🍎 Students will eat for free this fall

Mayor and City Council Unite on Universal School Meals

After extensive debate, public outcry and dueling proposals, it appears that City Council and Mayor Katie Wilson have settled on a way to feed as many Seattle public school students as possible. On Tuesday, City Council voted 9-0 to implement both hotly debated initiatives: free breakfast and lunch for all students and food assistance for low-income students during weekends and school breaks. Both student food assistance programs would start this fall. [City of Seattle]

• First year’s funding still requires a vote: The new “unified” plan sources funding from multiple pots of money. Around $4.74 million in funding for free lunch and breakfast, as well as another $3.9 million for six years of food assistance vouchers on weekends and breaks, will come from the city’s $1.3 billion Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) property tax levy. However, the FEPP levy will only start funding universal school meals in the 2027-28 school year. For the upcoming school year, the city council still has to vote on paying for this program with the city’s general fund. The budget is facing a $175 million deficit, but councilmember and budget chair Dan Strauss says the additional funds for universal free meals this year will come from other programs’ underspent funds. [Seattle Times, The Stranger]
• What about the millionaires’ tax? Some council members were initially concerned that funding for these programs would come from the Millionaires’ Tax revenues — which faces a repeal vote in November. If the tax is not repealed, funding is still expected to come from the revenue brought in by that 9.9% tax on households earning more than $1 million per year. [Seattle Times]
• “This was never an 'either-or’”: Council President Joy Hollingsworth and Councilmember Dionne Foster were the original sponsors of the amendment to create the voucher program, which would have delayed Mayor Wilson’s universal free school meals program. Now, the two proposals have been united beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. The vote on the final source of funding will take place August 4 at 9:30 a.m. in the Finance, Native Communities, and Tribal Governments Committee. [City of Seattle]

⌚ Bite of Seattle releases statement: The California-based company that owns the Bite of Seattle, FoodieLand, released a statement on Instagram about 30 hours after the shooting took place. In part, they wrote, “Our focus is on supporting those affected and working closely with authorities during this difficult time." However, KIRO 7 reported vendors had received little to no communication directly from the event organizers. There are now fundraisers to support the families of victims Ashley Whitehead and Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba. [KIRO 7]

🚙 Discounted tolls for low-income drivers: The Washington State Transportation Commission recently approved a new program offering a 50% toll reduction on portions of SR 509 and SR 167. Discounts will be available starting in December, but only apply to drivers with Go To Go! passes. Eligible drivers (yes, this program is means-tested) with daily commutes on those routes could save a couple hundred dollars a year. [Washington State Standard]

🎓 Tech issues lead to bar exam cancellations: 645 future lawyers were left in a tough spot after technology issues delayed and then canceled the multi-day bar exams scheduled this week in Yakima. The exam is only held twice a year, and many of these students had jobs or other plans waiting that were dependent on them taking the exams. The next available exams are in Tacoma in early September or February. [Seattle Times]