• clara
• Nov. 25, 2024
• • Council
  • budget
  • Solidarity Budget

This fall, advocates like you rallied across Seattle, showing up at City Hall to speak at public budget hearings, and writing to elected officials to push for a city budget that aligns with your values and priorities.

Last week, City Council finalized the 2025-2026 Seattle City Budget in the face of a massive citywide budget deficit. The process this year was characterized by a worrying lack of transparency, and next year’s budget includes some big disappointments. However, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) came away with fewer cuts than some departments thanks both to advocacy from people like you, and the renewed transportation levy voters overwhelmingly passed this November.

Budget Cuts and No New Progressive Revenue

Elected leaders faced a massive budget shortfall this year. Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and the Solidarity Budget Coalition have pushed for years for new progressive revenue to help the city balance the budget. But instead, the Mayor and Council filled the deficit using the JumpStart payroll tax that was intended for much-needed affordable housing, green new deal investments, and equitable development. Increases to the policing budget meant other city departments still faced rampant cuts. In transportation, next year’s budget includes wins and losses for people walking, rolling, and biking.

Wins

• Most severe cuts were avoided
• Overall increase in funding for walking, biking, and safety projects when factoring in the new transportation levy.

Losses

• Cuts to Baseline Funding for Safety Programs: Funding from the newly passed transportation levy will make large investments, but unfortunately the budget cuts back existing funding from other revenue sources for an array of safe streets programs including accessibility, new sidewalks, school safety, neighborhood greenways, and neighborhood traffic calming. There is a massive backlog to make our streets safe and accessible, and the levy funding is meant to be additive, not a replacement for existing funds.
• Diverting Automated Enforcement Revenue Away from Street Safety: The 2025 budget includes an expansion of automated school zone speed cameras, but unfortunately diverts some revenue from automated enforcement cameras away from physical street improvements that keep kids safe on their way to school. Seattle Neighborhood Greenways believes that all automated enforcement revenue should be reinvested in communities to build physical safety improvements.
• Increase in City Council micro-managing SDOT project funding: Councilmember Saka successfully carved out $2 million of taxpayer’ dollars to remove a safety barrier that prevents an illegal left turn into a parking lot on Delridge Way SW. And most concerning is the hold Council has placed on $89 million, a full half of the 2025 transportation levy funding, which voters just approved by 67%. Council already approved this levy proposal in July before sending the package to voters, and we’re concerned that council will carve out more levy dollars for pet projects instead of implementing a plan voters just approved by a landslide.

Lack of Transparency and Public Accountability

Advocating to improve the Seattle City Budget this year was uniquely difficult to navigate, including

• Removal of Seattle’s award-winning publicly accessible budget dashboard.
• Documents and proposed amendments not made publicly available until hours before the council deliberations, and introduction of last-minute walk-on amendments that were not publicly available at all.
• Notably fewer opportunities for public engagement and public comment on the budget.

Seattle Neighborhood Greenways works hard to make our city government as accessible as possible, and give our community the tools and skills to advocate for their shared values. We will continue to push to make Seattle an accessible city for all

Thank you for your continued advocacy!

This year's city budget process underlines the need for continued strong advocacy for walking, biking, and safety projects. People like you are the heart of this advocacy — thank you!

We continue to push for our safety, equity, and sustainability goals to be reflected in the Seattle City Budget. Stay connected with us to make sure you hear about upcoming opportunities to influence SDOT’s new Automated Enforcement Policy and the 2025 Transportation Levy Spend Plan.

Get involved with Seattle Neighborhood Greenways by volunteering with us or donating to support our work!