Fuck the Portland Business Alliance and all who ride in her. Great article. I'll be interested to hear which fucking legislators so much as consider supporting this. And let's hope Street Roots shares this all up and down the West Coast. Christ. Megan Doern. Bernie Bottomly. Same old sleazebag scum. Fuck.

Here is a counter-intuitive idea:

Less homeless on the streets, more shopping, more profit, more tax revenue, more money for social programs that help the homeless.

And vice versa.

agreed Ed, if there was more money for services, there would most likely be less people on the street. I am not sure that automatically leads to more shoppers downtown though. honestly, why would someone from Gresham drive downtown when they can just as easily stop at Mall 205, or Clackamas Town Center, or anywhere in Gresham, and not have to deal with downtown traffic or parking?

thanks
Patrick

It's not just "shoppers from the suburbs" - I work downtown for a modest wage, as many people do, and I detest the quarrelsome, littering, public nuisance that is the homeless population.

Having said that, I oppose any legislation that criminalizes simply resting on public spaces. We do not need any more laws. We need to enforce the laws we have and stop patronizing these people. Do not feed the pests and they will leave on their own.

"These people"
"Do not feed the pests"

Wow tell us how you really feel. You say you oppose that legislation but your dislike of "these people" really contradicts your Libertarianesque fantasy of how you're "down". It's due to fuckers like yourself that we cannot solve poverty in this country because you're too busy making sure someone doesn't "take something from you" who you have decided isn't working hard enough or worth your time to even acknowledge. Just keep your platitudes to yourself.

anyone attached to this turd the PBA is trying to get passed up for election any time soon? this may be a good excuse to clean house a bit.

We will never solve either poverty or homelessness, regardless of how inburrito or anyone else feels or votes.
All the social programs in the world will never eradicate either.