City Hall is knee-deep in our process of analyzing Seattle’s budget proposals for 2022. We received Mayor Durkan’s balanced budget proposal on September 27 and, after feedback from constituents and careful review, my team and I put forward several initial amendments to address priorities. Read on for my work so far on the budget and watch our recent District 4 Town Hall. I look forward to more of your feedback.
Even during this busy budget season, our other work continues. This month we opened the tiny home village in the University District to address homelessness, introduced a bill to improve accountability of tree cutters, and made progress on transportation projects in District 4.
Happy Halloween and please vote by November 2!
DISTRICT 4
Did you catch our Budget Town Hall?
On October 14, 2021, I enjoyed hosting a Budget Town Hall for District 4 constituents. In addition to a presentation from Seattle’s Budget Director Ben Noble, I invited the new CEO of the new King County Regional Homelessness Authority (RHA) Marc Dones. I know homelessness remains a top concern for constituents and CEO Dones was able to convey the vital mission of the new agency. Homelessness is a regional problem that requires regional solutions using proven best practices. This new RHA is in the best position to implement the smartest solutions learned from across the nation.
For more about the RHA, CLICK HERE. To view the Budget Director’s presentation, CLICK HERE. To view the Town Hall,CLICK HERE.
Rosie’s Village Opens!
The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), Sound Transit, Seattle’s Human Services Department, the University District business community, neighbors, and I recently celebrated the Open House of “Rosie’s” Tiny House Village, which will provide safe and supported living spaces for unsheltered neighbors.
We are proud that these 35 units on NE 45th Street constitute the first village on Sound Transit property. Named for the adjacent street of Roosevelt Way, Rosie’s Village case managers will help residents obtain permanent housing, employment, health care, food security, and other services. Each tiny house has electricity, overhead light, and a heater and the village has kitchen and restroom facilities, onsite showers and laundry, 24/7 security, and a counseling office.
During the City’s budget process last year, I secured this additional funding for capital and operating costs to reduce homelessness here. I engaged with Sound Transit to ask if this publicly owned land could be used to site a tiny house village to bring more unhoused neighbors inside – and they said, Yes! My office worked with Sound Transit and LIHI to prepare the site, including passing emergency legislation to allow the project to move forward with urgency during the double crisis of homelessness and COVID.
“This new tiny home village is an inspiring example of partnerships among governments, nonprofits, and community to address our most pressing crisis— homelessness. By working together and leveraging publicly-owned land, we’re creating a place, forging a path, and instilling hope for dozens of unsheltered people to come off the streets, stabilize their lives, and transition to permanent housing. I’m very grateful to both Sound Transit and the Low Income Housing Institute for enabling us to finally finish this life-saving project.”
— Councilmember Alex Pedersen,
September 28, 2021.
For a link to the press release, CLICK HERE. For a link to the video of the open house remarks, CLICK HERE.
The Arts at S.P.A.C.E. Magnuson Park
The Magnuson Park Gallery and friends are pleased to mark its 7th Anniversary with several events: (1) an art exhibition by two indigenous artists, Harmony Hoss and Janice Jainga Lonergan through November 12; (2) an art pumpkin fundraiser through October 29 (CLICK HERE); and (3) the return of “The Bridge” radio show Thursdays at 3:00 pm on SPACE 101.1 FM where hosts Sue Donaldson and Jean Godden interview fascinating guests and celebrate everything that sustains the proverbial bridges among our communities.
Progress on Transportation Projects Impacting District 4
“Pardon our Progress!”
SDOT expects to complete the Sand Point Way NE sidewalks and crosswalks projectin the next couple of weeks, except for the signal work near NE 74th Street and Sand Point Way (the main entrance to Magnuson park) which should be done in November. (See image above.)
SDOT is currently focusing on preparing the road for final paving for the 15th Ave NE paving project, which is scheduled for the first week of November. Once paving is complete, SDOT will focus on curb ramp work at 4 intersections: NE 55th, 56th, 80th Streets and Cowen PL NE. The project team will also add temporary striping to the new road surface. The project should be complete January 2022.
While closures to repair the Montlake Bridge have been reduced to just a few more weekends when Husky Football is out of town, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will continue work on the western section of State Route 520 near the Montlake Bridge through 2023! For info on the weekend bridge closures, CLCK HERE. For WSDOT info on 520, CLICK HERE. Here are some upcoming closures, subject to change: (1) Tonight, tomorrow, and October 31 through November 5, the northbound lanes of the Montlake Bridge will be closed overnight. (2) The Montlake Bridge, Westbound SR 520 off-ramps to Montlake and Lake Washington Blvds, and Lake Washington Blvd between Montlake Blvd and E Foster Island Rd will be closed between 10:00 pm on October 29 and 5:00 am on November 1.
I know this construction is disruptive and, at the same time, we appreciate WSDOT and SDOT completing the repairs and improvements.
SEATTLE’S 2022 CITY BUDGET
I am grateful to all the city budget officials who worked hard to craft the Mayor’s balanced budget proposal and for the steady hand of our City Council Budget Chair. Regarding the current numbers at this midpoint in our review process, I believe this budget might unfortunately fall short on community safety and bridge safety. I am hopeful key amendments could be adopted to make the budget acceptable. Please see below for my initial list of amendments that our office put forward. I also co-sponsored several smart amendments crafted by my Council colleagues. I hope a majority of my Council colleagues will approve my amendments and that the final amendments other Councilmembers sponsor put the budget on stronger footing, rather than create additional challenges.
Boldly boost investments in bridge safety to respond to city audit: bridge bonds build back better! (For a recent Seattle Times editorial supporting my amendment, CLICK HERE.)
Optimize cybersecurity for our information technology and operational technology
Consider cost savings in budget to redeploy to other priorities
Add to City Auditor team to increase accountability & results with taxpayer investments (co-sponsor)
Equity and Environment
Advance our Internet for All strategies by sustaining last year’s increase to the Technology Matching Fund, deploying WiFi hot spots at libraries, and supporting “Digital Navigators” to increase access to affordable, reliable Internet for jobs, education, and healthcare
Hold back some 2022 funding from the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) until it delivers the promised tree protection ordinance.
Support Seattle Public School parents, students, and bus drivers by investing in GPS software.
For a link to the Mayor’s proposed budget, CLICK HERE. For a helpful Powerpoint summary from her Budget Director, CLICK HERE. For the budget amendments we got approved during last year’s process, CLICK HERE and HERE. For my assessment of last year’s budget CLICK HERE. For a link to our recent Budget Town Hall video for District 4, CLICK HERE.
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE
(the Council committee I chair)
Councilmember Pedersen addresses the crowd excited about the new light rail station at the University District on Brooklyn Ave NE and 43rd Street NE. Would be great to see buses on Brooklyn in the future, too!
(photo by Alabastro Photography, October 2, 2021)
U District and Roosevelt Rail Ready to Ride!
Saturday, October 2 was a fun and exciting day in District 4 as we celebrated the opening of the new light rail stations. If you haven’t yet experienced these new options to get to Northgate, Downtown, and beyond, I hope you try them out soon! For Sound Transit route info, CLICK HERE. For my blog on bus route changes, CLICK HERE.
Here’s an excerpt of my remarks at the grand openings:
“Today is a game-changer for how we travel around our city and how we protect our planet…Today we can finally celebrate the opening of 3 new light rail stations in North Seattle, including these impressive new stations here in the heart of the University District and Roosevelt neighborhoods.
Welcome to the future of fast, frequent, and pollution-free transit!
…After thanking the voters and the taxpayers of three counties and 50 cities who made Sound Transit 2 possible, let’s lift up the heroes of the new stations and the miles of tunnels connecting them with our growing regional transit system – the heroes are the workers who built it.”
Councilmember Alex Pedersen, Chair of Seattle’s Transportation Committee and elected representative of District 4
October is Halloween AND Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Get ready to re-boo your computer because October is not only Halloween, but also Cybersecurity Awareness Month. It’s good idea to recognize this issue the same month as Halloween because cyberattacks can be scary when we’re not aware and protected. We need to be vigilant against internet and email scams at home and at work where cybercriminals can infect computers or try to extract sensitive information. Businesses, all levels of government, and their vendors must invest sufficiently in cybersecurity to protect our personal information as well as vital services and operations. For low-income residents who worry about accessing affordable reliable internet, cybersecurity is another layer of concern. That’s why our City budget must include not only cybersecurity for city government departments but also for vulnerable residents. As part of our Internet for All Action Plan, we want to increase the Technology Matching Fund AND add “Digital Navigators” who can help people new to computers not only gain access to the internet but also learn how to protect themselves online. Cybersecurity awareness helps us all ensure our internet access is about positive connections to jobs, education, health care, and vital services.
Surviving Power Outages
In District 4 and throughout our city and region, this past week’s severe windstorms brought down power lines and interrupted electricity for many hours. Approximately 44,000 customers within our city lost power and over 100,000 customers throughout the Puget Sound region lost power. I’d like to thank the frontline crews of Seattle City Light for working through the nights to retore power to thousands of customers. I’d also like to thank our Fire Department for rapidly addressing any electrical fires. If you experience a new power outage, you can call (206) 684-3000 and press 1, then 1 again. To see where there are power outages and whether City Light is already aware of your outage, CLICK HERE for their outage map. For downed power lines, call 9-1-1 and stay far away from downed lines because they could still be electrified and/or a fire hazard.
We know those without power suffer and that’s why our City Light crews will always work as quickly as they can to restore service safely. The storm and our response to it is another reminder of the vital basics of city government, such as electrical power, clean water, clear roadways – and the need to maintain our basic infrastructure to keep us safe and our economy moving.
For a Seattle Times piece on surviving a power outage, CLICK HERE.
PROTECTING SEATTLE’S TREE INFRASTRUCTURE
A mature tulip tree before it was cut down. (photo with tree advocate by Seattle Times, republished in Crosscut; other photos from Investigate West)
Have you ever been jolted by the roar of a chainsaw in the neighborhood, witnessed a mature tree being chopped down, and wondered whether the company removing the tree is even authorized? On October 18, I was proud to introduce, with Councilmember Dan Strauss as co-sponsor, a bill that will finally require tree service providers/tree cutters/arborists to register with the City government and have their business contact information available to the public online. If the public can see who is authorized to cut down trees, it would help to increase accountability and transparency and ideally protect more trees. Large trees provide numerous environmental and health benefits which cannot be replaced by the saplings planted by developers after they clear-cut a site. In our August newsletter, we asked constituents whether we should require tree cutters to register with the city government. In addition to the positive anecdotal feedback, we also saw statistically significant feedback from a recent poll indicating 75% of voters support a tree cutter registration program.
To review Council Bill 120207 as introduced on October 18, CLICK HERE. We will consider this bill after our Fall budget season when we also expect to receive the comprehensive tree protection ordinance, which was due from the Durkan Administration last year. For more about trees on my blog, CLICK HERE. For current info on how to report illegal tree cutting, CLICK HERE.
VOTE!
Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange, President of Seattle Central College, showing us how it’s done at one of the ballot drop boxes, though a regular mailbox works, too. (photo from Seattle Central News)
As you can see from this map, if you want to use a reliable, last-minute Drop Box instead of a regular postal service mailbox, King County has placed them throughout the area including in District 4: Magnuson Park, the University District, and near Gas Works Park in Wallingford. There’s also one on the east side of Green Lake.
Help King County achieve historically high voter turnout this year! Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday November 2 or returned to a drop box by 8:00 pm that day. For the King County Elections website with more information and ballot box addresses, CLICK HERE.
COMBATING COVID
King County Vaccine Verification Launched October 25
The COVID-19 Delta variant is spreading fast. As of October 25 in King County, proof of vaccination (or a negative test result) will be required for everyone ages 12+ at outdoor events of 500 or more people, indoor recreational events or establishments, restaurants, and bars. As of September 13 in Washington state, masks are required for everyone ages 5+ at outdoor events with 500 or more people, and continue to be required in public indoor spaces. For more information, please see our Current COVID-19 guidance page.
For a Seattle Times article on the vaccination requirements, CLICK HERE.
City Employees Vaccinated!
Leading by example, your city government employees achieved incredibly high vaccination rates: over 94% vaccinated with 99% submitting required paperwork. For the press release from the Mayor, CLICK HERE. For the related Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE.
King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program Accelerated
King County has simplified and improved its Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program in recent weeks, increasing payments that will keep King County residents safe in their homes and prevent homelessness. The number of households receiving rent payments increased for the fourth week in a row, paying $7.7 million last week and reaching a total of $46.3 million in payments in 2021. Last week’s $7.7 million in payments is the largest amount processed in one week so far.
A total of 4,656 tenants have had their rent paid, and more than 14,172 tenants have applications being processed. King County has also launched a new program designed to intervene in eviction proceedings. This year’s payments are in addition to the more than $37 million distributed in 2020.
“King County is committed to supporting tenants and local property owners alike to get through the financial hardships of this lingering pandemic,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “We moved with urgency to implement new federal rules and reassigned dozens of staff to process a flood of applications. Today, our community partnerships are strong, our data system is working well, and our team is getting millions of dollars out weekly to stabilize both landlords and tenants across the county.”
Small Business Stabilization Fund
The Office of Economic Development is investing an additional $4 million to stabilize micro and small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 by providing cash grants through the Small Business Stabilization Fund. The Stabilization Fund will provide $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000 grants to be used on operational expenses such as rent, wages, equipment and more.
For this new round, the Small Business Stabilization Fund will support small businesses with up to 50 full-time equivalent employees and accept applications from those who received a Stabilization Fund grant in past rounds. The deadline for applications is November 9, 2021.
The Office of Economic Development is available to provide technical assistance, language access services, disability accommodations, materials in alternate formats and accessibility information to support eligible applicants in completing this application. Businesses can access support by calling 206-684-8090 or emailing oed@seattle.gov.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
City Council Meetings on the Internet
Listening: Even though City Council is not currently holding meetings in person in order to follow public health guidelines, you can still follow along by listening on your computer or phone by CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on your phone by calling 253-215-8782.
Commenting: You can also submit public comment by sending an e-mail to me at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov or to all 9 Councilmembers at council@seattle.gov. Please remember to add “For City Council Meeting” in the comments. Now you can also phone into the meeting to speak directly to the Council live. For the instructions on how to register and call in, CLICK HERE. Sign up begins two hours prior to the meeting start time.
Virtual Meetings with Your Councilmember Pedersen
I continue to schedule virtual in-district office hours, so we can chat by telephone or via Webex. Please continue to sign up through my website or by CLICKING HERE so I can hear your ideas, concerns, and requests. You can also just send an e-mail to alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
For previous e-newsletters, visit my blog by CLICKING HERE.
We are getting through this together, Seattle!
With gratitude,
Councilmember Alex Pedersen
Seattle City Council, District 4
Next week our new light rail stations open in Roosevelt and the U District! Whether or not you’re preparing to wake up at 4 AM on Saturday, October 2 to ride one of the first trains at the new stations, I hope you will check them out soon and help our region meet its goals to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion.
This newsletter also contains updates about the city budget and community events as well as my ongoing efforts to improve public safety, address homelessness, protect Seattle’s trees, and more in District 4.
DISTRICT 4
Ready to Ride? New Light Rail Stations Open Saturday, October 2
Roosevelt:
On Saturday, October 2nd as Sound Transit begins expanded light rail service, the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association presents the “RNA Stage” from 10 AM till 4 PM at Roosevelt Station at 12th Avenue NE and NE 66th Street. Join neighbors and friends as we celebrate exciting new developments in the Roosevelt community. Live music, food, and fun for all! And many thanks to Roosevelt leader Jim O’Halloran for the tangible progress on the community-driven vision he helped to organize over a decade ago!
University District:
Organized by The U District Partnership, Graduate Hotels presents the U District Station Opening Festival and $3 Food Walk on Saturday, October 2. As hungry participants ascend from the new U District Station, they will be greeted by an outdoor festival featuring over 40 U District restaurants serving $3 menu items across the neighborhood. Visitors can pick up a $3 Food Walk Menu and entry form at any participating restaurant (see udistrictseattle.com) or the U District Partnership tent at NE 43rd Street and Brooklyn Avenue. Big Time Brewery is serving up a beer garden for the festival outside of their location on the Ave between NE 41st and 42nd. Come grab a pint and some $3 bites!
The nearby Xfinity Main Stage will feature hours of home-grown talent from north Seattle and beyond, including the nationally acclaimed Roosevelt High School Jazz Band. Other outdoor performances will include the Husky Marching Band, a lion dance by Seattle’s Mak Fai Kung Fu Club, and Taiko Kai, a student-organized Taiko drumming group from the University of Washington.
UW welcomes students and employees back to campus this same week, and Sound Transit projects this new station will be one of the busiest with nearly 12,000 people using it each day.
My office will continue to encourage both our Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to do more to connect Wallingford to the U District, especially with more pedestrian-friendly connections — including the 45th Street / I-5 overpass.
King County Changing Northeast Seattle Bus Routes October 2:
We have heard concerns from parents of Roosevelt and Lincoln High Schools and other transit riders about the East-West bus route and have forwarded that feedback to King County Metro. Fortunately, King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski is very attentive and shares our concerns. Metro’s Service Planning and Scheduling teams are aware of the overcrowding and are making adjustments for supplemental service to be assigned on the trips that run during school-bell times. King County Metro will continue to monitor the ridership levels on those trips and will make further adjustments, if necessary.
In addition to the supplemental service, beginning October 2, 2021, all southbound trips on Route 62 will begin at Magnuson Park. On weekdays, in the morning peak-time direction, the Route 62 will operate every 8 to 15 minutes. The new Route 79 – see Metro’s Get Ready Page – will provide new east-west service between Magnuson Park, View Ridge, Wedgwood and Roosevelt Station along NE 75th Street. This should also help to alleviate overcrowding events on Route 62 with the service change starting October 2.
Here more tools and resources to help adjust to the changes:
This Metro Matters blog post has information regarding new routes, timing, links to more information, and more and can help riders understand the new changes.
Metro’s service change page covers all route changes and restorations in English, Spanish and Chinese, as well as a video that briefly describes what’s happening.
Metro’s “Quick Start” website focuses on North King County and Link connections changes.
Metro’s Customer Information Office comment form is available online, and specialists are available at 206-553-3000 if a rider has any questions about the service change. Metro’s Twitter account, @kcmetrobus, is also staffed by Customer Service staff who can often assist customers in real time.
The new service is designed to align with the three new light rail stations opening – Roosevelt, U-District, and Northgate. Riders who will travel using both buses and trains can avoid paying two fares if they transfer using an ORCA card and should review the available ORCA card options.
Overall, these changes will bring Metro’s service to about 90% of pre-pandemic levels and deliver nearly 11,400 bus trips each weekday. Bus ridership has gradually increased throughout the summer, with a recent September peak of ~183,000 daily boardings. In the coming year, King County Metro plans to restore further routes and trips.
Join us for a D4 Budget Town Hall October 14
Mayor Durkan will transmit her $6.5 billion budget proposal on Monday, September 27. Then, as required by State law, your City Council has approximately two months to review, amend, and adopt a balanced budget.
To help to explain the Mayor’s budget proposal for Seattle and the budgeting processas well as to provide one of many opportunities for feedback, I will host a budget Town Hall for our District 4. We’ll be joined by our City Budget Director, Dr. Ben Noble. I know that homelessness continues as a top concern in our District and so I’ve invited Marc Dones, the head the of new Regional Homelessness Authority to describe the mission and plans of this important new regional organization. I voted for the creation of the RHA because I believe homelessness is a regional problem that requires regional solutions. (Hearing from the RHA supplements our Town Hall earlier this year, which featured our City’s Human Services Department’s evolving role in addressing homelessness.)
To RSVP to the online/virtual Budget Town Hall, CLICK HERE to receive the Zoom call-in link and submit questions about the city budget. See you on October 14 for the virtual Budget Town Hall for our District 4 !
Keep reading this newsletter for more on the City budget process!
Headaches and Headway Repaving 15th Ave NE near Roosevelt High School
While I’m excited about all the infrastructure improvements in our district, I wanted to make everyone aware of this unfortunate timing from SDOT regarding the 15th Ave NE and NE 65th Street intersection that will be under construction Oct 1 through Oct 3 (and closed to east-west traffic), as we celebrate of the Roosevelt light rail station Saturday, Oct 2.
Here is SDOT’s rationale for doing the work that weekend (Oct 1 to Oct 4) at that intersection:
SDOT wants to do it on a weekend because weekday bottlenecks would be worse.
The overall project has been delayed already due to delays in concrete delivery and other reasons. SDOT has received assurances that the concrete WILL be available this weekend – once a crew starts concrete pouring, they need to finish it.
There are at-home Husky football games on the Saturdays of Sept 18, Sept 25, and Oct 16 and doing it then would create bigger traffic jams.
After becoming concerned about the 15th Ave NE project missing its deadline of Sept 1 when Roosevelt High School re-started, I personally went to the site to meet with SDOT officials to walk the area and ask tough questions about the delays. Before I visited, the project was going to be extended even longer. By assessing the bottlenecks, we were able to spur it forward. SDOT’s has general phone number for the project: (206) 775-8718. For SDOT’s website on the 15th Ave NE repaving project, CLICK HERE.
See the Homes of our New Tiny Home Village!
To provide relief and hope for some people experiencing homelessness in our District, we are glad to see the recent activity at the future Tiny House Village. You may have noticed the first tiny houses have arrived onsite at Rosie’s Village in the U District. Set up has begun with the village scheduled to open mid-October. Next week we are planning a “Grand Opening” event. The site at 1000 NE 45th Street will have approximately 35 tiny houses. The land is being leased for free from Sound Transit by the City of Seattle with annual renewals through May 31, 2024. For more information, contact the nonprofit LIHI.
College Inn Pub Reopens
The College Inn Pub reopened its doors this summer after being closed for more than a year. Many are excited to see this old school “watering hole” open for business again. With a strategy of retaining the heritage and original feel of the pub, as described in this Eater Seattle article, the new owners took great pains to restore the physical space and systems while maintaining the historic character of the pub. Fun fact: The College Inn Pub is located in the basement of a Tudor Revival-style building erected for the 1909 Alaskan Yukon Pacific Exhibition that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Cheers!
One More Chance to Enjoy the U District Summer Outdoor Music Series
I enjoyed the first outdoor concert on Sept 9 and you can enjoy the last street concert on Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 pm on The Ave (University Way NE) between NE 42nd and 43rd Streets in the heart of our U District near the new light rail station. As the organizers pitched the event, they said, “Come for an exuberant sonic journey and dance in the street to the Brazilian rhythms of En Canto.” You can complete this survey from the organizers.
I also visited a couple of businesses on this block who wanted to share their concerns about the partial street closure because their customers tend to drive. Learn more about events at this link: https://outdoors.udistrict.org/
Enjoying 45th Street in Wallingford
Councilmember Pedersen outside The Octopus in Wallingford this month after enjoying their “Ruby Mainsail.”
This week the neighborhood blog Wallyhood reminded us of the joys of visiting 45th Street stores and restaurants in Wallingford. I quickly took their advice and visited the Octopus Bar which has both indoor and outdoor seating. (Proof of vaccination required.) For their extensive menu, CLICK HERE. For other Wallingford places to enjoy, CLICK HERE.
Help Keep Kids Safe: Become a Crossing Guard
When meeting with the School Traffic Safety Committee to hear their annual report, I obtained the most recent figures on vacant positions for school crossing guards: they need everyone’s help fill nearly 50 positions! According to the Seattle Public Schools website, crossing guards are needed at Bryant Elementary, the John Stanford International School, Thornton Creek Elementary School, and 30 other schools. Our beloved crossing guards work approximately 2 hours each school day and are “safety super heroes” to the next generation. To apply, CLICK HERE. For the annual report that discusses both successes and challenges with keeping kids safe as they journey to and from our public schools, CLICK HERE.
CRAFTING OUR CITY BUDGET FOR 2022
Mayor Durkan will transmit her $6.5 billion budget proposal on Monday, September 27. Then, as required by State law, your City Council has approximately two months to review, amend, and adopt a balanced budget.
In some ways, the budget is simple: it’s supposed to reflect our values / priorities as a City and the expenses cannot exceed the revenues. In other ways, the budget is complicated. Our 1,575 page City budget includes an 825-page operating budget (focusing on the flexible $1.6 billion “General Fund”) as well as several capital projects including for transportation and utilities (incorporated into a 750-page Capital Improvement Program). Various requirements from voter-approved tax levies must be maintained for affordable housing, education, libraries, parks, and transportation as well as the requirements tied to grants from federal, state, and regional government sources. As with many organizations, most of the costs of city government are personnel expenses: the compensation, employment benefits, and pension payments for the 12,000 city government employees who implement the programs and policies adopted the City Council and Mayor. These costs are often already baked because they’re tied to 30 different, multi-year labor contracts negotiated by 5 of the 9 City Councilmembers and Mayor’s team that serve on the Labor Relations Policy Committee (LRPC) and meet behind closed doors as permitted by federal labor laws.
Despite all the drama during the annual “Fall” budget process, typically the City Council makes adjustments amounting to less than 10% of the overall budget proposal carefully crafted by the Mayor and her 40 departments. Yet these relatively small fiscal changes often highlight key policy areas such as public safety and homelessness. For example, a majority of the City Council unfortunately used the budget process last year to eliminate the important Navigation Team that previously engaged with unauthorized homelessness encampments.
To review the budget we adopted last Fall for this calendar year of 2021, CLICK HERE. For my editorial regarding the positives and negatives of that 2021 budget, CLICK HERE. To participate in our Budget town hall on October 14 (please see the D4 section of this newsletter), CLICK HERE.
TREE PROTECTION LEGISLATION
Photo by Amy Radil, KUOW. “Maria Batayola chairs the Beacon Hill Council. She said she hopes a poll showing strong voter support for new tree regulations spurs the Seattle mayor and city council to act.”
Poll Demonstrates Strong Support for Trees
Last week, environmentalists held a press conference in our district to release poll results indicating very strong support for various tree protections they would like to see implemented by City Hall. I was chairing my City Council Committee at the time of their press conference, but KUOW News contacted me afterward and I was happy to provide this statement of support for the news article.
“I agree with the environmentalists who spoke out today that City Hall should not need [to see] such strong polling results to do the right thing and save Seattle’s trees. The Durkan Administration should immediately deliver the tree protection ordinance that was required over a year ago by City Council Resolution…In the next couple of weeks, I plan to work with colleagues to produce an ordinance requiring registration of tree cutters to increase transparency, accountability, and the proven environmental justice benefits of a flourishing urban forest.”
New Legislation to Register Tree Cutters
As we await the comprehensive tree protection ordinance from the Durkan Administration, some environmentalists floated an idea to impose a moratorium to prevent the removal of larger exceptional trees. Upon further consideration, the consensus seems to be that a moratorium could have the perverse impact of developers “rushing to cut” trees while they waited for the City Council to approve the moratorium (and it was not clear that a majority of the Council would vote to enact the moratorium anyway).
An additional idea that has surfaced is to require tree service providers/tree cutters/arborists to qualify and register online. If the public can see who is authorized to cut down trees, it would help to increase accountability and transparency and ideally protect more trees. Large trees provide numerous environmental and health benefits which cannot be replaced by the saplings planted by developers after they clear-cut a site. In our newsletter last month, we asked constituents whether we should, in the meantime, at least require tree cutters to register with the city government — and we received a lot of positive feedback. Thanks to everyone who wrote to us! Separately, the poll mentioned above shows that a tree cutter registration program is supported by a whopping 75% of the Seattle voters surveyed.
Working with our Central Staff and City Attorney’s Office, we crafted legislation for discussion. To view a preliminary version of the bill to register tree cutters for better transparency and accountability, CLICK HERE. While the City Council is about to enter into its 2-month budget deliberations, we thought it would be a good idea to provide the bill to the public for informal input now.
Councilmember Dan Strauss, who chairs the relevant Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee, has indicated initial support for this concept– his support is appreciated and will be vital to secure Council approval.
Tree-Friendly Oversight
I am still considering proposing a consolidation of all tree protections under the Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE). Presently, Seattle’s tree ordinance delegates most tree regulation implementation to a department largely funded by real estate developers through permit fees—the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). When we asked the Executive a year ago for proposals to unify tree protections under a more environmentally sensitive city agency, we received what seem to be excuses. (For our request, CLICK HERE. For their response to our request, CLICK HERE.) During last year’s budget, we had considered a “proviso” to hold back part of SDCI’s funding until they delivered the tree protection ordinance. It might make sense to revisit this leverage. Here’s another idea: rather than spending money on consultants to debate organizational chart charges, we could simply create the position of “Chief Arborist” within OSE who would need to approve the removal of any exceptional trees (which are typically larger trees that provide the most environmental and health benefits).
Executive Action Needed
Many have asked, why can’t City Council craft its own comprehensive tree protection ordinance as the legislative body of our city government? Here’s a key reason: because implementation of tree “protection” rules is scattered across various Executive branch agencies and our City Council Central Staff has just one person available to work on this complex issue, it was decided the Executive branch would be the best originator of the proposed bill. Hence the 2019 Resolution from City Council directing the Executive to deliver the ordinance in 2020. The comprehensive tree protection ordinance is long overdue and we will continue to press the Durkan Administration to produce the required tree protection ordinance asap– and you can help us:
To call into the Land Use Committee to voice your views on the Durkan Administration’s quarterly tree update report and presentation this Friday, September 24 at 2:00 p.m., CLICK HERE to register for public comment.
For a recent KUOW story about tree protection, CLICK HERE. For my blog that tracks the ongoing saga of striving to save Seattle’s trees, CLICK HERE.
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE
During the past 20 months, I have been assigned to chair a beefy City Council Committee monitoring departments comprising half of the City’s $6.5 billion budget: Transportation, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, and Technology. For our Committee agendas CLICK HERE. This keeps me and my team busy and makes it difficult to spend as much time as I would like on additional issues important to our district such as homelessness and public safety. The good news is that, for City Council’s “budget season” when we have October and November to review, amend, and adopt the City’s budget for the next calendar year (2022), we all take a break from regular committee business so all Councilmembers can focus on the budget.
