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Julie Kjorsvik <br /> From: Liz Whitaker <whitakerliz@hotmail.com> <br /> Sent: Tuesday, December 7, 2021 4:49 PM <br /> To: Kittitas County Commissioners Office <br /> Subject: Public Comment on Mental Health Sales Tax <br /> CAUTION:This email originated from outside the Kittitas County network. Do not click links, open attachments, <br /> fulfill requests, or follow guidance unless you recognize the sender and have verified the content is safe. <br /> Dear Commissioners, <br /> I strongly support the implementation of this very small sales tax increase, which could make a huge impact in real <br /> people's lives. <br /> I respectfully ask the Commissioners to act on this proposal without a public vote. I believe that if this sales tax increase <br /> goes to a public vote, it will fail, due to: <br /> • Continued public misunderstanding and stigma around mental illness, and <br /> Reflexive resistance to any tax increases, no matter how small or personally insignificant. <br /> e <br /> Please listen carefully to those who know how critical the need is for more resources to help people with mental <br /> illnesses: emergency responders, health care providers, and family and friends of those who suffer from mental illness. <br /> As a public health nurse, I tried to help families of children with challenging behaviors find appropriate supports, often <br /> with little success. Now, I have a dear friend who has exhausted herself trying to get appropriate help for an adult son <br /> who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Over the last 10 years, he has been hospitalized involuntarily, arrested <br /> for minor infractions, and also functioned well when he was engaged in treatment. Her current search for understanding <br /> and resources during a manic phase has so far been fruitless. Even some of her own family members refuse to recognize <br /> that his symptoms are the result of a brain disorder rather than a moral failure. <br /> I call on you, commissioners, to do the brave and right thing for better mental health in our community. <br /> Liz Whitaker, Retired Public Health Nurse <br /> Ellensburg, WA <br /> 509-899-0357 <br /> [� Virus-free. www.avast.com <br /> 1 <br />