June 4, 2025 • 47 mins
Jeanie Chunn, candidate for Seattle City Council District 2, shares her stance on housing affordability, public safety, transportation, and more while advocating for significant changes to the city's approach to public safety, housing, and budget priorities.
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 more about Jeanie Chunn at votejeanie.com.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:13):
Welcome to Hacks & Wonks.
I’m your host, Crystal Fincher.
On this show we talk with policy wonksand political hacks to gather insight
into local politics and policy inWashington state through the lens of those
doing the work, with behind-the-scenesperspectives on what’s happening, why it’s
happening, and what you can do about it.
Seattle City Councilmembers make decisionsthat impact nearly every part of daily
(00:37):
life - from housing and public safety,to transportation, parks, utilities,
and how the city spends its money.
They pass laws, set the city budget,and oversee city departments.
They also help shape long-term plansfor growth, negotiate labor contracts,
and hold city agencies accountable.
In short, if you care about housingcosts, changes in your neighborhood,
(01:00):
how public safety is handled, or howeasy it is to get around Seattle - you
should care who's on City Council.
District 2 includes Beacon Hill, Brighton,the Chinatown International District
or CID, Columbia City, Dunlap, Genesee,Hillman City, Lakewood and Seward Park,
Little Saigon, Mount Baker, New Holly,North Beacon Hill, Othello, Rainier
(01:21):
Beach, Rainier View, Rainier Vista,South Beacon Hill, and Yesler Terrace.
The outcome of this race willhelp shape the future of not just
District 2, but of the entire city.
So we're talking to candidates tolearn where they stand, what they've
done, and who they are - not justas policymakers, but as people.
Today, we're pleased to welcomeJeanie Chunn - welcome to the show!
(01:45):
Hi, thanks so much for having me, Crystal.
Excited to have you today.
So now it's time for the lightninground, where we ask quick
questions and get fast answers.
We'll ask you where you stand on somekey decisions, local policies, and a
few personal and fun questions - justto get a better sense of who you are.
So most of these answers will justbe a quick yes or no, or a few words.
(02:09):
If you don't know yes or no, ifit's somewhere in the middle, we'll
just call it a waffle and you canaddress it later on if you feel like
it - but we're ready to get started.
So starting off, do youown or rent your residence?
Own.
Are you a landlord?
No.
Have you ever been a member of a union?
(02:31):
No.
Have you ever walked on a picket line?
What - is "walked on a picket line"mean support the people that are
picketing, or does that mean crossing- like that's crossing the picket line?
Like, walked alongside in support.
Walked alongside in support - yes.
Have you ever crossed a picket line?
(02:53):
No, I have not.
Is your campaign staff unionized?
I only have a consultant right now.
Okay.
So if you do get staff-
Yeah.
Okay, gotcha.
I would encourage my staff tounionize if - once I have staff.
Awesome.
That was my next question.
(03:13):
If they wanted to unionizeonce you got them, will you
voluntarily recognize their effort?
Yes, absolutely.
Which political partydo you identify with?
Democrat.
Have you used the Seattle PublicLibrary system in the past month?
Not in the past month, but weliterally walked past the Beacon
Hill Library and my partner was like,We should go in there - last week.
(03:38):
Have you been to a Seattle City Councilmeeting in person in the past year?
Not in the past year.
Have you or someone in your householdever relied on public assistance?
AppleCare?
Do you count AppleCare public assistance?
Yes.
(03:58):
Then, yes, I have.
Myself and my daughter.
Have you ever been stopped orquestioned by police in Seattle?
No.
Have you ever worked in retail or ajob where you had to rely on tips?
Yes.
Have you ever owned a business?
No.
Have you ever managed ateam of 10 or more people?
(04:20):
Yes.
100 or more?
Technically, yes.
Have you ever reported someone'smisconduct in your workplace?
Reported someone's misconduct?
I've addressed someone'smisconduct in the workplace - yes.
(04:42):
Have you ever fired someone?
Yes, unfortunately.
What's your favorite park in District 2?
That's a hard question.
I'll say Jefferson - feels like a littlebit like a cop-out, but it's really great.
(05:05):
And the Beacon Hill Forest is right there.
What's your favorite restaurant in D2?
Oh, no.
You can't ask me that question.
I can, and I did.
I plead the Fifth.
I can't pick one - that's not possible.
It's impossible.
Okay, we'll call it a waffle.
What's the last liveperformance you saw in D2?
(05:38):
I was just at the Clock-Out Lounge.
And I can't remember - GravyEldridge - but the opening band,
which I can't remember theirnames right now, were so good.
Cumbie-
Cumbie-something - they were amazing.
But Clock-Out Lounge, not that long ago.
What's your favorite song?
(06:11):
I'll just say the first one thatcame to mind, because it's a
hard question, but I Am Light byIndia.Arie first popped into my mind.
So I'll go there.
What about your favorite album?
Do
you know Alice Coltrane?
She's married to John Coltrane - it'sa beautiful album called Journey
(06:31):
Into Satchidananda - that I love.
It's amazing.
What's the last song that you listened to?
I was just listening to Hermanos Gutiérrezthis morning, so I guess I'll say them.
I don't remember what song it was, though.
What's the most recent book you read?
(06:57):
I just read Colored Television.
Is that the most recentbook I've read, though?
That's the most recent book I've finished.
I have a terrible knack of, like,picking up a book and reading it
and then setting it down, so - thatone I read in like three days, too.
So it's amazing.
Gotcha.
Highly recommend.
What's the last sports eventyou attended in Seattle?
(07:23):
My friend's kid's softball game count?
Yep, it does.
That's what we're going to say.
What's your favorite cafe orcoffee house in District 2?
I love The Station - I wasjust there the other day.
Both of them, but I was at theColumbia City one trying to hear
(07:44):
- South Seattle Emerald wasdoing a conversation, like
conversations, and I just missed it.
Okay, now we're going to jamthrough the rest of these - we've
got to keep it super short.
Sorry, sorry, sorry - shorter, shorter.
Okay, have you evercontested a traffic ticket?
Yes.
Have you ever served on a jury?
No.
Have you ever been arrested?
(08:06):
No.
Have you taken transit in the past month?
Yes.
In the past week?
Yes.
Have you ridden a bike in the past month?
No.
Do you agree with the City Council'sdecision to rezone parts of SODO
and to allow residential housing?
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to delay adoption of
(08:28):
the Comprehensive Plan past 2024?
No.
Do you agree with the Council's decisionto put Proposition 1 B alongside 1A
for social housing on the ballot?
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to divert JumpStart
revenue from its original purposeto address the budget deficit?
(08:48):
No.
Do you agree with the City Council'sdecision to allow SPD to implement
expanded surveillance technologies?
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to allow SPD to use tear
gas and blast balls for crowdcontrol in certain circumstances?
No.
Do you agree with the Council's decisionto reinstate SOAP and SODA laws?
(09:09):
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to make street racing and
attending a street race a crime?
I'm not familiar with that, but I wouldsay I don't think it should be a crime.
Do you agree with the City Council'sdecision to use the SCORE Jail - to
contract with the SCORE Jail in Des Moines- to detain people arrested in Seattle?
(09:32):
No.
Was it worth lowering or modifyingstandards to recruit new officers?
No.
Was the money spent on hiring andincentivizing new officers worth it?
No.
Does SPD have a problemwith how it treats women?
Yes.
With how it treats Black and Brown people?
(09:53):
Yes.
Would you have voted to ratifythe most recent SPOG contract?
I didn't read that contract, I'm sorry.
Will you vote for a SPOG contractthat lacks meaningful accountability
provisions like civilianoversight with subpoena power?
I would not approve that.
(10:13):
Should the scope of the CAREDepartment be included in or
limited by the SPOG contract?
No.
Do you think facial recognitionshould be banned in city use?
Yes.
Did Seattle ever "defund the police"?
No.
Should we have a design review board?
(10:36):
Yes.
Should public comment time be allowedto be limited without prior notice?
No.
Do you support theFerdinand Festival Street?
I'm not familiar with theFerdinand Festival Street.
Do you agree with the city policyof closing Lake Washington Boulevard
(10:58):
to cars and only allowing bike andpedestrian access for 10 weekends
during the spring and summer?