Discount Internet for Students
School is back in session and I’m sharing news about affordable internet for students. The City of Seattle’s Information Technology department, utilizing the Internet for All plan and Resolution, which I sponsored and the Council passed, emphasized affordability as a major component when it comes to closing the Digital Divide. Through Internet Essentials from Comcast, some students can get home Internet with 2 months without cost, thanks to the Emergency Broadband Benefit which I’ve written about previously. The offer ends June 30, 2022. The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Initial Efforts to Address Police Staffing Crisis
On Monday, September 13, 2021, I offered two amendments to our mid-year budget to address the record-breaking departure of officers and detectives (attrition) from our Seattle Police Department and the disturbing increase in response times for 9-1-1 emergencies.
“We need to take swift action after losing hundreds of emergency responders, including community policing officers needed to prevent crimes and detectives needed to solve crimes. In addition to our continued investments in human services programs, I am hopeful a majority of City Councilmembers have recognized the slowing of 9-1-1 response times and the benefits of community policing require us to keep this modest funding to retain and hire officers and detectives.” — Councilmember Alex Pedersen, before the vote.
Unfortunately, my modest proposal to boost efforts for retaining and recruiting officers did not get a majority of support from my colleagues on the City Council. I appreciated some Councilmembers supporting my $1.1 million amendment (Option B) to invest the un-allocated dollars from SPD’s budget toward increased recruitment and retention efforts. But at City Hall we need 5 votes among the 9 Councilmembers to pass most legislation. Although we missed the opportunity to get results quickly, I am hopeful that a majority of Councilmembers will follow-through on their words to provide additional resources to recruit and retain officers so we can address the staffing crisis and officer wellness this November when adopting a City budget for 2022.
For my earlier press release explaining my public safety amendments, CLICK HERE. For a clip from KIRO News, CLICK HERE.
Adding a Crime Prevention Coordinator for North Seattle
I want to thank the Councilmembers who serve on the Finance Committee for approving my midyear budget amendment to add a Crime Prevention Coordinator to our North Precinct. Unlike my amendment to boost recruitment and retention of officers and detectives, this amendment passed. North Seattle has been without a Crime Prevention Coordinator for over a year so, in addition to urging the Durkan Administration to fill the position (which should happen soon), I wanted to address the backlog in requests. Moreover, the NORTH Precinct is, by far, the largest precinct in the city and, therefore, warrants a second position. As stated on SPD’s website, “Crime Prevention Coordinators (CPCs) are experts in crime prevention techniques. You can contact your CPC to inquire about general crime prevention tips, get involved or start a Block Watch group, request their presence at an upcoming community meeting and to discuss ongoing crime concerns in your neighborhood.” Until the two positions are filled, you can request a CPC, by emailing their supervisor Sgt Welte at martin.welte@seattle.gov
Public Safety Panel in District 4
Last week I joined an impressive panel in our Council District at Sand Point Community Church to discuss public safety with State Rep Javier Valdez, State Senator Manka Dhingra, DeVitta Briscoe of Not This Time, Paul Benz of the Faith Action Network, and Monica Alexander of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. (For DeVitta Briscoe’s Op Ed describing her family tragedies and courageous efforts for police reform, CLICK HERE “A lesson from my losses: We cannot afford to completely dismantle the police.”) I want to thank my Legislative Aide Malik Davis for his work in preparing for the panel. We focused on the implementation of the various new State laws on police reform and the hopes for more effective public safety and crime prevention. I emphasized the need for sufficient staffing to implement the reforms required by the federal consent decree and for City Hall’s labor negotiators to roll up their sleeves to tackle the substantive work of revamping the police contract that expired over 9 months ago. Many in the audience expressed their desire to have Seattle leaders do more to retain and recruit community police officers and detectives as we scale up effective alternatives to some emergency calls.
BATTLING COVID RESURGENCE
Forthcoming requirements for proof of vaccination
Regarding vaccinations, here is an important message from the Mayor’s Office issued recently:
“As we continue to be one of the most vaccinated cities in American with the lowest cases, hospitalizations and deaths, we are seeing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge across our region and country driven primarily by unvaccinated individuals in the region and state.
It’s clear that we must act now – and act boldly – to change the trajectory of the virus and keep our communities safe. That’s why King County is issuing a Local Health Order to implement a vaccination verification policy across our region to keep our residents and businesses open and safe.
Beginning October 25, 2021, across King County, customers will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or negative test within 72 hours, to enter:
Outdoor events with 500 people or more (such as professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events)
Indoor recreational events or establishments regardless of size (such as professional and collegiate sports, performing arts and live music venues, movie theaters, museums, gyms, and conventions)
Restaurants and bars. This does not apply to outdoor dining, take-out customers, and places that aren’t primarily used for indoor dining such as grocery stores. Small restaurants and bars, defined as those with seating capacity for less than 12 people, will phase in on December 6, 2021.
We know that vaccination requirements are an effective tool to decrease COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. An analysis from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that the vaccine verification policy at restaurants, bars and gyms/fitness centers alone could have a significant positive impact, preventing between 17,900 and 75,900 infections, 421 and 1,760 hospitalizations and 63 and 257 deaths locally over six months with the order in place. You can find more information on this new King County policy at www.kingcounty.gov/verify.
The City of Seattle is proud to implement a vaccination verification policy, both for our residents, and as an employer. Vaccination verification is the right thing to do for our workers, our customers, our economy, and the health and vitality of our city. As a City, we innovated and brought nation-leading testing and vaccination sites to our residents. Every step of way we have followed the advice of public health officials and scientists.”
For the Mayor’s September 20, 2021 statement on vaccination verification, CLICK HERE. For the Washington State Department of Health’s latest mask requirements, CLICK HERE.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
City Council Meetings on the Internet
Listening: Even though City Council is not currently holding meetings in person in order to follow public health guidelines, you can still follow along by listening on your computer or phone by CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on your phone by calling 253-215-8782.
Commenting: You can also submit public comment by sending an e-mail to me at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov or to all 9 Councilmembers at council@seattle.gov. Please remember to add “For City Council Meeting” in the comments. Now you can also phone into the meeting to speak directly to the Council live. For the instructions on how to register and call in, CLICK HERE. Sign up begins two hours prior to the meeting start time.
Virtual Meetings with Your Councilmember Pedersen
I continue to schedule virtual in-district office hours, so we can chat by telephone or via Webex. Please continue to sign up through my website or by CLICKING HERE so I can hear your ideas, concerns, and requests. You can also just send an e-mail to alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
For previous e-newsletters, visit my blog by CLICKING HERE.
We are getting through this together, Seattle!
With gratitude,
Councilmember Alex Pedersen
Seattle City Council, District 4
As we approach the end of summer and look forward to the fall season, we’ll strive to beat back the COVID resurgence, help children return to school, diplomatically debate our city’s $6.5 billion annual budget, and recommit ourselves to solving the Seattle challenges intensified by the pandemic. While the City Council is officially on a two-week “recess” (which just means no meetings of the Council), I’ll still be working hard for the 20 neighborhoods of our dynamic District 4. Our next City Council meeting is September 13. I hope you find this newsletter from our office informative and helpful. Thank you.
See whether we answered your questions on Seattle Channel
Last month, reporter Brian Callanan interviewed Councilmember Debora Juarez and me for his show on the award-winning Seattle Channel. Check out the video by CLICKING HERE. (photo by Team Juarez).
IN DISTRICT 4
Rebuilding Bridges and Reopening Fairview Avenue Bridge
Everyone seemed happy about the re-opening of the Fairview Avenue bridge connecting Eastlake and beyond to our downtown job centers! We are eager to see more attention to our City’s bridges. In the photo, standing 2nd from the left (and wise to wear a hat in the blazing sun) is fellow District 4 leader Kathryn Gardow whose work includes the Washington State Public Works Board, which generously funded a large portion of this bridge project. (photo by Eastlake community leader Jules James)
The beauty of our city is shaped by its many waterways and ravines. Seattle’s tremendous topography means we rely on bridges to connect us, to support all modes of travel, and to keep our entire economy moving.
This month I was able to stand with community leaders and construction workers on a rebuilt bridge we can all celebrate!
Thank you to Sam Zimbabwe, our talented leader of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). I would also like to thank the neighbors and businesses who have endured nearly two years of detours during the re-construction of this bridge. We also appreciate the multiple organizations providing the money needed to replace the bridge, including the Washington State Public Works Board which generously funded a large portion of this bridge project.
The Fairview Avenue Bridge is a vital North-South arterial connecting Eastlake (and several other neighborhoods in our Council District) to thousands of jobs provided by employers anchored in our downtown. Maintaining basic infrastructure like this bridge is required for restarting the engine of our economy.
Seattle has over 100 bridges and many are 50 to 100 years old. I’ve been calling on City Hall to prioritize our aging bridges, so they stay safe AND stay open. This followed the independent audit I ordered for all City-owned bridges last year. That audit shows we have a lot more work to do to prioritize and fix our fragile bridges. The audit identified the old Fairview Bridge as a high priority for replacement. The bridge was over 70 years old and rated in poor condition. The wooden posts holding up the western half of the old bridge were decaying, and the concrete under the eastern half of the bridge was cracked. The new bridge, however, is built to modern earthquake standards. It is safe and sturdy to carry freight, transit, cars, bikes – everyone.
As you read this, the Mayor’s Office is crafting next year’s budget proposal which she will deliver to this City Council in just a few weeks (Sept 24). After the emergency closure of the West Seattle Bridge followed by the audit I ordered for the rest of our aging bridges, everyone who relies on these vital connections is counting on her budget proposal to hear that wake-up call and dedicate additional funding for Seattle’s bridge infrastructure.
CLICK HERE to read more about the Fairview Avenue Bridge on SDOT’s website.
MONTLAKE BRIDGE: On the northern entrance to Eastlake, we know our aging University Bridge is bearing the brunt of the traffic detoured from the Montlake Bridge as our State government dutifully repairs their aging bridge. While the increased traffic congestion will be with us though August, I commend the Washington State DOT for prioritizing safety and asset management and would like to see a similarly strong dedication of resources to repair bridges owned by the City. For more on the Montlake Bridge repair, CLICK HERE.
Seattle City Light Pledges Fix for Power Outages in Wedgwood
The Wedgwood neighborhood has repeatedly experienced power outages along the 35th Avenue NE corridor. As the District Councilmember (south of NE 85th Street) and Chair of the City’s Transportation & Utilities Committee, I was able to amplify the voices of those in the neighborhood and to encourage Seattle City Light to prioritize a sustainable solution. I very much appreciate the City Light workers who have been repairing each outage and we thank them in advance for this upcoming, longer term fix. While fixing the problem will, ironically, require temporary outages to replace the aging equipment, this effort should fix this recurring problem with a reliable and sustainable solution to avoid future outages. Construction is starting this month and will last approximately two months. [UPDATE from November 22, 2021: Seattle City Light reports that completion of this project could, unfortunately, be delayed to January 2022.] Please visit Seattle City Light’s website for more information.
Scarecrow Video in the University District: Like No Other Place in the World
Key leader of the nonprofit Scarecrow Video on Roosevelt Way NE across from the U District Food bank near NE 50th Street (photo by Seattle Times)
This past week, I visited our firefighters to thank them at the U District fire station, which is located on the same block as the legendary Scarecrow Video. This reminded me that this special treasure trove of movies was featured earlier this month in the Seattle Times in an article titled, “How Seattle’s Scarecrow Video plans to share its vast library nationwide.” For the article and how you can help Scarecrow to thrive, CLICK HERE. As the article says, Scarecrow Video is like no other place in the world – and we’re proud their home is District 4.
West Green Lake Way North Will Open to Car Traffic
My office and the office of Councilmember Strauss (whose Council District 6 includes all of Green Lake) received many complaints about the Durkan Administration’s temporary closure of that portion of West Green Lake Way N. Fortunately, SDOT recently announced they will reopen it for 2-way vehicle traffic and provide a 2-way bike lane connection this Fall. For the July 29 article in the Seattle PI with a helpful overview and links to SDOT’s official recent statement, CLICK HERE. In the meantime, alternate routes include N 50th Street.
National Night Out: Preventing Crime as a Community
As part of the annual “National Night Out,“ I attended several crime prevention block parties in North Seattle, including this one visited by our Police Chief Adrian Diaz in the Maple Leaf neighborhood.
I enjoyed visiting with hundreds of constituents at more than 10 locations across District 4 during “National Night Out” on Tuesday, August 3, including Bryant, Ravenna, Wedgwood, the U District, and Maple Leaf. While these annual events were cancelled last year due to the COVID pandemic, they bounced back strong this year, with hundreds of blocks signing up across Seattle. Many thanks to the neighbors for organizing their block parties. Our police department is so short staffed, they were not able to visit most of the locations as they normally do, but the block parties I attended showed a lot of support for officers and the difficult jobs they have. National Night Out strengthens neighborhood connections to create safer communities.
15th Avenue NE Paving Project Continues
Thank you for your patience as SDOT works on completing the 15th Avenue Northeast repaving project which includes upgrading utilities and installing bike lanes near the new Roosevelt light rail station opening this Fall. Unfortunately, SDOT believes they will still be working on 15th Ave NE after the first day of school at Roosevelt High. However, they will have completed the work on all three of the other roads surrounding the school. Also, they will have completed all other major work such as drainage, lights, crosswalks and sidewalks, parking, and signage by the first day of school to reduce impacts. In the end, we believe it will improve travel connections and safety.
Seattle Parks and Recreation Plans to Begin Phased Reopening in Early September
Our Seattle Parks and Recreation Department has announced plans to reopen more community centers which had been closed due to the pandemic.
The Parks Department will be ramping up public services and programming at recreation facilities across Seattle beginning September 7, 2021. This ramp-up will include reopening most public pools (for lap swim, independent aquatic fitness and limited aquatic exercise classes), community center programs (lifelong recreation, specialized programs, etc.), and teen programs that support academic success and enrichment. These programs are in addition to the preschool and childcare programs already operating in community centers.
To see the full ramp-up schedule of pools and teen programs CLICK HERE. Please note that all facilities will continue to follow any current COVID-19 restrictions through the state, city or King County Public Health. The current guidance requires all staff and visitors to mask up upon entry regardless of vaccination status.
Art at Magnuson Park
The Magnuson Park Gallery is open and in-person (with masks) and now features a vibrant exhibit of art from the Kang-O’Higgins studio of the Gage Academy of Art. Enjoy diverse artwork from their current students, alumni, and teacher assistants. Gallery Hours (through August 27th): Thursdays & Fridays, 3pm-7pm and Saturdays & Sundays,11am-4pm. Location: Magnuson Park’s Building 30 West, 7448 63rd Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (note: the NE 74th Street entrance is closed due to construction).
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE
Apply to the Seattle Transit Board or Seattle Bike Board!
As Transportation Chair, I help to approve appointees to transportation-related boards. Your city government is committed to promoting diversity in boards and commissions, and we encourage Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; people with disabilities; bicultural and bilingual people; seniors; and LGBTQ people to apply. We have an ongoing process of appointments as terms end and vacancies occur, so that we create opportunities for others interested in participating.
The Bike Advisory Board has 12 volunteer members who serve two-year terms and they are currently recruiting three new members. CLICK HERE to learn more and apply by August 27.
The Transit Advisory Board also has 12 volunteer members with openings for three new members. CLICK HERE to learn more and apply by August 27.
I believe we should manage our transportation systems to efficiently move the most people and goods in the most environmentally friendly ways possible. To encourage more collaboration (rather than competition for attention and resources among individual modes of travel), I am hopeful we can increase coordination among the array of advisory boards and am thankful Seattle has dedicated volunteers striving to achieve our region’s transportation goals.
HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
New Tiny Home Village Finally Breaks Ground
Breaking ground August 18 to start installing the new Tiny Home Village called ”Rosie’s” at NE 45th Street and Roosevelt Way NE with the nonprofit Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), Councilmember Pedersen with his Legislative Aide Cara Kadoshima Vallier, and Sound Transit — with support from the business improvement area (University District Partnership), community leaders, and volunteers. Thank you to the construction workers for getting started so the 36 tiny homes (coming soon) will have clean water and electricity!
Addressing the homelessness crisis with the urgency it deserves, I personally intervened to help resolve the outstanding issues so the City could finalize a first-of-its-kind lease with Sound Transit to use one of their sites in the University District for a new Tiny Home Village called “Rosie’s.” Councilmember Lewis and I then expedited the legislation through the City Council, with the Mayor agreeing to sign it immediately on August 9.
Addressing the homelessness crisis with the urgency it deserves, I personally intervened to help resolve the outstanding issues so the City could finalize a first-of-its-kind lease with Sound Transit to use one of their sites in the University District for a new Tiny Home Village called “Rosie’s.” Councilmember Lewis and I then expedited the legislation through the City Council, with the Mayor agreeing to sign it immediately on August 9.
The Council already authorized the funds for this tiny house village during our budget approvals last November. The nonprofit Low Income Housing Institute (known as “LIHI”) and their volunteers have completed building these tiny homes for the University District, which I was able to visit in their factory recently. So the last step was to get everyone to approve this first-of-its-kind lease, so we can get more people off the streets, into their own space — and onto a positive future.
The site is approximately 18,000 square feet and can fit approximately 36 tiny house structures. The lease would be for approximately 2 ½ years. After hosting the Tiny Home Village, the construction of new permanent affordable housing will occur on this site in our University District.
With the lease finalized, LIHI was able to hire their contractor for the trenching needed to provide fresh water, sewage removal, and electricity to the site – which can take 6 to 8 weeks to complete.
One of the reasons the lease was carefully crafted is because it will serve as a template for future partnerships, not only in Seattle, but also the region to accelerate our response to homelessness. I want to thank Sound Transit for making this land located near robust transit available to us to address homelessness in our area.
For the August 10 press release from Sound Transit, CLICK HERE.
For details and updates on this Tiny Home Village, CLICK HERE.
Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA): A Grand Bargain Mainly for For-Profit Developers
I am thankful for the recent Seattle Times’ article on Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program because the reporter objectively assessed the data and interviewed a broad range of stakeholders, not just supporters of the “grand bargain.” Based on the 2020 figures from the City, the MHA program appears to be a grand bargain mainly for developers who get the ability to build more while skirting the full cost of providing the affordable housing originally promised. The first iteration of MHA has been a disappointment with the vast majority of developers choosing to write a check to avoid building any affordable housing on site in the neighborhoods that need them.
The failure of MHA to result in inclusionary low-income housing is not the fault of developers whose profit motive will maximize whatever opportunities are allowed. The shortcoming is on City government policymakers, especially if improvements to the MHA program are avoided by City Hall.
One of the easiest ways to improve the MHA program is by increasing the fees so that developers are incentivized to produce more low-income housing on site, serving households earning no more than 60% of the area median income. Rather than an indirect tinkering with land use code definitions and acquiescing to for-profit developer requests for additional blanket upzone giveaways, let’s do what’s actually needed: increase the fees so that growth pays for growth and we produce more low-income housing faster.
It’s also important to consider measures to prevent (or at least mitigate) the demolition of existing affordable housing. Too often the city government approves large-scale changes without first putting in place protection measures to prevent displacement of existing residents and small businesses.
The City Council adopted my amendment to the large-scale, mixed-income Yesler Terrace redevelopment project to make sure tree replacements benefit low-income areas that typically have less tree canopy. To read my amendment, CLICK HERE. I am pleased to report that this provision establishes a policy of prioritizing tree conservation and replacement in communities most in need of more trees. The amendment was negotiated with the Seattle Housing Authority along with expertise from our City Council’s Central Staff and the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). I appreciate the collaboration as well as the result.
Time to End the “Wild West” of Tree Cutting by Licensing and Registering Arborists?
illustration by Frits Ahlefeldt
Many constituents complain that it seems like the “Wild West” of chainsaws in our Emerald City. One of the reasons is that SDCI does not have even basic licensing or registration for tree cutters or arborists. The public doesn’t know who the tree cutters are (without registration) or their qualifications (without licensing) and yet they are paid by developers to decrease our tree canopy for projects approved by your city government. Meanwhile we wait and wait for the Durkan Administration to produce a stronger tree protection ordinance.
Despite the environmental and health benefits of trees in the midst of a climate crisis, the loss of trees—especially large native conifers—has been an increasing problem in Seattle with disproportionate negative impacts for communities of color. Some of these tree losses could be prevented by the basic licensing and registration of arborists. Even a recent $100,000 penalty by the City for removing a large cedar tree doesn’t seem to be sufficient to stop profit-motivated real estate developers and tree cutters from continuing to violate our already weak tree ordinance.
Our City’s Urban Forestry Commission and many tree advocates believe the licensing and registration of arborists could help to maintain a sustainable urban forest that produces health and environmental benefits. While my office continues to encourage the Durkan Administration to produce a stronger tree protection ordinance by this September, we recognize the separate common-sense need for the licensing and registration of tree cutters and arborists.
We appreciate hearing from constituents about possible violations of our City’s existing weak tree ordinance to help us to craft specific policies to protect Seattle’s declining tree canopy. If you become aware of impending removal of large trees—or while it’s happening—please send photos and the location to my office at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov.
Need to Approve Mayor Durkan’s Efforts to Stop Alarming Drain of Police Officers
In response to the alarming attrition of officers, the Mayor sent at the end of July a bill and memo to the City Council to deploy $15 million in “salary savings” from our Seattle Police Department to cover a variety of SPD costs , including overtime pay needed due to the record-breaking departure of officers during the past year as well as those projected to leave this year.
I immediately endorsed the proposal from the Mayor and SPD on how to invest those dollars, issuing this statement to the media:
“I commend our Mayor and Police Chief for responding to the surge in gun violence and the alarming loss of police officers by transmitting this sensible safety legislation to the City Council,” said Councilmember Alex Pedersen. “I urge my colleagues on the City Council to embrace these initial public safety solutions by acting swiftly on this legislation ….”
Unfortunately, our City Council Finance Committee chose not to authorize additional recruitment or retention funding at this time. When the bill arrives at the full City Council on September 13, I am hoping there will be consensus on the need to increase efforts for both recruiting new officers and retaining the highly trained ones we already have.
I visited the roll calls of the first, second, and third watches of our North Precinct this past month. I have attended police roll calls and participated in ride-alongs in the past, but these displayed the lowest morale I have ever experienced. This signals to me that the current attrition could be just the tip of the iceberg, unless we do more to retain existing officers.
I appreciated the frank feedback from these frontline workers who put themselves in harm’s way every day for our residents and small businesses. In addition, the exit interviews of departing officers made it painfully clear why so many of them are leaving: the apparent lack of support from many City leaders. Even though I never called for a 50% defunding of the organization, I acknowledge my own part and accountability in contributing to the low morale by not speaking up sooner to support the good and difficult work these professionals do as fellow city government employees working in difficult conditions under the frequently updated laws and protocols approved by government leaders. In short, I encouraged them to stay with Seattle.
I want to acknowledge those constituents who disagree with this approach and have urged me (and all Councilmembers) to reinvest that $15 million to other non-SPD solutions. I probably won’t convince anyone to change their minds here, but I want to try to explain my position. The vast majority of city government’s $6.5 billion budget goes toward helping our residents, especially those who are most vulnerable. Within the $1.6 billion discretionary general fund, about 25% goes toward the police (a higher percentage is often cited, but that higher percentage includes the Fire Department and other offices). The $15 million suddenly available mid-year should not be called “savings” because we need to replenish the lost officers to fulfill our duty under the City Charter Article VI, Section 1 which states, “There shall be maintained adequate police protection in each district of the City.”
For both safety and for our obligations under our City Charter, I believe the record-breaking attrition has become a crisis. Even though I opposed the 50% defund effort that 7 of my colleagues originally pledged in 2020, I have to hold myself accountable for not quickly and assertively articulating the downsides of adopting such slogans that they would have consequences for community safety AND for not sooner encouraging those serving on the Labor Relations Policy Committee to hurry up and work out a police contract that values good officers and boosts employee wellness while ensuring we don’t pay extra for body cameras or allow an arbitration system that could protect misconduct. Protestors have every right to use slogans to crystalize their message, but policymakers have an extra responsibility to synthesize the variety of views and experiences and to consider the practical implementation implications of our statements and votes on legislation.
In his Seattle Times column entitled, “How the City Council left Seattle in a no man’s land on crime,” Danny Westneat concluded, “Seattle plainly needs both: Enough cops to respond to rising violent crime, and more counselors to try to prevent it. This is why ‘re-imagining’ or “defunding” the police was always going to cost more money, not less. It was governing malpractice that the City Council jumped into this brandishing a protest slogan, and Seattle now is paying a price.”
If he could have expanded on his column, I would have pointed out that SPD’s sworn community policing officers help to prevent crime AND that counselors can be used in place of some 9-1-1 responses. It’s complex. All the more reason that policymakers should avoid slogans in the first place.
The federal judge overseeing the police reform consent decree said recently, “The city, the mayor and other elected officials from the City Council need to be constructive, not destructive, to progress. I have seen too much of knee-jerk reaction and not enough forethought. We have to be religious in continuing to reduce bias and disparity, at the same time we need to recognize … there is an essential requirement for public safety.”
The new monitor, Dr. Antonio Oftelie of Harvard, told the court that the department has lost more than 300 officers since 2019, and has been able to replace fewer than 100 of them. The personnel shortage has, for now, essentially ended community policing in the city and sent response times “skyrocketing.” “Much of the training, technology, and review systems implemented under the consent decree cannot be sustained without necessary budget and personnel,” he said, describing SPD as being at an “inflection point.” He continued: “The actions and investments of the city will either tip the department into a deepening crisis, or will lead the department into a future in which it can sustain compliance and build trust in constitutional policing.”
Source: SPD memo to City Council Central Staff, July 23, 2021
Crime Report Statistics
Here are the latest crime report stats from SPD’s official dashboard for the North Precinct (40% of the city, which is north of the ship canal and includes three of the nine Council Districts, including our District 4). These are offense reports taken by a sworn officer or approved by an officer after receiving it online or by phone.
Crime Dashboard from SPD: https://www.seattle.gov/police/information-and-data/crime-dashboard (Note: 2021 in the dashboard includes just the first 7 months of this year. For a rough projection of the entire year of 2021, one could divide the 2021 figures by 7 months and then multiply them by 12.)
Here’s a table that compares crimes reported during the first two quarters of each of the past 3 years:
New Crime Prevention Coordinator approved by Finance Committee
I’m pleased to report that the City Council Finance Committee approved my proposal to add another Crime Prevention Coordinator position to the North Precinct. There were many reasons why my team and I pushed for this additional position: (1) I wanted to be responsive to the many residents and small businesses who suffered the absence of the crime prevention position while it sat vacant for months creating a backlog; (2) at 40% of the City’s geographic area, the North Precinct is more than double the size of any of the other 4 police precincts in the city and is home to 3 Councilmembers; (3) that position shows residents and small businesses practical ways to prevent crime; and (4) they can alert SPD about emerging crime trends that might not be immediately apparent from other data.
Councilmembers Gonzalez, Herbold, and Lewis voted yes while Chair Mosqueda (preferring to consider it during the regular Fall budget process instead), voted No.
Over $70 Million of the $100 Million Commitment to BIPOC Communities Proceeding
Protests demanding racial justice and community-led solutions, especially in Black communities, spread across the United States and internationally after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.
Mayor Durkan committed to investing $100 million focused on Black, Indigenous, and communities of color to address the systemic harms caused by racist policies and generations of disinvestment and to produce more positive outcomes with programs that prevent harm. The Council allocated additional funding toward various efforts.
The City is providing more than build capacity for 33 organizations working toward community-led solutions to end violence and increase safety in (BIPOC) communities. These investments will support organizations providing an array of programs, services, and upstream investments meant to improve outcomes and contribute to overall community safety and wellbeing.
Last year, the Human Services Department moved quickly to award $4 million to the Seattle Community Safety Initiative, which is building community safety hubs and wraparound services in three Seattle neighborhoods under the leadership of Community Passageways.
We also await the remaining $30 million through a community-led participatory budgeting process for 2022.
Addressing Gun Violence: $2 Million More for Regional Peacekeepers Collective
Building on recent investments to improve community-led safety and Citywide efforts to reimagine public safety, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan recently announced the City of Seattle will invest $2 million in the King County Regional Peacekeepers Collective pilot program to address the steep rise in gun violence using a public health approach. The City’s investment builds capacity with increased staff and comprehensive support systems for young people at risk of gun violence and their families.
“We know that violence is the result of many failed systems and societal disparities. And because, in many instances, the government for decades shirked responsibility, we are called on at this moment to invest in resources to right the wrongs created by those failed systems,” said Mayor Durkan. “There is no magic wand that will erase violence from the community; however, we know we need a range of solutions as with most complex regional issues. That’s why this investment in the Regional Peacekeepers Collective is so important.”
By investing $2 million over two years, the Regional Peacekeepers Collective will have the necessary funding to add restorative services such as family support specialists, youth and family support services, comprehensive training, and technical assistance. These critical supports will allow the Regional Peacekeepers Collective to deliver the wraparound case management and family-centered engagement that can help disrupt the cycle of gun violence and put them on a path to health and wellbeing. Approximately 200 young people and their families are expected to be supported over the next two years.
“The City of Seattle’s investments in community-led safety efforts to help address the rise in gun violence is critically important,” said Fred Rivara, MD, professor of Pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine. Dr. Rivera is also director of the Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, a cutting-edge program I helped to fund when I was a Legislative Aide to former Council President Tim Burgess.
“Even with diminished resources, SPD officers have been exhaustively working each and every incident of gun violence,” said Chief Adrian Diaz of the Seattle Police Department. “We have been conducting investigations during which we recovered over 50 guns in 19 different search warrants just a few weeks ago. We are on pace to recover another 1,000 guns this year alone. We need to make sure these guns aren’t in the hands of people who want to harm our community. It’s true, we need to work together to fight this violence. We cannot accept this as a norm for Seattle.”
Triage Response to Provide Alternative to Police Response for Non-Emergencies
Building from the City’s work to reimagine policing and community safety, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced a proposal to create a new specialized triage response that will provide an alternative model for some non-criminal 9-1-1 calls and reduce the need for a sworn officer response for some calls. The specialized responses will include professionals that are experts in outreach, behavioral health, and have tangible connections to the communities that they will serve. When at full capacity, this specialized response could respond to the potentially 8,000 – 14,000 non-emergency wellness checks currently handled by sworn officers from our Seattle Police Department.
“Seattle residents expect and deserve a timely 9-1-1 response, and part of reimagining community safety means providing meaningful and effective alternatives to a sworn officer. Building off of the success of the Seattle Fire Department’s Health One model, the new specialized triage response will provide an alternative response to some 9-1-1 calls,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan.
