>>> 2020 COUNCIL BRIEFING
MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER.
THE TIME IS 9:31 A.M..
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
?
>> CLERK?
I THINK WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR
--
>> LET ME START AGAIN, PLEASE.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
>> HERE.
>> EIGHT PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAME CLERK.
REALLY QUICKLY, ON APPROVAL OF
THE MINUTES, MY LAST TIME WE
WERE HERE TOGETHER IN COUNCIL
BRIEFING, MY SCRIPT INCORRECTLY
REFERENCING ADOPTING THE MAY 5TH
BRIEFING MINUTES.
I WANT TO CLARIFY WE WERE
ADAPTING AND DID IN FACT ADAPT
THE MAY 4TH COUNCIL BRIEFING
MINUTES, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY
CONFUSION FOR THE PUBLIC OR MY
COLLEAGUES ON THAT SMALL ERROR.
SO WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO THE
ADOPTION OF MINUTES.
THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES OF MAY 11TH, 2020, WILL
BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES ARE ADOPTED.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT, I'M GOING TO
GO AHEAD AND DISPENSE WITH THE
PRESIDENT'S REPORT TODAY SINCE
WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA.
I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
QUICKLY INTRODUCE OUR FIRST
BRIEFING ITEM, WHICH IS THE
STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION
UPDATE.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OF
COURSE, OUR COLLEAGUES OVER AT
THE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS WHO WILL GIVE US THEIR
SINE DIE REPORT OF THE 2020
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE
SESSION.
THIS BRIEFING WILL INCLUDE
IMPORTANT UPDATES ABOUT CHANGES
TO THE STATE'S BUDGET IN THE
FORM OF VETOES BY THE GOVERNOR
THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN RESPONSE
TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND
RESULTING IN ECONOMIC CRISIS.
2020 SINE DIE REPORT WAS
INCLUDED ON THE PUBLISHED
COUNCIL BRIEFING AGENDA FOR THIS
MORNING, COLLEAGUES, SO YOU CAN
FOLLOW ALONG THERE, AND THE
PUBLIC CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG
THERE AS WELL.
WE ARE SLATED TO HEAR FROM OUR
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS TEAM
UNTIL 10:05:00 A.M., SO WHAT I
WILL ASK IS THAT COLLEAGUE, THAT
WE ALLOW OIR TO GO THROUGH THE
ENTIRETY TO THEIR PRESENTATION
AND RESERVE YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL
THE END, SO LET'S, I THINK THAT
HAS WORKED WELL IN PAST
PRESENTATIONS SO I IMAGINE WE'LL
HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS
PARTICULAR SUBJECT MATTER, AS WE
SHOULD.
AGAIN, HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL
THE END OF THE PRESENTATION AND
I'LL MAKE SURE TO CALL ON YOU AS
SOON AS WE'RE DONE WITH THE
PRESENTATION.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND KICK IT OFF.
I IMAGINE, LILY, YOU'LL GET US
STARTED, SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO
YOU.
>> I WILL.
HAVE I SUCCESSFULLY UNMUTED?
>> YOU HAVE.
WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
LILY WILSON-CODEGA, DIRECTOR OF
THE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS, I'LL DO INTERTROES,
I'M JOINED BY CHERYL SWAB, OIR
DEPUTY DIRECTOR ALONG WITH ROBIN
KOSKEY AND QUINN MAJESKI, OUR
STATE RELATIONS TEAM.
ALTHOUGH THEY PASSED THE HOUSE
FRIDAY EVENING, GIVEN THAT
LEGISLATION WILL NOT BE TAKEN UP
BY THE U.S. SENATE IN THE
TIMELINE FOR THE NEXT
CONGRESSIONAL PACKAGE WILL NOT
BE PUSHED OUT UNTIL EARLY JUNE,
WE'RE HERE SPECIFICALLY TO
REPORT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE
ACTION WITH OUR STATE TEAM.
ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO CLEAR
TIMELINE FOR A SPECIAL SESSION
AT THIS POINT, WE WILL CONTINUE
TO UPDATE YOU ALL AS WE LEARN
MORE FROM LEADERSHIP AND SEATTLE
DELEGATION AS THE TIMELINE
EVOLVES AND TODAY WE'LL BEGIN
WITH JUST KIND OF AN OVER VIEW
OF THE FORMAT.
A REPORT FROM ROBIN KOSKEY, OUR
STATE RELATIONS DIRECTOR, ON THE
STATE CAPITAL AND OPERATING
BUDGETS DEVELOPMENTS AND SHE MAY
ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON
SPECIAL SESSION GIVEN HOW
QUICKLY THINGS CAN CHANGE OVER
THE WEEKEND.
QUINN MAJESKI WILL THEN PROVIDE
A TRANSPORTATION BUDGET OVER
VIEW AND AFTER THAT, TIME
PERMITTING, WE KNOW WE'LL STICK
TO 10:00, WE'LL DO A BRIEF
REVIEW OF YOUR SINE DIE REPORT
WHICH YOU ALL HAVE, HIGHLIGHTING
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ON
COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF
THE EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY,
AND TRANSPORTATION, AND WITH
THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
ROBIN KOSKEY, OUR STATE
RELATIONS DIRECTOR.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE IT IS
REALLY NICE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
I WILL ADMIT THAT THE END OF THE
LEGISLATIVE SESSION SEEMS LIKE
QUITE A LONG TIME AGO, BUT
UNCHARACTERISTICALLY RIGHT NOW,
WE'RE IN A VERY ACTIVE TIME AND
ARE ENGAGING WITH OUR
DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, LIKE LILY
SAID, THINKING ABOUT THE SPECIAL
SESSION COMING UP.
THE SINE DIE REPORT WAS
SUBMITTED TO YOU A FEW WEEKS
AGO.
I JUST WANTED TO PAUSE FOR A
BRIEF MOMENT TO THANK OUR
LOBBYING TEAM.
YOU HEAR FROM US, THE CITY
STAFF, ALL OF THE TIME AND WE
HAVE CHOSEN TO NOT HAVE OUR
CONTRACT LOBBYISTS COME UP AND
PROVIDE UPDATES SO YOU HAVEN'T
BEEN SEEING THEM AS OFTEN, BUT
THEY ARE ON THE GROUND IN
OLYMPIA, HELPING US ALL OF THE
TIME COVERING LOTS OF DIFFERENT
ISSUES THAT IS REBECCA JOHNSON,
PAM KROHN, NANCY SAPIRO AND JAY
MANNING.
WE WANT TO EXTEND GRATITUDE TO
THEM FOR HELPING US AND HELPING
THE CITY GET THE LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES PASSED.
I WANT TO START OUT BY ACTUALLY
TAKING A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE A
BIG WIN FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
I WANTED TO HAND IT OVER TO
QUINN TO DISCUSS THE
LEGISLATION, ESPECIALLY SINCE
WE'RE NOT GETTING TO CELEBRATE
VERY MUCH THESE DAYS.
QUINN, IF YOU CAN GIVE THE
DETAILS TO THAT, I WOULD
APPRECIATE IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU, ROBIN AND THANK YOU,
COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR HAVING US
DIGITALLY PRESENT THIS MORNING.
I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE, YOU
KNOW, SIGNIFICANT WIN WHICH WAS
THE ENFORCEMENT LEGISLATION.
FROM THE OUTSET, I WANT TO THANK
THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BY A
NUMBER OF FOLKS WITHIN THE CITY,
IN PARTICULAR, CHIEF SKOGGINS
FROM THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
AND MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIVES
FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AN
SPEAKING TO THE BENEFITS TO THE
LEGISLATION AS WELL AS OUR
PARTNERS IN THIS EFFORT, IN
PARTICULAR, THE FOLKS WHO DID
SOME REALLY SIGNIFICANT AND
PROFOUND ADVOCACY AROUND THIS
ISSUE.
FROM THE OUTSET, WANTED TO CALL
OUT THOSE EFFORTS.
THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED
IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT, FOR THE
NEXT THREE YEARS, WILL ALLOW THE
CITY TO ENFORCE TRANSIT LANE
VIOLATIONS THROUGH AUTOMATED
TRAFFIC CAMERAS.
IT IS LIMITED WITHIN THE CITY.
THIS IS LARGELY IN LINE WITH THE
UPDATE THAT WE GAVE DURING
SESSION.
IT DIDN'T ULTIMATELY CHANGE
TOWARD THE TAIL END SESSION VERY
MUCH.
IT IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER
DOWNTOWN AREA, SR 99 AND THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE, BUT ALSO
THE LOW BRIDGE, WHICH WILL BE
PARTICULARLY USEFUL AS WE
CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE
IMPACTS OF THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE CLOSURE.
THE TRANSIT LANE VIOLATIONS ARE
LIMITED TO ANY SPECIFIC
LOCATIONS BUT THE ENFORCEMENT OF
THE BOX IS LIMITED TO 20
LOCATIONS WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC
AREA.
THE LEGISLATION GOES INTO EFFECT
ON JUNE 11TH, BUT FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR, ALL
VIOLATORS WILL RECEIVE A WARNING
WITH NO MONETARY CITATION, SO
MONETARY CITATIONS WILL BEGIN
JANUARY 1ST, 2021.
THE CITATION AMOUNTS ARE LIMITED
TO $75.
ANY REVENUE THAT IS GENERATED
BEYOND THE COST OF OPERATING,
MAINTAINING, AND IMPLEMENTING
THE PROGRAM, 50% WILL BE
RETAINED BY THE CITY.
50% WILL BE REMITTED TO THE
STATE.
THE CITY'S PORTION MUST BE SPENT
ON IMPROVEMENTS TO ACCESSIBILITY
AND EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION IN
PARTICULAR, ADA IMPROVEMENTS.
IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION,
THERE IS A WORK GROUP THAT HAS
BEEN SET UP WITH S-DOT AND SPD
THAT IS BEGINNING TO WORK
THROUGH SOME OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES AND
PROCEDURES, SO I EXPECT YOU'LL
HEAR FROM THEM SOMETIME LATER
THIS YEAR.
AND I DO ALSO WANT TO MAKE A
SPECIAL NOTE TO THANK COUNCIL
MEMBER STRAUSS FOR COMING DOWN
TO OLYMPIA AND TESTIFYING
MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS EFFORT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT
ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, QUINN.
NOW I'LL MOVE TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE SUPPLEMENTAL
OPERATING BUDGET.
AS WE SAID, THERE WERE MANY
VETOES.
HOWEVER, ONE AREA OF THE BUDGET
THAT WAS NOT TOUCHED AT ALL BY
THE GOVERNOR'S VETO PEN WAS THE
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS BUDGET.
THERE WAS A $60 MILLION INCREASE
FOR SHELTER CAPACITY THAT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AT
$20 MILLION OF THESE FUNDS AND
AN ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION FROM
THE DISASTER RESPONSE ACCOUNT
ARE BEING ALLOCATED TO COUNTIES
FOR THE COVID OUTBREAK HOUSING
GRANTS.
THAT MONEY HAS GOTTEN OUT ON THE
STREET AND THE COUNTY RECEIVED
$10.7 MILLION OF THOSE FUNDS.
THE CITY ACTUALLY WAS INVOLVED
IN HELPING THE COUNTY'S SCOPE, A
REQUIREMENT OF THE LEGISLATION,
WHAT THE MONEY WOULD BE USED
FOR, AND I WILL GET BACK TO
EVERYONE TO SEE EXACTLY HOW THAT
MONEY IS BEING ALLOCATED.
THAT INFORMATION, WE DON'T HAVE
RIGHT NOW, BUT I HAVE ASKED THE
COUNTY TO PROVIDE THAT TO US.
THERE IS ALSO $40 MILLION FOR
THE HOUSING TRUST FUND IN THE
CAPITAL BUDGET.
THERE WAS $15 MILLION FOR THE
HOUSING AND ESSENTIAL NEEDS
PROGRAM, AND AN ADDITIONAL
$420,000 TO EXTEND THE PROGRAM
TO PREGNANT WOMEN.
THERE WERE $15 MILLION IN THE
BUDGET PER YEAR, SO A
REOCCURRING EXPENSE FOR FIVE
YEARS FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE, AND THEN THERE WAS
A $5 MILLION PILOT PROGRAM TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSING NEEDS OF
EXTREMELY LOW INCOME SENIORS A
AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND
HIGH COST COUNTIES AND KING
COUNTY IS ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES.
AS FAR AS THE VETOES GO, THERE
WERE $235 MILLION TOTAL VETOED
FOR 2020 AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL
210 MILLION FOR THE NEXT ANNUAL
BUDGET.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE,
UNFORTUNATELY, VETOED, AND I DO
THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T
DO THIS VERY LIGHTLY, YOU KNOW,
I THINK HE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT
HE NEEDED TO DO THIS, BUT FELT
IT WAS WHAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN FOR
THE PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE
STATE.
EDUCATION, COUNSELORS IN HIGH
POVERTY SCHOOLS AND PARAEDUCATOR
TRAINING, THE $50 MILLION
INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET TO
ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS,
POSTPARTUM MEDICAID COVERAGE WAS
ALSO CUT.
THERE WAS A BIG REDUCTION IN THE
FUNDS TO EXPAND EARLY LEARNING
INSTEAD OF 15 MILLION, IT IS
ONLY 2 MILLION.
$13 MILLION WAS VETOED.
IN THE END OF THE SINE DIE
REPORT, WE INCLUDED A LIST OF
ALL OF THE VETOES, JUST SO YOU
COULD GET AN IDEA OF THE SCOPE
OF THEM AND YOU KNOW, THERE WERE
MANY, MANY AREAS OF THE BUDGET
THAT WERE IMPACTED, SO IT WASN'T
AS IF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY
CARED ABOUT WERE THE ONLY THINGS
THAT WERE TARGETED.
AND THEN THE PACER PROGRAM, I
KNOW THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT THIS
COUNCIL HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN,
THE GOVERNOR VETOED THE $46,000
THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET TO
IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE PROGRAM,
STATING IT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO
GET THE PROGRAM STARTED BUT THE
COUNTIES MAY IMPLEMENT.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE IS THE
COALITION THAT SUPPORTED THE
LEGISLATION AS WORKING ON
GETTING A TOOL KIT TOGETHER SO
IT WILL BE EASIER FOR COUNTIES
TO GET THAT GOING, GET THE
PROGRAM GOING ALL OVER THE
STATE.
ALSO, JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT
THE CAPITAL BUDGET WAS QUITE
SMALL THIS YEAR, BUT THAT WAS
ALSO -- THERE WERE NO VETOED IN
THAT AT ALL.
THAT WAS ACCEPTED IN TOTAL.
I'LL HAND IT BACK OVER TO QUINN
TO DISCUSS THE TRANSPORTATION
BUDGET AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU, ROBIN.
ON THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET
SIDE, YOU MAY RECALL THAT EVEN
BEFORE ALL OF THE CORONAVIRUS
CRISIS EMERGED, THE STATE WAS IN
A RATHER NEGATIVE BUDGET
SITUATION DUE TO THE IMPACTS OF
I--976 DESPITE THE ONGOING LEGAL
DEBATE ABOUT THE INITIATIVE, THE
STATE'S RESPONSE WAS TO TREAT
I-976 AS LAW AND AS SUCH, THE
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET BEGAN WITH
A $457 MILLION DEFICIT.
THEY WERE ABLE THROUGH THE
BUDGET PROCESS, TO ULTIMATELY DO
A GOOD JOB OF MITIGATING AND
ADDRESSING THAT SHORT FALL.
THEY DID THIS THROUGH A
COMBINATION OF CAPTURING PROJECT
UNDER RUNS, SO COST OF LIVING
AND EXISTING TRANSPORTATION
PROJECTS, SOME FUN SHIFTS THAT
WERE ABLE TO MUTT DEBATE AND
SOME BALANCES AND OTHER
RESERVES.
ULTIMATELY, THE TRANSPORTATION
BUDGET IS LARGELY IN TACT AND
MADE A FEW SELECT INVESTMENTS.
IT UNPAUSED THE PROJECTS THAT
THE GOVERNOR HAD PUT ON PAUSE
AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE
INITIATIVE.
I WILL NOTE THAT IT IS A
DIFFERENT AND DISTINCT PAUSE
FROM THE CURRENT PAUSE THAT IS
OCCURRING DUE TO THE PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS.
IT ADDED 25 MILLION FOR THE
VIADUCT AND 6.7
6.2 MILLION FOR
NORTHBOUND I-5 AT SENECA, WHICH
ARE TWO WASH-DOT PROJECTS THAT
WE HAVE A LOCAL INTEREST IN HERE
IN THE CITY.
THAT FUNDING IS NECESSARY TO
KEEP THEM ON TRACK AND ON
SCHEDULE.
IT DID REDUCE THE DIRECT
DISTRIBUTION OF GAS TAX REVENUE
BY 10, THE LOCAL IMPACT WHICH
WILL BE $260,000 PER YEAR.
THEN FINALLY, I WILL NOTE,
ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A DIRECT
IMPACT TO THE CITY IT IS
SOMETHING WE HAVE AN INTEREST
IN.
IT ASSUMES 7.1 MILLION IN COST
SAVINGS BY REQUIRING SUN TRANSIT
TO PAY WHAT THE STATE BELIEVES
IS THE FULL COST OF COLLECTING
THE CAR TAB VALUES FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING,
EFFECTIVELY A COST SHIFT FROM
DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING ON TO
SOUND TRANSIT.
I THINK, IN TERMS OF VETOES, I
WANT TO NOTE, THERE WERE NO
SUBSTITUTE VETOES OF THE
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET BUT THE
GOVERNOR DID VETO A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT SAYING THAT
THE PROJECTS THAT WERE
IDENTIFIED WERE INTENDED TO BE
FUNDED AND COMPLETED AND IN THAT
VETO MESSAGE, DID MAKE A
SPECIFIC NOTE THAT BASED ON THE
COMBINED IMPACTS OF I-976 IN
FURTHER YEARS, WHICH ARE
EXPECTED TO BE SIGNIFICANT, MORE
SIGNIFICANT, AS WELL AS THE
ONGOING DECLINE IN THE REVENUES
AS RELATED TO COVID-19, THAT
THERE MAY BE DELAYS OR
CANCELLATIONS OF PROJECTS THAT
ARE MADE AT HIS EXECUTIVE
DISCRETION.
THERE IS NO SPECIFIC VETO BUT WE
WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE
IMPACTS.
THERE MAY BE PROJECTS THAT ARE
DELAYED OR CANCELLED.
THAT IS THE GENERAL OVER VIEW OF
THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET.
AS I MENTIONED, THE IMPACTS OF
976 ARE EXPECTED TO GROW NEXT
YEAR.
THAT WILL BE A SHORT FALL OF 684
MILLION.
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE
IN REVENUES IN GAS TAX AND OTHER
REVENUES THAT ARE COMING INTO
THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET, SO
ALTHOUGH THE CHAIRS AND THE
GOVERNOR WERE ABLE TO MORE OR
LESS MITIGATE THE IMPACTS THIS
YEAR, THE BUDGET PICTURE FOR
NEXT YEAR IS SIGNIFICANTLY
WORSE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, QUINN.
I'M GOING TO, WELL, FIRST I WANT
TO TOUCH BRIEFLY ON HOUSE BILL
2965, WHICH WAS THE $200 MILLION
IN FUNDING FOR COVID-19 RELIEF.
I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT
A LOT.
WE DID MENTION THAT IN THE LAST
BRIEFING.
WE JUST WANTED TO REMIND
EVERYONE THAT IT DID HAPPEN AND
THE CITY RECEIVED A $13 MILLION
ALLOCATION FROM THE FUND THAT
THE BUDGET OFFICE IS WORKING ON
WITH THE EXECUTIVE IN TERMS OF
HOW THAT MONEY WILL BE USED.
WE DID WORK REALLY HARD TO GET
IT TO BE FAIRLY BROAD SO THAT WE
COULD USE IT IN BUDGET AREAS
WHERE WE WERE NOT GOING TO GET
FEMA REIMBURSEMENT OR WE DIDN'T
THINK THERE WOULD BE OTHER
THINGS TO PAY FOR AS A PLACE TO
FILL IN THE GAPS AND I THINK IT
IS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE IN
DOING THAT FOR SURE.
AS FAR AS SPECIAL SESSION GOES,
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT OF
COURSE, I'M SURE EVERYONE
REALIZES THAT THE STATE IS
SUFFERING FROM THE SAME KINDS OF
BUDGET IMPACTS THAT WE ARE AT
THE CITY.
THERE IS LOTS OF CONCERN ABOUT
THE STATE BUDGET OF COURSE.
FRIDAY I UNDERSTOOD FROM ONE OF
THE MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION
THAT THE REVENUE FORECAST IN
JUNE IS GOING TO BE A BIT WORSE
THAN THEY EXPECTED, SO SORRY TO
BE THE BRINGER OF BAD NEWS, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS THE CASE.
AS LILY SAID, WE'RE NOT SURE.
WE DO THINK THERE WILL BE A
SPECIAL SESSION.
WE'RE JUST NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN
IT WOULD BE.
IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS JUNE.
IT ALSO COULD BE IN AUGUST OR
MAYBE EVEN POSSIBLY LATER IN THE
FALL.
I DO THINK THAT THE SCOPE OF THE
SPECIAL SESSION WILL BE RATHER
LIMITED.
IT WON'T BE -- IT WILL BE THINGS
THAT I THINK ARE DIRECTLY
RELATED TO COVID AND RELATED TO
THE BUDGET.
I THINK THEY WILL MAKE IT VERY
SHORT AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK
THAT PUTS US ON NOTICE THAT WE
SHOULD BE DOING OUR ADVOCACY AND
CHECKING IN WITH THE DELEGATION
WHICH WE ARE ACTIVELY DOING.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
I KNOW THAT IS VERY HIGH CONCERN
TO THIS COUNCIL.
WE'RE WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN
ISSUE THAT IS SHARED BY, YOU
KNOW, JUST ABOUT EVERY CITY IN
THE STATE AND ALSO WITH THE
ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON
CITIES.
THEY HAVE ASKED, AND WE HAVE, IN
COALITION, ASKED FOR A NEW
PROCLAMATION THAT COULD EXPAND
THE BUSINESS CONDUCTED BY
COUNCIL AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING
ON A LEGISLATIONIVE APPROACH,
PART OF WHICH COULD BE DONE IN
THE SPECIAL SESSION AND PART OF
WHICH COULD BE LONGER TERM.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE TIME FOR
A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REVISION.
IT HASN'T BEEN TOUCHED SINCE
1983.
WE'RE LOOKING INTO HOW WE MIGHT
DO THAT, BUT I THINK THAT IS A
LONGER TERM KIND OF THING THAT
MAY BE THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE
SESSION.
WE'RE CLOSELY WATCHING PROGRESS
ON THE UNDOCUMENTED WORKER
RELIEF FUND, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE TO UNDOCUMENTED
WORKERS WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE THROUGH
COMMNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
DIRECTOR FROM THE OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS
AND I PARTICIPATED IN A CALL
WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND
BROAD COALITION WHICH INCLUDES
ONE AMERICA, ACRS, ECONOMIC
LAWSUIT, UNEMPLOYMENT LAW
PROJECTS, LABOR YOU KNOWERS AND
MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
IT IS QUITE A BROAD COALITION
WHICH IS REALLY WONDERFUL.
YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE
WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT
AUTHORITY HE HAD TO CREATE SUCH
A FUND AND WHETHER LEGISLATIVE
ACTION WAS NECESSARY AND HE DID
PROMISE TO GET BACK TO THE
COALITION SOMETIME THIS WEEK
ABOUT WHAT HIS THOUGHTS WERE SO
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS ALSO A LOOK
AT MORE PERMANENT CHANGES TO
PROVIDE WAGE ASSISTANCE TO
UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS THAT IS
MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A WORKER
RELIEF FUND.
THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT AWC AND
REPRESENTATIVE PAULETTE ARE
WORKING ON THAT WOULD CREATE
REVENUE FLEXIBILITY AND OPTIONS
FOR CITIES INCLUDING FLEXIBILITY
ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SALES
TAX, LODGING SALES TAX,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SALES TAX.
LEVY LIFTS, INTERFUND LOANS AND
FLEXIBILITY AROUND AUDITS AND
THEN AWC IS ALSO ADOPTED A
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE
ESPECIALLY SESSION WHICH
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
PARTICIPATED IN THAT MEETING AND
THAT WOULD INCLUDE A 1% PROPERTY
TAX CAP AND PERMITTING REVIEW
AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS TO
MAKE IT EASIER TO GET PROJECTS
UNDER WAY.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE OTHER AREA
THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS FEMA
REIMBURSEMENT.
THE STATE ORIGINALLY SAID THEY
WOULD PAY THE 25% THAT FEMA
USUALLY PAYS 75% AND THEY WOULD
PICK UP THE TAB FOR THE EXTRA
25%.
THEY HAVE NOW REALIZED, GIVEN
THE SCOPE OF THIS CRISIS, THAT
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE BUDGET
AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, SO THEY'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO INCLUDE A
PROPOSAL DURING SPECIAL SESSION
THAT WOULD SEEK TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO CITIES AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THEY WOULD
COVER EITHER THE WHOLE 25% OR
PERHAPS HALF OF THE 25% SO THERE
WOULD BE LESS FINANCIAL
LIABILITY ON THE CITIES.
I WANTED TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT
RECOVERY.
I THINK WHILE WE'RE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE CRISIS, WE AT THE
CITY ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT
RECOVERY.
THE STATE IS DOING THE SAME
THING.
THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTED THREE
DIFFERENT TASK FORCES.
ONE IS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM BEING LED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
SECRETARY JOHN WEIS MAN.
ONE IS ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY LED
BY LISA BROWN AND THEN A SOCIAL
SUPPORT GROUP LED BY DEPARTMENT
OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES,
CHERYL STRANGE.
