Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide) has been appointed to serve on the Board of Local Progress, an organization comprised of a national network of progressive elected officials committed to reclaiming the power that cities and counties have, and to advancing a shared vision of economic prosperity, equal justice under law, livable and sustainable […]

Budgeting with Lorena The Seattle City Council’s budget deliberations are in full swing! Mayor Jenny A. Durkan delivered her 2019-2020 proposed budget to the Seattle City Council on September 24, 2018. I remain committed to sharing with my constituents accessible information about the City Council’s budget deliberations and my budget priorities. To that end, we […]

Today is the start of the budget season. The City Council is required by law to pass a balanced budget, which is how we outline city priorities and show you, the taxpayers, how we are spending your tax dollars on city services. Each week, I’ll be sharing with you an inside look at how the […]

September Means #BackToSchool! Congratulations to all of the students who returned to school this month!  And a mighty congratulations to Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association on reaching an agreement on a new teachers’ contract. To celebrate the kick off of another school year, my office delivered more than 20 backpacks and #BackToSchool […]

This past weekend, the City of Seattle, in partnership with dozens of community-based organizations and coalitions, hosted Seattle United for Immigrants and Refugees Mega-Workshop where 491 legal permanent residents received citizenship assistance and 535 people received immigration legal consultations. The event brought together 800 volunteers to provide a meaningful service for many of our neighbors […]

For almost 15 years, I have worked on championing civil rights for the people of Seattle and Washington State. That work has included advocating for an inclusive work force, suing large corporations and government when anti-discrimination laws were violated and mentoring young people of color, especially women of color. Indeed, in my office, three of […]

Councilmember Lorena González issued the following statement regarding today’s upcoming decision to introduce legislation to revise the City’s encampment clear out policy: “In two months, the City of Seattle will be recognizing the one-year anniversary of the declaration of a State of Emergency on Homelessness.  Sadly, in the almost twelve months since that declaration, we […]

Over the past several months, the Gender Equity, Safe Communities & New Americans committee (GESCNA) has had multiple public hearings regarding the design, operations and cost of a new police precinct that would serve all of North Seattle (Council Districts 4, 5 and 6).  The current Seattle Police Department’s North Precinct serves approximately forty percent […]

En Español In English We are a nation of immigrants. Our greatest national monument, the Statue of Liberty, is etched with the words: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Today, those words are weighing heavily on my mind and heart. This morning the U.S. Supreme Court issued a […]

Thank you for taking time to write in about Pronto Bike Share.  Over the past several weeks, I have received hundreds of calls and e-mails both expressing support for and opposition against saving the existing bike share system. I will be frank: I struggled with this decision.  That struggle was wedged between my belief that […]