COVID
As Mayor Durkan put it last week, our work to save lives doesn’t happen by accident – it happens by the choices we make. The choices we are making are saving lives. Seattle has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country with approximately 82.5% of residents 12+ who have at least one dose.
We are watching cautiously however as the Delta variant is one of the most dangerous mutations yet, and there are so many in our City and community under the age of 12 who cannot be vaccinated.
We know what works to protect ourselves against this virus: vaccines, masks, testing, and distancing. Vaccines are widely available across Seattle and King County. You can visit visit one of our rapid, accessible, and free testing sites, which are still crucial for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
MORE for District 4
Seattle Preschool Program Open for Applications
overwhelmingly approved by Seattle voters in 2014. It is heartening to know that thousands of children are receiving the lifelong benefits that high-quality preschool can deliver. There is a lot of talk about the need for equitable, upstream programs proven to benefit young people so they have positive life outcomes — SPP has been one of the shining examples for years.
Seattle Reads “The Vanishing Half”
On August 9 the Council received a ‘Seattle Reads’ program for 2021. This year, Seattle Public Libraries are featuring a work of fiction entitled “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett.
As many of you know, “Seattle Reads” is our city-wide book group, where people are encouraged to read and discuss the same book as a way of building connections across communities. This year I was especially impressed with SPL’s community partnerships to engage artists, writers, and partners such as Black Heritage Society.
I encourage readers to check out these incredible organizations and attend one of the interesting events the Seattle Public Library has planned associated with this book.
The Seattle Public Library has reopened 23 of 27 libraries. Open hours are currently limited; however, thanks to financial support from the federal government, the Library is restoring staffing systemwide for more open hours this fall.
The branches in District 4 currently open are:
Fremont Branch (731 N. 35th St.), Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays
Northeast Branch (6801 35th Ave. NE), Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; noon to 6 p.m. Sundays
University Branch (5009 Roosevelt Way NE), Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays; noon to 6 p.m. Sundays
Listening: Even though City Council is not currently holding meetings in person in order to follow public health guidelines, you can still follow along by listening on your computer or phone by CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on your phone by calling 253-215-8782.
Please remember to add “For City Council Meeting” in the comments. Now you can also phone into the meeting to speak directly to the Council live. For the instructions on how to register and call in, CLICK HERE. Sign up begins two hours prior to the meeting start time.
Virtual Meetings with Your Councilmember Pedersen
alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
CLICKING HERE.
We are getting through this together, Seattle!
With gratitude,
Councilmember Alex Pedersen
Seattle City Council, District 4
As the summer advances, we continue to emerge from the pandemic together. Despite all the struggles, it’s great to see some smiles again. Please read on for bridges, tree infrastructure, tiny homes, murals and more in District 4! Thank you.
IN DISTRICT 4
Future of U District Brightens
Councilmember Pedersen joined volunteers earlier this month to paint festive murals on buildings along The Ave in the heart of our University District. Thank you, University District Partnership, for brightening the neighborhood.
Tiny Homes for Rosie’s Village Almost Done!
Councilmember Pedersen recently visited one of the factories where the tiny homes for the forthcoming U District Tiny Home Village (Rosie’s) are being constructed. While the site at Roosevelt Way NE and NE 45th Street is disturbingly bare, that’s because the tiny homes are built more quickly off site. In fact, they are almost all done!
In the photo above, Councilmember Pedersen stands with Barb, the professional and inspirational leader of the dedicated volunteers who have increased their pace of tiny home construction. Now the bottleneck is finding the land to site new Tiny Homes. This makes the creation of the Regional Homelessness Authority even more important as they work with cities throughout the region to consider how best to do their fair share to house people experiencing homelessness as we emerge from the pandemic.
The roadblocks facing my office to finalize just this one Tiny Home Village and the hurdles faced by the Chair of our Homelessness Committee (Andrew Lewis) to stand up several more villages inspired us to push for a new position to achieve faster implementation. Often a project is stuck because two different government agencies are arguing about esoteric minutiae — while people are struggling unsheltered on the streets. This position would use their oversight role to improve communications and break logjams. As stated in our proposal to the City Council’s Finance Committee, the new “Homelessness Response Project Analyst” would track and oversee the progress of local and regional government agencies as well as contracted nonprofit partners in standing up City‐funded emergency shelter assets. The new staff member would report directly to the Chair of the Select Committee on Homelessness Strategies and Investments and make their analysis available to all members of said committee. Responsibilities include maintaining up‐to‐date progress reports on all City‐funded emergency shelter assets, mapping hurdles and solutions to project completion, and fostering intergovernmental relations for completing and operating projects in an effective manner.
If you agree we need this extra push, write to the City Council at Council@seattle.gov and tell the Finance & Housing Committee: Please fund the Homelessness Response Project Analyst so we can house people faster. Support the amendment by Councilmembers Lewis and Pedersen.
In the meantime, we are thankful to Sound Transit for granting the City access to this site in the U District for at least the next couple of years. And many thanks to Lowe’s Home Improvement for supporting the Tiny Home “factory” in SODO and to the nonprofit Low-Income Housing Institute for leading the effort to pull everything together, which will include professional case management to empower the residents to transition eventually to permanent housing.
Traffic Revisions and Pedestrian Places on The Ave
Photo from U District Partnership
Visit University Way (“The Ave”) between NE 42nd and 43rd Streets for some wonderful summer outdoor dining! This stretch of The Ave will be open to pedestrians and diners, but temporarily closed to northbound vehicles until September. You’ll also notice changes on NE 43rd to accommodate buses, bikes, and pedestrians as a gateway to The Ave and to UW from the new light rail station (opening Oct 2) at Brooklyn Avenue.
Your D4 Team “Finding and Fixing” in the neighborhoods
Look at your District 4 team showing how much they care about our district by being out in the neighborhoods fixing problems with the Find It, Fix it App! But they can’t be in all 20 District 4 neighborhoods at once — and the power is already in your hands with your smart phone. If you see anything that needs fixing, take a photo on your phone and send it to your city government using the app today. The app routes the problem to the right department and puts it in line to get it fixed. Graffiti, broken street signs, trash, potholes; you name it, the app can get it fixed.
For the free app, CLICK HERE. If a problem is not fixed soon enough, email it to us at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.govMontlake Bridge Repairs, Closures, and Detours in August
It’s time for our Washington State Department of Transportation to repair the deck of the Montlake Bridge. I’m thankful that our State government is focused on repairing State-owned bridges and I have been urging for over a year our own Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to do more to care for our City-owned bridges that are aging and suffering from neglect, as noted by the bridge audit I obtained last year. Repair, though, often means temporary closures and, in the case of the Montlake Bridge, WSDOT needs to close the bridge for a full month, from around August 9 to September 3. Pedestrians will still be able to cross the bridge, and boat traffic will be able to pass through. Transit has come roaring back as we emerge from the pandemic. Our District, of course, already benefits from the light rail station at Husky Stadium. Buses will have alternate routes; please use King County Metro’s trip planner (CLICK HERE) and service advisory webpage (CLICK HERE). For more on the State bridge repair project, including maps of vehicle detours, CLICK HERE.
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE
Still Pushing to Protect our Infrastructure
In extreme heat, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) uses water to cool off our steel bridges. Here is a flusher truck performing the job in Summer 2020. (Photo from SDOT.)
As you know, I’ve been calling on City Hall to prioritize bridge safety, after I ordered an independent audit of all City-owned bridges early last year. Due to the continuing deterioration of our bridges while some City government leaders prioritize other projects, I will be unable to support our next City budget (to be adopted this Fall for 2022) — unless it increases funding for the safety and sustainability of our aging bridges. With our city’s geography defined by waterways and ravines, bridges connect us and are vital for all modes of travel and for our economic recovery. Right now the Mayor’s Office is crafting their budget proposal which she will deliver on September 24. I am hopeful her budget proposal will have additional funding for bridges, so we can avoid any more emergency bridge closures.
Fairview Avenue Bridge Reopening!
Rendering of the Belvedere viewpoint. (Source: SDOT.)
Here’s a bridge project we can all celebrate! This weekend we will finally re-open the Fairview Ave N Bridge! The rebuilt bridge will finally re-open to vehicles on Sunday, July 25 and SDOT is inviting folks to celebrate by walking or biking across the bridge on Saturday, July 24. The Fairview Ave Bridge is a vital North-South arterial connecting Eastlake (and neighborhoods north) to thousands of jobs provided by many Seattle-based employers in South Lake Union and our downtown core. CLICK HERE to read information from SDOT about this project, and CLICK HERE for a Seattle Times article.
Join the Seattle Freight Advisory Board!
Photo source: Port of Seattle
Recruitment for the Seattle Freight Board is underway. They are seeking new members interested in the efficient movement of goods to help make decisions on topics such as competing demands for streets and curb space, freight capacity, and air pollution. Consider applying if you represent a business, organization, or agency that is involved in the transport of goods or depends on efficient movement of goods in Seattle. The Freight Board is looking for representatives of various modes, types of freight, and areas of the city. They encourage Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; people with disabilities; bicultural and bilingual candidates; youth and seniors, and LGBTQ candidates to apply. You can read more on the SDOT blog (CLICK HERE) and CLICK HERE to apply!
For optimal results, I believe we need better coordination and integration when planning and funding the various modes of mobility so that, together, we consider transportation solutions holistically rather than divided into separate competing silos such as bikes, freight, cars, pedestrians, and transit. A holistic approach is especially important as Seattle considers the results of the Move Seattle property tax levy for transportation projects and what is needed to earn the confidence to renew that source of funding when it expires in 2024.
If you are interested in joining a transportation advisory board, but are not interested in working on freight movement, stay tuned for opportunities for other transportation-focused advisory boards.
Interested in serving on Seattle’s Community Surveillance Working Group?
The seven-member Surveillance Working Group advises the Seattle City Council and Executive on matters of surveillance technology from a community perspective. There is currently an opening for a Community representative, a City Council approved position for a three-year term. Per the Seattle’s Surveillance Ordinance, at least five members of the Working Group shall represent equity-focused organizations serving or protecting the rights of communities and groups historically subject to disproportionate surveillance, including Seattle’s diverse communities of color, immigrant communities, religious minorities, and groups concerned with privacy and protest.
If you are interested in serving on the Surveillance Working Group, please submit your application and a copy of your latest resume online. Under “Which Boards would you like to apply for?” select Community Surveillance Working Group. Thank you for your interest in this position!
Success Taming Utility Bills
When I ran for office, I pledged to focus on a back-to-basics, fiscal responsibility issue that few in the political arena focused on because it lacked razzle dazzle: utilities. But as we focus on “affordability,” we know utility bills are a big portion of our family budgets and business expenses. Utility bills are also regressive, because lower income households pay a much higher percentage of their income on utilities than do higher income households. A key focus as I chair our Transportation & Utilities Committee is to ensure our large, city-owned utilities are managing their budgets to provide relief to everyone’s utility bills. Thanks in large part to the hard work of the General Managers of Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light, we are succeeding.
This past week Seattle Public Utilities announced more good news: SPU is again LOWERING their rate increases for the next few years. Under the previous strategic plan, SPU estimated that customers would see an average annual rate increase of 5.2%. With our persistent focus on affordability, however, SPU was able to lower that to 4.2% with a new strategic plan. Now we are able to soften rates further to an average annual increase of only 3.9% — much closer to the rate of inflation. For the Seattle Public Utilities presentation at our committee with these and many more details, CLICK HERE.
Similarly, Seattle City Light average annual electric bill increases proposed for the next few years have been reduced from 4.5% to 3.5%. For the City Light presentation at our Committee, CLICK HERE. From City Light’s presentation, here is a comparison of prior and current strategic plans’ rate increases.
Safer Walks: Winning a Pedestrian Safety Grant for Aurora Ave
Photo source: SDOT.
Washington State has awarded SDOT a $1.5 million grant to conduct a planning and design study for the Aurora Ave N corridor! SDOT has already dedicated $500,000 to study this corridor and design safety upgrades. Planning work will begin in 2022 and will align with the Aurora Reimagined Coalitions community-driven visioning process.
We know we have much more work to do to meet Seattle’s Vision Zero safety goals. While crashes in 2020 decreased compared to 2019, the reduction in fatalities was disturbingly minimal, considering the decrease in vehicles on the road and SDOT’s ongoing work to improve traffic safety. Thank you to SDOT Director Zimbabwe and his team for joining us earlier this month to share more about this effort. Data show we should focus on making Aurora Ave N (State Route 99) and Rainier Ave S safer. CLICK HERE to review the presentation.
Take SDOT’s Street Cafes Survey
Due to the COVID pandemic, outdoor seating for restaurants and bars was provided special consideration, including reduced fees and allowance to occupy more right-of-way space. More than 200 businesses used the program and they and many customers liked the results so much they asked the Council to extend the program. The Council did so, extending it through May 2022.
Now the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is conducting a survey “to find out how the Safe Start permits worked for them and gather ideas as we consider how we might improve our programs for the future.” SDOT will use the results to update its guidance for businesses. If you want to take the survey, CLICK HERE; the survey is open until August 15, 2021. For more background and information from SDOT CLICK HERE.
Internet for All and Winning a Trailblazer Award!
The City of Seattle’s Information Technology department, utilizing the Internet for All plan and Resolution, which I sponsored and the Council passed, earned a Digital Inclusion Trailblazer designation from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA).
While our high-tech city needs to do much more to address the digital divide, this Digital Inclusion Trailblazer designation recognizes our important recent efforts — including our Internet for All action plan. Our Internet for All initiative launched last summer spurred additional short-term and long-term efforts to connect low-income residents to affordable and reliable internet so they have access to jobs, education, medical services, and other vital needs. This national recognition confirms Seattle is on the right track and encourages us to achieve greater results from our digital equity network.
Wildfire Smoke: The recent extreme heat wave reinforced the need for “cooling centers.” We had our Parks Department open a cooling center in Magnuson Park (Building 406) because the community center is getting ready for a renovation. Wildfire smoke from Canada requires similar preparations.
For an article on how to prepare, CLICK HERE. For an article on how to protect pets, CLICK HERE.
Preserving Trees:
The record-breaking heat wave that scorched Seattle not only reinforced the health and environmental benefits of our urban tree canopies, but also laid bare the climate change disparities that lower income households suffer when our city government continues to approve the removal of more trees.
Even if you’re not a “tree hugger,” the extensive benefits of trees are compelling. Trees capture harmful carbon and provide cooling shade as temperatures rise with climate change. During the rainy season, Seattle’s trees absorb polluted runoff to protect Puget Sound and Lake Washington. Trees deliver public health and mental health benefits.
For years, we have waited for city government departments to establish stronger laws to protect Seattle’s large trees. While we wait, city government continues to allow real estate developers to dismantle the environmental infrastructure of our urban forest. If we want to equitably retain the health and environmental benefits of trees and keep calling ourselves “The Emerald City” within the “Evergreen State,” we must quickly perform three tasks.
First, we need our Seattle Department of Construction and Inspection (a City department under the direction of the Mayor) to stop approving the removal of exceptional trees until the Durkan Administration finishes the overdue stronger tree ordinance for the Council to consider. Many have called for a brief moratorium on the removal of Seattle’s exceptional trees to spur the finalization of a stronger Director’s Rule and tree protection ordinance.
Second, we need to make sure the new law passed by Council actually protects trees without loopholes. The last time an ordinance was proposed, it would have made things worse by accelerating the loss of tree canopy.
And third, we need a more appropriate local agency to protect Seattle’s trees. It’s too difficult for SDCI because that department is funded by fees from real estate developers, many who believe they can make more money by removing trees — even though trees can actually increase property values and reduce cooling expenses.
The scientific evidence is strong: the more trees, the more resilient we are to climate change, including extreme heat. Trees are vital environmental infrastructure, not just amenities. After years of delay, City Hall must quickly implement stronger tree protection laws to retain our disappearing urban forest, to support the health of our residents, and protect our low income and frontline communities. Let’s save Seattle’s trees before it’s too late.
If you agree City Hall needs to do more to protect our exceptional trees, let the Mayor and the head of SDCI know:
Learn more about crime prevention and register your block for the annual “National Night Out” neighborhood connections by CLICKING HERE. If you’re hosting one in District 4 and would like our office to visit, please email us at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
City Council Meetings on the Internet
Listening: Even though City Council is not currently holding meetings in person in order to follow public health guidelines, you can still follow along by listening on your computer or phone by CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on your phone by calling 253-215-8782.
Commenting: You can also submit public comment by sending an e-mail to me at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov or to all 9 Councilmembers at council@seattle.gov. Please remember to add “For City Council Meeting” in the comments. Now you can also phone into the meeting to speak directly to the Council live. For the instructions on how to register and call in, CLICK HERE. Sign up begins two hours prior to the meeting start time.
Virtual Meetings with Your Councilmember Pedersen
I continue to schedule virtual in-district office hours, so we can chat by telephone or via Skype. Please continue to sign up through my website or by CLICKING HERE so I can hear your ideas, concerns, and requests. You can also just send an e-mail to alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
For previous e-newsletters, visit my blog by CLICKING HERE.
This month’s newsletter features a Seattle milestone to conquer COVID; financial relief for those who need it the most; updates on public safety; news from my Committee on Transportation, Utilities, and Technology; the re-opening of libraries, farmers markets, and small businesses in District 4; and more!
Hot temperatures are expected this weekend. For ways to stay cool, CLICK HERE and HERE for advice from the City and Public Health and CLICK HERE for advice from the Seattle Times.
Before diving into our June newsletter, here’s some background on last week’s Juneteenth holiday. With a bill recently signed into law by President Joe Biden, June 19 is finally enshrined as a national day to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. For photos of last week’s local events that carried on the Juneteenth tradition here in Seattle, CLICK HERE. To get a head start on next year’s celebrations, check out the extensive activities featured by the South Seattle Emerald (CLICK HERE). For Christine Emba’s thought-provoking Op Ed with context for the holiday, CLICK HERE. On June 19, I visited the Northwest African American Museum / Jimi Hendrix Park in the Central District and heard inspirational stories from several owners of microbusinesses including Kayla and Mawande, creators of K+M Homemade Skincare.
DISTRICT 4
We Did It! Seattle #1 in Nation for Conquering COVID With Over 70% Fully Vaccinated
Seattle Firefighters show me their vaccine pop-up clinic on June 2 at Santos Place in Magnuson Park. In addition to coordinating with King County Public Health to provide vaccinations to vulnerable residents at retirement homes and other housing for seniors, our city government, led by our Firefighters/emergency medical technicians, has sponsored pop-up clinics in several neighborhoods such as Magnuson Park, the University District, and Wallingford. (Please see our COVID section of this newsletter for more info.)
Now hiring for summer jobs at Seattle Parks and Recreation
Our District 4 is blessed with many parks including Gas Works Park, Maple Leaf Reservoir Park, Magnuson Park, and Ravenna Park. As Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) gears up for summer, we’re planning to open some outdoor programs at beaches, sprayparks, wading pools, and day camps. One of the biggest barriers to opening sites, however, is insufficient staffing. SPR needs lifeguards, camp counselors, recreation attendants, parks maintenance laborers, and more. People interested in summer employment are encouraged to apply for available positions, and to pass this information on to family and friends too.
To see all current available SPR jobs, CLICK HERE.
Access to parks and open spaces is essential for our physical and mental health and so parks are going to be very busy this summer. Read more abut SPR’s reopening activities by CLICKING HERE.
University District Library Reopened June 24
Our public library in the University District on Roosevelt Way NE and NE 50th Street has re-opened! While the partial reopening for in-building use is just for Thursdays and Sundays, call the University Branch for the latest details at 206-684-4063. Additional library branches will reopen after June 30. Due to state restrictions, Seattle Public Libraries (SPL) will operate at 50 percent capacity, and services will be limited to holds pick‐up, browsing parts of the collection, basic information service, seating, and technology access (personal computers, Wi‐Fi, rapid charging, and printing/copying/scanning). For the curbside pick-up times at the Northeast Branch on 35th Ave NE (currently Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday), call 206-684-7539. To learn more about SPL’s reopening, CLICK HERE. For the locations and hours of all library branches, CLICK HERE.
Congratulations to Roosevelt High School’s Jazz Band for earning 7 awards at this year’s 26th annual Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival
The Essentially Ellington Festival celebrates the music of Duke Ellington and other classic jazz composers and has been open to bands west of the Mississippi for decades. Roosevelt High’s Jazz Band has made the finals 21 out of the last 23 years and has won the competition four times! You can hear the award-winning Roosevelt High Jazz Band at THIS LINK or you can see the band live this coming December for their annual Jazz Nutcracker performances. For more info, CLICK HERE.
Wallingford Farmers Market Reopened June 9
Councilmember Pedersen showing up to the first Wallingford Farmers Market of 2021. Meridian Playground behind the historic Good Shepherd Center was popping with passels of people and fantastic fresh foods. To be fair to the other flavors, he can neither confirm nor deny his endorsement of the “Zesty Lime” popsicle.
The Wallingford Farmers Market re-opened June 9, 2021 with a flood of energized neighbors and will stay open every Wednesday evening from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. through the end of September. This is in addition to the University District Farmers Market which is year-round (every Saturday morning). CLICK HERE to read more on Wallyhood and HERE to sign up for the Wallyhood newsletter. They recently asked me some questions about affordable housing and homelessness and you can read my answers HERE.
Tiny Home Village Still Coming Soon in U District/Sound Transit Survey for Future
We still plan to open a new Tiny Home Village called “Rosie’s” in the University District this summer at Roosevelt Way NE and NE 45th Street. Originally, we had hoped the Sound Transit agency, our city government departments, and the nonprofit Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) could quickly open the new Tiny Home Village in early July, but the opening date is moved to August. We think it was prudent to set an ambitious schedule for opening it with the knowledge it might hit some delays, rather than setting a far-away deadline. My office will continue to work with all parties to provide this vital non-congregate shelter and case management as soon as we can. To join the effort, contact LIHI at tinyhouses@lihi.org to: (1) donate tiny house building materials, (2) donate supplies or meals to a village, (3) volunteer with your specific skillset and interests.
After the Tiny Home Village, Sound Transit will develop the site (18,000 square feet) and they want to hear from YOU and your ideas! You can take their 10-question survey by CLICKING HERE. Then scroll down and click on “Please take our survey by July 5th.” The survey is available in several languages. (Sound Transit is also mailing a postcard to neighbors in the area to seek feedback about the future of this site.) Note: Sound Transit is simply looking ahead and asking for input on what kinds of “transit-oriented development” to construct at this site around the Year 2024; in other words the Tiny Home Village will be at this location first.
15th Avenue NE Construction Updates
Work on the 15th Ave NE paving project continues and there will be a few upcoming traffic impacts:
June 25-28 and July 9-12, eastbound and westbound traffic at 15th Ave NE and NE 75th and 80th Streets will be restricted. Detours will be in place for people walking, biking, rolling, and driving.
Temporary detours will be in place in the coming weeks around 15th Ave NE and NE Ravenna Blvd.
Detours will be in place in the coming weeks on the west side of 15th Ave NE between NE 62nd and 63rd
SDOT is hosting monthly virtual office hours on the fourth Thursday of each month between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. For more information, CLICK HERE.
ICYMI: Watch the Recording of our District 4 Town Hall
In case you missed our District 4 Town Hall on May 11, you may view it by CLICKING HERE. Professional staff from our Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) generously joined the conversation to share how the City addresses encampments and homelessness outreach. Thank you, HSD, for working hard on the constantly shifting direction and policy you are receiving from City Hall and the transition of many elements to the new Regional Homelessness Authority so we can finally apply regional solutions to this regional problem. I also answered several questions from constituents regarding transportation, public safety, and land use issues.
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE
Internet Access Financial Help
One of the benefits of chairing a Committee that contains the departments focusing on infrastructure is the opportunity to cross-pollinate positive programs. For example, Seattle City Light generously agreed to include this informational insert to all SCL ratepayers about a federal program that helps our Seattle IT Department implement Internet for All: the Emergency Broadband Benefit.
Scam Alert: Beware Scammers Posing as Seattle City Light Seeking Financial Info
Be aware of scams by those posing as Seattle City Light. Please know that City Light will never call you to pay your bill “immediately” over the phone, by email, or in person at your door. There have been some calls like this, so please do not give your personal or financial information to phone callers. For information on the recent spate of scam calls, you can CLICK HERE.
Seattle Department of Transportation Presentation on Vision Zero
Councilmember Pedersen visiting a Seattle Department of Transportation crew installing pedestrian safety improvements earlier in June as part of citywide goals to reduce fatalities and major injuries from traffic collisions.
We know we have much more work to do to meet Seattle’s “Vision Zero” safety goals. While crashes in 2020 decreased compared to 2019, the reduction in fatalities was disturbingly minimal, considering the decrease in vehicles on the road and SDOT’s ongoing work to improve traffic safety. Thank you to SDOT Director Zimbabwe and his team for joining us earlier this month to share more about this effort. In particular, the data show we should focus on making Aurora Ave N (State Route 99) and Rainier Ave S safer. CLICK HERE to review the presentation.
The CEO of Sound Transit and his team generously presented to our Committee on what they call their re-alignment” process for their new transit projects. The Sound Transit Board has 18 members and, while only two are from our city government, our Mayor and Councilmember Debora Juarez are strong and tireless advocates for Seattle and the region.
I share the stance of many in Seattle that the Sound Transit Board should delay any drastic decisions on realignment until the rapidly changing revenues and costs become more clear. Our City Council and its residents and businesses are big supporters of transit, as evidenced most recently by our renewal of the Seattle Transportation Benefit District last year despite the economic recession. We are also excited about the opening this October of three new light rail stations in Northeast Seattle funded by the Sound Transit 2 measure approved by voters in 2008. The ambitious next step is implementation of the Sound Transit 3 expansion, approved by the region’s voters in 2016. Seattle voters were instrumental in making possible the funding for Sound Transit 3 and so we want to make sure it delivers on its promises for Seattle. This includes light rail stations to West Seattle which will impact the Port of Seattle, stations to Ballard which will impact South Lake Union and Seattle Center, additional stations for South Seattle (S Graham Street) and Northeast Seattle (NE 130th Street), and connections important to the entire region in the International District.
I plan to invite Sound Transit to return to our committee later this year to update us on the complex Environmental Impact Statement process. The EIS is an appropriate platform to raise other issues important to us such as the need for thoughtful input from neighbors and other stakeholders to ensure excellent access to stations and integration in our communities. Let’s deliver a positive experience for transit riders as we encourage more people to move from gasoline-fueled cars to carbon-friendly transit as much as possible to meet our ambitious goals to address the crisis of climate change.
To see Sound Transit’s June 16 presentation, CLICK HERE.
Northgate Pedestrian/Bike Bridge Installed
This gleaming new pedestrian/bike bridge connects the neighborhoods of North Seattle College to the vital Northgate Transit Station on the eastern side of I-5. The new light rail station opens here (and in Roosevelt and in the U District) October 2. This new bridge is in District 5, represented by Debora Juárez, who worked with many bridge supporters to help secure the funding for this vital connection. Councilmember Juárez has expressed enthusiasm for naming the new bridge after national civil rights leader and longtime member of Congress John Lewis who recently passed away. A defining moment of the legendary “Conscience of Congress” is Lewis’s historic crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965 when State troopers violently attacked Lewis and other marchers. John Lewis’s 2017 book “Across that Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America” is an inspiration to a new generation of leaders. To listen to a clip, CLICK HERE.
Ship Canal Water Quality Project: Making Progress on Time and on Budget
Both Wallyhood and my Committee provided an update on this massive public works environmental endeavor: the Ship Canal Water Quality Project stretching from Wallingford to Ballard. For the link to the June 11, 2021 Wallyhood article, CLICK HERE. For the June 16, 2021 presentation to my Transportation & Utilities Committee, CLICK HERE. For details about this mega project on my blog, CLICK HERE.
Two New Light Rail Stations and Bus Service Changes, October 2021
We previously announced the changes King County Metro will be making to bus routes in Northeast Seattle October 2021 with the opening of the two light rail stations (University District on Brooklyn Ave and Roosevelt on NE 65th Street). To assist other transit riders in Northeast Seattle, we have upgraded our blog post with user-friendly information for transit riders including easier access to info on each bus route: CLICK HERE.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Honoring Our City Government Colleague Lexi Harris
On June 13, 2021, our fellow city government colleague Officer Alexandra B Harris was driving home after finishing her shift when she came upon a multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 5, near South Forest Street.
Committed to the City of Seattle’s values of community caretaking, Officer Harris pulled over to check on the people involved in the collision. While outside her vehicle, another passing motorist struck and killed her.
Officer Harris—known as Lexi by her friends and colleagues— grew up in North Seattle and came from a family dedicated to public service in Washington State. Lexi leaves behind a tight-knit family, including her fiancé and his daughters.
“Officer Harris embodied everything the Seattle Police Department is working to become,” said Chief Adrian Diaz. “Her dedication to the people of this city is an example to every member of our department, and all those who will come after her.”
Hiring a Crime Prevention Coordinator for our North Precinct – Finally!
After continually advocating for this crime prevention position to be filled again, SPD finally posted the job announcement! If you are interested or know someone who might be interested in serving our North Precinct as a Crime Prevention Coordinator, CLICK HERE.
The North Precinct is the largest of all 5 police precincts in Seattle and needs at least this one position to assist residents and small business with crime prevention and personal safety tips. According to the job posting, the position “closes” for applicants June 29, so that SPD can get someone into the job as soon as possible. I attended the presentation by the Crime Prevention Coordinator at the Eastlake Community Council June 16 and it was very informative. (Eastlake is part of the “West Precinct” which includes downtown Seattle.)
CB 119981 Did Not Pass
I had previously shared my concerns with Council Bill 119981 and, thankfully, it failed by a vote of 3 to 6. I appreciate the hard work of the sponsors in trying to craft a compromise, but I believe it was not appropriate to cut more from our first responders at this time (as I explain below). Councilmembers who voted against the bill had various reasons for voting NO, as explained in an article by SCC Insight: CLICK HERE. Here are my reasons:
“I’ve worked hard to be clear and consistent for my constituents: at this time, I cannot support additional cuts to public safety until effective alternatives are in place. This Council Bill is complex but, at the end of the day, it continues to reduce resources from our police department at a time when we are seeing record-breaking attrition of officers, so I will be voting No. I believe it’s premature to label the loss of police officers through attrition as budgetary “savings” that can be immediately scooped away and spent elsewhere. The record-breaking attrition of officers is alarming and response times to priority 911 calls are too long. By the end of the year, I want to be sure the department has the funds it needs to hire more crime prevention officers, to retain good officers, to ramp up recruitment of diverse and progressive officers, to implement the federal consent decree and heed the warnings of the federal judge and his monitor, to increase training, and to return experienced officers to their community policing work instead of working overtime on patrol. Yes, let’s lift the budget provisos to free up some of the dollars, but not by cutting more with the other hand.
“While I believe the intentions of the sponsors of the bill were positive, this bill has become a distraction since its conception six months ago. Despite the hard work of the Committee Chair to craft a compromise and the well-intentioned amendments, I believe this bill not only sends an unproductive and negative message to the remaining city government workers in the public safety field who are already stretched thin, but also steals time and attention away from the most impactful task at hand for justice and reform — and that’s revamping the inflexible and expensive contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild.
Let’s get back to supporting the work of our Labor Relations Policy Committee (LPRC), so they can revise the police contract in a way that is positive for the community, for the officers, for the budget, and for sustainable and systemic justice. Thank you.”
CONQUERING COVID AND
BUILDING BACK BETTER
The “Seattle Rescue Plan” Includes Investments for Addressing Homelessness, Small Business Recovery, and Internet for All
On Monday, I was happy to vote in favor of our “Seattle Rescue Plan” to invest another batch of relief and recovery funds from our federal government — in this case, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). I want to thank our Mayor Jenny Durkan, Council President Gonzalez, and Budget Chair Mosqueda for collaborating on this package so that we can get the money out the door quickly.
Homelessness: The largest investment in the plan is for the priorities of homelessness and affordable housing– almost $50 million.
Recovery: Our plan dedicates over $23 million to assisting small businesses and community organizations, which have been some of the hardest-hit by the pandemic’s economic impacts.
Internet for All: The pandemic reinforced the need to prioritize bridging the gaps in digital equity for Seattleites, and our plan modestly boosts investments in our Internet for All Action Plan — though we need to do much more for technology in our Fall budget process for 2022.
This “Seattle Rescue Plan” is for the rest of 2021. City Council will be undertaking our usual process for the $1.6 billion General Fund budget 2022 this fall. In addition, we will be receiving another $120 million from the federal government’s ARPA package to appropriate for 2022.
I want to thank Councilmember Morales for inviting a national expert from the Brookings Institution as well as local stakeholders to her Community Economic Development Committee. For their presentations, CLICK HERE. A theme from Brookings was for the city to have a more focused and strategic economic development strategy. Specifically, we need to connect current Seattle residents to the well-paying jobs already here and to concentrate our economic development efforts not on just any business but on those employers and industries with the best potential to grow the number of well-paying jobs. This not only helps those promising local employers by reducing their recruitment costs, but also provides more and better job opportunities to the people who already call Seattle home so they are not displaced.
For my Op Ed on an Inclusive Economic Recovery as published in the Seattle Times, CLICK HERE.
Moratorium on Evictions Extended Again
Announced by the Mayor’s Office June 18, 2021: “As state and county funds for rental assistance are distributed in the coming weeks, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that she is extending the residential and commercial eviction moratoria [from June 30] through September 30, 2021, through Executive Order 2021-06. The order will also modify additional COVID-related relief measures related to utility assistance. This marks the fifth extension of the eviction moratoria as part of the COVID-19 civil emergency since March 14, 2020.“
“…Throughout the pandemic, city-funded rental and housing assistance total approximately $75 million for tenants, landlords, and city-funded affordable housing providers, in addition to State and County resources.”
As the Mayor stated, “While we continue to be in a state of emergency, this three-month extension will ensure we can provide the cash rental assistance and housing support that is critical to stabilizing the community as we reopen.”
For my votes on recent residential landlord-tenant regulations, CLICK HERE.
Seattle First City in U.S. to Achieve 70% Vaccination Goal!
From Mayor’s June 9, 2021 press release:
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan today announced that Seattle is the first major American city to fully vaccinate 70 percent of its residents 12 years-old and older. Seattle has surpassed the City of San Francisco which had been leading the country in vaccinations and the State of Vermont which is leading all states in vaccination rates. Seattle also exceeded Governor Inslee’s goal in vaccinating 70 percent of 16 and older residents and President Biden’s goal in vaccinating 70 percent of adults who are 18 or older….
“When we launched our vaccination effort earlier this year, I said that I wanted to Seattle to become the first major American city to fully vaccinate 70 percent of its residents. Today, I am incredibly proud that we have reached that goal,” said Mayor Durkan….
City and countywide, COVID-19 case rates and COVID-related deaths are falling. Seattle continues to have the lowest cases, hospitalizations, and deaths of every major city. Countywide, an estimated 95 percent of all new cases are in individuals who have not started their vaccine series….
Now that Seattle has reached a level of community protection needed to keep the majority of our residents safe from COVID-19, the City and its partners will begin to launch new efforts to throughout the summer to support Seattle’s reopening and recovery. ..Residents who have not yet completed the vaccination process can still get vaccinated at the Lumen Field Event Center (closes end of day June 12), Rainier Beach Vaccination Hub (closes end of day June 23), and the SODO Testing and Vaccination Site, which will remain in operation well into summer. In addition, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) Mobile Vaccination Teams will continue to host pop-up vaccination clinics in neighborhoods throughout Seattle. Residents can also visit https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov/ to find a provider near them.
For more information, including how to get vaccinated today, visit the City’s vaccination website at www.seattle.gov/vaccine. The site contains vaccination information in seven languages, and in-language assistance is also available over the phone.
City Council will Reconsider Grocery Worker Hazard Pay in July
When City Council passed temporary hazard pay for grocery store workers of an additional $4/hour in January, there were tentative plans for reconsidering the ordinance based on public health indicators in a few months. The original Council Bill stated, “City Council intends to consider modifying or eliminating hazard pay requirements after four or months of implementation and review of the current health, safety, and economic risks of frontline work during the COVID-19 emergency.” I’m pleased to report that the Finance Committee, chaired by Councilmember Mosqueda, followed through and hosted a panel to revisit the ordinance earlier this month.
Based primarily on safety data and the experiences of grocery workers, the committee determined that it is time to consider ending hazard pay. I want to thank the ordinance’s sponsor Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, representatives of the employers (grocery store owners), and the grocery workers union UFCW Local 21 for taking the time to have an in-depth discussion. CLICK HERE to take a look at the presentation from Seattle-King County Public Health.
Councilmember Mosqueda plans to have legislation to sunset hazard pay in the Finance Committee on July 9, 2021.
Regarding the beloved QFC store that the Cincinnati-based Kroger Company decided to close in the Wedgwood neighborhood at 35th Ave NE and NE 85th Street, I continue to encourage grocers to expand to that location.
Unemployment Relief Requirements Return
State officials announced that Washingtonians collecting unemployment benefits will again be required to actively search for work to keep those benefits, starting July 4.
Gov. Jay Inslee had temporarily suspended the job-search requirement last spring.
“With the economy recovering, the job search requirement is going back into effect,” the Employment Security Department (ESD) noted on its unemployment website. “This means you will be required to look for work and document at least three approved job search activities each week in order to remain eligible for unemployment benefits.’”
For ESD’s website, CLICK HERE. For the City of Seattle’s COVID relief programs, CLICK HERE.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
City Council Meetings on the Internet
Listening: Even though City Council is not currently holding meetings in person in order to follow public health guidelines, you can still follow along by listening on your computer or phone by CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on your phone by calling 253-215-8782.
Commenting: You can also submit public comment by sending an e-mail to me at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov or to all 9 Councilmembers at council@seattle.gov. Please remember to add “For City Council Meeting” in the comments. Now you can also phone into the meeting to speak directly to the Council live. For the instructions on how to register and call in, CLICK HERE. Sign up begins two hours prior to the meeting start time.
Virtual Meetings with Your Councilmember Pedersen
I continue to schedule virtual in-district office hours, so we can chat by telephone or via Skype. Please continue to sign up through my website or by CLICKING HERE so I can hear your ideas, concerns, and requests. You can also just send an e-mail to alex.pedersen@seattle.gov. We plan to restart in-person office hours Friday afternoons in September.
For previous e-newsletters, visit my blog by CLICKING HERE.
We are getting through this together, Seattle!
With gratitude,
Councilmember Alex Pedersen
Seattle City Council, District 4
The “North Link Mobility Project” is one of the largest service changes King County Metro has planned to date, helping connect bus service with the three new Light Rail stations coming online this month in the University District, Roosevelt, and Northgate neighborhoods.
In crafting the North Link service change, which will go into effect on October 2, 2021, Metro said they focused on historically underserved populations to help advance equitable mobility outcomes.
The resulting service change reorganizes service to better align with Link light rail, increase East-West Connections, and improve frequency on local and all-day routes.
Several King County Metro bus routes in our City Council District will change with the new Roosevelt (12th Ave NE at NE 66th Street) and University District (Brooklyn Ave at NE 43rd Street) light rail stations. Ultimately, the opening of these new stations will provide quick, frequent service all the way from City Council Districts 4 and 5 to Capitol Hill, Downtown, Sea-Tac airport, and beyond. People will travel to the U District and Roosevelt to explore and shop, which will rejuvenate neighborhoods that lagged during the COVID pandemic and construction-related street closures.
But, to be frank, many of us will need to adjust our travel patterns to the updated Metro bus routes. For some of us accustomed to “one-seat” rides on buses all the way downtown, our new bus route might drop us off at a light rail station to transfer and complete our trip. This will inconvenience some. Overall, I think these light rail stations are huge net benefits. Our region’s population and associated traffic congestion are growing rapidly, so we need our regional transit system to grow with it so we can move the most people in environmentally friendly ways.
The bus system is run by your King County government; not by the City government. To submit feedback, King County Metro’s Customer Information Office comment form is available online, and specialists are available at 206-553-3000 to answer any questions about the service change. Metro wanted us to mention that their Twitter account, @kcmetrobus, is also staffed by a Customer Service team that can assist customers in real time.
See below for specific changes impacting District 4 neighborhoods.
Travel options to Capitol Hill, Downtown, and beyond starting October 2
Bryant
Route 62 will remain the same, providing service between Sand Point, Ravenna, Bryant, Roosevelt, Wallingford, Fremont, South Lake Union, and Downtown Seattle.Route 64 will continue to provide service between Lake City, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Roosevelt, South Lake Union, and Denny Triangle. Route 64 will connect more directly to the heart of South Lake Union and the Denny Triangle neighborhood. There will be new stops at the Roosevelt light rail station. Riders traveling to First Hill can transfer to Route 322 at the Roosevelt station.Route 65/67 will remain the same, providing service between Jackson Park, Lake City, Wedgwood, Bryant, University District, Roosevelt, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.King County Metro will remove Route 71. Alternate routes will be Routes 62 and 64.King County Metro will remove Route 74. Instead, Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District light rail station.Revised Route 75 will connect to Route 45 for one-seat travel through the University of Washington Campus to the University District light rail station.Route 76 will be replaced by upgraded service on Routes 62 and 64 along NE 65th St.King County Metro will remove Route 78. Routes 67 and 75 are alternative connections between Sand Point, University Village, and the University District.Route 372 will extend into the University District to connect to the University District light rail station.
Eastlake
Revised Route 49 and Route 70 will have new stops to connect directly to the University District light rail station.
Fremont and Wallingford
New Route 20 will provide service between Lake City, Northgate, Green Lake, and the University District.King County Metro will replace Route 26 with the new Route 20; upgraded service on Route 62 between Green Lake, Fremont, Wallingford, South Lake Union, and Downtown; and revised Routes 31 and 32 providing service between Queen Anne, Fremont, Wallingford, and the University District Station.Route 31 will have additional stops on NE 45th St, a connection to the University District Station, and additional Sunday service.Route 32 will have additional stops on NE 45th St and a connection to the University District Station.Route 40 will connect to the Northgate light rail station.Route 44 will connect to the University District light rail station.
Green Lake
New Route 20 will provide service between Lake City, Northgate, Green Lake, and the University District.King County Metro will replace Route 26 with the new Route 20; upgraded service on Route 62 between Green Lake, Fremont, Wallingford, South Lake Union, and Downtown; and Revised Route 64X providing service between Lake City, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Roosevelt light rail station, Green Lake Park and Ride, South Lake Union, and Denny Triangle.King County Metro will remove Route 63. Alternatively, Routes 64 and 322 will provide service between Green Lake Park & Ride and South Lake Union and First Hill.Route 76 will be replaced by upgraded service on Routes 62 and 64.
Hawthorne Hills and View Ridge
Route 62 will remain the same, providing service between Sand Point, Ravenna, Bryant, Roosevelt, Wallingford, Fremont, South Lake Union, and Downtown Seattle.Route 64 will continue to provide service between Lake City, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Roosevelt, South Lake Union, and Denny Triangle. Route 64 will connect more directly to the heart of South Lake Union and the Denny Triangle neighborhood. There will be new stops at the Roosevelt light rail station. Riders traveling to First Hill can transfer to Route 322 at the Roosevelt station.Route 65/67 will remain the same, providing service between Jackson Park, Lake City, Wedgewood, Bryant, University District, Roosevelt, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.King County Metro will remove Route 71. Alternate routes will be Routes 62 and 64.King County Metro will remove Route 74. Instead, Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.Revised Route 75 will connect to Route 45 for one-seat travel through the University of Washington Campus to the University District light rail station.Route 76 will be replaced by upgraded service on Routes 62 and 64 along NE 65th St.King County Metro will remove Route 78. Routes 67 and 75 are alternative connections between Sand Point, University Village, and the University District.
Laurelhurst
Route 65/67 will remain the same, providing service between Jackson Park, Lake City, Wedgewood, Bryant, University District, Roosevelt, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.King County Metro will remove Route 74. Instead, Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.Revised Route 75 will connect to Route 45 for one-seat travel through the University of Washington Campus to the University District light rail station.King County Metro will remove Route 78. Route 75 will be an alternative connection between Sand Point, University Village, and the University District.
Maple Leaf
King County Metro will replace Route 26 with the new Route 20 providing service between Lake City, Northgate, Green Lake, and the University District.Route 65/67 will remain the same, providing service between Jackson Park, Lake City, Wedgewood, Bryant, University District, Roosevelt, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.King County Metro will replace Routes 77 and 373 with revised Route 73 which will provide a direct connection between Maple Leaf and the Roosevelt light rail station.
Ravenna
Route 45 will connect to the revised Route 75 for one-seat travel to the University District light rail station and through the University of Washington Campus.Route 62 will remain the same, providing service between Sand Point, Ravenna, Bryant, Roosevelt, Wallingford, Fremont, South Lake Union, and Downtown Seattle.Route 64 will continue to provide service between Lake City, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Roosevelt, South Lake Union, and Denny Triangle. Route 64 will connect more directly to the heart of South Lake Union and the Denny Triangle neighborhood. There will be new stops at the Roosevelt light rail station. Riders traveling to First Hill can transfer to Route 322 at the Roosevelt station.Route 65/67 will remain the same, providing service between Jackson Park, Lake City, Wedgwood, Bryant, University District, Roosevelt, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.King County Metro will remove Route 71. Alternate routes will be Routes 62 and 64.King County Metro will remove Route 74. Instead, Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.Route 76 will be replaced by upgraded service on Routes 62 and 64 along NE 65th St.Route 372 will extend into the University District to connect to the University District light rail station.
Roosevelt
New Route 20 will provide service between Lake City, Northgate, Green Lake, and the University District.King County Metro will replace Route 26 with the new Route 20; upgraded service on Route 62 between Green Lake, Fremont, Wallingford, South Lake Union, and Downtown; and revised Routes 31 and 32 providing service between Queen Anne, Fremont, Wallingford, and the University District light rail station.Route 45 will connect to the revised Route 75 for one-seat travel to the University District light rail station and through the University of Washington Campus.Route 62 will remain the same, providing service between Sand Point, Ravenna, Bryant, Roosevelt, Wallingford, Fremont, South Lake Union, and Downtown Seattle.Route 64 will continue to provide service between Lake City, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Roosevelt, South Lake Union, and Denny Triangle. Route 64 will connect more directly to the heart of South Lake Union and the Denny Triangle neighborhood. There will be new stops at the Roosevelt light rail station. Riders traveling to First Hill can transfer to Route 322 at the Roosevelt station.King County Metro will remove Route 71. Alternate routes will be Routes 62 and 64.Route 73 will now connect directly to the Roosevelt light rail station.Route 76 will be replaced by upgraded service on Routes 62 and 64 along NE 65th St.New Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.
Sand Point
Route 62 will remain the same, providing service between Sand Point, Ravenna, Bryant, Roosevelt, Wallingford, Fremont, South Lake Union, and Downtown Seattle.Revised Route 75 will connect to Route 45 for one-seat travel through the University of Washington Campus to the University District light rail station.King County Metro will remove Route 78. Route 75 will be an alternative connection between Sand Point, University Village, and the University District.New Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.
University District
New Route 20 will provide service between Lake City, Northgate, Green Lake, and the University District.King County Metro will replace Route 26 with the new Route 20; upgraded service on Route 62 between Green Lake, Fremont, Wallingford, South Lake Union, and Downtown; and revised Routes 31 and 32 providing service between Queen Anne, Fremont, Wallingford, and the University District light rail station.Route 31 will have additional stops on NE 45th St, a connection to the University District Station, and additional Sunday service.Route 32 will have additional stops on NE 45th St and a connection to the University District Station.Route 40 will connect to the Northgate light rail station.Route 44 will connect to the University District light rail station.Route 65/67 will remain the same, providing service between Jackson Park, Lake City, Wedgewood, Bryant, University District, Roosevelt, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.King County Metro will remove Route 71. Alternate routes will be Routes 62 and 64.King County Metro will remove Route 74. Instead, Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.Revised Route 75 will connect to Route 45 for one-seat travel through the University of Washington Campus to the University District light rail station.Route 76 will be replaced by upgraded service on Routes 62 and 64 along NE 65th St.King County Metro will remove Route 78. Route 75 will be an alternative connection between Sand Point, University Village, and the University District.New Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.Route 372 will extend into the University District to connect to the University District light rail station.
Wedgwood
Route 62 will remain the same, providing service between Sand Point, Ravenna, Bryant, Roosevelt, Wallingford, Fremont, South Lake Union, and Downtown Seattle.Route 64 will continue to provide service between Lake City, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Roosevelt, South Lake Union, and Denny Triangle. Route 64 will connect more directly to the heart of South Lake Union and the Denny Triangle neighborhood. There will be new stops at the Roosevelt light rail station. Riders traveling to First Hill can transfer to Route 322 at the Roosevelt station.Route 65/67 will remain the same, providing service between Jackson Park, Lake City, Wedgewood, Bryant, University District, Roosevelt, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.King County Metro will remove Route 71. Alternate routes will be Routes 62 and 64.Route 76 will be replaced by upgraded service on Routes 62 and 64 along NE 65th St.New Route 79 will connect Sand Point, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Bryant, and Ravenna to the University District and Roosevelt light rail stations.
For information on other bus route changes, CLICK HERE. For information about Sound Transit Link Light Rail, CLICK HERE. We have been in close contact with King County Metro, Sound Transit, and our own Seattle Department of Transportation and will continue to share your feedback with them.
JUNE 24, 2021 UPDATE:
A thorough analysis of the changes coming October 2021 for King County Metro bus lines was published by Stephen Fesler in The Urbanist blog: CLICK HERE.
MAY 27, 2021 UPDATE:Bus Routes in District 4 will Change with Light Rail Stations Opening in October
Some King County Metro bus routes in our district will change when Sound Transit opens the new Roosevelt and University District (Brooklyn Ave) light rail stations on October 2, 2021. We are eagerly awaiting the opening of these new stations and the quick, frequent service they will provide all the way from City Council Districts 4 and 5 to Capitol Hill, Downtown, Sea-Tac airport, and beyond. But many of us will need to adjust our travel patterns to the updated Metro bus routes that are changing to maximize use of this growing regional transit system. For example, riders of the 74 bus will be driven to the new U District light rail station on Brooklyn Avenue instead of directly to downtown and, if your trip originates from Sand Point, you’ll have the option of riding the new 79 bus to the new Roosevelt light rail station. For that example of the 74 and 79 buses, CLICK HERE. For info on other bus route changes, CLICK HERE and then click on “Route Information” at the top of that site (or see list below). More bus information is available at THIS LINK.
To comment directly to King County Metro about your buses, CLICK HERE or call them at 206-553-3000. For Sound Transit, CLICK HERE.
We have been in close contact with King County Metro, Sound Transit, and our own Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and will continue to share your feedback with them.
King County Bus Route changes starting October 2021:
[NOTE: THESE LINKS ARE OLD; GO TO OCT 1, 2021 UPDATE INSTEAD]
MARCH 2021: Bus Route Changes Starting March 2021 (until October 2021).
Typically, King County announces bus route changes twice a year and these go into effect in the Spring and in the Fall. For the changes in effect starting March 2021, CLICK HERE.
MARCH 20, 2020 (original post): Paying Transit Fares is Optional as COVID Pandemic Worsens
As of Saturday, March 21, 2020 it’s optional to pay fares for both King County Metro and Sound Transit, until further notice.
In response to significantly reduced ridership since the emergence of COVID-19, Metro will temporarily move to a Reduced Schedule starting Monday, March 23.
The reductions are designed to maintain off-peak hours. Schedules will be posted on Metro’s web page
Saturday, March 21. A few routes are being suspended entirely during
the crisis. Alternatives for the temporarily suspended Route 78 (Children’s
Hospital to UW/Husky Stadium Link Station) are: Routes 31/32, 65/67, and
75. The best alternative route for the temporarily suspended Sound
Transit Route 541 from Overlake to the UW/Stadium Link is Route 542.
Even with these temporary reductions in the
frequency of bus service during this crisis, we’re relieved King County Metro
will maintain most bus routes throughout Seattle connecting everyone to places
of care, to services (including grocery stores), and to jobs for Seattle
residents unable to work from home.
It’s been a year since George Floyd launched an overdue racial reckoning when a Minneapolis police officer murdered him. This monthly newsletter honors George Floyd’s legacy and acknowledges there is much more to do for justice and community safety. Our May newsletter also includes a link to our District 4 Town Hall video and updates you on addressing homelessness, increasing internet access, tackling utility bills, and conquering COVID. Thank you.
DISTRICT 4
Spring 2021 Town Hall for our District
Thank you to everyone who participated in our District 4 Town Hall on May 11! Professional staff from our Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) generously joined the conversation to share how the City addresses encampments and homelessness outreach. Thank you, HSD, for working hard on the constantly shifting direction and policy you are receiving from City Hall and the transition of many elements to the new Regional Homelessness Authority so that we can finally apply regional solutions to this regional problem. I also answered several questions from constituents regarding transportation, public safety and land use issues. You can view the Town Hall by CLICKING HERE.
In the Heart of the Our District: University District
Councilmember Pedersen in our University District supporting the COVID Vaccine Pop-Up Clinic May 7, 2021.
The University District continues to undergo massive changes even as we emerge from the pandemic. While visiting a pop-up vaccine clinic on NE 43rd Street near the new Brooklyn Ave Sound Transit station, I was able to say Hello to several board members of the Business Improvement Area (BIA). Many thanks to the University District Partnership (the nonprofit that manages the BIA) for activating that street after months of construction.
Community Councils: Get Involved!
In addition to hosting our district-wide Town Hall, my office attended several community council meetings this month. My Legislative Aide Malik Davis attended the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association meeting as well as the University District Community Council. I was able to attend the Wallingford Community Council meeting when they elected new officers. Community Councils offer an important platform for neighbors to get involved with local government issues. To explore your community council, CLICK HERE.
Congratulations to Eastlake News and Eastlake Community Council for 50 Years!
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary to the Eastlake Community Council and Eastlake News! The Eastlake Community Council and its publication, Eastlake News, have been community treasures for decades. Both are vital parts of the community providing some of the most thorough information about local government to inform residents and small businesses throughout the dynamic Eastlake neighborhood. (CLICK HERE for both). I hope they continue to benefit the Eastlake community with their activities and publications for another 50 years.
Bus Routes in District 4 will Change with Light Rail Stations Opening in October
Roosevelt Station Plaza
Some King County Metro bus routes in our district will change when the new Roosevelt and University District (Brooklyn Ave) light rail stations open October 2. We can’t wait for the new stations to open and the quick, frequent service they will provide all the way from Districts 4 and 5 to Capitol Hill, Downtown, and beyond, but we know some constituents will need to adjust their travel patterns with the different Metro bus routes. We have been in close contact with King County Metro and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and will continue to share your feedback with them. More information is available at THIS LINK. To comment directly to King County Metro about your buses, CLICK HERE or call them at 206-553-3000.
Remembering UW’s Thaddeus Spratlen
Thaddeus Spratlen, a professor emeritus of marketing at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, died May 18 at the age of 90. A memorial service will take place on the UW campus at a later date; contact Michael Verchot (mverchot@uw.edu) for more information. If you would like to honor Dr. Spratlen’s extraordinary life and work, his family requests that you make a donation to the Thaddeus H. Spratlen Endowment for the Consulting and Business Development Center, in lieu of flowers. For a UW biography honoring Dr. Spratlen’s life, CLICK HERE.
TRANSPORTATION, UTILITIES, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
(the City Council committee I chair)
New Potential Funding Source for Seattle’s Bridges
Our Transportation Committee unanimously passed and the full City Council adopted Council Bill 120042 which invests the new dollars from the additional $20 in vehicle license fees (VLF) for 2021 (annualized amount would be approximately $7 million). But first the Committee modestly amended our original amendment while still adhering to our overall objective to get the information needed to issue bonds in 2022 to generate $100 million to accelerate the fixing of our City’s aging infrastructure, including our multi-modal bridge network. The final amendment not only increased flexibility by removing some of the more rigid language from the original amendment, but also required additional info on the timing of projects from SDOT when they deliver their $100 million list of capital projects to the Council in September. For the final amendment that passed, CLICK HERE. The Council is actually making final decisions on this as part of our 2021 Fall budget process (which will impact 2022). This enables a more holistic approach so that both SDOT and the City Council can consider the recent feedback from stakeholders within the context of SDOT’s entire $600-$700 million annual budget (including potential bonds) rather than just isolating the small $7 million from the VLF.
Here are my prepared remarks from the Committee discussion: “Thank you for bringing forward this amendment, which I consider as friendly toward our overall efforts to punctuate the priority of Seattle’s aging infrastructure. I am pleased to have a collaborative legislative process among Councilmembers whenever possible so we ultimately build out transportation priorities we all can support. Incorporating ANY amendment to SDOT’s plan that prioritizes Seattle’s aging infrastructure and considers how to leverage more money faster is a strong step toward stronger bridges, so that we can address the alarming audit of our bridges. I think this revised amendment still successfully intensifies our commitment toward the safety and sustainability of multimodal bridges that connect our communities and keep our economy moving. I look forward to making sure SDOT follows through on the recommendations from our City Auditor and gets bridge projects ready faster, so we can take advantage of federal dollars and finally address the dangerous backlog for our bridges that we rely on to connect our communities and keep our economy moving.”
Seattle’s Information Technology Department (Seattle IT) updated my Transportation & Utilities Committee on efforts to implement our Internet for All Action Plan.
In a city that prides itself as a world leader in technology, the COVID crisis has laid bare the inequities and injustice of the Digital Divide. We can no longer allow limited internet access to prevent learning, to impede our workers, or to hinder our small businesses and nonprofits. It’s time to ensure reliable and affordable access to the internet as part of our city’s vital infrastructure for social justice, for education, and for economic development.
For Seattle IT’s report, CLICK HERE, and for their presentation, CLICK HERE. The theme is that both government and the private sector worked hard to provide additional subsidies and connections to lower income households negatively impacted by the COVID pandemic, but it’s unclear whether those gains will be maintained beyond 2021. Moreover, Seattle IT still has not yet set up a dashboard (Action Plan recommendation 7.1) to track progress toward implementing Internet for All. “What gets measured, gets done” is a truism that argues for setting up this dashboard sooner rather than later. My office will continue to encourage Seattle IT to set up the all-important dashboard so everyone can see whether progress from early 2021 continues.
I will be seeking to double the funding for programs that help low-income Seattle residents access and adopt high-speed internet. I believe we can achieve this with a small investment from the incoming “ARPA” funds from our federal government by boosting community-based organizations that have applied previously to our Technology Matching Fund. For more on Seattle’s Technology Matching Fund, CLICK HERE.
Apply Now for the FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a temporary FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford broadband internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides:
Up to $50/month discount for broadband service; and
A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider (if the household contributes more than $10 but less than $50 toward the purchase price).
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
Seattle-specific information: Home and mobile internet service providers offering the EBB discount locally include Comcast (Xfinity), CenturyLink, Wave, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, PCs for People, and Human I-T.
Current Comcast Internet Essential customers automatically qualify for the EBB program and can enroll directly through the Comcast EBB site.
Wave Simply Internet and Internet First customers have to first confirm their eligibility through the GetEmergencyBroadband.org national verifier and then have Wave apply the discount. More information is at the Wave EBB site.
New internet subscribers – or those with other existing services – need to apply to through the GetEmergencyBroadband.org national verifier to confirm eligibility and then work through participating internet providers.
The internet providers that are offering a laptop, desktop or tablet include T-Mobile, PCs for People, and Human I-T.
For a Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE. For the FCC’s main website on this program, CLICK HERE.
Free Public WiFi Locator Tool: One effort I was happy to see come to fruition with our Internet for All Action Plan was the WIFI locator tool website. It is an interactive site of public facilities which offer free Wi-Fi. Clicking on a location in the map will bring up details, including whether it is set up for interior and/or exterior use.
Seeking Applicants for Solid Waste Advisory Committee
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), one of our two City-owned utilities, is recruiting community members to join Seattle’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC). SWAC members work with SPU’s Solid Waste team to provide recommendations, feedback, and share community insights into programs, policies, and outreach objectives around recycling, compost, garbage, and waste prevention. SWAC members also assist in the review of programs and policies concerning solid waste handling and disposal. In addition, members review and comments upon proposed plans, rules, policies, or ordinances prior to their adoption.
SWAC members attend monthly meetings held on the first Wednesday of each month and may be asked to serve on additional committees or attend special events. In general, SWAC members commit approximately five-six hours per month to SWAC business, including meetings, pre- and post-meeting surveys, and discussions.
SPU is actively seeking a diverse candidate pool to help inform SPU’s Solid Waste Division on its work and vision to become a community-centered utility. Consider joining the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. If it is not the right fit for you, please help us spread the word! Download SPU’s recruitment packet and learn more about the SWAC’s work here: www.seattle.gov/utilities/swac.
COMMUNITY SAFETY
Photo by Xena Goldman, May 2020
Progress, But We Have Much Work Left to Do at All Levels of Government
I believe our shared goal is for everyone to be healthy, safe, and thriving in Seattle. A year after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, we have seen progress, but there is much more work to do at all levels of government.
STATE GOVERNMENT: For a summary of positive actions impacting the entire State of Washington as described by the recent Seattle Times article titled, “A year after George Floyd’s death, Washington state lawmakers pass police accountability, equity bills,” CLICK HERE. At the state and city levels, I believe we still need to pass State Senate Bill 5134 to eliminate the complex arbitration appeal process that has historically allowed police officers who committed misconduct to be reinstated to their jobs. I appreciate State Senator Jesse Salomon’s leadership on SB 5134. Instead, the legislature passed a much weaker SB 5055 which, unfortunately, preserves arbitration for officers — even though police officers are unique workers because they carry a gun. The Seattle Times published editorials supporting SB 5134: for their February editorial CLICK HERE and for their April editorial CLICK HERE. SB 5134 was also supported strongly by the ACLU and me, and I hope to see it back again next year. If the stronger reform bill SB 5134 had received more support from other State legislators, city officials, and interest groups, then our labor negotiators here in Seattle would be better equipped to revamp our police union contract that expired several months ago.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: We still need U.S. Senators to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 7120). For the Seattle Resolution I wrote to advocate for this, CLICK HERE. This federal bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives, addresses many concerns raised by protesters that are authorized by federal law, such as the need to restrict qualified immunity for police officers across the nation. This week, George Floyd family members visited President Biden and other leaders in Washington D.C. to urge them to adopt this legislation.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: While I am thankful for state-level police reform, I strongly believe we must support those serving on our city’s Labor Relations Policy Committee to revamp the inflexible and expensive police union contract, which expired months ago. Revamping the police contract will be more effective than additional defunding because additional defunding would exacerbate the negative impacts of longer 9-1-1 response times, overworked officers in the field, and impediments to sustain the consent decree accountability reforms. Moreover, we cannot expect a different police force if we do not change the terms upon which policing is done in Seattle. While Seattle will continue its strong support of Labor, I believe we should be able to treat this labor contract differently because no other such group carries a gun. For a summary of local government actions described by a recent Seattle Times article entitled “Seattle, King County wrestle with promises for change that politicians made after George Floyd’s murder,” CLICK HERE.
Regarding local government actions and our local accountability structure, I would like to share my initial thoughts about Police Chief Diaz’s recent actions regarding the infamous “pink umbrella” case regarding the June 1, 2020 protest on Capitol Hill (Case 2020-OPA-0334). I know many of us were alarmed by the Chief’s initial action to overturn the conclusion of the Office of Police Accountability for one of last summer’s most serious incidents against protestors. While I believe we should support the good work of our police officers and work harder to retain our good officers here in Seattle, whenever police misconduct is confirmed, SPD officials must be held accountable. In fact, by holding officers accountable, I believe we build trust and encourage good officers to stay.
The people of Seattle have a right to march – and I joined several of them – to protest the injustice to George Floyd and to generations of black and brown Americans. Many of my constituents and I condemned last summer the misguided use by SPD of tear gas and blast balls against constitutionally protected protests.
After reviewing this particular incident from June 1st of last year (2020), I agree with our Community Police Commission which said last week on May 12 (2021), “We are concerned by Chief Diaz’s decision to overturn the [Office of Police Accountability] findings in this case, the justice denied to peaceful protesters, and the harm this decision will do to trust in the Seattle Police Department and Seattle’s entire police accountability system.”
I connected directly with Chief Diaz to express my concerns and he informed me that, while he disagreed with the OPA’s finding that blamed a lower ranking officer, he was pursuing the case further to determine who would be held accountable for the actions on June 1, 2020. I encouraged the Chief to complete that investigation expeditiously.
This week (May 26, 2021), Chief Diaz held the Incident Commander accountable and demoted that Assistant Chief to Captain, as reported in the Seattle Times (CLICK HERE). Holding an individual accountable is a positive step and helps to mitigate initial concerns over the Chief’s action to overturn OPA, but I would like to echo the concerns of some colleagues: we should have the OPA or other independent confirmation of that incident AND consider whether wider operational changes are needed for future protests.
Even as this incident is being resolved with accountability and lessons learned, City Hall labor negotiators should redouble efforts to revamp the expired police union contract which is the sustainable solution to deliver long-term justice. Revamping the inflexible and expensive police union contract will enable us to retain enough good police officers, to address police misconduct, and to deliver true safety to all communities.
THE COURTS: On April 20, fired police officer Derek Chauvin was finally convicted by a jury on all 3 criminal charges against him for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Within our local court system, we need our Washington State Supreme Court to allow our King County Executive’s improved “inquest” process to advance. For the most recent article by the Seattle Times entitled “Families of people killed by police are left without answers while King County’s inquests are stalled,” CLICK HERE. According to the Seattle Times, “The families of at least 36 people who have died at the hands of law enforcement in King County since 2017” are awaiting full inquests to get answers, including the family of District 4 resident Charleena Lyles who was shot and killed by Seattle police officers in 2017. One of the key demands of Lyles family members is to allow the inquest to proceed, as they reiterated at the vigil I attended for her in June of last year. The City of Seattle thankfully withdrew its challenge of the inquest process and I sent a demand letter to the other jurisdictions calling on them to allow the process to proceed. That tragedy also reinforces the need for trained professionals other than armed police officers to respond to those who need help in many situations — a key rationale for re-imagining public safety.
Community-Police Dialogues in North Precinct (District 4).The Seattle Public Safety Survey – Community-Police Dialogues will take place on May 27, July 1, and August 5 at 5:30 pm. Seattle University has collaborated with the Seattle Police Department since 2015 to conduct the annual Seattle Public Safety Survey as part of the Micro-Community Policing Plans (MCPP). This year, Seattle University will be hosting online conversations between community members and Seattle police personnel about concerns and themes raised in the 2020 Seattle Public Safety Survey. The purpose of the conversations is to give individuals who live and work in Seattle the opportunity to engage with Seattle police to discuss current concerns about public safety and security at the precinct and micro-community (neighborhood) level. For more info, CLICK HERE.
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS
New Regional Homelessness Authority (RHA) has Approved its First Budget
The Governing Board of the Regional Homelessness Authority (RHA) unanimously approved the $2.3 million requested by new CEO Marc Dones. The funding is for administrative costs to get the RHA up and running for the remainder of 2021 but contracts won’t be assumed until later in the year. To learn more, visit the RHA website’s Governing Committee agenda on hiring and budget: CLICK HERE.
“This is a watershed moment,” said our Mayor Jenny Durkan, who participated in the meeting. In my own one-on-one conversation with CEO Dones last week, I reiterated my support and I offered to reach out to colleagues throughout King County to solidify regional relationships and get positive results as we launch regional solutions to this regional problem.
On May 6, our City’s Human Services Department (HSD) updated the City Council’s Committee on Homelessness about the “HOPE Team” outreach and shelter for those experiencing homelessness. CLICK HERE for the full presentation.
Through the interim Director Howell and other HSD presenters, we learned the HOPE team is providing referrals to a range of shelter options including hotels and Tiny House Villages, as diagrammed above. As we emerge from the pandemic, I strongly support moving quickly to find housing solutions as well as mental health, drug treatment, and other critical supports for those who have experienced hardship and loss of housing during the pandemic. On May 26, the Select Committee heard presentations from another outreach effort called JustCARES which is currently focused on downtown Seattle. For those presentations, CLICK HERE.
Making Progress on U District Tiny Home Village
We are making progress opening the Tiny House Village in the University District (called “Rosie’s Village”) and look forward to launching this summer! Unsheltered homelessness in our streets, greenways, and parks has increased during the COVID pandemic and we need action to help those in need. I believe that well-organized tiny house villages as part of the Durkan Administration’s shelter surge can be a cost-effective intervention when coupled with professional case management and performance-based contracts. Rather than just talking about it, we did the legwork to find a suitable short-term location and funding for the new Rosie’s Tiny House Village and I’m pleased we are able to stand up this organized shelter quickly thanks to Sound Transit, our City’s Human Services Department, and caring neighbors and small businesses.
Contact the Low Income Housing Institute at tinyhouses@lihi.org for more info on: (1) Donating tiny house building materials, (2) donating supplies or meals to a village, (3) offering your specific skillset or interests as a volunteer.
SEATTLE TREES: TIME TO PROTECT THEM
As we noted in our April newsletter, we call ourselves the “Emerald City” within the “Evergreen State,” yet our City laws have many loopholes that enable the removal of scores of trees each year, including trees that city law defines as “Exceptional.” Healthy large trees, often in the category of “exceptional”—especially native conifers like Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar—provide numerous benefits including carbon sequestration, absorption of rainwater to reduce harmful storm water runoff into Puget Sound and Lake Washington, shade for cooling during the warmer months, and proven physical and mental health benefits. The bigger the tree, the better.
As we take a long overdue, serious look at racial injustice issues, we know some communities of color have fewer large trees and are having them removed more often. As far back as 2009, our City Auditor determined that fractionalized management of trees and urban forestry issues was a major problem for the City of Seattle and recommended consolidation. Instead, the City for eleven years has continued to try to make a multi-departmental approach to tree management work. As it has boomed with development, Seattle has struggled to prevent continued loss of significant numbers of large trees and reduced tree canopy area. Our city government’s oversight to protect trees is not only fractured, but also weak.
We are still waiting for the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) to deliver an updated tree ordinance to the City Council as required by Resolution 31902. Meanwhile, many constituents have been contacting my office with legitimate concerns about numerous “exceptional trees” being ripped out across District 4 and our city. My staff and I will be carefully monitoring our City government’s efforts on these important environmental and equity issues. We will update you through this newsletter and my blog.
In the meantime, we encourage you to write to the executive department taking the lead on this (SDCI) to urge them to do what they can now to protect trees, increase enforcement of the existing rules, issue a final Director’s Rule with stronger tree protections, and finally deliver to the City Council as soon as possible the tree protection ordinance promised many months ago. Email the Director and he can distribute it to his team: Nathan.Torgelson@seattle.gov
CONQUERING COVID
Seattle Voluminously Vaccinating
Good news from the Durkan Administration: “More than 76 percent of Seattle’s residents 12 and older have begun the vaccination process, and more than 60 percent are fully vaccinated.” For more information, including how to get vaccinated today, visit the City’s vaccination website at www.seattle.gov/vaccine. The site contains vaccination information in seven languages, and in-language assistance is also available over the phone.
Wallingford Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic June 1:
The neighborhood news blog Wallyhood announced this good news: “The Seattle Fire Department will host a FREE pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Tuesday, June 1, 10am-1pm at 1501 North 45th Street, in the south parking lot behind the Library. The clinic will have Moderna and J&J vaccines available. If you are coming for a second Moderna shot, remember to bring your vaccination card. No reservations are required, you do not need to bring an ID or proof of insurance. Everyone 18 years old and older is welcome! Please wear a mask. The clinic is co-sponsored by Solid Ground and FamilyWorks.” For more info, CLICK HERE.
University of Washington will Require Vaccines for Fall Quarter
The University of Washington announced it will require all students on all three of its campuses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the start of the autumn quarter. UW is encouraging students to get vaccinated as soon as possible, wherever they are living. Vaccines that have been proven safe and highly effective — including through clinical trials in which the UW’s own faculty were involved — are now readily available. If students can’t get vaccinated where they currently live, the University will provide vaccinations to students once they arrive on campus. Currently, vaccinations are provided free of charge to individuals at UW Medicine hospitals — including at the UW Medical Center – Montlake on the Seattle campus — as well as at mass vaccination sites in Seattle and in Pierce and Snohomish counties.
“Widespread vaccination is the only real way we can put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us and return to a more normal way of living, learning and working,” UW President Ana Mari Cauce wrote in a message to the University community. “Our community is one that cares — about each other and about the state and society we serve. For your health, and for the health of us all, please get vaccinated as soon as you can.” President Cauce’s complete message to campus can be found at uw.edu/coronavirus.
Extending Relief from Utility Bills (Again)
At next Tuesday’s June 1, 2021 City Council meeting, the Council will consider Council Bill (CB) 120089, a bill sponsored by the Durkan Administration and me that would extend the temporary suspension of interest charges on delinquent utility account balances for customers during the COVID-19 emergency.
This bill, if approved, would be the third extension of this pandemic relief policy. The three previous actions are summarized below, all of which I sponsored:
Ordinance 126058 – passed March 19, 2020 – suspended interest charges until August 1, 2020
Ordinance 126182 – passed September 29, 2020 – suspended interest charges until January 1, 2021
Ordinance 126254 – passed December 14, 2021 – suspended interest charges until June 30, 2021
This bill would extend the suspension of interest charges through the earlier of: January 1, 2022, or the termination of the COVID-19 civil emergency.
As with most public policies, there are trade-offs and costs to well-intentioned legislation and we are making a lot of exceptions during the extraordinary times of the COVID pandemic. In terms of financial impacts to our publicly owned utilities, the bill passed last December estimated the 2021 financial impacts to total approximately $3.4 million ($2.9 million for SCL, $525,000 for SPU). The updated estimate for extending the policy through the end of 2021 increases the 2021 revenue impact to approximately $8.5 million ($6.2 million for SCL, $2.3 million for SPU). The associated impact to the General Fund (via reduced utility taxes) is estimated to total $643,000, an increase of $406,000 over the prior estimate. We need to be mindful of not imposing costs onto our publicly owned utilities that then translate into increased utility bills for everyone because utility bills are regressive with lower income households paying a greater percentage.
To get other assistance with your utility bills, including the Utility Discount Program, CLICK HERE.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
City Council Meetings on the Internet
Listening: Even though City Council is not currently holding meetings in person in order to follow public health guidelines, you can still follow along by listening on your computer or phone by CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on your phone by calling 253-215-8782.
Commenting: You can also submit public comment by sending an e-mail to me at Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov or to all 9 Councilmembers at council@seattle.gov. Please remember to add “For City Council Meeting” in the comments. Now you can also phone into the meeting to speak directly to the Council live. For the instructions on how to register and call in, CLICK HERE. Sign up begins two hours prior to the meeting start time.
Virtual Meetings with Your Councilmember Pedersen
I continue to schedule virtual in-district office hours, so we can chat by telephone or via Webex. Please continue to sign up through my website or by CLICKING HERE so I can hear your ideas, concerns, and requests. You can also just send an e-mail to alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
For previous e-newsletters, visit my blog by CLICKING HERE.
We are getting through this together, Seattle!
With gratitude,
Councilmember Alex Pedersen
Seattle City Council, District 4
Original Resolution sponsored by Councilmembers Gonzalez, Juarez, and Pedersen; Action Plan delivered by Seattle’s Information Technology Department
COVID crisis reinforced need foruniversal broadband access to address inequities
INTRO to “Internet for All”:
This ongoing blog post provides updates on the implementation of the Internet for All Action Plan which was launched the Resolution 31956 adopted by the City Council in 2020.
“In a city that prides itself in leading the world in technology, the COVID crisis has laid bare the inequities and injustice of the Digital Divide. We can no longer allow limited internet access to prevent learning, to impede our workers, or to hinder our small businesses and nonprofits. It’s time to ensure reliable and affordable access to the internet as part of our city’s vital infrastructure for social justice, for education, and for economic development.”
– Councilmember Alex Pedersen
NOVEMBER 14, 2023 UPDATE: Boost to Digital Equity Blocked by City Council’s Budget Committee
With a frustratingly close tie vote, Councilmember Pedersen’s amendment to boost digital equity in Seattle failed at the Budget Committee.
“I appreciate the steadfast support of co-sponsors Lewis and Morales as well as the supportive Yes vote from Councilmember Herbold but, unfortunately, the scare tactics from the executive bureaucracy — which wanted to keep 100% of their extra money for its own vague, internal overhead costs — convinced other Councilmembers to vote No,” said Councilmember Pedersen.
The vote was 4 in favor and 4 against with one abstention and abstentions don’t count, so “when it ties, it dies.” More than 200 constituents sent emails in support of amendment CBO-001-B and no one spoke against it at the public hearing, yet the four Councilmembers still voted No. The amendment would have invested not only $760,000 more for digital equity, but also funds for increased accountability and safety.
Pedersen’s Amendment: Increase Accountability, Equity (digital equity and food security), and Community Safety by slimming down City Hall’s centralized overhead costs: $2 million.
Expand access to the internet / reduce the “digital divide” as called for by Resolution 31956: $760,000.
Increase our City Auditor’s Office by 50% because the City Auditor’s Office increases transparency and accountability while finding savings when it recommends efficiencies: $706,000. This amendment is endorsed by the Association of Local Government Auditors.
Increase support for youth crime intervention initiatives: $300,000.
Increase support for food banks, such as the Rainier Valley Food Bank: $250,000.
Offsetting Revenue: We would have generated funds by moderating the increase in our city government’s overhead costs (administrative “central services costs”), which the executive branch says it needs to increase above the budget we already endorsed for 2024. Instead of agreeing to increase this bureaucratic internal cost by $17.8 million (for a total of approx. $550 million), we would have simply increased it by a lower amount — and use $2 million in internal savings for the programs to increase accountability, equity, and safety. But the bureaucracy fought to get 100% of their requested increase for their speculative overhead costs by cherry-picking and/or exaggerating doomsday “cuts” that would be imposed. But they already use nearly $550 million (half a billion dollars) and were asking for a $17.8 million increase — after we already endorsed the original 2024 budget just 11 months ago. Our amendment would have granted to them the majority of their requested increase and re-directed less than 1/2 of 1% of the total baseline amount. I believe increasing accountability, digital equity, and food security are too important. The “central services costs” should have been able to make an increase of more than $10 million work, instead of the higher amount they requested. For the full amendment CBO-001-B, CLICK HERE.
MARCH 14, 2022 UPDATE:
Digital Equity Grant Funding Opportunities
Here is a summary from the Mayor’s press release: On March 14, 2022, we announced more digital equity funding opportunities for non-profits who work to close the digital pide in our community. Applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Technology Matching Fund (TMF) grant cycle as well as for the newly created Digital Navigator Cohort that I helped to launch as part of last year’s budget decisions.
This year, $620,000 will be available to community organization’s digital equity projects through Technology Matching Fund grants of up to $25,000 for qualifying non-profit organizations in Seattle.
The new Digital Navigator Cohort Grant program responds to the inequities brought about by the pandemic. Through community conversations, digital navigators emerged locally and nationally as trusted guides to assist in technology support and foundational digital skills. $250,000 has been funded into a cohort of community organizations to be able to offer the digital navigator program through grants of up to $50,000. Unlike the Technology Matching Fund, the Digital Navigator Cohort does not require a community match.
“The Technology Matching Funds and the new Digital Navigator Cohort grants allow our community to continue to flourish with their creativity and innovation. Digital equity is central to my vision for One Seattle where everyone can access the tools and opportunities that ensure no one is left behind,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell.
“We must do more to address the disparities the COVID crisis laid bare in our communities and that includes bridging the digital pide, as called for by our City’s bold Internet for All Action Plan,” said Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who led efforts to have City Hall increase funding for internet access for low-income residents. “Thanks to the groundwork of community groups and Seattle’s IT Department, we can leverage additional funding so that more vulnerable residents have reliable and affordable technology that connects them to education, jobs, health care, and hope.”
The deadline to apply for both funding opportunities is May 13, 2022. To learn more about the Technology Matching Fund, Digital Navigator Cohort, or the new applications system, visit the City of Seattle Digital Equity Funding Opportunities site by CLICKING HERE.
DECEMBER 22, 2021 UPDATE:
Federal Broadband Support: a small piece of Internet for All
In addition to providing funds to expand internet connections in rural areas throughout our country, new legislation adopted by Congress during the Biden Administration will reduce the digital divide by extend subsidies that lower internet costs for consumers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking input on how to implement the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the low-income broadband program created by the infrastructure bill signed into law November 2021. The new program replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program that we reported on in a previous newsletter. Over 8 million households nationally and over 13,000 households in Seattle are utilizing the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) to afford essential internet connectivity for participating remote learning, remote work, telemedicine, and social connections
While the EBB paid up to $50 monthly toward the cost of broadband service, the ACP will pay $30 a month toward broadband (with $75 a month in high-cost areas if the broadband provider can demonstrate that the $30 rate would cause economic hardship for the provider). To review the letter your Seattle city government provided to the FCC regarding implementation of the new ACP, CLICK HERE. While initial comments to the FCC were due December 8, the public may reply to comments it sees as late as December 28. For the FCC invitation to comment, CLICK HERE.
NOVEMBER 24, 2021 UPDATE (Budget):
During the October-November 2021 process of amending Mayor Durkan’s final budget proposal for 2022, we achieved only modest success in advancing our Internet for All strategies: we sustained last year’s increase to the Technology Matching Fund, funded deployment of WiFi hot spots at libraries, and supported “Digital Navigators” to increase access to affordable, reliable Internet for jobs, education, and healthcare. It’s not a good sign when we need to beg the Executive to identify in their budget documents what they are actually doing to pursue Internet for All:
“This Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) [ITD-003-A-001]would request that the City Budget Office (CBO) include in the 2022 Adopted Budget and all future Executive proposed budgets a table reporting on Internet for All and any other digital equity programs that includes, at a minimum, actual expenditures for the previous two years and proposed expenditures (by department) related to the Action Plan requested by City Council in 2020 (pursuant to Resolution 31956) to increase access to and adoption of affordable and reliable internet service.”
We hope for stronger support from the incoming Harrell Administration.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 UPDATE:
Discount Internet for Students
School is back in session and I’m sharing news about affordable internet for students. The City of Seattle’s Information Technology department, utilizing the Internet for All plan and Resolution, which I sponsored and the Council passed, emphasized affordability as a major component when it comes to closing the Digital Divide. Through Internet Essentials from Comcast, some students can get home Internet with 2 months without cost, thanks to the Emergency Broadband Benefit which I’ve written about previously. The offer ends June 30, 2022. The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more.
JULY 22, 2021 UPDATE:
Internet for All and Winning a Trailblazer Award!
The City of Seattle’s Information Technology department, utilizing the Internet for All plan and Resolution, which I sponsored and the Council passed, earned a Digital Inclusion Trailblazer designation from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA).
While our high-tech city needs to do much more to address the digital divide, this Digital Inclusion Trailblazer designation recognizes our important recent efforts — including our Internet for All action plan. Our Internet for All initiative launched last summer spurred additional short-term and long-term efforts to connect low-income residents to affordable and reliable internet so they have access to jobs, education, medical services, and other vital needs. This national recognition confirms Seattle is on the right track and encourages us to achieve greater results from our digital equity network.
One of the benefits of chairing a Committee that contains the departments focusing on infrastructure is the opportunity to cross-pollinate positive programs. For example, Seattle City Light generously agreed to include this informational insert to all SCL ratepayers about a federal program that helps our Seattle IT Department implement Internet for All: the Emergency Broadband Benefit.
MAY 19, 2021 UPDATE:
Seattle’s Information Technology Department (Seattle IT) updated my Transportation & Utilities Committee on efforts to implement the Internet for All Action Plan. For Seattle IT’s report, CLICK HERE, and for their presentation, CLICK HERE. The theme is that both government and the private sector worked hard to provide additional subsidies and connections to lower income households negatively impacted by the COVID pandemic, but it’s unclear whether those gains will be maintained beyond 2021. Moreover, Seattle IT still has not set up a dashboard (Action Plan recommendation 7.1) to track progress toward implementing Internet for All. “What gets measured, gets done” is a truism that argues for setting up this dashboard sooner rather than later. My office will continue to incentivize Seattle IT to set up the all-important dashboard so everyone can see whether progress from early 2021 will continue.
MAY 13, 2021 UPDATE:
The COVID-19 crisis magnified the disparities in our city along many lines, including access to reliable internet. Last year, my colleagues and I crafted the Internet for All Resolution charting the course for universal internet access in Seattle, so I’m pleased to share news about the FCC’s program which started May 12, the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB).
The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a temporary FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford broadband internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides:
Up to $50/month discount for broadband service; and
A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider if the household contributes more than $10 but less than $50 toward the purchase price.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application. You may be eligible if you:
Participate in an existing low-income or pandemic relief program offered by a broadband provider;
Are a Lifeline subscriber (including those that are on Apple Health (Medicaid) or accept SNAP benefits);
Have children receiving free and reduced-price lunch or school breakfast;
Received a Federal Pell Grand during the current award year; or
Lost your job and had an income reduction in the last year.
Seattle-specific information: Home and mobile internet service providers offering the EBB discount locally include Comcast (Xfinity), CenturyLink, Wave, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, PCs for People, and Human I-T.
Current Comcast Internet Essential customers automatically qualify for the EBB program and can enroll directly through the Comcast EBB site.
Wave Simply Internet and Internet First customers have to first confirm their eligibility through the GetEmergencyBroadband.org national verifier and then have Wave apply the discount. More information is at the Wave EBB site.
New internet subscribers – or those with other existing services – need to apply to through the GetEmergencyBroadband.org national verifier to confirm eligibility and then work through participating internet providers.
The internet providers that are offering a laptop, desktop or tablet include T-Mobile, PCs for People, and Human I-T.
For a Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE. For the FCC’s main website on this program, CLICK HERE.
Free Public WiFi Locator Tool: One effort I was happy to see come to fruition with our Internet for All Action Plan was the WIFI locator tool website. It is an interactive site of public facilities which offer free Wi-Fi. Clicking on a location in the map will bring up details, including whether it is set up for interior and/or exterior use.
April 1, 2021 UPDATE:
The City of Seattle today announced the recipients of the 2021 Technology Matching Fund. With an investment of $343,000, 15 organizations will receive funding for community-led projects which aim to increase access to technology and provide digital skills training for underserved communities. The grants range from $11,000 to $25,000, and organizations have pledged a total of $480,795 to match City dollars with at least 50 percent in cash or in-kind contributions of labor, professional services, and donated hardware and software. This year’s recipients will reach more than 2,100 Seattle residents with creative solutions for accessing technology devices, internet connectivity, and digital literacy training. For the annual report on the Technology Matching Fund, CLICK HERE.
“The COVID crisis laid bare the disparities in our communities and magnified the need to bridge the digital divide as called for by our City’s bold Internet for All Action Plan,” said Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who chairs the City’s Transportation and Utilities Committee, which includes technology. “Even as we expand access to the internet throughout Seattle, our Technology Matching Fund continues as a cornerstone of our efforts to connect all our city’s residents to education, jobs, and other vital services.”
September 16, 2020 UPDATE:
Today my Committee heard the presentation on the Internet for All Gap Analysis and Action Plan, which the City Council requested when we adopted Resolution 31956. For the full report CLICK HERE and for the PowerPoint summary, CLICK HERE. To view the video of the Committee meeting, CLICK HERE.
Here’s the press release Council President Gonzalez, Councilmember Juarez, and I distributed with Mayor Durkan:
NEWS RELEASEFROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
Mayor Durkan and Seattle City Council Release Internet for All Gap Analysis Report with Action Plan to Increase Access to Internet and Close the Digital Divide
SEATTLE (September 16, 2020) – Following up on the Internet for All Initiativeannounced earlier this summer, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and Seattle City Councilmembers Lorena Gonzalez, Alex Pedersen and Debora Juarez announced the release of the initial Internet for All Report and Action Plan. Building off of the information gathered as a part of the City’s 2018 Technology Access and Adoption study, this initial Internet for All Report includes a gap analysis of internet, technology and device needs and an Action Plan with eight strategies to close these gaps. The Internet for All Initiative elevates citywide digital equity strategies to increase access to key services and opportunities such as education, job training, unemployment assistance, and resources for those seeking relief during times of crisis.
“We know that access to technology is a race and social justice issue, and the pandemic has further magnified the digital inequities with many in our community lacking the technology and devices need for school or work. The Internet for All Initiative provides the City of Seattle a new roadmap and tangible action plan to close the digital divide and meaningfully increase to both Wi-Fi and devices at this critical time for our City,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “I appreciate the leadership of Councilmember Pedersen, Council President Gonzalez, and Councilmember Juarez who co-sponsored the Internet for All Resolution, the full commitment from City Departments, and collaboration with community partners, internet service providers, as well as the business and philanthropic community who have all come together to support this initiative.”
The Internet for All Initiative was launched early this summer to address internet and technology needs and disparities that have been amplified by the COVID-19 crisis. The report includes eight strategies to address this gap in internet skills and access, including recommendations to strategically deploy more public Wi-Fi in digital equity areas by 2021, and foster up to 20,000 internet connections and devices for underserved individuals by 2023. The City will continue to pursue private sector and philanthropic partnerships to expand access to reliable internet and partnering with organizations to deliver culturally relevant digital inclusion programs.
“COVID19 has made it clear that access to the internet is an essential for every household. A lack of internet access exacerbates the challenges of this pandemic: students and their families need reliable connections to participate in virtual classrooms, laid-off workers need internet access to apply for unemployment benefits or search for jobs, and many of our social connections keeping us healthy and connected are primarily online for the foreseeable future,” Said Council President M. Lorena Gonzalez. “Seattle’s elected leaders hold the shared priority of creating more access and equity when it comes to our residents connecting to the internet, and this report lays out a path forward to do so.”
“Seattle is a city that rightfully prides itself on world-class technology, but the COVID crisis has laid bare the inequities and injustices of the Digital Divide,” said Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who chairs the City Council’s Transportation and Utilities Committee, which includes technology matters. “I called for this action plan with my colleagues to achieve Internet for All because we can no longer allow limited access to the internet to prevent learning, to impede our workers, or to hinder our small businesses. It’s time to provide reliable and affordable access to the internet as part of our city’s vital infrastructure for social justice, education, and economic development. This ambitious report from the Mayor and her team, in collaboration with the City Council, spurs Seattle’s long-term efforts to provide affordable and reliable internet to low-income, BIPOC, and all communities, so that we can finally achieve Internet for All.”
