The most important local elections this year might not be the ones you think, with control of the Washington State Supreme Court up for grabs and conservatives seeking to orchestrate a takeover.
Seattle’s courts face a simple challenge: the number of cases far exceeds available courtroom hours. Night court could help move cases more efficiently, improve access to justice, and ensure compliance with Washington’s strict speedy-trial requirements.
The University of Washington Center for Human Rights reports a “powerful surge” in immigration enforcement in the region. Local officials are accelerating efforts to block federal detention center expansions.
Pierce County is set to consider an ordinance on March 24 that would prohibit a new ICE detention facility within its unincorporated areas. On March 3, King County passed just such an emergency ordinance. Advocates hope officials can do more to block illegal detentions.
A new lawsuit against the Northwest ICE detention center in Tacoma underscores the abusive conditions detainees face. Meanwhile, some local cities are seeking to block ICE’s plans to expand detention facilities in the region.
Elected officials in Washington state are being forced to prepare for the possibility of a similar ICE invasion as Minneapolis has endured. Immigrant and civil rights advocates are worried steps to prepare have been insufficient. Officials say they are prepping further actions.
The Washington State Legislature is considering a bill regulating the use of automatic license plate readers, responding to the revelation that ICE and other federal agents have accessed data for mass deportation purposes. Out-of-state law enforcement have also accessed data to hunt women pursuing a
The University of Washington Center for Human Rights reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is still accessing state license data to aid mass deportation, despite state efforts to limit such access. Advocates are proposing several interventions to clamp down on such data breache
Washington state leaders should take action to force the closure of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement penal colony in Tacoma, which is carrying out the unlawful detention of 1500 people.
On Monday, Erika Evans was sworn in as the first Black Seattle City Attorney, following a resounding victory over Republican incumbent Ann Davison. The Seattle police guild was already on the attack, seeking to brand her as soft on crime.
In a 6-3 vote, Seattle City Council approved a police guild contract that falls short on officer accountability and continues to hinder civilian crisis responders. A parting gift from outgoing Mayor Bruce Harrell, the contract could hamstring the incoming administration of Katie Wilson.
A recent University of Washington report on data security issues with automatic license plate readers has been creating waves among law enforcement agencies using the technology, including Lynnwood, Redmond, and Stanwood. Other cities remain committed, despite the risks.
Seattle City Attorney-elect Erika Evans chatted with The Urbanist about what’s next after her resounding victory in the November election, unseating Seattle’s lone Republican office-holder.
Mayor Bruce Harrell recently released two executive orders seeking to respond to President Donald Trump’s aggressive moves to increase local immigration enforcement and illegally send in the National Guard. However, his plan is light on details and lacks leverage to get federal cooperation. Meanwhil
King County Executive Shannon Braddock has proposed a series of changes to one of the county’s pre-filing youth diversion programs, currently called Restorative Community Pathways, replacing the community-led program with a county-led program with a slashed budget.
While the Seattle Police Officers Guild scored a big raise and new benefits, the new labor contract negotiated by Mayor Bruce Harrell will continue to hamper the City’s new civilian crisis response department and its police accountability agencies.
Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office appears to have deleted or is withholding a contract used to make a crucial legal decision regarding the Mayor’s newly-minted Chief of Staff, Andrew Myerberg. Harrell’s office appears to be violating the terms of the settlement agreement reached with the Seattle Times in
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge James Robart granted the motion to terminate Seattle’s consent decree, ending a saga of federal police oversight that began 15 years ago. Community safety advocates say issues remain at the Seattle Police Department and more reforms are needed.
Advocates warn Seattle Inspector General Lisa Judge is jeopardizing public trust in the city’s police accountability system, as her office obscures records. The office also withheld what appears to be important evidence in a high-profile case involving former SPD chief Adrian Diaz.
Reviving community court isn’t a simple fix for Seattle’s criminal legal system — pre-filing diversion programs are more effective, cost less money, and avoid the harmful consequences of prosecution. Here’s one Seattle City Attorney candidate’s plan.
