How many deaths and pedestrian injuries is it going to take before something is done? Or is the city too busy playing referee to the boys on the council?
CARLA S. KANE
Glendale
I was heartened to read about the First Step Housing Project for Glendale’s homeless (“Homeless facility advances,” Oct. 10).
The quote from Police Chief Randy Adams, however, was infuriating: “They have chosen and continue to choose to be homeless.”
Who in their right mind would choose to sleep on the streets, scramble for food, baths, toilets, clothing and medical attention, be subject to busts by police or attacks by criminals?
The sad truth is that many street people suffer from mental illnesses, addiction or both. There are those, too, whose only crime is simply catastrophic bad luck, loss of jobs, bankruptcy.
They have not freely and rationally “chosen” this way of life. In the richest nation on Earth, which claims a Christian heritage, surely we have a little money and a little compassion to invest in these struggling people.
LANI SCHNEIDER
Glendale
Regarding Herbert Molano’s letter in the Friday Mailbag, discussing excessive city employee salaries (“Time to discuss the high salaries of city employees”), it should be understood that government employee salaries will not be brought in line with private sector salaries until voters elect a majority of politicians who will not accept funds, endorsement or any help of any kind from unions.
Politicians, with union support, will continue to use the old but effective ploy that pay must be brought in line with other similar government agencies, not private sector averages, to obtain and retain qualified employees. It’s hogwash but it works.
