--
>> WELCOME TO THIS
SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON THE
SEATTLE
CHANNEL. I'M THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
HOST.
VERY GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH
US FOR A CITY BUDGET
DISCUSSION. I'M JOINED BY MAYOR
KATIE
WILSON AND
CITY DIRECTOR ALEC MOOCHIE.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.
THE MAYOR ACTUALLY
ASKED THE SEATTLE CHANNEL TO SET
THIS UP.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING
ON SEATTLE CHANNEL LIVE, IF
YOU'RE WATCHING ON YOUTUBE
LIVE, THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING THE
RECORDED VERSION OF IT, GOOD TO
HAVE YOU
TOO. WE'RE LIVE IN THE NORM B.
RICE ROOM AT CITY HALL.
OUR FOCUS IS THE CITY
BUDGET, WHICH OUR VIEWING
AUDIENCE MAY
KNOW IS FACING A SERIES OF
CHALLENGES, INCLUDING
A MULTIMILLION- DOLLAR
DEFICIT. MAYOR, CENTER UP
THE CONVERSATION FOR US.
USUALLY THE BUDGET IS
SOMETHING THE DEALS WITH A
LITTLE
BIT LATER IN THE
YEAR. THE MAYOR SUBMITS A BUG,
THE COUNCIL DEALS WITH IT BY
ABOUT
THANKSGIVING TIME WE HAVE THAT
FINALIZED BUDGET.
>> WE'RE HERE NOW BECAUSE AS
YOU MENTIONED THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, LIKE MANY CITIES AROUND
THE
COUNTRY, RIGHT NOW IS FACING A
VERY LARGE BUDGET DEFICIT.
NORMALLY WE'D BE
DISCUSSING THIS IN THE FALL.
BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS
DEFICIT WHAT WE DO ABOUT IT
IS GOING TO HAVE REAL IMPACTS
FOR SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT
WE BEGIN A PUBLIC DISCUSSION
ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW.
JUST BECAUSE WE NEED TO
MAKE THOSE DECISIONS IN A WAY
THAT
IS BRINGING THE PUBLIC
ALONG SO THAT PEOPLE REALLY
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE.
AND SO THAT OUR DECISIONS
ARE ABLE TO BE INFORMED BY WHAT
WE LEARN FROM THE PUBLIC.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
JUST TO RUN DOWN THROUGH THIS
HOUR-LONG PROGRAM HERE, WE'LL
HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT
WHERE WE ARE AND HOW WE GOT
HERE, THE
DIRECTOR WILL BE BREAKING THAT
DOWN.
THAT WILL TAKE ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
I'LL BE ASKING
CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ALONG THE
WAY.
FOR THE REMAINEDER OF THE
HOUR, I'M ASKING THE MAYOR A
SERIES
OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE SENT
IN ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR VIA EMAIL.
I'VE NOT TOLD THE MAYOR THE
QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO ASK
HERE.
I HOPE SHE'S READY FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO SEND
IN MORE QUESTIONS IF YOU
COULD FOR THE REST OF THE HOUR.
EMAIL MAYOR@SEATTLE.GOV.
PLEASE USE THE PHRASE "BUDGET
QUESTION" IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS
FORWARDING THOSE MESSAGES
DIRECTLY TO ME.
I'LL GET IN AS MANY QUESTIONS
AS
WE CAN. WE WILL NOT GET TO THEM
ALL. THE ONES WE DON'T GET TO,
I'LL
MAKE SURE THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW
THEY'RE
GOING TO RESPOND TO THIS.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE CITY
BUDGET
AND LOOKING FOR QUESTIONS
AND COMMENTS THAT HELP US KEEP
THAT
FOCUS. THE KIND OF COMMENTS THAT
DON'T REALLY MEET THAT STANDARD
WOULD
BE, NEED TO RESIGN ON INSTAGRAM.
THANKS FOR SENDING THAT IN.
I'M GLAD I MOVED AWAY FROM
SEATTLE, KOBE ON FACEBOOK, GOT
YOU. ALSO BOO, WITH SIX Os.
A COMMENT ON INSTAGRAM THERE.
EITHER THEY ARE UPSET WITH
WHAT YOU'RE DOING OR BEING
HAUNTED,
TOUGH TO
SAY. YOU'RE FREE TO EMAIL
AND SAY WHATEVER YOU WOULD
LIKE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE KNOW IT'S MY JOB TO
KEEP THE FOCUS OF THIS
CONVERSATION, AND THAT'S WHAT
I'M GOING TO
TRY TO DO.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN I'M NOT GOING
TO ASK HARD QUESTIONS, THERE
ARE PLENTY OF THEM.
THANK YOU FOR SENDING THOSE IN.
DIRECTOR, START US
OFF. THIS PRESENTATION, LET'S
BREAK
IT
DOWN.
>> THAT SOUNDS GOOD,
THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING US HERE
TODAY.
WE THOUGHT WE'D START
THE CONVERSATION BY GETTING US
GROUNDED.
WHAT IS IN OUR CITY BUG?
AND AS BUDGET DIRECTOR, I
LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK
ABOUT
THE CITY BUDGET WHENEVER
WE HAVE IS -- WHENEVER WE'RE
INVITED
TO DO
SO.
>> YOU'VE GOT A POWERPOINT,
TOO.
LET ME KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO
GO.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
STOP ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
OR IF I CAN CLARIFY SOMETHING.
SOMETIMES I GET A LITTLE TOO
EXCITED ABOUT THE WONKY
DETAILS OF THE BUDGET.
I'LL START WITH NOT THE COVER
SLIDE.
THE SECOND SLIDE, IT'S A PIE
CHART. THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT
OF
OUR 2026 ADOPTED
BUDGET.
>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT POWERPOINT RIGHT THERE.
THE SECOND SLIDE HERE.
SO WE CAN SHOW PEOPLE
WHAT'S
GOING ON.
>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
SO THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR
ENTIRE CITY BUG,
ABOUT $8.9 BILLION.
THAT SOUNDS BIG.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT BUDGET IS
RESTRICTED IN ITS USE.
A BIG CHUNK OF THAT
ARE FUNDS THAT SUPPORT OUR
UTILITIES, FUNDS THAT ARE PAID
FROM
BUILDERS WHO ARE --
THROUGH PERMIT FEES OR
TRANSPORTATION
FEES.
THOSE DOLLARS CAN ONLY BE
USED FOR THOSE SPECIFIC USES.
WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MOST OF
THE TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT THE
CITY'S GENERAL FUND.
THAT IS OUR UNRESTRICTED
OPERATING FUND, AND IT
SUPPORTS MOST OF THE SERVICES
THAT
YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT
DAY
IN AND DAY OUT.
IT SUPPORTS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
FUNCTIONS, HOMELESS
SERVICES, THOSE THINGS.
THAT IS WHERE WE'RE FACING
THE MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGE.
AS I STEP INTO THIS
ROLE, THANKS TO MAYOR WILSON FOR
INVITING ME TO TAKE ON THIS
POSITION. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT,
WHILE IT'S ALMOST A $9 BILLION
BUDGET, WHERE WE SPEND THE MOST
TIME FOCUSING IS $2 BILLION.
THAT'S THE MONEY THAT FUNDS
MANY
OF THE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT
TOUCH PEOPLE'S LIVES EVERY DAY.
IF WE COULD MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
SLIDE.
THAT PIE CHART
REPRESENTED SORT OF THE
DIFFERENT COLORS OF MONEY
AS WE TALK ABOUT.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS A BAR CHART
THAT SHOWS OVER THE YEARS WHERE
THOSE DOLLARS ARE GOING IN THE
CITY'S GENERAL FUND.
SO THIS BAR CHART IS
JUST REPRESENTING THAT $2
BILLION IN
2026. THAT HAS INCREASED OVER
TIME.
AND WE ORGANIZE OUR BUDGET
IN SIX SORT OF SERVICE
CATEGORIES.
THE BLUE AT THE BOTTOM,
THE LIGHTER BLUE AT THE BOTTOM
OF
THE BARS, SHOWS OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTMENT.
THAT INCLUDES INVESTMENTS IN
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR POLICE
DEPARTMENT, OUR LAW
DEPARTMENT, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE.
AND THEN THE DARKER BLUE
IS EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES.
THE BULK OF THAT IS HUMAN
SERVICES BECAUSE MOST OF OUR
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING IS FUNDED
THROUGH A RESTRICTED EDUCATION
LEVY.
OH, SORRY, DARK BLUE IS
ADMINISTRATION, BROWN IS
EDUCATION, SORRY.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> AND SO THIS JUST
REPRESENTS SORT OF THE
CATEGORIES OF
SPENDING. AND HOW THAT HAS
CHANGED OVER
TIME.
AND PART OF SORT OF AS WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGES
OUR GENERAL FUND IS FACING, YOU
CAN SEE OUR BUDGET HAS GROWN
OVER
TIME.
BUT IT HASN'T GROWN TO THE
NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE
GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW DID
WE GET HERE?
THERE'S A LOT OF COMPOUNDING
FACTORS.
>> OKAY.
>> THAT LED US HERE.
>> TELL ME
ABOUT SOME, IF YOU
COULD. I KNOW IN INFLATION IS
A PIECE OF THIS.
A GROWING POPULATION.
MORE PEOPLE NEEDING
SERVICES.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, INFLATION IS
A BIG PIECE.
WE HAD, PRIOR TO 2018, WE HAD
A PERIOD OF SORT OF
UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH WHERE OUR
-- WE
WERE SEEING MAJOR DEVELOPMENT,
MORE
PEOPLE MOVING TO THE
CITY. AND WHILE THAT GROWTH DID
BRING WITH IT SOME GROWTH IN
REVENUES,
NOT TO THE SCALE THAT WAS
NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE INCOME GAP
THAT
WAS COMPOUNDED BY THAT EXTENSIVE
PERIOD OF GROWTH.
