Can socialists budget better?

This week on Sound Politics, can socialists budget… better? Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is saying yes -- and that she solved the city’s budget deficit. But her proposal to add cops, cut elsewhere, and not raise taxes on businesses or the wealthy, has some saying she’s budgeting the same as her pred…

Sound Politics LIVE

It's our fall fund drive; we hope you'll take a second to donate to show how much you love Sound Politics. This week, we answered your questions -- in front of you! -- at our first live taping of Sound Politics, hosted in partnership with Seattle CityClub. Initiatives, state Supreme Court races, …

Seattle’s mayor lives in a one-bedroom apartment. Can she help fellow renters afford to live here?

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has staked a lot of her political project on the fact that Seattle is majority renters: she’s trying to make life more affordable for them.  She’s promised to build a lot of housing over her term, and to set Seattle up for a better-housed future. We’re going to check in …

Voting fight update, school strike averted, Katie Wilson's pledge

This week on Sound Politics, we’re talking about breakdowns in communication.  First: a Seattle public school strike averted at the 11th-hour, and one very unconventional communication might’ve averted it.  Then, over at city hall, Mayor Katie Wilson is really trying to show us she is fixing comm…

When WA defunded Dolly Parton

Music legend Dolly Parton died this week, and her legacy can even be felt in Washington state, through a reading program she brought to all 39 counties. But then, the state defunded it. This week on Sound Politics... what does that say about our education funding at a time when kids are heading b…

Where food meets politics: We visit South Seattle's most iconic fish fry

How much sway does one South Seattle fish fry hold on local politics? We teamed up with KUOW's Seattle Eats podcast to find out. This episode originally ran last month in the Seattle Eats feed, and we have a piping hot update at the end that you'll want to stick around for.  Join Sound Politics o…

Wilson recall, shooting fallout, primary election updates: The biggest politics stories of the week

This week on Sound Politics... we’re having leftovers, tying up last week's primary elections before heading off to Seattle City Hall, where political pressure is building on the mayor and the police department.  Plus: Join Sound Politics on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30pm at The Collective Seat…

Primary election results 2026: Jimothy vs. your mom

If you want to help shape our coverage for the general election, fill out our survey. On this week's episode: early results are trickling in for the August primary. How did incumbents fare against a slew of challengers? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you…

Did Seattle's police chief just get fired? (UPDATE)

We now know that Seattle Police Department Chief Shon Barnes has resigned. It caps off a dramatic day at the city where it was unclear whether the Chief Barnes had a job. We're wading through it on this week's Sound Politics. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. I…

Hey, big spender! Former governors rip Dems in Olympia

Two former Democratic Governors of Washington -- Christine Gregoire and Gary Locke -- have concerns about how much Democrats in Olympia are spending and whether a huge new program like the "millionaires tax" will fix the state’s budget woes. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this …