This week the Seattle Metropolis Council will focus on and vote on an extended checklist of amendments for the 2025-2026 finances. Listed here are the massive fights to look out for.
Capital Positive aspects: Comrade Cathy Moore (she’s earned the title till she pisses me off later on this identical publish) proposed a 2% tax on earnings exceeding $262,000 from the sale and trade of shares, bonds, and enterprise pursuits. The tax may generate anyplace from $16 million and $51 million in its first 12 months and would solely apply to about 860 of the town’s wealthiest residents, in keeping with central employees evaluation.
Moore desires to make use of that cash to pay for fund rental help, homeownership packages, and to struggle meals insecurity. Nonetheless, my typical professional sources on progressive income declined to touch upon Moore’s proposed spending priorities. Notably, Moore didn’t suggest explicitly codifying these priorities and it isn’t like anybody respects spending plans anyway!
Moore’s tax could be a neighborhood enlargement of the statewide capital features tax that the nice individuals of Washington overwhelmingly voted to guard from a right-wing assault earlier this month. That very same assault, an initiative backed by hedge fund millionaire Brian Heywood, stopped the earlier council from voting on a capital features tax of their final finances course of. On the time, The Stranger (me, it was me) lamented that the incoming conservative council would decline to take up the struggle, or if one courageous member did, they merely wouldn’t have the votes to cross it. Council Member Tammy Morales and Rob Saka are co-sponsoring the modification, a collaboration that indicators broad assist. Morales represents the leftmost voice on the council and Saka often aligns with the conservative majority. If you need the modification to cross, my greatest recommendation is to induce Council Members Pleasure Hollingsworth and Dan Strauss to vote sure — they appear the more than likely path to a majority.
Different income: Morales has her eye on different income streams. Though the Mayor proposed a balanced finances, filling the looming deficit largely by raiding JumpStart funds that must pay for reasonably priced housing, the Metropolis will nonetheless face one other, smaller deficit in 2027. Morales requested Central Workers to put in writing plans implementing a digital promoting excise tax and an excise tax on “skilled companies” reminiscent of realtor, accountant, architect, and different companies. Pondering forward. We like to see it.
SLUT shaming: Saka proposed an modification asking the Seattle Division of Transportation (SDOT) to make a plan to retire the South Lake Union Streetcar, which individuals typically name the “SLUT” although the acronym would really be “SLUS.”
In a press launch, Saka mentioned he’s “deeply involved that residents aren’t getting what they paid for” from the SLUT. Earlier than the pandemic, the SLUT noticed 500,000 riders a 12 months, however in 2023, it solely noticed about 175,000, in keeping with the Urbanist.
“There are way more efficient methods we might be investing our transit {dollars} and that’s why I’m proposing the manager take a severe take a look at options with my modification,” Saka mentioned in a press launch. “This isn’t about killing transit – it’s about guaranteeing our transportation {dollars} are properly spent on expanded transit service within the space that individuals will really use! At its core, this can be a 1-for-1, transit-for-transit funding that will require a considerate transition of service.”
He and his cosponsors Moore and Bob Kettle additionally proposed an modification to scrap the plan to attach the 2 streetcars from the Capital Enchancment Program.
For Our Boys In Blue: In case you thought the Mayor’s finances and the Chair’s subsequent balancing bundle couldn’t get any friendlier to the Seattle Police Division (SPD), you’ll be unsuitable. Moore proposed an modification to ask SDP to draft a plan to offer officers with childcare, probably run by the Metropolis. Don’t get me unsuitable, I like the concept of public childcare for everybody, however the Metropolis Council and the Mayor constantly give particular remedy to the cops over different Metropolis employees and Seattle residents. Moore will seemingly make a feminist enchantment over the modification as a result of determining officers’ childcare woos could encourage extra ladies, typically saddled with extra duty in elevating kids, to affix the pressure.
Renters rights: Morales answered one of many loudest calls from the working individuals of the finances — reverse Harrell’s defunding of renters companies. Her modification would absolutely restore tenant companies to the tune of almost $1 million over the biennium. Since all amendments should include a funding supply, Morales recommended taking the cash from the Workplace of Financial Growth and lowering funding for the Mayor’s Downtown Activation Plan. Guess we gained’t get a second House Needle anytime quickly, however the modification simply would possibly save your housing.
Nonetheless, Moore proposed a proviso that limits funding for eviction authorized companies to those that make underneath 200% of the world median earnings. That’s inline with State legislation and whereas Metropolis legislation offers some flexibilty, the Housing Justice Mission says they have not taken on purchasers above 80% this 12 months in any respect.
The proposal mirrors one launched earlier this 12 months by King County Council Member Regan Dunn. Each of them will need to have been following the conservative media circus across the landlord in Bellevue who claimed his tenant was loaded, however selecting to not pay lease. That narrative of the freeloading tenant has gained recognition with landlords, most notably the Low Revenue Housing Institute.
Talking of provisos: Moore additionally partnered with Council Member Martiza Rivera on a proviso that will maintain hostage $29.5 million —or six months of funding —earmarked for shelter companies by means of the Human Companies Division (HSD). HSD can elevate the proviso by submitting a report and answering an inventory of questions. You possibly can learn up on all of the amendments up for particular person vote right here. Over the following few days, watch the council focus on remaining amendments in actual time on the Seattle Channel or observe my play-by-play on Twitter.