THEN COMES THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT?
WE SAW RAPID REVENUE
DECREASES AS WELL AS HISTORIC
HIGH INFLATIONS.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE
CONTRIBUTING TO THE COST OF
PROVIDING SERVICES TO
THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE NEEDED,
HAVE
OUTPACED HOW MUCH REVENUE
IS BROUGHT IN ANNUALLY.
AND THAT IS ALSO COMBINED
WITH CHANGES IN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND STATE FUNDING
STRUCTURE.
SO WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH A
NUMBER OF SORT OF OVERLAPPING
ISSUES ALL AT THE SAME TIME
THAT MAKES IT CHALLENGING TO
MAINTAIN
SERVICES.
>> LOOKING AT THE GENERAL
FUND, IT'S INCREASED QUITE A
BIT
OVER THE PAST DECADE.
TALKING ABOUT MAYBE A
LITTLE OVER $1 BILLION IN 2016,
TO
CLOSE TO $2 BILLION NOW.
79% INCREASE.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT HERE?
THAT SEEMS RATHER LARGE.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK
THAT. IS IT MAINLY INFLATION?
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A NUMBER
OF FACTORS
HERE.
>> THERE'S A COMBINATION OF
INFLATION AS WELL AS POLICY
DECISIONS TO ADDRESS
THE SCALE OF THE CHALLENGES.
COMING OUT OF THE -- DURING
THE PANDEMIC AND COMING OUT OF
THAT, WE REALLY CHANGED THE WAY
THAT WE DELIVER HOMELESS
SERVICES.
THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE, I
THINK WE ALL LEARNED A LOT.
THE TYPE OF -- FOR
EXAMPLE, SHELTER WE PROVIDE AND
THE TYPES
OF SERVICES THAT ARE
REALLY NECESSARY TO SUPPORT
PEOPLE
MOVING FROM HOMELESSNESS
INTO PERMANENT HOUSING HAS
SHIFTED.
IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE.
AND SO SOME OF THAT IS
REFLECTED IN THIS.
ALSO THE COST OF, YOU
KNOW, DELIVERING PUBLIC
SAFETY SERVICES AND ALL OF
THOSE THINGS.
SO IT IS A COMBINATION OF
FACTORS.
OUR SERVICES ARE DELIVERED
PRIMARILY BY
PEOPLE. MOST OF THE
CITY'S GENERAL FUND ABOUT HALF
GOES TO OUR CITY
WORKERS. A LOT OF THE REST OF IT
GOES
OUT TO ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE
DELIVERING SERVICES
THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO LIVE
AND EXPERIENCE IN THIS
CITY. SO THE COSTS FOR THEM TO
BE
ABLE TO LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE
INCREASED. IT'S A COMBINATION
OF
THINGS.
>>
OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO MAKE SURE
YOU GET
BACK TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> SO IF WE MOVE -- SO
THAT'S SORT OF A SNAPSHOT OF
THE
CITY BUDGET.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING,
YOU'LL OFTEN HEAR ME TALKING
ABOUT FACING A STRUCTURAL
DEFICIT.
>> CAN WE LOOK AT THAT NEXT
SLIDE, FOLKS?
I WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THERE'S A RED LINE THAT'S
MOVING
THROUGH THERE.
HELP US
EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
THERE,
PLEASE.
>> WHAT THIS IS, THE BARS ARE
SHOWING OUR GENERAL FUND
REVENUES.
THE RED LINE IS
SHOWING
EXPENDITURES. AS YOU LOOK TO THE
YEAR 2027
AND OUR PROJECTED, YOU CAN SEE
THERE
IS A GAP BETWEEN THE BAR AND THE
LINE.
THAT IS THE STRUCTURAL
DEFICIT. IN ORDER FOR US TO
MAINTAIN SERVICES TO THE XUNT
THAT WE
ARE DELIVERING TODAY, WE HAVE A
GAP OF ABOUT $148 MILLION.
OR WE DID WHEN WE ADOPTED THE
BUDGET IN NOVEMBER.
WE WERE PROJECTED WE HAD ABOUT
$148 MILLION
GAP. SO THAT IS WHAT WE CALL, AS
IT PROJECTS OVER YEARS, IT KIND
OF
FLUCTUATES. BUT THAT IS WHAT WE
CALL A
STRUCTURAL DEFICIT WHERE WE
ARE SEEING OUR ONGOING COSTS
OUTPACING OUR ONGOING
REVENUES.
>> DOES IT MEAN THE CITY IS
SPENDING BEYOND ITS MEANS?
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
ASKED ME THAT
QUESTION.
>> I THINK THAT IT -- WHAT
IT REPRESENTS IS THAT, AGAIN --
I DON'T THINK IT'S
SPENDING BEYOND THE MEANS.
WE'RE DELIVERING SERVICES THAT
PEOPLE NEED AND THE COSTS
OF THOSE SERVICES ARE MORE THAN
OUR PROPERTY TAXES, OUR SALES
TAXES, ALL THE FEES THAT SUPPORT
THE
CITY ARE NOT GROWING.
PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE
CONSTRAINTS BASED ON STATE
LAW, THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS.
OUR PROPERTY TAXES ONLY INCREASE
BY 1% ANNUALLY.
>> THEY'RE NOT TIED TO
INFLATION, THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> YEAH.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, LIVING IN THE
WORLD, OUR COSTS HAVE --
INFLATION HAS SIGNIFICANTLY
OUTPACED 1%.
THAT MAKES IT HARD TO KEEP UP
AND MAINTAIN THE SERVICES.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE
BUDGET, IT IS HARD TO FIND --
NOT THAT -- THERE ARE
CERTAINLY AREAS WE CAN BE MORE
EFFICIENT
AND REFINE AND WORK ON LOOKING
AT
OUTCOMES. THAT'S CERTAINLY
SOMETHING
THE MAYOR AND I HAVE TALKED A
LOT
ABOUT, AND IT'S SOMETHING SHE
IS
ASKING ME TO WORK ON IN MY
TIME AS BUDGET DIRECTOR.
OVERALL, ALL OF THESE
DOLLARS MATTER TO SOMEONE THAT
ARE GOING
OUT THE DOOR.
IT'S DELIVERING A SERVICE.
IT'S PROVIDING ACCESS TO A
CLASS
OR THAT SORT OF THING
THAT MATTERS TO
SOMEONE. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S
THAT
WE'RE OVERSPENDING, IT'S THAT
THE NEEDS HAVE -- COST MORE THAN
OUR REVENUES CAN SUPPORT RIGHT
NOW.
>> GOT IT.
IN TERMS OF HOW THE BUDGET HAS
BEEN BALANCED, BECAUSE
THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
IN TERMS OF HOW IT'S BEEN
BALANCED, CAN
YOU TALK ABOUT
THAT PIECE? OR AM I JUMPING
AHEAD?
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT
HOW THAT'S BEEN DONE THE PAST
FEW
YEARS.
THERE'S BEEN A RELIANCE ON A
LOT
OF ONE- TIME FUNDING WHICH
MAKES
IT CHALLENGING.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC, A LOT
OFOF
WAS THROUGH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE JUMP START
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX COMBINED
WITH SOME
ONE- TIME FEDERAL
FUNDS AS WELL AS LOOKING AT OUR
FUND BALANCES
AND THAT SORT OF THING.
THAT'S REALLY WHEN THE
PROBLEM BECAME
MOST ACUTE AND WE REALLY STARTED
TO SEE EVERY YEAR
THIS PROJECTED DEFICIT.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
YEARS, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING ON
WHAT I'VE BEEN CALLING TRIAGE
BUDGETING WHERE WE'RE JUST
KIND OF PATCHING TOGETHER
SOLUTIONS ONE TIME, BUT WE'RE
NOT
REALLY ADDRESSING THE ONGOING
CHALLENGES.
>> THERE'S
BEEN ADJUSTMENTS IN THE PAYROLL
EXPENSE TAX?
>> YEAH, HOW MUCH OF THE
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX IS USED TO
SUPPORT GENERAL FUND FUNCTIONS
VERSUS
THE HOUSING, INVESTMENTS IN
HOUSING AND GREEN
NEW DEAL AND ECONOMIC
RESILIENCE.
>> WHICH IT WAS ORIGINALLY
SET UP TO DO.
>> IT WAS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH MAYOR WILSON
ON THAT.
>> BEFORE SHE WAS ELECTED,
THAT'S RIGHT.
>> BEFORE
THIS. THAT'S IT.
BUT FOR THE JUMP START
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX, WE WOULD BE
IN
A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT POSITION.
YOU CAN SEE ON THIS CHARLT
THE GRAY
AREAS.
>> LET'S LOOK AT THAT PAGE
4 ONE MORE TIME SO WE CAN SHOW
PEOPLE WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF
WHAT YOU MEAN.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> YEAH, SO THIS IS SHOWING
THAT RIGHT NOW IN THIS CURRENT
YEAR AND MOVING FORWARD, WE
ARE ASSUMING ABOUT $200 MILLION
FROM THE PAYROLL -- JUMP
START PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX BEING
USED TO BALANCE OUR GENERAL
FUND.
AND SO I KNOW THAT WHILE -- THE
MAYOR AND I WOULD LOVE TO FULLY
RESTORE THAT FUND BACK TO
ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSES.
WE'D BE FACING A, YOU KNOW,
$400 MILLION DEFINITE RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT IS A CHALLENGE WE'RE
ALL
FACING.
>> TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT THE
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX CAN BE
VOLATILE.
