Port challenges Seattle rezoning that allows housing near pro sports stadiums
The Port of Seattle is following through on promises to take legal action to halt a recently approved Seattle bill that allows residential housing near Seattle’s professional sports venues.
The Port filed the appeal in the King County Superior Court last week, arguing that the bill is unlawful.
Council Bill 120933 amends the city’s land use code to allow for workforce housing in the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District, which encompasses Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park.
According to a fiscal note, the intent of the bill is to create a livelier Stadium District by allowing residential uses that serve a mix of incomes.
the city’s affordability crisis and help small businesses. Planned privately subsidized housing and workspaces will also be built using 100% unionized labor.
The Port’s appeal accuses the city of “spot-zoning,” which is a controversial practice where land-use rules are changed for a small, specific area in order to benefit a single project.
The appeal alleges that the city approved the legislation to rezone a small, three-block area of industrial land for one single project that promises to add up to 990 residential units.
lands critical to our economic development and job creation mission,” Port of Seattle Executive Director Steve Metruck said in a statement.
“The harmful impact to maritime and industrial operations caused by this spot rezone were not dutifully considered and there are many inconsistencies with state, county, and local land use regulations.”
Acting King County executive unveils EMS levy renewal with reduced tax rate
A lower-rate EMS levy proposed by acting King County Executive Shannon Braddock would extend emergency services funding through 2031.
The Medic One/EMS levy funds King County’s network of medical services, which operates in a coordinated partnership with four dispatch centers, five paramedic agencies, and 23 fire departments.
The network previously included 28 fire departments, but recent consolidations have reduced that number to 23, according to Amy Enbysk, Braddock's press secretary.
Enumclaw no longer provides EMS dispatch services; coverage has been absorbed by one of the four remaining regional dispatch centers.
The proposed rate is set at 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and would cost the owner of a medianvalued home about $211 in 2026. According to the county, this would be one of the lowest EMS levy rates in Washington.
The current levy began at 26.5 cents in 2020, but as assessed values increased, the effective rate dropped to 24.8 cents in 2022.
King County voters have paid property tax dollars toward EMS services since 1979. The levy has been renewed several times, typically with broad voter approval. The current levy was renewed with nearly 80% of voters.
According to a September Finance Subcommittee meeting, a 25-cent levy rate
The office of Mayor Bruce Harrell and the City Attorney's Office declined to comment on active litigation.
During discussions on the legislation, Seattle City Council Chair Sara Nelson said the bill will help address
Issues taken up by opponents of the passed legislation include the possibility of thousands of new residents right next to some of the city’s busiest industrial arterial streets, and pushing low-income residents into more polluted and less protected areas.
“The Port feels we must take these actions to defend industrially zoned
Harrell’s office told The Center Square in an email that it continues to believe in legislation from 2023 that rezoned the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District to an urban industrial zone, but unlike other urban industrial zones, most residential uses were prohibited within the district.
“We remained neutral on this legislation throughout the City Council’s recent process,” the mayor's office concluded.
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
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Queen Anne & Magnolia Worship Services
Worship at 10am
Twelfth Church of Christ, Scientist
In Person and Online Church Services
All are welcome & warmly invited to join these healing services
For best audio results, please join by clicking on the link from your computer or smartphone and choose “Call Over Internet”
All Zoom Services Meeting ID: 418 806 2637 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4188062637
Sunday Services 11:00am – 12noon Pacific
Wednesday Testimonies 7:30pm – 8:30pm Pacific
Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons
Our weekly Bible Lesson Sermon may be found here: https://quarterly.christianscience.com/
Additional Healing Resources: ChristianScience.com CSWashington.com SeattleMetroReadingRoom.org
For additional assistance, please contact us at seattle12cs@gmail.com or 206.283.2300 ChristianScienceTwelfthSeattle.com
Anne Dental Group
Neighborhood Marketplace
Vacation rentals may face new taxes as WA lawmakers eye housing fix
Planning a Washington state vacation? You might want to bring some extra cash after lawmakers advanced a bill on Monday that would impose a 4% tax on short-term rentals like Airbnb.
State law allows municipalities to levy up to a 2% excise tax on short-term rentals, but House Bill 5576 could double that option. Supporters say it would allow local governments to address their housing shortages, but critics argue it could drive tourists to hotels over local rentals.
The proposal comes as Washington faces a shortage of about a million housing units over the next two decades and grapples with increasing rates of homelessness. However, it also coincides with a $16 billion shortfall, which state lawmakers must balance before the session ends on April 27.
As a former bed and breakfast owner, Rep. April Berg, D-Mill Creek, asked the House Finance Committee for support on Monday.
“I had a lot of responsibilities, some of which were taxation,” Berg said, “but I also knew I had a commitment to community because I was taking those beautiful [Craftsman-style homes] ... out of the housing stock.”
