Seattle, WA
Even progressives in Seattle and Portland are fed up with making drugs legal
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Editor’s note: The following column is adapted from the author’s new book, “What’s Killing America” (Center Street, September 26)
In the past few years, Oregon and Washington have effectively legalized drugs as part of the Black Lives Matter movement’s criminal justice reforms. It’s been an abject failure, taking thousands of lives. Now, voters say they’ve had enough. But will anything actually change?
In the once vibrant cities of Portland and Seattle, radical left activists and politicians spearheaded campaigns to remove police – and the greater criminal justice system – from drug enforcement. Buoyed by anti-police sentiment in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, the Radical Left were able to convince voters in the Pacific Northwest to green light drug decriminalization.
Three years later, voters are demanding a return to drug enforcement.
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A recent survey by Emerson College Polling found that 56% of Oregon voters want to completely repeal Measure 110, which legalized the personal possession of illicit substances statewide. Similarly, 60% of Seattle voters support arresting for public use, having experienced the brunt of the historic rise in fatal overdoses thanks to Democrats in the state legislature, while 64% support criminal penalties for drug possession, according to a Seattle Times/Suffolk University poll.
The changes in public sentiment should have been expected. Drug legalization advocates promised programs delivering to addicts the help they so desperately needed, eschewing any attempt to “criminalize addiction.” They didn’t follow through.
Multnomah County, where Portland is located, saw fatal overdoses from synthetic opioids like fentanyl jump over 500% between 2018 and 2022. The crisis shows no sign of subsiding, with 911-related overdose calls in the county doubling from May to June 2023, compared to last year. In King County, with Seattle drives the stats, there have been historic fatal overdose highs each year during the legalization experiment, with 2023 (at 915) on pace to far exceed 2020’s record-high 1,000.
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But as I detail in my forthcoming book “What’s Killing America,” advocates failed to deliver on promises to treat addiction. Failure is by design: The Radical Left never intended to prioritize drug treatment. Instead, they adopt a radical approach to dealing with drug addicts and it’s already spread outside the Pacific Northwest. It’s called “harm reduction.”
Jason Rantz’s new book “What’s Killing America”
This approach aims to reduce the health consequences of drug use, be they physical or mental. For example, sharing needles spreads diseases, so public health officials and nonprofit groups hand out clean needles. This helps prevent the spread of HIV or other blood-borne diseases. Instead of allowing someone to shoot up heroin or smoke fentanyl alone, they’re offered a “safe consumption site” to use in front of a medical professional. This allows a nurse to intervene during an overdose.
But as more progressive-minded politicians and activists gained control over local programs, the envelope was pushed. At first, the idea of a heroin injection site was, frankly, insane. The idea that government agencies and nonprofits would set up space for addicts to comfortably shoot up seems almost like a parody. All that these sites are missing is a soothing soundtrack of waterfalls and chirping birds, mood lighting, and a shoulder massage while they inject themselves with a poison that is ruining their lives.
Yet after the model was adopted in Vancouver, British Columbia, left-wing American politicians quickly jumped on the bandwagon, rushing to see which city could establish the nation’s first heroin den.
The New York City Department of Health took harm reduction messaging to the extreme with a series of subway posters meant to empower addicts. “Don’t be ashamed you are using, be empowered that you are using safely,” one poster read. Another explores the benefits of testing your drugs before smoking them. “Fentanyl test strips can save your life,” the poster announces, instructing addicts to test their drugs and consume in groups, one at a time, to help intervene in case of a drug overdose. Warning people not to use drugs can also save lives, but is apparently too stigmatizing to message to the addict community.
To question harm reduction is sacrilege in liberal cities; if you offer even the slightest criticism, the Radical Left labels you a monster who wants to see addicts die. It’s why progressive activists and politicians respond, perched upon the highest of high horses, by claiming they just want to save lives while you want to stigmatize addicts.
The National Harm Reduction Coalition claims “stigma creates the social conditions that make people who use drugs believe they are not deserving of being treated with dignity and respect, perpetuating feelings of fear and isolation.” You are, advocates insist, to cast no judgment on an addict because it gets in the way of treatment by making the addict feel “unwelcome or judged by program staff that offers services.” We’re supposed to believe it’s not the consequence-free drug use and open embrace of addiction that’s stopping them from treatment. It’s the stigma.
This contrived argument is meant to shut down the opposition. Progressive activists pursuing harm reduction strategies rely on little opposition. They use arguments guilting the public into submission, insisting progressive neighbors that they should consider their privilege and embrace discomfort to help those in need.
The guilt works in cities with the most left-wing voters, all eager to be in the vanguard of a revolution in tackling societal ills. This tactic allows Radical Left public health officials and politicians to keep veering policy farther to the left.
