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-Hello.
I'm your host, Brian Callanan.

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A vacancy
on the Seattle City Council

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has set off a
fast-paced replacement process,

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but a familiar name
may provide some answers.

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And there's no shortage
of questions,

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as the council considers
a major change to the city's

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business tax structure.

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Plus, there's a new
sales tax proposal intended

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to provide a boost
to public safety.

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I'm with council members
Mark Solomon and Dan Strauss

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to consider these issues and the
questions you're sending in too.

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That's next on "City Inside
Out Council Edition."

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-This Shield proposal
is providing relief

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for them to be able to be
successful in a city

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that is rapidly becoming
unaffordable.

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-I never thought I'd be
in a position

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to want to protect our country
from our federal government.

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-All that and more.

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Coming up next on "City
Inside Out Council Edition".

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♪♪

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♪♪

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Welcome once again to "City
Inside Out Council Edition"

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here on the Seattle Channel.

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I'm Brian Callanan and
for this episode we have with us

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Mark Solomon, council member
from the district two area

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of Southeast Seattle there.
Very glad you're here.

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Also, the council's
land use chair.

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Thanks for being here,
Council Member Solomon.

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-Thank you very much.

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-Also, we have with
us Council Member Dan Strauss

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from district six,
from Green Lake out to Bauer,

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parts of Magnolia
in northwest Seattle there.

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He's also chair
of the finance,

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Native Communities and
Tribal Governments Committee.

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Good to see you again,
Council Member Strauss.

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-Always good to see you, Brian.

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-All right.
Let's jump into it here.

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I'm talking to you right in the
middle of the council's process

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to find a replacement
for Council Member Moore,

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who stepped down
from her position unexpectedly.

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July 7th was her last day.

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A few viewers have
some questions

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about what kind of candidate
you are looking

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to fill this vacancy,
including Lab who writes this.

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Lab, thanks for the email.

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There are a lot of questions
in there, as it turns out.

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But Council Member Strauss,

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you've got 22 candidates
to choose from,

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one of whom happens to be
former council president

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and D5 representative
Debora Juarez.

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How do you answer this question?

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-Which question?

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-Right. There's a ton
of them there.

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-Yeah, I mean, so caretaker,
I'll take from the top,

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which is, you know,
I've gone back and forth

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over the last couple
appointments about

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whether caretaker is
is a good thing or not.

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I don't think --

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-Meaning someone who wouldn't
run for the job afterwards?

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-Right. I don't know that
there's a perfect answer there.

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I think this one's different

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than the last two appointments
that we've had.

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That it'll be 16 months
instead of just a few months.

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-Right, right.

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-Mark to my right is just...
is a caretaker,

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and he's been a joy
to work with.

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So, you know, there's not a
a right answer about caretaker.

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Answering the question
about budgeting and

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policy and experience,
or have they run before?

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There is the need
to understand budgeting

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and how a city bureaucracy works

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because there's not a lot
of lead time

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before we get into budget.

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-Yeah, it's a couple
of months here, right?

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-Just right around the corner.

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And it's rare for a city council
to appoint a council member.

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It's even more rare
to do it two years in a row,

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and it's even more rare
to do it two years in a row

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and have two appointees
at the same time.

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-Right, right.

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So having experience
is important,

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and that means knowing
the blocks.

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You know,
in my conversation today,

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highlighting that Holman is
very different than Crown Hill.

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-Sure. Right.

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-I mean,
Licton Springs and Northgate

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are a quarter mile away
from each other,

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-and they're very different.
-That's right.

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Blue Ridge is very different
than Matthews Beach.

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I need to...in Meadowbrook is
very different than Broadview.

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-Right?
-Right. Right. Right.

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-I need somebody to know
the streets, know the blocks.

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Know the issues
and know D5 inside and out.

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-So it sounds
like Debora Juarez has the job

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or what do you think?

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-No, I mean,

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what I just described could
have been a number of people.

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-Okay.
-Right.

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You know, Jed Bradley
didn't make it to the finalists,

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but he has budgeting
experience in for the UW,

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which has a larger budget
than -- than we do.

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Lulu Jenks has great
on-the-ground knowledge of

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across Lake City.

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Talking to Julie King,

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she -- she understands
what's going on in Aurora.

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She understands the West.
She understands the East.

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I mean, there are a lot
of really good candidates

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that we have to look at
right now.

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-All right. Fair enough.

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Council Member Solomon,

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as Council Member Strauss
pointed out,

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you've been through
this appointment process here.

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You joined the council back
in January

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when Councilmember Morales
stepped down.

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And I've talked to a few people

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who really think
Council President Juarez,

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if she didn't get the job,
they'd be shocked.

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But I do want to make
sure I ask the question of

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how you're going through
this process?

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-Well, I will acknowledge

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that there are a number
of qualified candidates,

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and I appreciate everyone

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who's put their name forward
to be part of this process.

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And when I think about
what we have in front of us,

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when we are looking at budget,

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when we're looking at comp plan,

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when we're looking at
BNO and shield law.

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We're looking at
the myriad of issues,

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not the least of which
is our budget constraints,

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and not only the city's
budget constraints,

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but the fact that we
really can't count on the feds

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for anything that
we're going to do with the city

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and the monies that have
been promised ain't coming.

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They're just...
they're not, right?

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So in addition to having
some experience

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of how this body works,
how the city functions,

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those are some of the things
I'm looking for.

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But more importantly for me,
I'm looking for heart, right?

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I'm not so concerned about
a person's pedigree, resume,

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or even their agenda about
what they want to accomplish.

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I want to know
what's in here, right?

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What is their passion?

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What drives them
to want to serve on this body?

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You know, to get a sense
of their why.

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And I want to marry that why

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with what are you bringing
to the table?

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-Okay. All right.
Great. Thank you.

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And we're going to see
this happen

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in the next couple
of weeks here.

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So I appreciate the input here.

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Whoever you do,
appoint one decision

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that will be in front of them
very likely soon

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after they're sworn in
as this Seattle Shield proposal

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which you brought up here,

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which voters would
have to approve.

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Just some background here.

