>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> HERE.
>> EIGHT PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA IS
EXCUSED UNTIL SHE GETS HERE.
THERE'S NO PRESENTATION AT
THIS TIME AND WE'RE GOING
TO TRANSITION RIGHT INTO PUBLIC
CAMANT.
THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS OPEN.
IT'S LIMITED TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA, THE
INTRODUCTION REFERRAL CALENDAR.
THE COUNCIL
CANNOT ACCEPT COMMENTS ON QUASI-
JUDICIAL
ITEMS.
PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTIES
OF RECORD ONLY ON CLERK FILE
314549 UNDER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
4, REGARDING THE
COMMUNICATION, EX PARTE
COMMUNICATION, BUT
YOU MUST BE ALREADY A PARTY OF
THE
RECORD. AS WELL.
SO CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS
DO WE HAVE SIGNED UP?
>> APPROXIMATELY EIGHT IN
PERSON.
I MEAN, EIGHT REMOTE THAT
AREN'T ALL PRESENT YET, AND I
BELIEVE 54 IN PERSON.
>> OKAY, AWESOME.
54 IN PERSON.
EIGHT THAT ARE ONLINE REMOTE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WEWE 30
TO 60, SO ONE MINUTE PER
SPEAKER.
AND WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE
INTRODUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT
PERIOD?
>> SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY'RE REGISTERED.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME
WHEN TEN SECTION ARE LEFT OF
THEIR
TIME.
SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE MUTED
IF THEY DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS IN THE ALLOTTED TIME TO
ALLOW
US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER. WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR
IN- PERSON
SPEAKERS.
>> FIRST, WE HAVE
PETER, FOLLOWED BY DARIUS, THEN
WE HAVE
DANIEL, AND THEN SREJA,
I'M SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCE
YOUR
NAME, AND PATRICK.
WE HAVE THOSE FIVE FOLKS COMING
UP.
PETER, DARIUS, DANIEL,
SREJA, AND PATRICK.
YOU CAN USE EITHER
OR MICROPHONES AS WELL.
WELCOME, PETER.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE
CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS PETER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT
SEVEN.
AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY
6,000 UNION ELECTRICIANS, AND
PARTICULARLY, THE 1,000 OF
THEM WHO ARE CURRENTLY
UNEMPLOYED.
WE'RE HERE TO ASK YOU TO PUT
A BOND TO RENOVATE AND
DECARBONIZE SEATTLE CENTER ON
THE BALLOT FOR
VOTERS.
SEATTLE CENTER IS
CURRENTLY EMITTING ABOUT 16% OF
THE
CITY OF SEATTLE'S OWN BUILDING
PORTFOLIO'S CARBON POLLUTION.
AND WE WANT TO HAVE A
FAMILY FRIENDLY CITY IN THE ERA
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THIS IS A LARGE FACILITY.
MY CHILDREN LOVE TO GO TO
SEATTLE CENTER TO PLAY AT THE
CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
AFTER MY SON WAS BORN, THIS WAS
THE FIRST PLACE WE WENT OUT
WITH HIM TO THE ARMORY.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE
LARGE, PUBLIC FACING FACILITIES
AVAILABLE WITH COOLING FOR THE
RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
APPRECIATE YOU.
>> THANK YOU, PETER.
NEXT WE HAVE DARIUS, FOLLOWED
BY DANIEL.
WELCOME.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS DARIUS.
I'M A SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND
A MEMBER OF AMAZON EMPLOYEES FOR
JUSTICE. I DECIDED TO BE PUBLIC
IN
MY SUPPORT FOR DATA CENTERS.
I HEAR ACCUSATIONS THE
GROWING ANGER IS FEAR OF NEW
TECH,
BUT THAT'S WRONG.
EVERYONE I KNOW WHO IS SERIOUS
ABOUT THE TRANSITION TO A
HEALTHIER MORE RESILIENT
ENERGY SYSTEM KNOWS THAT COMES
ALONG WITH BUILDING A LOT OF NEW
TECH IN OUR BACKYARDS.
IT MEANS ELECTRIFICATION.
REVITALIZED PUBLIC TRANSIT
AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.
FIVE YEARS AGO, COMPANIES LIKE
AMAZON AND MICROSOFT
SEEMED COMMITTED TO BEING
LEADERS IN THAT TRANSITION, BUT
THEY
STOPPED LEADING.
BIG TECH NEEDS DATA CENTERS
MORE THAN WE DO.
HERE'S WAYS WE CAN PUSH THEM TO
GET THE FUTURE WE NEED.
THE CITY COULD REGULATE
DATA CENTERS COULD BE ONLY BUILT
WITH
100% EXISTING ENERGY.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WE CAN
DO, BUT WE WILL NEED THE WILL
AND IMAGINATION THIS
CITY COUNCIL AND OF WORKERS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> MY NAME IS DANIEL.
I'M A MEMBER OF AMAZON
EMPLOYEES FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE.
GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN THIS CITY
WHERE EMPLOYEES SPEAK OUT
POLITICALLY ARE
LEGALLY PROTECTED AGAINST
RETALIATION.
I WORKED FOR MY INTEAR CAREER
IN REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND
CUSTOMER PROTECTION.
I'M HERE TO REMIND CITY COUNCIL
THAT EVERY POWERFUL,
POSITIVE, AND LEGITIMATE USE FOR
A.I.
CREATES AN EQUAL RACE.
IT HAS OPENED A PANDORA'S
BOX FOR STOLEN, FRAUDULENT,
AND ILLICIT MATERIAL.
WHILE THIS IS BEING
WIDELY REPORTED INSTEAD OF
MOVING WITH
URGENCY TO ADDRESS THESE
THREATS, BIG TECH COMPANIES
ARE RACING TO BUILD OUT AS MUCH
COMPUTE CAPACITY AS THEY CAN
AS FAST AS THEY CAN
BEFORE REGULATIONS CAN CATCH UP.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO AVOID
RESPONSIBILITY, THIS
COUNCIL SHOULD ACT.
WE SHOULD DEMAND ANY
DATA CENTER BE BUILT WITHOUT THE
USE
OF SHELL COMPANIES AND WITH THE
PROPERLY COMMUNICATION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DANIEL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M SREJA, A MEMBER OF AMAZON
EMPLOYEES FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE.
I'M GRATEFUL TO BE IN A CITY
WHERE EMPLOYEES WHO SPEAK
OUT POLITICALLY ARE
LEGALLY PROTECTED AGAINST
RETALIATION.
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I WALKED
BY MARK ZUCKERBERG'S MEGA
YACHT.
IT TALKED IN LAKE UNION AMID
ABOUT 1400 KING COUNTY LAYOFFS
AT META WITH REMAINING
EMPLOYEES BEING TRACKED DOWN TO
THE
KEY STROKE TO TRAIN A.I.
MEANWHILE, IN QUARTER ONE, META
REPORTED A NET INCOME OF OVER
$26 BILLION.
AMAZON ALSO RECENTLY LAID
OFF 30,000 PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD AMID RECORD BREAKING
EARNINGS.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS
COUNCIL CHOOSE TO EMPOWER
ORDINARY PEOPLE AND WORKERS OVER
THOSE WHO SEE THEM AS
EXPENDABLE.
I ASK THE COUNCIL TO REMOVE
ANY SUBSIDIES FOR DATA CENTERS
AND
IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR
RENEWABLE ENERGY USE, LABOR
PROTECTIONS, AND EVEN
ALLOCATION OF COMPUTE TOWARD
PUBLIC
PROJECTS. IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE A
LOT TO
ASK, BUT IT'S NOT A $300,000
BOAT.
THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS
PATRICK, AND I'M A MEMBER OF
AMAZON
EMPLOYEES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.
LAST WEEK, I TOOK STEPS TO
BE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST
TIME BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF BEING
AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR MY
VALUES.
I BELIEVE THE TECH WORKERS
HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS
MOMENT AND WE WANT CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS TO INCLUDE US IN THE
PROCESS
OF DEVELOPING EQUITABLE A.I.
AND DATA CENTER
POLICY. IN THAT SPIRIT, I WOULD
LIKE TO
INVITE ANYONE WHO WORKS IN TECH
IN THIS ROOM TO PLEASE RAISE
THEIR HAND.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ANYONE
WHO WORKS IN TECH IN THIS
ROOM TO PLEASE RAISE THEIR HAND.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO
INVITE ANYONE WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY
WORKED
IN TECH TO KEEP YOUR HAND
RAISED.
NOW, FOR ALL OF US, IF YOU
AGREE THAT THIS COUNCIL
SHOULD REGULATE DATA CENTERS AND
A.I.
FOR THE COMMON GOOD, KEEP YOUR
HANDS UP.
THANK YOU.
WE'RE NOT ALONE.
>> NEXT FIVE.
NICOLE GRANT, ROB JOHNSON, KEN
PITTS, AND KEVIN SMITH.
IS NICOLE GRANT HERE?
OH, THERE SHE IS.
AWESOME.
ROB JOHNSON, KEN PITTS, AND
KEVIN SMITH.
>> HELLO, CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS NICOLE GRANT AND
I USE SHE AND HER PRONOUNS.
I WANT TO START BY SAYING
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH TO EVERYBODY.
I'M HERE TO TESTIFY -- I
MEAN, HAPPY PRIDE MONTH,
EVERYBODY.
I'M HERE TO TESTIFY ON BEHALF
OF MY UNION IN FAVOR OF A BOND
TO
DECARBONIZE THE SEATTLE CENTER.
THIS IS A PLACE THAT WE ALL
GREW
UP. AND IT'S A PLACE THAT WE
WANT
TO SPEND TIME WITH OUR KIDS.
WITH OUR PARENTS, IT'S THE
JEWEL OF THE CITY.
AND IT DESERVES TO BE SHINED, TO
BE CLEANED UP.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW
TO PUT KIDS FROM OUR
COMMUNITIES TO WORK.
MY UNION HAS A
PRE- APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AT
RAINIER BEACH HIGH SCHOOL.
WE MEET STUDENTS EVERY DAY
WHO ARE LEARNING OUR CRAFT, BUT
THEY NEED A PLACE TO PRACTICE
THIS
CRAFT, AND NOTHING WOULD BE MORE
DESIRABLE THAN REDOING
THE SEATTLE CENTER.
SO THANK YOU.
>> AND ROB, BEFORE YOU GO, ONE
SECOND.
I'M GOING TO CALL THE
OTHER SPEAKERS SO THEY'RE ON
DECK.
WE HAVE BILLY, JUSTIN,
CALVIN, AND LUKE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
ROB JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE CENTER
FOUNDATION.
WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT
THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF YOU
ASKING FOR A PUBLIC
SECTOR SUPPORT FOR SEATTLE
CENTER. I GREW UP HERE, FIFTH
GENERATION
SEATTLEITE. I REMEMBER COMING TO
ALL THE
GREAT
EVENTS HAPPENING ADD SEATTLE
CENTER AS A KID
AND HAVING MY MOM TALK ABOUT
HOW SEATTLE CENTER HADN'T
CHANGED
MUCH.
HERE I AM IN THE YEAR 2026,
REFLECTING ON THE FACT THAT
THE LAST TIME WE HAD A PUBLIC
VOTE FOR SUPPORT FOR SEATTLE
CENTER WAS 1991.
1991, I WAS IN THE SEVENTH
GRADE, AND TODAY, I HAVE A KID
WHO'S GOING TO BE
GRADUATING SEVENTH GRADE.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE
HAD LITERALLY BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS
IN PRIVATE PHILANTHROPIC
AND BUSINESS SECTOR INVESTMENTS
IN
SEATTLE CENTER. IT'S TIME FOR
OUR FRIENDS IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR TO MAKE THIS
A PRIORITY AGAIN, NOT OWNTHRY
FOR THE LABOR COMMUNITY WHO HAS
TALKED TODAY, THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHO COULDN'T
MAKE
IT HERE TODAY, WHO BELIEVE THIS
IS A PRIORITY FOR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE
JOBS
THAT WILL COME FOR THE ARTS AND
CULTURAL COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ROB.
NEXT WE HAVE KEN, AND THEN
KEVIN.
WELCOME, KEN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KEN PITTS.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 206
CARPENTERS.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF
RESOLUTION 32205.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
REASONS WE ACT NOW IS SIMPLE.
THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE
MORE EXPENSE FRK THIS BECOMES.
WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE IMPACTS OF
INFLATION, RISING MATERIAL
COSTS, AND
INCREASING CONSTRUCTION
EXPENSES.
PROJECTS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
COMPLETED YEARS AGO OFTEN
COST SIGNIFICANTLY MORE TODAY.
DELAYING ACTION RARELY SAVES
MONEY.
IT'S USUALLY
INCREASING COSTS AND PUSHES
BENEFITS FURTHER
INTO THE FUTURE.
AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY YEAR
WE WAIT IS ANOTHER YEAR WORKERS
ARE NOT BEING HIRED,
LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE NOT SEEING
THE
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
THESE INVESTMENTS GENERATION,
AND OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT
RECEIVING
THE FULL BENEFITS OF PROJECTS.
I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO
MOVE FORWARD AND DEMONSTRATE
THE LEADERSHIP NECESSARY TO
INVEST IN OUR WORKFORCE,
STRENGTHEN
OUR ECONOMY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
KEVIN, FOLLOWED BY BILLY,
JUSTIN, CALVIN, LUKE.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
MY NAME IS KEVIN SMITH.
I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF
THE CARPENTERS UNION
REPRESENTING
57,000 MEMBERS IN SUPPORT OF
RESOLUTION 332205.
THIS RESOLUTION REPRESENTS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN
SEATTLE'S FUTURE WHILE CREATING
HUNDREDS AND POTENTIALLY
THOUSANDS OF FAMILY WAGE
JOBS FOR WORKING PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
EVERY MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT CREATES A RIPPLE EFFECT.
THE JOBS CREATED ARE NOT
LIMITED TO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
THEY SUPPORT SUPPLIERS,
MANUFACTURERS, TRANSPORTATION
PROVIDERS, AND SMALL
BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS AND
COUNTLESS LOCAL
EMPLOYERS THAT BENEFIT
WHEN WORKERS HAVE GOOD PAYCHECKS
AND SPEND IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL
TO SUPPORT RESOLUTION 32205
AND SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE
THAT SEATTLE IS COMMITTED TO
ECONOMIC GROWTH, FAMILY WAGE
JOBS.
>> THANK YOU, KEVIN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND THE REST
OF THE
COUNCIL. MY NAME IS BILLY.
A PROUD MEMBER OF LOCAL 242
AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA'S RESOLUTION
32205 TO SUPPORT PUTTING A
BOND MEASURE TO SUPPORT
SEATTLE CENTER IN 2027.
AS SEVERAL OF US HERE
WHO PROBABLY WERE IN YOUR EARS,
WE
WOULD HAVE LOVED TO GET THIS
ON THE BALLOT IN 2026, BUT WE
KNOW HAVING A THOUGHTFUL BOND
MEASURE
THAT MAXIMIZES STATE, FEDERAL,
AND CLIMATE COMMITMENT
DOLLARS IN 2027 IS THE BEST
OPTION FORWARD RIGHT NOW.
IT PRODUCES MIDDLE INCOME JOBS,
APPRENTICESHIP
OPPORTUNITIES, PRIORITY HIRE,
LOCAL HIRE,
AND A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS WE
WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY DAY.
SO JUST ENCOURAGE TO
MOVE FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY IN
THIS
UPCOMING BUDGET WE CAN
IMPROVE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS TO
30% AND
KEEP SEATTLE CENTER
MOVING FORWARD UNTIL IT GETS ITS
FACE
LIFT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BILLY.
NEXT WE HAVE JUSTIN, FOLLOWED
BY CALVIN, THEN LUKE.
>> I'M JUSTIN.
A MEMBER OF WORKERS STRIKE
BACK, AND A FORMER TECH WORKER
LIVING IN QUEEN ANNE THIS IS THE
BARE
MINIMUM.
WE NEED A PERMANENT
MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS IN
SEATTLE AND WE NEED TO TAX THE
RICH INSTEAD.
WE'RE FOUGHT GOING TO GET ANY
OF THIS BY RELYING ON
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WHICH IS
WHY I'M WITH THE INDEPENDENT
SOCIALIST CAMPAIGN FOR
CONGRESS THAT IS FIGHTING FOR
THESE
DEMANDS.
THE DEMOCRATIC
COUNCILMEMBERS HERE WON'T STOP
THE
DYSTOPIAN SURVEILLANCE IN THE
CITY.
MASS LAYOFFS, WARS, GENOCIDE,
AND DEPORTATIONS ARE NOW
ALL CONNECTED WITH BIG TECH'S
PUSH FOR A.I.
SHAWMA IS THE ONLY
CANDIDATE WITH A TRACK RECORD OF
DEFEATING THE BILLIONAIRES,
WINNING THE
NATION'S HIGHEST MINIMUM
WAGE, AMAZON TAX, AND RENTERS
RIGHTS.
THAT'S THE KIND OF
LEADERSHIP WORKING PEOPLE NEED.
LET'S DO A CHANT.
STOP THE DATA
CENTERS. STOP THE DATA CENTERS.
STOP THE DATA CENTERS.
>> I'M CALVIN.
>> CAN WE RESTART?
HOLD ON.
WE'LL RESTART YOUR TIME.
BUT BEFORE YOU GO, I WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OTHER
PEOPLE LINED UP.
GIVE ME ONE SECOND. WE HAVE
LUKE, SHAWMA,
BEARING, RON CLEMPANT, NOAH, AND
THEN
MICHELLE. WHEN YOU START, WE'LL
START THE
TIME.
>> I'M CALVIN.
I'M WITH THE SHAWMA FOR
CONGRESS CAMPAIGN.
THERE'S AN UPRISING TAKING
PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AGAINST
THESE DATA CENTERS FOR GOOD
REASON.
THEY CAUSE MASSIVE AIR
POLLUTION, WATER POLLUTION,
AND SOUND POLLUTION.
THEY USE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF
WATER AND ELECTRICITY.
THEY DRAMATICALLY DRIVE UP
UTILITY KAUS.
THE DATA STRZ IN THE WHOLE A.I.
PROJECT THEY'RE LINKED TO ARE
DRIVING MASS LAYOFFS AT A
TIME WHEN THE CLIMATE CRISIS
IS ALREADY TAKING US OVER THE
CLIFF OF ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER.
THEY ARE DISASTER FOR
WORKING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, NOT
JUST
IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY'RE
BUILT.
THE ONLY REASON SO MANY
ARE GOING AHEAD IS BECAUSE THEY
MEAN BIG PROFITS FOR BIG TECH.
SO THE RICHEST BILLIONAIRES
CAN GET RICHER AT ANY COST FOR
THE REST OF US.
THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED.
I SUPPORT THIS ONE- YEAR
MORATORIUM, BUT IT IS SIMPLY
NOT ENOUGH.
WE NEED THEM STOPPED ENTIRELY.
WE NEED EXISTING DATA CENTERS
TO BE TAKEN INTO DEMOCRATIC
PUBLIC
OWNERSHIP BECAUSE WE
CAN'T CONTROL WHAT WE DON'T
OWN.
>> I'M AN ENGINEER AT BOEING
AND
A MEMBER OF
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND
AEROSPACE.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT A PERMANENT
MORATORIUM ON THE A.I.
DATA CENTERS AND I SUPPORT
SHARMA
FOR CONGRESS.
THIS IS A FIGHT FROM THE
CORPORATE BOSSES ON WORKING
PEOPLE.
AS A RANK AND FILE UNION
MEMBER IN A YEAR OF
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS I'M
DEMANDING
THAT BOEING BOSSES TO
RESPECT EXPERTISE OF ENGINEERS
AND TECHNICAL WORKERS WHO
MAKE BOEING PLANES SAFE FOR THE
PUBLIC, PAYING US A SALARY THAT
WILL MAKE LIVING IN THE AREA
COMFORTABLE AND IN THE FACE OF
INFLATION.
AND TO KEEP BOEING JOBS
IN WASHINGTON STATE INSTEAD
OF CONTINUED OUTSOURCING TO
LOWER
PAYING NONUNION STATES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS SHAWMA.
I SUPPORT THE DATA
CENTER MORATORIUM THAT IS UP FOR
VOTE.
THE ONE- YEAR BAN IS FAR FROM
ENOUGH. I'M RUNNING AS AN
INDEPENDENT
SOCIALIST FOR CONGRESS.
OUR CAMPAIGN IS THE ONLY ONE
IN THIS RACE FIGHTING FOR AN END
TO HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS
OR DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
OF
ALL EXISTING DATA CENTERS
AND FOR PUBLIC SECTOR LIVING
WAGE
JOBS GUARANTEED BY TAXING
THE RICH TO COUNTER THE
A.I. MASS LAYOFFS.
DATA CENTERS ARE HAVING A
DEVASTATING IMPACT.
A.I. IS NOW A CENTRAL
COMPONENT OF GENOCIDE AND
EMPYREALEST WAR,
MASS LAYOFFS, AND CLIMATE
CRISIS BECAUSE A.I. IS THE NEW
FRONTIER
FOR SUPER PROFITS FOR THE
SUPER RICH.
