A small quibble with Dan's post on the housing levy: Although the Seattle Times' (and levy opponents') spin is indeed that the mayor's housing-levy proposal would "double the size of the levy," that's misleading—the proposal the mayor unveiled today would simply renew the existing levy at the exact same rate as the levy adopted in 2002, 17 cents per $1,000. The reason it would raise more is because housing prices have increased. Thus, a 17-cent levy in 2002 raised about $86 million; that same levy passed in 2009 would raise $145 million.

P.S. Dom was at this morning's press conference and will have a more complete report on the housing levy—including who it will actually help (not, for the most part, people who can afford to buy single-family houses and condos) and its political chances in a few minutes.