MIAMI (CBS4) – A pair of bills making their way through the Florida legislature could have local homeless sleeping on the 50-yard-line of Sun Life Stadium or up in the rafter of the AmericanAirlines Arena.
Florida State Senator Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) and State Rep. Frank Artilles (R-Miami) have introduced bills to demand Florida’s professional sports franchises to either start housing homeless folks in their stadiums and arenas, or give back the hundreds of millions of dollars they have received from the state.
“I want to make good citizens out of them,” Bennett told CBS4 News Tuesday. “Here we are cutting money for Medicaid, we’re cutting money for education, we’re cutting money for homeless programs and shelters and all these other things and we’re saying, you know what maybe we should ask for that money back since they didn’t do it, they didn’t comply, they chose to ignore the law.”
The law Bennett refers to is a provision of a 1988 statute requiring teams that take state money to convert to homeless shelters when the teams aren’t playing. In the 23 years the law has been in existence; it has never been enforced.
Bennett and Artilles point out that every sports team in South Florida has taken millions of dollars of state taxpayer’s money. Across the state the total figure is more than $270 million.
“I think they should follow the rule and the rule was you took the money you were supposed to use it for a program for homeless people and you didn’t do it and therefore we want our money back,” Bennett said.
But homeless advocates argue warehousing homeless individuals in large facilities is not the answer and would actually be counter-productive.
In 1988, when the stadium homeless law was first enacted, there were more than 8,000 people living on the streets of Miami. Today, there are fewer than 800 – with many of those refusing help.
“Miami-Dade has a more comprehensive, broader program than most anyplace else in America,” said Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust.
The Trust was created in 1993 and spends more than $45 million a year on helping the homeless.
“The 27 person homeless trust board would never look at a solution as to housing people in our stadiums and our arenas as an acceptable method to end homelessness,” he added. “That’s just not what we do.”
It should be noted that Ron Book is also the lobbyist for the Miami Dolphins. Whether this bill will make it very far remains to be seen.
It seems unlikely that legislators will actually be able to claw back the millions they’ve given the various franchises. At the very least though, it offers legislators a chance to beat up on the pro sports teams and their billionaire owners; a sport that is always fun for politicians.
108 Comments
This is insanity. Most of these homeless are due to poor decisions & illness.
January 25, 2012 at 11:54 am | | Report comment
Yeah, but this way we won’t have to look at ‘em so much and the megamoney-making enterprises that get free or partially free rides from the taxpayer wil have to — what do liberals say? — give back to the community.
January 25, 2012 at 3:05 pm | | Report comment
don’ do it,save it for our tax paying who will need a place to live soon
January 25, 2012 at 8:23 pm
This is crazy, social welfare for billionaire sports team owners and ZERO help for the poor. No more social safety nets for rich baseball players and super rich team owners.
January 25, 2012 at 3:34 pm | | Report comment
By your reasoning, dave, the State should enforce morality anywhere it chooses. Goot idea, “conservative” Republicans!
January 25, 2012 at 6:01 pm
I think that all the money should be divided up and then everything would be peachy and the world would be happily there after.
January 25, 2012 at 8:24 pm
This was tried at the New Orleans Superdome, it did not turn out very well.
January 25, 2012 at 6:08 pm | | Report comment
That was after a big ass hurricane Rob. No power, no food, no water. Not a good example…
January 25, 2012 at 8:46 pm
You had me until you ignorantly brought up illness. That said, these teams took the money knowing what the laws were at the time. In spite of their negligence, this action should be anything but a surprise to them.
January 25, 2012 at 9:51 pm | | Report comment
Stadiums aren’t really built to house people. Instead of parking some homeless people in the stadium, have the team pony up some money for proper housing.
Funny how the article didn’t mention the millions of dollars each year in taxes and additional consumer spending that these teams bring in for the state.
January 25, 2012 at 3:10 pm | | Report comment
When the stadiums were built they were required to have built it in a way that would have conformed to the law (housing homeless). In fact, this is WHY they received the money. It was their choice to take the money. Nobody forced them. They knew the rules, not live up to them. Isn’t that what all you neocons are griping about half the time…or does that only apply when it suits your agenda. Ron Paul 2012.
