Select Budget Committee

Contents

Summary

Beginning on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, the Select Budget Committee’s annual budget deliberation process commences after the delivery of Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposed budget adjustments to the Seattle City Council amending the 2024 endorsed budget. Budget deliberations will conclude when the Seattle City Council passes the 2023 Adopted Budget, which is scheduled for a final vote on November 21, 2023.

Committee Members

  • Teresa Mosqueda, Chair
  • Lisa Herbold, Vice Chair
  • Debora Juarez, Member
  • Andrew J. Lewis, Member
  • Tammy J. Morales, Member
  • Sara Nelson, Member
  • Alex Pedersen, Member
  • Kshama Sawant, Member
  • Dan Strauss, Member

Committee Materials

You can find agendas, presentations and other materials for the Select Budget Committee on Legistar, the system the City uses to manage legislation and committees.

View Budget Committee Agendas and Materials

Demystifying the Budget Process

Demystifying the Budget Process, An Interactive Guide

This interactive guide, Demystifying the Budget Process, is the most straightforward and simple way to understand the Council's budget work. Most importantly, this resource is intended to highlight when and how the public can make their voices heard. There is also more information about that below.

Learn more about the budget process

Budget Dashboard

Budget Dashboard

To increase transparency and support public participation in the budget process, the Seattle City Council is releasing a new tool, the Seattle Budget Dashboard, to help keep track of budget adjustments.  

  • People can use the Seattle Budget Dashboard to:  
  • Understand how the City of Seattle’s budget is distributed by department.  
  • Track how budget spending has changed from year to year and adjustments to the 2024 endorsed budget.  
  • See how departments and programs are funded, and more.  

This tool will be updated throughout the budget process. For example, it was updated after the Mayor transmitted his proposed adjustments to the 2024 budget.

Understanding Council's Budget Amendments

Understanding Council's Budget Amendments

This interactive tool is meant to make the Council's budget amendments more transparent, engaging, and accessible. You will find detailed information about the 124 amendments for the proposed 2024-25 budget sponsored by Councilmembers.

For each amendment, you can see which department it pertains to, a short summary of what it does, the Councilmembers who originally sponsored it, a link to read a policy memo about each amendment, as well as a link to watch the Council's discussion of it. You can follow along during the voting process, as the amendment tool will update in near real-time with information about the votes, like if an amendment passed, failed, and how each member voted.

Learn About Council's Amendments

How to Participate in the Budget

Your input is a critical part of the budget process! There are three ways to participate in the budget, sharing your perspective during Budget Committee meetings, Public Hearings, or sending written comment.

Ways to Participate in the Budget Process

Sign Up for Public Comment

 

Summary of the Budget Process

There are four main steps in the budget process, outlined in the graphic below:

The Four Stages of the Budget

    1. Mayor's Proposed Budget Adjustments | Sept. 27
    2. Budget Hearings (Budget presentations and revenue forecast update) | Oct. 11 - Oct. 19
    3. Budget Deliberations (Amendments and votes) | Oct. 25 - Nov. 15
    4. Final Committee Vote and Council Adoption | Nov. 20 - Nov. 21

2023 budget calendar

Download the Fall 2023 Budget Calendar

DATE SUBJECT MATTER
September 26 Mayor delivers Proposed Budget Adjustments
September 27 @ 9:30am

Overview of Proposed Budget Amendments

Oral Public Comment @ 9:30 AM

October 11 @ 10:00am

Budget Hearings - Central Staff presentations

Oral Public Comment @ 10:00am

October 12 @ 10:00am Budget Hearings
October 13 @ 10:00am Budget Hearings
October 16 @ 10:00am Budget Hearings
October 17 Revenue Forecast Update
October 18 @ 10:00am Budget Hearings
October 18 @ 5:00pm Public Hearing
October 20 @ 11:00am Balancing Package presented by the Chair
October 27 @ 10:00am

Budget Deliberations 

Oral Public Comment @ 10:00am

November 13 @ 10:00am

Budget Deliberations, Discussion, and Voting

Oral Public Comment @ 10:00am

November 13 @ 5:00pm

Public Hearing

November 14 @ 10:00am Budget Deliberations, Discussion, and Voting
November 15 @ 10:00am Budget Deliberations, Discussion, and Voting
November 20 @ 9:00am Budget Committee, Final vote
November 21 @ 2:00pm Final Action, City Council Vote

Quorum

Five Councilmembers constitute a quorum for this Select Committee.

City Council

Address: 600 Fourth Ave. 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34025, Seattle, WA , 98124-4025
Phone: (206) 684-8888
Phone Alt: Listen Line: (206) 684-8566
Fax: (206) 684-8587
Meet the Council

The Seattle City Council establishes City policy through enactment of ordinances (laws) and adoption of resolutions. The City Council also approves and adopts the City's budget. The nine Council members and their legislative assistants are part of the City of Seattle Legislative Department.