>>> -- OF THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 2:04 P.M.
I'M LORENA GONZALEZ, PRESIDENT
OF THE COUNCIL.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT, THANK YOU, JOE DI.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> HERE.
>> EIGHT PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PRESENTATIONS I'M NOT AWARE OF
ANY PRESENTATIONS FOR TODAY'S
FULL COUNCIL.
THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING OF JUNE 8, 2020 HAVE
BEEN REVIEWED.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES WILL BE SIGNED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES ARE BEING SIGNED.
I'D ASK THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX
MY SIGNATURE TO THE MINUTES.
ADOPTION OF THE REFERRAL
CALENDAR.
THE PROPOSED INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS ADOPTED.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENERAL DA, IF
THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED.
FOLKS, PUBLIC COMMENT IS GOING
TO BE BUSY AS USUAL.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND OPEN UP THE REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS ON THE
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA INTRODUCTION
AND REFERRAL CALENDAR AND THE
COUNCIL'S 2020 WORK PROGRAM.
-- AND THINGS THAT ARE PART OF
OUR 2020 WORK PROGRAM.
WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING FOR
WAYS TO FINE TUNE THIS PROCESS
AND ADDING NEW FEATURES THAT
WILL ALLOW US AND THE PUBLIC FOR
FULL PARTICIPATION IN OUR
COUNCIL MEETINGS THROUGH REMOTE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
AGAIN, IT REMAINS THE STRONG
INTENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO
HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY
INCLUDED ON OUR MEETING AGENDAS,
HOWEVER, THE CITY COUNCIL
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO END THESE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS IF WE
DEEM THE SYSTEM IS BEING ABUSED
OR IS NO LONGER SUITABLE TO
CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS
EFFICIENTLY.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL
BE 60 MINUTES.
NORMALLY IT IS ONLY 20 MINUTES,
BUT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A STRONG
INTEREST FROM MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN TESTIFYING.
TODAY'S LIST, AS OF A FEW
MOMENTS AGO, HAD 116 PEOPLE
SIGNED UP TO PROVIDE US WITH
PUBLIC COMMENT.
LAST WEEK I BELIEVE WE HAD 160
AND THE PRIOR WEEK WE WERE ALSO
IN THE HUNDREDS.
SO AGAIN, BEAR WITH ME.
I WILL NOTE THAT I BELIEVE
WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES WE
HAD ABOUT 100 PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
SO IT'S -- IT IS DEFINITELY A
TOOL THAT THE PUBLIC IS TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF AND WE APPRECIATE
THA, BUT IT DOES PUT
LIMITATIONS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE
WE CAN ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT
FROM IN THIS SESSION.
SO AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD THAT WILL LAST
EXACTLY 60 MINUTES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN ONE
MINUTE, THAT'S 60 SECONDS, TO
PROVIDE US WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
THAT IS FOR PURPOSES OF MAKING
SURE WE CAN HEAR FROM AS MANY
PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
NORMALLY WE HAVE TWO MINUTES,
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THIS
MANY FOLKS, AND AGAIN, I THINK
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE STRONG
INTEREST IN HEARING FROM AS MANY
PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, WE'RE GOING
TO REDUCE THAT TIME TO ONE
MINUTE FOR EACH SPEAKER TO
PROVIDE US WITH THEIR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY.
I WILL CALL ON EACH SPEAKER BY
NAME AND IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK BUT WOULD LIKE TO, YOU
CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF
PUBLIC COMMENT BY GOING TO THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE AT
SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL.
THE LINK IS ALSO LISTED ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT OF YOU HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED WILL BE THE
SPEAKER'S CUE IT IS THEIR TURN
TO SPEAK.
AGAIN, FOLKS, FOR THOSE OF YOU
GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE BE
AWARE THAT WE DO DO CLOSED
CAPTIONING AND IN ORDER TO GET
ACCURATE TRANSCRIPTION, WE ASK
YOU MODULATE YOUR SPEECH SO THE
SOFTWARE IS ABLE TO PICK UP ON
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING SO THAT
HEARING IMPAIRED FOLKS WHO ARE
VIEWING TODAY ARE ABLE TO GET AN
ACCURATE REFLECTION OF WHAT YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT IS.
AGAIN, PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING
YOUR NAME, THE ITEM YOU ARE
ADDRESSING, AND AS A REMINDER,
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO
AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THE
CALENDAR OR THE 2020 WORK
PROGRAM.
PEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT.
ONCE YOU HEAR THE CHIME, WE ASK
YOU WRAP UP YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END AT THE
TIME ALLOTTED, THE SPEAKER'S
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE AND IF
YOU WANT TO FOLLOW THIS MEETING,
YOU CAN DO SO VIA
SEATTLECHANNEL.ORG OR ON SEATTLE
CHANNEL 21, OR ANY ONE OF THE
LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED ON THE
PREPUBLISH AGENDA.
AGAIN, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WE
MAY NOT GET TO WHO TOOK THE TIME
TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY, I DO APOLOGIZE IF WE
DON'T GET TO YOU IN THE 60
MINUTES THAT WE HAVE ALLOTTED
HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET TO AS
MANY FOLKS AS WE CAN OUT OF THE
AT LEAST 116 FOLKS THAT HAVE
SIGNED UP.
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT IS STILL
IMPORTANT TO US AND PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD ISN'T THE ONLY
WAY YOU CAN GET YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT AND OPINION TO US.
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US AT
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV OR YOU CAN
CALL ANY ONE OF US OR SUBMIT
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT TO US VIA
ANY ONE OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
CHANNELS, EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR
AS A COLLECTIVE.
SO THAT BEING SAID, THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN AND
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST AND THE
FIRST PERSON ON THE LIST IS JOE
CUNSLER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF
EVERYONE'S TIME AND SPEAK AS
QUICKLY AS I CAN.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
GREAT NEWS THIS MORNING THAT YOU
BROKE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE
ONLINE MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE
REST OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO HAVE MORE
DIVERSE VOICES HEARD.
THIS IS A GREAT PATRIOTIC
LEADERSHIP BY YOU.
YOU ARE A GREAT AMERICAN
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE IS
SO, SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE
CONTINUE WITH MORE OF THE
GOVERNMENT AND WILL HOPEFULLY BE
AN EXAMPLE TO OLYMPIA ON THE
50th ANNIVERSARY -- TO MODERNIZE
SO WE CAN HAVE THESE ONLINE
TOOLS TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE GIVE
INPUT.
I HOPE PEOPLE ARE NICE TO YOU
AND GRATEFUL.
AND IF I'VE EVER SAID UNKIND
WORDS, I APOLOGIZE TO COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I'VE
GOT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
LINED UP.
>> THANK YOU, JOE, FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
NEXT UP MARIAH MITCHELL FOLLIED
BY CONY.
>> MY NAME IS MARIAH MITCHELL, I
WORK FOR UBER EATS AND POSTMATES
AND I'M HERE FOR THE CB 119799.
I WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR HAZARD
PAY FOR GIG WORKERS, BUT I'D
ALSO LIKE TO DEFUND THE POLICE
AND SO I WANT TO SAY TO KSHAMA
SAWANT, GOOD JOB AND KEEP
FIGHTING.
AND ON THAT NOTE, I WANT YOU TO
KNOW THAT I'M AFRICAN-AMERICAN,
I HAVE TWO BACHELORS, AND I'M
DOING GIG WORK INSTEAD OF WHAT
I'M DESTINED TO DO.
AND I DON'T NEED YOU GUYS TO
FUND POLICE TO ABUSE ME, AND I
WOULD LIKE TO BE PAID MINIMUM
WAGE FOR THE WORK THAT I DO, AT
LEAST, ALONG WITH HEALTH CARE
AND ALSO PPE EQUIPMENT.
SO THOSE ARE MY ISSUES, AND
AGAIN, KSHAMA SAWANT, YOU'RE
DOING A GREAT JOB.
KEEP IT UP, EVERYBODY ON THE
COUNCIL SHOULD BE MORE LIKE
KSHAMA SAWANT.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP IS ACELING CONY
FOLLOWED BY MEGAN MURPHY.
>> HI, I'M CALLING FOR THE --
WE'RE WATCHING AND WE DON'T
ACCEPT YOUR -- THE ACLU WANT A
RESTRAINING ORDER ON THESE
WEAPONS BECAUSE THEY VIOLATE OUR
RIGHTS TO PROTEST.
YOU SHOULD BE TAKING PERMANENT
ACTION RIGHT NOW.
-- YOUR RESIGNATION AS WELL.
THE KING COUNTY EQUITY NOW
DEMANDS ARE VERY CLEAR -- HAVE
YOU READ THEM?
YOU WORK FOR US, SO GET TO WORK
AND DON'T LET US DOWN.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY
DEMAND YOU DEFUND SPD AND
RELEASE ALL PROTESTERS.
-- LIES ABOUT CRIME INCLUDING
RAPES.
-- CONSERVATIVE MEDIA AND
BROADCAST TO WHITE SUPREMACISTS
ACROSS THE NATION.
PROTESTERS ARE FACING THE THREAT
OF ARMED MEN COMING TO HARM US.
-- PROTECTING US NOT
INTENTIONALLY PUTTING US IN
DANGER.
WE'VE LOST RESPECT FOR THE
POLICE, FOR CHIEF, FOR THE
MAYOR, AND WE ARE QUICKLY LOSING
RESPECT FOR YOU ALL ON THE CON
SILL.
START LISTENING.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> NEXT UP IS MEGAN MURPHY
FOLLOWED BY HOWARD GAIL.
>> HI, I'M CALLING FROM THE
CAPITOL HILL AUTONOMOUS ZONE.
-- CAL ANDERSON PARK RIGHT NOW.
THERE WAS TEAR GAS HERE AFTER
THE MAYOR SAID THERE WOULD BE NO
TEAR GAS WITHIN YARDS OF WHERE
I'M AT.
TWO WEEKS AGO MAYBE IT WAS OR A
WEEK, I'M NOT SURE, BUT IT WAS
TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE AND IT
WENT IN PEOPLE'S WINDOWS THAT
WEREN'T EVEN AT THE PROTESTS.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THE
PRISON POPULATION USED TO BE
WAY, WAY LESS, AND THE
CAPITALIST SYSTEM IS DRAWING ON
POLICE AND PRISONS TO EXTRACT
WELL.
AND WE ARE RETHINKING THE WAY
YOU EXTRACT WEALTH.
WE WANT IT TO BE TO DEFUND THE
POLICE.
I WENT TO THE POLICE STATION
THINKING I WAS BEING STALKED AND
THEY ESCALATED IT WAY HIGHER
THAN WHAT I EVER IMAGINED TO THE
POINT WHERE I LOST CUSTODY OF MY
SON AND I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM IN
NEARLY TEN YEARS BECAUSE THE
POLICE ESCALATED IT WAY BEYOND
WHAT WAS NECESSARY.
I JUST -- I'VE HAD SOME REALLY
GOOD COUNSELING AND IT'S SO --
>> NEXT UP IS HOWARD GAIL
FOLLOWED BY LOGAN SWAN.
>> HI, THIS IS HOWARD GAIL FROM
QUEEN ANNE.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THE ISSUES
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS TAKING
UP TODAY ON ENDING THE USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND PROJECTILE
WEAPONS BY THE POLICE AND
BANNING CHOKEHOLD, I THINK THIS
IS REALLY MISSING THE MARK.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN KILLING PEOPLE
WITH CHOKEHOLDS IN SEATTLE.
WE'VE BEEN KILLING PEOPLE WITH
GUNS, AS WE DID JUST A COUPLE --
FEW WEEKS AGO ON THE 19th OF
MAY.
WE KILLED A BLACK, HOMELESS MAN
ON ELLIOTT WAY.
AND I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT
WHY, AGAIN, WE'RE ADDRESSING
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND PROJECTILES
WHEN I'M NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT
THE METHOD WITH WHICH I'M ABUSED
BY THE POLICE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BEING ABUSED
BY THE POLICE.
SO IF I'M NOT TEAR GASSED,
THAT'S GREAT.
I DON'T WANT TO BE ABUSED AND
BEAT BY BIKES OR CLUBS.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS LATE IN
THE GAME, THE CITY COUNCIL IS
MISSING THE MARK.
I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO BRING ABOUT REAL POLICE
REFORM AND HOW TO STOP THE ABUSE
BY POLICE AND NOT SIMPLY QUIBBLE
OVER HOW IT IS THAT -- THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS -- JUST A MOMENT,
LOGAN SWAN FOLLOWED BY MARK
TAYLOR CANFIELD.
>> HI, MY NAME IS LOGAN SWAN.
I'M AN IRON WORKER WHO WORKS IN
SEATTLE.
I'M CALLING TODAY TO REJECT
HERBOLD'S ATTEMPT TO KICK THE
CAN DOWN THE ROAD TO BAN THE USE
OF SO-CALLED LESS LETHAL WEAPONS
BEING USED BY THE POLICE AGAINST
PEOPLE DEMANDING JUSTICE AND AN
END TO POLICE VIOLENCE.
SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN MY UNION
AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN TEAR GASSED
AND TERRORIZED BY THE POLICE
JUST FOR STANDING UP IN DEFENSE
OF COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDER
ATTACK.
WE'VE GOT POLITICIANS SAYING
WEAPONS OF WAR DON'T BELONG OUR
OUR STREETS WHILE THEY ALLOW
POLICE TO DEPLOY MILITARY
HARDWARE AND WEAPONS BANNED IN
WARFARE LIKE MACE.
JOINING HERBOLD IN THIS MANEUVER
WILL BE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
FUTURE ATTACKS.
KEEP UP YOUR SHENANIGANS AND THE
PEOPLE WILL ADD YOUR NAME TO
DURKAN'S IN DEMANDING YOU GET
OUT.
>> NEXT UP IS MARK TAYLOR
CANFIELD FOLLOWED BY ROBERT
CRUZ.
>> HI, THIS IS JESSICA BUT IT
SAID I WAS --
>> ARE WE HAVING TECHNICAL
ISSUES?
THIS IS MARK TAYLOR CANFIELD,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR DEMOCRACY
WATCH NEWS.
WE SPECIALIZE IN COVERING
PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENTS AROUND
THE WORLD.
-- WROTE AN ARTICLE FOR THE
NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD ON
MILITARIZATION OF POLICE.
AS A JOURNALIST, I'VE BEEN
SUBJECTED TO TEAR GAS MANY
TIMES.
THE VIDEOS ARE ON MY YOUTUBE
CHANNEL.
I'VE BEEN PEPPER SPRAYED IN THE
FACE.
I'VE BEEN HIT BY PEPPER BALLS
AND RUBBER BULLETS.
MANY OF THE ISSUES SHOULD HAVE
BEEN ADDRESSED 20 YEARS AGO
AFTER THE ACLU, NATIONAL LAWYERS
GUILD AND TRIAL LAWYERS FOR
PUBLIC JUSTICE RECOMMENDED TO
THE CITY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
WERE NEVER ADOPED.
COVERING BADGE ISSUES WERE A
MAJOR ISSUE DURING THOSE
DEMONSTRATIONS.
FINALLY, WE NEED TO COME
TOGETHER TO END THE USE OF THESE
WEAPONS AS CROWD CONTROL.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS ROBERT CRUZ FOLLOWED
BY THOMAS MEEKS.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
-- PARTICULARLY DEBORA JUAREZ IN
DISTRICT FIVE AS MY
COUNCILMEMBER.
I LIVE IN LAKE CITY AND
REPRESENT A BUSINESS IN DISTRICT
FIVE.
I'M DISGUSTED TO HEAR YOU'RE
DELAYING A BILL TO --
CHOKEHOLDS.
THESE WEAPONS ARE INDISCRIMINATE
AND UNNECESSARY TO WARFARE.
-- UMBRELLAS AND EACH OTHER IS
DISGUSTING.
ON JUNE 8th, YOU TWEETED SEATTLE
POLICE MUST STOP MILITARISTIC
OPERATIONS AGAINST PROTESTERS.
SO THEN WHY ARE YOU CLAIMING
THAT THESE CHANGES ARE NEEDED
AND THEN A WEEK LATER REFUSING
TO SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION TO
MAKE THESE CHANGES?
THE POLICE GUILD'S NOT A
RELIABLE NARRATER AND SHOULD BE
REMOVED FROM THEIR BOARD SEATS.
MY NEIGHBORS, COWORKERS AND
FRIENDS WILL BE VOICING THESE
ISSUES.
BLACK AND INDIGENOUS BLOOD IS ON
YOUR HANDS.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING, BLACK
LIVES MATTER, AND I CEDE MY
TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS GOING TO BE THOMAS
MEEKS FOLLOWED BY MARI LAINNY.
>> HELLO, I'M THOMAS MEEKS.
I AM CALLING ABOUT CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONS.
I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DEAL WITH A
COMPLICATED BUREAUCRACY, BUT WE
NEED TO REALIZE OUR BUREAUCRACY
IS A SOURCE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM
IN SEATTLE REGARDLESS OF OUR
INTENTIONS AROUND IT.
THE VERY FACT THAT THE OPA IS
CURRENTLY OVERWHELMED IS ITSELF
AN EXAMPLE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM.
AND WE ARE SUPPORTING THAT
RACISM IF WE LET IT SLOW US
DOWN.
BLACK LIVES MATTER MORE THAN RED
TAPE.
IF THE SPD UTILIZES A LOOP HOLE
-- WITH AN OVERWHELMED
DEPARTMENT OR ENGAGE IN A
PROTRACKED LEGAL BATTLE WITH
SEATTLE.
I'M NOT SCARED OF A TERRORIST
ATTACK IN SEATTLE.
I AM SCARED OF THE SPD CALLING
ME A TERRORIST SO THEY CAN
ATTACK ME.
I FEEL ABANDONED BY MY MAYOR, MY
CHIEF OF POLICE.
I'M LOOKING TO YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, TO HAVE
MY BACK.
TAKE AWAY THE WEAPONS TODAY.
I CEDE MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS MARI DELANEY FOLLOWED
BY DEEPA.
>> HI THERE, MY NAME IS MARI
DELANEY.
I AM CALLING ABOUT A SPECIFIC
INCIDENT INVOLVING THE SPD
POLICE OFFICER THIS PAST FRIDAY,
JUNE 12th.
I GOT OFF OF BUS 60 IN FRONT OF
HARBORVIEW AND THE COP WAS
BLOCKING THE CROSSWALK.
I WALKED UP TO HIM AND POLITELY
ASKED HIM IF HE COULD MOVE BACK,
AND HE DREW HIS FIREARM AND
POINTED AT ME AND TOLD ME TO
LEAVE.
I WENT AROUND THE CORNER AND
COLLECTED MYSELF AND CAME BACK
WITH MY CAMERA GOING AND
REQUESTED SEVERAL BYSTANDERS TO
ALSO RECORD.
AND I CAME UP TO HIM AND GOT HIS
LICENSE PLATE NUMBER AND I GOT
HIS -- GOT HIM TO TELL ME HIS
BADGE NUMBER AND NAME.
THIS IS SERGEANT PETERSON.
BADGE 6880.
I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT Y'ALL
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS -- AND
HAVE HIM REMOVED FROM THE POLICE
FORCE AND BE CHARGED WITH
BRANDISHING A FIREARM.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN,
MR. DELANEY.
WE HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION
HERE.
WE WILL CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT
OUR OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IS ABLE TO HEAR
YOUR TESTIMONY AND TO FOLLOW UP
ACCORDINGLY AND I'M REALLY SORRY
THAT YOU HAD THAT RECENT
EXPERIENCE.
NEXT UP IS DEEPA FOLLOWED BY
ELIZABETH.
>> MY NAME IS DEEPA.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE
LGBTQ COMMISSION AND THE PARKS
DISTRICT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
BUT TODAY I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF
OF THE COALITION OF SEATTLE
INDIAN-AMERICANS.
WE SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S BILLS TO BAN SPD'S USE
OF CHOKEHOLDS AND SO-CALLED
CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS.
WE DEMAND YOU PASS THESE BILLS
TODAY AND WITHOUT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S AMENDMENT.
WE DEMAND COUNCIL CUT THE POLICE
BUDGET AND ABOLISH THE POLICE
ENTIRELY.
YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF
THE KING COUNTY EQUITY NOW
COALITION WHO HAVE CONCRETE
DEMANDS ON CUTTING THE BUDGET
AND HELPING IN THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT, TO BUILD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND DEVELOP COMMUNITY
SERVICES TO INCREASE TRUE PUBLIC
SAFETY.
LISTEN TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY
LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THE
WORK FOR YEARS TO SUPPORT AND
PROTECT THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE BEEN RAVAGED BY
CITY-SPONSORED DISPLACEMENT AND
INJUSTICE.
ABOLISH THE POLICE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH
FOLLOWED BY AUBREY
MARKS-JOHNSON.
>> -- SPEAKING IN REGARD TO
CROWD CONTROL ACTION.
I WORKED AS A PROJECT MANAGER
AND EMERGENCY PLANNER FORS WITH
DOT AVIATION.
I'M ALSO AN ARMY VETERAN.
I CAN'T FATHOM THE COMPLACENCY
WE ALLOW POLICE TO USE ON OUR
OWN PEOPLE.
STOP PERPETUATING VIOLENCE AND
WAR ON OUR OWN SOIL.
TEAR GAS IS USED BY SOLDIERS
AGAINST ENEMIES.
IT WAS BANNED UNDER THE GENEVA
CONVENTION 95 YEARS AGO.
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE,
YOU TAKE AWAY THE TOOLS THAT
POLICE USE TO NOT KEEP PEOPLE
SAFE.
THE ACTIONS OF SEATTLE POLICE GO
FAR BEYOND THE LAW AND ARE
CONSISTENTLY DISPROPORTIONATE TO
THE ISSUE AT HAND.
POLICE DON'T NEED CHEMICAL
WEAPONS OR CHOKEHOLDS TO PROTECT
PEOPLE.
THEY NEED TO BE DEFUNDED AND
TRAINED TO STAY IN THEIR LANE.
THE THREATS THAT POLICE WILL USE
LETHAL WEAPONS BECAUSE THEY
DON'T HAVE CHEMICAL WEAPONS JUST
GOES TO SHOW THAT POLICE FORCE
IS ABSOLUTELY --
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS AUBREY MARKS-JOHNSON,
FOLLOWED BY AMIN AMOS.
>> HI, I'M AUBREY MARKS JOHNSON.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT THE
IMMEDIATE PASSAGE WITH NO
AMENDMENTS OF KSHAMA SAWANT'S
TWO BILLS TO BAN CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AND CHOKEHOLDS, BUT I
WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THIS IS
NOT ENOUGH AND IT WILL NOT END
THE PROTESTS OR MEET THE DEMANDS
OF THE PROTESTERS.
CHOKEHOLDS HAVE BEEN BANNED IN
NEW YORK CITY SINCE BEFORE I WAS
BORN, BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP NEW
YORK CITY POLICE FROM KILLING
ERIC GARNER WITH ONE.
AND THESE AMENDMENTS THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD IS TRYING
TO INTRODUCE, AT BEST, ASSUMES
THE POLICE ARE GOING TO ACT IN
GOOD FAITH, AND WE HAVE SEEN
ABUNDANT EVIDENCE THAT THEY'RE
NOT ACTING IN GOOD FAITH.
WE'VE SEEN RETALIATORY ARRESTS.
WE'VE SEEN THE POLICE CHIEF
SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION.
THEY GOT PICKED UP BY RIGHT WING
MEDIA AND ULTIMATELY PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
AND WE NEED TO DEMILITARIZE AND
DEFUND THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY
AND WORK TOWARDS ABOLISHING THEM
ENTIRELY.
AND I ALSO DEMAND THAT WE DROP
ALL CHARGES AGAINST ANYONE
ARRESTED ON --
>> OKAY, NEXT UP IS AMIN
FOLLOWED BY EMILY McARTHUR.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS AMIN AMOS,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR
THE GIG WORKER ORDINANCE
MENTIONED EARLIER.
SECOND, I'D LIKE TO VOICE MY
SUPPORT FOR COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S LEGISLATION BANNING THE
USE OF CHOKEHOLDS, CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONS AND BADGE COVERING
WITHOUT AMENDMENTS.
I AM A BLACK MEMBER OF DISTRICT
THREE AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
SPD'S ACTIONS.
THEY MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I CAN'T
VOICE MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS
WITHOUT BACKLASH.
A FEELING GIVEN WEIGHT BY THE
INCREASED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SERVINGS AND THE 911 RESPONSE BY
CHIEF BEST THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS EMILY McARTHUR
FOLLOWED BY ROBERT.
>> HI, MY NAME'S EMMY McARTHUR,
I'M A DISTRICT TWO RENTER AND
I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT NOT ONLY
OF THE GIG WORKERS GETTING
HAZARD PAY, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S BILLS TO
BAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS WITH NO
AMENDMENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, YOU PRIDE
YOURSELF ON ATTENDED THE WTO
PROTESTS AND GETTING TEAR GASSED
AS A BADGE OF HONOR, YOU SHOULD
NOW MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS TO NO
ONE ELSE.
