Posted Sun, Apr 22, 2:08 p.m.

This story stirred one memory that underscores the author's point about the Fair as a political launch pad. Ed Devine, an Irish charmer who learned his politics from Patrick Moynihan, was operating the Bubbleator at the Fair. A few months after the Fair closed he was deputy mayor at City ...

Posted Mon, Mar 19, 2:47 p.m.

I gather that the phenomenon you write about - much less traffic congestion than people feared, and spent huge sums to mitigate - is pretty standard, especially for Olympics. The locals leave town or avoid coming there for other reasons, and the visitors all take transit. Which leads to one ...

Posted Wed, Mar 7, 2:43 p.m.

I too will greatly miss David Ishii. The story brings to mind how Pioneer Square has long sheltered "characters" with whom it was great fun to hang out with and from whom one would learn gossip about others. The Brasserie Pittsbourg was such a place, as were Elliott Bay Books ...

Posted Mon, Mar 5, 10:08 a.m.

Thanks for the catch on Great Falls. I meant Idaho Falls, where the Idaho National Laboratory is located; now corrected. Ralph Munro makes a good point about Rep. Dicks' penchant for crossing the partisan aisles. Dicks long learned to flourish, even with Republican majorities. He was essentially an artful dealmaker, ...

Posted Wed, Feb 29, 2:16 p.m.

Thanks for all the rich comments. To me, one crossroads issue for Seattle and the Eastside is whether we will continue to think of Seattle as the place for major regional facilities (symphony halls, sports stadia, nightlife, universities) with the Eastside not competing in those areas, even as it urbanizes ...

Posted Wed, Feb 29, 2:06 p.m.

A snarky thought occurs to me: Might the cost of admission into the NBA Club and Stern's good graces be to do exactly what Chris Hansen has just done in helping pressure Sacramento? Don't I recall that Clay Bennett provided some similar services to his good friend Dave Stern, only ...

Posted Sun, Feb 26, 4:49 p.m.

Several incentives to encourage building, especially residential towers, have been put in place during the recession, for example on First Hill. The city's Department of Planning and Development has been hard hit by the loss of permit fees, so they can be expected to be pro-growth as they rebuild their ...

Posted Thu, Feb 23, 9:14 a.m.

One interesting media footnote: King Tut was a patron for publishing in Seattle. I helped start Seattle Weekly in 1976, and we were making good progress but still losing money when along came the Tut show. We scored a contract to produce a thick, advertising-laden supplement for the show, which ...

Posted Tue, Feb 14, 5:50 p.m.

Orino says hardly anyone gets paid for writing for Crosscut. That's wildly untrue: nearly everyone gets paid.

Posted Sun, Feb 5, 12:58 p.m.

Make that Big 6 of sports, Mike, including Sounders and Storm! Can NASCAR be far behind? Can this city ever be major league enough to relax?

Posted Sat, Feb 4, 4:53 p.m.

Town Hall Seattle is also a former Christian Science Church, and it proved to be readily adaptable for a community center and performance space. Buildings of this era, the 1920s, tended to be designed for flexibility: four big staircases in the corners, large and small spaces, relatively high ceilings, good ...

Posted Thu, Jan 19, 11:06 a.m.

The level of personal attacks on school subjects like this is extreme. It has the effect, perhaps desired, of making commenters who disagree with the major attackers reluctant to voice their views, since their motives are immediately subject to attack. These are important issues; make your points and go easy ...

Posted Thu, Dec 29, 2:35 p.m.

Responding to Sandik: Politicians want to have parts of big cities, the better to raise money in and for media attention. So the new districts divide the Eastside three ways; Tacoma three ways; even Bellingham is divided between the Democratic downtown and the Republican area immediately north. This is the ...

Posted Tue, Dec 6, 12:54 p.m.

As one who went to the Stile Antico performance, I'm happy to report that the concert lived up fully to the promises in this excellent preview! Richness of tone, indeed! And St. James deserves praise for building an acoustical setting that seems made for Renaissance polyphony. One indication of the ...

Posted Tue, Nov 8, 10:44 a.m.

I've got three concerns about how this park design is going. One is how we would pay for these quite ambitious parks-atop-piers. It appears that funding will rely on generous contributions from music promoters, the Ferry system, and the Aquarium. Will that happen in this economy? The second concern is ...

Posted Mon, Oct 24, 3:58 p.m.

Afreeman is right that the Seattle Times story is excellent, if belated. In today's Clicker for easy link.) The story duly credits Doug MacDonald and Crosscut for doing the first story on our decaying streets, which you can read at http://crosscut.com/2011/08/12/seattle/21197/The-sorry-state-of-Seattle-s-streets/.

Posted Mon, Oct 17, 11:04 a.m.

Crosscut has a fine soccer writer, Peter Miller. Stay tuned.

Posted Thu, Oct 6, 9:30 a.m.

That's not accurate about the stakeholder process. The first recommendation, driven by the transportation staffs, was to build a new Viaduct or do surface/transit, as the only two proposals that met the financial constraints. An uproar ensued, in which the majority of stakeholders prevailed in moving the bored tunnel into ...

Posted Tue, Oct 4, 10:53 p.m.

Here's this excellent, compassionate article about all the suffering going on in our state, and people just want to score their petty points and stroke their pet peeves. Have a heart, people! Be like Judy!

Posted Mon, Oct 3, 10:26 a.m.

Oregon has no sales tax and an even more lousy economy. So what does that prove? You can't isolate one factor and pin the whole economy on it. Sales taxes might be regressive, but they are taxes on consumption, therefore ways of steering more money into savings and investment. Europe, ...

Posted Tue, Sep 6, 5:42 p.m.

Received this interesting comment to the editor, from Stan Lindstedt: Enjoyed your article very much! Thought I’d share with you a story from my past. I applied to a position as Associate Dean for Research (only because our research enterprise was in trouble here) and I informed the “search committee” ...

Posted Wed, Aug 10, 5:20 p.m.

Regarding the jobs in Japan, I should have been more specific. It is Hitachi Zosen of Tokyo that was chosen to design and build the tunnel boring machine. That company is also supplying the tunnel boring machines for Sound Transit’s Capitol Hill Station to Pine Street segment. Typically these huge ...

Posted Tue, Aug 2, 9:28 p.m.

A few comments to the excellent comments above. I did not discuss the Retrofit option, which clearly has its backers. For the record, the state and city view has been that, given the need to meet modern codes, lane widths, etc., the Retrofit would cost as much as a new ...

Posted Tue, Jul 26, 10:42 p.m.

Thanks for the catch on Current Editions, now fixed. Apologies for the clumsy language on the Seattle Repertory Theatre; I meant to say the repertory notion proved an economic folly and had to be abandoned, while the theater itself (originally in the building that now houses Intiman) was a fine ...

Posted Mon, Jul 4, 1:22 p.m.

The following comment arrived, addressed to the editor. It comes from the national director of the Madison Amendment Coalition: Your article today on the U.S. Constitution was very interesting. Since people fear that a constitutional convention might have unanticipated consequences, what about clarifying the power of 2/3 of the states ...

Posted Sun, Jul 3, 9:56 a.m.

