Comments on: The No-Beg Zone http://www.thereporta.com/?p=685 Redwood politics and culture, one story at a time Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:29:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Panhandling Ordinance Goes Into Effect | The Reporta http://www.thereporta.com/?p=685&cpage=1#comment-171 Panhandling Ordinance Goes Into Effect | The Reporta Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:18:27 +0000 http://www.thereporta.com/?p=685#comment-171 [...] with APD say they will be warning panhandlers about the new rules before enforcement begins. The new rules will make aggressive panhandling a crime and would also prohibit any form of panhandling within [...] [...] with APD say they will be warning panhandlers about the new rules before enforcement begins. The new rules will make aggressive panhandling a crime and would also prohibit any form of panhandling within [...]

]]> By: Reporta http://www.thereporta.com/?p=685&cpage=1#comment-82 Reporta Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:45:16 +0000 http://www.thereporta.com/?p=685#comment-82 You make good points, especially in your article. I agree that this ordinance is a product of a breakdown in communication and respect amongst the panhandling, business, city, and police community. Studies by police organizations even say that laws enforcing "panhandling" laws are generally ineffective, and that outreach, a development of mutual respect, and community awareness and education about alternatives to giving out money work better for all parties concerned. You make good points, especially in your article. I agree that this ordinance is a product of a breakdown in communication and respect amongst the panhandling, business, city, and police community. Studies by police organizations even say that laws enforcing “panhandling” laws are generally ineffective, and that outreach, a development of mutual respect, and community awareness and education about alternatives to giving out money work better for all parties concerned.

]]> By: nico http://www.thereporta.com/?p=685&cpage=1#comment-81 nico Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:35:40 +0000 http://www.thereporta.com/?p=685#comment-81 I think we all know who the real forces behind this resolution are. This is a battle that has been ongoing since the mid nineties. It is of course the Arcata Plaza business owners and in particular Alex Stillman who owns most of the corner where the "beggers" tend to hang out. That is why we have seen the corner revamped, increased police presense (at that corner), and rennovations to take away much of the open spaces. Moreover, I believe this renewed effort is aimed at "cleaning up" the plaza and surrounding areas for the tourism push that is behind the new Robert Goodman winery, related businesses on I street (who Alex Stillman is deeply involved with) and the Humboldt Made campaign. I noticed that Alex failed to recuse herself from this vote altho she had previously admitted conflicts of interest. But that aside, this resolution does hark towards an authoritarian presense that I think most of us had hoped would begin to dissipate after the 2008 elections. Moreover, the homeless community is already up in arms over the efforts of the Arcata Plaza businesses to vilify them over the past 5 years. This has led to significant bad publicity on chats and social websites among these visitors who actively speak of visiting here to intentionally cause damages and suffering in response. You speak about using the police to address the local increase in crime. Yet no one seems to understand that this new wave of crime is being primarily created by the police pressing down upon these individuals. This is indeed a slippery slope that should be handled in more progressive and compassionate manner. I'm actually ashamed to see what is happening to Arcata if this is the course it is taking. I think we all know who the real forces behind this resolution are. This is a battle that has been ongoing since the mid nineties. It is of course the Arcata Plaza business owners and in particular Alex Stillman who owns most of the corner where the “beggers” tend to hang out. That is why we have seen the corner revamped, increased police presense (at that corner), and rennovations to take away much of the open spaces. Moreover, I believe this renewed effort is aimed at “cleaning up” the plaza and surrounding areas for the tourism push that is behind the new Robert Goodman winery, related businesses on I street (who Alex Stillman is deeply involved with) and the Humboldt Made campaign.

I noticed that Alex failed to recuse herself from this vote altho she had previously admitted conflicts of interest.

But that aside, this resolution does hark towards an authoritarian presense that I think most of us had hoped would begin to dissipate after the 2008 elections. Moreover, the homeless community is already up in arms over the efforts of the Arcata Plaza businesses to vilify them over the past 5 years. This has led to significant bad publicity on chats and social websites among these visitors who actively speak of visiting here to intentionally cause damages and suffering in response.

You speak about using the police to address the local increase in crime. Yet no one seems to understand that this new wave of crime is being primarily created by the police pressing down upon these individuals. This is indeed a slippery slope that should be handled in more progressive and compassionate manner. I’m actually ashamed to see what is happening to Arcata if this is the course it is taking.

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