After several months of work, the city is ready to complete the next milestone toward putting the Waterfront LID in place. But one obstacle remains in its path.
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Budget tweaks, service cutbacks, a lawsuit, and more: how the city plans to respond to I-976
This afternoon, Mayor Jenny Durkan and City Attorney Pete Holmes held a press conference to lay out their plans for how the City of Seattle is responding to the likely passage of Initiative 976.
Continue readingIncome tax lawsuit concludes at the appeals court; on to the state Supreme Court
This afternoon the state Court of Appeals wrapped up its chapter of the legal challenge to Seattle’s income tax, rejecting a request to reconsider its July ruling. That clears the way for the case to move on to the state Supreme Court.
Continue readingThe Fare Share legislation: a close read
Last week the Mayor’s Office officially transmitted to the City Council its “Fare Share” legislation, imposing a tax on Uber and Lyft rides and enforcing a minimum wage for drivers. A close read of the bills reveals some interesting details and nuances.
Continue readingMayor proposes increasing tax on Uber & Lyft rides, minimum wage for drivers
(update below) Tomorrow morning, Mayor Durkan will unveil another of her 2020 budget initiatives: increasing the tax on Uber and Lyft rides in the city. In combination with that, she will announce a proposal to institute a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers. Mayor Jenny Durkan and Deputy Mayor Shefali Ranganathan briefing the press on the proposed new tax on Uber and Lyft rides and minimum wage for TNC drivers
Continue readingHeating oil tax voted out of committee
This afternoon, the Council voted Mayor Durkan’s proposed tax on heating oil out of committee, setting it up for final approval next Monday.
Continue readingUpdate on Transportation Impact Fees hearing
Last week I reported that the City of Seattle’s Hearing Examiner had reopened the hearing on the city’s SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance, the first step in establishing Transportation Impact Fees in Seattle. Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil asked the parties to come back in so he could pose some additional questions to them that he felt weren’t thoroughly briefed in their filings to-date. That meeting was this afternoon; it lasted only twenty minutes, enough time for Vancil to lay out his four questions and for the parties to agree on a schedule for additional briefs.
Continue readingHearing Examiner reopens hearing on Transportation Impact Fees
Yesterday, Seattle Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil informed the parties in an appeal related to Transportation Impact Fees that he was re-opening the hearing “to address a narrow question of law not fully briefed by the parties in their closing arguments.”
Continue readingMayor floats proposal for heating oil tax
Last Friday, the Council had a first committee hearing on Mayor Durkan’s proposed new tax on heating oil. The details turn out to be very interesting (in a good way).
Continue readingDurkan vetoed the soda tax bill; here’s what happens next
Last Friday Mayor Jenny Durkan vetoed the ordinance setting new restrictions on how Sweetened Beverage Tax revenues can be spent. Vetoes are incredibly rare in Seattle City Hall, so that sent everyone (including me) scrambling to the City Charter to see what happens next. Yes, we all know in theory how it works, but the details matter.
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