Seattle is putting $1.7 million into keeping grocery stores open and bringing new ones into neighborhoods with “food deserts.” A majority of the funding will be allocated toward retail theft, property damage, and other crime through security and facility upgrades.
Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin, co-hosts of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio, said the funding is welcome but doesn’t address what’s powering the theft in the first place.
“We can keep doing this over and over again because the problem will still exist,” Gee said. “Yes, I do want stores to continue. I do want safer environments for these workers. But you also want to know what we also need to address? We need to address people being able to afford these things. Hunger and profit are really what’s driving all of this stuff.”…