What’s going on with Alex Pedersen: Noted NIMBY Council Member Alex Pedersen is not known for taking on big, progressive projects, but apparently he wants to propose a capital gains tax to replace a more than 15% tax on water.

That sounds like it's good for low income people, who spend a higher share of their income on taxes than rich people, and it's probably good for golf course owners, who use a lot of water, but, since it sounds like it's revenue-neutral, it also sounds like a way to stymie capital gains tax proposals that would actually raise more revenue for stuff like housing. Simply replacing a regressive tax with a progressive one is nice, but the City needs money to fill budget holes.

His proposal has a chance. The courts recently said capital gains taxes were legal in Washington, and in an effort to find new revenue streams, Council Member Teresa Mosqueda and the Mayor have already signaled positive curiosity for such a tax in the recent past. Also, Andrew Lewis definitely said he wanted to do capital gains three years ago, so that covers most of the City's political spectrum if those three get behind Pedersen's specific proposal/amend it until it shines. I appreciate Pedersen’s chutzpah, especially with the progressive revenue stabilization task force delayed another month, smh. 

Smart use of money right here:

Housing, baby: Yesterday, the Seattle City Council finalized a $970 million housing levy. I wrote about the proposal last week when central staff went over all the amendments they made to the Mayor’s original proposal. Read it here before the FINAL final vote next week. 

War on drugs lite: As you know, the City Council decided not to give the Republican City Attorney the authority to prosecute drug possession and public use. Ashley wrote about it here. Sure, the council took the progressive road this time, but in an update yesterday, Ashley wrote that now the council is on track to develop a nicer war on drugs, not the de facto legalization the conservatives lie about. 

Solidarity: Researchers and postdocs went on strike yesterday, and since the UW has not folded to their demands for a living wage and overtime pay, the struggle continues. 

Protect disabled students: The family of a special education student will receive a settlement of almost $8 million from the Sumner-Bonney Lake School district. The family sued because the school failed to protect their then 17-year-old daughter who was sexually assaulted by a classmate in 2020, according to the Seattle Times. 

Now for the weather: After a hot Wednesday, Seattleites will get a little break from the direct sunlight today to tend to their sun burns or to justify sitting inside and watching TV lol. The weather people say to expect highs in the mid 70s and partly to mostly cloudy skies! 

DIY guns: KUOW reports that in a few rare cases, teens have made their own functional firearms with 3D printers. The Seattle Police Department told KUOW that they do not encounter many 3D-printed guns, but some advocates worry that those weapons will become more common here as they rise in popularity on the east coast and gun restrictions tighten up.

You are already behind on your pride month restaurant hop: EverOut compiled a list of 21 queer-owned restaurants in Seattle for your dining pleasure. If you can't make it through EverOut's restaurant tour in its entirety, I would DOUBLE recommend visiting Biang Biang Noodles, Cafe Flora, and, of course, Wildrose to celebrate pride month. But there’s actually no rush because you can also support queer business the other 11 months of the year! Try them all!

Always getting into trouble: Federal prosecutors sent a “target letter” to former President Donald Trump to inform him that he is the target of a criminal investigation related to the grand jury probe into his hoarding of classified documents. This letter signals that special counsel could soon come to a charging decision because “target letters” usually go to people who are likely to get charged so that they get a chance to testify before they are indicted, Politico wrote. According to The Independent, Trump could get indicted as soon as today for violating the Espionage Act and for obstructing justice. I feel like this was supposed to happen like half a lifetime ago, so I’m pretty pumped for this subplot to finally wrap up. 

Fuck Trump: Former Vice President Mike Pence is coming out strong against his old boss as he launches his competing presidential bid. In his speech, Pence blasted Trump for being an unfaithful, dirty, little slut (my words) toward conservative values and the constitution in his attempts to overthrow the 2020 election. He even hit President Joe Biden with some civility politics complaints. I call bullshit. I don’t like Biden, but the man minds his Ps and Qs for sure. Anyway! Pence is probably going to get crushed under the weight of the MAGA heads, but I think if he wants to stand out in the race, playing the nice guy conservative to Trump's chaotic evil might be his best bet. However, as the incels say, nice guys finish last.

Republicans stay losing: The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Alabama's congressional district map, which Republicans drew up to suppress Black voting power, according to voters rights advocates. Now the state will have to redraw its district lines, and hopefully it will come up with something less racist. FiveThirtyEight's elections guy says: 

Graduation gunman: Richmond Police Department arrested a 19-year-old who they suspect shot seven people, killing two, at a college graduation at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Monroe Park. This shooting marks the 279th mass shooting in America this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. 

Big Smoky: For the next few days, our friends in the Northeast will continue to experience the smoky conditions PNWers have all grown accustomed to, CNN reports. Here's a map of who is under the toxic cloud:

Ukraine cannot catch a break: The Kakhovka hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine collapsed yesterday and flooded neighborhoods already devastated by Russia’s 15-months of attacks. The AP reports that the flood left tens of thousands without clean drinking water and electricity and many without homes. 

Here’s what’s in my head lately: