>>> -- OF THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.
I'M LORENA GONZALEZ, PRESIDENT
OF THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL.
WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLE?
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> SAWANT?
>> HERE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> HERBOLD?
LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> MORALES?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> HERE.
>> SEVEN PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR OUR
LAST TWO COUNCILMEMBERS TO JOIN
US, BUT WE WILL GO AHEAD AND DIG
IN AND ADMONISH THEM
ACCORDINGLY, COLLEEN.
JUST KIDDING.
PRESENTATIONS, I AM NOT AWARE OF
ANY PRESENTATIONS.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE
CITY COUNCIL MEETING JUNE 1,2020
HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES ARE BEING SIGNED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE NOW APPROVED
MINUTES.
OKAY, FOLKS, WE ARE GOING TO DO
ADOPTION OF THE REFERRAL
CALENDAR JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF
US AS COLLEAGUES AND FOR THOSE
PEOPLE LISTENING IN.
WE HAVE SOME PROCEDURAL STEPS
THAT WE GOT TO GO THROUGH IN
ORDER TO ADOPT THE REFERRAL
CALENDAR.
SO THERE WILL BE AN AMENDMENT
THAT WILL NEED TO BE MADE BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND THEN
THERE WILL BE AN AMENDMENT THAT
WILL LEAD TO BE ADVANCED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
AND COUNCIL BRIEFING.
NOW, I STILL DON'T THINK WE HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD ON THE
LINE, OH, THERE SHE IS.
SHE JUST -- LOOKS LIKE SHE IS ON
WITH US NOW.
SO I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MOVE
THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
SO AGAIN, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE
GOING TO CONSIDER IS A COUPLE OF
MOTIONS, ONE FROM COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
THE OTHER WILL COME FROM
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT FOR THE
SOLE PURPOSE OF AMENDING THE
PROPOSED AND INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR.
SO BEAR WITH US FOR THOSE OF YOU
LISTENING IN.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MOVE
THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE SO WE CAN GET TO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
I WILL MOVE TO ADOPT THE
REFERRAL CALENDAR, IS THERE A
SNEKD.
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE PREPARED
TO MAKE YOUR MOTION AT THIS
TIME, SO IF YOU ARE ON THE LINE,
I WILL YIELD THE FLOOR TO YOU
FOR THAT AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
I MOVE TO AMEND THE INTRODUCTION
REFERRAL CALENDAR BY
INTRODEUCING COUNCIL BILL 119803
ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING
THAT CERTAIN UNIFORMED POLICE
OFFICERS DO NOT COVER WITH A
MOURNING BAND THE SERIAL NUMBER
THAT IS ENGRAVED ON THEIR BADGE,
AMENDING SECTION 3.28.130 OF THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE,
DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND
ESTABLISHING AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE ALL BY A
THREE-FOURTHS VOTE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL AND BY REFERRING IT TO
THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> GREAT.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DO YOU
HAVE ANY BRIEF REMARKS ON THIS
AMENDMENT BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP
FOR ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL COMMENT
AND THEN ULTIMATELY A ROLE CALL.
>> THANK YOU.
HERE IN SEATTLE, PEOPLE THAT
HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE RECENT
RALLIES AND DEMONSTRATIONS
PROTESTING THE KILLING OF GEORGE
FLOYD HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY
HAVE OFTEN BEEN UNABLE TO
IDENTIFY OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY
COULD NOT SEE A NAME TAG AND
THAT THE OFFICER'S BADGE SERIAL
NUMBER WAS COVERED WITH A
MOURNING BAND.
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW THE
CONTINUED USE OF MOURNING BANDS
AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT OBSCURE
THE OFFICER'S BADGE NUMBER.
THIS NOTE ASSUMES THAT OFFICERS
WOULD CONTINUE TO USE THE BADGES
THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN
ISSUED BY SPD BUT WOULD SIMPLY
MOVE THE MOURNING BAND AWAY FROM
THE SERIAL NUMBER.
EARLY LAST WEEK I ANNOUNCED MY
INTENT TO INTRODUCE THIS
LEGISLATION.
SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, THE POLICE
CHIEF ORDERED OFFICERS TO
DISPLAY BADGE NUMBERS.
I APPRECIATE HER ORDER BUT WANT
TO ENSHRINE THIS TO CITY LAW SO
THAT IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE
POLICY OF THIS CHIEF OR A FUTURE
CHIEF.
THIS BILL BUILDS OFF OF
LEGISLATION ADOPTED IN 2000
AFTER THE WTO PROTESTS WHICH
REQUIRED THE DISPLAY OF NAMES ON
UNIFORMS.
THIS BILL WAS SPONSORED BY
FORMER COUNCILMEMBER STEINBROOK
AND THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE ROLE
FOR THE COUNCIL.
AND I'M HOPING THAT A VOTE CAN
BE HELD ON THIS LEGISLATION NEXT
MONDAY AT FULL COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE BRIEF
REMARKS, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR?
HEARING NONE, I WOULD JUST ADD
THAT COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, THIS
IS NOT UNTRADITIONAL FOR US TO
PURSUE THE STRATEGY THAT YOU'VE
JUST DESCRIBED.
WE DID IT IN THE CONTEXT, IF YOU
RECALL, AROUND OBSERVER, LIKE AN
OBSERVER BILL OF RIGHTS, WHICH
WAS USUALLY POLICIES THAT WERE
MEMORIALIZED IN DIRECTIVES THAT
YOU WISELY PUT FORWARD AND
LEGISLATED SO THAT IF THE
DIRECTIVE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED OF THAT
BECAUSE THERE IS AN ORDINANCE
AND A LAW IN PLACE THAT EXISTS.
AND THAT WOULD PREEMPT THE
DIRECTIVE THAT LIVES IN THE
DISCRETION OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE ALSO DID THE SAME THING
AS IT RELATED TO THE BIAS-FREE
POLICING ORDINANCE THAT I
COSPONSORED WITH THEN COUNCIL
PRESIDENT BRUCE HARRELL.
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
HAS A BIAS-FREE POLICING POLICY
IN THEIR STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURAL MANUAL, BUT WE FELT
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MEMORIALIZE
THAT IN ORDINANCE AND IN LAW.
SO APPRECIATE YOU, NONETHELESS,
BRINGING -- EVEN THOUGH THERE
WAS A DIRECTIVE BY THE CHIEF, I
APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS
OPPORTUNITY FORWARD TO
MEMORIALIZE IT IN CODE.
I THINK IT'S A PRUDENT PATH TO
TAKE.
OKAY, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER
COMMENTS ON THE AMENDMENT,
SEEING NONE I WOULD ASK THE
CLERK CALL THE ROLL.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
BILL IS ADDED TO THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR.
I'M NOW GOING TO MOVE OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WHO I
UNDERSTAND HAS TWO PROPOSED
BILLS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO
MOVE FOR INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL
THAT IS NOT ON THE PUBLISHED
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR.
THESE BILLS WERE ALSO NOT
DISTRIBUTED BY THE 5:00 P.M.
DEADLINE THIS PAST FRIDAY AS
REQUIRED BY THE COUNCIL RULES,
SO BEFORE COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
MAKES HER SUBSTANTIVE MOTIONS,
WE HAVE TO TAKE ONE QUICK LITTLE
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURAL STEP,
WHICH IS WE HAVE TO SUSPEND THE
RULES TO ALLOW FOR COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT TO MAKE HER MOTIONS TO
AMEND THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR.
SO IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
COUNCIL RULE WILL BE SUSPENDED
TO ALLOW CONSIDERATION OF A BILL
FOR INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
THAT WAS NOT DISTRIBUTED BY
5:00 P.M.
ON FRIDAY.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION?
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
COUNCIL RULE IS SUSPENDED AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT IS NOW
GOING TO PROCEED WITH PROPOSING
AN AMENDMENT TO THE INTRODUCTION
AND REFERRAL CALENDAR.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I MOVE TO AMEND THE CALENDAR TO
INTRODUCE 119804 AND 119805.
AND BY REFERRING TO TWO BILLS TO
THE CITY COUNCIL FOR
CONSIDERATION OF THE JUNE 15th
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THE BILL TITLES ARE AS FOLLOWS
-- COUNCIL BILL 119804, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
PROHIBITING THE USE OF
CHOKEHOLDS BY OFFICERS, AMENDING
SECTION 125.04.200 OF AND ADDING
A NEW SECTION 3.28.145 TO THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND COUNCIL BILL 119805, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
BANNING THE OWNERSHIP, PURCHASE,
RENT, STORAGE OR USE OF CROWD
CONTROL WEAPONS AND ADDING A NEW
SECTION 3.28.146 TO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
I HAVE AN EXPLANATION WHICH I
CAN OFFER IF I CAN GET A SECOND.
>> SECOND.
>> GREAT.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS TO MAKE SOME REMARKS ON
THE AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
FOLLOWING YET ANOTHER NIGHT OF
POLICE VIOLENCE, I'M INTRODUCING
LEGISLATION TO BAN POLICE USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND OTHER
SO-CALLED CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS
AS WELL AS LEGISLATION BANNING
CHOKEHOLDS.
SEATTLE POLICE ARE ATTACKING
PEACEFUL PROTESTER DAILY FROM
YOUNG CHILDREN TO THE ELDERLY
WITH CHEMICAL WEAPONS THAT ARE
INTERNATIONALLY BANNED IN
WARFARE.
THEY HAVE USED CHOKEHOLDS ON
PROTESTERS, INCLUDING THE SAME
KIND OF CHOKEHOLD THAT KILLED
GEORGE FLOYD.
LAST NIGHT I WAS PART OF A GROUP
OF HUNDREDS OF ACTIVISTS
PROTESTING PEACEFULLY ON CAPITOL
HILL AT 11th AND PINE.
WE WERE MACED AND GASSED BY
SEATTLE POLICE WITH NO
PROVOCATION.
THE POLICE HAD MANY OFFICERS
FULLY DONNED IN RIOT GEAR.
THEY HAD PADS PROTECTING THEIR
SHOULDERS, ARMS AND SHINS.
THEY HAD ON BULLET-PROOF VESTS,
FACE SHIELDS, BODY SHIELDS, GAS
MASKS AND THEY CARRIED BATONS,
RIFLES AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
OUR PROTEST MOVEMENT, ON THE
OTHER HAND, HAS BEEN COMPLETELY
UNARMED EXCEPT FOR OUR
CELLPHONES, OUR UMBRELLAS AND
OUR MULTIRACIAL WORKING CLASS
SOLIDARITY.
THE POLICE HAVE COME PREPARED TO
INFLICT VIOLENCE WITHOUT
PROVOCATION.
LAST FRIDAY MY OFFICE
DISTRIBUTED DRAFTS OF THESE TWO
BILLS TO COUNCIL OFFICES.
THE FIRST BILL BANS THE CITY
FROM OWNING AND THE POLICE FROM
USING CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS LIKE
TEAR GAS, MACE, GAS BAMS, FLASH
BANGS AND OTHER WEAPONS THAT ARE
USED INDISCRIMINATELY ON
GATHERINGS OF PROTESTERS.
SOME OF THESE WEAPONS, LIKE TEAR
GAS, ARE BANNED FROM USE IN WAR
BY THE GENEVA CONVENTION, YET
THE MAYOR AND THE SEATTLE POLICE
UNDER HER CONTROL HAVE
REPEATEDLY ON A DAILY BASIS USED
THEM ON THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
I'VE HEARD REPORTS FROM MANY
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS HAVE OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS OUTRAGED THAT
THESE WEAPONS WERE EVEN USED
AGAINST THE PROTESTS.
JUST A SMALL EXTRACT FROM THE
REPORT, QUOTE, TONIGHT MY
PARTNER AND I WERE TREATING A
YOUNG WOMAN IN HER 20s WHO HAD
TAKEN A POLICE PROJECT ISLE TO
HER CHEST.
SHE WAS STRUGGLING TO BREATHE.
THE POLICE THREW AT LEAST TWO
AND POSSIBLY AS MANY AS FOUR
FLASH BANG GRENADES INSIDE OF A
SMALL AREA OF OUR FIRST AID
CENTER WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO
RETREAT.
THE POLICE ARE ABSOLUTELY AWARE
OF THE LOCATION OF OUR FIRST AID
CENTER, UNQUOTE.
AND I CAN'T READ THE WHOLE
REPORT, BUT THEY'RE FACING DAILY
ATTACKS TO THE MEDIC TENT.
IF SEATTLE PASSES THIS
LEGISLATION, IT WILL BE
HISTORIC.
THE SECOND BILL BANS THE USE OF
CHOKEHOLDS BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE DEVASTATING
CONSEQUENCES OF CHOKEHOLDS.
SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN
PUT IN PLACE BY OTHER CITIES,
MOST RECENTLY IN MINNEAPOLIS.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO INVITE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE
LISTENING TO A PUBLIC MEETING
WITH MYSELF, WITH MEMBERS OF THE
BLACK COMMUNITY AND WITH MEMBERS
OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT TOMORROW,
TUESDAY, JUNE 9th AT 6:00 P.M.
AT CAL ANDERSON PARK.
IF YOU CAN'T JOIN US IN PERSON,
IT WILL BE LIVESTREAMED AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON
THE AMENDMENT?
OKAY.
WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, FOR
BRINGING BOTH OF THESE BILLS
FORWARD.
I THINK WE HAD A REALLY GOOD AND
INTERESTING CONVERSATION DURING
COUNCIL BRIEFING THIS MORNING
ABOUT BOTH BILLS AND ABOUT SOME
OF THE ADDITIONAL WORK YOUR
OFFICE PLANS ON DOING BEFORE WE
CONSIDER THIS ON NEXT MONDAY.
SO REALLY, AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOU
BRINGING FORWARD THESE BILLS AND
LOOK FORWARD TO BEING SUPPORTIVE
OF BOTH OF THEM ON MONDAY.
SO, COLLEAGUES, OH,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, YES?
>> YES, I JUST WANTED TO SIGNAL
MY SUPPORT FOR COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S BILLS AS WELL AS THE
ONE FROM COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
APPRECIATE THAT.
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT
WEEK'S WORTH OF ADDITIONAL WORK
ON THOSE, AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO, OBVIOUSLY, THE FINAL VOTE ON
THE BILLS ON MONDAY.
SO VERY, VERY TIMELY AND
RELEVANT BILLS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL IN THE AMENDMENT TO THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR?
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> STA WANT?
>> AYE?
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE?
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE?
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE?
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NONE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND ADDED
TO THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER
COMMENTS ON THE AMENDED
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR?
ALL RIGHT, HEARING NONE I WOULD
ASK THAT THE CLESHLG CALL THE
ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF THE
AMENDED INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>>>> AYE?
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE?.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES, WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE TO THE APPROVAL OF THE
AGENDA.
WE HAVE ONE AMENDMENT FROM
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS ON THE
AGENDA, SO I WILL FIRST MOVE TO
ADOPT THE AGENDA, AND AFTER A
SECOND WE WILL GAO THROUGH THE
AMENDMENT PROCEDURES.
SO I WILL MOVE TO ADOPT THE
AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO ADOPT THE AGENDA, AND I'M
GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS NOW TO MAKE
HIS MOTION FOR AN AMENDMENT TO
THE AGENDA.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> THANK YOU, MADAME PRESIDENT.
I MOVE TO ADD RESOLUTION 31948
ENTITLED A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING
THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE IN
JURISDICTIONS SUCH AS THE CITY
OF SEATTLE THAT HAVE NOT
REQUESTED AND DO NOT INTEND TO
REQUEST FEDERAL INTERVENTIONS
AND TO PLACE IT FOR
CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ADOPTION
OF OTHER RESOLUTIONS ON THE
AGENDA.
>> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE AGENDA AS DESCRIBED
BY COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS TO ADD
RESOLUTION 31948 FOR
CONSIDERATION UNDER ADOPTION OF
OTHER RESOLUTIONS.
THAT WOULD BE FOR CONSIDERATION
TODAY, SO ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS
ON THE AMENDMENT THAT YOU WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE NOW, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS, AS OPPOSED TO WHEN WE
CONSIDER THE SUBSTANTIVE
RESOLUTION?
>> NO, MADAME PRESIDENT, FOR NOW
I WILL REST ON MY COMMENTS I
MADE AT BRIEFING.
I WILL SPEAK TO THE RESOLUTION
MORE LATER.
SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE
AMENDMENT, I DO BELIEVE IT'S
PRES YENT AND WE SHOULD PASS
THIS RESOLUTION THIS AFTERNOON,
WHICH IS WHY I WANTED TO AMEND,
ADD IT ON TODAY.
I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
JOIN ME IN VOTING TO AMEND AND
PUT THIS FORWARD FOR THIS
AFTERNOON.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THE AMENDMENT AS
PROPOSED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES, HAS THE RESOLUTION BEEN
CIRCULATED ALREADY?
>> I BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN
DISTRIBUTED BY MY STAFF TO ALL
COUNCILMEMBERS.
IF I'M MISTAKEN ON THAT, I CAN
DIRECT MY STAFF TO DO THAT RIGHT
NOW.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
I'LL LOOK THERE.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND ARE THERE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
ON THE AMENDMENT?
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE ADOPTION OF THE
AMENDMENT?
>> MOSQU EDA?
I'LL COME BACK.
PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>>AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED AND
RESOLUTION 31498 WILL BE
CONSIDERED ADOPTION OF OTHER
RESOLUTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS ON THE AMENDED AGENDA?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I THINK YOU
HAVE AN AMENDMENT HERE TO HOLD A
PARTICULAR ITEM, SO I WOULD GO
AHEAD AND HAND IT OVER TO YOU
FOR THAT MOTION.
>> YES, THANK YOU, MADAME
PRESIDENT.
I MOVE TO HOLD AGENDA ITEM ONE,
COUNCIL BILL 119799 UNTIL JUNE
15, 2020.
>> IS THERE A SECOND?
GREAT.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
HOLD THE BILL.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THE
MOTION HOLD THE BILL?
>> YES, JUST SPEAKING BRIEFLY AS
I ALLUDED TO AT BRIEFING THIS
MORNING, THERE ARE SOME
PROMISING DEVELOPMENTS IN
TALKING TO LABOR AND PLATFORM
STAKEHOLDERS ON A PATH FORWARD
ON THIS.
AND ESPECIALLY GIVEN ALL THE
OTHER ITEMS THAT WE ARE
DISCUSSING THIS AFTERNOON, WE
THINK THOSE TALKS WILL BE
FRUITFUL TOWARDS FIGURING OUT A
WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO THAT WOULD WARRANT HOLDING
THIS FOR ONE MORE WEEK AND THAT
IS MY REQUEST.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT?
OKAY, HEARING NONE I WOULD ASK
THAT THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND
COUNCIL BILL 119799 IS HELD
UNTIL JUNE 15, 2020.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS
ON THE AMENDED AGENDA?
HEARING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
ADOPTION OF THE AMENDED AGENDA?
>> MOSQUEDA?
PEDERSEN?
>> AYE?
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE AGENDA AS AMENDED IS
ADOPTED.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO
OPEN UP THE REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS ON THE
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA INTRODUCTION
AND REFERRAL CALENDAR AND THE
COUNCIL'S 2020 WORK PROGRAM.
