LET'S START CITY COUNCIL. SO
THIS IS MARCH 4, 2019, THE CITY
OF SEATTLE COUNCIL MEETING WILL
COME TO ORDER. IT IS 2:07 PM,
I AM DEBORA JUAREZ . WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROW?
-- ROLL?
>> SAWANT?
BAGSHAW , GONZALEZ, HERBOLD,
JOHNSON, MOSQUEDA, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT PRO TEM JUAREZ. EIGHT
PRESIDENT -- PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU.
TODAY IS HISTORIC NOT BECAUSE OF
ME, BUT I WANT TO STATE A
TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT
WE ARE INDEED ON INDIGENOUS
LAND AND THAT OF THE SALISH
PEOPLE AND WITH THAT, LET'S GO
FORWARD TODAY IN A GOOD WAY,
FROM A GOOD PLACE, SO WITH THAT
, WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE AGENDA
STARTING WITH THE ADOPTION OF
THE REFERRAL CALENDAR.
I MOVED TO ADOPT.
>> SECOND.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO AMEND
THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR BY INTRODUCING
RESOLUTION 31868 ENTITLED A
RESOLUTION RELATING TO CITY
DEPARTMENT HEADS DESCRIBING THE
STAFF THAT THE COUNCIL INTENDS
THAT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED PRIOR
TO AND AS PART OF THE
NOMINATION, DESCRIBING GENERAL
CRITERIA THE COUNCIL INTENDS TO
CONSIDER WHEN THAT --
EVALUATING AN APPOINTMENT AND
FOR HEAD CANDIDATES AND
SUPERSEDING RESOLUTION 30962
AND BY REFERRING IT TO THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL FULL
COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
THAT THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR BE AMENDED AS
STATED.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
?
>> COUNCILMEMBER SUAREZ, I WILL
BE VOTING YES TO INCLUDE THIS
IN THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR.
THE RESOLUTION, IF I -- IF
ADOPTED RELATING TO APARTMENT
DIRECTOR POSITIONS AND ASKING
THE MYOR AHEAD OF TIME IF SHE
INTENDS TO SELECT THE NOMINEE I
JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY SO
THERE'S NO COMMUTE -- CONFUSION
AMONG MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
MAY NOT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED ON LATER
THIS MONTH IS NOT AN CONFLICT
WITH THAT THAT WE ARE VOTING ON
TODAY BECAUSE THAT RESOLUTION
DOES NOT REFERENCE DOES NOT
RELATE TO THE HUMAN SERVICES
DIRECTOR AT THIS MOMENT, SO THE
TWO RESOLUTIONS ARE DOING
SEPARATE THINGS, SO I JUST
WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THE
RESOLUTION THAT IS REFERENCING
WHAT THE MAYOR SHOULD DO ABOUT
THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR
APPOINTMENT WILL STILL BE LATER
TODAY.>> THANK YOU MEMBER
SAWANT.
>> THINK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
PRESIDENT.
I'M PASSING OUT A COPY OF THE
RESOLUTION I SHARED THIS
MORNING WITH A HIGHLIGHTED
VERSION SO THAT YOU MAY SEE
FROM THE COUNCIL'S PERSPECTIVE
WHAT HAS BEEN ADDED AND TO THE
RESOLUTION ORIGINALLY PASSED IN
2007, JUST TO REITERATE, AS WE
DISCUSSED DURING THE MORNING
BRIEFING THIS FOCUSES ON
MAYORAL NOMINEES THAT HAVE NOT
YET BEEN SUBMITTED TO HELP
ENSURE THAT THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL HAS A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS
USED TO PUT FORWARD NOMINEES IN
THE FUTURE AND I THINK THAT'S
AN IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION AND
IMPORTANTLY, THIS RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZES ALL THE PERMITS ARE
VERY DIFFERENT AND THERE MAY BE
DIFFERENT SIZES, SCOPES AND
LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT, AND SO IT
IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US
TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT THE PROCESS WAS FOR
THEIR UNIT CHARACTERISTICS SO
THE CLARIFICATION AFFORDED TO
THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC
REALLY GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE GOALS
AND THAT OF THE FOCUS OF THIS
RESOLUTION AND WE LOOK FORWARD
AGAIN TO WORKING WITH ALL OF
YOU ON COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY TO
IDENTIFY POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS,
SUGGESTIONS AND WHAT YOU MAY
HAVE IN THE NEXT WEEK AND WE
HOPE TO BRING THIS TO FULL
COUNCIL BY MAY 18th.
>> AGAIN JUST LOOKING TO PUT IT
ON THE REFERRAL CALENDAR. WE
HAVE CONGRESSWOMAN PER MILLEDGE
I APPALL ON THE LINE SO I WANT
TO MOVE QUICKLY -- AND I WILL
HAVE COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ SAY
A FEW WORDS.
THE MOTION CARRIES, ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS?
SEEING NONE, THOSE ARE ADOPTED
AND THE REFERRAL CALENDAR,
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE, THOSE
OPPOSED SAY NO, IT IS ADOPTED
AS AMENDMENT -- AS AMENDED SO
LET'S MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF
THE AGENDA.
I AM STILL NEW AT THIS, FOLKS.
OKAY THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED AND
AGENDA IS SIGNED.
APROVAL OF THE AMENDMENTS --
THE MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS
MEETING, IF NO OBJECTIVE, THEY
WILL BE SIGNED -- OBJECTION,
THEY WILL BE SIGNED.
DID I ALREADY DO THAT?
I DID, SORRY.
I WILL DO PRESENTATIONS NOW.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY
PRESENTATIONS TODAY, ALL RIGHT
SO LET'S GO INTO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL TAKE
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS THAT
APPEAR ON TODAY'S AGENDA WITH
THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR AND THE CITY COUNCIL
WORK PROGRAM.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE
SIGNED UP?
50 PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE
LIMITED TO 20 MINUTES AND EACH
PERSON HAS ONE MINUTE. IF IT
EXCEEDS ONE MINUTE, THE
SECRETARY WILL TURN OFF THE
MICROPHONE.
IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND THE ITEM
YOU WISH TO ADDRESS.
THE CLERK WILL CALL UP TO FOUR
NAMES AT A GIVEN TIME AND
PLEASE LINE UP AT EITHER PODIUM
ONE, THE MIDDLE EITEL -- AISLE,
AND PODIUM TWO, THE AISLE BY
THE WINDOW SO WE HAVE FOUR
PEOPLE LINING UP THEN WE CAN
MOVE ALONG AND EVERYONE WILL
HAVE THEIR MINUTE TO SPEAK BUT
BEFORE WE BEGIN, WE HAVE AN
ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT HAS
REQUESTED TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT. WE ARE LUCKY TODAY TO
HAVE CONGRESSWOMAN PRAMILA
JAYAPAL SPEAKING TO SUPPORT THE
MEDICARE FOR ALL RESOLUTION
THAT WILL BE BROUGHT FORTH BY
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ AND AS
IS THE CUSTOM WE WILL ALLOW THE
CONGRESSMAN TO SPEAK FIRST SO I
WILL ASK THAT WE UNMUTE THE
PHONE AND ALLOW CONGRESSWOMAN
PRAMILA JAYAPAL TO BEGIN HER
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL
PRESIDENT PRO TEM JUAREZ, CITY
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ AND THE
ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL FOR
INVITING ME TO TESTIFY . I'M SO
HONORED TO REPRESENT THE GOOD
PART -- HEART OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND TO SPEAK ON BEHALF
OF COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ'
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE
MEDICARE FOR ALL ACTIVE 2019.
LAST WEEK, I WAS PROUD TO LEAD
107 OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AS ORIGINAL COSPONSORS IN
INTRODUCING THIS LANDMARK
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD TRANSFORM
OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND
GUARANTEE THAT EVERY SINGLE
PERSON IN OUR COUNTRY HAS
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE. IN ORDER
TO DO SO WE KNOW WE HAVE TO
BRING DOWN COSTS AND IMPROVE
HEALTH OUTCOMES, ALL OF WHICH
MY COMPETENCE OF LEGISLATION
ADDRESSES. TODAY IN AMERICA, WE
HAVE THE MOST EXPENSIVE
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE WORLD
úSPENDING DOUBLE WHAT MOST PURE
COUNTRIES SPEND AND YET OUR
OUTCOMES ARE ACTUALLY THE WORST
OF ALL INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES
, OF ALL IN THE WORLD WE HAVE
THE HIGHEST RATES OF MOMS DYING
IN CHILDBIRTH, THE HIGHEST
RATES OF BABIES DYING, AND WE
ARE THE ONLY INDUSTRIALIZED
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHERE LIFE
INSPECT AND SEE IS GOING DOWN
-- EXPECTANCY IS GOING DOWN,
NOT UP. EVERY SINGLE DAY, TOO
MANY AMERICANS ARE SICK AND
DYING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD
CANCER TREATMENTS OR INSULIN
THAT THEY NEED, EVEN AS THE
PRICE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ARE
SOARING AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS
ARE GOING UP BY DOUBLE DIGITS
OVERNIGHT. I'VE RECEIVED SO
MANY LETTERS, EMAILS AND PHONE
CALLS ABOUT THE MEDICAL COSTS
THAT SEATTLEITES ARE STRUGGLING
WITH.
JUSTIN -- THE OTHER DAY I SPOKE
WITH SOMEONE WHO IS HIV-
POSITIVE AND HIS MEDICATIONS
COST $5000 A MONTH AND ANOTHER
ONE WHO HAS A DISABILITY AND IS
COVERED BY EMPLOYER HEALTH CARE
BUT STILL HAS TO PAY A
STAGGERING $35,000 A YEAR IN
PREMIUMS, DEDUCTIBLES AND CO-
PAYS.
THAT IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE AND
THAT'S WHY MY BILL TACKLES THE
DEEP SICKNESS WITHIN OUR FOR-
PROFIT HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT
PUT PROFITS OVER PATIENTS. EVEN
AS PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE THEY
CAN'T AFFORD TREATMENTS, THE
TOP PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES
ARE RAKING IN $75 BILLION IN
PROFITS EVERY YEAR.
IN 2018 ALONE, THE HEALTH AND
MEDICAL INSURANCE INDUSTRY TOOK
IN $43 BILLION IN PROFITS AND
THE UNITED HEALTH CEO TOOK HOME
$83 MILLION, THE AETNA CEO TOOK
HOME $59 MILLION AND THE CIGNA
CEO TOOK HOME $44 MILLION, SO
MY MEDICARE FOR ALL BILL
ADDRESSES THREE ISSUES:
COVERAGE, COST AND QUALITY. WE
COVER EVERYONE IN ONE, SINGLE,
LARGE INSURANCE NETWORK AND
PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE,
PRIMARY CARE, MATERNAL CARE,
DENTAL, VISION, LONG-TERM CARE
FOR SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS
WITH DISABILITIES. AND EVERYONE
GETS TO KEEP THEIR DOCTORS AND
HOSPITALS AND IN FACT YOU'LL
HAVE MORE CHOICE THAN YOU WOULD
WITH THE INCREASING
RESTRICTIONS OF PRIVATE FOR-
PROFIT INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT
INCREASINGLY SAY TOO MANY
PROVIDERS ARE OUT OF NETWORK OR
NOT COVERED AND MY LEGISLATION
GETS RID OF CO-PAYS, PRIVATE
INSURANCE PREMIUM DEDUCTIBLES
AND WE BRING DOWN COSTS
DRAMATICALLY BY GETTING RID OF
THE ADMINISTRATIVE WASTE OF
THOSE FOR-PROFIT INSURANCE
COMPANIES AND NEGOTIATING FOR
LOWER DRUG PRICES. IT IS A BOLD
AND AMBITIOUS PLAN, BUT I
BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE, AND INDEED OF AMERICA,
ARE READY TO ENSURE THAT
HEALTHCARE IS A RIGHT AND NOT A
PRIVILEGE AVAILABLE TO
EVERYONE, NOT JUST THE WEALTHY,
SO I AM SO GRATEFUL TO MY
FRIEND COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ
AND TO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL
FOR INTRODUCING THIS
RESOLUTION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR
DEDICATION TO ENSURING
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL OF OUR
CITIES' RESIDENCE AND FOR ALL
THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
THANKS SO MUCH AND I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OF ANYONE
HAS THEM OR GET ONTO YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
>> COUNCILWOMAN I WOULD LOVE
FOR PEOPLE TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS
BUT WE HAVE A PACKED AGENDA SO
EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE MY
CONGRESSWOMAN, I HAVE TO SAY
NO, BUT THANK YOU.
I'LL CALL YOU LATER.
>> I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, [
LAUGHTER ] THANKS A LOT.
BYE-BYE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> JODY, GO AHEAD AND WE CAN
START THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE
WILL GO FOR 20 MINUTES AND THEN
SEE WHERE WE ARE AT THEN.
>> I WILL CALL FOUR NAMES AND
IF YOU CAN, ALL PLEASE COME AND
LINE UP AT EACH OF THE PODIUMS,
TWO PER PODIUM.
THE FIRST NAME IS DATE OF --
DAVID HAYNES, THE SECOND QUEEN
BEE KING GROUP, THE WOMEN IN
BLACK, NUMBER THREE IS YVETTE
DINESH AND NUMBER FOUR, PAUL
DEVOS KEY.
>> WARES ARE NUMBER FOUR PERSON?
-- WHERE IS OUR NUMBER FOUR
PERSON?
GREAT, LET'S GO.
>> WE NEED A SECOND REFERENDUM
AMENDMENT TO ONCE AND FOR ALL
HOLD THE ENTIRE SOCIAL WELFARE
INDUSTRY OF GOVERNMENT AND
NONGOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
ACCOUNTABLE. YET ALL THIS FOR
ONE PERSON'S JOB IS ANOTHER
GUARANTEE THAT THE CORRUPT
SOCIAL WELFARE IS GETTING OFF
THE HOOK WHILE CONSPIRING TO
HAVE ANOTHER CORRUPT GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL ONE OF THEIR OWN PUT
IN A POSITION TO GUARANTEE THAT
THEY CAN GET A SALARY RAISE
THAT NEXT BUDGET CYCLE ACTING
LIKE THEY NEED MORE MONEY TO
SOLVE THE HOMELESS CRISIS WELL
THE WHOLE TIME OPPRESSING THE
POOR, KEEPING THEM DESPERATE SO
THERE'S ALWAYS A DEMAND FOR
MORE MONEY WITH THE SAME
UNACCOUNTABLE $200 MILLION
GOVERNMENT AND NONGOVERNMENT
CONTRACTORS. THERE'S OVER
20,000 SOCIAL SERVICES
EMPLOYEES GOVERNMENT AND
NONGOVERNMENT MAKING A LIVING
OFF OF 12,000 HOMELESS THEY
CHEAT DAILY SUBHUMAN
MISTREATING DENYING SERVICES
FOR LAZY LYING ABOUT BANKERS
HOURS EFFORTS. IT'S OBVIOUS THE
CITY COUNCIL IS TREATING
INTEGRITY WITH THE PROPER
INTERPRETATION -- AS LONG AS
ACTIVISTS AND POLITICAL
OPERATIVES WITHIN THE
NONPROFITS DO THE BIDDING OF
CITY COUNCIL'S REELECTION
EFFORTS --
>> OKAY, SIR.
THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. WHO
IS NEXT?
>> THE QUEEN BEE GROUP. WE ARE
GOING TO GIVE YOU I UNDERSTAND
TWO MINUTES?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I AM QUEEN BEE KING
RIOS AND A MEMBER OF WOMEN IN
BLACK.
LAST YEAR IN 2018 WOMEN AND
BLACKS DESIGNED OF -- WOMEN IN
BLACK DESIGNED A VISUAL -- THE
SHELTER NETWORK PROVIDES A WARM
AND SAFE, LOVING, CHURCH-BASED
SHELTER NETWORK FOR CLEAN AND
SOBER HOMELESS MEN AND WOMEN.
I THINK GOD FOR THE LOW BARRIER
SHELTER THAT ACCEPTS ANY WOMAN,
IN ANY CONDITION, AT ANY TIME
OF NIGHT WITH A NO TURN AWAY
POLICY AND IT'S THE ONLY ONE OF
ITS KIND IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
THE CITY ACTS -- ACTED ALMOST
20 YEARS AGO TO START THIS
SHELTER THIS COMING MAY AND IS
NOW A YEAR-ROUND SHELTER AND AS
YOU CAN SEE WE SURELY NEED IT
NOW MORE TODAY THAN WE DID
THEN.
WOMEN ARE SCARED AND AFRAID.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM IN THE?
FREEMAN.
PARTICIPANT IN THE PROGRAM
SINCE 1995.
I'VE SEEN HUMAN SERVICES
DIRECTORS WHO WORK
COLLABORATIVELY WITH SHARE AND
WE'LL.
-- WE'LL. THAT HASN'T BEEN OUR
EXPERIENCE UNDER JASON JOHNSON.
AFTER THIS PAST TWO YEARS -- IT
TOOK TWO MONTHS FOR THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO SEND US
A CONTRACT, AND THEN THEY TOLD
US THEY WOULD FUND US FOR ONLY
SIX MONTHS WITH NO GUARANTEE OF
ANY FUNDING AFTER THAT. WHEN
YOU ARE HOMELESS, YOU CANNOT
FOCUS ON ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE
WHEN YOU ARE TERRIFIED.
THE WOMEN IN THE WHEEL SHELTER,
SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE
WOMEN IN SEATTLE ARE NOW
TERRIFIED THAT THEIR SHELTER
WILL BE CLOSED. PLEASE, START
THE SEARCH OVER AGAIN AND GET
US A DIRECTOR THAT WON'T DO
THIS TO PEOPLE.
THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE FACT
THAT IN 2017 LEGISLATURE
PASSED A RESOLUTION ON SOCIAL
JUSTICE INITIATIVE AND COME TO
FIND OUT THEN WHEN IT WAS
PASSED AND NOW THE OFFICE OF
CIVIL RIGHTS IS RUEFULLY --
WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED SO THEY
CANNOT BE EFFECTIVE OR
EFFICIENT IN HANDLING CONCERNS
SO AHEAD OF THE BUDGET PROCESS,
I'M HOPING TO FUND THEM EVEN
MORE SO THEY CAN HIRE MORE
INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT STAFF.
THEY HAVE ONE INTAKE PERSON AND
ALSO PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY THE
SOUTH END OF GENESEE BEACH ARE
UP IN ARMS OVER TALK OF HAVING
OVERNIGHT PARKING FOR PEOPLE
LIVING IN THEIR CARS.
I AM LETTING YOU KNOW THAT
THERE WILL BE SOME PUSHBACK ON
THAT.
THEY WANT COMMUNITY INPUT ON
PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR CARS
BEING ABLE TO PARK AT TENNESSEE
PARK OVERNIGHT AND THANK YOU
FOR BEING THE TEMPORARY HEAD --
THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
I'M DONE, THANK YOU.
>> SIR?
>> MY NAME IS KING SONG.
I'M ACTUALLY [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
BUT THE PROBLEM WITH CONGRESS
IS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOOK
AT THE RESEARCH. WHAT HAPPENS IS
THE MALPRACTICE COSTS MORE SO
IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE WHICH
ACTUALLY COSTS MAYBE $2.50 AND
YOU SELL IT FOR $1000, THAT'S
THE REASON WHY, AND THE OTHER
THING IS, YOU NEVER COME BACK
FOR DEBATE.
I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
ON CITY COUNCIL NUMBER THREE --
I'M DOING THAT THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU, YOU HAVE A NICE DAY.
>> LET'S GET THE NEXT FOUR
PEOPLE.
>> JOSEPH SAINT ALBAN, TYRONE
KENNY -- AND AINSLEY JEFFS.
>> LET'S HAVE ALL FOUR OF THESE
FOLKS COME UP SO WE CAN MAKE
SURE EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO
SPEAK TODAY.
>> SO JOSEPH ALBAN.
>> THANK YOU, MY NAME IS JOSEPH
SAINT ALBAN AND I'M HERE TODAY
BECAUSE I WANT TO SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER'S GONZALEZ --
RESOLUTION FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL
. IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED
BADLY IN OUR NATION. IN MY CASE,
IF A PERSON NEEDS LONG-TERM CARE
, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE
THE FACILITY OF THEIR CHOICE,
WHICH RIGHT NOW, ONE CANNOT DO
THERE.
AND ALSO, IF YOU ARE LIVING
INDEPENDENTLY AND FOR PEOPLE
WHO DO NEED THAT TYPE OF
ASSISTANCE THAT PROPER CARE CAN
BE PROVIDED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?
MY NAME IS TYRONE KENNY AND
ALSO ME AND MY WIFE ARE DOING A
LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE
COMMUNITY AND I BROUGHT A
BROCHURE OF SOME THINGS THE
MAYOR HAD SPOKEN ON LAST YEAR
TO GIVE OUT FREE LAND TO THE
NONPROFIT DOING SOMETHING IN
YOUR COMMUNITY, SO THIS IS ONE
OF THE THINGS I'M PUTTING
TOGETHER AND IT'S A BUILDING
FOR THE YOUTH THAT DON'T HAVE A
HOME -- AND LADIES ALSO.
IT WILL BE VERY HIGH SECURITY
AND ALSO WE ARE READY HAVE A
PLAN AND I NEED YOUR HELP TO
GIVE ME LAND BECAUSE THE MORE
YOU SAID YOU WOULD -- YOU PUT
IT INTO PAPER AND THE MAYOR
SAID SHE WOULD DO IT SO I'VE
BEEN TRYING TO GET A MEETING
WITH YOU TO GET THIS LAND, TO
BE ABLE TO BE FUNDED AND BE
UNDERSTANDABLE AND BE ABLE TO
HELP THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY
BECAUSE WE ARE LOSING OUR YOUTH
IN THE HOMELESS AREA BECAUSE
THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO STAY
. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE TO LAY
DOWN THEIR HEAD AND WAKE UP AND
HAVE FOOD IN THE MORNING SO YOU
NEED TO HELP ME OUT ON THIS
SITUATION, ALL RIGHT?
> THANK YOU, SORE -- THANK YOU
SIR.
>> BOY I FEEL STUPID.
>> YOU ARE ON.
>> WOW, I AM ON.
IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO SPEAK YOUR
ESPECIALLY WHEN COUNCILMEMBER
WHEREAS IS COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
LOOKS LIKE WE PUT OUT THE
NUMBER ONE TROLL ON GODS GREEN
EARTH TODAY AND I REALLY THINK
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE THAT
CITY COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE TO DO
IS SIT AND LISTEN TO BEING
CALLED HORRIBLE NAMES AND IT'S
A DISGRACE TO THE PEOPLE WHO
COME HERE WHO WANT TO JUST GIVE
YOU A PIECE OF THEIR MINDS AND
HEARTS FOR A BETTER SEATTLE AND
REALLY WORK TOGETHER AND
HOPEFULLY NOT JUST TALK AT YOU
BUT TO ALSO LISTEN TO YOU AS
YOU LISTEN TO US AND WORK
TOGETHER TO BUILD A BETTER
SEATTLE AND A BETTER REGION SO
WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER IN
HARMONY AND DEFEAT RACISM,
SEXISM, HOMELESSNESS AND REALLY
JUST COME TOGETHER AS A HUMAN
RACE SO I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT ALL THE CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS ENFORCE STRONGLY
THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULES NO
MATTER WHERE YOU ARE AT, MY
TIME IS UP AND I HAVE TO GO BUT
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING
ME ON TODAY, GO SEATTLE AND I
THINK GONZALEZ FOR PUTTING
THAT OUT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HI, I AM A MEMBER OF
SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE.
IN THE CONTEXT OF SEATTLE'S
EXTREME HOUSING CRISIS IT'S
TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE THAT MAYOR
DURKIN WOULD PUSH THROUGH A DEED
THAT HAS BEEN ROUNDLY REJECTED
BY PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND
WORKERS INSTEAD OF ADOPTING A
TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND
CHOOSING SOMEONE WHO CAN LEAD A
STRONG FIGHT FOR HOUSING
INJUSTICE IN SEATTLE BUT ON THE
OTHER HAND IT'S NOT SURPRISING
GIVEN THE CORPORATE BACKERS
SHE'S MADE HERSELF ACCOUNTABLE
TO PEER CORRECTIONS ARE
BULLYING AND TO DEFEAT A BULLY
WE HAVE TO STAND UP AND I'M
INSPIRED TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE
HERE TODAY DOING JUST THAT AND
I THINK WE ARE RIGHT TO DEMAND
THAT CITY COUNCIL STANDS WITH
US IN REJECTING JASON JOHNSON.
WE EXPECT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO'VE
SHOWN UP TODAY AND VOTE YES ON
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT 'S
PROPOSAL.
>> NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKERS 9-12
AND THAT IS DAN CAVANAUGH,
DAVID McCLANAHAN, AARON GOODMAN
AND MIKE STEWART.
>> HI, MY NAME IS DAN.
I'M A FOOD SERVICE WORKER AND A
MEMBER OF SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE
AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY BECAUSE
I THINK THAT WHILE WE HAVE A
HOMELESSNESS STATE OF EMERGENCY
IN THE CITY, IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT WHO IS AT THE HEAD OF
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
AND I'M REALLY TROUBLED BY THE
MAYOR'S APPROACH OF TRYING TO
FORCE THROUGH A NOMINEE WITHOUT
COMMUNITY INPUT, AND THEN WHEN
MEMBERS OF SHARE WE'LL -- WHEEL
ARE STANDING AND SPEAKING UP
THAT SHE WOULD THREATEN TO CUT
FUNDING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES .
I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY
ATROCIOUS AND I THINK IT'S THE
TYPE OF BULLYING INTIMIDATION
TACTICS THAT I WOULD EXPECT FOR
DONALD TRUMP, FROM JEFF BEZOS
AND FRANKLY, I'M NOT SURPRISED
THAT A MAYOR WHO TOOK $350,000
FROM AMAZON WOULD STOOP TO THAT
LEVEL, BUT I THINK THAT OUR
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO SAY NO AND
VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S PROPOSAL BECAUSE WE
WILL KEEP HOLDING THIS
MOVEMENT.
WHEN OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS ARE
UNDER ATTACK, WHAT DO WE DO?
>> STAND UP, FIGHT BACK.
>> OKAY SIR, PLEASE HAVE A SEAT
. WE ARE DONE.
SHUT OFF THE MIC.
OKAY CAN I JUST -- JODY, PAUSE
THE TIME.
THERE'S A REASON WHY I TALKED
ABOUT US ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE
ARE IN AN INDIGENOUS LAND AND
BEHAVIOR.
I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERYBODY
WOULD LISTEN TO WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY. THIS ISN'T
A RALLY.
IT'S PUBLIC COMMENT AND
EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO BE
HEARD, EVEN IF YOU DISAGREE
WITH THEM.
DEMOCRACY CANNOT LIVE IN A
SWAMP IF WE DON'T LIKE EACH
OTHER.
WE AT LEAST HAVE TO LISTEN TO
EACH OTHER AND THAT'S ALL I'M
ASKING YOU TO DO IS LISTEN FOR
ONE MINUTE.
NEXT FOUR NAMES.
>> WHEN WE GOT UP TO SPEAK WE
WERE GIVEN ONLY TWO MINUTES.
>> CONDENSED TIME TODAY.
WE HAVE 50 PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
GO AHEAD, SIR.
>> WE HAVE DAVID McCLANAHAN.
>> HI, I'M A RETIRED SURGEON
WITH 38 YEARS EXPERIENCE
SERVING WITH AND WORKING WITH
THE UNDERSERVED FOR 25 YEARS
PACK MED ALLOWED ME TO SET UP
AND STAFF SURGERY CLINICS IN
TWO OF OUR SAFETY NET CLINICS,
COUNTRY DOCTOR AND
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT CLINIC
AND DURING THAT TIME, I SAW AND
CARED FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WHO CAME IN BECAUSE AT A LATE
TIME BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL
REASONS UNTIL THEIR CONDITION
LED TO DISABLEMENT OR AN
EMERGENCY.
I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERYONE IN
THIS COUNTRY WOULD BE ABLE TO
GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT WITHOUT
WORRYING ABOUT A MEDICAL
CONDITION CAUSING THEM TO LOSE
THEIR WELL-BEING, THEIR
FINANCIAL SECURITY AND THEIR
FAMILY'S FUTURE.
WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
GUARANTEE HEALTHCARE FOR
EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY UNTIL
WE HAVE A SINGLE-PAYER NATIONAL
HEALTH PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHAT
CONGRESSWOMAN PRAMILA JAYAPAL'S
BILL WOULD PROVIDE.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM HERE IN
GOODWIN AND I AM HERE TO URGE
YOU TO VOTE NO TO RESOLUTION
31862 AND IMMEDIATELY PROCEED
WITH CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR
JASON JOHNSON THE MAYOR'S
CHOICE TO LEAD THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE APPEARED BEFORE THIS
BODY MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST
YEARS TO SHARE THE PUBLIC
HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPACTS THAT
OUR CITY'S HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
IS HAVING ON EMPLOYEES,
BUSINESS OWNERS AND VISITORS IN
SOTO AND ON PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS IN SOTO.
MY FOLKS NEED SOLUTIONS IN
ACTION, NOT POLITICAL DELAYS.
WE NEED THIS OFFICE TO BE
FILLED WITH A PERMANENT
DIRECTOR WHO CAN CONTINUE THE
CITY'S FOCUS ON ACCOUNTABILITY
AND RESULTS TO BETTER SERVE OUR
UNFILTERED RESIDENCE AND
NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLEASE VOTE NO.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
MIKE STEWART AND I AM EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE BALLARD
ALLIANCE A NEIGHBORHOOD
IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT
REPRESENTS HUNDREDS OF
BUSINESSES AND THOUSANDS OF
RESIDENTS AND I'M HERE TODAY TO
ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON
RESOLUTION 31862, WHICH WOULD
DELAY CONSIDERATION OF THE
NOMINATION OF JASON JOHNSON FOR
THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.
THIS RESOLUTION IS NOTHING MORE
THAN A POLITICAL DELAY TACTIC
THAT WOULD CREATE AN UNNEEDED
PROCESS AND RESULT IN LOST TIME
AND A LOSS OF FOCUS ON
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
JASON JOHNSON HAS YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE WITHIN HST AND IS A
QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR THIS
POSITION.
DURING HIS 10 MONTHS AS ACTING
DIRECTOR HE'S OVERSEEN AN
INCREASE IN THE CITY'S
EMERGENCY SHELTER, THE CITY'S
RESPONSE AND IMPROVED OUTCOMES
BY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND HAS
IMPLEMENTED A NEW CAN OF --
ACCOUNT ABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
MEASURE LIKE PERFORMANCE PAY
FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS TO HELP
ENSURE PROVIDERS ARE MAKING THE
BIGGEST PROFITABLE IMPACT.
-- POSSIBLE IMPACT.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO VOTE NO
ON TODAY'S RESOLUTION, THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE CHRISTOPHER
ANDERSON, A NATURE FREEMAN,
MARY CASTILLE, AND NUMBER 17,
ELLIE MacARTHUR.
>> NUMBER 22 ON YOUR LIST IS
CONCEDING HER TIME, TARA.
KNOW?
>> PARDON ME, I DIDN'T HEAR
WHAT YOU SAID.
>> CONCEDING HER TIME.
IS THAT OKAY?
>> IT IS STILL JUST ONE MINUTE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON MEMBERS OF
THE CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME IS
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON AND I STAY
AT THE BUNKHOUSE SHELTER.
ON FABRIC 20 MY COMMUNITY
TESTIFIED TO THE HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE IN THIS CHAMBER.
WE MADE CLEAR OUR SUPPORT FOR
THE RESOLUTION TO RESTART THE
HIRING OF OUR HUMAN SERVICE
DIRECTOR WITH AN OPEN PROCESS
BASED ON THE CITY'S RACIAL AND
ECONOMIC JUSTICE TOOLKIT. OUR
SUPPORT FOR THIS RESOLUTION IS
EVEN STRONGER TODAY.
ON EVERY 26 THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR
TOLD US THEY PLAN TO CUT SHARES
CONTRACT FOR OUR INDOOR SHELTER
NETWORK TO SIX MONTH AT THE END
OF JUNE, 2019 BYPASSING YOUR
UNANIMOUS DECISION TO FUND OUR
COMMUNITY BUILDING AND COST-
EFFECTIVE SHELTERS FOR THE NEXT
FEW YEARS. IT WAS THE SECOND
YEAR IN A ROW THAT YOU HAD TO
RESTORE FUNDING TO SHARES
INDOOR SHELTERS AFTER THE
MAYOR'S INDOOR SERVICES DIRECTOR
-- CUT THEM.
IF THE GOAL OF THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS TO
IMPROVE OUR SHELTERS RATHER
THAN RUINING THEM, THEY
WOULD'VE SAT DOWN WITH US --
>> WRAP UP, SIR.
THANK YOU.
NEXT?
>> I DID GET TO SAY MY PIECE --
>> I APOLOGIZE FOR THE
CONFUSION.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
MY NAME IS MARY CASTILLE, AND I
AM A STAFF MEMBER AT THE WHEEL
WOMEN'S SHELTER.
THE WOMEN WE HELP HAVE BEEN ON
THIS ROLLER COASTER RIDE WITH US
, FIGHTING FOR OUR FUNDING.
BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2018 ALL OF
US TOOK A BIG SIGH OF RELIEF
WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL, ALL OF
YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE, VOTED
UNANIMOUSLY TO IMPROVE OUR --
APPROVE OUR FUNDING FOR TWO
YEARS.
IMAGINE THE COMPLETE FEAR AND
HEARTBREAK THE WOMEN AND US THE
STAFF FELT WHEN WE FOUND OUT
LAST WEEK THAT OUR FUNDING WAS
TAKEN AWAY.
AGAIN, THE WOMEN WHO UTILIZE
OUR SHELTER HAVE BEEN COMING UP
TO ME CRYING, SCARED, WANTING
TO KNOW WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.
ARE WE CLOSING, AND WHEN?
THEY ARE JUST PLAIN SCARED
BECAUSE THEY THINK, AND THIS
HAS BEEN SAID TO ME SEVERAL
TIMES IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, I
WON'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE IF I
HAVE TO SLEEP OUTSIDE.
>> I NEED YOU TO WRAP UP,
MA'AM.
>> SO WHAT YOU DID THREE MONTHS
AGO WAS A GOOD THING, PLEASE
CONTINUE TO STAND UP FOR US AND
YOURSELVES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS EMILY MacARTHUR
AND I'M A MEMBER OF SOCIALIST
ALTERNATIVE.
I WOULD URGE YOU TO VOTE YES.
YOU WOULD IMAGINE IN A HOMELESS
STATE OF EMERGENCY GOING ON FOR
TWO YEARS THAT THERE WOULD BE
AN ORGANIZED APPROACH TO THIS
CRISIS BUT INSTEAD WHAT WE'VE
SEEN IS A CHAOTIC AND
UNDEMOCRATIC SYSTEM THAT MOVES
THE GOALPOST ON A MONTHLY BASIS
. THAT IS THE LEGACY OF JASON
JOHNSON.
THE PROPOSED DIRECTOR JASON
JOHNSON IS SOMEONE WHO HAS
BRAGGED ABOUT RESULTS-BASED
FUNDING.
WE HEARD SOMEONE SPEAK TO MERIT
PAY AS A POSITIVE AND SAY --
IT'S UNETHICAL.
WE NEED ACTUAL LEADERSHIP AND
HST WOULD BE DEMANDING A
MASSIVE PUBLICLY IN FUNDED --
HOUSING WE CAN PUT THESE PEOPLE
INTO.
I THINK THE MARKET WILL NEVER
BE DESIGNED TO SERVE WORKING-
CLASS AND POOR PEOPLE AND WE
SHOULD DEMAND SOMEBODY WHO IS
WILLING TO DEMAND -- FIGHT FOR
THE WORKING CLASS AND POOR
PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
>> SIR IF YOU DON'T STOP THAT I
WILL HAVE A REMOVED.
LET'S GO ON WITH THE NEXT FOUR
PEOPLE.
>> NUMBERS 18 THROUGH 21, AVON
METS, JORDAN QUINN, SARAH
SPELLMAN AND JENNY COLLETTE.
>> MY NAME IS EVA METZ AND I'M
A MEMBER OF SOCIALIST
ALTERNATIVE.
NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN
ABOUT THE HOMELESS CRISIS IN
OUR CITY. AND THE CITY'S UTTER
FAILURE TO ADDRESS IT.
THEY REPEALED THE AMAZON TAX
WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN A
SUBSTANTIAL MEASURE TO ADDRESS
THE HOUSING CRISIS AND PASSED A
BUDGET WITH LESS THAN 1% OF
FUNDING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, NO MORE THAN IT WAS
THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND MAYOR
DURKIN HAS TOTALLY FAILED TO
TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT WITH HER
HST APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
-- HSD APPOINTMENT PROCESS
WHICH IS CRUCIAL IN THIS
PROCESS TO PROVIDE SERVICES
LEFT IN THE GAP BY THE CITY.
OVER AND OVER PEOPLE HAVE
RAISED THEIR VOICES, CITY
WORKERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
WITH CONCERNS ABOUT MAYOR
DURKIN'S PROCESS, WITH CONCERNS
ABOUT DIRECTOR JOHNSON, AND HIS
FAILURE TO LISTEN TO HIS STAFF
OR TAKE INTO ACCOUNT RACIAL AND
SOCIAL INJUSTICE AND I THINK
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LISTENING,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THE
PEOPLE TESTIFYING TODAY WHO SAY
THAT ALL THESE COMMUNITY
MEETINGS ARE DEMANDING -- AT
ALL THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS
ARE DEMANDING AND INCLUSIVE
PROCESS -- AN INCLUSIVE SEARCH
PROCESS.
>> HI, I'M JORDAN QUINN AND
ALSO A MEMBER OF SOCIALIST
ALTERNATIVE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT THE COUNCIL KEEP THE MAYOR
IN CHECK AND DEFEND OUR HUMAN
SERVICES AND NOT DEFUND THEM IN
THE INTEREST OF A BIG BUSINESS
JUST LIKE THE MAYOR WANTS TO
DO.
I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT
JUST AFTER -- JUST A WEEK AFTER
HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO
SHARE -- AT SHARE WHEEL THAT
THE MAYOR INFORMED THEM THAT
SHE WILL BE CUTTING THE FUNDING
FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR
STARTING IN JUNE.
I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL
SHOULD FIND THAT OUT ALL
ACCEPTABLE AND SOME OF THE
STUFF WE'VE BEEN -- HEARING
TODAY, YOU KNOW?
I THINK THE REASON FOR THIS,
THEY SAY THEY ARE GETTING THIS
FUNDING CUT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE
NOT EFFECTIVE BUT IT'S LIKE,
YOU CAN'T HOLD SOMEONE
ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT BEING
EFFECTIVE IF THE CITY IS NOT
PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SAYING THAT HOMELESS SERVICE
PROVIDERS ARE DOING THEIR JOB
BECAUSE THEY AREN'T GETTING
PEOPLE INTO HOUSING THAT DOESN'T
EXIST.
THAT'S RIDICULOUS AND YOU
SHOULD FIGHT BACK AGAINST THAT
AND MORE THAN THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL SHOULD BE FIGHTING BACK
AGAINST CUTS AGAINST WHEEL --
SHARE WHEEL AND USE THAT MONEY
TO FULLY FUND THE HUMAN
SERVICES THAT WE VITALLY NEED.
>> WE NEED YOU TO WRAP UP.
THANK YOU, SIR.>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> HI, MY NAME IS DR. SARAH
STALLMAN. I PRACTICE COMMUNITY
MEDICINE -- PRACTICED COMMUNITY
MEDICINE FOR MANY YEARS AND WAS
AT MY FIRST COUNCIL TYPE
MEETING ON THE 20th AND
LISTENED TO THE STORIES MANY OF
WHICH YOU'VE HEARD NOW, AND I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY
PARTICULAR RESPONSE TO THAT.
FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS, PEOPLE
STOOD UP, SPOKE FROM THEIR
HEART, MOST OF THEM VOLUNTEERING
TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE LESS
FORTUNATE THAN THEMSELVES AND
PROVIDE HOUSING WHICH AS A
PHYSICIAN, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL TO HEALTH.
YOU NEED SHELTER.
THERE WAS ONE BESIDES
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, THERE WAS
ONE OTHER COUNCILPERSON THERE
AND AT THAT -- AT THE END OF
ALL THIS TESTIMONY, HE STARTED
TALKING AT LENGTH
INTELLECTUALLY ABOUT
DISAGREEMENTS WITH ONE
PARTICULAR PERSON.
>> I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU
TO WRAP UP.
>> NO, I HAVE MORE TIME BUT I
WANT TO SAY THIS QUICKLY.
>> THAN SAY IT QUICKLY.
>> I LEFT WHEN THE SECOND
PERSON STARTED TALKING ON AND
ON AND NOT ADDRESSING REAL
PEOPLE'S CONCERNS, AND I GOT
OUT AND I REALIZED I COULD
LEAVE.
THIS -- THESE PEOPLE WITHOUT
OPTIONS HAVE NO OPTIONS --
>> MA'AM WE HAVE TO GIVE OTHER
PEOPLE TIME AS WELL.
NAME THE NEXT FOUR PEOPLE.
THE NEXT FOUR PEOPLE PLEASE
THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM.
>> FOLLOWING JENNY WE WILL HAVE
TERRY BUCKNER, SARAH WEINBERG,
IMOGEN WILLIAMS AND BONNIE
MORRIS.
>> LET'S GIVE THEM A MOMENT TO
COME UP HERE.
I DON'T WANT TO RUSH THEM.
>> SORRY, I WAS LOOKING AT THIS
LADY, OKAY.
>> I AM THE COMMUNICATIONS
DIRECTOR AT THE ALIGNMENT FOR
-- ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ENCOURAGE
YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH JASON
JOHNSON'S CONFIRMATION PROCESS.
IN HIS ROLE AS ACTING DIRECTOR
HE'S SHOWN LEADERSHIP AND
COMPETENCY IN HIS ROLE AND WE
BELIEVE HE'S A REASONABLE
CHOICE FOR APPOINTEE BY THE
MAYOR.
OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW SHOULD BE
ON HOW TO ADDRESS AND PREVENT
THE HOMELESS ISSUE THAT IS
IMPACTING OUR CITY AND NOW IS
NOT THE TIME TO RE-CREATE A
SYSTEM WITHIN OUR CITY
GOVERNMENT THAT IS NOT BROKEN.
>> NEXT.
>> TERRY BUCKNER.
>> MY NAME IS SARAH WEINBERG.
I'M A RETIRED PEDIATRICIAN AND
I AM PRESIDENT FOR PHYSICIANS
FOR NATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM
WESTERN WASHINGTON CHAPTER.
I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OVER
400 MEMBERS. MOST OF US HAVE
BEEN ADVOCATING FOR A NATIONAL
UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE
PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS.
NOW IS THE TIME. REALLY, WE
WILL PASS THE TIME TO PROVIDE
-- WELL PAST THE TIME TO PROVIDE
HEALTHCARE FOR EVERY LIVING --
LIVING, BREATHING HUMAN HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES.
YOU ARE HERE, YOU ARE HUMAN,
YOU'RE COVERED SO PLEASE PASS
THIS RESOLUTION AND GO SEATTLE!
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID, WE ARE
HERE, WE ARE HUMAN, WE ARE
COVERED.
I'M GOING TO WRITE THAT DOWN.
THANK YOU.
>> I PICKED UP A MAGAZINE I
NEVER SAW BEFORE, PACIFIC
STANDARD: INTERVIEWS WITH
PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS.
THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE
TENT CITY BECAUSE THEY FEEL SAFE
. THEY DON'T HAVE TO CARRY
EVERYTHING AROUND WITH THEM
EVERYWHERE WE GO -- EVERYWHERE
THEY GO.
IF WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE
HEAD TAGS THE TENT CITIES WOULD
HAVE SHOWERS AND GARBAGE PICKUP.
THAT WAS SO MISERABLE.
