Umar Ibn Al-Khattab once stated, “If poverty was a man, I would have slain him.” There is a huge disparity in the way income is distributed in the United States. Due to this homelessness and poverty has become a huge problem. By criminalizing homelessness, like the law in Tucson that is “against sitting or lying on the sidewalks” and attempting to privatize sidewalks, these laws just aggravate rather than improve the homeless situation. The homeless situation cannot be ignored or sent away by using a one-way bus ticket. Instead the cities should address the homeless situation by implementing long lasting strategies, for instance in Miami, Florida, there is a one percent sales tax on restaurant meals that is given to homeless trust fund. Also, some of the poor and homeless have spent time in jail, once they leave the prison they have harder time to rejoin society and acquire a job. However, if cities spend more time and effort on rehabilitating, schooling, and employing the homeless then perhaps the homeless problem will be placated. By criminalizing homelessness, cities will only invert the issue.

Why aren’t our tax dollars spent on improving the community issues?