IT'S TIED TO HOW MANY
EMPLOYEES ARE MAKING OVER A
CERTAIN THRESHOLD THERE.
THAT NUMBER CAN CHANGE AND THE
AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY
GETTING PAID CAN CHANGE.
CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT?
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THIS, TOO.
THOSE REVENUES ARE
ACTUALLY DECLINING FROM THE
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX?
>> YEAH, OUR MOST RECENT
FORECASTS SHOW A DECLINE IN
THE JUMP START TAX.
AND IN PART THAT VOLATILITY,
IT'S THE NUMBER OF
WORKERS MAKING OVER A CERTAIN
AMOUNT.
ALSO, IT'S TOTAL COMPENSATION.
SO VOLATILITY IN
THE STOCK MARKET CAN IMPACT THAT
REVENUE SOURCE.
SO IT IS SOMEWHAT -- IT IS LESS
PREDICTABLE AND STABLE THAN A
PROPERTY TAX.
>> GOT IT, THANK YOU.
I WANT YOU TO KEEP GOING.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO
INTERRUPT OVERMUCH
THERE.
>> THE NEXT SLIDE I THINK
I ALREADY SPOKE TO.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE
WERE DEFINING --
>> LET'S DO IT.
TALK ABOUT PAGE 5 OF
YOUR PRESENTATION HERE
SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET THAT
UP FOR FOLKS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THIS IS REALLY DEFINING
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A
STRUCTURAL BUDGET DEFICIT.
THERE HAVE BEEN PERIODS OF
TIME IN THE CITY'S BUDGET
WHERE THERE WAS LIKE A SUDDEN
DOWNTURN,
AND THERE WAS A DEFICIT
PROJECTED.
BUT IT WAS SORT OF A ONE OR
TWO- YEAR PROBLEM, THEN THINGS
KIND OF REBOUNDED.
WHAT WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT
IS LIKE A LONG- TERM
MISMATCH BETWEEN OUR COSTS OF
ING SERVICES AND THE REVENUES WE
ARE BRINGING IN.
AND IT REQUIRES REALLY
TO ADDRESS IT A PERMANENT
REVENUE
INCREASE AND/OR SPENDING
REDUCTIONS.
AND WHAT WE'VE REALLY
BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS IT NEEDS
TO BE
BOTH. WE NEED TO HAVE ALL
OPTIONS ON
THE TABLE.
WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK
AT STRATEGIES TO STABILIZE OUR
BUDGET. WHERE OUR ONGOING
REVENUES
MATCH OUR ONGOING EXPENSES.
AND WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?
IT GIVES CERTAINTY TO OUR OUR
COMMUNITY WHO ON
SERVICES THE CITY PROVIDES EVERY
DAY.
IT GIVES CERTAINTY TO
THE PROVIDERS OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY
THAT WE FUND, THAT THEY
KNOW EVERY YEAR THEY'RE NOT
SORT
OF WONDERING WHETHER OR
NOT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO
OPERATE.
AND OUR CITY WORKFORCE.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE
LOOK FOR LONG- TERM PERMANENT
SOLUTIONS VERSUS THESE ONE-
OFF APPROACHES THAT WHILE THEY
GET
US THROUGH YEAR OVER YEAR, IT
SORT OF DISTRACTS FROM DOING THE
HARDER, LONGER- TERM WORK THAT
WE WANT TO DO TO GET THE BEST
VALUE OUT OF EVERY
DOLLAR.
>> AND THE THING THAT I
WOULD ADD IS THAT JUST THE SIZE
OF
THE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT
NOW. LIKE AGAIN, THE ONLY REASON
WHY
IT'S 120 TO $200
MILLION INSTEAD OF $400 MILLION
IS THE
TRANSFER FROM JUMP START THAT WE
HAD STARTED DOING YEAR AFTER
YEAR.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST AT THE
SIZE WHERE EVEN IF WE WANTED
TO PAVE OVER WITH ONE- TIME
FIXES, WE'RE
KIND OF OUT OF TOOLS.
>> GOT IT.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY.
WHY THAT WAS HAPPENING OVER THE
PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
I'M SURE YOU'VE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAVING MORE
STABLE
REVENUE AND MORE STABLE TAXES,
ET
CETERA, OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS HERE.
BUT WHY IS THAT NOT HAPPENED?
I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION I'VE
HEARD FROM A FEW
PEOPLE.
>> WHY HAS NOT
HAPPENED?
>> WHY ARE
WE IN THE STRUCTURAL PIECE?
WHY ARE WE CONTINUALLY GOING
TOWARD ONE- TIME SOLUTIONS?
>> I THINK ALLIE SPOKE TO THIS
A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE WAY
I LOOK AT IT, THIS PROBLEM TO
SOME EXTENT PREDATED THE
PANDEMIC.
BUT THE PANDEMIC IS REALLY
WHAT ACCELERATED US INTO
THIS STRUCTURAL DEFICIT.
AND PART OF THAT IS THAT HIGH
INFLATION. EVERYTHING GETTING
MORE
EXPENSIVE. AND AS ALLIE
MENTIONED, WE
HAVE THIS STATE CAP ON
OUR PROPERTY TAX INCREASES.
SO ANY TIME THAT INFLATION
OUTPACES 1%, THERE'S
A STRUCTURAL GAP THAT OPENS UP
YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE YEARS OF
HIGH INFLATION WHERE EVERYTHING
THAT THE CITY BUYS GETS MORE
EXPENSIVE. AND THAT INCLUDES
WHAT WE
HAVE TO PAY OUR CITY WORKERS,
WHO
AS ALLIE MENTIONED LIVE IN OUR
HIGH- COST REGION SO ALL
THEIR COSTS OF LIVING HAVE BEEN
GOING UP TOO.
THE OTHER THING THAT I
WILL MENTION THAT I THINK
IS REALLY KEY IS JUST THE WAY
THAT
THE PANDEMIC AND THE
EXTRAORDINARY
STRESSES THAT IT PRODUCED
CREATED GREAT NEEDS.
IT MADE OUR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
MUCH, MUCH WORSE.
IT CREATED HIGH LEVELS OF FOOD
INSECURITY. SO THOSE NEEDS HAVE
NOT GONE
AWAY SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE STILL SEEING HEIGHTENED
NEED FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE,
RENTAL ASSISTANCE, HOMELESSNESS
SERVICES.
SO THE KIND OF FEDERAL ONE-
TIME PANDEMIC RELIEF HAS GONE
AWAY.
BUT THOSE NEEDS ARE STILL LIKE
THIS.
SO THERE'S JUST A -- YOU
KNOW, THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO
SPEND DEPENDS ON THE SCALE OF
THE
PROBLEMS THAT THE CITY
HAS CALLED UPON TO
SOLVE. AND THOSE PROBLEMS ARE
GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER.
I THINK THAT IS WHY YOU SEE
THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE
THIS VERY SPECIFIC ISSUE IN
SEATTLE AND WASHINGTON STATE
WITH OUR STATE PROPERTY TAX LAW,
OTHER
CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE
FACING VERY LARGE
DEFICITS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE
SAME SITUATION WE ARE COMING OUT
OF
THE PANDEMIC.
AND THE OTHER THING I'LL
MENTION IS JUST THAT WE'RE ALSO
IN
THE CURRENT MOMENT SEEING A LOT
OF
INSECURITY, ADDED
INSECURITY BROUGHT ON BY THE
FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
HEIGHTENED FOOD
INSECURITY, PEOPLE LOSING
MEDICAL BENEFITS.
ALL OF THAT ADDS TO WHAT CITIES
WHICH ARE REALLY -- WE'RE THE
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR
PEOPLE, FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES.
>> RIGHT.
I KNOW THE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR
HOMELESSNESS, THAT'S COMING IN
THE NEXT COUPLE OF
WEEKS HERE. THAT
COULD BE REDUCED. I'VE GOT
QUESTIONS.
>> THAT TOO.
DIRECTOR, DID YOU HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO ADD?
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I
LOOKED AT ALL THE WONDERFUL
POWERPOINT
SLIDES.
>> NO, I THINK THE FINAL
WORD, THE PENULTIMATE SLIDE IS
REALLY JUST SHOWING WHAT WE
ARE PROJECTING TODAY.
WHICH --
>> LET'S LOOK AT THAT,
SLIDE NUMBER 6.
MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SEEING
IT AT
HOME. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE
TALKING
ABOUT.
>> YEAH, THIS IS JUST MY
TEAM'S CURRENT PROJECTION.
AND IT WILL SAY LIKE, YOU
KNOW, THIS IS DYNAMIC
THAT CHANGES WHEN WE GET
INFLATION UPDATE,
A FORECAST THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT TODAY, WE ARE
PROJECTING GOING INTO 2027 ABOUT
$175
MILLION DEFICIT.
SO THAT IS THE WORK WE ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO I WOULD SAY, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE AS MAYOR WILSON
SAID, THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM,
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
COMMUNICATING ABOUT WHAT
THE CHALLENGES ARE.
I THINK BEING REALLY
TRANSPARENT ABOUT HOW WE
ARE THINKING ABOUT IT AND
BRINGING PEOPLE
ALONG EARLIER SO WE'RE NOT
WAITING UNTIL THE FALL TO HAVE
THESE
CONVERSATIONS.
>> GOT IT.
AND MAYOR WILSON, I THINK I'LL
START TURNING MORE QUESTIONS
TO YOU HERE, IF I COULD.
PLEASE JUMP IN WHEREVER YOU
NEED
TO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
GET INTO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
THAT PEOPLE HAVE HERE.
MAYBE I CAN ASK THAT
OVERARCHING QUESTION TO START.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, IF YOU
CAN, A GENERAL APPROACH YOU'RE
GOING TO TRY TO TAKE TO THE
BUDGET
PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE TO
GET INTO HERE VERY SOON?
