Bellevue City Council Regular Meeting – September 22, 2026

The Bellevue City Council met on September 22, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting began with a proclamation declaring October 2026 as Domestic Violence Action Month, followed by oral communications, approval of the consent calendar, and two study sessions: the Sustainable Bellevue Plan Biannual Update and Budget Deliberations for the 2027-2028 biennium. Council members heard public testimony, discussed progress toward climate goals, and reviewed revenue forecasts and capital improvement plans.

Consent Calendar

• Council approved the consent calendar, which included minutes from September 8, 2026, and Ordinance ORD 6940 authorizing land acquisition for the 120th Avenue NE Stage 4 project. The motion carried unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Alex Zimmerman spoke critically of the council, alleging that the city prioritizes corporations over people and that Mayor Robinson and Mayor Mo Muhammad have implemented restrictive policies. He also called two council members derogatory names.
• A second speaker expressed concerns about livability, citing new land use codes, rising taxes, and AI in permitting.
• Cholimboy Washington, a new resident and climate refugee, praised the city's transportation, but noted experiences of racism and questioned the mentality of some residents.
• Joe Kensler condemned Mr. Zimmerman's use of offensive language, stating it should be universally condemned. He also suggested the city allocate more time for public comment and show the speaker on camera.

Discussion Items

Sustainable Bellevue Plan Biannual Update

• Staff presented progress since the plan's adoption in November 2025. Achievements included: 388 heat pumps installed via Energy Smart Eastside (1,000 total across the region), launch of Climate Leaders and e-bike rebate programs, grid capacity study completed, Fire Station 10 achieving LEED Gold and Salmon Safe certification, and 43 staff trained in Envision sustainability framework.
• Community-wide emissions are 12% below the 2011 baseline, not on track for the 50% reduction by 2030 goal (potentially achievable by 2035 with acceleration). Municipal operations have exceeded 2030 targets and are on track for 2040 carbon neutrality.
• Proposed 2027-2028 work plan includes a building decarbonization study and a partnership with Washington State Green Bank for low-interest green loans.
• Council questions focused on: measuring program outcomes (Councilmember Newhouse), equity in outreach (Councilmember Newhouse), cost-effectiveness and ROI (Councilmember Newhouse, Councilmember Robinson, Councilmember Barabbo), EV charger utilization (Councilmember Newhouse), accountability when state/federal partners fail (Mayor), and identifying trade-offs between city facility upgrades and community programs (Mayor). Councilmember Barabbo emphasized that 2050 goals are non-negotiable.

Budget Deliberations: Preliminary 2027-2028 Operating Budget and 2027-2032 CIP

• Chief Financial Officer John Reesha presented revenue forecasts, economic assumptions (inflation at 3.8% CPI-W in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, interest rate hike, geopolitical instability), and the capital improvement program (six-year spending plan of $1.3 billion).
• Tax revenues are forecast to grow 4-6% annually. Property tax: a proposed 1% increase would raise $900,000 and cost median homeowner $15.70/year; the city receives only 13% of total property tax paid.
• Total revenues for the biennium are $2.2 billion; proposed spending is $2.3 billion (including capital). Operating spending is $1.8 billion.
• Reserves include a 60-day operating reserve, compensation risk reserves, equipment replacement reserves, and investment reserves (arts, fire, housing, municipal parks). Ending fund balance is projected between $29-50 million.
• Staff emphasized a conservative approach: revenue forecasts are based on current trends, not assuming faster recovery. Internal reallocation and reduction efforts were used to stabilize services without new taxes (e.g., ending a Gartner contract, reprioritizing Community Development programs).
• Council questions addressed: timing of human service funding (Councilmember Robinson – will be discussed October 20), how CIP portfolios are prioritized (Councilmember Barabbo – dedicated revenues drive allocations), what triggers a budget revisit (Councilmember Newhouse, Councilmember Barabbo – staff track monthly; a multi-month trend would prompt action), risk from tech layoffs (Councilmember Newhouse – B&O and sales tax in Bellevue recovering, but monitoring), and how council can oversee CIP adjustments (Councilmember Samudawiri – council adopts CIP and approves amendments). Mayor noted permitting pipeline is near $1 billion but actual construction timing uncertain.

Key Outcomes

• Domestic Violence Action Month proclamation for October 2026 was read by Councilmember Robinson, and the police chief expressed gratitude.
• Consent calendar approved unanimously.
• No formal votes were taken on the study session items; they were for discussion and will lead to further budget conversations on October 6 (transportation) and October 20 (strategic target areas).
• Council directed staff to include more cost-effectiveness and quantification of GHG reductions in future reports, and to explore increasing human service funding on a regular basis.