Austinist: Hearing on Panhandling Ban Tonight

Alan Sudo

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:11:49 -0600

As always, mdahmus is right. Take heed of the cautionary example of San Francisco. The large population of homeless per capita has really destroyed property values in this city notorious for its appalling lack of social services. Hell, just look at the people forced to flee SF and move to Austin. They aren't even getting enough money selling their California homes to afford one of those nice 3,000 Sq. Ft. houses with a yard in Round Rock. Instead, they are being forced into the middle of the cesspool downtown, stacked on top of one another in high rise buildings - living like bees, not like humans. It's sad really, and it's all the fault of the homeless.

mdahmus

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:37:12 -0600

It's simple pragmatism. Want people to live or work downtown? Make sure it's not a bum-ridden cesspool. You want money for services for the homeless? Don't drive more offices and residents to Round Rock where they don't pay the taxes that pay for those services.

kenneth1

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:25:10 -0600

APD reported in September that panhandling is a factor in some car accidents and injuries. I'll give APD a few more factors in car accidents and injuries at busy intersections: * Drivers not using their turn signals; * Drivers not looking both ways before turning right on red; * Drivers not yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks; * Drivers running red lights; * Drivers too busy yakking on their cell phones to pay attention to the road; APD might want to try enforcing some of those laws before they start singling out panhandlers for harassment.

KatintheHat

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:59:46 -0600

Yeah it's annoying, but are they really doing any harm? Usually they're pretty respectful folks, and on the occasion I do decide to dig out some change from my pocket they're very enthusiastic and thankful. If anything I feel bad for not doing it more often. Also, it's a little ridiculous to say they have any part in traffic accidents around the UT area. I've seen more students (and professors) dive out in front speeding cars on Guad than panhandlers.

KatintheHat

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:59:31 -0600

Room 710

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:38:33 -0600

If you don't want to give money out to people at intersections, then don't give money to people at intersections. For this we've got to have a law? There are homeless and crackheads harrassing the public by "directing" folks into parking spots, and then intimidating through the suggestion that they'll "watch the car" for a few bucks. This occurs nightly, within 5 blocks of APD, all over Red River. How about this city spend some energy dealing with that?