Public Affairs Videos

Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck (Position 8) urges her colleagues to support several proposed amendments to the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy. She is joined by community partners to discuss the importance and impact of the amendments. Pending approval by the special committee, a vote to refer the proposal to the November ballot is expected Tuesday, June 17.

"I am so proud of the amendments that my office has introduced in partnership with community organizations and coalitions that have been working with students and families every single day,” said Councilmember Rinck. “These amendments were drafted in consultation with the Keep Your Promise Coalition which includes organizations such as Seattle Student Union, the Washington NAACP Youth Council, Community Passageways, Washington Youth Alliance Action Funds, People Power Washington, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Tech4Housing, Seattle Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators, Puget Sound Sage, Washington Building Leaders of Change, Washington Bus, and Washington Ethnic Studies Now. I want to thank them again for their collaboration and engagement on this critical levy renewal."

“These much-needed additions guard against the school-to-prison pipeline (amendment no. 1), puts the safety of students first, and protects schools as learning spaces that should not be interrupted by fear. In a moment where police departments, locally and nationally, have outsized power to criminalize and punish vulnerable communities, it is necessary to put in place guidance that protects FEPP dollars from being used for criminalization of students,” noted the Keep Your Promise Coalition, a local partnership of students, educators, staff and community.  

“Additional amendments to put money for fresh produce directly into families' pockets (amendment no. 5), to designate FEPP funding for restorative practices in schools (amendment no. 7), and to promise at-risk communities that Seattle will help keep them safe from undue attacks (amendment no. 8), provide critical resourcing for restorative practices that will allow these non-punitive security measures to be fully effective. We, as a local coalition of students, educators, and community members, call on community and councilmembers to support these amendments," the group concluded.  

The proposed Amendment 4 and Amendment 5 have also earned support from The Sweetened Beverage Tax Community Advisory Board as part of their 2025-2026 Budget Recommendations.

Speakers and attendees include:

Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Seattle City Council

Katherine Ichinose, Program Manager, Seattle Student Union

Tim Warden-Hertz, Directing Attorney, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Lena Nguyen, Restorative Justice Practitioner, WA BLOC 

Yuna Martin, Youth Organizer, FEEST Seattle

Chetan Soni, Executive Director, Washington Youth Alliance