In the recent guest column “Time to show we’re here together on homelessness measure,” (April 5) the authors make the case that the tax on the May ballot to address homeless services is fair, small and necessary. However, they fail to say how any of the $250 million will reduce homelessness. There are about 16,000 homeless people in the entire state, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. With $250 million a year, we could simply rent an apartment for $1,300 a month for all of them and eliminate homelessness in our community altogether. Instead, the authors propose “solutions” and “strategies” without describing what they are. When someone tries to sell me something without describing what it is, I am wise enough to decline.

David A. Yokoyama-Martin, Portland