Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily

Seattle Reform Runs Into Contracts, Tracks, Grid Fears, and Gunfire — May 22, 2026

Seattle CARE’s civilian crisis team is expanding while police-guild limits curb its work, as city leaders weigh fare enforcement, streetcar bike safety, data-center power demands, and Aurora gun violence with World Cup pressure looming. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Seattle Civilian Responder Team Chafes Under Police Guild Contract Restrictions [https://www.theurbanist.org/seattle-civilian-responder-team-chafes-under-police-guild-contract-restrictions/] — The Urbanist # Seattle Civilian Responder Team Chafes Under Police Guild Contract Restrictions Published: 2026-05-21T19:32:41+00:00 Source: theurbanist.org (theurbanist.org) Language: en ## Story Seattle Civilian Responder Team Chafes Under Police Guild Contract Restrictions 📰 Support nonprofit journalism Donate # Seattle Civilian Responder Team Chafes Under Police Guild Contract Restrictions By Amy… 2. The Status of Fare Evasion in Washington State – Seattle Transit Blog [https://seattletransitblog.com/2026/05/21/the-status-of-fare-evasion-in-washington-state/] — Seattle Transit Blog # The Status of Fare Evasion in Washington State – Seattle Transit Blog Author: Nick Sattele Published: 2026-05-21T11:49:00+00:00 Source: seattletransitblog.com (seattletransitblog.com) Language: en ## Story The Status of Fare Evasion in Washington State – Seattle Transit Blog Since Metro resumed fare enforcement in 2025, buses have displayed “Fares Required” as part of the headsign rotation.… 3. A decade later, First Hill Streetcar tracks still dangerous for bicyclists | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News [https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2026/05/a-decade-later-first-hill-streetcar-tracks-still-dangerous-for-bicyclists/] — CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News A decade later, First Hill Streetcar tracks still dangerous for bicyclists | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News (Image: CHS) By Matt Dowell For its 10th birthday, the First Hill Streetcar will get a suite of minor safety upgrades from the Seattle Department of Transportation. But a decade after a bicyclist died following a crash near the streetcar tracks, cyclists want more. As part of this year’s… 4. Seattle leaders’ proposed one-year ban on data centers met with strong support | News Pub [https://newspub.live/west/seattle-wa/seattle-leaders-proposed-one-year-ban-on-data-centers-met-with-strong-support/] — News Pub Seattle leaders’ proposed one-year ban on data centers met with strong support | News Pub Connect with us SEATTLE — City leaders are considering a one-year ban on new data centers in Seattle, and many residents are overwhelmingly on board. Councilmembers Debora Juarez, Eddie Lin, and Council President Joy Hollingsworth introduced the year-long moratorium after reports that four companies have… 5. North Seattle neighbors call for city action on gun violence | FOX 13 Seattle [https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/north-seattle-gun-violence-city-intervention] — FOX 13 Seattle # North Seattle neighbors call for city action on gun violence | FOX 13 Seattle Author: Jennifer Dowling Published: 2026-05-21T21:17:30-07:00 Source: fox13seattle.com (fox13seattle.com) Language: en ## Story North Seattle neighbors call for city action on gun violence | FOX 13 Seattle River Flood Warning is in effect, Chelan County #### The Brief - North Seattle residents are demanding… Daily TopFive for Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-seattle-daily-fix/id1895649659] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6SnLmXKBtus9Fld4TOlCRJ]. Feedback? Email seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

Sound Transit Starts Sorting ST3 Winners, Delays, and Deferrals — May 21, 2026

Sound Transit’s ST3 reset is moving from abstract shortfall to project-by-project triage, with a $34.5 billion gap forcing deferrals while Issaquah tries to cut permitting friction to keep its light rail line alive. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Sound Transit Updates ST3 Plan Amid Financial Constraints – Seattle Transit Blog [https://seattletransitblog.com/2026/05/06/sound-transit-updates-st3-plan-amid-financial-constraints] — Seattle Transit Blog  # Sound Transit Updates ST3 Plan Amid Financial Constraints On Thursday, Sound Transit Board Chair Dave Somers will share a resolution to update the Sound Transit 3 system plan. This update will help align the agency’s future Link extensions with the available funding. Due to record-breaking inflation and more… 2. Prevention WINS: King County Board of Health approves medicine return regulation [http://preventionworksinseattle.blogspot.com/2013/06/king-county-board-of-health-approves.html] — Prevention Works in Seattle Prevention WINS: King County Board of Health approves medicine return regulation Great news from the King County Board of Health: Yesterday, the King County Board of Health took a significant step towards reducing preventable deaths from drug overdoses by passing a Rule & Regulation to create a drug take-back system for King County residents. The program promotes the safe disposal of unused… 3. Facing Delay, Issaquah Pledges to Streamline Light Rail Permitting [https://www.theurbanist.org/facing-delay-issaquah-pledges-to-streamline-light-rail-permitting/] — The Urbanist Facing Delay, Issaquah Pledges to Streamline Light Rail Permitting 📰 Support nonprofit journalism Donate # Facing Delay, Issaquah Pledges to Streamline Light Rail Permitting By Ryan Packer- May 20, 2026 Share The commitment to reduce barriers standing in the way of the future 4 Line between Kirkland and Issaquah is the latest move by city leaders to get their project moving. (City of… Daily TopFive for Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-seattle-daily-fix/id1895649659] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6SnLmXKBtus9Fld4TOlCRJ]. Feedback? Email seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

