Citizen Tacoma

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 of last year and he's running to keep his seat. Links Korey Strozier on Twitter Channel 253 membership

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 South Tacoma. Links Interview with Kristina Walker about policing in Tacoma Interview with Catherine Ushka about policing in Tacoma Interview with John Hines about policing in Tacoma "Transforming Tacoma into an anti-racist organization" 21st Century Policing recommendations Channel 253 membership

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 with Kristina Walker about policing in Tacoma Interview with Catherine Ushka about policing in Tacoma "Transforming Tacoma into an anti-racist organization" 21st Century Policing recommendations Channel 253 membership

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 Kristina Walker about policing in Tacoma "Transforming Tacoma into an anti-racist organization" 21st Century Policing recommendations Channel 253 membership

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 see happen in this area. Some council members are already booked (and any more council members are welcome to reach out!). Councilmember Kristina Walker, elected city-wide, is his first guest on the podcast to talk about her views on policing in Tacoma. Look for more episodes with Tacoma council members later this week. Links "Transforming Tacoma into an anti-racist organization" 21st Century Policing recommendations Channel 253 membership

Janice Bridges is running a write-in campaign for Pierce County Sheriff. What does it mean to launch a "write-in" campaign? Why this office? What does it mean to be an "anti-racist grandma?" Annie Jansen sits down with Janice Bridges to find out. Links Janice Bridges for Sheriff Channel 253 membership

Annie sits down with Beth Doglio, a candidate for the US House of Representatives in Washington's 10th congressional district. This seat covers parts of Tacoma and much of the South Sound. Links BethDoglio.com Channel 253 membership Off the Record with Producer Doug (new members-only podcast!)

Annie Jansen interviews Cyndie Fajardo, a candidate for Pierce County Sheriff. The County has had the same sheriff for nearly twenty years. Hear how Lieutenant Fajardo would handle the job if elected. Links Fajardo for Sheriff Channel 253 membership

Annie Jansen talks to Hunter George, the Mayor of Fircrest, about what's happening with Tacoma's closest neighbor, including an upcoming EMS levy. Links Channel 253 membership

Good news! Annie Jansen and Megan Holyoke are pinch hitting on Citizen Tacoma during this election season. For their first episode, they are joined by Auditor Julie Anderson, who talks about how the work of running elections has changed due to the coronavirus and the ways we can continue to make it easier to "vote from home." Remember to vote in the August 4 primary! Links Channel 253 membership

Whether you've shopped around for a therapist in a moment of crisis only to find that none in Tacoma are taking new clients, or have struggled to get a family member a bed in a behavioral health hospital, if you've bumped up against our mental health care system it's easy to feel like it's broken. We spoke to Hope Sparks president Joe LeRoy, Comprehensive Life Resources CEO Kim Zacher, and The News Tribune columnist Matt Driscoll about the challenges that plague this system, and a few efforts underway to make it easier to access for those in need of help. We could easily have made six episodes out of this topic, and maybe we will in the future: This is an important conversation. Links Pierce County HSRI Report - Revised 2018 Kids Mental Health Pierce County - Statement of Community Needs Tacoma Pierce County Health Department Health Equity Info & Social Determinants of Health WA State Behavioral Health Workforce Assessment Healthcare Workforce Development Recommendations Help Me Grow Pierce County Data Summary Report Kids' Mental Health Pierce County Elevate Health - Pierce County ACHHelp Me Grow Pierce County Beacon Health Options - Pierce County Crisis Info Comprehensive Life Resources HopeSparks Family Services He jumped in front of a train after being turned away by Tacoma's new psychiatric hospital

Here it is, our last candidate of 2019! This was a meaty interview, y'all. John O'Loughlin is running for At-Large Position 8 on the City Council, which is being vacated by Ryan Mello as he terms out. O'Loughlin spent 31 years working for the city of Tacoma in environmental services, and oversaw the cleanup of the Foss Waterway. He says that experience brings him a unique perspective on budget and environmental issues in the city. O'Loughlin hasn't run for office before and says he's not a politician. Here, he talks about his ideas on paying for affordable housing, environmental issues surrounding the Port, and his favorite movie, which is a question we probably should have been asking all the candidates because his answer was a deep cut. Links Elect John O'Loughlin website Public Disclosure Commission: O'Loughlin John F Two new faces will join Tacoma City Council. Will voters continue to move to the left? Channel 253 membership

Kristin Ang was pretty much a total political unknown when she decided on the Friday of filing week in 2017 that she was going to run for Port of Tacoma commission. She was and still is vocally opposed to the liquefied natural gas plant being built on the Tideflats, which immediately set her apart. That year, she came out of nowhere to win about 40 percent of the vote and cause a stir among environmentalists and progressives who wanted something different for the Port commission, which has historically dominated by older white people, mostly men. This year, Ang (who is a lawyer) has a bigger backing and a more established campaign. She was even endorsed by The News Tribune. We talked about her views on how the Port can be more innovative and more environmentally-friendly and what's been different about this election cycle. Links Public Disclosure Commission: Ang Kristin Kristin Ang for Port website Cash pours into Port of Tacoma campaigns amid concern over future direction of the port We endorse: Deanna Keller, Kristin Ang aren't alike (far from it), but both could help Port of Tacoma

It's almost time to vote! If you're a voter in Tacoma, you probably already have your ballot (they're due Nov. 5, btw). But before you fill it out, listen to our final three candidate episodes of the season! In episode 63, we talk to Enrique Leon, who was appointed to the board of Tacoma Public Schools in 2018 to replace Catherine Ushka when she was elected to the Tacoma City Council. Now battle-tested after living through the Tacoma teacher strike last year, Leon wants a chance to be chosen by voters to serve for a full term. Leon is a physician by day. We talked about the teacher strike, but also about some of the health-related initiatives and programs he's helped bring to Tacoma schools and how he wants to expand them further. We also talked about the many reasons why he thinks Tacoma school kids should have a later start time. Links Public Disclosure Commission: Leon Enrique Enrique Leon chosen as new school board member Could later start times become a reality at Tacoma schools? 'Sleepyheads' are working on it Elect Enrique Leon Facebook page Channel 253 membership

Lisa Keating was our first interview this year with a school board candidate this year (and our only one with someone with purple hair!). Keating, who founded and heads an organization that advocates for LGBT youth, is challenging the formidable 30-year incumbent Debbie Winskill for position 1 in November. Keating explains why she decided to run, and we talked at length about equity and inclusion in the school district and her work in Tacoma schools over the last decade. We also vented frustrations with some of the school board's actions during the strike last year, and she told us how they might have been handled differently. Check below for some original Channel 253 reporting by Sean Robinson on this high profile school board race. And become a member, everyone's doing it. Links One local school board race typifies generational shifts in Tacoma A first-time candidate is raising most money in Tacoma school board races. Does it matter? My Purple Umbrella Friends for Lisa Keating website Public Disclosure Commission: Keating Lisa J Channel 253 membership