To the Editor:
I’m not of a “tax and spend” mindset. However, in the strongest terms I urge a resounding yes vote on Everett’s entirely reasonable levy lift this August. Everett property owners / renters have long and generously underwritten the cost of providing city services to neighbors in dire straights.
This isn’t a close call. Officials might not say it, but I will. If this doesn’t pass, impacts upon city services, especially public safety, will be so regressive that restoration, even just to current levels, would be highly unlikely.
It’s disheartening whenever misinformation gains traction owing to improbity. It was therefore stunning to read former councilman Murphy’s injudicious comments concerning the unavoidable increase of expenses since Covid. Certainly discussions are warranted concerning the cost of unfunded mandates attendant to being a solidly blue, sanctuary city. But no one seems willing to have those talks.
Notwithstanding, public safety leadership has been exemplary. There cannot be cuts to the Everett Fire and Police Departments. Response times are already problematic. EFD’s mutual aid neighbors respond daily to emergencies within city limits that EFD should be staffed to handle. Anybody see the traffic nightmare after the trooper heroically neutralized the I-5 menace? That’s one incident. Are we mindful of what the 529 bridge closure and Trestle traffic portend for mutual aid timeliness? It’s obvious the city’s public safety response infrastructure must be significantly upgraded, not diminished.
This is among the most consequential votes in Everett since Medic One was passed and established decades ago. Please vote yes!
Paul Keller
Inmate, Stafford Creek Corrections Center
Aberdeen
Formerly of Snohomish County