Katie Wilson’s Build-Bigger Agenda Meets Sound Transit Math — May 20, 2026

Katie Wilson’s Seattle zoning and shelter agenda is moving from campaign slogan to council process, with bigger growth centers, larger shelters, and a possible Seattle Center bond—while Sound Transit’s ST3 shortfall keeps raising accountability questions. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Katie Wilson's 'Taller Denser Faster' Plan Starts to Get Fleshed Out [https://www.theurbanist.org/katie-wilsons-taller-denser-faster-plan-starts-fleshed-out/] — The Urbanist Katie Wilson's 'Taller Denser Faster' Plan Starts to Get Fleshed Out 📰 Support nonprofit journalism Donate # Katie Wilson's 'Taller Denser Faster' Plan Starts to Get Fleshed Out By Ryan Packer- May 19, 2026 Share The Wilson administration and the Seattle City Council are starting to get on the same page around what it means to go much bigger in the next phase of the city's growth plan. Despite… 2. Seattle City Council passes bill allowing larger homeless shelters, tiny home villages - MyNorthwest [https://mynorthwest.com/mynorthwest-politics/seattle-homeless-shelters/4240013] — MyNorthwest Seattle City Council passes bill allowing larger homeless shelters, tiny home villages - MyNorthwest.com Close MyNorthwest News Opinion Sports Tools Connect # Seattle City Council passes bill allowing larger homeless shelters, tiny home villages Tiny houses on display. (Photo: Matt Pitman, KIRO Newsradio) (Photo: Matt Pitman, KIRO Newsradio) The Seattle City Council (SCC) unanimously passed a… 3. Sound Transit spends millions on ads amid $34.5B gap [https://seattlered.com/transportation/sound-transit-advertising-spending-st3-shortfall-ballard/4118584] — Seattle Red Sound Transit spends millions on ads amid $34.5B gap On the Site: Sign up for daily conservative news & opinion delivered to your inbox Close Seattle Red Tools - Seattle Red App - Advertise With Us - Employment Connect # Sound Transit blows millions on ads while Ballard waits for light rail it’s been paying for Sound Transit is $34.5B short on its ST3 expansion but still found money for billboard… 4. Step Back — When King County sends public money to nonprofits for youth programs, what guardrails are supposed to catch waste or fraud before the checks clear — and when reviewers flag questionable costs, does anyone actually have to pay the money back? BACKGROUND SOURCES * Department of Community and Human Services Needs to ... [https://kingcounty.gov/en/independents/governance-and-leadership/government-oversight/auditors-office/reports-papers/reports/2025/dchs-contracts] — Kingcounty * King County response to possible fraud has auditor ‘deeply concerned’ | The Seattle Times [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/king-county-response-to-possible-fraud-has-auditor-deeply-concerned/] — David Gutman * King County Council responds to troubling audit with tougher oversight | The Seattle Times [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/king-county-council-responds-to-troubling-audit-with-tougher-oversight/] — David Gutman * King County audit finds unapproved payments, possible fraud [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/king-county-audit-finds-unapproved-payments-possible-fraud/] — David Gutman * 'Damning' audit finds lax King County oversight allowed potential ... [https://www.kuow.org/stories/damning-audit-finds-lax-king-county-oversight-allowed-potential-fraud-and-improper-payments-to-contractors] — Kuow * DCHS audit fallout deepens as report finds $700K in questionable spending, possible fraud [https://komonews.com/news/local/dchs-audit-fallout-deepens-as-report-finds-700k-in-questionable-spending-possible-fraud-king-county-seattle-youth-diversion-program-family-intervention-liberation-healing-systemic-racism-restorative-commnity-school-to-prison-withdrawal-stipends] — Komonews * King County kept paying contractors despite warnings of misused funds | The Seattle Times [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/times-watchdog/king-county-kept-paying-contractors-despite-warnings-of-misused-funds/] — Lulu Ramadan 5. Mayor, council member support Seattle Center improvement bond measure [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/mayor-council-member-support-seattle-center-improvement-bond-measure/] — The Seattle Times Mayor Katie Wilson and Councilmember Rob Saka came out in support Monday of a capital bond for Seattle Center, likely appearing on the 2027 ballot, though possibly earlier. If passed with 60% support, the measure would fund improvements to the aging campus, such as an overhaul of its HVAC and electrical systems, as well as a possible renovation of its centerpiece Armory building. The two elected… Daily TopFive for Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Feedback? Email seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

Seattle Transit Funding Faces the Hard-Math Phase — May 19, 2026

Seattle’s transportation reform agenda is running into hard math: a county funding measure may send the city less than its tax base suggests, while Sound Transit’s ST3 rescue options now involve real truncations, cancellations, and tradeoffs. IN THIS EPISODE 1. New County Transportation Funding Measure Could Shortchange Seattle [https://www.theurbanist.org/new-county-transportation-funding-measure-could-shortchange-seattle/] — The Urbanist New County Transportation Funding Measure Could Shortchange Seattle 📰 Support nonprofit journalism Donate # New County Transportation Funding Measure Could Shortchange Seattle By Ryan Packer- May 18, 2026 Share An amendment put forward by Steffanie Fain would cap Seattle's participation in a new pass-through funding program to well below the city's proportional share of the tax, resulting in… 2. Step Back — If Seattle voters are being asked to fund another countywide transportation measure, how can we tell whether the city is getting a fair return — what formulas, service metrics, or legal guardrails decide where the money actually goes? BACKGROUND SOURCES * Source [https://cdn.kingcounty.gov/-/media/king-county/depts/metro/documents/about/data-and-reports/2025/transit-development-plan-2025-2030.pdf?hash=A11946B55585A70BFC5ABD1F996E6965&rev=ba44f9bc665b45c6b06e1eadccd7baea] — White, Carrie * Seattle Transportation Levy on track to meet commitments to voters ... [https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2026/04/06/seattle-transportation-levy-on-track-to-meet-commitments-to-voters-report-shows-levy-dollars-at-work/] — Katie Olsen * Source [https://aqua.kingcounty.gov/council/agendas/Budget_TPLSR/20251014-Panel1-Packet.pdf] — Steadman, Marka * Source [https://seattletransitblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/A.-King-County-Metro-Transit-2025-System-Evaluation.pdf] — Seattletransitblog 3. ST3 Truncations – Seattle Transit Blog [https://seattletransitblog.com/2026/03/19/sound-transit-truncations/] — Seattle Transit Blog  # ST3 Truncations  Sound Transit finally addressed their severe budget shortfalls at the [March 18 Board… 4. Shallow Cogitations: This Doesn't Look Good [http://www.shallowcogitations.com/2009/07/this-doesnt-look-good.html] — Shallow Cogitations Shallow Cogitations: This Doesn't Look Good skip to main | skip to sidebar [The] Cascade Bicycle Club and the City of Seattle are being sued by a coalition of Ballard industrial businesses, industrial associations and the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. The lawsuit is an appeal to the Superior Court and challenges the city’s plans to complete the “Missing Link” of the Burke-Gilman Trail. The… 5. Lummi Nation to open first-of-its-kind substance withdrawal center this summer [https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2026/may/17/lummi-nation-to-open-first-of-its-kind-substance-withdrawal-center-this-summer/] — Cascadia Daily News Lummi Nation to open first-of-its-kind substance withdrawal center this summer | Cascadia Daily News # Lummi Nation to open first-of-its-kind substance withdrawal center this summer ## 16-bed facility is the first tribally owned, operated withdrawal site on tribal land in Washington - May 17, 2026 6:43 p.m. Lummi Nation Chairman Anthony Hillaire told a crowd May 17 that the nation's new Secure… Daily TopFive for Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Feedback? Email seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

