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Councilors debate plan to delay universal meals and redirect FEPP funds to weekend and break aid
Summary
An amendment proposed delaying universal school meals to 2027–28 and redirecting $3 million across six years to weekend and school-break food assistance; sponsors argued it targets highest-need students while opponents — including many public commenters and multiple council members — urged immediate universal meals and warned of funding and stigma risks. Final vote postponed to July 22.
Council President and Vice Chair Hollingsworth and Councilmember Foster co-sponsored Amendment 6, which would add $500,000 per year (total $3,000,000 over six years) to provide food assistance to low-income students over weekends and school breaks (excluding summer) via vouchers or similar distribution. The amendment funds that program by delaying the proposed universal school meals program to the 2027–28 school year and reallocating the initial year of universal-meal funding.
"This amendment would add $500,000 a year for a total of $3,000,000 over the 6-year levy period to provide food assistance to low-income students over weekends and school breaks," central staff summarized when the amendment was introduced. Council President Hollingsworth framed the amendment as a way to "close the weekend food gap" and to prioritize the highest-need ZIP codes and schools, citing high rates of food insecurity in Southeast Seattle.
Opponents, including Councilmember Saka and numerous public commenters, warned the delay would erode momentum and stigma reduction achieved by universal meals. Councilmember Saka said, "I don't wanna wait another year plus for this," arguing that implementation readiness favored launching universal meals now.
Central staff clarified the universal school meals line item had not been explicitly included in the ballot materials the voters saw; staff also explained the amendment's proposed reallocation would reduce the levy cost-and-risk reserve from the originally estimated 2.5 percent to roughly 0.35 percent for the first two years, reducing cushion for inflation or overruns.
The committee did not vote on Amendment 6 on July 8; the chair postponed votes on all amendments to July 22.