Just spotted another fire truck at a coffee shop, this one in Madison Park in front of the Starbucks. At least this time they parked on the street like us normal citizens. I await the carbon analysis of this new practice.

Posted Fri, Jul 1, 4:42 p.m.

Mr. Dempsey. You've been commenting on schools for years. Please don't hog the comment stream in this way. Let others feel free to make comments.

Posted Thu, Jun 23, 2:25 p.m.

Thanks for the fine print. I meant that The Seattle Foundation doesn't take any portion of the donation. But you're right about transaction fees, which apply to nearly all online donations.

Posted Thu, Jun 9, 9:58 a.m.

Sorry for not being clear: it's U.S. Census data for 2010, which is released in increments.

Posted Wed, Jun 8, 10:23 a.m.

This is a very interesting suggestion. One historic parallel is the experimental school John Dewey started when he was teaching at the University of Chicago and where he worked out his early theories about progressive education. The schools, which continue today, were instrumental in putting the University of Chicago at ...

Posted Thu, Jun 2, 9:55 p.m.

Could folks please talk about the issues raised in the article, rather than trotting out the old arguments against Metro and other transit agencies???

Posted Tue, May 24, 4:25 p.m.

In reply to Eddiew on the waterfront park being jeopardized if the tunnel option is not built, let me elaborate a bit. Without a tunnel you will probably have either a new viaduct, with all the noise and space-taking of that, or a considerably wider boulevard to absorb the traffic. ...

Posted Thu, May 19, 10:07 a.m.

This is fascinating history. It recalls that the time of the World's Fair was one of panic about how cities were losing ground to suburbs and so needed such "cures" as slum clearance, cultural centers, urban freeways, and safe experiences in parks and Disneyland imitations. Seattle fully bought into this ...

Posted Wed, May 4, 12:26 p.m.

The vacuum is political leadership as McGinn learns the ropes and has a relatively inexperienced staff. The City Council, as is normal, moves into such gaps, asserting control over departments and wanting a stronger, earlier say in budgeting. The council gets the budget in late September and has to adopt ...

Posted Wed, Mar 30, 10:12 p.m.

The new Elway Poll shows those polled this way: 38% for a rebuilt Viaduct, 35% for the tunnel proposal, and 21% for the surface/more transit plan. I stand modified.

Posted Wed, Mar 30, 8:57 p.m.

Let me clarify some of my clumsy language. Councilmember Bagshaw did not propose the dual referendum idea; I simply mentioned it as a possibility, as was done before. And the one-third characterization of the three positions is clearly a rough calculus, derived from multiple polls. A lot depends on how ...

Posted Wed, Mar 9, 2:31 p.m.

Here's a comment sent to me from Mary Maddox, a Seattle School District parent: Your letter spells out an excellent approach to reform for Seattle. I would like to add two items for your consideration: 1. Assure that all teachers use research-based practices and curricula. We can make teachers better ...

Posted Wed, Feb 23, 10:33 a.m.

The above story has been corrected to reflect that Goldman Sachs is a major, not majority, owner of SSA Marine. Author Floyd McKay sends this further account of ownership: "Craig Cole, the SSA spokesman, informs me that Goldman Sachs is not the majority owner of SSA Marine; the Smith family, ...

Posted Tue, Feb 15, 8:29 a.m.

The Robinson proposal really helps clear the air. We need to find a way out of the steady downward spiral of the Center, which doesn't have the funds to fix up declining buildings, to purchase the Memorial Stadium from the School District, or to execute its long-range plan. The nostalgia ...

Posted Mon, Feb 14, 9:28 a.m.

Some words of caution on the idea of keeping the Viaduct as an elevated park. It would be very expensive, since the structure is weakened (not to mention ugly). And if the structure is kept, that would shove the surface boulevard still farther to the west, squeezing the Waterfront Park ...

Posted Tue, Feb 8, 4:27 p.m.

This comment was sent to me from "Charlton": We wouldn't be able to cut military aid to either Egypt or Israel without stubborn opposition from both our "military-industrial complex" and Congress. The latter is beholden both to the Israel Lobby and to the US arms industry. We weren't selling or ...

Posted Wed, Feb 2, 2:19 p.m.

One clarification regarding Holl's Helsinki Museum. As it was explained to me, in Europe the public-agency client picks the architect and then also separately picks the contractor. In America they are more likely to be a team from the first, or the architect stays deeply involved with the construction. Holl ...

Posted Wed, Jan 19, 12:34 p.m.

Dear m-t-e: We have lots of events open to all members, such as the one last month to show off our new office. Let me know if you're not getting those invites. There will be all-Member event coming up soon.

Posted Sun, Jan 16, 7:20 p.m.

One caution about our efforts to get people to live closer to jobs, so they can walk or bike from home to work: Remember that we are mostly dealing with two-worker housing units, where each partner is usually working at different locations. Asking such households to figure out where both ...

Posted Thu, Jan 6, 2:59 p.m.

Washington, for whatever reason, has invested handsomely in community colleges. The real gap is in four-year colleges, with three of them (because of location or approach) not attracting large enrollments. It's tempting to have a community college in each legislative district, and ours do lots of good work. But it's ...

Posted Fri, Dec 10, 9:26 p.m.

This all reminds me of what a white elephant that Center House is, despite years of trying to fix it up, hold events, let in more light, etc. A few years ago, the Center was readying an ambitious plan, complete with a levy of about $150 million, to put on ...

Posted Thu, Dec 9, 10:37 a.m.

As for siting a future NBA arena with good transit connections, remember the one that David Sabey proposed, at the south end of Boeing Field. That one is convenient for Sound Transit (a station was proposed for this location and scrapped, but could be built), commuter rail, and all those ...

Posted Mon, Nov 29, 4:58 p.m.

This good idea is not necessarily limited to the Viaduct. There are other places with unused freeway ramps (like the Arboretum). Maybe this is a good idea if we ever scrap the Monorail? There's an abandoned trestle in Bellevue. And there are opportunities for walkways out toward Elliott Bay or ...

Posted Mon, Nov 29, 4:53 p.m.

One suggestion, regarding the requirements for (too much) retail on all those streetfronts. Follow the lead of England (and Vancouver) and find a way to treat streets differently, thus concentrating uses and making the economics work better. Some streets should be "High Streets," dedicated to shopping, lots of shops. Another ...

Posted Sat, Nov 27, 7:26 p.m.

Thanks for the catch on the caption. It's now fixed.

Posted Fri, Nov 26, 3:34 p.m.

A few further thoughts. Seattle did have an example of a bipartisan, reform coalition, which was CHECC (Choose and Effective City Council) in 1967-75. It was carefully balanced with (mostly young) Republicans and Democrats who agreed on a need for modernizing city hall. It would only endorse two candidates for ...

Posted Thu, Nov 11, 10:07 a.m.

Response to Ms. Kane. My concern about pensions for public employees is the state's ability to fund them and what assumptions about investment returns underlie the projections. Apparently this state is not in as much trouble as some others, but the pattern has been complacency followed by stunning revelations that ...

Posted Mon, Nov 8, 10:47 p.m.

