City Council talks public finance of Council elections, hears from SDOT on ‘time of day’ parking pricing

The Seattle Districts Now plan

The City Council will hold a public hearing Monday to discuss proposed legislation to put public campaign finance for Council election on Seattle’s November ballot with goals of increasing electoral competitiveness, reducing financial barriers to running for office and increasing the role of small donors. The 2:30 PM hearing will be the first public discussion of the program that would raise about $1.5 million a year from a proposed property tax, according to the Seattle Times. To qualify for the financing, a City Council candidate would need to attract “a minimum of 600 donors of $10 or more” in the election year up to the end of the filing period.
Also gearing up for November’s ballot, Seattle Districts Now, the group that has been working to gather signatures to put its initiative to transform Seattle’s City Council into a district-based structure, say it has surpassed its goal and will be turning in its roster this week. “Seattle Districts Now will be presenting over 45,000 signatures on petitions to the City Clerk to place City Charter Amendment 19 on the November 5 ballot. Only 30,943 signatures are required,” a statement sent to media Sunday night read. CHS wrote about the district effort here last fall.
2012’s adjusted parking rates will get an update later this sumer
SDOT’s parking managers will brief the Council’s transportation committee Tuesday on the city’s efforts to continue moving toward “performance-base” pricing for street parking. The presentation will explain how SDOT works to “adjust rates higher or lower in neighborhood parking areas based on measured occupancy so that approximately one or two open spaces are available on each blockface throughout the day” — with an emphasis on throughout the day. According to the presentation, SDOT won’t consider moving to adjusting its rates based on “time of day” until 2014 or 2015. The department’s annual study of parking trends in the city is expected later this month.