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This was sponsored
by Council Member Rink,

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which changed the city's
business and operation

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tax structure,
the BNO tax there.

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About 90% of businesses
in Seattle

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would owe less
than they do today.

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But companies with higher
gross receipts would pay more.

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This would raise
about $90 million.

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Again, if voters approve it.

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And this is expected to shield
the city from some of these cuts

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to federal funding
for human services

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you're talking about here.

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This is expected from
the Trump administration.

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Council Member Solomon,
your thoughts on Seattle Shield?

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-When I look at this as a...
I look at it as a creative way

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to again shield us
from what is coming

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or what has already occurred.

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And realizing that
there are some concerns,

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what is the impact going to be
on those large employers?

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We know
that it's going to benefit

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or should benefit
our smaller employers,

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-our small mom-and-pop shops.
-Sure. Right. Love it.

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-One of the things
I've heard loud and clear

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in talking to our
business community partners

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is one of the ways

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that we can hopefully reduce
the number of vacant storefronts

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is to give them, give those
businesses some kind of relief

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and maybe BNO is
the way we can do that.

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So how do we increase
our basic tax structure

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our basic occupancy rate,

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make it easier for businesses
to actually be in this space.

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-Okay.

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-But I also have
heard concerns about,

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okay, what is this
going to do to,

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you know, the larger employers,
the big ones?

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Are there adverse impacts?

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Are there unintended
consequences?

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So those are things that,
you know,

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we're going to have to weigh.

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-Okay, let me bring in one
of those critiques, if I could.

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And Council Member Strauss,
I'll put you in here.

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Jon Scholes,
the CEO and president

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of the Downtown
Seattle Association,

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has a lot of concerns
about this.

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He wrote this a few weeks ago.

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How do you respond to that,
to that pushback?

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-It feels extreme.
That statement feels extreme.

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And I think one
of the most important parts

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of this piece of legislation,
again, I'm not the sponsor.

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I'm the chair
of the budget committee.

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And this is something that
will go before voters too.

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-Right.
-Is that it goes before voters.

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It has a sunset.

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And there are also, we
need to protect our port economy

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because the port makes up a
third of our sales and use tax.

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The port maintains a steady
level of economic activity

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when tech is doing well and
when tech is doing poorly.

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When we overlook our port,

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and when we overlook
the -- the bedrock

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of what our finances are based
on, it can create problems.

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-All right.

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-But, you know,

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the Downtown Seattle Association
and Jon himself

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has come to city council
requesting more revenue

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through rate increases.

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They just requested permission
for kiosks

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that will generate money
for them.

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-Yes.

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-Because again,

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what I've heard from them is
that things are more expensive.

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Costs are rising.
We want to expand the mid.

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These are all things
that I agree with.

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-They're down --
They're downtown and --

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-And that's why
I never said anything

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like what he just said about
the DSA requesting more funding.

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-Okay. All right. Fair enough.

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Thank you for responding
to that piece.

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Five council members,

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including both of you
signed on to a letter

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that had signatures from city
and state officials

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all around the state here

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in support
of progressive revenue measures

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like Seattle Shield.

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It also called out
President Trump's

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Big Beautiful Bill
as a national disaster.

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Plus, it called
out our state's governor.

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Here's an excerpt.

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This was a concern
for the council.

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I know Council President Nelson
did not sign on to this

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because of the way it called out
Governor Ferguson there.

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She and Council Member Kettle,

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Council Member Rivera didn't
join in on supporting this.

248
00:10:39,072 --> 00:10:42,643
Can you talk to me -- talk to
me, Council Member Solomon,

249
00:10:42,643 --> 00:10:47,247
about why it was important for
you to sign on to this letter.

250
00:10:47,247 --> 00:10:49,816
You know...

251
00:10:49,816 --> 00:10:51,285
I didn't think
I was going to go there.

252
00:10:51,285 --> 00:10:55,656
Go here, but I will.

253
00:10:55,656 --> 00:10:58,692
I served in the US military.

254
00:10:58,692 --> 00:11:03,263
I served to protect
and defend this country,

255
00:11:03,263 --> 00:11:06,133
to uphold our values.

256
00:11:06,133 --> 00:11:08,735
I never thought I'd be
in a position

257
00:11:08,735 --> 00:11:13,006
to want to protect our country
from our federal government.

258
00:11:13,006 --> 00:11:16,243
And that's
where I see we are now.

259
00:11:16,243 --> 00:11:21,415
And I may not necessarily agree
with the characterization

260
00:11:21,415 --> 00:11:23,984
or calling out
of Governor Ferguson,

261
00:11:23,984 --> 00:11:27,855
but I cannot idly stand by

262
00:11:27,855 --> 00:11:29,623
and see what's happening
on the federal level

263
00:11:29,623 --> 00:11:31,091
and how it's going to
be impacting us here

264
00:11:31,091 --> 00:11:32,926
and stay silent.

265
00:11:32,926 --> 00:11:34,194
-Council Member Strauss,

266
00:11:34,194 --> 00:11:35,429
I know this this letter had
some different feelings

267
00:11:35,429 --> 00:11:36,897
on the council here.

268
00:11:36,897 --> 00:11:37,898
What were your thoughts
about it?

269
00:11:37,898 --> 00:11:39,533
Why did you sign on to it?

270
00:11:39,533 --> 00:11:41,401
-Yeah, you know,
I probably...I had some concerns

271
00:11:41,401 --> 00:11:44,438
about going after the governor
so -- so critically.

272
00:11:44,438 --> 00:11:46,306
And at the same time,

273
00:11:46,306 --> 00:11:49,009
the governor reduced
the funding for the right of way

274
00:11:49,009 --> 00:11:52,179
homeless services
that we rely on in this city.

275
00:11:52,179 --> 00:11:54,248
That back to the shield law.

276
00:11:54,248 --> 00:11:59,052
The shield proposal is that is
looking to shield us from cuts

277
00:11:59,052 --> 00:12:02,022
that are happening at the state
and federal level.

278
00:12:02,022 --> 00:12:04,591
So when we're
in a downturn economic situation

279
00:12:04,591 --> 00:12:06,393
with our budget as we are,

280
00:12:06,393 --> 00:12:07,528
I'll come back to
why I signed on to the letter.

