL
WITH US AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING
EVERY DAY, SCREAMING INTO OUR
MEGAPHONES. AND WE STILL PLAN ON
CONTINUING TO DO THAT EVERY DAY
UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED. WE ARE
REALLY TIRED. OBVIOUSLY,
EVERYBODY'S ACCOUNTS ARE PRETTY
MUCH DRAINED. I KNOW THAT MY
SAVINGS ACCOUNT, I JUST PULLED
OUT THE LAST OF IT THIS PRIOR
WEEKEND. SO I MEAN, WE'RE,
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ROCKING
WITH WHAT WE GOT NOW, YOU KNOW,
AND WE'RE GOING TO STICK
TOGETHER NO MATTER WHAT THROUGH
THICK AND THIN FINANCIAL
HARDSHIP, WHATEVER THAT COMES
ALONG. AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE, WE GET WHAT WE
DEMAND, WHAT WE WANT, WE DESERVE
THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS
IS OBVIOUSLY ALL OF OUR DEMANDS,
RIGHT? BETTER WAGES, HEALTH
CARE, YEAR ROUND, MAKING SURE
THAT WE GET OUR PRE-PANDEMIC
STAFFING LEVELS BACK UP, GETTING
MORE STAFF IN THE HOTEL. BUT
THERE'S SOMETHING EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT. AND THERE'S A REASON
WHY SOME OF THE PEOPLE DIDN'T
EVEN COME OUT TO STRIKE WITH US.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF ICE. IT'S
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN THIS
COUNTRY HAS BEEN TREATED. AND
THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THINGS GO SMOOTHLY. SO SOME OF
THEM HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THEIR
IMMIGRATION LAWYERS TO ACTUALLY
NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE STRIKE,
TO NOT USE THEIR VOICE BECAUSE
IT COULD IMPACT THEIR
IMMIGRATION CASE. SO THAT'S WHY
I'M USING MY VOICE RIGHT NOW TO
LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO MAKE REAL CHANGE HERE FOR THE
PEOPLE THAT WORK THESE JOBS IN
THIS CITY, THIS COUNTRY. AND SO
THAT'S WHY WE WON'T GIVE UP
UNTIL WE GET WHAT WE DESERVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAPPY HOTEL
WORKERS DAY.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- WELL SAID. WANTED TO KNOW.
JUST DO A CHECK. DID YOU WANT A
PICTURE? COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- CAN WE DO ONE REAL FAST?
-- YEAH, LET'S DO IT. CAN WE.
CAN WE DO A PICTURE REAL QUICK?
YEAH. OKAY. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL DO A PICTURE AND THEN
WE'LL HAVE DEANNA LEE WILL BE
IN THE MIDDLE. SHE WILL COUNT US
DOWN AND. YEAH. OKAY.
ABSOLUTELY. DO YOU WANT TO JUST
DO ONE? OKAY, PERFECT. SO
COUNCILMEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO
COME DOWN HERE AND WE'RE GOING
TO TAKE A PHOTO. THANK YOU.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- OH, JEFFERSON IS GOING UP
THERE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- OKAY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I'M SORRY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- NO, THAT'S COOL.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I'M SORRY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I'M SO SORRY. YOU'RE GOOD,
YOU'RE GOOD, YOU'RE GOOD. ARE
YOU SURE?
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YOU ARE STILL GROWING?
-- THAT'S AWESOME.
-- YES YES YES YES, I WAS DOWN
THERE VERY MUCH HERE. LET'S DO
LIKE.
-- HERE IN THE MIDDLE.
-- AND THEN WE'LL HOLD THIS.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- AND THEN WE CAN JUST KEEP
GOING. KEEP GOING. YEAH,
EXACTLY.
-- I WOULD TAKE OFF.
-- AFTER THIS.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THANK YOU.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG
BORING. I DON'T I DON'T WISH
THAT YOU'RE GOOD.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YOU'RE GOOD.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THANK YOU FOR BEING CHAMPION.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YOU JUST COME IN A LITTLE BIT
MORE. LET'S KEEP THEM. WE CAN
GET A LITTLE WINDOW ROWS.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YEAH, WE'RE GOOD AT THIS.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YOU GUYS STAY IN THE CENTER.
-- YEAH.
-- OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- HI.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- HOW ARE YOU?
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- SURE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- PEOPLE UP FRONT.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- AND.
-- YOU BETTER DON'T.
-- HOW ARE WE DOING SHE'S.
SHE'S FINE. I KNOW I'M
COUNCILMEMBERS.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- COME THIS WAY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YES OKAY, OKAY. I'M GONNA
GO. RIGHT. OKAY. WE HAVE ENOUGH.
-- RED SHIRTS. OKAY. GREAT.
-- FANTASTIC. RED. OKAY.
-- GO AHEAD.
-- I THINK WE GOT EVERYONE RIGHT
HERE. I CALL YOU GUYS DOWN IN
ONE SECOND, OKAY? WHAT ARE YOU
DOING? TRY NOT TO BLINK, OR YOU
WANT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AWESOME.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- I'M ONE OF THOSE. THANK YOU
I'LL BE THERE.
-- THANK YOU, THANK YOU
-- PROCLAMATION. TIME. THAT'S
MY SONG.
-- PROCLAMATION TIME. ALL RIGHT.
CAN REALLY MEMORIES.
-- ALL RIGHT. NOW, I WANT TO
THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR
PATIENCE, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO PUBLIC
COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. SO
COLLEAGUES, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE
GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENT
IS LIMITED TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA. THE INTRODUCTION, THE
COUNCIL WORK PROGRAM. THE
COUNCIL CANNOT ACCEPT COMMENTS
ON QUASI-JUDICIAL ITEMS ON
CAMPAIGN RELATED MATTERS AS
WELL. CLERK HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO
WE HAVE? 11.
-- 11 IN PERSON AND FOUR REMOTE.
-- OKAY, AWESOME. EVERYONE'S
GOING TO GET TWO MINUTES. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE ITEM
OR. EXCUSE ME? WE'LL READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT.
-- SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT
OF THEIR TIME. SPEAKERS MICS
WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END
THEIR COMMENTS WITHIN THE
ALLOTTED TIME. TO ALLOW US TO
CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER.
-- ALL RIGHT. AWESOME. WE'LL
START WITH IN PERSON, FOLKS.
FIRST, WE HAVE MISS YVETTE
DANISH AND MISS ROBERT. EXCUSE
ME, YVETTE, I'M GOING TO SAY
THE FIRST FIVE NAMES YVETTE
DANISH, ROBERTO DANIEL SMITH. WE
HAVE PAULINE, WE HAVE GREG, AND
WE HAVE KIRK. SO MISS YVETTE,
YOU ARE FIRST. UNLESS THERE'S
ANOTHER YVETTE DINISH.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THERE'S ONLY ONE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THERE'S ONLY ONE.
-- THE ONE AND ONLY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THANK YOU. I PLEDGE
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO
THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT
STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND
THAT INCLUDES HOTEL WORKERS.
OKAY.
-- YEAH.
-- I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
FUNDING. I'M SURE YOU GAVE TO
THE CHINATOWN-INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT LIVING IN THE CITY,
GOING TO THE PARADE EVERY YEAR
WAS A RITUAL. AND I WENT THIS
PAST WEEKEND AND IT WAS
OUTSTANDING. I HAD A GREAT TIME.
THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD MAKE
IT BETTER IS IF THE BLUE ANGELS
WERE TO DO A FLYOVER. I'M JUST
SAYING. SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING
TO FUND THAT. THAT WONDERFUL
PROGRAM. AND ALSO REGARDING THE
KING COUNTY REGIONAL HOUSING
ASSOCIATION, I KNOW THERE'S
TALK ABOUT DISSOLVING IT, BUT
QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T HAVE A
WHOLE LOT OF FAITH THAT THEY
WILL DO BETTER. I WOULD LIKE TO
THINK THEY HAVE THREE YEARS TO
DO RIGHT WITH THEIR FUNDING, AND
THEY DID A POOR JOB OF DOING
THAT, QUITE FRANKLY. SO I
CERTAINLY HOPE THAT GOING
FORWARD, IF YOU CONTINUE
FUNDING, THEY'LL BE KEEP A CLOSE
WATCH AND CLOSE EYE ON HOW THE
MONEY IS BEING SPENT. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, MISS YVETTE. ALL
RIGHT. WE HAVE ROBERTO, FOLLOWED
BY PAULINE AND GREG. WELCOME,
ROBERTO.
-- HELLO.
-- THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE
TIME.
-- COUNCILMEMBERS SPEAK.
SPEAKING THE MIC. YOU'RE GOOD.
WE'LL RESTART YOUR TIME. ALL
RIGHT.
-- THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE
TIME. COUNCILMEMBERS WASN'T SURE
HOW MUCH TIME WAS GOING TO HAVE
TO TALK TODAY, BUT I AM SPEAKING
IN REGARDS TO EXITING A SUPERIOR
COURT CASE WHERE MY CHILDREN
HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM ME THROUGH
ORDERS BY A LAWYER WHO HAS AIMED
TO HARASS ME, AND I JUST FEEL
LIKE I NEEDED TO SPEAK. BECAUSE
IF I DID NOT SPEAK. IT WOULD
JUST CONTINUE. SO I'M HERE TODAY
TO SAY THAT I AM SEEKING CUSTODY
OF MY TWO CHILDREN. I AM NEW TO
THE SEATTLE RESIDENTS. I'VE
LIVED HERE FOR TWO YEARS. SINCE
I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE BUILT A
HOME AND I WAS ACTUALLY KICKED
OUT OF MY HOME BY MEMBERS OF
GOVERNMENT. AND THIS HAS ALL
HAPPENED ALL AT ONE TIME. SO
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT PROCESS
FOR ME. BUT I WAS ALWAYS THERE
FOR MY CHILDREN. MY SON IS
AUTISTIC. I WENT THROUGH SPEECH
THERAPY WITH HIM, AND I WAS THAT
ADVOCATE FOR HIM. I WAS AN
ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS, AND
I ACTUALLY MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF
THAT TO SUPPORT MY EX-WIFE'S
DREAMS AND PURSUE MY DREAMS AS
WELL. AND I'VE KIND OF JUST
BEEN, I WAS PRO SE IN THIS
DISSOLUTION, AND I JUST FEEL
LIKE I WAS CORNERED, CORNERED,
CORNERED, AND THEN JUST PUSHED
AWAY FROM MY CHILDREN. AND IF I
DIDN'T SPEAK. I FEEL LIKE IT
WOULD JUST HAPPEN AGAIN. I'M
ALSO HERE FIGHTING FOR MY
DAUGHTER. AND I ACTUALLY DIDN'T
KNOW I WAS GOING TO HAVE TWO
MINUTES TO SPEAK, BUT THAT WAS
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I SPOKE OUT
IN REGARDS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF I DID NOT
SPEAK ABOUT THIS MATTER,
THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON. IF
I DID NOT SPEAK ABOUT THIS
MATTER, IT WOULD CONTINUE TO
HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING
THE TIME TO HEAR MY VOICE.
-- THANK YOU ROBERTO, THANK YOU
FOR BEING VULNERABLE TODAY AND
SPEAKING. NEXT WE HAVE PAULINE,
FOLLOWED BY GREG AND THEN KIRK.
WELCOME MISS PAULINE.
-- I, PAULINE, I'M YOUR FAMOUS
TRANSIT FAIRY AND IT SEEMS LIKE
I'M THE ONLY ONE IN METRO GOLD.
THAT'S WHERE THE TRANSIT RIDERS
UNION GOT THE COLOR. 15 YEARS
AGO. WE LOOKED AT THE BUSSES AND
THEY WERE HAD A BRIGHT YELLOW
STRIPE ON THEM. SO LOOKS LIKE IT
MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE
REPRESENTING THAT I AM COMMITTED
TO. SEATTLE, THE SEATTLE AREA
CREATING WORLD CLASS TRANSIT. I
REALLY DON'T LIKE IT WHEN MY.
WHEN MY BUS TAKES OFF BEFORE
I'M FULLY SEATED DOWN BECAUSE I
STEPPED ON THE SIDEWALK ALL
ABOUT. ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO, AND
THEN MY FOOT STILL BOTHERS ME A
LOT, SO I HAVE TROUBLE WITH
BALANCE AND THAT'S. AND IT'S
PROBABLY BECAUSE THE BUS IS
WORRIED ABOUT BEING LATE AND
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SERVICE. WE
NEED MORE SERVICE. SO HOPEFULLY
THIS MEASURE WILL GET PASSED
HERE AND, AND THE LOCAL IN THE
PUBLIC REALM TO. AND I AM
COMMITTED TO HELPING, DEFINITELY
COMMITTED TO HELPING METRO
INCREASE RIDERSHIP TOO, BECAUSE
THAT WILL WILL MEAN THERE'LL BE
MORE REVENUE. AND I WANT TO
SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESSES
WHEN I'M OUT CLEANING. I THINK
HOLISTICALLY, THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE BUS
STOPS AND HOPING THAT,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE SMALL
BUSINESSES, IF THEY THRIVE,
THERE WILL BE THERE WILL BE MORE
REVENUE. SO THAT WILL HELP
HOPEFULLY WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE
TO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE. AND
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
-- THANK YOU, MISS PAULINE. NEXT
WE HAVE GREG, FOLLOWED BY KIRK.
THEN CLIVE. WELCOME, GREG.
-- PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH AND
COUNCILMEMBERS. I'M GREG
WOODFIELD, PRESIDENT OF 8587.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING AROUND
4300 UNION MEMBERS IN THIS AREA
WITH LIVING WAGE TRANSIT JOBS
WHO LITERALLY MOVED THIS CITY.
OUR UNION APPRECIATES AND FULLY
SUPPORTS THIS BOLD TRANSIT
MEASURE THAT ADDRESSES SEATTLE
RESIDENTS INSATIABLE DEMAND FOR
MORE SAFE AND RELIABLE PUBLIC
TRANSIT. AND THAT SUPPORTS OUR
MEMBERS JOBS. WHO'S LIVING
WAGES FEED DIRECTLY BACK INTO
THIS COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO THANK
MAYOR WILSON FOR HER VISION. THE
COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR YOUR
THOUGHTFUL AMENDMENTS AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN GETTING US HERE
TODAY TO TODAY'S CRITICAL VOTE
TO NOT ONLY PROTECT SEATTLE'S
CURRENT PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE
LEVELS, BUT TO GREATLY EXPAND
THEM. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT
SEATTLE VOTERS WILL VOTE TO PASS
THIS MEASURE, AS THEY'VE DONE
NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST 8587,
IN COORDINATION WITH A BROAD
COALITION OF TRANSIT ADVOCATES.
HAVE YOUR BACK ON THIS. ALL WE
NEED IS YOUR YES VOTE TODAY.
HOPEFULLY UNANIMOUS, SO THAT WE
CAN ALL ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND
GET TO WORK ON DRIVING UP THE
TRANSIT VOTE, WHICH WILL ONCE
AGAIN DEMONSTRATE SEATTLE'S
LONG AND STRONG COMMITMENT TO
SAFE AND RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSIT
LASTLY, 8587 STANDS IN
SOLIDARITY WITH UNITE HERE LOCAL
EIGHT AND THEIR HOTEL WORKERS
STRIKE FOR A LIVING WAGE. THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU GREG. NEXT WE HAVE
KIRK, FOLLOWED BY CLIVE.
WELCOME, KIRK. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
-- PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M
KIRK CARTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF TRANSPORTATION CHOICES
COALITION. I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD A
LOT FROM ME LATELY. I APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR
CRAFTING A BOLD SEATTLE TRANSIT
MEASURE. THIS MEASURE AT TEN
YEARS AND 0.3%, IS A MEASURE
THAT MEETS THE MOMENT AND
PROVIDES THE AFFORDABLE WAY FOR
PEOPLE TO GET AROUND OUR
EXPENSIVE CITY. THIS WILL
DELIVER FAST, FREQUENT, AND
AFFORDABLE TRANSIT TO PLACES
LIKE INTERBAY STADIUM. TO WATCH
SALMON BAY FC. THIS MEASURE WILL
MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR SHIFT
WORKERS, LATE NIGHT WORKERS AND
HOTEL WORKERS WHO EARN THEIR
LIVING HERE IN SEATTLE. I WANT
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR
PUTTING FORTH THE 0.3% MEASURE,
AND I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL
FOR VOTING FOR A TEN YEAR TERM
THAT'S GOING TO KEEP SEATTLE A
LEADER ON TRANSIT FOR THE NEXT
DECADE THE REASON THAT THE
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE HAS BEEN
A SUCCESS OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS
IS AND DELIVERED BETTER TRANSIT
SERVICE FOR SEATTLE RIDERS IS
THANKS TO THE TRUST BETWEEN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND METRO. THIS
IS A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP. YOU
DON'T SEE THIS IN OTHER CITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I WANT TO
ENCOURAGE US TO KEEP THAT TRUST
GOING AND MAINTAINING THAT
STRONG RELATIONSHIP STARTS HERE.
THIS COUNCIL. SO LET'S GET THIS
DONE. LET'S CONTINUE TO TRUST
THE PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS GOTTEN
US TO THIS POINT. AND LET'S SEND
A STRONG MEASURE TO VOTERS THIS
NOVEMBER. LET'S PASS A BOLD
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE, AND
LET'S WIN THIS NOVEMBER. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. AND
LET'S GO. SAM AND BAY FC.
-- THANK YOU KIRK. NEXT WE HAVE
CLIVE FOLLOWED BY IS IT CESAR?
NO. YEAH. YOU'RE AFTER CLIVE AND
THEN KEITH, JASON AND BENNETT.
SO WE HAVE CLIVE FIRST, THEN
CESAR
-- COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
CLIVE HAYWARD. I'M A SEATTLE
RESIDENT AND WATERFRONT STREET
PERFORMER. THE WATERFRONT
ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND
THE DESIGNATED EXPRESSION RULES
ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AS APPLIED
ON MAY 28th, 2025. SEATTLE CITY
IS OFFICERS ASSAULTED AND
BATTERED ME, FORCED ME OUT OF A
PUBLIC SPACE AND THREATENED
HANDCUFFS WITHOUT REASON. I
FILED PUBLIC. I FILED COMPLAINTS
AND PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS, BUT
THE CITY HAS NOT PRODUCED A
MEANINGFUL REVIEW
-- FINDINGS OR CORRECTIVE
ACTIONS. SINCE THEN, ISU POLICY
VIOLATIONS AND INSECT SELECTIVE
ENFORCEMENT AGAINST PERFORMERS
HAVE GONE UNADDRESSED. ON JUNE
12th, ALL DESIGNATED SPACES WERE
OCCUPIED. I HAD NO CROWD, NO
OBSTRUCTION, NO SAFETY ISSUE. I
SAID I'D MOVE IF EXCLUSION WAS
THREATENED. I WAS EXCLUDED
ANYWAYS AND THREATENED WITH
CRIMINAL TRESPASS. THE RULES MAY
SOUND NEUTRAL ON PAPER, BUT IN
PRACTICE, ENFORCEMENT IS
CONCENTRATED ON BUSKERS WHO WHO.
WHILE OTHER VIOLATIONS AND MORE
SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES ARE
HANDLED DIFFERENTLY. I'M ASKING
COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE WATERFRONT
ENFORCEMENT. THERE ISSUE
AUTHORITY COMPLAINT HANDLING
SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT AGAINST
PERFORMERS, AND WHETHER THESE
RULES ARE CONSTITUTIONAL UNDER
BURGER VERSUS THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. AS ALWAYS, I PUT MY
EMAIL AND MY PHONE NUMBER THERE.
YOU CAN TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS.
-- THANK YOU CLIVE. I DID GO
DOWN TO THE WATERFRONT. I
DIDN'T SEE YOU, BUT I SAW YOUR
FRIEND AND AYE. NOW I VISUALLY
SEE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
OKAY. I HAD TO VISUALLY SEE IT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. CLIVE. AND I
HEARD YOU'RE A MAGICIAN. I HEARD
YOU'RE GOOD. BY THE WAY CESAR.
AND AFTER CESAR IS GOING TO BE
KEITH, JASON AND BENNETT.
-- HI. HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL. YEAH. I'M A
PERFORMER, TOO. I AM, I'M A
CLOWN. I DO A TWISTED BALLOON
ANIMAL FOR KIDS. SO YEAH, I
JUST, I JUST WONDERING IF, IF
YOU CAN SUPPORT US A LITTLE BIT
MORE. DON'T LET THAT, THAT,
THAT THE SECURITY PEOPLE TREATED
US LIKE A LITTLE BIT
CRIMINALIZED THE JUGGLERS AND
MAGICIANS PERFORMANCE. YEAH.
WE'RE NOT WE'RE DONE. WE WE'RE
NOT DOING NOTHING BAD. JUST JUST
ENTERTAIN PEOPLE, ENTERTAIN
TOURISTS. WE WILL, WE WORKING BY
TIPS, BY DONATION AND JUST THIS
IS WHAT WE DO FOR A LIVING. AND,
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. EVERYBODY. AND
OKAY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU CESAR. ALL RIGHT.
NEXT WE HAVE KEITH FOLLOWED BY
JASON AND THEN BENNETT. AND THEN
SARAH. WELCOME, KEITH.
-- THANK YOU AGAIN, YOU ALL FOR
BEING A PART OF OUR CITY. THANK
YOU FOR MAKING OUR CITY STRONG
AND CONTINUE TO HELP IT GROW
STRONGER. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR WISDOM AND ALL THAT YOU DO
FOR US. THE HARD WORK. MY NAME
IS KEITH MILLER. I RUN A COMPANY
HERE IN SEATTLE FOR THE PAST 25
YEARS. MILLER INTERIOR DESIGN. I
LOVE TO BRING JOY AND CULTIVATE
COMMUNITY, AND I'VE SEEN THE
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL WORK WE'VE
DONE IN THE LANDSCAPING OF
PLACES LIKE OUR WATERFRONT THAT
WELCOMED OUR SOCCER TEAMS. IT
WAS JUST EXTRAORDINARY TO SEE
ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN
DONE THERE THROUGH MY GOOD
FRIEND RICHARD HARTLAGE, WHO
DESIGNED THAT WATERFRONT AREA.
AND I LOVE LISTENING TO MY NEW
FRIEND PAULINE, WHO IS
DILIGENTLY CLEANING UP IMPORTANT
PARTS OF PUBLIC SPACES. THESE
DYNAMICS FROM GREAT TO SMALL,
ARE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF
BRINGING VITALITY TO OUR CITY,
AND I FULLY BELIEVE IN THRIVING,
HUMAN, THRIVING, AND TO THRIVE
BEYOND JUST EXCUSE ME, I FORGOT
MY LINE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- IT'S COMING. FOOD, CLOTHING
AND SHELTER IS SURVIVAL.
THRIVING IS. WITH THE ADDITION
OF DESIGN AND LIGHT AND BEAUTY.
AND THAT'S MY SPECIALIZATION.
AND I'M LOVING HAVING
OPPORTUNITIES TO INVITE PEOPLE
TO ENGAGE IN MEMORABLE
EXPERIENCES FOR BEAUTY, IF YOU
WOULD MIND PERHAPS SAVING THE
DATE OF AUGUST 29th, WHICH IS A
SATURDAY, ANYBODY IN THE ROOM?
WE ARE CELEBRATING AT FRITZ
HEDGES PARK WITH A PINK SOFA
FLOAT REGATTA WHERE WE'RE GOING
TO BE CELEBRATING RIDICULOUS FUN
BRINGING FAMILY WILL ALL BE ICE
CREAM. THERE WILL BE SIDEWALK
CHALK ART, FACE PAINT. IF YOU
LOOK ON TO OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS
HEARTH FOUNDATION.INFO, THAT'S
HEARTH FOUNDATION.INFO, YOU'LL
FIND EVENTS FOR OUR MOVEMENT,
GRASSROOTS, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO MAKE
BEAUTY COME TO THE NATURAL WORLD
AROUND US. COME AND HAVE FUN.
THANKS.
-- THANK YOU KEITH. THAT SOUNDS
LIKE A FUN PARTY. ALL RIGHT,
JASON, AND THEN BENNETT. SARAH.
AND THEN WE WILL JUMP ONLINE.
JASON BENNETT. SARAH. WELCOME.
-- GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS JASON LEE. I COLEAD FIX
THE L8, BUT I'M JUST HERE AS
MYSELF TODAY. BUT BASICALLY I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
PASSING OUT OF COMMITTEE. THE
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE RENEWAL.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE
THAT PASS AGAIN HERE. AND I'M
MOST EXCITED TO VOTE FOR IT IN
NOVEMBER. AND I'M SURE THERE'S A
LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SHARE MY, YOU
KNOW, SHARE THAT EXCITEMENT. AND
YEAH, JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW,
SAY AGAIN HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS
GOING TO BE FOR SEATTLE. YOU'VE
HEARD COUNTLESS TIMES HOW
EXPENSIVE OWNING A CAR IS. EVEN
IF YOU ALREADY OWN A CAR, JUST 1
OR 2 EXTRA TRIPS ON A BUS EVERY
WEEK, EVEN EVERY MONTH, THAT CAN
GO A REALLY LONG WAY IN SAVING
MONEY. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO
PAY THE ADDITION. MY HALF OF AN
ADDITIONAL $29 PER YEAR PER
HOUSEHOLD TO GET SO MUCH BETTER
TRANSIT SERVICE. AND RIGHT
BEFORE THIS, ACTUALLY ONE OF MY
COWORKERS WAS ASKING ABOUT A,
YOU KNOW, TRANSIT TRIPS FOR HER
DAUGHTER, FOR HIS DAUGHTER,
BECAUSE SHE JUST STARTED WORKING
IN SLU. AND I WAS LOOKING
THROUGH ALL THE OPTIONS THAT SHE
HAD TO KIND OF COMMUTE. AND
THERE WEREN'T REALLY ANY. SO IT
WAS REALLY EXCITING TO SHARE
THAT LIKE, HEY, YOU CAN CHANGE
THAT. NOVEMBER. BUT YEAH, I JUST
WANT TO REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT
WE'VE JUST BEEN SHARED BEFORE
ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO
TRANSIT RIDERS AND SAY, THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU, JASON. NEXT, WE
HAVE BENNETT, FOLLOWED BY SARAH,
AND THEN WE'LL GO ONLINE. SO IF
YOU'RE ONLINE, WE HAVE TWO MORE
IN-PERSON SPEAKER'S BENNETT.
THEN SARAH, THANK YOU.
-- GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. SO I
WANT TO TALK AGAIN ABOUT SOME OF
THE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
HAPPENING AT CAL ANDERSON PARK.
AND I'VE HAD SOME OTHER
SPEAKERS HAVE TALKED TO CITY
COUNCIL ABOUT THESE AS WELL.
THEY'RE NOT HERE THIS WEEK, BUT
AYE. IT IS TRUE THAT THERE ARE
SOME ANTI-TRANS ACTIVISTS THAT
HAVE BEEN GOING TO CAL ANDERSON
PARK AND SOME OF THE REGULARS AT
THE PARK HAVE BEEN ATTACKING
THEM. NOW, DESPITE THE FACT THAT
I'M FIRMLY ON THE SIDE OF THE
PRO RIGHTS SEGMENT, I DO THINK
THAT THE FACTS SHOW THAT THE
REGULARS OF THE PARK HAVE BEEN
THE AGGRESSORS AND THE PEOPLE
GOING THERE HAVE BEEN THE
VICTIMS. NOW, I THINK SOME OF
THEM ARE PROBABLY BEING A LITTLE
CUTE WHEN THEY SAY LIKE, OH, YOU
KNOW, I'M JUST GOING TO THE
PARK. I WANT TO HANG OUT. I
MEAN, THEY WEAR RED HATS AND SAY
THINGS LIKE MAKE COMMON SENSE.
GREAT. AGAIN, THEY MAY BE HOPING
THAT SOMEONE ATTACKS THEM, BUT
THAT'S NOT ILLEGAL. AND IT'S
NOT A LEGAL DEFENSE IF SOMEBODY
DOES ATTACK THEM. SO HERE'S ONE
OF THE INSTANCES WHERE ACTIVISTS
NAMED ARI GOT ATTACKED
-- OFFENSE.
-- [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER]
-- THERE. GIVE ME MY HAT. YOU
SCUMBAG
-- SO HE WAS, IN FACT, JUST
WALKING. SOMEBODY ATTACKED HIM.
THERE WAS A CLAIM ABOUT A
DIFFERENT PERSON AT ONE OF THE
AT THE SAME EVENT WHERE SOMEONE
CLAIMED THAT SHE HAD DRAWN A
GUN. THIS IS THE STILL OF THE
FRAME OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. YOU
CAN'T REALLY SEE. EVEN IF I
HELD IT CLOSE, YOU WOULDN'T BE
ABLE TO SEE. BUT ARI SAID LATER,
THIS PERSON IS JUST HOLDING A
WHITE CELL PHONE THAT. THERE WAS
NO INSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY DREW
A GUN, AND IN FACT, THERE WAS
ALSO A PICTURE CLAIMING THAT
THIS WAS A CLIP THAT FELL OUT OF
THAT WEAPON, ARI SAID. THAT WAS
THAT WAS HIS GUN, THAT IT JUST
FELL OUT BECAUSE HE HAS A LEGAL
CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT. NOW, ALL
OF THIS, OF COURSE, LEADING UP
TO THE INCIDENT WAS AN ATTACK
THE NEXT DAY. NOW, ME, AS I'VE
SAID BEFORE, THIS IS BECAUSE
REMEMBER THE VIDEO I SHOWED YOU
LAST WEEK OF THE WOMAN CHANTING
LONG LIVE OCTOBER 7th? AND I
SAID, NO, LET'S NOT DO THAT.
THAT'S BAD ACTUALLY. AND THEY
RESPOND TO CRITICISM BY CALLING
IT HARASSMENT AND THE RUMOR MILL
BECAUSE THEY'RE INSANE PEOPLE
TO BEGIN WITH. CALLS IT RAPE. A
MAN CRITICIZING A WOMAN IS NOT
RAPE. BUT THIS HAS BEEN BEHIND
WHAT HAS CAUSED THE ATTACKS AT
CAL ANDERSON. AND SOME OF THESE
INSTANCES. IT'S INSANE.
-- THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
BENNETT. NEXT WE HAVE SARAH. AND
THEN IF YOU ARE ONLINE, WE ARE
COMING TO YOU NEXT. WELCOME,
SARAH.
-- HI, COUNCILMEMBERS HOPE
EVERYONE'S HAVING A GREAT DAY.
