Economics

a report cover for a south king county guaranteed basic income pilot evaluation and policy analysis

South King County Pilot Shows Promise of Guaranteed Basic Income

In 2020, King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay initiated the King County Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot program, which was funded by community service operating grant...

Sunday Video: How Highways Make Traffic Worse

https://youtu.be/2z7o3sRxA5g Vox examines how building more highways just leads to more congestion rather than solving any particular transportation problem.
Recreation of the Seattle flag. Cent sign on a blue back ground with text "Penny Wise Pound Foolish"

Op-Ed: Seattle is the Capital of Toxic Frugality

Next week is standardized testing at the kiddos’ school. The normal seven-class-a-day schedule will be reorganized to allow morning and afternoon blocks long enough...
A triplex in Magnolia. (Photo by Doug Trumm)

Conventional Conforming: The Quiet Hurdle to Increasing Density

How Federal Subsidy of Loan Interest Rates Block Missing Middle Housing Earlier in the pandemic, I was searching around Zillow. Looking at houses was a...

Rinck, Harrell Propose Progressive Business Tax Overhaul to Bolster Seattle Budget

On Wednesday, Seattle Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck unveiled a proposal overhauling the city's Business and Occupation tax that she hopes to put before voters this November – if she can win over her colleagues. Dubbed the Seattle Shield Initiative, it would broaden the exemption for small businesses, but raise taxes on larger businesses.

Mosqueda’s Big Business Tax Would Funnel $200 Million per Year to Covid Recovery and...

Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda unveiled a big business tax proposal called "JumpStart Seattle" today that would raise $200 million per year from the wealthiest companies...

Baltimore’s Harborplace: Elegy to a Dead Mall

Lessons from a one-time crown jewel of urban renewal. Recently I got to be a tourist in my hometown. The hard part about going back...
A photo of the Bellevue Council building sign

Bellevue Council Update: Deficits Create Difficult Budget Decisions to Come

King County's second largest city began its budget season on Monday evening with a foreboding presentation. With lagging property tax revenues, increased demands for...