A new tax to pay for more mental health and substance treatment beds comes up for a vote Tuesday.
Standing outside a shuttered facility in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood, County Executive Dow Constantine says, right now, there’s no place for people in crisis to go. Constantine says, “We see the results of that on the streets. We see it in the criminal legal system, and it really is a challenge throughout all our communities.”
The plan calls for a new property tax levy of about $121 for a median priced home, which would pay for 5 new crisis facilities, other treatment beds and help with more people to operate them. Northwest Newsradio’s Ryan Harris asked Constantine what he says to people who say their property tax bill is already too high, and he put the onus on state lawmakers to reform what he calls a “regressive” tax system, “and yet if we use that as an excuse and stand idly by and do nothing,” Constantine says, “people will continue to suffer; we’ll continue to see this homelessness problem; we’ll continue to have our jails filled with people who really need to be receiving mental health treatment.”
The measure comes before the King County Council for a vote Tuesday.
You can watch Ryan’s complete interview with Constantine in the video above.