I REALLY HOPE YOU SUPPORT THIS
NEW TRANSIT MEASURE. I KNOW
IT'LL HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
THE CITY. I KNOW IT HELPS WITH
MAKING SURE BUSSES ARE ON TIME,
BUT I ALSO HOPE THAT HELPS KEEP
BUS DRIVERS AND RIDERS SAFE. I
DON'T WANT TO SPEAK EXACTLY TO
WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I'VE SHOWN
FAMILY FROM CANADA THE TRANSIT
SYSTEM HERE AND THERE'S JUST
SOME APPALLING THINGS THAT
HAPPENED. THAT'S ALL I WILL
SAY. THERE'S A LOT OF UNTREATED
SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS ON
DISPLAY. I REALLY WISH THERE WAS
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE
ABOUT THAT. I KNOW ONE THING
THAT COULD HELP POSSIBLY IS
LOOKING AT THE CONTRACT THAT WAS
SIGNED WITH SPIKE, WHICH I KNOW
SEVERAL ON THE COUNCIL
CAMPAIGNED ON NOT SUPPORTING. IF
IT DID NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WORK
TOWARDS SOLVING THIS ISSUE. LIKE
THERE'S ARTICLES ABOUT THIS, YOU
CAN READ IT ONLINE. AND ONE
INCIDENT TODAY I ACTUALLY
NOTICED WAS THERE WAS AN
INDIVIDUAL AT NORTHWEST
HOSPITAL. I ONLY NOTICED BECAUSE
I WAS JUST LEAVING A MEDICAL
PROCEDURE THERE. AND THERE WAS
AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS SPEAKING
TO THE, NOT THE CRISIS TEAM, NOT
THE CARE TEAM, BUT THE SPD
HOSTAGE NEGOTIATION TEAM. LIKE A
NEGOTIATOR, THAT KIND OF PERSON,
BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T HAVE THE
CARE TEAM TALK TO THIS
INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE NOT
ALLOWED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. AND
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT MAKES
THINGS MORE SAFE. IF YOU'RE
PREVENTING THE CARE TEAM FROM
BEING ABLE TO GO ON HOSPITAL
PROPERTY JUST TO TALK TO AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO OBVIOUSLY IS
NEEDING THEIR HELP WITH
SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND I
REALLY THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD
LOOK AT AMENDING THE CONTRACT OR
EITHER JUST COMMITTING TO
PROVIDING SOME NEW FORM OF
CRISIS SERVICES TO THOSE PEOPLE
IN NEED BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY
REALLY COULD USE THE HELP. AND
IT WOULD DO A LOT FOR THIS CITY.
THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, SARAH. AND NOW
WE'RE GOING TO GO ONLINE. WE
HAVE ERIC FOLLOWED BY MAGDALENA
ROSE AND THEN DAVID HAYNES. ERIC
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
WE SEE YOU ONLINE. JUST STAR SIX
TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU'RE ON
RED RIGHT NOW. THERE YOU GO.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ERIC. I'M A METRO
TRANSIT OPERATOR EVERY DAY I SEE
FIRST HAND HOW IMPORTANT
RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS TO
OUR COMMUNITY. I TRANSPORT
PEOPLE TO WORK, SCHOOL, MEDICAL
APPOINTMENTS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL
DESTINATIONS. FOR MANY OF MY
RIDERS, PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS
CONVENIENCE IS NOT A
CONVENIENCE. IT'S A NECESSITY.
SUPPORTING THIS TRANSIT MEASURE
MEANS INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE
WHO RELY ON THE BUSSES EVERY DAY
ADDITIONAL SERVICE HOURS WILL
IMPROVE RELIABILITY, REDUCE
OVERCROWDING AND HELP MEET THE
GROWING DEMAND OF TRANSIT ACROSS
SEATTLE. WITHOUT THIS
INVESTMENT, SERVICE CUTS WILL
MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO GET
WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. THIS
MEASURE IS ALSO AN INVESTMENT IN
THE WORKERS ARE DRIVERS WHO KEEP
SEATTLE MOVING WHEN TRANSIT IS
FUNDED, WE CAN CONTINUE
PROVIDING SAFE, DEPENDABLE
SERVICE THAT OUR RIDERS COUNT
ON. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO
SEND THIS MEASURE TO THE
NOVEMBER BALLOT. SO SEATTLE
VOTERS CAN DECIDE ON THE FUTURE
OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
-- THANK YOU. ERIC. NEXT WE HAVE
MAGDALENA, FOLLOWED BY ROSE AND
THEN DAVID HAINES, STAR SIX. TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF. WE SEE YOU STAR
SIX MAGDALENA, UNMUTE YOURSELF.
YOU'RE STILL ON RED. THERE YOU
GO.
-- HELLO, COUNCIL. TRANS PEOPLE
ARE SEATTLEITES BY RIGHT OF
SPILLED BLOOD. ARE OUR GHOSTS
HAVE JOINED THE SLAIN OF CHIEF
SEATTLE'S PEOPLE IN JUDGMENT OF
THIS CITY. YOUR ABILITY, YOUR
ABILITY TO SUBMIT. FEEL GOOD
MOTIONS LIKE TODAY WHILE
IGNORING OUR DEAD IS A
CONDEMNATION OF YOUR CHARACTERS
AND POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE. 20
NAMES IN CAL ANDERSON PARK
COUNCIL. YOU DON'T KNOW ONE OF
THEM. YOU CARE MORE ABOUT
TRANSIT THAN TRANS PEOPLE AND
THAT NOT VERY MUCH. BUT WE LOVE
SEATTLE MORE THAN YOU DO BECAUSE
WE HAVE FOUGHT AND BLED AND DIED
FOR IT. DECLARE A TRANS REFUGEE
CIVIL EMERGENCY AND RECOGNIZE
OUR GENOCIDE AT HOME. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH. YOU
HAVE BEEN PREPARING YOUR MORNING
DRESS FOR OUR FUNERAL AND HAVE
BEEN DOING NOTHING TO PREVENT
THE MURDER. JOSEPH ROBINETTE
BIDEN WILL ENTER HISTORY AS
GENOCIDE. JOE, YOU WILL JOIN HIM
AS HOLOCAUST HOLLINGSWORTH IF
YOU DO NOT STEP FORWARD IN
BOLDNESS. IN OUR DEFENSE,
REMEMBER KETTLE THE POLICE
REGULARLY RAPE AND KILL AND
VANISH US AND THEN YAWN WHEN WE
REPORT IT. OUR SOVEREIGNTY HAS
BEEN SACRIFICED TO THE SUBURBS
AND THE CITIES WHICH SURROUND
US. HIRING COPS FROM OUT OF TOWN
IS AKIN TO HIRING MERCENARIES
AND NOT KEEPERS OF THE PEACE.
LOOK AT YOUR HANDS, BOTH OF YOU.
THEY ARE DRIPPING IN THE BLOOD
OF OUR TRANS MARTYRS AND
COMMUNITY SAINTS, SPILLED BY
YOUR INDIFFERENCE. THEY WILL NOT
BE WASHED AWAY BY TIME OR
POSTERITY. ONLY TRANS PEOPLE'S
ENDORSEMENT CAN EVER DO THAT.
REMEMBER RINCK, I AM FRUSTRATED
THAT SO OFTEN IT IS YOU AND MR.
BAKER CARRYING THE TORCH OF ANY
CIVIL RIGHTS CONCERNS ABOUT
MORALITY OR UPLIFTING SOCIAL
DISCOURSE. I AM AFRAID THAT THIS
COUNCIL'S FECKLESSNESS WILL
DESTROY YOU AND HOLLOW YOU OUT.
PLEASE HOLD ON UNTIL WE CAN SEND
YOU BETTER COLLEAGUES THROUGH
THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHAMBER.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT HISTORY
IS REPEATING AND YOU ARE FAILING
AN OPEN BOOK TEST. BE MINDFUL.
YOU HAVE ALL THE WATCHES, BUT WE
HAVE ALL THE TIME. YOUR DISTRICT
WILL FLIP IF YOU DO NOT BUY
CREDIBILITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF
THE CITY, PARTICULARLY US.
40,000 OF US LAST YEAR, MORE
COMING THIS YEAR AND WE'VE BEEN
COMING HERE FOR SIX AND SEVEN.
MEANWHILE, BLACK AND BROWN TRANS
PEOPLE ARE PAYING THE MOST FOR
YOUR APATHY. PLEASE DO NOT
BELIEVE THE FASCISTS WILL KILL
US ALL, OR EVEN ENOUGH OF US FOR
IT TO MATTER. WE WILL OUTLAST
THEM AND YOU WILL HAVE TO LIVE
WITH US AS NEIGHBORS. YOU WILL
HAVE TO LIVE WITH YOURSELVES TO
THE BLANDISHMENTS OF POWER,
FORTUNE AND PLEASURE ALL FADE.
WHAT FEEDS LAST IS MEMORY. MANY
YEARS FROM NOW, AGE AND
SURROUNDED BY YOUR FRIENDS AND
LOVED.
-- THANK YOU MAGDALENA. NEXT WE
HAVE ROSE, FOLLOWED BY DAVID
HAYNES ROSE. WELCOME.
-- HELLO, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS
ROSE. EVERY WEEK THERE ARE
MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT
COME TOGETHER IN CAL ANDERSON.
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE
THAT ARE HOMELESS AND
STRUGGLING. THERE ARE 150 TO 200
PEOPLE THAT ARE FED THERE EVERY
SINGLE WEEK. THIS COMMUNITY
EFFORT IS CONSTANTLY IN DANGER
OF SHUTTING DOWN SOMETHING THAT
THE CITY CONSTANTLY RELIES ON
FOR SUPPORT. THEY RELY ON
COMMUNITY SUPPORT FROM SOME OF
THE MOST DESTITUTE PEOPLE IN THE
ENTIRE CITY. WE HAVE TALKED
TIRELESSLY WITH YOU ALL IN YOUR
OFFICES ABOUT HOW DESTITUTE THE
TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IS, AND
HOW THE HOMELESSNESS AND THE
STRUGGLING THAT HAS HAPPENED. WE
NEED MORE THAN JUST WORDS. WE
NEED THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
WE NEED MORE COMMUNITY INPUT. WE
NEED MORE FROM THE CITY TO BE
THERE FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY
BEGGING FROM THOSE OF US THAT
BARELY HAVE A DOLLAR IN OUR
POCKETS, TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THOSE THAT HAVE NONE. WE ARE
DESTITUTE BEYOND THE MOST WILD
DREAMS OF MOST PEOPLE, AND WE
ARE EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE
CONSTANTLY. AS PEOPLE ARE
BECOMING MORE AND MORE
DESPERATE. THERE WAS A STABBING
IN CAL ANDERSON. THERE WAS AN
ASSAULT IN CAL ANDERSON THAT
HAPPENED FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE SO BROKEN, SO POOR, THAT
THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO HAVE
ANYTHING AT ALL. WE CAN'T JUST
HAVE THIS GO ON. WE ALSO NEED TO
HAVE YOU ALL STAND UP AGAINST
THE COPS THAT HARASS US. THIS
LAST WEDNESDAY, COPS HARASSED
TRANS PEOPLE AT CAL ANDERSON FOR
NO REASON, WHO HAD A FIRE THAT
HAD BEEN CLEARED BY THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT. BUT POLICE CAME IN
FOUR CARS AND THREATENED
EVERYBODY WITH ARREST. THAT IS
NOT OKAY. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT CAN CONTINUE. THAT IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT CAN BE JUSTIFIED,
THAT PEOPLE CAN JUST COME UP AND
HARASS US IN OUR PARK AND OUR
REFUGE AND OUR SANCTUARY.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PLACE
FOR US, AND WE HAVE SO FEW OTHER
PLACES. WE NEED YOU ALL TO STAND
BY US. WE NEED YOU ALL TO STAND
FOR US. AND THIS ISN'T IT. RIGHT
NOW. WE NEED YOU ALL TO BE THERE
FOR US THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, ROSE. AND IF YOU
HEAR ME, SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AND
TELL ME ABOUT THE INCIDENT AT
CAL ANDERSON PARK SO I CAN HAVE
YOUR CONTACT. THANK YOU. DAVID
HAYNES
-- NO, MUCHO POQUITO. DOLORES.
NO. LOS MUCHOS OTROS POQUITO
DOLOR. WE NEED WORKERS TO GET A
THREE AND A HALF DAY WORK WEEK,
SEVEN DAY PAY, AND TAKE IT FROM
THE NON-WORKING SHAREHOLDERS
EVERY THREE MONTHS. THEY DRAIN
THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE LOCAL HOTEL
ECONOMY THROUGH WALL STREET. WHO
THINKS THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH
STEALING ALL OF THE UNFORESEEN
CAPITAL GAINS? IT'S UNFORESEEN
BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO POINT IT
OUT AND GIVE IT BACK TO THE
WORKERS. THAT'S WHY WE NEED
COUNCIL TO STEP UP AND INTRODUCE
LEGISLATION TO DISCIPLINE THAT
GREED AND MAKE THAT UNFORESEEN
CAPITAL GAINS BENEFIT THE
WORKING CLASS. WE NEED MORE THAN
JUST NO OFFENSE, AN EMPTY WORDED
VIRTUE SIGNAL OF A PROCLAMATION,
BECAUSE UNITE EIGHT SEEMS TO GET
PAID FOR THE DAILY THEATRICS
THAT THEY NEED TO GO ADDRESS THE
BANK THAT OWNS THE BUILDING, THE
KING COUNTY PROPERTY ASSESSOR
WHO INFLATED THE PROPERTY
VALUES, AND THEN WALL STREET'S
HEADQUARTERS, WHO KEEPS DRAINING
THE HOTEL AND TURNING AGAINST
THE WORKERS AND SELLING THEM OUT
AND CHEATING THEM INSTEAD OF
JUST RABBLE ROUSING AND MAKING A
BUNCH OF NOISE, MAKING SURE
YOU'RE COLLECTING A PAYCHECK AT
THE EXPENSE OF THE WORKING CLASS
IS STILL EXPECTS YOU TO DEAL IN
GOOD FAITH AS WELL. WE NEED YOU
ALL TO FLASH MOB ON THE GREED
THAT KEEPS PARASITICALLY
SKIMMING THE WORKING CLASS, AS
OPPOSED TO MAKE THEM STAND
OUTSIDE AND BOTHER EVERYBODY
ELSE. IT'S GOT TO BE MORE
EFFECTIVE IN YOUR EFFORTS TO
DISCIPLINE THE GREED, TO MAKE IT
BENEFIT. THE WHOLE OF THE
COMMUNITY, STARTING WITH THE
ACTUAL WORKERS WHO DO ALL THE
WORK AND STILL MAKE LESS THAN
THE NON-WORKING SHAREHOLDER
MITTLEMAN THAT THE DEMOCRATS
WANT TO TAX. AND THE REPUBLICANS
WANT A TAX BREAK, BUT NOW THEY
WANT TO GIVE IT BACK. NEITHER
WANTS TO GIVE IT BACK TO THE
WORKERS, WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE
DESPERATE AND POOR AND SPOT AND
LIE TO BUY IT OFF. ANYWAY. YOU
ALL NEED TO GIVE THE MAYOR PROPS
AND LEADERSHIP PRIORITY ON HER
TRANSIT TAX, BECAUSE SHE KNOWS
BETTER ABOUT THE TRANSIT
SERVICES NEEDED. WE DON'T NEED
COUNSEL CONSTANTLY WEAPONIZING
THE RACE AND THE SPECIAL
PRIVILEGES. WE NEED A BETTER
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
-- THANK YOU, MR. HAINES. THERE
ARE NO OTHER FURTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT IN PERSON AND THERE'S NO
ONE ONLINE. SO I WANT TO THANK
THE PUBLIC FOR COMING. BEFORE I
FINISH WRAPPING UP.
-- COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS THANK
YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WE HEARD
A PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY. USE THE
THE TERM HOLOCAUST. AND I JUST
AS A GERMAN JEW, I WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THE
HOLOCAUST WAS A VERY SPECIFIC
EVENT THAT OCCURRED IN EUROPE TO
JEWISH PEOPLE, WHICH IS
DIFFERENT THAN THE SUBJUGATION
AND ELIMINATION OF NATIVE
AMERICANS ACROSS OUR NATION,
WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE
GENOCIDES THAT HAVE HAPPENED
AROUND OUR WORLD. AND SO I AM
GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, THAT
THAT WAS A ONE OFF AND AND MAYBE
NOT COMPLETELY AWARE STATEMENT.
AND AND I AM ALSO STATING FOR
THE RECORD THAT BECAUSE THOSE
ARE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT
HAVE HAPPENED IN HISTORY TO
SPECIFIC PEOPLE, THAT IF THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS REPEATEDLY
SHARED HERE AT COUNCIL IN THAT
WAY, IN THE SAME WAY THAT MR.
SIEG HEIL IS WHEN HE SPEAKS TO
ME ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST, I HAVE
GIVEN HIM VERY CLEAR DIRECTION
THAT IT IS IT CAN BECOME
HARASSING TO ME INDIVIDUALLY
BECAUSE OF MY HISTORY. AND SO
I'M JUST STATING, FOR THE
RECORD THAT THAT TYPE OF
LANGUAGE, WHEN USED, IT NEEDS TO
BE HELD IN THE CONTEXT IN WHICH
THAT WORD IT MEANS. AND SO I'M
JUST STATING FOR THE RECORD THAT
I'M GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE
DOUBT THAT UNDER THE FIRST
AMENDMENT, THAT WAS A ONE OFF.
BUT IF IT COMES BACK, THEN. THEN
IT'S NOT A ONE OFF. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THAT AND SAYING
THAT FOR THE RECORD, COLLEAGUES,
THIS IS THE CLOSE OF PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. AND I WANT TO
THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING TO
PUBLIC COMMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN
YOU COME IN PERSON. AND THEN
ALSO, I KNOW THE FOLKS THAT WAIT
ONLINE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CHAMBERS
FIRST, AND THEN WE GO TO ONLINE.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME
TO THAT, COLLEAGUES. WE'RE GOING
TO TRANSITION FROM PUBLIC
COMMENT AND JUMP RIGHT INTO THE
GOOD STUFF. SO IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS ADOPTED. IF THERE'S
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. NOW
WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THE
PROPOSED CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR INCLUDE
MINUTES OF JULY 14th, 2026.
COUNCIL BILL ONE, TWO, 1255
PAYMENT OF THE BILLS AND TWO
BILLS FROM THE PARKS AND CITY
LIGHT COMMITTEE. ARE THERE ANY
OTHER COUNCIL? ARE THERE ANY
ITEMS COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE
TO REMOVE FROM TODAY'S CONSENT
CALENDAR? HEARING NONE. I MOVE
TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
WILL SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME A. I
DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO ASK
COUNCILMEMBER LIN. THANK YOU. I
SAW COUNCILMEMBER LIN GRABBING
HIS MICROPHONE, REALLY EAGER.
THANK YOU. SO NO ITEMS HAVE BEEN
REMOVED, SO I MOVE TO ADOPT THE
CONSENT COUNT. OH, WE ALREADY
DID THAT. OKAY, SO IT'S BEEN
MOVED IN SECOND. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
-- COUNCILMEMBER?
-- RIVERA. AYE.
-- COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER. FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. JUAREZ.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. A
COUNCILMEMBER. LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- NINE IN FAVOR? NONE OPPOSED.
-- AWESOME. THE CONSENT CALENDAR
IS ADOPTED. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
MINUTES AND LEGISLATION ON MY
BEHALF? WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE
RECORD?
-- THE REPORT OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
AGENDA ITEM ONE. COUNCIL BILLS
121226. AN ORDINANCE RELATED TO
THE SALES AND USE TAX PROVIDING
FOR THE SUBMISSION TO QUALIFIED
ELECTORS OF THE CITY AT AN
ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER
3rd, 2026. A PROPOSITION TO
COLLECT A SALES AND USE TAX TO
FUND TRANSIT AND RELATED
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS IN
SEATTLE. THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS. THE BILL PASSES, AS
AMENDED.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA CHAIR. THE
COMMITTEE YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO
GIVE THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES, I'LL MAKE
SOME MORE SLIGHTLY MORE FULSOME
COMMENTS TOWARDS THE END THERE.
AFTER WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
AMENDMENTS TO GET THROUGH. BUT
I'LL JUST SAY AND KIND OF
ORIENT US HERE. WE ALL
UNANIMOUSLY PASSED THIS OUT OF
COMMITTEE LAST WEEK. REALLY
APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT
WENT INTO THAT. APPRECIATE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO
SHOWED UP AND SHARED THEIR
FEEDBACK. AND THAT FEEDBACK
DEFINITELY GUIDED THIS PROPOSAL.
SOON, IT'S IT'S THE VOTERS TURN.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME AMENDMENTS
TO GET THROUGH AS WELL. SO WITH
THAT SAID. I MOVED TO AMEND
COUNCIL, I THINK FOUR AMENDMENTS
TOTAL, RIGHT? YEAH. I MOVED TO
AMEND THE BILL AS PRESENTED ON
AMENDMENT NUMBER AYE.
-- SECOND.
-- IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO ADOPT AMENDMENT AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA RECOGNIZED TO
ADDRESS YOUR AMENDMENT.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AMENDMENT A SO,
COLLEAGUES, WHAT AMENDMENT A
DOES IS IT MODIFIES THE DATES OF
THE VARIOUS REPORTING
OBLIGATIONS THAT IS INCLUDED IN
THIS LEGISLATION THROUGH THE
AMENDMENT PROCESS, WE
STRENGTHENED THIS PROPOSAL AND
SO MANY DURABLE AND IMPACTFUL
WAYS BY PROMOTING AND
CHAMPIONING TRANSIT SAFETY AND
SECURITY FOR ALL BY BOOSTING
ACCESSIBILITY, BY MAKING SURE
THAT WE LIVE UP TO THE PROMISES
CONTAINED IN THIS. AND PART OF
THAT IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND
OVERSIGHT. SO. AND I'LL
REFERENCE OUR OUR ESTEEMED
COLLEAGUE COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
ON THIS BECAUSE HE'S HE I
ALWAYS APPRECIATE WHEN HE
REMINDS US THE IMPORTANCE OF
PAYING ATTENTION TO THE
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF, OF
VARIOUS INITIATIVES, ALL THOSE
TERRIFIC REPORTING OBLIGATIONS
AND OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
PROVISIONS IN AND OF THEMSELVES,
INDIVIDUALLY IMPACTFUL. AND THE
ORIGINAL DEADLINES INCLUDED IN
THOSE PROBABLY DOABLE. BUT NOW
WHEN WE START, YOU KNOW,
COLLECTING THE OR CONSIDERING
THE CUMULATIVE COLLECTIVE
IMPACTS OF ALL OF THESE VARIOUS,
YOU KNOW, REPORTING OBLIGATIONS,
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
SETTING THE DEPARTMENTS UP FOR
SUCCESS. AND WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE QUALITY OF THE OF
THE OUTPUT OF THOSE REPORTS AND
THOSE DELIVERABLES IS GOOD AND
EFFECTIVE AS WELL, AND HELPFUL
TO GUIDE FUTURE POTENTIAL
DECISIONS. SO A LOT OF WORDS TO
SAY THIS IS THIS IS BASICALLY
JUST A GOOD GOVERNANCE OVERSIGHT
AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISION TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE EFFECTIVELY
COLLABORATE WITH OUR GOVERNING
PARTNERS IN THE KING COUNTY,
KING COUNTY METRO, SDOT AS WELL.
PROUD THAT MY OFFICE WORKED
CLOSELY WITH WITH BOTH SDOT AND
KING COUNTY METRO TO COME UP
WITH WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE MORE
REASONABLE, BUT ALSO AMBITIOUS
GOALS ON THESE VARIOUS REPORTING
OBLIGATIONS. AND SO FOR THOSE
REASONS, ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. IS THERE ANY
OTHER COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT AYE?
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE DO YOU HAVE ANY FINAL
THOUGHTS? OKAY, AWESOME. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT.
-- A COUNCILMEMBER?
-- RIVERA AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- EXCUSE ME. COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. YES.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. HOLLINGSWORTH
NINE. IN FAVOR. NONE. OPPOSED.
-- AMENDMENT A IS ADOPTED.
COLLEAGUES, I MOVE TO AMEND
COUNCIL BILL 121226 AS PRESENTED
ON AMENDMENT B.
-- SECOND.
-- THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND TO ADOPT AMENDMENT B
A SPONSOR. I WILL ADDRESS IT
REALLY QUICK. COLLEAGUES, I
REMOVE THIS AMENDMENT FROM THE
CHAIR'S PACKAGE ON THE 15th. IN
A MEETING, I SHARED MY INTENTION
TO MAKE A MINOR CHANGE TO THE
AMENDMENT, WHICH I DID, WHICH
WAS THE DATE. SO TODAY I'M
BRINGING FORTH THIS AMENDMENT TO
A NEW REPORTING DATE. THE
ORIGINAL AMENDMENT REPORTING
DEADLINE WAS MARCH 30th, 2027.
I'VE CHANGED THIS DATE TO MARCH
31st, 2028, 2028. AFTER
RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM SDOT
THAT MORE TIME IS NEEDED TO TO
STUDY OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND
THE TRANSIT ACCESS PROGRAM. SO
AND I WANT TO THANK. THERE WERE
TWO. I THINK I HAD MORE
SPONSORS. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK AND
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. I DON'T
KNOW WHO ELSE WAS A CO-SPONSOR,
BUT THANK YOU. OH, SORRY. MY ONE
OF MY FAVORITE COUNCILMEMBERS
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, ONE OF MY
FAVORITE. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS
ON AMENDMENT B? OKAY, OKAY. WELL
THANK YOU COLLEAGUES. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
-- COUNCILMEMBER? RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH NINE IN FAVOR.
NONE OPPOSED.
-- AMENDMENT B IS ADOPTED. HE'S
MY FAVORITE COUNCILMEMBER FROM
COUNCIL FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED TO MOVE YOUR
AMENDMENT.
-- THANK YOU CHAIR, I MOVE TO
AMEND AMEND COUNCIL BILL 121226
AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT C.
-- SECOND.
-- IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO ADOPT AMENDMENT C
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED TO ADDRESS IT.
-- THANK YOU. CHAIR COLLEAGUES.
I WITHDREW THIS AMENDMENT LAST
WEEK TO ACTUALLY EXPAND IT. THE
PURPOSE OF THE AMENDMENT IS TO
ASK SDOT TO STUDY THE ROUTES
THAT ARE NEAR ALL SEATTLE PUBLIC
MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS AND
COMMUNITY CENTERS. WE KNOW THAT
THERE'S BEEN OVERCROWDING ON
BUSSES THAT ARE NEAR THE THOSE
SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH
SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE YELLOW BUS
SERVICE. SO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
DO. AND SO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS
AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS RELY ON
BUS SERVICE IN THE SAME WAY THAT
OUR WORKERS DO TO GET TO AND
FROM SCHOOL. THEY'RE OFTEN LATE
TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THE BUSSES ARE
OVERCROWDED. AND SO THEY EITHER
THE BUS EITHER STOPS AND NOT
VERY MANY FOLKS CAN GET ON,
INCLUDING KIDS AND WORKERS, OR
THEY DON'T STOP ALTOGETHER
BECAUSE THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH
ROOM. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHERE
THERE ARE PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOLS
AND HIGH SCHOOLS, WHERE. AND
COMMUNITY CENTERS, BECAUSE THE
KIDS GO THERE TO TAKE CLASSES
AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING, WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
PROVIDING ROBUST BUS SERVICE FOR
OUR, OUR STUDENTS. AND THIS IS
THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT. I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE METRO
BECAUSE THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO
ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT A LOT OF
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN
HERE, THEY ACTUALLY IS
ACCESSIBLE TO SDOT. SO IT'S A
MATTER OF SDOT. IT'S IT'S
PUTTING OUR INTENT THAT WE WANT
SDOT TO RETRIEVE THAT
INFORMATION. AND THEN AS THEY'RE
LOOKING AT SERVICE HOURS AND
ADDING SERVICE HOURS THAT
THEY'RE LOOKING AT NEAR THE
MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS
AND SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS
ACROSS THE CITY.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, AND FULLY
SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. ARE
THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS
REGARDING AMENDMENT C? OKAY.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE. OH,
SORRY. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA MY
BAD.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I JUST WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND BEING
VERY THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATIVE
ABOUT THE BEST, MOST OPTIMAL
APPROACH TO ACHIEVE OUR SHARED
GOALS HERE. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW,
MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY
YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT
FOUR. THEY NEED A MEASURE THAT
THEY CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT TOO.
AND SO IN ANY EVENT, JUST WANT
TO SAY, I APPRECIATE YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD AND MODIFYING IN SUCH A
WAY WHERE IT, YOU KNOW, HAS
SYSTEM WIDE BENEFITS. THANK YOU.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA ARE THERE ANY
OTHER OH, SORRY. COUNCILMEMBER,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK MY BAD.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH. I APPRECIATE THIS
AMENDMENT COMING FORWARD TO
DISCUSSION TODAY. AND THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, FOR
BRINGING IT FORWARD. I WILL NOTE
I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS
AMENDMENT TODAY. STM, FOR THE
MOST PART, IS INTENDED TO
SUPPLEMENT OUR WEEKEND AND
EVENING SERVICE DURING TIMES
THAT KING COUNTY METRO ISN'T
ALREADY PRIORITIZING. AND AS WAS
NOTED AND WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO MY
OFFICE'S ATTENTION, MUCH OF THE
INFORMATION REQUESTED HERE,
THIS. THIS WOULD BE SOME
REDUNDANT REPORTING. AND SO I
KNOW THAT KING COUNTY METRO
CONTINUES TO COLLABORATE WITH
ALL OF OUR OFFICES AND PROVIDE A
LOT OF INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE TO
THE PUBLIC. AND SO, FOR THE
PURPOSES OF NOT CREATING
ADDITIONAL REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS FOR INFORMATION
THAT IS ALREADY ACCESSIBLE TO
THE PUBLIC, I WILL NOT BE
SUPPORTING TODAY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS REGARDING AMENDMENT C?
YES, COUNCILMEMBER COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO
SAY A COUPLE THINGS. ONE IS
ORIGINALLY FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT,
SINCE I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN HERE,
I'VE HEARD FROM PARENTS OF
STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE
THIS OVERCROWDING HAS HAPPENED.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, LAST WEEK
WHEN I WAS THINKING THROUGH THE
AMENDMENTS, IT REALLY ISN'T JUST
THE FOUR, IT'S ACROSS THE CITY.
ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. SO I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE
SUPPORTING ALL THE STUDENTS
ACROSS THE CITY, WHICH IS WHY I,
I AMENDED MY OWN AMENDMENT. I
WILL SAY, IN RESPONSE TO
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING UP YOUR CONCERNS. I
WILL SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE METRO
DOES THE REPORTING DOESN'T MEAN
THAT SDOT IS LOOKING AT IT. SO
THIS REALLY LAYS DOWN OUR INTENT
TO STOP, WHICH I DON'T THINK
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN ISSUE
WITH, BUT THAT WE'RE REALLY
PUTTING LETTING THEM KNOW THAT
WE REALLY WANT THEM TO LOOK AT
THOSE REPORTS AS THEY ARE
LOOKING AT WHICH TRANSIT THEY
WILL BE ADDING SERVICE, TRANSIT
ROUTES, THEY'LL BE ADDING
SERVICE HOURS TO. AND I WILL SAY
THAT THIS PARTICULARLY OCCURS
DURING RUSH HOUR IN THE MORNING
AND IN THE LATE AFTERNOON. SO I
THINK IT IS PRUDENT FOR SDOT TO
BE LOOKING AT THE REPORTS AND
FOR US TO TELL SDOT THAT WE
EXPECT THEM TO DO SO AS THEY ARE
ALLOCATING THOSE ADDITIONAL
SERVICE HOURS. SO I DON'T THINK
THIS IS A DUPLICATION OF
EFFORTS. THIS IS ACTUALLY ASKING
SDOT TO GO AHEAD AND RETRIEVE
THAT. THOSE NUMBERS FROM METRO
AS THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER
THEIR SERVICE HOURS, THEIR PLAN
FOR SERVICE HOURS UNDER THIS
PLAN. THANK YOU CHAIR.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA ARE THERE. THAT WAS THE
FINAL COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT C,
SO WE WILL GO AHEAD. AND WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
-- COUNCILMEMBER? RIVERA. I
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. I
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. I
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- NO.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. RINCK.
-- NO.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- EIGHT IN FAVOR. EXCUSE ME.
SEVEN IN FAVOR. TWO OPPOSED.
-- MOTION CARRIES AN AMENDMENT C
IS ADOPTED. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO MOVE YOUR
AMENDMENT.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO AMEND THE
BILL AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT
NUMBER D VERSION ONE.
-- IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO
ADOPT AMENDMENT D COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
-- THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. SO SO COLLEAGUES,
THIS AMENDMENT TAKES THE BUILDS
UPON A PREVIOUS AMENDMENT FROM
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA AS IT
RELATES TO SOME OF THE ENHANCED
ACCOUNTABILITY OVERSIGHT
FEATURES, AS WELL. WE RECALL WE
INCLUDED WE BOTH INCLUDED A
SUBSTANTIALLY. WELL, WE INCLUDED
WE BOTH DRAFTED AMENDMENTS THAT
INCLUDED AND COVERED
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR SUBJECT
MATTER AS IT RELATES TO
REPORTING. MINE JUST WENT A
DIFFERENT IN A DIFFERENT
DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO
ANOTHER MATTER THAT IS NOT
ADDRESSED IN THIS AMENDMENT, BUT
ON THE THREE MAIN ISSUES OF
FAREBOX RECOVERY RATIO ON TIME,
PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY. AND
SO WHAT WE DID HERE IS PRESERVE
THE EXISTING LANGUAGE AND
CONSTRUCTS FOR. FROM
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA'S GREAT
AMENDMENT AND JUST BUILDING UPON
IT WITH SOME OF THE MISSING
PIECES FROM MY PRIOR AMENDMENT
ON THOSE SAME THREE CONSTRUCTS.
AGAIN, FARE RECOVERY RATIO ON
TIME, PERFORMANCE AND
RELIABILITY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION
IN A PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENT
MANNER, I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. ARE THERE
ANY COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
-- YEAH, I'LL BE BRIEF. THANK
YOU. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
FOR MAKING CHANGES TO THIS.
SINCE OUR PREVIOUS
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
MEETING, COLLEAGUES IN THIS
COMMITTEE, THE PREVIOUS
COMMITTEE MEETING, I PULLED THIS
FROM THE PACKAGE AND I WILL NOT
BE SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT
TODAY, THOUGH I APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR THE
CHANGES MADE HERE, AYE. I DO
FEEL LIKE WE ARE. THERE'S A
LOT, A LOT, A LOT OF REPORTING
GOING ON IN THIS TRANSIT MEASURE
AND. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. I
SUPPORTED YOUR AMENDMENT BECAUSE
OF THE SCHOOL CONNECTION, WHICH
WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, BUT I DO
FEEL LIKE A LOT OF WHAT IS
OFFERED IN THIS AMENDMENT IS
ALREADY COVERED ELSEWHERE, SO I
WON'T BE SUPPORTING IT TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. EXCUSE ME.
-- YOU'RE GOOD. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER ARE THERE
ANY OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING
AMENDMENT D BEFORE US? BEFORE WE
CALL THE ROLL? I'LL PAUSE HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA DO YOU HAVE
ANY FINAL COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT
D?
-- THANK YOU. YEAH. JUST ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT. I AM I AM VERY
MINDFUL OF THE NON-TRIVIAL
REPORTING OBLIGATIONS THAT WE
ARE SEEKING IN EXCHANGE FOR
THIS. APPROXIMATELY $1.4 BILLION
PLUS IN REVENUE FOR TO FUND
TRANSIT SERVICE OVER THE NEXT
TEN YEARS. TOTALLY MINDFUL OF
THAT. I ALSO THINK IT'S A FAIR
DEAL FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
AND I THINK THE TAX PUBLIC
DESERVES IT AND AND I ALSO
BELIEVE WE'RE GOING ABOUT IT THE
RIGHT WAY IN TERMS OF BEING
COLLABORATIVE WITH NOT ONLY
SDOT, BUT IN MANY CASES, THE
PARTY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE
SEEKING SOME OF THIS INFORMATION
AND DATA FROM KING COUNTY METRO,
WE'RE WE'RE BEEN VERY
COLLABORATIVE. ERGO, YOU KNOW,
MY EARLIER AMENDMENT REVISED THE
DATES TO, TO, TO BE MORE
COLLABORATIVE. AGAIN, AMBITIOUS,
BUT REALISTIC AS WELL. SO, BUT I
APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK AND I
STILL ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU.
-- WHY IS IT
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- SO DARK IN HERE
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I ASKED.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- TO BE TURNED DOWN.
-- THANK YOU. ACTUALLY GOING TO
SAY THE SAME THING.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ WANTED TO
PUT US TO SLEEP, SO SHE PUT THE.
OKAY, SO THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. WE WILL GET THE LIGHTS
ADJUSTED COLLEAGUES. NO WORRIES.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON AMENDMENT D.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. AYE COUNCIL
MEMBER STRAUSS COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. NO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
AYE COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. AYE
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- NO.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. RINCK.
-- NO
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES. MOTION. OH GO AHEAD.
-- FIVE IN FAVOR FOUR OPPOSED.
-- I WAS GOING TO DO YOUR JOB.
SORRY.
-- JODY.
-- MOTION CARRIES. AMENDMENT IS
ADOPTED. OKAY, COLLEAGUES. ARE
THERE ANY OTHER FINAL WORDS ON
THE BILL AS AMENDED? I WILL OPEN
IT UP TO OTHER FOLKS AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA YOU'LL GO
LAST AS THE AS THE SPONSOR. IS
THAT OKAY? AWESOME.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- SEATTLEITES LOVE TRANSIT. WE
DEPEND ON TRANSIT AND WE WILL
BUY AS MANY TRANSIT HOURS FROM
METRO AS THEY WILL PROVIDE US.
AS I SAID EARLIER ON, I WOULD
ADD A VLF TO THIS IF I THOUGHT
METRO COULD DELIVER NEXT YEAR.
I'M JUST VERY PROUD OF OUR
CITY. I'M PROUD OF ATU AND ALL
OF YOUR DRIVERS. WE CELEBRATED
SALMON BAY TODAY AND AFTER THAT
GAME WE HAD A PACKED BUS FULL OF
SALMON BAY FANS AND I THINK THE
BUS DRIVER GOT A LITTLE SCARED,
BUT WE CHANTED THANK YOU BUS
DRIVER AS WE WERE GETTING OFF
BECAUSE EVERYONE AROUND THIS
CITY APPRECIATES THE WORK THAT
YOU AND YOUR UNION BROTHERS AND
SISTERS DO FOR US. AND I'M
EXCITED TO SEND THIS TO THE
BALLOT. WITH 75% OF THIS MEASURE
THAT IS DEDICATED TO TRANSIT AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE LINKED UP
OUR ZONING LAW, ZONING GROWTH,
ALONG WITH OUR TRANSIT GROWTH.
SO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU,
COLLEAGUES. AND I'M JUST REALLY
EXCITED TO CATCH THE BUS.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. FOLLOWED
BY COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE
STRONG PUBLIC TRANSIT THAT'S
EFFICIENT, THAT'S EFFECTIVE.
AND IMPORTANTLY, YES, SAFE. AND
YES, I SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSIT.
BUT I'D ADD WE NEED TO ALSO BE
MINDFUL OF THE AFFORDABILITY
EFFECTS OF CITY PLUS COUNTY AND
STATE ACTIONS IMPACTING PROPERTY
TAXES, SALES TAXES AND UTILITY
RATES. AND FINALLY, GOOD
GOVERNANCE DEMANDS THAT WE
ENGAGE WITH SDOT, WITH KING
COUNTY METRO ON THE ISSUES
RAISED IN THE MANY AMENDMENTS,
ALONG WITH ENSURING PROMISED
TRANSIT HOURS WILL BE DELIVERED.
AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE MR.
WOODFILL HERE IN ATU BECAUSE I
THINK HE'LL GET THE JOB DONE.
SO THANK YOU AND COLLEAGUES. I
WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, FOLLOWED BY
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, AND
THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC, TO OUR BUS DRIVERS,
TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ENGAGED IN
THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR FOR KICKING
US OFF WITH THE BOLD PROPOSAL.
YOU KNOW, RECENTLY THE MAYOR DID
AN OP ED ABOUT REFLECTING ON
THE. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE
EXPERIENCE WE HAD HOSTING THE
WORLD CUP. AND IN HER OP ED, SHE
SAID, CITIES ARE HUMANITY'S
GREATEST INVENTION, WHERE
OPPORTUNITY, CREATIVE ACTIVITY,
CULTURE AND DEMOCRACY COME
TOGETHER. AND, YOU KNOW, AND AS
I THINK ABOUT WHAT MADE SEATTLE
STAND OUT AS AN INCREDIBLE CITY,
WAS, YOU KNOW, OUR TRANSIT,
WHICH ALLOWS US TO HAVE
INCREDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SPACES,
RIGHT? PLACES LIKE THE
WATERFRONT, PIKE PLACE, SEATTLE
CENTER PIONEER SQUARE CITY,
INCREDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SPACES ARE
ONLY POSSIBLE WITH GOOD TRANSIT.
YOU KNOW, GOOD TRANSIT IS THE
LIFEBLOOD OF A WORLD CLASS CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S A
CITY THAT I WANT TO BE A PART
OF. THAT'S A CITY THAT I WANT
TO LIVE IN AND SO IT IS HOW WE
CAN ADDRESS OUR CLIMATE GOALS.
IT IS AN ADDRESS IS HOW WE CAN
ADDRESS OUR AFFORDABILITY GOALS
AND, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE
LAST POINT IS, I DON'T KNOW IF
ANYBODY WAS WATCHING SORT OF THE
FINAL OF THE WORLD CUP, BUT YOU
WOULD SEE THESE IMAGES OF THE
FIELD JUST SURROUNDED BY PARKING
LOTS, TENS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF PARKING SPACES AND, YOU KNOW,
AS VISITORS CAME HERE TO
CELEBRATE OUR CITY AGAIN, PEOPLE
SPOKE ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL
NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR WONDERFUL
PEDESTRIAN SPACES. I DIDN'T
HEAR ANYONE SAYING, GOSH, WHAT
WAS GREAT ABOUT SEATTLE WAS THE
ENDLESS PARKING LOTS. WHAT WAS
GREAT ABOUT SEATTLE WAS THE
ENDLESS HIGHWAYS THAT THAT IS
NOT WHAT MAKES A CITY GREAT
AGAIN, WONDERFUL. TRANSIT IS
WHAT'S GOING TO GET US THERE.
AND AGAIN, SUPER EXCITED TO
SUPPORT THIS MEASURE.
-- THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER. SORRY.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER. FOLLOWED
BY COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND REALLY WELL SAID.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION TO YOU. CHAIR SAKA
FOR STEWARDING THIS PROCESS.
IT'S CLEARLY IT'S A IT'S A
HEAVY LIFT. AND SO WE, WE HAD
DISAGREEMENTS ALONG THE WAY. BUT
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR, FOR
HOLDING THE LIFT AND MOVING THE
PACKAGE FORWARD. I WANT TO
EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR SENDING US
DOWN A TRANSIT PROPOSAL THAT IS
DESIGNED TO EXPAND TRANSIT
ACCESS. I THINK THAT IS
REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE NEED HERE
IN OUR CITY RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE GROWING AS
A CITY AND GROWING OUR
POPULATION WITHOUT GROWING 1 TO
1 FOR VEHICLES. AND THAT'S
BECAUSE WE HAVE WORLD CLASS
TRANSIT SERVICE. THAT'S BECAUSE
WE HAVE WORLD CLASS TRANSIT
DRIVERS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE
HAVE LEADERS WHO ARE INVESTING
IN THE SERVICE THAT OUR CITY
NEEDS. I BELIEVE REALLY DEEPLY
THAT THIS MEASURE IS GOING TO
HELP US GET BACK ON TRACK FROM
WHERE WE WERE PRE PRE PANDEMIC.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY
EXCITING MOMENT AND A MOMENT
WORTHY TO CELEBRATE HERE IN OUR
CITY. I'M ALSO REALLY EXCITED
THAT THIS MEASURE HAS TRANSIT
ACCESS PASSES IN IT. I THINK
THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE
IMPORTANT SO THAT OUR TRANSIT
SYSTEM AND THE THE LACK OF
RESOURCES ISN'T GOING TO BE A
BARRIER TO OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE
SEEKING TO RIDE TRANSIT. SO
COLLEAGUES REALLY EXCITED TO
VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS AND JUST
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
PACKAGE.
-- THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK
YOU. COUNCILMEMBER, FOSTER
COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU CHAIR. I TOO WANT
TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO OUR
COLLEAGUE COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR
SHEPHERDING THIS TRANSIT MEASURE
ALONG. AYE. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
AND I HAVE DONE BETWEEN US THREE
LEVIES BECAUSE THIS IS PRETTY
MUCH A LEVY. IT'S A SALES TAX,
NOT PROPERTY TAX. AND AN I AM
TOMORROW AND I KNOW HOW MUCH
GOES INTO THAT AND REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT HE
AND HIS OFFICE DID. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. AND THEN I ALSO SEE IN
THE AUDIENCE. GREG WOODFILL,
PRESIDENT OF THE ATU LOCAL 587,
WHO'S BEEN HERE AT EVERY
MEETING. SO I JUST WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
REPRESENTING OUR DRIVERS. AND
THEN ALSO I SEE THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND SDOT IN ATTENDANCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
THESE ARE HARD. IT IS NOT HARD
TO SUPPORT TRANSIT. THE HARDSHIP
IS IN THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUE
RELATED TO THE SALES TAX. IT IS,
AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE MOST
REGRESSIVE TAX AND IT IS VERY
DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE TO ASK OUR
RESIDENTS, INCLUDING OUR LOW
INCOME RESIDENTS, TO TAX
THEMSELVES IN A SALES TAX. IN
THIS WAY, AND THAT IS HARD GIVEN
WE DO HAVE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
WE HAD UNITE HERE TODAY. AND SO
WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF WORKERS
IN THE CITY WHO, YOU KNOW, THE
SALES TAX INCREASE IMPACTS THEM
GREATLY. SO I JUST THAT PART IS
DIFFICULT. HOWEVER, I VERY MUCH
SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSIT. AND I'M
GLAD THAT WE'RE PUTTING THIS
MEASURE ON THE BALLOT FOR VOTERS
TO DECIDE. AND WE DO NEED MORE
ROBUST TRANSIT, NOT JUST BUSSES,
BUT I WOULD SAY LIGHT RAIL AND
EVERY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION TO
GET THE CITY TO WHERE OTHER
CITIES OF OUR SIZE ARE IN TERMS
OF TRANSIT, SO THAT FOLKS REALLY
GET OUT OF THEIR CARS AND START
RIDING TRANSIT MORE. IT REALLY
GOES TO OUR CLIMATE GOALS. I
WILL ADD AS WELL. AND SO LOOKING
FORWARD TO A CONTINUATION OF
THIS TRANSIT MEASURE, WHICH
WE'VE HAD. AND THIS REALLY IS
JUST A CONTINUATION OF THAT. AND
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL LEAD TO
GREATER RIDERSHIP AS WE EXPAND
THOSE TRANSIT HOURS ACROSS THE
CITY. THANK YOU CHAIR.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY FAVORITE
TRANSIT ADVOCATES ALWAYS SAYS IF
WE'RE DOING TRANSIT, RIGHT,
YOUR BUS RIDE WILL BE THE MOST
BORING PART OF YOUR DAY NOW, THE
JOURNEY IN DEVELOPING THIS
TRANSIT MEASURE, HOWEVER, WAS
VERY EXCITING, TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND COLLEAGUES, I AM REALLY
PROUD OF THE PACKAGE THAT WE ARE
GOING TO SEND TO VOTERS. THIS
MEASURE WILL INCREASE TRANSIT
SERVICE IN SEATTLE BY 100 000.
ADDITIONAL SERVICE HOURS, AND
THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE WILL MAKE
A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE FOR
EVERYDAY PEOPLE. IT WILL MAKE A
MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE FOR ALL OF
US. AND AS A CAR FREE TRANSIT
RIDER REPRESENTING THOSE 20% OF
SEATTLE HOUSEHOLDS. SO ONE OF
FIVE ONE OUT OF FIVE SEATTLE
HOUSEHOLDS WHO IS CAR FREE. I
KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE
HAVE FAST, FREQUENT, RELIABLE
AND SAFE SERVICE. AND I
COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO
HAVE INCREASED SERVICE COMING TO
OUR STREETS. AND AFFORDABILITY
IS AN IMPORTANT REASON TO PASS
THIS MEASURE. NOW, WE KNOW THAT
CAR OWNERSHIP, ON AVERAGE, CAN
BE SOMETIMES THE SECOND HIGHEST
MONTHLY COST TO FAMILIES. BUT
BECAUSE OF THIS MEASURE, WE'RE
ABOUT TO PUT BEFORE VOTERS,
MAYBE SOME FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE
TO STOP DRIVING AND BE ABLE TO
SAVE ON THOSE COSTS. AND BEING
ABLE TO TAKE THAT OFF THEIR
PLATE IS SOMETHING REALLY
MEANINGFUL. AND WE KNOW THAT AS
A CITY, THE RATE OF CAR
OWNERSHIP IS GROWING. EVEN
THOUGH OUR POPULATION IS BETWEEN
2017 AND 2023, OUR POPULATION
GREW BY 35000 HOUSEHOLDS. BUT
THE NUMBER OF OUR CAR OF CARS IN
THE CITY STAYED RELATIVELY FLAT.
NOW THAT'S SIGNIFICANT WHEN WE
CONSIDER THAT TRANSPORTATION
CONTINUES TO BE THE LEADING
DRIVER IN OUR CITY FOR
EMISSIONS. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO
GROW, WE REALLY NEED TO BE
RAMPING UP OUR INVESTMENTS IN
ALTERNATIVE MODES OF
TRANSPORTATION TO BUILD A MORE
SUSTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE CITY.
BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT WHO
PROVIDES THAT BUS SERVICE. AND
KING COUNTY METRO ESTIMATES THAT
APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 TRANSIT
OPERATOR POSITIONS WILL BE
CREATED. WITH THIS INVESTMENT OF
100,000 SERVICE HOURS. THESE ARE
UNION REPRESENTED JOBS WITH 8587
PROVIDING COMPETITIVE
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. AND
THAT HAS TREMENDOUS VALUE. SO
TODAY I HAVE A REAL ATTITUDE FOR
GRATITUDE. SO I WANT TO THANK
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR COMING
TO US WITH A BOLD PROPOSAL. I
WANT TO THANK SDOT AND KING
COUNTY METRO FOR ANSWERING ALL
OF MY QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THIS
PROCESS. I WANT TO THANK OUR
CENTRAL STAFF, CAL, AMANDA, AND
ANNE, FOR YOUR TIME AND
ATTENTION IN DEVELOPING
AMENDMENTS WITH EACH OF THE
COUNCIL OFFICES. I WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIR AND YOUR TEAM FOR
SHEPHERDING THIS PROCESS. AND
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, FOR YOUR
AMENDMENTS AND FOR YOUR
THOUGHTFUL ENGAGEMENT ON MY
AMENDMENTS AS WELL. AND SPECIAL
THANK YOU TO KAYDEN COOK ON MY
TEAM, WHO DID MUCH OF THE WORK
ON BEHALF OF OUR OFFICE IN
SHAPING OUR AMENDMENTS AND
WORKING WITH ADVOCATES. THANK
YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT AND
PROVIDED COMMENT OVER THE PAST
COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM INCREDIBLE
TRANSIT ADVOCATES AND
ORGANIZATIONS. THANK YOU FOR
SHARING YOUR STORIES. THANK YOU
FOR CHAMPIONING TRANSIT, AND
THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING FOR YOUR
NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH, AND I
HOPE EVERYONE REMEMBERS TO THANK
THEIR BUS DRIVER. THANK YOU
-- THAT IS A GOOD NOTION. THANK
YOUR BUS DRIVER. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. I WILL SAY
MY COMMENTS REALLY QUICK.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. AND THEN
LEAVE IT TO YOU AS THE IF
THAT'S OKAY. SO I DO WANT TO
THANK MAYOR WILSON AND HER
OFFICE. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE
DIRECTOR BRADY IN THE AUDIENCE
AND MISS ALEX HUDSON, THANK YOU
ALL FOR YOUR WORK FOR SHAPING
THIS MEASURE. THANK YOU TO THE
ADVOCATES CHAIR SAKA FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND, AND, AND
RUNNING A PROCESS AS WELL. I
KNOW IT'S A HEAVY LIFT, SO JUST
THANK YOU FOR THAT. JUST ALL THE
LATE NIGHTS I SAW YOU IN THE
OFFICE. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A
FAMILY WITH THREE KIDS AND YOU
WERE OUT HERE DOING DOING THE
WORK. SO JUST REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU ON THAT A T YOU COLLEAGUES
FOR YOUR AMENDMENTS. AND I'M
INCREDIBLY PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS
PACKAGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT
FORTH TOWARDS VOTERS. DISTRICT
THREE IS A VERY, VERY TRANSIT
DEPENDENT DISTRICT. AND SO JUST
REALLY EXCITED FOR WHAT THIS IS
GOING TO MEAN TO THE CITY, AND
ESPECIALLY FOR DISTRICT THREE.
SO REALLY, REALLY EXCITED. AND
ALL THE AREAS THAT THERE WAS
FOCUS ON AS WELL, SOUTHEAST
SEATTLE AND DIFFERENT AREAS.
BALLARD, THE, THE, ALL THE
PACKAGES THAT. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS BROUGHT IN FOR REGIONAL
CENTERS AND THINKING ABOUT
GROWTH, I THOUGHT COLLEAGUES WAS
PROUD TO SUPPORT YOUR AMENDMENTS
BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY, VERY
THOUGHTFUL, VERY MUCH NEEDED
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE DOWN HERE.
TRANSIT ACCESS, LATE NIGHT WITH
KIDS DISABILITY. THERE WAS A
LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. SO
JUST REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF
YOUR WORK. AND WITHOUT FURTHER
ADO, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, I KNOW
YOU'RE GOING TO CLOSE US OUT IN
A TIMELY
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- MANNER.
-- THANK YOU MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, COLLEAGUES, I'LL
JUST SAY THAT TODAY ISN'T THE
FINISH LINE. BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
I THINK IT'S THE STARTING LINE.
TODAY, WE DECIDE WHETHER TO
PLACE BEFORE THE VOTERS WHAT I
BELIEVE IS THE STRONGEST
POSSIBLE SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE
THAT WE COULD BUILD TOGETHER.
NOW, THIS MOMENT, ODDLY ENOUGH,
ISN'T ABOUT TRANSIT NECESSARILY
IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT HOW WE
GOVERN. IT'S ABOUT LISTENING.
FIRST. COLLABORATING OFTEN AND
TRUSTING THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE
TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISION. OVER
THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE HAD
THOUGHTFUL COMMITTEE MEETINGS,
ROBUST DEBATE, MEANINGFUL
AMENDMENTS, AND HOURS UPON HOURS
UPON HOURS OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
WE CLEARLY DIDN'T AGREE ON EVERY
SINGLE ISSUE. AND THAT'S OKAY
GOOD POLICY MAKING ISN'T ABOUT
UNANIMOUS THINKING. IT'S ABOUT
RESPECTFUL DISAGREEMENT, CAREFUL
DELIBERATION, AND ULTIMATELY
FINDING COMMON GROUND. AND I
BELIEVE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
WE'VE DONE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I
WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO TOOK
THE TIME TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH
US THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. NOW,
WHETHER YOU TESTIFIED IN PERSON,
JOINED US REMOTELY, EMAILED OUR
OFFICES ACROSS THOUSANDS OF
EMAIL COMMS WE RECEIVED OVER THE
LAST FEW MONTHS, OR SIMPLY
FOLLOWED ALONG THE PROCESS.
THANK YOU. YOUR VOICE MATTERED.
LAST WEEK'S PUBLIC HEARING
REMINDED ME OF WHY I REALLY,
REALLY DO LOVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WE HEARD THAT TRANSIT IS A
LIFELINE WE HEARD THAT
ACCESSIBILITY IS NOT AN
AFTERTHOUGHT. IT IS A NECESSITY.
WE HEARD THAT SAFETY FOR OUR
TRANSIT OPERATORS AND RIDERS IS
NON-NEGOTIABLE AND YES, WE HEARD
SOME MEMORABLE REMINDERS THAT
TRANSIT IS ALSO ABOUT EVERYDAY
LIFE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC
NAMED DAVE SOLT REMINDED US THAT
TRANSIT CAN EVEN GET YOU TO DATE
NIGHT. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US
EXPECTED THAT TO BECOME PART OF
THE LEGISLATIVE RECORD, BUT HERE
WE ARE. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, INCLUDING MISS PAULINE
AND JASMINE SMITH, DESCRIBED
TRANSIT AS, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, THE
PEOPLE'S LIMOUSINE. AND I HAVE
TO ADMIT, THAT'S A PHRASE I
WON'T SOON FORGET. IT IS THE
PEOPLE'S LIMO THOSE STORIES
MADE US SMILE. THEY ALSO BROUGHT
US TOGETHER. THEY CARRIED WITH
THEM AN IMPORTANT TRUTH. TRANSIT
ISN'T SIMPLY ABOUT BUSSES OR
RAW SERVICE HOURS OR NITTY
GRITTY REPORTS. IT'S ABOUT
OPPORTUNITY. IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY.
IT'S ABOUT FREEDOM. IT'S ABOUT
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO JOBS,
SCHOOLS, HEALTH CARE, FAMILY,
AND YES, EVEN DINNER
RESERVATIONS FOR DATE NIGHT. WE
HEARD YOU AND WE WORKED HARD TO
RESPOND THE FINAL PROPOSAL
REFLECTS THAT FEEDBACK. IT
STRENGTHENS ACCOUNTABILITY
REINFORCES ACCESSIBILITY,
ADVANCES WRITER AND OPERATOR
SAFETY, SUPPORTS CLEANER
TRANSPORTATION AND CLIMATE
RESILIENCE, AND IT PRESERVES THE
FLEXIBILITY NEEDED TO KEEP
DELIVERING SAFE AND RELIABLE
TRANSIT SERVICE IN THE YEARS
AHEAD. IS IT PERFECT? NO. NO
LEGISLATION EVER IS. BUT IS IT
BALANCED? IS IT THOUGHTFUL? IS
IT TRANSPARENT? YES AND I ALSO
BELIEVE IT'S WORTHY OF THE
PUBLIC'S CONSIDERATION. NOW I
WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK MY
COUNCILMEMBER COLLEAGUES FOR
YOUR TREMENDOUS WORK AND
THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATION OF THIS
PROPOSAL. EACH OF YOU APPROVED
THIS LEGISLATION, AND SEATTLE IS
BETTER FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO
NAMECHECK TWO OF MY
COUNCILMEMBER COLLEAGUES FOR
THEIR WORK. COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH YOU TWO IN
PARTICULAR FROM DAY ONE HAVE
BEEN TERRIFIC THOUGHT PARTNERS,
BEEN SO GENEROUS AND GRACIOUS
WITH YOUR TIME, FORMULATING ON A
1 TO 1 BASIS STRATEGY, ADVICE,
KIND OF THINKING THROUGH HOW TO
BEST LAND THIS PROPOSAL AND GET
IT TO THE STAGE WHERE WE'RE AT
TODAY. SO FOR THOSE REASONS,
I'M GRATEFUL. THANK YOU. I'D
ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE MANY
PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES, THE
UNSUNG HEROES, IF YOU WILL, TO
MY OUTSTANDING STAFF, BRENDAN,
ERIC, MICHAEL AND HADIYA, THANK
YOU FOR THE COUNTLESS HOURS, THE
LATE NIGHTS AND YOUR UNWAVERING
COMMITMENT THROUGHOUT THIS
PROCESS TO OUR OWN CENTRAL STAFF
TEAM, PARTICULARLY CAL CHOW,
AMANDA ALLEN AND GORMAN AND LIZ
WHITSON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
EXPERTISE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND
EXTRAORDINARY PARTNERSHIP. THANK
YOU AS WELL TO OUR DEPUTY CITY
CLERKS, AMELIA, JODI AND PHIL
FOR KEEPING THIS COMPLEX
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS RUNNING
SMOOTHLY. AND TO BRAD, SUE, AND
DARNELL FROM OUR COMMS TEAM,
THANK YOU FOR HELPING KEEP THE
PUBLIC INFORMED EVERY STEP OF
THE WAY THIS GETTING TO THIS
POINT I THINK WE'RE HELPING TO
ENABLE DATE NIGHT FOR SO MANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO
TO GET TO THIS POINT, WE BLEW
DATE NIGHTS IN OUR OWN FAMILIES
SACRIFICED KIDDO ACTIVITIES AND
HIKES, DAY HIKES, AND WHATEVER
IT IS YOU LIKE DOING ON THE
NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS. A LOT OF
PEOPLE SACRIFICE A LOT BECAUSE
WE ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS, AND WE
WANTED TO SHAPE THIS PROPOSAL
AND MAKE IT BETTER AND MORE
BALANCED. AND WE DID THIS HAS
BEEN TRULY A TEAM EFFORT. AND AS
CHAIR, ONE OF MY GUIDING
PRINCIPLES HAS BEEN SIMPLE.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY SHOULDN'T JUST
BE A CALENDAR SPACE OR FILLER.
