Week in Review: King County Metro, City Council, and Amazon

Guest host Mike Lewis discusses the week’s news with Seattle Times David Kroman, host, writer, and producer Angela Poe Russell, and KUOW’s Monica Nickelsburg.

King Country Metro last week reached a new, three-year contract with its drivers and mechanics that would raise salaries by a minimum of approximately 15%, which would eventually move the starting salary from $52,000 to $60,000 annually. This comes at a time where King County Metro is facing significant staffing shortages. Other than salaries, what is the big issue king county Metro is trying to solve with this new contract?

A street racing incident in Capitol Hill in the early morning hours last Sunday led to a rowdy crowd and eventually gunfire that left four people shot, one fatally. In response, the Seattle Department of Transportation has begun an analysis focused on whether traffic cameras could help curb the problem. City Councilmembers Alex Pederson and Lisa Herbold introduced legislation last week that seeks to add traffic cameras to 10 streets. What kind of difference will these cameras make?

The Seattle City Council has seven seats up for grabs in the upcoming election. And while every city council election is literally a referendum on city government, this one feels like a sea change. Much of the discussion about Seattle and the role of its government focuses on affordability issues, such as housing, utilities, and food. Council and mayoral elections in recent history have played out with the backdrop of Amazon and the local Chamber of Commerce. How is this election the same? Or different?

A referendum to overturn state law that would extend runaway shelter protections for trans teens last week failed to get earn enough signatures to get on the ballot. The proposed ballot measure, backed by Donald Trump Jr., would have rolled back protections approved by the state that extended existing shelter protections offered to runaway teens to include teen seeking an abortion or gender-affirming care. As they have been in the past, shelters are required to inform state Department of Children Youth and Families about the child so the department can begin reunification.

Last weekend was one of the busiest in Seattle Summer 2023. Taylor Swift, Capitol Hill block party, Bite of Seattle, Mariners. Terrific weather. The works. But that was met by one critical development: A lack of police presence. What happened here?

Amazon, which has remapped downtown Seattle more than any other force in recent years, has come out against a light rail expansion that would add a stop in south lake union. The King County Board voted yesterday to consider shifting the Westlake station north as the frontrunner plan, while also studying shifting west as long as it doesn’t mean canceling the separate SLU station. What is Amazon's rationale?