>>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE AND
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE
MAYOR AND SHE'S GOING TO SIGN
THE 2021 BUDGET AND WE WILL
TAKE A BRIEF Q&A, AND WITH THAT
I WILL HEAD OVER TO MAYOR
DURKAN.
>> INC.
YOU ANTHONY AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
I HOPE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO
ENJOY SOME OF THE THANKSGIVING
úWEEKEND EVEN THOUGH WE COULDN'
COME TOGETHER AS USUAL.
I HOPE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO BE
THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT WE DO
HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR IN THIS
CHALLENGING YEAR.
THERE IS NO DENYING THAT THIS
YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS WAS
UNPRECEDENTED ON SEVERAL
FRONTS.
WE HAD TO GO THROUGH TWO BUDGET
CYCLES IN 2020, NOT JUST ONE.
úFIRST AT THE MIDYEAR AND THEN
FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET BECAUSE
OUR REVENUES HAD DROPPED SO
SIGNIFICANTLY.
EVEN AMONG THE SIGNIFICANT
BARRIERS THE CITY COUNCIL AND I
WERE ABLE ABLE TO CRAFT A
BUDGET THAT MAKES TRULY
HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN SEATTLE
COMMUNITIES.
LACED THE GROUNDWORK FOR
INEQUITABLE RECOVERY AND
REFLECTS OUR VALUES OF THE CITY
OFSEATTLE.
THANKS TO THIS COLLABORATIVE
WORK AND UPDATED REVENUE
FORECAST WE RECEIVED AFTER I
TRANSMITTED MY BUDGET, ARE 2021
BUDGET WILL ALLOW SEATTLE TO BE
IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE THAN
OTHER CITIES ACROSS AMERICA,
WHEN WE FINALLY CAN COME OUT OF
COVID.
IN SEPTEMBER, I OUTLINED FOUR
KEY PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY'S
2021 BUDGET, CONTINUING TO
INVEST IN OUR RESPONSE TO THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MAKING THE
CITY'S LARGEST EVER INVESTMENT
IN RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE,
ADDRESSING OUR HOMELESSNESS AND
HOUSING CRISIS AND ADVANCING
PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE
TRANSFORMING POLICING.
I AM GRATEFUL THAT THIS BUDGET
REFLECTS THOSE PRIORITIES AND
CARRIED THROUGH THE ENTIRE
BUDGET PROCESS.
AS THEY ARE CRITICAL FOR OUR
WORK GOING FORWARD.
WE MUST COME OUT OF COVID THAT
ARE, STRONGER AND A MORE
EQUITABLE CITY, AND IN ORDER TO
DO THAT AND NAVIGATE THE REALLY
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WE STILL
HAVE AHEAD, WE NEEDED TO HAVE A
BUDGET THAT REFLECTED THOSE
VALUES.
THIS BUDGET ADDRESSES THE
COMMUNITY NEEDS REGARDING COVID-
19, FOR RESIDENTS, OUR WORKERS,
AND OUR BUSINESSES, CONTINUE TO
REEL FROM THIS PANDEMIC.
IT HAS HAD SUCH MARKET IMPACTS
ON SO MANY PEOPLE, SO MANY HAVE
LOST THEIR JOBS, THEIR
BUSINESSES, THEIR LIFE SAVINGS,
OTHERS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED
WITH HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO
COVID-19 OR ONES THEY LOVE HAVE
GOTTEN COVID-19.
THIS BUDGET PROVIDES IMPORTANT
RESOURCES FOR ADDRESSING COVID-
19 RESPONSE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING
, WE WILL EXPAND OUR TESTING,
SO FAR THE CITY HAS CONDUCTED
425,000 FREE COVID TESTS.
LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN, WE HAVE
CONDUCTED OVER 425,000 FREE
COVID TEST, A PROGRAM WE STOOD
OUT BECAUSE WE LACKED THE
FEDERAL LEADERSHIP WE NEEDED,
AND WE KNEW THE CITY OF SEATTLE
WOULD NEED THAT TESTING TO
ADDRESS THE CRISIS.
GROCERY VOUCHERS.
WE HAVE HELPED OVER 14,000
FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH
THIS CRISIS BY GIVING THEM
DIRECT GROCERY VOUCHERS.
THE STORIES ARE HEARTBREAKING,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UPLIFTING
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE
TANGIBLE HELP TO PEOPLE WHEN
THEY NEED IT.
