Seattle Nice

On this four-year anniversary episode of Seattle Nice, we dissect two major policy and political battles, starting with the contentious Seattle Police Officer Guild (SPOG) contract. Passed by a narrow and unusual 6-3 City Council vote, the contract gives officers significant raises— a  42% increase overall— without requiring key accountability measures. We also discuss Mayor-elect Katie Wilson’s d...

A new era is dawning in Seattle and King County, with big changes happening at the top. We break down the personnel shifts, including Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson's choice of Brian Surratt as her sole Deputy Mayor . Is the pick in part a strategic move by Seatte’s new progressive mayor to win over the  business community? Plus, we explore the uncertain future of Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes:...

Mayor-elect Katie Wilson turned down numerous invitations for national television appearances over the past week, telling Seattle Nice, “That is not my job.” But she took time out of her busy transition planning to speak with us (and you!). With assistance from our amazing Patreon supporters, and other listeners, we took advantage of the opportunity to pose the incoming mayor of Seattle questions...

The votes are in and a new era begins in Seattle politics. In this episode: The Concession and the Controversy: Was Bruce Harrell’s concession speech gracious enough? The Affordability Referendum: Wilson’s focus on pocketbook issues—housing, rent, and the rising cost of living—was the centerpiece of her campaign. Why didn’t Harrell’s response work? How will she deliver?  Campaign Attacks: Were the...

We discuss and debate last night's election and the big progressive wins here in Seattle. Why did moderates lose? Why is the mayor's race between Bruce Harrell and Katie Wilson so tight? We also ponder the future of Seattle's political landscape. Could this end up being the most progressive Seattle government, ever?   Our editor is Quinn Waller.   Send us a text! Note that we can on...

This week, we dive into the Seattle Mayoral race, taking a closer look at Bruce Harrell's campaign paying a consultant  $5000 of a week .  We also discuss the final campaign strategies: Harrell's focus on Wilson's alleged inexperience versus Wilson's emphasis on affordability and portrayal of Harrell as a corporate stooge. Plus, we ask: are Seattle voters truly enthusiastic abo...

This week: A Seattle City Attorney candidate forum with incumbent Ann Davison and challenger Erica Evans. The event was recorded on October 16th and organized by the South Lake Union Community Council and Belltown United.  Note: City Attorney Ann Davison’s audio sounds heavily processed due to a production error at the venue. We did our best to make it audible. If you have trouble hearing any of h...

This week's special guest, Purpose Dignity Action's Director of Outreach and Special Initiatives Nichole Alexander, spoke with Sandeep and Erica about the work the PDA's CoLEAD program is doing with drug users at a longtime "hot spot" in the Chinatown International District.  Centered on 12th and Jackson, the area has been a frequent target for police operations, encampmen...

In this episode, we take a closer look at Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposed ban on anti-competitive covenants in grocery and pharmacy leases—a move aimed at preventing future food deserts. Is this a genuine step toward saving grocery stores and pharmacies, or, as Erica argues, a form of political posturing in the midst of a mayoral election? We also broaden the discussion to consider alternative...

This week we take the patented Seattle Nice deep dive into Bruce Harrell's proposed nearly $9 billion budget, examining the Seattle mayor’s priorities as he’s fighting for his political life in what’s turned into a tough election year for him.   David points out how various local media outlets, from KIRO to our own Erica C. Barnett’s Publicola framed the budget news through their own lenses....

We delve into the political maneuvering behind the scenes leading up to Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposed sales tax hike for non-police public safety initiatives. We also discuss the debate over proposed changes to Seattle's comprehensive plan. Our editor is Quinn Waller.  Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop fo...

This week we discuss the contentious decision by Seattle’s City Council and Mayor Bruce Harrell to expand police surveillance cameras. How should city leaders balance concerns about crime with questions about privacy and the misuse of surveillance? Also, when dozens speak out against a piece of legislation at a council meeting, what does that tell us us about public opinion citywide? We also take...