281
00:12:07,528 --> 00:12:09,563
-Yeah, please.

282
00:12:09,563 --> 00:12:12,399
-I have three levers that I
can pull to address the budget,

283
00:12:12,399 --> 00:12:14,935
which is I can create
efficiencies,

284
00:12:14,935 --> 00:12:17,971
I can make reductions,
or I can make new revenue.

285
00:12:17,971 --> 00:12:21,008
We just closed a
$250 million hole last year

286
00:12:21,008 --> 00:12:24,278
where we ran this,
we ran this same exercise.

287
00:12:24,278 --> 00:12:25,479
-Right.
-Got to April.

288
00:12:25,479 --> 00:12:27,447
Forecast was downturned.

289
00:12:27,447 --> 00:12:29,249
We're back in the same position,

290
00:12:29,249 --> 00:12:31,852
but we've just run
the exercise a moment ago.

291
00:12:31,852 --> 00:12:33,487
-Yeah.
-Right?

292
00:12:33,487 --> 00:12:34,721
And so why did I sign
on to that,

293
00:12:34,721 --> 00:12:36,290
even though I probably
wouldn't have used

294
00:12:36,290 --> 00:12:39,059
that pointed language
at the governor,

295
00:12:39,059 --> 00:12:42,763
is because we need to make
a statement that we're together.

296
00:12:42,763 --> 00:12:44,164
-Got it.
-We're all in this together.

297
00:12:44,164 --> 00:12:45,566
-Thank you.

298
00:12:45,566 --> 00:12:47,367
And it was -- it was a letter

299
00:12:47,367 --> 00:12:49,436
that had broad support
from across the state.

300
00:12:49,436 --> 00:12:51,505
-Yeah. Yeah.
It's important.

301
00:12:51,505 --> 00:12:52,773
Just with Seattle Shield,

302
00:12:52,773 --> 00:12:54,441
it does have to go
before voters.

303
00:12:54,441 --> 00:12:56,143
And we're talking
about $90 million,

304
00:12:56,143 --> 00:12:57,411
which I know would be
very important

305
00:12:57,411 --> 00:12:58,579
to fill the budget hole
you're thinking about.

306
00:12:58,579 --> 00:13:00,614
-90 million net.

307
00:13:00,614 --> 00:13:03,383
And and that's what
I want to focus again on,

308
00:13:03,383 --> 00:13:07,020
is because 90%
of businesses in Seattle

309
00:13:07,020 --> 00:13:09,823
are going to be zeroed
out from their BNO tax.

310
00:13:09,823 --> 00:13:14,461
And there's a small adjustment
that is made for businesses

311
00:13:14,461 --> 00:13:16,597
that are grossing
the most, right?

312
00:13:16,597 --> 00:13:18,866
And the majority,
or maybe not the majority,

313
00:13:18,866 --> 00:13:21,134
but this is also helping

314
00:13:21,134 --> 00:13:23,770
those smallest businesses
find tax relief.

315
00:13:23,770 --> 00:13:25,739
When I was having
the conversation

316
00:13:25,739 --> 00:13:27,741
with the smallest businesses,

317
00:13:27,741 --> 00:13:31,278
and when I say smallest, I mean
50 or 40 or fewer employees.

318
00:13:31,278 --> 00:13:32,880
So the restaurant that...

319
00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,149
I actually call them owner,
owner occu -- owner operator.

320
00:13:36,149 --> 00:13:37,551
-Sure. Yeah.
-Owner operated.

321
00:13:37,551 --> 00:13:38,886
-Yeah, yeah.
Yes, I get it.

322
00:13:38,886 --> 00:13:39,920
-Because they're
not hiring someone that's --

323
00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:41,121
-I understand.

324
00:13:41,121 --> 00:13:42,923
-To manage their business.
-Yeah, I get.

325
00:13:42,923 --> 00:13:46,260
-This Shield proposal
is providing relief

326
00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:49,129
for them to be able to be
successful in a city

327
00:13:49,129 --> 00:13:50,964
that is rapidly becoming
unaffordable.

328
00:13:50,964 --> 00:13:52,566
-Got it.

329
00:13:52,566 --> 00:13:54,134
In terms of the revenue
that is raised, though,

330
00:13:54,134 --> 00:13:55,869
$90 million looks pretty nice,

331
00:13:55,869 --> 00:13:57,905
I would imagine when we're
talking about a --

332
00:13:57,905 --> 00:13:59,206
about a budget deficit here.

333
00:13:59,206 --> 00:14:01,074
If it doesn't pass,

334
00:14:01,074 --> 00:14:02,876
what kind of position
does that put Seattle in?

335
00:14:02,876 --> 00:14:05,646
-So your words,
it looks nice, right?

336
00:14:05,646 --> 00:14:08,949
But again I'm looking at
a $250 million hole.

337
00:14:08,949 --> 00:14:13,220
-90 million is not 250 million.
-That's correct.

338
00:14:13,220 --> 00:14:16,957
-Right, so that --
that leaves another hole

339
00:14:16,957 --> 00:14:18,725
-that needs to be filled.
-Okay.

340
00:14:18,725 --> 00:14:19,993
-And it is through there

341
00:14:19,993 --> 00:14:21,962
that we we have to look
at efficiencies,

342
00:14:21,962 --> 00:14:24,898
because the budget exercise
that we started last year

343
00:14:24,898 --> 00:14:27,768
was a multi-year budget exercise
to look at efficiencies.

344
00:14:27,768 --> 00:14:30,771
Because not all efficiencies
can be found and implemented

345
00:14:30,771 --> 00:14:36,243
in a single year.
But they do run out a lot.

346
00:14:36,243 --> 00:14:39,046
You know, we took the
low- hanging fruit last year.

347
00:14:39,046 --> 00:14:41,615
And as you saw at the Select
Budget Committee yesterday,

348
00:14:41,615 --> 00:14:43,617
Director Ben Noble
of Central Staff,

349
00:14:43,617 --> 00:14:47,054
he's the only person that
has held the director of CBO,

350
00:14:47,054 --> 00:14:49,156
director of central staff and
director of the forecast office.