January 25, 2012 at 9:53 pm | | Report comment
This is so simple. If the owners have broken the law, charge them, then open a civil suite to get the money back. If the law doesn’t make sense then change it. That’s what these stupid negligent politicians are supposed to be doing rather than playing one upmanship and kissing butts for campaign donations.
January 25, 2012 at 3:22 pm | | Report comment
The teams haven’t been making their graft payments.
January 25, 2012 at 3:29 pm | | Report comment
How well did housing people in the superdome after Katrina work?
January 25, 2012 at 3:30 pm | | Report comment
The murder rate per weekend did not increase post Katrina; It was merely concentrated in one place. That place was . . . wait for it . . . (paste your guess here). No, seriously though, check it out. Pre-storm there were approx 10 murders per week (give or take). There were 10 murders at the (once again, insert your guess here).
January 26, 2012 at 3:42 am | | Report comment
Now if we can get Home Depot to provide breakfast & coffee for the illegals hanging out in front of their stores waiting to be picked up for jobs…
January 25, 2012 at 3:30 pm | | Report comment
Many should not have been bred on welfare in the first place or allowed into the country. Half do not pay taxes but live off others taxes. Way too many. Start at the source, the dimorats.
January 25, 2012 at 3:31 pm | | Report comment
$45 million for 800 homeless? 27 person board? Homelessness is big business in major cities. How much of that money actually goes to the homeless and how much goes for government or nonprofit cushy jobs?
January 25, 2012 at 3:32 pm | | Report comment
Only 800 homeless in Miami? I am not buying that load.
There are at least 800 hanging out under the bridges on A1A.
January 25, 2012 at 3:32 pm | | Report comment
That’s about the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard since the concept of Obamacare. If it wasn’t part of the original deal, this is just a form of extortion by government. And that is NOT Freedom!
Elected officials are supposed to work FOR the people … “the people” means everyone, not for limited special interest … they aren’t there to Direct Citizens LIVES!
January 25, 2012 at 3:33 pm | | Report comment
Did you even read the article Don? It WAS in the original deal.
January 26, 2012 at 12:47 am | | Report comment
The more foundational point is : The state should not be subsidizing sports in the first place. The question of more help for the homeless is just an end run around.
January 25, 2012 at 3:36 pm | | Report comment
Nonsense, Jim. A professional sports team is a successful business that attracts money to a locality. That is more than can be said for any Democrat/government agenda item. Start depriving the government rat hole instead.
January 25, 2012 at 10:50 pm | | Report comment
Sure, stockpile the homeless in sporting arenas. Just be ready to spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions, each year to repair the damage they do out of spite. Ever seen a public housing unit when it first opens? They are usually nice places. Visit them within a year, and you’ll find them virtually destroyed.
January 25, 2012 at 3:36 pm | | Report comment
Very good point, I used to work in public housing in NY and it’s true. The projects are nice when opened, most of them (not all) are in poor shape after a short period.
January 25, 2012 at 3:49 pm | | Report comment
And just try to get them out when it is time to prepare for the games……
January 26, 2012 at 12:29 am | | Report comment
This is an incredibly stupid decision by politicians. Homeless people do not belong in sports complexes. Most are drug addicts and alcoholics.
I’d like to know the details of the contract when the sports franchises were given STATE funds. Aren’t they paying taxes?
January 25, 2012 at 3:43 pm | | Report comment
Most are drug addicts and alcoholics.
correct they belong in the front offices with all the other drug addicts and alcoholics…………………..
January 25, 2012 at 8:09 pm | | Report comment
Read the article and you would know the detail from “the contract when the sports franchises were given STATE funds”!!
January 26, 2012 at 12:48 am | | Report comment
this had to have been when a democrat was gov of florida. (notice democrat ends in “rat”.
