As America marks its 250th birthday, many of us are reflecting on the ideals that shaped our nation. America was founded on the belief that we all have certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The founders chose the word “liberty” deliberately—and the difference between liberty and freedom...
Seattle is welcoming the world. As World Cup visitors continue to arrive, downtown streets are busy, waterfront parks are active, and television broadcasts are showcasing the city’s mountains, waterways, neighborhoods, and skyline. For many residents, it has been a reminder of why they love living here in the first place. The natural beauty was always...
Last week, hundreds of Aurora Avenue residents took to the streets to demand something most people consider basic: safe neighborhoods, safe sidewalks, and a city government willing to confront persistent sex trafficking, violence, and exploitation in their community. This week, a prominent Seattle business owner is adding his voice to that growing chorus. Dunn Lumber...
On Saturday night, hundreds of Seattle residents gathered along Aurora Avenue carrying a simple message: “Stop Sex Trafficking. No More Shootings.” That shouldn’t be a controversial demand. The people who showed up weren’t political activists looking for a fight. They were neighbors, parents, business owners, and community members frustrated by a reality that has been...
For many Washington voters, support for public transit has never been the issue. Over the last three decades, voters repeatedly approved major Sound Transit ballot measures because they believed investing in transit would reduce congestion, connect communities, and help the region grow responsibly. In 1996, 2008, and again in 2016, voters signed off on tens...
Since the turn of the Millennium, six consecutive Seattle mayors (Paul Schell, Greg Nickles, Mike McGinn, Ed Murray, Jenny Durkan, and Bruce Harrell) have each left office against their wishes. Will current Mayor Katie Wilson meet the same fate as her six predecessors, or will she overcome the perils of office to depart from the...
After a decade of steep increases in overdose deaths, Snohomish County officials are debating a new strategy to help those struggling with their drug addiction. The new methods promote treatment and recovery from drugs and are an alternative to the controversial “Harm Reduction” drug policies that have been in place while drug-related deaths skyrocketed. Snohomish...
On a recent segment on her [un[Divided podcast, Brandi Kruse examined a current court case on how over-regulation by the City of Seattle has turned once profitable rental properties into investment losses. As a result, many property owners (especially smaller ones who can’t absorb the costs) have pulled their units from the market and investment...
Recent headlines paint a troubling picture of King County’s regional homelessness system — one in turmoil, riddled with financial mismanagement, and lacks accountability to taxpayers. “$13M missing: Seattle leaders call attention to ‘egregious’ regional homeless audit“ — KOMO News, April 23, 2026 “Councilmember Rivera, County Councilmember Dembowski call for KCRHA to be dissolved“ — Seattle...
Findings from the recent audit of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) have led to more calls to dismantle the controversial agency. These rare demands are due to the authority’s history of fiscal mismanagement and the never-ending increases to the homeless population in King County (risen 68% in the past 10 years and 43.5%...
Most new political leaders set the agenda for their administration in their initial weeks in office through major speeches and announcements. While Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s blog has numerous mentions of her desire to increase Seattle’s public housing projects, there are no mentions of what the mayor will do to reduce the city’s serious crime...
A recent King County audit found that millions of dollars were unaccounted for within its Community and Human Services Department (CHSD), which oversees programs intended to help those who are homeless. Recently, a Seattle city councilmember, recognizing that its Human Services Department (HSD) has many of the same vendors as CHSD, has called for a...
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is admittedly not a sports fan, yet the world’s largest soccer tournament will be her first major test. Specifically, the mayor’s evolving strategies on homelessness will be tested as 750,000 international visitors are expected in the region for the 2026 World Cup. Seattle will host six matches as the 2026 World...
New revelations regarding Seattle’s tiny home villages have raised concerns on how effective this program is in helping homeless individuals battle their addictions in order to return to a productive life. These questions arise as new Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has made tiny homes the centerpiece of her homelessness strategy. Last week We Heart Seattle’s...