Tag Archives: city hall

Councilmember Juarez sworn in — again — to represent North Seattle

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(Image: City of Seattle)

Debora Juarez was elected to the Seattle City Council twice.

Tuesday, she began her third term after the council appointed her to represent North Seattle and complete the open term through November 2026.

“Representing District 5 was a great honor when I was elected twice and for some reason this feels much more emotional,” Juarez said after taking the Oath of Office following Tuesday’s appointment. “For that I thank you. I raise my hands.”

Juarez joined the first district-based council after election in 2016. Six years later, she was part of a ripple of council incumbents opting not to run to keep their seats after a contentious term that included COVID-19, the 2020 protests, and withering attacks from District 3 representative Kshama Sawant. Continue reading →

Seattle Council to consider $9M a year ‘Pathways to Recovery’ program as Trump issues order on homelessness and ‘disorder on America’s streets’

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A recent We Heart Seattle cleanup (Image: We Heart Seattle)

With a week until the August 5th Primary Election, Seattle City Council president Sara Nelson says her $9 million a year “bold plan to break the cycle of addiction and homelessness” with a new sales tax increase to fund addiction treatment services will be decided on Tuesday.

CHS reported here on the proposal to direct 25% of a new tenth of a cent sales tax authorized by the state legislature for cities to pay for public safety services to longtime service providers like Evergreen Treatment Services, the Downtown Emergency Service Center, and newcomers like The More We Love and We Heart Seattle. Continue reading →

Seattle Council president skips committee meeting in fight over Seattle Renters’ Commission — UPDATE

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There were some empty seats in council chambers Wednesday

Sara Nelson was quiet about the decision. Her actions did the talking Wednesday as the Seattle City Council President joined fellow committee member Rob Saka in unexpectedly ditching a meeting of the Housing and Human Services Committee as 14 people awaited appointment to the Seattle Renters’ Commission.

“I think we’re in unprecedented territory, so we’re going to use this time and hopefully the award-winning Seattle Channel will accommodate us on this,” committee member Alexis Mercedes Rinck said as she and committee vice-chair Mark Solomon ad libbed and carried on without quorum. Continue reading →

Seattle considering new real estate industry regulations to stave off predatory homebuyers

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The Seattle City Council’s Housing and Human Services Committee is considering legislation Wednesday morning hoped to help homeowners stave off predatory buyers.

The proposed legislation would “establish new consumer protections for owners of solicited residential property as well as penalties for buyers who fail to comply with these new protections,” according to a council summary: Continue reading →

Mayor proposes adding SPD surveillance cameras around Pike/Pine, Garfield High School

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Harrell last week in Seattle’s Real Time Crime Center (Image: City of Seattle)

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is proposing legislation that would bring Seattle Police Department surveillance cameras to Capitol Hill’s Pike/Pine nightlife district.

CHS first reported on the plan in December as Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess included the proposal during a public safety meeting with the neighborhood’s business community sparked by ongoing challenges around street crime and drug use around the Broadway-Pike/Pine core and Cal Anderson Park.

Last week in a press conference to tout the success of SPD’s Real Time Crime Center, Harrell’s office said the mayor backs an expansion of a pilot program that already has cameras along Aurora Ave, 3rd Ave, and in the International District to include areas around Cal Anderson and Pike/Pine.

The mayor’s office is also backing expansion of the 24×7 surveillance program to include the area around Garfield High School where the city and the district are spending thousands on security upgrades and community services to counter deadly gun violence that has marred the campus.

Garfield is also being considered for a pilot program beginning this fall that would pay for a Seattle Police School Engagement Officer on the campus.

The Harrell administration says it recently proposed legislation to the Seattle City Council that would expand “the geographic areas where City CCTV cameras can be installed, including public streets and sidewalks around Garfield and Nova High Schools, the Capitol Hill Nightlife District, and the SODO Stadium Area,” according to a statement from City Hall.