January 25, 2012 at 3:48 pm | | Report comment
agreed, there is an existing law, abide by it! but do it in another way, instead of have to configure and reconfigure the statiums, use the money to build a couple of shelters
January 25, 2012 at 3:51 pm | | Report comment
What is the exact wording of the bill? To be used to house the homeless when teams are not playing or when the stadium is not in use.?
The problem is that bill is from the 1980s, before luxury skyboxes were standard. Nowadays, stadium skyboxes are leased out with 10-30 year leases, and the lease holders essentially have rights to the skyboxes year round. Otherwise the Marlins would have gotten revenue from the luxury suites at the stadium formerly known as Joe Robbie, because all revenue went to Huizenga, even when the leaseholders used the boxes during baseball season.
Why would someone pay what they are paying for a skybox only to come in for a private function in the off season and have to see homeless sleeping on the field? This law did not take this into account because it is outdated from days when skyboxes were not so prevalent.
January 26, 2012 at 12:26 am | | Report comment
“I think they should follow the rule and the rule was you took the money you were supposed to use it for a program for homeless people and you didn’t do it and therefore we want our money back,” Bennett said.
OK … if the funds were *supposed* to be used for homeless programs, then why weren’t they? Go after the POLITICIANS who signed off on this, what should then amount to a misappropriation of funds. Otherwise, I say let these self-appointed judges of social conscious and good intentions pass this bill. THEN … we can laugh when the Dolphins, Bucs, Jags, Lightning, Panthers, et al. move out of state. Seeing the Los Angeles Jaguars, Oklahoma Buccaneers, Cleveland Lightning, Cincinnati Magic, Toronto Dolphins, or (you get the idea) would be. Downright. HILARIOUS!!!
January 25, 2012 at 3:55 pm | | Report comment
“Today, there are fewer than 800 [homelsss] – with many of those refusing help…..The [Miami-Dade Hojmeless] Trust was created in 1993 and spends more than $45 million a year on helping the homeless.”.
This is $56,250 per homeless person & more as many refuse help. This board should be fired. If the stadiums don’t want to house the homeless then they should be billed for what it is costing and has cost the taxpayer. My bet is when its sports’ problem the cost will drop dramatically & the homeless will have homes other than the stadiums.
January 25, 2012 at 3:58 pm | | Report comment
The story said those are the numbers actually on the street, There is the Miami rescue Mission, Camilius House etc,..
The Stadiums cannot house the homeless because that law was passed before there were luxury boxes in the stadiums and they are leased in mulityear leases, and year round, not just during the season.
January 26, 2012 at 12:32 am | | Report comment
ENFORCE THE LAWS ON THE BOOKS, STOP WRITING NEW LAWS!
January 25, 2012 at 4:11 pm | | Report comment
Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Super Dome and the major clean up required. Now, imagine that on a weekly basis in Florida’s stadiums.
January 25, 2012 at 4:13 pm | | Report comment
I have always been against subsidizing sports teams. Cities and States pay millions of taxpayer dollars to build stadiums or sports teams move out to greener pastures.Those greener pastures are the Cities/States that have decided that that is where their millions of tax dollars are best spent. I am not suggesting that the homeless be housed in the stadiums but the Owners who just take and take from the City/States give something back.
January 25, 2012 at 4:14 pm | | Report comment
They do give something back. We call it taxes. Taxes from the income that directly comes from the paychecks of all who work at the stadiums from the professional athletes to the hot dog vendor in the stands. Then there is the indirect taxes from the fans that come into these cities with stadiums spending money on goods and services at local business before and/or after the games, and this assumes that the aforementioned sports teams aren’t also paying property taxes.
January 25, 2012 at 5:03 pm | | Report comment
They give plenty back. Calculate the cost of their absence.
January 25, 2012 at 10:53 pm | | Report comment
Those dollars will be spent somewhere else employing average people who don’t make millions a year at the taxpayer’s expense.
January 26, 2012 at 12:08 am
Whenever a team in the playoffs, the broadcasts always give aerial shots of the city and the environs, that is priceless publicity.
