The Tampa City Council Thursday looked at three options before them on what to do about the issue of panhandling.

The three options are to repeal the City’s current regulations on street solicitation, adopt a complete ban on street solicitation on all roads within the city providing only for sales during daylight hours on Sunday, and a ban on street solicitation with exemption for newspaper sales and allowance for expressive speech not requiring an exchange of objects.

In a unanimous decision, Council members decided to adopt options 2 and 3, and will have an ordinance before them September 22nd.[private]

Councilman Harry Cohen said in his opinion, the situation on our streets is out of control and getting worse. “The practice of asking for money in the streets has been banned everywhere around us.
Of the three options before us, I would feel good with Option 3 that would accommodate newspaper sales.”

Councilwoman Lisa Monteileone said she’s been asked by her constituents to implement a total ban. “Freedom of speech must be allowed to continue, however. What I’d like to do is repeal the current ordinance and allow the county’s ordinance to take effect.”

Councilwoman Yolee Capin was the first to suggest combining Options 2 and 3.

Councilman Frank Reddick said he would not agree with adopting the county ordinance. “What I find amazing are the businesses that say they want a total ban. I haven’t seen one offer to put these people in a training program and give them a job. That concerns me. They just want us to get rid of the panhandlers.

“I’m very passionate about this, and I appreciate my colleague mentioning the Florida Sentinel Bulletin. When you talk about a 6-day ban, you’re putting a lot of people out of work. I want to see people trying to earn a living instead of breaking the law.”

Councilwoman Capin said she’s always felt the issue called for compromise and at the same time keeping the streets safe. “I would support the consolidation of Options 2 and 3. I want to protect the newspapers and their contribution to the community, and I want to protect jobs.” [/private]