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Since I wrote you last week, we?ve continued to tackle our shared challenges and opportunities, and invest in a better future for Seattle. City Council is currently reviewing my 2020 budget plan that turns our progressive values into action, keeps the lights on, and invests in progress for some tough challenges like housing and homelessness.
This week, we also acted to protect transit and transportation safety by joining a lawsuit with other cities, counties, associations, and individuals from across Washington State to challenge Tim Eyman?s unwise and unconstitutional I-976. With our partners, we will fight this unconstitutional initiative and require that the rights of Seattle voters be respected. We will also request an injunction as quickly as possible to prevent irreparable harm to our communities and move forward building a transportation system capable of carrying us forward into Seattle?s future.
And I?ve continued to get out of City Hall to listen: over the last week, I met with leaders in the LGBTQ community; met with elected officials from around our region to discuss housing and homelessness; talked with members of my Small Business Advisory Council; and attended the Equitable Development Initiative Summit.
 On Sunday, I was out a pretty awesome and historic event: The Sounders? MLS Cup Championship game against Toronto FC, right here in Seattle at CenturyLink Field. All game long, a record crowd for a sporting event at CenturyLink Field ? 69,274 fans ? were LOUD and cheering on our team.
And now, after an amazing 3-1 win in front of the Sounders home fans, the MLS Cup is back where it belongs: in Seattle!!! Congratulations to the best soccer team in North America, and of course, to the best fans in the world.
 On Tuesday, thousands of fans and community members came out downtown to celebrate the team with a MLS Cup Champion Parade and Rally. I was thrilled to have the chance to participate with the Sounders, its owners, staff, and fans:
 Once again, we came together as a community and showed that we are North America?s best soccer city. It?s simple: Seattle loves soccer.
So now that we have another MLS Cup in Seattle, it?s time to get the FIFA Men?s World Cup in 2026, and then the Women?s World Cup in 2027.
As we tackle our shared challenges and seize new opportunities for Seattle, I love to celebrate our city of champions: the Sounders, the WNBA Champion Seattle Storm, MLR Champions Seattle Seawolves, our Seahawks, and our recent champion Megan Rapinoe, who won the World CUP with the Women?s National Team and the NWSL Shield with the Reign FC!
Here?s to more Seattle champions soon like our Mariners, our new NHL team, and, yes, our Seattle SuperSonics.
As always, please continue to write me at?[email protected], reach out via?Twitter?and?Facebook, and stay up-to-date on the work we?re doing for the people of Seattle on?my?blog.
Sincerely,
 
This week, Mayor Durkan sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirming that she welcomes refugee resettlement in the City of Seattle. The letter comes in response to?Executive Order 13888, which will allow states and municipalities to restrict refugee resettlement in their jurisdictions.
President Trump?s Executive Order to allow states and municipalities to ban refugee resettlement in their jurisdictions is unprecedented. The Trump administration has already slashed the refugee admittance cap for the third consecutive year to a historic low of 18,000, down from 110,000 at the end of the Obama administration. And in October 2019, the United States settled zero refugees, turning our backs on families fleeing war, violence, and persecution.
?This Executive Order is yet another attempt by this president to push his anti-immigrant and anti-family agenda on the American people. But if this president thinks he can intimidate Seattle and Washington State, he is sorely mistaken,? said Mayor Durkan. ?Seattle is a Welcoming City, and as Mayor, I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically consent to refugee resettlement in our great city. Seattle is not afraid of immigrants and refugees. In fact, we have always welcomed people who have faced tremendous hardships around the world. Immigrants and refugees are part of Seattle?s heritage, and they will continue to make us the city of the future.?
You can read the full text of the Mayor?s letter?here.
 On Wednesday, plaintiffs including the Washington State Transit Association, Garfield County Transportation Authority, King County, Association of Washington Cities, and the City of Seattle filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court alleging that I-976 violates various aspects of the state Constitution. In a separate action, the parties also seek an immediate injunction to prevent I-976 from taking effect.
The impact of I-976 is $24 million in cuts from the Seattle Transportation Benefit District for bus service and ORCA Opportunity and $8 million in cuts for basic services ? right in the middle of the Seattle Squeeze. Click here to learn more.?
 The Seattle Information Technology Department is accepting applications for the Technology Matching Fund program, which offers matching funds of up to $25,000 to community-led Seattle-based projects aimed at increasing digital literacy, access to free or low-cost broadband and technology support within underserved communities.??
?While Seattle has a long history of leading the way on digital innovation, not everyone has benefitted equally from our City?s technological revolution,? said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. ?The Technology Matching Fund is one way that the City of Seattle is working to close the opportunity gap for low-income residents and vulnerable populations.???
The Technology Matching Fund application and guidelines can be found here. The application deadline is Jan. 13. Learn what makes a competitive application at upcoming workshops on Nov. 22 and Dec. 7. Workshop details here.
 GeekGirlCon 2019: Friday, November 15 ? Sunday, November 17
GeekGirlCon sets up an inclusive environment at the heart of downtown Seattle. Together, we celebrate and honor the legacies of under-represented groups in science, technology, comics, arts, literature, game play, and game design.
Each year, programming content is a mix of community-organized submissions and staff-curated content, including content featuring industry guests. Look for panels on a variety of topics, as well as workshops to get hands-on. Check out the programming schedule for GeekGirlCon ?19
Seattle International Auto Show: Thursday, November 14 ? Sunday, November 17
Swanson?s Reindeer Festival: November 9 ? December 24
Diwali Family Festival @ SAM: Saturday, Nov. 16; 11:00 a.m. ? 2:00 p.m.
 For this edition of the Weekend Read, we encourage you to read the most recent coverage of the joint lawsuit against I-976 in the Seattle Times. The City of Seattle has joined Garfield County Transportation Authority, King County, Washington State Transit Association, The Association of Washington Cities, the Port of Seattle and others in arguing that I-976 violates the state Constitution:
Seattle and other government agencies will argue that Initiative 976 to cut car-tab taxes violates the state Constitution in several ways, including by involving more than one subject and misleading voters about the true effects of the measure, according to a complaint the city of Seattle, King County, Port of Seattle and several other groups filed Wednesday.
?As with prior initiatives by the same sponsor, I-976 is a poorly drafted hodge-podge that violates multiple provisions of the Constitution,? the groups wrote in their complaint. [?]
The initiative failed in King County with about 59% of people voting no as of the latest available results. Statewide, the initiative is passing with about 53% of the vote.
Seattle also received voter approval for some of its car-tab fees.
The initiative would do away with Seattle?s $80 car-tab fee, which includes $20 to fund maintenance like pothole repair and $60 to fund bus service and transit passes. Voters approved the $60 portion of the fee, along with a .1% sales tax increase, in 2014 after a countywide roads-and-transit measure failed and Metro faced possible service cuts. (The sales tax could remain in place under the initiative.)
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