This column represents the thoughts and opinions of Jason Hennington. This is NOT the opinion of the Taylor Press.
At Thursday night’s city council meeting, Jan.
12, an ordinance was introduced about camping on public property and a policy for trespassing warnings.
Basically, this was to address homelessness in Taylor, which can sometimes result in vandalism or damage to public property. That, in turn, is paid for with taxpayer money.
It’s fiscally responsible to address it because the citizens are paying for the damage. The next step, however, is to determine how to prevent migration to another area – private property.
Essentially, the ordinance would ban people from camping on public property, such as the parks, and would result in a criminal trespassing warning. A CTW is only slightly effective, because, even if arrested, “It’s going to be a revolving door at the police department,” councilman Mitch Drummond said.
If a person is banned from public property and private property is their next stop, harsher charges could be in store for the person. That could also translate to physical harm towards the person, or the property owner. The implications could continue to spiral downward as well.
There are several organizations and individuals who work to help homeless people, whether it is finding food or a warm place to sleep during the winter months.
But, is it the city’s responsibility to help homeless people? If not, then whose is it?
Before that question can be answered, the word help has to be defined. Help may not just mean a place to sleep or a hot meal. The phrase, “three hots and cot,” comes to mind. A homeless person can go to jail and get three meals and have a place to sleep, but that does not address their problem.
The majority of homeless people have mental health issues that need to be addressed. Once that happens, then finding solutions to food, clothes and shelter will fall into place.
I do not believe anyone on the council, or in the community, wants homeless people to just be removed from Taylor, but they do want to feel safe. They also want to be able to look at public amenities not thinking, “we had to pay for that to get fixed because some homeless person destroyed it.”
With the growth already here and rapidly increasing, there will be more people in the community, both homeless and established. An eventual solution is necessary, and the sooner it can be put in place, the better. Not just to get people off the street or enforce rules, but to be prepared for more people in the very near future.
Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying homeless people need to be “fixed” or anything like that, but I do believe there are issues that have to be addressed. Mental health is a major issue in society, and a lot of people choose to ignore it.
Even people who lead normal everyday lives with full time jobs. A few years ago, several professional athletes started speaking about their personal situations publicly.
While the issues vary person-to-person, the point is it must be discussed in order to start a rehabilitation process.
This column isn’t about a CTW, it’s about a deeper-rooted problem that must be solved. City hall can be a start, but it can’t be the only answer.
I’m going to get off my soapbox now and get some ice packs ready for my knees and back, since I plan to cover the Martin Luther King Jr.
Day march Monday.
“The solution often turns out more beautiful than the puzzle.”
— Richard Dawkins