Automatic license plate readers have proliferated across 81 cities in Washington State, and audits have shown federal agents and anti-abortion states are using Washington plate data to hunt abortion seekers, immigrants, and refugees. This is despite state sanctuary laws intended to shield such vulne
We need to be absolutely clear: we will not allow Seattle to become a testing ground for authoritarianism. And resistance starts with using every legal tool at our disposal. The Seattle City Attorney’s office has a central role to play in defending our neighbors and our fundamental rights. Here’s ho
Seattle Councilmember Cathy Moore announced Friday that she is withdrawing her proposal weakening the City’s ethics rules, pledging to fine-tune the idea and bring it back. Collin Thrower lays out why she is on the wrong track.
Important questions remain despite a newly unearthed report, including how police first obtained sensitive medical information, why the City’s inspector general continued to be directly involved, despite recusal due to conflict of interest, and why the Mayor’s Office opted to hire and accept the fin
A 2018 traffic stop ended with a horrific Seattle police killing of Iosia Faletogo deemed “lawful and proper.” Six years later a jury saw it differently, but the inquest also highlighted the need for stronger police accountability mechanisms.
In the middle of a homelessness crisis, Seattle is still allowing employers to reject qualified job applicants simply because they don’t have a permanent address. That’s discrimination, and the Seattle City Attorney should lead the way in banning the practice.
Tasked with upholding Seattle police accountability, Inspector General Lisa Judge appears to have broken the rules herself to get free parking on the public dime for at least six years — or possibly more. The apparent cost to taxpayers has been more than $29,000 over seven years.
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.
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.
Trump actions are set to deepen the homelessness crisis, while kids face ICE deportation without any legal defense. County and City of Seattle leaders are scrambling to respond.
Workers at Baja Concrete and Newway Forming contend their bosses stole millions in wages, but Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison has been slow to press their case, Rory O’Sullivan writes. Wage theft prosecutions are down under her administration.
“I’m the only candidate in this race with line-level prosecutorial experience, including the Republican incumbent, at both the city and federal levels,” Erika Evans said. Check out the rest of our interview with the third challenger taking on Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison this fall.
Last week Seattle City Council heard from some of the groups most vulnerable to the new Trump administration: those representing LGBTQ+, reproductive, immigrant, and workers’ rights. This begins their examination of potential federal impacts on Seattle, which could include power outages and shuttere
Nathan Rouse makes the case that political expediency, not protecting Seattle’s most vulnerable residents, is the likeliest explanation for Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison’s decision to join the lawsuit against Trump budget cuts. Davison is running for reelection and trying to hide her strong Repu
Nathan Rouse wants to deliver public safety via holistic fixes and criminal justice reform. He’s challenging incumbent Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison, who he argues has focused on scoring cheap political points rather than results.
Washington voters almost picked Dave Larson – a dark-money-backed conservative opposed to our popular capital gains tax – as our newest state Supreme Court justice. The close call indicates liberals need a new strategy: run a reform-minded outsider.
Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison has been hiding rather than leading since Trump took office. Candidate Rory O’Sullivan lays out what he’d do differently.
The Seattle City Council is preparing to pass new crowd control legislation in January that would largely defer to police over use of “less lethal” weapons. These weapons are still very dangerous and should be tightly regulated, critics contend.
Rory O’Sullivan is a long-time Democratic party leader and legal aid attorney. He’s challenging Republican Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison, who he sees as ineffective and out of step with Seattle values.
Republican Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison has used her power to target her opponents and protect her political allies among the rich and powerful. Voters should deny her a second term.
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.
Public defenders are warning that public defense as we know it is on course to collapse in King County and across the state if officials do not intervene with reforms and more resources.
Sal Mungia isn’t backed by Project 42 or any other billionaire cabal. A win by his opponent could open the floodgates of dark money. Don’t let the rich buy our courts. Vote Mungia.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge James Robart convened a consent decree hearing and found that the City, after 12 years, is close to compliance once the Seattle Police Department submits revised crowd control policy. He does have lingering concerns about bias-free policing and accountability, parti
Downgraded from a full audit and long delayed, the Office of Inspector General’s six-page mutual aid review did not assess if outside police forces patrolling the streets of Seattle would be required to follow SPD bias policies, be held to SPD force review policies, and be accountable for their acti
Despite public outcry and limited outreach, Seattle City Council’s public safety committee greenlit Mayor Harrell’s pilot program installing 24/7 surveillance cameras in three neighborhoods and purchasing real-time crime center software and staff. The legislation moves to a full council vote on Octo
RealPage is facing a federal lawsuit alleging its price-fixing algorithm illegally set thousands upon thousands of rents nationwide. Tenant advocates are seeking deeper solutions, in addition to banning this practice.
