In Philadelphia, residents are hearing that the cost to its taxpayers is around $33,000.00 per day for the Occupy Philly movement. These numbers are drawing the ire of some citizens against the occupiers. But where are these figures coming from? I was struck by the juxtaposition of the homeless in Philadelphia, living in close proximity to the Occupy Philly camp area.
On Oct. 15th, I went down to Dilworth Plaza at City Hall to see the Occupy Philly movement. On my way over I crossed through Love Park, just across from City Hall. Love Park was occupied by homeless people, benches covered with their scraps of belongings. City employees were sweeping up Love Park's trash. Whereas on Dilworth Plaza, the Occupy Philly group was self-sustaining. So it is hard for me to understand the numbers that are coming out for the cost of Occupy Philly. How much does it regularly cost the city to monitor the homeless, to clean up trash and to keep spaces safe? What portion of that budget would the city already be spending on Dilworth Plaza even if there wasn't an Occupy movement? The irony is that the residents of Occupy Philly are fighting for their right to jobs and fair wages; so that they can participate in our democracy as tax paying citizens, rather than end up as welfare recipients or permanent homeless residents.