This week in Council Chambers

This week is not nearly as busy as last week, but there’s still a lot going on. Headlining will be the start of deliberations on a new tax on businesses.

Monday morning in the weekly Council Briefing, the Seattle Public Library will preview this year’s “Seattle Reads” book selection, “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi.

Monday afternoon in the Full Council meeting, the Council will take final votes on:

  • Renewal of the lease and operating agreement for the Woodland Park Lawn Bowling Club.
  • A concession agreement for the Golden Gardens Park Bathhouse.
  • Three appointments to the Board of Park Commissioners.
  • The appointment of Nicholas Brown to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.
  • An update to the Council’s General Rules and Procedures.
  • An ordinance making it easier for the Office of Housing to acquire property for affordable housing projects.
  • An update to the Council’s procedures for annual changes to the Comprehensive Plan.

This week’s Introduction and Referral Calendar has several items of note, including:

  • The much-anticipated new tax on large businesses, and an accompanying five-year spending plan  (see my full writeup here).
  • Appointments of three people to the Seattle Retirement Savings Plan Board, including former Council member and Mayor Tim Burgess (who served on the board of the City Employees Retirement Plan while he was the Council’s Budget Chair, and championed the creation of this new retirement savings plan).
  • The appointment of Faye Chess as a Seattle Municipal Court Judge.
  • An ordinance lifting a proviso in the 2018 budget that required the city to analyze the privacy implications of the HMIS scan-card system for delivering homeless services before funds could be spent on it.
  • A resolution aimed to broaden the use of Equitable Development Agreements in street vacation petitions and large development projects.

Monday morning, the Select Committee on the 2018 Education Levy will be briefed on the Mayor’s proposal, released last week.

Monday evening, the Finance and Neighborhoods Committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed new tax on large businesses. Immediately receding it, Council member Sawant will host a rally in the plaza outside City Hall.

Tuesday morning, the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee meets. On its agenda:

Tuesday afternoon, the Human Services, Equitable Development, and Renter Rights Committee meets. The agenda for the meeting has not yet been published.

Wednesday morning, the Gender Equity, Safe Communities, New Americans and Education Committee will hold a public hearing on the appointment of Lisa Judge as Inspector General for Public Safety.

Wednesday afternoon, the Finance and Neighborhoods Committee will meet to begin its deliberations on the officially-introduced tax on large businesses.