THE SENATE IS ALSO LOOKING AT
RECOVERY AND ANNOUNCED A
BIPARTISAN ECONOMIC RECOVERY
GROUP CHARGED WITH MAKING
RECOMMENDATIONS ON RECOVERY.
IT WILL BE CHAIRED BY SENATOR
FROCK, FROM OUR DELEGATION,
WHICH IS GREAT NEWS AND THE VICE
CHAIR WILL BE SENATOR SALDANA
FROM THE DELEGATION IS ALSO ON
THE COMMITTEE AND THEY WILL HAVE
THE FIRST MEETING IN JUNE.
THE MEETINGS WILL BE PUBLIC,
PROBABLY JUST LIKE THIS ON ZOOM,
SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH WHAT
HAPPENS.
THERE IS ALSO SOME SLIGHTLY MORE
INFORMAL GROUPS THAT ARE BEING
MANAGED BY THE SENATORS.
THERE IS A BUSINESS AND
NON-PROFIT GROUP THAT SENATOR
MOLLETT WILL CHAIR.
A PEOPLE'S WORK GROUP, FOCUSED
ON HOW TO SUPPORT PEOPLE ON THE
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL CHAIRED BY
SENATOR KAISER.
ECONOMIC TRADE GROUP AND THEN A
STIMULUS AND REVENUE STABILITY
COMMITTEE BEING CHAIRED BY
SENATOR.
SO I DON'T KNOW, LILY, IF YOU
THINK WE SHOULD SHIFT TO THE
SINE DIE REPORT TO GO THROUGH
THE DETAILS.
I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE MAYBE TEN
MINUTES LEFT SO I'M WONDERING IF
WE SHOULD GO TO QUESTIONS NOW.
>> I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE,
JUST MAYBE DEFER TO THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
WE COULD DO BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS.
IT WILL TAKE A BIT OVER FOUR
MINUTES, OR HOLD THAT AND OPEN
IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
I'LL DEFER TO YOU ON THAT.
>> IN THE INTEREST OF TIME
BECAUSE IT IS 9:56 AND I IMAGINE
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MANY
QUESTIONS, AND WE DO HAVE THE
SINE DIE REPORT THAT WE CAN READ
THROUGH CAREFULLY, I WOULD
SUGGEST THAT WE GO AHEAD AND
PAUSE HERE ON THE PRESENTATION
AND ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO
BEGIN THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO
ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU
HAVE PRESENTED ON ORALLY ALREADY
AND ANY OTHER PRIORITIES OR
QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE
LOOKING FORWARD INTO 2021 OR
POTENTIAL SPECIAL SESSION, SO IF
THAT IS OKAY WITH YOU ALL, I
THINK, COLLEAGUES, WE SHOULD
BEGIN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING
WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FOR THE OIR TEAM.
FOR THOSE OF YOU ON VIDEO, IF
YOU CAN START BY RAISING YOUR
HAND.
I'LL CALL IN THE ORDER I SEE
YOUR HAND GO UP.
IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE ONLY, IF
YOU CAN PING ME OR USE THE CHAT
FUNCTION ON ZOOM TO JUST LET ME
KNOW YOU HAVE A QUESTION, I CAN
PUT YOU INTO THE QUEUE.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
ANYBODY ELSE INTERESTED IN
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS
POINT?
OKAY.
GREAT.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA FIRST AND THEN WE'LL
HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
AND I MAY ALSO HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AFTER MY
COLLEAGUES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR
WORK IN OLYMPIA.
I KNOW IT WAS TWO OR THREE DAYS
AFTER THE SINE DIE THAT WE HAD
THIS AROUND COVID.
I KNOW YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE
TO REST.
ROBIN, YOU MENTIONED THERE WAS
REALLY NO CUTS TO THE HOUSING
AND HOMELESSNESS PROGRAMS.
I KNOW THAT THE FOLKS FROM OUR
DELEGATION ADVOCATED STRONGLY
FOR 13 MILLION SO WE COULD
POTENTIALLY PURCHASE A HOTEL.
THAT HOTEL WAS PURCHASED BY KING
COUNTY.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY STILL
HAS 13 MILLION THAT WE CAN
ACCESS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT WHETHER YOU KNOW THE
STATUS OF WHERE THOSE DOLLARS
ARE AT?
MY UNDERSTANDING IS MID-MARCH WE
RECEIVED THOSE ALREADY.
ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE 13
MILLION SINCE THE COUNTY USED IT
FOR THE HOTEL, WHICH IS GREAT,
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
KNOW WHERE THE 13 MILLION IS AT,
IF IT IS AT THE CITY LEVEL
STILL.
>> YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IT ENDED
UP WORKING OUT PRETTY WELL GIVEN
THAT ALL OF THE -- IT WAS
ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES THAT PURCHASED
THE HOTEL.
THEY WERE ALL USED FOR, NOT THE
HOTEL, IT WAS A LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITY THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN OUT
OF USE.
ALL OF THE MONEY WENT TO THE
SAME PURPOSE FOR COVID-19
RELIEF.
OVER ALL, THAT IS REALLY GOOD.
I THINK THE BUDGET OFFICE IS
WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE MONEY GETS USED AS
EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT
WE'RE NOT USING THIS VERY
FLEXIBLE RESOURCE TO PAY FOR
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE, YOU
KNOW, PAID FOR BY A LESS
FLEXIBLE FEDERAL RESOURCE.
THAT IS WHAT IS TAKING A LITTLE
TIME TO FILL THE CORRECT HOLE
WITH THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE LOOKING AT SPENDING THE
MONEY ON HOUSING RELATED USES,
POTENTIALLY HYGIENE FACILITIES,
YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL MONEY TO
SUPPORT SHELTERS AND PERMANENT
SUPPORT OF HOUSING.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING ADDITIONAL
EXPENSES.
I BELIEVE THAT THE EXECUTIVE IS
GOING TO FINALIZE THAT PROPOSAL
AND SHOULD COMMUNICATE WITH YOU
ALL, HOPEFULLY SOMETIME THIS
WEEK OR NEXT, SO THAT IS COMING
VERY SOON.
YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT WE'RE
VERY GRATEFUL TO THE DELEGATION.
I THINK WE'RE THE ONLY CITY THAT
RECEIVED A DIRECT ALLOCATION OF
THE COURSE AS OF YET.
WE DO FEEL VERY GRATEFUL THAT
THAT HAPPENED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HEAD OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD FOR HER
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO RESTATE THE
REQUEST THAT I HAVE MADE OF OIR
AS IT RELATES TO A SPECIAL
SESSION.
I WOULD LIKE, SHOULD THAT
HAPPEN, OR MAYBE NOW, IN
PREPARATION FOR THAT LIKELIHOOD
OF THAT HAPPENING, FOR OIR TO
WORK WITH US IN DEVELOPING A
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
THAT IS A RESOURCE-INTENSIVE
EFFORT AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THE SAME WE
HAVE DONE IT FOR REGULAR
SESSIONS BUT WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A RESOLUTION AND
PASSAGE, BUT I DO THINK WE
SHOULD WORK TO ORGANIZE
OURSELVES IN SUCH A WAY WHERE WE
ARE IDENTIFYING FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE WHERE THE TOP PRIORITIES
ARE.
A PROCESS-LIGHT VERSION OF A
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR A SPECIAL
SESSION IS SOMETHING THAT I
WOULD REQUEST OIR TO CONSIDER
WORKING WITH US TO DEVELOP.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I JUST WANTED
TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON
SOME OF THE POLICY PRIORITIES
THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED.
WE ARE DOING SOME FOLLOW UP WITH
THE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS BOTH ON
REVENUE AND SOME OTHER ISSUES
THAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE
IDENTIFIED.
WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT
PROCESS NOW AND JUST YOU KNOW,
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS AROUND
WHAT THE BUDGET WILL LOOK LIKE
IS A GOAL BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF
POLICY CHANGES PARTICULARLY
AROUND THE OPMA ISSUES THAT WE
DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE NEED
TO FOCUS ON, SO THAT IS IN THE
WORKS AND WE'RE WORKING.
I THINK IT IS NOEL THAT IS
HELPING US WITH THAT, SCHEDULING
THAT WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS NOW.
>> YES, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WE
WERE DISCUSSED MANY OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE WOULD
INCLUDE ON THE LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA BY WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS
HAVE BROUGHT TO US.
LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE ISSUES
THAT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO PLAY IT BY
EAR, DIVIDING BETWEEN WHAT ENDS
UP ON A SPECIAL SESSION,
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND WHAT GETS
PUSHED INTO 2020, DEPENDING ON
WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE
LEGISLATORS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
QUESTION.
COLLEAGUES, ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE OIR
STAFF?
OKAY.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK OIR TEAM
FOR THEIR WORK AND COLLABORATION
WITH MY OFFICE AND THE LAW
DEPARTMENT AROUND THE ISSUES
RELATED TO OPMA.
I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE VERBAL CONVERSATIONS WITH
MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNOR'S
EXECUTIVE TEAM ON A WEEKLY CALL
CHECK IN THAT I AND THE KING
COUNTY PRESIDENT HAVE WITH THEM
AND REITERATED ONCE AGAIN MY
REQUEST THAT IF THE GOVERNOR'S
PROCLAMATION IS GOING TO BE
EXTENDED, THAT IT BE MODIFIED IN
ORDER TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE
REALITIES OF HOW WE NEED TO
OPERATE AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THE REALITY IS THAT WE DO EXPECT
THAT THE REQUIREMENT OF REMOTE
MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE
FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND AS A
RESULT OF THAT, CAN REASONABLY
ANTICIPATE THAT THE GOVERNOR
WILL CONTINUE TO RENEW THE
AUTHORIZATION FOR REMOTE
MEETINGS FOR ALL LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE
TO NOT ONLY BE RESPONSIVE TO THE
COVID-19 OUTBREAK BUT ALSO TO
THE LASTING EFFECTS OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY AND
RELATED ECONOMIC IMPACTS.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE
DIRECTLY COMMUNICATED TO THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, NOT JUST AS
RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK, BUT AS
EARLY AS APRIL 21st IN
COMMUNICATION VIA THE LAW
DEPARTMENT WITH THE GENERAL
COUNCIL FOR THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED
THAT THE GOVERNOR LOOK AT
MODIFYING THE PROCLAMATION TO,
AGAIN, ALLOW THIS CITY COUNCIL
AND OTHERS TO ADDRESS NOT JUST
MATTERS NECESSARY TO RESPOND TO
THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK AND
LASTING EFFECTS OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY BUT THE RELATED
ECONOMIC IMPACTS WHICH WE ARE
ALL SEEING STATEWIDE, COUNTRY
WIDE AND ACROSS THE WORLD ARE
REAL AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
BE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE IN A WAY
THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE OPEN
PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT AND SO LONG
AS THE PROCLAMATION 2028 IS SO
STRICTLY WORDED, IT REALLY DOES
PUT CITIES LIKE THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN
TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO BE NIMBLE
AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS THAT
ARE EMERGING AND THAT HAVE BEEN
EXISTING, THAT YOU KNOW, WE
REALLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO
ADVOCATE AND WORK WITH OUR
PARTNERS AROUND THIS IN
WASHINGTON CITY AND OTHERS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
WHY THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT
CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT ISSUE
AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN A
MANNER THAT ACCURATELY REFLECTS
HOW TECHNOLOGY IS USED THESE
DAYS AND HOW TECHNOLOGY WILL BE
A NECESSITY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE
TO MEET PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS AND
DIRECTIVES AND MINIMIZE THE
EXPOSURE BY PEOPLE WHO COME INTO
OUR CITY OR OTHER PLACES OF
PUBLIC ACCESS TO CORONAVIRUS, SO
I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE TO
DATE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE ALL SHARED MY
LETTER AND COMMUNICATION WITH
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, WITH THE
ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON
CITIES, THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT
THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE
SUPPORTIVE AND ALSO ENCOURAGE
SIMILAR CHANGES TO THE
PROCLAMATION AS THE GOVERNOR
LOOKS AT EXTENDING THIS INTO
JUNE.
I THINK THIS IS JUST SUCH A TOP
PRIORITY FOR SO MANY LOCAL
AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND I JUST CAN'T
EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS FOR US TO NOT JUST BE ABLE
TO DEAL WITH COVID-19 ISSUES,
BUT NONCOVID RELATED ISSUES THAT
EXISTED WELL BEFORE THIS
PANDEMIC IN A WAY THAT IS GOING
TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE OPEN
PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT AND THOSE
ARE SORT OF THE SHORTER TERM
NEEDS, OBVIOUSLY, AND AS YOU
HAVE ALL FLAGGED, THE LONGER
TERM NEEDS WILL BE AROUND.
HOW DOES THE OPEN PUBLIC
MEETINGS ACT NEED TO BE MODIFIED
IN, SORT OF, A MORE SUSTAINABLE
WAY GIVEN IT HAS NOT BEEN
REVIEWED SINCE 1983 AND
OBVIOUSLY WE LIVE IN A VERY
DIFFERENT WORLD VERY DIFFERENT
DIGITAL WORLD.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US
TO ASK THE LEGISLATURE TO TAKE A
REASONABLE LOOK AT THE OPEN
PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT TO ACCOUNT
FOR HOW WE ACCESS INFORMATION
AND HOW WE ACCESS PUBLIC SPACES
IN THIS DAY AND AGE THAT IS
SEPARATE AND APART FROM PUBLIC
COMMENT.
AGAIN, I THINK THOSE ARE
IMPORTANT PRIORITIES FOR ME AND
I THINK THEY'RE SHARED
PRIORITIES AMONGST THE MEMBERS
OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND
CERTAINLY I HAVE HEARD THE SAME
FROM FOLKS OVER AT THE
ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON CITIES
AND SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, AGAIN,
MODIFY THAT RUBRIC IN A WAY THAT
IS MORE REALISTIC TO HOW WE
ACCESS INFORMATION IN THIS DAY
AND AGE.
>> AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY
RESPONSIVE TO THIS REQUEST AS
HAS AWC AND JUST TO RECOGNIZE
COUNCIL MOSQUEDA HAS BEEN DOING
A LOT OF WORK INTERNALLY WITHIN
AWC AND LEADERSHIP ROLE THERE.
I THINK THAT WILL BE CRITICAL
MOVING FORWARD GIVEN SOME OF THE
DYNAMICS PRESENTING OBSTACLES
FOR US CURRENTLY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE
THAT MOVING FORWARD INTO THE
SPECIAL SESSION.
>> AND I WANTED TO ADD THAT I
TALKED TO A WITH FC AS LATE AS
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND THEY WERE
ACTIVELY WORKING ON IT ON OUR
BEHALF.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
HER FORTUNATE AND ABILITY TO
SORT OF USE HER ROLE ON THE
BOARD TO BUILD BRIDGES THERE AND
CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE
AWC AROUND THOSE POINTS,
APPRECIATE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
SO RECEPTIVE AND IN MY
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, I FEEL LIKE
THEY HAVE BEEN ALSO RECEPTIVE
AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE
COMPLEXITY OF IT IS.
I THINK THERE IS ALSO AN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT
UNFORTUNATELY THIS ISSUE HAS
BECOME VERY POLITICAL AMONGST
STATE LEGISLATURE AND THAT
PRESENTS DIFFICULTIES IN TERMS
OF THE REQUESTED FLEXIBILITY AND
NEED TO BE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN
PROCLAMATION BILL 2028 AND IF IT
IS EXTENDED INTO JUNE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ, I HAD A
QUESTION ON SOMETHING ELSE
BEFORE THE TEAM LEAVES.
>> YEAH, SURE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
IF THERE ARE ANY UPDATES AND
ADJUSTMENTED NEEDS ON THAT
ACCOUNT, I COMPLETELY AGREE THEY
NEED TO BE MADE IMMEDIATELY
BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION WE'RE
HEADED IN.
THIS WON'T ABE SHORT-TERM
CRISIS.
WE'RE HEADING INTO WHAT
ECONOMISTS ARE NOW CONFIRMING IS
ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE THE WORST
CRISIS SINCE THE GREAT
DEPRESSION BUT I ALSO THINK THAT
LEGAL OPINION IS NOT DEFINITE
ABOUT THIS.
ONE OF THE LABOR ATTORNEY THAT
WE DID A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH
LAST WEEK SAID VERY CLEARLY THAT
THE GOVERNOR DOES NOT HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO TELL THE CITY
COUNCIL WHAT TO LEGISLATE AND
WHAT TO NOT LEGISLATE ON.
WE'LL BE SPEAKING ON THAT LATER
ON.
RIGHT NOW FOR THE LEGISLATIVE
TEAM, I HAVE A SPECIFIC
QUESTION.
WHAT CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING
ABOUT, AGAIN, PRECISELY BECAUSE
OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE
BEING SAID SO FAR ABOUT THE
PROLONGED NATURE OF THE CRISIS
WE'RE HEADING INTO?
WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS ARE
HAPPENING TO AVOID HOSTILITY?
YOU KNOW, THE SEATTLE TIMES OF
COURSE, REPORTED RECENTLY THAT
IN APRIL, ACTUALLY, AND THIS IS
EXPECTING THERE WILL BE MORE
THINGS ALONG THESE LINES, IN THE
NEAR FUTURE, BUT ALREADY
ANNOUNCED BUDGET CUTS RELATED TO
CLIMATE PROGRAMS.
THE OTHER TO QUOTE THE SEATTLE
TIMES ARTICLE, THE SINGLE
BIGGEST CUT WILL BE $116 MILLION
IN NEW MONEY TO 2023 FOR SCHOOL
COUNSELORS IN HIGH PROFIT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE STATE
LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN CRIMINALLY
UNDER FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO SEE
MORE CUTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL
FUNDING BUT ALSO IN FUNDING FOR
OTHER SOCIAL NEEDS WHICH I THINK
IS INEVITABLE BECAUSE OF THE
GUTTING OF PUBLIC REVENUES AS
YOU HAVE CORRECTLY REPORTED.
I WANTED TO SHARE IN
RELATION TO THIS QUESTION, ONE
OF THE MOST RECENT -- WHICH IS
NOT POLITICALLY ALIGNED IN ANY
WAY TO THE SOCIAL AGENDA THAT I
SUPPORT BUT IT IS INTERESTING
THAT THEY'RE RECOGNIZING WHAT A
DEEP CRISIS WE'RE HEADING INTO
AND ONE OF THE PAPERS ON THE
BLOG JUST FROM A FEW DAYS AGO
SAYS THAT WHILE THE PANDEMIC IS
HAVING AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON
ALMOST EVERYONE IN SOCIETY,
POLICIES NEED TO PAY SPECIFIC
ATTENTION TO PREVENTING
LONG-TERM DAMAGE OR SCARRING FOR
THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE LEAST
ADVANTAGED IN SOCIETY AND THEY
ARE RECOMMENDING, I DON'T HAVE
TIME TO READ THE WHOLE THING BUT
THEY ARE RECOMMENDING SPECIFIC
POLICY MEASURES LIKE PUBLIC
WORKS PROGRAMS TO OFFER JOB
OPPORTUNITIES FUNDED BY
PROGRESSIVE MEASURES AND OTHER
FINANCIAL AND FISCAL POLICIES TO
PREVENT.
I'M WONDERING WHAT ARE
LEGISLATORS SAYING AND THEIR
SPECIFIC STATEMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, WHILE I
DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC
STATEMENTS FOR YOU FROM
INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS ON THIS,
WHAT I WILL ASSURE YOU OF IS
THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR SEATTLE
DELEGATION IN PARTICULAR, MANY
OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE LEADERSHIP
ROLES IN THE PROGRESSIVE REVENUE
CONVERSATION.
I THINK AT THIS STAGE, NOTHING
IS OFF THE TABLE.
THERE IS A LOT OF KIND OF
UNKNOWN RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF
WHAT THE REVENUE FORECAST WILL
LOOK LIKE, SO LEGISLATORS WILL
HAVE MORE CLARITY IN JUNE AND
THEN THEY WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO
LOOK AT WHAT TYPES OF
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE CAN FILL THE
HOLE OR ATTEMPT TO FILL THE
HOLE.
BECAUSE OF THE AMBIGUITY, WE
HAVEN'T SEEN ANY SPECIFIC
PROPOSALS.
PLEASE KNOW THAT CONVERSATION IS
AN ACTIVE ONE, PARTICULARLY
WITHIN THE SEATTLE DELEGATION
AND A HIGH PRIORITY.
ABSOLUTELY HEAR YOUR CONCERN ON
THAT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE
THIS ISSUE AS WELL AND KEEP YOU
UPDATED AS WE FIND OUT MORE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT,
COLLEAGUES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FOR THE TEAM BEFORE WE GO AHEAD
AND TRANSITION TO THE NEXT
AGENDA ITEM?
OKAY.
LOOKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, SO THANK
YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE, FROM OIR
FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ONGOING
WORK IN THIS SPACE AND LOOK
FORWARD TO SOME FOLLOW UP ON
SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE
FLAGGED IN AND DISCUSSED THIS
MORNING, ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY,
AGAIN, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS
SAID IT OUT LOUD YET, BUT WELL
DONE ON THE BAN THE BOX
LEGISLATION.
VERY, VERY EXCITING, HARD FOUGHT
LEGISLATIVE EFFORT AND IN A
PERIOD OF TIME WHEN ALL OF US
ARE LOOKING FOR UNITY AND GOOD
NEWS AND A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE
COLLABORATION AND THE GOOD
FRUITS THAT THAT CAN YIELD.
I REALLY JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING EFFORT ON
OUR BEHALF TO GET THAT ACROSS
THE FINISH LINE AND THANKS TO
ALL OF THE STATE LEGISLATURES
WHO WERE SO TREMENDOUSLY
SUPPORTIVE AND ALSO DILIGENT
ABOUT FINALLY GETTING THAT OVER
THE FINISH LINE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL END ON A GOOD
NOTE AND SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH
AND ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR WEEK.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
HAVING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, COLLEAGUES, WE'LL MOVE
ALONG OUR BRIEFING AGENDA.
WE'RE A LITTLE BEHIND, ABOUT TEN
MINUTES.
BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO
MAKE UP SOME TIME HERE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TRANSITION
INTO AGENDA ITEM 4, A
PRESENTATION ON COUNCIL BILL
119793 WHICH IS PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME FOR GIG WORKERS
LEGISLATION.
AS YOU KNOW IN LIEU OF BEING
ABLE TO HAVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
AND IN PARTICULAR TO RESPECT THE
SORT OF NEED AND SENSITIVITY
AROUND BRINGING ESSENTIAL
WORKERS TO CITY HALL MORE THAN
NECESSARY, WE ARE INTEGRATING
SOME CONVERSATIONS INTO COUNCIL
BRIEFINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO
COVID-19 OR ROUTINE AND
NECESSARY PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
THIS BILL IS ONLY ON THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR THIS AFTERNOON AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, A PRIME
SPONSOR, REQUESTED TIME ON THE
COUNCIL BRIEFING AGENDA IN ORDER
TO HAVE A TRANSPARENT
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THIS
COUNCIL BILL IS AND TO DO THAT
EARLY ON, SO THIS IS JUST FOR
DISCUSSION AND WE HAVE KARINA
BULL FROM COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
TO WALK US THROUGH A
PRESENTATION.
FIRST I AM GOING TO, THERE SHE
IS.
YOU FROZE UP ON ME A LITTLE BIT,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
I WAS TRYING TO FILIBUSTER!
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA TO
INTRODUCE THIS TOPIC THAT IS ON
THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR FOR ACTION IN THE
FUTURE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL GO
AHEAD AND HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND DO LET ME KNOW IF
I START TO FREEZE AGAIN.
SORRY ABOUT THAT, JUST AS WE
WERE COMING UP TO THIS AGENDA
TOPIC, ZOOM FROZE FOR ME.
THANK YOU FOR FILIBUSTERING.
I WANT TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT
TO THE BILL AND LOOK FOR ANY
TEXT MESSAGES IN CASE I START TO
FREEZE AGAIN.
COLLEAGUES I WANT TO FRAME
TODAY'S DISCUSSION IN LIGHT OF
TWO HEADLINES FROM THIS MORNING,
THE FIRST IS FROM NPR, THE
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO HEADLINE
THIS MORNING TALKED ABOUT HOW
APP BASED DRIVERS AND SERVICE
WORKERS DO NOT HAVE ANY ACCESS
TO SICK LEAVE.
THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY IN HARM'S WAY RIGHT
NOW.
THEY ARE DELIVERING OUR FOOD AND
GROCERY STORES, SOME OF US MAY
HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE
WORKING AS DRIVERS AND OUR LOVED
ONES, NEIGHBORS AND COLLEAGUES
NEED HAVE ACCESS TO SICK LEAVE
IN LIGHT OF COVID.
THEY ALSO THIS MORNING TALKED
ABOUT HOW THIS YEAR'S INFLUENZA
IS GOING TO BE EVEN WORSE THAN
PAST YEARS.
WE HAVE INFLUENZA COUPLED WITH
COVID, THEY CALLED IT A VERY
DARK WINTER COMING.
THE SECOND HEADLINE COMES FROM
DEMOCRACY NOW.
IF FOLKS LISTENED TO AMY GOOD
WIN, THEY WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO
THE HEADLINE TALKING ABOUT HOW
THIS WILL BE A CALL FOR
LEADERSHIP.
WE NEED TO HAVE LEADERSHIP IN
THIS TIME AS THE DARK WINTER IS
COMING AND WE DON'T HAVE SICK
LEAVE FOR ALL WORKERS.
THE BILL IN FRONT OF YOU
PROVIDES A SICK LEAVE BENEFIT TO
THE VERY WORKERS LEFT OUT OF THE
SICK LEAVE STRUCTURE IN THE
PAST.
