C1
.
>>> Today is February 16, 2022.
I'm Teresa Mosqueda, the
committee will come to or.
Madam clerk please call the
roll.
>> Council member Herbold?
Here.
>> Pedersen?
Here.
>> Nelson, Lewis.
>> Present.
>> Madam chair?
>> Present.
>>> Madam chair, that is four
present, one absolute sent.
>>> Thank you so much, we will
go ahead and excuse council
member Nelson.
She let us know she might not
be able to join us this morning
and appreciate the heads up on
that.
>>> Okay colleagues.
We have a full agenda here with
us today.
Thanks for Joining.
We have the appointment of
Kristin Little Sukys as member
of the advisory board, the
appointment of Julie dingily as
director of the city budget
office.
>>> Our third agenda item is a
briefing and pom vote on the
Seattle rescue plan number 4. I
don't and finally looking at
the cannabis industry after
legalization of cannabis and
its impact on taxes and
revenue, as well as worker
safety and other equity related
issues in this sector,
especially as we think about
how to right some wrongs during
the war on drugs.
>>> If there is no objection,
today's agenda will be adopted.
Hearing no objection, today's
agenda is adopted.
>>> We have a few folks on the
line here for public comment.
We are going to move right on
into public comment.
As we have done before, we want
to make sure we get through
everybody signed up for public
Ken.
We'll give folks two minutes to
speak and offer a chance to
from void comments on our
agenda are work plan.
You are going to hear an
indication that you have been
unmuted when our name is
called.
That is your clue, speakers, to
go ahead and hit star 6 on your
own phone.
Please make sure your own phone
is not on mute itself as well.
After you hit star 6, please
start with your name and you
can go ahead and have the full
two minutes.
>>> At this point we are going
to open up public Ken.
I have two people listed on
today's sign in sheet to
provide public comment, and if
the clerks could go ahead and
tee up those folks who are in
the witting roll and our clock,
it'll be great.
The first speaker is adan he
isy know your and the 2 John
than Warren.
>> Good morning.
I see you are on mute.
If you can hit star 6 to unmute
yourself that would be great.
>> Perfect.
Can you hear me.
>>> Where yes.
>> Thank you so much.
>>> Good morning, council
members.
My name is aid Dan he is
Exposito tow Jr. I am here to
offer some comments regarding
the upcoming community panel on
cannabis equity.
Our cannabis businesses in
Seattle are deeply committed to
diversity and proud of our
strong track record on minority
hiring.
The reality is, though the
cannabis businesses are hurting
right now.
Impacted by not just the
pandemic but a serious spike of
crime and armed robberies.
And we are concerned that we
have not been consulted on some
ideas we hear are being kicked
around behind the scenes.
We believe some with could
cause harm to our businesses
and work force, such as any new
taxes or mandates and we hope
to be included this upcoming
conversation surrounding the
issues so we can have all
stakeholders present and make
sure the council won't rubber
stamp and instead listen to our
concerns in good faith.
We hope to engage with you all
in the future.
Thank you.
>>> Thank you.
I appreciate that.
We'll make sure to reach back
out to you.
Jonathan war ran, good morning.
Please go ahead.
>> Can you hear me?
>> Yes.
Good morning.
>>> Good morning.
>>> I don't thanks for letting
us go first.
Sound like a fun meeting but
I'm happy to miss it.
>> I'm a professor at the
University of Washington
residence in Allensburg my
students are put together A
Model to help dealing with the
housing crisis.
And you know, we are all
painfully aware there is
homelessness in addition to
just the ordinary person who
can't boy a home.
They have been struggling or
working the last three or four
months to put together a plan
modeled after cities such as
Sienna, Singapore and some
pilot projects here in the U.S.
And they would just like the
opportunity to present their
ideas to some of the council
members, excuse me, or to this
committee.
And we are just not sure how to
go about that, besides e-
mailing council members.
So if there is anyway that
would be possible, I would
appreciate it if all of you,
you know, we are not sure what
the process is, reached out to
me, at red stick @UW.edu dU, at
your earliest convenience.
Thank you.
>>> Thank you, before you hang-
up.
If you could just repeat your e-
mail, we would be happy to set
up a meeting with you, we have
finance and housing in this
committee, so would love to
hear that presentation and
study it.
Could you repeat it one more
time?
>> Redstick@UW.edudU.
>>> Thanks for reaching out.
>> I appreciate it.
Take care.
>> Thanks for calling in this
morning.
>>> Callers, that does conclude
the number of folks we have had
sign up for public comment
today.
I want to double check before
we continue include public
comment.
There is nobody else in the
witting room.
>> There are no other public
comment registrants.
>> Excellent.
Thanks so much.
>>> Okay that will continue
include our public comment for
today and we are going to move
on into other items Madam
clerk, could you please read
item 1
into the record.
>>> Item 1. Appointment of
Kristin Little Sukys as member
of the advisory board for a
briefing discussion and
possible vote I don't thank you
so much, we have with us today
Alyssa Patrick from the office
of sustainability and Kristen
Sukys.
Good morning, thanks for being
here with us.
>> I understand Alyssa from the
office of sustainability and
the environment are going to be
giving us a brief introduction
about the work of the community
advisory board.
Kristen, we will have you talk
a little bit about where you
are background.
Thank you again for applying
for this position and for the
work you do in public health.
Your resume is railroad very
imressive.
Ask you know I'm a public
health, well
of sugar initiative.
So she is also familiar with
Seattle's policy through that
work.
Throughout her career Kristen
has worked in different parts
of the food system from farming
and food service to compost and
policy research.
>> Recently she left her
position and now is a
healthcare policy consultant
focused on expanding
opportunities for medicaid
managed care organizations to
address health related social
needs.
So with that, the cap is very
excited to have Kristen be
considered for this post and
I'll turn it over to committee
for discussion.
>> Thank you Alyssa.
Thank you, council members.
Thanks so much for being here
this morning.
Do you want to talk a little
bit about your interest in
serving on the sugar sweetened
beverage community advisory
board?
Obviously this is right up your
alley.
But we'd love to hear more
about some of the things you
are locking forward to and
anything else you would like to
share with us about your
background.
>> Absolutely.
Thank you so much.
Once I figured out I was moving
to Seattle, I was very excited
to be living in a state and in
a city that has a sugar
sweetened beverage tax
ordinance.
And as you just mentioned, it's
lines perfectly with my
interests.
I have been working on sugar pr
past four years or so.
And Alyssa mentioned that I led
the approaches to reducing the
consumption of sugar project
and throughout my role in that
project, not only did I educate
Harvard law student on how to
be advocates in the sugar
policy space and what that
meant and what the pros and
cons of all the sugar policy
ordinances had, but it also
meant that I provided technical
assistance at the local county,
state and even federal level on
sugar related policy.
As a result, through that I
became intimately familiar with
Seattle's Swedened beverage tax
and as well as other taxes
around the country, too.
Pretty intense analysis there,
you know, looking at the
consequences, looking at the
benefits.
Looking at how these taxes were
approved, and all of the
community engagement that are
required and were involved in
the passing of this
legislation, too.
And I am just very excited to
be more involved on an intimate
level.
And I also have a back group,
not only working in food, but
also as an educator.
So the two initiatives that
this sweetened beverage tax
supports are very close to my
heart.
I spent many years working if
the classroom and education is
a core tenant of health, too.
I'm extremely excited.
>> Wonderful.
I think we are fortunate as
well that you are able to
continue to work for the center
for health policy with the
Harvard law school will being
here in Seattle and having that
direct connection to our local
public policy making I think is
going to be a real asset.
Colleagues, are there any
questions that folks may have
in the applicant in front of
us?
I'm not seeing any additional
hands right now.
I think that you are going to
find a lot of folks on this
committee that actually have
policy connections in their
committees as well if direct
connection with the community
advisory board here is our work
with finance.
So that is why we continue to
have oversight on this board.
Is there anything specific in
like let's say the first year
of the work you do on the cab
that is going to be your
primary focus as you engage if
other conversations with other
bored members?
Whether or not infor now, I'm
just excited about diving into
budget recommendations and of
course looking at the strategic
planning moving forward.
I know that some initiatives
have been expanded recently and
I'm excited to see where they
are going, especially focus on
postpartum health and how that
relates to both food and
education too.
>> Okay colleagues.
I'm not seeing any additional
hand.
Don't be shy but not seeing any
hand, I think you have made the
case well.
And I do want to thank our
clerk for the finance and
housing committee meeting who
also serves as my office's lead
on health and public health
related items, who had the
opportunity to participate in
all of those interviews.
So thank you for your service
as well to bring us this great
applicant today.
>>> All right.
I move the committee recommend
this passage of the appointment
of Kristin Little Sukys to the
sugar sweetened beverage
advisory board.
Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Thank you very much.
It has been moved and seconded.
Are there any additional
comments or questions?
>> Hearing none, Madam clerk
could you please call the roll?
>> Herbold?
Yes.
>> Pedersen.
>> Yes.
>> Lewis.
>> Yes.
>> Madam chair Mosqueda?
Aye.
>> That is four in favor, none
opposed.
>> It is unanimous,
congratulations.
Thank you again for your
interest in serving.