THEY WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT
STOP THE A.I. JUGGERNAUT
UNLESS THREATENED BY A POWERFUL
NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT WITH
LEADERS WHO HAVE A BACKBONE TO
GO
UP AGAINST BILLIONAIRES AND
A PROVEN STRATEGY TO WIN
FOR WORKING PEOPLE.
VOTE THE REPUBLICAN AND
DEMOCRATIC PARTIES AREARE
BY THE BILLIONAIRE CLASS AND
THAT'S WHY WE NEED
INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGNS LIKE MINE,
SOLIDARITY, AND I WANT THIS
PLACARD
CALLING FOR A STOP OF DATA
CENTERS
TO COUNCILMEMBER DEBORA JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
DO I NOT GET ONE?
OKAY. IS IT BEARING?
OKAY, AWESOME.
BEARING, FOLLOWED BY RON,
CLEMENT, NOAH, AND MICHELLE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS BEARING.
I'M NOT HERE ABOUT THE DATA
CENTERS, EVEN THOUGH I SUPPORT
ALL THAT.
IT'S COMMON SENSE.
COME ON.
I'M HERE ABOUT KCRH
MISSING FUNDING AND I WANT
CLARITY
ABOUT IT.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE WE
DEBATING ABOUT IT?
WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE?
YOU CAN APPLAUD, ALL THESE
CUBES GOING UP TODAY.
THAT'S GREAT AND ALL, BUT I
HAVE WORKED ADD SEATTLE CLUB, I
HAVE MANAGED COMMUNITIES, I KNOW
WHAT YOUR POLICIES LOOK LIKE
WHEN THEY HIT THE CONCRETE.
I KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW ARE
YOU GOING TO INJECT THE
COMMUNITY, EVERYONE HERE, INTO
HEALING
SEATTLE?
WE'RE GOING TO BE THE NUMBER
ONE HOMELESS COMMUNITY VERY
SOON,
I PROMISE YOU THAT.
I WAS HOMELESS IN 2017.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE
DEBATING ABOUT THIS.
>> RON, FOLLOWED BY CLEMENT,
NOAH, AND MICHELLE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT
THE PUBLIC DEVELOPER.
THEY SEEM TO HAVE DECIDED
TO CHANGE THEIR CHARTER.
AND THEY HAVE ADDED A LOT
OF LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT I
DON'T
LIKE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT CHANGE,
I SEE A CHANCE WHERE THEY
COULD ACQUIRE EMINENT DOMAIN
RIGHTS
TO TAKE MY HOME.
AND I WISH TO RETAIN MY
RIGHT UNDER THE FIFTH AMENDMENT.
TO KEEP THAT,
RETAIN MY RIGHTS TO SELL MY
HOME, LIVE IN MY
HOME.
AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE
SIXTH OR SEVENTH TIME THESE SAME
PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO INVOLVE IN
THIS. NOT THE PUBLIC DEVELOPER
BUT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ASK THEM
TO CHANGE THEIR CHARTER.
I GUESS THIS COUNCIL CANNOT
DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU, RON.
NEXT WE HAVE KLEMM NLT,
FOLLOWED BY NOAH AND MICHELLE.
WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> IS THE MIC ON?
AWESOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M CLEMENT.
I'M A MEMBER OF WORKERS STRIKE
BACK, AND I'M HERE TO
REITERATE WHAT WE HEARD MANY
TIMES
ALREADY
TODAY. MY FIRM OPPOSITION TO
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A.I.
DATA CENTERS IN KING
COUNTY. THE SURGE
UNCONSTRUCTION IS NOTHING BUT A
VAIN ATTEMPT
TO LINE THE POCKETS OF TECH
BILLIONAIRES.
THE CONSTRUCTION WILL LEAD
TO DISASTROUS ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS AND MITOTIC RISES IN
ENERGY
COSTS.
A LOT OF MY FAMILY LIVES IN
VIRGINIA.
THEY'RE CONNECTED TO THE
SAME GRID AS THE HYPERSCALE DATA
CENTER, AND THEY HAVE
ALREADY SEEN THEIR COST OF
LIVING GO UP.
SO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
FIERCELY OPPOSE THE CONSTRUCTION
OF DATA
CENTERS.
THIS IS A BASIC COMMON SENSE AND
THE COUNCIL CANNOT
CREDIBLY CLAIM TO REPRESENT ITS
CONSTITUENTS IF IT DOESN'T
SUPPORT THE DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS NOAH.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE
TRANSIT RIDERS UNION AND TECH
FOR HOUSING AND A DEVOPS
ENGINEER,
WHICH IS A CYBERMECHANIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW
YOUR ATTENTION TO TWO ISSUES
TODAY WITH RESPECT TO DATA
CENTERS.
EMISSIONS AND DESIGN
FUNGIBILITY.
A FACILITY WILL LIKELY
HAVE DIFFERENT POWER AND
COOLING NEEDS THAN A FACILITY
FOR
MAXIMUM SLOP OUTPUT.
DO NOT PERMIT THE LATTER.
SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO
ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON
THE
COMMUNITY.
THEY BURN DIRTY AND LOUD AND
RUN MORE OFTEN THAN YOU WOULD
THINK WITH REGULAR TESTING
REQUIRES FOR NORMAL SERVICE.
THIS PHOTO IS OF A BUS
HOOKED UP TO EMISSIONS TESTING
EQUIPMENT IN 2006.
SEATTLE HAS LED THE WAY IN
EMISSIONS AND AIR
QUALITY STANDARDS FOR THE LAST
20 YEARS.
PLEASE DO NOT ROLL BACK THESE
PROTECTIONS JUST TO PROFIT FROM
A.I. DATA CENTERS.
THANK YOU.
>> NO MICHELLE.
CALL THE OTHER PEOPLE.
WE HAVE DOMINIC FOLLOWED BY
COCO, RICH, REBECCA YOUNG,
LAUREN, EVAN, EMILY.
I THINK THIS IS JODY.
WILL, AND THEN SCOTT.
WELCOME.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MICHELLE
AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO VOTE
YES
ON THE MORATORIUM FOR THE DATA
CENTERS.
THE DATA CENTERS WILL ONLY
BENEFIT THE BILLIONAIRE
CLASS AND THE EPSTEIN
CLASS, AND WHAT'S AT RISK HERE
IS THE
FUTURE OF OUR LIVES, YOUR
CHILDREN'S LIVES, MY POTENTIAL
GRANDCHILDREN'S LIVES.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
PROTECT THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT WE
LIVE
IN TO HAVE CLEAN WATER, TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE ELECTRICITY, AND
JUST TO
PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THE
BILLIONAIRES THAT DO NOT HAVE
OUR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
>> I'M DOMINIC.
A MEMBER OF WORKERS STRIKE
BACK, AND SHARMA'S CAMPAIGN
TEAM FOR
CONGRESS AGAINST ADAM SMITH.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS HAS HAD
DEVASTATING EFFECTS IN THE AREAS
THEY
HAVE BEEN BUILT, INCLUDING WATER
SHORTAGES AND EVEN
SLUDGE DRIPPING FROM PEOPLE'S
TAPS.
I SUPPORT THAT ONE-
YEAR MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS
BUT THIS IS THE BARE MINIMUM.
WHEN SHARMA WAS ON CITY
COUNCIL, SHE LED WORKING PEOPLE
TO
WIN BIG GAINS LIKE THE LIEST
MINIMUM WAGE IN THE NATION AND
THE
AMAZON TAX WHICH TAXES THE
VERY CORPORATIONS TRYING TO
BUILD THESE DATA CENTERS AND
FUNDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY, AT LEAST 48 DATA CENTER
PROJECTS HAVE BEEN HALTED THE
SAME WAY,
INCLUDING IN ILLINOIS
WHERE WORKERS REACHED OUT TO
SHARMA'S CAMPAIGN AND SHE
COORDINATING WITH THEM.
WORKERS STRIKE BACK WAS PART
OF THIS MOVEMENT SHOWING UP
AGAINST DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN
PARTIES WHO WERE BOTH INTENT ON
LAYING
OUT THE RED CARPET FOR BIG TECH.
THERE ISN'T A SINGLE
REPRESENTATIVE ON THE
COUNCIL WHO LEADS WORKING
PEOPLE,
BUT SHAMMA IS STILL HERE
FIGHTING FOR US AND WE NEED TO
ELECT
HER TO CONGRESS.
SHE'S THE ONLY CANDIDATE
TAKING BIG TECH TO --
>> RICH, REBECCA, EVAN, JODY,
WILL, SCOTT.
>> MY NAME IS COCO.
I AM A WORKERS STRIKE
BACK MEMBER AND DISTRICT THREE
VOTER.
I'M HERE TO URGE THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AGAINST A.I. DATA
CENTER EXPANSION FOR NOT ONLY A
YEAR
AT A TIME BUT INDEFINITELY.
IT HAS COMPLETELY
DISREGARDED THE WELLBEING OF OUR
PLANET AND
COMMUNITIES.
MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF
WATERS ARE USED DAILY,
EXACERBATING
ISSUES IN ALREADY DROUGHT- PRONE
REGIONS.
GRIDS ARE
DESTABILIZED, AIR POLLUTION IS
WORSENS AND
OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE IS
JEOPARDIZED.
DOES SEATTLE WANT TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS DESTRUCTION
OR BE
A NATIONAL EXAMPLE THAT WE
DON'T HAVE TO BOW DOWN?
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT,
THE BEAUTIFUL LAND THAT WE ALL
GET TO BENEFIT FROM BY LIVING
HERE, AND PROTECTING EACH OTHER
SHOULD TAKE ABSOLUTE IMPORT
OVER SIPHONING MONEY INTO THE
POCKETS OF BIG TECH
CORPORATIONS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I'M RICH, AND I'M IN FAVOR
OF
PLACING A ONE- YEAR MORATORIUM
ON DATA
CENTERS. DURING THAT YEAR,
PLEASE
MAKE YOUR FINAL DECISION THROUGH
THE
FILTER OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
SEATTLE'S POPULATION WILL
GROW EVEN MORE DUE TO
CLIMATE REFUGEES WHILE OUR WATER
SUPPLY WILL DIMINISH AS
LESSENING
SNOW
PACK FORMS. WE ARE GOING TO NEED
LOTS MORE
ELECTRICITY BECAUSE TO
ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, WE NEED
TO
STOP BURNING FOSSIL FUELS
AND ELECTRIFY OUR BUILDINGS AND
TRANSPORTATION.
MOST DATA CENTERS WANT LOTS OF
WATER AND ELECTRICITY, AND
YOU CAN KILL THEM THROUGH
REGULATION.
TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE
TO GENERATE THEIR OWN EMISSION-
FREE POWER.
GOOD LUCK ON THIS SIDE OF THE
STATE.
THEY'LL HAVE TO USE A CLOSED
LOOP SYSTEM FOR COOLING AND
NOT TAP INTO OUR WATER SUPPLY.
OUR HEALTH AND WELFARE DEPEND
ON YOU BEING FIRM ON THESE TWO
REQUIREMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
AND THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS
REBECCA YOUNG.
I'M A PARENT, A VOTER, AND
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3.
I HAVE EMAILED YOU ALL LONGER
COMMENTS.
I'M HERE TO STRONGLY SUPPORT
THE
YEAR- LONG MORATORIUM ON
DATA CENTERS AND URGE YOU ALL TO
VOTE IN FAVOR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK
YOU. WE HAVE LAUREN, FOLLOWED BY
EVAN, EMILY, JODY, WILL, SCOTT.
>> HI.
I'M HERE, AGAIN, TO ASK THE
CITY
COUNCIL TO PUT A MORATORIUM
ON DATA CENTERS.
AS I SAID THE LAST TIME, WATER
IS A PRECIOUS COMMODITY.
WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT A.I.
IN FACT, I PREFER TO.
BUT WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
WATER.
AND SO I REALLY HOPE THAT
YOU WILL TAKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
INTO CONSIDERATION WHILE YOU
MAKE YOUR DECISION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M A SEATTLE BORN RESIDENT
OF DISTRICT SIX, A PART OF THE
A.I.
RESISTANCE.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO
WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT AND PUTTING
THE INTEREST OF SEATTLE
RESIDENTS AND OUR LIVING
ECOSYSTEMS
ABOVE THE SEDUCTIVE A.I. GOLD
RUSH.
WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE
CONSEQUENCES OF UNCHECKED
DATA CENTER EXPANSION IN THE
PACIFIC
NORTHWEST ACROSS THE
COLUMBIA RIVER IN OREGON.
WHERE DATA CENTER WASTE WATER,
PROPOSALS TO DIVERT WATER
AND CORRUPTION SCANDALS TIED
TO AMAZON BACKED SHELL
UTILITY COMPANIES EXIST.
LOOK UP THE WIND WAVE SCANDAL
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THESE
MISTAKES TO BE REPEATED HERE.
THE MORATORIUM IS AN
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TO
PROTECTING OUR
COMMUNITY, OUR LAND, OUR
WATER, AND OUR DEMOCRATIC
INSTITUTIONS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU AND ADVOCATING FOR
SIMILAR PROTECTIONS ACROSS KING
COUNTY
AND WASHINGTON STATE.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES
ON THE MORATORIUM, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR
QUICK AND DECISIVE ACTION ON
THIS
ISSUE.
WE'RE JUST TWO MONTH FROM
WHEN THIS WAS FIRST BROKEN BY
THE SEATTLE TIMES.
I WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY THANK
COUNCILMEMBER LIN AND MY
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS ISSUE AND ESPECIALLY FOR
ING WITH
THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGING WITH
ADVOCATES AND TAKING OUR INPUT
SERIOUSLY. I WOULD ALSO SAY HELL
YEAH
TO THE
STROO
>> Rich: SEATTLE CENTER LEVY.
LET'S GET GOOD WORK FOR
SEATTLE AND FIX UP SEATTLE
CENTER WHERE
MY OLDEST KID GOES TO SCHOOL.
PEARL JAM GUY OUT.
>> EMILY.
>> YES.
>> EMILY FOLLOWED BY JODY,
WILL, SCOTT.
>> I'M EMILY JOHNSON, ALSO
WITH WASHINGTON A.I. RESISTANCE.
AND I HAVE CRAZY AMOUNT TO
SAY ABOUT DATA CENTERS BUT TODAY
ALL I WANT TO SAY IS THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR GETTING MOVING ON
THIS
MORATORIUM AND THANK YOU IN
ADVANCE FOR THIS VOTE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK CUT
OUT FOR US IN THE NEXT YEAR
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK
FOR SEATTLE IF IT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN AT ALL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JODY HERE?
OH, OKAY. NO WORRIES AT ALL.
WILL, THEN SCOTT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS
OF THE COUNCIL.
AS SOMEONE WHO CURRENTLY SUES
A.I. COMPANIES AND IS RUNNING
A LEGISLATIVE RACE AS A.I.
REGULATION AS MY TOP POLICY,
I'M
HERE
TO APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR ACTION
ON THIS WHICH
I ANTICIPATE AND TO URGE THE
PASSAGE OF THE DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM.
I HAVE CALLED FOR A STATE-
WIDE MORATORIUM UNTIL WE GET
THIS INDUSTRY UNDER CONTROL AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH COLLEAGUES TO GET THAT
DONE.
THE POLICY ASPECT OF THIS I
WANT TO MAKE SURE IS ABUNDANTLY
CLEAR IS THERE IS NO WAY TO
BUILD
NEW DATA CENTERS THAT ARE
100% POWERED BY NEW RENEWABLE
ENERGY
IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT STILL
UNDERCUT OUR CLIMATE PROGRESS.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS
THAT THERE ARE FINITE
CONSTRAINTS
ON OUR ABILITY TO PRODUCE
RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THIS COUNTRY
RIGHT
NOW. BOTH IN TERMS OF THE
MATERIALS
REQUIRED AND IN TERMS OF
THE APPROPRIATE
CITING. AND AS A RESULT, EVERY
DATA CENTER THAT IS BUILT IS
NECESSARILY DRAWING AWAY
RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT COULD
HAVE BEEN USED TO OFFSET CARBON
EMISSIONS ELSEWHERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, WILL.
SCOTT.
BEFORE YOU GO, I'M GOING TO
SAY THE NEXT TEN SPEAKERS.
IF YOU'RE LISTENING
ONLINE, AFTER WE DO THESE NEXT
TEN, WE'RE GOING TO COME TO
ONLINE, AND THEN COME BACK IN
PERSON.
OKAY.
SO IF YOU'RE ONLINE,
PLEASE START COMING IN.
THE NEXT SPEAKERS AFTER SCOTT
IS GOING TO BE ANN, PETER,
PATRICK,
ADRIAN, SARAH, CLIVE, BEN,
AUDREY, PAUL, AND NIVI.
WELCOME, SCOTT.
>> MY NAME IS SCOTT.
I'M IN DISTRICT ONE.
LONG TIME RESIDENT AND I'M
HERE TO ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT
THE MORATORIUM.
I THINK WE HAVE EVERYBODY
KNOWS ALL THE ISSUES WITH
A.I. AND HOW HORRIBLE
ENVIRONMENTALLY IT
IS AND HOW HORRIBLE IT IS IN
MANY OTHER WAYS.
AND I LOOK FORWARDS TO WORKING
WITH YOU IN THE NEXT YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARDS TO
GET GOOD MORATORIUM,
GOOD CRITERIA CONSTRAINTS, AND
IT WILL BE A STRUGGLE AND I'LL
BE WITH YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SCOTT.
IAN, PETER, PATRICK, ADRIAN,
BEN, AUDREY, PAUL, AND NIVI.
WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS ANN.
I'M ALSO HERE TO ENCOURAGE
A PERMANENT MORATORIUM ON DATA
CENTERS IN SEATTLE.
TO DATE, DATA CENTER
CONSUMPTION IS ESTIMATED AT 415
TEAR
AWATT HOURS WHICH IS UP 1.5% OF
GLOBAL ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION.
FURTHER MORE, THEY ARE 3% OF
EARTH'S WATER IS FRESHWATER
AND ONLY 5% IS SAFE FOR HUMAN
CONSUMPTION. ONE DATA CENTER CAN
CONSUME
UP TO 5 MILLION GALLONS
OF FRESHWATER PER DAY.
THERE ARE 5,380 DATA
CENTERS IN THE U.S. RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE OSFACING A CLIMATE
CRISIS.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S
A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE TO
BE USING THAT MUCH FRESHWATER
WHICH
IS ALREADY PIPED, WHAT,. 5%
OF THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO HUMANS
ALREADY.
YEAH, ANYWAY, I JUST -- IT'S
UNREGULATED.
IT STEALS FROM ARTISTS.
IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.
I MEAN, THE LIST COULD GO ON
AND
ON. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY,
EVERYBODY HERE HAS MORE ELOQUENT
THINGS TO SAY, BUT --
.
>> WE HAVE PETER, WELCOME.
>> HELLO.
HEY, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
MY NAME IS PETER.
I'M HERE WITH THE SEATTLE
DSA, AND I'M ALSO A CONSTITUENT
OF DISTRICT FIVE.
I'M HERE TODAY ASKING YOU
TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE ONE-
YEAR DATA CENTER MORATORIUM,
NOT BECAUSE I'M A LUDDITE,
NOT BECAUSE I'M ANTI-
TECHNOLOGY
BUT BECAUSE I'M PRO-HUMAN.
ANTI- TECHNOLOGY IS EVOLVING AT
A BREAK NECK PACE, AND WE
NED TO BUY TIME FOR THE
REGULATIONS
TO CATCH UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY
OR ELSE THE WORKING CLASS OF
THIS CITY AND OF THIS COUNTRY IS
JUST GOING TO BE COMPLETELY
CRUSHED.
WE NEEDIA TO FIGHT WITH US.
THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING WITH US.
ALSO HERE WITH WASHINGTON A.I.
RESISTANCE.
Y'RE WORKING ON AN A.I.
BILL OF RIGHTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO QUICKLY
DISCUSS THE FOUR PILLARS.
FAIRNESS, IT SHOULDN'T DRIVE
UP THE ELECTRICITY COST
OF CONSUMERS JUST BECAUSE A
DATA CENTER WAS PLOPPED IN THEIR
BACK
YARD. AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WE
NEED TO
HOLD COMPANIES THAT
BREAK REGULATIONS AEBLTHABLE.
I ALSO SUPPORT THE GRANT FOR THE
CLEAN DECARBONIZATION OF
THE
SEATTLE CENTER.
>> THANK YOU, PETER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE HAVE PATRICK, FOLLOWED BY
ADRIAN AND SARAH.
>> YEAH, MY NAME IS PAT AND
I LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE.
AND I ACTUALLY THINK
LUDDITES HAVE GOT SORT OF A BAD
RAP.
I WILL EXPRESS MY SUPPORT
FOR THE COUNCIL ADOPTING THIS
DATA CENTER MORATORIUM.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE ON BOTH
COMMITTEES
AND THE REAL WORK IS OUT
THERE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF
BAD FAITH ACTORS WHO ARE GOING
TO WANT TO SHAPE WHAT'S COMING
UP.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THIS.
>> THANK YOU, PATRICK.
>> I AM -- I LIVE IN DISTRICT
TWO.
