As Seattle grapples with a significant budget shortfall of $200 million, city officials are voicing their concerns and strategies on issues ranging from public safety to homelessness and proposed taxation changes.
Savage, a prominent voice in the City Council, expressed dissatisfaction with the Seattle Police Department’s recruitment efforts, attributing the decline to low officer morale. She pointed to the persistent open drug use and possession seen in areas like Capitol Hill and Chinatown, mentioning that despite new legislation – the ‘Blake fix’ enacted in 2023 – intended to classify drug possession as a gross misdemeanor, enforcement remains lacking.
Savage lamented, “I see assault. I see harassment. I see theft constantly at the store. Our grocery store now has armed guards,” emphasizing a disconnect between reported declining crime rates and real-life experiences in her district.
In stark contrast, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, who joined the Seattle City Council following a special election in 2024, shared her unique backstory, highlighting her upbringing in a challenging environment marked by substance use disorder and homelessness. Raised by her grandparents, and with support from local community organizations, Rinck advocates for increased investment in programs aimed at aiding families and youth.
Rinck defines effective public safety as delivering timely responses by enhancing the workforce across various sectors, including police and emergency responders. She supports preventive measures and stresses the importance of investing in youth programs as a way to reduce gun violence. She was an advocate for new laws aimed at implementing stricter gun purchasing regulations.
Last week, the Seattle City Council cast a 7-2 vote to expand the use of surveillance cameras throughout the city. Rinck, along with Dan Strauss, opposed the expansion, citing concerns over the effectiveness of the pilot program and apprehensions about data security. She expressed fear that federal agencies, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement, could misuse footage for deportations, leading her to propose a delay on surveillance use in cases involving federal subpoenas related to immigration.
In her critique of Savage’s proposals to significantly increase police presence and involve the National Guard in addressing homelessness and drug addiction, Rinck deemed those ideas unrealistic and labeled them as dangerous and out of touch.
Rinck’s prior experience with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority informs her stance on these issues. She believes in the effectiveness of a housing-first approach, which focuses on providing stable housing but acknowledges challenges, such as supportive housing potentially attracting substance use.
“We need to do better and we’re going to need an all hands on deck approach, working both with our service providers and with the community,” Rinck said, emphasizing collective efforts to tackle homelessness.
She warned that the potential loss of federal funding could exacerbate the homeless crisis in Seattle, stating, “We could be looking at thousands more people being exited directly to the streets. That’s the reality we’re facing at this particular moment.”
Rinck stressed the correlation between homelessness and affordability, saying, “When you are living paycheck to paycheck, you are one life instance away from becoming unhoused yourself.”
To combat the effects of potential federal funding cuts, Rinck chairs the Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes. This committee identifies risks to city funding and seeks local solutions to fill any identified gaps, an essential undertaking given the pending budget crisis.
In light of this, Rinck has proposed a business and occupation tax that introduces differentiated tax rates for various businesses. She stated, “We’re offering tax relief to 90% of the businesses in Seattle and asking our top 10% largest businesses here to chip in a bit more.”
The new tax proposal is set to reach voters in November and aims to generate approximately $85 million. The anticipated funds would support areas impacted most by federal funding cuts, including housing, food access, and services for victims of gender-based violence.
However, some business owners have expressed concerns about the proposed tax structure, particularly us it is based on gross receipts, which may disproportionately affect businesses with lower profit margins. Rinck acknowledges these apprehensions and plans to engage the state legislature in upcoming discussions to address the issues raised by business owners.
Rinck remains optimistic that businesses will recognize the value and necessity of this tax as an investment in their success.
As both council members navigate the complicated landscape of public safety, homelessness, and taxation amidst a budget deficit, their contrasting approaches highlight the complexity of urban governance in Seattle. This ongoing dialogue will undoubtedly shape the future policy landscape in the city.
image source from：kuow
