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Anti-begging law should be repealed

4:26 PM Monday, July 13, 2009

Anti-begging law should be repealed

Section 509.08 of the Springfield City Ordinance prohibits begging in the city. No person may, directly or indirectly, ask for alms or subsistence by charity in the streets or public places of the city.

Court records indicate recent arrests for begging. This ordinance raises two questions:

First, what does it mean to indirectly beg? I remember the Bible story of the Good Samaritan. If a traveler is attacked by robbers in Springfield, could his helplessness be construed as indirect begging? Could a Good Samaritan’s compassion be construed as complicity in the crime of begging? (Section 501.10, City Ordinance)

Second, does Springfield want to be known as a city that turns a blind eye to the poor and needy? The ordinance specifically forbids asking for subsistence, or the minimum necessary to support life, such as food and water.

Annoying panhandling aside, this provision refers to desperate need. If a neighbor were dying of hunger or thirst, would the city seek to silence him? This law impacts my homeless friends in particular.

Charity and almsgiving are basic components of many faiths, including my own. As a follower of Jesus, I must ask our mayor and city commission to re-evaluate this ordinance.

In the Bible, we read that Sodom was destroyed not only for her immorality and idolatry, but because of her callous disregard for the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:49). My city is no Sodom, and her laws should reflect the compassion and generosity of her people.

Jack Legg

Springfield

Libraries fundamental to our future

This is an open letter to Gov. Ted Strickland: Governor, perhaps in proposing cutting funding to our libraries, you have lost sight of how vital they are to our cities and our future.

Let me remind you that Benjamin Franklin knew that libraries are needed to secure both our past and our future. If we don’t know where we have been, how can we know where we are going? In looking only to the present, you ignore the future, not at your peril, but at ours.

Intelligent, innovative people will be our future leaders. The library will be a fundamental part of their education.

Brian W. Lauchard

Springfield

It’s time to get rid of property taxes

We need to stop penalizing people for doing things that improve our community and economy.

Let’s look at an example: Let’s say you and your neighbor make the same amount of money and have identical houses. You each decide to take out a $50,000 home equity loan. Your neighbor purchases a nice fancy foreign sports car. He pays 7 percent sales tax on it. That’s $3,500. He has every right to do that in our society, and I say enjoy it.

You take the $50,000 and purchase lumber, siding, roofing and drywall for an addition to your house. You pay the same 7 percent (or $3,500) in sales tax. You work for six months and add an addition to your house that the county says is worth $100,000 (remember, you do all the work yourself). You now have a nice new living space and, most important, your spouse is happy. But wait ... because you improved your property ... the county now charges you an extra $1,000 a year in property taxes every year. But your neighbor pays no additional property tax, ever.

You both spent the same amount of money. You still live in the same school district. The same snowplow drives past both your houses. The same fire department protects you and the same police force patrols your streets. What changed? Nothing, except the fact that you are penalized $1,000 a year for the rest of your life for making your property nicer. It is time to get rid of property taxes and figure out a new way to fund school and public services.

Kyle Koehler

Springfield

Don’t use children for political messages

As we live in this free country, we have rights that know other country has. The right of free speech, free press, and the right to vote for our own political leaders.

On July 4, at City Hall, we demonstrated what rights we, as Americans, have. The people of Springfield demonstrated against the excessive spending within Washington, and spoke out on the taxes. This is America at work, voicing your opinion and expressing how you feel.

One problem I did have with the Tea Party demonstrations is seeing many children involved in these protests. It’s great when kids have their face painted with the colors of our flag, or wave the flag. But it is disturbing when you have kids holding up signs. The signs, many which were created by the parents that brought them to the event, had slogans such as, “Where is my college money going?” or, “Why does my school have no funds?” There were signs that the children were holding up about President Obama and the stimulus package. Many of these kids were between the ages of 3 and 7 years of age. We shouldn’t use children as a tool to send a message.

Considering most of the Tea Party demonstrations are mainly made up of anti-Obama, pro-Republican groups, I know many of these children are not aware of what goes on within our politics, and we shouldn’t put our children on display to send a message. Please, keep the children out of the demonstrations, and if you have a message to send, please be the one to send it on your own.

Mike Walters

Springfield

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Jack,

While I don't agree I respect your answer. I believe we've entered a time in our society where we are teaching people that something is owed everyone.

I just don't think that is a healthy mentality for people on both sides of the equation. It makes the poor expect more for free... and worse, it makes those who "have" do less because they are mad that the government is taking so much and wasting it in bureaucracy on its way to help the poor.

Both sides are hurt in the process.

KK
7:36 AM, 7/15/2009

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KK

Thanks for the comments. I know Bucky. Glad you helped him (though only a person's choices can change them).

Granted, one-way dependent relationships are the lowest form of charity. No one should survive by leeching off others. However, I still have a hard time processing the notion that it is ILLEGAL to ask for subsistence. It is more of "the principle of the thing" for me. Again, IF a person truly WERE starving, we have outlawed their cry for mercy... NOT that all beggars are noble.

Jack Legg
11:50 PM, 7/14/2009

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Jack... if you live downtown then you know Bucky. I helped Bucky for over two years. Supported him while he sobered up for about 5 months back in 2007.

As much as I tried to help him... I think it is wrong to allow people to beg on the streets. You know as well as I that if someone is truly hungry there is help available. The "beggers" in downtown Springfield are NOT begging for food... but for drug and alcohol money... PERIOD.

KK
10:58 PM, 7/14/2009

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Mike - one more comment. You've proved in your response that you don't really have a clue what the tea parties are about and who attends when you say most attendees are 'pro-Republican' groups. Way off the mark Mike. WAYYYY off the mark there. It's not partisian Mike. It never was. You might want to pay a little more attention.

UCTS
3:12 PM, 7/14/2009

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Mike - just curious. How loudly did you/do you complain when Code Pink, ACORN and Move On.org blatantly use children at ALL their rallies? They've been doing it for years - then again, since most receive government assistance, they have all the time in the world to protest while the rest of us work our butts off to pay their way. If you don't see the glaring difference between protestors-for-hire and the tea parties, you're a big part of the problem.

UCTS
3:09 PM, 7/14/2009

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