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-Hello.

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I'm your host, Brian Callanan.

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How is the Seattle City
Council

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aiming to balance
its mid biennium budget?

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Will the city invest in

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some controversial gunshot
detection technology?

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And what's the plan
for a nearly $250

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million budget gap?

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Expected next year?

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Council Budget Chair
Teresa Mosqueda

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and Public Safety Chair
Lisa Herbold

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join me
to answer these questions

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and more next
on Council Edition.

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-And we have year after year

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provided those funds
and year after year

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the department has fallen
short.

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-We can't retain,

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recruit and keep workers
here in the city

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if we're not paying them
a living wage.

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-All that and more coming up
next on City Inside/Out

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Council Edition.
♪♪

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And here they are.

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The council's budget
committee chair,

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Councilmember Teresa
Mosqueda. How are you doing?

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-I'm good.
Thanks for having us. 

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-Hanging, hanging in there.

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I know that you're very busy
right now.

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Also, the council's

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public safety chair,
Councilmember Lisa Herbold.

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How are you?
-I'm doing all right.

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-All right, all right.
Thank you.

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And I know it is very busy.

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I really do appreciate
both of you being here.

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Councilmember Mosqueda,
I want to start with you

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and break down
the balancing package

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you've been working on

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after getting the mayor's $7.8
billion budget proposal.

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There's one key point here
with the Jumpstart Tax, folks.

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I'm going to try to break down
here.

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This is the payroll tax
on big businesses.

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And I want to clarify this.

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So the mayor had a plan
to broaden

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the use, I would say, of this
tax revenue,

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use it for other things.

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Your balancing plan,

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as I see it,
pull some of that money back

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towards the original goals
for Jumpstart

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for things like affordable
housing, the Green New Deal.

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Give us the big picture.

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Look at what's going on
with Jumpstart, if you could,

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and your priorities
for the budget process.

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-Well, I want to start
where there's common ground.

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-Okay. 
-Appreciate that.

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The mayor identified
that the council was probably

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also interested
in human service provider

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wages
and child care investments.

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And standing up
the social housing initiative

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that just passed earlier
this year,

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he had suggested
using Jumpstart

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flexible funds,
as they were called,

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or in the administration
category,

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using those funds
to invest in those areas.

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Well,
those are important areas that

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I think the city universally
wants to invest in.

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They're not part
of the existing

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codified
spend plan for Jumpstart.

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And instead of weighing
into a policy change

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at this juncture
in the budget process,

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we realign those investments
to come from general fund

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to the tune of about $20
million.

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We've made realignments
both with moving things out

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of the Flexible Administrative

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Fund and back into Jumpstart

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or back
into the general fund,

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but also rebuilding
some of the reductions

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that were proposed
in Jumpstart

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housing and equity
and economic resilience

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and things

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to better than anticipated
revenue projections

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that just were released
this month.

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We were able to fully
build back

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some of the proposed
reductions

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and also invest

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where the mayor had suggested
using Jumpstart.

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So that is where I think
we have

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common ground, the desire
for those investments,

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but really realigning
Jumpstart at this juncture

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to stay focused on
what the spend plan includes.

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-Thank you very much
for breaking that down for us.

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Customer Herbold
I want to talk about some of

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your budget recommendations.

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They include funding for gun
violence prevention,

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implementing the App-Based Workers

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Rights Ordinance,

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increasing wages
for human services

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workers, which Councilmember
Mosqueda mentioned here.

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If you want to dive
into some of those priorities,

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please do that briefly.

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But I'm hoping you can also
give me that broader view

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of what your goals are during
this budget session, too.

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-Sure.

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As the council budget
committees co-chair–

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-Ah, there we go.

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-I’m lucky to be able
to work with a budget chair

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with whom
I share a lot of values.

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I think that results
in a great partnership

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and a great return
to address our common goals

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for a city that is leading
with compassion.

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We're funding people
and their needs,

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and we're
also working on investments

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that make our city
a safer city.

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The Human Services Worker's
Wage Equity Investments.

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I want to thank the mayor
for including a down payment

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on addressing
what we call the wage penalty.

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The wage penalty
is the percentage of income

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somebody gets
when they leave the care work.

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They get an increase of a 7%

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pay bump.

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And we want to close that gap
so people stay in these jobs.

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And so this budget has a down
payment

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in alignment

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with a council resolution
that we passed a couple

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months ago to begin working on

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addressing that pay penalty.

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It's 2%
and I really appreciate that

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the budget chair worked to
realign the funding, not using

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the payroll tax

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because the payroll tax
fluctuates from year to year.

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And we want a sustainable

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fund source
for those moving forward.

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Also really grateful
for the public safety

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investments that this budget,
the chair's package includes,

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including investments
for frontline workers

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who are doing violence
disruption

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work for there to address
their mental health needs–

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-Yeah. -associated with the trauma
of doing this work, 

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interrupting shootings, 
helping

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the victims and the family
members of these shootings.

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And then also funding
successful evidence based gun

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prevention programs
like the program at Harborview

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that I've talked about here
before.

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-We're recording the show
after the time that the

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first public hearing happened

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and a lot of different
input came in then.

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But this is right

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before you're really working

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through
a lot of the amendments

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that I know the council
members are sending your way.

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Is there a ton
that you're wrestling with?

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Is there a lot of disagreement
among the council?

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How would you describe
what's going on right now?

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-Well, we received the mayor's

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proposed budget for 2024,
about a month ago.

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At the end of September,

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we received
that proposed budget,

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and we had been in deep

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conversations
with the city budgets office

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and the city family
about how 2024 was going to be

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the second part
of a biennial budget. -Right.

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-We're really trying
to move to biennial budgeting

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and it creates
greater stability

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for departments
and thus our community.

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So we were anticipating

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broad alignment
with 2024 investments.

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I think for the most part
we saw a lot of the changes

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that were proposed

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staying within the departments

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where the same services
were being shifted.

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That's a good starting place.

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It makes it much easier for us
to deconstruct

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the proposed budget

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and then offer realignments,

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amendments,
enhancements, reductions,

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as you heard
from public comment.

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There was a number of people

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who came forward
and identified emerging issues

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that they really wanted
to include in the chair's

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balancing package
and for the council

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to consider
before final passage.

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Because of that,

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we were able to add
some additional enhancements

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for refugee
and immigration services.

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We were able to add
additional support

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for food assistance security.

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And we are continuing to work
with our community

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to identify other ways

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to support renters,
something that we also heard

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in public hearing
that evening.

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It was very timely.

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We were able to incorporate
some of those adds

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prior to the balancing package
being released,

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and now is the chance
for the community

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to weigh in on what they see

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and what they'd like to see
changed.

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As the chair,
I noted as I released

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our proposed
balancing package.

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My preference would be that

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at the final stages
of this budget process,

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we do not include things

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like pilot technologies
along ShotSpotter or CCTV

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that are

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not proven
to actually reduce crime

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and in fact

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have questionable statistics
on how communities of color

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specifically are targeted
using these technologies.

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So I would say that

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the balancing package
is a point in time.

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Community
members are encouraged

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to let us know

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what they think,
-Okay.

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-and over the next three weeks

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we will be going through
a process

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of looking at changes
to that balancing package

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before we complete on
November 21st.

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-Thank you very much.

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And I'd like to come back
to ShotSpotter in a little bit

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because there's been a lot
of back and forth on that.

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But let's turn it to more
generally public safety.

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Councilmember Herbold,

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let me get your explanation
of the budget proviso.

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The council plans
to continue this year

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regarding the Seattle
Police Department.

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So the SPD is falling
short of its hiring goals.

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The police department there.

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And this proviso

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allows the department
to use money

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not spent on salaries
towards overtime costs.

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Tell us why, if you would.
Why did you do this?

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Why did you support this
proviso?

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And maybe also your concerns
about the SPD's

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continuing problems
with hiring? -Sure.

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So a proviso is a budget
mechanism.

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It's a good financial practice

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because the council adopts
the budget and when the budget

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is not being used in the way
it was intended to use,

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it shouldn't just turn into,
for lack of a better word,

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a slush
fund for the department.

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The council should have
the opportunity

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to have a conversation
with the mayor's office,

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with the department,
in question

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this case,
the police department,

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about what
our shared goals are

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for that spending,
just like we do

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in the regular budget process.

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So a proviso
is just a mechanism

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to allow us

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to have a conversation

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in the future if the hiring
goals are not met.

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Historically, as you say,

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we've had a hard time
meeting those hiring goals.

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Despite the continuing 
narrative around defund,

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this council has

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funded the entire amount
of the department's

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staffing plan

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as a staffing plan
is basically

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or the hiring plan
is basically

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the maximum number
of officers.

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In a best case scenario
that the department themselves

259
00:09:17,323 --> 00:09:19,058
anticipates
that they can hire. -Right.

260
00:09:19,058 --> 00:09:21,227
-And we have year after year

261
00:09:21,227 --> 00:09:24,330
provided those funds
and year after year

262
00:09:24,931 --> 00:09:26,132
the department has fallen
short.

263
00:09:26,132 --> 00:09:27,700
And it's not their
their problem.

264
00:09:27,700 --> 00:09:29,702
That's not their fault.
It's it's all of our problem.

265
00:09:29,702 --> 00:09:30,736
It's not their fault.

266
00:09:30,736 --> 00:09:32,738
This is a national issue.

267
00:09:32,738 --> 00:09:35,174
It's it's
a national issue across job

268
00:09:35,174 --> 00:09:39,245
sectors, not just policing,
not just first responders.

269
00:09:39,245 --> 00:09:40,046
You know,

270
00:09:40,179 --> 00:09:41,948
people
are changing their careers

271
00:09:41,948 --> 00:09:44,250
and first
responders are no different.

272
00:09:44,517 --> 00:09:46,485
And this is a challenge that
we need to really think about.

273
00:09:46,485 --> 00:09:49,589
And I think one way for us all
to think about it together

274
00:09:49,855 --> 00:09:52,925
is to look at supporting
the community, call

275
00:09:52,992 --> 00:09:55,728
for investments
in policing alternatives.

276
00:09:56,028 --> 00:09:58,164
And, you know, we had a great
announcement today.

277
00:09:58,297 --> 00:10:00,132
-Yeah. If you can jump in.

278
00:10:00,132 --> 00:10:01,300
-Yes, absolutely.
-Yeah, I wanted to talk about that

279
00:10:01,300 --> 00:10:03,002
because we are recording
the show

280
00:10:03,002 --> 00:10:04,837
as the CARE Team
officially begins its work.

281
00:10:04,837 --> 00:10:07,740
This is Community Assisted
Response and Engagement

282
00:10:07,940 --> 00:10:09,308
CARE, celebrating its launch

283
00:10:09,308 --> 00:10:12,011
as a dual dispatch
behavioral health response

284
00:10:12,211 --> 00:10:13,079
pilot program.

285
00:10:13,079 --> 00:10:15,615
This an alternative to sending
out just an armed officer.

286
00:10:15,848 --> 00:10:17,316
Now, behavioral health experts

287
00:10:17,316 --> 00:10:19,118
can help with person down
calls

288
00:10:19,118 --> 00:10:21,420
and things of this things
of this example.

289
00:10:21,420 --> 00:10:23,022
Councilmember Mosqueda
and then Councilmember

290
00:10:23,022 --> 00:10:24,790
Herbold,
have you jump in to the mayor,

291
00:10:24,790 --> 00:10:26,726
ask for a $6 million increase
in CARE

292
00:10:26,726 --> 00:10:29,161
funding in his budget,
in his proposal there.

293
00:10:29,161 --> 00:10:29,996
It sounds like that's

294
00:10:29,996 --> 00:10:31,230
something
that you support there.

295
00:10:31,230 --> 00:10:33,199
I guess I wanted to think
about going forward.

296
00:10:33,199 --> 00:10:35,835
Should this be funded in city
budgets for years to come?

297
00:10:35,935 --> 00:10:37,370
Some thoughts about CARE?

298
00:10:37,370 --> 00:10:39,572
-Well, I think, first of all,
Councilmember Herbold deserves

299
00:10:39,905 --> 00:10:42,975
a lot of credit and attention
for really shepherding

300
00:10:42,975 --> 00:10:45,378
and promoting this concept
of having a third department

301
00:10:45,578 --> 00:10:46,579
for a very long time.

302
00:10:46,579 --> 00:10:48,481
So it's really exciting
to be able to announce

303
00:10:48,481 --> 00:10:50,383
it, announce it with this
mayor or Mayor Harrell,

304
00:10:50,383 --> 00:10:51,684
and to see joint interest

305
00:10:51,684 --> 00:10:53,419
and making sure
that this body stood up.

306
00:10:53,419 --> 00:10:54,954
Not only is the funding
included

307
00:10:54,954 --> 00:10:56,956
in the chair's
proposed package for CARE,

308
00:10:56,956 --> 00:10:59,191
we actually had toyed
with trying to add additional

309
00:10:59,191 --> 00:11:00,760
funding
for additional staff members,

310
00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:01,560
and I know that's something

311
00:11:01,560 --> 00:11:03,596
the department will continue
to need in the future.

312
00:11:03,896 --> 00:11:07,500
There's their support on this
council and shared support

313
00:11:07,500 --> 00:11:09,001
with the mayor's office
to stand up

314
00:11:09,001 --> 00:11:10,036
this alternative response,

315
00:11:10,036 --> 00:11:11,804
which Councilmember Herbold
has been leading on.

