source: Orlando Sentinel website blog
Nighttime panhandlers are persona non grata
posted by Mark Schlueb on Sep 17, 2007 4:39:22 PM
The Orlando City Council banned panhandling after dark anywhere in the city limits.
Commissioners gave the sunset-to-sunrise ban final approval after hearing Police Chief Mike McCoy and Mayor Buddy Dyer describe it as a public safety measure.
[Comment: It seems like every new measure the City adopts against the homeless is called "a public safety measure" in an effort to justify it. It would help if the press would ask officials to cite facts and figures to back up their "public safety" claims.]
Commissioner Robert Stuart voted against the measure, arguing that the city should instead concentrate on educating residents to donate to homeless service agencies rather than to panhandlers.
[Comment: Kudos to Commissioner Stuart for once again exhibiting common sense and compassion. He also was one of only two "no" votes against Orlando's anti-homeless food sharing ordinance.]]
NOTE: A previous version of this post incorrectly said the ban would be in effect from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
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