Renton council adopts mid‑biennial budget amendment after 5–2 vote; attempt to pause cuts to Electronic Home Monitoring fails

The Renton City Council voted 5–2 to adopt a 2025–26 biannual budget amendment on second and final reading after extended debate over a proposed cut to the city’s Electronic Home Monitoring (EHM) program.

Councilmember Van and Councilmember Rivera led the debate over the EHM line item. Rivera introduced an amendment asking the council to “hold off on defunding/dissolving our EHM program and to hold off until the next budget cycle,” arguing the city had not exhausted other revenue and community‑engagement options and warning that privatizing the program would expose immigrant participants’ data to private companies. The council voted on the amendment and it failed 4–3.

Supporters of the ordinance said the amendment would delay needed fiscal decisions and that the broader budget includes market‑rate compensation adjustments for non‑represented employees intended to keep high‑level staff. “Before I vote, I do want to give kudos to the city for actually proactively doing the research, and for bringing our non‑represented employees’ compensation in line with what the market is seeing around the region,” said Council President Elverson before voting in favor.

Opponents focused on the human cost of the…