JASON JOHNSON IS THE MAYOR'S
NOMINEE FOR HUMAN SERVICES
DIRECTOR. HE DOESN'T LIKE
SHARE AND HE DOESN'T LIKE B --
WHEEL AND HE DOESN'T LIKE
HOMELESS PEOPLE SO VOTE YES ON
THE RESOLUTION.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
>> HI, MY NAME IS BONNIE MORRIS
, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK
ABOUT THE RESOLUTION FOR
MEDICARE FOR ALL. I AM A
RETIRED NURSE. FOR 37.25 YEARS
I WORKED AT AW -- AND WE CARED
FOR ALL PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF
THEIR ABILITY TO PAY.
WE DID VERY HARD WORK, AND
WORKED IN A TEAM APPROACH, BUT
A 7-10 DAY WAS NEVER GOING TO
CURE ANYBODY'S MAJOR MENTAL
HEALTH.
-- MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS.
AFTER THAT 7 TO 10 DAYS, WE
OFTEN FOUND OUT AT TIME OF
DISCHARGE, MEDICATIONS WERE
GOING TO COST $300 FOR A TWO
WEEK SUPPLY.
PATIENTS THAT NEEDED INTENSIVE
COUNSELING WERE ONLY GOING TO
BE ABLE TO GET 15 MINUTE MED
CHECKS AT A CLINIC AND THEY
WOULD HAVE TO STAND IN LINE.
THE PLACES THEY WERE GOING TO
HAVE TO GO TO WORK TOO FAR AWAY
--
>> I WILL HAVE TO ASK YOU TO
WRAP UP.
>> AND THEY WERE INSUFFICIENT.
RIGHT NOW WE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH
OF OUR MONEY FOR PREMIUMS --
>> I HAVE TO ASK YOU TO WRAP UP
.
>> ONLY A THIRD OF IT IS GOING
DIRECTLY TO HEALTHCARE AND I
BELIEVE THE MEDICAL -- MEDICARE
FOR ALL UNIVERSAL SINGLE-PAYER
-- >> PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF
OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME. IF THERE
IS NO OBJECTION FROM OUR
COLLEAGUES I WOULD LIKE TO
EXTEND PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
ANOTHER 20 MINUTES SO WHAT
WOULD THAT PUT US AT?
3:10 PM.
>> THE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS ARE
NUMBERS 26 THROUGH 29, CAROL
BUTTERFIELD, OLIVIA SMITH YEN
AND SADIK'S AKEEM.
>> CAN WE HAVE OUR FOUR PEOPLE
APPEAR?
ALL RIGHT.
GO AHEAD.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR HEARING US
TODAY.
MY NAME IS CAROL BUTTERFIELD
AND I'M A SEATTLE RESIDENT AND
A PARENT AND NURSE
PRACTITIONER.
I AM HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT
MADAME GONZALEZ' AND PER
MILLEDGE I APPALL'S -- PRAMILA
JAYAPAL'S RESOLUTION.
I BELIEVE HEALTHCARE IS A
RIGHT.
WE ARE BRAINWASHED TO BELIEVE
WE HAVE THE BEST HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM IN THE WORLD, BUT MOST
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS AND WE
ARE BEHIND OTHER DEVELOPED
NATIONS IN TERMS OF ACCESS,
QUALITY AND COST.
WE ARE PAYING FOR SUCH A SYSTEM
ALREADY IN TERMS OF PROFITS,
CHARITY CARE, WRITE-OFFS,
COMPLICATIONS, DISABILITY, BAD
OUTCOMES AND THE ULTIMATE COST
CUTTER, WHICH IS DEATH. ONCE
YOUR PATIENT IS DEAD YOU DON'T
HAVE TO COVER THEM ANYMORE.
WE HAVE THE MOST EXPENSIVE
SYSTEM IN THE WORLD WITH THE
WORST OUTCOMES PER CAPITA.
IT'S ALSO NOT AN EFFICIENT
SYSTEM AND I WOULD ALSO ADD
THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
HEALTHCARE IS A SYSTEM WHERE
THERE IS ANY ROOM FOR PROFIT.
I ASK YOU TO SUPPORT MEDICARE
FOR ALL.
THANK YOU.>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> HI, MY NAME IS OLIVIA SMITH.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN
SEATTLE AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT
2 NOW AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON
THE RESOLUTION REGARDING THE
APPOINTMENT OF THE HSD DIRECTOR
AND I'M HOPING THIS WILL BE AN
OPEN AND EQUITABLE APPOINTMENT
PROCESS.
I'M WORKING NOW WITH USE,
UNDOING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM
AND THE GREATER PEOPLE'S
INSTITUTE NETWORK INCLUDING
EUROPEAN DESCENT AND THE
VILLAGE OF HOPE, THE BLACK
PRISONER'S CAUCUS AND THIS
ANTIRACIST ORGANIZING NETWORK
WHICH HAS TOUCHED SO MANY
PEOPLE IN THIS REGION WAS
INVITED TO SEATTLE THROUGH THE
HSD. PART OF MY WORK IS TO
UNDERSTAND OUR HISTORY AND I
UNDERSTAND VERY CLEARLY ABOUT
THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN IN THE
DEPARTMENT FOR DECADES ARE THE
PEOPLE WHO HELPED DEVELOP THE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE AND HELPED DEVELOP
THE CHANGE TEAMS AND TO HAVE
LEVERAGED MONEY FROM THE CITY
TO SEND KIDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
TO LEARN ABOUT ANTIRACISM
ORGANIZING.
THIS IS THE LEGACY I'M LEARNING
FROM NOW, AND THIS IS ONE OF
THE MANY COMMUNITIES AND
COLLECTIVES BEING OVERLOOKED
THROUGH THIS WHOLE
UNACCOUNTABLE APPOINTMENT
PROCESS.
I HOPE YOU DECIDE TO VOTE YES
ON THIS RESOLUTION AND IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER YOURSELF
--
>> MA'AM, I NEED YOU TO WRAP
UP.
>> YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
YOUR ROLE IS TO USE --
>> WE ARE DONE.
LET'S HAVE THE NEXT PERSON.
MA'AM, YOU ARE DONE.>> YEN,
PLEASE.
>> WHO IS NEXT?
>> YEN, PLEASE.
>> I AGAIN JUST ASK PEOPLE TO
BE MINDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S
TIME.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE EXERCISING
ANY KIND OF PRIVILEGE HERE.
IT'S REALLY NOT FAIR.
GO AHEAD.>> I'M A -- HI MY NAME
IS YEN AND I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT
OF THE RESOLUTION FOR MEDICARE
FOR ALL AND ALSO TO HALT THE
PROCESS FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES
DIRECOR THAT HAS BEEN FAST
TRACKED BY THE MAYOR SO THE
POLITICAL LEVERAGE THE PERSON
THAT SAID THIS IS A POLITICAL
SHIFT IS ACTUALLY FROM THE
MAYOR, NOT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE NEED A PUBLIC HIRING PROCESS
FOR THIS DEPARTMENT IN CHARGE
OF 170 MILLION.
IN THE EVENING OF JANUARY 24th
THE CITY EMPLOYEES AND THE
COMMUNITY VOICE -- VOICED THEIR
CONCERNS TO SAWANT THE ONLY
PERSON WHO IS THERE TO LISTEN
TO THE COMMUNITY.
WITH 128 EMPLOYEES 130 HAVE
SIGNED PETITIONS CALLING FOR
AN INCLUSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE
PROCESS. WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE
LEAD FROM THOSE MOST IMPACTED
AND TO HONOR THEIR SERVICE AND
COMMITMENT TO THE CITY.
WITH TRANSPARENT SEATTLE A
CAMPAIGN WHERE THE COMMUNITY
ALSO SIX A PUBLIC PROCESS, --
SEEKS A PUBLIC PROCESS, DO YOUR
PART TO FOLLOW THE COMMUNITY'S
LEAD THAT ALREADY HOLD A STRONG
DISTRUST OF POLITICIANS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ].
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I AM THE SEATTLE KING COUNTY AND
-- NAACP PRESIDENT.
WE FIRMLY STAND BEHIND CONGRESS
TO ENACT THE MEDICARE FOR ALL
PLAN.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR A
UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
THAT IS SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE,
AND AFFORDABLE, TO ALL
RESIDENTS OF OUR COUNTRY
REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC STATUS,
RACE, GENDER, ETHNICITY,
RELIGION OR LEGAL STATUS.
AS DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING
STATES, AS ALL FORMS OF
INJUSTICE -- I MEAN I'M SORRY,
ALL FORMS OF EQUALITY, JUSTICE
-- INJUSTICE IN HEALTHCARE IS
THE MOST SHOCKING AND INHUMANE.
DESPITE IMPROVEMENTS IN
INSURANCE COVERAGE SINCE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACA,
DISPARITIES PERSIST. THOSE
LEAST LIKELY TO HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE INCLUDE LOW INCOME
ADULTS, UNEMPLOYED, AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
WE MUST INVEST NOW IN
DEVELOPING SYSTEMS THAT ARE NOT
ONLY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT
THAT ARE MORALLY IMPERATIVE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
COUNCIL, PLEASE PASS THE
RESOLUTION AND DEMAND JUSTICE
WITHIN OUR BROKEN HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.>>
THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKERS 30-33, DAVID
LOWDEN, TRACY TAYLOR, REBECCA
ORANGE AND NICOLE GOMEZ.
>> GREAT, SIR, WHENEVER YOU ARE
READY.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, PUGET SOUND
ADVOCATES RETIREMENT ACTION
WHOM I'M REPRESENTING TODAY IS
VERY EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS
RESOLUTION AND THANK YOU
CONGRESSWOMAN -- COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ FOR INTRODUCING IT .
FOR OVER 100 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN
TRYING TO GET TO UNIVERSAL
HEALTHCARE IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE'VE TAKEN SOME BIG STEPS AND
NOW IT'S TIME TO FINISH THE
JOB.
THIS MEDICARE FOR ALL ACT WOULD
BRING OUR COUNTRY INTO THE
MODERN ERA, ESTABLISHING A
NATIONAL UNIVERSAL PLAN TO MEET
THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR PEOPLE,
WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS THE ONLY
WAY TO TACKLE THE COST OF
HEALTHCARE EFFECTIVELY AND MAKE
IT AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE
FOR US ALL.
FOR THOSE ALREADY ON MEDICARE,
THIS BILL WOULD GREATLY IMPROVE
OUR BENEFITS BY COVERING
DENTAL, VISION, HEARING AND
LONG-TERM CARE AND BY
ELIMINATING PREMIUMS AND CO-
PAYS AS WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
THE MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
AND ITS POLITICAL ALLIES ARE
POWERFUL FOES AND WE WILL NEED
A MIGHTY POPULAR MOVEMENT.
EVEN WITH THE HEALTHCARE
FRIENDLY GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IN 2021, WE WILL
HAVE TO FIGHT LIKE . -- .
>> MY NAME IS TRACY TAYLOR AND
I RUN A BUSINESS UP ON CAPITOL
HILL AND AM INVOLVED IN MANY
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS A
THERE.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO VOTE NO
ON RESOLUTION 31862, AND MOVE
FORWARD WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF
JASON JOHNSON.
ARE SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDER WE
LOST OVER A YEAR AGO. WE
REACHED OUT TO OUR COUNCILMEMBER
TO FIND SOME FUNDING FOR THAT
SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDER AND
HAVE NOT RECEIVED HELP FROM OUR
COUNCILMEMBER.
THIS HAS BEEN HELD UP, AND IF
WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE
APPOINTMENT WE WILL START TO
SEE OUR SERVICES COME THROUGH.
I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM TODAY, AND
IT SEEMS LIKE ISSUES ARE BEING
CONFLATED HERE.
IS THIS ABOUT NOT LIKING OUR
MAYOR?
IS THIS ABOUT WANTING TO CHANGE
THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD?
IF SO, PLEASE CHANGE THE
PROCESS.
IS THIS ABOUT ONE PROVIDER
HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THEIR
PROVISIONS RENEWED?
THEN LET'S WORK ON THAT, BUT
FOR NOW, LET'S APPOINT JASON
JOHNSON AS THE HEAD OF HSD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
NEXT?
WHENEVER YOU ARE READY.
>> MY NAME IS REBECCA.
I'M FROM GEORGETOWN
NICHOLASVILLE.
TODAY I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE
HSD DIRECTOR RESOLUTIONS.
JASON JOHNSON SAID NO POWER TO
THE PEOPLE AND WE SAY BRING
HUMANITY BACK TO THE HUMAN
SERVICES.
TWO WEEKS AGO, WE WERE TOLD THAT
, WELL, WE HAD AN MOU CONTRACT
BY LEHIGH AND HSD LEADERS GAVE
US UNTIL MARCH 8 TO REACH AN
AGREEMENT, OR ELSE. SO FAR,
NICHOLASVILLE HAS BEEN GIVEN NO
INPUT INTO THE MOU CONTRACT. IT
TAKES AWAY OUR DEMOCRACY AND
REPLACES IT WITH WHATEVER
LEHIGH DECIDES THEY WANT.
OVER 10 YEARS OF HARD WORK AND
SUCCESS ARE IN DANGER.
PLEASE BE PREPARED TO JOIN US
ON FRIDAY MARCH 8 TO PREPARE --
DEFEND OUR COMMUNITIES AND
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE
FOR US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HI, I'M NICOLE GOMEZ OF
DISTRICT 6 HERE AS AN
INDIVIDUAL AND COFOUNDER OF
ALLIANCE FOR A HEALTHY
WASHINGTON IN SUPPORT OF THE
MEDICARE FOR ALL RESOLUTION TO
CONGRESS.
I SPENT 15 YEARS IN THE L&I AND
WORKER'S COMP.
EFFICIENT INSURANCE AND A MAJOR
BARRIER TO RECOVERY FOR WORKERS
COMP IS NONCOVERED COBRA -- IF
AN EMPLOYEE IS OFF WORK LONGER
THAN 90 DAYS MANY EMPLOYERS
SUSPEND PERSONAL HEALTHCARE
BENEFITS PLACING THE MAN THEIR
ENTIRE FAMILY ON COBRA OR THE
INDIVIDUAL MARKET, IN WHICH
THEY USUALLY DO NOT PURCHASE
DUE TO ON AFFORDABILITY.
THE LONGER AND AFFORDABILITY --
AN EMPLOYEE IS OUT OF WORK
COSTS GO UP AND ULTIMATELY,
EMPLOYERS FACE HIGHER PREMIUMS.
THE LABOR MARKET EFFECTS OF
SURGING HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE
SLOWER WAGE GROWTH, HIGHER USE
OF HER TIME AND TEMPORARY
WORKERS AND OUTSOURCING OR OFF
SHORING.
POOR HEALTHCARE IMPEDES
ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND UNIVERSAL
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM ENSURING
HEALTHY WORKERS BENEFITS THE
ENTIRE STATE OF WASHINGTON AND
THE COUNTRY.
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS
RESOLUTION.
>> SPEAKERS 34-37, MICHAEL
TAYLOR JUDD, KRISTI DIAZ,
LESLIE ZUKER, AND KELLY POWERS.
>> OKAY, LET'S GET OUR SPEAKERS
APPEAR.
GREAT, WHO IS STARTING? WHO'S
KICKING US OFF?
>> MICHAEL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
MICHAEL TAYLOR JUDD AND SEVERAL
OF YOU MAY KNOW ME PERSONALLY
BUT ARE NOT AWARE THAT I AM IN
AND -- AN EMPLOYEE AT THE HUMAN
SERVICES DIVISION AND I'M HERE
IN THAT CAPACITY BECAUSE I'M
ANGRY THAT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
THINKS IT'S OKAY DOES -- TO
KEEP SENDING US EMAIL BLASTS
DIRECTLY AT OUR CITY ADDRESSES
ADVOCATING THAT WE TURN OUT
LIKE IT'S A RALLY TO OPPOSE THE
CONFIRMATION PROCESS AROUND OUR
DIRECTOR.
I'M ANGRY THAT A SMALL GROUP OF
EMPLOYEES WANTS TO SPEAK OUT
WITHOUT MAKING GREATER EFFORTS
TO LEARN WHAT ALL OF OUR
CONGRESS -- ALL OF OUR
COLLEAGUES IN THE DEPARTMENT
FEEL ABOUT THIS AND I'M
ESPECIALLY ANGRY THAT CLOSE TO
HALF OF THE COMMENTS YOU'VE
BEEN HEARING THIS FAR AT THE
MEETINGS HAVE COME FROM STAFF
AND SUPPORTERS OF A COUPLE OF
PROVIDERS WHO CONTINUALLY FAIL
TO MEET PERFORMANCE STANDARDS,
WHO REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE IN
DEVELOPING IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR
HOMELESS SERVICES SYSTEM, AND
WHO'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF
MISTREATING SOME OF THEIR
CLIENTS AND/OR HAVE BEEN
RECOMMENDED NOT TO RECEIVE
CONTINUED FUNDING.
IT'S TRUE THAT MANY OF US WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAD
CONDUCTED A TRANSPARENT PROCESS
FOR NOMINATING JASON JOHNSON,
BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE
ALL WANT TO SEE -- BOXER,
YOU'VE GOT TO WRAP UP.
THANK YOU.
-- YOU'VE GOT TO WRAP UP.
AGAIN I'M NOT TRYING TO BE RUDE
BUT WE HAVE 50 PEOPLE SIGNED UP
AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
EVERYBODY.
GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS KRISTI DIAZ,
SEATTLE RESIDENT AN EMPLOYEE OF
THE SEATTLE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT AND I'M HERE TO URGE
YOU TO CONFIRM THE NOMINATION
OF JASON JOHNSON TO CONTINUE
LEADING HSD.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT TIME OF
CHANGE AND TRANSITION
SPECIFICALLY AS WE DETERMINE
WHAT A REGIONAL APPROACH TO
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS COULD BE
. STABILITY IN OUR LEADERSHIP
IS KEY TO ENSURING WE CAN SEND
YOU TO -- WE CONTINUE TO USE
PUBLIC FUNDS WELL.
I'M ALREADY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
RESOURCES SPENT IN SWIRL AROUND
THIS PROCESS.
HE'S BEEN INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR
ALMOST A YEAR NOW AND HE'S
COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING
CONTINUITY OF SERVICES DURING A
TIME OF GREAT TRANSITION AND
HE'S SHOWN HIS COMMITMENT TO
CENTERING OUR WORK AROUND RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE BUT HIS
ABILITY HAS BEEN UNDERMINED BY
THE DELAY IN CONFIRMING HIS
NOMINATION.
SUPPORTING THE NOMINATION OF
JASON JOHNSON AND IS HSD
DIRECTOR AND BEING COMMITTED TO
THE PRINCIPLES OF RACIAL AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE ARE NOT MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE.
PLEASE CONFIRM HIM AND LET US
GET BACK TO WORK.
>> MY NAME IS LESLIE ZUKER FROM
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL.
LAST WEEK NOTED DISABILITY
RIGHTS ATTORNEY AND HEALTHCARE
JUSTICE ACTIVIST TERRY AND
LUCAS FINISHED SERVING HER
DEATH SENTENCE INFLICTED BY
UNITED HEALTHCARE FOR THE CRIME
OF NEEDING A $2000 ANTIBIOTIC.
IN THIS PERVERSE PROFIT-MAKING
SCHEME THE CEO OF UNITED
HEALTHCARE TOOK HOME
COMPENSATION OF $31.3 MILLION
IN 2016 WHILE KERRY AND LUCAS
NEEDED TO RATION HER MEDICATION
UNTIL HER LAST DAY.
LIKE KERRY ANN LUCAS I AM
DISABLED. WHY DO I DESERVE TO
LIVE AND LUCAS TO DIE?
ACCORDING TO OUR FOR-PROFIT
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, MY LIFE HAS
MORE VALUE THAN HERS BECAUSE I
COME FROM FINANCIAL PRIVILEGE.
MY LIFE HAS MORE VALUE BECAUSE
WHEN MY PRIVATE INSURANCE
COMPANY AND THEN LATER ON
MEDICARE WOULD REFUSE TO PAY A
SPECIALIST, MY FAMILY COULD
SIMPLY WRITE A CHECK. WE NEED
UNIVERSAL MEDICARE FOR ALL SO
THAT HEALTHCARE IS A RIGHT, NOT
A PRIVILEGE OF WEALTHY PEOPLE
LIKE MY FAMILY.
THANK YOU.
>> HI, MY NAME IS KELLY POWERS
AND I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL WASHINGTON,
AN ORGANIZATION ADVOCATING FOR
UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE COVERAGE.
WE THANK COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ
FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION
FORWARD , HCFA WASHINGTON
SUPPORTS REPRESENTATIVE JAYA
PAUL'S NATIONAL IMPROVED -- ACT
FOR MANY REASONS, BUT TODAY I
WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE
POSITIVE IMPACT IT WOULD BRING
TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY ON THE FRONT LINE
FROM MOPPING UP THE FAILURES OF
THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
I'M SURE I DON'T HAVE TO REGALE
YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION.
AND ALSO REPRESENTATIVE PRAMILA
JAYAPAL DELINEATED EARLIER THE
HIGH PREMIUMS AND ALL OF THAT
SO WE ARE ALL UP TO SPEED ON
THAT.
WHEN MEDICARE FOR ALL PASSES,
TH NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF
FINANCIAL AND SECURITY
BANKRUPTCY AND HOMELESSNESS DUE
TO UNPREDICTABLE AND SOARING
HEALTHCARE COSTS WILL VIRTUALLY
VANISH FOR SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
MEDICARE FOR ALL WILL PROVIDE
RELIEF TO CITIES AND COUNTIES
STRUGGLING TO USE LOCAL
RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THESE
NATIONAL PROBLEMS.
HCF AW WASHINGTON URGES SUPPORT
OF THIS RESOLUTION.
THE PASSAGE OF MEDICARE FOR ALL
WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO MAKING
SEATTLE MORE AFFORDABLE AND TO
STABILIZING SEATTLE HOUSING
LONG-TERM.>> MA'AM, I NEED YOU
TO WRAP UP.
>> THE NUMBER ONE ISSUES FACING
SEATTLE.
>> SPEAKERS 38-41, GRETCHEN
WASHY, PATTY DAWSON, MELISSA --
AND AUDREY BEARING.
>> GRETCHEN WASKEY MY NAME IS
GRETCHEN -- I AM A CITY
EMPLOYEE OF HSD.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ON THE CITY
HOMELESS INITIATIVE AND I'M
PART OF THE AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES GROUP.
INITIALLY THIS STATEMENT IS TO
MAYOR DURKIN.
