Maybe he’s not “Clueless Joe” after all. Tampa City Councilman Joseph Caetano, that is. While other council members wrung their hands over panhandlers exercising their First Amendment rights on the streets, Caetano was trafficking in common sense.
To review: Recall that back in October Tampa refined its street vendor license criteria. Not only did those selling newspapers and soliciting for charities in medians have to be a certain age (18), operate only in the day time, and scoot when the light turned green, but they now had to don safety vests. A sensible enough change. Among those observing the new safety guidelines: panhandlers — with ensembles courtesy of Home Depot.
What’s a free-speech observant city to do? Accommodate those asking for charitable donations but not those asking for a spare-change handout? Seemingly, City Hall’s legal department had tied everyone’s hands.
And then Caetano pointed out that if safety were so paramount as to warrant vests, perhaps even more should be done to ensure it. Such as banning anyone from soliciting or peddling anything in the middle of the street. What a concept. St. Petersburg actually had such a safety awakening two years ago.
Whether it’s a firefighter’s boot or a panhandler’s booty, it doesn’t matter. Nobody should be transacting anything in the middle of the street. It’s never made any sense. But it took Joseph Caetano to remind council that this truly was a safety — not a First Amendment — issue.