ORDER, 2:02 P.M., PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER LIN.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> HERE.
>> THE MINUTES OF MAY 18th, 2026
WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE
ADOPTED. AND THEN, ALSO, TOO,
COLLEAGUES, I WILL AMEND THE
AGENDA, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTIONS MOVE PROCLAMATIONS TO
THE FRONT OF THE MEETING AND
THEN PRESENTATIONS RIGHT AFTER,
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE
HAD A HARD STOP AND WANT TO MAKE
SURE EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO
SIGN THE PROCLAMATIONS. AWESOME.
NO OBJECTIONS, WE WILL MOVE THE
PROCLAMATIONS BEFORE THE
PRESENTATION ON AFFORDABILITY.
THANK YOU. WE WILL JUMP INTO THE
PRESIDENT'S REPORT, 18 ITEMS ON
THE CONSENT CALENDAR, NO
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS FOR
TODAY&THEN WE HAVE TWO
PROCLAMATIONS FOR DISCUSSION. SO
THE FIRST PROCLAMATION WILL
BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA
RECOGNIZING JUNE 2026 AS GUN
VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA, PLEASE
LEAD THE DISCUSSION ON THE
PROCLAMATION FOR ADDITIONAL
FEEDBACK BEFORE I REQUEST
SIGNATURESISM
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, CALLESIANISM
I AM SO HONORED TO BE BRINGING
THIS PROCLAMATION FORWARD, IT
WILL BE SIGNED BY MAYOR KATIE
WILSON, IT IS TO HIGHLIGHT GUN
VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. AS YOU
ALL KNOW, THIS TOPIC IS DEEPLY
IMPORTANT TO ME AND PERSONAL TO
ME AND MY FAMILY, AND I KNOW IT
IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ALL
OF YOU AS WELL. WE WANT SEATTLE
TO BE A SAFE AND THRIVING CITY
FOR ALL OUR COMMUNITIES, THIS
PROCLAMATION IS TO BRING
AWARENESS FOR THE MONTH AND I AM
SO PLEASED TO BE BRINGING IT
FORWARD AND I AM GLAD THE MAYOR
ALSO-- I KNOW THIS IS A TOPIC
THAT IS IMPORTANT TO HER AS
WELL, SO PLEASED TO HAVE HER
SIGNING ON AS WELL. LATER ON IN
MY REPORT I WILL TALK ABOUT THE
GUN VIOLENCE SYMPOSIUM THAT WILL
HAPPEN THIS MONTH AS WELL. FOR
NOW I WILL LEAVE IT AT THE
PROCLAMATION AND HOPE YOU WILL
JOIN ME BY SIGNING ON.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
MEMBER RIVERA. ARE THERE ANY
COMMENTS ABOUT THE GUN VIOLENCE
AWARENESS PROCLAMATION FOR JUNE
2026? COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER PRESIDENT,
TAKING A MOMENT TO, I BELIEVE
COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ IS WALKING
IN THE DOOR RIGHT NOW, SO I HAVE
NOTHING FURTHER TO SAY. THANK
YOU.
>> AWESOME FOR THE RECORD,
COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ IS HERE.
THANK YOU. GREAT JOB, COUNCIL
MEMBER STRAUSS. OKAY. IF THERE
IS NO OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS,
WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL TO
FIND WHO WANTS TO AFFIX THEIR
SIGNATURE TO THE PROCLAMATION?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA?
>> AYEMENT
>> COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> SORRY.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> NINE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD JOB,
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA FOR ALL
YOUR WORK ON THAT. WE ARE GOING
TO MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND
PROCLAMATION, COLLEAGUES, I HAVE
A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE
6th AS AMAR ASHAUN MURPHY PANE
DAY, I WILL SHARE COMMENTS ABOUT
THIS. IT IS TRULY FITTING THAT
THIS PROCLAMATION IS COINCIDING
WITH GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS
PROCLAMATION MONTH, AS HE WAS,
UNFORTUNATELY, KILLED AT
GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS
COUPLE, TWO YEARS AGO. TO
THIS-DAY OBVIOUSLY, IT IS ONE OF
THE HARDEST DAYS FOR ANYONE,
ESPECIALLY FOR HIS FAMILY, AND
HE WAS TRULY A LIGHT IN GARFIELD
AND THE DISTRICT THREE
COMMUNITY. THIS PROCLAMATION
HONORS HIS LEGACY, AND HIS LIFE.
TOMORROW, AFTER THE PRESENTATION
OF THE PROCLAMATION, BECAUSE WE
WILL BE JOINED WITH HIS FAMILY,
INVITING FOLKS DOWNSTAIRS, WE
WILL BE DOING A CELEBRATION OF
HIS LIFE AT THE BIRTH AND NIGHT
LANDIS ROOM DURING COUNCIL
MEETINGS BUT THE FAMILY AND
COMMUNITY WILL BE DOWNSTAIRS.
SO, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT
AS WELL, TO CELEBRATING HIS LIFE
WITH HIS FATHER AND HIS MOM AND
ALL OF HIS UNCLES AND COUSINS
AND EVERYBODY WHO IS GOING TO BE
HERE. THEN SOME STUDENTS FROM
GARFIELD. THAT WILL BE TOMORROW.
COLLEAGUES, WOULD LOVE YOUR
SUPPORT ON THIS AS WELL. SO, ANY
OTHER FINAL COMMENTS? I WILL
OPEN THE FLOOR. COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL
MEMBER RIVERA.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD AND I AM REMINDED OF
BEING WITH YOU THAT DAY WHEN WE
WENT INTO COMMUNITY WITH THE
PASTOR, WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE
COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT WERE THERE
COMING TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF
THE FAMILY. I WANTED TO THANK
YOU AND TO REFLECT ON THAT DAY,
BECAUSE IT BRINGS HOME WHY WE
ARE DOING THIS.
>> YEP.
>> AND TIE IT TO THE MONTH AND,
YOU KNOW, WHEN WHAT WE NEED TO
DO RELATED TO GUN VIOLENCE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, AND ALL YOUR WORK, GREAT
HAVING YOU THERE AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
PRESIDENT, I, TOO, WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD
AND FOR HONORING AMAR. IT IS A
TRAGEDY, OF COURSE, AND MY HEART
GOES OUT TO THE MURPHY PANE
FAMILY AND I REMEMBER BEING WITH
YOU AT THE WALKOUT WITH THE
STUDENTS, AND AMAR'S FAMILY, I
THINK LAST YEAR, AND IT REALLY--
I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOU FOR
BRINGING FORWARD THE
PROCLAMATION AND THE FAMILY
TOMORROW. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU, I KNOW A
BUNCH OF EVERYONE HAS BEEN
INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT WAYS WHEN
GUN VIOLENCE HITS OUR COMMUNITY,
AND OUR PEOPLE, AND
NEIGHBORHOODS, SHOWING UP, BEING
THERE WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENS,
CONSOLING FAMILY MEMBERS,
CONNECTING COMMUNITY TO
RESOURCES, ALL OF US HAVE PLAYED
AN EQUAL PART IN THAT,
UNFORTUNATELY I HATE TO SAY
THAT, THAT WE HAVE PLAYED A PART
IN CONSOLING FOLKS WHEN THEY
PASS AWAY WITH GUN VIOLENCE,
ESPECIALLY OUR KIDS AND OUR
BABIES AND JUST WANT TO THANK
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU,
BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL PLAYED A
DIFFERENT ROLE IN SHOWING UP,
YOU KNOW, IN OUR OWN WAYS TO
HELP COMBAT THIS. REALLY
APPRECIATE EVERYONE PS
PARTNERSHIP ON THIS. IF THERE IS
NO FURTHER COMMENTS, CLERK,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO FIND WHO
WANTS TO AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURE.
>> SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> NINE SIGNATURES.
>> THAT WILL BE PRESENTED
TOMORROW, AGAIN, ATOP OF THE
MEETING TO THE FAMILY AND THEN
WE WILL MOVE EVERYBODY
TRANSITIONED TO DOWNSTAIR WHERES
THEY WILL START THEIR
CELEBRATION. THANK YOU,
COLLEAGUES, FOR THAT. NOW I WILL
INVITE OUR CENTRAL STAFF TO THE
TABLE, WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR
PRESENTATION ON AFFORDABILITY IN
SEATTLE, I AM GRATEFUL WE HAVE
CAL CENTRAL STRAF. WANT THOO TO
THANK COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS,
HIM BEING BUDGET CHAIR,
UNDERSTANDING THE HEALTH AND
FINANCE OF OUR CITY, AND THIS IS
THE LESS WONKY VERSION OF WHAT
YOU WOULD PROBABLY SEE IN ONE OF
COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS'S
COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC
CONSUMPTION; COUNCIL MEMBERS AS
WELL, WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT
AFFORDABILITY AND CITY REVENUES,
AND I KNOW FROM SOME
SEATTLEITES, WE HAVE HURT ABOUT
THE INCREASING PRESSURES THAT
THEY FEEL FROM COST OF LIVING IN
SEATTLE. THIS PRESENTATION IS
FOR US TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CITY
HAS, WHAT WE CONTROL, HOW WE ARE
POTENTIALLY ADDING TO, YOU KNOW,
SOME OF THE AFFORDABILITY, WHAT
IS IN OUR CONTROL AS A CITY.
APPRECIATE TOM AND CAL FOR
TAKING THIS ON AND DOING THIS
PRESENTATION. COLLEAGUES, WE
HAVE-- HOW MANY SLIDES DO WE
HAVE? I CAN'T REMEMBER. LIKE
TEN?
>> ABOUT TEN.
>> WE HAVE TEN SLIDES, SO,
COLLEAGUES, IF WE COULD HOLD OUR
QUESTIONS TO THE END, WOULD BE
SUPER-- SO WE CAN KIND OF GO
THROUGH IT, AND THEN WE CAN
CIRCLE BACK WITH QUESTIONS.
SOUNDS GOOD? ALL RIGHT. AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. ALL
RIGHT. CAL AND TOM, OFF TO YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU,
WERE I WANTED TO GIVE A FEW
ADDITIONAL CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS,
OBVIOUSLY WE PREPARED THIS IN
RESPONSE TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S
REQUEST AND WE KNOW THAT THE
COUNCIL, THAT SEATTLE VOTERS
APPROVED A NUMBER OF LEVEES
LATELY AND WILL BE CONSIDERING
THE LIBRARY LEVEE THIS SUMMER,
WE KNOW THAT LATER ON THIS WEEK
THE COUNCIL WILL GET ITS FIRST
DISCUSSION ON THE MAYOR'S
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE SALES
TAX PROPOSAL THAT KING COUNTY
DOWN THE ROAD IS CONSIDERING
0.1% SALES TAX FROEDS. THERE ARE
A NUMBER OF REVENUE PROPOSALS
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO,
NOT LOOK AT THE FUTURE, BUT TO
LOOK AT TODAY AND TO LOOK AT
WHAT THE SALES TAX AND WHAT THE
PROPERTY TAX LOOK LIKE ON BILLS
TODAY AND IN THE CONTEXT OF
AFFORDABILITY. THAT IS WHAT TOM
HAS SPENT LOT OF TIME PUTTING A
PRESENTATION IN FRONT FOR YOU. I
THINK OUR INTENT HERE IS TO HAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF A BASELINE
CONTEXT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE
OTHER PROPOSALS DOWN THE ROAD,
HAVE GENERAL, BROADER CONTEXT SO
IT IS NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE
INCREMENTAL CHANGES WHEN REVENUE
COMES TO YOU, BUT REMEMBERING
THIS ALL FITS INTO THE BROADER
CONCEPT OF AFFORDABILITY. I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO TOM MIKESELL TO
LEAD THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, WE
ARE GOING TO TALK AFFORDABILITY
AND THE CONTEXT OF CITY
REVENUES, AND I HAD OUTLINE
SLIDE BUT I WILL GIVE A HIGH
LEVEL OF ECONOMIC CONTEXT AND
THEN LOOK AT PROPERTY TACKS AND
SALES TAXES IN TERMS OF THE
AMOUNTS THAT RESIDENTS PAY. THEN
CONCLUDE WITH AFFORDABILITY
PROGRAMS BUILT INTO THOSE TAXES.
SO, NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE GOING TO
COVER THE ECONOMIC CONTEXT. WHEN
YOU HEAR AFFORDABILITY, IT HAS
TWO VARIABLES, THERE IS THE COST
OF SOMETHING AND THEN WHAT YOU
HAVE IN TERMS OF RESOURCES TO
PAY THOSE COSTS. SO, IT IS BOTH
THE PRICE AND THE INCOME LEVELS.
SO ONE THING THAT AFFECTS
EVERYTHING IS INFLATION, AND
THAT HAS BEEN A HOT TOPIC FOR A
NUMBER OF YEARS, UNFORTUNATELY.
SINCE THE GREAT RECESSION, PRIOR
TO-- AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION
AND BEFORE THE PANDEMIC THE
INFLATION RATE WAS GENERALLY LOW
AND IN THE 2-3% RANGE. HOWEVER,
SINCE THE PANDEMIC, THE
INFLATION HAS TRENDED MUCH
HIGHER THAN THAT, AND, IN FACT,
THE LATEST YEAR OVER YEAR
READING IN APRIL WAS FOR THE
SEATTLE AREA PRICE INDEX WAS
4.9%, WHICH IS HISTORICALLY
HIGH. AND THEN WHEN YOU KIND OF
DIAL INTO SOME MORE DETAIL ABOUT
WHAT THAT IS MEANING FOR THE
PRICES THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING
FOR ESSENTIAL ITEMS, COMPARISON
APRIL 2019 TO THE APRIL READING
FOR 2026 FOR FOOD, WHICH WAS 40%
HIGHER OR 5.7% ON AVERAGE
ANNUALLY, HOUSING, 39% INCREASE,
5.6% ANNUALLY. TRANSPORTATION,
46%, 6.5% ANNUAL BASIS AND
TUITION, FEES, AND CHILDCARE, 3%
ANNUAL INCREASE, SO THOSE ARE
ALL, AGAIN, HISTORICALLY HIGH
ANNUAL AVERAGES AND THEY HAVE
BEEN BUILDING FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS SINCE THE PANDEMIC. SO
THAT IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE
WITH REGARDS TO THESE KIND OF
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS. REASONS
FOR THOSE, SO THERE ARE MANY
FOLD. OF COURSE, THE TARIFFS
THAT WERE INSTITUTED LAST YEAR
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAVE
INCREASED TAXES ON IMPORTS.
THOSE CAN BE, OF COURSE, PASSED
THROUGH ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THE
IMPORTERS CAN DEAL WITH THE
PRICES ARE PASS TO CONSUMERS.
THERE ARE SUPPLY CONSTRAINTS
WITH REGARDS TO HOUSING, NOT
ENOUGH HOUSING, THEREFORE, AND
THE DEMAND FOR THAT HOUSING IS
HIGH, WHICH KEEPS THE PRICES
HIGH. THEN MORE RECENTLY THE WAR
IN THE MIDDLE EAST HAS ELEVATED
GAS PRICES AND THAT CONTINUES TO
BE A STICKING POINT FOR THE
EXTENT OF THAT WAR CONTINUING.
THESE ARE NATIONAL TRENDS
OUTSIDE OF LOCAL POLICY CONTROL,
BUT THEY, OF COURSE, IMPACT THE
PRICES THAT WE ALL PAY. THEN
TAXES AND FEES ARE BOTH A
FUNCTION OF THE PRICE INCREASES
AND ADDED TO THOSE PRICE
INCREASES. SO THEN WHEN YOU KIND
OF THINK ABOUT, SO KIND OF THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT, WELL PRICES
ARE HIGH, WHAT ARE THE INCOMES
THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY THOSE
PRICES? WHAT DO THOSE LOOK LIKE?
THIS GRAPH HERE BASICALLY BREAKS
DOWN FOR 2024 THE DISTRIBUTION
OF INCOMES IN THE SEATTLE AREA.
THIS IS JUST TAKEN FROM AMERICAN
COMMUNITY SURVEY TABLES FROM THE
UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU. AS
YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS, THIS
DISPLAY, THERE IS ABUNDANCE OF
HIGH INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN
SEATTLE, ABOUT 30% OF HOUSEHOLDS
IN SEATTLE HAVE AN INCOME OF
HIGHER THAN $200,000 PER YEAR.
SO IN TERMS OF AFFORDABILITY,
WHAT CAN BE AFFORDABLE FOR THOSE
HOUSEHOLD S IS DIFFERENT THAN
WHAT MAY BE AFFORDABLE TO FOLK
WHOSE HAVE INCOMES ON THE LEFT
SIDE OF THIS SCALE. PARTICULARLY
INCOME $59,000 AND BELOW. THIS
IS SORT OF DEPICTION OF WHAT YOU
HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE K-SHAPED
ECONOMY, SO THERE ARE, KIND OF
DIVERGENCE IN THE ECONOMIC
SITUATION WHERE, AS OPPOSED TO
WHAT YOU ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR
FROM STATISTICS CLASS IN SCHOOL,
THE NORMAL DISTRIBUTION, WHERE
YOU HAVE KIND OF A HUMP IN THE
MIDDLE AND THE TAILS ON THE
EDGES ARE THINNER. SO, KIND OF
HAVE A VERY ROBUST MIDDLE, THAT
IS NOT THE CASE WITH OURS, IT IS
SKEWED TO THE HIGHER INCOME.
THEN SINCE I HAVE BEEN TALKING
INCOMES AND MEDIAN INCOMES WHICH
I WILL TOUCH ON LATE, I WANTED
TO GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT
COMPARATIVE INCOMES WITH REGARDS
TO THE STATE AND WITH REGARDS TO
THE SEATTLE AREA, BECAUSE THESE
ARE THE, KIND OF METRICS USED
FOR DETERMINING, FOR DIFFERENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN THE STATE
AND CITY. AS HOUSEHOLDS GET
LARGER, GENERALLY MEDIAN INCOMES
GET HIGHER FOR THE AREA OR
SEATTLE MEDIAN INCOME, AND IN
GENERAL, OR IN ALL CASES, THE
SEATTLE AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS
HIGHER THAN THE STATE MEDIAN
INCOME. NOW I AM GOING TO DIG
INTO SOME OF OUR CITY TAXES IN
THE CONTEXT OF THE-- WHAT THOSE
BILLS ARE FOR TYPICAL
HOUSEHOLDS. SO THIS CHART KIND
OF DRAWS ON SOME INFORMATION
FROM THE KING COUNTY ASSESSOR
THAT SHOWS THE 2026 ANNUAL, SO
THIS IS THE TOTAL FULL YEAR TAX
BILL FOR PROPERTY TAXES FOR BOTH
A MEDIAN ASSESSED VALUE HOME ON
THE LEFT, SO THIS IS KIND OF
LIKE THE MIDDLE HOME OF ALL
OWNED PROPERTY, AND THEN THE
AVERAGE RENTAL, WHICH IS ABOUT
ON A MONTHLY BASIS, $2,098, I
GOT THAT OFF THE WEB, TO
GENERATE THIS GRAPH. AGAIN,
THESE ARE BOTH FULL YEAR ANNUAL
AMOUNTS. FOR THE MEDIAN HOUSE,
THE ANNUAL TAX BILL ACROSS ALL
OF THE JURISDICTIONS, SO, CITY,
STATE, COUNTY, SPECIAL DISTRICS,
IS $8,254 IN 2026. THE CITY'S
SHARE IS 35%, OR $2,871. THE BOX
IN THE ORANGE. THEN WHEN YOU
LOOK TO THE RIGHT SIDE, THE TAX
BILL FOR THE AVERAGE RENTAL IS
$3,821. THE CITY'S SHARE BEING
LITTLE OVER $1,000 A YEAR. THAT,
AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST KIND OF
MIDDLE OF THE PACK, AVERAGES,
MEDIAN VALUES, BUT IT GIVES YOU
A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE
TYPICAL BILL IS FOR EITHER AN
OWNED PROPERTY OR RENTAL
PROPERTY. SO SINCE I SHOWED YOU
THE GRAPH SHOWING DISTRIBUTION,
PARTICULARLY WITH THE SKEWED TO
HIGHER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, I
WANTED TO KIND OF PUT THAT
RENTAL HOUSE, RENTAL HOUSING IN
CONTEXT. THIS IS INFORMATION I
TOOK FROM HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE THAT SHOWS
KIND OF THE LEVEL OF COST BURDEN
FOR HOUSEHOLDS AT DIFFERENT
INCOME LEVELS. SO THERE IS-- I
HAVE DRAWN TWO LINES HERE
SHOWING COST BURDEN, WHICH IS
THE HOUSING COST IS 30% OR MORE
OF YOUR INCOME, OR IN THE RED,
ABOVE IT AT 50%, WHAT DENOTES
SEVERELY COST BURDEN, THAT MEANS
RENTAL PAYMENT IS 50% OF YOUR
ANNUAL INCOME. AS YOU CAN SEE,
THERE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT
PORTION, OVER 70% IN THE
SEVERELY COST BURDENED CATEGORY.
MOST RENTER HOUSEHOLDS WITH
INCOMES BELOW $75,000 ARE AT
MINIMUM COST BURDENED, IF NOT
ALSO SEVERELY COST BURDENED. SO,
AGAIN, THIS GIVES A CONTEXT OF
HOW THAT RENTAL PROPERTY TAX
BILL HITS ALONG THE SPECTRUM.
SIMILAR INFORMATION FOR THE
RETAIL SALES TAX, ONE OF OUR
OTHER MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES HERE
AT THE CITY, THIS IS JUST FOR
KIND OF A MEDIAN INCOME
HOUSEHOLD, WHICH IS $123,000, IT
DOESN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE IN THE HOUSEHOLD, IT
IS JUST THE MIDDLE, THE MIDDLE
TAXPAYER, AND IT SHOWS THAT THE
ESTIMATED SALES TAX BILL IS
$2,414, OF WHICH THE CITY SHARES
$286. THE LARGEST SHARE IS FROM
THE STATE, $1,500, LITTLE SHY OF
THAT IN TERMS OF THEIR ANNUAL
CUT OF THE SALES TAX BILL.
SOMEWHAT SIMILARLY, SO THIS IS
INFORMATION I PULLED FROM GROUP
CALLED THE INSTITUTE ON TAXATION
AND ECONOMIC POLICY, THEY DO
THIS KIND OF REGULAR ANALYSIS OF
THE TAXES FOR ALL THE 50 STATES,
AND HOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT TAX
STRUCTURES, RELATE TO THE INCOME
OF THE FOLKS THAT PAY THOSE
TAXES. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY THE
SALES TAX AND IT IS A WASHINGTON
CHART, BUT YOU CAN GENERALLY,
YOU KNOW, GENERALLY IT WILL BE
CONSISTENT AS YOU GO DOWN TO
KIND OF THE SEATTLE LEVEL, AND
IT SHOWS THAT AS YOU GET A
HIGHER INCOME, THE AMOUNT OF
SALES TAXES YOU PAY PER YEAR
DECLINES AS A PERCENT OF THE
INCOME. JUST TO LOOK AT THE ENDS
OF CHART , THE SALES TAX IS
4.5%, SO TOTAL SALES TAX IS 4.5%
OF YOUR ANNUAL INCOME. WHEN YOU
ARE AT THE $878,000 AND ABOVE,
IT DECLINES TO LESS THAN HALF A
PERCENT. SO, THIS IS THE
EFFECTIVE TAX RATE IN TAX POLICY
TERMS, AND ALSO IT JEN REL
SHOWS, I AM SURE YOU HAVE HEARD
THE CONCEPT THAT SEATTLE HAS, OR
SALES TAX IS REGRESSIVE TAX. YOU
HAVE NOMINAL, TOTAL IS 10.5%
INCLUDING ALL JURISDICTIONS BUT
WHEN YOU BREAK THAT DOWN IN
TERMS OF WHAT PEOPLE BUY AND HOW
THAT IS IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE
INCOME, IT IS ESSENTIALLY A
HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF INCOME THE
LOWER YOU GET IN INCOME. IN THE
INCOME BRACKET. THE EFFECTIVE
TAX RATE ON A HOUSEHOLD INCOME
BELOW $33,000 IS NINE TIMES THAT
THE HOUSEHOLD AT $878,000 AND
ABOVE. SO I WANT TO WRAP UP WITH
SOME RELIEF PROGRAMS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, GIVEN THIS
INFORMATION I HAVE SHARED. ONE,
FOR PROPERTY TAXES THERE ARE
EXEMPTTIONS FOR SENIORS, PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES, THEY ALL HAVE
AN INCOME BASIS APPLIED AS WELL.
ASSISTANCE FOR WIDOWS, WIDOWERS,
WIDOWERS OF VETERANS AND
DEFERRALS BASED ON INCOME, AGE,
OR DISABLED STATUS. THE
DIFFERENCES, THE PROGRAMS ON THE
TOP ARE MORE KIND OF GRANTS,
DON'T NEED TO BE PAID BACK. THE
DEFERRAL PROGRAM, ON THE OTHER
HAND, IS SOMETHING WHERE IT IS
DEFERRED UNTIL THE PROPERTY IS
SOLD OR THE RESIDENT DIES. FOR
SALES TAXES THERE AREN'T
SPECIFIC RELIEF PROGRAMS,
HOWEVER, THE WAY THAT THE TAX IS
STRUCTURED PROVIDES SOME KIND OF
BUILT-IN RELIEF, THINGS LIKE
RENT, MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, FOOD
FOR AT-HOME CONSUMPTION, BOUGHT
AT THE GROCERY STORE,
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, UTILITIES,
NONE OF THESE ARE CONSIDERED.
FOR THE ESSENTIAL ITEMS
HOUSEHOLDS AREN'T PAYING SALES
TAX ON THOSE PURCHASES. AS
PROMISED, BRIEF PRESENTATION,
JUST COVERED SOME REAL HIGHLIFE
LEVEL PIECES OF DATA, AND HAPPY
TO HELPWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU, TOM. I
KNOW THAT I WILL-- I APOLOGIZE
TO COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS, I
DIDN'T TURN TO YOU FOR ANY
OPENING COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE,
SO I WILL GO TO YOU FIRST, IF
THAT IS-- I DON'T WANT TO PUT
YOU ON THE SPOT, THOUGH. I
APOLOGIZE. OKAY. NEVER MIND.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND, TOM, AND CALVIN,
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATION TODAY. IT EXPLAINS
WITH DATA THE EXPERIENCE THAT I
HAVE HAD HERE IN OUR CITY WITH
EVERYTHING IS GETTING MORE
EXPENSIVE, AND AND EVERYONE IS
MORE BURDENED BY COST. I WAS
WONDERING IF WE COULD TICK BACK
TO JUST SLIDE ONE, JUST IN A
CONVERSATION HERE, CPI IS
GENERALLY INFLATION, IS THERE A
BETTER WAY TO UNDERSTAND CPI?
>> DIDN'T HAVE MY SOUND ON. IT
IS ESSENTIALLY JUST INCREASES IN
PRICES, SO THIS IS KIND OF THE
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, SO THE
PRICES PAID BY YOU AND ME AS WE
GO TO REGIONAL STORES TO BUY
THINGS, SO IT IS JUST A MEASURE
OF YEAR OVER YEAR, MONTH OVER
MONTH, HOW THOSE PRICES HAVE
CHANGED.
>> IT IS THE PRICES, SO YOU CAN
CONSIDER IT THE COST OF
INFLATION, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT IS
HERE IS WHY THIS COSTS
DIFFERENTLY THAN IT DID IN THE
PAST. SO ALL OF THE INDEX TERMS,
THEY-- IT IS THE RATIO THAT
MATTERS, NOT THE NUMBER ITSELF.
