Politics and Government

Mayor Bruce Harrell has dropped acoustic gunshot locator technology from his proposal to beef up surveillance of Seattle residents. The expansion of automated license plate readers, cameras, and real-time crime center software has continued to draw criticism from groups focused on privacy and racial equity.

After pushback, Councilmember Maritza Rivera backed off a push to pull back funding for the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) but the episode spoke volumes about the city council's current goals.

Seattle has a $258 million budget deficit to solve. Mayor Bruce Harrell said he rejects notions of austerity. Good for him! I’m here to help. Let’s chart a way out of this crisis that doesn’t involve slashing services and laying off city workers.

The Urbanist sat down with State Rep. Jessica Bateman, who is running for the Washington State Senate pledging to bring the same urgency around housing issues that she has brought to the lower chamber.

Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz is out as the allegations against him pile up. Mayor Bruce Harrell announced Sue Rahr would be his interim replacement. Diaz faces numerous investigations for an alleged pattern of gender and racial discrimination in his office and sexual harassment.

Moves to cut the minimum wage for gig workers and squeeze Equitable Development Initiative projects for funding will have to wait for a future Seattle City Council meeting after their sponsors tabled the votes.

The Seattle Chamber of Commerce spend most of their time saying they shouldn’t have to pay higher taxes because the government is inefficient and wasteful. Meanwhile, they are spending a bunch of resources on trying to make the government inefficient and wasteful. South Lake Union light rail decisions are the latest example.

The zoning changes could spur construction of up to 1,000 homes, many of them affordable, as part of a new makers district along 4th Avenue S in Georgetown.