This Tuesday, April 4, at 1:30pm, King County Council will consider whether to spend another $3.5M on a new jail contract. Because of escalating community opposition, King County Council has already delayed a vote twice, hoping to avoid attention and accountability.
How To Stop It
Tell King County Council: no more deadly cages
Ways to Keep the Pressure On
1. E-mail Council TODAY and let them know, vote NO on the SCORE Contract. There is no possible amendment that can undo the future deaths of contracting with another deadly jail. Everything you need to take action is here:
2. Call their offices and leave the message: vote NO on the SCORE Contract. This contract is not the temporary “solution” KC Executive Dow Constantine is claiming – it’s the beginning of yet another deadly carceral expansion.
3. Show up on Tuesday at 1:30 pm, either remotely or in person (with your mask!) to give public comment. Details and talking points here:
Bright yellow headline reads: The King County Council is trying to expand incarceration with another deadly jail contract. Red dollar signs are scattered in between words in the headline. Below is a photo collage of King County Council members in business formal wear labeled with their names: Pete von Reichbauer, Reagan Dunn, Rod Dembowski, Girmay Zahilay, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Dave Upthegrove, Joe McDermott, Claudia Balducci, Sarah Perry. Out in front is an image of Dow Constantine labeled: KC EXEC Dow I-love-death-jails Constantine. Below is: # No Stealth Jail Expansion and # Shut Down KCJ.
2/5
After the second week of hearing hours of public testimony against a new deadly SCORE jail contract, King County Council delayed the vote again: not to listen but to give themselves time to add amendments to Dow Constantine’s $3.5M proposal to move people from the deadly downtown jail to the deadly SCORE jail. Below this text in bright bold yellow letters: There is no possible amendment that can undo the future deaths of contracting with another deadly jail. In small letters: Out of 45 Washington Jails Surveyed in 2019 by Columbia Legal Services, only 8 had more deaths in 2019 than SCORE Jail. A photo collage at the bottom depicts the King County Jail with a white jail transport bus being driven by Dow Constantine and with the members of the Council riding on top.
3/5
No Transfers. No Stealth Expansion. Shutdown and Decarcerate. The proposed ordinance states: “The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention anticipates housing an average daily population of approximately 50 people at SCORE for an estimated biennial cost of $3.5 million.” KC Council is claiming this is a temporary “solution.” But even before the vote, the Executive has already shared their eagerness to expand, saying they want to relocate more than 60 people a day and then further increase the County’s reliance on SCORE. The SCORE contract would expand incarceration and cage more people in a jail we know is unsafe. This contract is not the temporary “solution” Council is claiming – it’s the beginning of yet another deadly carceral expansion. # No Stealth Jail Expansion. A small image at the bottom depicts the jail transport bus with a red X over it.
4/5
Decarcerate the Deadly King County Jail Now. 1. VOTE NO on the Deadly SCORE Contract. 2. PUSH Judges and Prosecutors to Stop Imposing Bail. 3. END Seattle’s “High Utilizer” Program which has created a revolving door of misery. 4. STOP SPD’s Manipulation of Booking Restrictions with fake/over-bloated charges. 5. DEMAND Prosecutors Release People. 6. CARE NOT CAGES – Don’t Send People to Jail. Learn more: tinyurl.com/TellKCC. # Freedom Not Transfers. A small image at the bottom depicts the King County Council Members and Executive.
5/5 [end]
Call to action. Tell Council until they get it: vote no on the score contract. Adopt a real plan for public safety which means freeing people and investing in community. Email your Council Members: tinyurl.com/ShutKCJ. On Tuesday April 4, 1:30PM: Public comment by ZOOM: Webinar ID: 813 1719 0179. Phone in: 253-215-8782. Public comment in-person: 516 Third Avenue Seattle. 1:30pm upstairs on the 10th floor of the KC Courthouse. Talking points: tinyurl.com/TellKCC. # Shut Down KCJ. # Freedom Not Transfers.
