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  "persistedAt": "2026-04-14T03:49:53.005Z",
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  "meeting": {
    "title": "Select Committee on the Library Levy 4/8/2026",
    "date": "2026-04-08",
    "committee": "Select Committee on the Library Levy",
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    "speakers": [
      "CHAIR RIVERA",
      "COUNCIL PRESIDENT",
      "COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER",
      "COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ",
      "COUNCILMEMBER LIN",
      "COUNCILMEMBER RINCK",
      "COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS",
      "GO AHEAD",
      "ONE SECOND",
      "PLEASE NOTE COUNCILMEMBER",
      "VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH"
    ],
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  "tags": [
    "city:seattle",
    "org:seattle-city-council",
    "meeting:x185662",
    "committee:select-committee-on-the-library-levy",
    "year:2026",
    "month:2026-04",
    "date:2026-04-08"
  ],
  "text": "[ MUSIC ]\nGOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. THE\nAPRIL 8, 22026 MEETING OF THE\nSELECT COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY\nLEVY WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS\n9:44 AM. I AM CHAIR OF THE\nCOMMITTEE. WITH THE CLERK PLEASE\nCALL THE ROLL.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nHERE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nHERE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nHERE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nHERE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nHERE.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nHERE.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nHERE. SEVEN THE COUNCIL\nMEMBERS ARE PRESENT.\nPLEASE NOTE COUNCILMEMBER: PLEASE NOTE COUNCILMEMBER\nSAKA AND COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE\nARE EXCUSED FROM THE MEETING. IF\nTHERE IS NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA\nWILL BE ADOPTED. WE WILL NOW\nHAVE OUR HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT.\nPUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD TIE WITH\nTHINGS ON THE AGENDA OR IN THE\nPURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE. HOW\nMANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP\nTODAY?\nWE CURRENTLY HAVE 10 IN\nPERSON SPEAKERS AND SEVEN REMOTE\nSPEAKERS ASSIGNED UP.\nTHAT IS 17 PEOPLE. SO, GIVEN\nTHAT, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO\nMINUTES. CLERK, PLEASE PLEASE\nREAD THE INSTRUCTIONS.\nIT WILL BE MODERATED IN THE\nFOLLOWING MANNER. UP TO 60\nMINUTES, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE\nTWO MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE\nCALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH\nTHEY REGISTERED. WE WILL START\nWITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST\nAND THEN REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL\nTHE PERIOD HAS ENDED. SPEAKERS\nWILL HEAR A TIME WHEN THERE'S\n10 SECONDS LEFT. PUBLIC COMMENT\nIS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN\nWITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE\nLIST. JESSICA LUCAS.\nWELCOME, JESSICA.\nTHANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I AM\nJESSICA LUCAS, THE PRESIDENT OF\nLOCAL 2083, SEATTLE PUBLIC\nLIBRARY'S. LIBRARY EMPLOYEES\nUNION. I'M HERE TO REPRESENT\nOUR MEMBERS. WE WOULD LIKE TO\nTHANK THE MAYOR AND THE CITY\nCOUNCIL FOR WORKING SO\nDILIGENTLY TO PUT FORTH AND\nIMPROVE THE PROPOSED 2027 TO\n2033 LEVY. WE KNOW THAT 30% OF\nOUR SALARIES ARE FUNDED THROUGH\nTHE CURRENT LEVY. AND THAT THIS\nLEVY DOES NOT , AND IF THIS LEVY\nDOES NOT PASS, IT WILL MEAN\nLAYOFFS AND DEEP CUTS FOR THE\nSERVICES WE PROVIDE. WE ARE\nHAPPY TO SEE SO MUCH POTENTIAL\nFOR ADDITIONAL STAFF TO SUPPORT\nFUTURE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PART OF\nTHIS PACKAGE. WHICH WE HOPE WILL\nINCLUDE SUPPORT STAFF AS WELL AS\nLIBRARIANS. AS 18 SERVICES\nLIBRARIAN MYSELF I CAN TELL YOU\nTHAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL LIBRARY\nASSOCIATE STAFF WHO PROVIDE\nPROCESSING, SHELVING, CUSTOMER\nSERVICE AND INFORMATION\nREFERRALS SO THAT LIBRARIANS\nHAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO OUR\nCOMMUNITIES AND CREATE AND\nPROVIDE EQUITABLE PROGRAMS THAT\nSERVE THEIR NEEDS. WE NEED MORE\nSECURITY OFFICERS WHO ARE\nTRAINED IN DE-ESCALATION,\nHONESTLY MORE THAN THE THREE\nPROPOSED. TO KEEP US IN OUR\nPATRONS SAFE. WE NEED WORKING\nDOOR LOCKS THAT ACTUALLY RESPOND\nTO THE BUTTONS WE PUSH TO LOCK\nTHEM IN AN EMERGENCY. WE NEED\nBUILDINGS THAT WILL NOT FALL ON\nOUR HEADS IN AN EARTHQUAKE AND\nTHAT CAN PROVIDE REFUGE IN BOTH\nTHE HOTTEST AND COLDEST DAYS OF\nTHE YEAR. WE NEED ADDITIONAL\nSUPPORT FOR OUR SOCIAL SERVICES\nTEAM WHO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO\nOUR MOST VULNERABLE PATRONS.\nTHANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THESE\nTHINGS IN THE ORIGINAL LEVY\nPROPOSAL AND IN THESE\nAMENDMENTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO\nTHE LIBRARY FOR FILLING ALL OF\nTHESE PROMISES TO STAFF AND\nPATRONS AND TO ALL OF THE FOLKS\nLIVING IN SEATTLE. WHETHER THEY\nENTER OUR BUILDINGS OR NOT, THEY\nBENEFIT -- WE PROVIDE TO THOSE\nWHO DO. THE LIBRARY CONTRIBUTE\nSTILL WELL-INFORMED, EDUCATED\nAND CONNECTED SOCIETY. THANK\nYOU.\nTHANK YOU, JESSICA. I SHOULD\nSAY, CAN YOU PLEASE USE JAZZ\nHANDS SO WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE\nQUICKLY AND HEAR EVERYONE. ALL\nMICROPHONES ARE ON SO WHEN I\nCALL YOU UP YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO\nWALK UP TO ONE OF THE\nMICROPHONES IF YOU WOULD LIKE.\nRYAN, LAUREN, PETER, BETSY AND\nTHEN PIPPIN.\nGOOD MORNING, COUNCIL\nMEMBERS. I AM THE CEO OF THE\nSEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY\nFOUNDATION. I APPRECIATE THE\nCONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD\nLEADING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. IT\nIS WORTH STATING THAT THE\nFOUNDATION IS A NONPROFIT\nPARTNER OF THE LIBRARY. WE ARE\nFUNDRAISERS AND ADVOCATES ON\nBEHALF OF THE LIBRARY WE LOVE.\nWHILE WE ARE PROUD OF THE\nFUNDING WE PROVIDE TO THE\nLIBRARY, TANKS WERE THOUSANDS OF\nDONORS, WE ALSO KNOW PRIVATE\nPHILANTHROPY IS ALWAYS CHANGING\nAND CAN NEVER MATCH THE IMPACT\nOF PUBLIC FUNDING FOR A\nCHARTERED CITY INSTITUTION. NOR\nSHOULD IT. THE AMENDMENT'S\nBEFORE YOU ARE SMALL IN RELATION\nTO THE CITY'S TOTAL BUDGET FOR\nTHE OVERALL SHARE OF THE\nPROPERTY TAXES DEDICATED TO THE\nCITY'S VARIOUS LEVIES. BUT THE\nOFFER SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS AND\nTHEY WILL POSITION THE\nFOUNDATION TO MAKE EVEN FURTHER\nENHANCEMENTS FOR PRIVATE\nSUPPORT. INC. ABOUT IT THIS WAY,\nTHESE AMENDMENTS REPRESENT ABOUT\n10 YEARS OF FUNDRAISING EFFORTS\n. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT\nTHIS MOMENT TO MAKE A DECADES\nWORTH OF DIFFERENCE FOR THE\nCOUNTLESS LIBRARY PATRONS WHO\nRELY ON IT. THE TIME TO INVEST\nIN THE LIBRARY IS NOW. THE\nLIBRARY IS READY TO IMPLEMENT\nIMPORTANT EXPANSIONS TO VITAL\nSERVICES TO ACHIEVE ITS\nSTRATEGIC VISION. AND THE\nFOUNDATION IS READY TO BOOST OUR\nFUNDRAISING TO LEVERAGE LOOK\nSUPPORT. AND THE RESIDENTS OF\nSEATTLE I FEEL ARE READY TO SHOW\nTHEIR SUPPORT FOR THE DECISIONS\nYOU MAKE. I URGE YOU TO SEIZE\nTHIS MOMENT AND BE VISIONARY.\nLEASE DON'T SHORTCHANGE A\nPUBLIC INSTITUTION THE TOUCHES\nEVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, SERVES\nPEOPLE OF EVERY AGE, AND ALL\nBACKGROUNDS. THANK YOU FOR\nTAKING BOTH ACTION TO MAKE OUR\nBELOVED LIBRARY EVEN STRONGER.\nPLEASE PASS THE AMENDMENTS TODAY\nAND LET'S GET TO WORK. THANK\nYOU.\nTHANK YOU, BRIAN. PETER,\nBETSY, AND PIPPIN.\nGOOD MORNING, COUNCIL\nMEMBERS.\nGO AHEAD: GO AHEAD.\nI AM HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF\nAND A 6000 ELECTRICAL WORKER\nMEMBERS. IN 2021 OVER 400 PEOPLE\nDIED IN THE HEAT DOME IN OUR\nSTATE. THAT REVEALED THE WE ARE\nNOT READY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. I\nAM PROUD THAT OVER THE LAST\nSEVERAL YEARS OUR UNION HAS\nWORKED IN COALITION WITH GROUPS\nLIKE 350 SEATTLE, AND THE GREEN\nNEW DEAL OVERSIGHT BOARD TO\nADVOCATE FOR ADEQUATE COOLING IN\nPUBLIC BUILDINGS AND TO HELP GET\nOUR BUILDINGS HERE IN SEATTLE TO\nSTOP EMITTING CLIMATE POLLUTION.\nWE ARE REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT\nAMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN\nPROPOSED FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS\nFOSTER, COUNCILMEMBER LIN AND\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK WHICH WE\nBELIEVE WOULD HELP ACHIEVE THE\nGOALS AND WE ASKED FOR THE\nCOUNCIL SUPPORT FOR THESE\nAMENDMENTS.\nTHANK YOU. BETSY, PIPPIN,\nANN.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.\nMY NAME IS BETSY, I AM LIVING IN\nDISTRICT 6. I AM ALSO A FORMER\nCHILDREN'S STAFF FOR THE\nSEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY. UNTIL\nRECENTLY I DID WORK IN THE\nCHILDREN'S AREA ON LEVEL I, THE\nTEEN AREA ON LEVEL III. THIS IS\nA VERY WELL USED AND WELL LOVED\nSPACE. SPECIFICALLY IN THE\nCHILDREN'S AREA. PARENTS IN\nGIVERS STOP ALL DAY LONG, CHECK\nOUT BOOKS TO ENTERTAIN KIDS AND\nJUST HANG OUT. I WAS WORKING AT\nTHE CENTRAL LIBRARY WHEN IT WAS\nBUILT 22 YEARS AGO. AND I\nWITNESSED THE ENTIRE PROCESS .\nAT THAT POINT IT WAS THE\nARCHITECT'S VISION OF HOW THE\nSPACE SHOULD WORK. AND THAT WE\nHAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR\nFRONTLINE STAFF AND BUILDING\nMANAGERS TO BE ABLE TO CREATE\nTHE SPACE THAT WILL ACTUALLY\nHELP OUR STAFF FUNCTION FOR THE\nPEOPLE WE SERVE. I AM HERE TODAY\nBECAUSE I SO APPRECIATE THE\nPROPOSED AMENDMENT FOR THE\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER TO DEDICATE\n$10 MILLION TO THE RENOVATION OF\nCENTRAL LIBRARY. THE AMENDMENT\nCOULD MAKE THIS HUGE DIFFERENCE\nFOR THE CHILDREN IN THE AREA.\nTHE CENTRAL LIBRARY IS SHOWING\nITS AGE. IS 22 YEARS OLD, IT IS\nSTATE-OF-THE-ART IN 2004 IT'S\nNOT THE SAME AS 2026. THINK\nABOUT HOW IT WOULD REVITALIZE\nTHIS AREA AND BENEFIT THE\nSEATTLE FAMILIES AS A WHOLE. MY\nFORMER COLLEAGUES COULD HOST\nMORE PROGRAMS, OFFER MORE BOOKS,\nHELP MORE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE\nBUILDING. THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD\nNEED TO HER DOWNTOWN CORE. WHEN\nWE INVITE MORE KIDS AND MORE\nTEENS INTO OUR DOWNTOWN\nDESTINATIONS LIKE THE LIBRARY,\nIT SHOWS PEOPLE THE CITY WE ARE\nVIBRANT, SAFE AND A POSITIVE\nAREA. THINK ABOUT THE GLOBAL\nREADING CHALLENGE THE JUST\nHAPPENED. IT WAS IN THE SEATTLE\nTIMES ARTICLE ON APRIL 1. WE HAD\nTHOUSANDS, HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES\nTHAT CAME. I ALSO JUST WANT TO\nSAY THAT WE ARE THE LAST TRULY\nDEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION . WHERE\nFAMILIES CAN COME, PEOPLE CAN\nCOME, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE,\nWHERE THEY ARE, AND WE ARE THE\nONLY FREE PLACE TO HANG IN THE\nDOWNTOWN CORE.\nTHANK YOU, BETSY. THANK YOU\nVERY MUCH.\nI HAVE A VISUAL AID.\nALL RIGHT. YES. TRUE. THANK\nYOU, BETSY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR\nSERVICE IN THE LIBRARY'S.\nPIPPIN. AND THEN SHARA.\nGOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS\nPIPPIN. I AM THE EXECUTIVE\nDIRECTOR OF A NONPROFIT LITERARY\nARTS ORGANIZATION BASED IN\nDISTRICT 3. OVER THE YEARS I\nHAVE ALSO MAGAZINE EXPRESSING\nAND SUPPORT OF CITY LITERATURE.\nWHICH MANAGES OUR CITIES\nDESIGNATION IS A CITY OF\nLITERATURE. I SHARE ALL THIS TO\nSAY THAT I BELIEVE I'M\nQUALIFIED TO SPEAK TO HOW DEEPLY\nTHE LIBRARY IMPACTS SEATTLE'S\nLITERARY COMMUNITY. SEATTLE IS A\nCITY OF READERS AND WRITERS. THE\nREGION HAS LITERARY TRADITION\nTHAT GOES BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL\nINHABITANTS. REGARDLESS OF\nBACKGROUND OR BELIEF WE\nSEATTLEITES SHARE A COMMON BOND\nFOR STORYTELLING. OUR LIBRARY IS\nABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO THIS\nIDENTITY. TO THE BOOKS IT\nCIRCULATES, THE WRITERS IT\nBRINGS IN FOR PROGRAMS AND THE\nCOMMUNITIES IT BUILDS AROUND\nREADING AND WRITING. IT IS NO\nEXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT IT\nWOULD NOT BE A UNESCO CITY OF\nLITERATURE, ONE OF ONLY TWO IN\nTHE U.S., AND 53 WORLDWIDE,\nWITHOUT A STRONG SEATTLE PUBLIC\nLIBRARY. OUR TIME WITH DEMOCRACY\nFEELS FRAGILE AND THIS\nINFORMATION SPREADS FASTER,\nLITERATURE MATTERS. READING\nSLOWS US DOWN IN AN ECONOMY .\nREADING CREATES SPACE FOR\nREFLECTION. COMBATS ISOLATION\nAND BUILDS APATHY BY ALLOWING\nNOT OTHERWISE UNDERSTAND. IT IS\nA WAY , IN A WAY IT'S NOT JUST\nA PRIVATE ACT, IT IS A CIVIC\nONE. SUPPORTING A LITERATE\nCULTURE IS AN ACT OF DEMOCRACY.\nTHAT IS WHY AM GRATEFUL TO THE\nCOUNCIL MEMBERS FOR PRIORITIZING\nLIBRARY COLLECTIONS IN THE LEVY.\nWE MUST COST AND DEMANDS FOR\nLIBRARY BOOKS. AN INVESTMENT AND\nCURIOSITY, IMAGINATION AND\nINFORMED AND ENGAGED PUBLIC. FOR\nALL THESE REASONS I URGE YOU TO\nPLEASE VOTE IT IN. THANK YOU FOR\nYOUR ATTENTION. AND ALL THE WORK\nYOU DO.\nTHANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SHARA\nAND THEN LILY.\nI AM ANN AND I AM A LIFELONG\nLOVER OF LIBRARIES. I HAVE\nSERVED ON A VARIETY OF\nFOUNDATION BOARDS AND AM\nCURRENTLY THE EMERITUS CHAIR FOR\nTHE FOUNDATION BOARD SUPPORTING\nTHE LIBRARY. I HAVE GIVEN TOURS\nOF HER CENTRAL LIBRARY. I'VE\nTALKED TO PEOPLE AND PROMOTED\nTHE LIBRARY ALL OF MY TIME HERE\nIN SEATTLE WHICH IS MY ADULT\nLIFE. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK\nYOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND\nENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE AS MUCH AS\nPOSSIBLE TO FUND OF THE LIBRARY.\nPARTICULARLY AROUND THE\nCOLLECTIONS . WHEN I GO TO MY\nLIBRARY I SEE PEOPLE WALKING OUT\nWITH ARMLOADS OF BOOKS. SO I\nKNOW THEY ARE REALLY UTILIZING\nALL OF THE RESOURCES. IT MAKES A\nBIG DIFFERENCE. IT MAKES US A\nBETTER EDUCATED, MORE AWARE AND\nSMARTER COMMUNITY. SO KEEP IT\nGOING. GIVE US THE BEST MONEY\nYOU CAN TO KEEP THE LIBRARY\nSTRONG. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.\nTHANK YOU, ANN. SHARA,\nSHEILA, EXCUSE ME, LILY AND\nCHRISTIANA .\nHI, I APPRECIATE THE SHORT\nMICROPHONE. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND\nCOUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS\nSHARA, AND THE COEXECUTIVE\nDIRECTOR AT LITERACY SOURCE.\nBASED IN DISTRICT 5. WE ARE AN\nADULT EDUCATION ORGANIZATION AND\nLITERACY. I AM HERE TO THANK\nCANCEL MEMBERS FOR THEIR\nAMENDMENT TO EXPAND A LINGUAL\nPROGRAMMING AT THE LIBRARY.