This week the city’s economic forecast office issued a new report with an updated economic forecast and revenue predictions, in advance of the fall budget season.
Continue readingRevenue Stabilization Workgroup report
Today the City of Seattle’s Revenue Stabilization Workgroup released its final report listing its recommendations for new progressive revenue sources.
Continue readingSeattle City auditor report on combating organized retail crime
Today the Seattle City auditor released a new report outlining additional steps that the city should be taking to combat organized retail crime in the city.
Continue readingSeattle rents 2017-2023
With the return of Councilmember Sawant’s rent control bill, we are once again subjected to bad reporting on rent control; witness this morning’s Seattle Times article, which quotes advocates on both sides but presents little in the way of real facts or research on the topic. Here’s the latest data …
Continue readingBill updating the CPC structure
Councilmember Herbold has introduced a bill that would make several updates to the Community Police Commission in the hopes of reducing the perennial strife that the CPC seems to be suffering under the past few years. Most notably, the bill: There is, however, a problem with the bill: the change …
Continue readingInjunction on enforcement of anti-graffiti ordinance
Earlier this month U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman issued an injunction preventing the City of Seattle from enforcing its ordinance barring graffiti, arguing that it was vague and over-broad in ways that likely infringed on First Amendment protections (for example, prohibiting writing on a sidewalk with chalk).
Continue readingEnvironmental impacts of King County wastewater treatment on marine life
King County commissioned a study of the chemicals being introduced into the local waterways by its wastewater treatment plants and the estimated impacts on the marine ecosystem. The researchers recently presented the results. Full details can be found here.
Continue readingState economic review update
The Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council has released its June 2023 economic review notebook. Unemployment in the state is now down to 4.1%.
Continue readingCity Council candidate financial disclosure forms
Here are the F-1 financial disclosure forms that the candidates for City Council positions are required to file. A handful have not been filed yet with the Ethics and Elections Commission (they were due two weeks after the candidate filed). I will post the rest as they become available. If …
Continue readingCity Attorney withdraws support for Community Court
On May 26, Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison sent a letter to the Seattle Municipal Court announcing that her office would no longer participate in the Community Court program and explaining her reasoning.
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