So I have decided to write about the current hot topic we all know so much about, yet a lot of us don’t quite understand.
Our economy blows. A little over five years ago I bought my house for $90,000. My husband and I were just starting out in our adult life with our adult purchases and all the other adult decisions that went along with it. Shortly after, a friend of ours also purchased a house. In just over two years we were told our houses were worth more than twice the amount we paid for them. So a lot of owners decided to sell their houses at these sky rocketed prices and make their quick bucks. I will admit I dabbled in the idea of that fad, but I also knew if I sold my home at this doubled price I would still be buying another home at the same over-marked cost. So we didn’t sell. We refinanced and paid off some debt. We didn’t take the full value we were told our house was worth. We had some common sense. Houses just don’t double in price over night. I am glad we didn’t fall into this fad. As of now our houses value has “dropped” immensely since we refinanced. Due to our decision not to go for more than we needed we do not own a home worth less than we are paying. I want to know who decided to mess with honest home owners and cause the sudden foreclosure crisis? It was not the owners. Was it the bankers that are now going through bankruptcy or the realtors that can no longer sell the houses on the market?
I remember working at a pawnshop about seven years ago. It was right across from a Shell Gas Station. My husband use to pick me up from work when he needed to fill up his truck. That gas station always had the best price in our area. I remember we were paying .99 cents a gallon at that station. Now we are racing to pay $1.89 a gallon when just a few months ago we HAD to pay around $4.00 a gallon because some higher power though it would be funny to stick it to us. Are you still laughing now? Our economy stinks like dog crap and everyone wants to leave it burning on your front porch. Who is to blame here? I watched a “community meeting” on television regarding the over -priced gas. You know what I saw? I saw a bunch of honest citizens looking desperate. “We can’t afford to fill our trucks.” The trucks that they thrive on to feed their families. I saw a few balding men sitting in front of these honest people sweating because they were taking the blame for their greedy bosses. Look what that greed has gotten us now. We can’t afford your gas. Many people can not afford to get to work. Thank you.
Tonight I was at a community meeting with fellow neighbors. We have been having burglary and drug crimes running rampant within a small block radius. I admit tonight I was a little late. So while I sat with the group the entire time I wondered, “When is the officer going to be here. I wanted to talk to him tonight.” Towards the middle of the meeting I found out where our Community Liaison Officer was. He was told he could no longer attend because the city could not afford the over-time. I looked around the room and I saw a room full of disappointment and defeat. Our CLO was our voice. If we had a problem we could talk to him personally. We felt as-if he was there to stand by us as we fought against the crime we are forced to live among. I felt my own disappointment. This was the second community group I have been a part of. The first one lost it’s funding. I lost my resourceful officer. When I first moved into my home I had drug dealing neighbors who loved throwing used condoms in my driveway. The same driveway I would walk down with my then 2 year old daughter. Do you know how it feels to watch your toddler nearly pick up someone’s used condom in your own driveway? I still haven’t gotten over it. At that time I found out about our communities meetings. I met an officer through it who did not stop fighting for us until those neighbors were gone. I will forever be grateful for his help. So I understand the defeat in my fellow neighbors eyes when we no longer have our CLO at our meetings. It is one thing to leave a message for him. It is something else when you can see him there next to you supporting you and helping our neighborhood clean itself up. We want our CLO with us. I think we should at least have that.
Donna Burwell
Lincoln West Safe Streets Group
Our regulars
Stephanie Frieze…has always liked to write. Her experience includes three years at the University Washington School of Communications studying journalism. She had a stint at the Chinook Observer in Long Beach. Raised in Bellevue, she’s lived in Gig Harbor for nearly 18 years. She and her husband have a home in Ilwaco, where they spend as much time as possible. This mother of four loves books, spending time with family and the color purple. Contact her at dbandstefery@comcast.net.
Lorraine Hart…was born a nomadic mutt. She spent her life observing, writing and making music. She’s an unabashed carrier of the titles “hippie,” “feminist” and “liberal.” She’s resided in the South Sound since 1996 and is currently living above Joe’s Bay in Home. She juggles her time between being a caregiver, a writer, an artist, a musician, a minister, a wife, a mother, an advocate, a friend and a pilgrim – not necessarily in that order. Contact her at matlox@cablespeed.com.
Jaynie Jones…is a Tacoma resident with diverse career tracks in broadcasting, journalism, teaching, health care, desktop publishing, floral design, special event planning and photography. She’s best known as long-time KOMO radio personality Jaynie Dillon and was once a familiar voice on Tacoma stations KTAC, KBRD-FM, KTNT and KNBQ-FM. Formerly a resident of Tacoma’s East Side, she’s volunteered in the Eastside Substation and with Safe Streets. Contact her at jaynie.jones@gmail.com .
Tracy Lebenzon...is a blog contributor from Greenwater. Greenwater is the last stop before Crystal Mountain, Mount Rainier and the surrounding wilderness areas. When not exploring the next mountain peak or forest trail, Tracy also contributes to the Greenwater Community Council and the Explore-Greenwater.com web site. He writes about topics ranging from favorite foot, bike, and snow trails to community events, local merchants and politics. Contact him at dmountains@explore-greenwater.com.
Joseph McGowan…is a chaplain who supports patients, families, friends, nurses and doctors at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Being 67, he’s learned this about living: Meet people on their own ground and you will discover that this Earth is our special place to meet and support each other. His motto: Live now. Share yourself now. Every living thing you experience is a pure gift. Love all life unconditionally. Contact him at mcg9940@yahoo.com.
Mizu Sugimura…is a third-generation Japanese American living in Federal Way. She’s married and a parent of one adult child. A lifelong resident of the Puget Sound area, she graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of Washington School of Communications. and served on Federal Way’s Diversity and Art Commissions. Her interests are politics, art, the history of minorities in Washington and family history. She’s written a self-published family history about her paternal grandfather. Contact her at mizusugi@yahoo.com.
Kim Thompson…is a Grit City native who was born and raised in Tacoma’s Old Town neighborhood by the gulch. She boasts that she’s a former Lowell Leopard, Mason Mustang and Wilson Ram, a short-time PLU Lute and a longtime UW Husky. This former corporate businesswoman is a wife, a mom, a school volunteer, a substitute teaching assistant, a writer and a born-again distance runner. She has convinced friends from Bellevue that Tacoma is worth the drive. Contact her at kimricksy@comcast.net. ugi@yahoo.com.
2 comments:
Can the neighbourhood pitch-in to pay the officer's overtime?
They are starting off by petitioning to the council. We were told that all of the CLO's were told they could no longer attend the meetings. So our CLO is not the only one.
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