Council Advances Balancing Package for Seattle Budget
Budget chair Dan Strauss released a package of proposed changes that includes portions of Councilmember Rob Saka's amendments.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Civic Engagement
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Seattle City Council Budget chair Dan Strauss announced the council's balancing package of proposed budget changes. The package includes more than a dozen of Councilmember Rob Saka's original 20 proposed amendments, some at reduced levels.
Why it matters
Inclusion in the balancing package does not guarantee a proposal will be in the final budget plan. Residents in Seattle, including West Seattle, Delridge and Alki, will see which local priorities advance through committee review.
The package allocates $7 million in one-time general fund money to the District Project Fund CIP Project and $750,000 to senior centers. Funding for more pothole repairs and a North Delridge supermarket study was not included.
The players
Dan Strauss
Dan Strauss is a Seattle City Councilmember who serves as chair of the council's Budget Committee and leads its budget balancing process.
Rob Saka
Rob Saka is a Seattle City Councilmember who submitted 20 proposed budget amendments, several of which were partly included in the balancing package.
The details
Budget chair Dan Strauss announced the package, which includes $125,000 for recreational programming at Alki Community Center and $250,000 toward a veterans' shelter and service campus plan in West Seattle. It also includes $200,000 for sports events promotion.
Timeline
Nov. 4, 2026, 9:30 a.m.: Select Budget Committee meets to present and discuss the package.
Nov. 5, 2026: Budget Committee holds a public hearing where residents can weigh in.
Nov. 13, 2026, 9:30 a.m.: Committee voting on the budget begins.
Civic Process
The balancing package operates within Seattle's standard budget cycle, where individual councilmember amendments are consolidated by the Budget chair before committee voting. Proposals not included in the package, such as pothole repairs, can still be raised in later amendments before the final vote.
Residents can attend the Nov. 5 public hearing to comment on priorities like the Delridge art wall, West Seattle business cleaning, and senior center services. Items not in the package may still be raised through individual amendments before the final vote.
The takeaway
Residents who want to influence the outcome can track the committee schedule and speak at the Nov. 5 public hearing before voting begins Nov. 13. Early engagement is most effective while amendments are still being considered.
What happens next
The Select Budget Committee meets Nov. 4 at 9:30 a.m., followed by a public hearing Nov. 5 and committee voting beginning Nov. 13 at 9:30 a.m.
Further reading
Learn more about how residents can take part in local decisions through Civic Engagement coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by West Seattle Blog....
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