351
00:14:49,156 --> 00:14:50,424
-Right, right.

352
00:14:50,424 --> 00:14:52,459
-You know, his reminder
to council members yesterday

353
00:14:52,459 --> 00:14:57,164
was every year this exercise
of efficiencies comes forward,

354
00:14:57,164 --> 00:14:58,899
this exercise of reductions.

355
00:14:58,899 --> 00:15:00,734
And at the end of the day,

356
00:15:00,734 --> 00:15:02,536
most folks don't have
the stomach

357
00:15:02,536 --> 00:15:04,938
for those cuts and reductions,

358
00:15:04,938 --> 00:15:09,943
because at the other end of that
reduction is a working family.

359
00:15:09,943 --> 00:15:11,845
It's an individual.

360
00:15:11,845 --> 00:15:15,482
We laid -- we laid city
employees off last year.

361
00:15:15,482 --> 00:15:19,286
This year, actually
for the first time since 2008.

362
00:15:19,286 --> 00:15:20,854
People take, you know,

363
00:15:20,854 --> 00:15:22,256
and when I was talking to
business leaders about this,

364
00:15:22,256 --> 00:15:24,157
they said,
"Yeah, that's normal."

365
00:15:24,157 --> 00:15:25,659
And I said, "Yes, that's
normal for the private sector."

366
00:15:25,659 --> 00:15:27,461
-Okay.

367
00:15:27,461 --> 00:15:29,496
-If Microsoft's not laying
people off every few years,

368
00:15:29,496 --> 00:15:31,532
you kind of wonder, is there
something going on in Redmond?

369
00:15:31,532 --> 00:15:33,400
-Sure.

370
00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:37,204
-People take government jobs
because not for the pay,

371
00:15:37,204 --> 00:15:39,006
because they're
getting paid less.

372
00:15:39,006 --> 00:15:42,476
For the benefits and for the
stability and security.

373
00:15:42,476 --> 00:15:45,979
And so to lay off city employees
is a really big deal.

374
00:15:45,979 --> 00:15:49,383
Granted, you know, we had about
180 pockets last...

375
00:15:49,383 --> 00:15:51,084
-I don't have my exact notes --
-That's all right.

376
00:15:51,084 --> 00:15:54,721
-In front of me, so about
180 pockets last year.

377
00:15:54,721 --> 00:15:57,524
That was about 77
that were filled.

378
00:15:57,524 --> 00:16:00,594
When I received the budget,
we gave an extra six months

379
00:16:00,594 --> 00:16:03,197
because laying somebody off
on January 1st

380
00:16:03,197 --> 00:16:06,633
versus June 30th
is a psychological impact

381
00:16:06,633 --> 00:16:08,402
of being the darkest time
of the year.

382
00:16:08,402 --> 00:16:10,437
It also has an impact
on people's Hanukkah

383
00:16:10,437 --> 00:16:11,538
-or Christmas presents.
-Okay, sure. Yeah, yeah.

384
00:16:11,538 --> 00:16:12,639
Right.

385
00:16:12,639 --> 00:16:14,541
-But by giving
that additional time,

386
00:16:14,541 --> 00:16:16,310
many found other jobs.

387
00:16:16,310 --> 00:16:18,278
Some got out-of-class
employments.

388
00:16:18,278 --> 00:16:22,249
And I believe that we had
fewer than 20 actually laid off.

389
00:16:22,249 --> 00:16:24,117
I don't have the numbers
right in front of me,

390
00:16:24,117 --> 00:16:26,720
but to come from 180 down to 100

391
00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,722
just by giving
a little bit more time.

392
00:16:28,722 --> 00:16:30,691
-Okay.
-That's important.

393
00:16:30,691 --> 00:16:33,627
But again, if we're going
through this exercise again,

394
00:16:33,627 --> 00:16:37,364
do people have
the stomach for it?

395
00:16:37,364 --> 00:16:38,999
-Yeah, that's going
to be the test here.

396
00:16:38,999 --> 00:16:40,868
And those were
Director Ben Nobles' words.

397
00:16:40,868 --> 00:16:43,937
-I know that's going to be the
test coming up here if I could.

398
00:16:43,937 --> 00:16:45,806
-Please.
-If I could follow up on that?

399
00:16:45,806 --> 00:16:49,810
You know, the idea of or, you
know, looking at efficiencies,

400
00:16:49,810 --> 00:16:54,448
looking at, you know,
the responsibility of our body,

401
00:16:54,448 --> 00:16:58,318
I feel, is to ask the question,
what are we spending?

402
00:16:58,318 --> 00:17:00,020
What are we spending it on,

403
00:17:00,020 --> 00:17:01,688
and what are we getting
for that spending?

404
00:17:01,688 --> 00:17:03,490
What are the actual results?

405
00:17:03,490 --> 00:17:05,359
And if what we're spending
is not getting us

406
00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:07,961
where we need to go,
then maybe we change

407
00:17:07,961 --> 00:17:10,764
or alter where those
dollars are going,

408
00:17:10,764 --> 00:17:12,799
so we get the results
that we actually want.

409
00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:15,969
Yeah, definitely, let's
promote those efficiencies.

410
00:17:15,969 --> 00:17:17,704
Let's promote
that accountability.

411
00:17:17,704 --> 00:17:20,841
Let's -- Let's look at our
outcomes to make sure

412
00:17:20,841 --> 00:17:22,376
that our spending is aligning

413
00:17:22,376 --> 00:17:23,443
with what we actually
want to achieve.

414
00:17:23,443 --> 00:17:24,745
-Got it. Thanks.

415
00:17:24,745 --> 00:17:25,846
I want to try to cover
some more ground here if I can.

416
00:17:25,846 --> 00:17:26,980
There's another revenue piece

417
00:17:26,980 --> 00:17:28,282
I want to bring up with you,
if I could.

418
00:17:28,282 --> 00:17:31,285
The 2025 state
legislative session,

419
00:17:31,285 --> 00:17:33,287
lawmakers authorized
cities and counties

420
00:17:33,287 --> 00:17:35,756
to collect a 0.1% sales tax

421
00:17:35,756 --> 00:17:37,824
that would go towards
criminal justice expenses.

