By Channel 253
A podcast about local government in the City of Destiny
Welcome back to another episode of Citizen Tacoma! Michelle Douglas joins the podcast to discuss hunger in Pierce County. She gives an update on some of the ways Emergency Food Network and the food pantries across the county are serving...
Did you know that Tacoma is governed by a "charter?" And that every ten years, a group of citizens gets together to review it and propose new changes. It's true! Steve Wamback is the chair of the committee that is tackling...
Welcome back to another episode of Citizen Tacoma! Melissa Malott joins the podcast to discuss the health of Commencement Bay and what's threatening it. She gives an update on some of the industrial uses in the port and the work...
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland joins the podcast to talk about the recent speakership elections, government shutdowns, conflicts in Israel and Ukraine, bridging the digital divide, her view on what's at stake in the 2024 elections, and more. Links Marilyn Strickland Channel 253 membership
On this episode, we welcome Deputy Mayor Kristina Walker, who is a commissioner with Pierce Transit and a board member with Sound Transit. We discuss what's happening with transit in Tacoma and the wider region. We focus on the opening...
Korey Strozier, one of the five Tacoma school board members, joins Citizen Tacoma for a Back-to-School-themed episode. We check in on what's happening with the district, including technology, high schools, leadership, budget, trans students, and much more. Links Korey Strozier and the...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we check in with County Councilmember Marty Campbell. What's the county up to? What's happening with Pride Month, homelessness, public safety, bike and pedestrian safety, and more? Are elected officials on the West Coast...
We've got a big pack of candidate interviews. We invited the five candidates to sit down with Citizen Tacoma and talk about the issues affecting District 3 and Tacoma. Four responded (so far?). This interview is with John Frazier. We...
We've got a big pack of candidate interviews. We invited the five candidates to sit down with Citizen Tacoma and talk about the issues affecting District 3 and Tacoma. Four responded (so far?). This interview is with Malando Redeemer. We...
We've got a big pack of candidate interviews. We invited the five candidates to sit down with Citizen Tacoma and talk about the issues affecting District 3 and Tacoma. Four responded (so far?). This interview is with Chris Van Vechten....
Filing week is coming up in Washington State, which is when candidates file for office. This year, we are electing candidates to parks, schools, ports, city councils, and other "nonpartisan" seats. Rosie Ayala ran for office (and won!) in 2021 to...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, Commissioner Rosie Ayala joins the podcast to talk about what's happening with Metro Parks: playfields, natural resources, climate change, and more! Give it a listen. Links Commissioner Rosie Ayala Channel 253 membership
Citizen Tacoma continues its five-part "Better Know a District" series! This episode, Joe Bushnell joins the podcast to talk about what's happening in District 5. We check in on what's happening on Hosmer Street, growing jobs in Tacoma, tree canopy,...
Citizen Tacoma continues its five-part "Better Know a District" series! This episode, Sarah Rumbaugh joins the podcast to talk about what's happening in District 2. We check in on downtown, the camping ordinances, the port of Tacoma, and more. We...
In this first episode of 2023, the Citizen Tacoma podcast sits down with John Hines to talk about what's happening in District 1. We check in on Proctor planning, the Cushman substation, the tiny house village, and more. We also...
Steve Krupa joins the Citizen Tacoma podcast to talk about his run to be on the Tacoma Municipal Court, position 3. We discuss what he considers when he casts a ballot for judicial seats, judicial discretion and the role judges...
Sergio Flores joins the Citizen Tacoma podcast to talk about his run to be on the Tacoma Municipal Court, position 3. We discuss what he considers when he casts a ballot for judicial seats, judicial discretion and the role judges...
Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson joins the Citizen Tacoma podcast to talk about her run to be Washington Secretary of State. We discuss election administration, the challenges of election disinformation, ranked choice voting, and the other duties of the office....
Incumbent Secretary of State Steve Hobbs joins the Citizen Tacoma podcast to talk about his run to retain his seat. We discuss election administration, the challenges of election disinformation, ranked choice voting, and the other duties of the office. Give...
Paula Lonergan is running for Pierce County Council District 7. In this episode, we talk about her background, her priorities, and the issues the district (and Pierce County as a whole) is facing. Links Elect Paula Lonergan Channel 253 membership
Robyn Denson is running for Pierce County Council District 7. In this episode, we talk about her background, her priorities, and the issues the district (and Pierce County as a whole) is facing. Links Elect Robyn Denson Channel 253 membership
Linda Farmer is running for Pierce County Auditor. In this episode of Citizen Tacoma we talk about the auditor's role in managing free and fair elections, licensing, and who won the 2020 Presidential Election. Links Linda Farmer Channel 253 membership
Deryl McCarty is running for Pierce County Auditor. In this episode of Citizen Tacoma we talk about the auditor's role in managing free and fair elections, licensing, and who won the 2020 Presidential Election. Links McCarty for Auditor Channel 253 membership
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we dive into the issues surrounding climate change with Port Commissioner Kristin Ang. Elected in 2019, she talks about her experience on the port commission, how she thinks about climate change, and how the...
