One Week, 170 Amendments, and $80 Million More

Amendment week’s over and the Chair’s proposed Balancing Package lands November 3. We’re watching a handful of the 170-odd CBAs, from SFD overtime to addiction treatment.

Good news on that $7 million cut to Seattle Fire Department overtime (covered here): CM Rivera (prime sponsor) and CMs Saka and Kettle (co-sponsors) have proposed an amendment (pg 3) to restore the full amount and it’s got overwhelming support so it’s pretty much a done deal. The amendment from CMs Foster, Lin, and Rinck to restore $5.1M (pg 4) was not discussed.

On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Select Budget Committee discussed amendments to the proposed Human Service Department budget, otherwise known as Council Budget Actions (CBAs).

First some table-setting: HSD’s budget has grown 112% since 2019, from $198.3 million to $421.1 million in the adopted 2026 budget and the Mayor’s budget would increase that to $445.4 million in 2027 and $457.6 million in 2028 (including the $46.6 million JumpStart-for-General-Fund swap the Mayor’s using for homelessness costs covered here).

And now, there’s a total of $25.6 million in CBA adds on the table for 2027 and $21.3 million for 2028.

That’s a lot but one stands out (in a good way): HSD-042-A to “increase HSD by $750,000 GF (2027) to fund on-demand residential and intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment services and impose a proviso” (pg 35). It’s sponsored by CMs Rivera, Saka, and Hollingsworth. Finally some addiction treatment!

Then there’s:

• OH-003-A (pg 4) sponsored by CMs Foster, Lin, and Rinck to “increase OH by $10 million GF (2027) for affordable rental and homeownership projects,” $7M of which would add to the $347.7M already in Wilson’s proposed budget.

• SPD-104-A sponsored by CMs Kettle, Saka, and Rivera to “increase SPD by $792,000 GF (2027) and $11.6 million GF (2028) to support continued hiring of 12 recruits per month and impose a proviso” (pg 4).

• And crucially, OED-011-A to fund the Office of Economic Development’s Back to Business Fund, which reimburses small businesses for the cost of repairing damaged storefronts after break-ins, at the same level of service as implemented in 2026. Essentially, it had $1.8M in funding in 2026, the Mayor cut that by $1M, and this would lock down the full amount, using other money appropriated in OED’s budget.

We’d go on but there are about 170 CBAs and there’s so little time (but lots of closed-door wheeling 'n dealing) before the package drops. In the meantime, check out our Budget Library for everything that went down this week.

KEY STATS

1. $25.6M (2027) / $21.3M (2028). Total HSD CBA adds on the table. (HSD amendments)
2. $10 million. OH-003-A, to increase OH by $10 million GF (2027) for affordable rental and homeownership projects; $7M of it adds to the $347.7M already in Wilson’s proposed budget. (OH-003-A, pg 4)
3. $792K (2027) / $11.6M (2028). SPD-104-A, to support continued hiring of 12 recruits per month and impose a proviso. (SPD-104-A, pg 4)
4. $750,000. HSD-042-A, to fund on-demand residential and intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment services (2027). (pg 35)
5. $7 million. SFD-001-B-1, restoring the $7.1M SFD overtime cut in full. (SFD-001-B-1)
6. $1.8M, cut by $1M. OED’s Back to Business Fund, which reimburses small businesses for repairing damaged storefronts; OED-011-A imposes a proviso on the full amount. (OED-011-A)