THE AMENDMENT MEANS YOU BELIEVE
THE POLICE CAN POLICE
THEMSELVES, AND IT'S CLEAR IT'S
NOT TRUE.
LAST YEAR WE HAD TO OVERTURN THE
MALICIOUS INTENT, A PROPOSAL
WHERE WE SOMEHOW WERE SUPPOSED
TO PROVE WHAT WAS GOING ON
INSIDE OF A POLICE OFFICER'S
MIND, BUT WHAT MEANT NO POLICE
OFFICER WAS EVER CHAGED FOR
MURDER.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU
WANT US TO REPLICATE AGAIN, IS
THAT WE WIN SOME TOKEN VICTORY
AND THEN THE MOVEMENT HAS TO
COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN TO GET
A MODICUM OF JUSTICE.
I REJECT THIS.
STAND WITH THE MOVEMENT AND BAN
THESE DANGEROUS CHEMICAL
WEAPONS.
FOR REAL.
NOT FOR 30 DAYS AND NOT IN SOME
TOKENIZED WAY WITH A MAJOR HOLE
IN IT.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, NEXT UP IS ROBERT
FOLLOWED BY ASPEN BLAINE.
>> MY NAME IS DR. ROBERT AND I
AM ADDRESSING AGENDA ITEM ONE.
I'M AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY LAW
SCHOOL.
I FOCUS ON THE LABOR MARKET
IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND
INNOVATION.
WHILE THE GIG WORKER BILL IS
WELL INTENTIONED, THE EFFECTS
WILL BE ECONOMICALLY HARMFUL FOR
-- GROCERY INDUSTRY AND ITS
WORKERS.
I ESTIMATE SINCE 2018, THE MOST
RECENT YEAR FOR WHICH I HAVE
DATA, INSTACART PROVIDED OVER
1,700 JOBS.
ALL NET JOB CREATION IN THE
SEATTLE GROCERY INDUSTRY WOULD
HAVE DISAPPEARED IN THE ABSENCE
OF INSTACART.
THIS FALLS ON POPULATIONS WHO
TYPICALLY EXPERIENCE FINDING NEW
JOBS, INCLUDING WOMEN, OLDER
PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WITH A HIGH
SCHOOL EDUCATION OR LESS.
IT'S CREATED SUBSTANTIAL
BENEFITS FOR GROCERY STORES IN
SEATTLE.
I ESTIMATE SINCE 2018,
INCREMENTAL REVENUE FOR SEATTLE
GROCERY STORES GO UP IN DOLLARS.
OVER HALF OF THE RETAILERS
SERVED BY INSTACART ARE REGIONAL
OR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS ASPEN BLAINE FOLLOWED
BY ANDY WEN.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ASPEN BLAINE,
I'M A CONSTITUENT IN DISTRICT
FIVE AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
IN WEST SEATTLE.
I'M HERE TO URGE THE SKOUN SILL
TO SUPPORT CB 119803, 119804 AND
119805.
I'M ESPECIALLY PASSIONATE FOR
119805.
MYSELF, MY LOVED ONES AND
COMMUNITY HAVE FOUND THAT SPD
ARE TRYING TO TERRORIZE US AND
AS SUCH SILENCE OUR VOICES.
WE KNOW THE WEAPONS OUTLINED IN
119805 ARE NOT ALLOWED IN
FOREIGN SETTINGS AND USING THEM
IS CONSIDERED A WAR CRIME.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE DO NOT NEED
TO BE ATTACKED BY THEIR
OFFICERS.
THESE PROTESTS ARE AGAINST
POLICE BRUTALITY AND VIOLENCE.
YOU NEED TO HEAR THAT.
THERE'S NO CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH
THESE WEAPONS SHOULD BE ALLOWE.
WE WANT YOU TO DEFUND AND
REDISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS FROM SPD.
HOW EP YOU STAND BY AND PROTECT
THE CITIZENS OF SEATTLE TODAY
WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS OR HERBOLD'S
AMENDMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS ANDY WEN FOLLOWED BY
SO FEE TAYLOR.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ANDY WEN AND
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE AGENDA
RELATED TO POLICE VIOLENCE.
I JUST GRADUATED YESTERDAY WITH
A MASTERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
HAVING ENGAGED IN -- POLICE
VIOLENCE OF A CRITICAL PUBLIC
HEALTH ISSUE.
THE POLICE BUDGET, INCLUDING
FUNDS FOR MILITARIZATION AND
CHEMICAL WEAPONS -- AND
COMMUNITY-LED SOLUTIONS.
LACK OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTABILITY INTENSIFIED
VIOLENCE TOWARD MARGELIZED
POPULATIONS.
WE CAN NO LONGER RELY ON SAFETY
-- IN THE FORM OF JAILS, PRISONS
AND DEOR THEATION.
THIS TYPE OF SAFETY IGNORES THE
INSTITUTION OF POLICING, PRISONS
AND COURTS ARE SITES OF
VIOLENCE, DISPROPORTIONATELY FOR
BLACK AND, INDIGENOUS AND OTHER
POC COMMUNITIES.
-- MEET HUMAN NEEDS AND
DISMANTLE STRUCTURAL RACISM.
AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH
COMMUNITY TOWARDS THESE ENDS.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS SO FEE TAYLOR
FOLLOWED BY SHANIA.
>> HI, I'M SOFIE TAYLOR FROM
DISTRICT SIX.
I FIRST SUPPORT THE RESOLUTIONS
TO BAN THE USE OF CHOKEHOLDS AND
VIOLENT CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS,
BUT LIKE MANY OTHERS, KNOW THAT
THOSE ARE NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.
I SPENT SEVERAL HOURS TRYING TO
HELP A FRIEND FACING IMPENDING
HOMELESSNESS FIND RESOURCES.
THEY ARE PATHETICALLY SCARCE.
WE NEED TO DEFUND POLICE AND
REINVEST THOSE RESOURCES.
-- HOUSING, EDUCATION, PUBLIC
HEALTH, PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH.
THANK YOU AND I YIELD THE REST
OF MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS SHANIA FOLLOWED BY
C.J.
WILLIAMSON.
>> -- BILL 119799.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SHANIA AND I
AM ADVOCATING FOR BILL 119799 TO
VOTE IN -- A VOTE FOR HAZARD PAY
IN SEATTLE.
THE AVERAGE BATCH IN MY AREA
PAYS BETWEEN $10 TO $20 MORE AN
HOUR AND A HALF OF WORK, BUT
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT I GET SENT
TO SEATTLE, AND THAT WOULD BE
GOING ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO
TACOMA AND BACK NORTH FOR $10 TO
$20 BATCHES.
OFTEN THE TIP IS A BIGGER
COMPENSATION THAN INSTACART'S
BASE PAY.
CUSTOMER TIPS OFTEN LOOK LIKE
THE BASE PAY AND INSTACART'S
CONTRIBUTION SEEMS MORE LIKE A
TIP.
WE HAVE TO USE OUR CARS AS OUR
MAIN TOOL, WE ARE REQUIRED TO
COVER OUR OWN WEAR AND TEAR AND
GAS.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE THEY CAN'T
AFFORD HAZARD PAY, WHICH IS THE
MESSAGE THEY ARE TRYING --
OPENLY STATED IN AN INTERVIEW --
VOLUME -- --
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS C.J.
WILLIAMSON
FOLLOWED BY G. LASTER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS C.J.
WILLIAMSON.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX.
I'VE BEEN IN ATTENDANCE DURING
THE PEACEFUL PROTESTS DURING
WHICH POLICE THREW EXPLOSIVES IN
A CROWD, SOME LANDING UNDERNEATH
A WOMAN'S WHEELCHAIR.
THEY CONTINUED THROWING WHILE WE
TRIED TO GET HER TO SAFETY.
I'VE SEEN THE ORGANIZED PROTESTS
REMAIN PEACEFUL DESPITE WHAT THE
MEDIA IS PORTRAYING.
I IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE ON THE
BILL FROM COUNCILMEMBER KSHAMA
SAWANT WITHOUT AMENDMENTS
RUINING THE BILLS.
THESE BILLS WOULD BE A GREAT
FIRST STEP.
I'M GLAD YOU ARE VOTING ON THEM.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT HAS IMMENSE
FOR YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS, PLEASE
FOLLOW SUIT.
I WANT YOU TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO
DEFUND SPD BY AT LEAST 50% AND
CONSIDER PUTTING IT INTO LOCAL
COMMUNITIES AND RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE.
I KNOW YOU'RE CONTEMPLATING
MOVING THE SEATTLE POLICE
OFFICERS GUILD ON JUNE 17th.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, THEY HAVE NOT
AND WILL NOT REFORM.
JANE HOPKINS ASKED -- YOU
RESPOND BY BLAMING PEACEFUL
PROTESTERS.
DEFUND SPD, REMOVE --.
THANK YOU AND I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS G. LASTER FOLLOWED BY
KEVIN BRIAN>> HI THERE, I'M G.
LASTER.
PLEASE LISTEN AND ACT.
-- DEFUND THE POLICE BY AT LEAST
50%.
SUPPORT THE DEMANDS OF KING
COUNTY EQUITY NOW.
-- OBVIOUS NEED FOR STRUCTURAL
CHANGE.
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND THE USE OF
FORCE ARE HEINOUS.
-- PEOPLE OF COLOR MORE
GENERALLY.
THIS REQUIRES A STRUCTURAL
CHANGE.
DEFUNDING MILITARIZED POLICE --
IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING EACH YEAR
IS A JOKE.
AND IT SHOWS OUR CITY'S TRUE
PRIORITIES.
-- PLEASE DO NOT CUT THEIR TIME
OUT.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
GOOD DAY.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
KEVIN BRIAN FOLLOWED BY MEG.
>> HI, I'M KEVIN BRIAN AND I'M A
RESIDENT OF CAPITOL HILL.
THERE IS A PROVERB THAT WHEN YOU
HOLD A HAMMER, EVERYTHING LOOKS
LIKE A NAIL.
THE SPD HAS SHOWN WHILE WIELDING
TEAR GAS, EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE
A TARGET.
THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH
CHEMICAL WEAPONS NOR ANY OTHERS.
THESE SHOULD BE BANNED WITHOUT
AMENDMENT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE
ABOLISHED.
THE MAYOR SHOULD BE REMOVED, AND
I WANT TO SUPPORT MY FELLOW GIG
WORKERS.
THANK YOU, BLACK LIVES MATTER, I
YIELD MY TIME.
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS MEG FOLLOWED BY
MICHAEL WOLF>> -- MEG AND I LIVE
IN THE DISTRICT FOUR.
DEFUNDING THE SEATTLE POLICE IS
NOT ENOUGH.
SPD USES OTHER STATE AGENCIES
SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF
CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO
FURTHER THEIR CORRUPTION AND
BRUTALITY UNDER THE INSTRUCTION
OF STATE'S ATTORNEY KYLE PAYNE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN,
YOUTH AND FAMILIES HAS BEEN
REMOVING CHILDREN FROM THE HOMES
OF PROTESTING PARENTS WHO UPLOAD
ACTS OF POLICE BRUTALITY TO
SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS WAS A TACTIC ALREADY USED
BY KYLE PAYNE AGAINST FAMILIES
WHO MADE COMPLAINTS OF POLICE
MISCONDUCT.
NOW IT IS BEING USED AGAINST
FAMILIES WHO SIMPLY WITNESS ACTS
OF POLICE BRUTALITY.
WE CAN'T ALLOW THIS ASSAULT ON
SEATTLE FAMILIES TO CONTINUE.
WE MUST DEFUND THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LIMIT THE
ABILITY OF STATE AGENCIES THAT
WORK IN TANDEM WITH POLICE TO
ATTACK MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND
ANYONE WHO SPEAKS OUT AGAINST
ITS TYRANNY.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS MICHAEL WOLF FOLLOWED
BY BRANDON VELA.
>> HI, THIS IS MICHAEL WOLF.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
DRIVE FORWARD.
I WANT TO SPEAK FIRST ON BEHALF
OF OUR NEARLY 2,000 GIG WORKER
MEMBERS.
I THANK THE COUNCIL FOR MOVING
FORWARD IN THE PROCESS ON THE
GIG WORKER BILL.
WE UNDERSTAND THE PREMIUM PAY
LEGISLATION STEMS FROM YOUR
GENUINE CONCERN OF THE WELL
BEING AND SAFETY OF GIG WORKERS
IN THE DNC INDUSTRY.
AS THE CITY DEALS WITH ONGOING
COVID-19 CRISIS, WE REMAIN
COMMITTED TO PURSUING A
LONG-TERM, PERMANENT MINIMUM
EARNING STANDARD, NOT HASTY
MEASURES RUSHED THROUGH
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS WITH MINIMAL
PUBLIC INPUT AND WITH DUBIOUS
NEAR TERM AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS
FOR OUR MEMBERS.
-- TAKEN, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
RESERVATION ABOUT THE POSSIBLE
NEGATIVE OUTCOMES FOR OUR
MEMBERS IF IT'S ADOPTED INTO
LAW.
CHOOSING ARBITRARY NUMBERS
CONTINUES TO ENDANGER THE
LIVELIHOOD OF OUR MEMBERS.
WE HOPE THE CITY COUNCIL CAN
WORK TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
ECONOMICS OF THE DELIVERY TRIP
--
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS BRANDON VELA FOLLOWED
BY RICHA DUBEY.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS BRANDON VELA.
I'M CURRENTLY A RESIDENT OF TENT
CITY THREE.
I BELIEVE OUTLAWING TEAR GAS IS
IMPORTANT FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
MY TESTIMONY █IS DRASTICALLY
AFFECTED BY THE TWO-MINUTE
LIMIT, SO I'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT I
THINK IN MY OPINION IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT REASON, TEAR GAS.
MY FIRST REASON IS BECAUSE NOT
EVERY PERSON PROTESTING IS IN
PERFECT HEALTH.
WHEN YOU GET PEOPLE OUT THERE
THAT ARE SMOKERS OR ASTHMATICS,
LIKE MYSELF, I'M ASTHMATIC, ANY
TIME WE INHALE ANYTHING,
CHEMICAL OR OTHERWISE, THE
EFFECTS ARE DANGEROUSLY
ENHANCED.
WHEN USING TEAR GAS AGAINST A
CROWD, THERE'S NO WAY TO CONTROL
WHERE THE TEAR GAS GOES.
THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO PART IN THE
PROTESTS ARE HARMED.
TEAR GAS CAN ENTER HOMES AND
AFFECT PEOPLE, CHILDREN AND
ANIMALS IN THAT HOME.
THE RESIDUE LEFT BEHIND CAN
CONTINUE TO AFFECT PEOPLE FOR
WEEKS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS RICHA FOLLOWED BY
LEAH MORENO.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS RICHA, I'M
REPRESENTING THE COALITION OF
SEATTLE INDIAN-AMERICANS TODAY.
OUR COMMUNITY FOLLOWS THE LEAD
OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER
MOVEMENT.
IT IS -- THAT WE STILL NEED TO
SUPPORT BILLS TO BATTLE CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS.
WHILE I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT
PASSES COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
BILL WITHOUT AMENDMENTS.
USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW
THE LEAD OF THE ABOLITION
MOVEMENT TO FULLY DEFUND AND
ABOLISH THE POLICE.
FIRE POLICE OFFICERS WITH
EXCESSIVE FORCE COMPLAINTS.
DO NOT HIRE NEW OFFICERS TO
REPLACE THEM.
SUSPEND THE YEARS OF PAID
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE FOR COPS
UNDER INVESTIGATION.
REQUIRE POLICE TO BE LIABLE FOR
MISCONDUCT AND VIOLENT
SETTLEMENTS.
CUT FUNDING FOR SPD PUBLIC
RELATIONS.
MAKE POLICE UNION CONTRACTS
PUBLIC.
WE ALSO -- FROM TAKING MONEY
FROM POLICE UNIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEAH
FOLLOWED BY JASON FIELDS.
>> HI, I'M LEAH LUCID FROM
DISTRICT FOUR.
>> LEAH, YOU STILL THERE?
>> I'M STILL HERE, CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> I'M LOOKING FOR LEAH.
>> I'M A DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT.
IN REGARDS TO THE GIG WORKERS
ORDINANCE, I SUPPORT PROVIDING
PREMIUM PAY FOR ESSENTIAL WORKER
WHO IS BEAR A HUGE RISK OF
COVID-19 WHILE KEEPING SEATTLE
FUNCTIONAL AND THEY NEED OUR
SUPPORT.
REGARDING THE BILLS ON POLICE
BRUTALITY, THERE IS NO
JUSTIFIABLE REASON TO DELAY
VOTING TO BAN CHOKEHOLDS AND
CHEMWALL WEAPONS TODAY.
THEY SERVE AS A BARE MINIMUM.
I CONDEMN HERBOLD'S AMENDMENT
WHICH DISCREDITS THE PUBLIC
WITNESS TO THE VIOLENCE,
CONTINUES TO ALLOW PEPPER SPRAY
ON CIVILIANS NOT POSING
IMMEDIATE THREAT, DELAYS ACTION
AS LATE AS AUGUST 15th, AND IS A
HUGE LOOP HOLE FOR POLICE TO
DECIDE TO USE THESE WEAPONS
ANYWAY.
WE ARE ALL NOW VERY AWARE WE
CANNOT TAKE THE POLICE REPORTING
AS A TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE AS TO
WHETHER VIOLENCE IS JUSTIFIED.
IT'S UP TO YOU ON THE COUNCIL TO
STOP THEIR TERROR, NOT TO
PROVIDE AMPLE LOOPHOLES FOR
THEM.
WE AS TAXPAYERS REFUSE TO KEEP
PAYING FOR THESE EXCESSIVE SHOWS
OF FORCE.
THIS IS ONLY A FIRST STEP TO
CURTAIL --
>> OKAY, NEXT UP IS JASON FIELDS
FOLLOWED BY COLLEEN.
JASON?
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS JASON
FIELDS.
I'M A HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT FIVE
AND AN EDUCATOR.
I'M SPEAKING TO EXPRESS MY
SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING
MEASURES WITH NO AMENDMENTS.
THE TOTAL AND PERMANENT BAN OF
CROWD CONTROL MEASURES, THE
TOTAL AND PERMANENT BAN OF
CHOKEHOLDS AND OTHER DANGEROUS
RESTRAINTS BY SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
I RECOMMEND DEFUNDING THE POLICE
BY 50%, INVEST IN BLACK AND
BROWN COMMUNITIES, EVENTUALLY
ABOLISH THE POLICE.
IT HEARTBREAKING TO SEE MURDERS
OF BLACK WOMEN AND MEN BY
POLICE.
MAYOR DURKAN AND THE CITY
COUNCIL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO
THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
MAYOR DURKAN HAS VIOLATED THE
RIGHT TO PROTESTERS.
IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE THAT POLICE
UNLEASHED CHEMICAL WEAPONS
BANNED IN WAR FAIR.
>> NEXT UP IS COLLEEN FOLLOWED
BY ALEXANDER ABRAMSON.
>> HI, MY NAME IS COLLEEN.
I'M A RESIDENT OF WEST SEATTLE.
FIRST I WANT TO SUPPORT THE GIG
WORKERS INITIATIVE.
WHILE SHOPPERS TAKE THE BRUNT OF
THE RISK OF HEAVY LIFTING ON
LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY IN
THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC,
INSTACART HAS SEEN PROFITS RISE
AND HAS USED NONE OF THAT TO
HELP SHOPPERS.
WE NOW RISK OUR HEALTH TO CARRY
OUT THE MISSION OF INSTACART AND
ARE NOT COMPENSATED PROPERLY.
SICK PAY AND HAZARD PAY ARE THE
LEAST THEY CAN PROVIDE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A LIMIT TO HOW
MUCH EXPLOYATION IS ALLOWED.
YOU ARE THE CHECKS AND BALANCES
IN SEATTLE.
I ADVOCATE FOR BANNING
CHOKEHOLDS AND CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONS.
CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO
PROTEST AND NOT FEEL THREATENED
BY THOSE IN CHARGE OF THEIR
SAFETY.
WE NEED TO INVEST THOSE FUNDS IN
THE COMMUNITY AND HELP FUND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
FINALLY, DROP CHARGES AGAINST
PROTESTERS.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
I CEDE MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
NEXT UP IS ALEXANDER FOLLOWED BY
ADDIE SMITH.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS ALEXANDER ABRAMSON,
RESIDENT OF CAPITOL HILL,
DISTRICT THREE, AND I'M CALLING
IN SUPPORT OF KSHAMA SAWANT'S
RESOLUTION BANNING CROWD CONTROL
DEVICES IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT ANY
AMENDMENT.
THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD WAS SUBJECT TO
FLASH BANGS AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS
FOUR TIMES, INCLUDING THE MOST
EGREGIOUS EXAMPLE ON THE EARLY
MORNING OF THE 8th OF JUNE WHERE
THERE WERE EXPLOSIONS AND TEAR
GAS FOR OVER TEN MINUTES AND THE
GAS GOT TO BLOCKS AWAY.
I HAD TO LEAVE MY HOUSE, GET
AWAY FROM THE TEAR GAS, AND I
STILL GOT HIT AND COULD NOT GO
BACK HOME FOR THREE HOURS.
WE NEED TO PASS THIS BAN
IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE CAN GET
SOME SAFETY AND SECURITY AND SO
THAT WE CAN TRUST THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AGAIN.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS ADDIE SMITH FOLLOWED
BY RACHEL KAY.
>> MY NAME IS ADDIE SMITH, I'M A
REGISTERED VOTER, MOTHER OF
THREE REGISTERED VOTERS, A BLACK
WOMAN AND A HATE CRIME SURVIVOR.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS
BANNING CHOKEHOLDS AND CHEMWALL
WEAPONS WITH NO LOOPHOLES AND NO
DELAYS, I'M GOING TO SHARE A
FEW.
I DON'T PERSONALLY KNOW THE
PEOPLE HURT BY POLICE IN
SEATTLE, BUT I PROTEST BECAUSE I
DO KNOW PEOPLE HURT IN MERCER
ISLAND.
I DON'T WANT TO SUBJECT MYSELF
OR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER TO
CHEMICAL WEAPONS BECAUSE WE WANT
TO SUPPORT BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE
BEEN HURT BY POLICE VIOLENCE.
I PROTEST IN SUPPORT OF BLACK
LIVES MATTER.
I PROTEST BECAUSE UNJUST POLICE
LIKE MERCER ISLAND POLICE WHO
HAVE REFUSED TO WRITE POLICE
REPORTS FOR BLACK WOMEN BEING
ATTACKED BY RACIST WHITE PEOPLE.
-- HAVE BEEN HIDING THESE HATE
CRIMES FOR OVER A YEAR.
THE PUBLIC WON'T KNOW THESE
THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
BANNING CHEMICAL WEAPONS MAKES
ME FEEL A LOT SAFER.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS RACHEL KAY FOLLOWED
BY SAVANNAH.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS RACHEL KAY.
I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE
AMENDMENT FOR GIG WORKERS.
I THINK THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
SHOULD LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF
EXPLOITED WORKERS OVER THE
TESTIMONY FROM THAT ACADEMIC
FROM GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY,
WHICH IS FUNDED BY THE
BILLIONAIRE KOCH BROTHERS.
SECONDLY, I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND
THE SPD USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS
AGAINST PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS,
AGAINST PEOPLE WHO WERE
ASTHMATICS, OFTEN IN CONFINING
SPACES LIKE HIGHWAY UNDERPASSES
WHERE PEOPLE COULD EASILY GET
TRAMPLED.
THESE PEOPLE PRESENTED NO
IMMEDIATE THREAT.
THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THEM TO
DO THIS.
AND ALSO, USING -- THEY USE
RUBBER BULLETS AS WELL.
WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THE DEATH
OF --
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS SAVANNAH FOLLOWED BY
JILL.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS SAVANNAH
SLY AND I'M SPEAKING FOR THE SEX
WORKERS OUTREACH PROJECT IN
SEATTLE TO BAN SPD'S USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND CHOKEHOLD.
THESE REFORMS REPRESENT BARE
MINIMUM STEPS TOWARDS WHAT WE
HOPE WILL BE SWEEPING POLICE
REFORMS.
AS A CRIMINALIZED POPULATION,
PEOPLE IN THE SEX TRADE ARE ON
THE RECEIVING FORM OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
IN THE INTEREST OF SEX WORKER
WELFARE AND IN AN ACT OF
SOLIDARITY, WE ARE VOICING OUR
SUPPORT FOR BANNING POLICE USE
OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND
CHOKEHOLD.
TEAR GAS IS BANNED IN WAR, SO
WHY DO WE USE IT ON THE STREETS
OF SEATTLE?
IT'S A FORM OF POLICE VIOLENCE
AND THIS TACTIC MUST BE BANNED.
CHOKEHOLDS CAN BE LETHAL, AND
SPD DOES NOT HAVE THE TYPE OF
TRACK RECORD TO SUGGEST THEY CAN
USE THIS DANGEROUS METHOD OF
CONTROL.
WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO LISTEN TO
THE PROTESTERS, LISTEN TO THE
PEOPLE OF SEATTLE AND PASS THESE
POLICE REFORM MEASURES NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS JILL FOLLOWED BY KATE
SIMPSON.
>> HI, THIS IS JILL.
I'M CALLING FROM DISTRICT THREE,
CENTRAL DISTRICT.
AND I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF
KSHAMA SAWANT'S BILL TO BAN
CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS, CHEMICAL
WEAPONS, CHOKEHOLDS, BALL
BLASTS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO VOICE MY
SUPPORT FOR DEFUNDIN,
TURNING THE EAST PRECINCT OVER
TO COMMUNITY CONTROL FOR SOCIAL
PROGRAMS, PUTTING MONEY IN
BLACK, INGIJ MOUS, PEOPLE OF
COLOR COMMUNITIES, AND DROPPING
ALL CHARGES FOR ARRESTED
PROTESTERS.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS -- EXCUSE ME, IT IS
KATE SIMPSON AND THEN FOLLOWING
KATE WILL BE AMANDA HARVEY.
>> MY NAME IS KATE SIMPSON, AND
I AM CALLING IN SUPPORT OF
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S BILL TO
BAN CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS AND
CHOKEHOLDS USED BY THE POLICE.
BANG THESE WEAPONS AND PRACTICES
ARE THE LEAST THE CITY COUNCIL
CAN DO TO BEGIN HEALING THE
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
TERRORIZED BY THE POLICE FOR
DECADES.
HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT ENOUGH.
I ALSO DEMAND THE CITY COUNCIL
DEFUND THE SPD BY AT LEAST 50%
AND USE THE MONEY TO INVEST IN
COMMUNITY AND RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE.
AS WELL, PROTESTERS MUST ALL BE
RELEASED AND ALL CHARGES AGAINST
THEM MUST BE DROPPED.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> AMANDA HARVEY IS NEXT AND
FOLLOWING AMANDA WILL BE ANGELA
BASA.
>> HI, MY NAME IS AMANDA HARVEY,
I LIVE IN QUEEN ANNE.
I WORK FOR HBO IN AN OFFICE IN
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
I'M A MOTHER, WIFE AND ACTIVE
MEMBER OF MY COMMUNITY, AND I'M
CALLING IN FAVOR OF THE
ORDINANCES PRESENTED BY KSHAMA
SAWANT, SPECIFICALLY ON
CHOKEHOLDS AND BANNING CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS.
I'VE ATTENDED PROTESTS ALMOST
DAILY FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
THEY'VE BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY
PEACEFUL ON THE PART OF THE
PROTESTERS THEMSELVES, AND I'VE
BEEN COMPLETELY SHOCKED AND
HORRIFIED BY THE BEHAVIOR OF THE
POLICE.
I'VE BEEN TEAR GASSED.
I'VE HAD TO RUN AWAY TO AVOID
PROJECTILES.
IT HAS MADE ME FEARFUL TO
CONTINUE TO PROTEST.
IT HAS MADE ME FEARFUL TO USE MY
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, AND WE
SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
AND I THINK PROBABLY MOST OF YOU
WERE DISAPPOINTED IN HOW DONALD
TRUMP RESPONDED TO THE
CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC.
THE LACK OF RESPONSE, THE SLOW
RESPONSE, THE LACK OF TAKING
CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
WE'RE SEEING THE SAME THING
HERE.
WE NEED RESPONSE.
WE NEED ACTION NOW, NOT
TOMORROW.
>> OKAY, NEXT UP IS ANGELA
BASTA, AND THEN FOLLOWING ANGELA
WILL BE AARON>> HI, MY NAME IS
ANGELA.
I HAVE LIVED IN SEATTLE FOR
NEARLY 70 YEARS.
I CURRENTLY LIVE IN THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE
RESOLUTION TO BAN THE USE OF
CHOKEHOLDS AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
THE POLICE'S JOB IS TO SERVE AND
PROTECT.
THERE IS NO REASON FOR THEM TO
BE CARRYING WEAPONS TO BE USED
AGAINST THE VERY PEOPLE THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVING.
THE POLICE, MAYOR AND POLICE
CHIEF ALL HAVE ONE JOB, AND THAT
IS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE NOT TO
WORK AGAINST US.
THE POLICE CHIEF -- THE POLICE
BELIEVE THAT WE DO WHAT WE WANT
AND IF WE DON'T, THEY WILL
ATTACK US.
THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.
THE POLICE MUST DO WHAT WE WANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE POLICE HAVE
BEEN TRAINED TO TORTURE AND KILL
THOSE WHO DON'T COMPLY WITH
THEIR ORDERS.
LIKE WELL TRAINED ATTACK DOGS,
THEY ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
THEY MUST BE DISBANDED AND
REPLACED WITH AN AGENCY THAT
SERVES THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE EVEN
DISCUSSING THIS IS REPULSIVE,
AND PLEASE RELEASE THE
PROTESTERS.
>> NEXT UP IS AARON FOLLOWED BY
SHRIANDAS.
>> HI, MY NAME IS AARON, AND I'M
A MEMBER OF DISTRICT SIX.
I WANTED TO CALL FIRSTLY TO SHOW
MY SUPPORT FOR THE FULL BAN ON
TEAR GAS WITHOUT ANY AMENDMENTS.
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, I WANTED
TO, YOU KNOW, BRING TO LIGHT
THAT WHILE THERE ARE TWO
STATIONS AVAILABLE FOR
DRIVE-THRU TESTING FOR COVID
TESTING, AND THE INITIAL
RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR ANYONE
WHO ATTENDED A PROTEST AND IS
PRESUMABLY AT CHAZ AND TAKING
PART IN THE DISCOURSE, WHICH IS
MUCH NEEDED TO ELEVATE BLACK AND
BROWN VOICES, THAT THESE TWO
TESTING SITES ARE REALLY
INACCESSIBLE FOR MOST PEOPLE
BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, KIND
OF FAR AWAY.
FOR THE MOST PART YOU REALLY
NEED A CAR TO ACCESS THEM.
SO IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE ATTENDING PROTESTS AND,
YOU KNOW, CHAZ, BASICALLY IT'S
JUST PERPETUATING THE FACT THAT
PEOPLE THAT ARE DISADVANTAGED DO
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TESTING.
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS SRIANDAS FOLLOWED BY
SAM.
>> I'M PART OF THE COALITION OF
SEATTLE INDIAN-AMERICANS.
I OPPOSE ANY AMENDMENTS TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION ON BANNING THE USE
OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS BY THE SPD.
I OUTRIGHTLY SUPPORT THE
DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE AND
REINVESTING IN THE COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR.
PLEASE DO NOT WATER DOWN THE
VOTE USING THE HERBOLD
AMENDMENT.
WE WANT TO STOP BRUTALITY RIGHT
NOW.
WE ALSO WANT TO OUTRIGHT BAN THE
USE OF TEAR GAS AND CHOKEHOLDS.
-- WHICH CAN EASILY BE A
LOOPHOLE BECAUSE -- IN ONE EMPTY
BOTTLE OF THE POLICE'S -- GIVES
THEM LEGAL REASONS TO USE THE
WEAPONS ONCE AGAIN.
SO I -- REJECT THE HERBOLD
AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS SAM FOLLOWED BY NEMA.
>> HI THERE, I'M REPRESENTING
THE COALITION OF SEATTLE
INDIAN-AMERICANS TODAY.
OUR COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT
AND IS -- I SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION TO BAN THE SPD USE
OF CHOKEHOLD AND SO-CALLED CROWD
CONTROL METHODS SUCH AS CHEMICAL
WEAPONS LIKE TEAR GAS AND MORE.
PLEASE PASS THE LEGISLATION AND
ENSURE THAT THE WORDS TO BAN
CHEMICAL WEAPONS IS NOT DILUTED.
TEAR GAS IS BANNED ON THE
BATTLEFIELD, WHY THEN CAN LAW
ENFORCEMENT USE THE TEAR GAS ON
CIVILIANS AT HOME?
A FEW YEARS AFTER THE WORLD WAR
I -- SUCH CHEMICAL WEAPONS
ACCORDING TO GENEVA OF 1925.
DID IT TAKE 100 YEARS TO BAN
TEAR GAS?
I HOPE NOT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NIMA
FOLLOWED BY .
>> I AM A MEMBER OF COALITION
SEATTLE INDIAN-AMERICANS.
I URGE YOU TO VOTE TODAY TO --
ONGOING PROTESTS IS JUST
HORRIFIC.
I SUPPORT TODAY'S LEGISLATION TO
BAN THE USE OF CHOKEHOLDS,
RUBBER BULLETS AND CHEMICAL
WEAPONS LIKE TEAR GAS AND PEPPER
SPRAY.
SEATTLE SHOULD TAKE STEPS TOWARD
DISBANDING THE POLICE ENTIRELY.
-- AND URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO
TAX BIG BUSINESSES LIKE AMAZON
THE PAY FOR IT.
RACISM, CAPITALISM AND -- ARE
INTERRELATED -- THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS HOLLY FOLLOWED BY
BRENDAN McGOVERN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF
THE COUNCI.
MY NAME IS HOLLY, AND I'M
CALLING ON BEHALF OF THE
NORTHWEST GROCERY ASSOCIATION.
OVER THE WEEKEND, YOU RECEIVED A
LETTER FROM US STATING OUR
OPPOSITION TO 119799.
THE FEES BEING CHARGED ON
GROCERY DELIVERY.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO HAVE TO
OPPOSE THE FEE PROPOSED BY THE
SEATTLE ORDINANCE.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2018, WASHINGTON
VOTERS APPROVED INITIATIVE 1634
WHICH, IN PART, PROHIBITS THE
ADDITION OF TAXES, FEES OR OTHER
ASSESSMENTS ON GROCERIES BY
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
IN THE LEGAL ANALYSIS YOU WERE
PROVIDED, WE DO EXPLAIN WE
BELIEVE THE SEATTLE ORDINANCE
DOES VIOLATE THAT STATEWIDE
INITIATIVE AND PREEMS, IN PART
BECAUSE IT PUTS A FEE FOR
TRANSFER OR TRANSPORTATION OR
GROCERIES, WHICH IS EXPR
PROHIBITED UNDER INITIATIVE
1634.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS
AT A LATER TIME AND APPRECIATE
THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TODAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS BRENDAN FOLLOWED BY
TEAL SEAN TURNER.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS BRENDAN.
I'M A RENTER IN DISTRICT FOUR.
A SUBSTITUTE MUSIC TEACHER WITH
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I AM
DEMANDING YOU NOT ONLY SUPPORT
COUNCIL BILL 119799 FOR GIG
WORKERS AND HAZARD PAY, BUT ALSO
TO UNEQUIVOCALLY PASS
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION WITH NO WATERING
DOWN OR AMENDMENTS TO BAN ALL
CHOKEHOLDS, CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND
TO FREE ALL PROTESTERS AND TO
DEFUND SPD BY AT LEAST 50%.
EVENTUALLY I BELIEVE THAT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE
ABOLISHED AND REPLACED WITH
HUMANE, COMMUNITY FIRST
RESPONDERS SUCH AS SOCIAL
WORKERS, MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS, PEOPLE WHO ARE
TRAINED TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE IN
A SAFE WAY.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, DEFUNDING
BY 50% AND USING THAT MONEY TO
FUND THOSE SERVICES AS WELL AS
FUNDING OUR SCHOOLS ADEQUATELY
TO -- WILL INVOLUNTARILY RAISE
CRIME.
I WILL YIELD THE REST OF MY
TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT UP IS TEAL SEAN TURNER
FOLLOWED BY DAVID JOHNSON.
>> SO I'M CALLING -- MY NAME IS
TEAL SEAN TURNER, I'M A MEMBER
OF LOCAL 242, AND I'M CALLING IN
SUPPORT OF COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S BILL TO BAN CHEMICAL
WEAPONS SUCH AS TEAR GAS, FLASH
GRENADES, YOU KNOW.
I WAS OUT THERE WITH THOSE GUYS.
I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WAS
OUT THERE WITH THOSE GUYS, AND
WE GOT HIT SO MANY TIMES IN A
MATTER OF MINUTES WITH SO MANY
FLASH BANGS AND SO MUCH TEAR GAS
AND SO MUCH PEPPER SPRAY, LIKE
YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WAS IN
IRAQ.
LIKE I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND.
THE GENEVA CONVENTION BANS TEAR
GAS, WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR
SEATTLE TO?
IT'S BANNED INTERNATIONALLY, WHY
IS IT SO HARD FOR ONE I? AMERICA
TO DO THAT?
TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE IN THE
CITY.
SO I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF
BANNING CHEMICAL WEAPON USE IN
SEATTLE.
YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.
>> NEXT UP IS DAVID JOHNSON
FOLLOWED BY AVA METS.
>> I'M A MEMBER OF SCIU LOCAL
925.
I'M A PCO IN THE 32nd LD AND I'M
IN DEBORA JUAREZ'S DISTRICT.
I AM FOR RESTRICTING POLICE
ARSENALS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER
AMENDMENT.
IF COPS HAVE WEAPONS THAT
SUFFOCATE, MAIM AND TORTURE
PEOPLE, THEY WILL USE THOSE
WEAPONS.
POLICE CANNOT BE RESTRAINED BY
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS BECAUSE
THEY DON'T RESPECT DEMOCRACY.
SEATTLE POLICE HAVE A HISTORY OF
MALICIOUS ABUSE AND LYING AND
THEY DESERVE NO PUBLIC TRUST.
IF THEY HAVE WEAPONS, THEY WILL
USE THEM.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET
CRUNCH COMING UP.
NO MONEY SHOULD GO TO HANDING
POLICE WEAPONS TO FURTHER MAIM,
TORTURE AND TERRIFY US LIKE TEAR
GAS, LIKE EXPLOSIVES OR LIKE
NOISE CANNONS.
POLICE ARE THE DANGER, POLICE
ARE THE CRIME.
DEFUND POLICE.
IF THEY HAVE THE WEAPONS THEY
WILL USE.
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS AVA METS FOLLOWED BY
AVDANA.
>> HI, MY NAME IS AVA METS, I'M
A MEMBER OF SOCIALIST
ALTERNATIVE AND I LIVE IN
DISTRICT TWO.
-- SAWANT'S LEGISLATION WITHOUT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
AMENDMENT, WHICH IS A COMPLETELY
SHAMEFUL PROPOSAL -- FROM --
PROTESTING.
THERE'S AN URGENT NEED FOR THIS
LEGISLATION -- WHICH INCLUDE
IMMEDIATELY RELEASE AND DROP THE
CHARGES AGAINST ALL ARRESTED
PROTESTERS.
IMMEDIATELY DEFUND THE POLICE BY
AT LEAST HALF AND FUND
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
TURN THE EAST PRECINCT OVER TO
COMMUNITY CONTROL FOR SOCIAL
PROGRAMS.
GET THE SEATTLE POLICE OUT OF
OUR LABOR COUNCIL AND ESTABLISH
AN INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED
COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT BOARD WITH
FULL POWERS OVER THE POLICE AND
ADDRESS THE RACIST
GENTRIFICATION.
-- POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS RELY
ON POLICE BRUTALITY TO ENFORCE
OPPRESSION AND DEFEND THE
INTERESTS OF THE CAPITALIST
RULING CLASS.
WE NEED A NEW SYSTEM, A
SOCIALIST SYSTEM, TO OVERCOME
CENTURIES OF RACISM.
>> OKAY, NEXT UP IS EVEDANA
FOLLOWED BY KAREN WINTER.
>> CAN YOU REPEAT THE NAME
AGAIN, COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
>> YES.
THAT IS AVDANA, SPEAKER NUMBER
63.
FOLLOWED BY KAREN WINTER,
SPEAKER NUMBER 64.
>> HI, MY NAME IS AVDANA.
I'M AN ATTORNEY AND I SPLIT MY
TIME BETWEEN SEATTLE AND NEW
YORK.
I'M CALLING BECAUSE I WANT TO
EXPRESS MY SUPPORT ON THE BAN OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND CHOKEHOLDS
BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THIS SHOULD BE PASSED
WITHOUT DELAY AND WITHOUT
AMENDMENTS.
ANY DELAYS WILL BE VISIBLY KNOWN
TO BE WHAT THEY ARE -- WHICH IS
A DELAY TACTIC, RATHER THAN
TAKING IMMEDIATE ACTION, WHICH
THE COMMUNITY CLEARLY IS
DEMANDING.
IT'S BEEN INTERESTING LISTENING
TO THE COMMENTS OVER THE COURSE
OF THIS CALL.
THEY'RE OVERWHELMINGLY IN
SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATION.
IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE
CLEAR IF THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL DOES ACT -- IF THE WORLD
IS WATCHING, THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL HAS A CHANCE TO LEAD.
-- POLICE STATE -- WEAPONS ON
PROTESTERS HAS A DEEPLY CHILLING
EFFECT ON OUR FIRST AMENDMENT
RIGHTS, AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO
RISE TO THE OCCASION AND PASS
BOLD LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS, AND I'M SORRY, I
THINK I TOOK A LITTLE BIT OUT OF
ORDER HERE.
WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A
CONFUSION ON SOME OF THE LISTING
OF THE NAMES, AND I APOLOGIZE TO
THOSE FOLKS.
SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK REALLY
QUICKLY TO LEAH LUCID FOLLOWED
BY KAREN WINTER.
SO LEAH LUCID, SPEAKER NUMBER 62
FOLLOWED BY KAREN WINTER,
SPEAKER NUMBER 64.
>> OKAY.
I'M LEAH LUCID FROM DISTRICT
FOUR, AND I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT
OF THE AGENDA ITEMS TO
IMMEDIATELY END SPD USE OF CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS, BAN POLICE USE
OF CHOKEHOLDS AND ALL EXCESSIVE
FORCE AGAINST THE PEOPLE THEY
ARE HIRED TO PROTECT AND TO
DEMAND OFFICERS NEVER COVER
THEIR BADGE NUMBERS OR
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED SPD
INSTIGATING VIOLENCE AGAINST
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS SUCH AS
MYSELF ALL WITH THEIR BADGES
COVERED AVOIDING ACCOUNTABILITY.
THANK YOU TO MY REPRESENTATIVE
ALEX PEDERSEN FOR MARCHING
SILENTLY WITH US ON FRIDAY.
FURTHER MORE, I HOPE THE CITY
COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL SUPPORT THE
REASONABLE AND NECESSARY DEMANDS
TO RELEASE AND DROP ALL CHARGES
AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTERS,
DEMILITARIZE AND DEFUND THE SPD
AND REALLOCATE FUNDS TO
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR BLACK
AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR
AND MEETING THE BASIC NEEDS OF
OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I HOPE YOU ALL STAND ON THE
RIGHT SIDE OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL
HISTORY.
BLACK LIVES MATTER, BLACK TRANS
LIVES MATTER.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> NEXT UP IS KAREN WINTER
FOLLOWED BY ANDREW BRADY.
>> MY NAME IS KAREN WINTER, I'M
FROM WEST SEATTLE.
I'M A WHITE WOMAN, 45 YEARS OLD.
I HAVE TALKED DOWN A PANICKED
ROOKIE POLICE OFFICER.
I HAVE TASTED TEAR GAS.
I HAVE HELD A FRIEND WHILE SHE
SOBBED AND SHOOK IN TERROR
BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN TORTURED BY
THE POLICE.
I DID SAFETY DRILLS WITH MY
CHILDREN ON HOW TO SOOTHE COPS
SO THEY DON'T ATTACK OUT OF
FEAR, AND THIS ALL HAPPENED
BEFORE GEORGE FLOYD WAS
MURDERED.
SOME OF IT EVEN HAPPENED BEFORE
THE WTO PROTESTS.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO LIVE THIS
WAY.
MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS OF
COLOR HAVE THIS FAR WORSE.
IF GOOD COPS COULD HAVE
ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM, THE
PROBLEM WOULD HAVE BEEN
RESOLVED.
INSTEAD, IT'S GETTING WORSE.
THE SYSTEM MUST BE REDESIGNED
FROM THE GROUND UP.
UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, WE NEED
IMMEDIATE RESTRICTIONS ON
SEATTLE POLICE.
CHEMICAL WEAPONS BANNED FROM WAR
ZONES SHOULD BE BANNED IN
SEATTLE.
THESE ARE NOT CROWD CONTROL
DEVICES.
THEY ARE RIOT INCITING DEVICES.
THEY DO SERIOUS DAMAGE TO PEOPLE
AND PROPERTY.
CHOKEHOLDS ARE PERMITTED IN A
JUJITSU MATCH, NOT FOR POLICE.
VOTE YES.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS ANDREW BRADY FOLLOWED
BY MARJORY HENDRICKS.
>> MY NAME IS ANDREW BRADY.
I LIVE IN SEATTLE'S SECOND
DISTRICT, BEACON HILL.
JUST THE FACT THAT ANY SITTING
COUNCILMEMBER NEEDS -- IF IT IS
FRULLY YOUR JOB TO REPRESENT THE
INTERESTS OF YOUR PEOPLE, IF IT
IS TRULY YOUR JOB TO RATIFY LAWS
AND ORDINANCES TO KEEP PEOPLE
SAFE, THEN A BAN ON CHEMICAL
WEAPONS WITHOUT AMENDMENTS IS
THE BARE MINIMUM YOU CAN DO.
THIS IS LONG OVERDUE AND MUST
LEAD TO ABOLISHING THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FORCED
RESIGNATION OF MAYOR JENNY
DURKAN.
IF THESE STEPS DO NOT START
HAPPENING TODAY, THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE WILL BE IN YOUR EARS
EVERY DAY UNTIL YOU DO.
AND THAT IS NOT A THREAT, THAT
IS A PROMISE.
SEATTLE IS SEEN AS A LIBERAL
HAVEN, BUT IT IS A CITY PLAYED
WITH RACISM, GENTRIFICATION AND
INACTION IN THE FACE OF TENSION.
THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.
IF YOU ARE WITH THE POLICE, YOU
ARE AGAINST BLACK LIVES, YOU ARE
AGAINST QUEER LIVES, AND THE
PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MARJORY
HENDRICKS AND I URGE YOU TO PASS
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
ORDINANCES TO BAN POLICE
CHOKEHOLDS, CHEMICAL WEAPONS,
SO-CALLED CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS
AND THE USE OF LETHAL FORCE BY
POLICE, WHICH VIOLATES OUR RIGHT
TO DUE PROCESS.
WE DESERVE BETTER.
I URGE YOU TO ABSOLUTELY REJECT
HERBOLD'S PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND
ANY AMENDMENT THAT CONTINUES TO
PROPOSE THESE WEAPONS ARE USING
IN ANY CAPACITY.
WE DESERVE HUMANE, CIVIL,
NONLETHAL TREATMENT FROM OUR
PUBLIC SERVANTS.
PEOPLE WILL NOT CONTINUE TO BE
REPEATEDLY MADE SUBJECT TO
PUNISHMENT AND ABUSE THAT FORE
GOES OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
THE USE OF TEAR GAS SHOWS THAT
-- OUTSIDE OF THE PROTEST.
CONTINUING TO USE THIS AFTER
THIS CLEAR DEMONSTRATION OF LOSS
OF -- MAKES ANY POLICE OFFICER
AND COUNCILMEMBER WHO CONDONES
IT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HARM IT
CAUSES THE COMMUNITY.
WE DESERVE BETTER.
THE POLICE HAVE BEEN
DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY DO NOT
USE DE-ESCALATION TACTICS,
INSTEAD THEY USE WEAPONS MORE
FORCEFULLY THAN NECESSARY.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN.
NEXT UP IS McKEL I HAVE FOLLOWED
BY ERIC ACKERMAN.
>> HELLO, THIS IS PATINA FROM
DISTRICT THREE ON CAPITOL HILL.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT THE BAN
ON THE USE OF TEAR GAS AND
CHOKEHOLDS AND ALSO CALL FOR THE
DEFUNDING OF SPD BY AT LEAST
50%.
AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE PAST FEW
WEEKS, DURING WHICH POLICE
REPEATEDLY BRUTALIZED THE
CITIZENS OF SEATTLE IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD, NEARLY TAKING THE
LIFE OF A YOUNG WOMAN AFTER SHE
WAS HIT IN THE CHEST WITH A
FLASH BANG GRENADE, SATURATED
STREETS WITH SHRAPNEL, TOSSED
DEVICES INTO MEDIC STATIONS AND
IN COUNTLESS OTHER WAYS
ENDANGERED THE LIVES AND HEALTH
OF THE PEOPLE THEY WERE PAID TO
PROTECT.
WE FUND POLICE AT OUR OWN PERIL.
SPD HAS RADICALIZED ME AND -- IN
THE INTEGRITY, HUMANITY OR
NECESSITY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IT IS AN INSTITUTION THAT
THRIVES ON AND REINFORCES
SYSTEMIC RACISM AND POVERTY AND
MUST BE DEFUNDED IF WE ARE TO
HAVE ANY HOPE FOR A MORE JUST
AND EQUITABLE CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS ERIC ACKERMAN,
SPEAKER NUMBER 69, FOLLOWED BY
NICHOLAS.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIC
ACKERMAN.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE.
