Viva La Cola!

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.

On Other Blogs Today: Didier and Akers on the Campaign Trail. Together.

PubliCola Adds Life   July 29, 2010 at 6:53 pm Bryce McKay

1. Jerry Cornfield at the Everett Herald politics blog covers the fact that Paul Akers and Clint Didier are hitting the trail together.

There’s also audio from a Rossi radio ad, and Cornfield asks: Is he downplaying his Republican party affiliation again?

2. Schmudget (Josh in the background: “That’s Yiddish for budget! put that in there…”) has an analysis of I-1107, the repeal of candy and soda/bottled water taxes. Their analysis: “Without these enhancements, policymakers would have been forced to make unacceptably deep cuts in fundamental public services like health care and education.”

3. The Washington Policy Watch Blog has a fantastic rundown of state income taxes across the nation with regard to I-1098. If it passes, we’ll still be below the median for higher-earners’ tax rate.

4. The Seattle P-I‘s Strange Bedfellows blog has a news flash for tunnel haters: If the tunnel goes away, the $2.8 billion dollars set aside for it might get divided up and spent elsewhere too.


  • misha

    RE #4: The state legislature specifically allocated $2.4 billion in gas tax to the viaduct project, in 2003 and 2005. Yes, the state legislature could technically pass a law to re-allocate that money, but that's not going to happen.

    The $2.4 billion would pay for the entirety of a 6-lane surface highway, including the seawall, and $500 million in transit, and increase car capacity more than the 4 lane tunnel.

    As for the additional $0.4 billion? That's from tolling! Sure Christine Gregoire, go ahead and re-allocate the viaduct tolling money from a tunnel that isn't going to get built.

  • misha

    Details at this link: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Funding/2005/

    The WSDOT does not only pay for new “state highways” with this funding, as Chris Gregoire said. They are paying for Amtrak Cascades, safety improvements, fish barriers, ferry service, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian improvements.

    Ugh. I can't wait until Gregoire is out in 2012. Worst democrat ever.

  • giffy

    Gas tax money cannot go to transit.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    Re: 4, no shit?

  • misha

    What? The WSDOT strongly disagrees with you.

    2003 5 cent gas tax project list (PDF): http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/A5AA153E-8…

    2005 9.5 cent gas tax project list (PDF): http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/80246D82-6…

    Gas tax-funded projects in the past 5 years include HOV lanes, transit park and ride lots, transit stops, transit lanes, transit access to highways, ferry service, bike paths, pedestrian overpasses, pedestrian safety projects, Amtrak Cascades improvements, etc.

    They also offered to pay $476 in gas tax funds allocated to the Viaduct if the state legislature chose the surface/transit viaduct replacement.

    Surface/Transit Viaduct replacement link with WSDOT transit funding allocation (PDF): http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/FAF9612A-D…

  • misha

    $476 million, not $476.