“Internet for All affects everyone,” said Councilmember Debora Juarez, co-sponsor of the Internet for All resolution. “A lack of a quality internet connection affects frustrated schoolchildren missing instruction time and compounds the isolation of our seniors. Our city’s economic recovery from this recession will slow if our workforce does not have access to training, cannot research new careers and opportunities, and cannot easily apply to a job. Today’s report further solidifies my commitment to partner with the co-sponsors Councilmembers Pedersen and González and Mayor Durkan to bridge the digital divide.”
“Demand for high-speed broadband has soared to new heights. In today’s digital world, access to affordable internet has become as essential as clean water and electricity. Seattle is leading the way when it comes to digital equity, but there is room for improvement. Through the Internet for All Initiative, Seattle IT is committed to ensuring that there is an equal digital opportunity afforded to every resident in the City of Seattle,” said Saad Bashir, Chief Technology Officer, City of Seattle.
While the City’s 2018 Technology Access and Adoption Study found that 95% of Seattle households are connected to the internet, it also showed that 45% of lower-income households reported that access to the internet in their household was not adequate or only sometimes adequate for their needs. With more and more essential functions moving online, like applying for jobs, searching for healthcare, and attending online classes, access to reliable internet and the skills to use it are more important than ever. The COVID-19 crisis, along with the local and national Black Lives Matter protests, has amplified the need to address digital inequities by increasing access to affordable internet, low-cost devices, and digital skills training.
Additionally, the report finds that rather than being spread out across the City, internet disparities are concentrated geographically in certain areas of the City. The areas of Seattle representing the largest portions of the 5% gap in internet adoption are:
South Central Seattle (Pioneer Square, Yesler Terrace, and International District)
South Seattle (New Holly, Rainier Valley, and Beacon Hill)
The COVID-19 pandemic and the Stay Home, Stay Healthy orders magnified the disparities in our city along many lines, including access to the internet. The resolution adopted by the Council outlines its vision of making broadband internet service accessible, reliable, and affordable to all residents and nonprofits. Increased access to the internet will increase access to key services and opportunities such as education, job training, unemployment assistance, and resources for those seeking relief during times of crisis.
“While Seattle is proud to be a global center of technology and innovation, The COVID-19 pandemic, once again, exposes the reality of extensive, inequitable, and detrimental gaps of the haves and have nots. This time it is manifested via internet access with significant detrimental impact for our students and families at Seattle Public Schools, our seniors, and low-income households,” said Council President M. Lorena Gonzalez. “I’m pleased to be a co-sponsor on the Internet for All resolution to reinvigorate the city’s commitment to closing the digital access gap so everyone can stay connected in an increasingly virtual, online world.”
“Seattle is a city that rightfully prides itself on world-class technology, but the COVID crisis has laid bare the inequities and injustices of the Digital Divide,” said Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who chairs the City Council’s Transportation and Utilities Committee, which includes technology. “We can no longer afford to allow limited access to the internet to prevent learning, to impede our workers, or to hinder our small businesses. It’s time to provide reliable and affordable access to the internet as part of our city’s vital infrastructure for social justice, for education, and for economic development. Passing our resolution today amps up Seattle’s long-term efforts to achieve Internet for All.”
“Today we took a solid step forward,” said Councilmember Debora Juarez. “Inequities in internet access and affordability can lead to disparate outcomes during a crisis, such as reduced access to relief programs for individuals and small neighborhood businesses as well as barriers preventing students from participating in remote learning due to the closures of our schools, libraries, community centers and workplaces. I have long advocated for equity in access by working with groups such as Literacy Source and am pleased to have been a cosponsor on this Resolution.”
While aTechnology Access and Adoption Study in 2018 found that 98 percent of households with at least one child who attends Seattle Public Schools have at least one capable internet device, often that access is often only a cell phone. During the COVID pandemic, media reports noted a lack of sufficient access, adoption, reliability, and/or affordability, especially when multiple family members were required to work or study from home. Moreover, seven percent of respondents in that study said they relied on free/public access internet at places such as libraries and community centers, yet those have been closed during the COVID pandemic.
According to 2018 study, those with incomes of less than $25,000 a year are more than three times as likely to rely on a cell phone data plan for internet service. There is low awareness of the discount programs developed for low-income populations — only half know about them and just 23% of low-income households that would qualify for these programs actually use them.
Residents, who are low-income, senior citizens, living with disabilities, or for whom English is not their primary language lag other groups when it comes to access, according to the City’s most recentDigital Equity Progress Report (based on the Technology Access and Adoption Study). The “key risk factors” the report identifies for lack of home internet access are:
Living in poverty: 5 times less likely to have internet access;
Household member with a disability: 3 times less likely to have internet access;
Primary language other than English: 2 times less likely to have access;
Older adults (65 years old or more): 1.8 times less likely to have access;
Non-white residents: 1.6 times less likely to have internet access.
“Inequities in internet access can lead to disparate outcomes during a crisis, including reduced access to relief programs for families and reduced access to remote learning for students,” said Caitlen Daniels, President & Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit Solid Ground whose mission is to “end poverty and undo racism and other oppressions.” “Access to the internet has become a fundamental way people participate in society and civic life. This proposal will move us closer toward equitable internet access. The alternative is reinforcing an immovable barrier thousands of our neighbors face to full participation in communities and full access to community resources.”
“This Internet for All Resolution will speed up chipping away at digital divides that persist in Seattle caused by affordability of home internet, devices, and tech support. Digital inclusion hasn’t yet been fully woven into Seattle’s social support systems and community institutions. Our organization supports on-the-ground practitioners, like the staff of Seattle’s Digital Equity Program. I’m proud that my community has been a leader in the digital equity field for decades. Unlike most cities, Seattle has a digital equity plan. This Resolution opens up that discussion so that the city can reimagine what digital inclusion looks like right now during the pandemic in various departments and act. Now is the time.” said Sabrina Roach, Program Director at theNational Digital Inclusion Alliance
“I’m happy to see the City adopt the Internet for All resolution because this is a social justice issue,” said Cat Howell, Educational Director forLiteracy Source, an organization providing free learner-centered basic education to low-income adults in the Seattle area. “We see every day the impact of no or limited internet access on the Literacy Source students’ access to education, services, civic participation, employment and many other important parts of our current lives in COVID-19 times.”
This challenging budgetary environment demands an update to the assumptions about financial risk, competitive challenges, economic development benefits, and partnership opportunities to achieve universal broadband. The Internet for All Resolution seeks a comprehensive update, cost estimates, lessons learned from other jurisdictions that have attempted municipal broadband, infrastructure needs, a Race and Social Justice analysis to ensure equitable distribution of the affordable access, and partnerships that can accelerate implementation of the Internet for All Action Plan.
The Resolution requests Seattle’s Information Technology Department to provide its first report to the City Council Transportation & Utilities Committee by September 16, 2020 with existing and short-term solutions to increase access equitably, followed by subsequent reports for the longer term, sustainable solutions of the Action Plan.
City Council President Lorena Gonzalez joined Councilmember Pedersen to co-sponsor and introduce the Internet For All Resolution. To read the updated Resolution (#31956) as officially introduced, CLICK HERE.
From Councilmember Pedersen: My staff and I have been gathering input on the draft Resolution I announced earlier to pursue Internet for All residents in Seattle.
A RESOLUTION establishing the City Council’s goal to implement Internet for All Seattle, a vision of enabling all Seattle residents to access and adopt broadband internet service that is reliable and affordable.
We’ve enjoyed connecting with and learning from advocacy groups, national researchers, dedicated employees of our City’s Information Technology Department, and private sector providers of internet services. We are formally introducing the Resolution now. I am very thankful for the support and leadership of co-sponsor Council President Lorena Gonzalez, so we can move forward on this Resolution during these busy times and further address the inequitable Digital Divide in our high-tech city.
May 18, 2020 (ORIGINAL POST):
Councilmember Pedersen Announces Resolution to Launch “Internet for All” to Ensure Affordable Internet Access Throughout Seattle
May 18, 2020 Press Release: SEATTLE – Councilmember Alex Pedersen (District 4, Northeast Seattle), as Chair of the Council’s Transportation and Utilities Committee, has crafted a Resolution charting the course for universal internet access in Seattle. The Resolution requests the city government, led by Seattle’s Information Technology department, to craft an action plan, expand partnerships, and ensure the implementation of Internet for All, so that all Seattle residents have affordable and reliable internet access.
“In a city that prides itself in leading the world in technology, the COVID crisis has laid bare the inequities and injustice of the Digital Divide,” said Pedersen, whose committee includes oversight of Seattle’s Information Technology department). “We can no longer allow limited internet access to prevent learning, to impede our workers, or to hinder our small businesses and nonprofits. It’s time to ensure reliable and affordable access to the internet as part of our city’s vital infrastructure for social justice, for education, and for economic development. It’s time for Internet for All.”
The COVID-19 crisis and the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order magnified the disparities in our city along many lines, including access to broadband internet. Pedersen’s resolution outlines the vision of making broadband internet service accessible, reliable and affordable to all residents and nonprofits. Increased access to the internet will increase access to key services and opportunities such as education, job training, unemployment assistance, and resources for those seeking relief during times of crisis.
“Inequities in internet access can lead to disparate outcomes during a crisis, including reduced access to relief programs for families and reduced access to remote learning for students,” said Caitlen Daniels, President & Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit Solid Ground whose mission is to “end poverty and undo racism and other oppressions.” “Access to the internet has become a fundamental way people participate in society and civic life. This proposal will move us closer toward equitable internet access. The alternative is reinforcing an immovable barrier thousands of our neighbors face to full participation in communities and full access to community resources.”
While the Seattle’s Technology Access study in 2018 showed overall improvements in internet access, residents who are low-income, senior citizens, living with disabilities, or for whom English is not their primary language, significantly lag other groups when it comes to access. The “key risk factors” the study identifies for lack of home internet access are:
Living in poverty: 5 times more likely to not have internet access,
Household member with a disability: 3 times more likely to not have internet access,
Primary language other than English: 2 times more likely to not have access,
Older adults (65 years old or more): 1.8 times more likely to not have access,
Non-white residents: 1.6 times more likely to not have internet access.
According to the same 2018 study, there is low awareness of the discount programs developed for low-income populations — only half know about the programs and just 23% of households that would qualify for them actually use them. Of those 23%, more than half said that the service was too expensive, while 34% cited issues with the quality or speed of their service.
Recent statements in the media reinforce the need to address the digital divide:
Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said, “Access to internet is an equity issue for our students and educators, and it is intensified by this crisis.” (Source: Washington State Department of Commerce, May 7, 2020.)
Seattle Times editorial board writer Jennifer Hemmingsen wrote, “This is a clarifying moment. The closure of schools, workplaces, public libraries and private businesses has pushed the technology gap into stark relief.” (Source: Seattle Times, May 8, 2020).
As we enter a challenging budgetary environment, Pedersen wants to update the assumptions about financial risk, competitive challenges, economic development benefits, and partnership opportunities to achieve universal broadband. Pedersen’s Resolution seeks cost estimates, lessons learned from other jurisdictions that have attempted municipal broadband, infrastructure needs, a Race and Social Justice analysis to ensure equitable distribution of the affordable access, and partnerships that can accelerate implementation of the Internet for All Action Plan.
The Resolution requests Seattle’s Information Technology Department to provide its first report to the City Council Transportation & Utilities (and technology) Committee by September 16, 2020 with existing and short-term solutions to increase access equitably, followed by subsequent reports for the longer term, sustainable solutions of the Action Plan.
Pedersen’s proposed Resolution can be heard in his Transportation & Utilities Committee when the Governor’s order has been lifted for all local governments to consider non-COVID-19 legislation.
During the spring and summer of 2020, I received over 38,000 e-mails, including over 2,000 from constituents in Seattle’s District 4 about police accountability, following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the police response to protests here in Seattle, and the long history of institutional racism here and throughout our nation. I am grateful so many engaged constituents have taken the time to contact my office with their grief, their outrage, and their tough questions about police accountability — and budgets. While the communications I receive from constituents offer a variety of views, I see common ground growing for re-imagining what effective and equitable public safety means as we continually seek to achieve healthy communities. Please read my initial thoughts here and I include links to additional information. There is much work to do in 2021 and beyond.
CONTEXT:
In July and August 2020, our Budget Committee Chair Teresa Mosqueda decided to have the City Council examine our Seattle Police Department (SPD) budget to see how we could reallocate some City revenues and responsibilities to re-imagine public safety and community wellness, especially as we face budget deficits from the COVID pandemic. Many of the details not tackled during the summer flowed into our regularly scheduled budget process in the Fall of 2020 (to impact our City’s 2021 budget). While I supported several of these important efforts, I did not pledge to defund SPD by a dramatic 50% because I concluded that was an impractical and arbitrary percentage not tied to a community safety plan. I believe the Council’s labor negotiators should have focused on revamping the police union contract to save money and deliver justice. I write more about this throughout my blog.
For information on the budget for 2021, CLICK HERE.
For a Crosscut news article highlighting the importance of revamping the police union contract — which is needed to make the most meaningful changes to the SPD budget — CLICK HERE.
Please see below for the many posts on these vital matters since May 2020:
JULY 16, 2021 UPDATE: State Supreme Court Ruling on Inquests Supports Justice for Lyles Family and Others
Good news from the Seattle Times: “The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday [July 15, 2021] reinstated sweeping changes made to the King County inquest procedures in 2018, providing an expanded avenue for the families of people killed by police to seek answers and establish culpability.”
“In a unanimous, 49-page opinion the justices struck down most challenges by several county law enforcement agencies, including the King County Sheriff’s Office, which had argued successfully in superior court last year that King County Executive Dow Constantine had overstepped his authority in making the changes. The justices overturned the lower court ruling, authored by Judge Julie Spector, on almost every point.”
“More significant, however, is that the justices sided with the families of three people killed in 2017 by police — Damarius Butts, Charleena Lyles and Isaiah Obet…”
We needed our Washington State Supreme Court to allow our King County Executive’s improved “inquest” process to advance. According to an earlier article by the Seattle Times, “The families of at least 36 people who have died at the hands of law enforcement in King County since 2017” are awaiting full inquests to get answers, including the family of District 4 resident Charleena Lyles who was shot and killed by Seattle police officers in 2017. One of the key demands of Lyles family members has been to allow the inquest in that case to proceed, as they reiterated at the vigil I attended for her in June of 2020. The City of Seattle thankfully withdrew its challenge of the inquest process and, over a year ago, I sent a demand letter to the other jurisdictions calling on them to allow the process to proceed. The decision by the Washington State Supreme Court was needed to break the log jam and move things in a positive direction. The Lyles tragedy and many others also reinforce the need for trained professionals other than armed police officers to respond to those who need help in many behavioral health situations — a key rationale for re-imagining public safety.
For the Seattle Times article on the Washington State Supreme Court decision, CLICK HERE.
JUNE 6, 2021 UPDATE:
Here is an Op Ed published today in the Seattle Times by DeVitta Briscoe: “A lesson from my losses: We cannot afford to completely dismantle the police” CLICK HERE.
DeVitta Briscoe, her son Donald McCaney, and her brother Che Taylor in about 2004. Her son was killed in 2010 by another teen and Taylor was fatally shot in 2016 by two Seattle police officers. (photo, as published in Seattle Times, courtesy of DeVitta Briscoe Family)
JUNE 1, 2021 UPDATE: Seattle City Council Bill 119981 Does Not Pass (for a variety of good reasons). For more on that police budget bill considered outside of the normal Fall budget process, CLICK HERE.
MAY 25 and 27, 2021 UPDATE: George Floyd’s legacy still unfolding after 1-year anniversary: Progress, But We Have Much Work Left to Do at All Levels of Government (newsletter excerpt):
I believe our shared goal is for everyone to be healthy, safe, and thriving in Seattle. A year after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, we have seen progress, but there is much more work to do at all levels of government.
STATE GOVERNMENT: For a summary of positive actions impacting the entire State of Washington as described by the recent Seattle Times article titled, “A year after George Floyd’s death, Washington state lawmakers pass police accountability, equity bills,” CLICK HERE. At the state and city levels, I believe we still need to pass State Senate Bill 5134 to eliminate the complex arbitration appeal process that has historically allowed police officers who committed misconduct to be reinstated to their jobs. I appreciate State Senator Jesse Salomon’s leadership on SB 5134. Instead, the legislature passed a much weaker SB 5055 which, unfortunately, preserves arbitration for officers — even though police officers are unique workers because they carry a gun. The Seattle Times published editorials supporting SB 5134: for their February editorial CLICK HERE and for their April editorial CLICK HERE. SB 5134 was also supported strongly by the ACLU and me, and I hope to see it back again next year. If the stronger reform bill SB 5134 had received more support from other State legislators, city officials, and interest groups, then our labor negotiators here in Seattle would be better equipped to revamp our police union contract that expired several months ago.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: We still need U.S. Senators to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 7120). For the Seattle Resolution I wrote to advocate for this, CLICK HERE. This federal bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives, addresses many concerns raised by protesters that are authorized by federal law, such as the need to restrict qualified immunity for police officers across the nation. This week, George Floyd family members visited President Biden and other leaders in Washington D.C. to urge them to adopt this legislation.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: While I am thankful for state-level police reform, I strongly believe we must support those serving on our city’s Labor Relations Policy Committee to revamp the inflexible police union contract, which expired months ago. Revamping the police contract will be more effective than additional defunding because additional defunding would exacerbate the negative impacts of longer 9-1-1 response times, overworked officers in the field, and impediments to sustain the consent decree accountability reforms. Moreover, we cannot expect a different police force if we do not change the terms upon which policing is done in Seattle. While Seattle will continue its strong support of Labor, I believe we should be able to treat this labor contract differently because no other such group carries a gun. For a summary of local government actions described by a recent Seattle Times article entitled “Seattle, King County wrestle with promises for change that politicians made after George Floyd’s murder,” CLICK HERE.
Regarding local government actions and our local accountability structure, I would like to share my initial thoughts about Police Chief Diaz’s recent actions regarding the infamous “pink umbrella” case regarding the June 1, 2020 protest on Capitol Hill (Case 2020-OPA-0334). I know many of us were alarmed by the Chief’s initial action to overturn the conclusion of the Office of Police Accountability for one of last summer’s most serious incidents against protestors. While I believe we should support the good work of our police officers and work harder to retain our good officers here in Seattle, whenever police misconduct is confirmed, SPD officials must be held accountable. In fact, by holding officers accountable, I believe we build trust and encourage good officers to stay.
The people of Seattle have a right to march – and I joined several of them – to protest the injustice to George Floyd and to generations of black and brown Americans. Many of my constituents and I condemned last summer the misguided use by SPD of tear gas and blast balls against constitutionally protected protests.
After reviewing this particular incident from June 1st of last year (2020), I agree with our Community Police Commission which said last week on May 12 (2021), “We are concerned by Chief Diaz’s decision to overturn the [Office of Police Accountability] findings in this case, the justice denied to peaceful protesters, and the harm this decision will do to trust in the Seattle Police Department and Seattle’s entire police accountability system.”
I connected directly with Chief Diaz to express my concerns and he informed me that, while he disagreed with the OPA’s finding that blamed a lower ranking officer, he was pursuing the case further to determine who would be held accountable for the actions on June 1, 2020. I encouraged the Chief to complete that investigation expeditiously.
This week (May 26, 2021), Chief Diaz held the Incident Commander accountable and demoted that Assistant Chief to Captain, as reported in the Seattle Times (CLICK HERE). Holding an individual accountable is a positive step and helps to mitigate initial concerns over the Chief’s action to overturn OPA, but I would like to echo the concerns of some colleagues: we should have the OPA or other independent confirmation of that incident AND consider whether wider operational changes are needed for future protests.
Even as this incident is being resolved with accountability and lessons learned, City Hall labor negotiators should redouble efforts to revamp the expired police union contract which is the sustainable solution to deliver long-term justice. Revamping the inflexible and expensive police union contract will enable us to retain enough good police officers, to address police misconduct, and to deliver true safety to all communities.
THE COURTS: On April 20, fired police officer Derek Chauvin was finally convicted by a jury on all 3 criminal charges against him for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Within our local court system, we need our Washington State Supreme Court to allow our King County Executive’s improved “inquest” process to advance. For the most recent article by the Seattle Times entitled “Families of people killed by police are left without answers while King County’s inquests are stalled,” CLICK HERE. According to the Seattle Times, “The families of at least 36 people who have died at the hands of law enforcement in King County since 2017” are awaiting full inquests to get answers, including the family of District 4 resident Charleena Lyles who was shot and killed by Seattle police officers in 2017. One of the key demands of Lyles family members is to allow the inquest to proceed, as they reiterated at the vigil I attended for her in June of last year. The City of Seattle thankfully withdrew its challenge of the inquest process and I sent a demand letter to the other jurisdictions calling on them to allow the process to proceed. That tragedy also reinforces the need for trained professionals other than armed police officers to respond to those who need help in many situations — a key rationale for re-imagining public safety.
MAY 17, 2021 UPDATE:
Statement by Councilmember Alex Pedersen regarding Chief Diaz’s decision to overturn the Office of Police Accountability for Case 2020-OPA-0334
I know many of us were alarmed by the Chief of Police’s action to overturn the conclusion of the Office of Police Accountability for one of last summer’s most serious incidents against protestors.
[I’d like to thank Councilmember Herbold as Chair of our Public Safety Committee for quickly asking the Chief the tough and key questions about this.]
While I believe we should support the good work of our police officers and work harder to retain our good officers here in Seattle, whenever police misconduct is confirmed, SPD officials must be held accountable. In fact, by holding officers accountable, I believe we build trust and encourage good officers to stay.
The people of Seattle have a right to march – and I joined several of them – to protest the injustice to George Floyd and to generations of black and brown Americans. Many of my constituents and I condemned last summer the misguided use by SPD of tear gas and blast balls against constitutionally protected protests.
After reviewing this particular incident from June 1st of last year (2020), I agree with our Community Police Commission which said last week on May 12 (2021), “We are concerned by Chief Diaz’s decision to overturn the [Office of Police Accountability] findings in this case, the justice denied to peaceful protesters, and the harm this decision will do to trust in the Seattle Police Department and Seattle’s entire police accountability system.”
I connected directly with Chief Diaz to express my concerns and he informed me that, while he disagreed with the OPA’s finding that blamed a lower ranking officer, the Chief is pursuing the case further to determine who will be held accountable for the actions on June 1, 2020. I encouraged the Chief to complete that investigation expeditiously. I also want to echo the remarks of Councilmember Lewis today when he said the Office of Police Accountability should be the organization to confirm additional investigations (rather than just the Chief).
After this incident is resolved and we finally have accountability, City Hall should get back to the work of revamping the expired police union contract which is the sustainable solution to deliver long-term justice. Revamping the inflexible and expensive police union contract will enable us to retain a sufficient number of good police officers, to address police misconduct, and to deliver true safety to all communities. Thank you.
APRIL 20, 2021 UPDATE (Chauvin guilty verdicts in Minneapolis):
Councilmember Alex Pedersen: “While George Floyd’s family received some justice today, America’s history of structural and institutional racism must remain on trial. I am relieved justice was rendered by the jury in the court case today in Minneapolis and yet we all know the real work ahead is demanding and ensuring all police officers administer public safety in a fair and just manner. We must go beyond reform to restructure how policing is done in our country and it can begin here in Seattle, with the overdue task of revamping the unjust, inflexible, and costly police union contract so that we deliver true public safety for all.”
WEEK OF SEPT 21, 2020 UPDATE:
JUSTICE DENIED TO BREONNA TAYLOR IN KENTUCKY: I join millions across the country outraged by the decision in Kentucky to exonerate the police officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor. This reinforces the need to overturn the federal / State / county laws and redo the local police union contracts that enable these injustices to continue. For one of the many news articles on that court case, CLICK HERE.
VETO RECONSIDERATION: Ultimately, the City Council overrode the 3 Council budget bills vetoed by Mayor Durkan. The first bill (CB 119825) was overridden with a vote of 7 to 2 (with Councilmember Debora Juarez and me voting to sustain that particular veto). The other two bills (funding for community organizations) were overridden unanimously. For my amendment to restore (increase) funding for BIPOC-led organizations, CLICK HERE. For my remarks at the vote, please keep reading…
My Remarks Delivered When Reconsidering the 3 Budget Vetoes:
“As we know, our Mayor vetoed three of the Council bills we adopted to help rebalance this year’s 2020 budget with an emphasis on our Police Department. I would like to explain how I’m planning to vote today and the reasons for the variety of my votes today.
First, let me paint the broader picture. In the middle of a persistent pandemic, ballooning budget deficits, and even the cracking of our West Seattle Bridge stranding 100,000 of our residents – in the middle of these crises — I believe we are all striving to seize this historic moment in the wake of the brutal and wrongful killing of George Floyd and countless Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, so that we root out institutional racism by revamping our police department and revitalizing community health and safety.
As we have seen with the recent back-and-forth on these complex issues, this is not a neat or easy process to reach consensus. It’s messy, it’s difficult, and it’s uncomfortable, but it is necessary. Even as I speak now, I am getting e-mails and phone calls from constituents who want me to override the Mayor’s vetoes and those who want me to sustain or support the Mayor’s vetoes. I’d like to thank all the voices who spoke up to contact me by e-mail and phone and for the many Black leaders who had conversations with me about their viewpoints on public safety in Seattle — from young, new leaders to small business owners to those who have been fighting this fight for decades, including the Reverend Harriet Walden of the Community Police Commission and many others.
We were elected not only the synthesize the various viewpoints and address the concerns of our constituents but also to craft thoughtful plans on how to do things better. We also have to recognize that the City Charter shares decision-making authority between the Mayor and the City Council and, from a practical standpoint, we get more done, faster and in a more sustainable way when we work together. I believe we can and should lean into the common ground that we share today.
Fortunately, we have quickly reached consensus that the status quo of policing is not acceptable. Reforms are not enough. Now the question is how do we move ahead with meaningful change.
Voted to (1) override (reject) the Mayor’s veto on CB 119863 and (2) amend the alternative Council Bill 119900 to increase funds to BIPOC-led crime prevention organizations:
I was not part of the ongoing discussions some Councilmembers and the Mayor’s team had to craft the potential replacement legislation, Council Bill 119900. I’d like to thank both Council President Gonzalez and the Mayor’s Office for putting that legislation on the table yesterday so that we could all read it and have a public discussion about it today. I believe it is a well-intentioned and reasonable start to reach a compromise, but I’m concerned about a key portion of that alternative bill: the reduction of money to community organizations run by Black, Indigenous, and people of color leaders. I would prefer that this Council stick to its promise to allocate the full $14 million rather than reducing it $2.5 million. I hear the concerns that it will be difficult to get $14 million out the door during the remaining 3 months of this year and that an Interfund Loan structure is far from ideal. I also understand that the Mayor is likely to propose even larger investments in BIPOC communities when she unveils her budget proposal next week which will impact the next calendar year, 2021. But I believe it’s imperative to honor the commitment we made as a City Council to provide MORE money to the many effective organizations run by Black, Indigenous, and people of color leaders who operate successful programs that prevent crime, reduce harm, and deliver justice. Therefore, while I respect the Mayor’s decision, I also intend to vote to override the 3rd bill the Mayor vetoed, which is Council Bill 119863. Coupled with my override of that bill, I circulated my amendment to the replacement bill (Council Bill 119900), so that we can immediately re-authorize the full $14 million to those organizations.
It’s time to scale up community safety programs proven to work here in Seattle and proven to work in other similar U.S. cities. Overriding Council Bill 119863 will restore the interfund loan as a potential source of funds for these BIPOC organizations because we cannot afford to wait and I believe we need to honor that promise. Let’s do this today because time is running out.
At the same time, I have made it clear that I was disappointed with the results of the first Council Bill 119825.
NAV TEAM: This was the Council Bill that deleted the city government’s Navigation Team – the hard-working team made up of dedicated city government employees who engage unauthorized homeless encampments throughout our city to offer housing and services. The decision on whether to keep or delete the Nav Team should have never been part of that Council Bill, which was supposed to be about rebalancing the budget and the police department. After we adopted that bill, it became painfully clear that we did not have at the ready an organized and comprehensive and effective replacement for the Navigation Team. I believe we need a city-run team that coordinates efforts to engage with encampments and deal with fire risks, obstructions, and public health hazards. Private nonprofits do not pick up the trash or coordinate efforts. We need to restore the Navigation Team. The replacement bill that is before us today (Council Bill 119900) can improve the situation by authorizing $3 million more for shelter – that nearly doubles the amount we authorized originally — so we can move more people off the greenways and into housing. The replacement bill also adds $500,000 for behavioral health services that are imperative for helping those most in need.
Amendment on Nav Team (preserve Data Analysts): I have an amendment to the replacement legislation (Council Bill 119900) which will make sure that we preserve the Data Analyst positions on the Navigation Team. The Data Analyst position was added to the Navigation Team to improve data collection and transparency. We need to continue to gather data and to measure results so that we have greater accountability and a focus on positive outcomes. As we enable more nonprofits to assist with engagement, the Data Analysts can also provide support to them so that all organizations are collected he same types of data. I hope my colleagues will support my amendment to make sure we preserve the Data Analysts on the Navigation Team.
REFORMS: Council Bill 119825 was also the legislation that tried to remove positions and funding necessary to adhere to the federal consent decree that we must keep in place to sustain police reforms. The federal judge overseeing the consent decree has made it clear that major changes to the police department that impact the consent decree must be approved by him. This includes areas such as training, data collection and crisis response. No matter how much we adjust the size of our police force, we will still have a police force and we need to make sure the reforms are not only preserved but also expanded. The reforms require sufficient staffing.
ATTRITION: In addition, the rate of attrition — the natural reduction of officers on the police force due to retirements or them leaving for other police departments – has accelerated. Therefore, the recent reductions in officers due to attrition must be combined with the reductions proposed by this bill so that we have the full picture and know the true impact on response times. We have already seen the new Chief reallocate community policing officers away from the neighborhood business districts and communities they know so well to the patrol positions – indicating a shortage we must be mindful of.
CHIEF BEST: In addition, one of the most impactful consequences of this Council Bill 119825 is that it led to the resignation of our City’s first Black police chief and recklessly cut salaries of her hand-picked and diverse command staff.
