By Daniel Beekman, November 2, 2020, The Seattle Times.
What does a budget cut look like?
In Seattle’s South Park it could look like Dene Diaz no longer strolling South Cloverdale Street as the neighborhood’s public safety coordinator, sipping tea from a thermos and waving to passersby. This year, the city is paying for Diaz to promote community safety by connecting residents with services and each other. But in 2021, his position may not exist.
For the first time since the Great Recession, Seattle’s economy is wavering, so City Hall leaders are considering reductions in the year ahead. The revenue streams that allowed programs to grow during the city’s boom have been choked by the COVID-19 crisis, leaving politicians with tough choices to make.
Rather than patrol South Park for lawbreakers, Diaz brings people and organizations together. He communicates between community groups, teaches a writing class for young people, shares crime-prevention tips at volunteer events, assists with a newsletter in multiple languages and knocks on doors to let residents know about social services.
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