Seattle City Council proposal on misdemeanor charges gets hearing at budget meeting
A controversial plan by the Seattle City Council that would give Seattle Municipal Court judges the latitude to consider crimes of poverty, mental illness and drug abuse as reasons to dismiss certain misdemeanor charges was introduced Wednesday at a council budget meeting.
Scott Lindsay, the safety adviser to former Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, said the proposal, “would absolutely open the flood gates to crime in Seattle."
City Councilwoman Lisa Herbold formally introduced the proposal before the council’s Select Committee on Budget, saying it could possibly save the city money by reducing jail costs because municipal judges would send fewer people to jail.
The measure was presented during a budget session because the council controls the budget of the Seattle Municipal Court. And it was a chance to see if other council members would support the proposal.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/seattle-city-council-proposal-on-misdemeanor-charges-gets-hearing-at-budget-meeting/ar-BB1auC6D?ocid=hplocalnews