This Week on PubliCola: March 29, 2025
Cathy Moore earmarks $1 million to The More We Love, Sara Nelson talks housing in the stadium district, SCORE's director defends the troubled jail, and more.
Monday, March 24
After PubliCola reported on substandard conditions at SCORE, a regional jail in South King County where at least 11 people have died over the last two years, jail director Devin Schrum defended her record to a sympathetic Renton City Council committee, calling the jail “human -centered” and safe.
Tuesday, March 25
Providers who assist victims of sex trafficking and other types of commercial sexual exploitation have spent months preparing collaboratively for a competitive bidding process for more than $1 million in new funding for a “receiving center” for survivors. Last week, they learned that Councilmember Cathy Moore had chosen to circumvent this process, awarding funds directly to The More We Love, a group that also holds the city of Burien’s homeless encampment response contracts.
Wednesday, March 26
JumpStart Revenues Flatten and Council Questions Plan to Mandate Earplug Sales at Venues
Last year’s JumpStart payroll tax revenues came in $47 million shy of forecasts—a potentially significant problem if the trend keeps up, since the city chose last year to use the tax, which was supposed to be dedicated mostly to one-off capital projects, to fill a $250 million-plus general budget gap. And Councilmember Dan Strauss’ proposal to require “loud music venues” to sell earplugs to patrons ran into some skepticism from his colleagues.
Thursday, March 27
Council President Sara Nelson was our special guest on this week’s podcast, where we talked at length about her successful proposal to allow new apartments in the city’s stadium district (and I asked her if this housing, located in a busy commercial area, was just a distraction from the real need for new apartments in every neighborhood.
Friday, March 28
The city of Burien, which completely banned sleeping outdoors last year, spent more than $200,000 in 2024 fighting a lawsuit by the Seattle King County Coalition on homelessness and several unsheltered Burien residents. And the city’s glitchy new payroll system, Workday, gave some city workers unauthorized vacation days and failed to pay others for premium pay they were supposed to receive in lieu of benefits.
Public Defense Union Raises Concerns About Constantine’s Pick for DPD Director
SEIU 925, the union the represents nearly 400 public defense attorneys and other staffers, raised questions about interim director Matt Sanders’ ability to lead the department amid low morale and concerns about caseload standards, and endorsed another candidate over their current boss. King County Executive Dow Constantine announced he picked Sanders for the job shortly before Sound Transit announced Constantine will be the transit agency’s new CEO.