316
00:11:11,804 --> 00:11:14,106
And I would also underscore
that this isn't just,

317
00:11:14,273 --> 00:11:15,541
you know, a sentiment
that we have,

318
00:11:15,541 --> 00:11:16,342
that this could help

319
00:11:16,342 --> 00:11:19,712
with recruitment and retention
of additional officers.

320
00:11:19,979 --> 00:11:22,882
The Washington Post earlier
this year published a report

321
00:11:22,882 --> 00:11:26,052
saying
throwing money at hiring.

322
00:11:26,218 --> 00:11:28,020
That departments
are experiencing

323
00:11:28,020 --> 00:11:31,323
across the nation for police
recruiting is not working.

324
00:11:31,624 --> 00:11:34,193
Just adding additional funds
is not the solution.

325
00:11:34,193 --> 00:11:36,462
Trying to recruit officers
from other jurisdictions

326
00:11:36,662 --> 00:11:38,431
is not a sustainable solution.

327
00:11:38,431 --> 00:11:40,232
And The Washington Post
went on to say,

328
00:11:40,232 --> 00:11:42,468
perhaps what is needed
is rethinking

329
00:11:42,468 --> 00:11:44,437
about what
we're asking officers to do.

330
00:11:44,437 --> 00:11:46,205
That's something this council
has been committed

331
00:11:46,205 --> 00:11:48,574
to for the last four years
and trying to stand up

332
00:11:48,774 --> 00:11:50,543
alternative response systems,

333
00:11:50,543 --> 00:11:53,646
early intervention strategies,
and the co-response model

334
00:11:53,646 --> 00:11:54,680
that we're talking about.

335
00:11:54,680 --> 00:11:56,415
So I just want to emphasize

336
00:11:56,415 --> 00:11:58,050
that as we think
about where dollars

337
00:11:58,050 --> 00:12:00,086
could have a better return
on their investment,

338
00:12:00,352 --> 00:12:03,089
both for retention
and recruitment of officers

339
00:12:03,089 --> 00:12:05,424
and for improved
health outcomes

340
00:12:05,424 --> 00:12:07,059
and the livelihood
of our community,

341
00:12:07,059 --> 00:12:08,661
its upstream investments.

342
00:12:08,661 --> 00:12:10,663
That's what
we've been trying to focus on.

343
00:12:10,663 --> 00:12:12,565
And if I might,

344
00:12:12,565 --> 00:12:15,768
what we tried to do in
2020 was to actually do good

345
00:12:15,768 --> 00:12:18,437
governance and transparency
around budgeting.

346
00:12:18,704 --> 00:12:21,941
That is where we learn
that there was $40 million

347
00:12:21,941 --> 00:12:23,375
that was rolling over year

348
00:12:23,375 --> 00:12:25,277
over year in the Seattle
Police Department

349
00:12:25,277 --> 00:12:27,246
that was going towards
staffing.

350
00:12:27,246 --> 00:12:29,482
But it was known from
the chief and the department

351
00:12:29,482 --> 00:12:31,083
and the mayor
that there was no way

352
00:12:31,083 --> 00:12:33,119
they could ever use that
$40 million.

353
00:12:33,352 --> 00:12:34,754
So what we tried to
do was shift

354
00:12:34,754 --> 00:12:37,089
some of that funds
into other upstream solutions.

355
00:12:37,323 --> 00:12:39,759
And what did you see
last year from Mayor Harrell?

356
00:12:39,925 --> 00:12:42,661
He did the exact same thing.
Of that $40 million

357
00:12:42,828 --> 00:12:46,332
he reallocated $20 million
into the general fund.

358
00:12:46,732 --> 00:12:47,700
Now, what we see is

359
00:12:47,700 --> 00:12:49,935
those dollars were not needed
for SPD.

360
00:12:49,935 --> 00:12:51,670
In fact,
the positions that were

361
00:12:51,670 --> 00:12:53,606
aggregated,
that were associated with that

362
00:12:53,606 --> 00:12:54,473
20 million,

363
00:12:54,473 --> 00:12:56,842
we're not even near needing
those number of positions

364
00:12:56,842 --> 00:12:58,878
at within the department
still.

365
00:12:58,878 --> 00:13:01,380
So it's good governance, it's
transparent budgeting,

366
00:13:01,380 --> 00:13:02,748
and it's actually
a better return

367
00:13:02,748 --> 00:13:04,884
on our investment
to shift unused dollars

368
00:13:04,884 --> 00:13:07,119
in a department, including
in the police department,

369
00:13:07,119 --> 00:13:08,320
the upstream solutions.

370
00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:09,088
-Thank you for that.

371
00:13:09,088 --> 00:13:10,723
And that was an important
add on there.

372
00:13:10,723 --> 00:13:13,159
But Councilmember Herbold,
can I shift it back to CARE?

373
00:13:13,159 --> 00:13:15,795
I did want to ask about
this alternative here to 911.

374
00:13:16,095 --> 00:13:17,830
How do you measure
its success?

375
00:13:17,830 --> 00:13:19,698
I know
you're always into data,

376
00:13:19,698 --> 00:13:21,233
the council
is the mayor is too,

377
00:13:21,233 --> 00:13:21,801
how do you measure

378
00:13:21,801 --> 00:13:23,803
measure the success
of a program like this.

379
00:13:24,570 --> 00:13:26,272
-Um, so I just want to put the

380
00:13:26,272 --> 00:13:28,974
the program itself
within the larger context

381
00:13:28,974 --> 00:13:32,444
of what we're now
calling the CARE Department.

382
00:13:32,611 --> 00:13:36,482
The council in 2020
passed legislation,

383
00:13:37,383 --> 00:13:38,884
we named it at the time,

384
00:13:38,884 --> 00:13:42,188
and it has been the Community
Safety and Communication

385
00:13:42,188 --> 00:13:42,855
Center.
-Right.

386
00:13:42,855 --> 00:13:45,724
-But in that legislation,
we defined a vision

387
00:13:45,991 --> 00:13:47,459
for that department.

388
00:13:47,459 --> 00:13:49,962
And that department
was not only going to hold

389
00:13:50,429 --> 00:13:55,167
the 911 operators, but
it was also going to hold the

390
00:13:56,268 --> 00:13:56,702
Community

391
00:13:56,702 --> 00:13:59,572
Response Alternative Team
that was launched today.

392
00:13:59,939 --> 00:14:03,075
But the larger vision
is to also bring over

393
00:14:03,342 --> 00:14:06,912
some of our other community
based human services,

394
00:14:08,013 --> 00:14:10,616
slash public
safety investments,

395
00:14:10,616 --> 00:14:13,919
the kinds of programs
that are currently housed in

396
00:14:14,353 --> 00:14:15,087
the Safe

397
00:14:15,087 --> 00:14:17,122
and Thriving Communities
section

398
00:14:17,122 --> 00:14:18,891
of the human services
department.