>> YEP. THANK YOU. THAT IS VERY
HELPFUL. I WOULD ASSUME THAT
THESE ANNUAL AVERAGES ALSO APPLY
TO THE GOODS THAT GOVERNMENT IS
BUYING ON BEHALF OF OUR
RESIDENTS, IS THAT A FAIR-- I
KNOW THAT IS NOT THE SCOPE OF
YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT--
>> YEAH, THERE WOULD BE A
DIFFERENT NUMBER FOR DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES OF SPENDING, YOU
KNOW, BLENDED WITH ALL THE SAME
YIR, THEY DO THEM BY
METROPOLITAN AREAS, SO I BELIEVE
IT IS SEATTLE, TACOMA,
BREMERTON, SORT OF LARGER SMA,
BUT, YEAH.
>> I CAN'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SAY THAT WHEN WE ARE ONLY
ALLOWED TO INCREASE OUR PROPERTY
TAX INCOME BY 1% PLUS NEW
GROWTH, THIS PLUS NEW
CONSTRUCTION, THIS DEMONSTRATES
TO US WHY AND HOW EVERY ONE OF
OUR DOLLARS DOES NOT GO AS FAR
AS NEXT YEAR AS IT DID LAST
YEAR. THIS IS DEMONSTRATING HOW
MUCH COST OF LIVING HAS
INCREASED HERE IN OUR CITY. IF
YOU COULD MOVE TO SLIDE THREE,
AND I WILL KEEP IT BRIEF,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THIS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT DATA FOR US TO
RECKON WITH, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT
THE DATA OF THE CITY THAT I GREW
UP IN. IT IS OKAY FOR THINGS TO
NOT STAY THE SAME, CHANGE IS THE
ONLY CONSTANT THAT WE HAVE IN
THE WORLD, BUT WHEN THE CHANGE
IS WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE
MAKING SO MUCH MORE THAN
EVERYBODY ELSE, THAT IS WHERE WE
HAVE STRIFE AND STRIATION AND
PROBLEMS. DO YOU HAVE-- AND I
SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU THIS
BEFORE WE CAME TO COMMITTEE-- DO
YOU HAVE THE SAME DATA FOR, SAY,
2004? NOT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR
HEAD, NOT RIGHT HERE FOR
COMMITTEE.
>> I IMAGINE, YES, I WOULD FIND
THAT.
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING FOR US TO GO BACK
AND LOOK AT HOW THE LAST 20
YEARS HAS SHAPED OUR CITY, SORRY
I AM GOING TO KEEP BRINGING IT
BACK TO THE BUDGET CONVERSATION
BUT BETWEEN 2010 AND 2019
SEATTLE WAS THE FASTEST GROWING
CITY IN THE NATION, WHICH IS HOW
WE STARTED USING ONE-TIME FUNDS
TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING FOR
ONGOING PROGRAMS IN OUR CITY, WE
HAVE HAD A GROWING POPULATION,
WE HAD GROWING AND CHANGING
NEEDS. WE, AS YOU JUST HEARD,
ARE NOT ABLE TO USE EVERY DOLLAR
THIS YEAR AS FAR AS-- NEXT YEAR,
AS WE DID THIS YEAR. WE HAVE TO
BE ABLE TO ADDRESS OUR GROWING
POPULATION, OUR GROWING NEEDS,
AND THEN, ALSO, WE NEED TO
RECKON WITH THE FACT WE WERE
USING ONE-TIME FUNDS FOR ONGOING
PROGRAMS. BUT IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING FOR ME TO KNOW WHAT
THE CHANGE HAS BEEN FOR INCOME
LEVELS OVER 20 YEARS, BECAUSE I
THINK, COLLEAGUES, IT WILL PAINT
THE PICTURE A LITTLE BIT MORE
CLEARLY ON WHOM WE NEED TO SERVE
THE MOST IN OUR CITY BECAUSE
THIS WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE
CITY THAT I GREW UP IN. AND THAT
IS, AGAIN, IT IS OKAY, AND WE
HAVE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE NOT NECESSARILY CHANGED
WITH THE CHANGING CITY, BECAUSE
IT IS NOT OKAY FOR US JUST TO
PUSH THEM OUT. FOR SLIDE NUMBER
FOUR, I KNOW THIS IS-- CAN YOU
PROVIDE MORE CONTEXT, IS THIS
JUST MEDIAN INCOME AND THAT IS
IT? SO WHEN WE ARE TALKING 80%
MEDIAN INCOME, 70% MEDIAN
INCOME, THAT IS JUST DROPPING
DOWN FROM HERE, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YEAH, THAT IS CORRECT. THIS
IS JUST BASICALLY SHOWING HOW
THE MEDIAN INCOMES COMPARE THE
MEASURES FOR THE STATE VERSES
LOCAL AND THEN, AS YOU INCREASE
THE SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD, AND THEN
AS YOU INDICATED, THE
PERCENTAGES WOULD BE OF THESE
VALUES, LARGELY THAT IS USED FOR
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND THAT
TYPE OF THING. IT CAN DEPEND ON
YOUR HOUSEHOLD SIZE, OFTEN TIMES
THEY ARE PEGGED TO THE STATE AND
OUR RESIDENTS ARE MAYBE NOT ABLE
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM, IF WE
AREN'T ABLE TO USE AREA MEDIAN.
>> I WILL TAKE THIS MOMENT TO
HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING I HAVE
TALKED TO MANY OF YOU ABOUT,
WHICH IS THAT WHEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, USING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS, THAT
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO BE, I WILL
SAY IT IN ANOTHER WAY, WE HAVE
SPENT A LOT OF MONEY PROVIDING
ONE BEDROOM UNITS THAT WHEN WE
USE THESE MEDIAN INCOME METRICS,
THESE ONE BEDROOM UNITS ARE NOT
FAR ENOUGH DIFFERENT FROM MARKET
RATE COSTS OF APARTMENTS THAT, I
BELIEVE, IS MAKING A MEANINGFUL
ENOUGH DIFFERENCE IN OUR RENTAL
MARKET AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE
SPENT A DECADE CATCHING UP TO
WHERE WE WERE IN THAT
HIGH-GROWTH PERIOD THAT
DISPLACED A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND
WE HAVE DONE LOT OF REALLY GOOD
WORK, BUT AS I TALKED TO COUNCIL
MEMBER FOSTER AND OTHERS, THERE
IS-- I HAVE SEEN MANY DIFFERENT
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOUSING
DOLLARS ALL NIPPING AROUND THE
EDGES AND IT SEEMS WE JUST NEED
TO HAVE ONE LARGE CONVERSATION
BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH THINGS HAVE
CHANGED, RATHER THAN DOING
THINGS PEACE MEAL. BUT I USE THE
SLIDE TO DEMONSTRATION THAT EVEN
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 80%
AREA MEDIAN INCOME, IT IS NOT
ENOUGH FOR HOUSING, BUT I WILL
SWITCH IN THAT, USING THE SAME
NARRATIVE THERE ON SLIDE SIX,
WHICH IS WHEN WE PROVIDE RELIEF
PROGRAMS, SOMETIMES 80% MEDIAN
INCOME ISN'T ENOUGH. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND I HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON IMPORTANT FIXES TO
UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAM, WHERE
IN THE PAST AND UP UNTIL NOW THE
UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAM HAS
ONLY BEEN AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE ABOUT 52% AREA MEDIAN
INCOME. BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN
USING THE STATE MEDIAN INCOME TO
DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. LAST TIME
I CHECKED THE STATE HAD A VERY
DIFFERENT MEDIAN INCOME THAN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, RIGHT? THIS
PRESENTATION DEMONSTRATES THAT.
SO I WILL JUST END MY COMMENTS
HERE TO SAY THIS SLIDE RIGHT
NOW, RIGHT HERE, IS PRECISELY
WHY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND I HAVE
BEEN TAKING UP THIS IMPORTANT
WORK, AND WHY WE NEED TO DO MORE
TO HELP ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO
ARE SEVERELY COST BURDENED OR
EVEN JUST MINIMALLY COST
BURDENED, BECAUSE IN MY SHORT
LIFE, LIVING HERE IN THIS CITY,
I HAVE BEEN IN THIS POSITION AND
IF I HAVE BEEN THERE, THEN SO
MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
THERE, AND WE NEED TO DO AS MUCH
AS WE CAN DO SERVE THOSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE SEVERELY, OR JUST
BASELINE COST BURDENED. THANK
YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
STRAUSS, FOR WALKING US THROUGH
THAT. ARE THERE ANY-- I KNOW IT
IS A LOT TO DIGEST WHEN COUNCIL
STRAESZ AND I WERE WORKING ON
THIS PRESENTATION WITH CENTRAL
STAFF, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS
COULD BE BROKEN UP INTO FOUR
DIFFERENT COMMITTEE, AND DOING A
DEEPER DIVE INTO STUFF, BUT
WANTED TO GET EVERYBODY AN
OVERVIEW OF KIND OF SETTING THE
TABLE OF WHERE WE ARE AT. I WILL
PAUSE TO SEE IF THERE ARE MORE
QUESTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER
FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK I
HAVE MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A
QUESTION, FOLLOWING UP ON
COUNCIL STRAUSS'S LEAD IN
THERE, PARTICULARLY AROUND AMI.
I CAN'T BY-PASS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I
THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT,
HOW GOOD OF A JOB THESE MEASURES
DO THAT UNDERSTANDING WHETHER OR
NOT SOMEONE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE
IN THE CITY THAT THEY LIVE IN.
AMI, I KNOW WE ALL KNOW THIS BUT
I NEED OO SAY OUT LOUD, AMI IS
NOT A MEASURE OF WHETHER OR NOT
YOU CAN AFFORD THE COST OF
GOODS, IT IS SIMPLY WHERE YOU
SIT RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE
INCOME IN YOUR AREA, RIGHT? WHEN
WE THINK ABOUT AMI, JUST BECAUSE
SOMEBODY IS AT 50, 60, 100% AMI,
THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN
THEY ARE ABLE TO AFFORD THE COST
OF GOODS. I THINK SOMETIMES THEY
GET USED AS INTERCHANGEABLE,
BUT, COLLEAGUES, I WILL SAY A
RESOURCE I REALLY LIKE AND I
APPRECIATE AND USED IT WHEN I
WAS TEACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON, IS THE SELF
SUFFICIENCY STANDARD THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON HAS,
WHICH IS A MEASURE THAT IS
DESIGNED TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
HOW MUCH AN INDIVIDUAL WOULD
NEED TO MAKE, NOT JUST ON BASED
ON THEIR FAMILY SIZE, BUT
UNDERSTANDING THE COMPOSITION OF
THEIR FAMILY, BECAUSE THE COST
OF LIVING IS SIGNIFICANTLY
HIGHER IF YOU ARE A PARENT WITH
AN INFANT, AND YOU ARE PAYING
FOR CHILDCARE, THAT IS STILL
TWO-FAMILY, ONE PARENT, ONE
FAMILY HOUSEHOLD THAN A PARENT
AND 15-YEAR-OLD WHO HAS AGED OUT
OF CHILDCARE. THOSE COSTS REALLY
MATTER WHEN IT COMES INTO
UNDERSTANDING WHAT FAMILIES ARE
PAYING FOR. SO, I WANT TO TAKE
THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIFT
UP THAT RESOURCE, AND, ALSO, TO
HIGHLIGHT IN THIS AMI
CONVERSATION, IT IS WORTH WHILE
TO NOTE THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT
USE THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL OR
200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY
LEVEL, THAT IS OUT OF DATE. WHEN
WE TALK CPI, A PROGRAM BASED ON
THE PRICE, I GOT IT, PRICE OF
GROCERIES IN THE 1960s. AND HAS
NOT BEEN UPDATED AT ITS
FOUNDATIONAL LEVEL SINCE. IT HAS
BEEN ADJUSTED WITH INFLATION
OVER TIME T. IS REALLY
IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO TALK
ABOUT HOW GOOD OF A JOB THE
TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO EVEN
QUALIFY PEOPLE FOR PROGRAMS ARE
AT QUALIFYING FOLKS FOR
PROGRAMS. OKAY. THAT IS MY LEAD
IN. NOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THE FANTASTIC PREZEN THAGZ. I
REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND
APPRECIATE YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER
STRAUSS FOR DOING THE WORK TO
BRING US HERE. CAN I ASK YOU,
CENTRAL STAFF, ON FOLLOWING UP
ON THE OPENING REMARKS, TO TALK
ABOUT WHERE SOME OF THE CITY'S
CONSTRAINTS COME IN WHEN IT
COMES TO PROVIDING FOR
SUBSIDIZED PROGRAMS FOR FOLKS,
IN PARTICULAR, I WANT TO ASK IF
YOU CAN SORT OF MENTION OR SPEAK
BRIEFLY TO THE WERE LANGUAGE IN
THE STATE STATUTE AND HOW THAT,
WELL, NOW I AM ANSWERING MY
QUESTION, HOW IT CONSTRAINS OUR
ABILITY TO DELIVER PROGRAMS, IN
FORMS, EXCUSE ME, IN FORMS.
>> YEAH, SO, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY
WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO HEAR, I
MEAN, IN GENERAL THERE IS A
PROVISION IN THE STATE THAT
ALLOWS US TO SPEND PUBLIC
DOLLARS IN SUPPORT OF THE FIRM,
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT
TERMINOLOGY BUT ALONG THOSE
LINES, OTHERWISE OTHER SPENDING
WOULD BE CONSIDERED A GIFT OF
PUBLIC FUNDS IF THE PUBLIC
ENTITY DOES NOT GET A SERVICE
BACK OR A VALUE BACK. SO WE CAN
PROVIDE SUPPORT TO INCOME
QUALIFIED PEOPLE. YEAH.
>> THAT IS OKAY. I THINK IT IS
GOOD FOR FOLLOW UP AS WE HAVE
THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT
AFFORDABILITY, BECAUSE WHERE I
HAVE EXPERIENCED IT IN THE PAST,
ANONYMOUS RECENT RUN AS COUNCIL
MEMBER MEMBER IN THE PAST, IS
THAT LANGUAGE INTERPRETED TOO
NARROWLY TO ALLOW US TO PROVIDE
FOR PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE
SUBSIDY FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED
SUBSIDY, GIVEN THE HIGH COST OF
LIVING IN OUR AREA.
>> WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS THEY
ARE SUBJECT TO LEGAL
INTERPRETATION SO IT BECOMES A
BIT OF CASE LAW, BIT OF HOW MUCH
PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO TAKE RISK,
AND YOU KNOW, THAT IS-- THAT CAN
CHANGE OVER TIME AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU. AND THEN I WANT TO
TAKE US TO SLIDE EIGHT, PLEASE.
I THINK THIS IS WORTH LOOKING
AT, JUST A SECOND TIME, AND I
KNOW THAT OFTEN TIMES IN THE
PUBLIC THERE IS A PHRASE USED
AROUND OUR UPSIDE DOWN TAX CODE,
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS AN
EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THAT, WHEN
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
PERCENTAGE OF INCOME AND HOW
THIS HITS FROM SALES TAX AND ITS
REGRESSIVETY. I WANTED TO
REVISIT THAT FOR THE HIGHLIGHT.
THEN I DON'T HAVE THE SLIDE
NUMBER HERE BUT THERE WAS A
SLIDE, SLIDE FIVE. THANK YOU.
ONE THING I AM CURIOUS ABOUT IS
WHEN WE ARE OFTEN TALKING
POTENTIAL NEW TAXES THAT WE ARE
BRINGING FORWARD, THE TENDENCY
IS TO TALK ABOUT THEM, I NOTICED
THIS AT COUNCIL OR IN THE
PUBLIC, AND WE PROVIDE A
PRICETAG BASED ON THE AVERAGE
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD. WHAT WOULD IT
TAKE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND BETTER ANY OF THE
ACTIONS COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING
MIGHT IMPACT A LOWER THAN MEDIAN
AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD?
>> SO, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF TIME TRYING
TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, AS A
MATTER OF FACT, THE CHALLENGE IS
THIS DATA IS NOT, PARTICULARLY
FOR RENTERS, BUT EVEN FOR OWNED
HOUSES, IS NOT PROVIDED BY THE
COUNTY ASSESSOR IN THAT FORMAT.
THERE IS NOT LIKE THE QUINTILES
WE ARE USED TO WHERE IT BREAKS
DOWN THE VALUES BECAUSE IT
DOESN'T REALLY TRACK THAT WAY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE RENTAL VALUE
HERE IS SOMETHING THAT I
ESTIMATED USING RENT AND USING
CAPITALIZATION RATE INFORMATION,
AND SALES DATA FROM CO-STAR.
EVEN THAT IS SOMETHING I HAD TO
SYNTHESIZE MYSELF. SO, ALL THAT
TO SAY, A NUMBER COULD COME UP
WITH, BUT IT IS GOING TO BE A
HEAVILY SYNTHESIZED NUMBER THAT
STAFF GENERATES USING KIND OF A
SET OF ASSUMPTION AND NOT A REAL
PERFECT KIND OF CLEAN
ASSESSMENT, LIKE THE MEDIAN
VALUE IS THE MEDIAN VALUE, IS
THE MEDIAN VALUE, ALL DAY LONG.
BUT WHEN WE START CREATING A
REALTY ABOUT THAT PUTS THE
VALUES IN A CONTEXT OF
DISTRIBUTION, THERE IS LOT MORE
ART BEHIND IT. SO I GOT TO THE
POINT WHERE I WASN'T
COMFORTABLE DOING THAT.
>> I THINK ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING
THE SAME THING IS WE DON'T
HAVE-- WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT THIS
BILL IS FOR THE VALUE OF YOUR
HOUSE, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY
KNOW THE INCOME DISTRIBUTION OF
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THOSE. IT
IS A SHOT IN THE DARK, YOU KNOW,
HOW DO WE ARTICULATE THAT? IF
YOU ARE LIVING ON A FIXED INCOME
IN A WEALTHIER, HIGH-VALUED
HOUSE, YOU ARE GOING TO BE
AFFECTED MORE THAN THE REVERSE.
WE DON'T HAVE GREAT DATA ON IT,
WE CAN PROBABLY COME UP WITH
SOME ASSUMPTIONS TO FIGURE OUT
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES AND THAT
COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE
DONE FOR PROPOSALS THAT COME
FORWARD BUT NOT BASED ON DATA
COLLECTED, IT WILL BE BASED ON
INFERENCE AND SOME STAFF
JUDGMENT.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
BOTH. REALLY HELPFUL. THIS IS MY
LAST QUESTION, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. ACTUALLY, YOU DON'T
NEED TO RESPOND, IT IS A
STATEMENT AND THEN WE WILL
FOLLOW UP, WHICH IS TO SAY I
BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO ISSUES
HERE. ONE THAT EACH OF YOU
RAISED. THE LATTER ISSUE BEING
YOUR HOUSEHOLD VALUE IS NOT
ALWAYS THE SAME AS YOUR INCOME,
I SHOULDN'T SAY IS ALWAYS, IT
IS NOT THE GREATEST PREDICTOR OF
THAT. RIGHT? YOU COULD HAVE
BOUGHT YOUR HOUSE 35 YEARS AGO,
YOU CAN BE LIVING IN A HOME WITH
FIXED INCOME AND HAVE A HIGHER
THAN MEDIAN VALUE ASSESSED HOME.
SO THAT IS, I THINK, THE SECOND
ISSUE. THE FIRST ONE THAT I WAS
INTENDING TO RAISE WAS MORE A
QUESTION OF, IN THE SAME WAY WE
PRODUCED NUMBER WHERES WE SAY
THIS LEVY WILL HAVE X DOLLAR
IMPACT ON A MEDIAN ASSESSED
VALUE HOME, I WOULD LOVE TO BE
ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF
THOSE LEVYS ON HOMES WITH A
LOWER ASSESSED VALUE. I THINK AS
WE ARE SEEKING TO DO A BETTER
JOB TALKING AFFORDABILITY AND
TAX IMPACT IT WOULD BE WORTH
WHILE TO CONTINUE THAT
CONVERSATION.
>> GREAT QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
THANK YOU, MR. CHOW FOR BEING
HERE AND YOUR PRESENTATION. IT
IS INTERESTING TO GO THROUGH
WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTEXT.
I NOTE, IN TERMS OF
AFFORDABILITY, YOU MENTIONED
INFLATION, I REMEMBER BEING A
BOY IN THE DAYS OF THE 1970s
WITH HIGH INFLATION, STACKED
INFLATION, PAUL VULKER COMING
IN, THESE ARE ISSUES WE HAVE
DEALT WITH BEFORE. SO WE DO HAVE
SOMETHING TO LEAN ON THERE.
TARIFFS, QUITE CLEAR ON THAT,
AND EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING,
ALTHOUGH THE SUPREME COURT
DECISION, HOPEFULLY THINGS WILL
SETTLE OUT BUT THE COST OF THAT
IS HUGE, ESPECIALLY FOR A
MARITIME CITY THAT WE ARE, AND
MARITIME REGION. IT IS EXTREMELY
UNFORTUNATE AND BAD POLICY. YOU
MENTIONED THE BASIC ECONOMICS,
THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND PIECES, I
THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND, AS YOU MENTIONED,
OPERATION EPIC FURY, THE WAR IN
IRAN AND ITS IMPACT, AND THAT IS
HUGE GOING, SLIDING BACK TO,
CIRCLING BACK TO INFLATION
ITSELF. I WOULD ADD, YOU DON'T
REALLY HAVE IT IN HERE, BUT I
WOULD ADD ANOTHER IMPACT ON
AFFORDABILITY IS THE COMBINATION
OF PROPERTY TAXES, SALES TAXES,
THE LEVYS, THE BONDS, AND ALL OF
THE ABOVE, AND INCREASES WE HAVE
BEEN DOING, PARTICULARLY SINCE
SOME HAVE BEEN MAJOR INCREASES
THAT THEY, THEMSELVES, HAVE AN
IMPACT ON AFFORDABILITY. WOULD
YOU CHARACTERIZE IT THAT WAY? IS
THAT SOMETHING, PARTICULARLY
WHEN YOU LOOK FROM COLLECTIVE.
EACH INDIVIDUALLY COULD SAY YES,
BUT HOW OFTEN DO WE SIT BACK AND
TAKE COLLECTIVE AND ASSESS FROM
THAT PERSPECTIVE?
>> THE LIBRARY LEVY IS OUR LAST
OF THIS RENEWALS GOING TO VOTERS
FOR THIS CYCLE, AND AS PART OF
THE RENEWALS, THERE HAS BEEN
INTEREST IN EXPANDING THE
SERVICES PROVIDED FROM THEM.
SOME OF THE LEVYS HAVE GROWN
MORE THAN A PURE RENEWAL AND
THAT IS PART OF, OR, EITHER IN
LINE WITH OR PART OF THE COST
CHANGES THAT WE SEE.
>> BY THE WAY, THAT GOES TO, AND
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
FOSTER, FOR YOUR POINTS, I
ALWAYS SAY CONSTRAINTS AND
RESTRAINTS, IT IS EITHER
EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL. AND THEN
HOUSE POOR. THAT GOES TO THIS
POINT. I KNOW SO MEN PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW, THEY MAY LIVE IN AN
AFFLUENT-ISH AREA AND THEY MAY
HAVE A HOME, BUT GOD KNOWS WHEN
THEY ACQUIRED IT AND THE
CIRCUMSTANCES HAD. BUT IF YOU
TRY TO GET YOUR HOUSE PAYMENT,
OR TRY TO CHANGE THAT ROOF, FIX
THAT ROOF, GET A NEW ROOF, IT IS
PROHIBITATIVE, AND THAT JUST
CASCADES. SO THOSE ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT PIECES. I SHOULD SAY,
IN ADDITION TO BEING A CHILD OF
THE 1970s, I ALSO CAME INTO THE
JOB BEING A STAY-AT-HOME DAD,
WHICH GIVES ME GREAT INSIGHT,
PREPANDEMIC HALF GALLON OF MILK
$2.69, NOW $4.49, IT VARIES, BUT
YOU ARE IN THAT, ALL THOSE
LITTLE PIECES REALLY HURT, YOU
KNOW, THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
MORE BROADLY, THOUGH, I THINK OF
AFFORDABILITY IN THREE POCKETS,
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MAKES
SENSE, AFFORDABILITY FOR
RESIDENTS, AFFORDABILITY FOR
BUSINESSES, AND AFFORDABILITY
FOR CITY GOVERNMENT. I AM NOT
SURE IF THAT MAKES SENSE, LOT OF
THIS IS SPOKEN TO THE RESIDENTS,
CAN YOU SPEAK A BIT TO THE
BUSINESS SIDE OF THIS, AND MAYBE
CITY GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF
REVENUE AND SPENDING, DEFICITS,
YOU KNOW, OUR FISCAL SITUATION.
>> THERE IS A LOT THERE. I THINK
WE, KNOWING YOUR INTEREST IN THE
BUSINESS ECONOMY SIDE OF THINGS
AS WELL, I MEAN, IN LARGE PART
THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COVER
THOSE COSTS ONE WAY OR THE
OTHER, AND LARGELY THAT IS
EXPECTED TO BE THROUGH PASS
THROUGH TO THE PRICES THAT OTHER
PEOPLE DO TO PURCHASE THOSE
THINGS. IT CAN BE A LITTLE HARD
TO DESCRIBE THAT IN A VERY
ILLUSTRATIVE WAY, BECAUSE AN
AVERAGE BUSINESS IS A LOT HARDER
TO EXPLAIN. I THINK THAT MAY BE
ONE WHERE IF THERE ARE SOME
SPECIFIC, EITHER INDUSTRIES OR
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BUSINESS
THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WANT TO--
THAT RESONATE WITH PEOPLE, THAT
IS SOMETHING WE COULD
POTENTIALLY FIND SOME, YOU KNOW,
IDENTIFY WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD
BE AN ILLUSTRATIVE BUSINESS. IT
IS HARD TO DO THE SORT OF, WHAT
IS A MEDIAN BUSINESS IS NOT, IN
MY MIND, A PARTICULARLY
MEANINGFUL CONSTRUCT, BUT I
THINK WE DO-- IF YOU CAN GO BACK
TO THE RENTAL PIECE, FOR
INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, NO, THE
PROPERTY TAX BILL. YEAH. SO, I
MEAN, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THE
RENTERS DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAX
DIRECTLY. THAT IS GOING TO
FIGURE INTO THEIR BILLS, THAT IS
GOING TO BE ON THE LAND OWNER TO
PAY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO EITHER
RECOOP THE COSTS OR ABSORB THE
COSTS, AS PART OF THEIR
BUSINESS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN
SOME WAYS DIFFERENT PEOPLE WILL
EXPERIENCE IT DIFFERENTLY. YOU
HAVE CORPORATIONS AND BUSINESSES
THAT DO HAVE TO PAY TAXES AND DO
HAVE TO FIGURE HOW THEY WILL
FIGURE THAT LINE ON THEIR BILL
AND OFTEN TIMES WE CAN SEE THAT
IMPACT ON THE PRICES THAT THEY
CHARGE PEOPLE FOR THEIR
SERVICES.
>> THANK YOU. I DO THINK WE
SHOULD HAVE THIS FOCUS. I LOOK
AT THREE BUCKETS, RESIDENTS AND
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT I
THINK WE CANNOT FORGET THE
BUSINESS SIDE AND CITY
GOVERNMENT PIECE. FOR
BUSINESSES, FOR EXAMPLE, I SWEAR
TO GOD, I BELIEVE I AM TALKING
TO ALL OF THE SAME PEOPLE,
DEPUTY MAYOR IS TALKING TO, I AM
SURE THE DEPUTY MAYOR IS HEARING
FROM PEOPLE I SPOKE TO COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE. I REPRESENT
DISTRICT 7. IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS I HAVE, FOR
EXAMPLE, THERE IS A BUSINESSMAN
IN A FINANCIAL SERVICES WORLD,
LETS SAY GENERALLY, AND HE IS
LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
HARD, YOU KNOW WHAT I DID, BOB?
