Katie Wilson isn't letting Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell cruise to reelection.

Why it matters: The progressive organizer is neck and neck with Harrell in campaign fundraising heading into the Aug. 5 primary, which will whittle the pool of mayoral candidates to two.

What they're saying: "That the fundraising is tied at this point is surprising," local political consultant Sandeep Kaushik told Axios on Friday.

• Normally, you'd expect a "veteran incumbent mayor" like Harrell "to be able to vastly outraise an insurgent challenger coming from the left," Kaushik said.

By the numbers: Both candidates' campaigns had raised roughly $450,000 as of Friday — far more than anyone else in the race, records show.

Yes, but: Harrell's campaign has been bolstered by more than $100,000 in spending by a third-party PAC.

• That pro-Harrell committee has raised tens of thousands more that it hasn't spent yet, which could be used to blanket voters with TV ads and other communications ahead of next week's primary.
• Because of that, "Bruce still has a significant financial advantage," political consultant Michael Charles told Axios on Monday.

Catch up quick: Wilson has said she got into the race partly because Harrell didn't support a ballot measure earlier this year to tax businesses to pay for new social housing.

• She's also criticized the mayor's approach to homelessness, saying he has focused more on removing encampments than increasing shelter options.
• Harrell's campaign, meanwhile, has touted a decline in crime citywide since he took office, as well as housing investments he made in his first term.

Between the lines: Stephen Paolini, another local political consultant, told Axios that Harrell's recent support for a tax on high-grossing businesses is a sign that he's responding to Wilson's progressive campaign.

• Paolini said if someone had told him six months ago Harrell would co-sponsor that policy, "I would have told you no way."

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Violent crime fell across Washington in 2024, with fewer murders, assaults and robberies, according to new statewide data from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

Why it matters: It's the second year in a row crime has declined across the state — a trend mirroring falling violence rates nationally after pandemic-era spikes.

What they're saying: "Today's data shows that the decreases in gun violence in 2024 and the first quarter of this year were not a fluke," King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion tells Axios.

By the numbers: Seattle saw declines in several violent and property crime categories in 2024, per WASPC.

• Murder dropped 23.5%, to 52, from an all-time high in 2023.
• Simple assault and intimidation were each down more than 10%.
• Motor vehicle theft fell nearly 20% in Seattle and 28% in King County, per the report.

Zoom out: Violent crime in Washington dropped 7.6% in 2024 compared with 2023, with declines across nearly every major category, per the report.

• Murders fell nearly 19%, from 384 to 312.
• Aggravated assaults declined 5.3% and property crime decreased a little over 13%.

Yes but: Drug and domestic violence violations rose, with drug violations up 31% and nearly half of all crimes against people domestic violence-related, per the report.

The bottom line: Falling crime rates are a welcome shift, but officials say it's not time to celebrate.

• "We still have work to do," says Manion.

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🪑 The Seattle City Council chose a former member, Debora Juarez, to fill the seat left vacant by Cathy Moore's recent resignation. (Seattle Times)

🚕 City officials are exploring how to ensure robotaxis don't interfere with emergency response as they become more common nationwide. (KUOW)

🌆 Redmond, Lynnwood, Gig Harbor, Shoreline, and Bothell are among the fastest-growing cities in the Seattle area. (KNKX)

The next few weeks may bring a celestial triple feature to Seattle's skies — if the clouds cooperate.

What's happening: The Alpha Capricornids, a minor meteor shower capable of producing bright fireballs that can punch through light pollution, peak today and tomorrow, according to the American Meteor Society.

• So do the Southern Delta Aquariids, which deliver faint but steady meteors, the society says.
• Plus, the Perseids, one of the most anticipated showers of the year, is ramping up ahead of its mid-August peak.

State of play: A waxing moon and cloudy evenings this week could dim visibility in Seattle, as usual, but a break in the clouds — or a surprise shift in the forecast — might still offer a glimpse of the show.

• In Seattle, both the Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids are best viewed facing south.
• Look for Capricornids after midnight tonight and tomorrow, and Aquariids between 1-4am, when their radiants are highest.

Tell a friend

Melissa here. You'll often see me carrying a bag of my dog's poop for a half mile or more, waiting until I find a public trash receptacle to put it in.

I've come to learn not everyone does this. In online forums, I've seen some homeowners even encourage dog owners to use their bins — hoping that will mean fewer piles left on sidewalks or nearby grass.

Zoom in: I'm curious where you come down on this debate. Is throwing (properly bagged) dog poop in someone else's trash can fair game?

• Or should we dog owners carry our animals' excrement for as many blocks as necessary until we find a communal bin?

Hit reply or email us to share your thoughts. We may include your comments in a future article on this topic!