422
00:17:37,824 --> 00:17:39,960
Council President Nelson
has been talking about this,

423
00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,763
supportive of this, wants
at least 25% of this money.

424
00:17:42,763 --> 00:17:44,565
If indeed the council
does do this

425
00:17:44,565 --> 00:17:45,933
towards addiction
treatment services.

426
00:17:45,933 --> 00:17:47,334
Council Member Strauss,

427
00:17:47,334 --> 00:17:48,969
I know you've heard from critics

428
00:17:48,969 --> 00:17:50,204
who say a sales tax is
regressive.

429
00:17:50,204 --> 00:17:51,905
It is,

430
00:17:51,905 --> 00:17:53,774
but it puts a bigger burden
on lower income people there.

431
00:17:53,774 --> 00:17:56,577
On the other hand,
it could bring in $35 million,

432
00:17:56,577 --> 00:17:58,245
this tax increase could

433
00:17:58,245 --> 00:17:59,780
to a city budget
that could need some help.

434
00:17:59,780 --> 00:18:01,148
What's your position
on this new sales tax?

435
00:18:01,148 --> 00:18:04,017
Where should the money go?
Some thoughts about this.

436
00:18:04,017 --> 00:18:06,720
-All options are on the table
to close a $250 million hole.

437
00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:08,856
-Okay.
-That's the answer.

438
00:18:08,856 --> 00:18:13,093
You know what
council president's promoted,

439
00:18:13,093 --> 00:18:16,163
those services that she's
promoting are good services

440
00:18:16,163 --> 00:18:18,665
-that need to be funded.
-Okay.

441
00:18:18,665 --> 00:18:22,569
-She's not proposing
the 1% sales tax.

442
00:18:22,569 --> 00:18:24,304
-Okay. 0.1%.
-0.1%.

443
00:18:24,304 --> 00:18:26,306
She is not proposing
new revenue.

444
00:18:26,306 --> 00:18:27,975
She's proposing new spending.

445
00:18:27,975 --> 00:18:29,676
-Right.

446
00:18:29,676 --> 00:18:31,678
And she's not doing so
in concert with the rest

447
00:18:31,678 --> 00:18:36,216
of the budget and understanding
what the more macro issues are.

448
00:18:36,216 --> 00:18:37,518
-Okay, okay.

449
00:18:37,518 --> 00:18:41,121
And so, I'm all for funding
those important

450
00:18:41,121 --> 00:18:45,526
what I consider medical services

451
00:18:45,526 --> 00:18:49,396
that are treating
addiction and substance use

452
00:18:49,396 --> 00:18:51,231
and their interaction
with homelessness.

453
00:18:51,231 --> 00:18:53,300
Those things must be funded.

454
00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:57,137
But she's not proposing
a new revenue source.

455
00:18:57,137 --> 00:18:59,373
She's proposing new spending

456
00:18:59,373 --> 00:19:00,707
while also not identifying

457
00:19:00,707 --> 00:19:02,843
where efficiencies or
reductions are happening.

458
00:19:02,843 --> 00:19:04,711
But that's also
because all of that

459
00:19:04,711 --> 00:19:07,281
is supposed to take place
in the budget process.

460
00:19:07,281 --> 00:19:09,816
-And I did want to get
to this idea,

461
00:19:09,816 --> 00:19:12,386
though, of this 0.1%
sales tax piece.

462
00:19:12,386 --> 00:19:13,954
Is it something
that you support?

463
00:19:13,954 --> 00:19:15,322
Would you like
to see the council bring

464
00:19:15,322 --> 00:19:16,590
in these kind of dollars?

465
00:19:16,590 --> 00:19:18,225
That's kind of
where I was going with this.

466
00:19:18,225 --> 00:19:20,027
-The council needs to bring
in the dollars.

467
00:19:20,027 --> 00:19:22,129
And, you know,
to the point that's been made.

468
00:19:22,129 --> 00:19:24,164
Yes, a sales tax is regressive.

469
00:19:24,164 --> 00:19:28,068
It's going to hit those
on the lower economic ladder

470
00:19:28,068 --> 00:19:31,905
-harder than anybody else.
-Yeah.

471
00:19:31,905 --> 00:19:33,640
-Yet what other levers
do we have?

472
00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,043
What other buckets do we have?

473
00:19:36,043 --> 00:19:40,447
We can only, you know,
go to the property tax so often.

474
00:19:40,447 --> 00:19:43,984
You can only go to
the other revenue sources

475
00:19:43,984 --> 00:19:46,019
we have available.
Perhaps a state income tax.

476
00:19:46,019 --> 00:19:49,556
-Yeah.
-We're kind of hamstrung, right?

477
00:19:49,556 --> 00:19:53,260
What I see in terms
of taking a portion

478
00:19:53,260 --> 00:19:56,830
of that 1% that's been
or 0.1% that's being proposed

479
00:19:56,830 --> 00:19:59,733
and linking it
to those prevention services,

480
00:19:59,733 --> 00:20:03,470
those treatment services,
those addiction services.

481
00:20:03,470 --> 00:20:06,173
You know, I think about it
from my public-safety lens.

482
00:20:06,173 --> 00:20:09,276
And look at what crime is
happening out there in the city,

483
00:20:09,276 --> 00:20:10,978
out there on the streets

484
00:20:10,978 --> 00:20:12,913
and how much of it
is fueled by addiction?

485
00:20:12,913 --> 00:20:15,816
-Sure.
-There's a direct correlation.

486
00:20:15,816 --> 00:20:19,920
You know, how much
of our unsheltered population

487
00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:21,822
is dealing with substance abuse,

488
00:20:21,822 --> 00:20:24,892
dealing with untreated
mental health issues.

489
00:20:24,892 --> 00:20:26,760
-There's a correlation.
-Okay.

490
00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,329
-So at some point
we got to tackle that.

491
00:20:29,329 --> 00:20:30,964
And you know,
we have to acknowledge

492
00:20:30,964 --> 00:20:32,699
that there is a link
between those.

