Thursday, August 4, 2016

Kudos to Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz for standing up to the Alaska ACLU Chapter

You know back in 2012 I recall the Sullivan administration gave three days you are gone.  Alaska ACLU said not enough time.  Dick Triani agreed.  I remember the Sullivan administration put a poster of the homeless problem.  Assembly chair Ernie Hall asked it to be removed.  He said why not put in the middle of isle.  I testified this was reality.  I mentioned I am tired of seeing people panhandle at the corner of 12th and Muldoon.  I actually was quoted in the Anchorage Press the week after.  Paul Honeman thanked me for my testimony.  He proposed 15 days this was agreed to by the ACLU.  Now Anchorage Police is doing their job since the shelters are full they want the city to stop.  Guess what this is what you agreed to.  Kudos to mayor Ethan Berkowitz for actually standing up to these morons.  I remember we had change for the better.  Mark Begich when he was mayor used to honk at the driver to try to give a message.  There is an ordinance 24.80.15 that says do not give to panhandlers from your car.  I would like to see this also applied to the solicitor as well.  I would like to see what the media does here because had this been Sully the Alaska Dispatch News would have wrote a nasty article about how he is not sympathetic to the homeless.  This is a public safety issue plain and simple every major city is doing this.  Seattle is clearing out its jungle.  Portland is I hope getting rid of tent city in Oldtown Portland.  I think it should be 5 minutes whether it is city or private property you have a choice a ride to shelter or jail at your expense eventually.  I have included a link to an ordinance in a blog I originally wrote in 2011 had to retype it in 2012 due to technical problems with the website.  Here are some picture one is a panhandler at 12th and Muldoon the intersection I testified about.  I also included a video I uploaded to  You Tube in 2013 of a panhandler at Benson and C Street.  Picture of a posted homeless camp.  http://swensonfamilymember.blogspot.com/2012/09/attention-anchorage-municipal-assembly_22.html