Economics

What To Expect When Expecting Amazon

Amazon announced yesterday that the company is planning the search for a second headquarters in North America where it promises as many as 50,000...
An high-speed train pulls into a station and passengers approach. (Photo courtesy Midwest High Speed Rail Association)

High-Speed Rail Benefits Small Towns and Large Cities

There are many ways a high-speed rail system can benefit the urban hubs of a megaregion, but small towns along the alignment can also...
A cloud of smoke

Sagging Revenue Forecast Prompts Seattle Council to Push Back Budget Timeline

A “grave” report from the new Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts (OERF) showed a hit to the general fund and a steep decline...
Patrons eat in a new parklet patio at Gracia in Ballard. (Photo by Doug Trumm)

Seattle Considers Thinking About One Day Accepting Permits to Maybe Open Streets to Dining

Seattle will permit restaurants and retail shops to open into traffic-less public streets one block at a time. Two months after the idea was...

Op-Ed: Off-Base Form-Based Codes Could Be Headed to Seattle

Right now, the city of Seattle is at a crossroads. As a robust job market, the city has never had a housing plan that...
Frame holds a microphone on the floor of senate chambers.

Op-Ed: Wealth Tax on Megarich Would Invest in Washington State’s Future

Despite Governor Ferguson’s hemming and hawing, state lawmakers are advancing a wealth tax that could raise $3 billion annually to fully fund public schools and avert a budget crisis. Passing it would ensure Washington State Democrats are living their values amidst Trump’s assault on public services.
Wind turbines with one half-constructed turbine in the foreground.

Renewable Energy Can Power America’s Grid and Its Economic Recovery

It's been a few months since the initial outbreak of Covid-19, and pandemic has already altered our societal fabric in profound ways. Fewer people...

Midweek Video: Why It’s So Hard To Get Unemployment Benefits

https://youtu.be/ualUPur6iks The American unemployment system is not universal in its design. How did we get to where we are and why are some systems designed...