Homelessness in Puyallup on the radars of City Council candidates. Primary is next month
Puyallup residents will decide in next month’s primary election which two candidates vying for the District 1 seat on the City Council will move on to the general election in November.
Ballots have been mailed and need to be returned by 8 p.m. on Aug. 6, either by mail or to one of the 45 drop boxes across the county.
In November, Puyallup residents will vote on four of the seven council seats: District 1, 2, 3, and the at-large positions, Each race has a challenger and an incumbent, except District 3, where two first-time candidates face off for incumbent Tom Swanson’s seat. Swanson is not seeking re-election.
The District 1 candidates spoke to The News Tribune editorial board earlier this month about their backgrounds, platforms and about homelessness in Puyallup.
Homelessness is a top concern for many residents. The New Hope Resource Center in District 1 has been a contentious issue on the council.
The candidates:
Robin Farris
Incumbent Farris has served on the council for one four-year term after gaining name recognition by running a recall effort of former Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Dale Washam.
While on the council, she has supported legislation to create more economic development downtown, park creation and voted against the homelessness services ordinance that restricted providers to a corner of the city, a law that was later rejected by the state. She’s vocally opposed to fighting homelessness in the courts. She wants to address general nuisance complaints and create affordable housing.
A 9th Circuit’s ruling declared being homeless is not a crime and cannot be punished for loitering if there is nowhere else to go. Farris said New Hope’s location is awful, but in order to comply with the law, it needs to be there. She believes there should be more continuum of care.
She is running on a platform to focusing the council on moving legislation forward, instead on in-fighting.
Matt Cuyle
The former Marine moved to Puyallup seven years ago. He is a plumber in the Federal Way School District. When New Hope opened up near his home, litter began showing up on his property along the Puyallup Riverwalk, he said. Cuyle helped start “Clean Up Puyallup,” a grassroots organization on Facebook where users complain about policies they feel do not address the homeless issue hard enough.
Cuyle said there is no accountability for clients at the New Hope Resource Center and that it has brought a lot of crime to his neighborhood. He believes the center should be shut down, and resources can be provided at the library or the police station for those in need. He has been barred from New Hope property.
He advocated for a tougher stance on homelessness and looking at other cities’ efforts to successfully combat it.
Curtis Thiel
Small-business owner of a tech company in downtown Puyallup, Thiel has been involved in community organizations. He was awarded last year’s John Porter Award by the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes leadership in community projects.
On homelessness, Thiel believes that “police should enforce the maximum law for those who choose not to help themselves.” He said those who refuse help to get back on their feet, like the contract with the Salvation Army that shuttles folks to a shelter in Tacoma, should be penalized. He wants beds for the mentally ill and wants Puyallup to stop trying to use litigation to solve the problem.
Thiel said he wants what he had growing up: safe neighborhoods.
https://www.electcurtisthiel.com/
This story was originally published July 30, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
