Jeanie Chunn Outlines Vision for Seattle City Council District 2

Campaign Website - Jeanie Chunn

[00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I’m your host, Crystal Fincher. On this show we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work, with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what you can do about it.

Seattle City Councilmembers make decisions that impact nearly every part of daily 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 plans for growth, negotiate labor contracts, and hold city agencies accountable.

In short, if you care about housing costs, changes in your neighborhood, how public safety is handled, or how easy 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 Beach, Rainier View, Rainier Vista, South Beacon Hill, and Yesler Terrace. The outcome of this race will help shape the future of not just District 2, but of the entire city.

So we're talking to candidates to learn where they stand, what they've done, and who they are - not just as policymakers, but as people.

Today, we're pleased to welcome Jeanie Chunn - welcome to the show!

[00:01:45] Jeanie Chunn: Hi, thanks so much for having me, Crystal.

[00:01:48] Crystal Fincher: Excited to have you today. So now it's time for the lightning round, where we ask quick questions and get fast answers. We'll ask you where you stand on some key decisions, local policies, and a few personal and fun questions - just to get a better sense of who you are. So most of these answers will just be a quick yes or no, or a few words. If you don't know yes or no, if it's somewhere in the middle, we'll just call it a waffle and you can address it later on if you feel like it - but we're ready to get started.

So starting off, do you own or rent your residence?

[00:02:22] Jeanie Chunn: Own.

[00:02:23] Crystal Fincher: Are you a landlord?

[00:02:25] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:02:26] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever been a member of a union?

[00:02:31] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:02:32] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever walked on a picket line?

[00:02:39] Jeanie Chunn: 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?

[00:02:46] Crystal Fincher: Like, walked alongside in support.

[00:02:48] Jeanie Chunn: Walked alongside in support - yes.

[00:02:51] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever crossed a picket line?

[00:02:53] Jeanie Chunn: No, I have not.

[00:02:55] Crystal Fincher: Is your campaign staff unionized?

[00:03:00] Jeanie Chunn: I only have a consultant right now.

[00:03:03] Crystal Fincher: Okay. So if you do get staff-

[00:03:06] Jeanie Chunn: Yeah.

[00:03:06] Crystal Fincher: Okay, gotcha.

[00:03:08] Jeanie Chunn: I would encourage my staff to unionize if - once I have staff.

[00:03:12] Crystal Fincher: Awesome. That was my next question. If they wanted to unionize once you got them, will you voluntarily recognize their effort?

[00:03:18] Jeanie Chunn: Yes, absolutely.

[00:03:20] Crystal Fincher: Which political party do you identify with?

[00:03:24] Jeanie Chunn: Democrat.

[00:03:25] Crystal Fincher: Have you used the Seattle Public Library system in the past month?

[00:03:30] Jeanie Chunn: Not in the past month, but we literally walked past the Beacon Hill Library and my partner was like, We should go in there - last week.

[00:03:38] Crystal Fincher: Have you been to a Seattle City Council meeting in person in the past year?

[00:03:43] Jeanie Chunn: Not in the past year.

[00:03:45] Crystal Fincher: Have you or someone in your household ever relied on public assistance?

[00:03:55] Jeanie Chunn: AppleCare? Do you count AppleCare public assistance? Yes. Then, yes, I have. Myself and my daughter.

[00:04:01] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever been stopped or questioned by police in Seattle?

[00:04:06] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:04:07] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever worked in retail or a job where you had to rely on tips?

[00:04:12] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:04:13] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever owned a business?

[00:04:15] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:04:16] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever managed a team of 10 or more people?

[00:04:20] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:04:21] Crystal Fincher: 100 or more?

[00:04:26] Jeanie Chunn: Technically, yes.

[00:04:28] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever reported someone's misconduct in your workplace?

[00:04:33] Jeanie Chunn: Reported someone's misconduct? I've addressed someone's misconduct in the workplace - yes.

[00:04:42] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever fired someone?

[00:04:45] Jeanie Chunn: Yes, unfortunately.

[00:04:47] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite park in District 2?

[00:04:55] Jeanie Chunn: That's a hard question. I'll say Jefferson - feels like a little bit like a cop-out, but it's really great. And the Beacon Hill Forest is right there.

[00:05:08] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite restaurant in D2?

[00:05:11] Jeanie Chunn: Oh, no. You can't ask me that question.