WHEN OUR SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS,
WE HAVE HELPED OVER 450 SMALL
BUSINESSES WEATHER THE STORM,
IT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, AND I
WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH THE STATE
AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO DO
THEIR SHARE FOR THE BUSINESSES
AND WORKERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED
SO MUCH THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
ULTIMATELY, WE KNOW THE CITY
CANNOT MEET THIS ALONE, WE NEED
THE HELP OF OUR STATE PARTNERS,
BUT PARTICULARLY OUR FEDERAL
PARTNERS, WE NEED THEM TO PASS
THE COVID-19 RELIEF BILL.
THIS BUDGET ALSO DOES GREAT
INVESTMENTS IN OUR BLACK,
INDIGENOUS AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
SEATTLE'S HISTORY, WE WILL
INVEST NEARLY $100 MILLION
DIRECTLY IN COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR.
AND THOSE COMMUNITIES WILL
DIRECT AND ADVISE US ON WHERE
THOSE INVESTMENTS WILL HAVE THE
GREATEST IMPACT AND ARE MOST
NEEDED.
THESE INVESTMENTS WILL BE
CENTERED ON THE COMMUNITIES AND
HELP US COME OUT OF THIS COVID
CRISIS A MORE JUST AND
EQUITABLE CITY.
I BELIEVE WE NEED TO MAKE THAT
LEVEL OF INVESTMENT FOR A
PERIOD OF YEARS TO MAKE UP FOR
THE GENERATIONAL LACK OF
RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITIES.
WE KNOW THAT TO BECOME
STRONGER, AND MORE JUST CITY,
WE NEED TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THIS PANDEMIC, KNOWING WE
DID ALL WE COULD TO INVEST IN
COMMUNITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT
WOULD MAKE US BETTER.
SERVICES LIKE EDUCATION, ACCESS
TO HOUSING, HEALTHCARE AND
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING, ALL
OF THESE ARE CRITICAL TO A
TRULY SAFE AND VIBRANT
COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY
THAT CAN BE RESILIENT OVER THE
YEARS.
HOMELESSNESS, WE HAVE MADE OUR
MOST SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS
EVER IN THE CITY'S HISTORY, AND
THIS YEAR, WE WILL BE MOVING TO
A NEW, REGIONAL APPROACH TO
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
IN ALIGNMENT WHAT I PROPOSED IN
SEPTEMBER, WE MADE THE LARGEST
SINGLE INVESTMENT EVER IN
HOMELESS SERVICES, THIS IS IN A
REALLY DIFFICULT YEAR AND WE
BEEN MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
ON HOW WE HAVE DEALT WITH OUR
ISSUE RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS
AND CENTERING THE VOICES OF
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.
WE PROVIDED MORE HOUSING THAN
EVER BEFORE AND MOVE MORE
PEOPLE FROM OUR SHELTER SYSTEM
THAN EVER BEFORE, AND AT ONE
POINT, HAD ACTUALLY DECREASED
IN OUR ONE NIGHT COUNT, BUT
COVID HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE
DRAMATICALLY, AND WE KNOW TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, WE NEEDED
TO MAKE SCALED INVESTMENTS.
I WANT TO THANK THE
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE
CITY COUNCIL ON ADDRESSING THIS
BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, AND FOR
CREATING 425 NEW SHELTER SPACES
AND MAINTAINING OVER 2300
EXISTING SPACES.
IT ALSO REPRESENTS THIS BUDGET
OF COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND COUNSEL
AND HOW WE DO OUTREACH TO
INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN SHELTER.
THESE ARE ALIGNED WITH WHAT
WE'VE BEEN DOING BEFORE AND
WHAT WE AGREED TO DO THIS
SUMMER IN A PROPOSE COMPROMISE
RELATED TO THE 2020 BUDGET.
WE'VE ALWAYS DONE EXTENSIVE
OUTREACH IN ENCAMPMENTS THAT
NEED TO BE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO
DO THAT BUT WE WILL HAVE MORE
RESOURCES AND WE WILL
COORDINATE THE CONTRACTING
SERVICES OF OUTREACH PROVIDERS
TO CONSTRUCT CONDUCT OUTREACH
TO PEOPLE LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS
TO HAVE THEM ACCESS TO SHELTER
AND OTHER SERVICES.
THE COUNCIL ALSO ADOPTED $3
MILLION FROM MY CLEAN CITIES
INITIATIVE.
