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Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

PubliCola Comment of the Day Goes To…

News   November 25, 2009 at 3:54 pm Josh Feit

Re: The $2.6 billion budget shortfall, PubliCola reader Perfect Voter gets today’s “Comment of the Day” :

3. Perfect Voter says:

How many prisons could we close if the Gov. commuted the sentences of all the low-level non-violent drug offenders now incarcerated?

11/25/2009 at 1:12 pm

Definitely some macro political wisdom there about priorities.

However, a little micro political reality: While the fiscal note on last year’s marijuana reform bill—which downgraded possession of small amounts of marijuana to a civil infraction— put  savings at $16 million, most of those savings came at the county and local court level not the state prison level. The state would have gotten about $1.2 million.

Typical low-level drug offenders (simple possession as opposed to manufacturers and dealers) don’t do time in state facilities. Typically, they get 90 days at the local level.

However, Perfect Voter is onto something here. “Clucks,” for example—addicts who are exploited by pushers to deal—do get time in state prison (where you go for drug sentences over a year) for participating in the drug trade at that more prominent level.

So, clearly, there is a waste of money in the system.


  • Perfect Voter

    You’re right, Josh; the *real* low-level offenders are in the county jails. I was referring to the addicts as in your last paragraph. Those folks should be in treatment somewhere.

    My comment admittedly came off the top of my head. It would be good to know the actual number of “clucks” as you call them in state prisons. Their removal to treatment wouldn’t solve the budget problem but it’s one of the little things that ought to be on the table.

  • Perfect Voter

    You’re right, Josh; the *real* low-level offenders are in the county jails. I was referring to the addicts as in your last paragraph. Those folks should be in treatment somewhere.

    My comment admittedly came off the top of my head. It would be good to know the actual number of “clucks” as you call them in state prisons. Their removal to treatment wouldn’t solve the budget problem but it’s one of the little things that ought to be on the table.

  • ratcityreprobate

    Josh, I like comment of the day, but shouldn’t there also be poseur of the day, the Joanie Falter or Red VanTyke award.

  • ratcityreprobate

    Josh, I like comment of the day, but shouldn’t there also be poseur of the day, the Joanie Falter or Red VanTyke award.

  • Trevor

    Alas Gregoire decided instead she’d prefer to deport non-citizens caught up in the criminal justice system to save money.

  • Trevor

    Alas Gregoire decided instead she’d prefer to deport non-citizens caught up in the criminal justice system to save money.

  • well okay then

    you have convinced us we could save some serious dought if we let everyone in a state prison out, if they are there for a drug law volations but not another cirme, or a crime of violence.

    so, um….you wanna do some reporting and mebbe tell us how much money we talking about here?

    Let’s start with this factoid. Are we spending more on basic health or on jailing, feeding and providing free lawyers, and free health care to all the folks in jail on drug laws?

    inquiring minds wanna know.

  • well okay then

    you have convinced us we could save some serious dought if we let everyone in a state prison out, if they are there for a drug law volations but not another cirme, or a crime of violence.

    so, um….you wanna do some reporting and mebbe tell us how much money we talking about here?

    Let’s start with this factoid. Are we spending more on basic health or on jailing, feeding and providing free lawyers, and free health care to all the folks in jail on drug laws?

    inquiring minds wanna know.