Yes.
Do you support expanded weekendclosures of Lake Washington Boulevard?
I would need to talk to theneighbors to understand the impact.
Do you plan to increase funding forinvestigations of labor violations like
wage theft and illegal union busting?
(11:19):
Absolutely.
Do large corporations in Seattlepay their fair share of taxes?
Absolutely not.
Do small businesses paytheir fair share of taxes?
Yes.
Do you support the rent stabilizationbill that passed in the most
recent legislative session?
I'm not exactly sure what was inthat bill, but I appreciate - I
(11:40):
support rent stabilization.
What's your go-to karaoke song?
What's Going On by 4 Non Blondes.
What's your favorite TV show to binge?
Great British Bake-off.
What's the first concertyou ever attended?
(12:01):
Michael Jackson ThrillerTour - the Jackson Reunion Tour.
I know - I'm old.
I was young, too.
I was young, too.
I'm probably older.
What's your favoriteSeattle sports moment?
Oh, when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.
It was incredible - out in the streets.
(12:24):
What's your favorite comfort food?
Food, food questionsare - dumplings, dumplings.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early bird.
What's a hobby peoplewouldn't expect you to have?
(12:55):
... Or what's any hobby?
I don't know.
Collaging?
I've done that before.
I don't know - making paper flowers?
I don't know.
What's your favoriteneighborhood in District 2?
Like picking your favorite child.
(13:17):
I'll just say the CID.
Who's a Seattle-basedartist or musician you love?
Mmm, so many.
Seattle-based musician orartist - so there's so many.
(13:37):
So many.
I'm
stuck.
I'm stuck.
I'm sorry.
I can't think - there'stoo many people coming.
dani tirrell.
I'll start - I'll just say dani tirrell.
To say someone, so I didn't waffle.
What's a book you wish more people read?
(13:58):
Undrowned by Alexis Pauline Gumbs.
What's your favorite rainy day activity?
Walking in the rain.
What's your favorite SoundTransit station name?
(14:19):
Symphony?
Have you voted in every generalelection in the past four years?
Yes.
Have you voted in every primaryelection in the past four years?
I think so.
Have you made any politicalendorsements that you regret?
No.
Have you made any politicaldonations that you regret?
(14:41):
No.
In 2021, did you vote for Bruce Harrellor Lorena González for Seattle Mayor?
González.
And I endorsed her.
In 2021, did you vote for Ann Davison orNicole Thomas Kennedy for City Attorney?
NTK.
In 2021, did you vote for Sara Nelsonor Nikkita Oliver for City Council?
Nikkita.
(15:02):
In 2022, did you vote for Leesa Manion orJim Ferrell for King County Prosecutor?
I don't, I don't know.
In 2023, did you vote forTammy Morales or Tanya Woo?
Tammy.
In 2024, did you vote for AlexisMercedes Rinck or Tanya Woo?
Alexis.
(15:23):
In 2024, did you vote for Nick Brown orPete Serrano for state Attorney General?
I don't remember.
I don't remember that race, sorry.
Did you vote for Bob Fergusonor Dave Reichert for Governor?
Ferguson.
Did you vote for Donald Trumpor Kamala Harris for President?
(15:52):
Harris.
Did you vote to approve theAutomated Fingerprint Identification
System Levy on the April ballot?
No.
This year, on Seattle's social housingInitiative ballot in February, did you
vote for option 1A, 1B, or neither?
1A.
Will you be voting for ClaudiaBalducci, John Wilson, or Girmay
(16:14):
Zahilay for County Executive?
Girmay Zahilay.
Will you be voting to reauthorizethe Democracy Voucher program
in the August election?
Yes.
Will you be voting to pass the Families,Education, Preschool and Promise Levy
renewal in the November election?
I need to read through itagain, but my assumption is yes.
(16:35):
Okay, that concludes the lightning round.
So now we're going to shift intothe heart of the conversation
with open-ended questions.
Starting off with - Why are you runningfor City Council in D2 right now?
Yeah, I've lived in Seattlefor - since summer solstice of 1999.
And I love Seattle.
(16:58):
It's helped me raise my daughter - Iworked in restaurants and was
a single mom going to school.
And I was able to do all ofthat - living in Seattle.
And that's just not a realityfor most people now - and
that's heartbreaking to me.
And when I look at the state of affairs,I just feel that we need a champion that
(17:24):
understands how hard it is for folksto make ends meet, how working-class
people can't afford to live in thecity and thrive and have leisure time.
And I just feel that - if not now, when?
I'm worried about the state of thefederal government and the protection
(17:48):
of our non-binary and trans peopleto receive gender-affirming care,
reproductive rights for women.
And
yeah, I want to lean in and participateinstead of watching from the sidelines.
(18:09):
In recent campaigns, there's beena lot of talk about the importance
of representation in District 2.
What does representing thepeople of District 2 mean to you?
And why do you think you're the rightperson to represent them right now?
When I grew up, myparents were immigrants.
New Holly - I look at that district,that area, that neighborhood,
(18:32):
the challenges that people have.
And I just reflect back on - whoI am, the people that I know,
the experiences that they've had.
We're not a monolith, you know, and Ithink that I'm a person that goes out
into community and connects with folks.
(18:52):
So while I have my experiences,I need to affirm that with the
people that are in community.
So
I want to represent them in away that feels correct to them.
I don't want to put my assumptions on themjust because I've had my own experiences.
And
I hope that that serves themwell - to have their voices heard.
(19:15):
Seattle is facing a $244 million budgetshortfall, and recent fixes in the most
recent budget have been one-time measures,like diverting JumpStart funds - without
addressing the structural problem.
So we have a deficit again this year.
What specific long-term solutionswould you support: new progressive
(19:36):
revenue, permanent cuts, orboth - and where, specifically?
I think we definitely need to lookat options for new progressive
revenue - capital gains tax.
And I think that we need to look atreallocating money from the SPD budget to
(19:58):
social services and towards our CARE team.
We want the budget to reflectwhat the voters want in our city.
And I think that it's been clearthat Seattleites are in favor
of progressive revenue and forinvestments in behavioral health.
(20:20):
So, ahead of past major events like theMajor League Baseball All Star game a
few years ago, the city increased policepresence and encampment sweeps, saying it
would create a more welcoming environment.
But in places like the CID, thatapproach backfired - people stayed
away, businesses suffered, and thepromised benefits didn't materialize.
(20:40):
Experts say truly welcoming citiesprioritize basics like bathrooms, seating,
transit, and activating public spaces.
With the World Cup coming, do yousupport the approach that we used before?
Or what should the city do instead toensure District 2 actually benefits
from the World Cup coming to Seattle?
Yeah, I don't think that thatworked before in the past.
(21:04):
I work with a business owner in
Pioneer Square who intentionally rushedto open their restaurant to hopefully
capture some of that All Star energy.
And that didn't come, happen- that business didn't show up
for all of Pioneer Square andChinatown International District.
(21:26):
I think there are ways to activatethe community, to draw community in.
We actually are working on puttingtogether a series of concerts
during Club World Cup to get soccerfans and international visitors
and just music lovers down to thearea - to create a vibrant energy.
And hopefully that energy - they'llsee how safe it is in Pioneer
(21:48):
Square and Central and ChinatownInternational District.
They'll be able to wander around andsee shops - maybe they'll visit them
in that moment, or maybe they'llcome back and see them later.
I think that's the type ofinvestment - that kind of long-term
thinking of activating ourcity - while we have that density
of folks there is really important.
What can be done to help smallbusinesses in Seattle and in District 2?
(22:12):
Oh.
So many things.
You know, I started a restaurant coalitionin 2020 called Seattle Restaurants
United, where we advocated for localrestaurants in Seattle and Washington
at large - and also on a national level.
We were helpful and pivotal, Ifeel, in getting $28.6 billion to
(22:36):
independent restaurants nationwide,with the prioritization of historically
marginalized business owners.
And there are small things that we cando and large things that we can do.
And I think the important thingabout Seattle Restaurants United
is that our restaurant ownersare very progressively minded.
(22:56):
When we first gathered, I said to them- What are the things that would be super
helpful for you as business owners?
