Each morning I clean up after the scavengers who went through my building’s trash and left a mess. On my walk to work, I pick up the cardboard at the two bus stops and the trash left behind along Date Street.

Across the street, there’s a camp next to the fast-food restaurant with a growing collection of shopping carts and individuals drinking alcohol during the day.

If the laws were enforced and those responsible for enforcement were held accountable, we would not have these problems.

It’s illegal to trespass on private property, go through our trash, litter, sleep at the bus stop, camp on public lands, steal property and consume alcohol in public.

It’s the turning of a blind eye to the crimes being committed that has emboldened and empowered these lawbreakers. It is now time to hold our elected officials accountable from the top down.

Eric Phillips

Kapahulu

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