Seattle City Hall

Set aside the nostalgia for a moment, and consider the good aspects of the new Seattle. Really.

2008: Year of Hope, Year of Fear. Essay 11

Posted Fri, Jan 2, 2:21 p.m.

By Scott St. Clair

After a year of shattered illusions, are we just growing a new crop?

If you convene citizens, listen to them

Posted Fri, Jan 2, 6 a.m.

By Sally Bagshaw

Too often, convening them is mostly to appease or garner support. The Viaduct stakeholders, told to go away, instead have pushed for a hybrid solution with a tunnel. Fortunately the politicians are now listening.

Viaduct politicians reach a big moment of truth

Posted Tue, Dec 30, 5:33 p.m.

By David Brewster

Delaying the decision was supposed to allow a consensus version to appear magically. Didn't happen. Instead there are three new champions and three new variants. This baby seems headed for the big scary Legislature.

2008: Year of Hope, Year of Fear, Essay 7

Posted Tue, Dec 30, 4 p.m.

The biggest change must come from ourselves, shifting from a culture of greed to one of community. The national shift seems more likely than a local one.

2008: Year of Hope, Year of Fear. Essay 4

Posted Mon, Dec 29, 3 p.m.

By Kent Kammerer

Bringing the spirit of Obama to the City Council

2008: Year of Hope, Year of Fear. Essay 2

Posted Mon, Dec 29, 6 a.m.

Seattle should heed the message of getting back to the nitty gritty basics

Six New Year's wishes

Posted Sun, Dec 28, 6 a.m.

New leadership, new hopes. And how about some smart decisions on some key issues?

Please pass the (road) salt

Posted Wed, Dec 24, 12:01 p.m.

By Lisa Albers

A Seattle transplant sums up the region's snowstorm-response failings.

Memo to city pols: times are tough

Posted Mon, Dec 22, 6 a.m.

By Kent Kammerer

While the rest of us tighten our belts, the Mayor and City Council pass around pay increases and raise fees. Hello?

Pacific Science Center's architecture might change

Posted Wed, Dec 17, 6 a.m.

By Benjamin Lukoff

Dramatically lit at night, the Science Center is an icon in the Seattle skyline. A national group is sounding alarms about potential alterations of the campus, though the arches seem sacrosanct.

A peace treaty for the Viaduct wars

Posted Thu, Dec 11, 6 a.m.

By David Brewster

An artful, if fragile grand compromise has emerged, late in an exhaustive process. Here's a look at its components and its politics — and what could blow it apart.

Blago and backlash

Posted Thu, Dec 11, 6 a.m.

How the Chicago corruption story and other lavish raids on the public treasury (and trust) could induce an angry populist backlash.

Tim Burgess makes a fast start at City Council

Posted Wed, Dec 10, 6 a.m.

By C.R. Douglas

The freshman has made varsity in his first year, pulling together coalitions and also drawing the City Council to the center. Some think he should be mayor some day, while others think he is stiffing progressive causes.

Seattle's City Hall: Get the hook!

Posted Fri, Dec 5, 6 a.m.

Two recent votes, committing to big transportation projects without answering the tough questions, convince one observer that 2009 is a fine time to send packing the City Council and Mayor Nickels.

Charlie and me

Posted Thu, Nov 27, 6 a.m.

By Kent Kammerer

A Thanksgiving story, learning from a wise homeless man.

Seattle's recycling program runs into plunging prices

Posted Wed, Nov 26, 6 a.m.

By Bill Richards

When world prices for metals and paper were riding high, Seattle had a little gold mine shipping out its recyclables. Then the prices sank by as much as 75 percent. Gold mine became a black hole.

Two ways to make deep cuts in government services

Posted Mon, Nov 24, 6 a.m.

By David Brewster

Our local politicians are coping with austerity by sharing the pain and keeping nearly all programs alive for a future return. But what about the chance to be rid of programs that don't work?

Seattle's misguided gun ban

Posted Mon, Nov 17, 6 a.m.

Mayor Greg Nickels plans to defy state law with a gun ban that is worse than an empty gesture: It puts law-abiding citizens at greater risk.

The Bag Tax Rebellion

Posted Sat, Nov 15, midnight

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

There are risks in thinking small while trying to make a greener city.

Other media

Connelly: City's defensive answers on snow clearance are unconvincing Metro, at least, is a little more forthcoming.

Metro says communications were poor with City during snow days Testimony comes out in City Council hearings that once the buses were snarled there was little ability to adjust or inform the public.

SEATTLE TIMES

City Council starts grilling officials on snow clearance Director of Seattle's Department of Transportation admits coordination with Metro needs improving, and says city efforts on snow removal were adequate.

SEATTLE TIMES

City aggressively attacks latest snowstorm, even as it melts away Salt deployed for first time in a decade, as some parts of town get more than 4 inches of overnight snow.

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Does a new convention center for Seattle pencil out? One awkward discovery: the number attending has gone down slightly since the last expansion of the Center.

SEATTLE TIMES

Blog posts

They also serve who labor long at City Hall

Posted Mon, Jan 5, noon

by Kent Kammerer

Take the case of Bob Morgan, whose job has been to make legislation clear to the City Council and the citizens before it gets voted on.

The road less salted

Posted Sun, Dec 28, 5:47 p.m. 2008

by Lisa Albers

A parting blow over the failure to salt the snow, this one on behalf of retailers.

Mayor Dynamite

Posted Fri, Dec 26, noon 2008

Greg Nickels got Northgate development unstuck by blowing up the entrenched sides. But is that the best way to make friends? Or to clear icy streets?

Gee, officer. I was just trying to cut my carbon footprint.

Posted Thu, Dec 18, 3 p.m. 2008

by Jonathan Hiskes

The City will tow your car if you leave it parked in one spot for more than 72 hours. Does this make sense? Should I drive more?

Viaduct decision day is here

Posted Thu, Dec 11, 1:19 p.m. 2008

Here's an early look at what might be the final two or three options for the Viaduct. The key meeting is 4:30 pm today at City Hall.

The (literal) elephant in the room

Posted Thu, Dec 4, noon 2008

At what point will the budget crunch facing cities start to become a decision-forcer in Seattle?

As the city grows alarmed at gang shootings, the Police cite soothing statistics

Posted Fri, Nov 28, 7:40 a.m. 2008

by Peggy Sturdivant

Also, there's a new initiative and the SPD promises to work more closely with other departments. Please stop worrying.

Decision time for 2009 races in Seattle

Posted Wed, Nov 26, 11:28 a.m. 2008

The mayor's race is narrowing, as Richard Conlin bows out. City Council open seats are attracting good talent

A rarity: an urban President

Posted Tue, Nov 25, 6 a.m. 2008