[00:05:14] Crystal Fincher: I can, and I did.

[00:05:17] Jeanie Chunn: I plead the Fifth. I can't pick one - that's not possible. It's impossible.

[00:05:22] Crystal Fincher: Okay, we'll call it a waffle. What's the last live performance you saw in D2?

[00:05:38] Jeanie Chunn: I was just at the Clock-Out Lounge. And I can't remember - Gravy Eldridge - but the opening band, which I can't remember their names right now, were so good. Cumbie- Cumbie-something - they were amazing. But Clock-Out Lounge, not that long ago.

[00:05:57] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite song?

[00:06:11] Jeanie Chunn: I'll just say the first one that came to mind, because it's a hard question, but I Am Light by India.Arie first popped into my mind. So I'll go there.

[00:06:20] Crystal Fincher: What about your favorite album?

[00:06:21] Jeanie Chunn: Do you know Alice Coltrane? She's married to John Coltrane - it's a beautiful album called Journey Into Satchidananda - that I love. It's amazing.

[00:06:35] Crystal Fincher: What's the last song that you listened to?

[00:06:43] Jeanie Chunn: I was just listening to Hermanos Gutiérrez this morning, so I guess I'll say them. I don't remember what song it was, though.

[00:06:51] Crystal Fincher: What's the most recent book you read?

[00:06:57] Jeanie Chunn: I just read Colored Television. Is that the most recent book 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 - that one I read in like three days, too. So it's amazing.

[00:07:12] Crystal Fincher: Gotcha.

[00:07:12] Jeanie Chunn: Highly recommend.

[00:07:13] Crystal Fincher: What's the last sports event you attended in Seattle?

[00:07:23] Jeanie Chunn: My friend's kid's softball game count?

[00:07:26] Crystal Fincher: Yep, it does.

[00:07:27] Jeanie Chunn: That's what we're going to say.

[00:07:30] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite cafe or coffee house in District 2?

[00:07:35] Jeanie Chunn: I love The Station - I was just there the other day. Both of them, but I was at the Columbia City one trying to hear - South Seattle Emerald was doing a conversation, like conversations, and I just missed it.

[00:07:50] Crystal Fincher: Okay, now we're going to jam through the rest of these - we've got to keep it super short.

[00:07:54] Jeanie Chunn: Sorry, sorry, sorry - shorter, shorter.

[00:07:56] Crystal Fincher: Okay, have you ever contested a traffic ticket?

[00:08:00] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:08:01] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever served on a jury?

[00:08:03] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:04] Crystal Fincher: Have you ever been arrested?

[00:08:06] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:07] Crystal Fincher: Have you taken transit in the past month?

[00:08:10] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:08:11] Crystal Fincher: In the past week?

[00:08:12] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:08:13] Crystal Fincher: Have you ridden a bike in the past month?

[00:08:16] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:17] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the City Council's decision to rezone parts of SODO and to allow residential housing?

[00:08:23] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:24] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the Council's decision to delay adoption of the Comprehensive Plan past 2024?

[00:08:32] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:33] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the Council's decision to put Proposition 1 B alongside 1A for social housing on the ballot?

[00:08:40] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:41] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the Council's decision to divert JumpStart revenue from its original purpose to address the budget deficit?

[00:08:48] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:49] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the City Council's decision to allow SPD to implement expanded surveillance technologies?

[00:08:55] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:08:56] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the Council's decision to allow SPD to use tear gas and blast balls for crowd control in certain circumstances?

[00:09:03] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:09:04] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the Council's decision to reinstate SOAP and SODA laws?

[00:09:09] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:09:10] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the Council's decision to make street racing and attending a street race a crime?

[00:09:18] Jeanie Chunn: I'm not familiar with that, but I would say I don't think it should be a crime.

[00:09:22] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the City Council's decision to use the SCORE Jail - to contract with the SCORE Jail in Des Moines - to detain people arrested in Seattle?

[00:09:32] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:09:33] Crystal Fincher: Was it worth lowering or modifying standards to recruit new officers?

[00:09:38] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:09:39] Crystal Fincher: Was the money spent on hiring and incentivizing new officers worth it?

[00:09:45] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:09:46] Crystal Fincher: Does SPD have a problem with how it treats women?

[00:09:50] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:09:51] Crystal Fincher: With how it treats Black and Brown people?

[00:09:53] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:09:54] Crystal Fincher: Would you have voted to ratify the most recent SPOG contract?