\nLITERACY SOURCE IS A LONGTIME\nPARTNER OF A LIBRARY. ON\nPROGRAMS THAT SERVE IMMIGRANTS\nAND REFUGEES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE\nRUN THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE\nCONVERSATION CLASSES AND HAVE\nLOTS OF PEOPLE COMING IN\nREGULARLY WHO ARE ADULTS WORKING\nON THEIR ENGLISH. THEY CURRENTLY\nTAKE PLACE AT THE CENTRAL\nLIBRARY , BEACON HILL, LAKE\nCITY, HIGH POINT, NEWHOLLY,\nNORTHGATE AND SOUTHPARK RANCHES\nAND ALSO VIRTUALLY. WE ARE ABLE\nTO OFFER SO MANY OPTIONS THIS\nYEAR BECAUSE OF THE TWO YEAR\nGRANT FROM THE CARNEGIE\nCORPORATION OF NEW YORK SECURED\nBY THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY\nFOUNDATION LAST YEAR. THE\nFUNDING NEARLY DOUBLE THE NUMBER\nOF FREE LIBRARY PROGRAMS THAT\nARE SERVING LOOSELY WHICH\nLEARNERS AND WE KNOW THERE IS A\nHUGE NEED OUT THERE. WE EXPANDED\nONE ON ONE ADULT EDUCATION\nTUTORING, DIGITAL SKILLS\nCLASSES, AND INTRODUCED LEVEL\nENGLISH CLASSES FOR THE FIRST\nTIME AT THE LIBRARY. THE GRANT\nCAME AT A TIME WHEN DEMAND FOR\nFREE AND LOW-COST ENGLISH\nCLASSES IS VERY HIGH, AS WE KNOW\nAS A LITERACY SOURCE BECAUSE WE\nARE REGULARLY TURNING AWAY\nSTUDENTS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE\nSPACE. SO WE KNOW AT THIS TIME\nMANY IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES\nALSO FEEL THAT THEY ARE AT GREAT\nRISK. AND LEARNING ENGLISH IS A\nWONDERFUL BENEFITS AND WE WANT\nTO HELP THEM. THE FUNDING FOR\nTHAT GRANT EXPIRES IN JULY 2027\nAND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT\nIT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE\nRENEWED. SO THE AMENDMENT THAT\nCOUNCIL MEMBERS PROVIDED TO\nCONTINUE RESOURCES TO SERVE\nENGLISH-LANGUAGE LEARNERS -- AND\nEXPANDING THE PLAN LEARN\nPROGRAMS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR\nRECOGNIZING THE VITAL ROLE OF\nTHE LIBRARY AND SERVING OUR\nIMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS AND I URGE\nYOU ALL TO SUPPORT THE\nAMENDMENT. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU. NEXT, LILY,\nCHRISTIANA, AND MONIQUE.\nWELCOME, LILY.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.\nMY NAME IS LILY, I'M A RESIDENT\nOF DISTRICT 1. I WANT TO THANK\nMY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY\nFOR THE AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE FOR\nADDITIONAL RETROFIT FOR THE\nLIBRARY PRIORITIZING OUR\nBEAUTIFUL WEST SEATTLE BRANCH.\nTHIS BRANCH IS EVEN MORE\nHISTORIC THAN MANY REALIZE. IT\nOPENED IN JULY 1910 IS THE FIRST\nPERMANENT LIBRARY BRANCH IN\nSEATTLE. AND IS STILL THE OLDEST\nOPERATING LIBRARY BUILDING IN\nTHE CITY. IT IS ON THE NATIONAL\nREGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND\nIS A LANDMARKED BUILDING. WHEN I\nFIRST MOVED TO WEST SEATTLE, NO\nJOKE, IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE\nABOUT MY MOM. SHE IS A RETIRED\nLIBRARIAN AND OUR LIBRARY BRANCH\nMANAGER FROM NEW JERSEY AND I\nWANT TO SHOW HER WHAT KIND OF\nNEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMITTEE I\nJUST MOVED INTO. THERE IS NO\nBETTER PLACE TO SHOW THAT FROM\nTHE WONDERFUL WELCOMING READING\nAREA AND THE CHILDREN'S AREA TO\nTHE INCREDIBLE STAFF THAT HOSTS\nPROGRAMS FROM STORYTIME TO LOCAL\nCLUBS CLASS CALLED MUSIC\nCONCERTS. IT IS TRULY A HUB OF\nTHE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BEYOND.\nHOWEVER, IT WILL BE 124 YEARS\nOLD BY THE END OF THIS LEVY\nCYCLE. IT DOES NOT HAVE THE\nREINFORCED MASONRY TO PROTECT\nTHE BUILDING DURING AN\nEARTHQUAKE OR THE CLIMATE AND\nACCESSIBILITY FEATURES OF MOST\nMODERN LIBRARIES. MY\nGRANDMOTHER, WAS ONLY 24 YEARS\nYOUNGER THAN THAT BUILDING, SHE\nTURNS 101 THIS YEAR, WOULD\nCERTAINLY BENEFIT FROM THOSE\nADDITIONS. AS WE ALL KNOW,\nSEATTLE IS OVERDUE FOR THE BIG\nONE. TO PARAPHRASE COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK LAST WEEK, THE BEST TIME\nFOR A SEISMIC SAFETY UPGRADE IS\nBEFORE THE BIG ONE HITS. FUNDING\nTHE WEST SEATTLE RETROFIT NOW\nALSO HELP MAKE SURE OUR\nNEIGHBORS IN QUEEN ANNE AND\nFREMONT BENEFIT FROM SIMILAR\nPROJECTS IN THE NEXT LEVY CYCLE.\nWE CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT TOO\nLONG TO PRESERVE THESE HISTORIC\nBUILDINGS. PLEASE VOTE YES FOR\nTHIS AMENDMENT AND IT BENEFITS\nEVERYONE WHO COMES THROUGH THE\nDOORS OF OUR BRANCHES.\nTHANK YOU, LILY. NEXT,\nCHRISTIANA AND THEN MONIQUE AND\nTHEN WE GO TO OUR ONLINE.\nWELCOME.\nMY NAME IS CHRISTIANA. I LIVE\nIN DISTRICT 6. WHEN MY KIDS WERE\nLITTLE WE WOULD GO TO THE\nGREENWOOD LIBRARY IN OUR\nNEIGHBORHOOD OFTEN. WHEN WE\nWOULD RIDE THE ELEVATOR AS IT\nCREAKED AND CRAWLED THERE WOULD\nBE THAT MOMENT BETWEEN MYSELF,\nMY KIDS AND OTHER PATRONS LOOK\nTHAT SAYS, ARE WE GOING TO GET\nSTUCK? THOSE KIDS ARE YOUNG\nADULTS NOW. ONE OF THEM IS HERE\nWITH ME TODAY. AND THE ELEVATOR\nAT THE GREENWOOD LIBRARY AND\nOTHERS IN OUR DISTRICT CONTINUE\nTO CREAK AND CRAWL EVER SO\nSLOWLY UP AND DOWN BETWEEN\nFLOORS. THE SAME HERE TO THANK\nMY COUNCILMEMBER, FOR HIS\nPROPOSED AMENDMENT TO FUND ADA\nACCESSIBILITY AND MAINTENANCE\nNEEDS AT OUR LIBRARIES. THESE\nFUNDS ARE CRITICALLY NEEDED,\nESPECIALLY FOR ELEVATOR AND\nESCALATOR REPLACEMENTS. IF YOU\nHAD BEEN ON THE STREET TO THE\nCENTRAL LIBRARY, THIS WEEK,\nYOU'D HAVE SEEN AN ELEVATOR AND\nESCALATOR ARE CURRENTLY DOWN. AS\nIS, UNFORTUNATELY, OFTEN THE\nCASE IN THAT AMAZING AND AGING\nBUILDING. AS OUR LIBRARIES AGE,\nELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS ARE\nOFTEN THE FIRST THINGS TO BREAK.\nLEADING TO SAFETY RISKS AND\nINACCESSIBILITY. AND AS ANYONE\nWHO HAS LIVED OR WORKED IN A\nHIGH-RISE BUILDING THOSE,\nELEVATORS AREN'T CHEAP OR QUICK\nTO REPLACE. THAT IS WHY THE TIME\nTO FUND THESE REPLACEMENTS IS\nRIGHT NOW WITH THE ONCE EVERY\nSEVEN YEARS OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT\nOF YOU BEFORE COSTS GET EVEN\nHIGHER OR A SERIOUS ISSUE\nOCCURS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS, FOR PROPOSING FUNDS TO\nADEQUATELY ADDRESS ADA\nACCESSIBILITY AND MAINTENANCE\nACROSS THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.\nWITHOUT THIS FUNDING WE WILL\nFALL DANGEROUSLY BEHIND ON\nMAKING SURE OUR LIBRARIES ARE\nSAFE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR\nEVERYONE. I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO\nVOTE YES ON THIS AMENDMENT.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH.\nTHANK YOU, CHRISTIANA. NEXT,\nMONIQUE, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO\nOUR ONLINE SPEAKERS. WELCOME.\nMY NAME IS MONIQUE AND I LIVE\nIN DISTRICT 4. I FEGLI VISIT THE\nFREMONT LIBRARY. I SERVE ON THE\nBOARD OF THE FRIENDS OF THE\nSEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.\nTHROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS YOU\nENGAGED WITH MANY OF MY FELLOW\nBOARD MEMBERS AS WE SEEK TO\nFULFILL OUR MISSION LIBRARY AND\nINSPIRE A LOVE OF READING IN OUR\nCOMMUNITY. AND THANKS FOR\nLISTENING AND I WANT TO\nESPECIALLY THANK COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK, NOT JUST FOR YOUR\nFANTASTIC REAL WITH MY BOARD\nCOLLEAGUE JENNIFER, BUT ALSO FOR\nSPONSORING THE AMENDMENT TO\nEXPAND INTO DIGITAL BOOKS. AS\nYOU REPEATEDLY HEARD, BOTH\nDIGITAL BOOKS AND PEAK PICS ARE\nEXTREMELY POPULAR AMONG SEATTLE\nREADERS. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE\nTO TAKE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR\nTHINGS LIBRARY DOES AND COMBINE\nIT WITH THE MOST POPULAR CURRENT\nFORMAT REQUESTED BY THE PUBLIC.\nTHAT THE LIBRARY OFFERS. PEAK\nPICS OFFERS NO WAY ACCESS TO\nMOST IN DEMAND NEW RELEASES FROM\nWELL-KNOWN AUTHORS AND RIGHT NOW\nFOR EXAMPLE IT FEATURES THE\nLATEST WORKS FROM. IT ALSO\nHIGHLIGHTS WRITERS AND NEW\nVOICES AND CURRENT PICS INCLUDE\nNORTHWEST TRAVEL GUIDE, A MANUAL\nON GROWING VEGETABLES IN\nWASHINGTON AND A MYSTERY SET ON\nWHIDBEY ISLAND. IT PROVIDES A\nBELOVED SERVICE FOR PATRONS AND\nVALUABLE PLATFORM FOR EMERGING\nAND DIVERSE WRITERS AT THE FRONT\nOF EVERY LIBRARY AND HOPEFULLY\nSOON ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE\nAB. PLEASE VOTE YES TO EXPAND\nACCESS TO PEAK PICS AND DIGITAL\nBOOKS.\nTHANK YOU. WE WILL GO TO OUR\nONLINE SPEAKERS. WE HAVE BRIAN,\nROBERTA, AND KATHLEEN. BRIAN,\nPRESS STAR SIX AND YOU MAY\nBEGIN.\nTHIS IS BRIAN. I'M A HOST ON\nTHE SEATTLE CHANNEL. THANK YOU\nFOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I'VE\nTALKED WITH ALL OF YOU AT THE\nSEATTLE CHANNEL STUDIOS BEFORE\nBUT THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.\nI'M SPEAKING TO YOU IN SUPPORT\nOF COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS'S\nAMENDMENT TO THE LIBRARY LEVY.\nAMENDMENT NUMBER EIGHT ON PAGE\n16 OF YOUR AMENDMENT'S PACKET.\nTHIS MEASURE WOULD EXPAND\nLIBRARY PROGRAMMING ON THE\nSEATTLE CHANNEL. A RELATIVELY\nLOW COST OF $300,000 PER YEAR,\n$2.1 MILLION OVER THE LIFE OF\nTHE LEVY. THE SEATTLE CHANNEL IS\nBROADCAST MONTHLY LIBRARY BOARD\nMEETINGS, FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS,\nAND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY NOW\nTO BUILD ON THIS PARTNERSHIP AND\nLEVERAGE THE CHANNEL'S GROWING\nONLINE PRESENCE WITH 5.5 MILLION\nANNUAL VIDEO ABUSE TO PROMOTE\nLIBRARY CONTENT. BOOK TALKS,\nLECTURES AND OTHER LIBRARY\nPRESENTATIONS COULD BE FEATURED\nON SEATTLE CHANNELS MULTIPLE\nVIDEO PLATFORMS. CONNECTING WITH\nTHE CHANNELS 156,000 FOLLOWERS\nON SOCIAL MEDIA INCLUDING 82,000\nSUBSCRIBERS ON YOUTUBE ALONE.\nTHIS AMENDMENT IS NOT A LARGE\nINCREASE TO THE LEVY. BUT IT\nWOULD CREATE A SIGNIFICANT\nFUNDING SOURCE FOR THE SEATTLE\nCHANNEL. AS MANY CANCEL MEMBERS\nKNOW, THE CHANNEL FACE MAJOR\nFUNDING CUTS IN 2024 THAT\nWOULD'VE RESULTED IN THE LOSS\nOF SHOWS LIKE THE ONES I HOST\nWITH YOU AND OTHER GUESTS, PLUS\nOTHER POPULAR PROGRAMS. LIKE ART\nZONE. AND BOOK LOVE. I AM\nTHANKFUL TO THE COUNCIL THAT\nFUNDING FOR THE CHANNEL WAS\nRESTORED THEN, BUT DECREASING\nREVENUE FROM CABLE FEES REMAINS\nA CONCERN. THAT IS WHY THIS IDEA\nOF ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF LEVY\nMONEY TO THE CHANNEL, CREATING A\nBRAIDED APPROACH WITH MULTIPLE\nFUNDING SOURCES FOR THE CHANNEL\nPRESENTS ITSELF AS A PRACTICAL\nAND SUSTAINABLE PATH FORWARD. AS\nA JOURNALIST COVERING CITY HALL\nIT IS NOT COMFORTABLE FOR ME TO\nSPEAK OUT ABOUT THE CITY DOLLARS\nTHAT AFFECT MY JOB, AS I WAS NOT\nCOMFORTABLE TWO YEARS AGO. BUT\nI'M GOING TO SAY WITH ALL THE\nHUMIDITY I CAN, I SEE THE WORK\nOF THE SEATTLE CHANNEL IS A\nCRITICAL PART OF THE FABRIC OF\nTHE CITY AND IT NEEDS TO SURVIVE\nAND FLOURISH. THIS IS A VERY\nSMALL INCREASE TO THE LEVY, BUT\nI SEE IT AS A FISCALLY\nRESPONSIBLE MOVE TO PROMOTE\nSEATTLE LIBRARIES AND HELP THE\nSEATTLE CHANNEL 5 INTO THE\nFUTURE. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, BRIAN. NEXT,\nROBERTA. PRESS STAR SIX. YOU MAY\nBEGIN.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR AND COUNCIL\nMEMBERS. MY NAME IS ROBERTA AND\nI LIVE IN DISTRICT 5. MY FIRST\nTIME EVER CALLING IN TO MAKE\nPUBLIC COMMENT ON AN ISSUE. I\nHAVE BEEN A LIFELONG SUPPORTER\nOF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY,\nFREQUENTED THE NORTHEAST\nLIBRARY, AND AND AN AVID\nAUDIOBOOK USER. THE LIBRARY IS A\nPLACE THAT I AND SO MANY OTHERS\nHAVE ALWAYS CALLED HOME. I'M\nALSO AN ACTIVE YOU ARE OF THE\nEMMY AWARD-WINNING SEATTLE\nCHANNEL. SUCH A GREAT EXISTING\nFREE RESOURCE THAT THE CITY\nSHOULD BE PROUD OF. THIS IS WHY\nAM SO PLEASED TO SEE THE\nAMENDMENT FROM COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS TO GROW THE SEATTLE\nCHANNEL COVERAGE OF THE LIBRARY\nPROGRAMS. WHAT A GREAT\nCOLLABORATION THAT WILL BE.\nLIBRARY PROGRAMS ARE SUCH A HUGE\nWIN FOR THE CITY. EDUCATIONAL\nAND FREE OF CHARGE. A BROAD\nRANGE OF PROGRAMS OFFER\nSOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. TRULY A\nCOMMON GROUND. THESE MUST BE\nACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE INCLUDING\nPEOPLE FACE BARRIERS, PRESENTED\nBY THE TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE\nAND MORE. AND WHO MAY NOT BE\nABLE TO ATTEND LIBRARY PROGRAMS\nIN PERSON. THE SEATTLE CHANNEL\nIS ANOTHER ESSENTIAL FREE\nEDUCATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE. THEY\nDO SUCH AN AMAZING JOB OF\nCOVERING CITY POLITICS AND SO\nMUCH MORE. THEY ALREADY OFFER\nAWARD-WINNING ORIGINAL CONTENT,\nCREATIVE AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS,\nVITAL ELECTION INFORMATION AND\nSEATTLE HISTORY JUST TO NAME A\nFEW. I'M EXCITED THAT\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS'S\nAMENDMENT WOULD PROVIDE MORE\nOPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE\nEXPERIENCE LIBRARY PROGRAMS\nREMOTELY VIA THE SEATTLE\nCHANNEL. I URGE YOU TO VOTE YES\nON THIS AMENDMENT AND SUPPORT\nMORE ACCESS TO TWO OF OUR\nCENTRAL PUBLIC SERVICES. THE\nLIBRARY AND THE SEATTLE CHANNEL.\nTHANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, ROBERTA. KATHLEEN.\nPLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND YOU\nMAY BEGIN.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.\nMY NAME IS KATHLEEN, AND I LIVE\nIN DISTRICT 7. I AM SPEAKING IN\nSUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY LEVY WITH\nAN EMPHASIS ON ADDITIONAL\nFUNDING FOR THE COMMUNITY\nRESOURCE SPECIALIST POSITION.\nFOR 19 YEARS I WAS THE EXECUTIVE\nDIRECTOR OF CRISIS CLINIC, NOW\nCRISIS CONNECTION. WHICH\nPROVIDES TELEPHONE-BASED\nINFORMATION REFERRALS TO HELP\nHEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND A\nBROAD ARRAY OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH\nCRISIS DIVERSION SERVICES\nINCLUDING 988 , THE SUICIDE AND\nCRISIS LINE. I WAS A COFOUNDER\nOF WASHINGTON STATE 211 SERVICE,\nA THREE DIGIT DIALING CODE THAT\nMADE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE -- THE\nLIBRARY'S COMMUNITY RESOURCE\nSPECIALISTS ARE A DEDICATED\nSTAFF WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY ,\nEXPERTISE AND EMPATHY TO WORK\nWITH VULNERABLE LIBRARY\nPATIENTS. EXPANDING THESE\nPOSITIONS AND WORKING WITH THE\nCARE TEAM TO BETTER INTEGRATE\nSERVICE CONNECTION FROM LIBRARY\nLOCATION WILL STRENGTHEN OUR\nCITY SAFETY NET. THIS WILL\nBENEFIT PATRONS AT THE CENTRAL\nLIBRARY, BALLARD, AND CAPITOL\nHILL. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK\nCOUNCIL MEMBERS FOSTER, STRAUSS\nAND HOLLINGSWORTH. THERE\nIMPORTANT AMENDMENT WOULD\nADDRESS THE CRISIS NEEDS OF\nLIBRARY PATRONS. I ENCOURAGE ALL\nCOUNCILMEMBERS TO SUPPORT THIS\nAMENDMENT AND EXPAND THE\nLIBRARY'S ROLE IN ADDRESSING\nTHE NEEDS OF OUR LITTLE MEMBERS\nOF OUR CITY. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU. COLLEEN, PLEASE\nPRESS STAR SIX AND YOU MAY\nBEGIN.\nGOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL.\nARE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 3200\nRESIDENTS, 100% SUPPORTS THE $10\nMILLION VIBRATE LEVY. AS YOU\nKNOW, IT IS WHOPPING 50%\nINCREASE INFLATION ADJUSTMENT\nREPLACEMENT LEVY WHICH COVERS\nEVERYTHING FROM OPERATIONS\nMAINTENANCE, BOOKS AND\nMATERIALS, INFRASTRUCTURE,\nE-BOOKS AND THE WONDERFUL\nOUTREACH SERVICES. THERE ARE\nSOME REAL CONCERNS AMONG\nCONSTITUENTS THAT THE LEVY\nREQUIRES THE CITY TO RECEIVE\nLEVY LIMITS FROM THE STATE AND\nTHE NEIGHBORS ESPECIALLY SENIORS\nAND SEVERAL VETERANS ON FIXED\nINCOMES DO NOT SUPPORT\nADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS SEATTLE\nEVEN AT A DANGEROUSLY HIGH\n---THE STATE. ADDING MORE\nMILLIONS AMENDMENTS FOR THE CITY\nFOR REAL EMERGENCIES. YESTERDAY\nAS WE STOOD AT THE MARKET\nNEIGHBORS WERE CONTEMPLATING IN\nTHE CARTS WHETHER THEY SHOULD\nSTUFF THE CART FULL OF\nEVERYTHING OR SHOULD SOMETHING\nBE LEFT ON THE SHELF BROTHERS\nFOR EMERGENCIES. THIS IS THE\nSAME AS SAVING A SMALL OF AMOUNT\nOF TAXING CAPACITY. OR\nCONTINGENCY FOR THE CITY'S\nFUTURE. ALL OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS\nHAVE WONDERFUL AFFILIATIONS WITH\nSEATTLE LIBRARIES AND GREAT\nMEMORIES. BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD\nMORE THAN THE $410 MILLION WHICH\nIS A 50% INCREASE. LANDOWNERS\nHAVE ALREADY BEEN TAXED HEAVILY\nTO FUND PARKS AND REC LEVY,\nCHILDREN, FAMILIES AND FREE\nPRESCHOOL WHICH ALSO PROVIDES\nMANY OF THESE RESOURCES IN SAFE\nPLACES FOR CHILDREN TO BE AFTER\nSCHOOL. PLEASE PASS THE $400\nMILLION -- $410 MILLION CB 12181\nWITH NO AMENDMENTS. LET'S KEEP\nSEATTLE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR\nLANDOWNERS, RENTERS, HOMEOWNERS,\nAND SAVE SOMETHING FOR A RAINY\nDAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR\nWORK ON THIS.\nTHANK YOU, COLLEEN. MARGARET\nBUTLER. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX\nAND YOU MAY BEGIN.\nHI, THANK YOU, COUNCIL\nMEMBERS, FOR YOUR TIME. I AM\nMARGARET BUTLER. I AM AN ARTIST,\nGRAPHIC DESIGNER AND SMALL\nBUSINESS OWNER IN SEATTLE AND I\nLIVE IN VERMONT IN DISTRICT 6. I\nALSO RENT AN ART STUDIO IN\nBALLARD. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU\nTHAT I SUPPORT THE LIBRARY LEVY\nIN FULL AND SPECIFICALLY THE\nAMENDMENT TO ADD TO OUR\nCOLLECTION AND COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK'S AMENDMENT FOR PEAK\nPICS. MY FIRST TO SETTLE ONE OF\nTHE THINGS I DID WAS GET A\nLIBRARY CARD. I WILL NEVER\nFORGET THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO\nCENTRAL LIBRARY, I WALKED IN, I\nLOOKED UP AND WAS TAKING IN THE\nBEAUTY WELL A CELLIST WAS\nPLAYING AND IT BROUGHT TEARS TO\nMY EYES BECAUSE I WAS SO EXCITED\nAND HAPPY IT WAS MY NEW HOME. I\nLOVE IT SEATTLE IS INVESTING IN\nITS LIBRARY INCREASE SPACES FOR\nCITIZENS. I USE THE LIBRARY\nEVERY DAY READING DIGITAL BOOKS\nAND AUDIOBOOKS , RENTING\nPHYSICAL BOOKS AND I AM OLD\nSCHOOL SO I LIKE TO RENT DVDS\nFROM TIME TO TIME. THE LIBRARY\nSUPPORTS MY SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS\nWITH PRINTING, COMPUTER AND\nWI-FI ACCESS, REFERENCE MATERIAL\nFOR MY ART, PERSONAL HOTSPOTS\nFOR MY ART STUDIO, AND EVEN GOT\nAN AFFIDAVIT NOTARIZED AT THE\nLIBRARY SO I COULD USE MY\nPARTNER'S WORKPLACE HEALTH\nINSURANCE WHICH IS HUGE FOR A\nSMALL BUSINESS OWNER LIKE ME.\nONE THING I'VE NOTICED IS THE\nTIME AT THE LIBRARY ARE TOO\nLONG. SINCE WE ARE TOP 10 IN THE\nNATION IN SEATTLE WITH DIGITAL\nBOOK RENTALS, I FIND MYSELF\nWAITING SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE\nMATERIALS I WANT AND NEED. FOR\nEXAMPLE I PLACED A HOLD ON A\nPERSONAL HOTSPOTS AT THE END OF\nLAST YEAR AND FINALLY GOT IT\nLAST WEEK SO I COULD USE IT IN\nMY ART STUDIO. I END UP ACTUALLY\nPURCHASING A BOOK FOR A BOOK\nCLUB I AM IN BECAUSE THE\nPHYSICAL, DIGITAL AND AUDIOBOOK\nCOPIES OF PROJECT HAIL MARY WERE\nON HOLD UNTIL LONG AFTER OUR\nBOOK CLUB WAS AGILE TO DISCUSS\nTHE BOOK. IN CONCLUSION I\nSUPPORT THE LIBRARY LEVY BECAUSE\nIT IS AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY\nRESOURCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS\nOWNERS AND READING ENTHUSIASTS\nLIKE ME. WE NEED ACCESS TO\nEDUCATIONAL MATERIALS -- SO\nPLEASE SUPPORT THIS LIBRARY LEVY\nIN FULL. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, MARGARET. DAVID\nHAYNES, PRESS START SIX AND YOU\nMAY BEGIN.\nIS THERE ANYWAY WE CAN\nINCREASE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AND\nBUILD SOME NEW LIBRARIES? EVERY\nTIME WE HAVE TO DO A SEISMIC\nRETROFIT IT IS A SIGN WE HAVE A\nBUILDING CODE VIOLATION AND\nUNSTABLE WALLS. THE THING IS, WE\nNEED TO IMPROVE THE SERVICES\nTHAT HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE\nSOCIETAL EXPLOSION WE KEEP IT\nDEALING WITH WHEN PEOPLE THINK\nTHAT THE LIBRARY IS A FREE PLACE\nTO HANG OUT AND BOTHER OTHER\nPEOPLE. AND A PERFECT EFFORT\nWOULD BE, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTERS\nAMENDMENT THAT IS GOING TO SPEND\n$10 MILLION TO REMODEL THE\nCENTRAL LIBRARY. IF YOU ALL\nWOULD ALLOW FOR A PARTICIPATORY\nEFFORT TO REMODEL, IT WOULD BE\nGREAT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO\nCREATE PERSONAL SPACE FOR\nSOMEONE LIKE ME TO GO IN THERE,\nRIGHT MY SPEECH AND NOT BE\nBOTHERED BY OTHER PEOPLE'S\nPROBLEMS , THE PASSIVE\nAGGRESSIVELY BOTHER OTHER PEOPLE\n, AT THE SAME COMPUTER TABLE, AT\nTHE SAME READING AREA. AND IT'S\nFRUSTRATING BECAUSE TO THE POINT\nWHERE I HAVE PRETTY MUCH GIVEN\nUP ON GOING THERE , KNOWING FULL\nWELL WITHIN FIVE MINUTES I'M\nGOING TO BE STRESSED OUT. IT'S\nNOT FAIR. AND PART OF THE\nPROBLEM IS , I HATE TO SAY THIS,\nBUT THE SERVICE PROVIDERS WERE\nSUPPOSED TO PROVIDE SHOWER AND\nLAUNDRY, THEY DON'T SHOW UP AND\nPICK SOMEBODY UP WHO GETS A\nTICKET, THE GIVES THEM A\nGUARANTEE THAT THEY GET A SHOWER\nAND LAUNDRY RIGHT AWAY. A LOT OF\nTIMES I'VE ASKED SOME OF THE\nLIBRARIANS, WHAT YOU CALL THE\nSERVICE PROVIDER ? THEY SAY WE\nHAVE DONE THAT, WE KNOW THIS\nPERSON, THEY'VE GOT PROBLEMS\nAND THEY WILL BE BACK. IT'S\nLIKE, SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO\nCALL SO THEY CAN GO TAKE A\nSHOWER AND LAUNDRY. THEY SAY, WE\nARE NOT GOING TO JUDGE, WE ARE\nALL INCLUSIVE. IT'S MOST LIKE A\nPASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE ALLOWANCE FOR\nA DISGRUNTLED ATTITUDE TO TAKE\nIT OUT ON SOMEBODY ELSE. A\nPATRON WHO CANNOT ENJOY THE\nLIBRARY BECAUSE IT IS TOO NOISY\nAND THERE TOO MANY BOTHERSOME\nPEOPLE. YOU GOT TO HAVE THE\nREMODEL --\nTHANK YOU, DAVID.\nTHIS IS OUR LAST SPEAKER.\nTHERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL\nREGISTERED SPEAKERS. THE PUBLIC\nCOMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED. WILL\nPROCEED TO HER ITEM OF BUSINESS.\nI JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE\nFOR COMING DOWN HERE AND GIVING\nYOUR TESTIMONY, THANK YOU FOR\nDOING JAZZ HANDS AND SNAPS.\nLECLERC PLEASE READ ITEM ONE\nINTO THE RECORD?\nAN ORDINANCE RELATING TO\nREGULAR PROPERTY TAXES.\nPROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO\nTHE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE\nCITY AT AN ELECTION TO BE HELD\nON AUGUST 4, 2026, OF A\nPROPOSITION AUTHORIZING THE CITY\nTO LEVY REGULAR PROPERTY TAXES\nFOR UP TO SEVEN YEARS IN EXCESS\nOF THE LIMITATION ON LEVIES IN\nCHAPTER 84.55 RCW FOR THE\nPURPOSE OF SUSTAINING\nINVESTMENTS IN LIBRARY OPERATING\nHOURS, COLLECTIONS, TECHNOLOGY,\nPROGRAMMING, AND MAINTENANCE\nWHILE EXPANDING ACCESS TO\nOPPORTUNITY THROUGH LIBRARY\nMATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY, AND\nUNDERTAKING A SEISMIC RETROFIT\nOF ONE LIBRARY FACILITY. AND\nRATIFYING AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN\nPRIOR ACTS. FOR BRIEFING,\nDISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.\nTHIS ITEM HAS BEEN READ INTO\nTHE RECORD. COLLEAGUES, WE ARE\nHERE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO\nARE HERE IN PERSON OR WATCHING\nON THE SEATTLE CHANNEL, THANK\nYOU FOR BEING PRESENT FOR THESE\nREALLY IMPORTANT VOTES. AS PART\nOF THIS LEVY RENEWAL PROCESS, WE\nHAVE ALL SPOKEN ABOUT OUR LOVE\nFOR THE SEATTLE LIBRARIES. WE\nHAVE STRONG AFFECTION FOR LOCAL\nBRANCHES AND WE ARE ALIGNED IN A\nSHARED CONVICTION THAT WE HAVE\nONE OF THE BEST LIBRARY SYSTEMS\nIN THE WORLD. ONE BUILT TO SERVE\nA CITY OF AVID READERS AND\nLEARNERS. THE MAYOR SENT DOWN A\nGOOD PACKAGE BECAUSE SHE LOVES\nLIBRARIES, AND I LOVE LIBRARIES\nAS MUCH AS WE'LL DO. THAT IS\nWHY I SUPPORTED IT . IT IS 50%\nMORE THAN THE LAST LEVY, EVEN\nAFTER ACCOUNTING FOR INFLATION.\nIT INCREASES INVESTMENTS IN\nCOLLECTIONS, ACCESS AND\nPROGRAMMING, AND CAPITAL\nPROJECTS. AS WE DISCUSSED AT THE\nLAST MEETING, WE ARE FACING A\nVERY REAL LEVY CAP WITH THE\nPROPOSED PACKAGE WE WOULD HAVE\n$310 MILLION LEFT FOR FUTURE\nLEVIES. INCLUDING THE HOUSING ,\nTHEFT AND TRANSPORTATION LEVIES.\nIF ALL THE AMENDMENTS PASSED\nTODAY, THEN WE WILL ONLY HAVE\n$230 MILLION LEFT. THE ADDITIONS\nFROM THE AMENDMENT TODAY, WELL\nWORTHY, OR INCREASING ITEMS THAT\nARE ALREADY IN THE MAYOR'S\nPACKAGE AT A TIME WHEN WE CAN'T\nAFFORD MORE. WE KNOW THERE ARE\nOTHER NEEDS THAT ARE COMING.\nLET'S FACE IT, WE ARE ONLY IN\nYEAR TWO OF THIS MADMAN IN THE\nPRESIDENCY, IN THE PRESIDENTS\nSEAT, WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE WE\nWILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND OF\nCOURSE EVERYONE KEEPS TALKING\nABOUT AFFORDABILITY IN SEATTLE.\nTHESE DAYS THAT SEEMS MORE REAL\nTHAN EVER. IF I FELT WE COULD\nADD THIS LEVY WITHOUT\nJEOPARDIZING FUTURE LEVIES OR\nADDING TO OUR AFFORDABILITY\nCRISIS, I TOO WOULD ADD MORE. WE\nDON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL TO\nPREDICT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE\nFUTURE. WE ARE OPERATING WITH\nOUR KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE TODAY.\nTHERE IS NO JUDGMENT HERE, THIS\nIS NOT ABOUT WHO LOVES LIBRARIES\nMORE. THIS IS ABOUT FISCAL\nRESPONSIBILITY AND OUR ABILITY\nTO PAY FOR ALL OF OUR NEEDS. NO\nMATTER WHAT IS DECIDED TODAY, WE\nWILL HAVE A LEVY TO SEND TO THE\nVOTERS IN THE VOTERS CAN DECIDE\n. WITH THAT, COLLEAGUES, WE ARE\nGOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HER\nMEETING. I MOVE THAT THE\nCOMMITTEE COMMENCE PASSAGE OF\nCOUNCIL BILL 121181. IS VERY\nSECOND?\nSECOND.\nTHANK YOU. IT IS MOVED AND\nSECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF\nTHE BILL. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE\nERIC McCONAGHY, OUR CENTRAL\nSTAFFER, COMING TO THE TABLE.\nTHANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. LET ME\nSHARE THE PROCESS FOR VOTING FOR\nTHE AMENDMENT. WE HAVE A NUMBER\nOF THEM. WHAT WE WILL DO IS\nTHIS. I WILL RECOGNIZE THE\nSPONSOR OF EACH AMENDMENT IN\nNUMERICAL ORDER. THE SPONSOR\nWILL MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE\nTHERE AMENDMENT. WE WILL WAIT\nFOR IT TO BE SECONDED. AND THEN\nI WILL RECOGNIZE ERIC TO BRIEFLY\nPRESENT IT AND THEN I WILL\nRECOGNIZE THAT SPONSOR TO\nADDRESS THE AMENDMENT. I WILL\nTURN TO THE REST OF US FOR\nQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND THEN\nWE WILL MOVE ON THAT AMENDMENT\nAND REPEAT THE PROCESS FOR\nSUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT'S. ALL\nRIGHT, WITH THAT, COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER, YOUR RECOGNIZED MOVIE\nFIRST AMENDMENT.\nFANTASTIC, I WOULD LIKE TO\nMOVE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. DO I\nHAVE A SECOND?\nSECOND.\nIT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO\nAMEND COUNCIL BILL 121181 ON\nAMENDMENT ONE. CENTRAL STAFF,\nERIC, WOULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE A\nBRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE AMENDMENT?\nYES, GOOD MORNING, ERIC\nMcCONAGHY, COUNCIL CENTRAL\nSTAFF. IT IS SPONSORED BY\nCOUNCIL FOSTER, IT WOULD INTEND\nA PORTION OF THE LIBRARY LEVY\nFUNDING AMOUNT IS TRANSMITTED BY\nTHE MAYOR AND INCREASED BY THIS\nAMENDMENT TO THE AMOUNT OF 10\nNINE DOLLARS WOULD BE AUTHORIZED\nTO SUPPORT COMPLETING MAJOR\nRENOVATION AT THE CENTRAL\nLIBRARY.\nTHANK YOU, ERIC.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, AS SPONSOR\nYOUR RECOGNIZED. IN ORDER TO\nADDRESS IT.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR AND\nTHANK YOU, ERIC FROM CENTRAL\nSTAFF AND TO THE TEAM FROM\nLIBRARIES. I WANT TO ALSO EXTEND\nMY APPRECIATION TO HER PUBLIC\nCOMMENTERS TODAY. AND THANK YOU\nFOR SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THIS\nAMENDMENT. I DO WANT TO SAY I\nWAS NOT IN CAHOOTS WITH THE\nESCALATOR AND ELEVATOR AT THE\nCENTRAL LIBRARY TO HAVE THE\nBREAKDOWN THIS WEEK. HOWEVER, I\nDO THINK IT IS EXEMPLARY OF PART\nOF THE REASON I AM BRINGING THIS\nAMENDMENT FORD. OUR CENTRAL\nLIBRARY IS AN INCREDIBLY SPECIAL\nPLACE. IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR\nFAMILIES AND CHILDREN. I KNOW I\nSPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE\nCHILDREN'S LIBRARY THERE MYSELF\nTAKING A BREAK FROM BUSY\nDOWNTOWN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.\nIT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE\nMAINTAIN THAT BUILDING AND THAT\nWE INVEST IN AND NOW. AS WE KNOW\nAT THE END OF HIS LEVY THE\nBUILDING IS GOING TO BE ALMOST\n30 YEARS OLD. AND, WE ARE\nALREADY SEEING THE WEAR AND TEAR\nAND THE CENTRAL LIBRARY\nBUILDING. IN ADDITION TO THAT,\nAS THE FORMER LIBRARY AND SPOKE\nTO TODAY, WE ARE NOW , WITH 22\nYEARS UNDER OUR BELT, WE\nUNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE NEEDS\nOF THE BUILDING AND WHAT\nRENOVATIONS COULD DO FOR THE\nUSERS. WITH THAT, THIS IS AN\nAMENDMENT INTENDED TO ENSURE THE\nCENTRAL LIBRARY REMAINS SAFE,\nWELCOMING AND BUILT FOR HOW\nTODAY'S FAMILIES USE IT.\nCOLLEAGUES, ASK FOR YOUR\nSUPPORT.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER\nFOSTER. ANY COMMENTS OR\nQUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, CLERK,\nWE YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON\nTHE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT ONE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nHERE. [ ROLL CALL ]\nSIX IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED.\nTHE MOTION CARRIES .\nAMENDMENT ONE IS ADOPTED.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, YOUR\nRECOGNIZED FIGURE NEXT\nAMENDMENT.\nTHANK YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO\nMOVE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.\nSECOND.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ. IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED\nTO AMEND 121181 IS PRESENTED ON\nAMENDMENT TWO. COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER, AS SPONSOR YOUR\nRECOGNIZED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS\nIT.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. I\nWILL BE BRIEF AND, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ, I KNOW I SPOKE TO THIS\nAMENDMENT LAST WEEK. IF YOU\nWOULD LIKE TO SHARE ANY WORDS I\nWILL BE BRIEF IN CASE YOU WOULD\nLIKE TO SHARE ANY. THESE\nORNAMENTS TO ENSURE WE HAVE\nTARGETED INVESTMENTS TO\nMULTILINGUAL PROGRAMS SO\nFAMILIES CAN ACCESS SERVICES IN\nTHE LANGUAGES THAT THEY SPEAK IT\nHOME. IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT\nFOR OUR PLAY AND LEARN PROGRAMS\nTHAT FAMILIES CAN ACCESS THEM\nAND THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOW\nUS TO EXPAND THOSE CRITICAL\nPROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY AND TO\nENSURE WE HAVE MORE MULTILINGUAL\nSERVICES IN A TIME WHERE WE SO\nNEED THEM. CHAIR, IF IT'S OKAY\nFOR GO TO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ\nTO SEE IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO AT\nANY COMMENTS AS COSPONSOR?\nYES, YOUR RECOGNIZED TO\nSPEAK.