Council News Release

THE LAWMAKERS REPORT TO THE PEOPLE
First Annual Legislative Address to Seattle Citizens on Tuesday, January 16

Council President Nick Licata today announced the first Annual Legislative Address to Seattle Citizens. Council President Licata said, “The Annual Council Report will help remind the public that the Council is the policy setting body for the City that is independent of the Mayor. While the Mayor executes policy, it is the Council that introduces and passes laws.”

Each Councilmember chairs a Committee and in that role he or she shapes Seattle’s business, social and physical environment. Each year every Committee passes dozens of bills and resolutions. Council President Licata said, “The Council Committees develop the laws that govern our City; In essence the Council determines how our public resources are allocated.”

The Council’s Annual Report to the City will allow each Councilmember to highlight the top issues that their Committee dealt with in 2006, and it will allow the public to hear what each Councilmember considers to be one of the most important policy issues that their Committee will address in 2007. Council President Licata said, “As the City’s lawmakers, it is vital that we report to the people of Seattle on our achievements for last year and our plans for this coming year.”

The last year was a highly productive one for the Council with major accomplishments that included enhancing public safety through adding more police officers and funding human services that help keep people out of jail; new zoning for downtown development that mandates contributions for affordable housing; a rate decrease for Seattle City Light customers; voters’ approval of the Council’s proposed transportation levy, “Bridging the Gap,” to fund street paving, sidewalk building, and improvements for transit; key investments in Seattle’s parks; agreement among a majority of key decision makers and stakeholders on a six-lane replacement for the Highway 520 bridge; the creation of the Emergency Assistance Program at Seattle Public Utilities to help low-income ratepayers avoid disconnection of their water; and a revision of the City’s ethics rules to make them fairer to volunteers and stricter for violators.

What: First Annual Legislative Address to Seattle Citizens

When: Tuesday, January 16, 2 p.m.

Where: Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Avenue, Second Floor

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City Council