The Council votes to put the Seattle Transit Benefit District renewal on the ballot, and takes up changes to SPD’s budget.
Continue readingRobart grants DOJ request to enjoin Council’s crowd-control ordinance (UPDATED)
Earlier this evening, the Department of Justice filed a motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent the Seattle Police Department from implementing the City Council’s ban on crowd-control weapons. This follows Judge James Robart’s refusal earlier this week to prevent the ordinance from taking effect this weekend. UPDATE: in a hearing this evening, Judge Robart indicated that he will be granting the DOJ’s request, enjoining implementation of the Council’s ordinance, and rolling the status quo back to the order that Judge Richard Jones made on June 12. UPDATE 2: here is the temporary restraining order. UPDATE 3: added Mayor …
Continue readingFriday news roundup
We made it to the end of the week! And it’s going to be another beautiful weekend. Here’s the news.
Continue readingCouncil starts deliberations on amendments to proposed 2020 rebalanced budget
On Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning the Council began discussing proposed amendments to Mayor Durkan’s 2020 budget rebalancing package, covering areas unrelated to SPD’s budget (which will come next week). And the mutual hostility between the Council and the Mayor continued to be on full display.
Continue readingThursday news roundup
More destructive protests overnight, and the debate about defunding SPD rages on. Also: it’s the Seattle Kraken.
Continue readingJudge Robart leaves Council’s ban on crowd-control weapons in place, for now
In a nine-page ruling this afternoon, U.S. District Court Judge James Robart declined to stop the City Council’s ban on crowd-control weapons from going into effect later this week — at least for the moment. Robart did acknowledge that the ordinance will need to be reconciled with SPD’s court-approved policies on crowd control and use of force, but at the urging of the Office of Police Accountability and Office of the Inspector General he will wait until they provide their recommendations next month before wading into that issue.
Continue readingWednesday news roundup
Tons of news coverage this morning, on a wide variety of topics. Let’s dig in.
Continue readingTuesday news roundup
Today we’re talking about the payroll tax, and the police. Happy Tuesday.
Continue readingThe war heats up over Seattle’s attempts to regulate Uber and Lyft drivers’ pay
Back in April, it seemed the City of Seattle had finally made peace with Uber and Lyft; after years of legislation and lawsuits, they settled in court and all parties agreed to work together to determine a fair compensation standard for TNC drivers. Sadly, it was not to last: earlier this month a new skirmish broke out, with dueling studies, academic cat-fighting, and some big policy questions coming to the forefront.
Continue readingNotes from today’s Council meetings
The Council decided how to spend payroll tax revenues, and more.
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