I ASK THAT EVERYONE BE PATIENT
WITH US AS WE CONTINUE TO LEARN
AND OPERATE THIS NEW SYSTEM,
EVEN AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE, WE
STILL SOME LITTLE
HICCUPS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL,
COLLEAGUES, AND YOUR PATIENCE
AND THOSE ON THE LISTENING LINE
WAITING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY.
APPRECIATE YOUR ONGOING
PATIENCE.
OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING
AT WAYS TO FINE TUNE THIS
PROCESS, AND CONTINUOUSLY
LOOKING TO ADD NEW FEATURES TO
ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL MEANS OF
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
IT DOES REMAIN OUR STRONG INTENT
TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY
INCLUDED ON MEETING AGENDAS,
BUT, OF COURSE, WE WILL CONTINUE
TO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO END OR
ELIMINATE THESE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIODS AT ANY POINT IF WE DEEM
THE SYSTEM IS BEING ABUSED AND
IN A MANNER IN WHICH WE CAN
CONDUCT BUSINESS.
I'M GOING TO MODERATE THE PERIOD
IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS 20
MINUTES.
HOWEVER, COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE I
THINK AT LAST COUNT ABOUT 140
FOLKS PRESENT AND AVAILABLE TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT
TODAY'S MEETING, SO WHILE WE
ORDINARILY GIVE EACH SPEAKER TWO
MINUTES, I HAVE PROPOSED THAT WE
DO ONE MINUTE PER SPEAKER AND
THAT WE ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
60 MINUTES IN TODAY'S PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
I DID HEAR FROM ONE
COUNCILMEMBER THAT THEY'D LIKE
TO STICK WITH THE TWO MINUTES
AND ALLOW FOR EVERY SPEAKER TO
BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
I DO APPRECIATE THAT ADVOCACY,
BUT I REALLY DO, YOU KNOW, FEEL
THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
GET TO THE OTHER ITEMS OF
IMPORTANT BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA
AS WELL AND I THINK TO GET
THROUGH 140 PEOPLE IF WE DID IT
AT TWO MINUTES, THAT IS -- WOULD
PUT US WELL OVER TWO HOURS IN
PUBLIC COMMENT ALONE.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
MOST OF THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE
SIGNED IN TO SPEAK TODAY ARE
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ONGOING
POLICING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE
CONTINUED TO SPEAK ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE ABLE TO
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
VERY LONG AND FULLY DEDICATED
SESSION TO PUBLIC COMMENT
THROUGH COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
COMMTTEE, PUBLIC SERVICES AND
SAFETY COMMITTEE IN THE FUTURE,
SO THIS WILL NOT BE THE ONLY
OPPORTUNITY PEOPLE HAVE TO
ADDRESS THE FULL COUNCIL.
SO AGAIN, COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING
TO STICK WITH THE EARLIER
COMMUNICATION THAT I PROVIDED TO
YOU ALL THAT MY INTENTION IS TO
ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY FOR
60 MINUTES AND TO ALLOW EACH
SPEAKER TO HAVE ONE MINUTE OF
TIME TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL WITH
THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF TRYING
TO HEAR FROM AS MANY PEOPLE WHO
PREREGISTERED TODAY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M
GOING TO CALL AGAIN FOR THOSE
LISTENING, I'M GOING TO CALL ON
EACH SPEAKER BY NAME AND IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED.
IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED TO
SPEAK YET BUT WANT TO, YOU CAN
DO SO BY GOING TO THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE AT SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS ALSO
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA FOR
EASE OF REFERENCE.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT OF YOU HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED WILL BE THE
SPEAKER'S CUE IT IS THEIR TURN
TO SPEAK.
I ASK THAT EACH SPEAKER BEGIN BY
STATING THEIR NAME AND THE ITEM
THAT THEY ARE ADDRESSING.
AS A REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO AN ITEM ON
TODAY'S AGENDA, THE INTRODUCTION
REFERRAL CALENDAR OR THE
COUNCIL'S 2020 WORK PROGRAM.
SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO HEAR A
LITTLE CHIME AROUND TEN SECOND,
AND THAT CHIME MEANS THAT YOU
HAVE EXACTLY TEN SECONDS LEFT OF
YOUR TIME AND ONCE YOU HEAR THAT
TIME, WE ASK YOU BEGIN THE
PROCESS OF WRAPPING UP YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
FOR SPEAKERS WHO DO NOT END
THEIR COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ONE MINUTE, THE SPEAKER'S
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, I WOULD ASK THAT
YOU PLEASE DISCONNECT FROM THE
LINE, AND IF YOU PLAN TO
CONTINUE FOLLOWING THIS MEETING,
I ASK YOU DO SO VIA SEATTLE
CHANNEL AT SEATTLECHANNEL.ORG OR
ON CHANNEL 21 ON TV.
YOU CAN ALSO USE ANY ONE OF THE
LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA.
AND FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, IF
WE DON'T GET TO YOU, YOU CAN
STILL SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT TO
US VIA EMAIL AT
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV.
AGAIN, MANY OF US, AS I
MENTIONED DURING COUNCIL
BRIEFING, OUR VOICEMAIL IS
COMPLETELY FULL AND MANY OF US
ARE WORKING THROUGH DEALING WITH
THAT IN OUR INDIVIDUAL OFFICES,
SO EMAILING US IS BY FAR THE
FASTEST AND BEST WAY TO SUBMIT
TO US ANY PUBLIC COMMENT YOU
HAVE ON ANY ISSUES RELATED TO
COUNCIL BUSINESS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE PUBLIC
COMMENT SPEEDER NOW GOING TO BE
OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
AGAIN, IT IS -- IT'S ABOUT 2:30
P.M.
I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S 2:30 P.M.
AND SAY THAT WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC
COMMENT UNTIL 3:30 P.M.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I AM GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND CALL ON THE
FIRST SPEAKER.
THE FIRST SPEAKER THAT WE WILL
HEAR FROM TODAY, COLLEAGUES, IS
SUJAPA ROMNEY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS SUJAPA.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE
COALITION OF SEATTLE
INDIAN-AMERICANS.
OUR COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT
AND IS OPPOSED TO THE
MILITARIZATION AND VIOLENT
TECHNIQUES USED BY THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT WE HAVE WITNESSED IN
SEATTLE IN THE PAST WEEK AND
WHAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY
CONTINUES TO FACE IS
STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM.
THE CITY COUNCIL MUST WORK WITH
THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO PRESS
TERRORISM CHARGES AGAINST MAYOR
DURKAN, POLICE CHIEF BEST AND
THE OFFICERS WHO WERE INVOLVED
IN THE VIOLENT INCIDENTS.
YOU MUST MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO
DEFUND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
ENTIRELY, WORK ON
COMMUNITY-BASED SAFETY PROGRAMS
AND PROVIDE REPARATIVE JUSTICE
FOR ALL THE INNOCENT PEOPLE AND
FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN
DESTROYED BY SUCH ACTS.
ANY LESS AND YOU WILL HAVE
FAILED AS OUR ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS PAULIE G. AFTER
PAULIE, MYRA DELANEY.
>> WHO KILLED SEAN FIR?
WE KNOW A SEATTLE OFFICER WAS
THE ONE WHO FIRED THE SHOT THAT
KILLED SEAN, BUT WHO WERE THE
ACCOMPLICES IN HIS MURDER?
THE SEATTLE POLICE MAY HAVE
HUNTED SEAN LIKE AN ANIMAL, BUT
MAYOR JENNY DURKAN PULLED THE
TRIGGER, SO WHY, MAYOR, WAS SEAN
KILLED WITH A SILENCER WHILE HE
WAS HOLDING HIS OWN BABY CHILD?
WHY, MAYOR, WAS THAT BABY CHILD
COVERED IN THE BLOOD OF ITS OWN
PARENT?
ONLY A MORLEY BANKRUPT
ADMINISTRATION WOULD PAY A LYFT
SERVICE TO THE MURDER OF GEORGE
FLOYD, A MAN KILLED BY POLICE
OVER 1,600 MILES AWAY, WHILE
REMAINING SILENT ON POLICE
MURDERS RIGHT HERE AT HOME.
ONLY THE FAILED IDEALOGY OF THE
WHITE ESTABLISHMENT WOULD INVEST
IN A MILITARIZED POLICE TO THE
TUNE OF $400 MILLION RATHER THAN
THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY THAT
WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS DRY
SIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NEXT TO DONALD TRUMP, MAYOR
DURKAN LOOKS LIKE A PROGRESSIVE
HERO, BUT THE REALITY IS, JENNY
DURKAN IS A FRAUD.
THE BEST WAY TO DE-ESCALATE THE
CITY IS FOR MAYOR DURKAN TO
RESIGN OR BE REMOVED FROM
OFFICE.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARI
DELANEY FOLLOWED BY STEVEN
RAMOS.
>> HI THERE, I AM MARI DELANEY.
I CALL UPON THE CITY COUNCIL TO
COMPLETELY DEFUND SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, DISBAND SEATTLE PD
AND ABOLISH POLICING IN THE
CITY.
WE HAVE AN HISTORIC CAL
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, AND WE
MUST FOLLOW THROUGH.
WE'RE WATCHING Y'ALL.
IF ANY OF Y'ALL THINK YOU CAN
GET BIBI JUST CUTTING OFF $100
MILLION OR JUST REFORMING, BLESS
YOUR HEARTS.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEVEN
RAMOS, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM
CROCKER.
>> MY NAME IS STEVEN RAMOS.
I FIRST CAME TO THE CITY TEN
YEARS AGO UNDER MY DEAD NAME
STEPHANIE WHITE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE
RESIGNATION OR IMPEACHMENT OF
MAYOR DURKAN.
AS I MENTIONED AT LAST WEEK'S
MEETING, I HID SIX HOURS HIDING
IN MY SHOWER, OUT OF FEAR THAT
MY BUILDING WOULD BE THE NEXT
WITH DAMAGE CAUSED.
I'M SURE I'M NOT ALONE.
IF THE WORKING CLASS BEHAVED
WITH THE SAME IRRESPONSIBILITY
AND NEGLIGENCE THAT MAYOR DURKAN
HAS IN OUR PLACE OF WORK, WE'D
BE REMOVED WITHIN THE WEEK.
IT'S YOUR JOB TO MAKE A REAL AND
TANGIBLE IMPACT ON YOUR
COMMUNITY AND A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
IS NO EXCUSE FOR INACTION
AGAINST RACISM AND CORRUPTION.
IF YOU CANNOT PERFORM YOUR JOB
AND ARE HERE FOR VALIDATION, YOU
SHOULD RESIGN OR BE REMOVED FROM
OFFICE.
I WOULD LIKE TO END MY COMMENTS
BY LIFTING COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS I THINK SHOULD BE
ADDED TO SUPPORT INCLUDING
CITYWIDE PLANNING.
>> OKAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM
CROCKER FOLLOWED BY MARK
TAYLOR-CAMFIELD.
>> HELLO, MY -- MY NAME IS CORY
CROCKER A 30-YEAR RESIDENT AND
LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER IN THE U
DISTRICT.
BEFORE YOU RENEW THE U DISTRICT
BIA, IT'S CRITICAL TO ASK FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY.
IN A LETTER FROM APRIL, THE
CHAIR OF THE BIA CHALLENGED THE
NEED FOR TERM LIMITS.
SHE ACKNOWLEDGED THEY MAY SOUND
LIKE GOOD GOVERNANCE.
I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE.
LEGITIMACY IN THE EYES -- IS IN
THE EYES OF THE COMMUNITY AND
MUST BE CONFIRMED PERIODICALLY,
ESPECIALLY WHEN AN UNELECTED
BOARD LOOKS AT RATE PAYER
CONSTITUENTS.
IN THE FIVE YEARS THE BIA HAS
EXISTED, IT HAS YET TO RESPOND
TO CONCERNS OF OUR COMMUNITY
COUNCIL AND SMALL BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION.
REGARDING COMPETITIVE BID
PROCESS, THE CHAIR STATED THAT
THE ENTIRE ROSTER WAS GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR A
PROGRAM MANAGER.
THIS IS NOT TRUE.
DISENFRANCHISED REALITY PAYERS
DO NOT HAVE A VOTE.
THE PLAYING FIELD IS NOT LEVEL
HERE.
THEREFORE I ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE
THE SOURCE OF THESE CHALLENGES
AND QUESTION THE INHERENT BIAS.
PLEASE SUPPORT ADOPTING THESE
REASONABLE AMENDMENTS TO THE
BILL.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK
TAYLOR-CANFIELD.
>> MY NAME IS MARK
TAYLOR-CANFIELD.
I'M A JOURNALIST AND MUSICIAN
LIVING IN SEATTLE.
I SERVE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FER DEMOCRACY WATCH NEWS, AN
INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICE THAT
SPECIALIZES IN PRO-DEMOCRACY
MOVEMENTS AROUND THE WORLD.
THE LONGSTANDING PATTERN FOR
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO
SHUT DOWN PEACEFUL PROTESTS BY
RESPONDING TO THE BEHAVIOR OF A
SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE BY
UNLOADING ON THE ENTIRE CROWD
USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS THAT CAN
BE LETHAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN
MISUSED.
WHILE COVERING PROTESTS, I'VE
BEEN GASSED NUMEROUS TIMES AND
STRUCK BY RUBBER BULLETS, PEPPER
BALLS, ET CETERA.
TEAR GAS CANISTERS AND FLASH
GRENADES BURN AT VERY HIGH
TEMPERATURES.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE FIRED
DIRECTLY INTO ANY TIGHTLY PACKED
CROWD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RAJAGOPLAN.
FOLLOWED BY RICK JONES.
>> HI.
I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA FOR OVER
30 YEARS.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE BLACK
LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND I'M
FIRMLY AGAINST THE VIOLENCE
RESPONSE EXHIBITED BY THE
SEATTLE PD TO A CIVIL PROTEST.
FIRST THOUGH, A MOMENT OF
SADNESS TO RECOGNIZE THE DEATHS
OF GEORGE FLOYD, BREONNA TAYLOR
AND NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE OF
COLOR AT THE HANDS OF POLICE
OFFICERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
IT'S A DEEP IRONY THAT WHILE
YOU'RE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING
AGGRESSION, WE ARE VICTIMIZED BY
THE POLICE WITH OVERWHELMING
FORCE.
FLASH BANGS, TEAR GAS, PEPPER
SPRAY, CHASING US DOWN THE
STREET WHILE WE WERE PEACEFULLY
PROTESTING.
WE CALLED FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
TO BAN THE USE OF TEAR GAS,
PEPPER SPRAY, AS WELL AS SHOCK
AND AWE TECHNIQUES.
THIS KIND OF MILITARIZING
RESPONSE THAT TURNS THE CITY
INTO A WAR ZONE DOES NOT BELONG
ON OUR STREETS, PARTICULARLY AS
A RESPONSE TO PREDOMINANTLY
PEACEFUL PROTESTS.
AS A RESIDENT OF THIS AREA, I'M
HEARTBROKEN TO SAY THAT I DO NOT
FEEL SAFE IN THE CITY EXERCISING
MY CIVIL RIGHTS.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICK JONES
FOLLOWED BY HOWARD GAIL.
>> HI, MY NAME IS RICK JONES,
THANKS FOR GIVING ME AN
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
I'M VOICING SUPPORT FOR THE
RENEWAL OF THE UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM.
I'VE WORKED AND OWNED BUSINESSES
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ALMOST
25 YEARS.
IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THIS
NEIGHBOR HAD A HAS BEEN IN A
CONTINUOUS STATE OF DRAMATIC
CHANGE.
MY BUSINESS IS ABOUT 80 SEPARATE
SMALL PRACTICES IN THE HEALING
ARTS AND THE LAW OF NATURE
PROPHET.
I THINK IT'S TIME TO FOCUS ON
THE THINGS THAT ARE WORKING,
THIS IS ONE OF THEM, TO LET A
LITTLE BIT MORE OPPORTUNITY TO
FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT CLEARLY
AREN'T WORKING AND IT'S CLOGGED
THE RULES TODAY.
SO IN SUMMARY, I THINK THE UDBIA
IS WORKING WELL AND SHOULD BE
RENEWED.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN.
NEXT UP IS HOWARD GAIL FOLLOWED
BY MAUREEN EWING.
>> HI, THIS IS HOWARD GAIL FROM
QUEEN ANNE AND I WAS THERE AT
THE PROTEST LAST NIGHT OR
ACTUALLY IT WAS 12:05 THIS
MORNING.
AND IN THE SPACE OF EIGHT
MINUTES, I WANT TO STRESS THIS,
IN THE SPACE OF EIGHT MINUTES
OVER LESS THAN A ONE BLOCK AREA,
OVER -- I COUNTED OVER 100
EXPLOSIVE DEVICES.
GLASS BALLS AND TEAR GAS
GRENADES THAT WERE THROWN.
I GAVE UP COUNTING AFTER THAT.
THERE WERE PROBABLY 300
UNLEASHED.
I HAVE NEVER, EVEN DURING WTO,
SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
20 YEARS AGO WE HAD AN AFTER
REPORT FROM WTO THAT TOLD US
EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO
POLICE DEMONSTRATIONS AND WE
FAILED TO TAKE ANY OF THOSE
LESSONS INTO ACCOUNT.
LASTLY, IT'S ONLY BEEN TEN DAYS
THAT THESE DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE
BEEN HAPPENING AND ABOUT 11, 12,
13 DAYS AGO, THIS CITY COUNCIL
AND THE MAYOR WERE PROCLAIMING
WHAT WONDERFUL PROGRESS WE HAD
MADE IN POLICING.
I WOULD LIKE AN EXPLANATION FOR
WHAT HAPPENED IN TEN DAYS TO
OVERTURN THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP IS MAUREEN EWING.
EXCUSE ME.
FOLLOWED BY JACOB BERTRAM.
AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM
CHRISTOPHER LOOKS RICH?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBER.
I SUPPORT THE RENEWAL OF THE U
DISTRICT BIA.
I'M THE RATE PAYER BOARD CHAIR.
JUST LAST WEEK WE HAD -- ISSUE
DURING PICKUP.
NOT ONLY DID THE BIA'S
AMBASSADORS PROVIDE SUPPORT,
THEIR ED SHOWED UP UNTIL THE
AMBASSADORS COULD ARRIVE.
THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW THE
BIA SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE AS
SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL, BUT PLEASE
DO NOT APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER.
TWO OUR ELECTED BOARD REVIEWS
THE PROGRAM ANNUALLY IN
COOPERATION WITH THE CITY.
WE HAVE MOBILIZED INCLUDING
SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO NOT ONLY
SERVE OUR COMMUNITY BUT DEVELOP
A SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE ARE LED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD
FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE KNOW
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS AMENDMENT TAKES AWAY THE
COMMUNITY'S AUTHORITY TO GOVERN
ITSELF AT A TIME WHEN CONTINUITY
OF PROGRAMS IS CRITICAL TO OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES IF THEY'RE
GOING TO SURVIVE.
LIT WASTE PRECIOUS RESOURCES
THAT COULD BE SPENT ON PROGRAMS.
WE NEED MORE IMPACT, NOT MORE
PROFITS.
>> THANK YOU, MAUREEN, FOR
CALLING IN TODAY.