The motion carries and the
committee recommendation the
appointment pass will be sent
to the February 22 Seattle city
council meeting for a final
vote.
You do not have to be there in
person, buzz you have been at
this meeting, so we will sing
your prisons there and pass on
our unanimous recommendation
that the council approve the
nomination at the February 22
meeting.
Thank you Alyssa and thanks to
all the members for your work,
especially when it comes to the
budgets recommendations, all
very much appreciated.
Thanks all.
>>> Let's move onto the second
item of business on our agenda.
>> Agenda item 2. Appointment
02105 appointment of Julie
Dingley as director of the city
budget office for brief
discussion and possible vote.
>>> Welcome, GM, everyone.
Good morning senior deputy
mayor Harrell.
Good morning Julie Dingley.
Thanks again for being here.
Thank you very much to acting
director Dingley for the work
you have done in partnership
with our office over the last
few years and specifically over
the last two weeks in preparing
to be here for this nomination
process, we, as always, sent a
robust questionnaire and you
did a tremendous job of filling
out that entire questionnaire
in preparation for this
confirmation hearing.
Want to thank senior deputy
mayor Harrell for being here
today and walking us through
this process and for your
office's continued interest in
engagement with us the council
in adhering to the full
director confirmation process
that we codified a few years
ago.
Colleagues, as you can tell
from the process that we have
in front of us today, I'm
excited about the opportunity
to feature not only the process
but the app capital in front of
us.
Many of us have had the
pleasure of working with actor
director Dingley for the last
two years and have worked
extensively with her in her
role as acting director already
this year.
And I want to say personally I
continue to see you be very
collaborative, very willing to
be creative in addressing some
of the solutions that we need
to come up with together,
between the legislative and the
executive branch, and I
appreciate the transparency and
the approach to work on these
issues together.
>> I also want to thank you for
the work you have done, with
especially our chief of staff.
I know you and she worked
closely together as we created
the Seattle rescue plan and our
legislative branch through the
central staff who have been
very much appreciative of the
work that we have done
together.
>>> By way of introduction to
senior deputy mayor, again
colleagues as a reminder, this
is related to resolution 31686.
Which we pass in 2018.
I had the chance to work with
the mayor's office this year on
January 14, prior to
transmission of the
confirmation packet that you
have in front of you for Julie
Dingley, and we have the chance
to weigh in on the 22 questions
sent to acting director Dingley
last month.
You received those on the 7th,
they were returned to us this
past Monday on the 14th, and
they are attached to the agenda
for your review and for the
community's review as well.
Council members today as part
of our process we will be able
to hear directly from senior
deputy mayor Harrell about
introductory comments about
this role as part of the
executive branch and understand
directly from nominee Dingley
about the work that she hopes
to accomplish as the possible
director for the city budget
office.
Excited about the opportunity
to hear more and I will turn it
directly over to senior deputy
mayor Monisha Harrell.
>> Thank you so much chair
Mosqueda.
It is the more I come to your
committee meetings, the more I
would actually like more time
on my scheduled to sit here
amongst you all.
You do a fantastic job and we
have such an slept, excellent
council.
On behalf of mayor Harrell, it
is my pleasure to introduce you
to Julie Dingley, interim
director for the city budget
office.
I will start by saying that,
you know, when I first started
just a few weeks ago, and I was
talking publicly about the
quality of city employees, I
was really speaking very highly
and directly about people like
interim director Julie Dingley.
When I had an opportunity to
get to know Julie and her work,
it made me realize what talent
we had at the city and how deep
our Bench is, and how
phenomenal, what a phenomenal
staff and team that we have.
I have been overwhelmed by
Julie's ability to work with
the executive branch and
council, and to be able to you
know, move freely as a member
of the team, to be able to
ensure that everybody is
getting the information that
they need to make really smart
decisions, Julie is excellently
good at her job.
And I think that you have all
had more of an opportunity to
see that than I have.
And I just remain impressed
with the work that she has
done.
But you don't have to just take
it from me.
She was actually held in very
high regard by her team.
They are the buns that brought
her forward into the interim
role.
She was brought forward by Ben
noble and the deputy Jeanette
Blankenship and when you have
people who are working directly
with you and see everything
about you on a day-to-day basis
for a long period of time, when
they are the ones saying like
she is the one, this is the
moment, it makes it really easy
to be able to say you know I
see what you are talking about.
So I know you have all of the
information from interim
director hopefully director
Dingley's questionnaire.
I can't stress that I think she
is going to be a key partner
between the executive branch
and the legislative branch in
being able to work with all of
us, and I just I, this is
probably the day I have been
looking forward to for the last
month, to be able to bring her
confirmation forward to all of
you.
So I'm going to let Julie have
the floor now, and just
bursting with pride at this
moment.
So thank you for the
opportunity.
>> Thank you very much senior
deputy mayor.
Thanks, Julie for being here.
It is, the floor is yours.
>>> Thank you so much for that
warm introduction.
Good morning.
Chairman Mosqueda, council
members Pedersen and Lewis, it
is a pleasure to be here this
morning.
Should take a moment to address
the lovely sound of my voice.
Unfortunately yesterday I
tested positive for Covid.
After two years of successful
avoidance, I have excellent
time.
But thanks to modern medicine I
am upright, in front of you
today.
So I am very grateful for that.
I had planned longer remarks
this morning, but I'm going to
keep it shorter to try to save
my voice a little bit.
I start out by saying thank you
so much chair Mosqueda for your
kind remarks about my
nomination.
You and your team have been
incredible partners prior to
today and I'm looking forward
to strengthening that
partnership in the future.
I also want to say thank you to
mayor Harrell for this
nomination.
I am beyond humbled at the mere
fact I am sitting before you
today.
And for the fact he has put his
trust if me for this position.
And also to senior deputy mayor
Monisha Harrell.
I am sorry again to always
bring you terrible news,
including that I have Covid the
day before my confirmation
hearing.
But I must say you have an
admirable ability to take in
disappointing information and
maintain a positive outlook.
So thank you for that.
I want to thank the entire
finance and housing committee
and the full council.
As the chair note we have
already begun working closely
together and that is a pattern
I intend to continue in the
future.
>>> I also want to take a
moment to thank all your
legislative assistants and
council staff who do amazing
work day in and out to ensure
you have the best possible
information.
>>> And last but never least, I
want to thank the entire dbO
staff, who are incredible and
dedicated public servants.
They are not only committed to
the core work of ensuring sound
stewardship of our resources,
but they have created a
beautiful community where we
will continue to learn and grow
together.
>>> To have worked with me is
to know that my default mode is
collaboration.
I believe we are at our best
when we can have honest
conversations and trust each
other.
And that is by I have already
begun conversations with each
of you around our current
financial situation.
We continue to face significant
challenges, not just with the
looming deficit but also as we
move toward being a more
equitable city, trying to undo
centuries of structural and
institutional racism and I look
forward to achieve a more
vibrant and equitable city.
Thank you, chair for the
opportunity to say a few words
and I'm happy to take any
questions.
>> Thank you so much.
I'm sorry that you have Covid.
That is very scary, I'm sure.
And we would obviously be happy
to accommodate you at any
meeting.
But thank you for being here
and for your work on that
questionnaire.
I hope that go air did not keep
you up late at night, making
you more susceptible.
We want to just acknowledge all
the work you have put into that
questionnaire and know that
maybe some of your voice can be
saved by referencing back to
the lengthy answers you
provided as well.
>>> Cole legs, director Dingley
has made herself available.
We want to ask any questions
folks might have of her, so
please don't be shy.
Do you have anything you would
like to ask the nominee in
front of us today?
Please go ahead.
Council member Pedersen.
>> Thank you, and welcome.
I just want to echo the
comments of both our budget
chair and senior deputy mayor.
Director Dingley highly
qualified, very excited about
your nomination here.
I don't have any questions
beyond the 22 that we already
asked and you answered, which
are online for the public to
look at.
I appreciate even in the midst
of this appointment hearing,
you are transparently
delivering the tough news and
reminding us about the budget
situation that we are facing.
But I'm glad that you will be
at the helm to work on this,
and you know, I know that a lot
of us are used to working with
Ben noble and his incredible
service to the city, and it is
going to be great to continue
working with you.
And want to reiterate the
comments you said about the
city budget office staff.
They have worked so hard
throughout the entire year and
have to you know have different
audiences in terms of working
with the departments, but then,
also having to work with city
council and the mayor's office
and just hard to please
everybody when you are dealing
with tough budget situations.
So look forward to voting yes
on this today.
Thank you.
>>> Thank you very much council
member Pedersen.
Vice chair Herbold, please go
ahead.
>> Thanks so much.
I want to make a couple of
comments.
No questions for Julie.
Thank you for being with us.
And powering through with your
illness.
But I do want to thank chair
Mosqueda for her attention to
resolution 31868, especially
since we are going to be seeing
quite a few department head
confirmations in the next few
months.
This was legislation that chair
Mosqueda sponsored, and the
city council approved
unanimously back in March of
2019.
It haze out the process that
the mayor expects, that the
council expects the executive
to follow in considering
nominees.
