I believe the commissioners’ letter about the homeless was completely correct. When they are addressing the homeless, they are not talking about our neighbors that have fallen on hard times because of the economy and inflation and need a temporary help up. Any responsible person who gets priced out of their home is not going to drag their kids with them to live on the streets. They are going to move in with a relative or friend and, if that doesn’t happen, then they are going to move away to some place cheaper.
What the commissioners were referring to were “vagrants.” You know, people who do not want to work and contribute to society, but only roam the country looking for free handouts. Having a big heart to help these people is admirable, but it creates a problem when it comes to giving out free services that hard-working taxpayers have to fund. Even donations help to empower them to continue their lifestyle, which puts the rest of us at risk.
The problems at Depot Park with the vagrants sleeping there, told of what would happen if we kept providing free services for them, more will come. It was so bad last summer that the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce was thinking about moving to a safer area. By providing them food, money and a place to stay, they will “network” with others like them and soon there will be thousands. Even now it’s probably not safe to let your kids walk to school alone anymore. If they already trashed and soiled some of our wonderful parks, occupy the upstairs of the library, sleep in the foyer of the post office to where they have to now lock the doors at night, what’s next?
Responsible people are going to do the right thing. I am talking about the ones who want something for nothing. Don’t we already have enough crime, drugs and theft? Why create more? So, my message is simple, do not empower these people to flock to our area. Don’t give them change on the street corners, don’t provide food, shelter and the ability to buy drugs. Then, hopefully, they will leave our area in search of someplace else to destroy. The commissioners’ letter is correct.
Chris Zarcone
Kalispell