Anders Ibsen is Tacoma’s new Mayor. He came on the Move to Tacoma Podcast to share what he learned door knocking all over Tacoma on the campaign and his vision around public safety, the housing affordability crisis, Tacoma’s search for a new city manager, and more.
Anders Ibsen Mayor of Tacoma Podcast Interview
In this episode the Move to Tacoma Podcast- host Marguerite Martin sits down with Mayor-Elect Anders Ibsen for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about how Tacoma is governed. They discuss what meaningful accountability can actually look like in a city with a city-manager system.
In the interview, Anders reflects on growing up in Tacoma, his early years on City Council, and the door-to-door conversations that shaped his mayoral campaign.
Doorknocking, the “reverse internet,” and being accountable to the public in polarizing times.
Anders is famous for doorknocking across Tacoma in every single one of his campaigns. He describes what he calls the “reverse internet”: face-to-face conversations that reveal most residents are not extreme or angry, but deeply concerned about housing stability, homelessness, affordability, and public safety. The discussion explores the gap between how safe people in Tacoma feel and their lived experience in their own neighborhoods,. Anders shares why he thinks perception, visibility, and trust matter as much as response times and crime statistics.
What can Tacomans meaningfully do to hold our elected officials accountable to meaningful progress?
Throughout the interview Marguerite presses Ibsen on the questions many residents struggle to understand: What power does the mayor actually have? Who is accountable when systems don’t work? How can Tacoma make progress without new money or federal help? Isn’t the City of Tacoma about to go through a budget shortfall? Ibsen outlines his view of the mayor’s role as a coalition-builder and agenda-setter. Tacoma doesn’t have a “strong mayor,” the mayor of Tacoma is more a Speaker of the House. He sees his role as focused on articulating clear goals, aligning council and staff, and insisting on follow-through.
The conversation dives into specific examples, including scaling Tacoma’s underused therapeutic court system as an alternative to incarceration, regional partnerships to address homelessness, and the upcoming city manager search. Ibsen argues that many solutions already exist but lack coordination, accountability, and political will. Anders thinks that leadership means making priorities explicit, measurable, and visible to the public.
This episode offers a rare, inside look at how local government actually works in Tacoma, the limits of mayoral power, and what residents can realistically expect from their next administration. Most importantly? How Tacomans can hold it accountable.
Want to learn more about Tacoma’s political landscape?
How to Fix Housing in Washington State with Nicholas Carr – Move to Tacoma Podcast
NYA Tenants Union & Tacoma 4 All with Francis Faye Oak & Devin Rydel Kelly – Move to Tacoma Podcast
Citizen Tacoma: A Podcast about Local Government in Tacoma – Channel 253
What is Move to Tacoma?
Move to Tacoma is a podcast, neighborhood guide, and blog about Tacoma, Washington created by Tacoma Real Estate Agent Marguerite Martin. Marguerite is Tacoma real estate agent, blogger, and podcaster who has been selling houses in Tacoma since 2005.
In 2015 she created MovetoTacoma.com to help people learn more about Tacoma neighborhoods and what it’s really like living in Tacoma. She is the interviewer on the Move to Tacoma Podcast and the host on the Move to Tacoma Youtube Channel. In 2016 she was awarded the the Popham Award by the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. The Popham Award honors the individual in the City of Tacoma that has done the most to build community spirit.
Looking for a real estate agent? Marguerite is a matchmaker. Contact her for an introduction to the best real estate agents in Tacoma and beyond.
How Move to Tacoma Works
Here at Move to Tacoma we’ve been helping people find their place (and their real estate agent) in Tacoma for over a decade. We recommend choosing a local agent that lives and works in Tacoma and knows all the nuances of pricing, neighborhoods, and the condition (and quirks!) of these historic homes.
Here at MovetoTacoma.com we help people find their place in the City of Destiny. If you or a friend are looking to buy a home in Tacoma and would like help learning about Tacoma neighborhoods and finding a real estate agent please reach out to us! You can click the contact form on MovetoTacoma.com. You can also schedule a one-on-one with Marguerite on zoom by clicking here.
Step 1: Explore the Clickable Neighborhood Map of Tacoma
Our clickable neighborhood map of Tacoma’s neighborhoods is our pride and joy. Click through to find images and videos of each neighborhood. The Neighborhood guides on the map also include median home price information, blog posts about the neighborhoods, podcast episodes about the neighborhoods, and candid quotes from local neighbors.
Step 2: Listen to the Move to Tacoma Podcast
The best way to learn about Tacoma is to hear from the people who live here. On the Move to Tacoma Podcast Marguerite interviews Tacomans who’ve been here generations and Tacomans who just got here. From business and technology leaders to politicians and activists and everyone in between. The Move to Tacoma Podcast will give you insight into why people move here and how they find meaning and happiness in Tacoma.
Step 3: Read the Blog Posts on MovetoTacoma.com
On the Move to Tacoma Blog we have been writing about things to do in Tacoma, where to eat in Tacoma, hot button community topics, neighborhoods and more since 2015. There are hundreds of posts to help you find what you love in the City of Destiny. From posts about where to eat and drink to interviews with locals- the blog is a great place to keep up one what’s happening in Tacoma and Pierce County.
Step 4: Get Realtor Referral from a Local Realtor
Marguerite Martin is a different kind of Tacoma real estate agent. Reach out to find out answers to questions you have about neighborhoods in Tacoma and Pierce County. When the time is right to start looking, Marguerite can connect you with a local real estate agent who specializes in the neighborhoods you love most. You can see reviews from past clients who’ve worked with Marguerite on Yelp and on Google.