IT SHOULD HELP SHAPE THIS
LEGISLATION. AND I BELIEVE WE'VE
HONORED THAT PRINCIPLE. TODAY'S
VOTE IS NOT THE END OF THE
CONVERSATION. IT IS AN
INVITATION TO THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE TO JOIN IT. AS PART OF
THIS PROCESS, WE TOOK THE NEXT
BIG STEP IN OUR COLLECTIVE
JOURNEY TOGETHER TO BUILD A
TRULY A WORLD CLASS TRANSIT
SYSTEM, ONE THAT EVEN OUR
BELOVED JIMOTHY, THE RACCOON,
CAN BE PROUD OF. THIS MEASURE
BELONGS TO VOTERS NOW. SO TODAY,
WE'RE NOT ASKING SEATTLE TO
TRUST THE PROMISE. WE ARE ASKING
SEATTLE TO JUDGE OUR WORK. WE
LISTENED. WE DEBATED. YES, WE
COMPROMISED AND WE IMPROVED THIS
PROPOSAL TOGETHER. AND NOW, WITH
CONFIDENCE, GRATITUDE, HUMILITY.
WE PLACE IT WHERE IT BELONGS IN
THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. I WANT TO THANK
AGAIN YOU ALL COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES, MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, MAYOR WILSON, FOLKS FROM
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, ALEX
HUDSON, DEPUTY MAYOR SARAT AND
OTHERS. THE COUNCIL'S WORK IS
NOW COMPLETE. NOW IT'S THE
VOTERS TURN. LET'S GO. THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILL, AS AMENDED.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- NINE IN FAVOR. NONE OPPOSED.
-- PASSES AS AMENDED. THE CHAIR
WILL
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- SIGN IT.
-- [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
-- GOOD JOB.
-- LONG CLAP TO THAT. DESERVES A
LONG TIME. HEY.
-- AMEN.
-- PRAISE THE LORD.
-- I KNOW
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- EVERYBODY'S HAPPY RIGHT?
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- SERIOUSLY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I'M SO.
-- HAS PASSED AND THE CHAIR WILL
SIGN IT. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
FIX MY SIGNATURE ON THE
LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF? OH,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- ITEM NUMBER TWO INTO THE
RECORD?
-- THE REPORT OF THE PARKS AND
CITY LIGHT COMMITTEE. AGENDA
ITEM TWO. COUNCIL BILLS 121231
RELATING TO CITY LIGHT
DEPARTMENT. ESTABLISHING NEW
RETAIL RATE SCHEDULES.
ESTABLISHING A NEW CUSTOMER
CLASS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
FOR DATA CENTERS WHOSE
ELECTRICITY DEMAND CONSTITUTES A
NEW LARGE LOAD MODIFYING
CUSTOMER CHARGES FOR SERVICE
CONNECTIONS, AUGMENTING THE RATE
STABILIZATION ACCOUNT MECHANISMS
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE BILL
PASSES AMENDED.
-- AWESOME. BUT WAIT, THERE'S
MORE. FOR 1999, YOU CAN GET ITEM
NUMBER TWO. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE? OH, SORRY. COUNCIL
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED.
-- I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED,
BUT WHY Y'ALL LEAVE? COME ON
NOW, THIS IS EXCITING STUFF. I
KNOW I CAN'T FOLLOW
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, BUT LET ME
JUST SAY THIS, MADAM CHAIR,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, IF I CAN
JUST. AND COLLEAGUES, IF I CAN
JUST HAVE YOUR EAR FOR A MOMENT.
I'D LIKE TO READ SOME
LEGISLATIVE NOTES INTO THE
RECORD ON THE RATE HIKE. OUR
OFFICE ALSO SENT OUT AN EMAIL
THIS MORNING TO THE FULL COUNCIL
ON THE FACTS AND THE TIMELINE,
AND THE LEGISLATIVE CHRONOLOGY
FOR FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC AS
WELL. AND I WANT TO THANK I SEE
WE HAVE INTERIM. CAO SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT DIRECTOR ROB SANTOS
HERE, AND WE ALSO HAVE CHRISTY
GRAINGER FOR THE CFO FROM
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. I WILL BE AS
BRIEF AS
-- POSSIBLE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THIS RATE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHES
NEW RETAIL RATE SCHEDULES,
ESTABLISHES A NEW CUSTOMER
CLASS, AND CONDITIONS FOR DATA
CENTERS THAT DEMAND LARGE
ELECTRICAL LOADS. MODIFIES
ELIGIBILITY FOR RESIDENTIAL RATE
ASSISTANCE, AND EXPANDS THE RATE
STABILIZATION ACCOUNT MECHANISM.
THE PROPOSED 9.5 INCREASE IS
PART OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S
SIX YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. THE
FULL COUNCIL PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
ON JULY 7th. THIS INCREASE IS
BASED ON CITY LIGHTS,
PROJECTIONS OF SUBSTANTIAL LOAD
GROWTH FROM THE. FROM 2026 TO
2032, WITH MAJOR FACTORS BEING.
THE CITY'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT
TO ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
GREEN ENERGY RESIDENTS SWITCHING
TO ELECTRIC ELECTRIC SYSTEMS AND
RISING COSTS. THESE CHANGES
REQUIRE CITY LIGHT TO SECURE NEW
DIVERSIFIED POWER RESOURCES SUCH
AS WIND, SOLAR BATTERY STORAGE,
WHICH INCREASES OVERALL POWER
AND REGIONAL TRANSMISSION COSTS.
HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THESE RATE
INCREASES, SEATTLE STILL HAS ONE
OF THE LOWEST ELECTRICAL UTILITY
RATES OF ANY MAJOR CITY IN THE
UNITED STATES. WE HAVE
ANTICIPATED THAT RATES WOULD
EVENTUALLY HAVE TO RISE AS THE
CITY AND RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO
MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS
ELECTRIFICATION TO SUPPORT GREEN
ENERGY. THIS RISE IS NEEDED TO
INCREASE ELECTRIC CAPACITY AND
AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WE
LEARNED A LOT ABOUT IN
COMMITTEE. WITHOUT GOING TOO FAR
BACK IN THE TIME MACHINE. I JUST
WANT TO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO
DATES AND TWO AND 2005
SEATTLEITE BECAME THE FIRST
ELECTRIC UTILITY TO BE CARBON
NEUTRAL, AND HAVE MAINTAINED
THIS EVER SINCE. IN 2010, THE
CITY DECLARED ITS INTENTION TO
BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050 AND
ADOPTED A PLAN IN 2013. AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY, IN 2019, THE CITY
OF SEATTLE PASSED THE GREEN NEW
DEAL, WHICH SET A GOAL TO BECOME
CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2030. SOME
MAJOR ACTS IN THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER WITH THE TRANSITION TO
ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION,
INCLUDING PUBLIC TRANSIT, THE
CITY FLEET AND TO PROMOTE THE
SWITCH TO PRIVATE ELECTRIC CARS,
CREATING A HIGH NEED OF EV
CHARGING STATIONS. THE ORDER
ALSO REQUIRED ALL FUTURE AND
RENOVATED MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS TO
OPERATE WITHOUT FOSSIL FUEL
SYSTEMS. IN 2026. THE RECENT
LEGISLATION PASSED BY THIS
COUNCIL INCLUDED SEATTLE CITY
LIGHTS 2026 INTEGRATED RESOURCE
PLAN AND THE SEATTLE CITY LIGHTS
2027 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH
FOCUSED ON ELECTRIC, ELECTRICAL
GRID RELIABILITY, SECURING CLEAN
ENERGY RESOURCES AND FURTHERING
SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE
COMMUNITY, ENVIRONMENT AND
UTILITY. WITHOUT ADDING ANY
MORE. I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT
THESE ALL OF THESE ISSUES WERE
IN MY COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE FOUR
TIMES. AND WITH THAT, I URGE
YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ COLLEAGUES,
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE
BILL BEFORE US? WANT TO REALLY
THANK COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. JUAREZ
FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS. AND
AS YOU NOTED, YOU'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THIS FOR WELL BEFORE
ALL THE THE NEWS REPORTING
AROUND MEGA DATA CENTERS WAS
COMING. AND SO I THINK, YOU
KNOW, AS WE WERE JUST TALKING
ABOUT THE TRANSIT MEASURE, YOU
KNOW, AS WE TALK ABOUT
AFFORDABILITY, AS WE TALK ABOUT
OUR CLIMATE CHANGE GOALS, THIS
IS THIS IS ONE CRITICAL PIECE OF
THAT IS AS WE LOOK AT DATA
CENTERS AND THE POTENTIAL ISSUES
OF DATA CENTERS, NOT JUST HERE
IN SEATTLE, BUT IN THE STATE OR
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE THE
DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY AND HOW
TO MEET THAT DEMAND, YOU KNOW,
DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER
AREAS OF THE COUNTRY THAT MIGHT
NOT HAVE THESE PROTECTIONS IN
PLACE. AND, YOU KNOW, RESORTING
TO NATURAL GAS OR FOSSIL FUELS
TO TO, YOU KNOW, MEET THIS
DEMAND. AND SO MAKING SURE THAT
WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE
ELECTRICITY, IF WE ARE GOING TO
ALLOW THESE IN OUR CITY AND OUR
REGION, IN OUR SERVICE
TERRITORY, THAT THEY ARE THAT
DEMAND IS MET WITH GREEN
RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND THAT THE
THAT THE DATA CENTERS PAY THEIR
OWN WAY AND THAT WE ARE NOT
SUBSIDIZING THIS, THAT
RESIDENTS, OTHER SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE NOT SUBSIDIZING
THIS, THIS NEW ERA. AND SO AS
YOU NOTED, THIS IS NOT IN
CONFLICT WITH OUR MORATORIUM.
THIS OBVIOUSLY GOES BEYOND JUST
OUR CITY LIMITS BECAUSE SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT SERVICE TERRITORY
GOES BEYOND THE THE SCOPE OF THE
MORATORIUM. SO AGAIN, JUST WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP.
EXCITED TO TO SUPPORT.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. FOLLOWED
BY COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK MR.
SANTOS AND THE ENTIRE SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK
THAT THEY'RE DOING. THIS IS
VERY COMPLEX AND INCREDIBLE WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, THAT HAS
HUGE IMPACTS. AND, YOU KNOW,
TODAY AND MOVING FORWARD. AND WE
HAVE TO TAKE THESE STEPS MOVING
FORWARD DELIBERATELY,
THOUGHTFULLY, AND INCLUDING ALL
THE STAKEHOLDERS AND ALL THE
ISSUES THAT SURROUND IT. SO I
THANK SEATTLE CITY LIGHT FOR
THAT. AND, AND TO
COUNCILMEMBERS. LIN POINT. YES,
WE NEED TO BE SMART ON DATA
CENTERS. I MET WITH MICROSOFT
YESTERDAY ON THE TOPIC
PREVIOUSLY WITH AWS, AMAZON AND
DIGITAL REALTY HERE IN SEATTLE.
AND WE NEED TO BE SMART AND, AND
REALLY BUILD IN THESE PIECES.
AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT WE'RE
DOING. I THINK WE'RE BEING
THOUGHTFUL WITH THIS BEING, YOU
KNOW, ANTICIPATORY IN TERMS OF
THE FUTURE, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY
GOING TO GET GREATER WITH ALL
THE VARIOUS DEMANDS THAT ARE
GOING TO BE PLACED ON IT. AND
COLLEAGUES, I JUST WANT TO CLOSE
BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO THE COST
PIECE, WHICH I'LL JUST SAY NOW
AFFORDABILITY. WE JUST DID THE
SALES TAX PIECE HERE. WE HAVE
UTILITY RATES. I'VE TALKED
ABOUT PROPERTY RATES. I'VE
TALKED ABOUT PROPERTY RATES
SHIFTING FROM COMMERCIAL TO
RESIDENTIAL. THIS AFFORDABILITY
CHALLENGE IS REAL AND IT'S GOING
TO HAVE OTHER ASPECTS TO IT TO
WATER AS IN TERMS OF MY SERVICE
ON THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY
COMMITTEE, PREVIOUSLY. AND, YOU
KNOW, WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL
IN THAT BIGGER STRATEGIC PICTURE
TOO, ACROSS THE ENTIRE
ENTERPRISE. AND I THINK THAT'S
GOING TO BE OUR CHALLENGE MOVING
FORWARD. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANT
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. YOU
KNOW, ONE, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
HAVING TO INCREASE RATES IS
NEVER AN EASY THING. IT IS,
UNFORTUNATELY A NECESSARY THING
AS WE HAVE MORE AND MORE NEED IN
OUR CITY. SO WE IT'S NOT IT'S
UNAVOIDABLE. BUT I DO WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE AND I JOIN YOU IN
YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE DATA
CENTERS PIECE AND ENSURING THAT
WE'RE NOT SUBSIDIZING THE WORK
AND FUTURE WORK OF ANY FUTURE,
IF ANY, SHOULD BE SITUATED HERE
IN SEATTLE, AND THEN ALSO WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BECAUSE WE
HAVE THE AFFORDABILITY CONCERNS
THAT WE HAVE, THE. AND SO MANY
PEOPLE HAD A HAND IN THIS. ALSO,
COUNCILMEMBERS STRAUSS YOU PUT
IN THE UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAM
EXPANSION, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE
HAVE TO. IT'S UNAVOIDABLE TO
INCREASE THE RATES. SO WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AS MUCH
RELIEF FOR AS MANY CUSTOMERS AS
POSSIBLE. SO I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S BAKED
INTO THIS LEGISLATION AS WELL.
SO REALLY, JUST TO SAY AND
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE
WATCHING THIS IS AN INCREASING
BECAUSE WE'RE SUBSIDIZING DATA
CENTERS. AND ALSO WE DON'T WANT
TO HAVE TO INCREASE RATES, BUT
WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS
CASE. AND WE DON'T TAKE THAT
LIGHTLY. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DO
THINGS LIKE SUPPORT UTILITY
DISCOUNT PROGRAM EXPANSIONS,
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THIS IS
THESE INCREASES ALWAYS HAVE A
HUGE IMPACT ON OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS
WRIT LARGE. THANK YOU. CHAIR.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU
TO OUR CITY LIGHT TEAM AND THE
RATE ADVISORY BOARD. ALTHOUGH
I'M NOT SURE THAT I GOT THAT
NAME TECHNICALLY CORRECT, BUT
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE THEM
AT COMMITTEE. I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US.
