Panhandlers are getting change they never asked for from Salt Lake City leaders.

The Downtown Alliance unveiled a new campaign Tuesday, encouraging people to donate to homeless shelters and charities rather than giving to panhandlers.

Many panhandlers are not homeless and frequently use donations to feed addictions, said Downtown Alliance director Jason Mathis. "The money that goes to panhandlers could and should go" to shelters and nonprofit organizations, he said.

Panhandlers discourage people from exploring downtown stores and restaurants, said Downtown Community Council Chairman Christian Harrison.

"They take more than just spare change," said Jake Boyer of the Salt Lake Chamber. "They threaten the livelihood of downtown."

The Downtown Alliance's campaign features posters, brochures, billboards, public-service announcements and a Web site, www.endpanhandling.com.

"This campaign is not a silver bullet," Mathis said.

Still, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and others said the education effort is key to addressing the issue.

And the campaign could get some extra muscle later this year when Becker introduces an anti-panhandling ordinance to the City Council. A draft of the ordinance showed the possibility of placing a number of restrictions on where, when and how someone could ask for money on the street.

Those restrictions would prohibit panhandling within 20 feet of sidewalk cafes, lines of people waiting to be admitted to a vehicle or place, street vendors, bus stops, entrances to some religious establishments and ATMs.

Under the proposed ordinance, it would be illegal for panhandlers to make false claims about being homeless, disabled, a veteran or a stranded out-of-towner.

Becker called those restrictions "options" for dealing with a problem and said nothing is for sure yet.

A number of groups, however, have expressed concern over the city's efforts.

"There could not be a worse message for the city to send the public during the current recession," Glenn Bailey, director of the Crossroads Urban Center, wrote in a letter to the mayor. "The criminalization of poverty doesn't solve anything. It simply indicates that we are more focused on perception than reality."

In a statement to the city, the Disability Law Center noted a part of the ordinance outlawing the use of a makeup or a device to simulate a deformity would subject people with genuine disabilities to more invasive contact with police.

A police spokeswoman said the department could not discuss enforcement issues until the law is actually on the books.

Becker said city attorneys have reviewed the ordinance and believe it does not infringe on First Amendment rights.

"It does not limit freedom of expression," Becker said, noting the city was only interested in cracking down on "increasingly aggressive behavior" from panhandlers.

e-mail: afalk@desnews.com