Councilmembers Harrell, Rasmussen, and Drago sat down with host C.R. Douglas. Hear what your Councilmembers have to say on issues facing Seattle including the employee "head tax," transportation, summer crime, and streetlight replacement.
Partial list of current issues:
10 Technology Initiatives for 2010
As part of my work plan, I committed to optimizing the use of technology to increase transparency, enhance access to City information and improve government effectiveness and efficiency. On September 8, 2009, I released a set of groundbreaking technology initiatives for 2010. News of our release reached the inaugural Gov 2.0 Summit held in Washington, D.C. My staff and I developed the initiatives after a thorough review of the City's technology, governmental systems and protocols. Here they are:
- Publish and Release City Data in Open Format
Migrate to a system where publishing and release of city data are in an open format that is more readable and favorable for programming. This allows the public to use city data in the most appropriate way and enhance its original purpose by allowing data collaboration and integration through mashups and semantic web technologies.
- "Apps for Seattle" Contest
Declare an "Apps for Seattle" contest and call upon local web developers to program innovative mobile applications and Internet-based applications using open city data.
- Use Mobile Phone Applications to Report City Complaints
Provide service for mobile phone applications that allow residents to report a city complaint such as potholes, graffiti, streetlight outages, or abandoned vehicles.
- Improve City Meetings by using Technology
Use web video conferencing tools for meetings conducted by employees, boards and commissions, resulting in reduced travel time, cost and fuel.
- Empower City Residents with Technology for Home Energy
Provide residents with new personal conservation management tools that allow them to maximize their home energy efficiency.
- Improve our Quality of Life with Smart Grid
Provide a suite of applications and products that allow residents and businesses to communicate remotely with their security, heating, cooling, and lighting systems. This will increase consumer utilization and awareness of a smart grid network.
- One-Stop Access through "My.Seattle.Gov"
Deploy a "My.Seattle.gov" Public Engagement Portal that consolidates the city's multiple sign on accounts and provides single sign-on access with features including a customizable interface, status report checks on problems reported, public polling, and enhanced collaboration with the public using tools such as IdeaScale or Google Moderator.
- Track Graffiti and Trees
Maximize the use of technology in reporting, posting, and tracking photos of graffiti and tree inventory on Google Maps or the city's Geographic Information System (GIS).
- Online Public "Wiki" Website
Develop a "Wiki" website format for city information that allows online public collaboration, editing and content moderation.
- "Green Software" for City-wide Use
Implement new city-wide software to reduce the volumes of wasted printed pages at the end of print jobs from the Internet.
Smaller Rate Increase would have protected people and businesses
In a move to keep City Light’s borrowing costs low and maintain its commitment to conservation, the Seattle City Council passed a 13.8 percent rate increase which will begin in January 2010.
While I fully support the Council’s commitment to conservation and protection of the Utility’s borrowing status, I believe the needs of the people and businesses should always come first. I preferred a lower increase of 7.9 percent that could have given the utility the necessary funds to operate efficiently, improve its debt service coverage ratio to 1.6 and restored $1 million that was cut by the Mayor for conservation.
We must continue to drive the costs of its operations down in order to protect the people from unreasonable rates. However, even with a 13.8 percent increase, Seattle City Light offers power at 6.42 cents per kwh which is one of the lowest rates in the region. The average monthly bill of $44 will increase $6 per month. By comparison the US average is 9.7 cents per kwh. Los Angeles has a rate of 10.20 cents per kwh and San Francisco has a rate of 12.94 cents per kwh.
It is not that either proposal is right or wrong. We brought several choices to the Council. These are merely policy preferences with different points of view. The Rate Advisory Committee (“RAC”), a nine member committee appointed by the Mayor and City Council, recommended a 7-8 percent rate increase. The RAC represents small and large businesses, neighborhoods and lower income residents.
The Energy Committee will continue to identify where City Light can create efficiencies, and improve its development and implementation of the strategic plan it submitted last year under the Committee’s request.
The 13.8 percent increase will create greater certainty that the utility maintains its AA- bond rating which will allow it to borrow at a lesser interest rate when it issues bonds in April of 2010 and help to fund its capital improvement plan. The utility was rated A since 2001 and increased its rating to AA- in 2008. Less than 5 percent of Electric and Gas utilities in the United States fall into the AA rating. The higher rating was achieved because of the utility’s revised financial policies and because of its reduced reliance on purchased power.
Now that this current rate review has concluded, I look forward to an open and transparent process of making sure City Light’s strategic plan is complete and the people can maintain safe, reliable power at affordable rates.
Public Engagement Portal Update
As you may recall, in August of 2008, I suggested a technology platform for the city that requested the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) to work with other City departments to develop a Public Engagement Portal. The intent of this portal is to 1) engage and listen to Seattle residents more effectively, 2) optimize two-way communication between policy leaders and residents, and 3) enhance the City’s Customer Service system. The Mayor’s office and my colleagues on the council have been very supportive and have provided valuable feedback and input during this process.
The Public Engagement Portal will be accessed online by residents from My.Seattle.Gov. This will be the simple one stop online destination that includes: 1) Single Sign-On (one login account to access a range of online city services), 2) Customizable Home Page, and 3) Public Engagement tools. The expected launch date for the initial offering of services at My.Seattle.Gov will be the second quarter of 2010. Additional public engagement tools, including a simple online poll to capture resident’s feedback, will soon follow.
Additional Information:
- My.Seattle.Gov - Public Engagement Portal Initiative High Level Proposal
- Public Engagement Portal Presentation (8/05/09 Energy & Technology Committee)
Youth Mentoring Initiative
By all estimates, an astounding 17.6 million young people in America – nearly half the population of young people between 10 and 18 years of age – live in situations that put them at risk for choosing the wrong path in life, and not living up to their potential, or much, much worse. When a young man was shot near a central district high school in November, he was a victim, as could be the innocent kids attending the school who have an absolute right to be safe at all times and in particular, when they are walking to and from their school. My daughter attends Madrona middle school in the central district. I am immensely concerned. At the core of the problem, are the actions of young people who may have a self-image of violence and destruction; who see no alternatives for their life; and who were never taught or embraced the values of respect, kindness and conflict resolution. I believe that one’s self-image – that which one believes to be true about their self –
governs their beliefs, actions and attitude. However, self-imaging can be changed. Blame erodes self-accountability and human effectiveness. Our city must prioritize a commitment to mentorship strategies. As City leaders, we must align and provide the framework for a city-wide, coordinated strategy and call upon every decent person and every capable agency to help these young adults increase their human effectiveness. Our goal will transcend reducing violence and enhancing safety – but increasing the effectiveness of all of our young people. These young Seattleites can be and will be our next generation of productive citizens.
