NEWS GLEAMS | King County Passes $178 Million Supplemental Budget; Seattle City Light Proposes Rate Increases
A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle.
by Vee Hua 華婷婷
King County Council Passes $178 Million Supplemental Budget
On Tuesday, July 16, the King County Council passed a $178 million supplemental budget that places a heavy focus on housing assistance, gun violence prevention, police, food security, transportation, and more. The supplemental budget is its third of the year and comes in advance of the King County Council taking up a new full budget in fall 2025.
"My goals as Budget Chair are to ensure King County delivers the best possible services while abiding by smart budgeting principles that allow us to navigate a general fund shortfall and economic uncertainty," Council Budget Chair Girmay Zahilay said via the County's press release. "We won't be spending beyond our means, but we will also be supporting critical services and infrastructure projects that benefit residents of King County."
The funds are divided as follows: $32,627,000 to various general fund agencies, $120,021,000 to various non-general fund agencies, and $25,659,772 to various capital fund budgets. Included among those allocations are rental assistance for those on the verge of eviction and $5 million to support transitional or long-term housing for the unsheltered, refugees, and asylum seekers, no matter where they are in King County.
Climate-change-related investments include $14 million for Metro Transit to experiment with buses that use hydrogen fuel cell technologies and $12 million for the Climate Office to fund grants in solar and heat pump installations or regional climate preparedness coordination. In addition, $75 million will be invested towards the first year of the Doors Open Program, which will provide funding for organizations that work in arts, heritage, science, and historic preservation.
Other council initiatives will increase traffic patrols in rural areas of King County, uplift gun violence prevention efforts across the region, provide resources for sexual assault survivors, offer food security services to seniors, bolster infrastructure for King County Elections, and support apprenticeship programs in Auburn and Federal Way.
"I'm thrilled about the inclusion of priorities I sponsored, including funding for a labor-led worker dispatch program that will position our region to produce a legacy of long-term economic benefits from hosting the World Cup with living-wage jobs; and investments in rent assistance to help keep vulnerable households stably housed as continued pandemic impacts and rising costs make it harder to make ends meet," said King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda.
A full list of documents and staff reports related to the $178 million supplemental budget can be found on the King County Council Clerk's Legislative Information Center.
Seattle City Light Proposes a Rate Increase of at Least 5% Per Year Through 2030
Seattle City Light (SCL) has proposed a 5.4% price increase per year for the next two years, followed by a 5% increase per year through 2030. If the proposal is approved by the Seattle City Council, SCL announces that customers can expect to pay an average of an additional $5 per month starting next year. The newly announced rate hike is higher than their previously anticipated 3%.
The proposed rate increase is the result of increased energy demands as the Puget Sound region grows, in contrast with energy supply challenges due to climate change and inflation from increased costs of goods and labor, among other factors.
"The most recent forecast projects far more energy consumption through 2040 than was estimated just two years ago," reported The Seattle Times. "Drought conditions last year and this year have suppressed output from City Light's five dams, forcing the utility to purchase more on the open market. Last year, the department spent $100 million buying energy, the largest purchase since 2001. The average cost per megawatt hour between 2001 and 2020 was $38. In the years since, it's gone up to $80."
Dawn Lindell, the CEO and general manager of City Light, told The Seattle Times that such increases are necessary for the utility to "continue on its path of providing carbon-neutral power at a time of great uncertainty," and that the utility did not expect to turn to fossil fuels for their energy supply.
Even if the price increase passes the Seattle City Council, families and individuals in need of assistance to pay their energy bills will still be able to consider the City of Seattle's Utility Discount Program (UDP). For income-eligible customers that have a household income of 70% or below the state median income, the UDP can provide discounts of about 60% for Seattle City Light bills and 50% for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) bills. They also offer emergency assistance for those with past-due account balances.
Skyway Wellness Festival Promotes Breast Cancer Awareness and Offers Free Mammograms
On Saturday, July 20, the nonprofit Cierra Sisters — which is dedicated to breaking fear cycles and increasing knowledge about breast cancer in African American and underserved communities — will be hosting a multifaceted event to celebrate wellness and encourage awareness about the topic.
The event will include free mammograms for women above the age of 40 who are King County Residents, whether or not they have insurance. Appointments can be made in advance through the phone number (800) 756-5437. The Wellness Festival will also have insurance sign-ups, COVID-19 vaccination opportunities, face painting and other children's activities, food, and more.
Cierra Sisters' Wellness Festival will take place on Saturday, July 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Grocery Outlet in Skyway (11656 68th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98178). A Block Walk with Bag Distribution will kick off the event from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The wellness festival will begin at noon and end at 3:00 p.m. More information can be found on the Cierra Sisters' website.
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a long-time member of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. They have a master's in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the American Indian Studies Department at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
📸 Featured Image: (Photo courtesy of Girmay Zahilay)
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