>>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S OCTOBER 16.
WE'RE CONTINUING WITH OUR
BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.
I'M SALLY BAGSHAW, I CHAIR THIS
COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, DEBORA JUAREZ,
COUNCIL MEMBER SAWANT,
GONZALEZ, PACHECO, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HARRELL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
WITH ME.
IT'S 9:36 A.M.
THIS MORNING.
TODAY IS OUR FIRST DAY OF THE
SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHERE
WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
WE SUBMITTED OUR FORM A'S LAST
THURSDAY.
WHAT THOSE ARE, ARE PRIORITIES
INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY
HAVE AND THEN ALSO BEGINNING TO
LOOK AT THE MAYOR'S BUDGET.
TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE FOUR DAYS WHERE
OUR COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF WILL
BE TALKING TO US ABOUT BUDGETS,
WHAT THEY'RE FINDING, ANY
CONCERNS THEY HAVE ABOUT OUR
FORM A'S WE HAVE PUT IN.
AND THEN FOR THE PUBLIC NEXT
TUESDAY EVENING AT 5:30 WE WILL
HAVE OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING
HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SO FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE
INTERESTED, HAPPY TO HAVE YOU,
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
YOUR COMMENTS THEN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THESE
INITIAL PROPOSALS TODAY
BEGINNING TODAY FROM COUNCIL
MEMBERS.
WE WILL HAVE A SECOND ROUND,
WHAT WE CALL FORM B'S, WHICH
MANY OF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
LOOK AT THE FORM A'S YOU HAVE
SUBMITTED IN HEARING FROM OUR
COLLEAGUES UP HERE TODAY.
WE CAN LEARN IF THERE ARE
THINGS WHERE WE ARE ALL FEELING
STRONGLY ABOUT.
WE CAN WORK WITH COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF TO CONSIDER WHAT
THE NEXT COUNCIL BUDGET ACTIONS
WILL BE.
AND SO THE FORM B'S WILL BE DUE
NEXT WEEK AT 2:00 P.M.,
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23.
SO IT'S THE DAY AFTER OUR
PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THEN AGAIN MY BALANCING
PACKAGE WILL COME FORWARD ON
NOVEMBER 6. SO WELCOME BACK
COUNCIL MEMBER O'BRIEN.
I KNOW WE'LL BE HEARING MORE
ABOUT COPENHAGEN, BUT NOT THIS
MORNING.
I BELIEVE KIRSTAN, THAT YOU ARE
HERE TO BE TALKING JUST
GENERALLY ABOUT THE
PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
TOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
MEMO, IT WAS EXCELLENT.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK
YOU HAVE DONE.
AND KETIL FREEMAN IS HERE AS
WELL.
IF I CAN TURN IT OVER TO YOU,
KIRSTAN, THEN TOM YOU'LL BE
PICKING UP WHERE WE WILL GO
THROUGH THE MAYOR'S 2020 BUDGET
AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS FROM WHAT
YOU'VE SEEN.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR, I'M KIRSTAN ARESTAD,
DIRECTOR OF COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TO
SHARE AS COUNCIL CONTINUES TO
REVIEW AND WRITE THE CITY'S
BUDGET FOR 2020.
STEPPING BACK FOR JUST A MOMENT
TO EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE
CITY'S DEPARTMENTS PROVIDED
BUDGETARY INFORMATION TO THE
MAYOR, THE MAYOR THEN WORKED
WITH THE CITY'S BUDGET OFFICE
TO DEVELOP HER 2020 PROPOSED
BUDGET.
TWO DAYS AFTER THE BUDGET WAS
DELIVERED IN LATE SEPTEMBER TO
THE COUNCIL, WE HEARD FROM
VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO
ASCERTAIN HOW THEIR STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES ALIGN WITH THE
COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES.
WE ALSO WANTED TO UNDERSTAND
ANY DEVIATIONS FROM THE
ENDORSED 2020 BUDGET BUILT LAST
FALL.
DURING THOSE PRESENTATIONS,
COUNCIL POSED MANY THOUGHTFUL
QUESTIONS OVER 80 OF WHICH WERE
UNANSWERABLE AT THE TIME OF THE
DISCUSSIONS.
SO AS OF MONDAY THIS WEEK,
CENTRAL STAFF FORWARDED THE
FINAL SET OF RESPONSES TO YOU
AND TO YOUR STAFF.
IF I MAY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
RECOGNIZE ALL THE HARD WORK
THAT BEN NOBLE AND HIS CBO
TEAM, THE DEPARTMENT, AND
CENTRAL STAFF PUT INTO THIS
EFFORT.
THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS
AND A LOT OF TECHNICAL
INFORMATION TO WADE THROUGH, SO
THANK YOU EVERYONE.
>> AND KIRSTAN, WHERE CAN THE
PUBLIC FIND THE ANSWERS TO
THOSE QUESTIONS?
>> THAT'LL BE ON THE BUDGET'S
WEBSITE ON THE LINK UNDER THE
CITY'S BUDGET.
THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET'S WEBSITE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT.
SO IN PREPARATION FOR THIS
WEEK'S PHASE OF THE BUDGET
PROCESS STARTING WITH TODAY, I
WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TWO
CHANGES FROM PAST PRACTICES.
FIRST CENTRAL STAFF WILL BE
USING POWER POINT SLIDES TO
COMPLIMENT THE MEMOS IN YOUR
AGENDA PACKETS.
I BELIEVE HARD COPIES OF THE
SLIDES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO
ALL OF YOU.
IF YOU DON'T JUST RAISE YOUR
HANDS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET
THEM TO YOU.
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL FIND THIS
EASIER TO FOLLOW THAN HAVING
THE ANALYSTS MEMOS UP ON THE
SCREEN WORKING OFF THE MEMOS UP
ON THE SCREEN AS YOU MAY HAVE
HEARD HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR
THE VIEWING AUDIENCE TO FOLLOW.
SO WE'RE USING THE POWER POINT
SLIDES INSTEAD.
THE SECOND CHANGE IS THE
PRESENTATION, CHAIR BAGSHAW,
THAT YOU JUST ACKNOWLEDGED.
YOU'LL BE HEARING NEXT FROM
HIM, YOU KNOW, WITH REGARDS TO
THE BUDGET OVERVIEW.
BY WAY OF CONTEXT, THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED BUDGET WILL CALL FOR
$6.5 BILLION, THAT'S WITH A B,
DOLLARS IN SPENDING FOR 2020.
OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH HAS RECEIVED
A GREAT DEAL OF BUDGET
INFORMATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE
BRANCH.
THIS BUDGET INFORMATION WHILE
EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE AND VERY
MUCH APPRECIATED TRADITIONALLY
COMES TO US FAST AND FURIOUS
DURING A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN WE
ARE ALL UNDER THE GUNS SORTING
THROUGH A LOT OF INFORMATION
AND ABSORBING A LOT OF COMPLEX
INFORMATION AND IN A VERY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.
SO UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES,
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE THE
COMPLEXITIES OF THE BUDGET
INCLUDING THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET
PROCESS AS TRANSPARENT AND
CLEAR AS POSSIBLE.
SO WITH THIS GOAL IN MIND, TOM
WILL HIGHLIGHT KEY ELEMENTS OF
THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
HIS ANALYSIS WILL FOCUS ON THE
CITY'S GENERAL FUND BECAUSE IT
IS THE MOST FLEXIBLE POOL OF
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR COUNCIL
AND THE CITY TO FUND ITS
PRIORITIES.
BY THE END OF TOM'S TALK, OUR
GOAL IS THAT WE WILL ALL WALK
AWAY KNOWING THREE THINGS ABOUT
THE PROPOSED 2020 BUDGET.
FIRST WE WILL KNOW THE ORIGIN
OF THE NEW NET GENERAL FUND
RESOURCE CHANGE.
THIS CHANGE IS $65.8 MILLION.
A LARGE PORTION OF THIS AMOUNT
IS ONE TIME IN NATURE.
SECOND WE WILL UNDERSTAND THE
HIGH LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS MADE IN
THE PROPOSED BUDGET RELATIVE TO
THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR ALL
DEPARTMENTS, NOT JUST THE
DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HEARD FROM
IN THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER
AND ON OCTOBER 2. AND LASTLY
WE WILL KNOW THE EXTENT TO
WHICH THE NEW ONE-TIME
RESOURCES ARE SUPPORTING NEW
ONGOING EXPENDITURES.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
BECAUSE USING ONE-TIME FUNDS
FOR ONGOING EXPENDITURES RAISES
A QUESTION OF SUSTAINABILITY
AND STRESSES FUTURE BUDGETS.
SO WITH THAT I'LL NOW TURN THE
TABLE OVER TO TOM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT
INTRODUCTION.
JUST ONE REMINDER I KNOW WE
HAVE A BIANNUAL BUDGET, BUT
OFTENTIMES WE ACT LIKE IT'S AN
ANNUAL BUDGET.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD JUST
DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE.
A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE ASKED ME,
YOU KNOW, WE SEEM TO SPEND AS
MUCH TIME ON THE ODD YEARS WHEN
WE PASS IT, BUT CAN YOU
DESCRIBE TO THE PUBLIC WHAT'S
HAPPENING NOW?
>> LET ME SEE IF I COULD GET MY
YEAR'S STRAIGHT AND TOM YOU
MIGHT BE ABLE TO STEP IN.
IN THE ODD YEARS WE WRITE A ONE-
YEAR BUDGET.
AND THAT ONE-YEAR BUDGET GOES
THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS
THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE AND
THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
AND EVENTUALLY IS ADOPTED,
WHICH GIVES THE CITY THE
AUTHORIZATION, THE AUTHORITY
THROUGH AN APPROPRIATION TO
SPEND THE MONEYS.
IN THE EVEN YEARS WE WORK ON A
TWO-YEAR BUDGET WITH THE FIRST-
YEAR BUDGET BEING THE BUDGET
THAT WE ENACT INTO LAW AND THE
SECOND YEAR BUDGET BEING THE
ONE THAT IS ENDORSED.
IT'S A STARTING PLACE, BUT IT'S
NOT LEGALLY BINDING IF THAT
MAKES SENSE.
SO TODAY WE'RE IN A SITUATION
WHERE LAST FALL WE WROTE THE
ENDORSED BUDGET.
IT'S NOT LEGALLY BINDING.
THIS YEAR THE COUNCIL IS TAKING
THE PROPOSED BUDGET FROM THE
MAYOR AND CRAFTING THE FINAL
BUDGET EVENTUALLY FOR ADOPTION
INTO LAW.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, TOM, AND THANK YOU
FOR AGAIN FOR THE MEMO AND LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, KIRSTAN FOR THE
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
SO I'M GOING TO REITERATE A FEW
OF THE POINTS BECAUSE THEY ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE FIRST THING IS WE'RE
LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUNDS
ONLY.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME
THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE WHERE
RESOURCES SHIFT TO OTHER FUNDS.
IT'S ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING
AT THE GENERAL FUND THAT LOOKS
LIKE A REDUCTION.
THOSE RESOURCES ARE STILL
AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.
AND WE ARE BEING APPROPRIATED
IN THOSE NEW FUNDS.
NEXT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS
TAKING A 650-PAGE FINANCIAL
DOCUMENT IN TRYING TO DISTILL
IT INTO 10 PAGES.
I WISH I COULD ACCOMPLISH ALL
THE DETAILS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY
WE HAVE A CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL
THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED TO DO SO
AND A LOT OF THE DETAILS WILL
COME OUT IN THE ASSUMING BUDGET
DELIBERATION MEETINGS THIS
MEETING AND NEXT.
AND NEXT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE A
POINT DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
CENTRAL STAFF, DAN EATER MADE.
AT THE START OF OUR PROCESS,
WHICH WAS AT THIS STAGE ALL THE
RESOURCES ARE CONSIDERED
ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET.
SO THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL FREE
MONEY.
ANALYSIS CONTINUES, WE'RE
TRYING TO IDENTIFY
OPPORTUNITIES, BUT AT THIS
STAGE EVERYTHING IS ALLOCATED.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO
DETERMINE.
IT'LL BE HELPFUL AS I GO
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL IDENTIFY THE AREAS WHERE
THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO
MAKE DIFFERENT CHOICES.
