The Other Paper is urging the City of Columbia to provide housing for the poor to keep the “city center from being a ghetto for the wealthy.” They are pushing for more subsidized and affordable housing. They quote Mayor Bob as saying, “If you only have higher– income people living in a community, that’s not good.”

Wait a minute here!

Most of the executives and editorial writers at The Other Paper do not live in Columbia. The Other Paper has refused to be annexed into the City of Columbia. They don’t live here; they don’t pay taxes here; but they want those of us who live, work, and pay taxes here to subsidize housing for poor people to live in our neighborhoods. They want us to finance a lower quality of life for ourselves while they live in gated communities in hypocritical bliss.

Who do they think they are!?!

Face the facts: a city made up of economically productive people living in expensive, well–maintained homes is more attractive, pleasant, and tax–worthy than a city made up of non–productive people living at the public expense. I’m not speaking racism, elitism, anti–diversity, or conservatism here. This is reality. No one wants to live next to irresponsible families on the dole. Certainly not executives of The Other Paper.

Perhaps these promoters of diversity can persuade their own outside–the–city friends to build subsidized housing units in their own neighborhoods. While they are doing that, we in the city will do our best to surround their office on Shop Road with homeless centers, addiction treatment centers, spouse abuse centers, check cashing businesses, pawn shops, and affordable housing units – which I am sure they will support.