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…are most certainly a dime a dozen in this area. Everywhere that one walks or drives will run into panhandlers at almost every major intersection in this town. You cannot get away from these people!
I bring this topic up because a few days ago the Tampa City Council decided that it was just fine and dandy for this group to come up to drivers in order to get cash from them. Now, they cannot ask the drivers for the cash so they stand in the intersections middle island while holding up signs that read “will work for food” or “hungry,thanks for the help” with the usual “God bless you” at the bottom.
This would usually not bother me,but the local clowns here in government are using the excuse that the economy is bad and that many folks here in the area have some cash to spare. I’m fine with that also as those of us who can should be trying to help others less fortunate.
Many of these panhandlers are out in the intersections on Sunday selling newspapers for a little extra change in their pockets. I have no problem with that either as I’ve done that a few times myself. The extra $30 to $70 comes in handy on weeks when the bills are coming due.
It is the other 6 days of the week that I have a problem with especially since most of those out doing this are panhandling for their beer and/or crack habits, not for food or rent money. Many of the same just happen to be getting checks from the government for either S.S.I. or S.S.D. from Social Security. I know of more than one who get their checks on the 3rd of the month and who are flat broke by the 6th or 7th of the month because they have smoked their checks up in crack and have drank the money up. Then they go out and harass the drivers for cash to help them support their habits. This is bullshit.
"There are enough distractions on the roads," said Frank Ehnle of Brandon. "Having to deal with panhandlers or vendors standing in the middle of intersection or at off ramps is yet another ridiculous distraction that impairs driving and affects traffic."
Staff photo by KATY KUEHNER
City officials have blamed St. Petersburg's solicitation ban, as well as the impact of the economic recession, for the recent increase in panhandling on the city's roadways.
More Here
Dozens of newspaper "hawkers" packed council chambers, urging the council not to ban median solicitation, saying such a move would put hundreds of people out of work.
"You don't realize how many people you'll be putting on the unemployment line," said Sonia Long, a hawker for both The Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times.
Bullshit! they only do this one day a week. That does very little for those folks trying to actually buy food or pay a bill.
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