Councilmember Woo Celebrates Major Wins in Newly Approved 2025-26 Budget

Supporting youth, public safety, workforce development, and more

Today, City Councilmember Tanya Woo(Position 8) celebrated the success of each of her sponsored amendments to the newly adopted 2025-26 biennial budget.

"I'm grateful to my colleagues for their overwhelming support of our budget proposals, addressing Seattle's most pressing issues with special attention on our most challenged communities," said Councilmember Woo. "We're so pleased to have this Council's partnership in these new investments in youth, job training, and neighborhood safety."

Newly won budget amendments include:

• $1 million for public safety - expanding drug-diversion services for struggling neighbors; safety ambassadors for commuting children and elders in the CID (Chinatown International District); and other safety initiatives. Additionally, Woo's amendments designate $238K for targeted sanitation services in CID; and bring $70K in additional funds for drug diversion and outreach, all in 2025.
• $450K for a Mobile Medication Unit for downtown and the CID - Woo partnered with Council President Sara Nelson for funding to purchase of a mobile medication unit to be operated by Evergreen Treatment Services at places such as 3^rd/Pike and Little Saigon
• $30K for libraries - Woo's amendments included a proposal to direct $30K to Seattle Public Libraries to prevent planned cuts to spending on magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and reference books.

Councilmember Woo also celebrated the citywide launch of her signature CO-MADE initiative, which stands for "Community Organizing, Mutual Aid, and De-Escalation."

• $279K for grassroot neighborhood safety initiative - modeled on Woo's experiences in the CID, the CO-MADE program is a new initiative that will empower neighbors with training and best-practices to support neighborhood-based safety.

Additional key budget wins stewarded by Councilmember Woo's office include:

• $4 million for youth affordable housing - tenant improvements to YouthCare's Constellation Center on Capitol Hill, serving recently unhoused youth.
• $500K for young people in the arts workforce - supporting Bumbershoot's Workforce Development program, a tuition free program which supports young adults in the music industry.
• Securing arts program funding and the Admissions Tax fund - retaining Admissions Tax funding within the Office of Arts & Culture and protecting funding opportunities for arts programs.
• $800K for the Duwamish Valley workforce and small businesses - preserving this funding as part of a commitment to sustainability job growth, community resilience, and an equitable clean energy economy.
• $500K for abused deaf women - supporting victims of gender-based violence, such as those served by Washington Deaf Women's Advocacy Services.
• $300K to support refugee women - supporting organizations such as Lake City's Refugee Artisan Initiative who support refugee women in overcoming barriers to employment and reducing waste in our economy.
• Support for legacy homeowners - exploring protections for legacy homeowners who are often targeted by predatory real estate speculators by establishing a cease-and-desist program modeled after a similar program in New York State.
• $5 million for Seattle Chinese Garden improvements - supporting the garden's role as a community hub for festivals, educational programming, tourism, and more.

The Budget Committee ultimately added funds for the Seattle Channel, tiny house villages, food access, tax preparations services, 30×30, tenant protections, as well as several other budget priorities Councilmember Woo has championed this year.

Next Steps

Upon approval by the Council, the budget package now goes to the Mayor for his signature.

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