Criminalizing the homeless

My friend Henry and I used to joke about how there's no real aggressive panhandling in Seattle. Even the panhandlers tend to be polite compared to other cities. Years ago, I was followed four blocks by a panhandler in New York City something you'd never see in nice Seattle.
Nevertheless, City Council member Tim Burgess has introduced a new ordinance to put stronger restrictions on aggressive panhandling. It defines aggressive solicitation ``as acting in an intimidating way while asking someone for money.'' That includes blocking someone while asking for money, using abusive language and panhandling near ATMs and parking pay stations.
This doesn't quite make sense for several reasons:
Burgess made his proposal in conjunction with the statement that serious crime has gone up 23 percent in Seattle since 2008. But even Burgess isn't claiming that all the serious crime is being committed by panhandlers.
There are already laws on the books against so-called ``aggressive panhandling.'' I've been told by people who live downtown that tourists tend to be a bigger pain in the ass than the homeless. To make another law only succeeds in criminalizing the homeless.
The ordinance that Burgess is proposing carries a $50 fine. If someone's asking for money, chances are they don't have $50. (This could also make the law less likely to be enforced by police).
Burgess is attempting to be the kinder, gentler Mark Sidran, the former City Attorney who was in the forefront of anti-homeless laws in the `90's. Burgess says he wants panhandlers to get help, whether it's for alcoholism or mental disorders, admitting in the next breath that social services will continue to be cut in Seattle.
Of course, what the panhandlers really need is money. And speaking of money, I'm reminded of a line that Tim Harris wrote in Real Change about a year ago, ``hide the homeless, the rich people are coming.'' The catalyst for Burgess' action comes from the complaints of the well-to-do, particularly the condo owners who have been told by the rich yuppies (that they want to move into their complexes) that said yuppies don't want to look at poor people.
The City Council will start holding hearings on the proposed ordinance starting on March 17. Stay tuned.