In a race that lost its clear urbanist standard-bearer, the two remaining candidates are honing their campaign pitches to urbanist voters in the 46th Legislative District. Incumbent Gerry Pollet is hoping urbanists see him as turning a new leaf after drawing flak earlier in his career.
Two 2026 charter amendments are at the heart of a Republican megadonor's plan to take over Snohomish County. If they pass, it would have rippling impacts on transit expansion, housing growth, and safe streets investments, making it easier for Republicans to block progress.
Seattle City Council is weighing an amendment that would delay Mayor Katie Wilson’s proposal for universal free school meals in favor of a more cautious expansion and a voucher food assistance program.
As the region's homeless population increases, Executive Girmay Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson are moving to downsize the troubled King County Regional Homelessness Authority, while pledging continued regional collaboration and tighter oversight of contracts.
With Seattle's stated goal of cutting emissions by 58% by 2030 increasingly improbable after two decades of half-hearted measures, the City is revamping its climate action plan.
Public records obtained by The Urbanist show strong pushback from a cadre of Capitol Hill landlords and business owners to siting a King County crisis care center on Broadway. That resistance nearly succeeded in derailing the project after bending the ear of former Mayor Bruce Harrell.
Governor Bob Ferguson signed a historic “millionaires’ tax” on Monday. Democratic leaders see it as a huge step forward in balancing the state’s tax code, but the tax will need to survive a court battle and Republican-backed repeal campaigns.
On Tuesday, Makah Tribal Leader Patrick DePoe launched a campaign for the state House in the 24th Legislative District. In an interview with The Urbanist, he was in favor of taxing the rich, expanding housing, curbing parking mandates, and increasing education and health care funding.
At the "State of Downtown" summit last week, budget fault lines and unlikely collaborations emerged, as business leaders acclimate to new progressive leadership at the City of Seattle and King County.
Hannah Sabio-Howell is taking on State Senator Jamie Pedersen in the 43rd LD. As a young Millennial renter and labor movement leader, she is stressing an affordability agenda and contending the incumbent is too cozy with corporations.
Taking on an incumbent who has been in office since 2011, Ron Davis is eyeing tax changes, housing reforms, and a more robust state response to federal overreach as major planks of his platform.
The failure of HB 1175 to make it to the state Senate floor mirrors a similar fate two years ago. Bill sponsor Mark Klicker placed the decision to let the neighborhood cafe bill die squarely on Local Government Committee Chair Jesse Salomon.
King County is staring down a fiscal cliff that threatens to dismantle the services our communities rely on most. Port Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa lays out the case for passing House Bill 2442 to give counties another revenue tool to address their fiscal challenges.
On Tuesday, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson pledged to attack affordability on four different fronts: housing, childcare, food, and small business opportunities. It was her first State of the City speech since taking office seven weeks ago.
Kenmore City Councilmember David Baker offered a sharp criticism of the City of Seattle’s slow and halting process to rezone the area around 130th Street Station during Thursday’s Sound Transit System Expansion Committee meeting. Baker is one of 18 Sound Transit boardmembers who decide the fate of transit