This week Seattle Nice debates Erica's take on Mayor Bruce Harrell's new budget.

TL;DR Harrell avoided big budget cuts but progressives are pissed that he tapped the lucrative payroll tax on big business known as JumpStart to pull that off.

Don't miss the city council debate and VP debate watch party at Town Hall this coming Tuesday October 1.

We kick it off with a livestream of the big Vice Presidential debate between Tim Walz and J.D. Vance on the big screen. Then, we go local with the Seattle Nice City Council debate for citywide Position 8 between Tanya Woo and Alexis Mercedes Rinck.

Town Hall's cafe will be open for folks to purchase beer, wine, cider, and a few straightaway cocktails. Doors for the VP debate open at 5:45 pm.

Get your debate tickets here. Submit your questions in advance here.

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

Our editor is Quinn Waller

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This week Seattle's city council voted to send two competing measures to the ballot to fund affordable housing.

Initiative 137, the measure social housing activists support, proposes a new, "excess compensation tax" on big business. Council member Maritza Rivera is backing a new, "alternative" measure that would rely instead on existing JumpStart taxes on big business.

Erica says Rivera's alternative would raid the JumpStart tax and effectively kill the social housing concept voters approved last year. See Erica's reporting on the two measures here.

Sandeep defends the alternative, saying he's skeptical social housing backers actually know how to build or manage housing. He suggests the more modest $50 million dollar alternative proposal would give them a chance to prove themselves before potentially getting more funding.

The pod also briefly debates a proposed increase in police hiring bonuses.

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

Our editor is Quinn Waller

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Caleb Banta-Green of UW medicine joins the pod to debate the pros and cons of Seattle's current approach to drugs.

The conversation kicks off with Barnett and Banta-Green blasting the city council's latest plan to create six new “stay out” zones for drug crimes. The conversation then broadens to a deeper debate about whether some coercion helps or harms people who are struggling with addiction.

Coincidentally, Uncle Ike's pot shop sponsored this week's episode. If you want to advertise plesae contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.com

Our editor is Quinn Waller

Support the show

Support us on Patreon!