Pubdate: Tue, 10 May 2016
Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO)
Copyright: 2016 The Pueblo Chieftain
Contact:  http://www.chieftain.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613
Author: David Jiron

POT VS. HOMELESS

I find it interesting that Posada and some other nonprofits continue 
to try and connect homelessness with the cannabis industry.

It's not far-fetched to see that Posada and these other nonprofits 
are the enablers of homelessness. You can go to Posada on any given 
day and Ann Stateleman will give you a handout.

If that doesn't work go see Rose Mertz at the Salvation Army for a 
handout, but if your still unsuccessful, then try Care and Share, the 
Soup Kitchen, Wayside Mission, commodities,social services and the 
list goes on.

If all else fails then just head over to any intersection in town and 
someone will eventually pull up and hand you some money.

Posada is the true contributor to the homeless population in our 
community not cannabis. Transients communicate with one another and 
they inform each other about these free handouts and soft cities and 
that's what brings them here and contributes to the problem.

In a recent article published by The Pueblo Chieftain these 
nonprofits put the homeless population at 11,000 in Pueblo. So ask 
yourself how many of those 11,000 were required to clean up around 
town or perform some kind of duty for the city for the assistance 
they received?

With 11,000 homeless workers our city streets, parks, river trail 
system and run down properties should be clean and trash free.

My solution is that City Council needs to stop enabling the enablers 
(Posada)and reign in the funding provided to them.

Yes, people do need help and I recognize this, but at some point they 
need to help themselves. Reduce the funding to these organizations 
that enable homelessness. That will keep Posada from turning around 
and bad mouthing our city in the local media. Free handouts with 
nothing required is the problem not cannabis.

David Jiron

Pueblo
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom