UPDATED: see below This afternoon the City Council plans to decide whether to divert $2.3 million of surplus funds from the Families and Education Levy to cover Seattle Public Schools’ busing costs for switching from a 3-tier to a 2-tier schedule. And the debate is getting ugly.
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School schedules and crossing guards send the Council off on a tangent
There was one big item on Monday afternoon’s Full Council agenda: the soda tax. But before the Council could get to it, it took a ten-minute digression into a tense debate on whether to throw some money at the Seattle Public School District to help it dig out of some of its problems.
Continue readingSoda tax: it’s complicated.
The Mayor has proposed a new sales tax on sugary beverages. In the Council’s first discussion on the new tax, it quickly became clear that there is significant disagreement on one big issue: how to spend the proceeds.
Continue readingHarrell pushing for expanding public Wi-Fi in Seattle
Wednesday afternoon in his Education, Equity and Governance Committee, Council President Bruce Harrell pushed the Seattle IT department to go farther and faster in investigating public Wi-Fi as an alternative to municipal broadband in key areas of the city.
Continue readingNotes from Monday Council meetings
It was a pretty tepid day in Council Chamber, but here are a few interesting tidbits worth noting.
Continue readingThis week: it’s all about the committees
All the fun is in the committees this week.
Continue readingNews roundup: homelessness
In the run-up to this afternoon’s meeting, the city’s response to the homelessness crisis is dominating the news this morning. Plus a few other tidbits.
Continue readingNews roundup: SODO arena, plus more
A little bit of everything today, starting with the SODO Arena.
Continue readingSchool Board Responds to City Council on Before and After School Childcare
Early last week, the City Council sent a letter to the School Board expressing its concern over the possibility that before- and after-school childcare programs might get bumped off of school properties next year. Late last week, the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Larry Nyland, responded.
Continue readingNews roundup: Airbnb, homeless, and more
Lots going on today. Homeless encampments for RV’s, criticism of the city’s sweeps of unauthorized encampments, and potential regulation of Airbnb top the list.
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