493
00:20:32,699 --> 00:20:34,468
-Okay, okay.

494
00:20:34,468 --> 00:20:36,436
I know this discussion
is going to continue

495
00:20:36,436 --> 00:20:38,472
and I'm looking forward to
that budget discussion for sure.

496
00:20:38,472 --> 00:20:39,907
Hitting the mailbag
here once again,

497
00:20:39,907 --> 00:20:41,341
if I could,
Council Member Strauss.

498
00:20:41,341 --> 00:20:42,643
Eric's got a question for you

499
00:20:42,643 --> 00:20:44,278
about the Neighborhood
Street Fund,

500
00:20:44,278 --> 00:20:46,113
which directs money
from the levee

501
00:20:46,113 --> 00:20:47,381
to move Seattle towards projects
supported directly

502
00:20:47,381 --> 00:20:49,583
by the community.
Eric writes this.

503
00:21:03,197 --> 00:21:04,598
Some background here.

504
00:21:04,598 --> 00:21:06,133
Stay Healthy Streets reduces

505
00:21:06,133 --> 00:21:07,868
or closes off streets
to car traffic.

506
00:21:07,868 --> 00:21:09,603
It's meant to encourage
more walking and biking.

507
00:21:09,603 --> 00:21:11,038
Some people really like it.

508
00:21:11,038 --> 00:21:12,606
Eric doesn't have to be a fan.

509
00:21:12,606 --> 00:21:14,474
Council Member Strauss,
some thoughts

510
00:21:14,474 --> 00:21:16,210
about the Neighborhood
Street Fund, if you could.

511
00:21:16,210 --> 00:21:17,945
-You know,
one of the other things

512
00:21:17,945 --> 00:21:19,780
that we did
in this last round of budgeting

513
00:21:19,780 --> 00:21:21,748
is we put to the side
a council district fund.

514
00:21:21,748 --> 00:21:23,450
-Yeah.

515
00:21:23,450 --> 00:21:25,352
-So I go back and I look at,
you know,

516
00:21:25,352 --> 00:21:27,821
when district councils
or district community councils,

517
00:21:27,821 --> 00:21:30,891
I was I was a member of the
Ballard District Council before

518
00:21:30,891 --> 00:21:34,294
it was -- before it stopped
receiving city funding

519
00:21:34,294 --> 00:21:36,697
and before it stopped
functioning.

520
00:21:36,697 --> 00:21:38,599
-Existing, yeah.

521
00:21:38,599 --> 00:21:41,668
-It was based out
of the Ballad Service Center,

522
00:21:41,668 --> 00:21:44,905
which was a Department
of Neighborhoods' building

523
00:21:44,905 --> 00:21:49,510
-that became an FAS sub tenant.
-Okay. All right.

524
00:21:49,510 --> 00:21:51,111
-And that's now
where I have my office.

525
00:21:51,111 --> 00:21:53,180
-Oh, I got it. Okay.
-Right?

526
00:21:53,180 --> 00:21:58,986
And so I occupy the space that
that district council used to

527
00:21:58,986 --> 00:22:02,155
by being present
with my community,

528
00:22:02,155 --> 00:22:04,024
by finding out what
their needs are,

529
00:22:04,024 --> 00:22:06,593
by being able to
sometimes bring presentations

530
00:22:06,593 --> 00:22:08,595
to have town halls.

531
00:22:08,595 --> 00:22:11,098
I've got, I think, let's see,

532
00:22:11,098 --> 00:22:13,667
I've got four hours of
office hours right after this.

533
00:22:13,667 --> 00:22:15,536
-Right there.
-Okay.

534
00:22:15,536 --> 00:22:18,639
-And in a similar way
to the Neighborhood Street Fund

535
00:22:18,639 --> 00:22:20,807
and the council district funds,

536
00:22:20,807 --> 00:22:23,477
I will be looking at
what are the different things

537
00:22:23,477 --> 00:22:25,379
in the district
that we need to fund.

538
00:22:25,379 --> 00:22:26,547
-Okay.
-Right.

539
00:22:26,547 --> 00:22:27,915
And that's separate and aside

540
00:22:27,915 --> 00:22:29,783
from all of the things
that SDOT does.

541
00:22:29,783 --> 00:22:31,051
-Okay, okay.

542
00:22:31,051 --> 00:22:32,953
-And so, you know, roundabouts.

543
00:22:32,953 --> 00:22:35,189
I can't get SDOT
to put in a roundabout

544
00:22:35,189 --> 00:22:38,592
to save my life.
I swear to God.

545
00:22:38,592 --> 00:22:40,561
-That's tough. Okay.
-You know, and --

546
00:22:40,561 --> 00:22:42,129
-You're a council member.
Come on, right?

547
00:22:42,129 --> 00:22:43,964
-And like, I'm sure
SDOT's going to watch this.

548
00:22:43,964 --> 00:22:45,899
Everything that I've said
in our private meetings,

549
00:22:45,899 --> 00:22:47,768
I'm saying on the record,
which is like,

550
00:22:47,768 --> 00:22:49,636
you know,
I've got five roundabouts

551
00:22:49,636 --> 00:22:53,140
that neighbors have
been asking about for years.

552
00:22:53,140 --> 00:22:57,411
I've got one on 62nd and 2nd
that the guy David

553
00:22:57,411 --> 00:22:58,846
has been asking since before

554
00:22:58,846 --> 00:23:00,914
Mike O'Brian was
a council member.

555
00:23:00,914 --> 00:23:02,916
-What's the holdup?
What's up?

556
00:23:02,916 --> 00:23:04,218
-They won't do it.
-Oh, okay.

557
00:23:04,218 --> 00:23:07,187
-Right, and so sometimes
they'll say there's no funding.

558
00:23:07,187 --> 00:23:09,690
And then I'll say, "Okay,
so I've got the funding."

559
00:23:09,690 --> 00:23:12,893
And they'll say, "Well, there's
not a program to do that."

560
00:23:12,893 --> 00:23:14,428
And so, you know,
this council district fund

561
00:23:14,428 --> 00:23:17,865
is how I am saying,
"What are we doing here?"

