A RESOLUTION related to the City Light Department, adopting a 2022-2026 Strategic Plan for the City Light Department and endorsing the associated five-year rate path.
Agenda item three Resolution 3 to 0 zero seven related to the City Department adopting a 2022 three 2026 strategic plan for the city department and addressing the associated five year rate path, the committee recommends the resolution be adopted. I hand this back over to Councilmember Peterson as chair of the committee. It's the council president. Our Transportation and Utilities Committee unanimously recommended adoption of Resolution 32007, which is the updated strategic plan for Seattle City Life on June 16. The utility presented the plan to our committee. Then on July seven, our committee heard from the Seattle City Review panel about why they fully endorse a citywide strategic plan. It's a multiyear plan for implementing the mission of this $1 billion, city owned utility enterprise, which provides affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible electricity to over 900,000 people in Seattle and surrounding areas. Despite several cost pressures, including the COVID pandemic, Seattle City Light has surpassed expectations in keeping their rate increases under control. City Light also succeeded in not increasing the net utility bills of electricity customers this year when its customers were the most vulnerable. Moreover, City Lights proposed rate path will also have a lower than expected rate increase in the future as compared to the previous strategic plan. Net result is the six year average annual increase will be less than 3.5% instead of the original 4.5%. On June 16, our committee already saw this, so our committee unanimously endorsed this plan, as did the review panel. And so we recommend passage today. Thank you. So much. PETERSON Are there any additional comments on the resolution? He was very silent. Please. Thank you. As I have done in the past, I will vote yes on the strategic plan because it accurately reflects city lights projected costs. However, when it lists a projection of the rate increases over the next six years, it does not say who should pay those rate increases. Since taking office, including as a previous chair of the City Council and Energy Committee, I have consistently argued that the wasted light divides up costs between big business and regular Seattle residents as very regressive city lights formula effectively charges Seattle residents almost twice as much per unit of electricity as it charges big business. Several years ago, my office proposed legislation to change that, but no other council member agreed. The utility does have a utility discount program for low income Seattle residents. But like all means tested programs and you need to apply for less than half of eligible people in Seattle are actually on the program. So I'm voting yes on this strategic plan, but I intend to vote no when there's legislation to actually raise rates unless those rate increases are paid by big business instead of regular working class. He avoids. Okay. Thank you, Councilmember. Want any other comments on the resolution? I'm not hearing any other comments on the resolution. So will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the resolution? Silent. Yes. Strauss. Yes. Verbal. Yes. Suarez S. Lewis Yes. Morales Yes. Mr.. I. Peterson I counsel President Gonzalez i. Nine in favor. Nine opposed. The resolution is adopted and the chair will sign it. Will the please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf? Will the Court please read the short title of item four into the record? Agenda item four taxable 120117 relating to city finances, creating and changing the names of funds in the city treasury.