1 00:00:00,533 --> 00:00:06,306 ♪♪ 2 00:00:06,339 --> 00:00:10,744 ♪♪ 3 00:00:12,145 --> 00:00:13,513 -Hi. My name is Jeremy Cook, 4 00:00:13,546 --> 00:00:15,548 and I'm running for Seattle City Council 5 00:00:15,582 --> 00:00:16,583 because we need people 6 00:00:16,616 --> 00:00:17,684 on the Council 7 00:00:17,717 --> 00:00:19,619 who will address the city's problems 8 00:00:19,652 --> 00:00:21,588 with straightforward solutions. 9 00:00:21,621 --> 00:00:23,289 The biggest issue we face right now 10 00:00:23,323 --> 00:00:24,524 is the number of people 11 00:00:24,557 --> 00:00:25,892 who are openly using heroin 12 00:00:25,925 --> 00:00:27,193 and methamphetamines. 13 00:00:27,227 --> 00:00:28,194 They freely discard 14 00:00:28,228 --> 00:00:29,329 their needles and trash, 15 00:00:29,362 --> 00:00:30,397 as well as defecate 16 00:00:30,430 --> 00:00:31,564 on the streets, sidewalks, 17 00:00:31,598 --> 00:00:33,099 and other public areas. 18 00:00:33,133 --> 00:00:34,667 These people are also committing 19 00:00:34,701 --> 00:00:36,403 thefts, muggings, and assaults 20 00:00:36,436 --> 00:00:37,837 to pay for their drugs. 21 00:00:37,871 --> 00:00:40,040 We need to tackle this problem head-on. 22 00:00:40,073 --> 00:00:41,141 People who are caught 23 00:00:41,174 --> 00:00:43,109 with small amounts of meth or heroin 24 00:00:43,143 --> 00:00:44,344 should be offered treatment 25 00:00:44,377 --> 00:00:45,412 the first time. 26 00:00:45,445 --> 00:00:46,746 If they decline treatment, 27 00:00:46,780 --> 00:00:47,947 they should be arrested 28 00:00:47,981 --> 00:00:49,582 and forced into long-term 29 00:00:49,616 --> 00:00:51,017 correctional programs 30 00:00:51,051 --> 00:00:52,652 that are outcome-driven. 31 00:00:52,685 --> 00:00:54,421 These programs have proven 32 00:00:54,454 --> 00:00:56,056 to work in other areas, 33 00:00:56,089 --> 00:00:58,558 reduce recidivism as well as addiction, 34 00:00:58,591 --> 00:01:00,126 and in the long-run, 35 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,795 save taxpayers' money. 36 00:01:01,828 --> 00:01:03,096 This would also discourage 37 00:01:03,129 --> 00:01:04,264 others from coming here 38 00:01:04,297 --> 00:01:05,598 to freely use drugs 39 00:01:05,632 --> 00:01:07,033 and victimize people. 40 00:01:07,067 --> 00:01:08,401 Many of these people 41 00:01:08,435 --> 00:01:09,803 are not from Seattle. 42 00:01:09,836 --> 00:01:11,171 We also need to find ways 43 00:01:11,204 --> 00:01:12,439 to more intelligently 44 00:01:12,472 --> 00:01:13,640 use taxpayers' money 45 00:01:13,673 --> 00:01:14,707 and work within 46 00:01:14,741 --> 00:01:16,910 the city's $6 billion budget. 47 00:01:16,943 --> 00:01:18,912 Just because it's an expensive idea 48 00:01:18,945 --> 00:01:20,447 doesn't mean it's a good one. 49 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:21,414 We don't need 50 00:01:21,448 --> 00:01:23,149 a $400 million police precinct 51 00:01:23,183 --> 00:01:25,485 or a $285 million streetcar 52 00:01:25,518 --> 00:01:27,921 that only runs for two miles. 53 00:01:27,954 --> 00:01:29,222 I would also like to repeal 54 00:01:29,255 --> 00:01:31,925 some of the city's most regressive taxes, 55 00:01:31,958 --> 00:01:33,393 including the bag tax, 56 00:01:33,426 --> 00:01:35,662 sugar tax, and ammo tax. 57 00:01:35,695 --> 00:01:37,697 We need to get Seattle moving again 58 00:01:37,730 --> 00:01:38,665 by reprogramming 59 00:01:38,698 --> 00:01:40,100 the city's streetlights 60 00:01:40,133 --> 00:01:41,568 for speed and efficiency 61 00:01:41,601 --> 00:01:43,169 rather than purposely slowing them 62 00:01:43,203 --> 00:01:45,305 down to appease bicyclists, 63 00:01:45,338 --> 00:01:46,873 who account for a very small 64 00:01:46,906 --> 00:01:48,274 percentage of commuters. 65 00:01:48,308 --> 00:01:49,576 We should also consider 66 00:01:49,609 --> 00:01:51,578 more yellow left-turn caution lights 67 00:01:51,611 --> 00:01:53,012 and look at other ways 68 00:01:53,046 --> 00:01:54,981 to reduce people's commute times. 69 00:01:55,014 --> 00:01:56,282 For more information, 70 00:01:56,316 --> 00:01:58,384 please visit my website, 71 00:01:58,418 --> 00:01:59,919 cookforcouncil.com. 72 00:01:59,953 --> 00:02:00,854 Thanks for watching, 73 00:02:00,887 --> 00:02:02,188 and I would appreciate your vote 74 00:02:02,222 --> 00:02:03,957 in the upcoming election.