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This past week, King County and Seattle saw skyrocketing COVID-19 cases and continued demonstrations demanding action to reimagine policing and public safety, dismantle institutional racism, and invest in true community health and opportunity. We are also facing economic devastation and job losses leading to record unemployment, an unprecedented City government deficit of $300 million, and growing community needs like food and rent assistance.
The size and scale of these crises is unlike anything that has previously faced our City. Most residents and small businesses are struggling. And for our Black and brown neighbors, the pain and consequences of this moment exacerbate existing inequities.
There are no easy or simple answers to institutional racism, a pandemic, and an economic crisis. It requires all of us working together to solve these tough challenges. ?
Last week, I presented a mid-year 2020 budget re-balancing package to address the City?s significant spending on our COVID-19 response and our revenue shortfall. You can read more about my plan below or here to address the pandemic and economic downturn that has disproportionately impacted communities of color.
As we move forward looking at our 2021 budget and continue to re-imagine policing, I wanted to share some initial actions and investments that the City has taken, and my vision on how we move forward:
Investing in BIPOC Communities: True public safety comes from healthy and resilient communities and that is only possible by investing in them. We have worked over the past two years to prioritize programs that work to invest in our community: the Seattle Promise for two years free college, the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy, ORCA Opportunity for free transit passes for seniors and high school students, Housing Seattle Now, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, the Equitable Development Initiative, and many others, but for far too long the systems haven?t met the needs of our Black and brown neighbors.
I have committed to $100 million in my 2021 budget to invest in organizations focused on BIPOC communities. In addition, gentrification has displaced the Black community from Seattle. The City is working to transfer legacy properties with significance to BIPOC communities like Byrd Barr Place (formerly CAMP), the Central Area Senior Center and Fire Station 6 on 23rd and Yesler to community organizations. And, conversations are ongoing about creating spaces across Seattle including Capitol Hill for organizations focused on advancing the rights and lives of Black residents.
Investing in Young People and Youth Opportunity: We cannot achieve justice without educational justice. It?s why we authored and passed the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy, which provided free college, high-quality preschool and investments to close the opportunity gap.? As an immediate investment, I am committing $5 million from the 2020 budget to mentoring, enrichment, and summer learning for black youth. Understanding that the cycle of poverty and oppression cannot be undone without education, I am committed to making current education programs for BIPOC youth and communities even more robust.
Rethinking and Re-imagining Policing, Including Culture and Budgets: We need to rethink community safety and the role of SPD in our public safety response. Not every call for help requires an armed police officer and certainly not a militarized response. In the last two years, we have started this process of rethinking who arrives to help individuals in need or in crisis.
Last year, we created Health One ? a team of trained firefighters and social workers to dispatch to calls - and made investments in mental health workers at each precinct and nurses at our shelters so medical care can be provided onsite rather than dialing 9-1-1. We also funded and expanded the Community Service Officer program, hiring 20 unarmed civilian officers focused on equity building, community engagement, and youth diversion.
Chief Best has shared her vision to rethink policing, and I?ve asked Chief Best and the City Budget Office to explore options for cuts of 20%, 30% and 50% of SPD?s budget while assessing what functions could be moved to other departments or be removed entirely. This process requires investments and hiring of behavioral health specialists, social workers, domestic violence counselors, and addiction counselors who can better address community needs. As an immediate step, tens of millions of dollars have been cut from SPD?s budget?the largest of any department from the City?s general fund.?
Promote Accountability and Reform, Including Statewide Reforms of Police Unions: Our accountability system must provide transparent and actual oversight. Through the Consent Decree, Seattle created the Office of Police Accountability (OPA), the Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the Community Police Commission (CPC). I will ensure these accountability partners have the resources they need to carry out their mission, and, building on this foundation, will ensure that community voice is reflected in SPD labor contract negotiations. In addition, accountability will be the focus of bargaining, and I am proposing statewide reforms to ensure officers are held accountable.
I agree that the only way we have a chance to dismantle systemic racism in our country is to make intentional investments in our communities of color and work to create true equity and opportunity for communities that are disproportionately impacted by gentrification, income inequality, biased policing and systemic racism.
This is an incredibly challenging time for all of us ? as individuals, and as a nation. All of us ? every day ? must carry this truth with us as we fight for justice and true equity for all.
Please stay healthy and safe this weekend.
 
Facing an unprecedented?economic downtown, global health pandemic and?action to?rethink policing and investments in community,?Mayor Jenny A. Durkan?submitted?a revised and rare mid-year 2020 budget proposal to address $233 million in additional spending related to COVID-19 and a $300 million decline in revenue?to the City.?Mayor Durkan initially submitted her 2020 budget proposal?in the Fall of 2019.??You can view the full presentation?on the City?s updated proposal, unexpected spending and?revenue shortfall here.?
To address the pandemic and economic downturn that has disproportionately impacted communities of colors, the City has taken a series of actions such as:?