Per our City Charter, the Mayor has a right to veto, which she exercised, and I appreciate the reasons she outlined in her veto letter and,for this piece of legislation (Council Bill 119825), I plan to vote to sustain the Mayor’s veto.
The other Council Bill is 119862, which would provide $3 million for a 9-month community engagement process, as we decide how best to invest even more in BIPOC communities. The replacement bill on the table today (Council Bill 119900) will still provide sufficient funding to start the community engagement process this calendar year. I believe we need a broader, more methodical community engagement process which should include more BIPOC leaders at the table than we had during the summer. We also need a more coordinated engagement approach with the Executive departments of our city government, so that we do not have a separate process that competes and conflicts. Therefore, I am willing to override the Mayor’s veto of the $3 million bill so that we can start that process now and have a more detailed discussion about this during the 2021 budget process. I’m also open to discussing this further today.
So, in summary, I plan to vote to override two of the bills and sustain one of them.
Fixing the Police Contract is the Most Imperative Task:
I want to close my remarks by highlighting for those listening in today that the most sustainable and meaningful way to reallocate dollars to the BIPOC communities, to root out institutional racism, to improve community safety, and to deliver justice is to fix the deficient police union contract. The police union contract is the chief roadblock because it legally governs and supersedes nearly all aspects of what we are trying to achieve.
To revamp this inflexible and expensive system, we need to marshal our resources toward rebuilding the police union contract. Rebuild that contract so that we have the flexibility and resources to do what we need to do. Every progressive and well-intentioned move is met by the brick wall of that contact. I believe it would be better for both our communities AND our police officers if we fix the police contract now.
It’s as if we are being asked to re-build a house and instead of getting the concrete for the foundation and the lumber for the frame and the shingles for the roof, we are fixated on the interest rate of the mortgage. While the interest rate on the mortgage is, like the budget of the police department, an important piece, we first need to rebuild the underlying foundation and structure that is causing the decay — and THAT is the police union contract. I would like to respectfully implore my colleagues on the Labor Relations Policy Committee – which officially represents the management of all city employees and includes the Mayor’s team and 5 members of this City Council — to meet every week until the until the police contact is fixed – fix that employment contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) to remove excessive and costly overtime, fix the police contact to improve the disciplinary system, fix the police contract to expand the reforms, and fix the police contract to enable the City Council reallocate budgets and the Police Chief to redeploy police officers in ways that finally remove institutional racism and deliver effective public safety.
Finally, while we are here arguing with each other, let’s remember that the real enemy to our city and our future is the current President Donald Trump. Calling Seattle an “anarchist” city is as absurd as calling him a good President. His potential re-election is only weeks away and his generational damage to the U.S. Supreme Court is only days away. Here in Seattle, we must lead by example by doing a much better job working together and getting things done for the over 700,000 people of our city.
Collaboration between the executive and legislative branches on these public safety efforts can show the people of Seattle that we have common ground and we are committed to moving ahead on our shared policy goals and community investments to make Seattle better during this historic civil rights moment.
Thank you.”
# # #
WEEK OF SEPT 7, 2020 UPDATE:
New Police Reform Monitors Appointed by Federal Judge Robart: I am grateful for the years of hard work by Merrick Bobb and look forward to the efforts of Antonio Oftelie and Monisha Harrell. For the Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE.
Police Accountability Organizations Present Their Recommendations on Crowd Control Methods: As described elsewhere in my blog, Council passed a bill in June with the goal of limiting crowd control weapons. Section 2 of that bill asked for the input from these accountability organizations. For the link to the presentations from the Community Police Commission, Office of Inspector General, and Office of Police Accountability, CLICK HERE.
City Council will officially reconsider our Mayor’s vetoes of 3 of the Council Bills during week of September 21, 2020. (More on the vetoes are discussed elsewhere in this blog post.)
WEEK OF AUGUST 17, 2020 UPDATE:
MAYOR’S VETOES: On August 21, Mayor Durkan vetoed 3 of the many budget bills that City Council adopted on August 10 to rebalance our City budget: (1) the controversial Council Bill 119825 that impacts our Seattle Police Department (2) Council Bill 119862 to spend $3 million (in addition to the Mayor’s $500,000) for additional community engagement on safety issues, and (3) Council Bill 119863 authorizing a $13 million internal loan for an initial boost to community organizations working to prevent crime.
The Mayor’s Aug 21 press release stated: “I respectfully veto the 2020 budget and will continue conversations between my office and the Council on how we can partner to make needed changes in a consistent, thoughtful, and deliberate manner.”
According to her press release, “The Mayor vetoed these bills, sending them back to Council to address the following issues:
“Cuts of 100 officers, including layoffs of 70 sworn officers in 2020 despite legal and labor limitations of “out of order” layoffs;
“The effective elimination of the Navigation Team, including outreach workers in the Human Services Department, without any alternative approach to address hazardous encampments;
“Cuts to the salaries of the Chief of Police and her leadership team;
“Cuts and changes to SPD that could implicate the City’s obligations under the federal consent decree;
“Borrowing $13 million dollars from other City funds for new spending this year when the City faces an unprecedented budget deficit of $326 million; and
“Taking an additional $3 million dollars from the Rainy Day fund to increase Council’s budget by 17 percent.”
For the Mayor’s official statement (Aug 23) explaining her veto, CLICK HERE.
I share our Mayor’s concerns with key pieces of the budget package City Council adopted August 10. For example, I opposed cuts to Chief Carmen Best’s salary (the first Black chief in Seattle’s history) and I opposed cuts to our city’s Navigation Team that we need to address homeless encampments. To help to balance the budget, that bill also included budget reductions equivalent to the salaries of 100 police officers (out of 1,400 officers) for the last two months of this year (less than 10%).
Here’s a positive way to view this situation: The Mayor vetoing these budget bills provides more time for our Mayor and City Council leadership to smooth out their differences on the rough edges of the bill and how to proceed productively going forward. I support this collaboration because that will enable us to implement positive results faster.
Fortunately, the recent agreement between the Mayor, Council President, and Budget Chair on COVID relief is evidence that the legislative and executive branches can collaborate to find common ground and get things done. We need that collaboration at City Hall if we are going to put together a detailed action plan to revamp public safety in way that provides positive results and justice.
The residents of my district have a wide range of views, but most agree now is the time for smart changes in how we police our communities and how we pay for safety in a way that eradicates institutional racism, reduces harm to oppressed communities, and prevents crime for all of Seattle. But instead of rash, ill-informed decisions, people first want to see a sensible and detailed plan to achieve cost-effective public safety.
The Council is on a brief “recess” (no meetings) until September 8, 2020 (the day after Labor Day) and the Council President will, after we return, schedule a meeting for us to vote to sustain or override the Mayor’s vetoes. (The City Charter requires that we vote on each veto within 30 days. According the City Attorney, it takes 6 votes to override a veto on appropriations and 7 votes to adopt any replacement appropriations bills.)
For the initial Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE.
INQUEST FOR CHARLEENA LYLES:
UPDATE FROM FEB 16, 2021: Promising news — Appeals Court Rules Charleena Lyles Wrongful-Death Suite Against Seattle Police Can Proceed. For article, CLICK HERE.
ORIGINAL AUGUST 2020 ENTRY: King County needs to complete the inquest of the killing of Charleena Lyles by two Seattle Police officers in 2017. Unfortunately, a King County Superior Court judge August 21 ruled in favor of other King County jurisdictions challenging the reformed inquest process established by our King County Executive. One of the key demands of Lyles family members is to allow the inquest to proceed, as they reiterated at the vigil I attended for her in June. Seattle thankfully withdrew its challenge of the inquest process and I sent a demand letter to the other jurisdictions calling on them to allow the process to proceed. That tragedy also reinforces the need for trained professionals other than armed police officers to respond to those who need help in many situations — a key rationale for re-imagining public safety. I hope the Washington State Supreme Court takes up this case soon and rules to allow the new inquest rules to proceed. For the Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE.
WEEK OF AUGUST 10, 2020 UPDATE:
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN STATEMENT ON DEPARTURE OF POLICE CHIEF CARMEN BEST: “I am deeply saddened by the resignation of our Police Chief Carmen Best. Chief Best has served Seattle faithfully and honorably for decades and happens to be the first Black woman to serve as our City’s police chief. While a majority of City Council voted on August 5 to cut Carmen Best’s salary, it’s important to note that Councilmembers Juarez, Lewis, and I did NOT vote to cut her salary. I did not support suddenly cutting the salary of the first Black police chief in Seattle’s history and the diverse, experienced team that she picked. While I believe we should take a hard look at reducing excessive city government pay during budget deficits, the entire City Council should be more thoughtful and methodical so we avoid unintended consequences. There are few leaders better equipped than Carmen Best to help lead the hard negotiations needed to fix the police contract — today’s expensive and unreasonable police contract is among the biggest impediments to revamping and boosting public safety in all communities. I will continue to work collaboratively with our Mayor and other colleagues to seek and implement solutions for Seattle, even though the road today is much more difficult. People deserve to see less sniping and more solutions.“
BUDGET LEGISLATION ADOPTED: A DOWN-PAYMENT TOWARD DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY
Key Council bills — including CB 119825 which makes reasonable, initial reductions to the budget and staffing levels of our Seattle Police Department for the rest of 2020, in light of the growing budget deficit and the need to rethink community safety, CLICK HERE.
Resolution 31962 for a future Community Safety Department, CLICK HERE. If implemented, a streamlined, refocused, and reformed police department would remain, while effective community-led crime prevention and community wellness programs are ramped up. The Resolution calls for concrete plans.
Resolution 31961 to protect journalists during protests and demonstrations, CLICK HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN REMARKS AT PASSAGE OF BUDGET RE-BALANCING:
‘In the middle of a persistent pandemic, ballooning budget deficits, and even the cracking of our West Seattle Bridge stranding 100,000 of our residents – in the middle of these crises — your elected officials are also striving to seize this historic moment in the wake of the brutal and wrongful killing of George Floyd and countless Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, so that we address systemic racism by rethinking policing and revitalizing community health and safety.
It is not a neat and easy process. It’s messy, it’s difficult, and it’s uncomfortable, but it is necessary. Even as I speak now, I am getting e-mails and phone calls from constituents who want us to do more now and other constituents who want us to slow down and think it through more. We were elected not only the synthesize the various viewpoints and address the concerns of our constituents but also to craft thoughtful plans on how to do things better. We need to apply our own critical thinking and plan ahead rather than just reacting.
I am cautiously optimistic that the legislation today is a prudent mix of all these goals. It leverages the few tools in the toolbelt of this City Council to make a downpayment toward a bigger, broader discussion and bigger, bolder changes as part of the long, more thoughtful Fall budget process.
I thank my colleagues for incorporating my amendment earlier today to answer some basic question: with the reasonable initial reductions approved today, what will the impact be on the ground in every neighborhood? How will the Chief choose to re-deploy her resources and what will the impact be on response times? According to the most recent data, only 71% of the time spent by police officers is for Priority One and Two calls. That means 29% of the time is spent on non-priority calls – there is an opportunity there for community-led solutions.
With the reductions we are making for 2020 that will likely carry on to 2021, I believe adjustments can be made so that response times do not get worse. For example, the remaining officers would respond to fewer types of non-criminal calls. This report will get those details that we need for further decision-making. We need plans, more than pledges.
These reports will also make sure we do not recklessly jettison the good work done by our Harbor Patrol throughout Lake Union.
The reports we are asking for as part of this legislative package can be combined with the planning efforts of our Mayor and our Police Chief as they craft their budget proposal for next year. These reports and planning documents are an opportunity — a 2nd chance — for this City Council to work authentically and proactively with our Mayor and our Chief of Police to rethink and revamp public safety and healthy communities.
We also need to recognize that we cannot do it all through the budget. We need to discuss what has not been discussed enough: the need to re-do the police union contact. This complex contact needs to be redone to encourage the good police officers to stay in Seattle, to reduce excessive salaries and costs, to fix their disciplinary system so that it no longer impedes justice. We need a good contract, more than good slogans.
Even as this City Council partially defunds our police department, we will still have a police department as part of a broader public safety strategy that involves more community-led solutions. Are the police reforms implemented since the federal consent decree enough? No. Reforms are not enough when there is systemic and institutional racism. But should we toss aside the progress made by the Community Police Commission, the Office of Police Accountability, and the Office of Inspector General. No. We need both real reforms AND reinvestment.
And when we reinvest tens of millions of dollars, we need more black-led organizations at the table. From the Every Day Marchers to the Urban League deserve a seat at the table, too. And we need to make sure those investments are smart and effective and that we measure results to show the general public whether we are achieving the positive outcomes that we all want.
This legislative package today is not perfect.
I do not support ending the Navigation Team – a team created so that we had a coordinated response — a team of dedicated city government employees (public servants from our Human Services Department and Parks Department) who have been engaging those experiencing homelessness and who work for the public health of all city residents. By a narrow 5 to 4 vote, a majority of this Council, unfortunately, took that hasty action without a replacement plan. Business Improvement Areas across the city that represent hundreds of small businesses that employee thousands of our residents are disappointed and concerned. Even if the Navigation Team goes away, the challenges of homelessness will not. I look forward to working with our chair of our Committee on Homelessness Strategies to piece together a reasonable and responsive replacement strategy.
I also do not support suddenly and with no analysis cutting the salary of the first Black police chief in Seattle’s history and the diverse team that that she picked. Yes, we should take a hard look at excess pay through city government, but it should be more thoughtful and methodical.
But here we are today facing a massive deficit and we must balance the budget. We are required by law to balance our budget. Just like all appropriation bills at all levels of government, there are items in the bill that each of us might not prefer.
But the big picture is that we need to row together — both the executive and legislative branches — to give the general public confidence that we can function and move forward for their benefit. Let’s approve this budget package today and resolve to work collaboratively with our Mayor and Police Chief to solve problems and make progress for Seattle. Thank you.“
WEEK OF AUGUST 3, 2020 UPDATE:MARCHING WITH THE MARCHERS: I appreciate the youth leaders of the “Every Day March” being willing to converse with me recently via conference calls on Zoom. These calls enabled us to start to understand each other’s positions and perspectives and to seek common ground regarding policing in Seattle. When I learned that protesters were coming to my home again Wednesday night, I decided to meet them at their starting point on UW’s campus. I asked whether I could march in solidarity with them and was greeted with an enthusiastic Yes! While I believe it’s unproductive and inappropriate for anyone to protest at the personal residences of government employees and other public officials when other venues are available (Zoom chat, phone, e-mail, weekly public comments at Council meetings, etc.) — and I believe graffiti, profanity, threats, and trespassing are unacceptable — the right to protest peacefully is vital. It was a moving and energetic experience for me that evening. The reaction from neighbors that night was mixed and seemed to include support (some were able to join the march), concern (especially for families with children who had been sleeping), and curiosity — the range you might expect from a vocal march suddenly taking over the streets at night. Each person’s experience is unique and not all marches are the same. At the end of this particular march, we sat down together and I had answer some tough questions about police budgets and accountability. Many of the marchers bravely shared their lived experience of negative interactions with law enforcement, of being misled by government officials, and of government’s overall failure to deliver on its promises for education, healthcare, and other basics. While we may not always agree on the details (for example, I believe Mayor Durkan and Chief Best are professionals deserving respect, acting in good faith, and striving to do their best), I have been advocating for these youth leaders to have a seat at the table (along with other Black-led organizations) as our city government makes more decisions on revamping public safety in Seattle.
NAVIGATION TEAM: During the Budget Committee on August 5, we voted on several amendments to the 2020 budget for our Seattle Police Department. It’s important to note for my constituents that I did NOT support the amendment that narrowly passed with a 5-4 vote to defund our City’s Navigation Team. The Nav Team is a group of city employees from various city departments who work together to engage unauthorized homeless encampments and clean up trash/needles. While I voted for the reasonable amendment to reduce police involvement with the Nav Team, the controversial amendment to defund the Nav Team was, I believe, outside the scope of our meetings to rebalance the 2020 budget. From my colleagues who voted for this hasty move, I look forward to hearing their clear and detailed plan to make sure the functions of the Nav Team are covered and coordinated. We must insist that we have a reasonable and responsive replacement plan to make sure we are addressing the critical public health and safety responsibilities of city government, especially during the COVID pandemic. This includes connecting those experiencing homelessness to shelter and services. In the meantime, my staff is reaching out to these nonprofits and the city employees who pick up the trash/needles to determine how efforts will be coordinated going forward.
POLL SHOWS PEOPLE WANT CONCRETE PLAN PHASED IN: An independent poll of Seattle voters conducted at the end of July by the reputable firm EMC showed 53% support “a defund the police law that would permanently cut the Seattle Police Department’s budget by 50% and shift that money to social services and community-based programs.” But when drilling down, 64% wanted to either “give affected communities more time to weigh in on how we build a better police department together,” with “concrete plans” and reallocations phased-in over time (43% of voters responding) or no cuts to SPD at all (21% of voters responding). I don’t govern by polls, but the information is helpful. For more on the poll, CLICK HERE.
REVAMPING PUBLIC SAFETY: A “DOWNPAYMENT.” It’s important to preface my remarks by noting that, at the Budget Committee on August 5, I voted against cutting the salaries of Police Chief Carmen Best and her command staff. I also voted against defunding our Navigation Team. Here are my remarks at the Budget Committee:
“I have received over 35,000 e-mails, including over 2,000 from my constituents in Seattle’s District 4 about police accountability, following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the police response to protests here in Seattle, and the long history of institutional racism here and throughout our nation. I am grateful so many engaged constituents have taken the time to contact my office with their grief, their outrage, and their tough questions about police accountability — and budgets. While the communications I receive from constituents offer a variety of views, I see common ground for re-thinking and re-vamping what effective and equitable public safety means as we strive to achieve healthy communities.
“I believe we all feel the urgency of the moment. This is an historic opportunity. We cannot go back.
“I support the Mayor and City Council establishing a participatory budgeting process; let’s bring more groups to the table: from the leaders of the “Every Day March” to the leaders of the Urban League and Community Police Commission. Together we can make even more progress.
“As we reimagine public safety, we must simultaneously build up community organizations to prevent crime and achieve healthy communities.
“There is also another perspective on how to view these changes: The necessity of fiscal responsibility. Our City government departments, including our police department, are spending more money than they are receiving. That’s why we are here in the Budget Committee to re-balance our 2020 budget. We will also have a large budget deficit next year. SPD has a budget deficit. SPD has already spent their entire overtime budget. Some reductions from SPD are simply necessary both this year and next year.
“The City Council has limited tools on how to impact any department. We can reduce or increase the budget and certain high-level line items, but the City Charter and the labor contracts do not allow the Council to unilaterally make targeted personnel decisions. Instead we can only make very pointed suggestions on where to cut.
“Regarding the new recruits to the police department (Amendment #16), I would rather reduce positions through attrition instead of letting go of new, progressive talent.
“I have confidence that our Chief Carmen Best can manage the budget reductions that we are making. After we make these reductions, I also believe it’s vital for Chief Best to provide a report to City Council to hear exactly how she will redeploy officers and what the impact will be on response times. Ideally, response times do not get worse; instead ideally police would respond to fewer types of calls. To noncriminal calls, we can send other professionals who are NOT armed. But we need to see that operations plan from the Chief; as policymakers we need to see those details and the general public deserves to see those details. I’m bringing forward an amendment Monday to make sure we get a report on redeployment and response times.
“To many residents of my district, the budget re-balancing amendments this week may seem too big — and to many others, they may seem too small. After much consideration and listening to many from all angles, I believe these are significant downpayments toward bigger changes, as we use our Fall budget process (October + November) to craft a more thoughtful, sustainable plan for improved community safety.
“There are constraints of both labor law and the staffing requirements of the consent decree. Regarding the labor issues, I look forward to a complete re-working of the collective bargaining agreement with police officers so that we can reduce excessive costs to taxpayers and fix the disciplinary system. Even as the City Council reallocates substantial dollars, there will still be many police officers and we need to make sure their labor contract is fair and effective for the people of Seattle.
“I want the police officers who are listening today to know that I appreciate the good work that so many of you do. At the same time, you are asked to do too much. You are sent into complex situations that other professionals from our community may be better equipped to handle. You are also part of a system born out of racism and, despite progress on reforms, that institutional racism of police departments here and across the nation continues to have disproportionate negative impacts on people of color. By rethinking what public safety really means; by centering Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and by taking a thoughtful approach — we can seize this historic opportunity to disrupt institutional racism AND achieve real community safety.
“In addition to the important budget actions today, I am introducing a Resolution for this coming Monday to support the national effort to pass “The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” which is H.R. 7120 introduced by Congresswoman Karen Bass, Democrat from California and supported by our own Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. This federal bill addresses many concerns raised by protesters that are authorized by federal law, such as the need to restrict qualified immunity for police officers across the nation. Today, however, we are appropriately focused on improving things here in Seattle.
“CALL FOR COOPERATION: I am hopeful that both the Mayor and City Council have been acting in good faith and with good intentions on these complex issues. We are both appropriately exercising our authority granted by the people under our City Charter. This is a classic and appropriate policy debate. Our two branches of government, for the good of our city, are simply considering and weighing different factors with limited information on the dramatic changes we are going to make. Let us see the common ground: we both want to reimagine public safety. We are both dedicated to public service and striving to respond to this historic, unprecedented moment. Will the City Council go further than the Mayor? Certainly. But, because we both care about the people, we want them to have confidence in their local government. The people expect us to deliberate, to debate, and yes, sometimes, to disagree. But the people do not want us to divide or demonize. I did not return to City Hall to watch us dismantle the functional fabric of our local government. The real enemy is the person who has only 5 months left in the White House, so let’s stop the sniping at City Hall. Let us disagree respectfully, seek common ground, and solve problems for Seattle.”
WEEK OF JULY 27, 2020 UPDATE:
On Friday, July 31, our Budget Committee walked through 38 amendments to the 2020 Seattle Police Department (SPD) budget adopted by the previous City Council. As previously reported, the Mayor was already planning to reallocate $20 million from this year’s 2020 budget and has identified another $76 million to reallocate in 2021. A majority of the City Council (including me) plans to go further, once we dive into the 2021 budget process this Fall.
Notably, the Councilmembers who originally tweeted they would “defund SPD by 50%” fell well short of that arbitrary percentage, due to the need to honor labor law, the federal consent decree for police reforms, and practical constraints of amending budgets midyear. However, Councilmembers Herbold and Lewis introduced a promising Resolution with a draft road map to move further in that direction. The Resolution includes principles to reallocate additional dollars from traditional law enforcement to other city government departments and to BIPOC-led organizations. I look forward to the discussion on this new Resolution next week because I continue to believe we need to demilitarize our police, go beyond the current reforms, and reallocate substantial resources to BIPOC-led organizations. For the Seattle Times article on this, CLICK HERE.
I joined several of my colleagues to co-sponsor the reallocation of millions of dollars as an initial downpayment toward greater reinvestments in BIPOC communities:
$3 million for community-led research as suggested by Decriminalize Seattle and King County Equity Now (the Mayor had already set aside $500,000 for community engagement that she can deploy rapidly to inform her 2021 budget to be transmitted in September);
$4 million to our Human Service Department’s Community Safety Initiative: a partnership among four BIPOC-led programs, including Community Passageways, Urban Family, SE Safety Network Hub Boys & Girls Club, and the Alive & Free Program – YMCA; and
$10 million to the Human Services Department (HSD) for scaling up community-led organizations, including technical support and capacity building to increase public safety.
I reached out to the youth leaders of the “Every Day Protests” / “Seattle Evening March” who have led vocal protests at the personal residences of nearly all Seattle City Councilmembers. We had a ZOOM conference call to discuss their concerns, hopes, and demands — demands rooted in their lived experience and their strong desire not to let this historic moment slip by without disrupting the institutional racism in our law enforcement systems and reinvesting in Black communities. In addition to wanting to defund SPD, they cited the negative gentrification of Seattle’s Central District. When envisioning the best ways to reinvest dollars, they emphasized schools, health care, and homeownership. Discussions will continue with them and a wide array of BIPOC-led organizations.
As we work to reallocate these and additional dollars, I would like the Council to have open lines of communication with our Chief Carmen Best, the Community Police Commission, our other police accountability organizations, and BIPOC-led organizations — including both newly formed groups AND those who have been fighting this fight for decades including the Urban League. No matter how much the City Council “defunds” our police department, we need to make sure that the remaining officers and criminal justice systems continue with the reforms. We should also provide sufficient resources and technical assistance to community-led organizations so they can use data to track results, measure effectiveness, and implement continuous improvements to achieve the positive outcomes we all seek and so policymakers have the information needed to scale up the most successful prevention and intervention anti-carceral programs proven to work. A potential source of evidence-based programs proven to reduce crime and harm are highlighted by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University, and other independent, non-partisan research.
WEEK OF JULY 20, 2020 UPDATE:
Federal Law Enforcement in Seattle: Regarding President Trump threatening to send in federal agents to protect federal buildings, Mayor Durkan held a press conference on July 24 and Council President Gonzalez and Public Safety Chair Lisa Herbold issued a statement with a similar message: “’Seattle leaders have made it abundantly clear that federal local law enforcement intervention is unwanted and unneeded…Our offices will continue to monitor the federal agents’ presence in Seattle, and we will work with Mayor Jenny Durkan, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Governor Jay Inslee, and our congressional representatives to halt any actions by federal authorities that violate our residents’ constitutional rights.‘ On June 8, 2020, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed Resolution 31948 condemning the use of military force in jurisdictions such as Seattle that have not requested and do not intend to request federal interventions.”
Crowd Control Weapons: The ordinance introduced June 8 and passed unanimously June 15 by our City Council has been impacted differently by 3 different judicial rulings, with the net effect that only some prohibitions currently remain on SPD’s ability to use tear gas, flashbangs, and other crowd control weapons against peaceful protesters. Ultimately, updated policies are likely after the City’s police accountability organizations complete their analysis and federal Judge Robart determines whether the new law conflicts with the consent decree.
July 24: “In an emergency hearing Friday night, a federal judge blocked Seattle’s new law prohibiting police from using tear gas, blast balls and similar weapons, even as it was scheduled to go into effect Sunday and as the city awaits a potentially tumultuous weekend of protests with federal agents in the area. U.S. District Judge James Robart granted a request from the federal government to block the new law, which the Seattle City Council passed unanimously last month. The U.S. Department of Justice, citing Seattle’s longstanding police consent decree, argued that banning the use of crowd control weapons could actually lead to more police use of force, leaving them only with more deadly weapons. Robart said the issue needed more discussion between the city and the Justice Department before the change went into effect. Ruling from the bench, just before 9 p.m. Friday night, Robart said the temporary restraining order he granted would be “very temporary.” For the full Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE.
July 23: “U.S. District Judge James Robart, in a brusque eight-page order, said he would not stop the ordinance from taking effect and was sharply critical of the city [government executive’s and City Attorney’s] efforts to convince the court to issue an injunction, saying it didn’t attempt to meet the legal burden necessary… The ordinance passed unanimously June 15 after criticism of SPD’s use of tear gas, blast balls and other nonlethal weapons against mostly peaceful protesters rallying against police racism and violence downtown and on Capitol Hill.” For the Seattle Times July 22 article, CLICK HERE.
I reached out to the Co-Chair of the Community Police Commission, Reverend Harriet Walden, to discuss the various proposals for reimagining public safety and “defunding” SPD such as the “blueprint” from Decriminalize Seattle. (For some others consulted, please see other entries from this post.) As someone who has been fighting for police reform for years with organizations like Mothers for Police Accountability, there was a recognition that, even after a majority of City Councilmembers reallocate a meaningful portion of funds from SPD to community-based safety programs, there remains a vital need to continue with the reforms of our police department and adhere to the federal consent decree.
The groups Decriminalize Seattle and King County Equity Now shared their “blueprint” with the Seattle City Council Budget Committee, which starts to flesh out their principles for “defunding” the Seattle Police Department. For our Budget Committee website, CLICK HERE.
Councilmember Debora Juarez issued a statement on her commitment to combat racism and proceed thoughtfully when reallocating public safety dollars: “We need a plan, not a percentage.” Councilmember Juarez wrote, “We need to know: 1. What is being cut or reassigned? (2) What and where are such funds being reallocated to? (3) What is the overall allocation plan and implementation timeline? and (4) Most importantly, what are the impacts on our sworn duty to uphold public safety?” For her full statement, CLICK HERE.
I was sickened by the police union president saying he believes the police killing of Charleena Lyles in 2017 was “suicide by cop.” These harmful comments reinforce the need to complete the inquest of her wrongful death, which is being blocked by other King County jurisdictions challenging the reformed inquest process established by our King County Executive. One of the key demands of Lyles family members is to allow the inquest to proceed, as they reiterated at the vigil I attended for her in June. Seattle thankfully withdrew its challenge of the inquest process and I sent a demand letter to the other jurisdictions calling on them to allow the process to proceed. That tragedy also reinforces the need for trained professionals other than armed police officers to respond to those who need help in many situations — a key rationale for reimagining public safety.
Mayor Durkan announced her plan to remove at least $76 million from the Seattle Police Department (approximately 20% of SPD’s $400 million budget). For the Seattle Times article, which includes various reactions to the Mayor’s announcement, CLICK HERE.
JULY 10, 2020 UPDATE:
I hear from constituents with a variety of views: those who support defunding SPD by at least 50% and those who do not. Those who are loudly demanding a 50% reduction of the police budget should know that a veto-proof majority of the City Council has already pledged to defund at least 50%. Moreover, each Seattle resident has 3 Councilmembers who represent them: their district Councilmember and their two citywide (“at-large”) Councilmembers: President Lorena Gonzalez and Budget Chair Teresa Mosqueda have already both pledged to defund SPD by at least 50%. Because my single vote is not needed to achieve that specific goal, those focused on implementing that numerical goal may find it most productive and meaningful to ask the other Councilmembers to deliver the details, budgets, and legislation that enabled them to commit to their 50% pledge. I am committed to continuing to collaborate with my colleagues to implement a solid, sensible, and equitable budget plan that addresses institutional racism while reimagining public safety.
