The 43rd District deserves an honest leader and a real progressive. Andrea Suarez isn't it. The post Op-Ed: Andrea Suarez Is a Republican Pretending to Be a Democrat first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

A year into announcing its ambitious Downtown Activation Plan, the Harrell Administration is touting successes. But so far those are primarily spot improvements, with many big initiatives in limbo or on hold. The post Seattle’s Downtown Activation Plan Remains Stuck in Low Gear first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

While the Seattle City Council has recently stifled opportunity for public participation and dissent, Seattle Public Schools is even further along, having already adopted many of the same undemocratic practices now seen at City Hall. The post Op-Ed: Local Leaders Pioneering a New, Undemocratic Seattle Process first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

The City of Kenmore was the first city to pass a resolution officially opposing Initiative 2117. Others have followed, but big cities like Seattle and Bellevue have not weighed in. The post Local Governments Voice Support for Retaining Washington’s Signature Climate Law first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

Hacks and Wonks hosted a panel on primary election results with four top political strategists. Check out the video for their takeaways. The post Saturday Video: Hacks and Wonks Primary Election Roundtable first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

The Urbanist’s Senior Advisor Rian Watt discussed primary election results and the latest happenings at Seattle City Hall on a August 9 episode of Crystal Fincher’s Hacks and Wonks podcast. Fincher is a political consultant who also serves on The Urbanist’s board. Watt and Fincher covered the biggest takeaways and surprises so far, including a […] The post Rian Watt Talks Primary Results on Hack and Wonks Podcast first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

Despite backers collecting enough signatures to make the ballot, the Seattle City Council voted Tuesday to delay a decision on I-137, which would fund Seattle's Social Housing Developer. The post Seattle Council Punts Social Housing Funding Vote to 2025 first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

On Wednesday, Seattle Council’s public safety committee advanced Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposal to contract with the South Correctional Facility (SCORE) jail to house a limited number of people accused of simple misdemeanors, such as criminal trespass and shoplifting. The proposal comes with logistical challenge and its share of critics. The post Seattle’s Rushed Plan to Jail Low-Level Offenders Passes Its First Hurdle first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

The Seattle City Council is queuing up a debate on appropriate wages for service workers at smaller employers. At the behest of restaurant owners, Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth is seeking to cancel a scheduled minimum wage increase. The post Op-Ed: Seattle Council Won’t Get Away with Gutting Minimum Wage Law first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more

The Seattle Police Department hired a cop with a record of reckless driving who went on to kill Jaahnavi Kandula while driving recklessly. However, instead of tightening hiring protocols, Seattle officials are looking to loosen them further. The post Seattle Pursues Looser Police Hiring Standards After High-Profile Screening Failure first appeared on The Urbanist ..read more