Economics

Let’s Talk Inclusionary Zoning: An Interview With Gerrit Knaap

Below is an interview transcript with Gerrit Knaap. This transcript is part of a series of interviews that are meant to shed light on...
McLaren has its butterfly doors up while a half dozen onlookers in yellow vests take picture or admire the car.

Policy Lab: Tax the Filthy, Stinking Rich

Seattle has a $258 million budget deficit to solve. Mayor Bruce Harrell said he rejects notions of austerity. Good for him! I’m here to help. Let’s chart a way out of this crisis that doesn’t involve slashing services and laying off city workers.

Call to Action: Urge State Senators to Fund High Speed Rail Study

Last week, the Washington State House came through with $900,000 to partially fund a business case study of high-speed rail connecting Vancouver, Seattle, and...

The Puget Sound Is Adding More Than 4,800 Jobs Monthly, But Where’s The Housing?

If you thought that regional growth might be petering out, you'd be wrong. Recent data from the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) shows that...

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...

County May Require Shops to Offer Cash Payment Option to Protect Unbanked Residents

Shops in unincorporated King County may have to accept cash as payment if the King County Council moves forward with a proposal meant to...
A BNSF freight train heads north along the Puget Sound coast, passing under the pedestrian bridge at Carkeek Park. A tree-covered ridge is on the left.

Op-Ed: PCC Provides Model for State Rail Ownership in Washington State

Railroad giants like BNSF have often deferred maintenance on their tracks and pressured government to pay for it. This had led some officials to consider taking over ownership, like Washington State did with the Palouse River & Coulee City (PCC) Railroad. Collin Reid lays out the case for greater government intervention in freight rail.
Passengers lug their suitcases toward the train under an awning

Cascadia Forges Ahead on High-Speed Rail Despite Headwinds

Leaders from across the Pacific Northwest recently gathered at the Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference in Seattle and reaffirmed their commitment to building high-speed rail linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. President Trump has created headwinds for the project by slashing transit funding and slapping tariffs on Canadian imports.