Patrick Dow

Portlandia created its own homeless problem. katu.com/newsletter-dai… Oh, sure, other cities have concrete campers. But the Rose City now ranks 4th highest in America when it comes to drug addicts and the mentally ill living on the streets, even though it's only the 28th largest city. Mayor Keith Wilson ran for his job, promising to cut the size of the problem. Instead, it has grown by thousands. Now, Wilson wants to share his pain with nearby cities and counties. The Homeless Industrial Complex now consumes literally hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars every year in Multnomah County. Mayor Wilson has demanded 6 million dollars from Washington County and an unknown but likely similar sum from Clackamas. Wilson declares this is a regional problem, so by his logic, the region should pay. Personally, I think other counties and cities should tell Wilson to pound sand. His is a city that in the last year simply lost track of more than 100-million dollars in housing funds and now proposes to grant millions in subsidies for battery bicycles. And he wants other counties to fill the gaps the Mayor's own policies created? Please!

“More could be done to keep people safe,” he said. koin.com/news/portland/…