Editor:

Marko Liias has been a disaster for the 21st Legislative District and for the state overall.

Too often we focus on national news to the detriment of local civic government. I know I have. But our unique government was created to be close to the people, not overlords and not behemoths.

Case in point is Marko Liias as state senator for the 21st Legislative District. Who knew a single individual in a small geographic area could do so much damage to an entire state?

Locally we have experienced so much damage from lawlessness. Businesses have been destroyed and burned. A police station was taken over. People have walked into stores and stolen thousands of dollars for merchandise without being arrested. Drug-addicted squatters have turned our streets, parks, highways and freeways into garbage dumps and sewers.

And how has Marko Liias responded? How has he represented the people in his district? How has he effected law in our state overall?

While the police reform language was being clarified and debated in the short session this year, there was a chance to add and strengthen the penalties for “flash mob” robberies. Marko Liias was one of only three senators who voted not to approve increasing penalties. He said stores could just hire private security. I have family members who owned a grocery store in Seattle. They were robbed blind, paid for security out of their earnings, felt unsafe in their own business, and eventually gave up and sold their store. Our family business had to hire armed security for protection when Antifa rolled through in one of their “peaceful protests.” What about the businesses that are just barely holding on? What about the ones that can’t afford extra security? Does Sen. Liias know that government is instituted to protect citizens? Apparently not. Does he understand that our taxes pay for law enforcement and his salary?

No. He also refused to overturn the police pursuit policies that he supported in 2021 that has led to higher crime rates and has emboldened criminals. He effectively ties law enforcement’s hands behind their backs. He limits the size of magazines law-abiding citizens can buy in Washington state, while voting to stop police from their ability to apprehend dangerous criminals, who don’t follow his laws. His policies do not make us safer, in fact just the opposite. Over a dozen criminals have rammed police cars in our state since the laws he voted for passed, and because of the no-pursuit laws he favors, police must watch them drive off without the ability to chase them. How is this protecting the constituents he is supposed to serve? Is this being responsible with money extracted from taxpayers?

The bottom line is that we need our elected officials to support law enforcement and their ability to apprehend and prosecute criminals and enforce the laws. With our current senator and his anti-police/anti-public safety voting record, we no longer can feel safe in our now degraded communities or that our senator is looking out for our best interest. It’s time for better leadership in our District.

Tamara Nelson
Edmonds