FOR EVERY OUNCE OF RESISTANCE
YOU'VE PUT INTO DENYING THE
COLLECTIVE VOICE OF THIS
COMMUNITY YOU HAVE BEEN AND
CONTINUE TO BE MET WITH A POUND
OF COMMITMENT TO OUR STI. YOUR
RESISTANCE IS PROOF THAT YOU
DON'T INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE VALUES YOU PROFESS THE CITY
IS HERE TO UPHOLD.
FOR EVERY ATTEMPT YOU MAKE TO
TURN RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INTO A GAME OF SMOKE AND
MIRRORS YOU WILL BE MET WITH
THEM WINDS OF CHANGE.
THEY SHOULD THE WINDS OF CHANGE
AND TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS
BEFORE ME TODAY MAYOR DURKIN
HAS MADE IT CLEAR SHE BELIEVES
SHE CAN CHERRY PICK WHICH
ISSUES DESERVE TRANSPARENCY BUT
THAT'S NOT HOW EQUITY WORKS.
THERE'S NO WAY TO SPLIT THE
DIFFERENCE WHEN JUSTICE ROLL IS
THE MISSION.
I IMPLORE YOU TO FEEL IN YOUR
HEART AND YOUR GUT WHAT HAS
BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY BY
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO RETURN
TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO BEAR
THEIR SOULS IN THE
TRANSFORMATION THE CITY
CITIZENS DESERVE.
FAVOR RESOLUTION 8162 AND HALT
THE HSD DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS KATRINA
DAWSON AND I'M AND -- A CITY
EMPLOYEE FOR 12 YEARS AND PRIOR
TO THAT I WORKED FOR 30 YEARS
IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AS A
CLINICAL DIRECTOR AT A MENTAL
HEALTH AGENCY WHERE WE CARED
FOR A LOT OF HOMELESS AND HUD
RESIDENTIAL.
I'M HERE IS A LIFETIME PUBLIC
SERVANT. LAST YEAR I TOOK THE
REQUIRED CITY OF SEATTLE
TRAINING FROM THE PEOPLE'S
INSTITUTE OF THE HSD CHANGE
TEAM ON INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.
WE WERE CHALLENGED TO DO
SOMETHING SIMPLE, TO LOOK
DEEPER INTO THE REALITIES OF
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM INCLUDING
IN OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS, AND
TO TAKE ACTION WHEN WE CAN.
WE SAW THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM
RIGHT NOW AT HSD.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM
NOW, NOT LATER AT A MORE
CONVENIENT TIME.
WHILE I AM VERY SYMPATHETIC TO
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, I THINK
THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BUT WE
ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT RACIAL AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND WHAT IS
HAPPENING TO OUR EMPLOYEES AT
HSD.
>> I NEED YOU TO WRAP UP, MA'AM.
>> WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU
SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION FOR AN
OPEN AND INCLUSIVE HIRING
PROCESS FOR THE HSD DIRECTOR
AND ALL THE OTHER CITY
DIRECTORS IN THE FUTURE.
THE TIME FOR EQUITY AND
INCLUSION IS NOT LATER.
IT IS NOW.
DO THE RIGHT THING.
>> MY NAME IS MELISSA MAFUA AND
I'M HERE TODAY TO LET THE
COUNCIL KNOW WE ARE IN SOME --
FULL SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS WHO
SEEK A TRANSPARENT AND
INCLUSIVE PROCESS IN THE HIRING
OF THE NEW DIRECTOR AT HSD.
>> MY NAME IS AUDREY BEARING
AND I'M A SEATTLE RESIDENT AND
AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SEATTLE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT OUR REP --
NATIONAL REPUTATION FOR BEING
PROCESS DRIVEN SO MUCH SO THAT
WE SOMETIMES DON'T REACH OUR
GOALS.
THE RESOLUTION ASKING TO DELAY
THE CONFIRMATION FOR THE HUMAN
SERVICES DIRECTOR IS AN EXAMPLE
OF WHY WE DESERVE OUR
REPUTATION AND HOW WE ARE
GETTING IT IN OUR OWN WAY.
THE MAYOR HAS THE ABILITY TO
APPOINT A CABINET WITHOUT A
FORMAL PROCESS BECAUSE SHE'S
BEEN ELECTED.
IF SHE HAD TO RUN A PROCESS FOR
EVERY SINGLE CABINET MEMBER HER
TERM WOULD END BEFORE SHE COULD
GET HER CABINET ONLINE.
LET ME TALK ABOUT WHAT HAVING
AN INTERIM DIRECTOR IS DOING TO
OUR DEPARTMENT.
YOU'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE SWIRL BUT IT ALSO MEANS WE
ARE TRAPPED IN PURGATORY UNABLE
TO MAKE CHANGES TO IMPROVE OUR
WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE TO
CONSIDER THE POSSIBILTY THAT A
NEW DIRECTOR MIGHT COME IN AND
HAVE A DIFFERENT VISION AND
WANT CHANGES AND THIS IS HIGHLY
STRESSFUL AND DEMORALIZING FOR
STAFF SO WE SIT FROZEN WAITING
AND WAITING FOR PERMANENCY AND
STABILITY WHILE COUNCIL DELAYS
SCHEDULING A HEARING FOR A
NOMINEE WHO IS HIGHLY QUALIFIED
AND WELL SUPPORTED.
I URGE YOU TO UPHOLD THE CITY
CHARTER AND KEEP THE CABINET
APPOINTMENTS AS PART OF CITY
OPERATIONS.>> DO WE HAVE ANY
MORE?
>> TWO MORE.
THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS ARE
RUSSELL SAUNDERS AND LESLIE
BOWLING.
>> MY NAME IS RUSS SAUNDERS.
I'M A PROUD FATHER OF A CHILD
WITH SEVERE ASTHMA THAT I
NEARLY LOST, AND I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT AURORA AND THE NEED FOR A
50 METER BUFFER FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH. YOU
ARE PUTTING TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE AT RISK OF POLLUTION
-RELATED CAUSES. THE PEDESTRIAN
PLAN THAT YOU HAVE FOR AURORA
PUTS PEOPLE RIGHT UP AGAINST
THE STREET, TRAPPED BY THE
POLLUTION.
IT'S A MAJOR TRUCKING STREET,
3000+ TRUCKS. DON'T CREATE AN
URBAN CANYON ROAD THAT TRAPS
THE POLLUTION. ARE MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATION DESERVES
TO BE SAFE, AND TO HAVE CLEAN
AIR.
THESE PROTECT THOSE PEOPLE.
IT PROVIDES THE BUFFER NEEDED.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON LEFT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS LESLIE BOWLING. I AM
A SEATTLE RESIDENT IN DISTRICT
2, AND I AM AN HSD EMPLOYEE IN
THE YOUTH AND FAMILY
EMPOWERMENT DIVISION.
THE HSD DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT IS
NOT ABOUT A PERSON.
IT'S ABOUT THE LEGACY OF RACISM
AND WHITE SUPREMACY AND
GOVERNMENT.
I ASKED THIS BODY TO USE ALL OF
ITS AVAILABLE TOOLS WITH REGARD
TO APPOINTMENTS WITHIN CITY
GOVERNMENT.
SAY YES TO RESOLUTION 31 862.
SAY YES TO THE RESOLUTION THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
INTRODUCED TODAY AND VOTE NO ON
THE APPOINTMENT.
REFRAIN FROM BRINGING THE
APPOINTMENT BEFORE A VOTE.
CREATE AN ORDINANCE TO CHANGE
THE CITY CHARTER REGARDING
APPOINTMENTS . ONLY BY WORKING
TOGETHER CAN WE DISMANTLE THE
HISTORY OF RACISM AND WHITE
SUPREMACY WITHIN OUR
GOVERNMENT.
ON FEBRUARY 20th, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD SHARED ABOUT THE
STRUGGLE OF SEPARATING THIS
PROCESS -- I URGE YOU AND THE
OTHER WHITE IDENTIFIED COUNCIL
MEMBERS A RESOURCE THAT HAS
PROVIDED ME CLARITY WITH THE
SUBTLE AND NUANCED WAYS THAT WE
PERPETUATE WHITE SUPREMACY IN
GOVERNMENT.
I OFFER THIS TO YOU: LASTLY I
WANT TO INDICATE THAT I SUPPORT
THE RESOLUTION ON THE RENT --
MEDICARE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
THAT WILL CONCLUDE PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING DOWN
HERE.
I KNOW YOU ARE ALL BUSY AND
SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND
CONCERNS AND LET ME TELL YOU WE
WILL TAKE IT UNDER WISEMAN AND
WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE ON THE
AGENDA TO THE PAYMENT OF BILLS.
>> COUNCIL BILL 119470 HAS
BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY COMMENTS?
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
>> O'BRIEN, SAWANT, BAGSHAW,
GONZALEZ, HERBOLD, JOHNSON,
MOSQUEDA, JUAREZ , EIGHT IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> BILL PASSES AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON
WITH OUR AGENDA AND NOW GO TO
COMMITTEE REPORTS, BUT BEFORE
THAT WE ARE GOING TO -- I
BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ,
YOU WILL BE UP ON OUR
RESOLUTION FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL
AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING
CONGRESSWOMAN PRAMILA JAYAPAL
SO WITH THAT I WILL LET THE
CLERK GO AHEAD AND READ IT INTO
THE RECORD.
>> RESOLUTION 318 67 PER --
SUPPORTING THE PASSAGE OF THE
MEDICARE FOR ALL ACTIVE 2019.
>> DO I LET COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ SPEAK?
OKAY.
>> YES PLEASE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THANK YOU.
SO AS FOLKS ARE FOLLOWING
ALONG, I HAVE A MINOR AMENDMENT
THAT I NEED TO MAKE TO THE
RESOLUTION TO REFLECT MAYOR
DURKIN'S DESIRE TO CONCUR ON
THIS RESOLUTION AND THEN -- SO
I WILL MOVE FOR THAT AMENDMENT
AND THEN ASSUMING THAT
AMENDMENT PASSES, THEN I WILL
MAKE SOME SUBSTANTIVE REMARKS
ABOUT THE UNDERLYING RESOLUTION
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION
AND A VOTE, SO THAT'S THE RUN
OF SHOW, FOLKS.
SO I MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION
31867.
>> SECOND.
OH I CAN'T, CAN I? I CAN?
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
THAT THE RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
DESCRIBE WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS.
>> SORRY.
ON MY SCRIPT I FORGOT THAT IT
SAID LET COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ
TALK.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> SO, NOW THAT THE RESOLUTION
HAS BEEN INTRODUCED, I WOULD
LIKE TO MOVE TO A RENT --
AMEND 31867 BY ADDING THE
MAYOR'S CONCURRENCE ON THE
UNRESOLVED SIGNATURES LINES AND
AS PRESENTED ON DISTRIBUTED
AMENDMENT ONE, WHICH WAS AT
YOUR SEATS WHEN WE FIRST
STARTED AT 2:00.
>> SECONDED.
>> NOW I CAN TALK.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
THAT THE RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ?
>> I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS AND I WOULD INVITE A
VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.
>> OKAY.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
THERE'S NO OBJECTION TO THE
AMENDMENT.
IT WILL BE ADOPTED.
CORRECT?
IT IS ADOPTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
ALL THOSE OPPOSED?
NO?
SO HEARING NO OBJECTION THE
AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED, CORRECT?
RIGHT?
SO AFTER IT IS ADOPTED WE MOVED
TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 31867 AS
AMENDED.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
I WOULD INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO
SPEAK ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION AS
WELL.
RESOLUTION 31867 IS A
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE
MEDICARE FOR ALL ACTIVE 2019.
-- ACT OF 2019.
ON EVERY 27 THE ACT WAS
INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS -- REPRESENTATIVES BY
OUR CONGRESSWOMAN PRAMILA
úJAYAPAL AND OVER 100
COSPONSORS.
FOR YEARS REPUBLICAN CONTROL OF
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HAS LED TO INACTION AND
OBSTRUCTION OF EFFORTS TO
IMPROVE OUR FEDERAL HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM AND INCREASE ACCESS TO
HEALTHCARE INCLUDING THE
CONSISTENT UNDERMINING OF THE
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT'S
AFFORDABLE MARKET PLACE AND IN
THE MEANTIME THE TOTAL SPENDING
ON HEALTHCARE HAS SOARED TO
ABOUT $3.5 TRILLION, ABOUT
$11,000 PER PERSON, THE HIGHEST
PER CAPITA SPENDING RATE IN THE
WORLD FOR HEALTHCARE. DESPITE
SPENDING ROUGHLY 19% OF OUR
NATION'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
ON HEALTHCARE, THE U.S. HAS
AMONG THE WORST HEALTH OUTCOMES
IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD.
NOW WITH DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP
IN THE HOUSE, AND WITH THE
LEADERSHIP OF CONGRESSWOMAN
JAYAPAL, CONGRESS IS POISED TO
HAVE HEALTHCARE HEARINGS ON
THESE PROPOSALS AND THIS MY
FRIENDS WOULD BE A FIRST FOR US
TO RECEIVE A HEARING ON THIS
REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND
THAT IS THANKS TO THE
LEADERSHIP OF CONGRESSWOMAN
JAYAPAL.
EARLIER TODAY, DURING THIS
HEARING WE HEARD FROM
CONGRESSWOMAN JAYAPAL ON HER
WORK TO ADVANCE THIS BILL IN
CONGRESS AND I'M DEEPLY
GRATEFUL TO HER LEADERSHIP ON
THIS ISSUE AND FOR HER STAUNCH
ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF ALL OF
THE SEATTLEITES THAT SHE
REPRESENTS AND I AM HUMBLED AND
HONORED TO HAVE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HER
AND THE OFFICE ON MAKING SURE
THE CITY OF SEATTLE WOULD BE
THE FIRST CITY TO DISCUSS AND
HOPEFULLY ADOPT A RESOLUTION IN
SUPPORT OF HER MEDICARE FOR ALL
ACT OF 2019.
IT IS NO SECRET THAT THE CITY
OF SEATTLE HAS ONE OF THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT AFFORDABILITY AND
HOMELESSNESS ISSUES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, AND CERTAINLY ON THE
WEST COAST, ONE OF THE MAIN
CONTRIBUTORS AND ROOT CAUSES OF
THAT IS THE LACK OF ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, OR IN
SOME INSTANCES, THE LACK OF
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AT ALL, SO
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RELEVANT TO
OUR CONSTITUENTS, AND IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE AS REPRESENTATIVES
OF OUR CONSTITUENTS MAKE OUR
COLLECTIVE VOICES KNOWN, AS A
BODY, TO THOSE FOLKS IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. WHO HAVE THE
POWER TO MOVE ON THESE ISSUES
AND REALLY STRONGLY ENCOURAGE
OUR RESIDENTS TO JOIN IN THE
EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WASHINGTON, D.C. CAN HEAR US
FROM ALL THE WAY OUT HERE IN
SEATTLE, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT
HEALTHCARE SHOULD BE A RIGHT
AND NOT A PRIVILEGE FOR THOSE
WHO CAN AFFORD IT, SO I AM
REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS
RESOLUTION BEFORE US AND I'M
EXCITED THAT SO MANY FOLKS
SHOWED UP TODAY IN SUPPORT OF
THIS RESOLUTION.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING AND
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT OUR CONGRESSWOMAN
AND OUR ENTIRE DELEGATION IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY HEAR DIRECTLY FROM
YOU ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT
, FOR SEATTLE AND FOR ALL
AMERICANS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
FINALLY ADDRESS WHAT IS THE
CLEARLY BROKEN HEALTHCARE FOR
PROFIT SYSTEM.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA ?
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ FOR BRINGING FORWARD
THIS RESOLUTION, VERY EXCITED
THAT YOU ARE LEADING THE WAY TO
BE SURE THAT SEATTLE IS THE
FIRST CITY IN THE NATION TO
PASS SUCH A RESOLUTION.
HOPEFULLY, THIS WILL SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AS WE
KNOW WE HAVE A HEALTHCARE
CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT
IS UP TO ALL OF US TO COME
TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THIS
CRISIS, CALL FOR ACTION, AND
NOT JUST NEEDLING AROUND THE
EDGES BUT TRUE REFORM SO THAT
EVERYONE CAN HAVE TRUE
HEALTHCARE AND THAT IT DOES NOT
HAVE A PROFIT-DRIVEN SOLUTION.
I LIKE THAT THIS RESOLUTION
CALLS FOR ACTION AND IT'S A
REMINDER FOR US ABOUT THE
URGENCY IN WHICH WE NEED TO
TACKLE THIS CHALLENGE AND AS
SOMEONE THAT HAS CHAIRED THE
HEALTHY WASHINGTON COALITION
FOR ALMOST A DECADE THAT HAD
THE CHANCE TO CHAIR THE HUMAN
RIGHTS COALITION WITH MANY OF
YOU IN THE AUDIENCE WE KNOW OUR
EFFORTS AT THE LOCAL AND STATE
LEVEL ARE ONLY A PLACEHOLDER,
STEPPING STONE IN ORDER FOR US
TO GET TRUE UNIVERSAL
HEALTHCARE AND THE
CONGRESSWOMAN MENTIONED IT THIS
MORNING BUT IT BEARS REPEATING:
IF FOLKS DON'T KNOW THE
STATISTIC BY NOW MEMORIZE IT.
WE ARE THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY
IN THE NATION.
WE HAVE THE MOST EXPENSIVE MEDI-
CAL -- MEDICAL CARE IN THE
WORLD AND YET RANK NEAR THE
BOTTOM, NEAR THE BOTTOM OF
HEALTH RESULTS. OUR BABIES ARE
DYING EARLIER, OUR ELDERS ARE
DYING SOONER.
OUR PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT YOUR
INCOME IS HAVE POOR WERE HEALTH
OUTCOMES BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE
HEALTH INSURANCE AND IF YOU
WANT TO LOOK IT UP AND CHECK
THOSE FACTS, PLEASE DO BECAUSE
STEPHEN BABICH, HERE TALKS ABOUT
THE RESULTS.
WE ARE FAILING IN EVERY ASPECT
TO TAKE CARE OF OUR POPULATION
AND WEALTH INEQUALITY IS A SHOE
JUST CONTRIBUTOR TO WHY WE HAVE
WEALTH INEQUALITY SO THE
QUESTION FOR OUR COUNTRY IS NOT
WHETHER WE CAN AFFORD UNIVERSAL
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL.
THE REALITY IS WE CAN'T AFFORD
NOT TO FIGHT IT AND PASS IT
THIS YEAR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW?
>> SORRY, JUST ONE MORE PIECE
ON THAT.
>> IT WAS A STRATEGIC PAUSE.
>> JUST VERY BRIEFLY I WILL ADD
TO THAT -- THERE'S A MEMBER OF
A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHO HAS
DONE THE SAME, SEIU
INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL NURSES
UNITED AND MANY, MANY SMALL
BUSINESSES WITH THE LACK OF
HEALTHCARE ALSO CRIPPLING FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES.
IN ADDITION TO CALLING FOR THIS
I KNOW I'M JOINED BY MY
COLLEAGUES AND OUR KING COUNTY
COLLEAGUES AS WELL AS WE WORK
ON A LOCAL HEALTH PLAN SIMILAR
TO WHAT LOS ANGELES HAS DONE
WITH MY HEALTH L.A., AND
SIMILAR TO WHAT SAN FRANCISCO
HAS DONE WITH THE HEALTHY SF
PLAN.
WE KNOW WE CAN COVER ALL
RESIDENTS IN OUR COUNTY AND I'M
EXCITED TO HAVE BEEN WORKING
WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE LAST
BUDGET AND ALSO WITH THE KING
COUNTY COUNCIL THROUGH THE
LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMEMBER
DUNBAR WORKING ON A
DUNBOWSKIREGIONAL HEALTH PLAN
BUT AS WE WORK TO FIGHT FOR
HUMAN -- REVERSAL HEALTHCARE
FOR ALL, HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO SEE MLK CARE HERE IN
OUR REGION TO COVER EVERYONE?
YES?
OKAY, WE WILL WORK ON THAT AND
I THINK AGAIN -- THANK AGAIN
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ AND
THOSE TAKING UP SIMILAR BILLS
AS WELL AS OUR KING COUNTY
PARTNERS IN ADDITION TO ALL THE
LEADERSHIP THAT CONGRESSWOMAN
JAYAPAL HAS SHOWN ON THIS.
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS DAY
FORWARD.
>> NOW COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW.
>> I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND TO
CONGRESSWOMAN JAYAPAL, IF YOU
ARE STILL LISTENING OR ANYBODY
IS TALKING TO YOU ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING HERE, MAYBE -- MANY
THANKS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
MOSQUEDA -- AND OTHERS THANK
YOU FOR YOUR PURCHASE PATIENT
ON THE HEALTH BY -- BOARD AND
IN MY MIND THIS IS A STAKE IN
THE GROUND FOR THE 2020
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, SO THIS
IS A GOOD START.
IT'S A GREAT BEGINNING, THE
FACT THAT CONGRESS MOMENT MAYOR
-- CONGRESSWOMAN JAYAPAL HAS
OVER 100 COLLEAGUES IN THE
HOUSE SUPPORTING THIS IS GREAT
AND WE DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH
THE STATISTICS ABOUT BEING THE
ONLY MAJOR INDUSTRIAL NATION
THAT TREATS ITS RESIDENTS LIKE
WE DO.
IT'S REALLY TIME FOR THAT TO
CHANGE. I THINK WE HAVE THIS
ODIOUS UNFAIR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
AND THIS IS A GOOD START. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH AND I'LL BE
SUPPORTING YOUR RESOLUTION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU, I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT AND I WANT TO
GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE
PHYSICIANS FOR NATIONAL HEALTH
PROGRAM.
PARTICULARLY DR. McCLANAHAN IN
THE AUDIENCE TODAY WHO'S BEEN
WORKING TIRELESSLY ON THIS
ISSUE FOR SO MANY YEARS, WITH
GETTING COUNCIL TO PASS A
SIMILAR RESOLUTION TO THE THEN-
SINGLE-PAYER PROPOSAL IN THE
HOUSE BILL 676, BACK IN 2009.