This resolution request that
the mayor muppet Kate to the
committee care on the plan
recruitment process and that
the clerk create an appointment
file containing that
information and it lays out
general criteria for council to
consider this its
deliberations.
Just want to appreciate here
that we are following that
process if our consideration of
today's appointment, and my
Thanks to the mayor's office
and the city clerk for doing so
as well.
>>> And lastly, I want to thank
Julie for her years of public
service and also her approach
to this particular new
opportunity.
I know from conversations with
her that she has been very
clear with the executive that
she intends to work
transparently and
collaboratively with the city
council, and her willingness to
pursue this opportunity was
contingent on that
understanding.
And in the spirit of 1 Seattle,
I think that is the way we can
best serve the public.
So really appreciate that
approach, too, to this role.
Thank you.
>>> Thank you.
Speaking of powering through,
thank you again for all of your
service as well.
On this committee.
Any additional comments or
questions?
Okay.
Thank you very much.
Julie, I do want to thank you.
You mentioned your team, I want
to thank you in advance as
well.
I know we are going to have
some conversations about
possible revenue solutions as
we look at addressing the one
time nature of the federal
funding and some of the issues
that predated me as the finance
chair here, as we, I think, see
a growing population, 21%
growth in our population over
the last decade.
We have increased needs and
along with those should come
increased revenue.
And I think if Covid has taught
us anything, it is that some of
these issues that are
manifesting right now in a very
physical way weren't present
prior to Covid, they have just
been worse end and maybe more
exposed during this really
pressing time for economic
instability and for you know
the pressure or the stress the
trauma and as vice chair
Herbold says the shadow
pandemic plaguing our
communities.
We need to invest in the need
of our community.
So I want to thank you in
advance.
Your team has been really great
to work with.
And you specifically have been
really transparent and
available and accountable.
So thanked for that past work
and thank you for the work we
have yet to do.
Especially as it comes to
revenue and addressing these
issues together.
I'm excited that you are here
and that you want to do this
work and I don't see any
additional questions.
>>> Deputy mayor, any
additional cents you would like
to make?
>> You know, I, part of my
pride in bringing Julie forward
is just the fact that Julie is
going to work collaboratively
with us as an executive team
and legislative team and that
is so critical to how we will
move forward.
So always grateful you will
allow me in your space and that
I have an opportunity to work
with all of you and really
looking forward to our
condition work together with
Julie.
I don't excellent.
Thank you.
Please go ahead vice chair
Herbold, is that a new hand?
>> My apologies.
>>> No problem.
>>> And truly, I want to let
you save your choice, unless
there is anything else you
would like to add, you are
welcome to.
>> I want to say thank you.
You all have been so incredible
to work with and I'm really
looking forward to the work in
the future.
>> Wonderful.
Thank you.
Bealso wish you the best of
health and do please lay down
and get some rest for this.
As advocates of paid sick loaf,
we want you to take that right?
And that includes us too.
Just as I'm saying thank you, I
want to thank Adam shaver as
well as Dan notety for their
work with us on this nomination
process as well as the folks
here.
>>> I think we are ready to
vote.
Colleagues I move the committee
recommends passage of the
appointment of Julie Dingley as
director of the city budget
office.
>> Second.
>> Thank you very much.
It has been moved and seconded.
Are there any additional
comments or questions?
Hearing none, Madam clerk will
you please call the roll on the
passage of the appointment.
>> Herbold?
>> Yes, Pedersen?
Yes Lewis?
Yes I don't Madam chair
Mosqueda.
>> Eye.
>> It is unanimous.
Director Dingley.
We will go ahead and move that
the committee excuse me the
motion carries and he will make
sure the committee
recommendation that the
appointment pass is sent to the
February 22, Seattle city
council meeting for a final
vote.
Thank you very much again for
your interest in serving in
this role the vision you have
brought to your team so far and
the answer you provided to the
questionnaire that really I
think elaborate on the
leadership and collaboration
that we have all commend on
here today and that we have
experienced as well.
>>> And I don't believe you are
required to be present on the
22, but of course we'd welcome
you if you are there.
I'll double check with the
council president's office to
make sure I'm not
misremembering the process.
But I also want to make sure
you get well.
That is the biggest priority.
Thank you so much for be being
here and congratulations on the
unanimous motion carrying.
>>> Thank you all very much.
>>> We'll see you soon.
>>> Let's move on to our third
and fourth item of business.
I misspoke earlier when I
mentioned the fourth was going
to be the cannabis equity.
We have two items that are very
similar.
They are related to the Seattle
rescue plan 4. So we are going
to read items three and four
into the record and for
clarification, eye tem five is
our an bias equity Pam.
We will get to that in probably
20 minutes, 25 minutes.
So I want to give you a sense
of timing.
Probably 20, 25 more minutes.
>>> Okay Madam clerk, could you
please read item three and four
into the record?
>> Council bill 120267 an
ordinance related to the city's
response to the Covid crisis.
Agenda item 4 council bill
120268 an ordinance accepting
the gift of goggle Akron
credits for briefing discussion
and possible vote.
>>> Wonderful.
I am pleased to see more
members from the city budget
office here with us today.
Thank you William Chen for
being with us.
Deputy Director alley alley
penuche which I from central
staff.
Through a series of votes
starting in mid year of 2021
with Seattle rescue plan one.
We had a report in our January
meeting on the spending.
The allocation excuse me the
implementation of those dollars
that had already been allocated
and we will continue to have
quarterly updates from the city
budget office to the spending
and implementation that council
has approved to make sure our
federal dollars state dollars
and local dollars are getting
out there quickly.
And again I want to thank the
new administration, mayor
Harrell's administration for
the work they are doing and I
have continued to underscore
the importance of getting the
remaining funding that we have
already allocated from Seattle
rescue plan 1 out the door
within the first 100 days.
So I know that there is a
shared interest in getting
those dollars into community
hands and making sure they are
being put to the relief that
they were intended for.
>>> Here we have Seattle rescue
plan 4, and this includes
almost $2million in funding.
This is in funds and in kind
acceptance.
So folks might already know
William Chen from previous
presentations, but I want to
make sure to turn over to Al .
Ly.
>>> Ali, welcome, Deputy
Director.
>>> Good morning, thank you for
the introduction.
As the chair described, there
are two bills before you that
relate to the Seattle rescue
plan.
I'm not going to go into a
summary as they are
straightforward and I think I
would repeat everything William
is prepped to go over in the
presentation, but I will be
here to answer questions or
help document any questions
that need follow-up after the
discussion.
With that, I think I'll turn it
over to William.
>> Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Is someone else sharing the
slides on the screen in they
are pretty simple.
>> I think you were.
But I can do it if you want to
start talking I can get them
up.
>> Okay sure.
I may be done before they each
get up.
I'll be giving a quick,
actually we went over the
summary.
I can skip over that.
And then briefly describing
what is going on with these
would bills.
So this is Seattle rescue plan
4, because it is also funding
the way the first three rescue
plans were, as well as the in
kind donation.
>> Save lives.
>> One second, please.
There we go.
Okay.
Please go ahead I don't thanks.
And so council bill 120267
includes acceptance of two new
grants, one is fro the national
endowment for the arts.
That is $500,000 competitively
apardoned to the office of arts
and culture, which is their
creative work force recovery
program.
And the other new grant be
progress health and human
services department.
About $1.2 million and this is
additional allocation for low
income energy assistance
program above the city's annual
allocation.
And that helps for pay for
weatherization projects,
projects income qualified.
>>> And in addition this bill
makes a few technical changes
that are just updates to
appropriation details, tracking
the reporting of funds easier,
more consistent and minimized
their audit risk.
There are no changes the that
are amount stays the same, it
is just the technical change.
>>> And the companion bill
council bill 120268 accepts
that in kind donation.
It is $500,000 in credits
solely for the use of promoting
city forum.
They have been the city's
partner in building that
unified application portal.
And has been already actually
improving accessibility to the
city's programs.
And in addition this bill
provide the authorization for
the city to accept further
credits if any were to be
donated, need to come back with
another bill X that is it.
Are there any questions?
>> Thank you very much,
William.
And thanks Ali for sharing the
screen.
Are there any questions on the
presentation?
And Seattle rescue plan 4 in
front of us?
>> I do have one question for
you.
Could you please go to slide
number 4? Okay.
Thanks so much.
Can you confirm that none of
these technical changes change
any of the funding from one
time to ongoing or vice-versa?
>> That's right.
The only change is the funding
source, which keeps things
consistent with other clip per
funding we have going to the
same purposes and okay.
And Deputy Director, is there
any questions that you have?
Or the issues that central
staff may have looked into on
Seattle rescue plan 4 that you
want to have in the future for
us in.
>> No.
Thank you, chair Mosqueda.
We have reviewed the bills and
didn't identify any issues for
the committee.
I'll just add a little more on
the technical changes just for
the record as part of the
adopted budget, there was about
$70 million used for revenue
replacement in the general
fund.
And then there were also
certain general fund
expenditures for general use of
the clipper fund.
All this is doing is just
paying for certain expenditures
the council added for food
programs and that sort of thing
directly out of the clipper
fund rather than out of the
general fun.
So it really is technical in
nature and we confirmed that
with CBO, who we are sharing
information on the proposal as
they were developing it to make
sure we were all looped in.
