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Civic

GeekWire’s civic coverage examines tech policy, urban development, transportation, housing, the environment, regulation, and other issues impacting the innovation economy. Read more.

Glenn Kelman
May 15, 2018, 3:46 PM

Redfin CEO breaks ranks with tech community in maverick response to ‘unreasonable’ Seattle tax

Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman weighed in on Seattle’s controversial new head tax Tuesday, offering a sober perspective amid vitriolic responses… Read More

May 15, 2018, 2:13 PM

After Seattle passes ‘Amazon tax,’ mayor of neighboring city says ‘Bellevue is open for business’

Speculation that Seattle’s new head tax could be a boon for neighboring cities has been swirling since before the City… Read More

Starbucks
May 15, 2018, 8:26 AM

Starbucks joins Amazon, lambasting Seattle’s new head tax on top-grossing companies

Two of Seattle’s top employers are taking the gloves off and pulling no punches in the wake of a newly… Read More

May 14, 2018, 5:30 PM

Amazon responds to tax vote: Seattle’s ‘hostile approach and rhetoric … forces us to question our growth here’

Amazon will resume construction on a Seattle skyscraper in the wake of the City Council’s decision to tax its top-grossing… Read More

May 14, 2018, 4:10 PM

Seattle passes smaller ‘head tax’ on Amazon and other big companies after impassioned debate

Updated below with Amazon statement. The Seattle City Council unanimously passed a smaller version of the controversial “head tax” on… Read More

May 14, 2018, 10:46 AM

FAQ: Everything you need to know about Seattle’s proposed ‘Amazon tax’

UPDATE, Monday afternoon: Seattle passes smaller ‘head tax’ on big companies, but will compromise appease Amazon? The full Seattle City… Read More

May 12, 2018, 3:07 PM

March on Amazon HQ: Seattle housing activists demand ‘head tax’ on big business

Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood — a.k.a. Amazonia — is typically sleepy on the weekends without thousands of Amazon employees buzzing… Read More

May 11, 2018, 12:34 PM

How Amazon could end its Seattle tax battle and tackle one of the world’s biggest problems

COMMENTARY: Amazon’s showdown with elected officials in its hometown has been fascinating to cover, disappointing to watch, and ultimately not… Read More

May 11, 2018, 12:27 PM

Seattle mayor’s compromise voted down as original ‘Amazon tax’ on big business moves forward

The Seattle City Council rejected a compromise version of the so-called “head tax” proposed by Mayor Jenny Durkan late Thursday… Read More

May 10, 2018, 8:25 PM

Amazon would resume Seattle construction if mayor’s ‘head tax’ alternative passes

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is proposing a smaller “head tax” on the city’s largest businesses instead of controversial legislation currently… Read More

May 10, 2018, 3:18 PM

Microsoft pledges $300K to study high-speed train linking Seattle-Vancouver, B.C. in under an hour

Microsoft is committing an additional $300,000 to continue studying whether a high-speed train between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., is possible.… Read More

May 9, 2018, 11:26 AM

Senate is forcing a vote to restore net neutrality, backed by Reddit, Mozilla and other tech companies

Senate Democrats filed a petition that would force a vote to overturn the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality regulations Wednesday.… Read More

May 9, 2018, 10:30 AM

Tech workers, labor unions, and housing advocates pack Seattle City Hall to debate tax on big business

A sea of signs filled Seattle City Hall Wednesday displaying slogans like “Tax Amazon,” “Don’t Vote Our Jobs Away,” “Homeless… Read More

May 8, 2018, 2:30 PM

More than 100 tech leaders warn Seattle’s tax plan sends dangerous message: ‘If you create too many jobs, you will be punished’

The Seattle tech community is following Amazon’s lead, publicly pressing the City Council to drop a proposed tax on top-earning… Read More

May 8, 2018, 9:47 AM

Amazon, Facebook and other big companies to attend a White House AI summit Thursday

Dozens of the nation’s biggest companies — including Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and Google — will attend a White House Summit… Read More

Spencer Rascoff
May 7, 2018, 3:43 PM

Zillow CEO calls ‘head tax’ proposal ‘misguided’ and says company could look to grow outside Seattle

A week after Amazon said it will pause construction on a new office tower in Seattle and reconsider whether it… Read More

May 3, 2018, 2:12 PM

Clash at Amazon HQ: Construction workers shout down councilmember over plan to tax big business

On an unseasonably warm day at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters, tension over a proposed tax on the city’s wealthiest businesses reached… Read More

May 3, 2018, 9:32 AM

Is Amazon serious about slowing its Seattle growth? Tech and community leaders weigh in

There are two ways to read Amazon’s surprise announcement that it will pause construction on one big Seattle office tower… Read More

May 2, 2018, 2:52 PM

United Nations CITO believes tech can solve some of the world’s biggest challenges if the private sector steps up

To hear the United Nations Chief Information Technology Officer tell it, the world is a scary place. 1.2 million people… Read More

May 2, 2018, 12:00 PM

Amazon suspends construction in Seattle while the city considers a new tax on its biggest businesses

Amazon is pausing construction on a new office tower at its Seattle headquarters and may put one of its biggest… Read More

May 2, 2018, 9:00 AM

Is Washington, D.C., worthy of Amazon HQ2? We tested the nation’s capital to find out

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The stylish Italian restaurant Masseria is easy to miss, hidden between a construction site and an industrial… Read More

May 1, 2018, 3:09 PM

Interview: Sen. Maria Cantwell on the fight for net neutrality, Facebook hearings and T-Mobile merger

Senate Democrats are planning to force a vote to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality repeal and Sen. Maria… Read More

May 1, 2018, 9:09 AM

Ofo joins Spin and LimeBike warning Seattle riders of brake lines deliberately cut

Ofo is the latest Seattle bike-share service to warn riders of brake lines being cut in acts of vandalism. In… Read More

John Legere
Apr 30, 2018, 10:11 AM

T-Mobile plays Trump card to convince regulators Sprint merger will be good for consumers

T-Mobile and Sprint are speaking President Donald Trump’s language. The two companies are pitching their merger as a pro-consumer deal… Read More

Seattle housing
Apr 27, 2018, 3:24 PM

Is tech or the city responsible for Seattle’s housing crunch? Report explores roots of affordability crisis

Two fast-growing Seattle-area tech companies went public this week. DocuSign and Smartsheet both opened with higher stock prices than expected,… Read More

Apr 26, 2018, 12:59 PM

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to U.S. politicians: ‘Shame on you’ if you ignore data

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Many of the people who filled an auditorium here Thursday for an appearance by former Microsoft CEO… Read More

Apr 26, 2018, 12:05 PM

‘Who will have a place in Seattle?’ Community leader challenges tech to grow inclusively

“Seattle’s losing a part of its soul.” That’s how Wyking Garrett sees it. He is a third-generation resident of the… Read More

Apr 24, 2018, 9:55 PM

Judge orders Trump administration to resume DACA in lawsuit brought by Microsoft and Princeton

A federal judge sided with Microsoft and Princeton University Tuesday in a lawsuit they filed over President Donald Trump’s decision… Read More

Apr 24, 2018, 12:06 PM

Feds announce new restrictions on H-1B visas and plans to rescind ‘startup visa’ workaround

Immigration authorities are cracking down on requirements and conditions for H-1B visas, which many employers in the tech industry use… Read More

Apr 23, 2018, 8:38 AM

Most Americans think tech giants should be regulated like banks but doubt the government can get it done, survey finds

Americans have a growing appetite for government regulation of big tech companies in the wake of Facebook’s recent scandals and… Read More

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