SO THERE ARE DECISIONS WHERE
THOSE COULD TAKE PLACE IN THE
ENSUING BUDGET'S DELIBERATION.
>> CHAIR BAGSHAW, MAY I ASK A
QUESTION?
>> ABSOLUTELY, COUNCIL MEMBER
GONZALEZ.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, I
APPRECIATE IT.
WE USE A LOT OF WORDS IN THESE
PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO A
VARIETY OF ISSUES.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, SO
WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A
DEFINITION OF WHAT YOU MEAN
WHEN YOU SAY THESE DOLLARS HAVE
BEEN ALLOCATED?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY, COUNCIL
MEMBER.
CBO DOES A FORECAST.
THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE CAN
SPEND.
THAT'S THE STARTING POINT FOR
THE DECISIONS THE MAYOR BUILT
INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO THEY TELL US HOW MUCH MONEY
IS AVAILABLE, AND IT GETS SPENT
UP TO THAT TOTAL AMOUNT OF
AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
SOMETIMES THERE MAY BE CUTS IN
ONE PROGRAM THAT ALLOW
OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT MONEY IN
DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND THE BUDGET INDEED INCLUDES
THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY.
YOU'LL SEE THAT AS I WORK
THROUGH DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE
PRESENTATION.
BUT I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M
TRYING TO SAY, IT'S THAT THOSE
CHOICES WHERE THERE IS A CUT TO
ONE PLACE, THERE'S AN ALTERNATE
OFFSETTING CHOICE WHERE THAT
MONEY HAS BEEN DIRECTED TOWARDS
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY
ALLOCATED.
THE REVENUE FROM THE FORECAST
HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACES IN THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND ANY CUTS THAT ARE MADE IN
THE BUDGET HAVE BEEN DIRECTED
TO OTHER USES IN THE PROPOSED
BUDGET.
>> WHEN YOU USE THE PHRASE OF
THE BUDGET PROCESS, DOES IT
MEAN THAT THE PROPOSED
POTENTIAL CUT IN SOME INSTANCES
AND THE ALLOCATION FOR SPENDING
IN OTHER AREAS IS FINAL, INK IS
DRY, MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT, OR
IS IT STILL A DRAFT PROPOSAL
THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE CITY
COUNCIL'S BUDGET AUTHORITY AND
APPROVAL PRIOR TO ANY
EXPENDITURE OF THOSE DOLLARS?
>> IT'S THE LADDER.
>> GREAT.
>> IN OTHER WORDS WE STILL HAVE
ACCESS TO THOSE MONEYS AS WE'RE
MAKING OUR DECISIONS.
AS YOU POINTED OUT AND COUNCIL
MEMBER GONZALEZ, YOU JUST
NAILED IT, WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME
ADDITIONAL CHOICES.
>> EXACTLY.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT
DEFINITIONAL UNDERSTANDING TO
HAVE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
DELIBERATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING
NOW.
AND IT IS AN ENDORSED BUDGET
YEAR, BUT DOESN'T MEAN ANY
ADDITIONAL REVENUE DOLLARS THAT
HAVE COME IN HAVE BEEN A PART
OF THE BUDGET PROCESS BEFORE
THIS PERIOD OF TIME AND IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO I THINK
UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE THOSE
DOLLARS ARE AND HOW THEY ARE
BEING PROPOSED TO BE SPENT OR
NOT SPENT IN A REALLOCATION
PROCESS.
I JUST SEE THAT AS A
FUNDAMENTAL PART OF OUR DUE
DILIGENCE AS THE BUDGET
AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
>> I'M SORRY.
>> THANK YOU, PLEASE PROCEED.
>> THANK YU.
SO I GUESS THE NEXT, KIND OF
SIMILARLY A DEFINITIONAL TERM.
I'LL BE USING IT FREQUENTLY IS
THE DISCUSSION ABOUT ONE TIME
AND ONGOING.
BOTH RESOURCES AND SPENDING,
AND SO THE WAY TO THINK OF THAT
IS ONGOING MEANS IT'S GOING TO
BE AVAILABLE EVERY YEAR, IT'S
KIND OF LIKE YOUR PAYCHECK, YOU
COME IN AND YOU CAN PAY YOUR
BILLS EVERY YEAR, YOUR
UTILITIES VERSES ONE TIME.
SAY YOU GET AN INHERNS.
ONCE IT'S SPENT IT'S GONE.
AND THEN THE SAME THING COULD
BE ON THE SPENDING SIDE OF A
VACATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU
SAVE YOUR MONEY UP AND YOU CAN
GO ON A VACATION AND THAT'S
FINE, BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT EVERY
SINGLE YEAR.
SO THE BUDGET HAS THE SAME SORT
OF FLAVOR TO IT WHERE THERE IS
ONE TIME AND ONGOING THINGS.
AND BECAUSE AS YOU'LL SEE LATER
IN THIS PRESENTATION THERE ARE
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ONE-TIME
MONEY THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSAL.
IT'S IMPORTANT FROM A
SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE TO
RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS ONLY
AVAILABLE IN THE SUBSTANTIAL
AMOUNT ON A A ONE-TIME BASIS.
WHEN IT IS USED TO FUND ONGOING
THINGS THAT COULD BE A
CHALLENGE, BUT I'LL GET INTO
THAT IN MORE DETAIL LATER
BECAUSE I'LL BE USING THE
TERMINOLOGY QUITE FREQUENTLY.
AND SO ALSO IT'S GIVEN TO THE
COMPLEXITY OF WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE
THIS COMPLEX FINANCIAL
DOCUMENT?
AND I THINK OF IT AS KIND OF A
ROAD TRIP IN A WAY BECAUSE THE
JOURNEY IS IMPORTANT, BUT MORE
IMPORTANT IS THE DESTINATIONS
AND THE STOPS THAT YOU TAKE
ALONG THE WAY.
AND ALSO SOMETIMES IT'S NOT
EXACTLY A STRAIGHT LINE.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN BACKTRACK A
BIT AND ZIG AND ZAG AND WE WILL
GET THERE AND THEN THERE WILL
BE STOPS TO TALK ABOUT THE
VARIOUS CONCEPTS ALONG THE WAY,
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT HONE
IN ON THE BEGINNING AND THE END
WITH THE DIFFERENT POINTS ALONG
THE WAY.
SO THAT SAID FIRST STAGE IN OUR
JOURNEY IS LOOKING AT THE
RESOURCE SIDE.
AS KIRSTAN DESCRIBED, COUNCIL
ENDORSED A 2020 BUDGET IN THE
FALL OF LAST YEAR.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT HAS
BEEN SUBMITTED FOR YOUR REVIEW
TOTALS $1.49 BILLION, WHICH IS
A NET CHANGE OF $165.8 MILLION.
SO THIS CAN BE DISTILLED INTO
SIX MEANINGFUL CHUNKS INCLUDING
SHIFTING TAXES TO NEW FUNDS,
WHICH IS LARGELY A TECHNICAL
CHANGE.
ADDING A NEW REVENUE THAT YOU
HAVE APPROVED.
ADDING A NEW PROPOSED REVENUE
THAT THE MAYOR HAS SUBMITTED.
AND ADDING IN ONE-TIME PROCEEDS
FROM THE BLOCK AND THEN
FORECAST CHANGES, SUBMITTED BY
CBO LAST MONTH WITH THE
PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET AND
THEN SOME USE OF THE PRIOR FUND
BALANCE.
I'LL GO INTO MORE OF THOSE IN
TERMS OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND
THE ONGOING.
SO THE FIRST STOP ON OUR
JOURNEY ARE HERE ON THIS SLIDE.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS LARGELY A
TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT.
IT'S MEANINGFUL IN A POLICY
CONTEXT, BUT FROM A CONTEXT OF
THIS EXERCISE, IT IS JUST
INCLUDED TO TRACE THE ENDORSED
BUDGET TO THE PROPOSAL THAT'S
BEFORE YOU.
THIS IS SHIFTING TAXES TO NEW
FUNDS.
AND SO THE ORIGINAL ENDORSED
BUDGET INCLUDED THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX AND THE SHORT-TERM
RENTAL TAX AS A GENERAL FUND
REVENUE SOURCE WITH OFFSETTING,
LARGELY OFFSETTING GENERAL FUND
SPENDING IN THE BUDGET.
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS BY THE
COUNCIL OVER THIS YEAR HAVE
CHOSEN TO ALLOCATE THOSE
RESOURCES DIFFERENTLY TO PUT
THEM IN THEIR OWN FUNDS.
SO ALL THIS MEANS ON THIS PAGE
AND THIS ANALYSIS IS THAT THOSE
REVENUES ARE NO LONGER IN THE
GENERAL FUND, THEY'RE NOW IN
THE SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX FUND
AND THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL TAX
FUND.
THE MONEY WILL STILL BE
AVAILABLE TO SPEND BY THE CITY
FOR THOSE PURPOSES, JUST MOVED
DIFFERENTLY.
>> JUST TO MAKE SURE I
UNDERSTAND THIS, TOM, THIS
ACCOUNTS FOR $32 MILLION
REDUCTION IN GENERAL FUND?
SO WHEN WE PULL THAT ONE OUT,
THAT MEANS THAT $65 IS REALLY
ALMOST $100 MILLION?
>> I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK
THROUGH.
THAT IS A SWEET OBSERVATION
BECAUSE IT IS A NET CHANGE AND
AGAIN THE CONCEPT OF NET HONE
IN ON THE BEGINNING END POINTS.
IT'S THE PIECES ALONG THE WAY
THAT ARE MEANINGFUL, BUT THAT
IS CORRECT.
AND AGAIN IT'S NOT A LOSS OF
REVENUE, IT'S JUST AN
ACCOUNTING THING, AND IT'S
BASED ON POLICY DIRECTION.
>> AND I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MADE AN ASTUTE
CONVERSATION, SOMETHING TO BE
PROUD OF.
>> YES, A NICE ONE.
>> I'M WRITING THAT DOWN, SO
WHEN WE HAVE OUR PARTY IN THE
12th OF DECEMBER, ASTUTE
OBSERVATION.
GO AHEAD.
>> JUST A QUICK ONE.
I DIDN'T CATCH THE SECOND ONE
WE TOOK OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND
WHEN YOU SAID YOU TOOK OUT THE
SWEETENED BEVERAGE.
THE SECOND ONE THAT'S NOT IN
THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH YOU
SAID.
>> SHORT-TERM RENTAL TAX.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE NEXT
STAGE OF THE ANALYSIS.
>> THE NEXT IS ALSO BRINGING
THE BUDGET UP TO DATE WITH THE
COUNCIL'S DECISIONS, THE HEAT
AND OIL TAX.
LAST MONTH THE COUNCIL APPROVED
A HEATING OIL TAX.
AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET
INCLUDES REVENUES FROM THAT
TAX, RIGHT?
WHAT THEY INCLUDED IS $568,000,
WHICH IS JUST THE FIRST YEAR
AMOUNT.
IT'LL BE LARGER IN THE FUTURE
BASED ON THE FINANCIAL
PROJECTIONS.
BUT FOR 2020 THAT'S HOW MUCH
HAS BEEN ADDED.
YOU'LL SEE THE EXPENDITURE SIDE
OF THIS TOO.
SO I MEAN IT'S AN IMPORTANT
THING.
BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S JUST
BRINGING THE BUDGET UP TO SPEED
WITH DECISIONS THE COUNCIL HAS
ALREADY MADE.
THE NEXT PIECE IS FORECAST
CHANGES.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE NEW
REVENUE THE CBO SAID WAS
AVAILABLE BASED ON THEIR
ECONOMIC MODELS THAT THEY DO.
THEY RUN THEM TWO TIMES A YEAR
IN THE LATE SPRING, EARLY
SUMMER, AND THEN AGAIN WHEN THE
MAYOR TRANSMITS HER BUDGET.
SO THIS REPRESENTS WHAT CBO
SAID WAS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE
IN TERMS OF NEW SALES TAXES,
PROPERTY TAXES.
UTILITY TAXES, THE WHOLE
PORTFOLIO OF REVENUE TO THE
GENERAL FUND.
THIS ADDS THAT NEW REVENUE IN.
AND SO SIMILAR TO THE PRIOR TWO
CHANGES, THESE ARE ALL ONGOING.
THEY HAPPEN IN 2020 AND THEY
WILL CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.
