It is hard to drive through South Tampa without stopping at an intersection and looking to your left, looking to your right and seeing a panhandler in a bright orange safety vest on both sides of the street.
Whether you agree or disagree with roadside panhandling, it could be argued that the activity is dangerous, not to mention uncomfortable for drivers. A 30-second red light can feel like an eternity when a person two feet from you door is staring into your window. And passing out money to the panhandlers is difficult when there is another person at the next red light 500 yards away asking for more money.
In Hillsborough County, panhandling is legal in incorporated parts of the city as long as safety regulations, such as wearing orange vests, are followed. So when that guy walks up to your car and peers through your window while you pretend to playing with your radio, despite what you might feel, he isn’t doing anything wrong.
Earlier this year Pinellas County banned panhandling which displaced panhandlers, many of whom moved into Hillsborough County. Now our county is trying to figure out what to do about the sudden influx orange vests. The Hillsborough County Commission has assembled a committee to try to figure out what to do about the situation. The committee’s goals are to strengthen the laws while leaving open opportunities for charities to continue panhandling. They held their first preliminary meeting on Thursday, but for now no permanent solution has been defined.
What do you think ?