\nTHANK YOU, AND THANK YOU\nCANCEL MEMBER FOSTER FOR\nINVITING ME TO LOOK AT THIS AND\nCOSPONSORED WITH YOU. I THINK\nTHIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU AND I\nGOT TO WORK ON AMENDMENT\nTOGETHER. SO THANK YOU.\nCOLLEAGUES, I'M ASKING YOU TO\nSUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTERS\nAMENDMENT OF WHICH I MAY\nCOSPONSOR, TO SUPPORT THE\nEXPANSION OF THE KALEIDOSCOPE\nPLAN LEARN PROGRAM. FIVE HAS\nTHREE LIBRARIES. LAKE CITY,\nNORTHGATE, BROADVIEW, HOWEVER,\nTHE KALEIDOSCOPE PROGRAM IS ONLY\nOFFERED AT THE LAKE CITY BRANCH\nAND ONLY OFFERED IN ENGLISH. LET\nME JUST SHARE THIS BEFORE I KIND\nOF PLAY OUT THE THREE LIBRARIES.\nCONNECTIVE TISSUE FOR ALL OF\nTHIS AND WHY I WAS SO INTRIGUED\nWITH COUNCILMEMBER FOSTERS\nAMENDMENT IS THAT WHEN WE LOOK\nAT LIBRARIES, FOR US ANYWAY, AND\nI THINK ACROSS THE DISTRICT, I\nLIKE TO LOOK AT THE PUBLIC ASSET\nOF THE LIBRARY IN CONJUNCTION\nWITH HOUSING DENSITY AND OF\nCOURSE ALL THE MONEY WE HAVE\nDONE , THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AS\nWELL, ON THE PRICKLY ISSUE. AND\nWORK THE MONEY WENT. AND HOW ,\nMY POINT IS TO DEDICATE PUBLIC\nACCESS TO PUBLIC ACCESS. THIS IS\nA PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT. AT THE\nLAKE CITY LIBRARY, NEXT DOOR,\nTHE SOON TO BE BUILT COMMUNITY\nCENTER WILL HAVE 113 UNITS OF\nFAMILY HOUSING WITH PRESCHOOL\nAND PROGRAM ON-SITE. WE ALSO\nHAVE THE APARTMENTS WHICH IS ONE\nBLOCK AWAY WITH 69 UNITS OF\nHOUSING AND IS YOU ARE TODAY\nFROM THE LITERARY SOURCE PEOPLE.\nPRESCHOOL THE FIRST FLOOR. THERE\nARE SEVEN OTHER PRESCHOOLS IN\nTHE AREA INCLUDING EIGHT\nBILINGUAL ENGLISH MENTORED\nPRESCHOOL DOWN THE STREET FROM\nMY HOUSE. AT THE NORTHGATE\nLIBRARY, JUST TWO BLOCKS AWAY\nFROM THE LIBRARY WE NOW HAVE THE\nNEW LOOK. AT NORTH HAVEN. IT HAS\n89 UNITS OF INTERGENERATIONAL\nLIVING WITH A PRESCHOOL THE\nFIRST FLOOR WHICH THE CITY,\nVOTERS THANK YOU, AND CITY\nCOUNCIL, FOR SUPPORTING IT. AND\nTHE PRICKLY SCHOOLS. NEXT DOOR\nTO THE LIBRARY WE HAVE THE EAST\nAFRICAN ELDERS UNITY LODGE AT\nTHE NORTHGATE COMMUNITY CENTER\nAND THAT IS WHERE IT IS HELD AND\nI HAVE ATTENDED THAT. THE\nBROADVIEW LIBRARY IS ONE BLOCK\nFROM BROADVIEW, K-8 WITH THERE\nARE 140 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE\nENGLISH, E LL PROGRAM AT THE\nSCHOOL AND OUR STUDENTS SPEAK 30\nDIFFERENT LANGUAGES. WE WELCOME\nTHE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH\nCITY DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS DEAL\nAND THE SEATTLE PRESCHOOL\nPROGRAM AND AS YOU HEARD,\nLITERACY SOURCE WHICH IS IN\nDISTRICT 5, AND NORTH HELPLINE,\nAND I THINK WHAT ENTERING TO\nSHARE WITH YOU TODAY IS, HAVING\nTHREE LIBRARIES , HAVING HOUSING\nDENSITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND\nMORE IMPORTANTLY, HAVING THE\nPRE-K ASSETS THAT WE HAVE IN ALL\nOF HER DISTRICTS, THAT WE ALL\nCONTRIBUTED TO MAKE SURE THEY\nGET BUILT. SO KIDS HAVE A HEAD\nSTART BEFORE THEY GO TO PUBLIC\nSCHOOL, PRE-K ON-SITE CONNECTED\nTO CONNECTED TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES\nIS SO INCREDIBLE INVESTMENT IN\nOUR CITY. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ. ERIC, APOLOGIES, I\nDIDN'T GET TO YOU, BUT I THINK\nWE ARE GOOD ON THIS ONE. OKAY. I\nWILL MAKE SURE TO GO TO YOU IN\nTHE FUTURE ONES. COLLEAGUES, ANY\nQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MANY\nOF OUR COLLEAGUES? I, I WILL\nSAY, COLLEAGUES, I SUPPORT -- I\nSUPPORT THE INTENT BEHIND THIS\nAMENDMENT. THESE PROGRAMS ARE\nREALLY IMPORTANT. WE DO HAVE\nTHEM AT THE LIBRARIES. THEY\nSHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR THE\nNORTH END, AND I KNOW THERE ARE\nDOLLARS IN HERE THAT COULD GO\nTOWARD THAT PURPOSE ALREADY. AND\nSO, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE\nSEEN THIS EXPANSION INTO THE\nNORTH END , BUT NEVERTHELESS,\nHERE WE ARE. LET'S TAKE A VOTE\nON AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nAYE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nAYE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES. VICE CHAIR\nHOLLINGSWORTH.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nNO.\nAMENDMENT NUMBER TWO IS\nADOPTED. CONSUMER FOSTER YOUR\nRECOGNIZED MOVE AMENDMENT NUMBER\nTHREE.\nI ASKED TO MOVE AMENDMENT\nNUMBER THREE. TO HAVE A SECOND?\nIT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO\nAMEND COUNCIL BUILT 121181 AS\nPRESENTED ON AMENDMENT NUMBER\nTHREE. ERIC, WOULD YOU GIVE A\nBRIEF DESCRIPTION AND THEN I\nWILL GO TO YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER AS SPONSOR.\nTHIS AMENDMENT WOULD, WOULD\nCOMMUNICATE COUNCIL'S INTENTION\n-- CAN WE START ALL OVER AGAIN.\nOKAY. NO PROBLEM. THINGS ON\nMY MIND THAT ARE NOT ABOUT THIS.\nTAKE A DEEP BREATH. THROUGH THIS\nAMENDMENT COUNCIL WHICH\nINDICATED THEIR INTENTION TO\nSUPPORT THE LIBRARY -- TO\nINCREASE THE LIBRARY LIBBY\nFUNDING AMOUNT BY $4.06 MILLION.\nTHIS WOULD BE TO SUPPORT\nOPERATING HOURS AND ACCESS BY\nEXPANDING RESOURCE NAVIGATION\nBEFORE ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME\nEQUIVALENT TO DEGREASER\nSPECIALISTS AND UPGRADING\nSECURITY BADGE ACCESS OF THE\nCENTRAL BRANCH. GIVE YOUR\nINDULGENCE FOR THAT.\nNO PROBLEM AIR, THANK YOU.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, AS\nSPONSOR, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO\nSPEAK TO THIS AMENDMENT. I KNOW\nTHERE ARE TWO OTHER COSPONSORS\nAND WE CAN GO TO THEM AFTER.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU,\nERIC, YOU GOT THIS, YOU'RE\nDOING GREAT. COLLEAGUES, AM\nEXCITED TO BRING THIS AMENDMENT\nFORWARD AND I WANT TO THANK\nCOUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH\nAND COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR\nTHE COSPONSORSHIP. THE INTENT IS\nTO ENSURE OUR LIBRARIES REMAIN\nOPEN AND ACCESSIBLE AND\nAVAILABLE TO ALL RESIDENTS. AS I\nWAS ENGAGING WITH THE LIBRARY\nSTAFF, WE HEARD FROM FOLKS , WE\nHAVE FOLKS WHO SPENT EIGHT OR 10\nHOURS IN THE LIBRARIES. IT'S AN\nEXCELLENT POINT TO MAKE SURE WE\nARE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM WITH\nRESOURCES. WE ALSO HEARD\nFANTASTIC INFORMATION ABOUT HOW\nTHESE NAVIGATORS HAVE HELPED THE\nLIBRARIES TO REDUCE THE NUMBER\nOF BANDS HAPPENING AT OUR\nLIBRARIES SO THEY TRULY ARE A\nTHIRD PLACES AND THEY ARE PLACES\nWHERE WE CAN HAVE SAFETY AND\nACCESS FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.\nAM EXCITED TO BRING THIS\nFORWARD. WE KNOW THE LIBRARY\nWILL BE PRIORITIZING DOWNTOWN,\nCAPITOL HILL AND BALLARD FOR\nTHESE NAVIGATORS. I THINK THAT\nIS AN IMPORTANT AND WELL DONE\nWAY TO SPEND THESE RESOURCES.\nCOLLEAGUES, I ASK FOR YOUR\nSUPPORT.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER. COUNCIL PRESIDENT,\nHOLLINGSWORTH, DID YOU WANT TO\nSPEAK TO THIS AMENDMENT?\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR.\nAPPRECIATION FOR COUNCIL MEMBER\nFOSTER AND HER LEADERSHIP ON\nTHIS COLLABORATION. REGARDING\nTHE AMENDMENT, SHE SAID\nEVERYTHING I WOULD SAY SO I\nWON'T REPEAT. I KNOW WE HAVE\nTHE GET THROUGH A BUNCH OF\nAMENDMENTS. VERY GRATEFUL FOR\nTHAT. THANK YOU\nCOUNCIL PRESIDENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT\nHOLLINGSWORTH. COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS, IS THE OTHER COSPONSORS\nWOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS\nAMENDMENT?\nYES, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL\nMEMBER FOSTER FOR YOUR\nLEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU TO THE\nLIBRARIES FOR YOUR AGREEMENT TO\nPARTNER WITH OUR EXISTING\nSERVICE PROVIDERS IN THESE\nAREAS. WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IS\nTHAT THE CURRENT SERVICE\nPROVISION THAT IS OCCURRING AT\nLIBRARIES IS NOT INTEGRATED WITH\nTHE FABRIC WE HAVE CREATED IN\nTHE LAST SIX YEARS. I'M EXCITED\nTO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS\nAMENDMENT, TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK\nAND DOING A LITTLE BETTER AND\nMAKING SURE THAT COLLABORATION\nOCCURS. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS. ANY QUESTIONS OR\nCOMMENTS? FROM OUR OTHER\nCOLLEAGUES? ALL RIGHT, THEN\nLET'S GO TORBERT VOTE.\n> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nNO.\nMOTION CARRIES. COUNCILMEMBER\nLIN YOUR RECOGNIZED MOVE\nAMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. I MOVED TO\nADOPT AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR. IS\nTHERE A SECOND?\nIT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO\nAMEND CANCEL BILL 121181 AS\nPRESENTED ON AMENDMENT FOUR.\nCOUNCILMEMBER , AS SPONSOR OF\nTHIS AMENDMENT I WILL GO TO YOU\nAFTER I GO TO ERIC.\nFANTASTIC.\nERIC, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE\nUS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF\nAMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR?\nSURE THING. THIS AMENDMENT\nWOULD CAN INDICATE COUNCIL'S\nINTENTION THAT A PORTION OF THE\nLIBRARY LIBBY FUNDING AMOUNT IS\nTRANSMITTED TO THE MAYOR AND\nINCREASED BY $15 MILLION BY THE\nCOUNCIL SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED FOR\nINVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT\nMAINTENANCE, COMPLETING THE\nREPAIR, REPLACEMENT OR UPGRADES\nOF COOLING SYSTEMS FOR ALL\nLIBRARY BRANCHES AND TWO,\nADDRESSING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE\nAND BRANCH ELECT VACATION.\nTHANK YOU. AS SPONSOR OF THIS\nAMENDMENT YOU ARE RECOGNIZED IN\nORDER TO ADDRESS IT.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. THIS\nAMENDMENT, AS DESCRIBED, WOULD\nCOVER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT\nMATTERS. IT WOULD INCLUDE THE\nHVAC SYSTEMS AT FIVE BRANCHES.\nTHAT MOSTLY HAS BEEN FUNDED\nTHROUGH THE FEMA GRANT, WHICH IS\nWONDERFUL. WHICH COVERS MOST OF\nTHAT COST. THERE ARE SOME OF THE\nCOSTS THAT ARE ALREADY BUDGETED\nFOR. BUT THIS WOULD HELP TO\nENSURE THAT THOSE PROJECTS CAN\nBE COMPLETED IN CASE THERE ANY\nCOST OVERRUNS. OR, ALSO FOR\nONGOING MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.\nIT WOULD ALSO HELP TO ADDRESS\nDEFERRED MAINTENANCE. WE KNOW\nTHAT THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT FULLY\nFUND ALL THE DIFFERENT\nMAINTENANCE. AS WE HEARD,\nDEFERRED MAINTENANCE PUMPS UP\nUNEXPECTEDLY QUITE OFTEN IN OUR\nBRANCHES. AS WELL AS BRANCH\nELECTRIFICATION. WE HAVE A\nNUMBER OF BRANCHES THAT ARE NOT\nELECTRIFIED YET. AND, CURRENT\nEVENTS , IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR\nTHAT WE NEED TO MOVE RAPIDLY TO\nTRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL\nFUELS , BOTH IN TERMS OF COST\nAND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ,\nAS WELL AS WHAT WE SEE WITH\nTHINGS LIKE HER CURRENT\nSNOWPACK. WHICH ARE GREATLY\nBELOW AVERAGE. AND, WE ARE,\nUNFORTUNATELY, NOWHERE NEAR, WE\nARE MAKING PROGRESS, BUT NOWHERE\nNEAR OUR 2030 CLIMATE ACTION\nPLAN GOALS. TRANSPORTATION IS A\nNUMBER ONE EMISSION AROUND 50%.\nBUILDINGS IS OUR SECOND LARGEST\nEMISSION OF GREENHOUSE GAS AND\nTHAT IS AROUND 40%. AND SO, WE\nNEED TO BE MOVING MUCH MORE\nRAPIDLY , MANY OF THOSE\nBUILDINGS ARE PRIVATELY OWNED.\nBUT WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN\nAND SHOW HER LEADERSHIP OF\nTRANSITIONING PUBLICLY ON\nBUILDINGS THROUGH\nELECTRIFICATION. $50 MILLION IS\nNOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO COVER THE\nENTIRE NEEDS OF DEFERRED\nMAINTENANCE AND ELECTRIFICATION.\nBUT, HOPEFULLY, IT WILL GET AS\nPART OF THE WAY THERE . AND\nCHAIR, THIS IS TO YOUR POINT OF,\nYOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS DIFFICULT\nBALANCE. WE DO HAVE THE LEVY\nCAP. WE HAVE A AFFORDABILITY\nCONCERN AND VOTERS , THIS IS NOT\nABOUT , AGAIN, WHO LOVES\nLIBRARIES MORE. I THINK WE ALL\nOF OUR LIBRARIES. AND, YOU KNOW,\nWE HAVE THIS DELICATE BALANCE OF\nPUTTING SOMETHING BEFORE THE\nVOTERS. VOTERS ONLY GET TO SAY\nYES OR NO TO WHAT WE PUT BEFORE\nTHEM. THEY DON'T GET TO SAY GO\nBIGGER, THEY DON'T GET TO SAY\nNO, THIS IS TOO BIG. THEY JUST\nGET TO VOTE YES UP OR DOWN ON\nWHAT WE PUT BEFORE THEM. SO THAT\nIS WHERE WE ARE, WE HAVE THIS\nBALANCE. SO THAT IS WHERE, EVEN\nTHOUGH $15 MILLION IS NOT ENOUGH\nTO COVER ALL THE DEFERRED\nMAINTENANCE AND ELECTRIFICATION\nNEEDS, HOPEFULLY HE GETS AS PART\nOF THE WAY THERE. WITH THAT, I\nWOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT,\nCOLLEAGUES.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK, YOUR\nRECOGNIZED.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. COLLEAGUES,\nI WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK\nIN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT\nTODAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE\nARE THOSE WHO HAVE SUGGESTED WE\nDON'T NEED TO ADD FUNDING TO\nCOMPLETE COOLING PROJECTS IN ALL\nOF OUR BRANCHES BECAUSE WE WERE\nAWARDED FEMA GRANTS. BUT I WOULD\nNOTE THAT INTERESTING OUR\nLIBRARY'S FUTURE TO DONALD\nTRUMP'S FEMA IS IRRESPONSIBLE.\nJUST ASK SEATTLE CITY LIGHT,\nREIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE 2024\nCYCLE. THIS AMENDMENT ADDRESSES\nARE LONG OVERDUE ELECTRIFICATION\nEFFORTS. AND TO REDIRECT THE\nPOINTS JUST MADE BY\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN, OUR LAST\nGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS\nINVENTORY FOUND THAT BUILDINGS\nARE THE SECOND LARGEST\nCONTRIBUTOR TO GREENHOUSE GAS\nEMISSIONS. ACCOUNTING FOR 40% OF\nSEATTLE'S EMISSIONS. REALLY\nCONTRIBUTING TO CLIMATE\nPOLLUTION. AND THIS BODY\nCOMMITTED YEARS AGO TO\nDECARBONIZATION AND GETTING ALL\nOF OUR BUILDINGS ALIGNED WITH\nTHE BUILDING EMISSIONS\nPERFORMANCE STANDARDS, NORTHEAST\nBRANCHES STILL IN THE QUEUE FOR\nELECTRIFICATION. HOW LONG TO\nTHOSE FAMILIES WEIGHT AND AT\nWHAT COST TO THE CITY IF WE\nDELAY FURTHER? WHETHER WE ARE\nTALKING ABOUT COOLING,\nELECTRIFICATION OR DEFERRED\nMAINTENANCE, EVERY DOLLAR WE\nSPEND IN THIS LEVY WILL GO MUCH\nFARTHER THAN ANY HYPOTHETICAL\nDOLLAR WE CAN ALLOCATE TO THE\nNEXT LEVY PERIOD IN 2034 BEYOND.\nANY PENNIES WE PINCH NOW WILL\nCOST US DOLLARS SEVEN YEARS FROM\nNOW. AND PUTTING OUR HOPES ONTO\nTHE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND\nFOLLOWING THROUGH ON FEMA\nCOMMITMENTS TO SEATTLE IS NOT\nSOMETHING I WOULD ADVISE. FOR\nTHESE REASONS I WILL BE PROBABLY\nVOTING YES TO THIS AMENDMENT TO\nASSURE WE CAN RESPONSIBLY CARE\nFOR OUR COMMITTEE. THANK YOU AND\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN,\nFOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK. ANYONE ELSE? I DON'T SEE\nANY HANSA. I WILL ADDRESS\nSOMETHING HERE, AND THAT IS, AS\nI SAID EARLIER, THIS ISN'T\nABOUT THE FACT THAT THE\nLIBRARIES DON'T HAVE MORE\nNEEDS. THE BUILDINGS ARE OLD AND\nTHEY ARE GOING TO HAVE NEEDS\nINTO THE FUTURE. IS LIBRARY LEVY\nIS NOT GOING TO COVER ALL THE\nNEEDS. AND WE WILL BE BACK HERE\nAGAIN . BUT WE ALSO HAVE OTHER\nNEEDS. AND IF WE PUT ALL OF THE\nMONEY INTO THIS NEED, WE WILL\nHAVE LESS TO COVER FUTURE NEEDS\nINCLUDING THE NEXT LEVY WHICH IS\nTHE HOUSING LEVY IN 2030. SO I\nWILL SAY, THAT NO ONE IS SAYING\nTHAT LIBRARIES DON'T HAVE MORE\nNEEDS. THE NEEDS ARE ACTUALLY\nENDLESS BECAUSE THE BUILDINGS\nWILL ALWAYS NEED MORE WORK. THEY\nARE OLD BUILDINGS. AND, WE ARE\nGRAPPLING WITH HOW TO PAY FOR\nALL OF THESE. SO, I THINK IN\nTERMS OF THE VOTERS AND PUTTING\nTHIS ON THE LEVY, YES,\nABSOLUTELY, THEY GET TO DECIDE\nWHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE\nFOR IT OR NOT. I WILL SAY VOTERS\nDON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE BENEFIT\nOF OUR FINANCE ADVISORS WHO TELL\nUS WHERE WE ARE WITH LEVY CAPS,\nWHAT EVEN A LEVY CAP IS AND HOW\nMUCH WE WOULD HAVE FOR FUTURE\nLEVIES. THAT IS A LEVEL OF IN\nTHE WEEDS I DON'T EXPECT VOTERS\nTO KNOW. BUT WE KNOW THAT. AND\nALL OF THAT GOES INTO OUR\nCALCULATION AND SHOULD GO INTO\nOUR CALCULATION. AND THAT IS\nIMPORTANT. BECAUSE AGAIN, WE ALL\nLOVE OUR LIBRARY AND WE UP HERE\nARE STRUGGLING WITH MORE THAN\nJUST THE LIBRARY. AND THAT IS A\nSTRUGGLE. SO I REALLY , IT'S\nIMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, I SEE YOUR\nHAND. GO AHEAD.\nTHANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE I\nCOULD'VE GOT THE HAND UP\nQUICKER. I WILL NOT BE\nSUPPORTING THIS AND I WILL SHARE\nWHY. AND I DO AGREE WITH THE\nCHAIR, THOUGH I DO APPRECIATE\nPASSION THAT COUNCILMEMBER LIN\nAND COUNCILMEMBER RINCK BRING TO\nTHIS AMENDMENT. NOTWITHSTANDING\nTRUMP. THAT IS ANOTHER THING.\nANYWAY, I WENT BACK AND PULLED\nUP , AGAIN, AM TAKING IT FROM\nTHE PERSPECTIVE OF , THIS IS 15%\nMORE THAN THE LAST LEVY WHICH I\nWAS AROUND FOUR. CONCERNED ABOUT\nJEOPARDIZING FUTURE LEVIES, OUR\nFISCAL RESPONSIBILITY BUT ALSO\nTHE LEVY CAP. I WILL TELL YOU\nWHY I'M SAYING THIS. I'M NOT\nANTI--- I MEAN, IF WE COULD\nAFFORD ALL OF THIS, THEN I SAY\nWHAT THE MAYOR SENT DOWN AND\nWHAT WOULD BE PASSED , ALL THE\nAMENDMENTS, WITH THAT TOTAL\nWOULD BE, AND I THINK THE DELTA\nIS LIKE $70 MILLION IF WE ADDED\nEVERY AMENDMENT IN HERE.\n$79 MILLION.\nSO WHEN WE LOOK AT CITY OF\nSEATTLE TAX LEVY AND YOU\nMENTIONED THIS, MADAM CHAIR, WE\nHAVE THE LIBRARY LEVY THAT IS\nNOW. WE HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION\nLEVY COMING. WE HAVE THE RECENT\n-- WE HAVE THIS HOUSING LEVY\nCOMING IN 2030. WE JUST PASSED\nTHE LEVY IN 2025. TO THE TUNE OF\n$1.3 BILLION. AND IF WE LOOK AT\nTHE ANNUAL TAXES OF SEATTLE,\nALSO THE ONES THAT KEEP ROLLING\nOVER, THE SWEETENED BEVERAGE --\nBECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS YOU\nPOINTED OUT, MADAM CHAIR, WE ALL\nOF THE LIBRARIES BUT WE ALSO\nHAVE A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.\nWHAT I THINK, AND WHAT I AM\nSEEING IN AMENDMENT FOUR AND\nFIVE, THOSE ARE OPERATION AND\nMAINTENANCE AND BRICK AND MORTAR\nREPAIRS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE.\nAND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF\nIT DOESN'T GET FUNDED HERE\nIT'S NOT GOING TO GET FUNDED\nEVER ANYWHERE ELSE. I BELIEVE IT\nWILL AND IT SHOULD. AND FOR THAT\nREASON, AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND\nTHE PASSION AND THE CONCERN, I\nDON'T LIKE TO MAKE DECISIONS\nOUT OF FEAR OR BEING REACTIVE TO\nWHAT I THINK IS HAPPENING\nPOLITICALLY , GLOBALLY, ON A\nNATIONAL LEVEL, AT LEAST FOR\nTHIS SPECIFIC MATTER. THAT IS\nNOT THROWING SHADED ANYONE,\nIT'S HOW I LOOK AT ANALYSIS AND\nMAKING DECISIONS. SO, WE KNOW\nTHAT THE ORIGINAL PACKET FROM\nTHE MAYOR WAS $410 MILLION. AND\nIF WE ADDED ALL THE AMENDMENTS\nTOGETHER IT WOULD COME OUT TO\nLIKE $480 MILLION, CORRECT ME IF\nI AM WRONG , A $70 MILLION DELTA\nDIFFERENCE THERE. SO, I'M\nLOOKING AT IT THAT WAY. I'M IN\nSUPPORT OF MANY OF THE OTHER\nAMENDMENTS, SOME JUST LAYING IT\nOUT NOW THAT I WILL NOT BE\nSUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT.\nAMENDMENT FOUR, AND I WILL NOT\nBE SUPPORTING AMENDMENT FIVE.\nFOR THE VERY SAME REASON SO I\nDON'T HAVE TO SPEAK AGAIN.\nTHANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. ANY\nOTHER COMMENTS? LET'S TAKE A\nVOTE ON AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nNO.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nNO. FIVE IN FAVOR, TWO\nOPPOSED.\nTHE MOTION CARRIES IN\nAMENDMENT FOUR IS ADOPTED.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK YOUR\nRECOGNIZE TO MOVE AMENDMENT OF\nFIVE.\nTHANK YOU. I MOVED TO AMEND\nCOUNCIL BILL 12118 IS PRESENTED\nON AMENDMENT FIVE.\nSECOND.\nTHANK YOU. IT IS MOVED AND\nSECONDED TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL\nCB 12181 IS PRESENTED ON\nAMENDMENT FIVE. TO PLEASE\nBRIEFLY TALK ABOUT AMENDMENT\nFIVE AND THEN I WILL GO TO YOU,\nSPONSOR , GO AHEAD, ERIC.\nAMENDMENT FIVE WOULD\nCOMMUNICATE COUNCIL'S INTENTION\nTHAT A PORTION OF THE LIBRARY\nLEVY FUNDING AMOUNT IS\nTRANSMITTED BY THE MAYOR\nINCREASE BY $50 MILLION BY THE\nCOUNCIL SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED FOR\nINVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT\nMAINTENANCE FOR RENOVATING A\nHISTORIC LIBRARY BRANCH TO\nIMPROVE SEISMIC SAFETY, REDUCE\nTHE USE OF FOSSIL FUELS, AND\nUPGRADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE\nSPACE.\nTHANK YOU, ERIC.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK YOUR\nRECOGNIZE TO SPEAK YOUR\nAMENDMENT AND ALSO I WILL\nRECOGNIZE YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS, AS COSPONSOR IF YOU\nWOULD LIKE.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. COLLEAGUES,\nI WILL SPEAK HERE TO AMENDMENT\nFIVE --\nSORRY, SPONSORS, IT IS\nCOUNCILMEMBER SAKA WHO IS\nSPONSORING THIS.\nCOLLEAGUES, I WILL SPEAK HERE\nTO AMENDMENT FIVE AND THEN MORE\nBROADLY TO AMENDMENTS ONE AND\nFOUR AND NINE AS WELL. SINCE\nTHESE ARE THE FOUR AMENDMENTS\nTHAT REPRESENT PORTLAND\nINVESTMENTS IN SEATTLE PUBLIC\nLIBRARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE\nPEOPLE WE SERVE. WE KNOW THAT\nLIBRARIES ARE A CRITICAL PART OF\nOUR COMMUNITY'S SAFETY AND\nINFRASTRUCTURE. IN THE NEXT YEAR\nWE FACE A VERY REAL THREAT OF\nGLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS, CAUSED\nBY THE PRESIDENT'S FOOLISH\nTRADE POLICIES AND NOW MASSIVELY\nACCELERATED BY THE NATION'S\nRECKLESS WAR WITH IRAN. I EXPECT\nHARD TIMES AHEAD. WE ARE\nCERTAINLY ALREADY FEELING IT.\nHARD TIMES AHEAD FOR SEATTLE'S\nECONOMY. AND SO THIS LEVY\nPRESENTS US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY\n. AND TO MY MIND, A\nRESPONSIBILITY, TO INCREASE OUR\nINVESTMENTS, TO ENSURE SAFE\nCOMMUNITIES SPACES ARE IN EVERY\nNEIGHBORHOOD IN OUR CITY. AND\nOUR DECISIONS TODAY WILL\nDETERMINE HOW MANY OF OUR PUBLIC\nFACILITIES WILL BE STRENGTHENED\nAGAINST EARTHQUAKES, HAVING HVAC\nSYSTEMS READY FOR THE EXTREME\nCOLD AND HEAT BROUGHT TO US BY\nCLIMATE CHANGE, AND BE READY TO\nPROVIDE REFUGE FROM THE\nDANGEROUS AIR OUT THAT MAY COME\nWITH OUR NEXT FIRE SEASON.\nSEISMIC RETROFITS, HVAC UPGRADES\nTO ALLOW EVERY WORD BRANCH TO OF\nAC, AND GETTING ALL OF OUR\nBRANCHES TO BE ADA COMPLIANT AND\nTHE CAPACITY TO DO JUST REGULAR\nROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS A TIMELY\nAND COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO ENSURE\nTHAT WE HAVE SAFER SPACES IN\nEVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. INVESTING IN\nCAPITAL PROJECTS MEANS WE CAN\nPAY FOR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND\nRETROFITS BEFORE PRICES GO\nHIGHER. INVESTING IN THE LOCAL\nUNION LABOR TO BUILD OUR CIVIC\nINFRASTRUCTURE MEANS\nRECIRCULATING OUR DOLLARS\nLOCALLY, MOST DOLLARS INVESTED\nIN OUR LOCAL TRADES WOMEN AND\nMEN WILL BE SPENT AND RE-SPENT\nLOCALLY ADDING A BENEFIT NOT\nJUST TO A SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY\nBRANCH BUT TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY\nAS A WHOLE. AND SO COLLEAGUES,\nFOR ALL OF THESE REASONS, I\nCONSIDER THIS AMENDMENT AND THE\nOTHER CAPITAL MAINTENANCE\nAMENDMENT'S BEFORE US TODAY AS\nESSENTIAL ONES. IF YOU FEEL THE\nSAME, I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.\nTHANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK. COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER\nQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THEN,\nLET'S GO TO A VOTE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nNO.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES.\n> CHAIR RIVERA.\nNO.\nFOUR IN FAVOR, TWO OPPOSED,\nONE ABSTENTION.\nIT IS ADOPTED. LET'S GO TO\nAMENDMENT NUMBER SIX.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK, YOUR\nRECOGNIZE TO MOVE AMENDMENT\nNUMBER SIX.\nTHANK YOU, I MOVED TO AMEND\nCOUNCIL BILL 121181 IS PRESENTED\nON AMENDMENT SIX.\nSECOND.\nTHANK YOU. IT IS MOVED AND\nSECONDED TO MOVE COUNCIL BILL\n121181 IS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT\nSIX. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE A\nBRIEF DESCRIPTION?\nTHIS IS SPONSORED BY\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK AND\nCOSPONSORED BY COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD\nCOMMUNICATE COUNCIL'S INTENTION\nTHE PORTION OF THE LIBRARY LEVY\nFUNDING AMOUNT IS TRANSMITTED BY\nTHE MAYOR INCREASE BY $8.4\nMILLION BY THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE\nAUTHORIZED FOR INVESTMENTS TO\nSUPPORT COLLECTIONS BY EXPANDING\nTHE ELECTRONIC AND PHYSICAL\nMATERIALS COLLECTIONS AND\nINCREASING COLLECTIONS TO\nSTAFFING.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK YOUR RECOGNIZE TO SPEAK\nAND THEN I WILL GO TO\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AS\nCOSPONSOR.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. COLLEAGUES,\nWE HAVE HEARD THE PUBLIC COMMENT\nIN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS FROM\nSEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY'S\nFOUNDATION AND FRIENDS OF\nSEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT WE\nARE A CITY OF READERS. THIS CITY\nLOVES BOOKS OF EVERY FLAVOR AND\nFORMAT. DEMAND ON OUR PHYSICAL\nAND DIGITAL COLLECTIONS IS HIGH.\nIS FOR OUTPACING OUR BELOVED\nLIBRARY ABILITY TO KEEP UP. THIS\nAMENDMENT WOULD GIVE THE LIBRARY\nTHE FINANCIAL AND HUMAN\nRESOURCES NEEDED TO KEEP OUR\nCOLLECTIONS UP TO MEET THIS\nMOMENT AND BETTER SERVE OUR\nREADERS ACROSS THE CITY. I ASK\nFOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU ALSO\nTO COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR\nSIGNING ON AS COSPONSOR FOR\nTHIS.\nTHANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS, YOUR RECOGNIZE.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. THIS\nRECOGNIZE , I BROUGHT FOUR\nAMENDMENT STORE COMMITTEE\nMEETING LAST TIME AND I HAVE\nREDUCE THE TO TWO IN PART BY\nPARTNERING WITH COLLEAGUES. THIS\nHELPS US BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE\nAND CONTINUE TO PUSH THE\nENVELOPE OF THIS LIBRARY LEVY AS\nFAR AS IS RESPONSIBLY POSSIBLE.\nTHIS IS ANOTHER MOMENT OF ,\nWITHOUT BOOKS, WITHOUT E-BOOKS,\nIT IS JUST A BUILDING. THANK\nYOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS. ANY COMMENTS ,\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN, YOUR\nRECOGNIZE.\nI WANT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, AND\nWERE GENERALLY TALK AGAIN ABOUT\nTHE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF OUR\nLIBRARIES AND THIS TIME IS WE\nSEE DEMOCRACY CRUMBLING. OUR\nLIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL AGAINST\nTHAT. DEFENDING OUR DEMOCRACY ,\nWHETHER IT IS OUR BUILDINGS, OUR\nSTAFFING, OR OUR COLLECTIONS,\nTHEY ARE ALL CRITICALLY\nESSENTIAL SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE\nTHAT ARE NEEDED MORE NOW THAN\nEVER. AND SO, I AM EXCITED TO\nSUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU,\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK AND\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nTHANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS\nOR QUESTIONS? LET'S A VOTE ON\nAMENDMENT NUMBER SIX.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nYES. SIX IN FAVOR AND ONE\nOPPOSED.\nTHE MOTION CARRIES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK YOUR\nRECOGNIZE TO MOVE AMENDMENT\nNUMBER SEVEN.\nTHANK YOU, I MOVED TO AMEND\nCOUNCIL BILL 121181 IS PRESENTED\nON AMENDMENT SEVEN.\nIT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO\nAMEND COUNCIL BILL 121181 -- I\nTHOUGHT I HEARD A SECOND. IT IS\nMOVED AND SECONDED TO AMEND\nCOUNCIL BILL 121181 IS PRESENTED\nON AMENDMENT SEVEN. ERIC?\nTHIS AMENDMENT WOULD INDICATE\nCOUNCIL'S INTENTION THAT A\nPORTION OF THE LIBRARY LEVY\nFUNDING AMOUNT IS TRANSMITTED BY\nTHE MAYOR AND INCREASED BY $2.5\nMILLION BY THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE\nAUTHORIZED FOR INVESTMENTS TO\nSUPPORT COLLECTIONS BY EXPANDING\nTHE TITLES IN THE LIBRARY'S\nE-BOOK COLLECTION.\nTHANK YOU, ERIC.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK YOUR\nRECOGNIZE TO SPEAK YOUR\nAMENDMENT.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. COLLEAGUES,\nTHIS AMENDMENT IS A SMALLER,\nMORE TARGETED COLLECTIONS\nINVESTMENT. THE TABLE IS THE\nFIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU\nWALK INTO JUST ABOUT ANY LIBRARY\nBRANCH. CURRENTLY PEAK PICKS IS\nLIMITED TO PHYSICAL BOOKS.\nDESPITE THE FACT THAT SEATTLE\nPUBLIC LIBRARY IS IN THE TOP 10\nWORLDWIDE IN DIGITAL BOOK\nCHECKOUTS. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD\nEXPAND THE INCREDIBLE AND\nRESPONSIVE PROGRAM TO E-BOOKS. I\nWILL NOTE I WAS AT THE LABOR\nBRANCH THIS WEEKEND WHEN I WAS\nTHERE I PICKED UP A BOOK FROM\nTHE PEAK PICKS SHELF. FOR THOSE\nWHO DON'T KNOW, VIRGINIA IS A\nSURVIVOR OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND\nPASSED AWAY LAST YEAR. BUT HER\nBOOK DOCUMENT THING HER STORY OF\nSURVIVORSHIP AND DAYLIGHTING THE\nABUSES OF THE ULTRA RICH AND\nPOWERFUL WAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED\nAND IS NOW FEATURED AS A PEAK\nPICKS. SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT\nMEANS THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL NOT\nFACE A FINANCIAL BARRIER TO\nPARTICIPATING IN A NATIONAL\nDIALOGUE. AND THAT MORE OF US\nCAN CONNECT ON IDEAS AT A TIME\nWHERE WE NEEDED NOW MORE THAN\nEVER. COLLEAGUES, I ASK FOR YOUR\nSUPPORT. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK. ANY COMMENTS OR\nQUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT,\nCOLLEAGUES, LET'S VOTE ON\nAMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nYES.\nSIX IN FAVOR AND ONE OPPOSED.\nAMENDMENT SEVEN IS ADOPTED.\nWE ARE ALMOST THERE. FOUR MORE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER YOUR RECOGNIZE TO\nMOVE AMENDMENT A BREAK.\nI MOVE AMENDMENT NUMBER EIGHT\nTO COUNCIL BILL 121181.\nIS HER SECOND?\nIT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO\nAMEND COUNCIL BILL 121181 IS\nPRESENTED ON AMENDMENT EIGHT.\nERIC?\nTHIS AMENDMENT WOULD\nCOMMUNICATE THE INTENTION THAT A\nPORTION OF THE LIBRARY LEVY\nFUNDING AMOUNT IS TRANSMITTED BY\nTHE MAYOR AND INCREASED BY $2.1\nMILLION BY THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE\nAUTHORIZED FOR INVESTMENTS TO\nSUPPORT OPERATING HOURS AND\nACCESS BY EXPANDING LIBRARY\nPROGRAMMING MADE AVAILABLE BY\nAND RECORDED VIA THE SEATTLE\nCHANNEL.\nTHANK YOU, ERIC.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOUR\nRECOGNIZE TO SPEAK YOUR\nAMENDMENT.