THAT WAS RESOLUTION 31111 AND I
WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT, AT
THAT TIME, THIS WAS DEFINITELY
A NATIONAL EFFORT TO TRY TO
COLLECT RESOLUTIONS BOTH FROM
CITIES AND FROM STATES AND I
HOPE THAT HAPPENS AGAIN. AT THE
TIME OF THE COUNCIL'S PASSAGE
OF A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING HR
676 BACK IN 2009, THERE WERE 25
CITIES AND COUNTIES IN 18
STATES THAT WERE PASSING
SIMILAR RESOLUTIONS. SO I AM
HOPING TO SEE THAT THIS IS SORT
OF A SPRINGBOARD FOR NATIONAL
ACTION IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL,
AND I THINK AS IT RELATES
SPECIFICALLY TO WHY THIS IS SO
IMPORTANT TO US HERE LOCALLY, I
WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ FOR SHARING
INFORMATION FROM KING COUNTY
HEALTH EARLIER TODAY , EVEN
THOUGH THE ACA HAS REDUCED THE
RATE OF UNINSURED ADULTS HERE
IN KING COUNTY, THAT WE STILL
SEE GREAT, GREAT THIS PORTION
ANALOGY -- DISPROPORTIONALITY AS
HISPANICS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY
TO BE WITHOUT COVERAGE THAN NON-
HISPANICS AND LOW INCOME ADULTS
ARE SEVEN TIMES AS LIKELY AS
THOSE IN THE HIGHEST INCOME OUT
-- HOUSEHOLDS TO BE UNINSURED,
NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE THE TYPES OF HEALTH
SERVICES THAT FOLKS ARE NOT
RECEIVING RANGE FROM INCOMPLETE
VACCINES, INCOMPLETE OR
ENTIRELY LACKING SCREENS FOR
COLORECTAL COUNCIL -- CANCER,
AND A REALLY DISTURBING
PRESENCE OF CHILDHOOD DENTAL
CAVITIES. AGAIN REPRESENTED
MOST IN LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND
PEOPLE OF COLOR. AND FINALLY,
TO IDENTIFY WHAT KIND OF STRONG
SUPPORT WE SEE FOR A SINGLE-
PAYER PROGRAM, 70% OF FOLKS
SURVEYED IN A REGIONAL -- A
RECENT SURVEY SUPPORT THIS
APPROACH, SO I REALLY THANK
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO US
HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL AS
WELL AS CONGRESSWOMAN JAYAPAL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
O'BRIEN?
>> THANK YOU, I WILL ALSO BE
SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION AND
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ AND CONGRESSPERSON
JAYAPAL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. IT'S
EMBARRASSING THAT HERE IN 2019,
WE ARE STILL DISCUSSING HOW TO
GET HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE ,
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE
REALITY WE FACE AND I'M PROUD
TO BE PART OF A COUNCIL THAT
WILL SUPPORT THAT AND HOPEFULLY
AS COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD SAID ,
HOPEFULLY MANY OTHERS THE NOTE
-- CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT?
>> OF COURSE I SUPPORT THIS
RESOLUTION AND I THANK THE
MANY, MANY ACTIVISTS LIKE
KATHLEEN MEYER AND DAVID
McCLANAHAN WHO ARE HERE AND
HAVE SPENT YEARS DEDICATING
THEIR LIVES ON THIS VERY
IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THE 4-PROFIT PRIVATE
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IS
LITERALLY DEADLY.
DONALD TRUMP LIES ABOUT AN
EMERGENCY AT THE BORDER BUT
THERE'S A REAL EMERGENCY, THE
U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS
KILLING PEOPLE EVERYDAY.
PEOPLE LIVE LONGER IN COUNTRIES
WITH A SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM THAN THEY DO HERE.
THEY DO NOT FALL INTO
BANKRUPTCY OR HOMELESSNESS WHEN
THEY HAVE AN EXPENSIVE MEDICAL
EMERGENCY BECAUSE IT'S NOT
UNAFFORDABLE AND DESPITE HAVING
BETTER OUTCOMES THE SYSTEM
COSTS LESS THAN THE PRIVATE
SYSTEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT
FUNDING THE ENDLESS GREED OF
PROFITEERING AND DRUG
MANUFACTURING COMPANIES.
HOWEVER, WE ALSO NEED TO BE
REAL ABOUT WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO
GET THOSE POWERFULINSURANCE
COMPANIES TO RELEASE THEIR
IMMENE -- RELINQUISH THEIR
IMMENSE PROFITS.
THROUGHOUT EUROPE IT WAS WON IN
MANY COUNTRIES AFTER THE SECOND
WORLD WAR WHEN BIG BUSINESS WAS
FACED WITH MILITANT MOVEMENTS
OF REAL PEOPLE AND THE REAL
POSSIBILITY OF SOCIALIST
RESOLUTIONS AND FELT COMPELLED
-- REVOLUTIONS AND FELT
COMPELLED TO GIVE CONCESSIONS
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE BUT
WERE FORCED TO.
IN CANADA IT WAS WON WHEN
REGULAR PEOPLE BUILT A NEW
WORKING-CLASS POLITICAL PARTY
SEPARATE FROM THEIR
CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL
PARTIES.
IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES
HEALTHCARE ACTUALLY IN SOME
CASES HAS DONE BETTER THAN THE
U.S. WON AS PART OF THE
COLONIAL REVOLUTIONS.
WAS CONSISTENT IN ALL OF THESE
EXAMPLES IS THAT MEDICARE FOR
ALL OR A VERSION OF THAT WAS
WON IN ANY COUNTRY ONLY WHEN
WORKING PEOPLE.ORGANIZED UNDER
THEIR OWN STRENGTH AND FOUGHT
FOR IT.
THAT'S WHY IN THE ABSENCE OF
THAT IN 2008 WHEN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY WON WITH AN
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, THE
HOUSE, SENATE AND PRESIDENCY,
PARTIALLY WITH THE PROMISE OF
UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE, WHAT WAS
EVENTUALLY DELIVERED BY THE
DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT WAS A
BILL THAT HELPS ENSURE MORE
PEOPLE, YES -- AND I SUPPORTED
THAT, BUT FAILS TO BREAK THE
POWER OF INSURANCE COMPANIES
AND OVERWHELMINGLY PROTECTS
THEIR PROFITS SO I SUPPORT THIS
RESOLUTION BUT ALSO WANT TO
STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF
BUILDING A MOVEMENT IF WE ARE
TO ACTUALLY WIN MEDICARE FOR ALL
. THAT'S ALSO A POINT I
STRESSED IN DECEMBER OF 2017
WHEN I SPONSORED AND THE
COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A
SIMILAR RESOLUTION SUPPORTING
THE MEDICARE FOR ALL ACT.
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS HAD
INTRODUCED IT AT THAT TIME FOR
THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THAT RESOLUTION ALSO PASSED BY
THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO STRESSED
THAT THE TWO U.S. SENATORS
REPRESENTING WASHINGTON STATE,
MARIA CANTWELL AND PATTY
MURRAY, CONTINUED TO FAIL TO
SUPPORT MEDICARE FOR ALL AND
HAVE YET TO AGREE TO SIGN ON AS
COSPONSORS OF ANY SIMILAR BILL
AND IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT
THEY ACCEPT STENT --
SUBSTANTIAL CAMPAIGN DONATIONS
FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES AND
BIG FOR MYSTICAL COMPANIES SO
IN CLOSING, IN THE WORDS OF THE
PUGET SOUND ADVOCATES FOR
RETIREMENT ACTION, WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE TO FIGHT LIKE HECK TO
WIN MEDICARE FOR ALL.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT .
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE WILL MOVE FORWARD THEN
AND AGAIN ONE LAST THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ.
>> MAY I MAKE SOME CLOSING
REMARKS?
>> YOU MAY.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY
FOR THEIR REMARKS IN SUPPORT OF
THIS RESOLUTION.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO BE UNIFIED IN OUR
POSITION ON THIS RESOLUTION, ON
THIS ISSUE AS A WHOLE.
I WANTED TO ADD A FEW MORE
STATISTICS TO THOSE THAT WERE
ALREADY OUTLINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, SO HERE
IN KING COUNTY, THERE WAS A
KING COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH
NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE
AND THROUGH OUR SEATTLE KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY, I
THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF
NUMBERS HERE THAT ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO
UNDERSTAND AND THAT HELP TO
EXPLAIN WHY IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
TO SPEAK UP ON THIS PARTICULAR
ISSUE AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS
TO JOIN US IN ADVOCATING TO OUR
DELEGATION THE PASSAGE AND
SUPPORT OF MEDICARE FOR ALSO
REALLY QUICKLY IN 2016 LOW
INCOME ADULTS DEFINED AS THOSE
BELOW 20% OF THE FEDERAL
POVERTY LEVEL WERE MORE THAN
SEVEN TIMES AS LIKELY AS THOSE
IN THE HIGHEST INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS TO BE UNINSURED.
LACK OF INSURANCE COVERAGE
DECREASES WITH AGE FROM A HIGH
OF 8.1% FOR THOSE WHO ARE 18 TO
24 YEARS OLD TO THOSE 29% --
AND WHILE WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE
IN THE PEOPLE ENROLLING IN
INSURANCE AS A RESULT OF DACA,
WE STILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
UNMET -- UNINSURED POPULATION
THAT UNFORTUNATELY RESULTS IN
UNMET MEDICAL NEEDS.
OF COURSE THROUGH OUR SEATTLE
KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM, THE CITY INVESTS BY
PURPOSE -- PURCHASING
ADDITIONAL HEALTH SERVICES
THROUGH OUR KING COUNTY PUBLIC
HEALTH SYSTEM, SO ANY COSTS
THAT WE SEE AS A RESULT OF THE
BROKEN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, WE
ARE ASKING TAXPAYERS IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE TO PICK THOSE
COSTS UP AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S
APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ASK THE
FOR-PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRY TO
PICK UP THE COST OF THOSE UNMET
MEDICAL NEEDS AS A RESULT OF A
LACK OF AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE.
SO THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RELEVANT
TO THE WORK WE ARE DOING HERE
EVERY DAY, AND TO THE WORK THAT
I KNOW AT LEAST THREE OF OUR
COUNCILMEMBERS DO AS THEY SIT
ON THE PUBLIC COUNTY HEALTH
BOARD TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC
HEALTH NEEDS OF SO MANY PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY AND OUR
REGION, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS
IS JUST THE FIRST STEP AND
THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK
TO BE DONE, TO ENSURE THAT
CONGRESSWOMAN JAYAPAL IS
SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING A
HEARING AND IN MAKING A CASE
FOR WIDE SUPPORT OF MEDICARE
FOR ALL . THANK YOU.>> SO DID I
GET IT RIGHT, WE ARE ALL DONE?
OKAY, THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ . THOSE IN FAVOR OF
ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION AS
AMENDED, VOTE EYE.
-- THOUGH AYE.
IT CARRIES AND IS ADOPTED AS
AMENDED AND THE CHAIR WILL SIGN
IT.
>> [ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING NICE.
OKAY, WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE
ON TO OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS,
STARTING WITH THE REPORT OF THE
HUMAN SERVICES EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND RENTER RIGHTS.
CAN YOU PLEASE -- DO WE NEED TO
READ IT INTO THE RECORD AND
THEN I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT HAS ITEMS TWO, THREE,
FOUR AND FIVE.
>> RESOLUTION 31862 A
RESOLUTION TO DELAY
CONSIDERATION OF THE MAYOR'S
NOMINATION OF JASON JOHNSON TO
BE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT UNTIL A
FORMAL SEARCH PROCESS CAN BE
COMPLETED AND TO CONVENE A
SEARCH COMMITTEE REPRESENTING
ALL HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
STAKEHOLDERS TO DEFINE
QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND
ATTRIBUTES FOR AN APPOINTEE AND
RECOMMEND FINALISTS FOR
APPOINTMENT RECOMMENDED WITH --
THE ABSTENTION OF
COUNCILMEMBERS HARRELL AND
HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU I WILL MAKE
OPENING REMARKS AND I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE CLOSING COMMENTS
AS THE SPONSOR OF THE
RESOLUTION.
>> PLEASE REMIND ME TO HAVE YOU
DO CLOSING REMARKS.
>> THERE IS NO REASONABLE
JUSTIFICATION FOR THE
CONTROVERSY AROUND THIS
RESOLUTION.
WHEN MY OFFICE FIRST DISCUSSED
AND WAS INVITED TO DISCUSS THE
APPOINTMENT WITH HUMAN SERVICES
PROVIDERS EMPLOYEES AND OTHER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE HEARD
VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS AND AS
THE MANY SPEAKERS TODAY AND IN
PREVIOUS MEETINGS OF THE
COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
-- WHERE HUMAN SERVICES ISSUES
ARE DISCUSSED, WHAT THEY'VE
SAID IS A VERY REASONABLE
POSITION, WHICH IS ASKING FOR
AN INCLUSIVE AND TRANSPARENT
SEARCH FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF
THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS GROUND
ZERO FOR THE MOST EMERGENT
PROBLEM IN OUR CITY WHICH IS
THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS
AND THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.
IN MY OPINION THIS IS AN
ENTIRELY REASONABLE PROPOSITION
FROM THE EMPLOYEES DEPARTMENT
AND ALSO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
SERVICE PROVIDERS AND AS OTHER
SPEAKERS HAVE SAID THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAS AGREED UPON -- A
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
APPROACH TO THE WORK OF THE
DEPARTMENT AND THAT WE ARE
COMPELLED IN ALL OF THE WORK
THAT THE MAYOR CARRIES OUT AND
THAT THE POLITICIANS DO NOT
ENGAGE IN CHERRY PICKING WHERE
úTHEY WILL APPLY RACE AND SOCIA
JUSTICE AND WHERE THEY WILL NOT
SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT I THINK
THERE IS NOTHING CONTROVERSIAL
ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE
IT MERELY EXPRESSES WHAT WE'VE
HEARD FROM HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS RESOLUTION IS ONLY
CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE THE MAYOR
HAS DECIDED TO GO NUCLEAR OVER
IT, WRITING THREATENING
LETTERS, REFUSING TO SEND
REPRESENTATIVES TO
COUNCILMEMBERS, THREATENING TO
CLOSE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND SO
ON.
WE FACE AN UNPRECEDENTED HOUSING
AND HOMELESSNESS CRISIS AND
THEREFORE I DO NOT THINK THE
ISSUES ARE BEING CONFLATED
HERE.
THE ISSUE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF
THE DEPARTMENT IS VERY
INTRICATELY TIED TO THE WORK
THE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES DO IN
DEALING WITH THE CRISIS FACED
BY OUR MOST VULNERABLE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND SO, IN
MY OPINION BEHIND THE MAYOR'S
ATTEMPT TO BYPASS AN INCLUSIVE
APPOINTMENT SEARCH AND TO
SIDELINE THE OVERWHELMING AND
NUMEROUS VOICES OF THOSE WHO
OPPOSE HER CHOICE FOR HUMAN
SERVICES DIRECTOR POSITION IS A
BROADER ATTEMPT TO SILENCE
OPPOSITION TO OUR UNDERFUNDED
AND PUNITIVE APPROACH TO THE
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS.
THE MAYOR'S STRATEGY
EFFECTIVELY IGNORES THE DEEPLY
EMBEDDED ECONOMIC AND EQUALITY
UNAFFORDABLE RENT, RACISM,
SEXISM AND SEXUAL INEQUALITIES
BUILT INTO THE FABRIC OF THE
SYSTEM, PROBLEMS THAT IN THIS
SITUATION HAVE BEEN
DRAMATICALLY WORSENED BY CITY
HALL'S LONG-STANDING SUPPORT
FOR AND RELIANCE ON THE PROFIT
MARKET.
HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS
UNDERSTAND THAT THE
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN OUR CITY
FALLS DISPROPORTIONATELY ON
PEOPLE OF COVER, IMMIGRANTS,
WOMEN AND THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY
AND THEY WANT A CITY LEADERSHIP
THAT ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, DESPITE THE
DEPUTY MEMBER -- MAYOR --
PROMISING A -- MORE INCLUSIVE
SEARCH SHE DID NOT ENGAGE WITH
US ALL YOUR LAST YEAR WHILE MY
OFFICE WAS ASKING HER WHAT SHE
WAS GOING TO DO WITH THE
APPOINTMENT AND IMMEDIATELY ON
DECEMBER 19th, WE HEARD ABOUT
HER SELECTION AND IMMEDIATELY
AFTERWARD MY OFFICE BEGAN
HEARING FROM UNIVERSAL -- FROM
HEARING SERVICES STAFF AND
HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE AT CITY
HALL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
2014 SO IN MY TIME IN THE
COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO
VOTE ON ANY NUMBER OF
APPOINTMENTS OF LEADERSHIP AND
CITY DEPARTMENTS. I'VE NEVER
SEEN A CASE WITH SUCH
WIDESPREAD CONCERN ABOUT A
DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT.
THIS IS A PETITION SIGNED BY
130 MEMBERS OF THE 17 UNION WHO
WORK IN THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, ASKING FOR THE
COUNCIL TO SEND THE NOMINATION
BACK TO THE MAYOR TO CONDUCT AN
INCLUSIVE SEARCH AND THEY ALSO
TURNED OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS TO
THEIR TEAM MEETINGS HAVE THE
DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS HOW TO
RESPOND TO DOZENS -- AND DOZENS
OF EMPLOYEES HAVE TURNED OUT TO
BOTH THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
WHERE WE HAD OVER 100 PEOPLE
JOIN US. I WOULD URGE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO THINK FOR A
MOMENT, HOW MUCH COURAGE WOULD
IT TAKE FOR A HUMAN SERVICES
EMPLOYEE TO SPEAK UP ON THIS
ISSUE AND OPENLY OPPOSE THE
MAYOR'S CHOICE OF THE ACTING
DIRECTOR OF THEIR DEPARTMENT.
>> [ APPLAUSE ] I WANT TO SAY
TO YOU ALL, I HAVE THE DEEPEST
RESPECT FOR YOUR RESOLVE AND
SOLIDARITY AMONGST YOURSELVES
AND IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION OF
HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION ON
THE BASIS OF THE COURAGEOUS
POSITION YOU'VE TAKEN I WANT TO
PUBLICLY STATE THAT I WILL
STAND WITH YOU AND PLEASE LET
MY OFFICE KNOW IF THERE IS ANY
SUCH CASE.
THIS IS THE LETTER FROM THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
CHANGED TEAM WHO AMONG OTHER
THINGS ADVOCATED FOR A RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE PRINCIPLES AND
URGE COUNCIL TO SEND THE
NOMINATION BACK TO THE MAYOR
FOR AN INCLUSIVE SEARCH.
THIS IS A LETTER FROM THE
SEATTLE SILENCE BREAKERS THAT
úALSO DOES THE SAME.
THIS IS A LETTER FROM THE
SEATTLE'S HUMAN SERVICES
COALITION MAKING THE SAME
REQUEST. IT REPRESENTS 182
NONPROFIT SOCIAL SERVICES
AGENCIES IN SEATTLE AND THEY
ARE THE AGENCY THE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTS WITH TO PROVIDE FOOD
SHELTER SUPPORTIVE HOUSING,
HEALTHCARE AND SERVICES FOR
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, YOUTH AND
SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.
THESE ARE THE MEMBERS THE
DEPARTMENT MUST HAVE A TRUSTING
AND COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH IN ORDER TO BE AFFECT HIS.
COUNCIL SHOULD ALSO TAKE THEIR
INPUT VERY SERIOUSLY, AND
SHOULD CONSIDER THEIR COURAGE
IN WRITING A LETTER DEMANDING A
TRULY INCLUSIVE DIRECT
RESEARCH BECAUSE THEY ALSO FEAR
RETALIATION.
I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE AN
IMPORTANT LETTER SENT BY THE
WRITERS UNION IN SOLIDARITY
WITH THE EMPLOYEES AND THE
SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR
DEMANDING AN INCLUSIVE SEARCH.
I ALSO WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE
FACT THAT SOME HAVE RECEIVED A
LETTER I THINK TWO DAYS AFTER
THEY TESTIFIED IN THE COMMITTEE
AND CHAMBERS THAT THEIR
CONTRACT FROM ONE YEAR-LONG
WOULD BE CUT TO ONE TERMINATING
AT THE END OF JUNE, AND IN THAT
LETTER, THE LATER SAYS QUOTE --
LETTER SAYS QUOTE I'M HAPPY
WITH THE IMPROVED EXISTING
HOUSING AND HOPES THAT THE
REVISITED AWARD WOULD PROVIDE
FOR IMPROVED INCENTIVE POSITION
TO RESULT IN AN EXTENDED
CONTRACT WITH THE TECHNICAL WAY
OF SAYING WE'VE YOU'VE DONE A
GOOD JOB AND WE WILL REWARD YOU
BY YANKING YOUR LONGER CONTRACT
AND MAKING YOU FIGHT FOR IT
EVERY MONTH.
IN OTHER WORDS YOU'RE NOT BEING
FIRED BUT JUST LAID OFF.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
THOSE OF US WHO STAND FOR HUMAN
SERVICES STAND WITH THEM
BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE MUCH-
NEEDED SHELTERS AND THERE HAVE
BEEN REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO TAKE IT AWAY
ON THE BASIS OF NOT HAVING
NUMBERS, BUT THE MAYOR HERSELF
HAS ADMITTED SHE DOESN'T HAVE
NUMBERS FOR TRANSITIONS TO
PERMANENT HOUSING, SO WHY ARE
WE HOLDING ONE SMALL SERVICE
PROVIDER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT?
AS A WHOLE, IF YOU REPEAL THE
AMAZON TAX AND STAND AS AN
OBSTACLE TO ANY POSSIBLE
MEASURE TO EXPAND HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY THEN YOU ARE NOT
IN A POSITION TO TELL A SERVICE
PROVIDER THAT THEY ARE NOT
DOING ENOUGH.
I THINK THE TIMING OF THIS WAS
VERY QUESTIONABLE.
THE TIMING OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
WAS VERY QUESTIONABLE, BUT
WHETHER OR NOT IT IS
RETALIATION I WILL SAVE THE
BOTTOM LINE IS, GIVEN THE
CRISIS THAT OUR CITY IS REELING
UNDER IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO
MAKE ANY CUTS FOR FUNDING
HOMELESS SERVICES.