THIS LEGISLATION, I WOULD PAUSE
IT, ANSWERS THE QUESTION WHERE
IS THE LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU TO KARINA BULL FOR
BEING ON THE LINE WITH US.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR WORKING
ON THE SICK LEAVE POLICY FOR
ALMOST SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING
OF MARCH AND INTENSE STAKE
HOLDER ENGAGEMENT WITH FOLKS
FROM NOT JUST THE WORKER'S SIDE
BUT ALSO THE APP BASED DELIVERY
SIDE AND WE HAVE, I THINK, PUT
TOGETHER A PIECE OF LEGISLATION
AS OF LAST WEEK THAT REALLY
MEETS ANY OF THE CONCERNS AND
QUESTIONS FROM THE APP-BASED
SIDE AND MEETS THE GOALS AND
HOPES FROM THE WORKER'S SIDE.
THIS IS TRULY A COLLABORATIVE
EFFORT IN FRONT OF YOU IN TERMS
OF THE INTRODUCTION OR REFERRAL
CALENDAR AND THE PRESENTATION
WE'LL WALK THROUGH.
FOR A BIT OF BACKGROUND BEFORE I
TURN IT OVER TO KARINA, SEATTLE
PASSED AND IMPLEMENTED THE PAID
SICK LEAVE POLICY FROM EMPLOYEES
FROM EIGHT YEARS AGO IN 2012.
SIMULTANEOUSLY, THEY HAVE
INCREASED BY 15% WITH
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
REPRESENTING ABOUT 16%.
--
.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, YOU
HAVE FROZEN UP ON US.
>> THERE YOU ARE.
SORRY, YOU FROZE UP ON US FOR
ABOUT 30 SECONDS.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE
AWARE OF THAT.
>> THANK YOU, I'LL CONTINUE.
MANY OF THE WORKERS WHO ARE
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO PAID SICK
AND SAFE LEAVE.
SOME OF THE APPS DO OFFER SICK
AND SAVE LEAVE BUT IT SHOULD BE
NOTED THAT THERE ARE BARRIERS TO
ACCESSING THE SICK LEAVE.
FOR THE WORKERS THAT WE METERED
ABOUT THIS MORNING ON THE
HEADLINES THAT ARE OUT OF SICK
AND SAFE LEAVE, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THERE IS ACCESS TO
SICK LEAVE DURING THE TIME OF
COVID.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED
ESSENTIAL HAVE ACCESS TO SICK
LEAVE AND ESPECIALLY FOR FOLKS
WHO ARE INTERACTING WITH SEATTLE
RESTAURANT OWNERS AND THE
GENERAL PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE IS SAFE.
CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME?
OKAY.
I'M SEEING THUMBS UP.
NOT PROVIDING THEM WITH SICK
LEAVE MEANS THAT WORKERS WILL BE
INTERACTING WITH MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHEN THEY ARE SICK.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE AN OPTION AS
WE PLOT OUR ROAD TO RECOVERY.
WORKERS WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE
TIME OFF WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, A CRITICAL
ELEMENT OF THE SAFE LEAVE
COMPONENT AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT
THERE HAS BEEN A RISE IN
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GIVEN THE
COVID SITUATION WHICH HAS
CREATED ISOLATION FOR MANY
FAMILIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
PAID SICK AND SAFE LEAVE IS A
VITAL PROTECTION FOR EVERYONE
THAT THE CITY SHOULD HAVE.
IT DOESN'T SUFFICE TO HAVE
HIGHER WAGES, THAT MANY OF THE
UNITS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
NEGOTIATE $2 AND HERO PAY OR A
HAZARD PAY.
THAT IS IMPORTANT.
VACATION TIME AND PAID FAMILY
LEAVE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS A
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS THAT PAID
SICK AND SAFE LEAVE ARE
AVAILABLE TO EVERY WORKER,
INCLUDING INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS.
I WANT TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU
ONE PIECE TO FRAME IT UP FOR
KARINA.
I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK ON THE POLICY OVER THE LAST
TWO MONTHS AND SHARE A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT A STORY FROM CARMEN, A
DRIVER FROM GRUB HUB.
SHE SAYS NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE
HUNGRY, AND HIDING WITHIN THEIR
HOMES FROM THE VIRUS, I'M
SUDDENLY ESSENTIAL, SHE SAYS.
I'M RISKING EXPOSURE TO A HIGHLY
CONTAGIOUS, POSSIBLY DEADLY
VIRUS, TO FETCH PEOPLE DINNER.
THIS IS WHY WE NEED SICK LEAVE.
I WAS SICK WITH THE EXTREME FLU
SYMPTOMS IN MARCH, ALTHOUGH
EXTREMELY WEAK, CONSTANTLY
COUGHING AND HAVING TROUBLE
TAKING A FULL BREATH, I KEPT
WORKING AS A DELIVERY DRIVER
BECAUSE IT WAS MY ONLY SOURCE OF
INCOME.
AT TIMES I WAS TOO WEAK TO WORK
OR FINISH MY SHIFT.
I LOST MY OPPORTUNITY TO EARN AN
INCOME.
GIG WORK IS MY ONLY INCOME SO I
AM NOW BEHIND ON MY MONTHLY
BILLS, I WORK AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, BUT THERE ARE DAYS
WHEN I ONLY MAKE ENOUGH TO GO ON
FOR THE NEXT DAY, PUT GAS IN THE
CAR AND GRAB A FEW GROCERIES.
I DO NOT LIVE PAYCHECK TO
PAYCHECK.
I DO NOT LIVE DAY-TO-DAY.
I LIVE ORDER TO ORDER.
I DO NOT KNOW HOW I WILL
FINANCIALLY RECOVER.
I'M STILL EXPERIENCING WAVES OF
COVID SYMPTOMS.
AT TIMES I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK.
WITH THE SICK LEAVE I WOULD NOT
HAVE TRIED TO WORK WHEN I WAS SO
VERY SICK AND POSSIBLY SPREADING
THE VIRUS.
WITH SICK LEAVE, I WOULD HAVE
STAYED HOME.
WITH SICK LEAVE, I MAY HAVE
RECOVERED FASTER.
SO I LEAVE THAT AS A FRAMING FOR
WHY THIS CONVERSATION IS SO
ESSENTIAL RIGHT NOW AND PERHAPS
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KARINA TO
WALK US THROUGH THE POWER POINT
PRESENTATION, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
THAT SHE HAS PROVIDED TO US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
INTRODUCTION.
I THINK YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION.
I IMAGINE YOU'LL SHARE YOUR
SCREEN WITH US.
>> YES.
>> AND WALK US THROUGH THE
PRESENTATION.
SO TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M KARINA BULL, I'M ON COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
I'LL TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO SHARE
MY SCREEN.
I JUST NEED TO DO, I BELIEVE,
ONE MORE ITEM.
SO YOU DON'T SEE ALL OF THESE
NOTES.
>> KARINA, WE DON'T SEE THE
NOTES RIGHT NOW, SO YOU'RE FINE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT FEED BACK.
>> IT LOOKS GREAT.
>> OKAY.
SO AS COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
INTRODUCED FOR EVERYONE, THIS
LEGISLATION AT ITS HEART SEEKS
TO REQUIRE HIRING ENTITIES,
DEFINED AS FOOD DELIVERY NETWORK
COMPANIES AND TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK COMPANIES TO PROVIDE THE
GIG WORKERS WORKING FOR THEM IN
SEATTLE WITH PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME.
IT WOULD ALLOW SUCH WORKERS TO
BE ABLE TO CARE FOR THEIR
PERSONAL AND FAMILY MEMBER'S
HEALTH CONDITIONS AND SAFETY
NEEDS.
THIS PRESENTATION TODAY WILL
TAKE LISTENERS AND WATCHERS
THROUGH THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF
THE LEGISLATION.
THERE ARE A FAIR AMOUNT OF THEM,
BUT MANY OF THEM WILL BE
FAMILIAR TO PEOPLE BECAUSE AS
COUNCILMEMBER NOTED, THE PAID
SICK AND SAFE TIME HAS BEEN IN
EFFECT FOR EIGHT YEARS.
THIS LEGISLATION WAS MODELLED ON
PSST, AS IT IS CALLED FOR
EMPLOYEES, WITH SOME
MODIFICATIONS TO REFLECT THE
WORK EXPERIENCES OF GIG WORKERS.
AS A REFRESHER, PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME, AGAIN, PRETTY MUCH
THE SAME FOR GIG WORKERS AS IT
IS FOR EMPLOYEES.
IT WOULD ALLOW A WORKER TO USE
THIS PAID LEAVE FOR THEMSELVES
OR FOR A FAMILY MEMBER, FOR
DIAGNOSIS CARE AND PREVENTIVE
CARE AND THERE IS THE VERY
IMPORTANT SAFE TIME LEAVE, WHICH
IS ABLE TO BE USED TO OBTAIN
SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER SCHOOL IS
CLOSED AND WHEN THE HIRING
ENTITY HAS REDUCED OR
DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS FOR
HEALTH AND SAFETY REASON OR HAS
BEEN SHUT DOWN DUE TO AN ORDER
OF A PUBLIC OFFICIAL FOR A
HEALTH EMERGENCY REASON.
COVERAGE IS FOOD DELIVERY
NETWORK COMPANIES AND
TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES
WITH 250 OR MORE GIG WORKERS
WORLDWIDE.
IT ALIGNS WITH THE THRESHOLD FOR
COVERAGE FOR A TIER 3 LARGE
EMPLOYER UNDER THE PAID SICK AND
SAVE TIME FOR EMPLOYEE'S
ORDINANCE.
THE GIG WORKERS ARE THOSE WHO
ARE WORKING FOR THE ENTITIES AND
BEING TREATED AS INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS AND SO THEREFORE
HAVE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THIS
PAID LEAVE.
HERE YOU SEE THE DEFINITIONS OR
AN EXCERPT OF THE DEFINITIONS.
IT IS NOTABLE THAT THE FOOD
DELIVERY NETWORK COMPANY IS FOR
COMPANIES DELIVERING FROM FOUR
DISTINCT KINDS OF PLACES.
THOSE PLACES ARE EATING AND
DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS, FOOD
PROCESSING ESTABLISHMENTS,
GROCERY STORES AND THEN A
FACILITY THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THERE IS A
PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO FOR THE
ITEMS DELIVERED TO CUSTOMERS.
THIS IS NOT BY ANY MEANS AN
EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF THE KIND OF
COMPANIES THAT WOULD BE COVERED
BY THIS LAW, BUT SOME EXAMPLES
INCLUDE UBER AND LYFT FOR THE
TNC COMPANIES AND THEN FOR FOOD
DELIVERY NETWORK COMPANIES,
INSTACART, DOOR DASH, POSTMATES,
GRUB HUB, AMAZON FRESH, JUST A
SAMPLE OF THOSE BUT GIVES PEOPLE
AN IDEA OF WHO THIS WOULD COVER.
GIG WORKERS ARE THOSE WORKING
FOR THE COMPANIES.
THE PAYMENT FOR THE PSST WOULD
BE PAID TO A DAILY BASIS.
IT WOULD BE DETERMINED ON WHAT
IS AN AVERAGE DAILY
COMPENSATION, THE TERM DEVELOPED
FOR THIS LEGISLATION, AND IT
WOULD BE A DAILY AVERAGE OF
COMPENSATION THAT THE GIG WORKER
HAD EARNED IN THE PAST AND THEN
THAT WAY, WHEN THEY USE THIS
PAID LEAVE, THEY WOULD BE
EARNING WHAT THEY COULD HAVE
EARNED HAD THEY ACTUALLY GONE TO
WORK.
THAT DAILY AVERAGE COMPENSATION
IS COMPROMISED OF WHAT THEY WERE
PAID FOR PROVIDING SERVICES,
BONUSES, COMMISSIONS, AS WELL AS
TIPS.
THE DAILY AVERAGE WOULD BE FOR
THE HIGHEST EARNING CALENDAR
MONTHS SINCE OCTOBER OF 2019 OR
SINCE THE GIG WORKER'S
COMMENCEMENT OF WORK AND THEN
THE AMOUNT WOULD BE RECALCULATED
EVERY CALENDAR MONTH TO REFLECT
ADJUSTMENTS AND EARNINGS BUT
ALWAYS THE WOULD,ER WOULD BE
PAID THE HIGHEST CALENDAR MONTH
OF THE TIME PERIOD.
FOR ACCRUAL OF SICK AND SAFE
TIME, THE ACCRUAL WOULD BE FOR A
TEMPORARY PERIOD OF TIME.
IT WOULD BE DURING THE COVID-19
EMERGENCY AND THEN SIX MONTHS
THERE AFTER TO REFLECT
SUBSEQUENT WAVES OR THE FACT
THAT THE ECONOMY WOULD STILL BE
RECOVERING DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD AND THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL
GETTING SICK DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD, SO IT WOULD BE THE RIGHT
TO ACCRUE AND USE PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME UNTIL SIX MONTHS AFTER
THE END OF THE MAYOR'S CIVIL
EMERGENCY OR A CONCURRENT CIVIL
EMERGENCY.
WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS THAT IF
THE MAYOR'S CIVIL EMERGENCY
ENDED BUT THE GOVERNOR'S STATE
OF EMERGENCY WAS STILL IN
EFFECT, THEN ACCRUAL AND USE
WOULD END SIX MONTHS AFTER THE
END OF THE LATER TERMINATED
EMERGENCY, WHICH MIGHT BE THE
GOVERNOR'S IN THAT EXAMPLE.
ACCRUAL WOULD BE DIFFERENT
DEPENDING ON WHEN THE GIG WORKER
STARTED WORKING FOR THE HIRING
ENTITY.
FOR THOSE WHO WOULD BEGIN
WORKING BEFORE THE EFFECTED
DATE, THEY WOULD HAVE TWO
CHOICES FOR HOW THEIR GIG
WORKERS WOULD ACCRUE.
ONE OF THEM WOULD BE ACCRUING
ONE DAY OF PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME FOR EVERY 30 DAYS WORKED
BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 9TH OF 2019
LAST YEAR OR INSTEAD OF GOING
BACKWARDS IN TIME AND FIGURING
OUT RETRO ACTIVELY HOW MUCH,
LOOKING AT RECORDS TO SEE HOW
MUCH EACH GIG WORKER WORKED, THE
HIRING ENTITIES COULD CHOOSE
JUST TO LOAD UP ALL GIG WORKER'S
ACCOUNTS WITH AT LEAST FIVE DAYS
OF PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME AND
THEN FROM THAT TIME FORWARD,
THEY WOULD ACCRUE ONE DAY FOR
EVERY 30 DAYS WORKED.
THE WAY THIS IS DRAFTED, IT
GIVES HIRING ENTITIES A CHOICE
ON HOW THEY WANT TO BEGIN
ACCRUAL OF PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME WHEN THE ORDINANCE GOES
INTO EFFECT.
FOR GIG WORKERS WHO BEGIN WORK
ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DAY OF
THE ORDINANCE, THEY WOULD ACCRUE
ONE DAY OF PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME FOR EVERY 30 DAYS WORKED.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, IF
THE GIG WORKER IS WORKING FIVE
DAYS A WEEK, THEY WOULD PROBABLY
ACCRUE SOMEWHERE AROUND NINE
DAYS OF PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME.
IF WORKING EVERY SINGLE DAY THE
YEAR, THEY WOULD ACCRUE AS MUCH
AS 12 DAYS OF PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME.
THAT LINES UP PRETTY WELL WITH
THE LARGE EMPLOYER FOR THE
EMPLOYEE'S RATE OF ACCRUAL.
AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO MENTION IS
THAT A GIG WORKER'S ABILITY TO
ACCRUE PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PAYMENT
IS GOING TO BE IS ALL BASED ON
THEIR WORK IN SEATTLE, BUT THE
WORK IS PERFORMED IN PART OR IN
WHOLE IN SEATTLE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ANY DAY
THAT A WORKER HAS A DELIVERY OF
A FOOD ITEM OR SHOPPING IN
SEATTLE OR PICKS UP A PASSENGER
IN SEATTLE OR DROPS OFF A
PASSENGER IN SEATTLE, THAT IS --
THAT CONTS AS WORK IN SEATTLE,
EVEN IF IT WERE FIVE HOURS OF
THE EIGHT HOUR DAY AND THE THREE
HOURS WERE ELSEWHERE.
THE IDEA IS THAT WHENEVER THERE
IS A TOUCH POINT IN SEATTLE,
THAT IS GOING TO TRIGGER ACCRUAL
OF PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME.
IT IS GOING TO TRIGGER THE
CALCULATION FOR FIGURING OUT
THEIR AVERAGE DAILY
COMPENSATION.
THE USE OF PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR
ELIGIBLE WORKERS UPON THEIR
REQUEST.
ELIGIBILITY IS WHETHER OR NOT
THEY HAVE WORKED IN SEATTLE
WITHIN 90 CALENDAR DAYS BEFORE
THEIR REQUEST, AS I MENTIONED,
THEY NEED TO USE IT IN DAILY
INCREMENTS AND SIMILAR TO THE
PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME FOR
EMPLOYEES, HIRING ENTITIES CAN
ASK FOR VERIFICATION THAT THE
SICK LEAVE HAS BEEN USED FOR A
LEGITIMATE REASON AFTER IT HAS
BEEN USED FOR MORE THAN THREE
CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
THAT VERIFICATION NOTABLY CAN
NOT ASK FOR A DIAGNOSIS OR
NATURE ON THE CONDITION AND THE
LEGISLATION DOES HAVE A
PROVISION THAT MIRRORS THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
EMERGENCY ROOM FOR PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME, WHICH IS THAT DURING
A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY,
HIRING ENTITIES CAN NOT REQUIRE
HEALTHCARE PROVIDER'S NOTE.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE
LEGISLATION ARE THAT HIRING
ENTITIES NEED TO PROVIDE
NOTIFICATION AT LEAST MONTHLY OF
WHAT THE GIG WORKER'S AVERAGE
DAILY COMPENSATION RATE IS.
HOW MUCH PAID AND SICK TIME THEY
HAVE AVAILABLE, CARRYOVER,
HAVING ENTITIES MUST PERMIT GIG
WORKS TO CARRYOVER AT LEAST NINE
DAYS TO L FOLLOWING YEAR.
IF A GIG WORKER IS NOT WORKING
FOR A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS OR
LESS, WHETHER IT IS DUE TO
VOLUNTARY INACTIVITY OR
DEACTIVATION.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RETAIN
ALL OF THEIR ACCRUED PAID SICK
AND SAFE TIME.
ALL OF THE PROVISIONS ARE
PRESENT IN THE EXISTING PAID
SICK AND SAFE TIME ORDINANCES AS
WELL.
AS IS STANDARD WITH ALL OF THE
CITY OF SEATTLE'S LABOR
STANDARDS, GIG WORKERS MUST BE
GIVEN A NOTICE OF THEIR RIGHTS,
HIRING ENTITIES MUST KEEP
RECORDS FOR THREE YEARS AND
RETALIATION IS PROHIBITED.
ENFORCEMENT IS BY THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS.
THERE WOULD BE A PRIVATE RITE OF
ACTION AND REMEDIES COULD BE
UNPAID COMPENSATION, THREE TIMES
THAT AMOUNT IF THE DIRECTOR
DECIDES THAT IT IS WARRANTED
WITH PENALTIES PAYABILITY TO THE
CIVIL PENALTIES AND FINES.
LAST, THE DURATION THIS
LEGISLATION IS IT WOULD BE ADD
MATTLY REPEALED WITHOUT ACTION
BY COUNCIL ACCORDING TO THE
DATES WE SEE FOR YOU WHENEVER IS
TERMINATED LAST OR
DECEMBER 31ST, 2023, WHICH EVER
IS LATEST.
THREE YEARS AFTER LATER
TERMINATED CURRENT EMERGENCY OR
DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.
THE REASON WHY THE LEGISLATION
IS GOING OUT FOR THREE YEARS
BEYOND WHEN THE GIG WORKER HAS
THE RIGHT TO USE AND ACCRUE THE
PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME IS
BECAUSE THAT TIME IS NEEDED.
THOSE THREE YEARS ARE NEEDED FOR
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS TO
BE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE CLAIMS OF
NONCOMPLIANCE AND FOR THE HIRING
ENTITIES TO KEEP THE RECORD SO
THAT OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
CAN CONDUCT THEIR INVESTIGATIONS
OR PERHAPS COULD BE A PRIVATE
RIGHT OF ACTION THAT NEEDS TO DO
DISCOVERY.
NEXT STEPS FOR THE LEGISLATION
ARE THAT COUNCILMEMBERS CAN
THINK ABOUT AND REQUEST
AMENDMENTS THIS WEEK UP UNTIL
WEDNESDAY AT NOON.
THAT IS THE REQUEST, AND THEN
NEXT MONDAY THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL COUNCIL TO
VOTE ON THE LEGISLATION.
THAT IS THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION.
THANKS FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FOR EITHER THE PRIME
SPONSOR OR KARINA?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MAY I
OFFER ADDITIONAL CONTEXT?
>> SURE.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO JUST SAY FOR FOLKS, WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING DELIBERATIVELY
WITH MANY PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY, AS YOU SAW ON SLIDES
FIVE ON KARINA'S LEGISLATION, WE
ENGAGED AND RECEIVED INPUT FROM
POSTMATES, DOOR DASH, UBER, UBER
EATS.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR
TIME.
ALSO WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THE SAME LEVEL OF CONVERSATIONS
WITH FOLKS FROM THE WORKER
REPRESENTATION, FROM 117 IN
WASHINGTON, MLK LABOR, USC 21
AND NATIONAL LEVEL FROM CENTER
FOR POPULAR DEMOCRACY JUST WANT
TO THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FROM
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE
CONVERSATIONS SINCE THE VERY
BEGINNING, SEVEN WEEKS AGO.
WE WERE THINKING ABOUT
INTRODUCING SOMETHING AT THE
BEGINNING OF MARCH AND FOR THE
LAST SEVEN WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING TO KEEP THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE INVOLVED IN THE
CONVERSATIONS.
WHEN WE APPROACHED THEM AND TOLD
THEM WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OR
THINKING ABOUT SICK LEAVE, THEY
SAID THEY WOULD LOVE FOR US TO
WORK ON THIS WHILE THEY WORK ON
PARALLEL PROTECTIONS FOR GIG
WORKERS AND REALLY, I THINK,
UNDERSTOOD HOW INTRICATE THE
CONVERSATIONS WERE GOING TO BE
AND THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT THE
DELIBERATIVE CONVERSATIONS
REALLY LED TO THIS COLLABORATIVE
POLICY IN FRONT OF US AND JUST
WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR WALKING
US THROUGH THAT.
OUR HOPE IS THAT WE GET FEED
BACK FROM ALL OF YOU BY NOON ON
WEDNESDAY IF YOU HAVE AMENDMENTS
AND ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR FEED
BACK AND THOUGHTS.
.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN HAS
RAISED HIS HAND AND AGAIN,
COLLEAGUES FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO
ARE ON ZOOM VIA THE VIDEO CHAT
FUNCTION.
IF YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND AND
LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR THOSE OF YOU ON
THE PHONE, WHO I THINK IS JUST
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, SEND ME
A MESSAGE TO LET YOU KNOW.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES AND
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, FOR INTRODUCING THIS.
IT IS IMPRESSIVE HOW MUCH DUE
DILIGENCE THAT HAS BEEN DONE
WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS, BUSINESS
LABOR, MAYOR'S OFFICE WHO HAVE
IMPLEMENTED FROM THE EXECUTIVE
SIDE AND REALLY EXCELLENT
PRESENTATION FROM COUNCIL OF
CENTRAL STAFF THIS MORNING.
MY QUESTION IS ABOUT HAVING AN
ADDITIONAL WEEK IT IS RELATIVELY
COMPLEX PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COULD
EITHER GIVE US AN ADDITIONAL
WEEK TO LOOK AT IT.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR AMENDMENTS IN
48 HOURS ESSENTIALLY AND JUST
TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, MANAGE HOW
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO
REVIEW THIS SO THAT OUR STAFF
ISN'T WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT,
REVIEWING IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
I WILL COMMENT ON THE TIMELINE
AND I'M NOT SURE IF OTHERS HAVE
GOT THAT AS WELL.
WE DID THIS ON THE INTRODUCTION
AND REFERRAL CALENDAR ON FRIDAY.
IT HAS HAD THE CHANCE TO HAVE
FULL -- TO BE ON THE OFFICIAL
LIST, SO WE'RE NOT WALKING
ANYTHING ON TODAY.
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS
KNOW THAT.
SECOND, WE DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE
YOUR FEED BACK AND I THINK OUR
INTENTION WAS REALLY TO HAVE
TRIED TO INTRODUCE THIS ONE OR
TWO WEEKS AGO BUT GIVEN THE
INTRICASTES OF IT, WANTED TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OF THE
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
WE HAVE KARINA, POLICY EXPERTS,
IN CASE YOUR STAFF WANTED
ADDITIONAL WALKING THROUGH THE
DETAILS.
IF THE WEDNESDAY NOON DEADLINE
IS NOT WORKABLE FOR YOUR OFFICE
AND YOU WANT TO HAVE MORE
CONVERSATIONS, HAPPY TO DO SO.
AT THIS POINT, OUR HOPE WOULD BE
TO MOVE THIS FORWARD WITH THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL FOR
NEXT MONDAY'S FULL COUNCIL VOTE
WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT WE'RE
ALREADY NOW, YOU KNOW, TWO AND A
HALF MONTHS INTO THIS CRISIS AND
AS YOU HEARD THE STORY OF
CARMEN, FOLKS ARE MAKING THESE
IMPOSSIBLE DECISIONS ABOUT
LOSING WAGES OR GOING TO WORK
SICK AND WHEN THE ECONOMY STARTS
TO OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT MORE AS
EARLY AS NEXT WEEK, I THINK
WE'LL SEE A SPIKE IN THE NUMBERS
PROJECTED BEFORE THEY GO BACK
DOWN AGAIN, CROSS YOUR FINGERS,
AND I REALLY WANT TO DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THE
POLICY OUT THERE, BUT YOU KNOW,
OUR OFFICE IS DEFINITELY
INTERESTED IN ANSWERING ANY OF
THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE WITH
THE HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THIS BY
NEXT MONDAY.
