HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-01-22 Public Comment - T. Saunders-Santos - Letter to the GovernorFrom:Tori Saunders Santos
To:Agenda
Subject:Letter to the Governor
Date:Monday, August 1, 2022 10:58:52 AM
Attachments:Dear Governor Campers.docx
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Please see attached letter I sent to the Governor & Steve Daines today. I am sad to say that I amextremely disappointed in your lack of attention to the RV encampments in town. It is to the point where it does notmatter what "party" you belong to anymore, residents are disgusted. I would love a response to my letter. I haveasked several times for a response, yet you ignore me?
Tax paying citizen & her husband,
Tori Saunders-SantosLicensed MT Property Manager
Owner/Nest Home Management3633 Lolo Way, Bozeman, MT 59718
(406) 539-2805nesthomemanagement@gmail.com
Tori & Tony Santos
3633 Lolo Way
Bozeman, MT 59718
406-539-2805
nesthomemanagement@gmail.com
Governor Greg Gianforte
P.O. Box 200801
Helena, MT 59620-0801
Dear Governor,
I am writing to you regarding the street camping issue in Bozeman, for it has gotten out of hand. Our City Mayor & City
Commissioners are using the Martin vs. Boise & 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as the reason to allow people to freely
camp on our streets. Although I understand them following this ruling, I believe they are seeing it and the ramifications
through fogged glasses. They are ignoring the ramifications it is having on our community. The pond on Davis was
poisoned and all the fish died, because a camper dumped its waste tank in the pond. The residents leave trash, urinate,
defecate and I am sure there is public drug use and disposal of dirty needles, etc.. The City’s response was to bring
dumpsters & porta potties to the sites at the taxpayers expense. HRDC volunteers have gone to the encampments to
clean up “for” the residents.
To me this situation is an absolute atrocity and not only an “invitation” for people with the means to pay for rent, to not
have too, but encourage them. If you are working in Bozeman at this time, you are making a minimum of $20 an hour.
Where is that money going? Drugs, alcohol? In addition to the health risks, we have seen an increase in crime directly
related to these encampments. The Bozeman Police Department had to close down 7th Avenue for half a day to deal
with a “situation” at one of the encampments. I also read an article of a young man at one of the encampments beating
and elderly man also living there and burring his face with a cigarette?!!!
I understand there are homeless that need help, but this is not the answer. My questions are: does the ruling apply to
people living in RV’s? Is someone “homeless” if they living in an RV? Can parking laws be created to limit overnight
parking and therefore discourage these people from living on the streets? At the rate we are going, we will never have
enough “beds” in a homeless shelter to occupy all these people, there are hundreds of them and they just keep coming.
Also, many of them do not want to go to a homeless shelter, they want to stay in their campers.
The 9th Circuit Court decision affects 7 US States, CA, OR, WA, MT, NV, AK, AZ & HI. My husband is 4th generation
Bozeman resident and I have lived here for 24 years. We love it here, we love the growth & opportunity that has come.
However, we do not love what this ruling has done to our beautiful town, and I am sure the state as a whole. If this
issue continues to grow as it has been and nothing is done, we are afraid we may be forced to leave our beloved state
for one that is not affected by this.
I would like to know your stance on this issue, what you think we can do and the importance of you adding it to your
agenda?
Sincerely,
Tori & Tony Santos