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MyspaceIf you want to hear city officials hash out problems that stem from people living and dying on our streets, if you want to learn which policies are being pushed, which are being nixed, and which are stuck in limbo, the Subcommittee on Homelessness and Community Relations is the place to be.
Last Thursday’s subcommittee meeting was attended by Councilmembers Dale Francisco and Bendy White, Mayor Helene Schneider, Casa Esperanza Chief Mike Foley, and others. City Attorney Steve Wiley (not a subcommittee member) attended and spoke freely about the chances of ever getting an “Alcohol Impacted Area” designation for lower Milpas Street. Such a designation, which would require a change in state legislation, would restrict the issuance of new liquor licenses there.
“The alcohol industry would never allow Sacramento to pass such a law,” Wiley said. To read more, see homelessinsb.org
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“Alcohol Impacted Area” designation for Lower Milpas Street. Such a designation, which would require a change in State legislation, would restrict the issuance of new liquor licenses there.
“The alcohol industry would never allow Sacramento to pass such a law,” Wiley said.
SERIOUSLY???
THIS commentary occurring in a County whose main industries are booze and gambling? Really?
Let's see...downtown is one big bar...we already know that, and the City seems to think that's just fine. And let's not forget the miles and miles and miles of wine bars all over SB and the Santa Ynez Valley. Every event is about wine, and we are now "wine country", with this faction of the alcohol industry having nearly completely taken over in every aspect of our culture. The capper is the Casino; all you need to do is go to the Valley and you can get ossified drunk AND lose all your money in one fell swoop...then jump in the old Escalade and hit the 154!
The hypocrisy of these people just boggles the mind. They want special new laws to obstruct the obvious winos from feeding their disease....while encouraging more bars, more microbreweries, more wine bars etc, to open up on a daily basis to serve the well-off winos and college kids.
See, here's the facts: it's perfectly OK to be a drunk, as long as you are a drunk with money and a nice car, or with parents with money. Homeless drunks don't fit that requirement, because homeless people have to live their entire lives out in public.
So, instead of finding ways to make their lives better and to help them live more effectively and healthfully, we simply pass more draconian, punitive laws and selective legislation. Because you see, the goal is to sweep them out of sight of the neighbors and of course, the well-heeled drunks stumbling in and out of wine bars and the lower State St. bars.
It is too much to expect these sanctimonious, hand-wringing, glad-handing, jobsworth politicians to actually make sense. This article is a perfect description of how these people work and what their priorities are, the main one being "get rid of the poor, homeless and just plain ugly....but don't get caught being a bigot. Make sure that you always look good and compassionate while you do the deed, so you'll get rehired at the next election and thus keep your overpaid job and cushy benefits on the taxpayers dollar..."
It really IS this simple, and here is the evidence, folks, right in our faces.
Remember; it's OK to be a drunk, as long as you are a drunk with a home and money. Otherwise.....
Holly (anonymous profile)
May 4, 2011 at 1:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hi Holly,
I don't think the article reflects very well the background issue that the subcommittee was talking about. The alcohol impact idea was actually Mike Foley's, the Director of Casa Esperanza, and it's a good one. The issue is that there are 2 shelters in the area, and there are 36 alcohol licenses on Milpas. The alcohol impact area helps reign in problematic liquor sellers who sell indiscriminately. While most alcohol vendors on Milpas are very responsible (Trader Joe's, Tri-County, and others) some create problems in the area. One opens at 6 AM and caters primarily to homeless men at that time. Another close by also starts selling alcohol at 6 AM, and is known for having inebriated individuals passed out on or near the property. The intent with the alcohol impact area designation is to help reign in problematic vendors, and hold them accountable. The article didn't crisply spell that out, unfortunately. All your other comments about various other retail outlets (downtown, the Valley) are right, and it's part of the landscape we're all standing on. Alcohol is portrayed in ads, and pushed by the alcohol lobby, as part of the 'good life' even though the social impacts are terrible, as you've pointed out.
downtownres (anonymous profile)
May 4, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)