RC Blog

The proposed “anti-panhandling law”

posted by Dr. Wes Browning on Thursday, February 25 at 7:05pm

Today Seattle City Council Member Tim Burgess proposed a law re aggressive solicitation. It will be a new section of the Seattle Municipal Code, 15.48.050. The law is available on his website as a pdf: http://www.seattle.gov/council/burgess/attachments/2010st_disorder_leg_aggressive_solicit.pdf

I’m glad that the law doesn’t call for any new licensing. Most of the provisions look reasonable to me, although I wonder why it is necessary to write a law specifically prohibiting solicitors from engaging in the activities covered. Why can’t these prohibitions also apply to non-solicitors? Why should it be OK for a non-solicitor to block my progress along a sidewalk?

But, never mind, for now. I’ll content myself to just complain about a couple of the provisions that bother me.

Part A. 4. of the proposed law defines some forms of aggressive solicitation. The introductory paragraph says it includes but is not limited to a number of activities that are then listed, 6 in all, a. through f.

The two that concern me are b. “intentionally using physical gestures or profane or abusive language that would cause fear or alarm to a reasonable person while making a solicitation;” and f. which deals with soliciting within 15 feet of an ATM, pay station etc. The problem with b is that it isn’t specific enough and it’s open to abuses. It is a wide open invitation to class discrimination. The very sight of homeless people alarms some otherwise reasonable people. So?

The problem with f is that selling, say, a newspaper, within 15 feet of an ATM, could get you a fine, even if you aren’t even addressing your pitch to the person using the ATM. You could even be facing the other way! It’s too broad.

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Comments

This proposal is a good start.  What we really need is Rudy Giuliani.  He turned New York City into a place that New Yorkers could finally be proud of.

Rudy is god | submitted on 02/25/2010, 9:28pm

Actually, the request for “needed” money by a panhandler is what isn’t specific enough and is open to abuses.  I am warning as the a member of Israel’s royal family and an American citizen (I am the King of Ireland and live in the University Area since 1991 A.D.) that this article could get you arrested for threatening the city council not to pass the new law.
Do not accuse them of abusive behavior.  Most panhandlers work with rapists to undermine criticism like mine.  I’ve been grabbed before and know that.  The police are onto you.

D. Collings
[D. Ocoileain in Gaelic in the Irish newspaper]
03/04/10
that is my last name in a different language

Dustin [Shane] Collings | submitted on 03/04/2010, 2:38pm

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