Short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO, which
rent properties for 30 days or less, didn’t cause the statewide housing shortages, but they don’t necessarily help. Other states have also taxed short-term rentals to preserve local long-term options and raise money from tourism.
Berg said small-town mayors are coming to the state for help as their housing stock dwindles and homelessness rises. She called HB 5576 an option for change, with the resulting revenue expanding
affordable housing, rental assistance, and services like job training and childcare.
Rep. Michelle Caldier, RGig Harbor, said there are winners and losers in every industry and that vacation rental owners compete with large corporate hotel chains. While the tax would fall on consumers, she said it would rob rental owners if people realized a hotel room is cheaper.
“If they can still afford to go on vacation because, quite honestly, we are
literally taxing the joy out of people,” Caldier said, “they’re going to choose to go to a hotel.”
Republicans proposed several amendments during the House Finance Committee’s Monday executive session, which Democrats rejected. The majority argued the changes would impact the extent of the local revenue generated while putting additional costs on the state.
The changes would have limited the tax to
tourism-dependent jurisdictions, required counties to impose it only in unincorporated areas, allowed it to apply only to owners with at least two rentals, prohibited the tax on rentals within a mile of a college or military base, and included exemptions for disabled veterans and low-income owners.
According to a fiscal note, HB 5576 could generate around $21 million annually. That’s revenue on top of what the state would collect in sales and lodging
taxes, with the maximum combined rate capped at 15.2% in Seattle and 12% outside the state’s most populous city.
“We have dumped so much money into homelessness, and we still have more homeless people,” Caldier said. “Why on earth will we continue to tax people over and over again for something that is not working for all of these reasons?” If passed, local governments could impose the tax starting in April 2026.
Stalled funding and diminished tax credits: King County’s housing-first model at risk
King County’s housingfirst approach to addressing homelessness could be threatened by recent federal policies under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The King County Regional Homelessness Authority, or KCRHA, estimates this housing-first strategy – which prioritizes placing people into permanent housing before addressing other root causes of homelessness – could cost $450 million to $1.1 billion per year over the next decade. Now, that strategy faces major threats from shrinking federal support.
The Trump administration, working with the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has proposed cutting the Department of Housing and Urban Development workforce in half. The Associated Press also reported the administration has stalled at least $60 million in funding
intended largely for affordable housing projects nationwide.
KCRHA Deputy CEO Simon Foster warned that these moves could critically impact the region’s homelessness response. For one, the HUD Continuum of Care program is the third largest funding source for KCRHA. This year, the agency received $23 million
from the program, down 66% from the $68 million it received in 2024.
In total, King County received $66 million from HUD this year. Foster said $7 million goes directly to contractors, such as Catholic Community Services, Downtown Emergency Services Center, and Friends of Youth.
KCRHA estimates that
4,490 people will be impacted by the reduced funding, including 241 employees across KCRHA funded programs who are at risk of furlough.
“These funding delays or reductions could prevent states, communities, nonprofit organizations, and homeless individuals and families from receiving the critical resources needed
to address the crisis on sheltered and unsheltered homelessness,” Foster said during a Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes meeting on April 3.
In addition to direct funding cuts, the development of affordable housing is being impacted by the volatility of low income housing tax credits – which is a federal source used in the majority of subsidized housing projects.
Naomi See, vice president of investor relations at Hunt Capital Partners, told the committee that uncertainty over federal policy is driving down the value of the tax credits by 10 to 15 cents on the dollar. Investors previously paid up to 90 cents per credit; now the rate is closer to 75 to 80 cents.
The low income housing tax credits usually make up about 40% to 70% of the overall capitalization of an affordable housing project, according to See.
Investors are anticipating the corporate tax rate going
down to 17%, which would lead pricing to drop another 10 cents.
“Years ago, we were getting up to 90 cents on the dollar for tax credits in Seattle and King County, and oftentimes at the lower tier we’re seeing 75-80 cents – we are seeing a dramatic drop in average pricing,” See said.
Tariff unpredictability could also raise development costs. See noted that 72% of imported lumber comes from Canada and 74% of imported gypsum board, or drywall, comes from Mexico – both critical for housing construction.
On Wednesday, Trump backed off his tariffs on most nations for 90 days even as he further jacked up the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%.
Last year, KCRHA counted 16,385 people experiencing homelessness in the county, an all-time high for the region. Despite rising numbers, county and city leaders remain committed to the housing-first approach.
By Tim Clouser The Center Square
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
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Measles case identified in a King County adult
Submitted
Seattle & King County was notified on April 4, of a positive measles case in a King County adult. This is the fourth case of measles in Washington state in 2025. This case is not connected to any of the previous local measles cases.
The individual was likely exposed to measles during recent international travel.
