Putting The Bite On The Hand That Feeds Them

Dallas Mayor Laura Miller proposed a new plan for dealing with the panhandlers that populate so many of the city's intersections. Tuesday, at a meeting in Oak Cliff, Big D's mayor tossed out the idea of ticketing the do-gooders that give money to people out begging in the streets. Big D has had a law against panhandling for 2 years now. However, Madam Mayor says the law isn't properly enforced and is ineffective. So rather than getting tougher with the beggars, Madam Mayor proposed penalizing the enablers that they feed off of.

While I'm bothered by the haggard looking people with the cardboard signs as well, the measure seems a little extreme. However, I'd be in favor of Cowtown adopting a similar measure on one condition: That the law include those annoying old people in those fuzzy hats.