And, you know, a bunch of ideas cameup and some people said - Like, you
know, well, they could not tax us.
We know we we wouldn't have to givethem our sales tax or some sort of,
you know, kind of conversations aroundthat - and many business owners stopped
(23:16):
the conversation and said those taxdollars go to important social services.
And we don't want to be not contributingto our local economy in that way - into
supporting the people that are here.
And that includes their business- their their workers, too.
They want workers that are ableto be able to afford to live
(23:37):
near where their restaurants are.
So supporting businesses doesn'talways look like providing grants
to the small business owner.
It could also be providing affordablehousing and supportive transit
systems - and infrastructure likethat that's really helpful for
their employees - could be providingsome sort of healthcare benefits.
(23:58):
So these are costs that the restaurantusually takes on themselves, which
may be for the rep- to support theirrestaurant workers, but maybe that
could be offset in some sort of way.
If we can support the workers,we're then in turn supporting
the business owners as well.
What are the top safetyconcerns in District 2, and
how would you address them?
(24:18):
Yeah, you know, District 2has a lot of gun violence.
And recently, the City Auditorhas a report - which I'm sure
everyone on this, that's listeningto this show is well aware of.
Myself being new to this type ofpolicy - I was reading through it
(24:39):
and inspired and really hopefulabout the approaches and the results
in this, you know, evidence-basedapproaches that Milwaukee and Baltimore
have implemented in their city.
And I feel like we don'tneed to reinvent the wheel.
We just need someone with thecourage to demand that these
(25:00):
approaches are implemented and thatwe hold SPD accountable to them.
What elements of thatapproach stuck out to you?
Yeah, well - I mean, all of it,But I think the one that was most
important to me was problem-orientedpolicing - where instead of just
solely focusing on enforcementaction, we're gathering together,
(25:23):
collaborating, engaging community toreally address the causes of the crime.
And then therefore being ableto improve long-term safety.
The Council has signaled that they wantto weaken the existing surveillance
ordinance, which aims to ensure thatthe public has the opportunity to
weigh the costs and benefits of newsurveillance technology before the city
(25:44):
obtains it - particularly because of thedisproportionate harms that marginalized
communities have experienced from it.
And because of the current concernsabout data being collected about people's
habits, movements, political and religiousactivities, sexual orientations and
gender identities being weaponizedby the federal and local government
(26:04):
under these current administrations.
Do you support any weakeningof the current ordinance?
And when do you thinksurveillance is appropriate?
I don't know that I ever feel likesurveilling citizens is appropriate.
I feel undereducated on the currentsystem that's in place, but I am
(26:26):
supportive of anything that involvescommunity voice and oversight.
So I don't think weakeningcommunity oversight strengthens
us in any capacity ever.
And my guess is specificallyin this surveillance as well.
Is the current Council approach ofshifting funding from prevention
(26:49):
to punishment working to addressthe safety concerns in District 2?
If not, what would you do differently?
I don't believe that punishment in thecarceral system benefits anyone - period.
I think that prevention and gettingto the root causes of things
- intervention, diversion, able tosupport people when they're on the
(27:09):
brink of something - is where we canbe investing funds and resources.
I think it's, you know, that'swhat I have to say about that.
Despite a record high number of encampmentsweeps involving police, homelessness is
up 25% over the last two years, with manypeople in District 2 lacking access to
(27:32):
shelter, services, and affordable housing.
There's also a shortage of sheltercapacity - there are nearly twice as many
people needing shelter as there are beds.
What isn't working, and whatwould you do to actually reduce
homelessness in District 2?
Well, the one thing I can tell you isthat sweeps obviously aren't working.
(27:52):
No, we've seen in
2024 over 2,500 sweeps of encampments,tents, and vehicles - and 80% of
those were done with little orno prior notice to these folks.
And what does that do?
That doesn't do anything except formove the problem around our city.
And I hesitate to even usethe word "problem" like this
(28:13):
is - these are human beings.
These are their homes.
Inside of those homes, theyhave their identification.
If that's taken away from them, howare they supposed to be able to receive
the support services that they need?
We need to be focusing on reachingout to these folks, being able to
make sure that they have access totheir care, to their case managers.
(28:34):
We need to be workingclosely with King County.
We need to be working withcommunity-based organizations to provide
the services that the people need.
We need to bring the right resourcesto the right situation - and
sweeping them is not the solution.
And we need to findindividual care and attention
for these folks.
(28:56):
The City Council has signaled awillingness to weaken some renter
protections, including just causeeviction rules, some rent increase
notice periods, and other elements.
Do you support any rollbacks of renterprotections, and what protections will
you defend or expand if you're elected?
I don't think we should ever rollbackany sort of renter protections.
(29:23):
I was talking to someone that works inhousing about evictions and I really
appreciated her approach in that she'stalking about - there were this like,
there's people that just become alarmist.
There's like one situation happensand then that becomes this like
clickbait, and then people justuse that as an opportunity to to
(29:45):
say - See, this is what happens.
This is why we need to - we can'thave evictions, we need to be able
to evict people and notice thatthese people are public harm, is
harm to public safety, right?
And so they were giving anexample of a man running down the
hall, like yielding a machete.
And so she said - You knowwhat, let's have a very specific
(30:06):
and nuanced approach to that.
If there's a situation wherethere's a public safety issue,
we will move you to the beginningof the eviction court process.
Right?
So that they don't have to wait for amonth or however long to evict these
folks that may be potentially endangeringother people that live in that residence.
(30:27):
She said since that's beenimplemented, it's been used six
times in the last two years.
That's the type of solutions that we'retalking about - we can't just throw
the baby out with the bathwater becausethere's like some alarmist cause.
Like, we just need to bemindful of what is happening
and address that in the moment.
What's your opinion of the current draftof the Comprehensive Plan, and what
(30:48):
potential changes would you prioritize?
I need to spend more timewith the Comprehensive Plan.
What I do support isurban density, upzoning.
I want to be mindful that there areconcerns that a lot of the building
is happening in District 2, so weneed to be mindful of predatorial
behavior that may be happening.
(31:12):
I want to make sure that there's space for
anti-displacement funds andright-to-return policies in place.
(31:36):
And I'm looking forward to meetingwith community - I have a conversation
lined up with some folks in RainierBeach who have laid out a really
beautiful neighborhood plan.
And I really want to hear from themof what in their plan has happened and
what in their plan hasn't happened - andwhat I can do to help support that
as we're looking at the ComprehensivePlan in general for the city.
(32:00):
How will you ensure that the socialhousing developer succeeds and that it
complements existing affordable housingprograms and policies in Seattle?
Well, first of all, we makesure that we stand by and make
sure that it's well funded.
And make sure that the resources that thevoters voted for in Prop 1A are all used
(32:23):
to build that Social Housing Developer.
Again, I think it's reallyworking within community.
These
aren't new solutions to old problems- these are just solutions that need to
be implemented and working with theexperts that have that understanding.
I was supposed to be on a callearlier today where House Our
(32:44):
Neighbors was reporting back on howit's been successful in Singapore.
So what are we learning fromother cities, and what can we be
implementing here to ensure that thatis executed well and implemented well?
Life expectancy in parts of District2, like Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley,
is up to 10 years shorter than inother wealthier Seattle neighborhoods
(33:06):
- largely due to air pollution, highwayproximity, and historic disinvestment.
What would you do to address these healthdisparities and environmental injustices?
I'm not sure how to answer thequestion, because I'm not sure
what - I'm a very pragmatic person,
and our homes are in these areas.
(33:32):
And I can't think of something that couldhappen overnight or long-term, that...
that can help extend a person'slife if we're experiencing
these polluted spacesthat we're living in.
(33:52):
Air filtration, perhaps?
Air filtration.
I think I really need to
learn more about this issueand what options are available.
(34:13):
How do you balance recent and planneddevelopment along major transit
transportation corridors with theneed to mitigate air pollution that's
most prevalent along those corridors?
We know that the air on those corridorsis unhealthy and contributing to
chronic disease and shorter lifespans.
(34:34):
And we're actively building on thosecorridors and we'll be building more.
So how do you balancethat - as you think about that?
