To the Members of the Burien City Council:

As Burien residents, we stand behind Dan House and the other Burien business owners asking what, specifically, the Council proposes to do to help our local businesses operate safely? Given the recent increase in criminal activity described in his open letter, it is shocking to learn that “Burien is lowest in officers per 1,000 people in all South King County.” Clearly, our community is underserved when it comes to policing.

Many of us have lived in Burien long enough to witness firsthand the transformation that made The Tin Room our beloved neighborhood hangout and that, over the past 15 years, has resulted in an array of businesses and services so complete that we don’t need to take our spending money to Seattle. And we take immeasurable pride in knowing that Burien has become a popular destination for visitors and an increasingly desirable community for newcomers to the region.

Enhancing public safety through effective policing was the first stated objective in the City of Burien’s Strategic Plan for 2017-2020. It seems that this goal has not been met to the satisfaction of our local businesses. We ask that the Council address this issue transparently and publicly as these businesses gradually reopen to full capacity.

Dan House and the other business owners have given us so many reasons to be thankful for living in Burien. They have also, no doubt, given their blood, sweat and tears. We, the citizens of Burien, ask that you listen to these business owners and ensure that they have the support and protection they need to thrive in our community.