...And for the taxpayers. I was excited to find this encouraging story in the San Antonio Express News. Homelessness has been a long-standing problem across our nation and it often seems as if there is no good solution. Plagued by substance addictions and mental illness, and outcast by their relatives, many Americans have taken to a life on the streets. With few rules and no real job to fail at, panhandling becomes a pleasant prospect in their eyes. Most appear to make enough money to feed their addictions as well as their belly. Content with numbing their minds to life's pain, they may not at first realize what a life of homelessness will include. These people become perfect targets for crime, criticisms and plenty of cold nights. Furthermore, they're at risk for losing their newly acquired sleeping bags when the city decides to clean out it's culverts.
I've long thought that treating the symptoms of an underlying problem was not a good way to take care of it. Unless the core cause is addressed, the problem will continue to manifest itself and require more and more energy to subdue it over time. It appears to me that this is how we have been treating the symptoms of homelessness. With jail cells and emergency rooms full of misguided, and (let's be honest here) sometimes stubborn and smelly homeless men and women, the burden falls heavy on the taxpayer. As a savvy blogger points out in the comments section at the bottom of the article, many of us are struggling to pay (or can’t afford at all) our own medical and dental bills. However, may I point out that part of the reason for this is because people are already paying for the ER visits and jail time of the homeless via taxes and insurance premiums. Perhaps we could make a preemptive strike and help the homeless with their physical and mental ailments before they end up in a jail cell or in need of prompt medical attention. I feel that we would end up saving money and frustration in the long run.
These sentiments seem to be reflected by Bill Greehey, chairman of "Haven for Hope"... an organization working to establish a detox center for San Antonio's homeless population. Greehey hopes to get 6 million dollars a year to run this center, and states that it will end up saving the taxpayers the same amount in taxes. While I have no way of knowing if this is accurate, I do agree with the logic behind the process. Taking the time to care for people rather than just cleaning up after their bad choices could end up saving a lot of time and grief for everyone involved.
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In one of my classmates blogs, The Austonian, the author wrote an editorial on Homelessness and how it affects us, the taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteI think that the author made some vaild points when she argued that the majority of tax payers can barely afford their own health care, but we are responsible for picking up the tab when homeless people are in hospitals or become ill. This issue should be addressed with a solution that will cost the taxpayers less money, it's especially important in this recession. The plan that was introduced in the article she mentioned sounds to me like a start, I as well do not know it if is efficient, but atleast someone has addressed the issue with a plan. I think this is a well written editorial and the author supports her arguements.