I MOVED MY BUSINESS ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF 520. GUESS WHAT? I SAVED
$26,000 BETWEEN PAYING BELLEVUE
TAXES AND SEATTLE TAXES. NOW HE
HE IS IN BELLEVUE . PRETTY
STARK. I KNOW SOMEBODY IN THE
LEGAL FEALT LIKE I WANT TO COME
INTO SEATTLE, BRING THE BUSINESS
INTO SEATTLE, BUT HE CAN'T
BECAUSE THE INSTABILITY AND THE
UNCERTAINTY. AS ANYBODY KNOWS IN
THE BUSINESS WORLD, THAT IS A
NOT A GOOD COMBINATION. HE IS
HOLDING BACK. I WORRY ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, THE VARYING TYPES OF QUIET
QUITTING OR OPPORTUNITY LOSS,
OPPORTUNITY COSTS, AND THOSE
FACTORS WITH BUSINESS, AND, YOU
KNOW, I REPRESENT DOWNTOWN. THE
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE WORLD,
MASSIVE DOWN HERE. YOU KNOW,
TRUST ME, I HAVE HAD A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS IN THAT AREA TOO.
YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THERE HAS BEEN A $15 BILLION
DECLINE IN THE COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS
HELPING IN-- THAT IS WHY THAT
ONE PERSON ON THE LEGAL SIDE IS
INTERESTED BECAUSE OF THE
PRESSED COMMERCIAL, BUT WHAT IS
THE MORE MACRO IMPACT OF HAVING
$15 BILLION DECLINE AND
EVALUATION? HOW DOES THAT IMPACT
THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN? BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY SHIFTING TO AREA
NUMBER THREE, AFFORDABILITY WITH
CITY GOVERNMENT, YOU HAVE TO
MAKE IT UP SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?
>> CAN YOU GO TO FIRST SLIDE FOR
A MOMENT? MAYBE-- WELL, THE
FIRST WILL WORK. I THING ONE
CONCEPT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS
WE ARE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE
HAVE CONTROL OVER VERY SPECIFIC
REVENUE TASKS, BUT A LOT OF
THINGS DRIVING THESE COSTS ARE
NOT UNDER OUR CONTROL, AND THAT
IS AFFECTING EVERYBODY, THAT IS
PART OF THE FABRIC OF WHAT WE
ARE ALL DEALING WITH, I, LIKE
YOU, REMEMBER A TIME WHEN
FEDERAL POLICY CHANGED TO
ADDRESS THINGS AND THE ISSUE IS
WE DON'T CONTROL MONETARY
POLICY OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
WE DON'T HAVE THESE TOOLS
AVAILABLE TO US. THERE IS
LIMITATION TO WHAT WE CAN
RESPOND TO. IN MY EXPERIENCE,
WHEN I HAVE SEEN SORT OF HIGH
INFLATION, IT IS TYPICALLY
SPIKED, I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN A
SIX-YEAR PERIOD OF CONTINUED
COMPOUNDED INFLATION IS NOT
SOMETHING I AM USED TO, AND I
THINK THAT IS PUTTING A
PARTICULAR PRESSURE ON ALL OF
US, ON GOVERNMENT SERVICES,
PARTICULARLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO
PAY IN THAT SAME MARKET AS
EVERYBODY ELSE, AND AS COUNCIL
STRAUSS SAID, LOT OF OUR
REVENUES ARE CAPPED, PROPERTY
TAX IS CAPPED AT 1% GROWTH, NOT
ON-- JUST BECAUSE THE EVALUATION
OF THE PROPERTY GOES UP OR DOWN,
DOES NOT AFFECT US IN WASHINGTON
STATE, IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF
REVENUE WE COLLECT, CAN ONLY
COLLECT 1% PLUS THE VALUE OF NEW
PROPERTY. THAT IS BEHIND
INFLATION, AT THESE RATES FOR
SIX YEARS, THAT IS MUCH
DIFFERENT PROPOSAL THAN IF IT
WAS EVEN ONE HIGH NUMBER AND
THEN A MORE REASONABLE INFLATION
OVER TIME. ALL OF WHICH, I
THINK, IS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOUR
POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN, I THINK
THE ISSUE IS HOW MUCH OF THIS IS
A LEVER THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN
CONTROL, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY
COMES DOWN TO THE REVENUE FORCES
WE PUT IN FRONT, IT COMES DOWN
TO, ON OUR CASE, SOME SPENDING
OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE, AND SORT
OF THE EFFECT OF HOW DOES THAT
AFFECT PRIVATE DECISIONS ABOUT
WHERE PEOPLE DECIDE TO LOCATE,
HOW THAT DRIVES THE BROADER
ECONOMY, BUT WE DON'T DIRECTLY
DETERMINE THOSE THINGS, WE JUST
MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, WE SET THE
TABLE FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO MAKE
THEIR OWN DECISIONSISM .
>> I UNDERSTAND, IT HIGHLIGHTS
OLYMPIA IS NOT GETTING THE JOB
DONE. WE ARE LIVING WITH THE
LEGACY OF TIM, ARE WE MAKING
THOSE HARD STEPS TO FIX OUR
CONSTITUTION, OR FIX OUR LAWS TO
ADDRESS THAT? YOU ARE RIGHT.
BECAUSE OF THAT, FOR EVERY
ACTION THERE IS A REACTION, THAT
IS WHY WE HAVE GONE HEAVY ON
LEVYS, WHICH NOW WE ARE ABOUT TO
BASICALLY HIT THE CEILING ON
THAT. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
WE CAN CONTROL IN TERMS OF THE
VARIOUS LEVYS WE HAVE HAD, ALONG
WITH SALES TAX, WE DID PUBLIC
SAFETY SALES TAX, I WOULD LIKE
TO LOOK INTO THAT, IN TERMS OF
HOW WE ARE SPENDING THAT. WE
HAVE THE TRANSIT PIECE COMING UP
SOON, AND BONDS AS WELL. SO
THOSE ARE WITHIN OUR, YOU KNOW,
BAILEY WICK AS THE SAYING GOES.
I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO LOOK AT THIS IN TERMS
OF OUR BUDGET REVENUE SPENDING,
AND HOW WE ARE IMPACTING IT AS
WELL. COLLEAGUES, I WOULD CLOSE
BY SAYING, THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, IS THAT WE REALLY
SHOULD BE LOOKING AT
AFFORDABILITY FIRST FOR THE
RESIDENTS, THAT IS UNDERSTOOD.
BUT WE SHOULD ALSO BE MINDFUL
AND SAY IT OUT LOUD IN TERMS OF
AFFORDABILITY FOR BUSINESSES,
AND LASTLY, WHAT IS THE TRUE
AFFORDABILITY OF OUR CITY
GOVERNMENT? CAN WE-- WE CANNOT
BE, BY LAW, WE CAN'T, BUT THIS
GOES TO THE SPENDING VERSES
REVENUE, THERE IS LOT OF FOCUS
ON REVENUE BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO
LOOK AT THE SPENDING PIECE
BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THAT FIRST
ONE, RESIDENTS, ALL THESE
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE TO DO THEIR
BUDGET AND WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD
CHOICES OURSELVES AND I THINK,
YOU KNOW, FRAMING THAT WAY,
AFFORDABILITY FOR RESIDENTS AND
CITY GOVERNMENT AND THE IMPACTS
IS IMPORTANT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCIL MEMBER LIN
FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
JUAREZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU. JUST LOOKING AT
SLIDE THREE, AND KIND OF GOING
BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER
STRAUSS'S POINT, YOU KNOW, HOW
MUCH THIS HAS CHANGED PROBABLY
IN THE PAST 10, 20, 30 YEARS,
BUT ALSO I WOULD BE VERY CURIOUS
TO SEE HOW THIS COMPARES TO
OTHER CITIES, MAYBE OF SIMILAR
SIZE, I SUSPECT WE ARE A BIT OF
AN OUTLIER HERE, CERTAINLY THINK
IN TERMS OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
INFLATION AND HIGH DEMAND, I
THINK THAT GROWING HIGH INCOME
NUMBER THERE, DRIVING UP THE
DEMAND FOR HOUSING AND OTHER
COSTS IS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION
OF THAT INFLATIONARY PRESSURE,
WHICH IS NOT ONLY IMPACTING
OTHER RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO, YOU
KNOW, WE SEE THIS INFLATIONARY
PRESSURE FROM BIG BUSINESS THAT
IS MAYBE IMPACTING SOME OF OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HAVING
STRUGGLING TO COMPETE, TO OFFER
THE SAME WAGES OR THE HIGH COST
OF HOUSING IMPACTING OUR SMALLER
BUSINESSES. AND GOING TO,
STAYING ON THIS SLIDE FOR A
MOMENT, I WANTED TO DISTINGUISH
THERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT INCOME
CHARTS FOR HOME OWNERS VERSES
RENTERS, OFFICE OF HOUSING HAS
HIGHLIGHTED THAT AND HOW THAT
THIS HIGH END IS REALLY SKEWING
OUR AREA MEDIAN INCOME IN A WAY
THAT IS LEADING TO WEIRD RESULTS
IN SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS IN TERMS
OF HOW WE ARE DETERMINING RENTS
AND SO ON FOR OUR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. SO KIND OF SAID IN THE
DISCUSSION EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE A STATE DEFINITION, BUT ARE
THERE WAYS WE COULD DISTINGUISH
BETWEEN HOME OWNERS AND RENTERS,
OR WHAT WOULD IT DO IF WE TOOK
OUT SOME OF THE HIGH-END EARNERS
FROM OUR INCOME CHART? AND THEN
JUST GOING BACK TO SLIDE FIVE,
AS YOU POINTED OUT, IT IS NOT
EASY TO TALK ABOUT THE TAX
IMPACT, PROPERTY TAX IMPACT ON
RENTERS, THAT IS REALLY A
DIFFICULT EXERCISE TO DO BUT I
WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF
THINGS, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF
APARTMENTS, RENTAL PROPERTIES
THAT DON'T PAY PROPERTY TAXES
EITHER, BECAUSE THEY ARE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR SOME OF
OUR MULTIFAMILY TAX EXEMPTION
PROGRAMS, FTE ARE EXEMPT FROM
PROPERTY TAXES, AND ALSO
RECOGNIZING THAT HOME OWNERS,
LOW INCOME HOME OWNERS, SENIORS,
CAN GET A TAX DEDUCTION, BUT OUR
LOW INCOME SENIOR RENTERS CANNOT
GET THAT SIMILAR TAX RELIEF, AND
NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO ADDRESS
THAT, BECAUSE THEY AREN'T
DIRECTLY TAXED, BUT IF THERE IS
ANY CREATIVE WAYS TO PROVIDE OUR
LOW INCOME SENIOR RENTERS
SIMILAR RELIEF, I DON'T KNOW.
>> JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS, A
LOT OF THE PROPERTY TAX DEFERRAL
PROGRAMS ARE, YOU KNOW, THE TAX
IS DEFERRED. IT WILL STILL BE ON
THE BILL AT SOME POINT WHEN THE
PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS IN THE
FUTURE, SO IT ISN'T
NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW,
FORGIVENESS OR ASSISTANCE IN A
TRADITIONAL WAY WE HAVE WITH,
SAY, THE UTILITY PROGRAM. I DID
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING I
THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, BUT IT
IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT A
MEDIAN RENTAL IS, BUT IN THIS
CONTEXT, THIS PROPERTY, IF IT
WAS RENTED TO AN AVERAGE PERSON,
$3, 101 BILL IS SIX WEEKS OF
RENT COMING INTO THAT PROPERTY.
I KNOW THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY
ANY ONE SPEERNED IT BUT IN TERMS
OF CONTEXT, THAT IS WHAT THAT
TABLE IS SAYING.
>> UM, THANK YOU. I GUESS-MOVING
ON TO SLIDE SIX, AS WE ALL KNOW,
THAT COST BURDEN, YOU KNOW, JUST
AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR TAX
STRUCTURE AND WHO CAN BARE THE
BURDEN OF ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS,
IT IS, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY OUR
HIGHEST INCOME HOUSEHOLD WHOSE
ARE MOST EQUIPPED TO HANDLE ANY
ADDITIONAL COST BURDEN, WHATEVER
THAT IS, TAXES, OTHER COSTS.
GIVEN OUR UPSIDE DOWN TAX CODE,
ANY CREATIVE WAYS WE CAN SHIFT
IT TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE ABILITY
WHO REALLY ARE NOT STRUGGLING
WITH HIGH TAXES, OR COSTS, THAT
IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE REST OF
OUR RESIDENTS ARE.
>> THANK YOU. MORE OF A COMMENT
THAN A QUESTION THERE.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
MEMBER LIN. WE HAVE COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ FOLLOWED BY
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
CALVIN, THANK YOU FOR PULLING
THIS ALL TOGETHER FOR US. I WANT
TO FOCUS ON THE ELEPHANT IN THE
ROOM, I KNOW THAT WE, I WILL USE
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE, I AM
LAUGHING WE ARE BACK TO OLD
ENGLISH WITH BALLY WICK, BUT,
CALVIN, YOU SAID SOMETHING I
HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO
KNOW WHAT I AM HEARING, WHAT IS
IN OUR CONTROL, AND WHAT IS NOT
IN OUR CONTROL. AND WE PUT
TOGETHER-- MY UNDERSTANDING OF
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY, TO GO OVER
AFFORDABILITY, WHICH IS
IMPORTANT, OBVIOUSLY IN THESE
FOUR AREAS OF FOOD, HOUSING,
TRANSPORTATION, AND CHILDCARE.
AGAIN, NO OFFENSE TO YOU,
COUNCIL MEMBER LIN, BUT WHEN I
HEAR CREATIVE WAYS, I HEAR
PROGRESSIVE THANKS, AND NOT A
BAD WORD, BUT I WANT TO BE UP
FRONT AS IF I AM HEARING THAT
WRONG, THEN, PLEASE CORRECT ME.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS WHAT WE
CALL LEGACY LEVYS, WE HAVE FOUR,
PROBABLY MORE, RECENT LIBRARY
LEVY, TRANSPORTATION LEVY COMING
UP WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA, THE
HOUSING LEVY, WE JUST HAD THE
THE LEVY THE VOTERS AGREED UPON,
AND THEN OTHER ONES COMING UP,
THE DEMOCRACY VOUCHERS, BUT THAT
IS NOT UP UNTIL 2035. THERE ARE
FOUR TAXES RIGHT THERE, OR LEVYS
PUT ON OUR HOME OWNERS AND
RENTERS. THEN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE ITSELF, COUNCIL MEMBER
MADIC, THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE
CONTROL OVER, THAT WHEN WE
DECIDE THE NINE MEMBERS MAKE A
DECISION ABOUT A TAX, YOU HAVE
BEEN AROUND, SO HAVE I, WHEN WE
DID THE SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX
IN 2017, WHEN WE DID THE JUMP
START TAX IN 2020, SOCIAL
HOUSING, AS YOU KNOW, WENT TO
THE VOTERS, B&O TAX, WENT TO THE
VOTERS. THEN WE PASSED VIA THE
BUDGET THE PUBLIC SAFETY TAX.
