Committee forwards budget amendment, staff warns red‑light revenue drop could strain police funding

At a May 26 meeting of the Finance, Economic Development & Regional Affairs Committee, members voted to forward a budget‑amendment ordinance to a public hearing and first reading on June 16, 2026. The amendment, described by staff as a bookkeeping step to record grants and transfers already approved by council, adds multiple revenue and expense lines to the biennial budget.

"The purpose of a budget amendment is to bring things … that weren't known at the time of adoption," said Steve Groom, who presented the proposal. He listed additions including a King County parks levy allocation, a congressionally directed grant of $850,000 for the downtown civic center project, a $196,000 CDBG allocation for the same project, a $120,000 Port of Seattle economic development grant, roughly $115,000 for farmers‑market operations, a $50,000 public‑defense grant, and cultural festival grant funding.

Groom emphasized that most items have already been approved at the council level and that the amendment simply adds the revenue and corresponding expenses into the city's financial plan. He told the committee some items come from fund balances and that project‑level approvals will be required before spending begins.

Council members pressed staff on timing and revenue assumptions. Council Member Melissa Hamilton asked when the recently passed 1% criminal‑justice sales tax would appear in the city's receipts; Groom said the tax becomes effective July 1 and that the city should see receipts on roughly a two‑month lag once retailers forward collections to the state.

The committee also heard a warning about a steep drop in red‑light camera revenue. "It's down 40%," Groom said, summarizing the revenue decline to date and noting that lower citation revenue affects funding for positions tied to that stream. Council President Susan Honda and other members expressed concern that reduced camera receipts could leave a funding gap for police staffing and related services and said the council will address options in the next biennial budget, including possibly backfilling with utility tax or other sources.

Resident Paul McDaniel, during the public‑comment period, urged the committee to scrutinize where money is coming from and to seek more detail about large settlements and how favorable expenditures might indicate delayed projects or services. "When you dig into it... there's $100,000 in settlements," McDaniel said.

Committee action: Council Member Jack Walsh moved to forward the ordinance to a public hearing and first reading on June 16, 2026; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

What comes next: The ordinance will appear for public hearing and first reading on June 16, with a planned second reading on July 7 if the council follows the projected schedule.

Votes at a glance: forward budget amendment to June 16 public hearing and first reading — motion carried (voice vote).