There's a lot in that. I would say this. We are spending about $2.7 billion this year on affordable housing and homelessness, which is the highest amount ever. During the last two years we have spent more than ever before on these problems.
We understand that there are many people who are still struggling to find affordable housing. It's true that even as we experience general prosperity it's becoming more and more difficult for many people to realize the dream of owning a home. But this is a very complicated issue.
Remember, too, that the top 10% of income earners pay about 50% of the income taxes in this country. You have to tax people, and the expectation is that people on the high end should pay more in tax. But there's a fine line. If you tax them too heavily, they'll leave the country, because they're mobile. These are the very people who create jobs and are the solution for many people who want to make their way up the income scale. In losing people on the high end, you deny a lot of people that opportunity. So it is a fine line, and I think we need to be cautious about it.
We are concerned about people on the low end. That's why former Senator Kirby's Mental Health Commission and the $110 million for demonstration projects are really important. I think it's one of the big ways to address the problem of poverty and homelessness and to find ways to help people who are mentally ill and deeply addicted. But it's complicated.