[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, submitted by a verified resident. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of South King Media, nor its staff:]
My husband and I moved here from MN to live closer to our son. We live in an apartment close to Town Square Park and love all of the conveniences and many friendly people.
What I notice lacking here is common sense. Daily I hear complaints from local merchants about stealing – which for some bizarre reason is allowed. The homeless rule the roost. We face Big Lots and a window was just broken there by homeless/druggies who also deface the area often. They litter regularly. The police cannot be blamed because I don’t hear support for them in this community or Seattle as a whole.
I would be happy to join a committee of concerned citizens to work on this issue. I am not a vigilante, but someone who grew up on the south side of Chicago and knows what is most likely going to happen. You have a fabulous library here, but I know people in my building who are afraid to go there. I came back from the store yesterday and avoided the park because homeless people were swearing and beating each other up.
Later, my neighbor walked her dog in the park in the afternoon and saw people doing drugs.
The city councilmembers or other do-gooders who support this activity should be required to spend the night on the street to see what is really happening. They are helping to destroy a great little town.
– Kathy McNee
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Thank you, Kathy, for sharing your experience. I completely agree and am glad other neighbors are speaking out. I am happy to speak with you more about a concerned citizen group. I have shared my concerns many times with city council. I have received word from the city manager that the tents will be gone by April 1 (and can explain how that is working), but we need more. We need permanent solutions and I think it would be great to move forward in figuring out those solutions. There are many wonderful things about living in downtown Burien and want to keep it that way.
I just saw your message and I thank you for getting the ball rolling. We are at the Maverick and many neighbors feel the way that you do. The city mgr, Adolfo, lives on our floor and he is up for doing something. Let,s keep and touch and get something going. Then we are acting and I know that business owners would appreciate it, too.
My email (a college nickname-so don’t laugh) is cutiemcnee@aol.com.
Thanks, Kathy
It’s called fentanyl and it’s a national epidemic. Burien is a city, not a little town. And the police are particularly to blame. I moved to Ballard and it’s not a any different . I don’t see a whole lot of policing going on anywhere . I don’t know the solution and I don’t think anyone else does either.
Never going to happen, the counsel loves to make you uncomfortable so they can raise your taxes and blame someone else.