Like most other states, we in Washington spend millions of dollars prosecuting and incarcerating drug users every year. If, instead, we invested that money in treatment and public health, we would see progress in tackling the opioid addiction crisis, reducing the spread of diseases such as HIV, and in improved public safety outcomes. This is exactly what I will propose in […]
Category: Councilmember Bagshaw
UPDATE Creating a Community of Care for TC5
We received excellent news from the Human Services Department about the future of Tent City 5! Here is their statement: “We are pleased to partner with the Port of Seattle to lease their Tsubota property for the Tent City 5 Interbay City permitted encampment, which is scheduled to move from its current location before their […]
New Heights and Celebration: Uptown Rezone, Welcoming Our 55th Mayor, Budget Season, International Peace Day
This week has been a whirlwind—and it’s only Thursday! Here are a few reflections on the progress we made this week on issues important to District 7 and our entire City. Our New Mayor: “What’s happening at City Hall?” Oh my. It’s true we’ve had three Mayors in a week and the transition has been […]
Creating a Community of Care for Tent City 5
We have come a long way since Tent City Five (TC5) first came to Interbay two years ago. I am deeply grateful to the compassionate Queen Anne, Magnolia, and Interbay residents and businesses who have built this caring community together. On Wednesday, September 6, I attended a meeting at the Magnolia Community Center hosted jointly by […]
Our Moral Compass: Responding to Charlottesville, DACA and Taking Regional Action
The visible hatred on display in Charlottesville in August was a shock felt around the world. Journalists, academics, activists, engaged community members and many thoughtful politicians in our nation — as well as those of us who have learned from history — continue to think about the implications. Despite the ugliness, the response has been […]
Seattle Must Do More to Help Former Prisoners Get Housing
We all need a second chance at some point in our lives. Many of us have done something in our past we regret. That said, our mistakes should not define us, especially when we’ve paid the price for what we’ve done. Council Member Herbold has been championing in her Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and […]
The Next Big Move to Get Off the Streets: Seattle’s Navigation Center
“Everything is double-hard out here, including being clean.” This bit of wisdom came from Sidney who spoke in May with the Seattle Times. He was living in a tent on South Dearborn at the time. He’d been homeless for two years and was struggling to survive. He was trying to figure out on a daily […]
Expanding the Jewel of Seattle: Pike Place MarketFront opens its doors!
Pike Place Market has long been the jewel of Seattle—110 years next month to be exact. I live just five blocks away from the Market, and I relish my time selecting fresh fruit and flowers from market vendors every week. Seattle is fortunate, indeed, to have such a vibrant, historic piece of our legacy for […]
Expanding Treatment for Opioid Addiction
The lead of an article in the Washington Post the morning of June 20, 2017 read, “The coast to coast opioid epidemic is swamping hospitals, with government data published Tuesday showing 1.27 million emergency room visits or inpatient stays for opioid-related issues in a single year.” We also learned this past week that Congress is […]
Homelessness: We Know the Problem and We Know How to Solve It.
Last month All Home issued its comprehensive count identifying the number of people who are homeless in Seattle and King County. King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles and I held a joint committee on May 31, 2017 where the results were issued publicly for the first time. You can watch the presentation on the King County […]