It’s become an unsurprising and expected part of life in Pierce County — if not every decent sized county in the country with a considerable population of sick, poor, unemployed, often mentally ill transients.



Panhandling. While it’s illegal inside Tacoma city limits, Pierce County as a whole has no such law against solicitation — at least at the moment.



That could all change in the coming months. On Monday, Aug. 4 the Pierce County Council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee is set to hear and make a recommendation on proposed ordinance 2008-45, which would make panhandling illegal at intersections, off ramps, ATMs, building entrances, self service gas pumps, car washes, and just about everywhere else imaginable in Pierce County. After hearing plenty from concerned citizens around the county about the panhandling scourge, not to mention watching Tacoma pass a similar law with success last year, the anti panhandling ordinance was championed by Democrat Barbara Gelman. Gelman made a similar suggestion a year ago, but the idea failed to gain traction. This year seems to be different.



“We’ve had a lot of calls from citizens about panhandling over the years,” says Gelman. “This is just in response to those calls.”



If the Public Safety and Human Services Committee decides to recommend the anti panhandling ordinance, the legislation is expected to go before the full council within a month, and — if passed — take effect on Nov. 1, 2008.



“The purpose of this chapter is to protect citizens from the fear and intimidation accompanying certain kinds of solicitation, to promote business and tourism, and to preserve the quality of life while providing safe and appropriate venues for constitutionally protected activity,” reads the opening paragraph of Exhibit A of the proposed anti panhandling ordinance.



Exhibit B of the proposed ordinance deals specifically with intersection panhandling:

“It is unlawful for any person, while occupying any public property adjacent to any public roadway in the County, to knowingly conduct a solicitation directed to, or intended to attract the attention of, the occupant of any vehicle stopped or traveling on the roadway, unless said vehicle is legally parked. An offense occurs when the solicitation is made, whether or not an actual employment relationship is created, a transaction is completed, or an exchange of money, goods, or services takes place.”



If the ordinance ends up being passed, it’ll no doubt be good news for everyone in our county that loathes pulling up to a red light only to be faced by a disheveled war vet with a sign asking for spare change. And there are plenty of people in Pierce County who feel that way — if not stronger. But there are plenty of panhandlers, too. 



Councilwoman Barbara Gelman says the proposed ordinance will not only cut down on the awkward encounters described above, but it will also act as a catalyst to help Pierce County’s down-and-out panhandling population get the social services they need.



“Basically, (panhandlers) make money when they stand on the side of the road,” says Gelman. “I definitely think it has a negative effect. When there are so many organizations in Pierce County that help the homeless and mentally ill, it puts us in a bad light to have them out there.”



“We hope and expect the sheriff to point (panhandlers) in the right direction for getting help,” says Gelman. “There are plenty of services for them in Pierce County.”



Will panhandlers become a thing of the past in Pierce County? Will this ordinance help the homeless and mentally ill get the social services they need and deserve? Is police intervention the answer?



That discussion will heat up Monday. Stay tuned.