NEXT UP IS JACOB BERTRAM
FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER.
>> HELLO, THIS IS JACOB BERTRAM
FROM SOUTH LAKE UNION.
I APPLAUD AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE
COUNCIL FOR THE WORK TODAY ON
THE SUBJECT.
IMAGINE IF I WAS PULLED OVER AND
ASKED FOR MY DRIVERS LICENSE AND
I HAD THE NUMBER COVERED.
NO MATTER WHAT MY EXCUSE WAS, IT
WOULDN'T BE ACCEPTABLE.
JENNY DURKAN WAS ALLOWING POLICE
OFFICERS TO DO THAT AND SHE IS
NOT HOLDING THEM TO ACCOUNT.
DEFUNDING $100 MILLION FROM THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IS EXTREMELY
POSSIBLE AND WITH SMART
LEADERSHIP, I WOULD EVEN
VOLUNTEER MY SERVICES AS A
BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL TO DO IT.
SUBJECTING THE UNIFORMED AND
CIVILIAN MEMBERS OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO THE SAME
UNCERTAINTY OF PLAYOFFS AND
FURLOUGHS AS THE REST OF THE
CITY IS ONLY FAIR AND REFLECTIVE
OF THE ONGOING TIMES.
AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE IMMUNE TO
THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS.
CHANGE CANNOT HAPPEN WITH THE
CURRENT LEADERSHIP, ALL RISING
THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WITH MEMBER OF THE COMMAND
STAFF HAVING 20 YEARS OR MORE
WITH THE SPD, IT'S HARD TO HAVE
ANY IMPACT WHEN YOUR CAREER IS
ALL IN ONE PLACE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
NEXT UP IS CHRISTOPHER FOLLOWED
BY ANNE GILLIES.
>> HI, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER.
I LIVE IN FIRST HILL.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE
RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE USE OF
MILITARY FORCE ON OUR STREETS.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BECOME A WAR
ZONE, PERPETUATED BY SPD'S
VIOLENT RESPONSE TO PEACEFUL
PROTESTS.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SHARED
TRAUMA WITH MY NEIGHBORS.
THE MAYOR AND POLICE CAPTAIN
HAVE ONLY MADE THIS PROBLEM
WORSE BY TRYING TO PLACATE
CROWDS WITH MEANINGLESS WORDS
AND BROKEN PROMISES.
I HAVE SEEN UMBRELLAS CLASSIFIED
AS WEAPONS AND USED AS A REASON
TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY BY
GASSING AND MACING THE CROWDS.
I HAVE SEEN THE POLICE REACT TO
INDIVIDUALS THROWIG WATER
BOTTLES AND PUSHING FLIMSY
BARRICADES WITH VIOLENCE AGAINST
THE ENTIRE CROWD.
AND YET I HAVE SEEN INDIVIDUALS
TRY TO DRIVE VEHICLES INTO THE
CROWD, PULL WEAPONS AND SHOOT
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS AND THE COPS
STAND BY AND DO NOTHING.
MEDICS HAVE TAKEN DOZENS OF
RUBBER BULLETS WHILE TRYING TO
PROTECT EACH OTHER AND OTHER
INJURED PROTESTERS.
PLEASE DEFUND AND DISBAND SPD,
DIRECT FUNDS TO COMMUNITY
PROGRAMS AND RELEASE ALL
PRISONERS.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNE
FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL SAMPSON.
>> -- THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL
SAMPSON FOLLOWED BY SONET
STOCKMER.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ECHO HI, MY
NAME IS MICHAEL SAMPSON.
I JUST WANTED TO ECHO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S CONCERNS
ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW,
ALL BRUTAL POLICE TACTICS BEING
USED IN CAPITOL HILL RIGHT NOW,
BUT SPECIFICALLY THE TARGETING
OF MEDICS AND MEDICAL STATIONS.
LAST NIGHT THE INCIDENT THAT THE
COUNCILMEMBER BROUGHT UP
POTENTIALLY COST THE LIFE OF
SOMEONE BEING TREATED IN THAT
STATION AT THE MOMENT.
THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF
POLICE AGGRESSION AND IS NOT A
MORAL ISSUE.
IT IS NOT AN ISSUE OF JUDGEMENT.
THOSE PLACES ARE CLEARLY MARKED.
IT'S NOT A DECISION TO MAKE.
YOU DON'T TOUCH THOSE, THAT IS
SPECIFICALLY STATED UNDER GENEVA
CONVENTIONS AND ANY SORT OF
ACTION TO THE DIFFERENCE OF THAT
IS JUST DEPLORABLE AND
DISGUSTING.
SO I'D IMPLORE THE CITY COUNCIL
TO TAKE ANY ACTION THEY CAN TO
RECONCILE THAT AS SOON AS YOU
CAN.
THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WILL BE
PERTINET TONIGHT, TOMORROW AND
FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND
CANNOT BE ABIDED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SONET
STOCKMER FOLLOWED BY CHAD REED.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS SONET STOCKMER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
WE NEED AN IMMEDIATE BAN ON
CHEMICAL AND MILITARY GRADE
WEAPONS TO PREVENT POLICE
VIOLENCE, ENSURE THE SAFETY OF
OUR CITIZENS AND TO PROTECT OUR
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT FOR PEACE OF
PROTEST.
LAST NIGHT I WATCHED A WHITE
ACTIVE SHOOTER DRIVE A CAR INTO
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS OUTSIDE THE
EAST PRECINCT, SHOOT A BLACK MAN
IN THE ARM AND THEN WALK
DIRECTLY UP TO POLICE WHERE HE
WAS DETAINED WITH WHAT I CAN
ONLY DESCRIBE AS POLITE
DELICACY, GIVEN SPD'S VIOLENT
AND DISPROPORTIONATE RESPONSE TO
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS.
SPD USED FLASH BANGS, RUBBER
BULLETS AND OTHER MILITARY GRADE
WEAPONS ON NONVIOLENT PROTESTERS
FOR HOURS AND SPECIFICALLY
TARGETED MEDICAL AID STATIONS.
I'M DISGUSTED BY THE USE OF
THESE WEAPONS AGAINST PEACEFUL
SEATTLE CITIZENS AND CALL FOR
IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PREVENT
THEIR USE BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU, I CEDE MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WHO IS SHOWING
UP IS PRESENT ON MY LIST IS CHAD
REED FOLLOWED BY BENJAMIN
SKINNER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
SEATTLE'S WITNESSED THE
UNYIELDING WRATH OF SPD OVER AND
OVER AGAIN.
FLASH BANGS, PEPPER BALLS,
RUBBER BULLETS AND TEAR GAS.
I WATCHED SEATTLE POLICE USE ANY
AND EVERY EXCUSE POSSIBLE TO
PERFORM VIOLENCE AGAINST
PROTESTERS AND OBSERVED THEIR
DEDICATION TO SKIRTING ALL
MANDATES AND RESTRICTIONS PLACED
UPON THEM.
SPD CANNOT BE REFORMED NOR CAN
IT BE CONTAINED.
THIS POLICE FORCE NEEDS TO BE
DESTROYED.
THERE WILL BE NO PEACE UNTIL
THERE IS JUSTICE AND THERE WILL
BE NO JUSTICE UNTIL THERE IS NO
POLICE.
ADDRESSING MAYOR DURKAN AND
CHIEF BEST, YOU HAVE ALLOWED
THIS TERRORISM TO BE BROUGHT
UPON INNOCENT PEOPLE FOR FAR TOO
LONG.
YOU TOO ALONG WITH YOUR
DEPARTMENT OF CRONIES SHOULD BE
TRIED AT THE HOG FOR WAR CRIMES
YOU COMMITTED AGAINST OUR
CITIZENS.
YOU ARE BOTH COWARDS AND I
DEMAND YOUR RESIGNATIONS
IMMEDIATELY.
AS FOR THIS COUNCIL PRESENT,
HISTORY IS WATCHING.
WE WILL NOT FORGET WHO'S WITH
US.
AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO
ALL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN.
OKAY, I AM LOOKING AT MY LIST UP
ABOVE.
WE HAVE A SPEAKER WHO WAS
SPEAKER NUMBER SEVEN WHO IS NOW
SHOWING UP AS PRESENT.
AND THAT IS GUY ORON.
>> HELLO, CITY COUNCILMEMBERS.
I AM A SEATTLE RESIDENT AND
MEMBER OF THE END THE DEADLY
EXCHANGE CAMPAIGN.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF COUNCILMEMBER
KSHAMA SAWANT'S PROPOSAL TO BAN
THE USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND
OTHER DESPICABLE PRACTICES
EMPLOYED BY THE SPD.
WE JOIN FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS
IN CALLING FOR THE DEFUNDING OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
DIVERTING RESOURCES TO BLACK,
INDIGENOUS AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES.
WE ALSO CALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL
TO PUT AN END TO ALL TRAININGS
BETWEEN THE SPD AND ISRAEL.
THESE TRAININGS PUT BLACK,
INDIGENOUS AND BROWN PEOPLE'S
LIFE AT RISK, BOTH IN THE U.S.
AND PALESTINE.
COPS TEACH EACH OTHER
SURVEILLANCE STRATEGIES WHICH
LEAD TO THE DEEMIZATION AND
POLICING OF BLACK, INDIGENOUS,
BROWN AND MUSLIM PEOPLE.
BAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND
CHOKEHOLDS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JORDAN
WALSH.
>> I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT
FOUR.
LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TURNED OUR
CITY INTO A WAR ZONE WITH TEAR
GAS, PEPPER SPRAY AND FLASH
BOMBS.
THEY HAVE CONTINUOUSLY
INSTIGATED VIOLENCE ON CROWDS OF
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS.
CROWDS ARE BEING TEAR GASSED AND
PEPPER SPRAYED.
IT'S CAUSING IRREPARABLE HARM TO
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CONTINUES
TO UPHOLD A RACIST SOCIETY.
IT IS CLEAR THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE
FIXED, RATHER, IT IS SOMETHING
THAT NEEDS TO BE DISMANTLED.
YOU'VE SEEN PROTESTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND THE WORLD FOR RACIAL
JUSTICE.
I DEMAND A DEFUNDING OF SEATTLE
POLICE.
THESE DEMANDS ARE NOT GOING
AWAY.
I REFUSE TO BE COME POLICE SILT
IN A RACIST SOCIETY.
YOU MUST DEMAND CHANGE AS WELL.
YOU WERE ELECTED TO LISTEN AND
LEAD OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, THE REST
OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR
DURKAN ARE NOT LISTENING.
YOUR EMPTY WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
WE WANT CHANGES THAT WE CAN SEE.
DURKAN'S RESPONSE TO THIS HAS
BEEN ABYSMAL.
A WHITE SUPREMACIST SHOT A
PROTESTER --
>> THANK YOU, JORDAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, JORDAN.
JUST A REMINDER FOR IT FOLKS,
HELP ME BY STARTING THAT TIMER
WHEN THE SPEAKER STARTS.
THAT'D BE GREAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHLEEN
O'BRIEN.
ASHLEEN, PLEASE?
>> I'M HERE REPRESENTING END THE
DEADLY EXCHANGE SEATTLE.
WE UNEQUIVOCALLY SUPPORT
DEFUNDING AND DISMANTLING THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE SUPPORT THE MEASURES
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT TO BAN THE USE OF VIOLENT
CROWD CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES.
MANY OF THE TACTICS USED BY THE
SEATTLE POLICE INCLUDING THE
RELIANCE ON WARFARE ARE ALSO
USED BY THE ISRAELI POLICE AND
DEFENSE FORCES.
THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE.
THOUSANDS OF U.S. POLICE
OFFICERS, INCLUDING CARMEN BEST
AND OTHER HIGHER UPS WITHIN THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN TRAININGS WITH
ISRAELI MILITARY AND POLICE IN
THE LAST FEW DECADES.
WE WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE
ANTI-BLACKNESS AND RACISM
INSTRIN SICK TO THE U.S.
PRECEDES THIS.
-- SEATTLE POLICE ARE NOT
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RACIAL
PROFILING AND SURVEILLANCE AND
KILLINGS OF BLACK PEOPLE
PERPETRATED BY THE SPD --
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BENJAMIN
SKINNER.
>> YES, HELLO, MY NAME IS BEN
SKINNER.
I'M A SEATTLE RESIDENT OF TEN
YEARS.
THE POLICE AND MAYOR HAVE BEEN
LYING ABOUT THE USE OF FORCE ON
PROTESTERS.
PROTESTERS ARE NOT PROVOCATEURS.
POLICE ARE BREAKING BECAUSE
THEIR TEMPERAMENT IS SO DELICATE
THEY CANNOT HANDLE PEACEFUL
PROTESTS.
THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH POLICE
CULTURE.
CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO BAN THE
USE OF FLASH BANGS AND OTHER,
QUOTE, NONLETHAL DEVICES FOR
CROWD CONTROL.
THE POLICE ARE LYING, DURKAN IS
HIDING BEHIND CHIEF BEST WHO IS
COMPLICIT IN BRUTALITY.
BOTH NEED TO RESIGN.
WE ASK THAT DURKAN CAL
MILITARIZED POLICE GOONS.
LET'S EXPECT THAT OFFICERS WHO
COMMIT THAT VIOLENCE ARE CHARGED
AND CONVICTED IF THE BOARD FINDS
THEM GUILTY OF WRONG DOING.
LET'S RESTRUCTURE THE
DEPARTMENT, CREATE SPECIALIZED
UNITS.
ANY COPS WITH SIX MONTHS OF
TRAINING.
LET'S MAKE AN EFFORT.
SO --
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YVONNA.
>> HI THERE.
I AM REPRESENTING SUGAR AND
SPOON.
IT IS A WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS IN
THE U DISTRICT.
I ALSO RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IN 2018.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF
RENEWING THE U DISTRICT'S BIA.
WE NEED THE LEADERSHIP TO
IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.
LEADERSHIP PARTNERSHIP IS THE
BOARD OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE BUILT EFFECTIVE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH A HUGE
PORTION OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY AGAINST THE
SMALL BUSINESSES AND IN NO WAY
REPRESENTS THE DESIRES OF THIS
COMMUNITY.
WE NEED CONTINUITY AND FOCUS.
WE NEED A 12-YEAR TERM AND
NOTHING SHORTER.
WE NEED THE U DISTRICT
PARTNERSHIP AND THIS BIA.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALTON
McDONALD.
>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAME PRESIDENT.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE
JUSTICE NETWORK CALLING IN
BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS
GREAT CITY OF SEATTLE AND STATE
OF WASHINGTON AS RELATES TO
POLICE BRUTALITY, RACISM AND
RACIAL PROFILING.
MADAME PRESIDENT, AS YOU KNOW,
THERE IS NO STATUTE OF
LIMITATIONS ON MURDER.
THEREFORE OUR DEMAND IS THAT THE
CHIEF OF POLICE, CHIEF BEST AND
THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY OFFICE
GO BACK AND LOOK AT EVERY CASE
WHERE IT CONSISTS OF MURDER
WHERE A CITIZEN WAS MURDERED BY
THE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER.
THOSE COULD BE REVISITED AND
RE-OPENED TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT
THOSE OFFICERS WHO COMMIT SUCH
CONDUCT AS RELATE TO THOSE
CITIZEN'S LIVES AND SEE IF
THERE'S POSSIBLE CHARGES AGAINST
THEM FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO
THOSE CITIZENS BY TAKING THEIR
LIFE.
I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE AGENTS
WILL BE DEFUNDED AND
RESTRUCTURED JUST LIKE THE NEW
JERSEY POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT
WAS --
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY, ALTON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ABE RAM TOW
FOLLOWED BY SUSAN SAMUELSON.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ABRAM, I'M A
RESIDENT OF BALLARD.
AND I JUST WANT TO STAY THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS
BEEN VIOLENT TO PEACEFUL
PROTESTERS, USING SO-CALLED LESS
LETHAL THINGS LIKE TEAR GAS AND
RUBBER BULLETS, STILL CAUSING
INJURIES, INCLUDING ATTACKS ON
MEDIC STATIONS, WHICH ARE
PREVENTING MEDICS FROM ATTENDING
TO PEOPLE WHO NEED MEDICAL
ATTENTION.
IT'S ATROCIOUS.
IT'S ATROCIOUS ON TOP OF ALL
THINGS THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE DONE
CAUSING VIOLENT DEATHS OF BLACK
PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR.
BUT THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY AND BASICALLY I FEEL
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO
BE DISSOLVED.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN
PLACES LIKE CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY,
WHERE THE CAMDEN POLICE
DEPARTMENT WAS RESOLVED AND
RESTARTED AS THE CAMDEN COUNTY
POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH A FOCUS
ON HELPING THE COMMUNITY AND AND
USING ANY FORM OF VIOLENCE AS AN
ABSOLUTE LAST RESORT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO
BE DISSOLVED AND MAYOR JENNY
DURKAN NEEDS TO RESIGN.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN
SAMUELSON, AND THEN WE WILL HEAR
FROM JESSA TIMER.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SUSAN
SAMUELSON, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF RENEWING THE
U DISTRICT BIA.
I LIVE JUST NORTH OF THE U
DISTRICT AND I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF YOU HIKE
CENTERS FOR THE COMMUNITY WHICH,
AS YOU KNOW, IS A NONPROFIT
CENTER PROVIDING SPACE IN THE UD
FOR SCHOOLS, CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
AND THE ARTS.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT OF THE
ORDINANCE TO RENEW THE BIA AS IT
EXISTS TODAY.
RENEWAL IS CRITICAL TO KEEPING
UP THE WORK NEEDED NOW MORE THAN
EVER AND ADDING RESTRICTIONS AND
UNNECESSARY REQUIREMENTS IS
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME FOR OUR
CITY, THE U DISTRICT NEEDS
CONTINUED AND EXPANDED CLEAN AND
SAFE PROGRAMS WHICH ARE NOW
CLEANING UP MORE HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS FROM OUR STREETS THAN
EVER BEFORE.
SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE UD NEEDS
TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THEIR --
AND NOT LOSE THE STRUGGLE.
PLEASE RENEW THE BIA FOR A
12-YEAR TERM, NOT SHORTER, AND
DON'T HAVE AN RFP PROCESS OF
LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM TIMER AND
THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM CARL
PAULS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO COMMENT TODAY.
I'M JESSA TIMER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
AT THE ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER
SQUARE.
THE ALLIANCE IS A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION THAT MANAGES THE
PIONEER SQUARE BIA AND WENT
THROUGH THE RENEWAL PROCESS IN
2014.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE U
DISTRICT BIA.
I URGE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE
ORDINANCE WITHOUT THE ORDINANCE
CALLING FOR A TERM LIMIT OF TEN
YEARS.
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREAS ARE
GRASSROOTS EFFORTS THAT TAKE
YEARS OF COMMUNITY BUILDING TO
AUTHORIZE.
THE ORDINANCE WITHOUT AMENDMENTS
IS WHAT THE U DISTRICT
NEIGHBORHOOD OVERWHELMINGLY
SUPPORTED.
IMPOSING AMENDMENTS NOW WOULD BE
CONTRARY TO WHAT WAS APPROVED BY
PETITION SIGNERS.
AN ADVISORY BOARD ALREADY
OVERSEES ANNUAL WORK PLANS AND
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM
MANAGER.
