Rian Watt Talks Primary Results on Hack and Wonks Podcast
The Urbanist's Senior Advisor Rian Watt discussed primary election results and the latest happenings at Seattle City Hall on a August 9 episode of...
Seattle Council Punts Social Housing Funding Vote to 2025
Despite backers collecting enough signatures to make the ballot, the Seattle City Council voted Tuesday to delay a decision on I-137, which would fund Seattle's Social Housing Developer.
Seattle’s Rushed Plan to Jail Low-Level Offenders Passes Its First Hurdle
On Wednesday, Seattle Council’s public safety committee advanced Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposal to contract with the South Correctional Facility (SCORE) jail to house a limited number of people accused of simple misdemeanors, such as criminal trespass and shoplifting. The proposal comes with logistical challenge and its share of critics.
Op-Ed: Seattle Council Won’t Get Away with Gutting Minimum Wage Law
The Seattle City Council is queuing up a debate on appropriate wages for service workers at smaller employers. At the behest of restaurant owners, Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth is seeking to cancel a scheduled minimum wage increase.
Seattle Pursues Looser Police Hiring Standards After High-Profile Screening Failure
The Seattle Police Department hired a cop with a record of reckless driving who went on to kill Jaahnavi Kandula while driving recklessly. However, instead of tightening hiring protocols, Seattle officials are looking to loosen them further.
2024 Primary Election Endorsements
The Urbanist Elections Committee is proud to unveil our 2024 Primary endorsements, headlined by Ryan Mello's exciting bid for Pierce County Executive. This slate of urbanists is poised to make a difference.
Harrell and Inslee Tout Climate Work as Seattle Hosts Bloomberg Summit
Mayor Bruce Harrell and Governor Jay Inslee were on Thursday's program at Bloomberg Green Festival hosted at the Seattle Center. Both touted local leadership on environmental issues, even as that work remains tenuous.
Seattle’s Dual Dispatch Civilian Crisis Responder Program Expands, Despite Obstacles
Seattle's civilian safety department will quadruple in size by hiring 18 additional responders and 3 supervisors. For now, the CARE department is handling a tiny fraction of 911 calls, but that could change in time.