>> YEAH, THIS IS WHY WE'RE
STARTING SO EARLY.
IN DEALING WITH A BUDGET
DEFICIT OF THIS SIZE, WE HAVE
TWO
OPTIONS. NEW REVENUE AND CUTS.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT NEW
REVENUE, AS YOU MAY KNOW, I'VE
BEEN A
BIG PROPONENT OF PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING
AT ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE
HAVE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE
ALSO KNOW THAT -- HONESTLY, I
DON'T SEE ANY SCENARIO WHERE
WE'RE ABLE TO COME UP WITH $175
MILLION OF NEW REVENUES
HERE. I THINK WE ARE ALSO
LOOKING AT
SOME SCALE OF CUTS.
>> COULD YOU COME UP WITH
$175 MILLION WORTH OF CUTS?
>> THAT IS A TERRIFYING
PROSPECT.
AND I THINK THAT GOES
BACK TO THE BREAKDOWN OF THE
GENERAL FUND THAT THE DIRECTOR
GAVE
US, WHICH IS THAT $2 BILLION
GENERAL FUND, LIKE OVER HALF
ABOUT
HALF OF IT IS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
DEPARTMENTS.
THAT IS ALSO OUR FUNDING FOR
HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
I AM THE FIRST TO SAY THAT WE
NEED TO DO BETTER ATAT WE
ARE SPENDING THE FUNDING THAT
WE SPEND ON HOMELESSNESS,
BUT THERE IS NO WORLD IN WHICH
WE NEED
LESS FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS.
IF WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE
THOUSANDS OF FOLKS SLEEPING
UNSHELTERED ON OUR STREETS,
WE NEED TO SPEND THAT MONEY
AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
IF WE ARE CUTTING IT, WE ARE
IN A BAD, BAD PLACE.
SO THE PROSPECT OF MAKING CUTS
THAT DEEP IS REALLY HARD TO SEE
HOW WE COULD DO THAT IN A WAY
THAT DOES NOT
IMPACT OUR RESPONSE TO THE
HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS, WHICH WE ARE TRYING TO
DO BETTER AND BETTER AT, AND
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM.
THAT IS SOMETHING I THINK NO
ONE WANTS TO
SEE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M GOING TO GET TO SOME OF
THE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS
PEOPLE HAVE SENT IN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND
IN ANOTHER QUESTION,
MAYOR@SEATTLE.GOV IS THE EMAIL
ADDRESS.
WE'LL BE TAKING THESE IN OVER
THE NEXT HALF-HOUR OR SO HERE.
BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE ANSWER AS MANY OF THESE AS WE
CAN. WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET TO
THEM
ALL, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE GETS ALL OF
THESE EMAILS AND RESPONDS TO
THEM
IN SOME WAY.
INSTAGRAM, RICH WANTED TO KNOW
THIS. HE MADE THIS COMMENT, I
SHOULD
SAY.
YOUR BUDGET SHORTFALL WOULD BE
ADDRESSED IF YOU
COULD ATTRACT RETAIL BUSINESSES
BACK INTO
DOWNTOWN.
STOREFRONTS AND CORNERS ARE
CLOSED.
THIS WOULD CREATE JOBS
AND GENERATE SALES TAX REVENUE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY
THIS ISN'T A PRIORITY.
IT WOULD PUT YOU IN THE
POSITION TO HAVE THE RESOURCES
TO TACKLE
YOUR OTHER PRIORITIES.
SOME THOUGHTS?
>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY ECONOMIC
REVITALIZATION OF OUR
DOWNTOWN CORE AND NEIGHBORHOODS
AROUND
THE CITY IS A VERY HIGH
PRIORITY.
ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT?
WE WANT SEATTLE TO BE A
GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS, TO
LIVE, TO WORK, TO RAISE A
FAMILY.
BECAUSE THAT IS OUR TAX BASE.
THAT'S SOMETHING MY OFFICE
IS WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH
OUR OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION, WITH LOTS
OF STAKEHOLDERS IN THE
COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO -- YOU
KNOW, THERE'S GLIMMERS OF HOPE.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT
WATERFRONT. WE'RE SEEING A LOT
OF
VISITORS TO SEATTLE.
SO THERE'S -- I THINK
WE'RE TURNING A CORNER.
BUT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO
DOUBLE DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE
INVESTING IN
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE AND MAKING THAT
A GREAT PLACE
TO
BE.
>> GOT IT. WITH REGARD TO THAT,
A NUMBER
OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING SOME
QUESTIONS ONLINE HERE ABOUT
BIGGER BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
BART HAD THIS QUESTION ON
FACEBOOK.
WILL YOU BE LAUGHING AT
STARBUCKS FOR SHUTTING DOWN ITS
HEADQUARTERS AND THE
NEGATIVE IMPACT WE HAVE ON THE
SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE AREA?
ARE YOU STILL ENCOURAGING
PEOPLE TO BOYCOTT STARBUCKS?
DANIEL THREW IN THE POINT,
THE STATE OF THE CITY BUDGET
IS GOING TO LOOK A WHOLE LOT
WORSEWORSE
THANKS TO MAYOR WILSON
CHASING OUT BUSINESSES LIKE
STARBUCKS.
THERE WAS THAT RECENT EVENT AT
SEATTLE U.
YOU SAID I THINK THE CLAIMS
MILLIONAIRES ARE GOING TO
LEAVE OUR STATE ARE OVERBLOWN,
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD SOME ISSUES
WITH
THAT. DO YOU REGRET WHAT YOU
SAID
THERE? TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
>> I'LL JUST SAY THAT I THINK
EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE REAL
MEANINGFUL PROGRESS ON THE
BIG CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING IN
THIS
CITY.
HOMELESSNESS TOP OF MIND.
AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I WAS REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT TO
ANNOUNCE THIS WEEK IS THAT WE
ARE
MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR
SECOND NEW LARGE TINY HOUSE
BUILD SITE.
THAT IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHALLENGE
SEATTLE. INCLUDING STARBUCKS,
INCLUDING
T- MOBILE, INCLUDING MICROSOFT,
INCLUDING -- I DON'T WANT
TO LEAVE ANYONE OUT -- JOHN
STANTON AND TERRY GILLESPIE.
THAT IS
PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT WHERE THE
CITY IS PARTNERING
TO FUND THIS INTERVENTION INTO
OUR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THE
CITY'S COLLABORATION WITH OUR
LARGE CORPORATIONS TO ADDRESS
THESE
PROBLEMS IS VERY IMPORTANT,
AND WE'RE DOING IT.
>> DO YOU THINK YOU ARE
PUSHING BIG BUSINESSES OUT OF
SEATTLE?
I'VE HEARD THAT FROM A
FEW PEOPLE HERE.
ROBERT ASKED ON FACEBOOK, IS
SHE GOING TO SAY BYE TO MORE
MILLIONAIRES, BILLIONAIRES AND
CORPORATIONS AS THAT TAX
BASE REVENUE LEAVES THE STATE?
I THINK PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS, AS
POPULAR AS IT IS ON THE
BALLOT TO SAY TAX THE RICH.
I THINK THERE'S BUSINESSES
SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE.
MAYBE SPEAKING WITH
THEIR POCKETBOOKS AND MOVING OUT
OF
HERE.
THINGS OF THAT
NATURE.
>>
I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK
THAT I DID AND ALLIE DID AND
MANY OTHERS DID TO PASS THE
JUMP START PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX
IN
2020.
AS DIRECTOR PENNUCCI
MENTIONED, WITHOUT THAT, YES,
TAX ON
LARGE CORPORATIONS WITH A HIGH-
PAID
WORKFORCE, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN
IN A WORLD OF HURT DURING THE
PANDEMIC. AND THIS IS ALSO WHAT
HAS
BEEN FLOATING THE CITY BUDGET,
BASICALLY, FOR THE LAST FIVE
YEARS.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT
WORK.
AND I DO THINK IT'S A
PROBLEM, AND I'VE STATED THIS
PUBLICLY
MANY TIMES.
WHEN SEATTLE'S KIND OF BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT, TAX
ENVIRONMENT, GETS
VERY OUT OF STEP WITH OUR
NEIGHBORING
JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING
BELLEVUE.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU
KNOW, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT
ADDRESSING
THIS STRUCTURAL BUDGET DEFICIT,
WE'RE GOING TO
BE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR
REVENUE OPTIONS, YES, ONE OPTION
IS
TO DIAL UP JUMP
START. NO OPTIONS ARE OFF THE
TABLE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE
ANY GREAT
OPTIONS, RIGHT?
BUT ALSO, I DON'T THINK IT'S
GOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS
LESS EXPENSIVE TO DO BUSINESS
IN BELLEVUE THAN IN SEATTLE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING THAT
INTO
CONSIDERATION.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE DIFFERENT
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE IDEAS THAT
ARE OUT
THERE? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
TOO
EARLYEARLY JUMP
START TAX, PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX.
THERE IS A WEALTH TAX, A CAPITAL
GAINS TAX, PERHAPS,
THE SUPREME COURT HAS UPHELD?
WHAT ARE YOU CONSIDERING THERE?
>> YEAH, I THINK PART OF
THE CHALLENGE IS THERE IS NOT A
--
THERE IS NOT SOME
MAJOR PROGRESSIVE REVENUE
UNTAPPED PROGRESSIVE REVENUE
SOURCE THAT
WE KNOW IS PRACTICALLY
IMPLEMENTABLE ON THIS TIMELINE.
YOU KNOW, LEGALLY AIRTIGHT
THATTHAT
WE CAN JUST PASS AND IT'S GOING
TO PLUG THIS BUDGET HOLE.
