L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas (MRT) continues to confuse the public on his public affirmations of solving issues vs his vote on those same issues.
Publicly he has called for the banning of flavored tobacco and menthol products instead of cracking down on the possible illegal sale to persons under the legal age to purchase. He is shutting down businesses, in the unincorporated areas of L.A. County due to possible misinformation related to vaping deaths. Most vapiing deaths are tied to cannabis devices, not nicotine.
Related: Confusion surrounds the vaping crisis: Here’s what we know and don’t
In another clear instance of MRT’s mass state of confusion is how to address the “emergency” of homelessness.
It is well known that MRT is seeking to represent the 10th District in the city of Los Angeles who has approved the homeless to sleep on city sidewalks between the hours of 9pm to 6am. The city of Los Angeles is currently looking into whether those rules need to be rewritten.
Related: Will L.A. impose new rules on sidewalk sleeping? Protests and debate erupt at City Hall
In July, the city of Los Angeles was on the receiving end of a federal lawsuit due to the city’s idea of “cleaning up encampments” involved unlawful search and seizure of private property including legal documents and medication.
Related: LA Sued For Allegedly Seizing Homeless Property During Sweeps
It is a fact that there are not enough housing shelters, to house the homeless, which is why the newly created state homeless coalition asked Governor Gavin Newsom to sign a CEQA law that would allow the faster building of shelters.
Related: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bills to speed homeless shelters
In the interim, MRT has supported his colleagues: Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn who have directed LA County lawyers to support an effort to overturn a court decision that has allowed homeless people to bed down overnight on sidewalks across California.
In essence, MRT wants to continue with possible illegal search and seizures to get the homeless off LA County sidewalks.
Related: ‘Fed up’ with homeless camps, L.A. County joins case to restore its right to clear them
Last month the supervisors voted to direct lawyers for Los Angeles County to draft an amicus brief, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a challenge to Martin vs. City of Boise. The case, decided by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last September, found that arresting or otherwise punishing homeless people for sleeping on the sidewalk when there are not enough shelter beds or housing was unconstitutional.
With nearly 60,000 homeless people in LA County, MRT is more inclined to build parking lots and boarding schools for Metro than urging developers to pitch in pass through fees to build and maintain homeless shelters.
Many of the homeless are also smokers of flavored tobacco and menthol products which helps curb their mental health issues related to living on the streets.
If MRT is elected to represent the city of Los Angeles, he is certain to roll back advancements made, by homeless advocates, to placate his wealthy campaign donors.
When the Los Angeles Times editorial staff said the MRT declaration of homeless being a state emergency is not a solution to the problem but is instead a mere press release. Believe them.
Californians passed a $1.2 billion dollar housing bond in Measure HHH but housing is being built at a snails pace. The current state budget provides for $1 billion in funding for the homeless and increased federal funding of housing vouchers is also a mute dream because we don’t hear Reps Maxine Waters, Nanette Barragan or Karen Bass screaming for increased housing vouchers like they scream for our President’s impeachment or on behalf of immigrants.
