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Councilmember Steve Fields |
Fields generated some controversy during an October 5 council meeting about the county's plans to use a Redmond hotel to house up to 144 people experiencing homelessness. While attempting to convey the concerns of some constituents, he carelessly repeated some harmful comments about people struggling with addiction. Fields later apologized and reaffirmed his support for the Health through Housing initiative.
Fields' efforts to listen to all perspectives and bring people together on the issue of homelessness are laudable. Fields is a good choice to maintain a narrow progressive majority on the Redmond City Council.
This recommendation is made through the lens of political progressivism.
Progressivism is a political philosophy in support of social reform ... "a social or political movement that aims to represent the interests of ordinary people through political change and the support of government actions".
The Progressive Voters Guide later changed their recommendation to favor Janet Richards.
Read the comments
JANET RICHARDS IS CHALLENGING STEVE FIELDS FOR HIS COUNCIL SEAT. Below is a comment from President Claudia Balducci of the King County Council.
ReplyDeleteI have been disappointed in CM Fields’ attitude toward housing our chronically homeless, people who have experienced trauma, mental and behavioral health challenges and social isolation. I spoke to him more than once before the last council meeting on Health through Housing and he assured me repeatedly he supports permanent supportive housing, but there is always a “but”. And when there are opportunities to speak out in favor, he repeatedly slips back into the kind of speech he apologized for here. I have unfortunately had to conclude that CM Fields’ instinct is to feed fearfulness. I’m disappointed that someone who has such a progressive reputation isn’t leading on this issue.
I follow Council meetings religiously and campaigned for Steve in 3 election cycles. Yes, in the past he joined me in an EvergreenHealth commissioner visit, a NAMI awareness parade, and was generally supportive of mental health for which I was most appreciative - but in the last few years he's tapered his voice. Steve now rarely includes mental health issues in the narrative, yet "inclusiveness" is a key goal within Redmond government. For 40 years I've lived with a mood disorder. Though I struggle with my mental health and it's ramifications daily I'm recovered and live a good life. I like Janet Manuel Richards because as Co-Chair of Human Services she has the mind-set, heart and experience to organize the community, rally support of mental wellness, and focus the government on being more inclusive.
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