[00:10:00] Jeanie Chunn: I didn't read that contract, I'm sorry.

[00:10:03] Crystal Fincher: Will you vote for a SPOG contract that lacks meaningful accountability provisions like civilian oversight with subpoena power?

[00:10:12] Jeanie Chunn: I would not approve that.

[00:10:13] Crystal Fincher: Should the scope of the CARE Department be included in or limited by the SPOG contract?

[00:10:20] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:10:21] Crystal Fincher: Do you think facial recognition should be banned in city use?

[00:10:25] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:10:26] Crystal Fincher: Did Seattle ever "defund the police"?

[00:10:30] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:10:31] Crystal Fincher: Should we have a design review board?

[00:10:36] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:10:37] Crystal Fincher: Should public comment time be allowed to be limited without prior notice?

[00:10:44] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:10:45] Crystal Fincher: Do you support the Ferdinand Festival Street?

[00:10:51] Jeanie Chunn: I'm not familiar with the Ferdinand Festival Street.

[00:10:54] Crystal Fincher: Do you agree with the city policy of closing Lake Washington Boulevard to cars and only allowing bike and pedestrian access for 10 weekends during the spring and summer?

[00:11:04] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:11:05] Crystal Fincher: Do you support expanded weekend closures of Lake Washington Boulevard?

[00:11:10] Jeanie Chunn: I would need to talk to the neighbors to understand the impact.

[00:11:13] Crystal Fincher: Do you plan to increase funding for investigations of labor violations like wage theft and illegal union busting?

[00:11:19] Jeanie Chunn: Absolutely.

[00:11:21] Crystal Fincher: Do large corporations in Seattle pay their fair share of taxes?

[00:11:25] Jeanie Chunn: Absolutely not.

[00:11:26] Crystal Fincher: Do small businesses pay their fair share of taxes?

[00:11:29] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:11:30] Crystal Fincher: Do you support the rent stabilization bill that passed in the most recent legislative session?

[00:11:37] Jeanie Chunn: I'm not exactly sure what was in that bill, but I appreciate - I support rent stabilization.

[00:11:42] Crystal Fincher: What's your go-to karaoke song?

[00:11:48] Jeanie Chunn: What's Going On by 4 Non Blondes.

[00:11:51] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite TV show to binge?

[00:11:56] Jeanie Chunn: Great British Bake-off.

[00:11:58] Crystal Fincher: What's the first concert you ever attended?

[00:12:01] Jeanie Chunn: Michael Jackson Thriller Tour - the Jackson Reunion Tour. I know - I'm old. I was young, too. I was young, too.

[00:12:10] Crystal Fincher: I'm probably older. What's your favorite Seattle sports moment?

[00:12:17] Jeanie Chunn: Oh, when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. It was incredible - out in the streets.

[00:12:24] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite comfort food?

[00:12:34] Jeanie Chunn: Food, food questions are - dumplings, dumplings.

[00:12:36] Crystal Fincher: Are you an early bird or a night owl?

[00:12:39] Jeanie Chunn: Early bird.

[00:12:40] Crystal Fincher: What's a hobby people wouldn't expect you to have? ... Or what's any hobby?

[00:12:58] Jeanie Chunn: I don't know. Collaging? I've done that before. I don't know - making paper flowers? I don't know.

[00:13:06] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite neighborhood in District 2?

[00:13:13] Jeanie Chunn: Like picking your favorite child. I'll just say the CID.

[00:13:19] Crystal Fincher: Who's a Seattle-based artist or musician you love?

[00:13:23] Jeanie Chunn: Mmm, so many. Seattle-based musician or artist - so there's so many. So many. I'm stuck. I'm stuck. I'm sorry. I can't think - there's too many people coming. dani tirrell. I'll start - I'll just say dani tirrell. To say someone, so I didn't waffle.

[00:13:54] Crystal Fincher: What's a book you wish more people read?

[00:13:58] Jeanie Chunn: Undrowned by Alexis Pauline Gumbs.

[00:14:01] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite rainy day activity?

[00:14:05] Jeanie Chunn: Walking in the rain.

[00:14:08] Crystal Fincher: What's your favorite Sound Transit station name?

[00:14:19] Jeanie Chunn: Symphony?

[00:14:20] Crystal Fincher: Have you voted in every general election in the past four years?

