The Siren Song of Forced Treatment Involuntary treatment should remain an option of last resort, used only in extreme cases of grave disability or imminent harm to self or others, guest columnist Susan E. Collins argues. publicola.com/2025/09/25/t...

Bruce Harrell is taking a quieter tone at the beginning of this debate, streaming now. It was heavily advertised by MAGA media, with exactly the kind of comments you would expect of people who think anyone other than cis straight white men is a "DEI hire" and that Democrats are "terrorists"

Harrell's Latest Budget Spikes City's Deficit by Piling On New Spending In Election Year Harrell's 2026 budget includes big new investments in police, the 2026 World Cup, and graffiti removal—plus millions in one-time spending on priorities that require a long-term approach.

Didn't realize I'd have to block people who are incandescent that I dunked on a $400 vibrating knife, but here we are

oh goodie now the tech guys are disrupting knives (as a person with small hands who cooks using regular sharp knives, that handle, which requires you to hold down a button while cutting, looks huge and unwieldy as hell) www.geekwire.com/2025/slice-o...

I can't decide which question from tonight's mayoral debate was more unhinged: "What's your position on crime?" or "Candidate Wilson, is it your plan for the city to look like New York by depending on mass transit?"

I'm watching the Converge and Fox 13 debate right now. Alas, the actual TV station is glitching out, so I'm watching the feed which is a few seconds behind. Will post about anything noteworthy here!

I genuinely enjoy reading the city's budget book, a high-level look at what our taxes pay for. Not very deep in yet and I've learned the budget adds $762,000 for expansion of the Joint Enforcement Team, recently in the news for raiding gay bars in search of "lewd" conduct.

Got some more info on these stats. KCRHA surveyed 779 people in the "Seattle Subregion," which includes Vashon and Maury Island. Of those, 57% said they were last stably housed in King County. Of that King County subset (444), 138 people said they were last stably housed in Seattle. 1/2

Ominously, Crosscut.com — the 18-year-old local news site most recently owned and operated by Cascade PBS—now redirects to Cascade's TV website, replacing local news coverage with links to NOVA and Call the Midwife. Cascade just eliminated all its written local news reporting, along with 19 jobs.

In his budget remarks, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said 70% of people who are homeless in Seattle aren't from here, a number that's a) inconsistent with previous data b) based on a relatively small survey and c) misleading. Harrell is using this stat to say the rest of the region needs to "do more."

Unlike in previous years, Mayor Bruce Harrell won't deliver a live budget speech this year; instead, he's sending out a prepared video at noon. Former mayor Jenny Durkan did the same thing with her final budget: publicola.com/2021/09/28/d...

Mayor Bruce Harrell is announcing his new budget today. In the runup, he's been touting "the largest investment in city history" in affordable housing. That "historic investment"? A sub-inflationary $1 million increase in the entire Office of Housing budget, from $348 million to $349 million.

Going back and watching Rob Saka scream at his colleagues for not providing a courtesy second for one of his amendments to a housing tax exemption update this morning. This has always been a common occurrence at council—sometimes you don't have support for an amendment and that's just how it goes!

Cascade PBS Lays Off News Staff, Citing Federal Cuts The cuts will eliminate the nonprofit's newsroom, as Cascade pivots to focus on video, including coverage of history, food, and the outdoors. publicola.com/2025/09/22/c...

BREAKING: Cascade PBS, which operates the website Crosscut, is laying off 19 people, reportedly including its entire news staff. In an email to staff, CEO Rob Dunlop blamed federal cuts, saying the nonprofit is "winding down our longform, written journalism."

City's Growth Plan Update Maintains Seattle's Suburban Character, Including Mandatory Parking The council's changes mostly doubled down on Mayor Bruce Harrell's slow-growth plan, which advocates criticized for failing to address Seattle's housing crisis. publicola.com/2025/09/22/c...

This Week on PubliCola: September 21, 2025 Seattle's plan for growth, CARE team expansion, and more stories you might have missed this week. publicola.com/2025/09/21/t...

This Week on PubliCola: September 21, 2025 Seattle's plan for growth, CARE team expansion, and more stories you might have missed this week. publicola.com/2025/09/21/t...

I was unable to watch the Rainier Avenue Radio Seattle mayoral debate the other night, but I'm watching now and hoo boy did Harrell, once again, suggest he has the unified support of a monolithic Black community and Native American community—and said no one in those communities "knows" Katie Wilson.

Harrell Proposes New Sales Tax to Expand CARE Team, Fund Treatment, and Backfill Budget About half the $39 million would backfill spending on existing programs; the rest would shore up the city's crisis response system and fund new treatment beds. publicola.com/2025/09/19/h...

Seattle Times editorial board with its finger on the pulse, calling on the city to change the noise laws to "protect the children" from a guy who annoys people at sports games: www.seattletimes.com/opinion/edit...

I was still rushing back from a press conference and missed this - as one of Bob Kettle’s constituents, I would pay extra taxes to have more than two acceptable restaurants and a mediocre bar within walking distance, preferably next door

In addition to Ron's point, requiring deep front yards in residential areas discourages businesses and stores that rely on visibility for foot traffic.

Back at city hall after a press conference down the street. At city hall, the council is on to Bob Kettle's amendment to allow more density for stacked flats everywhere; as I walked in, Rivera was saying she didn't want to allow this kind of density in areas without frequent transit.

