AN ORDINANCE relating to Seattle Public Utilities’ Emergency Assistance Program; temporarily extending increased assistance related to COVID-induced customer delinquencies; and amending Section 21.76.065 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
Agenda item four Council Bill 120329 An ordinance relating to Seattle Public Utilities Emergency Assistance Program temporarily extending increased assistance related to COVID induced customer delinquencies and amending Section 21.7 6.065 of the Seattle Municipal Court. Thank you. I move to pass Council Bill 120329. Is there a second? Second, Councilor Peterson. And this is your bill. The floor is yours. Thank you. Council president, colleagues, all three utility bills, utility relief bills here co-sponsoring Councilmember Nelson. This one happens to deal with Seattle Public Utilities specifically. It does the same thing for our emergency assistance program as the city bill we just adopted a moment ago. As with its companion bill, this council bill 120329 simply extends an existing utility relief policy. Extending this release through 2023 will become even more important for customers of Seattle Public Utilities, because the King County Executive and King County Council members are currently considering a substantial increase in wastewater treatment fees. King County passes their wastewater treatment fees, which comprise nearly 50% of households, as few bills directly to our Seattle customers. So the more relief we can provide to lower income at SPU customers, the better. Thank you. Councilor Peterson. And I should have noted that I actually had it noted here in the margins that these are the items two, three and four are Councilmember Peterson and Councilmember Nelson. So thank you. Are there any comments for Councilmember Peterson? A cast member must get up. Thank you so much. I just want to take this opportunity to thank Councilmember Peterson for the joint work that we are looking into with the public utilities folks about how to make sure that more of the people who are qualifying for the utility discount program get automatically enrolled. And that that's something that I had looked into in 2018 and 2019. And I think with the continued efforts to extend additional support, but also the concern on the horizon that many of these supportive programs are going to sunset, having automatic enrollment and things like utility, discount program and other strategies to support working families. It's going to be really critical. So I really appreciate you taking the reins on that, Councilmember Peterson, and your quick action to respond to some of those ideas and look forward to continuing to engage with you on some longer term policy solutions. Thank you, Casper. Hey. We all done. You council president asked. Okay, great. There you go, Mr. Peterson. No, thank you. So thank you, everybody. So let's move on. Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill? Councilmember Strauss? Yes. Councilmember Herbold. Yes. Councilmember Lewis. Yes. Councilmember Morales. As. Council member mosqueda. I. Councilmember Nelson. I. Councilmember Peterson. All right. Council members want. Yes. Council president was not in favor and opposed. The chair will sign it. And, Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to this legislation. So, going to finance and housing counselor ROSQUETA has items five, six and seven for us. And I understand that you're going to read five and six into the record. And Kessler ROSQUETA will address five and six together, but we'll vote on them separately. So, Madam Clerk, please read five and six into the record.