Seattle Nice

David Hyde, Erica Barnett, and Sandeep Kaushik
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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. 

  1. vor 1 Tag

    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 left unfunded and postponed indefinitely.  Who to blame? Erica says it is a systemic failure, pointing to ST's excessively slow, expensive, and politicized planning process, noting that it took approximately 30 years just to fund the relatively simple Graham Street Station. Sandeep argues that executives from Pierce and Snohomish County strategically outmaneuvered Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay to get their priorities addressed, at Seattle's expense. This successful political power play ensured the Everett and Tacoma segments of the Sound Transit spine were fully funded while leaving the high-ridership Ballard extension dead in the water. Can some newly passed amendments promising to explore new approaches and find cost-saving measures somehow save the Ballard line? Or is this more political "bullshit" that will not address the agency's deeply flawed and entrenched status quo institutional culture or do anything significant to mitigate the multi-billion-dollar cost overruns plaguing Sound Transit projects? Neither Erica or Sandeep see much cause for optimism, though David suggests that will largely depends on whether the County Executive and Mayor follow through and turn the heat up on Sound Transit to deliver.    The discussion then shifts to the latest "defenestration” in Mayor Katie Wilson’s office, with the forced resignation of her housing and homelessness advisor Jon Grant, the latest fallout from the breakdown in relations between the mayor's office and the Council. While critics on the right claim this is evidence of chaos at the top, we all give the mayor credit for demonstrating decisive—if "cold-blooded"—leadership by prioritizing her office's performance over personal loyalty as she moves to repair the seriously frayed relationships with councilmembers. And we suggest this is an indication of a shifting power balance within the mayor's office away from activist outsiders to more experienced city hands.  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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    35 Min.

  2. 21. Mai

    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 severe risk of being cut. Scott Kubly, former Director of Seattle's Department of Transportation, joins us to unpack how the region landed in this mess and shares a plan to cut costs and save the Ballard line.    The headline number is jaw-dropping: Sound Transit projects cost two to three times more than comparable transit built almost anywhere else on Earth. Why? Kubly walks us through the regulatory traps, the agency culture, and the political dysfunction that have made building anything in Seattle and most of urban America agonizingly slow and absurdly expensive.  Kubly's solution for Seattle borrows from Copenhagen. The idea involves shorter trains, modular stations, and other fixes that could save $10 to $15 billion on the Ballard line alone and move more riders than the current plan.  The question is whether anyone on the Sound Transit board is willing to listen.    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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    48 Min.

  3. 12. Mai

    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 Council. What began as a push from the Mayor’s Office to approve shelter expansion legislation devolved into a "Game of Thrones meets game of sad trombones" showdown featuring heated confrontations and council reports of mayoral staffers allegedly acting like "dictators" toward a co-equal branch of government. We discuss the accusations and potential fallout. Next, we respond to a listener email asking about Mayor Wilson’s efforts to place a moratorium on new data centers. Is the proposal a forward-thinking plan designed to regulate resource-intensive corporations? Or is it more of a "bumper sticker ban" that risks making Seattle irrelevant in the era of AI-driven economic growth? And is AI a good thing or a bad thing or something in between?  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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    43 Min.

  4. 5. Mai

    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 to the damning audit of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), which identified massive financial accountability issues and a lack of internal controls. Despite agency leadership downplaying the crisis, some officials are moving forward to study how to wind down the KCRHA. Lastly, we analyze proposed council amendments to Mayor Wilson's tiny house village shelter plan, focusing on a controversial proposal to create large buffer zones. 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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    53 Min.

  5. 23. Apr.

    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 damning forensic audit. The audit, or “forensic evaluation,” revealed years of abysmal accounting practices and that the agency could not account for millions in public funds. This raises critical questions, including: Should the KCRHA be dissolved, and was the agency structurally flawed from its inception? 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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    36 Min.

  6. 20. Apr.

    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" policy is affecting housing. We’ll explore why MHA has inadvertently sent housing costs soaring and put the brakes on some new construction. Plus, we’ll look at the smarter, more effective solutions they’re advocating to keep the city accessible. 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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    52 Min.

  7. 10. Apr.

    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 75 new palette shelters, expanding existing shelters in West and South Seattle, and adding RV spots. But Sandeep argues the bigger news is that the initiative has secured significant private funding from companies like Starbucks, Microsoft, and T-Mobile. The conversation also touches on the King County Assessor's continuing legal troubles, community policing at Magnuson Park, and a proposed $70 million increase for Seattle's library levy on top of Mayor Wilson's $410 million proposal. Plus, what’s a spodie?     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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    43 Min.

  8. 4. Apr.

    "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 council amendments adding tens of millions. 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 advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com Support the show Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

    47 Min.
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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. 

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  • Erstellt von
    David Hyde, Erica Barnett, and Sandeep Kaushik
  • Jahre aktiv
    2021 - 2026
  • Folgen
    193
  • Bewertung
    Anstößig
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Seattle Nice
  • Sendungswebsite
    Seattle Nice

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