How should the city spend your money? Last major chance to speak out

Government offices are closed today – but tomorrow (Tuesday, November 12) brings a big event to City Hall. It’s the City Council’s final major public hearing on the budget that they’ll finalize before Thanksgiving. The 5 pm hearing is entirely devoted to public comment, both in person and remote, so if there’s something you want to speak either for or against, this is your big chance. Councilmembers already have proposed changes to the 2025-2026 budget plan that Mayor Bruce Harrell put on the table earlier this fall; budget chair Councilmember Dan Strauss unveiled his “balancing package” almost two weeks ago. We noted here at the time that it featured amendments from District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka, One would remove parallel parking at Duwamish Head, something nearby residents say would cut down on street disorder in the area, where traffic calming such as dividers and speed cushions already have been installed.

Speaking of dividers, another of Saka’s proposals is for “safety improvements” on a stretch of Delridge Way where he has campaigned to get rid of a divider keeping drivers from making left turns across a bike lane near a RapidRide stop. (This budget item is listed as $2 million but Saka’s chief of staff Elaine Ko tells us they’re not sure of the actual cost or the precise project details yet.)

Also on the list of Saka’s amendments: Turf for the Fairmount Playfield baseball infield; local youth-baseball supporters are mobilizing to back that. The agenda document for tomorrow’s hearing includes instructions on signing up to speak; if you just want to watch the hearing, you’ll be able to do that via Seattle Channel. Email the council any time at council@seattle.gov.

P.S. You can review details of the original budget proposal here.

CC November 11, 2024 (2:01 pm)

Surprised Saka would even entertain the addition of dividers given his campaign against the one that inconveniences him personally. ;)

WS Res November 11, 2024 (2:38 pm)

That’s the “safety improvements” referenced above – that one he wants removed. For “safety.”

DC November 11, 2024 (2:20 pm)

Rob’s pet project would literally benefit just 30 people who attend his preschool. I can’t think of anything more blatantly corrupt than spending 2 million taxpayer dollars for his and his 30 friends personal benefit when there are so many other things you could spend that money on and benefit thousands of people. Tanya Woo’s embarrassing loss is just the beginning of Seattle realizing who hacks the new council is.

K November 11, 2024 (4:59 pm)

The turf thing is another personal project. His kids attend Fairmount Park Elementary and his wife is on the PTA there. He never asked constituents if they even thought it was a good idea, let alone worth the money. He wants it for his family, so our tax dollars are going to pay for it.
- walkerws November 12, 2024 (11:03 am)
  
  It’s becoming increasingly apparent that Saka isn’t just inept, but he’s also corrupt – in a really pathetically small way, at that.

Question Authority November 11, 2024 (2:51 pm)

The financial investment in KCHRA and any other Homeless Industrial Complex agencies tied to it need to be scrutinized for waste, fraud and cost versus benefits. Just today the news is reporting on a Capitol Hill facility and a residents animal abuse case, turns out there is absolutely no on-site supervision to provide any oversight or help with issues that brought you there.

Silas Elwood November 11, 2024 (9:20 pm)

Ever see “New Jack City”? Those new homeless projects are a dealers paradise. Not far from the cesspool where 7 people were stabbed.

YellowPup November 11, 2024 (4:25 pm)

Raiding the JumpStart tax fund to close the budget gap, and Mr Saka will be turning left–on Delridge, not politically. Seems all rather unethical.

Greg November 12, 2024 (9:42 am)

The divider also stops cars from trying to go around a stopped bus at the bus stop on head on traffic.

K November 11, 2024 (11:14 pm)

That 2 million dollars would be much better spent on repairing the Lodge at Camp Long. E-mail councilman Saka and tell him to shift the money over while there’s still time!

anonyme November 12, 2024 (4:55 am)

Yes – repair Camp Long! Otherwise, I’m not sure why we’re being asked how to spend transportation dollars now, after the levy has passed. Was that exorbitant amount of money necessary or not? Asking these kinds of questions at this stage in the process would suggest that our leaders – including Saka – are either liars or don’t know what they’re doing. I resent paying taxes only to be told that it’s being treated as play money.

I love corruption no not really November 12, 2024 (5:29 am)

Does his child actually attend the school where he’s proposing the artificial turf “improvement”? Cuts both ways – replacing grass with plastic and ground used tires has been suspected to be unhealthy or even carcinogenic (surprise surprise) but it’s also blatant self dealing, especially when pedestrian safety improvements could help kids walk across Fauntleroy Freeway alive

Platypus November 12, 2024 (9:17 am)

In what possible way is making an uncontrolled left turn on a busy road across a lane of traffic, a bike lane, and a sidewalk safe? I get the users of the preschool are inconvenienced, but it seems very likely that someone, likely patrons of the preschool, will be hit as they walk there and a car turns into the driveway.

cwit November 12, 2024 (10:07 am)

And with a bus stop there, there will be decreased visibility when buses are stopped there. I’m sure Saka will petition to have the bus stop moved. It’s a blatant self-serving move on his part. How are the folks that voted him in feeling about this? Serious question. Please email council@seattle.gov and rob.saka@seattle.gov, or be at the hearing to voice your opinion!
- Amy November 12, 2024 (1:24 pm)
  
  Email sent to council regarding this corrupt misuse of power and funds.
- Nwe November 12, 2024 (9:51 pm)
  
  I emailed the council asking them to exclude two of Saka’s proposals and to fund the environmental team at Camp Long. I would like to hope they’ll at least get more input on the lane project and the turf thing before committing dollars
Jort November 12, 2024 (11:46 am)

It’s not. Saka has provided no data for either of his purported reasons for why the divider needs to be removed. 1) There is no data to show that removing it would increase road safety and 2) There is no data to show that the concrete traffic divider causes traumatizing conditions for immigrant and refugee communities. These are simply things that Rob Saka has said, absent evidence of any kind, because he seems fond of utilizing progressive terminology to advance a personally beneficial decision (easing his commute and settling his pre-election grudge.)

Gaslit November 12, 2024 (10:24 am)

Dissolve the city council, allow a third party firm to audit city departments and give them an allowance to operate only essential costs. No more deficits to balance while asking for a multi billion dollar budget. I hope this fiscal sloppiness is considered next time people refer to Harrell or Saka as “conservative” because they are anything but that.

WS98 November 13, 2024 (12:55 pm)

Rob Saka has no doubt worked hard and should be proud of what he’s accomplished (Polisci, JD, attorney for Meta, Microsoft, Perkins Coie) but after having been our District 1 representative for nearly a year, appears to have accomplished little beyond finding resolution for issues of self interest. Pothole repairs don’t count, SDOT’s program was in place long before the ‘Pothole King’ joined council…just saying. 1) The Delridge barrier – Ugh, a juxtaposition! Rob chairs the Transportation Committee and states he plans to ‘focus on safety and comfort of pedestrians’ yet advocates the removal of an 8″ tall, 100′ long barrier SDOT installed as a safety measure to ‘protect pedestrians and cyclists by preventing drivers from passing stopped buses’. Left hand turns in that location were illegal before it was installed and will be after it’s been removed. There are several other SDOT installations like this throughout WS and the city (https://publicola.com/tag/west-seattle/). He’s been fighting this one for 3 years, imagine what he could accomplish if he put all of that energy into real transportation issues. 2) Fairmount Park Ball infield – Really? Just this infield? The proposal to ‘convert the infield on the softball and baseball field from grass to turf using environmentally safe and eco-friendly materials’ is misleading. Minor picky note but the infield has no grass, it’s a mix of sand/silt/clay. Cork infill is the only environmentally safe/eco-friendly component of turf, everything else is made from made of petroleum-based plastics that include PFAS which makes the surface is a heat island (20-50 degrees higher) on hot summer days. It’s not a safer surface for athletes, current studies reveal a higher rate of (non-contact) foot/ankle injuries even compared to grass in rough shape or sand mixtures and turf burn is just as bad or worse than sand. Turf still needs to be watered to cool it in the summer and clean it (e.g. dog waste). Maintenance may not really be cheaper considering Delridge (4M) and Hiawatha (1.5) will need to be replaced in 10-12 years according to the City. 3) South Lake Union Trolley Streetcar – Could be that Rob found a way to fund his pet projects in WS? Along with 2 other council members and Mayor Harrell he’s pushing to defund SLU (4 MIL annually) and remove the Cultural Connector, which is intended to connect SLU with the First Hill Streetcar (kind of a reiteration of the original waterfront streetcar removed for the tunnel project) from the Capital Improvement Plan. Harrell revived the Cultural Connector plan stating strong support from downtown stakeholders, Federal funds have been earmarked. https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/transit-program/culture-connector

WS Urbanist November 13, 2024 (1:20 pm)

Curiosity question, would this be grounds for a recall petition?
- K November 16, 2024 (7:39 am)
  
  It should be. He got himself elected so he could get what he wants–over the objections of his own constituents–after the city told him “no” when he was just a regular citizen. It’s not just corrupt, it’s setting a dangerous precedent, that an individual councilmember can override entire city departments’ decisions, regardless of how much data they have backing the choice, or support there is behind the original choice.

Newsflash Rob Saka November 15, 2024 (9:52 pm)

We’re not blind and can see you doing these projects for self interest. I’m sure there are enough of us who will object to these proposals and if they get passed to serve your interests only, the residents WHO YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK OUT FOR that see a recall is needed to take your corruption out will follow that path.

momosmom November 16, 2024 (8:18 am)

Re: to Rob Saka… it just amazes me how soooooo many people loved what he had to offer and also everything he said he would do for the district and you voted him in and now everyone has turned on him and are throwing him out like sour milk. Just remember most will say what they know you want to hear to be elected but can they really please everyone and stick to what they promised?

My mama always said, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get

K November 16, 2024 (11:28 am)

Saka was always full of hot air, let’s be honest. Those who voted for him just refused to see it. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, though, he ran primarily on a platform of being tough on crime and enabling/empowering the police. He has offered nothing on those fronts, and instead is focused on personal projects, none of which were the focus of his campaign. Had he campaigned saying “I’m going to turf the field at Fairmount Park whether you like it or not”, Maren Costa would be the district 1 rep. They should have listened to LITERALLY every other candidate who said this guy would not be good for District 1, but here we are.

Sorry, comment time is over.