(EDITOR’S NOTE: Story now includes video of mayor’s reaction post-override, as well as other updates including the new referendum effort)

(Council meeting video from Seattle Channel updated 4:08 pm)
9:38 AM: Live now on the Seattle Channel (cable 21, online at www.seattlechannel.org), the City Council’s special meeting to consider overriding the mayor’s veto of tunnel-related bills. It’s starting with 30 minutes of public comments. First up: West Seattle Chamber of Commerce CEO Patti Mullen. The Chamber is on the record as supporting the tunnel, which she called “the best solution for Seattle … and for West Seattle.” Second up, also from West Seattle, Vlad Oustimovitch, presenting the letter you first read here 2 weeks ago, signed by him and other Stakeholders Advisory Group members from the original process that ended with the tunnel being announced as the “preferred alternative.” More to come; we’ll add notes of interest along the way, along with the vote when it happens.

9:49 AM: Council President Richard Conlin had noted that they had double the number of signups from tunnel opponents wanting to speak than from tunnel supporters, so supporters got 10 minutes, and tunnel opponents are now starting their 20 minutes. They include both elevated and surface supporters, as well as those who favor retrofitting the existing viaduct.

10:12 AM: Public comment’s over. Councilmembers are commenting, starting with President Conlin. “I understand some people don’t like the tunnel. It wasn’t my choice, for a long time,” he begins, going on to note that the contracts the mayor has vetoed “are in the best interest of the people of Seattle” and should be supported even by tunnel opponents because “they provide legal protections for the people of Seattle.” Councilmember Sally Clark says for her, it’s also about “protecting” the citizens, even as she acknowledges the city remains split on the subject of the tunnel itself. Councilmember Mike O’Brien is next to speak: “On this project, I am still baffled as to why all of you still support this.” He says the project itself will lead to increased “greenhouse-gas emissions,” even as a state law requires they be reduced in the years ahead. He then addresses the topic of jobs, which many speakers on both sides brought up: “This project isn’t the answer … 480 jobs for a $2 billion project.” He says money would be better spent on other projects including I-5 work. He then says he’s disturbed by a “lack of outrage” over “priorities on what we are spending our money on” and mentions state cuts in education and health-care funding. And he calls for a public vote, saying that it would cost $50,000-$100,000 to add a tunnel question onto the August ballot. He plans to introduce a measure later today asking for that vote and pleads for the five votes he says he needs for it to move on.

10:24 AM: Now, West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who says he appreciates that Councilmember O’Brien has been against the tunnel from the start, and clear about it; he then pokes at the mayor for allegedly not being consistent. For some, it’s jobs, says Rasmussen, but “on this 10th anniversary of the earthquake, it’s about lives … we have a responsibility to protect people’s lives,” regarding replacing the viaduct. He mentions the new automated-closure gates on viaduct entries, saying, “This viaduct is fragile and we can only prop it up for so long.” After him, Councilmember Nick Licata, saying that those who support the surface option “don’t have any leaders” and accusing them of subterfuge for not being clear that’s what they’re backing. “Yeah, (the tunnel) may go over, we don’t know, but we do have $2.2 billion (for it) … but we have zero (state dollars) for the surface and transit option. … It’s easy to be against this. It’s hard to be FOR something.” (He is the most fiery speaker we’ve seen yet.) He concludes, “If you think cutting off our nose to spite our face is a good strategy … it is a stupid strategy!” (PHOTO CREDIT: Erika Schultz/Seattle Times) The gallery gets heated, and then Councilmember Bruce Harrell stands up and chides, “Look at us with our signs disrespecting one another … This is not Seattle at its best.” He insists the city “is not liable” for overruns. “I would never support anything that would put us on the hook for cost overruns.” Harrell restates that he respects those who oppose the tunnel, but hopes they will know that regarding the council’s vote, “We’re doing it with conviction, integrity, and a (belief) that long after we are dust, we’re leaving something better for our children and grandchildren.”

10:38 AM: Councilmember Jean Godden says, after noting the longrunning debate, “Now we have had the Seattle Process and it’s time to make a decision.” Council President Conlin follows with the stats on that “process” – 700 public meetings, 15,000 public comments (after showing photos of the collapsed elevated freeway from the 1989 Bay Area quake, and AWV damage after the 2001 Nisqually quake). “The region has been engaged in a passionate debate … for 10 years. … We have come to a common solution, and the (city) has crafted a set of agreements that protect our residents and work for our state and regional partners. … As the anniversary of the Nisqually quake reminds us, this is not just a transportation project, this is about safety. … We were elected to make decisions … as stewards (of the city).”

10:46 AM: Veto overridden, 8-1 (O’Brien the dissenter). To read the full legislation – go here.

3:11 PM: The mayor is speaking with reporters now – watch it live here. He insists the public should be able to vote on the tunnel – either through the proposal that Councilmember Mike O’Brien is introducing this afternoon, or through the referendum announced to gather signatures to put today’s council vote on the ballot. (We’ll add video of the mayor’s Q/A event here when it’s available for embedding. Added – here’s the video:)

3:48 PM: The new “Protect Seattle” coalition of anti-tunnel groups that wants to put the council-approved agreements on the ballot as a referendum have posted their announcement online, here.

4:54 PM: West Seattle tunnel supporters Vlad Oustimovitch, who was the 2nd speaker before the council this morning (as noted above), and Pete Spalding co-wrote a pro-override editorial in today’s Seattle Times (WSB partner) – here’s the link. Also, here’s a written copy of Oustimovitch’s testimony for the meeting.