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 Mayor Katie Wilson administration ... and more. 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 for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to a...
Mayor Katie Wilson unveiled her police CCTV camera plan on Thursday, which she immediately acknowledged "will please no one," according to Publicola. The plan introduces a partial and temporary halt to the expansion of CCTV cameras across the city, allowing for a months-long audit of camera protocols with assistance from New York University's Policing Project. Despite the pause in expansion, the mayor is allowing new cameras to be installed in the stadium district before the World Cup, which ...
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 downtown, but also warned of challenges including the high office vacancy rate. Other topics included: Jumpstart payroll tax: Debate over whether the outcome has been more positive or negative for Seattle.Residential Conversion: Why converting o...
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s ambitious 1000-bed temporary shelter plan, which, among other elements, proposes accelerating the construction of up to 250-unit “tiny house” villages across all council districts, is still in the early planning stages but is already generating lots of questions from providers and others. Including from us. How will the City handle the management of these super-sized sites? How will they facilitate the transition of residents to permanent housing? And ho...
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, the Director of the Office of Civil Rights; and the controversy around Mayor Katie Wilson’s removal of City Light CEO Dawn Lindell, revealing behind-the-scenes lobbying by organized labor and the possible recalibration of power at City Hall. Our e...
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 big promise to add 1000 units of shelter by year’s end, and her answer to impatience from the left for bold progressive actions. Our editor is Quinn Waller. Correction: During this interview, Erica said the Chamber has supported moving oversight ...
Meet Joe Nguyen, a seemingly unusual pick to head the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. A former Bernie Sanders delegate and former progressive state lawmaker who championed policies like the capital gains tax and famously eschewed corporate PAC money, Nguyen is now leading the fiscally conservative Chamber through a period of change as it tries to navigate Seattle's progressive electorate while fostering a thriving business environment. This is a preview of a members only episode. Sign up to supp...
Following a decisive win last fall for citywide Position 9, City Councilmember Dionne Foster joins us to talk about how she intends to fulfill her campaign promises amid Seattle’s mounting fiscal challenges. Councilmember Foster, who chairs the Housing, Arts and Civil Rights Committee, outlines some of her priorities including housing affordability. We also get into her more progressive approach to the homelessness crisis, in which she emphasizs the need for more shelter capacity—such a...
Amy Barden, director of the city's Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) department. Barden has been on the job for just over two years, running the city's 911 operations while also setting up an unarmed team of social workers who respond to emergency calls that don't require police—the CARE Team. The CARE Team is expanding to 48 members this year, and their size will no longer be capped under the city's contract with the Seattle Police Officers' Guild (SPOG), which has historical...
This week, we spoke to former deputy city attorney Scott Lindsay. Voters soundly rejected Lindsay's former boss, Republican Ann Davison, last November, but Lindsay argues that many of her prescriptions for addressing crime and disorder were sound—including "stay out" zones for people accused of using or possessing drugs in public, extra penalties for people who commit misdemeanors like shoplifting over and over, and the elimination of community court, which Lindsay called "a complete disaster...
We sat down with new Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion founder Lisa Daugaard this week to talk about changes Evans is making to the way the city handles low-level drug cases. Under Evans' Republican predecessor, Ann Davison, people arrested for simple drug possession or using in public were either jailed and prosecuted or sent to a "drug prosecution alternative" where they have to get an assessment to confirm they have an addiction and stay out of troubl...
We have no clue what 2026 holds, but that hasn't stopped us! The annual "Seattle Nice" prognostication episode returns with Publicola Co-Founder Josh Feit to offer hopes and predictions for the city's 2026. The main event: Mayor-elect Katie Wilson’s looming tenure. Will she defy her critics and steer a progressive agenda with pragmatic, results-oriented grit? We're all optimistic. The discussion also gets into Seattle's biggest flashpoints including the need for greater police accounta...
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 decision to retain Police Chief Sean Barnes, and the Trump administration’s erratic moves on h...
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: Will Mayor Wilson keep him on? Finally, we dive into the controversy surrounding King County Execu...
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 on a wide range of topics, including the following: What concrete actions is she going to take to...
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 Harrell camp’s attacks on Wilson (e.g.,"millennial socialist who still lives off parents’ mon...
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 only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.com Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring ...
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 about either candidate? Our editor is Quinn Waller. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to em...
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 her answers Apple Podcasts and other platforms now also include fairly accurate transcripts. ...
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, encampment removals, and city-led outreach efforts over the past decade. The PDA's CoLEAD program, formed during the pandemic ...