THE READER
From the Office of Mayor Mike McGinn
News, Updates, and Information
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012

Seattle Jobs Plan supports jobs creation
Standing with business, labor and community leaders two years after the launch of the Seattle Jobs Plan, Mayor McGinn updated the public on progress made and future efforts to support job creation in Seattle. The Jobs Plan focuses on partnerships the City is taking to help Seattle innovate, educate, and build.

“This year has brought some of the most favorable economic news we’ve seen in Seattle since the Great Recession began in 2007,” said McGinn. “Seattle’s diverse economy is outperforming the region, the state, and the country in our rate of job growth and our retail sales. Existing businesses are expanding and new ones are being launched. This positive news is a testament to the hard work and creative thinking of Seattle residents and businesses.”

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Every day in school matters
Mayor McGinn and Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda announced the launch of the second year of Be Here Get There, a data-driven, incentive-based campaign designed to raise awareness and improve academic achievement by improving citywide school attendance.

“Research has shown that students with more than 20 absences per year have less than a one in five chance of graduating from high school,” said Mayor McGinn. “We need to all work together to get our kids in school.”

Every day in school matters. Seattle Public Schools (SPS) has set a goal to reduce the number of students at-risk for chronic absenteeism: 80 percent of students will have fewer than 10 absences in school year 2012 – 2013.

Last year, on average, SPS achieved their goal of fewer than 10 days missed per student, with a 4 percent improvement in the percentage of days missed by all students.

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Arena project moving forward
Mayor McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine signed legislation moving the new arena project forward. We gathered at the Rainier Boys and Girls Club to celebrate this important milestone. Thank you to all our partners, including Chris Hansen, for helping us get here.

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Seattle promotes innovation in achieving energy efficiency
Mayor McGinn announced an innovative approach to helping commercial electric utility customers achieve energy savings. The Mayor announced a three- year pilot project that will test an energy conservation concept known as “pay for performance.”

“The city is looking for ways to help businesses be creative in their approach to saving energy,” McGinn said. “Rather than prescribing how businesses achieve energy savings, we will seek three commercial office buildings to partner with us in developing innovative and verifiable approaches for conservation.”

Seattle City Light plans to issue a request for proposals (RFP) early in November.

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Upcoming events (for more see http://seattle.gov/mayor/Engage/access.htm):

Oct 23, 5:30 p.m. – Loyal Heights neighborhood town hall with Mayor McGinn, Philadelphia Church Bible College (2363 NW 80th St)

Oct 24, 10:00 a.m. – Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Field Hearing on Debt Collection, Seattle Public Library (1000 4th Ave)

Oct 24, 7:00 p.m. – Ask the Mayor on Seattle Channel 21 – Call-in number is 684-8821

Oct 25, 1:00 p.m. – Energy, Utility and Resource Fair, Asian Counseling & Referral Service (3639 Martin Luther King Jr Way S)

Oct 25, 5:30 p.m. (5:00 sign-up) – City Council Budget Public Hearing, Council Chambers (600 4th Ave)

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Video highlights (for more see seattle.gov/mayor/photos/videos.htm)

Announcing investments in the Streetcar	Overview of “Pay for Performance” program

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What we’re reading:
Making lives better makes for a safer downtown

Got crowds? Metro says West Seattle bus ridership rose 26 percent

Hockey hotbed? Some signs show support for NHL in Seattle

MassDOT Secretary: “We Will Build No More Superhighways”

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Posted by: Nathaniel Merrill