>> SO I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS
A COMPLEX SET OF LAWS.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND HER
STAFF AND COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME
WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE
ISSUES.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE ALL
WORKING REMOTELY, SO I'LL JUST
SAY THAT I THINK IN MY
CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A VERY
STRONG INTEREST IN HAVING FULL
COUNCIL ACTION ON THIS NEXT
MONDAY.
I THINK THAT IT IS A VERY DENSE
BILL AND SO HAVING, YOU KNOW,
SPENT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH
IT OVER THE WEEKEND AND CAN
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE
SOME COUNCILMEMBERS WHO MAY WANT
MORE TIME.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE
CONTINUE TO AIM FOR FINAL
COUNCIL ACTION ON THIS UPCOMING
MONDAY BUT I THINK DEPENDING ON
HOW MANY AMENDMENTS AND
QUESTIONS WE SEE FROM YOU
COLLEAGUES, THEN I THINK THERE
COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, IN
CONVERSATION WITH THE PRIME
SPONSOR, DISCUSS WHETHER WE NEED
A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO WORK
THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSUES.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT
THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY
AROUND MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS
HAVE ACCESS TO THESE BENEFITS,
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
HAVE A QUALITY PIECE OF
LEGISLATION AND I DON'T THINK
ANYBODY IS SUGGESTING WE
SACRIFICE OR COMPROMISE ON
QUALITY FOR THE SAKE OF
EXPEDIENCY.
LET'S SEE HOW THIS WORK GOES IN
TERMS OF QUESTIONS AND POTENTIAL
MANDATORY WORK AND I'LL STAY IN
CLOSE CONTACT WITH KARINA FROM
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF AND WITH
THE PRIME SPONSOR, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA TO SEE IF WE NEED TO
ADJUST BASED ON THE VOLUME OF
RESPONSE THAT WE GET FROM YOU
ALL.
THIS CONVERSATION TODAY WAS
INTENDED TO BE SORT OF A FIRST
CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU COLLEAGUES WERE ALL PAYING
ATTENTION TO THIS PARTICULAR
BILL.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT BILL THAT IS
DIRECTLY RESPONSIVE TO THE
COVID-19 CRISIS AS IT RELATES TO
THE SEGMENT OF WORKERS AND
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW IT IS A
COMPLEX ISSUE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, WE WANTED
TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN THAT PUBLIC
CONVERSATION NOW.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I KNOW I
HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT
PARTICULAR APPROACH.
YOU KNOW, PLEASE, I'LL HAND IT
OVER TO YOU TO SEE IF YOU ARE
AMENABLE TO HAVING THAT LITTLE
BIT OF FLEXIBILITY THAT WEEK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO REITERATE OUR OFFICE
IS VERY INTERESTED IN WORKING
WITH EVERYBODY WHO HAS ANY
QUESTIONS.
I KNOW KARINA IS STEEPED IN THE
POLICY DETAILS GIVEN WE TRIED TO
MIRROR AS MUCH AS WE COULD OFF
OF THE EXISTING PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME LEAVE LAW.
WE TRIED TO THINK REALLY
CREATIVELY WITH WORKERS AND
THOSE PLATFORMS ON HOW SICK
LEAVE COULD BE APPLIED.
HELPFUL, IT IS HELPFUL IF WE CAN
TALK ABOUT THAT BACKGROUND
ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE VARIOUS
OFFICES, AND KARINA, I KNOW, SHE
IS VERY AVAILABLE AND I WANT TO
THANK HER FOR HER DUE DILIGENCE
TO BE WORKING WITH US OVER THE
LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS THAT CAN'T GET
ANSWERED, OUR INTENT IS TO PASS
THIS WITH AS MANY QUESTIONS
ANSWERED AND THE DRAFT THAT YOUR
OFFICE HAS RECEIVED AS WELL AS
ON THURSDAY IT WAS ON THE INR
CALENDAR ON FRIDAY AND DUE HOPE
THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS WE
GET THE CHANCE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS HAVE.
WE CAN BE FLEXIBLE ON THAT
WEDNESDAY DEADLINE WITH THE GOAL
OF TRYING TO SHARE ANY
AMENDMENTS WITH THE COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES, THAT IS WHAT THE
DEADLINE WAS FOR.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, IF IT DOESN'T
SEEM LIKE WE CAN GET THERE AND
NEED TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK, WE
CAN DO AT YOUR DIRECTION AND
WITH THAT, I DO HOPE FOLKS REACH
OUT TO US AND TO KARINA TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS PASSED
ON MONDAY.
>> I WOULD JUST, AGAIN, I
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE SENSE
OF URGENCY AROUND THIS AND SO I
DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST THAT WE
DERAIL OR UNNECESSARILY DERAIL
THE TIMELINE BECAUSE I KNOW
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
BACKGROUND WORK ON THE ISSUE
ALREADY.
SO I DO WANT TO SORT OF JUST BE
SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT WE
ARE WORKING UNDER VERY DIFFERENT
CIRCUMSTANCES AND THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT WORK
OF PROTECTION BILL AND WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE QUALITY, HIGH
QUALITY IS MAINTAINED WHICH I
BELIEVE IT WILL BE.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL
COLLEAGUES TO PAY A LITTLE BIT
MORE ATTENTION TO THIS BILL THIS
WEEK AND GET IT THROUGH AND I
WILL SAY THAT I HAVE RECEIVED
REQUESTS FROM AT LEAST TWO
COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, FOR AN ADDITIONAL WEEK
TO BE ABLE TO THOROUGHLY REVIEW
THE BILL SO I THINK THERE IS
SOME WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS
FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE
CONTENTS AND THAT THEY HAVE
THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
HAPPY TO CONNECT TO YOU OFFLINE,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
I THINK I SAW COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT RAISE THEIR HAND.
OKAY.
SO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, WE'LL
HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION AND WE ARE REALLY
INTERESTED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE
CAN MAKE THIS PERMANENT,
ABSOLUTELY GIG ECONOMY WORKERS
SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN PAID SICK
AND SAFE TIME AND THE PAID SICK
AND SAFE TIME SHOULD BE
STRENGTHENED FURTHER.
RIGHT NOW MY QUESTION WAS
SPECIFICALLY IF KARINA COULD GO
A LITTLE BIT MORE ON HOW THE
ENFORCEMENT OF THIS BILL COULD
WORK, BECAUSE YOU KNOW UBER, FOR
EXAMPLE, AS A CORPORATION, HAS
JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, REFUSED TO
FOLLOW SEATTLE'S LABOR LAWS IN
THE PAST.
I MEAN, JUST FLAT OUT HAS
REFUSED TO LET ITSELF BE
ACCOUNTABLE AND THE CITY HAS
FAILED TO ENFORCE THEM, LIKE
SHARING THE UNION RIGHTS AND SO
ON, AND WE KNOW THAT ENFORCEMENT
OF LABOR LAWS IS AS IMPORTANT OF
A PIECE AS ESTABLISHING THE LAW
IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WE KNOW HOW CRUCIAL THAT IS I
WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GO
INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND
THEN I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY
FOR THE RECORD THIS IS A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF WHY WE CANNOT HAVE --
ANY CUTS OR HIRING FREEZES TO
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
DIRECTLY RESULT IN A DETRIMENTAL
EFFECT TO WORKERS BECAUSE THE
ENFORCEMENT IS IMPORTANT FOR
WORKERS ACTUALLY TO BE
GUARANTEED THE LAW.
>> FOR ENFORCEMENT, I'LL BEGIN
BY SAYING THIS LEGISLATION
REFLECTS THE STANDARD
ENFORCEMENT AUTHORIZATIONS AND
PROCEDURES OF THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS, WHICH IS PART
OF THE REASON WHY IT IS SUCH A
LONG PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
I THINK THERE ARE 18 OR 20 PAGES
WHICH ARE JUST DEVOTED TO
LEGISLATION AND SO OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS WOULD BE
EQUIPPED TO HAVE ALL OF THEIR
TOOLS AT THEIR DISPOSAL IN ORDER
TO ENFORCE THE LEGISLATION.
INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP
AND ISSUE RULES AND THIS
LEGISLATION DOES HAVE LANGUAGE
ADDED TO IT TO REFLECT THAT
RULES WOULD NEED TO BE ISSUED
QUICKLY AND SO OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS IS GIVEN THE AUTHORITY
TO IDENTIFY EXISTING RULES THAT
MIGHT ALREADY BE IN THE BOOK FOR
PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME.
IT WENT THROUGH EXTENSIVE STAKE
HOLDER PROCESS EIGHT YEARS AGO
AND LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO WHEN
THE LEGISLATION WAS AMENDED TO
REFLECT THE STATE-WIDE STANDARDS
AS WELL.
THAT WILL ENABLE US TO BE NIMBLE
AND QUICKLY BE ABLE TO DO
OUTREACH FOR THE LAW AND BEGIN
ENFORCING IT AS WELL.
THE OFFICE, THIS LEGISLATION
ALSO HAS A PROVISION IN IT THAT
ALLOWS THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS TO DESIGNATE A
DAILY PENALTY OR DAILY AMOUNT OF
UNPAID COMPENSATION IN THE EVENT
THAT IN THE COURSE OF AN
INVESTIGATION THE RESPONDENT,
THE HIRING ENTITY IS NOT
PROVIDING RECORDS IN A TIMELY
BASIS OR MAYBE THE RESPONDENT
PROVIDES SO MUCH RECORDS THAT
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
CAN NOT ANALYZE IN AN EFFICIENT,
QUICK MANNER.
IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN AND THEY
COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PRECISE
AMOUNT OWED, THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO
SAY THAT EVERY WORKER WOULD GET
$150, THAT IT WOULD BE THE
AUTOMATIC ASSUMED RATE OF
COMPENSATION THAT WOULD BE OWED
TO THE WORKERS AND THE DIRECTOR
COULD JUST SAY THAT IS HOW MUCH
IS OWED.
I IMAGINE THAT THE OFFICE MIGHT
ALSO BE GOING OVER THE EXISTING
RULES SAYING IT IS ESTIMATED
THAT WORKERS USE AN AVERAGE OF
30 HOURS OR SO, TRANSLATED TO
TODAY'S PAID SICK OR SAFE TIME.
THEY COULD APPLY $150 TOWARD THE
NUMBER OF DAYS A YEAR.
THAT WOULD ENABLE THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS TO MAKE THE
ASSESSMENTS QUICKLY AND
EFFICIENTLY TO GET MONEY TO
WORKERS SOONER AND SO USE LESS
OF THE RESOURCES AS WELL.
>> DO YOU HAVE A FOLLOW UP?
>> I DO.
>> PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I DO HAVE A SPECIFIC FOLLOW UP,
NOT SO MUCH RELATED TO THE
LEGISLATION UNDER THE DISCUSSION
RIGHT NOW, BUT ABOUT SOME OF THE
THINGS YOU SAID ABOUT HOW EASILY
OR HOW EFFECTIVELY THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS CAN CARRY OUT
ENFORCEMENT.
I WOULD, I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO
AN ONGOING DISCUSSION WITH THE
EXECUTIVE AND WITH THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS ON THIS AND MY
STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON
THIS.
I HAVE ALREADY ASKED THEM TO DO
THIS, BUT MY CONCERN IS, YOU
USED THE WORD NIMBLE.
I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT, I
MEAN, IF WE ARE NOT TO HAVE SORT
OF A PURE FANTASY ABOUT BEING
NIMBLE AND IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY
GOING TO DO THIS, I THINK WE ARE
IN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION
BECAUSE THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT OFFICE IS
CURRENTLY UNDER STAFFED WITH
OPEN POSITIONS AND HIRING
FREEZE.
RIGHT NOW WORKERS FILING
COMPLAINTS CAN EXPECT A SIX
MONTH DELAY BEFORE THEIR CASES
CAN BE HEARD, SO IT IS A
CONCRETE QUESTION, HOW CAN WE DO
ENFORCEMENT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE
THE STAFF TO DO IT?
I WOULD APPRECIATE MAYBE A
FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION JUST
ABOUT THAT ASPECT OF IT IN THE
FUTURE AND JUST ALSO A NOTE TO
THE CITY COUNCIL THAT MAYBE YOU
SHOULD DISCUSS THAT AS WELL.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
>> NO.
NO.
YOU DIDN'T.
I WAS THINKING KARINA WOULD SAY
SOMETHING IN RESPONSE.
THAT IS FINE.
WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION.
I THINK IT IS A CONCRETE CREDIT
HOW WOULD THEY ENFORCE IT.
>> SO WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT,
RECOGNIZING EVERYTHING THAT YOU
HAVE JUST SAID IS THAT THIS
LEGISLATION GIVES THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS ALL OF THE TOOLS
THAT THEY LEGISLATIVELY NEED IN
ORDER TO BE EFFICIENT AND QUICK
WITH THIS LEGISLATION.
THAT IS IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER
OTHER RESOURCES THEY MIGHT NEED.
THIS LAW DOES MORE TO ASSIST
THEM IN THAT EFFORT THAN OTHER
EXISTING LAWS DO.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT
THAT THIS LAW WAS DRAFTED IN
SUCH A WAY THAT RECOGNIZES THAT
OLS USES AS MUCH SUPPORT UNDER
THE LAW IN ORDER TO ENFORCE THIS
LEGISLATION.
>> KARINA, I HAVE A QUICK
QUESTION AROUND, THAT SORT OF
DOVE-TAILS FROM THE ISSUE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT JUST
FLAGGED AROUND ENFORCEMENT.
I THINK COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
POINTS SORT OF AROUND THE
BROADER ISSUE OF HOW DO WE
ENFORCEMENT WITH AT LEAST SOME
OF THE COMPANIES THAT WILL BE
COVERED BY THIS, WHO HAVE
HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN VERY FORTH
RIGHT WITH ANYTHING RELATED TO
THE BUSINESS MODEL, BUT I THINK
MY QUESTION IS, AND I SEE
APPRECIATE THAT PARTICULAR
CONCERN BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A
REAL PRACTICAL ISSUE IN TERMS OF
IMPLEMENTATION, BUT THE OTHER
THING THAT I HAVE RELATED TO
THAT IS I GUESS A LITTLE BIT
MORE PROCESS ORIENTED.
YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR
PRESENTATION THAT THE DIRECTOR'S
RULES WILL BE ISSUED AS IT
RELATES TO -- OF THIS PARTICULAR
LAW, I THINK THAT IS ON PAGE 12,
LINE 18 OF THE LEGISLATION.
AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT
IS EXPECTED THAT IT WOULD BECOME
QUICKLY.
I WANT A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT
QUICKLY MEANS AND WHAT
CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD WITH
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
RELATED TO THE CAPACITY AND
ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT
RULE MAKING QUICKLY.
>> YEAH, WELL, I CERTAINLY WON'T
PROPOSE TO ANSWER ON BEHALF OF
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS,
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THEY
WERE VERY ACTIVE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS LAW.
THEY DID VOICE THE NEED FOR THE
LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT THEM WHEN
THIS LAW GOES INTO EFFECT AND SO
FOR THAT REASON, WHERE AS
TYPICALLY LEGISLATION MIGHT NOT
DEFINE AS MANY TERMS AS THIS
LEGISLATION DOES.
THIS LEGISLATION DEFINES THINGS
IN THE LAW THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE
BE LEFT TO RULES AND SO OLS
CONTRIBUTED TO THAT PROCESS.
SO THAT IS ONE WAY THAT RULES
CAN HAPPEN ON A FASTER TIMELINE
THAN AS IF THE TYPICAL WAY FOR
LABOR STANDARDS IS THAT THERE IS
A VAST ARRAY OF TERMS THAT WOULD
NEED TO BE DEFINED.
AND THEN ALSO ON PAGE 12, THE
REFERENCE TO THE DIRECTOR RULES,
AGAIN GIVES OLS THE ABILITY,
SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO USE IT, TO
REFERENCE ALREADY EXISTING RULES
FOR THIS LEGISLATION AND THAT
DELEGATION WOULD HAVE THE FORCE
OF LAW AND SO THEY COULD DO THAT
THROUGH ISSUING A RULE THAT SAYS
THAT THE PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
RULES, CHAPTER 70 APPLY TO THE
GIG WORKER LEGISLATION OR THEY
COULD DO IT AS SIMPLY AS A
QUESTION AND ANSWER GUIDANCE FOR
HIRING ENTITIES AND WORKERS AS
WELL.
SO THESE ARE TOOLS PUT INTO
PLACE TO SUPPORT OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS, RECOGNIZING THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE AS -- THAT THE
CAPACITY IS LIMITED IN THIS
SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
>> OKAY.
SO IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE, SO IT
SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE, WE ARE
TRYING TO RESOLVE SOME OF THE
TIME REALITIES AND CAPACITY
REALITIES OF OLS.
OLS'S RULE MAKING PROCESS BY NOT
LEAVING AS MUCH AS WE ORDINARILY
WOULD TO THE RULE MAKING
PROCESS, BUT THAT STILL LEAVES
SOME THINGS IN THE ORDINANCE
THAT WOULD STILL BE SUBJECTED TO
RULE MAKING, RIGHT?
>> THERE WILL BE SOME THINGS
THAT OLS WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT
AND DEFINE SEPARATELY.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED IN
THE PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME
RULES FOR EMPLOYEES.
THAT COULD BE THE CASE AND TO
THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE,
THE DRAFT IS TRYING TO BYPASS
THE NEED FOR THAT.
THERE MAY BE ISSUED THAT ARISE
LATER ON.
AGAIN, WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT
THE ABILITY FOR THE DIRECTOR TO
DESIGNATE THAT DAILY AMOUNT,
$150 A DAY, WHICH IS A LITTLE
BIT MORE THAN MINIMUM WAGE TIMES
EIGHT HOURS.
THAT WAS ADDED TO THE
LEGISLATION IN ORDER TO ALLOW
OLS TO ISSUE A DETERMINATION
QUICKLY AND NOT HAUL THEM
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE BACK
AND FORTH OF ASKING FOR RECORDS
MAYBE ARE BEING DELAYED OR
WADING THROUGH RECORDS THAT ARE
VERY OVERWHELMING DUE TO THE
ORGANIZATION OR LACK OF
ORGANIZATION OR THE HERE IS
VOLUME OF THOSE RECORDS.
>> DOES THE DIRECTOR HAVE TO
ISSUE RULES BEFORE ENFORCEMENT
BEGINS AND BEFORE THIS LAW GOES
INTO EFFECT?
OR IS THE ORDINANCE DRAFTED IN
SUCH A WAY THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS
DISCRETION TO IMPLEMENT RULES AS
WE GO ALONG, SORT OF MORE, IF
YOU WILL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO THE LEGISLATION IS DRAFTED
WHERE THE DIRECTOR HAS
DISCRETION TO ISSUE THOSE RULES.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
LEGISLATION IS NOT CONDITIONS
UPON ISSUANCE OF THE RULES.
SO THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
COMPONENT OF THE LAW AND THEN
ALSO THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS CALLED CHAPTER 140
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY
COULD REFERENCE FOR HOW THEIR
INVESTIGATION PROCESS UNFOLDS
AND HOW THEY COLLECT INFORMATION
AND INTERACT WITH WORKERS AND
WITH HIRING ENTITIES.
>>> TALKING ABOUT SEXUAL
ASSAULT.
WHEN WE HAD CONVERSATIONS OFF-
LINE, KARINA, I HAD A SPECIFIC
QUESTION AROUND HOW THIS LAW
SORT OF DOVETAILS WITH CONFIRMED
, DEACTIVATED CASES AS A RESULT
OF ALLEGATIONS AND THE LANGUAGE
IN THE ORDINANCE ISN'T SUPER
CLEAR TO ME SO I WANTED TO HAVE
YOU POINT ME TO THE LANGUAGE
THAT YOU INDICATED AND ADDRESS.
THE ISSUE.
SPECIFICALLY.
>> EARLIER WE DISCUSSED THAT
WORKERS ARE ALLOWED TO BE USED,
PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME WHEN
THEY ARE DEACTIVATED WHICH IS
AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THIS
PROPOSED LEGISLATION BECAUSE AT
SOME TIME IF THE WORKER IS
REQUESTING A PANDEMIC ASSISTANCE
FROM THEIR HIRING ENTITY
BECAUSE OF COVID RELATED
REASONS THAT HIRING ENTITY
COULD AUTOMATICALLY DEACTIVATE
THEM OUT OF CONCERNS ABOUT
COVID BEFORE RECEIVING
CONFIRMATION THAT THEY HAVE
COVID, MAYBE A FAMILY MEMBER
HAS COVID BUT IN THOSE
SITUATIONS WHILE THEY ARE
WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE HIRING
ENTITY IF THEY QUALIFY FOR THE
HIRING ENTITIES PANDEMIC
ASSISTANCE, WHICH THEY MAY NOT,
DEPENDING ON THE VERIFICATION
THAT THEY ARE OR NOT ABLE TO
PROVIDE, THOSE SITUATIONS AND
OTHER SITUATIONS WITH THEY ARE
DEACTIVATED THE WORKER WOULD BE
ABLE TO USE THIS PAID LEAVE.
THIS PAID SICK AND SAFE TIME.
AND SO, IN THE VERY ORIGINAL
THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION
IT MIRRORED THE TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK COMPANY DEACTIVATION
RIGHTS ORDINANCE WHICH SAID,
WHICH ALLOWED TNC TO
IMMEDIATELY DEACTIVATE DRIVERS
WITHOUT THE TWO WEEKS NOTICE IN
SITUATIONS WHERE THERE WERE
ALLEGATIONS OF EGREGIOUS
MISCONDUCT INCLUDING AT A
MINIMUM ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT.
SO, IN THE INITIAL DAYS OF THIS
DRAFTING, THAT REQUIREMENT WAS
TAKEN OVER TO PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME SO IF THE DRIVER HAD
BEEN ALLEGED OF EGREGIOUS
MISCONDUCT AND WAS DEACTIVATED
BECAUSE OF THAT THEY WOULDN'T
HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE PAID SICK
AND SAFE TIME IF THEY HAD BEEN
DEACTIVATED IN THOSE
SITUATIONS.
AND THEN UPON FURTHER
REFLECTION AND HEARING FROM
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
HAVING THE CAPACITY TO DEVELOP
RULES ABOUT WHAT TYPES OF
CONDUCT WOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL
OF EGREGIOUS IN THOSE SITUATIONS
THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE
CAPACITY TO DO THAT ON A FAST
TIMELINE AND THINKING ABOUT
ALSO, THAT COMPONENT WAS ADDED
IN THE OTHER LEGISLATION AS A
SAFETY CONCERN, NOT WANTING TO
HAVE DRIVERS DRIVING WHEN THEY
HAD BEEN ALLEGED TO HAVE DONE
SOMETHING LIKE SEXUAL ASSAULT
WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN
ACCESSING PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME.
SO IN CONSIDERATION OF THOSE
TWO THINGS, THE DIFFERENT TYPE
OF SAFETY CONCERNS, THE DRIVERS
WOULDN'T BE DRIVING, THEY WOULD
BE ACCESSING PAID LEAVE AND
ALSO THE FACT OF OLS CAPACITY
TO DO RULEMAKING, THAT
PROVISION WAS LIFTED OUT FROM
THIS DRAFT.
OR FOR THIS PROPOSAL.
>> OKAY.
I WANT TO THINK A LITTLE BIT
MORE FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE.
IT DOESN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE FOR
ME TO EFFECTIVELY A DRIVER WHO
WAS VERIFIED, WHO HAD BEEN
DEACTIVATED ON A VERIFIED
ALLEGATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT TO
GET PAID.
TO BE ON LEAVE.
AFTER BEING SORT OF REASONABLY
ACCUSED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE
DEACTIVATION WAS IN FACT
BECAUSE OF THAT TYPE OF
EGREGIOUS BEHAVIOR.
SO, FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE,
THAT FEELS WRONG TO ME, BUT I
WANT TO GET A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS WOULD
WORK IN THIS SPACE.
I JUST FEEL REALLY STRONGLY
THAT IF THERE IS A VERIFIED
CASE OF DEACTIVATION BASED ON
SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS I'M
NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE TO, NONETHELESS,
ALLOW ACCESS TO PAID SICK AND
SAFE TIME.
>> SO, TO BE CLEAR, THE
ORIGINAL DRAFT DIDN'T SAY
VERIFIED.
SO, THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF
LOOKING AT IT AND SO, IF THERE
IS INTEREST IN CHANGING THAT,
THE ORIGINAL DRAFT SAID
ALLEGATION.
AND SO IF IT HAS BEEN VERIFIED
IN SOME WAY THAT WOULD BE A
DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN WHAT
WAS CONTEMPLATED.
>> I WILL BE HAPPY TO CHAT WITH
YOU AND THE PRIME SPONSOR A
LITTLE BIT MORE.
I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
POTENTIAL DISTINCTION.
>> YES.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
COST MEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU, I CAN TELL THAT
WE HAVE BEEN STEEPED IN THIS
BILL FOR THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS
AND WHILE I MIGHT FEEL LIKE WE
HAVE ALL THESE ANSWERS I'VE THE
FOLKS LIKE YOU AND OTHERS HAVE
RAISED QUESTIONS.
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
PROBABLY HAS SOMETHING, YOU
HAVE A PONDERING LOOK, AS WELL,
I WILL GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT
QUESTION TO REST THAT YOU ASKED
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON AND
WELCOME AN EXTRA WEEK OF FOLKS
WANT TO WALK THROUGH ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POLICY AND
FOLKS KNOW THE INS AND OUT AND
AS YOU CAN TELL IT IS A
DETAILED PIECE OF LEGISLATION
IN FRONT OF YOU.
