Ron Sims on KUOW: Only Site for Seattle Jail is downtown next to present jail.
Ron Sims was on KUOW this morning. The issue of the jail’s location was raised by one caller and Sims was unequivocal in saying that, as far as the County goes, the only viable site is downtown, next to the present jail. This has been my position all along, for reasons which I will be glad to elaborate. But, the placement is not in the County’s hand, given that this is a regional jail for misdeamenants. The City of Seattle is the gorilla in the room on this one. I for one, do not comprehend why they would imbroil the city in litigation (and delay the construction) over the placement of a jail by inserting it into a neighborhood. Nobody would bat an eye, and everyone would be happier, if the jail was located downtown. I am not a big Sims fan, but he actually had a number of good ideas today. More importantly, he didn’t seem burned out, as he has in prior interviews.
PS: You can twitter Sims and he will add you to his twitter list, giving you direct access. Do you suppose we could convince Mayor Nickels to put us on his twitter list?
Tags: ron sims, Seattle Jail
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December 19th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I heard Sims on KUOW too.
I mostly noticed how he was saying ST shouldn’t be a part of a stimulus project as it isn’t ‘shovel ready’. Although I’ve been a ST opponent, I think he might be wrong.
Completion of the system to Tacoma is relatively simple, running straight down 99, design wise the same as through the Rainier Valley.
The engineering team should be up and running smoothly now and asking for increased productivity would be a good management move. It also increases transportation to Downtown Seattle while spending money in the outlying areas.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I really don’t know how it is that he was rumored to be in line for some transit position with the Obama administration. His vacillation on mass transit issues is, to say the least, perplexing. Which is to say, I agree with your observations.