I'M IN BEACON HILL.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU FOR THE
MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS.
SIMPLY PUT, MORE DATA
CENTERS MEANS MORE SURVEILLANCE
AT A
TIME WHERE WE HAVE A
CAPRICIOUS, VINDICTIVE,
AUTHORITARIAN
GOVERNMENT.
UNTIL WE HAVE COMMON
SENSE POLICIES IN PLACE TO SET
UP
GUARDRAILS I'M ASKING THAT OUR
CITY DOESN'T ENABLE THIS
BIG TECH POWER GRAB.
BIG TECH WILL SAY TO YOU ALL IN
MEETINGS THAT THESE ARE ALL
ALARMIST CONCERNS.
THEY ARE NOT.
THEY DON'T GET TO REGULATE
THEMSELVES, PERIOD.
STAND WITH SEATTLEITES AND
NOT WITH BILLIONAIRES.
THANK YOU.
>> WELCOME, SARAH.
>> HI.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> LET'S RESET HER TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO PULL THE
MICROPHONE AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN.
YEP, SO YOU CAN TALK RIGHT
INTO THE MIC.
>> HI.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MY
NAME IS SARAH. I'M HERE WITH
INDISTINGUISHABLE RIVL
RESISTANCE.
I'M HERE IN
SUPPORT OF THE DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM AND A FORMER
TECH WORKER.
THANK YOU.
>> IS IT CLIVE?
AWESOME, CLIVE, BEN, AUDREY,
PAUL, AND NIVI, WE'LL GO TO
YOU AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK IN
PERSON.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME
IS CLIVE HAYWARD, RESOLUTION
32205 RECOGNIZES CIVIC SPACES
AS PLACES OF CULTURE,
GATHERING, AND PUBLIC
LIFE. BUT PUBLIC SPACE MUST
REMAIN
MEANINGFULLY OPEN FOR PUBLIC
EXPRESSION.
TODAY, EXPRESSIVE ACTIVITY
ACROSS THE MORE THAN 20 ACRES
OF CENTRAL SEATTLE'S WATERFRONT
IS EFFECTIVELY RESTRICTED TO
ONLY FIVE DESIGNATED PROTECTED
SPEECH
LOCATIONS.
UNDER RULES ADMINISTRATED AND
ENFORCED BY SEATTLE CENTER
PERSONNEL, THIS IS
NOT MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO PUBLIC
SPACE. FOR OVER A YEAR, I RAISED
THESE
ISSUES THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENTS,
NOTICE OF CLAIMS AND LETTERS
TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ACROSS
ADMINISTRATIONS, YET THE
CITY HAS STILL NOT
PROVIDED MEANINGFUL PUBLIC
EXPLANATION.
AFTER REPEATED NOTICE,
UNANSWERED REQUESTS FOR
ENGAGEMENT, AND SEATTLE'S
OWN JUDICIAL HISTORY, CONTINUED
ENFORCEMENT OF THESE RULES RISKS
BECOMING KNOWINGLY
AND WILLINGLY DISREGARDING --
>> THANK YOU, CLIVE.
THANK YOU, CLIVE.
YOU CAN PUT -- I KNOW, WE
DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU
OFF.
YOU CAN PUT MORE IN THERE AS
WELL.
>> IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO GO
AFTER SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BE
HEARD.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A SEC.
>> LET'S RESTART YOUR TIME
SO YOU HAVE YOUR FULL ONE
MINUTE.
ONE SECOND.
ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS BEN JONES.
I'M THE DIGITAL
AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR
SEATTLE.
I'M TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT OF
A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM IN OUR
CITY.
THIS COUNCIL RECEIVED NOW OVER
98,000 MESSAGES ENDORSED BY
OVER 50 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
IN SUPPORT OF THIS MORATORIUM.
OVER 100 PEOPLE AT LEAST IN THIS
ROOM, I WASN'T COUNTING TODAY,
HAVE TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT OF
THIS MORATORIUM.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
IF THIS MORATORIUM IS
PASSED, SEATTLE WILL BE THE CITY
WITH
THE LARGEST CITY IN
THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE PASS
SAID
A MORATORIUM LIKE THIS.
I JUST ENCOURAGE THIS COUNCIL
SORT OF LIKE TAKE THIS
MOMENT. I URGE YOU TO BUILD ON
THAT
STORY. I URGE YOU TO
SET THE NATIONAL AGENDA.
>> WE WILL GO ONLINE.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS AUDREY.
I'M AN ENGINEER SPECIALIZING
IN POWER AND RENEWABLE ENERGY.
AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2.
I AM ALSO A BOARD OF
DIRECTOR MEMBER FOR 350 SEATTLE
AND I
CO- LEAD CLIMATE, AN
ORGANIZATION FOR LGBTQ FOLKS WHO
WORK IN
CLIMATE. AS AN EXPERT IN ENERGY
AND
SUSTAINABILITY, THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A.I. DATA CENTERS
GREATLY
CONCERNS ME.
THEY THREATEN TO DECIMATE ANY
HOPE WE HAVE OF MITIGATING
THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
IT'S A DISTRACTION FROM
BUILDING OUT THE CLEAN
ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE WE
DESPERATELY
NEED, SO VOTE YES ON THE
MORATORIUM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NICE HAT.
YOU'RE TAKING IT OFF.
IT WAS NICE.
VERY NICE.
AND THEN NIVI.
AWESOME.
GO AHEAD, PAUL.
WHEN YOU START UX THE TIME WILL
START.
>> WE NEED A MORATORIUM ON
DATA CENTERS BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT
THEIR RACE TO BUILD DATA
CENTERS IS A RACE AGAINST
REGULATIONS.
IT IS A RACE AGAINST BETTER
REGULATION REGARDING AIR
POLLUTION, WATER POLLUTION, ET
CETERA.
IT IS ALSO A RACE
AGAINST REGULATION CONSIDERING
NEW --
CONSIDER YOU CAN'T HEAR
BUT YOU CAN FEEL IT.
SOME DATA CENTERS PRODUCE
INFRASOUND THAT IS FELT UP
TO FIVE MILES AWAY.
AND THIS IS TYPICALLY NOT
COVERED BY ZONING LAWS.
CONSIDER LOCAL HEAT INCREASE
IN AN AVERAGE OF PLUS 3. 6
FAHRENHEIT.
AND UP TO 16 FAHRENHEIT IN SOME
CASES WITH EFFECTS STRETCHING
AS FAR AS SIX MILES.
AND WE KNOW THE TECH
BILLIONAIRES' MOTTO, MOVE FAST
AND BREAK THINGS.
ALSO BREAK THE LAW WHEN
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.
IN MISSISSIPPI, MUSK USED
UNAUTHORIZED GAS GENERATORS.
IN FAYETTEVILLE, GEORGIA,
THEY STOLE 30 MILLION GALLONS OF
WATER.
>> WE'LL GO ONLINE AND COME
BACK IN PERSON.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS NIVI.
I'M THE FOUNDER OF SOAP BOX
PROJECT.
SEATTLE'S MOST JOYFUL
COMMUNITY SPACE FOR CLIMATE
ACTION.
SO IF YOU'RE FREE
TONIGHT, COME HAVE DINNER WITH
US IN BELLTOWN.
I'M HERE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM.
I STARTED AN ORGANIZATION
TO CONVENE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I
WAS FEELING REALLY ANXIOUS AND
AFRAID THAT OUR FUTURE WAS
BEING STOLEN BY TECH
BILLIONAIRES
AND PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO
EXTRACT
OUR RESOURCES, SO I JUST WANT
TO SAY COMING HERE THREE
PUBLIC COMMENTS IN A ROW, NO ONE
WANTS
THIS. THERE HAS NOT BEEN
ONE PERSON IN SUPPORT OF DATA
CENTERS,
AND THAT MAKES ME EXTREMELY
HAPPY
IN A TIME WHEN POLARIZATION IS
ON
THE LOOSE, AND SO I JUST
WANTED TO LOOK AROUND AND SAVOR
THIS MOMENT OF UNITY AND MUTUAL
HATRED OF
BILLIONAIRE CAPITALISM.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING US TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, NIVI.
AWESOME. AND FOR THE RECORD,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA IS
HERE IN
PERSON.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO ONLINE.
AND DON'T WORRY, WE'RE
COMING BACK IN PERSON.
WE HAVE CATHERINE
DAWSON, FOLLOWED BY JACQUELINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> HI.
I'M CATHERINE. I'M A SEATTLE
RESIDENT
IN DISTRICT 3 AND CALLING
TAVOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE
MORATORIUM
ON DATA CENTERS IN LINE WITH
MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND
UNIONS.
AS WE KNOW, A.I. IS ALREADY
AN ENVIRONMENTAL NIGHTMARE
THAT TECH ELITES ARE INTEND
ON FORCING UPON US.
WE DON'T NEED TO FURTHER
INVITE THAT NIGHTMARE
INTO OUR CITY. SEATTLE IS A CITY
FACING AN
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IN A WORLD
FACING A CLIMATE CRISIS, AND
A.I. DATA CENTERS
WOULD EXACERBATE BOTH THOSE
ISSUES
SO PLEASE VOTE YES ON THE
MORATORIUM.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE
JACQUELINE. PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JACQUELINE.
I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF
SEATTLE AND A SOFTWARE ENGINEER
WHO WORKED FOR FIVE YEARS FOR
MICROSOFT AND NOW WORKS AT A
LOCALLY BASED A.I. NATIVE
START-UP.
DAY IN AND DAY OUT, I WORK WITH
A.I. TECHNOLOGY AND I'M
CONFIDENT WHEN I ASSERT THE
COST OF THE A.I. GOLD RUSH IS
NOT WORTH THE TRADEOFF.
ALL ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY IS A
LOT OF OPPORTUNITY, I URGE
YOU TO LEARN FROM MISTAKES OF
UNFETTERED COMMERCIAL
ADVANCEMENT IN THE PLACE
LIKE CONTAMINATION THAT BEGAN IN
THE
1950s AND CONTINUED THROUGH
2025 THAT LED TO OTHER
FOREVER CHEMICALS BEING
SPREAD GLOBALLY AND AFFECTING
THE HEALTH OF
ALL LIVING HUMANS AND ANIMALS.
WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THESE
DATA CENTERS HAVE, SO I'LL END
WITH POINTING OUT THESE DATA
CENTERS ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR
CONSUMER
ENTERPRISE TODAY, BUT THEY
WILL BE ED FOR TOMORROW.
VOTE YES TO CREATE
THE MORATORIUM TODAY.
THANK YOU.
>> AIDEN FOLLOWED BY ANNIE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> GOOD MORNING.
OR AFTERNOON.
I WANT TO SUGGEST OTHER
WAYS THAT MORATORIUM LIKE THIS
CAN
AND MUST GO FURTHER.
WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THE
BEST WAY TO TARGET SOMETHING
HARMFUL IS TO TARGET THE
SECONDARY AND
TIRSHARY SPORTERS OF IT.
THAT INCLUDES I.C.E. AND THE
MACHINE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES
THE MOTIVE BEHIND MOST OF THE
A.I. ,
THE DESIRE TO REPLACE WAGES.
THIS IS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH
OF A PROBLEM.
WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH
WEALTH TO CREATE THE JOBS
GUARANTEE
AND BASIC INCOME THAT WE
NEEDNEED
ADDRESS THE INEQUALITY
CRISIS, THE HOUSING INEQUALITY
CRISIS,
THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER,
AND THE CRIME.
LIKE, THE AURORA CRISIS IS REAL.
>> THANK YOU, AIDEN.
NEXT WE HAVE ANNIE, FOLLOWED BY
ADARA.
STAR 6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS ANNIE, AND I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON
THE DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM. I'M A UNION STEWARD
AT
UAW 4121, WHICH ALREADY ENDORSED
A
LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL
ENCOURAGING
THIS MORATORIUM AND I'M A
RESEARCHER AT UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON.
RESEARCHING DATA CENTERS.
I'M ALSO A FORMER SOFTWARE
ENGINEER AND I'M SPEAKING AS
A MEMBER OF WASHINGTON A.I.
RESISTANCE COALITION.
SEATTLE NEEDS TO FOLLOW
OTHER PLACES INCLUDING TRIBAL
COUNCILS THAT HAVE ENDORSED
MORATORIUMS.
AT LEAST 57 COUNTIES, TOWNS,
AND TOWNSHIPS ACROSS THE U.S.
HAVE ACTIVE MORATORIUMS ACROSS
BIPARTISAN LINES LIKE GEORGIA,
NEVADA, NEW JERSEY, IOWA,
WISCONSIN, ARIZONA, MISSOURI,
TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, LOUISIANA,
INDIANA, KANSAS, MICHIGAN,
CALIFORNIA, NORTH DAKOTA,
MAINE, OHIO, ALABAMA, SO SEATTLE
NEEDS
TO JOIN THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> ADARA, FOLLOWED BY ROSE.
ROSE, ALLISON, AUBREY.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU LOUD
AND
CLEAR.
>> OKAY, GREAT.
MY NAME IS ADARA.
I'M A UW STUDENT AND I'M SURE
YOU'RE GETTING SICK OF
HEARING THIS BUT HOPEFULLY IT
MAKES
IT CLEAR HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
I'M ALSO HERE TO SUPPORT
THE MORATORIUM AGAINST A.I. DATA
CENTERS. HERE IN SEATTLE, WE'RE
ENTERING OUR FOURTH YEAR OF
SEVERE
DROUGHT.
WE JUST CANNOT AFFORD THIS.
IT MAKES NO FEASIBLE SENSE.
THANK YOU.
>> ROSE.
WE SEE ALLISON,
FOLLOWED BY
AUBREY.
WE SEE YOU'RE UNMUTED.
GO AHEAD AND START SPEAKING.
YOU MIGHT BE MUTED ON YOUR
PHONE.
>> OH, HI.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANKS.
I'M ALLISON.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF
SEATTLE.
I'M ASKING THAT YOU VOTE YES
ON THE DATA CENTER MORATORIUM
AND INTRODUCE A PERMANENT BAN ON
THEM GOING FORWARD.
SEATTLE IS EXPERIENCING AN
INEXCUSABLE LEVEL OF
HOMELESSNESS. OUR FOOD BANK
LINES ARE OUT THE
DOOR, OUR UNPLOEMPT IS SKY HIGH.
OUR PARKS AND SCHOOLS ARE
UNDERFUNDED AND MANY OF
OUR NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA ARE
SUFFERING.
MONETARY GOALS TO RUSH
THROUGH DATA CENTER PRODUCTION
WILL
ONLY
EXASPERATE THESE ISSUES ALONG
WITH EXPOSING OUR CITY TO MORE
AIR, WATER, POLLUTION.
WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT AND
WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT WHAT IS
BEST
FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR
COMMUNITY, AND OUR
FUTURE GENERATIONS IS TO PUT AS
MANY SAFETY MEASURES AND
GUARDRAILS
IN PLACE TO
KEEP SEATTLE INHABITANTS
THRIVING AND FREE
FROM HARM FROM CORPORATIONS
THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR BOTTOM
LINE.
THANK YOU, BYE.
>> UNMUTE YOURSELF, AUBREY,
AND THEN ALEXA IS NEXT, FOLLOWED
BY
JOHN.
STAR 6.
>> HI, MY NAME IS AUBREY.
YOU CAN HEAR ME?
>> YES, NOW WE CAN.
WE'LL RESTART YOUR TIME.
ONE SECOND.
>> MY NAME IS AUBREY.
I'M A YOUNG ADULT FROM
DISTRICT.
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HERE,
I'M HERE TO COMMUNICATE MY
SUPPORT FOR THE MORATORIUM OF
DATA
CENTERS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF
DATA CENTERS AND ABOUT HIGHER
BILLS IN AN ALREADY EXPENSIVE
CITY.
I WENT TO COLLEGE NEAR
HILLSBOROUGH, OREGON, A
TOWN THAT ISN'T BIG BUT IT HAS
OVER 20 DATA CENTERS AND I
REMEMBER HEARING THE ELECTRIC
BUZZ
THAT COMES OFF THEM.
REALLY, THOUGH, NOISE
POLLUTION IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
THESE DATA CENTERS DEMAND
RESOURCES FROM OUR
COMMUNITIES WITHOUT INVESTING
BACK IN THEM.
THEY REQUIRE SO MUCH POWER
AND WATER WITHOUT PROVIDING
A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF JOBS
WHILE UNEMPLOYMENT IS HIGH.
WE NEED TO SET UP
LEGAL PROTECTIONS NOW.
I'M ASKING YOU AND THANKING
YOU FOR PRIORITIZING THE PEOPLE
OF
THIS COUNTRY OVER BIG TECH
DEVELOPMENT.
PLEASE PASS THIS
MORATORIUM TO BEGIN THIS
PROCESS.
THANK YOU.
>> ALUXA FOLLOWED BY JOHN, THEN
DAVID.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALEXA.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2.
I'M A PARENT OF YOUNG KIDS,
AND FOR THE SAKE OF OUR KIDS AND
THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY, I'M
ASKING
THAT YOU VOTE YES TO
THE MORATORIUM AGAINST A.I.
DATA CENTERS AND HOPEFULLY A
PERMANENT BAN FOR ALL A.I.
DATA CENTERS IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU.
>> JOHN FOLLOWED BY DAVID
AND THEN MICHELLE.
>> HI.
IT'S JOHN VETO.
I'M IN DISTRICT 4, MEMBER OF
THE
36th DISTRICT DEMOCRATS.
LISTENING TO ALL THE COMMENTS
ON THE MORATORIUM,
IT'S JUST ASTOUNDING TO ME THAT
IT IS
CURRENTLY LEGAL FOR THESE
CORPORATIONS TO PUT
THESE SYSTEMS IN THAT WOULD
EXTRACT
SO MUCH OF OUR NEEDED
RESOURCES WITH THE PURPOSE OF
ING
JOBS SO THAT MORE WEALTH CAN BE
ACCUMULATED BY THE OWNERS OF
THESE SYSTEMS.
SO YEAH, I HOPE THAT WE CAN
RECTIFY THE SITUATION AND ENACT
A MORATORIUM AND BRING ABOUT
REGULATION THAT WILL PROTECT US.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN.
NEXT WE HAVE DAVID, FOLLOWED BY
MICHELLE.
ROSE, AND NATALIE, WHO ARE NOT
PRESENT, BUT YOU HAVE SIGNED UP.
>> HI, DAVID HAYNES.
WE NEED A NEW POLICE CHIEF.
IT'S OBVIOUS THE CITY COUNCIL
IS NOT READY FOR WORLD
CUP. THE MAYOR IS NOT READY.
YET WE STILL HAVE THIS VIRTUE
SIGNALING ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT REPEAT
OFFENDERS WHO GET PRIORITIZED
FOR
HOUSING AND SERVICES.
IT'S NOT FAIR THAT THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO TOOK
ANOTHER
EXTENDED VACATION YESTERDAY
WITH NOTHING ON THE COUNCIL
BRIEFING THAT WE'RE
ENTERTAINING KSHAMA'S
CAMPAIGN.
IT'S BULLSHIT.
[ BLEEP ]
YOU.
>> OKAY, SO NEXT WE
HAVE MICHELLE AND THEN WE'LL GO
BACK
IN PERSON.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M IN DISTRICT 2.
I SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM, AND
I SUPPORT A THOUGHTFUL
OVERSIGHT AND REGULATION OF A.I.
RELATED
DEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER, I RESPECTFULLY ASK
THAT ANY MORATORIUM INCLUDE A
GRANDFATHER PROVISION FOR
THE FORMER BED, BATH, AND
BEYOND SITE AND SIMILAR PROJECTS
ALREADY UNDER WAY.
THIS PROJECT IS NOT
SIMPLY ANOTHER COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS AN EMERGING ART AND MUSIC
CENTER THAT IS
STILL ESTABLISHING ITSELF AND
WORKING
TO BECOME A SUSTAINABLE
CULTURAL ASSET FOR SEATTLE.
THE CENTER HAS POTENTIAL TO
CREATE JOBS, SUPPORT LOCAL
ARTISTS AND CREATE BUSINESSES.
ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN, ATTRACT
VISITORS AND PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED
COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE.
AT A TIME WHEN SEATTLE
IS WORKING TO REVITALIZE ITS
URBAN
CORE, WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL TO
NOT UNINTENTIONALLY
INHIBIT PROJECTS THAT ARE
CONTRIBUTE
TO THE CITY'S CULTURAL --
>> ALL RIGHT, AND NOW, THANK
YOU, MICHELLE.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GEE BACK IN
PERSON.
WE HAVE BOBBY, FOLLOWED BY
HUNTER.
THEN AUSTIN, WE HAVE SOPHIE,
KEITH, CATHERINE, HOWARD,
KENDRA, ALICIA, AND BRIAN.
YOU ARE ALL UP NEXT.
SO WE HAVE BOBBY, HUNTER,
AUSTIN, SOPHIE, KEITH,
CATHERINE, HOWARD, KENDRA,
ALICIA, BRIAN.
WELCOME.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY
WE'RE ON NUMBER 41.
I DID LET PEOPLE KNOW
WHAT NUMBERS THEY ARE.
>> WE'RE ON NUMBER 41.
