Responsibility to Needy

Re “Sheltering the Homeless,” editorial, Nov. 8.

I was appalled at the decision by the city of Ventura to no longer help the county with the ever-increasing costs of taking care of the people who reside within the limits of that city. Not only the homeless but the mentally ill and victims of domestic violence cannot afford to have the city turn its back on their needs, leaving all economic responsibility to the county.

Most other cities are helping the county to absorb public service costs, using federal money from block grants. Ventura has used general-fund dollars in the past instead of taking advantage of the grants available to it. With winter coming and the need for shelter rising, it is of no help to the needy people of Ventura to have city officials disregarding their moral responsibilities.

If city officials spent more time attending Social Services Task Force meetings and less time dodging their responsibilities to the needy people of their city, the economic needs of the program would be met a lot sooner and the worries of the needy would be lessened.

RYAN BAYER, Agoura