Doing Their Part

Santa Cruz city leaders think they've found a way to come up with more money to help the homeless and take a bite out of panhandling: parking meters. Instead of being harassed by people looking for spare change. Those who want to help the needy will soon be able to do so by tossing change into what's being called a "homeless meter."

In the past, city leaders have passed restrictions against aggressive panhandling now a new tool is being introduced, it's a panhandling alternative -- feed a meter; help the homeless -- and it's called Imagine Positive Change. Visitors can feed their loose change into meters instead of giving it to panhandlers. The meter money will then be turned over to programs that will assist homeless.

"Instead of giving your spare change to someone who may be just using it to buy some booze or drugs you can know that your money is going to go to somebody who really needs it and will be used in an appropriate way," said Santa Cruz Vice Mayor Ryan Coonerty. The money collected will be used for bus fare, state IDs and other services to help the homeless.

"Hopefully we'll reduce the panhandling downtown as well as help people one-by-one get into better living situations for themselves," said Chip, with the Downtown Business Association.

The council set some parameters, including that there could be no more than eight meters. Also, panhandling will be prohibited within 14 feet of the meters because they will be considered public art, which city ordinance protects with a 14-feet rule.


Really? Seriously!?! This seems to me to be a terrible idea. If the intent is to incite riot and protest this is a sure fire way to achieve that goal.

Yikes!