562
00:23:17,865 --> 00:23:20,634
But, you know, in my
most recent meeting with them,

563
00:23:20,634 --> 00:23:22,402
they said, "Well, you know,

564
00:23:22,402 --> 00:23:25,973
five roundabouts might take up
the whole $2 million.

565
00:23:25,973 --> 00:23:29,176
-And I said, "Come on. Come on."
-Okay, all right.

566
00:23:29,176 --> 00:23:31,011
And they're like,
"Well, what about drainage?

567
00:23:31,011 --> 00:23:34,047
What about the the the ramps
around the corner?"

568
00:23:34,047 --> 00:23:38,185
And it's just kind of like
if you're not going to --

569
00:23:38,185 --> 00:23:40,821
if you're not going to slow
down, cut through traffic...

570
00:23:40,821 --> 00:23:42,823
-Yeah.
-...on side streets.

571
00:23:42,823 --> 00:23:45,158
-Yeah.
-You have to put in speed bumps.

572
00:23:45,158 --> 00:23:46,827
You have to put in a stop sign,

573
00:23:46,827 --> 00:23:48,295
or you have to put
in a roundabout.

574
00:23:48,295 --> 00:23:51,198
I don't care,
but the answer can't be no.

575
00:23:51,198 --> 00:23:52,432
-Okay. All right. Thank you.

576
00:23:52,432 --> 00:23:53,700
Thank you for sharing
that piece of it.

577
00:23:53,700 --> 00:23:54,935
Council Member Solomon,

578
00:23:54,935 --> 00:23:56,603
we got a whole other letter
coming in here.

579
00:23:56,603 --> 00:23:58,172
A question about urban growth
in Seattle

580
00:23:58,172 --> 00:24:00,274
from Kyle, who writes this.

581
00:24:15,522 --> 00:24:17,724
The background here, alternative
five is this proposal

582
00:24:17,724 --> 00:24:19,826
to add a lot more density to the
city via the comprehensive plan.

583
00:24:19,826 --> 00:24:21,795
The council is working
through that right now.

584
00:24:21,795 --> 00:24:23,797
I know we're talking
about the vacancy here as well,

585
00:24:23,797 --> 00:24:26,767
but Council Member Solomon, how
would you answer this question?

586
00:24:26,767 --> 00:24:29,169
I really want to try
to focus on this comp plan.

587
00:24:29,169 --> 00:24:31,004
-Okay. Well, when I look
at the comp plan,

588
00:24:31,004 --> 00:24:32,873
when I think about the city,

589
00:24:32,873 --> 00:24:36,410
we need more density and
we need it throughout the city,

590
00:24:36,410 --> 00:24:38,178
not just
in certain neighborhoods.

591
00:24:38,178 --> 00:24:41,715
Because when I think about D2,
we have density.

592
00:24:41,715 --> 00:24:46,220
I don't need
necessarily more density.

593
00:24:46,220 --> 00:24:49,156
I want that density
to be shared in other districts.

594
00:24:49,156 --> 00:24:52,125
At the same time,
I'm looking at affordability.

595
00:24:52,125 --> 00:24:55,696
How many of the units
that are actually in my district

596
00:24:55,696 --> 00:24:57,431
are affordable units?

597
00:24:57,431 --> 00:25:01,668
And something
that is keeping me up at night

598
00:25:01,668 --> 00:25:04,004
is when we think about
our housing providers,

599
00:25:04,004 --> 00:25:07,007
especially those
that are tax credit properties,

600
00:25:07,007 --> 00:25:08,842
you know,
not the market rate stuff.

601
00:25:08,842 --> 00:25:13,514
You know, those who are
at 6% AMI and lower.

602
00:25:13,514 --> 00:25:17,251
Some of our providers
are selling off their assets

603
00:25:17,251 --> 00:25:19,019
to just balance their books,

604
00:25:19,019 --> 00:25:20,787
which makes me worry
about what's going to happen

605
00:25:20,787 --> 00:25:23,490
to the affordable housing units
in my district

606
00:25:23,490 --> 00:25:27,194
-if those providers go under.
-Yeah. Right.

607
00:25:27,194 --> 00:25:31,632
-So I'm that's why I'm looking
at more affordability,

608
00:25:31,632 --> 00:25:35,002
more units, more density,
and more parts of the city

609
00:25:35,002 --> 00:25:37,037
-at more levels of AMI.
-Got it.

610
00:25:37,037 --> 00:25:41,041
-I need I need units
at 30 AMI and lower.

611
00:25:41,041 --> 00:25:43,544
-Not 90 AMI and higher.
-Okay. Got it.

612
00:25:43,544 --> 00:25:47,748
-And so again, that's one
of the things that's driving

613
00:25:47,748 --> 00:25:50,050
some of the efforts I'm involved
in right now

614
00:25:50,050 --> 00:25:54,021
is to, number one,
keep people housed.

615
00:25:54,021 --> 00:25:57,357
You know, reduce displacement,

616
00:25:57,357 --> 00:26:00,260
and allow our affordable
housing providers to continue

617
00:26:00,260 --> 00:26:01,728
to provide affordable housing.

618
00:26:01,728 --> 00:26:03,764
-Got it. Thank you.

619
00:26:03,764 --> 00:26:06,667
-Those are central to the things
that I'm looking at right now.

620
00:26:06,667 --> 00:26:08,435
-And I'm sure that's
going to be part of the process

621
00:26:08,435 --> 00:26:10,337
in bringing
in a new council member, too.

622
00:26:10,337 --> 00:26:11,872
I've got time to ask
one more question of you both.

623
00:26:11,872 --> 00:26:13,540
And Council Member Strauss,

624
00:26:13,540 --> 00:26:15,275
I wanted to make sure I asked
you the council just passed

625
00:26:15,275 --> 00:26:17,277
a measure meant to speed
up the construction

626
00:26:17,277 --> 00:26:19,713
or make it easier for Sound
Transit to bring in light rail.

627
00:26:19,713 --> 00:26:21,582
You serve on the Sound
Transit Board as well as

628
00:26:21,582 --> 00:26:23,450
the city council.

