By Jack Mayne

The old trespass law is gone, but there is a new one to take its place despite the sustained efforts of Councilmember Lauren Berkowitz.

Police Chief Scott Kimerer also told Councilmembers that Burien now ranked of 91st on the Safe Cities list.
At the Monday (July 20) Burien City Council session there was also a renewed concern about using social media while the group is in session, and whether a Council member can copyright her position.

Oh, and the unexpected quick start for the new Burien off-leash dog park.

‘Legal risk’ issues
At the beginning of the meeting Mayor Lucy Krakowiak said that “in light of our new understanding of some legal risk issues that require prompt consideration, there was the opportunity to add an item to the agenda.

At this, Councilmember Lauren Berkowitz moved to add “reconsideration” of the so-called “trespass” ordinances 606, later subsumed as Ordinance 621, which she and others have said criminalize homelessness.
The new proposal is “to clarify due process … for use of trespass warnings and whether there is a need to have this ordinance at all.” Councilmember Gerald Robison immediately seconded her motion.

The new ordinance, number 624, adds “due process” for those running afoul with its behavior terms.
Berkowitz said she did not support the new ordinance, even though it was better than having nothing at all, because it fixes the problem of due process for violators.

Get rid of it
The real answer, she said was “to get rid of it altogether.

Adding due process doesn’t solve her problems because parts are “unconstitutionally vague and also is mean spirited and … apparently is not being used that much so I think for the amount of controversy and poor branding image it has created for the city, it would be better to just repeal this ordinance in its entirety.

Even so, she said she would support the passage of the new version only “because “it is better than nothing.

So Ordinances 606 and 621 no longer exist in Burien, and Ordinance 624 unanimously replaces them?
Not yet.

Just as the new one was passed, Berkowitz said wait, wait. Now she said she wanted to dump all three – the old ones and the brand new one.

“These do not address the liability of that is still existing”because it “unconstitutionally vague.”
That move failed 5 to 2, with Berkowitz and Robison the only two voting to remove the just-passed Ordinance 624.

Burien ranked 91st
In the Safe Cities Rankings, said Police Chief Scott Kimerer as he presented his annual report to the Council. Ranked above Burien were Shoreline, No. 52 and Des Moines, 16. Below Burien were SeaTac 105, Seattle No. 110 and Tukwila at No. 113. (See chart 1).

“That is a concern for us, we want a safe city, we want people to feel safe in the city,” Kimerer said, so he said they wondered how come the low ranking.

While the city went down in some measurements, violent crimes against people went up – 32 percent – “a tremendous increase … over an all-time low in 2013,” Kimerer said.

Even with that, a survey of crime data over 20 years showed the rates go up and down but there are no major shifts or trends revealed.

Kimerer said his department placed emphasis on several problem areas, including prostitution, difficulties at the 4th of July, in the downtown core and around the Safeway parking lot and with a new emphasizing on the use of social media.

With prostitution, the city joined with other police agencies on a multi-agency investigation that produced six arrest warrants served in Burien, 145 arrests for prostitution and “related offenses,” and a seizure of $150,000 in assets.

Emphasis in the downtown core came with reallocation of grant funds to support “extra patrols on overtime,” and targeting the downtown area and the Safeway parking lot with foot and bicycle patrols, “an extremely important tool … in the downtown area,” Kimerer told the Council.

As far as social media is concerned, a relatively new area for the Burien Police, Kimerer reported 1,250 “likes” on their Facebook page, they have 1,485 Twitter followers and Nextdoor.com that reaches 1,102 neighbors. The chief said one posting got 19,000 views about a man who was arrested and then turned his life around.

Kimerer says the same strategies will continue this year along with identifying and developing relations with service providers “to help police contracts of our most vulnerable in the community,”

Copyright a city?
During citizen comment period, resident Chestine Edgar pointed to an email letter in the weekly Council packet written by Allison Ostrer that said she stood by “Berkowitz and oppose restrictions on free speech.”

