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February 07, 2007
Fine, I'll Say It...
It's a serious subject, so I've taken some time to study it, and although we obviously have homeless people in Chattanooga and their situation must be addressed--I don't believe that Ron Littlefield's solution will change things for the homeless in our city. I honestly believe that if we do this, if we spend millions to build the Homeless Hilton, we will not decrease the homeless population in Chattanooga. In fact, I believe that in time we will increase it.
Have we learned nothing from the TennCare fiasco? TennCare's generous, free benefits didn't fix our problems with health insurance for the poor. Quite the opposite--it drew people to Tennessee who wanted free health care and it nearly collapsed our state budget.
The good news is that we already have homeless solutions that are working in Chattanooga. We have agencies that are there for the homeless in our city. Anyone who seeks a meal or shelter in Chattanooga finds it. There will always be homeless people--that is, people who live an itinerant life. If you've been to the shelters, you know it's true. Not everyone wants to live in a 3-bedroom house in Hixson, because not everyone wants to bear the bonds that being tied into society at that level demands. That is not to say that we don't need to find ways to feed and shelter homeless people, but the thing is, we already do it. And we do it better than most. We win awards for it.
What we do have is an underperforming mayor who, to use his own words, is seeking a 'legacy project' and he's set his sites on this homeless campus. This campus that common sense, and others who've built a one-stop-shop admit, becomes a magnet for more homeless people.
So the situation is built on a lie--well, a stretched truth (that we have a homeless needs that are going unmet) and if we proceed with this project, it could quickly get out of hand and become a whole new problem. A problem far bigger and more costly than the one we are trying to solve. Now, why does that sound familiar? What situation, founded in decepton, has escalated in cost and seriousness--oh, yeah...the war in Iraq. I know, I know, that's a bit of a stretch, but it is an accurate analogy for this kind of blinkered thought and dogmatic determination to push forward without listening to reason.
If only there were a way to stop it before we go too far...
Say, while we're on the subject. Did you notice how Littlefield announced he was holding a forum on homelessness, and then didn't have the stones to show up for it? Just like he didn't show up for the UTC forum? I loved it when MichMich said that Ron really wasn't the one to be addressing the issue. First--no kidding. Second--wouldn't it be nice to have a mayor who was smart enough to grasp serious issues well enough to discuss them with his citizens? You know, in the recent past, we've had mayors who were pretty much the smartest people in the room when they were discussing an issue THAT THEY HAD FREAKING INTRODUCED! ERGH!
And congrats to Merri Mai for having the smarts not to walk into that trap Littlefield had set. How can a person--a concerned, informed citizen, mind you--have an intelligent exchange of ideas when the originators of the plan aren't in the room? Worse yet, how is she supposed to respond to the Mayors plan, when it's being presented after her appointed time? Ron's machinations are weak, insulting to all of us and are causing this situation to escalate.
Folks, Ron Littlefield plans to spend upwards of a million dollars just to get this fiasco rolling and right now, only Leamon Pierce has his hands anywhere near the brakes. I'd call my councilman and voice my opinion, if you don't want this needless project to turn Chattanooga into a magnet for the homeless from, at the very least, the Southeastern United States.
Also, I hope you noticed in the Times Free Press this week where a representative from the current, perfectly capable homeless agency, said that the Mayor's proposal pretty much has all the service elements that are currently being offered to the homeless in Chattanooga. Um, really? So, we could just do nothing, spend not a penny more, and you're already doing what Ron wants to build a multi-million dollar Homeless Hilton to do? Heck, we've already paid nearly $800,000 just for the property and it's contaminated with chemicals. I vote for 'leave it alone' and give more money to the schools. Or roads. Or economic recruitment (we still do that, right?) Hah! I just implied that we'd have a vote on the matter. Or a voice. What was I thinking?
I've written three full Worst Mayor Ever entries over the past months and deleted them before posting, because I thought this topic needed time to breathe and that my disgust with Littlefield should take a backseat. But he refuses to speak plainly. He's demonizing concerned citizens. He has held closed-door meetings barring the media from their most useful duty (bringing light to dark places) when public funds will be used. By the way, shame on the homeless agencies for being a part of that. It is completely ludicrous to state that the meetings must be closed to the media for fear of giving away trade secrets. Are you kidding? You help homeless people, fer christsakes! What are you worried about? That someone else will learn how you help and their efforts will decrease the homeless population?! I called some of the cities that Merri Mai visited, I read the plan to reduce homelessness, I've visited our shelters. I just don't think Littlefield's idea will produce real changes in outcomes for the homeless.
Last thing-I recently received an email telling me that Ron had visited homeless shelters in Boulder while visiting his son for Christmas. This one is for Daisy Madison: the city, and by extension, the taxpayers didn't pay for that trip, did we? Because if Ron Littlefield slipped any part of that trip in on his expenses when he was clearly vacationing with his family--that's malfeasance.
p.s. MichMich: Just Shut Up. That bitchy letter to the editor you wrote the Pulse is not worthy of the office you hold. Please try to show a little class. You should ask yourself, before you write a testy, poorly constructed public letter, "What Would SuperTodd Do?"
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| By Billy Blades | 07:00 AM
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