Select Budget Committee reviews 2026 budget materials; final budget ordinance postponed | Community Developmen | TheCommon

Summary

Select Budget Committee reviews 2026 budget materials; final budget ordinance postponed

SeattleNov 14, 20253 min read

At a glance

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The committee heard an informational overview, recessed midday, postponed the primary 2026 budget ordinance (CB 121116) to November 20 by unanimous consent, and left most other scheduled bills and clerk files unaddressed.

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Select Budget Committee

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Key decisions

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Inf 2802 (Introduction and Overview) was heard in committee.
By unanimous consent, Council Bill 121116 (2026 budget, CIP, and position modifications) was postponed to November 20, 2025 (In Favor: Strauss, Rivera, Hollingsworth, Kettle, Nelson, Rinck, Saka, Solomon — 8; Opposed: None).
Most other scheduled Council Bills and Clerk Files were not heard in committee, including but not limited to: CB 121099, CB 121113, CB 121105, CB 121106, CB 121107, CB 121100, CB 121108, CB 121110, CB 121114, CB 121118, CB 121123, CB 121124, CB 121092, CB 121109, CB 121102, CB 121122, CB 121089, CB 121090, CB 121091, CB 121101, CB 121103, CB 121104, CB 121119, CB 121120, CB 121115, CF 314544, CF 314545, and CF 314546.
The committee recessed from 12:48 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. and adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Meeting attendance as recorded: Chair Dan Strauss and other listed committee members were present with at least one member excused (Debora Juarez listed as excused on initial roll) and several late arrivals noted in the minutes.

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Select Budget Committee

Nov 14, 2025, 12:00 AMCouncil Chamber, City Hall 600 4th Avenue Seattle, WA 98104scheduled