I AM A STATE WORKER AND A UNION
MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION OF MASTERS, MASONS,
PILOTS.
WE'VE HAD MANY ELOQUENT SPEAKERS
ALREADY ABOUT THE USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND SUGAR
COATED BULLETS.
I FIND IT TRULY AMAZING THAT THE
CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY MOVED
SO SLOW THAT THIS IS ALL WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
THE USE OF WAR, WAR TACTICS, WAR
WEAPONS, IN SEATTLE AGAINST
SEATTLE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THE MAYOR ORDERED IT.
THE CHIEF OF POLICE ORDERED IT.
BUT YOU'VE DONE NOTHING TO CHECK
IT.
THAT'S YOUR JOB.
IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO DO YOUR
JOB.
I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.
>> OKAY, FOLKS, WE ARE GOING TO
TAKE A FEW MR. SPEAKERS HERE.
IT IS 3:15 P.M.
WE'VE BEEN GOING FOR JUST ABOUT
AN HOUR, BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE A
FEW MORE FOLKS IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION.
AND THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND BE
READY TO TRANSITION INTO ITEMS
OF BUSINESS ON OUR AGENDA.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
TAKE SPEAKER 70, NICHOLAS AND
THEN WE'LL TAKE SPEAKER 71,
DANIEL WANG FOLLOWED BY SPEAKER
72, AMANDA.
SO NICHOLAS, SPEAKER 70.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR?
MY NAME IS NICHOLAS, I'M A
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FOUR.
I SUPPORT THE PASSAGE TODAY
WITHOUT AMENDMENT OF THE BILLS
BANNING CHOKEHOLDS, BANNING
COVERING BADGE NUMBERS AND
BANNING USE OF CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONRY.
THESE WEAPONS ARE NOT SAFE.
RUBBER BULLETS HAVE CAUSED
PROTESTERS TO LOSE EYES.
TEAR GAS AND OTHER CHEMICAL
AGENTS ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS
DURING A PANDEMIC OF A
RESPIRATORY VIRUS.
IN GENERAL, WE HAVE SEEN THESE
LESS THAN LETHAL WEAPONS USED
AGAINST PROTESTERS IN AN
EXTREMELY RECKLESS MANNER.
PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY'RE LABELED
AS LESS THAN LETHAL.
WE MUST NOT ALLOW THE POLICE TO
USE THEM.
PASS THESE BILLS TODAY WITHOUT
AMENDMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS DANIEL WANG FOLLOWED
BY AMANDA.
>> WELL HI, MY NAME IS DANIEL.
I'M A STUDENT IN DISTRICT FOUR
AND A VOLUNTEER WITH THE HANDS
ON MOVEMENT.
I'LL START WITH VOICING MY
SUPPORT FOR GIG WORKERS.
I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR
OF THE PROPOSALS TO BAN CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS AND CHOKEHOLDS
BY POLICE OFFICERS AND REQUIRE
THAT OFFICERS NOT COVER THEIR
SERIAL NUMBER.
I'D LIKE TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION
TO THE AMENDMENT FROM
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
-- IN CASES OTHER THAN SO-CALLED
CROWD CONTROL.
THIS IS A COME IMMEDIATICALLY
EASY LOOPHOLE TO EXPLOIT.
WE'VE SEEN HOW WILLING THE SPD
IS TO EXPLOIT -- THIS IS NOT THE
TIME TO BE HESITANT ABOUT
REDUCING POLICE -- PROPOSALS NOW
WITHOUT WATERING THEM DOWN,
DEFUND THE POLICE BY 50% AND
REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, NEXT UP IS AMANDA, AND
FOLKS, WE HAVE TIME FOR TWO MR.
SPEAKERS AFTER HER.
SO I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO
THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SIGN
UP AND WERE WAITING PATIENTLY ON
THE LINE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'LL ONLY HAVE
TIME TO TAKE THE NEXT THREE
SPEAKERS.
AND THAT IS SPEAKER 72, AMANDA,
SPEAKER NUMBER 74, LAUREL AND
SPEAKER NUMBER 75, ALLISON
GRANT.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS AMANDA, AND
I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I'M CALLING TO DEMAND GONZALEZ,
HERBOLD AND JUAREZ DO NOT DELAY
THE VOTE TO BAN SPD FROM USING
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND CJGHOLDS
-- THEY BOTH HAVE SHOWN THEY
WILL DO ALL THEY CAN TO RESIST
MEETING THE NEEDS OF PROTESTERS
AND THAT THEY DO NOT THINK BLACK
LIVES MATTER.
WE ARE DYING AND WITH THE KNEE
OF THE SPD ON OUR NECKS, WE ARE
WATCHING YOU.
PLEASE HELP US.
TOTAL AND PERMANENT BAN ON THE
USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND
CHOKEHOLDS FROM THE SPD.
RELEASE ALL PROTESTERS.
DEFUND SPD BY AT LEAST 50% AND
FUND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
REMOVE THE POLICE FROM OUR LABOR
COUNCIL, VOTE THE AMAZON TAX
INTO PLACE AND INDEPENDENTLY --
FULL POWERS OVER THE POLICE.
WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU, BLACK
LIVES MATTER AND BLACK TRANS
LIVES MATTER.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> NEXT UP IS LAUREL FOLLOWED BY
ALLISON GRANT.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS LAUREL AND I'M A
CITIZEN IN DISTRICT SIX.
I'M CALLING TO ENCOURAGE THE
COUNCIL TO VOTE TO RESTRICT THE
USE OF FORCE BY THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT BY BANNING
CHOKEHOLDS AND THE USE OF QUOTE
UNQUOTE CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS
AND TO ENSURE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY BY NOT ALLOWING
BADGE NUMBERS TO BE COVERED UP
DURING THESE AND ALL ACTIVE DUTY
SITUATIONS.
THE USE OF THESE WEAPONS OF
WARFARE ON OUR OWN CITIZENS IS
RIDICULOUS AND HORRIFYING AND
HAS NO PLACE IN A CIVILIZED
SOELT.
I'D ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO
COMPLETELY DEARM POLICE AS PART
OF THE DeMILLETRIZATION EFFORT.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> OKAY.
LET'S SEE.
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER FOR TODAY
IS SPEAKER NUMBER 75, ALLISON
GRANT.
>> HI.
I WOULD -- I'M CALLING TODAY TO
MAKE MY RECOMMENDATION AND MY
VOICE HEARD TO BAN UNNECESSARY
FORCE, CHOKEHOLDS AND ALSO
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND TO DEFUND
THE POLICE BY -- REDUCE THEM BY
50%.
I DO NOT THINK CHOKEHOLDS ARE
NECESSARY AND EXTREME USE OF
FORCE.
AND THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS ARE
HURTING THE PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
AND THEIR EXTREME USE OF THESE
CHEMICAL WEAPONS ARE A DETRIMENT
TO THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OKAY, FOLKS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
CALLING IN AND I KNOW THAT THERE
WAS A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WERE ON
THE LIST WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO
GIVE US PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
BUT WE TOOK PUBLIC COMMENT FOR A
LITTLE OVER AN HOUR TODAY AND
MADE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN
HALF OF THE LIST.
SO REALLY, AGAIN, APPRECIATE
FOLKS TAKING THE TIME TO CALL IN
AND FOR THEIR INTEREST IN THESE
SUB ZEKTS.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD FLAVOR
FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT
WHERE THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS IN
TERMS OF THOSE WHO CALLED IN.
SO REALLY, AGAIN, APPRECIATE THE
FACT THAT FOLKS CALLED IN TODAY.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO THE
ITEMS OF BUSINESS FOR TODAY.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH
PAYMENT OF THE BILLS.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE READ THE TITLE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 119806 TO PAY
CLAIMS TO THE WEEK OF JUNE 1,
2020 TO JUNE, 2020 AND ORDER THE
PAYMENTS UP.
>> THANK YOU.
I WILL MOVE TO PASS THE BILL, IS
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED THAT THE BILL PASS.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
HEARING
NONE, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILL?
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HE?
HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES, AND I'D ASK
THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION.
COMMITTEE REPORT, SO WILL THE
CLERK READ AGENDA ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD.
>> 119799 RELATING TO GIG
WORKERS IN SEATTLE ESTABLISHING
LABOR STANDARDS, REQUIREMENTS
FOR PREMIUM PAY FOR GIG WORKERS
WORKING IN SEATTLE.
DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND
ESTABLISHING AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE STATE.
>> I WILL MOVE TO PASS COUNCIL
BILL 119799, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
PASS THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, AS
COSPONSOR OF THIS BILL, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS
THIS ITEM.
AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A
SUBSTITUTE VERSION OF THE BILL
TO MOVE FOR OUR CONSIDERATION
BEFORE WE TAKE COMMENT ON THE
UNDERLYING BILLS.
SO LET'S GO THROUGH THE
PROCEDURAL MOTION FIRST AND
BEFORE WE GET TO THE SUBSTANTIVE
BILL WHICH WILL BE THE
SUBSTITUTE.
SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU TO
PUT THE SUBSTITUTE BEFORE US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAME
PRESIDENT, FOR QUEUEKING THAT
UP.
SO I WOULD ASK IF IT COULD BE
READ INTO THE RECORD.
>> SO ITEM ONE HAS BEEN READ
INTO THE RECORD.
>> SORRY.
IT STARTS EARLIER.
I WAS LIKE, I THINK WE DID JUST
DO THAT.
SORRY.
I MOVE TO PASS COUNCIL BILL 119,
YOU ALREADY DID THAT.
I'M SORRY FOR --
>> THAT'S OKAY.
YOU NEED TO MOVE TO AMEND
COUNCIL BILL 119799 BY
SUBSTITUTING VERSION 4 FOR
VERSION 2A.
>> YES, I MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL
BILL 119799 BY SUBSTITUTING
VERSION 4 FOR VERSION 2.5.
>> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, AGAIN, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS THE SUBSTITUTE VERSION
OF THE -- OR THE PROCEDURAL FACT
OF THE SUBSTITUTE BILL.
>> YES.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS
BILL A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE
LAST FEW WEEKS.
THIS SUBSTITUTE VERSION LOWERS
THE INITIAL PRICE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND I HAD
CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF THE
PREMIUM PAY NUMBER, WHICH
ORIGINALLY WAS $5 PER DELIVERY.
HAVING CONSULTED WITH OUR LABOR
PARTNERS AS WELL AS THE PLATFORM
IN THE SPACE, WE DETERMINED THAT
A $2.50 PER DELIVERY STILL
ACCOMPLISHED THE GOALS OF THE
PREMIUM PAY IN TERMS OF
COMPENSATING FOR TIME SPENT
CLEANING VEHICLES AND ACQUIRING
PPE AND SANITIZER AS WELL AS
ALSO MAKING SURE THERE WAS SOME
CONSIDERATION FOR THE UNIQUE
HAZARDS THAT FOLKS ARE FACING
DURING COVID.
SO FOR THAT REASON, WE MADE SOME
OF THESE CHANGES.
THERE ARE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN
THE BILL.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME TECHNICAL
CHANGES THAT DO NOT OTHERWISE
MAKE CONSIDERABLE CHANGES A --
THERE'S GOING TO BE OTHER
AMENDMENTS ADDRESSING THE FACT
THAT THIS SUBSTITUTE DOES NOT
HAVE A PROVISION LIKE SOME OTHER
VERSIONS OF THE BILL HAD HAD
WHERE THE COST COULD POTENTIALLY
BE PARTIALLY PASSED THROUGH TO
CONSUMERS.
SO THIS SUBSTITUTE BILL WOULD
ALLOW FOLKS TO PARTIALLY PASS
THROUGH SOME OR ALL OF THE
ADDITIONAL COST TO CONSUMERS,
AND THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WE
CAN HAVE, I BELIEVE
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES WILL BE
BRINGING FORWARD AN AMENDMENT TO
BRING UP THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT OTHERWISE, THERE'S
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES.
I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD HAS ANYTHING TO ADD TO
THAT BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD ON A
VOTE TO ADOPT THE SUBSTITUTE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
ANYTHING TO ADD ON THE MOTION TO
CONSIDER THE SUBSTITUTE?
>> NO.
I THINK COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
HANDLED IT WELL.
I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE
SUBSTITUTE VERSION BEING
PROPOSED FOR CONSIDERATION?
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> THANK YOU.
NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT
THE LEGISLATION ITSELF TO
REQUIRE ADDITIONAL HAZARD PAY TO
GIG WORKERS WHO SACRIFICE --
SELF-SACRIFICE AND LABOR IS
REALLY ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS
THAT HAS ALLOWED MANY PEOPLE TO
CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD
AND MOBILITY DURING THIS COVID
CRISIS.
AND THESE WORKERS ARE DOING SO
AT GREAT PERSONAL RISK OF
INFECTION AND OFTEN WITH VERY
LITTLE COMPENSATION FROM THE
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS THAT
HIRE THEM WHICH HAVE EVEN BEEN
EXTREMELY STING JI IN GIVING
THEM VERY BASIC PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT AS WELL.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING
NOW IN THIS MOTION TO PLACE AN
AMENDED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL
BILL IS WHETHER TO SUBSTITUTE A
NEW DRAFT OF THE BILL FOR THE
ORIGINAL.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT I
STRONGLY PREFER THE ORIGINAL
BILL TO THIS SUBSTITUTION
BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL BILL IS
SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER IN MANY
RESPECTS.
FIRST, THE ORIGINAL BILL
PROTECTS BOTH FOOD DELIVERY, GIG
WORKERS AND DRIVERS LIKE THOSE
WHO DRIVE FOR UBER AND LYFT.
THE SUBSTITUTE, HOWEVER, ONLY
PROTECTS FOOD DELIVERY WORKERS.
AND I WILL, OF COURSE, BE
OPPOSING ANY AMENDMENT THAT
EXCLUDES ANY WORKERS FROM THESE
PROTECTIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME
COUNCILMEMBERS ARE ARGUING THAT
THIS CHANGE IS REASONABLE
BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE MAYOR
WILL DRAFT LEGISLATION IN THE
FUTURE TO COVER DRIVERS, BUT
THAT REASON IS TOTALLY
INSUFFICIENT.
THIS IS EMERGENCY LEGISLATION
THAT ALREADY ONLY REQUIRES
HAZARD PAY DURING THE LEGALLY
DECLARED EMERGENCY.
THAT ENDS WHEN THE EMERGENCY
ENDS.
IF THE -- SO AGAIN, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE BARE MINIMUM.
IF THE MAYOR DOES GENERATE THIS
LEGISLATION IN TIME TO GO INTO
EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1st, WHICH
TEAMSTERS HAVE TOLD MY OFFICE IS
THE CURRENT SCHEDULE, IT'S VERY
POSSIBLE THAT THESE HAZARD PAY
RESTRICTIONS WOULD HAVE EXPIRED
BY THEN ANYWAY.
SO THAT WOULD LEAVE DRIVERS WITH
HAVING HAD NO HAZARD PAY
PROTECTIONS THROUGH THE ENTIRE
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, THE
OFFICIAL EMERGENCY.
EVEN IF THE OFFICIAL COVE VITD
EMERGENCY IS NOT LEGALLY
EXPIRED, THIS AMENDMENT WOULD
STILL LEAVE DRIVERS WITHOUT
HAZARD PAY FOR THREE AND A HALF
MONTHS.
ADDITIONALLY, THAT'S BASED ON
THE TIMELINE BEFORE.
THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT EVEN
THAT TIMELINE WILL BE ADHERED
TO.
ADDITIONALLY, THE BILL MAJORLY
REDUCES THE HAZARD PAY FIT.
THE ORIGINAL BILL PROVIDED $5
HAZARD PAY FOR DELIVERY, PLUS $5
FOR EACH ADDITIONAL STOP.
THIS SUBSTITUTE CUTS THAT MORE
THAN IN HALF TO $2.50 FOR
DELIVERY AND ONLY $1.25 FOR
ADDITIONAL STOPS.
WE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THAT
THIS LEGISLATION IS IN RESPONSE
TO NATIONWIDE -- THE BASE
LEGISLATION IS IN RESPONSE TO
NATIONWIDE ORGANIZING OF GIG
WORKERS, INCLUDING A COURAGEOUS
STRIKE CALLED BY INSTACART
WORKERS CALLING FOR $5 DELIVERY
PREMIUM PAY.
WHO IS DEMANDING IT TO BE
REDUCED?
I CAN ONLY GUESS THE BIG
DELIVERY BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN
PUTTING PRESSURE IN THE BACK
ROOMS, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT SEEN
THAT IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
GIG WORKERS ARE MANY OF THE
ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO HAVE MADE
IT POSSIBLE FOR SEATTLEITES TO
HAVE FOOD AND BE MOBILE DURING
THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
AND THEY HAVE DONE SO AT GREAT
PERSONAL RISK WITH EXTREMELY LOW
WAGES WHILE THEIR MULTINATIONAL
BOSSES HAVE PROFITED THROUGHOUT
THE PANDEMIC.
I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT
THAT WOULD EXCLUDE DRIVERS SO I
WILL BE VOTING NO ON THIS
SUBSTITUTION.
I WILL BE VOTING YES ON THE
OVERALL BILL WHEN WE DO THAT
LATER.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD HAS RAISED
HER HAND, SO I'M GOING TO
RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT AS IT
RELATES TO REMOVING TNC DRIVERS
FROM THE BILL IN THE SUBSTITUTE
THAT COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS JUST
SPOKE TO, THAT WAS A REQUEST
FROM THE TEAMSTERS.
THEY REQUESTED THAT WE REMOVE
THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE HAZARD
PAY FOR THEIR DRIVERS.
AND THEN AS IT RELATES
SPECIFICALLY TO THE DIFFERENT
PRICE POINT THAT WAS NEGOTIATED
WITH WORKING WASHINGTON, THEY
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A
BALANCE THAT IS NECESSARY TO
STRIKE AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO
SEE A REDUCTION IN USE OF THE
FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES IN
RESPONSE TO A PRICE POINT THAT
IS TOO HIGH.
AND SO THAT IS REALL
FOUNDATIONAL THINKING AROUND,
AGAIN, TRYING TO HIT THAT SWEET
SPOT BETWEEN WHAT THE PRICE
POINT SHOULD BE TO COMPENSATE
DRIVERS FOR THE TIME IT TAKES TO
MAINTAIN THE VEHICLES IN A WAY
THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC
HELD STANDARDS AND THE PRODUCTS
NECESSARY TO DO SO.
AND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT THIS
IS WORKING DURING THIS PERIOD OF
TIME IS, INDEED, A HAZARD.
SO AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE
HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH WORKING WASHINGTON
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND
LEADING UP TO THE SUBSTITUTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
ON THE SUBSTITUTE BILL?
OKAY, HEARING AND SEEING NONE, I
THINK WE ARE READY TO CONSIDER
THE SUBSTITUTE VERSION UNLESS
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, DO YOU HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?
>> I DO NOT, MADAME PRESIDENT.
>> OKAY, GREAT.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND I WILL HAVE
THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL ON THE
ADOPTION OF THE SUBSTITUTE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> NO.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE SUBSTITUTE IS ADOPTED AND
VERSION FOUR OF THE BILL IS NOW
BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND NOW OPEN
UP THE FLOOR FOR ADDITIONAL
DEBATE AND COMMENTS ON THE BILL
AS AMENDED.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
AMENDMENTS?
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER MORALES,
YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR AMENDMENT,
SO PERHAPS WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS
CONSIDER YOUR AMENDMENT FIRST
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A
CONVERSATION ON THE BILL AS
AMENDED.
HOW DOES THAT SOUND?
>> SURE.
>> OKAY, GREAT.
I'LL HAND IT TO YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, TO MAKE
YOUR MOTION TO PUT AMENDMENT ONE
BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
>> SO I MOVE THAT WE AMEND
COUNCIL BILL 119799 AS PRESENTED
ON ITEM ONE ON THE AGENDA.
>> GREAT.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE BILL, AND I WILL
HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES SO DESCRIBE AMENDMENT
ONE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
SO THIS AMENDMENT WOULD PROHIBIT
THE HIRING ENTITY FROM PASSING
ON CHARGES, INCREASING GROCERY
CHARGES TO CONSUMERS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE ECONOMIC
IMPACT OF COVID ARE HAVING
REALLY DRASTIC EFFECTS ON OUR
FAMILIES AND FOOD SECURITY IN
PARTICULAR WAS A PROBLEM IN THE
CITY ALREADY.
AND WE KNOW THAT FOOD INSECURITY
IS INCREASING, ESPECIALLY DURING
THIS CRISIS.
SO THIS IS REALLY AN ATTEMPT TO
DECREASE THE RISK OF HAVING
CUSTOMERS WHO ARE RELYING ON
GROCERY DELIVERY FROM HAVING
THAT CHARGE PASSED ON TO THEM.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
PROTECTING OUR VULNERABLE
NEIGHBORS, OUR SENIORS
ESPECIALLY, FAMILIES WITH
CHILDREN AND ANYBODY WHO IS
REALLY AT RISK OF FOOD
INSECURITY SO THAT THEY ARE --
SO THAT THIS ASSESSMENT OR THIS
CHARGE DOES NOT GET PASSED ON TO
THEM.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING
HERE.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
DESCRIPTION, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
AMENDMENT ONE?
OKAY, HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO
AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE ON
AMENDMENT ONE.
SO WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF
AMENDMENT ONE?
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU.
THE MOTION CARRIES, THE
AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED, AND THE
BILL AS AMENDED IS NOW BEFORE
THE COUNCIL.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS
ON THE BILL AS AMENDED?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA FOLLOWED
BY COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAME
PRESIDENT.
AND THANKS TO THE SPONSORS OF
THIS LEGISLATION, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AND COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
REALLY EXCITING DAY FOR GIG
WORKERS AND ACTUALLY JUST FOR
OUR ENTIRE ECONOMY.
AS WE KNOW, GIG WORKERS HAVE
BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE BASIC
PROTECTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN SO
PROUD OF HERE IN WASHINGTON
STATE AND IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE
TO OFFER TO, WITH2 EMPLOYEES.
BUT BASIC LABOR STANDARDS ARE
HARD TO LEGISLATE, ESPECIALLY
FOR GIG WORKERS AS THE SPONSORS
AND THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL KNOW.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PIECE OF
LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF US.
I THINK THERE'S MUCH MORE WORK
TO BE DONE FOR SURE.
CONVERSATIONS OF ISSUES OF
MISCLASSIFICATION AND LONG-TERM
SOLUTIONS FOR GIG WORKERS
CONTINUE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE
HAVE TO ACT WITH URGENCY RIGHT
NOW.
THIS CRISIS OF COVID HAS BEEN
TELLING US THAT WE NEED TO STEP
UP IN AN IMMEDIATE WAY TO
PROVIDE THESE PROTECTIONS FOR
GIG WORKERS AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU ON
THOSE NEXT STEPS.
I KNOW ALSO THAT WE ARE WELL
AWARE THAT GIG WORKERS NEED
ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS,
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF COVID.
WE GET OUR GROCERIES DELIVERED.
WE GET FOOD DELIVERED.
WE ARE, I THINK, IN A CRISIS
WHERE MANY OF US ARE DEPENDING
ON THIS PORTION OF THE ECONOMY
EVEN MORE HEAVILY NOW.
SO I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE'RE STEPPING UP IN AN
ESSENTIAL WAY FOR THESE WORKERS
TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE TREATED
WITH THE BASIC PROTECTIONS LIKE
PREMIUM PAY AND MAKING SURE THEY
HAVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
BEING TOLD THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE IS AS HIGH, OH, I'M SORRY.
WORKERS ARE BEING TOLD THAT
GIVEN HOW HIGH THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME
PEOPLE ARE BEING TOLD IF YOU
DON'T LIKE IT, THEN YOU DON'T
HAVE A JOB.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER
RECOURSE.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL
WORKERS HAVE THESE BASIC
PROTECTIONS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED
TO OTHER SECTORS OF OUR
COMMUNITIES.
SO AS WORKERS ARE PUTTING
THEIRSELVES, THEIR LIFE AT RISK,
THEIR FAMILY'S LIVES AT RISK BY
COMING TO WORK, THEY SERVE OUR
COMMUNITIES.
WE NEED TO LIFT THEM UP AND MAKE
SURE THESE WORKERS GET THE BASIC
PROTECTIONS THEY NEED.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF THE
FOLKS WHO WORKED ON THIS
LEGISLATION.
AND THANKS TO THE GIG WORKERS
WHO EVERY DAY TAKE A RISK TO GO
TO WORK.
APPRECIATE THE TIME AND I'M
GRATEFUL THAT THROUGH THIS
LEGISLATION WE'RE AGAIN MAKING
LABOR HISTORY AND PASSING THIS
LEGISLATION INTO LAW.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, FOR
THOSE REMARKS.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> THANK YOU, MADAME PRESIDENT.
I'LL BE REALLY BRIEF, AND I
THINK COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
ACTUALLY BROUGHT THIS UP RATHER
NICELY, SO I THINK I'M FOLLOWING
ON A THEME THAT'S BEEN
INTRODUCED.
