Mayor proposes budget cuts to rebalance city budget

Jun 30, 2020
|
Written by wpengine
|

Facing a $300 million decline in revenues and $233 million in COVID-related spending, Mayor Jenny Durkan has proposed revisions to the City’s current FY 2020 budget. In her announcement, the Mayor identified the following sources to close the spending gap:

  • $201 million from state and federal resources including FEMA, CARES Act, Coronavirus Relief Fund, and WA Department of Commerce;
  • $62 million in emergency funds, rainy day funds and 2019 underspend;
  • $32 million in reprioritized funds for COVID-19 response;
  • $69 million in budget reductions from City departments, including $20 million from the Seattle Police Department; and
  • Explore options for an additional $11 million in savings.

Durkan’s proposed police budget cuts are the largest of any city department in the general fund.

The Council approved the city’s 2020 budget last fall before the pandemic struck the United States.

Washington Retail is closely monitoring how budget cuts could impact the growing organized retail crime problem and police response times.

Durkan has said she will entertain community input this summer to help shape police spending decisions in the 2021 city budget. Durkan’s proposal to adjusting the city budget is available in more detail here.