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The trouble with panhandlers

We have enough laws. Disorderly conduct, loitering public, intoxication, assault, etc. can all apply to this problem without enacting a new law.

Years ago when I was going to school at Utah State in Logan, I used to see a guy with a sign around town, "Will Work for Food". I noticed that people always gave him money, he not food, and he didn't work for it.

One day asked him if he would come to my house and pull weeds in my garden (it was my first attempt, and nothing grew). He said he had a bad back, but that If I would give him my address, he would send his son in law to my house to work.

I said, you don't have to do anything with your back, you can sit in a chair (I was testing him) and when the water gets to the end of the row, tell me and I will switch it to the next row, he declined.

So I gave him my address, and his son in law never did show up.

I know its stupid what I did, but this was before Elizabeth Smart.

Needless to say, I am turned off by these beggars, and I don't want to be, I want to help people, but I don't trust.

The ones that can work, ruin it for those who are truely in need. People want to help, but don't want to get taken. Many of these people are low lifes, not the truely needy.

I'd like to rap the low lifes up one side and down the other.

Another important help is to grapple seriously with the problem of low income housing and low wages. If not, ever more of us will be singing "brother can you spare a [buck]." We need a fair economy and a fair housing market.

Far too many use the money for drugs and alcohol, not food or shelter. Giving to them directly is a mistake - give to charities instead.

About two years ago, there was a panhandler outside Temple Square, asking for change. Her sign said, "Hungry, Cold." It was like 90 degrees out. I gave her money because I'm a bleeding heart, but it's like, dude, you might wanna change that sign.

hungry cold in 90 degree weather some of them story is the same.

Panhandlers are part of the landscape. When living in Los Angeles they were everywhere. The head of the Los Angeles Mission (which provided services to the homeless) asked people not to give panhandlers money. I had some interesting experiences when I stopped giving money. Once in the parking lot of a grocery store a woman came up to me and asked for money I offered her some of my groceries. She got mad at me and stormed away. Another time while waiting at the drive-through to get an ice cream cone for my children a man asked for money. I told him I would be happy to purchase him a meal. He got angry as well and said he just wanted some money so he could get a shower somewhere. But other times, people were thankful and accepted meals and groceries. I do think drug/alcohol addictions and mental illness are a large part of the problem.

My second husband became an alcoholic. After I divorced him, he ended up on the streets for about 4 months. He told me never to give money to the panhandlers, He said they were all addicts of some kind (like himself) and they wanted money to feed their addiction. Many had veteran pensions and a p.o. box where they could pick up their monthly checks. Most chose to live on the streets. He also said he feared for his life. He eventually did manage to get off the street.

It is not just a downtown problem. There are beggars at the 90th South interchange several times a week. I've seen them at 13th East on I-80 and other places. While I don't want the beggar to put up his petition in vain, I also do not want to enable a poor decision and lifestyle. The safety net today is fairly tight-knit. No-one really falls through unless they have cut the net themselves.

I think the statute should be broadened to include all solicitations - whether by panhandlers for money, by businesses for customers, by activists for signatures, or by religions for converts. I should be able to walk around downtown without having to constantly fend people off.

This proposed law is not fair. Those of us who rely on panhandling to make ends meet in this tough economy deserve a chance to do so. We do not try to control your freedom of speech, so don't try to control ours.

If you have been to any of the large cities lately you will see what a huge problem it is. If SLC doesn't figure out what to do the problem will become far worse.

My advice is be generous to those groups that deal with the homeless and down and out, otherwise most of what you give goes up panhandler's nose or into their arm. Then there are those for whom panhandling is simply a trade, and a result of how they were raised. Some make a reasonable living depending on where their begging site is located.

We all need to decide whether we are going to enable or truly help. It makes our conscience feel better to throw a few bucks into their box, but perhaps it would be better to go to a shelter and write out a generous check.

Hubs and I went to dinner last night at a chain restaurant on 10600 S and State. We walked out and a cleanly dressed man approached us, giving some story about how he and his wife need to get to St. George but only have 1/4 tank gas. He said he'd been to the temple in St. George--cause, you know, they have traveler's assistance--but all the bishops went home at 6 o'clock and he couldn't contact anyone. He said that he wasn't a drunk or an addict, but out of work for four months and wondered if we could spare him some cash.

I gave him a $10.

We ended up behind them at the stoplight where instead of turning south, toward St. George, they sped north and wove in and out of cars to get away from us (we were headed in the same direction). At one point we passed them, and I told my husband we should roll down the window and point them in the right direction!

Was I ripped off? Probably. But being generous is not bad, but next time I'll offer gas.

I just came from downtown and someone came up to me holding a cell phone and saying he just wanted to ask a question. He goes into a long sob story that sounded very fishy with the punch line being that he wants money.

The trouble is that I have had people from out of town stop me downtown to ask for directions and who were not trying to get money so I don't want to walk away from someone who comes up and says they just want to ask a question.

I don't think the business license is such a bad idea though. I think this should apply to scalpers as well who work in front of events such as Jazz games. If other businesses have to get a license why not these people?

I've had seemingly high class people dressed in business attire, in Vegas, ask me for change; I've had 12 year olds ask for a drink at a convenient store because it is just "too hot outside". I once made mistake of taking bus from Vegas to Salt Lake (I should have scraped up money ---not panhandled ----for airline ticket). Everyone at bus stop asked me for money. I've heard of a panhandler who asked another panhandler for help and got a rude reply, something like, "You can't panhandle me, I am in need myself." I hear there is a one hundred thousand homeless in L.A.---could be more. The amazing thing is these people live, survive, some thrive and they continue to exist, so some are not as desperate as they seem. I will help someone out, but I will also ask them where their family is, their priest, neighbor, rabbi, cousin-----many of these people aren't alone in universe, they have connections and some probably have a steady paycheck. But what can I say, who can I judge?

You rely on panhandling to make ends meet, but have time to read the dnews and comment and also have access to a computer?????
Also, I thought vagrancy was against the law.

I have found it easier to direct the panhandler to a shelter.

Friday as my daughter and I were getting into our vehicle we had a female teen approach us for a ride and offered to pay us $2. No way Honey.

Giving money to anyone is part of the problem. We should advise people that we give our money to such and such charity and they want your CHANGE they can frequent that establishment. ME giving my Change to someone does not get me the tax write off I need for my hard earned money.

So Don't ask me. You are not getting a cent from me. Infact I still pick up pennies on ground. However these days I am thinking more people do that now... Because I am finding a lot less pennies.

We need to rethink the notion that panhandling, vagrancy, and bad public behavior should be protected civil rights. The unintended consequence is that there will be no comfortable public places anymore. People will have no desire to go out in public other than behind the wheel of their car as they drive from private bum free place to private bum free place. The parks, libraries, sidewalks, and town squares will be left to the vagrants. Is this any sort of way to build a community?
There are many ways to meet the needs of the needy and the addicted without bestowing on them the "right" to destroy the public realm for everyone else.