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Seattle Nice
It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium. Each episode dives into contentious and sometimes ridiculous topics, exploring perspectives from across Seattle's political spectrum, from city council brawls to the ways the national political conversation filters through our unique political process. Even if you’re not from Seattle, you need to listen to Seattle Nice. Because it’s coming for you. Unlike the sun, politics rises in the West and sets in the East.
Episodes
204 episodes
Mayor Katie Wilson's Bad Bets, The Stranger's Mysterious Power, and the Slow Death of KCRHA
This week on Seattle Nice, the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics, we break down the primary results and what they mean for the city.Did Mayor Katie Wilson try the Mamdani play? Did it backfire? We de...
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Preview: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes Has Left the Building, Part Deux
In one of the most disorderly weeks at Seattle City Hall in recent memory, Police Chief Shon Barnes has officially resigned. In this follow-up to our Emergency Friday Episode when the outcome was not 100 percent clear, David Hyde, Eric...
Emergency Edition: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes Refuses to Resign, Then Does
Note: This episode was recorded Thursday morning, before Barnes's resignatio...
Seattle's Aurora Ave Sex Trade Fight & Mayor's Office Shakeup
This week on Seattle Nice, (the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics), we get into three topics:Should buying sex on Aurora Avenue be a felony? King County's top prosecutor is pushing state ...
Seattle Transit Tax Showdown, "Lewd" Nude Beach Ruling & Mayoral Travel
Welcome to Seattle Nice, the only podcast that tells you what's really happening in Seattle politics. Join Erica C. Barnett (PubliCola), David Hyde, and political consultant Sandeep Kaushik as they break down the latest from City Hall.In...
Six Months In: Grading Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson
Six months into her tenure at City Hall and Mayor Katie Wilson has a message for Seattle: things are going great, actually. On this episode of Seattle Nice, hosts Erica C Barnett, David Hyde and Sandeep Kaushik dig into Publicola’s two-parter w...
Is Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson Still an Urbanist?
Just as urbanists thought they had a deal to jumpstart stalled housing construction, it fell apart. We unpack the rise and fall of a proposed temporary break on Seattle's Mandatory Housing Affordability program, which taxes new development to f...
World Cup Glow, Homeless Surge: Seattle's Unsheltered Population Up 21%
While Seattle celebrates hosting the World Cup, the city's unsheltered count just jumped 21 percent. What explains the increase? Can we trust the numbers? And why are we seeing shelter capacity shrink right when it’s needed most? Al...
Has King County's Human Services Department Fixed the Problems Flagged in that "Damning" Audit?
Last August, an alarming, high-profile audit of King County’s Department of Community and Human Services’ spending on “high-risk” youth program providers found widespread problems and indications of potential fraud. So now, 10 months later, has...
Mayor Wants to Double Down on Seattle Transit Sales Tax
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Seattle Nice, which takes up Mayor Katie Wilson’s proposal to dou...
Are Falling Seattle Home Prices Good News? Redfin's Chief Economist Has Answers.
Daryl Fairweather, Chief Economist at Redfin and author of Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work, joins us to explain why the housing market is doing something it almost never does here: cooling off.In thi...
How Badly Did Sound Transit Just Screw Seattle?
On the latest episode, we cut through the fig leafs and happy talk from Sound Transit officials to lay bare the hardball political realities underlying their decision to kill the long-promised light line extension to Ballard, which has been lef...
Is Sound Transit Ignoring a Plan that Could Save Ballard Light Rail?
Sound Transit is facing a $35 billion budget gap and the long-promised light rail extension to Ballard is at se...
Communication Breakdown: Council Blows Up at Mayoral Aides in Seattle
This week we take a closer look at the escalating tensions between Mayor Katie Wilson’s office and the Seattle City Counci...
Mayoral “Gaffes,” Tiny Houses, Massive Drama
We tackle three major topics in Seattle politics this week, starting with scrutiny of Mayor Katie Wilson's recent so-called "gaffes," including her comment about wealthy people leaving due to a new state income tax. Second, the discussion turns...
Alarming Audit, Missing Millions: Is the End Nigh for KCRHA?
Some lawmakers are calling for the dissolution of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) following a damnin...
Will Dialing Back Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) “Unf—k” Seattle Housing?
This week, we’re diving deep into Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program. Joining the conversation are consultant Natalie Quick and former Seattle COO Marco Lowe, who break down how this “pay a fee or include affordable units" ...
Mayor Wilson’s Shelter Push and What's a Spodie?
We discuss the latest in Seattle politics, including Mayor Katie Wilson's ambitious plan to create 1000 new shelter units by the end of the year and 500 by the FIFA World Cup. The plan includes opening a new Tiny House village in Interbay with ...
"Taller, Denser, Faster"
This week we chew over Mayor Katie Wilson's accelerated approach to the Comprehensive Plan, and council scrutiny of city human services contracts following fraud allegations at King County. Plus, the proposed $410 million library levy, with cou...
Bigger and Bolder on Density: New CM Eddie Lin Says It's Time
Tune in to hear new District 2 Council Member Eddie Lin break down the latest council dynamics, the future of the city's housing strategy, comprehensive planning efforts, public safety issues in District 2, along with his thoughts about the May...
Mayor’s Partial Pause on Seattle Surveillance Cameras
Mayor Katie Wilson unveiled her police CCTV camera plan on Thursday, which she immediately acknowledged "will please no one,"
Downtown Seattle Association CEO says downtown is back (sort of)
This week Jon Scholes, President and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), joined us to discuss the state of downtown. He pointed to positive momentum towards economic recovery and the dream of a “24/7 city,” with so many people moving...
Questions about Mayor Wilson's Shelter Plan For Seattle
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s ambitious 1000-bed temporary shelter plan, which, among other elements,...
Are these three Seattle controversies all about union power?
CARE team head Amy Barden told council this week that the latest police union contract is preventing effective alternative 911 response from her team. We also get into what’s really happening with the allegations facing Derrick Wheeler-Smith, t...
Mayor Katie Wilson Gets Seattle Nice about the State of the City
Following her first State of the City address, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson joins us to discuss the city’s most pressing issues. We explore why she hasn’t yet changed the city’s policies on encampment clearances, how she’s going to deliver on her...