I've spent a lot of time downtown throughout the years. And I think panhandling is a legitimate issue to be concerned about and that needs to be addressed. What I haven't been convinced of, however, is that this proposal is the answer.
Back in 2009, we were told that a revised panhandling ordinance would solve all the world's problems, that this is something Mayor Ballard wanted to cross off his agenda in his first term. This blog covered it at the time. This blog raised questions, a year later, that panhandling seems to have gotten worse, even in places that the new ordinance specifically regulates (stop signs and traffic lights).
Throughout the entire conversation on panhandling, the ACLU affiliate in Indiana has consistently said they'd likely file a lawsuit over how broad the panhandling ordinance can be if it is revised. No comments have been given publicly that the position of the ACLU has changed, and it seems like both the council backers of this ordinance as well as the Mayor's office could care less what the ACLU has to say.
If you can make it, please join me on December 9th at the full council meeting to publicly oppose this proposal. It starts at 7pm at the City-County Building in downtown Indianapolis.
I see the panhandlers down at the Hardee's (they all know each other) off of 10th street downtown. One of my buddy's at work states his brother is a panhandler and the reason he is homeless is that he just can't function in society. Vince has tried along with his whole family to try to help his brother and it just doesn't work. A lot of these people just have mental illnesses (hey they used to be in the mental hospitals that are all closed) and can't hold jobs and function in a normal environment. The money for the mental ill has been diverted to silly stuff like building stadiums on the taxpayers dime.
ReplyDeleteGuy, you make some excellent points. I don't know how uniform these can apply but I've heard that many of the panhandlers aren't "homeless" but are pretty damn close. Many of them live in cheap hotels, where they can pay by the week or every few days rather than all at once at the beginning of the month. I bet they also couldn't pass a credit check.
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't excuse their behavior but it does help explain it.
There's also a whole different type of panhandling that goes on outside of downtown, one that I believe is much more detrimental to our city than the stuff that goes on downtown. I'll write about that in a day or two.
I think the issue of panhandling is a very difficult problem for civil leaders. I really feel for cities trying to address this issue. As an aspiring economist, I recently conducted a field experiment to satisfy my own curiosity on just how much money panhandlers can make. I went undercover and spent 80 hours panhandling at an exit ramp. My average hourly wage was considerably north of minimum wage ($8.90 an hour). I also collected interesting data on the people who donated. I wrote about my experiences in a book called Exit Ramp: A Short Case Study of the Profitability of Panhandling. I think any city dealing with this problem needs to acknowledge that there are both those who panhandle because of an inability to get steady employment (mental health issues), and those who panhandle because it is possible to earn good money doing it. Figuring out how to help the one and discourage the other is no easy task.
ReplyDeleteGood money yes, but they still can be robbed and beat up (hey no one gives a shit about them, with the exception of a few church people) and all the other problems that come with hanging out on the street.If you consider $8.90 a hour good money in this economy your nutty.
DeleteIndy Student - It;s great that your down there trying to change the law. Have you thought about talking to the people that reach out and help the panhandlers. Find out why they are pan handling and then maybe you can truly help them. Laws are great (are you going to arrest them? and put them in a warm jail cell with free food) but the cops don't want to enforce them. They are way to busy to worry about these crazy people. You need to educate yourself first on why they are pan handlers. Then you can proceed to help them. Then you might find you can't help everybody but you may be able to help a few! There may be a few who are playing the system but some of them are alcoholics, drug attics or just mentally ill and can't function in society. Read Robert's Heinlein's ' 'Time Enough for Love' for some insight or Twain's 'Roughing It'. These two books will tell you so much about the human condition. I suspect you can give me a few books to read to educate me!
ReplyDeleteThe worst panhandlers in the city are the Colt and the Pacers! Simon and Irsay are billionaires and they need our tax money? The term laughing all the way to the bank comes to mind!
ReplyDeleteGuy, there's a lot of anecdotal evidence going around and my experience should be taken as such. I don't know if the chronic panhandlers really are mentally ill. They seem to function just fine.
DeleteI do think a good chunk of them aren't actually homeless, but I suspect a good number of them are probably living in cheap, extended stay hotels, making weekly payments because they can't afford the all-at-once monthly payments an apartment would require.
A lot of what you say is true about the HOMELESS. There's a lot of alcoholism, mental illness, and even some just regular, down-on-their-luck folks. But homeless and panhandling, as far as I can tell, are two separate issues. And IMO, tackling one of them is going to do little (or nothing) to address the other.
Dude there are mentally ill people around you everywhere that look and act normal. How many people are alcoholics and to to work everyday! I know friends who beat their wives and call themselves Christians. You read about it in the paper everyday. Wake up! Go talk to them that is what a lot of the ministers and church people do everyday!
DeleteI do think a good chunk of them aren't actually homeless,
DeleteYou don't know! Find out! it would only take one day to go talk to them. It'[s there job so to speak ask them about there job!
I've actually done just that. As I said, it is anecdotal and the few chronic panhandlers I've talked to is not necessarily reflective of the whole.
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