News Nov 21, 2022 at 3:49 pm

The Meaningless Fight about Where to House Seattle's Parking Cops Is Over ... for Now

Once again, we're pumping the brakes on funding a real police alternative to argue about parking cops instead. Tyler Gross

Comments

1

"Of course, if the Council simply increased its tax on large corporations, then we could have all of that and build a police alternative worth the name. It’s not as if the big businesses raking in record profits for the last two years are hurting for cash, after all."

I know right? I mean Jumpstart collected a mere pittance of $230M. Just think if we increased that five fold to $1B all the good the council could do with it. They have been such amazing stewards of public money and trust and surely they in the good wisdom could spend that money better than the business that actually earned it. No doubt the police alternative they build will also be beacons of justice (but in completely equitable way) and criminals will be inspired to reform their ways at the mere thought of them. Then when the WSC upholds the capitol gains tax next year and opens the door to an income we can grab even more of that sweet, sweet pie and fund more of the great programs Seattle is known for across the country. Truly we have so much to be thankful for this Thursday.

2

"Of course, if the Council simply increased its tax on large corporations, then we could have all of that and build a police alternative worth the name."

Wouldn't it be better to just not waste $5 million on a symbolic move that even the city council acknowledges is largely pointless?

3

“Defund” was a stupid idea advanced by stupid people. It stupidly posits that if we just defund the police to the simplest possible fraction, 1/2, then in some magical and undefined way, all of the long, hard work of police reform will somehow become simple, easy, and quick. It should never have been taken seriously by any actual adult, and especially not by CM Herbold, who had narrowly won re-election in 2019 by promising to fund SPD properly.

The fastest way to reduce street crime is to sweep unsanctioned encampments. Any money saved from SPD should therefore go to sweeps.

4

The Stranger's message discipline is impressive. Never, ever, ever mention the 2021 election, which was essentially a referendum on the defund movement. And the defund movement lost -- badly -- at the ballot box. Instead, only mention the 2020 protests, which preceded said election, and act like that proves there is widespread support for defunding.

It's just like Fox News after another woman comes forward to reveal that Herschel Walker paid for her to have an abortion: pretend it never happened.

5

defund LEAD

6

It was a very stupid to try and move the Parking enforcement from the SPD to SDOT...... SDOT responsibility is to mess up the city with long delays in planning, permit issuance, making a mess of city planning and building bike lanes all over the city to accommodate the 20 or so people who like to bike to work. With all that how could they handle parking enforcement... if they had their way there would be no parking...except for bikes and possibly scooters...electric ones

Leave the parking enforcement in the SPD.... they are linked, enforce the parking and have worked well for years.... what saving is to be achieved by moving one department to another city division with no change in work.

This was a "face saving move" because the "defund the police" scheme just blew up in their faces....plain and simple... Now let them try and explain to the taxpayer why the city is overrun by vagrants and criminals...

God I'm looking forward to the next election cycle.


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