Letters to the editor for Oct. 3
City Council should reconsider new mitigation site at former Quality Inn
This is a condensed version of a letter I submitted to the Olympia City Council to reconsider the placement of the mitigation site at the former Quality Inn site.
I have two children who attend St. Michael Parish School in Olympia. The encampment site being considered causes extreme concern for not only the safety and vulnerability of the local businesses and residents, but especially for our children.
While I can empathize with the homeless crisis, simply relocating an already existing camp will not actually solve the problem. As evident by previous homeless encampments in our state, we know these pose extreme safety risks, especially to the immediate surrounding areas. We’ve seen increased violence, theft, vandalism, illegal burning, trash/littering, weapon use/brandishing, feces, drug paraphernalia and increased presence of mental health issues. The encampment in Seattle’s Bitter Lake Neighborhood is exactly the outcome we are trying to avoid.
The Providence Community Resource Center that was previously open near the existing camp at Franklin Street and State Avenue was actually a step in the right direction of increasing access to services that would help the homeless in our community.
— Briana Mahoney, Olympia
The service and experience we need at our Port
Ballots for the November General Election should be arriving shortly. I hope you will join me in voting for Jessie Simmons for Port of Olympia Commissioner. I know he has the experience that will allow him to hit the ground running on day one and I believe he has the right vision for the Port.
Jessie Simmons brings significant knowledge and experience to the Port race. When Jessie was deployed to Iraq during his service in the military, he served as an environmental compliance officer and a project coordinator. Some of his experience includes building a regional hazardous waste disposal facility, managing large budgets, and assigning out micro loans to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Iraq — and he even has hands-on experience with operations at a port there. These invaluable experiences speak to his deep understanding of environmental stewardship, fiscal and budget aptitude, and how ports work.
Jessie also is a member of the International Union of Painter and Allied Trades Local 116 and a huge advocate for labor and living-wage jobs. On top of that, Jessie has a BA in political science and a master’s in political management.
On diversity, equity and inclusion, Jessie wants the Port to be more mindful of disparate impact and ensure equity and inclusion plays a larger part in the Port’s success.
Check out Jessie’s campaign website, www.FriendsofJessie.com, for more information and join me in voting for Jessie Simmons for Port Commissioner by Nov. 2.
— Joey Summerson, Olympia
We need more resources for affordable housing
There is no question that we have an extraordinary shortage of affordable housing in Thurston County. It’s very challenging to find available housing to rent or buy, and far too many of our neighbors are unhoused. We urge our County Commissioners to pass the 1/10th of 1% sales tax increase to help address this problem.
This very modest tax increase (estimated to be about $16 per year per household) will provide an ongoing, locally controlled fund to meet a variety of housing needs. This flexible revenue tool will help acquire land or existing buildings and/or construct affordable housing and provide housing-related services for people whose income is 60% or less of the county median income.
These funds will support our existing affordable housing plans enacted by Thurston County and its cities. Our regional Housing Action Plan encompasses the goals and strategies of our three urban cities and the county and calls out the need for a permanent local housing fund. The funds will allow for the county’s shovel-ready projects housing veterans, seniors, and families to be built faster and be more sustainable over time.
The Olympia Home Fund (passed in 2017) has enabled both the Martin Way and Family Support Center projects to leverage outside funds. It’s time for the rest of Thurston County to gain access to these funds that will raise about $4.5 million annually to generate and leverage more affordable housing to meet this crisis that we are years behind in tackling.
— Paul Knox, Olympia