\nYOU, CHAIR. THIS ENTIRE\nPACKAGE OF AMENDMENTS REALLY\nDOES BALANCE OUR NEEDS TO REMAIN\nFISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ENSURE\nOUR FEAR DOES NOT DRIVE US TO\nFUND OUR LIBRARIES AT A LEVEL\nBELOW WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY\nAFFORD. WHILE WE ARE IN FACT\nHERE ARE LEVY LID, AND WE MUST\nKEEP A BUFFER FOR ECONOMIC\nCHANGES, AS WELL AS FUTURE\nLEVIES, AS YOUR BUDGET CHAIR I\nSAY THAT IN FACT WE CAN ADOPT\nTHESE AMENDMENTS AND REMAINED\nFISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. I SAY THIS\nBECAUSE CHOOSING OUR FUNDING\nLEVELS CAN EITHER BE A ONE-WAY\nDOOR OR A TWO-WAY DOOR. IF YOU\nBET AGAINST OURSELVES AND ADOPT\nTHE LEVY IS TRANSMITTED, THIS IS\nA ONE-WAY DOOR. BECAUSE WE\nCANNOT, IN THE FUTURE, INCREASE\nLIBRARY LEVEL. IF WE ADOPT THESE\nAMENDMENTS AND OUR WORST FEARS\nBECOME REALITY, THAT THE\nECONOMIC FACTORS LOWER THE LEVY\nCAP, AGAIN, THE LEVY CAP RIGHT\nNOW IS BASED -- 3% GROWTH\nASSUMPTION. SOME OF THE ANALYSIS\nHAS BEEN FOR 5% GROWTH\nASSUMPTION. BUT, WHAT THEY\nDIDN'T SHOW YOU IS THE 2%\nGROWTH ASSUMPTION. WHICH IS\nSTILL US GROWING, JUST US\nGROWING MUCH MORE SLOWLY. IF IN\nFACT WE HAVE ONLY 2% OF THE AREA\nLAND VALUE GROWTH, WE ARE\nALREADY IN A PLACE WHERE WE ARE\nGOING TO HAVE TO START REFUNDING\nTHESE LEVIES. RIGHT? AND THAT IS\nACROSS ALL. NOT JUST THIS.\nAGAIN, IF WE ADOPT THESE\nAMENDMENTS AND OUR WORST FEARS\nBECOME REALITY THAT THERE'S ONLY\n2% GROWTH, THOSE ECONOMIC\nFACTORS WOULD LOWER THE LEVY\nCAP. WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK\nHOLISTICALLY AT ALL OVER LEVIES\nAND WHERE WE MUST REDUCE FUNDING\nACROSS OUR ENTIRE CITY. SO, BY\nADOPTING THESE AMENDMENTS THIS\nIS A TWO-WAY, WE CAN INCREASE\nTHE LIBRARY'S FUNDING TODAY AND\nIF OUR WORST-CASE SCENARIO\nOCCURS, WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE\nTHOSE REDUCTIONS BASED ON KNOWN\nINFORMATION, RATHER THAN\nSPECULATION. EVEN WITH A TWO-WAY\nDOOR WE KNOW THAT THIS LEVY WAS\nPLANNED TO BE LARGER TO SERVE\nSEATTLEITES EVEN MORE THAN WHAT\nIS BEFORE US TODAY. THE REALITY\nOF THE LEVY CAP CAME INTO THE\nCONVERSATION AND THAT MEANT THAT\nWE HAD TO RIGHT SIZE REDUCE OR\nMODIFY THIS LIBRARY LEVY, TO\nWORK. I SAY THAT BECAUSE LIKE,\nEVEN WITH THE ADA AMENDMENT THAT\nWILL COME UP , WITH THE\nCOLLECTIONS OR CIRCULATION, I\nCAN'T EVER GET THAT STRAIGHT,\nOR THE UNREINFORCED MASONRY, WE\nKNOW THAT THESE NEEDS ARE\nGREATER THAN WHAT IS IN THE\nLIBRARY AND WHAT'S GREATER THAN\nHE AMENDMENT. IF WE WERE TO\nTRULY RIGHT SIZE FOR\nSEATTLEITES, THIS WOULD BE A\nHUGE LEVY. BUT, WE DIDN'T DO\nTHAT. AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE\nBEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. THAT\nIS WHY I SEE THESE AMENDMENTS\nBEFORE US ARE FISCALLY\nRESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THEY BALANCE\nTHE FUTURE UNKNOWNS, CHOOSES THE\nTWO-WAY DOOR RATHER THAN THE\nONE-WAY DOOR. AND CHOOSES\nSEATTLEITES OVER THE FEAR OF THE\nUNKNOWN AND UNKNOWN SPECULATION.\nWITH THAT, WE COME TO THE\nSEATTLE CHANNEL , THE AMENDMENT\nI HAVE BEFORE US, THE INTENT OF\nTHIS AMENDMENT IS TO EXTEND THE\nIMPACT AN AUDIENCE FOR SEATTLE\nPUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS. SUCH AS\nREADING, SPEAKERS, SPECIAL\nEVENTS, AND WE DO THIS BY\nPROVIDING THE LIBRARIES LIVE AND\nAVAILABLE TO STREAM ON THE\nSEATTLE CHANNEL. WHEN I WORKED\nAT A LIBRARY FRONT DESK, I WAS\nAMAZED AT HOW MUCH ONE BOOK OR\nONE COMPUTER OR ONE NEWSPAPER\nWAS USED. THE LIBRARIES ABLE TO\nPROVIDE US TRUE PURE PUBLIC\nGOODS. THESE GOODS ARE NOT\nRIVALROUS. AND THEY ARE NOT\nEXCLUDABLE. A LIBRARY IS A VERY\nSPECIAL PLACE. CARNEGIE\nUNDERSTOOD THIS. HE SAID, I WILL\nBUILD YOU THE BUILDING, YOU FILL\nWITH BOOKS. RIGHT? AND SO, THE\nAMENDMENT BEFORE US TURNS THE\nPROGRAMMING THAT THE LIBRARY\nCREATES, THAT THEY ALREADY\nCREATE, IT'S ALREADY IN ITS\nBUDGET, FROM EIGHT RIVALROUS\nGOOD, I WILL ARGUE RIVALRY IS\nROOM CAPACITY, IF WE REACH\nCAPACITY THE NO MORE PEOPLE CAN\nGET INTO THE PROGRAM. SO IT\nTURNS THE CAPACITY INTO EIGHT\nNINE RIVALROUS ONE BECAUSE YOU\nCAN WATCH IT FROM HOME. OR MAYBE\nOUT IN THE LOBBY. IT TURNS IT\nFROM AN EXCLUDABLE GOOD, AND I\nWILL SAY THIS BY TIMER ACCESS,\nYOU AREN'T AVAILABLE AT THE\nTIME OF DAY YOU CAN ACCESS IT\nBECAUSE THE ELEVATOR IS BROKEN,\nI MEAN, BECAUSE IT IS NOT YOUR\nYOUR HOME. IT TURNS IT INTO A\nNON-EXCLUDABLE GOOD BY ALLOWING\nYOU TO VIEW AT YOUR LEISURE AND\nEVEN SHARING IT WITH OTHER\nPEOPLE IN OTHER STATES, IN OTHER\nPLACES, WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE\nACCESS TO OUR BEAUTIFUL AND\nWONDERFUL SEATTLE , LOOKING OUT\nTHE WINDOWS TODAY IS A BEAUTIFUL\nSEATTLE DAY. EVEN ON ITS DARKEST\nDAYS, THAT IS WHERE THE LIGHT\nSHINES BRIGHT INSIDE THE LIBRARY\nIN YOUR PROGRAMMING. THIS\nAMENDMENT ALSO BEGINS TO ADDRESS\nTHE UNDERLYING FUNDING ISSUES AT\nTHE SEATTLE CHANNEL. RIGHT NOW\nEVERY DEPARTMENT WHO BENEFITS\nFROM THE SEATTLE AWARD-WINNING\nSEATTLE CHANNEL DOES SO WITHOUT\nA FEE. THIS IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER\nCENTRAL SERVICE INNER-CITY. FOR\nEXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS, I.T., HR,\nFAS, THESE ARE ALL BACKBONE\nASPECTS OF OUR CITY CENTRAL\nSERVICES. AND EVERY DEPARTMENT\nIS CHARGED A FEE BY THE INTERNAL\nDEPARTMENT. SEATTLE CHANNEL IS\nNOT IN THAT SITUATION BECAUSE IN\nTHE PAST , WHEN THE DISTURBING\nMOVIE THE CABLE GUY CAME OUT IN\nTHEATERS, PEOPLE HAD CABLE AND\nWERE USING OUR CABLE FRAME AND\nWE WERE BENEFITING FROM THE\nCABLE FRANCHISE FEE. BEING FULLY\nIT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE\nTHAT DISTURBING MOVIE CAME OUT\nIN THEATERS. BUT FOLKS HAVE CUT\nTHEIR CABLE IN THE MEANTIME. AND\nSO IT IS INCUMBENT UPON\nDEPARTMENTS, NOT JUST THE\nLIBRARY, BUT ALL CITY\nDEPARTMENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM THE\nAWARD-WINNING SEATTLE CHANNEL TO\nSTART PAYING FOR THE SERVICES\nTHAT THEY RECEIVE. COLLEAGUES, I\nHOPE TO EARN YOUR SUPPORT IN\nTURNING AN EXCLUDABLE RIVALROUS\nGOOD INTO EIGHT NON-EXCLUDABLE\nNON-RIVALROUS GOOD AND HELP\nSTART PAYING SEATTLE CHANNEL'S\n, HELP PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE FOR\nTHESE AT SEATTLE CHANNEL. THANK\nYOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS. ANY QUESTIONS OR\nCOMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, THEN I HAVE\nA COUPLE OF COMMENTS. SO,\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, I THINK\nWE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO AGREE TO\nDISAGREE HERE. BUT WE GET AN\nECONOMIC FORECAST THREE TIMES\nPER YEAR. APRIL, AUGUST AND\nNOVEMBER. THEY ARE PROJECTIONS.\nFROM OUR FINANCE OFFICE. ON HOW\nTHE ECONOMY IS DOING AND HOW ALL\nOF OUR FISCAL DECISIONS ARE\nDOING. AND THAT IS WHERE WE GET\nALL OF THIS INFORMATION ABOUT\nTHE LEVY CAPS. SO WHEN YOU CALL\nIT SPECULATION, GOVERNMENTS RELY\nON THESE ECONOMIC FORECASTS\nWHICH TO MAKE BUDGET DECISIONS\nINCLUDING LEVY DECISIONS. SO,\nTHESE ARE NOT DONE WILLY-NILLY.\nTHEY ARE EXPERTS WHO COME UP\nWITH THIS ECONOMIC FORECAST THAT\nWE RELY ON EVERY YEAR WHEN WE DO\nTHE BUDGET AND ALSO WHEN WE ARE\nDOING CONSIDERING PUTTING LEVIES\nON THE BALLOT. SO I JUST WANT TO\nMAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO THE\nPUBLIC, WHO MIGHT BE HEARING\nTHAT THESE ARE NOT JUST\nSPECULATIONS OF NOWHERE, THIS IS\nACTUALLY AN ECONOMIC FORECAST IT\nWE GET THREE TIMES PER YEAR FROM\nOUR FINANCE OFFICE. GIVE THE\nTHING I WILL SAY IS THAT, WHAT\nWE KNOW TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE AT\nLEAST 150 WILLIAM MILLER BUDGET\nDEFICIT THAT WE ARE GOING TO\nHAVE TO MANAGE LATER THIS YEAR.\nAND I WILL SAY THAT THE 3% IS A\nPRUDENT FACTOR, IT IS BASED ON\nPAST PERFORMANCE ON HOW PROPERTY\nVALUES , ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY\nVALUES . WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF\nA WAR, SO IT IS VERY POSSIBLE\nTHAT NEXT YEAR THE ASSESSMENT\nWILL GO DOWN. SO WHILE I\nAPPRECIATE YOUR PASSION FOR THE\nLIBRARY AND I HAVE EQUAL\nPASSION, I ALSO HAVE TO RELY ON\nTHE EXPERT ADVICE WE ARE GETTING\nFROM OUR FINANCE ADVISORS AND\nTHESE ECONOMIC FORECASTS WHICH\nARE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR I\nBELIEVE THEY ARE AVAILABLE\nONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. ON\nWHAT OUR FINANCIAL PICTURE TRULY\nIS. AND SO, THIS LEVY CAP ISSUE\nIS VERY REAL. AND YOU ARE\nCORRECT, WE MIGHT BE IN A\nSITUATION WHERE WHATEVER WE PASS\nTODAY IN TERMS OF A LIBRARY\nLEVY, WE MIGHT BE BUTTING UP\nAGAINST THE CAP FASTER IF\nASSESSED VALUES GO DOWN. WHICH\nVERY WELL COULD BE, AGAIN, GIVEN\nWE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR. I\nSAY THAT ALL TO SAY THAT AS MUCH\nAS WE LOVE OUR LIBRARIES , SURE,\nWE CAN MAKE DECISIONS TODAY AND\nTHAT IS PERFECTLY FINE, AND\nWITHIN OUR RIGHT. BUT I DO WANT\nTO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING\nVERY CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WITH\nTHE PUBLIC. AND I DON'T WANT TO\nMINIMIZE THE ADVICE THAT WE GET\nFROM THESE ECONOMIC FORECASTS.\nBECAUSE WE RELY ON THEM NOT JUST\nFOR THIS TODAY, BEFORE OUR\nBUDGET IN GENERAL. I THINK THOSE\nOF US, NOT JUST US HERE ON THE D\nIS, THERE ARE MANY FOLKS WHO\nALSO RELY ON ECONOMIC FORECASTS\nWHEN THEY ARE DOING FORECASTS.\nALL CITIES THIS. IT'S NOT\nSOMETHING WE ARE JUST DOING.\nTHINGS ARE NOT LOOKING GOOD AND\nTHEY HAVEN'T BEEN LOOKING GOOD\nFOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE FOR\nQUITE SOME TIME. WE ARE IN A\nCONSTANT BUDGET DEFICIT. AND\nTHERE WILL BE NEEDS LATER ON. WE\nDO HAVE -- WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE\nOF A HOUSING CRISIS. WE WILL, IN\n2030, HAVE A HOUSING LEVY. WHAT\nWILL BE LEFT FROM THE LEVY CAP\nTO GIVE TOWARDS THAT? I AM\nLOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING HOW\nWE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THE\nBUDGET DEFICIT IN THE FALL.\nBECAUSE THERE IS A DEFICIT. SO\nARE WE GOING TO TURN TO MORE\nTAXING, PROPERTY TAXES? SEATTLE\nIS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE\nCITIES IN THE COUNTRY. AND OUR\nFOLKS ARE FEELING THE HEAT OF\nTHAT. SO, THIS IS ALL REALLY\nIMPORTANT, AND AGAIN, THIS IS\nNOT WHO LOVES THE LIBRARIES\nMORE. AND WILL HAVE TO MAKE HER\nOWN DECISIONS. BUT WE DO NEED TO\nBE TRANSPARENT. AND WE CANNOT\nPAINT A FISCAL PICTURE THAT IS\nBETTER THAN WHAT IT REALLY IS.\nWE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS\nWITH EYES WIDE OPEN. IF WE\nDECIDE THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO\nPUT OUR MONEY, THAT IS OUR\nDECISION. AND ULTIMATELY IT IS\nTHE VOTERS WHO WILL VOTE . BUT\nWE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT AND\nHONEST ABOUT THAT FINANCIAL\nSITUATION THAT WE ARE IN. SO,\nTHANK YOU, AND UNLESS THERE ANY\nCOMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WE WILL GO\nTO ABOUT. VOTE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nNO.\nSIX IN FAVOR AND ONE OPPOSED.\nMOTION CARRIES. AMENDMENT\nEIGHT IS ADOPTED. WE GO TO\nAMENDMENT NINE. COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS, YOUR RECOGNIZED .\nTHANK YOU. I MOVE AMENDMENT\n92 CANCEL BILL 121181.\nSECOND.\nIT HAS BEEN MOVED AND\nSECONDED TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL\n121181 IS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT\nNINE. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, THE\nSPONSOR OF THIS AMENDMENT, YOUR\nRECOGNIZED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS\nIT. ACTUALLY, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS, ERIC, CAN YOU PLEASE\nBRIEF US FIRST.\nAMENDMENT I WOULD COMMUNICATE\nCOUNCIL'S INTENTION A PORTION\nOF THE LEVY FUNDING AMOUNT AS\nTRANSMITTED BY THE MAYOR AND\nINCREASE BY $8.2 MILLION THAT\nCOUNCIL SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED FOR\nINVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT\nMAINTENANCE, BY IMPROVING\nPHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY UNDER THE\nAMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT\nAND BY REPAIRING OR REPLACING\nELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS.\nTHANK YOU, ERIC. NOW,\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, SPONSOR\nYOUR RECOGNIZED ADDRESS YOUR\nAMENDMENT.\nTHANK YOU. JUST TO CONTINUE\nTHE CONVERSATION, WE ARE IN THIS\nMOMENT WHERE WE ARE HAVING TO\nREDUCE THIS LIBRARY LEVY IS OF\nWASHINGTON STATE TAX CODE.\nUNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO HAVE A\nSTRUCTURAL BUDGET DEFICIT THAT\nTOOK 10 YEARS TO CREATE, AND WE\nARE TAKING A MULTIYEAR APPROACH,\nGRANTED THEY'RE GOING TO BE HER\nDECISIONS IS HERE. THAT WE\nCAN'T INCREASE PROPERTY TAX\nAGAIN BECAUSE OF THE UPSIDE ON\nTAX CODE OF THE STATE WHICH IS\nBOXING US INTO THIS ENTIRE\nSITUATION. AND SO, ECONOMIC\nFORECASTS DO INFORM OUR ANNUAL\nAND BIANNUAL BUDGETING\nPROCESSES. BUT, WE ARE WORKING\nON A MULTIYEAR LEVY AND THAT IS\nWHERE I THINK WE HAVE A\nDIFFERENCE OF OPINION, CHAIR,\nFOR ME, THAT WE ARE SPECULATING.\nWE ARE RECEIVING FORECASTS FOR\nTHIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR BUT IT\nIS HARD, OUR OFFICE IS NOT\nPROVIDING A DECADE-LONG\nFORECAST. THAT IS WHERE I AM\nSAYING WE ARE SPECULATION. BACK\nTO THIS AMENDMENT RIGHT HERE,\nCHRISTIANA, YOU TOOK MY TALKING\nPOINTS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU\nWERE READING OFF OF MY SHEET,\nBUT THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAD\nGONE TO THE GREENWOOD PUBLIC\nLIBRARY AND THE ELEVATOR HAS\nBEEN BROKEN, I THOUGHT IT WAS\nBROKEN THE ENTIRE TIME IN\nBETWEEN MY VISITS BUT APPARENTLY\nIT HAS BEEN FIXED. I USE THIS\nEXAMPLE REALLY IMPORTANTLY\nBECAUSE THE GREENWOOD PUBLIC\nLIBRARY, THE GREENWOOD RANCH\nPUBLIC LIBRARY IS ON GREENWOOD\nAVENUE WHICH IS QUITE BUSY. AND\nPARKING IS NOT REALLY EASY AT\nTHE FRONT DOOR. AND SO, IF YOU\nHAVE A DIFFERENT ABILITY AND YOU\nNEED TO USE ASSISTANCE TO GET IN\nTHE DOOR, WHETHER IT IS YOU HAVE\nA SPRAINED ANKLE OR YOU HAVE A\nLIFELONG ABILITY , YOU HAVE TO\nUSE THE ELEVATOR. THERE IS NO\nOTHER WAY INTO THE BUILDING. AND\nIF THE ELEVATOR IS NOT WORKING,\nTHEN YOU CAN'T GET INSIDE. YOU\nCAN'T ACCESS ALL OF THE BOOKS\nWE ARE TALKING ABOUT. I MADE THE\nJOKE LAST TIME, AND IT IS\nSERIOUS, THAT THE ONLY WAY INTO\nTHE LIBRARY IS OVER THE\nINTERNET, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE\nTHE INTERNET YOU HAVE TO GO TO\nTHE LIBRARY TO GET YOUR HOTSPOT.\nRIGHT? AND SO WITHOUT THE\nABILITY TO GET IN OUR DOORS, WE\nARE NOT PROVIDING THE SERVICE\nTHAT SEATTLEITES DESERVE. THIS\nIS ANOTHER BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT\nIF WE WERE TRULY RIGHTSIZING\nWHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR A PUBLIC\nLIBRARY SYSTEM, IT WOULD BE\nTENFOLD WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US\nTODAY. I HOPE TO EARN YOUR\nSUPPORT, COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS. COLLEAGUES, ANY\nQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LET'S\nTHINK ABOUT. AMENDMENT NINE. [\nROLL CALL ]\nSIX IN FAVOR AND ONE OPPOSED.