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Burien, WA - All eyes are fixed on Burien as city leaders continue to fight against King County over who controls their city. As a result, local issues continue to brew around homelessness, crime, drugs, housing, public safety, and schools.
One of the people watching is Senator Mark Mullet, who is running for Governor of Washington State. He grew up in nearby Tukwila, so he agreed to meet with us to discuss Burien's challenges. It is clear that he wants small cities like Burien to flourish and maintain control.
In this 8-minute video, Mr. Mullet gives his take on Burien's complex situation, including the contentious lawsuits with King County, housing, homelessness, drugs, crime, and more.
Here is Martin Barrett's 8-minute interview with Senator Mark Mullet:
Regarding homelessness, he said, "your right-of-way is for the public, not for people who take over and live on because that’s where they choose to be." While he agrees that investing in housing is part of the solution, the issue is much more complex.
"We have this belief that substance abuse treatment only works if you are ready for it." He added that if someone is arrested for using drugs, they are put in a substance abuse treatment facility, "but the second they feel like leaving, they just walk out the front door."
Mullet emphasized, the missing link in our state is "secure substance abuse treatment facilities." Jail for a year is not the best route. He said people using drugs "need access to treatment where they actually get the best chance of success."
This segment is only part of our full interview with Senator Mullet, and we thank him for coming to talk with us.
To help readers prepare for the upcoming August and November elections, Burien.News has already interviewed several of the top electoral contenders, including candidates for governor and state superintendent (OSPI).
We will be sharing more Burien-focused "candidate conversations" throughout the month of July!
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