How the teacher pay raise formula could worsen Seattle’s inequity
Much of the debate over teacher salaries at the heart of the Seattle teachers’ first contract-related strike in 30 years is focused on what percent raise teachers should receive. That’s a missed...
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Counterpoint: Charter schools offer families choice in public education
Last month, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that charter schools – which voters approved in 2012 – are unconstitutional, due to the fact they are not governed by elected boards and are therefore...
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Point: Charter schools shouldn’t be on the public’s dime
Last month, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that charter schools – which voters approved in 2012 – are unconstitutional, due to the fact they are not governed by elected boards and are therefore...
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Mercer Islanders showcase a purer form of entitlement
When citizens gather to engage government employees, the results can be illuminating. Public town halls, “listening tours” and forums are ideal showcases for – as one inspiring public servant put it –...
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Care about housing affordability? A clear choice in King County Assessor race
It’s the election contest that gets no respect. The King County Assessor’s office affects almost everyone in the region. Yet scant attention by the media, the area’s Chambers of Commerce, and even the...
View ArticleSeattle’s soul: Alive and well, thank you
Blogs and even reputable news sources lately are filled with premature death notices for Seattle’s soul. Take the piece in Gawker in August. Christopher Morris-Len wrote that “Seattle is dead and...
View ArticleCounterpoint: Tackling climate change is a moral and economic imperative
Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered the state Department of Ecology to develop rules around a carbon cap, which he says will lower the amount of emissions of those who emit more than 100,000 metric tons per...
View ArticlePoint: Opposing Inslee’s climate proposals is a bipartisan affair
Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered the state Department of Ecology to develop rules around a carbon cap, which he says will lower the amount of emissions of those who emit more than 100,000 metric tons per...
View ArticleCounterpoint: Seattle can do better than Prop 1’s transportation plan
Seattle voters are deciding on Proposition 1, a nine-year $930 million measure for transportation projects. Below, Suzie Burke argues for a no vote; Ref Lindmark’s argument for a yes vote is here. As...
View ArticlePoint: Seattle voters can trust Prop 1 will deliver on transportation
Seattle voters are deciding on Proposition 1, a nine-year $930 million measure for transportation projects. Below, Ref Lindmark argues for a yes vote; Suzie Burke’s argument for a no vote is here. As...
View ArticleHomelessness emergency: A chance to make a difference
On Monday, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine took a dramatic but absolutely necessary step forward in addressing the homelessness crisis in King County. They officially...
View ArticleSeattle Council should meet its own parental leave goals
Family policy was relegated to the backseat as the Seattle City Council missed another monumental opportunity to lead the charge on providing paid parental leave. On November 16, the Seattle City...
View ArticleThose opposing Syrian refugees should heed history’s lessons
After the November 13th attacks in Paris, presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz introduced the Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act, a bill to deny asylum to refugees fleeing any country...
View ArticleYear of the Seattle urbanist? Not quite yet
When the Sierra Club worked to defeat the Roads and Transit measure in 2007, a smart politico told us “you want to win the election, but you also want to win election night.” That meant getting the...
View ArticleSeattle should press gun makers on public safety
Washington state, and Seattle more specifically, can take great pride in the recent dramatic and pioneering improvements achieved through the political process. The passing of state Initiative 594...
View ArticleWhat voters can do about PACs
Since 2010 expenditures on political campaigns by independent political action committees have exploded at every level of American democracy, including the local level. This is the direct result of the...
View ArticleInside the conservative plan to take over city politics
The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council is the most successful political force, left or right, producing state legislation in the country. A bar chart produced by Quorum, a third party...
View ArticleIt’s time to get passionate about gun control
In the past few days we have heard proposals by President Obama and Gov. Inslee on how they would reduce gun deaths in America. Both proposals are limited, given the lack of legislative will to do...
View ArticleSuccessful mentoring program for teachers still needs Seattle’s support
The Seattle Teacher Residency Program is a master’s degree level teacher preparation program in Seattle Public Schools that began in 2014. This rich resource for teacher development and equity in the...
View ArticleWhy Seattle must tame “The Jungle”
For the past 20 years, the area at the base of Beacon Hill known as “The Jungle” has been a haven for homeless encampments, drug dealing and crime. These illegal activities have been a constant source...
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