BUT THIS TRULY DOES HAVE TO BE A
FIRST STEP.
AND AS COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
ALLUDED TO AS WELL, IT IS A
TEMPORARY MEASURE.
YOU KNOW, COVID SOME DAY WILL
PASS, AND THIS MEASURE WILL
PASS.
BUT WE ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE
MASSIVE INEQUITIES IN THIS
APP-BASED ECONOMY THAT HAS BEEN
MISCHARACTERIZED AS A GIG
ECONOMY BUT REALLY IS
INCREASINGLY THE ECONOMY.
THIS IS HOW COMMERCE AND
BUSINESS TRANSACTED IN OUR
SOCIETY.
IT'S INCREASINGLY A SPACE WHERE
WORKERS ARE MISCLASSIFIED AS
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS TO
JUSTIFY PAYING THEM LESS AND
GIVING THEM FEWER BENEFITS.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN AREA
WHERE WE ARE GOING TO DEFINITELY
NEED TO DO MORE WORK, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO DOING THAT UNDER
COUNCILMMBER MOSQUEDA'S
LEADERSHIP AND THE COMMITTEE
THAT COVERS WORK FORCE
STANDARDS.
AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY
WHO I REALLY HAVE THE PLEASURE
OF WORKING WITH THROUGH THIS,
RACHEL AT WORKING WASHINGTON AND
EVERYONE OVER AT WORKING
WASHINGTON, SAGE AND THE WHOLE
TEAM THERE ARE GREAT.
I WANT TO THANK CAMILLA BROWN ON
MY STAFF WHO DID AN EXCELLENT
JOB WORKING WITH COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S OFFICE TO REALLY
SHEPHERD THIS THROUGH OVER THE
COURSE OF THE MONTH WITH LOTS OF
BACK-TO-BACK MEETINGS AND MAKING
SURE WE WERE REACHING OUT TO ALL
THE STAKEHOLDERS.
JUST WANTED TO EXTEND THOSE
THANKS AND LOOK FORWARD TO
VOTING TO GET IT OVER THE FINISH
LINE TODAY.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING
YOU DID TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> THANK YOU.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I'M HAPPY
TO VOTE YES ON THIS BILL
REQUIRING BIG BUSINESSES TO PAY
HAZARD PAY TO GIG WORKERS DURING
THE COVID CRISIS.
AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS THAT THIS IS INCREASINGLY
BECOME THE NORM.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT ONCE SMALL SECTION OF THE
ECONOMY.
SO MANY WORKERS, ESPECIALLY
YOUNGER WORKERS, ARE GETTING
PUSHED INTO WHAT'S CALLED THE
GIG ECONOMY.
THOSE KINDS OF JOBS WHERE
THEY'RE NOT RECOGNIZED AS
EMPLOYEES.
GIG WORKERS DELIVER GROCERIES,
DRIVE FOR UBER AND LITH AND DO
MANY OTHER ESSENTIAL JOBS FOR
OUR SOCIETY.
THESE ARE JOBS LIKE ANY OTHER
EXCEPT THEY ARE MARKED WITH A
LEGAL FICTION THAT THEY ARE A
ONE-PERSON SMALL BUSINESS RATHER
THAN A WORKER AT A CORPORATION.
THE RESULT OF THIS LEGAL FICTION
IS THAT WORKERS ARE SUDDENLY NO
LONGER PROTECTED BY -- AS
WORKERS.
AND BY BEING CLASSIFIED AS GIG
WORKERS, IN FACT, BIG BUSINESS
EVEN AVOIDS SEATTLE'S MINIMUM
WAGE BY CLASSIFYING ITS WORKERS,
WHICH IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT
FOR THE HAZARD PAY BILL WE'RE
VOTING ON NOW.
IT TOTALLY UNJUST AND A CLEAR
EXAMPLE HOW UNDER CAPITALISM THE
WORKING CLASS MUST STRUGGLE TO
AVOID FALLING FURTHER BEHIND.
AS I MENTIONED TWO WEEKS AGO
WHEN COUNCIL WAS VOTING ON
EXTENDED THE PAID SICK LEAVE TO
GIG WORKERS, 100 YEARS AGO WHEN
WORKERS COULD -- NO WORKERS
COULD LEGALLY FORM UNIONS IN
THIS COUNTRY, BUT COURAGEOUSLY
THEY DID IT ANYWAY, OFTEN HAVING
TO DEFEND THEIR PICKET LINES
AGAINST PHYSICAL ATTACK, IN
FACT, BY THE POLICE AND PRIVATE
FORCES.
IN THE 1920s, THE U.S. MILITARY
WAS CALLED TO ATTACK STRIKING
MINERS.
THEY WANT LABOR LAW PROTECTIONS
AND THEY WANT THE RIGHT TO
ORGANIZE A UNION.
SINCE THEN, HOWEVER, FOR
DECADES, BIG BUSINESS HAS BEEN
ATTEMPTING TO CLAW BACK EVERY
GAIN WORKERS HAD FOUGHT FOR AND
WON.
WEALTH INEQUALITY HAS BALLOONED
AND AN ESTIMATED ONE OUT OF FIVE
WORKERS IN THE U.S. IS NOW
CLASSIFIED AS AN INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTOR, A KA GIG WORKER.
GIG WORKERS WILL NEED TO
UNIONIZE WITH OR WITHOUT THE
LEGAL PERMISSION TO DO SO, JUST
LIKE WORKERS IN THE PAST,
BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE THE POWER
IN THE WORKPLACE WHEN WE GET
ORGANIZED TO FIGHT FOR IT.
WE WILL NEED TO REBUILD THE
FIGHTING LABOR MOVEMENT THAT
OVERCAME LEGAL, PHYSICAL AND
POLITICAL OBSTACLES IN THE LAST
CENTURY TO ESTABLISH THE UNION
WORKERS, THE JUNES WORKERS CAN
RELY ON TODAY.
TODAY'S LEGISLATION IS EXTREMELY
TEMPORARY, BUT IN APPROVING IT,
THE CITY COUNCIL IS MAKING AN
IMPORTANT STATEMENT, AND I'M
HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION
TO EXTEND PAID SICK AND SAFE
TIME TO GIG WORKERS ALSO.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO RAISE THE
CAUTION AROUND ENFORCEENT THAT
I HAD SPOKEN TO WHEN THIS
LEGISLATION WAS FIRST DISCUSSED
IN BRIEFING, COUNCIL BRIEFING, I
THINK, A WEEK AGO.
SEATTLE'S OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS IS EMPOWERED TO
ENFORCE THESE WORKER'S RIGHTS,
BUT BECAUSE SO MANY BIG
BUSINESSES ENGAGE IN WAGE THEFT,
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
HAS A SERIOUS BACKLOG.
IF YOUR BOSS STEALS FROM YOU, IT
TAKES MANY MONTHS TO EVEN GET
THE MONEY YOU ARE OWED.
WE'VE SEEN HOW RUTHLESS GIANT
CORPORATIONS LIKE UBER CAN BE IN
DISREGARDING WORKER'S RIGHTS.
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS IS
UNDERSTAFFED.
THE MAYOR IS INSTITUTING A
HIRING FREEZE, CLAIMING THERE'S
NOT THE BUDGET.
THESE BUDGET SHORTFALLS ARE NOT
AUTOMATIC.
IF MAYOR DURKAN AND IF THE
POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT WERE
WILLING TO TAX BIG BUSINESS, THE
CITY COULD RAISE THE REVENUE TO
STOP THIS AND CREATE A PUBLIC
JOBS PROGRAM, NOT ONLY TO BUILD
SOCIAL HOUSING AND OTHER
PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO TO ENHANCE
THE STAFF THAT WE WOULD NEED TO
ACTUALLY FULLY ENFORCE LABOR
LAW.
GIG WORKERS DESERVE TO BE
PROTECTED WITH THEIR RIGHTS, AND
THAT MEANS THIS LEGISLATION IS
AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO END THE
AUSTERITY AND INADEQUATE
STAFFING AT THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WISH TO MAKE
COMMENTS ON THE BILL?
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, I JUST WANT TO
FLAG THAT LIKE WE HAVE A PROCESS
AND A PRODUCT KEYED UP FOR THE
TNC DRIVERS FOR A MINIMUM
COMPENSATION, I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE
CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD
AROUND HAZARD PAY ALSO LEAD TO A
CONVERSATION AROUND MINIMUM
COMPENSATION FOR THE DRIVERS WHO
DELIVER GROCERIES AND MEALS FROM
RESTAURANTS.
I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF
INTEREST IN SEEING WHETHER OR
NOT THE WORKER ADVOCATES AND
WORKERS COULD GET TO A PLACE
WITH THE APPS WHERE THEY HAD
SOME AGREEMENT ON WHAT -- NOT
ONLY WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS
MIGHT LOOK LIKE BUT WHAT THE
PRODUCT MIGHT BE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T GET
THERE.
BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT THOSE
CONVERSATIONS WILL CONTINUE AND
WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN IN MY
ROLE AS A COUNCILMEMBER TO
SUPPORT THOSE CONVERSATIONS
BECAUSE IT IS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT THAT FOLKS WHO ARE
DOING THIS WORK WE CAN SEE RIGHT
NOW IN THE STATE OF EMERGENCY
HOW CRITICAL IT IS.
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT
THESE FOLKS RECEIVE SOME FORM OF
MINIMUM COMPENSATION AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THE BILL?
OKAY, HEARING NONE, I WILL ASK
THAT THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL ON
THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL AS
AMENDED.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AS AMENDED
AND THE CHAIR WILL SIGN IT.
I'D ASK THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX
MY SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION
ON MY BEHALF.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES, LET'S MOVE
INTO AGENDA ITEM TWO.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
AGENDA ITEM TWO INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, 119804.
RELATING TO THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT PROHIBITING THE USE
OF CHOKEHOLDS BY OFFICERS,
AMENDING SECTION 125.54.200 OF
AND ADDING A NEW SECTION
3.28.145 TO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> THANK YOU, I WILL MOVE TO
PASS COUNCIL BILL 119804.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO PASS THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT A SPONSOR
OF THE BILL, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED
IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM
FIRST.
>> THANK YOU.
SORRY, IT WAS A LITTLE THROWN
OFF BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS
A TECHNICAL AMENDMENT THAT
NEEDED TO BE DONE, OR MAYBE
THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE AFTER I
SPEAK?
>> SO THAT'S A GOOD FLAG.
WHY DON'T I GIVE FOLK AS PREVIEW
QUICKLY.
THIS IS ON THE ORDINANCE RELATED
TO PROHIBITING USE OF CHOKEHOLDS
IN THE CITY.
THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS BILL IS
COMING NEXT.
SO THIS IS JUST ON THE
CHOKEHOLDS AND THERE WILL BE AN
AMENDMENT THAT WILL BE MOVED BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD THAT WAS
PUBLISHED ON THE AGENDA AS
AMENDMENT ONE.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A SECOND
AMENDMENT BY COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD WHICH WAS PUBLISHED ON
THE AGENDA AS AMENDMENT TWO.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE AN AMENDED
BILL FOR CONSIDERATION.
THAT'S ON AGENDA ITEM TWO
RELATED TO CHOKEHOLDS.
I THINK THE TECHNICAL AMENDMENT
YOU'RE REFERRING TO,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, MIGHT BE
IN THE CONTEXT OF AGENDA ITEM
THREE.
>> NO.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE TWO
AMENDMENTS YOU MENTIONED, BUT
YEAH, FOR A MOMENT I FORGOT THAT
IT'S GOING TO COME AFTER, SO
THANK YOU.
>> WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD,
ABSOLUTELY.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THIS
MORNING.
WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND
ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING MOTION
FIRST.
I'M SORRY, THE UNDERLYING BILL
FIRST AND THEN WE WILL -- AND
YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY WANT
SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS HERE, BUT
IF YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE THE
BILL TO GIVE COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S AMENDMENT SOME
CONTEXT, THEN WE'LL DO THE
AMENDMENTS, AND OF COURSE, AS
CUSTOMARY, YOU AS THE PRIMARY
SPONSOR WILL HAVE THE LAST WORD
ON THE BILL AS AMENDED.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS BILL BANS CHOKEHOLDS IN
SEATTLE FROM ERIC GARNER TO
EMMANUEL ELLIS TO GEORGE FLOYD,
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE DEVASTATING
CONSEQUENCES OF CHOKEHOLDS, USE
OF CHOKEHOLDS BY THE POLICE.
AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK AND
ALSO THIS MORNING, SIMILAR
RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN PUT IN
PLACE BY OTHER CITIES, MOST
RECENTLY MINNEAPOLIS, WHERE
GEORGE FLOYD WAS MURDERED BY THE
POLICE USING A CHOKEHOLD.
THIS LEGISLATION IS ABSOLUTELY
THE LEAST THAT THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL CAN DO, AND I HOPE THAT
WE CAN PASS IT AND MOVE ON TO
THE BAN ON CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONS, ALSO WITHOUT LOOPHOLES.
AND MANY OF THE OTHER MEASURE
THAT IS WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE
IN ORDER TO REALLY EVEN BEGIN TO
HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE
POLICE.
I DO WANT TO REITERATE A
SOBERING WORD OF CAUTION.
PASSING THIS LEGISLATION IS
ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT, BUT IT
WILL NOT BE ENOUGH BY ITSELF.
CHOKEHOLDS WERE BANNED IN NEW
YORK CITY WHEN ERIC GARNER WAS
KILLED, AND THAT OBVIOUSLY WAS
INSUFFICIENT TO SAVE HIM.
LEGISLATION LIKE THIS IS
CRITICAL BECAUSE -- ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE POWER OF A
GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT OVERCOMING
AN ENTRENCHED ESTABLISHMENT FOR
SO MANY DECADES.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE PAIRED WITH
MORE STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN
SOCIETY, AND THAT IS WHY I WILL
BE -- MY OFFICE WILL BE PUSHING
FOR MOST OF THE OTHER DEMANDS WE
HAVE.
ONE IS TO IMMEDIATELY RELEASE
ALL PROTEST ARRESTEES AND DROP
CHARGES AGAINST THEM, TO DEFUND
THE POLICE BY 50% SO WE CAN
BEGIN TO FUND REST RA TIF
JUSTICE AND REALLY COMMUNITY
ORGANIZING AS OPPOSED TO
POLICING, ORGANIZED BY WORKERS
WHO ARE UNIONIZED AND PAID A
LIVING WAGE, ESPECIALLY TO
RESPOND TO NONCRIMINAL EMERGENCY
CALLS AS HAS BEEN CALLED FOR BY
THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORGANIZATION OF THE BAY AREA.
BUT WE ALSO NEED A
COMMUNITY-ELECTED OVERSIGHT
BOARD.
I HOPE COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT
THIS, ANDLY SAY A FEW WORDS MORE
TOWARDS THE END.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAND
IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
WHO HAS A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS.
BUT LET'S START WITH YOUR
AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
I MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL
119804 AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT
ONE ON THE AGENDA.
>> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
AMEND THE BILL WITH AMENDMENT
ONE.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD HAS
SPONSORED THE AMENDMENT.
I WILL HAND IT OVER TO YOU TO
ADDRESS IT.
>> THANK YOU.
SO THIS AMENDMENT IS RESPONSIVE
TO CONCERNS RAISED AND SHARED
WITH COUNCILMEMBERS FROM THE LAW
DEPARTMENT.
IT ADDRESSES TWO SEPARATE ISSUES
IN THE SINGLE AMENDMENT.
THE FIRST IS TO CLARIFY THAT THE
PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION APPLIES
TO VIOLATIONS OF THE PROHIBITION
THAT OCCUR AFTER THE ORDINANCE
TAKES EFFECT.
AND THE SECOND REQUESTS THAT THE
NOTICE OF THE CHOKEHOLD
PROHIBITION BE GIVEN TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE COURT
AND THE MONITOR IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE CONSENT DECREE.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VERSUS
CITY OF SEATTLE.
THIS USE OF FORCE IS AT THE
HEART OF THE CONSENT DECREE AND
CHANGES TO CITY POLICIES NEED TO
BE SUBMITTED TO THE COURT.
THE CITY SENT A DRAFT VERSION OF
THE 2017 ACCOUNTABILITY
LEGISLATION TO THE COURT IN
ADVANCE AND SIMILARLY THIS
AMENDMENT INDICATES THAT COUNCIL
RECOGNIZES THE ROLE OF THE
COURT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, FOR THAT DESCRIPTION.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON
AMENDMENT ONE?
OKAY.
I'M NOT HEARING ANY COMMENTS ON
AMENDMENT ONE, AND AGAIN,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I
APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING FORWARD
THIS AMENDMENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT IT SORT OF
MODELS THE APPROACH THAT WE TOOK
WITH THE 2017 POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE IN
WHICH WE LEGISLATED SOME OF THE
POLICY ISSUES FIRST, RECOGNIZING
THAT THOSE POLICY CHANGES WOULD
BE SUBJECT TO COURT REVIEW UNDER
THE CONSENT DECREE.
I THINK YOUR AMENDMENT IN THIS
BASE IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE
COUNCIL HAS DONE IN THE PAST,
SORT OF KNOWING WE'RE CHANGING
POLICIES THAT FALL UNDER
PURVIEW OF THE CONSENT DECREE
AND NOT ABDICATING THE NEED TO
SUBMIT FOR REVIEW UNDER THE
CONSENT DECREE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON
THIS AMENDMENT.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, WE'LL MOVE ALONG.
SEEING AND HEARING NONE, WILL
THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL?
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE MOTION CARRIES, THE
AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED AND THE
BILL AS AMENDED IS NOW BEFORE
THE COUNCIL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE
ANOTHER AMENDMENT, AMENDMENT
TWO.
SO I WOULD HAND IT BACK OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD TO WALK US
THROUGH AMENDMENT TWO.
>> AMENDMENT TWO SIMPLY
EXPRESSES THE COUNCIL'S INTENT
TO ENGAGE WITH LABOR RELATIONS
AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
CHOKEHOLD PROHIBITION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANY -- LET'S SEE -- DID YOU
ACTUALLY MAKE YOUR MOTION?
>> OH.
GOOD CALL.
SORRY.
I MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL
119804 AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT
TWO ON AGENDA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE BILL AS DESCRIBED
IN AMENDMENT TWO.
AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
YOU GAVE US A SUCCINCT
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT WAS, DO
YOU WANT TO REPEAT THAT?
>> WE HAVE THE CONTEXT OF THE
AMENDMENT ITSELF BEFORE US,
BEFORE I DESCRIBE IT.
THE AMENDMENT EXPRESSES THE
COUNCIL'S INTENT TO ENGAGE WITH
OUR LABOR RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
CHOKEHOLD BAN OR PROHIBITION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO WE ARE NOW GOING TO HEAR
COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT TWO.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
AMENDMENT TWO?
OKAY, HEARING AND SEEING NONE, I
WILL ASK THAT THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF
AMENDMENT TWO.
>> PEETDER SEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU.
THE MOTION CARRIES.
THE AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED AND WE
NOW HAVE A FURTHER AMENDED BILL
BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS
ON THE BILL AS AMENDED?
OKAY.
I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY RAISE
THEIR HAND, BUT I WILL, AS
PROMISED, GIVE COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT THE LAST WORD ON THIS
BILL AS THE PRIMARY SPONSOR.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> THANK YOU.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT THIS BILL IS BEING PASSED.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THE
BILL THAT'S COMING UP ON THE
CHEMICAL WEAPONS BE PASSED
WITHOUT LOOPHOLES.
BUT AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
HAVE SAID, AND I COMPLETELY
AGREE WITH THEM, THIS IS THE
ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM THAT THE
HIGHEST LEGISLATIVE BODY OF THIS
CITY SHOULD BE DOING, ESPECIALLY
AFTER WE HAVE SEEN SUCH
UNBELIEVABLE VIOLENCE TARGETED
AT PEACEFUL PROTESTERS.
BUT ALSO IN THE WAKE OF THE FACT
THAT EIGHT BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN
MURDERED BY THE POLICE, SEATTLE
POLICE, UNDER MAYOR DURKAN'S
REIGN AND NOT A SINGLE POLICE
OFFICER HAS BEEN PROSECUTED TO
THE LARGER CONTEXT OF THIS IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
REMEMBER.
WHILE THESE BILLS WILL BE
HISTORIC, BECAUSE IT IS IN SOME
WAYS QUITE ABSURD THAT WE HAVE A
CITY THAT DOES NOT HAVE ALREADY
A LAW THAT BANS CHOKEHOLDS AND
CHEMICAL WEAPONS, BUT IT IS
IMPORTANT WE'RE DOING THIS
TODAY.
BUT WE HAVE TO GO MUCH, MUCH
FARTHER.
THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE
COMMITTED SUCH HORRIFIC CRIMES
NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE
AND THEY WILL NOT HAPPEN AS LONG
AS THE ESTABLISHMENT IS
OVERSEEING IT BECAUSE WE SAW
WHAT HAPPENED UNDER MAYOR DURKAN
AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE
PAST YEARS.
AND SO THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE
OF THE CITY NEEDS AN
INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED BOARD.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO URGENTLY
DEFUND THE POLICE BY AT LEAST
50% AND MAKE SURE THAT THE
ESTABLISHMENT DOESN'T JUST TAKE
ON THE VOCABULARY OF THE
MOVEMENT BUT ACTUALLY RESPONDS
WITH REAL ACTION.
AND MOST IMMEDIATELY, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PROTEST
ARRESTEES ARE RELEASED WITHOUT
CHARGES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, FOR THOSE FINAL REMARKS.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE
OUT DEBATE ON THIS BILL AS
AMENDED.
I WOULD ASK THE CLERK CALL THE
ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL
AS AMENDED.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU.
THE BILL PASSES AS AMENDED AND
THE CHAIR WILL SIGN IT.
I'D ASK THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX
MY SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION.
OKAY, AGENDA ITEM THREE.
I WOULD ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM THREE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM THREE.
COUNCIL BILL 119805 RELATING TO
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
BANNING THE OWNERSHIP, PURCHASE,
RENT, STORAGE AND USE OF CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS AND ADDING A NEW
SECTION, 3.28.146 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> THANK YOU, AMELIA.
SO I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
PUT THE BILL BEFORE US.
I'M GOING TO MOVE TO PASS
COUNCIL BILL 119805.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO PASS THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, YOU ARE
THE SPONSOR OF THE BILL SO YOU
ARE ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZED TO --
IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE
UNDERLYING BILL.
AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL
AMENDMENTS TO WALK THROUGH.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> YES.
I ACTUALLY WANT TO -- I WANT TO
SPEAK TO THE BILL, BUT I ALSO
WANT TO MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL
BILL 119805 AS PRESENTED ON
AMENDMENT THREE.
SO I WANT TO KNOW THE ORDER IN
WHICH I SHOULD DO THAT.
SHOULD I SPEAK TO THE BASE
AMENDMENT AND THEN MOVE THE
AMENDMENT?
>> SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE THE AMENDMENTS IN THE ORDER
THAT THEY WERE PUBLISHED.
SO THAT'S TWO AMENDMENTS FROM
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, AND I
KNOW THAT YOU CIRCULATED -- YOUR
OFFICE, EXCUSE ME, YOUR OFFICE
CIRCULATED AN AMENDMENT THREE
AFTER THE NOON DEADLINE, SO I
WOULD ASK THAT WE GO THROUGH THE
AMENDMENTS AS THEY WERE
PUBLISHED ON THE AGENDA AND THEN
CONSIDER AMENDMENT THREE IF IT'S
NEEDED.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A JENGA
PUZZLE WE'RE GOING THROUGH
BECAUSE THERE ARE PORTIONS OF
YOUR AMENDMENT, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, AMENDMENT THREE, THAT
WOULD INCORPORATE COMPONENTS OF
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
AMENDMENTS AS REPRESENTED IN
BOTH AMENDMENT ONE AND AMENDMENT
TWO.
SO DEPENDING ON HOW AMENDMENT
ONE AND AMENDMENT TWO SHAKE OUT,
WE MAY NOT NEED AMENDMENT THREE
OR WE MAY NEED ALL OF AMENDMENT
THREE IF COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
AMENDMENTS DO NOT PASS.
SO I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO IN
FAIRNESS HERE, BECAUSE IT'S
CONFUSING AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT
OF BACK AND FORTH IN EMAIL.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR
COLLEAGUES AND THE PUBLIC HAVE A
FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SWEEP
OF AMENDMENTS BEFORE US.
I THINK BEFORE CALLING ANYTHING
TO A VOTE, I THINK IT WOULD BE
PRUDENT FOR US TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION OF ALL THREE
AMENDMENTS.
AND SO THAT WE CAN GET AN
UNDERSTANDING OF AMENDMENT ONE,
AMENDMENT TWO AND AMENDMENT
THREE.
BUT I WILL BE PLANNING ON
CALLING FOR A VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENTS IN THE ORDER THEY
WERE PRESENTED ON THE AGENDA.