She told the Council the letter was timed as sent at 11:18 a.m. but the letter Ostrer attached from Councilmember Berkowitz was timed as received by the writer at “17:29” or 5:29 p.m., or six hours after the original appeared to have been sent to the Council.

Also, the letter attached has “campaign material” in it, she said, pointing to a passage in the document where Berkowitz mentions three Council candidates’ names noting they have “progressive values to move Burien forward, against such nonsense, and against the infamous Ordinance 606/621.”
The comments were a violation of campaign practice and “never should have been printed.”
Chestine Edgar also noted that the document was marked as “Copyright Burien City Councilmember, Position 1, all rights reserved.”

“I wasn’t aware there were people who had the right to copyright a City Council position” and wondered if the lengthy document had been submitted and “approved by the Council to be sent,” as Council rules require.

Resident Roger Delorm picked up on the names of candidates in the letter in the packet.

“I believe it is in violation of fair campaign practices,” he said, adding, “No Council person should be able to copyright a specific Burien Council position site as their own.”

Delorm, apparently referring to Berkowitz, said “the Councilperson completely ignored (Council) rules and continued to write and publish, under an alleged copyright, inflammatory letters about Council topics that have been voted on and about individual Council members by name.”

He said the Council needed to take action on these issues.

But resident Rachel Levine said there was an effort in the Council to “denigrate the ability and … worthwhileness of one of your members,” apparently referring to Berkowitz. “We are here to hear everything that everybody want to hear. I don’t like the cutting down, the shutting down of the people that are coming here to speak. I don’t like it.

“I don’t like this organized vendetta against one of your members,” Levine said. “You need to all stand up and defend that member.”

Dog Park Now
The Council approved the off-leash dog park in Lakeview Park and its name for one of the financial supporters, Burien Toyota and Chevrolet Dog Park for eight years. The city will move the project up to make it “functional”by the end of this year, instead of the previous start in 2017. Berkowitz first moved to not name the park after Burien Toyota, but the Council did not support that move, but later said she supported the need for the park and the Council unanimously approved the name agreement and the moving up money for the park work.

Senior Reporter Jack Mayne passed away in December, 2021. In his honor we have created the Jack Mayne Journalism Scholarship.

81 replies on “New ‘trespass’ ordinance passed; Burien now ranked 91st Safest City”

  1. It has become quite apparent again that our very own dysfunction causing Socialist flag waving disaster, is causing nothing but grandiose self centered attention to her private ruin Burien agenda. I certainly hope the rest of the Council minus her fan Robison of course, finds a way to finally shut that piehole. She worries about the Burien image, but she is doing us all the harm with that nonsense.

  2. Its interesting that Racheal Levine has a problem with denigrating a council member that lied to get elected and all Racheal did during the annexation battle was denigrate anyone that opposed annexation. So I think her comments should be received in this context.
    Neither Berkowitz or Robison are constitutional lawyers but they apparently think they are and they spend the majority of their time on the council lawyering and supporting outside influences rather than representing the residents of Burien.
    We would have a council which would serve the people of Burien much less contentiously without either Berkowitz or Robison on it.

    1. Hmm I have to wonder now that QofA (5:46am) and john Poitras (5:57am) comments are only 11 minutes a part from each in posting seem to be both are in complete agreement with one another . Hmm makes me wonder of the William Forest situation. Also I notice going through some old comment the other day there both in complete agreement on the medical cannabis argument too.
      Then john go’s on to call out someone on denigrating people during the annexation bickering war of 2010,2011,2012,2013. Thanks I needed a laugh this morning!

      1. Jimmy, take off your conspiracy hat as your random speculation is just that. I do not know John P. and the only thing you have going for your assumption is we both seem to get up early, and we both seem to distrust and dislike L. Bezerkoitz. Sorry your fishing trip came up empty.

        1. Ok to prove me wrong why don’t the both of you. Since you like talking politics so much post your Washington state voter registration number. Your allow one * in your number to stay anonymous QofA . Any one wanting to hold there breath for this one. Would not be advise to do so.

