CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the 2018 Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy; amending the levy implementation and evaluation plan adopted by Ordinance 125807; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, by Ordinance 125604, The City of Seattle (“City”) placed before voters a proposition authorizing the City to levy additional taxes for up to seven years for the purpose of providing education-support services designed to improve access to early learning and high-quality preschool, kindergarten to twelfth-grade (“K-12”) school and community-based investments, K-12 school health, and post-secondary and job readiness opportunities for Seattle students; and
WHEREAS, on November 6, 2018, the City’s voters approved the proposition and the property tax levy, also known as the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy; and
WHEREAS, Section 7 of Ordinance 125604 provides that FEPP Levy proceeds will be used for education-support services spent in accordance with an implementation and evaluation plan (“Plan”) approved by City Council; and
WHEREAS, on April 22, 2019, the City Council approved the current Plan under Ordinance 125807; and
WHEREAS, Section 7 of Ordinance 125604 provides that the Plan may be amended by ordinance; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 126067, Ordinance 126259, and Ordinance 126259 previously modified the Plan and have since expired; and
WHEREAS, on May 7, 2021, Governor Inslee signed into law the Fair Start for Kids Act, which adopted State Median Income as the metric to determine eligibility for Washington State early learning and child care subsidy programs; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) has adopted the State Median Income as a metric to align with statewide programs; and
WHEREAS, DEEL wishes to align criteria in the Plan with similar county, state, and federal programs and update the Plan to reflect disruptions and emergent needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the Executive has sought the review and recommendation of the Levy Oversight Committee created under Ordinance 125604 with respect to amending the Plan; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Plan previously approved by Ordinance 125807 and attached to this ordinance as Attachment 1 is amended as provided in Attachment 2 to this ordinance, consistent with the purposes and intent of Ordinance 125604.
Section 2. To the extent that any language in the amended Plan conflicts with language in prior Council resolutions, the language in the amended Plan shall control.
Section 3. Any act consistent with the authority of this ordinance taken prior to its effective date is ratified and confirmed.
Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2022, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2022.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this ________ day of _________________, 2022.
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2022.
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Elizabeth M. Adkisson, Interim City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - The Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Attachment 2 - The Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy Implementation and Evaluation Plan, as amended