A CITY-LED PROCESS IS AT BEST
REDUNDANT.
THE BAI SHOULD BE COMMUNITY LED
WITHOUT IMPOSING UNNECESSARY AND
CUMBERSOME GOVERNMENT PROCESSES
LIKE THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CARL PAULS
AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM
FORMER CITY COUNCILMEMBER SALLY
CLARK.
>> CARL PAULS, DISTRICT THREE.
I SUPPORT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUDGET INQUEST AND
DIVERTING THOSE FUNDS TO
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS.
I SEE A PATTERN IN SPD'S USE OF
FORCE, WHICH INTIMIDATES
CITIZENS, JOURNALISTS AND
RETALIATES AGAINST CRITICS.
SPD DISPATCHED DOZENS OF
OFFICERS TO -- DEPLOYED MACE TO
APPREHEND A WOMAN WHO
LIVESTREAMED HERSELF BACKING UP
TOWARD BIKE MOUNTED OFFICERS,
ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING THEM.
ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, A MAN IN A
BLACK AUDI Q5 REPEATEDLY FORCED
HIS VEHICLE THROUGH MARCHERS
WHILE I WAS LIVESTREAMING,
ASSAULTING DOZENS OF
PEDESTRIANS, INCLUDING MYSELF.
ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON
STATE PATROL REPORT, WILL
SEATTLE POLICE KNOCK AT MY DOOR
FOR JAYWALKING OR SOB
INSTRUCTING TRAFFIC BEFORE THE
AUDI DRIVER IS CITED?
SPD MUST JUSTIFY THEIR
APPLICATION OF FORCE PROCESS.
>> THANKS FOR CALLING IN.
NEXT UP IS FORMER CITY
COUNCILMEMBER SALLY CLARK
FOLLOWED BY DEEPA.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS SALLY CLARK AND I
WORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY O
WASHINGTON.
I'M FINISHING UP MY TERM AS
CO-CHAIR OF THE U DISTRICT
PARTNERSHIP.
I'M ASKING YOUR SUPPORT FOR
RENEWING THE U DISTRICT BIA.
I WANT TO THANK MAYOR DURKAN FOR
HER SUPPORT AND WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN FOR HIS
WORK TO HAVE THIS BILL COME
BEFORE YOU.
THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTS THE BIA
WITH TIME AND MONEY BECAUSE
WE'VE SEEN INDISPUTABLE POSITIVE
RESULTS AND AN UNPRECEDENTED
DEPTH OF PRESENTATION ACROSS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE UNIVERSIY SUPPORTS
AMENDMENT ONE BUT NOT AMENDMENT
TWO.
DO NOT REDUCE THEDATION OF THE
BIA.
AND PLEASE ALSO DO NOT ADOPT AN
RQ IN YEAR ONE.
THEY TAKE AWAY FROM SERVING THE
COMMUNITY AS WE GO THROUGH THE
HUMAN AND ECONOMIC DISASTER OF
COVID RECOVERY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON COVID
RESPONSE.
YOU SERVE IN WHAT CAN BE TRULY
CALLED DIFFICULT, PAINFUL TIMES.
WE ALL THINK WE SERVE AS UNIQUE
TIMES, I THINK YOU ACTUALLY DO.
YOU CAN HELP MAKE THIS
TRANSFORMATIONAL PERIOD FOR US
AS A CITY AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THE SERVICE YOU ARE
PERFORMING AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN TODAY, SALLY.
ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE.
NEXT UP IS DEEPA FOLLOWED BY TOM
MALONE.
>> MY NAME IS DEEPA, I'M A
MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE LGBTQ
COMMISSION AND THE PARKS
DISTRICT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE,
BUT TODAY I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR
EITHER OF THOSE GROUPS AND AM
REPRESENTING THE COALITION OF
SEATTLE INDIAN-AMERICANS.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE BLACK
LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, AND WE
DEMAND YOU DISBAND THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT ENTIRELY AND
SUPPORT THE -- AND OTHER COUNTY
JAILS FOR COMMUNITY PURPOSES.
THE HISTORY OF SEATTLE POLICING
AND INCARCERATION IS ONE OF
LETHAL AND RACIST VIOLENCE
AGAINST BLACK AND INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE, AND IT IS NOT KEEPING
OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
I URGE YOU TO GO BEYOND JUST
CUTTING SPD FUNDS IN HALF AND
COME UP WITH CLEAR LEGISLATION
AND POLICIES TO CREATE A SYSTEM
OF TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY LED BY
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AS WELL AS
PUSHING FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PROGRAMS IN PLACE OF JAILING.
SECONDLY, WE ASK THAT CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS BRING FORTH
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST
JENNY DURKAN SINCE SHE HAS
FAILED THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
INSTEAD OF BEING A STRONG VOICE
FOR BLACK LIVES MATTER, MAYOR
DURKAN HAS ABUSED HER POWER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT UP IS TOM MALONE FOLLOWED
BY LAUREN RAY-WHIT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS TOM MALONE, AND I'M
CALLING IN SUPPORT OF THE
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE
UNIVERSITY BIA.
I AM CO-CHAIR OF THE BALLARD BIA
RATE PAYER ADVISORY BOARD.
THE BALLARD BIA HAS HAD NUMEROUS
OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK
COOPERATIVELY WITH THE
UNIVERSITY BIA SINCE OUR
INCEPTION IN 2017.
OUR EXPERIENCES AT THE
UNIVERSITY BIA IS AN EFFECTIVE
LEADER OF ITS COMMUNITY AND MANY
OF THEIR PROGRAMS SERVE AS
MODELS WHICH HAVE BEEN EMULATED
BY OTHER BIAs THROUGHOUT THE
CITY.
THE BALLARD BIA IS CONTROLLED BY
ONE PROPOSAL.
THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL EVERY FIVE
YEARS FOR THE SELECTION OF THE
PROGRAM MANAGER AND THAT A CITY
DEPARTMENT SELECT THE MANAGER.
THE UNIVERSITY BIA AND A
MAJORITY OF THE OTHER BIAs
ALREADY HAVE A GOOD PROCESS IN
PLACE FOR THE SELECTION OF A
PROGRAM MANAGER.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE BALLARD BIA HAS
AN ANNUAL REVIEW AND A SELECTION
PROCESS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY CHOOSE ITS OWN
MANAGER.
THE PROGRAM MANAGERS ARE
FAMILIAR WITH THE PEOPLE AND
ISSUES IN THE --
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAUREN
RAY-WHIT FOLLOWED BY ZACHARY
JAFFE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
LAUREN WHIT.
ON SATURDAY THE 30th, A COUPLE
OF FRIENDS AND I WERE ATTACKED
BY SEATTLE POLICE.
THERE WERE 20 OFFICERS THAT
INLAKED UP AGAINST US AND
BRUTALLY ATTACKED THE MAN NEXT
TO ME, GASSING US WITH MULTIPLE
ROUNDS.
I'M SHOCKED AND APPALLED BY THE
GROSS MISUSE OF FORCE THAT
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS
WELL AS THE NEGLIGENCE SHOWN BY
COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE JENNY
DURKAN AND I MOVE FOR HER
IMMEDIATE REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.
I ALSO MOVE TO SUPPORT HERBOLD
AND SAWANT'S BOLD LEGISLATION
THAT THEY'VE INTRODUCED TODAY.
AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE
NEED TO ADOPT THOSE INTO PLACE
MUCH SOONER RATHER THAN LATER
AND TAKE A FIRM STAND AGAINST
THE WAY THAT SEATTLE PD IS
TREATING ITS CITIZENS.
I DON'T BELIEVE A MINUTE IS LONG
ENOUGH TO REALLY EXPRESS MY TRUE
FEAR THAT WITHOUT THESE
MOVEMENTS IN PLACE THAT WE ARE
-- I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
I HAVE NO WORDS.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS ZACHARY JAFFE
FOLLOWED BY CHARLES PAUL.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ZACH JAFFE.
I LIVE IN CAPITOL HILL AND I'M
CALLING IN SUPPORT OF
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
AMENDMENT.
I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED HAVING
COVID-19 AND HAVE HAD CHRONIC
BREATHING ISSUES AS A RESULT.
AND I LIVE THREE BLOCKS AWAY
FROM WHERE THE MAIN
DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE BEEN TAKING
PLACE.
AND AS A RESULT -- GETTING INTO
MY APARTMENT AND HAS BEEN
CAUSING HEALTH ISSUES.
IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, A 22-YEAR-OLD
GIRL DIED FROM EXPOSURE TO GAS
AND THERE ARE OTHER ELDERLY AND
CHILDREN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
WHO ARE PROBABLY ALSO HAVING GAS
LEAKED INTO THEIR APARTMENT.
AND IT IS YOUR MORAL DUTY AS THE
COUNCIL TO, AS RAPIDLY AS
POSSIBLE, MAKE IT SO THAT NO ONE
ENDS UP HOSPITALIZED OR DIES
FROM EXPOSURE TO THESE TOXIC
CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
YESTERDAY I SAW A GROUP OF
PEOPLE THROWING UP OUTSIDE FROM
EXPOSURE TO THESE WEAPONS.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLES PAUL
FOLLOWED BY SEAN.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS CHARLES PAUL.
A LOT OF THE COMMENTS AND
LEGISLATION DISCUSSED TODAY HAVE
CENTERED ON TEAR GAS.
THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, TEAR GAS
IS HORRIFIC AND HAS NO PLACE IN
OUR SOCIETY.
BUT THIS MISSES THE POINT.
AS A WHITE MAN, MY ONLY
ANTAGONISTIC INTERACTION WITH
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WAS GETTING GASSED AT A PROTEST.
WE'VE HEARD STORIES OVER THE
PAST WEEK THAT OUR BLACK
COMMUNITY -- WE RESPECT IN THE
STREETS PROTESTING TEAR GAS.
WE'RE PROTESTING POLICE
BRUTALITY.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE
SETTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS
MURDERED MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE.
WAS TEAR GAS INVOLVED?
WERE RUBBER BULLETS?
THE CHANGE WE DEMAND ISN'T
RESTRICTING THE TOOLS THE POLICE
USE TO BRUTALIZE US, IT'S TO FIX
THE BROKEN SYSTEM THAT ENABLES
THIS DYNAMIC IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I SUPPORT DEFUNDING THE SPD BY
AT LEAST 50%.
I SUPPORT REINVESTING IN
COMMUNITIES.
I SUPPORT TAXING BIG BUSINESSES
TO AID IN THIS EFFORT AND I
BELIEVE MAYOR DURKAN NEEDS TO
RESIGN OR BE REMOVED.
IF THE COUNCIL IS UNWILLING OR
UNABLE TO DO THIS, WE WILL DO IT
OURSELVES.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SEAN
FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER RUSSELL.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS SEAN.
WHEN I AM ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL
AND MY FELLOW CITIZENS -- AND
THE BRAVERY OF PEOPLE, I BELIEVE
SIT A MISCHARACTERIZATION TO
CALL THESE PROTESTS.
WE THE PEOPLE ARE IN OPEN
DEFIANCE OF THE CORRUPT POLICE
AND COLLABORATORS.
THE DEMAND IS SIMPLE AND MUST BE
MET.
THE SPD MUST BE DEFUNDED AND
DISBANDED.
UNTIL THIS DEMAND IS MET, WE
WILL RESIST, WE WILL FIGHT.
I CALL ON THE COUNCIL TO ABOLISH
THE SPD AND THE NATIONAL GUARD
TO BE WITHDRAWN.
TO FELLOW CITIZENS, I SAY THIS
IS THE HOUR OF GREATEST NEED.
WISE UP TO PROTECT YOUR BLACK
AND INDIGENOUS NEIGHBORS, TO
PROTECT YOURSELF.
JUSTICE FOR SEAN FIR, BREONNA
TAYLOR, GEORGE FLOYD.
LONG LIVE THE GEORGE FLOYD
REBELLION.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER
RUSSELL FOLLOWED BY NATALIE
SCHMIDT AND FOR OUR PUBLIC
COMMENTERS, I APPRECIATE THE
FACT THAT I'M ONLY GIVING YOU A
MINUTE THIS AFTERNOON.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE STILL
USING CLOSED CAPTIONS -- OUR
VISUALLY IMPAIRED -- EXCUSE ME,
OUR AUDIBLY IMPAIRD LISTENERS.
SO PLEASE BE CONSCIENTIOUS OF
THAT AS YOU OFFER US YOUR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY SO THAT THE TECHNOLOGY
CAN KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO NEXT UP IS JENNIFER RUSSELL
FOLLOWED BY NATALIE SCHMIDT.
>> -- A RESIDENT OF BALLARD FOR
12 -- MY NAME IS JENNIFER
RUSSELL, I'M A RESIDENT OF
BALLARD FOR 12 YEARS.
I'M A PARENT AND TECH WORKER.
I'M ADDRESSING THE BILL FROM
SAWANT.
BLACK LIVES MATTER, DEFUND SPD.
REMOVE DURKAN AND BEST FROM
OFFICE.
I'M DISGUSTED BY THE USE OF
FORCE FROM SPD ON PROTESTERS IN
SEATTLE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT USED TEAR
GAS, PEPPER SPRAY AND FLASH
BANGS ON PROTESTERS, DESPITE NO
ACTUAL RISK TO THEIR OWN SAFETY.
SPD WERE IN FULL RIOT GEAR.
I CONDEMN THE USE OF PEPPER
SPRAY AND FLASH BANGS AS WELL AS
CHOKEHOLDS AGAINST PEACEFUL
PROTESTERS.
SHAME ON THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO
ALLOW THIS FORCE AGAINST OUR
CITIZENS.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NATALIE
SCHMIDT FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW
SAUNDERS.
>> MY NAME IS NATALIE SCHMIDT
AND I LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE.
OVER THE LAST TEN DAYS, I'VE
FELT RAGE AND GRIEF AS I'VE
WATCHED THE OFFICERS OF THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
TERRORIZE PROTESTERS OF RACIST
POLICE VIOLENCE WITH MORE POLICE
VIOLENCE, USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS
THAT TARGET THE RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM DURING A PANDEMIC.
WE OFTEN HEAR IN THESE MEETINGS
THAT OTHER CITIES ARE LOOKING TO
SEATTLE, BUT THE EVENTS OF THE
PAST WEEK HAVE MADE IT CLEAR NO
ONE IS LOOKING TO US ANYMORE
EXCEPT AS A HORRIFYING EXAMPLE
OF POLICE BRUTALITY RUN AMOK.
I SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION BANNING THE USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND CHOKEHOLDS.
I DO NOT THINK IT GOES FAR
ENOUGH.
I CALL ON YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS,
TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE
MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL'S
PLEDGE TO DEFUND THEIR POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
I CALL ON YOU TO COMPLETELY
DEFUND SPD TO INVEST IN
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND TO
IMPEACH AND REMOVE MAYOR DURKAN
WHO PROVED LAST NIGHT THAT SHE
CANNOT EVEN CONTROL HER OWN
POLICE FORCE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MATTHEW
SAUPDERS, FOLLOWED BY ALICIA
LEWIS.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MATTHEW
SAUNDERS, RESIDENT OF RAINIER
BEACH AND EDUCATOR IN DISTRICT
FOUR.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT THE BAN
ON ALL USE AND PURCHASE OF TEAR
GAS, PEPPER SPRAY, MACE, RUBBER
BULLETS, STUN GRENADES AND
CHOKEHOLDS BY SPD AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
THEY'RE ILLEGAL IN WARFARE AND
THERE'S NO EXCUSE THEY SHOULD BE
USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
ALSO CALLING TO SUPPORT THE KING
COUNTY EQUITY NOW DEMANDS TO
DECOMMISSION A FIRE STATION THAT
SERVES NO PURPOSE OTHER THAN
STORAGE.
TRANSFER THIS PROPERTY
IMMEDIATELY OVER TO THE
COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
FINALLY, TAX AMAZON FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND GREEN NEW
DEAL.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
I YIELD MY TIME.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ALICIA LEWIS
FOLLOWED BY PASHA.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALICIA LEWIS,
I'M A MEMBER OF SOCIALIST
ALTERNATIVE AND WAS ONE OF THE
THOUSANDS OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS
WATCHING WITH HORROR A
LIVESTREAM OF THE EVENTS IN
CAPITOL HILL WHERE HUNDREDS OF
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS WERE
BRUTALLY MACED AND GASSED BY THE
SEATTLE POLICE.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL THAT
THE MAYOR AND CITY OF SEATTLE
WOULD ORCHESTRATE SUCH BRUTAL
REPRESSION AGAINST YOUNG,
UNARMED PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATING
AGAINST THE ONGOING AND WELL
DOCUMENTED POLICE VIOLENCE IN
SEATTLE.
IT'S APPARENT THE POLICE ARE NOT
MAKING OUR COMMUNITY SAFER.
WHAT WOULD MAKE OUR COMMUNITY
SAFER IS TO IMMEDIATELY PASS
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S TWO BANS
ON CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS AND
CHOKEHOLDS WITHOUT WATERING THEM
DOWN, TO IMMEDIATELY CUT THE
POLICE BUDGET IN HALF AND USE
THAT MONEY FOR COMMUNITY-LED
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AND FINALLY
TO COMBAT THE RACIST
GENTRIFICATION IN THE CITY BY
TAXING AMAZON.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, FAIR LEADERSHIP ON THIS
ISSUE.
TO EVERYONE WHO'S LISTENING,
WE'LL ONLY WIN BY KEEPING UP THE
PRESSURE OF OUR MOVEMENT ON THE
STREETS.
JOIN THE PUBLIC MEETING AT CAL
ANDERSON TOMORROW AT 6:00.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS PASHA
FOLLOWED BY MATT THOMPSON.
>> I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A
LOCAL CRISIS LINE OVER 23 YEARS,
SERVING RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY.
I WAS AT THE PROTEST LAST MONDAY
AND I'M STILL IN SHOCK TRYING TO
PROCESS WHAT I EXPERIENCED AND,
HONESTLY, MY OWN PRIVILEGE THAT
HAS SHELTERED MY FROM WHAT BLACK
PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY EXPERIENCE
EVERY DAY.
I AM NO LONGER BLIND, NOW I SEE.
WE HAVE CREASED TO HAVE A POLICE
FORCE.
THEY HAVE TURNED INTO SOLDIERS
AT WAR WITH THEIR OWN CITIZENS.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE POLICE IF
THEY'RE AFRAID OF WATER BOTTLES,
UMBRELLAS AND CANDLES AND THEIR
RESPONSE IS CHEMICAL WEAPONS
DURING A PANDEMIC AND SOUND THAT
COULD DAMAGE HEARING.
DEFUND THE POLICE.
THE PD NEEDS TO BE DEMILITARIZED
AND COMPLETELY MADE OVER.
THE POLICE SHOULD SERVE AS
PROTECTORS AND GUARDIANS OF OUR
COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN ARMED
FORCES WHO TERRORIZE PEACEFUL
ITIZENS.
I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN MAYOR
DURKAN, CHIEF BEST AND THE BOARD
AND ASK FOR THEIR RESIGNATION.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MATT THOMPSON
FOLLOWED BY DOM ROLANDO.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS MATT
THOMPSON.
I AM A CAPITOL HILL RESIDENT WHO
NOW LIVES BEHIND THE POLICE
BARRICADES.
