Passage came Wednesday after a plan to spend $50,000 in tax money for a social worker to help panhandlers stop panhandling was removed from the measure. Instead, assessments to downtown property owners will pay for the social service program.
Downtown merchants pushed for the program, based on a 2-year-old Dayton law, saying aggressive beggars have scared away visitors. Starting next month, health clinics will give free photo IDs to panhandlers. Those who break the panhandling law can have their registration revoked. Repeat offenders can be arrested for begging without a license. Critics have said the plan could backfire, encouraging more panhandling. Council member John Cranley said the ordinance could go down as one of the worst ideas ever to come out of City Council. The ordinance, was the latest attempt to clamp down on aggressive panhandling in Cincinnati. A federal magistrate struck down a previous panhandling law in 1998, saying its restrictions on begging were unconstitutional. The city passed another law in 2002 that outlawed begging near automated bank teller machines, bus stops and crosswalks. That law also prohibited panhandling after dark. Downtown merchants said panhandling problems increased after that law went into effect. Police said it was difficult to catch and prosecute offenders.Stay tuned to WLWT Eyewitness News 5 and ChannelCincinnati.com for updates.
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Council Changes Its Mind
