Picture Displayed @ Monroe Budget Hearing – 2/24/14
Money should be allocated for a homeless shelter, Monroe City Councilwoman Betty Blakes (District 3) said at tonight’s meeting of the council, which served as a budget hearing reviewing the city’s 2014-2015 budget.
Said Blakes, “There’s a picture there – of homeless – and they’re sleeping up under the bridge on Grammont Street. I’d like to see us do something instead of just on cold, cold nights to open up the recreation centers, that we do something to keep people from sleeping up under the bridge.”
District 4’s Kenny Wilson also displayed pictures of drainage problems on Monroe’s South Side.
Mayor Jamie Mayo, nor any of his department heads – save one – were at tonight’s meeting.
We will have more reporting tomorrow.
Lincoln Parish News Online 
02/25/2014 at 7:09 am |
In my honest opinion, it’s a bad idea for local government to start up a homeless shelter. I’ve lived in several cities with homeless shelters, and I noticed that the presence of homeless shelters tend to attract more homeless to the area. Once this homeless shelter is created with taxpayer money, it will have to be maintained with taxpayer money and it will only grow larger. As this homeless shelter grows, so too will its need for taxpayer funds which will lead to tax increases that may be the tipping point that drives some citizens into the streets themselves. Northeast Louisiana is an economically distressed area, and its citizens can ill afford additional taxes. This is a major point that needs to be carefully considered. I would strongly encourage those interested in mitigating this situation to consider working with local churches and private charities to establish a privately funded shelter that does not rely on taxpayer financing. City officials can support this effort by expediting permits and bringing various stakeholder groups together for the effort, but should refuse to commit taxpayer money for an effort that only promises to grow larger as President Obama’s failed economy forces more Americans into the street!
02/25/2014 at 8:15 am |
Some church groups are running soup kitchens in Monroe. Is it wrong to ask…why? With all the government stuff available: food stamps, welfare, et al, why do we still need a soup kitchen?
Either we don’t need it, OR the government stuff is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Why is anyone homeless? The federal government will pay their rent, even their mortgage.
I think it is mental illness and substance abuse-addiction, mostly.
We can no longer instutionalize mental patients, even if it’s “for their own good”, so we as a society have decided it’s better for them to wander the streets and live under the overpass or in an abandoned building.
I don’t know what to do about drug addicts, non-functional alcoholics, and mental patients who cannot take care of themselves.
02/25/2014 at 8:43 am |
I think you are right on,less govt ,take care of our own.The drug addicts,alcoholics,and mental patients do need help getting back on their feet.We need to see what we can do as a community to help first.