399
00:14:18,891 --> 00:14:20,526
So we're going to bring
that's the vision

400
00:14:20,526 --> 00:14:22,695
that the mayor shares,
bringing

401
00:14:22,695 --> 00:14:25,998
those programs also over
to the care department.

402
00:14:25,998 --> 00:14:27,900
And this is a really,
I think, exciting,

403
00:14:27,900 --> 00:14:29,568
fantastic vision
for the department.

404
00:14:29,568 --> 00:14:32,304
And I think the upshot

405
00:14:32,304 --> 00:14:36,642
of how to measure success is,
you know, it's multifaceted.

406
00:14:36,642 --> 00:14:37,743
But I think one of the most

407
00:14:37,743 --> 00:14:40,613
important things
to think about is how

408
00:14:41,614 --> 00:14:45,618
diverting calls away
from police response

409
00:14:45,851 --> 00:14:50,189
affects response times
for the highest priority.

410
00:14:50,222 --> 00:14:52,524
911 calls. -Yes.
-That's really important.

411
00:14:52,758 --> 00:14:53,959
-Yea.
-Another measure is um,

412
00:14:56,962 --> 00:14:58,097
uh,
better outcomes for

413
00:14:58,097 --> 00:15:01,500
people seeking help, better
outcomes for people in crisis.

414
00:15:01,901 --> 00:15:03,903
-Right.
There's a lot ahead here.

415
00:15:03,903 --> 00:15:05,604
And it's an interesting start
to this program.

416
00:15:05,604 --> 00:15:06,639
We'll see where it goes.

417
00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:08,107
But I do want to move back
to an issue

418
00:15:08,107 --> 00:15:10,142
that you brought up earlier,
Councilmember Mosqueda,

419
00:15:10,142 --> 00:15:12,544
this idea of shotspotting
technology.

420
00:15:12,745 --> 00:15:14,380
This records audio of gunshots

421
00:15:14,380 --> 00:15:16,181
as a way to track
and reduce gun violence.

422
00:15:16,181 --> 00:15:17,516
Its supporters would say

423
00:15:17,516 --> 00:15:18,517
the council turned down this

424
00:15:18,517 --> 00:15:20,252
proposal
from the mayor last year.

425
00:15:20,252 --> 00:15:21,520
There's plenty of research
saying that

426
00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,055
it doesn't work all that well.

427
00:15:23,055 --> 00:15:24,556
But this year
the mayor’s brought it back

428
00:15:24,556 --> 00:15:26,392
with the addition of video
surveillance

429
00:15:26,392 --> 00:15:28,394
and automatic license
plate readers

430
00:15:28,394 --> 00:15:30,362
during the October
18th public hearing.

431
00:15:30,362 --> 00:15:31,764
The council heard
a lot of commentary

432
00:15:31,764 --> 00:15:34,066
about ShotSpotter,
including these two excerpts.

433
00:15:34,166 --> 00:15:35,100
-Frankly, it's shocking

434
00:15:35,100 --> 00:15:36,568
this is back on the table,

435
00:15:36,568 --> 00:15:37,169
repackaged

436
00:15:37,169 --> 00:15:38,637
as an expensive, really bad

437
00:15:38,637 --> 00:15:40,639
idea does not make it
into a good one.

438
00:15:40,906 --> 00:15:42,341
It's time to invest in gun

439
00:15:42,341 --> 00:15:43,943
violence prevention
and violence

440
00:15:43,943 --> 00:15:45,945
interruption programs
that work

441
00:15:45,945 --> 00:15:47,947
rather than waste money
on ShotSpotter.

442
00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:50,716
-There’s Black people
who support SpotShotter,

443
00:15:51,750 --> 00:15:54,453
and all the people
who are talking and accent,

444
00:15:54,453 --> 00:15:56,822
they don't live
in the Black community

445
00:15:56,822 --> 00:15:59,058
and they talk about
people of color.

446
00:15:59,058 --> 00:16:00,392
Well I'm a Black woman

447
00:16:00,392 --> 00:16:04,263
and as I've sat
with many mothers who's crying

448
00:16:04,263 --> 00:16:05,898
because their children
have been killed.

449
00:16:05,898 --> 00:16:07,533
-That's Reverend Harriett Walden
right there

450
00:16:07,533 --> 00:16:09,301
voicing her support for SpotShotter.

451
00:16:09,301 --> 00:16:10,502
The vast
majority of the comments

452
00:16:10,502 --> 00:16:11,737
at the hearing
were not supportive,

453
00:16:11,737 --> 00:16:12,538
however.

454
00:16:12,538 --> 00:16:14,673
We did see councilmembers
Lewis and Strauss

455
00:16:14,673 --> 00:16:16,141
changing their mind
on this technology.

456
00:16:16,141 --> 00:16:17,042
They want to support it.

457
00:16:17,042 --> 00:16:19,111
And so I guess I just want
to ask you again on this.

458
00:16:19,278 --> 00:16:21,246
Councilmember Mosqueda,
it doesn't sound like

459
00:16:21,246 --> 00:16:23,082
this is something
you're all that supportive of.

460
00:16:23,082 --> 00:16:25,284
Why was it included
in this budget?

461
00:16:25,284 --> 00:16:26,885
-Well, again, let me start
with where there's

462
00:16:26,885 --> 00:16:29,588
common ground
universally across this city.

463
00:16:29,922 --> 00:16:32,758
We all want to see a reduction
in gun violence.

464
00:16:32,791 --> 00:16:35,160
We want to see a reduction
in interpersonal violence

465
00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:36,996
and getting guns
off of our street.

466
00:16:36,996 --> 00:16:37,830
Our budget.

467
00:16:37,830 --> 00:16:39,465
The chair's proposed budget,
in partnership

468
00:16:39,465 --> 00:16:41,567
with Councilmember Herbold
and many of her amendments,

469
00:16:41,767 --> 00:16:43,535
make direct investments in gun

470
00:16:43,535 --> 00:16:45,137
violence reduction strategies.

471
00:16:45,137 --> 00:16:48,107
Reduction strategies
like the Harborview Bedside,

472
00:16:48,340 --> 00:16:49,541
gun violence interruption

473
00:16:49,541 --> 00:16:51,110
strategies, which,
speaking of data,

474
00:16:51,110 --> 00:16:53,278
has data to show
that it reduces the chance

475
00:16:53,445 --> 00:16:55,047
somebody will ever pick up
a gun

476
00:16:55,047 --> 00:16:56,081
and have retaliation

477
00:16:56,081 --> 00:16:59,318
because of being on the
receiving end of gun violence.

