Policy & Regulations
Bike Share Could Be Expanding in Seattle
The Seattle City Council advanced an expansion of the city's bike share program
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. A proposed expansion of the citys bike share pilot program has passed out of committee, even though two Council members believe it still needs work. The vote came after a briefing from SDOT in which the department reviewed the learnings from its evaluation of the existing pilot program…
Gun Safety Bills Advance Out of City Council Committee; One of Them Is Most Likely Illegal
The bills were introduced by Mayor Jenny Durkan and Council member Lorena Gonzalez.
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. The two gun-safety bills that Mayor Durkan and Council member Gonzalez announced last month passed out of committee on June 27 with minor amendments, and will come up before the full City Council for final approval on July 9. But even if they pass, as is likely, one…
Seattle Aims to Improve Street Parking With ‘Pay By Plate’ System
This could make parking stickers a thing of the past.
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. The city is hoping that it can make paying for street parking faster, easier, and more convenient. Over the past several years SDOT has been moving away from individual meters to pay stations. From that upgrade came the ability to pay for parking with a credit card. It…
Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy Passed Unanimously by Seattle City Council
The FEPP is a combined renewal of two existing levies: the Families and Education Levy and the Seattle Preschool Program Levy.
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. This afternoon the City Council approved the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy, sending it to the Mayor for her signature and ultimately to the November ballot. The FEPP is a combined renewal of two existing levies: the Families and Education Levy and the Seattle Preschool Program Levy….
Seattle City Council Passes Mayor Durkan’s Bridge Housing Plan For Homeless Shelters
No one in City Hall believes that what was passed is a solution to the homelessness crisis, but it will get 500 more people into forms of shelter.
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. This afternoon the City Council approved Mayor Durkans package of bridge funding for homeless shelters, her attempt at a surge to get more homeless people off the streets and into safer locations. To be clear, no one in City Hall believes that the spending package passed today is…
Seattle City Council Member Teresa Mosqueda Introduces Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights
The proposed ordinance would establish rights and protections for those who work in a private home, including occupations like nanny, house cleaner or home care worker.
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. This week council member Teresa Mosqueda is introducing a domestic workers bill of rights, an ordinance that establishes several rights and protections for domestic workers in Seattle. Under the ordinance, a domestic worker is someone who provides services to an individual or household in a private home, and…
What Seattle City Council Members Said About Repealing the Controversial ‘Head Tax’
Several council members supported the tax, but saw its divisive future as a business-backed referendum drive had it hurtling toward the November election, and voted to repeal it
This article originally ran on SCC Insight. As expected, this afternoon the City Council voted to repeal the employee hours tax, aka the head tax, that it enacted last month. The final vote was 7-2 to repeal, with council members Teresa Mosqueda and Kshama Sawant the only no votes. The vote came after over an…
Seattle City Council Races to Repeal the ‘Head Tax’
It seems likely that the recently passed employee hours tax that would fund affordable housing and homelessness services will be repealed today
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. In a sudden and unexpected move today, Council President Bruce Harrell introduced a bill that would repeal the recently-enacted employee-hours tax (aka the head tax) and scheduled a special meeting of the full City Council for tomorrow to deliberate and vote on it. Council President Bruce Harrell discussing…
Seattle City Council Readies Update to City Light’s Strategic Plan as Long-Term Challenges Loom
Breaking down how declining demand, customer service, workforce issues and more will impact City Light for years to come
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. Next week the City Council begins the process of reviewing and revising the six-year Strategic Plan for Seattle City Light. They have a lot of issues to dig through. Rather than letting it run in place for the full six years, SCLs Strategic Plan has received a scheduled…
Seattle City Council Unanimously Passes Shrunken ‘Head Tax’ Bill and Amazon Will Now Continue Construction
But how will the city spend the new tax revenue? And how much money will really be coming in?
This story originally ran on SCC Insight. The City Council resolved its stalemate and passed a compromise head tax on Monday afternoon. It imposes an annual tax of $275 per full-time employee (or full-time equivalent) on businesses making $20 million or more in revenues per year in Seattle. Council member Lorena Gonzalez announced this morning…
Coalition of Seattle Labor Groups Call On Seattle City Council to Pass Proposed ‘Head Tax’
Read the full letter in support of the tax here
One day after an open letter from more than 100 Seattle area business leader to the Seattle City Council in opposition to the proposed head tax was published, a group of several local unions has sent a letter in support of the legislation. Read the full letter below, and learn more about the proposed tax…
More Than 100 Seattle Business Leaders Oppose Proposed ‘Head Tax’
Read their full open letter to the Seattle City Council here.
On Tuesday, more than 100 business leaders from the Seattle area submitted a letter to Seattle City Council in opposition of the head tax. Read the letter, which was originally posted on Medium, here: To the citizens and Councilmembers of the City of Seattle, As CEOs, leaders, and investors in our regions growing economy, from…