And how do you mitigate that?
I don't have the answer for that.
What are your priorities fortraffic safety in the district?
(35:02):
I think that a lot of these questionsfor me - I understand that I'm,
I feel like I'm falling short.
And I want to be clear to yourviewership - so let them know that I'm
not afraid to say that I don't know.
I can't have all of the answers, nordoes anyone else have all the answers.
And I would tell you - do not trustanyone that thinks that they have all
(35:25):
of the answers because they don't.
So I'm here, I'm willing to listen.
I'm open-hearted and want to learnfrom all of you that are the experts,
that have the science-based research,that have the evidence-based
solutions to our city's problems.
Do you have any ideas on whatspecifically could be done to make it
(35:49):
safer to walk and bike in the district?
Absolutely.
How about some sidewalks in D2?
I'd like that.
I feel like there's just notquite enough of them, are there?
Crosswalks, bike lanes - all of that.
(36:09):
I feel like we can pedestrianizecertain areas of our, of our city.
I think it would be saferfor us to gather and connect.
How would you work with the multiplerelevant agencies - like the Seattle
Department of Transportation, SoundTransit, King County Metro - to
improve accountability forreducing injuries and deaths from
(36:32):
traffic violence on the streets?
I think I would approach it as Ialways do - and in a restorative
circle - connecting with folks.
And maybe that feels like a strange wayto bring into city politics as usual,
(36:55):
but that hasn't worked for us, you know.
I think that too often these these spacesare siloed and it feels combative, and I
don't feel that it needs to be that way.
I feel like everybody is doing theirbest to try to serve our community.
And I want to potentially bringin a new way of us to connect
(37:16):
and solve problems together.
How important are road closures andpedestrian activations to reducing traffic
violence and the harm that's been comingto pedestrians and people on bikes?
I think it's really importantfor road closures to ensure the
(37:37):
safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
Do you support weakening Seattle EthicsCode for city councilmembers on conflict
of interest and recusals due to conflict?
No, I do not support that.
And I can't even believe that it'sa subject that we're speaking about.
What changes would you support to theEthics Code to improve transparency?
(38:04):
I wouldn't make any changes to it.
To improve transparency - I mean, Ithink we need to disclose anything
that we could personally, orpeople that we are connected to,
could personally benefit from.
What needs to be shared there - arebusiness holdings, our investments,
(38:27):
other people's businessholdings, investment.
How do you plan to mitigate attacks oncivil rights, particularly those targeting
our trans community and immigrants?
When
Donald Trump was elected intooffice, we - I always look at the
(38:50):
intersection of how we can support.
And so Seattle Restaurants Unitedrecognized that him being in
office - that our undocumentedworkers may come under attack.
So immediately we started gatheringresources to help folks understand what
their rights were as business owners,and what their rights were as workers.
And what those rights were as, andhow we can - what they needed to
(39:12):
share, where they could gather.
We put together a toolkit to helppeople understand like different
processes - like, where they can - ICEcan enter and where they cannot.
It's just kind of smallmovements of working together as
community can have large impact.
I think that those are the placesthat we need to be right now.
What's your view on the recentenforcement actions from the Seattle
(39:35):
Police Department that we saw at DennyBlaine Park targeting people who are
nude - that's been a longstandingnude beach - with the trespassing of
a trans person who was at the beach?
I think it's awful.
They clearly were targeted.
And
(39:57):
I don't know if everybody is awareof this, but it is completely
legal to be nude in Seattle aslong as there is no lewd conduct.
I personally have been goingto Denny Blaine for years.
I have never witnessed anysort of public masturbation,
as the neighbors are claiming.
We recognize that last year theytried to instill a playground there
(40:17):
so that nude folks couldn't bewithin certain feet of a playground.
And this recent movement for police tobe involved in this, I think, is a waste
of the city's resources, quite frankly.
So we asked each candidate to submitquestions for other candidates, and
(40:41):
some candidates submitted questionsthat they wanted to ask you.
The first one is - one that wepartially covered - What's your
opinion about potential changes tothe city's ethics rules for elected
officials, as reported in the media?
And what potential conflicts do youhave that voters should be aware of?
I don't think I have anyconflicts because I don't have
(41:04):
any personal business ventures.
I will say that I live in co-housing.
I live in an intentional living community.
We have a very unique building
system where we have 10 unitsand shared kitchens and suites.
(41:25):
And so I hope that doesn't disqualify me,or have me have to recuse myself, from
anything on housing - because of that.
But I don't think that it would.
But again, I would trust the EthicsBoard to let me know if I needed to.
And I'd still make my voice heardto make sure that my colleagues
(41:46):
understood where I stood on position.
Another candidate asks, they say - Youregistered to vote in District
2 on April 22nd of this year.
What makes you qualifiedto represent the district?
I lived in Seattle since 1999.
I lived in Beacon Hill formany years prior to purchasing
(42:06):
my home here this year.
I
- yeah, I don't, I don't feel likejust because I just recently
re-moved into Beacon Hilldisqualifies me for representing D2.
Well, that's all the questionsthat we have that weren't covered,
so that was pretty simple.
(42:27):
Moving back to our regular Hacks & Wonksquestions - What about your particular
experience in community do you feelqualifies you for representing the
residents in the city on the Council?
I have been working in the serviceindustry since 1999 in Seattle.
(42:52):
And when you are a waitress ora manager, you talk to a lot of
people - and they are not afraidto share their opinions with you.
And I engage with community.
I am the person - I don'tbelieve in the Seattle freeze.
I say hello to people on the street - itmakes them uncomfortable, but I do it.
(43:14):
I chat people up at grocery stores.
And what I see the city wanting andneeding is connection and belief in
someone that is going to have thecourage to do what they vote for.
And what I'm hearing out in thesestreets is that they want affordable
housing - not just for low-incomefolks, for medium-income folks.
(43:39):
They want to be able to pay 30% of theirincome to housing so that they can thrive
in other areas, that they can rest, thatthey can create art, that they can raise
their families, that they can enjoy theparks, that they can be civically engaged.
(44:00):
I hear from people that they wantto care for our homeless community.
Let's not get it twisted - theyare a part of our community
and we need to care for them.
And I hear people saying thatwe want to get them the right
resources that they need.
(44:20):
Yeah, I'm here to speak forpeople that aren't being heard.
I'm here to speak for people that arefighting - not just for themselves,
but for the liberation of everyone.
And I think that people areready for a candidate in D2 that
(44:43):
believes what they believe andisn't afraid to say Free Palestine.
So as we come to the close of thisinterview, there are a lot of people
trying to figure out what the differenceis between the different candidates that
are running for District 2, and why theyshould vote for any one of you guys.
(45:03):
So what is the difference betweenyou and the other candidates, and
why should people vote for you?
I don't know the other candidates.
I don't know what separatesus from any of us, honestly.
(45:23):
I just know myself.
And what I want to tell D2 and the restof the city is that I have a proven
track record for fighting for people.
I have a proven track record for standingup and advocating for folks and coming up
with reasonable policy to support folks.
(45:44):
I have a proven track record of
showing up when it's needed.
Does that make me stand out from others?
I don't know.
I'm sure that other people intheir communities have also
thought that they've shown up.
And I trust the people of D2 tobe engaged, and listen, and make
(46:12):
the right choice that's for them.
For me, being able to use thisplatform to connect with community
and to amplify the good work that'shappening in community and be a part
of this space - I've already won.
I've already won.
(46:33):
Well, thank you so much for joining ustoday - for sharing who you are, being
accountable to the residents of District2 in the city, and giving everyone
a chance to get to know you better.
Thank you so much for joining us, Jeanie.
Thank you so much for having me.
Thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks,which is produced by Shannon Cheng.
You can follow Hacks & Wonkson Bluesky @HacksAndWonks.
(46:55):
You can find me on Bluesky at@finchfrii - that's F-I-N-C-H-F-R-I-I.
You can catch Hacks & Wonks on everypodcast service and app - just type
"Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar.
Be sure to subscribe to get the fullversions of our Friday week-in-review
shows and our Tuesday topical showdelivered to your podcast feed.
If you like us, leave areview wherever you listen.
