City of Lakewood announcement.
Lakewood Mayor Jason Whalen signed a letter this week joining mayors of 27 other cities across the state urging legislators in the state House to make changes to proposed legislation around controlled substances.
In a statement, Whalen said:
“This legislative session city leaders from across the state – including myself and my colleagues in Lakewood – have urged our state legislators in Olympia to strengthen laws that improve public safety. That includes passing a bill that punishes the possession of controlled substances. Lakewood already took action to protect our community by passing an ordinance that makes open drug use within the city a gross misdemeanor. Now, we ask our legislators to similarly step up for our communities.
The Senate’s version of SB 5536 does just that. It makes possession a gross misdemeanor. A version of this bill in the House, however, does the opposite and potentially eliminates the city’s ordinance. If passed, it will actually make it harder for local cities to address drug possession, which means we could see increased public drug use on our streets, making our communities less safe. The House version of this bill will also make it harder for us to help people into treatment.
I agree with my elected colleagues: Unless the House version of this bill is fixed, it would be better for the Legislature to do nothing – and let cities, like Lakewood, pass legislation that fits our local needs. That’s why I signed onto a letter alongside mayors of 27 other cities urging our legislators to hear our concerns and take appropriate action to help us keep our communities safe. We must all work together to restore accountability and institute consequences for illegal behavior.”
Only if they outlaw Oxycontin, Adderall, and Prozac/Zoloft too.
Why would we need to outlaw Prozac or Zoloft?
Will you close the pot shops?
We have no retail cannabis shops in Lakewood.
This makes so much sense. Throw people into jail and cause them nothing but money, time, and possibly their career or job. Stigmatize them for the rest of their lives. The war on drugs is a failure. It has been since day one.
It would be my guess that those proposing and supporting this idea are republicons. They do not have a plan to effectively address this issue. They have no plans to address o improve anything that I have seen. This has been true since Newt gave us his contract on america. We have tried this approach before. It didn’t work.
Is this what they mean when they say they want to go back to the good old days?
Thank you Jason for your leadership and commitment to making our City, a “Safe City” in WA.
Mayor Whalen,
I lived in Lakewood for 51 years. While I no longer am a resident of Lakewood, I still care about The City of Lakewood.
I am pleased to read of your efforts as described above related to your important signature and your efforts to make Lakewood a safer and more pleasant community.
A pleasant and safe community is the product of each individual making good decisions. If any citizen fails to make a proper decision such as breaking the law by possessing or using illegal drugs, then what is needed are consequences.
The consequences of illegal behavior can be jail, prison, job loss, and poverty. These are just a few of the reasons why I have always been motivated to never rob a Lakewood Bank. If for no other reason, I never wanted to do Federal prison time.
My father taught me as a child, always consider the consequences of any decision or behavior. When I made bad choices, my dad made certain I suffered the consequence of my decision.
Thanks for your wonderful support of The City of Lakewood, Mayor Jason Whalen.
Joseph Boyle
Thank you Mayor Whalen and Manager Caufield for keeping our city within the borders of sanity.
When I venture into taComa these days, I feel like I am on patrol, head on a swivel, anxious, defensive.
It’s nice to come home to a city that cares about quality of life for its citizens.
Thank you and keep up the good work!
Thank you Mayor Whalen for taking a brave and affirmative move to taking a giant step to help improve and protect the residents of Lakewood. I hope more elected officials will follow suit.
I live in downtown Olympia and I am tired of seeing this open use of drugs and the Police can do nothing. Why, because OUR City Council has made it so our Police Department can do nothing. They have been instructed by the City Council that they are to do nothing.
Olympia is our state capitol and we allow this behavior.
Residents of Olympia need to take a firmer stand and vote out council members who support this action