WITH THAT SAID I WOULD NOTE AND
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE BECAUSE
I AM A FINANCIAL PLANNING TYPE
INDIVIDUAL THAT THE CBO DOES
NOTE A RISK OF RECESSION
INCREASING IN THE FUTURE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE LONGEST
ECONOMIC EXPANSION IN HISTORY.
SO FOR THESE PURPOSES THEY'RE
ONGOING AND THE HOPE AND THE
INTENT IS THEY WILL BE ONGOING,
BUT I MUST NOTE THAT POINT
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.
THE NEXT STEP THE TNC TAX
PROPOSAL.
SO THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WILL BE
DISCUSSED IN GREAT DETAIL IN
TERMS OF THE LEGISLATION THAT
THE MAYOR HAS SUBMITTED THAT
AUTHORIZES THE TAX, THE USE
SPENDING PLAN, FOR THE
PROCEEDS, AND VARIOUS OTHER
PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
IT'LL BE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN
YOUR OCTOBER 18 MEETING.
SO I WON'T TALK ABOUT IT TOO
MUCH MORE OTHER THAN TO SAY THE
BUDGET DOES ADD $9.6 MILLION IN
TERMS OF NEW REVENUE FROM THAT
TAX, WHICH IS DETERMINED TO BE
ONGOING IN NATURE.
>> 9.7?
>> $9.7.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>>
SO WE ARE ON THE HOME STRETCH
IN TERMS OF REVENUE.
THESE ARE THE ONE-TIME ADDS IN
TERMS OF RESOURCES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE THAT ARE PROPOSED AND
ALLOCATED.
BUT FIRST ARE THE PROCEEDS AND
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THAT
TRANSACTION IS $143 MILLION.
BUT THE MONEY WILL GO TO
DIFFERENT FUNDS WITHIN THE
CITY.
THE FIRST STOP IS THE
TRANSPORTATION FUND.
SO $54.7 MILLION IS GOING TO
THE TRANSPORTATION FUND FOR
VARIOUS PROPOSED USES THERE.
THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED IN
DETAIL AS PART OF THE SDOT
PRESENTATION ON OCTOBER 18.
ALSO THERE'S JUST SHORT OF $21
MILLION GOING TO THE LOW INCOME
HOUSING FUND FOR HOUSING
PURPOSES, WHICH WILL BE
DISCUSSED AS PART OF THE
HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
DISCUSSION ON THE 17th.
SO AGAIN MORE DETAILS WILL BE
PROVIDED THEN.
AND THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT HELD
IN ESCROW WITH THE NET BEING
THE $66.5 MILLION THAT GOES TO
THE GENERAL FUND.
LARGE PORTION OF WHICH IS
DEPOSITED INTO THE FINANCE
GENERAL RESERVE FOR FUTURE
DECISION MAKING ABOUT HOW TO
USE THOSE FUNDS.
THAT WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED IN
THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS
DISCUSSION.
>> GREAT.
JUST CLARIFYING ON THE ESCROW
FUND.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT WILL BE
AVAILABLE IN THIS YEAR'S
DELIBERATIONS OR DO WE HAVE TO
WAIT 2020 FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW IT'S
GOING TO BE SPENT?
>> MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T KNOW
THE PRECISE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION.
IT IS JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF
TRACKING THE FUNDS.
WE CAN FIND OUT WHEN THOSE
FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO THE FINAL NEW RESOURCE
ADD IS PRIOR YEAR BALANCE.
SO THIS GETS TO COUNCIL MEMBER
GONZALEZ'S QUESTION.
DOES THIS PROVIDE DIVISIONS
THAT ARE ALSO EMBEDDED WITH
TERMS OF SUPPLEMENTAL AND HOW
THAT FITS IN TO THE AMOUNT OF
RESOURCES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO
BE SPENT IN 2020.
SO THREE MAIN PIECES TO THIS.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS THE ONE
I'M REFERENCING, WHICH IS THE
THIRD QUARTER SUPPLEMENTAL
LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN
TRANSLATED WITH THE BUDGET WILL
INCLUDE A NUMBER OF REDUCTIONS
IN THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT STAFFING LINES FOR
TWO PRINCIPLE THINGS.
ONE OF WHICH IS AT THE TIME THE
BUDGET WAS ADOPTED OR ENDORSED
I SHOULD SAY.
AND THEY WERE WORKING FROM THE
ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THEY
NEEDED TO PAY FOR RETRO AND THE
SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER
CONTRACT.
AND SO ONCE THEY DETERMINE WHAT
THAT FINAL AMOUNT WAS, THEY,
YOU KNOW, REALIZE THAT THEY HAD
ALLOCATED TOO MUCH IN THE
BUDGET FOR THAT PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.
AND SO I BELIEVE IT'S
APPROXIMATELY $5 MILLION
REDUCTION TO THEIR BUDGET.
IT'S REALLY JUST A CHANGE IN
THE ESTIMATE.
BUT IT IS ALLOCATED RESOURCES
IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WILL
DROP TO BALANCE.
SO THAT'S A PART OF THE
SUPPLEMENTAL BILL.
AND THERE IS ALSO DUE TO DELAYS
IN HIRING OF OFFICERS, THERE IS
A BUDGET AUTHORITY IN 2019 THAT
SPD DOES NOT FEEL WILL BE
NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THEIR
STAFFING LEVELS.
AND SO WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS,
REDUCE THE APPROPRIATION AND
DROP THAT AMOUNT TO BALANCE AS
WELL TOO.
>> CHAIR BAGSHAW?
>> PLEASE.
>> SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
HIRINGISSUES AND SOME SAVINGS
WE'RE SEEING THERE, I WANT TO
CLARIFY A POINT YOU MADE ABOUT
WHERE THE SALARY SAVINGS ARE
COMING FROM THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
WE'LL GET DEEPER INTO THIS WHEN
WE HEAR ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN
THE COURSE OF THIS BUDGET
CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE
SURE THE NARRATIVE IS ACCURATE
AROUND WHERE THE SAVINGS ARE
COMING FROM.
SO IT IS REALLY TWO PLACES.
ONE IS AS PART OF THE LABOR
RELATIONS POLICY COMMITTEE
WORK, WHEN WE CONSIDER AND
APPROVED THE NEW COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE
SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS GUILD,
WE REALIZED SUBSEQUENTLY AFTER
THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE INFORMED
US THAT THEY OVERESTIMATED THE
AMOUNT OF BACK PAY DUE TO SOME
MISCALCULATIONS ON THEIR END.
THAT YIELDED A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF SAVINGS.
I THINK IT WAS TO THE TUNE OF
ABOUT $5 TO $6 MILLION THAT ARE
NOW REFLECTED IN THIS PROPOSED
BUDGET IS ONE.
NOW TWO IS WHEN WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT SALARY SAVINGS AS A
RESULT OF SPD HIRING, YOU KNOW,
WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK IN
MY COMMITTEE ON THIS PARTICULAR
ISSUE.
WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY NEGATIVE
ONE OFFICER, NET NEGATIVE ONE
OFFICER MEANING THAT BASED ON
THE FORECASTING AND THE GOALS
ESTIMATED BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF THEIR
HIRING PROJECTIONS, THEY HAVE
LARGELY MET THOSE GOALS WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF BEING ABLE TO
HIRE ONE ADDITIONAL OFFICER.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING SAVINGS,
HOWEVER, IN THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS WE ARE STILL
STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES OF
RETENTION AND THAT WILL SORT OF
FALL INTO VARIOUS CATEGORIES
RELATED TO RETIREMENT, TO
LATERAL TRANSFERS TO THE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS OR JUST
DEPARTURES IN GENERAL.
SO I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE MISSING THE
MARK ON HIRING, IT'S THAT THERE
ARE RETENTION ISSUES THAT ARE
YIELDING SALARY SAVINGS IN THE
CONTEXT OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN
DOING TREMENDOUS WORK IN REALLY
TRENDING IN A BETTER DIRECTION
TOWARDS HIRING, WHICH IS
DIFFERENT THAN THE RETENTION
ISSUES AND THIS PROPOSED BUDGET
ALSO INCLUDES FROM THE MAYOR A
A SWEEP OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
WOULD BE FUNDED AT $1.7 MILLION
TO HELP ADDRESS IN PART SOME OF
THOSE IDENTIFIABLE STRATEGIES
THAT COULD HAVE FACILITATED THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN INCREASING
THE RETENTION OF EXISTING
OFFICERS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY
COLLECTIVELY YIELD BETTER
MORALE AND BETTER PERSONNEL
MEMBERS OVER AT THE DEPARTMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO BE REALLY
CLEAR THAT THAT IS WHAT IT WAS
BECAUSE I HEARD MR. MIKESELL
SAY THE SAVINGS WERE FROM
HIRING, WHICH IS NOT QUITE
PRECISE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID AND
WE WILL KEEP IT IN MIND GOING
FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR?
>> SURE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU.
SAID IN A DIFFERENT WAY, I'M
NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
THE DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATED
HAVING MORE TOTAL OFFICER
POSITIONS TO PAY FOR.
THAT IS CORRECT, IS IT NOT?
>> SO COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD,
WE'RE GOING INTO THE DEPTHS OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT --
>>
A POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> YES, THERE WILL BE AN
OPPORTUNITY LATER.
AND THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST
PLACE TO ASK.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU, PLEASE
PROCEED.
>> IT WAS AN ASTUTE OBSERVATION
THOUGH.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
SO GOING BACK TO THE THIRD
QUARTER.
THOSE WERE THE REDUCTIONS.
THERE WERE ALSO SOME ADDS THAT
WILL BE BEFORE YOU LATER THIS
MONTH.
SO THE NET RESULT OF THE
REDUCTIONS AND THE ADDS IS $4.8
MILLION THAT WILL DROP TO THE
BALANCE IF THOSE DECISIONS ARE
MADE.
AND WHAT THE BUDGET FOR 2020
DOES, ITALLOCATES THAT.
SO AGAIN THIS IS A ONE-TIME
THING BECAUSE IT'S A ONE-TIME
REDUCTION FOR 2019.
IT DROPS TO BALANCING CASH, AND
IT'S BEING REAUTHORIZED.
>> OKAY.
GOOD.
>> SIMILARLY THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX.
THIS IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE
PRIOR DECISION TO MOVE THOSE
REVENUE SOURCES TO THE NEW
FUNDS.
THERE IS ACTUALLY A BALANCE
THAT IS BUILT, SO THERE IS MORE
MONEY AVAILABLE THAN WHAT HAS
BEEN ALLOCATED IN 2019.
AND SO AS PART OF THAT
TRANSITION TO THE NEW FUND, THE
2020 BUDGET MOVES THAT BALANCE
ON THE ONE-TIME BASIS OVER TO
THE NEW FUNDS.
AND THEN FOR THE FINAL PIECE IS
CBO WHEN THEY DO THEIR
FORECAST, NOT ONLY DO THEY
FORECAST FOR THE FUTURE YEAR,
BUT THEY ALSO REASSESS WHAT THE
PICTURE LOOKS LIKE FOR THE
CURRENT YEAR.
SO THEY HAVE DONE THAT FOR
2019.
AND AS A PART OF THAT
PRESENTATION THAT THEY EXPECT
THE 2019 PORTFOLIO WILL
GENERATE ABOUT $5.5 MILLION
MORE THAN THEY EXPECTED.
AND THAT'S BEEN APPROPRIATED
RIGHT AT THIS POINT.
SO THAT DROPS A BALANCE AS WELL
AND IT IS REAUTHORIZED.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER O'BRIEN?
>> THE SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX,
ADDITION, DOES THAT COME OUT ON
THE OTHER $32 MILLION OR
STAYING IN THE GENERAL FUND?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER O'BRIEN, SO
IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
ONGOING REVENUE THAT WAS
ORIGINALLY BUDGETED AND
ENDORSED LIKE $24 MILLION.
SO THAT IS JUST THE ONGOING
PIECE THAT WE SAY WE USED TO
ACCOUNT FOR IT IN THE GENERAL
FUND AND NOW WE'RE ACCOUNTING
FOR IT IN THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX FUND AND THEN, YOU
KNOW, THE TAXES HAVE BEEN
OUTPERFORMING THE PROJECTIONS
AND OUTPERFORMING THE SPENDING
PLAN IS.
