Seattle Forward

Take Action Right Now

Wow, what a week we just experienced. The temperament and character of Mr. Trump are on full display; it's not pretty or comforting. In fact, it's downright scary.

A bit unnoticed was the executive order over the weekend reorganizing the National Security Council, the president's most important source of information and counsel on threats to our country. Mr. Trump just removed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military's top command group, from the principal's group and replaced him with Steve Bannon, his political strategist and chief ideologue. Really?  

There are two very specific actions people can take right now to counter the dangerous actions Mr. Trump has taken so far.

First, support organizations that are defending our Constitutional freedoms and rights and those who are helping immigrants and refugees. Here are three nonprofit organizations with strong reputations for effective work. Click on their names to join or provide your financial support.

ACLU of Washington (Legal defense and advocacy in support of the rule of law and constitutional principles.)

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (Direct legal services for immigrants and refugees in Washington state.)

World Relief (The largest resettlement services organization in Washington state; direct services to refugees arriving in USA.)

Second, support an independent, objective and free media. In the face of constant lies from Mr. Trump (click here for an accounting of the lies from his first week in office), and the rise of "fake news," it is imperative that we bolster the news media. Here are three high-quality news media organizations in Seattle worthy of your support.

The Seattle Times (click here to subscribe to our only daily newspaper)

KUOW Radio (click here to provide support to this NPR station, a nonprofit anchor in our community)

Crosscut (click here to provide support to this independent, nonprofit news organization)

These are just a few concrete steps we can take to stand up against this administration's fear-mongering and threats to our basic civil rights, and to make sure our independent news media can continue to highlight the facts.   

 

Supporting the Muslim Community, a Voice for Drivers, Labor Standards, and More

Yesterday was the last Full Council meeting of 2015 and it was jam packed: 52 agenda items, 3 ½ hours of deliberations.

We started with a resolution expressing our support for Seattle’s Muslim community in the wake of increasing anti-Muslim hate rhetoric and violence. The City of Seattle welcomes and affirms our Muslim residents, both native born and immigrant, and recognizes the enormous value they add to the cultural and economic life of this city. When we respond from fear, we respond from weakness. We all want our community to be safe, but fear does not lead to safety.

The Council then passed landmark legislation that allows drivers of for-hire vehicles to collectively join together and negotiate better working conditions, making Seattle the first city to take this step. We must continue to find ways to protect workers in the new gig economy where the traditional employer-employee relationship is less prevalent.

We approved a thick bill (146 pages) improving and standardizing the enforcement processes for our local labor standards. We debated nuances while updating the Council’s rules and procedures. We made a small change to our business licenses that allows us to more easily revoke these for unlawful businesses. We designated the P-I Globe as a landmark and we created a new Arts & Cultural District in the Central Area.

It was a full, productive meeting. It was also the final Full Council meeting of three of my colleagues, Nick Licata, Jean Godden, and Tom Rasmussen. Between the three of them, we are saying goodbye to 42 years of collective service on the Council. As we get excited about the incoming councilmembers, I will miss the wisdom, dedication, friendship, and passion for service of my exiting colleagues.

Final Decisions on 2016 Budget

The Full Council voted to adopt the City’s 2016 budget today, incorporating changes Councilmembers have made from the Mayor’s proposal over the last two months.

The Mayor’s proposed budget provided us with a good start, including funding for a hospital-based gun violence intervention program at Harborview Medical Center.

I’m happy to report that all of the items I pushed for were adopted into the Council’s final package. These included funding to study an educational center for immigrants and refugees with foreign professional degrees, increasing dedicated funding for arts programs, support for small manufacturers, advancing a study to incentivize shared parking facilities in private buildings, expanding funds for the reentry and job assistance program Career Bridge, and language to direct City staff to work with Seattle Public Schools on student population growth planning.

I also have been working closely with community leaders and Councilmember Harrell to provide City support for a new “Opportunity Center” in southeast Seattle. This budget will provide nearly $2 million in seed funding for this project, which is expected to include job training, affordable housing, meeting space, or other amenities a community-led process will help determine.

Round 1 Budget Proposals

Budget deliberations have kicked into high gear here at City Hall. The first deadline for proposals to secure a baseline support of three councilmembers comes this Wednesday. After a couple more rounds of discussion over the next three weeks, the proposals that receive majority support will be put together in a balanced budget package.

Earlier I wrote about what I liked in the Mayor’s budget. Here are some additional proposals I’m excited to advance for further consideration by the Council:

U.S. Senate Passes Immigration Bill

Our country’s current immigration system is deeply broken. The U.S. Senate took a step today to make it better, passing a historic immigration reform bill by a vote of 68-32. (You can read the New York Times’ summary of the bill.)

The legislation is far from perfect, but it would accomplish some significant reforms if passed by the House of Representatives.

Another Step to Welcome our Immigrant Neighbors

Our city just took an important step in our continuing effort to welcome and embrace our immigrant neighbors.

The City Council voted a few minutes ago to unanimously confirm Magdaleno Rose-Avila—he goes by Leno—as the first director of the City’s new Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, an office that I led the effort to create during last fall’s budget deliberations.

Seattle is home to 103,173 foreign-born residents who actively contribute to our city’s economic, social and cultural well being (2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates). This population is incredibly diverse, but shares some common strengths and common struggles.

May Day, Anarchists and a Woman from China

Yesterday was quite the day.

The weather forecast called for rain throughout the day, yet the sun popped out and I was confident I could make it to and from City Hall on my scooter without getting drenched.

Then, on a day to celebrate the effective and necessary role of labor unions, along with a separate march celebrating the importance of immigrants and the need for immigration reform, chaotic violence and property destruction occurred downtown.

Self-described anarchists mingled with peaceful May Day demonstrators at Westlake Park, covered their faces with masks or bandanas and engaged in destructive acts of vandalism and violence.  It stopped almost as quickly as it started; the anarchists pulled off their black clothing and melted away into the larger crowd once again, though not before some were arrested. (The Seattle Times has extensive coverage of all this in today’s newspaper.)

America's Strength: Tolerance and Creativity

Many Americans have been shocked that a government commission in New York City gave the go-ahead this past week to an Islamic community center, including a Muslim worship facility, just two blocks north of Ground Zero.  They wonder why the government of New York City would allow such a facility so close to the site of the World Trade Center towers that were attacked by terrorists in the name of Islam.  Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on that terrible day.

I had a different reaction.  I wondered whether a Christian or a Jewish group would be able to build such a facility in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or Iran or Iraq.  No, they likely wouldn't.  The religious freedom we have in our country has fostered a religious pluralism that is something to be cherished and celebrated.  And it points to something else as well—a tolerance that has bred creativity and strength.  Thomas Friedman says it better than I can in this piece in the New York Times from last Wednesday. 

Facts About Immigration

Here are some interesting facts about immigration that will debunk some of the more common myths surrounding this contentious, yet often misunderstood, issue. 

Welcome the Stranger

Each passing day I grow more troubled by what the state of Arizona has done in adopting a new law that gives local police the power to stop, question and demand documents from anyone they suspect of being illegally in the country.  It's not American.  (Seattle journalist Timothy Egan has a biting piece on this topic in the New York Times. And Andrew Sullivan has an interesting perspective here.)

Yes, there are legitimate questions and concerns about illegal immigration, but the heavy-handed approach Arizona is taking is not the way to address those issues.  We've already seen that border fences, increased patrols, even high-tech electronic surveillance can't stop