Dear Friends,

One of the high points of my summer is the Fourth of July ceremony at Seattle Center where each year I preside over the swearing in of our newest citizens. It was a memorable moment as more than 500 people from 75 different countries were sworn in. Our newest Seattleites add to our rich diversity and I'm proud they choose to live in Seattle.

The Fourth of July is the very symbol of the promise of America -- a country based on the ideal that all people are created equal and endowed with the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As a nation we must never stop trying to live up to those ideals, even if it takes many years. We took another step forward last weekend when the U.S. Army publicly apologized to the families of 28 courageous soldiers who were wrongfully sentenced to prison and dishonorably discharged following a 1944 brawl at Fort Lawton between African American soldiers and Italian prisoners of war. I was honored to represent the people of Seattle and express my heartfelt apologies for what the soldiers and their families have endured all these years. We need to remember and dedicate ourselves to never letting it happen again.
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As we head into an historic election season, there is much debate about the best way to move people around the region -- more highways vs. more mass transit. As chair of the Sound Transit board, I'm pleased that voters in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties will be able to weigh in on this important decision in November when we vote on a 15-year transit package that would extend light rail and expand regional bus service. 

In closing, I hope you're enjoying this wonderful summer. And there's still a lot of summer left to enjoy Seafair events, the annual Night Out on Aug. 5, and other warm weather activities around Seattle. I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,


GREG NICKELS
Mayor of Seattle

It was with great pride that I joined Melinda Gates in breaking ground for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's world headquarters across from Seattle Center. Just as Bill Gates changed the world through technology, the Foundation is already changing the world through philanthropy, even though it's still in its infancy. The 12-acre campus will aim for LEED Gold certification and will house two six-story buildings, an entrance pavilion, a convening center and a visitor center. With this new campus, Seattle will be the epicenter of a global effort to improve the lives of people throughout the world by lifting them out of poverty and disease. We are proud of the work of the Gates Foundations and proud that its home is right here in Seattle.

Getting through downtown Seattle should be a bit easier for drivers, thanks to the synchronization of all downtown traffic signals for the first time in 21 years. Not only does this improve travel times, it also reduces fuel consumption, decreases greenhouse gas emissions and eases motorists' frustration. With rising gas prices and the planet in peril, we know the best car trip is one not taken. But most of us have to drive, and we're committed to making travel in our city fast and efficient. There'll still be red lights, but our city will be a little greener.
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Watch the press conference

Seattle is fast becoming the launching pad for successful Broadway shows. In recent years Seattle has launched several Broadway shows, including "Hairspray," "Young Frankenstein," and "Light in the Piazza." On August 14, "Shrek the Musical" begins a five-week run before heading for Broadway. It was great fun welcoming the cast and crew to Seattle, including Chester Gregory II who plays Donkey (pictured here.) What makes Seattle so great for previewing plays and musicals is our audiences. If we laugh at a line, it stays in the production. If we don't, the line goes. Our reputation for good taste and our great arts spaces truly put Seattle on the nation's cultural map. And it's good for the local economy too. "Shrek" alone could contribute $10 million.
Read the news release
Watch the press conference

Music is another one of Seattle's claims to world fame. And for 20 years Sub Pop Records, the label that launched Nirvana, has embodied our music community's fierce independence and intense dedication. Sub Pop and its artists make it one of the best labels in the world. To commemorate this anniversary, I proclaimed the weekend of July 11, "Sub Pop's Utterly Lost Weekend," kicking off a series of events and concerts throughout town featuring past and present bands. It was a great celebration of Sub Pop's "questionable taste in music, generous nature and improbable insolvency."
Read the news release and proclamation

Each year we award large-project matching funds to groups who are committed to building a better community throughout Seattle. This year I am pleased to recommend 14 projects for awards totaling $1.1 million that will put resources directly into the community. From a museum without walls in the U District, to expanding an Eritrean cultural center, to a project to employ youth in positive community building activities, these projects are some of the best ways to see neighborhoods coming together to make improvements everyone can see and enjoy.
Read the news release
See the list of recommended projects

Seattle is continually ranked among the most literate cities in the nation, in part, because of our excellent public libraries. And we love our libraries – 80 percent of Seattle residents have library cards. In 1998 when Seattle voters approved the "Libraries for All" building program it was the largest and most comprehensive library building program in the nation. With the completion of the Magnolia Library, we have successfully completed the last of the 27 voter-approved projects. The Magnolia Library has a new meeting room, energy efficient windows, improved ventilation, improved electrical and computer connections, upgraded technology equipment - and an updated book collection.
More information about Magnolia Library

This month we hit another energy milestone – we have distributed more than one million energy efficient light bulbs through our “Twist-and-Save” discount program. Few symbols reflect the simple things we can do to save the planet better than the twisty, compact fluorescent light bulb. They've proven that making a big dent on climate pollution is as easy as changing a light bulb. Over their lifetimes, these million bulbs will save enough energy to power nearly 42,000 Seattle homes for a year, or enough energy to power all the homes on Queen Anne Hill for more than two years. This program shines a light for other cities across the nation to follow and is a great example of the kind of positive change that can happen when business and government work together.
Read the news release
Watch the video

After months of efforts and a June court date, we finally resolved our litigation against the Oklahoma City owners of the Seattle Sonics professional basketball team. We reached a settlement that protects taxpayers' investment in KeyArena, with Clay Bennett and his partners agreeing to pay $75 million to terminate the lease on KeyArena two years early. Under the agreement, $45 million will be paid to the City immediately to cover rent, loss of tax revenue, and outstanding debt on KeyArena. Our agreement calls for the team owners to pay an additional $30 million in 2013 -- if the NBA has not approved a team to play in Seattle. The NBA has committed to helping us secure a future team. We have committed local ownership working to secure a new team. The City is ready to do its part. Now we look to our State Legislature to act. And again I quote the great Yogi Berra, "it ain't over until it's over."
Watch the video
Read the statement