Letter to the Editor, April 30, 2024
I commend Councilmen Stephenson and Plough on their vote against the “Homeless” ordinance that the rest of the council passed tonight.
I found Councilman Miklik’s so called “significant” comments to be offensive and uninformed.
I am disappointed in the Council People that continued with the, “we have to start somewhere” and “this is a first step” comments. They admitted that none of them actually checked to see how effective the ordinance was in other communities that passed it. They can’t even name a city where it was passed. I have a hard time believing they have any intention or interest in a second step when they haven’t actually made any effort besides rubber stamping the “first step.” They certainly didn’t show any interest in fine tuning or amending this ordinance in anyway based on the recommendations of people that actually know what they are talking about.
I also have a hard time believing the two Councilmen that mentioned that “many” people have shared approval for this ordinance when every single person that stood up and spoke at the meeting was against it. Not a single person in the audience spoke in favor of passing an ordinance that the council passed 7-2.
It was stated that it’s not the city’s business to put together a task force to work on the issue of homelessness in our community. Are you freaking kidding me?!?!
A couple of them acted like the non-profits and religious community are the ones responsible for “fixing” the city’s homeless problems. One actually asked where they have been and acted like the ordinance was responsible for bringing everyone together to work on the problem.
The truth is the nonprofits and religious community have been working together and putting their all into it all along. The city is the one that hasn’t shown up, done their research, or made a legitimate effort, and now they come in and wave around this ordinance like they are actually accomplishing something.
The ordinance went into effect immediately and without a playbook for how to follow it and without definitions for many of the key components. It’s too bad the city decides to make a first step on this issue, and it ends up landing on a banana peel.