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.

Extra Fizz: State’s Chief Economist to Step Down

This Washington   January 11, 2012 at 11:45 am Erica C. Barnett

The state’s chief economist for the past three years, Dr. Arun Raha, announced today that he is resigning “to pursue opportunities in the private sector.” Raha did not say what job he is taking.

As the state official responsible for economic forecasts, Raha spent three years delivering gloomy economic to state officials every quarter.

In his resignation letter, Raha called his time as head state economist “a most wonderful experience as I have travelled around the state meeting with local officials, businesses, citizens and taxpayers. Of course, I was out raising their spirits and encouraging them to hang in there because the Great Recession too shall pass. But I got much more from them than I expected – the warmth and the affection with which they received me was truly touching. With fine people like that, I continue to be bullish about the state economy’s future.”


  • Anonymous

    Maybe he sensed McKenna wasn’t going to keep a non-performer. When was his last projection which underestimated tax collections?

  • Mikos

    The State Economist does not work at the pleasure (or displeasure) of the Governor.

  • 2 + 2 = 10

    I yearn for a job in which every quarter I can be off by hundreds of millions of dollars in my calculations.

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

    How many dollars are you off in your calculations now? What steps are you taking to increase the amount of money you are off?
    You can just want to be really wrong, you have to work at it.