AND THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
HOMELESSNESS WHICH I WILL BE
CHAIRING ON MARCH 12th AT 2 PM
WILL TAKE UP THIS ISSUE TO BE
SURE THAT SHELTERS ARE NOT
CLOSED.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT PROTEC 17
THE UNION THAT I THINK
REPRESENTS HALF OF THE WORKERS
IN THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
HAS SENT A LETTER OUT IN WHICH
THEY ARE CLARIFYING THAT THE
UNION AS MELISSA HAD SAID, THE
UNION STANDS WITH THE
MEMBERSHIP IN ASKING FOR A
MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL
STAKEHOLDERS AND SAYS PROTEC 17
MEMBERSHIP MAINTAINS THE FIRM
POSITION THAT A TRANSPARENT
PROCESS STANDING FOR THE
PRINCIPLES OF THE DEPARTMENT IS
REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH
ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEADERSHIP,
SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT THIS
LETTER SAYS IS THAT, WHATEVER
THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MAY
PROMISE ABOUT THE FUTURE IS A
SEPARATE QUESTION AND DON'T
MAKE PROMISES ABOUT THE FUTURE
IF YOU WILL NOT UPHOLD THIS
TODAY SO IT'S REALLY
MEANINGLESS FOR COUNCILMEMBERS
TO SAY WE WILL SUPPORT A
RESOLUTION THAT TALKS ABOUT
WHAT WE WILL DO IN THE FUTURE
WHEN THE PROMISES MADE ABOUT
THIS ARE NOT BEING UPHELD.
WHY SHOULD IT JUST BE THE
EMPLOYEES -- WHY SHOULD THEY
TRUST PROMISES OF THE FUTURE
WHEN CURRENT PROMISES ARE NOT
BEING KEPT?
AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THIS
NOMINATION IS MUCH MORE THAN
ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL.
IT'S ABOUT THE CHOICE THEY HAVE
ON WHETHER THEY WILL LISTEN TO
THE HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN AND DO
THE RIGHT THING.>> THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON?>>
THANKS.
I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING
AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION TODAY.
IN THE CONVERSATION THAT I
THINK THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE
COMMUNITY, THIS HAS BECOME A
PROXY FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF
THE INDIVIDUAL WHO CURRENTLY
SERVES AS INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR
THE DEPARTMENT, JASON JOHNSON
SO I WANT FOR THE RECORD TO PUT
OUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS
IF NOT HUNDREDS OF EMAILS THAT
WE'VE GOTTEN IN SUPPORT OF
JASON AS THE PERMANENT
DIRECTOR.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE QUALITIES
THAT PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED WHEN
TALKING ABOUT JASON.
HE'S QUALIFIED.
HE HAS A TRUE CONCERN FOR ALL
SEATTLE RESIDENTS. HE'S
TRUSTED, ADMIRED AND COMPETENT
AND HAS A GRASP OF THE CLIP --
COMPLEXITY OF A WIDE RANGE OF
HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS AS A --
AND A COMMITMENT TO POSITIVE
SOLUTIONS.
HE'S AN ASSET TO SEATTLE AND IS
COMMITTED TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
HE'S GOT A CONTINUITY OF
LEADERSHIP THAT IS IMPORTANT AT
THIS TIME.
HE'S COMMITTED TO REFORM AND
CONTINUAL REVIEW AND
IMPROVEMENT.
HE'S A PEOPLE-FOCUSED LEADER
AND PEOPLE ORIENTED AND A
PERSON WITH INTEGRITY.
THESE HAVE COME FROM
INDIVIDUALS, NOT TO MENTION THE
LETTERS WE'VE RECEIVED FROM
ORGANIZATIONS AS DIVERSE AS
SOLID GROUND, THE PRIDE
FOUNDATION, YMCA, CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND OTHERS
WHO HAVE ASKED FOR US TO
QUICKLY CONFIRM DIRECTOR
JOHNSON, SO WHILE I KNOW THAT
MUCH HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT THIS
BEING A PROCESS, I THINK THIS
IS REALLY NOT ABOUT A PROCESS
BUT ABOUT A PERSON AND I WILL
BE VOTING NO TODAY IN THE HOPES
THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE UP
THE CONFIRMATION OF THIS
INDIVIDUAL.>> COUNCILMEMBER
RYAN?
>> THANK YOU.
I WILL BE VOTING IN SUPPORT OF
THIS RESOLUTION AND WANTED TO
SPEAK BRIEFLY TO MY THINKING ON
IT.>> [ APPLAUSE ]>> I WANT TO
BE CLEAR THAT I'VE HAD A GOOD
WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH JASON
JOHNSON AS BOTH DEPUTY AND
INTERIM HEAD -- OR WHAT'S THE
PROPER TERM?
ACTING, THANK YOU.
I DON'T NECESSARILY OPPOSE HIS
APPOINTMENT ULTIMATELY BUT I DO
BELIEVE A PROCESS IS IMPORTANT
AND I THINK THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT ROLE AND THEY
REQUESTS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS
THAT THERE BE A TRANSPARENT AND
INCLUSIVE PROCESS AND A CHANCE
TO COMPARE CANDIDATES AND GET
THEM TO FIT THEIR OPINIONS I
THINK IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
THING TO DO.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR UP
HERE.
WE UNDERSTAND FULLY THAT THE
MAYOR GETS TO NOMINATE WHOMEVER
SHE CHOOSES FOR DEPARTMENT
DIRECTOR AND I THINK WE ALL
UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT IT'S THE
COUNCIL'S JOB TO RUN A
CONFIRMATION PROCESS AND THERE
ARE A FEW THINGS THAT ARE CLEAR
AS WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION
TODAY.
MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AT
HSD INCLUDING THOSE IN THE
BARGAINING UNIT AND INCLUDING
THOSE FROM THE CHANGE TEAM AND
THOSE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE
SILENCE BREAKERS AS WELL AS
OTHERS WHO ARE CONTRACTED
PROVIDERS DON'T FEEL LIKE THEIR
VOICES WERE HEARD OR THAT THERE
WAS A THOUGHTFUL SELECTION
PROCESS IN WHICH THEY COULD
MAKE SURE THEIR ISSUES AND
VALUES WERE REPRESENTED.
NUMBER TWO, WE KNOW WE CAN'T GO
BACK AND FIX THE PROCESS, BUT
WE CAN INDICATE THAT WHAT WE
WANTED TO SEE AND EXPECTED TO
SEE DIDN'T HAPPEN AT THIS POINT
WITHOUT ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE FRONT-
LINE STAFF AND PROVIDERS FEEL
LIKE THEIR VOICES HAVE BEEN
HEARD AT THE TABLE AND IT'S
IMPERATIVE I BELIEVE TO GO BACK
AND ASK FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE
PROCESS, AND I ALSO THINK WE
NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A CITY
TO FOCUS ON BIG PICTURE POLICY
ISSUES AND PRESSING ISSUES BUT
THIS PROCESS SHOULD NOT BE
INTERFERING EITHER POLITICALLY
OR POLICY WISE WITH THE
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT HSD HAS TO
PLAY.
WE ARE VERY, VERY LUCKY TO HAVE
ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK
AT HSD.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A HOMING --
HOUSING AND HOMELESS CRISIS
THAT IS GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY
AND I, LIKE COUNCILMEMBER
O'BRIEN, HAVE HAD VERY POSITIVE
INDIVIDUAL -- INTERACTIONS WITH
JASON JOHNSON AND HIS
LEADERSHIP TEAM AS WELL AS THE
INCREDIBLE FOLKS ON THE
FRONTLINE, BUT, TO ME, THE
PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION IN
FRONT OF US IS TO SAY THAT WE
NEED A PROCESS THAT IS
INCLUSIVE, THAT REPRESENTS OUR
COMMITMENT TO RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE, THAT ENSURES THAT
FRONT-LINE STAFF AND THOSE
BEING SERVED BY THE DEPARTMET
HAVE A CHANCE TO EITHER BE AT
THE TABLE OR BE SURE THEIR
VALUES ARE REPRESENTED AT THE
TABLE SO WE UNDERSTAND, I
BELIEVE, THAT OUR JOB IS NOT TO
RUN THE PROCESS, BUT AS WE LOOK
AT THE PROCESS THAT IS IN FRONT
OF US, WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT
TOOLS TO EVALUATE WHETHER OR
NOT INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS HAVE
BEEN ANSWERED, WHETHER OR NOT
PEOPLE FEEL THERE ARE -- THEIR
ISSUES AND VALUES HAVE BEEN
HEARD OR WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S
A PLAN OF ACTION, TO ENSURE
THAT THE DIRECTOR OR NEW
DIRECTOR WILL LISTEN TO THOSE
CONCERNS AND INTEGRATE PUBLIC
POLICY CHANGES TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE'S A PROCESS MOVING
FORWARD.
I ALSO WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR
THAT THIS IS OUR JOB.
THIS IS OUR JOB TO EVALUATE
NOMINEES THAT COME DOWN AND I
DO TAKE SOME OFFENSE WITH THE
STAFF MEMBER WHO WROTE TO US
AND SAID THAT RESOLUTIONS
AREN'T OUR JOB.
IT IS OUR JOB TO ENSURE THAT
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES HAVE A
SEAT AT THE TABLE AND TO ENSURE
THERE IS A PUBLIC AND
TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO DECIDE
UPON WHETHER CANDIDATES ARE THE
RIGHT CHOICE TO LEAVE THE
DEPARTMENT, AND IT IS OUR JOB
TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE
OF THIS CITY.
WE DON'T MAKE DECISIONS IN A
VACUUM AND AS ELECTED LEADERS,
WE ULTIMATELY DON'T GET TO
DECIDE WHO GETS SENT DOWN TO US
BUT IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE
THE PROCESS WAS INCLUSIVE AND
THOUGHTFUL.
SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
REGARDLESS OF HOW
COUNCILMEMBERS VOTE ON THIS
RESOLUTION, I WANT TO REITERATE
THAT I DO BELIEVE WE ARE DOING
OUR JOB, TO CLEARLY QUESTION
WHETHER WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS
IN FRONT OF US TO MAKE THIS
DECISION TODAY AND FROM MY PER
SPEC OF, THIS RESOLUTION IS NOT
ABOUT JASON'S LEADERSHIP OR
WHETHER HE'S THE RIGHT PERSON
TO LEAD BUT IS A QUESTION ABOUT
THE PROCESS, WHETHER WE GOT IT
RIGHT AND WHETHER IT WAS
INCLUSIVE AND SAYING THAT WE'VE
HAD OTHER PROCESSES THAT
HAVEN'T HAD TO GO THIS ROUTE OR
THAT WE'VE DONE IT THIS WAY IN
THE PAST, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO
DON'T WANT BUSINESS AS USUAL.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES
AND IN A TIME OF #METOO WHERE
PEOPLE HAVE COURAGEOUSLY SPOKEN
UP TO TELL THEIR TRUTH AND
SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER IT MEANS
MAKING SPACE AT THE TABLE AND
RECOGNIZING THAT SOMETIMES WE
DO NEED TO HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON
AND ASK IF WE'VE CREATED THE
TABLE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO SO
I WILL BE VOTING IN THE SUPPORT
OF THE RESOLUTION IN THE HOPES
THAT WE CAN HAVE A PROCESS THAT
IS CHANGED OR THAT WE WILL BE
ABLE TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON THE
NOMINEE AND MOVE FORWARD AND IN
DEFERENCE TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
I'VE HELD BACK THE RESOLUTION
THAT IS FORWARD-LOOKING AND I
THINK THAT HELPS PROVIDE US
WITH ADDITIONAL CLARITY ON WHAT
THE CITY COUNCIL HOPES FOR IN
TERMS OF A TRANSPARENT AND
INCLUSIVE PROCESS AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO FINDING RESOLUTION
ON THAT RESOLUTION AND
APPRECIATE ALL OF THE
COUNCILMEMBER'S COMMENTS ON
THIS PROCESS AND REGARDLESS OF
WHICH WAY WE VOTE WE ALL WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HUMAN
SERVICES PROVIDER AND FRONT-
LINE STAFF, PROVIDER
ORGANIZATIONS AND THOSE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS GET
THE DIRECT SERVICES THEY NEED
AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO
WORK WITH YOU ON A DAILY BASIS.
NO MATTER HOW THINGS TURN OUT
TODAY, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
SERVICE.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA YOU
JUST OUTLINED SOME THINGS THAT
I THINK ARE ACTUALLY VERY
IMPORTANT BUT BEFORE WE TALK TO
THIS FOR A SECOND I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE.
I REMEMBER MANY OF YOU REMEMBER
VERY CLEARLY DURING A BUDGET
CYCLE A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT YOU
WERE ONE OF THE FIRST GROUPS
THAT CAME AND SAID KEEPING
PEOPLE INSIDE IS CRITICAL.
WE PASSED THE BUDGET MAKING
SURE YOU HAD THAT MONEY TO STAY
INSIDE, SAFE AND WARM, AND I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WILL
CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I CAN TO
MAKE SURE THAT SHARE WHEEL
CONTINUES, THAT THE WORK YOU
DO IS SUPPORTED AND FUNDED, SO
I REALLY DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU
ARE DOING TO KEEP PEOPLE INSIDE.
AND ALSO, WE NEED TO IMPROVE
THE OUTCOMES, WE ALL KNOW THAT
AND IT'S THE SAME THING WE ARE
TRYING TO DO UP HERE AND I ALSO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
CONCERNS SEVERAL OF YOU BROUGHT
FORWARD ABOUT THE PROCESS AND
I'M TAKING A LITTLE DIFFERENT
VIEW ON THIS. I WAS THE CHAIR
OF HUMAN SERVICES FOR A FEW
YEARS PRIOR TO COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS TO GET THIS RIGHT BUT
THAT SAID, WE'VE GOT HUMAN
SERVICES TO PROVIDE, USED TO
CARE FOR, WE HAVE OUR AGING
AND DISABILITIES GROUP AND AGE
FRIENDLY GROUP AND THE EFFORTS
WE ARE PUTTING TOWARD
SUPPORTING THOSE WHO ARE
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
DELAYING WILL NOT HELP US AND
ANOTHER YEAR-LONG SEARCH WILL
NOT HELP US. THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT HAS CALLED ME,
SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE CALLED
ME, AND WE'VE RECEIVED DOZENS
AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE SAYING
LET'S MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. WE
HAVE A GREAT MAN THAT IS
LEAVING THIS WORK. I'VE WORKED
WITH JASON FOR YEARS AND HE'S
REGARDED AS A MAN OF INTEGRITY.
I SAW HIM BACK IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. WHERE HE WAS WORKING VERY
HARD WITH NATIONAL EXPERTS, AND
HE'S WELL-RECOGNIZED AND I
APPRECIATE THE WORK AND
EXPERIENCE HE BRINGS TO THIS.
SO RATHER THAN SAYING LET'S DO
ANOTHER NATIONAL SEARCH I'D SAY
LET'S FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE WE
HAVE, THE EXCELLENT PEOPLE AND
WORKERS WITHIN THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND IF
THERE'S A PROBLEM, LET'S GET
THAT RIGHT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
MOVE FORWARD RATHER THAN
DELAYING THIS SO I WILL BE
VOTING AGAINST THIS
RESLUTION.>> OKAY,
COUNCILMEMBER TRENTON?
>> THANK YOU.
--
>> COUNCILMEMBER TRENTON?
>> I ATTENDED THE LAST MEETING
OCTOBER 20th AND ATTENDED THE
ONE PREVIOUS TO THAT AND AT
THIS LAST MEETING I ABSTAINED
FROM VOTING SO THAT I COULD
CONTINUE TO DISCOVER THE --
CONSIDER THE THOUGHTS AND
CONCERNS FROM INDIVIDUALS ABOUT
THE RESOLUTION.
I'VE SAID BEFORE I DO NOT
SUPPORT MAINTAINING THE STATUS
QUO AS IT RELATES TO
COUNCILMEMBER EXPECTATIONS IN
TERMS OF HOW THE MAYOR CONDUCTS
SEARCH PROCESSES.
BACK IN 2007 WHEN THE
RESOLUTION THAT CURRENTLY
DEFINES THE EXPECTATIONS FOR
THE NOMINATION OF -- OR
CONFIRMATION PROCESS WAS
PASSED, NEITHER THE COUNCIL
MAYOR NOR THE DEPARTMENTS
CONTEMPLATED UTILIZATION OF THE
SHOW -- THE RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKIT AS PART OF THE
NOMINATION AND CONFIRMATION
PROCESS.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE ARE IN
A DIFFERENT AND BETTER PLACE
TODAY, AND I WANT TO FORMALIZE
THE CHANGES TO THE STATUS QUO
THAT ADDRESS SORT OF THIS NEW
EXPECTATION.
AND AS WE'VE HEARD, IN SOME
CASES, SOME COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
ALREADY MADE THAT PART OF THEIR
EXPECTATION TO THE EXECUTIVE
FOR CONFIRMATION PROCESSES THAT
THIEVES -- THAT THEY HAVE
OVERSEEN SO MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC ARE ASKING TODAY THAT WE
CHANGE THE NOMINATION OR
CONFIRMATION PROCESS AND I SAY
LET'S DO THAT.
I SUPPORT A TRANSPARENT AND
INCLUSIVE PROCESS BUT I BELIEVE
THAT THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR
THE COUNCIL TO RAISE THESE
ISSUES IS AT THE BEGINNING OF A
NOMINATION PROCESS. FOR THAT
REASON I'VE REQUESTED THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA INCLUDE
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE RELATED TO
THAT PROCESS IN HER RESOLUTION,
SPECIFICALLY THAT PRIOR TO
NOMINATION, THAT THE EXECUTIVE
GIVE TO THE COUNCIL A WRITTEN
DESCRIPTION OF THAT PROCESS,
THE USE OF ANY ADVISORY GROUPS
THAT WILL BE PART OF THAT
PROCESS AND THE COMPOSITION OF
THAT ADVISORY GROUP. THAT WAY,
THE COMMITTEE CHAIR OVERSEEING
THAT NOMINATION HAS THE ABILITY
TO ENGAGE WITH THE EXECUTIVE
ABOUT THAT PROCESS BEFORE THE
NOMINATION COMES FORWARD.
AGAIN, INDIVIDUAL
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE WORKED WITH
THE EXECUTIVE IN THE PAST AND
DEVELOPING THESE SORTS OF
EXPECTATIONS AS WE'VE HEARD
FROM COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ
THIS MORNING.
SHE DESCRIBED ASKING THAT THE
MAYOR USE A RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKIT DURING THE POLICE
CHIEF PROCESS. I'VE SHARED MY
CONCERN THAT THIS DID NOT
HAPPEN IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT PRODUCED
EMAILS FROM HER STAFF THAT
APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN
UNANSWERED ASKING QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE CONFIRMATION PROCESS
AND THAT THESE EMAILS WERE
UNANSWERED IS UNFORTUNATE BUT I
AM UNAWARE OF ANY COMMUNICATION
FROM COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT PRIOR
TO THE NOMINATION TO THE
EXPECTATION ABOUT HER SPECIFIC
EXPECTATIONS FOR THAT PROCESS.
IF COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT HAD
MADE THOSE EXPECTATIONS KNOWN
PRIOR TO NOMINATION AND THEY
WERE IGNORED I MIGHT FEEL
DIFFERENTLY TODAY . WE HEARD AT
THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
MEETING ON THE 20th THAT THE
HUMAN SERVICES COALITION HAD
BEEN SEEKING A MEETING WITH THE
MAYOR, REGARDING GIVING UP HER
TERM TO DISCUSS THE COALITION'S
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE
DEPARTMENT AND THE FACT THAT
THEY'VE NOT HAD SUCH A MEETING
SINCE THE MAYOR HAS TAKEN
OFFICE WAS DESCRIBED BY THE
REPRESENTATIE OF THE HUMAN
SERVICES COALITION AS
UNPRECEDENTED.
THE HUMAN SERVICES COALITION
PRINT -- REPRESENTS DOZENS OF
PROVIDERS, HUNDREDS IF NOT
THOUSANDS OF WORKERS AND TENS
IF NOT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
RECIPIENTS OF SERVICES AND I'M
GLAD TO REPORT THAT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE HAS LET ME KNOW TODAY
THAT THE MAYOR WILL IN FACT BE
MEETING WITH THE SEATTLE HUMAN
SERVICES COALITION.
AS IT RELATES TO CONCERNS WE'VE
HEARD TODAY FROM SHARE WHEEL
RESIDENTS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS
I'VE SPOKEN WITH HSD ABOUT
THEIR INTENT IN GIVING THEM A
SIX MONTH CONTRACT .
SPECIFICALLY, IN WRITING AND
VERBALLY, HSD HAS INDICATED
APPRECIATION FOR THE PROGRESS
MADE BY SHARE WHEEL AND
EXPECTATIONS FOR CONTINUED
PROGRESS.
LAST WEEK , MEG OVER DEAN
ASSURED ME BOTH --
ELECTRONICALLY AND IN PERSON
THAT THEY ARE SINCERE IN THEIR
DESIRE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
THE SERVICES AS PART OF AN
EMERGENCY SERVICES CONTINUUM.
AS I HAVE DONE BEFORE, I INTEND
TO TRY TO FACILITATE A MEETING
WITH HSD AND SHARE WHEEL AND I
PUT THAT REQUEST IN TODAY
ABOUT THE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT
HSD HAS IDENTIFIED AS CONTINUED
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT, AS WELL
AS WANTING TO HEAR FROM SHARE
WHEEL ABOUT THE BARRIERS THAT
THEY IDENTIFIED TO IMPROVE
COMPLETENESS THIS DATA.
I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE
ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED
ARE LESS ABOUT OUTCOMES TO
PERMANENT HOUSING, AND MORE
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT COMPLETENESS
OF DATA ITSELF, SO THESE ARE
THINGS I'M REALLY CONFIDENT
THAT WE CAN WORK TO RESOLVE IN
TIME FOR THE CONTINUED
PROVISION OF THE SERVICES THAT
THE COUNCIL FUNDED IN LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET AND THAT'S ALL I
HAVE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, DO YOU WANT
TO CLOSE FOR US?
>> THANK YOU.
