Seattle voters will decide between two competing social housing funding measures in a special election ending Feb. 11. Proposition 1A, backed by labor and community groups, proposes a payroll tax on high earners to generate $53M annually. Proposition 1B, supported by the Chamber of Commerce, redirects $10M from existing funds.

We chat with Rian Watt and Tiffani McCoy about the initiatives and their potential impact.

As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii. Find our guest Tiffani McCoy on Twitter/X at @houserneighbors and guest Rian Watt on Bluesky at @rianwatt.

On this topical show re-air, Crystal welcomes Everett Maroon, Executive Director of Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, for a conversation about their work in Southeast Washington using a harm reduction philosophy to support people, stabilize lives, & promote health and wellness in the community. Crystal and Everett chat about how the opioid epidemic has impacted rural communities, the role that stigma plays in keeping people from the help they need, what harm reduction is and why it is important.

They then review the recent roller coaster ride of Washington state’s substance use disorder policy, starting with the Washington Supreme Court’s Blake decision, followed by a temporary legislative fix, then an impasse at the end of last year’s legislative session, and finally a middle-of-the-road deal that recriminalized simple drug possession in addition to newly making public drug use illegal. Crystal and Everett lament the missed opportunity to meaningfully change the system & the continued lack of treatment services relative to need, and wrap up with what can be done at the state and local level to address the opioid crisis.

Transcript and resources:

https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/everett-maroon-blue-mountain-heart-to-heart/

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks and on X (formerly Twitter) at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and X at @finchfrii. Find more information about Blue Mountain Heart to Heart at https://bluemountainheart2heart.wordpress.com/

On this topical show re-air, Crystal welcomes Evan Thompkins, STAR Program Specialist with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, and Stephanie Van Jacobs, Program Manager at WellPower!

The STAR program offers a promising alternative response to mental health and substance use crises, providing individuals with the support and resources they need while reducing the burden on traditional police response. With strong community support and a commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Denver residents, the STAR program is poised to continue making a positive impact on the lives of those it serves. As cities across the country grapple with the challenges of addressing these complex social issues, Denver's STAR program serves as an inspiring example of what can be achieved through community-driven, collaborative solutions.

Transcript and resources:

https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/denvers-star-program-offers-promising-alternative-response-to-mental-health-and-substance-use-crises/

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks and on X (formerly Twitter) at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and X at @finchfrii. Find Denver Department of Public Health & Environment on X at @DDPHE.

On this topical show re-air, Eleuthera Lisch, director of the King County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention, joins Crystal for a conversation about curbing youth gun violence using community-based approaches with violence interrupters. Encouraging early data from the program indicates fewer youth involved in shootings, fewer re-hospitalizations after gun injuries, less shoplifting near outreach, and 400+ high-risk youth mentored.

Transcript and resources:

https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/king-countys-community-led-approach-showing-promise-in-combating-gun-violence/

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks and on X (formerly Twitter) at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and X at @finchfrii. Find Eleuthera Lisch and the King County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention on X at @KingCountyRGV.

On this Tuesday topical show re-air, Crystal welcomes Dr. Stephan Blanford, Executive Director of Children’s Alliance, for a wide-ranging conversation on childcare. They delve into the importance of childcare as an economic driver and its societal impacts through preparing kids for success in school and life. A review of the state of childcare in Washington reveals that this critical resource is often out-of-reach for those who need it most and looks at the factors that make it inaccessible and expensive. Crystal and Dr. Blanford then discuss how various stakeholders can make an impact on the issue at all levels of government.

Transcript and resources: https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/dr-stephan-blanford-childcare/

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii. Find Dr. Stephan Blanford and Children’s Alliance on Twitter/X at @ChildAllianceWA.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss:

😖 Morales bullied out of office

✋ Rinck sworn in

🙅 SPS recall effort shut down

🔥 KC Exec race heats up

🤓 Final precinct data & election thoughts

💚 Green Jacket Lady is back!

As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today’s co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at @robertcruickshank.com.

A groundbreaking guaranteed income pilot program in Tacoma, Washington has not only demonstrated positive economic impacts but also challenged long-held misconceptions about poverty and cash assistance. The Growing Resilience in Tacoma (GRIT) program, which provided $500 monthly payments to 110 families, is helping reshape traditional narratives that have long portrayed poverty as a result of personal failings or suggested that direct cash assistance leads to dependency.

Join Crystal for a conversation about guaranteed income and GRIT with Sukhi Samra, Executive Director of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, and Dona Ponepinto of United Way of Pierce County.

As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii. Find Sukhi Samra and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income on Twitter/X at @mayorsforagi, Mayor Victoria Woodards and the City of Tacoma at @CityofTacoma, and Dona Ponepinto and the United Way of Pierce County at @UWPC.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Erica Barnett discuss:

🧮 Seattle budget and amendments

🙅 County rejects Rivera’s proposal for sobering center

👨‍⚖️ Sal Mungia wins open Supreme Court seat

🗳️ Reichert concedes

⚔️ How WA electeds will take on Trump admin

As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today’s co-host, Erica Barnett, on Bluesky at @ericacbarnett and on PubliCola.com.

Jason Schwarz, Director of the Snohomish County Office of Public Defense and the Chair of Washington's Council on Public Defense, talks about new public defender caseload standards under consideration by the Washington Supreme Court to address the state's public defense crisis. The combination of public defenders working under decades-old caseload standards and lack of state funding have led to massive delays and staff exodus, creating an urgent need for reform to ensure justice for defendants, victims, and the community at large.

As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Katie Wilson discuss:

📈 Minimum wage increases for the win

🙄 More Burien shenanigans

💰 JumpStart raid

💲 Seattle progressive revenue proposals

🚋 Saka💔Streetcar

🏁 King County Exec race begins

👀 Upcoming appointments

As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today’s co-host, Katie Wilson, on Twitter/X at @WilsonKatieB, as well as the Transit Riders Union at @SeattleTRU.