Politics and Government

Homeless encampment sweeps have tripled under Mayor Harrell, but shelter capacity has shrunk, and the number of people who are unsheltered remains stubbornly high.

Tacoma voters balked at the price tag of the Streets Initiative II levy. That leaves Tacoma officials scrambling to come up with plan B to grapple with street safety and maintenance needs.

Too many people are sitting in a jail cell simply because they cannot afford bail while they await trial. Seattle City Attorney candidate Nathan Rouse lays out the case to end cash ball for nonviolent misdemeanors.

Car access to Pike Place's main corridor will be restricted to loading vehicles, emergency access, and people accessing ADA parking. The Market is calling the move a "test and learn" opportunity that could open the door to long-term pedestrianization.

New types of traffic cameras allowed by the state legislature have the potential to lead to big safety gains in Seattle -- but a potential clash over how those cameras are deployed could be on the horizon. SDOT and transportation chair Rob Saka are not seeing eye to eye.

The Washington House and Senate aren't in alignment on whether funding for extra passenger ferry trips should continue. Dozens of weekly trips across the King County Water Taxi and Kitsap Fast Ferry would be slashed if the state Senate's version of the transportation budget prevails.

Governor Bob Ferguson should sign HB 1232 into law and immediately make use of the enforcement mechanisms it contains to stop unconstitutional detentions at ICE’s Tacoma Processing Center. The State should also impose fines on the for-profit corporate jailer to discourage the violations.

Phase two of the One Seattle Plan had included additional housing density around 30 existing commercial centers like Tangletown and Madrona, but now those changes won't be discussed until after this fall's elections, pushing key housing actions into 2026.