According to the National Weather Service, this is our last sunny day for a while… get out there and soak it up. Now here’s the news.
Continue readingTwo years in, we still don’t know if Seattle’s soda tax is working
In June of 2017, the Seattle City Council passed a 1.75 cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages, which took effect on January 1, 2018. Today, over two years later, we still don’t have any idea whether it’s succeeding — or even a clear, agreed-upon definition of success. And that situation is unlikely to change soon.
Continue readingHB 2907 dies, but gets resurrected as HB 2948 (updated)
In the ongoing saga of the current state legislative session, last night was the deadline for bills to be passed out of their “house of origin.” One of the many bills that didn’t make it was HB 2907, the much-talked-about bill sponsored by Rep. Nicole Macri that would grant King County the authority to impose a payroll tax to pay for affordable housing and homeless services. For the last several days, Macri had been negotiating with a variety of stakeholders to find a compromise that could gather enough support to pass, and the clock ran out. But today, Macri introduced …
Continue readingBoth sides in I-976 lawsuit ask judge to reconsider ruling (updated)
Today both the plaintiffs and the defendants in the legal challenge to Initiative 976 filed motions for Judge Marshall Ferguson to reconsider his recent ruling.
Continue readingThursday news roundup
A smattering of news for your Thursday morning.
Continue readingWednesday news roundup
The Council allows for more homeless encampments, the Mayor delivers her State of the City address, and more.
Continue readingNotes from today’s Council meetings
Things got a little heated this afternoon.
Continue readingCouncil passes expansion of homeless encampment and “tiny home village” permitting
This afternoon, the City Council adopted by a 6-1 vote an ordinance that expands the maximum number of permits for sanctioned homeless encampments and “tiny home villages” that the city may issue, allows those permits to by renewed indefinitely, and streamlines other elements of the permitting process.
Continue readingDurkan delivers State of the City address
This morning Mayor Jenny Durkan took the stage at the Rainier Arts Center and delivered her annual “State of the City” address. It was a classic Durkan speech: optimistic, with an emphasis on getting results — and on results delivered. “Today the state of our city is strong and resilient,” Durkan said. “Yes, we have challenges, but we have the values, the determination and the talent to meet them.”
Continue readingTuesday news roundup
It’s a quiet start to a short workweek, perhaps the proverbial “quiet before the storm” of Mayor Durkan’s State of the City address later today.
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