[00:14:24] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:14:25] Crystal Fincher: Have you voted in every primary election in the past four years?

[00:14:30] Jeanie Chunn: I think so.

[00:14:32] Crystal Fincher: Have you made any political endorsements that you regret?

[00:14:36] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:14:37] Crystal Fincher: Have you made any political donations that you regret?

[00:14:41] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:14:42] Crystal Fincher: In 2021, did you vote for Bruce Harrell or Lorena González for Seattle Mayor?

[00:14:47] Jeanie Chunn: González. And I endorsed her.

[00:14:50] Crystal Fincher: In 2021, did you vote for Ann Davison or Nicole Thomas Kennedy for City Attorney?

[00:14:55] Jeanie Chunn: NTK.

[00:14:57] Crystal Fincher: In 2021, did you vote for Sara Nelson or Nikkita Oliver for City Council?

[00:15:01] Jeanie Chunn: Nikkita.

[00:15:02] Crystal Fincher: In 2022, did you vote for Leesa Manion or Jim Ferrell for King County Prosecutor?

[00:15:07] Jeanie Chunn: I don't, I don't know.

[00:15:11] Crystal Fincher: In 2023, did you vote for Tammy Morales or Tanya Woo?

[00:15:16] Jeanie Chunn: Tammy.

[00:15:17] Crystal Fincher: In 2024, did you vote for Alexis Mercedes Rinck or Tanya Woo?

[00:15:22] Jeanie Chunn: Alexis.

[00:15:23] Crystal Fincher: In 2024, did you vote for Nick Brown or Pete Serrano for state Attorney General?

[00:15:31] Jeanie Chunn: I don't remember. I don't remember that race, sorry.

[00:15:36] Crystal Fincher: Did you vote for Bob Ferguson or Dave Reichert for Governor?

[00:15:40] Jeanie Chunn: Ferguson.

[00:15:41] Crystal Fincher: Did you vote for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris for President?

[00:15:52] Jeanie Chunn: Harris.

[00:15:53] Crystal Fincher: Did you vote to approve the Automated Fingerprint Identification System Levy on the April ballot?

[00:16:00] Jeanie Chunn: No.

[00:16:01] Crystal Fincher: This year, on Seattle's social housing Initiative ballot in February, did you vote for option 1A, 1B, or neither?

[00:16:09] Jeanie Chunn: 1A.

[00:16:10] Crystal Fincher: Will you be voting for Claudia Balducci, John Wilson, or Girmay Zahilay for County Executive?

[00:16:16] Jeanie Chunn: Girmay Zahilay.

[00:16:17] Crystal Fincher: Will you be voting to reauthorize the Democracy Voucher program in the August election?

[00:16:23] Jeanie Chunn: Yes.

[00:16:24] Crystal Fincher: Will you be voting to pass the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy renewal in the November election?

[00:16:31] Jeanie Chunn: I need to read through it again, but my assumption is yes.

[00:16:35] Crystal Fincher: Okay, that concludes the lightning round. So now we're going to shift into the heart of the conversation with open-ended questions. Starting off with - Why are you running for City Council in D2 right now?

[00:16:48] Jeanie Chunn: Yeah, I've lived in Seattle for - since summer solstice of 1999. And I love Seattle. It's helped me raise my daughter - I worked in restaurants and was a single mom going to school. And I was able to do all of that - living in Seattle. And that's just not a reality for 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 understands how hard it is for folks to make ends meet, how working-class people can't afford to live in the city and thrive and have leisure time. And I just feel that - if not now, when? I'm worried about the state of the federal government and the protection of our non-binary and trans people to receive gender-affirming care, reproductive rights for women. And yeah, I want to lean in and participate instead of watching from the sidelines.

[00:18:09] Crystal Fincher: In recent campaigns, there's been a lot of talk about the importance of representation in District 2. What does representing the people of District 2 mean to you? And why do you think you're the right person to represent them right now?

[00:18:24] Jeanie Chunn: When I grew up, my parents were immigrants. New Holly - I look at that district, that area, that neighborhood, the challenges that people have. And I just reflect back on - who I am, the people that I know, the experiences that they've had. We're not a monolith, you know, and I think that I'm a person that goes out into community and connects with folks. 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 a way that feels correct to them. I don't want to put my assumptions on them just because I've had my own experiences. And I hope that that serves them well - to have their voices heard.

