Tag Archives: Guy Oron

Features

King County Council District 2 Candidate Girmay Zahilay Talks to Real Change

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Incumbent, unopposed councilmember vies for second opportunity to work on progressive priorities.

by Tobias Coughlin-Bogue and Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

For King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, the last four years have been a whirlwind. Having been elected in November 2019, most of his first term was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many residents of King County District 2, which includes southeast Seattle, Capitol Hill, and Skyway, were hit particularly badly. During this time, the ambitious Zahilay stepped up his presence in his new role, engaging with constituents on social media platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, while also channeling the social justice principles of his predecessor, civil rights legend Larry Gossett.

Continue reading King County Council District 2 Candidate Girmay Zahilay Talks to Real Change →
Features

King County District 8 Candidate Teresa Mosqueda Talks to Real Change

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by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

In addition to candidate Teresa Mosqueda, Real Change also interviewed candidate Sofia Aragon.

The retirement of 13-year incumbent Joe McDermott from the King County Council prompted two local politicians to run for the open seat: Burien Mayor Sofia Aragon and Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. They both made it through the primaries and have differing visions for the district, which includes broad swathes of West Seattle, Burien, Vashon Island, White Center, and the Chinatown-International District.

Continue reading King County District 8 Candidate Teresa Mosqueda Talks to Real Change →
Features

King County District 8 Candidate Sofia Aragon Talks to Real Change

by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

In addition to candidate Sofia Aragon, Real Change also interviewed candidate Teresa Mosqueda.

King County is the largest county in the state of Washington, and its government is responsible for providing key services like public health and bus transportation to more than 2.25 million residents. In most of the county, which overlaps with 39 cities and towns, the King County Council has limited authority. However, for about a quarter million residents of the county’s unincorporated areas, the council has direct control.

Because of this limited reach, the King County Council has historically been a less attractive post for politicians. This year, however, there are multiple contested races.

Continue reading King County District 8 Candidate Sofia Aragon Talks to Real Change →
News

King County Councilmembers Propose $19 Minimum Wage for Skyway and White Center

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by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay is set to introduce a new ordinance that would raise the minimum wage to $18.99 an hour for unincorporated King County, which encompasses areas like White Center, Skyway, and Vashon Island.

Continue reading King County Councilmembers Propose $19 Minimum Wage for Skyway and White Center →
Features

Will Seattle Choose to Tax the Rich or Cut Services?

by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

A new work group report has presented Seattle policymakers with a stark choice: implement new taxes on the rich or face ruinous cuts to essential City services in 2025.

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News

Teamsters Union Reaches ‘Historic’ Agreement With UPS, Faces Criticism From Rank-and-File

by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

On July 25, the Teamsters union announced that it had reached a tentative agreement with UPS over pay and conditions, just a week before 340,000 workers were poised to go on strike in what would have been the largest single-employer work stoppage in United States history.

The announcement followed months of tense negotiations and more than a year of preparation by the union. For weeks, UPS workers held practice pickets to show the shipping company they would not back down.

Continue reading Teamsters Union Reaches ‘Historic’ Agreement With UPS, Faces Criticism From Rank-and-File →
Voices

OPINION | Jayapal Was Right — Of Course Israel Is a Racist State, and So Is the U.S.

by Guy Oron

In responding to Palestine solidarity protestors at a July 15 panel event in the Netroots Nation conference, U.S. Congress member Pramila Jayapal (a Democrat from Seattle) attempted to assuage the demonstrators by affirming that Israel was a “racist state.”

Continue reading OPINION | Jayapal Was Right — Of Course Israel Is a Racist State, and So Is the U.S. →
News

Tacoma City Council Introduces Competing Proposal Against Bold Renters’ Rights Initiative

by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

Housing justice advocates warn that the Tacoma City Council may be trying to subvert an ambitious package of renter protections that voters will weigh in on during the November general election.

Continue reading Tacoma City Council Introduces Competing Proposal Against Bold Renters’ Rights Initiative →
News

Building Momentum, Advocates Expand the Fight for Higher Minimum Wage in South King County

by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

Buoyed by a landslide victory in Tukwila last year, labor activists are launching campaigns to increase the minimum wage in neighboring jurisdictions of Renton, Burien, and unincorporated King County.

Continue reading Building Momentum, Advocates Expand the Fight for Higher Minimum Wage in South King County →
News

Seeing Sweeps in a New Way: Data Visualization Invites Analysis of Seattle’s Housing Crises Responses

by Guy Oron

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

Despite years of criticism and successive legislative efforts by the Seattle City Council, the City of Seattle has proceeded on its policy of sweeps unabated.

Continue reading Seeing Sweeps in a New Way: Data Visualization Invites Analysis of Seattle’s Housing Crises Responses →