January 26, 2012 at 12:34 am
Its a truly stupid law. What makes these politicians think it is right or humane to treat the homeless like cattle or sheep that they can move to different pasture when the Sports Season begins? What gives the politicians the right to mandate that one group of business owners give the homeless shelter, electric, bathrooms? It isn’t because they have gotten funds from the State as many other business’s get subsidizes in some form or other. Not all homeless are just people down on their luck…many are drug addicts, alcoholics, and predators of one sort or the other…why would any business person want to take responsibility for housing them? Who came up with this bizarre law back in 1988?
January 25, 2012 at 4:27 pm | | Report comment
Sounds like fun. I think I’ll become homeless.
January 25, 2012 at 4:33 pm | | Report comment
This will be a disaster. Look what happened to the New Orleans Superdome during Huricane Katrina. The inside of the Dome was destroyed by the people staying there. The also stole a lot of the fixtures and furniture.
January 25, 2012 at 4:37 pm | | Report comment
They will doo doo up the place just like the dirty Katrina victims did in Superdome.
January 25, 2012 at 4:55 pm | | Report comment
This is the kind of proposal I would expect from a Democrat considering its apparent total disregard for personal property rights. If any given space belongs wholly to government and is not leased to another entity like a professional sports team then government is free to do whatever with its property otherwise government can go pound sand. The question that needs to be asked is how many homeless that the dull tool legislators who came up with this piece of unconstitutional garbage are housing in their own homes on their own property? If this is such a good idea then they need to practice what they preach at home. If they aren’t willing to pony up their own property then they certainly have no business trying to tell anyone else about theirs.
January 25, 2012 at 4:58 pm | | Report comment
Did you even read the d&mn article for the reasoning behind this?
January 26, 2012 at 12:51 am | | Report comment
How come we never hear advocated real solutions to homeless, like drug rehab, financial counseling, job training, other forms of personal counseling, etc. When politicians “tackle” the problem, it’s always stuff like this: more handout, freebies, and in this case, warehouse them where it will cause a logistical nightmare for those who manage the facilities and cause inconveinence and discomfort to the fans attending games. Which that’s really the true motivation of this.
January 25, 2012 at 5:11 pm | | Report comment
The cities subsidize the teams so they do not leave the city for a more accommodating city. That is the reason they give them money. The cities then reap the tourist dollars brought in by people attending events/games at the stadiums. If homeless were living in the stadiums, do you think the facilities (restrooms, concession areas, etc) in the stadiums would stay as nice as they are? I don’t. They would be trashed/vandalized. Then people attending the games would complain and stop showing up. Result, everybody loses. Whoever made the initial law was a moron and shortsighted (regardless of political affiliation). That said, teams should develop community outreach programs that assist the homeless. Win-win for everyone.
January 25, 2012 at 5:22 pm | | Report comment
45,000,000 / 800 = $56,250 a year. Put ‘em up at the Holiday Inn Express.
January 25, 2012 at 5:34 pm | | Report comment
Football stadiums are the biggest waste. If a team makes the playoffs, they are used maybe 11-12 days a year. Throw in a couple of concerts and other events, and these $100 Million dollar buildings stand empty about 330 days a year. I never understood why tax payers put up with their money being spent this way. For the record, I am a conservative, and a football fan. But it would seem there are better ways for government to spend, or not spend money in the public interest.
January 25, 2012 at 6:27 pm | | Report comment
You are a fool if you believe that a professional sports team is not an asset to a community. We are poorer without them. It’s just simple economic reasoning.
January 25, 2012 at 10:57 pm | | Report comment
Utter insanity.
This is just another example as to why the mighty Boa says it is time for 5-10 million armed and angry patriots to descend on DC and hold trials. At the same time, hundreds of thousands descending on each capitol. How is it that there is NEVER money for roads, services, etc, but whenever these a-holes want to blow money on their pet projects, they seem to find it.
If they actually go through with this, it will only be the beginning. How long before these people will demand to be fed, clothed, etc? And how long before some other genius decides to show a study that says it will be cheaper to just give these people houses?
