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alincoln

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Posts posted by alincoln

  1. The reaction of municipalities to the decision is what matters.  They generally have instructed LEOs to not enforce panhandling ordinances (even ordinances designed to comply with the SC ruling) so they don't have to deal with legal challenges funded by homeless advocates.

  2. In recent years, the federal courts have significantly limited the ability of law enforcement to address homelessness.  The Supreme Court has ruled that panhandling is protected by the First Amendment. The 9th Circuit issued a decision last year holding that laws prohibiting "public camping" constitute cruel and unusual punishment if there is insufficient shelter space in the area.  These decisions combined with a lack of prosecution of non-violent drug offenses have basically converted every large western U.S. city into Hamsterdam.  It's probably too late for Austin to do anything because the city will never get in front of the shelter limitations.  The Austin homeless population will continue to increase significantly unless/until the opiate crisis abates and politicians and judges prioritize the reduction of homeless populations.  You think it is bad now, wait five years after the next recession hits and politicians and judges continue to make the problem worse.  The SF human feces app will need an Austin extension sooner than later.

  3. I expect that they will also exist in Austin in the next few years.

    The homeless issue in Austin is going to get much worse before it gets better.  There is legitimate concern that the homeless population in Austin will double or even triple in the next 18-30 months.

     

  4. According to the feds he was the lowest priority of all defendants because he used the scam to finance his sailing program as opposed to pocketing it and none of the students on whose behalf the bribes were made actually benefited (1 went through the normal application process and the other 2 went to different schools).  

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