[00:19:15] Crystal Fincher: Seattle is facing a $244 million budget shortfall, 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 solutions would you support: new progressive revenue, permanent cuts, or both - and where, specifically?

[00:19:42] Jeanie Chunn: I think we definitely need to look at options for new progressive revenue - capital gains tax. And I think that we need to look at reallocating money from the SPD budget to social services and towards our CARE team. We want the budget to reflect what the voters want in our city. And I think that it's been clear that Seattleites are in favor of progressive revenue and for investments in behavioral health.

[00:20:20] Crystal Fincher: So, ahead of past major events like the Major League Baseball All Star game a few years ago, the city increased police presence and encampment sweeps, saying it would create a more welcoming environment. But in places like the CID, that approach backfired - people stayed away, businesses suffered, and the promised benefits didn't materialize. Experts say truly welcoming cities prioritize basics like bathrooms, seating, transit, and activating public spaces. With the World Cup coming, do you support the approach that we used before? Or what should the city do instead to ensure District 2 actually benefits from the World Cup coming to Seattle?

[00:21:00] Jeanie Chunn: Yeah, I don't think that that worked before in the past. I work with a business owner in Pioneer Square who intentionally rushed to 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 and Chinatown International District. I think there are ways to activate the community, to draw community in. We actually are working on putting together a series of concerts during Club World Cup to get soccer fans and international visitors and just music lovers down to the area - to create a vibrant energy. And hopefully that energy - they'll see how safe it is in Pioneer Square and Central and Chinatown International District. They'll be able to wander around and see shops - maybe they'll visit them in that moment, or maybe they'll come back and see them later. I think that's the type of investment - that kind of long-term thinking of activating our city - while we have that density of folks there is really important.

[00:22:05] Crystal Fincher: What can be done to help small businesses in Seattle and in District 2?

[00:22:12] Jeanie Chunn: Oh. So many things. You know, I started a restaurant coalition in 2020 called Seattle Restaurants United, where we advocated for local restaurants in Seattle and Washington at large - and also on a national level. We were helpful and pivotal, I feel, in getting $28.6 billion to independent restaurants nationwide, with the prioritization of historically marginalized business owners. And there are small things that we can do and large things that we can do. And I think the important thing about Seattle Restaurants United is that our restaurant owners are very progressively minded. 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 came up and some people said - Like, you know, well, they could not tax us. We know we we wouldn't have to give them our sales tax or some sort of, you know, kind of conversations around that - and many business owners stopped the conversation and said those tax dollars go to important social services. And we don't want to be not contributing to 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 able to be able to afford to live near where their restaurants are. So supporting businesses doesn't always look like providing grants to the small business owner. It could also be providing affordable housing and supportive transit systems - and infrastructure like that that's really helpful for their employees - could be providing some sort of healthcare benefits. So these are costs that the restaurant usually takes on themselves, which may be for the rep- to support their restaurant 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.

[00:24:12] Crystal Fincher: What are the top safety concerns in District 2, and how would you address them?

[00:24:18] Jeanie Chunn: Yeah, you know, District 2 has a lot of gun violence. And recently, the City Auditor has a report - which I'm sure everyone on this, that's listening to this show is well aware of. Myself being new to this type of policy - I was reading through it and inspired and really hopeful about the approaches and the results in this, you know, evidence-based approaches that Milwaukee and Baltimore have implemented in their city. And I feel like we don't need to reinvent the wheel. We just need someone with the courage to demand that these approaches are implemented and that we hold SPD accountable to them.

[00:25:04] Crystal Fincher: What elements of that approach stuck out to you?

[00:25:07] Jeanie Chunn: Yeah, well - I mean, all of it, But I think the one that was most important to me was problem-oriented policing - where instead of just solely focusing on enforcement action, we're gathering together, collaborating, engaging community to really address the causes of the crime. And then therefore being able to improve long-term safety.

[00:25:32] Crystal Fincher: The Council has signaled that they want to weaken the existing surveillance ordinance, which aims to ensure that the public has the opportunity to weigh the costs and benefits of new surveillance technology before the city obtains it - particularly because of the disproportionate harms that marginalized communities have experienced from it. And because of the current concerns about data being collected about people's habits, movements, political and religious activities, sexual orientations and gender identities being weaponized by the federal and local government under these current administrations. Do you support any weakening of the current ordinance? And when do you think surveillance is appropriate?