THANK YOU.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 54 IN PERSON
SPEAKERS AND WHATEVER IS ON THE
LIST OVER ON THE SIDE.
WELCOME. NUMBER 41.
>> HI, I'M BOBBY.
I LIVE IN FINNEY RIDGE.
I HAVE BEEN HERE IN SEATTLE
ABOUT 46 YEARS. I LOVE SEATTLE
BECAUSE
THE BEAUTY AND BECAUSE THE
PEOPLE TAKE ON THE ISSUES.
THEY DON'T JUST LET
STEAM ROLLERS ROLL OVER THEM.
I THINK THAT THE BIG A.I.
CORPORATIONS LIKE META AND
AMAZON, AND THERE ARE PROBABLY
MORE, ARE KIND OF
SURPRISED BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT
THEY
COULD GET AWAY WITH DOING
WHATEVER THEY WANT, BUT WE'RE
NOT
A COMPANY TOWN, AT LEAST I
HOPE WE'RE NOT.
WE DON'T OWE OUR SOULS TO THE
COMPANIES. SO I WANT TO
ENCOURAGE YOU
TO PUT -- OKAY, THIS MORATORIUM
SO EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO
THINK
ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT
WHAT REGULATIONS WE NEED.
WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF THEM
TODAY.
SO THAT WE WON'T OWE OUR SOULS
TO THE COMPANY STORE.
THANK YOU.
>> HUNTER.
WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS HUNTER.
AND TODAY, I AM SPEAKING
IN FAVOR OF THE ONE- YEAR
MORATORIUM, AND BEYOND THAT,
HOPEFULLY A PERMANENT
MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER
CONSTRUCTION AND
EXPANSION.
I'M 26 YEARS OLD, AND AS LONG
AS I CAN REMEMBER, I HAVE
BEEN WATCHING DROUGHTS AND
GRID FAILURES BECOME
INCREASINGLY
COMMON.
AND THESE DATA CENTERS
WOULD ONLY EXACERBATE THAT.
FURTHER MORE, AS FAR AS I'M
AWARE, A.I. -- A.I. USE
REDUCES THE CAPACITY FOR
CREATIVE
THINKING, WHICH TERRIFIES
ME WHEN IT COMES TO THE
FUTURE GENERATIONS AND KIDS WHO
ARE
IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL CONFIDENT IN SAYING
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS
TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THESE
DATA CENTERS ARE HOOVERING UP
ALL OUR
WATER AND ELECTRICITY IN
SERVICE OF A TOOL THAT DOES
NOTHING BUT
KILL JOBS, REDUCE CREATIVE
THINKING.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF
THE
COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS AUSTIN.
PERSONALLY, I SUPPORT
A PERMANENT MORATORIUM ON
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DATA
CENTERS. SECOND, I WANT TO
EXPRESS
MY CONCERN AND MAYBE CURIOSITY
OVER THE 301 VIRGINIA STREET
NOT BEING SUBJECT TO THE
MORATORIUM
GIVEN IT WAS FLOATED ON APRIL
18th AND THE FILINGS
WERE EXPEDITED AND ARRIVED IN
MAY.
I FIND THAT TIMING CURIOUS
ESPECIALLY SINCE TWO PEOPLE HAVE
SPOKEN TO THAT.
THEY DEFENDED THIS AS NOT AN
A.I. DATA CENTER BUT A
HIGHLY CONNECTED NETWORK
FACILITY.
I DON'T CARE IT YOU CALL IT A
WALDORF SCHOOL FOR
MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS.
WE NEED TO EVALUATE THEM ON THE
IMPACTS THEY
HAVE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
AND THE BROADER IMPLICATION
THESE IES
HAVE ON DIRECTING RESOURCES
AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
PLEASE SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS
AND MAINTAIN THE HIGH
TRANSPARENCY ON ADJACENT
PROJECTS.
THANK YOU.
>> THE MORATORIUM IS A GREAT
STEP, PUT WE WANT MORE THAN
JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE
ROAD.
WE WANT A PERMANENT OUTRIGHT BAN
ON A.I. DATA CENTERS RIGHT
NOW. THESE FACILITIES POISON
COMMUNITIES, THEY DRIVE
UP ELECTRICITY COSTS AND ALL FOR
WHAT?
ALL TO POWER UNWANTED,
INACCURATE, PLAGIARISTIC SLOP.
NORMAL PEOPLE DO NOT WANT
OUR CITY CRUCIFIED ON A CROSS OF
SLOP. PASSING A ONE-YEAR
MORATORIUM DOES NOT ABSOLVE YOU
OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> I'M
KEITH CARPENTER. I'M THE PASTOR
OF EPIC LIFE
CHURCH.
I'M GOING TO BE THE ONE
OUTLIER.
I'M IN NORTH SEATTLE AND I
WANT TO REMIND US THAT
MEANWHILE, THERE'S 12, 13, AND
14-YEAR-
OLD GIRLS BEING TRAFFICKED
ALONG AURORA AVENUE.
IN MOTELS AND BACK SEATS OF
SUVs.
AND NOBODY IS DOING
ANYTHING ABOUT THE PIMPS AND
JOHNS
AND TAKING THESE GIRLS OFF
THE STREET EXCEPT FOR US.
AND A COUPLE ORGANIZATIONS
WHO ARE FINDING THEM NAKED ON
OUR FRONT PORCH IN THE MORNING.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO NOT
REMEMBER COUNCILMEMBER DISTRICT
5,
PLEASE SHOW UP.
MAYOR, PLEASE SHOW UP.
PEOPLE ARE BEING SHOT AT.
HOUSES ARE BEING SHOT AT.
THERE'S BULLETS COMING
THROUGH WALLS WHERE INFANTS ARE
SLEEPING INCHES AWAY FROM THEM.
AND I JUST ASK YOU NOT TO
FORGET WHAT'S GOING ON AND
ACTUALLY --
THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION, THINGS WERE
HAPPENING, AND
CRIME WAS GOING
DOWN. NOW IT'S HOCKEY STICKING
RIGHT UP AND STRAIGHT AND THINGS
ARE
BACK TO NORMAL.
AND I ASK YOU NOT TO FORGET.
>> CATHERINE, FOLLOWED
BY HOWARD, KENDRA, ALICIA,
BRIAN.
>> HI, MY NAME IS CATHERINE
AND I'M A RESIDENT OF CAPITOL
HILL.
AS THE VAST MAJORITY, ALONG
WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE
MORATORIUM OF DATA CENTERS AND
ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO
CONSIDER
A PERMANENT MORATORIUM.
I HAVE YET TO SEE A POSITIVE
USE FOR A.I. ,
PARTICULARLY GENERATIVE A.I.
WHILE I HAVE HEARD OF
POSITIVE THINGS IN THE MEDICAL
FIELD,
THE NEGATIVES FAR, FAR, FAR
OUTWEIGH
THE POSITIVES.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE THE
301 VIRGINIA STREET ATTEMPT AT
A DATA CENTER SHUT DOWN
IMMEDIATELY, AS IT VIOLATES THIS
MORATORIUM.
IN ADDITION, AS AN EMPLOYEE
OF THE SEATTLE CENTER, LOCAL 8,
I
AGREE ON GETTING IT
DECARBONIZED AND UPDATED.
IT BADLY NEEDS IT.
ANYWAY, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> TODAY'S RESOLUTION 32205
ENDORSES A
SIGNIFICANT MODERNIZATION
PROJECT FOR THE
ARMORY OF SEATTLE CENTER.
AFTER MAJOR ARMORY RENOVATION
IN 2011 AND '12, THERE WAS
A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE THE
ARMORY INHOSPITABLE TO THE
UNHOUSED, SANCTIONING CERTAIN
BEHAVIORS AND DENYING PEOPLE TO
THE ACCESS OF THE NEWLY
INSTALLED AC POWER OUTLETS.
A CRITICAL NEED FOR THE UNHOUSED
BY PUTTING LOCK COVERS ON THESE.
THESE POLICIES WERE PROMOTED
BY PRIVATE COMPANIES
THAT CONTRACTED WITH THE CITY.
BECAUSE OF THE SHAMEFUL
HISTORY IGNORED AND FORGOTTEN BY
OUR
ELECTED, RESOLUTION 32205
NEEDS TO PROVIDE PROVISOS THAT
MAKES SURE IT WILL INCLUDE THE
UNHOUSED IN ANY DECISION MAKING.
THERE SHOULD BE PROVISOS FOR
ANY CONTRACTS TO PREVENT THESE
ENTITIES FROM SHAPING
POLICIES YOU GUYS HAVE
CONSISTENTLY
DEMANDED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
SOCIAL SERVICES BUT YOU FAIL TO
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY
WHEN THINGS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED
--
>> THANK YOU, MR. GILL.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. GALE.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS KENDRA.
I'M A CANDIDATE MEMBER OF
THE AMERICAN PARTY OF
LABOR. HAVE BEEN HERE THE LAST
FEW WEEKS PRESSURING YOU TO PASS
THE
MORATORIUM, BUT
TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT
YOU'RE
UNFAILING OUR UNHOUSED MEMBERS.
THE MAYOR BOASTED A 50-
MEMBER SHELTER UNIT, WHICH IS
ONLY
50% OF WHAT SHE PROMISES BY THE
TIME THE WORLD CUP COMES AROUND.
THIS MORNING, THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED ON
THIS.
THEY SAID NEW SEATTLE
MAYOR KATIE WILSON IS SET --
EXCUSE
ME, NEW SEATTLE MAYOR
KATIE WILSON SET A GOAL OF 500
NEW UNITS OF SHELTER BEFORE
THE WORLD CUP STARTS.
BUT HER ADMINISTRATION
FELL SHORT BY HUNDREDS.
NOW, ANYONE WHO HEARS THAT CAN
UNDERSTAND THAT THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS IS CALLING THE MAYOR
AND BY PROXY THIS COUNCIL
MASSIVE
FAILURES.
CONTINUED FORCIBLE DISPLACEMENT
INCREASES THE MORTALITY RATE OF
THE UNHOUSED PEOPLE, PEOPLE
WHO ARE STILL YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY AND YOUR
CONSTITUENTS.
YOU NEED TO PRESSURE THE
MAYOR TO STOP WASTING MONEY ON
SWEEPING OUR NEIGHBORS FOR
OPTICS AND DELIVER ON
CAMPAIGN PROMISES OF SHELTER
UNITS
AND ACTUAL RESOURCES.
YOU'RE KILLING THE PEOPLE IN
THE
CITY --
>> THANK YOU, KENDRA.
NEXT WE HAVE ALICIA FOLLOWED BY
BRIAN. WELCOME, ALICIA.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ALICIA AND I LIVE
IN DISTRICT 3 AND I'M HERE TO
URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON THE
DATA CENTER MORATORIUM.
AS I HAVE LEARNED MORE
ABOUT DATA CENTERS, IT'S
ACTUALLY
LUDICROUS TO ME THAT ANYBODY
THINKS THAT THEY HAVE THE
ABILITY TO TAKE THIS MANY
RESOURCES FROM THE EARTH
AND FROM THE PEOPLE.
IF BIG TECH WASN'T ALREADY
COMIC BOOK VILLAINRY ENOUGH,
THIS
IS
NEXT LEVEL. THEY ARE COMPLETELY
OUT OF
TOUCH WITH THE EARTH AND THE ECO
SYSTEMS AND WHAT PEOPLE NEED.
THERE WAS A RECENT
INTERVIEW WITH JEFF BEZOS.
HE FULL ON LOOKED
LIKE LEX LUTHOR.
LET'S CALL THESE PEOPLE
WHAT THEY ARE.
THEY
ARE VILLAINS AND THEY'RE TRYING
TO TAKE OUR FUTURE FROM
US. OUR FUTURE IS NOT THEIRS.
OUR FUTURE IS OURS.
LET'S USE THIS YEAR TO THINK,
TO
LEARN, TO DECIDE, AND TO
SHAPE THE FUTURE THAT WE WANT,
NOT
WHAT THEY WANT TO BUY.
THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS BRIAN.
I'M A DISPLACED TECH WORKER
AND A HUMAN ARTIST.
LAST WEDNESDAY, I SPOKE AT
THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN
SUPPORT
OF THE MORATORIUM ON
HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS AND
ABOUT THE
POWER OUTAGES I HAVE ALREADY HAD
THIS
YEAR.
TODAY, WHERE WANTED TO ADD THAT
THE ONE- YEAR MORATORIUM IS
ONLY THE START OF PREVENTING
AND REDUCING HARM.
IF WE ALLOW EXISTING DATA
CENTERS TO EXPAND, 20 MEGA
WATTS EACH, A.I. TECH COMPANIES
WILL FIND A WAY TO EXPLOIT THAT
LOOPHOLE BECAUSE THEY ALREADY
ARE.
IN THE MID- ATLANTIC, GOOGLE
IS FINANCING A START- UP THAT
WILL
PAY OTHER HOUSEHOLD AND
BUSINESSES TO CURB THEIR
CONSUMPTION AT CERTAIN TIMES
IN EXCHANGE FOR 100 MEGAWATTS
FOR
A VIRTUAL POWER PLANT.
A.I. DOES NOT NEED MORE
MEGAWATTS.
IT NEEDS MORE MEGA REGULATION.
>> ASHLEY, FOLLOWED BY ALICE,
RENAISSANCE, ANUP, AND THEN
VALERIE.
AND THOSE ARE OUR LAST SPEAKERS
TODAY.
ASHLEY, ALICE, RENAISSANCE,
NUP, AND VALERIE.
LET'S MAKE SURE -- IT'S ON.
JUST TEST IT OUT.
>> HELLO.
>> WHEN YOU START TALKING,
WE'LL START THE TIME.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ASHLEY.
I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU
TO SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM
AGAINST DATA CENTERS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO URGE YOU
TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT US, OUR
CITY, AND OUR REGION FROM
THE HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL
AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF DATA
CENTERS BY IMPLEMENTING A
PERMANENT BAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE
WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE SAID EARLIER.
WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT A.I.
WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT WATER.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ALICE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE.
I USED TO WORK FOR MICROSOFT
BACK WHEN THAT WAS SOMEBODY
ONE COULD BE KIND OF PROUD OF.
I CURRENTLY HOUSE A BRILLIANT
SUMMA CUM LAUDE COMPUTER SCIENCE
GRADUATE WHO IS EITHER
DEPENDING ON THE WEEK UNEMPLOYED
OR SEVERELY UNDEREMPLOYED
BECAUSE OF A.I.
I ORGANIZE WITH 350
SEATTLE SOLIDARITY BUDGET AND
WASHINGTON
A.I. RESISTANCE, HAVING CHANGED
MY FOCUS FROM CLIMATE ALL UP TO
A.I. BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S
THE VERY BIGGEST THREAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, AND
HOPE
THAT YOU'RE CONSULTANT
MOVING FORWARD LOOKS A LOT LIKE
THIS
ROOM AND THE EXPERTISE WE SEE IN
IT.
THANK YOU.
>> RENAISSANCE.
ARE YOU RENAISSANCE?
>> I AM.
>> AWESOME, WELCOME.
THEN ANUP AND THEN YVETTE AND
VALERIE.
>> I'M RENAISSANCE.
I AM ONE OF THE DIRECTORS
OF CAMPAIGNS AT 350 SEATTLE.
AND I AM IN SUPPORT OF BOTH THE
MORATORIUM AND A RESOLUTION
PASSING TODAY.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL, VERY
HAPPY THAT ALL OF YOU IN BOTH OF
THE
COMMITTEES, BOTH LAND USE AND
SUSTAINABILITY AND PARKS AND
CITY LIGHT HAVE TAKEN THIS UPON
YOURSELVES IN RESPONSE TO THE
COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS.
TO MOVE FORWARD SO WE CAN
HAVE THE TIME TO FORM THE
LEGISLATIONLEGISLATION AND THE
REGULATION ON AN
UNREGULATED INDUSTRY THAT
HAS BEEN PROLIFERATING ACROSS
OUR NATION.
AND AROUND THE WORLD.
SOMETHING THAT CATCHES ME BY
SURPRISE IS THAT IN ALL FIVE
OF THESE MEETINGS I HAVEN'T
HEARD
ONE PRO PERSON FOR DATA
CENTERS SHOW UP HERE.
I'M SURE THEY'RE IN YOUR
MAILBOXES BUT THIS IS
THE COMMUNITY WHO IS TAKING THE
TIME
TO COME OUT.
PLEASE CONTINUE DOING
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND WE LOVE TO WORK WITH
YOU THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU.
ANOUP.
FOLLOWED BY YVETTE, VALERIE, AND
THEN BENNETT.
>> MY NAME IS ANOUP.
I'M HERE TO, ONE, JUST SEE
HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE ALL IN FAVOR
OF THIS MORATORIUM.
I, TOO, AM IN FAVOR OF THIS
MORATORIUM, AS I THINK IT
IS SYMBOLIC OF THE TIMES WE LIVE
IN AND THAT IF WE LOOK AT
THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF WHAT
TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS HAS BEEN.
IN MINE MIND, IT'S A SYSTEMATIC
ISSUE STEMMING FROM THE
LEGACIES OF COLONIALISM, OF
IMPERIALISM, OF THIS IDEA
BECAUSE WE CAN
MAKE THE BEST TECHNOLOGY,
QUOTE/UNQUOTE, BEST
TECHNOLOGY, THAT WE ARE ABOVE
NATURE AND
ABOVE THE PLANET THAT WE LIVE
ON.
AND A.I. IS THE ULTIMATE
HUBRIS OF THESE BIG TECH
COMPANIES, THAT THEY CAN CREATE
THIS REALITY THAT IS NOT
CONNECTED
TO THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, THAT
TAKES
RESOURCES FROM THE WORLD WE
LIVE IN.
WE NEED TO TAKE A PAUSE ON
THESE DATA CENTERS AND MAKE SURE
--
>> NICE CARROT SWEATSHIRT.
WHAT DO YOU CALL A MAD CARROT?
A STEAMED VEGETABLE.
OKAY.
THAT WAS GOOD.
MS. YVETTE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT
STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD
INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
IT'S NICE BEING AT THE
END BECAUSE I GOT TO HEAR A
LOT ABOUT THE A.I. THING AND
A THOUGHT OCCURRED TO ME.
WHY NOT USE A.I. TO CREATE
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EKE LOGICALLY
FRIENDLY A.I. AND CREATE
WELL- PAYING A.I. JOBS.
AND LASTLY, I THOUGHT POLITICAL
SCIENCE AND CAMPAIGN WAS NOT
ALLOWED IN CHAMBERS.
>> WE HAVE VALERIE FOLLOWED BY
BENNETT.
WELCOME.
>> HELLO, I'M VALERIE,
A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 4.
HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE
MORATORIUM.
AND JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU
KNOW, THE REASON I'M HERE
IS BECAUSE I SEE THE DATA
CENTERS AS LIKE A SYMPTOM OR A
SYMBOL
OFOF MUCH LARGER THAN
WRONG.
AND WE KNOW WE ARE
CURRENTLY LIVING IN AND ON A
RAPID TRAJECTORY TOWARD A MUCH
MORE
REPRESSIVE,
OPPRESSIVE SURVEILLANCE STATE, A
VIOLENT STATE HERE IN THE U.S.
AND
GLOBALLY, AND WE'RE GOING TO
BE ASKED TO DO VERY DIFFICULT
THINGS AND STAND UP
AGAINST THOSE WITH POWER, WITH
MONEY, AND THE MONEY TO BUY OUR
REALITY THROUGH A.I. , THROUGH
KNOWING WHAT IS TRUTH AND
WHAT'S NOT.
I THANK YOU FOR BEING REALLY
RESPONSIVE TO THE RESIDENTS
OF THE CITY WHEN THE SEATTLE
TIMES ARTICLE CAME OUT, AND
THOUSANDS
OF US SENT LETTERS TO Y'ALL
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE YOU
RESPONDING TO THE RESIDENTS, AND
THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND HOPE
YOU CAN DO MUCH MORE.
>> BEFORE YOU GO, BENNETT,
IF YOU'RE ONLINE, ROSE AND
NATALIE, IF YOU COME ON, WE'LL
GO BACK TO
YOU. BUT BENNETT WILL BE OUR
LAST SPEAKER TODAY.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU.
SO REGARDING THE ISSUE OF
PEOPLE MAKING INFLAMMATORY
REFERENCES TO PEOPLE'S RACE AND
SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN PUBLIC
COMMENT AND I'M NOT TALKING
ABOUT ANYTHING THIS WEEK.
IT'S FROM LAST WEEK.
HIS IS SOMETHING THAT I
KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT BECAUSE I
HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS IN
THE
PROTEST COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE.
PEOPLE HAVE SAID MUCH
WORSE STUFF THAN THAT.
LONG LIVE OCTOBER 7th OR WE
NEED MORE DEAD COPS IN THE
STREETS.
SOME PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE TRIED
TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SOME MENTIONED LAST WEEK THIS
PERSON WAS WHITE.
WHAT MOST OF THESE PEOPLE
HAVE IN COMMON IS NOT BEING
WHAT.
WHAT THEY HAVE IN
COMMON IS THESE ARE WOMEN IN
THEIR 20s.
