Returning to the Seattle Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Conference at Suncadia this past week was bittersweet for me. It was here, at this time last year, that we lost a dear friend, Senator Scott White. I was so proud that the Chamber established The Senator Scott White Regional Leadership Award, this year awarded to Rep. […]

Early last spring I first heard murmurs about legislation regarding campaign finance reform. I’ll admit, initially, I didn’t know what to make of it. Campaign finance reform means different things to different people and I wasn’t sure what problem we were trying to solve. After speaking to my colleague, Mike O’Brien, I learned what he wanted […]

Today, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Director Peter Hahn gave his department’s presentation (PDF) to the City Council Budget Committee. (Download the SDOT section or the entire proposed budget from the Mayor for 2013-2014 from this page – see the left navigation pane). SDOT described two categories of investment: Addressing the maintenance backlog (street repair, bridge maintenance and […]

I am pleased that after months of discussion, we are seriously considering a new arena for our SuperSonics and potentially an NHL team. I have moved from “Really? Spend public money on yet another sports arena?” to a qualified, “Yes.”  The proposed plan can work for the people and entities that concern me deeply: the City […]

I was sitting in a budget meeting the other day listening to the burble of acronyms cross my colleague’s lips—BIPs, BUGs, and SLIs—and I remembered how alienating that alphabet soup was to me the first time I plunged into it. So I thought I’d write up a little guide to the ABCs of City of […]

This afternoon in High Point, I stood with Mayor McGinn and acting Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, Christopher Williams, as the mayor announced his preferred option for the future of our community centers. Mayor McGinn will incorporate our Option #2, or the Geographic Management and Service Level option, into his 2012 budget. It is unusual […]

One week ago, I asked the “Question of the Week” via my Facebook page. We are at the peak of Seattle’s summer and I inquired, “Where do you take your out of town guests?” Answers varied on what constituted the hidden gems – perhaps the places or things an average Seattle visitor wouldn’t know to […]

Within the confines of Volunteer Park lies Seattle’s great crystal palace, the Conservatory. Since opening in 1912, the Conservatory continues to collect and conserve a diverse collection of plants, transporting visitors beyond the Pacific Northwest into almost-otherworldly climates and locales.  Its mission has not changed in nearly a century. To help ensure this mission continues, […]

Last fall, City Council spent weeks trying to adopt a balanced budget that reflected our City’s values. This was no easy task as we faced millions in cuts. As you may know, I chair the Parks and Seattle Center Committee and, historically, when budget cuts are made, Parks takes a large portion of those reductions. […]

The proposed lease amendment for Building 11 at Magnuson Park is an issue that has been the source of much public discussion over the past few months. If you’d like to learn more about it, I invite you read my previous blog post or visit the “Current Issues” section of my website. The developer is […]