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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Cynthia Carroll: Dear Council: We need you now, more than ever

Cynthia Carroll

By Cynthia Carroll

Twenty-five years ago, when deciding where to open my business, The Antiquarian, there was no doubt in my mind that downtown was the right choice. For years I loved downtown: the beauty, the character, the historic buildings, the park. Downtown was once the heart of our city.

I have been proud to own and operate a business in a city that I love. But today, that has all changed. It’s time for action. We must get a grasp on what is happening downtown before it is too late.

Over the last two years, it has been heartbreaking to see what so many people have gone through. But having downtown streets littered with needles, garbage, and even human excrement is unsafe and wrong. We need to be good neighbors, providing services for those in our community that need them most. Our unhoused neighbors need services and housing, but the city’s failure to keep our streets safe is harming them too. Sitting, lying and camping on sidewalks is not safe. It’s not safe for the visitor coming to our city to see what makes Spokane so special. It’s not safe for the business owner trying to keep up their livelihood. And it’s not safe for those who are unhoused.

When city leaders stopped enforcing sit, lie and camping in downtown, 80% of my business was lost and I incurred tens of thousands of dollars of damage to my building. And I know my story is one of so many. I’ve been in downtown Spokane for decades, and it’s to the point that I feel broken by the city that I love. I’m heartbroken to see my city slipping away. Without enforcing policies like the sit-lie ordinance and adopting updates to the camping ordinance, the city where I once felt safe and secure will be forever changed.

When the pandemic began, I, like many small business owners, wasn’t sure if my business would survive. It took a lot of hard work, commitment and support from community members to keep us afloat during one of the most challenging and uncertain times in history. Locally owned businesses like mine are critical to the fabric of downtown and our customers and visitors to our city deserve to feel safe and welcome when they come here.

So many cities around the country, one in our very own state, have devolved to the point where business owners are leaving and with their departure significantly affecting the economic health on those communities. Without businesses and the revenues they generate, residents have to pay higher taxes for city services.

To our leaders in Spokane: You were chosen by our citizens to lead our city. You were chosen for your vision of how great our city could be. But with power comes great responsibility. If you do not re-establish order on our streets, I don’t know if we will survive going forward.

Cynthia Carroll has lived in Spokane for 45 years.