WHEN SOMEONE LIKE ME SAYS
HEY, CAN WE NOT SAY THIS STUFF?
THEY SAY, THIS GUY IS SLIDING
INTO MY DMs.
IT'S TO DECEIVE PEOPLE THAT
I'M
HITTING ON THEM INSTEAD
OF SAYING TO NOT SAY RACIST
STUFF.
IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM
OF ACTUAL VIOLENCE.
THE TIMER STOPS.
HEY, WAIT A MINUTE.
>> HOLD ON.
YOU'RE OKAY.
YOU'RE GOOD.
HOLD ON.
WE'LL RESET IT.
30 SECONDS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT STOPPED.
>> IT'S ABOUT 30.
>> OKAY.
GIVE US ONE SECOND.
HOLD ON.
>> I'LL TAKE 1:25.
>> IT WAS 30 SECONDS.
HOLD ON.
WE GOT YOU, BENNETT.
DON'T HAVE A HEART ATTACK.
YOU'RE GOOD.
ALL RIGHT.
>> NOT ONLY DOES IT NOT FIX THE
PROBLEM.
THIS IS WHAT LEADS TO MOST
OF THE VIOLENCE THAT OCCURS AT
LEFT- WING PROTESTS IN SEATTLE.
THIS IS WHAT ONE OF HER FRIENDS
POSTED ABOUT ME OVER THE
WEEKEND.
CHILD MOLESTER BEAT TO DEATH ON
THE SPOT.
THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO
BENNETT.
THIS IS WHAT SOMEBODY
POSTED ABOUT ME, AND REMINDER,
THIS
IS BECAUSE OF ME TELLING WOMEN
IN THEIR 20s TO STOP SAYING
RACIST
SHIT AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BENNETT.
OKAY, IS THERE ANY OTHER MORE
COMMENTS, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS?
NOPE.
LET ME JUST CHECK ONLINE.
I DO NOT SEE IT.
OKAY, SO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING DOWN
AND SPEAKING WITH US TODAY
AND YOUR COMMENTS IN THE EMAIL
AND ONLINE OR IF YOU SEE US IN
PERSON.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE
COMMENTS, AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO GETTING STARTED
WITH THE MEETING.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR IS ADOPTED.
BEFORE WE ADOPT THE AGENDA,
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS GOING TO BE AMENDED TO
HAVE
ITEM NUMBER 7 BE UNDER
COMMITTEE BUSINESS TO BE THE
FIRST
THING THAT WE HEAR, WHICH IS
THE APPOINTMENT OF DR. V. , IS
THAT
OKAY?
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION,
AWESOME. ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE
GOING
TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THAT.
OR IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION,
IT WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NONE, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED.
AWESOME.
ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN INTO THE
RECORD
AND THEN WE'LL
JUMP --
>> CONSENT CALENDAR.
>> OH, OKAY.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, SORRY,
I DIDN'T DO THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.
WE'LL NOW -- THANK YOU,
WE'LL NOW CONSIDER THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.
ITEMS INCLUDE THE MINUTES
OF JUNE 2nd, 2026.
COUNCIL BILL 121223 PAYMENT OF
THE
BILLS. ARE THERE ANY
ITEMS COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE
TO
REMOVE FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR?
HEARING NONE, I MOVE TO
ADOPT THE CONSEND CALENDAR.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO ADOPT THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YAY.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> WILL THE CLERK AFFIX
MY SIGNATURE ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.
WE'RE GOING TO JUMP INTO THE
AGENDA.
WILL YOU READ AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER SEVEN INTO THE RECORD?
>> THE COMMITTEE OF HUMAN
SERVICES, LABOR, AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPOINTMENT
03497, THE APPOINTMENT OF SANDRA
J.
VALENCIANO AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY, THEY RECOMMEND THEY
CONFIRM THE
APPOINTMENT.
>> YOU'RE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER
TO PROVIDE COMMENT.
COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, I AM TRULY HAPPY TO
RECOMMEND DR. VALENCIANO.
WITH ALL OF US
HAVING EXPERIENCED THE WORST
DAYS
OF THE COVID- 19 PANDEMIC, I
THINK WE ALL HAVE COME TO
REALIZE
HOW FRAGILE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM CAN BE, ESPECIALLY
NOW. AND WHY IT IS CRITICAL TO
HAVE
THOUGHTFUL,
KNOWLEDGEABLE LEADERS IN CHARGE
OF OUR
INSTITUTIONS.
SO COLLEAGUES AND FOR THE
VIEWING PUBLIC, THE
PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR IS A
UNIQUE
POSITION BECAUSE IT MUST BE
CONFIRMED BY BOTH SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL AND THE KING
COUNTY COUNCIL AS THEY REPORT
BOTH
TO THE MAYOR AND COUNTY
EXECUTIVE.
KING COUNTY COUNCIL VOTED JUST
TODAY, MAYBE AN HOUR AGO,
I'M LOOKING AT THE AUDIENCE,
AMAZING, AND NOW WE'RE TAKING
UP THIS VOTE
TODAY. DR. VALENCIANO HAS A
MASTERS
IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND
CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE
DEPARTMENT'S ACTING DIRECTOR
AND
PRIMARY MEDICAL EXPERT, GUIDING
POLICY AND PRACTICE WITH
SCIENTIFIC
RIGOR AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO
EQUITY.
AND BEFORE JOINING PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE KING COUNTY SHE
LED THE
DEKALB COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH IN
GEORGIA AS MEDICAL DIRECTOR
AND DISTRICT HEALTH DIRECTOR
OVERSEEING SERVICES FOR
MORE THAN 780,000 RESIDENTS.
DURING THE COVID- 19
PANDEMIC, SHE SERVED AS INCIDENT
COMMANDER
INSURING EQUITABLE VACCINE
ACCESS, IMPROVING EFFICIENCY IN
DISTRIBUTING, ALL OF THAT
WHILE ALSO GUIDING DEPARTMENT
WIDE
STRATEGICS.
SHE ALSO
BRINGS NATIONAL HEALTH --
>> THERE WE GO.
>> OKAY.
WONDERFUL. I'M JUMP RIGHT BACK
IN.
THANK YOU.
THE DOCTOR ALSO BRINGS
NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTISE
FROM
HER SERVICE AS AN EPIDEMIC
INTELLIGENCE OFFICER AT THE
CDC WHERE SHE LED OUTBREAK
RESPONSES
AND STRENGTH
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY SYSTEM
AND SHE'S
ALSO BEEN AN EDUCATOR
AT EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE.
SO WITH THAT LEVEL OF
EXPERTISE, COLLEAGUES, I BELIEVE
WE WILL
BE VERY WELL SERVED BY
DR. DR. VALENCIANO AS DIRECTOR
OF PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE KING
COUNTY.
THE COMMITTEE VOTED
UNANIMOUSLY TO SUPPORT HER
APPOINTMENT AND I
HOPE YOU ALL WILL VOTE YES
TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
--
>> HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE HERE IN
SEATTLE.
THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
COLLEAGUES, IS THERE
ANY MORE
RECORDING. I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT
THIS.
DR. V. IS PHENOMENAL.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I WANT TO SAY TWO
WORDS.
I'M OBVIOUS LAEP IN
SUPPORT, TWO WORDS, BUT GO
TERRIERS.
>> AWESOME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS
ON
THE FLOOR? ALL RIGHT, WILL THE
CLERK -- DO
YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
>> NO, PLEASE VOTE YES.
>> AWESOME.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
APPOINTMENT?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> MOTION CARRIES,
THE APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED.
CONGRATULATIONS DR.
VALENCIANO, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED
TO
PROVIDE BRIEF COMMENTS.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND CHAIR RINCK.
IT'S TRULY A PRIVILEGE AND
AN HONOR TO BE CONSIDERED FOR
THIS
ROLE.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE TRUST
THAT YOU HAVE PLACED IN ME.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU AS WE
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH
AND
WELLBEING OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY
TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO
PRESENT ON IMPORTANT PUBLIC
HEALTH
OUTCOMES FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE
LATER THIS YEAR.
AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL
OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE
AT PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE AND
KING
COUNTY.
ONE OF MY PRIORITIES IS
STRENGTHENING HOW WE
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATE WITH
ALL OF
YOU AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANT NEEDS
OF OUR RESIDENTS AND
THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
MY GOAL IS THAT YOU HAVE
CLEAR VISIBILITY INTO OUR WORK
AND THAT THE WORK THAT WE DO
MEETS THE NEEDS OF SEATTLE
RESIDENTS
TOGETHER.
I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY
DEEP APPRECIATION TO MY PUBLIC
HEALTH TEAM FOR THEIR SUPPORT
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
I HAVE HAD FOUR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS SO I
APPRECIATE ALL
OF YOU COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH ME
AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING
WITH THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HAD A
CHANCE
TO MEET WITH YET.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING
YOUR PRIORITIES WITH ME, FOR
REFLECTING ABOUT THE NEEDS
OF THE RESIDENTS THAT YOU
SERVE, AND I'M TRULY GRATEFUL
FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY AND EXCITED TO
GET TO WORK.
THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, DR. VALENCIANO.
VERY HAPPY FOR YOUR
CONFIRMATION.
AWESOME.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM NUMBER
ONE INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, RESOLUTION
32208.
RESOLUTION RETIRING
INTRODUCED AND REFERRED COUNCIL
BILLS RESOLUTIONS CLERK VOWS
ON APPOINTMENTS THAT HAVE
RECEIVED NO FURTHER ACTION.
>> AWESOME.
COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU, CLERK.
COLLEAGUES, NO EXPLANATION
REALLY NEEDED. THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT
WAS BROUGHT BY THE CLERK'S
OFFICE AND CENTRAL STAFF AND
IT'S BASICALLY A TECHNICAL --
A TECHNICAL RESOLUTION SO WE CAN
RETIRE SOME STUFF THAT IS IN THE
LEGISLATION.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS
I'M GOING TO MOVE TO ADOPT
RESOLUTION 32208.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS?
NO, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> AWESOME.
MOTION CARRIES AND
THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER TWO INTO THE RECORD?
>> A REPORT OF THE PARKS
AND CITY LIGHT COMMITTEE AGENDA
ITEM 2, RESOLUTION 32204.
A RESOLUTION RELATING TO
DATA CENTERS COMMITTING TO
STUDYING THE POTENTIAL FOR DATA
CENTERS TO IMPACT ELECTRICAL
GRID CAPACITY AND RELIABILITY
WATER
USAGE, UTILITY RATES, LAND
U, AND DEVELOPMENT.
JOBS AND THE ECONOMY AND
PUBLIC HEALTH AND REQUESTING
ENGAGEMENT
AND COOPERATION FROM
THE EXECUTIVE IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF DATA CENTER POLICIES AND
POTENTIAL LEGISLATION
AND ANTICIPATED RELATED
LEGISLATIVE
ACTION.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
COUNCIL ADOPT AS AMENDED THE
RESOLUTION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED IN
ORDER TO PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE
REPORT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
BEFORE I BEGIN, DO I GO AHEAD --
DO YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK
TO EVERYTHING
NOW? I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
HAS
AN AMENDMENT.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
YOU WANT TO DO AN
INTRODUCTION AND WE START DOING
THE
AMENDMENTS?
>> SURE, BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT
TO SAY.
>> I THINK AN INTRODUCTION
AND THEN AMENDMENTS.
HOWEVER YOU WANT DO IT.
>> IT'S YOUR VIBE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
I'M JUST GOING TO DO A BRIEF
INTRODUCTION AND SAVE
MY COMMENTS FOR THE END BECAUSE
THERE'S SOME GROUPS I WANTED TO
THANK.
ONE THING I WANTED TO SAY
IS THIS CITY COUNCIL IN
PARTICULARLY, COUNCILMEMBER
LIN AND OUR COMMITTEE AND OUR D-
5
GROUP HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON THE DATA CENTER AND
THE ISSUES
IN THE FALL AND WELL BEFORE
THE MEDIA OR THE SEATTLE TIMES
OR
WHOMEVER WROTE ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE.
ANYWAY, I WANT TO SAVE MORE MORE
INTENSE COMMENTS FOR WHEN WE
ACTUALLY MOVE THE BILL
AND COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE MAKES
HIS
AMENDMENTS.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT
WE HAVE HAD TWO COMMITTEE
HEARINGS IN OUR COMMITTEE THAT
DOVETAILED
WITH COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S LAND
USE COMMITTEE TO
MAKE SURE WE COVERED ALL THE
BASES.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO
WITHHOLD THE REST OF MY
COMMENTS.
I'LL LET COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
DO HIS AMENDMENTS AND THEN IF I
CAN COME
BACK ON THE RECORD AND THEN
CLOSE US OUT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETDAL, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED TO MOVE YOUR
AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I MOVE TO AMEND BY
PASSING AMENDMENT A AS SHOWN AS
THE
AGENDA AS AMENDMENT A.
>> SECOND.
>> MOVE AND SECOND TO AMEND
THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS
IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANTED TO START BY SAYING
I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION FROM
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ AND
ALSO COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S
ORDINANCE WITH RESPECT TO DATA
CENTERS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
COUNCILMEMBERS AND THEIR
TEAMS THAT WORKED WITH ME TEAM
ON BOTH
THIS AMENDMENT AND A BUNCH OF
DIFFERENT PIECES AS IT
RELATES TO THE RESOLUTION AND
THE
ORDINANCE.
I DO BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT
TO HAVE A DELIBERATE AND
COMPLETE
REVIEW APPROACH.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
TO DISCERN BETWEEN HYPERSCALE
DATA
CENTERS WITH THOSE WHAT I
CALL TRADITIONAL DATA CENTERS.
I HAVE BEEN ENGAGING IN A LOT
OF CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT
OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND
IT'S INTERESTING THERE'S NOT
REALLY
A TERM SO I'M STICKING WITH MY
TERM, TRADITIONAL DATA
CENTERS. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT OUR LOCAL
DATA CENTERS OF WHICH I VISITED
ONE.
IT'S ACTUALLY HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT,
INTERESTING, INTERESTING TO
NOTE THAT THE DATA CENTER
ACTUALLY HEATS SIX, A HALF
DOZEN BUILDINGS IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE
THAT, AND IT ALSO HAS THE
CAPACITY
TO DO A FEW MORE.
THIS IS THE KIND
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PIECE THAT
WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AND
CONSIDERING IN TERMS OF HOW
CAN WE BEST DO THESE DATA
CENTERS.
I ALSO LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, OUR
LOCAL, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN
A LOT OF COMMENT REGARDING
AMAZON AND MICROSOFT.
I HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH
THEM OVER THE YEARS REGARDING
A.I.
, BEFORE THE MOST RECENT, YOU
KNOW, RAMP- UPS, BUT FOR BOTH.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO
IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY AS WE
LOOK AT
HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS
AND BEING SMART ABOUT MOVING
FORWARD, TO SEE
WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.
IT'S INTERESTING, BOTH AMAZON
AND MICROSOFT DO NOT HAVE
DATA CENTERS IN SEATTLE OR
GREATER
SEATTLE.
AMAZON, IN MY DISCUSSIONS
WITH THEM HERE, YOU KNOW,
EASTERN
OREGON.
SO IT'S INTERESTING.
NOT NECESSARILY ONE PLACE,
LIKE A CLUSTER IN EASTERN
OREGON.
AND FOR MICROSOFT, IT'S IN
QUINCY, IN GRANT COUNTY
JUST NORTH OF GEORGIA AS YOU
DRIVE
ON I-90 FROM EAST TO WEST.
IF YOU'RE AT GEORGE, TURN
NORTH AND YOU'LL RUN INTO IT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE
DO THIS REVIEW TO LOOK AT
THESE PIECES AND BE COMPLETE AND
DELIBERATE ON THOSE.
AS WE LOOK TO BE SMART ABOUT
MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE AS NOTED
IN THE LOCAL DATA CENTER,
THE ONE DIGITAL REALTY, IT RUNS
OUR
FIRST RESPONDERS.
IT SUPPORTS OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER.
IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE UW
DIGITAL ACCESS PROJECT TO GIVE
ACCESS
TO THOSE WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY
IN TERMS OF DIGITAL ACCESS.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO HAVE THESE PIECES IN THERE.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE,
AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE CITY
LIGHT COMMITTEE, THAT WE
DEFINITELY NEED THE PARTNERSHIP.
WE HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, FROM
LAND USE PIECE, THIS RESOLUTION
IS COMING OUT OF THE CITY LIGHT
COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE TO FULLY
UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT
RELATES TO CITY
LIGHT, WHERE IT IS AND
THE CAPACITY AND THE ISSUES
THAT RELATE TO CITY LIGHT.
PEOPLE NOTE CLIMATE CHANGE, FOR
EXAMPLE.
ALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES
NEED TO BE FACTORED IN
WITH WHAT WHAT DOING, AND THE
CITY
LIGHT COMMITTEE IS THE PLACE TO
DO
THAT.
TO HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS, HEAR
WHAT THE FACTORS ARE THAT ARE
IMPACTING CITY LIGHT TO
INCLUDE THINGS LIKE CHARGERS.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH VEHICLES.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT
PIECES THAT GO INTO OUR
ELECTRICITY USAGE AND WE NEED TO
HAVE
THESE ALL CONSIDERED AS WE --
WHAT
IS THE IMPACT ON CITY LIGHT?
THIS HAS TO BE A
COMPREHENSIVE PIECE AND I THINK
IT'S REALLY --
THE DATA CENTER PIECE
REALLY HIGHLIGHTS WHAT IS GOING
ON
AT CITY LIGHT.
AND TO INCLUDE AS MANY HAVE
MENTIONED I LOOK AT THIS
GENTLEMAN HERE BECAUSE I
REMEMBER HIM SPEAKING
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE
FUTURE.
WHAT ARE THE IMPACT ON CITY
LIGHT?
AND I WOULD ADD JUST BRIEFLY,
WE NEED STRONG LEADERSHIP AT
CITY LIGHT TOO.
I WON'T GO ANY FURTHER ON THAT.
THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED BEFORE
AND IT WILL BE DISCUSSED AGAIN,
BUT
THIS IS NOT THE PLACE.
I JUST WANTED TO CLOSE,
COLLEAGUES, ON BASICALLY DOING
MY REMARKS NOW, IS THAT ON
THE QUESTION OF A.I. , I HEAR
THE CONCERNS OF ALL THE
PUBLIC COMMENTERS HERE AND I TOO
AM
CONFLICTED.
HEY, I THINK OF A.I. AND SEE
THE POSSIBILITIES AND THE
MEDICAL
FIELD, YOU WHERE WE CAN GAIN
FROM THAT, AND OTHER AREAS AS
WELL, BUT I'M CONCERNED.
THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS
A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS SPEAKING,
AND I CAN'T SEE HIM RIGHT NOW,
BUT
THE IDEA OF CRITICAL THINKING.
YOU KNOW Y HAVE A DAUGHTER
WHO IS IN SCHOOL FINISHING UP
HER
LAST WEEK OF FIFTH GRADE.
FOR ME, IT'S ALWAYS
ABOUT CRITICAL THINKING AND
THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.
AND WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
TO CONSIDER, AND THE PERSON
WAS SPEAKING TO THAT POINT.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN YOU, SIR.
YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE HERE
IS THAT WE ALSO NEED TO
BE THINKING OF OUR HUMANITY.
AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE
A GUIDE AS WE DO THESE
REVIEWS, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE
BIGGER PICTURE PIECES AND ALSO
IN MORE
DETAIL LIKE I WAS
SPEAKING WITH CITY CITY LIGHT
BECAUSE AT THE
END OF THE DAY WE NEED TO
BE MOVING FORWARD WHERE WE CAN
AND ALSO MINDFUL OF THE IMPACTS
WE MAY EXPERIENCE, AND THAT
AREA, YOU KNOW, OF CRITICAL
THINKING, YOU KNOW, AND THE
ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE AND BASICALLY
OUR HUMANITY IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, COLLEAGUES.
I JUST ASK FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION AND SUPPORT
FOR THIS BASICALLY JUST
AN ADDITIONAL AREA OF STUDY
FORFOR US INSURE WE HAVE THE
COMPLETE
REVIEW MOVING
FORWARD, PARTICULARLY IN THE
AREA OF
HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> AWESOME, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
COLLEAGUES, IS THERE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS
FORWARD.
JUST SO I'M CLEAR AND I KNOW WE
DON'T HAVE STAFF AT THE TABLE
TO BRIEF THIS AMENDMENT AND I
KNOW
IT'S NOT UP ON THE SCREEN
FOR BROADER REVIEW.