Emboldened by the Supreme Court’s sweep-friendly Grants Pass decision, the Seattle City Council is advancing stay out zones in hopes of criminalizing drug abuse, sex work, and homelessness out of existence. History suggests this will not work.
Hoping to disrupt the drug trade and prostitution, centrist councilmembers are resurrecting regressive exclusion zone policies that have failed repeatedly in the past.
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 logisti
Since Ann Davison took over as Seattle City Attorney, the office has been much slower in prosecuting drunk drivers. While her office blames the state toxicology lab, it appears her office is not making DUI cases a priority.
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
Starting on June 3, Sound Transit fare ambassadors will launch new inspection rounds in fare paid zones on and around platforms at some Link light rail stations.
Seattle and other West Coast cities are pushing for the right to clear encampments without offering shelter. But the U.S. Supreme Court would need to overrule the Ninth Circuit ruling deeming this unconstitutional as cruel and unusual punishment.
Seattle’s Republican City Attorney is disqualifying a progressive Municipal Court judge in a deeply undemocratic move, given that judges are elected and meant to be a check on executive power.
SPU’s practice to target developers with unsubstantiated fees to upgrade public assets for the water system continues unchecked. For the year 2023 more than 100 building permit seekers received such requirements as a condition of approval for new water service.
I am a disabled gig worker in Seattle who has shown up time and again over the course of five years, advocating to the Seattle City Council for fair pay and treatment of gig workers like me. In 2022, we won the nation’s first minimum wage for gig workers:
Mayor Harrell is seeking to quickly roll out gun-shot detectors and closed circuit cameras to feed into real-time crime center software, raising privacy concerns. Claims that this major expansion of the surveillance state will curb serious crime are largely unsubstantiated.
The historic case of 50 Black Lives Matter protesters came to a close on Wednesday with the announcement of a $10 million settlement. The plaintiffs brought a suit against the City of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department (SPD) for use of excessive force during the widely peaceful protests in
Metropolitan King County has 31 separate jurisdictions orbiting Seattle. Let’s cut that down by a lot.
Seattle’s massive number of zones hide a couple very weird outliers. Or they would be outliers, if there weren’t so many.
In the dark recesses of the municipal code, between definitions of Electric Vehicles and Entrance Ramps, Seattle’s zoning ordinance turns sexy. It lustily describes stimulation and arousal. It breathlessly talks of fondling and buttocks. Again and again it mentions “specified anatomical areas.” This thirst trap is the definition of
Right now, the city of Seattle is at a crossroads. As a robust job market, the city has never had a housing plan that meets the demand. Thankfully, the Washington State Legislature has done a lot of work this spring, legalizing fourplexes everywhere in Seattle, and legalizing sixplexes near frequent
Rollie Williams of Climate Town walks through the history of minimum parking laws and growth of parking in America with a few cameos from Jason Slaughter of Not Just Bikes. Williams highlights the many problems with such laws and the arbitrary nature of them.
