Governance and Utilities Committee Special Meeting: July 29, 2026

The Seattle City Council Governance and Utilities Committee held a special meeting on July 29, 2026, from 9:33 a.m. to 11:42 a.m. in Council Chamber, City Hall. Council President Joy Hollingsworth presided, with Vice Chair Debora Juarez and members Robert Kettle, Maritza Rivera, and Dan Strauss present (all five). The committee voted unanimously (5‑0) to recommend passage of three ordinances expanding utility assistance and approving water rates, and received briefings on artificial intelligence and the Technology Matching Fund.

Note: The raw transcript provided with these minutes is dated July 9, 2026, and includes agenda items (appointment, audit updates, UDP-only bill) not on the July 29 agenda. The public comments and some discussion details in that transcript refer to those earlier items. The summary below integrates information from the July 29 agenda and minutes, supplemented by relevant portions of the July 9 transcript that align with the July 29 business (the emergency assistance and water rate presentations).

Public Comments & Testimony

• The July 29 agenda included a hybrid public comment period, but the official minutes list no speakers. The raw transcript provided is dated July 9, 2026, and includes six in‑person speakers who testified in support of a separate Utility Discount Program expansion bill; those comments do not correspond to any July 29 agenda item.

Emergency Assistance Program Expansion (CB 121246 & CB 121247)

• The committee considered companion ordinances for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Seattle City Light to expand their emergency bill assistance programs. Presenters Leslie Brinson (SPU) and Melissa Bookwalter (City Light) described changes raising income eligibility from 80% of state median income to 80% of area median income. This increases the eligible population by 50% for SPU (to 39,000 households) and 37% for City Light (to 188,000 households). The amendments also: equalize the maximum assistance benefit for households with and without children; allow customers to receive the full annual benefit (approximately four months’ bills) in one application instead of multiple visits; and move program details to director’s rules for faster adjustments. The utility discount program expansion (UDP) was incorporated into the water rate ordinance.
• Vote: Unanimous 5‑0 to recommend passage as amended for both CB 121246 and CB 121247.

Water Rate Ordinance (CB 121245)

• Andrew Lee, General Manager/CEO of SPU, and Maria Coe, Rates and Financial Planning Manager, presented the 2027‑2029 water rate proposal. The proposed rates are 4.3% per year, below the 6.5% annual average projected in the 2025‑2030 Strategic Business Plan. The lower rate path is attributed to favorable construction bids, underspending, and conservative bond assumptions. New investments include moving Tolt water treatment in‑house, transferring hydrant inspections from the Fire Department, land acquisition in the Tolt watershed, and advanced metering infrastructure. The bill also incorporates an amendment (Amendment 1) that:
  • Changes the eligibility threshold for the Utility Discount Program from 70% of state median income to 60% of area median income, effective January 1, 2027 (instead of April 1, 2027).
  • Adds an annual reporting requirement on UDP participation and enrollment efforts through 2031.
• Rate impact: The average single‑family residential bill will increase by $2.82 per month in 2027; UDP‑qualified households will see a $1.41 increase.
• Vote: Unanimous 5‑0 to recommend passage as amended.

Artificial Intelligence Investment and Usage Reports (Inf 2889)

• Shannon Smith, Acting Chief Technology Officer, along with Lisa Qian and Will Smith from the Seattle Information Technology Department, presented a response to Statement of Legislative Intent ITD‑010S‑A‑2. The briefing outlined the city’s AI investments and usage reports. No formal action was taken; it was received as an information item.

Technology Matching Fund Program Overview (Inf 2924)

• Presenters from Seattle IT (Shannon Smith, Meira Jough), the Department of Neighborhoods (Jenny Crooks), the Digital Equity Learning Network (Katherine VanHenley), and the Community Technology Advisory Board (Phillip Meng) provided an overview of the Technology Matching Fund, along with comments from grantees. The committee received the briefing without a vote.

Key Outcomes

• CB 121246 (SPU Emergency Assistance): Recommended to City Council as amended (5‑0).
• CB 121247 (City Light Emergency Assistance): Recommended to City Council as amended (5‑0).
• CB 121245 (Water Rates): Recommended to City Council as amended (5‑0), with UDP expansion and reporting requirements.
• The three council bills will be placed on a future City Council agenda for final approval.
• The two information items (Inf 2889 and Inf 2924) were accepted and will remain part of the official record.