Budget Committee

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Heard public comment from over 50 residents on the 2025 proposed budget. Main themes related to:

• Increasing emergency loans for small business owners, especially along Lake Street
• Concerns about the price and impact of the proposed Labor Standards Board, which would advise the council on labor matters
• Increasing affordable housing funding and studying social housing options
• Funding co-enforcement, which provides education on worker rights

Received a presentation on participatory budgeting options, ways for residents to give input on budget priorities. Implementation would take specific steps to ensure engagement and success.

Unanimously approved a reappropriation of almost $15 million of remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to a category called revenue replacement. Unobligated funds will be returned to the federal government if not spent and change to revenue replacement minimizes risk of this happening. Program budgets remain the same with the category change.