Mayor John Dailey spoke about some major issues in Tallahassee leading up to the legislative session on the Preston Scott Show on Feb. 24. The topics covered included homelessness, utilities and the negotiations with the fire and police departments.
Dailey began talking about the homelessness issue by saying that the churches and non-profits of Tallahassee are doing a great job in fighting the issue. When asked about the shelter on Mahan Drive, he said that the shelter did not follow the proper policies and procedures before it opened and that there is another site in Tallahassee for the shelter that will comply with the City’s regulations. Dailey also mentioned that there is an interest among his colleagues to focus on the long-term issue and solution of homelessness which includes getting people out of temporary housing and into permanent homes.
During the show, Dailey also talked about the City’s initiative to start utility disconnections again. He said that he was proud that Tallahassee was the first city in Florida to stop disconnections because of financial troubles as a result of the pandemic and is now the last city to restart disconnections. This policy change is happening now because the federal government is providing utility assistance to Tallahassee residents.
Finally, Dailey also spoke on the current negotiations between the City and the fire and police departments, which happen behind closed doors. The broad issues of the negotiations include pay, leave and pensions. A deal with the fire department has been agreed to and ratified by the city and the fire department membership will vote on it. Negotiations with the police department are still ongoing.
Mayor Dailey Discusses Homelessness, Contract Negotiations added by Ana Monticelli on
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What controversial messages? I think you’re referring to an office appropriately referring people facing eviction to resources that can help them in a stressful time.
Exactly what Commissioners should do, classic constituent services and a nice break from the Chamber-developer drones who only steer public resources to the rich and connected.
A fair point Jim, but to be completely blunt… many in our current culture place more value on the life of their $2000 inbred mutant puppy than they do on the life of their unborn child. Your empathy is to be commended, but I remain convinced – notwithstanding specific circumstances – that the best we taxpayers can and/or should do is offer directions and reasonable assistance. And I still contend that the individual’s success is in the individual’s hands.
However, with any support and assistance, we should absolutely require a confirmation of the individual’s origin, or home state as it were. Make no mistake about it, the homeless community is in many respects an organized and networking community. Many choose to be homeless and enjoy the “ward of the state” life so to speak… no responsibilities, no W-2’s, no taxes, no one to answer to, and a life financed by the empathy of others. Once communities (aka: taxpayers) set up housing and sustenance programs, they become a magnet for that nomadic or “homeless by choice” lifestyle. I mentioned homeless snowbirds in my earlier post. They are a real contingent among the homeless community. They migrate north in the summer, then back south in the winter months… which is why the homeless issue seemingly rears its head around this time every year.
I am 100% in support of real solutions to the real homeless. But it takes a level of political courage that I fear no longer exists in today’s politicians.
These are humans and not wild animals, but the concept remains valid: Don’t feed the wild animals… The homeless are that way for many reasons. Some by choice, some by fate. The end result is the same. Suffering of the homeless and problems for the rest of us.
David had a good idea but Edward brought out the results of just giving the homeless a place to live. We are just feeding the wild animals, so to say. Well they aren’t wild animals, so what can we do and the followup question, should we do it?
My thoughts are do create the housing as outlined by David, but require a supervised work to stay at these homeless sites. Medical checkups to insure they are capable to work. Anyone who is able to work and doesn’t is escorted out of the city. Crack down on Pan Handlers or any city and county intersections and in parking lots, remove them from the city. Those that are willing to do light work, like cleanup or assisting with road work will have food, shelter and medical help. Those that are physically unable to work can stay as long as they don’t pan handle in the city and get they help they need to be able to work.
This is a choice on both sides of the fence. Help those who really want. Those who don’t want the help can be strongly encouraged to move on. Not a perfect solution at all but giving a free meal isn’t the answer either.
Any future notions to write about anything Mayor Dipstick might have to say should be postponed until the blather spewing from his pie hole has been determined to be meaningful.
What happened to his plan to have social workers respond to police calls? It seems like he just runs his yapper but never follows through with anything…
What about the trash and rubbish that surrounds the areas they frequent and streets. It is getting more noticeable all over the city.
Two points… if I may…
One: I understand your concept, David… and it’s commendable to be certain. However, I’ve seen similar concepts implemented elsewhere. Unfortunately, they do not result in a decline in homelessness, rather quite the opposite. The problem simply grows, as does the costs associated with the well-intended solution. I could see the concept being more successful as a specific solution to homeless Veterans. But in there lay the reason none of the ideas are successful… in that; we fail to delineate the homeless population with respect to cause, and further refuse to apply the individual’s personal responsibility into the equation. Moreover, they refuse to factor in the climate-related transient nature of the homeless. No matter how much of “our” tax dollars are thrown at the problem, it is the individual – and only the individual – who can alter their path by choice. We can offer directions and reasonable assistance, but the individual’s success is in the individual’s hands. Tallahassee’s homeless population is not all Tallahassee’s homeless… we’re loaded with homeless snowbirds.
Two: With respect to delinquent utility bills… “This policy change is happening now because the federal government is providing utility assistance to Tallahassee residents.” ~ The Mayor is either terribly disconnected or intentionally disingenuous. The federal government (also known as we taxpayers) did not just start offering utility and rent assistance. The federal government (aka: taxpayers) allocated upwards of $70-million to Leon County LAST YEAR for the express purpose of utility payments and rental assistance. TR might do well to dig deeper with a public records request and seek a full accounting of those taxpayer funds. It might be interesting to cross reference the alleged disbursements of those funds with the delinquent customers. $70-million is an awful lot of tax dollars that apparently did not go toward that which they were sought, granted, and intended. Add to that $2400 a-month in additional unemployment benefits and a couple of relief checks… it should be concerning to everyone that there are any delinquent bills still out there.
WHERE DID THE MONEY GO PEOPLE!
… that is all… for now
I still stand by this……..
“We know it needs to be on a Bus Route therefor there are few places to choose from, very few. I say buy several Acres on Tram Road (inside Cap. Cir.) or on Spring Hill Road (inside Cap. Cir.) and build 8 to 10 large Quonset Huts. 6 to 8 of them are to be like Bootcamp Barracks and the rest used for a Mess Hall, Laundry, Showers, etc. Nothing fancy, just the basics. Fence the area off and set rules. You run it like you would an Army Base. To maintain the Property and Buildings, Cooking and Cleaning, you assign Jobs to those staying there that are able to do them. Doing this will give them time to get cleaned up, get the help they need and hopefully find a Job and move into a place of their own. It will also give them an Address so they can receive their Benefits, especially since many of them are Veterans.”
There is an interest among the city commission to focus on long-term homelessness solutions?
Really, Mayor Infinity doing photo ops and misusing his office to do so at the expense of the citizens he serves?
Commissioners expending energies and taxpayer dollars on political controversial messages misusing City staff and materials to do so?
There is no more focus on the homelessness by this commission than the man and the Snow Moon… only themselves and their own political agendas.