Politics & Government

Panhandling Near Parking Meters Soon to Be Illegal

The commission voted unanimously Monday to add panhandling near parking meters to the ordinance restricting panhandling.

After 15 citizens and business owners voiced their displeasure with the problems the parking meters were causing, the commission tackled another problem related to the meters - panhandling. 

At Monday's City Commission meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to restrict panhandling within 20 feet of parking meters or pay stations. The ordinance would become law after the second reading next month. The ordinance is similar to the policy that makes it illegal to do so near ATMs. 

Capt. Karr of the Sarasota Police Department said the issue is not about homelessness, but safety. He said it is about people "going to their wallet and purse without being disturbed by somebody else," he said. 

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The ordinance has the support of the Downtown Sarasota Alliance. Eileen Hampshire, DSA board chair, said the ordinance is necessary for downtown patrons. She read a letter representing the DSA's with to support the ordinance.

Richard Martin of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness said this is, " just another example [of] criminalizing something that doesn’t need to be criminalized. Don’t put police officers in the middle of these petty, petty ordinances."

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"I think this ordinance is self explanatory," commissioner Shannon Snyder said.

Mayor Suzanne Atwell said, "I think it's tough. I understand what a lot of people have been saying, [but] we need these ordinances. "It's about safety, it’s about security. We need this, but hopefully it won’t have to be used a lot."


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