So thank you.
>>> Okay wonderful.
Thanks for the work you have
done with the central staff
team as well.
Questions or comments here on
council bill 120267?
Okay.
Before we close, thank you very
much.
I think you can go ahead and
close the presentation.
I want to welcome council
member Nelson.
Thanks for being here today.
We are on agenda items 3 and 4.
So we have read them into the
record together.
Madam clerk and team before I
move us to a vote, do I need to
take these votes individually?
Or should we vote on them
together as well?
I don't chair Mosqueda, I think
you move to move each one
individually and vote on them
separately unless deputy clerk
Sanchez tells us differently.
I don't we'll go ahead and do
that.
All right.
Well thank you for joining us
council member Nelson.
Just in time for the votes on
Seattle rescue plan 4. Your
first votes of your term.
So exiting timing.
Colleagues, we have had the
briefing on Seattle rescue plan
4. Before we vote I want to
remind folks, again related to
Seattle rescue plan 1, $160
million of
fund, a few additional million
dollars from the Coronavirus
local relief fund.
We have we are going to be
getting updates on a quarterly
beauties.
We had our first update in
January of this year.
These updates on implementation
to ensure spending is occurring
with all the dollars allocated,
those are going to occur in the
meetings following the newly
created revenue forecast
committee.
So the revenue forecast
committee meets quarterly now.
I and members of the executive
úteam, myself and council
president Juarez are members of
the from the committee along
would members of the executive
branch.
We receive these reports in
realtime.
They will be published and
broadcast and if we were in
person, they would be in China
Panthers I believe as well.
To make sure that we are
sharing information out in
realtime about the revenue
forecast.
That means council and the
executive get the information
at the same time.
This is a very important piece
of legislation that I had the
chance to work on with the
support of all the previous
colleagues and council
president Gonzalez who was a
sponsor that have lienales
slice as well.
We will be getting these reach
new forecast updates in August,
excuse me, in April, August and
November, if my memory serves
me correct.
I see Deputy Director nodding,
which means that in the meeting
that the finance and housing
commit at the has immediately
following those forecast
meetings, we will also have the
chance to hear from the revenue
forecast director who will be
reporting out when is shared at
that forecast meeting.
We will have the city budget
office come and report on other
revenue related items and in
the same meetings, we will have
an update on the implementation
of Seattle rescue plan.
That way we'll continue to see
those dollars going out the
door and ask any questions and
have more transparency on the
spending.
I want to thank the new
administration for the
transparency and the commitment
to working with us to have eyes
on that process because we know
how important those collars
are.
That is a quick preview.
A little bit of destruction
from the vote we are about to
take.
I wanted to let you know how
the Seattle rescue plan is
going to go.
>>> No questions on that.
We are going it take these
votes one at a time.
We'll first consider 120267.
Colleagues I move the committee
recommends passage of the bill.
Is there a second?
I don't second.
>> Thank you, is there any
additional comments or
questions?
>> Hearing none, will the clerk
call the roll on passage of the
bill 120267?
>> Herbold.
>> Yes.
>> Pedersen?
>> Yes.
>> Nelson.
>> Aye.
>> Lewis.
>> Yes.
>> Madam chair?
>> Aye.
>> That is five in favor none
opposed.
>>> Thank you.
120268.
I move the committee recommends
passage of this bill.
Is there a second?
>> Second into thank you very
much vice chair.
Moved and seconded.
Approximate are there any
additional cents?
Will the clerk portfolios call
the roll on the passage of this
bill?
>> Herbold?
>> Yes.
>> Pedersen?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Nelson.
>> Aye.
>> Council member Lewis?
>> Yes.
>> Madam chair Mosqueda.
>> Aye.
>> Both motions carry.
The committee recommendation
that council bill 120267 and
120268 will be passed on to the
Seattle city council February
22 meeting for a final vote.
Thank you very much, deputy and
William Chen for being here and
please pass on our appreciation
to the CBO teams and central
staff team.
>>> All right.
We'll see you on a quarterly
basis.
>>> Let's move onto the fifth
item of business and this is
our panel on cannabis equity.
I don't agenda item 5 community
panel on cannabis equity for
briefing and discussion.
I don't wonderful.
So I want to welcome back to
the stage here our presenters,
and I'll have a few opening
comments to sort of important
us to the presentation in front
of us.
Thanks for being here with us
today.
Zion-Grae-el from have a heart,
Cody Funderburk from ponder,
did I nearby Sha Adams and
thank you for being here with
us.
We are going to have a
presentation for you all.
Let us know if you would like
to get that stood up to share
your screen.
>>> To orient us to the
presentation in front of us
today, these are this is an
exiting opportunity for us to
sort of step back and have
almost like a work session
approach to hearing more about
an area of interest that I know
is growing for me and I know
other members of this council
as well.
Noticeably Herbold as the chair
of public safety and has been
interested in this topic and I
know that this may be of
growing interest to other
council members as well.
Colleagues, we have been
hearing from community members
and workers in the cannabis
industry for over a year who
have been meeting to have a
better understanding of what
cannabis equity work could look
like in this area in Seattle in
our region and we know there is
a conversation happening at the
state level as well.
In 2012, Washington state
voters approved initiative 502,
which legalized the possession
of small amounts of marijuana.
>>> I think some of the issues
that we have been hearing about
over the last few years from
constituents that be a concern
about wealth and access to the
three and wanting to look at
thousand that can be addressed
from an equity lens.
And there is also concern that
those who are from black and
brown communities who really
targeted during the war on
drugs are still feeling the
effects on the war on drugs to
this day.
There is a question that is
being raised about how a now
legalized industry can right
some historic wrongs from the
past days of the war on drugs.
I'm excited and thankful for
the community and partners to
raise this issue with us and
the direct connection to the
finance committee and it is
really how we look at weather
and finances within the
industry and how it could help
us address equity concerns
raised in our community and
looking at a number of
potential options including
reason new, regulation,
dedicated fund sources
specifically for working to
address some of the workplace
and work force issues that have
grown in this industry.
I want to thank colleagues for
your interest and willingness
to share, I think shared
interest areas and topics that
do cross over into other
committees, as we just begin
this conversation here today.
Thanks again for the
opportunity to hear more from
you all today on this panel
about how cannabis can be
looked at through an equity
lens to look at adequate
funding opportunities,
opportunities for work force
development, and we are excited
to hear morech I think this
will be one of the first of
many conversations we will
have.
About withinning to hear from a
number of diverse opinions in
the community, I think this is
just the beginning of the
conversation that we want to
have with folks in the can't
bias industry, within
community, with workers and
organizations including labor
unions to have a set of maybe
recommendations for our
committee and other committees
to potentially address as well.
With that I want to orient how
this came about and how the
finances and Greg revenue in
this industry could help be
redirected into making sure
that we are looking at safety
and work force training issues,
as well as creating greater
equity in our region and in
this industry.
>>> We have us today again Zion-
Grae-el from have a heart,
Cody Funderburk from ponder,
Danica Adams and Keith Porter
from medical cannabis
consultant and I should note
that the organizations that
have been noted are just for
orienting you to the type of
work they do in the industry,
but not represented as
necessarily those companies if
that is correct.
I think you mentioned you might
be kicking us off here today.
Please let us know if you are
able to share your Katrina, if
not, we are happy to share it
on your behalf I don'tia, I
cannot do the screen sharing.
I would appreciate it if you
would bring up the display for
me.
>> There it comes.
Thanks for your patience.
This is the last item so you
have plenty of time today.
Thanks for your participation
and thanks for, getting us
started.
>> My pleasure.
Hi everyone, my name is Zion-
Grae-el.
Thank you for having all of us
here today.
Before we get started with the
panel discussion, I'm going to
quickly read through a few
facts about the cannabis
industry.
All right.
In 2021, just over 60 cannabis
stores located in Seattle sold
over $185 million in cannabis
products.
The immediate one sales per
month if a single location,
cannabis retail shop in 2021
was $484,807.
I want to personal layer say my
store on average, does double
that.
The most profitable single
location sold over $12 million
in cannabis products in 2021.
One retailer with five
locations sold over $24 million
in cannabis products in 2021.
That is quite a big chunk of
change.
Now, what was once illegal is
now essential.
Just 12 years ago, people in
Seattle were arrested and
convicted of cannabis crimes.
Planning and brown people were
disproportionately targeted for
cannabis arrests.
Now there are nearly 20,000
jobs in cannabis in Washington
state.
And during the pandemic,
workers were considered part of
the essential work force.
However cannabis workers are
offered few protections on the
job.
>>> In Seattle, weed and seed
targeted predominantly black
residential neighborhoods.
Nationally, black people were
arrested at a rate of nearly
four to one for cannabis
offenses, despite similar rates
of use as all Americans.
Retail store owners in
Washington are
disproportionately white.
Front line minimum wage workers
are disproportionately black,
indiginous or people of color.
I have also observed that a lot
of our staff happen to be
female.
Ening that is worthy of noting
as well.
>>> Cities like Portland, San
Francisco, Sacramento, Los
Angeles all have programs that
provide cannabis equity funding
training for cannabis workers,
and social equity licenses.