478
00:16:59,585 --> 00:17:00,486
So let me say that

479
00:17:00,486 --> 00:17:02,187
universally,
there's there's interest

480
00:17:02,187 --> 00:17:03,856
in reducing gun violence

481
00:17:03,856 --> 00:17:06,191
and getting guns
out of our street.

482
00:17:06,191 --> 00:17:08,861
The problem is, when we have
limited resources,

483
00:17:09,094 --> 00:17:11,764
it does not make sense with
the extreme needs

484
00:17:11,764 --> 00:17:13,132
that are out there
in our community

485
00:17:13,132 --> 00:17:16,635
to have funding going into a
pilot, a technology pilot

486
00:17:16,835 --> 00:17:20,439
that has had very questionable
um, outcomes

487
00:17:20,439 --> 00:17:23,742
and in fact, has only
shown that it underscores

488
00:17:24,343 --> 00:17:26,745
the exacerbation
of police presence,

489
00:17:26,745 --> 00:17:27,913
especially
in communities of color.

490
00:17:27,913 --> 00:17:29,882
Let me give you
some statistics.

491
00:17:29,882 --> 00:17:33,152
It has been shown to be
ineffective in over 68 cities

492
00:17:33,152 --> 00:17:35,554
that have already deployed
gunshot, SpotShotter.

493
00:17:37,256 --> 00:17:38,323
The city of

494
00:17:38,323 --> 00:17:41,493
Chicago
saw a 90% false positive rate

495
00:17:41,493 --> 00:17:46,832
within a 21 months analysis
of the use of ShotSpotter.

496
00:17:46,832 --> 00:17:49,968
And they saw communities
of color experience

497
00:17:49,968 --> 00:17:54,573
four, 40,000 times
more presence of officers

498
00:17:54,807 --> 00:17:56,809
because they were called
to deploy to an area

499
00:17:56,809 --> 00:17:58,977
where the technology thought
that it was a gun

500
00:17:59,144 --> 00:18:01,146
when it wasn't. In Saint Louis.

501
00:18:01,146 --> 00:18:03,215
Saint Louis, a city
that has been

502
00:18:03,215 --> 00:18:06,385
grappling with gun violence
in recent years,

503
00:18:06,752 --> 00:18:07,986
has ShotSpotter deployed

504
00:18:07,986 --> 00:18:08,220
and

505
00:18:08,220 --> 00:18:09,621
there is no significant

506
00:18:09,621 --> 00:18:12,658
decrease in gun violence
in that city itself.

507
00:18:12,825 --> 00:18:15,360
And then secondly,
in the concept of having

508
00:18:15,427 --> 00:18:16,962
ShotSpotter,
coupled with closed

509
00:18:16,962 --> 00:18:17,863
captioning television,

510
00:18:17,863 --> 00:18:20,532
which is what's being proposed
this year,

511
00:18:20,532 --> 00:18:22,968
has been deployed
in the city of Philadelphia

512
00:18:23,102 --> 00:18:25,003
and there's no evidence
that supports that

513
00:18:25,003 --> 00:18:27,172
coupling
those two technologies reduces

514
00:18:27,172 --> 00:18:29,441
the ineffectiveness
of ShotSpotter itself.

515
00:18:29,441 --> 00:18:31,477
Now, I included this
in our chair's

516
00:18:31,477 --> 00:18:33,378
proposed package,
not because I support it,

517
00:18:33,378 --> 00:18:34,980
but clearly
there's a conversation

518
00:18:34,980 --> 00:18:36,448
that's happening
within this council

519
00:18:36,448 --> 00:18:37,015
about where

520
00:18:37,015 --> 00:18:40,052
we put our limited resources
and the priorities that the

521
00:18:40,052 --> 00:18:41,253
community is outlining.

522
00:18:41,253 --> 00:18:42,988
I heard council members
express an interest

523
00:18:42,988 --> 00:18:45,357
in wanting to hear more
about this proposal.

524
00:18:45,591 --> 00:18:47,259
It is there so we can do that.

525
00:18:47,259 --> 00:18:48,494
Hear more about the proposal

526
00:18:48,494 --> 00:18:50,262
and put it in contrast

527
00:18:50,262 --> 00:18:51,697
with what else could be
funded,

528
00:18:51,697 --> 00:18:52,965
given the limited resources.

529
00:18:52,965 --> 00:18:53,799
So again,

530
00:18:53,799 --> 00:18:55,267
I know that there's joint

531
00:18:55,267 --> 00:18:56,702
interest
in reducing gun violence,

532
00:18:56,702 --> 00:18:57,970
and I hope
that we can continue

533
00:18:57,970 --> 00:18:59,938
to make those dollars
go further upstream.

534
00:18:59,938 --> 00:19:01,540
-Fair enough. Councilmember
Herbold, I know

535
00:19:01,540 --> 00:19:02,808
I mentioned
that Councilmembers

536
00:19:02,808 --> 00:19:04,610
Lewis and Strauss
have apparently changed

537
00:19:04,610 --> 00:19:05,744
their mind on this technology.

538
00:19:05,744 --> 00:19:07,246
Have you had
a change of heart about it?

539
00:19:07,246 --> 00:19:08,881
What do you think about
ShotSpotter?

540
00:19:08,881 --> 00:19:09,314
-I always

541
00:19:09,314 --> 00:19:10,949
try to keep an open mind

542
00:19:10,949 --> 00:19:14,119
when I'm told that there is
information that I don't have.

543
00:19:14,453 --> 00:19:16,054
In this case.

544
00:19:16,054 --> 00:19:18,023
Deputy Mayor Burgess

545
00:19:18,023 --> 00:19:20,726
informed us in our budget
hearing last week

546
00:19:21,593 --> 00:19:24,596
that the coupling of this,
the sound

547
00:19:24,897 --> 00:19:26,999
technology,
the hearing technology

548
00:19:27,266 --> 00:19:30,602
with CCTV results
in better outcomes,

549
00:19:30,602 --> 00:19:32,471
and we were promised to get

550
00:19:32,471 --> 00:19:35,340
reports that demonstrated
those better outcomes.

551
00:19:35,340 --> 00:19:38,911
I'm still hoping
to receive those.

552
00:19:38,911 --> 00:19:40,078
I have not yet received them.

553
00:19:40,078 --> 00:19:43,515
In fact, there's a study
in Philadelphia that shows

554
00:19:44,249 --> 00:19:47,486
no better outcomes
when it comes to usefulness to

555
00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:49,922
to address

556
00:19:49,922 --> 00:19:52,357
respond to gun violence

557
00:19:52,357 --> 00:19:55,360
or to hold perpetrators
accountable.

