![[Logo for the Seattle Human Services Coalition]](../images/SHSLogo.gif)
Seattle Human Services Coalition
2007 City of Seattle Budget
Human needs must be a priority!
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Seattle Human Services Coalition 2007 City of Seattle Budget Human needs must be a priority! |
This has been a good revenue year for the City and next year is projected to be better than they thought, too. The mayor recently proposed a budget for 2008 that is $70 million more than the budget originally approved for 2008.
How do you think this additional money should be invested?
The members of the Seattle Human Services Coalition have quickly responded, studied the options and have all agreed together on a package of investment recommendations that are urgently needed to broaden prosperity in our communities. Click here to review the package (pdf file) It includes a far-sighted $12.5 million investment in a housing site acquisition loan fund that will support the development of affordable housing in Seattle on an on-going basis and put some real teeth in the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. It also includes $6.3 million in additional investments like gang prevention and intervention, food for isolated low-income seniors and people with disabilities, emergency preparedness for human service agencies and systems, and child care subsidies.
However. City Councilmembers need to really feel that these needs are urgent and not just a “wish list”. How do we let them know? We ned to show up at the hearing and tell them!
The last budget hearing will be on Tuesday, October 30, 2007at City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor of City Hall, 600 4th Avenue (Btwn Fourth & Fifth Avenues and James and Cherry Streets.)
Start your testimony by encouraging Councilmembers to “Use this opportunity to invest in our future: Invest in people first by implementing the SHSC investment package.” Then use the rest of your testimony to tell them about a part or parts of the package that you have some experience with and feel strongly about. If we all repeat that opening line it becomes more powerful each time.
Show up early to get an earlier testimony spot, some get there at 4:30. Sign-up sheets will be available at 5 p.m. outside the door to Council Chambers. The testimony can go on until 9:30 or 10pm.
Prepare 2 minute testimony. If you’ve got a group testifying about the same part of the recommendations, you can go up as a group and get a total of 5 minutes.
If you can’t make it, flood Council with phone calls (206-684-8821) and emails budget@seattle.gov between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Some email messages received during that hour will be read aloud in Council Chambers.
PARKING FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS s
Pay parking is available in SeaPark garage between Cherry and James Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Those attending the budget public hearings receive a special rate of $3. Tell the garage cashier as you exit the garage that you attended a City Council public hearing and you will receive the special rate. All budget committee meetings will be cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21 and Webcast live at www.seattle.gov/council.
All written or emailed messages received up to the date of actual adoption of the budget are retained in a comment file included in the public record.