I KNOW YOU HAVE SHARED THAT
SENSE OF URGENCY, EVERY SINGLE
ONE OF YOU, AND I APPRECIATE
THE ASK AND REQUEST, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I WANTED TO FOLLOW
UP WITH YOU ON THAT SO THERE'S
NOT SOMETHING HANGING OVER FOR
NEXT WEEK.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR
FLEXIBILITY.
I HAVE A REQUEST FROM AT LEAST
TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR A
LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
THE BILL, I DON'T THINK IT'S
THE PHARISEE MOTIVATED,
EXTENSION REQUEST, I THINK IT
IS JUST A DESIRE TO WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICY IS
WELL UNDERSTOOD AND SOME OF
THESE MORE COMPLEX QUESTIONS
ARE ABLE TO BE ANSWERED AND
DRAFTED IN TIME AND REVIEWED IN
TIME UNDER OUR ENHANCED REVIEW
PROCESS.
UNDER PROCLAMATION 20-28.
SO THAT WE HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF
HOW WE WILL MOVE THIS
OVERARCHING POLICY FORWARD.
I JUST SAW COUNCIL MEMBER
HERBOLD RACER HAND, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS.
YOU ARE ON MUTE.
>> THIS QUESTION I HAVE HAS
BEEN TRIGGERED BY THIS
PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION
BUT I SUPPOSE IT COULD BE A
QUESTION FOR OTHER BILLS AS WELL
TAT HAVE FINANCIAL IMPACTS.
SO, WE HAVE OUR STANDARD FISCAL
NOTE, AND UNDER NORMAL
CIRCUMSTANCES THE FOCUS ON
FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE CITY
AND LOOKING INTO FUTURE BUDGET
YEARS IS NOT SO MUCH A PROBLEM
BECAUSE OFTEN WE PASS LAWS AND
ITS MIDYEAR AND THERE IS
FLEXIBILITY IN THE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET TO PAY FOR AND LIMITATION
AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT
MAY NOT BE BUDGETED WITHIN THE
CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
IN THIS INSTANCE, WHEN
ANSWERING THE QUESTION, DOES
LEGISLATION HAVE OTHER IMPACTS
TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT ARE
NOT REFLECTED IN THE ABOVE, THE
ANSWER IS YES, THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD ESTABLISH AN INVITATION
AND ENFORCEMENT RULE FOR OLS,
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT
THESE ACTIVITIES MAY NEED TO BE
CONSIDERED IN THE 2021 PROPOSED
BUDGET IN THE FUTURE BUDGET
LIBERATIONS.
I REALLY WANT TO FLAG THAT I
HAVE BEEN SEEKING WITH THE HELP
OF COUNSEL CENTRAL STAFF,
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, FROM
THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE, ABOUT
THE DEPARTMENTAL SUBMITTALS FOR
MIDYEAR BUDGET CUTS.
LEGISLATION THAT THE COUNCIL IS
ACTING ON NOW I THINK REALLY
UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR THAT
INFORMATION.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE CORRECT, WE
DON'T WANT AUSTERITY BUDGETING.
WE DON'T WANT TO TIE THE HANDS
OF THE IMPORTANT DEPARTMENTS
LIKE THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARD BY NOT ADEQUATELY
FUNDING THEM.
ENFORCING THESE NEW LAWS THAT
WE ARE PASSING TO ADDRESS THE
IMMEDIATE HEALTH IMPACTS OF THE
COVID-19 CRISIS.
LIKEWISE, THE CITY DEPARTMENT
OF CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION AND
THEIR ROLE IN ENFORCING TENANT
LAWS, SO, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE THINK OF THIS
FISCAL NOTE AS A TOOL TO FIND
OUT WHAT THE COSTS ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING
AND ENFORCING EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION AND I DON'T THINK
IT IS SUFFICIENT TO SIMPLY SAY
THAT WE NEED TO CALM ME TO
CONSIDER ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
AND 2021.
IF WE'RE MAKING CONSIDERATIONS
ABOUT MAKING CUTS TO BUDGETS
THIS YEAR WE NEED TO KNOW, I
BELIEVE, WHAT THE FISCAL IMPACTS
OF THE BILLS THAT WE ARE
PASSING NOW FOR THIS YEAR ARE
AND SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT
CENTRAL STAFF WORK WITH CBO IN
GETTING AND CONTINUING TO GET
THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE
REQUESTED AS A RELATES TO THE
INDIVIDUAL SUBMITTALS FOR CUTS
AS WELL AS, AS LONG AS WE ARE
IN THIS PLACE OF PASSING
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION THAT IS
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATE, GETTING
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT
THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS TO THE
LEGISLATION IN THIS BUDGET YEAR
, IN THE 2020 BUDGET YEAR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS
AND I DO WANT, IF COUNCIL
MEMBER MOSQUEDA, YOU, AS THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, HAVE ANY
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO COUNSEL
MEMBER HERBOLD, I OFFER YOU THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT
RESPONSE NOW BUT I KNOW THAT YOU
, CUT A MEMBER MOSQUEDA AS THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE
BEEN ENGAGED IN A LOT OF PACK
ON CONVERSATIONS, BOTH WITH
COUNSEL SUFFERS STAFF AND THE
CITY BUDGET OFFICE AROUND THIS
YEAR'S BUDGETING PROCESS AND I
DO WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF
YOUR ROLE IN THAT AREA AND
PROVIDE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RESPOND IF YOU ARE, IF YOU HAVE
A RESPONSE.
>> MY ONLY RESPONSES I THINK
THE CONCERNS ARE SHARED.
WE ARE BE REACHED AT GETTING
THAT DETAILED INFORMATION.
I'VE MADE SIMILAR REQUESTS TO
THE EXECUTIVE AND ARE WORKING
THROUGH ANOTHER PROCESS,
HOPEFULLY WITH CENTRAL STAFF,
TO BE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION
IN REAL TIME, ESPECIALLY AS WE
HEAR ABOUT SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGETS
AND I KNOW THERE ARE POTENTIAL
CUTS ON THE WAY THAT ARE BEING
PROPOSED.
NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED
NECESSARILY.
WE WANT TO KNOW THE BACKGROUND
DETAILS SO THE CONCERNS ARE
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE RAISED
AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY
RELATED TO THIS BILL BUT PERHAPS
WE COULD WEIGH IN ON THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THAT YOU HAVE RAISED
AS WELL.
WE ARE IN THE SAME BUCKET.
WANTING AND ASKING AND CREATING
STRUCTURES TO ENSURE THAT WE GET
THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION IN
ADVANCE.
>> THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS ON THIS PARTICULAR
BILL?
OKAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE EXHAUSTED
QUESTIONS.
LET ME DOUBLE CHECK MY PHONE TO
MAKE SURE. IT LOOKS LIKE NOBODY
ELSE HAS PINGED ME ASKING FOR
AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
QUESTIONS.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE WE HAVE
EXHAUSTED THE QUESTIONS.
I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
THANK KARINA FOR BEING WITH US
THIS MORNING AND FOR YOUR WORK
WITH COUNSEL MEMBER MOSQUEDA ON
THIS BILL AND COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, UNLESS YOU HAVE
CLOSING REMARKS I WILL MOVE US
ALONG.
OKAY.
YOU SO MUCH, KARINA, YOU'RE
WELCOME TO DISCONNECT FROM THE
ZOOM CALL AT THIS POINT, I
APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, AGAIN.
COLLEAGUES, WE WILL MOVE INTO
THE LAST AGENDA ITEM WHICH IS
AS USUAL, A REPORT ON TODAY'S
CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS AND
COUNSEL AND REGIONAL COMMITTEE
WORK AND I WILL CALL ON COUNCIL
MEMBERS AS ESTABLISHED WILL
CALL FOR MEETINGS WHICH IN THIS
INCIDENT, IN THIS INSTANCE,
EXCUSE ME, FOR TODAY, WILL BE
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD FOLLOWED
BY JUAREZ, LEWIS, MIRELES,
MOSQUEDA, PEDERSEN, SAWANT,
STRAUSS, AND I WILL BE CALLED
ON LAST.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT WE
HAVE AMY GORE, TRACY AND JEFF
SIMS FROM COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
WHO ARE ON THE CALL TODAY TO
ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
LEGISLATION AND POTENTIAL
AMENDMENTS THAT MAY BE
CONSIDERED LATER TODAY DURING
CITY COUNCIL FULL MEETING.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU
WILL KNOW THEY ARE STILL ON THE
LINE, PATIENTLY WAITING TO HEAR
YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY
LEGISLATION AS USUAL,
COLLEAGUES, NOW IS THE TIME TO
ASK SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT
POLICY ISSUES THAT YOU MAY HAVE
WITH ANY ITEMS ON THIS
AFTERNOON'S AGENDA THAT IS
SLATED FOR FULL ACTION, THEY
WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE DURING
THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING.
THEY ARE HERE NOW TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.
IT IS NOW 11:15 A.M.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE IT
THROUGH THIS REPORT IN NO MORE
THAN 30 MINUTES.
THEN WE CAN CONCLUDE AT 11:45.
THIS MORNING.
AND GET ON WITH PREPARATION
WORK FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
SO, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL
BEING RESPECTFUL OF EACH
OTHER'S TIME AND HOPEFULLY WE
CAN GET THROUGH THIS VERY, VERY
QUICKLY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID I WILL GO
AHEAD AND START CALLING ON
FOLKS.
THE FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER UP IS
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
NO ITEMS FROM ME ON THE FULL
COUNCIL AGENDA.
NO MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.
A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE.
JUST A REMINDER, FOLKS, VERY
LIKELY HAVE READ RECENTLY THAT
THERE IS A NEW PUBLIC HEALTH
DIRECTIVE TO BEGIN WEARING FACE
COVERINGS TODAY.
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
AT KING COUNTY.GOV FOR MORE
INFORMATION.
THE GUIDANCE IS THAT PEOPLE
WEAR MASKS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
IN PLACES WHERE SOCIAL
DISTANCING IS DIFFICULT.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY FIND
DIRECTIONS TO MAKE FACE MASKS
AT HOME, AT THE KING COUNTY
WEBSITE, KING COUNTY.GOV/MASKS.
AND THESE DIRECTIONS ARE
HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T
HAVE THE ABILITY TO SO, AS
WELL.
ONE IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE,
PEOPLE WHO HAVE FLEXIBILITY OR
WHO WOULD BE IN DANGER FROM
WHERE THE FACE MASK ARE NOT
REQUIRED TO WEAR THEM.
AND PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN VERY
CLEAR THAT AS A RELATES TO
ENFORCEMENT WE ARE NOT ASKING
THE PUBLIC TO POLICE THE
NEIGHBORS.
WE ARE JUST ASKING EACH PERSON
TO WEAR A MASK IF THEY ARE ABLE
TO PROTECT EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SO MANY
OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS
THAT HAVE COME DOWN SINCE MARCH
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS THAT
HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE AND
SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF OUR SHARED
APPRECIATION FOR THE HEALTH
VULNERABILITIES OF OUR LABORS
AND DESIRE TO CARE FOR ONE
ANOTHER AND I BELIEVE THAT WE
WILL SEE HIGH COMPLIANCE IN
KING COUNTY FOR THIS NEW PUBLIC
HEALTH ORDER FOR WEARING MASKS.
PRECISELY BECAUSE WE DO CARE
ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS.
OTHER ITEMS COMING UP TODAY,
LAST THURSDAY, THERE WAS A
LETTER CIRCULATED IN SUPPORT OF
A FEDERAL BUILD GRANT FOR THE
EAST MARGINAL PROJECT. MY
OFFICE CIRCULATED THIS LETTER
LAST THURSDAY.
WITH THE HOPES THAT WE CAN GET
SIGNATURES ON THE LETTER TODAY.
THE COUNCIL SIGNED A VERY
SIMILAR LETTER IN FEBRUARY FOR
A SEPARATE FEDERAL GRANT.
THE INTEREST THAT I HAPPEN THIS
PROJECT IS THAT IT IS A
CRITICAL CONNECTION FOR BIKE
COMMUTERS FROM WEST SEATTLE TO
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SEPARATED
FROM TRAFFIC.
WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE AT LEAST THE END
OF 2021, YOU WILL BE IMPORTANT.
AS FREIGHT USES THE LOWER
BRIDGE TO WEST SEATTLE AS WELL.
THE PROJECT ITSELF WILL
INCORPORATE SAFETY AND
RELIABILITY IN THE MOVEMENT OF
PEOPLE AND GOODS IN THIS
INDUSTRIAL AREA.
IT ALSO WILL SUPPORT FREIGHT
LOADS AND PROMOTE EFFICIENCY
THROUGH SIGNAL MODIFICATIONS
AND INTELLIGENT BEEN
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND
IMPROVE SAFETY BY BETTER
SEPARATING NONMOTORIZED MODES
FROM FREIGHT TRAFFIC.
THE GRANT APPLICATION IS FOR
$20.
THE AZTEC CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM LISTING INDICATED THAT
THEY WOUD HAVE APPROACHES FOR
FULL AND.
EARLIER FEDERAL GRANT
APPLICATION WAS FOR $30 MILLION
AND THE PORT OF SEATTLE IS ALSO
CONTRIBUTING $5 MILLION TO THE
PROJECT.
I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME IN
SIGNING THIS LETTER TODAY AT
FULL COUNCIL.
AS FAR AS THINGS THAT CAME UP
LAST WEEK I PARTICIPATED ON
THURSDAY IN A WEBINAR WITH THE
MAYOR FOR WEST SEATTLE.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE THERE WAS A
LOT OF INTEREST IN THE PROGRESS
AROUND EFFORTS SURROUNDING THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE CLOSER.
BUT WE COVERED A LOT OF TOPICS
AS WELL, FOCUSED ON THE CITY'S
RESPONSE TO COVID-19 CRISIS.
I WILL BE HAVING OFFICE HOURS
ON FRIDAY, MAY 29, BETWEEN 3:00
AND 6:00 P.M.
YOU CAN EMAIL TO SIGN UP.
OF COURSE, CONSISTENT WITH THE
COVID-19 OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND
STAY AT HOME REQUIREMENTS, WE
WILL BE HOLDING THESE OFFICE
HOURS VIRTUALLY.
FINALLY I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THERE IS SOME REALLY USEFUL
COVERAGE IN "THE SEATTLE TIMES"
TODAY REGARDING THE MODES OF
FAILURE MEMO RELEASED BY ESTAR
RECENTLY.
THE CONCEPTUAL MODES OF FAILURE
MEMO HAS BEEN PREPARED BY WS P
THE STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT, IT
USES AN ANALYSIS AND MODELING
TO DETERMINE HOW THE HIGH-RISE
BRIDGE COULD DETERIORATE SHOULD
IT REACH FAILURE.
IT IS NOT A PREDICTION FOR
FAILURE.
AS.DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT IT IS
A SCIENCE-BASED OR DATA
INFORMED APPROACH TO TRY TO
PREDICT THE ODDS FOR IF AND
WHEN THE SCENARIOS DISCUSSED IN
THE MEMO MIGHT OCCUR, THEY
DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS
ACTUALLY POSSIBLE GIVEN THE
SCIENCE THAT IS OUT THERE.
THE GOAL OF THE ANALYSIS IS TO
IDENTIFY ALL THE POSSIBILITIES
AND BY IDENTIFYING ALL THE
POSSIBILITIES THAT ALLOWS US TO
PREPARE FOR THOSE POSSIBILITIES.
THE MEMO ITSELF HELPS, EVEN
THOUGH IT WAS ONLY RELEASED
LAST WEEK, THE EARLIER DRAFT
VERSIONS OF THE MEMO WERE USED
TO INFORM SDOT'S EMERGENCY
RESPONSE PLAN THAT WAS
RELEASED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO
NOW.
AND IT USES MODELING OF
POTENTIAL CRACKING SCENARIOS IN
ORDER TO DEFINE PARAMETERS OF A
FALL ZONE AS WELL AS BUILD AN
ADDITIONAL BUFFER IN ALL
DIRECTIONS TO REALLY MAXIMIZE
THE AREA IN WHICH WE ARE
PREPARING FOR SAFETY.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STEPS TO
PREPARE FOR AN EVEN MORE
IMPORTANTLY PREVENT THE WORST-
CASE SCENARIOS.
SDOT HAS BEEN WORKING
DILIGENTLY ON THOSE NINE STEPS.
I WILL LEAVE IT THERE.
IT IS REALLY HELPFUL AND GOOD
INFORMATION TO HAVE.
AS A RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO
WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON RIGHT NOW
. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ONE
OF THE NINE ITEMS IS TO REPAIR
THE BEARINGS AT PIER 18 AND A
REMINDER THAT LAST MONTH SDOT
USED EMERGENCY AUTHORITY TO
FAST-TRACK THE SELECTION OF A
CONTRACTOR IN ORDER TO DO THAT
WORK.
WE DON'T KNOW YET WHETHER OR
NOT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO
FULLY REPAIR THE BRIDGE BUT THE
WORK THAT SDOT AND THE DESIGN
TEAM ARE DOING NOW ALLOWS US TO
ENSURE THAT WE ARE PRESERVING
THE INTEGRITY OF THE BRIDGE TO
THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE EXTENT TO
KEEP ALL VIABLE OPTIONS OPEN.
I'M DONE.
>> THANK YOU, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S REPORT?
OKAY, I AM NOT SEEING OR
HEARING ANY.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
ALONG.
NEXT UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER
WARRANTS.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> GREAT.
LET ME FIRST START OFF QUICKLY,
THINKING COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
AND YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THE
ONE WEEK EXTENSION ON -- I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU.
SO, COLLIES, LAST FRIDAY I
CIRCULATED LETTER OF SUPPORT
FOR THE -- THE CHEYENNE RIVER
SIOUX, YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY
OF THAT LETTER IN FRONT OF YOU,
I KNOW IT IS BEEN POSTED.
THE LETTER IS DATED TODAY.
IN THE LETTER AS IS NOTED ON
MAY 8 THE GOVERNOR OF SOUTH
DAKOTA ISSUED A DEMAND THAT
TRIBAL LEADERS MUST REMOVE
SECURITY CHECKPOINTS THAT THEY
HAD SET UP TO PREVENT THE
SPREAD OF COVID-19.
MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE HAVE ALL
ISSUED STATEMENTS DECLARING THE
HIGHWAY ROAD CHECKPOINTS MAY
HAVE LED FOR TRAVELERS IN
RESPONSE TO A GROWING CONCERN
OVER THE PAST NATURE OF THIS
VIRUS.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO PLANS BY
THE THREE NATIONS TO TAKE THESE
CHECKPOINTS DOWN.
CONSEQUENTLY THE CELL TO COVER
GOVERNOR IS -- SYSTEM.
EVEN THOUGH THE CHECKPOINTS ARE
ON TRIBAL LAND.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING I'M SORRY,
COVID-19 IMPACTS AND INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING
THE VIRUS AT A DISPROPORTIONATE
RATE.
THEY ARE FACING AN UNDERFUNDED
AND UNDERSTAFFED HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM.
TRIBES HAVE BEEN EXERCISING
THEIR INHERENT TRIBAL
AUTHORITY, DUTY AND RIGHT TO
PROTECT THEIR PEOPLE.
AND LOVED ONES AND NEIGHBORS.
AS YOU KNOW, ANY GOVERNMENT HAS
A DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO
PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND
WELFARE OF OTHER CITIZENS AND
RESIDENTS.
THAT IS WHAT THESE TRIBES FEEL
THAT THEY ARE DOING.
THE LETTER STIPULATES THE CITY
OF SEATTLE RECOGNIZES THE
TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AND THAT WE,
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, EXCEPT THAT
THEY CAN CHOOSE AND HAVE CHOSEN
TO CHART THEIR OWN PATH IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEEDS OF
THEIR LAND AND PEOPLE.
THE DECISION OF ONE GOVERNMENT
CAN IMPACT THE LIVES OF OTHERS
OUTSIDE OF THE JURISDICTION.
I COMMEND AND SUPPORT THE
TRIBAL LEADERS FOR THEIR POLICY
MEASURES WHICH PROTECT ALL THE
LIVES ON THEIR LAND.
I WANT TO ADD THAT, DOING THIS
LETTER, THIS IS A TRUE ACT OF
L.A.
SHIP.
THIS IS A WORD WE USE A LOT
THIS DAYS.
THIS IS SUPPORTING TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT ON A GOVERNMENT TO
GOVERNMENT BASIS IN THE MOST
CRITICAL TIME.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK AND BE IN CONTACT WITH
THE CHAIRS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE
REPRESENTATIVES.
THIS WEEKEND I HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE
CHAIRMAN OF CHEYENNE RIVER,
CHAIRMAN FRAZIER, CHAIRMAN BEAR
RUNNER, I DON'T KNOW WHY I KEEP
SEEING THAT WRONG, I KNOW HOW
TO SAY IT.
AND BEFORE I, I WANT TO GIVE A
HUGE -- WHO TURN THIS LETTER
AROUND, WHO WORKED WITH THREE
TRIBES AND THEIR LEADERSHIP,
LAWYERS, ONE GOVERNOR, ONE CITY
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE,
THE SEATTLE INDIAN HEALTH
BOARD, AND COMMUNITY, SHE GOT
THIS ALL DONE IN UNDER 48
HOURS.
I SPENT THE WEEKEND ON THE CALL
WITH THESE CHAIRS AND THEIR
LEADERSHIP AND THEIR LAWYERS
AND ALL OF THEM ARE, THEY
WANTED ME TO SHARE THIS MORNING
WITH OUR COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR ,
THANK YOU AND GRATITUDE AND
APPRECIATION FROM THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST TO SELL DAKOTA TO
PROTECT TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY.
WITH THAT I HOPE THAT YOU WILL
JOIN ME THIS AFTERNOON TO SIGN
THE LETTER.
THE LAST UPDATE I READ THIS
MORNING IS THAT THE GOVERNOR OF
NORTH DAKOTA IS NOT GOING TO BE
CHANGING HER MIND ABOUT THE
CORONAVIRUS CHECKPOINTS.
AND THE TRIBES ARE NOT GOING TO
REMOVE THE CHECKPOINTS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
STRUCK ME, ACTUALLY IN A MORE
PAINFUL WAY, THE TRIBES ARE MADE
AT THE STATES FOCUS THE
CHECKPOINTS, WHEN THEY NEED
ASSISTANCE AND HAVE BEEN ASKING
FOR ASSISTANCE AND HAVE
REQUESTED TEST KITS, PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, AND MORE
HOSPITAL BEDS ON THE RESERVATION
, AND HAVE BEEN IGNORED THE
CITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA MORE
CONCERNED ABOUT CHECKPOINTS AND
THE TRIBES ARE STOPPING TRAFFIC.
THE RESPONSE IS THAT THEY'RE
NOT STOPPING ESSENTIAL TRAFFIC.
IN FACT, CHAIRMAN FRAZIER
SHARED THAT 99.9% OF THE PEOPLE
STOPPED STOP FOR ME A MINUTE OR
LESS IN ALL OF THE DELIVERIES
OF GAS, FOOD, MEDICAL SUPPLIES,
OF COURSE, ARE GETTING IN.
WITH THAT I WILL MOVE INTO WHAT
WE HAVE, THERE ARE NO ITEMS FOR
THE PUBLIC ASSET AND NATIVE
COMMUNITY ON THIS AFTERNOON'S
COUNCIL AGENDA.
AN UPDATE ON THE PARKS REPORT.
ON THE SOCIAL DISTANCING PROGRAM
WE CONTINUE TO SEE OVERALL
COMPLIANCE, PARK USERS AND
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND PARK
VISITATION OVER THE LAST WEEK
IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE
PRIOR ASSESSMENT.
AGAIN I WILL EMAIL MY
COLLEAGUES AND UPDATE A CHART
AFTER COUNCIL BRIEFINGS.
DATA SHOWS FOOT TRAFFIC IS
HEAVIEST IN PARKS NEARBY BODIES
OF WATER WHICH MAKES SENSE DUE
TO THE NICE WEATHER.
QUICKLY, A COVID-19 MOBILE
TESTING UNIT LAST FRIDAY AT
SOUTH PARK PLAZA, TODAY, THE
EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION,
WORLD VISION AND PARKS AND REC
STAFF WILL DISTRIBUTE BOXES OF
FOOD AND SUPPLIES OUTSIDE OF THE
COMMUNITY CENTER TWO BOXES OF
FOOD FOR PEOPLE IN NEED.
THE -- AT MILLER COMMUNITY
CENTER, CAPACITY OF 50.
AND BETWEEN 30 TO 37 PEOPLE AT
GARFIELD COMMUNITY CENTER.
THEIR CAPACITY IS 50.
STARTING FRIDAY, MAYONNAISE, WE
OPENED THE YOUTH SHELTER
OPERATING AT THE SOUTHWEST LIKE
CENTER.
THE MAXIMUM SHELTER OPACITY IS
ABOUT 14.
HEALTH CARE.
ENROLLMENT FOR THE SUMMER
CHILDCARE PROGRAM BEGAN ON
TUESDAY.
MAY 12.
EVERY CURRENTLY ENROLLED CHILD
HAS BEEN REGISTERED FOR THE
SUMMER CHILDCARE.
REPORTING WEEK OF MAY 6,
THROUGH MAY 12, PARKS AND REC
HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF
CHILDCARE SLOTS AT 155, TOTALING
333 SINCE THE START OF THE
PROGRAM.
MEADOWBROOK AND QUEEN ANNE
COMMUNITY CENTERS HAVE THE
HIGHEST NUMBER OF CHILDCARE
STAFF.
MANY PARENTS REPORTED THAT THEY
WORK FOR HEALTH CARE, FINANCE,
GROCERIES, AND THE GROCERY
SECTORS.
