“I only take an average worker’s wage and donate the rest of my salary to help build social justice movements.” – Councilmember Kshama Sawant
Every Councilmember faces a choice of who they represent and which world they inhabit. My place is with working people and their struggles. I was elected to give a voice to working people, union members, women, people of color and immigrants. In line with the principles of the political party I represent, Socialist Alternative, I pledge to stay accountable to working people by taking only the average worker’s wage.
Seattle City Councilmembers receive over $117,000 a year – the second highest of any city council in the country. Inevitably, such a salary removes Councilmembers from the realities of life for poor and working people.
I take home just $40,000 per year. This amount is roughly the full-time take-home pay of an average Seattleite. The remainder of my salary goes to a Solidarity Fund to help build social justice movements.
Towards the end of each calendar year, and more regularly as needed, I will give a full account of my income and how my Solidarity Fund is being used.
Annual Solidarity Fund Amount: $42,000
| 15 Now | $15,000 |
| Transit Riders Union | $700 |
| Seattle People’s Climate March | $1,845 |
| Puget Sound Sage | $500 |
| Socialist Alternative | $14,500 |
| Jess Spear for State House | $1,900 |
| Casa Latina | $500 |
| Howie Hawkins for Governor | $200 |
Remaining balance going into 2015: $14,250
2015 Donations:
2016 Donations:
| Standing Against Foreclosure and Eviction | $300 |
| Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle | $250 |
| Economic Opportunity Institute | $2,500 |
| Paid Family Leave movement | $8,000 |
| Solidarity with ChinaWorker.info | $545 |
| Solidarity with Democratic Socialist Movement of Nigeria | $1,045 |
| Socialist Alternative | $13,800 |
| Transit Riders Union | $250 |
| Jill Stein for President | $200 |
| Indigenous Peoples Day | $500 |
| 15 Now | $11,525 |
| Not This Time/DeEscalate Washington Initiative 940 | $250 |
| Social Justice Iftar | $300 |
| Paid Family Leave rally | $100 |
| Seattle Protects Women (UNITE HERE/Yes on 124) | $500 |
| Washington Community Action Network | $360 |
| 350 Seattle | $250 |
Remaining balance going into 2017: $19,975
2017 Donations:
| May 1st Action Coalition | $2,500 |
| Washington Community Action Network | $300 |
| Socialist Alternative | $13,800 |
| Economic Opportunity Institute | $250 |
| Transit Riders Union | $250 |
| Stop the Sweeps movement | $94 |
| International Socialism School Scholarship | $1,640 |
| 15 Now | $11,525 |
| Not This Time/DeEscalate Washington Initiative 940 | $250 |
| Social Justice Iftar | $300 |
| Paid Family Leave rally | $100 |
| Seattle Protects Women (UNITE HERE/Yes on 124) | $500 |
| 350 Seattle | $250 |
2018 Donations:
| MLK County Labor Council | $300 |
| 15 Now | $18,000 |
| Gender Justice League | $950 |
| National Lawyers Guild | $900 |
| Economic Opportunity Institute | $200 |
| Casa Latina | $145 |
| Human Rights Campaign | $157.25 |
| Fair Work Center | $50 |
| NW Immigrant Rights Project | $130 |
| CANOES | $250 |
| WA CAN | $200 |
| Washington Fair Trade Coalition | $100 |
| Amina Ahmed memorial flowers | $47.28 |
| TRU | $350 |
| Somali Health Board | $215.44 |
| Socialist Alternative | $15,000 |
| Colective Legal Del Pueblo | $150 |
2019 Donations:
| Tenants Union | $250 |
| Oakland Educators Association Strike Fund | $500 |
| API Chaya | $350 |
| Somali Arts and Culture | $22.85 |
| One America | $300 |
| Economic Opportunity Institute | $200 |
| Capitol Hill Housing | $200 |
| Juneteenth Festival | $500 |
| Northwest Immigrant Rights Project | $135 |
| Ironworker Solidarity Fund | $500 |
| Solidarity legal defense fund | $500 |
| May Day Immigrant Rights March – El Comite | $250 |
| 15 Now | $10,800 |
| Evergreen Treatment Services | $103 |
| LGBTQ Allyship | $390 |
| PFLAG | $22.02 |
| GenPride | $400 |
| Gender Justice League | $1,315 |
| Socialist Alternative | $21,120 |
| Be:Seattle | $250 |
| Chief Seattle Club | $300 |
| Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center | $316.98 |
| Chile Solidarity – Medical Supplies for injured protestors | $250 |
2020 Donations:
| Tax Amazon | $10,000 |
| 15 Now | $7,200 |
| SEIU 1199NW Solidarity Strike Fund | $1,000 |
| Wildcat Strike Fund at UCSC | $1,000 |
| Flowers for Imogene Williams, longtime Seattle activist | $58.30 |
| Diaz Love gofundme | $500 |
| Summer Taylor gofundme | $500 |
| Rent Strike 2020 | $4,000 |
| Funeral cost for Lusis Eduardo activist on homelessness, and immigrants rights issues | $100 |
| Sherae Lascelles campaign | $100.00 |
| Byron Sigcho campaign | $60.00 |
2021 Donations
| Be: Seattle | $500 |
| Amazon Unionization in Bessemer Alabama fundraiser | $3,007 |
| Support activist traveling Bessemer Alabama to help with Amazon unionization | $400 |
| Duante Wright Family’s gofundme | $500 |
| Flowers to Edmund Witter of Housing Justice Project | $66 |
2021 Donations are still being updated