\nMOTION CARRIES AN AMENDMENT\nNINE IS ADOPTED. COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER, ON BEHALF OF\nCOUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU WILL\nMOVE -- SORRY, IT'S OUT OF\nSEQUENCE BECAUSE SOME WERE\nREMOVED. WE'RE GOING TO 12.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, YOU ARE --\nEXCUSE ME, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER,\nYOUR RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK ON\nBEHALF OF AMENDMENT 12 WHICH IS\nBEING BROUGHT BY COUNCILMEMBER\nSAKA.\nTHANK YOU. I BELIEVE I NEED\nTO MOVE IT IN. THANK YOU. I\nWOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT\nAMENDMENT 12 INTO THE RECORD.\nSECOND.\nIT HAS BEEN MOVED AND\nSECONDED TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL\n121181 IS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT\n12. ERIC?\nAMENDMENT 12 WOULD\nCOMMUNICATE COUNCIL'S INTENTION\nTHAT A PORTION OF THE LIBRARY\nLEVY FUNDING AMOUNT AS\nTRANSMITTED BY THE MAYOR SHOULD\nBE AUTHORIZED FOR INVESTMENTS TO\nSUPPORT TECHNOLOGY SERVICES BY\nPROVIDING DIGITAL SCALING\nPROGRAMS FOR TEENS. OFFERED AT\nTHE SOUTHPARK AND HIGH POINT\nBRANCH LIBRARIES.\nTHANK YOU, ERIC.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nTHANK YOU, AS THE CHAIR\nMENTIONED I AM SPEAKING ON\nBEHALF OF COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.\nFOR THESE TWO AMENDMENT'S. THIS\nFIRST AMENDMENT EXTENDS AN\nEXISTING SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY\nPROGRAM INTO TWO NEIGHBORHOODS\nWITH LOWER HOME INTERNET ACCESS.\nAND FEWER DEVICES COMPARED TO\nMORE AFFLUENT SEATTLE AREAS.\nTHESE GAPS LIMIT ACCESS TO\nESSENTIAL DIGITAL RESOURCES SUCH\nAS ONLINE LEARNING, JOB\nAPPLICATIONS, GOVERNMENT\nSERVICES AND TELEHEALTH.\nTHEREFORE DIGITAL SKILLS\nTRAINING IS NEEDED IN THESE\nCOMMITTEES. THE LEVY ORDINANCE\nSETS NO LIMITS BY OFFERING OUR\nCAPITAL OR SPENDING CATEGORY AND\nTHIS AMENDMENT SIGNALS THE\nCOUNCIL INTEND THAT PART OF THE\n$410 MILLION SUPPORT DIGITAL\nSCALING INITIATIVES.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER. COLLEAGUES, ANY\nQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUST TO\nCONFIRM, -- COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?\nI APOLOGIZE, MY ZOOM JUST CUT\nOUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS\nBACK ONLINE.\nWE SEE YOU. AND WE HEAR YOU.\nOKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU, MADAM\nCHAIR.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ. ERIC, IN THIS PARTICULAR\nAMENDMENT AND THE SECOND ONE\nDON'T HAVE ACTUAL MONEY ADDS.\nTHEY ARE JUST AN INTENT FOR HOW\nTO USE THE CURRENT MONEY. EXPECT\nTHAT IS CORRECT.\nGREAT. AT THE END OF THE DAY\nI WANT TO CONFIRM THAT NO MATTER\nWHAT WE INTEND, IS THE LIBRARY\nBOARD WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHAT TO\nDO WITH ALL OF THIS MONEY THAT\nNOW HAVE ADDED VIA THESE\nAMENDMENTS, CORRECT?\nTHAT IS ALSO CORRECT.\nOKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU\nFOR CONFIRMING. UNLESS THERE ANY\nQUESTIONS, AND I DON'T SEE ANY\nHANDS RAISED. LET'S GO TO\nABOUT. VOTE.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nYES.\nTHE MOTION CARRIES AN\nAMENDMENT 12 IS ADOPTED. NOW\nAMENDMENT 13. ALSO A\nCOUNCILMEMBER SAKA ADD.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, YOUR\nRECOGNIZED TO MOVE COUNCILMEMBER\nSAKA'S AMENDMENT NUMBER 13.\nI LIKE TO MOVE AMENDMENT\nNUMBER 13. DO I HAVE A SECOND?\nSECOND.\nIT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO\nAMEND COUNCIL BILL 121181 IS\nPRESENTED ON AMENDMENT 13. ERIC?\nAMENDMENT 13 WOULD\nCOMMUNICATE COUNCIL'S INTENTION\nTHAT A PORTION OF THE LIBRARY\nFUNDING AMOUNT AS TRANSMITTED BY\nTHE MAYOR SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED\nFOR INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT HOURS\nAND ACCESS AND COLLECTIONS BY\nCONTRACTING WITH THE WASHINGTON\nSTATE BLACK LEGACY INSTITUTE FOR\nPROGRAMMING AND LOCAL HISTORY --\nEXCUSE ME, LOCAL HISTORY\nCURATION THAT CELEBRATES AND\nPRESERVES THE RICH HISTORY OF\nWASHINGTON'S BLACK COMMUNITY\nAND OFFERS A POWERFUL TRIBUTE TO\nBLACK RESILIENCE, LEADERSHIP AND\nCULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS.\nTHANK YOU, ERIC.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, YOUR\nRECOGNIZED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF\nCOUNCILMEMBER SAKA.\nTHANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN, I AM\nSHARING WORDS ON BEHALF OF\nCOUNCILMEMBER SAKA. THIS\nAMENDMENT FORMALIZES COUNCIL\nINTEND TO USE LEVY FUNDS TO\nCONTRACT WITH THE WASHINGTON\nSTATE BLACK LEGACY INSTITUTE FOR\nPROGRAMMING. IT WORKS TO CURATE\nAND DISSEMINATE LEGACY OF BLACK\nWASHINGTONIANS GROUNDED IN THE\nBELIEF THAT HONORING THE PAST\nSTRENGTHENS THE FUTURE. LIKE\nAMENDMENT 12 IT EXPRESSES THE\nCOUNCIL INTENT THAT A PORTION OF\nTHE $410 MILLION BE USED FOR\nTHIS PURPOSE.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER. COLLEAGUES, ANY\nQUESTIONS , COUNCIL PRESIDENT\nHOLLINGSWORTH, YOU ARE\nRECOGNIZED TO SPEAK.\nNO, NO WORRIES. YOU ARE ALL\nGOOD. THANK YOU, I KNOW\nCOUNCILMEMBER SAKA IS NOT HERE.\nSO THANKING HIM FOR THIS\nAMENDMENT. LOOK, I AM BLACK, I\nSUPPORT EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW\nI'M COMING FROM. BUT THE ONE\nTHING THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT\nTHIS IS CALLING OUT SPECIFICALLY\nTHE PROVIDER WITH OUR\nINTENTIONS. , AND YOU KNOW, THAT\nWAS MY ONLY DISCOMFORT. I WILL\nBE ABSTAINING FROM THIS. JUST\nBECAUSE ON THAT PRINCIPLE OF\nCALLING OUT A SPECIFIC PROVIDER\nOUTSIDE OF THE LIBRARY LEVY, IF\nIT WAS A SPECIFIC LIBRARY AND\nTHAT IS WHO WE WERE TARGETING,\nOR THAT PIECE, BUT IT'S\nSOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM.\nSO THAT WAS ONE OF MY ONLY\nCONCERNS. WITH THIS. THANK YOU,\nCOLLEAGUES.\nTHANK YOU. ANY OTHER\nQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I TOO\nWILL BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS\nJUST BECAUSE WE DON'T NORMALLY\nSELECT A PROVIDER. WE HAVEN'T\nUSUALLY , WE HAVE AN RFP PROCESS\nAND I AM NOT FAMILIAR WHY IT'S\nBEING DONE THIS WAY. BUT, I DO\nSUPPORT , OBVIOUSLY, THE\nCURATION ASPECT OF THIS.\nESPECIALLY FOR BLACK LEGACY.\nBUT, I WILL ABSTAIN JUST BASED\nON SIMILAR , SIMILAR POSITION AS\nCOUNCIL PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT,\nLET'S TAKE A VOTE ON AMENDMENT\n13.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nABSTAIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nABSTAIN.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nABSTAIN.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nABSTAIN.\nTHREE IN FAVOR, FOUR\nABSTENTIONS.\nTHE AMENDMENT FAILS.\nAMENDMENT 13 IS NOT ADOPTED.\nSORRY.\nPOINT OF INFORMATION, I\nBELIEVE THE TWO IN FAVOR AND THE\nREST ABSTENTION DOES PASS.\nDOES PASS. APOLOGIES. I WAS\nMISSING MY PLACE ON MY SCRIPT.\nOKAY, THE MOTION CARRIES ON\nAMENDMENT 13. IT IS ADOPTED. ALL\nRIGHT. ONE SECOND. ALL RIGHT.\nSORRY, COLLEAGUES. MY SCRIPT IS\nINCOMPLETE. BUT THE AMENDMENT\nPASSES AND THAT WAS THE LAST\nAMENDMENT.\nMADAM CHAIR, I'M A BIT\nCONFUSED FROM THE CLERK. MY\nCOUNT WAS DIFFERENT. WE HAD FOUR\nABSTENTIONS AND THREE YESES,\nWHAT WAS THE COUNT?\nTHREE IN FAVOR AND FOUR\nABSTENTIONS.\nTHREE IN FAVOR AND FOUR\nABSTENTIONS.\nSO, OKAY. I THOUGHT THAT WHEN\nYOU HAD -- OKAY, WELL.\nYOU KNOW WHAT, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ, WE'RE GOING TO DO IS\nCONFIRM WITH OUR CLERK TO MAKE\nSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT RIGHT. SO\nHANG TIGHT, EVERYBODY, FOR A\nMINUTE.\nTHIS IS AMELIA SANCHEZ. JUST\nPROVIDING CLARIFICATION. THE\nVOTE WAS FOUR IN FAVOR NONE\nOPPOSED, SORRY, THREE IN FAVOR,\nNONE OPPOSED AND FOUR\nABSTENTIONS. THEREFORE THE\nMOTION DOES CARRY. THE AMENDMENT\nIS ADOPTED. ABSTENTIONS DO NOT\nCOUNT TOWARDS THE TALLY.\nGOT IT.\nTHANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I\nMEAN, MADAME CLERK.\nTHANK YOU AMELIA AND\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. I HAVE\nALREADY SAID, THE AMENDMENT IS\nADOPTED. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT WAS\nOUR LAST AMENDMENT . THANK YOU,\nERIC, THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. ALL\nRIGHT, GIVE ME ONE SECOND TO\nFIND THE NEXT ONE HERE.\nMADAM CHAIR, ARE YOU GOING TO\nGIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY AFTER YOU\nSPEAK --\nYES.\nOKAY, JUST CHECKING.\nONE SECOND: ONE SECOND.\nTHANK YOU, I WANT TO GET MY\nPAPERS STRAIGHT HERE.\nALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES, WE ARE\nABOUT TO TAKE THE VOTE ON THE\nFULL BILL AS AMENDED BY THESE\nAMENDMENTS WE PASSED TODAY. SO,\nAT THIS POINT, IF ANYONE WOULD\nLIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS BEFORE WE\nTAKE THE FINAL VOTE, I WILL GIVE\nYOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT\nAND THEN WE WILL TAKE OUR FINAL\nVOTE ON THE FULL BILL.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, YOUR\nRECOGNIZED.\nI WILL BE VERY BRIEF. I WANT\nTO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, OR\nWALKING US THROUGH THIS LEVY.\nAND I KNOW THE YOU ALSO WALKED\nUS THROUGH THE LEVY AS WELL. I\nREALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT\nTHAT, YES, WE ALL OF THE\nLIBRARY. COUNCILMEMBER LIN, I DO\nAPPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND I\nDIDN'T NEED TO LAUGH, BUT I DO\nAPPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT\nDEMOCRACY AND LIBRARIES. AND\nTHEY DO APPRECIATE YOU AND --\nACTUALLY, EVERYONE'S PASSION\nFOR WHAT WE WANT TO DO. AND\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS, FOR RECOGNIZING THE\nADA, PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. SOMEONE\nLIKE ME, AS YOU KNOW I HAVE MS.\nAS YOU KNOW I'M A SUPPORTER OF\nTHAT. AND GOING BACK TO THE ONES\nI VOTED NO ON, IT DOESN'T MEAN\nI DON'T SUPPORT PUTTING MONEY\nASIDE FOR THE COOLING AND\nDEFERRED AND SEISMIC RETROFIT.\nAGAIN, I WAS JUST GOING BACK TO\nWHAT THE CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR WAS\nCAUTIONING US ABOUT ABOUT, THE\nCAP, OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.\nAND I GUESS MY CONCERN ABOUT THE\nSIX TAXES WE ALREADY HAVE IN\nFRONT OF US AS A SAVE SEATTLE,\nTHE POTENTIAL FOR TWO MORE, AND\nTHE ANNUAL TAXES WE HAVE, WHICH\nARE SIX, THE COUNTY TAXES WE\nHAVE WHICH ARE SEVEN, AND\nANOTHER ONE POSSIBLY COMING DOWN\nTHE PIKE. SO I SAY THAT ONLY\nBECAUSE , YOU KNOW, I'M NOT\nAGAINST THESE THINGS. IT'S MORE\nTHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE\nFUND WHAT WE CAN BEING FISCALLY\nRESPONSIBLE AND BEING MINDFUL\nTHAT WHEN WE DO THESE , THESE\nARE PROPERTY TAXES. THESE ARE\nEXCISE TAXES. THESE ARE TAXES\nTHAT HAPPEN WHEN SALES TAXES.\nAND AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO BE\nRESPONSIBLE FOR , YOU KNOW, WHAT\nWE PUT OUT TO THE VOTERS AND\nWHAT WE CAN PAY FOR. AND THAT IS\nIT. I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS\nAGAINST -- I MEAN IF WE COULD ,\nMADAM CHAIR, WE WOULD FUND\nEVERYTHING. BUT THE WORLD\nDOESN'T WORK THAT WE. I THINK,\nAND AGAIN, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK,\nI DIDN'T MEAN TO BELITTLE YOUR\nCOMMENTS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE\nTRUMP REGIME. AND I DIDN'T MEAN\nTO BELITTLE COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S\nCOMMENTS WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT\nDEMOCRACY AND LIBRARIES. I\nUNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.\n, ON THE GROUND IN THE REAL\nWORLD AND THE EVERYDAY STUFF,\nTHAT IS WHAT CONCERNS ME AS A\nLEGISLATOR, AS A LEADER ON THIS\nBRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. AND THEY\nDO APPRECIATE THE MAYOR SENDING\nDOWN THE PACKAGE THAT SHE DID.\nAND SO, THAT IS WHY YOU SAW OF\nTHE 13 AMENDMENTS OR 12 OR\nWHATEVER THEY WERE, I ONLY VOTED\nNO ON TWO. I DON'T THINK I'VE\nEVER ABSTAINED IN MY HISTORY OF\nBEING ON COUNCIL BECAUSE I HAVE\nA POSITION YOU SHOULD VOTE YES\nOR NO. THAT IS ME. NO SHADE TO\nANYONE ELSE. THAT IS JUST ME.\nWITH THAT I WANT TO THANK YOU,\nMADAM CHAIR, FOR YOUR\nLEADERSHIP. IT IS NOT EASY\nHAVING TO SAY NO, ESPECIALLY TO\nTHE PUBLIC WHEN PEOPLE GET ANGRY\nOR THINK YOU'RE NOT SUPPORTING\nTHEM AND THEY SOMETIMES PEOPLE\nTAKE IT PERSONALLY AND I DON'T\nTHINK THEY SHOULD. WE ARE JUST\nRING TO DO OUR JOB AND DO THE\nBEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE.\nSO THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU,\nCOLLEAGUES, FOR LISTENING TO ME.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ. COUNCILMEMBER LIN AND\nTHEN COUNCIL PRESIDENT\nHOLLINGSWORTH.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU,\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. JUST WANT\nTO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SEATTLE\nPUBLIC LIBRARIES , STAFF, BOARD,\nFRIENDS OF SEATTLE PUBLIC\nLIBRARIES, TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME\nAND SPOKE AND TESTIFIED, TO ALL\nTHE ADVOCACY THE DID LEAD\nSUPPORT MANY OF THE AMENDMENTS.\nDEFINITELY, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ, I APPRECIATE YOUR\nPERSPECTIVES, CHAIR, I\nAPPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVES. I\nTHINK IT IS GOOD FOR US TO HAVE\nSOME HARD DISCUSSIONS AND\nDEBATE. I THINK THAT IS GOOD FOR\nUS. I THINK IT IS GOOD FOR THE\nPUBLIC. AND VARSITY. SO I\nAPPRECIATE YOU SHEPHERDING THIS,\nIT'S A LOT OF WORK. I AM\nEXCITED ABOUT THE PACKAGE THAT\nWE HAVE. AND ULTIMATELY NOW IT\nWILL BE UP FOR THE VOTERS TO\nDECIDE . WE DO HAVE SOME REAL\nHARD DECISIONS AROUND OUR\nBUDGET, AROUND TAXES, AROUND\nOTHER NEEDS. SO THIS IS NOT\nEASY. SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE\nDEBATE. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nCOUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH.\nSORRY, I. I THINK\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER HAD HER\nHAND RAISED BEFORE ME. I'M\nSORRY, CHAIR.\nI DIDN'T SEE COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER'S HAND. COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER, YOUR RECOGNIZED.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. I\nWILL BE BRIEF. I WANTED TO\nEXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO YOU,\nCHAIR, MANAGING A LEVY PROCESS\nIS NOT AN EASY THING. ESPECIALLY\nWITH NINE MEMBERS WHO HAVE NINE\nDIFFERENT OPINIONS ON A GOOD\nDAY. WE MIGHT HAVE 18 DIFFERENT\nOPINIONS ON A BAD DAY. AMONGST\nTHE NINE OF US. I WANT TO\nEXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO YOU\nFOR MANAGING THIS PROCESS. I\nALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY\nAPPRECIATION, I THINK IT WAS IN\nONE OF HER EARLY MEETINGS WHERE\nYOUR INCREDIBLE HE TRANSPARENT\nABOUT WHAT YOUR POSITION WAS\nGOING TO BE AMENDMENTS. SO I\nAPPRECIATE THAT EARLY\nTRANSPARENCY FROM YOU AS WELL,\nCHAIR. LASTLY I WANT TO THANK\nERIC AND CENTRAL STAFF, WE\nREALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND THE\nWORK YOU DO TO MAKE SURE OUR\nAMENDMENT'S COME THROUGH AND\nARE WILL PUT TOGETHER AND WELL\nTHOUGHT OUT. AND SO OUR WORK IS\nNOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU. AND\nEXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO\nMEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE\nLIBRARIES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AND\nSHOWN UP AND TESTIFIED. SO THANK\nYOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER. COUNCIL PRESIDENT?