Friends and Neighbors,

This week your City Council passed two major pieces of legislation our office worked diligently to advance:

• TRANSIT: the November ballot measure giving voters the option to renew funding for our Seattle Transportation Benefit District to support transit and
• INTERNET: the “Internet for All” Resolution to address the social justice imperative of overcoming the digital divide to achieve digital equity for Seattle.  

As we struggle with what appears to be a new wave of COVID cases and strive to close our city government’s budget deficit, the primary issue we still must tackle in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and countless other victims of law enforcement misconduct is Justice. We have this historic moment to address decades of systemic racism by creating a new paradigm for how we deliver public safety and achieve healthy communities. Please take my quick Public Safety Survey below and, for more information about all of these timely topics, please read on. For more frequent updates, you can always check my website. Thank you.

Re-imagining Public Safety Survey

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Fill out our survey

To take the survey, CLICK HERE. The survey is just two questions: (1) In which neighborhood do you reside? and (2) the following question on re-imagining public safety / reallocating significant dollars from our Seattle Police Department (SPD) to other community safety programs:

Pick the ONE statement that best describes your current views on the proposals:

1. Defund SPD by at least 50%!  (Note: “Defund” typically means to reallocate dollars to non-police programs that would address safety, crime prevention, and healthy communities. A popular example is to dispatch a mental health professional to a Seattle neighbor having a mental health crisis rather than sending an armed police officer.) In addition to the need to re-imagine public safety, the $400 million police budget has grown to a bloated amount with excessive overtime, military grade weapons, and/or specialty units that are too expensive. It’s okay to lay off some police officers. Seven of the nine Councilmembers have already agreed to this and it’s time to get on board now. (For more information on the “defunding” concept, see my website by CLICKING HERE.)
2. Do NOT Defund. Support Our Police Department: Do not “defund” our police department because we need their response times to be faster, rather than slower. Our officers also need an ample training budget to complete the accountability reforms of the consent decree.  We already lose police officers to other cities at a rapid rate and we need to provide them with support so they stay here. Our Police Chief Carmen Best is doing a decent job, considering the challenges she is facing.
3. Let's See Details First and Be Thoughtful. I want our elected officials to address institutional racism and I’m open to them working to reimagine public safety. We often ask our police officers to do the impossible by responding to too many types of complex emergencies. But prematurely pledging to cut our police budget by 50% without a plan and without sufficient capacity today to transfer their duties to community groups is hasty. We need to make sure the programs we reallocate money to are effective and measure results, so we actually achieve the positive outcomes we all want. Let’s do this right the first time by getting a detailed plan from our Mayor, soliciting a wide range of community feedback, debating respectfully during the City Council’s fall budget process, and phasing in a thoughtful, detailed plan that truly increases safety and community wellness.
4. Undecided: I need to learn more before deciding.

Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD)

“This is a good day for public transit. Many were concerned that, with the turmoil and uncertainty of the COVID pandemic and economic recession, we might not be able to complete the funding option for the Transportation Benefit District. In fact, our colleagues at King County had to abandon a regional measure as they shifted their attention to the public health crisis. It was up to us, here in Seattle, to beat the clock before the money for transit expired. Fortunately, my colleagues and I share common ground in believing that public transit is an essential and affordable option to move the most people in our region, as we look forward to a vibrant economy and a healthy planet.

"Despite the divisions and conflicts that many people see reported in the media, the Mayor and the City Council can pull together and row in the same positive direction when we focus our energy on the hard responsibility of governing.”

"Because I believe public transit is an essential and affordable option to move the most people in the most environmentally friendly way as our economy recovers, I’m thankful the Mayor and a unanimous City Council agreed to provide Seattle voters with the option this November to renew funding for the successful Seattle Transportation Benefit District during these challenging and uncertain times.”

• My website blog, CLICK HERE.
• Website for the Seattle Transportation Benefit District, CLICK HERE.
• Mayor Durkan’s joint statement with Council President González, CLICK HERE.

Internet for All Resolution Unanimously Approved

“Seattle is a city that rightfully prides itself on world-class technology, but the COVID crisis has laid bare the inequities and injustices of the Digital Divide. We can no longer afford to allow limited access to the internet to prevent learning, to impede our workers, or to hinder our small businesses. It’s time to provide reliable and affordable access to the internet as part of our city’s vital infrastructure for social justice, for education, and for economic development. Passing our resolution today amps up Seattle’s long-term efforts to achieve Internet for All.” 

Updates on COVID Pandemic

• On July 25, the Washington State Secretary of Health expanded face mask requirements to any indoor setting outside your home, as well as any outdoor setting where maintaining six feet of distance is not possible. Please continue to wear a mask in public and practice social distancing.
• The Governor also extended the eviction moratorium through October 15.
• CLICK HERE to learn more. 

• You can learn about your temporary permit options for outdoor spaces by clicking HERE. You can find information about applying for a temporary outdoor café permit HERE and a temporary merchandise display permit HERE. For more support, you can reach Seattle’s Office of Economic Development at oed@seattle.gov and 206-684-8090.
• CLICK HERE to access reopening toolkits, including safety checklists and other resources.

• The Seattle City Council continues to update its COVID-19 webpage which includes resources supporting workers, childcare, small businesses, and tenants/landlords.
• You can also visit Mayor Jenny Durkan’s centralized COVID-19 webpage, as well as the Mayor's blog for additional updates.
• Our Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs has been translating and sharing information on COVID-19 in several languages. For links to OIRA's fact sheets and other translated materials, go to their blog.
• For the latest from Public Health Seattle-King County, you can visit their website to track our region’s response to the virus.

EASTLAKE OPPORTUNITY
 

Seattle Parks and Recreation
invites community to help re-design Terry Pettus Park

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AT CITY HALL

City Council Meetings on the Internet: