AN ORDINANCE relating to the City Light Department; and amending Section 21.49.042 of the Seattle Municipal code to align income eligibility guidelines for the utility-funded Emergency Low-Income Assistance program with other city rate assistance programs and allow year-round program operation.
The Report of the Energy Committee Agenda Item two Council Bill 118479 relating to the City Light Department and amending sections 2.49.042 of the Seattle Municipal Code to align income eligibility eligibility eligibility guidelines for utility funded emergency low income assistance program with other city rate assistance programs and allow year round program operation. The committee recommends a council bill pass. Thank you. Council member so on. Thank you, Brian Burgess. This council bill will change the eligibility requirements for the Emergency Low Income Assistance Program to make them the same as those used by the utility discount program. And that benchmark is earning 70% or less of the state median income. This change would facilitate two purposes. First, it will make processing applications more efficient because there will be only one set of requirements instead of two. And second, it will end up making more people eligible because the new requirements are more inclusive than the old. The committee unanimously recommends passing. Thank you. Questions or comments, Councilmember Beckstrom. Thank you. Councilmember Swan, thanks for working on this. Can you tell me, is this going to be run through Seattle City Light or through Department of Human Services? As of now, through Seattle City Light? And interestingly, sort of in the context of the what you brought up, we've been talking about it, as you know, you and I , about expanding the utility discount program. And one of the points that was made by Seattle City Light is that the more we expand UDP, the less people will be needing this program. So as a matter of fact, the two go hand in hand. Thank you. Thank you. Please call the role on the passage of the bill. Gordon I. Harrow. I. O'Brien, I. Okamoto, I. Rasmussen I want my back shop and President Burgess Aden favored and opposed. The bill passes and the chair will sign it. The report of the Finance and Culture Committee. Please read item three. The Report of the Finance and Culture Committee Agenda Item three Council Bill 118452 authorizing in 2015 acceptance of funding from non city sources authorizing the heads of the Executive Department, Department of Planning and Development, Department of Parks and Recreation, Human Services Department, Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Public Utilities.