This week we bring you a second spin of our widely discussed interview earlier this year with Katie Wilson, who is now running for Seattle mayor. We talked with Katie before she was a candidate about a piece she wrote for the Stranger in January. At the time, Wilson was the head of the Transit Riders Union and a progressive advocate for affordable housing.   In this interview, Wilson argued the le...

In this special preview from the Blue City Blues podcast , Sandeep and David explore the sprawling open-air drug market in Seattle’s Little Saigon neighborhood, which resembles similar drug markets in poor, blue city neighborhoods across the US that have been overrun by the urban fentanyl and methamphetamine crises. Whether it's the Tenderloin in San Francisco, or Kensington in Philadelphia,...

This week we discuss the upcoming Christian nationalist rally at Cal Anderson Park, why these events continue to happen, and debate the city's legal challenges in managing them. We also bring you primary election news and get into Seattle’s aversion to re-electing mayors. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop...

This week on Seattle Nice, we debate the factors that led to a progressive triumph in Seattle's August primary. We dig into what went wrong for centrist incumbents Mayor Bruce Harrell, City Council Member Sara Nelson, and City Attorney Ann Davison. Was it a longing for a kinder, gentler approach to public safety and homelessness? The high price of pizza? The “Trump effect?” Take a listen and...

This episode delves into three political developments in Seattle and King County. Part I examines a proposed initiative to ban unauthorized public camping in unincorporated King County, discussing its scope, the signature-gathering process, and the larger goals of its main proponent, Saul Spady. Part II focuses on the B&O tax increase proposal which passed out of committee unanimously last wee...

In this extra special, heavy duty emergency weekend edition of Seattle Nice, we dissect what Trump’s new executive order on homelessness means for Seattle. Initial hot takes have interpreted the order as a full frontal assault on the "housing first" and “harm reduction” approaches that prevail in blue jurisdictions, and its release  has precipitated a major freak out from providers and p...

This week we take a closer look at what’s at stake in the upcoming August primary, and explore the potential resurgence of the progressive left in Seattle.    We consider whether "public safety" retains the same electoral weight it held in 2021 and 2023, years that saw the broad ousting of Seattle progressives. Drawing parallels to the victory of Socialist Zohran Mamdani over establishme...

On this episode we debated the City Council’s plans to get tough on graffiti by introducing civil penalties up to $1,500 per violation. The change would make it easier to fine taggers. Erica questioned the council’s priorities and aesthetics, and pointed out that graffiti is already a crime or felony (if it costs more than $750 to repair). Sandeep mostly spoke in favor of the new measure, citing s...

PROGRAM NOTE: We hope all you Seattle Nice fans will join us for a live taping of the podcast at 7 pm on July 15 at the next meeting of the 43rd District Democrats, held at the Erickson Theater on Capitol Hill, 1524 Harvard Avenue. We’ll be previewing the upcoming primary, and there’ll be a chance for audience questions.  Council President Sara Nelson, flanked by homeless services and treatment pr...

This week, we're talking taxes—specifically, the new business and occupation (B&O) tax proposal that City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Mayor Bruce Harrell dropped, seemingly out of the blue, last week. The tax includes a big exemption that the business community has been seeking for a long time; however, above that threshold—$2 million in gross receipts—the tax will go up subst...

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) launched in 2020 with great fanfare. But now, with up to to a fifth of its staff facing layoffs due to budget shortfalls, it may be facing a slow death by a thousand cuts.  In this week’s episode, with David still gallivanting in parts unknown, Erica and Sandeep take a hard look at the current state of KCRHA, and ask a pointed question: What...

With David away for a second consecutive week, Erica and Sandeep seek out the inimitable Josh Feit, news editor of the Stranger back in the olden (golden) days, to buffer their conversation with convoluted references to 50-year-old Joni Mitchell records.  We start with the increasingly off-putting saga of King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson, who remains defiant in the face of a unanimous vote...

After less than 18 months in office, Councilmember Cathy Moore, representing District 5 (North Seattle), announced she will be resigning her position effective July 7. Swinging into immediate action, Erica and Sandeep (David is away, gamboling and gallivanting in distant parts) weigh in on this emergency episode of the podcast with their red hot takes on this surprise bombshell announcement.  Whil...