\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. I AM\nJUMPING ON THE APPRECIATION\nTRAIN. ONE-WAY TICKET. THANK\nYOU, CHAIR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP\nON THIS. AND STEWARDSHIP. I KNOW\nIT IS NOT EASY TO LEAD TWO YEARS\nIN A ROW OF LEVIES FROM THE\nFAMILY AND EDUCATIONS LEVY TO\nTHIS LEVY AS WELL. NO MATTER\nWHAT POSITIONS, HOW PEOPLE VOTE.\nTHE REALITY IS SOMEONE STILL HAS\nTO DO THE WORK TO SHEPHERD THAT\nWORK. AND SO JUST REALLY\nGRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON\nTHIS. AND, COLLABORATION. AND\nALSO, TOO, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT,\nAND I THINK COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ\nSAID IT, BETTER THAN I AM\nPROBABLY GOING TO ARTICULATE IT,\nIS -- AND COUNCILMEMBER LIN\nMENTIONED IT, THE HARD\nCONVERSATIONS. THESE ARE THINGS\nTHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DISCUSS\nOPENLY. AND IT'S OKAY. AND NOT\nBE DEMONIZED FOR OUR CONCERN\nABOUT TAXES. AND OUR CONCERN\nABOUT THE COST OF LIVING FOR\nPEOPLE. THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON\nON THIS COUNCIL THE DOES NOT\nSUPPORT THE LIBRARIES. DOES NOT\nLOVE READING BOOKS. DOES NOT\nWANT TO FUND THE SERVICES AND\nTHOSE THINGS. AND SO, JUST\nWANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS\nWELL. BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS\nREALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY\nOUT LOUD. AND ALSO TOO, WANTING\nTO HAVE , YOU KNOW, THESE GOOD\nOUTCOMES AS WELL. AND GOOD\nSERVICES FOR PEOPLE, WORLD-CLASS\nCITY, WORLD-CLASS CITIZENS\nSERVICES. JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT\nTHAT. THINK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS\nI THOUGHT WERE REALLY GREAT FOR\nIN ADDITION TO THE LEVY AS WELL.\nAND VERY THOUGHTFUL AS WELL.\nJUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. THANK\nYOU, CHAIR, AGAIN, FOR YOUR\nLEADERSHIP.\nTHANK YOU, ANYONE ELSE? THEN,\nREALLY, I WILL JUST SAY -- YOU\nDIDN'T HAVE YOUR HAND IT. BUT\nYOU CAN GO.\nSORRY.\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOUR\nRECOGNIZED.\nI'M NOT GOOD TECHNOLOGY\nWHICH IS WHAT I WANT TO BE ONE\nFOR THE PHYSICAL BOOKS. I JUST\nWANT TO THANK YOU FOR LEADING US\nTHROUGH THIS PROCESS. ALSO WANT\nTO JUST RECOGNIZE THAT\nWASHINGTON STATE'S UPSIDE DOWN\nTEXT CODE IS WHAT IS LIMITING US\nTODAY FROM ACTUALLY FUNDING THE\nREAL NEEDS OF THE SEATTLE\nLIBRARY SYSTEM. BECAUSE OF ALL\nOF THE COST OF LIVING CHALLENGES\nTHAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, THAT\nIS COMING FROM WASHINGTON\nSTATE'S UPSIDE DOWN TEXT CODE.\nBECAUSE OF THEIR LIMIT ON OUR\nABILITY TO RAISE LEVIES, OR HAVE\nOUR PROPERTY TAX, A GENERAL\nPROPERTY TAX LEVY UP TO 3%, THIS\nIS HOW WASHINGTON STATE IS\nLIMITING US IN THE CITY OF\nSEATTLE AND WE HAVE HAD\nWORKAROUNDS FOR THE LAST DECADE\nPLUS. WE HAVE HAD WORKAROUNDS\nBYPASSING VOTER APPROVED LEVIES.\nTHIS IS THE FIRST LEVY THAT IS\nFACING THE CHALLENGE, THE\nOVERALL CHALLENGE THAT THE STATE\nIS PUTTING DOWN ON US. AND SO IT\nIS REALLY UNFORTUNATE , BECAUSE\nOF OUR STATE'S POLICIES,\nLIBRARIES AND SEATTLE FAMILIES\nOF THE FIRST TO LOSE OUT. IN A\nPOSITIVE NEWS, I AM GLAD THAT WE\nHAVE BEEN ABLE TO BALANCE OUR\nFISCAL RESPONSIBILITY WITH\nPUSHING AS FAR AS WE CAN TO MEET\nTHE NEEDS OF OUR SEATTLE LIBRARY\nSYSTEM AND SEATTLE FAMILIES. AND\nI THANK YOU CHAIR AND COLLEAGUES\nFOR THIS PROCESS.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nSTRAUSS. ANYONE ELSE? GOING\nONCE. GOING TWICE. AND I WILL\nSAY , THIS WAS MY SECOND LEVY IN\nTWO YEARS. AND BY FAR THE\nHARDEST ONE BECAUSE IT IS NOT\nEASY FOR ME TO SAY NO TO\nSOMETHING I CARE SO DEEPLY\nABOUT. AND I WOULDN'T BE HERE\nTODAY WITHOUT LIBRARIES. AND,\nEVERYBODY KNOWS I AM VERY -- WE\nDIDN'T HAVE A LOT GOING UP. SO\nMY DAD REALLY TAUGHT US WE HAD\nTO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. AND\nTHERE WERE A LOT OF TIMES MY DAD\nSAID NO WHEN I KNOW HE REALLY\nWANTED TO SAY YES. SO, IN THE\nSPIRIT OF THAT, I WANT YOU TO\nKNOW, AND I WANT EVERYONE\nWATCHING, THAT I DON'T TAKE IT\nLIGHTLY WHEN I GO TO THE VOTERS\nFIRST OF ALL TO INCREASE THE\nPROPERTY TAXES , INCLUDING\nRENTERS, BECAUSE NO ONE EVER\nTHINKS RENTERS PAY FOR THESE\nTHINGS TOO. THEY DO. THESE COSTS\nTO GET PASSED ON TO RENTERS. AND\nWE ARE LIVING IN A REALLY\nEXPENSIVE CITY. AND I FEEL FOR\nTHAT BECAUSE MY FAMILY , I GREW\nUP, MY FAMILY WERE RENTING. THEY\nWERE RENTERS. SO, THAT IS\nMEANINGFUL TO ME. I AM NOT A\nRENTER TODAY. INC. FULLY. BUT I\nUSED TO BE. FOR MANY YEARS. EVEN\nON MY OWN WHEN I WAS A YOUNG\nPERSON. FRESHLY OUT OF COLLEGE.\nAS A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE\nSTUDENT. AND, THESE ARE REALLY\nTOUGH CHOICES. SO THAT IS WHY I\nLEAD WITH, LOOK, -- AND THE\nOTHER THING IS, WE DO NEED TO BE\nREALISTIC AND ALSO HONEST AND\nTRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC. YOU\nMAY NOT HAVE LIKE THE VOTES I\nTOOK TODAY, BUT I AM\nTRANSPARENT. WHAT I AM TELLING\nYOU IS TRUE. BECAUSE MY DAD\nTAUGHT ME, WE DON'T HAVE\nANYTHING, BUT WE HAVE OUR WORD.\nSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE\nARE PAINTING THE PROPER\nFINANCIAL FISCAL PICTURE. I HAD\nSOMEONE QUESTION ME ABOUT THAT.\nAS IF SOMEHOW I WASN'T TELLING\nTHE TRUTH BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT\nTO GIVE THE LIBRARIES MORE. I\nHAVE NO MOTIVATION FOR NOT\nGIVING THE LIBRARIES MORE WHEN I\nLOVE THE LIBRARIES SO DEEPLY, AS\nWE ALL DO IN SEATTLE. I HAVE NOT\nMET ONE PERSON IN SEATTLE THE\nTRULY DOES NOT CARE OR HAS NOT\nUTILIZED THE LIBRARY IN SOME WAY\nOR ANOTHER. AND MY FAMILY\nCONTINUES TO UTILIZE LIBRARIES.\nSO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO\nME. AND, IT IS HARD FOR ME. THIS\nONE WAS REALLY HARD. SO, I AM,\nHOWEVER, HAPPY THAT WE ARE TO BE\nPUTTING A LEVY ON THE BALLOT\nBEFORE THE VOTERS AND THEN THE\nVOTERS GET TO DECIDE. BUT AS I\nSAID EARLIER, VOTERS DON'T HAVE\nTHE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE OF THE\nFISCAL PICTURE. AND SO THAT IS\nWHY -- IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US\nTO BE THE STEWARDS OF THE FUNDS.\nTHAT IS WHY WE SIGNED UP TO DO\nTHESE JOBS. AND I'M DOING THE\nJOB TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY,\nAS TRANSPARENTLY AND HONESTLY AS\nI CAN. AND THEN AT THE END OF\nTHE DAY, WE PASS HERE TODAY WILL\nGO ON TO THE VOTERS. AND WITHOUT\nTHE FUNDS IN THIS LEVY, WE\nCANNOT CONTINUE OUR LIBRARIES,\nPERIOD. SO I WANT YOU ALL TO\nKNOW THAT. YOU HERE IN THE\nCHAMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE\nPUBLIC. BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO\nMALIGN EACH OTHER, THAT IS NOT\nWHERE WE ARE. IT IS NOT, YOU\nKNOW, WHO LOVES THE LIBRARIES\nMORE BECAUSE WHO VOTED FOR WHAT.\nWE ALL OF THE LIBRARIES AND WANT\nTHE LEVY TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS\nAND WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH HOW TO\nPAY FOR OTHER THINGS TOO.\nBECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF\nNEEDS. LIKE HOUSING AND\nTRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION. THESE\nLEVIES CYCLE AND IN SEVEN YEARS\nWE'RE GOING TO BE BACK HERE\nAGAIN TALKING ABOUT THE NEXT\nLIBRARY HEAVY. TO PLEASE KNOW\nTHAT. NO ONE LOVES THE LIBRARIES\nMORE THAN I DO AND SOMETIMES I\nHAVE TO BE THAT PARENT, LIKE MY\nDAD THAT HAD TO SAY NO. BECAUSE\nWE JUST DON'T HAVE IT.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, I SEE YOUR\nHAND A.\nI NORMALLY DON'T DO THIS,\nBUT I WANT TO DO THIS REALLY\nQUICKLY. MADAM CHAIR, I JUST\nWANT TO VOUCH AND WHAT YOU SAY\nIS FORMER CHAIR OF THE\nLIBRARIES, I UNDERSTAND. I JUST\nWANT TO SAY, FOR THE PUBLIC,\nBECAUSE SOMETIMES IN THE FOG OF\nPOLITICS AND VIRTUAL SIGNALING\nI'M GOING TO SAY THIS, I HAVE\nALWAYS APPRECIATED YOUR\nINTEGRITY, YOUR HONESTY, YOUR\nSTREET SHOOTING. YOU HAVE ALWAYS\nBEEN CLEAR. THERE ARE TIMES WE\nHAVE AGREED TO DISAGREE, BUT YOU\nHAVE BEEN KIND AND\nSTRAIGHTFORWARD. WHAT WE DON'T\nWAS AGREE ON EVERYTHING, I\nALWAYS APPRECIATE THAT WE ALWAYS\nHAVE SOMETHING , ON THINGS WE DO\nAGREE WITH. I THINK WE'RE GOING\nTO HAVE THE SAME CONVERSATIONS\nWHEN THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY\nCOMES AROUND. AND I AM HOPING,\nAS SOMEONE WHO WENT TO A COUPLE\nOTHER COUNCILS, THAT WE CAN\nCONTINUE THIS FEELING THAT WE\nARE A TEAM AND AGREE AND STILL\nBE A TEAM. I THINK -- I'M GOING\nTO DO KIND OF WHAT COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK WAS DOING. WHAT WE ARE NOT\nSEEING NATIONALLY, AND PART OF\nTHE CITY COUNCIL WE ARE TRYING\nTO DO LOCALLY. AND THAT IS WHERE\nTOGETHER. WE DON'T HAVE DENIAL\nOF REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE,\nBUT JUST BEING ABLE TO TALK AND\nBE HONEST AND BE STRAIGHTFORWARD\nWITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT BEING\nDEMONIZED OR WHATEVER BECAUSE\nPEOPLE THINK THE POSTURING\nSOMETIMES GETS RIDICULOUS. THAT\nIS JUST ME SAYING THAT. WITH\nTHAT, I JUST WANTED TO END ON, I\nTHANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP\nBECAUSE I KNOW YOU REALLY\nSTRUGGLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING\nWITH THIS LEVY CAME DOWN FROM\nTHE MAYOR'S OFFICE. BEHIND THE\nSCENES FOLKS DON'T KNOW THAT. I\nTHINK THEY NEED TO KNOW WE DO\nTALK TO EACH OTHER AND WE DO TRY\nTO REPRESENT THE NEEDS OF OUR\nDISTRICT, HONOR THE NEEDS OF OUR\nDISTRICT, BUT REPRESENT THE CITY\nAS A WHOLE AND REPRESENTING THE\nCITY AS A WHOLE IS HAVING THAT\nRESPONSIBLE, FISCAL\nRESPONSIBILITY AND TAKING IT\nSERIOUSLY. EVEN IF PEOPLE\nDISAGREE WITH US OR GET ANGRY\nWITH US. FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON\nTHIS LEVY, WELL OVER $400\nMILLION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I\nDO APPRECIATE HAVING -- AS\nCOUNCILMEMBER SAID EARLIER, AS\nYOU ALSO SAID, COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE\nTOUGH CONVERSATIONS. THAT IS\nPART OF THE JOB . I MEAN, ANYONE\nWHO WANTS TO DO THIS JOB, JUST\nKNOW THAT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE\nTOUGH CONVERSATIONS. BUT I SAID\nIT DURING THIS LEVY PROCESS, I\nSAID IT DURING THE THEFT, THINGS\nWORK BETTER WHEN WE WORK\nTOGETHER. WE HAVE BETTER\nOUTCOMES WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.\nAND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY MISSING\nIN THIS COUNTRY . AND IN SOME\nPARTS OF OUR CITY EVEN. I WILL\nSAY IT. BUT WE WORK REALLY HARD\nON THIS COUNCIL TO WORK TOGETHER\n, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DISAGREE. I\nTHINK THAT IS EVEN MORE\nIMPORTANT TO WORK TOGETHER WHEN\nWE DISAGREE. BECAUSE WE DO NEED\nTO GET SOMEWHERE. AND THAT IS\nNOT GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE DON'T\nTALK AND TALK OUR DIFFERENCES\nOUT. WE ALL REPRESENT DIFFERENT\nCONSTITUENCIES, DIFFERENT PARTS\nOF THE CITY, AND IF YOU ARE AT\nLARGE, YOU'RE REPRESENTING ALL\nOF THOSE DIFFERENT\nCONSTITUENCIES ACROSS THE CITY.\nSO, ANYWAY, THANK YOU. LET'S\nGET TO OUR VOTE AND GET THIS TO\nTHE VOTERS. ALL RIGHT, WILL THE\nCLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON\nTHE RECOMMENDATION --\nCOUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS: COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOSTER: COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN: COUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nYES.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK: COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nYES.\nVICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH: VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.\nYES.\nCHAIR RIVERA: CHAIR RIVERA.\nYES.\nSEVEN IN FAVOR AND NONE\nOPPOSED.\nTHE BILL PASSES. NOW YOU CAN\nCLAP.\n[ APPLAUSE ]\nIT IS HARD DURING PUBLIC\nCOMMENT BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING\nTO SHEPHERD PEOPLE THROUGH. ALL\nRIGHT, RECOMMENDATION THAT THE\nBILL PASS AS AMENDED WILL BE\nSENT TO THE APRIL 14, 2026 CITY\nCOUNCIL MEETING FOR FINAL\nCONSIDERATION. COLLEAGUES, ANY\nFURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?\nTHEN, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME IN\nTWO MORE MINUTES, I KNOW IT'S\n11:31 AM I WILL SAY, SINGLE\nFURTHER QUESTIONS THIS CONCLUDES\nTHE APRIL 8, 2026 SELECT\nCOMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY LEVY.\nTHIS IS OUR FINAL SELECT\nCOMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY LEVY.\nBEFORE WE ADJOURN I WANT TO\nTHANK THE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN SO\nHELPFUL AND INSTRUMENTAL DURING\nTHIS PROCESS. I WANT TO THANK\nERIC, ARE CENTRAL SAFFER STAFFER\nWHO HELPED WITH THE EVIDENCE AND\nSHEPHERD THIS YEAR. I WANT TO\nTHANK OUR AMAZING DEPUTY CLERKS\nBUT IN PARTICULAR AMELIA AND\nJODY WHO WORKED ON THIS LEVY\nPROCESS. I WANT TO THANK THE\nVOLUNTEERS WHO SHOWED UP FOR\nPUBLIC HEARING EARLIER IN THE\nWEEK. CAMERON, PATTY, AND KIMMY.\nTHANK YOU, SUPER APPRECIATE YOU.\nAND OF COURSE, MY OWN STAFF,\nWENDY, NICK AND JACOB FOR ALL OF\nTHEIR HARD WORK. COUNCILMEMBER\nJUAREZ, YOU SAID NOBODY KNOWS\nWHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES ,\nSO MUCH WORK. AND WE RELY ON ALL\nOF THE PEOPLE THAT WE THANKED. I\nWANT TO THANK THE LIBRARIES ,\nTHE LIBRARY TEAM, UNDER THE\nLEADERSHIP FOR OTHER WORK IN THE\nBACK-AND-FORTH, I NEED THIS\nINFORMATION AND THAT INFORMATION\nAND THESE FIGURES -- ET CETERA.\nI WANT TO THANK THE FOUNDATION\nFOR THEIR ADVOCACY. I WANT TO\nTHANK, MORE PORTLY, THE MEMBERS\nOF THE PUBLIC THE K MULTIPLE\nTIMES TWO CHAMBERS TO ADVOCATE\nON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARIES. AND\nANYONE WHO HAD A HAND IN THE\nPASSAGE OF THIS BILL -- YOU\nKNOW, I WANT TO THANK THE\nMAYOR'S OFFICE AGAIN. AND\nDEPUTY MAYOR AND OUR CBO\nDIRECTOR, EVERYONE WORKED\nTOGETHER TO PUT THIS PACKAGE\nTOGETHER. AND AGAIN, WHEN WE\nWORK TOGETHER, WE HAVE BETTER\nOUTCOMES. AND I KNOW THAT THE\nMAYOR VERY MUCH LOVES LIBRARIES.\nSHE IS A HIGH UTILIZER OF THE\nLIBRARY. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE\nTHAT TOO. WE ALL HAVE TO\nACKNOWLEDGE EACH OTHER HERE.\nTHIS ISN'T POSTURING FOR ONE\nPERSON OR ANOTHER TO GET THE\nCREDIT. THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT\nAND A PARTNERSHIP. AND I SUPER\nAPPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO WAS\nINVOLVED. AND LET'S GET THIS\nTHING TO THE LEVY. WE HAVE ONE\nFINAL VOTE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT\nHAPPEN. AND THAT IS ON TUESDAY.\nAND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT VOTE."
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