FIRST, I WANTED TO SAY THAT FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS -- SOME WERE
SAYING ABOUT THEY WERE WORRIED
ABOUT THE DIP -- DELAY AND I
WANT TO CLARIFY MY OFFICE HAS
BEEN ASKING THE MAYOR SINCE
MARCH OF LAST YEAR, ALMOST A
YEAR AGO NOW, ASKING THEM WHAT
THEY INTEND TO DO ABOUT THE HSD
NOMINATION AND IN FACT THE
FIRST EMAIL THAT MY POLICY
ANALYST SENT TO THE STAFF
SPECIFICALLY SAYS , CAN WE HAVE
AN IDEA OF WHO WILL BE
NOMINATED BEFORE THE PREVIOUS
DIRECTOR LEFT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T
WANT TO HAVE ANY DELAYS SO I
THINK IT'S DISINGENUOUS FOR
THEM TO SAY WE ARE AGAINST THE
RESOLUTION BECAUSE -- WE ARE
AGAINST DELAYS ALSO.
IT'S A QUESTION OF HUNDREDS OF
PEOPLE HAVING SPOKEN UP AND WE
HAVE A COUNCIL THAT IS
PREDOMINANTLY IT SEEMS GOING TO
HIDE BEHIND PROCESS-ORIENTED
POINTS IN ORDER TO FAILED TO
RESPOND TO AND LISTEN TO THE
SPEAKER -- THE PEOPLE THAT THEY
HAVE SPOKEN AND I APPLAUD THOSE
THAT BROUGHT FORWARD THIS
RESOLUTION BECAUSE IT SAYS YOU
AS AN ELECTIVE REPRESENTATIVE
ARE STANDING UP FOR PROCESSES
THAT WERE TO BE FULFILLED
RATHER THAN ROLLING THIS OVER
TO ANOTHER PROMISE IN THE FUTURE
AND WHY WOULD THAT BE KEPT IF
THESE PROMISES WEREN'T KEPT IN
THE FIRST PLACE?
IN RESPONSE TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD IN TERMS OF THE
EXPECTATIONS, I'M SORRY, THESE
ARE VERY, VERY BASIC QUESTIONS
THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING ABOUT
THE SOCIAL INJUSTICE PROCESS
AND INCLUDING PEOPLE.
THIS WAS A PROMISE THE DEPUTY
MAYOR MADE HERSELF IN THE FALL
TO EMPLOYEES SO I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHY THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE NEEDS INSTRUCTIONS FROM
MY OFFICE TO DO THE VERY BASIC
AND MINIMALLY REQUIRED ACTIONS
THAT ARE HER RESPONSIBILITY.
FURTHERMORE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHY COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD
ELEVATE WHAT MY OFFICE DID OR
DIDN'T DO IN COMPARISON TO THE
MANY VOICES WE'VE HEARD,
REGARDLESS OF WHAT MY OFFICE
DID OR DIDN'T DO.
I THINK YOUR VOICES SHOULD
COUNT FOR FAR MORE THAN
ANYTHING ELSE AND SHOULD COUNT
FIRM -- MORE THAN ANY
POLITICIAN''S VOICE SO GIVEN
THAT YOU'VE SPOKEN THAT'S THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING AND THAT'S
WHY I AGREED TO BRING THIS
RESOLUTION FORWARD BASED ON
WHAT YOU ALL SAID.
I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE WITH
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT I
HAD A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR
THIS MORNING AND I ASKED HER,
WOULD SHE CONCUR WITH THIS
RESOLUTION.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION
SHE ASKED ME, WILL YOU WITHDRAW
THIS RESOLUTION AND I JUST WANT
TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I SAID
OF COURSE I CANNOT WITHDRAW
THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE THAT
WOULD BE UNCONSCIONABLE.
I MADE THAT CLEAR NOT TO HER
BUT FOR THE ORDINARY PEOPLE
THAT HAVE SPOKEN.
I ALSO TOLD HER REGARDLESS OF
WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE
NOMINATION YOU SENT, WHAT
MATTERS THE MOST DESPITE ANY
OTHER POINT YOU MAKE IS THAT
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN
AND YOU CANNOT JUST SIDELINE
THOSE VOICES.
I WILL SAY THIS: IF THIS
RESOLUTION DOES NOT GET THE
MAJORITY VOTE I WANT TO URGE
EVERYBODY WHO HAS FOUGHT FOR
THIS TO KNOW THAT IT'S NOT THE
END OF THE ROAD.
WE CAN KEEP FIGHTING AND
FURTHERMORE THERE ARE CONCRETE
WAYS WE CAN KEEP FIGHTING IN
THIS ISSUE AND I DON'T MEAN IN
THE ABSTRACT. THAT SOMEBODY ON
THE COUNCIL WILL STILL NEED TO
MOVE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF
JASON JOHNSON AND I APPEAL TO
YOU ALL TO NOT GIVE UP AND TO
KEEP COMING AND I WILL JUST END
BY QUOTING -- PARAPHRASING
BECAUSE I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN THE
ACTUAL QUOTE BUT SOMETHING
ALONG THE LINES OF LET'S KEEP
BUILDING AND ORGANIZING SO THAT
WE CAN MEET ANY PENNY OF THE --
OPPOSITION FROM THE MAYOR WITH
A POUND OF ORGANIZING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
WITH THAT WE WILL CALL A VOTE
AND PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTION.
>> O'BRIEN?
>> AYE?
>> TRAN14
>> AYE
>> TRAN09
>> NO.
>> TRAN17
>> NO.
>> JUCEZ
>> NO.
>> THREE IN FAVOR, FIVE OPPOSED
.
>> SO THE RESOLUTION FAILS.
THERE IS NOTHING FOR ME TO
SIGN.
WITH THAT I UNDERSTAND
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT YOU HAVE
MATTERS THREE, FOUR AND FIVE
THAT ARE MATTERS ON THE AGENDA
AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
OH I DO HAVE TO READ IT INTO
THE RECORD.
>> THREE THROUGH FIVE ITEMS
1262 THROUGH 1264 APPOINTMENT
FOR CALVIN ARE JONES -- FROM
328 2020 AND REGINA JONES AND
MICHAEL PADILLA A COMPO FOR A
TERM UNTIL EVERY 28 2021 THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THESE
APPOINTMENTS BE CONFIRMED.
>> THANK YOU.
SO I WILL SPEAK TO ALL THE
APPOINTMENTS TOGETHER.
CALVIN JONES, GINA JONES AND
MICHAEL A COMPO ARE ALL
ADVOCATES.
CALVIN AND MICHAEL HAVE ALREADY
SERVED ON THE RENTERS
COMMISSION IN VARIOUS FORMS.
GINA IS A NEW APPOINTMENT AND
HAS BEEN AN AMAZING ACTIVIST
FOR 18 YEARS WITH WASHINGTON
COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK AND
HAS TESTIFIED TO COUNCIL MANY
TIMES ON IMPORTANT RENTER
RIGHTS LEGISLATION . THE HUMAN
SERVICES EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS COUNCILS
CONFIRM THESE APPOINTMENTS.
>> I JUST WANT TO VOICE STRONG
SUPPORT FOR BOTH MICHAEL AND
CALVIN.
I'VE WORKED WITH THEM IN THE
PAST AND MICHAEL AND I GO BACK
ALMOST 5 YEARS. HE'S GOT AN
INCREDIBLE TRACK RECORD AS A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND DOES A
VOICE FOR COMMUNITY RENTERS AND
I WANT TO THANK THEM BOTH FOR
THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>> NO.
>> OKAY, SO WE CAN DO ALL
THREE?
>> OKAY WE WILL MOVE ALL THREE,
THOSE IN FAVOR OF CONFIRMING
THE APPOINTMENTS, VOTE AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED?
THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
APPOINTMENTS ARE CONFIRMED.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> NEXT IS THE REPORT OF THE
GENDER EQUITY COMMUNITY --
COMMITTEE.
>> ACTUALLY IF I CAN HAVE THE
TITLE OF THE BILL READ INTO THE
RECORD?
>> NEW AMERICANS -- ITEM 6
RELATING TO THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT CREATING AN
INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR HIRING
POLICE OFFICERS AND REPEALING
OBSOLETE SECTIONS 4.2 0.530,
40, 50.
THE COMMUNITY -- COUNCIL
RECOMMENDS -- COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL
PASS AS AMENDED.
>> THANK YOU.
SO I NEED TO MOVE TO AMEND THIS
BILL WITH THE SUBSTITUTION
VERSION SO I MOVED TO AMEND
119468 BY SUBSTITUTING VERSION
3 FORK -- FOR VERSION 2.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
THAT THE SUBSTITUTE BE ADOPTED.
ANY COMMENTS?
OKAY.
>> I THINK WE NEED TO VOTE ON
THE SUBSTANCE OF VERSION 2.
>> MAN, I AM JUST NOT GETTING
THIS SCRIPTING DOWN.
>> I'M HERE TO HELP BY GIVING
YOU SOME GENTLE PROMPTS.
>> THERE WE GO.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE
SUBSTITUTE VOTE AYE.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
SUBSTITUTE IS ADOPTED .
>> ALL RIGHT.
NOW I WILL SPEAK TO THE
SUBSTANTIVE SUBSTITUTION BILL
119468.
COUNCIL BILL 119468 CREATES AN
INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR THE
HIRING OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS
AT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT . MY COMMITTEE AND
THIS COUNCIL HAVE CLOSELY
WATCHED THE HIRING AND
SEPARATIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT
OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT SINCE THE MIDDLE OF
2018 WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT
THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS LAGGING
FIRE BEHIND THE HIRING FORECAST
-- FAR BEHIND THE HIRING
FORECAST.
THEY'VE CONTINUED TO ENCOUNTER
HIRING STRUGGLES IN RECENT
MONTHS, AND THIS IS AS WE HEARD
IN MY COMMITTEE HEARING, A
REFLECTION OF A VERY
CHALLENGING LANDSCAPE
NATIONALLY, IN WHICH POLICE
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
ARE STRUGGLING TO RECRUIT NEW
OFFICERS.
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND THE MAYOR ORIGINALLY
PROPOSED THIS LEGISLATION TO
OFFER LATEAL HIRES FROM OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AND JURISDICTIONS A
SIGNING BONUS OF $15,000 IN
TOTAL.
WE HAVE THROUGH MY COMMITTEE
PROCESS FOLLOWING THE INITIAL
HEARING ON THIS BILL AND MY
COMMITTEE, IDENTIFIED SEVERAL
WAYS THAT I THOUGHT WE COULD
STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND THIS
INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WHILE
CREATING ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO
ENSURE THE STRATEGY'S SUCCESS
SO I PROPOSED FOUR CHANGES IN
TOTAL TO THIS LEGISLATION,
WHICH WERE ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY
IN COMMITTEE AT OUR LAST
COMMITTEE HEARING ON THE 27th
OF FEBRUARY. THE FIRST IS THAT
MY AMENDMENTS WOULD EXPAND THE
INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO NEW
RECRUITS AND THE EXECUTIVE'S
PROPOSAL WOULD'VE AUTHORIZED A
$15,000 HIRING BONUS
EXCLUSIVELY FOR LATERAL HIRES
IN MY COMMITTEE ALSO AUTHORIZE
EXTENSION OF HIRING BONUS TO
NEW RECRUITS OF UP TO $7500 PER
RECRUIT.
LATERAL HIRES ONLY MAKE UP 20
OF THE 100 FOR NEW OFFICER
POSITIONS IN THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT'S FORECAST, SO
CONSIDERING THAT THE BULK OF
NEW HIRES APPROXIMATELY 84 OUT
OF 104, THE DEPARTMENT IS
SEEKING IN 20 -- NEW RECRUITS I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE
DEPARTMENT DIRECT ITS EFFORTS
AND RESOURCES TOWARD THE NEW
RECRUITS STRATEGY AS WELL AS A
LATERAL HIRING STRATEGY.
IN ADDITION, A HIRING BONUS FOR
NEW RECRUITS CAN HELP REDUCE
BARRIERS TO PURSUING THIS
PROFESSION AND ENHANCE THE
DEPARTMENT EFFORTS TO ENHANCE
AND RECRUIT WOMEN AND THOSE
FROM DIVERSE RACIAL AND ETHNIC
BACKGROUNDS CONSISTENT WITH OUR
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
AND IN CONNECTION WITH SOME OF
THE PROGRESS THE DEPARTMENT HAS
ALREADY MADE IN TERMS OF
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF
DIVERSE FOLKS TO BECOME POLICE
OFFICERS.
SECONDLY, THE SECOND AMENDMENT
THAT I ADVANCED IN COMMITTEE
WAS A NEW DATA COLLECTION AND
ANALYSIS AND REPORTING
REQUIREMENT THAT WILL HELP THE
COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC
DETERMINE IF THIS PROGRAM IS
SUCCESSFUL INCLUDING DATA
REGARDING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF
NEW HIRES AND LATERAL HIRES.
THIRD IT'S A SUNSET DATE WHICH
WOULD REQUIRE THE EXECUTIVE TO
SEEK CITY COUNCIL AFFIRMATIVE
REAUTHORIZATION FROM -- EXCUSE
ME WOULD SEEK REAUTHORIZATION
BEFORE RENEWING OR CONTINUING
THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, AND THEN
LASTLY A CLAUSE THAT ENSURES
THAT NEW HIRES THAT RECEIVE THE
BONUS SERVE THE DEPARTMENT FOR
THREE YEARS BEFORE LEAVING.
OTHERWISE, THEY WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO PAY BACK THE BONUS
TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE, IF THEY
DEPART BEFORE THE END OF THOSE
THREE YEARS.
SO, FOLLOWING SOME ADDITIONAL
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT
AND THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE, WE
AGREED ON SEVERAL OTHER UPDATES
TO MY ORIGINAL AMENDMENT, WHICH
IS WHY I NEEDED A SUBSTITUTE
VERSION.
MOST OF THAT WAS WORDSMITHING
AND TECHNICAL LANGUAGE, AND
THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS, BUT WOULD URGE MY
COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THE
PASSAGE OF THIS COUNCIL BILL,
WHICH IS, AS I MENTIONED THIS
MORNING, REVENUE NEUTRAL, AND
WILL BE SUPPORTED THROUGH
SALARY SAVINGS AS A RESULT OF
ONGOING VACANCIES AT THE
DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF ITS
HIRING FORECAST.
>> COUNCILWOMAN MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT
ND TO THE GOOD CHAIR OF PUBLIC
SAFETY FOR HER REALLY INTENSE
WORK ON THIS BILL.
I THINK WHEN I INITIALLY CAME
TO YOUR COMMITTEE, WHEN WE
DISCUSSED THIS, THERE WAS A LOT
OF SKEPTICISM I HELD ABOUT
WHETHER THIS WAS THE RIGHT WAY
TO GO BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF US
ARE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO
ENSURE THAT ANY ADDITIONAL
DOLLARS AND EFFORTS IN TERMS OF
PRAGMATIC STRATEGIES GO INTO
COMMUNITY POLICING AND TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SHARE SOME
OF THE FUNDS WITH OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS AND WHAT I HEARD IN
THAT COMMUNITY -- COMMITTEE
BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP WAS
REALLY ABOUT STABILITY.
THE NUMBERS SPOKE FOR
THEMSELVES AND HAVING A CHANCE
TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE
DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AT LARGE, I THINK IT
REALLY STRUCK A NICE BALANCE
HERE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSCORE
WHAT YOU JUST ENDED WITH AGAIN
WHICH IS THAT THIS IS NOT NEW
MONEY.
THERE ARE THREE ADDITIONAL
COMPONENTS THAT REALLY MAKE
THIS A POWERFUL PIECE OF
LEGISLATION IN TERMS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
TO ENSURE THIS MECHANISM WORKS
FOR CREATING GREATER STABILITY
FOR OUR POLICE FORCE.
ONE IS THE SUNSET ON THE
DURATION OF THE HIRING
INCENTIVES, TWO IS THE
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU
CHAMPIONED AND INCLUDED HERE SO
THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE
WHETHER OR NOT THE DOLLARS WE
ARE BRINGING -- ARE TRULY
BRINGING IN NEW RECRUITS AND
LATERAL HIRES, AND THAT WE
RETAIN THE COMMITMENT TO RACIAL
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE BY FIVE --
NOT JUST FOCUSING ON LATERAL
HIRES BUT ALSO NEW HIRES THAT
WOULD HOPEFULLY BE YOUNGER
FOLKS, WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WORK TO INCORPORATE ALL OF
THESE COMPONENTS INTO THE
REVISED VERSION, AND I'LL BE
SUPPORTING YOU IN THIS EFFORT.>>
IS A MEMBER JOHNSON?
>> JUST BRIEFLY AS A THIRD
MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE,
WANTED TO OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR
THE RECOMMENDATION AND
HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS THAT WE
COVERED IN COMMITTEE THAT I
THOUGHT WERE WORTHY OF
REPEATING.
THE FIRST OF WHICH IS, THE
PROPOSAL IS VERY CONSISTENT
WITH WHAT HIRING BONUSES ARE
OFFERED BY JURISDICTIONS THAT
ARE DIRECTLY NEIGHBORING
LOCALES, WHETHER IT'S THE
COUNTY OR THE CITY OR SNOHOMISH
COUNTY OR OTHER NEIGHBORING
CITIES, SO NOT HAVING THIS PUTS
US AT A COMPETITIVE
DISADVANTAGE BY INSTITUTING
THIS, IT WILL AT LEAST PUT US
ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WITH
THOSE OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN
TERMS OF THE SIGNING BONUSES
THEY OFFER BOTH TO NEW RECRUITS
AND LATERAL HIRES AND THEN THE
SECOND IS, I THINK IT'S VERY
APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT, OFTENTIMES, THERE'S A
FREDERICK OUT THERE ABOUT THIS
COUNCIL NOT DOING -- AND
RHETORIC OUT THERE ABOUT THE
COUNCIL NOT DOING THE HIRING OF
NEW OFFICERS -- IT'S A NATIONAL
CHALLENGE FOR DEPARTMENTS
AROUND THE COUNTRY TO BRING IN
NEW PEOPLE INTO THE WORLD OF
POLICING.
SOME FOLKS ATTRIBUTE THAT TO
THE CHALLENGE OF CONSTITUTIONAL
POLICING.
SOME ATTRIBUTE IT TO THE LOW,
HISTORICALLY LOW UNEMPLOYMENT
RATES.
REGARDLESS, I THINK THIS
COUNCIL IS DOING OUR PART TO
ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING
ALL KINDS OF INCENTIVES TO
ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE
DOING FAIR AND APPROPRIATE
CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING BUT
ALSO PUTTING FORTH THE
RESOURCES NECESSARY TO BE SURE
WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL
OF OFFICERS NECESSARY TO DO THE
WORK, SO I WANT TO THANK THE
CHAIR FOR THE COMMITMENT AND I
WANT TO ENTHUSIASTICALLY OFFER
MY SUPPORT WITH A YES.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A DIFFERENT
ELEMENT OF THIS EFFORT,
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO MEETING
OUR STAFFING GOALS. THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE IS CONVENING A HIRING
WORK GROUP RELATING TO HIRING,
AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL IS
A PART OF THAT.
I WANT TO RAISE AN ISSUE THAT
I'VE RAISED BEFORE.
IN 2017, THE COMMUNITY POLICING
COMMISSION OR COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION PUBLISHED A REPORT
ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THIS SUBJECT
ENTITLED RECOMMENDATIONS OF
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION FOR
RECRUITMENT, HIRING AND
TRAINING AND IT INCLUDES
NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
CAN INFORM THIS WORK AND
THEY'VE NEVER BEEN IMPLEMENTED
AND SERVE AS I BELIEVE A
STARTING POINT INCLUDING
COMPARISONS TO STARTING POINT
-- TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.
I'VE REQUESTED THE WORK GROUP
NOT ONLY CONSIDER THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS STUDY,
BUT ALSO FIND A WAY TO
INCORPORATE THE INVOLVEMENT OF
THE CPC.
THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY CHARTERED
TO IT BUYS THE CITY ON ISSUES
RELATED TO RECRUITMENT AND IN
ADDITION, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
SOME OF THE OTHER WORK RELATED
TO RECRUITMENT THAT
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ AND I
HAVE DONE . OVER THE LAST FOUR
YEARS AFTER THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE -- WE INCLUDED A
úSECTION REGARDING HIRING POINT
AND THE TWO OF US WORKED TO GET
IMPLEMENTATION OF LANGUAGE
SPECIFICALLY REFERENCE POINTS
TO EXPAND THE POOL OF
APPLICANTS AND MAKE IT CLEAR
THAT THEIR SKILL SETS ARE
VALUED.
IT'S TRUE THAT ALL OF THE
QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WHO MEET
THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE
PREFERENCE POINTS POLICY, THOSE
POOR FOLKS ARE ALL BEING HIRED
BUT MY HOPE FOR THE PREFERENCE
POINTS POLICY IS THAT IT WILL
ACTUALLY SEND A MESSAGE TO OUR
DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT THEIR
SKILLS ARE VALUED AND ACTUALLY
INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE POOL
APPLYING.
IN ADDITION, I'VE ALSO HAD
CONCERNS THAT WE ARE SPENDING A
LOT OF TIME, ALTHOUGH I
ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE ADDITION
OF BONUSES FOR LATERAL HIRES
AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ' EXPANSION TO THE NEW
RECRUITS, I REALLY WANT TO
HAVE A LASER SHARP FOCUS ON
WHAT OUR APPROACH IS FOR NEW
RECRUITS.
OF OUR HIRING PLAN FOR 2019, I
BELIEVE 20 OF THOSE ARE TO COME
FROM LATERAL HIRES WHEREAS ADR
COMING FROM NEW RECRUITS AND TO
ME THAT'S A REAL SIGNAL THAT
THAT'S WHERE THE LIONS SHARE OF
WORK REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND AGAIN IT NEEDS TO BE DONE
IN NO WAY THAT WE DO NOT LOSE
THE GROUND THAT WE'VE GAINED ON
HIRING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE. IN
2013, 14% OF ALL WORK LACE
HIRES WERE FROM RACIALLY DIVERSE
COMMUNITIES -- WORKPLACE HIRES
WERE FROM RACIALLY DIVERSE
COMMUNITIES AND WE ARE NOW UP
TO 18% SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE DON'T LOSE GROUND IN THESE
EFFORTS BUT WE REALLY WANT TO I
THINK COME UP WITH NEW AND
INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO WANT TO BE A POLICE
OFFICER IN OUR CITY.
FINALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS
WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR BUDGET
OFFICER -- OFFICE IS IN TERMS
OF COST.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE OFFER NEW
RECRUITS IN A HIRING BONUS
VERSUS WHAT WE OFFER LATERAL
RECRUITS, IT'S BECAUSE THERE
ARE MORE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
NEW RECRUITS AND I WOULD REALLY
LIKE TO SEE THOSE COSTS SORT OF
CALCULATED AND PUT ON PAPER SO
WE ARE NOT SEEING THE TOTAL
COSTS WHICH I UNDERSTAND WE'VE
RECEIVED BUT THE COSTS IN TERMS
OF TRAINING AND FIELD TRAINING
UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS
INCLUDES OVER TIME.
I THINK THAT WILL HELP GUIDE US
ON WHERE WE WANT TO PUT OUR
EMPHASIS IN DEVELOPING WITH THE
DEPARTMENT THIS STAFFING PLAN.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> THANK YOU.
DURING THE BUDGET LAST FALL I
PROPOSED 11 AMENDMENTS TO
INCREASE WITH THE CITY OF
SEATTLE SPENDS ON AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND ONE OF THOSE WAS TO
SLOW THE HIRING OF NEW POLICE
OFFICERS AND FREE UP
APPROXIMATELY $12 MILLION TO
BUILD AN ADDITIONAL $75 MILLION
-- 75 TO 100 THOUSAND PER YEAR.
STUDIES OVER DECADES HAVE
COMPLETE -- INCREASINGLY SHOWN
CUTTING INEQUALITY IS FAR MORE
EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING CRIME AND
IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY THAN IN
CRETE -- IMPROVING POLICING.
THE COUNCIL DID NOT AGREE AT
THAT TIME.
THIS COUNCIL BILL WOULD RATHER
THAN INVESTING MORE FUNDS IN
ADDRESSING INEQUALITY BY FOR
EXAMPLE EXPANDING AFFORDABE
HOUSING, IT'S GOING TO SPEND
MORE MONEY TO SPEED UP OFFICER
HIRING.
AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY
DATA TO SUPPORT THAT ACTUALLY
HIRING MORE POLICE OFFICERS
REDUCES -- IMPROVES PUBLIC
SAFETY OR ADDRESSES ANY
QUALITY.
ADDRESSING INEQUALITY DOES THAT
AND FOR THAT REASON I WILL BE
VOTING NO, AND ON A SIDE NOTE,
I WILL ALSO MENTION, HOW COME
WE HAVEN'T SEEN HIRING BONUSES
FOR EDUCATORS AND OTHER CIVIL
SERVICE WORKERS OR ANY OF THE
OTHER NUMEROUS PUBLIC JOBS THAT
DO NONVIOLENT LIFESAVING WORK
AND ARE CONSTANTLY ASKED TO DO
SO ON SOME OF THE LOWEST WAGES
IN THE CITY.>> OKAY, ANYONE
ELSE?
>> I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE
SOME CLOSING REMARKS HERE. SO,
I THINK I WANTED TO JUST
RESPOND TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S SUGGESTIONS ABOUT
SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL WORK
THAT CAN BE INCLUDED AS PART OF
THE WORKGROUP.
MY OFFICE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE
A SEAT AT THAT WERE UP AND WE
WILL BE SURE TO LOOPING YOUR
FEEDBACK COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
TO BE SURE WE ARE COUNT --
CAPTURING THAT ADDITIONAL DATA
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S
ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT AND
CRITICAL TO THIS AND I ALSO
WANT TO NOTE IN TERMS OF THE
HIRING BONUS FOR LATERALS
VERSUS NEW RECRUITS, PART OF
THE REASON WHY I WAS MOTIVATED
TO EXPAND THIS TO NEW RECRUITS
AND NOT JUST BE HYPER FOCUSED
ON LATERALS IS BECAUSE LATERALS
ARE A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE
TYPE OF OFFICERS THAT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS
HISTORICALLY BEEN ABLE TO HIRE
TO ADDRESS THE HIRING SHORTAGE
AND THE STAFFING ISSUES.
SO MY HOPE IS THAT BY OFFERING
THE NEW RECRUIT HIRING
INCENTIVES, WE WILL ACTUALLY
SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AND
BUMP OF HIRING IN THAT
PARTICULAR SECTION, IN LARGE
PART BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONLY
JURISDICTION THAT I AM AWARE OF
THAT WILL BE OFFERING A HIRING
INCENTIVES FOR NEW RECRUITS.
AND THEN LASTLY I JUST WANTED
TO CLARIFY ONE LAST FACT THAT I
THINK WAS MISSTATED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WHICH IS
THAT THIS IS NOT A BUDGET
ACTION.
WE ARE NOT ALLOCATING
ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR
THEM TO FULFILL THIS HIRING
BONUS.
THIS IS A POLICY SHIFT AND
POLICY CHANGE THAT WOULD ALLOW
THEM WITHIN THEIR EXISTING
APPROPRIATED BUDGET TO UTILIZE
THE DOLLARS THAT THEY CURRENTLY
HAVE IN THEIR BUDGET FOR
STAFFING TO ALSO INCLUDE THIS
HIRING BONUS AS A STRATEGY, AND
IF THE HIRING BONUS DOESN'T
WORK, WE WON'T BE PAYING OUT
ANY MONEY AND THERE WILL BE
ABSOLUTELY NO DOLLARS SPENT IN
THIS SPACE SO THE DOLLARS THAT
ARE GOING TO BE SPENT WITHIN
EXISTING BUDGET AUTHORITY OF
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WILL ONLY BE SPENT IF THEY HAVE
SUCCESS IN THIS AREA AND IF
NOT, THEN THAT MEANS WE NEED TO
TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AND THE
DATA WE ARE REQUIRING THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDE TO US
AND THE LONG-TERM WORK OF THE
WORKGROUP TO ADDRESS THE
ONGOING ISSUES OF HIRING AND
THE STAFFING MODELS AND THE
FORECASTING WILL NEED TO BE
INFORMED BY ANY LACK OF SUCCESS
OR SUCCESS IN THIS CASE WITH
THIS STRATEGY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ.
I THINK THAT WRAPS IT UP AND WE
WILL MOVE.
WE ARE READY DID THE SUBSTITUTE
BILL ADOPTED SO NOW I AM
LOOKING TO PASS IT AS
AMENDED.>> SECOND.
>> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS?
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL ROLL?
>> O'BRIEN, SAWANT, BAGSHAW,
GONZALEZ, HERBOLD, JOHNSON,
MOSQUEDA, JUAREZ PRESIDENT
LAURA'S. SEVEN IN FAVOR, ONE
OPPOSED.
>> IT IS PASS IT AND THE CHAIR
WILL FIND IT.
-- PASSED IN THE CHAIR WILL
SIGN IT. COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ YOU HAVE ANOTHER
MATTER FOR US, AN APPOINTMENT .
>> I WOULD LOVE FOR THE CLERK
TO READ THIS INTO THE RECORD.
>> APPOINTMENT 1259
REAPPOINTMENT OF MAYA BABLA
APPIAH AS A MEMBER SEATTLE
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMISSION FOR A TERM TO
JANUARY 31 2021, THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THAT THE COUNCIL --
BUT APPOINTMENT BE CONFIRMED.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
LAURA'S.
12 59 IS THE REAPPOINTMENT OF
MAYA BABLA APPIAH AS A MEMBER
OF THE SEATTLE IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE COMMISSION.
SHE'S ALREADY BEEN SERVING ON
THE COMMISSION.
SHE JOINED US IN COMMITTEE LAST
WEEK.
SHE IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE
COCHAIRS OF THE SEATTLE
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMISSION
. HR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE
EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT OF HER
CONTINUATION AND WOULD
APPRECIATE HER -- US CONFIRMING
HER NOMINATION.
SHE IS CURRENTLY A PROGRAM
MANAGER WITHIN MICROSOFT'S
GLOBAL TALENT ACQUISITION TEAM.
SHE HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE
WITH OTHER TECH COMPANIES
INCLUDING IN SAN FRANCISCO.
SHE CURRENTLY LIVES IN DISTRICT
6 AND IS VERY EXCITED TO
CONTINUE HER SERVICE ON THE
SEATTLE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMISSION AND THE COMMITTEE
UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE
CITY COUNCIL CONFIRMED HER
APPOINTMENT.>> ANY COMMENTS?
>> OKAY.
WITH THAT THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE
AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION
CARRIES AND THE POINTMAN IS
CONFIRMED.
OKAY, NOW I SEE WHERE I AM
MESSING UP BECAUSE THE SCRIPT
SAYS PLEASE READ THE REPORT. DO
YOU MEAN READ INTO THE RECORD?
OKAY, THAT'S WHERE I WAS
GETTING CONFUSED SO I WILL
REPORT ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS
UTILITIES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND ARTS COMMITTEE,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> CIVIL RIGHTS UTILITIES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ARTS
COMMITTEE 119420 UPDATING THE
VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL
REFERENCE DATA FOR CITY OF
SEATTLE DEPARTMENTS AND OUTSIDE
ENTITIES, COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
COUNCIL PASS AS AMENDED .
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> 119420 REFERENCES SOMETHING
CALLED A DATUM.
THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO HEAR
ME TALK ABOUT AFTER THIS.
A DATUM POINT IS USED FOR THE
ENTIRE CITY AND SURVEYING AND
CONSTRUCTION IN ORDER TO
PROVIDE A KNOWN LOCATION TO
MEASURE FROM, TO MEASURE THE
POSITION OF THE HEIGHT, OR THE
HEIGHT OF AN OBJECT IN RELATION
TO THE DATUM POINT ITSELF . THE
DATUM POINT S WERE LAST UPDATED
IN 2003 AND THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR
FUTURE CODE UPDATES AND ENSURE
THAT THE CITY IS AT THE MOST
CURRENT DATUM POINT . BOTH THE
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DATUMS
WILL BE UPDATED IN 2022 BUT
AGAIN, THAT WILL NOT REQUIRE
ANY VOTE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> GREAT.
ANY COMMENTS?
OKAY.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
>> O'BRIEN, SAWANT, BAGSHAW,
GONZALEZ, HERBOLD, JOHNSON,
MOSQUEDA, JUAREZ EIGHT IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND THE
CHAIR WILL SIGN IT. PLEASE READ
THE NEXT ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> AUTHORIZING GENERAL MANAGER
CEO OF SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH
WASTE MANAGEMENT OF WASHINGTON
FOR CONSTRUCTION WASTE
COLLECTION SERVICES AND
RATIFYING AND CONFIRMING
CERTAIN PRIOR ACTS, COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS CITY COUNCIL PASS.
>> WASTE MANAGEMENT IS THE
CURRENT PROVIDER OF THESE
SERVICES AND WAS SELECTED AGAIN
AFTER AN OPEN RFP , REQUEST FOR
PROPOSAL.
THE NEW CONTRACT IS FOR 6 TO 12
YEARS AND WILL BEGIN IN APRIL
2019 IS A -- APPROVED BY THE
FULL COUNCIL.
THE CONTRACT COVERS DELIVERY
AND COLLECTION OF TEMPORARY
DROP BOXES AT CONSTRUCTION
SITES FOR NONRECYCLABLE WASTE.
THIS CONTRACT ALSO ACTUALLY
COVERS A LITTLE LESS THAN 10%
OF TOTAL DISPOSED CONSTRUCTION
WASTE AS MOST WASTE IS ACTUALLY
SERVICED BY INDEPENDENT
RECYCLERS OR SELF-HOME BY A
LARGE CONSTRUCTION FIRMS WHO
BASICALLY CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN
BY DELIVERING THEIRS WASTE --
THEIR WASTE DIRECTLY TO THE
YARD.
THE PRICES ARE SIMILAR TO THE
CURRENT EXPIRING CONTRACT.
>> PLEASE CALL WOMACK ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
>> O'BRIEN, SAWANT, BAGSHAW,
GONZALEZ, HERBOLD, JOHNSON,
MOSQUEDA, PRESIDENT JUAREZ ,
EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> IT PASSES NONE OPPOSED IN
THE CHAIR WILL SIGN.
>> AGENDA ITEMS 10 AND 11 1257
AND 1258 REAPPOINTMENTS OF
DOUGLAS RAFF AND BOB STRONG FOR
A TERM TO JULY 11 2021,
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE
APPOINTMENTS BE CONFIRMED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THE MUSEUM DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY HAS NINE MEMBERS,
THREE MEMBERS EACH APPOINTED BY
THE MUSEUM DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY GOVERNING COUNCIL ,
THE GOVERNMENT -- SEATTLE ART
MUSEUM AND THE MAYOR.
THE FIRST APPOINTMENT IS A
REAPPOINTMENT, DOUGLAS RAFF IS
A MUSEUM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
GOVERNING COUNCIL APPOINTMENT.
HE'S IN LAWYER WHO'S BEEN DAY
SHE'S A LAWYER AND PART OF THE
NATIONAL BOARD FOR -- OF THE
TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, DIRECTOR
OF THE SASQUATCH PUBLISHING
COMPANY AND A TRUSTEE OF THE
BULLET FOUNDATION, CIVIC
SCIENCE CENTER, COALITION FOR
OPEN GOVERNMENT AND THE SEATTLE
PARKS FOUNDATION.
BOB STRONG IS A SEATTLE ART
MUSEUM APPOINTMENT, FINANCIAL
ADVISOR WHO HAS BEEN THE CHAIR
OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE
FINANCIAL ART MUSEUM -- SEATTLE
ART MUSEUM, CHAIR OF IN THE
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, AND
MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE RAINIER SCHOLARS.
>> OKAY, SO THAT'S FOR BOTH
APPOINTMENTS.
ANY COMMENTS?
THOSE IN FAVOR OF CONFIRMING
THE APPOINTMENT VOTE AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO, THE
AYES HAVE IT AND THE
APPOINTMENTS ARE CONFIRMED.
THAT'S IT FOR COUNCILMEMBER
SHARE WHEEL'S COMMITTEE SO
LET'S MOVE ONTO VERY EXCITING
FINANCE AND NEIGHBORHOODS,
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS?
>> MADAM CLERK.
>> I THOUGHT WE DID 10 AND 11.
>> I WILL READ ITEM NUMBER 12.
>> I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO
SAY THAT.
>> THE REPORT OF THE FINANCE
AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE,
COUNCILWOMAN BAGSHAW RELATING
TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION
IMPOSING CONTROLS UPON THE
BROAD STREET SUBSTATION,
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS COUNCIL
PASS.
>> THIS EXCITING ITEM AFTER
EVERYTHING ELSE WE'VE DONE, I
WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THIS ONE
19467 WHICH WILL ADD TO THE
TABLE OF HISTORIC LANDMARKS
TWO PARTICULAR POINTS OF LIGHT
IN THE BROAD SUBSTATION FOR
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE
SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS, BOTH
CULTURAL, POLITICAL AND
HERITAGE IN THIS AREA, AND
THERE ARE SOME CONTROLLED
FEATURES INCLUDE THE CONTROL
AND CRANE BUILDINGS AND THE
TOWER ITSELF, SO WITH THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ADOPTION OF
THE DESIGNATION.
>> SECOND.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT.
PLEASE CALL THE LOAN ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
>> O'BRIEN, SAWANT, BAGSHAW,
GONZALE, HERBOLD, JOHNSON,
MOSQUEDA, PRESIDENT JUAREZ .
EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND THE
CHAIR WILL SIGN IT, PLEASE READ
THE NEXT ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> 31866 ESTABLISHING A
WATCHLIST OF LARGE COMPLEX
DISCRETE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT
WILL REQUIRE ENHANCED QUARTERLY
MONITORING PROJECTS -- REPORTS
FOR THE 2019 CALENDAR YEAR,
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS COUNCIL
ADOPT .
>> WITH MUCH THANKS TO
COUNCILMEMBER LISA HERBOLD,
DID YOU WANT TO BRING FORWARD
AN AMENDMENT AT THIS POINT?
>> I DO, ACTUALLY.
WE HAVE A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO
THE SOLUTION -- RESOLUTION AS
DISCUSSED IN COMMITTEE THAT
CREATES AN EXPECTATION FOR
WHERE THE QUARTERLY REPORTS ON
THE PROJECTS THAT ARE INCLUDED
ON THE WATCHLIST WILL BE HEARD.
PART OF THIS ENHANCED REPORTING
AND OVERSIGHT OF LARGE CAPITAL
PROJECTS NOT ONLY INCLUDES
HAVING SOME SHARED EXPECTATIONS
WITH THE EXECUTIVES, BUT ALSO
REQUIRES, I THINK, A CHANGE IN
FOCUS ON THE COUNCIL THAT WE
ACTUALLY AGREE TO FIND A TIME
AND A PLACE AT OUR COMMITTEE
MEETINGS, TO HEAR WHAT THE
COMMITTEE REPORTS COMING OUT OF
THESE SPECIFIC PROJECTS SAY.
WITH THE IDEA THAT IF WE HEAR
THESE REPORTS IN COMMITTEE AND
IDENTIFY PROBLEMS WITH PROJECTS
ON THE WATCHLIST, THAT WE WILL
BE ABLE TO BETTER HOLD
OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR
ADDRESSING THOSE PROBLEMS WITH
SCOPE OR BUDGET AS THEY ARE
IDENTIFIED, SO IT'S IMPORTANT,
I THINK, TO ACTUALLY EMBRACE
THE ROLE THE COUNCIL HAS BY
AFFIRMATIVELY STATING THAT WE
WILL HEAR THESE REPORTS IN A
COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND THAT'S
WHAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES.
SHOULD I READ IT?
OKAY.
SO AMENDMENT ONE TO RESOLUTION
31866. BASICALLY LIKE I SAID,
IT MEMORIALIZES THE CITY'S
ATTEMPT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND FINANCE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW
THE ENHANCED QUARTERLY REPORTS
AND STATES THE CITY COUNCIL
ANTICIPATES THAT THE FINANCE
AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE OR
SUCCESSOR COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW
THE ENHANCED QUARTERLY REPORTS.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
NO?
OKAY.
SO ARE WE MOVING IT?>> SHE'S
MOVING IT.
I'M SECONDING.
>> OKAY IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED?
MOTION CARRIES AND THE
AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED .
>> AND I WILL JUST SPEAK TO
THE UNDERLYING BILL THEN AS
AMENDED.
THIS RESOLUTION ESTABLISHES A
WATCHLIST OF COMPLEX CAPITAL
PROJECTS, SOMETHING
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD BROUGHT
UP DURING BUDGET AND ON PAGE 3
OF THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHES
THE INITIAL WATCHLIST OF THE
COMPLEX PROJECTS. QUARTERLY,
THE MAYOR WILL PROVIDE US AN
ENHANCED LIST AND THE OVERSIGHT
WILL PRIMARILY BE FOCUSED ON
SCOPE, SCHEDULE AND BUDGET AT
THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECT LEVEL
AND AS NOTED BY THIS AMENDMENT,
IT WILL BE BROUGHT UP TO THE
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WE WILL GET THIS STARTED IN THE
NEXT QUARTER, AND WE WILL
INVITE ALL WHO HAVE ANY
SPECIFIC PROJECTS FROM THEIR
COMMITTEE FROM THIS MORNING, IF
IT IS TRANSPORTATION WE WILL
INVITE COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN
AND GIVE YOU PLENTY OF NOTICE
SO THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY
INFORMATION -- OBJECTION AROUND
IT WE WILL BRING YOU THAT AHEAD
OF TIME SO WITH THAT I WOULD
LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE ADOPT
THIS RESOLUTION AS AMENDED.
>> SECONDED.
>> THOSE IN FAVOR --
>> OH, WAIT.
MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION
31866 AS AMENDED.
I THINK THERE'S A SECOND
ALREADY.
YES?
OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER JOHNSON?
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD FOR
CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION.
I THINK A LOT OF THIS
GERMINATED WHEN WE ALL, MANY OF
US, STARTED ON THE COUNCIL IN
EARLY 2016 AND WERE FACED WITH
THE PROSPECT OF SEVERAL MAJOR
CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WERE AT
100% OF BUDGET MADE -- BUT
MAYBE ONLY 80% OR 90% THROUGH
THEIR SCOPE AND FOLKS WERE
COMING TO US AND ASKING FOR
FORGIVENESS RATHER THAN
PERMISSION.
AND WHAT WERE WE GOING TO DO?
WE WERE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT
TO APPROVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
BECAUSE THE THING THAT WAS
GOING TO BE BUILT OR THAT WE
WERE BUYING WAS A THING THAT WE
NEEDED AND I THINK THE
INTENTION HERE IS TO CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COUNCIL
TO HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION
WITH THESE INDIVIDUAL
DEPARTMENTS AND PROJECT MANAGERS
AS THE PROJECT MOVES FORWARD,
SO THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO
CHOOSE MAY BE SOME CHANGES IN
SCOPE OR TIMELINE OF
DELIVERABILITY WITHOUT HAVING
TO NECESSARILY BE THE RECIPIENTS
OF BAD NEWS AT THE END OF A
PROJECT'S BUDGET WHEN THE
PROJECT WAS STILL UN-COMPLETE.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
SEEING HOW THIS PLAYS OUT OVER
THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AND
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN I WISH
YOU LUCK BECAUSE 11 OF THESE 18
OUR TRANSPORTATION-RELATED
THOMAS SO IT SEEMS YOU WILL BE
SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW'S
COMMITTEE AND I JUST THINK THIS
IS AT A BASE LEVEL A LOT OF
WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AS A
GOVERNMENT, WORKING CLOSELY
WITH THESE PROJECT MANAGERS TO
MAKE SURE THEY ARE DELIVERING
PROJECTS ON TIME AND ON BUDGET
AND MAKING HARD POLICY
DECISIONS EARLY IN THE PROCESS
AS OPPOSED TO LATE SO I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO VOTING YES
ON THIS.
>> OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE
RESOLUTION AS AMENDED?
VOTE AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED VOTE NO.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME
BEFORE COUNCIL, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU.
IT WAS EXCITING TO WATCH US LEAD
-- WATCH YOU LEAD US THROUGH
TODAY'S PROPOSALS AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I WOULD
LIKE TO BE EXCUSED NEXT MONDAY
AS I WILL BE EXCUSED FOR THE --
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED, THOSE
APPROVING OF LETTING
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA GO TO
WASHINGTON, D.C. . THE AYES
HAVE IT, GO FORWARD, DO GOOD
THINGS AND WITH THAT I THINK WE
ARE ADJOURNED.
>> WELL DONE.