On Monday, September 23, the Council unanimously adopted a resolution setting out a work plan for making voluntary high-quality preschool available and affordable to all of Seattle’s children. The resolution calls for an action plan to be presented to the Council in April of 2014 with options for program design and funding sources. It commits […]

The Duwamish Superfund cleanup is moving into the next phase of activity, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its preferred alternative. Over the next three weeks, comments are being taken on the proposal, and we expect EPA to make a final decision in the next few months. In the meantime, I have been […]

Seattle is the proud home of the University of Washington, and also hosts Seattle University on First Hill and Seattle Pacific University on the north slope of Queen Anne, as well as a great set of community colleges.  And there is also the campus of Antioch University Seattle at 6th and Battery near South Lake […]

People who receive food stamps (now known as the ‘Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP’) usually need training, support and job placement services to move closer to economic self-sufficiency.  There’s a program that focuses on these recipients – the Washington State Basic Food and Employment and Training program – but in 2010 the USDA issued […]

Evidence is clear that healthy eating and active living make a difference in academic performance.  Unfortunately, our young people are too often caught in the poor nutrition and inactive lifestyle mode that is fueling our obesity epidemic.  Schools are beginning to understand that improving the classroom is not enough — there are important steps to […]

On Monday, March 28, the City Council unanimously approved placing renewal of the Families and Education Levy on the November ballot.  After extensive review and discussion of the recommendations of the citizen committee that developed the new levy proposal, the Council agreed to propose a levy at the level recommended by the advisory group. The […]

On Monday, January 10, the Council announced our priorities for 2011, and reported on our accomplishments for 2010.  The Council priorities are the issues that we will put major attention into during the year.  They do not include all of the issues we will work on, but the ones that we jointly see as of […]

On Monday, September 27, the Council unanimously adopted an ordinance approving an agreement with the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI).  MOHAI and the City have been working together to plan a relocation of this important cultural resource for many years, and that cooperation has resulted in a plan to relocate MOHAI to the South […]

On Monday, August 2, the Council unanimously approved allocating $300,000 from the Technology Matching Fund to 24 community based organizations.  The goal of the Technology Matching Fund is to increase residents’ access to technology and technological literacy. These funds will reach some 15,000 at-risk youth, immigrants and refugees, seniors, and people with disabilities in 2010.  […]

An initial review of funding options for the Seattle Public Library suggests that going to the voters for a levy lid lift to fund library operations may be the most promising possibility.  The other promising options — creating a separate library district or increasing the City’s overall revenues — seem to be more difficult and […]