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Wilson Backs Down on Tenant Protection Rollbacks, Fire Department Funding Plan Fizzles, Privacy Advocates Push Back on Surveillance During World Cup

1. Mayor Katie Wilson’s office confirmed that Wilson will not be proposing changes to the city’s just cause eviction ordinance… The post Wilson Backs Down on Tenant Protection Rollbacks, Fire Department Funding Plan Fizzles, Privacy Advocates Push Back on Surveillance During World Cup appeared first on PubliCola.

Seattle Transit Measure Renewal 2026

Last week, Mayor Wilson has unveiled her proposal for the next Seattle Transit Measure (STM) that will replace the current measure when it expires in 2027. The STM is an additional tax in Seattle that is used to fund more bus service and various transit programs. Wilson is proposing a 0.3% sales tax for the … Continue reading "Seattle Transit Measure Renewal 2026"

Sunday Movie: Oldest Trains

Riding the oldest subway cars in the world. They’re 1950s cars in the Buenos Aires Metro on Line B. (Trains are Awesome) Honorable mention to the Muni Metro F Line with a variety of vintage streetcars from the 1950s and earlier. I rode a few early 20th century international ones and found them bumpy, but … Continue reading "Sunday Movie: Oldest Trains"

This Week On PubliCola: June 6, 2026

AI use by SPD, doubling taxes for transit, fare gates at light rail stations, and more. By Erica C. Barnett… The post This Week On PubliCola: June 6, 2026 appeared first on PubliCola.

Seattle Nice: Mayor Wilson Doubles Down on Transit Sales Tax

By Erica C. Barnett On this week’s third (!) edition of Seattle Nice, we have a short but (I think)… The post Seattle Nice: Mayor Wilson Doubles Down on Transit Sales Tax appeared first on PubliCola.

Wilson Caves on Stadium Surveillance, Two More Cops Allege Discrimination as SPD Settles Earlier Claims

1. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson used unspecified “general but credible threats to safety and security” during the upcoming World Cup games… The post Wilson Caves on Stadium Surveillance, Two More Cops Allege Discrimination as SPD Settles Earlier Claims appeared first on PubliCola.

SPD’s Chief Spokesperson Asked AI for Help with Interview Prep, Rewriting Blog Posts, and More

SPD says the communications director only used AI tools a handful of times, and only “to evaluate their utility” By… The post SPD’s Chief Spokesperson Asked AI for Help with Interview Prep, Rewriting Blog Posts, and More appeared first on PubliCola.

The Architect of the Superunknown: Kim Thayil chronicles the dissonant legacy of Soundgarden in new memoir

The Architect of the Superunknown: Kim Thayil chronicles the dissonant legacy of Soundgarden in new memoir Off patr Fri, 06/05/2026 - 4:29pm

Spectator 2026-05-28

Spectator 2026-06-04

Investigation Found That KCRHA Director Retaliated Against Staffers Who Complained

By Erica C. Barnett An investigation last year found that a “preponderance of the evidence” supports the conclusion that King… The post Investigation Found That KCRHA Director Retaliated Against Staffers Who Complained appeared first on PubliCola.

Link Ridership Soars 46% After Crosslake Connection Opening

Sound Transit’s Link light rail system continues to break its own ridership records. After the highly-anticipated Crosslake Connection opening at the end of March, system-wide ridership jumped 46% to 4,675,216 passengers in April 2026. This equates to an average 155,840 boardings across the 1 Line, 2 Line, and T Line every day. Since the pandemic, … Continue reading "Link Ridership Soars 46% After Crosslake Connection Opening"