homosexual at-risk kids are more valuable than heterosexual at-risk kids.

Well done to pass these fees along to YouthCare and Lambert House where it will be put to great use. Our fee will be paid in full by 12/9.

From what I've heard, someone from Youth Care was sitting next to Joe McDermott while phone banking and suggested it to him, and that's how they got $35,000. I'm advocating for transparency and equity in allocation of funds. I'd like to hear why one org is preferred over another, and what the process for choosing how government $ is allocated is with regards to choosing organizations. A month ago, Peace for the Streets by Lids from the Streets, an amazing org serving homeless youth, almost had to close because of lack of funding. API Chaya, an amazing org that has a program serving LGBTQ youth of color, is also in need of funding to maintain it's programming.

@14 thanks, I will ask Joe. I would love if Dominic also used his power as a reporter to ask these questions as well. That's how transparency works.

As to comment 15, Queer Youth Space does have a space, provided a summer leadership camp for 13 queer youth, and has hired all youth staff and is implementing programming. If you are ony reading the Stranger's coverage of Queer Youth Space, then I would understand your doubts. However, the staff of the Stranger has never showed up to any of QYS' programming, and the article you cited is incredibly misleading. The article Dominic wrote about QYS' search for a permanent space neglected to mention that the grant was incredibly restricted- it required an ADA accessible space on Capitol Hill. That takes time to find, and the youth worked incredibly hard to find it. And the new space is beautiful. I would encourage you to check out Queer Youth Space for yourself, which is something the Stranger's staff has so far chosen not to do.

I'm confused. Are all 9 members of the Council really also on its Budget Committee? If you look at the Council website, it lists 5 people on that committee.