As long-time homeowners in the city of Everett, we ask ourselves how has our quality of life changed in the last seven years? We are now instinctually able to spot a john or a prostitute in our neighborhood. We can finally joke about our two cars that were stolen in front of our house. We laugh about the guest “Club” we offer to company to attach to the steering wheel of their cars. We convince ourselves we are getting exercise when we walk down our alley and pick up the numerous beer cans and other garbage discarded by the transients but we worry about the human waste and dirty needles that might also be there. We are able to recognize when we once again have a serious drug problem at one of the several seedy, run-down motels in the north end of the city.
We are no longer afraid of the many questionable individuals who walk down our block day and night agitated, high or looking for their next high. We recognize familiar voices when we call 911 to report suspicious activity.
We wonder what kind of example does this city set when we notice all the garbage and high weeds on city-owned property, streets and curbs. A walk along Broadway, the gateway to the city, is a constant reminder to us of the priorities set by the mayor. The mayor’s attention clearly is focused on downtown with the anticipation of the new arena. It’s said this project will not cause our taxes to increase. That statement has us concerned. Does that mean we will have less service from the police department in the north end of the city as the public safety budget will be stretched to handle the throngs of people drawn to the events downtown? We know the police officers have been helping us with the problems in our neighborhood but we have given up hope that the mayor or city council truly cares.
If only someone like the no-nonsense Mark Sidran of Seattle could run for mayor of Everett or at the very least be our city attorney, then we might have some hope. In the meantime we will warn our neighbors of increased criminal activity at a nearby motel, continue to work with the police and wonder when the mayor and the city council’s majority will start to care about the responsible homeowners who have not yet fled the city.
Everett
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