All part of O’Bozo’s master plan. It is absolutely disgusting that these 2 are from the GOP. SOMEBODY from the GOP should step forward and repudiate these clowns….
January 25, 2012 at 6:27 pm | | Report comment
SO embarrassed to live in Florida.
Why can’t I just enjoy the life I work hard for without some creep politician trying to stuff a stinky bum in my face. The only way I want to see bums in an arena would be if they legalized bum fights.
Is anybody else as disgusted with just about every last politician in our country right now?!?
Professional sports and the other activities that take place in these venues create huge tax revenues and are great for our economy. Other cities and states understand this and will pay to take our teams without a second thought. You can then have 365 days of nothing but bums in your empty arenas.
How about we stop attacking the businesses that benefit our economy just because their owners are wealthy.
Go f—ing put the bums in State owned buildings. At this point I would rather have bums in the Florida legislature. OH WAIT, WE ALREADY DO!
January 25, 2012 at 6:36 pm | | Report comment
Funny
At least there will look like somebody goes to the Marlins games
January 25, 2012 at 6:40 pm | | Report comment
This is ridiculous. You put a bunch of homeless people in a stadium that cost taxpayers MILLIONs of dollars and they ruin it. Remember the Super Dome.
January 25, 2012 at 6:41 pm | | Report comment
This is just plain COMMUNISM, what they’re proposing. These stadiums generate HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars for the taxpayers in return for their investment. Homeless people have access to family, friends, churches, and homeless shelters (where they can also get hot meals)……….
January 25, 2012 at 6:46 pm | | Report comment
Doesn’t anybody remember Hurricane Katrina? The New Orleans Super Dome was turned into a shelter.
After the storm, it was determined that the Dome was so badly trashed by the homeless that the state considered tearing it down.
Florida. Do so at your own peril.
January 25, 2012 at 6:57 pm | | Report comment
Don’t forget. These stadiums are built with taxpayer dollars — for billionaire team owners who pay for millionaire players! These stadiums are used for half the team’s home games, and a few rock concerts.
Why do private citizens’ tax dollars build these stadiums for a private business, (NFL) when the teams are owned by BILLIONAIRS ?
Why is it that there is a pitchfork rebellion — complete with torches marching on the CEO castle when he is given a $30-million bonus which provided thousands of jobs, but a sports star gets a $300-million contract? How many jobs did the sports “Star” provide? Ditto for limosine liberal Hollywood actors.
January 25, 2012 at 7:08 pm | | Report comment
Professional sports provide much money for localities. Do the math before you continue to embarass yourself.
January 25, 2012 at 11:00 pm | | Report comment
Maybe our elected federal officials that made millions in the market using illegal insider trading strategies would be willing to show their humanity to mankind by having the homeless move in with them. They tell us they feel our pain. But don’t hold your breath.
Obama has a half-brother that lives in a 6 x 9 goat hovel in Nirobi on a dollar a month. To my knowlege he pays less taxes than Buffett’s secretary.
January 25, 2012 at 7:13 pm | | Report comment
So these “leaders” that we have elected wish to the time, energy, and money to pass legislation that requires a law that already exists to be enforced.
There should be no question why this country is in the shape it’s in.
January 25, 2012 at 7:19 pm | | Report comment
Ok people, here we go, two politicians who cant recognize the difference between privately owned business and a Government run agency. Private companies can do what they want on their properties within the xzoning laws of the state. Just like you homeowners can do what you want to your property within the scope of the zoning and safety laws. (except if you were stupid enough to sell your freedom to a homeowners association…then your really are dumb). So at first reading I thought this was surely two democrats, as typically bleeding heart social policy is what emminates from these shrill politicians…but alas its to RHINO’s, who actually share liberal democrat views that Government can crush private ownershiip whenever they feel like it…VOTE EM OUT, they are too stupid to bew your leaders.
January 25, 2012 at 7:22 pm | | Report comment
Read the article a third time. Maybe a fourth. Or a fifth. Eventually you’ll notice the part about the agreement when the stadiums were funded.