[00:26:14] Jeanie Chunn: I don't know that I ever feel like surveilling citizens is appropriate. I feel undereducated on the current system that's in place, but I am supportive of anything that involves community voice and oversight. So I don't think weakening community oversight strengthens us in any capacity ever. And my guess is specifically in this surveillance as well.

[00:26:45] Crystal Fincher: Is the current Council approach of shifting funding from prevention to punishment working to address the safety concerns in District 2? If not, what would you do differently?

[00:26:56] Jeanie Chunn: I don't believe that punishment in the carceral system benefits anyone - period. I think that prevention and getting to the root causes of things - intervention, diversion, able to support people when they're on the brink of something - is where we can be investing funds and resources. I think it's, you know, that's what I have to say about that.

[00:27:20] Crystal Fincher: Despite a record high number of encampment sweeps involving police, homelessness is up 25% over the last two years, with many people in District 2 lacking access to shelter, services, and affordable housing. There's also a shortage of shelter capacity - there are nearly twice as many people needing shelter as there are beds. What isn't working, and what would you do to actually reduce homelessness in District 2?

[00:27:48] Jeanie Chunn: Well, the one thing I can tell you is that sweeps obviously aren't working. No, we've seen in 2024 over 2,500 sweeps of encampments, tents, and vehicles - and 80% of those were done with little or no prior notice to these folks. And what does that do? That doesn't do anything except for move the problem around our city. And I hesitate to even use the word "problem" like this is - these are human beings. These are their homes. Inside of those homes, they have their identification. If that's taken away from them, how are they supposed to be able to receive the support services that they need? We need to be focusing on reaching out to these folks, being able to make sure that they have access to their care, to their case managers. We need to be working closely with King County. We need to be working with community-based organizations to provide the services that the people need. We need to bring the right resources to the right situation - and sweeping them is not the solution. And we need to find individual care and attention for these folks.

[00:28:56] Crystal Fincher: The City Council has signaled a willingness to weaken some renter protections, including just cause eviction rules, some rent increase notice periods, and other elements. Do you support any rollbacks of renter protections, and what protections will you defend or expand if you're elected?

[00:29:15] Jeanie Chunn: I don't think we should ever rollback any sort of renter protections. I was talking to someone that works in housing about evictions and I really appreciated her approach in that she's talking about - there were this like, there's people that just become alarmist. There's like one situation happens and then that becomes this like clickbait, and then people just use that as an opportunity to to say - See, this is what happens. This is why we need to - we can't have evictions, we need to be able to evict people and notice that these people are public harm, is harm to public safety, right? And so they were giving an example of a man running down the hall, like yielding a machete. And so she said - You know what, let's have a very specific and nuanced approach to that. If there's a situation where there's a public safety issue, we will move you to the beginning of the eviction court process. Right? So that they don't have to wait for a month or however long to evict these folks that may be potentially endangering other people that live in that residence. She said since that's been implemented, it's been used six times in the last two years. That's the type of solutions that we're talking about - we can't just throw the baby out with the bathwater because there's like some alarmist cause. Like, we just need to be mindful of what is happening and address that in the moment.

[00:30:44] Crystal Fincher: What's your opinion of the current draft of the Comprehensive Plan, and what potential changes would you prioritize?

[00:30:53] Jeanie Chunn: I need to spend more time with the Comprehensive Plan. What I do support is urban density, upzoning. I want to be mindful that there are concerns that a lot of the building is happening in District 2, so we need to be mindful of predatorial behavior that may be happening. I want to make sure that there's space for anti-displacement funds and right-to-return policies in place. And I'm looking forward to meeting with community - I have a conversation lined up with some folks in Rainier Beach who have laid out a really beautiful neighborhood plan. And I really want to hear from them of what in their plan has happened and what in their plan hasn't happened - and what I can do to help support that as we're looking at the Comprehensive Plan in general for the city.

[00:32:00] Crystal Fincher: How will you ensure that the social housing developer succeeds and that it complements existing affordable housing programs and policies in Seattle?

[00:32:12] Jeanie Chunn: Well, first of all, we make sure that we stand by and make sure that it's well funded. And make sure that the resources that the voters voted for in Prop 1A are all used to build that Social Housing Developer. Again, I think it's really working within community. These aren't new solutions to old problems - these are just solutions that need to be implemented and working with the experts that have that understanding. I was supposed to be on a call earlier today where House Our Neighbors was reporting back on how it's been successful in Singapore. So what are we learning from other cities, and what can we be implementing here to ensure that that is executed well and implemented well?

