TUESDAY: District 1’s Rob Saka and other new Seattle City Councilmembers start work

With five of nine Seattle City Councilmembers brand new to the job – and a sixth soon – tomorrow’s the day we will start seeing what they do. The council’s 2 pm Tuesday meeting is their first of the year and will be devoted to:

*Electing a new president (previous council president Debora Juarez did not run for re-election)

*Ceremonial swearing-in – Along with the five new members, two were re-elected in November, so there will be seven oaths of office: Rob Saka (District 1), Tammy J. Morales (District 2), Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), Maritza Rivera (District 4), Cathy Moore (District 5), Dan Strauss (District 6), and Robert Kettle (District 7).

*Speeches

*Public comment

*Starting the process of appointing a councilmember – Right after the meeting, Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (a West Seattleite who holds citywide Position 8) will resign to take her new role as a County Councilmember. So the new council has to appoint someone to fill the position until this fall’s election. This webpage explains the basics of the process, and will have more information once the council makes more process decisions tomorrow.

Here’s the agenda; you can watch this all live Tuesday afternoon via Seattle Channel.

Seattlite January 1, 2024 (6:58 pm)

Who will attend this meeting to let the City Council Members know that their job is to work for ALL of Seattle’s citizens and not just the ones that agree with them? I am doubtful that there will be any changes whatsoever. However, if a miracle should happen, the City Council’s FIRST order of business is the safety of Seattle’s citizens. This would entail expediting the END of Seattle’s police officer shortage; adding motorcycle police officers to the worst areas of unsafe-speeding drivers (Aurora Ave N, West Seattle Bridge, Admiral Way SW, etc.); adding police officers to the most unsafe areas of downtown Seattle and any other areas that see more than their share of crime.

Mike January 1, 2024 (7:59 pm)

That requires hiring and training. That’s a long duration between finding someone that qualifies and can pass background checks as well as the academy. As for lateral transfers from other departments, they don’t want to work for SPD. Change has to start with policies being updated to actually allow police to do their jobs, prosecutors need to actually follow through with charges and judges need to uphold laws equally.
- Daniel January 2, 2024 (8:50 am)
  
  My initial thought (about not getting lateral transfers) was “that can’t be right because of the $30k bonuses”. But I looked it up, and apparently SPD gets like 20x more new recruits (as low as one lateral in a six month period?), so… it is true. And is still below replacement rate.
K January 2, 2024 (7:02 am)

Get ready to be disappointed. Working downtown, I’ve seen people selling stolen goods in the sidewalk within feet of several police officers. There are scores of police patrolling downtown, and yet the problems of crime and poverty still exist. Police don’t prevent crime, they respond after the fact (sometimes, and sometimes they just ignore it and chat with all their buddies while crime happens three feet away, like the downtown patrols do).
- M January 2, 2024 (7:14 pm)
  
  Exactly this. Same SPD behavior on Capitol Hill.

Del January 1, 2024 (8:15 pm)

Congrats Rob Saka!

Rob January 1, 2024 (9:12 pm)

Also see if they can help KC reduce the drug over dose deaths down below 1200 per year

Brian January 1, 2024 (11:38 pm)

Congrats Rob Saka. Goodbye Herbold! Excited to see what’s in store for our district.

Jeff January 2, 2024 (10:28 am)

Will Rob Saka represent Costa supporters? Like myself? Or are we going to see massive overreach here?

LawnOrder January 2, 2024 (1:42 pm)

Define “massive overreach”. By all accounts, Saka will set out to do what he said he’d do – starting with making community safety a priority. An increase in policing and enforcement, coupled with better police training and accountability. Sounds good to me. If you’re for peace circles and so-called restorative justice, he’s not going to be doing your bidding (but he will be working hard to help make your community safer – albeit in a different way than you perhaps endorse).
- Jeff January 2, 2024 (2:33 pm)
  
  I do not think jails deter anyone as we have a century of data showing otherwise. Crime will always happen in a society that exploits, taxes, and robs the poor and its labor. Saka does not fit really anything I represent politically, so is he going to make a difference or will it just be all talk like Harrell did for 12 years on council? Where are all the shelters Harrell has promised for years?
- Jay January 2, 2024 (2:42 pm)
  
  Rob Saka promised a more generous contract with SPOG to make hiring easier. This means accountability will be decreased, not increased. “Better police training and accountability” is just lip service. He’s going to write a blank check for Mike Solan and his goons to do whatever they feel like.
  - 937 January 2, 2024 (8:52 pm)
    
    One can only hope Rob will work with the Guild to get a fair and lasting contract for our officers.
    
    They have gone FAR too long without fair working conditions.
    
    A lasting and fair contract will go a long ways to undoing the awful public image some former council member(s) successfully (and unfairly) projected.
- okiedokie January 2, 2024 (3:06 pm)
  
  I’m curious about your login name, “LawnOrder”. In what order do you place your lawn gnomes? And do you put them in front or behind your Trump lawn sign? Also, people that partake in peace circles and believe in restorative justice also believe in proper police work. It’s not either/or. Why this need to demonize each other when we all want safety and peace? Sigh. Well, at least we have you to advocate for Lawn Order. That’s a really special and important niche cause.
Mike January 2, 2024 (2:16 pm)

Hopefully Rob Saka will work hard, but respectfully, to undo some of the social damage done by his predecessor. He didn’t run on the promise of representing the policies of his opponent.

Derek January 2, 2024 (2:29 pm)

Saka brings up 9/11 (weird) and wants to make potholes and bridges his priority he says…okay. So what does he plan to do about getting Link to west Seattle faster? He came to my house and looked me in the eye and said he would prioritize public transit issues but his statements today are car-centered?? Disappointing. Awaiting an email I’ve sent to him weeks ago still too…

Derek January 2, 2024 (4:21 pm)

Why no Renters’ rights committee???

CarDriver January 2, 2024 (5:01 pm)

Derek .Renters do have rights in Seattle-FAR more than they claim A woman in my building works full time. She knows how to work the system and hasn’t paid rent in OVER A YEAR. The landlord has followed all the cities rules for documentation and has a hearing in June. Best case for the landlord is that she will be out after TWO YEARS of not paying rent. The word is out and it’s a TOUGH sell to get anyone to invest in new rental units. All this means that you’ll be stuck with “corporate” builders or government housing. The whole system is BROKEN.

Sorry, comment time is over.