Council committee recommends confirmation of four members to new Transportation Levy Oversight Committee

Rob Saka, chair of the Seattle City Council Transportation Committee, moved and the committee recommended confirmation of four appointments to the new Transportation Levy Oversight Committee (LOC) at the June 3, 2025 committee meeting.

The appointments are Kyle Nolan, Linda Fiery Oldroyd, Lucy Carter Sloman and Lisa Bogartas for terms through Dec. 31, 2028. The committee vote to recommend confirmation was recorded as four in favor, zero opposed; the recommendation will be forwarded to the full City Council for final confirmation at the June 10, 2025 meeting.

The LOC was established by the voter-approved transportation levy ordinance to monitor levy revenues, expenditures and program and project implementation, and to advise the City Council, the mayor and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) on spending and performance. Committee members and SDOT staff told the Transportation Committee the LOC will have 19 members: one appointee from each of the seven council districts, five mayoral appointees, four advisory-board appointees (freight, bicycle, transit and pedestrian), the chair of the Transportation Committee, the city budget director and a youth-engaged member.

Katie Olson, the SDOT liaison to the LOC, described the body’s duties as monitoring levy revenues and expenditures and advising city leaders on levy program performance. Olson said the LOC “is tasked with advising the city council, the mayor, and SDOT on the spending of levy proceeds and the performance of levy programs.”

Each of the four nominees spoke briefly about their qualifications and priorities. Kyle Nolan said he is a civil engineer who moved to Seattle about two years ago and wants to ensure voters see tangible results from levy funding. Linda Fiery Oldroyd said she cofounded the Rainier Avenue South Traffic Safety Alliance and emphasized directing levy funds toward safety improvements on Rainier Avenue South. Lucy Carter Sloman, an urban designer and planner from the University District, highlighted equitable access and maintaining transportation infrastructure. Lisa Bogartas, assistant executive secretary for the Seattle Building and Construction Trades Labor Council, described her construction-management and labor-organization experience and said labor should have a continued voice on the LOC.

Committee members asked nominees about priorities and past levy projects. Nominees referenced past levy work including protected bike lanes, transit islands and neighborhood street upgrades and said they expect to focus on project delivery, safety and showing measurable results to the public. Chair Saka emphasized that the LOC was granted express audit authority in the new levy ordinance and said the committee should plan to exercise that authority over the levy’s eight-year life cycle.

The committee’s motion to recommend confirmation was moved by Chair Rob Saka and seconded; the clerk recorded the roll-call vote: Councilmember Kettle (Aye), Councilmember Strauss (Yes), Vice Chair Hollingsworth (Yes) and Chair Saka (Aye). The clerk announced “there are 4 votes in favor and 0 opposed,” and the committee sent the recommendation to the June 10 council meeting.

The Transportation Committee discussion also included context about the levy’s scope. Chair Saka described the voter-approved levy as a $1.55 billion investment that emphasizes sidewalks, Vision Zero safety measures and core asset classes such as bridges and major road repairs, and noted staffing increases SDOT plans to make to support delivery. Members urged LOC appointees to use their user-perspective insights and to ask tough questions during oversight.

The committee adjourned after the vote and the LOC confirmations will be considered by the full City Council on June 10, 2025.