A little more on my proposal for a Republican who appeals to "the urban cores of the state," not just Seattle. One kind of appeal is to be a strong reformer in these cities, not someone pandering to the current urban power brokers. I have in mind such ideas as ...

Posted Mon, Nov 8, 9:27 a.m.

Might it not be better if the GOP were to run candidates who have more appeal to the urbanized core of the state? Dino Rossi, besides not saying much during his wan election campaign, came across as a small town real estate salesman, rarely seen in Seattle. It would also ...

Posted Thu, Nov 4, 4:30 p.m.

The author lives in one of the great close-in suburbs of Philadelphia, which is like being in Greenwood (where Mayor McGinn lives). He has argued that such places are ideal: easy to get into the downtown or out to the job-belt; settled, leafy little towns with their own culture and ...

Posted Mon, Nov 1, 7:12 a.m.

Thanks for the correction. I've corrected the story.

Posted Wed, Oct 27, 11:25 p.m.

Surely, this is something Washington state should embrace! I'm starting to see some more variety in farmer's markets. And there's an old King apple tree still bearing some slightly edible apples in my yard. Shouldn't Wenatchee, the Apple Capital, lead the charge?

Posted Tue, Oct 12, 8:42 a.m.

Here's a comment sent from Mary Wildavsky in San Francisco: I just saw your wonderful review of Tanya Tomkins' Bach concert. First I must acknowledge that I am a close friend of Tanya's, but more than that I have been an admirer of her playing for many years. I have ...

Posted Sun, Oct 3, 11:34 a.m.

Who has any evidence that the search for an independent party is taking root in Puget Sound? And who might be a good gubernatorial candidate for such a party in 2012?

Posted Sat, Oct 2, 10:26 p.m.

One reason SAM can get these big shows is that it now has enough space to house them. The original downtown SAM was very cramped for touring shows. That said, these shows are getting harder and harder to pull off, owing to high insurance costs and a growing concern that ...

Posted Fri, Oct 1, 2:42 p.m.

A point about the relationship of private parking prices and public meters. If you raise the latter, the former will happily follow suit, since there will be more demand for private spaces when street parking (hard to find, in the rain, perhaps far from your destination) seems not worth the ...

Posted Tue, Sep 28, 8:51 a.m.

Two lessons from this saga. In the end, MOHAI did ride to the partial rescue of the city budget, in the form of a loan and due to the helpful diplomacy of Nick Licata. Maybe Mayor McGinn can learn something about the art of backstage negotiations. Secondly, the fireworks over ...

Posted Tue, Sep 28, 8:24 a.m.

Fascinating piece! I'd add that we are a city of engineers, thanks to Boeing and Microsoft, and so those slide rules tend to come out and shape local political disputes. Better to argue about road configurations than whether anti-poverty programs are working. My second observation is that Seattle is hung ...

Posted Tue, Sep 21, 9:50 p.m.

Having just read the Franzen novel in large gulps, I can agree with Brooks that it's hard to know whether to admire the brilliance of the satire and sweep of the book or to scoff at its political caricatures. The figures operate in a room, as Brooks says, with very ...

Posted Mon, Sep 13, 8:47 a.m.

Somebody needs to put a strong and simple proposal on the table, getting the real attention of the unions and giving the public a sense that something serious is being considered. An example (from a legislator): Anyone earning less than, say $50,000 a year, takes a pay cut of 3 ...

Posted Wed, Sep 8, 2:14 p.m.

David Brooks makes the interesting point that great mayors are consumed with feeling for their cities and know them almost as a novelist does. Also, that these mayors care deeply about small projects and the details of urban life - as opposed to the theoretical, ideological issues at the national ...

Posted Wed, Sep 8, 9:52 a.m.

Comments moved over with the article, now updated, in the regular features section of the site.

Posted Wed, Sep 8, 7:49 a.m.

A further point, of local relevance. The politics of funding stadiums also lives on. Voters in Seattle remain embittered by the way these taxes were imposed, so much so that it was almost impossible for Seattle politicians to show any leadership in trying to save the Sonics, since that would ...

Posted Tue, Aug 3, 11:32 a.m.

One of the important aspects of George Shangrow's life in Seattle is that he stayed here. Like many musicians, actors, architects produced by the University of Washington, George felt it important to stay in town, collaborate with colleagues from UW, create institutions, keep trying new things. That used to be ...

Posted Wed, Jul 28, 5:41 a.m.

The following comment was sent to the editor from Fran Conley: Following up on your article on city gardens, David take a look at Roanoke Park, 10th Avenue East and Edgar. Over the years, neighbors have transformed it into a fine garden. And they have built new parks along Portage ...

Posted Mon, Jul 5, 8:16 a.m.

Interesting example of how an urban park can turn around an area. That's why I and others in FROG (Friends of the Green at Seattle Center) are pushing for a park, about the same size as the Vancouver one Jean writes about, in the South Fun Forest at Seattle Center. ...

Posted Thu, Jun 24, 1 p.m.

A few words in defense of Freeway Park, now called Jim Ellis Freeway Park in honor of the man who pulled it off. It is designed by one of America's most respected landscape architects, Lawrence Halprin, who recently died. It is a stylized representation of a forest floor, with paths ...

Posted Wed, Jun 23, 11:10 p.m.

Lots of interesting comments! In response to Bartee on the contradiction about taxing parking lots: That's so the freeing up from minimum parking regulations, putting more cars on the streets looking for parking, doesn't turn into a bonanza for parking lots. A lot more lots would cancel out the other ...

Posted Tue, Jun 22, 3:15 p.m.

The following comment comes from James Russell, the architectural critic for Bloomberg News, who often visits Seattle: Your Crosscut headline put me off today. Seattle has two of America's greatest waterfront parks: Olympic Sculpture Park and Gasworks Park -- the latter remains great even though it was never fully realized. ...

Posted Sun, Jun 20, 2:32 p.m.

One interesting story, perhaps somewhat legendary by now, points up the value of interim uses of storefronts. As the story goes, Columbia City was trying to revive its retail core and asked members of the community to imagine good uses - book stores, art galleries, bakeries - in the vacant ...

Posted Fri, Jun 18, 10:05 a.m.

Wells: What is "Tunnelite"? (Briefly, please.)

Posted Wed, Jun 9, 10:26 a.m.

Good points about these other venues. Overlake School also has a lovely recital hall where the Seattle Chamber Music Society performs each August, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, to its credit, was a pioneer in opening an Eastside facility for teaching young dancers. While I'm at it, let me suggest that ...

Posted Thu, Jun 3, midnight

Eight comments from one Crossrip? Maybe he should be submitting articles to us instead?

Posted Fri, May 28, 8:43 a.m.

The following comment was sent to the editor: I find your reference to the warnings about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome as "bewailing" as offensive. It is quite evident that in the years of being a journalist, you have failed to get the connection between some of the worst human behavior in ...

Posted Thu, May 20, 9:29 p.m.

This helpful tip arrived at the editor's desk: Thanks for the article. For readers curious about the Way of Saint James, our nonprofit group American Pilgrims on the Camino (I am chairman of the board) has a great web site with all kinds of information, from history lessons to practical ...

Posted Thu, May 20, 2:08 p.m.