THAT DOES NOT EXIST.
THERE ARE OPTIONS.
AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW -- OUR TEAM
IS HARD AT WORK STUDYING THOSE
OPTIONS.
I THINK CAPITAL GAINS TAX
IS ABSOLUTELY ON THE TABLE.
THE CHALLENGE FOR THE
CAPITAL GAINS TAX, WE NEED
COOPERATION FROM THE STATE IN
TERMS OF
HOW WE COLLECT
THAT. BUT THE BIGGER ONE IS
REALISTICALLY, THE REVENUE
WE WOULD BE RAISING THROUGH THAT
IS
NOT HUGE. IT'S PROBABLY IN THE
LOW DOUBLE
DIGITS.
AND SO THAT IS --
THAT COULD BE A SMALL PART OF
THE
SOLUTION, BUT THAT DOES NOT FILL
THE BUDGET GAP.
THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS WE'RE
WORKING ON, BUT THERE'S
NO SILVER BULLET, WHICH IS
WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT A BALANCED
APPROACH, BOTH LOOKING FOR NEW
REVENUE, AND WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE
CUTS.
>> IN TERMS OF PLACES YOU
COULD MAKE CUTS, JEN HAD A
QUESTION ON
INSTAGRAM.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO
ELIMINATE FRAUD OVER AND ABOVE
THE
$13 MILLION UNACCOUNTED
FOR, TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WITH
HOMELESS
PROGRAMS? I BELIEVE REFERRING TO
KING COUNTY REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY, A BIG ISSUE THERE.
THERE WAS AN AUDIT THAT SHOWED
$13 MILLION UNACCOUNTED FOR, $40
MILLION IN THE RED FOR A
$205 MILLION AGENCY.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL OF FRAUD, YOUR
CONCERNS
ABOUT
THAT. JEN HAS A CONCERN ABOUT
THAT.
OTHER PEOPLE DO,
TOO.
>> YEAH, JUST TO BE CLEAR,
THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY -- SEATTLE SENDS A LOT
OF
MONEY THEIR WAY.
THAT IS NOT SEATTLE.
I WILL SAY IN THE WORK THAT
WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW
TO ACCELERATE NEW EMERGENCY
HOUSING SHELTER IN SEATTLE, WE
ARE DOING THAT IN-HOUSE.
PARTLY BECAUSE I HAVE SOME VERY,
VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS AND
QUESTIONS ABOUT KCRHA'S
ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY STEWARD
PUBLIC
FUNDS.
>> JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
CLEAR, THE AUDIT DIDN'T
FIND DIRECT EVIDENCE OF
FRAUD.
>>
CORRECT.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT THAT
OUT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF
CONCERN.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF
CONCERNS AND I ABSOLUTELY SHARE
THOSE
CONCERNS, WHICH IS PARTLY WHY
WE ARE DOING OUR HOMELESSNESS
WORK
IN-HOUSE.
LEAVING THAT ASIDE
BECAUSE THAT IS A WHOLE THING
THAT THE
FUTURE OF THAT AGENCY, BUT IN
TERMS OF
SEATTLE, YOU KNOW, WE -- OUR
HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, ACTUALLY ABOUT TEN
YEARS
AGO, WENT THROUGH -- DID NOT
HAVE, YOU KNOW, ISSUES AT THAT
SCALE. BUT I THINK SOME, LIKE,
CONCERNS WERE
RAISED. SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT
OF
WORK DONE AT THE CITY OVER THE
LAST TEN YEARS WITH OUR
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
IN PARTICULAR TO INSTITUTE
REALLY STRONG FINANCIAL
CONTROLS.
SO I HAVE, LIKE, A HIGH DEGREE
OF CONFIDENCE IN OUR ABILITY IN
THE CITY TO STEWARD PUBLIC FUNDS
IN THE COURSE OF
DELIVERING HOMELESSNESS
SERVICES.
AT THE SAME TIME, LIKE, I
WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE
DIRECTED OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO
MODEL 5%
AND 10% CUTS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO EMBARK ON A
LONGER-TERM PROJECT OF
REALLY ASSESSING ALL OF THE
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE
CITY IS
FUND. I REALLY BELIEVE, JUST
THE FACT THAT WE STARTED
FUNDING SOMETHING AT SOME POINT
IN THE
PAST, LIKE MAYBE TIMES
HAVE CHANGED AND MAYBE THIS IS
NOT
A PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY
IS THE BEST USE OF OUR FUNDS.
WE NEED TO BE ASSESSING THAT
AS WE GO ALONG.
WE CAN'T LET THE FACT THAT
WE STARTED FUNDING SOMETHING
AT SOME POINT BE A REASON TO
FUND
IT INDEFINITELY.
WE ARE GOING TO BE TAKING
A REALLY HARD LOOK AT OUR CITY
BUDGET, AT OUR CITY
SPENDING, OVER THE COURSE OF MY
TERM.
AND MAKING SOME HARD
DECISIONS ABOUT OUR
PRIORITIES.
>> I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WANT TO
LEAVE IT BUT I FEEL I NEED TO
ASK.
WITH THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY,
YOU'VE
GOT A COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBER THAT'S SAYING,
DISSOLVE THIS.
YOU'VE GOT A CITY COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA SAYING SHE WANTS TO
DISSOLVE, TOO.
SHOULD THE CITY STOP FUNDING
KCRHA?
SHOULD THAT AGENCY BE DISSOLVED?
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> THIS IS AN ONGOING
CONVERSATION.
AND I WILL SAY THAT -- SO WE
HAVE TAKEN SOME IMMEDIATE
STEPS TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC FUNDS.
AND WE ARE -- LIKE, MY HIGHEST
PRIORITY MOVING FORWARD IS AS
WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS ABOUT
THE FUTURE OF THAT AGENCY --
ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE
IS WHAT I HAVE SAID PUBLICLY.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE CASE.
WHAT I WANT TO BE CAREFUL
ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
MAINTAINING CONTINUITY
OF SERVICES AND THAT WE ARE ABLE
TO DO THAT FOR THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS.
THE THING THAT
WE DON'T WANT IS FOR THIS THING
TO CRUMBLE IN CRUMBLE
WAY THAT MAKES OUR
HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM TEN TIMES
WORSE.
SO I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH
THIS IN A DELIBERATE WAY.
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE
GOVERNING BOARD OF THE KCRHA, I
AM GOING
TO BE FOLLOWING OUR PROCESS.
BUT ALL OPTIONS OR THE
TABLE.
>> GOT IT, THANK YOU.
WITH REGARD TO WHAT THE CITY
IS SPENDING ON HOMELESSNESS,
WHAT THE COUNTY IS SPENDING ON
IT
TOO, RICK SENT IN A QUESTION
VIA
FACEBOOK. IF NOT COMBINED WITH
STRICT MANDATORY SERVICE
REQUIREMENTS,
NEW SHELTER SPACE WILL NOT
SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE
STREET- LEVEL
CRIME. AS MOST INDIVIDUALS WHO
SIMPLY
REFUSE SERVICES AND CONTINUE
TO ENGAGE IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.
I ALWAYS HESITATE TO
CONFLATE THE IDEA THAT CRIME
EQUALS
HOMELESSNESS, BUT
THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME OVERLAY
THERE.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS.
BECAUSE THIS IDEA OF
REQUIRINGREQUIRING TO ACTUALLY
GET
SERVICE OF SOME NATURE -- I
THINK THAT'S
A QUESTION THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE
HAVE. WHY ISN'T THAT REQUIRED?
WHY AREN'T WE REQUIRING THAT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE HOMELESS
SERVICES ARE DELIVERED?
>> YEAH, FOR ME, YOU KNOW --
WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE FAR
AFIELD FROM THE BUDGET
QUESTIONS.
>> JUST WHAT WE'RE SPENDING, I
THINK, IS WHERE HE'S
GOING.
>> YEAH, TOTALLY.
FOR ME, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL
QUESTION, THIS IS
A QUESTION ABOUT DOING WHAT
WORKS.
AND SO WE HAVE -- YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE MODELS IN SEATTLE THAT HAVE
PROVEN TO BE VERY, VERY
SUCCESSFUL. FOR EXAMPLE,
RESOLVING
ENCAMPMENTS, UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS, AND GETTING
PEOPLE
INSIDE. PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS FOR A LONG
TIME, WHO
HAVE COMPLEX NEEDS RELATED TO
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, MENTAL
ILLNESS, AND GETTING THEM THE
SERVICES THEY NEED.
WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN FROM
BEST PRACTICES THE THINGS THAT
HAVE
BEEN PROVEN TO WORK AND
THEN SCALE THOSE APPROACHES UP.
IT'S COMPLICATED.
YES, THERE IS -- THERE IS AN
OVERLAP BETWEEN OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES AND OUR
CRISIS OF OF
UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS. THERE
IS A VERY
LEGITIMATE ROLE FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO PLAY
IN
THIS AS WELL. AND SO WE ARE
WORKING WITH
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS
AND WITH OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS
TO REALLY FIGURE THAT OUT.
FOR ME, AGAIN, THIS IS
A MATTER OF REALLY FOLLOWING
WHAT WORKS.
SO WE TRY SOMETHING, LOOK AT
WHAT'S WORKING, ADJUST,
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET
THERE.
>> QUESTION FROM MATT.
THANKS FOR WRITING IN
FROM CAPITOL HILL.
APPRECIATE THAT.
HERE'S
HIS QUESTION. THE QUESTION I'VE
BEEN
WOR DERRING ABOUT HAS TO DO WITH
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
DEPARTMENT. IN RECENT YEARS IT
SEEMS SPD HAS
BEEN GETTING AN INCREASINGLY
LARGE PART OF THE BUDGET PIE.
