Seattle’s divisive politics creates a leadership void
We have learned during the past four years just how important good leadership is to our country’s health and prosperity. Seattle has been suffering its own lack of good leadership and the results have likewise been devastating. Consider:
We’ve had a City Councilmember emulate Donald Trump’s political approach by leading protestors to our Mayor’s protected home address and allow her followers into a closed City Hall. In a non-partisan office, she has put her personal political party over the needs of the city.
We’ve had City Councilmembers commit to reducing our police force by 50% without first developing an understanding of the needs of our city or developing and staffing alternative approaches to policing.
We’ve had a Police Chief sidelined by the City Council, resulting in her resignation. One of our Councilmembers wants to allow drug addiction and mental health to excuse shoplifting, theft and assaults on our streets.
Without political intervention downtown businesses can no longer afford to operate due to the impact of theft and customers concerned for their personal safety. The pandemic has accelerated this exodus.
Hundreds of thousands of Seattleites, including children, can no longer use public parks because the City cannot decide how to humanely care for a few thousand unsheltered campers.
Some in our police force treat all protesters as combatants rather than focusing on those who have been violent.
The President of the Seattle Police Officers Guild posts unproven politically partisan claims on social media exemplifying the type of police mentality that our citizens no longer want in Seattle.
Our bridges and infrastructure are crumbling and yet the Council was unwilling to allocate the special tax developed to repair our bridges to that use, instead asking for ideas of how to spend the money.
We have a Mayor with good intentions but no experience in running a large organization and unable to work with a hostile Council.
Our District-focused Council Members pander to small interests groups and fail to consider that their decisions affect the entire city.
Contrary to the advice of City-commissioned reports that recommend proven homelessness solutions, our leaders have chosen a path that enables homelessness as a lifestyle.
Leadership failures have affected our city for the worse and it is not clear how we will recover. For now it’s up to citizens to keep pressing for solutions. As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”
