Open Letter Non Column

by Joe B.

I sent Coalition On Homelessness my thoughts in a letter on The Homeless Court (AB 2899) Ms.C. Migden's office is offering amendments to get the COH to withdraw their opposition... They did not.

I read the COH's email sent to PM now its me for what my thoughts. Here it is.

I tend to get to get right to so here goes.

1) The Separate But Equal Homeless Court. Does this sound vaguely familiar?

2) Three places to set up said Court is another layer of bureaucracy and possibly a drain on a "War On Terrorism" economy.

3)There are few Bargaining Chips working poor and houseless people have as we’ve seen with "Quality Of Life " $100 or $200 infractions become meaner as citations turn into warrants and warrants to jail time for weeks, months, or years.

Thereby creating a near free "Work your time off" labor force in "For Profit Prisons."

4) Alternative Sentencing seems a good idea if job vocational training, retraining, education or trade schools were part of the mix it the person(s) had more choices and not sent back to the same dead-end job/careers they had before.

5) No priority works both ways ‘po folks are on the bottom of society precious time working, saving, money, building families, careers are stalled while they wait in jail.

Some better job can be delayed while a person(s) is waiting using the time to learn a new skill, trade.

A job could also happen. Its just so luck of the draw and iffy.

Joe B.

PS. Please contact C.O.H. and or C. Migden's office.
C.O.H may have Ms. M's phone, email, phone, office, and or fax.

Here is COH's email.

civilrights@sf-homeless-coalition.org