While voters in Portland and Seattle voice their displeasure with radical drug policy, they shouldn’t expect any changes in the near future. Radical Left activists won’t give up.
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While far-left Portland mayor Ted Wheeler called for Measure 110 to be repealed, the Oregon Health Justice Recovery Alliance is warning that the county would lose $58 million in drug treatment funds. Of course, the argument is disingenuous since addicts are hardly being treated and funds are being spent on harm reduction tools, including needles and pipes. Even Wheeler noted in March that “here we are two years later, and we’ve seen the decriminalization of hard drugs, but we’re not seeing the treatment.” After delays, the first Measure 110 funded detox facility will open this month, nearly three years after passage.
In Washington, Democrat state lawmakers relented and reclassified drug possession a gross misdemeanor after two years of legalization. But Seattle hasn’t updated its municipal code to codify the change. Under the current policy, drug charges go to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which won’t pursue drug possession cases.
Radicals on the city council rejected a measure that would given those cases to the Seattle City Attorney, a Republican who says she’ll charge when appropriate. But the far-left majority on the council wanted less punitive measures taken, while Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office hasn’t even written a replacement, compromise drug policy that was supposed to get a vote last month.
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As someone who lives in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve seen this story unfold before: voters claim they’re upset with progressive city governance, but do little to pressure politicians into actually changing course. Often, they vote into office the same kind of Radical Left politician.
Will drug legalization be the issue that finally pushes voters in the Rose City or Emerald City to act? Only time will tell.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JASON RANTZ
Portions of this op-ed were excerpted from “What’s Killing America” by Jason Rantz. (Copyright 2023) Used with permission from Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Meeting on Seattle Public Schools levies ahead of election
This February, when voters head to the polls, they’ll be deciding on replacing two Seattle Public Schools levies that are expiring this year.
SEATTLE – When voters send back their ballots in February, they’ll be deciding on replacing two Seattle Public Schools levies that are expiring in 2025.
The district relies on local voter-approved levies like those to help pay for operations and to fund building construction and repairs.
What they’re saying:
While the year’s operation’s levy hasn’t had much pushback, critics say the capital levy is causing controversy, including concerns it will lead to school closures.
Some of those affiliated with the Save our Schools group say the capital levy is also prompting concerns that it will lead to “mega schools.”
“Seattle Public Schools has 106 schools. We have facility needs we are going to place before the voters,” said Richard Best, Executive Director of Capital Projects, Planning and Facilities of Seattle Public Schools.
School officials say there could be serious consequences for students if two propositions fail to pass February 11.
“That would be, I won’t say catastrophic, but there will be declining systems that could have consequential implications in that, when we do implement that system repair, it costs more,” said Best.
The operations levy would provide schools with $747 million, replacing the last EP&O levy approved in 2022.
It wouldn’t reduce the deficit, but would continue a current funding source, for things like salaries, school security, special education and multilingual support staff.
This was a breakdown that SPS provided of the operations levy online:
Operations Levy Details 2026-2028
- Proposed Levy Amount: $747 million
- Levy Collected: 2026–2028
- Replaces: Expiring EP&O Levy approved in 2022
- Current tax rate is 63 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
The second proposition, the $1.8 billion Building Excellence Capital Levy, would provide money for building projects and technology.
This was a breakdown of that proposition by SPS:
Building Excellence VI Capital Levy Details
- Proposed Amount: $1.8 billion
- Capital Projects Funding: $1,385,022,403
- Technology Funding: $$414,977,597
- Estimated Levy Rates: 93 cents to 79 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value
- Levy Collected: 2026-2031
A parent who didn’t want to share his name for privacy reasons told us he was concerned about the school closure plan that was scrapped last year, and wondered if the situation was “sustainable.”
Critic Chris Jackins belies the capital levy, as written, could result in the closure of schools.
“This is a continuation of an effort to close more schools,” said Jackins.
He wrote the statement in the voter pamphlet arguing against proposition 2. He says it would allow the construction of “mega schools,” which will in turn be used to then close more schools.
“On the capital levy, they have two projects which will create two more mega-sized schools, they are both scheduled at 650 students. They both cost more each, more than $148 million,” he said. “They are continuing their construction to add even more elementary school capacity when they say they have too much. It doesn’t make sense.”
The district’s website reads that major renovations and replacement projects would include replacement of at least one elementary school in northeast Seattle.
“The two schools they are talking about, one they didn’t name, so nobody knows, and one is Lowell, which is an existing school, but they are planning to destroy most of it and make it much larger,” Jackins said.
“I have worked designing schools since 1991 and since that period, I have never designed a school smaller than 500 students,” said Best. “We use a model for 500 students, which is three classrooms per grade level.”
Best explained further.