COMING OUT OF COVID, WE'VE ALL
BEEN OUT MORE IN THE LAST FEW
MONTHS AND WE'VE SEEN WHAT THIS
HAS DONE TO OUR CITY AND WE
WILL DO MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE CAN CLEAN UP GARBAGE,
RESTORE PARKS, AND MAKE OUR
CITY READY TO COME OUT OF COVID
. IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WE
KNOW THAT OUR OPEN SPACES AND
OUR PARKS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
HAVE SUFFERED, AND WE NEED TO
TAKE STEPS AS A CITY TO CHANGE
THAT.
FINALLY, THIS BUDGET LAYS THE
GROUNDWORK TO MAKE SYSTEMIC AND
LASTING CHANGES TO POLICING.
THIS POLICING FUTURE MUST
RESERVE ENOUGH POLICE WITH NEW
OFFICERS CAREFULLY RECRUITED TO
REFLECT THE VALUES OF OUR CITY,
AND ALL OFFICERS WHO ARE WELL
TRAINED AND GROUNDED IN THE
VALUES OF TRUE CONSTITUTIONAL
AND COMMUNITY POLICING.
BUT POLICE THEMSELVES WILL TELL
YOU, THERE ARE MANY SITUATIONS
AND MANY CALLS, WHERE AN ARMED
SPONSOR IS NOT THE BEST OR THE
RIGHT RESPONSE.
THIS SUMMER AND FALL I PROPOSED
A THOUGHTFUL REDUCTION TO
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT
COINCIDE AND INCREASED THE
CONTINUED INVESTMENTS IN
ALTERNATIVES TO POLICE
RESPONSES INCLUDING EXPANDING
HEALTH ONE AND CONTINUING TO
INVEST IN MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY
SERVICE OFFICERS.
THESE REDUCTIONS WERE DONE WITH
A THOUGHTFUL EVALUATIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS BY FORMER CHIEF
BEST AND CURRENT CHIEF DIAZ.
WE PROPOSE A 12% REDUCTION IN
SPD'S BUDGET.
BOTH BY REDUCING SOME OFFICE
POSITIONS THAT THE CHIEF
BELIEVED WE COULD NOT FILL THIS
COMING YEAR, AND BY
TRANSFERRING OUT FUNCTIONS LIKE
THE 911 CALL CENTER AND PARKING
ENFORCEMENT THAT DID NOT NEED
TO BE HOUSED IN A POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
I WAS GLAD TO SEE COUNSEL'S
APPROACH TO THE SBP BUDGET,
LARGELY REFLECTED THE SAME
APPROACH.
I BELIEVE THAT IF WE TAKE THIS
APPROACH OVER THE SUMMER, WE
WOULD HAVE HAD A VERY DIFFERENT
SUMMER BUDGET SEASON.
BUT THE SUMMER WAS
UNPRECEDENTED IN MANY WAYS, AND
I'M THANKFUL WE WERE ABLE TO
WORK THROUGH THESE ISSUES FOR
THE 2021 BUDGET.
WHILE I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERY
CHANGE THE COUNCIL MAKES,
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR SYSTEM
OF DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNMENT
CONTEMPLATES.
BUDGETS, BY THEMSELVES, REFLECT
A COMPROMISE IN REFLECTIVE
VALUES OF BOTH THE EXECUTIVE
AND THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.
SEATTLE WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD
THE WAY, I'M BUILDING A TRUE
COMMUNITY POLICE SAFETY RESPONSE
, THAT HAS BOTH THE NEEDED
POLICE, AND BUILDS OTHER WAYS
TO RESPOND TO EVENTS,
PARTICULARLY CRISIS CALLS.
THIS WORK IS A NATURAL
EXTENSION OF WORK THAT'S BEEN
DONE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IN
SEATTLE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS
CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING,
THE HIRING OF CSO'S, AND THE
ADDITION OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND
MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN
PRECINCT.
WE KNOW THAT MORE NEEDS TO BE
DONE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
CRISIS AND HAVING AN ARMED
POLICE RESPONSE IS NOT ALWAYS
THE BEST RESPONSE OR THE RIGHT
RESPONSE.
LAST YEAR ALONE, WE RESPONDED
TO ALMOST 17,000 CRISIS CALLS
IN THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
WE NEED TO HAVE MORE WAYS TO
RESPOND TO THOSE TYPES OF
CALLS.
IN SEATTLE, ESPECIALLY COMPARED
TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES, WE ARE
DOING THE WORK TO MAKE SURE
THAT SPD BOTH HAS ENOUGH
OFFICERS TO MEET EMERGENCY
RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATIVE
NEEDS, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING AND
ADDRESSING THE DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACT POLICING HAS HAD ON
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
WE MUST BE HONEST ABOUT THAT IF
WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT.
