Your thoughts about this proposed California bill? (San Francisco: home, taxes)

[Ceece]

I would not support this as written.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by sav858

Because it is an issue where I work. We've had to go from checking the public restrooms from once or twice a day to every hour or two. In case you didn't realize that costs a lot more money to do.

Oh my heart really bleeds for you Robin Hood....

And what are those exact cost comparisons?

You're the janitor? Checking restrooms and understanding the cost of cleaning them doesn't make you any more aware than anyone else. It is an obvious problem to everyone. And so are the public safety costs. No advanced college degree required.

Here are resources for you to study to learn about costs ... exponentially higher to leave it as it is than to serve the disadvantaged population:

The cost of homelessness can be quite high. Hospitalization, medical treatment, incarceration, police intervention, and emergency shelter expenses can add up quickly, making homelessness surprisingly expensive for municipalities and taxpayers."
National Alliance to End Homelessness: Cost of Homelessness

"The thing we finally figured out is that it’s actually, not only better for people, but cheaper to solve homelessness than it is to put a band-aid on it," Donovan said in the March 5, 2012, appearance. "Because, at the end of the day, it costs, between shelters and emergency rooms and jails, it costs about $40,000 a year for a homeless person to be on the streets."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-me...sts-taxpayers/

If you are still interested after reading the above, here is a compendium list for further study:
Dennis P. Culhane | "The Cost of Homelessness: A Perspective from the " and other papers

[sav858]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

You're the janitor? Checking restrooms and understanding the cost of cleaning them doesn't make you any more aware than anyone else. It is an obvious problem to everyone. And so are the public safety costs. No advanced college degree required.

Here are resources for you to study to learn about costs ... exponentially higher to leave it as it is than to serve the disadvantaged population:





If you are still interested after reading the above, here is a compendium list for further study:
Dennis P. Culhane | "The Cost of Homelessness: A Perspective from the " and other papers

Umm NO genius. I guess you don't get that there are people that deal with budgets and facilities management that do require a degree. I'm clearly more aware than you if think that it's only "janitors" that deal with this issue. But you live in a van and sail around on a boat so I don't expect you to understand much about reality

[bmw335xi]

Prior to living in San Francisco, I was much more of a bleeding heart when it came to the homeless. However, after living here for many years, my views completely changed. I'm sick of them using our sidewalks as bathrooms, throwing their trash everywhere, screaming profanity around children, and being allowed to be on drugs and liquor in public with no penalty. I'm not being cold hearted, they need to get off the street for their own good too. They would be much better off in prison. They could make them clean the parks and highways for money. It might actually save their lives. If I'm getting fast food and I see a homeless, I'll usually order a double cheeseburger and a cup of water to give to him or her. If I see one outside Starbucks, I'll get them a cup of water. If I have leftover food and I come across one, I'll give it to them. I'm not cold hearted, I'm just completely honest with the issue and not covering it up with political correctness or naivitivity.

[Kafkaesque]

You're cool. Just the thing is you can't force the homeless to work. That's unconstitutional.

[Tomlcsc]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

if the government really wants to help, they should hire all sane homeless people to clean our parks and highways and in return get paid minimum wage. It would probably end up saving money instead of paying these giant union and their pension plans.

+1

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Kafkaesque

You're cool. Just the thing is you can't force the homeless to work. That's unconstitutional.

Okay, so you can either let them die or give them half your pay check

I'm sure you think you are special because you believe homeless should be given free everything and be allowed to do whatever they want wherever they want, but what have you actually done for them? Maybe you should ask yourself that before acting all mighty. Oh and supporting legislation to give tax payers money to homeless isn't exactly YOU helping them lol.

[Kafkaesque]

I don't believe that at all. I don't believe they should be given everything. We just have constitutional rights
enshrined as a foundation of our country. I think helping homeless by paying taxes is helping them though
as is helping at the Salvation Army occasionally. YMMV. I don't think a place to use a bathroom and sleep in
public is everything. Bathrooms are important to help with the health risks, for instance.

[Tomlcsc]

Originally Posted by Kafkaesque

I don't believe that at all. I don't believe they should be given everything. We just have constitutional rights
enshrined as a foundation of our country. I think helping homeless by paying taxes is helping them though
as is helping at the Salvation Army occasionally. YMMV. I don't think a place to use a bathroom and sleep in
public is everything. Bathrooms are important to help with the health risks, for instance.

Everything you just wrote is already happening. There is no need to pass another ridiculous law in the name of compassion when there is already infrastructure that does this very task.

Homeless people do have constitutional rights like everyone else btw, its called The Bill of Rights.

[rkwalton]

Homelessness is rarely a choice. Yes, there are some, especially in San Francisco, that make it a lifestyle. However, most end up there because life hit them really hard and the social safety net has failed.

From what I've seen and heard a lot are vets. Many, as you can see just walking past them on the street, are mentally unstable.

They don't have anywhere to go and sometimes shelters are more dangerous than opting to sleep on the streets. There just isn't any money anymore to help.

There is a tension. I don't want to say "okay" to giving the homeless the right to camp out on my doorstep, but I also want them to not be treated as subhuman. This law, as it's written, seems to merely slap a band aid on the issue of homelessness.