We are the undersigned community members are committed to closing the “food security gap,” which refers to people who are cut off from eligibility for food assistance but struggle to put healthy food on the table for them and their families. Almost half (45%) of food-insecure households earn above 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and in King County an estimated 271,380 households (10%) cannot reliability put enough food on their table.
In Seattle, where the cost of living is so high, the eligibility requirement doesn’t cut it for families in need. Groceries cost more in Seattle than all other Washington cities. In fact, the consumer price index for grocers in Seattle is 15% higher than the national average.
We ask that the City of Seattle to conduct a Racial Equity Toolkit process and engage with communities that will be most negatively impacted by this proposal. We also propose that revenues generated by the tax help to address the public health concerns necessitating this proposal – through targeted investments in food security programs are vital to expanding access to healthy food, creating a sustainable, local food system, and stimulating economic activity.
