Handling Panhandling: Part 2

By On January 9, 2013 · 1 Comment · In A Big Something, Local Issues, Politics, Series

Shortly after Colorado Springs City Council passed the downtown no-solicitation ordinance, we began a Big Something series exploring the ways in which this ban is perceived by the people it affects. Our first piece featured interviews with a local street musician and a self-described “houseless” man, both of whom expressed frustration with the ordinance and discussed the role of “panhandling” in their lives. Though a federal judge recently issued an injunction against the ordinance on First Amendment grounds, meaning the ban will be held at bay indefinitely, we feel it’s important to continue the conversation about panhandling and homelessness in Colorado Springs.

Richard-Skorman21

In this second installment of the “Handling Panhandling” series, we speak with Richard Skorman–former city council member and co-owner of the Poor Richard’s cafe/wine bar/bookstore/toy store complex–about his perspective as a downtown business owner on the panhandling ban. Skorman also discusses how decisions made by city council during his tenure (1999-2006) helped create the panhandling problem that the new ordinance is intended to solve. Listen to the interview below.

Skorman on Panhandling

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One Response to Handling Panhandling: Part 2

  1. Aimee Cox says:
    January 10, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    To clarify, the Honorable Judge Marcia S. Krieger,United States District Court for the District of Colorado placed a preliminary injunction on the enforcement of the proposed no solicitation zone. Colorado Springs is enjoined from enforcing the ordinance pending trial on the merits of the matter. In short, the no solicitation ordinance is not being enforced.

    Reply

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