Burgess Amends Panhandling Legislation … Again

[The Straight Story]

Burgess Amends Panhandling Legislation … Again

(Seattle)

City Council member Tim Burgess has amended his aggressive panhandling ordinance—again—to “clear up misunderstandings, provide more clarity and require an annual assessment by the City Attorney and Chief of Police on the effectiveness of the measure.”

The main change is, once again, to the provision barring panhandlers from asking people for money while they’re using a parking pay station or ATM, which Burgess has changed repeatedly in response to charges that it’s overbroad and confusing.

The original version of the bill would have prohibited asking anyone for money who happened to be standing within 15 feet of a pay station or ATM. The second version clarified that panhandlers will only be barred from asking people for money while they’re using an ATM or parking pay station “from within 15 feet” of the person. Critics complained that the revised provision created a “bubble of protection” around a person even after they’ve left the ATM. That brings us to the latest version, which clarifies even further to prohibit “soliciting any person who is using an automated teller machine (ATM) or a public or private parking pay station” in a way that makes that person feel intimidated or threatened.

Also today, representatives from half a dozen human services organizations, including Plymouth Housing Group, the Downtown Emergency Service Center, and Union Gospel Mission, wrote a letter to the city council supporting Burgess’ proposal. “Some have suggested in public testimony before the Council that the ordinance is ‘anti-homeless’ or designed to ‘target the poor,’” they wrote. “We couldn’t disagree more with these characterizations. We support this ordinance because it strikes a balance between protecting rights and restricting intimidating and aggressive behavior.”

http://www.publicola.net/2010/04/05/burgess-amends-panhandling-legislation-again/

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. "Seattle's New Elixer."

We'll see.

[Truth2Tell]

2. Recommended

Interesting stuff is happening in Seattle politics. A new aggressive Sierra Club Mayor vs a relatively reactionary, entrenched and developer beholden City Council (IMO). Should be an interesting few years. I'm glad to see Publicola linked in GD. Seattle politics are shaping up to have national implications.