558
00:19:55,994 --> 00:19:58,931
When we talk about
false positives,

559
00:19:58,931 --> 00:20:00,933
that means
that police officers

560
00:20:00,933 --> 00:20:03,368
are going to a location
when they're not needed.

561
00:20:03,368 --> 00:20:05,938
And when we have such
a staffing crisis

562
00:20:06,705 --> 00:20:08,807
in this city,
why would we want to do that?

563
00:20:09,241 --> 00:20:09,675
-Yeah.

564
00:20:09,675 --> 00:20:11,777
-I also want to just make sure
that we're clear as well

565
00:20:11,777 --> 00:20:12,611
with the viewing public

566
00:20:12,611 --> 00:20:13,946
and in

567
00:20:13,946 --> 00:20:15,347
response
to some of the concerns

568
00:20:15,347 --> 00:20:15,881
that we've heard

569
00:20:15,881 --> 00:20:17,583
while we have
these conversations

570
00:20:17,583 --> 00:20:20,819
and hopefully end up
with redirecting 1.5 million

571
00:20:20,819 --> 00:20:22,621
from this pilot
into upstream investments,

572
00:20:22,621 --> 00:20:24,456
that would be the desired
outcome

573
00:20:24,456 --> 00:20:26,992
over the course of the budget
committee's deliberations.

574
00:20:27,392 --> 00:20:30,696
But we have included proviso
to say that the spending

575
00:20:30,696 --> 00:20:33,765
of any funds on this concept
is going to be prohibited

576
00:20:33,765 --> 00:20:37,035
until a racial equity toolkit
analysis can be completed

577
00:20:37,035 --> 00:20:38,704
by geographic location

578
00:20:38,704 --> 00:20:41,073
and until the ordinance
is actually passed.

579
00:20:41,073 --> 00:20:43,208
We do not have
the statutory ability

580
00:20:43,442 --> 00:20:44,343
to actually implement

581
00:20:44,343 --> 00:20:45,677
the technology
that's being described.

582
00:20:45,677 --> 00:20:48,880
It is not in compliance with
our law of the City of Seattle

583
00:20:49,114 --> 00:20:49,815
to deploy this.

584
00:20:49,815 --> 00:20:51,049
So again, as budget chair,

585
00:20:51,049 --> 00:20:53,518
trying to make decisions
about where to put limited

586
00:20:53,518 --> 00:20:54,119
resources,

587
00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:55,921
putting funding into something
that doesn't have

588
00:20:55,921 --> 00:20:58,056
the statutory
ability to deploy, doesn’t

589
00:20:58,123 --> 00:20:59,891
also make a lot of sense.
-Thank you.

590
00:20:59,891 --> 00:21:00,926
I know
there's a lot of concerns

591
00:21:00,926 --> 00:21:02,961
about surveillance
with that in particular,

592
00:21:02,961 --> 00:21:04,596
I want to jump away
from the budget briefly

593
00:21:04,596 --> 00:21:06,632
to stay with the public
safety lane here,

594
00:21:06,632 --> 00:21:07,666
if I could, something
that's had

595
00:21:07,666 --> 00:21:09,101
some recent headlines as well.

596
00:21:09,101 --> 00:21:10,902
Seattle's new drug possession
and public drug

597
00:21:10,902 --> 00:21:11,336
use law

598
00:21:11,336 --> 00:21:12,170
went into effect

599
00:21:12,170 --> 00:21:14,172
on October 20th,
which makes those offenses

600
00:21:14,373 --> 00:21:16,441
gross misdemeanors
in the city of Seattle.

601
00:21:16,441 --> 00:21:17,109
Early reports

602
00:21:17,109 --> 00:21:20,012
I saw indicated that a few
dozen arrests were made around

603
00:21:20,379 --> 00:21:22,547
hotspot areas like Third
Avenue, 12th and Jackson.

604
00:21:22,547 --> 00:21:24,816
Just over a dozen people
accepted referrals

605
00:21:24,816 --> 00:21:27,319
to caseworkers. Councilmember
Mosqueda, start us off.

606
00:21:27,319 --> 00:21:29,321
I know you've raise
some questions about this law.

607
00:21:29,321 --> 00:21:30,756
You were one of three votes
against it

608
00:21:30,756 --> 00:21:32,991
when the council passed
the ordinance in September.

609
00:21:33,191 --> 00:21:35,160
What are your thoughts
about the city's new drug law

610
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,262
now that it's in effect? 
-I'm gonna again

611
00:21:37,262 --> 00:21:39,431
go on the theme of where
there's common ground.

612
00:21:39,431 --> 00:21:40,899
-OK. -Where there's 
common ground across

613
00:21:40,899 --> 00:21:41,667
this council

614
00:21:41,667 --> 00:21:43,335
is wanting to ensure
that there's

615
00:21:43,335 --> 00:21:44,336
early intervention

616
00:21:44,336 --> 00:21:47,439
strategies to help
people get into treatment

617
00:21:47,439 --> 00:21:49,308
and to get into programs

618
00:21:49,308 --> 00:21:52,678
that actually address the
public health issue at hand.

619
00:21:52,944 --> 00:21:55,080
Addiction is a public health
issue.

620
00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,381
My concerns were twofold.

621
00:21:56,381 --> 00:21:57,649
Number one,

622
00:21:57,649 --> 00:21:59,484
there was no assurance
that there would be

623
00:21:59,484 --> 00:22:03,789
any new funding, enhanced
funding, to help divert people

624
00:22:03,789 --> 00:22:06,291
away from jail
and into treatment options

625
00:22:06,758 --> 00:22:08,627
that corresponded
with the legislation.

626
00:22:08,627 --> 00:22:10,395
We received the budget
a week later

627
00:22:10,395 --> 00:22:13,231
and there was no new
additional enhanced funding

628
00:22:13,465 --> 00:22:16,735
for pre-arrest diversion
strategies

629
00:22:16,735 --> 00:22:18,670
and thanks to the voters
of King County,

630
00:22:18,670 --> 00:22:21,073
we're very thankful
that the crisis care levy

631
00:22:21,073 --> 00:22:22,441
did pass earlier this year.

632
00:22:22,441 --> 00:22:24,643
But we are nowhere near
standing those facilities up.

633
00:22:24,643 --> 00:22:27,212
So there's not a landing zone
to bring people.

634
00:22:27,212 --> 00:22:28,146
When we encounter

635
00:22:28,146 --> 00:22:30,148
someone who's having
a public health crisis,

636
00:22:30,148 --> 00:22:32,284
if there if that alternative
does not exist,

637
00:22:32,551 --> 00:22:35,454
what happens, in my opinion,
is that people will end up

638
00:22:35,454 --> 00:22:36,421
getting arrested.

