Op-Ed: Why We’re Taking Burien’s Minimum Wage to the Ballot Box

Raise the Wage Burien is bringing together a coalition of workers, community groups, and labor unions to gather petition signatures to put a measure on the ballot this fall to raise Burien’s minimum wage to parity with nearby cities like Tukwila, SeaTac, Seattle, and Renton. In contrast, the city council's version is riddled with loopholes.
Shane Esquibel answers a call coming through on his smartwatch, as Scott sits and looks in from the Governor's waiting room, adorned with official portraits of governors long past.

Op-Ed: Why Educators Staged a Sit-In in Governor Ferguson’s Office

Last Wednesday, Rep. Shaun Scott and a group of educators sought a meeting with Ferguson to voice concerns about social service cuts, but were rebuffed by an out-of-office governor more focused on appeasing the rich. Perhaps the state would be better off if the governor vacated the office permanently, Collin Reid opines.

Housing Policy Lessons From Vienna: Part I

Is Stadt Wien the model for US urban housing policy? Part I: Paying for housing This is a two-part series on housing policy in Vienna and...
The domed Olympia Capitol Building stands in the distance with a bus stop with a passenger waiting in the foreground. A dogwalker also mosey on the lawn.

Op-Ed: Let’s Patch Social Insurance Gaps with State Pension Plans

The average $2,000 per month Social Security check isn't enough for most to live on, especially given the high cost of living on the West Coast. Here's the case for states instituting supplemental Social Security programs.

Snohomish County Permits Childcare Providers More Places, State May Follow Suit

Snohomish County Council adopted new land use legislation to streamline permitting and remove regulatory barriers to opening more childcare centers and daycares. The state legislature seems to share in that goal and has proposed statewide legislation reducing regulatory hurdles.

Sound Transit News Dump: Capitol Hill Station Land Sale, More Double-Deckers, And New LRV...

In typical form, Sound Transit made a late week news dump on Thursday announcing approval of a $2.65 million property sale for affordable housing,...

This Year’s Budget and Next Year’s Plans for Housing Now

Two weeks ago, the Seattle City Council budget committee, consisting of all nine members, considered a budget request of critical importance to local housing....

Sunday Video: Why We’re Seeing Mass Layoffs in the US But Not the UK

https://youtu.be/HaraFkhonFo Vox explains why the United States is seeing employment plummet amidst the pandemic while the United Kingdom has not experienced the same level of...