Skyrocketing rents are forcing thousands of renters to move out of their homes, sometimes every year as rent increases of 10%, 50%, and higher become increasingly common. The Affordable Housing Alliance is working to build a movement of tenants to fight for massive investment in publicly owned affordable housing, and rent control. We are also […]
Author: Benjamin Peterson (Benjamin Peterson)
Seattle Renters: Share Your Economic Eviction Story!
Join Seattle’s Affordable Housing Alliance! Fight for affordable housing, rent control, and economic eviction assistance! Skyrocketing rents are forcing thousands of renters to move out of their homes, sometimes every year as rent increases of 10%, 50%, and higher become increasingly common. We know the cost to tenants and communities is enormous, but our stories […]
Seattle Taxes the Rich! Onward to Rent Control! My Speech at the Final Vote
Since I first ran for office, Socialist Alternative and I have organized for a $15 minimum wage, taxing the rich, and rent control. We won $15/hour, and now our growing movement has taxed the rich! But we know our work is far from over. Big business, the super-wealthy, and the right-wing plan on taking our […]
Petition: Justice for Charleena Lyles! We demand an independent, community-based investigation into Charleena’s killing!
We, the undersigned, have no confidence that an internal police investigation will find justice for Charleena. We demand Seattle’s Mayor and City Council appoint an independent, community-based committee, empowered to investigate Charleena’s killing, with full access to case evidence, witnesses, and department policies. Nationwide, of 1,155 people killed by police in 2016, only 13 officers […]
Questions for SPD on the Killing of Charleena Lyles
Earlier today, my office asked the Seattle Police Department (SPD) questions about the horrific killing of Charleena Lyles. Charleena was killed by police in her home, in front of her children. This horrific killing happened just two days after the officers who killed Philando Castile were found ‘not guilty’ in Minnesota. Let’s stand in solidarity […]
It’s Time to Tax the Rich
For decades, poor and working class people in our state have paid far more of their income in taxes than big business and the super-rich. Now with Trump’s billionaire-backed right-wing administration threatening further massive tax breaks for corporations and the super-wealthy alongside vicious cuts to social programs for ordinary people, hundreds of thousands are getting […]
Tax the Rich Legislation Released in Seattle!
On June 12, 2017, I released draft legislation along with Councilmember Herbold to tax the rich in Seattle. The press release can be read here, and the full legislation is available here. I ran for office four years ago on a program of a $15 per hour minimum wage, to tax the rich, and for […]
District 3 “Tax the Rich!” Town Hall
On May 18, 2017, my office and the Trump-Proof Seattle Coalition brought together more than 200 people for a District 3 town hall to build a movement to Tax the Rich! For decades, poor and working class people in our state have paid far more of their income in taxes than the super-rich. Now with […]
My Comments on “Police Accountability” Legislation
On May 22, 2017, the Seattle City Council passed “police accountability” legislation. Below are my comments explaining what in the legislation is positive, and how it falls far short of what is needed to provide real police accountability in Seattle. I would like to thank the Community Police Commission for their dedication to police accountability, […]
My Statement in Solidarity with 40,000+ Striking CWA Workers
On May 19, 2017, the Communication Workers of America (CWA) launched a 40,000+ strong nationwide strike! This is the first major workers’ strike since Trump was elected. Here is the statement I shared with CWA workers in solidarity. Sisters and brothers of the Communication Workers of America at AT&T, As a socialist, activist, elected […]