AND SO IT HAS BUILT UP A
BALANCE.
SO IT IS LIKE TWO PIECES OF THE
PUZZLE WITH THE ONGOING PIECE
THAT NEEDS TO SHIFT OVER THAT
HAS BEEN GENERATED IN THE
GENERAL FUND.
BUT THE COUNCIL DECISION IS TO
NOT SPEND THAT MONEY FROM THE
GENERAL FUND, BUT RATHER TO
SPEND THAT FROM THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX FUND, SO JUST
MOVED THAT $4 MILLION CHUNK OF
CASH FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO
THE SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX
FUND, WHERE IT IS AVAILABLE TO
BE SPENT.
>> GREAT, SO IT'S GOING -- IT
IS ALSO GOING TO THE DEDICATED
FUND.
THAT'S MY QUESTION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> JUST TO CONFIRM THEN AND
FOLLOW UP COUNCIL MEMBER
O'BRIEN'S QUESTION.
THIS HAS BEEN ALLOCATED?
THIS ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION THAT
YOU POINTED TO HERE, THE $5.5,
THE REVISED, NO $4 MILLION.
THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED IN THE
MAYOR'S CURRENT BUDGET?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> OKAY, PLEASE.
>> SO THIS IS THE MAP OF THE
TERRITORY THAT WE'VE CROSSED SO
FAR WITH THIS DISCUSSION.
IT JUST BRINGS IT ALL TOGETHER.
úKIND OF JUST SHOWING MY WORK
FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.
YOU CAN SEE BOTTOM LINE IS THE
PROPOSED BUDGET AND HOW IT
BREAKS DOWN.
IN TERMS OF $1.4, $1.2 MILLION
OF ONGOING RESOURCES AND THEN
$80.8 MILLION ONE-TIME MONEY
BUILT IN FOR A TOTAL OF
AVAILABLE RESOURCES OF $1.39
BILLION.
>> GREAT, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT
CHART?
THANK YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR.
>> SO NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE
EXPENDITURES AND JUST RUN
THROUGH A SIMILAR PRESENTATION
AND THEN BRING IT ALL TOGETHER.
SO IN TERMS OF ENDORSED
PROPOSED, THERE IS A NET
INCREASE OF $118.8 MILLION.
SO IT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF
THINGS.
ONE BASELINE ADJUSTMENT
SHIFTING EXPENDITURES TO THE
NEW FUND.
SO THIS IS THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE LEDGER FOR THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX AND THE SHORT-TERM
RENTAL TAX.
TRANSFERRING THE SWEETENED
BEVERAGE TAX BALANCE, HEATING
OIL TAX SPENDING AND THEN
EXECUTIVE PROPOSALS.
SO THE FIRST MAJOR ELEMENT IS
BASELINE ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WHAT THIS IS, IT'S WHAT THE
BUDGET, HOW THE BUDGET NEEDS TO
GROW IN ORDER TO PAY FOR
CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS.
SO A BIG CHUNK OF IT IS PAYING
FOR COAL.
AND AT THE TIME, THE COALITION
CITY AGREEMENT WAS NOT IN THE
STAGES OF WHICH THE EXECUTIVE
WAS COMFORTABLE ACTUALLY
PUTTING THAT IN THE
APPROPRIATION.
HOWEVER NOW THE AGREEMENT IS
CLOSE TO FINAL AND THAT MONEY
HAS NOW BEEN ALLOCATED IN THE
BUDGET.
THAT'S A FAIRLY LARGE PIECE OF
THAT BASELINE ADJUSTMENT.
THERE'S ALSO PIECES FOR THE
GENERAL FUND TO BE ABLE TO PAY
THE INTERNAL RATES FOR INTERNAL
SERVICE.
SO I.T.
SERVICES, THINGS OF THAT
NATURE.
SO ALL OF THAT IS BY WAY OF
SAYING THIS IS JUST MAINTAINING
THE CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL
GROWTH.
AND THAT'S ALL ONGOING IN TERMS
OF THE BUDGET.
SO THERE'S ONE PIECE THAT'S A
$6 MILLION DECREASE INDICATED
AS A BASELINE ADJUSTMENT.
SO THIS IS ALSO WITHIN THAT
DISCUSSION OF THE SPD.
IT'S A SIMILAR CONCEPT TO THE
ONE-TIME REVENUE THAT'S IN THE
Q3 SUPPLEMENTAL WITH A $63
MILLION REDUCTION IN THE SPD
STAFFING BUDGET JUST DUE TO THE
ISSUES AND THE CONCEPTS COUNCIL
MEMBER GONZALEZ WAS DESCRIBING.
AND THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED
FURTHER ON IN BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS.
BUT IT IS ONE TIME.
IT DOESN'T CONTINUE IN FUTURE
YEARS.
SO THE NEXT TWO I FAIRLY WELL
COVERED IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE
DISCUSSION.
THIS IS JUST THE EXPENDITURE
SIDE OF CREATING THE NEW FUNDS
FOR THE SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX
AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL TAX.
IT'S SPENDING THAT ONE-TIME
BALANCE OR SENDING IT TO THE
SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX FUND.
AND SUPPORTED BY HEATING OIL
TAX.
AGAIN THAT AMOUNT WILL BE
HIGHER IN THE FUTURE AS THE TAX
GENERATES MORE REVENUES BASED
ON PROJECTIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY KIND OF --
THIS IS SORT OF THE PUNCH LINE
OF THIS PARTICULAR STORY IS
THESE ARE THE EXECUTIVE
PROPOSALS.
SO THESE ARE THE PLACES WHERE
THE MAYOR HAS ADDED NEW POLICY
PROPOSALS, BOTH OF A ONE-TIME
AND ONGOING NATURE.
SO THERE'S $28 MILLION OF
ONGOING NEW ADDS PROPOSED BY
THE EXECUTIVE.
AND THERE'S $81.1 MILLION OF
ONE-TIME ITEMS.
AND THESE THINGS WILL BE
DISCUSSED AS PART OF SUBSEQUENT
BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.
BUT THIS IS IN ESSENCE THE KIND
OF NON-PRE-DETERMINED NEW
POLICY ITEMS BEING ADDED.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER PACHECO?
>> VERY QUICKLY THIS IS A
REQUEST FROM CENTRAL STAFF.
WITH THE HEATING OIL TAX, I
KNOW THIS IS THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION, WE
EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY, AND I'M
HEARING THE OIL COMPANIES ARE
NOW ASKING OR NOT ASKING
THEY'RE TELLING FOLKS, YOU
KNOW, BUY NOW AS OPPOSED TO BUY
LATER.
CAN WE DOUBLE CHECK WHAT THOSE
FORMULAS ARE AND THE
EXPENDITURE SIDE IN REGARDS TO
THE HEATING OIL TAX TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE ACCURATE OR AS
ACCURATE AS WE CAN BE?
>> WILL DO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, ONTO OUR SUMMARY.
>> OKAY, HERE IS THE BRING IT
ALL TOGETHER SLIDE.
THERE'S $1.41 BILLION OF
ONGOING ADDS, $78.9 MILLION OF
ONE-TIME NEW ADDS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND THEN
START TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES
OF SUSTAINABILITY THAT KIRSTAN
MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW,
FORTUNATELY NOT A LOT OF
NUMBERS, BUT AN IMPORTANT SLIDE
BECAUSE WHAT THAT NUMBER IN RED
MEANS IS THAT THE PROPOSED
BUDGET RIGHT NOW INCLUDES ABOUT
$1.9 MILLION OF ONGOING THINGS.
SO THINGS WE WANT -- THAT ARE
PROPOSED TO CONTINUE MANY YEARS
IN THE FUTURE.
THAT IS SUPPORTED WITH JUST ONE-
TIME CASH.
AND SO THE RESOURCE IS ONLY
AVAILABLE IN 2020, WON'T BE
AVAILABLE AT THAT SAME LEVEL IN
THE FUTURE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FROM A
FINANCIAL PLANNING CONTEXT
BECAUSE WHAT THAT MEANS IS IN
THE NEXT YEAR, SOME ONGOING
SOURCE NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED
TO SUPPORT THAT.
I WOULD NOTE IT IS SMALL IN THE
CONTEXT OF A $1.4 BILLION
GENERAL FUND BUDGET, BUT IT'S
STILL SOMETHING TO CONSIDER,
AND IT IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO
CONSIDER IN TERMS OF THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT IN
TERMS OF DISCUSSIONS TO OCCUR
WITH BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.
I GUESS I WILL GO TO THE FINAL
SLIDE.
>> BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, I REALLY
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU
WERE SAYING THERE AND
APPRECIATE THAT IT HAD IS
SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO WRESTLE WITH.
AND IF BEN NOBLE IS LISTENING,
FOR HIM TO KNOW WE HEARD HIM.
THAT IF WE HAVE ONGOING
EXPENDITURE OR PLANS, WE NEED
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN
IN 2021 AND 2022 AND NOT JUST
DUMP THAT WITHOUT GIVING HIM
SOME ASSISTANCE OR A PATHWAY ON
HOW TO FIND THAT RESOURCE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
IT UP.
CONTINUE TO REMIND US BECAUSE
THAT REALLY MATTERS.
>> CHAIR BAGSHAW, MAY I?
>> ABSOLUTELY, COUNCIL MEMBER
GONZALEZ?
>> I APPRECIATE THAT SENTIMENT.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN
THE CONTEXT OF THIS
PRESENTATION THIS IS ONE-TIME
FUNDING.
THESE ARE ONE-TIME
EXPENDITURES, THESE ARE ONGOING
EXPENDITURES SUPPORTED BY ONE-
TIME FUNDING.
I GOT IT, BEING PROPOSED BY THE
MAYOR, NOT BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE THE
FLAG THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED TO
US CHAIR BAGSHAW, I ALSO THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THE
PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THIS IS A
PICKLE THAT'S BEING CREATED BY
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET AND
NOT NECESSARILY BY THE CITY
COUNCIL BUDGET, SOMETHING FOR
US TO CONSIDER.
AND THAT BEING SAID THEY HAVE
IN THE PAST TAKEN BUDGETARY
ACTION IN THE SIMILAR FASHION
IN LARGE PART RECOGNIZING THAT
THERE ARE SOME POLICY NEEDS AND
PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS OF THE CITY
THAT ARE SO URGENT AND SO
IMPORTANT THAT IT IS
SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FOR US TO
MAKE A POLICY DECISION TO
PURSUE THIS AS A FISCAL POLICY.
SO IT'S GREAT, AND I THINK WE
HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT
DETERMINING WHAT IS SORT OF THE
LOGIC AND THE RATIONAL BEHIND
THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE OF THE
FUNDING FOR THESE PROGRAMMATIC
AREAS.
BUT WE HAVE HEARD A LOT FROM
DR. NOBLE IN THE PAST ABOUT NOT
DOING THIS.
WE ARE NOW SEEING THE BUDGET
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR
FROM THE MAYOR THAT DOES, IN
FACT, SUBSCRIBE TO A FISCAL
POLICY THAT HAS ONGOING
EXPENDITURES WITH ONE-TIME
FUNDING.
>> GREAT, I THINK BOTH THINGS
ARE TRUE, COUNCIL MEMBER
GONZALEZ.
WE NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL AND
VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE CHOICES
WE'RE MAKING AND WHY AND THAT
IS SOMETHING AS WE'RE GOING
THROUGH THIS, I LOOK FORWARD TO
BEING ABLE TO HAVE A FULL
DISCUSSION, SO WE'RE MAKING
RATIONAL CHOICES.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THE CONVERSATION REALLY
KIND OF SUMMARIZES THE
POTENTIAL POLICY PRESCRIPTIONS,
THE POINT YOU CONSIDER AS YOU
HAVE YOUR FUTURE BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS OF THE NEXT
SEVERAL DAYS.
THAT ACTUALLY IS THE CONCLUSION
OF MY PREPARED COMMENTS AND
HOPEFULLY HELPS CLEAR THE FOG A
LITTLE BIT OF THE BUDGET.
>> IT WAS EXCELLENT.
I THINK IT HAD IS ONE OF THE
BEST OVERALL PRESENTATION THAT
WE'VE SEEN.
VERY HELPFUL, TOM.
I WANT TO TIP MY HAT TO YOU,
THANKS.
ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES?
I KNOW WE HAVE HAD
CONVERSATIONS ALREADY.
