Mayor has let ‘bums’ take over Downtown

I DON’T go Downtown anymore .... Mayor (Richard) Berry has let the “homeless” take over our city. I put homeless in quotes because after a career of prosecuting, working as an assistant attorney general and as the attorney for the Corrections Department, I can testify that the so-called homeless are bums, crazies and unemployable, worthless, mostly young men who have come to Albuquerque from all over the country to live on handouts and commit crimes. The mayor has dignified their hopelessness with the (moniker) homeless. We feed them, pay them, allow them to ruin our city and play on our guilt.

My daughter was at a scientific conference, staying at the lovely Andaluz Hotel; we walked down to the Artichoke Cafe at 5 in the afternoon. Four blocks. On the way, we were accosted four times by bums; one followed us muttering and growling for over a block. We had to take a cab back to avoid the obvious threats. I took two out-of-town friends to the Kimo one early evening only to be threatened by bums coming out of the empty storefronts lining Central. Scared my visitors senseless. Parking anywhere Downtown is a clear danger, as the chances of my car being stolen are greater here than anywhere else in the USA. I just returned from a 4,500-mile trip through the South. I saw heavy police presence downtown in Birmingham, Ala., in Savannah, Ga., in Charleston, S.C. What I didn’t see was bums begging on the corners or following me down the street . ...

Remember Mayor (Martin) Chávez? He tore down unoccupied buildings; he put a band of uniformed young people Downtown to assist visitors. And the police were present on the streets .... The solution is clear. Run the bums out of town. Put policemen on patrol Downtown. Confiscate and tear down empty buildings. No ART bus route will do the trick. Serious measures need to be taken or we can kiss Albuquerque goodbye. CHRISTINE VAN NORMAN Corrales