[nfbwatlk] FW: "Safe Walks" sent you a message on Facebook...

[Jacob Struiksma]

Rebecca Deehr sent a message to the members of Safe Walks.

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Subject: The City Budget: action needed now!

I'm emailing to let you know what's going on in the current budget cycle
(relating to pedestrian infrastructure) that may be of concern to you. In
fact, I'm hoping you'll email council or speak at a budget hearing (more
details below!). The budget hearing is on Monday, October 26th.

Please note these three issues in your communication.

1) Funding "for the Pedestrian Master Plan" needs to be increased.  
Currently funding is at around $16 million. Though it is being framed as
funding for the plan, in reality, this is only $400,000 more than the 2009
adopted budget.
So, after a two-year planning process, they're not actually upping the
amount they spend on pedestrian infrastructure or programs; they're keeping
it more or less status quo. 

In any case, $16 million is only 5% of the entire SDOT budget. We need to do
better if we really want to be the "most walkable city in the nation".


2) They are planning to repeal the Head Tax. Encourage them to vote against
repeal. 
Some facts about the Head Tax:
--Individual businesses pay an average of only $91/year for the tax (which
is a per-employee tax) --You're exempted from paying if your employee
doesn't drive to work --This is one of three sources of funding for Bridging
the Gap funds and it gets us $4.6 million this year --That money is used for
transportation infrastructure we need, at a time when we have a $72 million
budget deficit. 
So, why just throw money away when we need it for so many other things?  Ask
them to not repeal the Head Tax.


3) We need a dedicated fund set up for implementation of the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plans.
Setting up a dedicated fund with a specified dollar amount will let the
public know how much money is actually being spent on implementation of our
plans. Right now it's very hard (trust me!) to find that out.
 
You can either attend the hearing and speak publicly (preferred!) or email
council, or both.



HEARING DATE
Monday, October 26th
City Council Chambers
4:30-5:00 PM Call-In
5:00 PM Sign-In
5:30 PM Public Hearing

EMAIL
sally.clark at seattle.gov,
richard.conlin at seattle.gov,
richard.mciver at seattle.gov,
jan.drago at seattle.gov,
tim.burgess at seattle.gov,
bruce.harrell at seattle.gov,
nick.licata at seattle.gov,
jean.godden at seattle.gov,
tom.rasmussen at seattle.gov


Sorry for cross-postings!
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