Agenda

This meeting also constitutes a meeting of the City Council, provided that the meeting shall be conducted as a committee meeting under the Council Rules and Procedures, and Council action shall be limited to committee business. Pursuant to Council Rule VI.C.10, members of the public providing public comment in Chambers will be broadcast via Seattle Channel.
Please Note: Times listed are estimated
Call To Order
Public Comment
Approval of the Agenda
Items of Business
Introduction and Overview
AN ORDINANCE adopting a budget, including a capital improvement program and position modifications, for The City of Seattle for 2026; and creating positions exempt from civil service; all by a 2/3 vote of the City Council.
AN ORDINANCE relating to acceptance of funding from non-City sources; authorizing the Mayor or the Mayor’s designee to accept and authorize the expenditure of specified grants, private funding, and subsidized loans and to execute, deliver, and perform corresponding agreements; amending Ordinance 127156, which adopted the 2025 Budget, including the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program (CIP); changing appropriations to various departments and budget control levels, and from various funds in the Budget; revising project allocations for certain projects in the 2025-2030 CIP; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE amending Ordinance 127156, which adopted the 2025 Budget, including the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program (CIP); changing appropriations to various departments and budget control levels, and from various funds in the Budget; revising project allocations for certain projects in the 2025-2030 CIP; adding CIP Projects; creating positions; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts; all by a 3/4 vote of the City Council.
2026 Proposed Budget.
2026 - 2031 Proposed Capital Improvement Program.
AN ORDINANCE relating to fees and charges for permits and activities of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, related fees by other departments, and technical corrections; adding a new Section 22.900G.025 to the Seattle Municipal Code; and amending Sections 22.900B.010, 22.900C.010, 22.900D.010, 22.900D.150, 22.900G.010, 22.900H.020, 22.900H.030, 22.900H.050, 22.900H.060, 22.900H.070, and 22.900H.080 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
AN ORDINANCE relating to street and sidewalk use; amending the Street Use Fee Schedule authorized by Section 15.04.074 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
AN ORDINANCE relating to Seattle Parks and Recreation; establishing the 2026 fee schedule for the use of park properties and other park and recreation facilities and services; and superseding previous park and recreation fee schedules.
A RESOLUTION amending Resolution 31334; establishing the City Council’s intent to fund the Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System as informed by the January 1, 2025 Actuarial Study.
A RESOLUTION approving interest rates set by the Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System (SCERS) Board of Administration for 2026.
AN ORDINANCE relating to automated traffic safety cameras; updating financial and fund policies related to the use of cameras and the name of the associated fund; and amending Ordinance 124230.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the Sweetened Beverage Tax; amending Section 5.53.055 of the Seattle Municipal Code to remove obsolete guidance on use of proceeds and remove non-supplantation funding provisions.
AN ORDINANCE relating to short-term rental tax revenue; amending Ordinance 125872 to specify use of revenue proceeds; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE relating to taxation; increasing the threshold above which an out-of-city business must obtain a business license tax certificate, pursuant to changes in the state model ordinance on general business license requirements; and amending Section 5.55.030 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the business and occupation tax; amending Section 5.30.050 of the Seattle Municipal Code to amend definitions due to amendments to the model business license tax ordinance and other state law amendments.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Transportation Benefit District; authorizing material scope changes to City of Seattle Proposition 1 to expand uses of revenues for passenger transportation services.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Transportation Benefit District; authorizing material scope changes to City of Seattle Proposition 1 to expand uses of revenues for transit security.
AN ORDINANCE relating to administration of the Major Institutions and Schools program; transferring administration of Major Institutions and Schools program from the Department of Neighborhoods to the Office of Planning and Community Development; amending Sections 23.69.032, 23.78.002, 23.78.006, 23.78.010, 23.78.012, 23.78.014, 23.79.004, and 23.79.006 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
AN ORDINANCE relating to graffiti nuisance enforcement; transferring authority to enforce the City’s graffiti nuisance code from the Director of Seattle Public Utilities to the Superintendent of the Department of Parks and Recreation; and amending Section 10.07.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
AN ORDINANCE relating to City financial management; closing certain funds and authorizing the Office of City Finance to take action pursuant to those closures; authorizing the transfer of all unexpended and unencumbered balances and other assets and liabilities of those funds; abandoning appropriation authority from those funds; retiring an obsolete interfund loan authorization; and repealing Ordinance 124892.
AN ORDINANCE relating to City finances; creating a fund for depositing General Fund proceeds related to preservation and revitalization of Seattle’s Central District and Southeast Seattle community.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the drainage and wastewater system of The City of Seattle; adopting a system or plan of additions and betterments to and extensions of the existing drainage and wastewater system; authorizing the issuance and sale of drainage and wastewater revenue bonds in one or more series for the purposes of paying part of the cost of carrying out that system or plan, providing for the reserve requirement, and paying the costs of issuance of the bonds; providing parameters for the bond sale terms including conditions, covenants, and other sale terms; describing the lien of those bonds; amending certain sections and subsections of Ordinance 125455, as last amended by Ordinance 126482 (the “Omnibus Refunding Ordinance”); and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the municipal water system of The City of Seattle; adopting a system or plan of additions and betterments to and extensions of the existing municipal water system; authorizing the issuance and sale of water system revenue bonds in one or more series for the purposes of paying or reimbursing part of the cost of carrying out that system or plan, providing for the reserve requirement, and paying the costs of issuance of the bonds; providing parameters for the bond sale terms including conditions, covenants, and other sale terms; describing the lien of the bonds; creating certain accounts of the City relating to the bonds; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the municipal water system of The City of Seattle; amending Ordinance 125714, as amended by Ordinance 126483, to incorporate the terms of certain contingent amendments thereto that were to become effective upon the occurrence of certain events that have since occurred, to delete certain provisions rendered inoperative by the amendments, and to make certain other technical amendments; and ratifying and confirming the amendments and certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the financing of the Memorial Stadium redevelopment project; amending Ordinance 127125 to increase the amount of an existing interfund loan; creating the 2027 Multipurpose LTGO Bond Fund B, and allowing it to be a borrowing fund for the loan; and authorizing the loan of funds in the amount of $39,800,000 from multiple city funds as bridge financing to the 2027 Multipurpose LTGO Bond Fund B for the Memorial Stadium redevelopment project.
AN ORDINANCE relating to contracting indebtedness; authorizing and providing for the issuance and sale of limited tax general obligation bonds to pay or reimburse all or part of the costs of various elements of the City’s capital improvement program and for other City purposes approved by ordinance and to pay the costs of issuance of the bonds; providing parameters for the bond sale terms including conditions, covenants, and other sale terms; amending Ordinance 123480, as previously amended by Ordinances 124341, 124637, and 124924; Ordinance 124053, as previously amended by Ordinances 124146 and 124341; Ordinance 124341, as previously amended by Ordinance 126938; Ordinance 124637, as previously amended by Ordinance 126938; Ordinance 124924, as previously amended by Ordinances 125986 and 126938; and Ordinance 125197, as previously amended by Ordinances 125456, 125715, and 125986; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the electric system of The City of Seattle; adopting a system or plan of additions, improvements, and betterments to and extensions of the existing municipal light and electric power generation, transmission, and distribution system of the City; authorizing the issuance and sale of municipal light and power revenue bonds for the purposes of providing funds to pay part of the cost of carrying out that system or plan, providing for the reserve fund requirement (if necessary), and paying the costs of issuance of the bonds; providing parameters for the bond sale terms including conditions, covenants, and other sale terms; describing the lien of the bonds and authorizing their issuance as either senior lien parity bonds or junior lien bonds; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE relating to the levy of property taxes; levying taxes on all real and personal property in The City of Seattle, for the year beginning on the first day of January 2026, as allowed by and for the purposes of the laws authorizing those taxes, which include providing for general obligation bond interest and redemption requirements; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the levy of regular property taxes by The City of Seattle for collection in 2026, representing an increase above the regular property taxes levied for collection in 2025; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
AN ORDINANCE relating to funding from non-City sources; authorizing the Mayor or designee to accept grants, enter into revenue-backed service contracts, and carry forward related appropriations.
City Council Changes to the 2026 Proposed Budget and the 2026 - 2031 Proposed Capital Improvement Program.
Adjournment
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