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Urbanist Reporters Appear on Hacks and Wonks Podcast

Doug Trumm - April 20, 2025
Reporters Amy Sundberg and Ryan Packer were on the Hacks and Wonks podcast this week. (Sundberg, left, and Packer, right)

The Urbanist’s contributing editor Ryan Packer and reporter Amy Sundberg appeared on back-to-back episodes of the Hacks and Wonks podcast this week. Be sure to give it a listen for a riveting conversation tackling the biggest issues facing the region.

Hacks and Wonks host Crystal Fincher (who is a political consultant and also a board member at The Urbanist) has purchased KVRU 105.7 FM, along with former Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell. As they relaunch the station, they will be expanding programming beyond Hacks and Wonks. Another thing to watch!

Sundberg appeared on an April 16 episode focused on federal rights rollbacks and budget attacks. Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck joined for the episode as well, breaking down her committee’s work to fight Trump’s attacks on human rights, social services, and local budgets. Rinck pushed for the committee to be formed to grapple with the local impacts of federal chaos. Sundberg has been on the beat covering that committee’s work.

Packer appeared on this Friday’s week-in-review episode that touched on the state budget woes, both in the operating budget and the beleaguered highway expansion program. Listen at Hacks and Wonks, your favorite podcast app, or below.

Amy Sundberg and Alexis Mercedes Rinck episode

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As Federal Rights Rollbacks and Cuts Hit Home, Seattle Council Forms Crisis Response Committee - with Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Amy Sundberg
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Ryan Packer episode

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Week in Review: April 18, 2025 - with Ryan Packer
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Ferguson Ignites Revenue Battle with State Democrats, Threatening Veto
Governor Bob Ferguson’s reticence to approve new taxes represents a major obstacle to closing a big budget hole without deep cuts to social services. In fact, Ferguson announced Tuesday he would veto any budget that included a wealth tax, which could tie state lawmakers’ hands.