AS WE APPROACH THE END OF AN
UNDENIABLY INVARIABLY VERY
CHALLENGING YEARS, I BELIEVE WE
HAVE TURNED A CORNER AND CAN
MAKE COLLABORATIVE DATA DRIVEN
DECISIONS THAT ADVANCE OUR
SHARE POLICY GOALS.
WE STILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT
CHALLENGES AHEAD.
AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE RECENT
WEEKS, COVID IS NOT DONE AND
COVID IS NOT DONE WITH US.
WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE WORK TO
DO, TO BEAT COVID BUT TO ALSO
BUILD A HEALTHY AND RESILIENT
CITY THAT CAN COME OUT OF THE
COVID CRISIS MORE JUST, AND
BETTER AND MORE EQUITABLE.
WE MUST HELP OUR WORKERS, SMALL
BUSINESSES, AND THE FAMILIES
HIT HARD BY COVID, PARTICULARLY
OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT
HAVE BEEN SO DISPROPORTIONATELY
IMPACTED BOTH WITH THE ECONOMIC
IMPACTS AND HEALTH IMPACTS.
WE NEED TO RESTORE OUR
DOWNTOWN, SO WE ARE READY WHEN
WE GET OUT OF COVID, TO WELCOME
BACK SO MANY TOURISTS,
BUSINESSES AND WORKERS.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO CENTER
OUR WORK ON EQUITY AND INVEST
DEEPLY IN OUR BLACK COMMUNITY
AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR,
INCLUDING OUR SACRED OBLIGATION
TO SUPPORT AND CENTER THE
NATIVE COMMUNITIES IN THIS
CITY, A CITY NAMED FOR A CHIEF.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
THE CITY COUNCIL IN OUR
COMMUNITIES TO CHART THE NEXT
CHAPTERS FOR OUR GREAT CITY.
WITH THAT, I WILL SIGN THE
BUDGET AND TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.
SIGNING THE BUDGET. THE BUDGET
IS NOW SIGNED, THE OFFICIAL
BUDGET DOCUMENT, OF COURSE
THERE'S DOZENS OF PIECES OF
LEGISLATION THAT I WILL NOT
MAKE YOU WATCH ME SIGN.
AND WITH THAT, ANTHONY, I WILL
TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
THE FIRST QUESTION WILL COME
FROM CHRIS DANIELS, KING 5.
FOLLOWED BY ERICA BARNETT,
PUBLIC.
CHRIS, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> HI MAYOR AND GOOD MORNING.
I GUESS MY QUESTION, FIRST
QUESTION IS, IN REGARDS TO
THERE'S MULTIPLE POTS OF MONEY
THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
WHAT WAS THE EXACT NUMBER THAT
YOU JUST SIGNED THAT IS BEING
TRANSFERRED FROM THE FORMER
POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO
COMMUNITY GROUPS, GIVEN THAT
THERE WAS THIS EXTRA JUMPSTART
TAX INVOLVED, WHAT IS THE EXACT
NUMBER THAT GOES FROM POLICE TO
COMMUNITY GROUPS.
>> THE BUDGET ITSELF WORKS A
LITTLE BIT MORE, I CAN'T GIVE
YOU THAT ANSWER RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE
COMPLICATED BUT WE WILL TRANSMIT
WHAT EACH OF THE POTS ARE SO
YOU CAN HAVE THAT IN REAL TIME,
CHRIS, I'M AFRAID THAT THIS
STICK BUDGET DOCUMENT DOESN'T
HAVE JUST A SECTION THAT IT
INDICATING THAT BUT WE WILL
GIVE YOU THE EXACT AMOUNTS.
>> SO, TO FOLLOW UP THEN TO
THAT, IS, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF
ATTENTION ON THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST AND THE
MONEY THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE'S ALSO
BEEN A FAIR AMOUT OF
OVERSIGHT, SO THIS MONEY THAT
IS NOW BEING GIVEN FROM THE
CITY TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, WHERE
IS THE OVERSIGHT THAT WILL ALSO
GO ALONG WITH THAT?
>> CHRIS THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION, SO THERE ARE THREE
COMPONENTS TO THE LARGEST
GROUPS OF MONEY, ONE IS THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY WE WILL HAVE
THE TASK FORCE ADVISING THE
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AND
WHERE THEY THINK THE INVESTMENT
NEEDS TO GO, AND THAT MONEY
MUST, AS I SAID AT THE
BEGINNING, HAS TO GO BACK TO
THE CITY COUNCIL, BEFORE IT CAN
FINALLY BE PASSED AND THEN IT
CAN BE ISSUED ACCORDING TO THE
NORMAL CONTRACTING PROVISIONS
THAT THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS
WHICH HAS ROBUST OVERSIGHT
FUNCTIONS.
