NEWS GLEAMS | Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell Leaves Mayor's Office; Primary Elections Aug. 1

A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

curated by Vee Hua 華婷婷

Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell Leaves Office of Her Uncle, Mayor Bruce Harrell

Last week, Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell announced her decision to leave the mayor's office following a year and a half in the role. She was appointed to the role by her uncle, Mayor Bruce Harrell, after previously working as his election campaign manager; she also served as a court-appointed deputy monitor of the Seattle Police Department, following federally mandated reforms from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Seattle Times spoke to numerous anonymous City sources who named that a central reason for the departure was that "Monisha Harrell and others in senior leadership had several differing viewpoints on public safety matters in the city."

This comes despite the fact that when Monisha Harrell was originally selected to the role in December 2021, the then-mayor-elect's spokesperson had stated, "With immediate and long term public safety priorities, voters spoke loud and clear that they want leadership in the Mayor's Office with the experience and commitment to ensure safety for all communities, create a more effective SPD, and drive innovations like a new kind of unarmed, culturally competent officer; Monisha Harrell has the proven record to deliver on that vision."

The mayor's office announced later the same day that the new deputy mayors — who will step into their roles on Sept. 1 — will include the office's current Director of Strategic Initiatives Tim Burgess and Executive General Manager Adiam Emery. "Special Projects Director Andrew Myerberg get a title change [sic], making him chief innovation officer and giving him a spot on the mayor's executive team. Myerberg was originally appointed director of public safety by Mayor Harrell in January 2021, but was moved to his current role in late 2022," The Seattle Times added.

Save the Date: Primary Elections Take Place Aug. 1

The deadline for Washington State's primary elections is Aug. 1.

Residents of King County will have a ballot measure for a Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, and residents of the City of Tukwila will be asked whether they desire to annex their fire and EMS services into the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority.

A number of King County councilmember, City Councilmember, Port of Seattle, School District, and Special Purpose District seats are also up for grabs. A whole list of candidates is available online.

A sample ballot and additional details can be viewed on the King County Elections page.

Voting is easy. Voters can return their ballot to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day, or send it back through the U.S. Postal Service; no postage is required, but all ballots must be postmarked by Election Day. It is also recommended they be placed in the mail by the Friday before election day, on July 28, 2023.

Lastly, in-person vote centers are available to voters who need assistance completing their ballot.

Tukwila's Minimum Wage Rises to $18.99 on July 1

Following passage of a November 2022 law with 82.66% approval from Tukwila voters, Tukwila's new Minimum Wage and Fair Access to Additional Hours of Work law will go into effect on Saturday, July 1. It raises the minimum wage to $18.99 for any employer with over 500 employees worldwide, contrasting with the current statewide minimum wage, which is $15.74. Following the first year, the minimum wage will be adjusted every Jan. 1 for inflation.

Furthermore, according to a press release from the Transit Riders Union (TRU), which helped coordinate the Raise the Wage Tukwila campaign, "The minimum wage will rise to $16.99 for employers with between 15 and 500 employees worldwide and gross annual revenue over $2 million. This is the first step in a phase-in that will converge with the large employer rate in July 2025." It also notes that "affected employers must offer additional available hours to current part-time employees before hiring new employees or subcontractors."

Another current campaign, Raise the Wage Renton, is aiming to raise Renton's minimum wage by gathering signatures to qualify the initiative for a future ballot.

On Saturday, July 1, TRU will host informational sessions and spread the word about the new minimum wage at the bus stops outside of Southcenter Mall, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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📸 Featured Image: A voter casts their ballot during the primary elections in 2022. (Photo: Jaidev Vella)

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