Anti-panhandling ordinance aims to increase road safety

City leaders are discussing cutting down panhandling in OKC. Online Photo — Proposed Oklahoma City ordinance aims to prohibit panhandling in road medians, stated as an effort to increase road safety. *Online Photo*

Councilwoman Meg Salyer proposed an ordinance that could make panhandling illegal on medians in Oklahoma City. The ordinance seeks to cut back panhandling in the city with decreasing risk of injury to those so close to the road.

“Some people might think it’s trashy — I’ve grown up with it, I’m used to it,” first-year student Jacob Earnest said of panhandling.

Salyer said in an interview with Fox 25 that there are safety concerns for anyone on the side of the road, including teenagers and families with young children.

“It wouldn’t take but one wrong step to have a terrible tragedy,” Sayler said.

Earnest said this concern is understandable.

“I don’t want them running onto the road when I’m dangling a dollar out my window,” Earnest said.

The new ordinance would push panhandlers off the streets, but they would still be allowed on sidewalks.

“Honestly I don’t think it makes that big of a difference, just instead of being in the middle of the road, they’ll be on the side of the road,” Earnest said.

According to the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, some homeless panhandlers spend the money they receive on food because they dislike what is served at shelters or soup kitchens.

“Panhandling is more common in communities that provide a high level of social services to the needy, because the same citizens who support social services are also likely to give money directly to panhandlers; panhandlers are drawn to communities where both free social services and generous passersby are plentiful,” the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing website said.

For those in real need of the money, Homeless Alliance executive director Dan Straughan said to News9 there are concerns that taking away their form of income could push them into homelessness.

Punishment for panhandling in the medians will be a fine up to $162. According to Fox 25, every case will go before a judge and if the fine can’t be afforded there will be exceptions.

A public hearing for the ordinance is scheduled for Sept. 29 and would be up for final adoption Oct. 13.