>> I'M HAPPEN FOY HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL OF THEM,
BUT JUST IN TERMS OF THE ORDER,
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
I DON'T AGREE WITH YOUR
DESCRIPTION OF THE ORDER IN THE
SENSE THAT OUR -- THE BILL THAT
CAME FROM MY OFFICE HAS BEEN
THERE LONG BEFORE COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD BROUGHT HER AMENDMENTS.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY TO THE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WHAT
MY OFFICE PUBLISHED AFTER NOON
INCORPORATES COMPONENTS OF
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
AMENDMENT THAT I DON'T OBJECT
TO.
SO IT'S A HYBRID BILL EXCEPT FOR
THE AMENDMENT THAT I DEEPLY
OBJECT TO.
SO IT'S NOT ACCURATE TO SAY THAT
MY BILL CAME AFTER HERS, AND AS
A MATTER OF FACT, THIS BILL,
THIS AMENDMENT THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD HAS, WHICH
WILL REALLY BE A REALLY TACK ON
THE BILL, WAS SENT OUT BY HER AT
11:12 A.M.
THIS MORNING, GIVING
THE PUBLIC ABOUT TWO HOURS AND
45 MINUTES TO SEE IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY
THAT.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE FAIR
WAY TO DO IT IS TO CONSIDER
AMENDMENT THREE BECAUSE IT'S
BASICALLY MY BILL WITH THE
AMENDMENTS FROM COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD THAT I DON'T HAVE AN
OBJECTION TO.
AND BECAUSE MY BILL CAME BEFORE
EVERYTHING ELSE, I THINK THAT
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, SO
AMENDMENT THREE SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED, IN MY VIEW, BUT --
AND IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO
THAT, I'LL STOP, OR I'LL
CONTINUE WITH MY DESCRIPTION.
>> YEAH, I THINK YOU'VE MADE
YOUR RECORD.
I DON'T THINK I SAID ANYTHING
INCONSISTENT.
IF I USED THE WORD BILL, THAT
WAS AN INADVERTENT USE OF THE
WORD BILL.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS YOUR
AMENDMENT THREE WAS NOT
PUBLISHED ON THE AGENDA, AT
LEAST ON THE VERSION OF THE
AGENDA I HAVE, WAS NOT PUBLISHED
ON THE AGENDA.
AM I WRONG THAT YOUR AMENDMENT
THREE WAS PUBLISHED ON THE
AGENDA?
>> NO, NO, YOU'RE NOT WRONG.
ALL I'M TRYING TO CLARIFY IS
THAT BILL -- IT WAS JUST WITH
THE INTENTION OF SIMPLIFYING THE
WORK BY INCORPORATING
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S BILLS
THAT WE DON'T DISAGREE WITH SO
THAT THE DISCUSSION WAS FOCUSED
ON THE KEY AMENDMENT WHICH I
DON'T BELIEVE SHOULD BE PASSED
BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> I HEAR YOU.
I DO HEAR YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY I
DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT
SOMEHOW -- I'M NOT TRYING TO
MAKE ANY SORT OF -- I'M NOT
TRYING TO IMPLY ANYTHING.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
THE SEQUENCE OF HOW WE GOT THE
AMENDMENTS.
THERE WERE TWO AMENDMENTS THAT
WERE PUBLISHED ON FRIDAY TO THE
PUBLIC AND TO COUNCILMEMBERS.
AMENDMENT THREE CAME TO US AT
NOON.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S
NOTHING NECESSARILY NEW IN THERE
BECAUSE YOU'RE INCORPORATING
PORTIONS OF THINGS THAT WERE
ALREADY PUBLISHED, AND I THINK
THAT'S MAYBE WHERE WE'RE GETTING
OUR SEMANTICS CROSSED.
AND I'M FOLLOWING NOW.
SO THANK YOU FOR PATIENCE AND
YOUR UNDERSTANDING ON THAT.
SO I THINK JUST SO THAT WE HAVE
A HOLISTIC CONVERSATION ABOUT IT
INSTEAD OF -- I THINK IT WOULD
BE PRUDENT FOR US TO GO THROUGH
EACH OF THE MOTIONS, BUT I'M NOT
GOING TO CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE
MOTIONS.
I WANT TO SORT OF HEAR HOW
CONVERSATION GOES BEFORE WE
START CALLING FOR MOTIONS.
BUT WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND
START AT THIS POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, SINCE YOU
ARE THE PRIME SPONSOR OF THE
BILL.
AND I NEED YOU TO ADDRESS THE
UNDERLYING BILL, I WILL HAND THE
FLOOR OVER TO YOU TO, AS THE
PRIME SPONSOR OF THE BILL, TO
ADDRESS THE SUBSTANTIVE BILL AND
IN DOING SO, YOU ARE FREE TO
DESCRIBE YOUR AMENDMENT, YOUR
PROPOSED AMENDMENT THREE.
AGAIN, NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE A
FORMAL MOTION YET, JUST DESCRIBE
AND TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR
PROPOSED AMENDMENT THREE.
AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
ACCORDINGLY.
SO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, FLOOR
IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
THE BILL THAT'S UNDER
CONSIDERATION NOW FROM OUR
MOVEMENT AND FROM MY OFFICE BANS
THE CITY FROM OWNING AND THE
POLICE FROM USING CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONS LIKE TEAR GAS, MACE,
BLAST BALLS, FLASH BANGS,
PLASTIC BULLETS AND OTHER WEAPON
THAT IS ARE TYPICALLY USED
INDISCRIMINATELY ON GATHERINGS
OF PROTESTERS.
SOME OF THESE WEAPONS, LIKE TEAR
GAS, HAVE BEEN BANNED FOR
DECADES FROM USE IN WAR BY THE
GENEVA CONVENTION, AND YET, THE
MAYOR OF SEATTLE, JENNY DURKAN,
AND SEATTLE POLICE UNDER HER
CONTROL HAVE REPEATEDLY, ON A
DAILY BASIS, USED THEM SINCE THE
GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS BEGAN ON
MAY 30th AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE.
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, MANY
OF US HAVE WITNESSED IT.
MANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED IT
IN THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
FOR DAYS THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT USED THESE WEAPONS ON
THE STREETS OF CAPITOL HILL.
THEY FALSELY CLAIMED THAT THE
PROTESTERS WERE VIOLENT RIOTERS
AND THEY HAD NO AL TERNTIVE.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE.
IT COULD NOT BE MORE UNTRUE.
THEY'VE EVEN ATTEMPTED TO
MAINTAIN THOSE LIVES IN THE FACE
OF VIDEO EVIDENCE SHOWING US
THAT THE POLICE WERE THE SOURCE
AND THE SOLE SOURCE OF VIOLENCE
AND THAT THEY WERE NOT, QUOTE
UNQUOTE, RESPONDING TO ANY
SITUATION BUT THAT THEY WERE
THERE WITH THE INTENTION OF
INFLICTING VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE POLICE
WERE SOURCE OF THE VIOLENCE EVEN
FURTHER NOW BECAUSE AFTER THE
MOUNTING PUBLIC OUTRAGE
EVENTUALLY FORCED MAYOR JENNY
DURKAN TO PULL THE POLICE BACK
FROM THE STREETS OF CAPITOL
HILL, THE VIOLENCE HAS LEFT WITH
THEM.
THERE IS NOBODY THERE WITH RIOT
GEAR, ARMED TO THE HIT WITH ALL
KINDS OF EQUIPMENT AND CHEMICAL
WEAPONS.
THERE'S NO SUCH THING, ONLY THE
POLICE HAVE THEM.
NEAR SEATTLE AND AROUND THE
COUNTRY, DEMONSTRATORS HAVE BEEN
GRIEVIOUSLY INJURED BY THESE
WEAPONS.
IN AN OPEN LETTER SIGNED BY OVER
1,000 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, HAS
EXPLAINED WEAPONS LIKE TEAR GAS
AND MACE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE
THE DANGER OF COVID.
WE NEED TO BAN THESE WEAPONS,
WHICH HAVE BEEN MISUSED FOR
DECADES.
THE POLICE AND POLITICAL
ESTABLISHMENT SIMPLY CANNOT BE
TRUSTED WITH THEM.
SEATTLE POLICE MIGHT ARGUE THAT
WITHOUT TEAR GAS, RUBBER BULLETS
AND BLAST BALLS, THEY WILL USE
EVEN MORE LETHAL WEAPONS AGAINST
DEMONSTRATORS.
WE HAVE TO COMPLETELY REJECT
THIS DANGEROUS ARGUMENT.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS LEGISLATION
IS TO PREVENT THE POLICE FROM
MEETING PROTESTS WITH ANY
VIOLENCE WHATSOEVER.
IF THE SEATTLE POLICE INSTEAD
SHOW UP WITH MORE LETHAL
WEAPONRY, THAT WOULD BE
ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING AND
DISASTROUS, BUT THAT WOULD ONLY
-- AND I HOPE THAT DOESN'T
HAPPEN, BUT THAT WOULD ONLY
PROVE THE POINT THAT THIS BLACK
LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT IS MAKING,
WHICH IS THAT IT DOES NOT WORK
FOR US TO HAVE A POLICE STATE.
WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY TO BE
ORGANIZED FOR US TO KEEP
OURSELVES SAFE AND FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY FOR ALL.
IF SEATTLE PASSES THIS
LEGISLATION IT WILL BE HISTORIC
AND IT WILL BE AN INSPIRATION
FOR WHAT MOVEMENT AROUND THE
COUNTRY CAN WIN.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER
THAT THIS WON'T BE ENOUGH.
WE WILL NEED TO GO MUCH FARTHER
WITH ALL THE STEPS THAT I WAS
OUTLINING EARLIER, WHICH I WILL
REITERATE ONCE AGAIN LATER
BEFORE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL.
JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY SAY THAT,
YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF MAKING
SURE THAT THE PUBLIC 1 ON THE
SAME PAGE OF US IN TERMS OF
UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS, AT
SOME POINT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S AMENDMENT WILL BE
CONSIDERED, WHICH ON THE FACE OF
IT, CLAIMS THAT ALL IT'S DOING
IS CLARIFYING WHAT IS CROWD
CONTROL, THAT IT IS SIMPLY
INTENDED TO SAY THE LEGISLATION
DOES NOT APPLY TO NONCROD
CONTROL SITUATIONS.
BUT WHAT IT WILL ACTUALLY DO IS
CREATE GIANT, TRUCK-SIZED
LOOPHOLES THAT WILL ALLOW THE
USE OF THESE TYPE OF WEAPONS IN
VIRTUALLY ANY SITUATION.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT SEATTLE
POLICE WILL ABUSE THOSE
LOOPHOLES.
LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE
MAYOR'S MUCH PUBLICIZED 30-DAY
BAN.
THEY SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE
TRACK RECORD TO LEAD US TO
BELIEVE WE CAN TRUST THEM TO NOT
USE WEAPONS ON PEACEFUL
PROTESTS.
WE HEARD TESTIMONY THAT SAID A
WOMAN TOOK A FLASH BANG GRENADE
IN THE CHEST AND ALMOST DIED,
AND HAD TO BE REVIVED WITH
MULTIPLE CPR ROUTINES.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF
WHY, IN MY VIEW, IT WOULD BE
HORRIFIC TO PASS COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S AMENDMENT.
IT BRINGS UP THE QUESTION OF
WHAT KIND OF SOCIETY WE WANT TO
BE.
IT WILL BE SENDING A MESSAGE TO
úTHE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE WHETHER
THAT AMENDMENT IS PASSED OR NOT
WHICH SIDE THE COUNCIL IS
ACTUALLY ON AND WHETHER THE
COUNCIL IS ACTUALLY DOING
EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO
PREVENT SUCH OCCURRENCES AND TO
PREVENT SUCH VIOLENCE.
I HAVE MORE POINTS ON THE
AMENDMENT THAT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD HAS, WHICH I HOPE THAT
SHE JUST WITHDRAWS.
I HONESTLY AM BEING VERY HONEST.
I HOPE THAT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD HAS TAKEN TO HEART THE
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL PUBLIC
TESTIMONY THAT WE HAVE HEARD AND
THAT SHE PUTS THAT IN FRONT OF
HER AND UNDERSTANDS THAT WE
CANNOT, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT HAVE
POLITICIANS COOPT THE LANGUAGE,
THE VOCABULARY OF MOVEMENT AND
SAY WE'RE GOING TO REIMAGINE THE
POLICE AND WE'RE GOING TO
DISMANTLE THE POLICE AND THEN
REFUSE TO DO THE BARE MINIMUM.
I HOPE COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
WITHDRAWS HER AMENDMENT AND THAT
WE ARE ABLE TO, AS A CITY
COUNCIL, UNANIMOUSLY PASS THIS
LEGISLATION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SORRY FOR MY DELAY.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
CAN YOU SPECIFICALLY JUST BEFORE
WE OPEN IT UP FOR MORE COMMENT
AND CONSIDERATION OF THE
AMENDMENTS, BECAUSE I WANT TO BE
REALLY CLEAR AS TO WHAT LANGUAGE
IN THE AMENDMENTS YOU SEE IS
BEING A LOOPHOLE, IN LARGE PART
BECAUSE YOUR AMENDMENT THREE
INCORPORATES SOME OF THE
LANGUAGE IN COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S AMENDMENTS BUT DOES
NOT INCORPORATE OTHER PARTS.
SO COULD YOU WALK US THROUGH
WHAT PORTIONS OF COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S AMENDMENT ONE AND TWO
YOU FAVOR AND WHAT SPECIFIC
LANGUAGE YOU BELIEVE IS
PROBLEMATIC TO THE UNDERLYING
INTENT OF YOUR COUNCIL BILL.
>> YES.
TO DO IT IN A BRIEF SUMMARY, I
WILL SAY JUST TO KEEP IT SHORT,
I WILL SAY THAT I DON'T
NECESSARILY THINK THE OTHER
AMENDMENTS ARE THAT GREAT, BUT I
DON'T OBJECT TO THEM.
I'M GLAD THAT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD HAS WITHDRAWN HER
INTENTION TO DELAY THE VOTE ON
THE BILL.
SO THAT'S NOT -- NO LONGER A
QUESTION.
WHAT I AM OBJECTING TO AND WHAT
YOU HEARD, WHAT WE ALL HEARD
POWERFUL PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON IS
ON PAGE TWO OF WHAT IS TITLED AS
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO, THAT IS,
SHOWS RESPONSE TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
AND THAT IS SECTION D IN THE
AMENDED VERSION BY COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
THAT SECTION D IS AMENDMENT IS
WHAT I'M OBJECTING TO.
I WANT TO READ THAT OUT AND
EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT.
THAT AMENDMENT SAYS KINETIC
IMPACT, PROJECTILES, ACOUSTIC
WEAPONS, DIRECTED ENERGY
WEAPONS, WATER CANNONS,
DISORIENTATION DEVICES,
ULTRASONIC CANNONS OR ANY OTHER
DEVICE THAT IS DESIGNED TO BE
USED ON MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS FOR
CROWD CONTROL AND IS DESIGNED TO
CAUSE PAIN OR DISCOMFORT IS NOT
A CROWD CONTROL WEAPON WITH THE
PURPOSE OF OWNING, PURCHASING,
RENTING OR STORING UNDER THE
SUBSECTION, IF THE DEVICE IS
USED FOR A PURPOSE OTHER THAN
CROWD DISPERSAL.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS AMENDMENT
IS IT LEAVES UP TO THE POLICE TO
DECIDE WHAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY
DOING AND CLAIM THAT IT WAS NOT
FOR CROWD DISPERSAL OR FOR CROWD
CONTROL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I
MEAN JUST TO EXPLAIN, THIS
AMENDMENT WOULD -- FROM
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD WOULD
CREATE AN EXCEPTION THAT SAYS
ANY OF THESE WEAPONS, THE NUMBER
OF WEAPONS I MENTIONED,
INCLUDING DIRECT ENERGY WEAPONS
AND TEAR GAS AND FLASH BANGS AND
ULTRASONIC CANNONS, WB USED IF,
AND I QUOTE, THE DEVICE IS USED
FOR A PURPOSE OTHER THAN CROWD
DISPERSAL.
UNQUOTE.
THAT MEANS THE BAN WOULD BE
SOMEWHAT MEANINGLESS BY ITSELF
BECAUSE THE POLICE CAN SAY
THEY'RE OWNING THEM TO USE FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
YOU KNOW, IT WOULDN'T STOP THEM
FROM BUYING THEM.
IT WOULD ALSO MEAN THEY COULD BE
USED ANYWHERE AS LONG AS THE
POLICE CLAIM THAT THEY ARE --
THAT THE SPECIFIC USE OF THE
WEAPON WAS NOT FOR CROWD
DISPERSAL.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE POLICE SAY
THAT THERE IS A PERSON IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE PROTEST AND THEY
JUST DON'T LIKE THAT BECAUSE THE
PERSON IS SAYING SOMETHING OR
BECAUSE THEY THREW AN EMPTY
WATER BOTTLE AT THE POLICE, THEN
-- AND IF THE POLICE RESPOND TO
THAT PERSON BY SPRAYING THE
CROWD, SUPPOSEDLY TO STOP THAT
PERSON FROM THROWING A WATER
BOTTLE, THEN SUDDENLY UNDER THIS
AMENDMENT, IF THIS AMENDMENT
PASSES, THEN THIS WOULD BE
ALLOWED BY -- UNDER THIS BILL,
UNDER COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
BILL.
WHICH IS BASICALLY FOR THE
POLICE TO RESPOND TO SOMEBODY
THROWING A WATER BOTTLE BY
SPRAYING THE ENTIRE CROWD,
INCLUDING CHILDREN, WITH MACE OR
PEPPER SPRAY OR TEAR GAS.
AND I USE THIS EXAMPLE BECAUSE
THIS IS NOT A HYPOTHETICAL
SITUATION.
THIS IS WHAT WE SAW AGAIN AND
AGAIN ON THE STREETS OF SEATTLE
WITH POLICE OFFICERS USING THE
FICTION THAT THEY WERE SOMEHOW
IN DANGER.
AND I'VE SEEN CHIEF BEST MAKING
THE SAME ARGUMENTS THAT
SOMETIMES THE POLICE WERE HURT.
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THE POLICE
WERE HURT WITH WATER BOTTLES?
LET ME BE CLEAR, LET'S CONTRAST
THE WATER BOTTLE WITH THE POLICE
WHO HAVE BEEN -- THEY DON'T COME
JUST BY THEMSELVES AS POLICE
OFFICERS.
THEY COME AS RIOT POLICE.
THEY COME THERE TO START A RIOT,
WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE ARMED
TO THE TEETH WITH RIOT GEAR
PROTECTED WITH HELMETS, FACE
SHIELDS, BODY SHIELDS, SHOULDER,
ARM, CUFF AND SHIN PADS, BATONS.
I MEAN, IT'S ABSOLUTE
GASLIGHTING FOR THE POLICE TO
EVEN REMOTELY CLAIM WE NEED TO
ALLOW THEM ANY LEEWAY TO USE
THESE WEAPONS.
ON SUNDAY, WHEN THE SPD, YOU
KNOW, SUNDAY A WEEK AND A HALF
AGO, AND THE SPD USED FLASH
BANG, TEAR GAS, PEPPER SPRAY ON
MYSELF AND OTHER PROTESTERS.
AT THAT POINT THEY CLAIMED IT
WAS TO GET PEOPLE TO BACK UP,
NOT TO DISPERSE.
AND WE WERE DOING NOTHING.
WE WERE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING.
THOSE ARE OUR STREETS.
WE WERE DEMANDING THE RIGHT TO
WALK ON THOSE STREETS.
THAT'S ALL WE DID IS WALK
FORWARD.
SO ANY TIME WE MAKE A
RESTRICTION ON POLICE BRUTALITY
DEPENDING ON THE PURPOSE OR THE
INTENT OF THE OFFICERS, THAT
CREATES A LOOPHOLE THAT CAN THEN
ENCOMPASS THE WHOLE WORD BECAUSE
YOU CAN NEVER PROVE INTENT.
THAT'S THE POINT BEHIND THE
WHOLE CAMPAIGN OF NOT THIS TIME
IS TO GO AFTER THIS WHOLE
INSIDIOUS IDEA THAT UNLESS YOU
CAN PROVE THE POLICE HAD
MALICIOUS INTENT YOU CAN'T HOLD
THEM RESPONSIBLE.
THIS SITUATION IS NOT THE SAME,
BUT IT'S ANALOGOUS TO THAT
SITUATION WHERE IT COMES DOWN TO
THE POLICE CLAIMING THAT IT WAS
NOT FOR CROWD DISPERSAL.
SO I WOULD REALLY URGE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO REJECT THIS
LOOPHOLE.
I MEAN, THIS WHOLE PROTEST
MOVEMENT, THIS WHOLE UPRISING IS
AGAINST POLICE VIOLENCE AND
BRUTALITY.
YOU CANNOT HAVE POLITICIANS
SAYING BLACK LIVES MATTER AND
YOU STAND WITH THE MOVEMENT AND
THEN TURN AROUND AND PASS
LOOPHOLES THAT HAND THE POWER
BACK TO THE POLICE.
I SECOND THE PERSON WHO SAID IN
PUBLIC COMMENT OF THE FACT THAT
THEY'RE HAVING TO DISCUSS THIS
IS REPULSIVE.
I WILL SAY THIS, IF THIS
AMENDMENT PASSES, IT WILL BE A
CONTINUATION OF THE PAST
PRO-POLICE POLICIES OF THE
DEMOCRATIC POLITICIANS ON THE
CITY COUNCIL.
AND IT WILL BE NOTHING LESS --
AND I DON'T SAY THIS LIGHTLY, IT
WILL BE NOTHING LESS THAN A
RACIST AMENDMENT.
AND IT WOULD BE A BETRAYAL OF
THE MOVEMENT AND OF THE BLACK
COMMUNITY.
THIS IS NOT A SMALL THING.
I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS
AMENDMENT DOES NOT PASS AND
BETTER YET, I WOULD URGE
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD TO
WITHDRAW THIS AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
SO WHAT I HEARD FROM YOU IN
PARTICULAR THAT IN TERMS OF THE
FULL BREADTH OF AMENDMENT TWO,
YOU READ DIRECTLY FROM AMENDMENT
TWO THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU THINK
CREATES THE LOOPHOLE IN THE WAY
THAT YOU HAVE DESCRIBED IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS ALLOWED TO
CONTINUE TO PURCHASE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS THAT ARE USED FOR CROWD
DISPERSAL CURRENTLY ALLOWED TO
BE USED FOR CROWD DISPERSAL, BUT
PROHIBITED FROM BEING USED IN
CROWD DISPERSAL IN THE FUTURE,
SORT OF ALLOWING THEM TO
CONTINUE TO HAVE POSSESSION OF
THESE TYPES OF WEAPONS
UNDERMINES THE BROADER GOAL OF
BEING ABLE TO CONTROL HOW THEY
USE IT.
AND SORT OF YOUR ARGUMENT, I'M
HEARING, IS, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD
HAVE A POLICY POSITION OF NOT
ALLOWING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO OWN THESE CHEMICAL WEAPONS
FOR ANY PURPOSE, BUT IN
PARTICULAR FOR CROWD DISPERSAL
USE.
AND IT'S TOO HARD FOR US TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTROL THE
LEGITIMACY OF THE POSITION THAT
MIGHT BE TAKEN BY THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT THAT THEY WERE USING
IT FOR, QUOTE, CROWD DISPERSAL,
CLOSE QUOTE.
I REALLY WANT TO SORT OF ZERO IN
ON THE PART OF THE AMENDMENT TWO
THAT YOU FIND MOST PROBLEMATIC.
AND I'M HEARING THAT THAT IS THE
LANGUAGE AND THOSE ARE THE, IN
GENERAL, A SUMMARY OF THE
REASONS WHY YOU THINK IT IS
PROBLEMATIC.
>> GENERALLY, I AGREE.
BUT I WOULD, OF COURSE, PUT IT
IN VERY STRONG TERMS AS I DID
BEFORE.
BUT ALSO JUST TO CLARIFY.
ABSOLUTELY, IT IS ABOUT NOT
ALLOWING THE POLICE TO HAVE
POSSESSION OF THESE WEAPONS, BUT
THAT IS RELATED TO THE FACT THAT
WE CANNOT TRUST THEM.
AND IF ANYTHING'S BEEN
ESTABLISHED ABOUT THE POLICE
WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, IT'S THAT
THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED BECAUSE
THEY HAVE BROKEN THAT TRUST
EVERY SINGLE TIME.
AS I SAID, A CONCRETE EXAMPLE I
USED WAS SOMETHING I PERSONALLY
EXPERIENCED AND WITNESSED WHERE
THE POLICE DID SAY, THIS IS NOT
FOR CROWD DISPERSAL.
THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW THEY
WERE DISPERSING THE CROWD WITH
TEAR GAS.
THEY SAID IT WAS NOT FOR CROWD
DISPERSAL, ONLY BECAUSE WE WERE
MOVING FORWARD.
THAT'S MY POINT.
IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED.
