Everyone knows Madison has a grave and growing problem with homelessness. Shout-out to whichever group is feeding them in Lisa Link Peace Park next to my house, because the city currently has no concrete plans to provide them with the basic human right of shelter.

Last Wednesday, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi spearheaded an initiative to move forward with a homeless shelter on Wright Street that the County Board unanimously approved. On Friday, a very cranky Mayor Paul Soglin sent Parisi a letter complaining no one was keeping him in the loop. The most troubling part about all of this is on both sides of this debate, our elected bureaucrats are letting trivialities keep the homeless community from having somewhere to sleep.

I’d actually like to point out Parisi’s fault first: What did he think was going to happen? Everyone knows our mayor is characteristically grouchy, and it seems Parisi was trying to pull a fast one. The legislation Parisi proposed actually included a provision that the site of the shelter could be changed if, somehow, they decided they didn’t want it there. With this inclusion, it is absolutely clear Parisi knew Soglin was going to raise hell. He anticipated it and went ahead and did it anyway. That’s enough to piss any parent off, let alone Soglin, irritated dad to all of Madison.

The bigger problem here, though, is Soglin. His letter is entirely counter-productive, and I’m not sure what he hopes to change by scolding Parisi for being too busy for a meeting. In an especially funny part of his letter, he stated, “The city is always willing to work in a cooperative fashion … on this and many other issues.” Like Mifflin, right? Hahahahaha. 

Not only that, but it’s evident Soglin doesn’t want homeless people in Madison at all. He said, “I have made it clear that the City of Madison does not have the resources or the responsibility to take care of Dane County’s and Wisconsin’s homeless population.” I’m under the impression homeless people mainly stay in one area, so for him to think all of Wisconsin will be flocking to a Madison homeless shelter is preposterous.

And furthermore, as reported by the Wisconsin State Journal, Parisi spokeswoman Casey Becker said, “The response from the mayor’s office was for the county to evaluate bussing homeless people outside of Madison to other communities.” Parisi echoed the same sentiment, telling WKOW, “We’ve reached out to the mayor and asked for his input, but we haven’t received any input other than ‘ship them out of Madison.'” This implies the homeless are somehow less citizens of Madison than I am, or than Soglin is. This is a fervently classist sentiment, and I wish there’d be some Student Labor Action Coalition-style protest rage over it.

I’d like to think the reason Parisi’s tried to sneak a shelter in under Soglin’s nose is because he truly cares for Madison’s homeless. I’m pretty sure the reason Soglin is stalling the shelter is because he wants those damn kids off his lawn. What should be weighing the most on these politicians minds, though, is that it’s getting awfully cold outside. Madison’s homeless have needed a shelter for years, and as time drags on, the situation is only getting more desperate. If there’s one thing I’d like my taxes to be doing, it’s giving a homeless person a hot cup of coffee and a place to watch TV.

Taylor Nye ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in archaeology, biology and Latin American studies.