Tim Burgess' City View

Boeing & Machinists Win!

The Council issued the following statement this afternoon about the tentative agreement reached by Boeing and the Machinists that will keep production of the 737MAX in Renton.  All nine Council members signed the statement.

"We applaud the Boeing Company and the Machinists for working together to reach this tentative agreement. If approved, this contract will invigorate our regional economy and support thousands of jobs for the region. This agreement is an important example of what can be accomplished when business and labor work together to reach mutual understanding. It is a big win for Seattle, the greater Puget Sound region and the state of Washington."

Today's announcement is a huge win for Seattle, for Renton, for all of Washington state. 

More Bad News About Growing Poverty

The Brookings Institution this morning released a new report on concentrated poverty in the United States, including the Seattle metropolitan area. 

The bad news—

• More people are living in poverty—46.2 million—than ever in U. S. history; that's 15% of the U.S. population.
• The federal poverty line for a family of four is $22,314. Could your family of four successfully cope with that level of family income?
• There is a growing concentration of poverty in some neighborhoods, with a recent increase in close-in suburban areas.  Still, people living in cities are four times more likely to live in neighborhoods of high concentrated poverty than those in the suburbs. The midwest and southern regions of the U. S. have seen the highest increases in poverty.  Review the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue statistics, which haven't changed much since 2000.
• A particularly interesting finding of the Brookings study is that the general economic improvement the country experienced in the late 1990s did not reach neighborhoods with concentrated poverty, a direct challenge to the "all boats rise" philosophy we all like to believe.  (Interestingly, this same reality can be seen with crime statistics where citywide rates can decline significantly while, at the same time, micro places across the city can be experiencing crimes surges.)

Unfortunately, the Brookings report confirms what we already know—the middle class and the poor are getting hammered in today's America.  I've written about this previously here. The growing disparities in income and the shockingly high concentrations of wealth in our country are fueling the Occupy protest movement, including here in Seattle.  These issues are very real and need our attention.

Molly Moon's Ice Cream Joins Queen Anne

There's a new addition to the south end of upper Queen Anne—Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream.  I love it, as you can tell in the photo below. 

Located on West Galer Street, Molly Moon's is part of a little community-within-a-community, snuggled with Café Fiore, Tribunali and Top Pot, all within one block.  Owner Molly Moon Neitzel runs a great company that gets the kudos it deserves, like being named one of the Top 100 companies in Washington.  What's more, the ice cream is homemade and delicious!

What I'm Looking for in Mayor McGinn's Monday Budget Message

The Mayor will present his proposed budget for 2012 to the City Council and kick-off our budget season in a speech next Monday at 2:00 p.m. at City Hall. The Council’s process of reviewing, modifying and approving a budget is done in a very short 57-day period that ends on November 21 when the Council votes to adopt our version of the budget. (Seattle is the only Washington city required by state law to approve its annual budget no later than the first Monday in December. Why? I have no idea. But it means we will be in a sprint to complete our work with extremely limited time to do the job and do it right.)

I will listen carefully on Monday to what the Mayor has to say. The goals and priorities he outlines for us will be a measure of his focus and leadership. We are in tough times. We need vision to ensure that even with constraints on our revenues, critical City services will continue to be delivered and delivered effectively. Here are important areas of emphasis requiring strong leadership that I hope the Mayor will prioritize:

Outcome-Based Budgeting and Program Accountability
As I wrote in the Seattle Times earlier this year, we don't do a very good job proving that we spend taxpayers' money efficiently and effectively. One of the very best ways to build public trust and confidence in government is through increased accountability. We need to set measurable goals and stop funding programs that don't achieve good results. Getting the city government bureaucracy to adopt rigorous outcome-based accountability standards will require very strong leadership grounded in collaboration and respectful partnership with our excellent city employees.

City Government Makeover with Strong Service Focus
Today's economic reality compels us to rebuild city government by discontinuing unnecessary functions and services and creating more efficiencies. At the same time, we need a strong service focus. Government must be oriented to serve the people, not the bureaucracy. Author Ken Miller says it well: "The work of government is noble. The people of government are amazing. The systems of government are a mess." That is precisely why we need a top-to-bottom makeover which will increase our capacity to do more good work. This is work for the long-haul and requires deep engagement with our partners in every city department.