WITH THE LANGUAGE BEFORE
US, THIS IS JUST, IF YOU COULD
CONFIRM TO ME, THIS IS
JUST ADDING TO THE RECITAL
SECTION, SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS
ABOUT OUR
CURRENT -- THE CURRENT STATE
AND HAVING SOME SMALLER DATA
CENTERS
THAT EXIST WITHIN SEATTLE AND
THE CURRENT USAGE RELATED
TO HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND
DOES
NOT CHANGE THE WORK PROGRAM
OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT
THIS RESOLUTION IS TRYING TO DO,
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
THIS IS JUST AGAIN AN
ADDITIONAL AREA OF DUTY, AND THE
RECITAL SECTION 1-H.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS JUST A POINT I WANTED
TO CLARIFY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> YES, IT'S BASICALLY, AS I
SAID, AS WRITTEN, THE
BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT
ENTITIES, HEALTH CARE
FACILITIES,
BASICALLY WHAT I WAS SAYING
IN TERMS OF THE DATA CENTER THAT
IS SUPPORTING OUR CITY HERE IN
DOWNTOWN, AND TO INSURE
THOSE PIECES ARE COVERED WITHIN
THIS
REVIEW WE'RE DOING MOVING
FORWARD.
>> UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE
AMENDMENT?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, I
KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
I'M GOING TO CLARIFY.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT
UP. THE TWO CHANGES ARE IN
THE --
>> SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
>> THE TWO CHANGES ARE IN
THE RECITAL IN THE THIRD CHANGE,
THE
AMENDMENT WOULD ADD TO THE
LIST OF SUBJECTS FOR STUDY
REGARDING THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS
OF DATA CENTERS, WHICH IS
STARTING
ON PAGE 3 IN THE BE IT
RESOLVED, AND THEN BEGINS ON
PAGE 4,
WHICH WOULD ADD A SECTION H.
SO WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONS IN THE
RECITAL, AND THEN ONE CHANGE
ON PAGE 3, STARTING ON PAGE 3,
BE IT RESOLVED.
>> THAT'S THE CLARIFICATION.
>> YES, THAT'S IT.
PAGE 2 OF THE RESOLUTION
ITSELF, BUT PAGE 3.
>> THE FLOOR IS STILL YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR
CLARIFYING THAT POINT FOR ME,
THAT
THE AMENDMENT BEFORE US IS
ADDING
TO RECITALS AND PURELY EXPANDING
THE SCOPE OF WHAT WILL BE
STUDIED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
I HAD MY HAND RAISED
PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE I WANTED TO
CLARIFY.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE
IS AN EXPANSION OF WHAT'S IN
THE
STUDY, AND THAT WAS COUNTER
TO THE FIRST COMMENT BUT I THINK
WE JUST CLARIFIED THAT.
I'M GOING TO PUT MY HAND DOWN.
>> AWESOME.
GREAT QUESTION.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS AN
EXPANSION OF THE STUDY
THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THERE
THAT COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE HAS
BROUGHT
BEFORE US.
ARE THERE ANY MORE ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS REGARDING COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE'S AMENDMENT?
I'LL GO TO YOU FOR
CLOSING COMMENTS AND THEN I'M
GOING
TO GO TO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
FOR ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON
THE
RESOLUTION.
THE AMENDMENT, EXCUSE ME.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> NOTHING FURTHER.
>> OKAY.
ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS
REGARDING THE AMENDMENT
BEFORE WE CALL FOR THE VOTE?
ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON AMENDMENT A?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> NINE INCH FAVOR,NONE OPPOSED.
>> AMENDMENT A IS ADOPTED.
ARE THERE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THE
RESOLUTION?
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL DO MY COMMENTS NOW,
AND THEN IF WE NEED TO COME
BACK, I
CAN CLOSE US OUT.
SO I WANTED TO START WITH THAT
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
LIN
AND HIS WORK ON THE LAND
USE COMMITTEE ON THE
MORATORIUM, WHICH IS COUNCIL
BILL
12124, WHICH IS NEXT, AND ADD
THAT
THE RESOLUTION AND THE
MORATORIUM
DOVETAIL AND COMPLEMENT
EACH OTHER QUITE WELL.
THIS IS SEATTLE'S POSITION AND
A.I. AND DATA CENTERS.
AND SECOND, WE HAD TWO
COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO GO THROUGH
ALL
OF THIS INFORMATION IN
PUBLIC HEARINGS TO HEAR FROM THE
PUBLIC AND OF COURSE THE
WRITTEN COMMENTS WE HAD FROM THE
PUBLIC AS WELL.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, I ALSO WANT TO THANK
MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, STRAUSS,
AND SAKA
WHO GAVE ME GOOD INFORMATION AND
INSIGHT ON THE DATA CENTERS,
THE A.I., AND INFORMATION
INCOMING.
I HAVE SOME PREPARED STATEMENT
THAT I WANT -- SOME OF YOU
HAVE HEARD SOME OF THIS IN
COMMITTEE BUT WE WANTED TO PULL
IT ALL
TOGETHER BASED ON WHAT WE
WERE HEARING FROM THE FOLKS WHO
SHOW UP AND THE CORRESPONDENCE
AND THE LETTERS WE RECEIVED FROM
CONSTITUENTS CITY WIDE AS WELL
AS OUT OF STATE.
WE'RE A CITY OF TECHNOLOGY.
THIS RESOLUTION IS FOCUSED ON
RESPONSIBILITY EXPLORATION
OF THIS NEW FIELD FOR THIS AND
FUTURE GENERATIONS.
DUE TO THE BOOM IN ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE, THESE DATA
CENTERS ARE BEING BUILT IN A
RUSH
BY ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES
THAT ARE ONLY CONCERNED WITH THE
RACE TO EXTRACT RESOURCES.
RAPID DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT
FOCUSES ON SHORT TERM GAINS
WHILE DISREGARDING THE
WELLBEING OF COMMUNITIES THAT
THEY'RE BUILT IN.
WATER AND THESE OTHER NATURAL
RESOURCES ARE FINITE RESOURCES
FOR ALL PEOPLE.
IN OUR RESEARCH, WE HAVE
FOUND THAT THESE DATA CENTERS
HAVE
THE POTENTIAL TO
SIGNIFICANTLY BURDEN OUR
COMMUNITY AND
IMPACT THE ELECTRICAL GRID BY
NUMBER
ONE FORCING SUBSTANTIAL CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS AT HIGH COSTS.
TWO, CONSUMING LARGE
QUANTITIES OF WATER RESOURCES.
THREE, OCCUPYING LARGE AMOUNTS
OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
SPACE.
FOUR, IMPACTING JOBS AND
THE ECONOMY THROUGH A BOOM AND
BUST
EMPLOYMENT AND AUTOMATION.
FIVE, THE EFFECT TO PUBLIC
HEALTH BY PRODUCING NOISE,
LIGHT, WATER, AND AIR POLLUTION.
AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN
ADDRESS THE WHOLE ISSUE OF
OUTSOURCING AND USING OUR WATER
FOR
PUBLIC -- PUBLIC,
UM, WELL, THE POINT IS WE SHOULD
NOT BE
OUTSOURCING OUR CRITICAL
THINKING AND WE SHOULD NOT
BE USING WATER SO PEOPLE CAN USE
A.I. TO MAKE ART BECAUSE
THAT'S BASICALLY THEFT.
AND AT SOME POINT, IF WE
GO THROUGH WITH, I THINK IT'S
SENATOR SANDERS TALKING ABOUT A
SOVEREIGN BILL, WHERE YOU
ARE TAKING ALL THIS DATA THAT
YOU
THINK IS JUST OUT THERE AND
IT'S
THEFT, AND IT'S BEING SOLD
BACK TO US.
AND WE HAVE NO GUARDRAILS, AND,
AGAIN, I'LL GET TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN A MINUTE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO
SLOW THIS DOWN.
IF I COULD, TODAY, I KNOW IF
I COULD ACTUALLY DO THIS TODAY,
I WOULD DO A COMPLETE STOP OF
A.I.
DATA CENTERS AND I'LL GET
TO THAT POINT IN A MINUTE.
THIS RESOLUTION ADDRESSES
THE NEED FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS
TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LONG TERM
EFFECTS OF DATA CENTERS ON THE
ELECTRICAL GRID,
RESIDENTIAL UTILITY RATES, LAND
AND WATER
USAGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND
WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED THE GLOBAL
HYPE OF WHAT IT'S DONE
TO
MARKETS. WE KNOW RIGHT NOW THAT
AMAZON AND MICROSOFT HAVE, I
THINK,
ARE HOVERING BETWEEN 5 AND
600 BILLION TO INVEST IN DATA
CENTERS.
THIS IS A TECHNOLOGY, AGAIN, AND
I HAVE SAID THIS IN
COMMITTEE WHERE IT TAKES A WHILE
FOR SOCIETY TO CATCH UP WITH
TECHNOLOGY. AND FOR ONCE, MAYBE
WE CAN GET
AHEAD OF THAT.
THIS COUNCIL, WHICH I'M
VERY PROUD OF, DURING THE
SEATTLE --
DURING THE 2025
STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE
TRACKED NINE DATA CENTER BILLS.
AND OF THE NINE, ONLY ONE BILL
PASSED.
SENATE BILL 5984, AND THAT
HAD TO DO WITH CHAT
BOTS.
I'M HOPING THIS CROWD
UNDERSTANDS AND I KNOW YOU
DO, THAT WHEN THIS NEXT
LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMES
AROUND,
THAT PEOPLE SHOW UP IN OLYMPIA
AND SEND AND TALK TO YOUR
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES BECAUSE
THIS COUNCIL WAS ACTIVE ON THAT.
THIS COUNCIL WAS ENGAGED ON
THAT.
I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FROM HIS
BACKGROUND IN
THE TECH INDUSTRY THAT GAVE
ME INFORMATION AND HELPED
US UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE
ISSUES WERE OUR POLICY DIRECTOR
HAS BEEN ATTENDING THE
WASHINGTON ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
A.I.
TASK FORCE MEETINGS.
THAT WAS CREATED BY FORMER NOW
GOVERNOR FERGUSON.
IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO
GET ONLINE AND DIAL INTO THAT,
THOSE ARE VERY INTERESTING
MEETINGS.
BUT THAT'S ANOTHER POINT OF
ENTRY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND HOW
YOU FEEL ABOUT DATA CENTERS AND
WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE
DOING.
WE ALSO MET WITH AN
INCREDIBLE GROUP MORE THAN ONCE
AND GOT
A COPY OF THEIR PLEADINGS AND
THE COURT HEARINGS CALLED A
GROUP CALLED MEDIA JUSTICE, AND
WE LEARNED ABOUT ONGOING
LITIGATION LIKE PROJECT BLUE,
THAT WAS
BEING FUNDED BY AMAZON.
AND ALSO THE NO DESERT
DATA CENTER IN PIMA COUNTY,
ARIZONA, LOCATED IN TUCSON,
ARIZONA.
AND THEY SHARED WITH US ALL
OF THE INFORMATION AND
RESOURCES AND A TOOL KIT THAT I
PROVIDED TO COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S
OFFICE AND OTHER FOLKS INCLUDING
FOLKS AT SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
WHILE WE CAN'T LOOK TO
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR
LEADERSHIP, WE CAN LOOK
TO TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.
THE SEMINAL NATION WAS THE FIRST
COUNCIL THAT PASSED A MORATORIUM
ON HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS
ININ MARCH.
THE CHIPPEWA
INDIANS AND MANY OTHER TRIBAL
NATIONS HAVE
FOLLOWED FOLLOW ED SUIT.
THIS IS THE THRESHOLD.
THERE'S NO TURNING BAB.
ONCE WE USE UP AND
CONTAMINATE ALL OF THE WATER
RESOURCES,
THIS IS IT.
INDIGENOUS FOLKS AND
TRIBAL LEADERSHIP SINCE POST
COLONIAL
CONTACT, WE ARE NO STRANGER TO
EXCAVATION AND MINING MENTALITY.
AND IN THE 21st CENTURY
IT HASN'T ENDED.
AND WE'RE SEEING IT NOW AGAIN.
SO TODAY, WE FOLLOW THE
EXAMPLE THAT TRIBAL NATIONS
AGAIN HAVE
SET.
WE START ON THE PATH TO
INSURE THAT WE PROTECT OUR
FINITE NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO BEFORE I GO ON, I WANT TO
GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO
MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE.
I KNOW SOMETIMES IT LOOKS LIKE
WE'RE ALL MAYBE NOT AGREEING,
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS
AT THIS SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR
COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAS SHOWN ME
THAT THERE IS -- THEY HAVE GIVEN
THE
EXAMPLE OF SHARED
LEADERSHIP, WHICH I HAVE SEEN
AND HOW I WAS
TAUGHT IN INDIAN COUNTRY THAT
WE CAN COME TOGETHER ON THE
ISSUES THAT MATTER AND HAVE OUR
DISAGREEMENTS BUT WE
CERTAINLY KNOW WHEN THERE'S AN
EXISTENTIAL THREAT NOT ONLY TO
OUR CITY,
NOT ONLY TO OUR STATE, NOT ONLY
TO OUR COUNTRY BUT TO OUR WORLD.
THERE'S MORE I MAY BE A LITTLE
REPETITIVE IN THANKING BUT
I WANT TO SAY THIS ON THE
RECORD.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
LIN AND HIS TEAM FOR THE
WORK THEY DID.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH FOR HER
LEADERSHIP. WE HAD LONG TALKS
ABOUT HOW
WE WOULD ATTACK THIS, WHAT
OUR MEDIA STRATEGY WOULD BE,
HOW WE WOULD WORK WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND HOW WE WOULD
WORK WITH COUNCILMEMBER LI
NRS'S
COMMITTEE.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY D- 5
TEAM.
KELLY, KIMMY, PAUL, AND SOPHIA.
AND LAST TIME I FORGOT KIMMY
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SAID
IT THIS TIME.
NOW THERE'S OTHER GROUPS I WANT
TO THANK BECAUSE I GOT TO
KNOW THEM OVER THE LAST, I
DON'T
KNOW, TWO MONTHS.
ALL THE CURRENT AND FORMER CHECK
WORKERS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.
THE AMAZON CLIMATE CHANGE
GROUP, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.
THE A.I. RESISTANCE GROUP, A
VERY, VERY INTERESTING, FUN
GROUP.
350 SEATTLE, A HUGE SHOUT OUT
TO ALICE AND THOSE FOLKS.
THEY WERE ON THE WEBINAR THAT
WE ATTENDED WITH TRIBAL NATIONS
AND UNIVERSITY OR SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW THIS
PAST
FRIDAY, JUST DID A HUGE A.I.
DATA
CENTER INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AT
THE
LAW SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, WHICH
MY OFFICE ATTENDED.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHO ELSE WAS
THERE, OTHER FOLKS, SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL STAFF ATTENDED BUT
WE
DID.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THE
TRIBES.
I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT
WITH TRIBES AND THEIR LEGAL
COUNSEL AND HOW THEY'RE
APPROACHING
THIS AND THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE THIS SHARED
LEADERSHIP
THAT I BELIEVE IS INTUITIVE
AND IN ALL OF US.
AND ALSO I WANT TO THANK
THE SOAP BOX FOLKS.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT?
THEY WERE VERY FUN,
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TO
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT
TO
THANK PEARL JAM GUY. I DON'T
KNOW IF HE'S STILL
THERE.
HE'S BEEN HELPFUL.
AND I TOLD HIM I DID NOT
KNOW ANY PEARL JAM SONGS.
NO, I DON'T.
I DON'T KNOW ONE.
DIFFERENT GENERATION, WITH REAL
MUSIC.
OKAY.
SO I'LL LEAVE THAT ALONE, AND
SO WITH THAT, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
I WANTED TO GET ALL OF
THOSE COMMENTS OUT AND ON THE
RECORD AND THANK PEOPLE WHO DID
THE
WORK.
AND THANK MY STAFF WHO ATTENDED
THE WEBINARS AND, YOU
KNOW, EVERYTHING ELSE I HAVE
ASKED THEM TO DO, AND ALSO
MY COLLEAGUES AND WITH THAT,
I WOULD HOPE I WOULD HAVE YOUR
SUPPORT ON TODAY'S
RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL THE ROLL
FOR
THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED?
THERE IS.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
APOLOGIES, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, I DIDN'T GIVE MY
COMMENTS
BEFORE YOU GAVE YOUR FINAL, BUT
I REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
AND RECOGNIZE YOU AND THANK YOU
FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU
DID.
YOU KNOW I LOVE RIVERA DUE
DILIGENCE. AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE
THAT, AND YOU KNOW, I'M SAYING
IT
A LITTLE CHEEKY, BUT I DO MEAN
IT
SINCERELY.
YOU PUT A LOT, YOU AND YOUR
TEAM, OF WORK INTO THIS.
A MEETING WITH ALL THE
GROUPS, AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE
ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID.
AND I WAS NOT PRESENT AT
OUR COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE YOU
VOTED.
I WOULD HAVE VOTED IN FAVOR
OF THE RESOLUTION, SO I REALLY
JUST GOING TO VOTE TODAY YES OF
COURSE,
BUT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE
HARD WORK AND THANK
YOU FOR THE RECORD.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> AWESOME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS ABOUT THE RESOLUTION
BEFORE US.
AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
OBVIOUSLY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
YOU SAID CLOSING REMARKS.
YOU DID THE MIC DROP.
THAT IS ENOUGH.
ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE RESOLUTION --
EXCUSE ME, THE RESOLUTION AS
AMENDED?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> BEFORE I SAY AYE, I FORGOT
TO SAY SOMETHING.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA IS A
COSPONSOR.
AYE.
DID I SAY?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
WILL THE CLERK AFFIX
THE SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION
ON
MY BEHALF?
CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> GOOD JOB, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
IT MUST BE THE HAIRCUT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER THREE INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 3, THE REPORT
OF THE LAND USE AND
SUSTAINABILITY
COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL BILL 12124.
INTRODUCING A NEW DEFINITION
FOR DATA CENTERS ADOPTING
A MORATORIUM ON THE ACCEPTANCE
PROCESSING OR APPROVAL
OF APPLICATIONS FOR
THE ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION
OF
OR CHANGE OF USE TO DATA CENTERS
AMENDING SECTION 23. 848
.008 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE AND ESTABLISHING
AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE BY A
THREE-QUARTERS VOTE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL, THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS CITY COUNCIL PASS
AS AMENDMENTED THE COUNCIL BILL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN,
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO PROVIDE
THE
REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ AND TO ALL
OF MY
COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TODAY AND
THE
PAST FEW MONTHS, WHO HAVE BEEN
DEEPLY
ENGAGED ON THIS ISSUE.
AND YOU KNOW, THE LAND USE
MORATORIUM IS REALLY JUST
THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG AROUND
THIS LARGER DISCUSSION, AROUND
THE
IMPACTS OF A.I. , THE
CONCERNS AROUND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS, THE IMPACTS TO
OUR ECONOMIC INEQUALITY,
WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW,AND OUR
DEMOCRACY, AROUND WHO OWNS OUR
INFORMATION AND DATA.
AND YOU KNOW, THE LIST GOES
ON AND ON.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE
TIP OF THAT ICEBERG.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
MYMY WHO MANY OF WHOM WERE
WORKING ON THIS ISSUE
WELL BEFORE I WAS.
TO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, AND WHO
GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED
ME AND MY STAFF TO WORK ON THIS
MORATORIUM.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT
IS NOT JUST A DEMOCRAT,
REPUBLICAN, SOCIALIST.
THIS GOES ACROSS THE POLITICAL
SPECTRUM.
THIS IS NOT JUST A CITY ISSUE
OR A RURAL ISSUE.
WE SEE THESE IMPACTS ACROSS OUR
COUNTRY, ACROSS THE WORLD.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS A RAPIDLY
DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY.
AND YOU KNOW, I ALREADY
HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE ROLE OF
TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SOCIETY,
AND THIS IS JUST, YOU
KNOW, EXPEDITED THOSE CONCERNS
SUBSTANTIALLY.
AND YOU KNOW, AS ELECTED
LEADERS IT IS OUR JOB TO MAKE
SURE
THE TECHNOLOGY WORKS
FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF US.
IT IS OUR TECH COMPANIES, YOU
KNOW, THEIR JOB IS TO
MAXIMIZE PROFITS FOR THEIR
SHAREHOLDERS.
IT IS OUR JOB TO ADDRESS THE
IMPACTS TO DEVELOP
REGULATIONS, TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN
ACTIVITIES IF THEY CANNOT BE
REGULATED
APPROPRIATELY, AND AGAIN,
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BENEFITS
ARE FOR ALL OF US.
YOU KNOW, IF IT DOESN'T
BENEFIT ALL OF US, WE DON'T
NEED THAT
TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A
START.
WE WILL HAVE A WORK PLAN
WHERE WE WILL NEED TO ENGAGE,
CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK.
WE WILL NEED TO WORK WITH
OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS, OUR STATE
LEGISLATORS. BOTH ON DATA
CENTERS
BUT PROBABLY MORE URGENTLY
AROUND THE IMPACTS OF A.I.
AND JUST WANT TO SAY,
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE
HERE
TO BEING ENGAGED IN THIS.
TO WORKING WITH US URGENTLY.
IT IS HARD FOR GOVERNMENT TO
MOVE QUICKLY.
IT IS HARD TO STAY ON TOP OF
THIS EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY, BUT
WE ARE GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP.
SO WITH THAT, COLLEAGUES, AGAIN,
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK
BEHIND THE SCENES AND THANK YOU
IN ADVANCE FOR ALL THE WORK TO
COME. I URGE YOUR SUPPORT.