Targeted microblogging to city of Seattle department heads and politicians: PLEASE, for the love of all that is holy, go back to releasing details about your announcement BEFORE your big press conference instead of forcing everyone to ask questions based on the most limited information possible

Tiny House Village in Southeast Seattle Remains Stalled as Winter Approaches The village, now whittled down to just 14 tiny houses, has been in the works since 2023. The latest hurdle: A lease agreement between Nickelsville and the city. publicola.com/2025/09/18/t...

Day 2 of Seattle City Council voting on amendments to the city's long-delayed comprehensive plan update is underway. First amendment up: Proposal from Alexis Mercedes Rinck that would eliminate mandatory parking minimums across the city.

Missed this one (and I don't think it has gotten coverage): Seattle Councilmember Dan Strauss is proposing to eliminate the Phinney Ridge neighborhood center, centered on Phinney Ave. N, and replace it with an "East Ballard" neighborhood center along 8th Ave. seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...

the 7 cities that are collectively "contributing" to the regional homelessness authority provide a total of about $400,000 of a $200 million-plus budget. This isn't the real issue—but it may serve as a pretext for pulling the plug. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Most people are already eating twice the protein they need, yet America is obsessed with the idea that we aren't getting enough. The meat industry, which is pushing this misinformation, is reaping rewards as American meat consumption goes up and up. www.foodpolitics.com/2025/09/27862/

you have no idea how much I dreamed of writing for the Bay Guardian (ended up at the Austin Chronicle, still pretty good for a kid from the Houston suburbs), nor how nostalgic I still am for the fucked-up bad old good old days of '90s alt weeklies

The Seattle Police Department has informed me that they will not follow the policy they agreed to in a settlement with the Seattle Times on public disclosure when dealing with my records requests. Instead, they are "grouping" all of my requests and responding to them, in full, one at a time.

Maritza Rivera has some general comments: "To be successful we need more housing of all types." She has proposed reducing neighborhood centers by more land area, all in her Northeast Seattle District, than any other council member.

Several speakers today have suggested that NOAA would support single-family zoning—because Seattle house owners have big trees in their private lawns and trees capture carbon and help address runoff. In fact, SPRAWL destroys forests and vastly increases toxic runoff (and NOAA would probably agree).

I'm at city hall for the first round of comp plan votes today. Two speakers have read near-identical remarks supporting Joy Hollingsworth's amendment to continue banning apartments in part of the Central District, arguing that allowing renters there constitutes a Trump-like erasure of Black lives.

Late-Breaking Comp Plan Change Would Restore Low-Density "Donut Hole" Between Capitol Hill and Central District A separate "consent package" includes bonuses for stacked flats and social housing, but not proposals to get rid of mandatory parking requirements. publicola.com/2025/09/17/l...

Worth noting: Although Hollingsworth has deemed several amendments adding density out of scope because their environmental impacts weren't studied, there's no requirement to study the environmental impacts of retaining apartment bans instead of lifting them.

Heads-up: At tomorrow's Seattle comp plan committee meeting, chair Joy Hollingsworth is walking on an amendment to restore the low-density "donut hole" between Capitol Hill and the Central District, reversing a plan to allow more housing in this part of Seattle's core

I'm not live-posting tonight's Seattle D2 council debate—sorry! It's the least exciting race (and debate)!—but Adonis Ducksworth (who trailed Eddie Lin in the primary) made a great point about the need for PEER support, in response to a leading question about how addicts need "accountability."

oh Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison announced she is FILING SUIT against "GRAFFITI VANDALS" and seeking $40,000 from them under the new anti-graffiti law she sought hoping Erika Evans, who's on track to beat Davison in November, doesn't spend a moment on this kind of performative stuntwork

Police Department Acknowledges Using AI, But Says It Isn't "Substantive" Enough to Label A complaint about AI use to the city's Office of Police Accountability resulted in a supervisor action, indicating minor misconduct, but SPD insists it's following policy. publicola.com/2025/09/16/p...

I am STRICKEN www.youtube.com/shorts/CyAAw...

In addition to banging lil judge's gavels at the start and close of their meetings, two of the councilmembers elected in 2023, Rob Saka and Bob Kettle, now use the first 5-10 minutes of their committee meetings to just kind of riff on whatever. Saka's speech for today's 9:30 meeting just wrapped up.

Retail jobs already suck; this startup has a plan to make them significantly worse! 10/10 neither of these guys ever worked a shitty retail job to pay the bills. www.geekwire.com/2025/seattle...

Senate appropriations bill says the new dietary guidelines for Americans CANNOT consider studies showing conclusively that alcohol consumption causes cancer; instead, they HAVE to use a flawed and outdated study that recommends moderate drinking. www.foodpolitics.com/2025/09/alco...

the look on Dionne Foster's face when incumbent Seattle City Councilmember Sara Nelson said she didn't know of any low-income housing co-located with behavioral health care

Seattle Nice: Does Police Surveillance Make Us Safer? On this week's show, we discuss the expansion of police surveillance cameras, the mayor's proposal to help Black residents buy houses, and more. publicola.com/2025/09/15/s...

UPDATE on this post: Looks like none of the Rivera amendments, including the one that would give a city department head the power to force housing developers to re-draw their site plans to protect trees of any size, are in Joy Holilingsworth's "chair's package." seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...

What That Day-Long Comp Plan Hearing Was About Social housing, parking mandates, and "clear-cutting" Seattle's private lawns. publicola.com/2025/09/15/w...