While I hear from constituents with a variety of views, I also hear a lot of common ground. I continue to agree we should reallocate substantial dollars to re-imagine public safety and achieve community wellness and — once the City Council votes on actual budget legislation — we would know the precise percentages that will be moved to other city departments or nonprofits to be reinvested in other types of emergency responses and proven prevention programs. For example, I agree we should dispatch mental health providers to those experiencing a mental health crisis. I hope that what matters most at the end of the day is not a specific percentage that’s “defunded” and reallocated, but that marginalized communities feel 100% safe and are stronger after City Hall demilitarizes our police department and delivers the services people are demanding to improve lives. I was not part of the City Council that approved the $400 million police budget less than a year ago. But our current City Council has already taken some concrete actions and there is a lot of common ground for positive next steps.
Acknowledging the long and terrible history of structural racism in American society and the wrongful killings of George Floyd, Charleena Lyles, and countless other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color at the hands of law enforcement, I have taken this pledge:
These positive principles are consistent with the 4 principles from the group Decriminalize Seattle:
Regarding elected officials who have already promised a specific percentage to defund, I am eager to review their line item budget details and the results of labor negotiations they must be using to arrive at that number. I hope my colleagues will also incorporate my suggestion to create an alternative to 911 — a community-focused 311 call center that everyone can call with confidence for whatever city services they truly need. A 311 Call Center could be IN ADDITION TO a 911 Emergency Call Center also run by civilians. (Having 311, too, is not meant to be a complete solution, but rather one practical piece to reimagine public safety. Reforms must continue in our police department so that 911 is used properly.) I also look forward to working with the Mayor as she conducts her broad outreach throughout Seattle and crafts her budget proposals for City Council amendments and votes.
Our Police Chief Carmen Best published her concerns with the 50% figure on SPD’s website; CLICK HERE.
JULY 6, 2020 UPDATE: My City Council colleagues and I condemned the killing of protester Summer Taylor and the injury of Diaz Love.
JUNE 18 and 19, 2020 Update:
I participated in the Juneteenth Freedom March sponsored by the King County Equity Now coalition, the Africatown Community Land Trust, and other Black leaders with ties to Seattle’s Central District, which marched from Madison Street to Jimi Hendrix Park on June 19. For an article covering both this event and the “Next Steps” event organized by “Not This Time!” focused on criminal justice reform, CLICK HERE.
photo by Alex Pedersen
Attended the community vigil for Charleena Lyles at Magnuson Park, the three-year anniversary of when two Seattle police officers tragically killed her in front of her children. Councilmember Kshama Sawant spoke at the event; I did not feel it was appropriate for additional elected officials to take up space or distract from the solemn vigil. I heard the demands of Katrina Johnson. For a news article on the event, CLICK HERE.
photo by Alex Pedersen
JUNE 17, 2020 UPDATE: An alliance of Black women leaders launches a new fund to support Washington State’s Black community. From their press release:
“The Black communities across Washington state have long done the work to uplift our communities without appropriate funding and resources. The Black Future Co-op Fund will ensure that we have a strong infrastructure and network for sustainable progress,” said Angela Jones, CEO of Washington STEM. Jones is one of the architects of the Fund alongside Michelle Merriweather, President and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle; Andrea Caupain, CEO of Byrd Barr Place; and T’wina Nobles, President and CEO of Tacoma Urban League. All of the Fund’s architects are women with long histories of supporting Washington’s Black community.
Angela Jones of Washington STEM and Michelle Merriweather of the Urban League are among the leaders who set up a new Black Future Co-Op Fund with the Seattle Foundation.
The Fund will invest in a range of areas including health, housing, education, youth development, art and history, economic and land development, and advocacy and civic engagement. According to Andrea Caupain of Byrd Barr Place, the Fund is an acknowledgement of the harm that systemic racism has done to the Black community in Washington state. “The world has leveraged Black people for profit for centuries. This fund begins to turn that tide,” said Caupain. For more info, CLICK HERE.
JUNE 16, 2020 (newsletter excerpt):
Friends and Neighbors,
While this month’s newsletter discusses the COVID-19 public health crisis, the resulting economic downturn, our sudden $300 million budget deficit, and the need to fix the West Seattle Bridge impacting 100,000 residents, the priority I’ve heard from constituents is about justice. Justice after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and countless other people of color who have been victims of police misconduct, justice after the excessive use of force by police officers against protesters here in Seattle, and justice by accelerating dramatic, systemic improvements to eliminate racism from these institutions. Please read on and check my blog for more updates.
PROTESTS LEAD WAY TO RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS
LISTENING:
I reached out to Nikkita Oliver, social justice leader and former mayoral candidate. She emphasized the need to re-imagine public safety and community wellness and she highlighted the King County Equity Now Coalition. For her June 2020 interview in Vanity Fair, CLICK HERE.
I reached out to another newly elected official, Girmay Zahilay, the King County Councilmember whose district overlaps with our City Council District 4. He emphasized the Elected Officials Pledge and walked me through each of the 5 items. With that additional understanding and information, I committed to the pledge. (The pledge was urged by several organizations including Fuse Washington.)
I reached out to my former opponent at the ballot box Shaun Scott and he emphasized accountability of the police during the protests, such as officers who were allowed to cover up the identification on their badges. I supported the Mayor’s directive to fix that and I supported Public Safety Chair Lisa Herbold’s legislation to make that permanent.
I observed and participated in several demonstrations and marches, some in our District 4 as well as the Silent March from Judkins Park to Jefferson Park organized by Black Lives Matter on June 12, 2020. There are more to come. I also visited the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” to better understand it.
Ron Sims, who administered the oath of office to me in January, wrote about his life experiences and work on racial justice in a June Op Ed in the Seattle Times. “When hope is elusive, only anger and despair remain. The pent-up anger in the Black community is no longer restrained, particularly when hopelessness prevails. What we are witnessing in these times is the product of profound distrust.” Mr. Sims is lifelong public servant, including a former King County Executive and Deputy Secretary of HUD under President Obama. For his story, CLICK HERE.
I went through over 23,000 e-mails including 1,000 from District 4 residents thus far. As someone who sorted the incoming e-mails for Councilmembers I used to work for (Burgess in Seattle and De La Fuente in Oakland), the e-mails to this new City Council about police accountability and Black Lives Matter during the past three weeks have been different. The passionate surge has been sustained and their demands have been specific and consistent.
I continue to acknowledge my white privilege and my commitment to using it to listen and collaborate with colleagues and community leaders across the spectrum to implement sustainable changes for true public safety that emphasizes community wellness. Below I attempt to explain concepts like “defunding the police” to those who might not be as familiar, but who want to make things better for everyone.
I will make mistakes along the way and I will not make everyone happy as many constituents may argue that my efforts are too slow or too fast or just plain wrong. But this is not about me or any single politician or organization. It’s about George Floyd, it’s about Breonna Taylor, it’s about the countless black and brown lives who have been victims of law enforcement systems and institutions built with racism — a racism that became painfully more clear for millions of Americans in a horrible, shameful 8 minutes and 46 seconds. We cannot and should not retreat from this moment; they must not have died in vain.
“The world is watching,” Ebony Miranda, chair of the organizing group, Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County, told marchers on Friday, June 12, “We are on the precipice of a major shift in the fight for Black liberation,” Miranda said. “This is a marathon, not a sprint. … I ask you: What will you do to make sure we sustain this movement?” I observed and participated in several demonstrations and marches, including the Silent March from Judkins Park to Jefferson Park organized by Black Lives Matter on June 12, 2020. (photo by Alex Pedersen)
ACTION: The new policies proposed and implemented by the Mayor and/or City Council are numerous and increasing each week. By the time you read this newsletter, new policies are likely being considered and implemented, based on community input and/or completed research or investigations. For up-to-date information going forward, please see my blog by CLICKING HERE or by using this url: https://pedersen.seattle.gov/
Actions Taken Thus Far (consistent with “The Pledge” shown above):
Banning Chokeholds.
Banning Chemical Weapons.
Uncovering Badges (police may still use tape to mourn fallen officers, but can no longer cover identifying information).
Keeping on Body Cameras for accountability purposes.
Withdrawing Motion on Police Consent Decree (City Attorney).
Withdrawing Challenge to Reformed Inquest Process (City Attorney).
Restricting Relationship Between School District and SPD.
Transforming Fire Station 6 into Central District community center (CLICK HERE)
Declaring Racism as a Public Health Crisis in King County (CLICK HERE).
Repealing Loitering Laws that Disproportionately Impacted People of Color (see below).
This Monday, I introduced Council Bill 119808 with Councilmembers Andrew Lewis and Tammy Morales to repeal a law that has had racist outcomes (Section 12A.10.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code). I believe it is vital to support the recommendation of the Seattle Reentry Workgroup to repeal the Prostitution Loitering law, so we eliminate a source of disproportionate harm or jeopardy to people of color from our policing and carceral system. After engagement with community stakeholders, co-sponsoring the repeal of this problematic law is just another initial step I’m taking with my colleagues to help right what has been wrong for too long.
Future Actions:
Fix the Police Officer Contract:
I will not support a new collective bargaining agreement with our Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) unless it fully implements remaining accountability measures, such as fixing the disciplinary review system in accordance with the 2017 accountability ordinance. For the 8-page document by the Community Police Commission comparing the strong 2017 Accountability Ordinance (Ordinance 125315) to the watered down 2018 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) covering years 2015 through 2020 – and which has yet to be fixed by Seattle’s Labor Relations Policy Committee (LRPC) — CLICK HERE.
While most of our police officers strive to do good work and serve our communities well, they operate within a tainted system that requires unprecedented and systemic change. Officers are also asked to do the impossible when sent into situations that require not a gun, but a social worker, therapist, or educator (see “defunding” concept below).
Restructure Public Safety Budgets to:
Demilitarize and De-Escalate
Reimagine Public Safety
Reinvestment in Marginalized Communities
The City Council has several more meetings to dive into our Police Budget. The first was a breakdown of the budget on June 10. For graphs and data, CLICK HERE. To listen to that first discussion, CLICK HERE (and fast-forward to 2 hours and 22 minutes). This includes not only de-militarizing (which does not generate much financial savings because it’s mostly capital grants already received from the federal government), but also reallocating substantial dollars to community wellness efforts that benefit marginalized communities.
What does “De-Funding” really mean? There are many articles de-mystifying this term and I provide a few examples below. I encourage those readers who might resist this concept at first to explore it with an open mind as I do over the coming weeks:
(1) For the recently published column in the Washington Post by attorney Christy Lopez, a Georgetown University professor and co-director of the school’s Innovative Policing: CLICK HERE. She writes, “For activists, this conversation is long overdue. But for casual observers, this new direction may seem a bit disorienting — or even alarming. Be not afraid. ‘Defunding the police’ is not as scary (or even as radical) as it sounds, and engaging on this topic is necessary if we are going to achieve the kind of public safety we need.”
(2) Ali H. Mokdad, a health specialist at the University of Washington is quoted in a recent New York Times column by Nicholas Kristof: “Defund the police for certain services and move them to social work” (such as domestic violence, youth offenders, alcoholism, addiction, mental illness, and homelessness). “Having an armed person intervene causes harm sometimes for the person who needs help.” CLICK HERE.
(3) For recent Seattle Times articles exploring the “de-funding” concept, CLICK HERE and HERE.
“For there is another kind of violence, slower but just as deadly, destructive as the shot or the bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions; indifference and inaction and slow decay.” — Robert F. Kennedy
You may remember that, during my campaign, I called for more community policing officers. The goal was to improve safety and reduce harm. I understand the goal of true safety — for everyone — can be achieved, however, in different ways. This is part of the “re-imagining” process: to explore how it may be more effective for everyone (including police officers) if professionals other than traditional officers are often called to prevent or respond to certain urgent situations, such as a mental health crisis.
Some colleagues have made passionate statements to defund 50% of the $400 million budget, but I believe we need a more detailed plan before we commit to any specific number.
I agree we need to reallocate dollars in a way that makes a meaningful impact. It’s important to recognize that approximately 80% of the budget is for personnel. Rather than laying off highly trained officers, many of whom joined to serve Seattle, a reallocation could involve re-training of some officers as well as dramatically expanding the recently revived program of un-armed “Community Service Officers.” This would be in addition to finding more dollars for effective community-based programs proven to de-escalate or prevent criminal activity, to keep marginalized people out of the harmful incarceration system, and to treat underlying causes.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER: I look forward to working in a more collaborative fashion with my fellow elected officials — from our Mayor Jenny Durkan to Councilmembers who have bolder ideas of where to go from here. This is an appropriate time to point out that a big city mayor is one of the toughest jobs in the nation. She manages 40 city departments run by 12,000 employees with a budget of $6.5 billion for over 700,000 people and is juggling several crises at once (including COVID and the failure of the West Seattle Bridge which serves 100,000 people). She was elected to serve for at least four years and her steady presence at the helm is important, despite criticisms along the away. I don’t think it will serve the city well to have our mayor resign in the middle of her term and such request are unproductive and distracting; the election is next year, after all. Interestingly, a King 5 poll published June 16 showed Mayor Durkan with a significantly higher public approval rating than that of the City Council. Regardless, this is not about a single person or a single organization.
[UPDATE: To offer some additional perspective, Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison of Minneapolis, where police brutally and wrongfully killed George Floyd, was a guest at our Budget Committee on June 17 and he was asked about his Mayor. He has had big disagreements with the mayor over policing and budgets, but he disagrees with calls for the mayor to resign there.
Minneapolis Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison told us “I’ve had my disagreements with the Mayor; I’ve been public about them. I’ve had conversations with the mayor about those disagreements, but the truth is that we cannot undercut democracy, and the people of Minneapolis did vote for the mayor. And so I’m not going to sort of make an executive decision to cut out the people of Minneapolis and their electoral power, their democratic power, just because I have disagreements with a certain elected official.”
“Certainly, my colleagues who have disagreed with me for many years have never sort of cut me out, knowing full well that my constituents elected me. And so it’s not so much about who I like or whether or not I like their decisions; I could vehemently disagree with their decisions. At the end of the day, this is representative democracy and I cannot disrespect the people of Minneapolis by cutting out an elected [official] that they voted for and selected democratically. And so we can have those fights, if the mayor wants to disagree on how we move forward, I’m happy to sort of ‘duke it out’ with them, but I won’t cut them out entirely because the people of Minneapolis elected them.”
Andre Taylor at “Next Steps” event June 19, 2020. Photo by Seattle Times.
At the “Next Steps” rally on June 19, Andre Taylor, the founder of the criminal justice reform organization Not This Time!, “urged the crowd to support Mayor Jenny Durkan…” (per the Seattle Times). Mr. Taylor said of Mayor Durkan, “This powerful woman beside me, we don’t agree all the time. I don’t have to agree 100% of the time to build with you.”
We need more unity, not division. I believe Seattle will benefit most when people who may start in different places with different ideas choose to work together toward a common goal: a city that feels truly safe for everyone.
Banning Chemical and Other Weapons Against Protesters (CB 119805)
Uncovering Badges for Clear Identification of Police Officers (CB 119803)
INTRODUCED REPEAL OF PROBLEMATIC LOITERING LAW: In addition, we introduced legislation I am co-sponsoring with Councilmembers Lewis and Morales (Council Bill 119808) to cancel a problematic law that has had racist outcomes. (Section 12A.10.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code). I believe it is vital to support the recommendation of the Seattle Reentry Workgroup to repeal the Prostitution Loitering law, so we eliminate a source of disproportionate harm or jeopardy to people of color from our policing and carceral system. This is just another initial step I’m taking with my colleagues to help right what has been wrong for far too long. For a link to the press release on the repeals proposed for both loitering laws, CLICK HERE.
JUNE 11 AND 12, 2020 Update:
JOINED MARCH OF SILENCE LED BY BLM: I joined 60,000 other Seattleites in the March of Silence organized by Black Lives Matter (Seattle-King County) during the afternoon on Friday, June 12. For more info from BLM, CLICK HERE. For King 5 news coverage, CLICK HERE.
“The world is watching,” Ebony Miranda, chair of the organizing group, Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County, told marchers, “let our silence speak volumes.” “We are on the precipice of a major shift in the fight for Black liberation,” Miranda said. “This is a marathon, not a sprint. … I ask you: What will you do to make sure we sustain this movement? What can you do in your jobs, in your schools?”
JUDGE CONFIRMS EXCESSIVE FORCE BY SPD OFFICERS: Per the Seattle Times on June 12, “A federal judge in Seattle has found evidence that the Seattle Police Department [SPD] used excessive force and violated the free-speech rights of thousands of demonstrators, and has issued a temporary restraining order preventing officers from using pepper spray, tear gas, foam-tipped projectiles or any other force against peaceful protesters.”
MAYOR INITIATES TRANSFER OF FIRE STATION 6 TO CENTRAL DISTRICT FOR COMMUNITY CENTER: This was one of the key requests from the King County Equity Now Coalition. For the news story, CLICK HERE.
RACISM DECLARED PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS: One of the demands of the local Black Lives Matter organization was to declare racism as a public health crisis. King County Executive Dow Constantine and Public Health Director Patty Hayes followed through on June 11 saying they “are committed to working in stronger and better resourced partnerships with community organizations and leaders to disrupt and dismantle racism and protect the health and well-being of Black, Indigenous People and People of Color.” For their declaration, CLICK HERE.
CHAZ / CHOP: I visited the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” (CHAZ) Thursday evening, June 11 after several constituents contacted me with questions and concerns about it. (Recently renamed CHOP which stands for Capitol Hill Organized Protest.) Here’s what I observed: peaceful crowds, mourning, community, and passionate demands for re-imagining public safety. The blossoming street mural on Pine Street is beautiful and powerful. I believe we can craft a sustainable path to create more long-term community space in the area and ensure there is true safety for everyone. For initial articles on CHAZ/CHOP by the first Seattle Times, CLICK HERE and HERE. For the discussions between organizers and our Fire Department and Seattle Department of Transportation, CLICK HERE.
photo by Alex Pedersen
JUNE 10, 2020 Update:
POLICE BUDGET: Today we started to examine the budget of our police department at the Budget Committee chaired by Teresa Mosqueda with questions led by Public Safety & Human Services Committee chair Lisa Herbold. For a link to the informative presentation by our City Council analysts, CLICK HERE. I made it clear that I heard from my constituents that we must de-militarize our police force. In addition, we’re overdue to re-imagine public safety. We have nine more budget committee meetings to close the COVID-caused budget deficit of over $300 million for this calendar year.
What does the term “de-funding” mean? There are many articles de-mystifying this term and here are a few examples:
(1) For the recently published column in the Washington Post by attorney Christy Lopez, a Georgetown University professor and co-director of the school’s Innovative Policing: CLICK HERE. She writes, “For activists, this conversation is long overdue. But for casual observers, this new direction may seem a bit disorienting — or even alarming. Be not afraid. ‘Defunding the police’ is not as scary (or even as radical) as it sounds, and engaging on this topic is necessary if we are going to achieve the kind of public safety we need.”
(2) Ali H. Mokdad, a health specialist at the University of Washington is quoted in a recent New York Times column by Nicholas Kristof: “Defund the police for certain services and move them to social work” (such as domestic violence, youth offenders, alcoholism, addiction, mental illness, and homelessness). “Having an armed person intervene causes harm sometimes for the person who needs help.” CLICK HERE.
(3) For recent Seattle Times articles exploring the “de-funding” concept, CLICK HERE and HERE.
SCHOOL DISTRICT RE-EXAMINES OFFICERS AT SCHOOLS: “The Seattle School Board advanced a proposal Wednesday calling for a one-year moratorium on a partnership between Seattle Public Schools (SPS) and the Seattle Police Department, an arrangement that provides five armed police officers across five city schools.” For the Seattle Times article, CLICK HERE.
WALLINGFORD RESIDENTS SUPPORTING BLACK LIVES MATTER: I joined Wallingford residents Wednesday night at their peaceful demonstration on the sidewalks at Stone Way and N. 45th Street to support Black Lives Matter. Good conversations with the organizers. Lots of support from cars and cyclists. Will be participating in the citywide march this Friday, too.
JUNE 8 and June 9, 2020 Update:
I JOINED THE PLEDGE: After consulting with County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay (whose district overlaps District 4) who crafted this pledge from community input and — after listening to hundreds of my constituents who contacted me over the past several days — I have signed this pledge:
While I typically do not sign pledges (in order to give more time and flexibility to conduct research, listen to more constituents, consult other stakeholders, and allow for deliberations among my elected colleagues), these are extraordinary times. I also signed the related letter to Mayor Durkan circulated today by Public Safety Chair Lisa Herbold at the City Council meeting.
IMMEDIATE LEGISLATIVE FIXES: There will be legislation for our City Council to vote on within the next week that I plan to support:
Ban chokeholds.
Ban chemical agents.
Fix how mourning badges are used, so that the identification information remains visible.
But that is just a start on the legislative front. There will be in-depth discussions on the budget, for example, and how best to allocate resources to benefit our communities. For my remarks at the City Council Briefing (June 8), CLICK HERE.
DE-ESCALATING CAPITOL HILL: Mayor Durkan ordered removal of street barricades near the East Precinct police station on Capitol Hill in an attempt to de-escalate. For the Mayor’s announcement, CLICK HERE.
BODY CAMS: Mayor Durkan issued an Executive Order requiring police officers to keep on their body cameras during demonstrations. (Issued June 8 and signed June 10). For a long-term solution that balances this important accountability tool with individual privacy rights, the Mayor has asked “the City of Seattle’s Police oversight entities – the Community Police Commission, Office of Police Accountability, and Office of Inspector General…to immediately work with City Council and convene a stakeholder engagement process that invites: Black Lives Matter of Seattle-King County, ACLU of Washington, the King County Department of Public Defense, and any other organizations interested in participating in a civic engagement process to develop a recommendation on policy to submit to City Council regarding the use of body-worn cameras during demonstrations, and particularly the privacy and First Amendment concerns and Public Records Act.” For the Mayor’s entire order, CLICK HERE.
CITY ATTORNEY WITHDRAWS INQUEST CHALLENGE: As explained in the Seattle Times, “…Seattle would withdraw a legal challenge against King County’s revamped rules for inquests into police killings. The rules would bar officers from testifying about their state of mind and would allow inquests to delve into their disciplinary histories. The city’s challenge, which has come under added scrutiny in the past week, opposed those changes and others.” Pete Holmes announced, “After hearing from community voices and our Seattle City Councilmembers, and after conferring with our police chief, I intend to withdraw the City of Seattle from the lawsuit challenging the revised King County inquest process.” For the City Attorney’s press release, CLICK HERE.
JUNE 7, 2020 Update:
With reports of the Seattle Police Department using tear gas on protesters in Capitol Hill last night (Saturday, June 6) — despite the Mayor’s earlier directive not to use tear gas — I believe legislative fixes are warranted sooner rather than later. I look forward to working with my City Council colleagues to take stronger action this week.
CROWD CONTROL: Mayor Durkan requested accountability organizations to produce additional recommendations to update crowd control techniques previously approved by consent decree monitor and federal judge. For the Mayor’s letter, CLICK HERE.
DEMONSTRATIONS: Meanwhile, I joined District 4 neighbors who poured onto Ravenna sidewalks and into Maple Leaf Reservoir Park this afternoon to show support for Black Lives Matter.
Maple Leaf Reservoir Park, June 5, 2020photo by Alex Pedersen
JUNE 4, 2020 Update:
WITHDRAWING MOTION ON CONSENT DECREE; ENDING CURFEWS: In response to requests from peaceful protesters, community leaders, your City Council, and their own assessments of quickly evolving events, the City Attorney withdrew the City’s controversial motion to the federal judge on the police consent decree and Mayor Durkan ended the controversial curfews.
CITY COUNCIL STARTS TO WEIGH IN: For my comments about the need for police accountability at the June 3 Public Safety & Human Services Committee, CLICK HERE. Go to 3:34:43 (3 hours, 34 minutes, and 43 seconds into the listening session with community members, the Mayor’s Office/Police Chief, and police accountability officials). I’m glad I was able to deliver these same remarks to the Wallingford Community Council in District 4 where I was a guest at their virtual meeting the same evening.
This past weekend, I joined neighbors in the peaceful march in Northeast Seattle, organized by passionate students of Nathan Hale High School, to show Black Lives Matter and to decry the wrongful killing of George Floyd and the history of institutional racism. Monday night, after our City Council meeting, I observed for several hours the restraint and professionalism exercised by several Seattle police officers from the North Precinct who communicated with protesters to keep events as peaceful as possible in Northeast Seattle. I would also like to commend our city’s firefighters and other first responders who helped to extinguish fires started by a small subset of protesters.
However, I also watched several deeply disturbing videos of how some police officers reacted to protesters in downtown during the past few evenings. These disturbing events are why I supported efforts by our City Council President and Public Safety Committee Chair to have the Mayor’s Office and Police Chief come before the City Council this week, even as new protests were underway.
The relatively new, civilian-led Office of Police Accountability has already acknowledged in a formal statement posted on their website that they are investigating the facts to get to the bottom of many questions, including the manner in which police officer badges were covered, why officer body cameras were kept off, how police rifles were stolen, why crowds of Seattle residents were engaged and dispersed by some police officers using disturbing tactics that made things worse, and whether any peaceful protesters arrested or charged can be released/have their records cleared.
I believe immediate improvements can be made. For example, the police chief could require officers, who respectfully use dark tape to mourn officers who died in the line of duty, to affix the tape in a manner that does not cover up their name or badge number. (UPDATE: SPD listened and updated their policy on mourning badges, which can be viewed by CLICKING HERE. )
Many constituents – ranging from those who highly value our professional police officers to those who have had negative experiences with police departments — want to know whether Seattle’s evolving system of accountability – which now includes the Community Police Commission, the Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Police Accountability — can make sure any police officers who engaged in misconduct (including excessive force) face justice. Many constituents want to know whether the federal consent decree can remain in place for longer, whether the new labor contract with our 1,300 police officers will incorporate additional police reforms, and whether City leaders will thoroughly re-examine how we allocate our city budget dollars to ensure we do no further harm.
Many people wrote to say they would like their city government to “defund” our Police Department by sharply redirecting their annual tax dollars toward human services programs. I definitely believe we should reconsider the dollars previous City Councils approved to obtain and maintain military-style weapons in our city. We should also look hard at reallocating what we can toward effective community-based programs. At the same, I believe we need to retain funding sufficient to recruit and retain properly trained police officers from diverse backgrounds, to reduce response times for neighborhoods, to expand community policing, to reduce overtime expenses (so that police officers are not overworked), and to support reviving the Community Service Officer program of unarmed officers. The City Council’s Budget Committee will be reviewing, debating, and adopting the City budget in the Fall.
I have a strong track record of supporting effective programs for marginalized communities including tens of thousands of units of low-income housing for people who had been experiencing homelessness and culturally competent preschool and childcare programs, including the nationally acclaimed Seattle Preschool Program and Nurse Family Partnership.
There is much work to do. The systemic and institutional racism that prompted these protests needs to be addressed and the way some police officers reacted to protesters needs to be addressed. This is going to take sustained effort and I am prepared to support additional reforms and improvements based on the results of investigations into these troubling incidents. At the same time, I believe in a wonderful future for Seattle and our nation and I am hopeful we can come together as a compassionate and committed community; advance and solidify public safety reform and accountability; and secure peace, equity, and justice here in Seattle.
MAY 31, 2020 (original post):
Black Lives Matter. The call to action from Martin Luther King, Jr. decades ago — that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” — sadly rang true once again as we protested the wrongful killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis follows the long history of police accountability problems and institutional racism throughout our nation.
On Saturday, May 30, community members across Seattle came together to grieve, protest, and commit themselves to the cause of justice. Coming together is a constitutional right our nation has honored and cherished for centuries.
From the morning to the afternoon, individuals marched and gathered peacefully. They pledged that George Floyd will not have died in vain. They called upon police officers and policymakers to do more to advance police reforms and accountability here and throughout our fragile nation.
I participated on foot in the peaceful march and caravan in Northeast Seattle, organized that morning by students of Nathan Hale High School. As with the afternoon protesters downtown, we were building community with our collective concern and action, which is so necessary during these terrible times.
However, late Saturday afternoon, some demonstrations downtown swiftly turned violent with rogue protesters setting multiple fires and throwing objects not only harming our first responders and local businesses already stretched and struggling during the pandemic, but also endangering peaceful protesters. The disturbing events also generated many questions and concerns about whether some police officers reacted with unnecessary or excessive force.
MAYOR’S EMERGENCY ORDERS AND REPORT TO COUNCIL:
Due to the dangerous circumstances downtown Saturday evening — including fires — I understand the rationale for our Mayor Jenny Durkan to institute a temporary curfew for public safety (for evenings of Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30). Any future use of curfews should be carefully scrutinized and with sufficient advanced warning.
This weekend I also supported the call by our City Council President Lorena Gonzalez and Public Safety Committee Chair Lisa Herbold for City Council to receive a full report from the Mayor’s Office during a public Council meeting that we are scheduling for Wednesday, June 3. The Council must get answers to several concerns raised by the general public. In addition, the relatively new, civilian-run Office of Police Accountability has received thousands of complaints that it will be investigating.
I believe in a wonderful future for Seattle and our nation and I am hopeful we can come together again as a compassionate and committed community, so we can advance the gains we have made for police reform and accountability here in Seattle. There is much work to do.
I’m grateful to the professionals at our City’s Human Services Department who participated to answer many of our constituent questions about the city government’s approach to homelessness in 2021 and the upcoming shift to the new Regional Homelessness Authority. In case you missed this Town Hall, you can view the recorded event by CLICKING HERE.
April 27, 2021 RSVP (from our e-newsletter)
Virtual District 4 Town Hall – Tuesday, May 11, 2021 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Please join our District 4 office for our Spring 2021 virtual Town Hall. We have invited Human Services Department Director Helen Howell to share the City’s strategy for homelessness, even as we shift toward a more effective regional approach to this regional crisis. We will also dedicate time to answer District 4 questions. To RSVP to this online event (and to submit questions about city government for this event, CLICK HERE. [Note: After the Town Hall, please send comments or requests to Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov. The RSVP form is not monitored after the Town Hall event. Thank you!]
Lorena González ia a nationally recognized attorney and civil rights leader. She has represented women, older workers, low-wage workers and people of color in employment, wage theft, and gender discrimination cases. She has helped set policy and implement historic minimum wage and worker protections alongside the Mayor, unions and progressive leaders throughout Seattle.
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I observed and participated in several demonstrations and marches, including the Silent March from Judkins Park to Jefferson Park organized by 