>> I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH
COUNCILMEMBER LIN AND HIS
TEAM IN TERMS OF, AGAIN, WORKING
THROUGH THIS AND A COMPLETE AND
DELIBERATE WAY TO INSURE WE'RE
COVERING ALL BASES.
I JUST WANTED TO DO A
SPECIAL THANK YOU BECAUSE MY
TEAM
HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY
WITH MR. GREGORY, HIS POLICY
DIRECTOR.
AND A KEY PERSON IN THIS, SO I
WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
TO MR. GREGORY SPECIFICALLY.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LIN, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO KICK IT OFF BY
THANKING THE ORGANIZERS
BEHIND THIS EFFORT.
IT HAS BEEN
ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE TO SEE THE
ENGAGEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC ON
THIS
ISSUE, AND I KNOW IT WAS A FAIR
AMOUNT OF WORK TO ORGANIZE THAT
EFFORT.
I KNOW MY OFFICE ALONE RECEIVED
8,000 EMAILS.
I HEARD A FIGURE FLOATED DURING
PUBLIC COMMENT, WAS IT 90,000
EMAILS TOTAL SENT.
I'M LOOKING AT NODS.
HIGHER, MORE?
98,000 EMAILS SENT.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
AND BEYOND JUST EMAILS BEING
SENT, EVERY COMMITTEE
MEETING WHERE THIS ISSUE WAS
TAKEN
UP, THERE WERE FOLKS PRESENT
ENGAGING, MAKING THEIR VOICES
HEARD.
AND I HEAR YOU.
AND I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT
AND ALL OF THE
WORK THAT WENT INTO ORGANIZING
OUR
NEIGHBORS AND SHARING JUST
ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
SHARING ABOUT DATA CENTERS
AND THIS WORK.
HUGE GRATITUDE TO YOU ALL.
AND TO STAY ON THAT NOTE OF
GRATITUDE, I WANT TO SPEAK
BOTH TO THE ITEM THAT WE JUST
VOTED ON AND THE ITEM
NOW BEFORE US, AND EXPRESS MY
GRATITUDE
TO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ AS WELL
AS COUNCILMEMBER LIN FOR
YOUR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP ON THE
CITY LIGHT AND
LAND USE COMMITTEES ON THIS
ISSUE, AND LET'S BE CLEAR
THAT THE PROLIFERATION
OF THESE MEGA HYPERSCALE DATA
CENTERS
POSE SERIOUS RISKS TO OUR
COMMUNITIES.
FOR SO MANY
REASONS. ENERGY DEMANDS THAT
COULD RAISE THE COST OF POWER
FOR EVERYDAY
PEOPLE, WATER CONSUMPTION IN
A TIME WHERE HEALTHY
CLEAN DRINKING WATER AND RISING
DROUGHTS ARE SPREADING ACROSS
THE GLOBE AND POLLUTION
THAT WE'RE SEEING IMPACT ACROSS
THE
COUNTRY, POISONING COMMUNITIES.
IF WE DO NOT LEGISLATE THIS
RIGHT, THE PEOPLE WILL BEAR THE
BRUNT. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A
MORAL IMPERATIVE TO PUT OUR
CLIMATE,
OUR FUTURE ABOVE THE
PROFIT MARGINS OF TECH
BILLIONAIRES.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
AND COMMITTEE CHAIR LIN PUT IT
WELL,
THIS LEGISLATION IS JUST
THE
BEGINNING TO START CHARTING THAT
COURSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR STEADFAST
WORK.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU.
I, TOO, WANT TO START OFF BY
THANKING EVERY
INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS CARVED OUT
TIME OUT OF
YOUR BUSY LIVES TO ATTEND
TODAY'S
MEETING, SHOWING UP AT OTHER
MEETINGS, TAKING THE TIME
TO EMAIL OUR RESPECTIVE
OFFICES, CALL US, WHISPERING,
YOU
KNOW,
HAVING SIDE CONVERSATIONS WITH
US IN THE BREAD AISLE
AT
SAFEWAY. I HEARD IT ALL AND I
REALLY
APPRECIATE IT.
THIS IS NOT AN ORGANIZED EFFORT.
THIS IS A 100% GRASSROOTS
EFFORT.
I'M SURE THERE'S SOME
LEADERS, BUT ABSOLUTELY THIS IS
100%
GRASSROOTS.
AND PEOPLE ARE RIGHTFULLY
CONCERNED.
WE HAVE SEEN ASSOCIATIONS,
GROUPS OF LIKE- MINDED PEOPLE
ACROSS THE POLITICAL
SPECTRUM, ACROSS THE DIVIDE, ALL
WALKS OF
LIFE. ALL ORGANIZING, RALLYING
AROUND A COMMON INITIATIVE TO
STOP THE
EXPANSION AND PAUSE THE
EXPANSION OF DATA CENTERS IN
OUR COMMUNITY.
TO ALLOW US TO BE MORE
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW
WE RESPONSIBLY ALLOCATE THE
BENEFITS AND BURDENS OF
DATA CENTERS AND A.I. TECHNOLOGY
AND BETTER REGULATE THESE
BIG COMPANIES BECAUSE TODAY AS
WE
KNOW, THE PROFITS ARE QUICKLY
EXPORTED ACROSS LAKE
WASHINGTON, BELLVIEW OR TO
SILICON
VALLEY AND HERE WE'RE LEFT
DEALING WITH
THE FALLOUT OF PRICE SPIKE
HIKES.
WATER SHORTAGES.
SEVERE CLIMATE IMPACTS, AND
MORE.
SO KUDOS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS
CARVED OUT TIME.
FORMER TECH WORKERS, PARENT
GROUPS, I'M TOLD THERE WAS, YOU
KNOW, FOLKS ASKING PEOPLE TO
TESTIFY AND SHOW UP AND
VARIOUS WEST SEATTLE MOM AND
PARENT GROUPS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS IS TRULY A DIVERSE GROUP
OF STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOU ALL BEING
SO GENEROUS WITH YOUR TIME AND
YOUR PERSPECTIVES.
WITHIN TWO MONTHS FROM THE
TIME TO INTRODUCTION TO PASSAGE,
WE
ARE ASPIRING HERE TO BE AS
RESPONSIVE AS WE CAN, AND I
ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE CHAIRS ON THIS,
STARTING
FIRST WITH COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
THE SENIOR STATESPERSON ON THIS
BODY.
REALLY APPRECIATE AND
I MEAN THAT IN THE MOST
RESPECTFUL WAY
POSSIBLE.
>> I'LL TAKE IT.
>> BUT I REALLY DO
APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND
YOUR VISION AND HONORED TO BE A
PART
OF EXECUTING THIS VISION FROM A
POLICY PERSPECTIVE, AND YOU AS
WELL, LAND USE COMMITTEE CHAIR
LIN.
APPRECIATE YOU.
AND ALL YOU HAVE DONE.
AND YOU KNOW, JUST
REALLY DRIVING THIS TO ALL OF US
TO THIS POINT RIGHT NOW.
INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP, AND
AGAIN, IMPORTANTLY ALLOWING
US TO BE AS COLLECTIVELY
RESPONSIVE AS POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU.
AND THAT IS ALL.
THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS
REGARDING THE BILL BEFORE US?
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, DO YOU
HAVE CLOSING COMMENTS?
>> JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU FOR COSPONSORING, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND FOR ALL YOUR
SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
YOU LED WITH INCREDIBLE
DILIGENCE, RESEARCH, EDUCATION,
INTELLECTUAL ABILITY --
LIKE, JUST AMAZING.
SO REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND ALSO YOUR
STAFF AS WELL.
IT WAS FUN TO BE IN
THE PASSENGER SEAT ON THIS ONE.
AND TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR BLIND
SPOTS LEFT AND RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
NEXT WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL -- EXCUSE ME, YEAH,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE BILL BEFORE US?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> BILL PASSES.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> I THINK THEY LIKED IT.
AWESOME. AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE
ANY BLIND
SPOTS.
I DIDN'T MEAN THAT IN ANY -- IT
WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M A
BACK SEAT DRIVER.
ANYWAYS, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM 4 INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 4.
CLERK FILE 314549.
APPLICATION OF EAGLE
ROCK VENTURES AND 5201 RAINIER
LLC FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE
CONTRACT REZONE OF THE PROPERTY
AT
5201 RAINIER AVENUE SOUTH,
OERBL CONTRACT
REZONE APPLICATION APPROVED
THROUGH CF CLERK FILE
344311 AND ORDINANCE 135632.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
CITY COUNCIL GRANT THE CLERK
FILE.
>> WE'LL BE AT EASE RIGHT NOW.
WE STILL HAVE OUR -- WE
STILL HAVE OUR MEETING.
THE GENTLEMAN IN THE
BACK. WE'RE STILL --
YEAH, YOU'RE GOOD.
NO, YOU'RE GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE SUPPORT IT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT.
OKAY, PERFECT.
AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT.
AWESOME.
WE'RE GOING TO -- COUNCILMEMBER
LIN AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO
PROVIDE
THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THIS BILL AND THE NEXT ONE
RELATE TO A CONTRACT REZONE
EXTENDING IT FOR AN
ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW,
THERE HAVE -- THIS IS FOR
HOPEFULLY
AT SOME POINT, HOUSING ON THIS
SITE.
BUT AS WE KNOW, DEVELOPMENT
HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR MANY OF
OUR
DEVELOPER HOUSING DEVELOPERS
DUE TO THINGS LIKE INTEREST
RATES
AND OTHER COSTS.
AND SO THIS WOULD SIMPLY ALLOW
TWO MORE YEARS FOR
THIS DEVELOPMENT TO HOPEFULLY
BREAK
GROUND. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S
SOMETHING
I KNOW MANY OF US ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT IS DOING
EVERYTHING WE
CAN TO ALLOW OUR HOUSING
DEVELOPERS
TO BREAK GROUND.
BUT THIS WOULD JUST EXTEND THE
REZONE FOR TWO MORE YEARS AND I
WOULD URGE YOUR SUPPORT.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
I'M GOING TO NOW -- I WANT
TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR PARTIES OF THE RECORD
OR INDIVIDUALS WHO COMMENTED ON
SDCI RECOMMENDATION TO REBUT
THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
COMMUNICATION
ON THE RECORD AND INVITE
ANYONE HERE TO DO SO.
THIS OPPORTUNITY IS TO
ADDRESS THE EX PARTE
COMMUNICATION ONLY.
IF ANYONE AGREES THEY CAN
CONFIRM THEY ARE A PARTY OF THE
RECORD.
THEY'LL SHARE THE LIST
AND PROVIDE THEM ALLOCATED TIME.
HEARING NONE, WE'LL PROCEED
WITH
A VOTE.
WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL ON
GRAPTING THE CLERK FILE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR.
NONE OPPOSED.
>> WILL YOU PLEASE READ
ITEM FIVE INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM FIVE,
COUNCIL BILL 121220.
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO
LAND USE AND ZONING APPROVING
THE
EXTENSION OF A CONTRACT REZONE
APPROVED BY ORDINANCE 125632
AND ACCEPTING AN
AMENDMENTED PROPERTY USE
AGREEMENT FOR
521 RAINIER AVENUE
SOUTH, APPLICATION BY EAGLE
ROCK VENTURES AND 5201 RAINIER
LLC,
SDCA PROJECT,
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS CITY
COUNCIL PASS
THE COUNCIL BILL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THIS IS THE COROLLARY
ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR THAT TWO-
YEAR
EXTENSION.
I WILL HAVE ONE AMENDMENT
WHICH IS JUST TO ATTACH AN
EXECUTED VERSION OF THE PROPERTY
USE
AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR
THE
UNEXCEEDED THAT WAS INCLUDED AS
AMENDMENT A TO THE ORDINANCE.
SO AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME,
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT.
>> AWESOME.
I BELIEVE, YEP, THIS IS ABOUT
RIGHT.
>> OKAY, SO I MOVE TO
AMEND COUNCIL BILL BY
PASSING AMENDMENT A AND AN
EXECUTED VERSION
OF THE LAND USE AGREEMENT FOR
THE
UNEXECUTED AGREEMENT AS SHOWN ON
THE AGENDA.
DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED, THE USE AND
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AS SHOWN
ON THE
AGENDA AS AMENDMENT A.
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER
TO ADDRESS THE AMENDMENT.
>> THIS IS JUST A CLERICAL ISSUE
TO HAVE THE AMEANTED ISSUE.
I URGE YOUR SUPPORT.
>> AWESOME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS
ON THE AMENDMENT?
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION
OF AMENDMENT A.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>> AYE.
NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> AMENDMENT A IS ADOPTED.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE
BILL AS
AMENDED? ANY CLOSING REMARKS?
>> NO CLOSING REMARKS.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF
THE
BILL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> BILL PASSES AND THE
CLERK WILL SIGN IT.
WILL THE CLERK AFFIX
MY SIGNATURE ON MY BEHALF?
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER SIX INTO THE AGENDA.
>> THE RECORD OF
THE TRANSPORTATION WATERFRONT
IN SEATTLE CENTER COMMITTEE
AGENDA ITEM SIX, RESOLUTION
32205.
A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING
THE IMPORTANCE OF SEATTLE CENTER
AS A CENTRAL CIVIC CULTURAL
AND ECONOMIC ASSET FOR THE CITY
OF
SEATTLE, ACKNOWLEDGING
THE URGENT IMPERATIVE TO RESTORE
ITS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND
GROUNDS RENOVATE ITS BUILDINGS
AND
REVITALIZE THE SEATTLE
CENTER CAMPUS.
REQUESTING THE MAYOR DIRECT CITY
DEPARTMENTS FOR SEATTLE
CENTER, ANTICIPATING A DECISION
ON
A BOND MEASURE TO FUND ITS
CAPITAL
INVESTMENT BY THE END OF
2027, COMMITTING TO EXPLORING
ALL VIABLE FUNDING OPTIONS
TO SUPPORT ITS MODERNIZATION
DECLARING COUNCIL PRIORITIES
AND CALLING UPON THE EXECUTIVE
TO DIRECT DEPARTMENTAL
RESOURCES AND BUDGET ALLOCATIONS
IN SUPPORT OF ITS CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE
RESOLUTION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO GIVE THE
REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. SO FIRST AND
FOREMOST, WANT
TO THANK MAYOR WILSON FOR HER
PARTNERSHIP ON THIS.
AND EVERYONE IN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, INCLUDING DEPUTY MAYOR
SURRATT.
THIS IS, COLLEAGUES, A
REMINDER, THIS IS A JOINT
MAYORAL COUNCIL
RESOLUTION.
WITH THE MAYOR SIGNING ON IN
CONCURRENCE.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE
PARTNERSHIP FROM OUR
EXECUTIVE ON THIS ONE.
COLLEAGUES, MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, THIS IS ABOUT
PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK.
THIS IS ABOUT SUPPORTING GOOD
LIVING WAGE UNION JOBS.
THIS IS ABOUT WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTING
A SKILLED AND SUSTAINABLE
WORKFORCE.
THIS IS ABOUT ADDRESSING
CLIMATE CHANGE.
THIS IS ABOUT DECARBONIZING.
THIS IMPORTANT CIVIC
AND CULTURAL ASSET.
THIS IS ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR
ARTS, CULTURAL, CREATIVE,
AND SPORTS ECONOMY.
YESERSE
SPORTS. ABOUT RESTORING OUR
ICONIC CENTER TO ITS BRILLIANCE.
IT'S ABOUT BUILDING BACK
BETTER.
IT'S ABOUT CREATING
VIBRANT PLACES FOR RESIDENTS,
WORKERS, AND VISITORS TO GATHER
AND ENJOY
SUCH A WONDERFUL CIVIC SPACE.
THE SEATTLE CENTER, AS WE
KNOW, HASN'T BEEN MATERIALLY
UPDATED OR TOUCHED IN ALMOST 60
YEARS.
URGENTLY NEEDS INVESTMENT.
AS ONE OF THE MEMBERS FROM THE
CARPENTER'S UNION POINTED
OUT, EARLIER DURING PUBLIC
COMMENT, THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE
MORE EXPENSIVE THIS BECOMES.
ALSO, WE LEARNED FROM
PUBLIC COMMENT AND I AGREE WITH
NICOLE GRANT FROM IBEW, THE
SEATTLE CENTER IS TRULY A JEWEL
OF
OUR
CITY. WE NEED TO PROTECT IT.
WE NEED TO RESTORE IT TO
ITS ORIGINAL VIBRANCY AND BUILD
BACK
BETTER.
HECK, EVEN A FEW OF
THE COMMENTERS WHO SPOKE ABOUT
THE
DATA CENTER MORATORIUM
WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
SO SHOUT OUT TO THE PEARL JAM
GUY.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE LEFT.
BUT THIS IS -- AT THE END OF
THE DAY, THIS IS A PIECE OF
PAPER.
IT'S ALSO A COMMITMENT TO NEXT
YEAR, PUT A BALLOT MEASURE
ON THE BALLOT FOR A BOND MEASURE
ON
THE BALLOT TO RENOVATE
THE SEATTLE CENTER ONCE AND FOR
ALL. BUT MORE THAN A SHEET OF
PAPER OR COMMITMENTS FOR NEXT
YEAR, THIS REFLECTS A WINNING
COALITION.
YOU HEARD FROM MANY MEMBERS
OF THE COALITION TODAY.
IT WAS ONLY A SLIVER OF MANY
FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN THIS EFFORT OVER MANY MONTHS
AND
MANY YEARS NOW.
PREDATING MY TENURE IN
THIS ROLE AS CHAIR OF THE
COUNCIL COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES
THE SEATTLE CENTER.
UNION, UNIONS, LABOR,
PRIVATE, PHILANTHROPIC
ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESS
COMMUNITY.
MANY OF THE TENET
ORGANIZATIONS OF THE SEATTLE
CENTER THEMSELVES
AND BEYOND.
PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT A
VIBRANT ARTS AND CULTURAL AND
SPORTS
SCENE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO GET
THIS DONE NEXT YEAR.
WANTED TO GET IT DONE THIS YEAR.
AND I HEAR YOU.
BUT I'M EXCITED FOR NEXT YEAR.
2027 IS THE YEAR.
LIKELY AUGUST '27, CERTAINLY
NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER '27
GENERAL
ELECTION.
AND ALSO WANT TO CLOSE BY
HIGHLIGHTING WHAT I THINK IS
A PRETTY COOL ASPECT OF
THIS LEGISLATION HERE.
COLLEAGUES, AS YOU'LL RECALL,
A FEW MONTHS BACK, BACK IN
APRIL OF THIS YEAR, WE PASSED
YET
ANOTHER JOINT MAYORAL COUNCIL
RESOLUTION AFFIRMING OUR
CITY'S READINESS TO WELCOME
BACK THE
SONICS,
REAFFIRMING CLIMATE PLEDGE
ARENA'S READINESS TODAY
TO WELCOME BACK AN NBA
FRANCHISE WHICH IT IS, YES,
TODAY READY.
THE CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA IS
READY TODAY. RESPECTIVE
OWNERSHIP GROUP WITH
SAMANTHA HOLLOWAY READY TODAY.
SO THIS LEGISLATION
ACTUALLY BUILDS UPON THAT
BECAUSE WEWE
COMMITTING NEXT YEAR TO PUT
A BALLOT MEASURE ON THE BALLOT
TO
ACTUALLY RENOVATE THE SEATTLE
CENTER.
SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US
TO
BACK OUR PRIOR POLICY VALUES
AND STATEMENTS THAT WE JUST SAID
ON A DIFFERENT PIECE OF PAPER A
COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
BACK THOSE PRIOR POLICY
STATEMENTS AND VALUE STATEMENTS
WITH TANGIBLE DOLLARS AND
INVESTMENTINVESTMENT
A CONCRETE SPECIFIC PLAN.
TIMELINE AND SCHEDULE, NEXT
YEAR, TO GET THIS DONE.
BECAUSE WE NEED OUR
SONICS BACK. WE NEED TO PUT
MORE PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE NEED TO SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE NEED TO HAVE VIBRANT ARTS
AND
CULTURAL SPACES. WE NEED TO DO
ALL THOSE THINGS
AND MORE. AND THIS PUTS US ON
TRACK TO DO
EXACTLY THAT.
AND AS CHAIR OF THE
COUNCIL COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES
THE SEATTLE CENTER, FORMERLY
THE TRANSPORTATION WATERFRONT
AND SEATTLE CENTER COMMITTEE,
AKA
SNAPS, AS COMMITTEE CHAIR, NEXT
YEAR, I WILL HOLD QUARTERLY OR
BIMONTHLY IF NEEDED
BRIEFINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ON THE
STATUS
OF THIS EFFORT TO KEEP US ON
TRACK, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
MAKING
PROGRESS. THE ACTUAL WRITING OF
THE
PACKAGE ISN'T THAT
COMPLEX, AFTER ALL, IT TURNS OUT
THERE'S A FEW TECHNICAL
NUANCES.
I KNOW FIRST HAND, BUT WE'LL
BE KEEPING ON TRACK AND
HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO
GETTING THIS DONE NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
MAYOR WILSON, EVERYONE IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND EXCITED ABOUT HELPING
US TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND SO
MANY
WAYS, INCLUDING BEING A
CHERRY ON TOP TO WELCOMING BACK
OUR
SONICS. LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR
THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP IN ALL OF
THIS.
