By Tom Fuller Santa Monica Mad and ready for war Editor:
I totally support Charles Springer’s one-dollar plan to fix homelessness in Santa Monica (Nov. 25, 2002). By his calculation, his plan would cost the city $1,056,000 — that is about a third of what the TAXPAYERS (remember us? We’re the ones footing the bill) are currently paying for homeless services in Santa Monica. His proposal sounds like a much better deal.
Now, Mr. Springer, you seem to be a bright, articulate person, so I have a few questions for you. Could you please explain to me why it is, that after spending millions of dollars on homeless services, we keep getting more and more homeless people in Santa Monica? I am glad to see that in your one-dollar plan, you propose some uses for the money. I commend your efforts to offer a solution. You are suggesting, however, that our current efforts at helping the homeless are ineffective because the wrong services are being offered. Could it also be, though, that the homeless people aren’t interested in the service currently being offered other than the easy ones like getting food, a shower and bed once in a while? Now, Mr. Springer, be honest (if not with your readers but at least with yourself), if you woke up tomorrow and all the services you asked for in your article were available, would you use them? Is the lack of proper services the only problem here? Now, be honest.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 27, 2002. Read the original PDF.