Mayor Dave steals our money so he can harrass bums, hobos, and other transients!

[Scorponok]

@ sensationalist title ^^

What do y'all think? This was in the newspapers today. The police force gets a boost in funding (good) but it comes at the expense of our tax dollars (bad) in a time when the province is just rolling in the dough. (good)

But the real issue is, will this help lower crime in the downtown core? Or will it just move to a different area as so many people say?

And will YOU be personally affected?

[GrrlGoalie33]

i have a fundamental problem with this - not from the fact that they are using the tax dollars...but this is money that was to go into education with the provincal government. If the city is going to spend this money instead of rebating it back to us, it should be going back into education and not policing. The city is crying all the time about how our schools are in such bad shape and our technology is so old and the books are outdated and falling apart...this seems like a good idea to start working on some of that

[Scorponok]

An interesting tibbit: I went down to 17th Ave Wednesday night, and going from the parking lot to Bungalow on 17th, I was asked THREE TIMES for spare change. I ##### you not! Within a 2 minute walk.

Personally, I think it'll work to help reduce downtown crime, but i don't see drug dealers just giving up their trade because of this. It has to move somewhere. I think the police should use this money to help combat gangs and other forms of organized crime, which are a lot more dangerous to innocent bystanders.

[mykalberta]

People need to be told to grow up, get to the reman centre, wash the damn BO off yourself and go find work. If you cant find work in this province you are either too picky or too lazy.

About 3 times a week I get asked walking on my way to the YMCA by the Macs on 5th and 4th SW. I make sure I never keep any change in my pocket so if pressured I can jiggle my pockets and say sorry. Back in early March I was asked for 2$ to get some food (he looked like he was on deaths door, more so than most), I offered the guy a 6 inch sub. He said sure, I said follow me into the Macs (which also has a subway) and order it and I will pay for it. He followed me for about 6 steps and then said he would rather just have 2$ to go buy some food than me pay 5$ for a 6" sub. I told him there are better liars along Stephen Avenue and to never approach me again. He must have a good memory because I see him often either walking to the Best of the Wurst or to Wendy's and he aproaches people behind me and infront but never me.

When went to school in Edmonton and lived on Jasper Ave at Capital Centre I was asked many times, I did a similar things a few times, offered to go to a fast food joint or to the Save On across the street, each time the answer was yes and then when he saw I was actually serious they backed off and just asked for a lower amount. Those kind of people make me sick and I have absolutley no pitty for them whatsoever.

People should say fata off and get a job, but no becuase most people arent a$$es they give some bs excuse, "ohh sorry no change".

MYK

[I-Hate-Hulse]

I think crime has increased significantly in the last year in the Beltline area. 1st SW was always bad, but now that the bars there are shut down I swear they're running a drive thru drug sales operation now. Sketchy people congregating outside at all hours. A raid or two wouldn't hurt, but then again, neither would a Daisycutter...

Parkade smash and grabs are also an epidemic in condos city wide, but particularly in the downtown ones.

Bring on the cops, they're sorely needed. That and enact some anti panhandler laws... screw the social activists. When they live next to them and have to run the gauntlet daily, then perhaps they'll get some perspective. Madrid / Lisbon didn't have 1/10th the number of beggars we have here.

[fredr123]

Last night the wife and I were strolling in Mission and a homeless guy came up to us at a crosswalk. "Did you know I looked my birth certificate up at the registries and I didn't exist?" he informed us.

Now that's a new one. The guy was either mentally ill, trying to be funny or making some sort of biting social commentary (ie homeless people are invisible, they don't exist). Perhaps it was some combination of the three. In any event, though, we didn't give him any change.

It's kind of ironic how some of the more hip and happenin' neighborhoods in town seem to have some of the worst problems with homeless beggars. Kensington, 17th, Mission...

[Table 5]

Maybe it's cause New York has so many people on the streets at all times, but the amount of annoying bums in Calgary is the worst I have seen anywhere in my life. It's getting to the point where I dread walking around downtown when I'm here to visit....and this coming from a guy who is a huge supporter of urban downtown living.