“The term is not ‘mega schools.’ We design schools to be schools within schools. You have a first-grade cohort, maybe 75 or 100 students. They stay together. Middle schools are 1,000 students. Those are very common throughout the state of Washington.”
Best says school closures aren’t on the table right now, but may be revisited at some point.
“We are going to engage in the conversation about schools, school capacity, looking at elementary schools, our focus right now is getting these two levies passed,” he said.
Meantime, Jackins is asking people to vote down the capital levy, and then to ask that it be resubmitted in a form that uses the funds to fix up existing schools in order to keep them open.
The ballots are expected to go out to voters around January 22. The election is set for February 11.
The Source: Information from this story is from Seattle Public Schools officials and the Save our Schools group.
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We are back with another offseason episode as the beginning of the 2025 season draws nearer. With the Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola trades now official, we grade Seattle’s offseason thus far based on all their moves to date. We also have a handful of headlines from around the league, including more transfer movement, a couple of new coaching hires, and chaos and turmoil engulfing Austin FC.
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Seattle Reign announced on Tuesday that the club has re-signed Lauren Barnes for the 2025 season. The 35-year-old defender and Reign original returns to Seattle for her 13th season with the club.
Barnes currently has the league record for the most appearances (232), starts (224), and minutes (19,795). She was the first player in league history to reach 200 games played. When the 2025 season kicks off, she’ll join Jess Fishlock as the only two players to feature for the same club since the league launched in 2013.
“I’m thrilled to sign a new contract with the Reign, a place that has been my home since I first joined the club in 2013,” said Barnes in a team release. “This club means so much to me – not just for what we’ve accomplished on the field but for the impact we’ve been able to make in the community. I’m proud to continue this journey with my teammates, our incredible fans and the city I love. Together, we’re building something special, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
The team’s long-time captain will continue to be a veteran presence in the locker room and on the soccer field, helping provide leadership to an increasingly young roster. Playing both centerback and left back over the years, Barnes has been a key figure on the Reign’s defense, which has been one of the stingiest in the league until last year. In 2016, Barnes was named NWSL Defender of the Year – helping the Reign earn eight clean sheets in their 20-game season and set a new NWSL record for consecutive shutouts (5).
She was named to the NWSL Best XI First Team in 2015 and 2016 and earned Best XI Second Team honors in 2014 and 2019. In three separate years (2019, 2022, and 2023), Barnes finished the NWSL season in the top 10 in the number of dribblers tackled. She also was in the top five in interceptions in 2023. As one of the core leaders on the team, Barnes has helped the Reign earn three NWSL Shields (2014, 2015, 2022), advance to three NWSL finals (2014, 2015, 2023), and play in seven NWSL semifinal matches.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Lu Barnes back to the Reign this season,” said Reign General Manager Lesle Gallimore. “From the very beginning, Lu has been the heart and soul of this club, and her legacy here is unparalleled. As a world-class defender and leader in the NWSL, her influence extends far beyond the field. We are excited to see the immense impact she will continue to have on our team and the Reign community this season.”
In addition to her strong defensive chops, Barnes has been important to how the Reign builds their attack from the backline. Last year, the Reign struggled to break down presses, which has been one of Barnes’ strengths in the NWSL. In 2023, for example, she completed the third-most passes into the final third and had the seventh-most touches. While it doesn’t always show up in stats this clearly, this is a truly underrated part of Barnes’ skillset.
While Barnes dealt with injuries and health challenges in 2024, she still played nearly 1,500 minutes and made 21 appearances. As June/Ash Eden highlighted in the 2024 Valkyratings, like many Reign players last season, Barnes had mixed performances throughout the year. She has great field vision and is often the one communicating with and leading the backline, but she was prone to a few costly mistakes. While Barnes might not be a regular starter in 2025, she should continue to provide veteran leadership and mentor young defenders like Jordyn Bugg.
The club veteran has also established important roots in the region. She’s been active in environmental efforts in the Pacific Northwest and other community outreach activities led by the Reign and Seattle Sounders. Last fall, she joined current and former Reign teammates Olivia Van der Jagt, Fishlock, and Sam Hiatt in becoming part of the ownership group of Salmon Bay FC, Ballard’s new pre-professional women’s soccer team that will compete in the USL W League this spring.
The Reign captain has been involved in several other community efforts. Barnes has pledged 1% of her salary toward Common Goal to fund the growth and development of Football For Her, a California-based nonprofit that provides safe spaces for youth who identify as female or nonbinary to play soccer. She also works with Players for the Planet, an organization of professional athletes who are striving to make a difference by eliminating plastic, creating recycling initiatives and prioritizing conservation efforts.
The California native attended UCLA (2007-10), where she started in 95 of 97 games played and led the Bruins in assists in back-to-back seasons as a junior and senior.
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