(47:17):
You can also get a full transcriptof this episode and links to the
resources referenced in the showat officialhacksandwonks.com.
Thanks for tuningin - talk to you next time.
Welcome to Hacks & Wonks.
I’m your host, Crystal Fincher.
On this show we talk with policy wonksand political hacks to gather insight
into local politics and policy inWashington state through the lens of those
doing the work, with behind-the-scenesperspectives on what’s happening, why it’s
happening, and what you can do about it.
Seattle City Councilmembers make decisionsthat impact nearly every part of daily
(00:37):
life - from housing and public safety,to transportation, parks, utilities,
and how the city spends its money.
They pass laws, set the city budget,and oversee city departments.
They also help shape long-term plansfor growth, negotiate labor contracts,
and hold city agencies accountable.
In short, if you care about housingcosts, changes in your neighborhood,
(01:00):
how public safety is handled, or howeasy it is to get around Seattle - you
should care who's on City Council.
District 2 includes Beacon Hill, Brighton,the Chinatown International District
or CID, Columbia City, Dunlap, Genesee,Hillman City, Lakewood and Seward Park,
Little Saigon, Mount Baker, New Holly,North Beacon Hill, Othello, Rainier
(01:21):
Beach, Rainier View, Rainier Vista,South Beacon Hill, and Yesler Terrace.
The outcome of this race willhelp shape the future of not just
District 2, but of the entire city.
So we're talking to candidates tolearn where they stand, what they've
done, and who they are - not justas policymakers, but as people.
Today, we're pleased to welcomeJeanie Chunn - welcome to the show!
(01:45):
Hi, thanks so much for having me, Crystal.
Excited to have you today.
So now it's time for the lightninground, where we ask quick
questions and get fast answers.
We'll ask you where you stand on somekey decisions, local policies, and a
few personal and fun questions - justto get a better sense of who you are.
So most of these answers will justbe a quick yes or no, or a few words.
(02:09):
If you don't know yes or no, ifit's somewhere in the middle, we'll
just call it a waffle and you canaddress it later on if you feel like
it - but we're ready to get started.
So starting off, do youown or rent your residence?
Own.
Are you a landlord?
No.
Have you ever been a member of a union?
(02:31):
No.
Have you ever walked on a picket line?
What - is "walked on a picket line"mean support the people that are
picketing, or does that mean crossing- like that's crossing the picket line?
Like, walked alongside in support.
Walked alongside in support - yes.
Have you ever crossed a picket line?
(02:53):
No, I have not.
Is your campaign staff unionized?
I only have a consultant right now.
Okay.
So if you do get staff-
Yeah.
Okay, gotcha.
I would encourage my staff tounionize if - once I have staff.
Awesome.
That was my next question.
(03:13):
If they wanted to unionizeonce you got them, will you
voluntarily recognize their effort?
Yes, absolutely.
Which political partydo you identify with?
Democrat.
Have you used the Seattle PublicLibrary system in the past month?
Not in the past month, but weliterally walked past the Beacon
Hill Library and my partner was like,We should go in there - last week.
(03:38):
Have you been to a Seattle City Councilmeeting in person in the past year?
Not in the past year.
Have you or someone in your householdever relied on public assistance?
AppleCare?
Do you count AppleCare public assistance?
Yes.
(03:58):
Then, yes, I have.
Myself and my daughter.
Have you ever been stopped orquestioned by police in Seattle?
No.
Have you ever worked in retail or ajob where you had to rely on tips?
Yes.
Have you ever owned a business?
No.
Have you ever managed ateam of 10 or more people?
(04:20):
Yes.
100 or more?
Technically, yes.
Have you ever reported someone'smisconduct in your workplace?
Reported someone's misconduct?
I've addressed someone'smisconduct in the workplace - yes.
(04:42):
Have you ever fired someone?
Yes, unfortunately.
What's your favorite park in District 2?
That's a hard question.
I'll say Jefferson - feels like a littlebit like a cop-out, but it's really great.
(05:05):
And the Beacon Hill Forest is right there.
What's your favorite restaurant in D2?
Oh, no.
You can't ask me that question.
I can, and I did.
I plead the Fifth.
I can't pick one - that's not possible.
It's impossible.
Okay, we'll call it a waffle.
What's the last liveperformance you saw in D2?
(05:38):
I was just at the Clock-Out Lounge.
And I can't remember - GravyEldridge - but the opening band,
which I can't remember theirnames right now, were so good.
Cumbie-
Cumbie-something - they were amazing.
But Clock-Out Lounge, not that long ago.
What's your favorite song?
(06:11):
I'll just say the first one thatcame to mind, because it's a
hard question, but I Am Light byIndia.Arie first popped into my mind.
So I'll go there.
What about your favorite album?
Do
you know Alice Coltrane?
She's married to John Coltrane - it'sa beautiful album called Journey
(06:31):
Into Satchidananda - that I love.
It's amazing.
What's the last song that you listened to?
I was just listening to Hermanos Gutiérrezthis morning, so I guess I'll say them.
I don't remember what song it was, though.
What's the most recent book you read?
(06:57):
I just read Colored Television.
Is that the most recentbook I've read, though?
That's the most recent book I've finished.
I have a terrible knack of, like,picking up a book and reading it
and then setting it down, so - thatone I read in like three days, too.
So it's amazing.
Gotcha.
Highly recommend.
What's the last sports eventyou attended in Seattle?
(07:23):
My friend's kid's softball game count?
Yep, it does.
That's what we're going to say.
What's your favorite cafe orcoffee house in District 2?
I love The Station - I wasjust there the other day.
Both of them, but I was at theColumbia City one trying to hear
(07:44):
- South Seattle Emerald wasdoing a conversation, like
conversations, and I just missed it.
Okay, now we're going to jamthrough the rest of these - we've
got to keep it super short.
Sorry, sorry, sorry - shorter, shorter.
Okay, have you evercontested a traffic ticket?
Yes.
Have you ever served on a jury?
No.
Have you ever been arrested?
(08:06):
No.
Have you taken transit in the past month?
Yes.
In the past week?
Yes.
Have you ridden a bike in the past month?
No.
Do you agree with the City Council'sdecision to rezone parts of SODO
and to allow residential housing?
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to delay adoption of
(08:28):
the Comprehensive Plan past 2024?
No.
Do you agree with the Council's decisionto put Proposition 1 B alongside 1A
for social housing on the ballot?
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to divert JumpStart
revenue from its original purposeto address the budget deficit?
(08:48):
No.
Do you agree with the City Council'sdecision to allow SPD to implement
expanded surveillance technologies?
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to allow SPD to use tear
gas and blast balls for crowdcontrol in certain circumstances?
No.
Do you agree with the Council's decisionto reinstate SOAP and SODA laws?
(09:09):
No.
Do you agree with the Council'sdecision to make street racing and
attending a street race a crime?
I'm not familiar with that, but I wouldsay I don't think it should be a crime.
Do you agree with the City Council'sdecision to use the SCORE Jail - to
contract with the SCORE Jail in Des Moines- to detain people arrested in Seattle?
(09:32):
No.
Was it worth lowering or modifyingstandards to recruit new officers?
No.
Was the money spent on hiring andincentivizing new officers worth it?
No.
Does SPD have a problemwith how it treats women?
Yes.
With how it treats Black and Brown people?
(09:53):
Yes.
Would you have voted to ratifythe most recent SPOG contract?
I didn't read that contract, I'm sorry.
Will you vote for a SPOG contractthat lacks meaningful accountability
provisions like civilianoversight with subpoena power?
I would not approve that.
(10:13):
Should the scope of the CAREDepartment be included in or
limited by the SPOG contract?
No.
Do you think facial recognitionshould be banned in city use?
Yes.
Did Seattle ever "defund the police"?
No.
Should we have a design review board?
(10:36):
Yes.
Should public comment time be allowedto be limited without prior notice?
No.
Do you support theFerdinand Festival Street?
I'm not familiar with theFerdinand Festival Street.
Do you agree with the city policyof closing Lake Washington Boulevard
(10:58):
to cars and only allowing bike andpedestrian access for 10 weekends
during the spring and summer?
Yes.
Do you support expanded weekendclosures of Lake Washington Boulevard?
