Tag Archives: Lorena González

Features

A Guide to Seattle’s New Lobbying Rules

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by Erica C. Barnett

Last week, the Seattle City Council quietly adopted legislation that will have far-reaching implications for groups that mobilize ordinary people to lobby the mayor, city council, and other city officials.

The bill, proposed by the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC) and shepherded by council president Lorena González, will require so-called grassroots lobbyists to register with the city and disclose their contributions and expenditures.

Continue reading A Guide to Seattle’s New Lobbying Rules →
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South End Constituents React to Mayor Durkan’s Decision Not to Seek Re-election

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by Elizabeth Turnbull

At the end of a demanding year responding to the COVID-19 crisis and overseeing controversial police tactics during to Black Lives Matter protests, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced on Dec. 7 that she will not seek re-election. 

In several interviews and in a video announcing her decision, Durkan said her decision came down to a choice: Run a successful re-election campaign or devote all her attention to being mayor in the final year of her term. 

“I could spend the next year campaigning to keep this job or focus all my energy on doing the job,” Durkan said. “There was only one right choice for our city: Doing the job.” 

To gauge how the South End feels about the mayor’s eventual departure, the Emerald spoke with local groups and community members about what the mayor’s decision means to them and their view for the city. 

Continue reading South End Constituents React to Mayor Durkan’s Decision Not to Seek Re-election →
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WEEKLY NEWS GLEAMS: Black and Indigenous People’s Artist Residencies, WOC in WA State Politics Fireside Chat, & More …

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A weekly round-up of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

curated by Emerald Staff

Black and Indigenous People’s Artist Residencies

From the source (Seattle Print Arts and Editions Studio):
Seattle Print Arts in partnership with Editions is offering year-long residencies to three artists, which will provide access for Black and Indigenous artists to create artists’ books, broadsides, posters, and other works on paper at Editions in Seattle, WA.

Continue reading WEEKLY NEWS GLEAMS: Black and Indigenous People’s Artist Residencies, WOC in WA State Politics Fireside Chat, & More … →
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Seattle City Council Overrides Mayor’s 2020 Budget Veto, Leaving In Place Cuts to SPD and Navigation Team

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by Erica C. Barnett

On Tuesday evening, The Seattle City Council voted 7-2 to override Mayor Jenny Durkan’s veto of the 2020 midyear “rebalancing” budget package they adopted in August, setting the stage for a showdown with the mayor in the upcoming 2021 budget discussions, which kick off formally next Tuesday. 

Continue reading Seattle City Council Overrides Mayor’s 2020 Budget Veto, Leaving In Place Cuts to SPD and Navigation Team →
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BLMSKC Files For Seattle Ethics and Elections Investigation Into Seattle City Council

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by Carolyn Bick

Black Lives Matter Seattle – King County (BLMSKC) has filed for a Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC) investigation into the Seattle City Council (SCC), according to a press release and letters received by the Emerald.

In a letter released on the morning of Sept. 14, BLMSKC called on the SEEC to “immediately, transparently, and aggressively investigate” the SCC for 12 different counts of what the press release containing the letter calls “potential incidents” involving both the entire SCC or specifically named members. The letter specifically states that it “makes no accusations” but that the issues outlined within the letter “are gravely concerning to Black Lives Matter Seattle King County.”

Continue reading BLMSKC Files For Seattle Ethics and Elections Investigation Into Seattle City Council →
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Rally Reiterates Need For Defunding SPD, Sawant Says Seattle Police Officer’s Guild Not an Obstacle

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by Elizabeth Turnbull

On Tuesday, over 100 people gathered on Capitol Hill for a rally and protest, in which march organizers reiterated their demand to defund the Seattle Police Department (SPD) by 50%. Council member Kshama Sawant, speaking to the marchers, specifically denied that the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild (SPOG) stands in the way of defunding. 

Every Day March organizers, who put on the rally, spoke about the current relationship between the Seattle Police force and the Black community and the need to channel funding to the Black community in order to provide better schools and equitable community development. 

“You can’t keep oppressing the people who are paying your salaries and not expect them to fight for themselves,” said an Every Day March organizer named T.K. “How do our police officers, that are supposed to be serving us, make more money than us? And we’re paying for it!” 

Continue reading Rally Reiterates Need For Defunding SPD, Sawant Says Seattle Police Officer’s Guild Not an Obstacle →
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Amid Various Protests and Marches, One Group has been Taking to the Streets Every Day

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by Elizabeth Turnbull

Accompanied by at least one light-up tambourine, a few makeshift drums, and as many as two trumpets, a group of roughly 100 protesters marched through the Ravenna neighborhood Thursday night, July 23, chanting, “Every day!” and “Whose lives matter!? Black Lives Matter!”

Consisting of an 8 a.m. march, an afternoon picket, and an evening march, protesters have been taking part in the Everyday March for over a month in a continued effort to get the City to act on their demands. In recent days, the marchers have specifically pushed for defunding the Seattle Police Department (SPD) budget by 50 percent and for those funds to be reallocated to the Black community. Continue reading Amid Various Protests and Marches, One Group has been Taking to the Streets Every Day →

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Seattle City Council Passes “Historic” Big Business Tax

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by Chetanya Robinson

Seattle City Council passed a $214 million big business tax proposal Monday to address the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic, invest in affordable housing, and fund City services.

The 7-2 vote, a margin large enough to override a veto from Mayor Jenny Durkan, comes two years after the City Council passed and then walked back the Employee Hours Tax, or Head Tax, which would have raised $47 million per year for housing and homelessness services. Continue reading Seattle City Council Passes “Historic” Big Business Tax →

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Morales, New City Council Members Sworn In, Offering New Visions for Seattle and the South End

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by Chetanya Robinson

A new Seattle City Council was sworn in Monday, bringing four new faces behind the dais, three members returning for new terms, and with them, perhaps, a more progressive direction for Seattle politics. Continue reading Morales, New City Council Members Sworn In, Offering New Visions for Seattle and the South End →