Many homeless people and executives with homeless-services nonprofits came to the city council meeting, yesterday, to express their opinions regarding the Sacramento City Council’s determination, last week, to move the period when citizens make two-minute comments to the council from the beginning of the weekly sessions to the end of the sessions. Sentiment by most yesterday in the public-speaking period, were intolerant of the decision to move ‘public comments’ and expressed no understanding of the logic in doing so. Tamie Dramer, Executive Director of SafeGround Sacramento, called the action of moving the comment period one of “disenfranchisement” and accused the council of punishing the whole of the public in an act endeavoring “to sideline a group of already marginalized people.” Joan Burke, homeless-services nonprofit Loaves & Fishes executive, said that the message of moving the speaking period is the “same, exact message when you told people you have to go to the back ...
The fearless blog about homelessness that serves the city and county of Sacramento, CA. Written by Tom Armstrong