LET'S MOVE ON TO COMMUNITY
CENTERS.
THE PROJECT TO BUILD A NEW
GREEN LAKE COMMUNITY CENTER AND
SCHOOL CONTINUES -- STAY-AT-
HOME ORDERS.
ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 155
PEOPLE ATTENDED AND
PARTICIPATED IN A VIRTUAL
PUBLIC MEETING.
PREVIOUSLY WITHIN 2000 PEOPLE
PARTICIPATED IN A SURVEY ABOUT
THE PROJECT.
THAT IS GOOD NEWS.
GREEN LAKE WAS SLATED FOR DEMO
IN THE LAST REPORT THAT CAME
OUT FOR PARKS ABOUT FOUR YEARS
AGO.
EISCHENS ACTUALLY SLATED FOR
DEMO, THEY WERE SUGGESTED THAT
THESE WERE THE OLDEST AND
NEEDED THE MOST WORK AND IF
THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY
CENTERS THOSE TWO WOULD BE
FIRST.
BEST FRIDAY, MAY 15, PARKS
DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED THE
OPENING OF ADDITIONAL SPACE AT
GREENWOOD PARK LOCATED IN NORTH
SETTLE.
I SHOULD ADD THAT PARKS
PURCHASE THE SEKAR, THIS
PROPERTY IN 2013.
TO EXTEND CLEVELAND PARK AND
HAVE ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE FOR
THE COMMUNITY.
THE PROJECT INCORPORATES -- IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES ACT, ADA,
WITH A WOOD ARBOR -- BARBECUE
AND STATE ELEMENTS.
DUE TO THE COVID-19, SOME OF
THESE WILL NOT BE FULLY
AVAILABLE BUT THE PARK IS OPEN
FOR WALKERS TO PASS THROUGH AND
RECREATE SAFELY.
WE ARE CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS
WITH PARK ON USES FOR GOLF
COURSES, NOT GOLF COURSE USES,
I WANT TO THANK THE
SUPERINTENDENT WHO HAS BEEN
PHENOMENAL IN WORKING WITH OUR
OFFICE AND LOOKING AT WHAT
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
DISTRICT 5 NEWS, A BIG THANK
YOU TO FOOD, LIFELINE FOR ALL
THEIR HARD WORK.
PROVIDING FOOD TO FAMILIES IN A.
THEY ARRIVED AT NORTHGATE LAST
THURSDAY TO PROVIDE BOXED MEALS.
IN ADDITION MY OFFICE MET WITH
THE REFUGEE INITIATIVE.
STARTED BY -- IN A MISSION TO
PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE WORK FOR
REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT WOMEN.
IF YOU REMEMBER, WE MET SOME OF
THESE WOMEN A COUPLE YEARS AGO
WHEN THEY GRADUATED.
THIS TRANSITION FROM CRAFTING
HOME GOODS TO SEWING PBE
FACIALS AND MASKS FIRST
RESPONDERS IN THE CENTRAL
WORKERS.
SINCE MARCH THE ORGANIZATION
HAS TRAINED AND EMPLOYED BY
MORE WOMEN, SOME WHO ARE
EARNING THEIR FIRST PAYCHECK IN
THE UNITED STATES.
SOME ARE EVEN SIGNING UP HER
HUSBAND'S.
THE ORGANIZATION HAS SONY
THOUSAND MASKS FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE FOR FOLKS WHO CANNOT
AFFORD MASKS AND 10,000 MASKS
FOR KING COUNTY AND METRO TO
ENSURE THAT DRIVERS ARE
PROTECTED.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO THEM, THEY
ARE AMAZING, AMAZING AND WE
REALLY ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THEM
IN OUR CITY.
LAST WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, I MET
WITH MEMBERS OF THE NORTH
SEATTLE COALITION, YOU MIGHT
REMEMBER THAT WE GAVE THEM MONEY
IN THE BUDGET ABOUT TWO YEARS
AGO AND THEY PRODUCED A STUDY
OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND HUMAN
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE
NORTH END AND WHAT THE NEEDS
ARE.
AS I SHARED, THE COALITION
REPRESENTS HUMAN SERVICE
ORGANIZATIONS IN NORTH SEATTLE.
THEY SERVICE MANY GROUPS
BEYOND, INCLUDING SOUTH SEATTLE.
THE MEETING WAS REGARDING NEEDS
FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS DURING
COVID.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
RECEIVING DATA AS SOON AS THIS
WEEK.
AND PRESIDENT GONZALEZ I DON'T
KNOW IF I SHOULD DO THIS NOW IF
YOU WANT ME TO DO IT LATER BUT
I WILL REQUEST ADDITIONAL
PRECINCT MEETING ON TUESDAY,
MAY 26 THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, THAT REQUEST CAN
BE DONE AS PART OF OTHER
BUSINESS.
AT THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING
THIS AFTERNOON, I APPRECIATE
THAT THAT WILL BE IN THIS
AFTERNOON'S AGENDA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OF COURSE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ REPORT?
I AM NOT SEEING OR HIRING ANY
SO THANK YOU, I WANT TO
CONTINUE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON ISSUES RELATED TO
TRIBAL COUNTRY AND NATIVE
AMERICANS GENERALLY HAVE
APPRECIATED YOUR PARTNERSHIP
AND LEADERSHIP IN THAT SPACE.
I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT ISSUE
IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND OTHER
PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
EMILY PROUD THAT WE HAVE
SOMEBODY ON THE CITY COUNCIL
WHO IS ANNOUNCING THOSE ISSUES
IN REPRESENTING THOSE ISSUES
WELL IN A VERY COLLABORATIVE
WAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
ONGOING LEADERSHIP IN THAT
SPACE.
>> I SHOULD ADD, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR THAT,
I DID THREATEN TO PULL TOGETHER
A CARAVAN SO THAT WE ARE GOING
TO SOUTH DAKOTA, JUST SO YOU
ALL KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT
THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
OKAY, FOLKS.
I WILL MOVE ALONG NOW.
NEXT UP IS COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I WILL BE BRIEF TODAY.
A COUPLE OF QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS
RELATED TO THE SELECT MIDDIE
AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIES AND
INVESTMENTS.
I WANT TO THANK ULTIMATELY
MORALE US FOR BRINGING SOME
LEGISLATION FORWARD THAT WE
WILL BE DISCUSSING IN THE
COMMITTEE AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE
, I HAD ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO
TRY TO DISCUSS THAT THIS WEEK
BUT DUE TO OTHER SCHEDULED
MEETINGS THAT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT
SO I WILL BE WORKING OFF-LINE
WITH THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S
OFFICE AS WELL AS COUNCILMEMBER
MORALE US TO WORK ON A FULL AND
ROBUST HEARING ON THAT
LEGISLATION AND I WANT TO THANK
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOSQUEDA AND
SAWANT FOR BRINGING THAT
FORWARD.
TOMORROW MORNING AS WAS TEASED
IN SOCIAL MEDIA TODAY, THERE
WILL BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM
THE THIRD DOOR COALITION ON
HOMELESSNESS.
A GROUP OF SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
AND ACADEMICS DEDICATED TO THE
PROTECTION AND EXPANSION OF
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO MEET OUR
MASSIVE CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS
IN KING COUNTY AND THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND I AM PROUD TO BE
PARTICIPATING ALONG WITH
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA IN THAT
ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW MORNING.
WITH PROFESSOR -- WILL BE
DISCUSSING THE PLAN OF THE
THIRD DOOR COALITION. THE
BULLET POINTS THAT WERE TEASED
ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE PLAN WILL
ADDRESS SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO
CLOSE THE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING GAP
THAT WE CURRENTLY SEE BETWEEN
THE DEMAND FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND THE LACK
OF ADEQUATE SUPPLY.
IT WILL ADDRESS COSTS OF
SCALING THAT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AS WELL AS DIFFERENT COUNCIL
DRIVERS AND HOW CITIES AND
MUNICIPALITY'S AND THE STATE
CAN WORK TO LOWER THOSE COUNCIL
DRIVERS TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE TO
BUILD A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING.
AND ALSO THE INITIAL OUTLINES
FOR FUNDING, FRAMEWORK, TO
ADDRESS THE GOALS THAT THEY ARE
LAYING OUT, DEFINITELY FOLLOWS
THE DOOR COALITION ON TWITTER
AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND STAY
POSTED.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS TOMORROW.
I REALLY DO EXPECT THIS WILL BE
A GAME CHANGER AND VERY HELPFUL
IN OUR ACTION IS A COUNCIL TO
CONFRONT THIS ISSUE THAT WAS A
BIG ISSUE BEFORE COVID AND A
BIGGER ISSUE THAN EVER NOW.
AND I REALLY APPLAUD THE WORK
THAT THE THIRD DOOR IS DOING
AND I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF
THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROWAND
WORK WITH THEM ON IMPLEMENTING
THIS PLAN.
ADDITIONALLY ON THURSDAY, MAY
21, THERE WILL BE THE FIRST
MEETING OF THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOUSING OR
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY AND I
WILL BE ATTENDING THAT MEETING
ALONG WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT
FIRST MEETING WHICH WAS
ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE IN
MARCH.
I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE DOING IT
ON A VIRTUAL FOOTING INSTEAD OF
DELAYING IT ANY FURTHER.
FOR REASONS I JUST MENTIONED,
AT THE CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS,
IT REMAINS URGENT AND MAKING
SURE WE CAN WORK WITH THE
REGIONAL PARTNERS TO ADDRESS IT
IS CRITICAL SO I LOOK FORWARD
TO THAT FIRST MEETING AND SEEING
HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE
FORWARD AND SET UP THAT
REGIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR
RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS.
LAST WEEK HAD ANOTHER GREAT
MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE
MEETING, THOSE MEETINGS
CONTINUE TO BE PUBLIC SO
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INTERNET,
THOSE RESOURCES ARE LINKED ON
MY WEBSITE AND I THINK WE WILL
COME UP WITH SOME GOOD
RECOMMENDATIONS LATER THIS
SUMMER AS A RESULT OF THAT WORK.
I HAD SEVERAL ROUNDS OF INDUSTRY
MEETINGS ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
WITH CONSTITUENTS ALL OVER
DISTRICT VII ON THE MERIT OF
DIFFERENT ISSUES.
I REALLY WANT TO DO ANOTHER
SHOUT OUT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS ON
MY WEBSITE, SIGN UP FOR THOSE
OFFICE HOURS, I APPRECIATE
HEARING FEEDBACK ON WHAT THIS
COUNCIL IS DOING AND WHAT THE
PRIORITIES ARE FOR MY
NEIGHBORS ALL OVER DISTRICT VII.
I HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF
APPEARING ON TUESDAY OF LAST
WEEK IN A MEET AND GREET ON
SOON, HAPPY HOUR MEET AND GREET
WITH THE URBANIST, WE HAD A
REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION ON THE
EVOLVING CONVERSATION AROUND
SEATTLE GREENWAYS STREET
CLOSURE PROPOSALS PEDESTRIAN
AND BIKE AND IMPROVEMENT AS
PEOPLE START GOING BACK TO WORK.
CONVERSATIONS AROUND VISION
ZERO AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE
TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES
REMAIN A PRIORITY.
A CLIMATE OF INCREASING
UNCERTAINTY AROUND THE BUDGET.
IT WAS A GOOD EXCHANGE.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ELSE HERE
WHO HASN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO A VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR THE
URBANIST TO PURSUE IT.
IT WAS A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION.
OTHERWISE I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
ELSE TO REPORT FOR THIS WEEK.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER WEEK
OF SERVICE AROUND THE COUNCIL
WHERE A LOT OF VERY INTERESTING
CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE
CHALLENGES WE FACE TO HELP OUR
NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS WILL BE DISCUSSED
AND FLUSHED OUT.
>> THANK YOU.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS ON HIS
REPORT?
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
ALONG.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES IS YES
NEXT.
>> HELLO EVERYONE, I HOPE YOU
HAD A NICE WEEKEND.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL COMMITTEE
MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
ON WEDNESDAY AT 2:00.
WE WILL BE HAVING AN INITIAL
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON
CONSTABLE WHICH WILL ESTABLISH
A NEW UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
WE WILL HAVE PROPONENTS OF THE
CENTRAL STAFF AND OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THE
MEETING TO DESCRIBE THE
PROPOSAL.
THE NEXT MEETING FOR THAT
PROCESS WILL BE ON MAY 27 AT
9:30 AND THE COMMITTEE WILL
HOLD A REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING
PER RESOLUTION 31944 AND
DISCUSS ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
THAT COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
AT THAT TIME.
THIS AFTERNOON I WILL BE
INTRODUCING BILL IN 19796 WHICH
WILL FORMALIZE THE CITY'S
CURRENT -- POLICY AND RUN IT
THROUGH THE HEALTH PLANS.
I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS AS A
FORMER HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER
I HAVE HAD SOME DEEP SKEPTICISM
ABOUT THIS PRACTICE IN THE
CITY.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
DIFFERENT LEGISLATION IN SOME
WAY OF REALLY SINCE WE STARTED
IN JANUARY, IN ORDER TO HELP
LIMIT THE WIDESPREAD PANDEMIC,
POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD OF COVID-
19 AND OTHER DISEASES,
PARTICULARLY IN THE HOMELESS
COMMUNITY.
WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS
LEGISLATION WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON TO BE ABLE TO TALK
ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW.
SO, GIVEN THIS, THE REMOVALS
THAT ARE HAPPENING, THEY
HAPPENED IN BALLARD, WE KNOW
THERE ARE, I CAN REMEMBER, THIS
WEEK, IN MY DISTRICT, WE
THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE BRING THIS LEGISLATION
FORWARD.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER
SAWANT FOR COSPONSORING.
I WANT TO THANK CUSTOM UPPER
MOSQUEDA FOR COSPONSORING AND
REALLY HELPING US SHAPE THE SO
WE CAN STAY WITHIN THE
PARAMETERS OF THE PROCLAMATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRONG
SUPPORT ON THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
LAST WEEK WE ALSO DID ASK THE
HST DIRECTION FOR INFORMATION
ABOUT HOW THE NAVIGATION TEAM
WAS PLANNING TO CONDUCT
REFERRALS DURING THIS PROCESS
IN ANTICIPATION OF THE AND KIM
REMOVALS.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE
ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
ALL OF US RECEIVED AN EMAIL AS
WELL FROM THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION INDICATING THAT THEY
HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS ABOUT
WHAT WAS PLANNED AND THEIR
QUESTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN
ANSWERED YET, EITHER.
SO, I WILL ASK ONE MORE TIME IN
HOPES THAT BEFORE THE REMOVALS
BEGIN TOMORROW WE GET OUR
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
I WILL SAY THAT I VISITED THE
SITES OVER THE WEEKEND.
I FOUND ABOUT 80 TENTS BETWEEN
THE TWO AREAS THAT ARE BEING
LOOKED AT. WHEN I KING STREET
AND ONE ON WILLARD.
WE KNOW THERE ARE AT LEAST 80
PEOPLE WHO NEED SOMEWHERE SAFE
TO GO IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE
DISPERSED THIS WEEK.
SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY
SPACES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THESE
NEIGHBORS, WHERE ARE THEY?
HOW ARE THEY?
HOW MANY ARE TINY HOME VILLAGES?
HOW MANY ARE NON-CONGREGATE
SHELTERS?
HOW MANY ARE FOR MEN OR WOMEN
OR COUPLES?
I ALSO WANT TO KNOW HOW IT WILL
BE DECIDED, WHO GETS OFFERED
WHICH SPACE?
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS THE
MATCHMAKING PROCESS TO MAKE
SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING
DISPERSED, WHO ARE BEING
DISPERSED ARE REFERRED TO AN
APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR THEM?
AND FINALLY I WANT TO KNOW WHAT
RESOURCES ARE BEING USED TO
ENSURE THAT THE TEAMS ARE
FOLLOWING CDC GUIDANCE FOR
DISPERSING HOMELESS NEIGHBORS
IF THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING
UNITS AVAILABLE.
SO, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT WE
GET ANSWERS TO THESE VERY
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO HELP US
UNDERSTAND HOW OUR PUBLIC
RESOURCES ARE BEING USED TO
REMOVE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN
LIGHT OF THE CORONAVIRUS.
TWO THINGS FOR THE DISTRICT.
LAST WEEK I TOWARD GEORGETOWN
TO SEE THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ON
THE COMMUNITY AS A RELATES TO
THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE CLOSURE.
GEORGETOWN AS YOU MAY OR MAY
NOT KNOW HAS ABOUT 1200
RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT THERE ARE 29,000 JOBS IN
GEORGETOWN.
AND SO EVEN JUST WITHOUT PEOPLE
COMING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD
TO COME DOWNTOWN TO WORK
THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY
HAPPENING AND THE NEIGHBORS ARE
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH
IMPACT AND TRAFFIC IMPACT OF
HAVING POTENTIALLY TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF MORE PEOPLE COMING
THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO
WORK WITH US.TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE ARE MITIGATION STRATEGIES
IN PLACE. WE ALSO HAVE A
TOWNHALL WITH FOLKS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, ISSUES THAT THEY
ARE LOOKING AT, SOME OF YOU
MIGHT KNOW THERE'S ACCESSIBLE
MT. BAKER PROJECT. THERE IS
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS PLANNED
AROUND SORT OF WHAT I THINK OF
IS THE GATEWAY INTO THE RANIER
VALLEY AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WHETHER THEY ARE
HOUSING PROJECTS OR COMMERCIAL
PROJECTS THAT WE ARE CENTERING
THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE DOING THAT IN A WAY THAT IS
EQUITABLE.
I ALSO DID HEAR FROM SEVERAL
FOLKS OVER THE LAST WEEK ABOUT
THE STAY HEALTHY STREET
CLOSURES.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THIS.
EXCITED TO KNOW THERE ARE MORE
OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUT AND
RIDE THE BIKES OR WALK.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PLACES IN
DISTRICT II WHERE PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE STREET
CHOSEN SO WE WILL BE FOLLOWING
UP WITH SDOT MAKING SURE THAT
THERE IS EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THAT
SENIORS, ESPECIALLY, AREN'T
IMPACTED BY THESE STREET
CLOSURES.
WE WILL NOT BE HAVING DISTRICT
OFFICE HOURS THIS FRIDAY.
THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE
WEEKEND OF MY SON'S BAR
MITZVAH.
WE HAVE HAD TO POSTPONE THAT.
BUT IT IS STILL HIS BIRTHDAY
WEEKEND SO WE ARE TAKING FRIDAY
TO I DON'T KNOW, FIGURE OUT
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO [
LAUGHTER ]. WHILE THEY ARE
STUCK AT HOME TOGETHER.
SO, THAT IS MY REPORT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
THAT REPORT?
I WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO COME
OH, THERE WE GO, I WAS TRYING
TO MOVE SLOWLY.
TO ALLOW PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO RAISE HER HAND.
>> I HAD MY HAND RAISED BY MY
VIDEO IS OFF.
>> YOUR FALLING VICTIM TO
TECHNOLOGY.
>> EVERY WHICH WAY.
>> THE FLOOR ASSURES.
>> I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FOR
BRINGING FORWARD THIS
LEGISLATION RELATED TO
ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS AND
CODIFYING SOME OF THE PRACTICES
THAT THE EXECUTIVE CLAIMS IT IS
FOLLOWING DURING THE COVID-19
CRISIS.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER
LEWIS FOR AGREEING TO HEAR IT
IN HIS COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO FLAG THAT A
NUMBER OF US UNDER COUNCIL
MEMBER LEWIS LEADERSHIP BACK
IN AUGUST, I'M SORRY, IN APRIL,
APRIL 3, FOLLOWING OUR LAST
COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS
MEETING, WE PROPOSED TO THE
EXECUTIVE A NON-LEGISLATIVE
APPROACH --
>> WE ARE LOSING YOU.
>> I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
MY INTERNET CONNECTION IS
UNSTABLE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> IT IS BETTER NOW.
>> GOOD.
AND SO, THE LETTER SENT TO THE
EXECUTIVE BACK ON APRIL 3 WAS
PROPOSING A WAY THAT WE COULD
WORK TOGETHER.
THE COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE.
IN A WAY OF PROVIDING SORT OF
OUR POLICY PREFERENCES ON A
NUMBER OF SORT OF LEVERS THAT
COULD BE ADJUSTED FOR THE
ENCAMPMENT POLICIES THAT THE
EXECUTIVE CURRENTLY USES THE
CAME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE
DISCUSSIONS.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE NOT
RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE TO THIS
APRIL 3 REQUEST TO WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVE
ON DEVELOPING THIS NEW POLICY.
I THINK AS EVERYBODY KNOWS I
HAVE BEEN HESITANT IN PASSING
LEGISLATION RELATED TO IN
CAMERA REMOVAL POLICIES OUT OF
A BELIEF THAT IT IS THE
EXECUTIVE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO
MANAGE PUBLIC LAND.
BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE
EXECUTIVE HAS NOT RESPONDED TO
OUR REQUESTS TO WORK ON A
REVAMPED NON-LEGISLATIVE POLICY
AND GIVEN THAT THERE SEEMS TO
BE CONTINUED CONVERGENCE
BETWEEN WHAT THEY SAY THE
POLICY IS AND WHAT IT IS THAT
THE NAVIGATION TEAM IS ACTUALLY
DOING, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING ON THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION.
PROPOSED BY COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
AND HEARD IN COUNCIL MEMBER
LEWIS HIS COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO SHARE THAT
PERSPECTIVE AND THAT
FRUSTRATION.
REALLY SINCERELY AND GENUINELY
--
>> WE LOST YOU AGAIN.
>> I THINK WE GOT MOST OF WHAT
YOU SAID, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, TOWARD THE END.
I'M SORRY, WE SEEM TO BE HAVING
A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFICULTY WITH
YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
I THINK WE GOT THE POINT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
ALSO I WANT TO CONFIRM AND
REITERATE AGAIN, WE KNOW THIS
BILL IS INTRODUCED HAS GONE
THROUGH THE ENHANCED REVIEW
PROCESS FOR LEGISLATION AND
HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM --
THAT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH
PROCLAMATION 20-28.
THANK YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH
THE LAW DEPARTMENT MAKING SURE
THAT THE LEGISLATION WAS IN
COMPLIANCE WITH PROCLAMATION
2728.
AS A RESULT OF THAT COMPLIANCE
AND AS RESULT OF THE IMPORTANCE
OF THIS LEGISLATION AND
SIGNIFICANCE OF IT IN TERMS OF
IMPACTS CITYWIDE WE HAVE
DECIDED TO REFER THE BILL TO
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
HOMELESSNESS ISSUES THAT IS
CHAIRED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
AND I KNOW THEY HAVE A
SCHEDULED MEETING THIS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, MAY 27, AND
THAT WILL RELY ON THE BILL
SPONSOR AND CHAIR LEWIS TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT THE WORK PLAN
SCHEDULE B FOR THIS
LEGISLATION.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE AS WE ARE,
MAKE SURE THE COLLEAGUES, AS WE
CONTINUE TO MOVE AN INCH TOWARDS
JUNE THAT YOU ALL ARE SORT OF
HEARING FROM ME THAT THAT WILL
MEAN THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME
LEVEL OF HER INTRODUCTION OF
ITEMS THAT GO TO THE APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION.
WE WILL HAVE SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF
THE CITY CLERK OFFICE PRETTY
SOON THAT SORT OF GIVE US ALL
CLEAR GUIDANCE ON THOSE ISSUES
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVE THE
CONVERSATION WITH ALL OF YOU
ABOUT THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE SURE
THAT YOU ALL, FOR NOW, KNOW
THIS IS BEING REFERRED NOT TO
FULL COUNCIL BUT THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS FOR
ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE AND
COMMUTER WORK AND WORKING
SESSIONS ACCLAMATION WITH
PROCLAMATION 20-28.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON?
>> THANK YOU FOR REFERRING THAT
TO COMMITTEE.
THIS BILL ON ENCAMPMENTS. I AM
GLAD THT COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
IS ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS OF
THE HUMAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER
HERBALS COMMENTS THAT WHAT WE
TALKED ABOUT A FEW MONTHS AGO,
I'M VERY INTERESTED IN
UNDERSTANDING HOW THE
OBSTRUCTION IS DEFINED AND HOW
THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.
I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED
ABOUT LEGISLATING THAT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
NOT, THE BILL DOESN'T
INADVERTENTLY AUTHORIZE
ENCAMPMENTS IN CITY PARKS FOR
EXAMPLE, I WANT TO LOOK FORWARD
TO DIGGING INTO THAT AND THANK
YOU FOR SENDING IT TO COMMITTEE
SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT?
OKAY, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE
NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL ON THE
NEXT, MEMBER WHO IS
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THERE IS ONE ITEM TODAY FROM
THE FINANCE AND HOUSING
COMMITTEE.
CONSTABLE NUMBER ONE, 11979
ONE, THIS BILL APPROPRIATES
WILL PERFORM A DOLLARS IN
FEDERAL GRANTS RELATED TO COVID-
19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO GO TO
HST FOR THE PURPOSES OF SHELTER
OR DISTRIBUTION AND
DEDENSIFICATION WITH THE
ATTENTION FOR THESE FUNDS TO BE
USED TO GET INDIVIDUALS INTO
IDEALLY NON--- HOMELESSNESS AND
AT RISK OF CONTRACTING COVID.
WE APPRECIATE THE ONGOING
DEVASTATION THAT WE'VE HAD WITH
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM,
ESPECIALLY -- AND WE UNDERSTAND
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL
DOLLARS THAT WILL BE COMING
DOWN FOR CONSIDERATION NEXT
WEEK OR THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
$1.4 MILLION IS NOT A LOT OF
MONEY, WE DID HOLD BACK THIS
AMOUNT FROM THE -- FUNDS THAT
WE AUTHORIZED IN A PIECE OF
LEGISLATION A FEW WEEKS AGO.