[habernac]

Montreal is the worst I've seen. There's two people at every corner with a hat in their hand.

East of the drop in centre there's always a bunch of people congregated, in the am they're awakening from last night's stupor, in the late afternoon when I go home, they're all lounging in the grass or crashed out on park benches. I haven't been bothered yet, but I don't slow down on my bike long enough for anyone to engage me in any kind of conversation.

[Bill Bumface]

Today I had some guy in a golf shirt and jeans with a pair of sunglasses on his head approach me. He looked like pretty much any other guy on the street that worked somewhere with casual Fridays. He give me the "excuse me" so I figure he just needs directions or something. Nope- he's "fallen on hard times" (out of crack money). It was pretty strange, and sort of wierd to see a totally normal looking guy that I'm sure will be 90 lbs and smelling like **** in a month.

[Scorponok]

Some people I think have generally truly fallen on hard times and deserve help, but yeah, hearing stories about how people use the money to buy drugs makes me wish we could round these people all up, grind them down into liquid and use their bodily fluids and grease to power our cars.

[troutman]

Most of these people are mentally ill and unemployable.

Our "hobo problem" is nothing compared to VAN, or big US cities.

I thought the Guardian Angels are coming here to harrass bums, hobos, and other transients.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by troutman

Our "hobo problem" is nothing compared to VAN, or big US cities.

I haven't been to one "big US city" where the bums are as aggressive as in Calgary. On pure numbers alone, lots of places have more, but the attitude of bums here is quite a bit more forthcoming imo.

[ken0042]

In Seattle the bums would tell us jokes, and offer to give directions. One guy even walked with us so "we wouldn't get lost along the way."

At least he was doing something of a service that we could use to earn a buck.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

People need to be told to grow up, get to the reman centre, wash the damn BO off yourself and go find work. If you cant find work in this province you are either too picky or too lazy.


MYK

How's the view from way up there on your high horse bud? Pretty spectacular I'd say.

A good chunk of the people on the streets have mental illnesses or severe addiction problems. And if you have any experience with serious addiction you have to know that its a lot tougher than "growing up and getting to the reman centre".

I'm not going to dispute there is a problem in Calgary, but your type of ignorance isn't going to help. You have to understand that root causes of the problems and treat those rather than just till all them bums to get a job.

In my opinion one of the things that needs to change about Calgary's downtown is that it has to stop emptying out at night. There needs to be a more vibrant nightlife down there so people feel safer.

[Scorponok]

^ Either that, or round these people all up, grind them down into liquid and use their bodily fluids and grease to power our cars.

[Bobblehead]

I just wish there was some way to be able to distinguish the truly needy from the 'lazy bums'. Last year the news had a story on the Drop In Centre's woodworking program. People interested in learning carpentry are given training that will allow them to get good employment. That's the type of thing I'm more than willing to fund - stuff that gives people a hand up instead of a hand out.

[White Doors]

Originally Posted by Scorponok

^ Either that, or round these people all up, grind them down into liquid and use their bodily fluids and grease to power our cars.

HAHA

[White Doors]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I just wish there was some way to be able to distinguish the truly needy from the 'lazy bums'. Last year the news had a story on the Drop In Centre's woodworking program. People interested in learning carpentry are given training that will allow them to get good employment. That's the type of thing I'm more than willing to fund - stuff that gives people a hand up instead of a hand out.

Yep, well said.

[the-rasta-masta]

The other day I was walking downtown at night with some friends and we got asked about 4 times for change....finally on the fourth time, my buddy just blew up and said "NO I WILL NOT GIVE YOU MONEY, THIS IS A BOOM ECONOMY FOR CHRIST SAKE!! GO GET A JOB, EVERYBODY IS HIRING!"

Bad taste but hilarious if you were there.

[FacePaint]

Just looked at the rates for a single person on income support:

Shelter allowance: $168
Living allowance: $234

Boy... tough life for the 'lazy' person to live off $402...