OKAY, WELL SEEING NONE, WE'LL
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS, I
THINK IT HAD IS YOURS, KETIL
FREEMAN.
BY THE WAY FOR THE PUBLIC, I
JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL BE AT THE END OF
THE DAY TODAY.
SO WE ASSUME THAT WILL BE DONE
4:00-ISH.
>> DO WE HAVE AN AFTERNOON
SESSION?
NO, I'M WRONG, THAT'S TOMORROW.
TODAY WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT
AS SOON AS THIS IS OVER.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
IT WAS ME THAT MISSED IT.
>> THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
>> IF SOMEBODY COULD JUST STEP
UP.
WELL DONE.
>> KETIL FREEMAN, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
SO TODAY WE WILL BEGIN
DEPARTMENT LEVEL WITH
INSPECTIONS, OFTEN REFERRED TO
WITH STCI.
THAT'S HOW I WILL REFER TO IT
TODAY.
I'LL REMIND THE COMMITTEE OF
WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THE MAYOR'S
BUDGET.
IDENTIFY ONE ISSUE TO
PROTECTION AND OUTREACH
FUNDING, AND DESCRIBED SOME
BUDGET LEGISLATION PROPOSED FOR
STCI AND THEN WALK THROUGH THE
BUDGET ACTIONS PROPOSED BY THE
COUNCIL.
WHAT DOES STCI DO?
IT'S THE PRIMARY REGULATOR OF
DEVELOPMENT ON PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT
ADMINISTERS CITY ORDINANCES
THAT REGULATE HOUSING,
CONSTRUCTION, AND COMPLIANCE
WITH THOSE ORDINANCES.
IT ALSO REVIEWS ISSUES OF LAND
USE PERMITS INCLUDING MASS USE
PERMITS TO ALIGN PERMITS,
MECHANICAL AND ELECTRIC PERMITS
AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMITS.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE CITY'S
REGULATOR OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
DEVELOPMENT.
>> CAN I, MAY I JUST ASK YOU TO
GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE
MICROPHONE?
>> YEAH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOT TO SAY IT'S NOT KEEN
ANALYSIS.
WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
YOU.
>> SURE.
SO HOW OUR OPERATIONS ARE
FUNDED, SDCI USED TO BE
REFERRED TO AS AN OPERATING
FUND DEPARTMENT THAT MEANS THAT
MOST OF ITS OPERATIONS ARE
FUNDED OUT OF REVENUE FROM
FEES, THE SDCI COLLECTS AS PART
OF THE REGULATORY FUNCTION.
92% OF SDCI'S FUNCTIONS ARE
REIMBURSED THROUGH FEE REVENUE
AND OTHER NON-FUNDABLE SOURCES.
ONLY ABOUT 8% OF SDCI'S BUDGET
COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND
INVESTMENT COMMITMENT AS FOR
THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WHAT'S IN THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED BUDGET?
SDCI'S APPROPRIATIONS ARE
INCREASING BY APPROXIMATELY 11%
OVER THE ENDORSED BUDGET.
LET ME MOVE ON HERE.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY ASSOCIATED
WITH FOUR LARGISH CHANGES, $3.7
MILLION PROPOSED APPROPRIATION
TO COVER THE COST OF LIVING
ADJUSTMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CITY AND THE COALITION.
$1.1 MILLION FOR CITY WIDE COST
ADJUST WANTS, SO THINGS LIKE
THAT.
$1.8 MILLION TO FUND 13 LAND
USE AND ZONING REVIEWERS.
THOSE POSITIONS WERE ADDED
THROUGH THE USE OF CONTINGENT
BUDGET TORT HAD AS PART OF THE
SUPPLEMENTAL AUTHORITY THIS
YEAR.
SDCI IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE AND
IT HAS THIS SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
CALLED CONTINGENT BUDGET
AUTHORITY, WHICH ALLOWS IT TO
STAFF UP ON A TEMPORARY BASIS
WHEN THERE ARE UPTICKS.
AND SO THEY WILL BE ONGOING
THROUGH THE YEAR OF 2022 AND
$1.6 MILLION TO FUND POSITIONS
IN SEATTLE I.T.
FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THERE WOULD BE A DEDICATED
TEAM AT SEATTLE I.T.
TO MAKE CHANGES TO A SELL OUT.
AND THAT IS THE CITY'S PERMIT.
AND SO THERE ARE A FEW CHANGES
THAT ARE PROPOSED, REFLECT THE
KIND OF POLICY CHOICES THAT THE
COUNCIL HAS MADE THIS YEAR.
INCLUDING CREATION OF AN ADU
NAVIGATOR POSITION, WHICH WOULD
BE A FEE FUNDED POSITION TO
FACILITATE THE ISSUANCE OF
DETACHED DWELLING UNITS.
>> THAT'S FOLDED INTO WHICH
LINE HERE?
>> THAT ONE HERE ON THE LAND
USE SERVICES UP THERE.
>> OKAY.
>> IT IS NOT HIGHLIGHTED, BUT
YOU SAID IT'S INCORPORATED IN
THAT LINE?
>> AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED BUDGET, I'LL MOVE ON
WITH THE ISSUES.
>> ANY QUESTIONS?
PLEASE PROCEED.
>> SO AMONG OTHER FUNCTIONS
SDCI ADMINISTER'S CODES TO
PROTECT TENANTS, THAT INCLUDES
THE MENTAL HOUSING ABILITY IN
THE CITY THAT INCLUDES
ADMINISTERING THE RENTAL AND
INSPECTION PROGRAM AND ALSO
ADMINISTERING THE TENANT
ASSISTANCE AND THE REGULATION
ORDINANCE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL WITHIN THEIR
PORTFOLIO.
AND IN RECENT YEARS, SOME
OUTREACH FUNCTIONS HAVE BEEN
TRANSFERRED FROM HSD TO SDCI.
AND SO THAT IS CAUSING AN
INCREASE.
AND SO IT EXPANDED THEIR
PORTFOLIOS AND ALSO CAUSED AN
INCREASE IN THE VOLUMES OF THE
CALLS AND COMPLAINTS THAT SDCI
GETS.
ALSO LONGER TIME FOR RESOLUTION
OF ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
AND THERE ARE NEW REGULATIONS
WHICH THE COUNCIL IS FAMILIAR
WITH THAT ADDED IN ALL OF WHICH
ADDS AN ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD TO
THE COMPLIANCE SECTION OF SDCI.
I HAVE SORT OF LOST MY FOCUS
HERE.
LET ME GO BACK TO MY NOTES.
THE COMMITTEE WILL CALL IT
ABOUT SIX BILLS WERE PASSED
THIS YEAR BY THE COUNCIL.
RELATED TO THE TENANT
PROTECTION.
AND THE REGULATION OF RENTAL
AGREEMENTS.
THERE IS A HARMONIZATION OF THE
CITY ORDINANCES, CHANGING TO
STATE LAWS THERE WERE FIVE
BILLS THAT ACTED, COMING FROM
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND TWO WERE
COUNCIL GENERATED.
WHICH LIMITED, SORRY.
ALSO KNOWN AS THE ROOMMATE
BILL, LIMITING THE LANDLORD
COMPLAINTS ON THE NUMBER OF
RENTAL UNITS.
AND WHICH LIMITS THE LIABILITY
THAT THE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE CAN EXPERIENCE FOR
DAMAGE CAUSED TO A UNIT BY AN
ABUSER.
I COMPLETELY LOSE MY FOCUS.
FRANKLY ALL OF THIS HAS CREATED
A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
AT SDCI AND SDCI HAS IDENTIFIED
THE DEED TO INCLUDE ONE HOUSING
AND ZONING TECHNICIAN AND ONE
CODE COMPLIANCE ANALYST AS WELL
AS SOME ONGOING FUNDING TO
TENANTS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS.
AND THE TOTAL COST OF ALL THOSE
IMPROVEMENTS IS ABOUT $303,000.
ONGOING SOME OF THAT IS
ACTUALLY ONE-TIME FUNDING AS
WELL.
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LIABILITY
LIMITATION BILL WILL ESTABLISH
THE LANDLORD LITIGATION FUND
THAT HAS NOT BEEN CAPITALIZED.
ESTIMATING THE COST OF
CAPITALIZING THAT FUND WOULD BE
ABOUT $50,000 IN AN ONGOING
BASIS.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
OPTIONS HERE FOR THE COUNCIL TO
CONSIDER AND ONE WOULD BE TO
ADD THE POSITION AUTHORITY
IDENTIFIED.
AND AS WELL AS THE ONGOING
APPROPRIATIONS FOR TENTATIVE
OUTREACH MATERIALS.
THAT'S OPTION A. AND THE OTHER
WOULD BE TO REACH $50,000 TO
CAPITALIZE THE MITIGATION FUND.
OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL COULD DO
BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S OPTION C. AND THEN THE
COUNCIL COULD TAKE NO ACTION IN
WHICH LEVELS OF SERVICE WOULD
REMAIN AT SDCI TO SAY THEY
WOULD BE OVERSUBSCRIBED.
>> AND FROM MY COLLEAGUES,
YOU'VE GOT ISSUE I.D.
HERE ON THE POWER POINT.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE READING TO IS
ON PAGE THREE OUT OF FIVE OF
YOUR MEMOS.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> DO YOU WANT TO GO TO PAGE
THREE OUT OF FIVE, SO PEOPLE
COULD FOLLOW?
OR DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THAT IN
FRONT OF THEM?
ALL RIGHT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD, I
THINK THIS IS A PROPOSAL THAT
YOU HAVE MADE.
DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT?
>> I DO, THANK YOU.
SO WE KNOW THAT EVEN PRIOR TO
THIS YEAR AND THE CHANGES IN
FIVE SEPARATE LANDLORD ACT LAWS
CALL VOLUME HAVE BEEN
INCREASING.
IT INCREASED BY 3% IN 2019.
AND AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS TO
RESOLVE CASES HAS GONE FROM
ABOUT 29 DAYS IN 2018 TO NEARLY
58 DAYS IN 2019.
AND I THINK THE ROLE THAT SDCI
IS PLAYING IS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT AS WELL.
BECAUSE WE HAVE LEGISLATIVELY
CHANGED THE ROLE AS IT RELATES
TO SOME OF THE ORDINANCES
TRADITIONALLY A LOT OF THE WORK
THEY HAVE DONE HAS BEEN VERY
INFORMATIONAL REFERRAL,
ALLOWING TENANTS TO USE THE
SELF-HELP REMEDIES IN THE
LANDLORD TENANT ACT.
BUT WE HAVE GIVEN THEM IN PAST
YEARS ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY TO
ACTUALLY ENFORCE THE LAW.
AND SO I THINK THAT ADDS NOT
JUST INCREASE NUMBER OF CALLS.
AND AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY
TO THE MITIGATION FUND, I JUST
WANT TO NOTE THE LEGISLATION
PASSED BY THE COUNCIL DOES NOT
ANTICIPATE SDCI PAYING OUT THAT
MITIGATION FUND.
AND UNTIL I THINK JULY OF 2020.
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM
TIME TO SCOPE OUT BOTH THE
PROCESS FOR ADMINISTERING THE
FUNDS.
AND LIKE AN APPLICATION PROCESS
FOR ADMINISTERING THE FUNDS.
AND ALSO GIVING THEM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO US WITH
THE RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT IT
MIGHT COST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT $50,000
MENTIONED BY KETIL FREEMAN IS A
FULL YEAR'S FUNDING.
AND I DON'T HAVE AN ADD
ASSOCIATED WITH CAPITALIZING
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS
MITIGATION FUND.
BECAUSE IN MY MIND WE WOULD
GIVE THEM TIME TO DO THAT
SCOPING OUT OF WHAT THE LIKELY
NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WOULD BE.
BUT IF THEY ARE PROVIDING, I
WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY
NEEDED MORE TIME TO COLLECT
THAT INFORMATION.
>> AND THAT $50,000 IS FOR HALF
A YEAR.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD IS
CORRECT.
THE FUND WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE
FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE CALLS ON IT
UNTIL MIDSUMMER OF 2020.
THE ESTIMATE THAT WE HAVE FROM
SDCI AGAIN IS FOR HALF A YEAR.
THERE ARE NOT A WHOLE LOT OF
SOURCES TO GO AND TRY TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT IS.
