HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-16-2012 pc strzepekMatt Strzepek ---SLO City Counci l
Weaving our community togethe r
Press Release from Matt Strzepek, candidate for San Luis Obispo City Council ,
October 16, 2012, to be delivered at the San Luis Obispo City Council meeting tonigh t
Good evening . This council recently passed an ordinance to issue parking citations to homeles s
individuals, the nightly issuance of which will negatively affect one's vehicle registration, vehicl e
insurance, and driver license and increase the risk of having one's vehicle impounded . I believ e
we can do better and propose the creation of a Practical Parking Program .
This council approved $80,000 to allow a mere five parking spaces at the Prado Day Center i n
addition to almost $25,000 to study the situation . At no cost to city taxpayers, I studied th e
feasibility of a Practical Parking Program and concluded that it would work . To date, I am th e
only candidate for city council to call for the creation of a Practical Parking Program .
Homelessness is not going to go away . Not this year, not in ten years . As such, I am asking thi s
council to allow overnight parking at interested businesses and houses of worship in addition t o
designated city parks located away from residences and businesses . Furthermore, I a m
requesting that some bathrooms remain accessible overnight .
On October 5 th ,I filed a formal complaint against the San Luis Obispo Police Department fo r
denying people access to the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter, verbally abusing me and tw o
female citizens, and ridiculing us for being without housing . If this is the council's idea o f
educating the homeless about the new parking ordinance, then I suggest it is time for you t o
leave office and go back to school .
I believe the abusive police behavior stems from the divisive tone that this council has set . Yo u
have forgotten that People come before policy and your policies have pitted neighbor agains t
neighbor . Several of you have publically referred to homeless people as those who "want to,"
those who "cannot," and those who "will not ." I find such labels demeaning and downrigh t
appalling . People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect no matter what thei r
socioeconomic status .
I invite you and the community to stand with us tonight on the front steps of city hall as w e
light candles in solidarity with those taking shelter in their vehicles . Finally, I urge this council t o
get behind my Practical Parking Program so that together we can make this city whole again .
COUNCIL MEETING :
ITEM NO .:
October 1, 2012, sometime prior to 5 p .m .
According to witnesses, San Luis Obispo police officers obtained the names of homeless citizen s
with vehicles legally parked on McMillan Avenue prior to 5 p .m . and then proceeded to provid e
those names to staff members at the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter . At least one homeless
citizen, an elderly gentleman with a reputation for sharing his food with others, was denied a
meal at the shelter because of this action . It is suspected that several other citizens wer e
denied food that evening as well .
It is probably illegal for staff members of the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter to ban homeles s
citizens from being on McMillan Avenue, a public street, prior to 5 p .m . The same could be sai d
of staff members at the Prado Day Center banning homeless citizens from being on Prado Roa d
from 4 p .m . to 8 :30 a .m . "Violators" are denied meals and/or access to services (bed, shower,
etc .).
October 2, 2012, 11 p .m .
San Luis Obispo police officer Eric Lincoln (EL), badge # 59350, approached Matt Strzepek (MS )
on McMillan Avenue and shined a flashlight in his face .
EL : What are you doing here ?
MS : Who are you? (could see nothing but light shining in face )
EL : What are you doing here ?
MS : Who are you ?
EL : You know who I am . You've been listening to me for the last twenty minutes !
MS : Actually, I just got here about twenty seconds ago . I can't see you with the light in my face .
Will you please identify yourself ?
EL : I'm the police !
MS : May I please see your identification ?
EL : I don't have to show you that . You're with these people (gestures to homeless citizen s
taking shelter in a nearby RV).
MS : No, I'm not . I don't know them .
EL : Are you homeless? Are you homeless?!
MS : My attorney has advised me not to discuss that issue .
EL : Well, I was going to educate you tonight . Tell your attorney you're an idiot .
MS : Excuse me ?
EL :I'll remember you .I'll see you on the flip side of the law, asshole !
(EL and his partner approach two female citizens (FC) who have disabilities and who are takin g
shelter in their vehicle, on which they are trying to repair something . Some tools and persona l
belongings are neatly set on the side of the curb, hidden from public view by their vehicle .)
EL : Get that crap off the street! Look at all your stuff! Get your crap off the street !
Female Citizen : What ?
EL : We got a call about you .
FC : For what ?
EL : Somebody got your license plate .
FC : Our trunk is raised . How could anybody read our license plate? What is this about ?
EL : Are you homeless ?
FC : How is that any of your business ?
EL :I have a home . I'm not homeless . Why are you homeless? Why can't you get your ac t
together ?
FC : Please don't speak to us that way . I used to be a public safety officer and would never spea k
to citizens that way.
EL : Well, you must not have been very good at your job . Don 't be such idiots !
MS (who had walked over earlier to witness this provocation by the officer): Ask him for hi s
name and badge number .
EL : You, stop talking! You didn't want to talk to me earlier .
FC : Yeah, what is your name and badge number ?
EL : I don 't have to show you anything . You're uncooperative .
FC : How am I being uncooperative ?
EL : Get your stuff and get your cat (animal) out of here !
FC : Something is wrong with our vehicle and we're trying to fix it .
EL : I don't care . You can't be here . You have to go somewhere else .
FC : And just where do you expect us to go tonight ?
EL : Fine, if you're not going to be cooperative, then I'm going to give you a 72-hour impoun d
notice . How do you like that ?
EL (to his unidentified partner): Don't let him (MS) get the (police) car number . He didn't wan t
to cooperate with us, remember ?
MS : You still haven't identified yourself .
Unidentified Partner : It will be on the ticket .
MS : You aren't supposed to enforce the new parking ordinance until the city puts up signage .
EL : No, don't talk to me! You didn't want to be educated, remember, asshole?! (EL slaps 72 -
hour impound notice on windshield .) We'll be back, assholes !
(There were several witnesses who heard and possibly saw these events .)