I WANTED TO START BY VOICING MY
SUPPORT FOR THE BLACK LIVES
MOVEMENT.
MAYOR DURKAN MUST RESIGN OR BE
RECALLED.
SHE LIED TO US ABOUT A 30-DAY
BAN ON THE USE OF GAS, MEANWHILE
SPD S.W.A.T.
WERE RESTOCKING
UTILITY BAGS WITH PEPPER BOMBS
AND TEAR GAS CANISTERS TO GAS
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOMES FOR THE
FOURTH NIGHT THIS WEEK.
THE CAPITOL HILL NEIGHBORHOOD
HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A WAR
ZONE.
I'M ALSO CALLING FOR THE
DEFUNDING OF SPD.
THE MILITARIZED SPD, WE'VE
WATCHED THEM MARCH THROUGH THE
STREETS WITH S.W.A.T.
VEHICLES,
RIFLES ON ROOFS, HARASSING US
WHO LIVE IN THE AREA AND
THROWING PEPPER BOMBS DOWN WHAT
SEEMED TO BE AN EMPTY ALLEY TO
SEEMINGLY INTIMIDATE RESIDENTS.
CALLING FOR THEIR FULL
DEFUNDING, ADDITIONALLY, I'D
LIKE TO REMIND THE CITY COUNCIL
YOU DO NOT ANSWER TO THE MAYOR
OR SPD, CHIEF BEST OR THE POLICE
UNION.
YOU ANSWER THE CITIZENS AND THE
CITIZENS HAVE SPOKEN.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DOM ROLANDO
FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL WOLF.
>> HELLO, I'M DOM ROLANDO, I
RESIDE IN CAPITOL HILL RIGHT BY
THE EAST PRECINCT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE HORROR
OF MY FELLOW SEATTLEITES.
I WOULD, HOWEVER, LIKE TO BRING
UP A RELATED MATTER.
FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE AND
WORK AROUND PINE AND 12th, OUR
LIFE HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A
NIGHTMARE.
THIS IS NOTHING COMPARED WHAT
BLACK AMERICANS HAVE ENDURED FOR
YEARS NOW, BUT I THINK IT IS AN
IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE
NONETHELESS.
FOR THOSE IN THE AREA, WE HAVE
TO CONVINCE THE POLICE TO LET US
THROUGH THE BARRICADE WHICH
EVERY DAY BECOMES MORE
REINFORCED.
REZ DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN TURNED
AWAY AND STOPPED FROM ENTER
THEIR OWN HOMES.
SOMETIMES ARMED POLICE IN RIOT
GEAR REQUIRE THEY ESCORT US TO
OUR HOMES.
THIS DOES NOT MAKE US FEEL SAFE,
IN FACT, IT IS TERRORIZING US.
MY WIFE WILL NOT ALLOW ME AS A
BIRACIAL BLACK MAN TO STEP
OUTSIDE WITHOUT HER BY MY SIDE
BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY POLICE
PRESENCE ON MY STREET.
I HAVE SEEN CHILDREN CRYING ON
THE STREET.
DISBAND THE POLICE NOW, THIS
CANNOT CONTINUE.
I YIELD.
>> THANKS FOR CALLING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL WOLF
FOLLOWED BY PATEL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I'M CALLING, MY NAME'S MICHAEL
WOLF, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
DRIVE FORWARD SEATTLE.
I WAS CALLING ORIGINALLY ON
COUNCIL BILL 119799 ABOUT GIG
WORKERS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT DRIVE
FORWARD SUPPORT AS DELIBERATIVE,
COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS VOVPING
ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO FIND A
MINIMUM EARNING STANDARD FOR GIG
WORKERS.
AND WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD IN
THAT VEIN.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, AND THIS IS
PERSONAL TESTIMONY, I SUPPORT
DEFUNDING THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
I AM A FATHER OF AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN SON AND I WORRY
EVERY DAY WHEN HE LEAVES THE
HOUSE AS TO WHAT HE MIGHT
ENCOUNTER IF CONFRONTED BY THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS NEEDS TO END.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN,
MICHAEL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PATEL
FOLLOWED BY LOUISE LITTLE.
>> HI, I'M MAHER.
I'M CALLING BECAUSE SPD HAS BEEN
BRUTALIZING MY FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS FOR THE PAST WEEK,
MORE THAN A WEEK.
AND ALL THIS TIME I'VE BEEN
WONDERING WHERE THE MAYOR, WHO
IS THE ELECTED OFFICIAL MOST
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAIR AND
JUST APPLICATION OF THE LAW, HAS
BEEN.
I AM CALLING ON THE CITY COUNCIL
TO EXERCISE ITS POWERS UNDER
ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION TEN OF THE
SEATTLE CITY CHARTER WHICH
AUTHORIZES YOU TO REMOVE THE
MAYOR OF SEATTLE.
I BELIEVE THAT BY FAILING TO
PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE
AND -- FROM THEIR PHYSICAL
SAFETY AND CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS, MAYOR DURKAN HAS
WILLFULLY VIOLATED HER DUTY.
AND HER CONSTANT LYING ABOUT
TEAR GAS USE, ENCOURAGING THEM
TO GO TO PROTESTS AND SAYING
THEY WON'T BE ATTACKED BY
CHEMICAL WEAPONS IS MORAL
INEPTITUDE.
>> LOUISE LITTLE FOLLOWED BY
SHEEPA.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS LOUISE
LITTLE AND I WORKED AT
UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE FOR 40
YEARS.
I SUPPORT THE RENEWAL OF THE U
DISTRICT BIA BUT NOT THE
AMENDMENTS WHICH ARE
UNREASONABLE AND NOT REQUIRED OF
OTHER BIAs IN THE CITY.
THE 12-YEAR TIMEFRAME IS WHAT
PETITIONERS WANT AND IS
COMPARABLE TO OTHER BIA.
REQUIRING AN RSQ IS UNNECESSARY
BECAUSE THIS OVERSIGHT IS
ALREADY A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
RATE PAYER BOARD.
BOTH PROVISIONS WOULD REQUIRE
THE RATE PAYER BOARD AND THE
CITY TO SPEND PRECIOUS TIME AND
MONEY ON PROCESSES THAT AREN'T
NEEDED AND COULD INSTEAD BE
DIRECTED TOWARD THE NEEDS OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY WILL
HAVE A GREATER IMPACT.
THE BIA HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE HERE.
DON'T LET THIS EXPIRE.
I'VE SEEN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
UNDERGO A TRANSFORMATION.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN CLEANER OR
FELT SAFER.
EVEN MY CUSTOMERS HAVE NOTICED
AND COMMENTED.
PLEASE VOTE TODAY AND PASS THE
LEGISLATION AS IT IS WRITTEN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHEEPA,
FOLLOWED BY ALEX EPSTEIN.
>> MY NAME IS SHEVA.
I'M A SEATTLE RESIDENT AND SPD
HAS ATTACKED RESIDENTS IN
CAPITOL HILL BOTH IN THE STREETS
AND IN THEIR HOMES SEVERAL TIMES
THIS WEEK.
AFTER DAYS OF VIOLENCE, THEY ARE
COVERING BADGE NUMBERS, USING
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND ESCALATING.
THIS GLORIFIES VIOLENCE OVER THE
PUBLIC INTEREST.
WHO KNOWS HOW LONG WE WILL
CONTINUE TO BE SO LUCKY.
I URGE YOU TO ACT.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT ALSO
TO SPEAK TO THE LESS VOCAL
MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL WHO
HAVE NOT COMMITTED TO SPECIFIC
ACTION ON THIS ISSUE AND MAY BE
UNSURE OF HOW FAR THE PUBLIC
POLITICAL WILL GOES IN TERMS OF
DEFUNDING POLICE AND HOLDING
MAYOR DURKAN ACCOUNTABLE.
AS A WOMAN OF COLOR, I'M DISGUST
BY THE MAYOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE.
IS THIS THE CHARACTER OF
LEADERSHIP YOU REPRESENT?
DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM THIS
FAILURE AND SUPPORT THE REZ
KENTS OF THIS CITY.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEX
FOLLOWED BY AISLING>> MY NAME IS
ALEX EPSTEIN, I LIVE IN EAST
LAKE SEATTLE.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT BLACK
LIVES MATTER AND DEFUNDING THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS IN
SUPPORT TO COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RESOLUTION.
TO BE HONEST, THOSE MEASURES ARE
NOT ENOUGH.
OUR SOCIETY HAS LOST ALL FAITH
IN THE BROKEN, CORRUPT AND
MURDEROUS POLICE STATE.
IT MUST BE ABOLISHED AND REBUILT
FOR THE WELL BEING OF OUR PEOPLE
AND COMMUNITIES.
MAYOR DURKAN HAS PROVED SHE DOES
NOT HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONED
FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
SHE HAS LIED TO US, GASSED US,
BEATEN AND MURDERED US.
SHE MUST RESIGN IMMEDIATELY.
IF NOT, I ASK THE CITY COUNCIL
TO PROCEED WITH IMPEACHMENT
HEARINGS.
TO PERFORM AT THE BARE MINIMUM
OF YOUR POSITION, YOU MUST
OUTLAW THE OWNERSHIP AND USE OF
CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS, CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AND DEADLY FORCE BY THE
POLICE.
BUT TO BRING PEACE BACK TO OUR
CITY, YOU MUST DISBAND AND
DEFUND THE POLICE, RELEASE ALL
PROTEST PRISONERS AND REMOVE
MAYOR DURKAN FROM OFFICE
IMMEDIATELY.
RECOGNIZE THE MOMENT WE ARE IN
AND BE THE PROGRESSIVE LEADER
SEATTLE PRETENDS TO BE.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AISLING
FOLLOWED BY CONNOR CULVER.
>> HI, I LIVE IN LOWER QUEEN
ANNE.
YESTERDAY A GROUP OF PROTESTERS
WAS TRAMPLED BY BIKE COPS FROM
ONE END WHILE COPS IN RIOT GEAR
CAME FROM THE OTHER SIDES AND
PEPPER SPRAYED ME SO INTENSELY,
STREET MEDICS TOOK ME TO THE
HOSPITAL.
THERE IS A VIDEO OF ME ON THE
INTERNET BECOMING DISORIENTED
FROM A FLASH BANG, TRYING TO
MOVE AWAY WHEN I AM SHOVED BY
OFFICERS, GRABBED BY ONE, SPUN
AROUND TO FACE HIM AND PEPPER
SPRAYED FROM LESS THAN ONE FOOT
A WAY FOR MULTIPLE SECONDS.
I WATCHED IN HORROR AS MY FELLOW
PROTESTERS WERE ATTACKED WITH
ENDLESS FLASH BANGS AND EVEN
MORE GAS.
THE SAME DAY CHIEF BEST POSTED A
BOUQUET OF FLOWERS THANKING THE
SENDER FOR ENCOURAGEMENT WITH NO
COMMENT ON THE BRUTALITY THAT
OCCURRED THE NIGHT BEFORE OR ALL
OF THE PREVIOUS NIGHTS.
THAT IS EXTREMELY -- WHILE WE
WERE BEING HIT BY FLASH BANGS
AND TEAR GAS, MAYOR DURKAN WAS
HAVING A PRESS CONFERENCE.
I DEMAND THEY BOTH BE REMOVED
IMMEDIATELY.
DEFUND THE SPD IMMEDIATELY.
THEY CAN'T BE TRUSTED OR
SALVAGED.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CONNOR
FOLLOWED BY KEVIN BRIAN.
>> HI THERE, I WANT TO BEGIN BY
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WHILE THIS
MOMENT IS HISTORIC, THE PROBLEM
OF POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST
BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA IS NOT A
NEW PROBLEM.
IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED EARLIER BY
MEMBERS OF THIS CITY COUNCIL
THAT IN THE PAST POLICE REFORM
HAS FAILED TO GENERATE
SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE HERE IN
SEATTLE AND ALL AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
WHY SHOULD WE BELIEVE THAT ANY
EFFORTS TO REFORM WILL BRING
ABOUT ANY CHANGE HERE AND NOW
WHEN WE CANNOT EVEN HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE TO A TEAR GAS BAN
FOR 48 HOURS.
THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS
COUNCIL, PARTICULARLY SAWANT AND
MOSQUEDA WHO HAVE ANNOUNCED
THEIR SUPPORT IN DEFUNDING THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I CALL UPON THE OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE COUNCIL TO DO THE SAME.
THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT.
IT DEMANDS HISTORIC ACTION.
THIS COUNCIL'S ACTIONS WILL BE
REMEMBERED.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THE
LARGEST PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS OF
OUR LIFETIME AND WE'RE
ALLOCATING A LARGE PART OF THE
BUDGET TO AN ARMY, WHY?
WE MUST REALLOCATE ALL FUNDS
INTO BLACK COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TODAY.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KEVIN
BRIAN FOLLOWED BY KEYLY HICKS.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> MY NAME IS KEVIN BRIAN, ONE
OF 20,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR
CAL ANDERSON PARK.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN SO
FILLED WITH CHEMICAL WEAPONS, IT
HAS SEEPED THROUGH THE WALLS AND
WINDOWS.
THE POLICE HAVE DONE NOTHING TO
STOP IT AND YET THEY RESPOND TO
CANDLES AND UMBRELLAS WITH
CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
LAST NIGHT, OVER 100 EXPLOSIONS
NEAR CAL ANDERSON PARK.
THIS ISN'T JUST AN ATTACK ON
PROTESTERS AND THE PRESS BUT AN
ATTACK ON THE WHOLE OF SEATTLE.
PLEASE DEFUND THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND REMOVE THE MAYOR.
>> KEELLY HICKS FOLLOWED BY LO
CAN SWAN.
>> HI, CITY COUNCILMEMBERS,
THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ME.
I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT'S USE OF
VIOLENT WEAPONS ON PROTESTERS
LIKE TEAR GAS, FLASH BANGS,
RUBBER BULLETS AND CHOKEHOLDS.
SEATTLE POLICE SHOULD NEVER BE
USING THESE WEAPONS ON
PROTESTERS AND THE GENERAL
PUBLIC.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS A
CONVERSATION I HAVE TO HAVE WITH
YOU TODAY.
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY BLACK
PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR
LIVES AND DOING SO DURING A
GLOBAL HEALTH PANDEMIC THAT
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS THEM.
THE PROTESTS IN SEATTLE HAVE
REMAINED SXIFL PEACEFUL UNTIL
POLICE ESCALATE WITH VIOLENCE.
THEY DO SO WITH TEAR GAS AND
RUBBER BULLETS, WHICH HAVE BEEN
SHOWN TO SERIOUSLY INJURE AND/OR
KILL PEOPLE.
AS IF THAT WEREN'T BAD ENOUGH,
GIVEN GLOBAL HEALTH PANDEMIC
WITH COVID-19, THE EFFECTS OF
TEAR GAS ARE EVEN MORE
DANGEROUS.
RUBBER BULLETS ARE BEING SHOT AT
PEOPLE'S HEADS, LEAVING THEM
PERMANENTLY BLIND IN ONE EYE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I HAVE TO MAKE
A CALL LIKE THIS.
IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT
THIS, SHAME ON YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
LET'S SEE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LOGAN
FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS.
>> YEAH, MY NAME'S LOGAN SWAN.
I'M A JOURNEYMAN IRON WORKER.
I WANTED TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF
THE LEGISLATION TO BAN THE USE
OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS BY THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN OUT AT THESE
PROTESTS AND I'VE RUN INTO UNION
MEMBERS FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS,
LONGSHOREMEN, TEACHERS,
PROFESSORS FROM AFT, SCIU, OTHER
IRON WORKERS, UNION
ELECTRICIANS, JUST A BUNCH OF --
THESE AREN'T JUST TO TRY AND
ARGUMENTIZE IT AS CROWD CONTROL
OF, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF
UNRULY ELEMENT, THESE ARE MY
BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE
GETTING TEAR GASSED AND
ASSAULTED BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
FORCE.
AND YEAH.
I THINK ON THAT BASIS, YOU KNOW,
TO BE BANNING THE USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS WHEN THEY'RE
BEING USED ON PEACEFUL
PROTESTERS, AND I SUPPORT
CUTTING THE BUDGET IN HALF
BECAUSE THERE IS A CHOICE,
RIGHT?
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NICHOLAS
FOLLOWED BY DEVIN O'DONNELL AND
THEN DOUG CAMPBELL.
>> HI, I'M NICHOLAS, 119805.
FOR THE LAST WEEK I'VE GONE TO
BED LISTENING TO POLICE
HELICOPTERS IN THE AIR.
LAST NIGHT THERE WAS A NEW
NOISE, FLASH BANG GRENADES GOING
OFF.
I COUNT MYSELF LUCKY THAT WAS
ALL I HAD TO DEAL WITH.
BECAUSE A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM
ME, GAS WAS SEEPING THROUGH THE
WINDOWS OF RESIDENCES IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
PEOPLE ON CAPITOL HILL DON'T
HAVE TO GO TO A DEMONSTRATION TO
UNDERSTAND THE FEEL THAT THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
INSTILLS IN THE CITY, YET OUR
FEAR DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
OUR FEAR DOESN'T GRANT US
SPECIAL RIGHTS.
WHEN A POLICE OFFICER IS AFRAID,
THEY HAVE LICENSE TO DO
ANYTHING.
THE MAGIC WORDS I FEARED FOR MY
LIFE PROTECT THEM.
MAYOR DURKAN MADE SURE THAT WHEN
CHIEF BEST IS ASKED, SHE CAN
IGNORE THE BAN ON GAS.
I ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO
RESPOND TO ITS CITIZENS.
A BAN ON PEPPER SPRAY, GAS AND
OTHER WEAPONS OF WAR AND THE
REMOVAL OF THE COWARD US.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER IS DEVIN AND THEN
DOUG CAMPBELL.
>> MY NAME IS DEVIN O'DONNELL.
I LIVE IN NORTHGATE.
I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S MOTIONS, BUT THEY MUST
GO FURTHER.
SEATTLE MUST TAKE ACTION ON THE
FOLLOWING STEPS -- IMPEACH
DURKAN, DEFUND THE SPD, GIVE THE
MONEY TO BLACK AND INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES.
THERE'S INCREDIBLE GRIEVANCES.
DURKAN LIED ABOUT THE GAS THAT'S
BEEN USED FOR TWO NIGHTS.
SPD ARE TARGETING -- THREE,
SEATTLE HAS CONTINUED TO DO
HOMELESS SWEEPS DESPITE
PROMISING TO DO THEM DURING --
NOT TO DO THEM DURING COVID-19.
-- THE ALLEGED OFFICER WAS ON
THE SCENE.
THIS IS NOT AN ACT OF JUSTICE.
THIS IS AN ACT OF RETALIATION BY
AN OCCUPYING FORCE.
MAYOR DURKAN HAS EMPOWERED AN
OCCUPYING FORCE CONTINUALLY
ESCALATING IN VIOLENCE.
SHE IS NOT FIT TO SERVE AND SPD
úSHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
JUSTICE FOR CHARLEENA LYLES AND
ALL MURDERED BY SPD.
JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR,
GEORGE FLOYD.
-- SPD.
