The big week for the 2022 budget is finally here.
Continue readingFriday news roundup
A bit of post-election punditry, and a smattering of other news to round out the week.
Continue readingUnderstanding the NICJR report
Given the frequency in which the NICJR report is cited in City Hall and Seattle political circles, you would be forgiven if you thought that copies of it were flying off the shelf. But reading the report (affectionately referred to as “Nick Junior”) is like teenage sex: a lot of people are talking about it, but almost no one is doing it. And yet it has taken a central role in the debate over the nature and pace of changes to 911 response in our city, so it’s worth knowing what it says — and how skeptical we should be …
Continue readingNinth Circuit Court reverses lower court, allows Sawant defamation case to move forward
Twice now U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman has tried to dismiss a defamation case filed against Councilmember Kshama Sawant, and twice the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has said no. Twice now the plaintiffs have tried to have the case reassigned to a different judge, and twice the Ninth Circuit has said no.
Continue readingThursday news roundup
As the election coverage fades, the City Council’s 2022 budget takes prominence.
Continue reading2022 budget “balancing package” released
This afternoon, the City Council’s Budget Chair, Teresa Mosqueda, unveiled her “balancing package” of amendments to the proposed 2022 city budget. It seems to be making no one happy — with the possible exception of the powerful Seattle pickleball lobby.
Continue readingTuesday news roundup
Election coverage switches from “here’s the numbers” to musings over what it all means, and more.
Continue readingCity revenue update is a mixed bag
Last week the City Budget Office sent the City Council the customary November update on city revenue projections for this year and next, in time for the Council to incorporate the new figures into its budget planning. The news was mixed; it’s also a bit complicated and takes some unpacking to fully understand.
Continue readingNotes from today’s Council meetings
Council President Gonzalez was absent today, an absence that was planned and announced before last Tuesday’s election, and Councilmember Strauss was the designated President-pro-tem to chair today’s meetings. Other than a tense back-and-forth with Councilmember Sawant when he tried to encourage her to wrap up her remarks twenty minutes into a speech this morning, things went smoothly for him. Here’s what else happened. A good chunk of this morning’s Council Briefing, as well as a public hearing in this afternoon’s Council meeting, were devoted to a proposed alley vacation for the Grand Street Commons mixed-use project that will feature 360 …
Continue readingMonday election update: it’s over
With this afternoon’s drop of updated election results from King County Elections, the results of all four Seattle city-wide races are definitive: the winners are Bruce Harrell, Ann Davison, Teresa Mosqueda and Sara Nelson.
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