Seattle, WA- Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell is releasing the 2025-2026 Proposed Budget. In this budget, Mayor Harrell is continuing to make needed investments and take bold action to address the urgent needs of our communities and advance our One Seattle priorities. Mayor Harrell’s budget proposal remains focused on strengthening public safety, creating housing affordability, and supporting healthy, vibrant, and thriving communities, while also responding to a $251 million general fund deficit with a balanced budget.
The general fund deficit and fiscal position meant difficult choices that were not required in recent past budget cycles. The proposed budget seeks to continue to deliver positive progress, in addition to optimizing use of limited dollars toward key priorities and driving efficiencies. With the investments in this budget proposal, we can work together to advance our shared One Seattle vision and an agenda that will inspire the best in our city and keep us moving forward.
OSE’s 2025-2026 proposed budget reflects Seattle’s commitment to responding to the climate crises through Mayor Harrell’s One Seattle Climate Justice Agenda to achieve a healthy, sustainable city for every resident, and builds on the $30+ million in state and federal funds our office has earned this year. For the Office of Sustainability & Environment, key highlights included in the mayor’s proposed budget include:
Building an Equitable Clean Energy Economy
The proposed 2025-2026 budget continues key clean energy apprenticeships and workforce development capacity to connect climate policies to the needs of an inclusive and equitable and low carbon economy, and continued investment in Duwamish Valley Youth Leadership. Highlights include:
- Ongoing capacity to support partnership and coordinated action to advance clean energy workforce development.
- Continued investment in clean energy apprenticeships ($1M) to support contractors with inclusive job readiness so workers are ready for clean energy jobs.
- Continued support for youth leadership in the Duwamish Valley ($500K).
Ensuring a Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
The proposed 2025-2026 budget affirms Seattle’s commitment to community-led environmental and climate justice action by providing new capacity, technical assistance, and incentives to support residents, businesses, organizations, and workers reduce energy use and carbon pollution. Highlights include:
- Continued funding for the Seattle Clean Buildings Accelerator ($4.5M) to help buildings owned- by or serving frontline communities (like community centers, low-income housing facilities, and non-profits) implement capital projects to reduce energy and emissions.
- Ongoing staffing and funding to implement Seattle Building Emissions Performance Standards to reduce emissions from Seattle’s largest existing commercial and multifamily buildings.
- Continued capacity and incentives ($800K) to help residents leverage rebates to make the transition from dirty oil heat to clean electric heat pumps through Seattle Clean Heat Program.
- Maintaining investments ($1.5M) in the Municipal Energy and Emissions Program to drive resource efficiency and decarbonization across Seattle’s municipal building portfolio.
Building Healthy, Climate Resilient Communities
The proposed 2025 budget prioritizes holistic investments in resilience and environmental justice, prioritizing community-led programs and projects in communities most impacted by climate impacts. 2025 Highlights include:
- Continued investment in Fresh Bucks healthy food benefits, which provides fruits and vegetables to 12,000 Seattle residents.
- Maintaining and streamlining environmental justice grantmaking to support community-led solutions to address racial, economic, and environmental injustice ($1.05M).
- Continue investing in new tree planting in low canopy neighborhoods at higher risk for extreme heat, pollution, and health disparities ($300K).
- Expanded capacity to support climate data and reporting ($100K), including updates to Urban Forestry data and measuring climate impacts.
Next Steps
Over the next two months, the City Council will review the Mayor’s 2025-2026 Proposed Budget. Public hearings are on October 16 and November 12. Final adoption of the budget is expected on Tuesday, November 21. You can also direct any questions to MOS_COMMS@seattle.gov.
Read the Mayor’s press release for more information on the proposed budget.