Ah, Mayor Harrell’s year in review report – a document so steeped in delusionary self-congratulation, you’d think it was soaked overnight in a barrel full of PBR. It touts achievements from hosting MLB games to launching new safety departments, but let’s peel back the layers of this onion. It might bring a tear to your eye.
First, let’s wade into the murky waters of Belltown. The city’s plan to transform it with hotels and upzoning is like swapping your old family sedan for a shiny sports car – it looks fantastic, but where do you put the kids? Here, the ‘kids’ are the essential workforce of Seattle. These plans threaten to displace them, making Belltown a playground for tourists rather than a home for locals. Harrell’s report glosses over this like a salesman skimming over the fine print.
Now, let’s talk about tourism. Mayor Harrell seems to be under the impression that a tourism-centric economy is the way forward. But let’s call a spade a spade: this is third-world thinking. It’s a failed model that generates tourism and real estate profits while devastating local communities and environments (love that cruise ship smoke!) by trying to turn them into a profitable, tax-generating Disneyland.
The report’s take on public safety and policing feels like a band-aid on a bullet wound. More police recruits are great, but it’s like adding more ushers to a theater that’s on fire – it doesn’t address the underlying problem.
And let’s not forget the ‘PR over Substance’ strategy. This report is so glossy, you could use it as a mirror. But what happens when you look beyond your own reflection? You see a city grappling with real issues that need more than just a veneer of progress.
Finally, this notion of ‘Making Progress Building One Seattle’ feels like a misnomer. It’s more ‘Building the Wealthy Part of Seattle and Leaving the Rest Behind.’ This report needs less razzle-dazzle and more nitty-gritty. The citizens of Seattle deserve more than a beautifully packaged narrative. They need genuine action that addresses their day-to-day challenges head-on.
So, there you have it – Mayor Harrell’s year in review, a splendid tale of achievements, with just a few crucial pieces missing. Like, say, the whole picture.
For a deeper dive into the report and its implications, you can check it out here.