There’s a lot happening, legislatively-speaking, this week in City Hall, including consideration of two new taxes.
Monday morning’s Council Briefing includes an executive session to discuss pending litigation involving the city. Given all the lawsuits at the moment, this might become a permanent fixture at Council Briefings for the foreseeable future.
Monday afternoon’s Full Council meeting includes final approval of eight appointments, and the resolution to pursue a local income tax.
This week’s Introduction and Referral Calendar includes several notable items:
- The aforementioned resolution on imposing a local income tax;
- An ordinance adopting and submitting the 2017 Joint Assessment of Fair Housing;
- an ordinance adopting the Housing Levy Administrative and Financial Plan for 2017-2018;
- an ordinance authorizing a 5-year lease of space at the Fort Lawton Army Reserve Center adjacent to Discovery Park in Magnolia (read this memo for the colorful recent history on this)
- an ordinance imposing a soda tax;
- a resolution adopting the Seattle Education Action Plan;
- an ordinance accepting a long list of property deeds for green spaces around the city as part of the Parks and Green Spaces Levy program;
- transfer of the former Seattle City Light Lakewood substation to the Parks Department;
- the MHA upzone of the Chinatown/ International District area;
- creation of a new public street in Rainier Beach;
- an ordinance changing how land use decisions related to the controversial Youth Service Center are categorized so that they can be appealed to the Hearing Examiner.
Tuesday morning, the Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee meets. It will be taking up the proposed MHA upzone of the Chinatown/International District.
Tuesday afternoon’s regular meeting of the Sustainability and Transportation Committee has been cancelled, and has been tentatively rescheduled for Friday, May 12, at 9:30am.
Wednesday morning, the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee meets. The agenda has not been published, but there are several potential agenda items:
- the regulation of AirBnB short-term rentals introduced in an ordinance last week;
- approval of the Joint Assessment of Fair Housing;
- approval of the Housing Levy Administrative and Financial Plan;
- the lease of the Fort Lawton Army Reserve Center;
- the soda tax.
Wednesday afternoon, the Education, Equity and Governance Committee meets. The agenda has not been published, but will likely include approval of the Seattle Education Action Plan.
Thursday morning, the Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront Committee meets. The agenda has not been published, but likely will include the various park and green space property acquisitions on the Introduction and Referral Calendar this week.
Friday morning, the Gender Equity, Safe Communities and Waterfront Committee meets. It will likely continue work on the proposed police accountability legislation.