Seattle nears its closing 2023-2024 finances and a few huge selections are nonetheless in flux. The mayor’s finances places parking enforcement again within the Seattle Police Division (SPD), however the metropolis council’s balancing bundle places it within the Seattle Division of Transportation, the place we expect it belongs.

On Monday, November 21 at 9:30 a.m. ET, the Finances Committee will talk about the adjustments and the assembly will embrace a chance for public remark. If you cannot make it, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways has revealed some useful speaking factors and a letter-writing device. We urge you to make your voice heard forward of a doable closing vote on 28 November.

Urbanists, the Transit Riders Union and Seattle Greenways agree on 4 key finances priorities.

Following 4 Key transportation priorities will make the finances higher mirror the values ​​of our metropolis,

1. Preserve Site visitors Enforcement Division in SDOT, do not transfer it again to SPD: The division ought to stay inside SDOT to permit for larger collaboration to make our streets safer utilizing extra methods than simply ticketing. Civilian workers belong to a civilian-led division, and parking enforcement officers needs to be companions in curb house administration – ​​retaining individuals from parking in locations that everybody else ought to use, comparable to sidewalks, bike lanes, curb ramps, and extra. enable to do. (Learn Patrick Taylor’s op-ed for extra particulars.)
2. Fund protected bike lanes and enhance pedestrian security in District 2, Seven individuals have died whereas strolling, rolling, or biking in Seattle because the mayor launched his proposed finances in late September, and greater than half of those deaths occurred in D2. These deaths are a coverage alternative town has made through the years by refusing to spend money on secure road infrastructure within the South Finish. Councils ought to switch funding to neighborhoods which have traditionally made excessive investments in automobile infrastructure and highway security tasks to enhance secure bike lanes and pedestrian security in D2. This additionally applies to the brand new automobile tab income that was set primarily by the Transportation Chair for his Council District 4.
3. Computerized pace digital camera enforcement growth must be justified. Computerized pace cameras are efficient at slowing down drivers in class zones, and are higher than armed officer enforcement. Actually, 95% of drivers who obtain a ticket by no means obtain one other ticket at that location. Nonetheless, there are monitoring considerations and excessive ticket prices are disproportionately harsh on low-income residents. In the long run, please examine tier ticketing based mostly on earnings. Within the brief time period, this system ought to problem warnings as an alternative of tickets for first violations and create alternate options for individuals who can not pay.
4. Reverse cuts that make our metropolis much less accessible to individuals with disabilities. The balancing bundle cuts $4 million for sidewalk upkeep and $1.5 million for People with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. Uneven and crumbling pavements create excessive mobility challenges for individuals with disabilities and tripping hazards – particularly for the aged – and plenty of of our parks are extraordinarily inaccessible. Even on the present price of funding, it’s going to take Seattle centuries to repair the 150,000+ sidewalk issues town is conscious of. Councils mustn’t lower funding for these very important and already vastly underfunded programmes.

These finances priorities are the priorities of the Solidarity Finances Coalition, which got here collectively to push town to do higher by treating the finances as an moral doc and aligning with the espoused values ​​of racial fairness and justice. The Solidarity finances helped win optimistic adjustments comparable to investing within the Inexperienced New Deal, eliminating ShotSpotter surveillance in Rainier Seaside, reducing 80 ghost police positions, and restoring JumpStart funding to community-identified priorities. Jumpstart funding was handed to spice up inexpensive housing manufacturing and improve Inexperienced New Deal priorities. It can’t be a piggy financial institution for the frequent fund. The Solidarity Finances Coalition #StoptheSweeps and continues to boost cash for housing, meals safety, faculty counselors, and extra.

It has been a tricky finances cycle as a result of income forecasts are dangerous and getting worse. Advocates had been nonetheless capable of rating some victories, however wouldn’t be capable of keep away from the difficulty of extra progressive income elevating to keep away from future finances austerity cuts and make much-needed investments. With out new income streams, Seattle will fail to deal with the looming crises round secure streets, housing and homelessness, and local weather.

The Urbanist editorial board contains Ray Dubicki, Ryan Packer, and Doug Trum.