Now I also want to emphasize
that California has what I
would consider incleesed
security measures regarding
operations.
And I know that that is going
to ring true to what I'm going
to
mention later on as we.
>>> Now, last year, I was part
of a process of identifying top
community priorities around
cannabis members of over 40
community groups.
These came out as the top
three.
Invest in advancement, career
growth and ownership
opportunities for black,
indiginous and people of color
in the cannabis industry,
increase training, benefits and
protection for workers in the
cannabis industry.
Again we'll talk a little bit
more about that.
And then of course, this is the
big one.
Correcting the wrongs.
Automatic record vacations.
And we'll talk a little bit
more about that.
Because I'm the fourth
panelist.
I won't be speaking first.
And I'm not sure who is going
first. I
know I'm going last.
>> Dyneeca and Cody and back to
you I don't I'll pass it off to
whoever is next and let them
kind of set the tone and come
in last.
But thank you if the
opportunity.
>>> Thank you so much.
That is very helpful and
appreciate the orientation.
I do, and let me know if you
prefer to go in a different
order.
.
>> The finances department
within the city of Seattle did
a prep tation last year in
December from the race and
social Justice initiative team
and their team said the finance
and menstruation team is
working on a high level program
framework incorporating
interdepartmental collaboration
with office of economic
development and construction
and inspection to help support
businesses in developing work
via the office of economic
development and the department
of construction and inspection
is working to support the
industry through expansion of
cannabis zoning, but through a
social equity lens.
And that they were looking at
funding and community partners
that still needed to be
identified.
And they locked at potential
funding if the city's
dispersement of the cannabis
excise tax was this $1.3
million to $1.4 million
annually.
They noted the taxes currently
distributed into the general
fund.
I think when we have seen is
the current remedy we received
from this tax are not probably
to adequately address the
comprehensive items that are
needed to reform the cannabis
equity and work force
development you have just
outlined.
So wanted to draw for our
commit at the members a
connection back to our December
7 presentation and just lift up
how it highlights the
connection with fAS.
>>> Council member Nelson I'll
put you first in the queue and
come right back to you as the
first one up to speck.
Good morning and thank you for
letting me add that piece that
you all have done I'll turn it
become over to you I don't Good
morning.
Hello, everyone.
I am the advocacy directter for
the freedom project.
Thank you all for having me
today to discuss why ex
sponging is necessary.
The Washington state court
ruled our state felony simple
drug
possession law was
unconstitutional and the
statute was ruled uncontinues
fusion al because it
criminalized innocent and
passive conduct.
Before legalization of
cannabis, black people were 2.8
times more likely to be
arrested for cannabis
possession than whites in
Washington state, and 88% of
those arrests were for cannabis
possession only.
This unconstitutional drug law
was the tip of the spear used
by law enforcement and even
prosecutors to directly target
black communities through
programs such as weed and seed.
Weed and seed was employed
against the central district in
the early 90s.
And this racist ploy
contributed to mass
incarceration and obviously
gentrification.
In 1970 the central district
was 7 a% black.
Today it is less than 15%
black.
>> What we know as a black
issue continues to effect those
convicted after they have
served Yale or prison
sentences.
A lot of people still believe
that having a cannabis felony
isn't harmful because it has
been legalize in Washington
state but that can't be further
than the truth.
Some fact these felonies create
several forms of discrimination
against individuals convicted
in the areas of employment,
housing, education, public
benefits and jury service, just
to name a few.
We all should recognize having
a cannabis felony conviction
still impacts those currently
incarcerated.
People are currently serving
longer sentences due to them
having a felony possession
charge on their record, which
in turn increases their
standard range.
There are all different reasons
why ex spongement is necessary
to loaf 80.
But ex spongement and funding
those directly impacted are at
the forerobert of these
conversations.
And that this they are load not
guilty in additiontive.
Testimony times we talk to
themmen stead of relevant
Lizing they have the World
Series.
There are Mcled, and we should
ensure that we allocate these
funds into the community and
not through any outside
organization trying to pull off
or gather funds.
So I will pass it become.
Thank you all for having me.
>>> Thanks so much.
>> Yes it does, thank you.
>>> Please go ahead.
Thanks for being here.
>> Thank you council members.
For allowing me today to have a
moment to talk on the Pam and
to share briefly a part of my
story.
I'm key Porter, a plowed
central district native and
evergreen college graduate with
a bAin business management.
And I have had the privilege to
have an extensive management
career in the unregulated
medical recreationallance Larry
cannabis mark here some
Washington I now work as a
medical cannabis consultant and
I work at a medically endorsed
pot shop here some Seattle.
And approximately, I would say,
two months ago I was staring
down the barrel of a gun.
Two assailants came into our
shop and they didn't want any
cannabis products at all.
What they wanted was cash.
They demanded for all the cash
in the shop, because they knew
like most of the workers in the
cannabis industry.
That our industry was a cash
only business.
Depending on any given day, we
could have 30 to $100,000 in
money with limited security,
minimal training requirements.
And that is what happened to us
that night.
The security guard stormed into
the building to an presented
and help us out and they
actually got pistol whipped
several times, and blood just
splattered on the walls and
dampened the floors.
As they were preoccupied trying
to rob our store, all I could
remember Army crawling closer
and closer to the door was my 2-
year-old son, who happened to
be five blocks up the street.
And I wondered, if that moment,
how desperately close he would
have been to a place where I
could have potentially died.
And in that moment, it didn't
matter if I was a medical
cannabis consultant who had
dedicated her whole entire life
to make sure medical patients
had access to cannabis.
Making Hur that we have strains
available in sharing den
nettics.
It didn't matter that I had
eight years in this city,
trying to make sure that it was
innovative.
But I wondered if I had died
that knit, would there have
been laws passed then?
Would there have been any
policies and if I reform that
dollars have been made in would
there rob any initiatives you
know that would have been
revisited then?
And I honestly don't know.
My community has risks our
lives for decades.
23rd and union or 26th and
cherry or when I clock in
tomorrow at 7:30 a.m.
>> There is little pride, no
support, no representation
programs or even excitement
about the BIPOC communities
that have been awarded a
license and they have had years
of pioneering and they can
contribute their expertise
through the industry that has
now made millions.
As Zion had mentioned, we are
now moving from illegal to
essential.
So we are trying to work
together saying what do we
need?
What does this industry here in
Washington need?
Personally, I feel it is
reform, restoration and
redistribution.
I have the opportunity to
participate in a 13-week
program in California that
works specially toward social
equity applicants.
And no matter what state you
are from, if there was any
existence of a social equity
market, they would work hand in
hand with you to make sure they
found whether you were a retail
producer, processor, they made
sure they found a location.
Then there is a P.O.
S system, plenty of township,
previous
applicants that were awarded
licensee dollars, anyone that
would basically volunteer their
time to basically help the next
again ration of pine
Mountaineers definitely enter
into the industry and make
their own way.
I just really feel as if that
experience gave me a light to
see the potential of what could
happen here in Seattle X
through that experience, I
noticed the relationship that
actually the state had with its
socialeningty applicants.
And it was really an exiting
time for the next generation of
us to figure out different,
inknow ratetive ways to where
we could have accessibility to
recreation al and medical
cannabis.
So I just wanted to say thank
you guys so much for letting me
share my story today and my
expertise.
And that I really recommend
that we focus on expunging
cannabis records, definitely
cannabis equity tags, making
sure those funds were
definitely allocated back into
the communities that have been
having the most effect with the
war on drugs, that we have
equity commission that
definitely works with the
community hand in happen.
So always get recommendations
of what the uptown wants and
needs, especially with those
funds.
And that there is definitely
work force development,
definitely protecting the
workers, especially the front
of the lines dealing with cash
businesses like we are and I
just wanted to say that I
represent that community.
And we are here, and whether we
are on the other side of that
gun desperately barging in and
wanting to rob, or on the other
side, trying to make sure that
people had accessibility, that
all needs are being met, so
people don't have to have the
same experiences that I have.
Thank you so much.
>>> Thank you.
And Thanks for your prep tation
and thanks for sharing that
really harrowing experience.
I Poe that is representative of
when you are saying has
occurred to others throughout
the industry.
Very terrifying to have a 2-
year-old and it breaks my heart
thinking about all those images
going through your head.
I am really think that you have
drawn out for the community and
exited tee here today the
experience so many go through.
Sorry is not enough right?
You are looking for policy
solutions.
Looking forward to hearing
about those.
>>> Cody, I think we are going
to turn it over to you and back
to Zion to wrap us up and get
to questions.
>> Awesome.
My name is Cody Funderburk.
I work at ponder cannabis in
the central district as a Bud
tender and medical cannabis
consultant.
I have been there since January
2018.
So about four years now.
And like he or store was also
recently robbed about three
weeks ago, at gunpoint.
Our security guard was pistol
whipped as well.
I was not present during the
robbery.
But to echo the sentiment that
is a serious and pervasive
issue in the cannabis industry
right now that needs to be
addressed.
But yeah, I started as a bud
tender after graduating college
in ever grown.
I also studied business.
But I studied the condition
bias business.
I was one of the first to study
it at ever grown.
And in lecture halls at ever
grown, we talked about a lot of
the issues we are cussing here
today.
Specially how Washington's
cannabis industry is dominated
by privileged demographics, by
white men.
And the moral dilemma of
creating a cannabis industry
that further strategic
identifies social classes
rather than attempting to
correct the tragic impacts of
the war on drugs in
marginalized communities.
So therefore I'm really excited
to be here this morning and to
be able to talk about these
things and to be able to talk
about what I have experienced
firsthand in my four years of
working in the cannabis
industry.
So yeah, let's get started.
One of the most important
things for me as a young person
who just graduated is upward
mobility and career growth.
So while ponder gave me a job
and funded each my medical
cannabis consultant training, I
haven't really received the
type of training or advancement
that will be in to bolster my
success.
If fact, I have kind of been
strategically prevented from
growing.
So in August of this past year,
I applied to graduate school at
the University of Maryland
school of pharmacy to study
medical cannabis, science and
therapeutics.
And I asked my employer for a
letter of recommendation, which
I needed for my application,
and he refused to bright one.
And I'm assuming that is
probably because we recently
unionized the store and he has
been pretty upset about that.
In fact, he is threatening to
close the store and has been
talking about wanting to close
ponder, putting the property up
for sale since last year.
So this has been like a really
big battle for me.
But luckily, through the union,
I'm able to get a free college
benefit, so I'm now in a post
secondary program continuing my
education in cannabis studies.
And this is really just
preparing me for graduate
school in August.
Through the union I'm able to
get the kind of career training
and development that I'm not
getting from my employer.
>>> And then job protection is
also another really
important.that I wanted to
bring up today.
As our owner John branch is
threatening to sell the
business after we formed a
union, it is really important
that we strengthen successor
ship laws.
So that in the event of a
change of owners our rights as
workers to organize and bargain
collectively is protected.
This is kind of like a chronic
thing that we have been
experiencing at ponder.
After we formed the union, he
also went and fired three of my
union co-workers, which was
illegal.
And he ended up having to pay
back pay to those workers and
also reign stay them for their
former positions.
So we have this, right in but
in the important for us as like
workers to be able to
collectively bargain.
That we strengthen those pro
approximate texts so we don't
have these type of issues
issues going forward no the
last is my excitement for the
development of the equity funds
under modern cannabis legal
six.
I was lucky enough to
collaborate with the Seattle
black freedom project and the
NAACP to help draft this policy
initiative.
And probably running out of
Tim.
But I wanted to highlight the
major point that an equity fund
and training can help to level
the PLEGRIDY field and foster
the types of career pathways to
ownership that we have been
talking about.
We have a strong need to equity
in the cannabis community.
It is clear our current
industry unfairly leverages
power in the hands of
privileged a privileged
demographickic of wealthy white
men, who aren't investing in
the success of working people.
I think they have been mirrored
as we said in other cities like
San Francisco and Los Angeles.
As one of the first states to
legal eyes cannabis, B&W offul.
>>> So thank you so much.
>>> Thank you very much, Cody.
Thanks for sharing your
presentation as well.
I just want to say,
additionally, the trauma of
being intimidated or harassed
in the workplace is also hard
to hear.
And I'm thankful that you have
shared it, and that there was
corrective action taken for
reason stating those Cole legs
of yours.
But foe murder asking for
policy solutions so this can be
preempted the if first place
and very thankful that you have
the UN one reputation so you
can speck up and feel safe.
looking forward to see how we
can extrapolate that out, he is
residentially given the health
and safety issues no okay Zion,
I'm going to playoff it become
to you to wrap us up and we'll
get to questions.
>> Excellent.
All right.
New a little about me.
I'm a father of six, born and
raised in Minnesota.
The twin cities.
I came here in 2016 shortly
after Castillo situation.
An African American man who was
shot on Facebook live he was
like a legal register carrier.
And the weirdest, most eariest
story is I actually used to
sell weed to this guy.
And I lived in St. Paul at the
time, and it was just a means
of just to make ends meet.
He worked at the lunch room at
the school that was like two or
three blocks away from my
house.
And sometimes he would walk
there and we'd have a short
cushion.
He new a couple of poem from
the neighborhood, but I didn't
really understand it until I
saw it on TV who the person
was.
And I was like you know I have
got to get out of here.
So after careful thought of
where to go, Seattle except Rex
Energying to you, just buzz it
is such a progressive place and
there is so much opportunity.
We came.
And I have been a bud tender
for a little over six years.
It is all I have done the
entire time I have been here.
One reason is because I have a
felony.
In obtaining housing and
employment was extremely
difficult.
I found success working in the
cannabis industry.
They gave me an opportunity.
And using the money this I have
again rated from working as a
bud tender, I have purchased my
first home.
Which is, I moan, I'm super
happy about this.
Mow and most wife.
But also, I'm an Army veteran.
I work as the union steward for
have a heart, which is like the
number one downtown dispensary
and has been for six, even
roars, for a very long time,
back to the medical of those
days for business management
grad with the.
Can live like Cody where I was
hoping to use my credentials,
especially as I had been
working for have a latter for a
little over would years.
And I recently acquired my
Teague.
So I had you know the firsthand
knowledge of all the operations
and everything that is going
on.
And you know, I'm familiar with
the operating system.
And all that good stuff.
But I have yet to have been
offered any tip of opportunity.
And they do hire from within,
so that is pretty appreciable.
However there is a lot of
things that need to improve
within the industry, not just
from my store, but for Cody's
store as well.
>>> I also want to talk a
little bit about when Canada
spoke about as far as the
safety in
these dispensaries.
UFC W has been difficultiently
working toward developing a
proposal for safety measures
for all of the stores.
And I just want to say this so
it rings true in everyone's ear
right new.
Double door security entry
system.
Preventing people from barging
in.
If you listen to the stories
that everyone tells they are
overwhelmed at the door.
That is where it takes place.
And lake-effect I said, I'm
prior service Military, my
store has never been robbed.
We are right in the center of
downtown.
I feel completely, you have
your objective isn't to get
away with the money if you are
going to rob my store.
But with that being said.
>> I know other stores don't
carry that type of security.
And one thing that would really
scare me isn't looking down a
barrel of a gun, it is what I
would do shortly after that.
And I know there is a
situation, there has been a
situation at dock side off
Aurora where the guy, he, I
wasn't sure what happened.
But he reacted badly, and he
was severely injured.
He was shot multiple times.
And like I said, I'm a father
of six.
And I know that when someone
comes in, you are supposed to
just give them everything.
But like I said, I'm a prior
service veteran, and my muscle
memory in what goes to how I
react would be immediately to
defend myself and fight for my
life.
I have been working with that
but that really scares me the
fact that that is embedded in
me that that is a reaction.
None of our bud tenders have
any formal training on what to
do in a situation like that.
I think that is a great talking
point there.
Is because they haven't had
formal training or the training
they have might I want fear
with what is probably best for
the safety of the business
itself.
>>> I'm going for move on past
that.
I want to kind of touch on job
protections as well.
Before I worked at have a
heart, I actually worked for a
dispensary Diegos.
It is no longer there now.
It was a really up and coming
dispensary, owned by a really
young 23-year-old guy.
He found a better opportunity
and he quickly sold the store.
The problem with it is that we
have been working there for
close to two years, and like I
said, I had had trouble fining
employment, other avenues.
As had other co-workers.
And we just put all of us at an
extreme disadvantage
financially.
The new owners, their only
objective was to keep the
management so they can kind of
pool NJTV the employees and get
them familiar with the
operations.
But they got rid of everyone
else.
I just wanted to emphasize that
I strongly feel there should be
protections involved for those
bud tenders that have
definitely been on the line.
>>> And I want to move on, to
talk about expungement, as
well.
I know that, I think it was
Kiera that talked about the
ramifications.
I remember hearing the
ramifications of convictions
and for the just criminal, but
regarding student loans and
jury duty, I think, and I
wanted to speak, there is one
other avenue that it happens,
it happened to me here.
And I spoke with a judge from
Florida.
And even though this isn't
Florida, she did say that it is
a problem there, taking
medicinal cannabis users or
just recreational cannabis
users.
And it is having effects on
dependency proceedings, and how
they are viewed as parents.
And also it is a grayer area
but divorce proceed and go
custodial proceedings like
this.
I want to make sure that there
are protections for that and we
rectify things, we lock into
that area, too.
Because I think that is very
important and it is often
overlooked.
>>> Let's see.
I'm sorry.
I'm trying to keep up ohia,
equity.
Whatever I think of equity fun
and cannabis the only thing
that pops into my head and
excuse me for being forward is
Sean Kemp.
I remember when they first
opened up, they boasted of
being Seattle's first black
owned dispensary and I'm not
going to lie to anybody.
I am that night revised my
entire resume.
I put all the bells and
whistles on it, like I wanted
to be a part of that operation
because I felt like I would
have more upward mobility
there.
Like I really, you guys should
have seen my cover letter, it
was a mess.
It was great, but I was really
hungry for that position.
It was later on disclosed that
it wasn't black owned.
At the time they made the
statement, Sean Kemp had less
than 5% of the company.