I would need to talk to theneighbors to understand the impact.
Do you plan to increase funding forinvestigations of labor violations like
wage theft and illegal union busting?
(11:19):
Absolutely.
Do large corporations in Seattlepay their fair share of taxes?
Absolutely not.
Do small businesses paytheir fair share of taxes?
Yes.
Do you support the rent stabilizationbill that passed in the most
recent legislative session?
I'm not exactly sure what was inthat bill, but I appreciate - I
(11:40):
support rent stabilization.
What's your go-to karaoke song?
What's Going On by 4 Non Blondes.
What's your favorite TV show to binge?
Great British Bake-off.
What's the first concertyou ever attended?
(12:01):
Michael Jackson ThrillerTour - the Jackson Reunion Tour.
I know - I'm old.
I was young, too.
I was young, too.
I'm probably older.
What's your favoriteSeattle sports moment?
Oh, when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.
It was incredible - out in the streets.
(12:24):
What's your favorite comfort food?
Food, food questionsare - dumplings, dumplings.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early bird.
What's a hobby peoplewouldn't expect you to have?
(12:55):
... Or what's any hobby?
I don't know.
Collaging?
I've done that before.
I don't know - making paper flowers?
I don't know.
What's your favoriteneighborhood in District 2?
Like picking your favorite child.
(13:17):
I'll just say the CID.
Who's a Seattle-basedartist or musician you love?
Mmm, so many.
Seattle-based musician orartist - so there's so many.
(13:37):
So many.
I'm
stuck.
I'm stuck.
I'm sorry.
I can't think - there'stoo many people coming.
dani tirrell.
I'll start - I'll just say dani tirrell.
To say someone, so I didn't waffle.
What's a book you wish more people read?
(13:58):
Undrowned by Alexis Pauline Gumbs.
What's your favorite rainy day activity?
Walking in the rain.
What's your favorite SoundTransit station name?
(14:19):
Symphony?
Have you voted in every generalelection in the past four years?
Yes.
Have you voted in every primaryelection in the past four years?
I think so.
Have you made any politicalendorsements that you regret?
No.
Have you made any politicaldonations that you regret?
(14:41):
No.
In 2021, did you vote for Bruce Harrellor Lorena González for Seattle Mayor?
González.
And I endorsed her.
In 2021, did you vote for Ann Davison orNicole Thomas Kennedy for City Attorney?
NTK.
In 2021, did you vote for Sara Nelsonor Nikkita Oliver for City Council?
Nikkita.
(15:02):
In 2022, did you vote for Leesa Manion orJim Ferrell for King County Prosecutor?
I don't, I don't know.
In 2023, did you vote forTammy Morales or Tanya Woo?
Tammy.
In 2024, did you vote for AlexisMercedes Rinck or Tanya Woo?
Alexis.
(15:23):
In 2024, did you vote for Nick Brown orPete Serrano for state Attorney General?
I don't remember.
I don't remember that race, sorry.
Did you vote for Bob Fergusonor Dave Reichert for Governor?
Ferguson.
Did you vote for Donald Trumpor Kamala Harris for President?
(15:52):
Harris.
Did you vote to approve theAutomated Fingerprint Identification
System Levy on the April ballot?
No.
This year, on Seattle's social housingInitiative ballot in February, did you
vote for option 1A, 1B, or neither?
1A.
Will you be voting for ClaudiaBalducci, John Wilson, or Girmay
(16:14):
Zahilay for County Executive?
Girmay Zahilay.
Will you be voting to reauthorizethe Democracy Voucher program
in the August election?
Yes.
Will you be voting to pass the Families,Education, Preschool and Promise Levy
renewal in the November election?
I need to read through itagain, but my assumption is yes.
(16:35):
Okay, that concludes the lightning round.
So now we're going to shift intothe heart of the conversation
with open-ended questions.
Starting off with - Why are you runningfor City Council in D2 right now?
Yeah, I've lived in Seattlefor - since summer solstice of 1999.
And I love Seattle.
(16:58):
It's helped me raise my daughter - Iworked in restaurants and was
a single mom going to school.
And I was able to do all ofthat - living in Seattle.
And that's just not a realityfor most people now - and
that's heartbreaking to me.
And when I look at the state of affairs,I just feel that we need a champion that
(17:24):
understands how hard it is for folksto make ends meet, how working-class
people can't afford to live in thecity and thrive and have leisure time.
And I just feel that - if not now, when?
I'm worried about the state of thefederal government and the protection
(17:48):
of our non-binary and trans peopleto receive gender-affirming care,
reproductive rights for women.
And
yeah, I want to lean in and participateinstead of watching from the sidelines.
(18:09):
In recent campaigns, there's beena lot of talk about the importance
of representation in District 2.
What does representing thepeople of District 2 mean to you?
And why do you think you're the rightperson to represent them right now?
When I grew up, myparents were immigrants.
New Holly - I look at that district,that area, that neighborhood,
(18:32):
the challenges that people have.
And I just reflect back on - whoI am, the people that I know,
the experiences that they've had.
We're not a monolith, you know, and Ithink that I'm a person that goes out
into community and connects with folks.
(18:52):
So while I have my experiences,I need to affirm that with the
people that are in community.
So
I want to represent them in away that feels correct to them.
I don't want to put my assumptions on themjust because I've had my own experiences.
And
I hope that that serves themwell - to have their voices heard.
(19:15):
Seattle is facing a $244 million budgetshortfall, and recent fixes in the most
recent budget have been one-time measures,like diverting JumpStart funds - without
addressing the structural problem.
So we have a deficit again this year.
What specific long-term solutionswould you support: new progressive
(19:36):
revenue, permanent cuts, orboth - and where, specifically?
I think we definitely need to lookat options for new progressive
revenue - capital gains tax.
And I think that we need to look atreallocating money from the SPD budget to
(19:58):
social services and towards our CARE team.
We want the budget to reflectwhat the voters want in our city.
And I think that it's been clearthat Seattleites are in favor
of progressive revenue and forinvestments in behavioral health.
(20:20):
So, ahead of past major events like theMajor League Baseball All Star game a
few years ago, the city increased policepresence and encampment sweeps, saying it
would create a more welcoming environment.
But in places like the CID, thatapproach backfired - people stayed
away, businesses suffered, and thepromised benefits didn't materialize.
(20:40):
Experts say truly welcoming citiesprioritize basics like bathrooms, seating,
transit, and activating public spaces.
With the World Cup coming, do yousupport the approach that we used before?
Or what should the city do instead toensure District 2 actually benefits
from the World Cup coming to Seattle?
Yeah, I don't think that thatworked before in the past.
(21:04):
I work with a business owner in
Pioneer Square who intentionally rushedto open their restaurant to hopefully
capture some of that All Star energy.
And that didn't come, happen- that business didn't show up
for all of Pioneer Square andChinatown International District.
(21:26):
I think there are ways to activatethe community, to draw community in.
We actually are working on puttingtogether a series of concerts
during Club World Cup to get soccerfans and international visitors
and just music lovers down to thearea - to create a vibrant energy.
And hopefully that energy - they'llsee how safe it is in Pioneer
(21:48):
Square and Central and ChinatownInternational District.
They'll be able to wander around andsee shops - maybe they'll visit them
in that moment, or maybe they'llcome back and see them later.
I think that's the type ofinvestment - that kind of long-term
thinking of activating ourcity - while we have that density
of folks there is really important.
What can be done to help smallbusinesses in Seattle and in District 2?
(22:12):
Oh.
So many things.
You know, I started a restaurant coalitionin 2020 called Seattle Restaurants
United, where we advocated for localrestaurants in Seattle and Washington
at large - and also on a national level.
We were helpful and pivotal, Ifeel, in getting $28.6 billion to
(22:36):
independent restaurants nationwide,with the prioritization of historically
marginalized business owners.
And there are small things that we cando and large things that we can do.
And I think the important thingabout Seattle Restaurants United
is that our restaurant ownersare very progressively minded.
(22:56):
When we first gathered, I said to them- What are the things that would be super
helpful for you as business owners?
And, you know, a bunch of ideas cameup and some people said - Like, you
know, well, they could not tax us.