THE INTENT WAS TO HOLD BACK
WENT BEFORE MILLION DOLLARS TO
HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
STRATEGIES TO DEDENSIFY SHELTERS
, IDENTIFY PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO
GO THAT WOULD BE IN LESS
CONGREGANT SETTINGS, ESPECIALLY
GIVEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE
THAT ENCOURAGES US TO CONSIDER
SAFER SPACES, NOT TO GET
SHELTERS, SPACES, OR FOLKS WHO
ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR COVID DUE
TO THEIR AGE OR UNDERLYING
HEALTH CONDITIONS.
I DID HEAR A SIGNIFICANT DESIRE
FROM PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH THE
HOMELESS POPULATION FOR FUNDING
TO GO TO STAFF PPE, CLEANING
SERVICES, FOOD SERVICES, SO
THAT ALL OF THE DEDENSIFICATION
WERE COULD BE STAFFED AND
IMPLEMENTED FOR THE CDC
GUIDANCE.
$1.4 MILLION IS NOT A LOT OF
MONEY, I THINK IT DOES HELP TO
BEGIN THE CONVERSATION THAT WE
HOPE WILL BE ADDED TO IN THE
FUTURE WEEKS WHEN WE SEE
ADDITIONAL FEDERAL DOLLARS.
AS FOLKS KNOW THE PREVIOUS
CATEGORIES OF FUNDING THAT WE
LOOKED AT INCLUDED -- ETC.,
THESE ARE PART OF THE THE
C.A.R.E.S.
ACT FUNDING WHICH HAD A BUNCH
OF DIFFERENT FUNDING BUCKETS.
SOME OF THAT COULD BE USED FOR
RENTAL ASSISTANT AND SOME COULD
NOT.
THERE WERE SMALLER AMOUNTS THAT
WERE MORE DEFINED BASED ON
PROGRAMS.
THE CONCERN OF THE TIME WAS THE
CARES ACT FUNDING DID NOT HAVE
THE ABILITY FOR US TO MAYBE BE
MORE FLEXIBLE DOWN THE ROAD
WITH DOLLARS IN TRYING TO GET
FOLKS INTO ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANCE FOR EXAMPLE. WE HAVE
LEARNED THAT THE KRONA RELIEF
FUND WHICH IS $130 MILLION
AUTHORIZED UNDER THE C.A.R.E.S.
ACT, DID NOT GO TO ALL
MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WE DID FIND
OUT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO NOW USE
THE FUNDS FOR ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANCE TO GO TO UNTIL
ASSISTANCE.
THAT SHOULD HELP US BUT HAVE TO
MAKE THE SOPHIE'S CHOICE
BETWEEN RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND
DEDENSIFICATION ISSUES.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE GOING
CONVERSATION AND WE KNOW THERE
WILL BE MORE FEDERAL FUNDS --
AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
DID EMPHASIZE -- TO GET FOLKS
INTO APPROPRIATE HOUSING AND
DEDENSIFICATION STRATEGIES.
BEFORE MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD GO TO A HOST
OF DIFFERENT DEDENSIFICATION
STRATEGIES -- WE'RE HOPING TO
HAVE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE FUTURE DOLLARS ABOUT HOW WE
CAN GET MORE FUNDING INTO PAY
FOR STAFF PPE, CLEANING, FOOD
SERVICES, AND OTHER SAFE
HOUSING OPTIONS FOR THOSE WERE
LIVING ON SHELTERS.
IT'S NOT A TON OF MONEY BUT WE
HOPE THIS WILL HAVE FUTURE
FUNDS AND MAKE AN IMPACT FOR
THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
NEEDING DEDENSIFICATION EFFORTS
AND THAT WE CAN GET FUNDING FROM
THE CORONA RELIEF FUND , $100
MILLION, AS MUCH AS WE CAN OUT
TO THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS AND I WANT TO THANK
FOLKS AT UNITED WAY WHO HAVE
ALSO PROVIDED FEEDBACK OVER THE
LAST FEW WEEKS AS WE KNOW WE
WANT RENTAL ASSISTANCE OUT THE
DOOR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
TRYING TO LOOK BOTH AT
PREVENTION FOR FALLING INTO
HOMELESSNESS AND HELPING THOSE
WHO ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS DURING THIS PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, COLLEAGUES,
THE INTENT IS TO MOVE THAT
PIECE OF LEGISLATION FORWARD
AND I WANT TO THANK -- IN THE
VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR
ONGOING CONVERSATIONS.
THERE ARE NO OTHER ITEMS FOR
TODAY FROM THE FINANCE AND
HOUSING COMMITTEE, I WANT TO
SAY A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT THE
BILL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER
UMBRELLA SPOKE ABOUT.
REALLY I THINK THE INTENT HERE
IS TO FOLLOW THE CDC GUIDANCE.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, PRIOR TO US
WORKING REMOTELY, I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER ROLLISON AND
BILL, I HAD A BULL, A NUMBER OF
US WERE WORKING AT WAYS TO
RESPOND TO THE COVID CRISIS
GIVEN THAT WE KNEW WE HAD THE
THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF FOLKS
WERE LIVING UNSHELTERED IN OUR
CITY AND THE ENTIRE COUNTRY,
TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE IN
RESPONDING TO SOME OF THOSE
CONCERNS THAT WE KNEW WERE
COMING WITH COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE LIKE COVID WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
WE PUT THAT EFFORT ON HOLD.
I THINK AS MANY OF YOU HAS
TALKED ABOUT WITH THE HOPE THAT
THE COMMITMENT TO NOT RELOCATE
PILL FULL WOULD HELP IN THE
INTERIM AND GIVEN THE CDC
GUIDANCE AND WORKING WITH A
HANDFUL OF STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS
THE CITY IT WAS CLEAR THAT
FOLKS REALLY DESIRED TO HAVE A
PUBLIC HEALTH AMENDMENT TO THE
CURRENT GUIDANCE UNDER THE
COVID EMERGENCY SO THAT ANY
HEALTH RELATED CONCERN THAT WAS
CITED FIRST TRIGGERED
ORDINATION WITH PUBLIC HEALTH
AND AN APPROPRIATE PUBLIC
HEALTH RESPONSE.
THEN WE LOOKED AT INDIVIDUAL
ROOMS AND TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR
FOLKS WERE CURRENTLY LIVING
OUTSIDE. I WANT TO UNDERSCORE
THE CDC GUIDANCE HAS CLEARLY
SAID -- CAN YOU HEAR ME?
THE CDC GUIDANCE HAS CLEARLY
SAID IT IS VERY CONCERNING THAT
FOLKS ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN IT
ENCAMPMENTS, IF THE SIGN GETS
POSTED THAT SAYS THERE WILL BE
A REMOVAL PEOPLE TEND TO
DISPERSE INTO THE COMMUNITY
BEFORE REMOVAL TEAMS COME OR
THE NAVIGATION TEAMS COME AND I
THINK THE QUESTION THAT THE
COUNCILMEMBER HAD ABOUT
CAPACITY AT SHELTERS IS
IMPORTANT BUT EVEN WITH THE
POSTING OF THE SIGNS WE KNOW
THAT THAT CAN HAVE AN
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE AND WE
HAVE TO PREVENT WITH THE
DEADLY, COMMUNICABLE DISEASE,
COVID IS DIFFERENT, YOU CAN'T
VACCINATE PEOPLE.
HANDWASHING FACILITIES, ETC.,
IT'S CONCERNING THAT ANYONE WHO
HAS POTENTIALLY SHOWN SYMPTOMS
OF COVID OR AT RISK OF
SPREADING COVID WHO REALLY WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT IT
AND NOT CREATE THE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCE OF HAVING PEOPLE
DISPERSE INTO THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A HYBRID BILL RELATED
TO TRY TO GET -- WORKING WITH
POPULATIONS, RAISING CONCERNS
ABOUT HOW TO GET MORE PUBLIC
HEALTH GUIDANCE, THANK YOU IN
ADVANCE FOR THE CONVERSATION.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A
CONVERSATION YOU BEEN HAVING AT
VARIOUS LEVELS AS WELL.
HOPING FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE AS WE LOOK
AT THIS CRISIS CONTINUING FOR A
FEW MONTHS.
I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT A
FORM, WE LOOTED TO THIS AT LAST
WEEK'S MEETING, WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE A ECONOMIC FORUM TO, IF
YOU DON'T HAVE AN INVITE YOU
SHOULD, WE ARE SENDING THIS OUT
VIA SOCIAL MEDIA ALERTS FOR
ECONOMIC FORUM AND I HOPE TO
MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE THE
CHANCE TO JOIN VIA YOUTUBE OR
LIVE STREAM, WE ARE ALSO --
INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING ON
THE ZOOM LINE, WE HAVE TO HAVE
LIMITED NUMBERS SO THANK YOU --
I THINK MAYBE ONE MORE CAN JOIN
US.
YOU ARE WELCOME TOO, LET US
KNOW, THOUGH, SO THAT WE DON'T
VIOLATE OPM A BUT OTHERS CAN
DEFINITELY WATCH.
WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
FOLKS TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS AND
WILL HAVE A PANELIST OF
ECONOMIC EXPERTS WHO ARE COMING
TO US FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE WILL HAVE THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FOR BUDGET POLICY
CENTER, THE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
OF ECONOMICS AT PUBLIC POLICY
AT UMASS, THE DIRECTOR FRONT
AND CENTER, THE PUBLIC INTEREST,
UPPER CENTER FROM THE ECONOMIC
POLICY INSTITUTE AND IN TERMS OF
THE CRISIS THAT IS COVID AND THE
LOCAL NEEDS, WILL HAVE THE
DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND ADVOCACY
AT THE WASHINGTON HOUSTON
ALLOWANCE, PROJECT 17 -- THE
THEME OF THIS FORUM IS TO LOOK
AT THE ECONOMIC REALITIES
CREATED AND WORSENED BY THE
CRISIS THAT IS COVID.
MUCH OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IS
RESPONDING TO THE IMMEDIATE
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
WE ALSO KNOW THERE IS AN
ECONOMIC CRISIS ON THE RISE IN,
WANTING TO HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING FROM THE NATIONAL
TO LOCAL LEVEL AND HOW THIS
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IS GOING
TO EXACERBATE EXISTING
INEQUITIES IN OUR SYSTEM AND
CREATE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC
HARDSHIP.
THAT IS THE FOCUS.
IT IS REALLY FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF GETTING PREPARED
FOR THE FUTURE BUDGET AND WHAT
WE POTENTIALLY HAVE TO DEAL
WITH IN TERMS OF DECREASED
REVENUE AND INCREASED NEED.
THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US
KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
PARTICIPATING.
WE WANT TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC
AT LARGE AS WE THINK ABOUT THE
HEADLIGHTS WE HEAR EVERYDAY
ABOUT HOW THIS ECONOMIC, HOW
THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IS
CRATING CREDIT ECONOMIC CRISES
ON THE HORIZON AND THAT COULD
LEAD TO PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS
WERE PEOPLE CAN'T KEEP THE JOB
OR FOR THE ROOF OVER THERE HEAD
OR FOOD ON THEIR TABLE.
THANK YOU ALL. IF YOU HAVEN'T
RECEIVED THE FLYER FROM US YOU
SHOULD, SHORTLY.
>> THANK YOU, FOR THAT REPORT.
AGAIN, WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH,
I WANT TO REITERATE, PLEASE,
BREVITY.
IT HAS BEEN TWO HOURS AND 45
MINUTES AND I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE GONE
WELL OVER TIME.
IF WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO
TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THAT WOULD
BE GREAT.
OKAY.
NEXT, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FOR COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO FLAG THE FACT THAT
ALTHOUGH THE LEGISLATION THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA WAS ORIGINALLY
PROPOSED AS A WAY OF HAVING A
CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AROUND SHELTERING AS A
PARTICULAR MODEL OF THE
DEDENSIFICATION, THE LANGUAGE
IN THE LEGISLATION ITSELF ONLY
REQUIRES THAT THE FUNDING BE
USED FOR SHELTER REDISTRIBUTION
AND DEDENSIFICATION.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THE
SPECIFIC MODEL OF --
>> WE ARE NOT ABLE, YOU'RE
BREAKING UP.
QUITE OFTEN.
MAYBE YOU CAN TRY AGAIN?
>> HOW IS IT NOW?
>> THAT IS BETTER.
>> ALL RIGHT, I'M SORRY.
I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO GET
THROUGH THIS.
I WANT TO FLAG THAT THE
LEGISLATION IN THE BILL ONLY
REQUIRES THAT THE FUNDING BE
USED FOR SHELTER REDISTRIBUTION
AND DEDENSIFICATION.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT THOSE
FUNDS BE USED IN A WAY THAT IS
NOT CONGREGATE CARE SHELTER
REDISTRIBUTION AND
DEDENSIFICATION.
WANT TO FLAG THAT THE FEDERAL
FUNDS AND COMMERCE FUNDS THAT
WILL BE COMING LATER CAN BE
USED BOTH FOR RENT ASSISTANCE
AS WELL AS THE PURPOSES THAT
THIS BILL PROPOSES.
WE COULD HAVE ALLOCATED THESE
DOLLARS TO RENT ASSISTANCE AND
WAITED FOR FUNDS TO COME LATER
TO SERVE THIS PURPOSE.
BUT INSTEAD, WE ARE DOING THE
OPPOSITE.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH LEGISLATION TO FUND
SHELTER REDISTRIBUTION AND
DEDENSIFICATION AND WILL USE
FUNDS IN THE COMMERCE AND
FEDERAL FUNDING LATER TO PAY FOR
THE RENT ASSISTANCE FUNDS THAT
WE HAD PLANNED FOR THE MAYOR
HAD PLANNED TO ALLOCATE WHEN
SHE PROPOSED THIS LEGISLATION.
BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE I KNOW THE PUBLIC IS
LOOKING AT THIS CONVERSATION
AROUND HOTELS AS A WAY, AS A
METHOD TO DO THE
DEDENSIFICATION.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK
WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE GOAL N
THAT I THINK IS A GOAL OF THIS
COUNCIL, TO ENCOURAGE THE
EXECUTIVE TO EMBRACE THE IDEA
OF FUNDING HOTELS AS A MODEL OF
DEDENSIFICATION RATHER THAN
FUNDING MORE CONGREGATE CARE
FACILITIES TO DEDENSIFY
SHELTERS.
THANK YOU.
>> I WILL BE CAREFUL WITH MY
WORDING THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT THERE IS FUTURE FUNDS
COMING AND WE WANT -- YES, I
APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
FOR COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA ON
HER REPORT?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COLLEAGUES.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS FROM THE
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES
COMMITTEE ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WE HAVE ALSO CANCELED OUR
COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WOULD
HAVE OCCURRED THIS WEDNESDAY,
MAY 20.
THIS WEEK I WILL BE MEETING
WITH NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANTS
IN DISTRICT 40 HEAR ABOUT THE
EXPERIENCES OF SMALL BUSINESSES
AS WE MOVE CLOSER TO PHASE 2 OF
REOPENING OUR ECONOMY.
REGARDING TECHNOLOGY THE
COMMITTEE I CHAIR IS CALLED
TRANSPORTATION UTILITIES AND
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
ATTENTION ON TRANSPORTATION,
BRIDGES, TRANSIT, AND ALSO
UTILITIES, INCLUDING THE RECENT
COMPLETION OF AN ODD AND HIS
CUP PROGRAM DURING THE COVID
CRISIS.
A COMMITTEE INCLUDES TECHNOLOGY.
AND THE COVID CRISIS HAS EXPOSED
SOME DISTURBING DISPARITIES
WITH ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
I BELIEVE TECHNOLOGY ACCESS IS
A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE AND I
PLAN TO FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE AND
SHARE SOME THOUGHTS ON IT IN
THE NEAR FUTURE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSON FOR THAT REPORT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS?
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
ALONG.
NEXT UP IS COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
I THINK IT IS GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYONE.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT MEETING OF THE
COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED FOR A
SPECIAL TIME THIS THURSDAY, MAY
21 AT 6:00 P.M.
OVER ZOOM.
ON THE AGENDA WE WILL BE
DISCUSSING -- TO FUND IMMEDIATE
COVID RELIEF AND PUBLIC JOBS
BUILDING AFFORDABLE SOCIAL
HOUSING AND A GREEN NEW DEAL --
RECOVERY.
THE COVID EMERGENCY.
NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM
GRASSROOTS RENTER ORGANIZATIONS
DISCUSSING THE MOVEMENT FOR A
FULL SUSPENSION OF RENT,
MORTGAGE AND UTILITY PAYMENTS
AND IMPORTANTLY HOW THEY CAN
GET ORGANIZED TO FIGHT
EVICTIONS.
ORGANIZING THE BUILDINGS TO
FIGHT EVICTIONS WHICH WILL VERY
LIKELY, THERE WILL BE A MASSIVE
ATTEMPTED EVICTIONS WITH THE
MORATORIA IS LIFTED -- PANDEMIC
HAS BEEN ENDED.
THIS ITEM WILL INCLUDE DISTRICT
CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE TENANTS OF
BUILDINGS THAT ARE OWNED BY
WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS BUT ARE
MANAGED BY THE MEGACORPORATIONS
AND ASSOCIATES AND HOPEFULLY WE
CAN LEARN LESSONS FROM HOW THEY
GOT ORGANIZED.
MY OFFICE HOLED UP -- LABOR
ATTORNEY -- WHO POINTED OUT THAT
TELLING CITY COUNCIL WHAT
TOPICS THEY CAN LEGISLATE ON IS
NOT AN EMERGENCY POWER FOR THE
GOVERNOR.
QUOTE, THE GOVERNOR HAS
ATTEMPTED TO EXERCISE THE
EMERGENCY POWER TO PREVENT
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM DOING
THEIR JOB.
EVALUATE AND ENACT LEGISLATION.
IT IS ACTUALLY SHOCKING AND
ALSO CLEARLY, LEGALLY,
UNSUPPORTABLE IF YOU LOOK AT
THE STATUTE THAT GIVES THE
GOVERNOR EMERGENCY POWERS, --
THE GOVERNOR HAS A LOT OF POWER
TO PROHIBIT THINGS IN THE
INTEREST OF PRESERVING LIFE,
HEALTH, PROPERTY, BUT TELLING
CITY COUNCIL WHAT TOPICS YOU
CAN AND CANNOT LEGISLATE ABOUT,
WHAT KINDS OF TOPICS A CAN AND
CANNOT HAVE, A PUBLIC MEETING
ABOUT, IS CLEARLY NOT NECESSARY
TO HELP OBSERVE LIFE, HEALTH,
PROPERTY OR THE PUBLIC PEACE,
UNQUOTE.
HOWEVER, IF HE DID HAVE THE OF
AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, THE
ARGUMENT THAT THE LEGISLATION
FOR COVID RELIEF AND JOB TO
COVER HE DOES NOT READ THE
REQUIREMENT OF BEING NECESSARY
TO RESPOND TO THE COVID PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY, DOES NOT PASS
THE COMMON SENSE MUSTER THAT
EXCUSES ONLY REASONABLE BIG
BUSINESS WHO DO NOT WANT TO PAY
THE TAXES AND -- BIG BUSINESS
IS NEVER A GOOD TIME TO TAX AND
FOR SOCIAL NEED.
EVEN THE WORST RECESSION DURING
THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND THE
TAXES BEEN MODEST, ONLY ON THE
TOP 2% OF THE CORPORATIONS.
THE ARGUMENT THAT A VIRTUAL
MEETING VIOLATES THE OPEN
PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT, OPM IT, IS
NOT RAY, THE PURPOSE IS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ACCESS
TO AND IS ABLE TO OBSERVE
AGENCY MEETINGS AND IN THIS
CASE IS ABLE TO OBSERVE THE
CITY COUNCIL AND A MEETING --
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, PROVIDES
PUBLIC ACCESS AND PEOPLE WHO
CAN GET OFF WORK GET DOWNTOWN
AND DEAL WITH PARKING CAN
ACTUALLY ATTEND.
KNOW WHEN CAN PLAUSIBLY SAY A
VIRTUAL ONLY MEETING REACHES THE
OPMA.
IT IS GOAL OF THE OPMA AND --
HINTED -- THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
ADMITS THAT ALL KINDS OF PUBLIC
MEETINGS TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY
BY TELEPHONE OR NOW BY ZOOM
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
THAT IS ROUTINE.
HAVING SAID THAT, OF COURSE, I
SUPPORT EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE
CHANGES TO THE GOVERNOR'S
PROCLAMATION TO ENABLE
MUNICIPALITIES TO CARRY AT WORK
IN THE INTEREST OF ORDINARY
PEOPLE.
OUR MOVEMENT WILL NOT BE
STALLED IN ANY WAY.
WE WILL MEET ON THURSDAY AT THE
SUSTAINABILITY AND RENTERS ACT
COMMITTEE AT 6:00 P.M.
ALL COUNCILMEMBERS ARE INVITED
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN ME
IN -- THE LEGAL ABILITY -- TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF THE WORKING
CLASS PEOPLE.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE LAST WEEK
WHERE THEY SPOKE ABOUT AND
ANNOUNCED A PROMISING
PROJECTION OF JOB CREATION FROM
-- PLAN.
I SUGGESTED SHE BE INVITED --
AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA INVITING HER TO SPEAK
AT THE ECONOMIC FORUM.
THIS ARTICLE IS TITLED SEATTLE
IS CONSIDERING AN AMAZON TAX.
IT IS A MODEL FOR TAKING BACK
FISCAL POWER.
I WILL BRIEFLY QUOTE FROM THE
ARTICLE.
IT SAYS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE
TAX CUT AND JOBS ACT OF 2017
FEDERAL CORPORATE TAX
COLLECTION DROPPED SHARPLY.
IN THE ABSENCE OF REFORM OF THE
FEDERAL LEVEL, STATES AND CITIES
-- IN ORDER TO AVOID
CATASTROPHIC AUSTERITY THAT
WOULD DESTROY JOBS AND PROLONG
ECONOMIC SUFFERING AFTER THE
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS HAS BEEN
RESOLVED.
IT IS CRUCIAL FOR UNDERSTANDING
HOW PEER EAT OF CORPORATE
PROFITS LEFT WORKERS OF THE
CORPORATIONS VULNERABLE TO A
LOSS OF INCOME.
OVER AND OVER AGAIN MAJOR
AMERICAN CORPORATIONS EARNING
RECORD PROFITS HAVE THOUGHT OF
EFFORTS TO RAISE WAGES OF THE
LOWEST PAID WORKERS TO A DECENT
SALARY.
THE NEED TO MAKE RECORD
SHAREHOLDER PAYMENTS WITH IT,
JUSTIFICATION FOR SQUEEZING
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.
CORPORATION SPEND $6.3 TRILLION
ON THE UPPER PART OF -- THIS
INCREASING SHAREHOLDER -- OVER
ALL OTHER USERS OF CORPORATE
FUNDS IS A PRIME DRIVER BEHIND
THE INCREASING CONCENTRATION OF
WEALTH AMONG A SMALL SEGMENT OF
AMERICAN -- ANCHORAGE EVERYBODY
TO READ IT.
EVEN THE -- PREDICTS A LONG-TERM
-- VULNERABLE WORKERS AND
RECOMMENDS PUBLIC WORKS
PROGRAMS THAT EXPAND JOB
OPPORTUNITIES AND PUBLIC TAX
REVENUES WHICH ARE KEY FEATURES
OF OUR AMAZON TAX LEGISLATION.
AS CUSTOMER NUMBER MORALE IS
MENTIONED, I'M HAPPY TO
POSTPONE -- TO RESTRICT THIS
WEEK'S HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT OR
THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY.
AS I SAID MANY TIMES THIS WEEK,
IT'S INHUMANE AND INEFFECTIVE
AND COUNCIL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
A YEAR TO MOVE HOMELESS PEOPLE
FROM ONE STREET CORNER TO THE
NEXT ONLY WITH FEWER BELONGINGS
AND GREATER DESPERATION.
THOSE RESOURCES WOULD BE FAR
BETTER SPENT ON AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, TINIEST VILLAGES OR
OTHER SERVICES SO PEOPLE
ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEWHERE TO MOVE
TO AND CAN HAVE A FASTER
TRANSITION AND ACTUALLY A
TRANSITION TO HOUSING.
OUR MOVEMENT HAS SAID STREETS
ARE INHUMANE AND INEFFECTIVE
AND UNFORTUNATELY MANY EFFORTS
BY THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET MOVEMENT
TO MOVE LEGISLATION HAVE BEEN
BLOCKED BY COUNCILMEMBERS IN
2017 AND 2018 AND LAST YEAR.
I HOPE THOSE EFFORTS WILL
CONTINUE.
I'M HOPE BE TO BE A COSPONSOR.
IS A -- CRUCIAL TIME TO STOP
FORCING HOMELESS PEOPLE TO
MOVE, HOWEVER, WE SHOULD BE
CLEAR THIS IS NOT SETTLING THE
QUESTION OF SWEEPS AND I HOPE
COUNCILMEMBERS -- RESTRICTIONS
ON THE SWEEPS AFTER THE
EMERGENCY.
ALSO ON TODAY'S INTRODUCTION TO
THE COUNTY, LEGISLATION THAT --
PREPARING FOR MY OFFICE.
TO EXTEND THE SONY PROTECTION
TO PREVENT THE DESTRUCTION OF
SEATTLE'S REMAINING MOBILE HOME
PARKS, -- THANK YOU COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ FOR AGREEING TO
COSPONSOR THIS LEGISLATION.