HOWEVER DETAILS OF HOW THEY ARE
SPENDING THIS MONEY ARE
NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
WILL YOU SUPPORT AN AUDIT
AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTING OF THE
POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S SPENDING?
A CONCERN HERE,
THE DEPARTMENT AND OFFICERS GOT
A 13%
RAISE TOWARDS THE END OF LAST
YEAR.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT
THAT PIECE AND WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH THE
SPD? HOW THINGS ARE
SPENT? WOULD YOU SUPPORT AN
AUDIT
OF THE SPD?
>> SPD IS ONE OF OUR CITY
DEPARTMENTS, SO WE'VE ALSO
BEEN WORKING -- MAYBE ALLIE CAN
SPEAK TO THIS, BUT WORKING
CLOSELY WITH THEM TO TRY AND
UNDERSTAND
AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO WORK
TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE
INS AND OUTS OF THEIR BUDGET TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE SPENDING THAT
MONEY
AND ACTUALLY GETTING THE
PUBLIC SAFETY THAT WE NEED FROM
IT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF
COMPLEX OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS
THERE
AND QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, HAVING
TO DO WITH THE POLICE CONTRACT.
I WOULD JUST SAY, YEAH, I
DO BELIEVE -- VAST MAJORITY OF
THE
SPD BUDGET IS JUST
OFFICER SALARIES OR PERSONNEL
SALARIES.
AND SO WE'RE DOING THAT WORK IN
COOPERATION WITH CHIEF
BARNES AND THE OTHER LEADERSHIP
AT
SPD TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT
HOW WE CAN USE THE FORCE THAT WE
HAVE
AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE TO
GET
THE OUTCOMES, THE PUBLIC
SAFETY OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT
FOR SEATTLE
RESIDENTS. THAT'S GOING TO BE
AN ONGOING
PROJECT AS
WELL. SO THERE'S WORK TO DO
EVERYWHERE.
>> I WOULD SAY, ALONGSIDE --
LIKE, THE REASON WHY IT IS SO
IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK FOR
OUR SORT OF SUSTAINABLE WAY
TO BALANCE THE GENERAL FUND IN
THIS
FIRST YEAR, AND WE'RE
WORKING REALLY HARD TO TRY TO
COME
UP WITH LONGER- TERM SOLUTIONS,
IS SO WE HAVE THE TIME TO
REALLY DIG IN AND BE ABLE TO
IMPROVE
TRANSPARENCY. NOT JUST FOR
SPD'S BUDGET
BUT FOR THE SPIRE BUDGET.
WE ALSO -- WE ALREADY HAVE
BUDGET TOOLS ONLINE
AND AVAILABLE THAT TALK ABOUT
THE
BUDGET.
BUT TO REALLY BE ABLE TO
DIG INTO THOSE ANSWERS, MY
TEAM NEEDS TIME TO WORK WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ALL OF OUR
CITY DEPARTMENTS TO REALLY
EVALUATE, NOT JUST WHAT WE'RE
SPENDING ON, BUT HOW WE
PRESENT THAT INFORMATION AND
REPORT
ON OUTCOMES TO THE PUBLIC.
AND SO ADDRESSING THE STRUCTURAL
PROBLEM SHOULD FREE UP SOME
TIME AND SPACE TO DO THAT, TO DO
THAT
WORK.
>> GOT IT, THANK YOU.
ANOTHER QUESTION COMING IN FROM
ALYSSA, RELATED TO PUBLIC
SAFETY.
MAYOR
WILSON CURRENTLY FACING
CRITICISM FOR DECISION
TO BECAUSE THE CCTV PILOT
PROGRAM.
CLOSED CIRCUIT TV.
WITH MANY CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS
AND STAFF SAYING YOUR ACTIONS
DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH AND
YOU NEED TO END THE PROGRAM
ENTIRELY. WHILE THIS HAS BEEN
FRAMED AS
A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, IT'S A
BUDGET ISSUE. HALF THE FUND GOES
TO LISTING.
SPD IS DEEPLY INVESTED
IN TECHNOLOGIES HERE.
I GUESS THE POINT I'M TRYING
TO BRING ACROSS OR SHORTEN
THINGS A
LITTLE BIT, MELISSA, THANK YOU
FOR WRITING IN.
I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS,
WILL YOU TAKE A DEEPER LOOK INTO
THE
CITY'S CONTRACT WITH ASON WHICH
PROVIDES SOME OF THIS TECH
WORK TO INVESTIGATE
POTENTIAL PREDATORY PRICING?
I THINK SHE HAS A LOT OF
CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH CCTV AND THE MONEY
SPENT THERE AND A NUMBER OF
CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR
PUBLIC
SAFETY, IF IT HAS AN EFFECT ON
PUBLIC SAFETY.
>> YEAH, THAT IS REALLY
WHY RIGHT NOW WE ARE DOING
AN EVALUATION OF THE CCTV
AND REALTIME CRIME CENTER
PROGRAMS.
SO THERE'S BOTH THE KIND OF
DATA
SECURITY AUDIT THAT WE ARE
DOING, BUT THERE'S ALSO
JUST THIS EVALUATION OF THAT
WHOLE PILOT PROGRAM THAT
IS TRYING TO GET AT WHAT ARE
ACTUALLY
THE OUTCOMES WE'RE GETTING?
HOW IS THIS TECHNOLOGY
BEING USED TO SOLVE CRIMES?
WHAT ARE ITS IMPACTS?
AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO
REALLY UNDERSTAND. WHAT IS THE
VALUE OF THIS
PROGRAM GIVEN WHAT WE
AREARE SPENDING ON IT?
FROM THAT BUDGET POINT OF
VIEW. YOU KNOW, WE ARE SPENDING
IN THE
KIND OF SINGLE DIGIT
MILLIONS PER YEAR ON THAT
PROGRAM, SO
THAT IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE
OUR
BUDGET PROBLEM.
EVEN OUR -- IN THE CONTEXT OF
$175 MILLION, WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT $5 MILLION A YEAR,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND REALLY, I THINK PART OF THE
ARGUMENT FOR HAVING
A SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY
LIKE THIS IS THAT IDEALLY, IT
KIND
OF PAYS FOR ITSELF IN THE WAY
THAT
IT FREES UP POLICE
CAPACITY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT
IT
MAKES IT EASIER TO RESPOND TO
AND SOLVE CERTAIN KINDS OF
CRIMES.
SO THAT IS PART OF THE
EVALUATION WE GET AT SO WE
CAN REALLY ASSESS WHETHER THIS
IS
A GOOD USE OF PUBLIC
FUNDS.
>> MELISSA, THANKS FOR THESE
QUESTIONS.
SHE HAD ANOTHER ONE IF I CAN.
WILL YOU COMMIT TO AUDITING
AND CUTTING THE BLOATED SPD
BUDGET
AND INSTEAD INVESTING IN
SOLUTIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY?
CHANGING HOW PUBLIC SAFETY IS
FUNDED, WHERE THOSE DOLLARS
NEED
TO GO.
>> THAT'S SIMILAR TO
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION.
YES, WE ARE GOING TO BE --
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT A FORMAL
AUDIT BUT WE'RE DIGGING INTO
SPD BUDGET TO
UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN WORK WITH
THE DEPARTMENT TO MAKEMAKE
THAT GO FURTHER.
AND -- YEAH.
>> OKAY, THANK
YOU.
>> NOT TO SAY THE MAYOR ASKS --
LIKE DIRECTED ME TO TASK
ALL DEPARTMENTS TO MODEL, AS SHE
SAID, 5 AND 10% CUTS.
THAT WAS EVERY DEPARTMENT.
>> INCLUDING SPD?
>> INCLUDING SPD.
IF WE WERE JUST TO DO
ACROSS-THE-BOARD CUT TO
SOLVE THE DEFICIT, WE ARE
LOOKING
AT ABOUT 10% CUTS TO ALL
DEPARTMENTS. BUT PART OF WHAT
WE'RE ASKING
DEPARTMENTS TO DO IS
PROVIDE OPTIONS BUT ALSO HELP
US UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF
THOSE
CUTS TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE ARE IN A PROCESS OF
GENERATING IDEA AND
OPTIONS. AS THE MAYOR HAS SAID,
ALL
OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE.
WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY OF
ANY CUT TO ANY
DEPARTMENT.
>> YEAH, AND THE OTHER THING
I WANTED TO SAY, I THINK
THE QUESTION IS GETTING AT
THIS, JUST THAT, YOU KNOW,
POLICING
IS ONE PART OF THE LARGER
PUBLIC SAFETY
STRATEGY. AND THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT
WE'RE REALLY WORKING A LOT ON.
BECAUSE TRUE COMMUNITY
SAFETY HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PIECES
TO
IT. WE'RE TAKING A REALLY HARD
LOOK AT OUR APPROACH TO GUN
VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND HOW THE
CITY RESPONDS TO GUN VIOLENCE.
AND ALL JUST THE KIND
OF ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE WHERE
WE HAVE OUR CARE DEPARTMENT, WE
HAVE OUR HEALTH, 911, FIRE
DEPARTMENT, SERVICE
PROVIDERS THAT DO ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE-TYPE WORK.
A LOT OF PIECES OF
THIS. IT'S NOT JUST SPD.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOLE
SYSTEM, PLUS JUST ALL THE
UPSTREAM INVESTMENTS
WE'RE MAKING TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE
AND FAMILIES HAVE THE SUPPORT
THAT THEY NEED.
AND IDEALLY WE DON'T HAVE
PUBLIC
SAFETY PROBLEMS TO BEGIN WITH.
AND OUR APPROACH TO
HOMELESSNESS.
ALL OF THIS IS CONNECTED.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT
HOLISTICALLY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
POLICE.
>> BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT IT UP,
COMMUNITY RESPONSE AND
ENGAGEMENT, THE THIRD LANE OF
POLICE AND FIRE IN TERMS
OF EMERGENCY SERVICES HERE IN
THE
CITY OF SEATTLE.
PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES I SHOULD
SAY. THERE WAS A PERSON RAISED A
COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, ACTUALLY.
A STATE COMPLAINT FROM
THE PROTECT 17, UNION FOLKS
THAT REPRESENT CARE WERE
SAYING, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO
OUR
JOBSJOBS THE UNION
THAT REPRESENTS THE RANK AND
FILE OF THE SPD
IS TAKING UP ALL THIS WORK,
THEY'RE NOT LETTING
US DO OUR JOBS.
I REMEMBER HEARING FROM
THE CHIEF OF CARE SAYING, WE
CAN'T AFFORD TO WASTE AA
DOLLAR, AND WE'RE NOT BEING
USED AT FULL
POTENTIAL.
IT AS BUDGET QUESTION, I
THINK, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?
>> THERE ARE SOME
REALLY CHALLENGING ISSUES WITH
THE
POLICE CONTRACT, AND WE ARE
WORKING A LOT WITH SPD AND
CARE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE
THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THE WAY
THAT WE'RE DEPLOYING BOTH TEAMS
TO RESPOND TO 911 CALLS IS
AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I WOULD SAY THE BOTTOM LINE
IS, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF
CRISIS, UNFORTUNATELY, IN OUR
CITY, FOR OUR
ALTERNATIVE RESPONDERS TO GO TO.
SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THEM
NOT HAVING ENOUGH WORK.
WE JUST NEED TO -- AND WE ARE --
WORKING ON JUST
WHAT PARTNERSHIPS WE NEED TO
BUILD SO
THAT THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES
FOR THEM TO GET OUT TO CALLS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ONE MORE TIME, I WANT TO
MAKE SURE I LET YOU KNOW AS WE
HAVE
TEN MINUTES OR SO LEFT IN
OUR PRESENTATION HERE WITH
REGARD TO
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY
BUDGET, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SEND AN EMAIL,
MAYOR@SEATTLE.GOV.
WE'LL BE TAKING QUESTIONS
THE NEXT TEN MINUTES OR SO.
A BIG THANKS TO ANYBODY
WHO'S SENT IN
QUESTIONS. THERE'S A LOT OF THE
GOOD ONES
HERE. LET ME JUMP BACK INTO ONE
OF THOSE QUESTIONS HERE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE
BIT MORE RELATED TO THE
BUDGET ITSELF AND HOW PEOPLE
CAN CHECK IT OUT.
ALICE EMAILED THIS.
HI, KATIE AND TEAM IS WHAT SHE
ASKED. CAN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET
BE
MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT?
MUCH, MUCH
MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC
SO THEY
CAN UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT
LINE ITEMS THE CITY ACTUALLY
SPENT HOW MUCH MONEY ON LAST
YEAR AND
HOW NEXT YEAR WILL
BE DIFFERENT? EVERY YEAR I LOOK
AT THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, EVERY
YEAR IT CLOUDS ADDS AND CUTS BUT
ONLY
HIGH- LEVEL SUMMARY INFORMATION.
NO ONE WILL TELL WHAT IT'S
RELATIVE TO.
TRYING TO MAKE THIS A
MORE PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENT
PROCESS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT
INSTALL?
>> MAYBE I CAN PUNT THIS ONE TO
ALLIE.
>> I THINK SOME OF THE
EARLY CONVERSATIONS MAYOR WILSON
AND
I HAD AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
ME POTENTIALLY BEING IN THIS
ROLE AND A LOT OF THE
WORK I DID WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL
CENTRAL
STAFF WAS AROUND BUDGET
TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF
TOOLS AND INFORMATION ALREADY
AVAILABLE.
I THINK WHAT I CAN HELP DO
IS BETTER SORT OF HIGHLIGHT AND
PROMOTE WHERE THOSE TOOLS AND
OPTIONS ARE.
HAVE AN INTEREST IN SORT
OF MAKING THE BUDGET BOOK, AS WE
CALL IT, MORE ACCESSIBLE AND
TRANSPARENT.
>> SORRY, WHAT'S THE BUDGET
BOOK?
>> THE BUDGET BOOK IS SORT
OF THE -- THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET COMES
IN A BUDGETBUDGET BOOK.
AND IT'S WHERE YOU SORT
OF DESCRIBE BY DEPARTMENT
WHAT THEIR BUDGET IS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS
WHAT THE PERSON ASKING THE
QUESTION
IS KIND OF SPEAKING TO.
IT SHOWS WHAT WAS -- WHAT
THE BUDGET WAS LAST YEAR, WHAT
THE PROPOSAL IS.
BUT IT DOESN'T
HAVE MAYBE PERHAPS AS MUCH
DETAIL IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH
IT'S
GROWING, HOW MUCH IT'S CHANGED,
THAT SORT OF
THING.
I HAVE A COMMITMENT
AND INTEREST IN DOING THAT.
AND IT MAY TAKE A BUDGET
CYCLE OR TWO TO GET THERE.
BUT IN CONTINUING TO ADD TO
OUR ALREADY EXISTING TOOLS ABOUT
HOW
WE PRESENT THE BUDGET
PUBLICLY IS AN INTEREST I HAVE
AND
A COMMITMENT I MADE TO THE
MAYOR.
>> AND THERE IS ONLINE A
BUDGET WEBSITE WHERE YOU
CAN ACTUALLY -- TO SOME EXTENT
--
>> YOU CAN DIG IN, YEP.
>> IT'S HARD TO
PROBABLY NAVIGATE IF YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE DOING.
>> YEAH, I THINK
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER
EXPLAIN HOW TO USE THOSE TOOLS.
MY TEAM AND MANY OF THEM
WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY
YEARS
HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB
OF WORKING
WITH DEPARTMENTS AND ALL OF
THAT, OF TRYING TO GET
INFORMATION OUT THERE AND
AVAILABLE.
>> SOUNDS LIKE A WORK IN
PROGRESS, THANK YOU.
BACK TO THE QUESTIONS.
EMAIL FROM ASHLEY WHO
WAS ASKING, WILL YOU MOVE
$10 MILLION FROM THE UNIFIED
CARE
TEAM, ASHLAND PUTS IT,
THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE DEADLY SWEEPS OF OUR
UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS TO SHELTER
AND SERVICES INSTEAD?
AN INVESTMENT IN A TEAM
HERE THAT I KNOW DOES A LOT OF
WORK ON THE STREETS.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME
CONCERN ABOUT SWEEPS, TAKING
PEOPLE
OFF THE STREETS HERE.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM, WHERE THAT
MONEY'S
GOING. SHOULD IT BE MOVED AWAY
FROM THAT CARE TEAM?
>> THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM IS OUT
THERE.
THEY DO ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS.
THEY ALSO DO OUTREACH AND
TRYING TO HELP NAVIGATE PEOPLE
INTO SHELTER AND SERVICES ARE
THEY DO
A LOT OF CLEANUP, AND
THAT CAN BE CLEANUP RELATED TO
ENCAMPMENT BUT ALSO OFTEN
CLEANUP JUST
TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF
AN ENCAMPMENT ON THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT REMOVING
THE ENCAMPMENT.
THEY DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS. THIS IS A TEAM THAT
HAS PEOPLE FROM A LOT OF
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ON IT.
SO MY HOPE AS WE
ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH OPENING
NEW SHELTER
SITES IS THAT WE WILL BEBE
MORE ABLE TO RESOLVE
ENCAMPMENTSENCAMPMENTS
BY PLACING PEOPLE IN
TINY HOUSES AND IN OTHER FORMS
OF EMERGENCY
HOUSING AND SHELTER INSTEAD
OF JUST MOVING PEOPLE AROUND.
AND THIS IS LIKE THE BIG
FOCUS OF MY ADMINISTRATION.
SO IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE WILL
BE ABLE TO SHIFT THE WORK OF
THAT
TEAM AS WE ARE OPENING
MORE SHELTER SO THAT IT IS
MORE FOCUSED ON THAT KIND
OF NAVIGATION INTO THE SHELTER
THAT WE ARE
OPENING, AS OPPOSED TO JUST
REMOVING ENCAMP CAMPMENTS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS FOR
THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE GOING
TO BE A NEED TO ADDRESS
ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE OBSTRUCTING
SIDEWALKS OR THAT HAVE SERIOUS
HEALTH
AND SAFETY HAZARDS.
SO I DON'T SEE THAT WE'RE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO END THE WORK
OF THAT TEAM IN THIS NEXT BUDGET
CYCLE. BUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,
WE'RE
TRYING TO CHANGE
OUR RESPONSE TO THE HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS SO
THAT WE ARE NOT JUST MOVING
PEOPLE
AROUND OUR CITY, BECAUSE
WE KNOW THAT IS HARMFUL FOR
PEOPLE,
AND THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY A
SOLUTION.
>> THIS IS ALWAYS THE STRUGGLE
THAT I HEAR WHEN I TALK
TO PEOPLE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
YOU CAN'T COMPEL PEOPLE TO MOVE
TO A TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE. HELP ME OUT WITH THAT
THOUGHT.
>> AGAIN, I THINK -- LIKE,
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE
SLEEPING UNSHELTERED ON OUR
STREETS, IF WE HAVE SHELTER
AND SERVICES THAT ARE
APPROPRIATE
TO THEIR SITUATION -- SOMETIMES
A LITTLE BIT OF
RELATIONSHIP-ING WHEN -- PEOPLE
WANT SOMETHING
BETTER.
