State Legislative Session Falls Short on Housing As Seattle Comprehensive Plan Process Ramps Up
Release Date: 04/09/2024
Week in Review: September 5, 2025 - with Melissa Santos
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Melissa Santos discuss: WA/CA/OR vaccine alliance Cell phones in schools Firefighter immigration raid = inside job Harrell pushes light rail extensions despite shortfall Autonomous vehicles pilot starts As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Melissa Santos at .
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Seattle Moves Forward with Surveillance Expansion Despite Lack of Pilot Data, Raises Federal Access Concerns
Hacks & Wonks
Amy Sundberg, public safety reporter for The Urbanist and publisher of Notes from the Emerald City, joins Hacks & Wonks to discuss how Seattle's City Council is poised to expand the city's surveillance pilot program before collecting any evaluation data on its effectiveness, raising concerns among privacy advocates about potential federal access to the data amid heightened immigration enforcement. The expansion, scheduled for a final council vote on September 9 at 2:30 p.m., would install new cameras in three areas and tap into Seattle Department of Transportation's existing network of...
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Week in Review: August 29, 2025 - with Robert Cruickshank
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: 🧊 Spokane blocks warrantless ICE action 🥡 $15m Uber Eats settlement 🛒 UFCW 3000 backs Wilson 🚲 Biker hit where safety upgrades were cancelled 🏫 School board updates 🪧 Protests against Microsoft use by IDF As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at .
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Hacks & Wonks 2025 Post-Primary Roundtable
Hacks & Wonks
Hacks & Wonks hosted a 2025 Post-Primary Roundtable on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 to dig into the 2025 primary results - what they mean, how they happened, and what's next - with the people who actually do the work of winning (and sometimes losing) campaigns in Seattle and King County. Listen to the roundtable as a podcast or watch the ! By bringing together a panel of seasoned local political consultants who've been in the field, in the strategy rooms, and on the phones - not just pundits looking at numbers from a distance - they cut through the noise and spin to give insights not found in...
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Week in Review: August 22, 2025 - with Erica Barnett
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Erica Barnett discuss: ⛪ Christian nationalist rally moves to new park 🤑 Police execs take bonus meant for officers 🛡️ Trump admin targets sanctuary cities – 📮 -- and vote-by-mail 🕵️ Tacoma ICE facility must open for inspections As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Erica Barnett, on Bluesky at and on .
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Week in Review: August 15, 2025 - with David Kroman
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and David Kroman discuss: 💰 Seattle B&O tax overhaul proposal 📉 Seattle budget forecast 👁️ Seattle surveillance expansion ⚖️ Tacoma minimum wage initiative sues city ⚔️ MGP challenger in CD3 🗳️ Election results update As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, David Kroman at .
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Week in Review: August 8, 2025 - with Josh Cohen
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Josh Cohen discuss: ❤️🩹 A Hacks & Wonks update 🗳️ Primary election results! 👀 Seattle: Mayor, City Attorney, City Council seats 💵 Seattle Democracy Vouchers 🥊 King County: Executive, D5 Council seat 🤓 Takeaways As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Josh Cohen at .
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Week in Review: July 18, 2025 - with Robert Cruickshank
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: 🙅 End of Denny Blaine nudity 🗳️ Urbanist endorsements 🧑🏫 Sea Public Schools news 🐀 Hot Rat Summer 📸 Seattle police cameras ❌ Harrell cancels safety upgrades 💸 Business pours $ in WA Senate races As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at .
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Seattle's Democracy Voucher Program Faces Critical Renewal Vote in August Primary
Hacks & Wonks
Seattle voters will decide in August whether to renew funding for the city's groundbreaking Democracy Voucher Program, the first and only system of its kind in the United States that gives residents public money to support local candidates of their choice. Proposition 1 on the August 5 primary ballot asks voters to approve a 10-year property tax levy to continue the program, which provides every eligible Seattle resident with four $25 vouchers annually to contribute to qualified candidates for mayor, city attorney, and city council. Estevan Muñoz-Howard was one of the original leaders of the...
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Week in Review: July 11, 2025 - with Erica Barnett
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Erica Barnett discuss: ⚖️ No Wilson charges 💬 Pro-Harrell message testing poll 🔄 Moore replacement 👑 Bills expand Davison/Police power 🔎 Ask to end consent decree 🤖 PC Sheriff gets bad advice from ChatGPT As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Erica Barnett, on Bluesky at and on .
info_outlineOn this topical show, Crystal Fincher and Executive Director of The Urbanist, Rian Watt, dig into how housing policy shapes the future vision for our communities, why the recent legislative session didn’t live up to its “Year of Housing 2.0” billing, and how the Seattle Comprehensive plan falls short and can be improved.
As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.
Follow us on Twitter at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Rian Watt at @rianwatt.
Resources
“State Legislators Push for ‘Year of Housing 2.0’” by Ryan Packer from The Urbanist
“Year of Housing 2.0 Mostly Fizzles Out at Washington Legislature” by Ryan Packer from The Urbanist
Find your Washington state legislators
Contact your Washington state legislators
“Seattle Releases Comprehensive Plan Less Ambitious Than Bellevue” by Doug Trumm from The Urbanist
“Housing Leaders Call Out Seattle’s Bare Minimum Growth Proposal” by Doug Trumm from The Urbanist
“Land Use Chair Tammy Morales Takes Aim at Proposed Seattle Growth Plan” by Ryan Packer from The Urbanist
“Op-Ed: Harrell’s Anemic Growth Plan Is Not ‘Space Needle Thinking’” by Tiffani McCoy, Mike Eliason and Paul Chapman for The Urbanist
“Growth Plan Falls Short of Seattle’s Needs, Planning Commission Says” by Ryan Packer from The Urbanist
Complete Communities Coalition
Public participation opportunities for Seattle Comprehensive Plan | City of Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development