January 26, 2012 at 12:52 am | | Report comment
Come on kids, lets pay $300 to go watch a pro-football game, bring your rubber gloves and boots dont want to get any feces or urine on you as we eat that yummy stadium food and enjoy the game. Seriously people this is just assinine. I’ll be the first to say it, any of you who thinks that when the Government issues a grant to a private entity to build a sports stadium that will bring in millions of tax revenue to the state has a right to then grab control of the property or the way the business is run are delusional…you probably believe aliens walk among us too…the stupidity of this generation is astounding.
January 25, 2012 at 7:31 pm | | Report comment
A point here is that it is absolutely stupid for the public to poney up money for a professional sports team to build a bigger and snazzier facility. These teams together rake in billions–let the owners and the players take a little less and build their own stadiums. Economically, these taxpayer-funded, or even partially taxpayer-funded stadiums never do anything new for the local economy. Some construction jobs while it is a-building is about it. Any increase in attendance goes into the pockets of the players and owners. A few more hotdog vendors or parking attendants may be hired, but that’s it. If that same amount of taxpayer money was used to lure indsutries with lots of people on production lines, that money would be much better spent. Taxpayer money is spent on these new stadiums mostly so that local politicians and some big dogs who like to think they are “in” with, and hobnob with, the owners and players. Taxpayer money is spent so a handful of bigwigs can brag at the country club how they are on a first-name basis with this or that sports star de jur. The taxpayers are paying for their Peter Pan fantasies.
January 25, 2012 at 7:40 pm | | Report comment
Then they will claim squatters’ rights, and POOF — no more games!!
January 25, 2012 at 7:58 pm | | Report comment
They could get a lot of practice and go up against the other stadiums homeless teams.
January 25, 2012 at 8:26 pm | | Report comment
Huh? These sports teams and the stadiums which house them have brought millions in revenue to the various cities. If the politicians can’t spend that money prudently and help the homeless that way, perhaps what needs to happen is the politicians need to get replaced. Just sayin…
January 25, 2012 at 8:29 pm | | Report comment
Great Idea! Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of sheeple. ProSports has a growing do-gooder influence. Housing Homeless is a logical progression from pink cleats…Fuuunnnneeeey!
January 25, 2012 at 8:39 pm | | Report comment
I have a better answer. Start calling the homeless “bums” like we did when I was growing up. Bums panhandle and live under bridges because they like to drink, don’t like authority, don’t like bosses, hate alarm clocks, don’t want to pay taxes (some bums make $1,000 a week tax free), don’t want to pay real estate taxes, get the grass cut, caulk, or fix the commode and dishwasher. They like to sun themselves in Florida and California. Go ahead and offer a bum a job, he’ll walk away from you. Just call them bums, not homeless any more. They can walk over town mooching money, so they can work picking up trash can’t they?
January 25, 2012 at 8:50 pm | | Report comment
Better yet, have the homeless play on the team! Much more interesting and funnier….
January 25, 2012 at 9:06 pm | | Report comment
I’m a conservative Republican and tend to think those taking taxpayer money should provide some service, but this is one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard. If I were a ticket holder, I for sure would not want some homeless person in my seat prior to an event. Lord only knows what bodily fluids that person left behind. I’ve got a better idea. Get rid of all the idiotic regulations and red-tape required for charities to care for those in need. Then let churches and other civiv organization do what they do best unfettered by the state.
January 25, 2012 at 9:10 pm | | Report comment
Just like the so-called “homeless”, the pro sports teams are tax sucking parasites. Cut off the subsidies to both!
January 25, 2012 at 9:24 pm | | Report comment
Hey dummy, they pay taxes.
January 25, 2012 at 11:02 pm | | Report comment
We need to pass a law that makes it illegal for any government to lend money for a sports stadium. This problem shouldn’t exist in the first place. It’s insane that trillionaire idiot Steve Ross is even asking for government money.