          1. I would, but my conviction for aggravated first degree murder disqualified me from voting. So keep on fishing Jimmy,and your going need a bigger worm. P.S. You really should take that foil out of your hat, it’s causing unnecessary frontal lobe pressure.

          2. OK sure someone that has commented numerous times about having a concealed weapons permit and your going try some crap like this nice try your caught. Dummy get a life instead of making one up. You know I left this situation alone awhile back because I knew you would get your caught just like before mr.Forest.

          3. As most people already know john poitras has never registered to vote in Washington state so this why I posted this trick question. And guess what you fell for it John

          4. Be careful QA! Jimmy will threaten to get you fired! He knows who we all are and he will get us!! I speak from experience.

          5. The last person I am going to prove something too is you Jimmy. You are not worth my time. Last time I checked your version of reality was located somewhere in the twilight zone.

      2. Jimmy
        You are one to talk.. . Go back and read the part in the bible worrying about the plank in your own eye before looking for the splinter in anothers eye..
        I think the very negative ratings of your comments speaks for itself.

        1. The negative ratings are you and the other (trolls) screwing with the votes as has been mention in the past of how it is you get around the i.p. address and one vote rule. This is why I don’t really care about the ratings of votes when come to commenting on something like this. It can be notices that most comments I post get around 1 to 10 thumbs down but when it comes to something about you they get 21 to 50 thumbs downs that’s bit of a jump in votes. Then you take in to consideration the statistician of the blog in the past was Pat L. A person that has also not use the truth to there benefit and has been a bit of pain the butt in confusing people about the annexation.
          John you got your self caught just deal with it already there’s no way for you to back out. You slip up quite a few times some in a row. Just like you did when you got caught using the William forest name (there is noway in Washington or king county with name William forest). Ok you have a history of this stupidity I and others on this blog just had to wait for you to slip up and look what happened.
          P.S. Tcb your hr department was contacted as far as I see after that you stop replying to my comments so I guess that option did work. I should have just that used option instead of being nice and trying to warn you first. But since you wanted to push buttons yes I did what I had to do and will do it again if need be. So Terri Ann B. I was even nice enough to tell your h.r department to just have a talk with you about your issue’s and not fire you. You also have had slip ups that got you caught and you need to learn to deal with it.

  3. For those of you who saw the meeting, you might wonder at the number, 624. Seems that number was already taken. City commications officer Katie Trefry sent us an email last night that said, “As it turns out, an Ordinance 623 was already in existence (the Critical Areas Ordinance adopted last month), and so the new trespass ordinance is actually Ordinance 624. The numbering oversight is de minimis and doesn’t trigger a re-vote, but the corrected number is 624.” So, there! Thanks Katie for the update.

  4. Sounds like Berkowitz was right all along about the ordinance. Incremental progress.
    Also Chestine needs to understand how email works. Some email systems ALWAYS stamp time with GMT (+0) (like Mailchimp) and some sometimes stamp with local time zone (-7 pacific daylight time). Then when the two systems intermingle the date published isn’t always accurate. Ask any business person who travels time zones about this.
    So much wasn’t reported like the last 30 minutes of the meeting, which in my opinion was embarrassing for all Burienites. The council as a whole was embarrassing and dysfunctional. Blame Berkowitz all you want BUT check out the last 30…. the majority was embarrasing.
    Many firsts for the position of “Mayor” with Krakowiak as well.
    First, she had someone removed from the podium for going over time by 20 seconds (previous meeting).
    Then, she had someone removed for “inflammatory” comments that are most likely protected free speech (previous meeting).
    NOW, she used her gavel banging it audibly, for the first time in Burien council history, to silence another person.
    Vote out the incumbents!

    1. Hey “PPP” the Mayor is just doing her elected job trying to bring some order to a system that has run amok thanks to the purposely preplanned anarchy of your idol Ms. Bezerko.

      1. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you make a comment WITHOUT insulting someone. Your anonymous voice would carry more weight if you tried that.
        Speaking of your buddy onKrako she’s had extensive training in Roberts Rules of order yet she’s still struggling with running the show. She’s definitely the most “active” mayor with having to bang gavels and what not. Not even Joan McGilton banged the gavel and she presided over annexation, Shoreline issues… things more controversial than what’s been going on now.