THE SECOND POT OF MONEY THAT
THE COUNCIL HAS DONE AND
INDICATED THEY WANTED TO HAVE A
GREATER DISCIPLINARY BUDGETING
PROCESS THAN THE TASK FORCE, WE
HAVE TO WORK OUT EXACTLY WHAT
THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE BUT
IT TOO, HAS TO COME BACK TO THE
CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL
APPROPRIATION.
THE OTHER MONEY IS GOING TO
COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE,
OUTREACH WORKERS AND THE LIKE
GO THROUGH THE NORMAL CHANNEL
WE HAVE.
THE OUTREACH WORKERS AND THE
COMMUNITY SAFETY DOLLARS, THOSE
CONTRACTS WILL BE LED BY AT
COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS,
AND THERE WILL BE METRICS IN
THE CONTRACTS THAT WE EXPECT
THE CONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE.
WE NEED TO HAVE A ROBUST
CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY
ON WHAT THE OUTCOMES LOOK LIKE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE GOING TO BE
DOING EVEN MORE ON THE FRONT OF
TRYING TO REDUCE VIOLENCE
PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR.
WHAT DO WE EXPECT ON THOSE
OUTCOMES, WHAT DOES THE
COMMUNITY EXPECT?
WE WILL START THE CONVERSATION
WITH THE PROVIDERS AND THE
COMMUNITY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
EMBARK ON THE NEXT STAGE WE AS
A CITY TOGETHER, KNOW WHAT
OUTCOMES WE EXPECT.
WE WILL TRY SOME THINGS THAT
DON'T WORK, BUT WE WILL FIND
SOME THINGS THAT WORK BETTER
THAN WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, THE NEXT
QUESTION WILL COME FROM ERICA
BARNETT.
>> HI MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED THE
OPEN SPACES AND PARKS AND
NEIGHBORHOODS SUFFERING, YOU
SAID WE HAVE TO TAKE STEPS IN
THE CITY TO CHANGE THAT, CAN
YOU TALK MORE ABOUT YOUR
APPROACH TO DEALING WITH
ENCAMPMENTS, PARTICULARLY, AS
LIFE HOPEFULLY STARTS TO RETURN
TO NORMAL NEXT YEAR?
>> ERIC AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE
REACHED A COMPROMISE.
AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL IN
REGARDS TO HOW WE ADDRESS
ENCAMPMENTS, AND FOR THE FIRST
TIME EVER THE CITY COUNCIL AND
THE SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE
AGREED WITH OUR APPROACH, WHICH
IS, WE WILL ALWAYS LEAD WITH
ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE DONE SO THE
ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN MAYOR, WE
TRY TO BRING PEOPLE INSIDE, WE
TRY TO GIVE THEM ADDITIONAL
SPACES.
WE NOW HAVE AN INCREASED
ABILITY TO DO SO BECAUSE WE ARE
ADDING THE SHELTER CAPACITY AS
WELL AS THE HOTELS.
SO WE WILL HAVE A PROCESS THAT
LEADS WITH ENGAGEMENT, TRIES TO
LEAD PEOPLE INSIDE, BUT WHAT
THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE
PROVIDERS NO KNOWLEDGE WAS THAT
THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THAT
DOES NOT WORK AND ENCAMPMENT
WILL HAVE TO BE RELOCATED.
>> JUST A QUICK FOLLOW-UP I
MEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE
CITY, IT'S UNMISTAKABLE THAT
ENCAMPMENTS HAVE BECOME
DRAMATICALLY MORE VISIBLE.
WILL YOU BE ADOPTING ANY KIND
OF DIFFERENT APPROACH IN THE
COMING YEAR, BEYOND THE
ENGAGEMENT, BEYOND THE NEW HOPE
TEAM, TO TRY TO RESPOND TO
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS, WHICH I
KNOW HAVE BEEN PRETTY
VOCIFEROUS IN GROWING.
>> EACH OF THOSE CONCERNS IS
DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHERE
THE ENCAMPMENT IS, WHETHER IT'S
IN A PARK OR NOT A PARK OR
STATE LANDS, WE ARE WORKING
CLOSELY FOR EXAMPLE WITH THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION, TO SEE IF THEY
CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE
THEIR OBLIGATION TO CLEAN THE
GARBAGE UP FROM THE WAYS AROUND
OUR FREEWAYS.
