Economics

Repeating The Case For Inelastic Land Supply

A month ago, I made the case for why urbanists must support linkage fees. In response, Dan Bertolet at Smart Growth Seattle argued that linkage fees...
Two streetcars pass on Jackson Street with the downtown skyline in the background.

Streetcar Project Could Kickstart Downtown Recovery

The Downtown Seattle Association and new SDOT head are seeking ways to jumpstart the shelved Center City Streetcar project, such as a Cultural Connector...
The outfield bleachers at T Mobile Park with the skyline and blue skies in the background.

Good Urbanism, not Event Surges and Quick Fixes Will Spur Downtown Recovery

This month, Seattle has hosted some of its biggest events of the summer and local pundits are busy writing the first draft of history....

Interbay Industrial Plans Are Squandering Freight Rail Access

Is Seattle allowing rail to wither on the vine? Northwest of Downtown Seattle, there is a frequently overlooked asset in the fight against climate change....
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 pergola shelters a street cafe on Ballard Avenue, with a person biking by in the street.

Policy Lab: Why Are Seattle Restaurants So Expensive?

Seattle service workers are set to get a major wage hike, unless restaurant lobbyists get their way. But policymakers can support the restaurant industry in better ways than simply cutting worker pay.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Industrial Use, An Introduction

In this series of four articles, I am going to lay out an argument that Seattle should mix industrial uses in our residential and...

Holiday Video: How Big Can Cities Get?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJesS4zH2GI Davos Amos ask how big cities can get. Many megacities, largely defined as over 10 million people, are rapidly growing in industrialized countries. But...