And you know, it just goes to
show that if it is worth
mentioning, then they
understand the value of it.
And I think that I would
definitely love to see some
black owned success as far as
you know retail situations go.
Not just black owned, but all
people of color.
I just want to see you know, it
not to go to one Pacific
Northwest of the pie.
The owner of my previous shop
and the owner of this shop
didn't look like me.
He didn't look like none of my
other fellow bud tenders.
It is what it is.
I would like to see change
there.
>>> And then moving onto the
last part, I remember Cody
spoke about this a little bit.
Safety training.
I think it is essential that
ever since medical has almost
been phased out of Washington.
I think there are a few
locations that do honor it.
But what that does is it
basically funnels medical
patients patients in need of
medical grade advice and
products to go to recreation al
stores in order to acquire the
tough.
Not all bud tenders have like
top level training and top
level understanding in order to
help these people navigate
these large catalogs of
cannabis products that we have.
And I just think that, like how
it was said by Cody, training
is very important.
I think it would help everybody
just kind of maintain a
standard to know that when they
come into any cannabis store
the people I speak with
regarding these products are
going to have at least a
starting entry level of
knowledge to provide to me on
whatever busy may need.
And with that being said, I
think that pretty punch wraps
everything up.
Yeah that and I want to
emphasize double door security.
That should be policy across-
the-board in Washington
to prevent robbery from
happening.
Thank you so much for the
opportunity.
>>> Thank you so much.
I really appreciate if and I
know there will be a handful of
questions from our colleagues
here.
I did also see a lot of
emotions of seconding what you
were saying.
The panelists were supporting a
lot of your recommendations
here.
I noted that the Pam here
today, providing an
introductory framework for us
to begin this conversation, I
think this is a conversation
that I would be interested in
having in our community and
probably other council members
would be interested in having
elements in their community as
well over the next if you
months.
Specifically you mentioned some
of the other jurisdictions that
have been bleeding with an
equity lens and equity approach
to distribution of stores and
also upward mobility in for
workers and safety so I'm
looking forward to hearing more
and perhaps we can and hial
time to hear directly from
Sacramento, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Portland, if I cities
mention in your slide.
And we have questions in the
queue.
Council member Nelson, before I
happened it over to you, I want
to thank again council member
Herbold, who has been working
in public safety and criminal
justice issues for a long time,
notably around expungement in
the period of time.
And has ex pressed interest in
conning to learn more about
this area.
I think it is supportive of us
tackling this issue together.
And especially want to thank
the mayor's office.
The mayor himself and the
director of limits slatetive
affairs.
And Gerald hatchinger son, who
is the lead if the mayor's
office as the external affairs
liaison, has been working in
this area and has been in touch
with the folks who have been
having a series of listening
sessions and other strategies.
So I look forward to a welcome
backing partnership with the
executive as well.
>>> And is helping to pull
together the information from
community and working with the
mayor's office as well to see
how we can help ingrate this
into our conversation as we
look at the possibility of
addressing equity and
especially the nexis with
financial committee on equity
fund and how that could be
reinvested into equity
commission and other safety
measures you all talked about.
Just wanted to get those thank
yous out there, because I know
it has been a long process you
have been engaged in.
Council member Nelson please go
ahead with your questions.
>> Thank you very much Madam
KIRO.
So this has been a long
process.
I am just now getting into the
details of your S CW proposal
here.
And so, I might have a couple
of questions.
But off the bat, I want to make
sure this I understand that
this would be a take on, on
cannabis products, potentially,
buzz the presentation said 25
cents on flour, regardless of
the quality.
But the point is that have you
brought up, let me just skip
that.
>>> I Rex Mize 245 you that
workers are on the front line
and that cannabis retail
operations are extremely
vulnerable to public safety
threats and that was a big part
of our discussion in last
week's committee.
So that is why I spore
adequately staffing our police
department, Oscar Velasquez is
interested in pursuing some
hardening to prevent people
from being able to drive cars
into these buildings.
So when you are talking about I
support.
I'm wondering if the training
you are talking about or the
protections that can be
provided to the workers through
this tax, is that going to be
effective against the general
deterioration of public safety
because of increasing crime?
I want to make sure, I know you
are talking about training like
how breweries send their folks
to training.
So is that what you are talking
about?
And I'm just wondering if you
have talked to your owners
about that?
Because that is the benefit of
being organized is being able
to negotiate with ownership in
on and also I want to make sure
this proposal is trying to
solve problems that can be
solved through this Meck
physician I want.
Because the expunging of
records, maybe that is, is that
something that we take up with
the municipal or county courts,
et cetera and so those are some
of my initial thoughts and
questions.
But I have some others.
I don't know if you want to
address those or just have me
put them all on the table at
once?
>> I think that is good for now
council member Nelson.
We can come back.
I want to clarify something,
though, before the panel might
have some questions or answers
to those comments as well.
This is step one of I think
what will be longer process for
looking at possible policy
solutions.
So there is no draft
legislation that our office has
approved.
>> There is not a draft piece
of legislation that the mayor's
office has sent down.
We are in the process of
looking at policy solutions and
really appreciate there has
been a robust engagement
through community organizations
and I think really, a front
line worker led effort here to
make sure that there is a
handful of policy options for
our consideration.
But I want to make sure that
committee members know we are
going to go through our own
process of locking at other
cities, I mentioned the four
other cities I would like to
hear from as well.
We are going to have a process
of hearing more from industry
as well as we always have done,
hotel worker pro techs or
domestic worker protections, we
always make sure there is a
broad ten to hear from both
folks who are workers and folks
who are employers as well.
And I think that the
orientation that we are seeking
to receipt today that be a
request a long time in the
making, to make sure we
understand more about where is
going on in this industry,
especially if you lock at the
first few slides that were
presented in term of the
opportunity for funding to
potentially be recouped and
invested in to addressing
worker safety protections and
through in aequity lens to make
sure that more workers are
seeing the benefit of this
industry.
That is, I think the nexus to
the finance committee.
I probably should have started
with that.
There is a longer conversation
to be had here within council
about what a possible policy
solution or suite of solutions
would look like and that would
obviously be led by the
discussions that have been
occurring here today and
directly from the folks who are
working on the front loin and
experiencing these issues we
have heard from today and also
I want to check in with some
other jurisdictions as well.
I want to make sure the
timeline and process is clear.
Zion, go ahead I see your hand
up.
>> Yeah.
I just wanted to kind of
reflect on some of the points I
just heard.
One, speaking with the owners
in regards to training,
specifically like for safety I
the owner of our store, we are
unionized.
And we recently had a resigning
of our union agreement and our
payment, we just had some
discrepancies right now.
And it is not good on either
end in regards to employee
toward the owner and owner
toward the employees.
I don't think we are each in a,
we don't even have a God ton to
have any traction on that.
I guess in the end there is no
policy that requires the owners
to designate funds for
training, regarding safety.
I guess the same goes for
cannabis knowledge, as well.
I would agree, I definitely
would agree it should be up to
the owner to make sure you are
hiring trained people.
And definitely, however I can
attest it isn't always done.
We don't always get, it is a
recreational store.
People don't get their degrees
and say we are going to flock
here, you know?
So it was kind of difficult we
have been working with we got.
And that is all I have to say
as far as the training goes for
that.
Then the safety provisions, the
only safety provisions I really
was proposing Ind you guys were
talking about lick the barriers
to stop cars from impacting it.
But I strongly fell the double
doors, the double door security
system would definitely have a
large impact on those robberies
of people barging in and also
suppose they did come if and
they would tell have to present
identification before receiving
entry into the store, therefore
the people who are robbing you
have already been identified,
which is a huge factor there.
I think that would be a
significant deterrent for
crime.
Now, but not burglary.
I moan after hours, it is a
different story.
>>> Now like I said, the owners
don't want, they don't went to
cough up this money.
It is a cash operation, right
some they are forking it in and
a lot of times, a lot of stores
are frequently understaffed.
This morning you can bring if.
I think these programs and like
the trainings and the safety
provisions can be paid for by
the revenue again rated by
cannabis itself.
And I think it is a great ton
to raise the standard here in
Washington.
And I know they do the double
door entry they think in
California and it seems to be
the standard there.
So I'm hoping we can get rid of
this grandfather policy we kind
of have here.
>>> Thank you.
And Cody?
I don't so I just wanted to
remark on that especially with
regard to lick the police.
I think it would be more
economical to place security
burdens on the owners of the
stove.
Because police don't prevent
crime, they just respond to it
after it happens.
So right.
So if we are going to actually
prevent these robberies from
happening in the first place,
we can't rely on the police.
We have to have proper security
mesh hours up front.
Get, thank you very much.
>>> Council member Nelson do
you have any follow-up?
I would like to turn to her we
would.
We can come become to you where
so, I per.
I mean, double doors, security
officers and many, many
cannabis stores are having to
do that because we dropped the
ball in public safety.
So I appreciate council member
Mosqueda you saying this is an
idea and we are going to be
developing it going forward I
want to make sure before even
talking about policy solutions,
I would want problems definn so
that we know whether or not the
solutions are you know, are
that will help narrow our
solutions.
So when we are talking about an
additional fee to pay for
things that the union is maybe
unable to win at the
Pittsburghing table, I want to
make sure that people are
aware.