IF YOU TRAVEL AROUND THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, YOU WILL NOTE THAT
OUR ISSUES ARE MORE SIGNIFICANT
ALONG THE FREEWAY THAN THEY ARE
IN SOME OTHER PLACES, SO WE ARE
HOPING THAT THE STATE WILL STEP
UP ITS ABILITY TO CLEAR SOME OF
THE LARGE REFUGE AND DEBRIS
THAT WE SEE IN OUR CITY SITE.
WE WILL WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOODS
AND COMMUNITIES, TO SEE IF WE
CAN BOTH DO THE SAME TYPE OF
SERVICES, RELOCATE PEOPLE AND
BRING THEM INSIDE, AND IF NOT,
REMOVE THE ENCAMPMENTS, BECAUSE
OF THE CDC GUIDANCE, WE WERE
AND REMAIN CONSTRAINED AND SOME
OF THE HEALTH CONCERNS, AS I
SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
PANDEMIC, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN
THE PUBLIC SAFETY OR PUBLIC
HEALTH NEEDS WILL REQUIRE THE
REMOVAL OF AN CAP ENDS, AND WE
HAVE TO BALANCE THE HEALTH
IMPACTS OF THOSE ENCAMPMENTS
FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
ENCAMPMENTS AS WELL AS THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES
AGAINST THE OTHER HEALTH
IMPACTS RELATED TO COVID.
>> GOOD MORNING MAYOR, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION AND
HOPEFULLY I CAN FOLLOW-UP,
LOOKING BACK YOU HAVE DESCRIBED
THE COUNCIL MAY BE COMING
AROUND TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING
WITH THE POLICE BUDGET AND THE
BUDGET IN GENERAL WITH THE 2021
PROCESS, TO THE EXTENT THAT
THAT IS TRUE, WHY DO YOU THINK
THAT WAS, OR WHAT LED, WHAT DO
YOU THINK LEAD YOU IN THE
COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO COME TO
AN UNDERSTANDING ON THIS LATEST
BUDGET?
>> I THINK THAT THE FACTS ARE
PRETTY CLEAR, DAN, THAT AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER, WHEN
WE HAD THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF
THE PROTESTS AROUND THE DEATH
AND MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, AND
THE PROTESTS AROUND HOW
POLICING HAS BEEN CONDUCTED
NATIONWIDE AS WELL AS OTHER
ISSUES RELATED TO SYSTEMIC
RACISM, THERE WAS GREAT AND THE
MEDIA PRESSURE PUT BY SOME
COMMUNITY GROUPS ON THE COUNCIL
TO DEFUND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
BY 50%.
AND, A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL
AGREED TO THAT VERY RAPIDLY.
AS YOU WILL RECALL, THAT WAS A
POINT OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN
THEM AND MYSELF AND SHE'S BEST,
WE NOW SEE FROM THE FRUITS AND
OUTCOME OF THIS BUDGET AS WELL
AS THE DELIBERATION AND THE
COMMENTS MADE BY COUNSEL, THAT
A MUCH MORE DELIBERATIVE
PROCESS NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND
THAT WAS MY POSITION AT THE
GETTING AND REMAINED MY
POSITION THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER
AND REMAINED MY POSITION WHEN I
SENT THIS BUDGET TO THE COUNCIL
AND I THINK COUNSEL WAS ABLE TO
TAKE A MUCH MORE DELIBERATE AND
THOUGHTFUL PROCESS THIS TIME,
AND AS A RESULT, WE HAVE A
BUDGET THAT REFLECTS A STRONG
COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE
LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE
BRANCHES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD, YOU
MENTIONED IN TERMS OF OUTCOMES
ON PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT THAT
WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU
WOULD HAVE TO YOU KNOW HEAR
FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BE
DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY MEMBER'S
BUT DO YOU HAVE INITIAL
THOUGHTS ON OUTCOMES, WHAT YOU
THINK AS MONEY MOVES FROM THE
POLICE DEPARTMENTS INTO
DIFFERENT AREAS, WHAT YOU THINK
SOME OF THE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES
SHOULD BE THAT THE CITY IS
LOOKING AT?
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK
HOLISTICALLY AND DO THAT IN
CONJUNCTION WITH COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO GET IN
TERMS OF HEALTHY AND MORE
RESILIENT COMMUNITIES,
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ACCESS TO
HEALTHCARE AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, TO EMPLOYMENT AND TO
EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE.