Acknowledgment of Significant Public Safety Challenges in Some Neighborhoods
Major crime is down in Seattle, as it is across the nation, but the reported frequency of other crimes is up. These so-called quality-of-life crimes increased 4% in 2010 compared to 2009, and as of July 2011 they remain at this higher level. Such crimes include all drug trafficking and use violations, car break-ins, prostitution, non-aggravated assault, liquor violations, graffiti and other more petty street disorder offenses. Frustration and anger about quality-of-life crimes are widespread and growing. Specific intervention plans, tied to measurable outcomes, are urgently needed from the Mayor and Police Chief to address these public safety problems. Platitudes about living in an urban environment and “that's just the way life is in the city” won't cut it any longer.

Policing Reform
We should embrace sweeping changes in how we police our city and how we manage our police resources. 

Experience in other cities reported in research findings and the fiscal limitations on police hiring indicate we should formalize proven strategies and spread them citywide. We should move away from the traditional American policing philosophy that focuses on the policing of the overall population. Instead, we should adopt a new philosophy of policing place, because crime is intensely concentrated and anchored at a few micro-places and policing the frequent offenders responsible for a vastly disproportionate amount of crime.

Seattle police, to their credit, have experimented with several new policing strategies over the last few years. Two examples in particular prove my point. First, after the 23rd and East Union "hot spot" intervention by the City last autumn, 911 calls in area fell by over half. Businesses are thriving, and new businesses are opening. The people in an area which has been plagued by crime for decades are rejoicing. Second, after Seattle police focused its efforts on frequent offenders involved in auto theft several years ago, the rate of auto theft dropped by more than half.

Smart policing gets results.

Caring for the Most Vulnerable Among Us
Poverty is increasing in our region. There are dangerous signals about a weakening middle class, something I wrote about last week. Our city is well known for the effort we take to care for those among us who need support. My colleagues and I have sustained (and sometimes increased) funding for human services in each of the past three years. We will do so again.

And in doing so, we should also become much more committed to funding human service programs with proven track records. One great example is the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) which serves low-income mothers. NFP has been tested and evaluated for over 30 years. It works. The City currently provides funding at a level that allows us to reach about one-third of the new moms in Seattle who qualify for NFP services. Since this program is so effective—providing benefits that significantly outweigh its costs—we should extend it to all qualified moms.

We also need to be innovative in how we arrange for or directly deliver social services. For example, many of our immigrant and refugee neighbors—now 17% of our population—already poor, are experiencing increased economic and other hardships which I believe require unique and specialized interventions. The City can do so more effectively if it consolidates its outreach and services to these communities, allowing better coordination of resources available to them.

Seattle's Strengths and Opportunities
I've listed some of my priorities which I hope the Mayor addresses next Monday. While City coffers are not flush, the limits on our resources also offer us an opportunity to be more innovative, more focused and more deliberate in how we organize and manage City services. That is a good thing.

We have an amazing city with terrific assets—the beauty of our setting, the caring and energy of our people, the drive and talent of those who run businesses, large and small. We are fortunate to live here.

Because all of us love our city and want it to flourish, it’s important to pay close attention to the budget and business of City government because it affects Seattle’s prosperity and vibrancy. That’s why I will listen closely to what the Mayor proposes on Monday. And why my colleagues and I will work together diligently in the coming weeks to develop and adopt a final Council budget we can all be proud of.

Bad Trend Lines for Middle Class

President Obama is pressing Congress to pass his jobs legislation quickly.  Some argue it will help, others suggest it is more of the same and just increases the nation's debt.  (I side with the President on this one.)

Yesterday, my colleagues and I created a new paid sick and safe leave requirement for employers in Seattle.  Most workers in Seattle already enjoy the minimum requirements of the legislation, about 145,000 don't.  Some argue this new mandate will harm small businesses and push jobs to surrounding cities.  Others argue it is a fundamental obligation of city government to protect those at the lowest end of the wage scale, the ones who likely don't have paid sick leave today.

These issues deserve robust debate.  There are valid points on all sides.  But, there is one unmistakable trend we should all be leery of and it's visible across the nation.  The middle class, America's economic foundation, is reeling.  Take a look at Robert Reich's essay in the September 4 edition of The New York Times.  Reich is the former secretary of labor and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.  Be sure to open the graphic link that reveals the troubling trend lines for middle class prosperity. 

The context Reich establishes in his essay is one we should all keep in mind.  The long-term financial strength of our country and of Seattle requires a strong and growing middle class. 

Reich's analysis is a warning.  "Reviving the middle class requires that we reverse the nation's decades-long trend toward widening inequality."  Read Reich's piece for thoughtful and wise insight. 

Tourism Public Hearing Set

The City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, August 8 at 5:30 p.m. in Council chambers on the second floor of City Hall to receive public testimony on creation of a Seattle Tourism Improvement Area. 