        1. I only add insults to those who fully deserve it because of their anti Burien positions.

          1. Anti-Burien? I call BS on that. Unlike you, I fully and freely post who I am as well as volunteer within the community – walking the walk.
            All I ever see you do is talk the trash, anonymously like the coward that you are, and do nothing to actually effect change.
            It’s easy to gripe from behind a PC screen especially anonymously.

          2. Walk the walk and support public peeing! Now that’s taking pride in your city. You are my favorite whiz kid. Your posts always make me chuckle!

          3. If you go back to Joey’s now famous quote about the homeless and their bathroom needs you will actually see how it would be quite appropriate to change his acronym from “PPP” to “PUD” which would be Promoting Urination & Defection. He speaks of being on Burien’s side, yet with that statement his position and support for the citizens is quite the opposite and never to be forgotten or excepted.

          4. NextDoor.com – Search “Gregory Heights” or “Burien” – With any / all of these you will find your neighbors and residents of Burien. We are all neighbors! Say hi!
            They have such a thing?
            Sheesh, Can I blame that on the fact that I have lived in my home for 27 years and
            dont even know my next door neighbors last name?
            Don’t get the wrong idea though, if their house was on fire they know I would be one of the first ones there with a hose I just like my privacy and respect others privacy as well.
            We help each other out all the time but what they do is what they do as long as it doesn’t hurt or adversely affect anybody else and is none of my business.

          5. I effect change by commenting on topics which bring about discussion within the community, your position on many, if not all of the topics is one of absolute betrayal of your fellow citizens. The fact that you openly and fervently support L. Bezerkoitz and her actions as a representative of Burien is one of absolute wonder. This brings into question your loyalty to Burien, and many other things.

          6. Cover of Night Affected change and you sir are no Cover of Night!
            And seriously PPP, PUD as nicknames? Get creative! CON gave me the best nickname ever with his “Joey Moretaxes”. Please give more effort to nick names!
            AND as an FYI, yes this is me, changed my name to show how easy it is to “make it look like everyone” is for/against something! Easy to do.
            Kind of like when I caught “William Forest” using John Poitras’ PC. Good thing I screen shot that before/after as proof.
            Step out into the daylight. You’re not truly anonymous anyway.

    2. Politicians are a lot like diapers. They should be changed frequently, and for the same reason. – Benjamin Franklin

    3. LB was right? That is some choice humor! Calling in the ACLU on your fellow councilmembers? You are correct, however, the last 30 minutes were a joke! LB was like Varuca Salt from Willy Wonka! I’m still laughing!!!

      1. Can we get her tossed down the reject nut hole like in the movie? Just as long as the drain came out far, far away!

      2. You mean THREE major revisions of the law (so far) don’t mean anything? The latest one is so that people busted by this (unconstitutional) law get due process. You know – protections from the law and abuse from the law.
        HOW DARE SHE (sarcasm) work to ensure the constitution of these United States be followed.
        Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both – Ben Franklin (since we’re quoting him now)

    4. First time in Burien council history? I’ll have to take your word on that since unlike you I have not been to every council meeting for the past 22 years and you know that no one will go to the trouble of watching all the meetings just to call you on it.

    5. RIght Joey>>> and vote for wanna be mayor Joey Martinez. Your comment sounds like a campaign speech!

      1. Psst…. I didn’t file to run for office. Or did you think I was running? Wow…

        1. I oppose the Tea Party and everything they stand for so no poo poo platform for me.

          1. Hey Joey,
            The Tea Party is in favor of a government accountable to the people and fiscally responsible management of our tax dollars.
            It is good to know that you are against both of those things.

  5. Berkowitz needs to take her azz to Seattle with the other communists.
    She doesn’t represent the hard working tax payers of Burien.

    1. You’re calling the hard working voters of Burien, WHO VOTED HER IN OFFICE, Seattle residents? You should contact King County elections and report your voter fraud allegations.