We know we we wouldn't have to givethem our sales tax or some sort of,
you know, kind of conversations aroundthat - and many business owners stopped
(23:16):
the conversation and said those taxdollars go to important social services.
And we don't want to be not contributingto our local economy in that way - into
supporting the people that are here.
And that includes their business- their their workers, too.
They want workers that are ableto be able to afford to live
(23:37):
near where their restaurants are.
So supporting businesses doesn'talways look like providing grants
to the small business owner.
It could also be providing affordablehousing and supportive transit
systems - and infrastructure likethat that's really helpful for
their employees - could be providingsome sort of healthcare benefits.
(23:58):
So these are costs that the restaurantusually takes on themselves, which
may be for the rep- to support theirrestaurant workers, but maybe that
could be offset in some sort of way.
If we can support the workers,we're then in turn supporting
the business owners as well.
What are the top safetyconcerns in District 2, and
how would you address them?
(24:18):
Yeah, you know, District 2has a lot of gun violence.
And recently, the City Auditorhas a report - which I'm sure
everyone on this, that's listeningto this show is well aware of.
Myself being new to this type ofpolicy - I was reading through it
(24:39):
and inspired and really hopefulabout the approaches and the results
in this, you know, evidence-basedapproaches that Milwaukee and Baltimore
have implemented in their city.
And I feel like we don'tneed to reinvent the wheel.
We just need someone with thecourage to demand that these
(25:00):
approaches are implemented and thatwe hold SPD accountable to them.
What elements of thatapproach stuck out to you?
Yeah, well - I mean, all of it,But I think the one that was most
important to me was problem-orientedpolicing - where instead of just
solely focusing on enforcementaction, we're gathering together,
(25:23):
collaborating, engaging community toreally address the causes of the crime.
And then therefore being ableto improve long-term safety.
The Council has signaled that they wantto weaken the existing surveillance
ordinance, which aims to ensure thatthe public has the opportunity to
weigh the costs and benefits of newsurveillance technology before the city
(25:44):
obtains it - particularly because of thedisproportionate harms that marginalized
communities have experienced from it.
And because of the current concernsabout data being collected about people's
habits, movements, political and religiousactivities, sexual orientations and
gender identities being weaponizedby the federal and local government
(26:04):
under these current administrations.
Do you support any weakeningof the current ordinance?
And when do you thinksurveillance is appropriate?
I don't know that I ever feel likesurveilling citizens is appropriate.
I feel undereducated on the currentsystem that's in place, but I am
(26:26):
supportive of anything that involvescommunity voice and oversight.
So I don't think weakeningcommunity oversight strengthens
us in any capacity ever.
And my guess is specificallyin this surveillance as well.
Is the current Council approach ofshifting funding from prevention
(26:49):
to punishment working to addressthe safety concerns in District 2?
If not, what would you do differently?
I don't believe that punishment in thecarceral system benefits anyone - period.
I think that prevention and gettingto the root causes of things
- intervention, diversion, able tosupport people when they're on the
(27:09):
brink of something - is where we canbe investing funds and resources.
I think it's, you know, that'swhat I have to say about that.
Despite a record high number of encampmentsweeps involving police, homelessness is
up 25% over the last two years, with manypeople in District 2 lacking access to
(27:32):
shelter, services, and affordable housing.
There's also a shortage of sheltercapacity - there are nearly twice as many
people needing shelter as there are beds.
What isn't working, and whatwould you do to actually reduce
homelessness in District 2?
Well, the one thing I can tell you isthat sweeps obviously aren't working.
(27:52):
No, we've seen in
2024 over 2,500 sweeps of encampments,tents, and vehicles - and 80% of
those were done with little orno prior notice to these folks.
And what does that do?
That doesn't do anything except formove the problem around our city.
And I hesitate to even usethe word "problem" like this
(28:13):
is - these are human beings.
These are their homes.
Inside of those homes, theyhave their identification.
If that's taken away from them, howare they supposed to be able to receive
the support services that they need?
We need to be focusing on reachingout to these folks, being able to
make sure that they have access totheir care, to their case managers.
(28:34):
We need to be workingclosely with King County.
We need to be working withcommunity-based organizations to provide
the services that the people need.
We need to bring the right resourcesto the right situation - and
sweeping them is not the solution.
And we need to findindividual care and attention
for these folks.
(28:56):
The City Council has signaled awillingness to weaken some renter
protections, including just causeeviction rules, some rent increase
notice periods, and other elements.
Do you support any rollbacks of renterprotections, and what protections will
you defend or expand if you're elected?
I don't think we should ever rollbackany sort of renter protections.
(29:23):
I was talking to someone that works inhousing about evictions and I really
appreciated her approach in that she'stalking about - there were this like,
there's people that just become alarmist.
There's like one situation happensand then that becomes this like
clickbait, and then people justuse that as an opportunity to to
(29:45):
say - See, this is what happens.
This is why we need to - we can'thave evictions, we need to be able
to evict people and notice thatthese people are public harm, is
harm to public safety, right?
And so they were giving anexample of a man running down the
hall, like yielding a machete.
And so she said - You knowwhat, let's have a very specific
(30:06):
and nuanced approach to that.
If there's a situation wherethere's a public safety issue,
we will move you to the beginningof the eviction court process.
Right?
So that they don't have to wait for amonth or however long to evict these
folks that may be potentially endangeringother people that live in that residence.
(30:27):
She said since that's beenimplemented, it's been used six
times in the last two years.
That's the type of solutions that we'retalking about - we can't just throw
the baby out with the bathwater becausethere's like some alarmist cause.
Like, we just need to bemindful of what is happening
and address that in the moment.
What's your opinion of the current draftof the Comprehensive Plan, and what
(30:48):
potential changes would you prioritize?
I need to spend more timewith the Comprehensive Plan.
What I do support isurban density, upzoning.
I want to be mindful that there areconcerns that a lot of the building
is happening in District 2, so weneed to be mindful of predatorial
behavior that may be happening.
(31:12):
I want to make sure that there's space for
anti-displacement funds andright-to-return policies in place.
(31:36):
And I'm looking forward to meetingwith community - I have a conversation
lined up with some folks in RainierBeach who have laid out a really
beautiful neighborhood plan.
And I really want to hear from themof what in their plan has happened and
what in their plan hasn't happened - andwhat I can do to help support that
as we're looking at the ComprehensivePlan in general for the city.
(32:00):
How will you ensure that the socialhousing developer succeeds and that it
complements existing affordable housingprograms and policies in Seattle?
Well, first of all, we makesure that we stand by and make
sure that it's well funded.
And make sure that the resources that thevoters voted for in Prop 1A are all used
(32:23):
to build that Social Housing Developer.
Again, I think it's reallyworking within community.
These
aren't new solutions to old problems- these are just solutions that need to
be implemented and working with theexperts that have that understanding.
I was supposed to be on a callearlier today where House Our
(32:44):
Neighbors was reporting back on howit's been successful in Singapore.
So what are we learning fromother cities, and what can we be
implementing here to ensure that thatis executed well and implemented well?
Life expectancy in parts of District2, like Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley,
is up to 10 years shorter than inother wealthier Seattle neighborhoods
(33:06):
- largely due to air pollution, highwayproximity, and historic disinvestment.
What would you do to address these healthdisparities and environmental injustices?
I'm not sure how to answer thequestion, because I'm not sure
what - I'm a very pragmatic person,
and our homes are in these areas.
(33:32):
And I can't think of something that couldhappen overnight or long-term, that...
that can help extend a person'slife if we're experiencing
these polluted spacesthat we're living in.
(33:52):
Air filtration, perhaps?
Air filtration.
I think I really need to
learn more about this issueand what options are available.
(34:13):
How do you balance recent and planneddevelopment along major transit
transportation corridors with theneed to mitigate air pollution that's
most prevalent along those corridors?
We know that the air on those corridorsis unhealthy and contributing to
chronic disease and shorter lifespans.
(34:34):
And we're actively building on thosecorridors and we'll be building more.
So how do you balancethat - as you think about that?
And how do you mitigate that?
I don't have the answer for that.
What are your priorities fortraffic safety in the district?