Public Health disease experts assess each measles case to determine the potential risk of exposure to the public and determined that there is minimal to no risk of measles to the general public from this new case.
“This is the fourth case of measles in Washington state this year, and we continue to see that measles is spreading around the U.S. and world. The good news is that we have a very safe and effective vaccine to protect our children and our community from measles,” said Elysia Gonzales, Medical Epidemiologist for Public Health – Seattle & King County. "If you’re planning international travel, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider about what vaccines may be needed for you and your family to stay healthy and protected while traveling. Babies ages 6-11 months should get an early dose
of the MMR vaccine if traveling internationally. They will still need two additional doses later. In Washington State, all children under age 19 can get vaccines for free.”
Measles symptoms begin 7 to 21 days after exposure. Measles is contagious from about 4 days before the rash appears through 4 days after the rash appears. People can spread measles before they have the characteristic measles rash.
Measles can lead to ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, and rarely, encephalitis (brain inflammation) or death.
Complications from measles can happen even in healthy people, but those at high-est risk include: infants and children under 5 years, adults over 20 years, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems from medications or underlying disease.
Measles is preventable with the safe and highly effective measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles and that protection is long lasting.
For more information about measles and measles vaccination, including where to get measles vaccinations: www.kingcounty. gov/measles
WA bills authorizing $2.5 billion bonds for new I-5 Bridge clear committees
By TJ Martinell The Center Square
The House and Senate Transportation Committees have voted to advance companion bills authorizing the issuance of bonds of up to $2.5 billion to be paid for with tolling revenue on the Interstate 5 Bridge spanning the Columbia River between Vancouver, Wash. and Portland, Ore., to help fund its replacement.
Prior to the vote on House Bill 1958, committee members voted to make revisions that ramp up the total allowable bonds that could be issued, while also creating a mechanism for issuing and repaying them; originally, HB 1958 would have allowed up to $1.6 billion in bonds issued for the bridge, but the substitute bill now allows up to $2.5 billion, which is the same figure found in its companion bill, Senate Bill 5734.
Speaking prior to Monday's vote,
sponsor Rep. Jake Fey, D-Seattle, told colleagues that the bridge replacement is a “very difficult project ... but it's really the lifeline for I-5 and our relationship with Oregon.”
The House Transportation Committee chair added that “we’re still waiting on the final cost for that [bridge replacement], but we do have quite a bit of the money in the pocket so to speak … but as with any project of this consequence, it's going to take user fees to be able to help construct the bridge.”
The creation of a separate bond issuance and repayment structure is intended to “wall off” other Washington tolling facilities so “there's no chance of mingling of funds," Fey said.
Rep. John Ley, R-Vancouver, said his caucus was mixed on the overall bill.
“We understand the need to improve traffic congestion freight mobility," he said. "I's important
not only to the state or the West Coast, but the nation for that matter But, there are many concerns some of us have with regards to the total price of the bridge and what is fair for people to pay in terms of user fees on this. There's much more information we would like to see.”
The Senate companion bill differs slightly in that it doesn’t contain the separate bond issuance and repayment structure, while including a provision that bonds could be issued as triplebacked by tolls first, then gas tax and vehicles fees followed by the “full faith and credit of the state.” Or, they could be backed only by tolling revenue.
At the Senate's Tuesday committee vote, Sen. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, said “this is really important, not only to Southwest Washington but to the entire state and I appreciate the support of this [bill].”
SFMNP applications open
Fewer than one-third of senior citizens in the United States eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, which are vital to preventing and treating health problems. The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) addresses this public health concern by incentivizing low-income older adults to buy fresh produce from local farmers.
The program provides an e-Benefit card valued at $80 (one-time distribution) to be used for the purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from authorized farmers, farmers markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs (CSAs). The goal of the program is to increase access to nutritious, local foods and to aid in the expansion and development of local markets.
To apply, all of the following
must be true:
■ Age 60+ (age 55+ if American Indian or Alaska Native) by June 15
■ Low income (no more than $2,413 monthly income for one person or $3,261 for two people— for each additional person, add $848)
■ King County, WA resident Applications must be completed by May 9. They can be submitted online via a special portal (sfmnpseattleking.org). Anyone requiring a paper application can download one from the SFMNP website and follow instructions to return by mail. Applicants should apply only once; duplicates will be removed. Information and applications are available in 15 languages.
After the application period closes, completed applications will be entered into a random selection process. In June, SFMNP benefit cards will be mailed to those who were selected.
In King County, the SFMNP is administered by the Seattle Human Services Department's Aging and Disability Services (ADS) division, which serves as the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County.
“Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits have inspired some older people to visit a farmers market for their first time,” said ADS Division Director Mary Mitchell. “Once there, they find a broad range of produce, including foods that are part of their culture and sometimes foods they may not have eaten since childhood. Moreover, they meet and talk with farmers, neighbors, and others, helping to reduce social isolation, and they have a really good time in an open-air setting.”