WE HAVE EXAMPLES THAT SHOW IF WE
PASS THIS LOOPHOLE, WHAT
HAPPENED ON SUNDAY NIGHT, WHAT
HAPPENED ON THE NIGHT BEFORE
WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN EVEN
UNDER THAT LAW.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO REJECT THE
AMENDMENT.
>> GOT IT.
OKAY.
THAT'S VERY HELPFUL I THINK TO
ME AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO
HEAR A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY ABOUT
WHERE THE DIFFERENCE LIES
BETWEEN AMENDMENT THREE AND SOME
OF THE LANGUAGE OF THIS
AMENDMENT THAT YOU INCLUDED
THERE BUT NOT THIS PARTICULAR
LANGUAGE.
I DO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND
PROVIDE COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS BOTH THAT
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN AMENDMENT
TWO THAT SHE HAS PUT FORTH IN
FRONT OF THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS
HAVING HER DESCRIBE OTHER PARTS
OF AMENDMENT TWO.
AND THEN ALSO AMENDMENT ONE.
SO WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND
SHIFT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD TO RESPOND TO YOUR
CONCERNS RELATED TO AMENDMENT
TWO TO DESCRIBPECTS OF
AMENDMENT TWO AND ALSO WALK US
THROUGH AMENDMENT ONE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO AMENDMENT ONE DOES SEVERAL
THINGS.
IT AMENDS THE RECITAL CLAUSE AS
IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE
ACTIONS OF SPD OVER THE LAST FEW
WEEKS AROUND ESCALATION OF CROWD
VIOLENCE.
IT ADDS A NEW RECITAL REFLECTING
THE FINDINGS FROM THE JUNE 12,
2020 OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL COURT LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS IN PROTEST.
IT MAKES SOME CHANGES TO SECTION
ONE.
ONE IS TO EXEMPT FROM THE
PROHIBITION OF CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONS ANY DEVICE THAT MEETS
THE DEFINITION OF THE CROWD
CONTROL WEAPON BUT IS NOT USED
FOR CROWD DISPERSAL PURPOSES.
AND ALSO IN SECTION ONE THERE
ARE SOME OTHER TECHNICAL AND
LEGAL CHANGES.
IT REQUESTS THAT THE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES PROVIDE
BY AUGUST 15, 2020 A
RECOMMENDATION ON THE USE OF
CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS FOR CROWD
DISPERSAL TO INCLUDE SUGGESTED
POLICY REVISIONS TO THE SPD
MANUAL, IDENTIFICATION OF A
CROWD DISPERSAL AUGHT SAIX
PROCESS THAT REQUIRES THE
EXECUTIVE APPROVAL AND REQUIRES
BEST PRACTICES IN POLICING TO
NOT HARM PROTESTERS.
IT IS, OF COURSE, THE STATUTORY
OF THE OPA, CPC AND OIG TO DO
THIS IN THE 2017 ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE THAT COUNCIL APPROVED.
AND REALLY WANT TO LIFT UP THEIR
AUTHORITY TO CONSULT WITH THE
COUNCIL IN THESE AREAS.
THIS IN NO WAY, THIS REQUEST FOR
A REPORT BACK IN NO WAY, AS WE
HAVE HEARD FROM SOME FOLKS IN
PUBLIC TESTIMONY, I'M NOT SURE
WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE
INFORMATION, BUT MAYBE IT'S JUST
BECAUSE IT'S THE SHORT
TURNAROUND, THIS REQUEST OF THE
OPA, OIG AND CPC TO REPORT BACK
TO COUNCIL DOES NOT IN ANY WAY
DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS
LEGISLATION.
THE BILL -- THE AMENDMENT, LIKE
THE BILL BEFORE IT, REQUESTS
THAT THERE BE NOTICE OF THE
PROHIBITION AGAINST CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE COURT
AND THE MONITOR IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE CONSENT DECREE.
USE OF FORCE IS AT THE HEART OF
THE CONCEPT DECREE AND CHANGES
TO CITY POLICIES MUST BE
SUBMITTED TO THE COURT.
AND THE AMENDMENT INDICATES THAT
THE COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THE ROLE
OF THE COURT THERE.
AND THEN ALSO, SIMILARLY TO WHAT
WE JUST DID IN THE EARLIER BILL,
THE AMENDMENT EXPRESSES THE
COUNCIL'S INTENT TO SUPPORT
LABOR RELATIONS IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
PROHIBITION AGAINST CROWD
CONTROL WEAPON USE.
AND THEN FINALLY IT ADDS AS AN
ATTACHMENT THE LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS IN PROTEST REPORT FROM
THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
JOINTLY ISSUED WITH THE OPA ON
JUNE 12, 2020.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO
OFFER OR INVITE, I SHOULD SAY,
AMENDMENT TO MY AMENDMENT ONE AS
IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE
SECTION WHERE WE EXEMPT THE
PROHIBITION OF CROWD CONTROL
WEAPONS WHEN A DEVICE THAT MEETS
THAT DEFINITION IS NOT USED FOR
CROWD DISPERSAL PURPOSES.
THIS HAS BECOME, I THINK, A
DISTRACTION AROUND THE INTENT OF
THE AMENDMENT, AND YOU KNOW,
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE OFFERING
THIS WAS JUST MERELY CONSISTENT
WITH THE TITLE OF THE BILL
ITSELF WHICH TALKS ABOUT CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS AND RECOGNIZES
THAT THERE ARE SOME
CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS THINGS TO DO
BESIDES CROWD DISPERSAL WHERE A
LESS LETHAL TOOL LIKE THESE
MIGHT BE USEFUL.
AGAIN, I INVITE ANY
COUNCILMEMBER TO AMEND COUNCIL
-- I'M SORRY, AMENDMENT ONE TO
REMOVE THE NEW LANGUAGE UNDER
SECTION D, WHICH SAYS KINETIC
IMPACT PROJECTILES, CHEMICAL
IRRITANTS, ACOUSTIC WEAPONS,
DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS, WATER
CANNONS, DISORIENTATION DEVICES,
ULTRASONIC CANNONS OR ANY OTHER
DEVICE THAT IS DESIGNED TO BE
USED ON MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS FOR
CROWD CONTROL AND IS DESIGNED TO
CAUSE PAIN OR DISCOMFORT IS NOT
A CROWD CONTROL WEAPON FOR THE
PURPOSE OF OWNING, PURCHASING,
RENTING OR STORING UNDER
SUBSECTION 3.28.146A, IF THE
DEVICE IS USED FOR A PURPOSE
OTHER THAN CROWD DISPERSAL.
SO AGAIN, AN AMENDMENT TO THAT
WOULD REMOVE THAT LANGUAGE AS I
JUST READ AND REINSERT THE OLD
SECTION D LANGUAGE.
>> MADAME PRESIDENT, MAY I MAKE
SUCH MOTION AS COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ TO STRIKE THE FORESAID
LANGUAGE OF COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD REGARDING AMENDMENT TWO
THAT IT BE STRICKEN?
>> OKAY.
SO LET ME CONFER -- LET ME
CONFER WITH OUR CLERK, AMELIA
SANCHEZ, WHO IS ON THE LINE.
THERE HAS BEEN EXPRESSED
INTEREST FROM COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ TO STRIKE SUBSECTION D
FROM AMENDMEN, WHICH IS THE
HERBOLD AMENDMENT.
CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE THE
COUNCIL ON THE PROCEDURAL RULES
RELATED TO SUCH AN AMENDMENT?
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, THIS IS
AMELIA SANCHEZ.
AT THIS POINT, THIS MOTION HAS
NOT BEEN MADE OR IT'S ALSO NOT
BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
THIS IS JUST FOR DISCUSSION.
SO THEREFORE, IT'S THE SPONSOR
THAT CAN MODIFY THE AMENDMENT.
SO THEREFORE, YOU HAVE A COUPLE
OPTIONS.
ONE, WHEN THE MOTION IS MADE, WE
CAN CONSIDER A MODIFIED
AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD BE WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF THAT SECTION --
SUBSECTION D, IF THAT IS THE
ONLY AMENDMENT THAT IS BEING
PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED AT THIS
POINT.
>> SO COUNCIL PRESIDENT, FOR
CLARIFICATION TO MADAME CLERK,
DO I WITHDRAW MY MOTION TO
STRIKE AND ALLOW COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD TO REINTRODUCE HER
AMENDED AMENDMENT?
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, AT THIS
POINT, YOU ARE WELCOME TO
WITHDRAW YOUR AMENDMENT.
AT THIS POINT IT HAS NOT BEEN
SECONDED.
AND AT THAT POINT, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD CAN REMOVE HER MODIFIED
AMENDMENT WITHOUT THAT SECTION
D.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
>> SO AMELIA, IF I UNDERSTAND
YOU CORRECTLY, ARE YOU SAYING
THAT THE ONLY MEMBER THAT IS
ALLOWED TO MAKE A MOTION TO
STRIKE SUBSECTION D IS THE PRIME
SPONSOR, WHICH IN THIS CASE
WOULD BE COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THIS
AMENDMENT IS STILL NOT BEFORE
THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT HAS NOT BEEN MOVED NOR HAS IT
BEEN SECONDED.
>> GOT IT.
OKAY.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION AND
HOPEFULLY THAT MIGHT ALSO HELP?
>> SURE, COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
I WILL TAKE ALL THE HELP I CAN
GET.
>> AND IF IT DOESN'T HELP, MY
APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE.
BUT IS MY UNDERSTANDING CORRECT,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, THAT YOU
ARE ESSENTIALLY WITHDRAWING THAT
SUBSECTION D THAT I WAS
OBJECTING TO, IN WHICH CASE, WE
COULD TAKE AMENDMENT THREE,
WHICH TAKES UP -- INCORPORATES
ALL OF COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
AMENDMENTS EXCEPT THAT ONE AND
ALL MY TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS,
WHICH WERE ON THE ADVICE OF THE
CITY ATTORNEY, SO IS THAT
ESSENTIALLY GOING TO BE
AGREEABLE FOR EVERYONE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR AMENDMENT
THREE DOES NOT INCLUDE THE
LANGUAGE LIFTING UP THE ROLE OF
THE OPA, OIG AND CPC, SO I WOULD
PREFER TO MOVE FORWARD AS
PROPOSED WHERE WE MOVE ON
AMENDMENT ONE AS I PROPOSE TO
MODIFY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
I -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I
HAVE A FEELING THAT WOULD BE A
LONGER PROCESS.
WOULDN'T IT BE SHORTER IF WE
TAKE AMENDMENT THREE, PUT THAT
ON THE TABLE AND THEN HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD MOVE AN
AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE THAT
LANGUAGE WHICH I'M NOT OPPOSED
TO AND THEN HAVE A VOTE ON THAT?
>> I THINK THE PROCESS IS GOING
TO BE ABOUT EQUAL LENGTH BECAUSE
BOTH REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO AN
AMENDMENT.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT ONE IS
MORE EXPEDITIOUS THAN THE OTHER,
BUT NICE TRY.
I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT.
>> I WASN'T TRYING TO BE CLEVER,
I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE MORE
DURATIONS TO THE OTHER WAY
BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY TECHNICAL
AMENDMENTS ARE NOT INCORPORATED
IN YOURS, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
AM I RIGHT?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE
ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS
BEYOND THE TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS
THAT I HAVE IN MINE AND THAT YOU
HAVE INCLUDED YOURS.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU
HAVE INCORPORATED THE TECHNICAL
AMENDMENTS THAT I PROPOSED IN MY
ORIGINAL AMENDMENT ONE IN YOURS.
>> YES.
I JUST CLARIFIED WITH MY STAFF
THAT THE TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS
SUGGESTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE ARE IN THAT LATEST
VERSION FROM YOU, WHICH THEY
ARE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TAKE AMENDMENT ONE FIRST.
I THINK WE HAVE A LANDSCAPE OF
WHAT THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS ARE.
I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND
THE DEBATE HERE AND APPRECIATE
THAT YOU ALL WERE FLEXIBLE
ENOUGH TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THREE
AMENDMENTS AS THREE POTENTIAL
ROUNDS HERE BEFORE WE MADE A
FORMAL MOTION.
AND COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I DO
APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
INVITE STRIKING SUBSECTION D
FROM AMENDMENT ONE.
I THINK THAT THE ULTIMATE GOAL
HERE IS TO PREVENT THE
ACQUISITION AND THE POSSESSION
OF THESE CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
AND I THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE
THE COURT WEIGH IN ON THE
APPROPRIATENESS OF THE POLICY
CHOICE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS
MADE.
I CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
THIS BILL AND ITS UNDERLYING
INTENT AS INTRODUCED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU DO AS
WELL.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, I THINK WE
WILL -- WE WILL BE BETTER SERVED
AS A CITY WITHOUT THE LANGUAGE
IN SUBSECTION D AND REALLY DO
SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR
WILLINGNESS AND YOUR FLEXIBILITY
IN CONSIDERING MAKING AN
AMENDMENT TO YOUR OWN AMENDMENT
TO STRIKE THAT LANGUAGE SO THAT
WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON THIS
REALLY IMPORTANT POLICY, AND SO
THAT WE CAN FOLLOW THROUGH ON
THE CITY'S OBLIGATION TO SUBMIT
THIS COUNCIL BILL TO THE COURT
FOR REVIEW BY BOTH JUDGE ROBART,
THE FEDERAL MONITOR, AND THE
DOJ.
SO I THINK THE SOONER WE GET
THAT CLOCK STARTED AND GET THAT
REVIEW GOING, THE BETTER SERVED
WE WILL ALL BE, AND HOPEFULLY
THEY WILL AGREE WITH OUR STRONG
AND CLEAR POLICY POSITION THAT
WE JUST DON'T BELIEVE THESE
WEAPONS HAVE A PLACE IN OUR
DEPARTMENT.
SO COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I'M
GOING TO HAND IT BACK OVER TO
YOU TO WALK US THROUGH AMENDMENT
ONE.
>> THANK YOU.
SO I -- I'M HAPPY TO WALK US
THROUGH IT AGAIN, BUT I -- IN
THE SHORT TERM, I'D JUST LIKE TO
MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL
119805 AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT
ONE ON THE AGENDA EXCEPTING THE
LANGUAGE IN AMENDMENT ONE
RELATED TO NEW SECTION D AND
RESTORING THE OLD SECTION D AS
IN THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
>> OKAY.
AMELIA, BEFORE I INVITE A
SECOND, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT MOTION WAS PROPERLY RAISED.
>> I UNDERSTOOD IT IT WOULD BE
TO REINSTATE THE STRICKEN
SUBSECTION D LANGUAGE AND TO
COMPLETELY REMOVE THE
SUBSECTION D LANGUAGE AS
PROPOSED BY COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
>> SO AS REFLECTED IN AMENDMENT
TWO.
OKAY.
SO IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO AMEND AMENDMENT ONE
AS DESCRIBED BY COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
OKAY.
HEARING NONE, WOULD THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
AMENDMENT TO AMENDMENT ONE?
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO THAT AMENDMENT PASSES AND THE
BILL IS AMENDED AS DESCRIBED IN
AMENDMENT ONE.
SO WE NOW HAVE A SECOND
AMENDMENT TO CONSIDER, AND I
WILL HAND IT BACK OVER TO, LET'S
SEE -- AMENDMENT TWO,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, IS THAT
YOUR AMENDMENT?
NO.
OKAY.
SO AMENDMENT TWO IS
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
AMENDMENT?
>> I BELIEVE AFTER THE STEPS
WE'VE JUST TAKEN, AMENDMENT TWO
AND THREE ARE NOT NECESSARY TO
GO THROUGH.
>> OKAY.
GREAT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DO YOU
HAVE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS TO PUT
FORWARD?
EXCELLENT.
WE HAVE RESOLVED A LOT OF ISSUES
IN JUST A, I THINK, BEING ABLE
TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION THAT WE
DID WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, COLLEAGUES,
FOR THAT.
THAT EXHAUSTS OUR AMENDMENTS ON
THIS PARTICULAR BILL.
SO WE NOW HAVE AN AMENDED BILL
BEFORE US.
AND LET'S SEE HERE, LET ME GET
BACK IN LINE ON MY AGENDA HERE.
AND THEN MADAME CLERK, IS THERE
ANY FORMAL LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS
TO BE DONE BESIDES COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S LANGUAGE AROUND
WITHDRAWING AMENDMENT TWO AND
THREE?
>> I AM DOUBLE CHECKING REALLY
QUICKLY THE AMENDMENT WE JUST
PASSED.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE ACTUAL
SUBSECTIONS ARE NUMBERED
CORRECTLY.
SO WE ARE GOOD TO GO IF YOU WANT
TO CONSIDER THE BILL AS AMENDED.
>> EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MUSIC TO MY EARS.
SO COLLEAGUES, WE NOW HAVE AN
AMENDED BILL BEFORE US.
NOW IS THE TIME WHERE WE CAN
TAKE FURTHER COMMENT ON THE
UNDERLYING BILL AS AMENDED.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, YOU WILL
HAVE THE LAST WORD AS THE PRIME
SPONSOR OF THE BILL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO
ADDRESS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
BILL AS AMENDED BEFORE US?
COUNCILMEMBER PAIDER SEVEN,
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANTED TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT FOR INTRODUCING THIS
BILL.
I WAS AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF IT.
AND ALSO WANTED TO THANK OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR, LISA
HERBOLD, FOR THINKING IT THROUGH
FROM ADDITIONAL LENSES SO WE
COULD HAVE THESE ADDITIONAL
AMENDMENTS.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND THE CITY CLERK FOR GUIDING
US THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS.
I APPRECIATE, I HOPE THE PUBLIC
CAN SEE WE'RE TRYING TO BE
UNIFIED AND WORK TOGETHER ON
THESE SERIOUS ISSUES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
ANOTHER OTHER COMMENTS ON THE
BILL?
OKAY.
I ALSO WANT TO SIGNAL MY THANKS
TO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WHO
QUICKLY INTRODUCED THIS BILL AS
WELL AS THE PREVIOUS BILL THAT
WE JUST LOOKED AT AROUND
CHOKEHOLDS.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER IS A WANT,
FOR INTRODUCING THIS BILL.
MANY OF US HAVE MADE PUBLIC
STATEMENTS BEFORE THE
INTRODUCTION OF THIS BILL ABOUT
THE NEED TO BAN THE USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS THAT WERE
INTENDED FOR FOREIGN WARS AND TO
ADDRESS TERRORISM IN THE
AFTERMATH OF 9/11.
THE FACT THAT THOSE TYPES OF
WEAPONS WERE BEING USED
DOMESTICALLY ON OUR OWN
RESIDENTS IS JUST ABHORRENT.
AND SO I WAS AN EARLY SUPPORTER
OF TRYING TO USE THE LEVERS THAT
WERE AVAILABLE TO ME AS A
COUNCILMEMBER IN THE BACKGROUND
TO USE THE POWER OF PERSUASION
TO STOP THE USE OF THOSE WEAPONS
AND THOSE TACTICS ON OUR PEOPLE
WHO WERE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE CALLS
FOR ACTION AND FOR A PIVOT WERE
NOT ANSWERED.
AND WHEN WE HAD A MOMENT, A
SMALL, BRIEF MOMENT, OF THINKING
IT WAS GOING TO BE ANSWERED,
THAT THE CALL WAS ANSWERED TO
STOP USING THOSE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS, WE SAW THAT WITHIN
APPROXIMATELY 24 HOURS, THAT IT
SEEMED TEAR GAS WAS BEING USED
ONCE AGAIN ON PEACEFUL
PROTESTERS AND WITHIN ONE OF THE
DENSEST NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST
IN THE CITY, BUT THE DENSEST
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE STATE WHERE
WE KEPT HEARING REPORTS FROM
FAMILIES AND FROM OTHER
RESIDENTS WHO WEREN'T EVEN
PROTESTING WHO WERE JUST
EXISTING ON CAPITOL HILL WHO
WERE SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THIS NONDISCRIMINATE USE OF
TEAR GAS.
SO I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SUBMITTING IT
TO THE COURT FOR FURTHER REVIEW,
AGAIN, FOLLOWING ON OUR MODEL WE
USED IN 2017 WHEN WE CONSIDERED
THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE AND SUBMITTED IT TO A
COURT FOR REVIEW.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO DO THAT AND KNOW
THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WILL PURSUE THAT PATH AND
HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET
AFFIRMATION FROM THE COURT AS IT
RELATES TO THE POLICY CHOICE
THAT WE'VE MADE HERE TODAY.
AND AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE THE
COMMITMENT TO BRINGING THIS
FORWARD TO DOING IT QUICKLY
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A SENSE OF
URGENCY AROUND MAKING SURE THAT
THIS IS ADDRESSES QUICKLY.
OF COURSE, WE STILL HAVE THE
ISSUE OF ALL OF THE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OWNED
BY SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
THAT ARE IN THE INVENTORY.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE BILL DOES
NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE THEM TO
DISPOSE OF THOSE -- THAT
EXISTING INVENTORY.
SO WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE DEAL
WITH THE DISPOSAL OF THOSE ITEMS
WITHOUT THE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCE OF HAVING TO SEND
THOSE WEAPONS TO OTHER CITIES
WHERE THEY WILL BE USED IN WAYS
THAT WILL HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT
AND HARM THERE AS WELL.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING
THAT CONVERSATION.
I DID SEE COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
AS I WAS TALKING RAISE HER HAND.
SHE'S FEELING INSPIRED NOW, SO
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
HAND IT TO COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
IF ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
COMMENTS TO MAKE, PLEASE DO
RAISE YOUR HAND OR SHOOT ME A
QUICK TEXT MESSAGE TO LET ME
KNOW YOU HAVE COMMENTS TO MAKE.
AGAIN, COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WILL
HAVE THE LAST WORD ON THIS BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT FOR
INTRODOUSING THIS BILL, AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU DID
INSPIRE ME TO CHIME IN ON A FEW
MORE PIECES.
WE TALKED A LOT THIS MORNING AND
OVER THE PAST WEEK AND A HALF
ABOUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF HOW
I THINK THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION WILL IMMEDIATELY
HELP PROTECT THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY AND SAVE LIVES OF
RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THIS IS NOT JUST COMING OUT OF A
DESIRE TO DE-ESCALATE THE
STRATEGIES POLICE ARE USING.
THIS IS COMING FROM A DIRECT
RESULT IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF
PEOPLE CALLING US, EMAILING US,
GRABBING US WHILE NEAR THE
STREET TO TELL US WHAT THEY'VE
SEEN.
FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE
LIST OF CLAIMS THAT WE'VE HEARD
ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED
HAVING A THUMB AMPUTATED BECAUSE
OF A FLASH BANG DEVICE, A
PROTESTER WHO IS NOW PARTIALLY
BLIND DUE TO RUBBER BULLETS
BEING USED.
WE'VE HEARD STORIES OF A WOMAN
WHO HAD TO BE RESUSCITATED AFTER
GETTING HIT IN THE CHEST WITH A
FLASH BANG DEVICE.
WE KNOW THE STORY REPEATEDLY OF
A YOUNG BOY, 7 YEARS OLD,
GETTING SPRAYED IN THE FACE WITH
PEPPER SPRAY AND THIS IS IN
ADDITION TO ALL OF THE OTHER
STORIES THAT WE'RE HEARING JUST
ABOUT EXCESSIVE FORCE.
OFFICERS KNEELING ON THE NECK OF
TWO DETAINEES IN OUR AREA,
OFFICERS PUNCHING A YOUTH ON THE
GROUND THE FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE
THE MAIN SATURDAY NIGHT PROTEST.
AN OFFICER PUNCHING A PERSON ON
SATURDAY NIGHT.
FAILURE TO SECURE THE RIFLES IN
THEIR CARS.
THESE ARE THE TYPE OF COMPLAINTS
THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM ACROSS
THE CITY.
SO AT LEAST TAKING AWAY THESE
WEAPONS OF WAR AND TO THE GOOD
POINTS THAT WERE MADE EARLIER
TODAY, THE WEAPONS THAT HAVE
BEEN DEEMED ILLEGAL IN ACTUAL
COURSE OF WAR, GETTING THOSE OFF
OF OUR STREETS AND HAVING THOSE
NOT USED AGAINST OUR RESIDENTS
IS CRITICAL.
I THANK YOU FOR PUTTING FORWARD
THIS BILL, AND I JUST THINK IT
SHOWS A STRONG SHOW OF
SOLIDARITY ACROSS THIS ENTIRE
COUNCIL THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON
WAS WANTING TO ACT QUICKLY LAST
WEEK AND TODAY TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH THIS LEGISLATION.
IT WAS PROBABLY PAST DUE BEFORE
THIS WEEK AND I APPRECIATE THE
URGENCY IN WHICH IT'S BEEN
BROUGHT FORWARD TO RESPOND TO
THE CALLS FOR ACTION FROM THE
COMMUNITY.
THANKS, ALL.
>> OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, PLEASE.
>> I JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE HOW
MUCH I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT
ALL COUNCILMEMBERS VOTED FOR MY
AMENDMENT ONE, PARTICULARLY AS
IT RELATED TO LIFTING UP THE
ROLE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS.