SO, RIGHT THERE WE HAVE COUNTED
UP SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN, 11,
AND THEN WE HAVE THE COUNTY
TAXES, WHICH IS FINE. WE ARE
LOOKING AT BEST STARTS FOR KIDS,
WE HAVE VETERAN'S SERVICE IN
HUMAN SERVICES LEVY THAT COMES
UP. WE HAVE THE CRISIS CARE ONE
THAT COMES UP. SAFE AND STABLE
COMMUNITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND
THEN, OF COR, THE PENDING
MILLIONAIRE TAX NOW BEING
CHALLENGED. SO, I AM NOT DOING
THIS TO HUMILIATE OR ACT LIKE I
AM THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE
ROOM, BUT I THINK WHAT PEOPLE
WANT TO HEAR IS HOW MANY CITY
TAXES THAT WE ARE IN CONTROL OF,
WE HAVE OUR LEGACY LEVYS THAT
COME UP AND GET PASSED AND WE
GET IT, I THINK ADDRESS THE
STANDARD FOOD, HOUSING,
TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE, AND
THEN WE HAVE THE OTHER TAXES WE
HAVE BEEN CREATIVE, IF YOU WILL,
YOU KNOW, BEVERAGE, JUMP START,
SOCIAL, OTHER TACKS, SO I GUESS
MY POINT IS I APPRECIATE THE PIE
CHART, BUT I THINK WHAT WE ARE
FEELING AND WHAT I AM HEARING
AND WE ARE ALL ADULTS AND CAN
AGREE TO DISAGREE IS TAX
EXHAUSTION. AT LEAST FOR 2026. I
AM NOT SURE WHERE THIS LANDS US,
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE FAIR
AND SPEAK IN PLAIN TERMS FOR THE
PUBLIC WATCHING AND CERTAINLY I
WANT TO BE STRAIGHT FORWARD THAT
I AM MINDFUL OF THE TAXES THAT
COME FROM THIS NINE MEMBER WHEN
WE DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING WHEN
THAT AFFECTS PEOPLES' LIVES. I
AM ALSO MINDFUL OF WHEN WE VOTE
TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT,
IF IT PASSES OR NOT. AND IT
ISN'T JUST PASSED TO HOME
OWNERS, AND I DON'T THINK IT IS
FAIR TO SAY THAT SOME OF US,
BECAUSE WE ARE HOME OWNERS, AND
I AM A HOME OWNER, AND I WAS A
RENTER, THAT WE CAN KEEP
AFFORDABLE ALL OF THESE TAXES,
ESPECIALLY FOR ELDERS THAT WANT
TO AGE IN PLACE, IN HOME, EVEN
THOUGH THERE ARE SOME STATE
BREAKS FOR LOW INCOME ELDERS AND
GETS PASSED ON TO RENTERS. I
THINK WE SHOULD BE HONEST THAT
WE HAVE TO HAVE, AS COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE WAS SAYING, I
MEAN, WE CAN HAVE POLITICAL
IDEOLOGY BUT AT THE END OF THE
DAY PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE JOBS SO
THEY CAN PAY THEIR RENT AND
MORTGAGE, THEY WANT TO BE SAFE,
WANT KIDS TO GO TO SCHOOL
WITHOUT FENTANYL AND GUNSHOT,
CHILDCARE SO THEY CAN WORK,
TRANSPORTATION AND RICH
TRANSPORTATION SPINE, THAT IS
AFFORDABLE THAT THEY CAN GET
THERE, AND SO MY CONCERN, I WILL
BE GONE IN NOVEMBER, AND YOU
WON'T HAVE TO HEAR FROM ME,
WELL, I WON'T LEAVE SEATTLE, I
AM NOT DEAD BUT I WON'T BE UP
HERE, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE
MINDFUL OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY
AND SOME BIGGEST CIVIC PARTNERS,
WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYBODY BE-- I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER Y AM
SURE MR. KETTLE DOES, LAST ONE
OUT OF SEATTLE, TURN THE LIGHTS
OFF. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
REMEMBER THAT SAYING. I THINK WE
HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT
LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE FOR THE
CITY OF SEATTLE BEFORE WE TALK
PROGRESSIVE OR CREATIVE TAXES
MORE THAN COME FROM THIS BODY
ELECT Y. AM A PROPONENT FOR,
OKAY, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND
LET THE VOTERS DECIDE IF,
INDEED, THEY WANT TO BE TAXED
FOR X. I AM NOT SO BIG ON THE
IVORY TOWER NINE MEMBERS SAYING
I THINK THIS IS WHAT IS BEST FOR
YOU. THEN HAVING THE MONEY THAT
IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO NOT GO
THERE. WE HAVE SEEN THAT. WE ARE
PASSING THIS AS NINE-MEMBER
COUNCIL AND WANT TO GO TO X AND
SLOWLY IT STARTS PEALING AWAY,
WELL MAYBE WE CAN PUT, YOU KNOW,
10% OVER HERE AND 20% OVER HERE,
AND ANOTHER 30 OVER HERE AND THE
ORIGINAL REASON WE PASSED THE
TAX AS NINE-MEMBER ELECTED
BOARD, DOESN'T GO TO THE
INTENDED PURPOSE. SO I DO
APPRECIATE, AS YOU KNOW, I AM
NOT QUITE A BIG AS A WONK AS YOU
BUT I APPRECIATE THE PIE CHART
AND LINING UP THE BASICS
INCREASES IN THE FOOD, HOUSING,
TRANSPORTATION, TUITION, AND WE
ARE MINDFUL OF THE GLOBAL AND
NATIONAL THINGS HAPPENING TO OUR
ECONOMY. WE KNOW THE STOCK
MARKET IS NOT THE ONLY INDICATOR
OF OUR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, AND
I DON'T SEE IT GETTING ANY
BETTER IN THE NEXT 18 MONTHS. I
COULD BE WRONG. BUT I DON'T SEE
THAT HAPPENING. WITH THAT,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THE
AFFORDABILITY PIECE IN
CONVERSATION TO BE CANDID FRONT
AND CENTER, SO WE COULD TALK
ABOUT THOSE THINGS. AND, AGAIN,
I DON'T MEAN TO BE THE, YOU
KNOW, THE, RUIN THE PARTY HERE,
BUT I WANTED TO JUST LET PEOPLE
KNOW WE HAVE LOT OF CITY OF
SEATTLE LEVYS AND TAXES THE
VOTER PASSED AND LOT OF CITY OF
SEATTLE TAXES THIS NINE-MEMBER
ELECTED BOARD PASSED.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU, I
THINK THE ONE THING THAT YOU
REALLY DID HIGHLIGHT IS WE ARE
ONLY TALKING ABOUT ABOUT
PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX AND
THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF OTHER
CITY TAXES, GOVERNMENT TAXES,
THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY. THAT
SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR
CONSIDERATION HAS THE YOU THINK
ABOUT THESE THINGS GOING
FORWARD. YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY
PROPERTY TAX HAS BEEN LARGELY
STABLE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DO
HAVE PEOPLE MOVING IN AND OUT,
THE PROPERTY ITSELF IS LARGELY--
WE HAVE BEEN ATTRACTIVE ENOUGH
AREA SO FAR THAT THAT SORT OF
PROPERTY TAX BASE HAS CONTINUED
TO BE THERE. SOME OF OUR OTHER
TAXES HAD DIFFERENT B&O TAX OR
OTHER TAXES AND GOVERNMENTS OR
OTHER ENTITIES MIGHT HAVE
DIFFERENT OPTIONS WITHIN THE
REGION TO RELOCATE AND NOT PAY
THOSE TAXES SO THERE ARE
DEFINITELY THE POTENTIAL TO
CHANGE WHAT DECISIONS ARE IN
FRONT OF PEOPLE BASED ON WHAT
OUR TAX STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE. IT
IS HARD TO KIND OF DO A GLOBAL
SORT OF TAX ASSESSMENT, OFTEN
TIMES WHAT HAPPENS, I THINK, IS
THE PROPOSAL COMES FORWARD AND
WE, FOR INSTANCE, THE SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE, WHICH IS THE
SALES TAX PROPOSAL, WILL BE
DISCUSSED THIS WEEK AND YOU WILL
GET THE MAYOR'S PRESENTATION ON
IT, OFTEN TIMES WE WILL LOOK AT
THE INCREMENT, WHAT CHANGED IN
THE PROPOSAL. OUR INTENT WAS
GLOBAL CONTEXT BACKGROUND TO PUT
IN A BROADER PERSPECTIVE. NOT
SAYING IT NECESSARILY DOES THAT
THE BEST WAY, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT
IS INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN USE
AS YOU LOOK AT THESE OTHER
PROPOSALS THAT COME FORTH.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU, THEY PUT
TOGETHER MY CHEAT SHEET AND
ADDING TO ALL THE TAXES, I
DON'T SAY THAT TO, LIKE I AM
AGAINST A PROGRESSIVE TAX, I AM
JUST SAYING, THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE
NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT IN THE
BURDEN, OTHER SIDE WHICH WE
HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON, YOU KNOW,
WE ARE-- I THINK THE WORST WAY
TO FIND OUT WHEN YOU TAX AND WE
SEE WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING IS
TO FIND OUT IT IS NOT GO TLG AND
READ ABOUT IT THAT THERE IS AN
AUDIT AND FRAUD AND, YOU KNOW,
MISMANAGEMENT AND MISHANDLING.
THAT IS THE WORSE WAY TO FIND
OUT. WE HAVE CITY AUDITOR BUT I
DON'T THINK THEY ARE TRULY
INDEPENDENT. WE DON'T HAVE LIKE
A THIRD-PARTY AUDITOR OUT THERE,
LIKE KING COUNTY. I DON'T WANT
TO SAY ANY TAX BECAUSE PEOPLE
SAY COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ IS
AGAINST THIS TAX. BUT TO SAY WE
PASSED THE TAX IN 2021 AND THIS
IS WHAT IT WAS FOR, NOW LETS
LOOK WHETHER OR NOT WE RAISED
ALL THE MONEY, HERE IS PIE
CHART, DID IT GO TO WHAT WE SAID
IT WOULD? WE NEVER HAVE THOSE
BLUNT CONVERSATIONS UNTIL WE GET
AUDITED OR SOMETHING BAD
HAPPENS. I WANT TO, AS I SAID
BEFORE, I WANT TO PUT A MARKER
DOWN THERE AND KEEP OUR NORTH
STAR ABOUT WHAT OUR JOB IS, I
DON'T THINK ALL TAXES ARE GOOD
AND I DON'T THINK ALL TAXES ARE
BAD, BUT I THINK IF WE MAKE A
DECISION TO TAX WHATEVER THAT
IS, THAT WHERVE WE INTEND TO USE
IT FOR SHOULD BE USED FOR THAT,
AND ALSO, PEOPLE SHOULD BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE AND WE SHOULD SEE
WHAT THE DELIVER IS. I HAVE MY
ISSUES WITH GROUPS THAT MAKE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THIS
BODY AND TAXES AND I STILL
DON'T KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, WHAT
THEY HAVE COMPLETELY DELIVERED.
I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
JUAREZ. COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA
AND I THINK WE ARE GOING BACK TO
COUNCIL MEMBER LIN, IS THAT A
NEW HAND? YEAH? AWESOME. COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ, EXCUSE ME,
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, CALVIN, AND TOM FOR
BEING HERE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
THANK YOU FOR, THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT PRESENTATION. ALSO, I
WANT TO SAY, PLUS ONE TO ALL OF
MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL JUAREZ
COMMENTS, I AM-- I AM GOING TO
BE UNDERSCORING SOME OF THE
COMMENTS SHE SAID, BUT I WHOLE
HEARTEDLY AGREE WITH ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT SHE MENTIONED, WHAT
I WAS GOING TO SAY, MANY OF THE
POINTS SHE DID HIT, BUT I DO
WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE NEED TO
LOOK AT THE FULL LANDSCAPE, NOT
JUST PROPERTY AND SALES IS THE
POINT OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT
THE FULL LANDSCAPE BEFORE WE
MAKE DECISIONS AND ALSO LOOKING
AT WHERE THE SPENDING IS GOING
AND ARE WE GETTING THE OUTCOMES
THAT WE WANT FOR OUR CITY THAT
IS, WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING.
THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT, AND I WILL JUST SAY
BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, WHEN WE DID
THE FEP LEVY, I REALLY DUG INTO
I WANTED TO SEE WHERE MONEY WAS
GOING, HOW WELL IT WAS WORKING,
SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE A GOOD
BASIS BY WHICH WE WERE MAKING
DECISIONS ABOUT A FUTURE
FAMILIES AND LEVY FEP LEVY. SAME
WITH THE LIBRARIES LEVY, NOW,
CALVIN, THANK YOU FOR POINTING
OUT, AND IT IS TRUE, THAT ALL
OUR LEVYS, INSTEAD OF INCREASING
JUST BY THE INFLATIONARY PIECE,
WE HAVE PUT MORE INTO THE LEVYS,
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AN
IMPORTANT ASPECT IS THE FACT WE
REACHED PRETTY MUCH OR LEVY TAX.
THEN IT IS NOW HAMPERING OUR
ABILITY TO DO OTHER THINGS,
BECAUSE WE ARE HITTING THAT LEVY
CAP. I DON'T THINK JUST LOOKING
TO OLYMPIA SAYING INCREASE OUR
LEVY CAP IS WHAT WE ONLY SHOULD
BE LOOKING AT BECAUSE THAT MEANS
WE WOULD BE INCREASING PROPERTY
TAXES EVEN MORE, AND WE KNOW
PROPERTY TAXES HAVE A HUGE
IMPACT ON OUR RENTERS. SO, I
THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT
WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING AS WELL
AS HOW MUCH WE ARE ASKING OF OUR
RESIDENTS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
AFFORDABILITY IS A HUGE ISSUE,
AND WE ARE SEEING, SADLY, NOT
JUST IN OUR CITY, BUT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY THAT IT IS EVER MORE
BECOMING THE HAVES ON ONE END
AND THE HAVE NOTS, AND THAT IS A
REALLY-- IT IS A SAD STATE FOR
OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY. SO I
REALLY JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL OF
THE LEVYS THAT ARE UNDER OUR
CONTROL, BECAUSE IT IS TRUE,
SOME THINGS ARE NOT IN OUR
CONTROL, BUT OTHERS ARE, HOW
MUCH WE PUT IN A LEVY IS UNDER
OUR CONTROL, WHAT WE DECIDED TO
DO FOR LIBERARY LEVY WAS UNDER
OUR CONTROL. KNOWING WE HAD
OTHER THINGS WE NEEDED TO FUND
WE MADE A DECISION ABOUT THE
LIBRARY LEVY WHICH GOT US CLOSER
TO OUR LEVY CAP. NOW WE ARE IN A
SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE OTHER
NEEDS AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO
PAY FOR THOSE NEEDS? THAT IS
UNDER OUR CONTROL. WE CANNOT
BLAME THE STATE FOR THAT, OR ANY
OTHER ENTITIES. WE ARE MAKING
THE DECISIONS HOW MUCH THOSE
LEVYERIZE, THOSE ARE OUR
DECISIONS TO MAKE AND WE CAN'T
BLAME OTHERS FOR THAT. WHETHER
OR NOT WE ARE LOOKING DEEP, IN A
DEEP-DIVE WAY AS TO WHAT THAT
MONEY IS GOING AND WHETHER WE
ARE GETTING OUR OUTCOME, WHETHER
WE REALLY HELPING PEOPLE, WHICH
IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ALL OF
THESE, ALL THIS REVENUE, THAT IS
WITHIN OUR CONTROL, HOW WELL WE
ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND WHETHER
WE ARE DOING THINGS LIKE
SUPPORTING AUDITS TO HELP INFORM
THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE,
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE IN NEED, AND
WE ARE TRYING TO COLLECTIVELY
MEET FOLKS' NEEDS IN OUR SITE.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO,
AGAIN, I JUST, PLUS ONE TO ALL
OF COUNCIL JUAREZ' COMMENTS AND
BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE RUNNING
OUT O OF TIME, I WILL THANK YOU
FOR FOR THIS IMPORTANT
PRESENTATION AND WANT TO FOLLOW
UP WITH BOTH CALVIN AND TOM TO
GET, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL OF
THE TAXES AND THE LEVYS THAT WE
HAVE SENT TO OUR-- THAT OUR
RESIDENTS SPEND SPEND MONEY ON,
WHATEVER STATE TAXES OR COUNTY
TAXES THEY ARE PAY FOR THAT
SHOULD BE ON HERE TOO, THAT IS
EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO ANY CITY
TAXES THAT WE ARE MAKING
DECISIONS ABOUT. THEY PAID ALL
OF THOSE OTHER TACKS AND THAT
NEEDS TO BE PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION AS WELL. SO, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
CONTINUATION OF THIS
CONVERSATION.
>> YEP. THANK YOU. HEADS UP,
COLLEAGUES, THERE COULD BE SO
MANY MORE SLIDES TO THIS
PRESENTATION, AND I AM GLAD
COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ POINTED
OUT THE LEVYS. THERE IS THE
LIBRARY, HOUSING LEVY, SWEET AND
LEVERAGE, ALL THESE THINGS
CONTINUE TO ADD UP ON FOLKS, AND
SO THAT PIECE THAT YOU SEE
THERE, THAT IS JUST THE PROPERTY
TAXES, SOME OF THE TAXES THAT I
SAID ARE NOT PROPERTY TAXES, BUT
THE PIECE, PARDON ME.
>> THE LEVYS ARE ON THERE, ALL
OF THOSE ARE PROPERTY TAXES.
>> PERFECT, BUT NOT THE SWEET
AND LEVERAGE TAX. THAT IS
SOMETHING ELSE, THAT IS WHERE
MOST OF, AND ALSO, IT CHANGES
PATTERNS. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
SOUTH SEATTLE GO TO RENTON TO
BUY GROCERIES AND BECAUSE OF THE
COST OF THINGS, I HAVE SEEN IT.
I HAVE-- I KNOW A BUNCH OF
PEOPLE THAT DO THAT BECAUSE OF
THE COST OF THINGS ARE A LOT
DIFFERENT AT DIFFERENT STORES OR
PLACES OR THINGS, BECAUSE OF
SOME OF THE TAXES THAT WE HAVE
CREATED HERE IN SEATTLE. THE
PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE GREEN ON
THIS SLIDE, AND THE-- I THOUGHT
IT WAS IMPORTANT, WHAT I HEAR
FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA, WE WANT TO ZOOM IN TO
THE GREEN PIECE, AND SEE HOW
MUCH THAT WE ARE SENDING TO
VOTERS AND FOLKS, BUT I THINK IT
IS ALSO IMPORTANT WHEN YOU HEAR,
YOU KNOW, WE SENT TO VOTERS, YOU
KNOW, A HOUSING LEVY TAX THAT
WAS $1 BILLION, HOW DOES THAT
BREAK DOWN FOR EVERYBODY? WHEN
PEOPLE HEAR A BILLION DOLLARS,
IT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT ALSO WANT
IT TO BE BROKEN DOWN
INDIVIDUALLY HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE
PAYING, BECAUSE I THING IT IS
ALSO FOR PEOPLE TO CONSUME AS
WELL, TO HOW MUCH THEY ARE
PAYING. I BELIEVE, COUNCIL
MEMBER LIN, THEN WE WILL CLOSE
IT OUT AND LOOK AT COUNCIL
MEMBER SAKA TO SEE IF HE HAS
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. COUNCIL
MEMBER LIN.
>> THANK YOU. WANTED TO FOLLOW
UP ON THE CREATIVE AND
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE IDEA. I DO
THINK THERE IS HOW WE TAX, HOW
MUCH WE TAX, WHO BENEFITS FROM
THOSE PROGRAMS, SO, FOR EXAMPLE
THE HOUSING LEVY, YOU KNOW, THAT
IS A PROPERTY TAX, AND THEN WHO
BENEFITS IS PRIMARILY LOW INCOME
FOLKS. SO, YOU KNOW, ARE WE
MEASURING, IS THERE A REAL
BENEFIT? I WILL SAY, AT LEAST IN
MY OPINION, YOU COULD HAVE A
REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX, ONE THAT
TAXES HIGH INCOME FOLKS BUT
REDUCES FOR LOW INCOME FOLKS.
THAD WOULD BE A GREAT THING IF
WE HAD A REVENUE NEUTRAL
APPROACH BUT IT HELPED TO
CORRECT OUR UPSIDE DOWN TAX
CODE, AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, AS
WE SEND STUFF TO VOTERS IT IS AN
IMPORTANT CHECK BUT IT ALSO
DOESN'T RELIEVE US OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO GET
THIS RIGHT, BECAUSE THE VOTERS
ONLY GET UP AND DOWN VOTE, THEY
DON'T GET TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE
WANT THIS PIECE, NOT THIS PIECE,
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS MORE
LIKELY THAT OUR HIGH INCOME
RESIDENTS ARE THE ONES VOTING.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO
ACCOUNT AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
LIN. AND ALSO, TOO, COLLEAGUES,
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE
ARE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY
IS VERY EXPENSIVE. LETS NAME THE
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. IT IS VERY
EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO OTHER
CITIES. I HAVE LOST FRIENDS WHO
HAVE MOVED TO EITHER DETROIT,
ATLANTA, BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS,
WHERE THE HEADQUARTERS OF
WALMART IS, NORTH CAROLINA,
ATLANTA, TEXAS, THEY HAVE LEFT
SEATTLE, NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED
TO, BUT BECAUSE OF HOW
UNAFFORDABLE THE CITY IS, AND
THEIR DOLLARS WILL GO LONGER AS
THEY ARE RAISING THEIR KIDS AND
THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY CAN BUY
A HOUSE FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND HAVE, YOU
KNOW, THESE THINGS THAT ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM. SO
THERE IS ALSO, WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THERE IS A HIDDEN TAX, TOO, WHEN
WE DON'T GET THE OUTCOME THAT
WE WANT. SO IF WE HAVE A
TRANSPORTATION LEVY&THANK YOU,
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA , FOR
RUNNING THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY.
IF WE DO NOT HAVE CLEAN BIKE
LANES AND YOU POP YOUR BIKE AND
YOU HAVE TO REPAIR YOUR WHEEL,
THAT IS A HIDDEN TAX ON YOU. OR
IF IT IS A LIBRARY TAX, AND
LIBRARY LEVY, AND THAT LIBRARY
MIGHT NOT OFFER SOME OF THE
THING S THAT YOU NEED OR, YOU
KNOW, THAT IS A TAX ON YOU
BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING INTO THAT
AND YOU WANT CERTAIN SERVICES
AND OUTCOMES OR THE PARKS LEVY
AND YOUR PARK MIGHT NOT BE CLEAN
ASK PAYING INTO THE PARKS
DISTRICT, HIDDEN TAX ON YOU
BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING EXTRA
MONEY TO GO TO THE GYM TO
EXERCISE BECAUSE YOUR PARK IS
INACCESSIBLE FOR YOU TO
EXERCISE. THESE ARE DIFFERENT
THINGS WHERE WHEN I AM TALKING
TO PEOPLE AND THEY ARE LIKE,
HEY, I AM PAYING ALL THESE
TAXES, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT IS
THE AFFORDABLE PIECE, BUT ALSO
THE OUTCOME, WHAT PEOPLE ARE NOT
GETTING, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT
OF WEALTHY PEOPLE THAT SAID IF I
SAW POSITIVE OUTCOMES, I WOULD
BE MORE WILLING TO PAY EVEN MORE
BECAUSE I COULD SEE POSITIVE
OUTCOMES. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT
WE ARE SAYING RIGHT NOW, WE ARE
NOT GETTING-- SO THE FIRST PART
IS, THIS PROPERTY TAX PIECE, THE
SALES TAX PIECE, AND THEN WE
HAVE THE OUTCOME PIECE THAT
COULD BE A WHOLE OTHER MEETING
ON THE IMPACT AS WELL. SO, ARE
THOSE OLD HANDS, COUNCIL MEMBER
LIN? COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA?
>> NEW HAND FOR ME.
>> OLD HAND FOR COUNCIL MEMBER
LIN. AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA AND THEN WE WILL WRAP UP.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE SALES
TAX PIECE, I MEAN, YOU JUST SAID
IT AS WELL, BUT FOLKS, LOW
INCOME FOLKS ARE PAYING SALES
TAX FOR THINGS OTHER THAN FOOD,
IF YOU ARE PARENT, YOU KNOW YOU
HAVE TO BUY FOR YOUR KIDS, I
SWEAR EVERY FEW MONTHS THEIR
FEET GROW AND I AM NOT TRYING TO
BE CHEEKY HERE, LIKE IT IS
EXPENSIVE AND CLOTHING AND ALL
OF THOSE THINGS DO GET TAXED. I
WILL SAY THAT IN TERMS OF, YOU
KNOW, OLYMPIA PASSED A
MILLIONAIRE'S TAX, IT WAS NOT
USED TO OFFSET SOME OF THE TAXES
THAT LOW INCOME FOLKS ARE PAYING
OFTEN TIMES, I MEAN, NEW THINGS
ARE GETTING FUNDED WITH THAT
TYPE OF A TAX. I WOULD LOVE TO
SEE SOME TAX RELIEF FOR OUR
LOW-INCOME FOLKS WHEN WE DO
THINGS LIKE A MILLIONAIRE'S TAX.
SO, ALL OF THAT IS TRUE AND TO
YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER,
ABOUT, OR COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
ABOUT THE SERVICES PIECE, YOU
KNOW, IF FOLKS AREN'T SINGING
WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF FOLKS
AREN'T SEEING IMPROVEMENTS TO
SERVICES THEN IT MAKES IT
DIFFICULT FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED
BECAUSE WE WANT A CITY THAT IS
GOING TO PROVIDE IF WE HAVE
CHARTERED RESPONSIBILITIES THAT
WE NEED TO PROVIDE, AND IF WE
ARE NOT PROVIDING THOSE IN A
ROBUST MANNER, IF PEOPLE DON'T
FEEL SAFE, IF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL
LIKE THEY CAN ACCESS THEIR
PARKS, IF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ACCESS
TO ALL THE THINGS, ALL THE
SERVICES THAT THAT MONEY IS
SUPPOSED TO GO TO, THEN, YOU
KNOW, IT HAS AN IMPACT ON
WHETHER THEY STAY IN THE CITY OR
SOME DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. THAT
MEANS THE FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE
A CHOICE TO LEAVE THE CITY ARE
STUCK AND FEELING LIKE THEY ARE
NOT GETTING THE SERVICES THAT
THEY NEED, AND THAT IS NOT GOOD
FOR OUR CITY. IT IS NOT GOOD FOR
THE HEALTH OF OUR CITY. SO, ALL
OF THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO
ACCOUNT AS WELL. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, WE WILL HAVE
COUNCIL FOSTER AND THEN WRAP UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT. I WANTED TO
COMMENT AND QUICKLY SAY I AM
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, I
KNOW TODAY'S CONVERSATION WAS
FOCUSED AROUND AFFORDABILITY AND
WE LOOKED, TOOK A LOOK AT TAXES
AND THAT IMPACT BUT I WANT TO
UPLIFT AND SAY I AM LOOKING
FORWARD TO AS WE CONTINUE TO
WORK ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
AND ITEMS COMING THROUGH THE
HOUSING COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE TAKING OTHER ACTIONS
THAT I THINK WILL HAVE A
POSITIVE IMPACT ON ONE OF THE
MOST EXPENSIVE THINGS IN OUR
CITY, WHICH IS HOUSING.
