Kalispell's Homeless Situation Public Comment from Carol BuchananAimee Brunckhorst
From: Carol Buchanan <carolb@bytesavvy.com>
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2023 10:36 AM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Kalispell's Homeless Situation
Unfortunately, I can't attend this evening's Public Comment meeting regarding Kalispell's homeless situation, so I'm
sending my comment.
Kalispell should cease welcoming people who, as the Commissioners' letter rightly states, are homeless as a result of a
lifestyle choice.
There are plenty of jobs available, even as the economic downturn worsens. Many of these are entry-level jobs are
without much in the way of requirements — except breathing. Employers have made them as attractive as possible,
starting at $18.00 an hour, with health, vision, and dental benefits, and generous vacations.
Yet our homeless situation increases.
During warmer weather, we have had to shoo homeless people away from the front door of our business, where they
have spent the night taking advantage of the warmer air seeping under our door. They have slept in the alley between
our building and the next on, but mostly they have used that space as a public toilet.
We who have worked our entire lives do not owe anything to those who will not work, or to those who cannot work
because of alcohol or drug addition. That is a choice they have made — to continue their addictions. Yes, it is incredibly
hard to get off a substance a person is addicted to, even nicotine. But it can be done. I've seen it first-hand.
For our disabled population, it's different. They cannot work through no fault of their own. True disabilities deserve our
sympathy and our help.
People have agency. We can choose to be homeless or to be contributing members of society.
Let Kalispell please cease from enabling those who choose to sponge off the rest of us.
Carol Buchanan
Sent from Mail for Windows