Seattle accused of turning blind eye to rise of homelessness, drug dealing

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SEATTLE -- Impressive job growth and high wages have people flocking to this city. The population has increased 18 percent since 2010, the most of any big U.S. city. But along with the economic surge, Seattle has experienced a dramatic rise in homelessness. The city ranks third in the U.S. with more than 12,000 homeless, trailing only New York and Los Angeles.

Leaders blame fast-rising rents, driven by a high tech building and hiring boom that is leaving the less-skilled behind. But increasingly, local residents are pointing the finger at lax or non-existent enforcement of a host of laws and routine policies.

It’s against the law to camp in public, yet the ordinance is rarely enforced. Thousands of people live in tents all over the city. Many are addicted to heroin and meth, drugs often consumed out in the open, which is against the law. But City Attorney Pete Holmes said his office will not prosecute any drug possession crime when the amount is less than a gram.

Some are now pushing back.

“As we’ve attempted to make life easier for certain categories of people, we’ve actually made life more difficult for everyone in this city,” said Chris Rufo of the Discovery Institute.

When repeat offenders are arrested, they are routinely sent back to the streets. Reports show 100 homeless people racked up 3,500 criminal charges. City Attorney Holmes declined to discuss the jail’s revolving door and increase in property crimes.

Seattle’s tolerance extends to public bus riders who get caught not paying fares. In the past, they’d be issued a citation along with a hefty fine. Now, the fine has been sharply reduced and it’s no longer a misdemeanor if the fine goes unpaid.

King County Metro found a vast majority of the fines go unpaid when the courts are involved. An examination of the data also determined the poor and people of color were most often receiving the fines and court dates. The new policy is aimed at “reducing negative inequitable outcomes.”

“The foundation of how we look at all our policies has a very strong equity and social justice perspective,” said Chris O’Claire of King County Metro.

In 2014, Seattle passed a Race and Social Justice Initiative, the first of its kind in the U.S. It requires every city department to review all of its policies and determine if they disproportionately affect racial minorities and the poor.

Seattle Public Schools realized African American and Latino students get suspended at a higher rate than white or Asian students. So, this school year the board did away with suspensions in elementary schools. The policy could be extended to higher grade levels next year.

The public library system is also getting an overhaul. An audit found borrowers throughout the city rack up late fines at about the same rate. But users in the lower-income, more-diverse neighborhoods had their accounts blocked for not paying the fines much more frequently than those in the wealthier areas.

Mayor Jenny Durkan pushed for an elimination of fines for late returns, which has already been done at over 50 libraries nationwide. But The Seattle Public Library depends on the revenue from fines, more than $1 million per year, as part of its operating budget. So Durkan pushed through a seven-year, $213 million property tax levy proposal that would do away with late fees. Voters will decide this fall and library officials are hopeful.

“Fines don’t teach responsibility,” said Andrew Harbison, Seattle public library assistant director, “they just distinguish people with money from those without.”

Voters will also get a chance to shift the direction of the city if they don’t agree with the recent policy changes. Most of the City Council seats are up for election and several more-centrist candidates have jumped in races. Among them is Ari Hoffman, who says City Hall is just dividing residents.

“It seems the more check boxes you have in terms of which category you fit into, that makes you more important,” said Hoffman, “And that’s not equity for anybody.”




https://www.foxnews.com/us/seattle-lawmakers-blind-eye-homelessness-drugs
 

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IF the media/press was not controlled, there would be significant reporting, and even special reports and documentaries on the horrendous decay of our cities. It is a catastrophe, but is not being addressed, the public is not seeing the whole truth. The USA's civilization is in jeopardy, we are in deep trouble when our cities fail.
 

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I feel like way down the road we are heading towards ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK movie type cities eventually:think2:
 
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IF the media/press was not controlled, there would be significant reporting, and even special reports and documentaries on the horrendous decay of our cities. It is a catastrophe, but is not being addressed, the public is not seeing the whole truth. The USA's civilization is in jeopardy, we are in deep trouble when our cities fail.



You are correct and something I have been saying for a very very long time

but instead it has been deemed more important to talk about Trumps hair, complexion, diet, narcisism, kids, taxes, personal finances.
 

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Always on the news here. Human waste everywhere. When they kick everyone out soon they will come back again. Rents are to high!!!!
 

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IF the media/press was not controlled, there would be significant reporting, and even special reports and documentaries on the horrendous decay of our cities. It is a catastrophe, but is not being addressed, the public is not seeing the whole truth. The USA's civilization is in jeopardy, we are in deep trouble when our cities fail.

Parts of america are in desperate mode & getting worse......the future does look bleak.
 

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I feel like way down the road we are heading towards ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK movie type cities eventually:think2:

I can see this in 15 to 20 years in big liberal cities first, then it may spread to other big cities, but I hope people in the Midwest, etc. stand up to their politicians & won't allow the destruction of america come to their cities & towns.
 

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Wtf does liberalism have to do with homelessness and drug abuse. It’s a problem in any major city in America
 
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Wtf does liberalism have to do with homelessness and drug abuse. It’s a problem in any major city in America

Some just enjoy using the word....it has no meaning in and of itself to me. I am neither a liberal nor a conservative on all issues and highly doubt few others are either. I can't even define it in ABSOLUTE terms.
 

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Cities like Seattle don’t have a homeless problem, they have a drug problem that leads to homelessness. I guarantee if you clean up the drug issue, you will fix the homeless issue.
 

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Wtf does liberalism have to do with homelessness and drug abuse. It’s a problem in any major city in America

Because liberal ideology does not allow the police to enforce laws and prosecutors to try cases.
 
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Cities like Seattle don’t have a homeless problem, they have a drug problem that leads to homelessness. I guarantee if you clean up the drug issue, you will fix the homeless issue.

Lmao. You are so clueless about the world like your buddy The Gayest One.


You do realize that the majority of homeless people in this country are mentally disabled. Or they have an extreme disorder. Schizophrenia, psychosis, bi polar, ptsd, etc.

You clearly aren’t aware of this since you think they are all drug addicts. Lmfaooooo
 
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Because liberal ideology does not allow the police to enforce laws and prosecutors to try cases.


Lmfao. Just stop moron. Please just stop.
 
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Because liberal ideology does not allow the police to enforce laws and prosecutors to try cases.


A brainless one that has "the definition of liberal ideology" to some exact wording. You likely are a know it all for all things.
 

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Lmao. You are so clueless about the world like your buddy The Gayest One.


You do realize that the majority of homeless people in this country are mentally disabled. Or they have an extreme disorder. Schizophrenia, psychosis, bi polar, ptsd, etc.

You clearly aren’t aware of this since you think they are all drug addicts. Lmfaooooo

Did you watch the Seattle documentary or are you just talking, like always, about shit you know nothing about?

If you watch the documentary, it explains a great majority of the homeless have major drug addictions.

Keep talking homophobe.
 

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Because liberal ideology does not allow the police to enforce laws and prosecutors to try cases.
100% correct,look at what the LIBS did to ICE and at CAL BERKELY,told to stand down as the students broke windows and started fires,as always MOB and Marge are wrong,the left destroys every single thing it touches
 

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100% correct,look at what the LIBS did to ICE and at CAL BERKELY,told to stand down as the students broke windows and started fires,as always MOB and Marge are wrong,the left destroys every single thing it touches

The Seattle documentary lays it all out. It explains how the local beat cops are angry with the politicians because the cops aren’t allowed to enforce laws. The documentary presents all the stats regarding arrests that actually lead to prosecutions. It’s all there.
 

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