Sioux Falls

City leader’s priorities, once again, screwy

l3wis April 21, 2009 2Comments

You would think after the mayor had to kick a transient out of Minerva’s last week that city leaders would understand that by spending money on public safety up front you save taxpayer’s money in the long run? Nope.

Councilor Pat Costello asked why the city should be involved if that funding will take care of most of the project.

In 2008, the Project Safe Home pilot program offered permanent housing to 20 individuals. The county operates Dakota House on North Minnesota Avenue, which is being used for the project.

The project cut annual homeless services costs in half – from $32,000 per person to provide health care, detoxification, other county services and to jail homeless people who ran afoul of the law, to $16,260 per person for pilot program participants.

See, when our Councilors talk about living in a ‘Blessed Community’ they are talking about the one they envision, and it doesn’t include helping the homeless, because as far as they are concerned, they do not exist.

Councilor Greg Jamison said his constituents tell him they support helping homeless families instead and told Brown he would need to be convinced the center could help those families.

Huh? Because only homeless people who reproduce are important? They are ALL important. Greg is starting to sound like his old man on this issue. Like I said, this is about more then helping people, it is about public safety. Or maybe Mayor Munson enjoys getting punched by homeless people? Funny how they won’t blink an eye for $170,000 crappers at McKennan Park or Million dollar windows at the Pavilion, but when it is time to spend money on public safety, it turns into some huge f’ing pissing match.  Guess what, it is okay to spend tax payer money on public safety. Especially when it proves to save us money in the long run and keep us more safe.

They really are dumber then I thought.