Colin Powell’s approach to decision-making entailed a 40/70 rule: If you make a decision with 40% of the information, you are making it prematurely, but if you still haven’t decided by the time you have 70% of the information, you are no longer in control of events.
$610,000 to build a shelter for the homeless may be money well spent IF, and it’s a big if, the county will then shut down all the other homeless encampments in the county thereby lessening fire danger, already experienced again this year, and the personal danger to those living in the ad hoc camps around the county. The other big questions are: What’s it going to cost annually to supply this camp with utilities, water, sanitation, etcetera. What happens when more than the number of people that it’s built for show up? And what cuts to future budgets will have to be made to maintain it? More delays in bringing deputy salaries up to competitive levels? It’s the unintended consequences of good intentions that have to be taken into consideration.