Here's an interesting comment sent to the editor from Dorothy Lengyel: I like the idea of an arts district but I don’t think the credits should benefit larger arts groups who have donor bases and corporate backing to help out. And in general Downtown has many development credits and incentives ...

Posted Mon, May 17, 9:18 a.m.

Doug Hurley makes an excellent point. I agree that arts funding might look at devices that are not tax increases or more draws from the public treasury. One way is to tap voluntary contributions from nearby residents and workers, as is done in parks "conservancies" all over the country and ...

Posted Sun, May 16, 12:23 p.m.

Here's a comment sent in by the composer of 'Amelia': Greetings, There are a number of factual errors in your otherwise interesting article that are fairly typical of folks who are not themselves either professional music writers or composers of concert music. At one point you write, "...but the melody ...

Posted Sat, May 8, 4:49 p.m.

To clarify one point about the cost overruns. The city of Seattle is not on the hook; rather the legislation says "property owners in the Seattle area who benefit from replacement of the existing viaduct with the deep bore tunnel." How exactly would you get this vague group to pay ...

Posted Tue, May 4, 2:46 p.m.

Aloud is right; I misspoke about the Seattle Zoo. It's partly funded by the Zoo Society, a nonprofit, and it gets some dedicated money from the county. But the effect is to cap and slowly diminish the amount coming from the city's general fund. A related story here is moving ...

Posted Wed, Apr 28, 2:33 p.m.

Calm down, Pythagoras! This story has less to do with back room deals than with a shortage of public support for the Center. Here's how I see the context. The Center has long understood that drawing $10-13 million a year from the general fund as a subsidy was getting it ...

Posted Tue, Apr 27, 11 p.m.

Responding to Stacy: My reason for saying three years on the tunnel is to go back to 2007, when Gregoire decided to put off a decision until after she was re-elected and so tossed the hot potato to the city, county, and state transportation departments, advised by a stakeholder group. ...

Posted Sat, Apr 17, 4:14 p.m.

The following very interesting comment was sent to the editor from Peter Maier and is reprinted below: Dear Editor: Although I do not take any pleasure in peeing on EPA’s and Mr. Ruckelshaus' parade, claiming that they did such an incredible job in cleaning up our open waters, the fact ...

Posted Sat, Apr 10, noon

A little context here. The Space Needle was put up on private land, by a consortium of private investors, because the Exposition itself was greatly underfunded. It was a very risky and civic-minded thing for the group to do; to their surprise, it turned out to be a big money ...

Posted Mon, Apr 5, 3:45 p.m.

Here's another interesting, related suggestion, sent to me from Linda Clifton: Was quite interested in your article on housing for artists, including retired artists. However, I am quite disappointed that you overlook one ideal space for such housing. The stretch of Aurora Avenue North between the Aurora bridge and N. ...

Posted Thu, Apr 1, 11:29 a.m.

I've received the following indignant email from one Temper Freeman of Bellevue: I am outraged at the news of Microsoft's plans for the 520 Bridge and Seattle Center, and also the impunity of the author's using my last name. As readers may be aware, I have spent my life building ...

Posted Mon, Mar 15, 10:41 a.m.

A reader, Janet Pelz, sent this heartfelt comment to Dick Lilly's article: I so appreciate the fact that you continue to analyze and report on public school issues. I’m saddened that SPS and the state Legislature move on these huge issues with so little review and reporting from the print ...

Posted Thu, Mar 11, 12:06 p.m.

Here's an interesting letter from Sue Robinson on Camano Island, sent to the editor: Interesting piece today on why the President has made what looks like such a mess of health care reform. I have followed this issue very closely. As one who admired LBJ, worked as a political reporter ...

Posted Tue, Mar 2, 8:27 p.m.

An anonymous reader writes to remind me of another advantage of the Vision Line that I neglected to mention: it's faster. It gets to Bellevue faster by having one less station to the south and less time on streets (where trains have to contend with traffic and traffic lights), and ...

Posted Tue, Mar 2, 10:46 a.m.

The Kemper Freeman aspect of this story has been seized on and magnified by critics of the proposal. Freeman gave $500 to the Kevin Wallace campaign for Bellevue Council, according to Wallace, and Freeman has contributed to the studies for the Vision Line, in the order of several thousand dollars. ...

Posted Fri, Feb 26, 9:10 a.m.

Here's an interesting comment submitted to me by Steve Silverberg, a Microsoft employee: As both a Microsoft employee and resident of Roanoke Park who commutes across the bridge every day and will bear the brunt of the 7 year construction of 520, I am surprised and disappointed that the press ...

Posted Wed, Feb 17, 11:12 p.m.

Crossrip makes a good point about the cost-overruns clause, which applies not to the City of Seattle but to "Seattle area taxpayers." He's right that a LID is envisioned. But the state can't just impose an LID; it must be voted on by affected property owners, who would be most ...

Posted Fri, Jan 29, 8:50 p.m.

Jeff Fair, a hornist and member of the players' negotiating committee, sends along a correction on SSO salaries. "The base pay for next season is $78,175, a 1% cut over the 08-09 season," Fair says.

Posted Thu, Jan 14, 3:41 p.m.

One of Seattle's unusual aspects in this regard is the hilly downtown, which often means that tall buildings meet a sloping base. That gives them opportunities for variety, stairs, more human scale. I still think the best example of a successful tall tower base is 2 Union, with its waterfall, ...

Posted Mon, Jan 11, 10:31 p.m.

As it was explained to me, "profit-sharing," a misleading term, means that if the SSO board and management exceed some fundraising goals, a specified amount of that would go to the musicians. That would give both musicians and management an incentive for working for more contributions. Such features have been ...

Posted Thu, Jan 7, 11:46 a.m.

One factor to keep in mind, in assessing how much money the SSO can raise from donations, is that it has a small endowment. That means the orchestra must raise a lot of contributed income each year, since it gets a small amount from endowment distributions. Also, Seattle has a ...

Posted Fri, Dec 11, 10:18 a.m.

Here is a comment and rebuttal sent to the editor from Bob Dick of the American Forest Resource Council in Olympia: Dear Editor: I take strong exception to the misleading nature of the below article and references to the ‘83 and ‘07 floods, both of which occurred during my career ...

Posted Mon, Nov 30, 10:01 a.m.

Here is a comment submitted by reader Cy Baumgartner: Just finished reading your piece. It is reasonable and makes sense. I regard myself as a dilettante and have no special regard for my opinions. I have also read Machiavelli, and I hold him in high esteem when it comes to ...

Posted Tue, Nov 17, 8:53 a.m.

A few comments on the above comments. Independents surely exist, and in fact are probably the largest single body of self-identified voters even if relatively rare in Seattle. The simplest definition is that they are independent of both parties, usually voting for the person not the party. They also tend ...

Posted Fri, Oct 30, 4:21 p.m.

I received this tribute and comment from Barbara Spaeth: Bryan’s intellectual and intestinal fortitude is legendary, as he clearly knew his own limits within the dynamics of a locally owned broadcasting company. Our region is lucky that Fisher Broadcasting and Bryan have maintained that balance for a half century. Bryan ...

Posted Sun, Sep 27, 2:23 p.m.