639
00:22:36,421 --> 00:22:37,155
What we saw

640
00:22:37,155 --> 00:22:39,091
last week
when the first arrests

641
00:22:39,091 --> 00:22:41,626
occurred last Friday,
was that the, um,

642
00:22:42,527 --> 00:22:45,397
the officers were handing out
flyers, telling

643
00:22:45,397 --> 00:22:48,500
people later this afternoon
there will be arrests

644
00:22:48,500 --> 00:22:49,434
for public consumption.

645
00:22:49,434 --> 00:22:50,335
Well, first of all,

646
00:22:50,335 --> 00:22:52,804
the officers
already had the legal ability

647
00:22:52,804 --> 00:22:54,272
to arrest people
for public consumption.

648
00:22:54,272 --> 00:22:56,742
That's the law of the land,
because the state legislature.

649
00:22:57,042 --> 00:22:57,976
Number two,

650
00:22:57,976 --> 00:23:00,212
giving people a flyer
and telling them,

651
00:23:00,212 --> 00:23:01,613
if you are coherent enough

652
00:23:01,613 --> 00:23:03,348
to understand
what's going on around you,

653
00:23:03,348 --> 00:23:05,917
you might not want to be here
later to be picked up by

654
00:23:06,151 --> 00:23:07,352
an officer

655
00:23:07,352 --> 00:23:10,155
is equal to sweeping people
across our city

656
00:23:10,188 --> 00:23:12,023
who have substance
abuse issues.

657
00:23:12,023 --> 00:23:13,425
As you saw
in the Seattle Times,

658
00:23:13,425 --> 00:23:15,761
many people left the area
who were coherent enough

659
00:23:15,761 --> 00:23:17,896
to know that they didn't
want to be arrested.

660
00:23:17,896 --> 00:23:20,999
And while some people
were referred to pre-arrest

661
00:23:21,166 --> 00:23:22,901
diversion strategies,
thanks to our partners

662
00:23:22,901 --> 00:23:23,502
at LEAD,

663
00:23:23,502 --> 00:23:25,670
many people were arrested
and I think that it

664
00:23:25,670 --> 00:23:27,873
just goes to show
there's a lot left to be done

665
00:23:28,039 --> 00:23:29,274
to ensure that there's no, 
um,

666
00:23:31,042 --> 00:23:32,677
there's no

667
00:23:32,677 --> 00:23:34,413
arrest
as the first alternative

668
00:23:34,413 --> 00:23:36,481
when we should be offering
people treatment.

669
00:23:36,481 --> 00:23:37,649
-Thank you that for that.

670
00:23:37,649 --> 00:23:39,217
Councilmember Herbold,
I'll go to you on this,

671
00:23:39,217 --> 00:23:41,553
because referring to that
Seattle Times story here,

672
00:23:41,753 --> 00:23:43,755
they talked about this
enforcing the drug law.

673
00:23:43,755 --> 00:23:46,391
They quoted a store manager
near 12th and Jackson who said

674
00:23:46,591 --> 00:23:47,893
it's better to have a presence

675
00:23:47,893 --> 00:23:49,928
and to actually arrest people
for doing something

676
00:23:50,095 --> 00:23:52,230
that's obviously detrimental
to this community.

677
00:23:52,497 --> 00:23:54,599
I don't know how long it'll be
is the problem.

678
00:23:54,633 --> 00:23:56,501
It's all about
consistency for me.

679
00:23:56,501 --> 00:23:58,069
I know that you voted in favor

680
00:23:58,069 --> 00:23:59,070
of putting this law
on the books

681
00:23:59,070 --> 00:24:00,172
now that it's in effect.

682
00:24:00,172 --> 00:24:01,573
What are we going to see
that's different

683
00:24:01,573 --> 00:24:03,008
on the streets?
Can it be sustained?

684
00:24:03,008 --> 00:24:04,142
Can it be consistent?

685
00:24:04,142 --> 00:24:06,211
Is this (unintelligible) asking for?

686
00:24:06,211 --> 00:24:10,081
So what we're seeing
already is different and

687
00:24:11,316 --> 00:24:12,250
um, my understanding

688
00:24:12,250 --> 00:24:16,021
of what happened on Friday is,

689
00:24:16,221 --> 00:24:18,857
I think a little bit different
than what has been reported.

690
00:24:19,758 --> 00:24:21,460
There weren't a few dozen
arrests.

691
00:24:21,460 --> 00:24:25,931
There were two-25.

692
00:24:26,231 --> 00:24:30,735
I think almost all of them
were diverted into all of them

693
00:24:30,735 --> 00:24:32,838
that were eligible
were diverted to LEAD

694
00:24:34,973 --> 00:24:37,409
two people were already (unintelligible). 15

695
00:24:38,577 --> 00:24:42,347
referrals were made and almost
all of the other suspects

696
00:24:42,347 --> 00:24:46,251
that were booked into
jail had series felony crime

697
00:24:46,418 --> 00:24:49,321
warrants out for them.

698
00:24:50,255 --> 00:24:52,357
What I understand
what happened

699
00:24:52,357 --> 00:24:56,862
was that the LEAD leadership
and case managers

700
00:24:57,429 --> 00:25:01,666
met the Department officers
at the West Precinct

701
00:25:01,967 --> 00:25:05,370
and they worked together
to facilitate these referrals,

702
00:25:05,370 --> 00:25:07,405
determine who was eligible
and who wasn't.

703
00:25:08,573 --> 00:25:10,575
And from the perspective of

704
00:25:11,543 --> 00:25:13,111
the folks
who are on the ground

705
00:25:13,111 --> 00:25:14,679
working with the officers

706
00:25:14,679 --> 00:25:18,717
with I'm talking about
the LEAD folks, it went well.

707
00:25:18,717 --> 00:25:21,019
And they felt that
there was a sincere

708
00:25:21,486 --> 00:25:24,756
and genuine effort
on the part of the officers

709
00:25:25,023 --> 00:25:28,660
to facilitate the priorities
and objectives

710
00:25:28,860 --> 00:25:32,531
of the ordinance, which is to
divert people into diversion.

711
00:25:32,831 --> 00:25:35,200
I wholeheartedly agree.

712
00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:36,835
We need more resources.

713
00:25:36,835 --> 00:25:40,305
We are setting up an approach
in the budget process

714
00:25:40,605 --> 00:25:45,277
that will allow resources for
for LEAD to scale next year.

715
00:25:45,577 --> 00:25:47,846
The department,
the police department is

716
00:25:47,846 --> 00:25:51,883
estimating about from 500
to 700 referrals this year.

717
00:25:52,450 --> 00:25:53,552
And so

718
00:25:53,552 --> 00:25:56,354
there's going to have to be
a council and a mayor's office

719
00:25:56,521 --> 00:26:00,859
who is committed
to continuing this approach

720
00:26:01,326 --> 00:26:03,428
and scaling up
those investments

721
00:26:04,095 --> 00:26:06,097
as the year unfolds next year.