THE BILL THAT THE COUNCIL
PASSED IN SEPTEMBER ACTUALLY
CAPS THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT TO
$1,000.
SO THE RATE OF PAYOUT IS NOT
GOING TO BE THAT GREAT.
FOR SORT OF THE RESOURCE THAT
SDCI WENT TO, TO COME UP WITH
THE $50,000 ESTIMATE WAS A
SIMILAR FUND THAT I BELIEVE WAS
ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE.
IT IS SPECIFIC TO LOW INCOME
HOUSING.
AND THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SURVIVOR, IT IS A BROADER
TENANT MITIGATION FUND DONE BY
SORT OF MORE GENERALLY,
ACCESSING IT.
IT WILL BE VERY LIMITED TO NOT
ONLY TENANTS WHO ARE SURVIVING
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT THOSE
WHO ARE SURVIVING, THEY WANT TO
DISPUTE THAT THEY OWE CHARGES
ASSOCIATED WITH DAMAGE DONE TO
THE UNIT BY THEIR ABUSER AND
ARE WILLING TO GO THROUGH THE
PROCESS OF GETTING A THIRD
PARTY REPORT.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT THAT
NUMBER OF TENANTS PER YEAR IS
GOING TO BE FAIRLY SMALL.
BUT I APPRECIATE SDCI HAS MADE
SOME EFFORTS TO SCOPE THAT OUT.
>> CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION?
WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS HERE.
OPTION A AND OPTION B WITH
OPTION A BEING SIGNIFICANTLY
MORE EXPENSIVE.
WILL YOU JUST EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE
GETTING BETWEEN ADDING TWO FDEs
OR ADDING $50,000 AND THEY ARE
STILL GOING TO RESULT IN WHAT
YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?
>> AND SO THEY ARE MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE.
THEY'RE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
OPTIONS.
THEY COULD BE ADDED IN WITH ONE
CHOICE IN THE MEMO.
AND YOU COULD FUND THE
MITIGATION FUND AND ALSO FUND
THE FDEs.
JUST A QUESTION ABOUT TO WHICH
EXTENT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO
SDCI NOW AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE.
THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
ONE SDCI ESTIMATES THE ROOMMATE
BILL WILL GENERATE A LOT MORE
CALLS TO SDCI AND A BACKLOG
THAT THEY HAVE IN RESPONDING TO
CALLS AND ALSO RESPONDING TO
COMPLIANCE WITHIN A CERTAIN
PERIOD OF TIME.
AND SO THAT IS AN EXISTING
PROBLEM THAT WILL BE INCREASED
BY THE ROOMMATE BILL.
>> I SEE THERE IS OPTION C AS
BOTH A AND B?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> WE JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT
FAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD, DO YOU
HAVE AT THIS POINT, IF WE ARE
PRIORITIZING, IS YOUR PRIORITY,
TOP PRIORITY A OR B OR BOTH?
>> MY TOP PRIORITY IS A. BUT
THAT'S WHY I THINK THERE IS A
PROPOSAL HERE FOR ME AND IT'S
FOCUSED ON THE STAFFING NEEDS
OF SDCI.
I DO RECOGNIZE THOUGH
CAPITALIZING THE MITIGATION
FUND IS SOMETHING WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE TO ADDRESS AT SOME
POINT.
AND SO IT'S A QUESTION FOR THE
COUNCIL OF WHETHER OR NOT WE
WANT TO ADDRESS IT NOW, SO THAT
IT IS RESOLVED FOR THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR KNOWING
THAT PEOPLE WON'T START
ACCESSING IT UNTIL JULY OR IF
WE WANT TO WAIT AND ADDRESS IT
IN A SUPPLEMENTAL PERHAPS WITH
MORE INFORMATION FROM SDCI
ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUAL COSTS
ARE.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
PLEASE PROCEED.
>> ALL RIGHT, SO MOVING ON TO
SDCI BUDGET LEGISLATION.
MORE OR LESS AN ANNUAL BASIS,
THE CITY ADJUSTED THE FEES THAT
SDCI WOULD CHARGE FOR THEIR
REGULATORY SERVICES.
WE HAVE AN SDCI FEE BILL.
THAT BILL WOULD ADJUST FEES
BASED ON THE INFLATIONARY
FACTORS AND ADDRESS IN
APPROXIMATELY $1.2 MILLION AS
AN OPERATING FUND IN 2020.
THERE IS ANOTHER BILL PROPOSED
RELATED TO SDCI THE COUNCIL
WILL CONSIDER AMID LATER THIS
YEAR OR IN EARLY 2020 AND THAT
WOULD BE A BILL THAT WOULD
RECONCILE CHANGES TO FINANCIAL
POLICIES, RECONCILE THE CODE
WITH CHANGES TO THE FINANCIAL
POLICIES THAT ARE PROPOSED BY
THE MAYOR THAT WOULD CHANGE
SOME FINANCIAL POLICIES BASED
ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 2.0.
>> GREAT.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
LEGISLATION?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ?
>> THANK YOU.
I THINK YOU WERE DISTRACTED BY
THE PICTURE OF NICKELBACK THAT
I SHOWED YOU, THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED.
>> WORD OF VISUAL THERE.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT
KIND OF GO OVER.
SOME OF IT YOU KIND OF
ANSWERED.
IF YOU CAN'T, I UNDERSTAND.
JUST SOME BASIC STUFF.
SO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT YOUR
ANALYSIS FROM CENTRAL STAFF AND
YOU SAID THAT SERVICE CALLS
HAVE INCREASED BY 29%.
AND SO ALSO AT THE TIME IT
TAKES TO SOLVE HAS DOUBLED FROM
APPROXIMATELY 29 DAYS TO 58
DAYS.
SO ARE THESE PROPOSED -- AND
I'M ASKING.
BUDGET OF THESE 14 ADDITIONAL,
WILL THOSE BE DEDICATED OR WHAT
THEY BROUGHT ABOUT THE TWO
ORDINANCES?
AND LET ME JUST FINISH.
THAT'S MY MAIN QUESTION AND
THEN KIND OF A DROP MENU HERE
THE SECOND QUESTION.
IS THERE SOME KIND OF GOAL THAT
WE'RE SHOOTING FOR OF HOW LONG
IT SHOULD TAKE TO RESOLVE THESE
ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS?
>> YEAH, SO WITH RESPECT TO
SORT OF TWO QUESTIONS THERE.
SDCI ESTIMATES ONLY TWO FDEs
WOULD BE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE
BACKLOG AND THE TIME ASSOCIATED
WITH RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS
ABOUT TENANTS, FROM TENANTS IN
THAT RENTAL HOUSING.
THERE ARE 13 PROPOSED AS PART
OF CONTINGENT BUDGET AUTHORITY
THAT WOULD BE ON THE PERMITTING
SIDE.
NOT SO MUCH OF COMPLIANCE SIDE
AT SDCI.
THERE ARE TARGETS FOR TURNING
AROUND BOTH SIMPLE AND COMPLEX
PERMITS AND ALSO FOR RESPONDING
TO COMPLAINTS THAT ARE NOT
PERMIT RELATED.
I CAN GET THOSE FOR YOU, THEY
EXIST, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY ARE AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
>> MADAM CHAIR, ONE QUICK
FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU FOR DISTINGUISHING
THE FTEs, WHAT'S ON THE
PERMITTING SIDE.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE
ANSWER, THAT'S OKAY, WE CAN GET
IT ONLINE.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN BRINGING THIS
ISSUE UP SINCE THE DAY I GOT
ELECTED ABOUT VACANT BUILDINGS
ACROSS THE CITY, BUT IN
PARTICULAR WHAT THAT HAPPENS TO
US, UP IN DISTRICT FIVE.
HAS SDI, WILL THEY BE IMPROVING
VACANT PROPERTIES?
I KNOW IT'S NOT A PART OF
PERMITTING, BUT I KNOW WE HAD
DISCUSSIONS OF THAT LAST YEAR.
>> THE COMMITTEE WILL RECALL
LAST FALL AND COUNCIL WILL BE
MONITORING THE PROGRAM, MADE
SOME CHANGES TO FEES ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT PROGRAM.
AND IN JUNE AND THEN THE
PROGRAM BECAME EFFECTIVE
MIDSUMMER.
AS PART OF THE BUDGET ACTION
LAST YEAR, THE COUNCIL ADDED
ADDITIONAL POSITION AUTHORITY,
SO INSPECTORS AT SDCI TO
ADDRESS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE VACANT BUILDING.
HOWEVER THOSE REGULATIONS ONLY
BECAME VACANT IN THE SUMMER AND
TOO LITTLE TO TELL IF THEIR
STAFFING LEVEL IS APPROPRIATE,
BUT WE DO HAVE NUMBERS FROM
SDCI ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CALLS
ASSOCIATED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> OF COURSE.
PLEASE PROCEED.
>> ALL RIGHT, SO MOVING ON TO
BUDGET ACTIONS PROPOSED BY
COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE ARE EIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTIONS AND INSPECTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER PACHECO PROPOSES
TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AT SDCI TO
UPGRADE GREEN BUILDING
STANDARDS.
SDCI ADMINISTERS A VARIETY OF
GREEN BUILDING INCENTIVES
INCLUDING LEAD, NOT THE LEAD
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, PROVIDED
BY THE GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS
THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH KING
COUNTY MASTER'S BUILDING
ASSOCIATION AND OTHER GREEN
BUILDING STANDARDS AS WELL
INCLUDING THE CITY'S GREEN
BUILD AND PILOT PROGRAM.
OUR COMMUNITY IS PROBABLY WHERE
THERE IS NEW CONSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE RELATED TO
TIMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER
PACHECO HAS PARTICULAR INTEREST
IN LOOKING AT INCENTIVES FOR
USING THE COST.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
PACHECO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD
ANYTHING?
>> SURE.
COLLEAGUES JUST SEATTLE'S GREEN
BUILDING PROGRAMS HAVE LONG
BEEN IN NEED OF REVAMP TO SHOW
WE'RE GETTING THE MOST
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT OUT OF
THEM.
I'M PROPOSING WE CONSIDER
PROVIDING HALF OF THE FTE FROM
SDCI'S CODE DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO
STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR POLICY CHANGES THAT COULD
INCLUDE THE POLICY AGREEMENTS
THAT WE ARE REQUIRING.
AS PART OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS I BELIEVE SDCI
CAN SPECIFICALLY SAY HOW TO USE
THE INCENTIVES TO USE TIMBER
AND NEW CONSTRUCTION.
NEW EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES TO
BUILD MORE SUSTAINABLELY THAT
WE ARE SEEING ADOPTED AROUND
THE WORLD, BUT THE UNITED
STATES IS VERY SLOW TO CATCH
ON, TO CATCH UP ON.
GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE, WASHINGTON
STATE COMMISSIONER, LANDS
COMMISSIONER OF HILLARY FRANZ
HAVE BEEN BIG SUPPORTERS AS A
NATIONAL LEADER AND DEVELOPING
FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT.
LASTLY COLLEAGUES, CONSTRUCTION
ACCOUNTS FOR 23% OF THE WORLD'S
CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS.
STEEL AND CONCRETE ACCOUNT FOR
14% OF THE GLOBAL CARBON
EMISSIONS TO DATE.
AND IN A GREEN NEW DEAL, WE
CALL FOR GREEN BUILDING
STANDARDS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION
AND A GREEN ECONOMY.
SO I BELIEVE THIS PROVISO WOULD
HELP US WITH THE LEADERSHIP
WE'VE BEEN DEDICATED TO.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
I VERY MUCH SUPPORT THIS
RESEARCH.
MY QUESTION IS HAS ANYBODY
CIRCLED BACK TO NATHAN TO SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT IMPACT
THIS WOULD HAVE ON HIS
DEPARTMENT?
>> I HAVE ENGAGED WITH THE
DIRECTOR ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS
MAKING HIM AWARE.
HE SAID IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO
PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DIRECTION
FROM THE COUNCIL AND I DON'T
WANT TO MISCHARACTERIZE HIS
WORDS.
GIVEN WE HAVE DIVERSE BUILDING
STANDARDS IT WOULD BE NICE TO
KIND OF HAVE A CLEAR SENSE OF
DIRECTION BY HAVING ONE UNIFORM
STANDARD FOR THE CITY.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THE NEXT POTENTIAL BUDGET
ACTION IS PROPOSED BY COUNCIL
MEMBER PACHECO, ADDING FUNDING
FOR STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
ACT RULE MAKING RELATED TO
RECENT ACTION THE COUNCIL TOOK
ON 11960.