INCLUDING WORKING TO GET
ABUNDANT HOUSING AROUND THE
CITY, WHICH WE KNOW, FOR SOME OF
THE CITIES WE HAVE MENTIONED
THAT FOLKS MOVED TO, WE KNOW
WHEN WE HAVE SEEN THE CITIES
INCREASE THEIR HOUSING SUPPLY
RELATIVE TO THE MARKET AND THAT
WE START TO SEE RENTS AND COST
OF LIVING STABILIZE AND COME
DOWN IN SOME PLACES. I KNOW WE
ARE TALKING THINGS THE CITY HAS
CONTROL OF, AND OBVIOUSLY
ZONING, PLANNING, AND OUR
APPROACH TO SUPPORTING AND
INCENTIVEIZING HOUSING IS PART
OF THAT Y. AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT CONVERSATION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
FOSTER. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT. AND THANK YOU, I DON'T
KNOW IF THERE ARE CLOSING
COMMENTS, TOM AND CAL, GRATEFUL
OF THE TIME AND ATTENTION YOU
PUT INTO THIS. COLLEAGUES, WE
COULD DO A BUNCH OF SERIES OF
THIS, BUT THOUGHT THE FIRST ONE
SHOULD BE JUST ABOUT TAXES,
RETAIL, AND PROPERTY TAXES, AND
THE LEVYS, JUST BECAUSE OF EVER
SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE, EVERY
YEAR, WE HAVE VOTED ON A LEVY.
EVERY YEAR. SOME OF THOSE LEGACY
LEVYS AND I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT CONTEXT
AND THAT TABLE SETTING. THANK
YOU FOR MAKING IT PALATABLE FOR
FOLKS AS WELL.
THANK YOU. SO, COLLEAGUES, I
KNOW WE ARE AN HOUR AND A HALF
IN, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO
TALK ABOUT YOUR COMMITTEES OR
ANYTHING PRESSING THAT IS
IMPORTANT, POSSIBLY, THAT YOU
WANT TO BRING FORTH? COUNCIL
MEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND USE THIS AS A
BRIEF, YOU KNOW, TO COMMENT ON
THE VERY LIVELY AND RICH
DISCUSSION WE JUST HAD AS WELL,
BUT JUST WORTH NOTING, WE ARE,
COLLEAGUES, HAVING OUR VERY
FIRST MEETING OF THE SELECT
MITTEE ON THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
THIS THURSDAY, WHERE WE WILL
HEAR THE EXECUTIVE PROPOSAL ON
POTENTIAL RENEWAL OF THE SEATTLE
TRANSIT MEASURE, OTHERWISE MORE
FORMALLY KNOWN AS, I KNOW A LOT
OF STICKLER FOR FORMALITY,
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT
RENEWAL THERE, AND SO THAT IS
COMING UP ON THIS THURSDAY, AND
JUST TO ADD ON MY OWN TWO CENTS
FROM THE CHEAP SEATS, I AGREE
WITH A LOT, WELL, EVERYTHING I
JUST HEARD FROM YOU ALL,
COLLEAGUES, THERE IS AT LEAST
SOMETHING THAT I FOUND VERY
IMPORTANT, AND MOVING, AND AGREE
SUBSTANTIALLY WITH IT. AND THIS
IS ALSO, AGAIN, A GOOD SEGUE TO
THE CONVERSATION WE WILL HAVE ON
THURSDAY, ON AN EXECUTIVE
PROPOSAL THAT WILL IMPACT SALES
TAX. AND ALL OF THESE NEW
SOURCES OF REVENUE AND WHETHER
IT IS PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX,
OTHER SORT OF TAX INITIATIVE,
THEY ALL HAVE A COMPOUNDING
IMPACT. WHEN TALKING POTENTIAL
PROPERTY TAXES IT IMPACTS HOME
OWNERS AND RENTERS ALIKE. YES,
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY LIMITATIONS
ON-- THERE IS A TON OF
LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY STATE LAW
AND THE SYSTEM OF OUR UPSIDE
DOWN TAX CODE, WE ARE LIVING
THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW, SO OUR
TOOLS ARE FAIRLY LIMITED. ALL OF
WHICH IMPACTS AFFORDABILITY, AND
TALKED ABOUT HOW THAT RELATES TO
OUTCOMES AND ACCOUNTABILITY AS
WELL, SO, BUT I WILL EMPHASIZE
THE NEED HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY
AS WELL, AND A LOT OF IT, IN
RECENT YEARS, IS BECAUSE OF THE
CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION,
BUT THE NEEDS HAVE GROWN GREATLY
AND RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR
CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE, HAS
GROWN EXPONENTIALLY AS WELL.
FRIENDLY REMINDER, COLLEAGUES,
OUR FIRST SELECT COMMITTEE ON
WILL BE ON THURSDAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA, FOR THAT. AS LONG AS YOU
ONLY DO 2 CENTS, IF MORE, WE
CAN'T AFFORD IT. CAN'T THROW
IN BILLIONS. GO AHEAD.
>> CAN I JUST SAY, I APPRECIATE
THE FRIENDLY BANTER BUT I
APPRECIATE YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
TOPIC FORWARD FOR US TO ALL
COLLECTIVELY DISCUSS, DEBATE,
AND BECAUSE IT DOES IMPACT,
REALLY, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO,
INCLUDING SOME NEAR-TERM POLICY
DECISIONS, SO, JUST WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
SEATTLE TRANSIT MEASURE BENEFIT
DISTRICT. SORRY, THE BENEFIT
DISTRICT. COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA
FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
PRESIDENT, I HAVE TWO QUICK
THINGS AND I WILL INVITE YOU TO
FOLLOW UP WITH ME AFTER, I KNOW
WE ARE SHORT ON TIME, ON EITHER.
ONE, I WANT TO START WITH THE
FAMILY POSITIVE LEVY
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
PLAN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE ARE
WORKING THROUGH THE INE PLAN. WE
WILL BE REPURPOSING OUR LIBRARY
EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING INTO
SELECT COMMITTEES, COMMITTEE
MEETINGS TO GO THROUGH THE INE
PLAN, I WANT TO THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, FOR WORKING
WITH ME TO TO MAKE SURE THAT
HAPPENS, I WANTED TO BE SURE
THAT, COLLEAGUES, YOU ALL HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN, NOT
JUST THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I
THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DO
SELECT COMMITTEE. WE WILL HAVE
NEXT WEEK, JUNE 10, THE FIRST
COMMITTEE MEETING ON THIS, IT
WILL BE A PRESENTATION ON THEIR
PROPOSAL, AND THEN KEEP GOING
JUNE 30, JULY 8 AMENDMENT AND
POSSIBLE VOTE, JULY 24, FINAL
VOTE, IN SELECT COMMITTEE, AND
THEN COUNCIL VOTE SHOULD GIVE US
PLENTY OF TIME TO GET THROUGH
THE INE PLAN, INCLUDING ANY
AMENDMENTS YOU MAY HAVE. I WANT
TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE LET
ME KNOW, OR TELL CENTRAL STAFF
TO RELIEVE CONFIDENTIAL AND LET
ME KNOW SO WE ARE GETTING THE
INE PLAN THROUGH AS EFFICIENTLY
AND TRANSPARENTLY AS POSSIBLE,
AND I WANT TO THANK CENTRAL
STAFF, BOTH JASMINE AND TRACY
FOR ALL THEIR WORK ON THE INE
PLAN. I ALSO KNOW, COLLEAGUES,
THE DEPARTMENT REACHED OUT TO
YOU AS THEY WERE DEVELOPING THE
INE PLAN, AND YOU MET WITH THE
DEPARTMENT AND CENTRAL STAFF, SO
HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS THAT YOU
ARE AWARE ALREADY OF THETHIS
THAT ARE IN THE PLAN, SOME OF
YOUR THINGS WERE THOUGHT OF, AS
THE PLAN WAS COMING TOGETHER.
SO, MORE ON THAT TO COME. IF YOU
QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO
ME, AND THEN THE, AS YOU KNOW, I
AM SO PLEASED TO BE HOSTING THE
VILE, THE GUN VIOLENCE
INTERVENTION SYMPOSIUM IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NEXT WEEK ON THE
EIGHTth, IT WILL BE LED BY THE
NATIONAL NETWORK FOR SAFE
COMMUNITIES, THE GROUP STARTED
BY DAVID KENNEDY WHO HAS BEEN
WORKING ON THE ISSUE FOR
DECADES, SO WE CAN LEARN ABOUT
GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION,
SIGNIFICANTLY SUCCESSFUL IN
OTHER CITIES LIKE BALTIMORE AND
PHILADELPHIA, I KNOW I HAVE
MENTIONED THIS AT FULL COUNCIL
MEETINGS WE HAVE HAD, I HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL
STRATEGIES AND REDUCING GUN
VIOLENCE HERE IN OUR CITY, AND,
OF COURSE KEEPING CHAIR KETTLE
IN THESE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL.
AS YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY
INVESTS IN GUN VIOLENCE
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
PROGRAMS AND PLACED APPROACHS TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUE SO WE ARE NOW
INTERESTED IN LOOKING AS AN
ADDITIVE PIECE AT FOCUSED
DETERRENTS, AN ADDITIONAL
EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGY TO HELP
IN THESE EFFORTS. THIS SYMPOSIUM
WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
ABOUT THIS APPROACH, AND, AS YOU
OFTEN HEARD ME SAY WHEN WE WORK
TOGETHER WE HAVE BETTER
OUTCOMES, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH EMIR'S OFFICE
AND HSD TO INSURE THE COMMUNITY
GROUPS HAVE ALSO BEEN INVITED.
IT AN APPROACH THE CITY WOULD
TAKE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF
OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND
ALSO INCLUDING THE PROSECUTOR'S
OFFICE, THE CITY ATTORNEY, SPD,
ALCOHOL, TOBACCO&FIREARM AGENCY,
WORKING TOGETHER TO EXPLORE THE
EFFORT. COLLEAGUES, YOWL WILL BE
SEEKING LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO
THE SYMPOSIUM, I ENCOURAGE YOU
TO REACH OUT TO ME AS MY OFFICE
HAS DONE THE ORGANIZING OF THE
SYMPOSIUM AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU ALL, THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AND EMIR'S
OFFICE TO CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATIONS AFTER THE
SYMPOSIUM AND TO CONTINUE TO
EXPLORE WAYS WE ARE GOING TO
ADDRESS NONVIOLENCE IN OUR CITY,
AND APPEAR MORE ABOUT NEXT STEPS
FROM OUR PARTNERS. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA. COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, I WILL BE BRIEF,
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, HAPPY
PRIDE. GREAT SEEING EVERYBODY AT
THE CEREMONY EARLIER TODAY. I
WANTED TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE
SINCE THE HUMAN SERVICES LABOR
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEETING
WILL MEET AGAIN THIS FRIDAY, WE
ARE MEETING TO DISCUSS DIA
LEGISLATION AND BRIEFING FROM
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND
SEATTLE KING COUNTY PUBLIC
HEALTH ON APPROACHES SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER BUT I WANTED TO
FLAG WE WILL BECEIVING AN UPDATE
REGARDING CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
RECENTLY SUBMITTED TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IN AND KING
COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN RESPONSE TO
THE FORENSIC EVALUATION. THAT
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN HAS NOW
DISTRIBUTED TO ALL COUNCIL
OFFICES FROM MY STAFF SO
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE ACCESS BUT
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR
ANYONE WHO WANTED TO ATTEND
COMMITTEE ON FRIDAY, CCHRA WILL
BE AT THE TABLE FOR THAT
DISCUSSION. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
MEMBER RINCK, FOR ALL YOUR WORK
ON THAT. AND THEN COLLEAGUES, IS
THERE-- COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA,
IS YOUR HAND UP?
>> NO.
>> YOURS IS UP. COUNCIL MEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> SO BRIEF, YOU WON'T EVEN--
>> WHO DID YOU MEET WITH? WE ALL
WANT TO HEAR.
>> I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL
MEMBER RINCK FOR DOING A REALLY
GOOD JOB ON STAYING ON TOP OF
THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN AND
KING COUNTY STUFF BECAUSE, AND
COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER, BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, THESE YOUNG WOMEN,
THEY ARE MAKING IT WORK. GOD
BLESS THEM, SO THEY HAVE BEEN
GOING THROUGH THE MATERIAL,
TALKING TO US, LETTING US KNOW
WHAT IS GOING ON, THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN IS LIKE 150 PAGES
AND THEN SOME. GOD BLESS YOU,
GOOD LUCK. DON'T DIE. I WANT TO
THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK FOR
UPDATING DIA, THERE IS ONLY TWO,
MAYBE THREE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO
PLUCK AWAY AT THAT, BUT I WANT
TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK
FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN THAT AREA,
IT IS SO IMPORTANT THOSE BIAs
AND GETTING THEM UPDATED, HAVING
A NEW POWER POINT, WONDERFUL IN
GOING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. YOU AND
COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER ARE DOING
A GREAT JOB ON THE HOUSING
PIECE.
>> GOOD JOB.
>> THANK YOU.
>> DONE.
>> BOOM.
>> AWESOME. COUNCIL MEMBER
JUAREZ, I KNOW THAT THE NEXT,
THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF YOU BEING
WITH US IS GOING TO BE SUCH A
TREAT. I AM GOING TO SAY THAT.
READY FOR IT ALL. COLLEAGUES, I
BELIEVE WE HIT THE END OF OUR
MEETING, AND WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON THE
AFFORDABILITY MEETING, AGAIN, IT
WAS A QUICK OVERVIEW CERTAIN
THINGS AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL
BE BACK HERE WITH MORE AS WE ARE
WORKING WITH CENTRAL STAFF JUST
TO UNDERSTAND A DEEPER DIVE.
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR
ATTENTION AND HARD WORK DURING
THE PROCESS. IT IS 3:38,
COLLEAGUES, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.