January 25, 2012 at 9:38 pm | | Report comment
how about the state and local govt quit giving millions of taxpayer $$ to these ‘private’ owners of these sports teams and make them pay the majority of costs for the operation of their sports team…..
January 25, 2012 at 9:56 pm | | Report comment
Discussion of this concept is long overdue. In the Seattle area, the homeless are regularly pawns in the progressive’s envy worship agenda. They attempt to place Obamavilles in neighborhoods where the homeless are understandably unwanted. They then play on the normal negative sentiments of the people in those places to promote a sense of guilt for resistance to increased taxation designed to feather the progressives’ government jobs with greater benefits.
People voted in a sensible way against spending on the stadiums to begin with but got them anyway. The facilities are ideal as homeless shelters, already having bathrooms and showers. They are located near downtown or industrial areas where the homeless can conveniently seek out employment if they want it. Progressives need to stop their manipulation and exploitation of the poor and seek out workable ways to actually help the improvident.
January 25, 2012 at 10:06 pm | | Report comment
Obviously you have never been to Miami. The stadium formerly known as Joe Robbie is about 10 miles from downtown, practically on the county line, and it is in the middle of a municipality that thpically has an armed robbery every week.
The new Marlins stadium is at the site of the old Orange Bowl in Little Havana. While about a mile from downtown it is a working class neighborhood and is blighted but liveable and historic.
January 26, 2012 at 12:45 am | | Report comment
This has to be the dumbest idea I have ever heard.
Excepting some kind of emergency like a hurricane, why would you put all 800 homeless in the same place for a few days a week and then chase them off for every game, concert or other normal use of the facility.
There is a lot of money being thrown at the homeless, most who remain on the streets are there because they refuse to enter a facility and abide by the rules, the primary one being that they are sober…
This is totally unneeded, and smacks more of political grandstanding rather than a serious attempt by the lawmaker to solve the homeless problem…
January 25, 2012 at 10:20 pm | | Report comment
stop using tax payers funds in the first place to assist billion dollar businesses.
January 25, 2012 at 10:29 pm | | Report comment
At first, I was surprised to learn that this bill was put forth by Republicans. It sounded and smelled Democrat. After reading the piece, reading of the logic behind this bill, it began to make sense. However, I don’t think it will work. A whole mess of drug-addicted, schizophrenic or rudderless/aimless homeless would trash these facilities. No point in pretending it won’t happen.
January 25, 2012 at 10:32 pm | | Report comment
Mr. Wee Wee sez “yOu gO girl” and “STAND FIRM behind Barack!”
January 25, 2012 at 10:54 pm | | Report comment
If you take government money, you must bow to the government.
January 25, 2012 at 11:02 pm | | Report comment
Wait until the Gov. discovers one of us has an extra bedroom…The answer to this problem is give the folks a job, if they choose not to work then they should be left to their own devises. Those that truly need help are left by the wayside as the money has been used up on those who wish to be and live where they are.
January 25, 2012 at 11:07 pm | | Report comment
These Republicans in Florida are sounding like a bunch of Democrats. Who’s going to pay for the security and food and electricity while they are staying there? Who will clean up after them and how will you force them to leave in time for a game or will the homeless be given free admission to otherwise expensive sporting events?
January 25, 2012 at 11:13 pm | | Report comment
http://Www.sbpdl.com
Just ship them out of the country
January 25, 2012 at 11:37 pm | | Report comment
Florida State Senator Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) and State Rep. Frank Artilles (R-Miami) I hear have some spare bedrooms in their homes so start by example. Whatever happened to property rights or is this a new twist on the eminent domain scam that the government has been using the last few years?
January 25, 2012 at 11:45 pm | | Report comment
Whatever happened to reading comprehension? Or actually reading an article in its entirety before commenting?
January 26, 2012 at 12:53 am | | Report comment
These two legistators should be immediately removed from office, and required to repay any moneys paid to them for their “public service”….
January 25, 2012 at 11:56 pm | | Report comment
Nothing here but more incompetent reporting, by everyone reporting this story.