THE MOBILE HOME PARKS HAVE
REQUESTED THE -- FROM
DISPLACEMENT OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE AROUND
THE LAST TWO YEARS WILL
REMEMBER MOVING TO THE
TESTIMONY AND THE COUNCIL PASSED
TEMPERATE PRODUCTIONS TO
PROVIDE TIME FOR THE EXECUTIVES
TO DO THE ANALYSIS REQUIRED TO
MAKE THOSE OR OTHER ZONING
PROTECTIONS PERMANENT,
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HAS NOT
HAPPENED.
AND SO WE WILL NEED A COUNCIL
BILL FOR THAT TEMPORARY
EXTENSION.
THE LEGISLATION DOESN'T REQUIRE
A PUBLIC HEARING, IT IS MY HOPE
THAT WE CAN HOLD A PUBLIC
HEARING DURING THE COUNCIL
MEETING NEXT WEEK AND VOTE ON
THIS, THESE PROTECTIONS, THE
FOLLOWING MONDAY, JUNE 1, IF
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO
HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING NEXT
WEEK WE SHOULD HOLD IT AT THE
COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE 1 GIVEN
THE STANDARD 30 DAYS FOR
LEGISLATION TO GO INTO EFFECT.
THAT TIMELY ALLOW THE EXTENSION
TO BECOME LAW JUST BEFORE THE
CURRENT ZONING PROTECTION IS
SET TO EXPIRE ON JULY 10.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST MY
OFFICE IS BRINGING FORWARD
LEGISLATION TO AMEND THE
SEATTLE WHEN HE SPOKE CODE TO
ALLOW FOR ELECTRONIC PETITIONS
AND ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE
GATHERING. WE LOOKED INTO THAT
AND WE HEARD FROM THE ATTORNEYS
AND LAWYERS THAT SEATTLE HAS
AUTHORITY AS FIRST-CLASS CITY
TO SET ITS OWN STANDARD FOR
PETITION AND SIGNATURE FORMAT.
THEREFORE THE AUTHORITY TO
LLOW ONLINE FORUM FOR PETITION
AND SIGNATURES.
ESSENTIAL THAT THE CITY ADOPTS
MEASURES THAT SUPPORT AND
STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY.
THEREFORE, IN ADDITION TO THE
ELECTRONIC PETITION AND
SIGNATURE GATHERING ASPECT MY
OFFICE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING
INTO OTHER MEASURES TO REDUCE
BARRIERS TO DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
AND POTENTIALLY PRESENTING
OTHER LEGISLATION IN THE WEEKS
AHEAD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, FOR THAT REPORT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
I HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THE
REPORT IF THAT WOULD BE IN
ORDER AT THIS TIME.
>> IT IS, NOW IS THE TIME.
ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS WHO
HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
THAT REPORT, DO SO NOW.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO RESPOND.
AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON
SUSTAINABILITY AND RENTERS
RIGHTS.
I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT
CUSTOMER NUMBER SO I AND HER
SENSE OF URGENCY IN THE
INEQUITY OF THE TAX CODE AND
NEED FOR NEW REVENUE TO ADDRESS
PROBLEMS WE ARE FACING. I HAVE
INFORMED HER OFFICE AND I'M
STANDING HERE TODAY THAT I WILL
NOT BE ATTENDING THAT COMMITTEE
MEETING. TO RESPOND TO THE
ARGUMENTS THAT IT BEEN RAISED
BY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF OUR AND
DIMITRI, YOU KNOW, I DON'T
THINK THERE IS A DISPUTE THAT
THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE.
TO MY -- MAKING SIMILAR
ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF
THE GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY,
WORKING THROUGH THE COURTS,
ARGUMENTS TO BE MADE.
I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO HOW
MUCH PERSONAL RISK WE AS A
COUNCIL AND WE AS INDIVIDUALS
ARE WILLING TO FACE.
REALLY RESTING ON THOSE
ARGUMENTS WHICH I DON'T FIND
COMPELLING AND DON'T BELIEVE A
JUDGE WOULD FIND COMPELLING IN
THE STATE.
ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM
THE ADVICE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED
FROM GOVERNOR INSLEE AND THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE SEATTLE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND HER MEMO
THAT SHE DISTRIBUTED, THE
MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL
INCLUDING ALL OF THE LAWYERS ON
THE COUNCIL, HAS BEEN A
DIFFERENT ANALYSIS.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND
EVERYBODY, TOO, WE ARE OPEN TO
INDIVIDUAL VIOLATIONS OF THE
OPM A. I THINK WE ARE ON NOTICE
HAVING RECEIVED GUIDANCE FROM
OUR LAWYERS AND THE ATTORNEYS
OFFICE AS WELL AS RECEIVING THE
LETTER, DISTRIBUTE IT LAST WEEK
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
THE CITY'S ANALYSIS OF THE OPMA
WHICH I PERSONALLY CONCUR.
I THINK GIVEN THAT NOTICE WE
WOULD BE VULNERABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES THAT
HAVE BEEN DEEMED TO NOT COMPLY
WITH THAT ANALYSIS.
FOR THOSE REASONS I WILL BE
ATTENDING THE MEETING AND I
WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR THE
PUBLIC AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, FOR THOSE REMARKS
AND I JUST WANT TO TELL, JUST
QUICKLY CLARIFY THAT I THINK
THERE'S A COMMUNICATION THAT
WENT OUT BY COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S OFFICE SEEMINGLY
IMPLYING THAT SHE COULD
ESTABLISH QUORUM FOR HER
COMMITTEE IF ANY COUNCIL
MEMBERS ATTEND THE COMMITTEE.
THE MEETING THAT SHE IS HOPING
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ON THURSDAY
EVENING.
I WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE
BENEFIT OF ALL COUNCILMEMBERS
AND FOR THE PUBLIC THAT THAT'S
NOT HOW THE COUNCIL RULES WORK
AS AMENDED.
IT HAS TO BE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE THAT ATTEND OR DON'T
ATTEND IN ORDER TO SATISFY THAT
QUORUM REQUIREMENT.
SO EVEN IF NOT COMMITTEE
MEMBERS ATTENDED THE COMMITTEE
MEETING THOSE COMES MEMBERS ARE
NOT MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IT
DOES NOT RESOLVE THE CORE
ISSUES AS REQUIRED UNDER
COUNCIL ROLES.
I WANT TO DISCUSS AND CLARIFY
THAT FOR THE RECORD.
THE COUNCIL ROLES GIVEN THAT
THERE HAS BEEN SOME INACCURATE
INFORMATION PUSHED OUT TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT HOW IT
WORKS IN RELATION TO
ESTABLISHING OR NOT MEETING
QUORUM.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AS IT
RELATES TO THAT PARTICULAR
COMPONENT.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU.
I DON'T AGREE THAT ANY
INACCURATE INFORMATION HAS BEEN
PROVIDED.
I HAVE NOT APPLIED ANYTHING.
ABOUT QUORUM IN ANY WAY, IN
FACT, I DON'T, SINCE I DON'T
AGREE WITH THE LEGAL ASSESSMENT
FROM THE OFFICE AND THE LEGAL
ASSESSMENT FROM -- BUYING INTO
FOR ME, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
I SEE THIS POLITICALLY.
I HOPE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO
ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN PUSHING
FOR PROGRESSIVE REVENUE AND WHO
HAVE, WHO DON'T AGREE WITH THAT
LEGAL ASSESSMENT WHICH I DON'T
AGREE WITH, FOR SURE, AND FOR
ME, IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF
QUORUM, IT IS A COUNCIL
QUESTION, FOR ME IT'S A
POLITICAL QUESTION.
WHO DECIDES WHICH REPRESENTATIVE
DECIDES TO COME TO THE MEETING
IN ORDER TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
THIS IS IMPORTANT, NOT
STALLING, NOT ALLOWING THE
MOVEMENT TO BE STALLED IS
IMPORTANT.
AND BOYCOTTING CITY COUNCIL
MEETINGS IS NOT AN OPTION AND
ULTIMATELY EVERY ELECTED
PRESENTED HIS CHOICE.
I AM NOT TRYING TO MAKE THAT
CHOICE.
YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE THAT
CHOICE FOR YOURSELF.
BUT I DON'T AGREE IN ANY WAY
WHATSOEVER THAT ANY
MISINFORMATION WAS PROVIDED.
IN FACT, THE MISINFORMATION HAS
BEEN ALL FROM THE POLITICAL
ESTABLISHMENT, SMOKE AND
MIRRORS GAME THAT THIS WILL BE
A LEGAL WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY
EXAMPLES OF LEGISLATION MOVING
FORWARD WERE SIMILAR ARGUMENTS
IN MADE THAT HOUSING IS -- IN
THE FINDINGS FOR THE
LEGISLATION THAT IN FACT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HIMSELF
BROUGHT FORWARD.
AGAIN, THESE ARE POLITICAL
OPINIONS.
THESE ARE NOT LEGAL ASSESSMENTS
AND I WOULD ALSO QUOTE FROM THE
ARTICLE IN WHICH THE REPORTER,
NATALIE GRAHAM, SAYS I ASKED
LEWIS IF HE COULD POINT ME TO
WHERE HE GOT THAT ANALYSIS, HE
REITERATED THIS POINT, WHILE
ADDING -- BUT NOT ANYTHING
SPECIFICALLY AND NOWHERE --
PROCLAMATION DOES IT SAY THAT
THE GOVERNOR HAS THAT POWER.
SO AGAIN, IT IS HOW YOU READ IT
AND SINCE THERE IS NO AGREEMENT
ON THAT I THINK IT'S A QUESTION
OF OPINION WHETHER YOU DECIDE
TO COME OR NOT.
BUT I CERTAINLY REJECT ANY IDEA
THAT IN -- FROM MY OFFICE AND I
WILL END BY SAYING I'M NOT
SURPRISED -- NOT TALK ABOUT --
ABSOLUTELY -- THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL HAS PUBLISHED TWO
EDITORIALS AGAINST US.
THIS IS THE BASTION OF THE
CAPITALIST -- NEW YORK CITY,
WHERE THEY CONCERNED ABOUT
SOMETHING SMALL LIKE THIS
BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT CAN
ACTUALLY HAVE A SNOWBALL EFFECT
JUST LIKE THE $50 MINIMUM WAGE
VICTORY THAT WE WON FROM THE
MOVEMENT WHILE OTHER CITIES
WERE INSPIRED BECAUSE AUSTERITY
IS STARING CITIES IN THE STATE
IN THE FACE.
SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR CHOICE.
>> EXCUSE ME, I SEE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HAS RAISED
HIS HAND.
FEEL FREE.
>> THANK YOU, JUST TO CORRECT
THE RECORD ON THE QUOTE, I WANT
TO SAY FOR MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, THAT HAS BEEN
UPDATED, THE BIT OF LATIN AS
NATALIE PUT IT WAS ACTUALLY RCW
--
I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE
LISTENING PUBLIC.
OBVIOUSLY THAT INTERPRETATION
AND MY RESPONSE TO NATALIE WAS
SOMETHING I WANTED TO CORRECT
GIVEN THAT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT AND I THINK IT IS
SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC
SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN AND
LOOKING INTO ON THIS DISCUSSION
OF THE OPMA.
>> THANK YOU, ANY OTHER
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WE HAVE
HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ON
THIS ISSUE AND MULTIPLE TIMES
IN OPEN PUBLIC SESSIONS SO WE
WILL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO
MOVE THROUGH THE AGENDA FOR
TODAY.
LET ME PULL UP THE ROLL CALL
FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
THE NEXT PERSON UP IS --
>> THANK YOU, OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL WEEKS I'VE BEEN WORKING
ON TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, I AM
SPLICING IN AND OUT, I WILL
SWITCH OVER TO MY PHONE WHICH I
ALSO HAVE READY TO USE.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS FROM -- ON
THE INTRODUCTION TODAY. THERE
ARE TWO ITEMS ON THE COMMITTEE
ON THE AGENDA.
A SUBDIVISION LOCATION AT 12522
15th AVENUE NORTHEAST.
THE SUBDIVISION WOULD DIVIDE
THE LOTS.
THERE WAS PRELIMINARY APPROVAL
LAST YEAR AND IT IS OUR ROLE TO
CONFIRM THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS
MET THE CONDITIONS.
I HAVE BEEN ADVISING THAT THEY
HAVE MET THE CONDITIONS AND WE
WILL BE SEEING THE SPELL AT
FULL COUNCIL TODAY.
I HAVE A FEW OTHER UPDATES.
I WILL TRY TO MAKE THEM QUICK.
LAST WEEK I DID JOIN THE GREEN
LAKE MEETING TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS ABOUT TWO CATEGORIES
FOR STAY HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY
STREETS.
THE FIRST 20 MILES THAT HAVE
BEEN ROLLED OUT IN THESE
RESIDENTIAL STREETS WERE
PREVIOUSLY SELECTED THROUGH
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
SDOT IS SHIFTING TO --
PERMANENT.
WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVE, IT
RESTRICTS THROUGH TRAFFIC AT
SOME STREETS NEAR POPULAR
PARKS.
ONE BEING WEST GREEN LAKE WAY
WHICH I MENTIONED WE HAVE A
WORKING ON MAKING IMPROVEMENTS
TO.
THESE LOCATIONS WERE SELECTED
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DEPARTMENT
OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE INTENDED
TO BE TEMPORARY AND AS SDOT AND
PARKS CONSIDER MOVING TO MORE
PERMANENT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
WILL OCCUR.
MY OFFICE IS ALSO BEGINNING
WORKING ON MAKING RESTAURANT
STREETS AS WE KNOW RESTAURANTS
WILL BE REOPENING AND NEED
ADDITIONAL SPACE TO SERVE THEIR
CUSTOMERS. THEY MAY BE LIMITED
WITH INDOOR SPACE.
I HAVE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF
REQUESTS FOR RESTAURANTS TO USE
OPEN RIGHT AWAY TO OPERATE
RESTAURANTS.
WE WILL FOLLOW UP LATER THIS
WEEK WITH MORE INFORMATION, IT
SEEMS VERY REASONABLE TO OPEN
SOME STREETS UP FROM FRIDAY TO
SUNDAY TO RESTAURANTS IN
FREMONT, GREEN LAKE AND BALLER.
WE KNOW BALLARD AVENUE COULD BE
ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING MORE
UPDATES TO YOU LATER THIS WEEK.
LAST WEEK I PARTICIPATED IN A
PANEL WITH COUNCILMEMBER -- WITH
THE BALLARD DISTRICT COUNCIL.
IT WENT VERY WELL AND I WOULD
OPEN ANY, DIRECT ANYONE TO LOOK
AT THIS LIVE, RECORDED TOWNHALL
PANEL.
IT IS STILL ONLINE. BALLARD
DISTRICT COUNCIL.
MY TEAM IS EXCITED TO PREPARE
FOR IT.
WE WILL BE SCHEDULING A
TOWNHALL SHORTLY AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO MEETING WITH THE
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT VI.
WE MET WITH THE COALITION, LIKE
CUSTOMER WARS, LOOKING AT WHAT
SERVICES THEY PROVIDE AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY
COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE SERVICES
ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE
RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED
REQUIRING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
THE NORTH END BECAUSE THE NEEDS
ON THE NORTH END LOOK DIFFERENT
THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY
AND THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT
NEEDS.
ALSO, YESTERDAY, 17 MAY,
CELEBRATING NORWEGIAN, NORWAY'S
INDEPENDENCE FROM SWEDEN.
BALLARD HOSTS THE LARGEST
CELEBRATION OUTSIDE OF THE
COUNTRY OF NORWAY.
THIS WAS CANCELED, THE PARADE,
IT WAS VERY HARD FOR MANY OF US
BALLARD RESIDENTS. A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT --, A NONMILITARY
CELEBRATION. THE UNION WITH
SWEDEN WAS DISSOLVED IN 1905.
THAT IS WHEN TWO INDEPENDENCE
RECURRED. WHILE THE
CONSTITUTION WAS SIGNED IN
1814.
NEARLY 89 YEARS AFTER THE
CONSTITUTION WAS SIGNED WAS
WHEN TRUE INDEPENDENCE CAME TO
BE.
THIS IS A MOMENT OF EXCITEMENT
AND SOLIDARITY WITH NEIGHBORS
TO REALLY CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE
THROUGH THE CONSTITUTION.
NOT FIGHTING ANYMORE OR
MILITARY ACTION.
BALLARD SISTER CITY IS IN NORWAY
AND THIS WAS A PARADE THAT I
WALKED AND BIKED IN AS A EAGLE
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS AN
ADULT IT'S A CELEBRATION I CAN
COUNT ON SEEING ALMOST EVERYONE
I KNOW.
IT'S TRULY AN ANNUAL REUNION.
WHILE I'M DISAPPOINTED WE
WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET IN PERSON
YESTERDAY, I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO NEXT YEAR'S CELEBRATION.
I CONTINUE IN SEPARATE NEWS, TO
HAVE CONSTITUENT MEETINGS.
I WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS
OF DISTRICT VI WHO HAVE TAKEN
TIME TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES THEY
ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE
COMMUNITY.
I HEAR YOU AND I CONTINUE TO
USE THE POWER OF MY OFFICE TO
IMPROVE OUR DISTRICT.
THIS WEEK I WILL CONTINUE TO
HAVE CONSTITUENT CALLS AND SO
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH
ME ON AN ISSUE I WOULD LOVE TO
CHAT WITH YOU.
CIRCLING UP FROM OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS, UPDATES, I WANT
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
FOR YOUR WORK ON THE COMMUNITY
CENTER AND THE LETTER THAT YOU
ARE CIRCULATING THIS AFTERNOON.
I WILL JOIN YOU IN YOUR
CARAVAN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
REPORT.
EITHER ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FOR COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.
MY REPORT.
I HAVE ONE ITEM FOR TODAY'S
FULL COUNCIL.
THAT IS A RESOLUTION THAT
APPEARS ON TODAY'S INTRODUCTION
AND REFERRAL CALENDAR.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER
THE RESOLUTION WHICH MY OFFICE
WORKED ON IN PARTNERSHIP
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND
IMMIGRANTS, SORRY, IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITY LEADERS THIS
AFTERNOON.
CONSISTENT WITH OUR PROCESS, WE
REVIEW THE LEGISLATION AND
FOUND IT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH
PROCLAMATION 20 HAVE A 20.
THIS RESOLUTION WILL CALL ON
GOVERNOR INSLEE AND THE STATE
LEGISLATURE AS YOU'LL HEAR IN
THE AMENDMENT THAT WE ARE
PROPOSING TO CREATE THE
WASHINGTON WORKER RELIEF FUND
TO DELIVER MUCH-NEEDED
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO OUR
UNDOCUMENTED
OF DOLLARS IN ASSISTANTS.
WHILE I WISH MORE OF THOSE
DOLLARS WERE GOING TO PEOPLE,
TO ACTUAL PEOPLE AND NOT
CORPORATIONS, THE REALITY IS
THAT NOT A SINGLE DOLLAR WILL
BENEFIT UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS.
úMANY OF WHOM ARE DEEMED AS
ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
THE WORKER RELIEF FUND, IF
CREATED WOULD HELP PROVIDE
DESPERATELY NEEDED ASSISTANCE
TO IMMIGRANTS THAT WERE
INTENTIONALLY LEFT OUT OF THE
SYSTEM.
THE RESOLUTION AT THE REQUEST
OF IMMIGRANT IMMUNITY LEADERS,
URGES THE GOVERNOR AND STATE
LEGISLATURE TO DO A COUPLE OF
SIMPLE THINGS.
ONE WOULD BE TO CREATE A
WASHINGTON WORKER RELIEF FUND.
THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
WITH AN INITIAL ALLOCATION OF
$100 MILLION TO BE ADMINISTERED
BY COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS.
TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY, ECONOMIC
ASSISTANCE TO UNDOCUMENTED
BOSTONIANS DURING THE PANDEMIC
PRICES.
SECONDLY, IT WOULD REQUEST THAT
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WORK WITH
CAUCUS LEADERSHIP TO CREATE A
SYSTEM THAT WILL PROVIDE A WAY
FOR PROTECTION TO WORKERS WHO
LOSE THEIR JOBS AND ARE
EXCLUDED FROM THE CURRENT
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SYSTEMS
INCLUDING UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS
TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND
SUPPORT WORKERS AND THEIR
FAMILIES DURING WASHINGTON'S
ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
I WANT TO SEND OUT A THANK YOU
TO ONE AMERICA.
NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
PRODUCT GRASS.
THE WASHINGTON SOLIDARITY
NETWORK, THE LATINO FUND AND
MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE LEADING THIS WORK ACROSS
THE STATE AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
LEADERS IN THIS SPACE.
I'M SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO
ADVANCE THE RESOLUTION THIS
AFTERNOON.
AS THE DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANT
PARENTS WHO EARLY ON,
IMMIGRATED TO THIS COUNTRY AS
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND
WORKED AS FARMERS IN CENTRAL
WASHINGTON STATE.
THEY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE
HOW IMPORTANT PUBLIC BENEFITS
ARE TO SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY HERE TO URGE THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON TO LOOK AT
THE STATEWIDE SYSTEM TO REALLY
ADDRESS THESE CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT NEEDS FOR UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANTS.
IN OUR STATE, WHO ARE SUFFERING
AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE ADDED
-- LOOKED AT THE COVERAGE ON
THIS.
I WANT TO THANK THE ATTENTION
TO THIS ISSUE, WHERE HE YOU
HIGHLIGHTED A WORKER, VICTORIA
WHO RESORTED TO ALONG WITH MANY
NEIGHBORS MAKING AND SELLING
TAMALES AND COMMUNITY IN ORDER
TO MAKE UP THE WAGE LOSS THAT
SHE HAS EXPERIENCED AS A RESULT
OF LOSING HER RESTAURANT JOB.
WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY IN RESPONSE
TO THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER FOR
NONESSENTIAL BUSINESSES TO
CLOSE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME
SITUATION AS VICTORIA ACROSS
THE STATE.
AND REALLY I THINK IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO MEET
THE NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION IN
PARTICULAR.
SO I WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY
ABOUT THAT THIS AFTERNOON.
WE WILL BE JOINED IN FULL
COUNSEL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS
BY FOLKS DIRECTLY IMPACTED AND
WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS
WASHINGTON WORKER RELIEF FUND.
THAT WILL BE DONE IN A LANGUAGE
OTHER THAN ENGLISH.
SO FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO WILL
CALL IN THIS AFTERNOON, TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT IN A
LANGUAGE THAT IS NOT ENGLISH WE
WILL PROVIDE THOSE MINUTES OF
PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND TWO
MINUTES FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY
AND TWO MINUTES FOR TRANSLATION
. I THINK THAT IS SUCH AN
IMPORTANT PART OF MAKING SURE
THAT WE HAVE LANGUAGE ACCESS
AND EQUITY IN OUR PROCESS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR INDULGENCE AS
THIS AFTERNOON, WE RECEIVED
SOME PUBLIC COMMENT FROM NON-
ENGLISH SPEAKERS ABOUT THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THIS
RESOLUTION AND THE STATEWIDE
EFFORT AROUND THE CREATION OF
WASHINGTON WORKER RELIEF FUNDS.
NEXT I WANT TO GIVE A FEW
ANNOUNCEMENTS RELATED TO
EDUCATION.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS
UNDERSTOOD THAT IN THE EARLY
LEARNING SPACE OF THE
WASHINGTON -- COVID-19
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.
ALL LICENSE PROVIDERS THAT
SERVE CHILDREN CAN APPLY FOR
FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES
AND EXPENSES DURING THE COVID-
19 PANDEMIC.
IF YOU ARE A CITY OF SEATTLE
FUNDED CHILD CARE PROGRAM OR
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM OR SEATTLE
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM PATHWAY
PROVIDER, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
IS AVAILABLE TO YOU THROUGH OUR
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING.
FOLKS CAN EMAIL DEL AT
EDUCATION -- TO ACCESS STATE
GRANT DOLLARS FOR CHILDCARE
PROVIDERS HERE IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
FOLKS KNEW THAT THE OPPORTUNITY
AND ACCESS REQUEST FOR
INFORMATION FUNDING PROCESS TO
THE FAMILY'S EDUCATION
PRESCHOOL AND PROMISE LEVY IS
NOW OPEN.
THE FIRST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
SESSION IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY.
FROM 2:30 PM TO 4:00 P.M.
VIA MICROSCOPIC -- MICROSOFT
TEAM PLATFORM.
FIND MORE INFORMATION ON MY
TWITTER PAGE AT @CMLGONZALEZ .
SOME HOPEFUL THAT FOLKS WILL
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
HOW TO FUND -- GET FUNDING FOR
THE LEARNING AND BETTER
EDUCATION NEEDS OF KIDS
THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR MY
REPORT.
I DO KNOW -- I THINK AMY GORE
IS STILL ON THE LINE.
SHE HAS HELD ON UNTIL THE VERY,
VERY END.
AMY, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU
WOULD WANT TO ADD ABOUT THE
RESOLUTION THAT I JUST
DESCRIBED AT THE TOP OF MY
REPORT?
INCLUDING THE AMENDMENT.
>> I'VE GOT NOTHING ELSE TO ADD
TO THAT, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AIMEE.
I KNOW AMY WORKED REALLY HARD
úON THIS RESOLUTION AND AGAIN,
WE RAN THE RESOLUTION AS I
MENTIONED THROUGH OUR PROCESS
OF LEGISLATION.
AND RECEIVED THE GREEN LIGHT
FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT AS IT
RELATES TO COMPLIANCE
PROCLAMATION 2028.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO
REPORT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE
GOOD OF THE ORDER?
SEEING AND HEARING NONE,
COLLEAGUES I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR STAMINA.
IF NOTHING ELSE, GETTING
THROUGH TODAY'S COUNSEL BRIEFING
. IT IS NOW 12:46 PM.
THAT IS THE LAST ITEM OF
BUSINESS ON OUR AGENDA.
SO WE ARE ADJOURNED AND I WILL
SEE YOU ALL AT NOON.
I'M SORRY, 2:00 P.M.