AND THAT IS WHAT -- THAT
IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE ARE
COMMITTED
TO.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION COMING
IN FROM ALEX.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY SENDING IN
THESE QUESTIONS TO
MAYOR@SEATTLE.GOV.
WE'LL BE WITH YOU ANOTHER FIVE
MINUTES. IF YOU WANT TO TRY ON
SEND IN A
FEW MORE, PLEASE DO.
ALEX IS ASKING
THIS. CAN THE STATE HELP AT ALL?
SUCH AS PROVIDING PUBLIC
SAFETY GRANTS THAT CAN REDUCE
POLICE
OR FIRE EXPENSES?
THOSE ARE BIG EXPENSES.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION,
ALEX.
I KNOW THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE
A TON OF MONEY, EITHER.
THAT'S WHAT ALEX WAS
ASKING, SOME THOUGHTS?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW --
STATE GOVERNMENTS AS WELL
AS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE
FACING VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET
CHALLENGES.
WE WOULD LOVE ALL THE
HELP WE CAN GET FROM THE STATE
GOVERNMENT.
>> WE'LL TAKE IT ALL,
YEAH, BRING IT ON.
>> YOU OPENED A WHOLE NEW BOX
OF MONEY, RIGHT,
RIGHT.
>> CALL THE GOVERNOR, CALL YOUR
LEGISLATORS.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT.
WE'LL SEE.
LET ME THROW IN ANOTHER ONE
FROM ALEX HERE.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK, OF
COURSE, OF THE WORLD CUP COMING
HERE IN JUNE.
MATCHES ARE GOING TO BE
VERY EXCITING AND POTENTIALLY
COULD BRING IN A LOT OF DOLLARS
HERE,
TOO.
ALEX IS ASKING, DO THESE
BUDGET PROJECTIONS ALSO
REFLECT POSSIBLE INCOME FROM
FIFA
AND WORLD CUP?
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A
BIG BUMP BETWEEN JUNE AND JULY.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT IMPACT?
I'VE SEEN QUESTION MARKS ABOUT
IN.
MAYBE THE HOTEL STAYS
AREN'T LOOKING AS GOOD AS WE
THOUGHT? MAYBE THIS IMPACT
ISN'T GOING
TO BE AS GREAT AS WE THOUGHT IT
MIGHT BE?
THOUGHTS ABOUT WORLD
CUP AND WHAT'S GOING ON, HOW
THAT
COULD IMPACT THE BUDGET?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WE HAVE OUR OFFICE THAT
DOES BUDGET FORECASTING.
I DON'T KNOW -- DO YOU KNOW
ANYTHING
ABOUT --
>> YEAH, IT'S CERTAINLY A
FACTOR THAT INFORMS THE
FORECASTS.
IF ANYONE IS TUNING INTO
THE MOST RECENT
FORECAST PRESENTATION FROM OUR
OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC AND REVENUE
FORECAST, THAT CAME OUT IN
APRIL.
THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW THE
FORECAST IN NOVEMBER SORT
OF ASSUMED A BIGGER BUMP.
SO YES, IT IS ALREADY BAKED
INTO OUR REVENUE FORECAST.
ASK IN APRIL, THERE WAS --
THERE'S A ADJUSTMENT DOWNWARD.
A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING
ON IN THE WORLD AND ALL OF THAT.
WE CAN'T BE CERTAIN THAT
WE'RE GOING TO GET AS BIG OF A
BUMP. ALSO NOTE, THERE ARE ALSO
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT
EXPECTING IT TO REALLY OUTPACE
WHAT WE
ALREADY HAVE IN OUR PROJECTIONS.
BUT THAT EVENT WAS FACTORED INTO
THE REVENUE FORECASTS THAT
WE'RE CURRENTLY BALANCING TO.
>> SALES TAX MAINLY?
HOTEL TAX?
>> PRIMARILY SALES TAX AND
LODGING TAX IS WHERE
WE'LL SEE THAT IMPACT.
AND IF THE FORECAST IS WRONG,
WE WILL SEE ACTUAL REVENUES
COMING
IN HIGHER.
AND THAT CAN HELP MITIGATE THE
ISSUE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S SORT OF
THE VOLATILITY THAT CAN MAKE
IT DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS
THE
LONG-TERM PROBLEM.
>> GOT IT.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT THREE
MINUTES LEFT AND A FEW MORE
QUESTIONS
ARE COMING IN.
THANK YOU FOR SENDING THESE IN.
MAYOR@SEATTLE.GOV.
WE'LL MAKE SURE WE
ANSWER AS MANY OF THESE AS WE
CAN.
TIM.
HI, MAYOR WILSON AND DIRECTOR
PENNUCCI.
WORKING ON THE BUDGET
SHORTFALL EARLY IN TRANSPARENCY
-- HAS
THE SEATTLE OFFICE WORKED WITH
ANY
OTHER MAJOR CITIES TO
IDENTIFY WAYS TO HELP BALANCE
THE
BUDGET? ANY COST SAVING OR
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE PROGRAMS
BEING USED
ELSEWHERE THAT WE
COULD IMPLEMENT HERE AS WELL?
TIM, THANKS FOR THE
QUESTION.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A
GREAT
QUESTION. AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE
BEEN REACHING OUT TO CITIES
AROUND THE COUNTRY TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT
THEY'RE FACING AND WHAT THEIR
SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT
TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THAT.
I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
CITIES THAT
ARE LOOKING AT BIG CUTS TO
THEIR FIRE AND POLICE
DEPARTMENTS.
>> ANY EXAMPLES YOU MIGHT
BE ABLE TO THINK OF?
WHO'S DOING
WHAT? WHAT'S
WORKING THERE IN TERMS OF A CITY
AROUND THE COUNTRY
THAT'S GOT A
BETTER BUDGET SITUATION?
>> BETTER BUDGET SITUATION?
I AM NOT IN THIS MOMENT AWARE
OF A CITY THAT HAS A BETTER
BUDGET
SITUATION OR IS OUT THERE
LIKE, WE HAVE
IT EASY AND WE'RE GROWING AND
EXPANDING.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
CITIES THAT ARE ROLLING
OUT THEIR
BUDGETS NOW. THEY'RE ON A
DIFFERENT
FISCAL YEAR CALENDAR.
AND WE'RE SEEING SORT OF MORE
REDUCTIONS. AND THAT SORT OF
THING. WE ARE TALKING TO OTHER
CITIES, LOOKING TO OTHER CITIES
FOR
STRATEGIES THEY ARE USING
AND TRYING TO SHARE IDEAS.
BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW, WE'RE
ALL GRAPPLING WITH A SIMILAR
ISSUE WHICH IS THE NEEDS AND
COSTS
OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO OUR
COMMUNITY ARE JUST REALLY HIGH.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO FIND THAT
CITY THAT HAS SOLVED IT.
>> I HAVE TO SAY IN GENERAL,
THE OBVIOUS REVENUE TOOLS THAT
CITIES HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM
TEND TO BE
REGRESSIVE.
>>
YEAH.
>> AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT FROM THE CITIES WE'VE
TALKED TO, THE ONES THAT ARE
CONSIDERING NEW REVENUE, IT'S
GENERALLY IN SALES TAX.
>> GOT IT.
A MINUTE LEFT.
CHRIS HAD ONE MORE QUESTION THAT
FEELS LIKE A GOOD SUMMER-UPPER.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HARD
DECISIONS, WHAT TO FUND OR NOT.
IT FEELS FAIRLY
NONCOMMITTAL FROM THIS
DISCUSSION.
ARE THERE TRADEOFFS THAT WE'RE
ALREADY PLANNING OR LEANING
TOWARDS?
OR ARE WE STILL IN A PHASE
WHERE WE'RE STILL UNABLE TO
STATE SPECIFIC TRADEOFFS?
SOME THOUGHTS TO WRAP UP,
PLEASE.
>> YEAH, THAT'S
A GOOD SEGUE INTO NEXT STEPS.
AS WE MENTIONED, WE DIRECTED
EACH DEPARTMENT TO MODEL 5 AND
10% CUTS.
AND SO MY TEAM HAS BEEN
REVIEWING THE KIND OF HIGH-
LEVEL INFORMATION THAT ALLIE'S
BUDGET
TEAM HAS BEEN BRINGING BACK TO
US. AND THEN WE ARE TAKING THE
NEXT
STEP, WHICH IS BASICALLY
GOING BACK AND HAVING
THOSE DEPARTMENTS GO INTO MORE
DEPTH IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING
WHAT
IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO CUT, YOU
KNOW, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
SOME PROGRAM OR SERVICE,
LIKE WHAT THE IMPACTS THAT WOULD
BE.
AND SO THAT'S KIND
OF LIKE THE PROCESS THAT WE ARE
IN RIGHT
NOW. SO YES, IT IS PREMATURE FOR
US
TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO
SLASH THIS OR SLASH THIS, RIGHT?
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME,
WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT OUR
REVENUE OPTIONS ARE.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING THIS
WORK.
I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME
MORE PLANS FOR HOW TO DO THIS IN
A
WAY THAT WE ARE
COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC,
AS WELL, AS
WE MAKE THAT PROGRESS.
THEN ULTIMATELY, I'LL
BE TRANSMITTING A BUDGET TO
COUNCILCOUNCIL SEPTEMBER.
THEN IT WILL BE IN COUNCIL'S
HANDS.
AND YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE
GREAT
FUN.
>> OKAY. WE'LL SEE HOW THAT
GOES.
MAYOR KATIE WILSON,
BUDGET DIRECTOR ALLIE PENNUCCI,
THANK
YOU FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
I'M BRIAN CALLAHAN.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR
THIS SPECIAL
DISCUSSION ON THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME.