5 ms·

Let's break this down. You're implying that 6 city councillors, elected and paid into the position are inherently not trustworthy enough to manage city funds,

Let's break this down. You're implying that 6 city councillors, elected and paid into the position are inherently not trustworthy enough to manage city funds, simply by vice of being part of government? And yet, Amazon, who will spend nothing on these schemes and are even less accountable than the councillors, will make better use of it? This sounds like you want to eliminate all government and tax. Would be amusing to see I suppose.

T2_t2 8y ago
What does Seattle currently spend on the homeless? Genuinely curious if you know any of the numbers.
- igotsideas 8y ago
  I looked it up at the beginning of the year but I think it was around 180 million. There was something around 10 million of private funding. So close to 200 million. Is this a quiz? Am I right? Edit: these number are for 2017.
  - madeofpalk 8y ago
    When I see numbers like this, I start to understand these 'no big government' and tax minimisation people. I don't live in the US, and I've never been to Seattle, but if you can't 'solve' homelessness with 180 million, what's an extra 50 million going to do?
    - ionised 8y ago
      180 million doesn't seem that much for a city like Seattle. Even if it was the solution isn't to stop paying taxes and get rid of the government. That's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
    - profunctor 8y ago
      Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. That money could be keeping tens of thousands of people off the streets and out of hospitals.
      - megaman22 8y ago
        If we're throwing cliched adages around, don't throw good money after bad. People flock to places like SF and Seattle in part because they have all of this spending and infrastructure for the homeless.
        Maybestring 8y ago
        Any evidence for that? I have a hard time believing people are moving to 'Rain City' to live outside.
        jschwartzi 8y ago
        We host the county jail and courthouse, and in many municipalities it's illegal to be homeless, so they get picked up there, jailed here, and released here.
        ksk 8y ago
        If I were homeless I'd try to go to a place that helped homeless people.
    - jschwartzi 8y ago
      You have no idea the scale of the problem here. It's not just a few people camping under an overpass. If you walk around Pioneer Square there are encampments on many of the blocks. There are encampments on Seattle anywhere there's grass. Drive on I5 through the city and you'll see encampments starting and ending at the city limits.
      - madeofpalk 8y ago
        $230 million is a lot of money! I'm not saying the problem isn't worth fixing - it definitely is! But Yikes, that sure does seem like a lot doesn't it.
bluedevil2k 8y ago
And you’re actually implying that these people, who have not done anything even remotely successful in terms of business, elected by roughly 4% of the population of Seattle, who meet once a week for a few hours, who have split incentives to both “help the city” and get continually re-elected, who need to fundraise for elections from entities they could potentially benefit with the money...these are the people you trust more with money than one of the 5 most successful businessmen in the last 100 years?
- electricEmu 8y ago
  Having worked for him, yes I'll trust the Seattle city council. You sure seem to be on this thread frequently with some hard opinions and loose facts.
  - bluedevil2k 8y ago
    2 posts is posting frequently?
  - mankash666 8y ago
    Don't make it personal about another HN member
- ionised 8y ago
  > these are the people you trust more with money than one of the 5 most successful businessmen in the last 100 years? Yes, because I don't equate being rich and 'successful' with having a social conscience. If anything I'm more inclined to believe that rich and successful person didn't do it by being a paragon of virtue. And what exactly do you think Amazon's incentives are? To the city? Come on now.
  - bluedevil2k 8y ago
    Amazon, the corporation, should only have 1 incentive - to maximize shareholder value.
    - 8y ago

T2_t2 8y ago

What does Seattle currently spend on the homeless? Genuinely curious if you know any of the numbers.

igotsideas 8y ago
I looked it up at the beginning of the year but I think it was around 180 million. There was something around 10 million of private funding. So close to 200 million. Is this a quiz? Am I right? Edit: these number are for 2017.
- madeofpalk 8y ago
  When I see numbers like this, I start to understand these 'no big government' and tax minimisation people. I don't live in the US, and I've never been to Seattle, but if you can't 'solve' homelessness with 180 million, what's an extra 50 million going to do?
  - ionised 8y ago
    180 million doesn't seem that much for a city like Seattle. Even if it was the solution isn't to stop paying taxes and get rid of the government. That's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
  - profunctor 8y ago
    Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. That money could be keeping tens of thousands of people off the streets and out of hospitals.
    - megaman22 8y ago
      If we're throwing cliched adages around, don't throw good money after bad. People flock to places like SF and Seattle in part because they have all of this spending and infrastructure for the homeless.
      - Maybestring 8y ago
        Any evidence for that? I have a hard time believing people are moving to 'Rain City' to live outside.
        jschwartzi 8y ago
        We host the county jail and courthouse, and in many municipalities it's illegal to be homeless, so they get picked up there, jailed here, and released here.
        ksk 8y ago
        If I were homeless I'd try to go to a place that helped homeless people.
  - jschwartzi 8y ago
    You have no idea the scale of the problem here. It's not just a few people camping under an overpass. If you walk around Pioneer Square there are encampments on many of the blocks. There are encampments on Seattle anywhere there's grass. Drive on I5 through the city and you'll see encampments starting and ending at the city limits.
    - madeofpalk 8y ago
      $230 million is a lot of money! I'm not saying the problem isn't worth fixing - it definitely is! But Yikes, that sure does seem like a lot doesn't it.

bluedevil2k 8y ago

And you’re actually implying that these people, who have not done anything even remotely successful in terms of business, elected by roughly 4% of the population of Seattle, who meet once a week for a few hours, who have split incentives to both “help the city” and get continually re-elected, who need to fundraise for elections from entities they could potentially benefit with the money...these are the people you trust more with money than one of the 5 most successful businessmen in the last 100 years?

electricEmu 8y ago
Having worked for him, yes I'll trust the Seattle city council. You sure seem to be on this thread frequently with some hard opinions and loose facts.
- bluedevil2k 8y ago
  2 posts is posting frequently?
- mankash666 8y ago
  Don't make it personal about another HN member
ionised 8y ago
> these are the people you trust more with money than one of the 5 most successful businessmen in the last 100 years? Yes, because I don't equate being rich and 'successful' with having a social conscience. If anything I'm more inclined to believe that rich and successful person didn't do it by being a paragon of virtue. And what exactly do you think Amazon's incentives are? To the city? Come on now.
- bluedevil2k 8y ago
  Amazon, the corporation, should only have 1 incentive - to maximize shareholder value.
  - 8y ago