US EditionKing County Councilmember Pushes Retail Crime Task Force as Grocery Stores Close
Kroger cites rising retail theft and open-air drug markets as reasons for closing six stores in King County, affecting community access to groceries and jobs, officials say.
- Kroger, the Ohio-based company, said it will close five Fred Meyer stores in western Washington, including one in Kent, citing crime as a factor.
- Kroger blamed a steady rise in theft and local safety issues, including open-air drug markets, for closing six Fred Meyer and QFC stores in Everett, Washington later this year.
- Three affected locations are in King County cities Kent, Redmond and Lake City, and Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said she was `angry, frustrated, and sad`, citing police data showing crime near Kent Fred Meyer declined.
- Claudia Balducci proposed funding a retail crimes task force using King County Council's 0.1% sales tax, with an anticipated cost of $600,000 a year.
- Girmay Zahilay urged Kroger to release store-level data and advocated a data-driven approach as King County begins its 2026-27 budget process this fall, while Claudia Balducci hopes the retail theft task force will be ready early next year.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Colorado Springs Gazette
King County councilmember pushes retail crime task force as grocery stores close
(The Center Square) – King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci is proposing utilizing new sales tax revenue toward addressing retail crime as grocery stores close in the county due to safety concerns. Balducci – who is running for King County executive…
Kent mayor says Fred Meyer exit was long time coming
A total of five Fred Meyer stores are closing in western Washington, including one in Kent. Earlier this week, Kent Mayor Dana Ralph released a statement on the closures, saying she was “angry, frustrated, and sad” about the impact the shuttering of her local Fred Meyer would have on the community. Although she was displeased by the closure, she wanted to make it clear that her office understands the reason behind the decision. “It’s a business …
King County councilmember pushes retail crime task force as grocery stores close - Everett Post
(The Center Square) – King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci is proposing utilizing new sales tax revenue toward addressing retail crime as grocery stores close in the county due to safety concerns. Balducci – who is running for King County executive in the upcoming general election – made the announcement on Thursday in response to the retail company Kroger announcing the closure of six stores across the Puget Sound region due to ongoing sa…
Far Left WA Rep. Pramila Jayapal Blames Grocery store Closures in State on Company Greed Moderately Than Ignoring Crime
Screencap of YouTube video. Because the Gateway Pundit reported yesterday, Kroger is closing a lot of supermarkets in Washington state as a result of crime, principally shoplifting. It’s a well-known indisputable fact that grocery shops function on a particularly slim revenue margin, so even a small quantity of theft can have a devastating impact on an organization’s backside line. Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington clearly doesn’t perceive this…
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