As Fentanyl Crisis Wreaks Havoc on Blue City, Mayor Fights for More Food Trucks
As downtown Seattle struggles with an ongoing fentanyl crisis, Democratic Mayor Bruce Harrell’s downtown revitalization plan emphasizes cleaning services and an expansion of food trucks, according to local outlet KOMO News.
Local business leaders have stressed the need for the city to crack down on drug possession downtown, but while the plan included the opening of an alternative crisis care clinic next year, it did not directly address the issue of fentanyl use, according to KOMO News. The plan will, however, waive fees for food truck operators, expand lighting and cleaning services and update several zoning regulations.
“The first goal of the mayor’s Downtown Activation Plan is to make Downtown a safe and welcoming place for everyone,” the mayor’s office said in a written statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “To that end, the mayor issued an Executive Order on fentanyl and synthetic drugs focused on arresting dealers and traffickers when we announced the Downtown Activation Plan in April. As part of that Executive Order, the mayor also convened a work group which is developing a revised ordinance to address public consumption of drug use.”
The executive order prioritizes efforts to stop the sale of narcotics in partnership with law enforcement. It also promotes voluntary participation in rehab programs by rewarding participants with gift cards and expands services available for those who overdose on drugs. (Read more from “As Fentanyl Crisis Wreaks Havoc on Blue City, Mayor Fights for More Food Trucks” HERE)
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