During his first State of the City address, Mayor Ed Murray described his vision for a city that is a safe, vibrant, affordable, innovative, and interconnected. Since taking office in January one-hundred days ago, Mayor Murray and his administration have been working swiftly on a number of priorities that align with that vision.
Below is not a comprehensive list of everything that has been accomplished – nor is the first one-hundred days an inherently meaningful milepost – but we wanted to use this occasion as an opportunity to highlight some of the Mayor’s Office accomplishments, direction-setting and momentum moving forward.
A Safe City
- Named Seattle’s first African American Chief of Police
- Called upon Seattle police officers to embrace reform
- Federal judge approved new policies on biased policing and investigative stops
- Launched community outreach process for Seattle next Chief of Police
- Formed the Compliance Bureau within SPD, to praise from the Department of Justice
- Managed the Super Bowl Parade without an arrest or any major injuries
- Convened the first ever all-parties public safety summit including the federal monitor, the U.S. Department of Justice, Seattle Police Department, Seattle City Attorney, and City Council
- Named search firm for next police chief
- Federal judge approved new policy on crisis intervention
- Reported on community outreach process, finalized job description for next police chief
- Pledged to coordinate with the Community Police Commission, the Office of Police Accountability, the City Attorney and City Council to reform SPD’s discipline process
- Met with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss the police reform process
- Received praise from U.S. Department of Justice for “spirit of cooperation” on police reform
- Concurred with federal judge on pace of reform: “We must do better.”
A Vibrant City
- Hosted the first Neighborhood Summit in Seattle in more than a decade
- Expanded Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to better serve Seattle’s immigrant and refugee communities
- Announced $2 million investment in neighborhood business districts
- Proposed the Metropolitan Parks District, a legacy fund to keep our parks going
- Invested $1.7 million in Seattle arts organizations
- Announced a new Office of the Waterfront
- Made critical decision to keep the Seawall project moving forward
- Completed the 23rd Avenue Action Plan to improve the health and equity of three Central Area community cores.
An Affordable City
- Signed an Executive Order to raise the minimum wage for City of Seattle employees
- Launched a process to raise the minimum wage city-wide
- Signed an Executive Order to expand the Race and Social Justice Initiative
- Signed an Executive Order to strengthen the equity in City of Seattle contracting
- Stood with City Council in support of gender equity and equal pay for equal work
- Hosted Income Inequality Symposium
- Attended learning mission with Councilmembers to learn about how to make a pre-K education system work in Seattle
- Strengthened utility discount program, committed to doubling enrollment in the program
- Launched the Financial Empowerment Center with community partners.
An Interconnected City
- Launched a nationwide search to find Seattle’s next Transportation Director
- Seattle chosen to join the Green Lane Project, an intensive two year program to create protected bike lanes
- Settled Bike Master Plan appeal that began during previous administration
- Applied for federal Small Starts grant process to secure federal funding for Center City Streetcar network
- Partnered with Sens. Pedersen and Frockt and Rep. Walkinshaw to advance design of the west side of SR-520 toward a unified “Seattle” design
- Pushed for safer streets and announced the 35th Ave SW Safety Corridor Project
An Innovative City
- Launched and staffed the Office of Policy and Innovation within the Mayor’s Office
- Pushed toward a clear path forward that will provide high speed internet city-wide
- Used technology to bring new voices to the conversation through online town halls, active participation on social media, and promotion and improvement of mobile applications
- Pledged to have a “robust relationship” with the start-up community
- Re-launched growseattle.com, a site for people who want to start, grow, or green their business
- Transmitted legislation that defines micro-housing within the Land Use Code.