>> GREAT EXTENT THANK YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO
THIS?
>> AS EVERYONE REMEMBERS WE
PASSED 119600, THE BILL LAST
WEEK.
ONE PROVISION IN THE BILL THAT
GAVE SDCI THE AUTHORITY TO
CREATE THE RULE BOOK THAT WOULD
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
THIS HAND BOOK WOULD BE MODELED
ON SOMETHING THAT NEW YORK AND
OTHER CITIES HAVE, WHICH HAVE
HELPED VARIOUS PARTIES
UNDERSTAND HOW TO CONSISTENTLY
AND PROPERLY PREPARE THESE
COMPLEX, SEPA ANALYSIS.
TO WORK ON THIS BODY OF WORK
AND AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS CO-
SPONSORED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER
HERBOLD WOULD GO THROUGH A
ROBUST PROCESS AS WELL.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, ANY QUESTIONS?
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ?
>> THANK YOU.
IN GENERAL I'M SUPPORTIVE OF
THIS.
PROPOSED ADD BY COUNCIL MEMBER
PACHECO.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SENSE
BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE
CONTEXT OF LAND USE IN
PARTICULAR.
I JUST WANT TO GET A SENSE OF
HOW THIS PROPOSAL WILL
INCORPORATE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
INTO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
PLAN THAT IN PARTICULAR HOW WE
INTEND TO UTILIZE THESE EFFORTS
TO REACH INTO LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY COMMUNITIES.
IF AT ALL.
>> SURE.
I CAN SPEAK TO THAT I THINK A
LITTLE BIT AND SOME OF IT CAN
ALSO BE SOME DIRECTION PROVIDED
BY COUNCIL THROUGH THE BUDGET
ACTION ABOUT THE NATURE OF
OUTREACH.
SDCI PROVIDES TRANSLATION FOR A
LOT OF THE MATERIALS, SO THAT
WOULD FEEL PRESUMABLY BE AN
OUTCOME HERE THAT COULD FLOW
FROM THIS.
>> YOU'RE ABOUT TO HEAR MY
SOAPBOX ON TRANSLATION, BUT
KEEP GOING ON.
>> THE WRATH IS COMING.
I BELIEVE I HAVE HEARD YOU SAY
AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD POINT
TRANSLATION SHOULD BE PROVIDED
BY, SHOULD BE DONE BY FOLKS WHO
SPEAK WHATEVER LANGUAGE IS
BEING TRANSLATED INTO AS THE
FIRST LANGUAGE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS HOW
SDCI DOES THE TRANSLATION
SERVICES NOW.
THE ADD PROPOSED BY COUNCIL
MEMBER PACHECO WOULD ACTUALLY
BE A POSITION ADD.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ IS AN
ADDITION TO A POSITION ADDED,
SDCI TO COME UP TO DO THIS RULE
MAKE, SOME CONSULTANT RESOURCES
MAY BE NEEDED FOR OUTREACH
SERVICES AS WELL.
>> YEAH, I MEAN I THINK AGAIN,
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR US TO
OPERATIONALLIZE THE POLICY
GOALS IN COUNCIL BILL THAT WAS
PASSED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
P BUT I ALSO THINK IT NEEDS TO
BE OPERATIONAL AS IN A WAY THAT
ACKNOWLEDGES THE EXISTING
BARRIERS TO ACCESS FOR THIS
INCREDIBLY COMPLEX INFORMATION.
I MEAN IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT
PEOPLE WHO HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF
EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING
COMPREHENSION OF THESE
PARTICULAR LAWS WILL HAVE A
HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THEM.
MEANING FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE
THAT LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION
ARE QUITE BEHIND THAT 8 BALL IF
YOU WILL.
SO IN MY MIND IT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO BE VERY
INTENTIONAL IN THE DESCRIPTION
OF THIS POSITION THAT IT IS THE
INTENT AND THE DESIRE IF THE
PROPOSER, COUNCIL MEMBER
PACHECO AGREES TO BE REALLY
INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE FACT THAT
THIS POSITION AND WHOMEVER WILL
FILL IT NEEDS TO BE, HAVE SOME
LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND IN
APPRECIATING THAT DIFFERENCE IN
UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE OF
THE ROLES AND THE WORK THAT
WILL BE LED THROUGH THE RULE
MAKING PROCESS NEEDS TO
INCORPORATE AND INTENTIONALLY
INCLUDE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
>> YES, THANK YOU, COUNCIL
MEMBER PACHECO?
>> CAN I BRIEFLY RESPOND?
SORRY.
>> UNLESS SHE WAS CALLING ME,
COUNCIL MEMBER PACHECO.
I DON'T THINK SHE WAS DOING
ANYTHING.
>> THAT WOULD BE WRONG.
>> YES AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE
LANGUAGE WITH YOUR OFFICE AS
WELL, SO BEFORE WE SUBMIT IT,
THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT POTENTIAL BUDGET
ACTION IS ONE I WAS DISCUSSED
JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, ADDING
POSITION IN AN APPROPRIATION
AUTHORITY FOR OUTREACH AND
TENANT PROTECTION WITH SDCI,
JOINT TECHNICIAN AND ONE AFTER
THE COMPLIANT ANALYST.
>> I'M SORRY, I HEARD NOTHING
OF THAT LAST SENTENCE.
>> NUMBER THREE, THE ONE THAT
COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD WAS
DESCRIBING EARLIER, THIS WOULD
ADD POSITION AND APPROPRIATION
AUTHORITY FOR OUTREACH AND
TENANT PROTECTION.
INCLUDING ADDING ONE FTE ZONING
TECHNICIAN WITH AN ONGOING
BASIS AND COMPLIANCE ANALYST
WITH AN ONGOING BASIS.
>> THAT WAS THE OPTION WE
DISCUSSED ON PAGE THREE OF
FIVE?
>> CORRECT.
>> OKAY, GOOD.
THANK YOU.
ITEM NUMBER 4, WHICH IS COUNCIL
MEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> THIS IS ACTUALLY COUNCIL
MEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS AN INTEREST
IN LOOKING AT FACILITATING
PERMITTING AND OUTREACH TO
SMALL BUSINESSES AT SDCI
THROUGH POTENTIALLY AN SDCI.
I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE
DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL
TOMORROW WITH IDENTIFICATION
PAPERS, SO I WILL JUST FLAG
THAT FOR YOU NOW.
>> PLEASE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOSQUEDA AND
I BOTH SIT A ROLE ON THE
MAYOR'S SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY
TASK FORCE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE
COME OUT OF THE WORK OF THAT
GROUP IS THAT THE MAYOR HAS
RECONVENED A CITY WIDE GROUP OF
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO
TROUBLESHOOT.
ISSUES THAT ARE FACED BY SMALL
BUSINESSES.
AND TO SORT OF TRIAGE AROUND
THE CHALLENGES THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES OFTEN FACE.
IT IS VERY OFTEN FOCUSED ON
PERMITTING.
AND THE IMPACTS OF TWO SMALL
BUSINESSES IN THE WAIT TIMES
RELATED TO PERMITTING OFTEN
RESULTS IN THE LOSS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN RENT
AND LOST REVENUES DURING THOSE
DELAYS.
THAT'S REALLY THE ORIGINS, AND
REALLY TO LOOK AT TRYING TO
ASSESS THE EFFORTS TO RECONVENE
THE CITY WIDE BUSINESS ADVISORY
TEAM AND SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS
AND IN RAISING THE ISSUES FACED
WHEN THAT OED COULD DO TO HELP
SPECIFICALLY WITH NOT JUST
PERMITTING, BUT PRIMARILY
THERE.
THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS
THERE AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
OKAY, PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> THE FIFTH POTENTIAL ADD
WOULD BE AGAIN FROM COUNCIL
MEMBER MOSQUEDA, ADDING FUNDING
FOR ELECTRICAL LICENSING SDCI
TO ENFORCE, THE STATE LAW
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS.
>> OKAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR BAGSHAW.
I WILL LET COUNCIL MEMBER
MOSQUEDA KNOW I'M HAPPY TO CO-
SPONSOR THIS AND IN HER ABSENCE
TO SAY A FEW POINTS THAT HER
OFFICE HAS CONVEYED AS WE KNOW
ELECTRICAL WORK IS ONE OF THE
MOST DANGEROUS PROFESSIONS IN
THE COUNTRY.
AND UNION BARGAINING AND PUBLIC
INTERVENTION HAVE PUT SAFETY
MEASURES ON ELECTRICAL WORK
INCLUDING TRAINING
CERTIFICATION AND
APPRENTICESHIP RATIOS.
BUT THOSE MEASURES DON'T AMOUNT
TO ANYTHING UNLESS
MUNICIPALITIES ACTUALLY MAKE
SURE THE MEASURES ARE FOLLOWED.
IN OUR STATE APPRENTICESHIP
RATIOS ARE PARTICULARLY ONE TO
ONE FOR ELECTRICAL WORKERS.
THAT'S ONE LICENSE JOURNEY
PERSON TO WANT APPRENTICE.
RECENT CASES FOUND SOME
COMPANIES ARE ALLOWING RATIOS
OF ONE TO 14 OR 15 MEANING ONE
JOURNEY PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR ON-SITE SAFETY AND
TRAINING.
14 TO 15 APPRENTICES.
THIS IS ALARMING WITH THE
SAFETY HAZARDS AND LONG-TERM
TRAINING FOR APPRENTICES
LEADING TO TRAINING FOR THE
ELECTRICAL WORKERS OR OTHER
PEOPLE WORKING ON THE BUILDING
AND PEOPLE UTILIZING THE
BUILDING.
THIS STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
INDUSTRIES ELECTRICAL
COMPLIANCE OUTREACH REGULATION
AND EDUCATION TEAM CONDUCTS
INSPECTIONS ON PERMITTING
CERTIFICATION.
HOUSE BILL 1952 PASSED LAST
YORE ALLOWS FOR CITY LIKE
SEATTLE WHICH HAVE HIGHER
STANDARDS FOR ELECTRICAL WORK
THAN STATE CODE, WHICH CONDUCT
ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE TO ALSO
ENFORCE THE PERMITTING
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
SO SEATTLE AS A MUNICIPALITY
WOULD BE ENTITLED TO KEEP ANY
PENALTIES FROM BEING FOUND IN
VIOLATIONS.
AS A CITY WE HAVE ENACTED
STRONGLY WITH THE ELECTRICAL
CODE STANDARDS.
THIS BUDGET AMEND WOULD ENSURE
AS A CITY WE MONITOR AND
ENFORCE THE STATE AND LOCAL
RATIO AND SO OUR WORK FORCE
BUILDINGS AND RESIDENTS AS A
WHOLE ARE SAFER AND WILL BE
LOOKING AT THIS NEXT YEAR TO
SEE HOW WELL IT IS WORKING, HOW
MANY VIOLATIONS WE ARE FINDING
AS OPPOSED TO IN THE PRIOR
YEARS, WHAT COST RECOVERY LOOKS
LIKE AND WHAT THE ONGOING NEEDS
ARE AND CONTINUE TO PARTNER
WITH THE STATE TO ENSURE THE
OUTREACH AND THE ENFORCEMENT IS
HAND IN HAND BETWEEN THE CITY
AND STATE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE
COMMENTS.
PLEASE PROCEED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO MOVING ON HERE TO NUMBER
SIX.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL FROM COUNCIL
MEMBER SAWANT TO ADD FUNDING
FOR RENTAL ORGANIZING.
>> THANK YOU.
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS REALLY
HAVE SOME FUNDS FROM THE
PREVIOUS YEARS THAT WERE
INITIATED BY THE PEOPLE'S
BUDGET MOVEMENT AND WERE
INCLUDED IN THE BALANCING
PACKAGE IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS
TO FUND AND SUPPORT TENANT
OUTREACH AND ORGANIZING.
BUT AS WE KNOW THE CRISIS OF
ECONOMIC EVICTIONS HAVE GOTTEN
ONLY WORSE SINCE THE LAST FEW
YEARS.
