Sammamish Council approves Adobe license renewal after debate over scope and cost

The Sammamish City Council approved a multi-license renewal for Adobe products at its Jan. 6 meeting after a detailed discussion about how many staff require the full Creative Cloud suite.

Deputy City Manager Rachel Bianchi described routine departmental uses: "We do use Adobe products in our everyday work here at the city in a variety of different uses," she said, noting communications, IT support and public-facing materials as common uses.

Council members pressed staff on whether the city needed 31 full-suite licenses and whether lower-cost alternatives could serve most users. Council member Amy Lam argued the city should limit the number of full-suite seats and proposed a more conservative allocation; she later made the motion to approve the renewal package that the council ultimately adopted.

During the discussion staff provided per-license pricing for the higher-level (full-suite) product at $1,233.12 per year and said they would scrub the list to reduce the number of full-suite seats if feasible. Staff also said the suite's economics often favor buying the full bundle when multiple Adobe products (for example, Photoshop alongside Acrobat) are in regular use.

Council then voted to approve the renewal as amended on the floor: 71 Acrobat Pro licenses, 3 "All Apps" full-suite licenses and a small Adobe Stock subscription. The motion passed on a council voice vote.

What happens next: Staff said they will audit the user list to confirm which employees need full-suite access and will return with any recommended adjustments if additional business justification is required.