Need help with your application? Call Community Living Connections (toll free) at 1-844-3485464. The service is local and free of charge.
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Seattle Public Library launches new mobile app
Submitted
The Seattle Public Library has launched a new mobile app for patrons that offers convenient, onthe-go access to a wide range of Library services and serves as a digital library card.
The app is available to download from the Apple/ iOS App Store now. It app will be available for Android devices in the Google Play App Store in the coming days. Patrons will be able to find the app in either store by searching for “The Seattle Public Library.”
This initial launch of the Library app is as a BETA version. Patrons are encouraged to explore its functions and capabilities and give us their feedback. Patron feedback will be used to refine and improve the app in future updates, and the app will be updated regularly once the BETA period has concluded. More information about the app, including FAQs and a patron feedback form, can be found on at www.spl.org/App.
Convenient Library access for patrons on the go Through the app, patrons can check out items and place new holds, view their checkouts and holds, reserve meeting rooms, register for events and programs, and receive important notifications about their account. Patrons can also add and manage multiple accounts through the app, making it easier for parents and caregivers to help younger patrons access Library materials and services.
Patrons browsing materials in any Library location can now check out items directly through the app by using their device camera to scan barcodes on those items. Barcodes are found on the inside of the back covers of books and on the front cover of other media. The app also functions as a digital Library card, allowing patrons to add a scannable copy of their card to their mobile device wallet.
The app is separate from, but connected to, the popular Libby app by OverDrive, which many patrons use to read e-books. Patrons can access e-books through the Library app or the Libby app, though the Library app offers access to much more. Contact the Library’s Ask Us service by phone at 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information. Find out more at www.spl.org/FAQ and about our future plans at www.spl.org/StrategicPlan.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I have just finished reading Phil Vogelzang’s President, Friends of Discovery Park article in the April 2 Queen Anne & Magnolia News, regarding closure of Discovery Park's Environmental Learning Center. This must not be a “too small of a problem to fix” or “out of sight, out of mind” example of Seattle City Council failure to be both effective and efficient handling responsibilities to your constituency and our locale. Especially in the case of such a singular asset which Discovery Park so clearly is, it must be attended to the same as for any asset; with adequate care, proper attention and a future-sustaining foresight to do what is best, as well as what is right. Discovery Park’s Environmental Learning Center must be fixed, made operational and maintained as an absolute necessity for the ongoing existence of a properly managed jewel of a Seattle park. Costs for not correcting this serious and unacceptable oversight far outweigh costs to rectify. Make appropriating funds and providing the necessary stewardship of this vital and integral Seattle space your mission. The return on investment is immense here; to stumble and not correct this critical lapse in responsible civic supervision and duty must be unthinkable. I appreciate your full attention to this and thank you for your consideration.
A light lunch to make it through the workday
By MetroCreative
Lunch is a meal that can provide an energy boost or make you feel drowsy. In the middle of the workday, a big meal can make it much more difficult to be productive as the day goes on. For those looking for a light lunch, consider the following recipe for "Nicoise Pasta Lunchbox" from Rachael Anne Hill and Tamsin Burnett-Hall's "The Powerfood Cookbook: Great Recipes for High Energy and Healthy Weight-Loss" (Ryland, Peters & Small).
NICOISE PASTA LUNCHBOX
Serves 2
■ 40 grams whole-wheat pasta rotini
■ 4 ounces green beans, cut into thirds
■ 1 egg
■ 1/3 cup imported black olives
■ 61/2 ounces canned tuna steak in spring water, drained and flaked
■ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
■ 2 small heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
■ Dressing
■ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
■ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
■ 1 small garlic clove, crushed
■ 2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh basil
■ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook the pasta in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for about 12 minutes or until tender. Add the green beans to the pan for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pasta and beans, then refresh briefly with cold water. Meanwhile, add the egg to a small saucepan of cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Peel the egg and cut in half.
Beat the dressing ingredients together with the seasoning in a mixing bowl. Mix in the pasta and beans, olives, flaked tuna, and cherry tomatoes. Divide the lettuce leaves between two lunch boxes or bowls and top with the Nicoise pasta and the hard-cooked egg halves.
Theresa Santucci Seattle
would result in $1.56 billion in total revenue for the King County EMS fund through 2031. King County’s EMS system serves more than 2.3 million people across the
region. The county estimates that the regional network provides emergency services every two minutes on average.
a statement. “This proposal continues to invest in lifesaving services that every community can count on.”
If approved by the King County Council, the six-year levy renewal would appear on the November general election ballot. EMS From page 1
“Our regional system is recognized as one of the best emergency medical service programs in the country,” Braddock said in
Nicoise Pasta Lunchbox
COURTESY