Author: Mike O'Brien (Mike O'Brien)

I’ve spent the past five days in Washington, D.C. participating  in the National League of Cities conference and the American Public Power Association conference. As a part of these conferences, I also had the opportunity to meet with Washington’s Congressional delegation and their staff.  It has been a hectic few days, but quite valuable for [...]

Starting in 2012, I became Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee, which is charged with providing guidance and oversight to Seattle City Light and parts of the Office of Sustainability and Environment (specifically, OSE’s carbon neutrality work and the Community Power Works program). Councilmembers Burgess and Clark sit on this committee. Over the next [...]

Among the numerous bills at play in Olympia that I have been following this legislative session, here is simple change we could make in Washington to improve voter participation and strengthen our democracy. Engrossed House Bill 2205 would allow eligible young people aged 16 and 17 to pre-register to vote. This bill has been championed [...]

Yesterday I participated in the ceremonial raising of the John T Williams Memorial Totem Pole at Seattle Center. It was incredible to see how the raising of this totem pole brought so many communities together. From my spot on the stage, I could see people from Seattle’s native community, homeless community and friends and loved [...]

This past Monday, President’s Day, I testified in Olympia in support of House Bill 2395, which would classify short-haul truck drivers at the Port of Seattle, known as drayage truckers, as employees rather than independent contractors. This issue has been raised in response to the recent stoppage at the Port when hundreds of drivers walked [...]

Many thanks to Seattle Channel for filming two community events I recently participated in. One was a brown bag on transit oriented communities and updating our Climate Action Plan. The other was a town hall forum in the Maple Leaf community that I particpated in with King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson. Finally, I was also [...]

Coordinated efforts will provide easier to use services to immigrant and refugee communities SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today approved 7-0 Council Bill 117394 establishing the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs as an executive department. By creating one location for immigrant and refugee services, this office will coordinate the City’s efforts in reaching and [...]

Live in North Seattle?
Have questions about Seattle or King County that you would like answered?
Then please join me and King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson for a Town Hall meeting at Olympic View Elementary (see map) near Northgate.
Thursday nigh...

This Thursday, Jan. 26, Futurewise, my office and the Office of Sustainability and Environment have teamed up to put together a brown bag discussion on the Climate Action Plan. The focus of the brown bag will be on transit oriented communities. Building homes closer to jobs while also improving street and transit infrastructure can save [...]

[Post below borrowed from the Town Hall website] Saving Our Oceans from Plastic Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 7:30 – 9:00pm Downstairs at Town Hall; enter on Seneca Street. $5. Like a synthetic siren, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch drew Charles Moore to science; now his research raises deep questions about plastic. Moore, author of Plastic Oceans, first encountered [...]