By Michael Bancas
I don’t understand this city. I can’t keep quiet any longer. The city spends untold millions on tourism and at the same time promotes a permissive attitude toward street people and bums. Why would a tourist want to return here? I know Europeans are appalled by these people on the street. Why would say, a German family of four want to return after some crazy woman starts screaming in front of their 4 year old or a smelly guy walks by talking to an invisible person. They can easily spend their money in a more comfortable environment.
What the city needs is one ordinance and enforce one ordnance only. It seems to most of us that the only laws enforced in this city and county are parking. Parking fills the coffers of the city and is easily collectible. Then they can spend it on an anti-panhandling study. The city needs an anti-transient ordinance with a anti-loitering component. It has been proven that a person that commits a petty crime, say, sleeping on the sidewalk will be more likely to then try and commit a more serious crime later in the day, such as robbery, assault and yes, even murder. If someone doesn’t have a known address, throw them out. If someone is loitering, issue a citation, after a certain number, issue a warrant. There is a big difference between someone sleeping on the Palisades with all their belongings and a couple trying to enjoy a nice lunch or play with their kids. When you give the impression of tolerance, that attracts criminals. Criminals are opportunists. The first step in opportunity is a permissive behavior. That allows the space to look for an opportunity to commit a crime. Wake up! Just read the crime pages of this paper and you will see that most of all crimes are committed by transients and people from other communities.
As far as the promenade goes in general it mostly attracts groups of teenagers with nothing better to do but wander around. Then the street performers and the crowds attract transients.
What the people need to do is put individuals in City Hall that will do something, not just order studies. Spend the money on enforcement and the legal issues that are involved. Vote at the ballot box and not with your feet. Throw the bums (the other bums) out!
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 9, 2008. Read the original PDF.