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Invest in the people, not plaza

What we need is to do is face the truth: The only way we are going to get the unemployed emotionally, mentally, and developmentally impaired individuals off the streets and productive is to invest in them. It is outrageous to even consider flushing down the toilet $15 million of our hard-earned taxpayers’ money on a new plaza to appease a few powerful business owners when there is such a grave need for jobs. Downtown is the only rational place to have our bus plaza. It is time to put citizens first and stop sweeping our problems under the rug and ignoring the needs of our communities.

Now, after sequester cuts reduced funding to programs that affected up to 373,000 severely mentally ill adults and emotionally disturbed children in the United States, why are we not investing every last penny to open businesses where the unemployed can work and receive services to get them off the streets? Has no one but me noticed the increase of violent crime by mentally ill people and policemen since the sequester cuts; violence that puts all of our families at risk?

It is time to serve the people. For the people, by the people.

Teresa Nevins

Spokane



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