Opinion Letter: Homelessness in Seattle & Head Tax

Opinion Letter – Sent to City of Seattle Council Members 5/16/18.

It’s a sad day when you have to put a head tax on an employer for hiring a worker. To start out at $500 then reduce it is not cutting taxes. That is just to make it sound like you and or the city council are really working hard. We have passed levy’s and most of it goes to studies. Seattle has squandered double the amount of money they would need to get every person out of their tent.

First. you should stop saying affordable housing. Nothing is affordable to someone who does not work to earn it. If you wanted to provide shelter and food for the homeless it should be just the basic. No MONEY or cards to exchange to groceries. You could put up a thing like a circus tent outside the city. Have cots and kitchen going 24/7.

Anyone, can come in and eat all they want, as often as they want or sleep all day if they want as long as they follow the rules. If they cause a disturbance they should go to jail. You can’t hand out what you call rent subsidies and these people go looking at houses and apartments that are for rent. Landlords cant turn them down. they have the money for the first month rent with absolutely no background or credit checks. They pay only $10 damage deposit and that much every month afterwards. No Landlord can hand over the keys under those rules. The first night there (after they pay their $10.00) they can move out, take the stove, fridge, curtains OR have a grand drunken blast and ruin the place. No a landlord can’t even kick them out if they bring in others.

The first thing you have to do is stop the MONEY. This is pure socialism, and has not worked in any country, EVER. I don’t want to see anyone sleeping out in the rain or cold or be hungry, but I also don’t think they “we the people” should have to pay their rent in a nicer place than we live in. Guys in the army live in barracks, why should an alcoholic or druggie live better than the men protecting us. You have it completely backwards. These homeless people know they can come to Seattle where they can get a check to spend and still not have to report to a job and are happy as clams staying drunk and have no intention of trying to make life better for themselves. For sure these illegal’s should not get any help at all except a ride back to where the H—- they came from.

I have lived in my old house for 70 years. Worked all my life. Now all you have to do is have a baby and not marry the Dad and your paycheck will start coming. If you want to drink and do drugs and your parents have to take your child because you are unfit, then they get a check. How can any of this crap make any sense to a politician? You already know all of this, but don’t have the courage to admit it. You want to feel important.
Hope someone reads this before it hits the circular file – but you asked for input. This is mine.