As an editor making those picks, allow me to explain. I like a good argument that brings up some new information and good links. Points of view opposing the article are also a plus. The best comments "advance the discussion." A helpful, respectful tone also scores points.

Posted Thu, Sep 3, 12:49 p.m.

One interesting aspect of Seattle, visible at many bus stops, is the way shadowy remnants of old shops are still to be found at these nodes. We usually think only rail transit is permanent enough to get shops to open at their stations, but Seattle bus stops have been there ...

Posted Tue, Sep 1, 5:40 p.m.

Here's a comment from State Sen. Karen Keiser (D-33): When one of my constituents contacts me about her employer, questioning a policy (sick leave for example) or pay practice (gender discrimination for example), should the name of that individual be revealed to the employer? What stops an employer from disciplining ...

Posted Tue, Sep 1, 8:33 a.m.

Aaron Pickus, a volunteer with the Mike McGinn campaign, sends in this clarification of McGinn's views on the Mercer Street corridor: I read your article last night and believe it needs a correction regarding Mike's stand on the Mercer Project. When he announced, Mike said that we can't proceed with ...

Posted Tue, Aug 11, 8:30 a.m.

Sen. Karen Keiser, chair of the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee, sent in this comment: Your article was terrific, thank you very much for your good work on this issue. I had noticed the excessive c-section rate for Medicaid, and the private market for that matter, as well, ...

Posted Wed, Jul 15, 11:26 a.m.

A few responses. Picture changed because a better or at least newer one was sent in. I'm in no sense endorsing Hutchison, just trying to point out that she has more strength, and her opponents more weaknesses, than most reporting has conceded so far. As for her experience, we should ...

Posted Thu, Jul 9, 3:47 p.m.

This article points up the political realities of building rail transit. The first line typically does not go where transit economics would dictate (where there are a lot of commuters) but where political facts of life allow it to go. The decision to run light rail down Rainier Valley, as ...

Posted Tue, Jul 7, 10:14 a.m.

One key problem in converting churches to more public uses is the zoning. Most churches are in residential zones, which rules out many uses that would require parking and much-increased traffic. The neighborhoods, meanwhile, have become accustomed to light usage, mostly on Sundays, and so resist very active new uses.

Posted Wed, Jul 1, 7:58 a.m.

Some years ago, working with the group Forward Seattle, I recall we were surprised at studies that showed that Seattle was in fact two cities when it came to trees. The better-off neighborhoods were very leafy, while the poorer ones were surprisingly devoid of trees. The combined figures put the ...

Posted Thu, Jun 25, 10:20 a.m.

This just arrived from the Fremont Historical Society, about a meeting tonight (June 25) concerning the Fitch/Nutt House: This is a reminder that Greg Lange will present as yet untold stories about the Fitch/Nutt house tonight at 7 p.m., at the Fremont Baptist Church, 717 N. 36th St. In addition ...

Posted Wed, Jun 17, 5:17 p.m.

Bruce Buls, a staff editor at WorkBoat magazine, send the editor the following comment: First of all, the photo that ran with Chasan's piece about the Neah Bay rescue tug is identifiable by its colors (green and white) as a Foss Maritime vessel. Foss used to have the contract for ...

Posted Tue, Jun 9, 4 p.m.

Just to be clear: I in no sense advocate keeping the Viaduct! Down it goes. Further, there are more than two examples for this idea, and if you look at the High Line website, linked in the article, they have photos of three or four other examples. As for Freeway ...

Posted Tue, Jun 9, 11:04 a.m.

What I liked about the Choppaduct was the idea of an elevated linear park with great views of the Bay, not the transportation solution he proposed. Seems to me the idea of an elevated park, reusing some elements and building others, might find a home in Seattle. Freeway Park is ...

Posted Wed, Jun 3, 1:07 p.m.

Here's a submission to the editor, from Chuck Richards of Seattle: Thank you so much for your article I read in Crosscut.com on Sen. Cantwell trying to evade any direct conversation on health care reform. We on the ‘Wet Side’ are having the same difficulty. We have phoned several times ...

Posted Fri, May 29, 1:19 p.m.

Here's a comment sent from Elton Kerr, MD FACOG: Great observations. Cantwell illustrates the concept I have often stated that one' s individual background, economic and cultural, often leads to divergent goals and thoughts on how to improve any broken system. Cantwell, obviously would not be in-favor of markedly higher ...

Posted Sun, May 24, 10:53 p.m.

One of the most encouraging ideas for reviving art song is the New York Festival of Song, which mixes witty commentary, several singers in a program, eclectic repertoire that can cross over traditional genre boundaries, and an interesting theme for each program, such as Songs Between the Wars. It's not ...

Posted Fri, May 15, 2:42 p.m.

Here's another good point that I should not have omitted, sent to me by "Steve": Thank you for you article. I think that you did miss, however, a major reason to support at least some district elections; that is the lowered cost of campaigns for districts as opposed to City-wide ...

Posted Thu, May 14, 6:12 p.m.

Mike Draper sent this retort to the editor: Come on, Mr Chasan. You said "The experience will be different on July 18, when Sound Transit opens its sleek new light rail service from downtown Seattle to Tukwila. (You always wanted to go to Tukwila, didn't you?) You won't have to ...

Posted Fri, May 1, 2:15 p.m.

Here's a comment sent to the editor, from Peter Robison: It's incorrect to say the Boeing Dreamliner is "short on sales." Through April, and net of cancellations, Boeing had orders for more than 850 Dreamliners, the most it's ever received for a new airplane model. By comparison, the 757 and ...

Posted Thu, Apr 23, 2:06 p.m.

Here's a comment sent to the editor from Terry Parkhurst: Dear Editor: The idea of Jan Drago as mayor would be laughable if it was not so pathetic. The issue is not that she is, like the current mayor, so enamoured of Paul Allen that she violated all spirit of ...

Posted Mon, Apr 20, 9:09 p.m.

This comment, sent to the editor, is from Brian E. Ziegler, director of public works and utilities for Pierce County: Dear Editor: This statement from the article "Saving our region: Nice plans, but..." reminds me of the "how clean is clean" argument around Brownfield developments. Perfection will never be achieved, ...

Posted Thu, Apr 16, 5:10 p.m.

Here's a comment sent to the editor from Dan O'Neal: Doug: You have really nailed the problem. The local decision makers are the people in the trenches who have to make the tough decisions at the critical point. Local incentives are not well aligned with regional objectives the public generally ...

Posted Mon, Apr 13, 9:49 a.m.

Crosscut writer Floyd McKay sends along this link: For an interesting background comment on the whole issue of professional ethics and conscience, Stanley Fish has a good take on it in today's (April 13) New York Times: http://fish.blogs.nytimes.com/.

Posted Sat, Apr 11, 9:06 a.m.

Here's a comment from local historian Junius Rochester, sent to the editor: Your Cascadia is different than mine. When I speak of Cascadia it is confined to the western slope of the Cascade Mountains and extends from (perhaps) Northern California to the Alaska panhandle. In other words it comprises the ...

Posted Tue, Mar 31, 8:58 a.m.

