Economics

The Capitol building in Olympia is marble colored and include pillars and a dome in the classic style.

Lessons from Washington State’s New Capital Gains Tax

Taxing the rich works like a charm. Last week we learned that the capital gains tax — which was passed by the state legislature in...
Serious Pie and Biscuit is shuttered. Construction cranes tower in the background.

Harrell Hopes to Fill Downtown Storefronts by Easing Code Restrictions

In a bid to reactivate Downtown Seattle, Mayor Harrell has proposed easing code restrictions in hopes of filling vacant storefronts with newly permitted uses like crafting studios, greenhouses, medical offices, art installations, public restrooms, and research laboratories.

The Unfinished Promise of the Center City Connector

Pioneer Square has the most to potentially lose--but also gain--from the connection of Seattle’s downtown streetcar lines. During her daily commute into Pioneer Square...
Rinck stands at the lectern and a group of supporters stands behind her, including colleagues Rob Saka and Sara Nelson and Mayor Bruce Harrell.

Seattle Council Greenlights Rinck’s B&O Tax Overhaul

On Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to send the Seattle Shield Initiative to voters this November. Sponsored by Alexis Mercedes Rinck, the proposal shifts B&O tax burden away from small businesses and toward larger ones, raising an estimated $81 million annually to shore up the City budget.

Why Seattle Needs Inclusionary Zoning, Explained By The Bid-Rent Curve

“Barriers to spatial mobility are barriers to social mobility.” - American Apartheid Every morning Sandy McKay gets in her Volvo hatchback and joins the flow...
Downtown Seattle wall with City Hall sign on it and buildings in the background.

The Chamber of Commerce’s Seattle Budget Fix Is Slashing City Services and Freezing Wages

While running government like a business is a dream of chambers of commerce, businesses don’t freeze wages and spending when they need to hire...

Sunday Video: How Fracking Became America’s Money Pit

https://youtu.be/jFWHxZpF9rc It turns out that fracking is not as lucrative as it was once thought, Bloomberg Quicktake explains.

Sunday Video: The Real Problem with “Luxury Housing”

Across North America, people claim that they want affordable housing in their communities while deriding and fighting what they perceive as "luxury housing." A...