(35:02):
I think that a lot of these questionsfor me - I understand that I'm,
I feel like I'm falling short.
And I want to be clear to yourviewership - so let them know that I'm
not afraid to say that I don't know.
I can't have all of the answers, nordoes anyone else have all the answers.
And I would tell you - do not trustanyone that thinks that they have all
(35:25):
of the answers because they don't.
So I'm here, I'm willing to listen.
I'm open-hearted and want to learnfrom all of you that are the experts,
that have the science-based research,that have the evidence-based
solutions to our city's problems.
Do you have any ideas on whatspecifically could be done to make it
(35:49):
safer to walk and bike in the district?
Absolutely.
How about some sidewalks in D2?
I'd like that.
I feel like there's just notquite enough of them, are there?
Crosswalks, bike lanes - all of that.
(36:09):
I feel like we can pedestrianizecertain areas of our, of our city.
I think it would be saferfor us to gather and connect.
How would you work with the multiplerelevant agencies - like the Seattle
Department of Transportation, SoundTransit, King County Metro - to
improve accountability forreducing injuries and deaths from
(36:32):
traffic violence on the streets?
I think I would approach it as Ialways do - and in a restorative
circle - connecting with folks.
And maybe that feels like a strange wayto bring into city politics as usual,
(36:55):
but that hasn't worked for us, you know.
I think that too often these these spacesare siloed and it feels combative, and I
don't feel that it needs to be that way.
I feel like everybody is doing theirbest to try to serve our community.
And I want to potentially bringin a new way of us to connect
(37:16):
and solve problems together.
How important are road closures andpedestrian activations to reducing traffic
violence and the harm that's been comingto pedestrians and people on bikes?
I think it's really importantfor road closures to ensure the
(37:37):
safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
Do you support weakening Seattle EthicsCode for city councilmembers on conflict
of interest and recusals due to conflict?
No, I do not support that.
And I can't even believe that it'sa subject that we're speaking about.
What changes would you support to theEthics Code to improve transparency?
(38:04):
I wouldn't make any changes to it.
To improve transparency - I mean, Ithink we need to disclose anything
that we could personally, orpeople that we are connected to,
could personally benefit from.
What needs to be shared there - arebusiness holdings, our investments,
(38:27):
other people's businessholdings, investment.
How do you plan to mitigate attacks oncivil rights, particularly those targeting
our trans community and immigrants?
When
Donald Trump was elected intooffice, we - I always look at the
(38:50):
intersection of how we can support.
And so Seattle Restaurants Unitedrecognized that him being in
office - that our undocumentedworkers may come under attack.
So immediately we started gatheringresources to help folks understand what
their rights were as business owners,and what their rights were as workers.
And what those rights were as, andhow we can - what they needed to
(39:12):
share, where they could gather.
We put together a toolkit to helppeople understand like different
processes - like, where they can - ICEcan enter and where they cannot.
It's just kind of smallmovements of working together as
community can have large impact.
I think that those are the placesthat we need to be right now.
What's your view on the recentenforcement actions from the Seattle
(39:35):
Police Department that we saw at DennyBlaine Park targeting people who are
nude - that's been a longstandingnude beach - with the trespassing of
a trans person who was at the beach?
I think it's awful.
They clearly were targeted.
And
(39:57):
I don't know if everybody is awareof this, but it is completely
legal to be nude in Seattle aslong as there is no lewd conduct.
I personally have been goingto Denny Blaine for years.
I have never witnessed anysort of public masturbation,
as the neighbors are claiming.
We recognize that last year theytried to instill a playground there
(40:17):
so that nude folks couldn't bewithin certain feet of a playground.
And this recent movement for police tobe involved in this, I think, is a waste
of the city's resources, quite frankly.
So we asked each candidate to submitquestions for other candidates, and
(40:41):
some candidates submitted questionsthat they wanted to ask you.
The first one is - one that wepartially covered - What's your
opinion about potential changes tothe city's ethics rules for elected
officials, as reported in the media?
And what potential conflicts do youhave that voters should be aware of?
I don't think I have anyconflicts because I don't have
(41:04):
any personal business ventures.
I will say that I live in co-housing.
I live in an intentional living community.
We have a very unique building
system where we have 10 unitsand shared kitchens and suites.
(41:25):
And so I hope that doesn't disqualify me,or have me have to recuse myself, from
anything on housing - because of that.
But I don't think that it would.
But again, I would trust the EthicsBoard to let me know if I needed to.
And I'd still make my voice heardto make sure that my colleagues
(41:46):
understood where I stood on position.
Another candidate asks, they say - Youregistered to vote in District
2 on April 22nd of this year.
What makes you qualifiedto represent the district?
I lived in Seattle since 1999.
I lived in Beacon Hill formany years prior to purchasing
(42:06):
my home here this year.
I
- yeah, I don't, I don't feel likejust because I just recently
re-moved into Beacon Hilldisqualifies me for representing D2.
Well, that's all the questionsthat we have that weren't covered,
so that was pretty simple.
(42:27):
Moving back to our regular Hacks & Wonksquestions - What about your particular
experience in community do you feelqualifies you for representing the
residents in the city on the Council?
I have been working in the serviceindustry since 1999 in Seattle.
(42:52):
And when you are a waitress ora manager, you talk to a lot of
people - and they are not afraidto share their opinions with you.
And I engage with community.
I am the person - I don'tbelieve in the Seattle freeze.
I say hello to people on the street - itmakes them uncomfortable, but I do it.
(43:14):
I chat people up at grocery stores.
And what I see the city wanting andneeding is connection and belief in
someone that is going to have thecourage to do what they vote for.
And what I'm hearing out in thesestreets is that they want affordable
housing - not just for low-incomefolks, for medium-income folks.
(43:39):
They want to be able to pay 30% of theirincome to housing so that they can thrive
in other areas, that they can rest, thatthey can create art, that they can raise
their families, that they can enjoy theparks, that they can be civically engaged.
(44:00):
I hear from people that they wantto care for our homeless community.
Let's not get it twisted - theyare a part of our community
and we need to care for them.
And I hear people saying thatwe want to get them the right
resources that they need.
(44:20):
Yeah, I'm here to speak forpeople that aren't being heard.
I'm here to speak for people that arefighting - not just for themselves,
but for the liberation of everyone.
And I think that people areready for a candidate in D2 that
(44:43):
believes what they believe andisn't afraid to say Free Palestine.
So as we come to the close of thisinterview, there are a lot of people
trying to figure out what the differenceis between the different candidates that
are running for District 2, and why theyshould vote for any one of you guys.
(45:03):
So what is the difference betweenyou and the other candidates, and
why should people vote for you?
I don't know the other candidates.
I don't know what separatesus from any of us, honestly.
(45:23):
I just know myself.
And what I want to tell D2 and the restof the city is that I have a proven
track record for fighting for people.
I have a proven track record for standingup and advocating for folks and coming up
with reasonable policy to support folks.
(45:44):
I have a proven track record of
showing up when it's needed.
Does that make me stand out from others?
I don't know.
I'm sure that other people intheir communities have also
thought that they've shown up.
And I trust the people of D2 tobe engaged, and listen, and make
(46:12):
the right choice that's for them.
For me, being able to use thisplatform to connect with community
and to amplify the good work that'shappening in community and be a part
of this space - I've already won.
I've already won.
(46:33):
Well, thank you so much for joining ustoday - for sharing who you are, being
accountable to the residents of District2 in the city, and giving everyone
a chance to get to know you better.
Thank you so much for joining us, Jeanie.
Thank you so much for having me.
Thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks,which is produced by Shannon Cheng.
You can follow Hacks & Wonkson Bluesky @HacksAndWonks.
(46:55):
You can find me on Bluesky at@finchfrii - that's F-I-N-C-H-F-R-I-I.
You can catch Hacks & Wonks on everypodcast service and app - just type
"Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar.
Be sure to subscribe to get the fullversions of our Friday week-in-review
shows and our Tuesday topical showdelivered to your podcast feed.
If you like us, leave areview wherever you listen.
(47:17):
You can also get a full transcriptof this episode and links to the
resources referenced in the showat officialhacksandwonks.com.
Thanks for tuningin - talk to you next time.
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