Seattle Mayor’s budget proprosals includes cuts to close $250 million in deficits

The Seattle City Council takes up deliberations Wednesday on Mayor Bruce Harrell’s $8.3 billion budget.

The plan is aimed at closing a $250 million deficit. Harrell announced his 2025-2026 budget proposal Tuesday.

“This proposal will drive further progress without sacrificing essential services like libraries, community centers, youth programs, and critical infrastructure,” Harrell said in a statement.

The budget includes $1.9 billion in the General Fund, with significant allocations for public safety ($916 million), education and human services ($264 million), arts and recreation ($145 million), utilities and environment ($91 million), and livable communities ($57 million). The budget proposes $685 million in affordable housing over two years.

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According to The Stranger, the mayor cut 159 city jobs and $80 million in programming. He took away $330 million from JumpStart tax revenue, money earmarked for affordable housing and Green New Deal initiatives, and economic development for small businesses. Harrell said that money from the JumpStart has far exceeded expectations and should allow the city to make such a move.

Harrell emphasized the need for responsible spending to address Seattle’s most pressing issues, including public safety, the opioid crisis, and housing affordability.

Key expenditures include:

• $3.2 million to maintain 300 shelter beds.
• $1.9 million to expand the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department.
• $19.25 million for youth mental health and safety.
• $7.4 million for small business support.
• $5.7 million to establish the Opioid Recovery & Care Access (ORCA) center.
• $28 million for the Equitable Development Initiative.
• $1.2 million to double Automated School Zone Cameras.
• $3.1 million for a Real Time Crime Center.
• $2.9 million for detox and inpatient treatment beds.
• $2.7 million for firefighter and paramedic recruitment.
• $2.5 million for downtown art activations.
• $2.3 million to expand the Unified Care Team.
• $2 million for services for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.
• $500k to demolish dangerous vacant buildings.
• $350k for a supplemental environmental impact statement.

To close the deficit, the budget includes a hiring freeze, spending reductions, and the use of Payroll Expense Tax revenues, which have doubled since their introduction. The budget allocates $287 million from these revenues to support the General Fund and $233 million to specific categories, with $43 million reserved for fiscal stability.

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Public hearings are scheduled for October 16 and November 12. A final vote is expected on November 21.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.