      1. I did not vote her in! I think for someone like her to get into office there had to be some deception… I was at the meeting where she gathered all the homeless together and brought them there… DECEPTION!!! I would not put it past her to have the homeless come in and vote for her, or even fill it herself….it does not take a bright mind to see that she is not for this community but has her own agenda!!!

        1. I would not even put it past her to have people log on that are not residence in this community come on here and click the likes and dislikes on the comment section…again DECEPTION!!!!

      2. Speaking of voter fraud, given the large number of votes on some of these comments in such a short time, if I were a conspiracy nut I might think someone had found a way to subvert the voting system.

        1. Yep. Thinking the same thing. Hmmmmm…….
          Bottom line is, Berko is bad for Burien. Burien voters were deceived by her, but have now have had their eyes WIDE OPEN to her antics. Can’t wait to see the people line up to run against her! If only it was sooner rather than later!

        2. I was wondering the same thing.
          I thought what the heck, how long as this thing been on here and I havent seen it????
          Then I looked at the dates and thought “WHOA”, Just yesterday or so.
          I like leavemealones idea of a quick impeachment process though, if the council cant seem to work for the fine folks of Burien, a quick prompt process to remove them sounds fair.
          After all, they were voted in, why not vote them out before they ruin the good things that were built.

  6. On the bright side – according to the letter in the council packet, we now know that Berkowitz is indeed aligned with Bell, Giffin, and Scherer. Then we could be known as Seattle’s Crazy little sister.

    1. Thanks for pointing that out, now I know who not to vote for so we all don’t end up having to carry little red books wherever we go and dress the same for the good of the party.

    2. Get the word out and don’t vote for her buddies.. That’s all we need is 4 LB’s on the council.
      We will become the laughing stock of the entire state.

  7. I have read the comments and the one thing that stands out is that there is deception in some of the counsel members and that they are not truly standing for the Burien Community but have there own agenda. I am new to this area but how did these members get elected? It is my understanding that the community is the people that live here, not people that have no residence here! I know I missed the last city meeting but if these individuals don’t care about the community and are fighting for outside forces they need to not be on the counsel! And what I find interesting is that the rest of the counsel doesn’t do anything about it.
    What I remember is that this one counsel person at the one meeting I made, brought in a whole group of homeless people to stand up for her cause… that is not standing for the community or even the safety of our community! She puts more priority in her own cause then she does of the safety of our children in the library. My girls are grown but I still have a major problem with homeless people, who could have records or be mentally ill, hanging out in the same place our children are. There are no loitering signs all over the place and yet there is loitering. Why doesn’t any one do something about this?
    My boyfriend had problems with roommates so he is know doing Airbnb, which means we have people from all over the world staying at our place and hanging out in our community. What they see and experience they will take home with them…what do all of you want them to say about our community?

  8. Since the Dog Park is going to be named for Burien Toyota, maybe it should be called, “Center Of The Known Dog World”. When Burien Toyota/Chevrolet owner Dean Anderson returns from El Salvador, where he is participating in a church mission to build housing, somebody should ask him if he would be OK with that.
    Also, contrary to a Councilmember’s proposal to remove the benches from the facility, thank you to the majority of the council who decided to retain seating at the dog park. Standing for a prolonged period is difficult for many senior and disabled folks. Not having seating would be a barrier to their being able to use and enjoy our new Dog Park.

      1. Lauren Berkowitz, of course. There has to be a debate about absolutely everything. Dog owners should be running with their dogs, apparently. I guess we need to notify the ADA. Sounds like there is some descrimination against people with disabilities.

    1. If the reasoning to not have them was to prevent transients from sleeping on the benches I can totally understand that, the cure is a simple center divider that prevents people from laying down and that system is used successfully in many communities and parks around here.

    2. Dean is in El Salvador helping people now? He sure does a lot for people around here too. He is a good example for me.

  9. I think someone is using proxy servers to get around the one vote per IP address limit on here as in the voting… because some of these dislikes or likes are way to off!!!! DECEPTION and MANIPULATION!!!! There needs to be an investigation!!!!