Another tribute, this one from Stephen Guy, who formerly worked for Seattle Group Theater and Seattle Arts Commission: The heart and soul of a Texan I had the good fortune to arrive on the Seattle arts scene just as the turn of time brought our legendary Peter Donnelly back from ...

Posted Mon, Mar 30, 8:30 a.m.

This tribute comes from Kate Joncas, president of the Downtown Seattle Association: Peter was a City builder as sure as every architect and developer. His type of building was in the community creative fabric, making Seattle a town way more sophisticated artistically than its size and remote location would warrant, ...

Posted Sun, Mar 29, 10:28 p.m.

Here's a comment sent to me from Robert Pillitteri: I am really saddened to learn of Peter Donnelly’s death. Your obituary doesn’t mention that Peter was currently President of the Frye Art Museum. And another, from King County Councilmember Dow Constantine: Damnit. Peter was indirectly responsible for my relatively late ...

Posted Sat, Feb 14, 10:08 a.m.

Mikos makes a very interesting point, and I think he indicates a possible direction for the 2009 races. It would go this way: Grant Nickels another term, since he's probably too entrenched to defeat and there is nobody out there promising to do much better. Then focus the reform efforts ...

Posted Wed, Feb 11, 9:54 a.m.

Here's a comment sent to the editor, from Adam Niehenke of Richland, Washington: I don’t know if you, Mr. Chasan, purposefully did this or not, but you left out one of the biggest problems to the Hanford site in your article. One of bigger issues to solving the waste problem ...

Posted Mon, Feb 9, 3:17 p.m.

Here's an interesting comment from a reader identified as TopSnoop: As with most outsiders, Rosenberg got his analysis of The Oregonian almost right; he was pretty close, though. Some nit-picks. The team-based reporting system installed by Rowe may have been innovative, but it was hardly a smashing success -- if ...

Posted Wed, Feb 4, 4:32 p.m.

A reader writes to correct my description of Bob Ferguson's district, which I pass along: You are misinformed if you believe that Dow Constantine is well-regarded in or somehow well-connected to the suburbs. While his district encompasses small parts of the cities of Tukwila, Seatac, Burien and Normandy Park, most ...

Posted Fri, Jan 23, 9:01 a.m.

Here's a comment sent in by Doug MacDonald: This was a powerful section of the speech. One other thing it contained was the direct message Obama sent as an African-American president, even a Kenyan-American president, to every corner of sub-Saharan Africa. And the message was surely heard by millions there ...

Posted Thu, Jan 8, 10:44 a.m.

JimCap is right. Sorry for the bad math. Let me add a point, which is that City Council races can also be "gamed" this way, with a very late entrant. Charlie Chong was one practitioner of this art. The two-fer variant I would look for this June is for Nick ...

Posted Fri, Jan 2, 10:21 p.m.

Here's a comment sent to the editor from Roger Downey: I'm not surprised at Nat Hentoff's dismissal from the Village Voice, though I would have expected more tasteful timing even from the Phoenix wolverines who now own 40% of America/s leading "alternativenewsweeklies. The New Times demographic doesn't pay attdention to ...

Posted Mon, Dec 29, 10:25 a.m.

Debo asks a fair question. I would start by having the Democratic caucus asset more independence of Speaker Frank Chopp, who now exerts a stranglehold on bills that can come to the floor for debate and vote. I'd create a bipartisan Greater Seattle caucus, including House and Senate, so that ...

Posted Sat, Dec 27, 9:53 a.m.

Thanks to Michael for the correction on Sierra Club's stance. As I recall, Mayor Schell might have expected the Sierra Club endorsement, given his generally strong record on the environment, but the Club was split over the Thornton Creek issue. I did not mean to imply that the Club opposed ...

Posted Tue, Dec 23, 7:25 p.m.

Here's a missive from Bill Root, sent to the editor and posted here: I am a fellow word cop. Sloppy spelling, punctuation, and grammar drive me around the bend. I have participated in adult spelling bees locally (Kirkland) with much success. My teammates and I won the Kirkland area adult ...

Posted Tue, Dec 16, 8:49 a.m.

I didn't mean to suggest that Sims would get the job as Secretary of Transportation, but rather an important post in that department. Latest word is that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who's worked wonders in getting regional light rail built in Denver, has the inside track for the top job. ...

Posted Sat, Dec 13, 10:45 a.m.

A few comments, to clarify my article: As to the route of the deep-bore tunnel, it might go under Second or Third Aves. or it might angle from the Battery Street entrance (or some blocks north) under downtown and coming out around the Stadiums. Whether it could also be a ...

Posted Wed, Dec 3, 1:26 p.m.

This letter to the editor comes from Geri Hamai, former principal of Bryant Elementary: Thank you for writing this article to enlighten school officials, and the public, about better planning for student enrollment in SPS. I am a former SPS school principal (Bryant Elem.) who often brought similar concerns to ...

Posted Tue, Dec 2, 8:48 p.m.

This next letter to the editor comes from a group of parents at T.T. Minor School: On November 25th, The Seattle School District Superintendent announced the proposal to close a number of schools in our District. TT Minor was one of those schools. For those of us who have children ...

Posted Tue, Dec 2, 8:37 a.m.

The following comment was sent to the editor from Stuart Glascock: Thank you for your thoughtful columns in Crosscut about the proposed school closures. Your unique perspective on the matters certainly gives you extra credibility. As it happens, I share some of your perspective - I was an education writer ...

Posted Fri, Nov 28, 1:40 p.m.

Here's a comment from Leslie Varney, sent to the editor: I appreciate your input via Crosscut and agree with most of what you say, but I have to take exception to your characterization of AS#1 as a school with poor academic achievement, for several reasons. I don't have enough experience ...

Posted Mon, Nov 24, 3:40 p.m.

Reader Jack Swanson send in this comment: I think you are misleading your readers by not pointing out the importance -- or relative lack thereof -- of McClatchy's self-interest in the write-downs of the value of its 49.5 percent share of the Times. It derives tax benefits by showing losses ...

Posted Mon, Nov 24, 3:37 p.m.

Here's a comment from Dennis Heck: "The Times editorial recommendation to cut the I-728 funds for classroom size reduction (so called but with enough loopholes to dive a truck through) is NOT a suspension of that effort but rather a rollback of it. One can debate the merits of this ...

Posted Wed, Nov 19, 5:21 p.m.

Let me clear up a few misunderstandings reflected in this lively exchange. First, it's hardly unusual for a startup to be depending on investment capital in its initial years, and quite as planned. The question is how much more investment can be expected in a period of sharp advertising downturn, ...

Posted Mon, Nov 17, 9:08 p.m.

Crosscut is not yet profitable, but still in the growth phase, supported by investment capital as well as advertising.

Posted Thu, Nov 13, 4:30 p.m.

The figures for the Nickels race were Nickels 115,000, Runte 63,000, and writeins or other, 16,000. Runte's percentage of all votes in the race was 32%; in the Runte-Nickels match alone, he got 34.9%. I agree that protest votes like this tell you little. There are always people, myself included, ...

Posted Wed, Oct 8, 5:01 p.m.

