Office of Police Accountability Director Gino Betts resigned amid police union criticism and complaints of harassment and creating a toxic work environment. The turmoil has raised questions about the effectiveness of the city's accountability system and the police reform it was supposed to advance.

Alexis Mercedes Rinck vowed to make Seattle a welcoming city for all and resist Trumpism in her inaugural speech as a city councilmember. It was a more defiant tone than struck by the more conciliatory Mayor Bruce Harrell.

In making her case to become the next King County Executive, Claudia Balducci is pointing to her extensive track record of delivering on housing and transportation –– and getting the details right.

All too often, public hearings increase costs and consume time without meaningfully impacting decisions. Uytae Lee of About Here digs into the history of the public hearing and its utility, and whether another paradigm is worth pursuing.

Counteracting authoritarianism and building a bright and welcoming future requires an abundance agenda centering housing growth. Cities like Seattle must lead the way.

Shaun Scott, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Ryan Mello, and Jessica Bateman will bring progressive urbanist leadership to their respective offices.

Washington State's transportation chief Roger Millar is out after eight years, as Governor-elect Bob Ferguson prepares to take office. Widely recognized as a leader in progressive transportation policy, Millar will be tough to replace.

The Sara Nelson-led Seattle City Council passed their first city budget in an 8-1 vote. It greenlit the mayor’s plan to slash investments in affordable housing and social services and trim 48 staff positions in order to boost police spending by 16% and close a large deficit without raising new taxes.