“The legislation also authorizes the RTCC to view and record SDOT traffic cameras at select intersections and along major arterial roads in the city,” the mayor’s office adds. Continue reading →

With a familiar name on the list, process begins to fill City Council’s North Seattle seat

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A veteran of the Seattle City Council who was there when City Hall made the transition to district-base representation is a finalist to fill the gap leading North Seattle’s District 5.

Former member of the council Debora Juarez has been selected as one of six finalists to hold the seat until the 2026 election following the resignation of Cathy Moore.

The six will take part in an appointment forum Monday night then the council will meet on July 22 to interview the finalists. A vote on the appointment is scheduled to take place on July 28th. The successful candidate will need to gather a simple majority of five votes from the council. Continue reading →

Seattle doubles down with threat of $1K fines for ‘prolific taggers’ — Meanwhile, ‘Hot Rat Summer’ mosaic to be restored

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(Image: CHS)

Seattle is doubling down on illegal graffiti, adding possible $1,000 fines for tagging in the city.

The Seattle City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday to approve legislation allowing the Seattle City Attorney to bring “civil actions against prolific taggers,” “with the potential to receive some restitution and for graffiti-related property destruction.” Convicted taggers would also remain subject to criminal penalties. Only citywide councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck voted against the bill.

“Council’s vote today sends a clear message: Seattle’s tolerance for illegal graffiti has expired. Stop vandalizing our city or we will hold you accountable,” City Attorney Ann Davison said in a statement on the approval. “There are many prolific illegal taggers and once the ordinance becomes effective, I will be filing lawsuits. Since the fines are imposed for each violation, it should serve as a big wake-up call to those who deface Seattle.” Continue reading →

Capitol Hill’s McMenamins Six Arms settles $91K ‘Secure Scheduling’ case

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(Image: McMenamins Six Arms)

A Capitol Hill cousin of the ubiquitous-in-Oregon McMenamins food, drink, and hotel chain is paying up after a wage theft investigation by the Seattle Office of Labor Standards.

In the settlement announced Friday, the Portland-headquartered company of 5,000 employees agreed to a $91,000 settlement in the case over allegations of violations of the city’s Secure Scheduling Ordinance at E Pike’s McMenamins Six Arms.

The city says the settlement will apply to 131 workers at the Capitol Hill bar and includes back wages, interest, liquidated damages, and civil penalties including a $691.87 fine. Continue reading →

Council’s Nelson wants some of Seattle’s potential public safety sales tax bump to go to drug counseling

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Nelson held a news conference to announce the potential $8.75 million initiative

Seattle City Council president Sara Nelson wants to use a newly authorized sales tax bump to pay for drug counseling.

Nelson says her new “progressive public safety initiative” would direct 25% of a new tenth of a cent sales tax authorized by the state legislature for cities to pay for public safety services to “shore up ‘pathways to recovery’ through investment in critical addiction treatment services.”

If implemented, the public safety sales tax increase would generate over $35 million annually, Nelson’s office says, with a quarter of that going to support counseling and treatment services. Continue reading →

Amid Seattle’s 4th of July fireworks, officials ‘prepare for the harm done by the authoritarianism of the federal government’

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As thousands celebrated the 4th and fireworks over Lake Union, nobody dumped tea — or coffee — in Elliott Bay but dozens of political leaders signed on this Independence Day weekend to a declaration opposing the Trump administration’s tax and spending cut bill.

“Washington leaders are now calling for measures to meet this moment. State lawmakers must urgently act to prepare for the harm done by the authoritarianism of the federal government. Local government leaders must enact progressive revenue, like the Seattle Shield Initiative, which can reduce harm to essential programs in major metropolitan areas from budget cuts,” the letter reads.

“The undersigned elected officials represent all levels of government including state, local, and special district governments. We commit to working together in the immediate term to develop meaningful solutions to protect residents. The time is urgently prudent for local leaders across Washington state to live up to the progressive values which have long made us a target of the Trump regime and their corporate cronies.”

The letter, sent out from the office of Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, follows the passage of the Trump-championed bill described by the Associated Press as a “sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities, including new money for national defense and deportations.” Continue reading →