    1. It is quite easily done in fact. There are simple macro programs you can install that will trick the Btown blog system. So until that hole gets plugged take the ratings with a grain of salt.
      Personally I don’t have the time or inclination to game the system but I believe a number of LB supporters that hang out on this blog with nothing better to do are doing this.

        1. Joey,
          Exactly what sort of employer do you have that allows you to spend so much time on the Blog during the day? If you were my employee, you’d be FIRED!

          1. I was wondering the same thing about Question Authority, he said he’s a public employee. Someone should look into that!
            I work in excess of 60 hours a week regular, dont worry about me Lori.

  10. Oh, politics. I’m new to Burien as well (lived in North Seattle for years and have been in Burien since about end of 2012). I wish that somewhere in all of these comments someone could explain what is going on without insulting people. I try to make sense of it (my understanding is that the no-trespass ordinance makes it a crime to loiter, do illegal things, etc.) but the truth seems to get lost amongst the chatter. Also, who is this Berkowitz person? I looked her up, has she lived in Burien for only 3 years? What are her outside agendas that people are talking about? Seriously asking, not looking to start debate. I’m interested in knowing what is truly happening.

    1. She is a card carrying member of the local Socialist agenda party who was elected to the Council using a platform of half truths and an obvious hidden agenda. Her, and the Socialist parties mantra is to at any cost bring attention to their anarchist belief system. Her life dream is to represent the downtrodden/homeless against the civic majority who are tired of the drugs and crime they bring to communities such as
      ours. Through her actions on the City Council she has alienated a overwhelming percentage of the population, and that group cannot wait for her time in office to be over.

    2. Hello Jenn,
      Feel free to reach out to me (www.DarlaGreen.com), you are 100% right, there is a lot of chatter, but know there is also a real foundation as to why there is. We have a real concern about public safety for all residents, as well as visitors to our city. There seems to be a real disconnect from certain City Council members and the constituents that they serve. And this is just one issue…….
      Also, you can reach out to local social media boards on FaceBook: Take Back Burien & Safe and Clean Burien. Or you can find a wonderful group on NextDoor.com – Search “Gregory Heights” or “Burien” – With any / all of these you will find your neighbors and residents of Burien. We are all neighbors! Say hi!
      All my best,
      Darla

    3. Ok… I am new to the area as well. Basically what I saw was that Berkowitz wants the homeless to be allowed to hangout in the city…With the new law they would not be able to do that… my concern is the library… they hang out mostly where our children hang out and there is no check to see if they are sex offenders… that is why you hear people being upset…

    4. The no trespass ordinance lowers the standards that police have to use to remove “nuisance” people from public structures like the Library and adjoining property but not right of way areas like sidewalks or streets or private property like Safeway parking lots or businesses.
      Originally the ordinance allowed people to be barred for such things as offensive odor or brushing teeth in the bathroom.
      Berkowitz pointed out the deficiencies in the law, however, those changes were rejected (she also fought for complete repeal). The local news picked up on that, then the national news (including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”) and that drew the attention of the ACLU-Wa and SAFE in SEATTLE. The law embarrassed Burien and was changed to remove the explicit language.
      Berkowitz continued the fight for complete repeal due to the law being constitutionally vague and as well as not providing due process. Those fighting for homeless rights continued their fight for human rights for homeless (showing my bias here).
      Just this week the City Council changed the ordinance yet again. This time they added due process protections and it passed unanimously, though Berkowitz still wants to repeal the law because it’s not being used much and has drawn national mockery of the city of Burien.
      With out CM Berkowitz we would STILL have ordinance 606 that the council has now revised twice because it was mean spirited and lacked due process. The latter being a specific violation of the constitution.

      1. The trespass law has drawn national mockery? If Ms. Berkowitz wasn’t calling in the ACLU and SAFE to obstruct our meetings, as well as making repeated motions to repeal laws passed by the council and her various points of order at the last council meeting no one would even pay attention to Burien or our laws. CM Berkowitz is drawing national mockery of Burien and she needs to go!

