VIDEO: Mayor Harrell’s third State of the City speech

Just one scripted shoutout to West Seattle in Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s State of the City speech today – in the context of the planned Sound Transit light-rail extension. Other topics in his speech, delivered at the Museum of History and Industry in South Lake Union, were familiar and timeless, public safety chief among them – he hailed some ongoing changes, like the creation of the CARE Department (with 911 and a crisis-response team), and said – as we’d heard last week – that Seattle’s Park Rangers will soon be working citywide. He also promised to convene a public-safety forum next month to hear from community members. And he said that when he proposes the next transportation levy, it will focus on “the basics” – repaving, bridge maintenance, signage and striping, potholes (District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka got a shoutout there), etc. And he acknowledged that the pressure is on, since he can pretty much count on support from the mostly-new City Council: “There is a new level of expectations.” On homelessness, he hit the points made in the media briefing we covered last week. Read the speech here (or watch the video above).

P.S. Set your calendar – the mayor said the next citywide Day of Service is set for May 18th.

Rhonda February 20, 2024 (7:51 pm)

I hope Harrell scraps his inept idea of putting snooping microphones and surveillance cameras in neighborhoods of color. The gunshot detector systems are ridiculously inaccurate, especially in urban areas with VERY high amounts of fireworks and “popping” mufflers on high-performance cars. There’s also a big difference between being casually video’d by a private Ring doorbell or Safeway camera and a government lens on a pole. One is defensive and the other punitive. With the $200 million budget shortfall I hope the program gets dumpstered.

Daniel February 21, 2024 (8:14 am)

Yea Chicago just ripped them out of their city. They figured out it was costing millions per year and having virtually zero benefit – sometimes negative benefit even, due to misleading police with false positives and wasting time.

Jeannie February 20, 2024 (8:53 pm)

Are you saying people of color are more likely to shoot off fireworks and have loud, obnoxious cars? I am not trying to be snarky, I’d just like to understand. Personally, I can’t stand loud fireworks (except for certain events) and the popping mufflers on cars – how are they “cool”?

Rhonda February 21, 2024 (12:12 pm)

Jeannie, Harrell’s plan is to install the gunshot detectors and surveillance cameras in neighborhoods of high reported crime. The problem is that, demographically, those areas happen to have a higher percentage of people of color. Those residents would be unfairly under surveillance as a result of their efforts of calling 911 for shots fired incidents. They asked for more SPD response yet are getting more punitive electronic surveillance, instead. It’s regressive and punishes those communities that already have had to deal with bad actors at a higher rate than lower-crime neighborhoods. There’s simply not enough funds in the budget to install the gunshot detectors and surveillance cameras in equal proportions throughout all neighborhoods.
- FUD Fighter February 24, 2024 (8:01 am)
  
  Maybe consider the community might welcome something that could potentially help reduce the gun crime in their neighborhood rather than calling it surveillance.

Rick February 21, 2024 (9:31 am)

Yeah, but just thinkin’ of all those poor contractors now having for other taxpayers to fleece.

wetone February 21, 2024 (10:01 am)

Not impressed and have little faith in his visions and promises. I see a huge problem with his budgeting short fall issues. With the largest mayoral support staff ever seen in Seattle and continually wanting to increase his staff along with his continual talk about data driven studies for best approach….. it’s like everyone is afraid to make the hard decisions. No real explanation of where last $930 million dollar levy went…. His future visions do nothing for middle, middle lower class, like blue collar, retires on fixed income. In fact if in that group and own a home in Seattle, that group will most likely be forced to sell and move from area due to rising costs as increased property taxes, proposed upcoming levy’s and inflation. His plans greatly help builders, large investors, sports, and tourists related areas, but at what costs to most others…. Show me where the moneys going……. I personally have seen quality of life in Seattle continue to decline over last decade (life long resident now retired). I have seen no accountability from this mayor just the salesperson and comedian talk. Where is all the added revenues going from weed sales, sugar taxes, levy’s, tourism, sports events ? You want me to vote yes for any future levy you better start showing some real results and I’m not talking about graffiti removal……..

Sorry, comment time is over.