Downtown Seattle group joins forces in plea to legislature

People who often disagree about what’s best for downtown Seattle are joining forces in a call for improved public safety and health services.

The coalition, calling itself Center City Roundtable, is asking the state legislature to fund housing, mental health and various other social services programs, including the Affordable Care Act.

“What’s come to be known as “ObamaCare” vastly expands coverage to include individuals who previously didn’t qualify for Medicaid, including low-income single adults,” explained Mayor Mike McGinn.

Lisa Daugaard, with the public defense agency Defender Association, calls the coalition statement a watershed event.

“Because for the first time, people who have been on opposite sides of a divide over policy issues for many years have reconsidered and determined that we’re actually on the same side of the problem as properly understood,” Daugaard said. The problem, she said, is urban poverty.

The group sent a letter to state lawmakers asking the legislature to:

– Implement the Affordable Care Act, including full Medicaid expansion.
– Preserve state funding for mental health and substance abuse programs.
– Continue funding for the Housing and Essential needs (HEN) program.
– Provide adequate funding for the Housing Trust Fund.
– Ensure treatment for people found not competent to stand trial for serious misdemeanor crimes.

“We have people in downtown who desperately need the kind of help to support them in their change from homelessness or drug and alcohol addiction, or conquering mental illness to get into stable housing and be great members of our community,” said Kate Joncas, President of the business organization Downtown Seattle Association.

The coalition includes representatives of business, tourism, the courts, immigrant rights and the homeless.