>> FOLKS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OUR LAST SPEAKER, WE'VE BEEN
DOING THIS FOR AN HOUR NOW, SO
OUR LAST SPEAKER THAT I'M GOING
TO CALL ON THAT PREREGISTERED
FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS DOUG
CAMPBELL.
DOUG, PLEASE.
>> -- PARTNERSHIP.
HI, I'M DOUG CAMPBELL, FOUNDER
OF BULLDOG NEWS.
I SAT ON THE BOARD FOR ITS FIRST
TWO YEARS.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW WITH ITS EXTENT
TO STAFFING, THE UDP ALSO
PROPOSES THE BUDGETS AND
EFFECTIVELY FRAMES THE
DISCUSSION OF NEIGHBORHOOD
PRIORITIES.
IT IS THE UBP BOARD THAT
REPRESENTS THE PRIVATE DECISION
MAKING PROCESSES OF THE UW AND
UDPA, THE LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS
ASSOCIATION.
UNLIKE THE BIA, WHICH ELECTS
ITSELF TO ITS BOARD POSITIONS,
THE UDP'S IS NOT -- THIS BOARD
WAS TO HAVE TERM LIMITS, INSTEAD
TERM LIMITS HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED
AND AS A NEIGHBORHOOD WE ARE
SADDLED WITH THE SAME
STEWARDSHIP WE'VE HAD FOR
DECADES.
THE UDP IS THE EXTRA LAYER WHICH
NEEDS TO BE REMOVED OR REFORMED
IN THE UPCOMING YEARS.
ONLY THE RFP PROCESS CAN OPEN UP
THE BIA TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY
WHICH LOVES ITS NEIGHBORHOOD AND
ITS JOB TO PLAY A CONSTRUCTIVE
ROLL.
PLEASE PASS COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN'S RFP PROPOSAL --
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING
IN.
COLLEAGUES, AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN
DOING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE
PROMISED 60 MINUTES.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
CLOSE OUT THE PERIOD OF PUBLIC
COMMENT.
I DO APOLOGIZE TO THOSE SPEAKER
WHO IS PREREGISTERED AND WERE
HANGING ON THE LINE FOR SO LONG.
>> YEAH -- YOU.
-- YOU.
>> OKAY.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT PARTICULAR
SPEAKER GOT THROUGH.
BUT THANK YOU TO OUR IT
DEPARTMENT FOR MUTING THE
BUTTON.
AGAIN, IN THE FUTURE, I WANT TO
REITERATE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS
NOT REQUIRED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
AND THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT
JUST OCCURRED WILL NOT BE
TOLERATED BY ME OR ANY OF MY
OTHER COLLEAGUES.
IF THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR
CONTINUES IN THE FUTURE, WE WILL
TERMINAT THE PUBLIC COMMENT
TOOL AS ONE AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC.
I DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT, BUT WE
WILL DO THAT IF THERE ARE
OCCURRENCES LIKE THAT IN THE
FUTURE.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY
CLEAR FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
SO AGAIN, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO
THOSE OF YOU WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO
GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
WE DO OUR BEST TO PRIORITIZE
TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AGAIN, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING OF
HER COMMITTEE OF THE PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE THAT WILL BE WHOLLY
DEDICATED TO HEARING DIRECTLY
FROM THE PUBLIC ON ISSUES
RELATED TO POLICING.
MANY OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE
REGISTERED FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY
TODAY WERE CALLING IN FOR THAT
PARTICULAR MATTER.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO HEAR MORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON
SOME OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BILLS
AND MEASURES THAT WERE
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED NEXT
WEEK ON MONDAY.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY
UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR US TO
GET THROUGH THE REST OF THE
ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE
THROUGH PAYMENT OF THE BILLS, IF
THE CLERK CAN PLEASE READ THE
TITLE INTO THE RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 119801, PAY
STARTING CLAIMS FOR THE WEEK OF
MAY 25, 2020 THROUGH MAY 29,
2020 AND ORDERING THROUGHOUT.
>> COLLEAGUES,LY MOVE TO PASS
COUNCIL BILL 119801, IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO PASS THE BILL.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THE
BILL?
HEARING NO COMMENTS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> NOS CAY DA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION ON
MY BEHALF.
OKAY.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO
AGENDA ITEM ONE WHICH HAS
ACTUALLY BEEN HELD UNTIL JUNE
15, 2020, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM TWO.
SORRY ABOUT THAT, FOLKS.
I'M MULTITASKING, OBVIOUSLY.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
SHORT TITLE OF ITEM TWO INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, COUNCIL BILL
119779, TOAN ORDINANCE
ESTABLISHING A
NEW UNIVERSITY DISTRICT PARKING
AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA,
BIA, LEVYING SPECIAL
ASSESSMENTS UPON OWNERS OF
COMMERCIAL, MULTIFAMILY
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, AND
MIXED-USE PROPERTY WITHIN THE
BIA.
>> IS THERE A SECOND?
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
PASS THE BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, YOU'RE
PRIMARY SPONSOR, SO I'M GOING TO
RECOGNIZE YOU TO ADDRESS THIS
ITEM.
>> THANK YOU.
I WILL BE BRIEF.
JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND,
COLLEAGUES, AS I MENTIONED
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, WE HAVE THE U
DISTRICT BIA BEFORE US.
THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MET ON MAY
20th FOR AN INITIAL BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION OF THE BILL WHICH
WOULD ESTABLISH A NEW BIA.
PROPONENTS OF THE NEW BIA AS
WELL AS CENTRAL STAFF AND THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE TO
DESCRIBE THE BACKGROUND AND
INTENT OF THE PROPOSAL.
THE LEGISLATION AS TRANSMITTED
DOES INCLUDE A COUPLE OF CHANGES
TO THE WAY THE BIA IS
STRUCTURED.
IT WOULD HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL
BUSINESS TENANTS WHO HAVE LEASES
AS COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
MENTIONED EARLIER.
SO TENANTS WHO PAY TAXES,
INSURANCE AND MAINTENANCE.
IT WOULD ADD ONE RESIDENTIAL
REPRESENTATIVE.
I KNOW WE GOT AN EMAIL RECENTLY
ASKING ABOUT THAT, SO THERE IS
ONE RESIDENTIAL REPRESENTATIVE
IN THE NEW STRUCTURE.
ON MAY 27th, THE COMMITTEE HELD
THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING TO
DISCUSS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND
THEN WE HAD PLANNED TO VOTE ON
THOSE AMENDMENTS IN COMMITTEE
THIS WEEK.
OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE
SHIFTED THINGS FOR THE BUDGET
DISCUSSIONS TO BEGIN, WE ARE NOW
CONSIDERING AMENDMENTS TODAY.
SO WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A
LITTLE BIT IN BRIEFING THIS
MORNING.
I WILL JUST GIVE A QUICK SUMMARY
OF THE AMENDMENTS AND THEN HAND
IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
AMENDMENT ONE IS TECHNICAL
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
WITH THE ADDITION OF HOLDING THE
UW AT ITS CURRENT NUMBER OF FIVE
SEATS ON THE ADVISORY BOARD.
IT SHIFTS CONTRACTING
RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH IS AN
ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE, FROM FAS
TO OBD.
THEY HAVE AGREED TO THIS, AND
THAT WAS ADOPTED IN THE BIA
POLICIES IN 2016.
AMENDMENT TWO IS THE -- SHORTENS
THE TERM OF THE BIA ITSELF FROM
12 YEARS TO 10.
AND THE INTERIM PROGRAM MANAGER
FROM FIVE YEARS TO ONE YEAR.
AS I SAID EARLIER THIS MORNING,
THE RATIONAL FOR SHORTENING THE
PROGRAM MANAGER CONTRACT IS THAT
OTHER GROUPS NEED THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BID, BUT AS I
SAID BEFORE, TO MY MIND THERE'S
ALREADY A COMPETITIVE BID
PROCESS THAT ANYBODY WHO IS
INTERESTED COULD ENGAGE IN.
AND IF THIS PASSES, OED WOULD
HAVE TO BID OUT STARTING IN A
YEAR.
AND IN MY MIND, THERE ISN'T A
CLEAR RATIONALE FOR SHORTENING
THE BIA TERM BY TWO YEARS.
SO I WILL LEAVE IT THERE, AND
TURN IT BACK TO YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO WE ARE -- I KNOW THERE ARE
THE AMENDMENTS AS DESCRIBED AND
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
THOSE AMENDMENTS.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO
DO.
I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, YOU ADDRESSING THE
UNDERLYING BILL.
I KNOW, AGAIN, THAT
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN DISCUSSED
THIS MORNING HE HAS A COUPLE
AMENDMENTS, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THAT
AMENDATORY WORK.
SO I BELIEVE THERE ARE A TOTAL
OF -- LET'S SEE HERE, TWO
AMENDMENTS, BOTH BY
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN TO WALK US THROUGH
THOSE AMENDMENTS.
AND MY REQUEST WOULD BE THAT WE
TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME.
SO LET'S DO AMENDMENT ONE AND
THEN WE WILL HAVE CONSIDERATION
AND DEBATE ON AMENDMENT ONE.
AND THEN WE WILL CONSIDER
AMENDMENT TWO.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO CHAIR
MORALES WHO ACCURATELY AND
FAIRLY DESCRIBES THE UNDERLYING
LEGISLATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
COLLABORATION WITH HER
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
úAND I APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE F
MY COLLEAGUES AS WE TAKE A PAUSE
FROM THE CRISES GOING AROUND US
HERE TO RENEW OR REAUTHORIZE
THIS BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
THERE ARE TEN THROUGHOUT THE
CITY, THIS IS ONE OF THEM IN THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT.
JUST TO MOVE THE PROCESS ALONG
HERE, SINCE WE DID DISCUSS IT AT
LENGTH THIS MORNING, I'D LIKE TO
MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL
119779 BY SUBSTITUTING VERSION
2B FOR VERSION 1F AS PRESENTED
ON AMENDMENT ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
SO THE MOTION IS PROPERLY BEFORE
US.
SO COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN THE
FLOOR IS YOURS TO ADDRESS
AMENDMENT ONE.
>> THANK YOU.
SO THIS IS FULL OF TECHNICAL
CORRECTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, CHANGING THE
ADMINISTRATOR FROM DIRECTOR OF
FAS TO THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT DOES HAVE THE
NONCONTROVERSIAL AMENDMENT IN
THERE ABOUT SOLIDIFYING THE
EXISTING MEMBERSHIP OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AT FIVE
MEMBERS.
AND SO YOLANDA WENT THROUGH THIS
THIS MORNING.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS WHERE IT
GETS MORE COMPLEX.
THIS IS THE SUBSTITUTE WITH THE
TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
I WAS CHUCKLING AT YOUR
EFERENCE TO THINKING THAT TS
MORNING WAS YESTERDAY WHICH
SEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS DAY
AND AGE IN TERMS OF HOW QUICKLY
TIME SEEMS TO FLY BEYOND US.
SO COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED
SUBSTITUTE?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAME
PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANT TO REALLY THANK
COUNCILMEMBER -- SORRY,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND
PEDERSEN FOR THE WORK THEY'VE
DONE ON THIS BILL.
AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE,
I'M REALLY GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO
WORK IN THIS CRITICAL
REAUTHORIZATION.
WITHOUT ANY HESITATION, I'LL SAY
ON THE MATTER OF ADOPTING 2B OR
NOT 2B I SIDE ON VOTING YES FOR
SUBSTITUTE 2B.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
ON THE SUBSTITUTE BILL?
OKAY.
HEARING NONE, I WOULD ASK THAT
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE ADOPTION OF THE
SUBSTITUTE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>>AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES, AND
VERSION 2 B OF THE BILL IS
BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
I UNDERSTAND THERE IS ANOTHER
AMENDMENT.
THIS IS AMENDMENT TWO WHICH IS,
I THINK, DESCRIBED AS A LITTLE
TRICKIER BY COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
AND SO WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN AS HE
FORMALLY MOVES CONSIDERATION OF
AMENDMENT TWO.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL
119779 ADDS PRESENTED ON
AMENDMENT TWO ON THE AGENDA.
>> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT
TWO.
AND COUNCILMEMBER CLEEDER SEN,
I'LL HAND IT BACK OVER TO YOU TO
ADDRESS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO ECHO THE
COMMENTS OF COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW,
WHAT THE STATUS QUO HAS BEEN
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS WITH
THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA IN
THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT.
THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS
DEVELOPED DID HAVE STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT AND SO THERE ARE
ALREADY VERY IMPORTANT
IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT WE'RE
VOTING ON TODAY.
SO THE BILL AND THE SUBSTITUTE
ADDS A PREVENTION OF ECONOMIC
DISPLACEMENTS AS PART OF THE
MISSION OF THE BIA.
THAT IS NEW AND IMPORTANT
CONSIDERING THE RAPID CHANGES
THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT TO PREVENT
DISPLACEMENT AS PART OF THE
BIA'S MISSION.
IT ALSO REINSTITUTES TERM LIMITS
ON THE MEMBERS OF THE RATE PAYER
ADVISORY BOARD AND HAS A FEW
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL TO
WHAT THE EXISTING SITUATION IS.
ONE OF THE CHANGES, THOUGH, IS
THAT IT MOVES FROM THE FIVE-YEAR
BIA TO A 12-YEAR BIA.
AND THE BIAs ACROSS THE CITY
HAVE DIFFERENT LENGTHS.
THE 12-YEAR BIA DID RAISE -- BY
MORE THAN DOUBLING IT, IT RAISED
SOME CONCERNS FROM SOME SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WANTED TO
NOT SEE IT MORE THAN DOUBLED.
SO THERE IS NO MAGIC TO GOING --
MY PROPOSAL TO GO FROM TEN TO 12
YEARS.
IT'S JUST WE'RE DOUBLING IT.
IT'S SOME OF THE SMALL
BUSINESSES HAD WANTED TO
REAUTHORIZE AT ONLY FIVE YEARS
OR SEVEN YEARS SO THE TEN-YEAR
WAS -- I WAS VIEWING THAT AS A
COMPROMISE.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS HOW THE
PROGRAM MANAGER IS SELECTED TO
OPERATE THE CLEAN AND SAFETY
PROGRAMS AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND
PREVENTION OF DISPLACEMENT
PROGRAMS OF THE BIA.
CURRENTLY THE RATE PAYER
ADVISORY BOARD LOOKS AT THAT
EVERY YEAR AND DECIDES WHO THAT
IS.
THIS WOULD OPEN UP THE PROCESS
-- FOR THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
IT'S A $1 MILLION CONTRACT.
I THINK THERE'S AGREEMENT IN
GENERAL THAT COMPETITION CAN
BRING A HEALTHY OUTCOME AND GETS
MORE STAKEHOLDERS IN COMMUNITY
DRIVEN ORGANIZATIONS TO GET
INVOLVED IN POTENTIALLY MANAGING
THE BIA.
THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL IS A
VERY THOROUGH PROCESS.
IT CAN BECOME TIME CONSUMING.
SO JUST IN THE LAST WEEK, I
CHANGED THIS CONCEPT SO THAT TO
START THIS IN THE FIRST YEAR,
THIS COMPETITIE PROCESS, WHAT
THIS AMENDMENT IS IS TO SPEED IT
UP AND START IT SOONER WITH ONLY
ONE YEAR.
TO CHANGE IT FROM AN RFP TO AN
RFQ.
I'VE AMENDED MY AMENDMENT, IT'S
BEFORE YOU, AS A REQUEST FOR
QUALIFICATIONS IN THAT FIRST
YEAR SO THAT THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAN DO IT
IN A MORE STREAMLINED FASHION.
THERE WERE CONCERNS RAISED
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT THAT, YOU
KNOW, EVEN THAT IS NOT WHAT'S
WANTED BY A LOT OF FOLKS OUT
THERE.
SO -- BUT I BELIEVE THAT HAVING
THIS COMPETITIVE PROCESS, HAVE
IT BE GIVING THE ABILITY TO
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO
COMPETE FOR THAT.
THIS AMENDMENT COMBINES THOSE
TWO THINGS GOING FROM A 12-YEAR
TO 10-YEAR, AND ALSO HAVING AN
RFQ PROCESS IN YEAR ONE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON
AMENDMENT TWO?
OKAY.
I'M NOT SEEING OR HEARING ANYONE
WITH ANY QUESTIONS, OH,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, PLEASE.
LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE STILL ON MUTE,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> I WANT TO SAY I'M PLANNING ON
VOTING YES ON THIS AMENDMENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, HERBOLD, WE
CAN HEAR YOUR CONVERSATION IN
THE BACKGROUND.
THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M PLANNING ON VOTING YES ON
THIS AMENDMENT.
YOU KNOW, THE THING IS, THE
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREAS ARE A
STRANGE STRUCTURE IN SEATTLE.
THEY ARE FUNDED BY PROPERTY
TAXES ONLY PAID BY COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY AND THEN THE SO-CALLED
DEMOCRACY OF THE BIA GIVES THE
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS A
VOTE ROUGHLY PROPORTION NAL TO
THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY THAT THEY
OWN.
SO THE MORE YOU OWN, THE MORE
VOTES YOU GET.
SO IT IS REASONABLE THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES WHO HAVE NO
MEANINGFUL SAY IN THE OPERATIONS
OF THE BIA WOULD ASK FOR CHANGES
IN THINGS LIKE TIME LIMITS.
MY OFFICE IS NOT CONVINCED IN
AMENDMENT WILL MAKE A
SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE, BUT I
WILL SUPPORT THE REQUEST BY THE
SMALLER BUSINESSES AND THE BIA
AND VOTE YES ON IT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR WALKING THROUGH
WITH OUR STAFF, WITH MY STAFF,
THE RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS
THAT I SENT AND COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU
HAD ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ABOUT
THIS AMENDMENT AS WELL.
AT THIS POINT, WE'VE HEARD
CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS
WITH INITIATING AN RFQ PROCESS
ONE YEAR AFTER BIA AUTHORIZATION
INSTEAD OF FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS
INCLUDED IN THE BASE
LEGISLATION.
I FULLY SUPPORT THE SUPPLEMENTAL
EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT
FORWARD, BUT THESE CONCERNS
CENTER AROUND THE CRITICAL NEED
TO HAVE FOLKS ON THE GROUND TO
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND
TRYING TO WEATHER THE IMPACTS OF
COVID, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND
MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IN ADDITION, THERE'S A DESIRE
TO INITIATE A HIRING PROCESS FOR
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHICH
WOULD HAVE TO BE PUT ON HOLD FOR
ONE YEAR SHOULD THIS PASS.
THEY'VE AGREED TO A FIVE-YEAR
RFP, BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS
ABOUT AN RFQ ONE YEAR LATER.
THEY ARE WORRIED THIS WILL
INTRODEUCE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHO
THE BIA OPERATOR WILL BE AT A
TIME WHEN CONTINUITY IS NEEDED
AS THEY GRAPPLE FROM THE IMPACTS
OF COVID.
AND UDP HAS BEEN OPERATING WITH
THE INTERIM ED FOR THE LAST TWO
YEARS AND WAITING FOR
REAUTHORIZATION TO SEARCH FOR A
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
A ONE-YEAR AUTHORIZATION WOULD
NOT ATTRACT A CANDIDATE AND
WOULD PRODUCE MORE UNCERTAINTY.