Councilmembers Nelson and Pedersen, with scant evidence, claimed jail and forced treatment would make a dent in the opiate epidemic. The push to reignite the war on drugs in Seattle came up short after a close City Council vote Tuesday. Councilmember Andrew Lewis appeared to be the swing vote, and
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against a local labor union Thursday in a decision that some in the labor movement say threatens union members’ right to strike. The decision came out of a 2017 lawsuit in which a cement company, Glacier Northwest, also called CalPortland, sued Teamsters Local 174
Nothing like a new war on drugs during an election year. Next week the Seattle City Council will vote on whether to kickstart a new local front on the war on drugs by adopting a law criminalizing simple drug possession and public drug use. Submitted by Councilmembers Sara Nelson and
Newly unearthed records show SPD exploited a policy loophole, deploying dangerous and toxic weapons during the 2020 protests via partner agencies with little to no accountability Four days after George Floyd was murdered, the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) then-Assistant Chief Steve Hirjak sent out a call for help, requesting
Seattle’s legal battle against Hyundai and Kia challenges traditional notions of city and corporate responsibility. Could it portend an era of tighter car regulation? Earlier this year, the City of Seattle filed a lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia in response to a wave of car thefts. The City’s
The bloody saga of the Burke-Gilman Trail’s Missing Link never seems to end, and the latest disappointment in this odyssey involves treacherous gravel pits. Ironically, the gravel was intended to make the trail safer by forcing riders to perpendicularly cross railroad tracks in a particularly troublesome section just east
Last week I wrote about Pooja Vaddadi’s race to oust incumbent Judge Adam Eisenberg from the Seattle Municipal Court. Vaddadi contrasts her competence and fair-minded approach with Eisenberg’s shortcomings. I argued that Vaddadi’s intellect, command, and history of service make it exceedingly important to vote for her
Judicial challenger leads with competence, fairness, and restorative justice. Career public defender Pooja Vaddadi is running for Seattle Municipal Court Judge against incumbent Adam Eisenberg, whose only experience with defense is as a trial attorney for Allstate Insurance. Local court races tend to be tepid and genteel, which often obscures
As the Presiding Judge of Seattle’s Therapeutic Courts for the past four years, I have seen lives destroyed by the lack of a comprehensive social safety net. The individuals who appear before me are often at the lowest point in their lives: lost in drug addiction, untreated mental health
JumpStart scored another victory last week. After facing a string of defeats in its legal challenges, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce revealed last Monday they would not be pursuing further legal action to block the JumpStart progressive payroll tax passed by the Seattle City Council in 2020. The Washington
A non-profit organization called “Keep Kids Safe” filed a lawsuit Thursday afternoon to block the opening of permanent supportive housing in Kirkland. This action comes nearly a month after King County announced the purchase of the La Quinta Inn and Suites as part of its Health Through Housing program. Funded
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) sounds like a highly technical and complex mechanism of governance. They take years, spiral into hundreds of pages with massive appendices, and get fought over in court. The truth is that EIS are a simple concept with plenty of spots that you can influence the
On a day-to-day basis, we are confronted with a million different challenges: maybe you dropped your coffee on the carpet, maybe you just cannot find that missing sock, or maybe a new light rail station was announced in your neighborhood. “Wait a second!” I hear you saying. “Light rail stations
Some motorists think they should be above the law Automatic traffic cameras are being installed in eight Seattle locations and three state legislators are “crying foul” and fretting over expected impacts to their constituents. Senator Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim) posted a press release on his webpage stating the trio
Late Monday night, the Washington State Redistricting Commission failed to approve new maps for Congressional and legislative districts before the constitutional deadline, while holding private deliberations in apparent violation of state open meeting law. As a result of the commission’s failure to meet the deadline, the Washington Supreme Court
Parallel to Governor Inslee’s housing stability bridge program and Mayor Durkan’s extension of Seattle’s eviction moratorium, the Seattle City Council passed a series of protections for renters. Among them is an ordinance that allows tenants to avoid eviction due to pandemic related hardship. The actual provision will
Whistleblowers in the scandal around Mayor Jenny Durkan’s missing texts and mishandling of public records requests have filed suit against the City of Seattle for retaliation, the Seattle Times reported late last night. “The seven-page complaint — filed in King County Superior Court by Stacy Irwin and Kimberly Ferreiro — contends
On Monday, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to energize Downtown Seattle and South Lake Union (SLU) with new street-level uses. This effort hopes to help Downtown and South Lake Union recover from the pandemic-induced recession by filling vacancies and promoting active streets. The legislation also offers an
