City of Burlington looking to curb panhandling
- Oluseyi Olomodosi
- 20 Sep 2019
Earlier this week, in an effort to reduce roadside panhandling, Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward pitched the idea of ticketing drivers who give money to panhandlers.
While the measure would punish drivers instead of the actual panhandlers, the idea behind it is that panhandlers are unlikely to pay fines and thus targeting them is unlikely to work. By targeting drivers, the city hopes to deter donations and remove the incentive to panhandle by making it harder for panhandlers to profit.
A report addressing panhandling and related safety concerns in @cityburlington came to the P&D Committee Sept. 10. No one should have to stand in a median and put themselves at risk to get help. As a society, we need to do more. Read my full My Take here: https://t.co/2dxZoIf3c4 pic.twitter.com/nHxO0gYd1v
— Marianne Meed Ward (@MariannMeedWard) September 17, 2019
Roadside solicitation isn’t currently a crime in Burlington, so as long as panhandlers don’t do their begging on the road itself, there isn’t much the city or police can do in terms of enforcement. It has historically been ineffective to target panhandlers with fines, as panhandlers don’t tend to change their behaviour after receiving them.
According to city officials, many of Burlington’s panhandlers have admitted to commuting from other cities because Burlingtonians have proven more willing to donate.
Councillor Rory Nisan expressed support for Ward’s proposal but added that it should include a public communications campaign that encourages people to channel their generosity in other ways such as by donating to local initiatives such as food banks.
Lead photo courtesy of AP/Jon Hayt
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