[00:32:57] Crystal Fincher: Life expectancy in parts of District 2, like Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley, is up to 10 years shorter than in other wealthier Seattle neighborhoods - largely due to air pollution, highway proximity, and historic disinvestment. What would you do to address these health disparities and environmental injustices?

[00:33:17] Jeanie Chunn: I'm not sure how to answer the question, because I'm not sure what - I'm a very pragmatic person, and our homes are in these areas. And I can't think of something that could happen overnight or long-term, that... that can help extend a person's life if we're experiencing these polluted spaces that we're living in.

[00:33:52] Crystal Fincher: Air filtration, perhaps?

[00:33:55] Jeanie Chunn: Air filtration. I think I really need to learn more about this issue and what options are available.

[00:34:13] Crystal Fincher: How do you balance recent and planned development along major transit transportation corridors with the need to mitigate air pollution that's most prevalent along those corridors? We know that the air on those corridors is unhealthy and contributing to chronic disease and shorter lifespans. And we're actively building on those corridors and we'll be building more. So how do you balance that - as you think about that? And how do you mitigate that?

[00:34:46] Jeanie Chunn: I don't have the answer for that.

[00:34:48] Crystal Fincher: What are your priorities for traffic safety in the district?

[00:35:02] Jeanie Chunn: I think that a lot of these questions for me - I understand that I'm, I feel like I'm falling short. And I want to be clear to your viewership - so let them know that I'm not afraid to say that I don't know. I can't have all of the answers, nor does anyone else have all the answers. And I would tell you - do not trust anyone that thinks that they have all of the answers because they don't. So I'm here, I'm willing to listen. I'm open-hearted and want to learn from all of you that are the experts, that have the science-based research, that have the evidence-based solutions to our city's problems.

[00:35:44] Crystal Fincher: Do you have any ideas on what specifically could be done to make it safer to walk and bike in the district?

[00:35:54] Jeanie Chunn: Absolutely. How about some sidewalks in D2? I'd like that. I feel like there's just not quite enough of them, are there? Crosswalks, bike lanes - all of that. I feel like we can pedestrianize certain areas of our, of our city. I think it would be safer for us to gather and connect.

[00:36:19] Crystal Fincher: How would you work with the multiple relevant agencies - like the Seattle Department of Transportation, Sound Transit, King County Metro - to improve accountability for reducing injuries and deaths from traffic violence on the streets?

[00:36:36] Jeanie Chunn: I think I would approach it as I always do - and in a restorative circle - connecting with folks. And maybe that feels like a strange way to bring into city politics as usual, but that hasn't worked for us, you know. I think that too often these these spaces are siloed and it feels combative, and I don't feel that it needs to be that way. I feel like everybody is doing their best to try to serve our community. And I want to potentially bring in a new way of us to connect and solve problems together.

[00:37:20] Crystal Fincher: How important are road closures and pedestrian activations to reducing traffic violence and the harm that's been coming to pedestrians and people on bikes?

[00:37:34] Jeanie Chunn: I think it's really important for road closures to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

[00:37:41] Crystal Fincher: Do you support weakening Seattle Ethics Code for city councilmembers on conflict of interest and recusals due to conflict?

[00:37:48] Jeanie Chunn: No, I do not support that. And I can't even believe that it's a subject that we're speaking about.

[00:37:55] Crystal Fincher: What changes would you support to the Ethics Code to improve transparency?

[00:38:04] Jeanie Chunn: I wouldn't make any changes to it. To improve transparency - I mean, I think we need to disclose anything that we could personally, or people that we are connected to, could personally benefit from. What needs to be shared there - are business holdings, our investments, other people's business holdings, investment.

[00:38:31] Crystal Fincher: How do you plan to mitigate attacks on civil rights, particularly those targeting our trans community and immigrants?

[00:38:41] Jeanie Chunn: When Donald Trump was elected into office, we - I always look at the intersection of how we can support. And so Seattle Restaurants United recognized that him being in office - that our undocumented workers may come under attack. So immediately we started gathering resources to help folks understand what their rights were as business owners, and what their rights were as workers. And what those rights were as, and how we can - what they needed to share, where they could gather. We put together a toolkit to help people understand like different processes - like, where they can - ICE can enter and where they cannot. It's just kind of small movements of working together as community can have large impact. I think that those are the places that we need to be right now.

