Seattle City Council Budget Chair Dan Strauss Releases 2027–2028 Budget Proposal Focused on Public Safety and Affordability

Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss, chair of the Select Budget Committee, released an initial proposal for the city's 2027–2028 budget on November 3, 2026. The proposal, known as the “Balancing Package,” aims to address public safety and affordability while balancing the city's budget through 2030.

The proposal incorporates amendments from all nine City Council members and includes several major funding priorities.

Key investments in the proposed budget include:

Fire Department: Restores $7.1 million in annual overtime funding cuts proposed for both 2027 and 2028. The funding is intended to help prevent increased fire unit outages.

Violent crime prevention: Allocates $5 million to address gender-based violence and more than $2 million to help the City Attorney's Office reduce a backlog of criminal cases, including cases involving domestic violence, elder abuse, stalking, and sexual harassment.

Criminal investigations: Restores funding for five civilian investigators who support police investigations involving homicides, robberies, and gun crimes.

Affordable housing: Provides a proposed $352.7 million for housing in 2027, an increase of $5 million over the mayor's proposed budget. The city also anticipates raising approximately $140 million annually for voter-approved social housing.

Homelessness services: Protects funding for shelter and housing programs and fully funds the Vehicle Resident Assistance Program, including investment in a second safe lot for people living in vehicles.

Transportation safety: Protects nearly $7 million for safe routes to schools and allocates $7 million for smaller-scale transportation safety improvements throughout Seattle. The proposal also preserves traffic safety investments on Rainier Avenue.

Strauss said the proposal is designed to maintain essential city services while addressing budget deficits. It would also preserve funding for the city's rainy-day fund, emergency fund, and reserves intended to help protect Seattle from potential federal funding cuts.

What happens next?

The Select Budget Committee is scheduled to discuss the proposal on November 4 at 9:30 a.m. A public hearing is scheduled for November 5, with remote public comment beginning at 1 p.m. and in-person comments beginning at 5 p.m.

Councilmembers are expected to review the proposal and introduce additional amendments before committee votes begin November 13. The full City Council is scheduled to take a final vote on November 20.

The proposal is not yet the city's adopted budget. It remains subject to public input, amendments, and Council approval.