A Poopy Situation

This morning I was driving to work (for a late start, luckily) and had the good fortune to hear Glenn Beck monologuing about the San Francisco Poop Crisis of 2018.

Let's grab some numbers from the 'net

After quoting Mayor Breed, who acknowledges, “We’re spending a lot of money to address this problem,” the following San Francisco Public Works budget items are presented:

• A $72.5 million-a-year street cleaning budget
• $12 million a year on what essentially have become housekeeping services for homeless encampments
• $2.8 million for a Hot Spots crew to wash down the camps and remove any biohazards
• $2.3 million for street steam cleaners
• $3.1 million for the Pit Stop portable toilets
• $364,000 for a four-member needle team
• An additional $700,000 set aside for a 10-member, needle cleanup squad, complete with it’s own minivan

And crucially, there's now "the new $830,977-a-year Poop Patrol to actively hunt down and clean up human waste."

The SF Chronicle casually notes in parenthesis, "By the way, the poop patrolers earn $71,760 a year, which swells to $184,678 with mandated benefits."

from ZeroHedge, linked above, but they are quoting the SF Chronicle

Again, so much to say about this, and you should just listen to what Glenn and Stu said, but let's say a few things.

Ew. San Francisco has a budget larger than many nations would envy. What in world is going on that causes that much homelessness in a city with those resources? Are we animals that we just poop anywhere? I mean, all this money to clean up and not STOP THE PROBLEM?!?!?!

That's just a start. How much to clean up poop? How much???? Why do dog-poop-picker-uppers make so much less? That's poop discrimination!!! Pretty shitty, if you  ask me.

A long time ago, I went to see John Denver in concert, my first concert, actually, in-the-round at the Riverfront Coliseum, now the US Bank Arena. In addition to talking about how he assumes the pre-show dinner was great, he doesn't eat before shows so he doesn't "go BRRRAP into the microphone," he told a story (recited a poem, actually) called The Ambulance Down in the Valley.

An ambulance down in the valley”!!!!! T’was a dangerous cliff as they freely confessed Though to walk near its edge was quite pleasant! But over the side had slipped a duke and a prince – And it had fooled many a peasant!   The people had all said something had to be done. Thought their projects did not at all tally – Some said “Put a fence around the edge of the cliff” – Others – “An ambulance down in the valley”!!!!!   The lament of the crowd – was profound and so loud – As their hearts overflowed with great pity! But the ambulance carried the cry of the day – As it spread to the neighboring cities!   A collection was made to accumulate aid And dwellers in highway and alley – Gave dollars and cents - not to furnish a fence – But an ambulance down in the valley!!   For the cliff is alright if your careful – they said! And if folks ever trip and are dropping – It’s not the slipping and sliding that hurts so much As the shock – when they’re stopping!   And so on for years – as these mishaps occurred – Quick forth with the rescuers sally – To pick up the victims who fell from the cliff With the ambulance down in the valley!   Said one in his plea – it’s a marvel to me – That you’d give so much greater attention To repairing results - than to curing the cause – When you’d much better aim at prevention.   The mischief of course should be stopped at its source. Come friends and good neighbors – let’s rally! It makes far better sense to rely on a fence Than an ambulance down in the valley!   He’s wrong in his head – the majority said – He would end all our earnest endeavors – He’s a man who would shirk – and would halt our good work! But we will support it forever!                           Aren’t we picking up them all – just as quick as they fall? And treat them with care quite liberally? A superfluous fence is of no consequence If the ambulance works in the valley!   (Denver did not use these next 4 verses!)       But a sensible few – who are practical too –      Will not bear with such nonsense much longer!      The believe prevention is better than cure      And their party will soon be much stronger!        Encourage them then – with your purse, voice and pen –      And while other philanthropist dally –      They will scorn all pretense – and put up a fence –      On a cliff that hangs over the valley!        Better guide while they are young – then reclaim them when old      For the voice of true wisdom is calling –      To rescue the falling – is good – but tis best      To prevent other people from falling!        Better close up the source of temptation or crime      Then deliver from dudgeon or galley      Better put a strong fence at the top of the cliff –      Than an ambulance down in the valley!!!!!!!   Well this story is queer as I’ve given it hear – Though things oft occur which are stranger? More humane we assert – to repair all the hurt – Than the plan of removing the danger!   Before it all ends its time to begin To attend to these things quite rationally! Yes – build up the fence- and let us dispense – With the ambulance down in the valley!!!!!!                                           ----Joseph Malins

Now, this is clearly political, as well as being a fable from which we are to clearly understand (after all, the moral is stated directly) means prevention is better than reacting to the results. I would suggest to you that John Denver (no slight to him) was aiming this at Republicans, but I suggest to you that it applies to our crappy story. Who is putting an ambulance down in the valley?

In my city, is it the advocates getting better tents or the folks saying No Tent City? Is it finding a new place to put the tents or finding shelter and services?

It was purely political, and I went to High School with one of the "players" in the fiasco. Dude has had issues in his life (which, as they are a part of the reasons he believes what he believes politically, socially, etc, he's never hidden. In fact, because of these issues, he himself was homeless for a time when he was a young adult) that for me, make him unsuitable as a candidate (and he has run for office several times). It has been a way for him to get some airtime, in addition to his actual work on the issue.

One suggestion was to move the folks to "the east side of town" which was intended to spark NIMBY responses, and my wife had the best one: leave them downtown, it's not a residential area, there's less negative impact and no neighbors to anger. But, that's what they wanted! Neighbors to anger and the publicity that would follow!

Indeed this is another (but not successful) attempt to make a scene about something so the Conservatives or Republicans over-react, so the Progs or Dems can scream "see, they hate ______!" Remember my post about trans and bathrooms? (of course you don't, no one reads this).

So, what's the solution? For San Fran, I have no clue, but paying people $71,000 plus a crapton of benefits to clean poop isn't it. For Cincinnati, the problem is a drop in the bucket, and seems to have wound down. But, hey, we have a streetcar.