AGAIN, IN 2017, UNDER COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ'S LEADERSHIP,
WE VOTED FOR OUR ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE WHICH GIVES THE OPA,
OIG AND CPC A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT ROLE IN CONSULTING
WITH THE COUNCIL AS IT RELATES
SPECIFICALLY TO POLICIES LIKE
THE ONE WE ARE ABOUT TO VOTE ON.
AND THE AMENDMENT THAT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WAS
PROPOSING, HER VERSION OF
AMENDMENT THREE, DID NOT INCLUDE
THAT LANGUAGE.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A COUNCIL
NOT DO ANYTHING TO UNDERMINE THE
ROLE OF THOSE BODIES AS WE
CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS AROUND USE OF
FORCE AND CHANGES TO POLICE
PRACTICES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD FOR THOSE REMARKS.
I ALSO AGREE THAT WE CAN TAKE A
STRONG POSITION ON THIS
PARTICULAR POLICY ISSUE WHILE
ALSO CONTINUING TO LIFT UP THE
ROLE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
ROLE, OF THE OPA, OIG AND CPC IN
SORT OF -- AS WE CONTINUE TO
MOVE FORWARD, I THINK IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE NOT, TO MY KNOWLEDGE,
RECEIVED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
ABOUT NEEDING TO COMPLETELY REDO
OUR THREE-LEGGED STOOL AROUND
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
AND I THINK THEY HAVE STILL, AT
LEAST AS FAR AS I KNOW, STILL
SUPPORT THE MODEL THAT WAS
ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IN 2017
THROUGH OUR POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE.
AND I INTEND TO CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THAT MODEL UNTIL WE
RECEIVE DIFFERENT
RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR POINTING
THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE OUT.
AND I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE
FOUND A NICE BALANCE NOW WHERE
WE HAVE -- ARE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO ACHIEVE THE UNDERLYING GOALS
THAT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
ORIGINALLY HAD WHILE ALSO STILL
CREATING A CLEAR PATHWAY AND
SIGNAL FOR THE THREE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORGANIZATIONS TO
STILL CLEARLY, THROUGH DIRECTIVE
OF THE ORDINANCE, HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO FORMULATE
RECOMMENDATIONS WITHOUT DELAYING
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
UNDERLYING GOALS OF THE COUNCIL,
COUNCIL BILL.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, ARE
THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOU HAVE
COMMENTS, PLEASE.
>> I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT.
I KNOW I'VE SAID WEAPONS OF WAR
HAVE NO PLACE ON OUR STREETS IN
SEATTLE AND USED AGAINST THE
RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I REALIZE I'VE SAID THAT SO MANY
TIMES I DO NEED TO LET THE
RECORD REFLECT HERE IN THIS
MOMENT AS WELL.
HEARING FROM THE VETERAN FROM
NORTH SEATTLE DURING PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY WAS VERY IMPORTANT
TO ME TO HEAR ABOUT HOW WEAPONS
OF WAR USED ON OUR -- THAT ARE
NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO BE USED ON
OUR ENEMIES ON FOREIGN SOIL HAVE
BEEN USED ON RESIDENTS HERE IN
SEATTLE.
THE RESIDENTS IN SEATTLE ARE NOT
OUR ENEMY.
THEY'RE THE ONES WE'RE HERE,
DUTY BOUND, TO PROTECT.
AS WELL AS YOUR WORDS, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, ABOUT USING THESE
WEAPONS IN THE DENSEST
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE ENTIRE
STATE.
THANK YOU TO THE SPONSOR FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AD THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR
DILIGENT WORK.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL 39.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
I THINK WE HAVE EXHAUSTED FOLKS
WHO WANT TO MAKE COMMENTS.
LOOKS LIKE WE ARE READY.
SO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, YOU
WANT TO TAKE US HOME ON THIS
BILL UNLESS COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, I SEE THAT YOU JUST LIT
UP.
DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS YOU WANT TO
MAKE?
>> I WAS GOING TO DO MY FAMOUS
LINE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
BUT GO AHEAD.
>> NOW YOU SAID IT.
YOU ARE ON RECORD.
OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, YOU GET
THE LAST WORD ON THIS BILL.
TAKE US HOME SO WE CAN TAKE A
VOTE ON THIS AND GET THE LAW ON
THE BOOKS.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I REALLY MUST CONGRATULATE
EVERYBODY WHO HAS FOUGHT FOR
THIS.
THESE ARE MAJOR VICTORIES,
UNDOUBTEDLY, AS MANY HAVE SAID,
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN
TERMS OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
LET ALONE REALLY ELIMINATING
POLICE VIOLENCE AND BRUTALITY
AND ADDRESSING THE LONGSTANDING
RACISM AND OPPRESSION IN OUR
SOCIETY.
BUT STILL, THESE ARE MAJOR
VICTORIES.
THEY'RE HISTORIC AND THE
MOVEMENT MUST CELEBRATE ITS
VICTORYINGS, BOTH THIS BILL
THAT'S ABOUT TO BE VOTED ON AND
THE BILL THAT WE JUST PASSED ON
BANNING CHOKEHOLDS.
I THANK ALL COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M ASSUMING THIS IS GOING TO BE
UNANIMOUS FROM ALL THE COMMENTS
THAT WE'VE HEARD, AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THIS, ON
BOTH THESE IMPORTANT BILLS.
I CONGRATULATE EVERYONE WHO
SPOKE IN PUBLIC COMMENT AND WHO
HAVE BEEN SPEAKING UP IN THE
LAST TWO DAYS BECAUSE IT WAS
THROUGH YOUR INTERVENTION,
THROUGH YOUR GETTING ORGANIZED
THAT THIS BILL THAT'S GOING TO
BE PASSED IS NOW GOING TO BE A
STRONG BILL WITH NO LOOPHOLES.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, AND AS WE HAVE
SAID LOTS OF TIMES BEFORE,
PASSING LEGISLATION IS NOT GOING
TO BE ENOUGH, BUT YET, IT IS
CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE
MOVEMENT TO HOLD ITS ELECTED
OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE
SURE THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE
LEGISLATION IS PASED AT ALL
TIMES.
I WANTED TO THANK THE MOVEMENT,
THIS VICTORY BELONGS TO YOU.
IF YOU FACED CHOKEHOLDS,
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND RUBBER
BULLETS.
IF YOU MARCHED, RALLIED,
ORGANIZED, TESTIFIED, IF YOU
WEREN'T ABLE TO RALLY AND
ORGANIZE BUT YOU MADE A PHONE
CALL TO AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, YOU
HELD UP A SIGN, YOU TALKED TO A
NEIGHBOR OR IF YOU DID ANYTHING
TO STAND UP FOR THE BLACK LIVES
MATTER MOVEMENT AND THE MOVEMENT
OF ALL WORKING PEOPLE AGAINST
POLICE VIOLENCE, THEN TODAY'S
VICTORIES ARE YOUR VICTORIES.
I ESPECIALLY WANTED TO
CONGRATULATE ALL THE HUNDREDS OF
YOUNG PEOPLE WHO FACED DOWN JUST
UNBELIEVABLE, UNSPEAKABLE
VIOLENCE RIGHT IN OUR DISTRICT,
IN DISTRICT THREE ON CAPITOL
HILL, AND WHOM IT WAS MY HONOR
TO MEET AND HAVE LOTS OF
POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS BUT, IN
FACT, WE WERE SPRAYED WITH MACE
AND TEAR GAS WHEN WE WERE IN THE
MIDDLE OF EXCITING POLITICAL
CONVERSATIONS.
I WANTED TO THANK MANY OF THEM.
OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T NAME ALL OF
THEM.
BUT I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY
THANK TEAL SEAN TURNER, A MEMBER
OF NEIGHBORS 242.
SHE'S BEEN A UNION MEMBER.
I WANT TO THANK PAYTON, JUSTIN
SPEARS, JOEY WISER, WHO'S BEEN
DOCUMENTING THE STRUGGLE FOR
DAYS.
THIS VICTORY BELONGS TO
EVERYBODY WHO WAS THERE ON
CAPITOL HILL, EVERYBODY WHO'S
BEEN MARCHING.
AND ESPECIALLY WANTED TO MAKE A
MENTION OF ALL THE FAMILIES AND
FRIENDS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR
LOVED ONES BECAUSE OF POLICE
MURDER LIKE THE FAMILY OF
CHARLEENA LYLES, THE FAMILY OF
JOHN T. WILLIAMS, AND INDEED,
THERE ARE TOO MANY BECAUSE AT
LEAST 30 BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY SEATTLE
POLICE SINCE 2011.
AND I'VE READ THEIR NAMES
BEFORE, BUT I WON'T BE ABLE TO
READ THEM NOW.
BUT THIS VICTORY BELONGS TO THE
FAMILIES OF ALL OF THOSE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHOSE LIVES
WERE LOST AT THE HANDS OF THE
POLICE.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THE
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO SAID THAT WE
DO HAVE TO DISCUSS THE DISPOSAL
OF THE WEAPONS THAT ARE IN THE
HANDS OF SEATTLE POLICE RIGHT
NOW.
WE ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT THEM
TO SELL THEM TO ANOTHER
JURISDICTION, WHETHER IT'S
ANOTHER CITY, ANOTHER STATE OR
ANOTHER COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS IS
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
AGAINST POLICE VIOLENCE AND
RACISM.
SO ABSOLUTELY, WE WILL NOT LET
THAT HAPPEN.
WE DO NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
HAPPENS TO THAT.
AND I WELCOME, IF THEY KNOW IF
THERE'S ANY SOCIALLY
CONSTRUCTIVE USE AT ALL FOR
THOSE WEAPONS, WE SHOULD DIRECT
IT THERE.
I WELCOME YOUR INPUT TO MY
OFFICE.
IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT JUST LIKE WE
HAD A STRONG SHOWING OF THE
COMMUNITY TODAY AT THE MEETING
FOR THESE TWO BILLS, LET'S HOPE
THAT WE HAVE A STRONG SHOWING
FOR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE ON
WEDNESDAY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC
COMMENT SIGN UP THAT OPENS AT
8:00 A.M.
THE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL START
AT 10:00 A.M.
AS YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EASILY FIND
OUT HOW TO SIGN UP.
JUST GO TO SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOU'LL FIND
THE SHEET.
YOU'LL HAVE TO SIGN UP AT
8:00 A.M.
ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE
17th.
THERE ARE IMPORTANT TASKS AHEAD
OF US.
WE NEED TO DEFUND SEATTLE POLICE
BY AT LEAST 50% AND MAKE SURE
THAT THIS CITY IS NOT CONTROLLED
BY POLICE OPPRESSION BUT BY
COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND THROUGH
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE.
AND WE ARE DISCUSSING THE TAX
AMAZON LEGISLATION TO TAX BIG
BUSINESSES IN ORDER TO FUND A
MAJOR EXPANSION OF SOCIAL
HOUSING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS,
TO FUND PROGRAMS AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY TO FUND JOBS THAT
WILL BE, UNION JOBS, GOOD PAYING
UNION JOBS, WITH PRIORITY HIRE
PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE
INEQUITIES FACED BY OUR
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
ANOTHER NEXT STEP I WANTED TO
MENTION IS ON THE SAME DAY,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17th, AT 4:30
P.M., AT CAL ANDERSON MARK, I
HOPE EVERYONE FIGHTING IN THE
BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT WILL
JOIN US BECAUSE THERE'S A RALLY
BEING ORGANIZED BY THE RANK AND
FILE OF SEATTLE'S LABOR
MOVEMENT, AND THEY WILL BE
DEMANDING THAT THE LOCAL LABOR
MOVEMENT LEADERS, THE LABOR
COUNCIL, THE KING COUNTY LABOR
COUNCIL, REMOVE THE SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS GUILD OUT OF
LABOR COUNCIL.
AND SO THIS IS THE RALLY THAT
WILL GET SEATTLE POLICE OUT OF
OUR LABOR COUNCIL, BECAUSE THIS
IS OUR LABOR MOVEMENT AND
THERE'S NO ROOM IN OUR LABOR
MOVEMENT FOR POLICE BRUTALITY
BECAUSE AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN
INJURY TO ALL.
SO PLEASE JOIN US IN PUBLIC
COMMENT SIGN UP ON 8:00 A.M.
JUNE 17th.
AND JOIN US ON THE SAME DAY,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17th, AT CAL
ANDERSON PARK AT 4:30 FOR A
RALLY ALONGSIDE THE RANK AND
FILE OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'LL SAY
THAT ALL OF THIS IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT AND IT'S HISTORIC, BUT
IT'S ALSO MINIMAL.
SO WE NEED TO GO FORWARD IN
MAKING THE REAL KIND OF CHANGE
WE NEED TO DO TO DEFUND THE
POLICE BY 50% TO RAISE
PROGRESSIVE REVENUES BY TAXING
BIG BUSINESS TO FUND HOUSING AND
MOST IMMEDIATELY WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED IN THE PROTEST
MOVEMENT, IN THE PEACEFUL
PROTEST MOVEMENT, SHOULD BE
RELEASED AND NO CHANGES FILED
AGAINST THEM.
I HOPE ALL COUNCILMEMBERS WILL
SUPPORT THESE NEXT STEPS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER IS A
WANT.
SO I THINK I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND CLOSE OUT DEBATE SO THAT WE
CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL THE ROLL
ON THIS BILL.
SO I AM NOW GOING TO ASK THAT
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL AS
AMENDED.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AS AMENDED
AND THE CHAIR WILL GLADLY SIGN
IT AND WOULD ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF.
CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, AND TO ALL THE FOLKS YOU
MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY AND IN
GENERAL.
I THINK THAT BOTH AGENDA ITEMS
TWO AND THREE AND NOW FOUR ALL
ARE CONTRIBUTING TO A BETTER
ECOSYSTEM HERE.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A LOT
MORE TO DO, BUT THIS IS A GOOD
PLACE FOR US TO START.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ INTO
THE RECORD AGENDA ITEM FOUR?
>> AGENDA ITEM FOUR.
COUNCIL BILL 119803 REQUIRING
THAT CERTAIN UNIFORMED PEACE
OFFICERS DO NOT COVER WITH A
MOURNING BAND, THE SERIAL NUMBER
THAT IS ENGRAVED ON THEIR BADGE.
>> THANK YOU MADAME CLERK,LY
MOVE TO PASS COUNCIL BILL 11980
#.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO PASS THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, YOU ARE
THE PRIME SPONSOR OF THIS BILL,
SO I AM GOING TO RECOGNIZE YOU
IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO TODAY WE'RE VOTING ON COUNCIL
BILL 119803, WHICH WILL REQUIRE
OFFICERS TO DISPLAY THEIR BADGE
NUMBERS WHILE ALLOWING MOURNING
BANDS TO OBSERVE THE DEATH OF
OFFICERS ON A DIFFERENT PART OF
THE BADGE.
MANY, MANY CONSTITUENTS HAVE
CONTACTED THE COUNCIL ALARMED
THAT BADGE NUMBERS WERE NOT
VISIBLE IN THE TWO WEEKS
FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF GEORGE
FLOYD.
AFTER I ANNOUNCED I WAS DRAFTING
LEGISLATION, CHIEF BEST ISSUED A
DIRECTIVE TO ALL OFFICERS TO
DISPLAY THEIR BADGE NUMBERS
WHILE WEARING MOURNING BANDS.
I, OF COURSE, APPRECIATE THAT
ORDER BUT BELIEVE THAT THIS
POLICY MUST BE ADOPTED INTO
STATE CITY LAW.
THE LEGISLATION AMENDS SECTION
3.28130 OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE, WHICH WAS CREATED AFTER
THE 1999 WTO PROTESTS WHEN
PEOPLE NOTED, AT THAT TIME, THAT
THEY COULD NOT VIEW THE NAME
TAGS OF OFFICERS.
SO THEN FORMER CITY COUNCIL
MEMBER PETER STEINBROOK
SPONSORED LEGISLATION TO CREATE
A NEW SECTION OF THE MUNICIPAL
CODE TO REQUIRE DISPLAY OF NAME
TAG.
THIS LEGISLATION IS EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION, SO IT WILL GO INTO
EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UPON
SIGNATURE OF THE MAYOR WITHIN
THE NEXT TEN DAYS.
IT WOULD NOT HAVE THE ADDITIONAL
30-DAY WAITING PERIOD FOR
NONEMERGENCY LEGISLATION.
THE BILL ALSO REQUESTS THAT THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WORK
WITH ALL OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES WHOSE PEACE OFFICERS
REASONABLY MAY BE ANTICIPATED TO
ENFORCE TRAFFIC OR CRIMINAL LAWS
IN SEATTLE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER
10.-- RCW TO DEVELOP A POLICY
THAT WOULD REQUIRE THESE PEACE
OFFICERS WHEN ENFORCING THESE
LAWS TO CONFORM WITH
REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING BADGES,
IDENTIFICATION DEVICES,
DEPARTMENTAL IDENTIFICATION ON
UNIFORMS AND ORAL IDENTIFICATION
THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 3.28.130.
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
REQUESTING -- SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL WITH A PROPOSAL FOR THE
POLICY BY JANUARY 2021.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD FOR THAT DESCRIPTION AND
FOR INTRODUCING THIS IMPORTANT
BILL.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS ON THIS BILL?
OKAY.
I'M NOT HEARING OR SEEING ANY.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I THINK
WE HAVE ALL DISCUSSED THIS BILL
QUITE A BIT BEFORE TODAY AND DO
AGREE WITH THE APPROACH THAT
YOU'VE DESCRIBED, WHICH IS ABOUT
NOT JUST ALLOWING THIS KIND OF
POLICY TO EXIST AT THE
DISCRETION OF WHOMEVER MIGHT BE
THE CHIEF BUT TO ACTUALLY MAKE
SURE THAT THIS IS MADE CONCRETE
AND LONG LASTING THROUGH THE
LEGISLATION.
OF COURSE, A FUTURE COUNCIL
COULD DISAGREE WITH OUR POLICY
POSITION AND CHANGE THAT, BUT I
THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT
THIS COUNCIL AGREES VERY
STRONGLY THAT THIS SHOULD BE THE
POLICY AND THAT IT SHOULD BE
COTFIED IN LAW AND NOT JUST
EXIST IN A P MANUAL.
I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS
FOR █OUR CONSIDERATION.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I SEE
YOU'VE RAISED YOUR HAND.
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING FORTH THIS
LEGISLATION.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION
BOTH AS THE SPONSOR OF THIS
LEGISLATION AND AS CHAIR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE KNOW THAT EVEN AFTER THE
CHIEF ISSUED THAT DIRECTIVE, WE
HEARD REPORTS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE STILL COVERING BADGE
NUMBERS.
CAN YOU REMIND FOLKS WHAT TO DO
IF THEY SEE THAT HAPPEN AFTER
THIS ORDINANCE HAS PASSED AND
WHAT THE PROCESS SHOULD BE?
>> IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF
SPD, BOTH SPD POLICY AND CITY
LAW.
THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTABILITY HAS A COMPLAINANT
PROCESS TO INVESTIGATE
COMPLAINTS OF VIOLATION OF CITY
POLICY.
AND THERE'S ALSO THE ABILITY OF
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE
VIOLATION OF CITY LAW TO GO
ALONG THE INVESTIGATION OF A
VIOLATION OF CITY POLICY.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT BADGE
NUMBERS ARE IN DIFFERENT PLACES
ON DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S BADGES.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE IN THE CENTER
AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE AT THE
BOTTOM.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE
EXAMPLES OF COVERED BADGE
NUMBERS THAT I SAW AFTER CHIEF
BEST'S ORDER HAD THE TAPE
THROUGH THE MIDDLE.
AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY A BADGE
NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
BADGE, IN SOME INSTANCES.
I, OF COURSE, HAVE NOT SEEN
EVERY EXAMPLE OF EVERY
COMPLAINT.
THERE ARE -- THEY -- THIS ISSUE
IS ONE OF THE SORT OF THE TOP
TEN ISSUES THAT THE OFFICE OF
PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS
LOOKING AT AS IT RELATES TO THE
VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS THEY'VE
RECEIVED.
>> THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE, I'M GOING TO ASK
THAT THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE BILL PASSES, AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT.
AND I'D ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION.
OKAY, FOLKS, WE ARE NOW IN THE
OTHER BUSINESS CATEGORY OF CITY
COUNCIL.
I KNOW -- OF OUR AGENDA.
I KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, AS HE MENTIONED DURING
COUNCIL BRIEFING THIS MORNING,
HAS ONE ITEM FOR OTHER BUSINESS
TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS TO WALK US THROUGH THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL TAKE ACTION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
IT'S A GREAT HONOR THAT I GET TO
BRING A PROCLAMATION TODAY
HONORING THOMAS WHIT MOR FOR HIS
SERVICE TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
I HAVE KNOWN THOMAS FOR A VERY
LONG TIME, FROM THE TIME I
SERVED ON THE BALLARD DISTRICT
COUNCIL AND THROUGHOUT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE ALWAYS FOUND HIM TO BE AN
EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVANT AND
STEWARD OF OUR CITY.
SO IT'S A LOSS FOR OUR CITY
FAMILY TO LOSE HIM.
HE'S RETIRING, SO HE'S GETTING
HIS LIFE AND FOR ALL OF US HERE
IN THE CITY, IT'S GOING TO BE A
LOSS.
SO THIS THURSDAY IS HIS
RETIREMENT PARTY.
THIS PROCLAMATION IS HONORING
THURSDAY, JUNE 18th AS THOMAS
WHITTIMORE DAY.
IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME TO READ
THIS PROCLAMATION, I WOULD LOVE
TO SHARE WITH YOU THESE GREAT
WORDS.
SO WHEREAS THOMAS WHITMORE IS
KNOWN FOR HIS STORY TELLING AND
TRAVELS, HIS LIFE INCLUDES TALES
FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE AND ONCE
ALMOST GETTING HIS HAIR CUT BY
JANE GOODALL.
DESPITE HIS TRAVELING, HE'S
INVESTED OVER THREE DECADES TO
SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE.
THOMAS HAS A STRONG COMMITMENT
TO POLITICAL AND SOCIAL
INCLUSION AND BROADENING THE
SCOPE OF WHO IS ABLE TO ACCESS
CITY GOVERNMENT.
BEHIND HIS WORK WITH INVOLVING
ALL NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE, HE
HAS VOLUNTEERED WITH THE ACLU
AND TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES.
HIS WORK WILL CONTINUE.
HE WILL CONTINUE THIS EFFORT
INTO HIS RETIREMENT.
AS A POLITICAL CARTOONIST,
THOMAS HAS A TRADITION OF
DRAWING HIS INTERPRETATIONS OF
CURRENT EVENTS AND PEOPLE WHO
RETIRE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
BEYOND HIS CITY DUTY, THOMAS HAS
DEMONSTRATED HIS COMMITMENT TO
COMMUNITY BY SERVING AS THE
BOARD CHAIR OF THE BALLARD
DISTRICT COUNCIL AND EVEN
RUNNING FOR A SEAT ON THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL IN 1999.
NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT SEATTLE
HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THOMAS'
WORK, INCLUDING HIS OWN WHERE HE
ORGANIZES HIS ANNUAL BLOCK
PARTY.
THOMAS ALSO HAS WORKED ALONGSIDE
COMMUNITIES IN THE GREATER
DUWAMISH AREA, BALLARD, CAPITOL
HILL, THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND
ALL AROUND NORTH SEATTLE.
THOMAS HAS HELPED TO START BOTH
THE SMALL SPARKS FUND AND THE
PEOPLE'S ACADEMY FOR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT TO PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME LEADERS
-- FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME LEADERS
IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND TO BETTER
NAVIGATE THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
OVER THE COURSE OF HIS QUICKED
CAREER, THOMAS HAS HELD TITLES
INCLUDING PROJECT MANAGER,
NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT
COORDINATOR AND FINALLY
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
FOR NORTH SEATTLE.
THOMAS IS RETIRING AFTER NEARLY
19 YEARS OF SERVICE AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND
OUR CITY WOULDN'T BE THE CITY IT
IS TODAY WITHOUT HIS SERVICE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO PRESENTING
THIS ON THURSDAY, MARKING JUNE
18th AS THOMAS WHITIMORE DAY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, FOR WALKING US THROUGH
THAT.
COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE BEFORE US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN THE
PROCLAMATION HONORING THOMAS AS
DESCRIBED BY LEM STRAUSS.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE
THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL ON
ADDING COUNCILMEMBER SIGNATURES
TO THE PROCLAMATION.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IS THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COUNCIL?
OKAY, HEARING AND SEEING NONE,
COLLEAGUES, THAT IS -- CONCLUDES
THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
HANGING IN THERE AS WE WERE
WORKING THROUGH
PARLIAMENTARY EXERCISES.
MY DAUGHTER NADIA ABSOLUTELY
AGREES THAT WE ARE NOW
ADJOURNING THIS MEETING.
OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS
MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2020 AT
2:00 P.M.
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A
WONDERFUL AFTERNOON.
WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.
SEE YOU ALL ON WEDNESDAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BYE.
>> BYE, NADIA.