        1. One – There were many points of order not initiated by Berkowitz
          Two -She’s just following the rules imposed by the council majority.
          Three – shedding light on the council majority violating due process, among other things, is a good thing for open public and transparent government.
          Four – see how easy it is to change names and make it look like there is a major uproar when In fact I’ve just changed my name?

  11. StinkBeast Berkowitz(this is a name she has given herself) doesn’t respect City law, State Law, the rules of the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC), the Council rules, the city staff, the City Manager or any city attorneys. She has put out at least 9 different copyrighted letters claiming that she and her protest friends should try to demand and protest against the Council and City Staff.These letters are in violation of Section 14 ot the Council rules as was mentioned by 2 speakers that this meeting.
    These “most likely illegally” copyrighted letters contain false accusations against the Mayor and the city attorneys. She continues to claim that she is a constitutional expert but then fails to provide case law to support her claim. StinkBeast has imported protesters into the city to disrupt Council meetings and keep the work of the city and citizens from moving along in an efficient manner, She left the work of the Council to go out and address the protesters for her own edification.
    In the most recent city packet, StinkBeast had several of her associates/officiers from Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party(Henry Noble, Helen Gilbert, Anne Slater, Su Docekal, etc.) send in letters about her rights to being violated. Several of the people who submitted letters again do not live in Burien. Yes Stink Beast has named herself correctly.

  12. Dear Jenn- Lauren Berkowitz is on the Burien City Council. She has been in constant contact with the ACLU to take action against the council, she is ssupposed to be working with, and the city she was elected to serve. She has invited protesters from outside the city to attend council meetings and cause chaos. This has used our valuable police services, which could have been better spent preventing crime. She uses social media during thecouncil meetings to present her one-sided version of what is transpiring. UUnfortunately, these are just the facts. I haven’t even began to express my opinions.

    1. Maybe Burien needs and ordinance that allows them to just simply be removed from council.

      1. Hmmm, travel back in time to 2012 before the current majority was in power. That council removes Krakowiak and Edgar. Some of you pushing to “easily” remove some council members would hate that.
        Very dangerous suggestion. VERY dangerous.

        1. Joey-the only council member people want to get rid of is Berkowitz. You know why? WE LOVE BURIEN!

  13. I am in support of the adults on the city council and their vote for the new initiative. I very much hope my fellow Burien citizens choose to send more adult’s to serve as council persons in the next election.

  14. Berkowitz, Tosta and Robison wanted to open up the city to camping for every bum, criminal, substance user, prostitute and criminal. Luckily Luck K., Bob Edgar, Debi Wagner and Setve Armstrong voted against. If this camping were to be allowed, there would be no safe areas in our city. And families and businesses would start and continue to move out of town. There would be no safe parks and the downtown would be unsafe to citizens as well as visitors. Our police costs would skyrocket.
    Berkowitz, Tosta and Robison want to give taxpayer paid for gift cards to these same folks to buy Booze, liquor or trade them for drugs or money. As Berkowitz says its theirs so they should get to spent it as they want. Well frankly it is not theirs. It is taxpayer money from taxpayers who work hard, deny themselves basics, comforts and pleasures to pay their taxes. This money should not be squandered but rather be given to our food banks to buy food to hand out to those who really are hungry. When these three can’t get their way they disrupt the council meetings or invite in thugs from out of town to disrupt.Shame on Berkowitz, Tosta and Robison.

  15. I met Tosta when she was campaigning. She said she was pro business not pro giving away my tax dollars to drug addicts. Fooled again. Shame on me.

  16. So you don’t like Burien city government? I am looking forward to seeing ALL of your names on our next ballot running for city council positions.

    1. “Berkowitz, Tosta and Robison wanted to open up the city to camping for every bum, criminal, substance user, prostitute and criminal”
      Prostitutes? ; )
      Now we`re talkin`..Just kidding folks
      Hey seethelight,
      when you say open season like deer.
      I take it you are talking the homeless folks or the council. Either one fits.

Comments are closed.