This week in Council Chambers

The Council wraps up its 2020 budget changes this week, votes on overriding a Mayoral veto, and introduces a long list of new bills.

Monday morning’s Council Briefing has no special presentations or executive sessions.

Immediately following the Council Briefing, the Budget Committee meets to finish off its work on rebalancing the 2020 budget so that it can get final approval Monday afternoon. However, there are at least seven last-minute amendments they will need to deliberate on first, so don’t expect a speedy meeting.

Monday afternoon, the full City Council meets. Its agenda includes final votes on:

  • the rebalanced 2020 budget (which is about a dozen separate pieces of legislation);
  • an ordinance lifting a proviso on the Office for Civil Rights;
  • an ordinance amending the “premium pay for gig workers” bill;
  • an ordinance amending the “paid sick and safe time for gig workers” bill;
  • a resolution “reaffirming the rights of the memebrs of the press, legal observers, and medical personnel covering the protests against police brutality.”

This week’s Introduction and Referral Calendar is long, and contains a backlog of land-use related bill: permit renewals for skybridges, landmark designations, easement acceptances, and more.  It also contains:

  • an ordinance that would delay by one year the effective date of the heating oil tax passed last year;
  • a change to the recently-passed, recently-vetoed, soon-to-be-veto-overridden COVID relief bill to reduce spending by $3 million, and an accompanying bill that would spend the $3 million on community-led research to “re-imagine” public safety;
  • a resolution supporting the federal George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020;
  • a resolution moving forward the Waterfront LID process by setting a hearing date for any appeals from the final assessment roll;
  • an ordinance authorizing an interfund loan to partly cover the cost of repairs of the West Seattle Bridge;
  • a long list of appointments to committees and commissions.

Wednesday morning, the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meets. On its agenda:

  • a public hearing on a proposed rezone of land in the Rainier Beach neighborhood;
  • the “childcare for all” bill;
  • a land use omnibus bill.

Wednesday afternoon, the full City Council will have a special meeting. It is expected to vote on overriding the Mayor’s veto of its COVID-19 relief bill. It may also vote on a few of the items on this week’s Introduction and Referral Calendar that tie up loose ends from the 2020 budget rebalancing process.

 


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