SO IN ADDITION TO SHRINKING THE
TERM FROM 12 YEARS TO 10 YEARS,
WHICH RUNS COUNTER TO THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHERE THE
MAJORITY OF STAKEHOLDERS LIKE
THE 12-YEAR PROCESS, I'M
CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE ISSUES.
AND RIGHT NOW I'M LEANING
TOWARDS VOTING NO ON THIS
AMENDMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO HEAR IF THERE
WAS ANY FEEDBACK FROM THAT,
THOSE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS I
WANTED TO FLAG FOR YOU MY
CONCERNS ON THAT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN OR
MORALES, ANY RESPONSE TO THAT?
>> I THINK COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
IS ON MUTE.
>> YEAH, SO WHAT I WILL SAY IS
THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF -- SO
THESE HAVE BEEN RESTRUCTURED A
LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T NECESSARILY 10 YEARS OR
12 YEARS TO ME IS NOT
SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH DIFFERENCE,
CANDIDLY.
I THINK FOR ME THE PART THAT I
STRUGGLE WITH IN AMENDMENT TWO
IS REALLY ABOUT SHORTENING THE
TERM FOR THE PROGRAM MANAGER, IN
PART BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT INCREASING THE
RESPONSIBILITY AT OED WITHIN A
YEAR WHEN IT IS A FAIRLY SMALL
DEPARTMENT WITH A SMALL BUDGET
AND WILL BE TAXED EVEN MORE DEB
THIS BUDGET CRISIS.
THE IDEA OF SETTING THAT
PRECEDENT OF THEM MOVING SO
QUICKLY WHEN WE HAVE OTHER BIAs
THAT MIGHT ALSO WANT TO MOVE IN
THIS DIRECTION, I AM REALLY
WORRIED ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF
THE DEPARTMENT TO CARRY THIS
OUT.
AND JUST THE QUESTION ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, THE EXISTING PROGRAM
MANAGER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW,
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS MIGHT BE
INTERESTED IN BIDDING TO TAKE
THAT ROLE, TO TAKE ON THAT ROLE
AND THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT
THERE'S NOTHING PREVENTING THEM
FROM DOING THAT NOW.
AND SO CREATING THIS PROCESS
JUST DOESN'T -- IT'S JUST NOT --
I JUST DON'T SEE A CLEAR
RATIONALE FOR CREATING THIS
EXTRA PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
ON AMENDMENT TWO?
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
SO FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, WE'VE
HEARD FROM BUSINESSES IN THE U
DISTRICT ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS,
ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE BIA,
THE PERCEPTION THAT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON HAS AN
OUTSIZED ROLE AS COMPARED TO
OTHER BUSINESSES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT
THAT THE BILL ADDRESSES THIS.
AND GIVEN THAT THERE HAVE BEEN,
YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS OF CONCERNS
THAT I'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESSES
THAT DON'T FEEL WELL REPRESENTED
BY THE BIA, NORMALLY I WOULD
HAVE BEEN INCLINED TO SUPPORT
AMENDMENT TWO.
THE PROBLEM IS -- AND I
ACKNOWLEDGE I MAY HAVE MISSED
SOME CORRESPONDENCE, BUT I'VE
LOOKED IN MY EMAILS, AND THERE
ARE ABOUT 5,000 IN THE INBOX,
BUT I HAVE ONLY FOUND ONE EMAIL
IN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT,
AND SO I'M -- YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M
WORKING ON LEGISLATION THAT IS
INTENDED TO SORT OF BUCK THE
STATUS QUO AND ADDRESS CONCERNS
THAT FOLKS WHO DON'T FEEL
REPRESENTED HAVE IDENTIFIED, I
REALLY NEED TO HEAR FROM FOLKS
TO SORT OF CONFIRM FOR MYSELF
THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT MANY
PEOPLE FEEL NEEDS ADDRESSING.
AND SO GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE
HAS ONLY BEEN ONE PERSON THAT I
CAN FIND THAT HAS WRITTEN IN
SUPPORT OF AMENDMENT TWO, I AM
NOT INCLINED TO VOTE IN SUPPORT
OF IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
OKAY, HEARING NONE, I WOULD JUST
SAY THAT I AM OF THE SAME MIND
AS COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD ON THIS
ONE.
I HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIG
THROUGH MY INBOX AS WELL AND
HAVE SEEN THAT AN OVERWHELMING
AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING
SUPPORT FOR THE BIA AS A WHOLE
AND WITH REALLY SPECIFIC
REQUESTS TO NOT SUPPORT
AMENDMENT TWO.
AND IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE A
LETTER FROM QUITE A NUMBER OF
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE U
DISTRICT WHO HAVE EXPRESSED
CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.
MAUREEN EWING CALLED IN TODAY
FOR PURPOSES OF SUPPORTING THE
BIA, BUT EXPRESSING THEIR
COLLECTIVE CONCERNS ON THIS
PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.
SO AT THIS POINT, I DON'T FEEL
THAT I CAN SUPPORT AMENDMENT
TWO.
AND I ALSO TAKE TO HEART THE%
COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES IN TERMS OF THE
ADDITIONAL BURDEN THIS WILL
PLACE ON OED IN THE CONTEXT OF
POTENTIALLY RESTRICTED BUDGET
THAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE GOING
TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE LIMITED
THAN USUAL FOR OED IN TERMS OF
EXECUTING ON THE INTENT AND
PURPOSE OF THE BIA.
I DO APPRECIATE THE SPONSOR'S
INTEREST IN TRYING TO SORT OF
RIGHT SIZE THIS ISSUE FOR
SMALLER BUSINESSES AND -- BUT
UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK I
CAN SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT AT
THIS JUNCTURE.
I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THE LAST
WORD, COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, IF
YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D
LIKE TO ADD BEFORE I CALL THE
ROLL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES
FOR THEIR COMMENTS AND THEIR
VALID POINTS.
AND CERTAINLY THE SITUATION WITH
THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
THE NEED TO MAKE THAT PERMANENT
AND COVID HAS CREATED, YOU KNOW,
COMPLICATIONS REGARDING THIS,
BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT THE
PUBLIC CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW,
EVEN IF THIS AMENDMENT DOESN'T
PASS, THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAVE BETTER REPRESENTATION.
WE HAVE BETTER GOVERNANCE BUILT
IN, PREVENTION OF DISPLACEMENT.
I HOPE THE PUBLIC CAN SEE HERE'S
A CITY COUNCIL THAT IS
COLLABORATING, THAT IS FOCUSED
ON THE BASICS WHEN WE CAN DO
THAT DURING THESE CRISES.
I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES
FOR THEIR GRACE DURING THIS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
APPRECIATE THOSE WORDS AND
REMINDERS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
OKAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
CLOSE OUT DEBATE ON THIS
PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK THAT THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT TWO.
>> MOSQUEDA?
MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
I'M SORRY, NO.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> NAY.
>> JUAREZ?
>> NO.
>> HERBOLD?
>> NAY.
>> LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> NO.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> NO.
>> THREE IN FAVOR, SIX OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION FAILS AND THE
AMENDMENT IS NOT ADOPTED.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE BILL AS
AMENDED?
I'M SORRY, THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE
BILL, SO IT'S NOT AMENDED.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON
THE BILL?
OKAY.
HEARING NONE, I WOULD ASK THAT
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> IS A WANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT.
AND I'D ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION.
OKAY, FOLKS, ADOPTION OF OTHER
RESOLUTIONS.
NEAR THE HOMESTRETCH HERE SO I
AM GOING TO ASK THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM THREE INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM THREE, RESOLUTION
31947 RELATED TO MEMBERSHIP
MEETING, TIMES AND DUTIES OF THE
STANDING COMMITTEES AT THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL OF 2020 AND
2021.
A LINE FOR DISSENSION OF
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR
A REVISED 2020 BUDGET DUE TO THE
COVID-19 EMERGENCY DECLARED
MARCH 3, 2020 AND RESOLUTION
31922.
>> OKAY, COLLEAGUES.
THIS IS MY RESOLUTION, SO I WILL
MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 31947.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.
AGAIN, COLLEAGUES, AS I
MENTIONED THIS MORNING DURING
COUNCIL BRIEFING, THIS
RESOLUTION IS DESIGNED TO
SUPPORT THE SUMMER BUDGET
SESSION THAT WE'LL BE UNDERGOING
THE NEXT SIX WEEKS UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF CHAIR MOSQUEDA.
IT'S A STANDARD RESOLUTION.
IT'S SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WE
WOULD NORMALLY ATONIGHT DURING
THE FALL BUDGET SEASON.
EXCEPT WE ARE ADOPTING IT IN
THIS CONTEXT FOR THE SUMMER
SINCE WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE
A LONGER AND DEEPER DIVE INTO
THE REBALANCING PACKAGE THAT IS
GOING BE TRANSMITTED TO US BY
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE LATER THIS
WEEK.
AND I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE SURE
THAT WE ARE FOCUSSING ALL OF OUR
RESOURCES, INCLUDING ATTENTION
FROM COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF AND
FROM OUR RESPECTIVE OFFICES AND
FROM EACH OTHER TOWARDS THE
EFFORTS THAT WILL BE BEFORE US
IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA OUTLINED
IN COUNCIL BRIEFING THIS MORNING
AS IT RELATES TO THIS BUDGET
OPPORTUNITY.
SO THIS RESOLUTION WILL SUSPEND
REGULAR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AS I MENTIONED THIS MORNING,
THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THOSE
RULES TO THE STANDARD RULE OF NO
COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU, IN THOSE
INSTANCES, IF YOU HAVE TIME
SENSITIVE LEGISLATION I WOULD
ASK THAT YOU REACH OUT DIRECTLY
TO MY OFFICE TO COORDINATE THAT
WORK SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN MAKE
SURE WE'RE FULFILLING THE INTENT
OF MAKING SURE THAT COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF IS ABLE TO FOCUS
ON THE MANY BUDGET ISSUES AND
QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE COMING
BEFORE US.
SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
AND TAKE ANY COMMENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET SOME
GUIDANCE IF NOT NOW LATER ON
WHAT BILLS YOU ARE OKAY WITH
STILL MOVING DIRECTLY TO FULL
IT'LL HELP US MAKE THAT DECISION
WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO
ASK FOR A SPECIAL COMMITTEE
MEETING OR WHETHER OR NOT WE
SHOULD JUST CONTINUE THE
PRACTICE OF MOVING THE BILL ON
TO FULL COUNCIL.
>> APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK MY STAFF HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF ON TRYING TO PULL TOGETHER
SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE TO CIRCLE
BACK WITH YOU ALL SO YOU HAVE
CLEAR GUIDANCE.
OR AS CLEAR AS I CAN GET IT TO
MAKE SURE THAT TOKES KNOW WHAT
CAN BE SENT TO FULL COUNCIL AND
WHEN SPECIALIZATION IS GOING TO
BE NEEDED FOR POTENTIAL
COMMITTEE WORK.
BUT I'M HAPPY -- WE'RE ON IT.
WE'RE BEGINNING TO -- I HEAR THE
REQUEST AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO
CIRCULATE THAT HOPEFULLY BEFORE
THE END OF THE WEEK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE
TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR
STRONG SUPPORT FOR BOTH THE
PROCESS THAT WE OUTLINED THIS
MORNING LOOKING AT THE
SUBSTITUTE BUDGET AND ALSO
LOOKING INTO THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET LINE ITEMS
AND FOR THE PROCESS THAT WE'LL
GO THROUGH, I REALLY APPRECIATE
ALL THE WORDS YOU SHARED THIS
MORNING AND FOR ALL OF YOUR
STAFF'S ENGAGEMENT AS WE THINK
ABOUT LINING UP THIS PROCESS TO
BE, I THINK, A NEW STRUCTURAL
CHANGE IN HOW WE ADDRESS THE
BUDGET GOING FORWARD.
SO JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORDS THIS MORNING AND
EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF AS
WELL ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE
PUTTING FORWARD A PROCESS THAT
IS GOING TO BE WORKABLE FOR ALL
OF US.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, PLEASE.
>> I WANTED TO REITERATE SOME OF
MY POINTS FROM THIS MORNING FOR
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE
WATCHING.
I ANNOUNCED MIDWEEK LAST WEEK I
INTEND TO BRING FORWARD
LEGISLATION IN SUPPORT OF THE
DEMAND OF THE JUSTICE FOR GEORGE
FLOYD MOVEMENT TO CUT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUDGET BY 50%, TO
DEFUND POLICE AND TO INSTEAD
FUND GRASSROOTS PROGRAMS FOR
REST RA TIF JUSTICE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS CAN
BE DONE BY OTHER MEANS, BY
EDDING THE PURCHASE OF THE
SO-CALLED CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS.
WE WILL FIND OTHER THINGS TO CUT
AS WELL.
AND ENDING POLICE VIOLENCE
AGAINST DEMONSTRATIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE IDEA OF AN
AUSTERITY BUDGET WHICH CORPORATE
MAYOR DURKAN IS BRINGING
FORWARD, THAT IS CUTTING THE
FUNDS TO THE CITY DEPARTMENT
THAT IS SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES
IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
THE COVID-19 CRISIS HAS CREATED
AN ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT IS
LEAVING OVER 100,000 SEATTLEITES
AND TENS OF MILLIONS NATIONWIDE
UNEMPLOYED OR WITH REDUCED
HOURS.
WE CANNOT HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS
SAYING THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER
AND THEN TURN AROUND AND
REPRESENT BIG BUSINESS AND THE
WEALTHY IN PASSING AN AUSTERITY
BUDGET OR IN OPPOSING A
LEGISLATION LIKE THE AMAZON TAX
WHICH MY OFFICE HAS WORKED ALONG
WITH COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ALONG
WITH OUR MOVEMENT.
THE AMAZON TAX IS A MODEST TAX
ON BIG BUSINESS TO EXPAND
PUBLICLY OWNED, RENT-CONTROLLED
SOCIAL HOUSING TO BEGIN TO
STRIKE A BLOW AGAINST RACIST
GENTRIFICATION THAT WORKING
CLASS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE
FACED FOR DECADES.
IT WILL ALSO CREATE DECENT JOBS
WITH PRIORITY HIRE AND
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.
THIS IS A CONCRETE WAY THE CITY
COUNCIL CAN PUT DOLLARS TO OUR
WORDS ON THE FACT THAT BLACK
LIVES MATTER.
THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THE GREATER
THE INEQUALITY IN OUR SOCIETY,
THE MORE MILITARIZED ITS
POLICING NEEDS TO BE FOR THE
RULING CLASS TO PERPETWAIT AND
DEFEND THOSE INEQUITIES.
SOCIOLOGICALLY SPEAKING, WE CAN
PREDICT IN THE COMING YEARS,
SEATTLE OR ANY OTHER CITY WILL
EITHER MAKE MASSIVE NEW PUBLIC
INVESTMENTS IN JOBS, PROGRAMS,
SOCIAL HOUSING AND OTHER
POLICIES THAT REGULAR PEOPLE
NEED OR WE WILL SEE MORE AND
MORE VIOLENT POLICING.
I ALSO WANTED TO REMIND MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC THAT MY SOCIALIST
COUNCIL OFFICE ALONGSIDE OUR
PEOPLE'S BUDGET CAMPAIGN HAS
PROPOSED FOR YEARS DEFUNDING THE
POLICE TO FUND TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES AND RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE.
AND COUNCIL AFTER COUNCIL,
INCLUDING CURRENT
COUNCILMEMBERS, HAVE VOTED
AGAINST DEFUNDING THE POLICE AND
AGAINST STOPPING THE HOMELESS
SWEEPS.
ON A MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR
COUNCIL, I WAS, UNFORTUNATELY,
THE ONLY NO VOTE ON A SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS GUILD CONTRACT
THAT ROLLED BACK ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS HOW,
WHEN THERE ARE MOVEMENTS AND
ACTUALLY AN UPRISING ON THE
STREETS, THE SAME POLITICIANS
WILL FEEL THE PRESSURE TO DO THE
RIGHT THING.
OUR MOVEMENTS CANNOT RELENT.
WE WILL NOT WIN DEFUND POLICE TO
CUT THE POLICE BUDGET BY HALF IF
WE DO THE NOT BUILD AN EVEN MORE
POWERFUL MOVEMENT.
THAT IS WHY I URGE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO JOIN ME AT CAL
ANDERSON PARK AT 6:00 P.M.
WHERE
OUR MOVEMENT WILL DISCUSS OUR
STRATEGY TO WIN DEFUND POLICE,
TO WIN THE AMAZON TAX AND TO
ACTUALLY HAVE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND END RACIST
GENTRIFICATION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT FOR THOSE REMARKS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
ON THE RESOLUTION?
OKAY, SEEING NONE, I WOULD ASK
THAT THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF THE
RESOLUTION.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED AND
THE CHAIR WILL SIGN IT.
AND I'D ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION.
OKAY, FOLKS, WE HAVE NEW ITEM
FOUR, SO I WOULD ASK THAT THE
CLERK PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM
FOUR INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM FOUR, RESOLUTION
31948 CONDEMNING THE USE OF
MILITARY FORCE IN JURISDICTIONS
SUCH AS THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT
HAS NOT REQUESTED AND DO NOT
INTEND TO REQUEST FEDERAL
INTERVENTION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WILL MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION
31948, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> OKAY.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
ADOPT RESOLUTION 31948.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, YOU ARE THE
PRIME SPONSOR OF THIS RESOLUTION
AND YOU ARE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER
TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAME
PRESIDENT.
I'LL BE BRIEF SINCE I DID SPEAK
TO THIS DURING BRIEFING THIS
MORNING ALREADY.
YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THIS FORWARD
BECAUSE LAST MONDAY WE DID HAVE
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE
PRESIDENT STATING HIS INTENT TO
POTENTIALLY USE
UNCONSTITUTIONALLY USE THE
INSURRECTION ACT TO DISPATCH
UNITED STATES MILITARY FORCES TO
DISRUPT PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS
IN AMERICAN CITIES.
THE INSURRECTION ACT REQUIRES
THE JURISDICTIONS THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD USE THE
INSURRECTION ACT TO RESPOND TO
ASCENT TO MILITARY FORCE BEING
DISPATCHED TO THE CITY OR THE
STATE IN QUESTION.
I, JUST TO BE PREEMPTIVE ON
THIS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE KNOW
THIS PARTICULAR PRESIDENT'S
BEHAVIOR CAN GET MORE ERRATIC
AND UNPREDICTABLE AS HE
CONTINUES TO GET INTO A HOLE AND
TO GET MORE UNPOPULAR.
A CNN POLL TODAY SHOWED HIM
TRAILING HIS OPPONENT BY 14
POINTS NATIONALLY.
AND THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF
PLACE WHERE ONE HAS LEARNED TO
BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACTIONS
THAT THIS PRESIDENT MIGHT TAKE
SINCE HE HAS THREATENED THIS
ACTION AND SINCE, YOU KNOW, IT'S
BEEN PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN
THAT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO TAKE
THESE THREATS SERIOUSLY FROM
THIS PARTICULAR PRESIDENT.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE A
PRAGMATIC MOVE FOR US TO
PREEMPTIVELY CONDEMN THIS AND
MAKE IT CLEAR WE WILL NOT ASCENT
TO THIS KIND OF MILITARY
PRESENCE IN OUR CITY AND HOPE
THAT OTHER CITIES WILL FOLLOW
SUIT IN REJECTING THIS THREAT
THAT IS BEING LEVELLED BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO USE THE
UNITED STATES MILITARY AGAINST
AMERICAN CIVILIANS.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, ANYONE ELSE HAS
ANY COMMENTS, WE CAN CONTINUE TO
TALK ABOUT IT.