ST3’s Hard Choices Meet Seattle’s Street-Level Tests — May 18, 2026

Seattle’s reform agenda gets concrete this week: Sound Transit is triaging ST3 promises against a multibillion-dollar gap, while prosecutors, auditors, and City Hall face tests on fentanyl enforcement, homelessness accountability, and basic public infrastructure. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Sound Transit Updates ST3 Plan Amid Financial Constraints – Seattle Transit Blog [https://seattletransitblog.com/2026/05/06/sound-transit-updates-st3-plan-amid-financial-constraints/] — Seattle Transit Blog  # Sound Transit Updates ST3 Plan Amid Financial Constraints On Thursday, Sound Transit Board Chair Dave Somers will share a resolution to update the Sound Transit 3 system plan. This update will help align the agency’s future Link extensions with the available funding. Due to record-breaking inflation and more… 2. Step Back — If voters already approved ST3, how did Sound Transit end up in a money crunch where West Seattle, Ballard, and Everett light rail are competing for scraps — and who actually has the power to change the plan now? BACKGROUND SOURCES * Achieving long-term affordability - Sound Transit [https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/achieving-long-term-affordability] — Soundtransit * Sound Transit exploring three options to cut future light rail expansion [https://komonews.com/news/local/sound-transit-board-members-west-seattle-ballard-2016-st3-everett-mayor-cassie-franklin-councilmember-dan-strauss-sodo-alaska-junction-wsdot-snohomish-pierce-county] — Komonews * Sound Transit’s expansion plans balloon by up to $35 billion [https://seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transits-expansion-plans-balloon-by-up-to-30-billion] — Mike Lindblom * Sound Transit plans to close $34.5B shortfall over 2 decades, reshaping light rail future [https://komonews.com/news/local/sound-transit-light-rail-massive-budget-shortfall-future-expansion-plans-cuts-seattle-everett-lynnwood-pierce-snohomish-county-federal-way-tacoma-fife-stations-car-tab-fees] — Komonews * Sound Transit Board rejects tunnel elimination idea, sets stage for ST3 cutbacks [https://komonews.com/news/local/sound-transit-st3-34-billion-dollar-shortfall-voters-king-county-pierce-snohomish-tacoma-everett-dow-constantine-2037-ballard-2039-west-seattle] — Komonews * Seattle mayor ruffles feathers over $30B Sound Transit budget woes, priorities [https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-mayor-ruffles-feathers-over-sound-transit-budget-woes-million-billion-expansion-costs-bus-streetcar-link-train-taxes-economy-public-transit-commute-traffic-budget] — Komonews * Sound Transit Board Grapples with Plan to Rebalance ST3 [https://www.theurbanist.org/sound-transit-board-grapples-with-plan-to-rebalance-st3/] — Theurbanist * Somers Proposal Keeps Rail to Everett and Tacoma On Track, Stops Short of Ballard [https://www.theurbanist.org/somers-proposal-keeps-rail-to-everett-and-tacoma-on-track-stops-short-of-ballard/] — Theurbanist 3. King County files 46 felony drug-dealing cases as fentanyl crisis grips Seattle streets [https://komonews.com/news/local/drug-prosecutions-king-county-files-46-felony-drug-dealing-cases-as-fentanyl-crisis-grips-seattle-streets-little-saigon-s-jackson-street-seattle-drug-hotspots] — KOMO News King County files 46 felony drug-dealing cases as fentanyl crisis grips Seattle streets Download the AppGet your news faster with our mobile experience Install # King County files 46 felony drug-dealing cases as fentanyl crisis grips Seattle streets --- by Joel Moreno, KOMO News Reporter Fri, May 15, 2026 at 3:15 PM This image shows a man holding a straw above a piece of foil as he lights the… 4. Waste Of The Day: Seattle’s Homelessness Fiasco – iftttwall [http://ifttt.itbehere.com/2026/05/16/waste-of-the-day-seattles-homelessness-fiasco/] — RealClear Politics Waste Of The Day: Seattle’s Homelessness Fiasco – iftttwall Waste Of The Day: Seattle’s Homelessness Fiasco Authored by Jeremy Portnoy via RealClear Politics, Topline: The homelessness agency in King County, Wash., has a $45 million deficit, but auditors can’t fully figure out why, according to a state audit publicly released this April. Its accounting records are so poor that it’s impossible… 5. We're adding four new public restrooms in Pioneer Square. - SDOT Blog [https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2026/05/15/were-adding-four-new-public-restrooms-in-pioneer-square/] — SDOT Blog We're adding four new public restrooms in Pioneer Square. - SDOT Blog SDOT Blog Seattle Department of Transportation Search ## Find Posts By Topic # We’re adding four new public restrooms in Pioneer Square. Blog stats: 960 words | 5-minute read --- ### At a Glance - Winter Weather - We are partnering with Throne Labs to install four new public restrooms in Pioneer Square as a one-year pilot… Daily TopFive for Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Feedback? Email seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [seattle-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].