Business Leaders Demand That Politicians Address Crime

Business leaders in Tacoma, Washington are looking for change, the city has been plagued with crime for years and recent moves from local politicians seem to have made the problem much worse.

Tacoma is now known as a hotspot for crime, in fact it is not known for very much at all. The city is quiet in comparison to the Chicagos and New York Cities of the world. That being said, crime is still a real problem in the area and local officials are not doing anything to solve the problem. Now, residents of the city are joining forces to bring about change. 

Residents from all over the Tacoma area gathered this past week at the LeMay car museum to discuss problems affecting local businesses. These local business owners all agreed that the most serious problems affecting the community are crime, vandalism, and the homeless encampments that are littered throughout the city. This meeting was organized by a community group called Tacoma Safe.

From the News Tribune: 

The meeting was attended by high-ranking public figures, including Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, new police chief Avery Moore, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier and Pierce County Prosecutor Mary Robnett.

Meanwhile, a few dozen people gathered outside the museum to protest a potential camping ban that has been supported by members of the Tacoma Safe group. Cathy Pick, chair of the Tacoma Tenants Organizing Committee, was one of the them and said the focus should be on housing people rather than increasing police and putting people in jail.

“Those of you inside who have the resources and the skills to build buildings, let’s just forget this camping ban and let’s start breaking ground all over the city and get these people off the streets,” Pick said.

Angela Connelly is a leader of Tacoma Safe and longtime Tacoma resident, married to well-known Tacoma attorney Jack Connelly. Connelly said Wednesday that the event is the beginning of a new path forward where the voices of business owners are going to be heard. She said business owners from across Tacoma were represented.

It is no secret that some of America’s largest cities are burdened by crime, but this has resulted in the smaller cities who are also being burdened by crime getting overlooked. It is good to see groups like Tacoma Safe rallying the troops in order to bring about change, these politicians are not getting the message that people want stopping crime to be a top priority. 

Owning and carrying a firearm will help keep you safe from your average criminal, but a group of looters can pick a business clean before you blink. The government on the local level needs to step up and combat criminals. Criminals can not be allowed to roam the streets free and unopposed.