Politics and Government

Boeing has taken in billions in tax breaks from Washington State, but still lays off workers all the same. Nonetheless, state lawmakers are pushing to include a loophole to a new tax to shield Boeing yet again.

New legislation in Olympia could help us rethink and reclaim the street as a true public easement. If passed and its provisions delivered, we can look forward to streets that are not only more welcoming of public life, but a lot less deadly to all users. 

Workers at Baja Concrete and Newway Forming contend their bosses stole millions in wages, but Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison has been slow to press their case, Rory O'Sullivan writes. Wage theft prosecutions are down under her administration.

In 2020, Rob Saka advocated against proposed safety infrastructure along a critical greenway in West Seattle. This week, the issue resurfaced, and Saka, now a city councilmember and chair of the transportation committee, again railed against traffic diverters.

Governor Bob Ferguson’s reticence to approve new taxes represents a major obstacle to closing a big budget hole without deep cuts to social services. In fact, Ferguson announced Tuesday he would veto any budget that included a wealth tax, which could tie state lawmakers’ hands.

Despite considerable momentum behind SB 5156 coming from the state Senate, the idea of reforming Washington's strict elevator codes met resistance from firefighter groups and the powerful elevator constructor's union.

The final 4-3 vote represented a victory for the council's progressives, as a debate over addressing past discrimination and improving equity turned into a partisan issue. The reversal was a setback for Newcastle's conservative mayor, Robert Clark.

Acting King County Executive Shannon Braddock was sworn in on April 1, but the King County Council is still deciding on whether they will appoint her through November. Filling in as her former boss departed to take the Sound Transit CEO job, Braddock emphasized continuity.