722
00:26:06,264 --> 00:26:06,631
-Thank you.

723
00:26:06,631 --> 00:26:07,933
I need to do
the one minute version.

724
00:26:07,933 --> 00:26:09,668
I don't know how we're going
to do it, but we'll try.

725
00:26:09,668 --> 00:26:11,202
I want to talk about
a big picture

726
00:26:11,202 --> 00:26:12,771
budget question with you,
if I could.

727
00:26:12,771 --> 00:26:14,773
Councilmember Mosqueda,
I know the city received

728
00:26:14,773 --> 00:26:17,242
an improved revenue forecast
in the middle of October,

729
00:26:17,242 --> 00:26:18,877
but even with that,
there's still this

730
00:26:18,877 --> 00:26:20,979
major general fund
deficit projected in the years

731
00:26:20,979 --> 00:26:25,083
ahead, about 221 million
in the year 2025 and beyond.

732
00:26:25,250 --> 00:26:27,285
Looking at the city figures
here,

733
00:26:27,285 --> 00:26:28,153
do we address this

734
00:26:28,153 --> 00:26:30,522
this budget cycle, talking
about some of the options

735
00:26:30,522 --> 00:26:32,190
that are being considered
right now?

736
00:26:32,190 --> 00:26:33,091
-Well, the Revenue

737
00:26:33,091 --> 00:26:36,027
Stabilization Workgroup
completed its work in August,

738
00:26:36,294 --> 00:26:38,730
about a year behind schedule
from the original plan.

739
00:26:38,730 --> 00:26:42,567
But thanks to Mayor Harrell,
we were able to see staff

740
00:26:42,567 --> 00:26:44,169
capacity
and additional support

741
00:26:44,169 --> 00:26:45,337
from the city budgets office

742
00:26:45,337 --> 00:26:47,205
to help us
get this initial report.

743
00:26:47,205 --> 00:26:49,107
It included a list of possible

744
00:26:49,107 --> 00:26:50,942
options, only three of which
we actually have

745
00:26:50,942 --> 00:26:53,011
the current legal authority
to implement.

746
00:26:53,011 --> 00:26:55,380
We will take another
look at those legal options

747
00:26:55,814 --> 00:26:58,683
that we have capacity
to currently implement

748
00:26:58,683 --> 00:27:00,552
prior
to the end of November,

749
00:27:00,552 --> 00:27:02,988
I would say that it's
going to take a lot more work

750
00:27:02,988 --> 00:27:05,724
to identify additional revenue
tools to close that gap.

751
00:27:05,724 --> 00:27:07,492
And that's where we're going
to need the state legislature

752
00:27:07,492 --> 00:27:09,160
to help us
with additional tools

753
00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,229
like a progressive real estate
excise tax,

754
00:27:11,763 --> 00:27:13,865
possibly even a vacancy tax.

755
00:27:13,865 --> 00:27:14,966
Give us additional tools

756
00:27:14,966 --> 00:27:16,901
because we cannot close it
alone with those tools

757
00:27:16,901 --> 00:27:18,837
that were identified
in the initial report.

758
00:27:18,837 --> 00:27:19,170
-Thank you.

759
00:27:19,170 --> 00:27:20,038
Councilmember Herbold,

760
00:27:20,038 --> 00:27:21,573
I know a lot of candidates
for council

761
00:27:21,573 --> 00:27:22,707
races are saying

762
00:27:22,707 --> 00:27:24,209
we need a better audit of city
spending

763
00:27:24,209 --> 00:27:25,744
before we talk about
any new revenue,

764
00:27:25,744 --> 00:27:27,278
I just want to make sure
I bring this up

765
00:27:27,278 --> 00:27:29,214
as we try to wrap up here,
this budget gap,

766
00:27:29,214 --> 00:27:30,382
looking at it going forward.

767
00:27:31,383 --> 00:27:32,384
-I think there needs

768
00:27:32,384 --> 00:27:35,387
to be more information
to the public

769
00:27:35,387 --> 00:27:37,989
about what
the source of the gap is

770
00:27:39,391 --> 00:27:41,192
or what the driver of the gap is.

771
00:27:41,192 --> 00:27:46,264
The driver is our need
to fairly pay our workforce.

772
00:27:46,264 --> 00:27:48,833
We have estimates

773
00:27:48,833 --> 00:27:51,002
that 85%

774
00:27:51,336 --> 00:27:55,507
of the five year
increase in general

775
00:27:55,507 --> 00:27:58,877
fund costs to the city are all

776
00:27:59,377 --> 00:28:03,515
about those increased costs
associated with worker wages.

777
00:28:03,948 --> 00:28:08,119
So it's not
that the city is spending

778
00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:10,822
frivolously or on things
that are unimportant.

779
00:28:11,156 --> 00:28:15,360
It's that the costs
of doing business just like

780
00:28:16,561 --> 00:28:21,032
our household costs
at home are going up and the

781
00:28:21,232 --> 00:28:24,302
the revenue to to pay for
those costs is not keeping up.

782
00:28:24,369 --> 00:28:24,636
-Okay.

783
00:28:24,636 --> 00:28:25,870
-And to just add to
what Councilmember

784
00:28:25,870 --> 00:28:26,971
Herbold has said,

785
00:28:26,971 --> 00:28:28,707
it's,
you know, supply and demand

786
00:28:28,707 --> 00:28:30,208
for any person
who runs a business.

787
00:28:30,208 --> 00:28:32,243
They know you need to respond
to increased demand.

788
00:28:32,544 --> 00:28:35,647
This population in Seattle
has grown by 21%

789
00:28:35,647 --> 00:28:36,581
in the last decade.

790
00:28:36,581 --> 00:28:40,919
Last year, in 2022, Seattle
was the largest, largest city,

791
00:28:40,919 --> 00:28:43,421
it experienced
the most growth last year.

792
00:28:43,688 --> 00:28:47,158
So we have staff that have
to respond to those needs.

793
00:28:47,158 --> 00:28:47,926
We have programs,

794
00:28:47,926 --> 00:28:49,894
we have services for elders,
for kiddos,

795
00:28:49,894 --> 00:28:51,429
for working families,
for small businesses.

796
00:28:51,429 --> 00:28:53,765
We have to respond to that
demand.

797
00:28:53,798 --> 00:28:55,633
How we do
that is investment in workers.

798
00:28:55,633 --> 00:28:56,601
We can't retain,

799
00:28:56,601 --> 00:28:58,603
recruit and keep workers
here in the city

800
00:28:58,603 --> 00:29:01,106
if we're not paying them
a living wage. -Thank you both.

801
00:29:01,139 --> 00:29:02,440
That's all the time
we have for now.

802
00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:25,330
And we will be back
next time on Council Edition. ♪♪