Does fib know how much the
Washington state cannabis
excise tax and just nod
Without a doubt cannabis
products in Washington state
are cheaper than pretty much
any other state.
So adding a nominal tax on
cannabis products would not
affect the cannabis market if a
way that would deter consumers
or prevent job growth.
>> Cody?
We deal with customers from all
across the world.
Coming from meant, Chicago,
from Florida, some places that
are legal, all I hear is prize
are absolutely incredible or
they say where is the tax at?
We pay $21 for a pre roll.
And it is like here in
Washington we have $3 pre
rolls.
When we have eights that we are
selling for $15.
And you have customers willing
to pay $60 for the super top
shelf stuff, I don't
understand.
I mean $15 an eighth, you add
25 cents on that and who is
going to complain?
Or a $60 eighth.
Add $5 on that.
Who is going to complain?
When they are going for the top
shelf, it doesn't matter to
them.
I have seen to time and time
again.
I know there is a small
increase on concentrates.
We have concentrates of $15 a
gram.
This is stuff you can't each
fathom in other states that are
already recreational.
It is just their legislation is
shaped where more money is
coming out of it.
I haven't even had app
opportunity to really assess
the dynamic.
But I can assure you.
The flour here is extremely
affordable and from what I'm
hearing the only place that can
boat our prices is Oregon and
that is because they have a
severe surplus.
>> Thank you for that for that
expert analysis.
>>> Council member Herbold
thanks for your patience with
us.
Please go ahead.
>> I want to let our guests
know I apologies for being off
screen.
I had an injury a couple of
weeks ago.
I'm bed bound, I would love to
find you on camera, but I am
unable to do so.
Appreciate you being with us
today.
And sharing with all of us your
experience as front line
workers.
Because the question has been
asked I did want to provide a
little bit of additional
information.
Chair Mosqueda did touch upon
this in her remarks.
We do have an interdepartmental
collaboration with O Eband SD
CI, working on cannabis zoning
for equity licenses.
And the city will receive at
least two of those licenses,
although the request from black
excellence in cannabis has been
for 30 social equity licenses.
There is a lot of support at
the city for doing so.
But with a recognition that, in
order to dough so, we invite
you to make some money changes.
That is upon council member
Strauss's committee.
Another issue that might touch
upon work that could be done in
the land use committee relates
to building code requirements.
I was working with the council
and working for a council
member who sponsored much of
the early zone and go building
code requirements for cannabis
as it was just becoming legal
first for medical.
And there are some security
requirements within the
building code, especially if
cannabis businesses.
But I agree with the presenters
that we really need to take
another look at that.
And I think the suggestions
around double security doors
are brilliant.
Lastly, as it relates to the
city's portion of the existing
cannabis excise tax, potential
funding for our own social
equity fund, notes that it is
currently between $1.3 million,
$1.4 million.
I do note that community
partners need to be identified
for the social equity work.
So if y'all aren't currently in
contact with this inter
departmental collaboration, I
think we need to pull down on
making sure those connections
are made.
>>> And lastly, because I do
chair the public safety
committee, I do want to express
my interest in your
recommendations as it relates
to expunging records.
I, the city has done some work
in the area of vacating
records.
And I appreciate that there is
a difference between vacating
records and expunging records.
But in 2018, the city have a
Cade 542 convictions for
possession.
That is you know, buzz the city
really is only able to, to my
understanding, impact the
offense that it enforces,
specifically misdemeanor
offenses, that was universe
that we could address.
So these are 542 convictions
for possession from 1996
through 2010.
And then there were no
prosecutions after 2010.
So that is the vacating of the
records.
I would like to understand more
about when you are proposing
around the expungement of
records and how the city could
help on that front.
My understanding is that once a
record is vacated, it remains
public information.
But perhaps there is a way to
legislate expungement, since
even though it is apparently ex
punning is already banned by
state law, but maybe we could
make an argument this is a
special case.
Because these actions are no
longer crimes.
And so the idea of not making
this information public
information seems like a wise
decision, but was very
interested to know a little bit
more about what your
recommendations are in this
area.
Thank you.
>> Thank you very much, council
member Herbold.
I'm excited, as well, about the
questions that you asked about
how the city can take that next
step from vacation to
expungement and look forward to
hearing more from some of the
folks on the line here today
and then the other folks who
might be interested in working
on that issue with myself and
council member Herbold and
appreciate your long history on
working on this area as well.
I didn't mean to cut anybody
off.
If there was any comments or
questions in response you are
welcome to do that.
We have three or four minutes
left of our meeting and then we
are going to wrap-up.
>>> Okay.
I don't see any hands.
So I'll say thank you very much
your comments are very much
appreciated and Zion, I do see
your hand.
Please go ahead.
>> I wasn't sure if anyone was
speaking there.
I am aware that there is a
difference and someone had
brought that to my attention
last year the difference in
between vacate and go
expunging.
I guess from when I heard
mentioned earlier it is
something I'm actually,
unfortunately, familiar with,
is the felony points.
The felony possessions carry
opponents.
And for to my understanding,
those points can be used
against you until seven years
after the probationary period
ends.
So it is not just a sentencing,
not just the parole or
probation, it would be seven
years after that duration.
And then those those fell if I
convictions for that act won't
be used against you to increase
the amount of time in the
recommendation window.
Now, what I was speaking about
was it is a little bit harder
to keep up with this.
And I, to be honest, I don't
even really know how to
articulate it properly.
I feel like this would be
something for an attorney on
speak on and I do know one or
two that could.
But dependecy proceedings,
parents who have been deemed
unfit or negligent to some
capacity, in which cannabis use
recreationally or even
medicinally has been used to
support those determinations.
And that, to be honest, I'm
going to be Frank, is a very
large can of worms and I have
no clue where to start with
that.
Way over my head on that.
So I can.
>> Thanked for putting it on
our radar.
I think that is a good area for
us to look into as well.
Again God questions.
>> Just to speak on the felony
marijuana possession, we have a
bored member who was tried as
an adult at 17 and sentenced to
30 years in prison, right?
And so he was able, with our
help in the community, to go
back and be resentenced based
on the marijuana possession
what we know as the Blake
issue.
A felony possession
unconstitutional possession
law.
So and he was resentenced with
time served.
And he was released immediately
a couple of days after his
resentencing.
And so I know there is a lot of
things that we need to draw out
and continue to work together
at the city level.
But it is very important our
courts right now on backlogged,
so we are trying to help
support and make this process
quicker.
Because there are thousands of
individuals who can also be
resentenced and be released.
You know, by trust taking their
youthfulness into
consideration.
So I just want to reiterate how
important it is for us to
expunge, vacate, whatever it
is.
We are here to help.
And that is yeah, all I have it
say.
Thank you.
>>> Thank you so much.
I want to thank the entire
panel for being here today.
Thank you for sharing your
stories.
Again, beginning of the
conversation we look forward to
hearing here from folks within
the industry both workers and
some of the industry
representatives.
But also, hearing from these
other jurisdictions, I think
that is my next step to reach
out and see if other
jurisdictions would be
interested in sharing the
process they went through.
God lessons there and we in
Seattle are often on the
cutting edge of exporting good,
progressive ideas.
But when other jurisdictions
are doing things well, I don't
want us to reinvent the whole,
I want us to learn from those
who have great examples that
you all think have a good
equity lens applied there as
well.
I'm going to be reaching out to
those other jurisdictions and
see if we can offer some time
in an upcoming meeting.
>>> I also heard three Rs and I
missed the last.
I think key you mentioned it
reform, redistribution and.
>> Restoration.
Most important.
Okay.
So I'm going to be thinking
about Throws three Rs, as we
think through possible policy
solutions here.
And whether that is on you know
the worker training and safety
side, whether that is on
equitable taxation and fund
side, reform, redistribution,
restoration.
I look forward to hearing more
about the social equity
applicants and the process that
council member Herbold and
myself mentioned and we'll be
reaching out to finance and
administrative services change
team and the other departments
that are working with as well
to get an update on that
process.
>>> I also would love to just
continue to extend an
invitation to all those who are
listening to continue to give
us ideas as we continue down
this path of policy analysis
and development and building
upon some of the conversations
you all have had and policy
recommendations that are coming
from the community.
This is the beginning of a
process that I do hope will
lead us to some God policy
solutions here.
So the stories and the
anecdotes and the data you
provided do have systemic
policy solutions to help
address the inequities and
safety concerns that you have
brought up.
So thanks for helping to
kickoff this conversation today
and bringing your expertise to
this discussion.
Really appreciate it.
>>> If there is nothing else
for the good of the order, I'm
going to wrap us opaquing.
We have reached the end of our
agenda.
Our next meeting will be March
2 at 9:30.
We are going to have human
resources appropriations 2022
bill.
Cannabis I guess I'll call it
cannabis sort of update from
other jurisdictions if
available, and possibly office
of housing staffing and
appropriation change
legislation and we will be
briefing our committee members
on those items so you know more
about those coming your way.
Thanks colleagues for your time
today.
Have a great rest of your day
and thank again to our panel
for sharing your stories and
ideas and expertise.
Take care, everyone.