I cannot believe our own mayor actually wrote this in a notice on Nextdoor as a preview of his upcoming March Utility Newsletter piece: “...disabled, elderly, and families would each require additional public policy support in a pedestrianized downtown business district... It’s not really a practical solution.”

How can such a shockingly ableist attitude be so blatantly expressed in our town by our own mayor? The idea that disabled and elderly people do not deserve consideration in any city plan is outrageous beyond words. 

As a disabled person, navigating our deteriorating downtown  is challenging, and improvements are very much needed. To say that improving the ambience and friendliness of our downtown for everyone is impractical because it would be too much trouble to accommodate the disabled, the elderly, and even families — I have no words. The disabled and elderly are already minimized in our daily lives and denied many rights, but to do it officially is beyond decency.

Laurie Riley

Port Townsend