As Seattle tries to tackle an estimated $175 million budget deficit, citywide Councilmember Dionne Foster has proposed two new fiscal sustainability measures designed to curb recurring, multi-year shortfalls.
The proposed legislation would establish accountability standards for both the executive and legislative branches at Seattle City Hall. Under the proposals, the mayor’s office would be mandated to submit balanced future-year financial plans for both the General Fund and the JumpStart Payroll Expense Tax Fund. In addition, the Seattle City Council would be required to ensure its final, adopted budgets maintain balanced projections over that same timeline.
The package builds upon voter-approved 2025 “Seattle Shield” legislation that cut B&O for small businesses, boosted taxes on large corporations like Amazon and Starbucks and required balanced out-year projections through 2030, but only applied that standard to the 2027 budget. Foster’s proposal aims to make multi-year fiscal discipline a permanent governing rule.
In her announcement, Foster said that the city can no longer balance its ledger year-to-year while leaving downstream deficits to future leaders. Fellow councilmembers Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Eddie Lin have voiced their support.
The council will review the proposals during budget briefings starting October 27th, with a public hearing on the 2027-2028 budget scheduled for November 5th.
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