A tribute from Gaylord Kellogg: Here's another heartfelt tribute, sent to me from Gaylord Kellogg: "As I sat next to Keith's final resting place yesterday, trying to come to terms with the sudden departure of my dear friend, a small plane flew by in the distance darting among the clouds, ...

Posted Tue, Oct 7, 2:12 p.m.

Neither is a Republican: This just in from John Carlson, the talk show host and former Republican candidate for governor: No, Bob Utter is not a Republican, nor is Faith. Dan Evans prided himself on appointing independents and Democrats (example: Jennifer Belcher) to his administration, and Justice Utter was one ...

Posted Tue, Oct 7, 11:38 a.m.

A tribute from Colin Moseley: This comment was sent to me from another close friend of Keith Grinstein, Colin Moseley, and is derived from remarks he made at a memorial service Monday: What can you say about someone who had so much to say, or about whom so much has ...

Posted Tue, Oct 7, 8:37 a.m.

RE: If you cannot beat him at the polls, sue him in court.: Utter apparently has been a Republican for years, though not supporting Rossi. I don't know about Ireland's party leanings. Both are respected nonpartisan jurists, as attested to their appointment by Republican governors. Their partisan affiliations, though probably ...

Posted Sun, Oct 5, 11:35 a.m.

A tribute from Tom Hughes: Here's a tribute from one of Keith Grinstein's ongtime friends, Tom Hughes, sent to me by email: Keith collected friends unlike anyone this town has ever known. As Peter Jackson put it, he bridged the Worlds Fair and World Wide Web generations. He was equally ...

Posted Thu, Sep 25, 5:33 p.m.

Sen. Ed Murray voices a dissent: Sen. Ed Murray (D-43), transportation expert and fellow member of the Seattle delegation to Olympia with Speaker Frank Chopp (D-43), was totally surprised at the news of Chopp's Viaduct proposal. That's how well kept the secret plan was. Murray released this statement later today: ...

Posted Mon, Sep 22, 4:19 p.m.

What would Dino do?: Here's a comment from the mailbag, filed by David Aldrich: "You know as well as anyone that candidates will say almost anything to get elected, but once they assume office they confront obstacles that preclude meaningful action–assuming that they were the least bit sincere about their ...

Posted Mon, Sep 22, 4:18 p.m.

RE: Pathetic, Brewster, just pathetic: Easy, there, Ivan. My comments, and the purpose of Guvometer, is to analyse how the race is going, based on breaking events like debates, polls, Obama appearances, and ads. It's not about my values or who I or other writers think should win. I was ...

Posted Wed, Sep 17, 10:43 a.m.

RE: Seattle Center is a dumb idea: What the Convention Center has in mind is an ability to host more mid-sized conventions, in the 100-200,000 square foot range, so the split sites are not misguided. Often there would be simultaneous conventions, and the twin sites would cut down on the ...

Posted Fri, Aug 22, 11:48 a.m.

RE: Dorn and the Seattle Times: Sorry for the flub. I meant to point to the co-endorsement, which elevated Dorn's stature. Now fixed in the story.

Posted Tue, Aug 19, 4:52 p.m.

RE: Pedestrian hostile: Good point about the buffer from traffic. There are some attractive options for buffering, such as trees, street furniture, and food carts. Another correspondent wrote to say: "In Hong Kong, some of the world's busiest sidewalks coexist with the main north-south artery, Nathan Road, where cars travel ...

Posted Mon, Aug 4, 11:08 a.m.

Intiman is already partnering with several theaters: Here's a helpful comment from Kevin Maifeld, interim managing director of Intiman: I read your article about the ACT Theatre changes with interest and wanted to clarify Intiman's role in working with other theatres. Here are the ways that we are already working ...

Posted Sat, Jul 26, 1:34 p.m.

Times change: PONCHO was partly a victim of its success. The auction idea it introduced is now so widely imitated that it could no longer generate the kind of money or attention it once did. Maybe the organization ought to declare victory? One idea would be for PONCHO to focus ...

Posted Sat, Jul 26, 9:21 a.m.

RE: Can't we all just get along?: Good point about the different deadlines, and my clumsiness in phrasing it poorly. As I understand it, the money will continue to roll in to pay off the bond portion of the construction, some years after the system is completed. See comment below ...

Posted Fri, Jul 18, 9:42 a.m.

Echoes of World War I: I received this letter from Richard Harkness, worthy of posting: "In reading your latest article about the prospects of light rail on the fall ballot its interesting to note that 100% of the considerations appear to be political. There is nothing being said about whether ...

Posted Tue, Jul 8, 7:07 p.m.

The case of BRT and Honolulu: Dale Evans, who runs a taxi/limo service in Honolulu, sent along this cautionary tale: Waikiki is 1.5 miles long from 3 bridges to Kapahulu Ave. Former Mayor Harris implemented exclusive bus lanes and narrowed roads by 33%. It caused havoc and accidents. So ridiculous ...

Posted Sun, Jul 6, 10:07 a.m.

Reply on visitor taxes: The taxes are on hotel rooms, rental cars (not sure about trucks, but probably so), bars, restaurants, and a teeny slice of the sales tax. They are a medley, with different mixes depending on which stadium. The commenter is right that locals pay some of these ...

Posted Thu, Jul 3, 4:39 p.m.

In defense of Mayor Nickels: Let me blow a whistle to stop some of the piling on. Nickels did more than any politician to try to save the Sonics. Next on the list was Gov. Gregoire. County Councilman Peter von Reichbauer was trying to make it happen. All the rest ...

Posted Thu, Jul 3, 11:08 a.m.

The blame game: Note the clever maneuver of giving the Legislature only the next session to pony up money for KeyArena, or else lose the $30 million additional payment from Oklahoma City. The Legislature will not like this strong-arming, though they may pass a meaningless IOU. But assuming they say ...

Posted Tue, Jul 1, 4:43 p.m.

Thrown into an academic cauldron?: Here's another UW person weighing in, this time from Forestry: The College of Forest Resources is one of the units targeted to be absorbed into the new college. Our College would lose its Dean and College status for starters; then we will be thrown into ...

Posted Mon, Jun 30, 10:14 a.m.

Four concertmasters continue on: Here's my earlier reporting on the controversy over the concertmasters. According to the Symphony, the basic arrangement of Maria Larionoff as principle concertmaster (though not called that) continues, with three guest concertmasters, including Frank Almond, coming to sit in the hot seat for short periods. The ...

Posted Sun, Jun 29, 11:29 a.m.

The view from Fisheries: Here is a letter from David Armstrong, director of the UW School of Aquatics and Fishery Sciences: "My name is David Armstrong and I'm Director of one of the units (School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences) you refer to as casting a lopsided vote against joining ...

Posted Fri, Jun 27, 9:58 a.m.

Correction on Oceanography: I received this helpful message from William Wilcock of the U.W. School of Oceanography: "I enjoyed reading the article on the UW's College of the Environment but it contains a factual error. Contrary to what you state, the School of Oceanography did not "cast a lopsided vote ...

Posted Sat, May 3, 11:21 a.m.

Take the money. And then donate it: By both taking a high salary and two lucrative board positions, Emmert might create a public relations problem for himself and the UW. He could extricate himself, while also learning corporate management lore and hobnobbing with prospective donors, by announcing that he'll be ...