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland of Washington's 10th District joins the podcast today to talk about recent national news—the likely overturning of Roe v Wade, mass shootings, social media, Russia, infrastructure, and K-Dramas. Enjoy! Links Channel 253 membership
Andrea Cobb, former school board member, and host Erik Hanberg, former Metro Parks Tacoma commissioner, chat about their experience governing in local office. What's it like to set policy? How do you enact change? What's it like working with the...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, the podcast touches base with Catherine Ushka to talk about homelessness in Tacoma, housing affordability, and what's happening on the eastside and south end of Tacoma. Check it out! Links Channel 253 membership
It's the "off-season" for elections, so Citizen Tacoma is touching base with elected officials and community leaders around the region to see what's happening with local government. This week, School Board Director Korey Strozier joins the podcast to talk about...
Will Hausa was one of the two community members to observe the negotiations between the City of Tacoma and the police union that represents Tacoma officers. Having two community members observe the negotiations is new for Tacoma and—with a finalized...
A lot happened in the last two weeks at the Tacoma City Council. They passed Phase 1 of Home in Tacoma, hired a new police chief, adopted a Climate Action Plan, and didn't pass a camping ban. It was time...
Citizen Tacoma checks in with Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson about the state of voting in 2021. We talk about the rollbacks in the Voting Rights Act that have been enacted in the last few decades, as well as the...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Sarah Rumbaugh, who is running for Tacoma City Council District 2. She will be on the November ballot. We talk about social justice, homelessness, fossil fuels at the port, policing and...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Kelly Blucher, who is running for Tacoma City Council District 2. She will be on the November ballot. We talk about social justice, homelessness, fossil fuels at the port, policing and...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Anne Artman, who is running for Tacoma City Council District 5. She will be on the November ballot. We talk about social justice, homelessness, fossil fuels at the port, policing and...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Joe Bushnell, who is running for Tacoma City Council District 5. He will be on the November ballot. We talk about refugees, homelessness, fossil fuels at the port, policing and public...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Brett Johnson, who is running for the city-wide seat on the Tacoma City Council. He will be on the November ballot. We talk about homelessness, planning and zoning in Tacoma, fossil...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Kiara Daniels, who is running for the city-wide seat on the Tacoma City Council. She will be on the November ballot. We talk about affordable housing, the economy, climate change, policing...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Victoria Woodards, who is running to keep her seat as Mayor of Tacoma. We talk about affordable housing homelessness, jobs, the port, climate change, policing and public safety, racism, budgets, and...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Steve Haverly, who is running for Mayor of Tacoma. We talk about affordable housing homelessness, jobs, the port, climate change, policing and public safety, racism, budgets, and more. All three candidates for...
On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, we hear from Jamika Scott, who is running for Mayor of Tacoma. We talk about affordable housing homelessness, jobs, the port, climate change, policing and public safety, racism, budgets, and more. All three candidates for...
Bill Hanawalt is running for the Tacoma School Board. On this episode of Citizen Tacoma, he shares his background and his interest in education and schools. We discuss equity in education, how Tacoma schools handled the pandemic, the leadership of...
On this episode, Tacoma School Board Member (and candidate to retain her seat) Elizabeth Bonbright joins the podcast to talk about education in Tacoma, including leadership at the district, weathering the pandemic, technology in schools, policing in schools, and more. Links ...
County Auditor Julie Anderson joins the podcast to talk about running for office. We talk about the upcoming candidate filing week, the experience of running for office, as well as statewide and national issues such as redistricting, HR1, and efforts...
This episode, Pierce County Councilmember Marty Campbell joins the podcast to talk about a busy week at the County: the County Council's investigation into the Pierce County Sheriff, hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, a mental health tax...
Citizen Tacoma is taking the plunge and interviewing candidates and elected officials who will be on your ballot this year. Our first interview out of the gate is Tacoma School Board member Korey Strozier. He joined the board in October...
Host Erik Hanberg continues his series of interviews with elected officials in Tacoma about policing in our community. Today's guest is Council Member and Deputy Mayor Keith Blocker, who represents District 3, which comprises Hilltop, Central Tacoma, and parts of...
Host Erik Hanberg continues his series of interviews with elected officials in Tacoma about policing in our community. Today's guest is Council Member John Hines, who represents District 1, which comprises most of West and some of North Tacoma). Links Interview...
Host Erik Hanberg continues his series of interviews with elected officials in Tacoma about policing in our community. Today's guest is Council Member Catherine Ushka, who represents District 4, which comprises most of East and some of South Tacoma). Links Interview with...
Erik Hanberg slips into the Citizen Tacoma chair to talk to elected officials in Tacoma about policing in our community. His goal is to learn what Tacoma's elected leaders are thinking about policing in Tacoma and what they want to...
