Kansas City Fact Check: Panhandling Ordinance Not Enforceable

The warmer weather, harsh times and worsening drug crisis threatens to bring panhandlers to local streets en masse. 

Sadly . . .

THIS EPIC KANSAS CITY FACT CHECK PROVES THAT MAYOR & COUNCIL HAVEN'T GIVEN POLICE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO CONFRONT THIS HOT MESS IN THE MAKING!!!

Accordingly . . . 

We share a special thanks to a KICK-ASS TKC READER who not only signed his name to this thoughtful missive but offers a bit of fun in his informative open letter that exposes the slapdash legislation. 

Here's the word . . . 

Ordinance 220276

Mayor and City Council:

Ordinance 220276 doesn’t address the problem of panhandlers on the streets of Kansas City.  Panhandling seems to be exempt from regulation unlike other businesses in Kansas City. If you are restaurant and you want to extend dining onto a public sidewalk you have to have a permit, if you want to operate in a park you have to get permission from the Parks Board and if you are food truck and want to park on the street you have to get a permit. These are just a few examples how the City regulates businesses that want to operate on public property. Panhandlers sole purpose is to collect money from motorists have no regulations. Listed below are some regulations for the safety of panhandlers and motorists that need should be enacted:

Panhandlers have to be wearing a safety vest at all times.

Panhandlers must carry insurance for themselves and if they cause an accident.

Panhandling should be only allowed from 9 am to 4 pm Monday thru Friday, Saturday and Sunday sunrise to sunset.

Panhandlers must get a permit from the City for place and time they would be panhandling. This permit must be visible so law enforcement can readily determine they are following City regulations. The fee for this permit should be a nominal amount to cover city costs to administer this safety program.

Panhandlers must report to the City amount collected or the amount will be estimated just as tips for waiters are estimated so Earnings Tax can be collected.

In ordinance 220276 concerning panhandling there is this phrase “reasonable opportunity to comply with an order from law enforcement to move on or disperse, after receiving actual notice or where the notice was directed to them and was reasonably likely to come to such person’s attention.” What is reasonable opportunity to comply 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 12 minutes or 30 minutes. Does this mean written notice or just verbal notice. This just shows this means nothing because nothing is enforceable.

Sincerely,

Terrence Nash 

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You decide . . .