Posted Sun, Apr 13, 3:17 p.m.

Face the facts about the loss of the Sonics: I'd take those emails and all the outrage by the politicians with many grains of salt. Everyone should have known that the Oklahoma owners were paying a double game: seeing if the Seattle politicians would pony up when faced with the ...

Posted Mon, Apr 7, 9:21 a.m.

You don't know nothing about Chicago!: A comment sent me from David Kullgren: I grew up in Michigan and currently live in Chicago, and I've got to say you've done a pretty poor analysis of the "Chicago machine," in your ominously-titled article "Is Chicago Taking Over the Country?" You say ...

Posted Wed, Apr 2, 3:37 p.m.

Let those visitor taxes expire; it's the law: A comment from an Olympia insider regarding whether the visitor taxes can be extended, despite promises to sunset them: "They were more than promised, Mr. Brewster. The law says the taxes expire when the bonds are paid off. The millions of dollars ...

Posted Sun, Mar 16, 6:54 p.m.

The Mercer Parking Garage works poorly: The garage was build for the 1962 World's Fair, when cars would arrive and depart at all hours. It jams up badly at peaks, such as when an Opera performance ends. The advantage of the underground garage, where Memorial Stadium now sit, is that ...

Posted Sat, Mar 8, 10:22 a.m.

Oregon's example: Here's news sent from the Independent Party of Oregon, sent by Sal Peralta, the secretary of the new party: "I just came across your article today, and I am writing to call your attention to the Independent Party of Oregon, as your thinking mirrors our own. "The Independent ...

Posted Fri, Feb 29, 1:32 p.m.

Lessons from Finland: A story in the February 29 Wall Street Journal takes a look at why Finland's students are the best in the world. They succeed best in world test scores (U.S. students are in the middle of the pack, while Canada's are in the top five) by doing ...

Posted Fri, Feb 29, 11:02 a.m.

Befitting optimism: This comment was sent by mail, from "Memory." A refreshing piece today on America's pastime, filled with the optimism that befits the beginning of a new season. The author's reminiscences of his youth reveal a true love of the game.

Posted Sat, Feb 23, 12:55 p.m.

But why does the process take so long?: One suggestion I would make, to save more old buildings as you propose, is to speed up the process. An example is the current effort to landmark Freeway Park in downtown Seattle (disclosure moment: I'm president of the Freeway Park Neighborhood Association). ...

Posted Thu, Feb 14, 4:13 p.m.

How the office tower grew so tall: I'd like to clarify a point about the height restrictions on the Fifth and Columbia project, the one adjoining the First Methodist Church. The 450' height limit in this area was lifted first in 2001 to 540 feet and then completely eliminated two ...

Posted Sat, Feb 2, 11:55 a.m.

Well, at least we flushed out a candidate: I had argued earlier that Mayor Nickels is already raising money and lining up key supporters, so that a serious candidate would have to get started soon. None seemed on the horizon, though I admit I failed to spot Mr. Wolbeck.

Posted Tue, Jan 1, 11:58 a.m.

A narrow kind of asset: The article is noting that liberal cities, by restricting development, tend to keep housing markets artifically high. That is an economic benefit (while it lasts), but Dick Morrill is correct in saying that it's not a social benefit. The other advantage of liberal cities, as ...

Posted Thu, Dec 20, 12:43 p.m.

Amazon coming to SLU?: Vulcan, the real estate developer, has confirmed that it is now putting the final touches on the deal with Amazon, and Mayor Nickels refers to "an online bookseller" as the tenant. But the commenter is correct in noting that the deal has not been signed.

Posted Sun, Nov 4, 12:30 p.m.

Clarification on Seattle Symphony: Since my earlier article got put into the comment thread, let me amplify a bit. SSO has been, like Portland, running a structural deficit in the $1-2 million range for the past few years. This past year, they got to break even by hitting up donors ...

Posted Thu, Nov 1, 9:56 a.m.

RE: "A classic Seattle startup story": You raise a very interesting point. It's true that one of the things that induces people to put money into new ideas, like Flexcar, is the promise of a quick and lucrative "liquidity moment," upon sale of the idea. It's like speculating in raw ...

Posted Sat, Oct 13, 11:57 a.m.

What next? A golf course for fat cats?: Sent by email from Birdi Adams: Why not just bulldoze the entire site and put in a golf course for you movers and shakers. So much green space for the drunks and homeless is such a great idea! Have you walked around ...

Posted Thu, Oct 11, 5:38 p.m.

Former Mayor Schell seconds the Sims' motion: This message came to me from former Seattle Mayor Paul Schell: "Bravo, Ron. What a good idea for the Seattle Center. Better than yours, Brewster, in that it puts the open space next to the residential neighborhood rather than on the urban side. ...

Posted Wed, Aug 29, 9:16 a.m.

RE: Seattle is not nor was ever a great theater town and won't: For the record: my wife was never on the board of ACT or involved in any way.

Posted Tue, Jul 31, 8:14 a.m.

Brewster reply: Taking up the two points above: Something seems to have caused vocal problems for Jane Eaglen, which I take to be the reason for replacing her in the next Ring. As for the search for a new concertmaster, these things can go on for years, but I suspect ...

Posted Sat, Jul 21, 10:49 a.m.

Private infrastructure building is nothing new: Cash-strapped and politically-timid governments have long turned to the private sector to build railroads (giving land in exchange), transit lines (that's how Seattle built its "streetcar suburbs" and the first ferries and buslines were private), and canals. Much of America's transportation infrastructure was built ...

Posted Wed, Jun 6, 11:21 a.m.

Brewster reply: I'd make one additional comment, which is that ambition for higher office can often work well with doing the current job very well. Indeed, jobs or companies that are good stepping stones, with inspiring examples of people who have moved on to the big leagues, attract very good ...

Posted Fri, Jun 1, 7:01 a.m.

One of the Republicans' few chances for urban office: I meant that it's one of the few ways a Republican can get elected to important office in a big urban region, where Democratic voters normally dominate. Sean is right that the job is also a good launch pad for Democrats, ...

Posted Thu, May 17, 10:11 a.m.

Brewster's not that dumb: The gaffe about Serra's sculpture is duly noted in my story.

Posted Sun, May 6, 12:22 p.m.

Defense drives research: Cold War research on computers, aerospace, electronics, and medicine was the driving force for creating a research-based economy on the West Coast, and Seattle, Silicon Valley, and Los Angeles were the major beneficiaries. Among the non-university aspects in Washington are NOAA and facilities at Hanford. An excellent ...

Posted Fri, May 4, 6:57 a.m.

RE: So What Does this Mean?: All good questions from Mr. Robey. One value of the statistics I report is they look at a five year period, which tends to smooth out peaks or valleys in state funding or an abnormally large federal grant in one year. The connection of ...

Posted Thu, Apr 19, 2:35 p.m.

brewster reply: Fair point about the non-broad coalition for the tunnel. I should have put it this way: the tunnel coalition had more political and financial clout than any other, given the interest of downtowners, developers, ex governors, enviros, etc. What it always lacked was much appeal to the Seattle ...