After searching 20 different sites reporting on this, not one can give the name of the FL statute, who proposed it, who was Governor when it was proposed, or who was in control of the congress when it was proposed. Lawton Chiles(d) was governor. Given the liberal democrats love of issues regarding the homeless, I would have to guess this statute was their handiwork. Another example of dumbed-down news for a dumbed-down public.
January 26, 2012 at 12:16 am | | Report comment
Let’s see, the Super Dome had to be rebut for the external flood damage and the interior people damage to the tune of $200+ million. I realize that after ignoring some many warning to leave NO, the choice of where to stay was limited, but this plan in housing the homeless is a choice and damages very real. Let’s just house them in 4-star hotels, it will be cheaper than cleaning up after them.
January 26, 2012 at 12:46 am | | Report comment
OK, here’s an idea: If the sports franchises won’t pony up, then tax the owners and athletes. They make millions. MILLIONS. This is unfair. If they want to use these stadiums to make their millions, then they should pay their fair share to the homeless.
A special tax on them to fund more $ for the homeless.
January 26, 2012 at 1:38 am | | Report comment
To all you knuckleheads who think “the law should be enforced” I say this:
Open your garage, your spare room in the basement, your attic, to homeless people. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Let’s make a new law, requiring all you rich people with big houses to share them with the homeless, including wino-Americans and Illegal aliens.
Earth to dumb people: passing a state law is not the same thing as passing a CONSTITUTIONAL law. Forcing a private business, against their will, to house homeless people is about the stupidest idea I have ever heard from a government.
And don’t blather on about it being OK to do this because the sports teams took public money to build their stadiums because A) The stadium is still private property, and B) It is wrong in the first place to give public money to a private business to build a private stadium.
Cripes, don’t they teach anything in the public schools anymore?
January 26, 2012 at 1:53 am | | Report comment
Hahahahaha! REPUBLICANS?! I think I get it, but … republicans? And, yes, NO privately-owned sports franchise should EVER be underwritten, including their damned arenas, by taxpayers. Not ever.
January 26, 2012 at 3:03 am | | Report comment
It may be true that housing homeless in an arena is not a solution, but even if that’s true it doesn’t matter, the teams should give the money back because it is not being used .
January 26, 2012 at 6:46 am | | Report comment
Why do we keep electing idiots to public office. If you want to see what would happen should this bill go through just look at pictures of the interior of the Superdome after Katrina.
January 26, 2012 at 6:51 am | | Report comment
Well, okay, but they’re going to have to cut the grass!
January 26, 2012 at 7:43 am | | Report comment
This is a horrendous idea. Much better would be to force all politicians who vote for government support of the homeless to house the indigent in their own houses, at their own expense.
January 26, 2012 at 7:59 am | | Report comment
Great idea. Now let’s put the mentally deranged, substance abusing flotsam of society into politicians and celebrities houses. Most of those have many unused rooms.
January 26, 2012 at 8:12 am | | Report comment
This should serve as a lesson to private industry as well as to local municipalities. Any financial aid the government gives you comes with strings, and sometimes those strings can be downright onerous.
January 26, 2012 at 8:29 am | | Report comment
This is a case of. You take the king shilling, you have to do what the king says.
January 26, 2012 at 9:44 am | | Report comment
I like to talk about stool.
January 26, 2012 at 1:07 pm | | Report comment
I just can not imagine with incredibly blog greatly that warned me. Thank you “Beauty, without expression, tires.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
January 27, 2012 at 4:04 pm | | Report comment
If they have an assigned residence in a stadium, technically they are no longer “homeless”. Sounds like Naples when Mount Vesuvius destroyed homes of the poor, Italy moved them into rich peoples’ mansions on the seashore and left them there for years as squatters.
January 28, 2012 at 11:04 am | | Report comment
I just can not imagine with strong your blog greatly that helped me. Thank you “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” – Voltaire
January 29, 2012 at 6:54 pm | | Report comment
If they let the homeless ion DURING the season at least SOMEONE would be watching a Marlins’ game!
February 6, 2012 at 8:59 am | | Report comment