WE ALSO WANT COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE A REDUCTION IN VIOLENCE,
AND AS PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THIS
YEAR, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT UP
TICK IN HOMICIDES AND OTHER
VIOLENT CRIME.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT MOST
MAJOR CITIES IN AMERICA ARE
SEEING BUT WE ALSO MADE RECORD
INVESTMENTS IN SOME OF THE
PROGRAMS TO REDUCE COMMUNITY
VIOLENCE SO WE NEED TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE
THOSE INVESTMENTS WE WANT TO
MAKE AND WHAT DO WE EXPECT AS A
COMMUNITY FOR THOSE IMPACTS TO
HAVE.
SOME OF THIS IS NEW, AND WE
WILL TRY THINGS THAT DON'T
WORK, BUT ALL THE THINGS WE ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW ARE NOT WORKING
WELL ENOUGH, SO WE HAVE TO BE
COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO TRY SOME
NEW APPROACHES.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS
WHO ARE TRAINED CORRECTLY AND
FOLLOW POLICING VALUES AND WHO
CAN RESPOND TO 911 AT ANY HOUR
OF THE DAY IN OUR CITY.
>> THANK YOU MAYOR.
THE FINAL QUESTION WILL COME
FROM JUSTIN CARTER CAPITOL HILL
SEATTLE.
>> THERE'S ANOTHER MARCH ON
CAPITOL HILL, AND I THINK LOTS
OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD ARE ASKING IF YOU
SEE ANY CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE
COMING AND ON HOW SPD IS
HANDLING THE PROTEST AND THE
DIRECT ACTION IN THE ACTIVITIES
OR EVEN THE OPENING OF, IT
FEELS A BIT LIKE PEOPLE ARE BACK
TO A STANDOFF ON 11th AND PINE.
>> SO, YOU HAVE SEEN A
RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF
PEOPLE NIGHT AFTER NIGHT IN THE
PARK, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING
WITH AND TALKING WITH THE
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ON
CAPITOL HILL, AND WE HOPE TO
HAVE SOME NEW ADMISSIONS TO
THERE TO DO A RANGE OF THINGS.
FIRST, WE HAVE TO RESTORE THE
PARK SO IT'S A VIBRANT CITY
PARK, IT'S IN OUR DENSEST
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT HAS A
GREAT AND IMPORTANT PLACE IN
CAPITOL HILL, SO WE WILL WORK
WITH THE COMMUNITY TO SEE HOW
WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
WE ALSO KNOW WE WANT TO BE ABLE
TO TAKE DOWN THE BARRICADES AND
FENCES AROUND BOTH PRECINCTS,
BASED ON THE CHIEFS ANALYSIS
EARLIER THIS SUMMER THEY
DETERMINED IT WAS NOT SAFE TO
LEAVE THOSE UNPROTECTED BUT WE
ALSO DIDN'T WANT A LINE OF
POLICE ATTACKING THE PRECINCTS
IN THE WAY WE SAW OVER THE
SUMMER WHICH LED TO SUCH AN
ESCALATION OF CONFLICT.
SO, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD OF CAPITOL HILL AS
WELL AS THE SOUTH LAKE UNION
NEIGHBORHOOD BUT PARTICULARLY
FOR CAPITOL HILL.
IT HAS SUFFERED A
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT FROM
THE RESULTS OF A NUMBER OF THE
DEMONSTRATIONS AND PROTESTS.
YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE
IMPACTS OF COVID ON THE SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN
HANGING IN THERE, WE JUST
BROUGHT EMPLOYEES BACK TO WORK
AND THEN HAD TO SHUT DOWN
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO INDOOR
DINING.
IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD FOR THOSE
BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE
WORKERS, AND THE RESIDENCE OF
CAPITOL HILL.
SO, WE HOPE TO HAVE A JOINT
INITIATIVE WITH THE COMMUNITY
AND THE BUSINESSES OF CAPITOL
HILL, TO REALLY BE ABLE TO DO
THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY MOVING
FORWARD.
>> AND WHAT IS THE URGENCY
AROUND THE INITIATIVE, IS THERE
ANY TIMEFRAME THAT YOU CAN
SHARE?
>> LOOK, IF YOU TALK TO THE
PEOPLE ON CAPITOL HILL IT'S
URGENT.