629
00:26:23,450 --> 00:26:25,319
Does this mean the line
to Ballard is open in next week,

630
00:26:25,319 --> 00:26:26,720
or what are
we talking about here?

631
00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:28,956
-Well, I sure hope so.
-Wouldn't that be neat? Yeah.

632
00:26:28,956 --> 00:26:32,125
-But no, Sound Transit is going
through an enterprise process

633
00:26:32,125 --> 00:26:37,064
right now because the long range
financial plan is out of sync.

634
00:26:37,064 --> 00:26:38,899
And in the past,

635
00:26:38,899 --> 00:26:41,902
when Sound Transit
has addressed this budget issue,

636
00:26:41,902 --> 00:26:44,705
they have just
done realignments,

637
00:26:44,705 --> 00:26:46,707
which means things get delayed

638
00:26:46,707 --> 00:26:48,942
or things get taken
off the table.

639
00:26:48,942 --> 00:26:52,513
And that has not been good
for the agency or our region.

640
00:26:52,513 --> 00:26:54,581
Which is
why I'm heartened to know

641
00:26:54,581 --> 00:26:57,117
that through
this enterprise initiative,

642
00:26:57,117 --> 00:26:59,353
we're looking at
the operations and maintenance,

643
00:26:59,353 --> 00:27:01,388
we're looking at the design.

644
00:27:01,388 --> 00:27:03,724
How can we make
the capital construction go

645
00:27:03,724 --> 00:27:05,192
-more efficiently?
-Okay.

646
00:27:05,192 --> 00:27:10,764
-And then what has to happen
for, you know, any realignment.

647
00:27:10,764 --> 00:27:14,801
But the city's part in this
is if we did not pass this,

648
00:27:14,801 --> 00:27:17,538
then Sound Transit would
have sucked up a lot of time,

649
00:27:17,538 --> 00:27:20,474
and a lot of money,
and a lot of appeal process

650
00:27:20,474 --> 00:27:24,044
over permitting
the entire line piece by piece.

651
00:27:24,044 --> 00:27:25,379
-Yeah. Okay.

652
00:27:25,379 --> 00:27:28,782
-By packaging the entire line
into sets of permits,

653
00:27:28,782 --> 00:27:31,752
it doesn't reduce anyone's
ability to appeal.

654
00:27:31,752 --> 00:27:33,654
-It just streamlines it.
-Got it.

655
00:27:33,654 --> 00:27:36,690
-It doesn't reduce any
of the environmental factors.

656
00:27:36,690 --> 00:27:38,592
In fact, I think
it actually increases them

657
00:27:38,592 --> 00:27:40,527
because we're going to start
planting trees

658
00:27:40,527 --> 00:27:42,429
-before we cut them.
-Right.

659
00:27:42,429 --> 00:27:45,966
-So by packaging what is
usually independent permits,

660
00:27:45,966 --> 00:27:47,668
we're able to have a better,

661
00:27:47,668 --> 00:27:50,270
more comprehensive view
on the whole thing

662
00:27:50,270 --> 00:27:52,739
as well as save money
and save time.

663
00:27:52,739 --> 00:27:54,107
-Got it.

664
00:27:54,107 --> 00:27:55,375
I only have a few seconds,

665
00:27:55,375 --> 00:27:57,010
but I do want to touch
on the presentation

666
00:27:57,010 --> 00:27:58,779
you made recently
about crime prevention

667
00:27:58,779 --> 00:28:00,747
through environmental design
or CPTED.

668
00:28:00,747 --> 00:28:03,116
This idea that communities
can design buildings and spaces.

669
00:28:03,116 --> 00:28:04,952
They can reduce the fear
of crime, end crime.

670
00:28:04,952 --> 00:28:06,620
I only have the
30-second version,

671
00:28:06,620 --> 00:28:07,821
but I know this is
important to you.

672
00:28:07,821 --> 00:28:09,523
It's part of your
professional background.

673
00:28:09,523 --> 00:28:12,259
What do you want
the council to do with this?

674
00:28:12,259 --> 00:28:14,094
-Codify it.
-Okay. Okay.

675
00:28:14,094 --> 00:28:15,662
Make it part
of the city code. Okay.

676
00:28:15,662 --> 00:28:17,564
-Yeah, and one of the things
we're looking at is,

677
00:28:17,564 --> 00:28:20,601
you know, we're doing
some design review

678
00:28:20,601 --> 00:28:22,469
like some interim legislation

679
00:28:22,469 --> 00:28:25,873
that puts CPTED requirements
into the design review.

680
00:28:25,873 --> 00:28:27,641
It's like, okay, if
you're going to build something,

681
00:28:27,641 --> 00:28:32,246
consider these elements
before you, you know,

682
00:28:32,246 --> 00:28:34,581
before you draft
your final product.

683
00:28:34,581 --> 00:28:37,918
And do it before the 60% phase,
you know,

684
00:28:37,918 --> 00:28:41,655
so that you actually can,
you know, make those changes

685
00:28:41,655 --> 00:28:44,458
before it's like, "It's too late
to actually make these changes.

686
00:28:44,458 --> 00:28:46,226
It's going to be too expensive."

687
00:28:46,226 --> 00:28:49,029
Consider these things
in the design phase

688
00:28:49,029 --> 00:28:50,898
early on in the concept phase.

689
00:28:50,898 --> 00:28:52,165
So it's actually much easier
to implement.

690
00:28:52,165 --> 00:28:55,169
-Got it. There's Ted Talks
and there's CPTED talks.

691
00:28:55,169 --> 00:28:56,637
Appreciate you
breaking that down.

692
00:28:56,637 --> 00:28:58,906
Council Member Mark Solomon,
Council Member Dan Strauss,

693
00:28:58,906 --> 00:29:00,674
thanks for joining me.
Brian Callanan here with you.

694
00:29:00,674 --> 00:29:02,442
And we'll see you next time
on "Council Edition".

695
00:29:02,442 --> 00:29:10,684
♪♪

696
00:29:10,684 --> 00:29:19,593
♪♪

697
00:29:19,593 --> 00:29:23,764
♪♪