Author: Spencer Pauley | The Center Square, Washington Examiner

(The Center Square) – Seattle officials are weighing new progressive taxes as debate swirls over whether they would help or hurt the city’s already slumping revenue streams. On April 16, Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck announced that she is exploring progressive taxes that would make the city’s wealthiest residents pay more amid an anticipated…

(The Center Square) – The Discovery Institute will soon unveil its policy plan that recommends “treatment-first” solutions to addressing the homelessness crisis in Seattle. The organization recommends the following immediate actions for King County and Seattle to implement: Allocate all unrestricted funds towards treatment and recovery programs in order to help homeless people reach self-sufficiency.…

(The Center Square) – Thurston County will soon launch a court alternative pilot program for homeless people who commit offenses, including domestic violence and sex crimes. Thurston County’s court alternative pilot program is a hybrid version of San Diego’s homeless court program, which allows homeless people to resolve misdemeanor offenses while working to address the underlying…

(The Center Square) – Sound Transit’s West Seattle Link Extension project is now projecting estimated costs to total around $7 billion as the agency’s board of directors approve selected routes and stations. Sound Transit’s new cost estimate for the West Seattle Link Extension is set between $6.7 billion and $7.1 billion. The project’s final Environmental…

(The Center Square) – A recent Seattle Budget Committee meeting gave the impression that proposed cuts to the Seattle Channel may be avoided, with several council members in favor of finding funding elsewhere. The Seattle Channel program is subject to six position cuts to save $1.6 million as part of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposed…

(The Center Square) – Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has signed off on two bills that implement a crime prevention technology pilot program to provide the Seattle Police Department relief and ensure safety on city streets. The pilot program will deploy closed-circuit television cameras in three high-crime Seattle neighborhoods: Aurora Avenue North, the downtown Third Avenue…

(The Center Square) – Despite an overall drop in crime from an all-time high in 2022, Seattleites’ top concern is now public safety over homelessness. The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s survey – titled “The Index” – revealed the latest findings of what Seattle residents think of their city. According to the data, the combined issue of…

(The Center Square) – Seattle employees making the minimum wage will see a mandatory raise starting next year, making them the highest paid minimum wage workers in the country. Starting at the beginning of 2025, all employers regardless of size will be required to pay their employees at least $20.76 an hour. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell…

(The Center Square) – With business offices emptying out and companies shrinking their corporate footprint, King County is shifting its tax burden to homeowners. Residents will bear the majority of more than $7 billion in property taxes this year as Washington’s commercial sector will pay a little over $1 billion. During a King County Budget…

(The Center Square) – Seattle Public Schools revealed two potential school consolidation plans to save the district funding as it faces a $100 million budget deficit. The potential closures are due to the district’s budget deficit that has resulted from weaker revenue streams and continually-decreasing enrollment. The first option the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors will consider…