OTHERWISE, I'M READY TO VOTE ANY
OLD TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THE
RESOLUTION?
OKAY.
LOOKS LIKE NOBODY HAS ANY
COMMENTS.
OH, THERE WE GO.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I WILL VOTE YES ON THIS
RESOLUTION, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I
AGREE WITH ITS MAIN POINT, WHICH
IS TO OPPOSE DONALD TRUMP'S
THREAT TO SEND FEDERAL NATIONAL
GUARD TROOPS INTO CITIES LIKE
SEATTLE TO PUT DOWN PROTESTS.
I DID WANT TO STATE FOR THE
RECORD I DO NOT AGREE WITH MANY
OF THE CLAUSES WHICH COULD
IMPLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
THE INTENT AND I DON'T WANT TO
SAY THAT, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE IT
COULD IMPLY THAT THERE'S SOMEHOW
SOMETHING ACCEPTABLE ABOUT
GOVERNOR INSLEE SENDING IN THE
NATIONAL GUARD AND THE FEDERAL
NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ARE THE
ONLY PROBLEM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THE
INTENT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO
STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD THAT I
OPPOSE BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE
NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS BEING USED
AGAINST PROTEST MOVEMENTS.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, THAT IS JUST AN
ISSUE WITH THE WORDING IN THE
CLAUSES, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF
THIS RESOLUTION, WHICH IS THE BE
IT RESOLVED SECTION, IS OPPOSING
TRUMP TO SEND FEDERAL TROOPS.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT AND
WILL VOTE YES.
>> I CAN BRIEFLY RESPOND, MADAME
PRESIDENT, IF THAT'S OKAY?
>> OF COURSE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, I
APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THAT.
THAT WAS MORE TO ESTABLISH A
HISTORICAL RECORD OF WHAT HAS
HAPPENED.
THOSE CLAUSES ARE NOT INTENDED
AS ENDORSEMENTS OR TO SUPPORT
SOME OF THOSE ACTIONS.
I MEAN, IT ALSO MENTIONS IN THE
CLAUSES SOME OF THE CURFEWS
WHICH I KNOW A NUMBER OF US DID
NOT FIND ADVISABLE.
SO THOSE AREN'T TO BE PUT IN
THERE AS ENDORSEMENTS OF THOSE
POLICIES, BUT MERELY TO REFLECT
KIND OF THE CITY'S ACTIONS THAT
HAVE LED UP TO THIS AND
CERTAINLY DON'T WARRANT ADDING
ON TOP OF THEM A FEDERALIZED
MILITARY PRESENCE THAT WOULD NOT
BE WARRANTED AND WOULD NOT HELP.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
CLARIFICATION.
I WOULD ECHO THOSE CONCERNS.
I THINK MANY OF US, AT LEAST
FROM MY VIEWING OF MANY FOLKS
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, IT SEEMS
LIKE MANY OF US HAVE TAKEN A
POSITION THAT IS UNSUPPORTIVE OF
CONTINUING TO HAVE THE PRESENCE
OF THE NATIONAL GUARD HERE.
I CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF
THAT I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS
NECESSARY TO HAVE THE NATIONAL
GUARD HERE AND THINK THAT IT
FURTHER CREATES AN IMAGE OF
MILITARIZATION OF OUR STREETS.
AND YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS IS
WHEN PEOPLE, ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE
OUT ON THE STREETS PROTESTING
AND TRYING TO EXERCISE THEIR
FIRST AMENDMENT, THEY'RE NOT
DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN WHO'S
NATIONAL GUARD AND WHO'S SPD.
ALL THEY SEE IS MILITARY ON OUR
STREETS.
YOU KNOW, I HAD THE BENEFIT OF
SEEING VIDEO FROM A FRIEND OF
OUR FAMILY WHO WAS COMING BACK
FROM THE PENINSULA VISITING HER
PARENTS AND ON I-5 COMING NORTH
LITERALLY SAW TANK AFTER TANK
AFTER TANK AFTER TANK OF
NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS MAKING
THEIR WAY INTO SEATTLE.
SO IT IS, YOU KNOW -- THE
NATIONAL GUARD BEING PRESENT
HERE IS AS PROBLEMATIC AS
PRESIDENT TRUMP POTENTIALLY
TRIGGERING THE INSURRECTION ACT
AND COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE IN
MY MIND.
SO CAN'T -- COULDN'T AGREE MORE
WITH THE SENTIMENTS ALREADY
BEING SHARED BY THE SPONSOR OF
THE RESOLUTION AND COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, APPRECIATE HER FOR
BRINGING THAT UP.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COLLEAGUES?
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF THE
RESOLUTION?
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED AND
THE CHAIR WILL SIGN IT.
AND I'D ASK THAT THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION.
OKAY.
OTHER BUSINESS, WE HAVE A COUPLE
OF LETTERS FOR CONSIDERATION
HERE AS DESCRIBED BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD DURING
THIS MORNING'S COUNCIL BRIEFIG.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
CALL ON COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD --
SIGNATURE ON A -- ON THE TWO
DIFFERENT LETTERS SHE DESCRIBED
DURING COUNCIL BRIEFING THIS
MORNING.
>> THANK YOU FOR TALKING VERY
SLOWLY SO I COULD GET TO MY MUTE
BUTTON.
SO LETTER ONE IS A LETTER TO
MAYOR DURKAN AND CHIEF BEST
FIRMLY REQUESTING THAT THEY
DIRECT SPD TO CHANGE TACTICS,
TAKE URGENT AND SUSTAINED ACTION
TO DE-ESCALATE POLICE TACTICS
USED IN DAILY PROTESTS AND
NOTING THAT TACTICS ARE
CURRENTLY PLACING CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS AT A RISK.
THE LETTER MAKES NOTE THAT
HEALTH RISKS ARE BEING
EXACERBATED AMIDST A DEVASTATING
RESPIRATORY EPIDEMIC AND
BRINGING EMOTIONAL TRAUMA AND
RACIAL AGGRESSION.
AND IT NOTES THAT DEPLOYING
POLICE IN RIOT GEAR TO FORM A
WALL OF OFFICERS POSITIONED
AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTERS IS
NOT CONDUCIVE TO DE-ESCALATION
AND HEALING.
THE LETTER IDENTIFIES FIVE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOT JUST
RECOMMENDATIONS BUT THOSE FIVE
ITEMS ARE PLEDGED TO WORK ON
THOSE -- ON THESE FIVE THINGS TO
ADVANCE AND SUPPORT POLICIES
BROUGHT FORWARD BY COMMUNITY
VOICES, PARTICULARLY BLACK-LED
MOVEMENTS, TO ONE, DEMILIARIZE
THE POLICE, TWO, FURTHER
RESTRICT USE OF EXCESSIVE OR
DEADLY FORCE BY POLICE, THREE,
INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AND
TRANSPARENCY IN POLICE UNION
CONTRACTS.
FOUR, GIVE SUBPOENA AND OTHER
INVESTIGATIVE POWERS TO
INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT BOARDS.
FIVE, REDIRECT POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S FUNDING TO
COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVES.
THOUGH WE ALL KNOW WE MUST DO
MUCH MORE THAN THOSE FIVE
PRIORITIES, I WANT TO MAKE A
NOTE OF A FEW THINGS THAT THE
COUNCIL HAS BEEN DOING ALONG
THESE LINES.
A FEW YEARS AGO, COUNCILMEMBERS
ADOPTED LEGISLATION THAT I
INTRODUCED TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL
FOR SPD TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY
KIND OF FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT
TRANSFERS EXCESS MILITARY
EQUIPMENT TO CIVILIAN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AT REDUCED
OR NO COST.
THAT'S A SIGNAL FROM THE COUNCIL
THAT WE DO NOT WISH TO H
MILITARIZED POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION
ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE POLICE
GUILD THAT INCLUDES
RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE COMMUNITY
POLICE COMMISSION, THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL AND THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IN SUPPORT OF
GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY AND
GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN THE
BARGAINING PROCESS.
IN ADDITION, SUBPOENA POWER IS
INCLUDED IN THE 2017 POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
SPONSORED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
LORENA GONZALEZ AND IT WAS
IDENTIFIED IN THE CONTRACT AS A
RE-OPENER.
AND AS MENTIONED THIS MORNING,
I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE
CITY ATTORNEY ON POTENTIAL WAYS
TO REFINE THE PROCESS FOR THIS.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT MANY OF US ON THE
COUNCIL HAVE WORKED FOR SEVERAL
YEARS TO GET THE COMMUNITY
SERVICE OFFICER PROGRAM
REESTABLISHED.
THIS WAS DISBANDED IN 2009 IN
RESPONSE TO THE RECESSION THEN.
AND MANY OF US HAVE BEEN WORKING
REALLY HARD BECAUSE OF THE
RECOGNITION THAT NOT EVERY
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE NEEDS AN
OFFICER TO RESPOND.
NOT EVERY PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IS
WELL ADDRESSED WHEN AN OFFICER
RESPOND.
AND WE NEED PEOPLE WHO HAVE AREA
EXPERTISE TO BE RESPONDING TO
MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY
RESPONDS TO.
AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO BEFORE
WE DO THE ROLL CALL FOR
SIGNATURES, I WANT TO THANK THE
FACT THAT WE'VE SO FAR HAD FOUR
COUNCILMEMBERS SIGN, MYSELF,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, AND A
GOODLY NUMBER OF KING COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBERS AND STATE REPS.
AND AS I SEE THE POST ON
FACEBOOK THE LETTERS THAT ARE
OUT THERE, THE LIST IS GROWING.
AND THIS IS, I THINK, A REALLY
UNPRECEDENTED SHOW OF SOLIDARITY
THAT ELECTED LAWMAKERS HAVE
ACROSS THE REGION ON ASKING OUR
MAYOR AND CHIEF TO WORK WITH US
TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD FOR THAT DESCRIPTION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE
LETTER JUST DESCRIBED BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD OR ANY
COMMENTS?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, IT'S
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT ABOUT
THE LETTER.
>> SURE, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
AND I KNOW COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
YOU ADDRESSED SOME OF THE ISSUES
OF WHY PARTICULAR COUNCILMEMBERS
SIGNED THE LETTER, THE OPEN
PUBLIC MEETING ACT IN YOUR
CONCERNS.
I WOULD JUST ASK IN THE FUTURE,
I DID NOT HEAR ABOUT THE LETTER
OR SEE IT UNTIL THE MEDIA ON
TWITTER FORWARDED -- I GOT FOUR
TEXTS ON TWITTER OF THE LETTER.
APPARENTLY IT WAS RELEASED TO
THE MEDIA.
AND THAT WAS AT 9:40 LAST NIGHT.
I DIDN'T SEE THE ORIGINAL ACTUAL
LETTER UNTIL LATER TODAY.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK AS A
COURTESY, IF YOU TAKE THE TIME
TO RELEASE LETTERS AND DRAFTS TO
THE MEDIA, THAT YOU AT LEAST
TAKE THE TIME TO FORWARD DRAFTS
OR CONCERNS TO YOUR COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM SIGNING THE
LETTER.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S A
LITTLE DISCONCERTING WHEN YOU
HAVE TWO MEDIA OUTLETS AND OTHER
ELECTEDS WHO ARE SENDING YOU
TWITTER SCREENSHOTS AND SENDING
YOU COPIES OF WHAT'S ALREADY OUT
THERE, BUT YOUR COLLEAGUES
HAVEN'T SHARED ANYTHING WITH
YOU.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE IT
THERE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ FOR THOSE REMARKS.
I WANT TO CLARIFY THIS WAS NOT
AN EFFORT BEING LED BY SEATTLE
CITY COUNCILMEMBERS.
IT WAS AN EFFORT BEING LED BY
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO
APPROACHED SOME OF US ON THE
CITY COUNCIL.
SO I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU
WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THOSE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS WHO
SIGNED THE LETTER WERE THE
ORGANIZERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT
WE INTENDED TO INSINUATE,
BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HOW THE
LETTERS CAME ABOUT.
SO I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE MORE TO
THAT, SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO
HER.
>> I JUST -- I APPRECIATE,
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ, THE
EVENTS THAT LED TO OURION OF THE
SIGNATURES ON THE LETTER.
I DO WANT TO TAKE FULL
RESPONSIBILITY, THOUGH.
I DID -- I COULD HAVE SHARED IT
WITH COUNCILMEMBERS.
THERE WAS A POINT AT WHICH A
NUMBER OF US WERE DECIDING THAT
WE WERE -- AND NOT JUST
COUNCILMEMBERS, OTHER SIGNERS,
WERE DECIDING WE WERE GOING TO
START SHARING IT ON SOCIAL
MEDIA.
I REACHED OUT TO OUR DIRECTOR
ABOUT PUTTING -- ABOUT THE
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO HAD SIGNED IT
PUTTING OUT A PRESS ADVISORY
WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT YOU
HAD ALL RECEIVED IT.
BUT OUT OF RECOGNITION THAT WE
WERE DOING THIS AT 6:30 ON A
SUNDAY NIGHT, AND THE WORK THAT
OUR COMM STAFF HAS BEEN DOING, I
KIND OF MADE THE CALL NOT TO
HAVE HER PUT OUT A PRESS
ADVISORY.
IN DOING SO, I SHOULD HAVE
DEFINITELY SHARED THE DRAFT WITH
THE OTHER FIVE COUNCILMEMBERS,
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT DOING
SO.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
ON THE LETTER?
OKAY, HEARING NONE, I'D ASK THAT
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> I'M SORRY, I WAS ALREADY ON
THE LETTER.
WE'RE STILL DOING THE ROLL CALL
FOR OPEN MEETINGS.
>> WELL, PUT YOUR SIGNATURE
TWICE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, YOU HAVE
ANOTHER LETTER YOU'D LIKE FOR US
TO CONSIDER SIGNING.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> I DO INDEED.
AND THIS ONE DID GO OUT FOR
CIRCULATION A COUPLE TIMES, SO.
SO THIS IS A LETTER SPECIFICALLY
REQUESTING THAT THE CITY
ATTORNEY WITHDRAW THE CITY OF
SEATTLE'S LITIGATION SEEKING TO
BLOCK INQUEST REFORMS INITIATED
BY KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE
CONSTANTINE.
SO THERE HAS BEEN A PUBLIC CALL
ON BEHALF OF EXECU
CONSTANTINE AND ACTIVISTS WHO
ARE AWARE OF THIS CITY AND OTHER
CITY'S LAWSUITS AGAINST THE
INQUEST REFORMS.
THE INQUEST REFORMS LED BY KING
COUNTY EXECUTIVE DOW CONSTANTINE
WERE THE RESULT OF ABOUT AN
EIGHT-MONTH PROCESS DEVELOPED
WITH THE FAMILIES OF TOMMY LEE,
SHEA TAYLOR, JOHN T. WILLIAMS
AND CHARLEENA LYLES, AS WELL AS
COMMUNITY GROUPS SUCH AS THE
CPC, THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION, AND OTHERS.
THE REFORMED INQUEST PROCESS WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE PUT IN PLACE IN
2019.
IN 2018, EXECUTIVE CONSTANTINE
PUT ALL INQUESTS ON HOLD PENDING
THE REVIEW PROCESS.
THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
HAS TAKEN A NUMBER OF STANCES IN
SUPPORT OF INQUEST REFORMS,
INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN THE
INQUEST PROCESS REVIEW COMMITTEE
IN A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR
THE REFORMS.
THE LETTER NOTES THAT -- THE
LETTER ITSELF THAT WE'RE
CIRCULATING, NOTES THAT THE
MAYOR MENTIONED DURING A MEETING
OF THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION LAST WEEK THAT SHE
WAS UNAWARE OF THE LAWSUIT AND
THE CPC INDICATED THAT DESPITE
THE FACT THAT THEY HAD TAKEN
POSITIONS IN FAVOR OF THE
INQUEST REFORMS, THEY WERE NOT
GIVEN ANY ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE
CITY FILING CHALLENGES TO THOSE
REFORMS.
FOR MANY YEARS, THE INQUEST
SYSTEM OPERATED FUNCTIONALLY TO
LEGITIMIZE AND IMMUNIZE ALL
DEATHS IN PUBLIC CUSTODY.
THE BAR IS VERY EASY FOR AN
OFFICER TO MEET.
FOR THE MOST PART, THEY STILL MY
HAVE TO TESTIFY THAT THEY WERE
IN FEAR OF HARM TO THEMSELVES TO
THEIR BODY AND FOR THEIR LIFE.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CONVENED A
DISTINGUISHED AND BALANCED PANEL
TO LEAD A COMMUNITYWIDE
CONVERSATION ABOUT POSSIBLE
REFORMS TO THE INQUEST PROCESS.
AND SOME NEWS ABOUT THIS IS I'VE
BEEN TALKING TO CITY ATTORNEY
HOLMES ABOUT THE FACT THIS
LETTER WAS COMING, AND WE HAVE
LEARNED THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY
AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ARE IN
CONVERSATIONS, BUT GIVEN THAT
THE MAYOR INDICATED THAT SHE DID
NOT SEEK THE WRIT AND WAS
UNAWARE OF IT, IT DOES SEEM
APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY
ATTORNEY TO IMMEDIATELY WITHDRAW
THE LITIGATION THAT WAS BROUGHT
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, FOR
ADVANCING THIS LETTER AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES?
OKAY, I DON'T SEE ANY.
AGAIN, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON BRINGING
FORWARD THIS LETTER.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
OKAY, IF I CAN HAVE THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON ADDING
COUNCILMEMBER SIGNATURES TO THIS
LETTER, PLEASE.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CLERK,
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER BUSINESS
TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL?
I DON'T SEE ANYONE RAISING THEIR
HAND, SO COLLEAGUES THIS
CONCLUDES THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS
MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 AT
2:00 P.M.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HOPE
THAT YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL
EVENING AND THAT YOU STAY SAFE
AND HEALTHY.
AND LET'S HOPE FOR THE BEST
TONIGHT AS WE KNOW PEOPLE WILL
CONTINUE TO PROTEST AND RIGHTLY
SO.
SO I'M SURE THAT YOU WILL JOIN
ME IN PUBLICLY EXPRESSING THAT
WE CONTINUE TO EXPECT THAT THAT
WILL BE PEACEFUL AND THAT THERE
WILL NOT BE POLICE VIOLENCE
DIRECTED AT THE PROTESTERS THIS
EVENING.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE BY THE DURKAN
ADMINISTRATION SINCE WE HAVE
BEEN IN THIS CALL, SO I KNOW
THAT WE ARE ALL EAGER TO GET OFF
THIS ZOOM CALL AND CATCH UP ON
WHAT SOME OF THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARE.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
ALL LATER THIS WEEK AND, AGAIN,
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY SAFE
EVENING TONIGHT.
WE ARE ADJOURNED, COLLEAGUES.