YOU HAVE BEEN A
TERRIFIC SOUNDING BOARD FOR
IDEAS ON
THIS AND SO MANY THINGS
PERTAINING TO
THE SEATTLE CENTER.
BUI'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
PARTNERSHIP, YOUR
LEADERSHIP, AND LOOK FORWARD
TO STRENGTHENING OUR
COLLABORATION GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
ONTHIS
CARRYING THE FLAG OVER
FOR
THIS PROCESS. IT'S BEEN VERY
FUN TO WATCH
YOUR LOVE AND PASSION FOR THE
SEATTLE
CENTER AND ALL THE GROUPS
THAT ARE INVOLVED THAT WERE HERE
TODAY.
OH, I DIDN'T
SEE HANDS. MY IES.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
AND WE HAVE AMENDMENTS.
I'M SORRY.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES.
GIVE ME ONE SECOND.
SO HOW WE'LL DO THIS, THANK YOU
FOR THE OPENING COMMENTS.
CAN WE DO AMENDMENT FIRST?
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL DO
COMMENTS REGARDING THAT.
IS THAT OKAY, COLLEAGUES?
AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
THUMBS UP.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, CAN
YOU MOVE YOUR AMENDMENT TO THE
RESOLUTION?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I MOVE TO AMEND RESOLUTION
32205 BY PASSING AMENDMENT A AS
SHOWN ON THE AGENDA AS AMENDMENT
A.
>> IT'S -- IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT A.
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER
TO ADDRESS IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND FIRST, I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA
FOR HIS WORK ON THIS VERY VERY
IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THE
ENGAGEMENT.
IT'S SURPRISING HOW
MUCH ENGAGEMENT AND THE BREADTH
OF THE ENGAGEMENT NEEDED.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK TO
INCLUDE HERE IN CHAMBERS.
SEATTLE CENTER FOUNDATION
HEAD, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER
JOHNSON
THERE.
AND COLLEAGUES, I JUST WANTED
TO NOTE, SEATTLE CENTER IS AN
ICONIC CIVIC CENTERPIECE FOR
OUR CITY.
AGAIN, AN ICONIC CENTER, CIVIC
CENTERPIECE FOR OUR CITY.
AND IT'S DONE SO, BY THE WAY,
IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH MEMORIAL
STADIUM, WITH THE SPACE NEEDLE,
WITH THE PARTNERSHIP THAT'S
BEEN BUILT ON THAT IS EVENEVEN
-- MADE
EVEN THAT MUCH MORE OF A
CENTERPIECE, SO I THANK THOSE
ENTITIES AND ALL THE WORK
THAT GOES BEHIND THAT
WORK, PARTICULARLY LIKE
MEMORIAL STADIUM IS AN EXAMPLE
BUT
ALSO THE LEADERSHIP, AT THE
SPACE NEEDLE AND THE SCIENCE
CENTER.
IT'S INCREDIBLE THE AMOUNT OF
WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, YOU
KNOW, ALREADY WITH
MEMORIAL STADIUM AND CLIMATE
PLEDGE
ARENA.
HOME OF THE CRACKEN, THE
TORRENCE, AND OF COURSE, THE
STORM.
THE KETTLE FAMILY FAVORITE.
BUT AS COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
NOTED, AND N, THE SONICS.
I WANT TO THANK THE ONE
ROOF TEAM STARTED WITH SAM
HOLLOWAY
WITH THE WORK SHE'S DONE AND
THE
LEADERSHIP OF THAT ENTIRE
GROUP AND THE PARTNERSHIP THEY
HAVE SHOWN IN LEADING WHAT HAS
BEEN UP TO THIS POINT ACROSS THE
--
WITH THE ARENA, WITH
MEMORIAL STADIUM AND SO FORTH, A
PRIVATE PHILANTHROPIC AND
BUSINESS
EFFORT.
THEY HAVE BEEN THE LEAD OVER
THE PAST DECADE, PARTICULARLY
LAST HALF DECADE.
AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO
MOVE FORWARD ON THE PUBLIC SIDE.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, I
HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS
AT SEATTLE CENTER OR HERE IN
MY OFFICE TALKING ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT CHALLENGES
THAT SEATTLE CENTER HAS FACED
INCLUDING THE ARMORY,
INCLUDING TENANTS IN THE ARMORY,
MEETINGS AT THE REP TALKING
ABOUT
THE CHALLENGES THE REP WAS DOING
IN TERMS OF WORKING TO TAKE CARE
OF THEIR SYSTEMS AND THE LIKE.
WHAT THAT'S TAUGHT ME IS
THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WORK TO BE
DONE.
THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WORK TO BE
DONE.
AND ON THAT FRONT, I THANK THE
BUILDING AND TRADES FOR BEING
OUT, THE ELECTRICIANS,
THE CARPENTERS TO INCLUDE THE
POINT
ABOUT ELECTRIFICATION AND
DECARBONIZATION WHICH TIES
INTO, BY THE WAY, MY REMARKS ON
THE
LAST, IN TERMS OF THE DATA
CENTERS, YOU KNOW, THE WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THERE.
THIS AMENDMENT IS JUST ONE
ADDED PIECE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE
REALLY ENGAGING THOSE THAT COME
IN THAT
WORK AT SEATTLE CENTERS,
BUT ALSO THE ADJACENT
NEIGHBORHOODS.
I HAVE DONE THIS PRIOR TO MY
SERVICE HERE ON THE CITY
COUNCIL IN TERMS OF QUEEN ANNE
AND
UPTOWN SPECIFICALLY, BUT THE
UPTOWN COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SUCH A
STRONG SUPPORTER OF
SEATTLE CENTER AND ITS ENTITIES.
AND BELLTOWN, AND SO
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE WITH
THESE
ENTITIES AND THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS TO INSURE
EVERYTHING IS
SMOOTH AND AS THE PROJECTS ARE
BEING PUT FORWARD, AND AS WE
IMPROVE,
AGAIN, WHAT IS ICONIC CIVIC
CENTERPIECE, SO COLLEAGUES,
I ASK FOR THIS OUTREACH AND THIS
ENGAGEMENT AND ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS
REGARDING THE AMENDMENT BEFORE
US?
AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON
THE AMENDMENT AND THEN WE'LL
VOTE ON
THE -- OH, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, I'LL JUST SAY
I THINK THIS, AS THE CHAIR
AND SPONSOR OF THIS, I VIEW THIS
AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT,
JUST SEEKING ADDITIONAL
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS.
NOTHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH
THAT. IT'S COMMON SENSE.
THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS ABOUT AMENDMENT A?
ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION
OF AMENDMENT A.?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> KWM KM RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> MOTION
CARRIES. AMENDMENT A IS ADOPTED.
COLLEAGUES, THESE ARE NOW
THE TIME FOR US TO GIVE OUR
FINAL
COMMENTS ABOUT THE
RESOLUTION BEFORE US AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA I'LL COME TO YOU FOR
CLOSING REMARKS.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR BRINGING
THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD.
IT WAS FANTASTIC TO HEAR FROM
SO MANY INCREDIBLE PARTNERS
AND SUPPORTERS OF THIS
RESOLUTION
TODAY, AND I'M EXCITED TO
VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND
TO EXPRESS BOTH MY SUPPORT OF
THIS
RESOLUTION AS WELL AS
SOMETHING I HAVE MENTIONED A
LITTLE BIT
IN COMMITTEE PREVIOUSLY, WHICH
IS THE NEED TO INSURE THAT AS WE
ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON
INVESTING IN SEATTLE CENTER,
WHICH IS
JUST ABSOLUTELY SUCH A GEM FOR
OUR
CITY, AND I THINK WE HAVE
HEARD IT CALLED IN COMMITTEE THE
FACE OF OUR CITY, THE HEARTBEAT
OF
OUR CITY, THE CENTER OF OUR
CITY.
SO MANY THINGS.
THAT WE ARE ALSO ENGAGING IN
A REALLY IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION ABOUT SUPPORT FOR
ALL OF
OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS,
MANY OF WHICH HAVE BEEN
UNFORTUNATELY AT THE
RECEIVING END OF DEVASTATING
FEDERAL
CUTS, CHANGES IN CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR, AND ALSO HAVE A REAL
SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR CAPITAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENTS.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE
PROGRESS ON THIS IMPORTANT
PLACE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE BEGIN
IN
THE NEXT COMING MONTHS ALSO
TAKES AN
APPROPRIATELY BROAD LOOK
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SEATTLE
CENTER'S SUCCESS IS ALSO TIED
TO
THE SUCCESS OF THE REST OF OUR
ARTS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS,
THE FOLKS WHO ARE ACTIVATING IT,
THE FOLKS WHO ARE THERE FOR FEST
ALL, AND THAT THEY'RE SO
CRITICAL. I LOOK FORWARD TO
MAKING
SURE THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT PART
OF THIS CONVERSATION.
THE SECOND IS AND WE HEARD
PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THIS
TODAY, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
SUPPORT
FOR INSURING WE GET THIS
ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT.
AND THAT WE HAVE THE
INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE GET
TO
THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF DESIGN
SO WE KNOW WHAT'S UNDER THE
HOOD.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO
THAT PROCESS AND SEEING
THAT INFORMATION COME TO COUNCIL
IN THE COMING MONTHS.
>> AWESOME, THANK
YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU,
COMMITTEE CHAIR
SAKA AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THE
PANEL DISCUSSION WE HAD IN
COMMITTEE
INCLUDING CENTER LEADERSHIP, THE
SEATTLE CENTER FOUNDATION
AND OUR LABOR PARTNERS CLARIFIED
TO ME HOW MUCH THIS REPRESENTS
AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY TO SPUR
A MAJOR CIVIC PROJECT,
SUPPORT OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS,
DECARBONIZE SEATTLE CENTER, AND
INVEST
BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
EVERYONE HAS A SEATTLE STORY.
SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW I USED
TO BE WAITRESS, BUT I DON'T
THINK
MANY OF YOU KNOW THE PLACE I
I USED TO WAIT TABLES IS NEXT TO
KEXP I NEARLY ALL OF
MY CUSTOMERS WERE AT SEATTLE
CENTER, THEY WERE VISITORS OR
WORKERS. I CAN TELL YOU THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE SEATTLE STORM CROWD
VERSUS THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST
BALLET CROWD, VERSUS THE FOLK
LIFE CROWD OR OUR
INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS COMING
FROM FRANCE
AND EGYPT AND JAPAN.
WHAT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT
CROWDS SHARED WAS THE FACT THAT
THEY
WERE HAVING A GREAT TIME
AT SEATTLE CENTER.
SO OFTEN I HEARD FROM FOLKS JUST
COMING IN TO GET A MEAL HOW MUCH
THEY LOVED SEATTLE.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
INVESTING BACK TO SEATTLE
CENTER,
THE PLACE WITH TOURISTS AND
RESIDENTS GATHER, SPORTS,
ARTS, AND SCIENCE MEET, AND
MEMORIES
ARE MADE, IS A GREAT INVESTMENT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH THE MAYOR,
SEATTLE CENTER LEADERSHIP,
RESIDENT
TENANT ORGANIZATIONS,
THE SEATTLE FOUNDATION, ALL OF
OUR
UNION PARTNERS AND KEY
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS TO DEVELOP
THIS
PROPOSAL FOR VOTERS TO
CONSIDER NEXT YEAR.
I WILL BE SUPPORTING
THIS RESOLUTION TODAY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER
COMMENT ABOUT THE RESOLUTION
BEFORE WE
GO TO COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
FOR FINAL COMMENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, FINAL
COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, APPARENTLY I'M
THE
GATING ITEM HERE FOR PREVENTs
AFROM GETTING OUT.
I'LL BE BRIEF.
HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT
THIS THAT I DIDN'T MENTION IS
THAT
IT'S A BOND.
IT'S A CAPITAL PROJECT.
AND WHEN WE BRING IT TO
LIFE NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO
RELY HEAVILY ON THE CREATION OF
ROBUST
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO
HAVE MATCHING
NON-CITY DOLLARS FROM A VARIETY
OF SOURCES, OTHER
GOVERNMENTS, PRIVATE
PHILANTHROPIC
ORGANIZATIONS, ET CETERA,
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT -- THERE'S
THE CURRENT GOLD STANDARD
WHICH IS THE WATERFRONT PROJECT.
I LIKE AS A MODEL, AND
WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS ASAS
NEW
NEWLY ESTABLISHED GOLD STANDARD
IN TERMS OF CREATION OF
EFFECTIVE ROBUST PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL IMPACT.
TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS THAT
WE ALL WANT, SAID SO ELOQUENTLY
IN
THE LEGISLATION ITSELF, ECHOED
A MOMENT AGO BY WELL SAID A
MOMENT AGO BY OUR
COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBERS
FOSTER AND RINCK.
APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK
TODAY, BUT YOUR LEADERSHIP IN
HELPING TO SHAPE THIS AND MOVE
IT FORWARD IN COMMITTEE
AND THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS.
SO SUPER EXCITING THING.
AND 2027, HERE WE COME.
THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
AND COLLEAGUES, AND FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS
AND EXCITEMENT AND
THOUGHTFUL PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
NOW, THERE WERE NO ITEMS
REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.
THERE IS NOT A RESOLUTION FOR
INTRODICTIONARY ADOPTION
TODAY, BUT I BELIEVE
COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, YOU HAVE SOMETHING
IN OTHER BUSINESS YOU WOULD LIKE
TO BRING FORWARD TODAY.
YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE
DOING.
I HAVE IT IN MY SCRIPT BUT
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
>> YES, I AM THE ONE KEEPING
US FROM GOING ABOUT OUR DAY
TODAY.
APOLOGIES.
I WILL BE BRIEF.
COLLEAGUES, I'M BRINGING
FORWARD A LETTER TODAY THAT
WAS DISTRIBUTED VIA EMAIL AND
DRAFT FORM WEDNESDAY INCLUDING
OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS
AND FEED BACK IT BE SENT TO KING
COUNTY COUNCIL.
THIS LETTER IS REALLY IN
SERVICE OF FIGHTING FOR OUR
RESIDENTS'
TAX DOLLARS.
SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW KING
COUNTY IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON
THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNTY
WIDE BENEFIT DISTRICT USING A .
1% SALES TAX TO FUND ROAD
CONSTRUCTION, MOSTLY FOR
UNINCORPORATED KING COUNTY.
THERE'S A PROPOSAL FOR 12.
5% OF THAT FUNDING TO PASS
THROUGH
TO CITIES INCLUDING SEATTLE,
BUT THAT PASSTHROUGH IS
ARBITRARILY
CAPPED ON LARGER CITIES, WHICH
SPOILER ALERT, THE LARGER
CITY, SEATTLE, WE'RE THE ONLY
ONE AFFECTED BY THE CAP.
SEATTLE WOULD LOSE OUT ON
NEARLY $3 MILLION WHILE SENDING
THAT MONEY TO OTHER CITIES.
THE LETTER BEFORE YOU OUTLINES
A GOOD REFRESHER ON THE RCW THAT
MANY JURISDICTIONS ARE ABLE TO
ESTABLISH THEIR
OWN
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICTS
TO FUND THEIR SERVICES.
THE LETTER BEFORE YOU
REQUESTS THAT THIS CAP BE
REVISITED TO
INSURE THAT OUR
CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE PAYING
INTO
REGRESSIVE TAXES LIKE SALES
TAXES
AREN'T BEING SHORT CHANGED TO
FUND ROADS FOR OTHER CITIES THAT
HAVE THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION
REVENUE
SOURCES.
REALLY, WE WANTED TO BRING
THIS FORWARD AS A MATTER OF I
KNOW THIS HAS GOTTEN A BIT OF
MEDIA
ATTENTION SO THIS IS MERELY
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN ON IF
YOU WOULD LIKE, WHILE WE SEND
A MESSAGE TO KING COUNTY COUNCIL
ON THIS POLICY AREA.
THANK
YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE
ANY COMMENTS ON THE LETTER
BEFORE AFFIXING SIGNATURES ON
IT, BEFORE WE ASK?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
REQUESTING TO BE EXCUSED
JULY 7th.
I HAVE ANOTHER MEETING.
>> WE'RE ASKING FOR SIGNATURES.
>> SORRY, I WAS MOVING RIGHT
ALONG.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY
HERE.
I'LL REQUEST TO BE RECOGNIZED
IN A MINUTE.
>> AWESOME.
I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. SO THESE ARE COMMENT
ABOUT THE
LETTER.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN FOLLOWED
BY COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK FOR BRINGING THIS LETTER
FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S
OBVIOUSLY CONCERNS ABOUT SALES
TAX, AND YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, I
BELIEVE,
CONTRIBUTES APPROXIMATELY 39% OF
SEATTLE'S TAXES IN TERMS OF
GENERATES
THAT REVENUE, AND SO FOR OUR
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO BE
SINGLED OUT FOR TO RECEIVE
LESS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
THIS WOULD BE MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS AND WHERE BELIEVE
THAT WOULD BE MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS
EACH YEAR THAT WE WOULD
BE LOSING OUT ON.
AND THERE'S JUST NO POLICY
REASON, THERE'S NO REASON FOR
US TO BE TREATED THIS WAY.
AND SO I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEND A
STRONG
MESSAGE TO OUR COUNTY COLLEAGUES
AND
TO OTHER REGIONAL PARTNERS THAT
WE
DESERVE TO BE TREATED
EQUITABLY. AND THAT THIS REVENUE
IS
VERY MUCH NEEDED.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING
THE EFFORT INTO THIS AND
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SUPPORT
IT.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THIS IS
ALSO IMPORTANT FOR OIR
TO HIGHLIGHT THESE ISSUES TO
US AS A COUNCIL, TO ALL OF THE
COUNCIL.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO
GET UPDATES IN TERMS OF THIS
CASE,
KING COUNTY PUT ACROSS
VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
AND THE REASON WHY IS THAT
FOR THE REASONS THAT
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK SPOKE TO AND
COUNCILMEMBER
LI
LIN. THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
TO BE BLUNT.
IT'S SHORT SIGHTED ON THE
PART OF THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL.
IF YOU WANT TO GO DOWN THE
ROUTE OF LOOKING AT WHAT PAYS
WHAT
AND THIS KIND OF THING, THEY'LL
FIND THAT SEATTLE IS BASICALLY
SUBSIDIZING IN A LOT OF AREAS
KIN COUNTY.
AGAIN, THIS IS SHORT SIGHTED.
FROM A BROADER POINT OF VIEW,
TOO, IN TERMS OF GOOD
GOVERNANCE, SOMETHING
THEY SHOULD THINK ABOUT.
JUST TO BE BLUNT.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THE ONLY WAY YOU KNOW
HOW, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER RINCK FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
DRAFTING, TAKING THE LABORING
OR DRAFTING THE PEN.
YOU KNOW, INSURING ALL OF
OUR IDEAS ARE REFLECTED IN THE
FINAL
THING. I OBVIOUSLY SHARE YOUR
CONCERNS,
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN MOVING THIS
FORWARD.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK ALL OF
US LOOK FORWARD TO
ACTUALLY ENGAGING WITH KING
COUNTY COUNCIL ON THIS AS WELL.
THIS LETTER IS AN IMPORTANT
NEXT STEP, MISSION CRITICAL TO
BE
HONEST, BUT MORE TO DO.
AND I THINK WE ALL NEED TO
HAVE SOME INDEPENDENT ONE-ON-
ONE
CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR
SEATTLE DELEGATION FROM THE KING
COUNTY
COUNCIL. I HELPED WRITE THE
BOUNDARIES
A FEW YEARS AGO ON THE
REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE IN
2020, AND IF I'M LOOKING AT THE
MAP AND I THINK THERE'S FOUR
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SHARE
SEATTLE AS A JURISDICTION.
BUT IN ANY EVENTS, THANK YOU
FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS.
OKAY, AWESOME.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, THANK YOU
FOR BRIPGING THIS FORWARD
AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
HAPPY TO SIGN ON.
DO YOU HAVE FINAL COMMENTS?
>> NO.
>> AWESOME.
DO I HEAR ANYTHING DOWN HERE?
OKAY.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL WHO WOULD LIKE TO
AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURES THE
LETTER.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> I DON'T DO SIGN ON LETTERS,
NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> EIGHT SIGNATURES WILL BE
AFFIXED.
>> AWESOME.
EIGHT SIGNATURES AFFIXED TO THE
LETTER.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
>> I REQUEST TO BE EXCUSED FROM
THE JULY 7th COUNCIL MEETING.
>> ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS
TO COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS BEING
EXCUSED?
NONE.
YOU ARE EXCUSED, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER
COMMENTS TO HAPPEN?
ARE YOU SURE?
ARE YOU ALL TRYING TO LEAVE?
>> NO.
>> OKAY.
I'M JUST PLAYING.
ALL RIGHT.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS.
AND THIS MEETING -- OUR NEXT
MEETING, EXCUSE ME, IS JUNE 16th
AT 2:00 P.M.
AND HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS,
THEN THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE
ADJOURNED.