THIS IS THE LARGEST RATE
INCREASE THAT WE'VE HAD IN
QUITE SOME TIME, AND WE ARE
STILL OUR RATES ARE LOWER THAN
OUR PEERS AND OUR RATE INCREASES
ARE LOWER THAN OUR PEERS. YOU
MIGHT HAVE READ THIS MORNING,
KITSAP UTILITY IS LOOKING AT
GENERATING THEIR OWN
ELECTRICITY. IF I WAS IN THEIR
SHOES, I WOULD NOT DO THAT
BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO GET CHEAPER
ELECTRICITY THROUGH PSC, BECAUSE
GENERATION TRANSMISSION AND AND
THEN ENSURING THAT IT ALL GETS
DISTRIBUTED CORRECTLY IS A VERY
COSTLY ENDEAVOR. AND SO I'LL
LOOK TO THE PROFESSIONALS TO SAY
WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S A GOOD
IDEA. BUT IF I WAS IN THEIR
SHOES, I WOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS.
NOW, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN
VOTING FOR AN ALLOWANCE. I
WON'T GET INTO THE REST OF THAT
SEATTLE TIMES ARTICLE. ALL THAT
TO SAY IS, I BELIEVE THAT PSC
RAISED THEIR RATES 11% IN 2025,
12% IN 2026, AND HAVE A PLANNED
RATE INCREASE OF 15% IN 2027 FOR
THEIR ELECTRICITY. NOW, THERE
ARE DIFFERENT UTILITY THAN US.
THEY ARE ALSO ACTUALLY THEY HAVE
WAY MORE TRANSMISSION LINES TO
ENSURE OUR UP TO SPEED AND IN
GOOD CONDITION. THEY ARE AHEAD
OF US IN OUR WILDLAND FIRE
PREVENTION. BUT THAT'S PARTLY
BECAUSE WE HAVE FEWER
TRANSMISSION LINES. ALL THAT TO
SAY, AT THE BEGINNING, AT THE
END OF LAST YEAR, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ HAD STARTED US ON WHAT
WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT A SIX
MONTH PLAN FOR CITY LIGHT TO
BEGIN PRESENTING EACH OF THESE
ISSUES OF OUR GENERATION
TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION AND
HOME USE, AND WHAT EACH OF THESE
RATE DRIVERS WERE TO BE. AND
THEN SUDDENLY, DAWN LINDELL WAS
FIRED UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT A
TRANSITION. AND I JUST REALLY
APPRECIATE ROB SANTOS STANDING
UP AND HELPING US LEAD THE
AGENCY THROUGH THIS TIME.
KIRSTY, YOUR WORK IS AMAZING.
SOMETHING THAT DON WOULD ALWAYS
SAY TO WHENEVER I WOULD GIVE HER
A COMPLIMENT, SHE SAID, THAT'S
NOT ME, THAT'S MY TEAM. AND
THAT'S HOW WE HAVE GOTTEN
THROUGH THAT TURBULENCE IS THAT
WE HAVE A STRONG TEAM AND THAT
WE'VE GOT GREAT PEOPLE WORKING
FOR SEATTLE CITY LIGHT. I JUST
WISH THAT WE HADN'T HAD THE
UNEXPECTED TRANSITION, SO WE
COULD HAVE HAD MAYBE A MORE
PUBLIC CONVERSATION. WE AT LEAST
GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE HANGERS ON
THE TRANSMISSION LINES. I'M
GRATEFUL FOR THAT. ALL THAT TO
SAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO
TO UPDATE OUR GRID. WE HAVE
AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAD, I
THINK, A 50 TO 60 YEAR LIFESPAN,
AND WE'RE IN ABOUT 50 YEARS
RIGHT NOW FOR A LOT OF OUR FOR A
LOT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, I'VE
GOT A 50 YEAR OLD TRUCK, AND
I'LL TELL YOU EVERY TIME I FIX
SOMETHING, SOMETHING ELSE BREAKS
BECAUSE THE ISSUE JUST MOVES
THROUGH THE VEHICLE. AND
EVENTUALLY WE HAD TO GET THE,
THE ENGINE PULLED OUT AND HAD A
NICE MECHANICAL. BECAUSE WE HAVE
THE MARITIME INDUSTRY IN
BALLARD, WE HAD SOMEBODY CREATE
US A NEW FLYWHEEL AND NOW THE
TRUCK RUNS GREAT. BUT THIS IS
WHERE WE'RE AT WITH SOME OF OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE IS AS WE PATCH
TOGETHER, EACH OF THE LITTLE
INCIDENTS, THEY JUST KEEP
TRICKLING DOWN THE LINE UNTIL WE
HAVE TO DO A MAJOR REPLACEMENT.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT, AND
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THIS LARGE
COMPARATIVE TO OUR PAST RATE
INCREASE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS
LOWER THAN OUR PEERS. AND THIS
IS ALSO WHY WE'VE GOT THE
UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAM THAT IS
STARTING AT THE SAME TIME ON
JANUARY 1st, WITH 31,000 NEW
FAMILIES ELIGIBLE, AND IN THE
NEXT TWO YEARS WILL BUMP THAT UP
TO 81,000 83,000 FAMILIES, WHICH
IS THE SIZE OF ANY OF OUR
COUNCIL DISTRICTS, REGISTERED
VOTERS. AND SO JUST A GREAT
APPRECIATION TO CITY LIGHT, TO
THE RATE ADVISORY PANEL AND TO
OUR CUSTOMERS FOR TRUSTING IN US
AS A PUBLIC UTILITY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. AND MY. ARE THERE ANY
OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I
PASS IT BACK TO THE CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE? I JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. I WAS
TAKING NOTE. I THINK I HAVE A
TIE WITH YOU ALL. EITHER DATA
CENTERS OR DATA CENTERS, AND IT
WAS A TIE FOR ALL OF Y'ALL. SO
I JUST WANTED TO I WAS KEEPING
COUNT. SO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO PROVIDE
YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND I WANT TO ADD FOR THE RECORD
THAT 50 IS NOT OLD. ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT BEING SAID,
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH. I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING
WITH YOU ON THE DATA CENTER. THE
MORATORIUM AND THE RESOLUTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST I JUST
AGAIN, I, YOUR TRANSITION FROM
CITY ATTORNEY TO A LEGISLATOR
HAS BEEN GREAT. I'VE ENJOYED
WORKING WITH YOU. I KNOW YOU AND
I LIKE TO GET WONKY WITH THE LAW
AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF, BUT
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE
THAT. AND AS I SAID BEFORE, AND
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN WITHOUT GOING
INTO REHASHING THE LAST THREE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE BECOME A SOCIETY SINCE POST
COLONIAL CONTACT, EXCAVATING AND
MINING AND TAKING EVERYTHING AND
GRINDING THINGS OUT AND TAKING
EVERYTHING OUT OF THE GROUND AND
OUT OF THE WATER AND OUT OF THE
AIR. SO THERE'S ALMOST NOTHING
LEFT. AND SO TO HAVE A SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT BE SO RESPONSIVE AND
WORK WITH US. AND WE SAW YOUR
WORK. THANK YOU. ROB. THANK YOU.
CHRISTIE. ON THE SKAGIT RIVER
PROJECT. AND WE SAW THAT YEARS
IN THE MAKING. I'M GOING TO SAY
THIS FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE I AM
OLD. I WORKED ON THE ORIGINAL
AGREEMENT BACK IN THE LATE 90s
WHEN I WAS AT EVERGREEN LEGAL
SERVICES FOR THE TRIBES AND WHAT
WE CALL BC BEFORE CASINOS. SO I
KNOW THE LONG HISTORY WITH FERC
AND THE FEDERAL COURTS AND
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WATER AND
HYDRO, AND HOW IT ALL COMES
TOGETHER. AND SITTING ON THIS
COUNCIL AND BEING ON THIS
COMMITTEE SINCE I WAS ELECTED
FIRST IN 2016, I UNDERSTAND THIS
JOURNEY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THANK YOU, DON, TO I HOPE
SHE WATCHES THIS BECAUSE THIS IS
PART OF HER VICTORY AS WELL. AND
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT IS THE CITY'S LARGEST
ECONOMIC ENGINE. AND WE ARE ALL
SHAREHOLDERS AND STEWARDS, AS
YOU ARE. AND SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
IS THE SECOND LARGEST EMPLOYER
OF THIS OF THIS GREAT CITY. AND
AS COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS POINTED
OUT, AND MY OTHER COLLEAGUES ON
THE COMMITTEE, WE TAKE THAT THAT
THAT STEWARDSHIP SERIOUSLY. AND
I APPRECIATED, EXCEPT FOR THAT
ONE TIME, ALL THE ALL THE
POWERPOINTS, THE NUMBERS DIDN'T
LINE UP. OTHER THAN THAT, WE DID
GREAT. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF
MATERIAL TO GO THROUGH. SO TO
GET US HERE TODAY IS A, I KNOW
IT'S NOT AS SEXY AS THE
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA BIG PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT HE GOT OVER THE
FINISH LINE, BUT FOR ME, IT'S A
BIG DEAL. AND I ALSO WANT TO
THANK SOFIA SUAREZ, WHO'S
SITTING RIGHT THERE. SOFIA'S
BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND
SHE'S BEEN AMAZING. AND PAUL,
PAUL, PAUL, COUNCILMEMBER PAUL,
PAUL MENIFEE, OUR POLICY PERSON
WHO'S BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT SINCE THE DAY
WE HIRED HIM AND HAS BEEN
EXCEPTIONAL IN GETTING US AND
WORKING WITH YOU ON THE
POWERPOINTS, AS WELL AS WITH
TRACY AND ERIC MCCONAUGHY. AND I
JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW,
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY SEE
REALIZE OR MAYBE OBVIOUSLY NOT
SEE THAT WE REALLY RELY ON
CENTRAL STAFF AND GETTING THE
INFORMATION TO US AND WORKING
WITH YOU FOLKS AND GETTING THE
INFORMATION OUT. AND SO THE
PUBLIC CAN ACCESS IT ONLINE. AND
ONE LAST THANK YOU. I HAD REALLY
NICE CONVERSATIONS WITH FOUR
TRIBAL LEADERS, THREE OF THEM
WITHIN THE SKAGIT RIVER SYSTEM
WATERSHED, AND HAS NOTHING BUT
WONDERFUL THINGS TO SAY ABOUT
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT. AND IT'S
NOT EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS
PERFECT, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU
RECOGNIZE AND GO BEYOND A LAND
ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND RECOGNIZE
TRIBAL CONSULTATION ON A FINITE
RESOURCE CERTAINLY SPEAKS A LOT
TO OUR VALUES AS A CITY. SO
THANK YOU. AND WITH THAT COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I HOPE I HAVE
EVERYONE'S SUPPORT.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. IS THAT
AN OLD HAND?
-- OLD.
-- OLD HAND. FOR OLD
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. OKAY,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. AYE
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER. JUAREZ.
-- AYE
-- COUNCILMEMBER. KETTLE.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- NINE IN FAVOR. NONE OPPOSED.
-- THE BILL PASSES. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE AFFIX THE MY
SIGNATURE ON THE LEGISLATION ON
MY BEHALF? CONGRATULATIONS. OH,
YOU GET A CLAP.
-- THANK YOU, THANK
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YOU.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- SHE'S ALWAYS SO NICE TO ME.
-- COLLEAGUES. THERE WERE NO
ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. THERE IS NO RESOLUTION
FOR INTRODUCTION OR ADOPTION
TODAY. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS? I SEE TWO
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA FOLLOWED BY
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I JUST
WANT TO APOLOGIZE. I KEPT
CALLING YOU CHAIR THROUGHOUT
THIS MEETING.
-- YOU ARE.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT, SO
APOLOGIES FOR THAT. THANKS.
-- OH, THAT'S THE OH, GIRL.
-- OKAY.
-- PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE.
-- YOU DON'T.
-- KEEP CALLING YOU CHAIR.
-- YOU CAN CALL. I'M.
-- CHAIR.
-- OKAY. CONCERNED ABOUT THAT?
-- YEAH. WE WERE ALL VERY ANGRY
ABOUT THAT. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I REQUEST TO BE EXCUSED ON
AUGUST 18th, 2026 FROM FULL
COUNCIL.
-- YOU SAID AUGUST 18th.
-- AUGUST 18th.
-- AWESOME. YOU. ARE THERE ANY.
IF THERE'S ANY OBJECTIONS YOU
ARE IT'S NOT RECESS YET. NO,
THE 21st. TRUST ME, I KNOW
EXACTLY THE DAY. SO
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOU ARE
EXCUSED. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
ITEMS TO COME BEFORE THE
COUNCIL? OKAY, AWESOME. OKAY, SO
GUESS WHAT WE'VE REACHED. WE
HAVE REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. SHOUT OUT TO THAT
RACCOON.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- JIMOTHY.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I THINK.
-- WHAT ABOUT MY POSSUM?
-- I HAVE A POSSUM.
-- NATIONAL SENSATION
COUNCILMEMBER. DID YOU WRITE IT?
-- A PROCLAMATION FOR MAYOR.
-- AND YOU HAVEN'T PRESENTED IT
YET?
-- I IT HAS NOT BEEN PRESENTED.
-- FOR GOOD OF THE ORDER. IF
ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE
JIMOTHY CELEBRATION THIS SUNDAY,
THERE WILL BE NOT JUST A
CELEBRATION AND PRESENTATION OF
A PROCLAMATION. DIDN'T QUITE
GET IT IN TIME TO PRESENT BRING
FOR FULL COUNCIL, BUT WE'D LOVE
IF EVERYONE COULD ATTEND BECAUSE
WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN ART
COMPETITION AS WELL. FOR THOSE
WHO HAVE BEEN ONLINE, IT'S
INSPIRED A LOT OF ART. IT'S ALSO
INSPIRED A LOT OF TATTOO
ARTISTS. SO IT'S TRUE. SOME OF
OUR RESIDENTS ARE WALKING AROUND
WITH A TATTOO HERE OR THERE.
PEOPLE MOVE FAST AND SO THERE
WILL BE AN ART COMPETITION.
WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING MORE
DETAILS LATER TODAY, BUT WE HAVE
LEARNED THAT WE WILL BE THE
FIRST PRIZE. CAN PRESENT THEIR
JIMOTHY ART IN CITY HALL. SO I
THINK THAT'S A PRETTY SOLID
REWARD PRIZE FOR THAT. INVITE
EVERYONE TO ATTEND.
-- AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR
THAT. THAT'S REALLY COOL. A
LITTLE BIT OF FUN. I DON'T KNOW
WHO'LL BE NAMING THESE FOLKS,
BUT IT WOULD BE NICE FOR SOMEONE
TO NAME DANTE, YOU KNOW, OR
HURRICANE JAMAL, YOU KNOW, JUST
HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT. YES, WE IN
D FIVE DO HAVE A POSSUM NAMED
SWANKY D.
-- WINKY D.
-- OKAY.
-- SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT
OUT THERE. SWANKY D'S BEEN
AROUND. NOT AS POPULAR AS
JIMOTHY, BUT OKAY.
-- JIMOTHY IS A GOOD NAME. NO
KNOCK. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO GUESS
WHAT? WE'RE GOING TO END THIS
MEETING BECAUSE IT'S 415. SO
WE'VE REACHED THE END OF THE
MEETING. IT IS 4:15 P.M. COUNCIL
MEETING. THE NEXT COUNCIL
MEETING WILL BE JULY 28th AT 2
P.M.. COLLEAGUES HEARING NO
FURTHER BUSINESS. WE ARE
ADJOURNED. GOOD JOB.
-- THANK YOU.
-- [MUSIC] [MUSIC]