[00:39:31] Crystal Fincher: What's your view on the recent enforcement actions from the Seattle Police Department that we saw at Denny Blaine Park targeting people who are nude - that's been a longstanding nude beach - with the trespassing of a trans person who was at the beach?

[00:39:49] Jeanie Chunn: I think it's awful. They clearly were targeted. And I don't know if everybody is aware of this, but it is completely legal to be nude in Seattle as long as there is no lewd conduct. I personally have been going to Denny Blaine for years. I have never witnessed any sort of public masturbation, as the neighbors are claiming. We recognize that last year they tried to instill a playground there so that nude folks couldn't be within certain feet of a playground. And this recent movement for police to be involved in this, I think, is a waste of the city's resources, quite frankly.

[00:40:37] Crystal Fincher: So we asked each candidate to submit questions for other candidates, and some candidates submitted questions that they wanted to ask you. The first one is - one that we partially covered - What's your opinion about potential changes to the city's ethics rules for elected officials, as reported in the media? And what potential conflicts do you have that voters should be aware of?

[00:41:00] Jeanie Chunn: I don't think I have any conflicts because I don't have 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 units and shared kitchens and suites. 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 Ethics Board to let me know if I needed to. And I'd still make my voice heard to make sure that my colleagues understood where I stood on position.

[00:41:48] Crystal Fincher: Another candidate asks, they say - You registered to vote in District 2 on April 22nd of this year. What makes you qualified to represent the district?

[00:42:00] Jeanie Chunn: I lived in Seattle since 1999. I lived in Beacon Hill for many years prior to purchasing my home here this year. I - yeah, I don't, I don't feel like just because I just recently re-moved into Beacon Hill disqualifies me for representing D2.

[00:42:22] Crystal Fincher: Well, that's all the questions that we have that weren't covered, so that was pretty simple. Moving back to our regular Hacks & Wonks questions - What about your particular experience in community do you feel qualifies you for representing the residents in the city on the Council?

[00:42:46] Jeanie Chunn: I have been working in the service industry since 1999 in Seattle. And when you are a waitress or a manager, you talk to a lot of people - and they are not afraid to share their opinions with you. And I engage with community. I am the person - I don't believe in the Seattle freeze. I say hello to people on the street - it makes them uncomfortable, but I do it. I chat people up at grocery stores. And what I see the city wanting and needing is connection and belief in someone that is going to have the courage to do what they vote for. And what I'm hearing out in these streets is that they want affordable housing - not just for low-income folks, for medium-income folks. They want to be able to pay 30% of their income to housing so that they can thrive in other areas, that they can rest, that they can create art, that they can raise their families, that they can enjoy the parks, that they can be civically engaged. I hear from people that they want to care for our homeless community. Let's not get it twisted - they are a part of our community and we need to care for them. And I hear people saying that we want to get them the right resources that they need. Yeah, I'm here to speak for people that aren't being heard. I'm here to speak for people that are fighting - not just for themselves, but for the liberation of everyone. And I think that people are ready for a candidate in D2 that believes what they believe and isn't afraid to say Free Palestine.

[00:44:48] Crystal Fincher: So as we come to the close of this interview, there are a lot of people trying to figure out what the difference is between the different candidates that are running for District 2, and why they should vote for any one of you guys. So what is the difference between you and the other candidates, and why should people vote for you?

[00:45:10] Jeanie Chunn: I don't know the other candidates. I don't know what separates us from any of us, honestly. I just know myself. And what I want to tell D2 and the rest of the city is that I have a proven track record for fighting for people. I have a proven track record for standing up and advocating for folks and coming up with reasonable policy to support folks. 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 in their communities have also thought that they've shown up. And I trust the people of D2 to be engaged, and listen, and make the right choice that's for them. For me, being able to use this platform to connect with community and to amplify the good work that's happening in community and be a part of this space - I've already won. I've already won.

[00:46:33] Crystal Fincher: Well, thank you so much for joining us today - for sharing who you are, being accountable to the residents of District 2 in the city, and giving everyone a chance to get to know you better. Thank you so much for joining us, Jeanie.

[00:46:46] Jeanie Chunn: Thank you so much for having me.

[00:46:48] Crystal Fincher: Thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks, which is produced by Shannon Cheng. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Bluesky @HacksAndWonks. 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 every podcast service and app - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get the full versions of our Friday week-in-review shows and our Tuesday topical show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.