- Provided rental assistance for thousands of individuals
- Implemented free citywide testing for residents and workers
- Created a first in the nation grocery voucher program
- Expansion of hygiene, emergency shelters and services for individuals experiencing homelessness
- Supported food and meal delivery for the most vulnerable including seniors
- Waived interest charges on SCL and SPU accounts and increased enrollment in the Utility Discount Program
- Assistance to small businesses, artists, non-profits and cultural organizations as they struggle for survival
- Distributed of facial coverings to community based organizations
Read more
In recent weeks, I?ve prioritized meeting with community?from listening to thousands of gathered demonstrators, to tough but important conversations with many Black-led organizations who have rightfully laid out specific demands. These meetings have defined the work that lays ahead of us as a City.
In just a few weeks, these collective community voices have led to:
- Increased personnel resources for the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG) so they have the tools necessary to quickly review complaints by residents of use of excessive force and changes to policy.
- A full review by the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG), Community Police Commission (CPC), and federal monitor of the crowd management policy. In addition, OPA is reviewing all police misconduct complaints.
- Signing emergency legislation requiring SPD officers to have their body-worn cameras on during demonstrations for increased accountability.
- Withdrawing the pending court motion to terminate the requirements under the Consent Decree sustainment plan.
- Updating SPD policies to clearly reflect policies to ban chokeholds, restrictions on firing a weapon at a moving vehicle, and exhausting all other options before using force.
- Issuing an SPD order on mourning badges to ensure that officers on duty have their badge numbers fully visible.
- Calling on the City Attorney and County Prosecutor to not file criminal charges for misdemeanors such as trespassing, obstruction and failure to disperse as related to peaceful protestor violations.
- Advocating for a new independent statewide entity to investigate and prosecute police officers when their use of force results in someone?s death or serious injury, which Governor Inslee has committed to do.
Undoing centuries of system racism will not happen overnight, but the City of Seattle is committed to leading the country in addressing injustices and ensuring everyone, regardless of their race, can achieve their full potential. Join us in this historic endeavor. To provide your feedback and recommendations, visit: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/rethinking-policing
With an increase in cases, we strongly urged to monitor yourself for symptoms and get tested for COVID-19 ?if you experience any of the following: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. Taking proactive steps to protect your health, such as wearing a mask, avoiding physical contact, and regularly washing your hands, can cut down on your risks of contracting the virus, even in large gatherings.
The?new Citywide testing sites?are located?in north and south Seattle?and?operate? Monday?to?Saturday?from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and accommodate drive thru clients?who book ahead through the website. These sites are designed and intended for drive-up testing and are not ADA compliant for pedestrians. Please note, the site will be closed on Saturday, July 4.
For individuals who are?experiencing?symptoms?or have a confirmed COVID-19 exposure,?PHSKC offers many options for free COVID-19 testing at?walk-up?locations?with ADA accommodations,?please visit Public Health?s website?or call 206-477-3977 for more information.?Most people can access testing through their regular health care provider.??
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan issued an Executive Order to extend the City of Seattle?s COVID-19 closure and relief policies. This Executive Order follows King County?s application to be in Phase Two of the Governor?s Safe Start Washington plan. Phase Two allows some businesses and activities to resume under strict public health guidance, but continues to ban almost all gatherings and makes clear that residents and businesses should follow public health measures like social distancing, face coverings, and good hygiene.
The Mayor?s Executive Order extends the City?s COVID-19 relief programs, including:
- Temporary parking and/or loading zones for restaurants, health care and human services workers, and retail stores are extended until further notice;
- Flexible payment plans and shutoff policies with Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities are extended until further notice;
- The City?s small business, arts and nonprofit, food access, and housing and homelessness COVID-19 relief programs are extended until further notice; and
- The Utility Discount Program Self-Certification Pilot Program is extended until July 31, 2020.
This Executive Order?extends the City?s moratoriums on nonprofit, residential, and small business evictions through August 1, 2020.?
Read more
After weeks of peaceful demonstrations on Capitol Hill, we saw significant public health and safety concerns and damage to Cal Anderson Park and the East Precinct. ?Despite continued efforts to de-escalate and bring community messengers in, including personal engagement from the Mayor and multiple department directors, deteriorating conditions and repeated gun violence required the City to immediately address public safety concerns.
Capitol Hill has a rich history of being at the epicenter of protest and change, including for Seattle?s gay community. But now that space has a new and shared history for civil rights. There is no question that we must find a way to memorialize the history that has transpired there in the last month as demonstrations continue across the City, and we continue to take action to rethink policing.??
Our Parks and Arts departments are actively working with the individuals who were maintaining the community garden and with artists to preserve their work. But we also will engage community, residents and businesses on how we memorialize the protests in the public realm, such as through a new garden, a speaker?s corner or new art.
The barriers within the six-block radius have been removed by the Department of Transportation, providing unrestricted foot and vehicle access to the area. In the coming days Seattle Public Utilities, the Department of Finance and Administrative Services, and the Office of Economic Development will work with community stakeholders and businesses to ameliorate graffiti and other instances of property damage to restore Cal Anderson Park and the adjacent Capitol Hill neighborhood for the benefit of the entire community.
You can read more on the latest on Capitol Hill here.
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