To the editor:

Task force for the homeless? (J-W, Sunday) Another Band-Aid to a growing problem.

Instead of inventing more shelters, why not enforce a real LIVING WAGE to prevent homelessness? The rising cost of utilities, rents, gasoline and food but NO WAGE INCREASE will eventually cause whole family units to become homeless instead of just the mentally ill, criminals and drunks who filter into our town.

Instead of trying to find more funding to help the homeless why not work on the powers that be or whoever sets the pay standards in Lawrence? Wages of $7 or $8 per hour are not providing for single mothers or other families where only one is capable of working.

Instead, Lawrence wants to spend more money to build another building for the homeless, when that money could be spent providing more jobs and living wages to the hard-working folks (who want to work) in this town.

A mental health outlet is desperately needed, I admit. But this is a nationwide political issue that cannot be resolved here in Lawrence. Trying to fix it is a temporary solution that will be overwhelmed again when more folks from outside begin filtering in — bringing Lawrence back to the table and Journal-World headlines looking for funds AGAIN. Bottom line: changing the Band-Aid.

So think clearly about this problem and compare it to what the REAL need is for Lawrence — a LIVING WAGE to pay people to support their families to PREVENT them from becoming HOMELESS.

Kathleen Christian,

Lawrence