UK Study Mission: Renewable Energy, Density, Transportation, Economic Growth, Public Education and More

Those Brits!  Focused.  Stiff upper lip.  And, did I say "focused?" 

I recently returned to Seattle after a week-long trip to Edinburgh, Glasgow and London.  I was part of the annual international study mission put together by the Trade Development Alliance and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.  (Don't fret, I paid my own way and didn't use a dime of City money. Highlights of my trip after the jump.)

Benefit for All: Market-Driven Parking Costs

Two proposals in this year's budget recommendations from Mayor Mike McGinn have generated the most controversy—reducing hours at neighborhood community centers and higher fees for on-street parking. With the city's annual budget approaching $4 billion these two items represent a tiny fraction of total spending, but they prove Tip O'Neill's famous quip, "All politics is local." 

Municipal government is closest to the people.  It's the form of government people see every day and use the most.  So when local government proposes a change, reaction can be quick and sometimes fierce.

The outcry over increased parking rates has indeed been quick and fierce.  My office has heard it loud and clear—you're just grabbing for more money, you'll hurt local businesses, you'll drive shoppers to Bellevue or the malls, don't you realize we're hurting out here.

But, what if the higher on-street parking rates are actually a benefit, a change that will help retail businesses, improve the flow of traffic, lower carbon emissions and help pay for pedestrian improvements, better lighting and more frequent cleaning?

A Pro Business Parking Strategy

Mayor McGinn's proposed 2011 budget calls for raising on-street parking prices to as much as $4 per hour in the downtown core and smaller increases in other city neighborhoods. (The Mayor's budget legislation actually sets a $5 top limit per hour on meter rates.) The Mayor is on the right track, but we should go even further and introduce demand-sensitive variable pricing as quickly as possible.

Demand-sensitive or performance-based on-street parking rates are pro business.  Here's why as explained by Donald Shoup, professor of urban planning at UCLA and the author of The High Cost of Free Parking.

"Prices that produce an occupancy rate of about 85% can be called 'performance-based' for three reasons.  First, curb parking will perform efficiently.  The spaces will be well used but readily available.  Second, the transportation system will perform efficiently.  Cruising for underpriced curb parking will not congest traffic, waste fuel, and pollute the air.  Third, the economy will perform efficiently.  The price of parking will be higher when demand is higher, and this higher price will encourage rapid parking turnover.  Drivers will park, buy something, and leave quickly so that other drivers can use the spaces.  Cities can achieve all these goals by setting curb parking prices to yield about an 85% occupancy rate." ("The Price of Parking on a Great Street," Parking Today magazine, February 2009.)

Shoup also recommends that parking meter revenue above the current base rate be dedicated to neighborhood-specific street improvement projects, including more frequent street and sidewalk cleaning, enhanced lighting, more police, litter and grafitti cleanup, and pedestrian improvements.  Shoup calls this revenue dedication "parking increment financing." 

San Francisco will soon launch a very sophisticated experiment in on-street parking management.  This three-minute video provides the essence of their program. Many of the core elements of the San Francisco program could be introduced here fairly quickly.  For example, we could adjust meter parking rates electronically by neighborhood on a quarterly or monthly basis to achieve the desired 85% occupancy rate.

And here's a New York Times opinion piece by Shoup that explains the most effective pricing model for on-street parking. 

The Council should adopt specific outcomes related to on-street parking, such as the 85% occupancy standard and then allow variable demand-sensitive meter rates.  When demand is low, for example on weekends and late at night, meter rates would be low or free.  When demand is high, primarily during the day or early evening hours, meter rates would also be high.  This approach to public policy is objective, is outcome-driven, and removes the political squabbles and conflicts of the traditional approach to setting meter rates.

 

Barcelona Lessons

Neal Peirce has an interesting piece on city planning well worth reading.  Check it out here.  Could Seattle pull off what Barcelona has done?  Yes, if we really want to. 

I can think of several areas of Seattle that could use some Barcelona-type innovation:

• the Aurora Avenue North corridor
• Interbay
• Georgetown
• the Rainier Avenue South corridor

and perhaps other areas, too.  What I like most about what Peirce writes about is how Barcelona has apparently integrated development with historic preservation, protection of homes for current residents, affordable housing incentives, and shared costs for infrastructure improvements. 

Closely related to urban development is the need for strong public school education.  David Brooks continues the discussion about education reform in this piece.  Brooks gives kudos to President Obama's insistence on education reform. (Read my post about education reform and transformation I witnessed during a recent visit to Mercer Middle School in Seattle.)