A roundup of this week’s news.
Sunday, May 26
KCRHA Board Scheduled to Vote Tuesday on Last Remaining CEO Candidate
After two of the three finalists to lead the King County Regional Homelessness Authority dropped out, the remaining candidate, a policy director at the US Department of Health and Human Services named Kelly Kinnison, received a formal recommendation from the embattled agency’s implementation board this week. We previewed the vote—and explained the struggle to find a permanent director for the agency.
Tuesday, May 28
Last-Minute Proposal Could Gut City’s Largest Anti-Displacement Program
On Friday afternoon just before the three-day Memorial Day weekend, new City Councilmember Maritza Rivera proposed a budget amendment that could have gutted many projects funded through the city’s Equitable Development Initiative, the city’s largest anti-displacement program. Later in the week, Rivera will withdraw the proposal, still insisting that EDI proponents it just didn’t understand her amendment.
Wednesday, May 29
Adrian Diaz Out as Police Chief Amid Mounting Harassment and Discrimination Allegations.
Mayor Bruce Harrell announced he was removing Adrian Diaz as police chief amid a swirl of allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and discrimination, including multiple claims against Diaz himself.
Later the same day, at a press conference where he gave opponents of his decision a chance to defend Diaz,, Harrell announced that former King County Sheriff Sue Rahr would replace him as interim chief. Harrell did not mention the women’s claims or suggest they were a reason for his decision; instead, he lavished praise on Diaz, calling him an “honorable” good person” making a sacrifice for the good of the city.
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Thursday, May 30
Kevin Dave, the police officer who struck and killed 23-year-old pedestrian Jaahnavi Kandula while driving 74 miles an hour on a 25 mph street, was responsible for at least two collisions as a Tucson police officer before he was fired for failing to meet minimum standards, Andrew Engelson reports. One of the incidents totaled the car of another driver, who reported Dave to police for failing to have valid insurance.
For three hours on Tuesday, supporters of the eight-year-old Equitable Development Initiative explained why Rivera’s proposed budget amendment (which would freeze this year’s EDI funding unless the city spent all the money it has in reserve for EDI, about $53.5 million) would cause harm: EDI projects are mostly capital projects that take years to complete, particularly for the first-time developers the program is designed to benefit. After the meeting, Rivera put out a statement saying they just didn’t understand her amendment and were the victims of a “disinformation” campaign. Many of those who spoke helped design the program or have built successful projects using EDI funding. Rivera has been on the council for five months.
Friday, May 31 (AKA Late-Afternoon News Dump Day)
Harrell Nixes Shotspotter-Style Gunshot Locator In Scaled-Back Surveillance Proposal
Mayor Harrell quietly announced that the city will no longer install an audio gunshot surveillance system, colloquially known as Shotspotter, in Seattle neighborhoods. The city has been debating this technology, which dates back to the 1990s, for more than a decade—long enough that cities across the US have installed and uninstalled the system after finding it does not deter crime, does little to help solve gun crimes, and can lead to racial profiling and overpolicing.
Rivera Backs Off on Amendment That Threatened Dozens of Anti-Displacement Programs
Days after receiving overwhelming public feedback opposing her plan to effectively defund the Equitable Development Initiative, Rivera backed off, replacing her original budget proviso (a type of freeze on funding) with an amendment that “requests” a report from the city’s planning office with details about the program. Even as she backed down, Rivera continued to insist that everyone just misunderstood her plan: “As I said earlier this week, the ongoing projects were never at risk, but I understand that stakeholders needed a strong message of support,” she said.
Finally, a three-item Afternoon Fizz: In two internal memos, new interim Police Chief Sue Rahr assured SPD employees she would not be making any personnel changes, especially among command staff, at SPD—effectively ensuring that no one at the top will risk consequences for creating the culture of misogyny and casual harassment that so many women officers have described in lawsuits, focus groups, and conversations with the press. Rahr also announced she was reinstating Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis, put on administrative leave by Diaz pending the results of a misconduct investigation.
Meanwhile, Councilmember Rob Saka announced his proposal to amend the transportation levy that will go to voters in November, adding funds for new sidewalks and security on transit, among other changes.
Thank you for this. I’d thought these summaries were basically promoting the site, but this week it turned out I’d ignored the later of the two related stories (Maritza Rivera) and this post notified me of that.