It looks like a sensible approach to Tampa’s panhandling problem will be deferred again by City Council. When it doubt, hold a workshop. Next one will be Sept. 8. But in all fairness, this deferral is not the product of an indecisive council.
Members were set to decide between two options in the coming week: essentially replicating the county’s seven-day ban on roadway solicitation or going with a six-day ban that would exclude Sundays. Both would allow sales by newspaper hawkers. Instead, they now have to factor in the threat of a federal civil rights lawsuit that contends that non-commercial speech — embodied in protestors and handbill passers — needs to be exempted from any ban.
So the shortlist of rationales for allowing traffic-related activities — commercial and non-commercial — continues to expand. Scenarios range from homelessness subplots to overly aggressive solicitations to contract newspaper sales to constitutional-rights guarantees.
But one principle should be overriding. Public safety.
The convergence of vehicles, narrow medians andthose intent on soliciting or interacting with distracted drivers at high-traffic venues should be seen as inherently problematic. That’s not to be indifferent to solicitors down on their luck or uncaring about those who sell newspapers or unconcerned about the exercise of individuals’ constitutional rights. That’s to be common sensical about where you permit it.