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge James Robart summoned City Attorney Pete Holmes and Court Monitor Anthony Oftelie to his courtroom to get an update on where Seattle stands in the consent decree. It turned out to be more of a retirement party for Holmes, who has been in office
Recently, the Seattle City Council has passed a handful of bills around revenue tracking, the environment, affordable housing, and parking rates. Many of these ordinances come about from the issues presented by the ongoing pandemic, and preparation for a post-pandemic economy. Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) projects are getting more time,
How Federal Subsidy of Loan Interest Rates Block Missing Middle Housing Earlier in the pandemic, I was searching around Zillow. Looking at houses was a fair alternative to doomscrolling Reddit. One evening, I came across a building for sale. Interesting place in our neighborhood with a couple apartment units and
Corporations hoping to derail Seattle’s JumpStart progressive payroll tax were thwarted in a court ruling released Friday. King County Superior Court Judge Mary Roberts ruled in favor of the City of Seattle, dismissing “with prejudice” the lawsuit that the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce brought against it. The City
Here’s the plan. We’re starting a wireless biometric crypto-AI blockchain company. Instead of a traditional headquarters, we’re going to buy up 50,000 acres of the desert and start our own city. It’ll look like Blade Runner perched on an Amalfi cliff face and run completely
All new cars sold in Washington in 2030 or thereafter would be electric if House Bill 1204 or senate companion bill Senate Bill 5256 becomes law. Representative Nicole Macri (D-Seattle) first brought the Clean Cars 2030 bill to hearing in 2020. Her bill returns this year, with its first hearing
Seattle is looking to significantly cut the environmental impact of its new commercial and residential buildings with the adoption of the 2018 Seattle Energy Code, which is being kicked around the Seattle City Council in new legislation. This legislation would realize a code consisting of the 2018 International Energy Conservation
On Tuesday, State Representative David Hackney (D-11th Legislative District) introduced an exciting bill that could provide Seattle a path to extend rail expansions beyond Sound Transit 3 (ST3) and help avert severe delays in ST3 timelines threatened due to cost escalations and dips in revenue due to the pandemic. House
Our top two advance primary is doing a disservice to voters, especially in crowded races. With Seattle’s 2021 mayoral election looming and Mayor Jenny Durkan’s announcement she’s not running for reelection, the field could become quite crowded in the next few months. The 2017 election that also
Last week, Washington Governor Jay Inslee outlined a climate policy package to create a comprehensive climate program aimed to reduce the state’s emissions 30% by 2030. His office also unveiled its proposed 2021-2023 biennium budget that includes some more relevant climate and transportation dollars, and calls for a 9%
I. Those Left Out: Skyway and Bryn Mawr It is budget season. Throughout Washington, cities are creating budgets that reflect the dual impacts of pandemic and economic recession. Tax revenue is down. Rainy day funds are depleted. Community groups are applying important pressure to reconsider how we spend our tax
The Washington Supreme Court ruled this morning that Initiative 976 violated the state constitution–twice, in fact–and struck it down accordingly. As a result, transportation agencies across the state will keep a key funding source: motor vehicle license fees and excise taxes–or car tabs, for short. Implementation of
Cities across America are on edge right now. Many have seen clashes between police and protesters, resulting in injuries, arrests, and destruction. It was hard to focus on much of anything else as news feeds were inundated with images of violence–police in riot gear, cars on fire, and protesters
In the midst of the lively local restaurants and coffee shops on N 45th Street in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood is a business bearing the logo of a famous multinational corporation. State records indicate that discharges from this business have been contaminating the groundwater flowing into Lake Union with benzene,
The Washington Supreme Court wants the constitutionality question for Initiative 976 settled for good and sooner rather than later. Yesterday the court issued a ruling bypassing the Court of Appeals and taking up the case itself on an expedited schedule. Final briefs are due June 19th, oral arguments will begin
On April 3rd, Washington’s Supreme Court denied a motion to hear Seattle’s income tax case enshrining a lower court ruling that struck down a 1984 state law that banned city income taxes. However, that same state Court of Appeals ruling also invalidated Seattle’s 2.25% income tax
Seattle and Washington State want to maintain housing affordability and the other Washington (D.C.) laid the groundwork to do it via legislation providing tenants the right to buy their home. I recently attended a 2020 legislative preview hosted by Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness. Rep. Nicole Macri (D-Seattle)
Wonkabout Washington is back after a brief hiatus and we’re wrapping up the year with an exceptionally wonky topic that has broad impacts for land use law and tenant rights regulations across Washington. That’s right, we’re talking this month about takings law and a hugely consequential recent