AND IT IS MORE AND MORE
HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR
RENTERS TO GET ORGANIZED
BECAUSE INDIVIDUAL RENTERS,
IT'S BASICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO
FIGHT THE EPIDEMIC OAF VICKS
ESPECIALLY FROM WHAT ARE
INITIATED FROM CORPORATE REAL
ESTATE BUYING UP EXISTING
BUILDINGS AND THEN JACKING UP
THE RENTS AND SO ON.
WE HAVE SEEN REALLY
TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL
ORGANIZING EFFORTS, FOR
EXAMPLE, THE APARTMENT BUILDING
ON NORTH CAPITOL HILL, THE
SHADOW APARTMENT BUILDING IN
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT ARE
EXAMPLES OF WHERE TENANTS COULD
ORGANIZE.
BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO
EFFECTIVELY ORGANIZE BECAUSE OF
SUPPORT FROM ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE COMMUNITY.
THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVING SOME
FUNDS FROM THE CITY.
SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO EXPAND
THE FUNDS THAT HAVE PROVEN
QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING
RENTERS ORGANIZE.
IT HAS REALLY EXPANDED ITS WORK
FOR VERY SHOE STRING
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
QUITE EFFECTIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS B SEATTLE HAS
DONE IS ORGANIZE DOZENS OF KNOW
YOUR RIGHTS BOOT CAMPS OR
FORUMS FOR RENTERS.
THIS PAST YEAR MY OFFICE HAS
BEEN COHOSTING MANY OF THOSE
BOOT CAMPS.
THE CITY AND WE HAVE
CONCRETELY, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY
SHARED, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE
RIGHTS RENTERS HAVE, HOW TO
CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS, WHAT
ISSUES ARE ALREADY SUPPORTED,
WHETHER YOU STILL NEED TO FIGHT
FOR.
HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE IF YOUR
FELLOW TENANTS ARE HAVING THE
SAME COMPLAINTS.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WHEN YOU SEE A LANDLORD
EXPLOITING ONE TENANT, YOU
OFTEN FIND IT IS NEVER ONE
TENANT, BUT IT'S A SYSTEMATIC
PRACTICE THAT THEY ENGAGE IN.
AND THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT WOULD
FUND THE BOOT CAMP IN 2020 AND
OF WASHINGTON STATE, WHICH
BESIDES OPERATING A CALL LINE
FOR RENTERS HAS HELPED RENTERS
FORM THEIR OWN TENANTS
ASSOCIATIONS.
AND SO THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT
ALSO CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THAT
WORK.
ONE THING I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR
US TO INCLUDE AND I HOPE
COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL SUPPORT
THIS IS ALSO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT
IS SPECIFICALLY ORGANIZING
SENIOR WHO IS ARE RENTERS, SO
THEY HAVE A VOICE IN THE
AFFORDABLE RETAIL HOUSING AND
MARKET RENTAL HOUSING
COMMUNITIES.
THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT COULD
SUPPORT THAT WORK.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST OF
COURSE WASHINGTON COMMUNITY
ACTION NETWORK WE KNOW HAS
SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR
REFORM.
ONE THING THEY DO, WHICH REALLY
HAS MADE THEM AN EFFECTIVE
ORGANIZATION IS THAT THEY
ACTUALLY DOOR KNOCK RENTERS,
TENANTS, AND BUILD RENTER
POWERS STARTING WITH LITERALLY
KNOCKING ON THE DOORS OF
RENTERS, URGING THEM TO GET
INVOLVED.
IS AND SO THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT
WOULD HELP TO CONTINUE FUNDING
THAT DOOR KNOCKING AS WELL.
I THINK OVERALL THIS IS A VERY,
VERY SMALL AMOUNT TO GO A LONG
WAY TO ALLOW RENTERS TO CHANGE
A LITTLE BIT.
THE SERIOUS IMBALANCE OF POWER
THAT WILL EXIST AND ESPECIALLY
CORPORATE LANDLORD.
UT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE
AND I HOPE THEY SUPPORT IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT PROPOSAL IS BY
COUNCIL MEMBER SAWANT THAT
WOULD ADD FUNDING FOR THE
HISTORY RESOURCE CENTER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU.
AND WHO ARE WE KNOW, YOU KNOW,
THE LANDLORDS, THEY DO
BACKGROUND CHECKS TO CHECK
RENTERS HISTORY.
BUT THERE IS RARELY ANY
OPPORTUNITY FOR RENTERS,
PERSPECTIVE TENANTS TO KNOW THE
HISTORY.
I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE I MEAN MANY OF WHOM
MIGHT RECALL SAYING LANDLORDS
COULD NOT RAISE RENTS IN
SUBSTANDARD HOMES AND OTHERS,
YOU KNOW, YOU ARE ALL
INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE THE
LEGISLATION SAW THE LIGHT OF
DAY.
AND THE REASON I MENTIONED THAT
IS THE LANDLORD OF THAT
BUILDING WAS CARL HAGELIN.
WE GOT SO MANY TENANTS CALLING
US, E-MAILING US SAYING MY
LANDLORD IS ALSO CARL HAGELIN
AND I'M ALSO FACING THOSE
PROBLEMS.
SO I THINK HAVING RENTERS
ACCESS LANDLORD HISTORY.
TO ALLOW RENTERS TO LOOK UP THE
HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, RENTAL
HOUSING IN DISTRICT THREE.
IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETED.
WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SHARE THE
RESULTS WITH ALL OF OUR
COLLEAGUES.
IT'S A VERY SIMPLE APP.
YOU TYPE IN THE ADDRESS OF THE
RENTAL HOUSING YOU'RE
CONSIDERING IN AND IT WILL TELL
YOU IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY
HOUSING CODE VIOLATIONS
RECORDED ON THE PROPERTY, IF
THE LANDLORD HAS HISTORY OF
UNFAIRLY EVICTING TENANTS OR
HARASSING TENANTS, SO ON.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE
REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL FOR
RENTERS, BUT CREATING THE APP
WILL REQUIRE A LOT.
THE APP IS ONLY USEFUL TO HOW
MUCH DATA IT IS POPULATED WITH
OTHERWISE IT IS NOT A USEFUL
INDICATOR.
SO THE APP HAS BEEN CREATED,
BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE IT WORK,
WE NEED TO MAKE IT SCALABLE TO
THE HOUSING THAT IT IS ACTUALLY
AVAILABLE.
SO THIS WOULD COST $14,000 TO
ENTER ALL THE DATA NECESSARY TO
COVER THE DISTRICT.
I BELIEVE IT WILL GREATLY
ENHANCE THE WORK OF THE
DEPARTMENT AS WELL IN HELPING
TENANTS IF WE HAD SUCH AN APP.
I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND FINALLY COUNCIL MEMBER
SAWANT PROPOSES $534,000 TO
FUND EVICTION LEGAL DEFENSE.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER BAGSHAW, YOU AND
OTHERS WILL REMEMBER LAST YEAR
WE ADVOCATED FOR THE CITY TO
FUND SIX FULL-TIME EVICTION
ATTORNEYS TO THE HOUSING
JUSTICE PROJECT.
IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN
ADDRESSING THE ECONOMIC
EVICTIONS.
WE WERE ABLE TO FIND THE
FUNDING FOR ONE EVICTION
ATTORNEY LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME DATA MOW
THAT HAS COME, YOU KNOW, SINCE
ABOUT A YEAR THAT THE HOUSING
JUSTICE PROGRAM HAS ADDED MAYBE
IN LESS THAN A YEAR.
BUT THE DATA WE ARE RECEIVING
FROM THE FUNDING FOR THE
ATTORNEY HELPING RENTERS FACING
EVICTION IS SO POWERFUL THAT IT
REALLY, REALLY WOULD BE
INCOUPLE BENT ON US TO EXPAND
THE FUNDING FOR ATTORNEYS SO
THAT RENTERS WILL ACTUALLY HAVE
LEGAL HELP.
I THINK DATA SHOWS THEY HAVE
REPORTED ON THIS.
DATA FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
SHOWS SIMPLY HAVING A
PROFESSIONAL ATTORNEY HELPING
YOU AT YOUR SITE WILL MAKE A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING AN
EVICTION ON YOUR RECORD OR NOT
HAVING AN EVICTION ON BEATING
THAT BACK.
AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE
OF HOW EFFECTIVE THIS HAS BEEN
IN COMBINATION WITH THE STATE
LAW POLICY CHANGES THAT HAVE
HAPPENED AND THE FUNDING THAT
WE HAVE PROVIDED FROM LAST
YEAR.
THE HOUSING JUSTICE PROJEC SEES
OVER A 400% EVICTION.
MEANING IN OVER 400% OF CASES
THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PRESERVE
THE TENDENCIES.
SO THIS IS DRAMATICALLY
EFFECTIVE.
A VERY SMALL AMOUNT.
NOT HAVING AN EVICTION ON YOUR
RECORD WILL MAKE ALL THE
DIFFERENCE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> THAT'S IT FOR THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT CONSTRUCTIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS?
>> DOES THAT TAKE US UP TO THE
END OF THE MORNING ALREADY?
AND AT 11:01, WE WILL HAVE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY, PUBLIC
COMMENT.
AND SO IF WE CAN GET THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE TABLE?
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE WILL PROCEED WITH JUST
ONE SPEAKER.
WE'VE GOT STEVE.
COME ON UP AND TALK TO US FOR
TWO MINUTES.
I KNOW YOU ALL WILL BE REALLY
DISAPPOINTED, BUT THIS WILL BE
OVER EARLY THIS MORNING.
STEVE, WELCOME.
>> OKAY.
YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY TO KNOW MY
DOCTOR SAYS I'M IN GOOD SHAPE,
SO I WILL CONTINUE WORKING.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO COME DOWN
AND SEE YOU AS OFTEN AS IF I
WERE RETIRED.
AND LET'S GET SERIOUS.
LET'S LOOK AT REVENUE, ONE
THING IS LAST TIME I PROPOSED
THE BUDGET COUNCIL AND GOT A
SEVERE TONGUE LASHING WAS THAT
MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE LICENSES
FOR BICYCLES, YOU KNOW, AND
INDUSTRY ON THE SIDEWALKS, YOU
KNOW, AND MAYBE SOME PEOPLE
SHOULDN'T BE ANONYMOUS.
MOST BIKE RIDERS ARE PROBABLY
NOT PROBLEMS.
BUT LIKE PEOPLE WHO DRIVE CARS,
THERE IS A CERTAIN NUMBER AND
IT MIGHT BE NICE TO IDENTIFY
THM.
AND NOW ANOTHER WAY YOU MIGHT
TAKE A LOOK AT RAISING REVENUE
IS WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT MHA,
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT A 50/50
RATIO OF PEOPLE PAYING OUT AND
PEOPLE BUILDING ON SITE.
NOW IN THE NEAR NORTH, I KNOW
OF NOT ONE DEVELOPER WHO HAS
CHOSEN TO PUT ON-SITE HOUSING.
AND NOT ONE.
AND NOW MAYBE OTHER AREAS OF
THE CITY THEY HAVE AND THERE IS
A DISCUSSION OF WELL WE CAN
CHANGE THE RATES IF WE DON'T
GET TO 5050.
WELL I'M TELLING YOU, YOU'RE
NOT EVEN CLOSE.
YOU DON'T NEED A 10-YEAR STUDY.
YOU DON'T NEED A FIVE-YEAR
STUDY.
IT AIN'T HAPPENING.
AND ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD
CONSIDER BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE
A VERY GREEN CITY COUNCIL IS WE
STILL DON'T HAVE A TREE
ORDINANCE.
YOU SHOULD BE FUNDING
ENFORCEMENT OF THE TREE
ORDINANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT
SOME OF THE BEST CARBON EATING
DEVICES THAT ARE AROUND AND
THAT IS THE OLD TREES, NOT THE
LITTLE SHRUBBERIES, BUT THE OLD
TREES.
WE SHOULD BE SAVING OUR MOST
INEXPENSIVE HOUSING, WHICH
WE'RE KNOCKING DOWN RIGHT NOW.
I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES AND
THAT'S ALL THE PUBLIC INPUT YOU
NEED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, STEVE.
ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
SPEAK TODAY?
ALL RIGHT, WELL SEEING NONE.
WE ARE ADJOURNED FOR TODAY.
AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE'S
INTEREST.
THANK YOU, KETIL, TOM, ALLISON,
AND KIRSTAN FOR BEING INVOLVED
TOO.