Shakeup on Team Harrell (Mayor Bruce Harrell): Budget director Julie Dingley is out, just as budget season is getting started. No confirmation on a new budget director, although policy director Dan Eder's name has been mentioned.

Burien Proposes Transitional Housing Ban that May Violate State Law

New this afternoon on PubliCola:

publicola.com/2024/05/07/bur…

Who would have guessed that effectively banning housing by extremely restrictive suburban zoning would be bad for all would-be homeowners by increasing housing costs and constricting supply?

'Findings from more recent empirical studies, totaling some 15,000 participants, have failed to link consensual #nonmonogamy —broadly defined, including all kinds of setups—with income, education level, or being white.' #polyamory

The city of Seattle has extended the public comment period for Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposed comprehensive plan—a document that guides long-term zoning, density, and transportation decisions—two weeks. Details here: engage.oneseattleplan.com

Hey Greg Spotts, how about the Ballard Bridge next?

So, the problems on Third Avenue in Seattle are due to *checks notes*... buses. Got it.

I wrote about the SPD officer standards and recruitment conversation. In the wake of @PubliCola's revelations about what SPD knew about Officer Dave's history, why aren't we looking more closely at SPD's backgrounding process? theurbanist.org/2024/05/02/har…

'...Medical care at SCORE was provided on a contract basis by Wellpath, the nation’s largest prison health care company, which was the subject of Congressional hearings in December and which been accused of widespread...negligence, insufficient staffing, and substandard care'

Longtime city council communications director leaving, SPD communications office dysfunctional, mayor's office slow to respond. Public disclosure requests take months. What a time to be a local journalist!

Wait. What.

Good to know that, in a housing crisis, Seattle's Design Review boards are protecting us from the horror of second-rate brick facades.

Council Kills Morales’ Affordable Housing Bill, Arguing for More Process and Delay

New at PubliCola:

publicola.com/2024/05/01/cou…

Um...

Well, UW administration, Mayor Harrell and SPD now have some choices to make... let them stay until classes end on 5/31, meet the divestment demands, or sweep them. I have some guesses how this will end.

Mayor Bruce Harrell just officially released the tentative contract between the city and Seattle Police Officers Guild, which PubliCola posted earlier this month. Bob Kettle, the head of the council's public safety committee, said some words about addressing the 'permissive environment' in Seattle.

BREAKING: The new SPOG contract legislation has dropped! BIG RAISES for SPD police: 1.3% retroactive to 2021, 6.4% retroactive to 2022, and 15.3% retroactive to 2023. 'The agreement is “partial” in that it only covers the first three years of a potential four-year contract.'