IT IS OUR DENSEST NEIGHBORHOOD,
IT HAS A VERY HIGH RATIO OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTERS AND
LIVING IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES
AND THERE'S VERY LITTLE OPEN
SPACE, SO WE WANT TO RETURN HOW
ANDERSON, WE WANT THOSE
BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN
THE GRAFFITI, OPEN AS BEST AS
THEY CAN, WE WANT PEOPLE TO
FEEL THAT THEY CAN WALK THROUGH
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ANYTIME
DURING THE DAY, SO WE WILL BE
HAVING AN ONGOING CONVERSATION
WITH THE COMMUNITY, I'VE TALKED
TO A NUMBER OF BUSINESS OWNERS
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER THE
LAST WEEKS, AND WE HOPE TO BE
DOING SOMETHING IN THE COMING
WEEKS ON CAPITOL HILL.
BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE
WITH COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT WE
WILL NOT BE SUCCESSFUL IF THE
CITY JUST UNILATERALLY COMES IN
AND TRIES TO MAKE CERTAIN
CHANGES.
IT HAS TO BE DONE WITH THE
SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND
ADVISED BY THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
>> THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK
YOU JUSTIN.
MAYOR IF YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING
THOUGHTS YOU ARE WELCOME TO
SHARE THEM NOW.
>> I JUST WANT TO AGAIN
EMPHASIZE THAT THIS HAS BEEN
JUST AN UNPRECEDENTED
CHALLENGING YEAR, FOR EVERYBODY
LIVING IN SEATTLE AND EVERY
BUSINESS IN SEATTLE.
WE WERE THE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE
COVID-19, AND BECAUSE THERE WAS
NO FEDERAL ROADMAP, WE HAD TO
CREATE OUR OWN.
AND AS WE FLATTENED THE CURVE,
IT HAPPENED BECAUSE PEOPLE MADE
GREAT SACRIFICES.
YES, SOME PEOPLE STARTED
WORKING FROM HOME BUT SO MANY
OTHERS DIDN'T HAVE JOBS WHERE
THEY COULD WORK FROM HOME, SO
YOU EITHER HAD TO SHOW UP AS
ESSENTIAL WORKERS OR THEY LOST
THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THOSE
BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED.
THIS HAS HAD AND WILL CONTINUE
TO HAVE EVERLASTING IMPACTS ON
THOSE INDIVIDUALS, ON THE
BUSINESSES.
PARENTS, TRYING TO HOMESCHOOL
THEIR KIDS, PEOPLE STRUGGLING
TO FIND EMPLOYMENT, IT HAS BEEN
A CHALLENGE ON EVERY FRONT, AND
OF UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THIS
CHALLENGE.
COVID-19 HAS INCREASED
SIGNIFICANTLY IN OUR REGION, WE
ARE SEEING INCREASING MEMBERS
TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE
PROBABLY IN A WORSE POSITION
THAN WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING
OF THIS IS REGARDS TO THE
NUMBERS BUT WE ARE IN A BETTER
POSITION BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY
TAKEN SOME STEPS TO PREPARE
OURSELVES AND WE KNOW WHAT
WORKS.
THE AMOUNT OF TESTING WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE CITY IS
PHENOMENAL, AND I WANT TO
REALLY THANK CHIEF SCOGGINS AND
THE WHOLE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO
STEPPED UP, CREATED THIS
PROGRAM, AND IT LITERALLY IS A
MODEL FOR THE NATION.
ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY
COUNCIL FOR THEIR WORK
THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT AND
CHALLENGING YEAR FOR EVERYONE,
AND BEING ABLE TO GET THROUGH A
$6 BILLION BUDGET THAT WAS
SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN ANYONE
ANTICIPATED BECAUSE OF COVID-
19, AND FIND WAYS TO STILL MAKE
SURE THAT WE CENTERED EQUITY,
WE HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE,
AND WE HELPED OUR CITY PREPARE
ITSELF TO COME OUT OF COVID-19
BETTER, STRONGER AND MORE JUST.
EVERY CITY IN AMERICA, IF NOT
EVERY CITY IN THE WORLD, WILL
BE COMING OUT OF COVID-19 AT
ABOUT THE SAME TIME, AND
EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE
FIGHTING FOR THE JOBS, FOR THE
TOURISTS, FOR THE FEDERAL
DOLLARS, WE, IN SEATTLE NEED TO
GET READY.
AS WE MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE
REST OF THIS PANDEMIC, WE AND
GOVERNMENT NEED TO TAKE THE
STEPS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT
WHEN WE COME OUT OF COVID-19,
WE CAN DO IT AS HEALTHY AS
POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR
TIME, I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.