The Council dives further into its special budget session this week. Plus several bills related to over-policing are working their way through the legislative pipeline.
Monday morning at the Council Briefing, the Council will be briefed on a bill transferring to the city a piece of property near the Mount Baker light rail station that was formally the UW laundry site. The property would be used for transit-oriented development, including affordable housing. The Council will also hold an executive session with city attorneys to discuss legal matters.
Monday afternoon’s full City Council meeting is scheduled to have final votes on:
- a bill requiring premium pay for certain “gig workers” during the COVID emergency;
- a bill prohibiting the use of chokeholds by police officers;
- a bill banning the ownership, purchase, rent, storage, or use of crowd control weapons by the police;
- a bill prohibiting police officers from covering up their badge number with a “mourning band.”
This week’s Introduction and Referral Calendar includes the following new pieces of legislation:
- a bill eliminating the crime of drug trafficking loitering;
- a bill eliminating the crime of prostitution loitering.
The usual committee meetings are cancelled this week because of the special budget session.
Wednesday morning and afternoon, the Council budget committee meets. In the morning session, the committee is expected to discuss revenue strategies. In the afternoon session, it is expected to hear an over view of the Mayor’s proposed rebalancing budget — assuming the Mayor delivers it before then.
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